acherspyre

Scots

Alternative forms

• acharspeer, ackiespyre

Etymology

Perhaps from aker (“stalk”) +‎ spire.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑxərspaɪr/, /ˈɑxərspiːr/
• (Northern Scots) IPA^(key): /ˈɑkɪspəir/

Noun

acherspyre (plural acherspyres)

1. The sprouting of barley or other grains in the process of malting.
2. A sprout of such grain.
3. (figurative) In bucketing or rounders, the boy who opened the game.

Verb

acherspyre

1. to sprout in malting; to germinate

References

• “acherspyre, n & v. intr.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC.
• Eagle, Andy, ed. (2016) The Online Scots Dictionary, Scots Online.