Scots Dictionary, What do their words mean?

I have always found it interesting how simple words can have several meanings. In the Scottish language theirs are even more interesting to me.

Example is: aye meaning yes

Here are a few more: If you know any share them with all of us.
Thanks,
Annabelle

Ba means balls Pronounced baw)
Baffie means slippers
Boot means the trunk

everyone knows this one Bairn means baby

H ere are some who exist in English and Scottish and have different meanings though:

flee means fly
fit means foot
fell means highly
hull means hill...

Hoose (pronounce like moose) is for House

KEEP 'EM COMING!

Right now I can only speak Georgia Redneck. I would LOVE to have some vocabulary and accent of that of a true Scot. Not Gaelic, but modern-day speaking.

I keep hearing Mike Myers in "I Married An Axe Murderer".

O my, wee have a piper down!!!!!!!!!



(this has been personally dedicated to Shamalama, who be da man!)
ok, I'll put some mor wurds up hear justa fo yu!

the word "echt"

pronounced like aw cht

means eight

Here is an easy one for ya to use several times this week: "Tattie"

Tattie means potato

so when you go to Mac Donalds tell them you want an order of tattie's in your best scottish brougue

Here are a few more I remember right now:

lad(die) means boy
lass(ie) means girl
Old Nick is a name for the devil
lum means chimney
puddock is a frog
cannie means cautious, careful
guidwillie means kindly
syne means ago...

here is a lil something i got somewhere compliments of the
tannahill weavers.... now everyone request a song by them


TANNAHILL WEAVERS tannahill weavers

A Comprehensive(ish) Scots Glossary!

(for use in deciphering lyrics from Tannahill Weavers songs)


A
a' - all
a' fowk - everybody
a' the go -- extremely popular
aboot - about
abune - above
adam's wine - water
ae - one, any
aff - off
afore - before
aft - often
ahint - behind
aiblins - perhaps
aik - oak
ain, ane - own, one
airms - arms
airts - directions
alane - along
alang - along
amang - among
an, an' - and
an' a' - also (and all)
ance - once
ane, anes - one, ones
ane (their ane) - their own
aneath - beneath
anely - only
anither - another
a'place - everywhere
arenae - are not
aroon', aroun' - around
athwart - across
auld, aulder - old, older
auld lang syne - old memories; days gone by
ava' - at all
avaunt - away
aw - all
awa' - away
awaukens - awakens
aye - yes, always
aye a jee - crazy
ayont - beyond
ayout - across

B back to top
bags - bagpipes
bairn, bairnie - little child
bairns - children
baith - both
balloch - mountain pass
banes - bones
bardy - scolding
beaux o' ilk degree - all kinds of good looking men
ben - mountain
benmaist - furthest
biddin - stayed
bide - stay
bide a wee - stay a while
bien - in good condition
birkin, birks - birches
birlin' - spinning
bit - but
blaw, blawn, blaws - blow, blown, blows
bleers the e'e - brings a tear to the eye
bleeze - blaze
bletherskate - silly talker; one who talks too much
blin' - blind
blin' oors - hours of darkness
blinterin - glimmering
bloomin' - blooming
bluid, bluidy, bluidie - blood, bloody
blythely - gaily
boatie - small boat
bogie - boogie man
bonnie - beautiful/handsome
boo - bow
boortree - elder tree
bothan - cottage
brade - broad
brae - hill
braid - broad
braisant - brazen faced
brak - break
brattlin - rushing noisily
braw - fine, excellent
breeks - trousers
breist - breast
bridle - wedding
brocht - brought
brock - badger
brume - broom (the shrubs cytisus or genista)
brunt - burned
bunemaist - highest
burd - maid
burgenet - duvet, quilt
burn, burnie - stream
busk - to dress, make ready
buss - clump

C back to top
ca', ca'd - call, called
ca' thro' - work on
cairt - cart
callan - boy
cam - came
cannae (canna) - cannot
canny - carefully
canny gaun - easy going
canty - contented, cheerful
capuchin - hood
carl, carlie, carls - fellow, fellows
carry - firmament
caul, cauld - cold
cauldrife - cold in manner
caw - drive
chafts (burst their chafts) - came unstuck
chaise - carriage
chanter - bagpipe chanter
Cherlie - Charles Edward Stewart (Bonnie Prince Charlie)
chevalier - Bonnie Prince Charlie
chiel - lad
clachan - village
claed - clothe
clapped oot - worn out
claymore - large sword
cleeds - clothes
cloods - clouds
clouts - clothes
coordly - cowardly
coorted, coortin' - courted, courting
couldnae - could not
couthy - affable
crackin' - gossiping
craigs - crags
cran - Scots measure of herring (37 1/2 gallons)
craw - crow, boast
crawin' - crowing
creepie - three legged stool
crookit - crooked
crouse - arrogant
cuist - cast
curst - cursed
cushat - starling
cuttle - hare
cutty stool - wooden chair in which one had to sit in full view of the congregation if one was caught sinning.

D back to top
dae - do
daft - mad
dane - done
dang - to hit with a blunt object
dauntonly - bravely
daur - dare
daur us sinder - dare to part us
daurknin' - darkening/twilight
daurnae - dare not
daw' - dawn
deave - deafen
dee - die
deid - dead, died
de'il - devil
den - valley
didnae - did not
diein' - dying
dighty - foul
dinnae - do not
dochter - daughter
doesnae - does not
doolfu' - sad
doon - down
doonfa' - downfall/setting
dowf - dull
dowie - sad, sadly
dows - dares
dreepin' - dripping
dreich - gloomy
drone - bagpipe drone
drow - wet mist
drumlie - crowded
duddie - worn out
dumfoundered - dumfounded

E back to top
earlies - earls
e'e, e'ed - eye, eyed
een - eyes
e'en - even
'ee lang - live long
een - eyes
e'er - ever
e'er wad I niffer - ever would I change
Eilean Mulligh - Island of Mull
emerant - green, lush
erts - arts
even - evening
evermair - evermore
ewie - young female sheep

F back to top
fa' - fall
fain - glad, fondly
fairmers - farmers
faither - father
fan - found
fareweel - farewell
fat - what
fauld - fold
faulding - putting sheep in fold
faur - far
faus - false
faut - fault
fearfu' - fearful(ly)
fears me - frightens me
fell - cruel
fellah - fellow
fermer - farmer
fidgin' fain - extremely impatient
fin - when
fit - foot
fleckit - dappled, flecked
flee - fly
fleered - floored (stunned)
fleet - fast, quick
flegs - frights
fleits - floats
flooer, flo'er - flower
flow'rs - flowers
flunkies - servants
flyte - scolding
'fore - before
foreland - shore
forenicht - evening
forfen' - prevent
forgie - forgive
foumart - a polecat, ferret or weasel (from "foul marten")
fower - four
fowk - folk
frae - from
fruitfu' - fruitful
fu' - full
fur - for
fyled - soiled, fouled

G back to top
gae, gaed, gaen - go, went, gone
gaithered - gathered
gaitherins - remnants
gane - gone
gang - go, gone
gangrel - vagabond
gar, gars - give, gave
gart - made
gaun - going
gear - wealth, effects
ghaist - ghost
gie, gied - give, gave
gin - if
girned - wept, screwed face up
glancin' - glancing
gledly - gladly
glen - valley
Glesca, Glesga - Glasgow
glower'd - glared
gob - mouth
goon - gown
gorcock - moorcock
gorlin - fledgling
gowans - daisies
gowden - golden
gowk - fool
gowl - cheer
grat - wept
gravat - cravat
greet, greetin' - weep, weeping
grey - cloth
groat - four old pence piece
grun - ground
gudesake - goodness sake
guid - good
guid sooth - an exclamation
gurly - roaring
gutcher - grandfather

H back to top
ha' - hall
hacks - blow with a sharp instrument
haddin - estate
hae, ha'e - have
hairt - heart
hale - whole
hallan - cottage
hallie - hollow
hame - home
hap - wrap up
hard was my hap - bad was my luck
haud awa' - stay away
haudin' - turning away
hauf - half
haugh - (river) bank
haun - hand
heid, heids - head, heads
heilan' - highland
hern - heron
heugh - steep bank
haw - have
hielan', hieland - highland
hing, hingin, hingit - hang, hanging, hanged
hinmaist - very last
hinnae - have not
hoddin - cheap
hoolits - owls
hoose - house
howe - low land
hud - had
hurls - rides
hurry burry - carry on, fuss

I back to top
ilk, ilka - each, every
intae - into
isnae - is not
ither - other
its lane - alone

J back to top
jad - a woman past her prime
jine - join
jinkin' - dancing
jist - just
jo' - dear
jog on yer gate - be on your way
jouks - swerve
joyfu' - joyful

K back to top
kail - soup
keek o' day - dawn
keel - a red dye
keepit - kept
kelterin' - undulating
ken, kenned - know, knew
kent - knew, known
kerds - cards
kimmers - young women
kin'ly - kindly
kintrae - country
kirk - church
kittle - restless, fickle
knotless tinkler chiel - aimless traveler
knowes - small hills, knolls
kye - cattle

L back to top
lach, lachin' - laugh, laughing
lad, laddie - boy, young man
laed - laid, lying
laggin - crest of a hill
landbirst - breaking waves
lane (its lane) - alone
lanely - lonely
lang, langer - long, longer
lap the dyke - leap over the wall
lappets - decorative folds or flaps
lass,lassie - girl, young woman
lat - let
lave - the rest
lavrocks - larks
lay it lang - flatten it
lea - leave, or meadow
lee lang nicht - whole night
leeze me on - take delight in
leigh - low
lichtnin's - lightning flashes
lie my lane - lie alone
liein' - lying
lift - sky
licht, lichtly - light, lightly
linn - waterfall
linties - songbirds
lip - cheekiness
lippen - anticipate
loanin - lane
loch - lake
lo'ed, lo'es - loved, loves
loo, loo'd - love, loved
lookit - looked
loom o' morn - first signs of day
loon - man
loot - let
loup, loupit - leap, leaped
lousome - beloved, tender
lugs -ears

M back to top
ma - my
mair - more
mak - make
'mang - among
maun - may, must
maunie - may not
maunt - was able
maut - malt
mavis - lark, thrush
meer - mare
meikle - as much
men't - mended
merket - market
micht - might
mickle a do - much to do
'midst - amidst
miekle - a lot
mind on - remember
mindin' - memory
mirk - dark, mirky
mishanter - misfortune
mither - mother
mockrife - scorning
monie an ane - many of them
monies, mony - many
muckle great - huge

N back to top
na - not
nae - no
nae langer - no longer
naebody - nobody
naethin' - nothing
nane - none
nane ava' - nothing
naw - no
'neath - under
neebours - neighbors
ne'er - never
neuk - corner
nicht(s) - night(s)
niest - next
niffer - change
no' - not
nocht - nothing
noo - now

O back to top
o' - of
oan - on
o'er - over
onie - any
'oor - hour, our
oot - out
ootby - outlying, distant
op'd - opened
o't - of it
ower - over, too
owsen - oxen

P back to top
paidled
pairts - parts
paitrick - partridge
pawky - cunning, sly
peck - a measure of weight
perted, pertin' - parted, parting
philabeg - kilt
pillar - pillar used for the same purpose as the cutty stool
pint stowp - a measure of drink
plaid, plaidie, plaiden - tartan cloak/scarf/kilt
plait - pleased
plooboy - ploughboy
plooman - ploughman
poackets - pockets
pooch - pocket
pow - head
prest - pressed
pu' - pull
puir - poor
pyock - satchel

Q back to top
quo - said

R back to top
rade - rode
rae - roe deer
rarely - wonderfully
rattlin' - rattling
rede - red
richt - right
ricklin' - filtering
rigs o' rye - haystacks
rin - run
rin the gless - used up the allotted time
roarin' fu' - extremely drunk
roon, roond - round
rowan fu' - pregnant
rowe - snuggle

