Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

QUERN, n.2 Also quairn. A grain, granule, small seed, or the like (Ayr. 1825 Jam.; Mry., Abd. 1967); also fig. a (small) quantity, modicum, fraction. Cf. Eng. †kern, id. Adj. querny, -ie, quairny, granular, composed of small grains or particles, coarse or rough to the tongue, used e.g. of honey (Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 242; Knr. 1825 Jam.; Ayr. 1880 Jam.; Bnff. 1967). Comb. querney-rot, a form of the rot in sheep so called from the granular appearance of the liver and lungs on dissection.s.Sc. 1803 Trans. Highl. Soc. III. 464:
Some people have been led to consider the rot as of two kinds, viz. the querny, or black rot, proceeding from foul feeding, and the hunger-rot from an absolute deficiency of food of every kind.
Sc. 1818 Sawers:
Salt, coarse grained sugar, the pulp of a gooseberry, of a fig, etc. are said to be Quairny.
Gsw. 1868 J. Young Poems 45:
We've seen that Tammie, when a bairn, O' wut possess'd an extra quern.
Rnf. 1876 D. Gilmour Pen' Folk 46:
Before asking the blessing, she placed the sugar mug in her lap; and . . . if any daring urchin tried to abstract a quern while her eyes were closed, a finger and thumb caught the intruder.
Bnff. 1902 Banffshire Jnl. (4 Feb.) 4:
Rough husky brose went under the name of querny brose.
Abd. 1952 (Boddam):
The small seed-grains of raspberries or brambles or the like are called querns.

[Etym. somewhat uncertain, phs. a variant of Curn, n.1 Cf. Quid, Quile, Quite, etc. and also note to Kirn, n.2]

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

"Quern n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/quern_n2>

21661

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: