Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SURREE, n. Also soree, suree, sir(r)ee; swarree (Slk. 1920 P. Sully In Our Burgh 216), swarry, swaree (Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 318), swuree (m.Sc. 1917 O. Douglas The Setons iv.). Sc. forms of Eng. soiree, a social gathering, conversazione, esp. one organised by a church, Sunday school, or the like (Sc. 1904 E.D.D., Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 188; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein). Gen.Sc. [s(w)ʌ′ri]Sc. 1836 Cockburn Journal (1874) I. 128:
They are called “soirées” (pronounced “sorries” in Edinburgh, and “swurries” in Glasgow), being cheap evening public meetings, attended by crowds, male and female, who get tea and speeches for a shilling or sixpence or even twopence. They are the familiar conventicles of the Radicals, of the Dissenters.Bnff. 1881 W. M. Philip K. MacIntosh's Scholars 118:
A soree is a new invention. There was never onything o' the kin' heard o' in this countra till a short time ago.Edb. 1886 R. F. Hardy Within a Mile 19:
I didna tell ye about the surree.Gsw. 1902 J. J. Bell Wee Macgreegor 27:
Macgreegor's the yin fur surees. . . . He cam' hame frae the Sawbath-schule suree the ither nicht wi' fower orangers an' guid kens hoo mony pokes o' sweeties.Rxb. 1919 Hawick Express (7 Feb.) 4:
The guid auld-fashioned swaree, concert an' ball, especially on auld-year's nicht.Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains & Hilly 22:
Yon wis a gey like spout ye gid at the Free Kirk siree.Ags. 1957 People's Jnl. (14 Dec.):
Controllin' twa hunner weans at a surree.
Hell's bells, if a neebor draps by fur tea
Or Missis asks visitors in for a wee swaree,
Where's the herm? What does he think'll happen
That he nags us till our heids are nippin'? wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 6:
Pairties and cerd-schools he canny abide
Because sich abominations are Auld Nick's pride.
And socials and swarrys and coversat-zionis
Will bring the wrath o' God doon oan us.
Rnf. 1993 History on your Doorstep, The Reminiscences of the Ferguslie Elderly Forum 36:
In those days you had a range and you clipped your stocking on a piece of string over the range. Sometimes you went to a Church party or Soiree and you got a gift, an annual or something. Ags. 1990s:
Swarree: n. Sunday School party; social gathering
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"Surree n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/surree>
