Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866
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PEIST, v., n. [pəist]
I. v. To work in a lethargic, half-hearted way, to “swing the lead”, make a poor attempt at a job (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 123). Freq. form peister, id. (Abd., Kcb. 1930). Agent n. peister, a slow, bungling worker (Kcb. 1930). Ppl.adj., vbl.n. peist(er)in, peistan, incompetent, inefficient, lackadaisical(Abd.4 1929); a half-hearted attempt at work, a botched job (Gregor).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 123:
That vricht's bit a peer peistin' busht.
2. In freq. form peister: to make one's way with difficulty, struggle along (Mry.1 1925; Mry., Bnff. 1965).
II. n. 1. A feeble little person, an ineffectual creature (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 123).
[Etym. obscure.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Peist v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/peist>
