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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

THRIST, n.², v.² Also I.Sc. trist. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. thrust (Rxb. 1825 Jam.). [θrɪst; I.Sc. trɪst]

I. n. 1. A squeeze, hug, embrace.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 248:
I wid gie her a kiss wi' every trist.

2. A pressing with the teeth, a bite, chew (in quot. of tobacco). Deriv. form tristoo, a mouthful.Rxb. 1811 A. Scott Poems 101:
What pleasure's found, Whiles as thou dries the tither thrist. And wamble round.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. vi. 223:
He hed hed naithin a' day bit a tristoo o' kail afore lavan hame i' the mornin.

II. v. 1. intr. As in Eng., to thrust, push, press through.Slk. 1822 Hogg Siege Rxb. (1874) xii.:
A kind o' rubbing and thristing, as a fox or a foumart had been drawing himsel through a hole aneath the ground.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 103:
That snod faith's gane,
but the steeple aye thrists frae the hairt o the toon,
the Auld Kirkyaird aside it, whaur the deid were lain
and grutten for lang syne.

2. tr. To squeeze, wring, press down (Sh. 1825 Jam., 1914 Angus Gl.: Ork. 1929 Marw., trist; I.Sc. 1972); to wring a cloth with the hands (Ork. 1920); to hug. Pa. t. thrist.Gall. 1702 Session Bk. Penninghame (1933) I. 98:
He pulled his ear and thrist his neck.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 248:
I wid trist her i' my bossum.Ork. 1910 Old-Lore Misc. III. i. 28:
For syan sooans whin dey trist da suds.Ork. 1929 Peace's Almanac 140:
Dere waas a' me soowans rinnin' trou da bung hole is fest is I tristed id.

3. To twist, spin, as in phr. to thrist a thread (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.).