Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825, 1899-1914
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
‡KYOAB, n., v. Also k(j)oab, kjob, keobe, kiobe, quoab (Sh. 1825 Jam.). [kjo:b]
I. n. A gift, recompense, promised reward, bribe; something given in charity, alms (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 125); a gift for the purpose of ingratiating oneself (Sh. 1960); fig. a kiss (Sh. 1960).Sh. 1825 Jam.:
I'se doe what du wants me, but faith I maun hae a gud Koab.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 111:
After meeting one of such [poor people] , if the voyage had been at all prosperous, they were rewarded with an aamas or kjoab.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
I's be awn dee a kjob.
II. v. To bribe or induce by promise of a reward (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 125, 1866 Edm. Gl.), to compensate or reward for services rendered (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)), to make a gift in order to ingratiate oneself (Sh. 1960).Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Dey kjobed me for gaun.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Kyoab n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/kyoab>
