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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.

SMUIST, v., n. Also smoost, smoust, smoosht, reduced form smooze; and freq. forms sm(u)ister, smyster, smushter, smooshter (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.). [smøst , smɪst, smust; Abd. smuʃt]

I. v. To emit smoke without much fire, to smoulder, to burn away slowly (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 429; Cld., Slk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Slg. 1921 T.S.D.C., smooze; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Slg., Rxb. 1970). Hence, with extended meanings, ppl.adj. smuisted, smoked (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 429); deriv. smuister, smushter, v., to emit thick choking vapour like smoke, ppl.adj. sm(u)isterin, smysterin, hugging the fire, sitting idly or sleepily by the fire (Cld. (smysterin), Rxb. (smuisterin) 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); smooshter, n., a smouldering fire (Abd. 1925).Slk. 1801 Hogg Sc. Pastorals 16:
They'll set alunt that smoostin' fire.Cld. 1818 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 328:
Nae sun shines there, the mochie air Wi' smuisteran' rowks stinks vyld.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin ii.:
“Deed aye 'oman, ye may say sae,” quoth anither smysterin' hash, as she laid her lugs in the caudle cup.Abd. 1895 G. Williams Scarbraes 53:
The bothy “smushtered” so that the cleanliness was next to impossible.Fif. 1933 J. Ressich Thir Braw Days 26:
Burnin' a bit hole in the wood an' smoostin' awa' atwixt the flue an' a press.

II. n. A smouldering (Rxb. 1825 Jam.); a thick choking sulphurous smoke or its smell (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 429; Cld., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Kcb. 1929, smuist(er); Dmf. 1970). Adj. smuisty, smoky.Sc. 1832 Tait's Mag. (Aug.) 646:
The smoust of his infernal origin.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xxi.:
All Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills glinted above me in a kind of smuisty brightness.Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. XIII. 39:
Smoke drifing down one vent from another causes disagreeable smuist in a room.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 4:
Mang reekin lums an chowkin smuists.