ablins

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles

Oxford University Press
w:Oxford University Press


abbacy

From Middle English abbathie, from Late Latin abbātia, from abbās, abbātis (“abbot”). Doublet of aibey.


abraid

Nonce corruption from Middle English upbreiden, from Old English upbreġdan.


abb

(countable) impediment, hindrance, objection


abb

head

abb (third-person singular simple present abbs, present participle abbin, simple past abbt, past participle abbt)

abbs (present singular third-person)
abbin (participle present)
abbt (past)
abbt (participle past)


frei

frei (comparative freier, superlative freiist)

freier (comparative)
freiist (superlative)


abase

Mr Wellwood had never been known “tae abase puir folks' bairns.”

Mr Wellwood had never been known “to abuse poor people's children.”


aback

From Middle English abak, from Old English onbæc, equivalent to a- + back.


taghairm

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic taghairm, from Old Irish togairm, from Proto-Celtic *to-garrman, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵh₂r̥-smn̥, from *ǵeh₂r- (“to call, to shout”).


able

From Middle English able, from Old French able, habile, from Latin habilis.


December

From Latin december (“of the tenth month”).


accidental

accidental (comparative mair accidental, superlative maist accidental)

mair accidental (comparative)
maist accidental (superlative)


October

From Latin octōber (“of the eighth month”).


ab

Uncertain. Compare English hobble, Dutch hobbelen (“to lurch”), Danish happe (“to stutter”), Norwegian jabba (“to stammer”) and colloquial Swedish happla (“to stutter”).

(Orkney) impediment, hindrance, objection.


November

From Latin november (“of the ninth month”).


een

Doric Scots, South Northern Scots, and Shetland form of ane (“one”)


September

From Latin september (“of the seventh month”).


hund

From Proto-West Germanic *hund, from Proto-Germanic *hundaz.

(figurative) a boorish person, selfish and mean


accept

head

accept (third-person singular simple present accepts, present participle acceptin, simple past acceptit, past participle acceptit)

accepts (present singular third-person)
acceptin (participle present)
acceptit (past)
acceptit (participle past)


crap

Crop (and hence head, particularly of plants or top).


are

From Middle English are, from Old English ār (“honor, worth, dignity”), from Proto-West Germanic *aiʀu, from Proto-Germanic *aizō (“respect, honour”), from *ais- (“to honour, respect, revere”).
Cognate with Dutch eer (“honour, credit”), German Ehre (“honour, glory”), Latin erus (“master, professor”).


fa

Fa's this quine, en?


Greenland

Calque of Old Norse Grœnland, from grœnn (“green”) + land (“land”).

Greenland (a large self-governing island and dependent territory of Denmark, in North America)


cum

From Middle English cumen, variant of comen, from Old English cuman. Cognate with English come and Yola coome.


cod

From Middle English cod, from Old English codd (“bag, pouch”), from Proto-Germanic *kuddô. The "pillow" sense is from Old Danish kodde or Old Norse koddi, from the same Proto-Germanic source.

A seedpod; a plant's natural casing for its seeds.


a-

From Middle English a- (“on”), derived from unstressed Middle English an (“on”), from Old English an (“on”).

aback, agley, agrufe, athort, atween


a-

From Middle English a-, from Old English of- (“off”).

adoon


a-

adae, agae


a-

From Middle English a- (“up, out, away”), from Old English ā-, originally *ar-, *or-, from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out-”).

abide, arise


a-

From Middle English and-, from Old English and- (“against, back”), from Proto-Germanic *andi- (“across, opposite, against, away”).

alang


a-

From Middle English a-, from Old English ane (“one”).

awhile


a-

aweel, alake


a-

From Middle English a-, from Middle French a-, from Latin ad (“towards”).

avise


a-

assoilzie


thou

head

thou (objective case thee, reflexive thysel, possessive determiner thy)

thee (objective)
thysel (reflexive)
thy (determiner possessive)

From Middle English þou, from Old English þū, from Proto-Germanic *þū, from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂ (“you”).

(archaic outside Orkney and Shetland) thou, you (2nd person singular subject pronoun, informal)


Denmark

From Danish Danmark, from Old Norse Danmǫrk.


year

From Middle English yeer, yere, from Old English ġēr, ġēar (“year”), from Proto-West Germanic *jār, from Proto-Germanic *jērą (“year”), from Proto-Indo-European *yeh₁r- (“year, spring”).


sky

From Middle English sky, from Old Norse ský.

It's a fair braw sky we'v got the nicht. It's quite a beautiful sky we've got tonight.

A wis up afore the sky. I was up before sunrise.

He saw the sky o a hill awa tae the west. He saw the outline of a hill in the west.

skyline, outline against the sky (especially of a hill)


sky

head

sky (third-person singular simple present skies, present participle skies, simple past skyin, past participle skiet)

skies (present singular third-person)
skies (participle present)
skyin (past)
skiet (participle past)

To shade the eyes with the hand (so as to see better).


winter

From Middle English winter, from Old English winter, from Proto-Germanic *wintruz.


is

third-person singular simple present indicative form of be


cat

From Middle Scots cat, from Early Scots catte, from Middle English catte, cat, from Old English catte, catt, from Proto-West Germanic *kattu, from Proto-Germanic *kattuz.


mither

Inherited from Middle English moder, from Old English mōdor.

'There you gang,' she cries, 'broking wi' thae wearifu' Pharisees o' Caulds, whae daurna darken your mither's door! A bonnie dutiful child, quotha! Wumman, hae ye nae pride, or even the excuse o' a tinkler-lass?'

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands (an archipelago and self-governing dependent territory of Denmark, in the North Atlantic Ocean)


clock

clock (third-person singular simple present clocks, present participle clockin, simple past clockit, past participle clockit)

clocks (present singular third-person)
clockin (participle present)
clockit (past)
clockit (participle past)


A

The first letter of the Scots alphabet, called aw and written in the Latin script.


A

From Middle English a, an unstressed form of I, itself a reduced form of ik, ic, from Old English ic, from Proto-West Germanic *ik, from Proto-Germanic *ek (“I”, pronoun), from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.


donner

donner (third-person singular simple present donners, present participle donnerin, simple past donnert, past participle donnert)

donners (present singular third-person)
donnerin (participle present)
donnert (past)
donnert (participle past)

"Doited or no doited, it's a fact thae hae queer daein's aboot thae toons. I haena seen mony o' them; but as for Glasgow, it quite donnered me; and Edinburgh wasna muckle better. […]

1879, Mrs. Finlay Cameron, The Auld Hoose: Glimpses of Scottish Life, The Edinburgh Publishing Company (1879), page 69


Vietnam

From English Vietnam, from Vietnamese Việt Nam.


ace

From Middle English as, from Old French as (“ace”), from Latin as, assis (“as (Roman coin)”).

The smallest possible amount of something.


day

A'm sorry, A've no seen Angus the day.


now

From Old English hnoll (“top of the head”). Attested in Scots from the 18th century.

nitte now
nit head, cootie head


now

Uncertain; likely imitative. Described in Scots from the 19th century.


wring

wring (third-person singular simple present wrings, present participle wringin, simple past wrang, past participle wrong)

wrings (present singular third-person)
wringin (participle present)
wrang (past)
wrong (participle past)


thirteen

Inherited from Middle Scots thretten, from Middle English thrittene, from Old English þrēotīene, þrēotēne, from Proto-Germanic *þritehun.


quine

Doric Scots form of quean (“young woman, girl”)


abstract

abstract (comparative mair abstract, superlative maist abstract)

mair abstract (comparative)
maist abstract (superlative)


abstract

abstract (third-person singular simple present abstracts, present participle abstractin, simple past abstractit, past participle abstractit)

abstracts (present singular third-person)
abstractin (participle present)
abstractit (past)
abstractit (participle past)


big

big (third-person singular simple present bigs, present participle biggin, simple past biggit, past participle biggit)

bigs (present singular third-person)
biggin (participle present)
biggit (past)
biggit (participle past)

From Old Norse byggja (“inhabit, build”).


been

From Middle English ybeen, from Old English ġebēon, past participle of bēon (“to be”).


ten

Inherited from Middle English ten, tene, from Old English tīen, from Proto-West Germanic *tehun, from Proto-Germanic *tehun, from Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥.


nine

From Middle English nyne, nine, from Old English nigon (“nine”), from Proto-West Germanic *neun, from Proto-Germanic *newun (“nine”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁néwn̥ (“nine”).


first

Inherited from Middle English first, from Old English fyrest, from Proto-West Germanic *furist, from Proto-Germanic *furistaz.


thousand

Inherited from Middle English thousand, from Old English þūsend, from Proto-West Germanic *þūsundi.


can

can (third-person singular simple present can, simple past cud)

can (present singular third-person)
cud (past)

From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence know).

He shuid can dae that.


bit

A bit wee lambie

1889, Jessup Whitehead, The Steward's Handbook and Guide to Party Catering, page 439

He laid a hundred guineas with the laird of Slofferfield that he would drive four horses through the Slofferfield loch, and in the prank he had his bit chariot dung to pieces and a good mare killed.


war

From Middle English were, weren, from Old English wǣre, wǣron, wǣren, from Proto-Germanic *wēz-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-.

first/second/third-person plural simple past indicative of be; were


war

From Middle English werre, from Old Northern French, ultimately a Frankish loan.


yet

From Old English ġīet, gȳta, from Proto-Germanic *juta.

yet, up to now, now as before, at present, still


thee

From Old English þēoh, from Proto-Germanic *þeuhą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tewk-.


thee

thee (third-person singular simple present thees, present participle theein, simple past theet, past participle theet)

thees (present singular third-person)
theein (participle present)
theet (past)
theet (participle past)

From Middle English theen, from Old English þēon, from Proto-Germanic *þinhaną.


thee

thee (subjective case thou, reflexive thysel, possessive determiner thy)

case thou (subjective)
thysel (reflexive)
thy (determiner possessive)

From Middle English þe, from Old English þē (“thee”, originally dative, but later also accusative), from Proto-Germanic *þiz (“thee”), from Proto-Indo-European *te (“second-person singular pronoun”).

inh

(archaic outside Orkney and Shetland) thee, you (2nd person singular object pronoun, informal)

(Orkney, Shetland) thou, you (2nd person singular subject pronoun, informal)


spring

head

tae spring (third-person singular simple present springs, present participle springin, simple past sprang, past participle sprung)

tae spring (canonical)
springs (present singular third-person)
springin (participle present)
sprang (past)
sprung (participle past)

to burst, split, break apart, break into


dar

dar (third-person singular simple present dars, present participle darin, simple past dart, past participle dart)

dars (present singular third-person)
darin (participle present)
dart (past)
dart (participle past)


five

From Middle English five, from Old English fīf.


