Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1883-1956
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SLERP, v., n., adj. Also slirp (Watson); slairp (Jam.). [slɛrp]
I. v. 1. intr. To salivate or slobber, to splutter messily, to spit (Ork., Fif., Rxb. 1970); “to make a disagreeable sucking sound when sipping spoon-food” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); to kiss in a drooling sentimental way.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
He was sittan there slerpan an' spittan a' ower the floor.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 97:
"... Cheanick Budge is telt me all aboot yin cairry-on thoo wur haein' the day wi' yin geud for noathing bissom, Andromeda Laird. Slerpin' an' kissin' on the public road indeed."Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie Benjie's Bodle 122:
He began slerpan and kissan on peur Sarah.
2. tr. (1) To slabber or smear with a wet or messy substance, to daub on carelessly or sloppily; ppl.adj. slirpin, messy, untidy, slatternly (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., slirp).Ork. 1929 Marw.:
Slerp his face wi' a weet towel.Ork.1 1950:
To slerp on a coat of paint, to lay on (with careless speed).
(2) To consume noisily or messily, to lick up in a slobbering way (wm.Sc. 1904 E.D.D.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., slirp; Edb., Kcb., Dmf. 1970).
II. n. 1. A blob or smear of some wet, messy substance, a dollop, gob (Ork. 1970); ‡“a spoonful of liquid taken hastily” with a slobbering sound (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Wgt., Rxb. 1970).Ork. 1929 Marw.:
A great slerp o' spitting.
2. A wet smacking blow, a resounding slap (Ork. 1970); a slobbery kiss.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
He got a slerp on his face wi' the weet cloot. Gie her [horse] a slerp.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 88:
... and that while it was true that under the influence of home brew he had given Portia Rosie a jocular slerp in a dark corner at a recent dance, he could by no means be described as having a notion of her.
3. A slovenly woman, a slattern, slut (Fif. 1825 Jam.; Per., Fif. 1970).Fif. 1883 W. D. Latto Bodkin Papers 21:
Wha wad hae thocht ye was sic a handless slerp?
III. adj. Slovenly, messy, untidy (Sc. 1825 Jam., s.v. slairt); also in extended form slerpy, id. (Ork., Fif. 1970).
[Imit. variant of Slorp, q.v. Cf. Slair, Slairg, Slairk, etc.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Slerp v., n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/slerp>
