Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| abeigh | aloof. |
| aboon abune | above. |
| ae | one. No —S hook. |
| aff | off. |
| agee ajee | off the straight, ajar. |
| aglee agley agly | aside, askew. |
| airest | earliest. |
| airn | iron. |
| airt | direction, quarter; (verb) to direct. |
| aiver | a draft-horse. |
| aizle easle | hot ashes. |
| ajee | off the straight; disturbed, mildly deranged. |
| allenarly | solely; only. |
| almous awmous | alms. |
| alow alowe | ablaze. |
| amissing | wanting, lost. |
| ane | one. |
| aneath | beneath. |
| anerly | only. |
| ann annat annates | the half-year's stipend payable to a minister's wife on his death. |
| appleringie | a herb, southernwood. |
| archilowe | a treat in return. |
| arles | an earnest; earnest money; money paid to bind a bargain. |
| arriage | a former feudal service rendered by a tenant with his beasts of burden. |
| ashet | a large plate. |
| asklent | athwart, aslant. |
| assythment | (Scots law) indemnification for injury; satisfaction. |
| atweel | well, indeed. |
| auld | old; as, Auld Reekie (old smoky), i. e. Edinburgh. |
| aunter | adventure. |
| awa | away. |
| awanting | missing, wanting. |
| aweel | well, well then. |
| awfy | awfully, extremely. |
| backet | a shallow wooden trough for carrying ashes. |
| backsey | sirloin. |
| backspeer backspeir | to cross-question. |
| baggit | full of spawn; (noun) a ripe female salmon that has failed to shed her eggs. |
| bairn | a child. |
| bairnlike | childlike. |
| baith | both. |
| bajan | a freshman at Aberdeen university. Cf. BEJANT, a freshman at Aberdeen. |
| bakeboard | a board for kneading dough on. |
| ballant ballat | a ballad; (verb) to make a ballad. |
| bammer bampot | an idiot, fool. |
| bandster | a binder of sheaves after the reaper. |
| bangster | a violent person. |
| bannock bonnock | a flat unleavened loaf of bread |
| bardy | scolding, impudent > BARDIER, BARDIEST. |
| barnsbreaking | a boisterous frolic; an injurious or mischievous activity. |
| barp | a mound or cairn. |
| barrie | very good > BARRIER, BARRIEST. |
| baubee bawbee | a halfpenny. |
| bauchle | a loose, down-at-heel shoe; (verb) to make shapeless, to bungle. |
| baudrons | a quasi-proper name for the cat; also for the hare. N.B. There is no singular BAUDRON. |
| baur bawr | joke, amusing incident. |
| baxter | a baker; originally, a female baker. |
| bederal bedral | a beadle. |
| beetmaster beetmister | a help in need. |
| beezer | something of exceptional quality. |
| beflum | (Scott) to befool, cajole. |
| begunk | to trick, to play a trick on. |
| bein bien | well off, comfortable. |
| beinness | the state of being comfortable, well off. |
| bejant | a freshman at St Andrews. Cf. BAJAN, a freshman at Aberdeen. |
| belive | with speed, immediately. |
| bethankit | elliptical for God be thanked. |
| bield | a shelter; (verb) to give shelter. |
| bieldy | sheltering > BIELDIER, BIELDIEST. |
| big | to build > BIGS, BIGGED, BIGGING. |
| biggin bigging | a building. |
| birk | birch. |
| birkie | a lively or mettlesome fellow; (adj.) active, lively > BIRKIER, BIRKIEST. |
| birr | to emit a whirring noise; move with a whirring noise. [Also, unrelatedly, a monetary unit of Ethiopia with pl. BIRROTCH]. |
| birse | a bristle or bristles. |
| birsy | bristly > BIRSIER, BIRSIEST. |
| bittie | a small piece, a short time. |
| bittock | a small bit of anything, of indefinite size or quantity; a short distance. |
| blad blaud | a fragment, a broken off piece; (verb) to strike, disfigure. |
| blaeberry | the bilberry. |
| blash | a dash or splash of liquid or semi-liquid. |
| blate | timidly awkward, bashful. |
| blatherskite bletherskate | a contemptible person. |
| blatter | a clattering rainy blast; (verb) to beat like rain on a window. |
| blaw | to blow. |
| blawort blewart | the harebell; the corn bluebottle. |
| blee | complexion. |
| blellum | an idle boring chatterer. |
| blootered | drunk. |
| blude bluid | blood. |
| bludie bludy | bloody > BLUDIER, BLUDIEST. |
| bluidy | bloody > BLUIDIER, BLUIDIEST. |
| blunk | to spoil, bungle. |
| blunker | a bungler. |
| bodle boddle | a 17th century Scots copper coin. |
| bonie | bonny. |
| bonspiel bonspell | a curling match between clubs. |
| bool | a bowl. |
| boortree bountree bourtree | the elder tree. |
| bothan bothie bothy | a hut, cabin. |
| bouk | the body; bulk. |
| bourd | an amusing tale, a jest; joking, banter, fun. |
| bowat bowet buat | a lantern. |
| brachet bratchet | a BRACH, a whelp |
| brae | A steep bank beside a river valley; a hillside, a slope. |
| braeheid | the summit of a hill or slope. |
| braird breer | the first shoots of corn or other crops; (verb) of crops, to appear above the ground. |
| brander | a gridiron; (verb) to cook on a gridiron. |
| brank | to prance, toss the head. |
| branky | showy > BRANKIER, BRANKIEST. |
| brattle | to rush noisily. |
| braw | fine, brave. |
| brawlie brawly | very well > BRAWLIER, BRAWLIEST. |
| braws | fine clothes. |
| brecham brechan | a horse-collar. |
| bree | the eyebrow; the liquor in which anything has been boiled. |
| breenge breinge | a lunge forward; (verb) to lunge forward > BREENGES, BREENGING, BREENGED; BREINGES, BREINGING, BREINGED. |
| breest breist | breast. Also BREIST. |
| brent | steep > BRENTER, BRENTEST. |
| bricht | bright > BRICHTER, BRICHTEST. |
| bridie | a meat and onion turnover. |
| brochan | gruel, porridge. |
| brockage | fragments of crockery etc. |
| brocked brockit | variegated, esp. black and white. |
| brog | an awl; (verb) to prick with an awl. |
| broo buroo | unemployment benefit; the office at which people receive it. |
| broose brouze | a race at a wedding. |
| brose | a dish of oatmeal with boiling water or milk poured on it. |
| browst | a brewing. |
| bruckle | liable to break, brittle. |
| bruilzie brulyie brulzie | a broil, a noisy disturbance. |
| buckie | a large spiral marine shell, esp. the common whelk. |
| buik buke | a book. |
| buirdly | stalwart; large and well made > BUIRDLIER, BUIRDLIEST. |
| buist | a box, a tar-box; an owner's mark on sheep and cattle; (verb) to mark with this. |
| bumbaze | to perplex, bamboozle. |
| burdie | birdie. |
| burnie | a small brook. |
| burrowstown | a town that is a BURGH. |
| byde | to bide > BYDES, BYDING, BYDED. |
| byke | a nest of wasps or wild bees; a swarm, throng; (verb) to swarm. |
| caa | to call > CAAS, CAAING, CAAED. |
| caber kabar kebar | a heavy wooden heaving pole. |
| caboc | a double cream cheese rolled in oatmeal. Cf. KEBBOCK, KEBBUCK. |
| cadee cadie | a caddie. |
| cadgy | brisk, cheerful > CADGIER, CADGIEST. |
| caduac | an incidental payment; a windfall. [L. cadicum]. |
| callan callant | a boy; a fellow. |
| camsho camshoch | crooked or deformed. |
| camstairy camsteary camsteerie | perverse, unruly. |
| camstane caumstone calmstone camstone | a white argillaceous stone used for whitening doorsteps. |
| cangle | a noise or disturbance; (verb) to wrangle. |
| cannach | a cotton-grass. |
| cantiness | cheerfulness, liveliness. |
| cantrap cantraip cantrip | a charm; an incantation, a witch's trick. |
| canty | contented > CANTIER, CANTIEST. |
| capernoitie capernoity cappernoity | the head, noddle. |
| carcake | a small cake baked with eggs, eaten on Shrove Tuesday in parts of Scotland. |
| carfuffle curfuffle kerfuffle kefuffle | a commotion; (verb) to make a commotion. |
| carline | an old woman, a witch. |
| carnaptious curnaptious | bad-tempered, quarrelsome. |
| carritch | a catechism. |
| carriwitchet | a pun; a conundrum. |
| carse | alluvial lowland beside a river. |
| carvy | caraway; a caraway seed, esp. one coated with sugar. |
| castock custock | a cabbage stock. |
| cateran | a military irregular or brigand. |
| cauld | cold. |
| cauldrife | apt to feel chilly; lifeless, without vigour. |
