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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1704, 1786-1929

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BLOUT, Blowt, n. and v. Cf. Bloit. [′blʌut]

1. n.

(1) A sudden eruption of liquid substance, accompanied by noise.Ayr.4 1928:
The barrel burst and the water cam oot wi' a blout.

(2) A sudden burst: (a) of wind, rain, hail, etc.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
A blout of foul weather.Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 63:
An' vernal win's, wi' bitter blout, Out o'er our chimlas blaw.Ags. 1786 ? C. Keith Har'st Rig (1794) 27:
For 'tis a blout will soon be laid, And we may hap us in our plaid, Till it blaws o'er.

(b) especially applied to flatulency.Fif. 1875 "Poute" The Book of Nettercaps 29:
There's nae saat sae Saat Saat as mine. It dispels Wundy blowts. I sell it in pecks.

(3) "The noise made by porridge, broth, etc., when boiling over a strong fire; the portions ejected from a pot or cauldron of fiercely boiling water, etc." (w.Sc. 1887 Jam.6, s.v. blouts; Ayr.8 1935).

(4) The foul water thrown from a washing tub. Gen. in pl. Cf. Blot, n.w.Sc. 1887 Jam.6:
"Keep your blouts for your ain kail yard," is still said to a person who is making a present of some useless or used-up article. The expression refers to the thrifty practice of using the blouts, or dirty soap suds, as guidin or manure for the kail-yard.

(5) "A patch of cow dung" (Ork. 1929 Marw.). Also used fig.:Ork. 1929 Marw.:
"A b[lout] o' a fellow," a soft-looking lump of a fellow.

(6) A clot (of blood).Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 338:
Wringin her hauns, as if washin them in the cleansin dews frae the blouts o' blood.

2. v.

(1) Applied to liquids: to belch, to rush out with force. Also tr. to squirt out, eject with a spurt or gush. w.Sc. 1887 Jam.6, s.v. blowt:
The bung bowtit out, and the yill blowtit after't.Rnf. a.1794 A. Wilson Poems (1845) 202:
Till he be forced to blowt the gravie Just in his breeks!

(2) To make a plunking noise, to plop (see quot.). Sc. 1704 Rec. Sc. Ch. Hist. Soc. IX. 162:
Bounging or blouting, as when one puts one's finger into an empty bottle and draws it out again hastily and with force.

[O.N. blautr, soft, wet. Prob. from root of O.E. blāwan, to blow, imitative of the action and noise of the lips in the emission of breath or of the eruption of any liquid; hence something blown out, swelled, hence soft, pulpy, moist. In the kindred words Blost, Bloust, Blast, and the frequentatives Blouter, Bloster, similar developments of meaning may also be found.]

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