Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1859-1929
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BOUSTEROUS, BOWSTEROUS, BOUSTROUS, adj. Also in form bousterie (Fif. 1953). Boisterous, fierce; rowdy. Given in N.E.D. as obs. form of boisterous s.v. boustrous. Known to Mry.1 1925; also to Cai.7, Bnff.2, Abd.22, Fif.10, Kcb.9 1935. [′bʌust (ə)rəs]Abd.(D) 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 44–45:
H. Sic a time o' win' it's been! M. Nyod, ay; it his been fell bowsterous fyles.Ags. 1920 A. Gray Songs, etc., from Heine 29:
For ilka day you lippen Yoursel' to the bousterous sea.Rxb. 1859 J. Watson Living Bards of the Borders 108:
Ane boustrous crewe.
Hence boustrously, boustrouslie, adv., “boisterously“ (Sc. 1911 S.D.D. Add. s.v. boustrously); fiercely, roughly.Sc. 1904 Erlinton in Ballads (ed. Child) No. 8A* xiii.:
Up than bespak the niest foremost knight, I trow he spak right boustrouslie.
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"Bousterous adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bousterous>
