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[aois]
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“’S minig a chaill do cho aoise bliadhna an earraich dhuibh.” – refers to the working capacity of people despite their old age.
Location: South Uist, Lochcarnan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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[còir]
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Cha d’fhuair e oibreachadh air choir. He did not get a proper chance of working.
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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[ɛ:ɽlʹiɡʹəɣ]
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Quotation: Chaidh mi a dh’iarraidh [ɛ:ɽlʹiɡʹəɣ] de speal. Notes: loan of, say, a working tool such as scythe, the use of which is not returned. Different from “iosad” which is used more for the loan, e.g. of meal which can be returned.
Origin: North Uist
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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adag
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Quotation: sguab > sgròthan > adag > tòrr > cruach Notes: corn-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Balallan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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ag aobraich
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working to no purpose (as children’s activity).
Origin: Applecross [mother]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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air a cheann fhein
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working on own initiative.
Location: Harris, Sgarastamhor
Category: Nàdur an Duine / Personality
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air a thuc fhein
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working on own initiative.
Location: Harris, Sgarastamhor
Category: Nàdur an Duine / Personality
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arbhaig
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[ɑɾəvɑɡʹ] Quotation: Dé’n arbhaig a tha sin agad? Notes: disarray, e.g. when a person is working with tools and everything is upside down and in disarray.
Location: Ross-shire, Aultbea
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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a’ bualadh
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the high vertical plummet of gannet working on herring.
Location: Harris, Kyles Stockinish
Category: Iasgach an Sgadain / Herring-Fishing
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a’ bualadh
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the high vertical plummet of gannet working on herring.
Location: [Harris], Scalpay
Category: Iasgach an Sgadain / Herring-Fishing
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ball-crios
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[bɑɫˈkðws] Note: sort of belt worn by women to hitch up skirts when working.
Origin: [Ness]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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bigeireachd
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Quotation: a’ bigeireachd ri rud. Notes: “picking” at something, e.g. when doing a job, not working at it consistently.
Location: Skye, Harlosh
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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bonaid
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Note: woman’s bonnet for Sunday wear. “Bonaid” nowadays applied to a man’s working cloth cap.
Location: [Lewis], South Lochs, Caversta
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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bràbladh
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working in a mixed, any old way movement.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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bràbladh
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working in a ‘messy order, intermixture movement’.
Location: [Harris], Scalpaigh [Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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calanas
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Notes: working on wool.
Location: Harris
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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calanas
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Notes: wool-working.
Origin: North Uist
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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casachan
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Quot.: na casachain ìseal; na casachain àrd. Note: (1) the lower pedals working the heddles in a loom. (2) the arms working the heddles from above.
Location: Harris
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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ciste-chaol
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Note: a wooden seat which could open like an ottoman. Working clothes usually kept in it.
Origin: Uig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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cnaidsaireachd
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prior to the modern established trade of a joiner in these islands this is a word people used when referring to someone who was always working with wood. “Bha e a’ cnaidsaireachd air cùl an taighe.” Obviously not considered as a viable occupation, even if you were doing odd jobs for neighbours, which was also called ‘cnaidsaireachd’.
Location: North Uist, Lochportan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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conamhaireachd
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Quotation: Dé an conamhaireachd a th’ort a sin? Notes: spoiling something one is working on perhaps, or deliberately spoiling.
Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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connabhair
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a person over keen on working.
Location: South Uist, Bornish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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cosnaiche
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Hard-working, ambitious, capable, lively. “’Se cosnaiche math a bh’ann.” (Faic na faclairean.) Tha ‘cosnaiche’ againn, cuideachd, airson nam fiaclan gearraidh (incisors) gu h-araidh ann an ainmhidhean, bó ’s mar sin. “Na cosnaichean” – the incisors.
Origin: Leòdhas [Lewis], Uig an Iar
Category: Nàdur an Duine / Personality
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cota-drògaid
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Note: long working-skirt worn over a “cota-strianach”. Had a thick waist-band and was pleated. Taken off when inside, only the “cota-strianach” then worn.
Location: [Lewis], South Lochs, Caversta
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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cruach
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Quotation: sguab > sgròthan > adag > tòrr > cruach. Notes: corn-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Balallan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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cunnabhalach
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working at a steady pace. “Obair chunnabhalachd [sic] fad an latha.”
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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cù leth choilair
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when half the dog’s collar is white. Supposed to be an indication of a good working dog.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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deoch gheal
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water with oatmeal and sugar. Particularly if working outside – spring and harvest.
Origin: Assynt, Stoer
Category: Biadh is Deoch / Food and Drink
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drifeagach
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[d̪ɾıfɑɡɑx] Quotation: duine drifeagach. Notes: hard-working, go-ahead.
Location: Skye, Breakish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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drungan
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slow-going movement in working.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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drungan
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[d̪ɾɤ̃ŋɡɑṉ] Quot.: “Eil thu busy? Chaneil, tha mi dìreach a’ drungan.” Note: working slowly, doing a little now and again.
Origin: Carloway, Doune
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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dròbhach na h-oidhche
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working secretly by night.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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feamanadh
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Notes: working on seaweed – cutting and taking it home.
Location: Skye, Sleat, Calligary
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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foileadh
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[fɔləɣ] Quotation: a’ foileadh. Notes: rummaging, e.g., a pig working with its snout, or a person hunting for something e.g. in a drawer and leaving it untidy.
Origin: Tiree
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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folmadh
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when working with clay this was the process whereby clay was slowly put into the mould for shaping purposes. Had to be careful not to put too much clay in at any one time.
