Chapter V: Part 5

To be "weel faur'd" is to be good-looking; and the proverb is a
jocular allusion to the fact that the person addressed is not an
Apollo.

I think mair o' the sight than the ferlie.

I think mair o' your kindness than it's a' worth.

I think you hae taen the grumple-face.

Applied to persons who make a show of displeasure at anything which
may be said or done to them.

It keeps his nose at the grundstane.

It maun e'en be ower shoon ower boots wi' me now.

That is, since I have gone so far in the matter, I must go through
with it. "In for a penny in for a pound."--_English._

It may be that swine may flee, but it's no an ilka day's bird.

An emphatic expression of incredulity at an extraordinary, or what
may be deemed improbable, statement.

It may be true what some men say; it maun be true what a' men say.

It may come in an hour what winna gang in seven years.

It's a bare moor that ye gang through an' no get a heather cow.

A "heather cow," a twig or tuft of heath. Equivalent to the English
saying, "It is a long lane that has no turning."

It's a bauch brewing that's no gude in the newing.

"It's a bauld moon," quo' Bennygask--"Anither pint," quo' Lesley.

This saying has nothing to recommend it but its antiquity. It
expresses the reluctance of a convivial party to break up.

"'Hout, awa, Inverashalloch,' said Galbraith;--'Mind the auld saw,
man--It's a bauld moon, quo' Bennygask--Anither pint, quo'
Lesley;--we'll no start for anither chappin.'"--_Rob Roy._

It's a cauld stamach that naething hets on.

It's dry tale that disna end in a drink.

It's a far cry to Lochow.

That any speaking or application is useless. The person addressed
either will not or cannot hear.

It's a friend that ruses you.

It's a gude goose that draps aye.

It's a gude maut that comes wi' will.

It's a gude poor man's blade; it will bend ere it break.

"Spoken of an ill-tempered knife, that will stand as it is bent, or
the like."--_Kelly._

It's a gude tongue that says nae ill, but a better heart that thinks nane.

It's a gude tree that has neither knap nor gaw.

That is, a good thing that is without fault.

It's a gude enough warld if it haud.

A jocular reply to those who complain that this world is a "weary"
one.

It's a gude warld, but it's ill divided.

"It's hardly in a body's pow'r
To keep at times frae being sour,
To see how things are shar'd,--
How best o' chiels are whiles in want,
While coofs on countless thousands rant,
And kenna how to wair't."--_Burns._

It's a gude warld, but they're ill that are in't.

It's a gude wood that hath ne'er a withered branch in it.

It's a lamb at the up-takin', but an auld sheep or ye get it aff.

In allusion to the unconscious contraction of bad habits.

It's an ill bargain where nane wins.

It's an ill bird that files its ain nest.

"Where's the use o' vilifying ane's country, and bringing a
discredit on ane's kin, before Southrens and strangers? It's an ill
bird that files its ain nest."--_Rob Roy._

It's an ill cause that the lawyer thinks shame o'.

It's an ill fight where he that wins has the warst o't.

It's an ill kitchen that keeps the bread awa.

Or an ill master that starves his servants.

It's an ill pack that's no worth the custom.

It's an ill thow that comes frae the north.

It's an ill turn that patience winna owercome.

It's an ill wind that blaws naebody gude.

It's a' outs an' ins, like Willie Wood's wife's wame.

It's a pity fair weather should e'er do harm.

It's a poor tongue that canna tell its ain name.

"'Nane o' your deil's play-books for me,' said Lucky Dods; 'it's an
ill world since sic prick-my-dainty doings came into fashion. It's a
poor tongue that canna tell its ain name, and I'll hae nane o' your
scarts upon pasteboard.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

It's a poor world that winna gie a bit and a brat.

It's a rare thing for siller to lack a maister.

It's a sair dung bairn that mayna greet.

It's a sair field where a's dung down.

It's a sair time when the mouse looks out o' the meal barrel wi' a tear in its ee.

It's a sairy collop that's ta'en aff a chicken.

It's a sairy flock where the ewie bears the bell.

That is, a "sairy," uncomfortable, or poor house where the wife
commands, "though," as Kelly slily remarks, "there are some such
houses in the world."

It's a sairy mouse that has but ae hole.

It's a shame to eat the cow an' worry on the tail.

To "eat the cow," &c., is to overlook very great faults, and make a
severe example of a trifling one.

It's a silly hen that canna scrape for ae bird.

It's a sin to lee on the deil.

It's a sma' sheil that gies nae shelter.

It's as plain as a pike staff.

"Na, na, gudeman, ye needna be sae mim; every body kens, and I ken
too, that ye're ettling at the magistracy. It's as plain as a pike
staff, gudeman, and I'll no let ye rest if ye dinna mak me a
bailie's wife or a' be done."--_The Provost._

It's a sooth dream that's seen waking.

It's a sour reek when the gudewife dings the gudeman.

"A man in my country coming out of his house with tears on his
cheeks, was asked the occasion; he said, 'There was a sour reek in
the house;' but, upon further inquiry, it was found that his wife
had beaten him."--_Kelly._

It's a staunch house that there's never a drap in.

It's as true as Biglam's cat crew, and the cock rock'd the cradle.

It's a thrawn-fac'd wean that's gotten against the father's will.

It's a' tint that's done to auld folk an' bairns.

"It's aye gude to be ceevil," quo' the auld wife when she beckit to the deevil.

A dying Spaniard was being exhorted by his confessor, who told him
that the wicked were sent to hell and subjected to all manner of
torments by the devil. "I hope," said the Spaniard, "my lord the
devil is not so cruel." His confessor reproved the levity of the
wish. "Excuse me," said the Don, "I know not into whose hands I may
fall; and if I happen to fall into his, I hope he will use me the
better for giving him good words."

It's best travelling wi' a horse in your hand.

Simply, that it is better to travel on horseback than on foot.

It's better sheltering under an auld hedge than under a new planted wood.

