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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FASHIOUS, adj. Also †fashiouse, fash(e)ous, faschious, fashus; fasheez; fashies (Rxb. 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 315), facious (Kcb. 1897 T. Murray Frae the Heather 181). [′fɑʃəs]

1. Troublesome, annoying, irksome; of a task, tricky, ticklish. Hence fashiously, adv., fashiousness, n. (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1731 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C. 1842) IV. 283:
We had another very fashiouse affair before us.Bnff. 1731 W. Cramond Church of Keith (1897) 47:
He confessed he threw some [stones in church] at a dog “who was fashous.”Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1750) 12:
A reeky house and a girning Wife, will make a Man a fasheous Life.Per. c.1790 Lady Nairne Laird o' Cockpen i.:
He wanted a wife, his braw house to keep, But favour wi' wooin' was fashious to seek.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxxi.:
The bailie bodies are aye asking fashious questions, when ye saw sic a man, or sic a man.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) xii.:
Then the pipe-clayed breeches —. . . beat-beating camstane into them . . . the most fashious job, let alone courtship, that ever mortal man put his hand to.Ayr. 1830 Galt Lawrie Todd vi. viii.:
No doubt it is a very fashious trade that of school-maistering either bardy lassies or birkey boys.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. v. 174:
He tuik her hame wi' him and a gey fashus job it wis for he cairried her a' the wey.Lth. 1918 A. Dodds Lothian Land 54:
For the lads as a rule were fashously fain, An' wadnae be lettin' the lassies alane.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 2:
Fleis an midges . . . kittle craiters (mae ways as yin) an fasheez ti middle wui.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 27:
Whither it taks mair smeddum
tae thole ilk skud an scart
o a fashious fate,
or gang tae war agin a wecht o waes
an bear the gree. Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 21:
Sum meisterie haes maerk't ye out
apairt frae ither weimen
ti synd awa aw fashiousness
an hael ma hattert sowl.

2. Fractious, peevish, fretty, esp. of children; fussy, fastidious. Hence fashiousness, n. Gen.Sc.Abd. 1736 T. Mair Ellon Records (1896) 369:
He came about 11 o'clock a night, disordered with drink and called her the names libelled and was very fashious.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 216:
If it be not easier to deal wi' fools than headstrong fashous fouks.Kcb. 1806 J. Train Poet. Reveries 63:
Cripple, dannar'd, dais'd, or fashious, What he was, I wadna care.Ags. 1822 A. Balfour Farmers' Three Daughters 68:
“D—l confound ye for a fashious gaet!” cried the mother.Sc. 1828 Blackwood's Mag. (Dec.) 704:
She's aye sae fashous in pu'in her petticoats ower her coots, though you're no lookin at them.Fif. 1887 “S. Tytler” Logie Town I. xi.:
I confess I'm fashous about being disturbed when I'm deeply engaged.Ork. 1904 Dennison Sketches 11:
Whin he got a geud sap o' drink in, he wus unco fashus.Lth. 1916 J. Fergus The Sodger 21:
So, if the wame is fashious, there are twa things, aiblins three, Ye may try wi' satisfaction if ye divna want to dee.Abd. 1917 C. Murray Sough o' War 31:
I hash the neeps an' full the skull, an' bin' the lowin' nowt, Lythe in the barn lat oot for rapes, or track a fashious cowt.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 18:
Croodlin' ower a fashious wean.Sc. 1935 I. Bennet Fishermen xxviii.:
She was aye a puir thing, and that fashious wi' her meat.