Also dial. kern, kurn. [Northern form of CHURN v.]
1. a. trans. and absol. To churn; to make butter by churning. b. intr. Of butter: To form by churning, to ‘come.’
15[?]. Wyfe of Auchtermuchty, v. Scho kyrnd the kyrne, and skwmd it clene.
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., II. iii. Tibby kirn’d, and there nae butter came.
a. 1774. Fergusson, Poems, 74 (Jam.). Nae mair the thrifty gudewife sees Her lasses kirn.
1801. in Anderson, Cumbld. Ball., 19 For tou can kurn, and darn, and spin.
1856. G. Henderson, Pop. Rhymes Berwick, 56 (E.D.D.). The gudewife’s butter wadna kirn.
2. transf. a. trans. To mix or stir by a process like that of churning cream; to keep turning over, up, etc. b. intr. To perform the act of stirring something; to puddle, etc.
1822. Galt, Sir A. Wylie, II. i. 12 (E. D. D.). It would hae been mair to the purpose, had ye been kirning drogs with the pistle and mortar in your ain shop.
1869. R. Leighton, Scotch Wds., 20. I’ve just been kirnin’ through the Word o’ God.
1892. N. Dickson, Auld Min. (1896), 106. Busy kirnin’ among clay an’ makin’ bricks.
Hence Kirned ppl. a.; Kirning vbl. sb., churning. attrib. as kirning-day; kirning-rung = kirn-staff (KERN sb.1 3).
1790. A. Wilson, Pack, Poems 59. Gin ye please our John an’ me, Ye’se get the kirnan rung To lick, this day.
1808. Eliz. Hamilton, Cottagers of Glenburnie, xiii. 259. The very first kirning after, her butter was burstet, and gude for naething.
1824. Mactaggart, Gallovid. Encycl. (1876), 39. ’Twas fed on new kirned butter-milk.
1899. Crockett, Kit Kennedy, 217. The morn’s kirning-day.
