Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1900-1907, 1992
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EASWAS, n.pl. Also eesewas, ease-waas, eize wa's, eiz-waaz, -wa's, eisewaas. The top of the walls of a house on which the rafters rest; the inner angle between the level top of a wall and the sloping edge of an unlined roof, often serving as a shelf (Rs. (Avoch) 1911 (per Mry.2), easwas; Cai. 1916 T.S.D.C. II., easwas; Cai. correspondents 1949). [′i:zwɑz, ′eizwɑz]Cai. 1900 E.D.D.:
In the old small country houses which were rarely cumsiled or beam-filled, the eizwa's served for storing away small articles not much in use.Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 65:
The benlins are placed on the loops of the simmans a foot or so above the “eize wa's” (eaves).Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 161:
They're for whitewashing the kirk, I heard. Did ye hear that? It's black looking richt enough, ablow the eisewaas.
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"Easwas n. pl.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/easwas>