be

tae be (infinitive)
bein (participle present)
been (participle past)
am (emphatic present singular)
amna (negative present singular)
art (archaic emphatic present singular)
artna (archaic negative present singular)
is (emphatic present singular third-person)
isna (negative present singular third-person)
are (emphatic plural present)
arena (negative plural present)
wis (archaic emphatic past singular)
wis (archaic negative past singular)
wis (emphatic past singular)
wis (emphatic past singular third-person)
wis (negative past singular)
wis (negative past singular third-person)
wis (emphatic past plural)
wis (negative past plural)
wir (emphatic past plural)
wir (negative past plural)
tae be (infinitive)
bein (participle present)
been (participle past)
im (present singular)
em (emphatic present singular)
um (emphatic present singular)
imni (negative present singular)
ir (present singular)
er (emphatic present singular)
ur (emphatic present singular)
irni (negative present singular)
is (present singular)
es (emphatic present singular)
isni (negative present singular)
ir (plural present)
er (emphatic plural present)
ur (emphatic plural present)
irni (negative plural present)
is (plural present)
es (emphatic plural present)
isni (negative plural present)
wuz (emphatic past singular)
wuz (negative past singular)
wur (emphatic past singular)
wur (negative past singular)
wur (emphatic past plural)
wur (negative past plural)

From Middle English been, from Old English bēon. The various forms have different further etymologies:
* The b- forms derive from Proto-Germanic *beuną.
* All other forms derive from Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną
Cognates include English be.


be

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


but

The outer room of a small two-room cottage.


pit

head

pit (third-person singular simple present pits, present participle pittin, simple past pit, past participle pit)

pits (present singular third-person)
pittin (participle present)
pit (past)
pit (participle past)


second

From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“I follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”).


buy

head

buy (third-person singular simple present buys, present participle buyin, simple past bocht, past participle bocht)

buys (present singular third-person)
buyin (participle present)
bocht (past)
bocht (participle past)


three

From Middle English thre, from Old English þriē, þrī, þreō, from Proto-West Germanic *þrīʀ, from Proto-Germanic *þrīz, from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes.


third

From Middle English thirde, thridde, from Old English þridda, from Proto-Germanic *þridjô, from Pre-Germanic *tretyós, a remodeling of Proto-Indo-European *tr̥tyós.


o

From Middle English of, from Old English af, æf (“from, off, away”), from Proto-Germanic *ab (“away (from)”). Compare English of.


nicht

Apon the Midsummer evin, mirriest of nichtis, / I muvit furth allane [...].

c. 1495, William Dunbar, The Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo

It's a braw, bricht, moonlit nicht the nicht. It's a beautiful, bright moonlit night tonight.


i

From Middle English i, variant of in (“in”).


our

Inherited from Middle English oure, from Old English ūre, from Proto-West Germanic *unsar, from Proto-Germanic *unseraz.


age

From Middle English age, from Old French aage, eage, from Vulgar Latin *aetāticum.


age

age (third-person singular simple present ages, present participle agin, simple past aged, past participle aged)

ages (present singular third-person)
agin (participle present)
aged (past)
aged (participle past)


or

A variant of ere, obsolete in modern English.

It'll nae be lang or A gang ma holiday.- It'll not be long until/ before I go on holiday

before or until (only in certain senses)


sun

From Old English sunne, from Proto-West Germanic *sunnā, from Proto-Germanic *sunnǭ, from heteroclitic inanimate Proto-Indo-European *sh₂wen- (“sun”), oblique stem *sóh₂wl̥ (“sun”).


my

Inherited from Middle English mi, my, apocopated form of min, myn, from Old English mīn (“my, mine”), from Proto-West Germanic *mīn, from Proto-Germanic *mīnaz (“my, mine”, pron.) (possessive of *ek (“I”)), from Proto-Indo-European *méynos (“my; mine”).


action

head

action (third-person singular simple present actions, present participle actionin, simple past actiont, past participle actiont)

actions (present singular third-person)
actionin (participle present)
actiont (past)
actiont (participle past)


again

From Middle English agayn, again, ayain, ayen, anȝen, from Old English āġēan, onġēan, onġeġn (“towards, against, opposite to, contrary to, against, in exchange for, opposite, back, again, anew, also”).


again

against, opposed to (literally or figuratively)


accident

An accident; a coincidental occurrence or event.


fuck

fuck (third-person singular simple present fucks, present participle fuckin, simple past fucked, past participle fucked)

fucks (present singular third-person)
fuckin (participle present)
fucked (past)
fucked (participle past)

From Middle Scots fuk, from Early Scots *fuken (“to copulate”), from Middle English *fukken, *fuken, probably of North Germanic origin: possibly from Old Norse *fukka, from Proto-Germanic *fukkōną.

He clappit fast, he kist and chukkit, / As with the glaikis he wer ouirgane, / Ȝit be his feirris he wald have fukkit; / ‘Ȝe brek my hart, my bony ane!’

c. 1510, William Dunbar, A Brash of Wowing


see

see (third-person singular simple present sees, present participle seein, simple past saw, seed, past participle seen)

sees (present singular third-person)
seein (participle present)
saw (past)
seed (past)
seen (participle past)

From Middle English seen, from Old English sēon, from Proto-West Germanic *sehwan. Cognate with English see.


after

after (comparative aftener, superlative aftenest)

aftener (comparative)
aftenest (superlative)


mind

From Old English ġemynd, from Proto-Germanic *gamundiz.


mind

mind (third-person singular simple present minds, present participle mindin, simple past mindit, past participle mindit)

minds (present singular third-person)
mindin (participle present)
mindit (past)
mindit (participle past)


handy

handy (comparative handier, superlative handiest)

handier (comparative)
handiest (superlative)


learn

learn (third-person singular simple present learns, present participle learnin, simple past learnt, past participle learnt)

learns (present singular third-person)
learnin (participle present)
learnt (past)
learnt (participle past)


sister

From Middle English sister, syster, forms of suster influenced by Old Norse systir, from Old English sweostor, swustor, sweoster, from Proto-Germanic *swestēr, from Proto-Indo-European *swésōr.


person

(law) An individual with rights and responsibilities under the law.

(law) An individual or formal organisation with standing before the courts.

In fiction, any sentient or socially intelligent being.


ag

The wash of waves on the sea-shore as by a steady wind from the sea.


ag

ag (third-person singular simple present ags, present participle agin, simple past aged, past participle aged)

ags (present singular third-person)
agin (participle present)
aged (past)
aged (participle past)


air

From Middle English air, from Old French air, from Latin āēr.


air

From Icelandic ar (“mote, speck of dust”).

(Northern Isles, Caithness, Banff) A small quantity, particle, morsel; pinch (of snuff); whiff; taste


air

air (third-person singular simple present airs, present participle airin, simple past aired, past participle aired)

airs (present singular third-person)
airin (participle present)
aired (past)
aired (participle past)


air

From Middle English ore, from Old English ār, from Proto-West Germanic *airu.


air

From Middle English eire, from Old French eire, from Latin iter (“journey”).


air

From Middle English er, from Old English ǣr, from Proto-West Germanic *airi.


girl

Metathesis of grill (“shudder (with horror, dread, etc), shiver (as on hearing a grating sound”), from Old Scots gril, from Middle English grillen (“shudder, quake, be afraid; enrage”), from Old English griellan, grillan (“offend, annoy; gnash one's teeth at”).

inh

For quotations using this term, see Citations:girl.

to tingle unpleasantly, when hearing a grating noise or biting into an acidic or unripe fruit


graip

→ Irish: graeipe, graeip, grápa, grápán

→ Scottish Gaelic: gràpa

From Old English grāp (“grip, grasp”) and/or *grǣpe (“grasping”); in either case akin to English grope and gripe.

He marches thro' amang the stacks, / Tho' he was something sturtin; / The graip he for a harrow taks, / An' haurls at his curpin;


uncle

From Middle English uncle, borrowed from Anglo-Norman uncle and Old French oncle, from Vulgar Latin *aunclum, from Latin avunculus (“maternal uncle”, literally “little grandfather”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewh₂-n-tlo- (“little grandfather”), a dialectal diminutive of *h₂éwh₂ō (“grandfather, adult male relative other than one’s father”) (whence also Latin avus (“grandfather”)).


banshee

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic bean-shìdh or Irish ben síde.


jump

head

jump (third-person singular simple present jumps, present participle jumpin, simple past jamp,jumpit, past participle jumpit)

jumps (present singular third-person)
jumpin (participle present)
jamp (past)
jumpit (past)
jumpit (participle past)


ant

ant (third-person singular simple present ants, present participle antin, simple past antit, past participle antit)

ants (present singular third-person)
antin (participle present)
antit (past)
antit (participle past)


mine

Inherited from Middle English min, myn, from Old English mīn, from Proto-West Germanic *mīn, from Proto-Germanic *mīnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *méynos.


son

From Old English sunu (“son”), from Proto-Germanic *sunuz (“son”), from Proto-Indo-European *suHnús (“son”), from *sewH- (“to bear, give birth”).


gans

third-person singular simple present indicative form of gan


acre

→? Scottish Gaelic: acaire, acair

From Middle English aker, from Old English æcer (“field; acre”), from Proto-West Germanic *akr.


acre

To let grain crops be harvested at a stated sum per acre.

To be employed in harvesting grain crops at a stated sum per acre.


Sydney

Sydney (the capital city of New South Wales, Australia)


us

Inherited from Middle English us, from Old English ūs (“us”, dative personal pronoun), from Proto-Germanic *uns (“us”), from Proto-Indo-European *ne-, *nō-, *n-ge-, *n̥smé (“us”).


an

From Old English and, ond, end (“and”), from Proto-Germanic *andi, *anþi, *undi, *unþi (“and, furthermore”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti (“facing opposite, near, in front of, before”).


an

From Middle English oon, from Old English ān (“one”), from Proto-Germanic *ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos. Cognate to English an.


wabbit

head

wabbit (comparative mair wabbit, superlative maist wabbit)

mair wabbit (comparative)
maist wabbit (superlative)

exhausted; without energy; tired; worn-out


ail

ail (third-person singular simple present ails, present participle ailin, simple past ailt, past participle ailt)

ails (present singular third-person)
ailin (participle present)
ailt (past)
ailt (participle past)

From Middle English eilen, from Old English eġlan, eġlian (“to trouble, afflict”), from Proto-West Germanic *aglijan.


arm

From Middle English arm, from Old English earm (“arm”), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (“arm”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-mo- (“arm”).


arm

arm (comparative mair arm, superlative maist arm)

mair arm (comparative)
maist arm (superlative)

From Middle English arm (“poor”), from Old English earm (“poor”), from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (“poor”), from Proto-Indo-European *erm- (“poor, ill”).


arm

arm (third-person singular simple present arms, present participle armin, simple past armt, past participle armt)

arms (present singular third-person)
armin (participle present)
armt (past)
armt (participle past)

(intransitive) to crawl about miserably.


arm

From Middle English armen (“to arm”), from Old French armer (“to arm”), from Latin armō (“to arm”). More at arm.


arm

(Shetland) the tail end of something, especially of fishing line


ilk

From the Old English īlca, from Proto-Germanic *ilīkaz, a compound of *iz and *-līkaz from the noun *līką (“body”).
Cognate to English ilk.


ilk

From Middle English ilk, from Old English ġehwylc (“each, every”), equivalent to y- + which. Merged with Northern Old English ylc (“each”). More at each. (compare the Dutch elk - each).

Ilk happing bird, - wee, helpless thing!


think

think (third-person singular simple present thinks, present participle thinking, simple past thocht, past participle thocht)

thinks (present singular third-person)
thinking (participle present)
thocht (past)
thocht (participle past)

From earlier thynk, from Middle English thynken, thinken, from Old English þencan, þenċean.

