| spèic | spoke; spoke in a wheel, as an old salt used to put it: Bu mhath a nis a bhi air spèic bhuidhe – it would now be good to be at a yellow spoke, literally, etc. meaning in other words, or wishing being at sea steering a vessel. |
| tralbhaid | a collection of generally [sic] items or material. |
| trealaich | a decent, little collection, not too much but a satisfied amount. |
| tracair | a person collecting every unused material he sees lying as he thinks unusable. From trochd-fhear. |
| sàmplachadh | sampling. |
| slìgeachadh | sneaking. A’ slìgeachadh timchioll. |
| ainmeachas | namely. Ann an ainmeachas. |
| ainm-molachadh | cursing by name. |
| cuibhleagan | small wheels. |
| doimhneachan | deeps. Chaidh e ann an doimheachan mora. – as an orator trying to solve a particular subject to an almost confused, if not confused, point… |
| molachaidh | An taobh molachaidh dhe – the humorous side of him. ’S ann am molachadh a tha e – he is only prenting [sic] (Harris). |
| sireamach | searching. Siream suas from siream… |
| lagh-na-luathadh (noun etc.) | fire-side legal conversation, putting forward a conversation in a sort of legal emphasis; fire-side lawyer. |
| tubaisd-na-creiche | the calamity accident. |
| diogladh-troimhe | tickling through; edging his way. |
| dh’oladh e léine | he would drink his shirt, literally; a person of an excess drinking habit, alcoholic habits of drinking (Harris expression). |
| sàbhaisteach | customary; a corruption of ‘àbhaist’. |
| seacanta | frail. Tha e crion seacanta mar sen [sic]. (Harris) |
| glugaire | loosely form of a male. ’S e glugaire mór a th’ann dhe. |
| cabaire | tale-bearer who cannot afford keeping a secret. |
| socachadh | going into place as a boat in a pit, making her bed so to speak from ‘socadh’, another form of the word. |
| sìneagraich | stretching. Tha sìneagraich air. – as a person in illness with hopes for him when he shows a stretching improvement. |
| laibhairteach | talkative. |
| cuilean | nostril. From ‘cainean’, a different pronunciation perhaps. |
| òrd-gaoibhneachd | smith’s hammer. |
| stàrnach | heavy blow(s). |
| cnaimheag | little bone, little life. Cnaimheagan (plural) – little fragmentary bones. |
| sgeula-sìnidh | a story running in a one direction without variations, that is corrugation, etc. Tha sgeula-sìnidh air. Now obsolete, an obsolete term, if not obsolete, a rarity word or term. |
| seàineagan | having small broken marks. |
| dorghala | grunting sort of character; could have risen from the ‘gala’ form of expressions, I think dùr-ghala – one meaning. |
| bidean-mara | sea-perch, a perch on a rock in the sea for identification. |
| crùsadh | cruising (from the English rendering, or anglicised form). |
| gibhein | little portions. Gibhein bheaga. |
| cibhein | [See gibhein.] |
| nialag | a little slow female, from ‘nial’, a faint. |
| nialagan | a little slow person, male, the term or expression. A’ falbh ’na nial. |
| canastair-feòla | tinned mutton. |
| mial-chaorach | sheep lice. |
| lipreadh | movement of lips. |
| smisde | badly effected. Cha b’fheàrrta (fheàirte) mi idir e ach bu mhisde. ’S fheàrit [sic] sinn e ach smisde. (Harris) |
| bogha-ruadh | tangle covered showing a brown colour not quite submerged. |
| clàr-achduinn | a shelf on a boat on which the ship’s gear is stored, or kept; also a board on which ointment was mixed in olden days, in the Highlands of Scotland, when ointment cures were the chemistry of these days, done in the home, or locally. |
| bonn-gròt | fourpenny piece. |
| gròt | [See bonn-gròt.] |
| sgnoig | the very top part of a pinnacle, an affixed part to a top part in particular… |
| sgnoigean | [See sgnoig.] |
| farglaiseach | peeping, peeping Tom. Creutair farglaiseach. |
| pell-mell | pal mal (another version of the former already noted). [NOTES: should ‘pal mal’ be the Gaelic headword and ‘pell-mell’ the English explanation?] |
| stupadh | a hitch. Cha toireadh e stupadh air (air ròp). |
| suaimhneachail | contented as here with the suffix to the word ‘suaimhneach’. |
| sgrothachadh | crusting, scabbing. Tha e sgrothachadh air. |
| sgrothach | a plant. Planntais sgrothach – could be applied generally to any plant showing a crusty appearance, the same with a tree, the bark-like accumulation of perhaps I could say fungus? Perhaps you could also term like [?] which I think you could term such like growth on tree as a plant form of ‘sgrothach’. Don’t you think I am right? That is ‘sgrothach’ of its various species… |
| sgaaoighleir | [sic] a female of a here and there and everywhere movement, running to and fro, hilarious. Is e sgaoighleir innte. Still current. |
| sgeòladh | telling tales. De’n sgeòladh th’air. It’s an obsolete word, perhaps not quite yet. From ‘sgeòil’. |
| geata-cluaise | ear-gate. I have heard this termed [sic] used not very long ago. |
| cuthag-cluaise | one having an informant or gossip; being informed with gossip by someone who is recognised or termed as ‘cuthag-cluaise’. |
| facal-dibhearsain | a word of fun. |
| planntaigeadh | planting. |
| bumailear | an awkward raw or rude sort of male, youth. |
| bualaire(adh) | striker, a shaft striking against a rod end in a machine, from ‘bualadh’. |
| bogadair | piston. I have heard of a piston in an engine being referred to as ‘am bogadair mór’ as it bobs up and down. |
| burraladh | purring. |
| buralaich | weeping. (Harris) |
| pònarach | abounding in beans. |
| splònaigeadh | dressing and powdering as ladies do. Bha i dha splònaigeadh fhéin. |
| sian | weather. |
| seathan | protection. |
| diochd | what a repetition when that was enough, that was enough without a repetition, as this is one meaning from a Harris usage, daily use of the word. |
| sgeodadh | part of cloth showing where unwanted. E sgeodadh a mach. |
| sgòbadh | pointing, showing pointingly. Etymological, ‘gob’ as a sail of a boat. Also gobadh. |
| gobadh | [See sgòbadh.] |
| labhrach | talkative. |
| greim-lòin | rheumatic pain. |
| greim | a stitch of pain as greim ’na thaobh. |
| crònaire | crooner. |
| falcaire | a bird dipper; in general terms, his characteristics are he dips his head underwater. |
| fòr-dhorus | escape door. |
| toll-smùide | a hole escape for smoke. |
| cor-eathainn | a simple character of a female, when living beyond her means and reference is made to her extravancy [sic] [extravagancy?] in the home, someone will reply ‘a chor-eathain’ [sic] meaning silly. The term is still current. |
| loc-cadail | wink of sleep. |
| suabarsaich | swinging. |
| séilear | seller [sic] [cellar?] where whisky is stored in barrels. |
| siocadh | declining slowly. |
| geaghanadh | tampering. A’ geaghanadh ris. |
| cràic | a heavy crop of hair. Cràic fhuilt. |
| sgròbadh | taking fish off the hooks as from the hooks of great-lines. A club or a hook with a wooden handle is used; the fish is hooked on the surface of the sea from the boat, to avoid the strain, or a strain coming on the line thus endangering the loss of the fish. Being pulled by the ‘snid’, could perhaps be the means of a hook loosing its grip. The whole operation is termed ‘sgròbadh’. (Harris) |
| tobar-talamh-toll | a well in broken ground. |
| marbh-ghaoth | draught. |
| bocsa-na-mionnan | witness box. |
| stalairt | spring weighing machine. (Harris) |
| ròbhaire | rover. |
| gamhlanach | antagonistic. |
| àilgheasach | fussy. Nach tu tha àilgheasach. – a remark when a person doesn’t give much reception or welcome to a meal, which he doesn’t feel like having, finding it in say in a distasteful flavour to him, and him so fussy, ‘ailgheasach’ [sic]. (Harris) |
| glug | liquid motion in an egg when shaken and listened and placed near the ear. |
| sgadan-spanaidh | spawning herring. Sgadan làn mealag is iuchair – full of milt and roe (literally). |
| colaideach | hub hub movement. |
| cèipearsaich | capers. |
| cèip | cap. |
| riochdadh | representing. |
| garan-creige | shoemaker fish. |
| asaid | time of giving birth. Là a h-asaid – the day of her giving birth to a child (woman’s childbirth). |
| hug is oireann | refrain. Thug e hug is oireann air. – giving a good backing, an energetic approach to anything. In another form: Cha b’fhiach e óró gheallaidh… |
| craingeal | a forever complainer, as ‘craingeal balach’. |
| catachan | petted youth. ’S e catachan beag th’ann. Old expression, I do not think it’s quite obsolete. |
| gearrachrann | an area, flat part of the ground covered with tree, from ‘geàrraidh chrann’. |
| gearrachran | [See gearrachrann.] |
| ruaigean | a person being chased. One meaning. |
| bousadaich | jumping up and down as on a sofa, or on a floor as: a’ bousadaich air an làr – ‘bouncing’ on the floor. |
| boustair | bolster; the phrase, sentence: Bha ’m boustair fliuch. |
| steonc | good. Tha e steonc. – it is good. This is an unfamiliar word in vocabulary list or lists, or if at all listed or noted. It’s a modern word (Harris). It may be an invented word. |
| leac | a hard patch or an unusual hard patch on the side of an animal, on the flesh caused by a hurt, etc. Bha e ’na leac air a taobh. |
