A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1495-1669
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Cussing, n. Also: cuissing, cowsing, kowssing. [Usual variant of cussin Cussen. Cf. Cusching.] A cushion. 1495 Treasurer's Accounts I. 227.
Bocht fra Williame Finlaw, vj cussingis, price of the pece xx s. 1536 Ib. VI. 458.
Gevin to William Hebbe, tapister, for the making and fassis of ane lyar and cussingis 1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 196.
Item iiij knoppis of gold tane fra the ij lest goldin cussingis 1562 Will A. Betoun 224.
xi cowsings of sett work, twa cowsings of grein velvet 1565 Protocol Book of J. Scott 24 b.
Twa formes, twa cussingis, ane cheir 1581 Brechin Testaments I. 47.
Fyve sewit kowssingis … , ane doussone of sewit kowssingis 1584 St. A. Test. II. 35 b.
Lynning and harding schetis, … ane nop bed, … thre cussingis 1597 Bk. Rates 4.
Inuarde custumes … Cuissingis the dosane, x li. 1630 Bamff Chart. 222.
Ten serwing cussingis hinging be the wall for decorment of the boord 1651 Buccleuch Mun. II. 290.
Aucht carped cussings and schewit ones 1669 Edinburgh Testaments LXXIII. 292 b.
Thrie cussings
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"Cussing n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/cussing>
