Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Busk, n.¹ Also: buske. [ME. busk (c 1250), ON. busk-r. See also Bus n.] A bush; a thicket.An early example (c 1220) occurs in witnesbusk (q.v.). 1375 Barb. vii. 71.
He … stud intill a busk lurkand Quhill that the hund com at his hand c1420 Wynt. i. .
A propyr place … Of buskis, bankkis, and of bewys Ib. vi. 2216.
Off that wode than ilka man In till hys hand a busk tuk than ?1438 Alex. ii. 3633.
Thair I haue beft the busk bare, And ane vthir hes tane the hare! 1456 Hay I. 234/3.
Thare was a blynd man … the quhilk … hid him in a busk Ib. II. 5/32.
He was walkand … in a thik busk of the wod, quhare there was a grete tree in the myddis a1500 Henr. Orph. 160.
My bed sall be … In buskis bene with mony bustuos bes a1500 Rauf C. 797.
He band his blonk to ane busk on the bent broun 1496 Acta Conc. II. 27.
The accioun … anent the entre … to the aucht akeris of the Dam busk 1513 Doug. iii. i. 46.
A litil mote … Quhar hepthorn buskis on the top grew hie Ib. viii. vi. 84.
Of wild buskis [a] rowch skroggy knoll 1540 Fam. Rose 205.
Benetht the alroun busk vnto the watter of Narn 1549 Compl. 37/21.
Ane grene banc … quhar there vas mony smal birdis hoppand fra busk to tuist c1552 Lynd. Mon. 991.
In ane busk thay hid thame cloce, Aschamit of the Lordis voce 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 55 (B).
I slaid and fell … Doun in ane midow besyd ane busk of mynt 1611 Davison Poet. Rapsodie 39.
Thou 'ginst … range amid the buskes thy selfe to feede 1614 Aboyne Rec. 217.
The saidis tounes and landis … with … fewall, foigaidge, faill, dovatt, buskis, medowes [etc.]