| caum | pale bluish-grey clay; (verb) to whiten with this. |
| caup | a two-handed drinking bowl. |
| cavel kevel kevil | a piece of wood used in casting lots. |
| cavie keavie | a hen-coop or cage. |
| chack | a snapping shut or pinching; to pinch or nip. |
| chaft | the jaw, cheek. |
| channer | gravel, shingle. |
| chaumer | a room or building in which male farm-workers sleep. |
| chib | a sharp weapon such as a knife or razor; (verb) to slash with a sharp weapon > CHIBS, CHIBBING, CHIBBED. |
| chiel chield | a man, a lad, a fellow. |
| chirk | to chirp or squeak; to grate; (adj.) cheerful > CHIRKER, CHIRKEST. |
| chirl | to emit a low sound, to warble. |
| claes | clothes. |
| clamjamfry clamjamphrie clanjamfray | rubbish, nonsense. |
| clat clart claut | something scraped together, a lump; (verb) to scratch, scrape. |
| clatch | to dabble or work into a miry matter. |
| claucht claught | to snatch. |
| claver | gossip; (verb) to gossip. |
| cleck | to hatch. |
| cleekit | pt. CLEEK, to seize, hook. |
| cleuch cleugh clough | a ravine. |
| clipshear | an earwig. |
| clishmaclaver | gossip. |
| cloot | a division of a cloven hoof; a cloth. |
| closehead | the entrance to a close, or the gossips that congregate there. |
| clour | a knock, bump; (verb) to knock, bump. |
| clow | a clove. A clow-flower is a gillyflower. |
| cludgie | a lavatory. |
| cockaleekie cockieleekie cockyleekie | soup made from a fowl and leeks. |
| cockernony | the gathering of hair in a fillet; a coiffure. |
| cocklaird | the owner of a small farm, who farms it in person. |
| coff | to buy. |
| coft | pt. COUGH. |
| coggie cogie cogue | a small wooden bowl. |
| cognosce | (Scots law) to examine; to give judgment on. |
| collieshangie | a squabble, a brawl. |
| compearant | one who COMPEARS, appears in court. |
| condiddle | (Scott) to steal. |
| coof cuif | a lout, a dolt. |
| coorie courie | to nestle > COORIES, COORIEING, COORIED; COURIES, COURIEING, COURIED. |
| cooser cuisser cusser | a stallion. |
| coost | cast (pt.). |
| cootikin cuitikin cutikin | a gaiter. |
| corbie corby | a crow, a raven. |
| corfhouse | a salmon-curing house. |
| cottar cotter | a medieval peasant inhabiting a cottage. |
| cottown | a group of outhouses. |
| coup cowp | to overturn, turn up |
| couper | a dealer. |
| couth | refinement; (adj.) refined > COUTHER, COUTHEST. |
| couthie couthy | kind, friendly > COUTHIER, COUTHIEST. |
| cowan | a dry-stone diker; a mason who has never served an apprenticeship. |
| craig | a form of CRAG, meaning cliff or neck. |
| cramboclink | rhyming doggerel. |
| crame | a booth for selling goods. |
| cratur | a woman. |
| creesh | to crease. |
| creeshy | greasy > CREESHIER, CREESHIEST. |
| crewels cruels cruells | scrofula [Fr. écrouelles.] |
| crine | to shrink or shrivel. |
| crivens crivvens | (slang) an interjection expressing dismay. |
| croove cruive cruve | a pen for livestock; esp. a pigsty. |
| crouse | lively, pert, arrogant. No comparative. |
| crowdie crowdy | a mixture of meal and water, aka BROSE. |
| cruisie crusie crusy | an open iron lamp with a rush wick. |
| crummie | a cow with crooked horns. |
| cuddie | a donkey. |
| cuit | the ankle. |
| cuiter | to wheedle; to cocker, pamper. |
| cuittle | to coax, to cajole. |
| cummer kimmer | a woman, a girl. |
| curch | a covering for the head, a kerchief. |
| curliewurlie | (of) an object with a curled or twisted shape. |
| curmurring | a rumbling or flatulent sound. There is no verb CURMUR. |
| curn curran | a grain, a small quantity. |
| curpel | the crupper. |
| cushat | the wood-pigeon or ring-dove. |
| cutty | short, curtailed > CUTTIER, CUTTIEST; (noun) a short clay pipe. |
| dabbity | a cheap pottery figure found at fairgrounds. |
| dacker daiker daker | to lounge, saunter. |
| dae | to do. |
| daidle daddle | to waddle, stagger. |
| daimen | occasional: 'a daimen icker in a thrave'. |
| dalt dault | a foster-child. |
| dargle | (Scott) a dell. |
| daud dawd dod | to knock, thump. |
| daur | to dare. |
| daut dawt | to pet. |
| dautie dawtie | pet. |
| deave deeve | to deafen, worry with noise. |
| deid deed | dead > DEIDER, DEIDEST/ DEEDER, DEEDEST. |
| deif | deaf > DEIFER, DEIFEST. |
| deil | devil. |
| dempster doomster | formerly in Scotland, an officer who repeated the sentence after the judge. |
| devel devvel | a hard blow; (verb) to stun with a club. |
| dicht | to wipe. |
| dindle dinnle | to tingle, vibrate. |
| dinmont | a wether between the first and second shearing. |
| dinna dinnae divna | do not. |
| dirdam dirdum durdum | an uproar; a scolding; blame. |
| dirl | to (cause to) vibrate. |
| disjaskit | jaded, worn out. |
| disjune | breakfast. |
| dit | to block > DITS, DITTING, DITTED, DITTIT. |
| dittay | an indictment, a charge. |
| docht dought | pt. of DOW, to be able. |
| docken | = DOCK, the plant. |
| dod | a rounded hill; (verb) to cut the hair of. |
| doddy | a hornless cow; (adj.) sulky > DODDIER, DODDIEST. |
| doiled | crazy, foolish. |
| doilt | crazy, foolish > DOILTER, DOILTEST. |
| doited doitit | in one's dotage. |
| donnard donnart donnerd donnered | stupid, dull-witted. |
| donsy donsie | sickly, stupid > DONSIER, DONSIEST. |
| doo | dove, pigeon. |
| doocot dooket | a dove-cote. |
| dook | to duck, bathe. |
| doon doun | down. |
| dort | to sulk. |
| dorty | pettish, sulky > DORTIER, DORTIEST. |
| doup dowp | the bottom of anything. |
| dout | to put out, extinguish. |
| dove dover | to doze. |
| dovekie dovekey | a kind of guillemot; also, the little auk. |
| dovie | stupid > DOVIER, DOVIEST. |
| dow | to be able: pt. DOCHT or DOUGHT. |
| dowf | dull, heavy, spiritless. No comparative. |
| dowfness | dullness, heaviness. |
| dowie | dull, low-spirited > DOWIER, DOWIEST. |
| dowt | a cigarette end. |
| dozen | to doze > DOZENED, DOZENING. |
| drap | to drop. |
| drappie drappy | a little drop, esp. of spirits. |
| dree | to suffer, endure. |
| dreich | dreary > DREICHER, DREICHEST. |
| dreigh driegh | dreary. Unlike DREICH, these do not have a comparative. |
| drook drouk | to drench. |
| drookit droukit | drowned, drenched. |
| drow | wet mist. |
| drunken. | |
| drumbledor | a DUMBLEDORE, a large flying insect. |
| drumly | turbid, muddy, gloomy, cloudy > DRUMLIER, DRUMLIEST. |
| duddie duddy | ragged > DUDDIER, DUDDIEST. |
| dunch dunsh | to jog, nudge, butt. |
| duply | in Scots law, a second reply; (verb) to say in DUPLY. |
| dush | to strike heavily against. |
| dwalm dwam dwaum | a swoon, a sudden sickness; (verb) to swoon. |
| dwine | to pine, to waste away. |
| dyester | one who dyes cloth. |
| dyvour | a bankrupt. |
| dyvoury | bankruptcy. |
| eard yird yeard | earth; (verb) to bury. |
| eassel eassil | eastwards, easterly. |
| easselgate easselward | eastwards. |
| eastlin eastlings eastlins | eastwards. |
| eatche | an adze. |
| ee | eye. |
| eident | busy, diligent. |
| eilding eldin elding | fuel. |
| elshin elsin | an awl. |
| endlang | endlong, lengthwise. |
| ethercap ettercap | a spider. |
| ettle | to intend, purpose, plan. |
| ewest | near, close at hand. |
| ewhow | alas! |
| excamb | (Scots law) to exchange. |
| excambion excambium | (Scots law) exchange of lands. |
| exeem exeme | to release or exempt. |
| exhausted. | |
| exies | a fit, e.g. of hysterics or the ague. |
| faa | to fall > FAAS, FAAING, FELL, FAAN or FALLEN. |
| fae | from. |
| faik | to abate; to excuse. |
| faither | father. |
| fank | a coil, tangle; an enclosure for sheep. |
| fankle | to entangle. |
| fantoosh | fashionable, pretentious. |
| farand farrand farrant | having a certain manner or humour. |
| farl farle farthel | the quarter of a round cake of flour or oatmeal. |
| fattrels | ends of ribbon. N.B. there is no singular FATTREL. |
| faur | far > FAURER, FAUREST. |
| faurd | favoured. |
| faut | to fault > FAUTS, FAUTING, FAUTED. |
| feart | afraid. |
| fecht | to fight. |
| fechter | a fighter. |