(transitive) to think, to conceive, to have in mind

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, in my opinion, for I never judged the worse of him for his touch of roughness—good trees have gnarled bark—but he thought over little of himself.

(transitive) to believe, to hold as an opinion, to judge; to feel, to have as an emotion

(transitive or intransitive) to ponder, to meditate, to consider, to reflect on

Lassie, think lang, think lang, / Ere his step comes ower the hill. / Luve gi’es wi’ a launch an’ a sang, / An’ whiles for nocht bit ill.

1924, Marion Angus, “Think Lang”, in Tinker's road, and other verses, page 37

Girl, think more, think more, before his step comes over the hill. Love comes with a laugh and a song, and sometimes for nothing but harm.

(transitive or intransitive) to have scruples, to doubt, to reconsider

Think shame—think shame—think black-burning shame o’ yoursell, ye born and bred ruffian!

1853, David Macbeth Moir, The Life of Mansie Wauch, page 225

Be ashamed—be ashamed—be deeply ashamed of yourself, you born and bred ruffian!


think

his ain think

thought, opinion, frequently one’s own opinion


this

This plants is deid.


ben

A gaed ben the chaumer.

Come awah ben, hen.


ben

ben (comparative benner, superlative benmaist)

benner (comparative)
benmaist (superlative)


ben

The inner room of a two-room hut or shack (as opposed to the but).


came

alternative spelling of kame (“an act of combing; a steep-sided hill or ridge”)

kame

to deliver the airship gudis efter following: […] ane riddell, ane malt schul, ane kill claith, ane hors came, within terme of law, under pane punding of hir reddiest gudis

1908, L. Macbean, The Kirkcaldy Burgh Records, page 315

to deliver the following movable goods: one sieve, one malt shovel, one kiln-cloth, one horse comb, as set forth by law, under pain of impounding her finished goods

(archaic) a comb (toothed instrument for grooming hair or separating wool fibers)

Quhen of thar kynd thame lift swarmys furth bryng,

1839, Gawin Douglas, The Æneid of Virgil translated into Scottish verse, page 48

When they rise up and bring forth swarms of their kind, Or enclose in combs their pure honey


dug

From Old English docga (“hound, powerful breed of dog”). Cognate with English dog.


dug

head

dug (third-person singular simple present dugs, present participle duggin, simple past duggit, past participle duggit)

dugs (present singular third-person)
duggin (participle present)
duggit (past)
duggit (participle past)


maiden

From Middle English mayden, Old English mægden; compare Scottish Gaelic maighdeann. Attested in Older Scots from the 12th century.

(archaic) maiden, a girl, an unmarried young woman

maiden egg

maiden-chance

(archaic, attributive or in compounds) (something) early, immature, first

(archaic) the last sheaf of grain harvested, decorated with ribbons and regarded as a talisman; (by extension) the end of the harvest

Now strike my finger in a bore, / My wyson with the maiden shore, / Gin I can tell whilk I am for, / When these twa stars appear thegither.

1843 [1724], Allan Ramsay, “Genty Tibby”, in Alexander Whitelaw, editor, The Book of Scottish Song

Now stretch my finger on the rack, Shear my throat with the maiden, By the time I can tell where I am headed, These two stars appear together.

(historical) an instrument similar to a guillotine used for capital punishment

(obsolete) the eldest daughter of a landowner or wealthy farmer


maiden

maiden (third-person singular simple present maidens, present participle maidenin, simple past maident, past participle maident)

maidens (present singular third-person)
maidenin (participle present)
maident (past)
maident (participle past)

maiden the bairn

(obsolete, transitive) to act as maiden cummer (mother's assistant) at a christening


bent

From Old English beonet, compare Middle English bent.

(archaic, 14th century) Coarse or wiry grass growing upon moorlands.

(archaic, 15th century) An area covered with coarse or wiry grass; a moor.


against

Formed from Middle English ayenes, agenes, againes (“in opposition to”), a southern variant of agen. Equivalent to again + -s (“adverbial genitive”) + -t.


cry

cry (third-person singular simple present cries, present participle cryin, simple past cried, past participle cried)

cries (present singular third-person)
cryin (participle present)
cried (past)
cried (participle past)

A body whit studies the history is cried a historian an aw.


flee

From Middle English flye, from Old English flȳġe, flēoge, from Proto-Germanic *fleugǭ. Compare English fly, Dutch vlieg, German Fliege.


tak

tak (third-person singular simple present taks, present participle takkin or taein, simple past teuk, past participle taen or takken)

taks (present singular third-person)
takkin (participle present)
taein (participle present)
teuk (past)
taen (participle past)
takken (participle past)

From Middle Scots tak, tacke, from Early Scots tak, from Middle English taken (“to take”), from Old English tacan (“to grasp, touch”), a borrowing from Old Norse taka (“to touch, take”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *tēkaną (“to touch”). Tak gradually displaced the native Middle English nimen (“to take”). Cognates include English take and Norn taka. The noun is partly from the verb and partly from Old Norse tak (“grip”) and/or taka (“taking, seizure”), via Middle English tak, take.

As market days are wearing late, / And folk begin to tak the gate

(transitive) To understand, apprehend, take.


tak

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


that

that's a braw day

(demonstrative, now rare except in set phrases) this


that

fat's come o' that men


made

simple past tense and past participle of mak


bring

head

bring (third-person singular simple present brings, present participle bringin, simple past brocht, past participle brocht)

brings (present singular third-person)
bringin (participle present)
brocht (past)
brocht (participle past)

From Middle English bryngen, from Old English bringan.


he

he (third-person singular, masculine, nominative case; accusative him, reflexive himsel, possessive his)

him (accusative)
himsel (reflexive)
his (possessive)

From Middle English he, from Old English hē.


sic

From Middle English sich, from Old English swelc.


thy

From þi, apocopated variant of Middle English þin, from Old English þīn, from Proto-West Germanic *þīn, from Proto-Germanic *þīnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *téynos (“thy; thine”).

inh

(archaic outside Orkney and Shetland) thy, your (possessive form of thou)


leet

Compare Old English hlēte (“share, lot”).


earthquake

Borrowed from English earthquake; compare yirdquauk.


we

Inherited from Middle English we, from Old English wē (“we”), from Proto-West Germanic *wiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *wīz, *wiz (“we”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéy (“we (plural)”). Cognate with English we.


wife

From Middle English wyf (“woman, wife”), from Old English wīf (“woman”).

auld wife

old woman; gossip; rotating chimney-cowl

fishwife

fishwife, derogatory for a woman of coarse behaviour, temperament and vocabulary

guidwife

wife, the mistress of a house, a landlady of an inn


law

rounded hill (usually conical, frequently isolated or conspicuous)


law

head

law (comparative lawer, superlative lawest)

lawer (comparative)
lawest (superlative)


bra

bra (comparative mair bra, superlative maist bra)

mair bra (comparative)
maist bra (superlative)

Borrowed from braf (“good, brave”); from Low German brav; from French brave, borrowed from Italian bravo.


bra

Borrowed from bra, shortened from brassiere.

An item of underwear worn to support the breasts.


ye

Inherited from Middle English ye, ȝe, from Old English ġē (“ye”), the nominative case of the second-person plural personal pronoun, from Proto-West Germanic *jiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *jīz, a North-West variant of Proto-Germanic *jūz (“ye”), from Proto-Indo-European *yūs, *yū́ (“ye”), plural of *túh₂.

you (2nd person singular and plural, nominative and accusative)


drive

Derived from the verb, from Old English drīfan.


drive

drive (third-person singular present drives, present participle drivin, past drave, past participle driven)

drives (present singular third-person)
drivin (participle present)
drave (past)
driven (participle past)


er

(Southern Scots) Second-person simple present form of ti be

(Southern Scots) Plural simple present form of ti be

A'm er so!

(Southern Scots) First-person singular simple present form of an obscure form of ti be


what

From Middle English what, from Old English hwæt, from Proto-West Germanic *hwat. Cognates include English what and Yola faade.


what

what (third-person singular simple present whats, present participle whatin, simple past whatt, past participle whatt)

whats (present singular third-person)
whatin (participle present)
whatt (past)
whatt (participle past)

From Middle English whetten, from Old English hwettan, from Proto-West Germanic *hwattjan. Cognates include English whet.


wed

Alternative form of wad (“pledge, security”)


sheep

From Middle English schep, from Old English scēap, from Proto-Germanic *skēpą.

sheep (woolly ruminant of the genus Ovis)


fit

Inherited from Northern Middle English fut, from Old English fōt, from Proto-West Germanic *fōt, from Proto-Germanic *fōts, from Proto-Indo-European *pṓds.

inh+

lower end (of a street, river, field etc)


fit

head

fit (third-person singular simple present fits, present participle fitin, simple past fitt, past participle fitt)

fits (present singular third-person)
fitin (participle present)
fitt (past)
fitt (participle past)


fit

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


rake

rake (third-person singular simple present rakes, present participle rakin, simple past rakit, past participle rakit)

rakes (present singular third-person)
rakin (participle present)
rakit (past)
rakit (participle past)

From Middle English raken, from Old English racian (“to direct; rule; take a course or direction; run”).

inh

To proceed with speed; go; make one's way

(of animals) To move across or search for pasture; wander; roam


burn

Middle English bourne, from Old English burne, burna (“spring, fountain”).
Cognate with West Frisian boarne, Dutch bron, German Brunnen; also Albanian burim (“spring, fountain”), Ancient Greek φρέαρ (phréar, “well, reservoir”), Old Armenian աղբիւր (ałbiwr, “fount”).

cog

Down by the burn where scented birks / Wi' dew are hangin clear, my jo,

Down by the stream where scented birches / With dew are hanging clear, my dear,


me

Inherited from Middle English me, from Old English mē (“me”, originally dative, but later also accusative), from Proto-West Germanic *miʀ, from Proto-Germanic *miz (“me”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁me- (“me”).


sell

head

sell (third-person singular simple present sells, present participle sellin, simple past sellt or sauld, past participle sellt or sauld)

sells (present singular third-person)
sellin (participle present)
sellt (past)
sauld (past)
sellt (participle past)
sauld (participle past)


saw

Central and some Southern Scots dialects

(Southern Scots) simple past tense of sei

(Northern Scots and Central Scots) simple past tense of see


sot

“I wisna a grain feart.” “Ye wis sot. Ye ran like the rest o's.”

“I wasn't scared at all.” “You was so. You ran like the rest of us.”


spin

(Southern Scots) Alternative form of spuin


act

act (third-person singular simple present acts, present participle actin, simple past actit, past participle actit)

acts (present singular third-person)
actin (participle present)
actit (past)
actit (participle past)


brick

Make shair ee deh brick yon vase!

Make sure he doesn't break that vase over there!

