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.
‡TROUSS, v., n. Also troos (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.), truce; trowse; tross; and corrupt or pseudo-Highland forms tress, trash. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. truss. More commonly in met. form Turse, q.v.
I. v. 1. intr. To prepare for a journey, get ready to set off.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 111:
Come, Richy, let us truse and hame o'er bend, And make the best of what we canna mend.Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
Fat are ye troost here for?
2. tr. To pack or bundle up, wrap up with a view to concealing.ne.Sc. 1714 R. Smith Poems (1853) 3:
I pray truse up what we have here.Abd. 1758 Monymusk Papers (S.H.S.) 52:
We charge you that ye attour lawfully tross, fence, arreast, apprise, compell, poind, and distrenzie the said haill defenders their haill goods.
3. To bring out (of store), turn out, serve up.Clc. 1860 J. Crawford Doric Lays 112:
I'd trouss out ilk bannock and scone.
4. To tuck up or shorten the material in a garment (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Ayr. 1823 C. K. Sharpe Ballad Book (1868) 91:
What need I truce my petticoat? It hangs even down before.
II. n. 1. A tuck, fold or hem in a garment (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Ayr.3 1910). Also in Uls. dial. Also deriv. ¶trouster, id. (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.).Dmf. 1810 R. H. Cromek Remains 68:
Should Peggy's kilted coats be too high, let down a trowse or twa o' them.
2. A bundle, package. See Turse.Abd. 1825 Jam., s.v. Cuttumrung:
Three furichins o' saip, twa tress o' snischen. [Variant in Rymour Club Misc. (1911) I. 173: trash.]
