| ceap creadhail | cradle cap. A layer of skin peeling of a young baby’s head as new, stronger skin established itself. |
| dorus bàis | on the side of your forehead. A hard blow in this area could be fateful. |
| clobha | instrument used for castrating lambs. Modern plier [sic] onto which a rubber is fitted. |
| ciaban | found inside a hen’s chest. A kind of repository bag in which you would find gravel, sand, etc. |
| fochaid | mocking. |
| iris | creel straps for a creel carried on your shoulders. |
| dàil | debts. |
| an t-éir | a burden. [NOTES: corrected to ‘an t-éir(e)’.] |
| tuthag | a patch. Variation on the more widespread ‘suthag’. |
| doidheadach | disappointed. [NOTES: note added above ‘dh’ in ‘doidheadach’ – mh.] |
| fideadh | a short visit. “Ni mi fideadh agad a màireach.” |
| adagh | to kindle, start a fire. |
| meang | a fault. |
| craos | a facial expression depicting someone who was hovering over a plate of food for example. Has greedy connotations. |
| clàp-sgàin | someone who had eaten so much he was at bursting point. [NOTES: ‘clàp’ corrected to ‘clap’.] |
| lethrist | a bad housewife. |
| fàithe | prophet. |
| beul cuain | in the context of the sea delivering the body of someone lost at sea. |
| sgur | to stop. |
| sgàineadh | to burst. Also in context of fishing nets tearing or splitting. |
| comhludair | advisor or someone who set an example to others. In this case ‘droch chomhludair’ is someone who teaches his companions alls the vices in the world. |
| allamh | quick, fast. “Nach e bha allamh.” [NOTES: note added above ‘a’ in ‘allamh’ – (e).] |
| airidheachd | deserving. |
| uabhar | pride. |
| giollan | a young boy courting and with an illegitimate child. |
| fothal | joy, merriment. |
| dùtchasach | hereditary. |
| ball bùird | a fool in the company, someone to laugh at. |
| geinge | the equivalent of, as in: “’s geinge dheth fhein a sgoltas an darach”. |
| imprich | to flit. |
| garradh | to warm yourself in front of a fire. [NOTES: corrected to ‘garadh’.] |
| air ghlugaman | a rock that was badly balanced. |
| brochan eorna | barley porridge. |
| currachd oidhche | nightcap. |
| tinneas a righ | King’s Evil or scrofula. |
| [fònadh] | Chan eil fònadh air. – he does not stop, cease. [NOTES: note added above ‘fònadh’, between ‘ò’ and ‘n’ – gh.] |
| diocair | difficult. |
| togradh | desire. |
| beileadh | to grind. |
| gadaiche | a sneaky thief. |
| bradach | thieving person. Similar to above [i.e. gadaiche (q.v.)]. |
| ionmhuinn | fond. |
| gealladh | to promise. |
| cuaran | old type shoes where old cloths were wrapped round your feet. |
| mogain | socks which were open at the front. |
| sgalag | a servant. |
| glùtaire | a glutton. |
| suaimhneas | happiness. |
| reachd | rule, laws. |
| ginich | greedy. |
| beannachadh cruidh | would be said when you met a herd of cattle. “Buachaille Chalum Cille a bhith mur casan ’s gum a slàn a thig sibh dhachaidh.” |
| balg | in the sense of a rubbish bag – pre modern bin liner! On Saturdays people used to collect everything that had been used and emptied during the week and put them in a bag or a ‘balg’. |
| largain | to ask fervently. |
| bréin | angry expression. ‘Bréinain’ – a temperamental, angry person. |
| brùchdadh | oozing out. |
| solas a’ chaorain | firelight. |
| clach-bheallach | a glen in which rocks are most prominent. [NOTES: note added – (stress on 1st syll.).] |
| àrd fhroinnteach | a fern plain. |
| làmhnain | handyman. |
| callduin | a type of tree. Is it the hazel? |
| tùirlingeadh | as in the winter drawing in. |
| duine truacanta | kind of person who was compassionate towards everyone. |
| obair seasmhach | permanent work. |
| giullachd | in the sense of growing potatoes. |
| solaireadh | earn(ing). |
| teanntachdaibh | hard times. |
| diobhail (misneach) | without (hope). |
| neo chuanda | not elegant or luxurious as in “taigh neo chuanda”. |
| smàglach | a small heap or handful as in putting handful of peat on fire. |
| cuibhrionn | fragment, part of something. |
| gleachd | to wrestle with something or someone. |
| bannaibh | as in ‘I bet you’. [NOTES: note added – ‘Tha mi bannadh (-aibh) dhut.’] |
| sgrog e bhonaid mu cheann | to place the bonnet rather carelessly on your head. |
| gun traoghadh | as in a person not having fully recovered from a drinking spree. |
| taigh pobuill | mission house. |
| fàthach | prophecy. |
| ùrlar dubh | mud floor in old houses. |
| cubhaidh | accustomed. |
| barraichte | established. |
| fannachadh | weakness. |
| comhstach | steadfast? Not totally sure about this. |
| ionnadail | friendly. [NOTES: corrected to ‘ionadail’.] |
| ceapal | a family relique [sic] in a graveyard. [NOTES: note added above ‘p’ in ‘ceapal’ – b.] |
| greim maothan | appendicitis. |
| splòic | mumps. [NOTES: this added in the margin with a note – A. O’Henley.] |
| sgairt | rupture. |
| glas eile | a grey acidic, bile substance which you sometimes find in your mouth. Excretion originates in the stomach. |
| losgadh bràghad | heartburn. |
| greim lòin | rheumatism. |
| tinneas fuar | bladder related illness. |
| an fhorc | cramp. |
| ruaidh | a rash which come [sic] through your body. Usually experienced when you were suffering from a cold. |
| cràthadh am beul na diulleig | indigestion. |
| ballt air a bheinn | rain cloud hovering above a hill. |
| [cattle] | Following verse would be said by people tending cattle: “Bogha fhrois, bogha fhrois, tarr as, tarr as, trì stràcan dhe’n chrios cuir an t-uisg as, na buachaillean bochd air sgàth nan cnoc ag iarraidh air Dia an t-uisge a chuir as.” |
| niall nam cheann | a dizziness. [NOTES: note added above ‘niall’ – neul.] |
| leum droma | slipped disc. |
| aingeis | white inflammation on the mouth. [NOTES: note added – var. of ‘ainteas’.] |
| manaig | wooden handle of ‘cas chròm’. Also used in the context of an old gate ready to fall apart. Former definition is prevalent at the north end of South Uist, esp. Lochcarnan, whilst the latter definition is found at southern end of the island. |
| ceap chròm | used by a cobbler. Iron last in English. |
| iall | the string used by a cobbler to make shoes. |
| sgian cubaireachd | used for cleaning out the gaps between the wooden straps in a barrel. For example salt would be removed from barrels used for curing fish by this implement. Sharp circular blade at one end with a wooden handle. [NOTES: ‘cubaireachd’ corrected to ‘cùbaireachd’.] |
| sgathair | chisel. Thicker than carpenter’s chisel – ‘gilb’. |
| cuman | wooden milk pail. |
| mios miosair | large basins made of clay into which milk was poured. Usually quite large so as to obtain as much cream as was possible. |
| ciumbal | applied to a badly constructed haystack which was very sparsely built. |
| latha milleteach fuar | a cold wintry day characterised by sleet and rain. [NOTES: note added above ‘milleteach’ – meilideach.] |
| craosdal teine | a good going fire. |
| gàilleach | irritating lumps of flesh on the inside of a cow’s mouth. Have to be cut off. Irritated by chewing fodder. |
| blàud | bawl. [NOTES: note added – blabhd.] |
| àobh | an exclamatory reaction to a sharp pain. [NOTES: note added – adhbh!] |
| Di-luain | Deagh latha airson imprig na’m biodh tu a’ dol bho thuath gu deas. |
| Di-Màirt | Deagh latha airson arbhar a bhuain neo airson pòsadh. |
| Di-Ciadain | Na’m b’e seo Latha Nan Uile Naomh bhiodh droch là aig gach aon. |
| Di-ardaoin | B’e seo an latha a b’fhearr airson toiseachadh air rud sam bith. This seems to contrast [sic] what is said about Tuesday, which is what I myself understood to be the best day to start something. |
