—B—
BABIE, BAWBIE, s. a halfpenny.
BACHLE, BAUCHLE, s. an old shoe or slipper.
BACKLINS, adv. backwards. To gae backlins, to walk backwards, like a ropemaker.
BACKSPANG, s. a trick, or legal quirk; advantage taken by one over another.
To BACK-SPEIR, v. a. to trace a report as far back as possible; to cross-question.
BACK-SPEIRER, s. a cross-examiner.
BADE, pret. of bide.
BADRANS, BATHRONS, s. a designation for a cat.
To BAE, v. n. to bleat like sheep.
To BAFF, v. a. to beat.
BAFF, s. a stroke or blow.
BAIKIE, s. the stake to which a cow is fastened in the stall.
BAILIE, s. an alderman; the deputy of a baron in a borough of barony.
BAIR, BAR, s. a boar.
BAIRD, s. a bard or poet.
BAIRN, BARNE, s. a child.
BAIRNHEID, s. childhood.
BAIRNLY, adj. childish.
BAIRNLINESS, s. childishness.
BAIRNS-MAID, s. a nursery-maid.
BAIS, adj. having a deep or hollow sound: bass.
To BAYT, v. n. to feed.
BAISEE, BAIVIE, s. a large fire; a great blaze.
BAKE, s. a biscuit.
BAKSTER, BAXSTER, s. a baker.
BALD, BAULD, adj. bold; intrepid.
BALDERDASH, s. foolish noisy nonsense.
BALK, BURRAL, s. an elevated ridge, raised by a plough.
BALLANT, s. a ballad; a song.
BALOW, BALOO, s. a lullaby; a term used by nurses when lulling children.
To BAN, BANN, v. a. to curse.
BANNIN, pr. pa. swearing.
BANDKYN, s. a species of cloth, the warp of which is thread of gold and the woof silk, and adorned with figures.
BANDSTER, BANSTER, s. one who binds sheaves after the reapers in the harvest field.
BANE, s. a bone.
BANE-FYER, s. a bonfire.
To BANG, v. a. to change place with impetuosity— as, to bang up, to start to our feet suddenly.
BANNOCK, s. a cake of barley or pease meal baked on a girdle.
BANNOCK-FLUKE, s. a turbot.
BAP, s. a thick cake, baked in an oven, with yeast in it, and made of flour, oat meal, or barley meal, and sometimes a mixture of two of them.
BARE, adj. lean; meagre; naked; uncovered.
To BARKEN, v. n. to become hard; to clot.
BARLA-BREIKIS, BURLEY-BRAKS, s. a game played in a corn-yard, running round the stacks.
BARLEY, s. a term used by children in games, when a truce, or a cessation for the time, is demanded.
BARNE. See BAIRN.
BASSIE, s. an old horse.
BASTOUN, s. a heavy staff; a baton.
BAITH, adj. both.
BATIE, BAWTIE, s. a name applied to dogs, generally large ones, without reference to sex.
BATS, s. pl. the bots, a disease in horses.
To BATTER, v. a. to paste.
BAUCHLE, BACHEL, s. an old shoe.
BAUGH, adj. ungrateful to the taste.
BAUK, BAWK, s. a cross beam in the roof of a house.
BAUK, BAWK, s. a strip of land, two or three feet wide, left unploughed.
BAUSY, adj. strong; big.
To BAW, v. a. to hush; to lull in the manner of nursing a child.
BAW, s. a ball.
BAWBEE, a halfpenny.
BAWDEKYN, s. cloth of gold.
BAXTER, s. a baker.
BEAR, BERE, s. barley.
To BECK, v. to curtsey.
BEDRAL, s. a person who is bedrid.
BEGRUTTEN, part. pa. having the face disfigured with weeping.
BEIK, BIKE, s. a hive of bees.
BEIK, BEKE, BEEK, v. a. to bask, as in the sun.
BEILD, BIELD, s. shelter; refuge.
BEIN, BANE, s. bone.
BIRR, s. noise; cry; force.
BEKE, BEIK, BEEK, v. a. to bask.
BELD, adj. bald; without hair on the head.
BELE, s. a fire; a blaze.
BELYVE, adv. by and by.
To BELL THE CAT, to contend with a person of superior rank; to withstand him, either by actions or words, especially the former.
BELLY-THRA, s. the colic.
To BELT, v. a. to gird; to flog; to scourge.
BEN, adv. towards the inner apartments of a house. A room is generally called ben, and the kitchen but.
