Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1795-1810, 1898-1915
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VINSTER, n. Also winster. A disease of sheep, in which the stomach is inflamed, = Braxy (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1973). Comb. vinster-sickness, id.Sh. 1795 J. Sinclair Agric. N. Counties (App.) 30:
The winster is a fatal distemper amongst sheep kept in rich pastures.Sh. 1810 Wernerian Soc. Mem. I. 270:
Inflammation of the stomach and bowels is a frequent affection among the sheep in Zetland. It is known there by the name of vinster sickness.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (15 Oct.):
I wiss he bena middlin' in wi' da vinster-sickness.Sh. 1915 Trans. Highl. Soc. XXVII. 56:
In Shetland the term “vinster” is applied to the condition [braxy].
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"Vinster n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/vinster>
