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THE SCOTS LEARNERS' DICTIONARY
scotshaunbuik.co.uk Version 1.0 1
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THE SCOTS LEARNERS' DICTIONARY
scotshaunbuik.co.uk Version 1.0 2
Introduction
The problem of writing modern Scots
There is a growing interest in writing modern Scots prose in books, articles and blogs, and many writers are keen to extend the use of Scots beyond its traditional role describing "the humorous, the sentimental, the nostalgic and the trivial". There is a problem though; it is often hard to find good Scots equivalents for quite common English words and phrases. At first sight Scots, and undeniably as a result of its hitherto restricted range of use seems to lack quite a lot of useful vocabulary. How do you say words like approach, anticipate, circumstance, deficient, interpret and modify? Existing dictionaries are only partially helpful; even the masterly Essential Scots Dictionary (ESD) currently the only 'prescriptive' Scots dictionary, listing some 5000 reasonably current words and phrases, is incomplete. If there is no obvious Scots equivalent in the ESD, the English entry is simply omitted. The writer is left with the conundrum of inserting English 'as-is' or finding a Scots circumlocution to avoid the English term or phrase altogether. Neither feels comfortable when done too much; the text becomes over-obtuse or over-Anglicised.
The Scots Learners' Dictionary
The approach of the Scots Learners' Dictionary is quite different therefore. It starts with the 3000 statistically most frequently used words and phrases in English non-fictional texts. 3000 was chosen as it is said that speakers actually only use about this number of words in everyday speech - though of course know many times more. This list was mapped against the ESD entries, and synonyms or near-equivalent Scots phrases suggested for as many of the 'missing' entries as possible. Where an equivalent could not be found the English word, sometimes with a slightly Scotticised spelling, has been listed for completeness. Additional vocabulary relating to specific Scottish contexts was added to localise the original generic list. Every effort was made however to keep within the current ESD vocabulary list to avoid archaic and Lallans-like artificial vocabulary. Lallans was a well-meaning attempt in the early 20th century to develop a formal Scots written form. Unfortunately Lallans relied on re-purposing archaic words making it almost unreadable to contemporary speakers and it soon fell into disuse and even ridicule.
Begun as an experiment six years ago, the SLD frequency-based approach turned out to be straightforward, if time-consuming, begging the question why this was not done by professional lexicographers years ago. The success of this approach is really up to the user to judge, but by using the SLD I now find it relatively easy to produce consistent and authentic Scots prose.
How to use this dictionary
The SLD is part of a set of Scots learning materials and approaches at the Scots Haunbuik web site [ScotsHaunbuik.co.uk] and should be used in conjunction with the Scots Learners' Grammar. It should be remembered that the SLD is still a very restricted word-list, though, I recommend using the Essential Scots Dictionary, the Concise English-Scots Dictionary and other modern sources to broaden and enrich your vocabulary. The SLD is also a real work in progress. If users find more missing vocabulary, good Scots expressions I have forgotten, mistakes, typos or inconsistencies in the dictionary, please let me know and I will update it.
Spelling
I have chosen for the most part the ESD model as it seems to me to be the easiest for English- speaking learners to use. Even in this prescriptive model though there are several variants and there is no reason why some dialectical variation could not also be introduced; though care should be taken to use variants consistently and cautiously to ensure wide readability.
THE SCOTS LEARNERS' DICTIONARY
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a, an a, an, ae
aback aback
abandon abandon, gie up, gie ower
able, ability able, docht (was able)
able, be dow
ability abeelitie, bein able
abnormal byordinar [no richt]
about aboot, anent (regarding)
above abuin/abune, owerheid
abreast abreist
abroad abraid, owerseas
abrupt snappit, suddent
absent no here / there
absence absence, seekie (due to illness)
absolute fair, black, evendoon
abstain gae frae
abstract abstrack
abundance/lot of rowth o, feck
abundant rowthie
abuse abeese, abuise
abusive ill-mou'd
academy academie
accent accent, tune
accept accep
access wey in, ingang, ingait
accident accident, stramash, mishanter
accidental casual
accommodate accomodate, pit up
accommodate accommodation, up-pittin
according to accordin tae, conform wi
account accoont
accuse delate
accurate preceese, perjink (person), richt
accustomed to yaised wi
ache stoon
achieve achieve, win, cairie oot, effeck, get roon acknowledge awn, ken
acquainted with aquantit wi
aquaintance aquantance, kent face, freen(d)
acquire obteen, git
across athort, throu
action action
act ack
action action, ack, ploy
active acteeve
activist acteevist
activity acteevitie, throu-pit
actor, actress actor
actually rael-like, ackwallie
acute gleg, snell
adamant positeeve
adapt adapt, git yaised wi
add add , eik
additional addeetional, tither
address address, backin
adequate suffeecient, eneuch
adjective adjective
adjourn caw a haut tae, pit aff, en
adjust adjust, chenge, correck
administer admeenister
administration admeenistration
admire respeck
admirable braw
admit awn
adolescent adolescent, halflin
adroit cannie
adult adult
advance forder
advantage advantage, tak a len o (take advantage of)
adventure adventure
advertise adverteese
advert advert(eesement)
advice(n.), advise(v.) advice, coonsel, advisement
advise advise, speak a word tae
adverse ill, thrawart, conter
affable couthie
affair maitter
affect affeck, chenge
affected mim(p), pitten-on
affection hert-likin, notion o (affection for)
affectionate lithesome
affirm uphaud
affinity sibness
afflict afflick
affluent bien, weel-daein
afford affuird
afoot afit
aforementioned foresaid
afraid feart (at, o)
after ahint, aifter
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aftermath aiftercome, aiftercast
afternoon aifternuin
afterwards efterhin, efterwards, syne
again again, agane
against agin, conter
age age
agenda agenda
agent factor
ago syne
ago, long a whil(ie) back, lang back
agree gree -d
agreeable couthie
agreement greement, unnerstaunin
agriculture fairmin
ahead aheid
aid aid, forder
akin sib
ailing dowie
aim ettle
air air
airline airline
aeroplane airieplane
airport airport
alarm alairm
alas ochone
alcohol aquavitae (spirits), alcohol
alert gleg, smairt, binkie
alike equal-aqual, sel an same, sib, eeksie-peeksie alive alive, in life
all aa/aw
all right aa richt
all the the hail
alleviate lichten
alley close, wynd, vennel, pend (arched)
allocate stent
allow alloo, lat
almost aamaist [near, nearaboot, gey near, maistlins, nearhaun]
aloft alaft
alone alane, by ma/his (etc) lane
along alang
aloud oot lood
already arredies, awreadie
also an aa, forbye
alter chynge -d
alternate turn aboot
alternative alternative, chice, wale
although although, e'en if
altogether athegither
am am
always aye, awweys, ayeweys
amalgamate mell
amaze(d) dumfooner
ambition ambeetion, ettle
ambitious ambeetious
amble daunder
ambulance ambulance
amend chynge
amiable douce, couthie
America, American America, American
among amang
amount amoont
amuse amuse, enterteen
amusing pawkie
analyse scance, exaemin
ancestors forefowk, forebeirs
ancient auncient
and an
anecdote crack
anger birse, git gaun (v)
Anglo-Saxon Auld-Angles (an ancestor of Scots)
Anglicised Englified
angry bealin
animal baist, baistie (small animal or insect)
animated birkie
animosity unfreenship
ankle ankle, cuit NE
announce annoonce, lat ken
annoy deave, fash
annoyance fasherie, deavance
annoying fashious, angersome
annual ilka year
another anither/anidder
answer answer (n), answer , speak back, repone ant eemock
antics cantrips
anticipate doot, expeck
anticlockwise widdershins
anxiety anxeeitie
anxious thochtie
any, anybody onie
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anybody oniebodie
anyhow oniewey(s), oniegait, onie road
anyone onie ane, onie yin
anything oniething, ocht
anyway oniewey(s), onie road
anywhere oniegait, onie road
apart apairt , asides or leave aside (apart from), rive (pull apart)
appeal appeal
appear kythe
appearance cast (look), kythin
appetite appeteet
apologise apologeese
apparatus, gear graith
apparent(ly) kenable, appearinlie
apartment flat, single en (one room)
appear kythe
apple aipple
apply apply
appoint appint
appointment appyntment, tryst
appraise vailye
appreciate be thankfu fur/for, apprise
apprehensive eerie
apprentice apprentice, boy (even as an adult)
approach oncome (n), muive tae/til, come up tae appropriate sitable, settin, fittin
approve appruve
approximate ruch, roch
apron peenie
aquainted aquant
are ar
April Aprile, Averil
April fool gowk
arch airch
area airt, destrick, neibourheid
argue arigie, hae an argiement, gae agin
argument argument, argie-bargie, carfuffle, stushie, flytin arise tak place, come up
aristocrat laird (i.e. landowner)
arm airm
armful oxterfu
armpit oxter (also as a v, to hold under the arm) army airmie
around aroon, aboot, roon aboot
arouse (sexually) kittle, on the radge (aroused)
arrange, arrangement redd (up), sort (oot) arrest (ar)reest, lift, tak in, huckle
arrive, arrival arrive, win at, git tae
arrogant pridefu, heich-heidit
arrow a(i)rra
art a(i)rt
article airticle
artificial artifeecial, mim
as as
aside ascient
ash ais
ashamed rid faced, taen (like)
ask aks, ask, speir (at)
ask for seek
ask to seek tae
askew asklent, squeegee
asleep sleepin, awa
aspect aspeck, cast
aspire seek, ettle
asprin asp(i)reen
assemble forgaither, pit thegither, git thegither
assent greement
assert threap
assertion threapment
assess conseeder
asset(s) asset
assist assist, gie a haun tae, heeze
associate coneck, liken wi
assorted sindrie
assume tak fur grantit,
assure asheer / asseer
assurance asseerance
astonish dumfooner
astray agley
astute cannie, pawkie
at, at all at
at once richt awa
atomic atomic
atrocious awfu
attach steek
attack set tae, tear intae,yoke tae
attempt ettle, set aboot, hubble (clumsy attempt), fend NE
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attend (at)tend
attention, pay attention tent, tak tent o
attitude mainner, gait, ootluik
attract attrack, tice
attractive bonnie, brammer (very attractive), barrie (very attractive)
auction roup
audacious bauld
audience owdience NE
August August
aunt auntie
Australia, Australian Australia, Australian
authentic rael
author owthor
authority authoritie, pooer
authorities hied yins, heid bummers (coll)
authorisation (written) line (e.g. sick line)
auto(mobile) caur
automatic automatic
autumn hairst, back-en
available available, obteenable
average average, owerheid (on the average)
aversion scunner
avoid miss, evite, jouk
awake waukened
award awaird
aware awaur
away awa (distant), hine, yont
awful awfie / awfu
awkward ackwart, gawkit, footerie (task)
baby, child bairn, wean, tot, wee smout (small), babbie
back hint, back, rig(gin) (of the body)
back to front backside foremaist
backside dowp (esp of trousers), hin-en, hurdies, bumbaleerie, bahookie
background backgrun(d)
backward backart(s), glaikit (person)