BEN-END, s. the ben-end of a house, the inner end of it.
BEN, BIN, s. a mountain.
BENE, BIEN, adj. wealthy; having abundance.
BENK, BINK, s. a bench; a seat.
BENORTH, prep. to the northward of.
BENSHIE, BENSHI, s. a fairy's wife.
BENT, s. a coarse grass growing on sand-hills.
BERE, BEAR, s. barley.
BERN, s. a barn.
To BESEIK, v. a. to beseech; to entreat.
BESYNE, BYSIM, s. a bawd.
BESOUTH, prep, to the southward of.
BEST-MAN, s. groomsman; best-maid, the bridesmaid.
BETWEESH, prep, betwixt.
BEUCH, a branch; a bough.
BEVIE, s. a great fire.
To BEWRY, v. a. to pervert, to distort.
BIB, s. a piece of linen used to keep the breast of a child clean when feeding it.
BICK, s. a bitch; the female of the canine species.
To BICKER, v. a. to fight with stones as schoolboys; to run off quickly.
BICKER, BIQUOUR, s. a small wooden dish, made in the form of a washing-tub, the staves being alternately black and white.
To BIDE, BYDE, v. n. to wait for; to abide; to endure; to suffer.
To BIG, v. a. to build.
BIGGIN, BYGGYN, s. a building.
BIGGIT, part. pa. built.
BIKE, BEIK, BINK, s. a nest of wild bees or wasps.
BILGET, adj. bulged; swelling out.
BILLIE, BILLY, s. a companion; a comrade.
BINDWOOD, s. ivy.
BING, s. a heap; a pile of wood.
BINK. See BIKE.
BIRD, BURD, s. a bird; a damsel; a lady.
BIRDIE, s. a little bird.
BIRK, s. a birch-tree.
To BIRK, v. n. to give a tart or sharp answer.
BIRKIN, adj. of or belonging to birch-wood.
BIRKY, s. a lively young man; a mettlesome person.
BIRL, v. n. to ply with drink; to club money for the purpose of purchasing drink.
BIRN, v. a. to burn.
BIRS, BIRSE, s. a bristle. His birse is up, he is in a passion. He's a birsie man, he is liable to be irritated easily.
To BIRSLE, v. a. to broil; to roast.
BIRSSY, adj. having bristles; hot-tempered.
To BIRZE, BRIZE, v. a. to bruise; to drive or push.
BISKET, BRISKET, s. the breast.
To BISSE, BIZZ, v. n. to make a hissing sound, as hot iron plunged into water.
BISSOME, BYSSYM, s. an unworthy female.
BIT, s. a vulgar term used for food. He takes the bit and the buffit wi't, he takes the food and the blow along with it.
BITTILL, BEETLE, s. a wooden mallet for beating clothes.
To BLABBER, v. n. to babble; to speak indistinctly.
BLACKAVICED, a. dark-complexioned.
BLACK-COCK, s. the black grouse.
BLACK-FISHING, s. fishing for salmon by torch light.
BLACK-FOOT, s. a person who makes matches, or goes between a lover and his mistress.
BLAD, s. a large piece of anything.
BLADE, s. the leaf of a tree.
BLADOCH, BLEDOCH, s. buttermilk.
BLAE, BLA, adj. livid; used when the skin is discoloured with a blow, or when chilled with cold.
BLAEBERRY, s. the bilberry.
BLAIDRY, s. nonsense; folly; silly talk.
BLAIN, s. a mark or blemish left by a wound.
BLAIT, adj. bashful; sheepish.
BLAIT-MOUIT, adj. sheepish; ashamed to open one's mouth, or speak. Ye'r no blait, you are very forward or impudent—used metaphorically.
BLAITIE-BUM, s. a stupid, simple fellow.
BLASH, s. a heavy fall of rain.
BLASHY, adj. deluging, sweeping away, as in a flood; thin, poor, as applied to broth or soup.
To BLAST, v. n. to smoke. To take a blast, to take a smoke.
BLATE, BLAIT, adj. bashful.
To BLATHER, v. n. to talk nonsense; to talk ridiculously.
BLATTER, s, a rattling noise, such as that made by a heavy shower of rain or hail.
To BLAW, v. to blow.
BLEAR, s. to obscure the sight.
BLEARD, s. dull of sight; having inflamed eyes.
BLEEZE, v. n. milk is said to be bleezed when it has become a little sour.
BLEIB, s. a pustule, a blister.
The BLEIBS, s. pl. the chicken-pox.
