Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Frusch, Frwsch, v. [ME. frushe, frusche (c. 1300), OF. fruissier, froissier.]

1. (Freq. with all to.) a. intr. To become broken; to go to pieces. 1375 Barb. xii. 57 (E).
The hand ax schaft fruschit in twa a1400 Leg. S. i. 588.
Harnise and sched and body all Fruschit in pecis [w]vndir small c1420 Wynt. i. 368.
Him doun he duschit Till bak and banis al to fruschit ?1438 Alex. I. 2444.
Quha had sene in that great melle … Scheildis to frusche c1475 Wall. ii. 52.
The tre to raiff and fruschit euiredeill 15.. Clar. ii. 1011.
Thay anone raid utheris to persew, Whill all to fruschit thair lansis in the feild

b. tr. To break in pieces; to smash, crush. c1420 Wynt. iv. 546.
Mony a hawberk, mony a scheld, Was all to frwschyd left in felde Ib. 728. a1500 Lanc. 1201.
Thei fond his scheld was frnschit al to nocht 1513 Doug. xi. xii. 44.
Togidder duschis the stowt stedis atanys, The athyris contyr fruschyt otheris banys Ib. xi. xvii. 49.
Sum … can with a ram rays to the portis dusche, Lyke with thar hedis the hard barris to frusch 1533 Boece xv. xiii. 598.
It wald pleis him demand his servandis in quhas presens first thair nawin was fruschit 15.. Clar. iv. 1073.
He all to fruschit steidis on the greine Ib. v. 2309.
They fruschit thair speiris freschlie in sunder c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3154.
Those fenȝeit beistis … Wer fruschit and fulȝeit vnder feit

2. a. intr. To dash together with violence. 1375 Barb. xvi. 161.
Hors com thair fruschand, hed for hed a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 565.
Sa wondir freschly thai frekis fruschit in feir Ib. 617.

b. tr. To drive apart or back by a charge or strong attack. 1375 Barb. xii. 121 (E).
Cum we now to the fechting … Men suld say we thaim fruschit had ?1438 Alex. i. 2437.
With speiris … Sa fast thay frushit ilkane thair That fele war feld with rashes c1475 Wall. iii. 197.
The Sothroune part so frusched was that tide, That in the stour thai mycht no langar bide Ib. v. 49. 1513 Doug. ii. vii. 84.
Heir war we fyrst to fruschit and hard byset … By our awyn feris 1533 Boece xii. xii. 477 b.
Like gyantis thay war strang and … fruschit inemyis as liouns