Tag linguistics

Fifteenth in a series bourach (boor·ach) Dialect, chiefly Scot ~n. 1. small hill or mound. 2. disorganized heap or mass (as in “Last went and it turned intae a right bourach“). 3. a crowd or group of people. 4. a…

Fourteenth in a series gallus (ga·luss) Dialect, chiefly Scot ~adj. 1. self-confident, daring, cheeky. 2. stylish, impressive (esp. Glasgow “He’s pure gallus, by the way“). 3. Orig. derogatory, meaning wild; a rascal; deserving to be hanged (from the gallows).

Thirteenth in a series wabbit (wah·bit) Dialect, chiefly Scot ~adj. 1. exhausted, out of breath, unable to function due to extreme tiredness (as in “Playin’ wi’ thae weans has gote me wabbit“). [similar to puggled]

Twelfth in a series drookit (droo·kit) Dialect, chiefly Scot ~adj. 1. drenched, soaked through. (used in “Ah fell in the burn an’ got drookit“)

Eleventh in a series fankle (fan·kle)Dialect, chiefly Scot ~v. 1. to entangle, twist. 2. to knot. 3. to coil, wind. 4. to disorder, complicate. ~n. 5. an entanglement. (used in “Dinnae get yersel’ in a fankle“).

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]…

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…

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…

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…