Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MAIRTYR, n., v. Also mairter, merter, -ir; ma(e)rter; martir (Jam.); myarter; and erron. variant mairtle. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. martyr. [′mertər; Cai. ′mjɑrtər]

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Specif. in Scotland applied to those who suffered death in the 17th c. in the cause of spiritual independence as set forth in the National Covenant or the Solemn League and Covenant. Also attrib. as in the names of churches built as a memorial to these. Hence combs. martyr('s) grave, -stane, (a stone marking) the grave of such a martyr.Sc. 1727 P. Walker Remark. Passages 138:
They came about the City to the Netherbow Port, with a Design to take the Heads, Hands, and other Parts of our Martyrs' Bodies down; but a Woman holding over a Candle to let some People see the Street, marred them.
Ayr. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XIV. 64, note:
There are 3 or 4 of what are called martyr-stones, erected to the memory of those who were shot to death in this place.
Dmf. 1810 R. Cromek Remains 116, note:
The martyrs . . . are those unfortunate people who perished in the deadly struggle of the Church of Scotland with English prelacy. Their graves were marked out by their countrymen with hewn stones (called the martyrs' stanes) rudely sculptured and strewn with rhymes of scriptural denunciation against their persecuters.
Sc. 1882 J. Grant Old and New Edb. I. 294, II. 378:
The Martyrs', or Reformed Presbyterian, Church stands on the west side of George IV Bridge. . . . That grim memorial of suffering, tears, and blood, known as the Martyrs' Monument [in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh].
Sc. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister Dedic.:
That grey Galloway land, where, about the graves of the Martyrs, the whaups are crying.
Sc. 1903 J. H. Thomson Martyr Graves 387:
Quite close to the martyr's stone is a monument to the memory of one who, in his time, did much to repair the martyr's stones that a preceding generation had erected.

2. A disgusting mess, a dirty confusion (Cai., ‡ne.Sc., Ags. 1962); a botch, bungle.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 23: 
You've made a bonnie mairter o' the buyin' o' the tnock at onyrate.
Ags. 1903 E.D.D.:
The hoose was juist in a mertir.
Ags. 1945 S. A. Duncan Chronicles Mary Ann 40:
Ye shud hae letten her clean up her ain mairtyr. If she dizna ken the difference atween saut an' sugar it's time she learnt.

II. v. 1. To hurt or wound severely, to afflict (Sh. 1962). Ppl.adj. mairterd, -t, hurt, bruised, painful (Sc. 1710 Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis), vbl.n. martyrin, marterin, ill-treatment, torture (Bnff., 1880 Jam.). Now obs. in Eng. Deriv. mertyreese, martyr —, id. Vbl.n. mertyreesin.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb i.:
Hats is a perfect mertyreesin' to the heid.
Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 102:
Hid's better thu s'u'd file the kelter Or he thee flesh an' been's s'u'd merter.
Kcd. 1884 D. Grant Lays 46:
“Tibbie, here am I!” cried Tammie, “Martyreesed, as ye may see.”
Ags. a.1907 per Fif.17:
Wir hans wis aa mairtert wi thussles.

2. To bungle or mismanage (Ags., Cld. 1880 Jam.; Ags. 1962). Obs. in Eng. since 17th c.

3. To cover with dirt, to bespatter or plaster with any disagreeable or sticky substance (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai., ‡ne.Sc., Ags. 1962); to dabble in dirt or mud.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock 7:
But Tam was gien fleyed though, and his hoose was a' mertered wi' the dirt that cam doon.
Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxvii.:
A black clorty compound, wherewith he mairtered my feet.
Abd. 1890 Bon-Accord (22 March) 16:
Till roun' a loonie cam', His facie maerter'd ower wi' jam, A barley bannock in his neive.
Per. 1898 C. Spence Poems 165:
In scutter holes hinch-deep I've been Wi' dirt a' mertered to the e'en.
Sc. 1935 Sc. N. & Q. (23 Feb.):
Th' theeval's got twistet an' mairtl't wi' breuk.
Cai.9 1946:
Seedle i' geese myarteran' in i' guttur 'ere.

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Mairtyr n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mairtyr>

18072

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: