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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

BURST, v. Also in deriv. ¶bursten (Abd. 1875 G. MacDonald Malcolm xxxv.).

I. Sc. forms.

1. Strong pa.t. barst. Also found in n.Eng. dial. (E.D.D.). See also Brast.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 182; Fif.¹⁰ 1937:
Big bluidy draps . . . barst out.

2. Weak pa.t. bursted. Known to Cai.⁷, w.Lth. (per Edb.¹) 1937; burstit (s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 203; Ags. 1975), burstet (Mry. 1887 W. H. L. Tester Poems 81; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein). In Eng. bursted is now dial. (N.E.D.).Sc. 1821 Wae's me for Prince Charlie in Hogg (ed.) Jacobite Relics II. 193:
Yestreen I met him in a glen, My heart near bursted fairly, For sadly changed indeed was he. Oh! wae's me for Prince Charlie!

II. Sc. usages of ppl.adj. bursted.

1. Broken, spoilt (used in butter-making when the contents of the churn break and no butter is produced) (Abd.⁹ 1937). Cf. Bursen, 2 (1).Sc. 1808 E. Hamilton Cottagers of Glenburnie (1822) xiii.:
There was Tibby Bell . . . she fell to cleanin' her kirn ae day, and the very first kirnin' after, her butter was bursted, and gude for naething.

2. In phrases: (1) bursted churn = bursen kirn, s.v. Bursen, 2 (3); (2) rum (rim) bursted, “ruptured” (Cai.⁷ 1937).(1) Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.:
When the Sun sets before the grain is all cut, on the last day of reaping on a farm, there is said to be a bursted churn.

3. Of a flower: fully out, full-blown (Ags. 1975). Dmf. 1874 R. Wanlock Moorland Rhymes 17: 
The lift, a' whaur the sun had fa'n, Was reider than the burstit rose.