| adhann | position of a capsized sheep. “Chaidh i air a h-adhann.” |
| loradh | a nick or groove. |
| asg | skin and bone. “Chan eil ann ach an asg.” |
| laighe siubhla | a woman in state of travail. |
| leabaidh siubhla | the bed on which such a woman [i.e. woman in state of travail] is placed. [Cf. laighe siubhla]. |
| bainne siamain | curds. |
| ball searaist | a quarrelsome, scolding woman. |
| is dithis dhuinn sin | expression for people having shared some experience. |
| fìdeag | fetter put on a sheep. Also used on lambs. Is this from Scots word ‘fittock’ which was an overshoe made from stocking heads?? |
| barracha biod | on tiptoes. |
| gille mo ghnothaich | applied to a smart boy. |
| sgràilleag | a morsel. |
| barr suma | amount of animals allowed in a particular township. |
| iolghaothach | variable winds. |
| bior chul chas | a cross pin pushed through hind legs of flayed animal and hung up to dry. |
| a mullach nam bothannan | seventh degree of rage. |
| braoid | a halter. |
| braoidseach | a bridled horse. |
| caban | an instrument used in capping. |
| màrach | used of a cow that cannot be satiated, satisfied. |
| calman codhail | a godsend, windfall. |
| lìthseag | a skin like covering on cattle’s excrement. Indicates that the beast is not in good health. |
| caora chàraidh | sheep taken from tenants by proprietor at Halloween. |
| balt | the side of a shoe. “Thàinig i air falbh bho’n bhalt.” |
| clamhan | someone who has not progressed in shape or body weight. |
| duine miarranda | someone who had no appetite for food. |
| càrr | mist. “Nuair a thogas a càrr far na beinne.” |
| ràpair | a piece of canvas used as a makeshift towel. Variant on ‘riopair’. |
| cathalladh | trouble, burden especially in rearing children. |
| rèidh riobaineach | this would be said for example after a tempestuous meeting which you had expected – “Bha fios nach biodh gnothaichean cho reidh riobaineach sin.” |
| ceannardach | end of ploughed fields temporarily left fallow. |
| cliathair | waulking board. |
| clamadh | castration by tying horse hair around the scrotum. |
| clioba | a box which held straw for horses and cattle. |
| crann | in sense of a coffin. “Anns a’ chrann air a chàradh ’n deidh na tàirnean a dhlùthadh.” |
| trotag tràghad | sandpiper. |
| cuan | young of animals. A litter. |
| tomadan choin | little hummocks found in fields and against which dogs frequently relieve themselves. |
| cùmhlach | smaller feathers on chickens before developing bigger feathers. |
| tèamain | attractive, stiff cloth made from the longest and best type of wool. Women’s dresses and men’s coats and capes made from this material. Sent to the mainland to be finished or dressed. Then called ‘caimleid’. [NOTES: note added in pencil: fuaim?] |
| gruidheam | a meal something like black pudding. When cattle had come down from shieling there was a custom of extracting blood since the cattle were healthy enough after their summer pasturage on the shieling land. This blood was boiled and then salted in a container and set aside as an ‘aindeal geamhraidh’. When it was needed it was put in a pot with fat and onions. Eaten with bread like a black pudding. |
| cuir dhachaidh | harvesting term. “An do thòisich sibh air a chuir dhachaidh fhathast.” |
| caileap | base of souming, i.e. 1/8 cow. |
| fasglann | a shelter, e.g. bus shelter. |
| bil(e) | term associated with constructing cornstacks. As you prepare to taper off towards the top, a special layer of sheaves are laid right round the stack so that they protrude about six inches out from the stack. This allows the rain to run off. “Bil(e) a’ mhullain.” |
