Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FUSSOCH, n., v. Also fussock, fossa, fassack, fus(s)(c)hach and derivs. fushloch, fushnach, foisonach. The alternative dim. form fusschle is also found (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 56; Bnff. 1953). Cf. fassag s.v. Fass. [ne.Sc. ′fʌsəx, ′fʌʃəx, ′fuʃ-, Gall., Dmf. ′fʌʃləx, -nəx]
I. n. 1. The grass that grows among stubble (Ags. 1808 Jam., fossa): waste fragments of straw (Lnk. 1825 Jam., fushloch), an assortment of light corn and chaff (Kcb.4 1900, fushloch), dry bent grass (Gall. 1953, fushnach).Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 148:
Foisonach or Fushloch, waste straw, dried grass, chips of wood, or refuse of that sort.
2. A loose untidy truss or bundle, as of straw, hay, rags, or paper (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 56, fusschach, fusschle; Mry.1 1932, Bnff., Abd. 1946); a mass of anything tousled or fluffy and bunched up (Abd. 1900 E.D.D.); hence something of no value.Abd. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock xxiv.:
Their ba-lamb was naething but a fussoch o' cotton-'oo' rowed roon' a bit stick.Abd. 1903 W. Watson Auld Lang Syne 74:
Ye can tell 'er that I dinna care a fushach for her rage.Bnff. 1924 Scots Mag. (Aug.) 341:
There were kebbucks on the counter-table, scales and weights, a “fushach” of twine.Abd.15 1928:
That fite clivver's fair screefin the leys. There's a fassack o't on the aul girse.Abd. 1952 Huntly Express (2 May):
Frequently these patches are jist a fushach o' licht or rotten strae.
II. v. With at: to work at, to do something in a hasty awkward manner (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 56).
[Dim. deriv. forms of Eng. fuss, fuzz, loose, fluffy matter, prob. of imit. origin. Cf. also Eng. dial. fussock, a fat woman. ]