| feck | quantity, number. |
| feckly | mostly, nearly. |
| feer | to draw the first furrow in ploughing. |
| fegs | a mild oath. |
| feirie | nimble, fit to travel. |
| fendy | resourceful, thrifty > FENDIER, FENDIEST |
| ferntickled fernticled | freckled. |
| fernyticle | a freckle. |
| fess | to fetch. |
| feuar fiar | in law, the owner of a property in fee simple. |
| fient | fiend, devil. Fient ane: devil a one. |
| fike fyke | to fidget restlessly. |
| fikery | fuss, fidget. |
| fikish | fidgety. |
| fiky | fidgety > FIKIER, FIKIEST. |
| finnan | haddock cured in peat smoke, originally at Findon (pron. fin'an), Scotland. The name is also applied to other kinds of smoked haddock. |
| firlot | (a container used as) a measure of capacity for corn etc. |
| fissle | to rustle. |
| fizzen foison fushion fusion | physical energy or strength. |
| flacker flaffer | to flutter. |
| flaff | to flap, to pant. |
| flaught | a snowflake; (verb) to cut, pare. |
| flaughter | to flutter or flicker. |
| fleech | to flatter, coax, beg. |
| fleechment | flattery. |
| fleg | to frighten; (noun) a fright. |
| fleme | to put to flight. Pt. FLEMIT. |
| flemit | pt. of FLEME, to put to flight. |
| fley | to frighten. |
| flichter | to flutter. |
| flisk | to caper about. |
| flisky | restive, whimsical > FLISKIER, FLISKIEST. |
| flite flyte | to contend, strive; argue noisily; chide. |
| fodgel | plump and solidly built; buxom. |
| foggage | a grass that grows after the hay is cut. |
| forby forbye foreby forebye | besides. |
| foreanent fornent fornenst | right opposite to in location. |
| forestair | an outside stair at the front of a house. |
| forfairn | worn out, exhausted. |
| forfochen | exhausted. |
| forhoo forhow forhooie | to desert or abandon. |
| forisfamiliate | to emancipate from parental authority. |
| forjaskit forjeskit | tired out. |
| forpet forpit | a fourth part (now of a peck measure). |
| forrad | forward > FORRADER or FORRARDER; (noun) a forward > FORRADS. |
| forrit | forward. |
| forwander | to wander away; to go astray. |
| fou | drunk > FOUER, FOUEST; (noun) a bushel > FOUS. |
| fouat fouet | the house-leek. |
| fousty | mouldy, damp > FOUSTIER, FOUSTIEST. |
| fouter foutra foutre | to mess around aimlessly. |
| fouth fowth | abundance. |
| foziness | weakness, softness. |
| fozy | spongy, lacking firmness > FOZIER, FOZIEST. |
| frack | prompt, eager. N.B. no comparative. |
| frae | from. |
| fraim fremd fremit | foreign, strange; (noun) a stranger. |
| frampal frampold | (Scott) peevish, intractable. |
| frampler | (Scott) a brawler. |
| freet freit | an omen. |
| freety freity | superstitious > FREETIER, FREETIEST/FREITIER, FREITIEST. |
| fricht | fright; (verb) to frighten. |
| fud | a rabbit's or hare's tail. |
| fuffy | light and soft > FUFFIER, FUFFIEST. |
| fugie | a cock that will not fight, a runaway. |
| fugitation | (Scots law) absconding from justice. |
| furr | a furrow. |
| furth | forth, outside of. |
| gabbard gabbart | a kind of barge. |
| gaberlunzie | a wandering beggar or a harmless hobo. |
| gabnash | chatter, prattle. |
| gadsman gadman | a person who drives horses at the plough. |
| gae | to go > GAES, GAUN, GAED, GANE, GAEING. |
| gair | a gore (in cloth or land). |
| gaitt | a child. |
| galdragon | (Scott) an obsolete Shetland word for a sorceress or witch. [ON galdra-kona]. |
| galravage gilravage gillravage gilravitch gillravitch galravitch | a noisy frolic; to behave riotously. |
| gamash gramash gramoche | a kind of legging. |
| gant | to yawn. |
| gar | to compel; (noun) a garfish. |
| gardyloo jordeloo | a warning cry given when throwing slops from the window into the street. |
| gare | greedy, miserly. |
| garvie garvock | a sprat. |
| gaucie gawcy gaucy gawsy gawsie | portly, jolly. |
| gaumless | stupid; witless; vacant. |
| gaun | going. |
| geggie | the mouth. |
| gey | considerable > GEYER, GEYEST. |
| geyan | = GEY AND, e.g. gey and easy, easy enough. |
| gie | to give. GIES, GIED, GIEING, GAE, GIEN. |
| gillet jillet | a skittish, flighty girl. |
| gilpey gilpy | a boisterous girl. |
| gilravager | a riotous person. |
| gimmer | a young ewe; (contemptuously) a woman. |
| girnel | a granary; a large chest or vat for storing grain. |
| girr | a hoop, for a barrel or used as a child's plaything. |
| gizz jiz | a wig. Pl. GIZZES, JIZZES. |
| gizzen | to shrink from dryness so as to leak. |
| glaik | a flash, a dazzle. |
| glaiket glaikit | giddy, foolish. |
| glaum | to clutch or grab. |
| glaur | mire. |
| glaury | miry > GLAURIER, GLAURIEST. |
| glee gley | to squint. |
| gleg | quick, sharp > GLEGGER, GLEGGEST. |
| glid | slippery. |
| glidder | slippery. |
| glisk | a glimpse. |
| goldspink gowdspink | the goldfinch. |
| gollar goller | a loud inarticulate gurgling sound; (verb) to make this sound. |
| gomeral gomerel gomeril | a simpleton. |
| goodsire gudesire gutcher | a grandfather. |
| gool goold gule | a marigold. |
| gorcock | the cock of the red grouse. |
| gorhen | the hen of the red grouse. |
| gouk gowk | a cuckoo; a fool, an April fool. |
| goustrous | boisterous, rude. |
| gousty | desolate, dreary > GOUSTIER, GOUSTIEST. |
| gowan | a daisy. |
| gowd | gold, golden. |
| gowf | to strike, cuff; to play golf. |
| gowfer | golfer. |
| gowl | to cry or howl. |
| gowpenful | a double handful. |
| graith | apparatus, equipment; (verb) to get ready, to dress. |
| grape | to grope. |
| grassum | (Scots law) a lump sum paid in addition to rent by a person taking a lease of landed property. |
| grein | to long, yearn. |
| grippy | inclined to avarice > GRIPPIER, GRIPPIEST. |
| grit | great > GRITTER, GRITTEST. |
| groof grouf grufe | the front of one's body, one's face. |
| groser grosert groset grossart | a gooseberry. |
| grumph | to grunt. |
| grumphie grumphy | a pig. |
| grushie | healthy, thriving. No comparative. |
| guddle | to catch fish barehanded. |
| gude guid | good. |
| gudeman | goodman. |
| gudewife | goodwife. |
| guffie | a pig. |
| guildry | the corporation of a royal burgh. |
| guising | a survival of mumming, where children dress up and go from house to house. |
| gumphion | a kind of banner formerly carried in a funeral procession. |
| gundy | a toffee made of treacle and spices. |
| gurl | to growl. |
| gustie | savoury. |
| gyte | crazy, mad; (noun) a child, a brat. |
| had | to hold > HADS, HADDING, HADDEN. |
| haddie | the haddock. |
| hae | to have > HAES, HAEING, HAED, HAEN. |
| haet | a whit. |
| haffet haffit | the side of the head, the temple. |
| hafflin | a halfling. |
| hag | to hack, hew |
| hagg | broken ground in a moss or bog, a place from which peat has been dug. |
| haggis | a dish consisting of the heart, lungs, and liver of a sheep etc. minced with suet, oatmeal, and onions, stuffed into the maw of the animal or into an artificial bag like a large sausage and usu. boiled. |
| hain | to enclose or protect with a fence or hedge; esp. to preserve (grass) from cattle; to save, preserve, spare. |
| hainch | haunch; (verb) to haunch. |
| hairst | harvest. |
| haith | interj. by my faith! |
| hallan | a partition or screen between the door and a fireplace in a cottage. |
| hallian hallion hallyan | a lout or lazy rascal. |
| halver | a half-share. |
| hame | home. |
| hamesucken | the assaulting of a man in his own house. |
| hamewith | homewards. |
| hanch | to snap at with the jaws. |
| hantle | a lot. |
| harigalds harigals | viscera. |
| harl | to drag along the ground; to roughcast. |
| haterent | hatred. |
| hattock | a little (esp. fairy) hat. |
| haud hauld | to hold. |
| hauf | half. |
| haugh | a low-lying meadow by the side of a river. |
| haun | a hand. |
| haverel | a foolish person. |
| hawkie | a cow with a white-striped face. |
| hawkit | streaked, white-faced. |
| headrig | a headland in a ploughed field. |
| hecht | to call. |
| heeze | to lift, raise. |
| heezie | a lift. |
| heid | head. |
| hellicat | giddy-headed, flighty; (noun) a wicked creature. |
| hempie hempy | a rogue, a romp, a tomboy. |
| hen | to dare to a challenge. |
| henner | a challenge to an act of daring. |
| herriment herryment | spoliation, plunder. |
| hership | plundering, plunder, esp. cattle. |
| hesp | to hasp. |
| heuch heugh | a crag, a steep-sided valley. |
| hidling hidlings hidlins | in secret. |
| hilch | to hobble. |
| hinderland hinderlings hinderlins hinderlans | the buttocks. |
| hippen hippin hipping | a baby's nappy tied round the hips. |
| hirple | to walk lamely. |
| hirsel | a stock of sheep; (verb) to put (sheep) into different groups. |
| hirselling | the act of putting (sheep) into different groups. |
| hirsle | to slide, wriggle. |
| hirstie histie | dry, barren. No comparative! |
| hoatching | infested, swarming e.g. with flies. |
| hodden hoddin | a coarse undyed homespun woollen cloth. |
| hoddle | to waddle. |
| hogmanay hogmane hogmenay | New Year's Eve. See HAGGIS, FOU and GILRAVAGE. |
| holk howk | to dig, burrow. |
| hoolie | easy, slow. |
| hotch | to hitch, jog. |
| houf howff houff howf | a place where one is often found, a haunt; (verb) to go to such a place. |
| hove | to swell, to rise. |
| howtowdie | a dish of boiled chicken. |
| huck huckle | to force roughly. |
| hudden | past part. of HAUD, to hold. |
| humdudgeon | low spirits. |
| humlie | a pollarded or hornless cow. |
| huntiegowk | a fools' errand, appropriate to the first of April. |
| hurcheon | an urchin, a hedgehog. |
| hurdies | the buttocks, the thighs. |
| hurlbarrow | a wheelbarrow. |
| icker | a single ear of corn. |
| ilka | every. |
| inby inbye | towards the interior, by the house. |
| induciae | (Scots law) the time limit within which (after a citation) the defendant must appear in court or reply. N.B. there is no singular INDUCIA. |
| infeft | (Scots law) to invest with heritable property. |
| infeftment | (Scots law) the act of giving legal possession of fedual property. |
| ingan | an onion. |
| ingate | a way in, an entrance. |
| ingo | entry into or taking on a new tenancy. |
| insucken | (Scots law) relating to a SUCKEN, the jurisdiction of a mill, or that extent of ground astricted to it. |
| inwick | a kind of stroke in curling; (verb) to make such a stroke. |
| inwith | within |
| ish | a legal word meaning issue or expiry. Pl. ISHES. |
| isna isnae | is not. Also ISNAE. |
| jabble | to splash, ripple. |
| jakey | a homeless alcoholic > JAKEYS. |
| jalouse jealouse | to suspect or surmise; to be jealous or begrudge jealously. |
| jap jaup | to splash or spatter. |
| jawbox | a sink. |
| jawhole | a cesspool. |
| jee | to urge on. |
| jeel | to congeal, set. |
| jeelie jeely | jelly, jam; (verb) to set, jell. |
| jeistiecor | a close-fitting garment. |
| jessie | an effeminate or namby-pamby man or boy. |
| jibbings | the last milk drawn from a cow. |
| jimp | slender > JIMPER, JIMPEST. |
| jimply | slenderly. |
| jimpness | slenderness. |
| jimpy | neat > JIMPIER, JIMPIEST. |
| jirble | to pour splashingly. |
| jo joe | a loved one. Pl. JOES. |
| jockteleg | a large clasp knife. |
| joco | cheerfully complacent. |
| jook jouk | to duck or dodge. |
| jookery joukery | trickery, roguery. |
| jougs | an old instrument of punishment consisting of a hinged iron collar locked round an offender's neck and attached by a chain to a wall or post. |
| jow | to toll; (noun) the stroke of a bell. |
| kae | jackdaw; (verb) to serve. |
| kaim | a comb. |
| kaugh kiaugh | care, trouble. |
| keb | to cast a lamb prematurely; (noun) a ewe that has lost its lamb. |
| kebbie | a shepherd's crook. |
| kebbock kebbuck | cheese. |
| kedgy | brisk, cheerful > KEDGIER, KEDGIEST. |
| keelie | the kestrel or other hawk; an urban tough, esp. from Glasgow. |
| keeling | a codfish. |
| keelivine keelyvine | a lead pencil. |
| kelpie kelpy | a water-horse, a fabulous beast. |
| kelt | a salmon that has just spawned; a coarse fabric made of black and white wool. |
| keltie kelty | a bumper or glass filled to the brim, esp. one imposed as a forfeit. |
| kemple | 40 bottles of hay or straw. |
| kenspeck kenspeckle | obvious, conspicuous. |
| kent | a leaping or punting pole; (verb) to punt or pole. |
| ket | carrion. |
| kidge | brisk, cheerful. No comparative. |
| kidgie | brisk, cheerful > KIDGIEST, KIDGIEST. |
| killogie | the space in front of the fireplace of a kiln. Cf. LOGIE. |
| kingle | a very hard rock esp. sandstone. |
| kipp | anything beaked; a pointed hill. |
| kippage | a state of displeasure or anger. |
| kirk | church. |
| kirkward | in the direction of the church. |
| kirkyaird kirkyard | churchyard. |
| kirn | the cutting of the last sheaf. |
| kist | chest; (verb) to coffin. |
| kittle | ticklish, delicate > KITTLER, KITTLEST; (verb) to offend. |
| kittly | ticklish, delicate > KITTLIER, KITTLIEST. Cf. KITTLE. |
| knapscal knapskull knapscull | a kind of helmet. |
| knevell nevel | to pound with the NIEVES, the fists. |
| kook | to dart in and out of sight. |
| kow | a bunch of twigs. |
| kye | cattle. |
| kyne | kine, cattle. |
| kyte | the belly. |
| laggen laggin | the angle between the side and bottom of a wooden dish. |
| laich | low; (noun) a piece of low-lying ground; a hollow. Pl. LAICHS (not LAICHES). |
| laid | to load > LAIDS, LAIDED, LAIDING. |
| laidly laithly | loathly |
| laigh | low; (noun) a piece of low-lying ground; a hollow. |
| laik lake | to sport or play. |
| lair | to mire, cover with mud. |
| laird | the owner of a landed estate. |
| lairdly | in the manner of a LAIRD. No comparative. |
| laith | loth. |
| laldie laldy | a beating or thrashing. |
| lallan lalland lawland | lowland. |
| lammer | amber. |
| lanely | lonely. |
| lang | long. |
| langsyne langsynes | long since; long ago. |
| lapper lopper | to curdle, clot. |
| lass lassie | a girl. |
| lassock | a little lass. |
| lauch | to laugh. Pt. LEUCH or LEUGH; pp. LEUCHEN or LEUGHEN. |
| laverock | a skylark; (verb) to catch larks. |
| lavrock | a skylark. |
| lawin | a bill or reckoning. |
| leal | loyal. No comparative. |
| lealty | loyalty. |
| leear | a liar. |
| leglan leglin leglen | a milking-pail. |
| leish | active, supple > LEISHER, LEISHEST. |
| lenocinium | (Scots law) connivance at one's wife's adultery. |
| leuch | pt. LAUCH, to laugh. |
| leuchen | pp. LAUCH, to laugh. |
| leugh | pt. of LAUCH, to laugh. |
| leughen | pp. LAUCH, to laugh. |
| lichtly | to slight, make light of. |
| limmer | a scoundrel; a prostitute. |
| linn | waterfall. |
| lintie lintwhite | a linnet. |
| lippen | to trust, depend on. |
| lippie | an old Scottish dry measure, the fourth part of a peck. |
| lirk | a fold, a wrinkle; (verb) to wrinkle. |
| lith | a joint; spec. the last joint or the tip of a finger. |
| littleane littlin littling | a child. |
| loaning | a lane, an open space for passage between fields of corn; a place for milking cows. |
| loo | to love > LOOS, LOOED, LOOING. |
| loof | the palm of the hand. |
| loofful | an open handful. |
| loon lown lowne lownd loun lound | sheltered, calm, quiet; (verb) to calm, become calm. |
| loonie | a boy, a fellow. |
| loor | comparative of LIEF, glad. |
| losh | (interjection) Lord. |
| lou | to love > LOUS, LOUING, LOUED. Also LOO. |
| lounder | to beat, thump; (noun) a heavy blow. |
| loup | to leap. |
| loupen | pt. of LOUP, to leap. |
| loverly | like a lover. |
| lowe | a flame; (verb) to blaze. |
| lowp | to leap > LOWPS, LOWPING, LOWPED. Also LOUP. |
| lowse | loose > LOWSER, LOWSEST; (verb) to loosen. Pt. LOWSIT, not LOWSED*. |
| lowsit | pt. LOWSE, to loosen. |
| lozen | a window-pane. |
| lucken | closed. |
| luggie | a hooped dish with one long stave. |
| luit | pt. LET. |
| luiten | pp. of LET. |
| lum | chimney. |
| lungie lunyie | the guillemot. |
| lunt | a slow match; a sudden flame; (verb) to kindle. |
