limmer

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See also: Limmer

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Uncertain; perhaps from limb, or French limier; see leamer.

Noun

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limmer (plural limmers)

  1. (Scotland) A rogue; a low, base fellow.
  2. A promiscuous woman.
    • 1994, Jeanette Winterson, Art and Lies:
      Doll Sneerpiece was not a scholar but fond of gentlemen, although to dub her a limmer, would have been to do her a wrong.
  3. A limehound; a leamer.
  4. A mongrel, such as a cross between the mastiff and hound.
  5. (nautical) A manrope at the side of a ladder.

Etymology 2

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Adjective

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limmer (comparative more limmer, superlative most limmer)

  1. Limber; flexible (either physically or morally).
    • 1564, Bullein, Dialogue:
      Then the limmer Scottes ared me, burnt my guddes, and made deadlie feede on me and my barnes.
    • 1578, Rembert Dodoens, A Nievve Herball, Or Historie of Plantes, page 669:
      The roote is long and very limmer, spreading his bráches both large and long under the earth and doth oftentimes let, hinder, & staye both the plough and Dren in toyling the ground, for they be so tough and limmer, that the share & colter of the plough cannot easily divide and cut them asunder.
    • 1844, Robert Huddleston, A Collection of Poems and Songs, on rural subjects, page 81:
      Auld plenishen out by was strew'd, Guid L--d but it was limmer; Some creepy stools, an' shelfs weel scower'd Tae hide the worm pict tim'er Tae sell that day.
    • 2002, Linda Lea Castle, Embrace the Sun: The Vaudrys, page 13:
      If you ride with the hell-spawned reivers and live as a limmer thief then you must expect to be singed by hell's fire.