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 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BATHER, BADDER, BAUTHER, Boather, v.tr. and intr. and n., with meanings as in St.Eng. bother. See P.L.D. § 54. Hence batheration (Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 271; Rxb. 1876 W. Brockie Confessional 185; Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Glendornie xviii.), badderation (Sh., Abd. 1975). [′bɑ(:)ðər ne.Sc., Edb.; ′bɑdər I.Sc. Bnff., Abd.; ′bɒðər s.Sc.]

1. v.

(1) tr. To bother, annoy, pester, plague or tease.Sc. 1825 T. D. Lauder Lochandhu xxv.:
Ye might hae guessed aforehand that Sandy wad bather yere vera life about him.Bnff.(D) 1924 “Knoweheid” in Swatches o' Hamespun 13:
Weel, ay, sir. I hivna naething te badder ma.Abd.(D) 1905 W. Watson Glimpses o' Auld Lang Syne 237:
Gae wa' an' nae badder me aboot it.Ags.(D) 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) v.:
I never bather my heid aboot what wey fowk's dressed.Rxb. 1915 Kelso Chron. (10 Dec.) 4/6:
The folk aboot Jethart wad shairly never bather the King aboot sic a maitter.Gsw. 1993 Sunday Times 21 Feb :
Sadie McClarty, the crusading Easterhouse grandmother, took a different view: ''Ma Goad! If that's a' wee Jeannie McFadden's got tae boather her, she can come roon' here an' dae ma washin'!ne.Sc. 1996 W. Gordon McPherson in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 19:
"Div ye think" she said, "we cwid badder ye for a wee whilie?" She spak laich; "It's the Queen, ye see - that gype of a driver o oors tint the road - an athing else - an noo the car's broken doon on's."Uls. 2004 Belfast News Letter 6 Mar :
Aa thon boather an blethers gart me tae wonner hoo fowk i Germany ir Sweden bes fit tae tae wrocht an mother ava atween the beck enn an Aprille the yeir efter.

(2) intr. To be troubled, to give oneself trouble or bother.Abd.(D) 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 26:
There's nae mony fowk badders [i.e. badders themselves] wi' sic things nooadays.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 46:
Lang's their debating thereanent; About Protests they're bauthrin.

Hence badderin', (a) vbl.n., bother, trouble, and (b) ppl.adj., troublesome, annoying.(a) Abd.(D) 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert ix.:
She kent weel that the big troubles are far easier tae thole fin the badderin' o' the sma' scutters is keepit doon.(b) Abd.(D) 1928 J. Wight in Word-Lore III. (Dec.) 148:
Meggie wis some hairsts wi “Dammie S —,” as they ca'd 'im, an aff-takin', badderin' breet.

2. n.

(1) A trouble, a plague; one who constantly pesters or teases, a troublesome person.Mry.² 1932:
That loon is an awfu' bather wi' his bools.Abd.(D) 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 59:
“Foo's the young horse deein?” “Gran' jist! It wis nae badder to track ava.”Hdg. 1885 “S. Mucklebackit” Rural Rhymes, etc. 51:
“Auld Lees'” been tichtly “exerceesed” this while about the “wauther,” That endless theme to ferm fowk o' deevilish frait and bather.

(2) In pl. teasing, nonsense.Bnff.² 1932:
Jock winna haud his tongue; pey nae attention till 'is badders, lassie.