Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1836-1924
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FLUISTER, v., n. Also flister, floister; flooster, flouster (Uls.). Sc. variants of Eng. fluster. [I., m. and s.Sc. fløstər, Uls. flu:stər]
I. v. 1. To bustle, hustle (Sh.10, Ork.5, Rxb.4, Uls.4 1952); vbl.n. floisterin, hustle, hurry, fluster with consequent inefficiency; ppl.adjs. floostered, flurried (Uls.1880 Patterson Gl.; Uls. 1952); fluisterin, hurrying, flurrying.Dmf. 1836 Letters T. Carlyle to his Brother (Marrs 1968) 406:
The same childlike kindliness, brotherly frankness and love, the same fluistering, and winged incoherence of words. Lnk. 1858 G. Roy Generalship 6:
A real, flisterin' butterflee o' a body.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 22:
Whun we went tae the coort, I felt mysel' a bit nervish an' floostered like.Per. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken ix.:
The General . . .'ll stand nae flousterin' frae the attendance.Per. 1900 E.D.D.:
Come, come noo; nane o' that floisterin'; tak' time an' mak' a richt job o't.Hdg. 1908 J. Lumsden Th' Loudons 247:
Her foremost sons seem driven gyte, An' dow but fluister, fecht, an' flyte!
2. To make a fuss (about) (Ant. 1924 North. Whig (14 Jan.); Uls. 1952); to coax, flatter (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Uls. 1931 North. Whig (5 Dec.); Uls. 1952). Hence floosterer, a flatterer (Patterson).Uls. 1924 North. Whig (23 Jan.):
Children will flooster about their mother.
II. n. 1. A fuss, to-do; a bustle, flurry.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 48:
I wush ye heerd the flooster she maks aboot him.Ags. 1914 I. Bell Country Clash 39:
I saw auld Leeb Crum an' Aaron Jamfray baith clappin' doon intil their seats wi' a great flister on the Sabbath afore the precentor could get it [Amen] oot.
2. A flatterer (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.).
3. A muddler (Ayr. 1951).
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"Fluister v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/fluister>
