Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SQUEETER, v., n. [′skwitər]
I. v. 1. tr. and intr. To spatter, to (cause to) fly in all directions, of a liquid, to splash, to (make a) flurry (Mry., Bnff., Abd. 1971); “to scatter” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 180). Also in Eng. dial.Mry. 1961 Elgin Courant (6 Dec.):
The squeetrin' snaw flakes swirl and sweel.
2. To work in a weak, unskilful manner (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 180, Bnff. 1971). Deriv. squeeterer, a careless or unskilful worker (Bnff. 1880 Jam.).
II. n. 1. A confused, mixed-up mass, a botched job (Bnff. 1880 Jam.; Bnff., Abd. 1971). Deriv. squeeterer, id. (Ib.).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 180:
Sic a squeeter's they haud at thir wark.
2. A person weak and unskilful at his work (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 180).
[Formally an emphatic variant of Skitter, with semantic development as in Scutter (see note s.v.). See also Queeter.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Squeeter v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/squeeter>