bacon ham, ham flaik (rasher)
bad baud, ull
badly off ill-aff
bad temper crabbitness
bag poke, baggie (small)
bag, plastic polypoke
baggage baggage, gear
balance balance
ball ba(w)
banana banannie
band ba(u)n(d)
bank ba(u)nk, brae (river)
bar ba(u)r
bare in the scud, baries or barefit (bare feet)
bargain bargain, troke, niffer, guid dale, gie-awa barge bairge (also to speak loudly)
barber baurber
bark bowf (v)
barn, cowshed byre
barrier barrier, hinder
barrister advocate
base, basic basic, foon(s)
basement, cellar dunnie
basis grun, foon
basket creel
bath bath, dook (take a bath, bathe)
bathroom bathroom
bald baul(d), bauldie (coll: bald person)
be, been be, been
beach beach, stron
bear (endure) thole, bide
beard baird
beast baist
beat bash, batter, bate, dunt, cowe (overcome), bang (thrash)
beautiful braw, bonnie, stoatin, stoater (beautiful person ot thing)
beauty brawness
because (of) (a)cause o
become become (pp becam), turn, git
bed bed, scratcher (coll)
bedroom chaumer
beer beer
before afore
beforehand aforehaun(d)
beg beg
begin begin (pp begoud), stert
beginning stert, ootset
behalf behalf
behave, behavior behave, ack, cairrie on
behind ahin, ahent
behold behaud
being bein
belch rift
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believe believe,doot, hae, trew
bell bell
bellicose weirlik
belly kyte, bellie, wame, baggie
belong belang
below ablo(w)
belt belt, tawse (a strap once used to punish children)
bench bink
bend bend, boo (v), wimple (in a road or stream), coorie (bend down)
beneath aneath
benefit get the guid o
beneficial cannie
beside aside
besides asides, forbye
best best
bet bet, wad, binger (losing bet, horse or dog)
betray begowk
better better, beezer (better than normal)
between atween, atweesh
beware bewaur, tak tent o
bewildered, stunned dumfoonert, bumbazed
beyond ayont, beyont, ootwi
beyond belief past aa
Bible Beuk
bicycle bicycle, bike, caw a bike (pedal a bicycle) bid seek, bode (auction)
big big, muckle, lairge, beezer (bigger than normal)
bigot begot
bill, bill of lading bill
billion billion
bin (wastepaper or dust) backet
bind bind (NB rhymes with tinned)
bird burd
birth birth
birthday birthday
birthplace birth-grun
biscuit biscuit, parkin
bit bit(tie)
bite bite, chack
bitter wersh, soor (person)
black black/bleck
blacksmith smiddy
blame blame, wyte
bland wersh
blanket hap, plaid (tartan)
blend mell
blight blicht
blind blin
block stock (wood), stap (v), conter (v), thorter (v)
bloke gadg(i)e, cheil (NE), callant, billie (esp workmate) blood, bloody bluid, bluidie
blouse blouse
blue blyew/bew, blae (blue-grey)
blunder bummle
blow blaw, souch (esp wind), dunt (hit heavily) board buird
boast cra(w), bla(w) (also boastful person), bum, bum up (boast about), bloast
boat boat, bait NE
body bodie, bouk
boil bile
bold, spirited gallus
bone bane
book beuk / buik
book cover batters
bookkeeping buikkeepin
bookshelf buik-buird
boost forder, mak better
boot bit, tackit, tackettie (heavy boot), wellie (rubber) border border
bore deave
bored bored, scunnert, seek-sair
boring borin, scunnersome, taiglesome, langsome
born born, come hame
borough burgh
borrow borrae, tap
boss boss, him/hersel, heid bummer/billydactus/puddock (coll), high heid yins (bosses) botch bootch
both baith, yer twa sels (both of you)
bother(ed) fash(t), bather(t)
bottle bottle, gantry (bottle stand behind a bar)
bottom bahookie, boddom, dowp
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bounce stot
bound (e.g. by obligation) thirled
boundary boon, merch
bow beck (respectfully)
bowls bools (game)
box bo(a)x, kist(ie)
boy laddie / loun, lad, bo(a)y
braces galluses
brain(s) harns
brainless harnless
branch brainch
brand brand, mak, kin(d)
bread breid
breadth brenth
break brak / brek, interval (school or theatre), piece-brek (at work0
breakdown breck-doon
breakfast brakefast
breast pap, bosie
breath braith, pecht oot (out of breath)
brick brick
bridge brig
bright bricht, veeve
bright bricht
bring bring, fesh
Britain, British Britain, British
brittle bruckie
broad braid
broke, rooked broke
broken brak, foonert (broken down),
knackt (coll), jiggert brook, stream burn
brother brither
brown broon
brush, broom besom, briss, soop (v)
brush against skiff
bubble blob
bucket bucket, pail, cog, bowie
budge jee
build big -git
building biggin
bullet billet
bump dunt
burn birn
burst birtst
bus bus
bus station stance
business business, troke
busy thrang, hasht (person), hoa(t)chin
but but
butcher flesher
butter butter
buttocks hurdies
button button
buy buy pp bocht, coff
by, by-product by / bi
buzz bizz
cabbage kail
cafe, cafeteria café
cake cake
caked, encrusted clartit, barkit
calculate coont, wark oot
call caa -d
calm lown
can, could can, cuid
candle caunle
camera camera
campaign campain
Canada, Canadian Canada, Canadian
cancel caw aff, elide
cap caip
capable feckfu
capacity throu-pit
capital capital
capricious flichtie
captain captain
car caur
car park caur pairk
card cairt (e.g. playing card), the deil's picter buiks (coll)
care care, thocht, tent
career career
careful carefu, cannie
carefully carefu-like, cannie-like
careless hashie, tentless
cargo (pl. cargoes) cargo
carry cairrie, humph (with difficulty), oxter (carry underarm)
cart cairt
cart (children's home made) cairtie, bogie, piler, guider etc
case case, maitter
cash, cashier cash, clink
cash machine (ATM) hole in the wa, puggie (coll)
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castle castle
cat cat, cheetie, baudrons
catarrh snotters
catastrophe stramash
catch kep -pit, sneck
category cless, sort, kin(d), teep
cause gar (v), rizzon (n)
cautious cannie, ca(w) cannie (be cautious)
cellar dunnie, laich-hoose
central central
per cent per cent
centimetre centimetre
centre/center centre, mids, hairt
century centurie, yearhunner
certain siccar
certainly atweel, certies
chase gae aifter
chain, chain store cheen/chine
chair cheer
chairperson convener, preses
challenge challenge
Chamber of Commerce Chaumer o Commerce
champion kemp
chamber pot chantie
chance chance, like (probability)
change chynge
changeable aff an an
channel channel, trink, rin (small)
chap (skin) hack
character character, smeddum (strength of character)
charge chairge
charming chairmin
chaotic tapsalteerie
chart chart, ca(i)rd
charter chairter
chat crack/craic (n), blether, hae a crack / blether (v)
chatter clishmaclaver
cheap chape
cheat swick
check chack
cheek chowk, snash (cheekiness)
cheese cheese, kebbock (home-made), crowdie (soft) chemical chemical
cheque chack
chest chist, kist
chew chaw
chicken chucken
chief maister, high heid yin (coll), heidmaist (adj)
childhood bairnheid
child bairn, wean
childish bairnlike
children childer, bairns, weans
chilly chilpie
chimney lum
chocolate chocolate
choice chice, wale
choose chuise
Christmas (Day) Christmas, Yule (Day)
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve, Yule Een
church kirk
cider cider, skud (coll)
cigarette cigarette, ciggie, dowt (cigarette end) cinema picters, picter-hoose
circle circle
circular roon(d)
circumstance(s) circumstance, condeetion, settin, seetiation
citizen citizen
city ceitie
claim claim, threap, awn, haud
clarify mak clair
class cless
clatter brattle
clean claen
clear clair, veeve, redd (clear up)
clergyman meenister (Presbyterian), priest (Catholic) clerk clerk, clerkess (female)
clever clivver, cannie
click ( a mouse) clap
client client
climate climate
climb (s)clim
clock clo(a)ck, nock
clockwise deasil
close close, steik
close by nearhaun
cloth claith, hodden (coarse), cloot (for cleaning)
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clothes claes, cleddin
cloud clud, smoor (of smoke etc)
cloudy drumlie (also murky liquid or weather)
club club, curn
do something clumsily hash, ramstan (done hurriedly) coal coll
coast coast
coat cot
coax fleetch
postcode (Brit.) postcode
pompom toorie
coffee coffee
cohabitee, partner bidie-in
coin coin, bawbee (small coin)
cold caul(d), snell (weather), a dose o the cauld (a cold), cauldrif (someone who feels the cold or acts coldly)
collaborate wirk thegither, jine forces
collapse come in, foon(d)er (person)
colleague colleague, billie
collect lift, uplift (goods, persons), ingaither (money)
collection mengie
collective gaithert thegither
college college
colour colour
colourless peelie-wallie
comb kaim
combine gae thegither
come come
comfortable couthie, bien
comment observe, speak
commerce commerce, merkat, traffeck
commit dae, cairrie oot
committee comatee
commodity commoditie, throu-pit, guids, graith common cowmon, coorse
common sense smeddum, mense, rumgumption
commonly fur cowmon
commotion stramash, rammie
communicate communicate, traffeck
community communitie
company companie, gaitherin (of people)
compare compare, even (wi), liken wi
comparison compare
compel, make gar
compensate pey aff, gie back
compensation mends
compete, competitive compete, kemp, fecht, fen
competition competeetion
competitor competitor, parteecipant
complain, complaint compleen, chin, girn, peenge, mump, channer, yammer complete hail
completetely fair, hail(lie)
complicated complicatit, fikie, pernickitie, crank, a fankle
comply with bide by, complouter
component pairt
comprise makkit up o, conteen, kivver
computer computer
concentrate concentrate
concern anxeeitie
concerning anent
concert ceilidh (Highland music)
conclude en, feenish, hap up
condition condeetion, bien (in good condition)
condemn doom
conduct conduck
conference collogue
confess awn, gie in tae
confidence, have confidence in hae lippin in confident croose, heid-heich
confidential parteeclar
confine cruive (lit pen in), tether
confirm confirm
conflict kemp
confront face up tae, meet heid on
confuse confeise, bumbaze, raivel
confused bumbazed, drumlie, raivelt, peerie-heidit
confusing raivelin
confusion mixter-maxter, throuither
congratulations congratulations
connect, connection conneck
conscientious eydent
conscious awaur
consent permeeshion, gree
consequence(s) efterins, eftercast
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consider conseeder, think on
considerable gey, braw
considerably queer, gey
consist be makkit (up) o
constituency constituency
consolidate gae thegither, jine
conspicuous kenspeckle
conspire collogue
consolation consolement
construct big, mak, pit up
consult collogue, inquire at, speir at
consumer, consumer
consumption consumtion, yiss
contact contack
contain conteen, haud
contented cantie, fine, saitisfee'd, joco
context context, settin, seetiation
continent continent
continue conteena, cairrie on
continuously ivver an on, even on
contract contrack
contradict conter, conterdick, na-say
contradiction na-say
contribute contribute, eik, gie, pit in, hae a say
control control, owerance, pooer
convenient hantie
convention stannert, collogue, git-thegither
conversation conversation, cantation, blether, crack
convert convert, chenge
convince talk intae, perswad
cook cuik
cool cuil, caller
cooperate cooperate, complouter
coordinate coordinate, guide, bring thegither cope haunle, dale wi
copy copie
corner gushet, neuk (inner)
correct correck
correspond correspond, scrieve, aqual
cost chairge
cosy couthie, bien
cottage (small rural) but an ben, bothie
cotton wool cotton oo
cough hoast, coaf
council cooncil
could cu(i)d
count coont
counter coonter
country kintra, landwart (rural)
county coontie
course, of course coorse, o/in coorse
court coort, gang oot wi, winch/wench
courtesy mense
cousin kizzen
cover kivver, hap
covered happit
cow coo, kye (pl)
coward feartie, cooard
cowshed byre
