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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

INTIMMERS, n.pl. Also intimbers. See P.L.D. § 62. [′ɪntɪmərz]

1. Of a vessel: inner or inside timbers, e.g. stringers, etc. (Sh. 1958). Also of a plane or of a building.Ork. 1714 H. Marwick Merchant Lairds (1936) I. 42:
100 or 200 peices of crooked oak wood for intimbers of a good bigg size.Ork. 1747 P. Ork. A.S. XII. 52:
12 oaken intimbers for a boat.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 23:
Neist mornin, in the bowels o the wee oors at 3.00 a.m., haein run the gamut o customs fowkies, passport checkers, ticket buikers an a kirn o bureaucrats, Henry wis bussed ower the rain-lashed, pitch-blaik tarmac tae the shoogly steps leadin tae the intimmers o the plane. ne.Sc. 2004 Press and Journal 20 Sep 12:
Neist time we big a new parliament we'll ken better. If it hid been you or me we wid o been declar't bankrupt lang or es time, the bare waas left staunin like Slains Castle an the intimmers teem.

2. Of any mechanical contrivance: the internal structure or mechanism, the works (Abd. 1900; I. and ne.Sc., Wgt. 1958).Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 26:
He wis aye the laad for the intimmers o' a'thing.ne.Sc. 1954 Mearns Leader (18 Dec.) 3:
Gin he cwid win intill the intimmers o' ony aul' rickle o' a macheen.ne.Sc. 2004 Press and Journal 16 Feb 14:
Noo, wi that staim lattin aff, let me tak ye back tae last wikk's column reca'in mischanters up at the BBC in ma computer intimmers an foo the paper clip wi the starin een cam atween me an ma reason.

3. Fig., of the human body: the internal organs, esp. the stomach and bowels (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 89; Sh., Cai., Bnff., Abd., Slg. 1958), used jocularly.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 376:
Ned is really a wonderful soul . . . his intimmers are of the best kind, he can be drunk and sober three times in a day.Kcd. 1853 W. Jamie Emigrant's Family 51:
Had your intimmers keepit richt.Bnff. 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 18:
An' connacht my intimmers till I'm dootfa' if they'll cower.Sc. 1935 D. Rorie Lum Hat 42:
To please the lass, an' ile her chap's Intimmers wi' vang blang.Sc. 1995 Scotland on Sunday 3 Dec 2:
One bottle each go to ... and William Waugh of Edinburgh jointly for his "Hets up yer intimmers" ("warms up your internal organs") and "Whammles awa the mulligrumphs" ("removes feelings of melancholy").