gnidge

gnidge (third-person singular simple present gnidges, present participle gnidgin, simple past gnidged, past participle gnidged)

gnidges (present singular third-person)
gnidgin (participle present)
gnidged (past)
gnidged (participle past)


prons

third-person singular simple present indicative form of pron


chirt

head

chirt (third-person singular simple present chirts, present participle chirtin, simple past chirtit, past participle chirtit)

chirts (present singular third-person)
chirtin (participle present)
chirtit (past)
chirtit (participle past)


grush

grush (third-person singular simple present grushes, present participle grushin, simple past grusht, past participle grusht)

grushes (present singular third-person)
grushin (participle present)
grusht (past)
grusht (participle past)

Of Germanic origin, related to Old English grut (“malt mash”) (modern grout). See also English grit. Not related to English crush.


grush

anything in a crushed or crumbled-down state


wallidrag

William Dunbar, The Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo
I have ane wallidrag, ane worme, ane auld wobat carle,

(obsolete, derogatory) A useless person.


sautit

simple past tense and past participle of saut


wirthy

wirthy (comparative wirthier, superlative wirthiest)

wirthier (comparative)
wirthiest (superlative)


sautie

sautie (comparative sautier, superlative sautiest)

sautier (comparative)
sautiest (superlative)


tawtie

tawtie (comparative mair tawtie, superlative maist tawtie)

mair tawtie (comparative)
maist tawtie (superlative)


awd

awd (comparative mair awd, superlative maist awd)

mair awd (comparative)
maist awd (superlative)


mairy

mairy (third-person singular simple present mairies, present participle mairin, simple past mairit, past participle mairit)

mairies (present singular third-person)
mairin (participle present)
mairit (past)
mairit (participle past)


staun

staun (third-person singular simple present stauns, present participle staunin, simple past stood, past participle stood)

stauns (present singular third-person)
staunin (participle present)
stood (past)
stood (participle past)

Walkin doon ae the live lounge though there's somebody stawnin at the door, the kind ae cunt that strikes fear intae mah very heart – a bouncer.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404Ink, published 2018, page 4

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


Saurah

From Hebrew שָׂרָה (Sarah, “lady, princess”), which was originally converted from the given name שָׂרָי (saráy, “Sarai”).

Sarah, wife of patriarch Abraham, mother of Isaac

a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Sarah


jargs

third-person singular simple present indicative form of jarg


jarg

jarg (third-person singular simple present jargs, present participle jargin, simple past jargit, past participle jargit)

jargs (present singular third-person)
jargin (participle present)
jargit (past)
jargit (participle past)


byous

byous (comparative mair byous, superlative maist byous)

mair byous (comparative)
maist byous (superlative)


fearty

The Prime Minister should stop being a big fearty and come to Scotland to debate with me.


fairdy

fairdy (comparative mair fairdy, superlative maist fairdy)

mair fairdy (comparative)
maist fairdy (superlative)


faird

None gained by those bloody fairds / But two three Beggers who turn’d Lairds.

1681, Samuel Colvil, Mock Poem; or, Whiggs’ Supplication

John A. Simpson
w:John Simpson (lexicographer)

The Oxford English Dictionary
w:Oxford English Dictionary

Clarendon Press
w:Oxford University Press

Force of movement, impetus, rush; hence, a violent onset.


brae-heid

The top of a brae (hillside); a hilltop.


brae-hag

(archaic) An overhang of turf or heather on a brae (hillside).


breard

(archaic, agriculture) The first sprouting of crops (e.g. turnips, grain).


breard

breard (third-person singular simple present breards, present participle breardin, simple past breardt, past participle breardt)

breards (present singular third-person)
breardin (participle present)
breardt (past)
breardt (participle past)

(archaic, agriculture) To sprout; to suddenly appear; to germinate.


bruckle

bruckle (comparative mair bruckle, superlative maist bruckle)

mair bruckle (comparative)
maist bruckle (superlative)

(poetic) Unstable, uncertain, unsettled.


bruiky

bruiky (comparative mair bruiky, superlative maist bruiky)

mair bruiky (comparative)
maist bruiky (superlative)

(archaic) Grimy or dirty, especially when referring to soot.


cammel

cammel (third-person singular simple present cammels, present participle cammelin, simple past cammelt, past participle cammelt)

cammels (present singular third-person)
cammelin (participle present)
cammelt (past)
cammelt (participle past)

(archaic) To argue or dispute (cf. English dialect cample).


caif

caif (comparative mair caif, superlative maist caif)

mair caif (comparative)
maist caif (superlative)

(archaic) tame (particularly when referring to birds).


fantoush

fantoush (comparative mair fantoush, superlative maist fantoush)

mair fantoush (comparative)
maist fantoush (superlative)


chumli

(Hawick, archaic) A chimney (cf. the more modern term, chumni).


chork

chork (third-person singular simple present chorks, present participle chorkin, simple past chorkt, past participle chorkt)

chorks (present singular third-person)
chorkin (participle present)
chorkt (past)
chorkt (participle past)

(archaic) To make a squelching sound, especially due to water-logged footwear when walking.


clour

From Old Norse klóra (“to scratch, scrawl”). Noun is from Old Norse klór (“a scratching”).


clour

clour (third-person singular simple present clours, present participle clourin, simple past clourt, past participle clourt)

clours (present singular third-person)
clourin (participle present)
clourt (past)
clourt (participle past)

(archaic) To hit or cause a blow, to dent or disfigure.


Sanchar

From Scottish Gaelic An t-Seann Chathair.


Minnyhive

From Scottish Gaelic Am Moine Naomh (“The Holy Moor”).


Langhowm

lang (“long”) + howm (“low area near a river”).


Stranrawer

From Scottish Gaelic an t-Sròn Reamhar (“the broad hillside”).


Kirkoubrie

From Scottish Gaelic Cille Chuithbeirt (“Chapel of Cuthbert”); cf. archaic Kilcudbrit.


Innerleithen

From Scottish Gaelic Inbhir Leitheann (“confluence of the Leithen”).


Cardrona

Possibly from Cumbric caer (“fort”) + tronau (“of the thrones”) or caer + trywnau (“on the hills”).

compound

Cardrona (a village in Scotland), near Peebles


Ednam

From Middle English Edeneham (“settlement near the Eden Water”), from Old English Ædnaham, ultimately from Brythonic root *Ituna.


Rennieston

From Early Scots Raynaldistoune (“Reinald's settlement”).


Prieston

priest + toun ("village of the priests").


Maxton

From Middle English Mackustun (“Maccus' homestead”).


Ulston

From Early Scots Ulvestoun (“Ulf's homestead”), ultimately from Old Norse given name Úlfr.

Ulston, near Jedburgh, Scottish Borders (OS grid ref NT6721)


Owsenam

From Middle English Oxenham (“village of the oxen”), from Old English oxena + hām.


Braidhauch

braid (“broad”) + haugh (“flat area by a river-side”).


Hobkirk

From Middle Scots Hoppkirck (“church in an enclosed valley”); cf. Middle English hope-kirke.


Whithaugh

white + haugh (“meadow by a river-side”).


Addinston

From Early Scots Aldenistoun (“Alden's homestead”), from Northumbrian Old English Ealdwines tūn (“Ealdwine's homestead”) or Healfdenes tūn (“Healfdene's homestead”) (the latter ultimately from the Old Norse given name Halfdan).


Arkleton

From Middle Scots Arkiltoun, Arkletoun, Arkyldon (“Arkil's farm”), from Middle English Arkil, a given name. From Old Danish Arnkell, from Old Norse Arnketill.


Lambden

From Early Scots Lambeden, from Old English lamb-denu (“valley of the lambs”).

Lambden, a village in the Scottish Borders north of Kelso (OS grid ref NT7443)


Yerlston

From Middle Scots Erlistoun, from Early Scots Erceldoun, possibly from Old English given name Ærċel or a Brythonic place name.


Morebattle

From Middle Scots Morbottle, from Early Scots Mereboda, from Northumbrian Old English mere-bōtl (“dwelling by the lake”).


Lilliesleaf

From Early Scots Lyllesclefe or Lyllescleue, ultimately from Northumbrian Old English Lilles clif (“Lill's cliff”).


Caustrim

cauld (“cold”) + stream, from Early Scots Cauldstreme.


Caddonfoot

A village in the Scottish Borders where the Caddon Water joins the Tweed Water (Scots Watter o Tweid).


Leitholm

From Early Scots Letham (“village on the Leet Water”).


Polart

From Early Scots Poulesworth (“Paul's homestead”).


Bedshiel

From Middle Scots Betscheill, possibly from Middle English Bĕschele deriving from Old English given name Bēda or perhaps from Scottish Gaelic root beith (“birch tree”).


Foulden

From Early Scots Fugeldene, ultimately from Northumbrian Old English fugol denu (“valley of the birds”).


Dryburgh

dry + burgh (“borough”), perhaps ultimately from Northumbrian Old English dryġe burh (“dry fort”).


Eckford

From Middle Scots Eckfurd, from Early Scots Eckeforde, ultimately from the Old English given name Ecca.


Lindean

From Early Scots Lynden, ultimately from Northumbrian Old English hlynn denu (“valley of the waterfall”).

inh

Lindean, a village in the Scottish Borders which stands on the Linn Burn.


Darnick

From Middle Scots Darnwick, from Early Scots Dernewic (“secret village”).


Nisbet

From Middle English nesebit (“nose-shaped piece of land”).


Reston

From Early Scots Ristun, probably from Northumbrian Old English hrīs-tūn (“farm by the brushwood”).


Cummernaud

From Scottish Gaelic comar nan allt (“the meeting of the streams”).


Dumbartoun

From Scottish Gaelic Dùn Breatann (“fort of the Britons”).


Kineussie

From Scottish Gaelic Ceann a' Ghiùthsaich (“head of the pine forest”).


Aiberdeen

Traveller Scottish: Aiberdeen


elbi

(Hawick, anatomy) Elbow. Cf. General Scots elbae.


eldin

From Early Scots elding, from Old Norse elding (“fuel”), related to Old Norse eldr (“fire”). Cognate with dialectal Northern English elding.

(archaic) Firewood or any kind of fuel for a fire, such as sticks or peat.


fairn

From Old English fearn, from Proto-West Germanic *farn.


fairce

head

fairce (comparative faircer, superlative faircest)

faircer (comparative)
faircest (superlative)

From Early Scots fers, from Old French fers, from Latin ferus (“untamed”).


enfauld

enfauld (third-person singular simple present enfaulds, present participle enfauldin, simple past enfauldit, past participle enfauldit)

enfaulds (present singular third-person)
enfauldin (participle present)
enfauldit (past)
enfauldit (participle past)


frenfi

frenfi (comparative mair frenfi, superlative maist frenfi)

mair frenfi (comparative)
maist frenfi (superlative)


forenuin

Forenoon; the late morning; the time between mornin (“morning”) and nuin (“noon”).


libbit

From the past participle of lib, libb (“to castrate”).


maistlins

maist (“most, chief, principal, most powerful”) + -lins


maistly

maist (“most, chief, principal, most powerful”) + -ly


Swaden

desc

→ English: Sweden (probably through alternative form) (see there for further descendants)

Borrowed from Middle Dutch Sweden, dative of Swede.


Wiktionar

Blend of wiki (“wiki”) + dictionar (“dictionary”).


jannie

Aa throw Science he played his trannie, / Gied a Glesga kiss tae the jannie, / Pit the gerbil up May Webster's kilt, / Kennin fine she's allegric tilt.

2004, Sheena Blackhall, “Letter fae a distressed heidie”, in The Wizard o the North

If the rain disnae stop soon, ah'll be stayin in here till wan ae the librarians or – fur aw ah care – the jannie [translating Abwart] chucks me oot.

