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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡SAUR, v., n. Also sa'r, sare-, sawr- Sc. forms and usages of Eng. savour. See P.L.D. § 70.1. [sɑ:r, sǫ:r]

I. v. 1. intr. To have a certain taste or flavour. Obs. in Eng. Hence ppl.adj. -saured, -flavoured; vbl.n. saurin, a taste, tasting; relish, liking (Cai. 1934); a small quantity or portion (Lnk. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 106:
Fresh Fish, and poor Friends become soon ill-sar'd. Spoken when we see poor Relations slighted.Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads II. 169:
Your fat yow; It weel will saur wi' the gude brown yill.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 217:
Bonaparte, the French, an' invasion, Did saur in their wizens like soot.

2. intr. To smell of; tr. and fig., to smell or nose out, ferret out.Sc. 1718–21 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 14, 67:
To fill his post alake there's none . . . Cou'd sa'r Sculdudry out like John . . . Till this Time Toumond I'se indent Our Claiths of Dirt will sa'r.

II. n. 1. As in Eng. Adj. saurless, tasteless, insipid (Mry. 1825 Jam.; ‡ne.Sc., Per. 1969; Fif., Edb. 2000s). Also fig.Sc. 1725 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1976) II. 131:
Gae thy ways John Ochiltree: Hae done! it has nae sa'r wi' me.Sc. 1746 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) I. 171:
The fish would make but a very sarless morsel without butter.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 111:
Quo Lindy, “Sir, this is a sareless feast.”Bnff. 1852 A. Harper Solitary Hours 4:
The sway o'an empire were sareless and vain.Abd. 1924 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 59:
The pottage is saurless, ye've been hennie wi' the saut. A saurless smourich is an insipid kiss. Edb. 1992:
You get the saur o the bacon through the meat. [of boeuf bourguignon]

2. Fig. Wit, spirit, pluck, vivacity (Cld. 1882 Jam.). Hence sawrless, having no wit, spiritless, lacking in energy (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 147; ‡ne.Sc. 1969).Abd. c.1800 Bards Bon-Accord (Walker 1887) 323:
Senseless, sa'nless [sic] sotts. (As void o' gumption's Hottentots).Mry. 1804 R. Couper Poetry I. 150:
Sa'rless athort the rigs they spread.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 57:
I see it plainly by the saur o'her e'en.ne.Sc. 1909 G. Greig Folk Song lxxxi. 3:
A bashfu', sarless, smearless chiel.

3. A smell, aroma, specif. an evil or sickening smell (Cld. 1882 Jam.); hence a feeling of disgust or repulsion.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 80:
Now, mony a rantin feast, weel stor'd, Saurs sweetly on the rustic board.Slk. 1824 Hogg Tales (1865) 521:
A saur of reek an' brimstane about him.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 147:
He got a sawr wee that, an' geed awa.

4. A slight amount; specif. of wind, a breath, gentle breeze (Ayr. 1825 Jam.; Arg. 1936 L. McInnes Dial. S. Kintyre 12; Ayr. 1969).Arg.² 1930:
If a wee sar wad jist come aff the shore We wad soon get up tae Isle o'Ross.