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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ACHERSPYRE, Ackiespyre, v. intr. [′ɑxərspaɪr Sc.; ′ɑkɪspəir n.Sc.] Of grain: to sprout in malting; to germinate.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
The barley is said to acherspyre . . . when it shoots at the higher extremity of the grain.Bnff.1 1930:
Ackiespyre.Per.2 1930:
Acherspyre. The verb however is usually “spyred,” and is used of a malting-floor or piece that has lain too long and from many of the corns of which the acherspyre is projecting.

[E.D.D. gives the word for the central and northern dialects of England in the forms ackerspire (-spyre), ackerspier, yakkerspire, acrospire, but applied to the sprouting both of the leaf and the root of grain, as also of the potato. The first appearance of the word is in Skene's 1609 translation of his Regiam Majestatem (Chalmerlan Air xxvi.) and with the form acherspyre. The N.E.D. earliest citation is 1616 with the spelling akerspire; acro- appears later. The second element of the word is from O.E. spīr = spike, sprout, stalk; Mod.Eng. spire. The first element is doubtful, but may come from O.North. óhher, Mod.Eng. ear, cognate with Sc. icker (O.North. eher); cf. Ork. aiker, Sh. acker. See also Aikaspire.]

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"Acherspyre v. intr.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 26 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/acherspyre_v_intr>

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