▪ I. haver, n.1
(ˈhævə(r))
[f. have v. + -er1.]
One who has or possesses; a possessor, owner. Now rare in general sense.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 9 To selle is þe hauer to ȝeue his þing for price tane. c 1449 Pecock Repr. I. 153 Hauers and vsers of ymagis. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 32 b, He taught true..vertue, whiche dooeth specially aboue all other thynges commende and sette out y⊇ hauer. 1607 Shakes. Cor. ii. ii. 89 It is held, That Valour is the chiefest Vertue, And most dignifies the hauer. 1728 in Cramond Ann. Banff (1891) I. 199 Havers thereof shall be liable in ane pecuniarie punishment. |
b. Sc. Law. One who has possession of a deed or writing which is called for by a court of justice; the holder of a document.
| c 1575 Balfour's Practicks (1754) 188 The haver of ane manis evidentis may be chargit to deliver the samin within sax dayis to the awner. 1754 Erskine Princ. Sc. Law (1809) 395 The apparent heir may..sue havers, i.e. custodiars or possessors, for exhibition of all writings pertaining to his ancestor. 1837 Act 7 Will. IV & 1 Vict. c. 41 §3 The officer summoning parties, witnesses, or havers. 1868 Act 31 & 32 Vict. c. 100 §19 Any witness or haver requiring to be cited to attend said Court. |
▪ II. haver, n.2 dial.
(ˈhævə(r))
Also 5 hafyr, havyr.
[ME. 14th c. haver (hafyr), corresp. to OS. haƀ-, havoro (Du., EFris. haver, LG. hawer), OHG. habaro (MHG. habere, haber, G. haber, hafer), ON. hafre, pl. hafrar (Sw. hafre, Da. havre):—OTeut. *haƀron- wk. masc. In Eng. only northern, and presumably from Norse.]
Oats.
| 1362 [see haver-cake]. 14.. Nom. in Wr.-Wülcker 726/19 Hec avena, hafyr. 1483 Cath. Angl. 178/2 Havyr, auena. 1562 W. Bullein Bk. Simples (1579) 29 In the Northe this grayne is called Hauer; the Southern people cal them Otes. 1804 R. Anderson Cumberld. Ball. 99, I mun off to deetin havver. 1864 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xii. x. (1872) IV. 218 The hay, straw, barley and haver, were eaten away. |
b. = havergrass, oat-grass.
| 1806 J. Galpine Brit. Bot. 40 Wild oat or haver. |
c. attrib. and Comb., as haver-bannock, haver-bread, haver-malt, haver-meal, haver-straw. Also haver-cake, -grass.
| a 1804 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. (1821) 114 *Havver bannock, cald dumplin, and a potatoe pie. |
| 1466–7 MS. Hostill. Roll, Durham, Super le *Hauerbarne infra manerium. 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 52 The furthest roomestead in the haver barne next the East. |
| c 1425 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 657/29 Panis auenacius, *hafyrbred. 1889 Baring-Gould Pennycomequicks x. 149 note, In Yorkshire cake is white bread, bread is oat-cake, Haver-bread. |
| 1572 Inv. in T. D. Whitaker Craven (1812) 332, lx quart of *haver-malte, at viii s. the quarter. 1624 Naworth Househ. Bks. (Surtees) 217, xlj bushells of haver malt. |
| 1785 Hutton Bran New Wark ii. 33 A dubbler of *haver-meal. |
| 14.. MS. Lincoln A.I. 17. lf. 282 (Halliw.) Take and make lee of *havyre⁓straa. 1820 Blackw. Mag. VIII. 154 To hurkle down on a heap o' haver straw. |
▪ III. haver, n.3 Sc. and north. dial.
Usually in pl. havers (ˈheɪvəz). Also haivers.
[Origin unknown.]
Foolish or senseless talk; nonsense.
| 1787 Burns To Gudewife o' Wauchope House, Wi claivers, an' haivers, Wearing the day awa. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Let. x, Dinna deave the gentleman wi' your havers. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 30 The haivers the twa o' ye talk aboot auld Tam. 1896 J. M. Barrie Margaret Ogilvy vii. 141 It's a haver of a book. |
▪ IV. haver, v. Chiefly Sc. and north. dial.
(ˈheɪvə(r))
Also haiver.
[Goes with prec.]
1. intr. To talk garrulously and foolishly; to talk nonsense.
| 1721 [see below]. 1816 Scott Antiquary xliv, He just havered on about it to make the mair of Sir Arthur. 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss., Haver, Haiver, to talk foolishly, to speak without thought. 1881 Chesney Private Secret. II. xix. 148 Hilda shuddered as her father havered on. |
2. Orig. Sc. dial. but now in general English use: to hesitate, to be slow in deciding.
| 1866 W. Gregor Dial. Banffshire 73 Haiver, to hesitate and make much ado about anything. 1955 J. Bayley In Another Country 75 It was a classic moment for polite havering, but the sensible girl did not haver: he was holding the front door open and she climbed in without more ado. 1957 Times 14 Nov. 13/3 No doubt the Government, in deciding to institute an inquiry.., might appear at first sight to have been havering and shifting their ground. |
Hence ˈhavering vbl. n. and ppl. a.; ˈhaverer.
| 1721 Ramsay Addr. Town Council Edin. ii, Gleg-eyed friends..Receiv'd it as a dainty prize, For a' it was sae hav'ren. 1809 Scott Fam. Lett. 15 Feb. (1894) I. v. 131 A little havering and fun upon the other side of the question. 1822 Blackw. Mag. XI. 90 The dull, stupid, superannuated, havering Edinburgh. 1826 J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 II. 23 Unhappy haverers are they over tumbler or jug. |
▪ V. haver
var. hagher a., skilful; obs. f. havier.