Sc. and north. dial. Also claiver. [See CLAVER v.2] Idle garrulous talk, to little purpose, or with little sense; an idle story, a piece of idle gossip.
a. 1689[?]. in Scott, Old Mort., xi. note. When I was entering life, there was ane Knox deaving us a’ wi’ his clavers, and now I am ganging out, there is ane Claver’se deaving us a’ wi’ his knocks.
1722–30. Ramsay, Parrot. Delighted with their various claver.
1787. Burns, Answ. Gudew. Wanchope-House, i. Wi’ claivers, and haivers, Wearing the day awa.
1819. Carlyle, Early Lett. (Norton), I. 230. This is all claver, but it pleases one.
1822. Scott, Pirate, II. 180. To carry clashes and clavers up and down.
Mod. Sc. ‘Muckle claver and little corn,’ said of pulpit eloquence that has little edifying in it; with pun on claver, clover.