| Di-haoine | Cha bu chor toiseachadh air rud sam bith. Bhitheadh droch rath an cois buain neo gearradh agus cha bu chor dad a cheannach. |
| Di-Sathuirne | Deagh latha airson imprich na’m biodh tu a’ dol bho dheas gu tuath. |
| Di-Domhnuich | Latha air son fois ach bhiodh deagh rath an cois d’aodann a nighe ann a struthan. |
| Seanfhaclan |
| [iris] | Tuitidh eallach gun iris. |
| [breug] | Théid a bhreug na ionad fhein. |
| [cridhe] | Cha dean cridhe misgeach breug. |
| [bonnach] | ’S fhearr am bonnach beag le beannachd na bonnach mór le mollachd. |
| [màthair] | Rud a bhios ’sa mhàthair ’s gnàth leis a bhith ’s an nighinn. |
| [nighean] | Gabh nighean na deagh mhàthair ged a bhiodh an dòlas na athair dhi. |
| [gaol] | ’S ioma rud a ni an gaol is cion an tombàca. |
| [dorus] | Ruigidh dàil dorus. Your debts will catch up with you. |
| [marsanta] | ’S olc am barr nach riaraich marsanta. A merchant will sell anything no matter the quality. |
| [saor] | Ged ’s olc an saor is geal an t-sliseag. Not the fault of the wood if a job is badly done. |
| [laogh] | Is fhearr aon laogh na dà chraiceann. |
| [leisg] | Is fhearr a bhi leasg gu ceannach na ruighinn gu pàidheadh. |
| [saoghal] | Thig crioch air an t-saoghal ach mairidh gaol is ceol. |
| [toll] | Is uaisle toll na tuthag. No point in trying to cover something up. |
| [teine] | Is furasda adagh teine mór is seann ghaol. |
| [meang] | ’S minig a bha meang ann an ùbhal bhòidheach. |
| [claidheamh] | Ged tha an claidheamh sgaiteach cruaidh, cha mhisd e thuar a bhi glas. |
| [gaol] | ’S olc an rud an gaol an uair a thig e an craos duine. |
| [slat] | Fhad’s a bhios slàt ’sa choill bi an fhoill ’sa Chaimbeulach. |
| [deamhan] | A Muileach, an t-Ileach ’san deamhan, an triuir is miosa san domhain; ’s miosa Muileach na’n t-Ileach, ’s miosa an t-Ileach na’n deamhan. |
| [smùidean] | Tha smùidean fhein an ceann gach fòid. |
| [urram] | Chan eil fàithe gun urram ach na thìr fhein. A minister or priest has a good name outwith the parish in which he was brought up. |
| [beul] | Bith dùil ri beul cuain ach cha bhith dùil ri beul uaghach. If a person was lost at sea you would expect the body to be washed ashore. This is not the case with the conventional burial. |
| [uaigh] | ’S minig a dh’fhosgail beul uaghach, bun cruaicheadh te eile. This refers to the digging of a grave and coming across a coffin previously buried near to that grave. |
| [breug] | Cha dhiult peannd breug. |
| [muir] | Dh’iarr a mhuir a tadhall. |
| [beus] | Milidh droch chomhludair deagh bheus. |
| [bròn] | Chan eil bròn air talamh nach dean neamh a leigheas. |
| [soitheach] | Cha ghabh an soitheach ach a làn. |
| [amadan] | Measar an t-amadan glic ma chumas e a theanga. |
| [fìor] | ’S minig thainig fìor a fanaid. |
| [sgàthan] | Is math an sgàthan sùil caraide. |
| [galar] | An galair a tha ’san aodann chan fhaodar fhalach. |
| [sgrios] | Roimh sgrios thig uamhar. |
| [fuath] | Fuath a ghiollain a cheud leanan. Refers to the father disliking his illegitimate child and preferring those born out of wedlock [sic]. |
| [cuirm] | Is fhearr deireadh cuirm na toiseach truid. |
| [neach] | Tuitidh gach neach le chiurd. |
| [uair] | Thig ri uair rud nach tig le aimsir. In other words what you hope for in a lifetime could happen in a short period of time. |
| [athair] | Cha dean an t-athair breug ’sa mhac a staigh. |
| [bean] | Ceannsaichiaidh a h-uile fear droch bhean ach a fear aig a bheil i. |
| [bean] | Aithnichear bean sgiobalta air a cruaich mhònadh. |
| [cù] | Tha latha a choin dubh gu tighinn fhathast. |
| [cù] | Tha latha fhein a feitheamh air cù dubh Mhic a Phí. |
| [sitig] | Nuair a thig nas fhearr gheibh an tràill an t-sitig. When important visitors come, the man of the house recedes in stature in the eyes of his family. |
| [bròn] | Cha robh fothail mhór gun dubh bhròn. |
