Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

AULDER, AUL'ER, AALER; AULDEST, AUL'EST, adj., compar. and superl. of Auld, Aul'. [′ɑ(:)lər, ′ɑ(:)ldər, ′ɑ(:)l(d)ɪst]

1. Older, oldest.ne.Sc. 1996 Ashleigh Anderson in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 14:
Bit she's the aulest ewe
An fairly is the boss;
She kens aa the bonnie roads
Fae the howes tae the moss.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 20:
'Aaler, laddie, aye, gin Man himsel.
Naebody kens the age o Bennachie.' Edb. 1879 Stevenson and Henley Deacon Brodie (1924) Act II. Tab. iv. Sc. 4:
I'm an aulder man than when I crossed your door.Dmf. 1777 J. Mayne Siller Gun (1836) 10:
O! weel ken they wha loo their chappin, Drink maks the auldest swack an' strappin.

2. Elder (the senior of two brothers, etc.), eldest.Abd.(D) 1916 G. Abel Wylins fae my Wallet 127:
The auler loon was cuttin' sprots.Abd. 1992 Sheila Douglas ed. The Sang's the Thing: Voices from Lowland Scotland 214:
Moll, my aullest sister, she's never mairried, an Peter, there's neen o' the twa o' them mairrit an they baith bide owre in a hoose in Banchory,...Edb. 1893 W. G. Stevenson Wee Johnnie Paterson 76:
Wha's that young man in the front? — that's no their auldest son Jamie, is't?