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: 1838-1903
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SHUSY, n. Also shoosie, -y, susy. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. prop.n. Susie, hypocoristic form of Susan. [′ʃuzi]
1. Used for a woman in gen., esp. a silly empty-headed woman (Bnff. 1970).Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 272:
Nae 'silly shoosie' faigs was Granny!
†2. A corpse used for anatomical dissection and demonstration, a cadaver, a Shot, esp. one stolen from a grave, and prob. orig. a female one.Sc. 1838 Wilson's Tales of the Borders IV. 219:
That is, I fancy, for a guid shusy. It canna mean ane o' thae kists o' dry banes that we sometimes get.Dmf. 1863 R. Quinn Heather Lintie 187:
Wi' Susy on's left shouther.Sc. 1884 Scottish Reader (2 Aug.) 129:
Reminding me, as he lies there at full length, stiff and rigid, of the "shoosy" I once stumbled over in a dark passage.
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"Shusy n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/shusy>