2013, Pedro Lenz, translated by Donal McLaughlin, Naw Much of a Talker, Freight Books, page 32


photie

Ah imagined whit like it wid be tae be sittin doon there […] as ye relax in wan ae they basket chairs ye sometimes see in they brochures, or in photies ae the holiday hoose ae some rich cunt.

2013, Pedro Lenz, translated by Donal McLaughlin, Naw Much of a Talker, Freight Books, page 75


dammish

head

dammish (third-person singular simple present dammishes, present participle dammishin, simple past dammisht, past participle dammisht)

dammishes (present singular third-person)
dammishin (participle present)
dammisht (past)
dammisht (participle past)

to bruise the surface of an apple or other fruit by a knock

to injure, to damage (generally used as an expletive)


ablo

Thay haird the soun o monie roch vyces doun ablo thaim.

They heard the sound of many rough voices down below them.


spraff

spraff (third-person singular simple present spraffs, present participle spraffin, simple past sprafft, past participle sprafft)

spraffs (present singular third-person)
spraffin (participle present)
sprafft (past)
sprafft (participle past)


tacht

From Middle English taught, toȝt (“tight, distended”). Cognate with English taut.

Tight; tense; close; stretched out; tightened.


wrecht

(archaic) worker, builder, creator, wright


siccan

Did ye ever have occasion tae fire a pistol, Israel?

1889, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Mystery of Cloomber

"Godsakes!" says I, "I never had siccan a thing in my honds in my life."
(please add an English translation of this quotation)


daurna

O Wind, hae maircy, haud yer whisht, for I daurna listen mair!

1915, Violet Jacob, The Wild Geese, or Norland Wind, (line 16)

O Wind, have mercy, keep silent, for I daren't listen more!


gudewife

He seemed to feel quite at home at the tinman's, although they were hammering and tapping away there all day, but people said that the gudewife put a dish of porridge up in the garret for him every Thursday evening; and it's no wonder that they got on well and became rich when they had a brownie in the house.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 11


waesome

waesome (comparative mair waesome, superlative maist waesome)

mair waesome (comparative)
maist waesome (superlative)


throughither

throughither (comparative mair throughither, superlative maist throughither)

mair throughither (comparative)
maist throughither (superlative)


kemper

one who strives to complete the greatest amount of work


springheid

From spring + heid. Cognate with English springhead.


quhilk

The cunnying clark, quhilk writith craftelie,
The plant of poetis, callit Ballendyne,

(Can we date this quote?), Sir David Lyndsay, (Please provide the book title or journal name)

The cunning clerk, which writes craftily, / The plant of poets called Ballendyne, / Whose ornate works my wit cannot define.

Quhose ornat warkis my wit can nocht defyne.

the prophesies of Merlyne, to the quhilk the Inglishmen giffis more confidens nor thai gif to the evangel

1559, anonymous author, The Complaynt of Scotlande

the prophecies of Merlin, to which the Englishmen give more confidence than they give to the gospel


fauch

fauch (third-person singular simple present fauchs, present participle fauchin, simple past faucht, past participle faucht)

fauchs (present singular third-person)
fauchin (participle present)
faucht (past)
faucht (participle past)

Old Scots faulch, from Old English fealh "fallow land".

To plough; to harrow; to prepare fallow ground for planting.

(by extension) To scratch, to scrub; to toil, to work hard, to work quickly; to scrounge; to beat.


fauch

(obsolete) Part of a field alternately tilled and left fallow.

Action of ploughing or harrowing previously unploughed ground.

(figurative) Slander, denigration; tearing (one) to pieces.


yirdquauk

Either inherited from Middle English erthequake or a calque of English earthquake.


Swisserland

(archaic) Switzerland (a country in Western Europe and Central Europe)


Newfoundland an Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador


Innerness

Inverness (a cathedral city, the administrative center of Highland council area, Scotland)


yuggle

Borrowed from Old Norse ugla (“owl”). Doublet of yogle (“short-eared owl”).


joukery

From jook (“dodge, move to avoid”), plus Old French -erie.


joukery-cookery

Compound of joukery "trickery; manipulation" and cookery. Compare the English verb cook "to tamper with or alter".

Manipulating or managing information or records.


joukery-pawkery

English: jiggery-pokery

Compound of joukery "trickery; manipulation" and pawky "artful; sly".

Trickery or misrepresentation; jiggery-pokery.


wallydraigle

a wallydraigle
a worthless or slovenly person

the youngest member of a family or the youngest bird in a nest


luved

simple past tense and past participle of luve, English: loved


luves

third-person singular simple present indicative form of luve, English: loves


luver

Inherited from Northern Middle English lufere, luffere, equivalent to luve + -er.


hech

An exclamation indicating fatigue, sorrow, surprise, pain, or contempt.


hech

head

hech (third-person singular simple present hechs, present participle hechin, simple past hecht, past participle hecht)

hechs (present singular third-person)
hechin (participle present)
hecht (past)
hecht (participle past)

To breathe uneasily or quickly, to exclaim as above.


traivel

traivel (third-person singular simple present traivels, present participle traivelin, simple past traivelt, past participle traivelt)

traivels (present singular third-person)
traivelin (participle present)
traivelt (past)
traivelt (participle past)


contreibutes

third-person singular simple present indicative form of contreibute


contreibutet

simple past tense and past participle of contreibute


contreibute

contreibute (third-person singular simple present contreibutes, present participle contreibutin, simple past contreibutet, past participle contreibutet)

contreibutes (present singular third-person)
contreibutin (participle present)
contreibutet (past)
contreibutet (participle past)


aiken

From Middle English aken, from Old English ǣcen, from Proto-West Germanic *aikīn; equivalent to aik + -en.


goam

goam (third-person singular simple present goams, present participle goamin, simple past goamt, past participle goamt)

goams (present singular third-person)
goamin (participle present)
goamt (past)
goamt (participle past)

From the same Middle English word as gaum and gorm (and goam), which see for more.

The puir creature paid the most marked attention to the young man, scarcely goaming me; but, for a' that, I could see plainly aneugh that she preferred me in her heart.

1836, John Mackay Wilson, Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland


ferlie

ferlie (comparative mair ferlie, superlative maist ferlie)

mair ferlie (comparative)
maist ferlie (superlative)


Wull

a diminutive of the male given name William


scoogie

Wi' a scoogie o' silk/ An' a bucket o' siller


waeful

waeful (comparative mair waeful, superlative maist waeful)

mair waeful (comparative)
maist waeful (superlative)


lairdly

lairdly (comparative mair lairdly, superlative maist lairdly)

mair lairdly (comparative)
maist lairdly (superlative)


lanely

lanely (comparative mair lanely, superlative maist lanely)

mair lanely (comparative)
maist lanely (superlative)


misleared

misleared (comparative mair misleared, superlative maist misleared)

mair misleared (comparative)
maist misleared (superlative)


athill

athill (comparative mair athill, superlative maist athill)

mair athill (comparative)
maist athill (superlative)

From Middle English athele, ethele, from Old English æþele (“noble”), from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz (“noble”).


hathill

hathill (comparative mair hathill, superlative maist hathill)

mair hathill (comparative)
maist hathill (superlative)

From Middle English hathil, hathell, hathel, haþel (“noble”), from a conflation of Old English hæleþ (“man, hero, warrior”) and æþel (“noble”).


waukrife

head

waukrife (comparative mair waukrife, superlative maist waukrife)

mair waukrife (comparative)
maist waukrife (superlative)


wheenge

wheenge (third-person singular simple present wheenges, present participle wheenging, simple past wheenged, past participle wheenged)

wheenges (present singular third-person)
wheenging (participle present)
wheenged (past)
wheenged (participle past)


brizzed

brizzed (comparative mair brizzed, superlative maist brizzed)

mair brizzed (comparative)
maist brizzed (superlative)


oftin

oftin (comparative oftner or mair oftin, superlative oftnest or maist oftin)

oftner (comparative)
mair oftin (comparative)
oftnest (superlative)
maist oftin (superlative)

From Middle English often, an extended variant of oft. More at often.


swick

From Old Scots swik (“deceit”), from Middle English swik, swic (“deceit”), from Old English swic (“deception, illusion”), from Proto-Germanic *swiką (“deception, deceit”), from Proto-Indo-European *sweyg- (“to bend, turn, sway, swerve, dodge”). Cognate with Danish svig (“fraud, deceit, deception”), Norwegian svik (“betrayal”), Icelandic svik (“fraud, deceit, deception, betrayal”).

cog

A trick; an act of cheating or swindling.


swick

head

swick (third-person singular simple present swicks, present participle swickin, simple past swickt, past participle swickt)

swicks (present singular third-person)
swickin (participle present)
swickt (past)
swickt (participle past)

From Middle English swiken (“to deceive”), from Old English swīcan and swician (“to deceive, cheat, swindle, wander”), related to English swike. More at swike.


dwerch

From Middle English dwergh, dwerȝe, from Old English dweorg, from Proto-West Germanic *dwerg. More at dwarf.


agean

(Southern Scots) Alternative form of again


cudna

Alternative form of cudnae (“could not”)


thoo

thoo (objective case thee, vocative thee, possessive determiner thee)

thee (objective)
thee (vocative)
thee (determiner possessive)

Thoo kens whit hid's like wi a hooseful o folk

You know what it's like with a houseful of folks


alang

alang (comparative further, superlative furthest)

further (comparative)
furthest (superlative)


prejink

prejink (comparative mair prejink, superlative maist prejink)

mair prejink (comparative)
maist prejink (superlative)

(obsolete) trim; dapper; fancily dressed


foosty

foosty (comparative mair foosty, superlative maist foosty)

mair foosty (comparative)
maist foosty (superlative)

From Old French fust (“wood”) (modern French fût), from Latin fustis (“a cudgel”).

Becoming or smelling mouldy or stale, as wet laundry or wood becomes without proper drying


foosts

third-person singular simple present indicative form of foost


foost

Anything in a decaying state or considered rubbish


foost

foost (third-person singular simple present foosts, present participle foostin, simple past foostt, past participle foostt)

foosts (present singular third-person)
foostin (participle present)
foostt (past)
foostt (participle past)


aicher

From Middle Scots echer, from Northumbrian Old English æhher, from Proto-Germanic *ahaz (“ear (of grain)”). Cognate with English ear.

(Orkney, Caithness) stalk of corn with ear still on


tedisome

tedisome (comparative mair tedisome, superlative maist tedisome)

mair tedisome (comparative)
maist tedisome (superlative)

Oh, it wis an awfy seeckenin' job, singling. It wis tedisome. Ye ken, ye're jist gaun like this - in and out wi' the how - a ' the time.

His principal business, seemin'ly, was to lay wreaths on monuments, and inspeck guards of honour, and pin decorations on veterans: it was the same wherever he went: gey tedisome, I would jalouse.

2008, Catherine Ponton Slater, Marget Pow


saikless

saikless (comparative mair saikless, superlative maist saikless)

mair saikless (comparative)
maist saikless (superlative)

From Middle English sakles, sacless (“innocent”), from Old English saclēas (“free from charge, innocent, safe”), from Proto-Germanic *sakalausaz (“free from accusation”).


ewhow

Sir Walter Scott, Tales of My Landlord

Ewhow, sirs, to see his father's son at the like o' these fearless follies!


ulzie

Robert Burns
And auld John Trot wi' sober phiz,
As braid and braw 's a Bailie,
His shouthers and his Sunday's jiz
Wi' powther and wi' ulzie
Weel smear'd that day.


wakerife

head

wakerife (comparative mair wakerife, superlative maist wakerife)

mair wakerife (comparative)
maist wakerife (superlative)


ramstam

ramstam (comparative mair ramstam, superlative maist ramstam)

mair ramstam (comparative)
maist ramstam (superlative)


kittly

kittly (comparative mair kittly, superlative maist kittly)

mair kittly (comparative)
maist kittly (superlative)

Difficult; hard to understand; mysterious.


tidely

tidely (comparative mair tidely, superlative maist tidely)

mair tidely (comparative)
maist tidely (superlative)

From Middle English tidely, tidily, from Old English tīdlīċe (“timely”), equivalent to tide + -ly.

