We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By clicking 'continue' or by continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings in your browser at any time.

Continue
Find out more

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COOSER, CUISSER, CUSSER, Coosar, Küsard, n. A stallion (Sc. 1855 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 722, coosar, Mry.1 1925). S.D.D. gives the form couser and Angus Gl. (1914) gives küsard for Sh. [′kusər, ′kysər(d), ′kʌsər]Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 37:
The Lads wad fain ha'e faun t'ye; To try the auld Game Taunty-Raunty, Like Coosers keen.
Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate (1822) xi.:
I will have cussers from Lanarkshire — brood mares from Ayrshire.
Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 22:
Without the cuissers prance and nicker.
Peb. 1793 Carlop Green (ed. R. D. C. Brown 1832) II. 39:
And horses, sheep, and kine . . . And bills, and coosers fine.
Gall. 1843 J. Nicholson Hist. and Trad. Tales 128:
Set a caird on a cuisser an' he'll ride to the Deevil.

[A corruption of Eng. courser, O.Sc. courser, cursour. For dropping of r, cf. Cosfit for corsfit (see Corse, n.), Puss for purse, etc.]

7385

snd