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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.

TIMMER, n., adj.¹, v. Also tim'er, -or. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. timber. [′tɪmər]

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Sc forms:Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 186:
And there is a door. Richt in front o him, a great, muckle wooden yett, oak, dark-varnished, wi rows and rows o six-sided heids o coachbolts and broad straps o iron, painted black, stretched across the timmers.

Sc. combs. and phrs.: (1) great timber, the beams, rafters, posts, and other chief wooden parts of the permanent structure of farm-buildings, provided by the laird for his tenants. See Maister, n.¹, 6. (10), (12). The small timber consisted of the lesser and more moveable wooden fittings, purlins, doors, window frames, etc.; †(2) timber bush, a timber yard or warehouse, esp. one in Leith, used for storing imported timber and other merchandise. See Bush; (3) timber-man, (i) a wood-merchant (Abd. 1825 Jam.). Obs. in Eng.; (ii) the fir-beetle, Acanthocinus aedilis; (4) timmer market, a fair held in Aberdeen at the end of August at which wood or wooden objects formed the principal commodity. The market still takes place though its original purpose has been lost; ¶(5) timmer-propt, supported with wooden props; (6) timmer whiter, a jocular name for a carpenter. See White; (7) to slip the timmers, to die, fig. from a ship foundering.(1) Dmb. 1753 Session Papers, Buchanan v. Towart (5 Dec.) 1:
The Master should from Time to Time furnish great Timber for the Houses.Fif. 1761 Session Papers, Earl of Balcarres v. Scot (7 Dec.) 33:
The Master continues bound for great and Small Timber to repair and keep up the Housing.(2) Edb. 1711 Burgh Rec. Edb. (1967) 210:
To have a feu of that piece of waste ground in the timber bush lying betwixt the two south gates or entry to the bush for building of office houses.Edb. 1738 D. Robertson Bailies of Leith (1915) 135:
The housing of Foreign Wares and Merchandize, . . . is only lodgeable at Leith within the Timber-bush or Houss.m.Lth. 1765 Caled. Mercury (16 Jan.) 26:
They broke into the New Timber Bush in Fisherrow.Edb. 1883 J. Grant Old and New Edb. III. 231:
The name of the Bourse still remains in Leith under the corrupted title of the Timber Bush, occasionally called the Howf.(3) (ii) Per. 1871 Sc. Naturalist I. 41:
This is one of the most striking of British beetles; it is common at Rannoch, where it is called the “timber man.”Per. 1908 A. T. Gillanders Forest Entomology 58:
It loves to settle on felled logs with its antennae spread out like compasses, from which habit it is termed by the Highlanders ‘Timber-man.'(4) Abd. 1774 Abd. Almanac 21:
The Great Timber Market of Aberdeen is held on the last Thursday [of August].Abd. 1829 Trans. Highl. Soc. I. 365:
At one period a great proportion of the birch raised in the upper parts of Aberdeenshire, and the adjoining woods of Kincardinshire, was brought to the annual fair, or “the timber market,” as it was called by way of distinction, held at Aberdeen in autumn.Abd. 1831 Aberdeen Mag. 513:
The hin'most Wednesday o' August, the day of the Timmer Market, and the last of the gooseberries.Abd. 1904 W. Farquhar Fyvie Lintie 39:
Wi' lichtsome he'rts amang themsel's Whan at the Timmer Market.Abd. 1960 Press & Jnl. (5 June):
The only place I had ever seen them before was at the Timmer Market.(5) Ayr. 1785 Burns Halloween xxiii.:
It chanc'd the stack he faddom't thrice, Was timmer-propt for thrawin'.(6) Ayr. 1822 J. Paterson Contemp. Burns (1840) 218:
Like dandies learn to dress in time, Mak' squares like ony timmer-whiter.(7) Abd. 1900 C. Murray Hamewith 24:
Whaever slips the timmers, lippens me to mak' his bed.

2. Wood as a material, esp. the material of small articles or parts of them. Also attrib. Gen.Sc., now only dial. in Eng. Comb. timmer stan, a stand at a fair on which wooden articles were displayed for sale. See 1. (4).s.Sc. 1793 T. Scott Poems 364:
A breast o' timmer an' a heart o' stane.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxv.:
The store of tapestry and carved timmer in the banqueting ha'.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 87:
There he sits in paint and timmer, that I hae aften seen sit in flesh and blood.Ags. 1834 A. Smart Rhymes 135:
An' though her wheels were made o' timmer.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 69:
Your head's made o' timmer.m.Sc. 1898 J. Buchan J. Burnet I. v.:
My airm's fair like timmer wi' stiffness.Abd. 1960 Stat. Acc.³ 264:
A “timmer stan” on which would be found tubs, cogs, plump churns, chessels, brose caps, chappers, spurtles and spoons.Abd. 1991 David Ogston in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 118:
My heid wis echteen inch
Awa fae polished timmer,
Bress and tassel. Abd. 1993:
E win blew doon e timmer sheddie.

