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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.

TRESS, n. Also traess, trace; †trest. [trɛs]

1. A frame of wood usu. constructed as a support for a plank, board, table, etc., a wooden trestle, freq. including the bench it supports (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1905 E.D.D.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. XIII. 42; I.Sc., Cai., Abd., Kcd., m. and s.Sc. 1973); a bench on which a sheep is placed to be shorn. Obs. in Eng. exc. dial. Also in form tresser.Kcd. 1722 Elphinstone Bk. (Fraser 1897) II. 275:
Four pillars or trests of ane old black table. A skallie table, with tressts and four sconces.Abd. 1748 Abd. Estate (S.C.) 74:
Making 3 trests heads for pruning hedges.Per. 1752 Session Papers, Town Council Perth v. Wood State of Process 23:
They were stopped by a scaffold and traces standing in the entry.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 244:
The meat that stood the table on It caused the tresses for to groan.Gsw. 1813 J. Cleland Specifications Magdalenes Asylum 32:
The masons' sheds, moulds, centres, tresses, and foot gangs.Sc. 1825 Scott Betrothed xiv.:
When the boards and tresses on which the viands had been served were withdrawn.Abd. 1832 P. Buchan Secret Songs 2:
The tresser and the rack stock [of a cobbler].Abd. 1870 W. Buchanan Olden Days 173:
The joiner cam' next wi' a brace o' new bits — But up went his tresses, and down went his frame.Ayr. 1895 J. Walker Old Kilmarnock 71:
To tear down palings, run away with masons' tresses and planks.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 79:
His fore teeth stood oot frae his face laek da legs o' a tress.

2. A small wooden jetty (Sh. 1973).Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 85:
Swittlin' alang da side o' da aald flitboat as shü lay alang da tresses an' plank.Sh. 1964 Folk Life II. 16:
At the home beaches the boat came alongside a wooden tress or jetty.