Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BLUFFERT, Bliffert, Bliffart, Bleffert, Bleffart, n. and v. [′blʌfərt n.Sc. but Bnff., Abd., Bch., Mearns, Ayr. + ′blɪfərt; ′blɛfərt Abd., Mearns]
1. n.
(1) “A squall; generally conveying the idea of wind and rain” (Abd., Mearns 1825 Jam.2, s.v. bleffert, bliffert; Ags.1 1935).ne.Sc. 1979 Alastair Mackie in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 65:
The stobs o the win-break sprauchle
in the blufferts o this west wind
that gars the reid flag on the tee flame.Mry.1 1925; Bnff.7 1928:
A bluffert o' win' cam' an cairrit awa' the heid o' the strae ruck.Abd. 1844 W. Thom Rhymes and Recoll., etc. 71:
Thro' blifferts o' caul' they yaumer an' yaul, An' want ye to warm them, May.Abd.(D) 1900 C. Murray Hamewith 49; Abd.19 1935:
What fell bluffert blew him here.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 5:
The stooks ay uphaud ane anither agin blufferts o storm an the win that blatteret the bare rigs - like a faimly, fyles.em.Sc. 1991 Neil R. MacCallum in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 160:
Barin til the bleffarts
The sleet and the rain.Ayr. 1913 W. Kissock Sc. and Eng. Poems (per Ayr.4):
Bliffart, a squall.
(2) (See quot.)Mearns 1825 Jam.2:
Bleffert, Bliffert. A sudden and violent fall of snow, but not of long continuance.
(3) “A blow, a stroke” (Mearns, Ags. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. bluffert).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 13:
He widna haud's tung, an' a ga 'im a bliffart o' the side o' the hehd.
(4) fig. “The attack of calamity” (Abd. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. bleffert).Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 28:
No; rather let's ilk daintie sip, . . . An' every adverse bliffert hip.
2. v. “To bluster, as the wind” (Abd. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. bluffert).
Hence bluffertin, ppl.adj., blustering, gusty (Abd. 1825 Jam.2).
[Prob. from Bluff, v., to blow + -ert, a variant form of suff. -ard, seen in words like placard, bragart and blizzard. Cf. Blaffart.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Bluffert n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 23 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bluffert>