It's better to drag soon than draw late.

"Signifying that it is preferable to use strong measures in proper
season, than such as are more feeble when it is too
late."--_Jamieson._

It's better to sup wi' a cutty than want a spoon.

It's but a year sooner to the begging.

"Facetiously spoken when we design to be at a little more expense
than we thought."--_Kelly._

It's but kindly that the pock savour of the herring.

Literally, it is but natural that the bag should bear traces of what
it has contained.

It's by the mouth o' the cow that the milk comes.

According to the meat given, or means employed, is the quality of
milk, or the result obtained.

It's clean about the wren's door when there's nought within.

It's dear coft honey that's licked aff a thorn.

It's drink will you, but no drink shall you.

That is, a person's hospitality is not very warm. For courtesy's
sake he offers refreshments, but does not press them.

It's easier to big lums than keep them reeking.

It's easier to forgie than to forget.

It serves naething to strive wi' cripples.

"'Aweel, aweel,' said Hobbie, mounting his horse, 'it serves
naething to strive wi' cripples,--they are aye cankered; but I'll
just tell you ae thing, neighbour, that if things be otherwise than
weel wi' Grace Armstrong, I'se gie you a scouther if there be a tar
barrel in the five parishes.'"--_The Black Dwarf._

It sets a haggis to be roasted.

It sets you weel to gab wi' your bannet on.

It's far to seek an' ill to find.

It's folly to live poor to dee rich.

It's gane the thing I lo'ed you for.

It's God that feeds the craws, that neither till, harrow, nor saw.

It's growing to the grund, like a stirk's tail.

Meaning that a person, or project, is not progressing favourably.

It's gude baking beside the meal.

It's gude fighting under a buckler.

It's gude fishing in drumly waters.

It's gude fish when it's gripp'd.

It's gude game that fills the wame.

It's gude gear that pleases the merchant.

It's gude sleeping in a hale skin.

It's gude to begin weel, but better to end weel.

It's gude to be in your time; ye kenna how lang it may last.

"It's gude to be merry and wise," quo' the miller when he mouter'd twice.

The miller must have been more rogue than fool when he thus took
advantage of his customers, for to "mouter," as he did, is to take
the fees twice over.

It's gude to be out o' harm's gate.

It's gude to be sib to siller.

To be "sib to siller," is to be related to rich persons.

It's gude to dread the warst, the best will be the welcomer.

"Expect the worst, hope for the best, and bear whatever
happens."--_English._

It's gude to hae friends baith in heaven and in hell.

It's gude to hae your cog out when it rains kail.

That is, it is good to take advantage of any opportunities of
benefit or advancement which may come in our way: to "make hay while
the sun shines."

It's gude to nip the briar in the bud.

It's hard baith to hae and want.

It's hard for a greedy ee to hae a leal heart.

Or for a covetous person to be honest.

It's hard for an auld mare to leave aff flinging.

It's hard to be poor and leal.

It's hard to keep flax frae the lowe.

It's hard to sit in Rome and strive wi' the pope.

It's ill ale that's sour when it's new.

It's ill baith to pay and to pray.

It's ill bringing but what's no ben.

The meaning of this proverb is, that it is ill to produce what we
are not possessed of.

"'Swith roast a hen, or fry some chickens,
And send for ale to Maggy Pickens,'--
'Hout I,' quoth she, 'ye may weel ken,
'Tis ill brought but that's no there ben;
When but last owk, nae farder gane,
The laird got a' to pay his kain.'"--_Allan Ramsay._

It's ill limping before cripples.

It's ill meddling between the bark and the rind.

"It is a troublesome and thankless office to concern ourselves in
the jars and outfalls of near relations, as man and wife, parents
and children, &c."--_Kelly._

It's ill praising green barley.

Because it is hard to tell how it will turn out.

It's ill speaking between a fu' man and a fasting.

"I have been waiting this hour for you, and I have had a snack
myself; and, as they used to say in Scotland in my time--I do not
ken if the word be used now--there is ill talking between a full
body and a fasting."--_Heart of Midlothian._

It's ill taking corn frae geese.

It's ill to be ca'd a thief, an' aye found picking.

"It is ill to have a bad name, and to be often found in a suspicious
place or posture."--_Kelly._

It's ill to mak an unlawful oath, but waur to keep it.

It's ill to put a blythe face on a black heart.

It's ill to quarrel wi' a misrid warld.

It's ill to say it's wrang when my lord says it's right.

It is ill or dangerous to speak against those who are in authority.

It's ill to tak the breeks aff a Hielandman.

Highlanders proper wear none, so it means it is difficult to take
from a person that which he does not possess.

It's ill waur'd that wasters want.

It's kittle for the cheeks when the hurlbarrow gaes ower the brig o' the nose.

It's kittle shooting at corbies and clergy.

"As for your priesthood, I shall say but little,
Corbies and clergy are a shot right kittle;
But under favour o' your langer beard,
Abuse o' magistrates might weel be spared."--_Burns._

It's kittle to wauken sleeping dogs.

It's lang ere ye saddle a foal.

It's lang or four bare legs gather heat in a bed.

Applied to young people who get married before they have all that is
necessary for housekeeping.

"It's comfort to hae a frugal woman for a helpmate; but ye ken
now-a-days it's no the fashion for bare legs to come thegether. The
wife maun hae something to put in the pot as weel as the man."--_The
Entail._

It's lang or Like-to-dee fills the kirkyaird.

Spoken of those who are always complaining how ill they are, and
likely to die; but who, nevertheless, generally contrive to live as
long as other people.

It's lang or the deil dees at the dike side.

That is, it will be long ere we hear of the removal or death of a
particular person who is a cause of annoyance to us.

It's lang or ye need cry "Schew!" to an egg.

It's lang to Lammas.

"Spoken in jest when we forget to lay down bread at the table, as if
we had done it designedly, because it will be long ere new bread
come."--_Kelly._

It's like Truffy's courtship, short but pithy.

