Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
speir. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
speir, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
speir in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
speir you have here. The definition of the word
speir will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
speir, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Scots
Etymology
From Old English spyrian, from Proto-Germanic *spurjaną. Cognate with German spüren, Swedish spörja, Danish spørge.
Pronunciation
Verb
speir (third-person singular simple present speirs, present participle speirin, simple past speirt or spure, past participle speirt)
- to ask, inquire
1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. , volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, ; and Archibald Constable and Co., , →OCLC:I'll gie you a bit canny advice, and ye maunna speir what for neither
1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:It seems that the young Heriotside, riding by one day, stopped to speir something or other, and got a glisk of Ailie's face which caught his fancy.- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Noun
speir (plural speirs)
- inquiry, investigation
- A person who is continually asking questions; a prying, inquisitive person