That the ballies present ilk persone tidely before the justice; [...]


foryeild

foryeild (third-person singular simple present foryeilds, present participle foryeildin, simple past foryeildit, past participle foryeildit)

foryeilds (present singular third-person)
foryeildin (participle present)
foryeildit (past)
foryeildit (participle past)

From Old Scots forȝelde, from Middle English forȝelden, from Old English forġieldan (“to pay for; repay; requite”), equivalent to for- + yeild. Cognate with English foryield, Saterland Frisian ferjäilde (“to repay”), Dutch vergelden (“to reward; recompense; requite; reciprocate”), German vergelten (“to repay; requite; reward”).


lichtly

head

lichtly (comparative mair lichtly, superlative maist lichtly)

mair lichtly (comparative)
maist lichtly (superlative)


sweir

sweir (comparative mair sweir, superlative maist sweir)

mair sweir (comparative)
maist sweir (superlative)

From Middle English swere, sware, from Old English swǣr (“heavy; grievous; dull”), from Proto-West Germanic *swār, from Proto-Germanic *swēraz.

inh

unwilling; disinclined; reluctant; loath


scrieve

head

scrieve (third-person singular simple present scrieves, present participle scrievein, simple past scrievet, past participle scrievet)

scrieves (present singular third-person)
scrievein (participle present)
scrievet (past)
scrievet (participle past)


scrieve

tool for incising a mark on wood; scribe


maill

From Middle English mal, male from Old English māl (“speech, contract, agreement”) from Old Norse mál (“agreement, speech, lawsuit”). Cognate with English mail (“monetary payment; rent; tax”).

cog

(historical) mail (monetary payment or tribute; rent; tax)


scaud

head

scaud (third-person singular simple present scauds, present participle scauding, simple past scauded, past participle scauded)

scauds (present singular third-person)
scauding (participle present)
scauded (past)
scauded (participle past)


hawkit

Of cattle: having a white face, or white spots or streaks.


howtowdie

A dish of roast chicken stuffed with oats.


hellicat

hellicat (comparative mair hellicat, superlative maist hellicat)

mair hellicat (comparative)
maist hellicat (superlative)


an a'

Hae ye been there an a'?

He puts everyhin he's goat intae beatin me, tae be fair tae him, but he's swept aside anaw.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404Ink, published 2018, page 12

and all; as well, along with everything/everyone else

and all (including everything); et cetera


ilkaday

everyday; not reserved for a special occasion


waik

waik (comparative waiker, superlative waikest)

waiker (comparative)
waikest (superlative)


beird

From Middle English beerd, berde, berd, from Old English beard (“beard”), from Proto-Germanic *bardaz More at English beard.


ae-fauld

ae-fauld (comparative mair ae-fauld, superlative maist ae-fauld)

mair ae-fauld (comparative)
maist ae-fauld (superlative)


everycunt

Ah cin hear everycunt in that hall laughin at me.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404Ink, published 2018, page 8


behecht

From Middle English behiȝt, a variant of behete, behote, from Old English behātan (“to order; command; promise”). More at behight.


kirking

(historical) churching (of a woman after childbirth or of newlyweds)

Interfaith service preceding the opening of the Scottish Parliament.


haig

head

haig (third-person singular simple present haigs, present participle haigin, simple past haigt, past participle haigt)

haigs (present singular third-person)
haigin (participle present)
haigt (past)
haigt (participle past)


kypie

(Doric Scots) A scooped-out hollow in the ground for catching bools.


thirldom

Inherited from Early Scots thyrldome, threldome (compare southern Middle English thraldom).


groset

Alternative form of groser (“gooseberry”)


groof

From Middle Scots grouf, used in the set phrase on grouf (“face down”) and its derivatives.

used in set phrases, especially on one's groof


laithly

laithly (comparative mair laithly, superlative maist laithly)

mair laithly (comparative)
maist laithly (superlative)


subdiveesion

From sub- + diveesion and/or from English subdivision.


teepically

From teepical + -ly and/or from English typically.


oreeginatit

simple past tense and past participle of oreeginate


oreeginates

third-person singular simple present indicative form of oreeginate


pairish

From Middle English parisshe, from Anglo-Norman paroche, parosse and Old French paroisse, from Late Latin parochia, from Ancient Greek παροικία (paroikía, “a dwelling abroad”), from πάροικος (pároikos, “neighboring, foreigner”), from παρά (pará, “beside”) + οἶκος (oîkos, “house”). Cognate with English parish.


ceevil war

The current stooshie ower Zionism and anti-Semitism honks o poat-steerin by the Tory pairty, keen tae get the spotlicht aff their ain ceevil war.

2016 May 4, Matthew Fitt, “A michty stooshie when ert, fitba and politics collide”, in The National

Like the Roman Empire, that eftir its faw saw centuries o ceevil war an unrest, we cuid e’en be in danger o revolution in the UK.

2017 November 23, Rab Wilson, “Brexit bourach an the decline an faw o empire”, in The National


manifestit

simple past tense and past participle of manifest


oreeginate

head

oreeginate (third-person singular simple present oreeginates, present participle oreeginatin, simple past oreeginatit, past participle oreeginatit)

oreeginates (present singular third-person)
oreeginatin (participle present)
oreeginatit (past)
oreeginatit (participle past)


goand

From Middle English goand, goande, variant of Middle English goende, goonde, gond, gonde, from Old English gānde, from Proto-Germanic *gāndz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *gāną (“to go”), equivalent to go + -and. Cognate with West Frisian geanend (“going, walking”), Dutch gaand (“going, walking”), Low German gahn (“going, walking”), German gehend (“going, walking”), Danish gående (“going, walking”), Norwegian gående (“going, walking”), Swedish gående (“going, walking”).

Goand snell athwart the houf, hoo hent 'im be the swyr.

Going swiftly across the churchyard, she grabbed him by the neck.

Goand oot of the holt, she saw a woundor baist.

Going out of the woods, she saw a magical creature.

A thirsty man … goand by a tavern.

1561, Kennedy, Q., Oratioune, (Please provide the book title or journal name)


dowfart

dowfart (comparative mair dowfart, superlative maist dowfart)

mair dowfart (comparative)
maist dowfart (superlative)

(obsolete) stupid; spiritless; inefficient


camsteary

camsteary (comparative mair camsteary, superlative maist camsteary)

mair camsteary (comparative)
maist camsteary (superlative)


fissle

to fistle, to make a slight and continued noise; to rustle


chucky

1792, Canonmills Curling Club (EDINBURGH), Songs for the Curling-Club, held at Canon-Mills. By a Member, page 13

The chuckies are no auld nor teugh, I'll draw them just e'now, I dare say we'll hae meat eneugh Shu'd our big room be fu'.

If a song, sing, if an ode, chant, if an elegy, whine, if an epithalamium, croon it, like “a crooden'-doo,” and if blank verse, then, whatever may seem to be its subject, crunkle it up into a ball with a chucky-stane in the heart o't, and shy it at yonder lassie tramping claes

1838, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, page 713

When you buy something and have to pay it back later, you get that good or service "on chucky"


tapsalteerie

tapsalteerie (comparative mair tapsalteerie, superlative maist tapsalteerie)

mair tapsalteerie (comparative)
maist tapsalteerie (superlative)

And war'ly cares and war'ly men, / May a' gae tapsalterie, O;

1783, Robert Burns, Green grow the Rashes, O


froedt

simple past tense and past participle of froed


froadt

simple past tense and past participle of froad


froods

third-person singular simple present indicative form of frood


froeds

third-person singular simple present indicative form of froed


froading

froading (comparative mair froading, superlative maist froading)

mair froading (comparative)
maist froading (superlative)

Carrying da tinnie about twappirt of froadin' mylk.

(dialectal, Northern Isles) Foaming; frothing.


froodt

simple past tense and past participle of frood


froads

third-person singular simple present indicative form of froad


froad

He rubbid da froad o' da mylk aff o' his matash.

1922, James Inskster, Mansie's Röd, page 97


froad

froad (third-person singular simple present froads, present participle froadin, simple past froadt, past participle froadt)

froads (present singular third-person)
froadin (participle present)
froadt (past)
froadt (participle past)

Whin we cam in Sibbie wis jüist set da kit wi' da kye's mylk apo da flüer. Hit wis warm an' froadin' apo' da tap.


hobbel

hobbel (third-person singular simple present ?, present participle ?, simple past hobbeld, past participle hobbeld)

hobbeld (past)
hobbeld (participle past)

Uncertain; perhaps related to German Hobel "plane; carpenter's axe". Compare the nouns hobble "state of confusion; difficulty" and hobbell "part of a shoe; a cobbler".


belted knight

The first ane was a belted Knight,
Bred of a Border band;

Might nae man him withstand.
(please add an English translation of this quotation)

A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that;
But an honest man’s abon his might,

1795, Robert Burns, A Man’s a Man for A’ That


nashgab

"See now, mither, what ye hae dune," whispered Cuddie; "there's the Philistines, as ye ca' them, are gaun to whirry awa' Mr. Henry, and a' wi' your nashgab, deil be on't!".

1817, Sir Walter Scott, Tales of my Landlord


seik

seik (comparative mair seik, superlative maist seik)

mair seik (comparative)
maist seik (superlative)


skyrin

skyrin (comparative mair skyrin, superlative maist skyrin)

mair skyrin (comparative)
maist skyrin (superlative)


gyurd

Probably from Old Norse gjørð, gørð (“deed; act; making; workmanship; arbitration”), from Old Norse gøra (“to make; perform render”).

der

(Shetland, archaic) that which one receives: a gift or reward


liesome

head

liesome (comparative mair liesome, superlative maist liesome)

mair liesome (comparative)
maist liesome (superlative)

"My bairn, my bairn, make no rash promises, but compose yourself," said Mary, "and look as if naught had happened, for here comes one who can see nothing without describing it, hear nothing without relating it, and do neither without making the very truth liesome-like.

[...] “I marvel, John Coulter, that ye can tell an unco man sic liesome tales. [...]”

1841, Thomas Kibble Hervey, Leitch Ritchie, Friendship's Offering

Marked by lies or lying; having a false appearance; fraudulent; phony


liesome

Alternative form of leesome (“pleasant”)


ingive

ingive (third-person singular simple present ingives, present participle ingiving, simple past ingave, past participle ingiven)

ingives (present singular third-person)
ingiving (participle present)
ingave (past)
ingiven (participle past)

To turn or hand in (documents, papers, materials, etc.) for an official purpose; submit


staggersome

staggersome (comparative mair staggersome, superlative maist staggersome)

mair staggersome (comparative)
maist staggersome (superlative)

The dafter a tale, the mair quickly believed; The madder a prophet, the greater his fame; Nae doctrine's oure staggersome to be received, [...]

1876, William Brockie, The Confessional and Other Poems


Dauvit

a male given name, equivalent to English David


owerloup

(historical) An act of trespass by climbing over a fence.


steevely

steevely (comparative mair steevely, superlative maist steevely)

mair steevely (comparative)
maist steevely (superlative)


staig

From Middle English stage, stagge, from Old English stacga. More at English stag.


wanwordy

wanwordy (comparative mair wanwordy, superlative maist wanwordy)

mair wanwordy (comparative)
maist wanwordy (superlative)


yirth

But there’s nae gettin awa fae the haurd times oor yirth, an oor country, are gaun through the noo. Fowk are stervin in the UK, queuin fur haundoots o breid they hinnae siller tae buy.

