We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By clicking 'continue' or by continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings in your browser at any time.

Continue
Find out more

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WRIST, n. Also Sc. forms reist, reest; vreest (Abd. 1891 G. W. Anderson Strathbogie 162). Sc. usages. [†rist]

1. As in Eng. Derivs.: (1) dim. wristie, †wristikin, a woollen muff for the wrist, a knitted cuff (Sh. 1974, wristie). Wristikin only in the Carlyles; (2) wristy, a throw in the game of knifie in which the wrist had to be touched before the throw was made (Ags., Lth. 1974).(1) Sc. 1826 Carlyle Love Letters (1909) II. 257:
She has manufactured two pairs of wristikins.
Sc. 1851 J. W. Carlyle Letters (Carlyle 1903) II. 35:
I have given her a pair of woollen wristikins.
(2) Edb. 1955 Edb. Ev. News (4 Jan.):
Whichever part of the body was touched before plunging the knife into the ground gave its name to the throw. There was “wristy,” “chinny,” and “chesty,” not forgetting “front-heidy,” “middle-heidy,” and “back-heidy.”

2. The instep of the foot (Cld. 1825 Jam., reist).Lnk. 1877 W. McHutchison Poems 65:
My foot is just a five's and half, An' fourteen inches at the least Roun' the heel an' ower the reest.

[Sense 2. is paralleled in O.N. rist. instep.]

29736

snd