Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BLESSIT, BLESET, BLEST, Blessa, Blisset, adj., n. [′blɛs(ɪ)t, ′blæsɪt, ′blɪsɪt]

1. adj. “Bare, bald, white spotted; generally applied to animals [and birds] having bald or white spots or patches on their skin” (Sh., Ork. 1887 Jam.⁶).Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 589:
Rydin apo Peter o' Hundegird's blessit hoarse.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
A b[leset] horse or dog.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Blisset, having a white streak down the forehead, as a horse.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
“A b[lest] goose,” one having head and face whiter than rest of body.

2. n. “An animal with a white face” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.).Sh., Ork. 1887 Jam.⁶:
In Orkney and Shetland a white faced horse or cow is called a blessit.Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Sh. Trad. Lore 194:
Some names were given to individual horses, cows, sheep, etc., according as they possessed the characteristics indicated. Thus “Blessa” from blessit (white stripes on face).