To BLENK, BLINK, v. n. to open the eyes as after slumber; to throw a glance of regard.
BLENK, BLINK, s. a gleam of light.
BLENT, s. a glance as in the quick motions of the eye.
To BLETHER, v. n. to stammer, or speak indistinctly, or nonsensically.
BLIN, adj. blind.
BLINK. See BLENK.
To BLIRT, v. n. to burst out a-crying or weeping.
BLOB, BLAB, s. 1. anything circular and turned; 2. a blister.
BLOBBIT, part. pa. bloated; blurred; blotched.
BLUBBER, s. a bubble of air.
To BLUBBER, v. a. to cry, to weep.
BLUE-GOWN, s. a pensioner. Formerly all pensioners received a blue gown on the king's birthday.
BLUID, s. blood.
BLUIDY, adj. bloody; bloodthirsty; covered with gore.
BLUITER, BLUTTER, v. n. to make a rumbling noise.
BLUNTIE, s. a stupid fellow; a sniveller.
BOAL, BOLE, s. a small aperture or press in a house for the reception of small articles; a small opening in a wall for the admission of light or air.
BOB, s. a curtsey.
To BOCK, v. a. to make a noise with the throat, as persons will frequently do before vomiting.
BOD, BODDY, s. a person of diminutive stature.
BODDUM, s. bottom.
BODE, BOD, s. an offer made prior to a bargain; a proffer.
BODEN, BUDDEN, v. offered; proffered.
BODLE, s. an old copper coin of the value of two pennies
Scots, or third part of a penny English.
BOGILL, BOGLE, s. 1. a hobgoblin; a spectre; 2. a scarecrow; any made-up imitation of a spectre.
BOMBILL, BUMBILL, s. buzzing noise.
BOMBILL-BEE, s. a drone.
BONIE, BONYE, BONNY, adj. beautiful; having a fine countenance.
BONIEST, adj. the most beautiful.
BOOL, s. an ironical name, as applied to an old man.
BOONMOST, adj. uppermost.
BOORDLEY, s. strong; large; broad; having a manly appearance.
BORDEL, s. a brothel.
BOS, BOSS, BOIS, adj. hollow.
BOT, BUT, conj. but; without anything.
BOTHE, BOOTHE, s. a shop made of boards.
BOTHIE, s. pl. a cottage; such a one as is occupied generally for the use of servants.
BOTTINGS, BUITINGS, s. half boots, or leathern spatterdashes.
BOUCHT, BOUGHT, BUCHT, s. a small pen used for milking ewes.
To BOUCHT, BUCHT, v. a. to enclose.
BOUK, BUIK, s. the trunk of the body; bulk.
BOUKIT, adj. bulky, large. No muckle boukit, not of much size or dimensions.
BOUN, adj. prepared; ready.
BOUR, s. the private chamber of a lady in ancient times.
BOURTREE, BOUNTREE, s. common elder-tree.
BOW, s. a boll; eight pecks.
BOW, s. the arch of a bridge; a gateway; a crooked path.
BOWIE, s. a small cask or barrel; a milk pail.
BOWSIE, adj. crooked; applied to a crooked person, who is called a bowsie.
BRACE, s. the chimney-piece.
BRACKEN, BRAIKEN, BROCKEN, s. the fern.
To BRACK, v. a. to break.
BRACKIT, BRACKET, BRUCKIT, adj. speckled.
BRAE, s. tho side of a hill; an acclivity.
To BRAG, v. a. 1. to defy; 2. to reproach.
BRAID, BRADE, adj. wide; broad.
BRANDNEW. See BRENTNEW.
BRANDER, s. a gridiron.
To BRANDER, v. n. to broil.
BRANG, part. pa. brought.
BRANKS, s. a swelling in the glands of the neck.
BRAT, s. a coarse apron.
BRATCHET, BRATCHART, s. an opprobrious term, equivalent to whelp.
BRAW, BRA, adj. fine; gaily-dressed.
BRAWLY, BRAVELY, adv. very well.
BRAWS, s. fine clothes; a person's best suit.
BRAXY, BRACKS, s. a disease in sheep.
BREADBERRY, s. pap, used as food for children.
BREAK (of a hill,) s. a hollow cleft in a hill.
BRECHAME, BRECHEM, s. the collar of a horse.
BREE, BRIE, BREW, BROO, s. broth; soup.
BRE, BREE, s. the eyebrow.
BREEKS, BREIKS, s. breeches.
