gills

third-person singular simple present indicative form of gill


specify

head

specify (third-person singular simple present specifies/specifieis, present participle specifyand, simple past specifeit/specified, past participle specifeit/specified)

specifies (present singular third-person)
specifieis (present singular third-person)
specifyand (participle present)
specifeit (past)
specified (past)
specifeit (participle past)
specified (participle past)
specify (infinitive)
to specify (infinitive)
specify (first-person present singular)
specifit (first-person preterite singular)
specifeis (present second-person singular)
specifit (preterite second-person singular)
specifeis (present singular third-person)
specifit (preterite singular third-person)
specify (present)
specifit (preterite)
specify (þow)! (present singular)
specify (ȝe)! (present)
specifand (present)
specifit (past)

Inherited from Middle English specifie, from Old French specefier, from Latin specifico.

(Middle Scots, transitive) to set down or state (something) explicitly, relate in detail, name or mention particularly (in a document, council, etc.)

(Middle Scots, transitive) to invest with a specific character


blackmail

/ˈblɒːkʰɱɑːl/

(archaic) A tribute paid, usually in kind, to reivers or raiders as a form of protection money.

Payment of money exacted by means of intimidation.


blackmail

blackmail (third-person singular simple present blackmails, present participle blackmailin, simple past blackmailt, past participle blackmailt)

blackmails (present singular third-person)
blackmailin (participle present)
blackmailt (past)
blackmailt (participle past)

/ˈblɒːkʰɱɑːl/

To extort money from another by means of intimidation.


feck

From Early Scots fek, aphetic form of Middle English effect, from Old French effect.

A large amount, or the majority of something.


yank

Unknown; likely imitative. Compare whang (“a blow”).

I took up my neive an’ gae him a yank on the haffat till I gart his bit brass cap rattle against the wa’.

1833, James Hogg, The Brownie of Bodsbeck, page 51

I raised my fist and gave him a blow on the temple that made his little brass cap rattle against the wall.


yank

yank (third-person singular simple present yanks, present participle yankin, simple past yankt, past participle yankt)

yanks (present singular third-person)
yankin (participle present)
yankt (past)
yankt (participle past)


meh

Eh hud meh eh on a peh.


wield

From Old English wieldan (“to control”), a derivative of wealdan (“to govern”), from Proto-West Germanic *waldan. Cognate with German walten, Swedish vålla.


affront

affront (third-person singular simple present affronts, present participle affrontin, simple past affrontit, past participle affrontit)

affronts (present singular third-person)
affrontin (participle present)
affrontit (past)
affrontit (participle past)

From Middle English afrounten, from Old French afronter (“to defy”), from Vulgar Latin *affrontāre (“to hit in the face”).

der

to affront; cause to feel ashamed; cause to blush; to humiliate (in front of others), to offend (not necessarily with intention).


grit

head

grit (comparative mair grit, superlative maist grit)

mair grit (comparative)
maist grit (superlative)


Wilton

From Early Scots Weltoun, perhaps ultimately from Old English wilġ tūn (“farm by the willows”).


fishwife

(derogatory) woman of coarse behaviour, temperament and vocabulary


coch

Middle English; of imitative origin. See also German keuchen, Dutch kuchen.

onomatopoeic

imitative


coch

head

coch (third-person singular simple present cochs, present participle cochin, simple past cocht, past participle cocht)

cochs (present singular third-person)
cochin (participle present)
cocht (past)
cocht (participle past)

onomatopoeic

imitative


dander

To go for a dander on the beach.

(Ulster) A gentle meandering walk with no particular haste or purpose.


dander

To dander along the beach.

(Ulster) To walk along with no particular haste.


Eid

English: Eid

From Old Norse Eið, from eið (“isthmus”).

Aith (a village in Mainland, Shetland, Northern Isles, Scotland, United Kingdom)


Gordon

From Early Scots Gordoun, from Old English gor-dūn (“mud hill”), from gor + dun.

Gordon (a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)


cootie

Diminutive of cood possibly influenced by kittie (“a large washing-chamber”).

(obsolete) A wooden dish or tub for kitchen use.


cootie

a cootie hen

Ye cootie moorcocks

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


flit

head

flit (third-person singular simple present flits, present participle flittin, simple past flittit, past participle flittit)

flits (present singular third-person)
flittin (participle present)
flittit (past)
flittit (participle past)


scone

Possibly from Middle Low German schö̂ne (“fine flour bread”), or from Greek σκόνη (skóni, “dust”) or Middle Dutch schoonbroot (“fine bread; a kind of flat angular loaf”), from schoon (“fine”) + broot (“bread”); alternatively, Scottish Gaelic sgonn (“lump, mouthful”).

der

to strike the surface of something with some flat object


scone

scaudit scone

a scone of barley or wheat mixed with hot milk or water

a semisweet cake made of wheat or barley flour, usually large and round


ca'

head

ca' (third-person singular simple present caas, present participle caain, simple past caad, past participle caad)

caas (present singular third-person)
caain (participle present)
caad (past)
caad (participle past)


caddie

→ English: caddie, caddy, cad


redd

redd (third-person singular simple present redds, present participle reddin, simple past redd, past participle redd)

redds (present singular third-person)
reddin (participle present)
redd (past)
redd (participle past)

From Middle English redden, from Old English hreddan, from Proto-West Germanic *hraddjan, from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną.

to tidy see modern Norwegian rydde, to tidy


lamp

lamp (third-person singular simple present lamps, present participle lampin, simple past lampt, past participle lampt)

lamps (present singular third-person)
lampin (participle present)
lampt (past)
lampt (participle past)


eneu (eneuch, "enough"), lea (leave, "leave")

Replaces one or more letters which have been removed from a word.

de'il (deil, "devil")

apologetic apostrophe
apologetic apostrophe#English

The apologetic apostrophe: inserted into a Scots word to give the appearance that it is a contraction of an English word.


gin

Cognate to dialectal English gin (“if”), which see for more.

Gin A war ye, A wad gang.

Then says the squire,

1778, Alexander Ross, Fortunate Shepherdess, page 124

Gin that be all your fear,
She sanna want a man, for want of gear.
A thousand pounds a year, well burthen free,
I mak her sure of, gin she'll gang with me.
(please add an English translation of this quotation)


gin

gin night


gully

God than he lewch and owre the dyk lap, / And owt of his scheith his gully owtgatt.


notably

notably (comparative mair notably, superlative maist notably)

mair notably (comparative)
maist notably (superlative)


sassenach

From Scottish Gaelic Sasannach (“Saxon”).


disable

disable (third-person singular simple present disables, present participle disablein, simple past disablet, past participle disablet)

disables (present singular third-person)
disablein (participle present)
disablet (past)
disablet (participle past)


lee

lee (third-person singular simple present lees, present participle leein, simple past leet, past participle leet)

lees (present singular third-person)
leein (participle present)
leet (past)
leet (participle past)

‘It’s a lee,’ says the man; ‘she’s either drunk or daft.’ / ‘Me drunk, you ill-tongued vagabond!’ says my Auntie Kirsty, who couldna bear such a reproach on her good name, ‘I’m a’ but blackfasting this day from either meat or drink; you had better no meddle wi’ my character.’

1876, S[arah] R. Whitehead, “On the Wrong Coach”, in Daft Davie and Other Sketches of Scottish Life and Character, London: Hodder and Stoughton, […], →OCLC, page 220


publicly

Albeit I have stayit here in Edinburgh ane year and three months bygane, craving ever to be tryit of the unhappy slaughter of my umquhile Lord of Spynie, whereof I protest before God and your Majesty I am maist innocent, my Lord of Crawford will neither call me (prosecute me) therefor, nor stay, baith privately and publicly, yea in face of your Majesty's honourable Privy Council, to calumniate me.

1858, Alexander Crawford Lindsay, quoting Lord Edzell, Lives of the Lindsays, page 388

officially, in the presence of public representatives or on behalf the public


gill

[…]it will be strange if you and me part dry mouthed ; mony a gill I’ve got frae you ; it’s my turn this time.

1864, James Patterson, Reminiscences of Auld Ayr, page 101

a measure of liquid equivalent to one-fourth of a mutchkin or three quarters of an Imperial gill, about 110 millilitres; (by extension) a serving of drink


gill

gill (third-person singular simple present gills, present participle gilling, simple past gill'd, past participle gill'd)

gills (present singular third-person)
gilling (participle present)
gill'd (past)
gill'd (participle past)


gill

From Old Norse gil, Norwegian gjel (“gorge, ravine”), attested a. 1500.

a narrow valley with steep sides, a gully


fermer

From Middle English fermour; compare English farmer.


-ment

Forms nouns from verbs, usually indicating a resulting action or state.


sind

From Middle English sinden (“to wash, rinse out”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old Norse synda (“to swim”).


-ness

From Middle English -nes, -nesse, from Old English -nis, -nes, from Proto-West Germanic *-nassī.

Affixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns which denote a quality, state or condition.


fuil

From Middle English fole (“fool”), from Old French fol, from Latin follis. Cognate with English fool.

“Hout, no,” said Aunt Jean, disturbed a little, yet confident, “fha would tell the like of Patricia or Joan—fuils and bairns!—and as for the like of my niece herself, she’s muckle taken up with her ain bits of troubles—she might hear of it at the time, but she would forget the day after; naebody minds but me.”

1858, Margaret Oliphant, The Laird of Norlaw, volume 2, page 325

“Tut, no,” said Aunt Jean, disturbed a little yet confident. “Who would tell the like of Patricia or Joan—they are fools and children! And as for my niece herself, she’s greatly taken up with her own troubles. She might hear of it at the time, but she would forget the day after. Nobody cares but me.”


fuil

head

fuil (comparative mair fuil, superlative maist fuil)

mair fuil (comparative)
maist fuil (superlative)

Money! Na! it’s ideas and no that sordid trash, that tempts me.

1858, Margaret Oliphant, The Laird of Norlaw, volume 1, page 202

“And the mair fuil you!” said Big John, half in chagrin, half in admiration.
“Money! No! it’s ideas and not that sordid trash that tempts me.”
“And you’re even more foolish!” said Big John, half in chagrin, half in admiration.

Ye see I’d had a fleg ae day when I was passin’ the asylum. The gates burst open an’ a’ the fule fowk cam’ runnin’ oot, skelachin’ as they gaed doon the road.

1940, John William Robertson Scott, The Countryman, page 92

You see, I suffered a fright one day when I passing the asylum. The gates opened and all of the crazy people came running out, hooting as they went down the road.


bocht

simple past tense and past participle of buy


nicher

nicher (third-person singular simple present nichers, present participle nicherin, simple past nichert, past participle nichert)

nichers (present singular third-person)
nicherin (participle present)
nichert (past)
nichert (participle past)

To nicker; to make a soft neighing sound.


fud

Probably from Old Norse fuð, related to German Fotze, Futze, Fut, Fud.

Howey wi ye coupla fuds!

(literally, “Away with you, you couple of idiots!”)


wham

Scots (canonical)
wham Bruce has aften led. Scots (canonical)
whom Bruce has often led. (canonical)


wick

From Norwegian vik, from Old Norse vík, from víkja (“to move, bend, curve”), from Proto-Germanic *wīkwaną.

Walter Scott (1821) The Pirate (in Scots): “By air and by wick, and by helyer and gio, And by every wild shore which the northern winds know.”

an open bight or inlet of the sea, a bay


lang

lang (comparative langer, superlative langest)

langer (comparative)
langest (superlative)

From Middle English lang, from Old English lang (“long, tall, lasting”). Cognate with English long.


aller

From Old English alor, from Proto-West Germanic *aliʀu, from Proto-Germanic *aluz, *alusō (compare Swedish al, Saterland Frisian ällerboom), variant of *alizō, *alisō (compare Dutch els, German Erle).


dour

→ English: dour

From Middle Irish dúr, from Latin dūrus (“hard”).


ware

From Middle English ware, from Old English wār, from Proto-West Germanic *wair, ultimately related to Proto-Germanic *wīraz; compare wire.


trot

head

trot (third-person singular simple present trots, present participle trottin, simple past trottit, past participle trottit)

trots (present singular third-person)
trottin (participle present)
trottit (past)
trottit (participle past)

From Middle English trotten, from Old French trotter, troter (“to go, trot”), from Medieval Latin *trottō, *trotō (“to go”), from Frankish *trottōn (“to go, run”), from Proto-Germanic *trudōną, *trudaną, *tradjaną (“to go, step, tread”), from Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- (“to run, escape”).

der

to flow rapidly and noisily, purl, ripple (of water)


trot

jeoparty trot

a quick motion between running and walking

job-trot

a slow, monotonous or easy going pace, the settled routine or way of doing things


brig

→ English: brig, brigg

From Middle English brig, from Old Norse bryggja.

Stirling Brig

“Dinna flatter me,” said James;[…]replacing his glasses on the brig of his nose, he then read us a screed of metre[…].

“Don’t flatter me,” said James; […] replacing his glasses on the bridge of his nose, he then read us a screed of metre.


coo

From Old English cū, from Proto-West Germanic *kō (“cow”).


baloo

song or tune with similar form to a lullaby


affor

[I] know somwhat from other partyys that imagenys by som prewe conwoyanssis that is in demenyng be twyx France and Spaeyn that affor the monyth of Augost next comyng that ther salbe peace maede betwyx the Emperor and the Frenche Kyng.

1526-1534, John Hackett, as quoted in The Letters of Sir John Hackett (1971, West Virginia University Library)

7 April 1565 William Chambers, Charters and Documents Relating to the Burgh of Peebles (1872, Scottish Burgh Records Society), page 299

The counsall ordanis the scuill master to provid ane doctur to tech the scuill, and ilk honest man that hes bairnis to gif the said doctur his meit about, and ordanis the said master to wait himself better on the bairnis nor he doid affor tyme as he will andssur to thame thairvpon.

... hagbuttares on horsbak com to this towne of Stryviling quhair all the nobilite vas assemblit, enterit vytin the towne affor any vytin knew of them.

17C, William R. Boyd, Calendar of the State Papers related to Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots 1547-1603

Item in Jun anno affor writyn, rassauit fra W. Hoper for fynans that my Lord maid wt hys fadir 500 ducatis.

1867, Ledger of Andrew Halyburton, Scotland: H. M. General Register House, page 214


explicitly

head

explicitly (comparative mair explicitly, superlative maist explicitly)

mair explicitly (comparative)
maist explicitly (superlative)

From explicit (“explicit”) + -ly (“-ly”).


heft

The noun is probably derived from Old Norse hefð (“occupation; possession; prescriptive right”), from hafa (“to have; to keep, retain”), from Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to have; to hold”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-, *keh₂p- (“to hold; to seize”).
The verb is probably derived from Old Norse hefða (“to acquire prescriptive rights”), from hefð (noun): see above.
Both the noun and verb may have been influenced by Scots heft (“(noun) handle of an implement, haft; (verb) to fit (an implement) with a handle”).

noncog

A piece of pastureland which farm animals (chiefly cattle or sheep) have become accustomed to.

A flock or group of farm animals (chiefly cattle or sheep) which have become accustomed to a particular piece of pastureland.


heft

head

heft (third-person singular simple present hefts, present participle heftin, simple past heftit, past participle heftit)

hefts (present singular third-person)
heftin (participle present)
heftit (past)
heftit (participle past)

(agriculture) To accustom (a flock or group of farm animals, chiefly cattle or sheep) to a piece of pastureland.

To establish or settle (someone) in an occupation or place of residence.

To establish or plant (something) firmly in a place; to fix, to root, to settle.

(intransitive, reflexive) Of a thing: to establish or settle itself in a place.


-some

From Middle English -som, -sum, from Old English -sum (“same as; -some”), from Proto-Germanic *-samaz, from Proto-Germanic *samaz (“same”).

(forms adjectives from nouns or adjectives) With nouns and verbs in an active and passive sense, implying “inclined to, full of, causing or caused by”.


-some

From Middle English -som, from a specialized use of Old English sum (“some, one”) coming after a genitive plural.

(forms nouns from numerals) As a suffix after cardinal numbers to denote a group, company, team, etc. of that number together or thought of as a unit.


polis

polis (countable and uncountable, plural polises)

'Listen then. Yer name's Andy MacPhail. That's whit us three has jist tellt the polis in wir statements. Okay?'

1987, Robbie Kydd, ...Auld Zimmery, Mariscat Press 1987

‘Aye, Andra,' cam back the reply. 'We micht as weel caa it a day doun here. The hale bluidy place is hotchin wi polis! Come doun an get us at the Auld Raw.'

1991, Dr James Begg, Dipper: 20 - Cops and Robbers, Luath Press

Brian hid contactit his granfaither, Pat, tae see gin the polis computers could raik up onythin ava tae makk eese o in persuadin Bappy Anderson tae pairt wi a kidney.

2007, Sheena Blackhall, The Quarry, Lochlands

Coont yirsel lucky ahm naw cawin the polis. Noo fuck off.

2013, Pedro Lenz, translated by Donal McLaughlin, Naw Much of a Talker, Freight Books, page 51


dit

dit (third-person singular simple present dits, present participle ditin, simple past ditt, past participle ditt)

dits (present singular third-person)
ditin (participle present)
ditt (past)
ditt (participle past)

From Early Scots ditt or dyt, from Old English dyttan.

to close (especially of a door or mouth)

to darken or dim (in the sense of obscuring light)

of the sun: to sink or to be obscured by clouds


quean

From Middle English quene, from Old English cwene, from Proto-West Germanic *kwenā, from Proto-Germanic *kwenǭ (“woman”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn (“woman”).

(Shetland) A ram incapable of procreation, a hermaphrodite sheep.


Hugh

a male given name, equivalent to English Hugh


swart

From Middle English swart, from Old English sweart, from Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.


swart

swart (comparative mair swart, superlative maist swart)

mair swart (comparative)
maist swart (superlative)


kithe

A living being in its earliest manifestations, e.g. a young child.


scunner

scunner (third-person singular simple present scunners, present participle scunnerin, simple past scunnert, past participle scunnert)

scunners (present singular third-person)
scunnerin (participle present)
scunnert (past)
scunnert (participle past)


scunner

a disappointment, caused by an unlucky or unfortunate set of circumstances.


ait

ait (third-person singular simple present aits, present participle aitin', simple past ?, past participle ?)

aits (present singular third-person)
aitin' (participle present)

From Middle English eten, from Old English etan, from Proto-West Germanic *etan.


ait

From Middle English ete, ate, æte, from Old English ǣt (“food, eating”), from Proto-West Germanic *āt.


ait

From Middle English ote, from Old English āte.


bleg

(of colour) Light and drab, esp. of (wool of) sheep.


whiles

Whiles thay gang tae the strand, but maistly tae the bens- Sometimes they go to the beach, but mostly to the mountains


Abraham

From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām.


Aggie

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


Andra

a male given name, equivalent to English Andrew


sair

sair (comparative sairer, superlative sairest)

sairer (comparative)
sairest (superlative)

From Middle English sor, from Old English sār (“ache, wound”, noun) and sār (“painful, grievous”, adjective), from Proto-Germanic *sairą (noun) and *sairaz (“sore”, adjective).


sair

sair (comparative mair sair, superlative maist sair)

mair sair (comparative)
maist sair (superlative)

sorely; seriously; grievously; so as to cause pain; distress or grief


Annie

a diminutive of the female given name Agnes


Februar

From Middle English Februarie, februari, februare, from Latin Februārius (“the month of the Februa”), from Fēbrua (“the Purgings, the Purifications”), a Roman holiday two days after its ides (i.e., Feb. 15), + -arius (“-ary: forming adjectives”). Fēbrua from fēbruum (“purging”), from an earlier Sabine [Term?] word, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“smoke, haze”) and thus cognate with English thio- (“sulfurous”) and Ancient Greek θεῖον (theîon, “sulfur”) or from Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰris, an extension of the root *dʰegʷʰ- (“to burn”) and thus cognate with English fever and Latin febris. A relatinization abandoning feoverel, from feverier.


Januar

From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (“(month) of Janus”), perhaps from a Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- (“to go”, a root).


August

Early Middle English August(us), re-Latinized from Old English Agustus, from Late Latin Agustus, from Latin augustus (“month of August”), from the agnomen Augustus (“venerable”) of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus.


ka

Of imitative origin, similar to Old High German kā (“crow, jackdaw”), Middle Low German kâ (“crow, jackdaw”), English caw.

onomatopoeic

imitative

English language
Middle Low German language
Old High German language


wales

third-person singular simple present indicative form of wale


gimmer

From Old Norse gymbr (“one year old ewe lamb”).

der

gimmer shell

the scallop Pecten maximus or Aequipecten opercularis


bern

From Middle English bern, from Old English bereærn.


kent

simple past tense and past participle of ken


kent

head

kent (comparative mair kent, superlative maist kent)

mair kent (comparative)
maist kent (superlative)


sneck

sneck (third-person singular simple present snecks, present participle sneckin, simple past sneckt, past participle sneckt)

snecks (present singular third-person)
sneckin (participle present)
sneckt (past)
sneckt (participle past)


blate

blate (comparative blater, superlative blatest)

blater (comparative)
blatest (superlative)

Uncertain; perhaps from Old English blāt (“pale”).

Is there a whim-inspired fool, / Owre fast for thought, owre hot for rule, / Owre blate to seek, owre proud to snool, / Let him draw near / And owre this grassy heap sing dool, / And drap a tear.

Is there a whim-inspired fool, / Too fast for thought, too hot for rule, / Too shy to seek, too proud to submit, / Let him draw near / And over this grassy heap make lament, / And drop a tear.

stupid, easily deceived, dull, unpromising


Dunbar

Dunbar (a town in East Lothian council area, Scotland)


muckle

muckle (comparative mair, superlative maist)


muckle

muckle (comparative muckler, superlative mucklest)

muckler (comparative)
mucklest (superlative)


whisht

From Scottish Gaelic èist (“listen, harken”).

Whisht, bairns! mind it’s the Sabbath day.

1883, Margaret Oliphant, It was a Lover and his Lass, page 49

Hush, children! Remember that it’s the Sabbath day.


whisht

whisht (third-person singular simple present whishts, present participle whishtin, simple past whishtit, past participle whishtit)

whishts (present singular third-person)
whishtin (participle present)
whishtit (past)
whishtit (participle past)

Whisht, sir!—whisht, and let me speak just ae word that I couldna say afore folk

1819, Walter Scott, The Bride of Lammermoor

Hush, sir! Be silent and let me say just one thing that I could not say in front of other people


whisht

I’ll no make a whisht. Only let me bide near till him.

1880, R.M. Ballantyne, “The Thorogood family”, in Life & Work, page 80

I won’t make a whisper, if you’ll just let me wait near him.

(usually negative) a slight sound, a whisper


seil

From Middle English sele (“happiness, good fortune, bliss”), from Old English sæl (“happiness, prosperity”), from Proto-West Germanic *sālī, from Proto-Germanic *sēliz.

inh

Happiness, bliss, prosperity, good fortune


seil

head

seil (comparative mair seil, superlative maist seil)

mair seil (comparative)
maist seil (superlative)


afflict

afflict (third-person singular simple present afflicts, present participle afflictin, simple past afflictit, past participle afflictit)

afflicts (present singular third-person)
afflictin (participle present)
afflictit (past)
afflictit (participle past)


bonny

bonny (comparative mair bonny, superlative maist bonny)

mair bonny (comparative)
maist bonny (superlative)

Till bonny Susan sped a-cross the plain.

Far from the bonnie banks of Ayr.

1786, Robert Burns, Farewell to the Banks of Ayr

handsome; beautiful; pretty; attractively lively and graceful


John

From Middle English John, Johan, from Anglo-Norman Johan, Jehan, and also Old English Iohannes, both from Latin Iōhannēs, Iōannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān).

der

Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān)

a male given name, equivalent to English John


bonnie

head

bonnie (comparative mair bonnie, superlative maist bonnie)

mair bonnie (comparative)
maist bonnie (superlative)


mickle

mickle (comparative mair mickle, superlative maist mickle)

mair mickle (comparative)
maist mickle (superlative)


mickle

Adown my beard the slavers trickle / I throw the wee stools o'er the mickle

1786, Robert Burns, Address To The Toothache


oxter

From Middle English *oxtere, *oxte, from Old English ōxta, ōhsta, related to Old English ōxn (“armpit”); cognate with Scottish Gaelic achlais.


oxter

(transitive) To hug with the arms, or support by taking the arm of.

(transitive) To poke with the elbow or barge out of the way.


morn

From Middle English morn, variant of morwe, from Old English morgen.

A'll gae for ma messages the morn. I'll go shopping tomorrow.


dee

dee (third-person singular simple present dees, present participle deein, simple past dee'd, past participle dee'd)

dees (present singular third-person)
deein (participle present)
dee'd (past)
dee'd (participle past)

Middle English, from Old English dīġan (“to die”), from Proto-West Germanic *dauwjan (“to die”).
Compare English die, Danish dø, Norwegian Nynorsk døy, Norwegian Bokmål dø, Icelandic deyja, Swedish dö, Faroese doyggja.

Maxwelton braes are bonnie, / Where early fa's the dew, / And its there that Annie Laurie, / Gie'd me her promise true / Gie'd me her promise true, / Which ne'er forgot shall be, / And for bonnie Annie Laurie / I'd lay me doon and dee.

1852-1859, Lady John Scott (lyrics and music), “Annie Laurie”, in Scottish Songs

Maxwelton hills are pretty, / Where early falls the dew, / And it's there that Annie Laurie, / Gave me her promise true / Gave me her promise true, / Which never forgot shall be, / And for pretty Annie Laurie / I'd lay myself down and die.


dee

Fit ye deein?

"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


hoose

From Middle English hous, hus, from Old English hūs (“dwelling, shelter, house”), from Proto-Germanic *hūsą, of unknown origin.


licht

From Old English lēoht, līht, līhtan, of Germanic origin.


licht

head

licht (third-person singular simple present lichts, present participle lichting, simple past lichted, past participle lichted)

lichts (present singular third-person)
lichting (participle present)
lichted (past)
lichted (participle past)


licht

licht (comparative lichter, superlative lichtest)

lichter (comparative)
lichtest (superlative)


stalwart

stalwart (comparative mair stalwart, superlative maist stalwart)

mair stalwart (comparative)
maist stalwart (superlative)

→ English: stalwart

From Middle English stalwarde, stelewurthe, from Old English stǣlwierþe (“serviceable, able to stand in good stead”). Akin to English stalworth.

inh

physically strong, powerful, stour; exhibiting great stamina


barry

head

barry (comparative mair barry, superlative maist barry)

mair barry (comparative)
maist barry (superlative)

Borrowed from Angloromani baro (“great”)


fey

From Middle English fey, from Old English fǣge.


Aristotle

From Ancient Greek Ἀριστοτέλης (Aristotélēs).


I

The ninth letter of the Scots alphabet, written in the Latin script.


I

From Middle English I, from Old English iċ, from Proto-West Germanic *ik, from Proto-Germanic *ik, *ek, from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂.


dink

head

dink (comparative mair dink, superlative maist dink)

mair dink (comparative)
maist dink (superlative)

Origin unknown. Attested in Old Scots circa 1500.

unknown

Origin unknown


dink

head

dink (third-person singular simple present dinks, present participle dinkin, simple past dinkt, past participle dinkt)

dinks (present singular third-person)
dinkin (participle present)
dinkt (past)
dinkt (participle past)

unknown

Origin unknown


dink

Probably a variant of English dint, a dent or mark left by a blow.


dover

head

dover (third-person singular simple present dovers, present participle doverin, simple past dovert, past participle dovert)

dovers (present singular third-person)
doverin (participle present)
dovert (past)
dovert (participle past)

(transitive) To send off into a light sleep.


bree

juice, essence (of a liquid or a flower).


hurcheon

From Middle English hirchoun, from Old French irechon.


sich

sich (comparative mair sich, superlative maist sich)

mair sich (comparative)
maist sich (superlative)


bing

From Old Norse bingr; cf. Middle English bynge (“a bin, enclosure, pen”).
Cf also Scottish Gaelic binnean meaning a small hill or slag heap.

cog

A man-made mound or heap formed with the waste material (slag) as a by-product of coal mining or the shale oil industry. Can also refer to the waste by-product from a foundry or furnace, formed into such a mound.


bing

head

bing (third-person singular simple present bings, present participle bingin, simple past bingt, past participle bingt)

bings (present singular third-person)
bingin (participle present)
bingt (past)
bingt (participle past)


wird

From Middle English word, from Old English word (“word”), from Proto-Germanic *wurdą (“word”), from Proto-Indo-European *werdʰh₁om (“word”).

horseman's wird

a code word revealed on joining a horsemen's secret society

the sound of one's voice, way of speaking


wird

wird (third-person singular simple present wirds, present participle wirdin, simple past wirdt, past participle wirdt)

wirds (present singular third-person)
wirdin (participle present)
wirdt (past)
wirdt (participle past)


tae

From Middle English to, from Old English tō, from Proto-Germanic *tō. Cognates include English to, too and West Frisian ta.


tae

From Middle English to, from Old English tā, from Proto-West Germanic *taihā. Cognates include English toe and Faroese tá.


tae

tae (third-person singular simple present taes, present participle taein, simple past taet, past participle taet)

taes (present singular third-person)
taein (participle present)
taet (past)
taet (participle past)


tae

From Middle Scots ta, from Middle English to, shortening of tone.


tae

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


oigh

oigh, get off my lawn

A word said to catch someone's attention before beginning the sentence proper.


deej

(derogatory, slang) A child with special needs; by extension, a person of low intelligence or having the appearance of a person with special needs.

(derogatory) Someone who is deemed to be a failure by their peers.

(derogatory) Used in similar manner to the Scots word glaikit.


mun

Ye mun ha' done wi' all that foolery — ye're gettin' a man now, an' ye mun give over that nonsense.

1894, M E Francis, In a North Country Village

(please add an English translation of this quotation)

(modal auxiliary, defective) Alternative form of maun


strack

head

strack (comparative mair strack, superlative maist strack)

mair strack (comparative)
maist strack (superlative)

Uncertain. Perhaps a variant of strick, or from Old English stræc (“strict”).


heid

From Middle English heid, heifd, northern forms of heed, heved, from Old English hēafod (compare English head), from Proto-Germanic *haubudą (compare Dutch hoofd, German Haupt, Swedish huvud), from Proto-Indo-European *kauput-, *káput- (“head”) (compare Latin caput), a variant of Proto-Indo-European *kapōlo (“head, bowl”).


-heid

From Middle English -had, from Old English -hād. Cognate with Dutch -heid, German -heit, English -hood.

bairn + -heid → bairnheid

A substantive suffix denoting a condition or state of being.

brither + -heid → britherheid

A substantive suffix denoting a group sharing a specified condition or state.


ming

From Middle English mengen (“to mix”), mynge et al., from Old English mengan (“to mix”). In sense "to stink" probably derived from the specialized sheep-smearing sense.

(obsolete) The ingredients mixed with or substituted for tar in sheep-smearing.


ming

head

ming (third-person singular simple present mings, present participle mingin, simple past mingt, past participle mingt)

mings (present singular third-person)
mingin (participle present)
mingt (past)
mingt (participle past)

(obsolete) To mix, mingle, ming; to confuse.

(obsolete) To mix tar for sheep-smearing.

(usually in present participle) To be malodorous, to stink.


brose

Unclear, but possibly deriving from Early Scots bruis, cognate with Middle English browes, possibly from Old French broez, nominative of broet (“stew, soup made from meat broth”) (modern French brouet) diminutive of breu, from Medieval Latin brodium, from Frankish *broþ. See English broth.

A dish of meal (usually oatmeal, sometimes peasemeal, beremeal, or a combination of meals) made with boiling water or hot milk, which sometimes includes additions such as salt, skimmed fat from broth, or kail.

birse-brose

brose with whisky added as an ingredient


nieve

Borrowed from Old Norse hnefi, nefi, of unknown origin.

nievie-nievie knick-knack

a guessing game where an object is hidden in the clenched fist

nievel

a sharp blow with the fist; to punch, pummel, batter; to grip, squeeze or pinch with the fingers


nieve

nieve (third-person singular simple present nieves, present participle nievin, simple past nievit, past participle nievit)

nieves (present singular third-person)
nievin (participle present)
nievit (past)
nievit (participle past)

to open and close the hand spasmodically


bespeak

bespeak (third-person singular simple present bespeaks, present participle bespeakin, simple past bespak, past participle bespoken)

bespeaks (present singular third-person)
bespeakin (participle present)
bespak (past)
bespoken (participle past)


gan

gan (third-person singular simple present gans, present participle gan, simple past went or wett, past participle been)

gans (present singular third-person)
gan (participle present)
went (past)
wett (past)
been (participle past)

From Northern Middle English gan, from Old English gān (“to go”). Past tense supplied by Old English wenden (“to wend”).


kenna

I kenna how it was, that at the time I didna experience such a sorrow as I should have felt.

1822, John Galt, chapter XCIX, in Sir Andrew Wylie, of that Ilk

'Stop!' says he, — 'stop, Laird Heriotside! I kenna what your errand is, but it is to no holy purpose that ye're out on Beltane E'en. D' ye no hear the warring o' the waters?'

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide


sorte

From Middle English sorte, from Old French sorte.


respectively

From respective + -ly and/or from English respectively.


efter

From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar.


drow

(weather) A cold mist or a severe squall.

(medicine) A fit of illness or a qualm (compare dree)


drow

Alternative form of trow, a malignant spirit.


drow

drow (third-person singular simple present drows, present participle drowin, simple past drowt, past participle drowt)

drows (present singular third-person)
drowin (participle present)
drowt (past)
drowt (participle past)


Leslie

a unisex given name transferred from the surname


a

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


a

From Middle English a, from Old English ān (“one; a; lone; sole”).


luke

luke (third-person singular simple present lukes, present participle lukin, simple past lukit, past participle lukit)

lukes (present singular third-person)
lukin (participle present)
lukit (past)
lukit (participle past)


mathe

Old English maþa, from Proto-Germanic *maþô (“worm”), from Proto-Indo-European *math-, *moth- (“used for insects and vermin”). Cognate with Dutch made, German Made and related to Swedish mask, Danish madike, archaic English maddock (English maggot).


ain

From Middle English aȝen, from Old English āgen, ǣġen (“one's own”), or possibly from Old Norse eiginn (“own”), from Proto-Germanic *aiganaz (“own”). More at own.

Ma ain dear sister

Clap, clap handies

c. 1915, Blanche Fisher Wright, The Real Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme Illustration

Belonging to, or on behalf of, a specified person (especially oneself); own.


constitute

constitute (third-person singular simple present constitutes, present participle constitutein, simple past constitutet, past participle constitutet)

constitutes (present singular third-person)
constitutein (participle present)
constitutet (past)
constitutet (participle past)


bawbag

(vulgar, slang, derogatory) ballbag; scrotum.


skerry

Borrowed from Old Norse sker, from Proto-Germanic *skarją, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut”).

Tae the icy flowes o the Shetlan voes he sailed tae Scalloway, / There his sweethairt won, far a Viking sun shines ower the skerries grey.

2004, Sheena Blackhall, The Humpty Dumpty Man


manifests

third-person singular simple present indicative form of manifest


abies

E.D.D. suggests all-be-as, but see byes. The development of meaning in 3. seems a recent extension.


dreich

dreich (comparative mair dreich, superlative maist dreich)

mair dreich (comparative)
maist dreich (superlative)

From Middle English dregh, from Old English ġedrēog, *drēog, from Proto-West Germanic *dreug, from Proto-Germanic *dreugaz. Possibly influenced by Brythonic, e.g. Welsh drycin (“bad weather”) < drwg (“bad”) + hin (“weather”).
Distantly cognate with English drudge, dree, and German trügen.

The dreich inhuman blue on Nadia's lang-wheesht thocht-screen fizzed intae life.

2000, Matthew Fitt, But n Ben A-Go-Go, Luath, published 2000, page 132

reluctant, tight-fisted, driving a hard bargain


ging

ging (third-person singular simple present gings, present participle gaun, simple past gaed, past participle gaen)

gings (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).


rump

From Old Norse rumpr (“rump”), from Middle Low German rump (“the bulk or trunk of a body, trunk of a tree”), from Proto-Germanic *rumpō (“trunk of a tree, log”). The ultimate origin could be related to Proto-Germanic *hrimpaną (“to wrinkle”) (Dutch rimpel and German rümpfen (“to wrinkle”)); outside of Germanic, compare Ancient Greek ῥάμφος (rhámphos, “crooked beak”).


rump

head

rump (third-person singular simple present rumps, present participle rumpin, simple past rumpit, past participle rumpit)

rumps (present singular third-person)
rumpin (participle present)
rumpit (past)
rumpit (participle past)

(colloquial, humorous) Sexual intercourse.


aes

Borrowed from Old Norse eisa (“glowing embers”).


thrawn

thrawn (comparative thrawner, superlative thrawnest)

thrawner (comparative)
thrawnest (superlative)

Participle of thraw. Cognate with English thrown and thran.

(of mouth) wry, twisted with rage or pain.

Apart from the distinctively thrawn nature of our fellow citizens, how are we to explain the extraordinary switch in support to the SNP from Labour in our opinion poll on voting intentions for a Scottish parliament?

Then an embossed card wafted through his letterbox last week and shattered his thrawn defiance of celebrity.

The thrawn Tory Brexiters should heed words of Burns as they fly Union Flags [...] With every day that passes, the impression of the Brexiters as being utterly thrawn, to use a great Scots word, just keeps on growing.

It is an extraordinary success story – and it was achieved by a small family firm whose members were notable because they were "stubborn, thrawn and as hard as nails", according to a newly published study of the Johnnie Walker blend.

She achieved this through an astute mix of business acumen and pin-sharp organisational skills, to say nothing of thrawn dedication and dogged persuasiveness.

(of person) obstinate, stubborn, defiant, contrarian.

And then she changed her voice and would be as saft as honey: 'My puir wee Ailie, was I thrawn till ye? Never mind, my bonnie. You and me are a' that's left, and we maunna be ill to ither.'


im

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


Monanday

From Middle English Monenday, from Old English mōnandæġ (“day of the moon”), from mōna (“moon”) + dæg (“day”), from Proto-West Germanic *mānini dag, a translation (interpretātiō germānica) of Latin dies Lunae.


Tysday

From Middle English Tewesday, from Old English tīwesdæġ, from Proto-West Germanic *Tīwas dag, a translation (interpretātiō germānica) of Latin dīes Martis.


awa

From Middle English awey, from Old English onweġ.


awa

head

awa (comparative mair awa, superlative maist awa)

mair awa (comparative)
maist awa (superlative)


oe

1833, John Galt, The Howdie: An Autobiography,
She told me that she was afraid her oe had brought home her wark, and that she didna doubt they would need the sleight of my hand.

(archaic) grandchild (especially illegitimate)


kame

Older Scots kame, came, from Middle English cambe (“comb”).

She wroct fae shreek o' mornin' till the mirkest oor ye'll name,

1994 [1920], George P. Dunbar, “A guff o' peat reek”, in Anne Forsyth, Canty and Couthie, page 43

She worked from break of morning until the darkest hour you can name, / And scarcely had time to make up her face, or give her head a combing

An’ scarce hed time t’ dict her face, nor gie her heid a kaim

a steep hill or ridge; the crest of a hill


kame

kame (third-person singular simple present kames, present participle kamin, simple past kamet, past participle kamet)

kames (present singular third-person)
kamin (participle present)
kamet (past)
kamet (participle past)

Wi’ her short green goon, an’ her queer red cap,
An’ her een sae skelly an’ blear ;

1908, Glasgow Ballad Club, “Jenny Kilfunk”, in Ballads and Poems: Third Series, page 115

A-kaimin’ her yellow hair
With her short green gown, and her odd red cap, / And her eyes so squinty and bleary; / With her fingers so long, held so close together, / Combing her yellow hair

Wi’ her fingers sae lang, aye keepit sa thrang,

gie ’im a kamin doun


boak

boak (third-person singular simple present boaks, present participle boakin, simple past boakit, past participle boakit)

boaks (present singular third-person)
boakin (participle present)
boakit (past)
boakit (participle past)


blaw

blaw (third-person singular simple present blaws, present participle blawin, simple past blew, past participle blawen)

blaws (present singular third-person)
blawin (participle present)
blew (past)
blawen (participle past)

From Middle English blawen, from Old English blāwan, from Proto-West Germanic *blāan, from Proto-Germanic *blēaną (“to blow”). More at English blow.

The westlin wind blaws loud an' shill; / The night's baith mirk and rainy, O

The westerly wind blows loud and shrill; / The night's both dark and rainy, O


numptie

(derogatory) Alternative spelling of numpty


Armstrong

a Scottish surname from Scots, originally a nickname for someone with strong arms; primarily referring to members of the Armstrong clan in the West and Middle Marches of the Anglo-Scottish Borders country, or their descendants


bawbee

Probably shortened from Sillebawbe, the territory of which Alexander Orrok, Scottish master of the mint in the 16th century, was laird.

‘And muckle they hae made o't—the bankrupt body, Sandie Lawson, hasna paid them a bawbee of four terms' rent.’

A' clatty, squinting through a glass, / He girn'd, ‘I'faith a bonnie lass!’ / He thought to win, wi' front o' brass, / Jenny's bawbee.


gammy

For quotations using this term, see Citations:gammy.

(Scotland, slang, vulgar) A blowjob; fellatio.


titch

titch (third-person singular simple present titches, present participle titchin, simple past titched, past participle titched)

titches (present singular third-person)
titchin (participle present)
titched (past)
titched (participle past)

From Old Scots tuich or twych, from Old French tochier.

Wud ye titch the bell? Gin I binna dry, an my tongue a’ san’paper, I’m a leear.

1845, T. Denham, Poems and Snatches of Prose, page 145

Would you touch the bell? If it is not the case that I am dry, my tongue like sandpaper, then I’m a liar.


titch

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 but one fault to my mind, for I never judged him badly for a touch of roughness—good trees have coarse bark—but he thought too little of himself.


meir

From Middle English mare, mere, from Old English mere, miere (“female horse, mare”).


brod

From Scottish Gaelic bòrd, ultimately from Old English bord (“board, table”). Cognate with English board.


acker

From Middle English actour, from Latin āctōr; equivalent to ack + -er.


cromack

The far Coolins are pullin' me away / As take I wi' my cromack to the road


minds

third-person singular simple present indicative form of mind


sark

From Old English serc, syrc, sierce, from Germanic.


sark

sark (third-person singular simple present sarks, present participle sarkin, simple past sarkit, past participle sarkit)

sarks (present singular third-person)
sarkin (participle present)
sarkit (past)
sarkit (participle past)

to cover the rafters of a roof with wooden boards, line a roof with wood for the slates to be nailed on


aislar

From Middle English assheler, from Old French esselier, from Medieval Latin ascelāris, assellāris.


mora

(Scots law) mora (a delay in bringing a claim)


scald

Inherited from Middle English scald, later spelling of scallede affected with the scall, contemptible.

a skabbed horse is good enough for a skald squir

he cals me skabbed because I will not call him skade

(Middle Scots) affected by a scabby disease of the skin or scalp

(Middle Scots) scabby, passing into an expression of general opprobrium or revulsion, foul, filthy


scald

Inherited from Middle English scald, apparently obsolete after 1483, from Old Norse skáld (“poet”).

(Middle Scots) one given to the use of vituperation or abusive language

(Middle Scots) one who by the use of such language causes public disturbance

(Middle Scots) a foul-mouthed quarreller (applied to both men and women, but in the 17th century perh. increasingly to women.)


scald

Possibly from English scald, first certified in 1601.

(Middle Scots, possibly figuratively) a mark or blemish


scald

scald (third-person singular simple present scaldis, present participle scaldyng, simple past scaldit/scalded, past participle scaldit/scalded)

scaldis (present singular third-person)
scaldyng (participle present)
scaldit (past)
scalded (past)
scaldit (participle past)
scalded (participle past)
scald (infinitive)
to scald (infinitive)
scald (first-person present singular)
scaldit (first-person preterite singular)
scaldis (present second-person singular)
scaldit (preterite second-person singular)
scaldis (present singular third-person)
scaldit (preterite singular third-person)
scald (present)
scaldit (preterite)
scald (þow)! (present singular)
scald (ȝe)! (present)
scaldand (present)
scaldit (past)

Inherited from Middle English schalde, from Old French eschalder (“to burn, scald”), from Late Latin excaldāre (“to wash in hot water”).

der

(Middle Scots, transitive, of fire) to scorch or burn (also of the fire of Purgatory)

(Middle Scots, absolutive, reflexive) to burn (a person) by way of punishment

(Middle Scots, absolutive) to hurt by, or as by, the action of hot steam or liquid

(Middle Scots) to affect (something) in a way comparable to the effect produced by the action of hot water or steam; to damage severely

(Middle Scots) (of thoughts or cares) to inflame or irritate (a person, his or her mind)

(Middle Scots) to cleanse, wash out or sterilise with boiling water

(Middle Scots, used only in proverbs) to cause (one's lips) to be scalded or burned by eating hot food (also with reflexive object.)

(Middle Scots, intransitive) to suffer the effects of excessive heat; to faint or swoon in consequence of (with) this; to shrivel up

(Middle Scots, figuratively) to burn with (in) strong emotion or desire

(Middle Scots) to behave as if boiling, or about to boil; to froth; to bubble

(Middle Scots) to set fire to property, etc.; to burn


scald

(Middle Scots, intransitive) to rail; to brawl; to quarrel noisily and in unseemly terms

(Middle Scots, transitive) to rebuke, chide


dinks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of dink


ding

head

ding (third-person singular simple present dings, present participle dingin, simple past dang, past participle dung)

dings (present singular third-person)
dingin (participle present)
dang (past)
dung (participle past)

Probably from Old Norse dengja (“to beat, thrash”). Cognate with Swedish dänga, Danish dænge.

An he's awa tae the greenwood gane / Tae ding the dun deer doon.

And he's away to the greenwood gone / To strike the dun deer down.

‘Gude help him!—twa lines o' Davie Lindsay would ding a' he ever clerkit.’

An the black lad frae yont Nyanga dings the fell gallows o the burghers doun

1960, “Freedom Come-All-Ye”performed by Hamish Henderson

And the black lad from beyond Nyanga tears the foul gallows of the burghers down.


brings

third-person singular simple present indicative form of bring


ae

southern East Central Scots, South-West Scots

From Northern Middle English a, apocopic form of oon, from Old English ān (“one”), from Proto-West Germanic *ain. See also Scots ane.

Ae night the storm the steeples rocked

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


collop

Late Middle English, of North Germanic origin, from Swedish kalops (“stewed meat”), from Old Swedish kollops (“slices of beef stew”). Cognate to German Klops (“dish of meat made tender by beating”).

cog

Thow beggit with ane pardoun in all kirkis,

1834 [c. 1500], Walter Kennedy, “The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy”, in The Poems of William Dunbar, volume 2, Kennedy to Dunbar, page 81

You begged for a pardon in all churches / Collops, cheese curd, oatmeal, groats, suckling pigs, and geese

Collapis, crudis, meill, grottis, gryce, and geiss


collop

head

collop (third-person singular simple present collops, present participle collopin, simple past collopt, past participle collopt)

collops (present singular third-person)
collopin (participle present)
collopt (past)
collopt (participle past)

Anent Flesheores—Item it is statut and ordainit[…] also that na flesheer to Brugh nor land bring blawin flesh to this mercat nor collipit or cuted vpon vnder the shulders and that the head of the muttone be brought with the scheapes buik

1872, Alex. J. Warden, Burgh Laws of Dundee, page 36

Regarding Butchers—It is hereby declared and ordained […] also that no butcher of the borough or region bring spoiled flesh to this market nor meat cut into collops or severed from under the forelegs and that the head of the sheep be brought with the sheep’s carcass


pish

From late Middle English pyshe, variant of pisse.


pish

pish (third-person singular simple present pishes, present participle pishin, simple past pished, past participle pished)

pishes (present singular third-person)
pishin (participle present)
pished (past)
pished (participle past)


pish

pish (comparative mair pish, superlative maist pish)

mair pish (comparative)
maist pish (superlative)

(vulgar) Not very good, in fact quite bad.


maalin

(Shetland) a hawk, especially the merlin, sparrow hawk or kestrel


sootie

sootie (comparative mair sootie, superlative maist sootie)

mair sootie (comparative)
maist sootie (superlative)

O Thou! whatever title suit thee-
Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick, or Clootie,
Wha in yon cavern grim an' sootie,
Clos'd under hatches,
Spairges about the brunstane cootie,

Thou ca's me Hornie, Nick an' Clootie,
An' tells my cave is grim an' sootie;
But stop, thou'lt, may-be, be my booty;
I'll try my skill;
I'll gang as far as Fate will let me,

(Can we date this quote?), John Lapraik, The Devil's Answer to the Poet's Address


cleek

From Middle English cleken (“to seize, clutch”); see English clutch.


cleek

head

cleek (third-person singular simple present cleeks, present participle cleekin, simple past claucht, past participle claucht)

cleeks (present singular third-person)
cleekin (participle present)
claucht (past)
claucht (participle past)

Cleek a'ye can be hook or crook.

c. 1718, Allan Ramsay, Lucky Spence's Last Advice


fash

fash (third-person singular simple present fashes, present participle fashin, simple past fasht, past participle fasht)

fashes (present singular third-person)
fashin (participle present)
fasht (past)
fasht (participle past)

From early modern French fascher (now fâcher), from Latin fastus (“disdain”).


howff

→ English: howff

From earlier howf (“timber yard; burial ground”), probably a borrowing from Middle Dutch hof.


chieftain

From Middle Scots chiftane, chyftane, from Early Scots chefftane, from Middle English cheftayne, from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitaneus, from Latin caput (“head”), from Proto-Indo-European *kauput-.

(possibly) schore; leader of a Highlands clan


luid

From Old Norse hljóð (“sound”), from Proto-Germanic *hleuþą (“sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”). Cognate with Danish lyd (“sound”), Swedish ljud (“sound”). More at loude.


luid

luid (third-person singular simple present luids, present participle luidin, simple past luidt, past participle luidt)

luids (present singular third-person)
luidin (participle present)
luidt (past)
luidt (participle past)

(intransitive) To whimper; chatter; prate; talk incessantly.


flair

He skited it over the flair maybe if it was a jotter and it was you to go and get it.

2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin, published 2009, page 140


thud

thuds (plural)
thudis (plural)
Scots (Middle)

Uncertain. Perhaps Onomatopoeic (compare etymology 2).

a whirling motion accompanied by a loud noise, like a gust of wind

A sudane thud [R. thude] maid sic a frusch That all the wyndois at a brusche … Brak vp

1420, Androw of Wyntoun, The Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland

a blast or gust of wind
a loud report or crack


thud

thud (third-person singular simple present thudis, present participle thuding or thudand, simple past thudit, past participle thudit)

thudis (present singular third-person)
thuding (participle present)
thudand (participle present)
thudit (past)
thudit (participle past)
Scots (Middle)
thud (infinitive)
to thud (infinitive)
thud (first-person present singular)
thudit (first-person preterite singular)
thudis (present second-person singular)
thudit (preterite second-person singular)
thudis (present singular third-person)
thudit (preterite singular third-person)
thud (present)
thudit (preterite)
thud (þow)! (present singular)
thud (ȝe)! (present)
thudand (present)
thudit (past)

Perhaps Onomatopoeic. Perhaps related to Middle English þudde.

The borial blasts … Not caldly, bot baldlie, They thudit throw the treis

1590, Burel, J. Pilgr., The Passage of the Pilgremer

to come or pass with a gust of turbulence and accompanying dull noise


dochter

Inherited from Middle English doughter, from Old English dohtor, from Proto-West Germanic *dohter, from Proto-Germanic *duhtēr.


lood

lood (comparative looder, superlative loodest)

looder (comparative)
loodest (superlative)

From Middle English loud, lud, from Old English hlūd (“loud, noisy, sounding, sonorous”), from Proto-Germanic *hlūdaz, *hlūþaz (“heard”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlewtos (“heard, famous”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”). Equivalent to English loud.


ster

From Middle English sterre, from Old English steorra.


stap

head

stap (third-person singular simple present staps, present participle stappin, simple past stappeet, past participle stappeet)

staps (present singular third-person)
stappin (participle present)
stappeet (past)
stappeet (participle past)

Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewb- (“to push, stick”).

der

(Southern Scots) to push (something into something); to force (something into something)


ferly

From Middle English fērlī (“astonishing, surprising, unexpected”), from Old English fǣrliċ (“sudden, unexpected”), equivalent to fear + -ly.

“Weel, lassie, I reckon that wasna ony ferly (strange occurrence)!

1893, George MacDonald, Heather and Snow

(obsolete) astonishment, surprise, wonder


ferly

Seems ferly fair to all admiring orbs...

1888, Richard Francis Burton, Arabian Nights, volume XV, page 113:


ferly

head

ferly (third-person singular simple present ferlys, present participle ferlyin, simple past ferlyt, past participle ferlyt)

ferlys (present singular third-person)
ferlyin (participle present)
ferlyt (past)
ferlyt (participle past)

(obsolete) to wonder, marvel, be surprised


gree

gree (third-person singular simple present grees, present participle greein, simple past greet, past participle greet)

grees (present singular third-person)
greein (participle present)
greet (past)
greet (participle past)

(Doric Scots) to agree (make an agreement)


lyart

Yet, mony a reverend lyart pow, / Wha ne'er thocht muckle o' its jow, […]

1853, Walter Watson, Poems and Songs: Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect

An' when his pow is lyart an' gray He'll bless the Brothock Burn.

1867, George W. Donald, Poems, Ballads, and Songs

[…] in the lap of a damsel that rode at her rein, on a lyart palfrey […]

(of a horse) having dappled white and grey spots


lyard

In har'st at the shearing, nae swankies are jeering,

1778, Tobias George Smollett, editor, The Critical Review: Or, Annals of Literature

At a fair or a preaching, nae wooing nae fleetching, […]
(please add an English translation of this quotation)

Our bansters are wrinkled and lyard and grey:


streek

streek (third-person singular simple present streeks, present participle streekin, simple past streekit, past participle streekit)

streeks (present singular third-person)
streekin (participle present)
streekit (past)
streekit (participle past)

Fower hunder horsemen in yeh streekit line.


gallus

gallus (comparative mair gallus, superlative maist gallus)

mair gallus (comparative)
maist gallus (superlative)

A corruption of gallows, used attributively.

Look, what a gallus walk she's got! I've strong suspicions I'll have to get slung to her one of these days.

1848, Benjamin A. Baker, A Glance at New York

’Twas murmur we did for a gallus potion would rouse a friar, I’m thinking, and he limp from leching.

(obsolete) fit to be hanged; wicked; mischievous


wuss

From Middle English wus, wose (“juice, sap”), from Old English wōs (“moisture, exuded liquid, juice”), from Proto-Germanic *wōsą (“juice, moisture”), from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“fat, moisture”). Cognate with Danish os (“vine sap”), West Frisian weaze (“slime, mud”), Dutch waas (“marshy land, vapor, mist, film”). More at English ooze.

cog

The liquid obtained from boiling or squeezing fruit or vegetable substances


rift

head

rift (third-person singular simple present rifts, present participle riftin, simple past riftit, past participle riftit)

rifts (present singular third-person)
riftin (participle present)
riftit (past)
riftit (participle past)


airts

third-person singular simple present indicative form of airt


airt

From Middle English art, from Old French art, from Latin artem, accusative of ars.


airt

From Northern Middle English art (“district, locality”).


airt

head

airt (third-person singular simple present airts, present participle airtin, simple past airtit, past participle airtit)

airts (present singular third-person)
airtin (participle present)
airtit (past)
airtit (participle past)

(intransitive) to direct one's way; to make for

(transitive) to confine, to constrain, to force, to incite


fermtoun

(agriculture) a collection of cottages for the workers on a farm


bawheid

(derogatory) A person with a chubby face.


afflicted

afflicted (comparative mair afflicted, superlative maist afflicted)

mair afflicted (comparative)
maist afflicted (superlative)


brock

Old Scots brok or broke, from Old English broc, Scottish Gaelic broc (“badger”).

He wantit to wheedle my wife out o’ ilk thing she had, an’ to kiss my daughter too, if he could. Vile brock!

1833, James Hogg, The Brownie of Bodsbeck, page 13

He wished to talk my wife out of everything she had, and to kiss my daughter too, if he could. Vile blackguard!


brock

From Old English gebroc (“fragment”), from brecan (“to break”).

I neither got stock nor brock

something or someone of little worth, small potatoes


describes

third-person singular simple present indicative form of describe


birkie

birkie (comparative birkier, superlative birkiest)

birkier (comparative)
birkiest (superlative)


birkie

A spirited or energetic (especially young) man.


steven

From Middle English stewin, from Old English stefn (“voice”), from Proto-Germanic *stebnō, *stamnijō (“voice”), from Proto-Indo-European *stomen- (“mouth, muzzle”). Cognates: see above, steven.


Agnes

a female given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Agnes


chapman

Inherited from Middle English chapman, from Old English cēapmann (“dealer”) (cognate with synonymous German Kaufmann), from cēap (“barter, business, dealing”).

When chapman billies leave the street, / And drouthy neibors, neibors, meet


consul

From Middle English consul, from Old English consul, from Latin cōnsul.

consul (official residing in major foreign towns to represent and protect the interests of the merchants and citizens of their country)


hallow

Inherited from Middle Scots hallow, from Middle English holwe.


hallow

Inherited from Middle English halwe, from Old English hālga.


hallow

Inherited from Middle English halwen, from Old English hālgian.


hallow

Scyliorhinus canicula
Scyliorhinus canicula#Translingual


caller

head

caller (comparative mair caller, superlative maist caller)

mair caller (comparative)
maist caller (superlative)

From Middle English calver (“interspersed with flakes”), from Old English calwer. Cognate with English calver.

inh

Wha'll buy my caller herrin’, / New drawn frae the Forth? (Caroline Oliphaunt, ‘Caller Herrin'’)


yow

Uncertain; most likely from Old English ēow.


messages

A'm jist awa for ma messages. = I'm just off to get some shopping.


hame

From Middle English ham, hame, northern variants of home, from Old English hām, from Proto-Germanic *haimaz.


byre

From Old English bȳre, but possibly influenced in usage by Gaelic "bò" meaning a cow.


roun

head

roun (comparative rouner, superlative rounest)

rouner (comparative)
rounest (superlative)


roun

roun (third-person singular simple present rouns, present participle rounin, simple past rount, past participle rount)

rouns (present singular third-person)
rounin (participle present)
rount (past)
rount (participle past)


sain

From Middle English (whence also English sain), from Old English, from Latin. Cognate to Scottish Gaelic seun (“a charm”).

to make the sign of the cross, to genuflect


wa

Inherited from Middle English wal, from Old English weall, from Proto-West Germanic *wall, from Latin vallum.


-ance

From Middle English -aunce, from Anglo-Norman -aunce and continental Old French -ance, from Latin -antia, -entia.

Forms nouns indicating states or processes, usually from verbs or other nouns;


lealty

From Anglo-Norman lealté, one of the variants of Old French loiauté.


birk

From Old English birce or bierċe. Cognate with Middle English birch and Northern Middle English birk.

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


ojis

ojis (comparative mair ojis, superlative maist ojis)

mair ojis (comparative)
maist ojis (superlative)

That's ojis (that's great)

He's an ojis eejit (he's a great fool)


skirl

skirl (third-person singular simple present skirls, present participle skirlin, simple past skirlt, past participle skirlt)

skirls (present singular third-person)
skirlin (participle present)
skirlt (past)
skirlt (participle past)


sleekit

sleekit (comparative mair sleekit, superlative maist sleekit)

mair sleekit (comparative)
maist sleekit (superlative)

Wee, sleekit, cowran, tim'rous beastie, / O, what panic's in thy breastie!

Little, cunning, cowering, timorous beast, / Oh, what a panic is in your breast!

He's goat a wee sleekit smile oan his face as we go fur it.

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

He's got a little crafty smile on his face as we go for it.


sleekit

simple past tense and past participle of sleek


hind

From Early Scots hyne (“stripling”), from Northumbrian Old English hīȝu or hīȝan (“members of a household”).

(archaic) A skilled labourer on a farm, especially a ploughman. In Southern Scotland, specifically a married skilled farmworker given housing in a cottage and often given special privileges in addition to his wages. Occasionally a derogatory term.


unspeakable

unspeakable (comparative mair unspeakable, superlative maist unspeakable)

mair unspeakable (comparative)
maist unspeakable (superlative)


stook

From Middle English stook, from or related to Middle Low German stūke, from Old Saxon *stūkan, from Proto-Germanic *stūkaną (“to be stiff, push”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewg- (“to pound, push, beat”).


deh

A deh ken what ee mean!

example is in South Scots; "what" would be replaced by "whit" or "fit" and "ee" with "ye" in other Scots dialects

(Southern Scots, Edinburgh, Northern Scots) don't


chloroform

Afore I kent where I was I got a smeek o' chloroform.

1935, Joe Corrie, chapter 7, in The Income

Before I knew where I was I got a puff of chloroform.


maks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of mak


hing

‘Aye, but that's the hing, Dolly. He's…he's different fae other guys.’

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

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


hing

head

hing (third-person singular simple present hings, present participle hingin, simple past hung, past participle hung)

hings (present singular third-person)
hingin (participle present)
hung (past)
hung (participle past)


mak

mak (third-person singular simple present maks, present participle makkin, simple past made or makkit, past participle made or makkit)

maks (present singular third-person)
makkin (participle present)
made (past)
makkit (past)
made (participle past)
makkit (participle past)

From Middle English maken, from Old English macian.

Mony fowk drink tae mak thaimselves feel blithe.

Many people drink to make themselves feel happy.


wan-

Examples: wanhope, wanrest

Preceding nouns and adjectives with the sense ‘bad, un-’


clachan

hamlet or village generally containing a church, a small cluster of cottages.


wyte

wyte (third-person singular simple present wytes, present participle wytin, simple past wytit, past participle wytit)

wytes (present singular third-person)
wytin (participle present)
wytit (past)
wytit (participle past)

From Old English wītan, from Proto-West Germanic *wītan, from Proto-Germanic *wītaną.

Na, na, sir–nae man can wyte me wi' theft.


blaes

The surface of a “clay” tennis court or football pitch.


muir

From Middle English more, from Old English mōr, from Proto-Germanic *mōraz.

This man, so gallant and braw, would never be for her; doubtless the fine suit and the capering horse were for Joan o' the Croft's pleasure. And he, in turn, when he remarked her wan cheeks and dowie eyes, had mind to what the dark man said on the muir, and saw in her a maid sworn to no mortal love.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide


wappenschawing

/ˈwæpənʃɑːɪŋ/

From the roots of English weapon + showing. Cognate with Dutch wapenschouwing.

(history) A periodical muster of armed men within a particular district.


pintle

From Middle Scots pintel, from Middle English pyntel.


reif

From Middle English reif, from Old English rēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *raub, from Proto-Germanic *raubaz.

The man that wons yon Foreste intill,

1809, “The Sang of the Outlaw Murray”, in Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border: Historical ballads, Walter Scott, page 18


gra

I had no gra for it.

I did not like it; It wasn't to my liking.


div

A div agree wi ye.

(auxiliary) Form of tae dae used in the east of Scotland as an auxiliary. Nowadays most often found in Aberdeenshire, Angus, Moray, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.


eme

From Middle English eem, from Old English ēam, from Proto-Germanic *awahaimaz (“maternal uncle”), related to Latin avus (“grandfather”). Cognate with Dutch Dutch oom, German German Ohm, German Oheim.


kirks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of kirk


Weegie

Alteration of English Glaswegian. See English Weegie.


bricht

head

bricht (comparative mair bricht, superlative maist bricht)

mair bricht (comparative)
maist bricht (superlative)

From Middle English bright, briht, from Old English beorht (Northumbrian breht), from Proto-West Germanic *berht, from Proto-Germanic *berhtaz.


feucht

(Southern Scots) simple past tense of fecht


loup

loup (third-person singular simple present loups, present participle loupin, simple past loupit, past participle loupit)

loups (present singular third-person)
loupin (participle present)
loupit (past)
loupit (participle past)

From Middle English lopen, borrowed from Old Norse hlaupa, from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną. Doublet of lepe, which was inherited from Old English hlēapan.

I throw the wee stools o'er the mickle, / While round the fire the giglets keckle, / To see me loup

1786, Robert Burns, Address To The Toothache

I throw the little stools over the mickle, / While round the fire the children cackle, / To see me leap


pei

(Southern Scots) a pea (in Roxburghshire)


aigle

From Middle English egle, from Anglo-Norman egle, from Old French aigle, from Latin aquila.


dree one's weird

1846, He has meikle to answer for to you, Saunders, and I have mair; and to me he has

Michael Scott, The Cruise of the Midge (Franklin Library, p. 158)


bou

From Old Norse bú (“farming, a farm, farm stock”).

der

(agriculture) stock or herd of cattle; farmhouse, village

bou-stane

earthfast stone in the foundation of a building


bou

head

bou (third-person singular simple present bous, present participle bouin, simple past boued, past participle boued)

bous (present singular third-person)
bouin (participle present)
boued (past)
boued (participle past)

From Middle English bowe, from Old English boga, from Proto-West Germanic *bogō.

bou-end

the first net shot after the buoy from a herring-boat


dree

dree (third-person singular simple present drees, present participle dreein, simple past dreed, past participle dreed)

drees (present singular third-person)
dreein (participle present)
dreed (past)
dreed (participle past)

From Old English drēogan, from Proto-West Germanic *dreugan, from Proto-Germanic *dreuganą.


tires

third-person singular simple present indicative form of tire


beh

beh (third-person singular simple present behs, present participle behin, simple past bocht, past participle bocht)

behs (present singular third-person)
behin (participle present)
bocht (past)
bocht (participle past)


gare

gare (comparative mair gare, superlative maist gare)

mair gare (comparative)
maist gare (superlative)


yerd-hunger

/ˈyɜːd ˌhʌŋɡə/


yerd

Archaic spelling of yird (“earth, ground”).


Agatha

a female given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Agatha


weirds

third-person singular simple present indicative form of weird


gangs

third-person singular simple present indicative form of gang


sooth

From Old English sūþ, from Proto-Germanic *sunþrą.


crock

From Middle English crokke, from Old English crocca.

crock (large earthenware vessel for holding milk, cream, salt, butter, etc.)

crockums

refuse of fish livers after the oil has been extracted


nieves

third-person singular simple present indicative form of nieve


aur

From Old Norse ørr, from Proto-Germanic *arwaz.


keek

keek (third-person singular simple present keeks, present participle keekin, simple past keeked, past participle keeked)

keeks (present singular third-person)
keekin (participle present)
keeked (past)
keeked (participle past)

From Middle Scots keik (“to peep”), from Middle English kiken, from Middle Low German kiken, from Old Saxon kīkan, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *kīkan. Cognate with English keek.


keek

Uncertain. Possibly from the verb, due to the difficulty to see sideways from the cap.

A cap made of linen worn around the head and neck.


kei

Variant spelling of kye, from Old English cǣg.


aga

(Shetland) A variety of eight-armed cuttlefish


waulk

waulk (third-person singular simple present waulks, present participle waulkin, simple past waulkit, past participle waulkit)

waulks (present singular third-person)
waulkin (participle present)
waulkit (past)
waulkit (participle past)

From Middle English walken, from Old English wealcan (“to roll, toss”).

(intransitive) (of cloth) to shrink from moisture


snaw

Inherited from Northern Middle English snaw (compare southern snow), from Old English snāw.

inh+

I heard nae mair, for Chanticleer

And hail'd the morning with a cheer,
A cottage-rousing craw.
(please add an English translation of this quotation)


radgie

(derogatory) A violent or aggressive person.


Loch Ness

From Scottish Gaelic, from Pictish, from Celtic

Loch Ness: A lake in Scotland, United Kingdom


gonnae no

Reduced form of gaun tae no, going to not

—Gonnae no dae that! —How no? —Jist gonnae no! —Don't do that! —Why not? —Just don't!


wha

From Middle English wha, northern variant of who, from Old English hwā, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaʀ. See English who.


ferm

From Middle English ferme, from Anglo-Norman and Old French ferme, from Medieval Latin firma, from Old English fearm (“sustenance, food, supplies”).


strang

head

strang (comparative stranger, superlative strangest)

stranger (comparative)
strangest (superlative)


wuz

(Southern Scots) simple past tense of be


verra

From Middle English, from Old French verai (“true”). Compare English very.


swither

swither (third-person singular simple present swithers, present participle switherin, simple past swithert, past participle swithert)

swithers (present singular third-person)
switherin (participle present)
swithert (past)
swithert (participle past)

First attested in 1501; of unknown origin.

to be indecisive, to dither, to hesitate.


wrang

wrang (comparative mair wrang, superlative maist wrang)

mair wrang (comparative)
maist wrang (superlative)


carnaptious

carnaptious (comparative mair carnaptious, superlative maist carnaptious)

mair carnaptious (comparative)
maist carnaptious (superlative)

car- + nap + -ious.
* Source: Dictionary of the Scots Language


futret

Probably from Old French fuiret (modern French furet).

Ye wid like a futret?

Oh we’ll fairly manage ye a futret.

Oh, we'll certainly be able to provide you with a ferret

Noo fit size o’ a futret wid ye like?

Now, what size of a ferret would you like?


gowan

From the original form gollan, meaning the marsh marigold.

We twa hae run about the braes, / and pu’d the gowans fine ; / But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot, / sin auld lang syne.

Bellis perennis
Bellis perennis#Translingual


luve

Inherited from Northern Middle English lufe (compare Southern love).

inh+

And fare thee weel, my only Luve

luveanenty

dear me!, good gracious!, Lord defend thee!


luve

head

luve (third-person singular simple present luves, present participle luvin, simple past luved, past participle luved)

luves (present singular third-person)
luvin (participle present)
luved (past)
luved (participle past)

Wha dis Saurah luve?


weel

weel (comparative better, superlative best)


weel

And fare thee weel, my only Luve

And fare thee weel a while!
(please add an English translation of this quotation)


Julie

From Middle English Julie, julye, iulius, from Anglo-Norman julie, from Old French jule, juil, from Latin iūlius (Gaius Julius Caesar's month), perhaps a contraction of *Iovilios, "descended from Jove", from Latin Iuppiter, from Proto-Indo-European *dyeu-pəter-, from Proto-Indo-European *deyw-os, 'god', + *pəter, 'father'.


dicht

From Middle English dighten, from Old English dihtan.


broon

From Middle English broun, from Old English brūn (“brown; dark; dusky”), from Proto-Germanic *brūnaz.


broon

broon (comparative mair broon, superlative maist broon)

mair broon (comparative)
maist broon (superlative)


selkie

→ English: selkie

diminutive of selch (“common seal, grey seal”)


leid

From Middle English lede, leed, from Old English lēad (“lead (the metal)”). More at lead.


leuk

leuk (third-person singular simple present leuks, present participle leukin, simple past leukit, past participle leukit)

leuks (present singular third-person)
leukin (participle present)
leukit (past)
leukit (participle past)


glaik

Probably related to gleek (“jest, scoff, trick”).

(rare, derogatory) A fool or eccentric person.


glaikit

Alternative form of glaik (“fool or eccentric”)


glaikit

glaikit (comparative mair glaikit, superlative maist glaikit)

mair glaikit (comparative)
maist glaikit (superlative)

Whattan ane glaikit fool am I / To slay myself with melancholy.

Her wee glaikit boyfriend just sits there starin intae space as wan ae the weans batters at his knee wi a wee toy motor.

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


voar

From Norn vår, from Old Norse vár, from Proto-Indo-European *wósr̥.


shan

shan (comparative shanner, superlative shannest)

shanner (comparative)
shannest (superlative)

Borrowed from Scottish Cant, possibly originally from Scottish Gaelic sean (“old”).


ower

If ee gaun ower the hill ee'll sei eet.

If he gone over the hill, he will see it.


ower

That's ower much for mei, like!


bowk

From Old Scots bolk (“to belch”). Cognate with Geordie bowk and General Scots boak (but does not have quite the same meaning).


bowk

bowk (third-person singular simple present bowks, present participle bowkin, simple past bowkt, past participle bowkt)

bowks (present singular third-person)
bowkin (participle present)
bowkt (past)
bowkt (participle past)


nain

nain (comparative mair nain, superlative maist nain)

mair nain (comparative)
maist nain (superlative)

From the prothetic n- + ain, from the wrong division of mine ain as my nain.

He was my nain bairn.


Australie

Australia (A country in Oceania comprising the islands of Australia, Tasmania and other smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean, as well as its precursor colony in the British Empire)

(geology) Australia (a continent consisting of the islands of Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands)


Dorcha

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic Dorcha (literally “dark”).

bor

a female given name from Scottish Gaelic


Sorcha

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic Sorcha (“light, radiant”).

a female given name from Scottish Gaelic sometimes used as a form of Claire or Sarah


carline

From Old Norse karling, feminine of karl (“carl”).


auld

head

auld (comparative aulder, superlative auldest)

aulder (comparative)
auldest (superlative)

Doric Scots, Southern Scots, cat-caught merger

From Northern Middle English auld, aulde, awld, awlde, ald, alde, from Northumbrian Old English ald, variant of Old English eald (“old, mature, venerable; antique, ancient, primeval”), from Proto-West Germanic *ald, from Proto-Germanic *aldaz (“grown up; old”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós (“grown, nourished, matured”). Compare cognate Latin altus (“nourished, raised, grown; tall”).


reeks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of reek


pishes

third-person singular simple present indicative form of pish


sells

third-person singular simple present indicative form of sell


pished

simple past tense and past participle of pish


pished

head

pished (comparative mair pished, superlative maist pished)

mair pished (comparative)
maist pished (superlative)


wett

A wett oot afore, bit no for ower long.

(Southern Scots) simple past tense of gan


dunches

third-person singular simple present indicative form of dunch


guid

guid (comparative better, superlative best)

From Middle English gude, goude, goode, from Old English gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”).

guid-gaun

in good working order, active, lively, flourishing

guidwife

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


guid

head

guid (comparative mair guid, superlative maist guid)

mair guid (comparative)
maist guid (superlative)


multure

From Old French molture (modern French mouture), from Medieval Latin molitura, from the past participle stem of molere ‘grind’. Compare mill.


haugh

Inherited from Northern Middle English *halgh, from Old English healh, from Proto-West Germanic *halh.


Mulhouse

Borrowed from English Milhouse, from French Milhouse, from Alemannic German Milhüsa or its source Middle High German Mülnhūsen, from Old High German Mulinhūson; compare German Mülhausen (literally “mill house”).

cog

Mulhouse, a city in the Haut-Rhin département of eastern France


ootwi

Outside (mainly in abstract senses); beyond; outside of; outwith.


lawlands

(geography) lowlands, in particular the Scottish lowlands


Lallans

Variant of the Scots word lawlands (“lowlands of Scotland”).

The Scots language traditionally spoken in Lowland Scotland, a Germanic language closely related to English and descended from northern dialects of Old English.


aipple

From Middle English appel, from Old English æppel, from Proto-West Germanic *applu, from Proto-Germanic *aplaz.


traik

mutton from a sheep that has died rather than being slaughtered


traik

head

traik (third-person singular simple present traiks, present participle traikin, simple past traikt, past participle traikt)

traiks (present singular third-person)
traikin (participle present)
traikt (past)
traikt (participle past)


Glesca

Glasgow (a major city and council area of Scotland, largest city in Scotland)


corbie messinger

corbie messinger (plural corbie messingers)

Alternative spelling of corbie messenger


guddle

Unknown, but see etymology of English section.

To catch fish with the hands, especially by groping under stones or at the banks of a stream.


darg

Alteration of dark, a contraction of dawark, daywerk ‘day's work’.

a day's work (especially agricultural labour)

an amount or number of something produced in a day


theevil

A tapered stick used to stir food in a cooking pot.


heuch

heuchs (plural)
hews (plural)
heughs (plural)

Old English hōh. Cognate with English hoe (“promontory”).


heuch

Expressing exhilaration or delight, particularly while dancing to a reel or jig.


heuch

heuch (third-person singular simple present heuchs, present participle heuchin, simple past heucht, past participle heucht)

heuchs (present singular third-person)
heuchin (participle present)
heucht (past)
heucht (participle past)


corbie

From Middle French corbeau, from Old French corbel, from Late Latin corbellus, from Latin corvus.

The priests and the Irish officers, and thae papist cattle that hae been sodgering abroad, because they durstna bide at hame, are a' fleeing thick in Northumberland e'enow; and thae corbies dinna gather without they smell carrion.

raven; (sometimes also) carrion crow, rook


partan

For dinner at ye lodging wt Lady dunipace, mrs abigaill and my tuo sones and servants lapster and partans and brandie.

1894, Sir John Foulis, Arthur Washington Hallen, The Account Book of Sir John Foulis of Ravelston 1671-1707, page 279

For dinner at the lodging with Lady Dunipace, Mrs. Abigail and my two sons and servants lobster and crab and brandy.

Cancer pagurus
Cancer pagurus#Translingual


stane

From Middle English stan, stane, the Northern ME form of stone, from Old English stān (“stone”), from Proto-Germanic *stainaz.

(slang, usually in the plural) testicles


begrutten

begrutten (comparative mair begrutten, superlative maist begrutten)

mair begrutten (comparative)
maist begrutten (superlative)

Past participle of begrete (“to beweep”), equivalent to be- + grete.


Hawick

From Early Scots Havwic, perhaps ultimately from Old English haga wīċ (“village surrounded by a hedge”).


brither

head

brither (plural brithers or brether or breder or breether or breither)

brithers (plural)
brether (plural)
breder (plural)
breether (plural)
breither (plural)

Inherited from Middle English brother, from Old English brōþor.


faither

Inherited from Middle English fader, from Old English fæder, from Proto-Germanic *fadēr, from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr.


mairry

mairry (third-person singular simple present mairries, present participle mairryin, simple past mairriet, past participle mairriet)

mairries (present singular third-person)
mairryin (participle present)
mairriet (past)
mairriet (participle past)


airtit

simple past tense and past participle of airt


dowie

dowie (comparative dowier, superlative dowiest)

dowier (comparative)
dowiest (superlative)

Uncertain; probably ultimately related to dull.

