Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

UPSTART, v., n. Sc. usages:

I. v. As in Eng. to start up, fig. to come from nowhere, to intrude oneself uninvited, to push oneself in.Sc. 1782 Boswell Letters (Tinker 1924) II. 523:
A candidate who up-started.

II. n. In Building: 1. an upright or vertically-set jamb- or reveal-stone in a door or window-case (Sc. 1952 Builder (20 June) 943). Also attrib.; 2. one of a series of short spars rising from the wall-head of a house to the purlins above on which were laid cross-spars to support thatch or tiles, a corresponding timber on a slated roof (see quots.).1. Edb. 1754 Contract for building Exchange 14:
No upstart rebbets to be used in any part of the building.Sc. 1876 Session Cases (1882–3) 46:
The front walls shall be built of striped ashlar, all the openings have backset rybats or upstarts neatly droved or polished.2. Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 114:
The roof was formed of strong cupples. On these rested cross-beams on the sides. Over these hung sticks called cabbers: and smaller ones set on the top of the wall were termed upstarts.Gsw. 1813 J. Cleland Specifications Magdalenes Asylum 14:
The bawks and upstarts are to be five by two and a quarter inches, dovetailed, and spiked to the spars and ceiling joists.