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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DOOSE, Douse, v., n. Also dus(e), dooce, dooss, douss, †douce. [dus]

I. v.

1. (1) To strike, knock, thrash (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl., dus; Sh.¹¹ 1949; Bnff.², Abd.², Slg.³, Edb.⁵ 1940); “to beat an opponent” (Ayr.³ 1910, duss); to butt (Ork. 1929 Marw.); “to throw down” (Uls.² 1929). Also fig. Vbl.n. dousing, a beating (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.). Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1722 W. Hamilton Wallace ii. ll. 61–62:
Two foutie Fellows there, that griev'd him most He dous'd their Doublets rarely to their Cost.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 128:
The De'il deud ne'er a sinner doos' Sae siccerly that he his hoos' An' a' i'tae'd s'u'd tyne.Ork. 1927 Peace's Ork. Almanac 133:
I looted doon tae tie me point 'at waas lowse, an' wir ram 'at dooses waas ahint me.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 128:
They douce her hurdies trimly Upo' the stibble-rig.wm.Sc. 1987 Christine Marion Fraser King's Acre 29:
All the men of the farm touns drank and no one blamed them for doucing the raw cold earth from their bones.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems (1821) 97:
Some down were doused amang the shows.

Hence doosy, dousie (see quots.).Fif. 1900 E.D.D.:
A young man was noticed approaching a field where several women were working. One of them said, “We'll gie him doosy.” Accordingly they threw him on his back and each of four seized a limb and gave him several duschts (heavy falls) playfully.Knr. 1911 R.J.D. in Scotsman (23 Jan.):
In Kinross-shire I have heard two words used on the harvest field — “Dousie” and “Benjie.” Two of the workers would seize another — usually of the opposite sex — under the arms and by the feet, and heave him or her up and down, allowing the body to touch the ground, sometimes not over gently.

(2) Used adv. as int. and in phr. to play doose, = (to) thump, bump (Bnff.² 1940).Sh. 1930 T. P. Ollason in Shet. Almanac 194:
Da neest moment da front wheel o' da bykiceel played doose i'ta da bicht o' da tedder.Fif. 1812 W. Tennant Anster Fair iv. xxix.:
Douse! drops a second down, and whap! there sinks another!

†(3) In phr. to douss a ball, “to throw it away as useless, properly by striking it off from the course” (Lth. 1825 Jam.²).

(4) To strike (a flag), to lower. Edb. 1813 G. Bruce Poems 36, 193:
The French flag douc'd, while Britain's high Stream'd proudly in the gale . . . Possession we took, for they soon douc'd their flag.

2. With doon: to dump down. “plank” down.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxiv.:
Doon he doused a couple o' letters in my loof.

3. To tramp, to stamp.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
To geng dusin ower (de face o') de eart', to stamp forcibly along.

4. “To thrash a small quantity of corn lightly” (Ib.).

II. n.

1. A heavy blow; a butt or push (Sc. 1825 Jam.², douss; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh.¹¹ 1949; Ork. 1929 Marw., doose; Ork.¹ 1949; Cai. 1900 E.D.D., dooss; Bnff.², Abd.² 1940; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 243).Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 118:
That's a douss on the chops, Mr Tickler.Sh. 1928 J. Gray in Sh. Times (7 Jan.):
Every duse makin him peerier.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 128:
As law then, they a' then, To tak' a douce maun yield.

2. A thud (Bnff.², Abd.² 1940).Sh. 1891 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 12:
Striks da jamb o da door wi a dooce laek a shot.