Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1705-1719, 1787-1860, 1992
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†PASH, n.1 Also spash (see S, letter, 5). A jocular term for the head, “nut”, “loaf” (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Also in Eng. dial. Hence pashy, adj., sagacious, “brainy”, witty. Phr. to kaim one's pash, see Kame, v., 4. (3).Sc. a.1706 J. Watson Choice Coll. i. 69:
I Wily, Witty was, and Gash, With my auld felni packy pash.Sc. 1719 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 216:
I theek the out, and line the Inside Of mony a douse and witty Pash.Bnff. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 181:
But wauk'nin, than my spash I lifted, Frae place to place for him I sifted.Ayr. 1790 J. Fisher Poems 94:
Wi' bonny laurels, I soon wad crown thy witty pash.Kcb. 1815 J. Gerrond Works 124:
Void of all reason in their pash.Sc. 1826 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) IX. 367:
Pash in Scotch undoubtedly signifies head especially the head of a large dog or calf.Knr. 1832 L. Barclay Poems 54:
Ilk fancy man, to shaw his deeds, Lights on his neighbour's pash.Rnf. 1842 R. Clark Random Rhymes 30:
Gashy Kate Macvean, pashy Kate Macvean.wm.Sc. 1860 W. Watt Poems 188:
Auld Mungo was gleesome, auld Mungo was gash, Wore a grey worsit wig on his time-polish'd pash.Sc. 1992 Duncan McLean Bucket of Tongues 19:
His aim was crap, and my head smashed down on the table in front of Jugger, sending his ashtray skiting and a big pile of doups and fag-ash flying up into the air then down onto my pash.
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"Pash n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/pash_n1>
