Shower

SHOWER, sb. and v. Sc. I.W. Cor. Also written schour Sc. (Jam.); shour Sh.I.; showre Sc. (Jam.); and in forms shooer, shoor Sh.I. 1. sb. Obs. Continuous rain lasting for several hours or for a whole day. I.W. (Hall.) Cor. Monthly Mag. (1870) I. 436. 2. A copious supply; a quantity. Cor. The cows gived a wonnerful shower o' milk, Phillpotts Prophets (1897) 61. 3. Phr. (1) a shower in the heads, obs., a flood of tears; see Head, 14; (2) to shake a shower with one, to give one torrents of abuse, to storm at one. (1) Slk. Used... in a pastoral district and borrowed from the proof that rain is falling in the high grounds or at the heads of rivulets by their swelling below (Jam., s.v. Heads); There's a shower i' the heads wi' Barny; his heart can stand naething, Hogg Tales (1838) 73, ed. 1866. (2) Sh.I. (J.S.) 4. A sharp attack; a throe, agony, paroxysm; the pangs of child-birth. Sc. If the Lord gaue not leysure to draw their breath between showre and showre (as they call it) it were vntolerable, Rollock Thessalonians (1606) I. 238 (Jam.). Sh.I. Lay eight weeks, taking her shours and pains by fits, Hibbert Desc. Sh. I. (1822) 281, ed. 1891; Efter rinnin' I got a shooer o' da host, Sh. News (Aug. 28, 1897). Kcb. It cost Christ and all his followers sharp showers, and hot sweats, Rutherford Lett. (ed. 1765) I. ep. 131 (Jam.). 5. A strong push; a sudden turn. Sh.I. Hit wid a set dee better, daa, if doo'd... com' an' gien me a shooer, Sh. News (May 26, 1900); (J.S.) 6. v. with upon: to give a helping hand with; to push or turn forcibly. Sh.I. Shoor upo da kirn (J.S.). [4. Rest at all eis, but [without] sair or sitefull schouris, Douglas Pal. Hon. (1501) I. 40, ed. 1874.]