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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TASS, n.¹ Also tasse; ¶toss (phs. a misprint). Dim. tassie. A cup, bowl, goblet, drinking vessel, esp. for spirits (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.). Obs. exc. dial. in Eng. Now only liter. In dim. form, also a winner's cup, a trophy. [′tɑs(e)]Bnff. 1704 W. Cramond Keith Records 29:
They have the lawing, having the tasses receiving the money.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. iii. ii.:
Fill him up a tass of usquebae.Abd. 1730 Rec. Old Abd. (S.C.) II. 176:
Rob. Cruikshank, silversmith for mending the lug of the silver tass.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shep. MS. 130:
A tass cut out of eaten wood.Sc. 1774 Weekly Mag. (1 Jan.) 23:
For the spirits, they had what they called a pewther toss, instead of a glass: some of these tosses had a cup at each end, a longer for a great dram, and a smaller for a little one.Ayr. 1788 Burns Go, Fetch to Me i.:
Go, fetch to me a pint o' wine, And fill it in a silver tassie.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xi.:
Gie Steenie a tass of brandy down stairs.ne.Sc. 1828 P. Buchan Ballads II. 208:
Out has he taen his poor bluidy heart, Set it on a tasse of gold.Ags. 1892 F. F. Angus Susie xviii.:
You are just in time for a tass o' tea wi' me.Sc. 1932 J. Bridie Anatomist 49:
I'll hae a tassie o' tae ready for ye in a jiffy.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.:
Tammas poort oot a tass o' brandy tae the piece o' them. 'e Earl liftit 'is tassie an' said ‘'e Keeng.'m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 69:
Cley cuttie, parritch-coggie, tass,
scartit oot upo this stane;
sair jeedgement on Mulroy they pass,
wha gied thaim nither saucht nor hain. m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 31:
Swats made nae bliddie corses oniwey,
in boattle, tankard, tassie, gless or joug. Dundee 1994 Matthew Fitt in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 177:
Owre in the coarnir, ther wus hauf a deid cou liggin oan its syde an a boy in a whyte peenie wus layin intae it wi an aix. A laddie gaed past wi a siller tray an fowre tassies oan it. Kcb. 1995 Galloway News (30 Aug) 42:
The draw for the Junior Tassie to be played at Kirkcudbright Golf Club on Saturday.