| luppen | pt. of LEAP. |
| lythe | the POLLACK, a fish of the cod family. |
| macallum | a dish of vanilla icecream topped with raspberry sauce. |
| mae | more > MAES. |
| maik | a mate or consort, an equal. |
| mair | more. |
| maist | most. |
| maister | master; (verb) to master. |
| maisterdome | mastery. |
| maistring | mastering. |
| maistry | mastery; superiority; art. |
| mak | to make > MAKS. |
| makar | maker, poet. |
| manky | filthy, dirty, rotten > MANKIER, MANKIEST. |
| manty | = MANTUA, a woman's loose outer gown. |
| marischal | a marshal; (verb) to marshal. |
| mashlum mashlam mashloch | a mixed grain, esp. rye and wheat. |
| massymore | (Scott) a subterranean prison. |
| mattie | a young herring with undeveloped roe. |
| maut | malt. |
| mease | to assuage, mitigate. |
| meck | an old halfpenny. |
| meith | a landmark, a boundary. |
| melder | the quantity of meal ground at one time. |
| meltith | a meal; a cow's yield at one milking. |
| menseful | decorous, graceful. |
| menseless | graceless, uncivil. |
| mercat | market; trade. |
| merse | a low flat marshland. |
| messan | a lapdog, a cur. |
| micht | might > MICHTS. |
| mickle meikle muckle | great, much > MICKLER, MICKLEST. |
| milsey | a milk-strainer. |
| mim | prim and proper > MIMMER, MIMMEST. |
| mingin | having an unpleasant smell. |
| minnie | mother. |
| mirligoes | dizziness. |
| misarray | disarray. |
| misaunter mischanter mishanter | an unlucky chance, a misfortune. |
| misguggle mishguggle | to bungle, mar. |
| misleared | mistaught, unmannerly. |
| mislippen | to mistrust. |
| mistryst | to disappoint by not keeping an engagement. |
| moch | misty or humid weather. |
| mochie mochy | mouldy, damp. |
| mochiness | mouldiness, dampness. |
| moggan | a footless stocking. |
| monie mony | many. |
| monteith | a large 17th or 18th century bowl, usu. of silver, for cooling punch glasses. |
| mool | mould. |
| moop moup | to nibble, munch. |
| moorill | a cattle disease of moorland districts, marked by haemoglobin in the urine. |
| motty | full of motes or specks > MOTTIER, MOTTIEST. |
| mou | a mouth. |
| moudiewart mowdiewart mowdiwort moudiewort | a mole. |
| mouls | clods, esp. in allusion to the grave. N.B. no singular MOUL! Cf. MOOL. |
| moust muist must | to powder. |
| mouter | Multure, a miller's fee for grinding corn; (verb) to take multure for. |
| mouterer | a multurer, a person who pays or receives a miller's fee for grinding corn. |
| mowdie | a mole > MOWDIES. |
| muil | a mule, a backless slipper. |
| muir | moor. |
| murgeon | a grimace; (verb) to grimace. |
| murl | to crumble. |
| murly | crumbly. |
| na | no, not at all. |
| nacket nocket | a snack; a light lunch. |
| nae | no. |
| naebody | nobody. |
| naething | nothing. |
| nain | one's own. |
| nainsell | own self. |
| nane | none. |
| nashgab | prattle, chatter. |
| neep | a turnip. |
| neese neeze | to sneeze. |
| neist | next. |
| neuk | nook. |
| nicher nicker | to neigh. |
| nicht | night > NICHTS. |
| nickum | a mischievous boy. |
| niffer | to barter, to haggle. |
| nirl | a lump, a crumb; a stunted person; (verb) to stunt, shrivel. |
| nirlie nirlit nirled nirly | knotty, stunted. |
| nonentry | (Scots law) a vassal's heir's failure to renew investiture. |
| noop | a knob, tip of the elbow. |
| notour | (Scots law) notorious. |
| noup | in the Shetlands, a crag, a steep headland. |
| nourice | a nurse. |
| novalia | (Scots law) waste lands newly reclaimed. |
| novodamus | (Scots law) a charter or single document containing a clause by which certain rights, privileges etc. are granted anew. |
| numpty | an idiot. |
| nyaff | a small or worthless person or thing; (verb) to yelp, yap; to talk frivolously. |
| och | an interjection. |
| oe oy oye | a grandchild. Pl. OES. |
| offput | the act of putting off. |
| oncome | a coming on, a sudden onset, e.g. of rain. |
| oncost | extra expense. |
| onding | a sudden onset of rain or snow. |
| onie ony | any. |
| oo | wool. Pl. OOS. |
| oon | oven. |
| oorie ourie owrie | dingy, shabby. |
| oose | to ooze. |
| oosy | oozy > OOSIER, OOSIEST. |
| oot | out. |
| ordinar | ordinary; (noun) usual practice. |
| orra | odd, not matched. An ORRA MAN is a farmworker kept to do any odd job that may arise. |
| ou | an interjection expressing concession. |
| oucht | anything. |
| oughtlings | at all. |
| ouk oulk | a week. |
| oup | to bind with thread, to join. |
| outby outbye | out of doors; a little way off. |
| outshot | a projection in a building or a recess made in the wall of a room. |
| outspeckle | a laughing stock, a spectacle. Cf. KENSPECKLE. |
| outwick | in the sport of curling, to strike the outside of another stone and send it within a circle; (verb) to make such a stroke. |
| outwith | outside of. |
| overby owerby | a little way over. |
| overgang | to dominate; to overspread. N.B. there is no past in use, but there is a pp. OVERGANGING. |
| overword owreword | the refrain of a song. |
| ower | over. |
| owerloup | to leap over. Pt. OWERLOUPIT. |
| owrecome | a crossing over; a surplus, an excess. |
| owrelay | a large cravat. |
| owsen | (pl.) OWSE, ox. |
| oxter | the armpit; (verb) to take under the arm. |
| padle paidle | a fish, aka LUMPSUCKER. |
| paik | to thump, drub. |
| painch | the paunch. |
| paitrick | a partridge. |
| palmie palmy | a stroke of the tawse on the palm. |
| pand | the valance of a bed. |
| pandrop | a hard mint-flavoured sweet. |
| panton | a slipper. |
| pape | pope. |
| paraffle parafle | a pretentious display, a fuss. |
| parischan parochine parishen parischane parochin | a parish. |
| parly | a gingerbread cake in biscuit form. |
| parridge parritch | porridge. |
| parrock | a croft, or small field; a paddock; (verb) to enclose or confine in a parrock or small field. |
| pattle pettle | a small long-handled spade for cleaning a plough. |
| paughty | haughty > PAUGHTIER, PAUGHTIEST. |
| pawk | a trick. |
| pawky | drily or slily humorous > PAWKIER, PAWKIEST. |
| pearlin pearling | a lace of silk or thread, used as edging. |
| peat | an advocate favoured by a judge. |
| peatship | the position of PEAT, an advocate favoured by a judge. |
| pech pegh | to pant. |
| pechan | the stomach. |
| pedder pether | a pedlar. |
| peenge | to whine like a peevish child. |
| peeoy pioy pioye | a home-made firework. |
| peerie peery | (noun) a cone-shaped wooden toy; (adj.) small > PEERIER, PEERIEST. |
| peesweep | the peewit. |
| peever | a tile, tin lid etc. used in playing hopscotch. |
| pellach pellack pellock | a porpoise. |
| pendicle | a piece of land or other property forming a subsidiary part of an estate. |
| pennyfee | a small wage. |
| perduellion | treason. |
| perjink prejink perjinkety | prim; finical. |
| perjinkity | a nicety. |
| pettle | to indulge, pet. |
| pickery | in Scots law, petty theft. |
| pickmaw | the black-headed gull. |
| pictarnie | (Scott) a tern. |
| piet pyat pyot pyet | a magpie. |
| piggin | a small pail or bowl made of staves and hoops. |
| pingle | to strive, to struggle with difficulties; (noun) a strenuous exertion. |
| pinkie | small; (noun) the little finger. |
| pioted | pied. |
| pirn | a reel, a bobbin. |
| pirnie | a striped nightcap. |
| pirnit | unevenly wrought, striped. |
| pitten | pt. of PIT, to put. |
| plack | any of various small coins current in Scotland or the Netherlands in the 15th and 16th cents. |
| plackless | destitute, not having a PLACK. |
| pleuch pleugh | a plough. |
| pliskie plisky | a practical joke; a trick. |
| ploat | to dip in very hot water, to scald. |
| plook plouk | a small spot, a pimple. |
| plookie ploukie | pimply > PLOOKIER, PLOOKIEST/PLOUKIER, PLOUKIEST. |
| plotter plowter plouter | to dabble in liquid; to potter. |
| ploughgate | plowland. |
| plumdamas | a damson. Pl. PLUMDAMASES. |
| pockies | woollen mittens. No POCKIE*. |
| podley | a young coalfish. |