crack creck, hack (in the skin caused by cold)
crane cran
crash crash, stramash
crazy gyte, radge, awa in the heid, doolallie, bammie (coll) cream ream
crease bumfle (bumfled up:creased), pook (crease or tuft on clothing), runkle
create create, mak, big
creature craitur, baist, shargar (puny creature)
credit credit, tak on (buy on credit)
crematorium crem(mie)
crime crime
criminal creeminal
cringe creenge
crisis (pl. crises) crisis
critic creetic
critical creetical, nippetie (sharply critical), tak a swatch o (critical look)
critique scance
crop crap
cross cross, plet (legs)
crouch hunker doon
crowd crood, boorach, thrang, clanjamfrie (rabble) crowded ho(a)tchin, stowed oot, thrang
crown croon
crucial creetical
cry greet, bubble (snivel), blirt (burst into tears), baw cuddle bosie, coorie (doon)
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cuff, off the aff-luif
culture cultur(e)
cup cup, biccar, tassie (ceremonial)
cupboard press, bunker (kitchen cabinet)
curling (Scottish winter sport) curlin
curious kerrious
curling match bonspeil
currency siller
current current, the noo
curriculum vitae (c.v.) curriculum
curtains hingers
custom custom, haunt (habit)
customer customer
customs customs
cut cut , sned, snib (cut short)
dad paw, da
daft gyte
dagger dirk (part of Highland dress)
daily ilka day
damage skaith, blaud
dance birl, fling (vigorous), the jiggin (dancing) reel (Scottish)
danger, dangerous dangerous, uncannie, unchancie
dare daur
daring gallus
dark daurk/derk, mirksome, mirkie
darkness mirk
data data
date date, tryst (meeting)
daughter dochter
day day
daybreak, dawn skreich o day
daydream dwam (in a)
dead deid
deadline deidline
deaf deif
deafen deave
deal dale, mell wi
dear dear
death daith
debit debit
debt debt
decade daiken
decay moolder
deceit cheatrie, joukerie, deceiverie
deceitful sleekit, patterie
deceive begeck, begowk, swick, jouk
December December
deception swick, begowk
decide decide
decision deceesion
declare speak oot, anoonce, depone
decline dwine (e.g. health)
decoration whigmaleerie, decorement
decrease dwine
dedicate dedicate yersel, gang hail-heidit fur, stick in wi deduce jalouse
deduct tak awa
deep deep, howe
deepest benmaist
defect defeck
defeat defait, tankin, gubbin (heavy)
defend, defence fen(d)
defiant forritsome
deficient scrimpit
deficit shortfa(w)
definite exack
definition defineetion
degrade bemean
degree degree
dejected disjaskit, dowie
delay pit aff, pit back, taigle
delegate haun ower, fairm oot, memmer (n)
delete delete, remuive, rub oot
deliberately deleeberate-like, wi forethocht delicate dowie
delicious deleecious
delight delicht, lichtsome
delightful lichtsome
delighted hert gled
deliver deliver, bring, cairrie, haun ower
demand deman(d)
demented gyte
democracy democracie
demonstrate shaw
demoralise bemean
denounce miscaa
dense thrang
dent dunt
deny na-say
dentist dentist
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depart depairt, leg aff (coll)
department depairtment
depend depen, lippen (depend on)
deposit deposit, depone
depressed disjaskit
depressing, gloomy dreich
depth depth, deepens
deputy depute
derogatory doon-pittin
descend gang doon, spring frae (descend from), dreep (lower yourself with your arms)
descentant affspring
describe describe, depick
deserve ocht tae hae
design design, maik
desire wiss, ettle aifter (strongly)
desk desk
destination destination, en(d)
destroy, destruction destroy, hash
destruction ruinage
detail detail, aspeck, fack, pint, oots an ins (details)
determined strang-minded
detest laith
detestable laithsome
detriment hairm
develop develop, growe
development development, ootcome, oncome
devil deil, Auld Nick
diagram drawin
dialect dialeck, by-leid (specific term for Scots dialects) dialogue crack
diarrhea the skitters, the scoots
dictionary dictionar
die dee wi (of)
different different, unalike
difficult defeecalt, fykie (tricky)
difficulty defeecaltie
dig howk
digital digital
dining room dinin room
dinner denner
dip dook
direct direck
director director
direction airt
dither swither
dirty clartie, minkie, maukit or boggin (very dirty), broukit (soiled)
disadvantage disadvantage
disappear disappear, vainish, dwine
disappoint disappint, gunk, begeck, lat doon, begeck, stammiegaster (badly)
disappointing chawsome
disappointment dunt
disaster disaster, mishanter, stramash
disbelieve misbelieve, misdoot
discount discoont
discover discover, fin(d) oot, lairn
discuss discuss, blether aboot
discussion cantation, communin
disease disease, smit (minor: git the smit)
disgusted scunnert
disgusting scunner(some), lowpin, bowfin, gowpin, mankie
dish dish, ashet (serving dish)
dishearten disherten
dishonest unhonest
dismantle tak apairt
disorder carfuffle
dispatch sen(d) aff/oot
display shaw
dispose get redd o
dispute differ, argie-bargie
disrespect disrespeck
dissatisfied no taen wi, miscontentit
distance distance, lenth
distinct veeve, clair
distinctive wan-aff, kenspeckle
distribute distreebute, dale oot, haun(d) oot district destrick, kintra
distrust distrust, mislippen
disturb fash, strart (startle)
disturbance stushie, rammie
ditch, drain stank, sheuch, cundie, syver/brander (drain cover)
dither swither
dive dook
divert redireck
diverse sindrie
divide sin(d)er, twine
divulge lat ken
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divorced divorced
dizzy, dizziness deezie, mirligoes
do(es), don't dae
doctor doacter
document document
dodge jink, jouk (also to cut in front of someone in queue)
dog dug, tyke, messan (mongrel)
dole (unemployment benefit) b(u)roo
domestic hamelie, faimlie
dominant owergauin
dominate owergang
donation handsel, compliment
door door
double dooble
doubt doot
doubtful dootsome
down duin, doon, duin by (down there)
downright doonricht, evendoon
downstairs doon the stair
downwards doonwi
dowry tocher
draft ootline, roch copie, scroll
draw draw
drawing drawin
drawback doonside
drastic drastic
dread dreed
dream dream, dwam (daydream)
dreary dreich
dress dress
dribble slabber
drink drink, tan (drink quickly), bev(vie), swallae (alcoholic, also a drinking session), sesh (a drinking bout)
drip dreep
drive drive, caw
drop drap, tait, blob, fling (e.g. a boyfriend)
drown droon
droppings (cattle) sharn, jobbies
drug(s) drog(s)
drunk weel-on, pisht, bleezin, f(o)u (as a puggie / piper), blootert, smeekit, bevvied, fleein, guttert, miraculous (very), steamin, wellied, steamboats, stotious, wastit, oot o yer box, greetin fu, paralitic, roarin, blitzt, ridiculous, iled up, mad wi it
dry dry, drouthie (e.g.thirst, weather), hert-dry (dry as a bone)
duck deuk (n), dook (v), jouk (v)
due due, owin, ootstaunin
dull dreich, dour, dowie, blate (person), fushionless (writing etc), loorie (sky) dump cowp (n), plank (v)
duplicate dooble
duration lenth
during throu
dust stoor
duster cloot
duvet, continental quilt downie
dynamic acteeve, gae-aheid, fu o virr
each ilka
ear lug
earlier aulder (i.e. times)
early airlie
earn (y)earn, win
earth yird
east aist
Easter Pace
easy easie, stracht-forrit, semple, a skoosh (coll)
eat aet
ecology ecologie
economy, economic(s), economie
economical chaep
edge edge, lip (pond etc)
education eddication, buik-lair
effect effeck, ootcome, gear (personal effects)
effective feckfu, yissfu
efficient feckfu, eydent
effort ettle (attempt), wark, fash, a sair fecht (hard effort)
egg egg
eight aicht, aucht
eighteen auchteen
eighty auchtie
either aither
elastic leskit
elbow elba(e), elbuck
elect eleck
election election
electric, electrical electric
electrician electrician
electricity electricitie, leckie
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electronic electronic
elegant gentie
element element, pairt, aspeck
eleven aleeven
eliminate get redd o, dae awa wi, remuive
eloquent glib-gabbit
else else
embarrassed affrontit, hae a beamer or riddie (red face), black-affrontit (very embarrassed) emerge come oot, kythe, come intae sicht, come forrit
emergency emergencie
emphasise emphasise, pint oot, unnerline
employ (use) wirk wi
employ (someone) employ, tak on
empty empie, tuim/teem, boss
enable enable, alloo
encourage forder, herten, gie a lift tae
end en(d)
endeavour ettle (v), unnertakkin (n)
endure thole, bide, dree
enemy enemie, unfreend
energy virr, birr
engaged trystit
engine ingine
England Englan(n)
English English, Sasunnach
English, Scottish Soothron
enjoy tak pleesure in, git pleesure frae
enlarge gowe, braiden
enormous muckle
enough eneuch
enquire speir
ensure mak siccar
enter enter, intil
entrance wey in, ingait, ingang, close (to a tenement block) enterprise ploy, han(d)lin, unnertakkin
entertain enterteen
enthusiastic hail-hertit, fu o birr
entire hail, fu
entitle(d) enteetle
envelope envelope
environment enviornment
equal, equivalent a(i)qual, eeksie-peeksie, equal-a(i)quals, the marra o equipment graith, gear
equivalent aqual
errands, do the messages, dae the
error mistak, in a mistak (in error)
escape win awa/oot
especially maistlie, parteec(u)lar
essential necessar, creetical
establish estaiblish
estimate jalouse
estuary firth
Europe Eurup
even e'en, eeksie-peeksie (e.g. shared out), eekies even though hoobeit
evening eenin, forenicht
event event, ongauns
eventually at the hinneren(d)
ever iver
every, everybody ilka, iverie
everyday ilkaday
everyone a(w)bodie, ilka bodie
everything a(w)thing
everywhere aa wey, aa gait(s), ilka gait
evidence evidence, pruif, facks
evident weel seen
exact, exactly exack, nate
examine, examination exaemin, exem, leuk, tak a scance o
example example
exceed gang ower
excellent braw, stoater or belter (an excellent thing)
except, exception excep, forby
exceptional by-or(di)nar
excessively owerlie
exchange exchenge, troke, niffer
excite kittle
excited excitit, up tae high doh, het up
exciting excitin, stirrin
exclude keep oot, lave oot
exclusive alane (comes at the end of the phrase) excrement shite, keech, jobbie (a stool), sharn (cows)
excuse excaise
execute cairrie oot, effeck, pit tae daith
exercise exerceese
exercise book, notebook jotter, copiebuik
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exhaust exowst
exhausted, worn out wabbit, trauchelt, forfochen, puggle't (esp with heat), wastit
exhausting trauchlesome
exhaustion wabbitness
exhibition exhibeetion
exist exist
exit ootgang
expand, expansion hove (swell), rax (stretch), big up expect expeck, doot
expedition expedeetion
expensive expensive
experience expairience
experiment experiment, try-oot
expert expert (n), expert (adj), cannie
expire en, rin oot, dee
explain, explanation explain, gie details, mak clear, accont
exploit exploit, splore, yaise, mak yiss o, mak the maist o, tak advantage o
explore reenge, see the sichts, fin(d) oot aboot
export export, sell owerseas
express, expression express, ettle at
extend, extension rax (v), eik (n)
extent, extensive amoont, stent (limit), kinnaweys/some (to some extent) extract howk oot, pou oot
extraordinary byordinar, extraordinar
extremely unco, gey, verra, awfie, richt, terrible, sair eye ee (pl een), blinker, wick (corner of eye), keeker (black eye), seepie-mannie (speck in the eye)
eyebrow (ee-)broo
eyelash blinker, breer
eyelid ee-lid, winker
face face, pus (coll)
facility proveesion, abeelitie
fact fack
factor aspeck, rizzon
factory factorie
fad whigmaleerie
fade dwine
fail fail, fooner
fair, fairly jonick (just), middlin, equal-aquals (fair shares)
faithfull faithfu, leal
fall fa(w)
false fause
familiar fameeliar, weel-kent
family faimlie, kin
famous weel kent, faur kent
far faur
fare chairge
farm fairm, croft (small Highland farm)
farther faurer.