2016 March 2, Janet Paisley, “Humour's no juist fur fun... It's a wey tae fecht”, in The National


droon

droon (third-person singular simple present droons, present participle droonin, simple past droont, past participle droont)

droons (present singular third-person)
droonin (participle present)
droont (past)
droont (participle past)


Gladsmuir

A village and parish of East Lothian council area, Scotland.


conceity

conceity (comparative mair conceity, superlative maist conceity)

mair conceity (comparative)
maist conceity (superlative)


crankous

crankous (comparative mair crankous, superlative maist crankous)

mair crankous (comparative)
maist crankous (superlative)


cauldrife

cauldrife (comparative mair cauldrife, superlative maist cauldrife)

mair cauldrife (comparative)
maist cauldrife (superlative)


carfuffle

carfuffle (third-person singular simple present carfuffles, present participle carfufflin, simple past carfufflt, past participle carfufflt)

carfuffles (present singular third-person)
carfufflin (participle present)
carfufflt (past)
carfufflt (participle past)

To throw into disorder or confusion; disarrange


tuip

From Middle English tupe, origin unknown.


kebbit

simple past tense and past participle of keb


keb

A ewe that has miscarried her lamb or failed to rear it.

A miscarriage in one's affairs, a plan which fails to work.


keb

keb (third-person singular present kebs, present participle kebbin, past kebbit, past participle kebbit)

kebs (present singular third-person)
kebbin (participle present)
kebbit (past)
kebbit (participle past)

(transitive, intransitive) Of a ewe: to cast a lamb prematurely, to give birth to a dead lamb.


skult

A place-name denoting a bare top or height.


skult

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic sgolt (“cleft, split, rent”).


skult

head

skult (third-person singular simple present skults, present participle skultin, simple past skultt, past participle skultt)

skults (present singular third-person)
skultin (participle present)
skultt (past)
skultt (participle past)


aigers

aigers (comparative mair aigers, superlative maist aigers)

mair aigers (comparative)
maist aigers (superlative)


juik

juik (third-person singular simple present juiks, present participle juikin, simple past juikt, past participle juikt)

juiks (present singular third-person)
juikin (participle present)
juikt (past)
juikt (participle past)


lauch

lauch (third-person singular simple present lauchs, present participle lauchin, simple past leuch, past participle lauchen)

lauchs (present singular third-person)
lauchin (participle present)
leuch (past)
lauchen (participle past)
leuchen (also participle past)

From Middle English laghen, laȝhen, lahen, from Old English hliehhan, from Proto-Germanic *hlahjaną. More at laugh.


fliss

Borrowed from Norwegian flis (“splinter”), from Old Norse flís, from Proto-Germanic *flīsō (“splinter”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pley- (“to split”). Cognate with Icelandic flís (“splinter; sliver; chip”), Norwegian flis (“a splinter”), Swedish flisa (“splinter; sliver; flake”), Danish flise (“splinter; tile”), German Fliese (“tile; flag”), Norwegian flysja (“to slice; split; peel off”).


fliss

head

fliss (third-person singular simple present flisses, present participle flissin, simple past flisst, past participle flisst)

flisses (present singular third-person)
flissin (participle present)
flisst (past)
flisst (participle past)


bairnt

simple past tense and past participle of bairn


wibbit

wibbit (comparative mair wibbit, superlative maist wibbit)

mair wibbit (comparative)
maist wibbit (superlative)


forbysning

Possibly from Old Norse [Term?]. Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål forvise, from Low German vorwisen.

And fra men saw this infortown, Syndry can in thare hartis schwne, And cald it iwill forbysning.


annt

annt (third-person singular simple present annts, present participle anntin, simple past anntit, past participle anntit)

annts (present singular third-person)
anntin (participle present)
anntit (past)
anntit (participle past)


yirdit

yirdit (third-person singular simple present yirds, present participle yirdin, simple past yirdit, past participle yirdit)

yirds (present singular third-person)
yirdin (participle present)
yirdit (past)
yirdit (participle past)

simple past tense and past participle of yird


strummel

The fragments of unsmoked tobacco and ash left in the bowl of a pipe.


sangschaw

(archaic) A concert; a singing festival.


strammel

From English strommel, strummel, strammel (“straw”), from Old French *estramaille (“straw for bedding”), from Latin stramen (“straw for bedding”), from Proto-Indo-European *sterh₃- (“to spread”).

der

(countable) The tube of a baby's bottle.


allevolie

head

allevolie (comparative mair allevolie, superlative maist allevolie)

mair allevolie (comparative)
maist allevolie (superlative)


allevoly

allevoly (comparative mair allevoly, superlative maist allevoly)

mair allevoly (comparative)
maist allevoly (superlative)


owercome

'Blue are the hills that are far away,' is an owercome in the countryside, and while at first on his side it may have been but a young man's fancy, to her he was like the god Apollo descending from the skies.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide


glisk

It seems that the young Heriotside, riding by one day, stopped to speir something or other, and got a glisk of Ailie's face which caught his fancy.

The moderator gies an apologetic glisk tae the ither audience memmers wi their hauns hingin in the air as they ettle, wioot muckle success, tae bring this soliloquy tae a stap an pit aabody oot o their misery.

2018 May 10, Ashley Douglas, “'It’s mair o a comment nor a question …'”, in The National


jeelie bean

There's nae human beans or bakit beans or rinner beans or jeelie beans or onie ither beans in there

2016, Roald Dahl, translated by Susan Rennie, The GFG: The Guid Freendly Giant: The BFG in Scots


carvy

From Early Scots carvie, from Middle English carvi, from Old French carvi, from Arabic كَرَاوِيَّا (karāwiyyā), from Ancient Greek καρώ (karṓ).

The seeds of the carraway plant, or baked goods spiced with carraway seeds (especially bannock or oatcakes).


broo

Representing a Glaswegian pronunciation of (Employment) Bureau.

A mean A've been oan the broo fir well oor a year, an naebody gits money eftir a year.

I mean I've been on the dole for well over a year, and nobody gets money after a year.

Ye ever been oan the brew? It's a fuckin nightmare. Honestly, yer better aff workin.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404 Ink, published 2018, page 103

You ever been on the dole? It's a fucking nightmare. Honestly, you're better off working.


sneeshing

(countable, uncountable) snuff; a pinch of snuff


fykesome

fykesome (comparative mair fykesome, superlative maist fykesome)

mair fykesome (comparative)
maist fykesome (superlative)


Lallan

Alternative form of Lallans (“Lowland Scots language”)


fifish

fifish (comparative mair fifish, superlative maist fifish)

mair fifish (comparative)
maist fifish (superlative)


Aan

Avon (a river in the Highlands of Scotland; a tributary of the River Spey)


abaise

abaise (third-person singular simple present abaises, present participle abaising, simple past abaised, past participle abaised)

abaises (present singular third-person)
abaising (participle present)
abaised (past)
abaised (participle past)

(archaic) to abase, to deprive of confidence or courage, to make downcast or astounded, to dismay


aicht

possessed of (with dependent substantive)


Abriven

Aberuthven, a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland


absteen

From Middle English absteynen, absteinen, abstenen, from Old French astenir, abstenir, from Latin abstineō (“to hold oneself back”).


abuilyiement

(archaic) habiliment, a garment or piece of equipment

(in the plural) habiliments, accoutrements, arms, odds and ends, one's belongings


abuiss

Southern Scots, South Northern Scots, Northern Isles, Central Scots


abuise

Southern Scots, South Northern Scots, Northern Isles

From Middle English abusen, noun has s for z.


Abyne

Aboyne, a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland


Jeams

From Middle English Gemes, a form of James.

a male given name, equivalent to English James or Jacob


Rabert

a male given name, equivalent to English Robert


Tammas

a male given name, equivalent to English Thomas


Chairles

a male given name, equivalent to English Charles


Airchibauld

a male given name, equivalent to English Archibald


knicht

Inherited from Middle English knyght, from Old English cniht, from Proto-West Germanic *kneht.


knicht

knicht (third-person singular simple present knichts, present participle knichtin, simple past knichtit, past participle knichtit)

knichts (present singular third-person)
knichtin (participle present)
knichtit (past)
knichtit (participle past)


hirsle

(intransitive) To slide or move, resting on the hams.

(intransitive) To move forward with a rustling sound.


primsie

primsie (comparative mair primsie, superlative maist primsie)

mair primsie (comparative)
maist primsie (superlative)


taivert

taivert (comparative mair taivert, superlative maist taivert)

mair taivert (comparative)
maist taivert (superlative)


whatstane

Inherited from Northern Middle English whetstan (compare southern wheston), from Old English hwetstān, from Proto-West Germanic *hwattjastain.


Achencraw

Auchencrow, a village in the Scottish Borders.


unacquent

head

unacquent (comparative mair unacquent, superlative maist unacquent)

mair unacquent (comparative)
maist unacquent (superlative)


ackaduir

ackaduir (third-person singular simple present ackaduirs, present participle ackaduirin, simple past ackaduirt, past participle ackaduirt)

ackaduirs (present singular third-person)
ackaduirin (participle present)
ackaduirt (past)
ackaduirt (participle past)

(Shetland) to persevere, endure, endeavour


accuistom

accuistom (third-person singular simple present accuistoms, present participle accuistomin, simple past accuistomed, past participle accuistomed)

accuistoms (present singular third-person)
accuistomin (participle present)
accuistomed (past)
accuistomed (participle past)


accoontable

accoontable (comparative mair accoontable, superlative maist accoontable)

mair accoontable (comparative)
maist accoontable (superlative)

Upo’ the tae han’ we’re nae accoontable gin we dinna tak’ an order wi’ them that’s owregyaun the laws o’ the lan’, an’ fleein 7 the vera face o’ Parliament itsel’, lat aleen the grytest nobility i’ the kwintra[…]

1871, William Alexander, Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk


accoont

From Middle English acounte, from Anglo-Norman acunte.

(in the plural) news, details, information


ackamy

ackamy (comparative mair ackamy, superlative maist ackamy)

mair ackamy (comparative)
maist ackamy (superlative)


ackamy

(Northern Isles) A weak person or animal; a weakling.


acherspyre

The sprouting of barley or other grains in the process of malting.

(figurative) In bucketing or rounders, the boy who opened the game.


buinhoose

abuin (“above, higher up, superior”) + hoose (“house”)

compound

(Shetland fishermen, derogatory) A church.


haliday

From Middle English halyday, from Old English hāliġdæġ.


disabuise

head

disabuise (third-person singular simple present disabuises, present participle disabuisin, simple past disabuised, past participle disabuised)

disabuises (present singular third-person)
disabuisin (participle present)
disabuised (past)
disabuised (participle past)

dis- (“an intensifier of words with negative valence”) + abuise (“abuse”)


disabuiss

dis- (“an intensifier of words with negative valence”) + abuiss (“abuse”)


get abuin

head

get abuin (third-person singular simple present gets abuin, present participle gettin abuin, simple past gat abuin, past participle gotten abuin)

gets abuin (present singular third-person)
gettin abuin (participle present)
gat abuin (past)
gotten abuin (participle past)

(idiomatic, transitive) To get over something; to recover from an illness or disappointment.


win abuin

win abuin (third-person singular simple present wins abuin, present participle winnin abuin, simple past wan abuin, past participle wun abuin)

wins abuin (present singular third-person)
winnin abuin (participle present)
wan abuin (past)
wun abuin (participle past)


acteeve

acteeve (comparative mair acteeve, superlative maist acteeve)

mair acteeve (comparative)
maist acteeve (superlative)


lang acre

The grassy area between the pavement and the street; a verge.


abund

abund (third-person singular simple present abunds, present participle abundin, simple past abundit, past participle abundit)

abunds (present singular third-person)
abundin (participle present)
abundit (past)
abundit (participle past)

From Middle English abounden, from Old French abonder, from Latin abundāre.


