Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†KEEST, n., v. Also keist, kiest, kist, kyst. [kist]

I. n. Sap, pith, substance (Rxb. 1825 Jam.), vigour; sexual desire (Dmf. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 169). Hence keestless, 1. tasteless, insipid (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Dmf. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 350; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); 2. lacking in substance, spirit, or vigour; affording no nourishment, gen. applied to grass or hay (Slk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.); keesty (Sc. 1818 Sawers); keistie, lecherous, on heat.Rxb. 1876 W. Brockie Leaderside Leg. 24:
Frae that day forrit, he neer was the beast He had been afore; he had lost a' kiest An' wind an' bottom.Edb. 1890 A. H. Dunlop Anent Old Edb. 132:
“Spinning!” he said, “The ceaseless wetting of the thread would take the substance — the very keest — out of his ward's body.”2. Dmf. 1814 Carlyle Early Letters (Norton) I. 26:
In sooth so cold and keistless am I.Kcb. 1815 J. Gerrond Works 97:
Though kiestless coofs austerely talk.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 25:
Juist lik an auld mear mindan on the couser
freitin an keistie, liggan on yir ain ...

II. v. “To shrivel with over-cooking” (Ayr.⁴ 1928); gen. as a ppl.adj., dried up, withered, lacking in substance and distinguishing quality (Cld. 1825 Jam., kistit).Ayr.⁴ 1928:
The meat's keestit.