3. A wooden dish or utensil; a wooden drinking-cup. Phrs. to clean the timmer, to clean the plates, eat heartily; to turn the timmer, to pass round a bowl of liquor, to drink, to toast.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. iii. ii.:
Come, turn the timmer to laird Patie's health.m.Lth. 1786 G. Robertson Har'st Rig (1801) cxl.:
To turn the timmer they're no sweer.Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 118:
Maybe auld lucky likes a drap o' drink. On some the timmer works an unco' change.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 204:
Ye'll baith cam owre on Friday bedeen, An join us in rantin an toomin the timmer.Rnf. 1861 J. Barr Poems 14:
Noo haste ye fast and clean the timmer, Ye ne'er before got sic a dinner.

4. A stick, cudgel, club.Ayr. 1790 J. Fisher Poems 145:
She'll be a sulky kimmer, Gif ye get her ye will be laid, I doubt, to use the timmer.

5. An article of furniture; furnishings made of wood.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 62:
Three crippled chairs, lang syne past mendin', A bed whase thochts are fire-ward tendin', Complete your timmers.Mry. 1865 W. Tester Poems 136:
Our auld rotten timmer lay broken an' strewn.

†6. Only in comb. belly timmer, sustenance, solid sustaining food. Obs. in Eng. exc. dial. Liter.Sc. 1753 Smollett Count Fathom 63:
Here is no solid belly-timber in this country.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 480:
For tho' their pantries were na pang'd, Nor their kytes weel lin'd wi' belly timmer.

II. adj. 1. Wooden, made of wood (Sc. 1787 J. Beattie Scoticisms 91, 1825 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 217; Uls. 1953 Traynor). Gen.Sc. Now obs. in Eng. Also fig.Kcd. 1700 Black Book Kcd. (1843) 121:
One timber and one horn comb in a case.Sc. 1720 History and Mistery of France and England 3:
Their Eldin is all Wood, and the poorest Sort have Timber Shoon.Sc. 1739 Session Papers, Petition J. Jack (27 Feb.) 1:
Fined by him for putting up a Timber Lum upon a House.Sc. 1786 C. B. Clapcott Rules of Golf (1935) 36:
The Party to play may remove stones or other Break clubs when he is to play with a Timber club.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 252:
Nae ither way did they feed life Than frae a timmer coggie.Edb. 1801 J. Thomson Poems 97:
They carried aff baith sheep an' ky A timmer-brig bore bodies through.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds xix.:
Only three parts o' a man too' for he had a timmer leg.Fif. 1841 C. Gray Lays 24:
The Gangerel, on his timmer pegs.Bnff. 1884 Trans. Banffshire Field Club 29:
Eetie oatie, Black boatie, Three feet an' a timmer hattie. A pot.Bnff. 1927 Banffshire Jnl. (29 March) 7:
We chappit them doon wi' timmer mells, though there wis rale steen fun mulls some wyes.Abd. 1959 Bon-Accord (22 Jan.) 11:
This kin' o' thing rins in the bleed like a timmer leg.

Special combs.: (1) timmer betty, a wooden doll, esp. a Dutch doll (Ags. 1954); (2) timmer breeks, a jocular name for a coffin (Rxb. 1825 Jam.), also in Eng. dial. See also Timmer, adj.²; (3) timmer coat, (i) a hobgoblin, the Devil; (ii) = (2); (4) timmer heid, used fig. in quot. of the protruding haunch-bones of a very thin horse (†Cai. 1972), from naut. Eng. timber-head, the top of a boat's timber rising above the deck; †(5) timber-land, a wooden tenement or flatted house. See Land, n., 5.; †(6) timmer-sark, = (2) (Sc. 1888 C. Mackay Dict. Lowland Sc. 240); †(7) timber-stairs, in quot. the steps leading up to the pillory or stool of repentance in a church; (8) timber-tongue, the disease actinomycosis which causes swelling and hardening of the tongue in cattle (Bnff. 1926 Banffshire Jnl. (24 Aug.) 7; n.Sc., Per., wm.Sc. 1972); †(9) timber trews, -trouse, = (2) (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 317).(2) Rxb. 1806 J. Hogg Poems 50:
Ye'll be forced on to try Your timmer breeks.(3) (i) Mry. 1852 A. Christie Mountain Strains 106–7:
Our John Timmer Coat left in his stead . . . Advisin Timmer Coat to go.(ii) Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 242:
I'm rallied noo; tho', sooth to tell, I maistly gat my timmer coat.(4) Cai. 1911 John o' Groat Jnl. (17 March):
Far are ye gaen wi' that auld karan? It'll tak' a lot o' corn to cover 'at chiel's timmer-heids.(5) Edb. 1739 Caled. Mercury (26 Oct.):
A Fire broke out in the Shop above the Stinking Stile, in the Lucken-booths, whereby the whole Timber-lands in the Neighbourhood were in the utmost Danger.Edb. 1794 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 60:
Though a timber land, the fire was soon got under.(7) Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 181:
Up stairs, doun stairs, Timber-stairs fears me.(9) Abd. 1899 W. D. Geddes Mem. J. Geddes 93:
He would speak of his last transit there as an excursion in his“timber trews.”

