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Definition 2024
thrawn
thrawn
Scots
Adjective
thrawn (comparative mair thrawn, superlative maist thrawn)
- contrary or perverse; twisted or misshapen.
- Contrary-minded, in the sense of defiance.
- 2014, BBC Scotland political reporting, quoting former first minister Henry McLeish: "There is an old Scottish word - thrawn - which essentially means the more you tell people they can't do something, the more they are likely to say 'I might want to do it'."
(BBC 2014-09-15 @ 00.15, live reporting feed, after voting closed for the 2014 Scottish Referendum)
- 2014, BBC Scotland political reporting, quoting former first minister Henry McLeish: "There is an old Scottish word - thrawn - which essentially means the more you tell people they can't do something, the more they are likely to say 'I might want to do it'."
- difficult, awkward.
Usage notes
Used in standard Scots and Ulster Scots.