| liath-reodhadh | hoarfrost. |
| fuil reodhta | frozen blood. |
| bumaileireachd | rude, bully like performance. |
| spòrsalachd | sportsmanship. |
| criamhal | undeformed [sic] person. |
| gliuchddail | [sic] hinding [sic] in an irregular peeping sort of movement commonplace to human beings. |
| grìp | a scowl. Tha grìp air leis an fhuachd. (Harris) |
| creabhal-ruadh | brownish gravel of brown coloured brittle stones and a mixture of a brownish clay. |
| criadh-gheal | white clay. |
| sàileagan | water brash. |
| [mint] | Note: A gentleman on the island of Scalpay, Harris, years and years back used to put some plants, in particular the mint plant, into his ‘larder’ to keep the ‘mice’ away. |
| slir | a collection of children, or a crowd. (Another rendering of, I suppose, the word ‘lir’.) Nach ann as do dheaghaidh tha slir. |
| calcachadh | caking, or caulking into a solid, as thick fluid of any kind forming into a solid and causing obstruction in a tube, etc. |
| raoilleachan | roller. |
| biast | beast; also referred to a human being, to a female more aptly as: isd a bhiast, when the same female tells something of a sort distasteful, or some disappointment, etc. towards someone else, in again a sort like disapproval, the reply comes: isd a bhéist, be quiet ‘beast’ literally, considering the reply as from a beast, unruly? (Harris; it’s a common word. Is this your definition of it?) |
| lasachadh | halt. Gun lasachadh – without a halt. |
| lasag | little spark. |
| sliuchdadh | slithering in between as a flat thin stone under a big one when building a wall. ’G sliuchdadh a stigh eadarra – between the big stones. |
| aran-milis | sweet bread. |
| dìth-connaidh | lack of fuel. |
| dioghla | revenge. |
| sgoth-Niseach | boat built in Ness, Lewis. [Cf. sgoth-Gheàrrlach.] |
| sgoth-Gheàrrlach | boat built in Gairloch, Scotland. [Cf. sgoth-Niseach.] Identical by their shape, a particular mould of boats, known by their structure. |
| dròbh | drove. Gillean a bhaile dol dhachaidh nan dròbhan. – humanly speaking. |
| broillean | breast, throat, external part of the throat in a bird (hen) or animal. |
| cuairtealan (n) | in circuits, round about; a person moving around. E falbh an sud ’na cuairtealan. |
| sploitcheadh (v) | blotching. Bha ’cheò a’ sploitcheadh a mach. |
| biasdail | beastly. |
| sgiolmalach | various [?] in speech and action, as an unstable female in particular, changeable in story and actions. |
| smùid | at an extra working pace as: Smùid aige le sùist air an arbhar. |
| sùist | flail (Lewis). Buailtean – more common on Harris. |
| buailtean | a flail for thrashing the corn, etc. Cha robh cuip a bh’air an cùlabh nach deanadh a chùis ’na bhuailtean; orra mo dhùirn orra a thopan, ’s mo sheachd mollachd aig an cluasan. – song (Harris), (a Harris song). Reference to rats; here ‘cuip’ indicates their tail(s). |
| tathadh-is-dà-thionndadh | not cooked; fried hurriedly as in frying meat, etc. thus uncooked, meaning that it touched the pan and no more (one definition). |
| risideadh | rushing. |
| [lus-nan-laogh] | Note 2: Herbal cures were bottled, for example the dispensary from Lus-nan-Laogh, calf plant, was. It had a very sour taste, and showed the colour of black in the bottle, or a very dark colour. This plant was very popular with cures, it served as a cure in other words for many ailments. |
| ruais | fury, angry. Chaidh e o ruais. – he went under anger (literally). (Harris) |
| marshadh | marching (anglicised word, development). |
| mèrcheadh | [See marshadh.] |
| mèirdseadh | [See marshadh.] |
| [herbal procedure] | Note 3: The plants, herbal procedure, dispensary meant the plants or herbs or whatever in this line was to be undertaken, the plants were either grounded [sic] or broken up in bits to the size appropriate for a pot to hold on the fire, etc. for infusion, etc. In the case of mice, could be used tied in a small sheave [sic] or placed in a form, cuttings, as long as part or a length, etc. was in the way of mice. The likelihood of the scent was disagreeable with mice, and to nibble it and taken [sic] could be effective according to a source I have previously recorded, in the effect of the plant mint. |
| polasdaireachd | puddling [sic], a while walking to and fro. |
| pulla | a spell. Bh’air dhomh pulla dhe. |
| bòideachadh | swearing. E boideachadh [sic] nach téid e tuilleadh ann. |
