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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

FLOSS, n. Also flos (Jak.).

1. The rush, Juncus effusus (Ork. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1845 T. Edmondston Flora Sh. 13; Sh., Ork., Cai. 1952) or conglomeratus (Sh. 1947 Folk Bk. (ed. Tait) I. 82), used for thatch (Cai.⁷ 1943), or woven, after the removal of the soft pith, into ropes and tethers, the pith itself being used as a wick for the cruisie (Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 72; Cai.¹ c.1920; Sh., Ork. 1952, obs.). Adjs. flossie, flossen.Sh. a.1733 in P.S.A.S. XXVI. 201:
That none . . . rive flawes, cut floss, or cast peats in their neighbour's scatald . . . nor that any cut floss before Lammas-day in their own scatald.Cai. 1795 J. Sinclair Agric. N. Highl. 194:
Ropes made of hair, for drawing the plough, floss, or reeds, used for these and similar purposes.Sh. 1898 “Junda” Klingrahool 25:
An see da hill-sporrow rinnin Ta hoid her among da floss.Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 15:
To save the cost of bent . . . [the farmer] wound a rope of punds and floss for a neck-band or craig-band as it was more commonly called.Sh. 1953 New Shetlander No. 35. 5:
A dim licht fae her flossen week.

Combs.: (1) floss-baet, a sheaf of dried rushes (Sh.¹¹ 1952); see Baet, n.; †(2) floss-band, a rope made of rushes; †(3) flossie-cape, a cap made of rushes; (4) floss-simmins, hand-wound cords made from rushes (Sh.¹¹ 1952).(2) Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. vi. 246:
A bag made of straw ropes and floss-bands, with loops at the mouth through which a floss-band was threaded to draw the mouth together.(3) Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 89:
Capes o' da same colour, heich an' dwinishin' awa ta a sma trointie at da tap like a flossiecape.

†2. The leaves of the reed canary-grass, Phalaris canariensis, “of which bands are made for threading cassies” (Ork. 1808 Jam.).

3. Chaff, husks or tails of corn (Ork. 1929 Marw.; Ork.² 1952).