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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.

†GASH, adj.³

1. Sagacious, shrewd (Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–26 Wilson); smart, witty. Hence gashly, adv., wittily (Sc. 1818 Sawers), gashness, n., sagacity (Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 84).Sc. a.1706 W. Hamilton in J. Watson Choice Coll. i. 69:
I Wily, Witty was, and Gash, With my auld felni packy Pash.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 223:
Good Claret best keeps out the Cauld . . . It makes a Man baith gash and bauld, And heaves his Saul beyond the Moon.Ayr. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 29–30:
He was a gash an' faithfu' tyke, As ever lap a sheugh or dyke.Rxb. 1815 J. Ruickbie Poems 87:
But see the wean a towmont aul', He looks baith gash, an' spruce, an' baul' And 'gins to try to gang.Sc. 1816 Scott Black Dwarf iii.:
Grannie, the gash auld carline, is sitting birling at her wheel.Ags. 1856 W. Grant Poet. Pieces 47:
Her daddie a gash, trusty, auldfarran' carlie.Hdg. 1905 J. Lumsden Croonings 7:
She seemed a very auld, but gash guidwife.

2. Having an appearance of sagaciousness and at the same time of self-importance.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie I. v.:
Andrew . . . settled into a little gash carlie, remarkable chiefly for a straightforward simplicity.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 192:
“Hae I been sittin wi' specs a' the afternoon?” “You have, James, and very gash have you looked.”

3. Of persons: well-dressed, neat, respectable-looking, smart (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 248; Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 165). Of things: of good appearance, imposing. Also used adv.Ayr. 1786 Burns Holy Fair xxiv.:
In comes a gawsie, gash Guidwife, An' sits down by the fire.wm.Sc. 1788 R. Galloway Poems 111:
Wi' . . . garters ty'd aboon the bran, And gash they thought such country-man.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 147:
The saft o'en cakes, in mony stack, Are set in order rarely, Fu' gash this night.Lnk. 1827 J. Watt Poems 70:
On Sundays gash an' braw ye dress.Rnf. 1846 W. Finlay Poems 141:
And as nae plates o' common size Could haud the gash and gaucy pies, New anes were frae the delf-house trysted.Gall. 1882 J. Douglas Bk. of Galloway 66:
But ninety-nine [women] in a hunner are sober, gash, and chast.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 141:
William Craig . . . got suddenly very gash and bien.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-head 144:
Weel, weel; he was a sonsy lad, Gash, fair an' fat — ne'er sour nor sad, But smiling aye.

Hence ¶gashy, stately, well-furnished.Slg. 1885 W. Towers Poems 89:
Within the gashy ha', Great costly pictures grace the wa'.