Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WHISK, v., n. Also whusk. Sc. usages. [ʍɪsk, ʍʌsk]

I. v. 1. To beat, whip, switch. Rare and obs. in Eng. Vbl.n. whiskin, a whipping, beating.Abd. a.1774 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 93:
The pounie was ne'er better whisked Wi' cudgel that hang frae his side.
Gall. 1796 J. Lauderdale Poems 99:
I'll gi'e the saucy loon a whiskin.
Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 71:
Ye will be sairly whiskit By them some day.
Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 120:
Blawin on their fingers, or whuskin themsels wi' their open nieves.

2. To curry or groom (a horse) (Sc. 1905 E.D.D.). Ppl.adj. whiskit, of a horse: with a switched tail (Per. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 1:
A short horse is soon whisked.
Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 30:
Auld Smart she tichtly whiskit, An' his forelock, an' tail sae broon, Wi' babs o' ribbons buskit.

3. In Curling: to sweep the ice in the path of (a stone), to help a stone on by brushing the rink.Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff xvii.:
He shouted lustily, “Give 'im legs! Whusk 'im, men, whusk 'im.”

4. Of the heart: to flutter, palpitate, esp. in vbl.n. whiskin, palpitation (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 228).Slk. 1829 Hogg Tales (1874) 302:
Wha was't that gae the poor precentor the whiskings, and reduced a' his sharps to downright flats?
Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 590:
Ma hert tuik a flochtin an a whiskin.

5. To flatter, wheedle (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 218). Phs. a separate word.

II. n. 1. A blow, swipe. Also fig. Also in n.Eng. dial. Phr. at ae an' ane whusk, ‘at one go,' at one and the same time.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch viii.:
I could not help giving Tammy Bodkin a terrible whisk in the lug.
Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 206:
The final catastroffy whilk teuk him aff this yird body an' sowl at ae an' ane whusk.
Abd. 1916 G. Abel Wylins 42:
He need's it, for there's mony whisks An' scaums abeen the sod.

2. A small reel to facilitate the winding of yarn on to a bobbin (Rnf. 1825 Jam.), a swift, gen. in pl. as used in pairs.Sc. 1807 J. Duncan Art of Weaving I. 5:
The yarn, to be wound upon the bobbin, is extended upon two small wheels, revolving on their centres, and called whisks.
Gsw. 1863 J. Young Ingle Nook 11:
There stands auld Scotland's spinnin' wheel Alangside o' the whusks an' reel.
Per. 1881 D. Macara Crieff 153:
When I was a bit lassie nae bigger than thae whisks.

3. A light, two-wheeled, one-horse carriage (Sc. 1887 Jam.), = Eng. whisky.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 32:
The smirk o' that sweet mou might wile e'en Mess John frae the pulpit, far less a daft chiel frae a whisk — tak care, lads, till I light.

[O.Sc. wisk, a sudden movement, a light stroke, 1375, quhisk, to move with a rush, c.1480, the v. being adopted in Eng. in the 16th, and the n. in the 17th cs. Of Scand. orig., O.N. visk, a wisp, Dan. vispe, to wipe, rub. The wh- is prob. ad. whip.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Whisk v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/whisk>

29416

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: