Your Sayings - More Scottish Sayings Submitted By You
Old Scottish Sayings > Your Sayings
This page has been set up to publish the sayings submitted by visitors. A big thank you for taking the time to send me your Scottish sayings.
There are literally hundreds of old Scottish sayings, new ones and slang words. I can't possibly remember them all, and that's why I'm grateful to you for sending your sayings in.
You must have heard your Granny come out with some old crackers, and there's a whole new generation of scottish slang emerging out there, so please Send Them In to Your Sayings and see them here.
Here are your sayings :
Bunker Means : Kitchen worktop surface ("It's oan the bunker next tae the sink"). Editors Note : - In the West of Scotland "the bunker" was the coal cellar.
Thanks to David, Australia for this.
Furry Boots Means : Where you from? (Originated as fair aboots, then changed to what it sounded like).
Thanks to Sarah-Jane Pirie, Aberdeen, Scotland for this.
Haste Ye Back Means : Return soon.
Thanks to Margaret Anne Faichney, Airth, Falkirk, Scotland for this.
You're all bum and parsley Means : You're full of it.
Thanks to Carolyn, United States for this.
Dicht yer neb and flee awae Means : Wipe your nose and go away.
Thanks to Iain Trainor, Perth, Australia for this.
Thae shoes will draw yir feet Means : Those shoes will make your feet perspire.
Thanks to Rita Finn, Perth, Australia for this.
Yur dooin ma heid in Means : Please stop talking.
Thanks to John McIntosh, Daventry, for this.
Fits yer name and far yi fae? Means : What is your name and where are you from.
Tatties o'wer the side Means : Everything has gone wrong.
Thanks to James, Aberdeen, for these.
Tartle Means : Awkward moment when you go to introduce someone but you can't remember their name. "Pardon my tartle!"
Thanks to Anna, United States, for this.
kin ah get a pie ina bridie ina ingin ane anaw? Means : Can i get a pie, a bridie, and an onion one as well.
Fit like? Means : How you doing?
Bolt Means : Do one, get out of my way.
Dreepin' Means : Soaking wet.
Ken Means : Know.
Here's an example of two men called ken, talking about two men called Ken, and using "ken" instead of "know" .....
Do you ken Ken, cos the Ken i ken kens the Ken you ken. Ken what i mean ken? Means : Do you know Ken, because the Ken I know, knows the Ken you know. Know what I mean Ken?
Thanks to Ashleigh West, Perth, Scotland, for these.
Loping Means : Sore body part
Put your feet oan Means : Go for a walk.
Thanks to Mandy Hutchison, West Lothian, for these.
Gaun awa' Means : Going away.
Ower (pronounced 'ouwer') Means : Over.
Thanks to Jimmy, UK, for these.
Baw Heid Means : Big headed.
Gie's me the Jaundice Means : Disgusting.
Away wae the fairies Means : Describes a simple or strange person.
Ten bob sliders Means : School gym shoes.
Gutties Means : training shoes.
Gowping Means : Sore body part.
Loping Means : Scratching the body.
Put your feet oan Means : Go for a walk.
Thanks to Mandy Hutchison, West Lothian, for these.
Away ye go Means different things : It can mean no, or really, or you're talking rubbish! For example ... A girl asks permission to leave work at the end of a shift. The supervisor says "away ye go". The girl asks, "Do you mean 'away ye go (as in GO!) or "away ye go (as in NO, don't go!)"
Thanks to Liz Casciani, UK for this.
Haud ma chips a'v dropped the wean Means : Not paying attention).
Ower there Means : Over there.
Trollied, mortal, fu, guttered, sloshed, half cut Means : Words which describe being drunk.
Granny grey hips Means : Someone behaving older than they are.
Cloot Means : A wet cloth.
Doon the pits Means : Down the coal mines.
Schemies Means : East coast saying for kids that hang around the streets.
Neds Means : West coast saying for kids that hang around the streets. (Non educated delinquients)
Stoatin' Means : Great.
Sidey ways Means : Suicide.
Thanks to Gemma Hutchison, Edinburgh, for these.
Corry Juket Means : Left handed, (awkward fisted).
Bisom Means : Person, ( cheeky bisom = cheeky person).
Sauncy Means : Cheeky, (sauncy face).
Thanks to Jane Watson, Newark, for these.
Footer Means : to fidget! Thanks to Claire Dillon, Carluke, Scotland.