Southern Scots form of brak (“to break”)


speak

speak (third-person singular simple present speaks, present participle speakin, simple past spak, past participle spoken)

speaks (present singular third-person)
speakin (participle present)
spak (past)


body

From Middle English body, bodiȝ, from Old English bodiġ, bodeġ (“body, trunk, chest, torso, height, stature”).


ir

(Southern Scots) Second-person simple present form of to be

(Southern Scots) Plural simple present form of to be


rin

rin (third-person singular simple present rins, present participle rinnin, simple past run, past participle run)

rins (present singular third-person)
rinnin (participle present)
run (past)
run (participle past)

We twa hae run about the braes, / and pou'd the gowans fine;

1788, Robert Burns (lyrics and music), “Auld Lang Syne”

We two have run about the braes, / and picked the daisies fine;


wow

Attested in Older Scots a. 1500. Probably originally imitative. Compare Scottish Gaelic bhòbh (“alas”).

wow (an exclamation of astonishment or amazement)


wow

wow (third-person singular simple present wows, present participle wowin, simple past wowt, past participle wowt)

wows (present singular third-person)
wowin (participle present)
wowt (past)
wowt (participle past)

From Middle English wowe, from Old English wogian (“to woo”).

(archaic, transitive or intransitive) to woo, court; to solicit affection (from someone)


fly

Noo then, fa's for a fly cup?

2013 November 12, Charley Buchan, Karen Barrett-Ayres, “A Fly Cup”, in Doric Voices, Robert Gordon University, archived from the original on 2018-05-06


duke

duke (third-person singular simple present dukes, present participle dukin, simple past dukit, past participle dukit)

dukes (present singular third-person)
dukin (participle present)
dukit (past)
dukit (participle past)

(intransitive) To cut into a queue, without permission.

Oi, dinnae duke us!

(transitive) To cut into a queue in front of someone.


hare

From Middle English hare, from Old English hara.

When the ‘hare’ was cut the unmarried reapers ran with all speed home

1937, Mary MacLeod Banks, British Calendar of Customs: Scotland, page 82

When the last sheaf was harvested, the unmarried reapers ran home as quickly as possible

(archaic) the last sheaf or portion of grain harvested; the end of the harvest


plate

Can A hev a plate o soup?


du

du (objective case dee, vocative dee, possessive determiner dines)

dee (objective)
dee (vocative)
dines (determiner possessive)


leafs

third-person singular simple present indicative form of leaf


upcast

upcast (third-person singular simple present upcasts, present participle upcastin, simple past upcast, past participle upcast)

upcasts (present singular third-person)
upcastin (participle present)
upcast (past)
upcast (participle past)


by

From Middle English by, from Old English bi, from Proto-West Germanic *bī. Cognates include English by and Yola bee.

Archie was auld by me.

1894, Robert Hunter, A Treatise on the Law of Landlord and Tenant

Archie was older than me.
(literally, “Archie was old by me.”)


yon

From Middle English yon, from Old English ġeon, from Proto-Germanic *jainaz. Compare English yon and German jener.

that, those, yonder (indicating a person or thing at some distance in time or space usually more remote than that)


door

From Middle English dore, dor, from Old English duru (“door”), dor (“gate”), from Proto-West Germanic *dur.


lift

From Middle English lift, luft, from Old English lyft.


nut

(Southern Scots) no; used to show disagreement or negation.


peer

From Middle English pere (“pear”), from Old English pere, peru, from Vulgar Latin *pira, from Latin pirum.


peer

peer (third-person singular simple present peers, present participle peerin, simple past peert, past participle peert)

peers (present singular third-person)
peerin (participle present)
peert (past)
peert (participle past)


pig

From Middle English pigge, pygge, from Old English *picga (“pig; pigling”), see English pig.
Sense of "vessel; jar" is from Middle English pygg, perhaps an extension of the above.


fear

fear (third-person singular simple present fears, present participle fearin, simple past feart, past participle feart)

fears (present singular third-person)
fearin (participle present)
feart (past)
feart (participle past)


calf

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


calf

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


note

From Middle English not, note, noote, from Old English notu (“use; utility; benefit”). More at note.


note

head

note (third-person singular simple present notes, present participle notin, simple past nott, past participle nott or notten)

notes (present singular third-person)
notin (participle present)
nott (past)
nott (participle past)
notten (participle past)

From Middle English noten, notien, from Old English notian (“to make use of; employ; enjoy”), from Proto-Germanic *nutōną (“to make use of; enjoy”).


luik

From Old English lōcian, of West Germanic origin.


luik

head

luik (third-person singular simple present luiks, present participle luikin, simple past luikit, past participle luikit)

luiks (present singular third-person)
luikin (participle present)
luikit (past)
luikit (participle past)


wee

wee (comparative weer, superlative weest)

Inherited from Old English wēġ(e), wǣġ (unit of weight).


university

From Middle English universite, from Medieval Latin universitas.


wir

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


tack

From Middle English tak, take, from Old Norse tak, taka (“a taking, revenue”).

A leasehold; especially, the tenure of a land or a farm.


sei

head

sei (third-person singular simple present seis, present participle seiin, simple past saw, past participle seen)

seis (present singular third-person)
seiin (participle present)
saw (past)
seen (participle past)

Div ee sei yon hoose ower there?


dunch

dunch (third-person singular simple present dunches, present participle dunchin, simple past duncht, past participle duncht)

dunches (present singular third-person)
dunchin (participle present)
duncht (past)
duncht (participle past)


better

From Middle English bettre, from Old English betera.


better

better (comparative mair better, superlative maist better)

mair better (comparative)
maist better (superlative)


better

that which is better, something better or superior


better

better (third-person singular simple present betters, present participle betterin, simple past bettert, past participle bettert)

betters (present singular third-person)
betterin (participle present)
bettert (past)
bettert (participle past)


links

From Old English hlinc (“a ridge", "slope", "bank”).


em

(Southern Scots) emphatic first-person singular simple present of ti be


ca

head

ca (third-person singular simple present cas, present participle cain, simple past ca'd, past participle ca'd)

cas (present singular third-person)
cain (participle present)
ca'd (past)
ca'd (participle past)


ca

That ca be him!


lief

lief (comparative liefer, superlative liefest)

liefer (comparative)
liefest (superlative)


brook

From Middle English bro(o)ken (“to use, enjoy, digest”), from Old English brūcan (“to use, enjoy”). See also brouk.

der

To enjoy; to possess; to have use or owndom of.


accommodate

head

accommodate (third-person singular simple present accommodates, present participle accommodatin, simple past accomodatit, past participle accommodat)

accommodates (present singular third-person)
accommodatin (participle present)
accomodatit (past)
accommodat (participle past)


thank

thank (third-person singular simple present thanks, present participle thankin, simple past thankit, past participle thankit)

thanks (present singular third-person)
thankin (participle present)
thankit (past)
thankit (participle past)

From Old English þancian, þoncian (“to thank, give thanks”), from Proto-Germanic *þankōną (“to thank”).


echt

Inherited from Middle English eighte, aught, eahte, ahte, from Old English eahta, from Proto-West Germanic *ahtō, from Proto-Germanic *ahtōu, from Proto-Indo-European *oḱtṓw.


echt

Inherited from Middle English eiȝtthe, from Old English eahtoþa, from Proto-Germanic *ahtudô.


ne

From Middle English ne, from Old English ne, from Proto-Germanic *ne, from Proto-Indo-European *ne.

Ne look at the sky, when ye tread bumpy roads.

To suffir exile he said that he ne couth.

1513, Gavin Douglas, The Aeneid (translation)

I ne ask na land, nor realm.


ne

Ne mother, ne father, ne friends, ne foes ne-knew what had worthen of him.


-um

From Middle English -um, from Old English -um, dative plural ending used to form adverbials.

legim (“astride”)


-um

Probably of jocular formation, based partly on Latin -um and partly an altered form of -in(g)s, a verbal noun ending.

Added to nouns or verbs to form nouns with diminutive or hypocoristic force


weird

Inherited from Middle English werde, wirde, wyrde, from Old English wyrd (“fate, destiny”), from Proto-Germanic *wurdiz.

fate, fortune, destiny, one's own particular fate or appointed lot

event destined to happen, a god's decree, omen, prophecy, prediction. Old Scots Proverb: "Before wierd, there's word" i.e., before a divine event there's a warning.

wizard, warlock, one having deep or supernatural skill or knowledge


weird

weird (comparative mair weird, superlative maist weird)

mair weird (comparative)
maist weird (superlative)


weird

weird (third-person singular simple present weirds, present participle weirdin, simple past weirdit, past participle weirdit)

weirds (present singular third-person)
weirdin (participle present)
weirdit (past)
weirdit (participle past)

to ordain by fate, destine, assign a specific fate or fortune to, allot

to prophesy, prognosticate the fate of, warn ominously


waist

Inherited from Middle English wast (“waist”), probably from Old English *wæst, *wæxt, from Proto-West Germanic *wahstī, form Proto-Germanic *wahstuz.


manifest

head

manifest (third-person singular simple present manifests, present participle manifestin, simple past manifestit, past participle manifestit)

manifests (present singular third-person)
manifestin (participle present)
manifestit (past)
manifestit (participle past)


ei

(Southern Scots, personal) he (alternative form of hei)


pure

pure (comparative mair pure, superlative maist pure)

mair pure (comparative)
maist pure (superlative)


lad

From Proto-Germanic *laidō. Cognate with Old High German leita (German Leite), Old Norse leið. Akin to līþan (“to go, travel, fare”).


affect

affect (third-person singular simple present affects, present participle affectin, simple past affectit, past participle affectit)

affects (present singular third-person)
affectin (participle present)
affectit (past)
affectit (participle past)

(law) to burden property with a fixed charge or payment, or other condition or restriction


sel

From Middle English self, silf, sulf, from Old English self, seolf, sylf, from Proto-Germanic *selbaz.


ach

An exclamation of impatience, disappointment, contempt, remonstrance.


wat

wat (comparative mair wat, superlative maist wat)

mair wat (comparative)
maist wat (superlative)


grain

From Middle English grayn, greyn, grein, from Old Norse grein (“branch, twig”), from Proto-Germanic *grainiz (“branch”).

An offshoot, branch, or member of anything

A branch of a stream; the arm of a loch.


tire

tire (third-person singular simple present tires, present participle tirin, simple past tiret, past participle tiret)

tires (present singular third-person)
tirin (participle present)
tiret (past)
tiret (participle past)


Alexander

a male given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Alexander


los

From Middle English losse, from Old English lox, from Proto-West Germanic *luhs, from Proto-Germanic *luhsaz. Cognate with English los, Saterland Frisian Luks, Low German Luks, Dutch los, German Luchs, Luxembourgish Luuss.


putt

putt (third-person singular simple present putts, present participle puttin, simple past putt, past participle putt)

putts (present singular third-person)
puttin (participle present)
putt (past)
putt (participle past)


fare

From Middle Scots fare, from Middle English faren, from Old English faran, from Proto-West Germanic *faran, from Proto-Germanic *faraną, from Proto-Indo-European *por-.


witch

From Middle English wicche, from Old English wiċċe (“witch (female),sorceress”) and wiċċa (“witch (male), sorcerer”) m., deverbative from wiċċian (“to practice sorcery”), from Proto-Germanic *wikkōną (compare West Frisian wikje, wikke (“to foretell, warn”), German Low German wicken (“to soothsay”), Dutch wikken, wichelen (“to dowse, divine”)), from Proto-Indo-European *wik-néh₂-, derivation of *weyk- (“to consecrate; separate”); akin to Latin victima (“sacrificial victim”), Lithuanian viẽkas (“life-force”), Sanskrit विनक्ति (vinákti, “to set apart, separate out”).

cog

witch; A person, chiefly a woman, skilled in sorcery.

