Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FEENISH, v. n., Gen.Sc. forms and usages of Eng. finish. See P.L.D. § 45.

I. v. 1. As in Eng., to end, complete. With o', to finish with (Arg.¹ 1930). Also ppl.adj. Deriv. feenisher, jocularly applied to a grave-digger (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Add.).Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 46:
He was feenishin' my jacket.Gsw. 1972 Molly Weir Best Foot Forward (1974) 23:
'Oh, the job feenished. They put a' the women off, even the widows, and took men on.' wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 13:
Are you feenished, brother? Do go on! Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 78:
Whaun he deed we fund a hauf
feenisht paiket [of pan drops] on the bedside table. m.Sc. 1997 Tom Watson Dark Whistle 53:
Frae stakin' up a rose or hert
Tae feenish a' its days in Winter
Snaw.

2. Specif. in ploughing: to cut the (shallow) final furrow in a rig. Gen.Sc. Vbl.n. finishing.Sc. 1936 St Andrews Cit. (11 Jan.):
The prizewinners [at a ploughing match] were — Finishing — 1. W.D —.

†3. Ppl.adj. in phr. finished within itself, of a house, self-contained.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Lett. 2 Note:
Each house was, in the phrase used by appraisers, “finished within itself.” or in the still newer phraseology, “self-contained.”

II. n. 1. In ploughing: the final or mould furrow which separates one rig from another. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1889 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm I. 110:
The finish or mould furrows.Kcb.¹⁰ 1943:
Prizes are given at ploughing matches for “best finish for a binder.” This means the shallowest hintin which is most likely to harrow down nearly level and save wear and tear on machinery.Ayr. 1952 J. Veitch G. D. Brown 49:
“The best rig-oot,” “the best start,” and “the best feenish.”

2. A mixture of alcohol and shellac, used in varnishing, and as an intoxicant by inebriates (Edb. 1916; Slg.³, Gsw.¹ 1942; Ayr.⁸ 1952).Edb. 1882 J. Smith Canty Jock 30:
They dosed themselves wi' “finish” or hard yill.Dmf. 1882 Dmf. Standard (22 Feb.) 3:
The traffic in methylated spirit or “finish” as it is popularly called.