Where did this word come from ?

[Lachlan09]

When I was a young lad in Muss'burry in the 1960's, a commonly used word for face was 'pus'. (rhymes with fuss)

"Shut yer pus !" was a well-known advisory statement among kids and teens.

I recall one unfortunate teen girl in the year below me had very aggressive acne (but she was popular with the boys due to her readiness to leave them with a big smile) and was nicknamed "sultana pus" and "strawberry pus", though she was unaware of it (I think !?)

So where did this venerable (or venereal) word come from ?

Was it the same origin as "puss" as in "sour puss" (puss = pooss) ?

[Scottish_Republican]

It's originally Gaelic, "bus".

Mouth. 2 Lip. 3 Snout. 4 Ludicrous term for the human mouth. 5** Mouth with very large lips. 6** Kiss. 7** Gaelic spelling of puss. 8‡‡ Pouting of the lips in anger. 9AM Cheek - Uist. 10 Muzzle of a horse. Am fear a dh'itheas an ceann, dathadh e am bus, he that eats the (sheep's) head let him singe the mouth himself; chuir e bus air, he made a grimace.

Shut yer pus = Shut your mouth.

[matharìribh]

It just shows you how many every day words in Scotland come from Scottish Gaelic.

[Celyn]

Originally Posted by matharìribh

It just shows you how many every day words in Scotland come from Scottish Gaelic.

's math sin!

[tig]

smashin

[Lachlan09]

slogan

brogues

clan

[ScotSites]

Galore is another word derived from Gaelic (Irish go leor, Scottish gu leòr, leòir)!