| poffle | a PENDICLE, an appendage. |
| poind | to distrain, impound. |
| poinder | one who POINDS, impounds. |
| polonie | a child's polonaise, a stately Polish dance of moderate tempo. |
| pook pouk | to pluck, pinch. |
| poortith | poverty. |
| poot | a poult, a young fowl. |
| portmanky portmantie | a portmanteau. |
| pottingar | an old form of APOTHECARY. |
| pourie | a container with a spout, a cream-jug. |
| pousowdie powsowdy | any mixture of heterogeneous kinds of food. |
| pouther | to powder. |
| pow | head. |
| powan | a species of whitefish found in Scottish lochs. |
| powin pown | a peacock. |
| powter | to poke, rummage. |
| praeses preses | a president or chairman. |
| preceese | precise. |
| pree | to make a trial of, esp. by tasting or kissing. |
| prent | to print. |
| primsie | prim, demure > PRIMSIER, PRIMSIEST. |
| proo pruh | a call to a cow to come near. |
| propale | to disclose. |
| propine | to pledge in drinking; to present or offer. |
| puckle | a small quantity; a grain of corn. |
| puggie puggy | a monkey. |
| puir | poor > PUIRER, PUIREST. |
| puirtith | poverty. Also POORTITH. |
| purfly | short-winded. |
| purpie purpy | purslane, or perhaps brooklime. |
| putten | (Pt.) PIT, to put. |
| quean queyn queynie quine quinie | a young woman. |
| quey | a heifer. |
| radge | angry, obstreperous; lustful > RADGER, RADGEST; (noun) a bad temper, a rage. |
| raik | a course, journey; a range, pasture; (verb) to go, to range. |
| railly | (Scott) a jacket. |
| raird reird | an uproar. |
| ramgunshoch | rough. |
| rammy | a fight, a free-for-all. (Also, unrelatedly, an adjective 'like a ram' > RAMMIER, RAMMIEST). |
| rampauge | to rampage. |
| ramstam | headlong. |
| ranshackle ranshakle | (Scott) to search, ransack. |
| raploch | a homespun material. |
| rascaille | (Scott) a form of RASCAL, rabble. |
| raucle | rough; vigorous > RAUCLER, RAUCLEST. |
| raun rawn | fish-roe; female fish. |
| reckan | (Scott) racked. |
| redd | to put in order; (noun) the spawning area or nest of a fish, especially a trout or a salmon. |
| reddendo | (Scots law) service to be rendered or money to be paid by a vassal. Pl. REDDENDOS. |
| ree | an enclosure e.g. for cattle. |
| reekie reeky | smoky, reeking. |
| remead remede remeid | remedy; (verb) to remedy. |
| rentaller | a kindly tenant. |
| reprobator | (Scots law) an action to prove a witness perjured or biased. |
| rhone rone roan | a roof-gutter. |
| richt | right > RICHTER, RICHTEST. |
| rickle | a loose heap; a rickety structure. |
| rickly | loose, rickety. |
| rigwiddie rigwoodie | a cart-horse's back-band; (adj.) lean and tough. |
| rinthereout | a vagrant. |
| ripp | a plucked handful e.g. of grass, corn. |
| risp | to rasp, grate. |
| rit ritt | to scratch. |
| rivlin | a shoe moulded from untanned hide. |
| rizard rizzart | a redcurrant. |
| rizzor rizzer rizzar | to dry, esp. in the sun. |
| roarie roary rory | noisy, garish, too bright. |
| rocklay rokelay | a short cloak. |
| roon rund | a strip of cloth, a selvage. |
| roop | to make a hoarse sound. |
| roopit roupet roupit | hoarse. |
| roopy | hoarse > ROOPIER, ROOPIEST. |
| roset rozit rosit rozet | to rosin. |
| rosetty rosety | like rosin. |
| roup | a sale by auction; (verb) to sell by auction. |
| routh rowth | abundance. |
| routhie | plentiful > ROUTHIER, ROUTHIEST. |
| rowie | a bread roll made with butter and fat. |
| rubbet rubbit | pt. RUB. |
| ruckle | to rattle in the throat, gurgle. |
| rudas | a hideous, vile and loathsome old woman. |
| rug | to pull roughly > RUGS, RUGGING, RUGGED. |
| rullion | a rawhide shoe. [OE rifeling]. |
| rumblegumption rumgumption | common sense. |
| rummish | to roar, protest. |
| rundale runrig | a system of holding land in single detached pieces. |
| rybat | a dressed stone at the side of a door, window etc. |
| ryke | to reach. |
| sae | so. |
| saft | soft > SAFTER, SAFTEST. |
| saikless | = SACKLESS, quiet; peaceable; harmless; innocent. |
| saim | a seam. |
| sair | sore, very > SAIRER, SAIREST; (verb) to savour. |
| samen | same. |
| sannie | a sandshoe. |
| sapple | to wash clothes by hand in soapy water. |
| sar | to savour > SARS, SARING, SARED. |
| sark | a shirt, a chemise. |
| sasine | infeftment, the act of giving legal possession of feudal property. |
| sauch saugh | a sallow. |
| saulie | a hired mourner at a funeral. |
| saunt | saint. |
| saut | salt. |
| scaff | food; riff-raff. |
| scaffie | (Scots coll.) a scavenger. |
| scaffy | a traditional light fishing boat. |
| scail skail | to scatter, disperse. |
| scarre | to scare. |
| scart | to scratch. |
| scarth skarth scart skart | a cormorant. |
| scaud | to scald. |
| scaur | to scare. |
| schellum skellum skelum skelm | scoundrel, rascal. |
| schemie | derogatory word for member of a housing scheme. |
| sclaff | a light slap or its sound. |
| sclate sklate | to slate. |
| scliff skliff | a small segment or piece. |
| sclim sklim | to climb. |
| scog skug scug scoug scoog | shadow, shelter. |
| scomfish scumfish | to suffocate or stifle; to smother. [A Scottish variant of DISCOMFIT]. |
| scoup scowp | to bound, caper. |
| scouth scowth | free range, plenty. |
| scouther scowder scowther | to scorch, singe. |
| scrae | (Scott) scree, loose rock debris. |
| scraich scraigh | to screech, make a scratching sound. |
| scrauch scraugh | a raucous squawk; (verb) to make a raucous squawk. |
| screich skreigh skriech skriegh screigh scriech | to screech, shriek. |
| scrieve | to glide swiftly along. |
| scrimpit | meager. |
| scrunt | anything stunted. |
| scrunty | stunted > SCRUNTIER, SCRUNTIEST. |
| sculduddery sculduddry skulduddery | a breach of chastity; bawdy talk. |
| scummer | a shallow ladle or sieve for removing scum or floating matter from the surface of a liquid. |
| scunner | a feeling of strong dislike; (verb) to be in a state of disgusted irritation. |
| scye | an armhole. |
| sealch sealgh | a seal (the animal). |
| seik | sick > SEIKER, SEIKEST. |
| sel | self. Pl. SELS. |
| selkie silkie | a seal. |
| semmit | a vest or undershirt. |
| semple | simple, meaning not of gentle birth > SEMPLER, SEMPLEST. |
| sey | a carcase of beef. |
| shabble | an old rusty sword. |
| shacklebone | the wrist. |
| shairn sharn | cow-dung. |
| sharny | like cow-dung > SHARNIER, SHARNIEST; (noun) a person responsible for cleaning a cow-house. |
| shauchle | to shuffle. |
| shavie | a trick. |
| shellycoat | a water goblin dressed in shells. |
| sheuch sheugh | a ditch or drain; (verb) to plant temporarily. |
| shilpit | sickly-looking, puny. |
| shirra | sheriff. |
| shoogie shoogle | to swing, sway back and forth. |
| shoogly | shaking, swinging, wobbly > SHOOGLIER, SHOOGLIEST. |
| shortgown | a woman's short jacket. |
| shottle shuttle | a small drawer, esp. in a cabinet. |
| shouther | shoulder; (verb) to shoulder. |
| showd | to rock to and fro > SHOWDS, SHOWDING, SHOWDED. |
| siccan | such, what a. |
| siccar sicker | sure; certain; firm. |
| sicht | to sight > SICHTS, SICHTING, SICHTED. |
| sickerness | certainty. |
| siclike | suchlike. |
| sighter | an inspector. |
| sillock | a young coalfish. |
| sind synd sine syne | to rinse, wash out. |
| sinsyne | since that time. |
| siver syver | a drain; a grating over a drain. |
| skeely | skilful > SKEELIER, SKEELIEST. |
| skeigh | (of a horse) skittish, spirited; (of a person, esp. a woman) shy, coy, disdainful, proud > SKEIGHER, SKEIGHEST. |
| skelf | a splinter of wood, esp. one embedded in the skin. |
| skellie skelly | to squint. |
| skelloch | a yell; (verb) to yell. |
| skite skyte | to dart or glide; (noun) a queer person. |
| skivie | deranged, askew. |
| sklent | to slant. |
| skoosh | to squirt, spurt. |
| skyre | to shine, be gaudy. |
| slae | a sloe. |
| slaid | pt. of SLIDE. |
| slairg | to spread or smear sloppily. |
