Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1736, 1825-1996
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JOB, v.2, n.2 Also joab, jobe.
I. v. Used as in Eng. = to stab, pierce, but gen. of a lighter blow as of a pin or thorn; to prick (I. and ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1959).Sc. 1736 Mrs McLintock Receipts 6, 23:
Work it [dough] up in the Shape of Oat-loaves, cut it in the Sides, and job it on the Top, and send it to the Oven. Take Plumbs when ripe, and job them with a Pin.Fif. 1844 J. Jack St Monance 25:
She winna see till her cutes be jobbit wi' that very whin.Ags. 1866 Brechin Advertiser (13 Feb.):
Tae sit an' shoo, an' job wir thooms For scarce a livin'.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 252:
In tryin' tae pluck a rose, tak' care ye dinna job yersel' wi' a thorn.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 74:
The dirk is sae sharp that it'ill go tae a man's heart, afore he kens his skin's jobbed.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (3 Feb.):
Gotten your soles jobbid wi' a ling rig.Abd. 1931 D. Campbell Uncle Andie 31:
Gin Kennack bides ower lang on his feet, A'll job him wi' a preen.
II. n. A light prick, a prickle (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh., ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1959). Hence jobbie, -y, prickly (Ib.). Comb. jobbie-nettle, the common stinging nettle, Urtica dioica (ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1959).Ags. 1825 J. Ross Sermon 16:
Upon a thorny buss it blows An' whyles it's sweet, but aftner jobbie.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin iv.:
Juist as her leddyship's feet were followin' their owner into the jobbie retreat [a whin-bush].Abd. 1925 A. Murison Rosehearty Rhymes 10:
Jobby fun buses are nae gweed tae pairt.Kcd. 1932 L. G. Gibbon Sunset Song 43:
Wat had yowled like a cat with a jobe under its tail.ne.Sc. 1954 Bon-Accord (28 July):
Doon he gaed heelster-gowdie intill a boorich o' jobbie nettles.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 33:
The jobes aff the breers his claes hiv aa rivan,
muckle he tholes frae the cauld an the snaa. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 15:
Granny disna pit naethin on her face bit soapy watter an hir eyebroos rin thegither like a hairy oubit, aa blaik an jobby.
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"Job v.2, n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/job_v2_n2>
