Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A limehound; in general, a hound; in a later use, a mongrel hound.
  • noun Hence A low, base, or worthless person; a scoundrel; as applied to a woman, in a milder sense, a jade.
  • Base; low.
  • noun A dialectal variant of limber.
  • noun Nautical, a man-rope at the side of a ladder.
  • An obsolete or dialectal form of limber.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective obsolete Limber.
  • noun A limehound; a leamer.
  • noun (Zoöl.) A mongrel, as a cross between the mastiff and hound.
  • noun Scot. A low, base fellow; also, a prostitute.
  • noun (Naut.) A man rope at the side of a ladder.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Scotland A rogue; a low, base fellow.
  • noun A promiscuous woman.
  • noun A limehound; a leamer.
  • noun A mongrel, such as a cross between the mastiff and hound.
  • noun nautical A manrope at the side of a ladder.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Origin uncertain; perhaps from limb, or French limier; see leamer.

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Examples

  • “What signifies what we, were, ye street-raking limmer!” she exclaimed, pushing her daughter before her to the door, with no gentle degree of violence.

    The Heart of Mid-Lothian 2007

  • It wad be sair news to the auld wife below the Ben of Stuckavrallachan, that you, ye Hieland limmer, had knockit out my harns, or that I had kilted you up in a tow.

    Rob Roy 2005

  • But sair ye'll greet, nou naebody'll speir onie nicht for ye, limmer.

    languagehat.com: BRAW AND WITTY. 2004

  • ‘It was all owing to you, you limmer,’ said the vulgar woman to the other; ‘had you not interfered, the old man would soon have settled the boy.’

    Lavengro 2004

  • And a tongue that could jeer, too, the little limmer had,

    The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume IV. The Songs of Scotland of the Past Half Century Various

  • Hieland limmer, had knockit out my brains, or that I had got you strung up in a halter.

    Red Cap Tales Stolen from the Treasure Chest of the Wizard of the North Samuel Rutherford Crockett

  • What is known in Scotland as a ` limmer, 'obviously.

    She Stands Accused 1935

  • ‘Od, lad, queerly eneugh, ’ said Dandie; ‘but I’ll tell ye that after we are done wi’ our supper, for will maybe no be sae weel to speak about it while that lang-lugged limmer o’ a lass is gaun flisking in and out o’ the room.

    Chapter XLV 1917

  • Skelpie-limmer’s-face, a technical term in female scolding (R. B.).

    Glossary 1909

  • At that, dominie, I lost patience, and I whispered, fierce-like, 'Keep your foot to yoursel', you limmer! '

    The Little Minister 1898

Comments

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  • The lamp of sweet reason grows dimmer
    And decency's quite gone aglimmer.
    He sucks up the light
    And brings on the night.
    The man is a lout and a limmer.

    August 7, 2016