Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1723, 1791-1901
[0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
LURDAN, n., adj. Also -ane, -en, -o(u)n. [′lʌrdən]
I. n. A lazy, loutish or stupid person, a loafer, a worthless creature, a rascal (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 325, of a woman). Mostly liter. and arch. as in Eng.Sc. 1723 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 133:
These Lurdanes came just in my Light, As I was tenting Chloe.Sc. 1828 Scott F. M. Perth iii.:
Even if this lazy lurdane wrought at it, which you know yourself, he seldom does.Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 85:
Let alane maks mony lurdanes.Gall. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 277:
He took a notion o' a fat tow-heidit English lurdan o' a hizzie.
II. adj. Heavy, dull, lit. and fig.; clownish, stupid, rascally. Also deriv. lurdenly, adj., adv., lazy, worthless, in a dull, loutish manner (Ayr. 1825 Jam.).Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 32:
Lurdane sloth O'ercoups them [Romans] a' 'mang savage swarms O' Hun an' Goth.Sc. 1820 Scott Abbot xiv.:
Down with the doors and with the lurdane monks.Bwk. 1825 Jam.:
A lurden nevvel, a heavy or severe blow.Bnff. 1853 Banffshire Jnl. (11 May):
He tried to wind me on his pirn, The lurdon loon, the weaver.Ags. 1868 G. Webster Strathbrachan III. i.:
It would be “E'ens you like” with you, poor soft lurden.Ayr. 1880 Jam.:
A lurdane look.Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Writings 19:
The lurdan livery that ye wear Ye hin'most o' the deevil's dizzin.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Lurdan n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/lurdan>
