scunner

[ skuhn-er ]

noun

1. an irrational dislike; loathing:

   She took a scunner to him.

verb (used without object)

1. Scot. and North England. to feel or show violent disgust, especially to flinch, blanch, or gag.

verb (used with object)

1. Scot. and North England. to disgust; nauseate.

scunner

/ ˈskʌnər; ˈskʌnə /

verb

1. intr to feel aversion
2. tr to produce a feeling of aversion in

noun

1. a strong aversion (often in the phrase take a scunner to )
2. an object of dislike; nuisance

Word History and Origins

Origin of scunner¹

1325–75; Middle English ( Scots ) skunner to shrink back in disgust, equivalent to skurn to flinch (akin to scare ) + -er -er ⁶, with loss of first r by dissimilation

Word History and Origins

Origin of scunner¹

C14: from Scottish skunner, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Dod! it makes me scunner at some folks' aristocracy.

From Project Gutenberg

She seems to have a special scunner against islands.

From Project Gutenberg

There he sat, a muckle fat, white hash of a man like creish, wi’ a kind of a holy smile that gart me scunner.

From Project Gutenberg

Wylie looked at him for a while with a white scunner in his face.

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes, too, the animals seems to take a scunner at a place and keeps out o’ the way.

From Project Gutenberg