sb. and a. Sc. Also bladarie, bladdrie, bladry, blaidry, blaithrie. [Etymological form and history uncertain: perh. a derivative of BLADDER, and more properly spelt bladdery. It has with less likelihood been referred to BLETHER to speak nonsense.]
A. sb. Something unsubstantial, hollow or deceptive; flummery; phlegm from the bronchial tubes.
1591. R. Bruce, Serm. (Jam.). The inward heart is full of bladarie, quhilk bladarie shal … multiply thy torments.
a. 1605. Montgomerie, Poems (1821), 75. This barme & blaidry buists up all my bees.
1703. D. Williamson, Serm. bef. Gen. Ass., 42. It was a fair horse that came into Troy, but there was meikle blathery in his Belly which the Trojans saw not.
1709. M. Bruce, Soul Confirm., 23 (Jam.). Nothing … but bladdrie instead of wholesome food.
1721. J. Kelly, Scot. Proverbs, 296. Shame fall the Geer and the Blad’ry o’t.
a. 1758. Ramsay, Poems (1800), I. Life 44 (Jam.). Frae ilka vice and blaidry free.
B. adj. Unsubstantial, rotten, trashy.
1708. M. Bruce, Lect., 28 (Jam.). A 4th sort of blathrie ware we bring to Christ’s grave, is a number of ill-guided complaints.
[1863. Atkinson, Danby Provinc., Bladdry, muddy, dirty.
1875. Robinson, Whitby Gloss. (E. D. S.), Blathery … ‘It’s blathery walking.’]
