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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SMASH, v., n. Sc. usages: I. v. 1. As in Eng. Sc. phr. and derivs.: (1) smash(e)rie, -y, n., destruction, utter ruin, annihilation (Ayr. 1834 Galt Liter. Life III. 91, smashrie). Appar. first found in Galt; (2) smashie, n., a game of marbles in which a heavy marble is thrown with force at smaller marbles placed either in a hole in the ground or along the base of a wall (e. and wm.Sc., Kcb. 1970), the game of Daigie, q.v.; the heavy marble so used (Ib.; Bnff., Abd., Arg. 1939). Comb. blind smashie, a similar game played with birds' eggs (see 1882 quot. and cf. Pilliewinkie); (3) ppl.adj. smashing, of persons: well-built, stalwart, strapping, vigorous (Slk. 1825 Jam.); (4) ppl.adj. smasht, in phr. smasht a ane!, never a one, devil a one. Cf. Eng. smash, used imprecatively.(1) Ayr. 1821 Galt Annals xxii.:
The measles coming at that time upon the parish, there was such a smashery of the poor weans.Ayr. 1826 Galt Lairds xxxv.:
A corresponding smasherie amang the looms and sugar-hoggits.Sc. 1849 Wilson & Geikie Mem. E. Forbes 465:
It is the most singular mince-meat smashery of about eight feet of shales and chert-bands.(2) Fif. 1882 J. Simson Inverkeithing 61:
Occasionally I would join other boys at “blind smashie,” that is an egg would be placed on the ground and we would shut our eyes and advance on it.Per. c.1910:
A game in which chipped bools were put in holes and smashed out by a plunker.(3) Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe xxxi.:
Jim's a smashin chiel, he's the brawest lad I hae laid een on.m.Lth. 1897 P. H. Hunter J. Armiger 110:
He's a muckle smashin' chiel.(4) wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 217:
A toast. Our noble sells; and wha's like us? smash't a' ane.

2. A shattered, smashed or pulpy state. Gen.Sc. Freq. in phrs. a-smash, in or to smash. Comb. potato-smash, mashed potatoes. Cf. Smush.Abd. 1754 R. Forbes Journal 32:
Some o' my banes broken or dung a smash.Sc. 1759 E. Cleland Cookery 13:
Boil a Peck of Pease in two Quarts of Water till they are all in Smash.Per. 1766 H. Robertson School of Arts 19:
Put in two chopins of split white or green pease . . . boil them to a smash.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 133:
Their aquavitae, waefu' trash, Douf soukit frae potatoe-smash.

3. Specif. in Weaving: a break in the warp on a loom. Comb. smash-tyer, an operative whose job it is to repair the broken warp (Ags., Ayr., s.Sc. 1970).