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 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†FORESTAM, n. Also -stamm, -stem; ¶-stum (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.).

1. The prow of a boat.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 37:
In ilk boatie's fore-stem cockit A lang bra' bishop in his rocket.

2. Fig.: the forehead (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 253 Gl.).Abd. 1739 J. Skinner in Caled. Mag. (1788) 504:
Raught him a rap o' the forestamm, But hadna time to draw Anither sae.