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.
Quotation dates: 1850-1993
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TROOSHLACH, n., adj. Also -lich, -loch, trushlich; trooslach. [′truʃləx]
I. n. Trash, rubbish, trivial or worthless odds and ends (Arg. 1882 Arg. Herald (3 June), Arg. 1958); also contemptuously of persons (Arg. 1926).Also of food.Arg. c.1850 L. McInnes Dial. S. Kintyre (1936) 29:
Thou'rt not a hochlan scleurach, dear, As many trooshlach be.Wgt. 1877 “Saxon” Gall. Gossip 185, 265:
It's no fair tae gie the Lord a' the trooshloch. . . . Could ye no hae soopit that trooshloch oot afore this time o' day?Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 65:
Curns o' idder orra trooshlich lay reel-rall aboot the fleer-heid.Arg. 1952 N. Mitchison Lobsters on the Agenda xvii.:
A trooslach of young fellows.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 27:
Aince mair
my thochts'll dwall on the trooshlach o Scotland
and hoo it maun bide sae forfochten an' bare.
I'll cry for smeddum tae snap the tether-band
that hauds us, mane the wyegaun o Scots words. ... Arg. 1993:
Ye're not eatin all that trooshlach. [referring to sweets] Trooshlach, is it? [referring to junk mail]
II. adj. Of a person: dirty, slovenly (ne.Sc. 1935 Sc. N. & Q. (Feb.) 24, trushlich; ‡Bnff., Abd. 1973).
[Appar. an altered form ad. Gael. trusdireachd, rubbish, trash, dirt, poss. connected with Drush. See Trooshter.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Trooshlach n., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Jul 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/trooshlach>
