An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language / in which the words are explained in their different senses, authorized by the names of the writers by whom they are used, or the titles of the works in which they occur, and deduced from their originals

by John Jamieson

BOSS, BOCE, s. Any thing hollow.
Burel.
The boss of the side, the hollow between the ribs and the haunch, S.

BOSS, BOISS, s.
1. A small cask.
Pitscottie.
2. It seems to denote a bottle, perhaps one of earthen ware; such as is now vulgarly called a gray-beard.
Dunbar.
3. In pl. bosses, boisses, a term of contempt, conjoined with auld, and applied to persons of a despicable or worthless character.
Knox.

From Fr. boire, to drink, whence boisson, drink, or busse, a cask for holding wines.

BOT, conj. But, often confounded with but, prep. signifying, without.
Douglas.

A. S. butan, buton, are used precisely as S. but, without.

BOTAND, BUT-AND, prep. Besides.
Percy.

BOTAND, adv.
1. But if, except.
Barbour.
2. Moreover, besides.
Maitland Poems.

In the latter sense, it is from A. S. butan, praeter.

BOTCARD, s. A sort of artillery used in S. in the reign of Ja. V.
Pitscottie.

The same instruments seem to be afterwards called battars, ib. Fr. bastarde, "a demie canon, or demie culverin; a smaller piece of any kind," Cotgr.