Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1725, 1802-1935
[0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0]
‡RUDAS, n., adj. Also roudas, roudass (Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales II. 286), roudes, roudess (Slk. 1832 Fraser's Mag. (Sept.) 165–6), rudous; roodies (Sc. 1836 J. Baillie Works (1853) 625); rowdess. [′rudəs]
I. n. A coarse, ill-favoured or masculine-looking woman, an ill-natured hag, an old witch (Fif. 1808 Jam.; Mry. 1925; Bnff. 1968); a wild undisciplined person (Inv. 1968). Gen. with auld.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. iv. i.:
Ye leed, auld Roudes — and, in Faith, had best Eat in your Words.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xiii.:
And ye gied the wild-fowl, the best end of our christening dinner, to a friend of yours, ye auld rudas!Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie ii.:
Ye auld rudous, what gart you kill my pyet?Slk. 1836 Fraser's Mag. (May) 616:
If ye lose me, ye lose ane o' your best customers, ye auld rowdess.Dmb. 1844 W. Cross Disruption xxiii.:
The request of Mother Meredith [a gipsy fortune-teller] to see her was announced. “What can the auld roudas want wi' me?”
II. adj. 1. Of a woman: ugly and cantankerous, witch-like. Also transf.Sc. 1802 Prince Robert in Child Ballads No. 87.A. iv.:
She has put it to her roudes lip, And to her roudes chin.Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xxix.:
That auld rudas jaud of a gude-wife.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 57:
And rudous wives, grim, gaunt, and stark — The Witches o' Edencraw.Sc. 1896 Stevenson W. of Hermiston viii.:
An auld, lanely, rudas wife!Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road xxviii.:
He wouldna thank a rudas wife like me for kisses while there's young ones to be had for askin'.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood v.:
Wrinkled carls and old rudas wives?
2. Of a man: cantankerous, stubborn, rough-mannered (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1823 E. Logan St Johnstoun III. ii.:
That rudas auld carle, Robert Logan.
3. Wild, undisciplined, irresponsible (Mry. 1968).Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona vii.:
I am better fitted to go about with rudas men than pretty ladies.Sc. 1935 D. Rorie Lum Hat 63:
Ay, spunk lowes wan at a foul fire-en' When your rudas rovin's bye.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Rudas n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/rudas>
