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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GNASHICK, -ACK, n. Also nashag (Cai. 1903 E.D.D.) [′gnɑʃək]

1. The red bearberry, Arctostaphylos uvaursi (Mry. 1839 G. Gordon Flora of Mry. 15; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 67, gnashick; Nai. 1900 R. Thomson Nat. Hist. Highl. Par., App. 279; Mry.1 1925). Occas. in sing.Mry. 1910 W. Anderson in North. Scot:
It is a small berry about the size of the crowberry, very green before it is ripe, so much so that in my boyhood, when anything green was referred to, people would say it was as green as a gnashack.

2. The “purse” or egg-case of a crab, phs. from its similarity in appearance to 1. (Bnff. 1954).

[Gael. cnàimhseag, the bear-berry: cf. dognashicks s.v. Dog, III. 2.]

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"Gnashick n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/gnashick>

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