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.
Quotation dates: 1888-1900, 1952
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TILFER, n. Also tilfir, telfer, tulfar (Ork. 1929 Marw.), tulfer. A loose floor-plank or moveable board on the bottom of a boat (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 217, 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw.; Sh. 1972; Sh. 1990s). [Sh. ′tɪlfer; Ork. ′tʌlfer]Sh. 1888 Edmonston & Saxby Home of a Naturalist 311:
One of the tilfers — loose flooring of the boat.Ork. 1894 Sc. Antiquary 115:
Tam Scott was as clever a boatman as ever set foot on a tulfer.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (18 Aug.):
The boat was partly filled with water . . . it contained neither oars, mast, nor sail, and only one telfer.Sh. 1952 J. Hunter Taen wi da Trow 39:
Da foremist ships rock manless noo Wi' tilfers flottin fore an eft.
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"Tilfer n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/tilfer>
