Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1891-1930
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CLOOR, Kloor, Klur, Kluir, n. and v. [klu:r, kluər]
1. n.
(1) "A scratch — of any sort" (Ork. 1929 Marw., kloor); "a scratch, as that made by a pin or by the claws of a cat" (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.).
(2) In pl.: "claws" (Sh. 1913–14 J. M. Hutcheson W.-L., cloors). Jak. gives klurek, dim., in this sense, as used jokingly.
Comb.: cattie-cloors. See Cattie, n., 5 (3).
2. v.
(1) To scratch (of a cat, etc.) (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., kluir), to tear by scratching.Sh.(D) 1891 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 9:
Sae he springs till his feet, an makin a claw For mi gansey [jersey], he cloors baid da shooders awa.Ork. 1908 J. A. Pottinger in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. I. v. 174:
He tuik her hame wi' him and a gey fashus job it wis for he cairried her a' the wey and she nearly cloored the lugs aff o' him i' her madrum.Ork.1 1930:
The cat'll cloor thee face.
(2) "To harrow the earth unprepared by spade or plough, esp. of earth in which potatoes have been planted; to klur op de grund" (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).
(3) "To scratch oneself" (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.).
[Norw. klore, to scratch with the nails (Falk and Torp), O.N. klōr, scratching, klōra, to scratch (like a cat) (Zoëga).]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Cloor n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cloor>
