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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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BUIST, Boost, Bust, Beust, Bewst, n.², v. Also bist. [See Buist,n.¹]

I. n.

1. "The distinctive mark put on sheep, whether by an iron, or by paint" (Rxb., Tweedd. 1825 Jam.²); "tar mark upon sheep, commonly the initials of the proprietor's name" (Rxb. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry IV. Gl., bust, boost; Cai., Mry., centr.Kcb. 1914 T.S.D.C. I., bewst). Also fig.Sc. 1820 Scott Monastery xxiv.:
He is not of the brotherhood of Saint Mary's — at least he has not the buist of these black cattle.Rxb. 1807 J. Ruickbie Way-side Cottager 112:
Or catch them in a net or girn Till I find out the boost or birn.Dmf. 1997 Nell Thomson Spit the First Sook 14:
Bist and sometimes tar was applied if a sheep got a nick, and that kept the flies off.

Phr.: at buist, at the branding.Abd. after 1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherd MS. 125:
Ye're nae yet out of kind, for a' your bra's At buist this day, your rent another draws.

2. "An iron stamp for marking sheep with the initial or stamp of their owner. It is heated and dipped in tar and applied to the side of the sheep" (Ayr.⁴ 1928; Kcb.⁴ c.1900; m.Dmf.³ c.1920).

3. "A smudge or dirty mark soiling clothes or the like" (w.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); "a smart blow with the hand or fist" (c.–w. Rxb. Ib.); "a nasty smell" (w.Rxb. Ib.).

II. v.

1. "To mark cattle or sheep with the proprietor's distinctive mark" (Cai.⁴ c.1920; Ayr.⁴ 1928; Kcb.⁹ 1937; Rxb., Tweedd. 1825 Jam.²).Edb. 1734 Caled. Mercury (13 June):
Thirty Ew and Wedder Hogs, boosted on the far Side with I.D. cyphered.w.Dmf. 1899 J. Shaw Country Schoolmaster 339:
To stamp a sheep wi' letters they ca' "beust."s.Sc. 1979 Lavinia Derwent A Border Bairn (1986) 84:
Perhaps I had helped to stamp initials on its back at clipping-time when the herds shouted 'Buist!' and I ran to the branding-iron and the tar-pot. Rxb. 1864 A. Jeffrey Hist. of Roxburghshire IV. vii.:
At Hudhouse they stole some sheep, and boiled them in an iron pot used for containing tar for buisting sheep.Dmf. 1997 Nell Thomson Spit the First Sook 14:
Now my job was to bist, a pot of tar was melted over a fire, a smot with the owner's initials on it. This was put on the newly clipped sheep.

Hence buister, n., (1) "one who puts tar marks of ownership on sheep" (Cai.⁷ 1937; Ayr.⁴ 1928); (2) the instrument used in branding sheep (Kcb.⁹ 1937).(1) Slk. 1829 Hogg Shepherd's Calendar I. ii.:
Do ye imagine I'm gaun to hae a' my clippers and grippers, buisters and binders, laid half idle, gaffing and giggling wi' you?(2) Gall. 1930 (per Wgt.³):
"I'll gi'e ye a braw new plaidie," said Caldons, but this was declined, as also were a "clippin' stule" and a "buister."

Comb.: buistin(g) iron, the instrument used in marking sheep (Arg. 1990s).Ags. 1879 J. Guthrie Poems 46:
They hae the buistin iron there.Gall. 1933 J. Corrie in Gallov. Annual 81:
And once, also, at the Big Clipping they let him handle the "buisting" iron.Slk. 1829 Hogg Shepherd's Calendar I. ii.:
After a number of other provoking outrages, Adamson at length, with the buisting-iron which he held in his hand, struck a dog belonging to one of his own shepherd boys.

2. "To smudge or soil (clothes, etc.)" (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).