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Food

Origin: Mull, Bunessan, Ardtun or Mull, Tobermory
Category: Crodh / Cattle

[ashes]

Note: I have heard of plants being burned into ashes and these ashes used as a preservative for food, perhaps to give food some special flavour, or preserve it further to achieve the flavour required, or to have it salted, so to speak, although perhaps again not giving the same results as salt, more or less, more confined to, could be, an ‘appetising’ method, or to give what was already proven, if done, it was more associated with the appetite in another sense.

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Blàthan-Leighis / Medicinal Plants

[beul]

Cha burrain dhomh beul a thoirt dha. I couldn’t mouth the food.

Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[biadh]

Biadh air dhroch dheasachadh – disagreeable food causing indigestion. A good dose of castor oil as was termed, laxatives used to remove the cause off the stomach, the food-cause, the ‘unwanted food’. As termed also ‘Cha do chòrd e (am biadh) ri do stamaig. Referred to also as ‘biadh na ruadhan’, or overcooked food.

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[biadh]

Gun bhiadh gun bhrat – without food or clothes.

Location: Killearn
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[biadh]

A bhiadh ’s aodach! – Food and clothing.

Location: Killearn
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[blank]

I’m taking / eating my food.

Origin: [Ross-shire]
Category: Biadh is Deoch / Food and Drink

[blasad]

Fhuair mi blasad bìdh. – I got some food.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[blasad]

An d’fhuair thu blasad bìdh? – Have you had any food?

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[blasad]

An do thairg iad blasad bídh dhut? – Did they offer you any food?

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[bruich]

Bruich, bruich, bruich, Cuid a leanabh bhig, Leanabh beag a call a chèile ’sa chuid fhein a bruich. A little rhyme said whilst the child’s food was cooking.

Location: South Uist, Lochcarnan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[caileach ribeach]

soft food was the cause of the ‘caileach ribeach’ in the mouth of cattle. The organs, in connection with the chewing process, were inflaming to a state that it was necessary to operate on them with scissors, etc. (See other reference Glossary, the first or second number of pages I posted to you. I think it’s mentioned something to this effect?)

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[porridge]

Note: porridge was accepted as a remedy to help with the healing and curing ulcers on the stomach. Believed, porridge to be a soothing food, and helpful in acting as poultice, in absorbing matter, foreign, having an absorbent qualities in other words.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[tigh-aire]

In my childhood, Lochaber, i.e. the Braes of Lochaber, was 95% Catholic. When a death occurred in a house, people flocked to pay their respects and remained to pray. It was customary to lay one’s hand on the forehead of the dead for a moment (the head was normally covered by the sheet but the sheet was turned down momentarily to allow the hand to be laid on the forehead). People took it in turn to remain in the room “’s an tigh-aire” where prayers and litanies were said night and day till the day of the funeral – food was provided for people. On the day of the funeral, the coffin was carried shoulder-high on a bier for the few miles to Cill-a-Chaorail. The ancient church of St. Cyril of Alexandria has been restored of recent times and I understand the burial-service is held there now. [NOTES: the following comment copied from the letter dated 24/03/1977:] In my remarks about funeral practices in a previous letter, I had intended to mention the custom of building cairns. I have understood that when the mourners stopped for a rest and possibly refreshment, each man looked around for a sizeable stone and a cairn was built and was called the deceased’s cairn. With the widening of the roads, I fear the cairns have disappeared on the main roads.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[traisg]

Tha mi ’nam thraisg. – I have had no food.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

[tròcair]

Cha deacha tròcair ’n a bhus. – Never touched any food.

Origin: [Lewis, Uig an Iar]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

a bhiadh ’s aodach

said to someone who was precious to you, e.g. your child. Originally refers to the sheep who was of immense valued due to the food and wool it provided.

Location: South Uist, Lochcarnan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

a ghort

scarcity of food.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

ailean-bodadha

[ɑlɑṉbɔd̪ˈɑə] Note: a sea-bird which forces seagulls to disgorge its [sic] food, and swallows it itself. Probably the skua.

Location: [Lewis], S. Lochs, Gravir
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

air dholaidh

when some commodity has been wasted, e.g. when food has gone past its sell by date.

Location: South Uist, Lochcarnan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

alair (m)

food provided for mourners.

Origin: [Skye, Camus Chroise]
Category: Bàs is Adhlacadh / Death and Burial

am biadh

food-part. [SLIP: Food part of shellfish.]

