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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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FRUSH, adj. Also †frusch, †fruish, frosh, and deriv. frushie (Rxb. 1942 Zai). [frʌʃ]

1. Of wood, vegetable fibre, cloth, etc.: brittle, apt to snap or disintegrate, having lost its tensile strength; decayed, unsound, rotten (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 190; Mry. 1813 W. Leslie Agric. Mry. 455, fruish; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 214; Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 30; Rxb. 1942 Zai; Ork., Cai., Per., Fif., Peb., wm.Sc., Kcb., Dmf. 1953; Ork., Ayr. 2000s); of flax: "when the 'shoughs' separate easily from the fibre" (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.). Hence frushness, brittleness (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1802 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) XII. 228:
I have never formally pleaded guilty to the misinterpretation of the word frush. It is certainly brittle.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish xxvii.:
I told them of the sarking of the roof, which was as frush as a puddock stool; insomuch, that in every blast, some of the pins lost their grip, and the slates came hurling off.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail viii.:
Supposing, noo, that they were baith dead and gone, which, when we think o' the frush green kail-custock-like nature of bairns, is no an impossibility in the hands of their Maker.Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 165:
Its big branches a' tattery . . . and its wee anes a' frush as saugh-wands.wm.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 68:
Banes in frosty weather are said to be frush and easily snapped.Slg. 1862 D. Taylor Poems 38:
They're frush as ony rotten bed Or puddock's stool.Cld. 1866 G. Mills Beggar's Benison I. 29:
My frush habiliments . . . saved me.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 19:
The bruizzin, frizzlin heat turns frush things tewd an rizzert.Ork. 1930 Orcadian (13 Feb.):
In a wet harvest sheaves so secured in good time kept the "gear" in good fettle, fresh and strong in the straw, not frush or brittle.

2. Of soil: crumbly, friable, loose (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork., Abd., Lnk., Dmf. 1953; Ayr., Dmf. 2000s; of pastry, oatcakes, etc.: crisp, short, mealy, crumbly (Ork., Ayr., Kcb., Dmf. 1953).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. Gl.:
Frush. Brittle, like Bread baken with Butter.Gall. 1877 "Saxon" Gall. Gossip 201:
Baking soda . . . was grand to put into bread to make it frush.Lnk. 1910 C. Fraser Glengonnar 27:
Big farrels and wee farrels, thick anes wi' dreepin' in them to mak' them frush and easy to chow.Dmf. 1912 J. & R. Hyslop Langholm 642:
Great "frush" potatoes, with plenty of butter and milk!

Hence frushie, id.: †(1) as a n., a kind of tart with short pastry (Sc. 1893 Farmer and Henley III. 79); †(2) in comb. frushie-baa, the puff-ball fungus (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.). Cf. Fiesti-baa.Rnf. 1855 MS. Letter (per wm.Sc.¹):
[We] have had several bakings . . . shortbread, tarts and frushies.Sc. 1908 J. Kirkland Mod. Baker III. 355:
Frushie or Open Tart.

†3. Fig.: tender, easily hurt or destroyed, frail, fragile.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 90:
That married joys are very frush Can't be denied.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail xlv.:
Bell Fatherlans is o' oure frush a heart to thole wi' the dinging and fyke o' our house.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. ii. 6:
We're a' unfeiroch, bot ye sud haud nane frusher nor yersel.

†4. Frank, bold, forward, rash; "hasty in temper" (Sc. 1818 Sawers). Also adv.Abd. after 1768 A. Ross Works (S.T.S.) 187:
Sae frush, sae frank, that she coud scarce gainsay, An' fouk were speaking o' her wedding day.Abd. 1779 J. Skinner Amusements (1809) 101:
Be wha ye will, ye're unco frush At praising what's nae worth a rush.Bch. 1810 W. Edwards Poems 37:
But frush wi' binsome, bleezin' zeal, They think themsels sae right.Sc. 1836 Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (Jun) III. 390a:
Though of a frush temper, he had a modicum of honesty about him. Abd.⁶ c.1916:
He began ower frush tae the .job.