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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COSH, Coash, Coish, Kosh, adj.¹ and n. [kɔʃ, koʃ]

1. adj.

(1) Of things and persons: snug, comfortable, cosy (Bnff.², Ags.¹, Fif.¹⁰, Lnk.³, Kcb.¹ 1937).Abd. 1906 J. Christie in Bnffsh. Jnl. (26 June) 2:
Soon after nine they socht their den, As cosh as hoggies in their pen.Per. a.1837 R. Nicoll Poems (1842) 15:
Wha tauld us stories, sad and lane, O' puir folk's waes, until we wished Them a' beside our cosh hearthstane.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 38:
A' his housie looks sae cosh and clean.

Hence coshly, adv.Per. 1830 Perthshire Adv. (28 Jan.): 
Hugging you coshly in his bosie.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet iii.:
For ilka shepherd's chequered plaid Has room enough for twa, And coshly shields his mountain maid Frae a' the blasts that blaw.

(2) Quiet, undisturbed (Ags.¹ 1937).Rxb. 1811 A. Scott Poems 23:
At length he drew the hamlet near, Where wakrife tykes their vigils keep; . . . A' else seem'd coash, an' gane to sleep.

(3) Friendly, intimate (Bnff.², Fif.¹⁰, Lnk.³ 1937).Sc. 1788 Scots Mag. 559:
Auld Cloots and you are unco cosh.Sh.(D) 1916 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr, Janniwary 31:
It's no safe for kyunnins ta be ower kosh wi whitrits.Fif. 1894 (2nd ed.) D. S. Meldrum Story of Margrédel v.:
“They twa's very cosh,” said the Bailie, looking up.Hdg. 1908 J. Lumsden Doun i' th' Loudons 62:
“Engaged?” Hang it, I canna say for that, But, I could threep the deil they're unco cosh!

†(4) Cheerful, lively; happy (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 142).Edb. 1821 W. Liddle Poems 158:
But Rab had got a gay bit drappy . . . Was very cosh and unco cracky.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish iii.:
Decent ladies, coming home with red faces, tozy and cosh, from a posset masking.

†2. n. “A confined, comfortable, or warm situation” (Nai. 1813 W. Leslie Gen. View Agric. Nai. and Mry., Gl., coish).