Never put out your arm farther than you can draw it easily back. An instance of Scotch caution.
Bairns and fules speak at the cross what they hear at the ingle side. Children and fools proclaim in public what they overhear at the fireside.
It’s a bauld moon, quoth Bennygask; another pint, quoth Lesley. There’s a full moon, so that one pint more or less won’t matter.
This put (his) beard in a blaze. Stirred up his wrath.
It’s neither beef nor brose o’ mine. It’s no concern of mine.
Taen the bent. Taken to flight.
Better a finger aff as aye wagging. Better cut a finger off than let it annoy by hanging.
Better gang farther than fare waur. Better go on than stay here and suffer worse.
Better sune as syne. The sooner the better.
Bluid’s thicker than water. An intimation of the strength of kinship.
If a’ bowls row (roll) right.
It’s ill taking the breeks aff a Hielandman. You can’t do what’s impossible.
If ye’re angry ye ken how to turn the buckle o’ your belt behind you. You can prepare to fight it out.
Cadgers maun aye be speaking about cart-saddles. Everybody loves to talk about his own trade.
Keep a calm sough. Keep silent, “lie low.”
“Can do” is easy carried about wi’ ane. Voluntary advice is cheap.
They were ower auld cats to draw that strae afore them. They were too old to be played with in that way.
That chield’a aye for being out o’ the cheese-fat he was moulded in. He is always forgetting his place.
Thae corbiea dinna gather without they smell carrion. Those harpies don’t come together without some good reason.
His craig wad ken the weight o’ his hurdies. He would be hanged.
As crouse as a cat when the flaes are kaimed aff her. Perfectly contented and happy.
Deil rax their thrapples that reft us o’t. The devil wring the necks of those that deprived us of it.
The deil’s ower Jock Wabster. All gone wrong (see Ramsay’s Gentle Shepherd).
I had other eggs on the spit. I had other fish to fry, something else to do.
You have gotten to your English. You are in a passion. See p. 447.
If there’s a fair day in seven, Sunday’s sure to come and lick it up. The one fair day in the week is sure to be lost by falling on a Sunday. It’s a far cry to Lochow. See p. 359.
Sent them awa’ wi’ a flae in their lug. Gave them a sharp reprimand, something to think over.
Let that flee stick in the wa’. Let bygones be bygones.
Forth bridles the wild Highlandman. The Forth is the boundary of the Highlands.
Air day or late day, the fox’s hide finds aye the flaying knife. Everything finds its natural fate at last.
As fusionless as rue leaves at Yule. Altogether feeble and destitute of strength.
The tane gies up a bit and the tither gies up a bit. They make mutual concessions.
The gowk had some reason for singing ance in the year. The fool (cuckoo) has a good reason for singing once a year.
He has a grey mear in his stable at hame. He has a wife at home.
A hadden tongue makes a slabbered mouth. It’s inconvenient to hold one’s tongue.
Swallow the hair of the dog that had bit me. After being intoxicated over-night, take a dram in the morning.
It wad be a sair hair in my neck. A constant cause of annoyance, and would give a hold or purchase over me.
I owe thee a day in harst. A good deed in time of need.
Is for his ain hand, as Henry Wynd feught. See Note 8, p. 504.
Neither to haud nor to bind. Absolutely uncontrollable.
Hawks pike out hawks’ een. One thief injures another.
The stoutest head bears langest out.
I’ll e’en lay the head o’ the sow to the tail o’ the grice. I’ll take the good with the bad, whatever comes.
Set the heather on fire. Stir up rebellion or insurrection.
Let every herring hing by its ain head. Let each be independent.
Slashed as het a haggis. Been in as difficult or hot a business.
Stick his horn in the bog. Get himself into a fix.
Ilka bean has its black and ilka path has its puddle. Every good thing has some drawback.
Let ilka cock fight his ain battle.
It’s an ill bird that files its ain nest. He’s a contemptible wretch who discredits his own kindred.
With iron garters to his hose. With his legs in shackles.
Jouk and let the jaw gae by. Submit temporarily to what is too strong to be opposed.
Gie you your kail through the reek. Give you severe punishment.
Kilted up in a tow. Strung up, hanged.
The king’s errand whiles comes in the cadger’s gate. The humblest may sometimes serve the king.
There’s nae gude in speaking ill o’ the laird within his ain bounds. Don’t speak ill of a man in his own house.
Cool and come to yoursell like MacGibbon’s crowdy when he set it out at the window-bole. See Glossary for “crowdy “and “bole.”
It just a’ gaed aff like moonshine in water. It was entirely on the surface.
Onything is naething. “Anything” means “nothing.”
It maun e’en be ower shoon ower boots wi’ me. I must take up the matter heartily and thoroughly, I must go the whole hog.
Ower many maisters, as the paddock said to the harrow when every tooth gae her a tig. An explanation of the adage, Like a toad under a harrow.
Pickle in yer ain pock-neuk. Depend on your own exertions.
Pint-stoups hae lang lugs. Little pitchers have big ears.
Wind yoursell a bonny pirn. Prepare trouble for yourself.
Plack and bawbee. The last penny.
As plain as Peter Pasley’s pike-staff. Perfectly plain, self-evident.
As he can rap and rend means for. Scrape together maintenance for.
Our ain reek’s (smoke) better than other folks’ fire.
Let ilka (each) ane roose (praise) the ford as they find it.
Shored (threatened) folk live lang.
A sight for sair een. A most welcome sight.
There’s sma’ sorrow at our parting, as the auld mear said to the broken cart. I’m glad to get rid of you.
He’s honest after a sort. See p. 319.
Never look like a sow playing upon a trump for the luve o’ that, man. Don’t look so dissatisfied and angry.
Speer (ask) nae questions and I’ll tell ye nae lees (lies).
Make a spune or spoil a horn. Either do great things or make a miserable failure.
A staff out o’ my bicker. A serious loss.
Has an unco sway and say. Possesses great influence, power.
Clean through ither. In utter confusion, perplexity.
There’s my thumb, I’ll ne’er beguile thee. A form of oath.
They had other tow on their rock. Other business on hand.
Every wight has his weird. Everybody has his own individual destiny.
Them that will to Cupar maun to Cupar. A wilful man must have his way.
It’s nae mair ferlie to see a woman greet than to see a goose gang barefit, It’s not more strange to see women weep than it is to see a goose with bare feet.