| slaister | a sloppy mess; (verb) to bedaub, to do anything in a wet, dirty way. |
| slee | sly > SLEER, SLEEST. |
| sleekit | crafty, sly, smooth. |
| sleepery sleepry | sleepy. No comparative. |
| slidder | to slip, slide. |
| sloan | a snub, reproof. |
| slocken sloken | to quench, moisten. |
| slothful; grievous, heavy. | |
| sma | small. |
| smaik | a contemptible fellow, a rascal. |
| smeddum | a fine powder; (fig.) spirit, mettle. |
| smeek smeke smeik | to smoke. |
| smiddy | a smithy; (verb) to smithy. |
| smit | to stain, infect. |
| smittle | infectious. |
| smokie smoky | a smoked haddock. |
| smolt smout smowt | a small person or child. |
| smoor smore | to smother, extinguish. |
| smur | to drizzle. |
| smurry | referring to SMUR, a fine drizzly rain > SMURRIER, SMURRIEST. |
| smytrie | a collection of small things. |
| snab | a cobbler; a shoemaker's apprentice. |
| sneck | a latch; (verb) to fasten with a latch. |
| sneesh | a pinch of snuff. |
| sneeshan sneeshin sneeshing | snuff. |
| snib | a small bolt, a catch for a window-sash; (verb) to fasten with such. |
| snirt | a smothered laugh, a snicker. |
| snirtle | to snicker. |
| snod | smooth, neat > SNODDER, SNODDEST; (verb) to trim, tidy > SNODS, SNODDIT, SNODDING. |
| snool | to be tamely submissive. |
| snowk | to snuff or smell about |
| somegate | somewhere, somehow. |
| sonce sonse | good luck, abundance. |
| soom | to swim. |
| soop | to sweep. |
| sorn | to impose in order to obtain hospitality, to sponge. |
| soum sowm | the proportion of sheep or cattle suitable for any pasture; (verb) to reckon this. [Scots variety of sum]. |
| sourock | sorrel. |
| souter soutar | a cobbler. |
| sowf sowff sowth | to whistle or hum softly. |
| sowp | a spoonful, a sip. |
| spaer | one who foresees the future. |
| spaewife | a wise woman. |
| spain | to wean. |
| spald spaul spauld spall spalle | the shoulder, esp. of an animal used as food. |
| spale spail spall spawl spalt | a splinter, chip. |
| spane spain spean | to wean. |
| spavie | spavin. |
| speal spule | the shoulder. |
| speel speil | to climb. |
| speer spier speir | to inquire. |
| speld spelder | to spread open, sprawl. |
| speug | a sparrow > SPEUGS. |
| splatch | a splash, a splotch. |
| splore | a frolic, a spree. |
| sprackle spraickle sprauchle | to clamber. |
| sprattle | to scramble. |
| sprug | a sparrow. |
| sprush | spruce, neat; (verb) to spruce. |
| spuilzie spulye spulyie spulzie | spoliation; (verb) to plunder. |
| spulebane spuleblade spulebone | the shoulder-blade. |
| spunkie | an ignis fatuus. |
| squattle | to squat down. |
| staggie | a colt. |
| stallenger stallinger | a keeper of a stall; a person who paid for the privilege of trading in a burgh of which he was not a freeman. |
| stane | stone. |
| stang | a sting; (verb) to sting. |
| stank | a ditch, a pool. |
| stap | to stuff, thrust, cram. |
| starn | a star; (verb) to row backwards. |
| starnie | dim. of STARN, star. |
| stashie stooshie stishie stushie | fuss, ado, disturbance. |
| staun | to stand > STAUNS, STAUNING, STOOD. |
| staw | to stall. |
| steale | a handle. |
| stealed | pt. of STEAL. |
| stealt | pt. STEAL. |
| steamie | a public laundry. |
| steek | a stitch; (verb) to stitch. |
| steekit | pt. STEEK, to stitch. |
| steelbow | those goods on a farm, such as corn, cattle, implements husbandry, etc., which may not be carried off by a removing tenant, as being the property of the landlord. |
| steeld | pt. of STELL, to place or fix. |
| steery | (Scott) a commotion. |
| steeve | stiff, firm > STEEVER, STEEVEST. Cf. STIEVE. |
| steil | a handle. |
| stend | to bound, stride vigorously. |
| stenlock | a coalfish. |
| stent | assessment, valuation; tax; (verb) to stint. |
| stepbairn | a stepchild. |
| stewartry | a former territorial division of Scotland (abolished in 1747) under the jurisdiction of a steward. Now only in The Stewartry, the Kirkcudbright district of Galloway. |
| stey | steep > STEYER, STEYEST. |
| stibble | stubble. 'That wee-bit heap o' leaves an' stibble.' (Burns). |
| stibbler | a horse turned out to feed on stubble. |
| stickit | unfinished; having failed esp. in an intended profession. |
| stieve | stiff, firm > STIEVER, STIEVEST. Cf. STEEVE. |
| stime styme | glimmer, glimpse; (verb) to glimpse. |
| stirra | = SIRRA. |
| stirrah | = SIRRAH. |
| stoit styte | to stagger; of a fish, to leap above the surface of the water. |
| stoiter | to stagger; to falter in speech. |
| stooden | pp. of STAND. |
| stookie | stucco; a statue. |
| stourie stoury | dusty > STOURIER, STOURIEST. |
| stouth | theft |
| stoutherie stouthrie | theft, stolen goods. |
| stouthrief | theft with violence. |
| stovies | a thick stew of potatoes, lard, onions and sausagemeat. |
| stowlins stownlins | by stealth. |
| stown | stolen. |
| strak strack | struck. |
| strae | straw. |
| straicht | straight > STRAICHTER, STRAICHTEST. |
| stramash | disturbance, racket; crash, smashup; (verb) to make a racket. |
| stramp | to tread, stamp. |
| strath | a valley of considerable size, through which a river runs. |
| straucht straught | straight > STRAUCHTER, STRAUCHTEST/STRAUGHTER, STRAUGHTEST; (verb) to stretch, lay out (e.g. a corpse). |
| stravaig | to wander about idly. |
| stravaiger | a wanderer, idler. |
| strinkle | to sprinkle. |
| stroup | a spout, nozzle e.g. of a kettle, jug etc. |
| stroupach stroupan | a drink of tea. |
| strunt | to strut. |
| studden | pp. of STAND. Cf. STOODEN, STANDEN. |
| stunkard | sulky, sullen. |
| suddenty | suddenness; a sudden. |
| sugarallie sugarally | liquorice. |
| summar | summary. |
| sumph | a dunce, a blockhead. |
| sumphish | stupid, doltish. |
| sunket | a dainty or delicacy. |
| sunkie | a little stool. |
| swack | pliant, nimble. N.B. No comparative or superlative. |
| swally | an alcoholic drink. |
| swankey swankie swanky | an active, smart, vigorous person. |
| swarf swerf | to faint |
| swedger | a sweet. |
| sweetiewife | a garrulous person > SWEETIEWIVES. |
| sweirness | sloth. |
| swey | to sway, swing. |
| swither | to be undecided; a state of indecision. |
| sybo syboe sybow | a CIBOL, a spring onion. Pl. SYBOES. |
| tacket | a small, broad-headed nail, a hobnail. |
| tae | to toe > TAES, TAEING, TAED. |
| taillie tailye tailzie | = TAIL, in sense of ENTAIL, an entailment or deed whereby the legal course of succession is cut off, and an arbitrary one substituted. |
| tait tate | a small portion, a pinch. |
| taiver taver | to wander, to rave. |
| taivert tavert | muddled, fuddled. |
| tak | to take. |
| tam | cap with a broad flat top. |
| tammie tammy | a Tam o' Shanter, a kind of woolly hat. |
| tappit | with a top, crested. |
| tapsalteerie tapsieteerie | topsy-turvy. |
| targe | to interrogate, reprimand. |
| tarrow | to hesitate, be unwilling. |
| tash | to soil, blemish. |
| tassie | a small cup. |
| tauld | told. |
| taupie tawpie | a foolish or awkward young person. |
| taut tawt | to mat, tangle |
| tautit | matted, tangled. |
| tawie | tractable > TAWIER, TAWIEST. |
| tawtie | matted, tangled > TAWTIER, TAWTIEST. |
| tediousome tedisome | tedious. |
| tedy | (Scott) tedious > TEDIER, TEDIEST. |
| teind | a tithe; (verb) to assess or take a tithe on. |
| telt | pt. TELL. Cf. TELD. |
| teuch teugh | tough > TEUCHER, TEUCHEST/ TEUGHER. TEUGHEST. |
| teuchat tewhit tewit | the lapwing. |
| teuchter | a derogatory term used by a Lowland Scot for a Highlander. |
| thack theek | thatch; to thatch. |
| thae | these. |
| thaim | them. |
| thairm tharm | an intestine, catgut. |
| thankit | as in be thankit, thank God. |
| thegither | together. |
| thereanent | concerning that matter. |
| thig | orig., to take (esp. food), consume by eating or drinking. Later, to take or appropriate for one's own use; borrow (with or without permission); plagiarize. N.B. past tense THIGGIT. |
| thiggit | Pt. of THIG. |
| thir | those. |
| thirlage | a servitude imposed on the tenants of certain lands, restricting their custom to a particular mill, forge, etc.; spec. the obligation of tenants to grind their corn at a particular mill and to pay the recognized dues or MULTURE. |
| thon | yon. |
| thonder | yonder. |
| thowless | pithless, listless. |
| thrae | = FRAE, from. |
| thrang | to throng. |
| thrapple thropple | throat, windpipe; (verb) to throttle, strangle. |
| thrave threave | a collective noun for a number of sheaves of corn, two stooks of twelves sheaves each. |
| thraw | to throw. |
| thraward thrawart | froward, obstinate. |
| thrawn | obstinate; twisted, wry. |
| threap threep | to rebuke, to insist |
| threapit threepit | persistent, obstinate. |
| thrissel thristle | thistle. |
| thumbikins | thumbscrews. N.B. there is no singular THUMBIKIN, but cf. THUMBKIN. |
| thumbkin | an instrument of torture for compressing the thumb; a thumbscrew. |
| tid | mood, state of mind. |
| tiff tift | to sip, drink; to squabble. |
| tine | to lose, be lost. |
| tirl | to turn; to whirl; to rattle. |
| tirr | to strip. |
| tirrivee tirrivie | a tantrum, a commotion. |
| tittie titty | a sister. |
| tolbooth tollbooth | a town-hall; a prison. |
| toom | empty > TOOMER, TOOMEST; (noun) a rubbish-tip; (verb) to empty. |
| toorie tourie | a small heap, a knob of hair. |
| toots | to tut. |
| tose | to tease out, draw out. |
| touk | = TUCK, a tap, stroke, beat esp. of a drum; (verb) to tap, drum. |
| toun | town. |
| toustie | (Scott) irascible > TOUSTIER, TOUSTIEST. |
| toutie | petulant > TOUTIER, TOUTIEST. |
| towmon towmond towmont | a twelvemonth. |
| towt | to pout; (noun) a pet, a fit of sulks. |
| tozie | (Scott) a shawl made from a goat's inner coat. |
| traik | to make one's way wearily; to get lost. |
| traikit | worn out. |
| trankum | (Scott) a trinket. |
| trashtrie | trash. |
| trews trooz | close-cut tartan drawers sometimes worn under the kilt in Highland dress. |
| trig | trim, neat; (noun) a stone placed under a wheel to keep it from rolling; (verb) to make something trig. |
| trigness | neatness. |
| triply | in Scots law, to reply to a DUPLY. |
| troak troke trock | to barter |
| troggs | interjection: by my troth. |
| tron trone | a public weighing-machine for weighing produce in the market-place of a city or burgh; the post of this used as a pillory. |
| tuilyie tuilzie | a fight, a brawl; (verb) to struggle. |
| tumphy | a blockhead; coaly fireclay. |
| tumshie | a turnip. |
| tuptowing | (Scott) present participle of TYPTO, to work at Greek conjugation. |
| tuts | to say tut. |
| twa twae | two. |
| twafald | twofold. |
| twal | twelve. |
| twalpenny | an old shilling. |
| twasome | twosome. |
| tweedledee | a fiddler. |
| tweel | = TWILL, the fabric; (verb) to weave with this. |
| twinter | two years old; a two-year old sheep or other animal. |
| ulyie ulzie | oil |
| umquhile umwhile | some time ago; formerly. |
| unacquaint | unacquainted, not on familiar terms with. |
| unbrizzed | (Scott) unbruised. |
| unce | ounce. |
| unco | strange; foreign; extraordinary; (noun) a stranger, a piece of news. Unco guid: strictly moral. |
| unhalsed | (Scott) unsaluted. |
| unsicker | insecure, unsafe. |
| unsoncy unsonsie unsonsy | unlucky. |
| untenty | careless. |
| upgang | ascent. |
| uphaud | to maintain, warrant. |
| uptak | uptake, as in GLEG in the UPTAK. |
| vassail vessail | (Scott) vessel. |
| vennel | a lane. |
| verra | very. |
| viretot | (Scott) rush, dash, gad. |
| virl | = FERRULE, a rod or stick. |
| visie vizy vizzie | a close or careful look; a gunsight; (verb) to look at closely. |
| vive | lively, forcible. |
| vively | adverb from VIVE, lively. |
| vivers vivres | food, comestibles. |
| vogie | vain, proud; merry, cheerful > VOGIER, VOGIEST. |
| wabbit | exhausted, tired out. |
| wadset wadsett | a kind of pledge or mortgage; (verb) to pawn or mortgage. |
| wadsetter | one who holds by a WADSET. |
| wae | woe. |
| waeful | woeful. |
| waesuck waesucks | interjection used to express pity, alas! |
| wakerife waukrife | waking, sleepless. |
| wald | = WELD, wild mignonette. |
| walise | a valise. |
| wally waly | fine, excellent > WALIER, WALIEST/WALLIER, WALLIEST. |
| wallydraigle | a feeble, imperfectly developed, or slovenly creature. |
| wampish | (Scott) to brandish, flourish. |
| wanchancie wanchancy | unlucky, dangerous, uncanny. |
| wanrestful | restless. |
| wanthriven | stunted, ill-grown. |
| wanwordy | worthless, unworthy. |
| wanworth | a very low price, a bargain. |
| wapenschaw wappenshaw wapenshaw wapinshaw wappenschaw wapinschaw | a periodical gathering of the people within an area for the purpose of seeing that each man was armed according to his rank, and ready to take the field when required. |
| wark | work; to work. |
| warst | worst. |
| waster | to spend prodigally. |
| wasterful | extravagant. |
| wasterife wastrife | wastefulness. |
| wat | wet > WATTER, WATTEST. |
| wate | 3rd pers. of WIT, to know. |
| waucht waught | a large draught; (verb) to drink in large draughts. |
| waur | worse; (verb) to defeat, to worst. |
| waurst | worst. |
| waygoing | departing. |
| weak or feeble. | |
| wecht | an instrument for winnowing or measuring grain. |
| weem | a subterranean dwelling. [Gaelic uaim, cave]. |
| weid | any sudden illness, cold or relapse with febrile symptoms. |
| weird | to destine, to doom. |
| weise weize wise | to guide in a certain direction. |
| wersh | tasteless, insipid, unsalted > WERSHER, WERSHEST. |
| westlin westlins | towards the west. 'When the fringe was red on the westlin hill' (James Hogg, 'Kilmeny'). |
| wha whae | who. |
| whaisle whaizle wheezle | to wheeze. |
| whample | a blow. |
| whaup | a curlew, sometimes great whaup as distinct from little whaup, the whimbrel. |
| whaur | where. Can take an —S > WHAURS. |
| wheech | to move rapidly with a whizzing sound. |
| wheen | a few, a good many. |
| wheenge | to whinge. |
| wheep | to give a prolonged whistle. |
| wheeple | to cry like a curlew; to whistle feebly. |
| wheesh wheesht whisht | an interjection calling for silence; (verb) to utter this interjection. |
| whid | a brisk movement; a lie; (verb) to lie. |
| whidder | to whiz. |
| whig | to jog along. |
| whiggamore | a Whig; -- a cant term applied in contempt to Scotch Presbyterians. |
| whigmaleerie | an odd or fanciful contrivance. |
| whilk | which. |
| whilly | to wheedle, cajole. |
| whillywha whillywhaw | to wheedle, cajole; (noun) cajolery. |
| whirry | to move rapidly. |
| whitrack whitret whittret | a weasel. |
| whow | interjection expressing deploration. |
| whunstane | = WHINSTONE, a hard and compact rock. |
| wice | wise. |
| widdie widdy | a rope, esp. one made of osiers; a hangman's noose. |
| wight wite wyte | to blame, lay the blame on. |
| williewaught | a deep draught. |
| willyard willyart | wilful. |
| windle winnle | an appliance for winding yarn. |
| windlestrae windlestraw | anything light or insubstantial; a feeble person |
| windock winnock | a window. |
| winna | will not. |
| wintle | to stagger. |
| wirricow worricow worrycow | the devil, a hobgoblin, anything frightening. |
| wonner | a wonder, a prodigy. |
| wowf | crazy > WOWFER, WOWFEST. |
| wud | wood; (verb) to load with wood > WUDS, WUDDING, WUDDED. |
| wunner | a wonder. |
| wyliecoat | a flannel undervest or petticoat. |
| yae | ae. |
| yaff | to bark, scold, nag. |
| yagger | a pedlar. |
| yald yauld | active, nimble. No comparative. |
| yanker | a rap; a big lie. |
| yankie | a scold; an impudent woman. |
| yate yett | gate |
| yaud | a mare, jade. |
| yauper | one who YAUPS. |
| yealdon | fuel. |
| yelloch | to yell. |
| yesk yex | to hiccup or belch. |
| yestreen | yesterday. |
| yibbles | perhaps. |
| yill | ale. |
| yince | once. |
| yirth | earth. |
| yitie | the yellowhammer. |
| youthy | young > YOUTHIER, YOUTHIEST. |
| yowe | ewe. |