A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Rost, Roist, v. Also: roste; royst; ros. P.t. also (rvistit). P.p. also rosten, ? -ing; rossin. [ME and e.m.E. roste(n (1297), earlier rostien (c1290), OF rostir (c1155 in Larousse).]1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Torreo, torrefacio, to rost, to tost
1. tr. To cook (meat, also other foods) before or at a fire to make them ready for eating.1375 Barb. vii 153.
Thai … slew fyr for to rost thar mete Ib. 165.
And thai rostyt in hy thar mete 1456 Hay II 137/14.
Syk maneris of fleschis, quhilkis quhen men rostis thame thai ar hate and dry a1500 Prestis of Peblis 22 (Asl.).
Quhill thar caponis war rostit lym & lyre c1500 Rowll Cursing 114 (B).
Geis and caponis rostit hait 1513 Doug. v ii 117.
Sum othir … the colis het … to royst in threyt The raw spaldis a1540 Freiris Berw. 137.
This fair wyfe … thristit on fatt caponis to the speit, … Syne bad the madin … To flawme, and turne, and rost thame tenderly 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 42 (B).
Sittand on ȝule evin … Rostand straberries at ane fyre of snaw 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 143.
Thow … tuik out thrie grippis out of the middist of the said schulder [of mutton] and causit rost the same c1650 Spalding I 51.
Sum thay saltit, sum thay rvistit, and sum thay eitit freshe 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 106.
Leacheston did cal for Finden hadocks … ; the mistres did give four to her servand to roste and bring to us
b. To expose to heat for a prolonged period to produce one or more of the secondary effects of cooking, as extraction of juices, etc.1591 Crim. Trials I ii 245.
The dewill … ordenit hir … to hing, roist and drop ane taid a1595 Misc. Spald. C. II xxx.
Tak ane onyeoun and rost weill [etc.] … or tak surrakis and rost thame in an dokane and la thame to the byile 1597 Crim. Trials II 29.
Scho baid him get a grene gwise … and put the kitlingis in the guise wambe and roist the samyn and with the juse and drippingis to rub him 1616 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. in Misc. Maitl. C. II 188.
Tak ane eg and ros [pr. rost] it and tak the swee [pr. sweit] of it … and … wash her eyes
c. Of witches: To expose an image of wax or the like to heat in order to cause damage or destruction to, or by, it.1535 Stewart 35847.
He mycht … se This old carling vpone ane speit of tre, Of walx ane image rostand at the fyre c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 329.
He was troublet als be incantatioun of wytches, quhilk roistit him in walx, and hade greit infirmite thairthrow 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 245.
The dewill … promesit to giff it [supra ane pictour] … to be roistit 1662 Ib. III 605.
We laid the face of it [sc. a clay image of a child] to the fyre, till it strakned … we wold rost it now and then; each other day ther wold be an peice of it weill rosten Ib. 612.
It [supra the pictur] vold be a litle wat with water, and then rosten 1666 Lanark Presb. 106.
That shoe rostit ane lege of the devill everie day 1677 Lauder Notices Affairs I 143.
[Pollock] whom they [sc. witches] rosted by a lent fyre with images of wax and clay
2. To expose (a person) to excessive heat in order to torture, consume, or overheat him. Also fig.a1400 Leg. S. xxii 484.
[They] ware forwondryt thane, That he gert sa rost a quyk man c1420 Wynt. v 2425.
Kyndyll he gert [be] a gret fyre, And thare-on rostyd Saynct Laurens c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 123.
He that rostit Lawarance had thy grunȝe a1538 Abell 11a.
He maid ane buyll of bras … sa men and wemen rostit inwith thai criyt with woce of buyll 1551 R. Brown Paisley I 212.
Devill stick, cummer, gor, roist or ryfe theme, and sic uthers ugsum aithis and execretionis 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 85.
Fast bedseik … the ane half of the day rossin in his bodye, as gif he hed bene rossin in ane vne, with ane extreme birnand drowchtfig. 1639 Baillie I 208.
Before we would be rosted with a lent-fyre by the hands of churchmen … we were resolute … to gett a gripp of some of these who had first kindled the fyre
b. intr. To undergo exposure to a fire.In quot. 1644, perh. a p.p., and so merely a further instance of 2 above.1569-73 Bann. Memor. 64 (see Rost n. 1 c). 1644 Justiciary Cases III 641.
Tormented … with continuall sweitting and burneing heat, as gif scho had bene rosting befoir ane fyre
3. absol. or intr. To carry out the process of roasting. See also 2 b above.proverb. a1598 Prov. MS No. 1164. Ferg.
Rost upon runges