| snigean | … snigean air. A person used to pat someone on the shoulder and interj. or it was perhaps? and he would say ‘snigean air’? It’s obsolete, the word. I have not the meaning at the moment. You may have it? |
| sgadan ùr | fresh herring. |
| buathlam | rudeness, ignorance, indirection. Anns a’ bhuath lam [sic] bh’aige. |
| gillidh | gillie. |
| gillidh-òrams | complicated delicate machinery parts. Reference to it is: Abair gillidh-òrams – numerous gadgets. |
| gillidh-òrams | numerous gadgets. |
| tridealaich | intricate parts in a machinery. Abair tridealaich. |
| trubadh | trooping; trooping the colours. |
| garralach | rough ground, terrain. |
| garbhlach | [See garralach.] |
| cruadhlach | terrain. |
| criamhsgagach | bowed [sic] legged, out of joint, in different directions, effective legs bending out from the right position. |
| crausg | a bent person, deformed. |
| crausgach (adj) | having deformed physical characteristics. |
| lànfhacal | full report. |
| trausaire | drawler, in speech or action. |
| drabhsanach | grizzling, as meat on a frying pan. |
| sgillinn | penny (Harris). In various places ‘sgilling’, I think? |
| druim | herring showing plentiful on the surface seems to appear, or make the surface look like having a lump, back, as lifting the sea up a bit visionary. Bha druim air a’ mhuir leis. – expression. |
| eithear-lion | boat(s) operating with nets. |
| trealaich-mara | mixture of material in connection with fishing, unwanted or useless bits of ropes; could be applied to flotsam. |
| lionan (adj ) | [sic] nets. |
| linn | [See lionan.] |
| praic | children of various ages. |
| rògach | blustery as weather. |
| luspach | clumsy, not alert female. A luspach a bha thu ann. – what a slow person you were when you did act (lit. meaning). |
| rògaireachd | roguery; roguery actions. |
| [fionnadh a chait] | Note 4: (also) ‘Fionnadh a chait’ was a remedy for cuts on the Island of Scalpay, Harris fifty years ago. An informant told me that the remedy was applied to a cut on her forehead by her father, and that was about 50 years ago (from 1978). Her father cut some of the cats [sic] hair with the scissors and spread the hair on a bandage and then on to the cut, it was believed that it had healing properties beside effective in the case of bleeding and seemingly a ‘disinfectant’ advantage. My informant again showed me where the cut was on her forehead. You could hardly believe there was a cut there, it healed that well, by very close observation you could discover there was something not of a mark very distinguishable. |
| stocainn Sandag Claus | [?] Christmas Stocking. |
| onglaid | omelette. Perhaps invented? |
| siabanaich | floating by the shore as sea-weed. Siabanaich ris a’ chladach. Fiamainn shiabaidh. |
| gormadh | turning blue, as the colour of a hand or food [sic] have poison from a wood. Bha làmh aige gormadh. |
| bid | chirp, imitation of a bird note of music. Bha mi cluinntinn bid, bid, bid aige. |
| tìde-throm | heavy weather. |
| aimsir-throm | [See tìde-throm.] |
| feàrad | [sic] improvement. Dé ’n fheàrrad th’oirre. |
| òisealachd | a silly woman’s characteristics, actions. |
| bìb | pleep [sic], spark of sound, iota. Cha robh bìb fhéin aice. |
| blibeire | one prone to soften into tears. |
| seòrbag | a fly canny sneakish female. |
| togail-na-mara | force of wind whipping the sea (exp.). |
| tulganaich | rocking. Anns an tulganaich a bh’aice. |
| rùm-amair | bathroom. |
| rum-amair-nighe | [sic] [See rùm-amair.] |
| cop-sàil | sea-foam. |
| cròbhladh | groping as in the dark. A’ crobhladh [sic] ris a’ bhalla. |
| togail-ri-cuain | preparing for a sea voyage; or sailed on a sea-journey. |
| seòlaireachd | a person continually going from place to place. Dé ’n seòlaireachd. Perhaps from ‘seòldaireachd’ through corruption. |
| seòladh | sailing. The most frequent term on Harris. |
| foinne | a knot on a fishing net is termed as ‘foinne’. |
| seotaire | nosy character, idler. B’e sibh na seotairean. |
| tionnasnadh | premonition. Tha tionnasnadh oirbh. (Harris) |
| tighinnasnadh | [See tionnasnadh.] |
| càl-greannach | cauliflower. |
| toinneamh | twist, twist in a rope, surf in the sea, as: Tha toinneamh anns a’ mhuir. |
| muir-dhorcha | dark coloured sea, of a dark brownish colour due to rainwater by the shore, only showing by the shore where the sea is shallow. |
| muir-ruighinn | high waves. |
| ruith | run. Tha ruith anns a mhuir. – the sea coming forward and receding, noticeable, more than usual, immediately coming forward and then receding. Perhaps it could be termed ‘làgraid’, but of a more demonstrable effect. |
