Literal Barrage

Series: Your Scots Word Of The Day

It started out as a simple idea, but now it’s the craze sweeping the nation, nay, the world-wide Internet[s]! It’s “talk like a Scotsman”, or at least link to these posts when you really need an adequate way to describe cold, dank weather.

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Mauchit

    First in a series mauchit (maw·kit) Dialect, chiefly Scot -adj. dirty, filthy, sticky, muddy. Cf. Mauchy, Mochy, Maukie, Mawkit. (see also Manky, Clarty) (often used in ‘Lookit the colour o’ ye, ya mauchit wee to’rag’).

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Braw

    Second in a series braw (br·aww) Dialect, chiefly Scot -adj. 1. fine, pleasant, esp. weather (“It’s a braw day the day” or “It’s a braw, bricht, moonlicht nicht the nicht“). 2. attractive, pretty (often in “You’re really braw, hen. Fancy a Ruby Murray?“).

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Glaikit

    Third in a series glaikit (glai·kit) Dialect, chiefly Scot -adj. 1. (intr.) stupid; senseless, silly. (often in “He stood there wi’ a glaikit look oan his fizzog“) 2. (tr.) giddy, thoughtless. 3. affected. 4. petty.

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Besom

    Fourth in a series besom (biz·um) Dialect, chiefly Scot -n. 1. obstreperous girl or woman; female upstart (as in “Dinnae pou’ yer brither’s hair, ya wee besom“) 2. woman of low moral standing; a hussy (“Thon yin’s a right mucky besom“). 3. a broomstick or scourge; any broom made from loose twigs 4. a comet…

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Dreich

    Fifth in a series dreich (dre·ech) Dialect, chiefly Scot -adj. 1. (intr.) drab. 2. (tr.) dreary (referring to weather or a sermon). 3. often leads to a state of being drookit; grey.

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Crabbit

    Sixth in a series crabbit (cra·bit) Dialect, chiefly Scot -adj. 1. ill-tempered, grumpy, curt, disagreeable; in a bad mood [esp. in the morning]. (Often used in “Ken this, yer a crabbit get, so ye are“). -n. See crab – one who by their nature or temperament conveys an aura of irritability.

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Fitba’

    Eighth in a series fitba’ (fit·baw) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. (m) the beautiful game 2. (f) stupid game involving 22 grown men (and 3 officials of dubious parentage and eyesight) kicking a lump of leather around a field, often sparking irrational behaviour, bad language and blind devotion to a team or player, to the…

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Scunner

    Seventh in a series scunner (scun·ner) Dialect, chiefly Scot -v. 1. to feel aversion. 2. to produce a feeling of disgust or loathing in. -n. 3. a strong dislike (often in “tak a scunner“, or “git oot o’ ma face ya wee scunner“). 4. an object of dislike; nuisance.

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Laldie

    Ninth in a series laldie (lall·dy) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. a thrashing; a sound beating, punishment (as in “Jist wait till ah get ma hauns oan ye, ya wee bugger. Ah’ll gie ye laldie“). 2. gie it – to undertake an action with vigour and vitality (as in “Gaun yersel’, big yin. Gie it…

  • Your Scottish Slang Scots Word O’ The Day: Canny

    Tenth in a series canny (can·y) Dialect, chiefly Scot ~adj 1. cautious, careful, hesitant, unwilling to rush into things. 2. frugal, prudent (esp. with money) [a canny Scot – one who has an aversion to separating money from his pocket] (as in “He’s that canny he aye pays for his round wi’ empty lemonade bottles“).