Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1822-1873, 1934
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STOUSSIE, adj., n. Also stousie, stoosie, †stoucy; stouchy, stoushie, stowcy, stowsie. [′stusi, -ʃi]
I. adj. Stout and stocky in physique, sturdy, chubby (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 189, stoucy, 1825 Jam., stoussie, stoushie).Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 190:
In the stouchy settle of his trunk, there were broad marks both of pith and power.Clc. 1860 J. Crawford Doric Lays 73:
Stourie, stoussie, gaudie brierie! Dinging a' things tapsalteerie.Fif. a.1870 J. M. Morton Broken Bowl 24:
It's braw to see the bairnies thrive, An' stoot an' stoussie be.Lnk. 1873 J. Hamilton Poems 297:
His stowsie gudewife, weel dinkit an' braw.
II. n., from a subst. use of the adj.: a plump, sturdy little child (Sc. 1808 Jam., stoussie). See also Stumpie, 5.Gsw. 1844 Songs of the Nursery 1:
Wearied is the mither that has a stoorie wean, A wee stumpie stousie, wha canna rin his lane.Edb. 1850 J. Smith Hum. Sc. Stories 5:
A wee sonsy fat girnin' stowcy o' a wean.wm.Sc. 1934 K. R. Archer Jock Tamson's Bairns 28:
The deil's in the fidgetty stousie I'm shair.
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"Stoussie adj., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/stoussie>
