Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WASH, v., n. Sc. forms and usages:

I. v. A. Forms. Pr.t. and inf.: wash (Gen.Sc.), waash, ¶wahshwesh (Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 156; Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 41; sm.Sc. 1928 R. W. Mackenna Rowan Tree iv.; Rxb. 1942 Zai), ¶weesh (m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 222); wish (Sh. 1906 T. P. Ollason Spindrift 85, 1966 New Shetlander No. 77. 25), wysh (Sh. 1973 New Shetlander No. 105. 13), wush (Sh. 1899 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd (1922) 138), also ¶weas-, wess- [wɑʃ, sm.Sc. wɛʃ; Sh. wɪʃ]. Pa.t. strong wuish (Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 22; Ags. 1840 G. Webster Ingliston xxix.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 274; Rxb. 1942 Zai; w.Lth. 1973), wuush (Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 87), wüsh (Sh. 1898 Shetland News (2 July), 1914 Angus Gl.), woosh (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis; Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 22; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 274; Sh. 1969 New Shetlander No. 88. 16), wush (Sc. 1825 Mary Hamilton in Child Ballads No. 173 B. xx.; Gsw. 1862 St Andrews Gazette (19 Sept.), wusch (Bwk. 1876 W. Brockie Leaderside Leg. 26), wish (Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 141; Sc. 1818 Lady Diamond in Child Ballads (1956) V. 36); n.Sc. forms weesh (Abd. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 136, 1832 W. Scott Poems 12; Cai. 1905 E.D.D.; Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 80; ne.Sc. 1973); weish (Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Writings 15); weak washt (Ayr. 1923 Wilson D. Burns 192; Gen.Sc.) [wøʃ, wɪʃ; em.Sc. + wuʃ, ne.Sc. wiʃ; wɑʃt]. Pa.p. strong washen (Edb. 1715 J. Monro Letters (1722) 97; Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 12; Ayr. 1780 Burns On Cessnock Banks xi.; Sc. 1827 G. R. Kinloch Ballad Bk. 29; Cai. 1905 E.D.D.; Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 22; ne.Sc. 1973); washin (Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 14); weshen (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein), -in (Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne 56), weeshen (Dmf. 1898 J. Paton Castlebraes 10, 1920 J. L. Waugh Heroes 60), -in (e.Lth. 1885 S. Mucklebackit Rhymes 65); wushen (Sc. 1828 Earl Brand in Child Ballads (1956) I. 490; Sh. 1899 Shetland News (20 May)); wuishen (Ags. 1870; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 274; Rxb. 1942 Zai; Fif. 1973); wishen (Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 18; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–1926 Wilson; Ags. 1948 Forfar Dispatch (8 Jan.)); wooshen (Fif. 1954); weak washt (Gen.Sc.), †washit (Sth. 1731 W. MacGill Old Ross-shire (1909) 80), weshed (Sc. 1926 H. McDiarmid Drunk Man 7) [wɑʃn; Sh., m.Sc. + wɪʃn; sm.Sc. wɛʃn; wɑʃt].Dundee 1991 W. N. Herbert in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 178:
an hoodie craws, an doos, an speugies,
an heckil-breistit thrushis, an noo
Eh'm boakin flooers: barkan doaggies
an kirrie-dumplins an gillyflooers -
waash yir hauns, waash yir hauns
m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 17:
Ah'm gaunnae waash the dishes...Lift yir elbies, ah waant that tablecloath
Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 42:
Jean Haggerty weesh at the Curnel's
An cleant to the minister's wife.

