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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡PERQUEER, adv. adj. Also perquire, perqueir; prequeer, prequier; proqueer; prekweer. [pər′kwir]

I. adv. 1. By heart, “pat”, word for word (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.). Now only liter.Sc. 1718 News from Bathgate 12:
Tell him to have his Lesson so perquire Against the Day of our next Meeting here.Sc. 1722 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 10:
Cou'd newest Aiths genteely swear, And had a Course of Flaws perquire.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
He said his lesson perqueir.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. i.:
Gin ye kent the haill Byeuck perqueir, . . . what better wad ye be withoot the luve an' gude-gree o' God?

†2. Exactly, clearly, without hesitation, distinctly, accurately. Also perqueerly, id.Sc. 1761 Magopico 6:
In two years more, he made such progress that . . . he could read you very perqueerly the x. chapter of Neihimia.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 39:
Sae ye maun gee your answer now perqueer; I manna ilka day be coming here.Gall. 1796 J. Lauderdale Poems 95:
[He] cou'd a tauld them right prequeerly.ne.Sc. 1802 Edb. Mag. (July) 57:
The lads cud tald my tale perqueer.Gall. 1843 J. Nicholson Tales 129:
The English cou'dna mak' out the preceese meaning o' the words perqueerly.

II. adj. †1. Of persons: thoroughly-versed, word-perfect, expert (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 160).Abd. 1748 R. Forbes Ajax 5:
At threeps I am na' sae perquire, Nor auld-farren as he.Bnff. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 131:
Him speak sae fair, him sae perqueer.

†2. Of things: clear, distinct, accurate (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.), skilfully made, elaborate.Ags. 1791 Caled. Mercury (19 Sept.):
Braid Scots! — a leed fu' sweet to hear, Expressive, pithy, an' prequeer.Gall. 1796 J. Lauderdale Poems 22:
The wark was mair proqueer Wi' gowd, an' ither costly gear.

‡3. Extension of meaning in more recent usage: clearly seen, distinctly visible, sharply defined (Ork. 1965).Ork. 1912 Old-Lore Misc. V. ii. 70:
He saw his son coman' wi' them for da house as prequier as dae.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
Used of houses, islands, etc., on a clear day — “they're very prekweer the day.”

4. Erroneously: odd, queer, peculiar, perverse.Ags. 1788 in Bards Ags. (Reid 1897) 220:
You'll maybe think I'm some perqueer.