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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FROST, n., v. Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. Ice (Sc. 1787 J. Beattie Scotticisms 37; I. and ne.Sc., Ags., Fif. 1953). Obs. in Eng. since a.1600.Abd. 1777 Abd. Journal (6 Jan.):
A young Lady who lives in the Neighbourhood of this Place, had the misfortune to fall on the frost and break her leg.Sc. 1799 H. Mitchell Scotticisms 40:
The frost is slippery; The ice is slippery.Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sk. and Poems 12:
Mind an' tak' care o' disell ipo da frost.Sh. 1898 W. F. Clark Northern Gleams 105:
Some o' da watter 'at wis anonder da frost i' da boddim o' da wharry.Bnff.² 1943:
The road's covert wi frost.

2. Phrs. and comb.: (1) frost-rind, hoar-frost; (2) it is frost, impers., it is freezing, there is frost (Sc. 1799 H. Mitchell Scotticisms 40). Gen.Sc.; (3) to fin(d) frost, to run into difficulties, gen. of one's own making, to suffer unpleasant consequences from one's own actions (Ork.⁵ 1953); (4) to stand the frost, id. (Abd. 1916).(1) Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1898) xxv.:
Window-soles whitewashed over with frost rind in the mornings.(3) Sc. 1712 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) II. 118: 
What, will you testify against the Parliament? you [will] find frost in that, I see!Sc. 1765 Child Maurice in Child Ballads II. 272:
Sen ye by me will nae be warnd, In it ye sall find frost.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 54:
He widna' been ongane awa; but he'll fin' frost or lang gae by in's new place.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (14 Aug.):
Dey 'at wir in a scad ta get sheep an' lambs wi' muckle tails is finin' da frost o' hit noo.Abd. 1928 Abd. Weekly Jnl. (30 Aug.) 6:
I some doot they wid fin frost gin we wisna there tae leuk aifter things.

II. v. 1. To protect (a horse) from slipping on ice by spiking its shoes, to frost-nail horse-shoes. Gen.Sc. Obs. or dial. in Eng. since 17th cent.Sc. 1701 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.):
Jany. 28: to tonie that he gave for frosting the horss yisterday . . . 0. 2. 0Sc. 1831 J. Sinclair Corresp. II. 189:
I could not get the shoes of my horses frosted.Bnff. 1923 Banffshire Jnl. (19 June) 7:
There was a race to the smiddy to get the “horse frostit.”

2. See quot. Vbl.n. frosting.Sc. 1841 Quarterly Jnl. Agric. XII. 145:
The first thing to be done is to frost the bank, that is, to cut off from the face of the bank, from top to bottom, that part which has been penetrated by the frost of the previous winter, and which at most seldom exceeds three or four inches in thickness. This outer skin or frosting which is taken off, will be found very useful in filling up any holes or irregularities in the lair or ground on which the peats are to be laid drying.