It's little o' God's might that makes a poor man a knight.

It's muckle gars tailors laugh, but souters girn aye.

It's nae laughing to girn in a widdy.

To "girn in a widdy" is to laugh or girn when a halter is round the
neck--meaning that it is no joke to be placed in a difficult or
dangerous position.

It's nae play when ane laughs and anither greets.

It's nae shift to want.

It's nae sin to tak a gude price, but in gieing ill measure.

It's nae mair ferlie to see a woman greet than to see a goose gang barefit.

"Mattie had ill will to see me set awa on this ride, and grat awee,
the silly tawpie; but it's nae mair ferlie to see a woman greet than
to see a goose gang barefit."--_Rob Roy._

It's nae wonder wasters want and lathrons lag behint.

It's needless pouring water on a drowned mouse.

It's neither a far road nor a foul gate.

It's neither here nor there, nor yet ayont the water.

It's neither rhyme nor reason.

It's no aye gude i' the maw what's sweet i' the mouth.

It's no easy to straucht in the oak the crook that grew in the sapling.

It's no for nought that the gled whistles.

"'I think,' said John Gudyill, while he busied himself in
re-charging his guns, 'they hae fund the falcon's neb a bit ower
hard for them--it's no for nought that the hawk whistles.'"--_Old
Mortality._

It's no lost what a friend gets.

It's no safe wading in unco waters.

It's no the burden, but the owerburden, that kills the beast.

It's no the cowl that maks the friar.

It's no the gear to traike.

"'Wha kens what would be the upshot o' a second marriage?'

"'That's looking far ben,' replied the laird; 'my wife, to be sure,
is a frail woman, but she's no the gear that 'ill traike.'"--_The
Entail._

It's no the rumblin' cart that fa's first ower the brae.

It is not the oldest or most likely person that dies first.

It's no tint that comes at last.

It's no "What is she?" but "What has she?"

It's no what we hae, but what we do wi' what we hae, that counts in heaven.

It's ower far between the kitchen an' the ha'.

It's ower late to lout when the head's got a clout.

"It is too late to throw water on the cinders when the house is
burnt down."--_Danish._

It's ower late to spare when the back's bare.

It's ower weel hoardet that canna be found.

It's past joking when the head's aff.

It's sair to haud drink frae drouth.

It spreads like muirburn.

"Muirburn," furze on fire. Said of ill news.

It's stinking praise comes out o' ane's ain mouth.

It stinks like a brock.

"Our gentry care sae little
For delvers, ditchers, and sic cattle;
They gang as saucy by poor folk,
As I would by a stinking brock."--_Burns._

It's the barley pickle breaks the naig's back.

It's the best feather in your wing.

It's the best spoke in your wheel.

It's the laird's commands, an' the loon maun loup.

Orders from those in authority, no matter how ridiculous or
unreasonable, must be obeyed. "There's nae bailie-courts among
them.... But it's just the laird's command, and the loon maun loup;
and the never anither law hae they but the length o' their
dirks."--_Rob Roy._

It's the life o' an auld hat to be weel cocket.

It's the wanton steed that scaurs at the windlestrae.

"Ghaist! my certie, I shall ghaist them--if they had their heads as
muckle on their wark as on their daffing they wad play na sic
pliskies--it's the wanton steed that scaurs at the windlestrae.
Ghaists! wha e'er heard of ghaists in an honest house!"--_St Ronan's
Well._

It's the waur o' the wear.

It's time enough to mak my bed when I'm gaun to lie down.

It's time enough to skreigh when ye're strucken.

It's weak i' the wow, like Barr's cat.

It's weel that our fauts are no written in our face.

It's weel won that's aff the wame.

Or well saved that is won from the belly.

It was but their claes that cast out.

"That is, the quarrel was not real, but only with design, in order
to accomplish some end."--_Kelly._

It was my luck, my leddy, and I canna get by it.

It wasna for naething that the cat licket the stane.

It were a pity to put a foul hand on't.

It were a pity to refuse ye, ye seek sae little.

It will aye be a dirty dub between them.

"A dirty dub," a puddle of foul water. That is, it will always be a
cause of contention between them.

It will be a feather in your cap.

It will be a feather out o' your wing.

It will be a het day gars you startle.

It will be an ill web to bleach.

It will be lang ere you wear to the knee lids.

It will be the last word o' his testament.

That is, he will delay doing a thing as long as possible.

It will come out yet, like hommel corn.

"Hommel corn," grain that has no beard. The meaning of the proverb
is, that on account of particular circumstances, a certain result
may be expected in due time.

It will haud out an honest man, but naething 'll haud out a rogue.

It will mak a braw show in a landward kirk.

Spoken when a person is asked to give an opinion of something which
is considered vulgar--that a gaudy article of dress will look well
in a country church--but only there.

It would be a hard task to follow a black dockit sow through a burnt muir this night.

It would be a pity to hae spoilt twa houses wi' them.

"Spoken when two ill-natured people are married."--_Kelly._

It would do a blind man gude to see't.

I will add a stane to his cairn.

A "cairn" is a heap of stones thrown together in a conical form to
mark the grave, or in memory, of a person. To add a stone may mean,
proverbially, that a person will bear testimony to the good
qualities of another.

"I winna mak a toil o' a pleasure," quo' the man when he buried his wife.

"A man going under his wife's head to the grave was bid go faster,
because the way was long and the day short; answered, 'I will not
make a toil of a pleasure.'"--_Kelly._

I wat weel how the world wags; he's best lik'd wha has maist bags.

I winna mak fish o' ane an' flesh o' anither.

I will favour no one, but will treat all alike.

I wish I had a string in his lug.

I wish it may be the first sight ye'll see.

An expression used when a person is telling that he has received a
promise of something welcome--it may be payment of an outstanding
account.

I wish you had brose to lay the hair o' your beard.

I wish you had wist what you said.

I wish you may hae as muckle Scotch as tak you to your bed.

"Spoken when our companions, beginning to take with the drink,
begin to speak Latin, ... believing that by and by they will be at
that pass that they will be able to speak no language."--_Kelly._

I wish you may lamb in your lair, as mony a good ewe has done.

I wish you readier meat than a rinnin' hare.

I wish you the gude o't that the dogs get o' grass.

I wish you were able, e'en though you didna do't.

I wish you were laird o' your word.

I would as soon see your nose cheese and the cat get the first bite o't.

I would hae something to look at on Sunday.

The reply of a man who is asked of what use a wife would be to him.

I wouldna be deaved wi' your keckling for a' your eggs.

That is, your services do not compensate for the annoyance you
cause.

I wouldna ca' the king my cousin.

Expressive of contentment.

I wouldna fodder you for a' your muck.

Of similar import to "I wouldna be deaved," &c.

I wouldna hae kent ye if I had met ye in my parritch.

A phrase to express that a person whom you had not seen for a long
time had so much altered in appearance as to be scarcely
recognisable.

I would rather see't than hear tell o't, as blind Pate said.

I would sooner be your Bible than your horse.

A jocular allusion to the fact that a person neglects the one, but
overworks the other.

I would sooner gae by his door than ower his grave.

"Nothing but a wish that our sick friend may recover."--_Kelly._

I would sooner hear the lark sing than the mouse cheep.

Or abroad early in the morning than late at night.

I would sooner my bannock burn than that you should turn't.

That is, I would rather allow an article to spoil than be indebted
to you for assistance in keeping it right.

I would sooner see ye fleipeyed, like a French cat.

"A disdainful rejection of an unworthy proposal; spoken by bold
maids to the vile offers of young fellows."--_Kelly._

Jeddart justice--first hang a man, syne try him.

"According to Crawford, in his Memoirs, the phrase _Jedburgh
justice_ took its rise in 1574, on the occasion of the Regent Morton
there and then trying and condemning, with cruel precipitation, a
vast number of people who had offended against the laws, or against
the supreme cause of his lordship's faction. A different origin is
assigned by the people. Upon the occasion, say they, of nearly
twenty criminals being tried for one offence, the jury were equally
divided in opinion as to a verdict, when one who had been asleep
during the whole trial suddenly awoke, and, being interrogated for
his vote, vociferated, 'Hang them a'!'

"The English phrase 'Lidford Law,' commemorated by Grose, bears the
same signification."--_Robert Chambers._

Jock's a mislear'd imp, but ye're a run deil.

That is, "Jock," although very mischievous, is a quiet and
well-behaved person compared to you.

Joke at leisure; ye kenna wha may jibe yoursel.

Jouk, and let the jaw gang by.

Literally, stoop, and let the rush of water go over your head;
meaning, yield to adverse circumstances, and their effects will pass
away.

"Just as it fa's," quo' the wooer to the maid.

"A courtier went to woo a maid: she was dressing supper with a drop
at her nose. She asked him if he would stay all night; he answered,
'Just as it falls:' meaning, if the drop fell among the meat, he
would be off; if it fell by, he would stay."--_Kelly._

Just enough and nae mair, like Janet Howie's shearer's meat.

Just, father, just; three half-crowns mak five shillings; gie me the money and I'll pay the man.

Kail hains bread.

Kame sindle, kame sair.

If the hair is seldom combed it soon becomes a difficult and painful
operation to perform. Proverbially applied when simple but necessary
matters of business are neglected to such an extent that they become
troublesome.

Kamesters are aye creeshy.

"Kamesters," or wool-combers, are always greasy. People are always
like their work.

Katie Sweerock, frae where she sat, cried, "Reik me this, and reik me that."

"Applied to lazy people, who ask others to do this or that for them
which they ought to do for themselves."--_Kelly._

Keek in the stoup was ne'er a gude fellow.

"Spoken when one peeps into the pot to see if the liquor be out;
whereas a jolly good fellow should drink about, and when the pot's
empty call for more."--_Kelly._

Keep a calm sough.

That is, keep your own counsel on matters of danger or delicacy.

"'Thir kittle times will drive the wisest o' us daft,' said Neil
Blane, the prudent host of the Howff; 'but I'se aye keep a calm
sough.'"--_Old Mortality._

Keep aff and gie fair words.

Or promise much, but perform little.

"The assets he carried off are of nae mair use to him than if he
were to light his pipe wi' them. He tried if MacVittie & Co. wad gie
him siller on them--that I ken by Andro Wylie; but they were ower
auld cats to draw that strae afore them--they keepit aff and gae
fair words."--_Rob Roy._

Keep a thing seven years, and ye'll find a use for't.

Keep gude company, and ye'll be counted ane o' them.

Keep hame, and hame will keep you.

Keep out o' his company that cracks o' his cheatery.

Shun the company of him who boasts of his cunning.

Keep something for a sair fit.

"Keep something for a rainy day."--_English._

Keep the feast till the feast day.

Keep the head and feet warm, and the rest will tak nae harm.

Keep the staff in your ain hand.

Keep woo, and it will be dirt; keep lint, and it will be silk.

"Lint mellows and improves by keeping, but wool rots."--_Kelly._

Keep your ain fish-guts to your ain sea-maws.

"'Why, Mrs Heukbane,' said the woman of letters, pursing up her
mouth, 'ye ken my gudeman likes to ride the expresses himsel--we
maun gie our ain fish-guts to our ain sea-maws--it's a red
half-guinea to him every time he munts his mear.'"--_The Antiquary._

Keep your ain cart-grease for your ain cart-wheels.

Of similar meaning to the preceding proverb.

Keep your breath to cool your parritch.

Applied to people who are angry without cause, or exercising undue
authority.

"The only wiselike thing I heard ony body say, was decent Mr John
Kirk of Kirk-knowe, and he wussed them just to get the king's mercy,
and nae mair about it. But he spak to unreasonable folk--he might
just hae keepit his breath to hae blawn on his porridge."--_Heart of
Midlothian._

Keep your gab steekit when ye kenna your company.

Be silent or cautious in speaking when in the company of strangers.

Keep your kiln-dried taunts for your mouldy hair'd maidens.

"A disdainful return to those who are too liberal with their
taunts."--_Kelly._

Keep your mocks till ye're married.

Keep your mouth shut and your een open.

Keep your tongue a prisoner, and your body will gang free.

Keep your tongue within your teeth.

Kenn'd folk's nae company.

Ken when to spend and when to spare, and ye needna be busy, and ye'll ne'er be bare.

Ken yoursel, and your neighbour winna misken you.

Kindle a candle at baith ends, and it'll soon be done.

Kindness comes o' will; it canna be coft.

Kindness is like cress-seed, it grows fast.

Kindness will creep where it canna gang.

Kings and bears aft worry their keepers.

"Witness the tragical end of many courtiers."--_Kelly._

Kings are kittle cattle to shoe behint.

"'Kittill to scho behind,' not to be depended on; not worthy of
trust."--_Jamieson._

King's cheese gaes half away in parings.

For a greater part of the income is absorbed in the expenses of
collecting it.

King's cauff's worth ither folk's corn.

"'I am sure,' said Ritchie, composedly, 'I wish Laurie a higher
office, for your lordship's sake and for mine, and specially for his
ain sake, being a friendly lad; yet your lordship must consider that
a scullion--if a yeoman of the king's most royal kitchen may be
called a scullion--may weel rank with a master-cook elsewhere; being
that king's cauff, as I said before, is better than ----.'"--_Fortunes
of Nigel._

Kings hae lang hands.

Kiss and be kind, the fiddler is blind.

Kiss a sklate stane, and that winna slaver you.

"'Ah! bonny lass,' says he, 'ye'll gies a kiss,
An' I sall set ye richt on, hit or miss.'
'A hit or miss I'll get, but help o' you,
Kiss ye sklate-stanes, they winna weet your mou'.'
An' aff she gaes, the fallow loot a rin,
As gin he ween'd wi' speed to tak her in,
But as luck was, a knibblich took his tae,
An' o'er fa's he, an' tumbled doun the brae."--_Ross's Helenore._

Kissing gaes by favour.

Kissing is cried down since the shaking o' hands.

Kelly says (1721), "There is a proclamation that nobody should kiss
hereafter, but only shake hands." Spoken by a woman who is asked for
a kiss, but who is unwilling to allow it.

Kiss my foot, there's mair flesh on't.

A sharp reply to those who obsequiously ask permission to kiss the
hand.

Kiss ye me till I be white, an' that will be an ill web to bleach.

Knock a carle, and ding a carle, and that's the way to win a carle; kiss a carle, and clap a carle, and that's the way to tine a carle.

"Both these are joined together, and signify that people of mean
breeding are rather to be won by harsh treatment than
civil."--_Kelly._

Kythe in your ain colours, that folk may ken ye.

Lacking breeds laziness, but praise breeds pith.

"Discommend a boy, and you discourage him; but commend him, and it
will spur him on."--_Kelly._

Lads will be men.

Laith to bed, laith oot o't.

Laith to drink, laith frae't.

Meaning that although some people are slow or "laith" to begin a
thing, still, when they do commence, it is difficult to get them to
leave off.

Lang and sma', gude for naething ava.

Jocularly applied to those who are tall and of "genteel" build.

Langest at the fire soonest finds cauld.

Lang fasting gathers wind.

Lang fasting hains nae meat.

Lang leal, lang poor.

Lang lean maks hamald cattle.

That is, poorly kept cattle makes homely, domestic, or common meat.

Lang look'd for come at last.

Lang mint, little dint.

"Much ado about nothing."

Lang noses are aye taking till them.

Lang or ye saddle a foal.

Lang or you cut Falkland wood wi' a pen-knife.

Spoken when people enter into extensive undertakings without
sufficient preparations or means.

Lang sick, soon weel.

Lang sport turns aft to earnest.

Lang standing and little offering maks a poor priest.

"Lang straes are nae motes," quo' the wife when she haul'd the cat out o' the kirn.

Lang tarrowing taks a' the thanks awa.

"He loses his thanks that promises, but delays."--_English._

Lang-tongued wives gang lang wi' bairn.

"Applied to those who discover their projects, designs, and
intentions long before they are put in execution."--_Kelly._

Lasses and glasses are bruckle ware.

Lassies are like lamb-legs: they'll neither saut nor keep.

Lassies now-a-days ort nae God's creatures.

"The proverbial reflection of an old woman, as signifying that in
our times young women are by no means nice in their choice of
husbands."--_Jamieson._

Last to bed, best heard.

Laugh and lay't down again.

Laugh at leisure, ye may greet ere night.

Laugh at your ain toom pouches.

"'The japanned tea-caddie, Hannah--the best bohea--bid Tib kindle a
spark of fire--the morning's damp--draw in the giggling faces of ye,
ye d--d idle scoundrels, or laugh at your ain toom pouches--it will
be lang or your weel-doing fill them.' This was spoken, as the
honest lawyer himself might have said, _in transitu_."--_St Ronan's
Well._

Law licks up a'.

"The Laird has been a true friend on our unhappy occasions, and I
have paid him back the siller for Effie's misfortune, whereof Mr
Nichil Novit returned him no balance, as the Laird and I did expect
he wad hae done. But law licks up a', as the common folk say. I have
had the siller to borrow out o' sax purses."--_Heart of Midlothian._

Law-makers shouldna be law-breakers.

Law's a deadly distemper amang friends.

Law's costly: tak a pint and gree.

"How easy can the barley bree
Cement the quarrel!
It's aye the cheapest lawyer's fee,
To taste the barrel."--_Burns._

Lay a thing by and it'll come o' use.

Lay the head o' the sow to the tail o' the grice.

