Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
KÖSH, int., v. Also koosh, coosh, køss (Jak.). Variant forms of Cush, q.v., (a call) to scare birds, etc. (Sh. 1960).Sh. 1869 J. T. Reid Art Rambles 25:
The Papa Stourians believed that the beadle of the kirk had the power of “telling” the sparrows away so as never to return, for which they paid him a fee. The “Sparrow-Beadle” still lives in the island. . . . It must have been rather an amusing sight to have seen and heard him going round the corn-fields . . . crying “Coosh-sh-sh, Hoosh-sh-sh awa' fra dis toon, an' never come again.”Sh. 1904 J. Nicolson Tales of Thule 14:
Mary advanced as close to the stone as she thought advisable, then threw up her arms, and shouted — “Kösh!”Sh. 1949 P. Jamieson Letters on Shet. 78:
In Foula they do not “kaa” or “koosh” sheep . . . for fear of driving the animals over the high cliffs.