Adderton

Edrington, a medieval estate in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders


unacteeve

unacteeve (comparative mair unacteeve, superlative maist unacteeve)

mair unacteeve (comparative)
maist unacteeve (superlative)


Aderom

Edrom, a village in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders.


addictit

addictit (comparative mair addictit, superlative maist addictit)

mair addictit (comparative)
maist addictit (superlative)


addictit

simple past and past participle of addict


adheebit

adheebit (third-person singular simple present adheebits, present participle adheebitin, simple past adheebitit, past participle adheebitit)

adheebits (present singular third-person)
adheebitin (participle present)
adheebitit (past)
adheebitit (participle past)


admeesible

admeesible (comparative mair admeesible, superlative maist admeesible)

mair admeesible (comparative)
maist admeesible (superlative)


adae

(in the plural) doings, displays, occupation


admeenister

admeenister (third-person singular simple present admeenisters, present participle admeenisterin, simple past admeenistert, past participle admeenistert)

admeenisters (present singular third-person)
admeenisterin (participle present)
admeenistert (past)
admeenistert (participle past)

From Middle English administren, from Old French aminister, from Latin administrare (“to manage, execute”).


adverteese

head

adverteese (third-person singular simple present adverteeses, present participle adverteesin, simple past adverteesˈd, past participle adverteesˈd)

adverteeses (present singular third-person)
adverteesin (participle present)
adverteesˈd (past)
adverteesˈd (participle past)

From Middle English advertisen, from Anglo-Norman advertir (“to inform”), avertir.


hauf-oot-afore

(Shetland) A earmark for sheep in which a part of the front side of the ear is cut out.


affuirdable

affuirdable (comparative mair affuirdable, superlative maist affuirdable)

mair affuirdable (comparative)
maist affuirdable (superlative)


aff an on

aff an on (comparative mair aff an on, superlative maist aff an on)

mair aff an on (comparative)
maist aff an on (superlative)


aff in it

aff in it (comparative mair aff in it, superlative maist aff in it)

mair aff in it (comparative)
maist aff in it (superlative)


affroad

affroad (third-person singular simple present affroads, present participle affroadin, simple past affroadit, past participle affroadit)

affroads (present singular third-person)
affroadin (participle present)
affroadit (past)
affroadit (participle past)

(Shetland) to dissuade, head off, discourage


agalis

agalis (comparative mair agalis, superlative maist agalis)

mair agalis (comparative)
maist agalis (superlative)

Compare Norwegian agalaus (“wild, unrestrained, immoderate”).


affuird

head

affuird (third-person singular simple present affuirds, present participle affuirdin, simple past affuirdit, past participle affuirdit)

affuirds (present singular third-person)
affuirdin (participle present)
affuirdit (past)
affuirdit (participle past)

Southern Scots, North East Central, South Northern Scots, Northern Isles

From Middle English aforthen, from Old English ġeforþian, forþian (“to further, accomplish, afford”). Compare English afford.


aw-bay-say

From Middle English abece, from the first three letters of the Latin alphabet, standing for the whole alphabet.


Ahauchill

Ahoghill, a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.


Aiberfyle

Aberfoyle, a village in Perthshire, Scotland.


hauf-oot-ahint

(Shetland) A earmark for sheep in which a part of the back side of the ear is cut out.


Aiberleddy

Aberlady, a village in East Lothian, Scotland.


Aibey St Bathans

Abbey St Bathans, a village in Berwickshire, Scotland


whankit

simple past tense and past participle of whank


whanks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of whank


whank

A strike with the fist; a blow; a knock.

The toodies were being screwed oot o' a big whank o' dough.

1915, David Johnstone Beattie, Oor Gate En'

It serrd naething for ti stert simmereen an wuntereen, for it's ill speakin atween a fowe man an a fastin; bit A bocht an ett twae cookies an a whank o cheese ti keep iz gaun till A wan ti Jethart.

1925, Elliot Cowan Smith, Mang Howes an Knowes


whank

whank (third-person singular simple present whanks, present participle whankin, simple past whankit, past participle whankit)

whanks (present singular third-person)
whankin (participle present)
whankit (past)
whankit (participle past)

But tho' I get my hurdies whankit, / An' wi' the hare-brain'd core be rankit

1807, James Ruickbie, “Epistle to Mr. J___ Y___, Merchant”, in The Way-Side Cottager, page 175

Straucht across the rig frae fur to fur I walkit, whankin' doon whatever opposed my progress—corn, thristles, carl-doddies, broom-cowes—every green herb, in short, an' ilka time I cam' oot o' the corn I brocht nae less than a sheaf in my oxter […]

1864, William Duncan Latto, Tammas Bodkin: Or, The Humours of a Scottish Tailor, page 375

My faither had nae patience to lowse the raips frae the parcel, but sent me up for the sheers, wherewith he whankit them aff, juist as if they had been a wheen beasin' steeks, greatly to my mither's horification, wha said it was "sae wasterfulike."

1864, William Duncan Latto, Tammas Bodkin: Or, The Humours of a Scottish Tailor, page 68

To cut, especially to cut off a large portion.


rochness

He hed juist ae faut, tae ma thinkin’, for a’ never jidged the waur o’ him for his titch of rochness—guid trees hae gnarled bark—but he thotched ower little o’ himsel’.

1895, Ian Maclaren, A Doctor of the Old School, page 175

He had just one fault, to my thinking, for I never begrudged his touch of roughness—good trees have knotty bark—but he thought too low of himself.


beld

beld (comparative belder, superlative beldest)

belder (comparative)
beldest (superlative)


beld

beld (third-person singular simple present belds, present participle beldin, simple past beldit, past participle beld)

belds (present singular third-person)
beldin (participle present)
beldit (past)
beld (participle past)


scaff

Possibly a borrowing from Old Norse skafa (“to scrape together”).


tapsieteerie

tapsieteerie (comparative mair tapsieteerie, superlative maist tapsieteerie)

mair tapsieteerie (comparative)
maist tapsieteerie (superlative)


waistgude

Ȝit Honestie [culd] keip him fayr farrand, / And Waistgude followand him quhair euer he fure.

a. 1522, Gawin Douglas, “King Hart”, in The Poetical Wworks of Gavin Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld, volume 1, Edinburgh: William Paterson, published 1874, page 95


neivie-nick-nack

An old children's game of guessing in which hand a thing is held while the holder repeats a rhyme beginning with these words.


Hawick gill

Blythe, blythe, blythe was she / Blythe was she, but and ben, / And weel she loo’ed a Hawick gill / And leuch to see a tappit hen.

c. 1740, Allan Ramsay, Andrew and his Cuttie Gun

A serving of an alcoholic beverage equal to half a mutchkin or about half an Imperial pint.


himpie

himpie (comparative mair himpie, superlative maist himpie)

mair himpie (comparative)
maist himpie (superlative)


Ik

From Middle English ik, from Old English ic (“I”, pronoun), from Proto-West Germanic *ik (“I”, pronoun).

Wha did that? Ik!

For Ik am he, I say the soithly, [...]


scouther

(transitive) To fire hastily, as on a gridiron.


scouther

A brief shower of snow or rain; a flurry.


grayn

Hys helm of ſteil beſyde hym hang weil ne

1513, Gavin Douglas, Eneados (in English)


stravaiger

THE first ivver Internet stravaiger (browser) in fower Celtic leids haes juist been brocht oot allouin speakers o thae leids tae stravaig the wab in thair ain mither tung.

2001 January, Robert Fairnie, “Celtic Leid's First Stravaiger For Warld Wide Wab.”, in Scots Tung Wittins, number 86

THE first ever Internet 'stravaiger' (browser) in four Celtic languages has just been brought out allowing speakers of those languages to browse the web in their own mother tongue.

A number of new Scots translations have been added to the layout of the site, with browser translated as “stravaiger” – Scots for wanderer.

2021 August 11, Alison Campsie, “New internet browser written in Scots language”, in The Scotsman


notour

notour (comparative mair notour, superlative maist notour)

mair notour (comparative)
maist notour (superlative)


selkie folk

To the other class belonged all seals larger in size than the Phoca vitulina; such as the great seal, rough seal, Greenland seal, crested seal, and gray seal, — all of which have been seen in Orkney waters. And it was this class of larger seals that were called “selkie folk”, because they had the power of assuming the human form. . . . Unlike the mermaid, the selkie folk were never represented as dwelling in “Finfolk-a-heem”. . . . The only home of the selkie folk was some far outlying skerry, or sea-surrounded rock. Indeed, my old informants regarded the selkie folk as a wholly different race of beings from the Finfolk.

1893, (Please provide the book title or journal name)


sutchkin

From Old Norse systkin (“siblings”). Compare Danish søskende, Faroese, Icelandic systkin, Norwegian Bokmål søsken and Swedish syskon.

He wis just laek his sutchkins.

1952, John J. Hunter, Taen wi da Trow, page 211

(Shetland) cousins, near relatives in general


seelie

seelie (comparative mair seelie, superlative maist seelie)

mair seelie (comparative)
maist seelie (superlative)

From Middle English sely, from Old English sǣliġ (“blessed, fortunate”), (also gesǣliġ (“happy, prosperous, blessed, fortunate”)), from Proto-West Germanic *sālīg (“happy”). Equivalent to seil + -ie.


selkie-wife

selkie (“grey seal, common seal”) + wife (“woman; wife”)


silkie man

selkie (“grey seal, common seal”) + man (“man”)


gracefu

head

gracefu (comparative mair gracefu, superlative maist gracefu)

mair gracefu (comparative)
maist gracefu (superlative)

From Middle English graceful; equivalent to grace + -ful. Cognate to English graceful.

How gracefu he looked in dejection.


gizzen

(intransitive) To shrink from dryness so as to leak; to wither.


gizzen

gizzen (comparative mair gizzen, superlative maist gizzen)

mair gizzen (comparative)
maist gizzen (superlative)


steid

From Middle English sted, stede, from Old English stede, from Proto-Germanic *stadiz, from Proto-Indo-European *stéh₂tis. Cognate with English stead.


auld-farrant

auld-farrant (comparative mair auld-farrant, superlative maist auld-farrant)

mair auld-farrant (comparative)
maist auld-farrant (superlative)

Of a child: precocious; wise beyond one's years.


meldrop

From Old Norse mél-dropi drop or foam from a horse's mouth.

A drop of mucus in, or coming out of, the nose.


brammer

So ye hae grainbairns fa want tae lea thes brammer abode eh?

2011, Dick Munro, Tales of a Scottish Freewheeler: Historical Fiction Featuring the Scottish and Gaelic Dialog, page 167


brammer

Something excellent; a cracker; a corker.


Hornie

The Devil, usually represented with horns.


thraw

thraw (third-person singular simple present thraws, present participle thrawin, simple past thrawt, past participle thrawt)

thraws (present singular third-person)
thrawin (participle present)
thrawt (past)
thrawt (participle past)

From Middle English thrawen, from Old English þrāwan (“to turn, twist, curl, rack, torture, turn around”), from Proto-West Germanic *þrāan, from Proto-Germanic *þrēaną (“to twist, turn”), from Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- (“to rub, rub by twisting, twist, turn”). Cognate with English throe, throw.


thraw

A severe pang or spasm of pain; also, any severe pang or spasm, especially an outburst of feeling; a paroxysm, a throe.


anycunt

‘Ah've never heard o' the guy and ah would think if anycunt had a grievance wi' him sellin' drugs in Shake it would be me.’

‘As if anycunt’ll be in oor seats, hen,’ ah say. ‘They aw know better by noo, surely.’

