A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Tusk, Twsk, n.1 [ME and e.m.E. tusk(e (a1225), tosk (a1300), OE tux.]
1. A (? long or canine) tooth (of an animal), used for tearing or rending.1460 Hay Alex. 601.
Busefall … haid … Lang teith and scharpe, most lyk till a lioun … Sa faire ane hors, sa mervelus ane destrall … With tuskis and hornis lyk till ane bull his hed 1460 Hay Alex. 2957.
Of the see com … ane huddun … Sche haid ane mouth was mare nor any tun … With tuskis lang a1500 Henr. Fab. 1192.
Ȝe schir Volff … with ȝour tuskis rauenous Hes slane full mony kinnismen off myne [sc. the sheep's] a1500 Seven S. 547.
The baire … with his nalis and with his tuskis Sa rudlye at the rute he ruskis 1513 Doug. vii xi 64.
Aventyne … hys body wymplit in A … gret lyon skyn … The quhite tuskis, the hed and clowis thar is 15.. Lord Fergus' Gaist 34.
Thre tuskis of ane awld deid hors 1533 Boece 484b.
Ane bair of monstros quantite … his tuskis … having in lenth xvi insch a1568 Bann. in Bann. MS 231a/37.
O thunderane boir … Quhy will thow nocht me with thy tuskis ryve Sen no thing may my grevous pane assuage
b. Applied contemptuously to human teeth.1632 Lithgow Trav. x 446.
He hath the longest tuskes that euer stroke at table
2. A projecting part of a wall. Also attrib.1507 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 196.
Relinquant in eodem latere tres lapides eminentes et asperos, videlicet le tuskis 1540 Edinb. Guild Ct. 11 Sept.
Johne Arres hes done na [wrang] in the doun taking of the auld tusk of wall … quhilk tusk pertenit to the toun as pert of thair … bow & rovm thairof 1591 St. A. B. Ct. 31 Dec.
The said Dauid as he proceidis in bigein vp of the said gawill to cast out twskis thairin for the better easing of the said Thomas quhen he plesis to bigattrib. 1556 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 175a.
The sad William Quhite to leif tuskis stanis in the sad sid wall to that effect quhen euir the sad Williame Lowsoun plesis to big [etc.]
