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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HISH, v., int.1, n. Also hysch (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 85); heesh (Sc. 1911 S.D.D. Add.), heeshty; hiss, his(t). Cf. Hisk; Isk, Iss. [hɪʃ, hiʃ(ti), hɪs(t)]

I. v. To make a hissing sound in order to drive (an animal) away or to scare birds (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.; I. and ne.Sc., Fif., m.Lth., Dmf. 1957) or to incite, e.g. a dog, to attack (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.; Cai., Inv., m.Lth., Ayr., Gall. 1957). Also used fig.Rxb. 1811 A. Scott Poems 135:
The lav'rock, the peasweep, and skirlin' pickmaw, Shall hiss the bleak winter to Lapland awa.
Abd. 1920 C. Murray Country Places 1:
He'd the rabbits to feed an' the fulpie to kame An' the hens to hish into the ree.
m.Lth.1 1957:
He hished his dug ontae ma dug. It was him that hished him on.

II. int. Ss!, a sharp hissing call to drive off animals, or to incite a dog to attack (Sc. 1877 Jam., hiss; Abd.4 1925, heesh, hish; Sh., Cai. (hiss), m.Lth., Kcb. (hiss), Uls. 1957).Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 60:
He's play'd my dochter Meg a skyte, Which weel has coft the gibbet; Hiss tak him, Niekie, ti yir vout.
Wgt. 1877 G. Fraser Sketches 276:
The housewife observing him, shook out her apron, saying, “Hish! awa.”
Lnk. 1881 A. Wardrop J. Mathisons' Courtship 9:
What's the use o' sittin' sighin' here — hist awa' bye, Rover.
Bnff. 1893 G. G. Green Kidnappers ii.:
He not unfrequently on the sly sent his brindled mastiff “Laddie” after them as they passed Balgray on their way to church, with a “hiss, tak' thae Seceders!”
Ayr. 1912 D. McNaught Kilmaurs 283:
“Shoo!” said Jenny . . . “shoo! gae 'wa', beast! heesh!”
Sc. 1935 D. Rorie Lum Hat 67:
Heeshty! Heeshty! Oot amang my feet!

Hence his(s) (tae) (cat), hish cat, hist-a-cat, a call to frighten away a cat, or incite a dog to chase it (Sc. 1901 N.E.D., hist-a-cat); fig. a warning.Lnk. 1806 J. Black Falls of Clyde 107:
I threw my bonnet at her which did miss, And cried, hiss tae cat! plague on ye! hiss!
Abd. 1881 W. Paul Past and Present 49:
Giving the cat a smart stroke on the nose [he] said, . . . “that's worth a score o' your ‘hish cats,' sir.”
Abd.15 1924:
I'se gie ye a rinkum ower the riggin; an' that'll mebbe be as gweed's twa or three hiss-cats tae ye, ye nickum!

III. n. A rebuff, discouragement.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 44:
Feth, lads, this day he'd tak' a hiss ill.

[Onomat. Cf. Mid.Du. hiss(ch)en, to hound on a dog.]

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"Hish v., interj.1, n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hish_v_interj1_n>

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