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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DOONSIT, n. Also more commonly vbl.n. doon-sittin(g), doun-, down-

1. A settlement, esp. that obtained by marriage or inheritance; Gen.Sc.; “a business establishment” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., -sittin).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 40:
He ga's sin a gueede doon-sit, fin he pat 'im in o' that fairm.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxviii.:
Ou, aw dinna misdoot that; an' he'll get a braw doon-sit at Gushetneuk.Fif. 1897 “S. Tytler” Witch-Wife v.:
Glenfierroch will be a fine down-sitting for our sister's daughter.Edb. 1925 C. P. Slater Margey Pow 45:
She has got a good down-sittin', and a kind man.Arg.¹ 1937:
Gear's no everything; many's the lass I saa that got a gran' doonsittin an' had a gey sair hert efterhin.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan III. xii.:
Marry the heiress: Howeboddom is a warm downsitting.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 5:
The Borderers lang syne geh thersels an awfih leife o'd. Theirs was nae canty doonsitteen!

2. A sitting-down.

†(1) The opening session of a deliberative body.Ayr. 1702 in Ayr. and Gall. Arch. Assoc. (1891) XV. (2) 120:
It being a considerable tyme to the dounsitting of the Parliament.

(2) A settling-down or establishing oneself (in a place) (Bnff.², Abd.², Abd.⁹ 1940).Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xvi.:
It's a very fallawshus prenciple in fat they ca' poleetical-economy to encourage the doonsittin' o' the like o' them in a place.

(3) Phrs.: (a) at a(e) doonsittin, = Eng. at a sitting (Bnff.², Abd.², Ags.², Fif.¹⁰, Slg.³ 1940); (b) at the doon-sittin', on the verge of bankruptcy (Abd.¹⁵ 1880; Abd.⁸ 1940).(a) Sc. 1776 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 508:
He bequeathed fifteen dozen of port wine to Mr John Home, Author of Douglas, and other tragedies, upon condition of his drinking one bottle of port at what he calls a down-sitting.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality iv.:
I gat the humle-cow . . . for ten pund Scots, and they drank out the price at ae downsitting.Sc. 1929 Scots Observer (31 Oct.) 16/4:
Could polish off a terrible lot o' provender at a doonsittin'.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick iv.:
It's ower sarious a maitter to be settled aff-hand, at ae doun-sittin.Ayr. 1787 Burns Letters (ed. Ferguson 1931) I. 94:
She'll whip me aff her five stimparts o' the best aits at a down-sittin.

¶3. The seat, the posterior.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage, etc. 240:
That's e'en a dowie ditty. Hech, but it maks the flesh saft, and braidens the downsitting like daigh on a dresser.