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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FEST, adj., adv., v. Also faist, fess't. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. fast (Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 4; Abd. 1893 G. Macdonald Heather and Snow i.). See P.L.D. § 48.1 (1). Compar. fester. [fɛst, fest]

I. adj. 1. Busy, occupied, engaged (Bnff. 1951); “applied to a person already engaged, or an utensil employed for a purpose from which it cannot be spared” (Abd. 1825 Jam.).Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxiii.:
Ye see the wye't I wus orra man. I wusna never fess't wi' beasts at even.Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Glendornie ix.:
“I have a fest han' i' the meantime, ye see” — alluding of course to the bairn she was carrying.Abd. 1900 G. Williams Fairmer's Twa Tint Laddies 89–90:
Samie, fest at wark that day In the ootfeedle lan'.

2. Hasty in temper or speech, irascible (Sc. 1825 Jam.); forward, impulsive, rash (Ib.).Bnff. 1887 W. M. Philip Covedale i.:
I ken I'm ower fast, but I couldna help sayin' what I thocht.

3. Phrs. and combs.: (1) fast atween the een, sound asleep (Abd.²⁷ 1951); (2) fast in the foot, choked, of a mining pump (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 28); (3) fastliers, the bottom rails to which the sides of a farm cart are fixed (Abd. 1951); (4) fast place, in mining: “a drift or working place in advance of the others” (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 28); (5) fast side, in mining: “in a room where shearing is done on one side only, the side not sheared” (Ib.); †(6) to be fast for, to at a loss for, in want of. Also in n.Eng. dial.(1) Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS.:
As I was fast atween the e'en in a hand clap, I canna tell foo they had settled up.(6) Dmf. 1827 Carlyle Letters (ed. Norton) I. 75:
Thou shalt not be fast among us all for such a sum as this.

II. adv. Sc. forms of Eng. fast. Also compar. fester. Fif. 1992 Simon Taylor Mortimer's Deep 249:
'We're owr laigh i the water,' Donald shouted. 'Ye'll hae tae bail fester.'Abd. 1996 Sheena Middleton in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 34:
Weel Braichlie swam faist tae the side o the bank far the queer wee bodach wis staunnin an heisted his heid abune the watter tae skreich fur help.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 1:
"Slawer, quine, slawer gyaun doon the brae," crawed auld Attie Coutts, cockin his wizzen craig sidiewyse, like a hoodie ower a tasty corp. "Us auld billies canna keep tee fin ye yark the bales oot as faist's yon. ... ".

III. v. To make fast, tether.Ork.¹ 1942:
A'll fest the coo whaur sheu'll no get at the neeps.