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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RISP, v.¹, n.¹ Also resp (Gregor).

I. v. 1. (1) To file, to smooth off rough edges with a file, cut with a grating action, to saw roughly (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc. Vbl.n.pl. rispings, filings, crumbs.Gsw. 1729 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 320:
Two sett of saws with blads, . . . for risping of logwood.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 60:
The airn sae rispit to the bane.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
Rispins o' bread.Rnf. 1845 J. Mitchell Orig. Songs 19:
Whether they're pareing or rispin', O! may it aye be the best ben'.e.Lth. 1885 “S. Mucklebackit” Rhymes 113:
Frae ilka horn risps aff the “rings” To ca' her young, the loon.Ags. 1895 Arbroath Guide (30 Nov.) 3:
I was rispin' at a pair I'd been solin'.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (15 May):
Whin I guid ta risp apo' da teeth o' da auld saw.Edb. 2004:
Resp the rough edge o that table coarner.

(2) specif. of a cat: to tear a wooden surface with the claws, to scratch.Fif. 1875 A. Burgess Poute 8:
Mine — keeps a kat to plese hersel' — to Risp and skart the furms.

2. To grind together two surfaces (Abd. 1966); to grind (the teeth). Also in n.Eng. dial.Slg. 1818 W. Muir Poems 14:
Nor in the stable did he risp His teeth.Sc. 1825 Jam., s.v. Hirsp:
We still say to risp the teeth, i.e. to rub them forcibly against each other.Sc. 1896 Stevenson W. of Hermiston v.:
Risping his teeth as he gaed.

3. intr. To make a harsh grating sound (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 140; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 262; I., n. and em.Sc. (a), Rxb. 1968). Rarely tr., to cause to sound harshly, grate on. Vbl.n., ppl.adj. rispin.Per. 1774 Gentleman and Lady's Weekly Mag. (8 June) 235:
The auld door risp'd on its rusty bands.Rnf. 1806 R. Tannahill Poems (1875) 285:
The rye-craik rispt his clamorous throat.Ags. 1834 A. Smart Rhymes 110:
The craik rins rispin' through the corn.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin vi.:
Sharpin' his gullies, an' garrin' them risp forgainst the glitterin' steel.Ags. 1914 I. Bell Country Clash 64:
To prevent the keen frosty air going down to her lungs, that often sounded like the “rispin'” valve of a pair of old bellows.Uls. 1953 Traynor:
I heard the wheel risping along the road.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xviii.:
My singin's like 'e rispin o' the aal saa.

4. To make a grating or rattling noise with a door risp, to use (a risp). See n., 2.Sc. 1827 R. Chambers Poet. Remains (1883) 36:
He lichtit at the outer yett, and rispit wi' the ring.Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped i.:
Walk back again and risp at the manse door.Lth. 1921 A. Dodds Antrin Sangs 55:
A rich man gaed to the yett o' God, And lood he rispet the pin.

II. n. 1. A coarse file or rasp, esp. one used by a blacksmith (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Uls. a.1908 Traynor (1953); Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.). Gen.Sc. Also fig.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 44:
His throat's like a risp, and he sings like the craws, man.Bwk. 1843 Proc. Bwk. Nat. Club II. 52:
These balls are exceedingly globular, although modelled by only a hammer or a chisel, and finished by a large file or risp.Fif. 1875 A. Burgess Poute 29:
Risps, fyles, and watir-cans.Lth. 1885 J. Strathesk More Bits 42:
That's liker a “risp” than a razor!Kcb. a.1902 Gallovidian (1913) 108:
Then Puirtith's raggit claws Richt's risp shall clowe.Edb. 2004:
A resp is a big file used by joiners for example.

2. A vertical serrated bar fixed on the door of a dwelling-house, up and down which a ring is drawn with a grating noise, serving the purpose of a door knocker or bell (Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Traditions 234); the sound of this. Cf. tirling-pin s.v. Tirl, v.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce III. v.:
At the hour of midnight, a low risp and tirl were heard on our door-pin.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller 76:
The heavy oaken staircase door, with its old-fashioned risp.Sc. 1875 J. Grant One of the “600” i.:
The little thatched cottages, with rusty, antique risps on their doors.Sc. 1903 Chambers's Jnl. (11 July) 510:
The “risp” used instead of a knocker.Arg. 1918 N. Munro Jaunty Jock 28:
He hammered at the only shut door, but got no answer, plied the risp as well.

3. A scrape, a filing or sharpening, a rubbing of two rough surfaces (Sh. 1968).Sh. 1900 Shetland News (13 Jan.):
Fil I gie da joktaleg a risp apo' da herstane.

4. A harsh, grating sound, as from the friction of two surfaces (Sh., ne.Sc., Ags. 1968). Also fig.Lnk. 1850 J. Struthers Poet. Wks. I. xiv.:
The rusty risp of the Corncraik.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 140:
Risp indicates a sharper sound than resp; and resp, than rasp.Kcd. 1900 Crockett Stickit Minister's Wooing 322:
The risp o' a key in the lock.Abd. 1951 Buchan Observer (11 Dec.):
The risp o' the twine as she hanks the knots ticht.

5. A curling stone that fails to reach the tee, as if its sole were rough and uneven like a file.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 244:
Ae tee, wi' risps and lazy hoggs, Threw a' the odds now even.

6. A splinter of wood in the finger (Slg., Dmb. 1968).