There was no comfort in the goodliness of spring or the bright sunshine weather, and she who had been wont to go about the doors lightfoot and blithe was now as dowie as a widow woman.

(please add an English translation of this quotation)


byordinar

byordinar (comparative mair byordinar, superlative maist byordinar)

mair byordinar (comparative)
maist byordinar (superlative)


sweirt

sweirt (comparative mair sweirt, superlative maist sweirt)

mair sweirt (comparative)
maist sweirt (superlative)


sleeks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of sleek


brocht

simple past tense and past participle of bring


waled

simple past tense and past participle of wale


gaun

'Faith, friend,' he says, 'that was a nasty fall for a fellow that has supped weel. Where might your road be gaun to?'


noo

Inherited from Middle Scots now, from Early Scots now, from Middle English nou, from Old English nū (“now, at present, at this time, immediately, very recently”), from Proto-West Germanic *nū, from Proto-Germanic *nu (“now”), from Proto-Indo-European *nū (“now”).

inh

Thurs something noh richt here…Zeb widnae jist up an leave athoot telling me…NAW he’ll be here the noo and send you raggle taggle bunch oan yur wae…aye yull be telt ti follow his commands or CLEAR OFF THIS LAND…!

There's something not right here…Zeb wouldn't just up and leave without telling me…NO he'll be here just now and send you ragtag bunch on your way…yes you'll be told to follow his commands or CLEAR OFF THIS LAND…!

She is in 3rd year, she does no want you, you are no even thirteen.

2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin, page 406

So? I nearly am.
Aye but ye are no the now.
She is in 3rd year, she wouldn't want you, you are not even thirteen.
So? I'm nearly thirteen.
Right, but you are not right now.

(with the definite article) just now, right now


shae

Inherited from Middle English scho, from Old English scōh (“shoe”). More at shoe.


shae

head

shae (third-person singular simple present shaes, present participle shaein, simple past shod, past participle shod)

shaes (present singular third-person)
shaein (participle present)
shod (past)
shod (participle past)


maist

From Old English mǣst (“most”). More at most.

maistlins

almost, well nigh; for the most part, mostly

maistly

mostly, almost, nearly; most of all, especially


ingan

Inherited from Middle English onyoun, from Old French oingnon, oignon, from Latin ūniōnem (“onion”).

‘Hout, sir, ye ken little about Scotland; it's no for want of gude vivers—the best of fish, flesh, and fowl hae we, by sybos, ingans, turneeps, and other garden fruit.’


aff

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


aff

aff (comparative mair aff, superlative maist aff)

mair aff (comparative)
maist aff (superlative)


tyne

tyne (third-person singular simple present tynes, present participle tynin, simple past tint, past participle tint)

tynes (present singular third-person)
tynin (participle present)
tint (past)
tint (participle past)

Hoo muckle o weicht hae ye tint?


mindit

simple past tense and past participle of mind


fae

Whaur are ye fae?


stot

stot (third-person singular simple present stots, present participle stottin, simple past stottit, past participle stottit)

stots (present singular third-person)
stottin (participle present)
stottit (past)
stottit (participle past)

Likely derived from Middle Dutch stoten. Also compare Old Norse stauta. Related to Dutch stoten (“to push; to bump”), German stoßen (“to push; to bump; to jolt; to kick; to thrust”).


dooker

cormorant; horned grebe; tufted duck; goldeneye

Och no, ma dookers is ower sma! Oh no, my swimming trunks are too small!


mair

From northern Middle English mare, from Old English māra (compare English more, and German mehr), from Proto-Germanic *maizô.


mair

From Middle English meyr, from Old French maire (“head of a city or town government”), from Latin maior (“bigger, greater, superior”), comparative of magnus (“big, great”).


lum

Uncertain; perhaps compare obsolete Welsh llumon (“chimney”).


colf

head

colf (third-person singular simple present colfs, present participle colfin, simple past colft, past participle colft)

colfs (present singular third-person)
colfin (participle present)
colft (past)
colft (participle past)

From Early Scots calfat, borrowed from French calfater.


stots

third-person singular simple present indicative form of stot


stottit

simple past tense and past participle of stot


tynes

third-person singular simple present indicative form of tyne


muckit

muckit (comparative mair muckit, superlative maist muckit)

mair muckit (comparative)
maist muckit (superlative)


muckit

simple past tense and past participle of muck


greets

third-person singular simple present indicative form of greet


flethers

third-person singular simple present indicative form of flether


flethert

simple past tense and past participle of flether


mucks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of muck


mairries

third-person singular simple present indicative form of mairry


mairriet

simple past tense and past participle of mairry


dreed

simple past tense and past participle of dree


drees

third-person singular simple present indicative form of dree


wites

third-person singular simple present indicative form of wite


keeked

simple past tense and past participle of keek


bather

bather (third-person singular simple present bathers, present participle batherin, simple past bathert, past participle bathert)

bathers (present singular third-person)
batherin (participle present)
bathert (past)
bathert (participle past)

nae bather!


swithers

third-person singular simple present indicative form of swither


keeks

third-person singular simple present indicative form of keek


skite

skite (third-person singular simple present skites, present participle skitin, simple past skited, past participle skited)

skites (present singular third-person)
skitin (participle present)
skited (past)
skited (participle past)

From Old Norse skjóta (“to shoot, dart”). Compare Norwegian Bokmål skyte, Danish skyde.

It only skited off ‘im like a shoor o’ hailstanes.

It only bounced off of him like a shower of hailstones.

to slip, to slide on a smooth surface; to skate on ice

(transitive) to pitch, to throw (something) forcibly

(transitive) to cause (liquid) to spray or squirt


skite

a skite o’ rain


kye

For then I had a score o' kye, / Och-on, Och-on, Och-rie! / Feeding on yon hill sae high, / And giving milk to me.

1794, Robert Burns, The Highland Widow's Lament


duncht

simple past tense and past participle of dunch


kens

third-person singular simple present indicative form of ken


spae

spae (third-person singular simple present spaes, present participle spaein, simple past spaed, past participle spaed)

spaes (present singular third-person)
spaein (participle present)
spaed (past)
spaed (participle past)

→ English: spae

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 Norwegian Bokmål spå.

spae-trade

the practice of fortune-telling, prophecy

to prophesy, foretell, predict, tell fortunes


norlin

norlin (comparative mair norlin, superlative maist norlin)

mair norlin (comparative)
maist norlin (superlative)


Isle o Man

Isle of Man (an island and Crown dependency of the United Kingdom in the Irish Sea)


Roushie

Russia (A transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and North Asia)


Unitit Kinrick o Greet Britain an Norlin Airlann

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland


Lunnon

London (the capital city of the United Kingdom; capital city of England)


gowf

→ English: golf

From Middle Scots golf, from Middle Dutch colve, from Proto-West Germanic *kolbō, from Proto-Germanic *kulbaz (“round object”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to form into a ball”).


gowf

head

gowf (third-person singular simple present gowfs, present participle gowfing, simple past gowfed, past participle gowfed)

gowfs (present singular third-person)
gowfing (participle present)
gowfed (past)
gowfed (participle past)


kinrick

Inherited from Northern Middle English kinrik, kunerike (southern kineriche), from Old English cynerīċe, from Proto-West Germanic *kunirīkī. Compare Old High German chuneriche, Middle Dutch conrike.


Glesga

Alternative spelling of Glesca: Glasgow (a major city and council area of Scotland)


fitbaw

head

fitbaw (countable and uncountable, plural fitbaws)

From Middle English fotbal; equivalent to fit + baw.

‘Like fitbaw players ah suppose, guys that have played the gither fur years an years, oan the pitch they know exactly where the other cunts will be withoot even lookin.’

2018, Chris McQueer, HWFG, 404 Ink, published 2018, page 68


Inglis

Inglis (comparative mair Inglis, superlative maist Inglis)

mair Inglis (comparative)
maist Inglis (superlative)


awfu

awfu (comparative mair awfu, superlative awfuest)

mair awfu (comparative)
awfuest (superlative)

The wather's awfu, is it no?


awfu

That's awfu guid!


warld

warld (countable and uncountable, plural warlds)

Inherited from Middle English werld, variant of world, from Old English weorold, from Proto-West Germanic *weraldi, from Proto-Germanic *weraldiz.


whaur

From Old English hwǣr (“where”, literally “at what place”), from Proto-Germanic *hwar (“where”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷo- (interrogative pronoun).


aig

head

aig (third-person singular simple present aigs, present participle aigan, simple past aiged, past participle aiged)

aigs (present singular third-person)
aigan (participle present)
aiged (past)
aiged (participle past)


baw

Inherited from Middle English bal, from Old English *beall, from Proto-West Germanic *ballu, from Proto-Germanic *balluz.


hae

hae (third-person singular simple present haes, present participle haein, simple past haet, past participle haet)

haes (present singular third-person)
haein (participle present)
haet (past)
haet (participle past)


ent

ent (third-person singular simple present ents, present participle entin, simple past ented, past participle ented)

ents (present singular third-person)
entin (participle present)
ented (past)
ented (participle past)


yammers

third-person singular simple present indicative form of yammer


drublie

drublie (comparative drublier, superlative drubliest)

drublier (comparative)
drubliest (superlative)

From Middle English drubly, from Old English drōfliċ (“agitated; disturbed; troublesome; irksome; sad”), probably influenced by obsolete Middle English trouble (adjective). Cognate with English drubly.

inh

In to thir dark and drublie dayis, / When sable all the heavens arrayis.


peerie

→ English: peery

From peer (“pear”) + -ie, due to the resemblance of some spinning tops to pears.


peerie

head

peerie (comparative peerier, superlative peeriest)

peerier (comparative)
peeriest (superlative)


stouth

From Middle English stulth, from Old Norse stuldr (“stealing, theft”). Cognate with Swedish stöld (“stealing, theft”).

Thae landis are with stouth sae socht, / To extreme povertie are brocht.

Sir Richard Maitland, ‘Agains The Thievis of Liddisdale’

(obsolete) A secret or clandestine transaction.


dule

dule (comparative duler, superlative dulest)

duler (comparative)
dulest (superlative)

From Old French dol or doel (“anguish”), from Vulgar Latin dolus, from Latin dolēre (“to grieve”). Later influenced by or reborrowed from early Middle English dool. Cognate with English dole. Compare modern French deuil (“mourning”).

My dule spreit dois lurk for schoir.

15th century, William Dunbar, Meditation In Winter (poem)


deave

deave (third-person singular simple present deaves, present participle deavin, simple past deaved, past participle deaved)

deaves (present singular third-person)
deavin (participle present)
deaved (past)
deaved (participle past)

From Middle English deven, deaven (“to make deaf”), from Old English ādēafian (“to deafen”). See deef.

A clapper-tongue wad deave a miller

1792, Robert Burns, Sic a wife as Willie's Wife


swire

From Old English swēora (Northumbrian swīra), or the cognate Old Norse svíra, from Proto-Germanic *swerhô.