| geala-bhean | beauty queen. |
| roc-ìseal | bottom sea tangle, submerged sea-tangle on the bottom or the floor of the sea. |
| tiùra-àrd | brac [sic] left further up on the beach. |
| bliochd | cream. Bliochd chanastairean – tinned cream. Or ‘uachdar Gallda’ as sometimes termed. |
| stàrragan | remains of rotten teeth in the gum. |
| feòil-marbhaidh | butchered meat. |
| suainte | entangled. |
| spàgaire | splay footed person. |
| sgimealadh | skipping in the movement. 2. approaching to scheme. 3. skipping along to approach to a scheme. |
| amais | happened by chance. (Harris) |
| spliachdadh | spreading, as clay being spread. Dha spliachdadh air a’ chloich. (Harris) |
| dearg-chuthach | violent anger. |
| dearg-chaodhach | [See dearg-chuthach.] (Harris) |
| seisidh | bench. |
| beingidh | bench. |
| sgoil-sheòldairean | navigational class for seamen. |
| sgoil-bhocsaididh | [?] school for the instruction of boxing sport. [NOTES: originally ‘sgoil-bhocsaigidh’ corrected to ‘sgoil-bhocsaididh’ or the other way round – not clear.] |
| bocsair | boxer. |
| diseag (noun) | a young girl who likes being continually beside the fire. |
| rupalachd | selling rubbish. I think this meaning for this word is authentic as selling rubbish, unless you have a far more authentic version. It originated from ‘rup’ – sell out (Harris). |
| ceum-coilich | a rooster’s step, length of a rooster’s step (lit.). Fad ceum coilich is e sin an fhaid th’ann am feasgar bliadhn’ ùire (Harris). Is e sin an latha air tighinn cho fada ri fad ceum coilich, ann am facail eile. |
| fàs-fuilt | hair growing well indicates the health and growth of the body. Fàs fuilt fàs cuirp. |
| fàs-cuirp | growth of the body applied to children, and the young. Fàs fuilt fàs cuirp. |
| [hiccup] | Hiccup was cured, stopped immediately if the patient was disturbed mentally a bit, or made excited, by approaching him with a phrase like remark in say accusing of him [sic] stealing. When the hiccup is detected say ‘Ghoid thusa airgead orm-sa’, and this being the method of having the patient so to speak of responding to a critical [sic], and having received what could emotionally disturb him as much as to affect him causing the dismissal of the hiccup. |
| ashadh | storm tossed, rough passage as at sea. Fhuair iad ashadh a dol tarsainn a’ chuain an dé. (Harris) |
| lap | succumbed to cold. |
| eilean-anabaich | promontory. |
| sanndachadh | wishing, desirous, etc. (group of words). |
| labhartach | talkative. |
| abhras | the bottom part of a ‘drift-net’, fishing net. |
| lasganaich | outburst of laughter. (Harris) |
| flùr | flour. Min flùir. |
| rèileadh | whipping. ’G a rèileadh timchioll le straing. |
| ruighinneachd | slowness. |
| ruiseireachd | rushing. |
| ruighinneas | slowness. |
| Ruaireachan | personal name, dim. of Ruairidh. (Harris) |
| socaireachd | easiness. |
| plathag | a small gust of wind, a sudden faint impulse of wind. |
| sgolag | rinse. Cuir sgolag uisg’ ann. Thoir sgolag air. Co air? Air a chupa. Cuir sgolag air t’aodann. |
| sgibearsaich | skipping. |
| clipearsaich | [See sgibearsaich.] |
| riaslaiche (Plural -an) | a person in difficulties. 2. a humdrum of a person. |
| ùisig | use (Harris). This term on Harris. |
| ùisnich | [See ùisig.] |
| spàrr-gaoithe | a rafter in an old thatched house, of olden times. (Harris) |
| ball-acain | tackle rope. |
| sèb | feast. |
| seip | [See sèb.] |
| sitigeach (adj) | midden like appearance. Àite sitigeach. |
| sitig-àite | midden of a place. A term or a compound word. Commonplace on Scalpay, island in Harris. |
| [cure for colds] | Note 5: Another cure for colds was a dip in the sea and then off to bed for sometime, an interval, etc. A gentleman on the Island of Scalpay years back was under a dose of cold. While he was engaged in mooring a boat he had, he fell accidentally into the sea at the point of disembarkation, this was by the shore. The place by the shore was shallow, he pulled himself over the seaweed on to the rocks, he had his clothes on, of course. On arriving home he immediately changed into fresh dry clothing again, of course, and found its [sic] ordeal so refreshing, and the cold none the worse, and by next day the cold ‘was gone’. |
| [cure for backache] | Note 6: Another cure for backache if the ache showed the symptoms of a strain was the patient sleeping on a (hard) wooden bed, that is without a soft mattress, as the movement of the mattress did not help but seemingly the back of the patient responded better to the non-movement of the underpart of the bed, wooden or boards, thus believed to ease the ache on to the patient’s recovery. |
