Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

FASHIOUS, adj. Also †fashiouse, fash(e)ous, faschious, fashus; fasheez; fashies (Rxb. 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 315), facious (Kcb. 1897 T. Murray Frae the Heather 181). [′fɑʃəs]

1. Troublesome, annoying, irksome; of a task, tricky, ticklish. Hence fashiously, adv., fashiousness, n. (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1731 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C. 1842) IV. 283:
We had another very fashiouse affair before us.Bnff. 1731 W. Cramond Church of Keith (1897) 47:
He confessed he threw some [stones in church] at a dog "who was fashous."Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1750) 12:
A reeky house and a girning Wife, will make a Man a fasheous Life.Per. c.1790 Lady Nairne Laird o' Cockpen i.:
He wanted a wife, his braw house to keep, But favour wi' wooin' was fashious to seek.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxxi.:
The bailie bodies are aye asking fashious questions, when ye saw sic a man, or sic a man.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) xii.:
Then the pipe-clayed breeches —. . . beat-beating camstane into them . . . the most fashious job, let alone courtship, that ever mortal man put his hand to.Ayr. 1830 Galt Lawrie Todd vi. viii.:
No doubt it is a very fashious trade that of school-maistering either bardy lassies or birkey boys.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. v. 174:
He tuik her hame wi' him and a gey fashus job it wis for he cairried her a' the wey.Lth. 1918 A. Dodds Lothian Land 54:
For the lads as a rule were fashously fain, An' wadnae be lettin' the lassies alane.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 2:
Fleis an midges . . . kittle craiters (mae ways as yin) an fasheez ti middle wui.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 27:
Whither it taks mair smeddum
tae thole ilk skud an scart
o a fashious fate,
or gang tae war agin a wecht o waes
an bear the gree. Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 21:
Sum meisterie haes maerk't ye out
apairt frae ither weimen
ti synd awa aw fashiousness
an hael ma hattert sowl.

2. Fractious, peevish, fretty, esp. of children; fussy, fastidious. Hence fashiousness, n. Gen.Sc.Abd. 1736 T. Mair Ellon Records (1896) 369:
He came about 11 o'clock a night, disordered with drink and called her the names libelled and was very fashious.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 216:
If it be not easier to deal wi' fools than headstrong fashous fouks.Kcb. 1806 J. Train Poet. Reveries 63:
Cripple, dannar'd, dais'd, or fashious, What he was, I wadna care.Ags. 1822 A. Balfour Farmers' Three Daughters 68:
"D—l confound ye for a fashious gaet!" cried the mother.Sc. 1828 Blackwood's Mag. (Dec.) 704:
She's aye sae fashous in pu'in her petticoats ower her coots, though you're no lookin at them.Fif. 1887 "S. Tytler" Logie Town I. xi.:
I confess I'm fashous about being disturbed when I'm deeply engaged.Ork. 1904 Dennison Sketches 11:
Whin he got a geud sap o' drink in, he wus unco fashus.Lth. 1916 J. Fergus The Sodger 21:
So, if the wame is fashious, there are twa things, aiblins three, Ye may try wi' satisfaction if ye divna want to dee.Abd. 1917 C. Murray Sough o' War 31:
I hash the neeps an' full the skull, an' bin' the lowin' nowt, Lythe in the barn lat oot for rapes, or track a fashious cowt.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 18:
Croodlin' ower a fashious wean.Sc. 1935 I. Bennet Fishermen xxviii.:
She was aye a puir thing, and that fashious wi' her meat.