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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

DUSH, v., n.¹ Also doush, duish, †dusch, †dish. [dʌʃ, duʃ, døʃ]

1. v. To push or strike with force; to strike with the horns, to butt (Ork.⁵ 1950; n.Sc. 1790 F. Grose Gl.; Bnff.² 1941; Abd.¹⁵ 1950, doush; Ayr.³ 1910, duish; Rnf., Lnk. 1825 Jam.², dish). Also in n.Eng. dial. Vbl.n. dishins, a beating, drubbing (Slk. 1825 Jam.²). Also used fig. in pa.t., ppl.adj. dusht, struck dumb, silenced.Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 346:
And round and round about Dushit him coist and bak.Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 63:
Wild birds hae said their say, And husht An' dusht Is a' their crazy, mazy din.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 205:
Not frae the blacksmith's study rush Sae thick the sparks and hammer-flush, As then did devel, dunt, and dusch.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 75:
Gin chance then advance then A word o' mither tongue, How blush't then, how dusht then, As gin an ether stung!Gsw. 1865 J. Young Homely Pictures 16:
Mair than ae dusht starn I saw Twinkle on them askance.Lnk. 1894 R. Reid Poems 179:
At e'en We seek the dusht and darksome glen.Ayr. 1786 Burns Vision viii.:
I glowr'd as eerie's I'd been dusht In some wild glen.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie ix.:
He would hae gart me trow, that they hae horns on their head to dish the like o' me.

2. n. A violent blow or stroke, a violent bump or jolt (Bnff.² 1941).Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 245:
And dushes swithe, wi' heavy shog O' bargane fierce they hear.Ags. 1912 A. Reid Forfar Worthies 29:
The old-fashioned [railway] carriage, with a central seat running all its length, in which the passengers sat back to back; the doush that sent us all a-flying at stated intervals.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 144:
Heav'n rattles wi' the dunnerin' dush.