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.
ORRASTER, n. An extra hand, casual labourer (Bnff., Abd. 1964); a disreputable or coarse fellow, a vagabond.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS. v.:
Them that wis coontit the orrasters gaed to the riddlin o' the corn and the winnowin'.Bnff. 1937 E. S. Rae Light in Window 29:
A laddie fessen up as you were speakin' o' joinin' up among a puckle orrasters o' sodgers.Abd. 1948 People's Jnl. (10 April):
The utterance of an “orraster” or a “rothie”.Abd. 1950 Banffshire Jnl. (1 Aug.):
They set to work, Weelim on the peat spade, and the orrasters, the barrows.
