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 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

¶HERSUM, adj. Of meat: rank, strongly flavoured.Abd. 1825 Jam.:
Strong, rank, harsh; as, “This lamb is of a proper age; if it had been aulder [or shot] the meat wou'd ha' been hersum.”