Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TRASH, v., n. Also trass (Ork.).

I. v. 1. To walk or run laboriously or wearily, esp. through dirt or mud (sm.Sc. 1905 E.D.D.). Now only dial. in Eng.

2. tr. To wear out, exhaust, fatigue, abuse with over-work and exertion (Slk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; Dmf., Rxb. 1973). Now only dial. in Eng. Ppl.adjs. trashin, exhausting, trasht, -ed, over-driven, exhausted, maltreated, knocked about (Dmf., Rxb. 1973), vbl.n. trashin, fatiguing, exhausting. Deriv. adj. trashy, fatiguing (s.Sc. 1973).Sc. 1816 Scott Black Dwarf x.:
The vicious blood thing he rides on, and that's sair trashed wi' his night wark.Dmf. 1821 Carlyle Letters (Norton 1888) II. 5:
The fineness of the weather did not prevent the journey from trashing me a good deal.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 156:
I had a trashin time o't in thae years, never sure o' a nicht's rest.Kcb. 1904 Crockett Strong Mac xlix.:
Balgracie of Balgracie is doubtless an auld name, but it has been sore trashed with trade this while back.Rxb. 1923 G. Watson W.-B.:
Trash't wi' a sair day's wark.

3. To crush, tread down (growing crops, etc.) (Ork. 1929 Marw.), poss. a different word, ? variant of Thrash, v.

II. n. A dirty miry state (of weather). Phr. a trash o' weet, a heavy fall of rain (Slk. 1825 Jam.). Hence trashie, -y, of weather: wet, dirty (Id.).Arg. 1917 A. W. Blue Quay Head Tryst 200:
“It's stoory a wee the day.” “Clean trashy,” said Jean.