Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FLUISTER, v., n. Also flister, floister; flooster, flouster (Uls.). Sc. variants of Eng. fluster. [I., m. and s.Sc. fløstər, Uls. flu:stər]
I. v. 1. To bustle, hustle (Sh.10, Ork.5, Rxb.4, Uls.4 1952); vbl.n. floisterin, hustle, hurry, fluster with consequent inefficiency; ppl.adjs. floostered, flurried (Uls.1880 Patterson Gl.; Uls. 1952); fluisterin, hurrying, flurrying.Dmf. 1836 Letters T. Carlyle to his Brother (Marrs 1968) 406:
The
same childlike kindliness, brotherly frankness and love, the same fluistering, and winged
incoherence of words. Lnk. 1858 G. Roy Generalship 6:
A real, flisterin' butterflee o' a body.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 22:
Whun we went tae the coort, I felt mysel' a bit nervish an' floostered like.Per. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken ix.:
The General . . .'ll stand nae flousterin' frae the attendance.Per. 1900 E.D.D.:
Come, come noo; nane o' that floisterin'; tak' time an' mak' a richt job o't.Hdg. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 247:
Her foremost sons seem driven gyte, An' dow but fluister, fecht, an' flyte!
2. To make a fuss (about) (Ant. 1924 North. Whig (14 Jan.); Uls. 1952); to coax, flatter (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Uls. 1931 North. Whig (5 Dec.); Uls. 1952). Hence floosterer, a flatterer (Patterson).Uls. 1924 North. Whig (23 Jan.):
Children will flooster about their mother.
II. n. 1. A fuss, to-do; a bustle, flurry.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 48:
I wush ye heerd the flooster she maks aboot him.Ags. 1914 I. Bell Country Clash 39:
I saw auld Leeb Crum an' Aaron Jamfray baith clappin' doon intil their seats wi' a great flister on the Sabbath afore the precentor could get it [Amen] oot.
2. A flatterer (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.).
3. A muddler (Ayr. 1951).
