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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

OWERTURN, n. Also owreturn, o'er-, our-. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. overturn. [′ʌu(ə)rtʌrn]

1. The burden or chorus of a song, the repetition of a story (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Cf. Owercome.Sc. 1827 W. Motherwell Minstrelsy 345:
And aye the owreturn o' their tune, Was — our wee, wee man has been lang awa!Sc. c.1828 Johnie Cock in Child Ballads No. 114 H. 21:
She whistled and she sang, And aye the owerturn o the note, “Young Johnnie's biding lang.”Ags. 1857 “Inceptor” Tom of Wiseacre 76:
He's aye wakenin' and gi'in's the ither o'erturn aboot the sheep.

2. The re-selling of goods previously bought in trade, in Eng. gen. called turnover. Gen.Sc.Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes lxxxix.:
There's her arrears o' interest — and syne there's the loss o' the ower turn.Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton 68:
A place o' bizzness like yours, far there's a grite owerturn o' money.Sc. 1956 Scotsman (11 July) 2:
For sale by private bargain, the old-established 6-day licensed business; . . . excellent overturn.

3. A change of purpose or habit, an about-turn, volte-face.Fif. 1894 A. S. Robertson Provost 159:
“I've changed my thoughts aboot some things”. “That's a queer owreturn, Saunders.”Sc. 1917 D. G. Mitchell Kirk i' Clachan 53:
This owerturn o' the psalmist was thoro'.