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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ROOST, n.2, v.2 Also roust (Sc. 1705 J. Spreul Accompt Current 25, 1816 Scott Antiquary xxiii.; Abd. 1918 C. Murray Sough o' War 37); ruist (Ags. 1848 Feast Liter. Crumbs (1891) 57, 1866 R. Leighton Poems (1869) 316); roosht (Abd. 1965 Huntly Express (29 Jan.) 7); ruost (s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell St. Matthew vi. 19); ¶roosk-; reest (Dmf. 1894 J. Cunningham Broomieburn 10) is a misprint. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. rust (Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xxii.; Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 93; Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 438; Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 99; Abd. 1949 W. R. Melvin Poems 20). [rust]

Sc. form of Eng. rustyArg. 1993:
We'll need tae hae a cliff exercise or we'll get roosty.

Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Adj. roostie, -y, roustie, -y, rusty (Sc. 1704 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 373; Ayr. 1785 Burns Jolly Beggars Recit. vi.; Dmb. 1846 W. Cross Disruption xxxvii.; Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 123; Rxb. 1933 Kelso Chron. (3 Nov.) 5); by extension: (1) of the throat or voice: rough, dry, hoarse, raucous (I.Sc., Abd., Ags., Ayr., Kcb. 1968). Obs. in Eng.; (2) in combs. (i) roostie nail, a dram of whisky, (e. and wm.Sc., Wgt. 1968); (ii) rusty pint, a pint of ale exacted as a fine at a curling court when one failed to remember the various rules and passwords of the game, sc. as being 'rusty' on one's subject; (iii) roustie-pouches, a nickname for a miser (Ayr. 1920); (iv) roosky saxpence, see quot. and cf. 2.; (3) as a n., a golfing-iron of the older type, not made of stainless steel.(1) Abd. 1723 W. Meston Knight 20:
Or sounded in his rousty Throat Like Trumpeter, a warlike Note.
Bnff. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 4:
Upo' that hint I scour'd my rusty throat.
Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 144:
An' noo a dram wad nicely mottle An' weet my dry and roosty throttle.
Sc. 1908 Gsw. Ballad Club III. 182:
At the tout o' his horn an' his shrill roosty ca'.
(2) (i) ne.Sc. 1953 Mearns Leader (2 Oct.):
The Merchan's back kitchie far a “roosty nail” or twa hid duly vanish't.
(ii) Lnk. 1789 J. Kerr Curling (1890) 354:
Trying and examining individuals respecting the word, and bringing them in for rusty pints.
(iv) Rs. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
“Hiv thoo a roosky saxpence i' thi pooch?” = a hint for a loan.
(3) Fif. 1967 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 419.:
One of the Old Guard who still sported “roosties”, despite the advantages of stainless steel.

2. A small piece of money (Per.4 1950), “a brass farthing” (Cai., Bnff., Ags., Per., w. and sm.Sc. 1968). Cf. Eng. slang rust, money.Arg. 1901 N. Munro Doom Castle xxii.:
Man, he hasna a roost.
Bnff. 1966 Banffshire Advert. (26 May):
They winna fork oot a roost tae keep the coast trainies fae bein' stoppit.

II. v. In ppl.adj. roostit.

Sc. form of Eng. rusted.w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 14:
Anither John thinks colour blue,
is jist the hue for pentin
thon gas-works hulk.
Its roostit bulk
needs twa-three penters sent in.

Sc. usages: 1. of the throat: rough and parched (Sh., Abd., Ags., wm.Sc. 1968); 2. of the hair: greying, grizzled (Mry.1 1925). Also in n.Eng. dial.1. Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 27:
The spectre straik't his chafts a wee, Cleared oot his hearse and roostit throttle.

[The long u in Sc. is due to the fact that -st did not regularly produce shortening, O.E. rūst. See note to Reest, v.2, n.2]

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"Roost n.2, v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/roost_n2_v2>

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