Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1768, 1819
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†ONBEAST, n. Also unbeast.
1. A monster (Cai. 1903 E.D.D.), a frightening bird or animal (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.); fig. an obnoxious person (Ags. 1808 Jam.).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 15, 25:
Has the onbeast [fox] your lambie taen awa'? . . . The howlet screekt, an' that was warst of a'; For ilka time the onbeast gae the yell, In spite of grief, it gae her heart a knell.Sc. 1819 Scots Mag. (June) 527:
But fling your arms roun' the grim onbeast, It is your dochter dear.
2. The tooth-ache, from the belief that a worm was responsible for this (Ags. 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr 693, unbeast). Cf. Worm.
[O.Sc. unbest, = 1., from a.1400. From On-, pref.2, beast. Cf. Du. ondier, a monster.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Onbeast n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Jun 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/onbeast>