B. Usages. 1. Phrs.: (1) to make one hand wash the other, to make one line of business help to defray the cost of another (see quot. and (3)); (2) to wash an apron, to celebrate the arrival of a new apprentice or the passing of an apprentice into a journeyman by a ceremony of initiation including the washing of his apron and a carousal; “this custom was followed till comparatively late times by masons and wrights” (Sc. 1887 Jam.). Hence comb. apron-washing; (3) to wash its face, of a commercial enterprise: to pay its way, to equate returns with expenses, “to break even.” Gen.Sc. Cf. (1); (4) to wash the heid, to initiate a new member into a society, orig. from the practice of washing the head of one entering into a trade. Cf. (2) and heid washing s.v. Heid, n., 1. (21); (5) to wash the sleeve of one's shirt, see quot.; (6) to wash words wi, to exchange words with, to speak to.(1) Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters ii.:
“He makes the one hand wash the other” . . . meaning thereby that he had so many horses travelling on his own business, that he could afford to carry other people's goods at rates that must cripple his rivals.
(2) Edb. 1739 Caled. Mercury (30 April):
Several Lads having made merry in washing an Apron.
wm.Sc. 1832 Laird of Logan (1854) 312:
A gush of pleesant remembrances conneckit with the scenes of early life, whan I mysell figured at “penny reels, bottlings,” and “washing o' aprons.”
Abd. 1871 Buchan Observer (24 Dec.):
The initiation of one of the young villagers in the mystery of black-smithing — anciently designated an apron washing.
Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS. xix.:
The great nicht o' the apron washin'.
(3) Sc. 1953:
There'll be nae profits. The book'll be lucky if it washes its face.
(4) Abd. 1695 E. Bain Merchant Guilds (1887) 130:
The Conveener uplift the half of the money . . . the other half be applyed for washing the heids.
(5) ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 85:
The maiden went to a south-running stream, or to a ford where the dead and the living crossed, and washed the sleeve of her shirt. She returned home, put on a large fire, and hung the shirt in front of it. She went to bed and from it kept a careful watch. The apparition of him who was to be her partner in life came and turned the wet sleeve.
(6) Ags. 1819 A. Balfour Campbell I. xviii.:
They've never washin' words wi' ither sinsyne.