Ballop Means : The zip on gentlemens trousers.
Galluses Means : Braces (for holding up trousers).
Gamp Means : Umbrella.
Oxters Means : Underarms.
It's a lang road that's no goat a turnin Means : Things have to change at some time.
Thanks to Grace Drysdale, UK, for these.
Black affronted Means : very embarrassed, extremely humiliated! Thanks to Alice Mackenzie, Inverness, Scotland.
Tattie howkin' Means : Helping the farmer gather potatoes from the field.
Coo's lick Means : Quick wipe of the face with a damp cloth.
Yer aywis at the coo's tail Means : You're always lagging behind everyone else.
Ben the room Means : In another part of the house.
Awa' fir the messages Means : Away to buy groceries.
Feartie gowk Means : Someone who is afraid of a challenge.
It's gaein be awricht ance the pain has gane awa Means : Everything will turn out alright once your troubles are over.
If ye dinnae stop yer greetin' I'll gie ye something to greet fir Means : If you don't stop crying I will smack you.
Doo Means : Pigeon.
Thanks to Rob, UK, for these.
Doubt picker Means : Someone who picks cigarette ends off the street to make rollups from the tobacco in them. Thanks to Terrence Foley, UK.
Skiddlin' Means : Playing in water.
You could'nae see green cheese but yer een wid reel Means : If you see someone getting something you want it too.
Thanks to Bill Barr, Carluke, Scotland, for these.
Baltic.
Means : Cold.
Bary Means : Great, Brilliant.
Bawlikin' Means : Shouted at.
Collie Backie Means : Piggy back.
Cannae Means : Cannot.
Cauld Means : Cold.
Dingy Means : "Sling a dingy" is to ignore someone.
Thanks to Jacqui Henderson, Edinburgh, Scotland, for these.
A Glesga kiss. Translates to : Glasgow kiss - means to head butt someone.
How Often used to replace the word "why".
Thanks to Aimee, Edinburgh, Scotland, for these.
Ma wifie, wha's nae Scottish, suddenly came up wi' a couple o' phrases but telt me nae tae keek in yer page. Translates to : My wife, who is not Scottish, came up with a couple of phrases but told me not to look at your page.
Thanks to Iain Campbell, Bern, Switzerland.
A stank Means : A drain at the side of the road.
"Gen up" Means : Honestly.
Ma heed's burlin' Means : My head is spinning.
Ya dobber Means : You silly idiot.
Yer talkin mince Means : You're talking rubbish.
Thanks to Ricky Rowe, Kilmarnock, Scotland, for these.
Were ye long bad 'afore ye took it?
Means : Have you been ill for a long time?
A clean shirt'l do ye Means : You probably won't live long enough to need another one. Thanks to Deborah Murphy, Barrington, IL, U.S. for these.
May the best day you've ever had be the worst day you'll ever have. And may no mouse ever leave you granary with an empty belly. Thanks to
Jan Weir, Toronto, Canada.
Burl your wilkies Means : Do a handstand. Thanks to Jack Smith, Woodbridge, U.S.
Do not arrive at the door with one arm as long as the other Means : Do not arrive empty handed (especially on New Year's eve). Thanks to Joyce, UK.
It's a sair ficht for half a loaf Means : A sore fight, no matter how hard you struggle, you never get the full loaf. Thanks to Stephen Barnes, Sydney, Australia.
So far left of yourself Means : You are getting above yourself, out of order, cocky Thanks to Roger Turner, Torksey, UK.
Sewn wi a hate needle an a burnin threed Means : bad stitching which easily falls apart(sewn with a hot needle and a burning thread).
Paralysis of the galluses Means : Lazy, unhelpful, not lifting a finger etc. Thanks to Dorothy, Australia for these.
Tummel yer monkees Means : Doing a summersault. Thanks to Bob S, Goderich, Canada for this one.
Stying up tae the clugs oh the nite Means : Staying up to the very early hours of the morning. Thanks to Cate Tannock, Mauchline, Scotland for this one.
I was sae hungert I coulda ate a scabby heided horse Means : I was so hungry I could have eaten a horse with its head covered in scabs. Thanks to Stewart Bell, North Bay, Canada for this one.
Ya muckle gype!! Means : You stupid idiot.
Yer pints are loused. Means : Aberdonian for your shoelaces are undone.
Thanks to Richard Neilson, Thornhill, British Virgin Islands for these.