BREER, BREARD, s. the first blades of grain which appear above ground.
To BREER, v. n. to germinate.
BREID, s. breadth.
BRENT, adj. high; straight; upright.
BRENTNEW, quite new.
BRIG, BREG, BRYG, s. a bridge.
To BRIZE, BIRSE, v. a. to bruise; to drive or push.
BROCHAN, s. oatmeal boiled to a consistence thicker than gruel.
BROCK, s. a badger.
BROCKED, BROCKET, adj. streaked and spotted, as a brockit cow.
BROCKLIE, adj. brittle.
BROD, s. a flat piece of wood; a board.
To BROG, v. a. to pierce.
BROGUE, s. a coarse kind of shoe made of horse leather with the hair on, used by Highlanders.
BROK, s. refuse; fragments.
BROO, s. broth.
BROONIE, s. a spirit supposed to haunt farm-houses, and which, if treated well, performed the duties of the servants while they were sleeping.
BROSE, s. a kind of food made by pouring hot water on oatmeal, and mixing them together. Kail-brose is made by substituting broth for water.
BROWST, s. the quantity of malt liquor brewed at one time.
BRUGH, BURGH, s. a borough; a circular encampment; the hazy circle round the moon.
BRUSE, BROOSE, BRUISE, v. a. To ride the bruise, to run a race on horseback at country weddings. Metaphorically— to contend; to strive.
To BRUSH, v. a. to rush forth with speed.
BU, BOO, s. a sound often made use of to excite terror in children. Bu-man, the devil, or a goblin; an imaginary evil being; a phrase used to keep children in subjection.
BUBBLY, adj. snotty.
BUBBLYJOCK, s. a turkey-cock.
BUCHT, s. a fold; a bending; the fold of a ribbon.
BUCKIE, BUCKY, s. any spiral shell.
BUCKIE-INGRAM, s. the soldier-crab, Cancer bernardus, which always inhabits the shells of other animals.
To BUCKLE, v. a. to join together, as in marriage.
BUCKLE-THE-BEGGARS, s. a person who marries others in a clandestine manner.
BUCKTOOTH, s. a tooth jutting out from the others.
BUFF, s. a stroke; nonsense.
BUFFER, s. a foolish fellow.
BUFFET, s. a blow.
BUFFETS, s. pl. swellings in the glands.
BUFFIE, adj. swelled; blown up; puffed up.
BUIK, s. the body; the chest.
BUIK, BUK, BUKE, s. a book.
BUIRDLY, BURDLY, adj. large and well-made; stately.
To BULLER, v. n. to make a noise like water rushing to and fro in the cavity of a rock.
To BULLIRAG, v. a. to abuse; to tease; to rally in contempt; to reproach.
BULYIEMENTS, s. habiliments.
To BUM, v. n. to make a sound like that of bees; the sound emitted by a bagpipe.
BUMBAZED, adj. stupified.
BUMBEE, s. the humble bee; a wild bee; a drone.
BUM-CLOCK, s. the common flying beetle.
BUN, BUNN, s. a cake commonly used at New-Year time, composed of flour, dried fruits, and spices.
To BUNG, v. n. to make tipsy.
BUNKER, BUNKART, s. a low and long chest, frequently placed in front of a bed in cottages, and used as a press, and also as a seat.
BUNTLING, s. a bantling; a bird.
BURD, s. a damsel; a lady.
BURDALANE, s. used when a person is left solitary, as a child the inmate of a strange family.
BURDE, BOORD, s. a table; a board.
BURIAN, s. a tumulus; a mound of earth.
BURLAW, BYRLAW, BIRLEY, s. a court consisting of country neighbours who settle local disputes, etc.
BURLY, s. a crowd; a brawl.
BURN, s. a small stream; a rivulet. Burnie, burny, is used as the diminutive of burn.
BURR, BURRH, s. persons are said to have the burr who pronounce the letter r with a whirring sound, as the Northumbrians.
BURSIN, BURSTEN, part. pa. burst; overpowered with fatigue.
To BUSK, v. a. to dress; to attire.
BUT, prep, without; towards the outer apartment of a house, or kitchen.
BUTER, BUTTER, s. the bittern.
BYGANES, s. what is past; used in quarrels, as, Let byganes be byganes; let what is past be past.
BYRE, s. a cow-house.
BY-RUNIS, s. pl. arrears; past debts.
BYSPRINT, part. pa. besprinkled.
BYSSYM, BISSOM, s. an unworthy female.