S back to top
sab - sob
sae - so
saft - soft
sair, sairly - sore, sorely
sang - song
sark - shirt
saughs - willows
saut - salt
saxpence - sixpence
scaur - steep, eroded hill
scour - wander
scour the durk - drive out the big clumsy person
screich - break
sel' - self
shackled - shapeless
shaw - grove, shear, coppice
shearin' - cutting hay
sheilin - cottage
shiel - hut, shelter
shooin' - being shod
shoon - shoes
shouther - shoulder
show'rs - showers
sic' - such
sicht - sight
sillar, siller - silver
simmer - summer
simmers - one summers
sinder - to part company from
sinsyne - since then
skerry - rocky island or reef
skiffs - blows
slees - slinks
sma' - small
smeik - smoke
smiddy - blacksmith
smoor - diminish
smoors - smothers
snaw, snawdrift - snow, snowdrift
snaw bree - melting snow
snell - biting, bitter
socht - sought
sodger - soldier
soughs - sighs
spak, spake - spoke
speired - asked
spier, spiered - ask, asked
stane - stone
stans - stands
stapt, stapit - filled to bursting
staun - stand
staurn - star, stars
steek - stitch, or harden
steired - stirred, or propelled
steirs - stirs
stent - stretch
stentless - countless
stey - steep
stound - sudden pang of the heart
stour - breeze
stour (bide the stour) - bear the struggle
stown - stolen
strakes - strokes
strang - strong
straught - straight
streetched - stretched out
swippert - abruptly
syne - then, or since

T back to top
tae - to
taen, ta'en - taken
tak, taks - take, takes
taps - tops
tellt - told
tent - tend
thegither - together
thocht - thought
thole - suffer
thraw - setback
thrawn - obstinate(ly)
thro' - through
tick o' time - second
timmer - timber
tinin - losing
tint - lost
tirls - plays, to sound out (as in the plucking of a string)
to drink the breest you've brewed - to be responsible for the
consequences of your own actions
tocher - dowry
toon - town
tourocks - smoke from chimneys
tousled - tangled
traivels - travels
trews - tartan trousers
trig - neat, smart, attractive
tron - town market place
tryste - cattle fair
trysted - promised
twa - two
twa'd - it would
'twas - it was
'tween - between
twin - plait
tyke - mischief

U back to top
unco - unusually
unco whacks (sic' unco whacks) - such blows as these
unrowes - unrolls

W back to top
wa' - wall
'wa' - away
wad - would
wae - sorry, woe
wae's me - woe is me
wan - one
war - were
warlock - wizard, male witch
warp, warpin - weave, weaving
warst - worst
waukin' - awake
waukrife - sleepless
waur - worse
wee - small
weel - well
weel stocket mailin, himsel for the laird - well stocked farm landlord
weel faured - well favoured
weird - fate
werenae - were not
westlin - westward, western
wha(s) - who (whose)
whar, whaur - where
whippert - hastily
wi' - with
wid - would
widnae - would not
wie - with
willnae, wiltnae, winnae - will not
wimplin' way - winding road
win' - wind
windae - window
wis - was
wit - what
withoot - without
wullie waught - a hearty draught
wynd - wind

Y back to top
ye - you
ye'll - you will
yer - your
yerds - yards (shipyards)
yestreen - yesterday
yett - gate
yin - one
yon - yonder, that
your lane - alone
youse - you plural
yowes - ewes

The Tannahill Weavers

Ahh, sweet Sister Annabelle, what a minx ye be.

Harriet: Do you actually like haggis?
Charlie: No, I think it's repellent in every way. In fact, I think most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare.

Wow dundee! Thanks! Now I've got homework to be doing.

Shamalama, just caught this thread. You may want to check out this website. It is a comprehensive Scots Dictionary.

eejits + idiots

eejits = idiots

In the southern US we call 'em "idjits".

strange as it may seem sometimes I think the Southern States seem to have more in common with the auld country than the likes of the Northern states of America and Canada, which surprises me

Most scots have the perception of Canada being where the immigrants went, willing or otherwise with the south island of New Zealand, a close second, thank you for your response CS