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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TASH, n.², v.² Also tach (Sc. 1721 R. Wodrow Sufferings iii. iv. s.5), tache (Sc. 1715 J. Sinclair Memoirs (A.C.) 46); tatch-, tatsh-. [tɑʃ; s.Sc. ′tɑtʃ-. See etym. note to Tash, n.¹]

I. n. 1. A stain, spot, smudge or blemish on any object (Sc. 1808 Jam.), a spoiling or defacing, damage to clothes, flowers, or the like (Rnf. 1920; ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a), Dmb. 1972). Deriv. tashy, tachy, tatshie, adj., dressed in a slovenly manner, having a tattered slovenly appearance, unkempt (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.; ne.Sc., Slg., Lth., Lnk., s.Sc. (ta(t)shie) 1972), of cloth: frayed, worn (Abd. 1972), also as n., a ragged down-at-heel person, a sloven (Rxb. 1972).Abd. 1970:
My breeks has gotten a sad tash wi the dubs.

2. Fig. An imputation or blot on one's character, a slur, stigma (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1972). Common in Wodrow.Sc. 1711 Friendly Conference 29:
Mr. McMillan hath not only brocken his Ordination Ingagements, which justlie brings a Tash upon his integritie.Sc. 1721 R. Wodrow Sufferings i. ii. s.2:
Mr Hogg was one from whom the greatest Opposition to Prelacy was expected, and therefore a Tash must be put on him.Sc. 1862 M. Napier Visct. Dundee II. 218:
The only tache upon his military fame.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Het'll be a tash upon him till his diein day.

3. Saucy, pert speech, impudence.Rxb. 1815 J. Ruickbie Poems 70:
Guid help the man that has nae cash! He . . . dares na weel set up his tash.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
Gie's nane o' eer tash.

II. v. 1. To stain, soil, tarnish, deface (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 271; Rnf. 1920); freq. of flowers or clothes: to fray, batter, dishevel, knock about, treat roughly or carelessly so as to spoil (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 110; Sh., ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a), Lnk., Dmf. 1972), with about (Abd. 1808 Jam.). Also to beat, defeat. Freq. in ppl.adj. tashed, soiled, tarnished, also fig. of human beings. Also tashin, vbl.n., rough treatment, blemishing; a stain or blemish (Sc. 1808 Jam.); ppl.adj., rough, destructive. Adj. tashy, blustery, of wind (Abd. 1972).Sc. 1794 J. Ritson Sc. Songs (1869) I. 282:
They're tash'd-like, and sair torn, And clouted sair on ilka knee.Ags. 1813 Montrose Rev. (30 July) 240:
Ae dud coat sair tasht and cloutit.Lnk. 1881 D. Thomson Musings 33:
Tho' sair tash'd wi' sleety show'rs, It blooms fu' braw its lane.Slk. 1892 W. M. Adamson Betty Blether 39:
Sailin's an awfu' tashin' thing on claes.Fif. 1895 S. Tytler Kincaid's Widow x.:
Ony tashed and draigled quean of a Mistress Kincaid.Kcb. 1901 Crockett Love Idylls 35:
Now, long man with the tashed coat.wm.Sc. 1925 D. Mackenzie Macmorro's Luck 29:
The roses on the batter'd wa' were broon An' tash't wi' rain.Abd. 1944 C. Gavin Mountain of Light iii. ii.:
Buckingham Palace is some tashed-like.Sc. 1953 Bulletin (20 Oct.):
Ship furniture has to stand up to much more tashing than does the furniture that goes into houses on land.Edb. 1965 J. K. Annand Sing it Aince 42:
And gif my egg's no tasht to bits I'll eat it for my tea!Gsw. 1972 Molly Weir Best Foot Forward (1974) 145:
We saved against every hazard life had to offer, and our clothes were specially guarded against premature shabbiness, or 'Tashing', as we called it. Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 33:
See him rax oot
frae tasht bleck sleeve
an airm for support;
it's a sair fecht
bidan upricht here. Edb. 1990:
Scotland played like a bunch o lassies, imagine gettin tashed by Costa Rica. Edb. 1993:
Scotland totally tashed Malta.

2. To scold, upbraid (Sc. 1808 Jam.).Gsw. 1807 J. Chirrey Misc. Poetry 103:
Yet, after a' they'll tash ye for't, An' o' ye mak' their game an' sport.Ags.¹ 1907:
She canna bear nae tashin.

3. To fatigue, to weary with hard work (Sh., Lth., Kcb. 1972); to tash dogs, to weary them out in hunting (Rxb. 1808 Jam.); to ill-use (a child or animal) (Per. 1972).Ags. 1886 Brechin Advert. (2 March) 3:
A weekly haff-holiday micht be arrangit for the hard wrocht an sadly tashed hireman.Ayr. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 243:
Sair toutit an' tasht, the body came wast, For the gaet it lay deep in the snaw.Kcd. 1933 Scots Mg. (Jan.) 249:
Menzies would groan that he fair was tashed with his work.