Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

‡JEEST, n.², v.² Also jeast, jeist. Sc. variants of Eng. jest, (to) joke, etc. (ne.Sc. 1959). [dʒist]Sc. 1706 Earls Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 16:
I am old and in long experience of slavry, and now of poverty; and I wish to leave the nation free of the first, and at-least in the road to leave the other; and I see not deliverance from ether without serious union, i.e. incorporating; for the other is a jeast, if not worse.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 126:
What . . . love-quarrels between pairtners! Jokin, and jeestin, and tauntin, and toozlin.Edb. 1829 G. Wilson Sc. Laverock 133:
It wad be a' but a jeast, Wad the Session and the priest, No tantalize and torture Donal' Graeme.Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes lxxxiii.:
Dinna jeist, Thomas, aboot sic a dangerous thing.

Hence jeestie, -y, adj., used only with neg. e.g. in phr. nae jeestie, no laughing matter.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xl.:
It wusna lang till it grew feerious het. I'se asseer ye dancin' wusna jeestie to them that try't it.Abd. 1936 D. Bruce Cried on Sunday 8:
Oh, fy! Margot, that's nae jeesty.