Or place the profit against the loss.

"An' I am to lose by ye, I'se ne'er deny I hae won by ye mony a fair
pund sterling--sae, an' it come to the warst, I'se e'en lay the head
o' the sow to the tail o' the grice."--_Rob Roy._

Lay the sweet side o' your tongue till't.

"An answer to them that ask what they will get to their hasty
pudding."--_Kelly._

Lay up like a laird, and seek like a lad.

Lay your wame to your winning.

That is, let your housekeeping expenses be in unison with your
income.

Laziness is muckle worth, when it's weel guided.

Lazy youth maks lousy age.

Leal folk ne'er wanted gear.

Leal heart leed never.

"A' was toom, a' heartless-like, an' bare;
Her dowie pain she culdna mair conceal--
The heart, they'll say, will never lie that's leal."
--_Ross's Helenore._

Lean on the brose ye got in the morning.

Spoken facetiously to a person who leans heavily on another.

Leap year was never a gude sheep year.

Learn the cat the road to the kirn, and she'll aye be lickin'.

Learn young, learn fair; learn auld, learn mair.

Learn your gudewife to mak milk kail.

That is, "Teach your grandmother to suck eggs."

Learn you an ill habit and ye'll ca't a custom.

Least said soonest mended.

Leave aff while the play's gude.

Leave a jest when it pleases you best.

Leave the court ere the court leave you.

Leave welcome aye behint you.

Prolong your stay only so long as you find your company approved of,
so that you may not be considered tedious.

Lee for him and he'll swear for you.

Leein' rides on debt's back.

Lend your money and lose your friend.

"It is not the lending of our money that loses our friend; but the
demanding of it again, and that will lose a friend to my certain
knowledge. They have a proverbial rhyme to this purpose:--

"'I had a } {and a } {as many of this land,
I lent my } {to my } {when he did it demand,
I sought my } penny {from my} friend {when he had kept it long,
I lost my } {and my } {and was not that a wrong?
Had I a } {and a } {as I have had before,
I wo'd keep my} {and my } {and play the fool no more.'"
--_Kelly._

Let-a-be for let-a-be.

"Mutual forbearance."--_Jamieson._

Let ae deil dang anither.

An expression of indifference at two bad persons quarrelling.

Let a horse drink what he will, but no when he will.

Let alane maks mony a loon.

"Let a' trades live," quo' the wife when she burnt her besom.

Let aye the bell'd wether break the snaw.

A "bell'd wether" is a ram with a bell round its neck; and the
proverb means that a difficult or dangerous undertaking should be
led by a person of experience.

Let folk bode weel, and do their best.

Let him cool in the skin he het in.

Let him drink as he has brewen.

Let by-ganes be by-ganes.

"'Hout, ay,' said Elliot, 'just let by-ganes be by-ganes, and a'
friends again; deil ane I bear malice at but Westburnflat, and I hae
gi'en him baith a het skin and a cauld ane.'"--_The Black Dwarf._

Let him haud the bairn that's aught the bairn.

Let him ride his ain horse wi' his ain hauding.

Let him tak a spring on his ain fiddle.

Let him tak his fling, and he'll find oot his ain weight.

Let him that's cauld blaw the ingle.

Let him that pays the lawin' choose the lodging.

"'I dinna ken, sir,' she replied in a dry _reveche_ tone, which
carried me back twenty years, 'I am nane of thae heartsome
landleddies that can tell country cracks, and make themsells
agreeable; and I was ganging to pit on a fire for you in the red
room; but if it is your will to stay here, he that pays the lawing
maun choose the lodging.'"--_The Highland Widow._

Let his ain wand ding him.

Let ilka ane roose the ford as they find it.

That is, let every one speak of a thing as he finds it.

Let ilka ane soop before their ain door.

Let ilka cock fight his ain battle.

Let ilka herring hing by its ain head.

Let ilka man soop the ice wi' his ain besom.

Let ilka sheep hang by its ain shank.

Let ilka tub stand on its ain bottom.

Let na the plough stand to kill a mouse.

Do not quit or neglect an important matter to look after trifles.

Let ne'er your gear owergang ye.

Never let your wealth make you give way to pride, or forget your old
friends.

Let never sorrow come sae near your heart.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

Let that flee stick to the wa'.

"'Hout tout, man! let that flee stick in the wa',' answered his
kinsman; 'when the dirt's dry it will rub out.'"--_Rob Roy._

Let the eird bear the dike.

"Eird and dike" are earth and stone wall. The proverb means that
heavy or important undertakings should have a solid basis.

Let the horns gang wi' the hide.

The horns bearing but insignificant value in comparison with the
hide, they should be thrown into the purchase of the latter free of
charge.

Let the kirk stand i' the kirkyaird.

That is, let everything be in its proper place.

Let them care that come behint.

Let the morn come and the meat wi't.

Let the muckle horse get the muckle windlin.

Let the tail follow the skin.

Let the tow gang wi' the bucket.

Let your meat dit your mouth.

Liars should hae gude memories.

Lick and lay down.

A proverbial form of expression of a man's being able to pay his
way.

"And what for suld I no have a _corpus delicti_, or a _habeas
corpus_, or ony other _corpus_ that I like, sae lang as I am willing
to lick and lay down the ready siller?"--_St Ronan's Well._

Lick your loof and lay't in mine, dry leather jigs aye.

"This signifies no more but kiss your hand and give it. Spoken
facetiously upon some good fortune unexpected."--_Kelly._

Lie in your bed and lippen to that.

Life's life ony gate.

"'And now we're settled ance mair,' said Cuddie to his mother, 'and
if we're no sae bein and comfortable as we were up yonder, yet
life's life ony gate, and we're wi' decent kirk-ganging folk o' your
ain persuasion, mither; there will be nae quarrelling about
that.'"--_Old Mortality._

Light burdens break nae banes.

Light lades mak willing horses.

Lightly come, lightly gang.