(transferred) Various animals, insects and objects in some way associated with witches.

A moth in general; a tortoiseshell butterfly.

The Torbay sole, pole flounder or dab, Glyptocephalus cynoglossus.

Laminaria saccharina
Laminaria saccharina#Translingual

A red clay marble, generally one that is considered effective in winning games, a “wizard”.


witch

head

witch (third-person singular simple present, present participle witching, simple past witchit, past participle witchit)

witching (participle present)
witchit (past)
witchit (participle past)

(transitive) To harm (a person, etc.) by means of witchcraft; to bewitch, cast a spell on.

(figurative) To affect or influence as by witchcraft.


est

est (third-person singular simple present ests, present participle estan, simple past ested, past participle ested)

ests (present singular third-person)
estan (participle present)
ested (past)
ested (participle past)


muck

Probably of North Germanic origin; compare Old Norse myki, mykr ‘dung’.


muck

muck (third-person singular simple present mucks, present participle muckin, simple past muckit, past participle muckit)

mucks (present singular third-person)
muckin (participle present)
muckit (past)
muckit (participle past)


luft

From Middle English luft, lufte, from Old English lyft (“the lower sky (as opposed to the upper atmosphere, or heavens), air, atmosphere”), from Proto-West Germanic *luftu, from Proto-Germanic *luftuz.

inh

Bothwell told Sir James Melville that he saw the strangest accident that ever chancit, to wit the powder cam out of the luft [i.e. the sky], and had brunt the Kingis house, and himself found lying dead a litle distance from the house under a tre;

1898, David Hay Fleming, Mary Queen of Scots (in English), page 437

Gesserant sails on a skinklan frith, gowd-yalla luft and blue o the sea

1977, Douglas Young, Clara Young, David D. Murison, A Clear Voice: Douglas Young, Poet and Polymath (in English), page 39

[…]kind of phonetic spelling which resembles Elphinston's recommendations for an orthographic reform as issued in the eighteenth century, so his proverbs and sayings have to be practically translated: Gin dhe luft wuz tay faw, dhe laivruks wud bee smuird – if the sky were to fall, the larks would be smothered.

1996, Review of Scottish Culture - Issues 10-12 (in English), page 101


mane

head

mane (third-person singular simple present manes, present participle manin, simple past maned, past participle maned)

manes (present singular third-person)
manin (participle present)
maned (past)
maned (participle past)


bury

bury (third-person singular simple present buries, present participle buryin, simple past buriet, past participle buriet)

buries (present singular third-person)
buryin (participle present)
buriet (past)
buriet (participle past)

From English bury. Replacing native form bery.


ee

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

We are not full, we're not that full, / but just a drop [of liquor] in our eye


aber

From Old Norse apr (“sharp, hard, bad”).


aber

to poke a fire in order to brighten it (often with up)


neen

(Northern Scots and Shetland) Alternative form of nane


gar

gar (simple past and past participle gart or gert)

gart (participle past)
gart (past)
gert (participle past)
gert (past)

From Middle English garren, gerren, from Old Norse gera, gǫrva, gørva (Swedish göra, Danish gøre), from Proto-Germanic *garwijaną. Compare English yare.

Whit gars ye say that?

to make (somebody or something do something)


tube

Come ahead then, ya fuckin weedjie cunts. Ah’m no exactly gaunny burst oot greetin cause some specky cunt’s five minutes late wi ma feed now, um uh? Fucking tube.

(please add an English translation of this quotation)

Sorry but Uli's just a tube [translating Pajass] but. Ah didnae say that tae Paco, o course. Ah keep it tae masel jist.

2013, Pedro Lenz, translated by Donal McLaughlin, Naw Much of a Talker, Freight Books, page 4


great

great (comparative greater, superlative greatest)

greater (comparative)
greatest (superlative)

From Middle English grete, from Old English grēat, from Proto-West Germanic *graut, from Proto-Germanic *grautaz.

swollen with rain, in flood (of a river)


best

ill-best

best of a bad lot, best of a poor selection


buil

buil (third-person singular simple present buils, present participle builin, simple past built, past participle built)

buils (present singular third-person)
builin (participle present)
built (past)
built (participle past)


tuil

From Middle English tool, tol, from Old English tōl (“tool, implement, instrument”, literally “that with which one prepares something”), perhaps borrowed from Old Norse tól, but at any rate ultimately from Proto-Germanic *tōlą (“that which is used in preparation, tool”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to tie to, secure”).


flour

From Middle English flour, from Anglo-Norman flur, from Latin flōrem, accusative of flōs. More at English flower.


flour

head

flour (third-person singular simple present flours, present participle flourin, simple past flourt, past participle flourt)

flours (present singular third-person)
flourin (participle present)
flourt (past)
flourt (participle past)


eet

Ee cin tell is aa aboot eet later.

(Southern Scots) it in the object case, or as the complement of ti be

Dis eet say si?

(Southern Scots) the form of it which is used after an inversion


admeet

admeet (third-person singular simple present admeets, present participle admeetin, simple past admeetit, past participle admeetit)

admeets (present singular third-person)
admeetin (participle present)
admeetit (past)
admeetit (participle past)


adaptable

adaptable (comparative mair adaptable, superlative maist adaptable)

mair adaptable (comparative)
maist adaptable (superlative)


afeared

afeared (comparative mair afeared, superlative maist afeared)

mair afeared (comparative)
maist afeared (superlative)


admonish

admonish (third-person singular simple present admonishes, present participle admonishin, simple past admonisht, past participle admonisht)

admonishes (present singular third-person)
admonishin (participle present)
admonisht (past)
admonisht (participle past)


advised

advised (comparative mair advised, superlative maist advised)

mair advised (comparative)
maist advised (superlative)


advised

simple past tense and past participle of advise


admirable

admirable (comparative mair admirable, superlative maist admirable)

mair admirable (comparative)
maist admirable (superlative)


shackles

third-person singular simple present indicative form of shackle


affectionate

affectionate (comparative mair affectionate, superlative maist affectionate)

mair affectionate (comparative)
maist affectionate (superlative)


admire

admire (third-person singular simple present admires, present participle admirin, simple past admired, past participle admired)

admires (present singular third-person)
admirin (participle present)
admired (past)
admired (participle past)


afore

From Middle English afore, aforn, from Old English onforan or ætforan; equivalent to a- + fore.

(of time) before, previously, in advance


adapt

adapt (third-person singular simple present adapts, present participle adaptin, simple past adaptit, past participle adaptit)

adapts (present singular third-person)
adaptin (participle present)
adaptit (past)
adaptit (participle past)


address

address (third-person singular simple present addresses, present participle addressin, simple past addressed, past participle addressed)

addresses (present singular third-person)
addressin (participle present)
addressed (past)
addressed (participle past)


agitate

agitate (third-person singular simple present agitates, present participle agitatin, simple past agitatit, past participle agitate)

agitates (present singular third-person)
agitatin (participle present)
agitatit (past)
agitate (participle past)

From Middle English, from Latin agitatus. Cognate with English agitate.


ague

From Middle English agu, ague, from Middle French (fievre) aguë (“acute (fever)”). Cognate with English ague.


aft

aft (comparative after, superlative aftest)

after (comparative)
aftest (superlative)

From Middle English ofte, from Old English oft, from Proto-Germanic *ufta.

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley.

1786, Robert Burns, To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough


aft

aft (comparative mair aft, superlative maist aft)

mair aft (comparative)
maist aft (superlative)


actual

actual (comparative mair actual, superlative maist actual)

mair actual (comparative)
maist actual (superlative)


ken

From Middle English kennen, from Old English cennan (“make known, declare, acknowledge”), originally "make to know", causative of cunnan (“to become acquainted with, to know”); from Proto-West Germanic *kannijan, from Proto-Germanic *kannijaną.


ken

head

ken (third-person singular simple present kens, present participle kennin, simple past kent, past participle kent)

kens (present singular third-person)
kennin (participle present)
kent (past)
kent (participle past)

Do ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay?

Dae ye ken Ken kens Ken?

(transitive) To know, perceive or understand.


agile

agile (comparative mair agile, superlative maist agile)

mair agile (comparative)
maist agile (superlative)


yeh

Jist the yeh for mei, ta.

(Southern Scots) Alternative form of ae (“one”)


hen

Alright Mary hen?


shackle

From Old English sċacul, sċeacel, sċeacul (“fetter, shackle”), from Proto-Germanic *skakulaz (“shackle”), possibly from *skakaną (“to shake; to swing; to escape”), from Proto-Indo-European *skeg-, *skek- (“to shake; to stir”). However, compare the Oxford English Dictionary which doubts that English shackle is derived from *skeg-, *skek- as these roots lack the meaning of attaching or fastening.


shackle

shackle (third-person singular simple present shackles, present participle shacklin, simple past shackelt, past participle shackelt)

shackles (present singular third-person)
shacklin (participle present)
shackelt (past)
shackelt (participle past)


doo

From Middle English douf, from Old English *dūfe (compare woman's given name Dūfe).
Akin to Old High German tūba (“dove, pigeon”), Icelandic dúfa (“dove, pigeon”), Dúfa (woman's first name)), Danish dove, pigeon, Norwegian Bokmål due (“dove, pigeon”), Norwegian Nynorsk due (“dove, pigeon”) and Swedish duva (“dove, pigeon”).

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.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide

dove, pigeon (bird of the dove and pigeon family: Columbidae)

King of the Doos

English Carrier (an old domestic pigeon breed)


agree

agree (third-person singular simple present agrees, present participle agreein, simple past agreed, past participle agreed)

agrees (present singular third-person)
agreein (participle present)
agreed (past)
agreed (participle past)

From Middle English agreen, from Old French agreer.

(occasionally) to suffer no injury from (sth)


width

Borrowed from English width, replacing Middle Scots wydnes.


aim

Derived from Old Norse eimr (“vapour, steam”).

(Caithness) A hot glow, a blast of hot air


bab

bab (third-person singular simple present babs, present participle babbin, simple past bab'd, past participle bab'd)

babs (present singular third-person)
babbin (participle present)
bab'd (past)
bab'd (participle past)

Compare bob, likely cognate of English bob, from Middle English bobben (“to strike, to shake”).

inh

The lasses bab’d about the reel / Gar’d a’ their hurdies wallop

1733, Allan Ramsay, “Christ’s Kirk on the Green”, in Poems by Allan Ramsay, page 52

The girls danced around the ring / Making their bottoms gallop


bab

From older Scots bob; compare Middle English bobbe (“cluster of fruit; spray of leaves”).

cog

nosegay, a bunch of flowers; a tassel, a bunch of ribbons

wooer bab

(in compounds) something fine, something decorated

(figuratively) a lumpish person, an idiot


bab

From Northern Middle English bab, a variant of babe.


agent

From Latin agēns, present active participle of agere (“to drive, lead, conduct, manage, perform, do”).


agent

head

agent (third-person singular simple present agents, present participle agentin, simple past agentit, past participle agentit)

agents (present singular third-person)
agentin (participle present)
agentit (past)
agentit (participle past)


chap

Late Middle English, from Old English *ċeappian, *ċieppan, from Proto-Germanic *kapp-, *kap- (“to chop; cut; split”), like also English chop. The ultimate origin is uncertain; possibly from Vulgar Latin *cuppare (“to behead”), from Latin caput (“head”) and influenced by Old French couper (“to strike”).
Akin to Saterland Frisian kappe, kapje (“to hack; chop; lop off”), Dutch kappen (“to chop, cut, hew”), Middle Low German koppen (“to cut off, lop, poll”), German Low German kappen (“to cut off; clip”), German kappen (“to cut; clip”), German dialectal chapfen (“to chop into small pieces”), Danish kappe (“to cut, lop off, poll”), Swedish kapa (“to cut”), Albanian copë (“piece, chunk”), Old English *ċippian (attested in forċippian (“to cut off”)).

cog

(transitive, intransitive) To knock (on) or strike.


heretic

He's as puir as the heretic baird.

(literary style) A poet who claims to have no religion, or to disdain one.


-ie

From Middle English -y, from Old English -iġ, from Proto-West Germanic *-g.

Designates an adjective, in many cases formed by being appended to a noun.


describe

head

describe (third-person singular simple present describes, present participle describin, simple past describit, past participle describit)

describes (present singular third-person)
describin (participle present)
describit (past)
describit (participle past)


member

Middle English, via Old French from Latin membrum.


asshole

(obsolete) The place for receiving the ashes under the grate in a fireplace.


grime

grime (third-person singular simple present grimes, present participle grimein, simple past grimet, past participle grimet)

grimes (present singular third-person)
grimein (participle present)
grimet (past)
grimet (participle past)

(archaic) To sprinkle, fleck, or to cover with a layer of fine material (e.g. snow, dust).


imperial

imperial (comparative mair imperial, superlative maist imperial)

mair imperial (comparative)
maist imperial (superlative)


ane

Southern Scots, Central dialects except North East Central

From Northern Middle English an, from Old English ān (“one”), from Proto-West Germanic *ain, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz (“one”).


warlock

From Middle English warloghe, warlowe, warloȝe, from Old English wǣrloga (“traitor, deceiver”, literally “truce-breaker”), from wǣr (“covenant, truce, pact, promise”) (from Proto-Indo-European *wēr- (“true”); compare veritable) + loga (“liar”), from Proto-Germanic *lugô, related to Old English lēogan (whence English lie).

warlock-breef

a written commission to be a warlock, a magic charm, supernatural power

warlock; a man who is thought to be in league with the powers of darkness and to have supernatural knowledge and means of bewitching and harming others

He wis hissel a warlock or a wicht, whit thay kent by thit he teuk 'e witch's pairt.

He was himself a warlock, or wizard, which they knew by his taking the witch's part.

(in a weaker sense) sorcerer, wizard, magician

(attributive, in combination) bewitched, magical, supernatural; malevolent, mischievous

(derogatory) an old, ugly or misanthropic man; a mischievous or troublesome fellow


bob

From Middle English bobbe (“cluster of fruit; spray of leaves”).


bob

head

bob (third-person singular simple present bobs, present participle bobbin, simple past bobbit, past participle bobbit)

bobs (present singular third-person)
bobbin (participle present)
bobbit (past)
bobbit (participle past)


bob

Uncertain. Possibly onomatopoeic expressing quick movement, but compare English bob, above.


bob

Unknown. Possibly from Middle English bobben (“to strike”) or Old French bober, baubir (“to mock, deride”).


gum

Uncertain; perhaps a specialised use of Etymology 1, above.


George

a male given name, equivalent to English George

Geordag

(diminutive) Geordie, Dod, Dodie, Dodge, Dodger


hatter

hatter (third-person singular simple present hatters, present participle hatterin, simple past hattered, past participle hattered)

hatters (present singular third-person)
hatterin (participle present)
hattered (past)
hattered (participle past)

(Southern Scots) to bother; to get someone worked up


-er

From Middle English -ere, from Old English -ere.


electrical

electrical (comparative mair electrical, superlative maist electrical)

mair electrical (comparative)
maist electrical (superlative)


porn

2012, Iain Connell, Robert Florence, Burnistoun, Episode #3.4 (DVD subtitles)

See, in the hospital before he died, ma da told me he kept his porn stash up there.
(please add an English translation of this quotation)


sad

sad (comparative sadder, superlative saddest)

sadder (comparative)
saddest (superlative)


hoe

Probably from Norn høg or Middle Norwegian haa. Ultimately from Old Norse hár

Squalus acanthias
Squalus acanthias#Translingual


Hogmanay

Probably from Norman hoguinané, from Old French aguillanneuf (“last day of the year”).

der

A celebration or gift for New Year's Eve.


yuck

head

yuck (third-person singular simple present yuck, present participle yuckin, simple past yuckit, past participle yuckit)

yuck (present singular third-person)
yuckin (participle present)
yuckit (past)
yuckit (participle past)

Presumably of the same roots as English chuck, itself from Anglo-Norman choque (compare modern Norman chouque), from Gaulish *śokka (compare Breton soc'h (“thick”), Old Irish tócht (“part, piece”).

A yuckit it inti the bucket.


yuck

Ye cin finnd yucks be the river.


hail

hail (comparative hailer, superlative hailest)

hailer (comparative)
hailest (superlative)

From Old English hāl (“healthy, safe”), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“whole, safe, sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos (“healthy, whole”).

hail an fere

in perfect health or condition, strong, unbroken

hail Yuil

the old Christmas season from December 25th to the twelfth night

free or recovered from disease, healthy, wholesome

free from injury, safe, sound, unhurt (of people, parts of the body, etc.)

whole, entire, complete, sound, unbroken, undamaged (of material objects and of time, numbers etc.)


hail

head

hail (third-person singular simple present hails, present participle hailin, simple past hailt, past participle hailt)

hails (present singular third-person)
hailin (participle present)
hailt (past)
hailt (participle past)


hail

(sports) to drive the ball through the goal, etc.


hail

(sports) goal, the shout when a goal is scored, the goal area


hail

From Old English hæġl, hæġel, from Proto-Germanic *haglaz, either from Proto-Indo-European *kagʰlos (“pebble”), or from *ḱoḱló-, a reduplication of *ḱel- (“cold”).


corn

Inherited from Middle English corn, from Old English corn.


corn

corn (third-person singular simple present corns, present participle cornin, simple past cornt, past participle cornt)

corns (present singular third-person)
cornin (participle present)
cornt (past)
cornt (participle past)


gaan

gaan (third-person singular simple present gaans, present participle gaan, simple past went or wett, past participle been)

gaans (present singular third-person)
gaan (participle present)
went (past)
wett (past)
been (participle past)

From Old English gān (“to go”). An alternative (and arguably more phonetically neutral; see the pronunciations given) spelling of gan or gaun.

Where div ee hink ee'r gaan at this time o night?

Where do you think you're going at this time of night?


baud

baud (comparative mair baud, superlative maist baud)

mair baud (comparative)
maist baud (superlative)


dei

dei (third-person singular simple present deis, present participle deiin, simple past deid, past participle deed)

deis (present singular third-person)
deiin (participle present)
deid (past)
deed (participle past)

From Middle English die, from Old Norse deyja.


seis

third-person singular simple present indicative form of sei


unco

unco (comparative mair unco, superlative maist unco)

mair unco (comparative)
maist unco (superlative)


bane

From Middle English bane, from Old English bān, from Proto-Germanic *bainą.

rickle o banes

an emaciated, broken-down person or animal


clair

clair (comparative clairer, superlative clairest)

clairer (comparative)
clairest (superlative)

From Middle English clere, from Old French cler, from Latin clārus.


wave

wave (third-person singular simple present waves, present participle wavin, simple past wavet, past participle wavet)

waves (present singular third-person)
wavin (participle present)
wavet (past)
wavet (participle past)

From Middle English waven (“to move back and forth; to wave”).

inh

Her haffet-locks hang wavin’ on her cheek;

1725, Allan Ramsay, “The Gentle Shepherd”, in The Poetical Works of Allan Ramsay, published 1866, page 10

Her side-locks hang waving against her cheek; Her cheeks so rosy and her eyes so clear;

Her cheeks sae ruddy, an’ her een sae clear;


hover

head

hover (third-person singular simple present hovers, present participle hoverin, simple past hovert, past participle hovert)

hovers (present singular third-person)
hoverin (participle present)
hovert (past)
hovert (participle past)


yill

From Middle English ale, from Old English ealu, ealo, from Proto-West Germanic *alu, from Proto-Germanic *alu; cognate with English ale.


Babylon

(historical) Babylon (an ancient city in Mesopotamia, built on the banks of the Euphrates, which was the capital of Babylonia)


cauf

From Middle English calf (“young cow”), from Old English cealf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷolbʰo (“womb, animal young”).


cauf

From Middle English calf (“area behind the shin”), from Old Norse kalfi.


cauf

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


haaf

From Old Norse haf (“the sea”). Cognate with Danish hav, Old English hæf (Etymology 2).

(archaic, Northern Isles) the deep sea beyond coastal waters

(fishing, Shetland) the deep-sea fishing carried out 30-40 miles offshore in open boats

(fishing, Northern Isles) deep-sea fishing, especially for cod, ling, tusk, etc.


fou

head

fou (comparative mair fou, superlative maist fou)

mair fou (comparative)
maist fou (superlative)

Derived from Old English full, from Proto-West Germanic *full, from Proto-Germanic *fullaz, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós.

well-fed, full of food or drink, sated, replete

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


plaid

Uncertain; perhaps from a past participle form of ply.


pow

From Middle English pol, polle ("scalp, pate"). Cognate with English poll ("scalp").

Three times the carline grain'd and rifted, / Then frae the cod her pow she lifted. Three times the old woman groaned and belched, then from the pillow her head she lifted. (Allan Ramsay, ‘Lucky Spence's Last Advice’)


fer

fer (comparative ferther, superlative ferthest)

ferther (comparative)
ferthest (superlative)


aire

Alternative form of air (“small quantity”)


broach

From Middle Scots broche, from Middle English broche, from Old French broche, from Vulgar Latin *brocca, originally a feminine form of Latin broccus; possibly ultimately of Gaulish provenance.

(archaic) A slender or thin person (especially as a nickname).


feu

(Scots law, property law) feud, tenure, piece of land held by that tenure


feu

feu (third-person singular simple present feus, present participle feuin, simple past feuit, past participle feuit)

feus (present singular third-person)
feuin (participle present)
feuit (past)
feuit (participle past)


aye

From Old Norse ei, ey, cognate with Old English ā. See the etymology for the English word above.

A'll aye be wi ye an A'm nae carin whit thay sae.

I'll always be with you and I don't care what they say.

It'll aye be the same wi thaim thou.

It'll still be the same with them though.


patch

patch (third-person singular simple present patches, present participle patchin, simple past patched, past participle patched)

patches (present singular third-person)
patchin (participle present)
patched (past)
patched (participle past)

(slang) to ignore or fail to notice someone.


lair

"Ower mony a fair-farrant an rare beuk o precious lair" (second line of "The Raven" translated into Scots).


bairn

→ English: bairn

Inherited from Middle English barn, bern, from Old English bearn (“child, son, descendant, offspring, issue, progeny”) and Old Norse barn (“child”), from Proto-Germanic *barną (“child”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear, bring forth”).
Cognate with West Frisian bern (“child”), North Frisian baern, born (“child”), Middle High German barn (“child, son, daughter”), Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Faroese and Icelandic barn (“child”), Albanian barrë (“pregnancy, child”).

cog

A went tae that schuil whan A wis a wee bairn an aw.

I also went to that school when I was a young child


bairn

head

bairn (third-person singular simple present bairns, present participle bairnin, simple past bairnt, past participle bairnt)

bairns (present singular third-person)
bairnin (participle present)
bairnt (past)
bairnt (participle past)

Whaiver he wis, he'd bairned her.


aitch

Orthographically from English aitch, but phonetically a regular reflex of Middle English ache, from Old French ache, from Vulgar Latin *acca, probably an extension of earlier ha, from an unindentified source.

The name of the Latin-script letter H/h.


ay

yes; yea; a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question


Adam

From Middle English Adam, from Latin Ādāmus, Ādām, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám).


Peter

From Middle English Peter, from Old English Petrus, from Latin Petrus, from Ancient Greek Πέτρος (Pétros), from πέτρος (pétros, “stone, rock”).

a male given name, equivalent to English Peter


like

like (third-person singular simple present likes, present participle likin, simple past likit, past participle likit)

likes (present singular third-person)
likin (participle present)
likit (past)
likit (participle past)

From Old English līcian (“to be pleasing”).

I dinna like.


like

Oo jist saw it the now, like.

(Southern Scots) Used to place emphasis upon a statement.


anent

From Middle English anent, anempt (“insofar as, inasmuch as, in comparison with, with respect to, as regards, concerning, in the opinion or judgment of; next to, close to, up to, near, adjoining, across from, over against, facing”), from Old English onemn (“by; near”); equivalent to modern in + even. Compare Dutch neven, German neben.

foreanent

over against, opposite to; on the opposite side

thareanent

the matter already mentioned, relating to what has been said above

in a line with, on a level with, alongside of

before the face of, in the presence of (of persons)

fronting, opposite, over against (of position)


corrie

From Scottish Gaelic coire (“caldron”); compare Irish coire.

a hollow between hills; a cirque on a hillside


corrie

corrie (third-person singular simple present corries, present participle corriein, simple past corriet, past participle corriet)

corries (present singular third-person)
corriein (participle present)
corriet (past)
corriet (participle past)

alternative spelling of coorie (“to stoop; to snuggle”)


heal

From Old English hǣlth, from or related to Proto-West Germanic *hail.


spay

From Northern Middle English spā, from Old Norse spá (“to foretell, prophesy”), from Proto-Germanic *spahōną, *spehōną (“to observe”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look”). Cognate with Old High German spehōn (“to peer, spy”) (whence German spähen), Middle Dutch spien, spieden (“to spy”) (whence Dutch spieden). More at spy.


spay

spay (third-person singular simple present spays, present participle spayin, simple past spayed, past participle spayed)

spays (present singular third-person)
spayin (participle present)
spayed (past)
spayed (participle past)


-na

didna ("did not")

canna ("can not")

daurna ("dare not")

michtna ("might not")


bud

(16th-century, archaic, poetic) A bribe or reward.


bud

bud (third-person singular simple present buds, present participle budin, simple past budt, past participle budt)

buds (present singular third-person)
budin (participle present)
budt (past)
budt (participle past)


gad

Unknown. Possibly from gaud (“a bar of iron; a rod”). Alternatively, compare Icelandic gaddr (“packed snow”). Attested from the 19th century.


gad

Unknown. Attested from the 20th century. Compare caddle, cad (“stones used to play the game of cherry pit”). Compare also Scottish Gaelic gad (“a twig, stick”).

a ball of wood or cork used to play shinty


wast

wast (comparative mair wast, superlative maist wast)

mair wast (comparative)
maist wast (superlative)

Inherited from Middle English west, from Old English west, from Proto-West Germanic *westr, from Proto-Germanic *westraz, from Proto-Indo-European *wek(ʷ)speros. Cognate to English west.


wast

She wis walkin wast the road.


haver

→ English: haver

From Middle English haver, from Old Norse hafri (“oat, oats”), from Proto-Germanic *habrô (“oat, oats”), from Proto-Indo-European *kapro- (“goat”).


haver

haver (third-person singular simple present havers, present participle haverin, simple past havert, past participle havert)

havers (present singular third-person)
haverin (participle present)
havert (past)
havert (participle past)


flether

flether (third-person singular simple present flethers, present participle fletherin, simple past flethert, past participle flethert)

flethers (present singular third-person)
fletherin (participle present)
flethert (past)
flethert (participle past)

1786, Robert Burns, A Dedication to Gavin Hamilton, Esq.
Expect na, Sir, in this narration,
A fleechin’, fleth’rin dedication,

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


-less

From Middle English -les, from Old English -lēas (“-less”).

lacking; without. Added usually to a noun to form an adjective signifying a lack of that noun.


station

From Middle English stācioun, from Anglo-Norman estation, from Latin statiōnem, accusative of statiō (“standing, post, job, position”).


ill

ill (comparative waur, superlative warst)


lassie

Middle English, probably of North Germanic origin and related to Old Norse laskwa (“unmarried”) (feminine adjective), but of unknown ultimate origin.


lei

lei (third-person singular simple present leis, present participle leiin, simple past leid, past participle leid)

leis (present singular third-person)
leiin (participle present)
leid (past)
leid (participle past)

(Southern Scots) Alternative form of lee.


-in

From Middle English -ing, from Old English -ing, -ung, from Proto-West Germanic *-ingu, *-ungu.

Used to form present participles of verbs.


-in

From Middle English -ing, from Old English -ing.

Forms diminutives or to form collectives.


dirk

From earlier durk, of uncertain origin; perhaps related to German Dolch (“dagger”).


dirk

dirk (third-person singular simple present dirks, present participle dirkin, simple past dirkt, past participle dirkt)

dirks (present singular third-person)
dirkin (participle present)
dirkt (past)
dirkt (participle past)


caff

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


caff

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

Chaff; the parts of harvested grain not usable as food, especially straw or husks.


canker

Middle English canker, cancre, Old English cancer, akin to Dutch kanker, Old High German chanchar. From Latin cancer (“a cancer”).


canker

canker (third-person singular simple present cankers, present participle cankerin, simple past cankert, past participle cankert)

cankers (present singular third-person)
cankerin (participle present)
cankert (past)
cankert (participle past)

(archaic) To become bad-tempered, to fret, to worry.


Abe

a male given name, equivalent to English Albert


bandy

Bowlegged, or bending outward at the knees; as in bandy legged.


bide

From Old English bīdan, from Proto-Germanic.

Tae bide somewhaur: to dwell somewhere.

Tae bide: to dwell.

Whaur dae ye bide?: where do you live?

"Bide and fecht!" (traditional Scots phrase meaning "Stay and fight!")


lave

Middle Scots lave, laif, lafe (“remainder, rest, that which is left”), from Old English lāf (“lave, remainder, rest”). Akin to Old High German leiba (“lave”), Old Norse leif (“lave”), Old English belīfan (“to remain”). More at leave.

der

Ye are bit a wumman lik the lave, an ye maun thole the brunt o whit life mey bring.

Now we're married - speir nae mair, / But whistle o'er the lave o't!

1789, Robert Burns, Whistle O'er The Lave O't


cole

Uncertain; possibly from Old French coillir (Modern French cueillir) or Old Norse kollr.

(archaic, agriculture) A haycock, hayrick, bundle of straw.


cole

head

cole (third-person singular simple present coles, present participle colein, simple past colet, past participle colet)

coles (present singular third-person)
colein (participle present)
colet (past)
colet (participle past)

(archaic, agriculture) To put hay in a cole.


addle

From Middle English adel (“rotten”), from Old English adel, adela (“mire, pool, liquid excrement”), from Proto-West Germanic *adal.

inh

foul, putrid, issuing from a cowhouse or dunghill.


addle

foul and putrid water, ditch water, byre wash, liquid manure.


addle

To water the roots of plants with the urine of cattle.


kirk

Inherited from Northern Middle English kyrke, from either Old Norse kirkja or Old English cirice.


kirk

head

kirk (third-person singular simple present kirks, present participle kirkin, simple past kirkit, past participle kirkit)

kirks (present singular third-person)
kirkin (participle present)
kirkit (past)
kirkit (participle past)

(transitive) to bring to church for burial


gam

The etymology of the original meaning of tooth is unclear but the later senses probably developed by conflation with the English word gum, which has a similar sound and also refers to a part of the lower mouth.

The lower part of the face, consisting of the mouth, lips and jaw.

For quotations using this term, see Citations:gam.


mouser

Apparently an extended usage of English mouser (“a cat”), hence a cat’s whiskers, jocularly transferred to human beings, possibly with influence from moustache.


boo

boo (third-person singular simple present booes, present participle booin, simple past boo'd, past participle boo'd)

booes (present singular third-person)
booin (participle present)
boo'd (past)
boo'd (participle past)

From Middle English buwen, buȝen, bowen, from Old English būgan, from Proto-West Germanic *beugan, from Proto-Germanic *beuganą, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰūgʰ- (“to bend”). Cognate with English bow, Dutch buigen, German biegen, Danish bue.


hoy

hoy (third-person singular simple present hoy, present participle hoyin, simple past hoyed, past participle hoyed)

hoy (present singular third-person)
hoyin (participle present)
hoyed (past)
hoyed (participle past)


prig

prig (third-person singular simple present prigs, present participle prigin, simple past prigt, past participle prigt)

prigs (present singular third-person)
prigin (participle present)
prigt (past)
prigt (participle past)

unk

unknown

Sum treitcheoure crynis the cunye, and kepis corne stakkis; Sum prig penny, sum pyke thank with preny promit.

Men wha grew wise priggin owre hops and raisins,


shaw

From Middle English schewen, schawen, scheawen, from Old English scēawian, from Proto-Germanic *skawwōną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewh₁-.


shaw

head

shaw (third-person singular simple present shaws, present participle shawin, simple past shawt, past participle shawt)

shaws (present singular third-person)
shawin (participle present)
shawt (past)
shawt (participle past)


swank

swank (comparative mair swank, superlative maist swank)

mair swank (comparative)
maist swank (superlative)


preen

From Middle English pren, from Old English prēon, from Proto-Germanic *preunaz (“pin, knitting needle”).


preen

head

preen (third-person singular simple present preens, present participle preenin, simple past preent, past participle preent)

preens (present singular third-person)
preenin (participle present)
preent (past)
preent (participle past)


twa

From Middle English twa, northern form of two.

"A twa-horse wark, maybe? or dee ye make it oot wi' ae beast an' an owse?"

1875, William Alexander, Sketches of Life Among My Ain Folk, page 51


yammer

yammer (third-person singular simple present yammers, present participle yammerin, simple past yammert, past participle yammert)

yammers (present singular third-person)
yammerin (participle present)
yammert (past)
yammert (participle past)


-en

From Middle English -en, from Old English -en (“characteristic of; made of”).

inh

Attached to a noun to form an adjective describing something as characteristic of, like, or pertaining to that noun.

