Shapes and general appearance |
bachaill | clumsy, untidy, unkempt man – ’Se sàr bhachall [sic] a th’ann. |
clabaisteir | large, clumsy person (male) rather than brawler as used by Dwelly. |
blataillein | a very outsize unattractive [sic]. [NOTES: the following explanation and the next three words written in second hand.] Thàinig e ’s blatàillein de thè còmh’ ris. Also used to describe a crowd of people (prob. batallion), e.g. Thàinig blatàillein a steach. |
pleabain | (used of a man) a skinny, miserable, useless looking character with no obvious personality. |
crabhàidseach | Seann chràbhaidseach – an old decrepit person (female). (Donald MacIntyre in Sporan Dhòmhnaill uses “cranàidseichean”.) |
sgraoid | (used of a woman) e.g. seann sgraoid. Untidy older woman who takes no care of her appearance. Used also as a derogatory term describing an unpopular person, probably female. |
pliobain | second in command, someone with no authority. [NOTES: note added above ‘n’ in ‘pliobain’ – (r).] |
trusdair | rascal. |
gille ceann beinnge | someone providing moral support at a ‘reiteach’. |
pliadhach | splay footed. |
sianndaiche | distant person. |
diud | shy. “Duine diud.” [NOTES: corrected to ‘diùid’.] |
sgimileir | slicked person. |
busairteach | chancer, amateur. |
clùmhadh | nestling. |
sgàiteach | witty, same as ‘eirmseach’. [NOTES: corrected to ‘sgaiteach’.] |
bumalair | big headed. Also used to describe size. [NOTES: note added above ‘b’ in ‘bumalair’ – (p).] |
oinseach | used of foolish woman. [NOTES: corrected to ‘òinseach’.] |
Deformities, blemishes, scars |
riofainaich | ragnails. |
ioncair | puss. |
ball dobhrain | mole. |
ruiteach | red in the face. |
lachdainn | sallow skinned. |
fòghneachan | warts. [NOTES: note added above in second hand – foinneachan.] |
sleamhnain | stye. |
slinneanach | broad shouldered. |
gàgan | hacks, especially with people who work with kelp. |
pronnadh | bruise. |
cadal deiligneach | pins and needles. |
forc | cramp. |
deideadh | toothache. [NOTES: corrected to ‘dèideadh’.] |
lòin | rheumatism. |
druim-lòin | rheumatism. |
greim-lòin | rheumatism. |
breaca sianain | freckles. |
spliucan | tobacco pouch. [NOTES: corrected to ‘spliùcan’.] |
leabhar poca | wallet. |
claisean | wrinkles. |
‘bathais gun naire’ | saying. |
pleat | “Nach ann air a bha pleat.” – used for a showy person. |
Beauty and ugliness |
sgeamp | stylish person (male), dandy. Sàr sgeamp – bang in fashion. |
smàiseil | good looker. |
snàsail | good looker. [NOTES: corrected to ‘snasail’.] |
gad phonaigeadh fhein | dolling up. |
mi-thuarail | sickly. |
culla sgrath | ugly. [NOTES: note added above ‘culla’ – culaidh; ‘sgrath’ corrected to ‘sgràth'.] |
culla sgreimh | ugly. [NOTES: note added below ‘mh’ in ‘sgreimh’ – (f); note added above ‘culla’ – culaidh.] |
Strength, fitness and the opposite |
treun | strong. |
calm(a) | strong. |
supailte | supple. |
miota | weakling. |
lapach | poorly. |
liost na bochd | parish relief. |
bachdach | lame. |
Ways of walking, sitting, lying |
air bhigearna | on tenterhooks. |
fàdhach | striving. Bha mi fàdhach ri crioch a chuir air … [NOTES: corrected to ‘fadhach’.] |
cugallach | unsteady. |
cabach | blether. Tha e cabach. Cabain (male), cabag (female). |
bleadraich | blethering. |
cabainneach | blether. |
greannach | grumpy. |
glaoic | fool. |
Amadan aig Mac ’Ic Ailein | phrase for a jester. |
piobrachadh | to encourage, to pepper things up, to incite. |
ardanach | haughty person. [NOTES: corrected to ‘àrdanach’.] |
corrach | rugged. |
bleigeard | mischievous. |
tamhasg | mischievous. Also used for a particular ghost type in Barra. |
luasganach | harum-scarum. |
anns a’ cham a chòthail | used for someone coming into a conversation, company. |
corra-bide | tiptoes. |
tinneas-laighe | nightmare. |
sgleogach | effeminate. |
pleastar | someone you can’t get rid of. Also ‘tearr’. ’Se tearr de dhuine a th’ann. |
[tearr] | [See pleastar.] |
luideach | clumsy. |
luid | silly woman. “Fhuair mi luid / Fhuair mi cuid / Dh’fhan a’ luid / ’S dh’fhalbh mo chuid.” |
[mionaig] | “Slainte na mionaig nach tig / ’S tric is mionaig a thàinig / Ach nach truagh nach e mionaig nach tig / A bha an àite a’ mhionaig a thàinig.” A toast with a pun on the word ‘mionaig’ meaning ‘often’ and also being used of a woman who is preferred to the wife of the person making the toast. So ‘mionaig’ means someone who he preferred to his own spouse. |
Pulling faces, frowns, other expressions |
greann | frown. |
cur chreinnean | making faces. |
air fhiaradh | looking at something with a squint. |
fo’n t-sùil | looking at something with a squint. |
smèideadh | waving. |
Clean and untidy |
spàideil | very neat. |
giobach | untidy. |
peallag | untidy female. |
peallan | untidy male. |
giobain | descriptive word applied to individual in friendly manner. “Sheall an giobain a tha a’ nall thugainn.” |
maill | delay. |
blineas | silly grin. “Blineas air.” [NOTES: corrected to ‘blìneas’.] |