Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1728, 1795-1928
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‡SHEWSTER, n. Also shooster, sewster, sowster. A seamstress, needlewoman (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Cld. 1880 Jam., sowster; Per., Ayr. 1915–23 Wilson, ne.Sc. 1965). Freq. attrib. Obs. in Eng. [′ʃustər]Sc. 1728 Dunlop Papers (1953) III. 94:
For the servants and the Shewster.Per. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 IX. 589:
Mantuamakers or Sewsters.Kcb. c.1824 in R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 435:
When Wattie meets wi sewster Bess.Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 189:
A sewster lassie, I suppose.Gsw. 1863 J. Young Ingle Nook 130:
I wadna won'er Tho' sewster folk Should gang twa days without a dinner.Edb. 1884 R. F. Hardy Glenairlie i. xv.:
I daursay the shewster lassies thinks a'body like themsel's.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 81:
She had a shooster shopie.Lth. 1928 S. A. Robertson With Double Tongue 57:
Serving as shooster here and there, for she had muckle skill.
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"Shewster n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/shewster>
