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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WHITTER, v.³, n.³ Also †qu(h)itter, whutter, and reduplic. form whitter-whatter.

I. v. 1. Of birds: to twitter, warble, chirp, utter a prolonged tremulous note (Wgt. 1974). Vbl.n. whitterin(g), qu(h)itterin (wm.Sc. 1880 Jam.).Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads I. 226:
The sma' fowls in the shaw began to whitter in the dale.Abd. 1868 W. Shelley Wayside Flowers 178:
The whitterin' lintie tried new strains.Sc. 1934 Scotsman (21 July) 15:
The whittering or wheepling whaup is an anxious bird.

2. Of persons: to whisper, mutter, “to speak low and rapidly” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.); to chatter, gossip. Reduplic. form whitter-whatter, id.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 82:
The winking swankies whitter, An' fondly ee some female band.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 128:
By his Sunday's twa hours' whitt'r whatt'rin', He mak's puir gowks believe he's gaun to Heaven.s.Sc. 1898 E. Hamilton Mawkin iii.:
The whole bundle of you up here whittering like a pack of peiots.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 21:
A cleckeen o guidweives at a gairdeen-yett whuttert ti other whan they eyed iz.

3. intr. To flutter, to move in a light active way, to scamper, scurry, patter (Ayr. 1825 Jam.; wm.Sc. 1880 Jam.; Ayr. 1928). Vbl.n. whittering, scurrying about, “the way a modest lover haunts his mistress” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 473).Ayr. 1817 D. McKillop Poems 40:
Now Tod himsel' begins to tire, His hidey-hole he'd fain aspire, An' aff he whitters til't like fire.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 6:
The dows and daws that there aboundit, Out-whirr'd and whitter't at the sound o't.Sc. 1926 K. Parker My Ladie Dundie 103:
I heard ye come whittering up the stairs.Sc. 1936 W. Soutar Poems (1961) 103:
On whitterin wing he lichted doun.

4. tr. To whisk, to propel lightly and briskly.Sc. 1939 Sc. Educ. Jnl. (27 Oct.) 1105:
Sin he was whitter'd up to God, Wha crapp't him wi' a croun.

II. n. 1. Twittering, chirping; a low chattering noise, of birds.Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1856) III. 97:
A sound like the whutter of wild-fowl on the feed.

2. Loquacity; chatter, prattle (Rxb. 1825 Jam., ‡1923 Watson W.-B.). Phr. to haud your whitter, to be quiet, remain silent. Reduplic. form whitter-whatter, trifling conversation, tittle-tattle (Rxb. 1825 Jam., ‡1923 Watson W.-B.); a garrulous woman (Id.).Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 50:
Hout, man, it's ablins but a clatter? What need we heed sic whitter-whatter?Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. ix.:
Let us have our ain whitter before I release you.s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws iii.:
I would counsel you, Gavin, to haud your whitter the night.