fashionable, fancy fantoosh, patterie
fashioned, old auld-farrant
fast fest, swith, gleg
fasten steek, fessen
fat creesh (n), bowsie (adj)
father faither, da, paw (fam)
fault faut, blame
favour favour (v), obleegement (n)
favourite favourite
fear fear at, dreid
feasible faisible
feature aspeck, merk
February Februar
fee chairge
feed feed
feel feel, fin(d), conseeder
feeling feelin
fellow, bloke cheil
female female
fester beil
few few/fyow, puckle, twa-three (a few), a wheen
fiddle footer, ficher
fiddly a footer, footerie
fidget fidge, hotch (impatiently)
field field, pairk, loanin
fifteen feifteen
fifty fuftie
fight fecht/ficht, rammie (brawl), swedge, square go (stand up fight between two people) figure feegur
file file
fill fou
film film
firm firm, stieve (adj)
final, finally laist, hinermaist
finance finance
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find fin(nd)
fine braw
finger finger, pinkie (little finger)
finish feenish, en(d), lowsin/yokin time (finishing time at work)
fire fire, lowe (flame), ingle (hearth)
firm firm
first first
fist nieve
fish fish/fush
fish and chip shop chippie, chipper
fist nieve
fit fit five five
fix sort, pit richt, stell (in position)
flame lowe
flat flet (adj), flat, hoosie, single en (one room appartment) flatter fleetch
flavour flavour, saur
fleece jacket fleecie
flexible, flexitie soople, swack
flight flicht
flood flude
floor flair
flourish flourish, bluim, dae weel, mak oot
flow pirr, rin (water)
flower flooer
flu the flu
fluent, fluency gabbie, glib
fluff, fluffy oose, oosie
fly flee
fly, zip spaiver or ballop (in trousers)
fog rouk, haar (sea fog)
follow follae
fold, folder fauld, faik (cloth), flype (fold back), plet (arms)
fond fain tae/o, keen o, daft aboot
food fuid, scran (coll), maet (lit)
fool begowk (v), fuil, daftie, gowk, gumph, neepheid, bam(pot), bamstick, coof foolish menseless
foot f(u)it (pl feet), luif (animal)
football fitba(w)
footpath fitpad
for fur/for
forbid no lat, no alloo
forbidding atterie
force gar (v), force, birr (n)
forecast forecast, spae (lit)
foreign furrin, fremt
foreigner furriner
forest forest, wuid
forgive forgie
fork fork, graip (garden)
form furm
formal, formality formal
fromer ae-time, umquhile
fortnight fortnicht
fortunate, fortunately happie, cannie
forty fortie
forward forrit
foundation foon(d)
four fower
fourteen fowerteen
fragile nesh
frank fair-spoken
fraud swick, cheatrie, intak
freckle ferntickle
free free, quat o
freedom freedom
free-for-all rammie
freezing jeelin
frequent reglar, cowmon, ilka day
fresh caller
Friday Friday
friend freen(d), billie (esp workmate), fere (comrade), cronie
friendly freendlie, guidwillie, couthie, git on (be friendly) friendship freenship
fright, frighten fleg, gliff, fley, frichten, fricht
frightening fleysome
frog puddock
from f(r)ae
front front, foreside, fore-en(d)
frozen jeelt
fruit fruit
fruit machine puggie
fuel fuel
full f(o)u, stowed oot (full of people), stappit / foonert (stuffed full)
full stop period
fun fun, ploy (n)
funfair shows
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function function
fund foon(d)
funny funnie, divert, unco or fremmit (strange)
furious bealin
furnish, furnished plenish (a house)
furniture plenishin, haudin, hoose-gear
further forder
fuss carfuffle
future future, futher
gain win
game gemm
gap gap, slap (in a hedge, fence etc)
garage garage
garden gairden
gas gas, peep (small jet of gas)
gasp pech
gate yett
gear graith
general general, braid, owera(w)
generally maistlins
general store jenny aw things
generate, generation generate, mak
generous hertie, fouthie
gentle douce
genuine jonick
get get/git
ghost bogle, banshee (female spirit), boodie
giggle snicher
girl lassie, quine
girlfriend burd (coll)
give gie, see (hand me)
glad gled, blithe
glance keek, swatch, blink
glass gless
glitter glent
gloves mits, pawkies (woolen)
go gang, gae, go (in phrases e.g aa the go,
square go) goal goal, ettle (aim)
God Goad, the Almichtie
gold gowd
golf gowf
golf course gowf coorse, links (if by the sea)
good guid, braw, barrie (very good/attractive)
goodbye guidbye
goods guids
gossip clishmaclaver, claivers
government government
gradual slaw(-like), reglar, ongaun
graduate graduate
gram gram
grammar gremmar
grand gran
grandfather granda, auldfaither
grandmother grannie, auldmither
grant grant
graph, graphics graph, graphics
grasp gresp
grass gress, girse
grateful gratefu
grave frichtsome (adj)
grazed skint (e.g. knee)
grease, greasy creesh, creeshie
great gret, muckle, rare (excellent), crackin, barrie or mintit (coll)
green green
grey gray
grim dreech
ground grun(d)
group group
grow growe
grumpy, bad-tempered carnaptious
grunt grumph
guarantee uphaud
guard gaird
guess jalouse
guest, guest house guest, guest hoose
guide guide, airt (give directions)
guilty guiltie, hae the wyte o
gun gun
gutter stank, cundie (street), rone (on roof), rone pipe (down pipe from a rone) gym shoes (plimsolls) gutties, sannies,
jimmies habit habit
haggle prig
hair, hairdresser herr
half hauf, haufers (shared cost)
halfway haufgait, haufwey, hauf-roads
hall ha(w)
hand haun(d), aff-luif (offhand)
handy haundie
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handkerchief naipken
handle haunle
hang hing
happen happen
happenings ongauns
happy blithe, cantie (cheerful), joco (satisfied)
hard hard, defeecult, sair (i.e. work), sair aff (hard up) hardly scantlins, barelies
harm hairm
harassed trauchelt
harvest hairst
hat hat, caip, (cap), bunnet (esp flat cap), glengarry (military cap), tammie (wollen beret), toorie bunnet (wollen hat with a bobble)
hate hate, ill-wull
haul humph
have hae, hiv
he he
head heid, pow
head butt stick the heid in, gie a Glesca kiss (popular Scottish fighting style)
headlong ramstam
head over heels heelster-gowdie
headache sair heid
health heal(th), weel-bein
heap haip, hushock, rickle
hear hear
heart hairt/hert
hearth, fireplace ingle
heat hait, het (heated)
heavy hivvie
height hicht
hell hell
hello hullo, ay ay
help help, gie a haun tae
her her
here here
heritage heritage
hero hero
hers hirs
herself hirsel
hesitate swither
hide hide, plank (for later use), jouk (duck out of sight) hiding place hidie hole
high heich, high/hie
Highland Hielan
Highlander Hielanman, Hielen lassie
hill brae (hill is used more for mountains)
hilltop braeheid
him him
himself himsel/hissel
hinder taigle
hint hint
hip hurdie
hire hire
his his
history historie
hit hut, dunt, ding, skite, stookie, blooter or lamp (heavy blow), scud or sclaff (glancing blow), clowt
hobby hobbie
hobnail tacket
hold, hold-up haud
hole hole, bore
holiday ho(a)liday
hollow boss, tuim
home hame
homely hamit
honest jonick
hook cleek, heuk
hope howp
hopeful howpfu
horse horse, cuddie (also a donkey)
hospital ho(a)spital
hostile ill-wullie
hot het, scaddin (very), bilin (very)
hotel hottle
hour oor
house hoose, hoose-heatin pairtie (house warming party)
housemoving flittin
housewife wifie
housing estate (public) scheme
how hoo, whit wey
however hooivver
human human
humourous pawkie
hundred hunner
hungry hungert
hurry nash, ramstan (do hurriedly)
hurt skaith, wrang
hurting hurtin, nippin
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husband (guid)man
hut bothie, shielin (shepherd's), howff (on an building site)
I A(h) (unstressed), I/Ah (stressed),
ice ice, frost
ice-cream pokey hat (cone), slider (wafer)
idea idea, conceit
ideal ideal, perfeck
identical sel an same
identity identitie
idiot ee(d)jit, daftie, gowk, gumph, neepheid, dunderheid
if (g)if (possible event), gin (when, whether, if only)
ignorant onlearit
ignore ignore, owerluik, (thraw a) deefie (coll)
ill ull, nae weel, hingin (ill-looking)
illegal no legal
image eemage
imagine imagine, jalouse
immediate, immediately richt noo, richt awa
impact impack
imply imply
import inbring
important important
impossible impossible, oot the windae (coll)
impression unnerstaunin
impromptu aff-luif
improve impruive, better
impudence snash, backjaw
in in
inbuilt inbiggit
inclination inklin
include include, kivver, tak in
income income
incompetent feckless
incorporate eik in
increase eik
increasingly mair an mair
incur win
indeed atweel
independent independent
indicate pint tae, pint oot, shaw
indirect roondaboot, waunnerin, stravaigin
individual individual, a boadie
industrious eydent
industry industrie
infect infeck, smit
infectious smittin
inferior puirer
infected, septic atterie, beelin
infested hotchin, lowpin
influence pooer, wecht
inform lat ken, clype on (tell tales)
information information, wittin(s), speirins initial forehaun, first
initiative plan,ploy, projeck
injection jag
injury skaith
innermost benmaist
innovate innovate
input inpit
inquire speir
inquisitive speirin
insane daft, gyte, awa wi't, awa in the heid
