Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DOSS, v.3 Also freq. dossie, dossy, and †doce. [dɔs(ɪ̢)]
1. Gen. with doon: to toss down, to pay down (money) (Abd.19 1940). Also fig. Also used as n. = a payment in cash.
Also to toss a coin to decide a matter, esp. in children's usage (wm.Sc. 1952 Mod. Lang. Review (Jan.) 59).Sc. 1826 Scots Mag. (April) 416:
Ye maun just dossie down your twa shillings like the lave.Mry. 1830 Lintie o' Moray (1887) 44:
And 'tis na richt we should forget The donors o' sic glorious treat; For mind, ye, Sirs! it did doun dossie Frae Borough's-toun beside the Lossie.Mry.5 1928:
Dossy ye doon the siller.Bnff.2 1936:
Sandy dossie't doon a fite shillin' on the table, cryin', “Fa's gaain' t' be the first t' breethir't.Abd. 1737 W. Meston Poems (1767) 106:
Resolv'd to make him count and reckon, . . . And doce down, for his fair fiddling, His frauds, and vicious intermeddling.Abd. 1913 D. Scott Hum. Sc. Stories 84:
He couldn't see the fun of going home and cracking with your wife and dossing your wauges into her lap.Abd. 1925 Last Leaves (ed. Greig and Keith) Note 266:
[Some gave her croons] an' other dossie doons.Ags. 1776 C. Keith Farmer's Ha' lii.:
Rob and I sall dossy down Your dinner-lawin.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 28:
Weel does he lo'e the lawen coin Whan dossied down, For whisky gills.
2. To throw oneself (down), to sit down heavily (Bnff.2 1940).Abd. 1788 J. Skinner Christmass Bawing xxxiii. in Caled. Mag. 505:
The pensy lads dosst down on stanes, Whopt out their snishin-millies.
