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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SOSS, n.², v.², adv. Also sos(se). [sɔs, sos]

I. n. A thud, a heavy awkward fall, a heavy blow (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 431; Uls. 1953 Traynor). Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1718 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 75:
And wi' a Soss aboon the Claithes, Ilk ane their Gifts down flang.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 112:
She would sit down with a sosse in her cushion'd chair.Slg. 1804 G. Galloway Luncarty 60:
I thought ance I my birth wad loss Wi' that Yierd-brig to get a soss, And hide my pow.Peb. 1860 W. Watt Poems 91:
[She] fell wi' a soss on the breast o' an Irish sailor.Kcb. 1897 A. J. Armstrong R. Rankine at Exhibition 22:
Robbie gied him sic a soss that every ane was eneuch to knock the breath oot o' him.Uls. 1900 T. Given Poems 150:
Tae jump binks in the moss, Whar we got both coup an' soss.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 76:
Whum'lin doon amang the glaur. Ye'll gang wi' unco soss.

II. v. To fall or sit down with a thud or a soft, dull impact (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Arg. 1927; Uls. 1953 Traynor). Also in Eng. dial.; ¶specif., in rick-building: to leap on the stack so as to press it down (Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. XIII. 39, sos).Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 100:
To keep the proper poise, when easefu' bliss Into the other, sosses, overpond'rous.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 237:
We'll hotch awa' wi' friendly grane, And soss down on yon sinny stane.Edb. 1816 W. Glass Songs of Edina 62:
Charly flang his sel' out our the wa', An' sos't on Flora's bosom.Sc. 1865 J. W. Carlyle Letters (Froude 1883) III. 274:
She had slid and sossed down on her back.Edb. 1916 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's xvi. 18:
Pride gangs afore a dunnerin doon-come; An' a vauntie speerit afore a sossin tummle.

III. adv. With a heavy fall or dull thud, weightily, plump! Also in Eng. dial.Rnf. 1813 G. McIndoe Wandering Muse 36:
As ye've landed soss amang the lasses.Gsw. 1879 A. G. Murdoch Rhymes 40:
Auld Ailie, ae nicht, was sitting soss at ease.