Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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Rousty, Rowsty, -ie, adj.¹ Also: rust- and -ye. [ME and e.m.E. rusty(e, OE rústig, rúst Roust n.²]

1. Affected by rust, rusty. a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 518.
Ane roustie brand a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 188. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 294.
Ane swerd swere owt & rowsty for the rayne a1568 Bannatyne MS 94a/37.
With splent on spald and rousty spurris 1584 Melvill 179.
He work … for delyverance of His kirk (as he is accustomed to do with maist roustie and creuked instruments and dellings) c1590 J. Stewart 39/332.
His bruisit bit vas vorne so rustie blont 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 174.
No … munitioun, except some few roustie muscats ?a1648 Polemo-Middinia 97.
Roustæam manibus gestans furibunda goulæam 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) i 6. 1690 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XV 277.
Ane rousty broad sword

b. Roustie hewit, rust-coloured; reddish brown. 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. vi 303.
Ferruginea … cumba, roustie hewit

2. fig. Morally corrupt, corroded or eaten away by corruption or evil. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1396 (Ch.).
Sa roustie [Bann. rowstit] is the warld with canker blak That [etc.] 1535 Stewart 6345.
With roustie rancour that ruttis of the hart 1629 Boyd Last B. 120.
There is an hand in the heauen that is able to … make our soule, were it neuer so roustie, to become cleare like gold

3. Of a material non-metallic thing: In a deteriorating condition because of long use or age; decaying; decayed; worn out. 1531 Bell. Boece II 219.
Hay … come with his ii sonnis in thair auld and rusty habit, strinklit with dust and sweit of battal 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 162.
The loud corrinoch … Wes at oure taill with mony roustie akis 1597 Calderwood V 667.
It may be that we caus some of their owne long speares and rustie staves knapp their owne crownes 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 238.
Put into an old ruinous and rusty house and shut up under vaults

b. Applied to sexual performance: Affected by reduced potency. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 141.
I have conditioun of … A … riche jowell, Or rest of his rousty raid

c. Having a rough, broken or uneven surface; ? scabby. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Scaber, rough, rowstie

4. Rough in manner or behaviour; surly, morose; uncultivated. 1456 Hay II 119/31.
And he that has a wayke calde stomak, he is of hevy chere and hevy hertit and sad and suere, rousty in visage 1460 Id. Alex. (S.T.S.) 3932.
Bot God wate quhat kin a rusty menȝe Thay war ane grete grislie cumpaney

b. Of verse or literary expression: Unpolished; rude; rugged.(a) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2150.
Ressaue this roustie rurall rebaldrie, Laikand cunning, fra thy pure leige vnleird 1531 Bell. Boece II 394.
This Carmelite freir maid thir rousty versis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 213.
With roustye termes, tharefor, wyl I wryte 1560 Rolland Seven Sages Schort Schawing 2.
In roustie ryme this quair I did translait 1560 Ib. 40. a1651 Calderwood III 33.
He made a rowstie ryme(b) 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 82/27.
Prophane prophetis and vaticinaris hes affermit in there rusty ryme that Scotland and Ingland sal be vndir ane prince a1585 Polwart Flyt. 146 (H).
Thy rustie ratrymes, maid but matter