Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†EISTACK, Eestick, n. Also eastack (Sc. 1787 W. Taylor Sc. Poems 56); eistach. “Something rare, singular, or surprising; that which arrests the eye” (Sc. 1808 Jam., ee-stick, eistack); “a daintv” (Abd. 1825 Jam.², eestick).Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 57–58:
Ah! willawins, for Scotland now, Whan she maun stap ilk birky's mow Wi' eistacks, grown as 'tware in pet In foreign land, or green-house het.Sc. 1821 Scots Mag. (April) 352:
Gin ye wad be as guid as to gie an inkling o' your min' nows-an-tans, I waud glaum at it like a cadger at an eistach.