Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1788-1934, 1988
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BLASH, v., tr. and intr.
1. Of water: to descend, pour down with a splashing noise.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 18:
The linn was blashin' doon afore, But noo it was ae fearsome roar.Abd.2 1934Ags.1 1934
ppl.adj. blashin, rushing.Edb. 1917 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's o' Solomon i.:
Whan on comes yer fricht Like a blashin spate.
2. Esp. of rain, sleet, snow: to batter against a person or thing (Ayr. 2000s).Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 330:
Hail and sleet . . . blashing against me on the hill.Bnff.2 1934Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 132:
I listened to the wind roaring at the lumheid and the rain blashing on the window.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
blashin raining heavily.
Hence, (1) ppl.adj. blashan, blashin', and (2) vbl.n. blashin', (a) splashing; (b) fig. an outburst (of temper).(1) Ags. 1856 W. Grant Few Poet. Pieces 84:
But pourin' rain or blashin' sleet.Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 91:
Whan a' the fiels are clad wi' sna', An' blashan rains, or cranreughs fa'.(2) (a) Sc. 1930 J. A. Penny in Scots Mag. (Dec.) 223:
What cares he for blashin's frae cloud or frae well? He's like a wee gowpen o' water himsel'.(b) Edb. 1917 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's o' Solomon xxv. 23:
An' the clish-clash o' ill-hairtit claiverers steers mony a blashin o' temper.
3. (See quot.)Sc. 1808 Jam.:
"To blash one's stomach," to drink too copiously of any weak and diluting liquor.