Attached to a noun that denotes a material to form an adjective describing something as made of that material.


blithe

head

blithe (comparative blither, superlative blithest)

blither (comparative)
blithest (superlative)

From Middle English blithe, from Old English blīþe, from Proto-West Germanic *blīþī, from Proto-Germanic *blīþiz. Cognate with Danish blid, Dutch blij, Icelandic blíður. Compare bliss.

A howp ye haed a blithe birthday


ream

Late Middle English, from Old English ream (“cream”).


canny

canny (comparative mair canny, superlative maist canny)

mair canny (comparative)
maist canny (superlative)

From the verb can (“to know”), from Middle English can, first and third person singular of cunnen, connen (“to be able, know how to”), from Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”).

der

(archaic) with supernatural or occult powers


nave

ah'll cheust tak a nave-fil

He wis rorrin' and shaftin' his nave


Erse

Inherited from Middle English Irish, perhaps influenced by Old Norse írskr and its descendants.


wale

From Middle English wal, wale, from Old Norse val (“choice”), from Proto-Germanic *walą, *walō (“desire, choice”), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“to choose, wish”).
Akin to Old Norse velja (“to choose”), Old High German wala (“choice”) (German wählen (“to choose”)), Old English willan (“to want”).


wale

head

wale (third-person singular simple present wales, present participle walin, simple past waled, past participle waled)

wales (present singular third-person)
walin (participle present)
waled (past)
waled (participle past)


champ

champ (third-person singular simple present champs, present participle champin, simple past champit, past participle champit)

champs (present singular third-person)
champin (participle present)
champit (past)
champit (participle past)

Late Middle English, probably imitative.

onomatopoeic

imitative

champer

an implement for mashing or crushing etc., a pestle


champ

imitative

(geography) a stretch of ground trodden into a miry state, a quagmire


geld

head

geld (comparative mair geld, superlative maist geld)

mair geld (comparative)
maist geld (superlative)


hag

From Middle English haggen (“to hack, chop, cut”), from Old Norse hǫggva (“to hew”). Compare English hag, above. Noun attested from the 14th century in Older Scots, with the verb from c. 1400.

inh

a stroke of an axe or similar instrument

the felling of timber; the quantity of wood felled

a quagmire from which peat or turf is cut


hag

head

hag (third-person singular simple present hags, present participle haggin, simple past hagg'd, past participle haggit)

hags (present singular third-person)
haggin (participle present)
hagg'd (past)
haggit (participle past)

to chop (wood); to hack; to dig out (coal etc.)

[…]and the rawzor haggit like a saw—Trumbull o’ Selkirk makes good rawzors, but the weans are unco fond of playing wi’ mine, puir things—Od keep us!

1829, C.N. [John Wilson], “Noctes Ambrosianæ”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, page 789

when the razor is hacked like a saw-tooth—Trumbull from Selkirk makes good razors, but the children are uncommonly fond of playing with mine, the poor things—then God help us!

(figurative) to make a hash of (something)


hag

Unknown. Perhaps from Etymology 1 above, “to hack”, thus “castrate”. Compare hogg (“a young sheep”). Attested from the 19th century.

a cattleman, one who raises cattle or oxen


hag

From Icelandic hagga (“to budge; to put out of place”). Attested from the 20th century.


hie

Of his harnes in hy, he hynt withoutin hone / And in ane Rob him arrayit richeſt of ane

a. 1500, “The Taill of Rauf Coilyear”, in David Laing, editor, Select Remains of the Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland, Edinburgh: Balfour and Clarke, published 1822, page 44

With thir wourdis he answerd me in hy: / The latter day is cumin of Dardanis end, / The fatale tyme quam na waling ma mend;

1513, Virgil, translated by Gavin Douglas, edited by John Small, Aeneid [The Bukes of Eneados of the Famose Poete Virgill], Edinburgh: William Paterson, published 1874, pages 87–88

Quhilk quhen thay saw, with speid thay ran in hy, […]

1572, Robert Sempill, “The Lamentatioun of Lady Scotland, &c.”, in The Sempill Ballates, Edinburgh: Thomas George Stevenson, published 1872, page 170

Which when they saw, wih speed they ran in haste

The quhilk but dowt wil be my deid / In hy, / For every man obtenis remeid, / Bot I.

a. 1597, Alexander Montgomery, edited by David Irving, The Poems of Alexander Montgomery, Edinburgh: James Ballantyne and Co., published 1821, page 168


hoot

Imitative. Compare English tut, Scottish Gaelic och.

Precedes a disagreeing or contradictory statement.

An expression of annoyance or disapproval.


hoot

head

hoot (third-person singular simple present hoots, present participle hootin, simple past hootit, past participle hootit)

hoots (present singular third-person)
hootin (participle present)
hootit (past)
hootit (participle past)

(transitive or intransitive) To dismiss idly with contempt or derision; to flout; to pooh-pooh.


greet

greet (third-person singular simple present greets, present participle greetin, simple past grat or grettit, past participle grutten)

greets (present singular third-person)
greetin (participle present)
grat (past)
grettit (past)
grutten (participle past)

From a blend of two Old English verbs, grētan (cognate with Swedish gråta', Danish græde) and grēotan (of uncertain ultimate origin), both ‘weep, lament’.

Then Sandy jumpit oot the boat, an he ran an ran greetin an sobbin an sobbin an greetin. An when he ran up tae the fairm, this ceilidh's still gaun on, see? an the pot o sowens is still on the fire! An he cam in howlin an greetin an sobbin, an the laird says tae him, ‘Whit's adae wi ye, Sandy?'

2008, Gordon Jarvie, Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales from Burns to Buchan, Penguin UK

Then Sandy jumped out of the boat, and he ran and ran weeping and sobbing and sobbing and weeping. And when he ran up to the farm, this ceilidh's still going on, see? And the pot of flummery is still on the fire! And he came in howling and weeping and sobbing, and the lord of the manor says to him, 'What's the matter with you, Sandy?'

Thinking o Regula hid me greetin aw ae a sudden.

2013, Donal McLaughlin, transl., Naw Much of a Talker, Freight Books, translation of Der Goalie bin ig by Pedro Lenz, page 5

Thinking of Regula had me weeping all of a sudden.


greet

greet (comparative greeter, superlative greetest)

greeter (comparative)
greetest (superlative)


goad

From Old English god, of Germanic origin.


reek

From Middle English rek, reke (“smoke”), from Old English rēc, rīec, from Proto-West Germanic *rauki, from Proto-Germanic *raukiz. Compare Swedish rök.

A morning mist rising out of the ground.

The act of smoking a pipe or cigarette, a whiff, puff.


reek

reek (third-person singular simple present reeks, present participle reekin, simple past reekt, past participle reekt)

reeks (present singular third-person)
reekin (participle present)
reekt (past)
reekt (participle past)

Of a chimney: to emit smoke, to fail to emit smoke properly, sending it back into the room.

To smoke a pipe etc. To emit vapour or steam.

To show anger or fury, to fume, pour out one's spleen.


syne

Inherited from Middle English sīn, northern form of sithen, from Old English siþþan.


raid

desctree

→ English: raid, rade (Scotland)
→ Spanish: raid
→ French: raid
→ Italian: raid
→ Polish: rajd
→ Romanian: raid
→ Swedish: räd

From Middle English rade, northern variant of rode, from Old English rād.


sleek

head

sleek (comparative sleeker, superlative sleekest)

sleeker (comparative)
sleekest (superlative)


sleek

sleek (third-person singular simple present sleeks, present participle sleekin, simple past sleekit, past participle sleekit)

sleeks (present singular third-person)
sleekin (participle present)
sleekit (past)
sleekit (participle past)

→ Irish: slíoc


Yule

From Middle English yol, from Old English ġeōl. See English Yule.


tint

An efterhin he tint a lot o weicht

simple past tense and past participle of tyne


worth

worth (comparative mair worth, superlative maist worth)

mair worth (comparative)
maist worth (superlative)


vow

Probably originally imitative. Compare wow.

She ventur’d forward on the light:

1790, Robert Burns, Tam O’ Shanter, published 1815

And, vow! Tam saw an unco sight!
She ventured forward into the light: And hey! Tam saw a strange sight!

exclamation of astonishment, pleasure, or admiration


tent

Inherited from Middle English tenth, tenthe.


adduce

head

adduce (third-person singular simple present adduces, present participle adducin, simple past adduced, past participle adduced)

adduces (present singular third-person)
adducin (participle present)
adduced (past)
adduced (participle past)

Borrowed from Latin adducere, adductum (“to lead or bring to”).

to adduce (bring forward or offer, as an argument, passage, or consideration which bears on a statement or case)

(transitive, Scots law) to adduce (produce in proof)


poem

From Middle French poème, from Latin poēma, from Ancient Greek ποίημα (poíēma), from ποιέω (poiéō, “I make”).

1985, John J. Graham, "E Wir ain aald language. Writin ida Shetland dialect", in Manfred Görlach, Focus on Scotland, John Benjamins Publishing Company, page 193.
Hit wisna till weel trowe da nineteent century at Shetlanders tried der haand at writin ida dialect — maistly poems, wi a antrin story noo an dan.

And Hugh MacDiarmid was and is A Brawli Makar, for as siccan folk hand tae 't as thrugaun as a poem itsel, he daes, an daes he no.

The pseudonym TSL first thocht on uisin stertin oot ti publish his wark wis Thrawn, an he uised this for whit we think micht be his first published poem in a Sooth African paper at haes (for nou) hidden itsel ower again amang the files.


gang

gang (third-person singular simple present gangs, present participle gaun, simple past gaed, past participle gaen)

gangs (present singular third-person)
gaun (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).

And I will love thee still, my dear

Till a’ the seas gang dry.
(please add an English translation of this quotation)

"There you gang," she cries, "troking wi' thae wearifu' Pharisees o' Caulds, whae daurna darken your mither's door. A bonnie dutiful child, quotha! Wumman, hae ye nae pride?—no even the mense o' a tinkler-lass?"


commonly

commonly (comparative mair commonly, superlative maist commonly)

mair commonly (comparative)
maist commonly (superlative)


slap

The mosses, waters, slaps and stiles, / That lie between us and our hame


addict

addict (third-person singular simple present addicts, present participle addictin, simple past addictit, past participle addictit)

addicts (present singular third-person)
addictin (participle present)
addictit (past)
addictit (participle past)


waw

From Old English wagian (“wave, undulate”).


aw

The name of the Latin-script letter A/a.


message

go the messages


simmer

From Middle English sumer, from Old English sumor, from Proto-West Germanic *sumar, from Proto-Germanic *sumaraz.


electromagnetic

From electro- (“electro-”) + magnetic (“magnetic”).


makar

From Middle English maker; equivalent to English maker.


breeks

→ Scottish Gaelic: briogais

Bools are maybe walth tae him,
But they're loss tae me;
There he's comin' wi' his breeks

The Plague o' Playin' Bools, in Poems and Songs chiefly in the Scottish Language (1877), edited by James M. Neilson


fower

Inherited from Middle English fower, from Old English feōwer, from Proto-Germanic *fedwōr, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwóres.


worry

From Middle English worien, from Old English wyrġan, from Proto-Germanic *wurgijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *werǵʰ- (“bind, squeeze”).