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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, n. Also: roste. [ME and e.m.E. roste (c1330), roast (1581), OF rost masc. (c1155 in Larousse), or roste fem., roasting, roast meat, f. rostir Rost v.]

1. A piece of meat that is being, or has been, roasted for eating. Also proverb.To reule the (one's) rost, see Reul(e v. 6 b. c1450-2 Howlat 797 (A).
Raike hir a rug of the rost a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 81.
Schir Kay ruschit to the roist, and reft fra the swane a1578 Pitsc. II 165/25.
The Frinchemen … for feir left thair rostis at the fyre 1641 Dunferm. Ann. 307.
Convict for … having a rost at his fire the last fasting day 16.. Watson's Coll. i 10/73.
And there will be … rosts to rost on a brander — 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI 452.
Ane roist of veill or muttoun with a foull or cunyng … or uther siclyk secund rost 1615 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS App. 412/2.
Twa veill rosts xxiii s.proverb. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1698.
Lat beif not fra ȝow draw, quhill that ȝe get ȝour roist a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 847.
The goose pan is above the rost a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1644.
Ye should not call me to the rost and ding me with the speet a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 867.
It is unkyndlie to sie the gusepan abone the roste Ib. No. 1328.
Sarie follie lat the laird cut of the roist Ib. No. 1472.
The clink of my silver may staik for the smel of your rost Ib. No. 1721.
Ye are als gentill as Jardens bitch that lay over the fyre and beschit all the rost

b. transf. In collocation with rebald: ? An occasion of feasting or riotousness, ? applied by Kennedy to his poetic encounter with Dunbar.e.m.E. roister n.(1551) a riotous fellow, roist v. (1563) to riot seems possible as a source, however, a sufficient and perhaps more likely explanation lies in the fairly extensive development by rost (= roast) of allusive and figurative uses. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 27.
Dirtin Dumbar quhome on blawis thow thy boist Pretendand thé to wryte sic skaldit skrowis? Ramowd rebald, thow fall doun att the roist My laureat lettres at thé and I lowis 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 372.
Mak ȝour abbotis of rycht religious men … Bot not to rebaldis new cum frome the roste [: coste]

c. Applied to a person undergoing torture by exposure to heat. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 64.
And that the rost [sc. the Abbot of Crossraguell] should nocht burne, but that it mycht rost in sope, they spared not flambing with oyle

2. Roast meat, in general.Cauld rost, as in late ME and e.m.E., has depreciatory connotations.In this sense, in ME and e.m.E., f. rost, obs. p.p. of Rost v., used as noun. 1456 Hay I 78/35.
The tane lufis soddyn, the tothir rost 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 489.
Ane mannis ordinar at the melteth, being servit with bruise beif muttoun and rost at the leist xvi d. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 300/89.
Scho that may not want wyne and roist Is able for to waist sum geir 1661 Old Ross-shire I 151.
Twa dish of broth tailȝie of boof and rost — a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 381.
Sik reule gerris thé be servit wyth cald rost