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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RIZZAR, n. Also rizar, riz(z)er, riz(z)or; rizzier; rizzard, riz(z)art; risser, risier (Sc. 1821 Blackwood's Mag. (July) 400); rissert, risart, rysart; also with variant ending rizzle, rissle (Sc. 1904 E.D.D.); russle, russel. The red currant, Ribes rubrum, or its bush (Sc. 1704 Foulis Acct. Bk. (S.H.S.) 347, rissert, 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 410. rizzle, russle; Abd. 1897 Trans. Bch. Field Club 79; Kcb. 1930, russel; Bwk. 1924 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai.; ‡ne., em.Sc.(a), e.Lth., Bwk., Ayr. 1968). Also attrib. with -berry, -bush (Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Vocab. 63), etc.[′rɪzər, sm.Sc. rɪsl, rʌsl] Sc. 1701 J. Brand Descr. Zetland (1883) 120:
There are also at Scalloway some Goose and Rizzerberrie bushes which use every Year to be laden with fruit which are a great rarity in this place of the World.Gsw. 1711 Uls. Jnl. Archaeol. IV. 115:
Rizze[r] or Strawberrie Cream.Sc. 1814 J. Sinclair Agric. Scot. II. 117:
The principal native fruits of Scotland are the following; Plums, chiefly Prunus insititia; risser or red currant.Edb. 1821 Blackwood's Mag. (July) 400:
The Risiers, Groserts, and Reeforts [street-cries] of that period have changed their names for . . . currants, gooseberries and radishes.Ags. 1823 A. Balfour Foundling of Glenthorn II. iii.:
Rysarts as red as blood.Fif. 1853 R. Peattie MS.:
Four chappins o' red grosers for jam an' a chappin o' rizzars to mak jice for them.Bnff. 1893 G. G. Green Kidnappers i.:
Red currant bushes, which last were usually called “rizzers” by the boys.Gall. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 385:
He crawl't in amang some gey rank grozet an russel busses in the yaird.Ags. 1955 Forfar Dispatch (11 Aug.):
I maun rin and get rizzers for jeely.

Combs.: black rizer, the fruit of the black currant, Ribes nigrum; re(e)d rizzar, the red currant (Watson); white rizer, the fruit of the white currant, a garden variety of the red currant (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Fif. 1968).Sc. 1736 Mrs. McLintock Receipts 30, 32:
To make Geil of white Rizers. To make the Geil of black Rizers. . . . To every Mutchkin of the Juice of Rasps, take half a Mutchkin of the Juice of red Rizers to make it geil.Fif. 1845 T. C. Latto Minister's Kail-yard 50:
Wae for thae rizars, white an' red.