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404Ink, published 2018, page 2


somecunt

When ah listen tae Huey singing it's like…ah don't know, as if somecunt’s pourin nice, warm golden syrup intae mah ears.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404Ink, published 2018, page 3


riddy

head

riddy (comparative mair riddy, superlative maist riddy)

mair riddy (comparative)
maist riddy (superlative)


riddy

‘C'mon, Angie,’ Dolly whimpers. She's goat a riddy.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404Ink, published 2018, page 5


gie it laldy

Huns an Roses are playin again the night an they're up geein it laldy.

to give one's all, to be very vigorous or energetic


suhin

Ahm no really wantin a joab but ah suppose, really, it's time ah did suhin wi mah life.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404 Ink, published 2018, page 59


menchie

Hawf the light are oot in the close but ah can see that every square inch ae the walls are covered in menchies an there's a wee dug shit oan every other stair.

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404 Ink, published 2018, page 104


clunkertonie

(regional dialect) A jellyfish, medusa or sea nettle.


quhose

Sir David Lyndsay
The cunnying clark, quhilk writith craftelie,
The plant of poetis, callit Ballendyne,
Quhose ornat warkis my wit can nocht defyne.


aist

From Middle English est, from Old English ēast.


aungelic

aungelic (comparative mair aungelic, superlative maist aungelic)

mair aungelic (comparative)
maist aungelic (superlative)

From Middle English angelik, aungillik, aungellike, (also angellich, aungellich > English angelly), from Old English anġelīċ, engellīċ, englelīċ, coalescing with Old French angélique, from Latin angelicus, from Ancient Greek ἀγγελικός (angelikós, “of or for a messenger”), from ἄγγελος (ángelos, “angel”).


seeven

Inherited from Middle Scots sevin, from Middle English seven.


eleeven

Inherited from Middle English elleven, from Old English endleofan, from Proto-Germanic *ainalif.


witcherie

A spell or charm used in the practice of witchcraft


cawve

Alternative form of cauf (“calf (anatomy)”)


cawf

Alternative form of cauf (“calf (young cow)”)


cawf

From Middle English caf, caff, kaf, kaff, alternative forms of chaf.


fourt

Inherited from Middle English ferthe, from Old English fēorþa, fēowerþa, from Proto-West Germanic *feurþō, from Proto-Germanic *fedurþô.


moop

head

moop (third-person singular simple present moops, present participle moopin, simple past moopt, past participle moopt)

moops (present singular third-person)
moopin (participle present)
moopt (past)
moopt (participle past)


moup

moup (third-person singular simple present moups, present participle moupin, simple past moupt, past participle moupt)

moups (present singular third-person)
moupin (participle present)
moupt (past)
moupt (participle past)


traiket

traiket (comparative mair traiket, superlative maist traiket)

mair traiket (comparative)
maist traiket (superlative)


widdrim

(obsolete) A state of madness, frenzy, or confusion


sairch

From Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from Latin circa, circus.


sairch

head

sairch (third-person singular simple present sairchs, present participle sairchin, simple past saircht, past participle saircht)

sairchs (present singular third-person)
sairchin (participle present)
saircht (past)
saircht (participle past)


backspeir

backspeir (third-person singular simple present backspeirs, present participle backspeirin, simple past backspeirt, past participle backspeirt)

backspeirs (present singular third-person)
backspeirin (participle present)
backspeirt (past)
backspeirt (participle past)


saucht

From Middle English saght, from Old English seht from Proto-Germanic *sahtiz.
Cognate with English saught (“reconciliation, peace”), Old Norse sátt, sætt (“covenant, agreement, settlement, reconciliation”).

cog

Hoo can a man bide lang i' saucht, wha mells wi' ither fouk's affairs?


gaucie

head

gaucie (comparative mair gaucie, superlative maist gaucie)

mair gaucie (comparative)
maist gaucie (superlative)


capernoited

capernoited (comparative mair capernoited, superlative maist capernoited)

mair capernoited (comparative)
maist capernoited (superlative)


drookit

drookit (comparative mair drookit, superlative maist drookit)

mair drookit (comparative)
maist drookit (superlative)

Her hair was drookit back from her clay-cold brow, her eyes were shut, but in her face there was the peace of a child; it seemed even that her lips were smiling.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide


aishen

aishen (comparative mair aishen, superlative maist aishen)

mair aishen (comparative)
maist aishen (superlative)

From Middle English asshen, from Old English escen, equivalent to aish + -en.


cockalowrie

Bellis perennis
Bellis perennis#Translingual


kwilk

kwilk (third-person singular simple present kwilks, present participle kwilkin, simple past kwilkt, past participle kwilkt)

kwilks (present singular third-person)
kwilkin (participle present)
kwilkt (past)
kwilkt (participle past)


etterscab

Dat boy o' Teenie's is a proper etterscab.
That boy of Teenie's is a real troublemaker.

(Shetland) an ill-natured or troublesome person


kyemp

kyemp (third-person singular simple present kyemps, present participle kyempin, simple past kyempt, past participle kyempt)

kyemps (present singular third-person)
kyempin (participle present)
kyempt (past)
kyempt (participle past)


onstaandin

onstaandin (comparative mair onstaandin, superlative maist onstaandin)

mair onstaandin (comparative)
maist onstaandin (superlative)


kyucker

kyucker (third-person singular simple present kyuckers, present participle kyuckerin, simple past kyuckert, past participle kyuckert)

kyuckers (present singular third-person)
kyuckerin (participle present)
kyuckert (past)
kyuckert (participle past)


foregeng

Yun dremm I hed dastreen is a foregeng o something queer.


freksit

freksit (comparative mair freksit, superlative maist freksit)

mair freksit (comparative)
maist freksit (superlative)


firyat

firyat (third-person singular simple present firyats, present participle firyatin, simple past firyatt, past participle firyatt)

firyats (present singular third-person)
firyatin (participle present)
firyatt (past)
firyatt (participle past)


kokkeluri

Alternative spelling of cockaloorie (“daisy”)


obleegement

(Shetland, Ulster) a favour, an act of kindness


kirsen

I wiss du wid wap yon joopie awa: hit's no kirsen to be seen.

(Shetland) proper, decent; fit to eat or wear.


skivie

skivie (comparative mair skivie, superlative maist skivie)

mair skivie (comparative)
maist skivie (superlative)


louping-on stane

louping-on stane (plural louping-on stanes)


Setterday

Orkney and Shetland form of Seturday (“Saturday”)


histie

histie (comparative mair histie, superlative maist histie)

mair histie (comparative)
maist histie (superlative)


shavie

Perhaps related to Danish skæv and German schief, both meaning "crooked, oblique".


gyang

gyang (third-person singular simple present gyangs, present participle gyaun, simple past gaed, past participle gaen)

gyangs (present singular third-person)
gyaun (participle present)
gaed (past)
gaen (participle past)

From Middle English gangen, from Old English gangan, Old Norse ganga, with inflected forms from Old English gān (like English go).


Nansie

a diminutive of the female given name Agnes, equivalent to English Nancy


aiccessible

aiccessible (comparative mair aiccessible, superlative maist aiccessible)

mair aiccessible (comparative)
maist aiccessible (superlative)


aiccessor

an additional or accessory person or thing


aiccession

(law) accession (act by which one power becomes party to engagements already in force)


aiccess

From Middle English, from Middle French acces, from Latin accessus (“approached”). Cognate with English access.


aiccess

aiccess (third-person singular simple present aiccesses, present participle aiccessin, simple past aiccesst, past participle aiccesst)

aiccesses (present singular third-person)
aiccessin (participle present)
aiccesst (past)
aiccesst (participle past)


aiker

(Orkney) A stalk of corn with the ear on.


aiker

(Roxburgh) The motion, break, or movement made by a fish.


aiker

aiker (comparative mair aiker, superlative maist aiker)

mair aiker (comparative)
maist aiker (superlative)

(West Roxburgh) sharp, keen, pointed (of the face)


aich

aich (third-person singular simple present aichs, present participle aichan, simple past aicht, past participle aicht)

aichs (present singular third-person)
aichan (participle present)
aicht (past)
aicht (participle past)


aich

aich (third-person singular simple present aichs, present participle aichin', simple past aicht, past participle aicht)

aichs (present singular third-person)
aichin' (participle present)
aicht (past)
aicht (participle past)


scroggie

scroggie (comparative mair scroggie, superlative maist scroggie)

mair scroggie (comparative)
maist scroggie (superlative)


afaynd

From Middle English afandien, from Old English afandian.


hairse

From Middle English hors, hos, from Old English hās, *hārs, from Proto-Germanic *haisaz, *haisraz.


drappie

We are na fou, we're nae that fou, / But just a drappie in our ee;

1789, Robert Burns, Willie Brew'd A Peck O' Maut


mischanter

An unlucky chance; misfortune; misadventure.


doilt

doilt (comparative mair doilt, superlative maist doilt)

mair doilt (comparative)
maist doilt (superlative)


barmie

barmie (comparative mair barmie, superlative maist barmie)

mair barmie (comparative)
maist barmie (superlative)


luggie

(obsolete) A kind of large drinking-vessel.


trachly

trachly (comparative mair trachly, superlative maist trachly)

mair trachly (comparative)
maist trachly (superlative)


trauchle

Alternative form of trachle (“work or a task that is tiring, monotonous, and lengthy”).


trachle

A long and exhausting effort; a slog; work or a task that is tiring, monotonous, and lengthy.


breenge

Origin unknown, but compare brainyell (“to rush violently”).


breenge

breenge (third-person singular simple present breenges, present participle breengein, simple past breenget, past participle breenget)

breenges (present singular third-person)
breengein (participle present)
breenget (past)
breenget (participle past)

Monie a simmer's day, whan it was owre hot / To breenge eftir a butterflee

1949, John Walter Oliver, editor, A Scots Anthology, The Eemis-stane, page 488

Many a summer's day, when it was too hot / To breenge behind a butterfly

(intransitive) to rush, to move recklessly

West she trampt, an' the white ridges lik bauchkans oot o the night came breengein against her quarter.

1970, Somhairle MacGill-Eain, Four Points of a Saltire, page 78

West she tramped, and the white clods like weak spells came out of the night pushing against her bottom.


brainyells

third-person singular simple present indicative form of brainyell


brainyell

I hears by the grumblin o’ my friend, that he outher saw or smelled something mair than ordinar. I took him aneath my plaid for fear o’ some grit brainyell of an outbrik, thinkin it some sheepstealer

1865, Thomas Thompson, “The Brownie of Bodsbeck”, in The Works of the Ettrick Shepherd, page 23

I understood from the grumbling of my kinsman that he either saw or smelled something out of the ordinary. I took him under my mantle for fear of a great uproar, thinking there was a sheep thief


brainyell

brainyell (third-person singular simple present brainyells, present participle brainyellin, simple past brainyellt, past participle brainyellt)

brainyells (present singular third-person)
brainyellin (participle present)
brainyellt (past)
brainyellt (participle past)

Scho brainzellyt up in ane foorye and dowlicappyd me, and ben richt laith to me ane laitless finger on her, I brankyt in myne gram, and laye smooryng quhille ye claum fra the bar-mykene and redde us.

1820, James Hogg, “The Bridal of Polmood”, in Winter Evening Tales, Collected among the Cottagers in the South of Scotland, page 36

She reared up in one motion and violently seized me, and with great reluctance to lay a finger on her, I reined in my passion and lay suffocating while you groped with striking meekness to free me.


thraward

thraward (comparative mair thraward, superlative maist thraward)

mair thraward (comparative)
maist thraward (superlative)


fantoosh

fantoosh (comparative mair fantoosh, superlative maist fantoosh)

mair fantoosh (comparative)
maist fantoosh (superlative)


whiffinger

(literary) A vagabond, a worthless ne'er-do-well


aicorn

From Middle English acorn, from Old English æcern, from Proto-West Germanic *akran, from Proto-Germanic *akraną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ógeh₂ (“berry”).


recoont

recoont (third-person singular simple present recoonts, present participle recoontin, simple past recoontt, past participle recoontt)

recoonts (present singular third-person)
recoontin (participle present)
recoontt (past)
recoontt (participle past)


eeksie-peeksie

eeksie-peeksie (comparative mair eeksie-peeksie, superlative maist eeksie-peeksie)

mair eeksie-peeksie (comparative)
maist eeksie-peeksie (superlative)

On recoverin' consciousness, my first glower was direckit towards the elders' bucht, an' there I beheld my faither an' his brethren o' the eldership, rakin' at their eeholes, whilk was as muckle as to say, that we were a' eeksie-peeksie for ance.

