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

fae( fay ) or frae( fray ) Faemeans from: some guy fae Tollcross ; Where’d he get that fae?

The variant form is given an entry of its own, referring the reader to the main entry, unless the variant would come within five entries of the headword. Hence, there is an entry for fraebut not one for cockieleekie:

frae( fray ) A variant of fae.

Pronunciationsare given for words which might be difficult or confusing for the non-Scots speaker. They are shown either by respelling, with the stressed syllable in bold, or by rhyming them with a word with a similar pronunciation.

ca’or caa( caw ) …

caber(rhymes with labour ) …

ceilidh( kale-ee ) …

There are a number of regional variations in pronunciation in Scotland: in general the form shown is a West Central Scotland one, that being the most widely spoken dialect, but where a word is most common in a particular area, the pronunciation appropriate to that region is given.

Where more than one way of pronouncing a word is in widespread use, all these pronunciations are shown.

dicht( diCHt or dite ) …

In respellings, each syllable has been shown in a form likely to be clear to all speakers of British English. However, the following points should be noted:

galways represents the hard “g” in gun , never the soft “g” in gin

chrepresents the “ch” in cheese or church

CHrepresents the guttural sound represented by the “ch” in the Scots loch and in the German composer Bach

threpresents the unvoiced “th” in thin , three , or bath

THrepresents the voiced “th” in this , father , or bathe

iyrepresents a vowel sound used in Scots but not in English. It is the vowel in the normal Scottish pronunciation of bite , pronounced a bit like “eye” but shorter. It is used in the Scots pronunciation of Fife and tide , as distinct from the longer vowel in Five and tied

wh:words which, in southern English, start “wh-” but are pronounced as if they started “w-” (for example, what , white ) are always pronounced with an initial “wh” sound in Scots. This sound is rather like the “h” in hit and the “w” in wit pronounced almost simultaneously

A

a’, aaor aw( aw ) A’means all: It’s a’ the same tae me.

Aberdeen Angus Aberdeen Angusis a breed of black hornless beef cattle originally bred in Aberdeenshire and Angus.

Aberdeenshire( ab-er-dean-sher or ab-er-dean-shire ) Aberdeenshireis a historic county in Northeast Scotland. It is now the name of a council area encompassing the old county (except for the city of Aberdeen) plus Kincardine and most of Banff.

AberdonianAn Aberdonianis a person from Aberdeen. The dialect of Scots spoken in Aberdeen is also called Aberdonian. Something which is Aberdoniancomes from, or is typical of, Aberdeen.

ablow( a-blow ) Ablowmeans below: in ablow the sink.

a’body( aw-bid-ee ) In some parts of Northeast Scotland, a’bodymeans everybody: Ssh! We don’t want a’body to know aboot it!

aboot( a-boot ) Abootmeans about: That’s aa you incomers go on aboot.

abune( a-bin ) or abeen( a-been ) Abunemeans above.

academyIn Scotland, some secondary schools are known as academies. Originally, an academywas a public or private school in a burgh: Bathgate Academy ; St Margaret’s Academy.

Accies

Accies Acciesis an informal way of referring to a sports club with Academicalsor Academicalin its name, indicating that it was formed by members of an academy: Hamilton Accies.

ach( aCH ) Achis an expression of surprise, disgust, or resignation: Ach, you don’t really notice the smell after a while.

act itTo act itis to behave in a misleadingly innocent way: He’s acting it if he says he didn’t know.

AdamAn Adamhouse, interior, piece of furniture, etc., is one designed by the architect and decorator Robert Adam(1728–92): a grand Adam mansion in Charlotte Street. Adamsuccessfully emulated the harmony and grace of classical and Italian Renaissance architecture in the many British country houses he and his brother James (1732–94) built. His greatest Neo-Classical work is undoubtedly Charlotte Square (1791) in Edinburgh. The exterior of Culzean Castle in Ayrshire is a good example of his work in the Gothic Revival style.

Advanced HigherAn Advanced Higheris the highest exam or qualification of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate, usually taken after the sixth year of secondary school, at the age of 17 or 18, a year after Highers: She achieved an A in Advanced Higher Music.

advocateAn advocateis a lawyer who has passed certain extra exams and is permitted to plead in the High Court. The English equivalent is a barrister.

Advocate DeputeAn Advocate Deputeis a law officer who prosecutes in important cases on behalf of the Lord Advocate. The English equivalent is a public prosecutor: The Advocate Depute asked him if he was aware of the possible consequences of telling lies on oath.

ae(rhymes with bay ) Aemeans one or a single: ae fond kiss.

aff 1 Affmeans off: Get aff the grass! 2 Affalso means from: I got it aff ma sister.

afore( a-fore ) Aforemeans before: I’ll get home afore you. Aforealso means in front of.

afterIf someone says they are just afterdoing something, they mean that they have just finished doing it: Wipe your feet. I’m just after cleaning the floor.

agentAn agentis a solicitor acting on a person’s behalf, especially in a court hearing: the defence agent.

agesSomeone who is ages withsomeone else is the same age as that person: My James is ages wi her David.

agley( a-glay or a-gliy ) or aglee( a-glee ) Agleymeans squint or askew. If something goes agleyit doesn’t happen or work out in the way that was intended or hoped for: Their schemes had gone irreparably agley. [The word comes from the earlier gley squint, which comes from Middle English]

Ah Ahis a Scots word meaning I: Ah said Ah hadnae seen him.