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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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.

TOOSHT, n., v. Also ¶toosh (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.), toost. Dim. forms toos(h)tie, tooshtach, -tichie, ¶teestach (Bnff., Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.); tooshlich(ie) (Bnff. 1972), tuschlich, tushloch. [tuʃt]

I. n. 1. A loose untidy bundle of rags, straw, or the like (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 194; ne.Sc. 1972); a small heap or cock of hay, grass, etc. (Id.); a small quantity of anything, esp. of a fibrous or granular nature. a bunch, tuft, wisp, truss, pinch (Gregor; Abd. 1897 Trans. Buchan Field Club IV. 81: Bnff., Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C., tooshtie, -tach. teestach; Mry., Bnff., Abd. 1972); transf. a diminutive person.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 75:
Ilky wee bit tuschlich o' a ruckie it he's thrashin'.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vi.:
A' the toosht aboot oor toon'll mak' little odds.Abd. 1905 E.D.D.:
Gie's a tushloch o' yarn.Abd. 1924 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 55:
A “tooshlich” means a small quantity loosely contained, as “a wee tooshlichie o' sheelicks in a pyock.”Bnff. 1929 Banffshire Jnl. (1 Oct.) 2:
Pickin' up a tooshlichie o' saut atween her thoom an' finger.Abd. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 6:
Little Jock Pom, a toosht o' a craitur.Bnff. 1956 Banffshire Jnl. (26 Feb.):
A roosty-reid fusker that stack oot o's face like tooshts o' teased towe.Abd. 1993:
Nae a toosht. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 13:
... a muckle chukken, mebbe ten times as big as Curra, wis lordin it ower the littlins happit wi nae mair than a tooshtie down.

2. Transf.: (1) a person, esp. a female, of untidy, dirty habits, a slattern (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 194; Bnff., Abd. 1972); (2) in a gen. pejorative sense: a nasty, unpleasant person (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); also more reproachfully, of a child.Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.:
Ye little tooshtach, ye!

3. A toss, a heave, a heavy dash. Cf. II. 1., but poss. confused with Doosht.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 194:
He ga' the bundle a toosht fae 'im.

II. v. 1. To rumple, handle carelessly, bundle or roll up in a careless hurried manner, freq. with about (Fif. c.1850 Peattie MS.: Ags. 1972).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 194:
She tooshit hir claes into the kist.

2. intr. To toss, roll or blow about, to be strewn about in a careless untidy manner; to dash hither and thither (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 194; Abd. 1972).Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxi.:
Lyin' tooshtin' aboot there till it's fooshtit.