Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
RUSKIE, n.1 Also rusk(e)y; ruisky; rooskie; misprint ¶luskee. [′rʌski]
1. A straw basket or similar receptacle: (1) in gen. (Abd., Kcd., Ags., Per., Ayr. 1968).Sc. 1697 W. Fraser Mem. Wemyss (1888) III. 158:
I have ordered Jean to putt up your wallnuts and cheries if she can get a ruskie for them.Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 121:
Just rowin' ower head like a ruisky.Kcb. 1905 Gallovidian No. 27. 180:
Daily she shoulders her rooskie (hawker's basket) and goes from door to door.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick i.:
An aal oo ruskie wi a hollipiet seck raxt ower 'e mou o't.
(2) specif. one for holding meal or seed-corn (Lth. 1869 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 725; Highl. 1904 E.D.D.; Ags. 1926).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 395:
You are as small as the Twitter of a Twin'd rusky, a Taunt to a Maid, that would gladly be esteem'd neat, and small.Lth. 1819 J. Thomson Poems 143:
Whiles a rusky fu' o' seed.Sc. 1832 Chambers's Jnl. (Feb.) 27:
The meal rusky was then sought, when the beggar from below his left arm drew out his beggar's dish, held it out, and into it the gudewife put half a dozen or half a score handfuls of meal.Sc. 1849 H. Stephens Bk. Farm (1855) I. 537:
The rusky is usually made of twisted straw in rows above each other, fastened together by withes of willow. It is provided with a couple of handles and also a rim round the bottom upon which to stand.
2. A straw beehive (ne., em. and s.Sc. 1968). Also attrib.s.Sc. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Works I. 246:
For the luskees [sic] there that busk the brae Are the bees that mak' the honey.Ags. 1894 A. Reid Songs 37:
The bairnies bizz roond like a bike o' wild bees; Their skep my auld ruskey, or aiblins my knees.Abd. 1923 J. R. Imray Village Roupie 22:
Twa'rthree pails, an' a few ruskie skeps.Abd. 1944 C. Gavin Mountain of Light iii. v.:
There were a dozen “skeps” — four “ruskies” and eight bar-hives.
3. A hat woven of coarse straw as a sun-bonnet (Rxb. 1825 Jam.); a dress bonnet of straw. Also attrib.Rxb. c.1885 W. Laidlaw Poetry (1901) 35:
Her ruskie was of black an' white, And was with bonnie gumflowers dight.s.Sc. 1896 Border Mag. (Feb.) 16:
Great open-faced bonnets, locally called “ruskies” and made of fine leghorn or coarse plaited straw.Rxb. 1918 Kelso Chronicle (4 Jan.) 3:
An old “rusky” bonnet, to which clings a lonely stripe of old world ribbon, is tilted on the back of her head, so that the peaks of it, which should be under her chin, stick forward past each cheekbone like a pair of horns.