insect insect, beastie (coll)
insert pit in, eik
inside inower, intil, in o, inby, ben (esp. a building)
insipid fushionless
insist threap (at)
insolent braisant
inspect leuk, see, sicht, vizzie
install pit in, moont
instead insteid
institute, institution institute
instruct teach, lairn
instrument instrument
insure, insurance insure
integrate pit thegither, jine thegither, eik
intelligence gumption, mense
intelligent mensefu
intend, intention ettle, mint
intense strang, pooerfu
interesting interestin
interfere middle wi
international internaitional
interpret unnerstaun, tak
interrupt brak aff, brak in, talk ower
interview meetin, blether
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into inti(l)
intricate kittle, fykie
introduction innin
invent invent, cleck
inventory leet
invest invest, spen(d), pit in
investigate leuk intae, speir oot
investigation speirins
invite, invitation biddin, inveet
invoice invice
involve insnor
Ireland Irelan(d), Elan(d)
iron airn
irregular orra
irrevocable bindin
irritate scunner
irritation scunneration
island island
isle isle
issue issue, maitter, pint
it hit
itch(y) yeuk(ie)
itself (h)itsel, (h)its lane (by itself)
item airticle
jacket jaicket
jail jile
jam jeelie
jar jaur
January Januar
jealous jeelous
jeans denams
jeer at heckle
jersey/jumper (sweater) gansie, mawsie (thick)
jet jet, skoosh (of liquid), skoosher (windscreen washer) job jo(a)b, poseetion
join jine
joiner jiner
joint jint, cowmon
joke joke, baur (esp. practical or situation)
jostle rummle
judge judge
jug joug
juice juice
juggle joogle
July Julie
jumble jummle, clanjamfrie, mixter-maxter, heeliegoleerie
jump lowp
June Juin
just juist
justify justifee, gie a (guid) rizzon fur
keen fain (o), hyte, dedicatit, aa/on fur (keen on)
keep keep , haud ontae
key key, check
keyboard keybuird
kick kick, blooter (kick wildly)
kill kill, murther
kilogram kilogram
kilometre kilometre
kind kin(d), guid-willie, kinna (kind of), akin kind (every kind of) king keeng
kingdom kinrik
kiss winch, cheeper (light)
kitchen kitchen, scullerie
knife knife, gullie
knock chap
known, widely known kent, faur kent, weel-kent, kenspeckle
know ken , knaw
knowledge kennin, wittin(s)
lab (oratory) lab(oratorie)
label label
labour lawbor
lack want
lady leddie
lake loch, lochan (small)
lamb lamb, lammie
lamp lamp, leerie
land lan(d)
landlady lanleddie
language language, leid (literary, often used specifically for the Scots language)
large muckle, lairge
last last, hin(d)maist, lest (v), haud oot
last, at at lang lenth
latch sneck , snib
late late, ahin-haun
later efter, ahin-haun
latter hinner
laugh la(u)ch, gang intae kinks (heartily)
launch stairt
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laundry laundrie, steamie (old-style public laundry)
law, lawsuit la(w), guidson (son in law), guidbrither/seester (brother/sister in law)
lawn green
lawful lawfu
lawyer lawer
lazy sweir(t)
lead lead
leaflet leaflet
learn lairn
least least
leasure leesure
leather leather, ledder
leave lea(ve), shoot the craw (coll)
left left, corrie-haundit/fistit (left-handed)
leg leg, shank
legal legal
legitimate lawfu, richtfu
lemonade skoosh
lend len(d)
length lenth
less less
lesson lesson, cless
let lat
letter, letter of credit level scrieve
level level, e'en, snod
liable accoontable, like eneuch
library leebrarie
licence leeshence
lid lid, tap, kivver
lie lee on (about), lig (rest)
lie in (bed) lang lee
life life
lift lift, hurl (ride in a vehicle)
light licht
like lik(e)
likely like (eneuch)
limit leemit
limp hirple
line line
line, in line with conform wi
link cleek
liquid liquid, bree
list leet
listen hark tae, tak tent tae
literacy leeteracie
literary leeterarie
little wee (adj), bittie (n), tait (n)
live leive, stey or bide (reside), belang tae (a place)
liveliness smeddum
lively cantie
living leevin
living-room leevin-room
load laid
loan len, shottie (brief loan of something)
loath(e) laith, sweirt
lobby entrie
local hame-aboot, hameart
locate fin(d)
location poseetion, settin
lock lock(fast), snib (with a bolt), sneck (door catch) locked lockfast
logical rizzonable, soon(d)
logo logo
lone lane
lonely lanelie, lanesome
long lang
look leuk til/to, gawk (stare), hae a swatch (have a look at), hain (look after), edgie (keep a look out) loose lowse
lorry larrie
lose tyne, loss, gae wrang (lose one's way)
loss lo(a)ss
lot of, a a hantle o, an awfie/awfu
lot, the the hail jing-bang/bangshoot
loud lood
love luve
low law, laich
lowland lawlan(d), lallan
loyal leal, thirlt tae
loyalty lealtie
luck luck
luck, bad misluck
lucky cannie
lunch break piece-brek, piece-time
machine machine, ingine
machinery graith
mad gyte, radge
magazine magazine
magnificent magneeficent, ferliesome
mail post
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main main, heid
maintain uphaud, conteena, cairrie on,
major muckle
majority feck, maist, maist feck
make mak
male male, he
malevolent ill-willie
malt whisky maut whisky
man man (pl men), mannie
manage manage, manish, direck, admeenister, get (manage to) manager manager, heid bummer (coll), him/hersel
man-hour man-oor
manner mainner, gait
manpower man pooer
manual manual, haunbuik
manufacture manufacture, mak
many monie a, a wheen
map map, caird/cairte
marble (children's toy) bool, jorrie
March Mairch
mark merk
market merkat
marriage mairriage
married to mairrit on(tae)
marry mairrie, get wad wi
marvel mervel
master maister
match maik (equal), lunt/spunk (for lighting)
material material, claith, maitter
matter, it doesn't maitter, ther's nae
maximum maximum, (ut)maist, leemit
may micht
May Mey
maybe mibbie
me me
meal male
mean (adj) grippie (adj), ticht (adj), meeserable (adj), ettle (v) meaning meanin
means means, foon(d)s, wey
meanwhile atweenhaun(d)s
measure meesure
meat mait, beef (butcher meat)
mechanic mechanic
mechanism intimmers
media media
medical medical
medicine medicine
medium middlin (size)
meet tryst, convene (a group)
member memmer
memo(randum) memo(randum)
mend men(d), sort
mention mention, mou
menu menu
merchandise guids
merchant daler
merge gae thegither
merry joco, cantie, croose, hertie
mess midden, guddle, bauchle, scutter, hushoch (heap), slaister (messy work)
mess about guddle, habble (v), scutter, slaister (messy work) message message,meanin, pint
metal metal
method road, gait, wey (o daein)
methodical purposelik(e)
metre metre
microwave pinger (coll)
middle mid(s)
midday twaloors, nuin
midnight midnicht
might maucht
mile mile
milk milk/mulk
million mullion
mind mind
mind, bear in keep mind o
mine (pron.) mine(s)
mine, mining mine, heuch
minimum meenimum
minister meenister
mingle mell
Prime Minister Prime Meenister, First
Meenister (Scotland) minor slicht, smaa
minority minoritie
minus minus
minute meenit, totie (size)
mirror seein/keekin gless
miscellaneous orra
miserable meeserable (also stingy)
miss miss
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missing amissin, awantin
mistake mistak
mistaken up the sheuch
misunderstanding misken(nin)
mix mell
mixture maxter, mixter(-maxter), clanjamfrie (assortment of things)
moan girn
mob, rabble clamjamfrie
mobile mobile
mock geck at, gie a geck tae
moderate middlin (adj)
modern modren
modify, modification chynge
moment mament
moment, at the the noo
Monday Monday
money siller, bawbee (small amount)
monitor keep a ee on
month month
mood muid
moon muin
more mair
morning mornin, forenuin (late)
mortgage mortgage
most maist
mother mither
motion muivement, acteevitie
motive rizzon, objeck
motor motor, ingine
motorbike motorbike
motorway motorwey
mouldy foostie
mountain hill, ben, Munro (Scottish mountain over 3000 feet)
moustache mowser, tashie
mouth moo(th), gab, geggie (coll), gub (coll, also to hit in the mouth)
mouth organ (harmonica) moothie
mouthful moothfu, gubfu (coll)
move muve, jee, jink (move sharply), hash (move clumsily), wheech (move quickly)
movement muvement, acteevitie, scuil o thinkin
move house flit
much muckle, far ower (too much)
mud glaur
muddle bootch
muddy dubbie, clatchie, drummlie, glaurie
mum, mom maw, mam(mie), ma
murder murther
museum museum
music muisic
must maun
mutual jint, cowmon
my, myself ma
myself masel
naked scuddie, in the scud
name name, nem, gien name (first name)
nappy hippin (old towelling kind), cloot, skitterie hippin (dirty nappy)
narrow nairra
nasty naistie, scunnersome
nation na(i)tion
nationalist na(i)tionalist
nature, natural naiture
naturally naiturallie
navy navy
near na(u)r
nearly naur on, naur aboot
neat trig, dink, tosh
necessary necessar, needfu
neck craig
need need (requirement), want (lack), dae the turn (meet a need)
needle needle, wire (knitting)
negative contrair, agin, conter
neglect negleck
neglected disjaskit
negligent negleckfu
negotiate negotiate
neighbour neibour