Location: North Uist, Iollathraigh [Illeray]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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forc
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Two pronged fork for working with corn or hay (had long handle).
Category: Àiteach / Agriculture
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friasg
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[fðiɑsk] Note: bait thrown out when cuddy-fishing and working with a hand-net.
Origin: Scarista
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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fàradh
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Quotation: Bithidh sinn a’ fàradh [fɑ:rə]. Notes: working all night when going fishing.
Origin: Carradale
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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fìleadh
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Quot.: “’S ann air a tha a’ fìleadh.” Note: said of somebody full of go, working on something at a rapid rate. Same as “duine le collas air”.
Origin: Carloway, Doune
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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glamaradh
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a wooden clamp which could be adjusted depending on the thickness of what you were working with.
Location: South Uist, South Lochboisdale
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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goc
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Quotation: ràth > goc > tòrr > sìg. Notes: hay-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Stornoway
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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gàgan
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a crack on the hand, fingers. Brought on by working excessively with one particular implement such as a ‘cròcan’. Could also be brought on by working with dry seaweed or tangles.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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léine
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Quot.: léine-caitheamh. Note: working shirt.
Origin: Kershader
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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mothalanachd
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Quotation: a’ mothalanachd [ˈmɔ̃əɫɑṉɑxk]. Notes: working for nothing for the likes of the landlord, e.g. building dykes.
Location: Tiree
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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mànran
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Quotation: Bha e ag obair air a’ mhànran fhéin. Notes: working on his own.
Location: Skye, Portree
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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paidhir
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refers to two ringers working together.
Location: [South Uist], South Glendale
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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peilear
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[pelɑð] Quot.: “Tha e ag obair aig peilear a’ bheatha.” Note: He is working at full steam.
Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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rafag
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Quot.: “Nach ann ort a tha a’ rafag.” Note: could be said to someone who is working on something but is too impatient to finish it.
Origin: [Ness]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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raopaireachd
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[rɤ:pɑɾɑxk] Quotation: a’ raopaireachd. Notes: working with the “raopair” q.v.
Location: Ross-shire, Achiltibuie, Alltan Dubh
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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ràth
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Quotation: ràth > goc > tòrr > sìg. Notes: hay-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Stornoway
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sgeòtallach
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[sɡʹɔ:t̪ɑɫɑx] Quot.: “duine sgeòtallach”. Note: a person who, when working, would [sic] [not?] settle in order to complete a thing properly, resulting in everything being disorganised.
Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sgioba buain mhònach
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the working team consisting roughly of nine. This was considered capable of cutting fuel for one year for one household: ceithir iarainn agus duine rùsgadh.
Origin: Eileanaich [natives of Lewis]
Category: Mòine / Peat-Working
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sgionnscrach
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Notes: (Keose) hard-working (the sense is similar to that of sgoinneil). Not in Dw.
Location: Lewis
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sgor
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Quotation: a’ sgoradh a mhóine. Notes: forking the peats out further on the bank to make space. A special job for one of the crew. “A’ sgoradh as an fhàil” – all the crew working on the third peat with an iron each.
Origin: Islay, Port Charlotte
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sgràbadh
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Quot.: a’ sgràbadh. Note: working a grapnel. [Cf. sgràbair.]
Location: [Lewis], S. Lochs, Gravir
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sgròthan
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Quotation: sguab > sgròthan > adag > tòrr > cruach. Notes: corn-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Balallan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sguab
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Quotation: sguab > sgròthan > adag > tòrr > cruach. Notes: corn-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Balallan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sgumaigeadh
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working with a bag net or scummer.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sluisearachd
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working in gutters or slush.
Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sluisrich
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Quotation: a’ sluisreadh. Notes: working with water, washing dishes, etc.
Location: Islay, Port Wemyss
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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smùid
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at an extra working pace as: Smùid aige le sùist air an arbhar.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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suathadh an eòrna
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getting the barley grain off the stem by working the tops of the sheaves between the feet – wearing special boots the while.
Origin: Eileanaich [natives of Lewis]
Category: Taigh Gàidhealach / House and Furnishings
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sunnlachadh
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making room, as working oneself into a crowded seat.
Location: South Uist, Bornish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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susarachd (f)
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working in gutters, slush, etc.; any such wet muck.
Origin: [Strathglass]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sìg
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Quotation: ràth > goc > tòrr > sìg. Notes: hay-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Stornoway
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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sùgan
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Quotation: sùgan ìosal. Notes: ordinary working collar for a horse. (See sùgan àrd.)
Origin: Islay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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toirbheart
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Quotation: “Tha mi air mo thoirbheart.” (e.g. said by a person exhausted working at peats). Notes: (father and mother) oi as in soirbh. Not in Dw.
Location: Lewis
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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trùilleach
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[t̪ɾu̟:lʹɑx] Quot.: “Nach bu sibh na trùillich.” Note: applied to a person engaged in dirty work, e.g. working on a messy job as in a drain, etc.
Origin: Caversta
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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tàl
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Quotation: a’ tàladh an fhiodh. Notes: working with the adze.
Origin: Islay, Port Charlotte
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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tòrr
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Quotation: ràth > goc > tòrr > sìg. Notes: hay-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Stornoway
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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tòrr
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Quotation: sguab > sgròthan > adag > tòrr > cruach. Notes: corn-working terms.
Location: Lewis, Balallan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
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’g a do chuir a mach as an fhad
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driving the two working ahead of you. When cutting in company you kept your place.
Location: Lewis, Carloway
Category: Mòine / Peat-Working
