Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1905
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†ERN, Urn, v., n.1 I. v. To pain, torture; of the eye: to cause to water, to smart (Ags. 1808 Jam., urn; Abd. 1825 Jam.2, ern). Hence phr. nae sae muckle as would ern your ee, only the least bit or smallest particle; “sometimes equivalent to, not a drop” (Abd. 1825 Jam.2).
II. n. A speck in the eye, a mere trifle.Arg. 1905 Arg. Herald (11 March):
I didna care an urn Hoo the warld sat if I was at the auld Witchburn.
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"Ern v., n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/ern_v_n1>
