Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BOOSE, Buis(s), Bus(e), Beuse, Bease, Bouse, Bowse, n.¹ and v.¹ See also Biss, n., and Bizzie, n.² [bu:z Sc. but m.Sc. + bø:z; bys Ayr. + bɪs; bis (Arg.¹)]

1. n. “A stall for a horse or cow; the upper part of the stall, where fodder is placed; fig., a seat at table; a bed; a situation, place, position” (n.Ir., Ant. 1898 E.D.D.). E.D.D. also gives it for Eng. dials.Arg.¹ 1933:
Bease — stall in byre.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 141:
Unto the theeked boose The cattle . . . repair.Uls. 1904 J. W. Byers in Victoria Coll. Mag. 12:
“Boose,” a very old word, meaning a stall or enclosure for cattle (cows or horses). In various parts of County Down the word “boose” simply means a situation, or post, or office.

Hence beasing, “a partition between cattle in a byre” (Arg.¹ 1929). See also Bissing.

Combs.: (1) buisin chain, a chain for fastening the animal in its “boose”; (2) beasin stane, buisin, busin —, “stone partition separating beases” (Arg.¹ 1933; Ayr.⁴ 1928, buisin stane).(2) w.Sc. 1887 Jam.⁶, s.v. busing-stane:
“You twa wad need a busin-stane atween ye”: addressed to quarrelsome children.Rnf. 1741 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) B. 155:
Laft and laftrees, buissin stanes, hecks, mangers. Ayr. 1785-6 Session Papers, Cunningham v. Montgomery (15 Dec., 17 Jan.) 1, 5:
Two mangers, one heck, seven bousing stones. . . . The bowsing-stones are thin flags about 4 feet broad by 4½ feet long, set upon their edges, and which serve as a kind of trevice to keep the cattle separate.

2. v. “To enclose in a stall” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam. s.v. buse).

Hence an order given to cattle, “equivalent to ‘stand to the stake'” (Dmf. 1825 Jam.², s.v. bus [bys]).Ayr. 1903 G. Cunningham Verse and Prose 122:
Buiss up, ye muckle jaud!Kcb.⁴ c.1900:
I hae heard a byre-woman, when she wanted a coo to take her place at the stake, cry “Beuse up noo.”