Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BOWSTER, Bolster, Buster, n.2 “That part of a miln in which the axletree moves” (Sc. 1808 Jam. s.v. bolster; Bnff.2 1935, bowster; Abd. 1898 E.D.D. s.v. bolster). Bolster has this meaning also in Eng. dial.
Comb.: †buster-head, “a wooden beam along the back wall of the substructure of a water-mill, serving as a support for the innermost end of the ground-sill, into which the axle of the mill is fitted . . . also used of the actual joint of the two beams” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).
[O.Sc. bouster, bowster, buster, a bearing for a wheel-shaft (D.O.S.T.), variants of bolster. A specific use of Bowster,n.1, v.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Bowster n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bowster_n2>