| [paraffin oil] | Note 7: Paraffin oil was adapted as an antiseptic in the cure of cuts, pouring a little quantity, or drops of paraffin on a cut; and also urine, fresh urine. |
| [antiseptics] | Note 8 (series): Antiseptics. 1. A cut being licked by a dog, that is letting the dog lick the cut with his tongue meant an antiseptic method. 2. Epsom salts – washed in or with water in which Epsom salts is diluted – the cut. 3. Hot water as hot as the patient could bear. 4. Coarse salt diluted in water, hot or cold, was used as a mouthwash in connection with decayed teeth, etc. 5. Tar smoke, or smoke from burning tar, coal tar or archangel tar, whiffs from it if inhaled lightly were a relief for bronchitis, congestion, catarrh. 6. Whisky and brandy were used as stimulants. As in faints. Rum and raw eggs, rum mixed with beaten raw eggs served as tonic. I remember seeing a gentleman using the first draft of undistilled whisky, a ‘gharbh-ghucag’ as a ‘liquid ointment’ for rheumatics, by rubbing it to the affected part. |
| plugadh | shacking [sic] [shaking?] a person, to pressing [sic] him in a shaky manner. |
| talamh-beò | brittle ground. |
| briste-spioraid | broken spirit, as referred to a person. ’S e briste-spioraid th’ann. (Harris) |
| tàircean | big lumps of peat. ’S e taircean [sic] a tha thu gearradh. – out of proportion, of unusual size, thickness, etc. |
| slupaire | a person making a gurgling noise when drinking, out of a cup or any utensil, sucking liquid causing a gurgling noise. |
| slupadaich | gurgling noise, as of liquid when sucked; or the sound form a child’s movement of feet in a puddle. |
| bac-sgulagaidh | a cut in a stern of a boat, in a stern of a yawl, for sculling, where the oar is placed. |
| bac-na-sleisde | back of the thigh. |
| bac-na-h-iosgaid | back of the knee. |
| giamhadaich | pilfering. A giamhadaich timchioll – moving slowly about as an old man. (Harris) |
| sgleaparsaich (v) | muddling in mire. |
| sgleap | phlegm. (Harris) |
| sibeal | a tall person. |
| ruspag | a wee rasp with a file. Thug mi ruspag air. Thug mi ruspag air leis an t-sàbh. |
| bodach-na-Nollaige | Santa Claus. |
| leiteachas | disdain. |
| bodachan-ruadh | codling, fish. |
| bodachan | wee old man; also fish, codling. |
| bodach | old man, codling fish. |
| tathag | hint (Lewis). In Harris ‘sgiobaideag’ is a common word with them in this sense: i tilgeil sgiobaideagan air. |
| [sgiobaideag] | [See tathag.] |
| sircleag | weakly female. |
| tocadh | swelling. |
| tocachadh | in the act of swelling. |
| giùsbag | female sexual organ. |
| slubaisteach | in a muddy part, as a duck with her beak movement in a puddle. |
| slubaiste (n) | mixture of a soft ingredient, soft mixture. Dé an slubaiste tha agad air an lianaidh. |
| flèirichean (plural) | embroidery. Dé na flèirichean a bha ris an aid aice. |
| flùraichean | [?] [See flèirichean.] |
| bhèile | veil. |
| flèirich (n) | edge embroidery, perhaps more decorative than ‘flèir’. Yes, as on a hat, a woman’s hat, as one example. |
| flèir (n) | [See flèirich.] |
| as-alt | out of joint. |
| mionnach-as | disembowel(ling). |
| slipeadaich | prowling movement in a slipping manner, etc. |
| sleuchdadh (v) | bowing (still current term). |
| stròiceadh | tearing (still current term). |
| ille-bhig | small boy; ref. addressing a small boy. Ille-bhig cà ’eil thu dol. (Harris) |
| poc-lion | trammel. |
| poc’-an-linn | bag of the net, or cod-end of the net. |
| cracaireachd | cracks; telling jokes or cracks. Bha e cracaireachd. |
| poca-seòlaidh | sailor’s kit-bag. |
| pac | crowd of people. ’S iad pac cho suaimheanta ’s chunna mi riamh. (Harris) |
| bòicean-fala | blood blisters. |
| [a’ leigeal air an at] | Note 9: ‘A’ leigeal air an at’. An infested wound being pricked to enable the fester to discharge. A lance, a needle or the cut throat razor was used in the olden days, as we say. A lance was the professional way of doing it, or the doctor’s, the qualified doctor’s way of doing it, while it was done amateurish by a razor or a sewing needle, showing the same results, to a certain extent if not to the same technique. Before this operation was done, first of all the wound was brought to the point of a burst, say, that is with poultices, and after the fester being abstracted to the point again of having the collection of fester released. |
