Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1724-1795
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CASHUB, prop.n. Also cassap, cas(s)oup, casop. Gen. used attrib. with ash(es), of a kind of wood ash obtained from the Baltic and formerly used in bleaching linen. [′kɑʃub, ′kɑsəp]Sc. 1724 Treatise on Fallowing 103:
The proper Materials for Cloth of Value are your Wood-ashes, which is a certain Sort of Ashes which are brought from Muscovy and Germany, and your Cassoup, which are also brought from Dantzick. Sc. 1756 F. Home Bleaching 127:
These ashes are extremely hard, of the colour of iron stone, with many shining particles, and some pieces of charcoal in them. They have a saline taste, with a considerable degree of pungency. They feel gritty in the mouth, when broke in pieces by the teeth; for they will not dissolve. Sc. 1781 Caled. Mercury (27 Jan.):
Hungarian and Dantzic best white Pearl Ashes. Dantzic Weed or Cassap Ashes. Abd. 1795 Session Papers, Leslie v. Fraser (29 March 1805) 98:
For cleaning of threads and cloth at said field, wood and pearl-ashes, cassup, potashes, and many other articles are used.
[Ad. Polish kaszub, from Kaszubja, a province of Poland in the Dantzig area, noted for its forests.]
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"Cashub prop. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/snd00088297>
