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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

GESTER, n., v. Also jester. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. gesture. [′dʒɛstər]

I. n. A swaggering, a show-off.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) xii.:
Wudna there been a gey raxin' o' necks if Sandy had gotten knighted? I'll swag Sir Sandy and Lady Barbara wudda made a gey jester.

II. v. 1. As in Eng. (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sh.¹⁰, Ork., Fif., m.Lth.¹ 1954).

2. To strut, to swagger (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; wm.Sc.¹ 1954); to walk aimlessly about, making ineffective movements of the hands or arms (Bwk.² 1954).Sc. 1793 T. Scott Poet. Wks. 339:
The feck o' them, sae upish grown, The like o' me they'll har'ly own, But geck their head, an' gester on.Sc. a.1894 Stevenson New Poems (1922) 548:
Gang gesterin' end to end the ha' In weeg an' goon.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) v.:
I dressed mysel' in my very best, wi' my Indian shawl, an' . . . the colours o't fairly dang the rainbow. There were a gey twa-three streekit their necks as I jestered up the Port, I can ashure ye.Fif. 1916 G. Blaik Rustic Rhymes 68:
Ye're no partic'ler wha ye [a flea] blister, Or whaur ye tak' a thocht to jester.