Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1887, 1940
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COWSTICK, n. and adj. Sc. form of Eng. caustic. Known to Bnff.2, Abd.9, Fif.10 1941. [′kʌustɪk]
1. n.Ags.17 1940:
He pit cowstick on my warts.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 117:
He rummled my hass wi' a spune-shank and sweishtered my throat wi' cowstick!
2. adj.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 117:
James Blameit . . . was so cowstick in his dissection of them . . . that I have burned or torn up the feck of them langsyne.
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"Cowstick n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cowstick>
