Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1805-1864, 1925
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
BLOUST, BLOWST, BLUIST, n. and v. The form bloust is obsol. in Rxb. according to Watson Rxb. W.-B. (1923). [blyst Kcb., Rxb.; blʌust Ags., Fif., Bwk., Rxb.]
1. n.
(1) “Boast, boasting” (Ags.1 1935; centr.-s.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. s.v. bluist). Cf. Blost, n., 2 (3).Bwk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
Bloust. An ostentatious account of one's own actions, a brag.Rxb. 1805 A. Scott Poems 131:
Or is't to pump a fool ye meddle, Wi' a' this bloust o' straining widdle.
(2) A boaster; a wind-bag.Bwk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
Bloust. Often applied to an ostentatious person.Kcb.2 1925:
He's just an auld bluist.
2. v. “To brag, to boast” (Ags.1 1935; Bwk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. bloust; Gall. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.; w., s.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. s.v. bluist).Ags. 1853 W. Blair Chron. of Aberbrothock iii. 9:
You're aye blowstin' aboot your gain' up on heech hoose heeds.
ppl.adj. blowstin', bragging, boasting.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto Tammas Bodkin (1868) xx.:
He's a blowstin' idiot.