Light maidens mak langing lads.

"Light's heartsome," quo' the thief to the Lammas mune.

Lightsome sangs mak merry gate.

"Ratcliffe, speaking apart to Madge, asked her 'whether she did not
remember ony o' her auld sangs?' 'Mony a dainty ane,' said Madge;
'and blithely can I sing them, for lightsome sangs make merry
gate.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

Light suppers mak lang days.

Like a sow playing on a trump.

"Trump," a Jew's harp. Typical of extreme awkwardness.

Like Bauldy's wedding, there's nae meat but muckle mirth.

Like blood, like gude, like age, mak the happy marriage.

Like butter in the black dog's hause.

That is, a dangerous position, as butter in the embrace of a dog
certainly is.

Like Cranshaws kirk--there's as mony dogs as folk, and neither room for reel nor rock.

"In a remote pastoral region, like that of Cranshaws, lying in the
midst of the Lammermoor hills, it is or was usual for shepherds'
dogs to accompany their masters to the church; and in times of
severe stormy weather, few people except the shepherds, who are
accustomed to be out in all weathers, could attend divine service;
and in such circumstances, it may have occurred that the dogs may
have equalled in number the rational hearers of the Word. We have
heard the saying applied by bustling servant girls to a scene where
three or four dogs were lounging about a kitchen hearth, and
impeding the work."--_G. Henderson._

Liked gear is half-bought.

"When wares please, a bargain is soon made."--_English._

Like draws aye to like, like an auld horse to a fell dike.

Persons of similar tastes draw towards and sympathize with each
other. "Like will to like--a scabbed horse and a sandy
dike."--_Danish._ "Like will to like, as the devil said to the
coal-burner."--_German._

Like hens, ye rin aye to the heap.

Spoken jocularly to those who help themselves to what there is most
of on the table.

Like Hilton kirk, baith narrow and mirk, and can only haud its ain parish folk.

"Hilton kirk was a very small edifice in Berwickshire, and it would
seem from the saying not very well lighted. When any number of
strangers came as hearers, the accommodation was deficient; the
saying is used when many persons assemble in a small house, and
there is little room to stir about."--_G. Henderson._

Like Lamington's mare, ye break brawly aff, but sune set up.

Likely lies i' the mire, and unlikely gets ower.

Meaning that many undertakings which promise favourably at first
often fail; while those of which no great hopes are entertained are
successfully carried through.

Like maister, like man; like priest, like offering.

Like Moses' breeks, neither shape, form, nor fashion.

Like Orkney butter, neither gude to eat nor creesh woo.

"A minister having in these words compared the covenant, made it a
proverb. Applied to a thing that is useful no way."--_Kelly._

Like paddy's ghost, twa steps ahint.

Like's an ill mark amang ither folk's sheep.

Like the bairns o' Falkirk, they'll end ere they mend.

"This is a proverbial saying of ill-doing persons, as expressive of
there being no hope of them. How the children of Falkirk came to be
so characterized, it would be difficult now to ascertain. The adage
has had the effect of causing the men of Falkirk jocularly to style
themselves 'the bairns;' and when one of them speaks of another as
'a bairn,' he only means that that other person is a native of
Falkirk."--_Robert Chambers._

Like the cat, fain fish wad ye eat, but ye are laith to weet your feet.

"The cat is fain the fish to eat, but hath no will to wet her
feet."--_English._

"Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' like the poor cat i' the
adage."--_Macbeth._

Like the cowts o' Bearbughty, ye're cowts till ye're best's by.

Like the cur in the crub, he'll neither do nor let do.

A Scottish version of the dog in the manger.

Like the dam o' Devon, lang gathered and soon gane.

Like the fiddler o' Chirnside's breakfast, it's a' pennyworth's thegither.

"This is said of people who buy very small quantities of any
article. Fiddlers are proverbially poor, and the one of Chirnside
was no exception to the rule. One morning he sent his boy for
materials for breakfast, and the order was delivered to the
shopkeeper in the following measured terms:--

"'A pennyworth o' tea,
A pennyworth o' sugar,
Three penny loaves,
And a pennyworth o' butter;
And a pennyworth o' he herring,
For my faither likes melts!'"--_G. Henderson._

Like the gudeman o' Kilpalet, ye're ower simple for this warld, and hae nae broo o' the next.

Like the laird o' Castlemilk's foals--born beauties.

Like the lassies o' Bayordie, ye learn by the lug.

Like the man o' Amperly's coo, she's come hame routin', but no very fu', wi' the tow about her horns.

"The cow came home unsold; and the rhyme is applied to a young woman
who comes home from a fair or market without a 'jo' or
sweetheart."--_G. Henderson._

Like the man wi' the sair guts--nae getting quat o't.

Like the smith's dog, sleep at the sound o' the hammer, and wauk at the crunching o' teeth.

Like the tod's whalps, aye the aulder the waur.

Like the wabster, stealing through the warld.

Another insult to the weaving profession. The reply of a person who
is asked how he is getting on.

Like the wife that ne'er cries for the ladle till the pat rins o'er.

That is, never asks for an article until it is too late.

Like the wife wi' the mony dochters, the best's aye hindmost.

Or, at least, she would have the lover of the last believe so.

Like the wife's tongue, aften better meant than timed.

Like the witches o' Auchencrow, ye get mair for your ill than your gude.

"That is, people sometimes grant an individual a favour through fear
of malevolence, or to get rid of his importunity."--_G. Henderson._

Like to like.

"I'll tell ye, Ratton, blithe will Nicol Muschat be to see ye, for
he says he kens weel there isna sic a villain out o' hell as ye are,
and he wad be ravished to hae a crack wi' ye--like to like, ye
ken--it's a proverb never fails; and ye are baith a pair o' the
deevil's peats, I trow--hard to ken whilk deserves the hettest
corner o' his ingleside."--_Heart of Midlothian._

Like water to leather--the langer the tougher.