2. Fig.: (1) wooden, dull, stupid, insensitive, unresponsive. Hence comb. timmer-heid, a thick, stupid head, ppl.adj. timmer-heidit, stupid, thick-skulled. Also in Eng. dial.Dmb. 1844 W. Cross Disruption 10:
Are ye expeckin' to turn oot a timmer preacher, then?Per. a.1854 Poets and Poetry Scot. (Wilson 1877) III. 227:
His pike-staff o' aik whilk mony a paik Has rung on timmer crowns.Gsw. 1867 J. Young Poems 161:
They'll never maun to knock Book-lear intae the timmer heid o' my big Jock.Ags. 1888 Brechin Advert. (19 June) 3:
In the poopit he wis aye counted a fell timmer hand.Cai. 1891 D. Stephen Gleanings 45:
A timmer-headed parish minister in one of the Sutherlandshire charges.Sc. 1892 Stevenson Catriona vii., xix.:
You have the finest timber face. . . . Ye timmer scoun'rel.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 155:
That daurs to lift, 'mang dacent folk, His empty timmer heid.

(2) unmelodious, unmusical, tuneless (wm.Sc. 1910; Rxb. 1954 Hawick News (18 June) 7; Sh., Ags., Per. 1972). Hence timmer-tune, a thin tuneless voice (Bwk. 1950), ppl.adj. timmer-tuned, -tuined, -tinned, -tint, -teened, having a harsh unmusical voice, tone-deaf, unable to sing in tune (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein, timor-; ne. and m.Sc. 1972). Also in reduced form timmer.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds xxxi.:
I canna even sing balats; for Heaven in its displeasure made me wi' a timmer tune.Ork. 1836 Old-Lore Misc. i. vii. 263:
Many, or I may say most, of the band are often what is termed timmer-tuned, yet the effect is very far from being unpleasant.Sc. 1841 Whistle-Binkie 45:
A clinkin' auld timmer-tongu'd bell.Dmb. 1844 W. Cross Disruption xxxviii.:
He sat whistling and humming to himself in style usually termed timber-tuned.Gsw. 1878 W. Penman Echoes 50:
Tho' oor Mattie's voice is juist “timmer” a wee.Sh. 1898 J. Burgess Tang 3:
Ta shaa dem aa 'at Aald John wisna atagedder timmer yet.Slk. 1899 C. M. Thomson Drummeldale 40:
A shrill, ‘timmer-tuined' old woman persisted in leading off a note or two in front.wm.Sc. 1907 N. Munro Daft Days vii.:
Sing, inside ye, even if ye are as timmer as a cask.Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 35:
Soople Sanny was timmer-tinned, and could sing nane.sm.Sc. 1922 R. W. Mackenna Flower o' the Heather xvii.:
My voice is timmer noo.Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' Ling 13:
Said ane, in timmer English yap.Arg. 1949 N. Mitchison and D. Macintosh Men and Herring 60:
The Cruban had no music: he was timmer-tuned as a door nail.Ags. 1990s:
Timmer: adj. insensitive to music. Abd. 1993:
She wis ayewis timmer-teened.

III. v. 1. To beat, thrash, hammer, sc. with a stick (Abd., wm.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 44; ne.Sc., Ayr., Uls. 1972). Also with up. Vbl.n. timmerin, a beating, thrashing (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 449; Uls. 1930; Abd. 1972).Abd. c.1803 D. Anderson Sawney and John Bull 21:
Frae our shores did freely timmer Your glutten hags three times his numer.Bnff. 1882 W. M. Philip K. MacIntosh's Scholars 49:
Did the gowkit spindleshanks o' a loon get a gweed timmerin' fae Tam?Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden (1922) 22, 31:
I wis that mad at mysel', I cudda timmered my ain hide. . . . He timmered them up the richt gate.Abd. 1926 L. Coutts Lyrics 47:
Y'ill tell me the truth or I'm gaun te timmer ye.Kcd. 1955 Mearns Leader (18 Feb.):
Posty got nae answer fen he timmer't on the door.

2. tr. or absol., freq. with on, up, and intr. with at: to do (something), act or move in a brisk vigorous manner, to go at (some activity, freq. of dancing or thinking) with verve and energy (Abd. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc. 1972). Vbl.n. timmerin, brisk action.Abd. 1812 W. Ingram Poems 57:
He timmer'd up, tho' it be lang, In guid braid Scots, a' Virgil's sang.Abd. 1837 J. Leslie Willie & Meggie 34:
Hoo we did timmer up the dancin'.Abd. 1884 D. Grant Lays 63:
Baith Effie Dean an' Janet Thow, Anent their pairtners i' the kirk Were timmerin' up the fleer.Abd. 1911 Kenilworth Mag. (Oct.) 86:
Oot it timmered an' aff doon the road wi' the smith efter't.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 164:
Gin we hid the mear hame, ye'll help Geordie tae gie her a gweed timmerin' o' a rub doon.Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 62:
She reests wi' nedder lum nor lowe, an' timmers up the shank.Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Jnl. (12 April):
Till eence they'd timmert throwe the first dance.Abd. 1962 Abd. Press & Jnl. (5 Nov.):
May ye lang be spared tae timmer on!