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.
Quotation dates: 1827, 1924-1932
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BACKSPEIRIN, -SPEERIN, -SPIERING, n. Questioning, gen. inquisitive cross-examination. [′bɑk′spi:rɪn]Abd.(D) 1924 J. Wight in Swatches o' Hamespun 68:
The "back-speerin" of her aunt as to "foo she'd come hame fae a forenicht's feast an' rantin."Slg.3 1932:
Backspeirin. Always with an unfriendly meaning. "No backspeirin now."Lnk. 1827 W. Motherwell Minstrelsy lxxviii.:
An intentional omission . . . to save himself from what is in Scotland known as "back-spiering."
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"Backspeirin n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/backspeirin>
