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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NEIR, n. Also neer, near, nere, nare, nir (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)), and aphetic forms eer, ear (Watson). Gen. in pl. A kidney, esp. of an animal (w.Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Vocab. 17; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 363; Dmf., Lth. 1825 Jam., ears; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork. 1929 Marw.; I. and n.Sc. 1964); by extension, the loin. Now only dial. in Eng. [ni:r]Sc. 1704 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 354:
Cheats and ears . . . 3sh 8d.ne.Sc. a.1725 Habbyac on A. Ramsay 6:
Thou'll fidge, an fyck, an claw thy Niers, An skirl, and wyak.Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 153:
And to busk the young Lambs Eers with his Fat.Sc. 1827 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) X. 248:
I remember often hearing of a calfs neir being got for dinner.Abd. 1868 G. Macdonald R. Falconer v.:
I would like a dish o' your chits and nears.Sh. 1947 Sh. Folk Bk. I. 71:
We'd spaarls an' neers, reestid tees an' skenk hochs.Abd. 1950 Huntly Express (1 Dec.):
A cavalcade of garron ponies with the whisky kegs slung over the “neers” of the ponies.Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 170:
When he phoned the vet Johnnie told him to put a sack on her nares, which meant over her back and rump.

Combs.: 1. (n)eer-fat, the fat around an animal's kidneys (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., eer; Sh. 1964). Also in n.Eng. dial.; 2. near-leather, = Ear-leather, q.v. (Per., Lth. 1920; Rnf. 1950); 3. neir-speck, = 1. (Sh. 1964). Cf. speck, blubber; ‡4. (n)ear-strap, a strap in a horse's harness, passing over the loins, = 2. (Sc. 1887 Jam.; Abd., Rnf. 1950); 5. neer-string, one of the ducts connected with the kidneys (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 363); 6. neer-tallon, = 1. (Sh. 1964). See Tallon.