2. Combs. and derivs.: (1) wash-bine, a (portable) wash-tub (wm.Sc. 1973). See Boyne, n., 2. and (10); (2) wesh-dub, a pool where sheep are washed (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Also in n.Eng. dial. See Dub, n., 1.; (3) washed-in, Shrunk and faded because of too much washing (Ork., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Rxb. 2000s); (4) washer, one who scrubs and cleans fish after gutting as a preparatory to curing (Sh., ne.Sc. 1973); (5) washer-wife, also dim. wifie, (i) a washerwoman, laundress (Ork., n.Sc., Ags., Per., Ayr. 1973); (ii) a water-spider (Mry., Abd., Ags., Lnk. 1973); a washing- or scrubbing-board (Ags. 1973); (6) washhoose, Sc. form of Eng. washhouse; (7) wa(h)shie, a child's dim. form of wash-house (Ags. 1973). See -Ie, suff., 2.; (8) vbl.n. washin(g) in various combs.: (i) washin bakie, a kind of box or wooden tray into which clothes wet from washing are laid (Ayr. 1930). See Baikie, n.1; (ii) washing bed, ? a bed with washable hangings and covers; (iii) washing-board, skirting-board. Cf. II. 6. (1); (iv) washing-b(o)yne, -boin, = (1); (v) washing clout, a floor- or scouring-cloth; (vi) washing-dollie, an old style of washing-machine, (see quot.). Cf. n.Eng. dolly, a contrivance to stir clothes about in a wash-tub; (vii) washing-house, a wash-house. Gen.Sc. Obs. in Eng.; (viii) washing-mill, a fulling-mill for cloth. See (9) and Wauk, v.2; (ix) wishin-say, = (1) (Sh. 1973). See Sae, n.1, 1.; (x) washing-up, (a) a second and smaller celebration held as a sequel to a large and imposing feast, sc. from the left-overs of the first; (b) comb. washing-up water, rinsing water for clothes after washing in suds (Abd. 1910); (xi) washin-wifie, = (5) (iii) (Ags. 1960); (9) wash-mill, = (8) (vii); (10) washy-wauker, a nickname for a fuller. See Wauk, v.2, 1.(1) Lnk. 1884 T. McLachlan Thoughts 61:
Dookin for apples in mither's wash-bine.
Sc. c.1925 R. Thomas Sandie McWhustler's Waddin' 53:
Giein' Mrs Broon a haun at the wash-bine.
(3)wm.Sc. 1984 Liz Lochhead Dreaming Frankenstein 57:
You stand up in nothing but
a washed-in vest.
Edb. 2004:
Ah need new T-shirts for the summer. Last year's yins are aw washed in.
(4) Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Description 519:
The washer, who, with a heath-brush, and the assistance of the sea water, clears away every particle of blood.
(5) (i) Sc. 1724 Burgh Rec. Slg. (B.R.S.) III. 182:
Margaret Clark, washer wife, for washing and mending of his cloaths.
Sc. 1800 Monthly Mag. (April) 238:
Carry my linens to the washer-wife.
Sc. 1875 A. Hislop Anecdotes 216:
My heart was as black as a sweep's face; but noo it's whiter than a washerwife's thoom!
Edb. 1894 J. W. McLaren Tibbie & Tam 41:
An auld washerwife up to the elbows amang soapy suds.
Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 43:
Washer-wives upo' the green.
(ii) Abd. 1962 H. Diack Boy in Village 67:
The little insects we called “washer-wifies” skating across the surface.
(6) Edb. 1989 Scotsman 19 Jan 12:
Robert Smith ... expressed the hope that someone will preserve a steamie for posterity for future generation.
In Edinburgh the term "washhoose" was more common, the word "steamie" being largely used by the Press. ... In it we will be re-creating a very small part of the last "washhoose" to close in Edinburgh.
Edb. 1993:
My mother thought she wis too posh tae gaun tae the washhoose.
(7) Ags. 1962 D. Phillips Lichty Nichts 61:
Takn claes t' the wahshie on m' piler.
(8) (ii) Sc. 1748 Caled. Mercury (25 April):
Standing Beds, Washing Beds, Feather Beds, Blankets.
(iii) Bnff. 1777 Session Papers, Petition J. Duff (24 May 1805) App. 5:
A dining room sixteen feet long, fifteen and one-half feet wide, within the washing-boards.
e.Lth. 1811 Foord Acct. Bk. MS. 108:
To 2 hundred of 4 Sprigs for the weshing boards.
Ags. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxx.:
Up the seams o' the doors, an' in ahent the washin' boards.
(iv) Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize II. xx.:
With the milk and washing-boynes upside down.
wm.Sc. 1832 Laird of Logan (1868) 315:
Busy as bumbees amang blankers and washing-boins.
Arg. 1920 H. Foulis Vital Spark 62:
She's pitching aboot chust like a washin'-boyne.
(v) Fif. 1883 W. D. Latto Bodkin Papers 29:
I'se gie ye owre the lugs wi' this washin' clout.
Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters v.:
He up wi' a dirty washing-clout and slashed me in the face wi't.
(vi) Bwk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. 208:
Washing-dollie: A large box of an oblong size, with an iron wheel on the outside and a handle fixed to it, by which two boards in the inside are set in motion, so as to beat the clothes put into the machine, and cleanse much in the same mode as in a fulling-mill.
(vii) Wgt. 1744 Session Bk. Penninghame (1933) II. 429:
He had twice before that sought an opportunity of her in the washing house but got it not.
Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xxxviii.:
The mistress had her big summer washing at the public washing-house on the Green.
Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 38:
Ether i' the washin'-hoose or i' the garret.
Abd. 1962 H. Diack Boy in a Village 72:
They had no running water inside but carried it up from the washing-house tap.
(viii) Ags. 1819 Montrose Chron. (19 Nov.) 2:
The Mills consist of a Meal, Flour and Washing Mill.
(ix) Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Buddie 97:
Trot-caald oot o dy wishin-say, Whaar du's for ever swittlin.
(x) Per. 1849 T. H. Marshall Hist. Perth 449:
In the afternoon a sumptuous dinner was prepared, to which the magistrates, clergy, and all those who at any time had held office as deacon, trades' baillie, or trades' councillor were invited. It may be added, that some of the incorporations had what was called a “washing up” on the following Saturday.
(9) Ags. 1794 Session Papers, Arbuthnott v. Scott (12 Feb.) App. 16:
The upper mills of Kinnaber contain a corn and waulk or wash mill.
(10) Peb. 1793 R. Brown Comic Poems (1817) 127:
The washy-wauker, creepin' thing, Blue to his finger ends.

