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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

FLISK, v., n.

I. v. 1. tr. and intr. To whisk, to make an abrupt sweeping motion, to swipe; specif. of a restive horse, to flick the tail (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 207); to dart from place to place, to caper, to frisk (Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems, Gl.; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 242; Sh.¹⁰, Bnff., Abd., Ags., Slg., Kcb., Dmf. 1952); to coquette (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 691). Also in Eng. dial.Ayr. 1786 Burns Auld Farmer's Salut. xii.:
Thou never braing't, an' fetch't, an' flisket.Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Tales 107:
[Where] elves and fairies flisk a jig in, T' waning moon.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. xliv.:
While that lang-lugged limmer o' a lass is gaun flisking in and out o' the room.Ayr. 1835 Galt in Tait's Mag. (Sept.) 605:
It's another of your droll French fashions, for the auld dames and the married women to keep flisking about themselves.Per. 1871 Per. Constitutional (28 Aug.):
She was terrifled to be fliskit awa to fairyland again.Dmf. 1913 J. L. Waugh Cracks wi' Robbie Doo 103:
He flisket at a wasp wi' the end o' his apron.Sc. 1933 W. Soutar Seeds in the Wind 37:
They flisk't an' flung'd an' flirn'd aboot An' fluther'd roond an' roond.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 84:
a bield for bats;
we micht, gif we kept quiet and the muin shone,
see them flisk. We didna. m.Sc. 1994 John Burns in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 25:
He hadna a girlfrien an wasna shair that he wantit yin. Yet he likit Annie Macpherson fine wi her saft skin an lang black hair that she aye fliskt back oot her een.

Hence fliskie, -y, restless; flighty, skittish (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 691; Sc. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Wgt. 1951); of a horse, restive, apt to kick (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Ayr.³ 1913; ne.Sc. 1951); frolicsome, merry. Used substantively for a frivolous, thoughtless person.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 173:
An' nane can nature's charms enjoy, Wha ay gang donarin' nidy noy To houses flisky.Slk. 1807 Hogg Mountain Bard 195:
Never ane will be sae daft As tent auld Johnie's flisky dame.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 48:
You're like Adam Black's poney, Flisky, and pranky, and no very canny.Ayr. 1901 “G.Douglas” Green Shutters xvii.:
Allan had been in love with young Gourlay's mother when she herself was a gay young fliskie.

†2. To make restless, irritate, annoy.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 71:
But, Willie lad, tak' my advice, An' at it binna fliskit.Sc. 1862 A. Hislop Proverbs 60:
Fashious fools are easiest flisket.

II. n. 1. A sudden sweeping movement, a flick, whisk; a caper (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh., ne.Sc., m.Lth., Kcb. 1950); a whim, caprice.Sc. 1818 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxviii.:
There is something in Miss Ashton's change, a devilish deal too sudden, and too serious for a mere flisk of her own.Abd. 1895 J. M. Cobban King of Andaman xxxi.:
We'll be awa in a flisk o' a shuttle.Kcb.⁴ c.1900:
The flisk o' a mare's tail is aften the preface to a kick.

†2. “A trifling, skipping person” (Cld. 1825 Jam.).