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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GLISTER, v., n.  Also as ppl. adj. Now only arch. or dial. in Eng.

I. v. To glisten, glitter (Sh. rare, ne.Sc., Ags., m.Lth., Peb., Gall., Slk., Uls. 1954).Sc. 1808 Scott Marmion ii. xxi.:
It did a ghastly contrast bear To those bright ringlets glistering fair.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 123:
Doun his cheeks the tears did glister While he bade us a' fareweel!Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 24:
And bernish't bra, Glister't on ilk side like a raw O' hairst-moons down the table.Sc. 1864 M. Oliphant Katie Stewart xii.:
The glistering spoils of the herring drave.Abd.²⁷ 1954:
A glisterin mornin aften draws tae rain.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 43:
A' the glisterin' riches in the warld mean nut a thing tae me.
Ah'm the last wan tae get dazzled by their glamourie. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 87:
Jist as he gleyed, he spied a hale squatter o fush sweemin by tae the wast, an a secunt bourach glisterin tae his thoum-haum.

‡II. n. A glitter, brilliance (Sh. rare, ne.Sc., em. and sm.Sc., Slk. 1954).Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 24:
Man, That, wi' your gowden glister ta'en, Still hunts you on the simmer's plain.

Hence glistery, adj., shiny, luminously bright, as of a sunny morning before rain (Bnff., Abd. 1850–1954), glittering (Peb., Wgt., Slk. 1954).