Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1827-1924
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FIVVER, Fiver, Fevvar (Cai. 1872 M. McLennan Peasant Life 158, Cai. 1975) n., v. Gen.Sc. forms of Eng. fever. Often specif. of scarlet fever. [′fɪvər]Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 374:
You talked at tea-time o' me deein o' a brain fivver.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 210:
Is't smittin', like sma'pox or teephus fiver?Sh. 1898 J. Burgess Tang xviii.:
Da doctor says 'at shö can rise nu in a day or twa, for da fivver is been aff o her a braa while nu.Kcb. 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 6:
The wean dee't, an' than yer faither took the Fivver.Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 54:
Bit gin she wis ti fivver a lot they wid be better ti come for him at eence.
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"Fivver n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/fivver>