neither naither
nephew nevoy
nervous nervish, timorsome
net net
network netwark
never niver, ne'er
nevertheless still an on
new new, split-new / brent-new (brand new)
news news, wittins
newspaper newspaper
next, next to neist
next Sunday Sunday first
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nice braw
niece niece
night nicht
nightgown goonie
nine nine
nineteen nineteen
ninety ninetie
no na, nae (adj, adv), nut (emph)
nobody naebodie
noise noise, rammie, ricket, dirdum, yammer noisy roarie
none nane
nonsense haivers, blethers, slabbers, slavers
no one naebodie
nor nor
noon nuin, twaloors
normal normal, stannert, warldlik(e), reglar
north nor(th)
northern northren
nose neb
not no
note note
notebook jotter
nothing naethin, nocht, hee-haw (coll)
notice tak tent (v)
notify lat ken
novel new-farran(t), novelle (n)
November November
now nou, noo
now, just the noo
nowadays nooadays
nowhere naegait
nuclear nuclear
nuisance scunner, fash, vex, plaister
number nummer, hantle
nurse nurse
nut nit
object objeck
objective objecteeve, objeck, pynt
oblige obleege, gar
obligation obleegement
obsessed begottit
obstinate, perverse contermacious
obtain obteen
obviously clairlie, as plain as parritch, it's weel seen
occasion tid
occasional antrin
occupy occupee
ocean ocean
o’clock o'clo(a)k
October Octiber
odd orra
odd job man orraman
of o
of course in coorse
off aff
offend pit oot
offended be pit oot, be black-affrontit (mortified)
offer offer, bode
office office
officer officer, polisman/wumman
official offeecial, mannie (person in an official role e.g. the mannie fae the cooncil)
often aften, aft, a grate dale
oh och, ach
oil ile
O.K. OK, aw richt, guid
old auld, aul
on on
once ance, aince
once again aince mair
one ae (adj - only one), ane, wan (number)
one and the same sel-an-same
ongoing ongaun
onion ingan, sybie (spring onion)
only only, but
onwards forrit
open open , apen , ajee (ajar)
operate operate
operation operation
opinion opeenion
opportunity inlat (chance), scowthe (scope) oppose oppose, conter
opposition opposeetion
opposite opposeet, the contrair
optimistic howpfu, positeeve, bricht
optimum optimum
opt chuise
option chice, wale
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or or
orange orange(r)
order ca(w) (drinks), order, redd up (put in order)
ordinary or(di)nar
organise organise, guide, admeenister
organisation seestem
origin origeen, springheid
original oreeginal
originally tae stert oot wi
ornament, knick-knack whigmaleerie
other ither
ought aucht, ocht
our, ours oor, wir (often when unstressed)
ourselves oorsels
out, out of work oot
outcome ootcome
outer space ooter-space
outside ootside, ootby, furth o, ootwi
outstanding ootstaunin, byor(di)nar
outlay ootlay, pey oot
outlet ootlat
outline ootline, scroll (draft)
output throu-pit
outstanding ootstaunin
oven ovven
over oot ower
over (too much) ower
overall oweraw
oversleep sleep in
overdraft owerdraft
overflowing reamin
overhead owerheid
overlook owerluik
overseas owerseas
overtake owertak, ding
overtime owertime
overturn, capsize cowp, whummle
owe awe
own awn (v), belang tae (v), ain (adj)
pack pack, stap (stuff)
packed stowed oot (e.g. a room)
packet packet
paddle paidle
page page
pail backet
pain steek (sharp), stoon or gowp or dirl (throb)
painful sair, lowpin
paint pent
pair perr
pajamas jammies
palm (hand) luif
pant pech
paper paper
parameter(s) leemit(s)
parcel paircel
parent pawrent
park pairk
part pairt
party pairtie
participate tak pairt, jine
particular parteeclar
partner pairtner
pass see or rax (hand over), owertak (vehicle), pit by (spend time)
passenger passenger
passport passport
past (a)yont (beyond), by (its best), efter (of hours), bygane (distant time)
pat (an animal) clap
path gait/gate
patient, be thole, forbear
pattern paittern
pay pey
paypacket pey-poke
peace peace, lown (also peaceful), greeable (peaceable)
peak tap(pietoorie)
pear peer
peep keek, keekhole (peephole)
pen pen, cruive (for animals)
pence pence
pencil pincil
penis whang, pintle, tossle, tadger, wullie, boabie
penny pennie
pension pension
people fowk
pepper pepper, spice
per, per annum per, per annum, ilka year
per cent per cent
percentage percentage
perfect perfit
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perhaps mibbie, aiblins
performance performance, shaw, ack
period period
permanent permanent
permit, permission lat
permision permeeshion
perservere hing in
person, personal a boadie, sowl
persuade, persuasion perswad
pessimistic dowie
petrol petrol
phase phase
phone, mob(b)ie (mobile) phone, caw (v) , mob(b)ie (mobile)
photocopy photiecopie
photograph photie
piano piano
pick up uplift
picture pictur
piece bittie, tait (small piece), dod (also a dollop) pigeon doo
pile rickle (loose), bing (heap)
pill peel
pillow pillae
pimple plook
pin p(r)een
pint pint
pipe pipe
pity peetie
place airt, bit, stell
plan plan, ploy
plane plane
plant plant
plaster plaister
plaster cast (or similar) stookie
plastic plastic
plate plate, flet, ashet (large for serving)
platform platform
play play , daff
playful daffin
player player
plead prig
please, pleased please, pleesure
pleased with fair awa wi
pleasant couthie, leesome, bien, guidwillie
pleasure pleesure
plenty rowth, feck, lashins
plus plus
p.m. p.m., in the efternuin
pocket poo(t)ch
poem poem
poet poyet, makar
point, pointer pynt
poison pooshion
pole powl, stang
police, policeman polis (man/wumman)
policy policy
polite polite, mensfu
politics politics
poltical poleetical
pollute smit, fyle
pond dub, stank
pool puil
poor puir, pair, bauch (weakly), sair aff (hard up)
popular popuar, weel-likit, cowmon, aa the go population population, fowk
porridge parritch
pork pork
port port
portable porable, muivable
posessions gear
position poseetion
positive positeeve
possible possible, daeable, faisible
possibly mibbie, aiblins
post post, stob (fence)
postcard post-caird
postcode postcode
postman postie (coll)
post office post office
poster poster
postpone pit aff
pot pan
potato tattie
potential potential
potter about footer
pound poon(d) (money), pun(d) (weight)
poverty povertie, want
powder poother
power pooer
powerful pooerfu
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practical practical, yuisefu
practice practice, rin throu, tradeetion
precedent precident
precious praicious
precise preceese
predict predict
prefer prefer
pregnant pregnant, wi bairn, up the kyte (coll), bairned (coll)
preliminary openin, airlie
premises biggin, grun(d)s
premium premium, tap, first-cless
prepare redd (up), ready (a meal)
present praisent, mindin (small), handsel (for a new house etc) the noo (time), the day (present time) president preses, convener
press press, chirt (squeeze)
pressure, stress thrang(itie)
pretend pit on
pretty bonnie, sonsie
prevent prevent, kep
previous airlier, aforehaun(d)
price price, chairge
prick dab, prog, jag
prickly jaggie
primary primarie
prime minister prime meenister
principal heid, heidmaist, rector (school)
principle principle, stannert
print prent
priority prioritie, richt o wey
prison jile, big hoose
private, privacy private
prize prize, winnins
probably like
problem problem, kinch, fankle
proceed, procedure gang/gae on, conteena, cairrie on
proceeds earnins
process process, throu-pit
produce produce, ootcome (n), pit thegither (v), mak
product product, throu-pit
productive productive, yuisefu
profession profession, line o wark
profit profit, earnins, ootcome
programme (U.S.: program) programme, ploy
progress progress (n), forder (v), oncome
project projeck
prominent kenspeckle
promise gie yer word/wird, unnertak
promote forder
prompt gleg, swith (quick)
pronounce pronoonce
proof pruif
proper (respectable) wicelike, richt
property propertie, haudin (held), gear (possessions)
proportion amoont, pairt
propose propone
proposal proposeetion
proprietor awner
prospect prospeck, ootluik
prosperous weel-daein, weel aff
protect proteck, fen(d), luik aifter, scug
protest protest, compleen, girn, peenge
proud pridefu, croose
prove pruve
provide provide, fend
pub howff
public, public relations public, cowmon
publicity publicitie
publish publish
puddle dub
puff waff
pull pu(l)
pullover gansie
punish punish, pey, sort
pupil scholar
purchase buy, coff, pey fur
pure pure
purpose mint, ettle
purse pootch
pursue follae
push pouss, putt
put pit
puzzle tickler (n), bumbaze (v)
qualify qualifee
quality qualitie, vaillie, cless
quantity amoont, nummer
quarrel carfuffle, argie-bargie, flytin, collieshangie
quarrelsome carnaptious, camsteerie
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quarter quarter
quarterly ikla quarter
queen queen
question speir, question
queue queue
quibble cangle
quick gleg (person), swith, fly (drink)
quiet quate, douce (person), Wheesht! (Quiet!, Shhh!)
