Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1768, 1819
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†ONBEAST, n. Also unbeast.
1. A monster (Cai. 1903 E.D.D.), a frightening bird or animal (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.); fig. an obnoxious person (Ags. 1808 Jam.).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 15, 25:
Has the onbeast [fox] your lambie taen awa'? . . . The howlet screekt, an' that was warst of a'; For ilka time the onbeast gae the yell, In spite of grief, it gae her heart a knell.Sc. 1819 Scots Mag. (June) 527:
But fling your arms roun' the grim onbeast, It is your dochter dear.
2. The tooth-ache, from the belief that a worm was responsible for this (Ags. 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr 693, unbeast). Cf. Worm.
[O.Sc. unbest, = 1., from a.1400. From On-, pref.2, beast. Cf. Du. ondier, a monster.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Onbeast n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/onbeast>
