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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TIRRAN, n. Also tyran(e); tarran (Rxb. 1825 Jam.), terrane. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. tyrant (Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 47; Abd. 1845 Stat. Acc.² XII. 624, Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Sh. 1972, tyran; Abd. 1954 Banffshire Jnl. (2 March)). [′tɪrən; also' from Eng., ′tɑerən] A peevish, cantankerous, “impossible” person (Rxb. 1825 Jam.), “a passionate brawling child” (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.), one who tries to get his own way by persistent nagging or fractiousness, an exasperating person (Kcd. 1822 G. R. Kinloch MS.; Cai., ‡Abd. 1972). Deriv. tirraneese, tar(r)aneese, -eeze, taraneze, tyranneeze in Sc. usages: (1) to harass with overwork, to vex, tease, torment, irritate (ne.Sc., Ags. 1972), taraneezin, mockery, jibes; (2) to treat roughly, to bash or batter about, of wind, etc. (Abd. 1917). Rarely as a n., a rough going-over.(1) Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 9:
They wir forever tarraneesin' him.Abd. 1932 Abd. Univ. Rev. (March) 101:
Aifter he hid tarraneest his wife for some days an' nichts.Abd. 1959 People's Jnl. (12 Dec.) 13:
Ma doonfa's ey the signal for mirth an' taraneezin' an' fa' likes tae be lauchen at?ne.Sc. 1986 Peter Mowat in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 157:
Bill Murray intervened, for devilment more than good intention. "Dinna taraneze the loon. That's just fern-tickles comin oot wi the sun." Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 43:
They'll hae the Cruelty up at Knowie's, taraneezin the beasts wi yon things [milking machines].(2) Abd. 1891 T. Mair Arn And His Wife 62:
That taraneezed it [box-bed] oot o' shape An' into firewid fangs.Bnff. 1930:
He jist ga' the park a tyraneeze wi' the grubber.