1868, William Duncan Latto, Tammas Bodkin: or the Humours of a Scottish tailor

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


schould

Yitt they caused the lordis that war vpoun on the panell, that schould have thoalled judgment, to find cautioun everie ane of thame, vnder the paine of certane soumes, to answer at ane certane apoynted to thame. Yitt all thir lordis war verrie blyth, think and that all evill was guid of frist, in speciall the lord David Lindsay was so blyth at his brothers sayingis, that he burst furth, saying to him: "Verrilie brother, yea have fyne pyatt wordis. I wold not have trowed, be St Amarie, that yea had sick wordis".

a. 1578, Robert Lindsay, The Cronicles of Scotland


upwart

upwart (comparative mair upwart, superlative maist upwart)

mair upwart (comparative)
maist upwart (superlative)


upstraucht

upstraucht (third-person singular simple present upstrauchts, present participle upstrauchtin, simple past upstrauchtt, past participle upstrauchtt)

upstrauchts (present singular third-person)
upstrauchtin (participle present)
upstrauchtt (past)
upstrauchtt (participle past)

It juist cam on me fan I boot and I cudna upstraucht mysel.


veesit

veesit (third-person singular simple present veesits, present participle veesitin, simple past veesitt, past participle veesitt)

veesits (present singular third-person)
veesitin (participle present)
veesitt (past)
veesitt (participle past)


aefald

aefald (comparative mair aefald, superlative maist aefald)

mair aefald (comparative)
maist aefald (superlative)


owerset

owerset (third-person singular simple present owersets, present participle owersetin, simple past owersett, past participle owersett)

owersets (present singular third-person)
owersetin (participle present)
owersett (past)
owersett (participle past)


troggin

Robert Burns

Wha will buy my troggin, / Fine election ware: / Broken trade o' Broughton, / A' in high repair?


sairing

As much as serves the purpose; a sufficient amount.


criffins

Alteration of Christ fend us. Attested from the early 19th century.

Criffins! that thair noyes

(dated) an exclamation of surprise or astonishment


abreviat

brevet, army warrant conferring nominal rank.


meericle

... erah, of cooperation shown therein, to-an-wit, it shows to all the world—er, ah —what good people can do if they will only pull together. Yea, yea, an' three sons did milk a bear, practicula meericle—er, ah—I say, a meericle! Amen—halellujah ...

It's naething short o' a meericle?" Nor was it much short of a miracle, as Sir Patrick acknowledged. He had followed Allen at first as the grieve had thought, but his mind was full of the parting he had just gone through and of the misty future ...

2018, John Lang, Jean Lang, Stories of the Border Marches, Litres


croochie-proochles

A feeling of discomfort, anxiety, or uneasiness from being seated in a confined or otherwise uncomfortable position


loupit

simple past tense and past participle of loup


routh

She never seemed to want for siller; the house was as bright as a new preen, the yaird better delved than the manse garden; and there was routh of fowls and doos about the small steading, forbye a wheen sheep and milk-kye in the fields.


buirds

From Middle English bordes, equivalent to buird + -s.


keltie

(obsolete) The forfeit of having to drink an extra bumper of liquor as a result of not having drunk fairly before.


leckerstane

A large conspicuous stone of some sort which has given its name to various localities in Kincardine, Angus, Kinross and Fife and in Aberdeenshire, traditionally a stone on which a coffin was rested on its way to a churchyard.


daiskit

daiskit (comparative mair daiskit, superlative maist daiskit)

mair daiskit (comparative)
maist daiskit (superlative)


bleester

bleester (third-person singular simple present bleesters, present participle bleesterin, simple past bleestert, past participle bleestert)

bleesters (present singular third-person)
bleesterin (participle present)
bleestert (past)
bleestert (participle past)

To make an explosive noise. To flicker up.


forhoo

forhoo (third-person singular simple present forhoos, present participle forhooin, simple past forhoot, past participle forhoot)

forhoos (present singular third-person)
forhooin (participle present)
forhoot (past)
forhoot (participle past)

From Middle English forhowien, from Old English forhogian.

To forsake, abandon, especially of a bird deserting its nest


kinkhoast

[...] the land of TB, of rickets and kinkhoast, measles and buffets, [...]

2010, James Robertson, And the Land Lay Still, page 201


awmichtie

awmichtie (comparative mair awmichtie, superlative maist awmichtie)

mair awmichtie (comparative)
maist awmichtie (superlative)

From Middle English almyghty, from Old English ælmihtig, from Proto-Germanic *alamahtīgaz.


bosie

There’s a wee birdie singing—get up, get up!
And listen, it says, tak’ a whup, tak’ a whup!
But I’ll kittle his bosie—a far better plan—

1878, William Miller, “The Sleepy Laddie”, in John Donald Carrick, Alexander Rodger, David Robertson, editors, Whistle-Binkie: A Collection of Songs for the Social Circle, page 309

There’s a little bird singing—get up, get up! And listen, it says, take a whipping, take a whipping! But I’ll tickle his bosom—a far better plan—And knock his head with a watering-can.

An ma Da says my Ma’s a Bad Parent cos she’s aye oot on the randan. I dinna ken fit the randan is, bit I ay get sweeties and a bosie fin she cams hame.

1996, Sheena Blackhall, “The Diary”, in Wittgenstein’s Web, page 15

And my Pa says my Ma’s a Bad Parent because she’s always out on a romp. I don’t know what a romp is, but I always get sweets and a cuddle when she comes home.


bosie

bosie (third-person singular simple present bosies, present participle bosiein, simple past bosiet, past participle bosiet)

bosies (present singular third-person)
bosiein (participle present)
bosiet (past)
bosiet (participle past)

Grandfather Klog never bosied or beardied him when he wis wee but gart him staun in foostie cupboards in his sterile widdower’s apartments whenever Paolo bairnishly havered Klog’s deid wife’s name.

2020, Matthew Fit, But n Ben A-Go-Go, page 20

Grandfather Klog never hugged or kissed him when he was little but made him stand in stuffy corners in his sterile widower’s apartments whenever Paolo childishly babbled Klog’s dead wife’s name.


Auld Reekie

So called because of the smoky atmosphere once produced by its dense concentration of chimneys.


gilteous

gilteous (comparative mair gilteous, superlative maist gilteous)

mair gilteous (comparative)
maist gilteous (superlative)


bydand

From the present participle of Middle Scots bide, from Old English bīdan, from Proto-Germanic.

"Bydand" is the principal motto of the Scottish Clan Gordon.


sowther

sowther (third-person singular simple present sowthers, present participle sowtherin, simple past sowthert, past participle sowthert)

sowthers (present singular third-person)
sowtherin (participle present)
sowthert (past)
sowthert (participle past)


Cheenese

Cheenese (comparative mair Cheenese, superlative maist Cheenese)

mair Cheenese (comparative)
maist Cheenese (superlative)


taivers

Alternative form of tavers (“tatters; fragments”)


weirdrie

The word can be analysed as weird + -rie

magic; the use or practice of magical powers


brongie

Possibly partially derived from Old Norse bringa (“breast”) as an allusion to the cormorant's colouration. Compare to Norwegian bringe (“chest”).

Phalacrocorax carbo
Phalacrocorax carbo#Translingual

The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo).


tauch

Derived from Early Scots talch. Cognate with Middle English talȝ. Compare to Middle Low German talch, modern Danish talg.

Cow fat in its natural state before being rendered into tallow.

Cord or string which has been coated in tallow.


traith

Identical to Early Scots traith. Possibly evolved as a specific variant of Early Scots trad in the sense of a shipping way or navigational course; compare to Middle Low German trade.

A fishing station or fishing ground; especially for herring.


abufe

From Middle English above, aboven, abuven, from Old English ābufan, onbufan, from a (“on”) + bufan (“over”).


flane

From Middle English flon, flone, flan from Old English flān, from Proto-Germanic *flainaz (“hook, spear with a tip”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleyn- (“metal arrow, hook, spear-head”). Akin to Old Norse fleinn (“hook, barbed weapon, javelin, arrow”).


hae ane's ain tae dae

/ˌheɪ̯ eɪ̯ns ˈeɪ̯n teɪ̯ ˌdeɪ̯/

have one's hands full
have one's hands full


scooder

head

scooder (third-person singular simple present scooders, present participle scooderin, simple past scoodert, past participle scoodert)

scooders (present singular third-person)
scooderin (participle present)
scoodert (past)
scoodert (participle past)


boorach

Scots clusterboorach

From Scottish Gaelic bùrach (“digging; earthworks; disorder”). The semantic development, already in Gaelic and continued in Scots, seems to go from digging, to digging a mound or trench, to a mess. The sense of mess or confusion presumably comes from the idea of disturbing the earth by digging, or from the confusion of things being thrown in a heap. In the sense of chaotic incompetence, the word enjoyed an upsurge in popularity in 2019 after being used several times in parliament.


boorach

Some sources link this with etymology 1, a stone cottage being an extension of earthworks. Others derive it from Scots bour (“room”), from Old English bur (cf. modern English bower) and -ock.

humble or inadequate cottage (now mainly Angus)


bourach

* From Scottish Gaelic buarach (“cow fetter”), attested in Scots since the 19th century.

a rope tied round the back legs of a cow to prevent it from kicking during milking.


bourach

Scots clusterbourach

* From Scottish Gaelic bùrach (“digging; confusion, disorder”).


bairnheid

English: bairnhood

A mind that frae ma bairnheid.


seemetry

Ma grandmaither is buriet in the local seemetry.

My grandmother is buried in the local cemetery.


gressy

From Middle English grasy, equivalent to gress + -y.


unfrend

unfriend (one who is not a friend; an enemy)


brunstane

From Middle English brunstan. See brimstone for more.


furr

The bauld Pitcur fell in a furr

1790, Robert Burns (lyrics and music), “The Braes o' Killiecrankie”


saxt

Inherited from Middle English sixte, from Old English siexta, from Proto-Germanic *sehstô.


Lallands

Alternative form of Lallans (“Lowland Scots language”)


shauchly

head

shauchly (comparative mair shauchly, superlative maist shauchly)

mair shauchly (comparative)
maist shauchly (superlative)


sowp

We'll tak a sowp of the barley-bree.


powny

→ English: pony (see there for further descendants)

→ Scottish Gaelic: pònaidh


glaiket

glaiket (comparative mair glaiket, superlative maist glaiket)

mair glaiket (comparative)
maist glaiket (superlative)


grossart

Alternative form of groser (“gooseberry”)


gowdspink

Carduelis carduelis
Carduelis carduelis#Translingual

goldspink; Eurasian goldfinch, European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)


yirm

From Middle English yarmen. from Old English gyrman (“to roar, to cry out”).


thysel

From Middle English thy-selfe, thiself, thi-zelf, from Old English þīnes silfes, þīnre sylfre, etc., equivalent to thy + sel.

(archaic outside Orkney and Shetland) thyself, yourself (reflexive form of thou)


brewst

Alternative form of browst (“a brewing”)


daidly

head

daidly (comparative mair daidly, superlative maist daidly)

mair daidly (comparative)
maist daidly (superlative)


a'-

From Middle English all- (also al-), from Old English eall-, eal- (“all-”).

Indicates complete power or authority in an area.