| boinealaich | drops of rain in the wind. Tha boinealaich ann. |
| bonalaich | [See boinealaich.] |
| plunndaire | plunderer. |
| pliutag | a child’s hand, palm of the hand. |
| pliuthag | a slight slap of the hand to prevent a child from mischief, for rebuke, correction. Thug mi pliuthag dha mu chùl an dùirn. |
| phlait | flat. Cha [sic] e ’na phlait air an làr. |
| stiùghaigeadh | stewing. |
| scròcail | croaking. I think this word was adopted years back, could be from ‘rocail’ and formed from the conjunction ‘agus…’ thus ‘is rocail’, something to this effect. It may again be a matter of pronunciation, but it’s obsolete, I am afraid. I am rather vague on this one. It’s a corruption? If you have the word, or a word like it, it may lead you to understand if it’s quite appropriate to use it? |
| còta-cutaidh | an oilskin coat used by women gutters, at the herring gutting. |
| leamhaire | sickening person in a conversation. |
| gleansa | polish, shine. Seall an gleans’ th’ann ’s na brògan aige. (Harris) |
| [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. |
| pròs | brose. Recipe: brose was simply oatmeal with a pinch of salt, little sugar, a tea spoonful, boiling water poured on and mixed not into too soft a paste – and eaten. |
| préis-lite | the pot in which porridge was cooked. |
| feadraigeadh | at the height of having steam up in the old fishing drifters. The old fishing drifters with boilers being fed by coal fuel. When the fire-men had the boilers well fed with coal and the water in the boiler at the height of boiling point and force of steam, it showed on a dial by what was indicated as a feather – thus feadraigeadh. |
| fèdrigeadh | [See feadraigeadh.] |
| ‘feadan nam beann’ | I have heard this term on Harris. I take it to be an area exposed to the sea where the wind shrieks more than anywhere else, between an irregularity of rocks and holes, thus a ‘whirlwind’ causing a whistling sound. |
| slaisteachadh | slashing. A’ mhuir a slaisteachadh ri tir. |
| smùid-mhara | sea spray. |
| marag-dheocaidh | pudding made from the entrails of sheep. |
| organ-eaglais | church organ. |
| clag-na-h-eaglais | church bell. Seirm clag na h-eaglais. |
| inneag | note. (From ‘inneas’ perhaps a corruption, it’s an obsolete word, I think.) |
| glongail | a muffled, mumbling, drawl talk. |
| glongal | [See glongail.] |
| praoidhteadh (v) | piece together. ’G a phraoidhteadh ri chéile – piecing it together. |
| sturc | stirk. |
| cùis-chac | disgust. A female living extravagantly or elaborately is termed as: Nach i a’ chùis chac. |
| cùis-ghac | [See cùis-chac.] |
| plèic | plaque [?]. [NOTES: or plague – not clear.] |
| plèig | [See plèic.] |
| plùiste | pressed. |
| plùsgadh (v) | pressing. E dha plùsgadh. |
| pleistear | plaster; a plaster of gelatine explosion on a rock, for breaking it. |
| péisd | paste. |
| creag-fhuasgailte | loose rock. |
| claoiceireachd | clowning. |
| cainntear | talker, orator. |
| braon | dew, sweat. Braon dhe. |
| earball-gobhlach | dove tail [sic]. |
| clach-ghobhlach | dovetail stone, sculptured cut stone. |
| cansachadh | debating. |
| guilpeanach | oystercatcher bird. |
| geilpeanach | [See guilpeanach.] (Harris) |
| trocaireachd | collection of scrap material. |
| croiteachan | humped [sic] backed person (male). |
| crotachan | [See croiteachan.] |
| seid-luachrach | lair of rushes. |
| eithear-mara | seaworthy boat. ’S e eithear mara math th’innte. – having stability in rough seas. |
| sugair | sucker. |
| seib | jib sail in a boat. |
| bòm | boom in a sailing boat. |
| bà bà | interj. of a lullaby. |
| pìceach | miserly [?]; miser, afraid to spend. |
| pìcire | miser. |
| stichdire | packer. |
| fear-stòir | store keeper. |
| stòladh | sitting still. Fiach gu téid stòladh ort. 2. Fiach gu suidh’ thu stòlta. – try and sit still. |
| fear-a-bhùird | a representative of the Agricultural and Fishery Board. |
| fear-nam-fiaclan | dentist. |
| fear-an-tigh-sholuis | light keeper. |
| rathad-beinne | a moorland road. |
| rathad-mòineadh | peat road. |
| rathad-cam | a road with turnings. |
| ceum-monaidh | foot path in a moor. |
| ceum-cas | a steep foot path. |
| ceum-chas | foot path. |
| slighe-coise | journey by foot. |
| nead-na-starraig | crow’s nest. Ann an nead na starraig – in the crow’s nest of a mast in a sailing vessel, merchantman, merchant vessel. |
| brògaire | a shoemaker’s tool for boring leather. |
| peipear-gleansach | silver paper. |
| ceann-simileir | chimney end of a house. |