3. To cut to a slope or bevel, to chamfer (wm.Sc. 1973). Also with down, off. Vbl.n. washing, a slope (e.g. on a window-sill) cut so as to carry off the rain, weathering (Sc. 1946 Spons' Pract. Builders' Pocket-Bk. 443; Fif. 1956).Sc. 1833 J. Loudon Encycl. Archit. § 1117:
The sole for the [window-] frame . . . to be washed off on the outside to carry off the rain.
Sc. 1911 Webster Dict.:
To wash down, to work to a thin edge or featheredge.

II. n. 1. A bathe, a swim. Comb. wash-up, a ducking.Bnff. 1887 G. G. Green Gordonhaven 147:
They were determined to give him a ‘wash up' in the adjoining burn.
Sh.10 1950:
To gjeng in for a wash.

2. See quot.Ags. 1848 W. Gardiner Flora Frf. 195:
The term “Wash” is applied in this district to those waterfalls that come down in a slanting manner over the rocks, washing them as it were with their foamy currents.

3. Urine (em.Sc., Lnk., s.Sc. 1973), esp. when kept till stale to produce ammonia for washing clothes (Sc. 1808 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Abd. 1928).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 373:
You look like a baz'd Waker seeking Wash.
Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 49:
Learn your gooddam to kirn wash.
Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 224:
Sir Dochter, here is a bottle o' my father's wash.
s.Sc. 1860 T. Johnston Hist. Working Class (1923) 353:
Blankets were washed only once a year, and (to save soap) with six months' old “sour wash from the chambermaid's pail.”

Combs.: (1) wash mug, a chamber-pot; (2) wash-tub, a cask in which urine was collected (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 114; wm.Sc. 1825 Jam.).(1) Edb. 1735 W. Mitchel Seventeenth Epistle 7:
I am informed of the Foundations of his Riches, that it came only from a Wash-mug.
Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 62:
She said you could do naething but scure wash mugs.

4. A lye used as a preservative for fishing-nets. The form is prob. a nonce conflation with Wuss.Sc. 1833 Chambers's Jnl. (Dec.) 364:
When in use, it is necessary to boil them [fishing nets] regularly every few weeks in a ley of oak bark (called wis or wash), by which process they are found to dry more readily after being immersed in the salt water.

5. A bevelled edge or slope on a board, stone, etc. (Abd., Fif. 1956). Cf. I. 3.Fif. 1956:
The process of bevelling a stone windowsill to run off rain-water is called giein't a wash.

6. Combs. and deriv.: (1) wash-board, a skirting-board (Sc. 1946 Spons' Pract. Builders' Pocket Bk. 443; ne.Sc., Fif., Ayr., sm.Sc. 1973). Also in Eng. dial.; (2) washy, a small cod, also attrib. (Ork. 1929 Marw.). Cf. Eng. washy, of an animal: in poor condition.(1) Ayr. 1830–31 McKellar MS. Acct. Bk. (24 Dec. — 14 Feb.):
To 2 wess bords making . . 1s 4d. To weas boards dighting . . 4d.

[O.Sc. wesch, to wash, from a.1400 (for the vowel see P.L.D. § 48.1 (1)), Mid.Eng. wasche, wesche. There has been much confusion and interchange of the various ablaut stems between the conjugated parts of the verb (Cf. O.Sc. wosch, washin, weshin, wyschin, from a.1438), from O.E. wæscan, wōsc, ȝewæscen. For II. 3. cf. O.Sc. wesche, c.1480.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Wash v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wash>

29003

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: