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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HUSHIE-BA, int., n., v. Also hushy-, husha-, huzhy-, huzzh- (Sc. 1825 Jam.); hishi(e)-, hishy-; heshie- (Mry. 1865 W. H. L. Tester Poems 182); -baa, -baw, -baa (-loo), -bye, heeshie baw.

I. int., n. An expression used when lulling a child to sleep, a lullaby (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 83:
O my lovely charming boy, Hushy baa! ly still and sleep.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost viii.:
His sermons . . . were just a perfect hushabaa, that no mortal could hearken to without sleeping.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 36:
In the old song of Rocking the cradle, “hushie baa babie lye still” is a line much used.Ork. 1883 R. M. Fergusson Rambling Sk. 159:
Trowies canna tak' thoo, Hushie ba, lammie.Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 180:
Holding in her lap a ramished bairn, which she soothes by singing: “Husha baa baet dee.”Knr. 1925 H. Haliburton Horace 248:
'T [Scots tongue] was gentlier at a hushaba Than a wud-muffled waterfa'.Mry. 1957 Scottish Studies No. 2. 247:
For I widnae be sittin' at your fireside, Cryin' hishy-ba my bairnies O.

II. v. To lull (a child) to sleep (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.). Gen.Sc.Fif. 1894 A. S. Robertson Provost 11:
The sea is singin' bonnie among thae rocks like a mither huzhy-baa-in' a bairn to sleep.Sc. 1935 D. Rorie Lum Hat 39:
An' he'rknin' till oor youngest ane Bein' hushabyed by Jean.Gsw. 1985 Anna Blair Tea at Miss Cranston's 161:
Mary Hardy, at eighty-four, looks round at today's bairns building with Lego, cutting up their grubby pastry and heeshie-bawing their dolls.