"Although my mither has been, past the memory o' man, in a
complaining condition, I ken nae odds o' her this many a year; her
ail's like water to leather, it makes her life the tougher."--_The
Entail._

Lippen to me, but look to yoursel.

Lips gae, laps gae, drink and pay.

"If you put your lips to the cup to drink, put your hand to your lap
to take out your purse."--_Kelly._

Listen at a hole, and ye'll hear news o' yoursel.

List to meat's gude kitchen.

Little and aften fills the purse.

Little can a lang tongue layne.

Little does the puir gude, and as little get they.

Little dogs hae lang tails.

Little folk are soon angry.

A frequent addition gives the reason--for their heart gets soon to
their mouth.

Little gear, little care.

Little Jock gets the little dish, and that hauds him lang little.

"Poor people are poorly served, which prolongs their
poverty."--_Kelly._

Little kens the auld wife, as she sits by the fire, what the wind is doing on Hurley-Burley-Swire.

"Hurle-Burle-Swire is a passage through a ridge of mountains that
separate Nithsdale from Twadale and Clydsdale: where the mountains
are so indented one with another that there is a perpetual blowing.
The meaning is that they who are at ease know little of the trouble
that others are exposed to."--_Kelly._

Little kent, the less cared for.

Little may an auld horse do if he maunna nicher.

Little meddling maks fair pairting.

Little mense o' the cheeks to bite aff the nose.

It is bad policy for a person to injure another with whom he is
intimately connected, or upon whom he is depending.

Little odds between a feast and a fu' wame.

Little said is soon mended, little gear is soon spended.

Little's the light will be seen far in a mirk night.

"'But the flame!' demanded Ravenswood; 'the broad blaze which might
have been seen ten miles off--what occasioned that?' 'Hout, awa!
it's an auld saying and a true, "Little's the light will be seen far
in a mirk night"--a wheen fern and horse litter that I fired in the
courtyard, after sending back the loon of a footman.'"--_Bride of
Lammermoor._

Little to fear when traitors are true.

Little troubles the ee, but less the soul.

Little wats the ill-willy wife what a dinner may haud in.

Although a wife be very angry and "ill-willy" with her husband in
private, still in public she should be cautious for obvious reasons,
one of which is, Kelly says, "That a handsome treat may secure good
friends and great interest."

Little winning maks a light purse.

Little wit in the head maks muckle travel to the feet.

People of few resources, or poor imagination, are apt to be put
about by trifles.

Little wit in the pow that lights the candle at the lowe.

Live in measure, and laugh at the mediciners.

Live upon love, as laverocks do on leeks.

Living at heck and manger.

To live at "heck and manger" is to fare sumptuously every day, even
beyond our income.

Lock your door, that you may keep your neighbours honest.

Lo'e me little an' lo'e me lang.

Look before ye loup, ye'll ken better how to light.

"Luke quhair thou licht befoir thou lowp,
And slip na certainty for howp,
Quha gyds thee but begess."--_Cherrie and the Slae._

Loud coos the doo when the hawk's no whistling; loud cheeps the mouse when the cat's no rustling.

That is, subordinates take advantage when superiors are out of the
way. "When the cat's away, the mice will play."--_English._

Loud i' the loan was ne'er a gude milk cow.

Noisy people, or those who are always boasting of what they can do,
are seldom so clever even as their neighbours. Kelly says this is "a
reprimand to noisy girls."

Love and jealousy are sindle sindry.

Love and lairdship's like nae marrows.

"Marrow," that is, an equal, match, or antagonist.

Love and light winna hide.

Love has nae lack, be the dame e'er sae black.

Love has nae law.

Love is as warm amang cottars as courtiers.

"The rose blooms gay on shairney brae,
As weel's in birken shaw;
And love will lowe in cottage low,
As weel's in lofty ha'."--_Tannahill._

Love ower het soon cools.

Love your friend and look to yoursel.

Maidens should be mild and meek, quick to hear, and slow to speak.

Maidens should be mim till they're married, and then they may burn kirks.

"Spoken often, by way of reflection, when we say that such a one is
a good-humoured girl, as if you would say, 'Observe how she'll prove
when she is married.'"--_Kelly._

Maidens' tochers and ministers' stipends are aye less than ca'd.

Maidens want naething but a man, and then they want a'thing.

Mair by luck than gude guiding.

That is, a person has been successful by mere force of
circumstances, and by no particular merit of his own.

Mair hamely than welcome.

"Mair haste the waur speed," quo' the tailor to the lang thread.

Mair nice than wise.

Mair pride than pith.

Mair than enough is ower muckle.

Mair than the deil wear a black manteel.

"Mair whistle than woo," quo' the souter when he sheared the sow.

The saying, "Great cry and little wool," is common to all nations;
the Scottish version, however, is the most expressive and humorous
we have met with.

Maister's will is gude wark.

For the master himself is sure to be pleased with it.

Maistry maws the meadows doun.

"The captain's a queer hand ... he keeps a high hand ower the
country, and we couldna deal with the Hielandmen without his
protection, sin' a' the keys o' the kintray hings at his belt; and
he's no an ill body in the main; and maistry, ye ken, maws the
meadows doun."--_Heart of Midlothian._

Mak ae wrang step and down ye gae.

Mak ae pair o' legs worth twa pair o' hands.

"He freed Rashleigh from my hold, and securing me, notwithstanding
my struggles, in his own Herculean gripe, he called out, 'Take the
bent, Mr Rashleigh--make ae pair o' legs worth twa pair o' hands; ye
hae done that before now.'"--_Rob Roy._

Mak a kiln o't, and creep in at the logie.

We surmise that this is intended as an advice to a person who has
become possessed of an article, and does not know what to do with
it, like the old lady who won the principal prize in the lottery,
said prize consisting of a live elephant! A "killogie" is, says
Jamieson, "a vacuity before the fireplace in a kiln for drawing
air."

Mak a kirk or a mill o't.