Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

DOSS, n.¹ and v.²

1. n.

(1) A knot or bow, such as of ribbon, flowers, hair, etc. (Nai. 1813 W. Leslie Agric. Nai. and Mry. 453; Bnff.¹² 1860; Cai. 1900 E.D.D.; Bnff.², Abd.² 1940), a knot of people (Mry.¹ 1925). Dims. dossach, dossie, a small knob or heap (Mry.¹ 1925; Bnff.², Abd. correspondents 1940), dossick, “a small truss or bundle” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 40), and double dim. dosslie, a knot of ribbon, a rosette.ne.Sc. 1949 Scots Mag. (June) 229:
Gie me a dossie o' dilse frae the sea, An' the wheeple o' whaups on the wing.Mry.⁵ 1928:
I kent the minister by his fite doss.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xl.:
Plates . . . nately full't o' milk pottage wi' a braw dossie o' gweed broon succar i' the middle o' ilka dish.Abd.¹⁵ 1928:
He his a wee dosslie o' coloured tape in's button-hole; that's fat ye ca' yer comatee, is't?

Hence dossie, adj., bushy, applied to plants, such as kail, with a thick, even foliage (Kcb.⁴ 1900).

(2) “A bonnet or cap” (Ags.⁴ 1916). Cf. Dash, n.². Comb. kick-doss, the game of kick-bonnety, see Kick, v., 3.(3), (4).

2. v. To loop up so as to form a rosette or bow (Mry. 1916 T.S.D.C. II.; Mry.¹ 1925).