Collins Dictionaries - Scots Dictionary - The perfect wee guide to the Scots language

causeyA causeyis a cobbled street, road, or way. A causey staneis a cobble or paving stone.

ceilidh( kale-ee ) A ceilidhis an informal social gathering with folk music, singing, dancing, and storytelling. This kind of gathering, which is popular in the Highlands and Islands, is normally held in someone’s house. In the rest of Scotland, a ceilidhis more of an organized evening of entertainment. Ceilidhstake place in hotels or halls hired for the evening and involve Scottish country dancing to music played usually on accordions and fiddles. Some dances are for couples and some for larger groups. [The word is Gaelic]

Celt 1( kelt ) A Celtis a person from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, or Brittany, especially one who speaks a Celticlanguage. The Celtswere an Indo-European people who in pre-Roman times inhabited Britain, Gaul, Spain, and other parts of West and Central Europe. Something which is Celticis of or concerned with the Celtsor their languages. Celticis a branch of the Indo-European family of languages that includes Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton, still spoken in parts of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Brittany. Modern Celticis divided into the Brythonic (southern) and the Goidelic (northern) groups. 2( selt ) A Celtis player or supporter of Celtic, one of Scotland’s largest and oldest football clubs.

Ceol beag

Ceol beag( kyoll bayg ) Ceol beagis a class of music for Scottish bagpipes, consisting of marches, strathspeys, and reels. [The phrase is Gaelic and means little music]

Ceol meadhonach( kyoll me-on-aCH ) Ceol meadhonachis a class of music for Scottish bagpipes, consisting of folk songs, lullabies, and slow marches. [The phrase is Gaelic and means middle music]

Ceol mor( kyoll mor ) Ceol moris a class of music for Scottish bagpipes, consisting of salutes, gatherings, laments, and commemorative tunes. [The phrase is Gaelic and means big music]

ceud míle fáilte( kee-ut mee-luh fah-ill-tya ) Ceud míle fáilteis a greeting often seen on place-name signs for towns. [The phrase is Gaelic and means a hundred thousand welcomes]

champitor chappit Champitvegetables are ones which have been mashed.

champit tattiesor chappit tatties Champit tattiesare mashed potatoes, which are one of the traditional accompaniments to haggis, along with neeps, in a Burns Supper.

chanterA chanteris a pipe on a set of bagpipes that is provided with finger holes and on which the melody is played. The chantercan also be played on its own for practice. Compare drone.

chantyA chantyis a chamber pot.

chanty-wrastler( chant-ee-rass-ler ) In the Glasgow area, a chanty-wrastleris a contemptible person. [The word wrastlercomes from wrastle meaning to wrestle or struggle with something]

chapTo chapon a door or a window is to knock on it: I am directed to room five, and march up the stairs to chap nervously on the door. A chapis such a knock: Give the door another chap.

chappitA variant of champit.

chauveor tyauve( chawv ) To chauveis to struggle, strive, or work hard, often with little to show for one’s exertions. A chauveis a struggle: It’s a sair chauve for a half loaf.

cheepTo cheepis to whisper or speak softly. Birds also cheep, that is, chirp. The phrase not a cheepmeans not a word or not a sound and is often used in a command to keep quiet, such as not a cheep out of you .

cheeperA cheeperis a light kiss on the cheek.

chibIn the West of Scotland, a chibis an offensive weapon, such as a knife or a razor, used to stab or slash someone. To chibsomeone is to stab or slash them.

chiefor chieftainThe chiefof a Scottish clanis its head or leader.

chiel( cheel ) or chieldA chielis a lad or a young man. The word is in common use in parts of Northern Scotland, but is mainly old-fashioned or literary elsewhere. [It is probably related to child ]

Children’s HearingA Children’s Hearingis the Scottish equivalent of an English juvenile court. They were introduced in 1971 with the objective of dealing with children under sixteen who are in criminal or family trouble. A Children’s Panelof three trained volunteers makes an assessment of each child, based on evidence given by anyone with knowledge of the child, then recommends whatever action is needed to be taken. Recommendations are always made with the aim to help and reform rather than punish the child.

chitterTo chitteris to shiver with cold.

chitterin’ bite

chitterin’ biteA chitterin’ biteis a snack or sweet eaten immediately after a swim. It is supposed to prevent one from catching a cold.

chocolateIn the Glasgow area, the phrase if he was chocolate he’d eat himselfis sometimes used of a person who is conceited or boasting about his achievements.

chuckieor chuckie staneA chuckieis a stone or pebble of throwable size: throwing chuckies in the water.

chuddie Chuddieis a name for chewing gum.

chumTo chuma friend means to accompany them somewhere: I’ll chum you along to the bus stop.

chunty heidIn Northeast Scotland, a chunty heidis a stupid person.

church officeror kirk officerAnother name for a beadle.

Church of ScotlandThe Church of Scotlandis the established church in Scotland. It has a Presbyterianstructure, with each congregation being governed by an elected body of elders, and a Calvinist doctrine. The Church of Scotland has the largest membership of any church in Scotland. The secession of the Scottish Church from Rome took place in 1560 under the leadership of John Knox. In 1840, in what came to be known as the Disruption, a split took place among Scotland’s Presbyterians and some members of the Church of Scotland left to form the Free Church. See Kirk.

chute( shoot ) A chuteis a playground slide.

City ChambersIn Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dundee, the City Chambersis the seat of municipal government.

clabberor glabberIn Southwest Scotland, clabberis a word for mud, earth, or clay. [The word comes from the Gaelic clàbar meaning mud or a puddle]