| [marag] | Cha truagh leam cù is marag ma amhaich. |
| [solas] | Rud a bhios anns a’ chùil thig e dh’ionnsuidh an t-soluis. |
| [creach] | ’S math a chreach a dh’fhàgas an darna leth. |
| [cearc] | Ceann mór air duine glic ’s ceann circe air amadan. |
| [duine] | An uair a thig ri duine thig ris uile. |
| [dorus] | Cha do dhùnadh dorus nach do dh’fhosgail dorus. |
| [Màrt] | Ge be air bith bhios an sian cur do shiol anns a Mhàrt. |
| [darach] | Is geinge dheth fhein a sgoltas an darach. |
| [teine] | Trì iompraichean nas miosa na’n teine. |
| [teine] | ’S fhearr an teine beag a dh’fhairaidheas tu na an teine mór a loisgeas tu. [NOTES: note added above ‘dh’fhairaidheas’ – gharas.] |
| [clach] | A chlach a bhios air ghlugaman tuitidh i uaireigin. |
| [bliadhna] | Gleidh rud seachd bliadhna is gheibh e feum. |
| [tobar] | Is salach tobar air a ghlainead. |
| [currachd] | Tagh bean ’sa currachd oidhche orra. |
| [bean] | Is fhearr bean ghlic na crann is fearann. |
| [crois] | Chan fhaicear na croisean gun tilgear na cruinn. |
| [làmh] | Is diocair thoirt bho’n làimh na chleachdar. |
| [ugh] | Cha bhruich uighean ach oinseach. |
| [sionnach] | Cha ghlac sionnach cadalach cearcan. |
| [leisg] | Tha leisg cho mall agus gum bheil bochdain aig a sàil. |
| [diugh] | ’S fhearr aon diugh na aon mhàireach. |
| [luch] | Le foighidean ghear a luch ball na luinnge. [NOTES: ‘ghear’ corrected to ‘gheàrr’.] |
| [anart] | Bidh pailteas anart aig an deagh sniomhaiche. |
| [tuathanach] | Is àirde tuathanach na sheasamh na duin uasal air a ghlùinein. |
| [làmh] | Ge be nach smachdaich làmh ris a ghlùin, cha smachdaich làmh ris an uilinn. If you do not reprimand children when they are at knee height you will be too late when they are up to your elbow. |
| [feum] | Ceannach a ni air nach eil feum agad ’s chan fhada gus an reic thu an ni a tha feumail dhut. |
| [togradh] | Is fhasa a cheud togradh a cheusadh na gach aon a leanas a shàsachadh. |
| [pailteas] | Ghabh uabhar a bhiodh maidne le pailteas, a dhinneir le goinne agus a shuipeir le mi chliu. |
| [leanabh] | Leintean farsaing do na leanaban òga. |
| [facal] | Tuigidh fear leughaidh leth an fhacail. |
| [partan] | Is fhearr am partan na bhi gun fhear. Better to have some kind of husband than none at all. |
| [sagart] | Sannd na seachd sagart ann a fear gun mhac gun nighean. |
| [bradach] | Saoilidh gadaiche nam bruach gur e bradach uile cach. |
| [moladh] | Mas math leat bhi ga’d mholadh faigh am bàs; mas math leat bhi ga’d chàineadh, pòs. |
| [gealladh] | ’S fhearr a bhith gun ghealladh pòsaidh na pòsda le mollachd bean. |
| [earrach] | As t-earrach nuair bhios a chaora caol ’s a maorach reamhar. |
| [luaths] | Beiridh blaths air luaths. |
| [dàn] | B’fhearr a bhith sàmhach na droch dhàn a ghabhail. |
| [gealladh] | An treas uair a gealladh. Third time lucky. |
| [eun] | ’S binne an t-eun far am beirear e. |
| [rùn] | ’S fhearr aoise deagh rùn na tonna deagh reusan. [NOTES: note added above ‘aoise’ - ? unnsa; note added above ‘tonna’ - ? tunna.] |
| [beul] | Beul a labhras ach cridhe a dhearbhas. |
| [bean] | Bean a Leodhas, làir a Uibhist, tuigidh bean bean eile. |
| [claidheamh] | Am fear nach bith a cleachdadh claidheamh fàgaidh e ri tòm e. |
| [cuaran] | Feumaidh fear na cuaran éirigh ro fhear na bròg. Strapped shoes take longer to fit. |
| [suiridhe] | Suiridhe fàd [sic] air falbh ’s pòsadh am bùn na h-ursainn. Could be courting someone in a faraway land yet marry someone near your home. |
| [latha] | Thig ri latha rud nach tig ri linn. |
| [cinnteach] | Is fhearr a bhi cinnteach na bhi caillte. |
| [eagal] | Is luath an tòn ’san téid an t-eagal. |
| [beannachd] | Cha lion beannachd brù. |
| [aithreachas] | Cha bheir gad air aithreachas. |
| [muir] | Chan fhan muir ri uallach, cha dean bean luath maorach. |
| [dubhan] | Is corrach gob an dubhain. |
