Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SWITHER, v.³, n.³

I. v. tr. and intr. To beat, give (one) a hard smart stroke, belabour, batter (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 181), vbl.n. switherin, a thrashing (Ib.); “to make to fall, throw over” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.).Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 293:
Your hide wi' a stick should be swither'd.Rxb. 1806 J. Hogg Poems 71:
To wark they fell, what they could swither. The lint flew fast frae ane anither.

II. n. A hard blow, a thump, wallop (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 181), a beating, thrashing.s.Sc. 1819 Edb. Ev. Courant (17 April) 4:
He said he had not killed him, but that he had given him a good swither.