Location: An t-Eilean Sgiathanach, Portrìgh [Skye, Portree]
Category: Maorach / Shellfish

a’ fèileabanachd

[?] eating food slowly.

Location: Na Hearadh [Harris], Horgabost
Category: Faireachdain / Senses

bathair

provisions, food.

Location: South Uist, Stilligarry
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

biadh

[bi̜əɣ] Notes: food of any classification.

Location: Ross of Mull
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

biadh blasda

tasty food.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

biadh blasda

tasty food.

Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

biadh-reòta

frozen food.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

blastanaich

[bɫɑst̪ɑṉiç] Quot.: a’ blastanaich air biadh. Note: tasting food but not taking much of it.

Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

bonnach luirg

a reward, a cake or some kind of food given to person who found or reported the sighting of a young animal such as a lamb or calf.

Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

brothlach

large pot in which Feinne cooked their food. Also secret language of tinkers.

Location: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

bruchd-ruadhain

gastric effect from overcooked food.

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

brùcd-ruadhain

[sic] gastric result from overcooked food. [NOTES: slipped under ‘brùchd-ruadhain’.]

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

bug

(interj.) calling hens to food. bug! bug! bug! [NOTES: slipped under ‘bug! bug!’.]

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

cagailt

unchewed food in horse’s mouth.

Location: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

caoin

describes a mild taste in food.

Location: Harris, Sgarastamhor
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

caol

Quot.: “Cha robh ann ach a’ chaola ghorm.” Note: time of a dire lack of food, etc.

Origin: Uig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

conobhair [?]

a person who ate his food hurriedly.

Location: South Uist, Peninerine
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

coth

flesh food, for winter, salted, smoked, etc.

Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

craos

a facial expression depicting someone who was hovering over a plate of food for example. Has greedy connotations.

Location: South Uist, Lochcarnan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

currain nan each

a carrot-shaped weed given to horses as food. Found on the machair.

Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

càil

Quotation: “Chan fhaigh mi càil (anything) bho lamhansan a ni mo chàil (appetite) a ghluasad.” Notes: desire. Cailear – desirable used of persons, appetising used of food.

Origin: West Lewis [the location given on the slips]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

càpan

drink or dish of food taken out to a beggar or poor person.

Location: Inverness
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

deasachadh

Notes: In W. Lewis, the word deasachadh is as far as I know, confined to the preparation of baking, or food, e.g. ‘Bha i ’deasachadh’ – would mean only this one thing.

Origin: West Lewis [the location given on the slips]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

driseach

Notes: a place of stunted bushes that never grow beyond a foot to food and a half: sometimes on flat ground, sometimes on slope of a hill.

Origin: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

duine miarranda

someone who had no appetite for food.

Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

déilic

a very small helping or portion of any food.

Origin: Eileanaich [natives of Lewis]
Category: Mòine / Peat-Working

faileadh (aileadh) grod, lobhte

for rotting food.

Location: Na Hearadh [Harris], Horgabost
Category: Faireachdain / Senses

fliodh

it grows in potatoes and corn, thickly in potato lazy-beds with emerald leaves, perhaps lighter than emerald leaves with pinkish small flower. ‘Fliodh-a-bhuntàta’, given to cattle for food, not for medicinal factors, purposely.

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Blàthan-Leighis / Medicinal Plants

foidh

[f[ɔı]:] Quot.: “Tha e ri foidh.” Note: going from house to house begging for food.

Origin: [Lewis], Arnol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

fòidh

[f[ɔı]] Quot.: “a’ fòidh air feadh nan taighean”. Note: the poor people went round the houses at one time with a small bag collecting food, etc.

Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

gaolach

Quotation: Tha mi gu math gaolach air. Notes: used when talking about a certain type of food.

Location: Skye, Elgol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

gaorr

[ɡw:r] Note: food inside a crab or lobster.

Origin: [Lewis], Uig, Valtos
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

glamhadh

eating your food quickly.

Location: Na Hearadh, Gòbhaig [Harris, Gobhaig]
Category: Faireachdain / Senses

glinn

[ɡl[ɤ̃ĩ]nʹ] Quot.: “Chaneil glinn sam bith as a’ bhiadh sin.” Note: There is no substance in that food.

Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

glàm

a gorge of food. Ghabhainn glàm dhiubh sin.

Origin: [Kintyre, Tarbert]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

goirteach

Notes: poor, without food.

Location: Skye, Stein
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

gormadh

turning blue, as the colour of a hand or food [sic] have poison from a wood. Bha làmh aige gormadh.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

grolamus

[ɡrɔɫəməs] Notes: a dish of food of very varied ingredients.

Location: Mull
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

is broillean

external throat infection. Cure: ‘prènistir’ – sulphur given in water. Also ‘slòcan’ – ‘soft seaweed’ mixed with food from the pail.

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Blàthan-Leighis / Medicinal Plants

liathruisgean

[lʹıɤɾu̟ʃɡʹəṉ] Quot.: na liathruisgean. Note: according to Calum, spell in autumn when food was very scarce, before the corn and barley had ripened properly.

Location: Lewis, Uig, Crowlista
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

liathruisgean

[lʹıɤɾu̟ʃɡʹəṉ] Quot.: na liathruisgean. Note: According to J. N. the lean time in early autumn when the shorter barley growing in shallow ground ripened earlier and was cut to provide food.

Origin: Uig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

loin

Quotation: a’ loineadh eisg. Notes: spoiling food by handling it too much; pawing anything.

Location: Harris, Ardhasaig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lon

food.

Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lon-chraois

a voracious appetite, e.g. “Uill a’ bhalaich tha ’n lon-chraois ’na do bhroinn.” The explanation I remember given was that there was a beast inside one that ate the person’s food. I was very young when told this by my mother!

Origin: Lewis, Uig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lonach

grass avenue (Islay); larder (lon – food).

Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lumais

[ɫũ̜mwʃ] Quot.: “Ghabh e lumais air.” Note: taking more than one’s rightful share of something, e.g. food.

Origin: [Ness]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lus-an-acrais

a plant seen on the moorland. If kicked or disturbed the petals gave off a smell which quickened the appetite. Therefore people were counselled to carry some form of food.

Location: South Uist, South Lochboisdale
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lòidseach

a vast amount of food being consumed. “Nach tu dh’ith a lòidseach.”

Location: Barra, Castlebay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

lònaireachd

unnecessary handling of food. Also ‘làmhagan’.

Location: Barra, Eoligarry
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

mairt

I’ve heard this word used in connection with cattle and rather think it was a cow with calf at food but would not be quite sure.

Origin: Inverness-shire, Nethy Bridge
Category: Crodh / Cattle

meuraiteach

Quotation: duine meuraiteach. ’S ann meuraiteach a tha e ga ithe. Notes: eating food without enthusiasm.

Location: Harris, Ardhasaig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

miaraide

[mĩɑ̃ridʹə] Quot.: “Ith do bhiadh, a’ mhiaraide bhochd.” Note: someone who lacks appetite, picks at his food. Poor specimen.

Origin: [Caversta]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

mileagach

Notes: fond of good food.

Location: Canada, Christmas Island
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

màrach

this would be said of a cow that could never get her fill of food or water.

Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

mì-chuis

Quot.: Nam bhiodh duine ann le droch stamag ’s docha gum biodh mì-chuis aige ri biadh air chor-eigin. Note: notion, fancy for something, in particular to eat. A certain food.

Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

mògais

Notes: a messy mixture, e.g. of food.

Location: Skye, Broadford
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

othannach

said of cattle lacking inclination for food.

Location: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

prannabhiadhadh

crumbs, titbits, food broken into crumbs.

Location: [Harris], Scalpaigh [Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

raispais

food that has dribbled down onto a baby’s bib or food sticking to a man’s moustache such as after taking soup or drinking milk. This was long ago when men wore heavy moustaches. Both the ‘is’ and the ‘ais’ as in ‘lavish’, the English word, or as in ‘follais’.

Origin: [Inverness-shire, Nethy Bridge]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

rapas

Notes: used mainly for slovenliness in eating food, on face, clothes, table.

Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

roichgeil

demanding good quality food. “Tha na cait againne cho roichgeil.”

Location: South Uist, Lochcarnan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

ruadhan

Quot.: “Tha do bhiadh air a dhol na ruadhan air an teine.” Note: food spoiling on the fire.

Origin: Kershader
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

scran

light or casual food. “Sgradag” (?)

Location: Inverness
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

seacaid

[ʃɛkɑdʹ] Quot.: “Rinn mi mo sheacaid air an fheòil.” Note: used by someone who has eaten a lot of a particular food. Filled himself up with it.

Origin: [Caversta]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

seanntaich

[ʃw̃:n̪t̪iç] Quot.: “Tha am biadh a [ʃw̃:n̪t̪ɑxəɣ] air an teine.” Note: food spoiling on the fire from being left too long. (spelling?)

Origin: Crowlista
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

seóbhraich

Quotation: Tha am biadh agad a [ʃo:ɾɑxəɣ] air an teine. Notes: food drying up on the fire after being kept warm.

Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sgeirean

dribbling of food on clothes of infant; etc.

Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sgiolagadh

‘withdrawing food from whelks’.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Coltas an Duine / Personal Appearance

sgluis

can be applied to many things but usually food. “Thug i dhomh sgluis.” Used commonly in Berneray. (Supplied by D. MacKillop, Berneray.)

Origin: Baleshare
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sgudail

‘leftovers’, what’s left over from food, after eating.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sgudal (m)

Notes: left-overs (food).

Location: Harris, Ardhasaig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

siosar

the claw used by the lobster for cutting its food, etc.

Location: Eriskay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

smalamas

titbits, appetising attraction in the order of food. Bheil smalamas agaibh?

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

smealamas

Notes: titbits of food; also (slangily?) used of courting. Source: M. A. MacLennan, Scalpay, Harris. Date: 1970.

Location: [see below]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

son

anything good; son-bìdh (lit. goodness of food); air son – for benefit (of), for sake (of). [Cf. don.]

Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sos

[sɔs] Quotation: Thoir a’ sos dhan a’ chù. Notes: scraps, mixed-up food, as for a dog.

Origin: Applecross
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

speileabhais (?)

[speləvɑʃ] Quotation: “Dé a’ [speləvɑʃ] a th’ort?” “Na bith [speləvɑʃ] ris.” Nach ann annad a tha a’ [speləvɑʃ]. Notes: said to a person picking at his food, having very little appetite.

Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

spiolagan

distracting [sic] [extracting?] food from whelks. A’ spiolagadh na faochag.

Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris,Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

spiolgadh

Notes: extracting food from whelks.

Origin: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

spliachd

a big spread, e.g. a large spread of food at a wedding or other social function. Also used for extensive news coverage of an incident.

Location: South Uist, Kildonan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

splutraich

[spɫut̪əɾix] Notes: splashing with food; or a mess caused by splashing, e.g. with porridge.

Location: Tiree, [Caolas? – one slip]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

stopadh

blockage. I have heard of an operation performed on the throat gullet [sic] of a hen by cutting through externally and removing the internal obstruction (with a razor blade) when a foreign body stuck in her gullet, and this operation seemingly being the only alternative medical aid (done locally). The wound of course was sown. If it was a success, if the wound healed, I can’t say. With human beings, if an obstruction of a minor event came forward, say, fish bones stuck in the throat, the cure, or the precautions taken, was to swallow oatcakes, coarse food chewed and swallowed, thus pressing, bringing with it the swallowed bones from their undesirable place, or phase [sic].

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

suagraid

Notes: a rough mixture of food.

Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

suaplais

[su̜ɤpɫɑʃ] Note: an unappetizing mixture of food.

Origin: Scarista
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

sulachd

[su̜ɫɔxk] Quot.: “Nach tu a ghabh a’ sulachd.” Note: used when a person takes rather a lot of something – more than necessary, e.g. food.

Origin: Ness
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

susaladh

applied to peat that has been left too long to dry. Personally I would use this to mean food that had been overcooked or burnt.

Location: North Uist, Tigharry
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

taisealach

good distribution, going a long way, considering what was to be done with it, it has done more than I considered: any item, food, paints, etc. Nach e tha taisealach. (Scalpay)

Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

trachlais (f)

mixture of food, bad food.

Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

tràth

an unusual treat in the sense of some rare food. “Fhuair mi tràth aca.”

Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

tàrsainn

[t̪ɑ:ʴsĩnʹ] Quotation: a’ tàrsainn. Notes: pinching, e.g. a child pinching food off a table. [NOTES: the turned r used for the symbol which is unclear in the original.]

Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous

ubhalabhiocuis

Quotation: Ciod e an ubhalabhiocuis a tha’gad anns a phrais? Notes: used only in reference to food. Some mysterious mixture! No idea at all what the origin of the word is. It was widely used all the same.

Origin: West Lewis [the location given on the slips]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous