north. dial. [app. cognate with G. dial. kuttern to coo like a dove, also applied to various other sounds; Sw. qvittra to chirp; cf. also ON. kvitta to rumor. But the Eng. word may be directly echoic, with iterative form: cf. whitter, whatter, chatter, mutter.]
1. intr. a. To whisper; to talk privately and confidentially. b. To coo like a pigeon.
1781. J. Hutton, Tour Caves, Gloss., Cutter, to whisper.
1803. R. Anderson, Cumbrld. Ball., 66. I’ the pantry the sweethearters cutter’d sae soft.
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., Cuttering, talking low, ‘They sat hottering and cuttering over the fire.’
1869. Lonsdale Gloss., Cutter, to whisper. Cutterin, cooing like a pigeon.
1878. Cumbrld. Gloss., Cutter, to whisper or talk softly.
2. To fondle, make much of. [Cf. CUITER.]
1746. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), View Lanc. Dial. (1862), Introd. 36. I dunnaw meeon heaw fok harbort’n’t or cuttern’t o’er thee.
1787. Grose, Prov. Gloss., Cutter, to fondle, or make much of, as a hen or goose of her young.
1825. in Brockett, N. Country Gloss.
