Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1832-1995
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DIVERT, n. An entertainment, amusement (Bwk. 1825 Jam.2); an amusing person or thing. Gen.Sc. [dɪ′vɛrt]Sc. 1948 E. Milne in Scots Mag. (Aug.) 344:
I can tell ye, the whole affair was a rare divert.Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 66:
Lat 'er see the horsie noo, to be some divert till 'er.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 19:
To watch ye is a richt divert,
Ma een as by a lodesteen draan.
Siccar ye grip me, an I'm thraan
To turn to my ain thochts, to pairt
Fae you.Ags. 1932 J. M. Barrie Julie Logan 12:
They little understand that I may have been making a quiet study of them while they thought that I was the divert.Per. 1921 J. Ferguson Dark Geraldine 58:
I'll introduce you. He's a fair divert.Gsw. 1832–46 W. Miller in Whistle-Binkie, Songs of the Nursery (1846) 21:
For in his quiet turns, siccan questions he'll speir: — How the moon can stick up in the sky that's sae clear? What gars the wind blaw? and whar frae comes the rain? He's a perfect divert — he's a wonderfu' wean.Gall. 1933 “Dee” in Gallov. Annual 90:
Aweel, she'll be a gran' divert for them a'.
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"Divert n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/divert_n>
