Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1790-1895
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AWSOME, AWESOME, AWSUM, adj. and adv. The adj. is chiefly Sc. (N.E.D.) and the adv. wholly so. [′ɑ:səm Sc.; ′ǫ:səm em. and wm.Sc.; ɒ′:səm sm.Sc.]
1. adj.
(1) Used in Sc. as in St.Eng. in the sense of inspiring fear. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xi.:
He was sic an awsome body, that naebody cared to anger him.wm.Sc. 1868 W. Motherwell in Laird of Logan 298:
What an awsum weight of duty and dignity [etc.]!
(2) (Like awfu' and Eng. awful, an intensive epithet,) great; terrible, unpleasant, bad.Lnk. 1838 J. Morrison M'Ilwham Papers Letter ii. 15:
He coupit the luggie an' the scaddin' brose aboot the neck an' face o' the puir thing, an' left yer namesake in an awsome pickel.
2. adv.
(1) In a dreadful manner; so as to cause fear.Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poet. Works, The Miser (1846) 55:
Whiles rumlin' owre his box't-up pelf, Or chappin' awsome at his winnocks.
(2) Very, exceedingly. Cf. Awfu'.Kcb. 1895 S. R. Crockett Bog-Myrtle 39:
She's an awesome still lassie.
