Fair Is the Rose (63 page)

blether
—babble, gossip

blissin
—blessing

bogle
—ghost, specter

bothy
—small cottage

brae
—hill, slope

braisant
—shameless

brak
—broke

braw
—fine, handsome

Buik
—the Bible

burn
—brook, stream

byre
—cowshed

bystart
—bastard

cantrip
—charm, magic, trick

clack
—gossip, idle chatter

cleck
—conceive

clootie
—piece of cloth, rag

close
—passageway, courtyard

compear
—appear before congregation for rebuke

cutty stool
—stool of repentance

deasil
—sunwise or clockwise

deid
—dead

de’il
—devil

dochter
—daughter

dominie
—schoolmaster, teacher

doocot
—dovecote

dook
—to duck

doon
—down

dootsome
—vague, uncertain

dout
—doubt

dreich
—bleak, dismal

dry stane dyke
—stone fence without mortar

durstna
—dare not

eldritch
—mysterious, unearthly

ell
—a linear measure, just over a yard

faither
—father

fash
—worry, trouble, vex

fauchie
—sickly looking

feeing
—engaging as a servant

ferlie
—superb, wonderful

flindrikin
—flirtatious

flit
—move one’s household

flooer
—flower

fowk
—folk

freshening
—refreshing

frichtsome
—frightening

fu’
—full

gairden
—garden

gie
—give

glaikit
—thoughtless, daft

glaumshach
—greedy, grasping

gley
—avert the eyes, look away

glib-gabbit
—gossipy

goud
—gold

gracie
—devout, virtuous, well-behaved

granbairn
—grandchild

granfaither
—grandfather

granmither
—grandmother

green
—young, youthful

greet
—cry, weep

grush
—crush, squash

guid
—good

gustie
—savory, tasty

halie
—holy

hame
—home

harn goun
—coarse linen gown; sackcloth

hatesome
—hateful

haud
—hold, keep

haud yer wheesht
—hold your tongue

hauflin
—adolescent boy

hearken
—eavesdrop, listen

heidie
—headstrong, impetuous

herd
—shepherd

het
—hot

hindberry
—raspberry

hizzie
—hussy

hochmagandy
—fornication

hoose
—house

hoot!
—pshaw!

howff
—public house, or pub

howre
—whore

hurlie
—trundle, move about on wheels

ill-deedie
—mischievous, wicked

ill-kindit
—cruel, inhuman

ill-scrapit
—rude, bitter

ithers
—others

jalouse
—imagine, presume, deduce

jougs
—iron collar used for punishment

kell
—headdress worn by a young, unmarried woman

ken
—to know, recognize

kenspeckle
—conspicuous, familiar

kimmer
—godmother

kintra
—of the country, rustic

kintra-side
—countryside

kirkin
—first appearance at kirk

kittlie
—itchy, sensitive

kittlins
—kittens

knackie
—funny

lade
—millrace

lanelie
—lonely

lang
—long

lealtie
—loyalty

leuk
—look

limmer
—prostitute

loosome
—lovely

losh!
—lord!

lowpin-on stane
—leaping-on stone, used to mount a horse or a carriage

luve
—love

mainnerlie
—mannerly

mair
—more

maun
—must

mebbe
—maybe, perhaps

meikle
—great, much

mem
—madam

michtie
—scandalous, disgraceful

misbehadden
—improper, unbecoming

mither
—mother

mony
—many

morn’s morn
—tomorrow morning

mutchkin
—¼ pint Scots

neeps
—turnips

nicht
—night

nits
—nuts

niver
—never

noony
—late morning meal

och
!—oh!

oniething
—anything

oniewise
—anyway

oo aye
!—yes! (from the French
oui)

oot
—out

orraman
—odd-jobs man

parritch
—porridge

peerie-winkie
—little finger or toe

pensie
—pompous, self-important

pernickitie
—cantankerous, touchy

pittin’ the brain asteep
—meditating

pou
—pull

praisent
—present, gift

puir
—poor

richt
—right, authentic

roarie
—noisy

rummle-gumption
—common sense

run-line
—psalm sung one line at a time

sae
—so

saicret
—secret

sairlie
—sorely

sark
—shirt

scoonrel
—scoundrel

scuil
—school

shortsome
—amusing, enjoyable

sic
—such

sleekit
—smooth-tongued, deceitful

slippie
—slippery

slitterie
—messy, sloppy

sonsie
—substantial, appealing

speeritie
—energetic, spirited, vivacious

spleet-new
—brand-new

spurtle
—porridge stick

stane
—stone

stayed lass
—an old maid

stramash
—clamor, disturbance, uproar

suin
—soon

swick
—to trick

swickerie
—trickery, deception

syne
—ago, thereafter, since

tablet
—a sweet made of butter and sugar

tae
—to

tairt
—tart

tak
—take

tapsalteerie
—topsy-turvy, upside down

tassie
—cup

thegither
—together, concerted

thocht
—thought, believed

thrifite
—moneybox

tup
—a ram

twa
—two

ugsome
—gruesome, horrible

unchancie
—unlucky, dangerous, risky

unco
—eccentric, odd, strange

unheartsome
—sad, melancholy

vennel
—alley

verra
—very

wabbit
—exhausted, weary

waddin
—wedding

walcome
—welcome

wame
—womb

waukens
—awakens

weatherful
—stormy

weel
—well

wha
—who

whan
—when

whatsomever
—whatever

whaur
—where

wheesht!
—hush!

wi’
—with

wickit
—wicked

widdershins
—counterclockwise

wi’oot
—without

wird
—word

wutch
—witch

yestermorn
—yesterday morning

yestreen
—yesterday, last night