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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RIB, n., v. Also Sc. forms ribb; †rub. Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. Combs.: (1) rib-grass, the ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata (Mry., Bwk. 1886 B. and H.; Gall. 1904 E.D.D.; Ork., Cai., Bnff., m.Lth., Wgt., Slk. 1968). Also in Eng. dial.; (2) rib-linket, married, united to one's “rib” or wife.(1) Per. 1799 J. Robertson Agric. Per. 213:
If the rotation admits of the grass lands lying a few years in pasture, there is commonly some white or yellow clover or ribgrass added.Lnk. 1831 W. Patrick Plants 94:
Introduced into culture under the name of Rib-grass, as a good food for sheep.(2) Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems 20:
Rib-lmket lads to their ain mate.

2. In pl.: the bars of a grate (Gen.Sc.) or of a mill-kiln. Also in n.Eng. dial. Phr to ripe the ribs, to clear out ash from between the bars. See Ripe, v.²Dmf. 1809 Farmer's Mag. 301:
On the ribs of this kiln let one or more courses of peat be set on end.Lnk. 1818 A. Fordyce Country Wedding 22:
Gi'e the ribs a ringe, an' the fire a chap.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds xxxii.:
Ye wad see the ane fizz and flee away frae the ither up the lum, or out at the ribs.Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 26:
She fills the bassie, gi'es the ribs a clap.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
A pair o' human legs . . . projectin' forward in close proximity to the ribs.Lth. 1882 J. Strathesk Blinkbonny 208:
Instead of lighting it [pipe] by a spunk, she pushed it into the “ribs” of the kitchen fire.Mry. 1883 F. Sutherland Sunny Memories 82:
Through the het ribs o' the grate.Ags. 1896 Barrie Sentimental Tommy xii.:
Roast it on the ribs of the fire.Slg. 1901 Trans. Slg. Nat. Hist. Soc. 78:
If a flake of soot or “coom” hung from the “ribs” or bars of the grate it was an omen that a visitor would arrive.Dmf. 1913 J. L. Waugh Cracks wi' R. Doo 48:
A cheery fire was burnin' behin' the ribs.

3. A horizontal timber in a roof joining rafters, a purlin (Bnff., m.Lth. 1968); also a cross-beam or joist in a floor. Also in n.Eng. dial.Ayr. 1702 Munim. Irvine (1891) 318:
For ane roff and thrie ribs at 6s. 8d. peece to the spence . . . . £16s. 8d.Abd. 1722 Monymusk Papers (S.H.S.) 9:
For laying of faille timber and taking of rib out of the floors . . . £2 6s. 8d.Gsw. 1769 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1912) 301:
Furnishing ribbs to the wash house.Arg. 1787 Arg. Estate Instructions (S.H.S.) 12:
21 couples with rubs and kabbers.Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 114:
The roof was formed of strong cupples termed syles, set up 8 or 10 feet distant from each other, with their feet reaching near the ground. On these rested cross beams on the sides called ribs or pans and the one on the top was termed a roof-tree.Ayr. 1857 W. Blair Rambling Recoll. 212:
The thatch is technically called “rib and roof”, which covers the frail biggin'.

†4. The ridge of unploughed land about 10–12 ins. wide left in the method of ploughing which turns over every alternate strip of land on to an unploughed strip, freq. used in preparing land for sowing barley. Comb.: rib-ploughing, this method of ploughing.Abd. 1735 J. Arbuthnot Buchan Farmers (1811) 80:
The rib, or that part which the plough did not touch at the last time.Abd. 1811 G. S. Keith Agric. Abd. 233:
They are broke up from grass, by what is called a rib-ploughing.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm I. 658:
Ribs of hard land standing untouched in the subsoil.

5. The water channel alongside a road, a gutter (Ayr. 1923 Wilson D. Burns 181); pl. the verges of a road.Sc. 1805 R. Forsyth Beauties Scot. II. 235:
The ribs, as road-makers term the declivities on each side, should be kept very clear, and the ditches clear and deep.

6. A long unbroken wave, a roller.Ork. 1868 D. Gorrie Orkneys 199:
Long rollers, quaintly named the Ribs of Ruskholm.

7. Mining: a wall of solid coal or other mineral (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 54). Hence rib-side, the projection of the face of one wall in longwall working beyond the next face (Ib.).

II. v. 1. In combs. with ppl.adjs. (1) deep ribbit, of a cow or a woman: large-chested (Sc. c.1860 Scotsman (13 Sept. 1910); Sh., Kcb. 1968); (2) round-ribbet, of a cow or sheep: having barrel-ribs (Id.).(2) Edb. 1866 J. Inglis Poems 74:
An' turn'd a fine, round ribbet swashy ewe.

2. To plough every alternate furrow, leaving a strip of unturned earth between and turning the soil over upon the unploughed strip (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Kcd., em.Sc., Kcb., Rxb. 1968). Vbl.n. ribbing, this method of ploughing. Also in n.Eng. dial.Abd. 1759 Trans. Highl. Soc. XIV. 83:
In New Deer and the neighbouring parishes the tenants formerly burnt their dry faughs, which were ribbed the beginning of summer.Bwk. 1764 Session Papers, Yules v. Others State of Process 53:
The shot lying be-east Howlawrigg was sown with oats last year, and was ribbed, or got a furrow for bear, this year.Per. 1799 J. Robertson Agric. Per. 134:
In many parts of Strathern and Strathallan, where the land is extremely light and gravelly the farmers have a practice in the beginning of winter, of ribbing their land, i.e. they turn up and leave a furrow alternately, so that the soil, which is turned over by the plough, is left exactly on the top of the furrow, that is not stirred.Sc. 1814 J. Sinclair Agric. Scot. I. 350:
This antiquated mode of half ploughing, was termed ribbing, or rice baulking, and is now rarely met with in well-cultivated districts.Sc. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm I. 481:
I have mentioned a mode of ploughing called ribbing. In its best form it is usually performed in spring with the small plough.Rnf. 1887 Trans. Highl. Soc. 21:
Mr. Thomson drills the stubbles (what is sometimes termed “ribbing”), which covers the dung without burying it.

3. To pare the grassy side or margin of (a road) (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Cf. I. 5.