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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

TORIE, n., v. Also tory, torrie, -y. [′tore]

I. n. The grub of the cranefly or daddy-long-legs, Tipula oleracea, which attacks the roots of grain crops (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 195; ne.Sc. 1972). Combs. torie-eat, v., in pass. sense of land: to be infested with this grub, ppl.adj. torie-eaten, so infested (ne.Sc. 1972); tory-worm, torrie-, the crane-fly grub.Abd. 1735 J. Arbuthnot Bch. Farmers 29, 42:
That destructive animal called the Tory. . . . If the soil be inclined to tory-eat, it should be turned over as soon as possible after frosty weather.Abd. 1773 Sc. Farmer I. 608:
Many acres of corn in Banff and Aberdeen shires have been this year destroyed by the tory worm.n.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
Torry-eaten land, poor moorish soil, when exhausted by cropping, and appearing puffed, and very bare, having only scattered tufts of sheep's fescue.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 126:
A bittie i' the hairt o' a field that the Tory-worm devoored i' the spring.Abd. 1910 Evening Gazette (18 June):
Gin ye link th' ley afore ye ploo't ye winna be baddert wi' tory.Abd. 1930 Abd. Univ. Mag. (March) 104:
The ley was terrible tory-eattn.Abd. 1994 David Toulmin in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 73:
Weel-a-wite, but sometimes ye was gled o' the craws, especially if ye saw them turnin ower the sods in yer lea park, lookin for Leatherjackets, itherwise the Tory Worms wad leave yer corn crap as bauld as an auld man's heid, and ye wad get a plague o' Daddy-lang-legs in the Autumn.

II. v. To infest (land) with crane-fly grubs (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 195). Ppl.adj. toriet (ne.Sc. 1972).Abd. 1929 Abd. Weekly Jnl. (6 June):
Fat's adee wi' that park o' corn o' Mossie's? Is't toriet?