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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NEIST, adj., adv., prep. Also niest (Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 140, Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 124; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.), neast, nist, neest (Sc. 1755 Johnson Dict.; Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 24; Sh. 1957 Sh. Folk Bk. III. 54); nest, nayst (Jam.); neisht (ne.Sc. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 40), neesht (Abd. 1883 Ellis E.E.P. V. 770), and nize, with elision of final -t before a following dental. See also Next. [nist, ‡niʃt]

I. adj. Next, next to come, nearest (Sc. 1808 Jam.; ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 15; Lnk. 1858 G. Roy Generalship 2; e.Lth. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 293; Per., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen. (exc. sm.) Sc. Specif. in Sh. and Ork. of a garment: worn next to the skin. Hence as a n., an undergarment so worn, and combs. neist cot, under-petticoat, neist sark (Ork. 1964).Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 16:
The dispute stands not here o' blude, Nor yet fa's neist o' kin.Ayr. 1787 Burns Death & Dr Hornbook xxx.:
Niest time we meet, I'll wad a groat He gets his fairin'.Sc. 1824 Scott St Ronan's W. ii.:
They that get neist best are no ill aff.Slk. 1829 Hogg Shepherd's Cal. ii.:
The neist shall be a real May Henderson o' Firthhopecleuch.Bnff. 1850 in W. Barclay Schools Bnff. (1925) 47:
There being only one door outside and two inside, the one in the school end was sometimes left open. An old residenter, once a scholar, remembers hearing the schoolmaster callinng out to his wife in the far end, “Ann, shut the nize door.”Sc. 1869 C. Gibbon Robin Gray I. iv.:
I'll see how ye're getting on the morn or neist day.m.Sc. 1898 J. Buchan John Burnet iii. i.:
The beast was to be ta'en doun and shod new, for she was gaun far the neist day.Abd. 1935 Abd. Press & Jnl. (8 April):
The neist bore to butter an' that's cream at the bakin'.Sh. 1962 New Shetlander No. 62. 31, 63. 5:
Shu wis sittin afore da but-windick makkin ir sock — a gey swaarie neest joopie. . . . Dey maade men's neists, wheel-mittens, an lang socks.Edb. 1979 Albert D. Mackie in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 42:
The lave o me is memories and thocht:
The barley-breks wi John and Catherine
Round the auld quarrie neist to Ninewells yonder em.Sc. 1988 James Robertson Chapman 52 71:
' ... a body wud caa out - "Neist stop Kirkcaldy" - but ye aye kent it wis Kirkcaldy oniewey on account o the ming frae the lino factories. ... ' Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 21:
and the voo: niver again, niver, or neist nicht
whaun aa owre again the whisky gaes doon and the blumf lowps up. Sc. 1991 Kenneth Fraser in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 101:
The word o this mishanter tae the nation
Wad cause a michty stushie tae brek oot.
The neist day's news wad be, withoot a doot,
'Scots Secretar hauns in his resignation.'

Derivs.: (1) neisten, neest-, niestan, next. Only in ballads, the additional syllable being metri causa. Cf. Firsten, Southin; (2) neistmost, -mest, the next again, the one after the next (Sh., Abd. 1964).(1) Sc. 1806 Lamkin in Child Ballads No. 93 A. xviii.:
O the firsten step she steppit, she steppit on a stane; But the neisten step she steppit, she met him Lamkin.Sc. 1819 Scots Mag. (June) 528:
The neesten blast Craignethan gae, The waters ceased their din.Sc. 1828 Lord Livingston in Child Ballads No. 262. xv.:
The first an weed that he drew on Was o the linen clear; The niest an weed that he drew on Was gude iron and steel.(2) Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 228:
Dinna tak the ane neist ye, bit the neistmost.

II. adv. Next, in the next place (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 121; Wgt. 1885 G. Fraser Poems 219; I. and ne.Sc. 1964); next time, on the next occasion.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 161:
A meaner phantom neist, with meikle Dread.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 140:
Niest the gudewife her hireling damsels bids Glowr thro' the byre.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxv.:
I wish we may get the light keepit in neist, wi' this fearsome wind.Cai. 1869 M. Maclennan Peasant Life 131:
They'll last till the feein' market, whan I'll neist see ma dear lad again.Peb., Slk. 1873 C. Swainson Weather Folk-Lore 220:
When the wind's in the east, Cauld and snaw comes neist.Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 91:
It's dy turn neist.Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Glendornie 37:
I'se gie ye oot the same quantity again an' it'll maybe gang a little forder neist.Ags. 1890 Arbroath Guide (5 July) 3:
“Wha are they neist?” quo' I, as I turned my heid an' looked frae oor window.Dmf. 1902 A. E. Maxwell Lilts 19:
Neist ye play me siccan trick I maun skelp ye wi' ma shoon!Sc. 1991 Forbes Macgregor in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 17:
He filled it neist wi bluid and sweit
And stude the cratur on its feet

Combs.: 1. neistby, next, alongside, adjacent; 2. niest-come, adj., following next in succession.1. Sc. 1875 A. Hislop Sc. Anecdotes 63:
The grand bottle ye promised to Peggy neist-by there.2. Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms xxii. 31:
They sal come i' their day, an' gar his righteousness be ken'd to the niest-come kin.

III. prep., orig. the adj. with ellipse of to. Next to, nearest to; on this side of (Sh., ne.Sc. 1964).Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 133:
They minded ay wha o' us was born first, and wha was neist ane anither.Ayr. 1792 Burns Winsome Wee Thing ii.:
Neist my heart I'll wear her.Edb. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 34:
Weaver Andrew, niest the yate, He roar'd out wi' a birr.Sh. 1898 “Junda” Klingrahool 24:
Sho's tied at da vaegle neest da waa.Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 158:
He that aas the coo lies neist the tail.wm.Sc. 1991 Carol Galbraith in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 72:
a waaflooer's stannin
mindin the time
blethers neist her een
owreluikin the birlin scene