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: 1721-1832, 1887, 1952
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YESK, v., n. Also yeisk, yeesk (Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 60, 220), yisk; met. form yex, reduced yeck (Lth. 1825 Jam.). See also Esk.
I. v. 1. To hiccup, belch (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Abd. 1944). Vbl.n. yeskin, yexin (Knr. 1949).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 12:
We did pish and spew, and yesk and maunt.Per. 1753 A. Nicol Rural Muse 24:
This trash I'm sure when ye inspect, It's filthiness will make you yeck.Ayr. 1789 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 306:
Yestreen, alas! I was sae fu', I could but yisk and wink.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 239:
Some warslet wi' the yeskin.Abd. 1887 Bon-Accord (23 July) 9:
Twa or three chaps i' the kerridge besides gey jolly kin', yisk-yiskin' tae ane anither as bonny's iver ye heard noo!
2. tr. To vomit, eructate, lit. and fig.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 220:
Weel like ye, yeeskin', to be there Though morn's a head-ache.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 154, 163:
It garr'd him yesk his drammach: . . . To yesk his saul awa' in glore.
II. n. A hiccup, belch, the hiccups (wm.Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Vocab. 30; Abd. 1944).n.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
He gae a great yesk.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 266:
Drink to help them strunting, which cures the yisk and waterbrash.wm.Sc. 1952 Ballads (Gsw. Ball. Club) V. 19:
The echo dunnered through the lift Wi' mony a yesk and gant and rift.
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"Yesk v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 1 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/yesk>
