Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
-S, suff. As in Eng., a reduced form of the O.E. gen.sing., nom.pl. ending -es, O.Sc. -is, used: (1) as the possess. case in Sc. in locutions where Eng. employs an attrib. noun or the like, as in Aberdeen's man (Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 151), George's Square (Sc. 1772 Lockhart Scott ii.), Saturday's night (Sc. 1728 Trial of Jas. Carnegie 124), tomorrow's night (Sc. 1772 Corresp. Boswell and Johnston (Walker 1966) 280). Now obsol. or obs.; (2) as an adv. ending in such words as brawlies, Bye's, Dooms, -gates (Gate, 1. (2)), Geylies, Richts, advs. in -Lings, q.v., Whiles, etc. Cf. Eng. once; (3) as pl. after surnames when two or more people of the same surname are mentioned: Marion and Margaret Wrights, William and George Smiths (Sc. 1716 Morison Decisions 5209), William and Andrew Harrowers (Sc. 1750 Falconer Decisions II. 132). Now obs.