quite gey an, raither
quote quote
rabble clanjamfrie
race race
radio radio, the wireless
rail rail
railway railwey
rain rain / ren, teem, plump, blash, plooter / plowter (downpour) raise heeze
random random
range reenge
rapid fest, swith, gleg
rare rerr, antrin
rate, at any oniewey(s)
rather raither, geylies
rational rizzonable, wicelik(e) (person)
rattle blatter (also talk quickly 'rattle on')
reach reak, win at/tae, manage
reach out rax oot, rax ower
react reack, coonter
read read (pp read)
ready readie, aw set, busk (make ready)
real rael
really gey, verra, awfie, richt, unco
realise unnerstaun
rear hin(t)
reason rizzon, the wey at
reasonable rizzonable, wicelik(e) (person)
receipt receipt
receive be gien, obteen, accep
recent raicent, nae lang syne
recently shortlins, short syne
reception, recipient reception, walcome
recession recession, doonturn
reckon rackon
recognize ken
recommend recommend, propone, coonsel
record record
recover come roon, mak guid
recruit tak on
red r(e)id, beamer or riddie (red face)
reduce, reduction inlaik
redundant laid aff, oot o wark
referring to anent
reference(s) reference(s)
refined perjink
reflect refleck
refund repey, repeat
refuse refuise, knock back
refuse collector, bin man scaffie, midgie man
regarding (with regards to) anent
regard regaird
regarded as seen as, by habit an repute
regardless oniewey(s)
region kintra, countra, thareawa (in the region/area)
register pit doon fur
regret rue
regular reglar
regulation(s) regulation
reject rejeck
relapse back-gangin
relate relate, speak aboot
related kin, sib tae (related to)
relative faimlie memmer
release lowse
relevant relevant
reliable sicker, cannie (person)
religion releegion
reluctant sweir(t), thrawn, laith
rely on lippen
remain bide, stey
remainder lave
remark observe, sey
remarkable unco
remember mind (o/on)
remind remember, mind
remit remit
remote faurawa
remove remuve
rendezvous tryst
renovate replenish
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rent rent
repair sort
repeat repeat, rame
repetition repeteetion, rame
replace replace, beet, pit back
reply repone -d, speak back
report report, hearin, clype (tell tales)
represent staun(d) fur
reputation reputation staunin
request speir, seek
require hae need o
research speirins
resemble tak aifter
reserve pit by, set by
reside stey, bide
resign demit
resignation demission
resource(s) resource
respect respeck, aa weys (in every respect)
respectable, refined douce
respected kenspeckle
respond respond, reack, coonter
response repone
responsiblity responsibeelitie
rest rest, lave (remainder), the lave o's (the rest of us)
restaurant restaurant
restrict restrick, scrimp
result ootcome, affcome, efterins (end results)
retirement retiral
return(s) gie back, gae back, retour, hamecomin
reverse owerturn, undae, turn roon(d)
review review, scance, reconseeder, gang/gae ower
revise revise, chenge, correck, impruive
revolve, spin birl
reward reward, peyment
rich weel-aff, bien
rid, get rid of get shot o
ride ride, hurl (in a vehicle)
ridge rig
ridiculous rideeculas
right richt, right
righltly richtly
rigmarole raible, lamgammachie
ring ding, dirl (continuous)
rinse syne oot, sapple, slunge (pour ot throw water over)
rip rieve
rise rise, gae up
risk risk
risky mishcanciie, unchancie
river river
road road, gait (way)
roar belloch
rob reive, pauchle
rogue skellum
role role, poseetion
roll (bread) rowe (v), bap (bread)
roof ruif, reef NE
room room, chaumer, scowthe (scope)
rope towe
rotate birl
rough roch, ramstoorie (rough and ready)
round roon(d)
route road, gait
routine or(di)nar, reglar, ilkaday
row stushie, stramash
royalties vall
rubber guttie, cahootchie, wellies (rubber boots)
rubbish rubbage, brock (domestic)
rubbish bin midgie bin
rubbish tip/dump/bin store midden
ruin ruin, rummle
rule rule
rumble rummle, curmurrin (stomach)
rumour clatter, souch
run rin
rural landwart
rush stour, wheech (move quickly), breenge (clumsy rush)
rust roost
sack seck
sad sad, dowie, dowf
safe sauf, siccar
safety sauftie
sail sail
salad salad
salary salarie
sale(s) sale
saliva slavers, slabber
salt saut
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same same, siclike (the same)
sample swatch
sand sa(u)n
sandwich piece
satisfied saitisfee'd, joco
satisfy saitisfee
Saturday Seturday
sausage sassage(r)
save sauf, pit by, gaither (money)
saving(s) hainins
say say
scarce scrimp, jimp
scarcely scantlins
scare fleg (n and v)
scared feart (at / o)
scarecrow tattie-bogle
scarf sacarf, gravat
scene scene, sicht, prospeck, picter
schedule schedule
scheme scheme, seestem
scholarly scholar-lik
school schuil
schoolchildren schuil-bairns
science science
scientist scientist
scissors shears
scope scowth
Scotland Scotlan(n/d), braid Scotland (the whole of Scotland) Scottish Scottish
Scots Scots, braid Scots (dense spoken or written Scots) Scots language Sco(a)ts, Lallans (literary version)
scramble scrammle
scrape scart
scratch scart, claw (esp yourself)
screw screw
scrub scoor
scrutinise scance
sea sea
seasickness sea-wammle
seaweed tang
search rummle (search through clumsily), scoor aboot
season saison, tid
seat sate
second saicont
second-hand saicont-haun(d)
secret saicret
secretary secretar
section pairt
sector sector
secure sickar
security securitie
see see (pp saw), seen
seek seek, (hae a ) luik fur
seem kythe -d
seldom seendil
select wale
self sell
sell sell
send sen(d), pit awa
senile dottelt
sense sinse, mense (good sense)
sensitive nesh
sentence sentence
separate sin(d)er (v), sindrie (adj)
September September
septic, inflamed bealin
serious sairious
serve ser(ve), dae the turn (i.e. meet a need)
service service
session sittin, meetin
set set (pp set)
setback setback
settle sattle, redd up (affairs)
seven seeven
seventeen seeventeen
seventy seeventie
several severals, a wheen o, a nummer o, sindrie
severe snar, snell
sew shew
sex sex, hochmagandie, hae it awa wi (vulg), mell wi (euphemism), cowp (vulg)
sexual organs (female) fud (vulg)
shake, wobble shoogle, dirl, coggle
shall sall
shape shape, feegur, furm
share pairt, gae haufers (share the costs two ways)
shareholder sharehauder
sharp shairp, jaggie
shave shave
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she she
sheep sheep, yowe
sheet sheet
shelf skelf
shelter beild
shift mudge (v), yokin (n)
shine leam, sheen, glent, beek (sun)
shiney glisterin
ship ship
shirt sark
shiver chitter (esp with cold), grue (with fear or disgust) shock stammiegaster, gliff
shoe shae (pl shuin)
shoot shuit
shop sho(a)p/shope
shop (general) Johnnie/Jennie awthings
shop assistant shop lassie/laddie
shopping messages
short jimpit, scrimp, cuttie (also a short person) shortlist short leet
shortage shortcome, inlaik
shortly shortlins
shorts shorts, trews
should shuid
shoulder shooder
shout shout, goller, roar
show shaw , lat ken
showy, ostentatious fantoosh
shower shooer
showroom shawroom
shove shoogle
shrewd pawkie
shudder grue
shuffle shauchle, bauchle (shuffle along), skliff (feet)
shut steek
shy blate
sick seek, boak (vomit), thaw a whitie (become suddenly ill) sickly unweel, peelie-wallie (slightly), hingin (coll)
side side, ajee (on one side)
sideways sidieweys
sigh souch
sight(s), sightseeing sicht(s)
sign sign
signal seegnal
signature signature
silent seelent NE
silly daft, daftie (silly person)
silver siller
similar, similarity siclike
simple semple
since sin, syne
sincere aefauld
sing sing, diddle (sing wordlessly)
single aefauld, ae, aesome, his/her lane
sink sink, jawbox (kitchen)
sir sir
sister sister
sit sit
site stance, steid
situation seetiation, settin
size size, bouk
six sax
sixteen saxteen
sixty saxtie
sizzle skirl
skill skeel, skeelie (skilled)
skilful skeelie
skin skin
skirt skirt
skull pow, pow an banes (skull and crossbones)
sky sky, lift (lit)
slang the patter (Glaswegian dialect)
slap skelp, scud
sleep sleep
slice scliff (also segment of an orange), whang (thick slice)
slide skite
slim smaa, malinkie
slip skite, slidderie or slippie (slippery)
slippery skitie
slipper baff(ie)
slogan slogan
slow slaw
sly slee
smack skelp, scud
smart smairt, snod (appearance), perjink, gleg (lively)
small smaa, wee, pickle (small amount), scootie, totie
smear slaister, slaiger
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smell smell, ming (smell strongly), bowf (smell putrid), kneggum (foul smelling)
smelly bowfin, mingin
smile smile, smoo
smoke reek, smoor (dense)
smooth smuith, brent (face)
snack piece
sneeze gies
snow (-covered) snaw, snaw-happit (snow covered) so sae
soaked, drenched drookit
soap soap, sapple (lather)
social social
society societie
sock sock, stockin
soft saft
software saftware
soldier sodger
sole lane
solicitor (Brit.) soleecitor
solution solution, wey oot
solve sort
some, somebody som
someone somebodie, a bodie
something something
somehow somegait, somewey
sometimes whiles
somewhat a bittie
somewhere someplace
son sin, lad(die)
song sang
soon suin, belyve, whanivver (as soon as)
sore sair
sorry sairie, vext
sort like (type), redd up (v), whit like (what sort of)
soul sowl
sound soond
soup bree (thin), broth (thick)
sour soor
source source
south sooth
souvenir mindin
space space
spare spare, orra
spare time by-time
speak spa(e)k
special speecial, byordinar
specify, specific, specify, spell oot, gie
specification(s) specification(s)
speed speed, lick
spell spell , speel (time), cantrip (magic)
spend spen(d)
spill skail (also spill out of people, hence skailin time), splooter (esp when drinking)
spine rig
spirit smeddum (character)
spit slavers (n), gochle or hochle (v)
spite conter tae (in spite of)
splash skiddle, jaup, plowter (splash about), splooter (esp when drinking)
splendid splendant
splinter skelf, spelk
spoil spile, waste (e.g. a child)
spoon(full) spuin(fu)
sport sport
spot spot/spat, plook (pimple)
sprain rax, stave
sprawl sprauchel
spread spreid
spring ware
squint asklent, agley, skellie, skellie-ee'd (eye)
squirt skoosh
square square/squerr
stable sicker (adj), byre (n)
staff staff
stage stage, stap
stairs, staircase stair, up the stair (upstairs), doon the stair (downstairs), stair fit (bottom of the stairs), stair heid (top of the stairs)
stake stake, stob (fence post)
stamp (s)tramp
stand staun, stance (taxi stand)
standard stannert, staundart
star starn
stare glower, gowp
start stert , yoke tae (start work)
state state, sey, condeetion, poseetion, seetiation
station station
stationery stationery
statistics statistics, feegurs, nummers
status status, staunin, poseetion
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stay stey, bide
steak collop
steal steal, pauchle, reive, wheech
steam steam
steel steel
steep stey
step stap
stern, humourless dour (pron '-oo-')
steward (ess) steward (ess)
stick stick
sticky stickie, claggie, cla(i)rty
stiff stieve
stiletto heels peerie heels
still still, yet, quate (adj)
stink stew
stir steer, gee/jee
stitch steek
stock stockin, haudin
stockholder stockhauder
stocking stockin
stomach stamack, wame, peenie, tumshie (tummy), kyte (paunch)
stone stane, chuckie (small stone)
stool stool, creepie (footstool), jobbie (excrement)
stop stop -pit
store, storage plank (store away)
storm snifter, blatter
story storie, crack
straight stra(u)cht
strange, stranger fremmit, ferlie (adj)
strategy strategie, ploy
stream (brook) burn
street street
street sweeper scaffie
stress stress
stretch rax
strict strick
strike strick
string towe
striped strippit
stroll dander, stravaig
strong strang
stubborn thrawn, carnaptious
structure makins
struggle chauve, a sair fecht, warstle
student student
study study, studied
stuff stap (v),
stupid daft, glaikit, donnert
