Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STOP, v. Also stoap; †stwop (Slk. 1827 Hogg Shep. Cal. (1874) vi.), see P.L.D. § 105. Sc. usages. For Sc. forms see also Stap, v.¹

1. To remain, lodge, dwell, reside, abide (Sc. 1881 A. Mackie Scotticisms 50). Gen.Sc., now dial. in Eng., having been replaced in approved usage by stay.Fif. 1822 Private MS.:
Went to the Wright Business to my Uncal stopt 3 years 2 months got nothing but Dogs wages.Ayr. 1834 Galt Liter. Life III. 34:
Mrs Jointure stoppet to her tea at the manse in the afternoon.Ags. 1842 Justiciary Reports (1844) 297:
My ant that I stop with.Abd. 1855 Abd. Univ. Rev. XXXVIII. 133:
The whole of the soldiers here is beginning to fear the stoping another winter lying under canvass roofs.Sh. 1884 Crofters' Comm. Evidence II. 1289:
I am living in a very bad house, not fit for any person to stop in.Sc. 1896 Stevenson St Ives ix.:
There are a couple stopping up-by with the shepherd.Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 21:
Whae ir ee stoappin wui, thin, aa week?Gsw. 1933 F. Niven Mrs. Barry 201:
He's stopping with relatives.Cai. 1961 Edb. John o' Groat Liter. Soc. 19:
Ere's faur owld Leezie stopped.Ags. 1970 Dundee Courier (10 Dec.):
Yon lads that stoppit in the bothy were awfu' for pranks.

2. Derivs. (1) stopper, a game-watcher; a beater at a shoot who turns the game back towards the guns (Kcb. 1971); (2) stopping, constricted breathing due to some affection of the chest, specif. bronchitis, asthma or croup.(1) Rs. 1884 Crofters' Comm. Report App. A. XCIV. 435:
Glen after glen is being cleared of its shepherd families, who are replaced by one or two solitary game watchers, or ‘stoppers', as they are popularly called.(2) Sc. 1705 Edb. Courant (19 Feb.):
The Famous Lozengees for curing the Cold, Stopping and pains in the Breast, the Kinkhost.Ayr. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ VII. 7:
The stopping, or croop, a disease said to be attached to the sea coast.