thrawn

Scots

Etymology

Participle of thraw. Cognate with English thrown and thran.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /θɹɑn/

Adjective

thrawn (comparative thrawner, superlative thrawnest)

1. twisted, crooked, distorted, misshapen.
2. (of mouth) wry, twisted with rage or pain.
3. (of person) obstinate, stubborn, defiant, contrarian.
   • 1991, The Herald‎:

     Apart from the distinctively thrawn nature of our fellow citizens, how are we to explain the extraordinary switch in support to the SNP from Labour in our opinion poll on voting intentions for a Scottish parliament?

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2010, Kevin McKenna, The Guardian‎:

     Then an embossed card wafted through his letterbox last week and shattered his thrawn defiance of celebrity.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2020, Ian McConnell, The Herald‎:

     The thrawn Tory Brexiters should heed words of Burns as they fly Union Flags [...] With every day that passes, the impression of the Brexiters as being utterly thrawn, to use a great Scots word, just keeps on growing.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2020, Robin McKie, The Guardian‎:

     It is an extraordinary success story – and it was achieved by a small family firm whose members were notable because they were "stubborn, thrawn and as hard as nails", according to a newly published study of the Johnnie Walker blend.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2021, Jan Prentice, The Herald‎:

     She achieved this through an astute mix of business acumen and pin-sharp organisational skills, to say nothing of thrawn dedication and dogged persuasiveness.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

4. (of person) surly, bad tempered
   • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

     And then she changed her voice and would be as saft as honey: 'My puir wee Ailie, was I thrawn till ye? Never mind, my bonnie. You and me are a' that's left, and we maunna be ill to ither.'

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

5. (of weather) inclement

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /θrau̯n/

Verb

thrawn

1. Aspirate mutation of trawn.

Mutation