Ah'll molicate ye. Means : I'll beat you up, teach you a lesson you won't forget. Thanks to Sylvia Hughes, Toronto, Canada for this one.
Kipper feet. Means : Large feet.
Dinnae fasch yerself. Means : Calm down, don't get your knickers in a twist.
Donnybrucker. Means : Fist fight
Thanks to Jo Fairbank, UK, for contributing to Your Sayings.
Here's another variation of a popular saying : Lang may your lum reek and a wee mouse never leaves your cupboard with a tear in its eye. Means : May you always have fuel for warmth and food in the house My thanks to Graeme McKenzie Dickson, Tauranga, New Zealand for this one.
Tickle me tickle me you know where : under the kilt an through the hair. (I've never heard this before)
Thanks to Jeremy McKenna, Sussex, Canada for this one.
"Santa Clause will no come doon your lum, just for your cheek!" Means : Santa will not come down your chimney because you've been cheeky.
Thanks to Patrick McDowall, Seattle, U.S. for this one.
I'm fair wabbit. Means : I'm fairly done in and have no strength.
Thanks to Lizzie Paterson, Fife, Scotland, for this one.
Heid bummer. Means : The Boss.
Heid the ba'. (head the ball) Means : Nutter.
A sair fecht. (a sore fight) Means : A bad, or sad thing.
A face like a smacked arse. Means : Unprepossessing.
A face like a bulldog chewin' a wasp. Means : Not very happy.
An awfy pie-faced lassie. Means : A plain girl.
Thanks to Jacquelyn Murphie, UK, for contributing to Your Sayings.
Awa an bile yer heid an make daft soup. Means : Away and boil your head. (I've never heard the second part) Thanks to Julie Forsyth, Manchester, England, for this one.
Ye'il dee a thoosand deaths ye'il never dee. (You'll die a thousand deaths you'll never die) Means : An admonishment to someone who worries too much.
Heid doon arse up. Means : Concentrate on your job.
Cum intae the body o' the kirk. Means : An invitation to an outsider to join in.
Ye mak a better door than a windae. Means : Comment to someone standing in front of the TV. Thanks to David Wilson, Perth, Scotland, for contributing to your sayings.
You're no as green as ye're cabbage lookin! Means : You're not as daft as you make out.
Thanks to Lynsey, UK, for this one.
Aye you'll go! And a tuppence happnae stamp will no bring ye back! Means : Leave now, and you'll never be back. Thanks to Stevie Wilson, UK, for this one.
Wee deoch an doris Means : A wee drink at the door, and it comes from a song of the same name, by Harry Lauder.
Thanks to Gene Gemmell, United States, for contributing to Your Sayings.
Editors note .....
The chorus goes :
Just a wee deoch an doris, just a wee drop, that's all. Just a wee deoch an doris afore ye gang awa.
There's a wee wifie waitin' in a wee but an ben.
If you can say, "It's a braw bricht moonlicht nicht",
Then yer a'richt, ye ken.
Translations :
Gang awa - go away.
But an Ben - a two roomed cottage.
Braw bricht moonlicht nicht - fine bright moonlight night. A'richt - allright Ken - know.
Ne'er cast a cloot tae may be oot means : Everyone mistakes this for the month of May but it refers to the May bush, when it would bloom it meant summer had began.
Awe tae the wan side like Gourock! Means : Gourock is a riverside town built between the river clyde and high hills. "Awe tae the wan side like Gourock!" means "lopsided" as Gourock is all built up at the beachfront but sparse up the hill. It's a west of scotland saying. (Thanks to Alistair Cameron from Glasgow for the translation) Thanks to Vicki Lee, Lochwinnoch, Scotland, for these scottish sayings.
That's put your gas at a peep! Means : That's put you in your place. Thanks to Jim Lang, UK, for this one.
Dinnae be auld for anither ten years! Means : Think of old age as ten years older than you are now.
Thanks to May McCabe, Canada, for this one.
Ne'er cast a cloot till May's oot! Means : Never discard your winter clothes until the end of May.
Thanks to Jill Fisher, UK, for this one.
Aw folk hae convenient memories! Means : People only remember what they want to remember. Thanks to Alex McBride, Scotland, for this one.
High heid yin Means : It's a reference to the boss, the head person. Thanks to James Docherty, Scotland, for this one.
Thanks again for your sayings, please keep sending them in.
Back To Top of Your Sayings
Home | About | Contact | Privacy | Site Map
|