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We’ve some fantastic ‘dialect’ products now on our website … have a look at our T-Shirts, Mugs and Tablewear… but what do they mean??? Here’s the answers:
NUMPTY
(num-p-tee) Dialect, chiefly Scot ~n. 1. a bumbling fool; one who is intellectually challenged (“no’ the fu’shillin’”) 2. Widely known in Scotland as an MSP (Member of Scottish Parliament) [as in “These numpties couldnae organise a piss up in a brewery.”]
BLETHER
(ble-thir) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. person who catters incessantly; one who babbles on and on (” That wee yin o’ yours is an awfy blether getting’”). ~v. 2. to engage in conversation, long-winded or idle talk ( as in ” Ah met yer granny doon the toun, we hud a richt guid blether the gither”) [ see also sweetie-wife ]
CRABBIT
(cra-bit) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~adj. 1. ill-tempered, grumpy, curt, disagreeable; in a bad mood [esp. in the morning]. ( often used in ” ken this, yer a crabbit get, so you are”) ~n. by their nature or temperament conveys an aura of irritability.
EEJIT
(ee-jit) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. idiot, simpleton, one not possessed of all their mental faculties; one who is unable to properly conduct their own affairs ( as in ” Yer aff yer heid, ya eejit. That’s no’ a real dug” ). [ See also bawheid, dunderhead]
FOUTER
(foo-tir) Dialect, chiefly Scot, ~n. 1.one who muddles through; aimless, exasperating person (“Yer a fouter, gie it tae me, ah’ll dae it”). 2. a fiddly or troublesome job (” This is a right fouter, this”). ~adv. foutering ( “Yer foutering aboot. Stope it!”) [Similar to gitter]
GLAIKIT
(’glai-kit) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~adj. 1. (intr.) stupid: senseless, silly. ( often in“he stood there wi’ a glaikit look oan his fizzog”) 2. (tr.) giddy, thoughtless. 3. affected 4. petty.
SKIVER
(sky-ver) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~ n. 1. one who avoids tasks or work in general; a shirker. [also sloper]. ~ v. skive (”Ah cannae be arsed wi’ this - ah’m away fur a skive”) 2. splinter of wood embedded in the skin (also skelf)
BESOM
(biz-um) bisom Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. obstreperous girl or woman; female upstart [as in “Dinnae pou’ yer brither’s hair, ya wee besom”]. 2. woman of low moral standing; a hussy ( “Thon yin’s a right mucky besom”). 3. broomstick or scourge; any broom made from loose twigs. 4. a comet or its tail.
CANNY
(can-y) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~adj. 1. cautious, careful, hesitant; unwilling to rush into things. 2. frugal, prudent (esp. with money) [a canny scot- one who has an aversion to separating money from his pocket] ( as in ” He’s that canny he aye pays for his round wi’ empty lemonade bottles”).
GALLUS
(ga-luss) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~adj. 1, self-confident, daring; cheeky. 2. stylish, impressive (” See him, he’s pure gallus, by the way”) 3. Orig. derogatory, meaning wild; a rascal; deserving to be hanged ( from the gallows).
SCUNNER
(’scun-ner) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~vb. 1.(intr.) to feel aversion. 2. (tr.) to produce a feeling of aversion in. ~n 3. a strong feeling of aversion ( often in take a scunner, or ” git oot o’ ma face ya wee scunner” ) 4. an object of dislike; nuisance, [c] 4: from Scot. skunner, from ?]
STEAMIN’
(stee-min) Slang, chiefly Scot. ~adj. drunk, inebriated, the state of having consumed too much bevy. ( see also “guttered,fu’, pissed, gassed, blootered, stoned, miraculous, legless, smashed, minced, wrecked, mingin’, welly’d, mortal, arsed, blitzed, blazin’, hingin’, buckled)
FITBA’
(fit-baw) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. (m) the beautiful game 2. (f) stupid game involving 22 grown men (and 3 officials of dubious parentage and eyesight) kicking a lump of leather around a field, often sparking irrational behaviour, bad language and blind devotion to a team or player, to the detriment of normal marital relations. ( see fitba’ widow)
SASSENACH
(sass-y-nak) sic. Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. an Englishman or -woman 2. used by highlanders to describe non-Gaelic-speaking Lowlander [from the Gaelic sasunnach, meaning Saxon ] 3. someone who actually understands the rules of cricket and mentions 1966 every bloody chance they get (see Jimmy Hill).
TEUCHTER
(choo-chter) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. (trad.) one who derives from the Highlands of Scotland ( a Hielander); more commonly used by city folk to describe rural dwellers. 2. Gaelic-speaker (mostly to each other) esp. at strange gatherings known as Mods. [definitely not Rockers]. Occassionally partakes of a wee dram. ( also heuchter teuchter).
BRAW
(br-aww) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~adj. 1. fine, pleasant esp. weather. (”It’s a braw day the day” or “It’s a braw, bricht, moonlicht night the nicht.”) 2. attractive, pretty, often in “You’re really braw, hen. Fancy a Ruby Murray?”
GALOOT
(gah-loot) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~n. 1. (trad.) bumbling fool; slow witted person (as in “Och that’s no a tour guide. It’s a naked rambler, ya daft goloot!”). 2. awkward, clumsy or gangly.
WABBIT
(wah-bit) Dialect, chiefly Scot. ~adj. 1. exhausted, out of breath; unable to function due to extreme tiredness (as in “Playin’ wi’ thae weans has gote me wabbit”) [similar to puggled]
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