Indicates that a term applies in a general manner.


soorn

soorn (third-person singular simple present soorns, present participle soornin, simple past soornt, past participle soornt)

soorns (present singular third-person)
soornin (participle present)
soornt (past)
soornt (participle past)

(intransitive) To turn sour; to become putrescent


Eeirish

Eeirish (comparative mair Eeirish, superlative maist Eeirish)

mair Eeirish (comparative)
maist Eeirish (superlative)


Eirish

Eirish (comparative mair Eirish, superlative maist Eirish)

mair Eirish (comparative)
maist Eirish (superlative)

1826 January, David Macbeth Moir, "The Bloody Business"; from "Mansie Wauch's Autobiography" Blackwood's Magazine Vol.19 no.108 p.77

“Tailor Mansie,” quoth Maister Thomas Blister, with a furious cock of his eye; he was a queer Eirish birkie, come owre for his yedication

Had he only been an Eirish Paddy,
An' she a Biddy, he micht ha' hied,
To Maister Dickson, the morn's mornin,
To gie in the names, to ha’ them cried.
But we canna do sic things i’ Scotland
Had he only been an Irish Paddy,

1876, William Brockie, "Beenie Knox" The Confessional and Other Poems p.196 (Sunderland: T. F. Brockie)

To Master Dickson, the morn's morning, to give in the names, to have them cried
But we cannot do such things in Scotland


quader

quader (third-person singular simple present quaders, present participle quaderin, simple past quadert, past participle quadert)

quaders (present singular third-person)
quaderin (participle present)
quadert (past)
quadert (participle past)

Firs cam ten sodgers cairyin mells. Thir war aa the same as the three gairdeners, quader an flet, wi their hauns an feet at the neuks.

2013 [1865], Andrew McCallum, transl., Ailis’s Anterins i the Laun o Ferlies [Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland], translation of original by Lewis Carroll, page 78

First came ten soldiers carrying clubs. They were like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and feet at the corners.

(figurative) to get along, to be harmonious


quader

comparative degree of quad (“bad, wicked”)


weefla

The weefla wantet tae go hame.

2011, A Furst Readin Book in Ulster Scots, Harriette Taylor Treadwell and Margaret Free, translated by Anne Morrison-Smyth, page 41


gowkit

gowkit (comparative mair gowkit, superlative maist gowkit)

mair gowkit (comparative)
maist gowkit (superlative)


paughty

paughty (comparative mair paughty, superlative maist paughty)

mair paughty (comparative)
maist paughty (superlative)

As ye disown yon paughty dog, / That bears the keys of Peter, / Then swith! an' get a wife to hug,


papingo

→ English: papingo

Ultimately from Old French papegai. Cognate to English popinjay, German Papagei, Dutch papegaai.

popinjay (bird-shaped target in archery)


youthheid

Inherited from Middle English youthhede, youthede, from Old English ġeoguþhād, *ġeoguþhǣd; equivalent to youth + -heid.


knowperts

Empetrum nigrum
Empetrum nigrum#Translingual

(obsolete) crowberries (Empetrum nigrum)


waikly

waikly (comparative mair waikly, superlative maist waikly)

mair waikly (comparative)
maist waikly (superlative)


inower

inower (comparative mair inower, superlative maist inower)

mair inower (comparative)
maist inower (superlative)


mallivoag

mallivoag (third-person singular simple present mallivoags, present participle mallivoagin, simple past mallivoagt, past participle mallivoagt)

mallivoags (present singular third-person)
mallivoagin (participle present)
mallivoagt (past)
mallivoagt (participle past)


mooratoog

From Old Norse maurr (“ant”) + Old Norse þúfa (“mound”).


caickle

caickle (third-person singular simple present caickles, present participle caicklein, simple past caicklet, past participle caicklet)

caickles (present singular third-person)
caicklein (participle present)
caicklet (past)
caicklet (participle past)


maegerdom

(Shetland) state of weakness, combined with depression.


mankit

mankit (comparative mair mankit, superlative maist mankit)

mair mankit (comparative)
maist mankit (superlative)

From Middle English mankid, past participle of manken (“to mutilate”), from Medieval Latin mancāre; equivalent to mank (“to mutilate”) + -it.


pellach

Alternative form of pellock (“porpoise”)


curcuddie

(obsolete) A children's game in which the players dance around in a ring while squatting on their haunches.


droun

droun (third-person singular simple present drouns, present participle drounin, simple past drount, past participle drount)

drouns (present singular third-person)
drounin (participle present)
drount (past)
drount (participle past)

The grey was swimming; but it seemed the Lord had other purposes for him than death, for neither man nor horse could droun.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide


wrunkle

Here indeed was the witch wife's chance; and she was the more keen, for her master had warned her that this was her last chance. Either Ailie's soul would be his, or her auld wrunkled body and black heart would be flung from this pleasant world to their apportioned place.


midnicht

'Whatna hour is that?' asks Heriotside.

'Midnicht,' says John, trembling, for he did not like the look of things.
(please add an English translation of this quotation)


kennae

Alternative form of kenna (“do not know”)


grosart

The cottage stood nigh the burn, in a little garden, with lilyoaks and grosart bushes lining the pathway.


thristle

[The horse] leaped the hole which they call the Devil's Mull as I would step over a thristle, and the next he kenned he was on the edge of the Sker Bay.


ghaistly

ghaistly (comparative mair ghaistly, superlative maist ghaistly)

mair ghaistly (comparative)
maist ghaistly (superlative)

It lay before him white and ghaistly, with mist blowing in wafts across it and a slow swaying of the tides.


walkrife

walkrife (comparative mair walkrife, superlative maist walkrife)

mair walkrife (comparative)
maist walkrife (superlative)

Alternative form of waukrife (“wakeful”)


Wullie

a diminutive of the male given name William


cumsloosh

From cum- (“intensive prefix”) + sloosh (“slush, mud”).


daunther

head

daunther (third-person singular simple present daunthers, present participle dauntherin, simple past daunthert, past participle daunthert)

daunthers (present singular third-person)
dauntherin (participle present)
daunthert (past)
daunthert (participle past)


yamal

(Orkney) contemporary, one born in the same year


Aantaan

a' (“all”) + intae (“into”) + een (“one”)

compound

Used by boys to indicate that the game is ended.


abble

Uncertain. Compare colloquial Swedish happla (“to stutter”).


A B brod

thin board with the alphabet on it, used for teaching children


abee

Perhaps a combination of let be and let alone, to give let a-be.


wairsh

head

wairsh (comparative mair wairsh, superlative maist wairsh)

mair wairsh (comparative)
maist wairsh (superlative)


abertet

(Orkney) A wisp or handful of straw that has been aabered.

(Orkney) Small quantity of feed given to horses at night.


abiet

From the Middle English expression al be it (that), itself shortened from althagh it be that (“although it be that”).


abilty

From Middle English abilite, from Old French ableté, from Latin habilitās (“aptness, ability”).


aboot-gaain

aboot + gaain; Calque of Old Norse umganga (“to go round”).

clq

(Northern Isles) going about, whirling, veering, wandering


aboot-kast

Derived from Old Norse umkast, turning round, change; the prefix (as in the preceding word) has been translated aboot, while kast remained.

(Orkney) Sudden veering round of the wind.


boulyiements

outer garments, generally of a ragged or ridiculous type


abbacee

Alternative form of aw-bay-say (“alphabet”)


yible

head

yible (comparative mair yible, superlative maist yible)

mair yible (comparative)
maist yible (superlative)


abuilyiements

Derived from French habiller, of which the origin is doubtful.


abreard

(archaic, poetic) Alternative form of abraird


akamy

Bugge has suggested an antecedent Norse form afkomi (cf. Norse av-komen, adj., weakly, emaciated). Marw. suggests that it is a corruption of Eng. atomy, a contr. form of anatomy.

(Orkney) weakling, weak or infirm person or animal.


forritsome

forritsome (comparative mair forritsome, superlative maist forritsome)

mair forritsome (comparative)
maist forritsome (superlative)


Abersay

(obsolete) Shetland form of aw-bay-say (“alphabet”)


a-bosy

Crossed over the breast, with arms folded.


hellisom

hellisom (comparative mair hellisom, superlative maist hellisom)

mair hellisom (comparative)
maist hellisom (superlative)

(Shetland) winsome, amiable; having agreeable manners.


nyurl

nyurl (third-person singular simple present nyurls, present participle nyurlin, simple past nyurlt, past participle nyurlt)

nyurls (present singular third-person)
nyurlin (participle present)
nyurlt (past)
nyurlt (participle past)


kyufset

kyufset (comparative mair kyufset, superlative maist kyufset)

mair kyufset (comparative)
maist kyufset (superlative)


abowing

On a holding or lease of a grass-farm and its live-stock.


ilka ane

What pushing and crushing
Amang the lads and lasses;
What squeezing and feezing

1825, James Bissett, An Attempt to delineate Ceres Fair


aber heart cake

In traditional belief, a cure for a voracious appetite.


a'thing

From Middle English althing; equivalent to a'- + thing.


ackiespyre

ackiespyre (third-person singular simple present ackiespyres, present participle ackiespyrin, simple past ackiespyred, past participle ackiespyred)

ackiespyres (present singular third-person)
ackiespyrin (participle present)
ackiespyred (past)
ackiespyred (participle past)


ackadür

(Shetland) to persevere, endure, endeavour


ackie-peevie

Evidently a hybrid formed on the model of aqua vitæ, peeve = whisky, among Gypsies of Gall., Per., Arg.


acquant

From Middle English aqueynten, from Old French acointier, from Early Medieval Latin accognitāre.


acquantance

From Middle English aqueyntaunce, from Anglo-Norman aquaintaunce, aqueintance, Old French acointance (“friendship, familiarity”); equivalent to acquant + -ance.


acrag

(obsolescent, Caithness) A rick of sheaves.


acre-a-bung

/ˈɑkərəˈbʌŋ/

acre + a (“on”) + bung (“used in compds. only”)

compound

(Northern Isles) A species of grass, fog grass.


acrer

One who is paid by the acre, a piece-worker.


acrin'

Harvesting of grain crops at so much an acre.


ace-tree

(Orkney) The main beam in a mill-kiln supporting the platform of cross-sticks and straw on which the grain was spread to be dried before grinding.


ackie

From Middle English actyf; equivalent to ack + -ie.


acroass

From Middle English acros, from early Middle English a-croiz, a-creoyz; equivalent to a- + croass.


addickit

head

addickit (comparative mair addickit, superlative maist addickit)

mair addickit (comparative)
maist addickit (superlative)


addickit

simple past tense and past participle of addick


adience

Probably a form of audience, with a specialised meaning.


adopit

simple past tense and past participle of adop


adnasjur

From Old Norse annarr (“second”) + Old Norse sjór (“sea”).

af

(Shetland) A large wave, or waves, coming after a succession of lesser ones


adoon

From Middle English adoun, from Old English adūn, equivalent to a- + doon.


adümes

Derived from Old Norse dmi (“proof, reason, example for imitation”).


adverteeze

head

adverteeze (third-person singular simple present adverteezes, present participle adverteezin, simple past adverteezˈd, past participle adverteezˈd)

adverteezes (present singular third-person)
adverteezin (participle present)
adverteezˈd (past)
adverteezˈd (participle past)


Advocat

Lord Advocate, the chief law officer of the Crown in Scotland; formerly “King's Advocate.


owregane

owregane (comparative mair owregane, superlative maist owregane)

mair owregane (comparative)
maist owregane (superlative)


advertish

advertish (third-person singular simple present advertishs, present participle advertishin, simple past advertisht, past participle advertisht)

advertishs (present singular third-person)
advertishin (participle present)
advertisht (past)
advertisht (participle past)


adveece

From Middle English avys, from Old French avis.


ae-fald

ae-fald (comparative mair ae-fald, superlative maist ae-fald)

mair ae-fald (comparative)
maist ae-fald (superlative)


aefaldness

singleness of heart; uprightness; sincerity