| ceò-uisge | drizzle. |
| fead-gaoithe | whistling wind. |
| tobhar-mara | seaware. |
| riachd-faoileig | seagull’s cry. |
| ceann-traghad | ebb end. |
| coileach-circe | hen cockerel. A distinction term to differ [sic] a one kind or species of cockerel from the other. |
| stóbhladh | forcing as in the case of eating. Dha stobhladh [sic] air – forcing to eat more than what the eater is able to eat. |
| bòrd-nighe | washing board. |
| bòrd-cruaidh | hard board. |
| os-cionn-nam-bòrd | deck cargo. This was a term in connection with sailors of the schooner days at sea, which became obsolete, yes, the term. Na bha os cionn nam bòrd – the hull. |
| a’ beagadh-nan-seòl | lessening sail. 2. shortening sail. |
| a’ riofadh-nan-seòl | [See a’ beagadh-nan-seòl.] |
| lagachadh leis | falling slightly leeward. |
| rùm gu tionndadh | space to turn. |
| crathadh rithe | sails shaking, when the vessel was steered into the wind straight to make the sails furl. |
| fuasgladh gu falbh | loosening (ropes) or untying to leave (lit.). |
| cota-bhior | knitted coat, (½) coat as on children. |
| froga-canbhais | canvas frock worn by fishermen. |
| bròn-mara | sea-sorrow. |
| gairt | famine. Gairt earraich am measg an spréidh. (obsolete expression) (Not ‘cairt’ – a card.) |
| goirt | [See gairt.] |
| sgot-beòil | (quboqual [?] [colloquial?]) no sense of verbal speech (old term). |
| clister | a tall man, person. |
| clistrigeadh | giving a person a bout, or rough handling in a brawl. |
| sgimheadh | a note of sound. Cha do thàrr e sgimheadh. (Harris) |
| bubalan | organ of a male child, sexual organ of a male child. |
| bò bò | (interj.) to denote a turning away from what is prohibited by a parent or adult for a child to do, as attempting to run into an unsafe place, in particular into the night if he may find a door opened, etc. etc.; to frighten him. |
| bou-ou | (interj.) sound made to draw a child’s attention to a dog. |
| bac | prevent. |
| bun-bac | a lug sail in a boat in a certain position, lowered; ‘bun’, below. |
| bun-a-chroinn | a lug sail in a boat hooked at the bottom of the mast. |
| bleitrigeadh | blethering. |
| stoc | stock. Stoc-a’-bhàta. Stoc-craoibhe. Stoc-na-leabadh. Stoc-an-eithir. Stoc-chaorach. Stoc anns a’ bhùtha. Gun stoc neo stòr. Gun bhòrd, gun eithear. Aig bun an stuic. Deireadh stuic, etc. etc. |
| druthaire (pl. druthairean) | convulsion. |
| pròisealachd | pride; smelling high as termed. Tha i smèilligeadh, etc. – proud. |
| bracail | proud. |
| glibideach (adj) | not expertly; no sense of an expert; bandy; as a person with some handicap, personally, lack of limb, etc. |
| glibid (noun) | deformed person of a minor sense; thus him finding himself awkward in movement of limb, and slow process of action. |
| clab | gap [sic]. Dùin do chlab. – shut your gab. |
| clap | (V.D.) venereal disease. |
| clapadaich | noisy in speech; verbally noisy. Dé a chlapadaich th’air. Especially when the sentiments, speech are boring, etc. |
| toradh (v) | accumulating. A’ toradh suas gun tàmh. |
| toireadh | [See toradh.] |
| toradh | fruit. Toradh na talamh. |
| peannt-ite | feather pen, goose quill pen. Peann-oir – pen with a gold nib. Peann-airgid – with a silver nib or (one of gold and silver) wholly of silver. |
| bòtunnan-beaga | ankle size ‘wellies’, wellingtons. |
| seice-mairt | cow hind. Brògan de sheice mairt. |
| buinn-chloimhe | woollen soles, padding of wool inside a boot or shoe. |
| buinn-uachdair-cloimhe | [See buinn-chloimhe.] |
| leathar-uachdair | top leather part of a boot or shoe. |
| buinn-leathair | leather soles. |
| bóthaig-sheang | thin body part, torso downwards. |
| gaoirean | a trickle of water. |
| luchdaichte | fully filled with cargo, as a boat. |
| luchd-feamainn | a cargo of seaweed. |
| luchd-air-mo-bhroilleach | congestion on my chest. |
| luchd-broillich | congestion. |
| luchd-bròin | burden of sorrow. Thàinig luchd orm. |
| sliam | sleek [sic]; a composition of a thick sticky liquid. |
| learg-uaine | a green sward by an incline of a hill. |
| dearbhadh-peacaidh | conviction of sin. |
| dubh-pheacadh | black sin, real sin. Cho dubh ris a pheacadh. |
| bruachag-feòir | grassy lump. |
| guaillean-beinne | mountain shoulder. |
| donnag-dhonn | brown coloured ling? There is brown coloured ling with spots on its back, found by the shore, one of the same species white – there is the ‘donnag’ ref. to a small ling. But this one I think is the same in size but differs in colour. I think it’s referred to as ‘donnag-dhonn’. |