style style, wey, mainner
subject subjeck
submit submit, gie in, accep
subsidy subsidie
substantial conseederable, lairge, muckle
substitute staun-in
subtract tak awa
suburb suburb, ootskirts
succeed succeed, forder, dae weel
success, successful success
such sic, siccan
suchlike siclike
suck sook
sudden suddent
sue sue
suffer dree, thole
sufficient suffeecient
suffocate smoor
sugar succar
suggest propone
suggestion pit forrit, pit tae
suit shoot
suitable mair liker
sulk, frown glunch
sulky pettit (adj), tak the doorles (v)
summary summarie, owerview, ootline, abstrack
sum soum
sum total the hail tot
summer simmer
sun sin
sunny sinnie
sunrise keek o day
sunset sindoon
sunshine sinshine
Sunday Sunday, Sabbath
supermarket supermerkat
supervise owersee, admeenister
supper sipper, tea (main evening meal)
supply supply, beet
support uphaud, haud wi
supposing see if
sure shuir/shair, siccar, certie (to be sure), mak siccar (make sure)
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sure, make mak siccar
surface surface
surname surname/surnem
surpass ding
surplus left-ower, lave
surprise surpreese
survey scance, luik ower, vizzie
survive survive, leeve on, stey alive
suspect suspeck, doot, jalouse (v)
suspicion suspeecion
swallow swallae (also: a drink)
swear sweer
sweat sweit, plot
sweep soop (also a command in curling)
sweet hinnie, douce (person)
sweets sweeties
swim swim, soom, gang fur a dook
swimming trunks dookers, swimmies, (swimmin) cozzie
swindle sook
switch switch
sycophant sook
sympathy, show mak mane fur
system seestem
table buird
take tak
take-away (food, drink) cairrie-oot
takeover tak-ower
talk, chatter talk , blether, yatter, crack (n)
tall tall, lang
tangle taigle, fankle
tape measure inch tape
target target, prap
task trauchle (tiring task)
taste gust, pree (sample)
tax, taxation tax, stent
taxi taxi
taxi rank taxi stance
teach teach, liarn
tea tea, mask (make tea)
teacher dominie, maister
team, teamwork team
tear teir
tearful bubblie
technical technical
technician technician, techie
technique seestem, wey
technology technologie
tedious dreich
telephone telephone
television the television, televeesion, tellie
tell tell, clype (tell tales)
telling off in public row, sherrakin
temperature temperature, hait, cauld
temporary proveesional, fleetin
ten ten
tenant tenant
tend, tendency tend
tendency tendencie
tender frush (adj)
tent tent
term(s) tairm
terrible terrel, frichtsome, grievous (adv)
test test, pruive (v)
testicles stanes
text text
textile(s) textile(s)
than nor, as
thank, thanks thenk
that that, thon, yon (distant), at (conj)
those thae, thon, yon (distant)
the the
theatre theatre
theft lift their, theirs thair
them thaim
themselves thirsels
then than, syne (ago)
there thonder, therr
there is/are thare
therefore syne
these thae, thir, this
they thay
thick thick
thigh hauch
thin thin, spirlie (slender), shilpit (puny)
thingamajig thingie, whitdaeyecryit
thing thing
think think, doot
thirst, thirsty drouth, drouthie, droofin (coll) this this
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thorough thorow
though tho
thought thocht
thousand thoosan(d)
threat threit
three three
threshold lintel
throat thrapple
throb stoon, gowp, dirl
through throu
throughout oot-throu, throu-oot
throw throw, hoy (also throw away), hurl, skite, weech
throw-in (football) shy
thumb thoom
thunder thunner
Thursday Thursday, Fursday
ticket ticket
tickle kittle
tidy redd (v), trig, tosh
tie wap (v), tie (n)
tight ticht, nippit (tight-fitting)
tights straits
till/until gin. or, tae
time(s) time, terr (a good time), timeous (in good time), taiglesome (time-consuming)
time, a long time ago lang syne
timetable timetable
timid blate
tin, tinned tin
tinker with ficher aboot
tiny wee, tottie, scootie
tip tap, cowp (v and n meaning rubbish tip)
tired wabbit, jiggert, knackt (coll)
title teetle
to ti(l), tae
tobacco tabacca(e)
today the day
together thegither
toilet lavvie, shitehoose or cludgie (coll), yuffie, wee hoose, chantie (chamber pot)
toilet tissue lavvie roll, cludgie roll (coll)
tolerate thole
tomato tamata
tomorrow the morn, the morra
tomorrow morning the morn's morn
ton ton
tonight the nicht
too tae, an a(w) (also), ower (exessively)
tool tuil, graith (tools)
tooth tuith, teeth (sing and pl), wallies (false teeth), chackers (coll)
toothbrush tuithbrush
toothpaste tuithpaste
top tap, heid o the brae (top of the hill)
topic subjeck, maitter
torch (pocket) blinkie
total total, hail, fu amoont
touch touch, dicht, tig, scuff, gliff (illness e.g. gliff o the caud)
tough teuch, thrawn (personality)
tourist tourist
towards til towel too(e)l, haun(d)-cloot
tower toor
town toon
town-dweller toonie, toonser
town hall burgh ha(w), Ceetie Chaumers
toy toy, geegaw (inexpensive)
track track, pad, loanin
trade tred, traffeck, traffeck(in)
trademark tredmerk
tradition tradeetion
traffic traffeck
trail along trauchle (also a tiring task)
train train/tren
trainers (shoes) trainies
tram tramca(u)r
tramp gaberlunzie, gangrel, dosser, traik (v)
transfer muive
transform chenge, mak ower
translate, translation owerset
transmit braidcast
transport convoy (v), cairrie, muive
travel traivel
treasure traisure
treasurer, treasury thesaurer
treat trait
tree tree
trend leanin, muivement
trendy fantoosh
trial trial, pruive (v)
trick pauchle, swick, jouk, cantrip (also a spell)
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tricky fykie, footerie, skitterie, a scutter
trip trip
trolley (e.g. for shopping) barra
trouble fash, tra(u)chle, tribble
troubled drumlie
troublesome fashous
trousers troosers, breeks (also underpants), trews (tartan, part of Highland dress) truck larrie
true, truly true, richt, correck
trust trust, lippen (v)
try ettle ettelt, try, pree (taste)
tube tube
tug rug
tumble tummle
TuSSDay TuSSDay
turn birl (movement), turn (become), flype (inside out), shot (temporary use, go)
turnip neep, tumshie
turnover turnower
twelve twal
twenty twintie
twice twicet
twilight, dusk gloamin
twist skew, thraw, rax (a joint)
two twa
type type (n), kin(d), teep (letters)
typical teepical
tyre tyre
typical teepical
ugly ugsome, ill-faured, hackit (coll)
umbrella umberellae, gamp
unanimous unanimous
unattractive unbraw, nae bonnie, unbonnie uncle uncle
unconscious oot cauld
under unner
underground unnergrun(d)
underneath (in) ablow, (in) aneath
underpants breeks, keks (coll)
understand unnerstaun
understanding uptak, kennin
undertake unnertak
undertaking ploy, haun(d)lin
undo lowse(n)
unemployment benefit/office b(u)roo
unfit for no able fur
unfortunate misfortunat
unify jine
uninteresting dreich
union union, jynin
unique wan-aff
unit unit
unite jine
university uni(versity), college,
unkempt tous(l)ie (esp hair)
unkind coorse
unknown un(be)kent, nae kent
unless athoot
unlikely no like
unlucky unchancie, wanchancie, no chancie, misfortunat
unpleasant person skite
unpredictable kittle
unrelated fremmit
unreliable slidderie, kittle
unsatisfactory ill unsteady shooglie, cogglie
untidy throuither, like a midden, like Paddy's Mairket
untie lowse(n)
until till, or (before), gin
untrustworthy sleekit
unusual(ly) by-or(di)nar
unwary thaim that’s no cannie
up, upper up, upper
uproar stramash
upset cowp, rummle (a person), fyle (the stomach)
upside down heelster-gowdie, tapsalteerie upstairs up the stair
up-to-date modren
urban toon, citie
urgent pressin, creetical
urgently sair
us us
use,usage uise/yaise (v), uiss/yiss (n)
used to yaised wi
useful yuisfae
useless yissless
usually for ord(i)nar
vacant empie, tuim/teem
vacation ho(a)liday
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vacuum cleaner vacuum, stoor-sooker
vain, smug vauntie, pridefu
valid valid, offeecial
valley howe, strath (wide), glen (steep)
value, value-added tax (V.A.T.) vaillie
valuable valuable
vary varie
various sindrie
vegetable vegetable
vehicle vehicle
venture coorse, unnertakin, projeck
verb verb
very, highly gey an, unco, verra, awfie, richt, fell
vest, t-shirt semmit
vibrate dirl
vicinity neibourhood, destrick
video video
view view, ootluik
village toon, clachan (small)
violate abuise, brak
violent violent, bang, wuid
virtual virtial
visa visa
vision veesion
visit, visitor veesit
vital gey important, creetical
vivid veeve
vocabulary vocabular, wird-huird
vodka voddie
voice vice
volume bouk (size), buik (book)
voluntary unpeyed
vomit boak (v and n)
vote vote
vulgar coorse
wage(s) wage, pey
wail skirl (bagpipes)
waistcoat weskit
wait bide, hing on, wyte (on)
waiter, waitress waiter/laddie, waitress/lassie
wake up wauken
Wales Wales
walk walk , traivel , daunder / toddle (stroll) wall wa(w), dyke (freestanding)
wallet wallet, pooch, sporran
wander daunder , waunner, stravaig
want want
war war/weir, fechtin
warehouse warehoose
warm warm, het, beek (yourself), mochie (weather)
warn wairn
wash wash, synd (superficial), sapple (wash by hand) waste waste, connach, dwine (waste away), skitter aboot (waste time)
waste time pit aff, play yersel
watch watch , hain, tak tent o (keep guard) leuk ower (protect)
water watter
waterfall linn
wave wave, wag (hand), waff (flap)
way wey, gate
W.C. waterie, cludgie (coll)
we we
weak waik, fushionless,
wealth walth
weapon wappen
wear weir
weather wather
web, the wab, the
website wabsteid, wabsite
wedding waddin, mairriage
WednSSDay Wadensday
week, weekday week/ook
weekend week-en
weekly ilka week
weigh wye, wey
weight wecht
weird unco, eldritch (scary)
welcome walcome
welfare welfare
well weel, aweel ("well.." ;to introduce a remark)
wellington (rubber) boots wellies
west, western wast
wet wat, weet, soomin (very wet)
what whit
wheel wheel
wheeze crichle, pech, wheezles (chest infection)
when whan
where whaur
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whether whuther
which whit ane, whilk, that (rel pron)
while while, whiles, whilie (n)
whim whigmaleerie
whisper cheep
white white
who, whom wha
whoosh wheech
whose whase, that’s
whole hail, hail jing bang (whole lot)
wholly haillie
whisky whisky, dram (small glass), the craitur
whiz wheech
why hoo, whit wey, whit for
wide wide, braid
widespread faur an wide
wife (guid)wife, hersel, wumman, wifie (coll) wild wull
will, willing will
win win
wind, windy wun(d)/win
windy wundie
window winda(e), winnock
wine wine
winter wunter
wire wire
wipe dicht
wise wice, lang-heidit
wish wiss
wishbone thocht bane
with wi
within in o, inower
without athoot, wi'oot
withstand thole
wobbly shooglie, cogglie
woe betide wae betide
woman wumman (pl weemin), wifie (old
woman - coll), carline (old woman) wonder wunner, ferlie (n)
wonderful ferliesome, wunnerfu
wood, wooden wuid/widd, timmer
wool, woollen (w)oo
word word
work work, wark (n), chauve (hard work), darg (hard work), slaister or skiddle (messy work), intimmers (works i.e. mechanism)
worker, workman warker, warkie
workmate billie
worktop (in a kitchen) bunker
world warld
worry fash yersel, wirrie
worse waur, gae back (get worse)
worth worth
would wad
wrap hap
wrinkled (clothes) bumfled, runkled
wrist shackle
write scrieve, write
wrong wrang, gang agley (go wrong)
yard yaird
yawn gant
year year (pl year)
year, last fernyear
yellow yella
yes aye, och aye (yes indeed)
yesterday yestreen
yet yit
yoghurt soor dook (also a miserable person)
you you (stressed, pl youse), ye (unstressed yez)
young young
your, yours your (stressed), yer (unstressed) yourself, yourselves yersel
youth laddie
zero zero
zigzag jink
Key to abbreviations and symbols / alternative whole word spellings () alternative in-word spellings , alternative synonyms adj adjective pl plural v verb n noun rel pron relative pronoun
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