Now north. dial. and Sc. [f. SOSS sb.1]
1. trans. To make foul or dirty.
1557. Tusser, 100 Points Husb., lxxii. Their milke slapt in corners, their creame al to sost. Ibid. (1573), Husb. (1878), 106. Her milke pan and creame pot, so slabbered and sost.
b. ? To drench, soak.
1587. Mirr. Mag., Brennus, ix. The cause why so God Neptune did me tosse: Why boyling Seas with surges so me sosse.
2. intr. To splash in mud or dirt.
Also Sc., to make or use sloppy food or other messes.
1575. Gamm. Gurton, I. iv. 26. Cham faine a-brode to dyg and delue, in water, myre and claye, Sossing and possing in the durte.
1876. C. C. Robinson, Mid-Yks. Gloss., 131/2. Soss, to … tread heavily—implying a forceful yielding to pressure, as when … the feet plash through it [sc. mud].
3. trans. To lap or lick up. Also with up.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Eunuch, V. vi. 177. They will slabber & sosse up browne bread in pottage.
1703. Thoresby, Lett. to Ray, Sosse, v., [a word] proper to dogs.
1781–. in northern dial. glossaries.
1892. M. C. F. Morris, Yorksh. Folk-Talk, 375. T’ dog ’s sossin all t’ cat milk.
Hence Sossing vbl. sb.
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s, xxxii. A wheen cork-headed, barmy-brained gowks! that wunna let puir folk sae muckle as die in quiet, wi’ their sossings and their soopings.
