Scottish Words Glossary: C from A-Z
Scottish Word  Phonetic  Meaning  Word in Context
Scottish Word  Phonetic  Meaning  Word in Context
ca' | caa | caw to call, to name, summon in context
ca' | caa | caw urge on, to drive in in context
ca' | caa | caw keep in motion, turning, skipping in context
ca' | caa | caw kɑˈawɑ be driven, drive, keep going, drive in (hammering) in context
caw'd called in context
caw canny kɑˈkanɪ proceed warily in context
ca' the cows oot o the kail-yaird perform a very simple act  
ca' someone for awthin verbally rubbish someone's reputation or person, verbal abuse  
ca' thro' kɑˈθru work on heartily  
caak cackle  
cabbitch cabbage  
cabble quarrel  
caber ˈkebər a big heavy pole, straight slender tree trunk  
toss the caber lift and throw the caber end over end so it lands at 12 o'clock - straight on - not having turned to any degree to either side - a sport at a Highland Games  
cabbrach, cabroch ˈkabrəx lean, scraggy  
cack | cawk | kach | keech kak human excrement, or to poop = void excrement in context
cackie covered in human excrement  
caddie ˈkadɪ carrier, bearer, the helper who carries the golf clubs  
cadge shake roughly, knock about in context
cadge peddle wares, carry, beg, sponge  
cadger ˈkadʒər buyer and seller of no fixed abode, disagreeable person, a sponger  
cadie a mans cap  
cadgy cheerful  
caduak an accidental gain  
caff | cauf | cauff | cawf chaff for stuffing matresses  
cahoutchie | cahoochie kaˈhutʃı  rubber  
cailleach ˈkeljəx  an old woman, the last sheaf of corn  
caip | kaip cope, coping stone  
caird playing card, tinker  
cairiage, cairriage carriage  
cairiet carried  
cairn kern a pyramid of loose stones, esp on hilltops and mountain tops  
cairngorm a yellowish semi precious stone to be found when walking on the Cairngorm plateau - if you've a good eye and a bit of luck  
cairpet ˈkerpɪt carpet  
cairt kert map  
cairtie | cairt kert cart go-cart in context
cairts playing cards in context
cairry | kerry | cairrie | cairry carry in context
cairry-on, kerry-on mischevious behaviour in context
cairry-oot, kerry-oot collection of drinks being taken to a party, a collection of drink from a visit to an off-license in context
caition deposit, caution  
caiver | caver mumble  
cake cake but often meaning an oatcake  
nae worth yin cake worthless  
caleery ˈkəˈlirɪ frivolous  
callan | callant a customer, associate, youth  
caller | callour fresh caught, picked or gathered, cool, refreshing in context
calshie kalʃɪ surly  
cam kɑm came in context
caman the wooden club, or stick as it is now known, used in the game of shinty in context
camceil ˈkamˈsil sloping ceiling in context
cammelt crooked  
campioun champion in context
camshauchle | camshachle ˈkamˈʃɑxl  distorted, bent, twisted  
camsheuch ˈkamˈʃux crabbed, cross grained, surly, perverse  
camsteirie | camsteerie | camstairie kamˈsterı  perverse, difficult to comprehend, inconsistent and conflicting, a complete pain in the arse in context
can | kin may / can in context
canallyie | canally kə′nɑlı rabble, a mob in context
candibrod sugar-candy  
cangle kaŋl wrangle  
canker fret, become ill tempered  
cankerit ill-tempered  
canna | canny | cannae may not / cannot in context
cannach ˈkanəx cotton grass  
cannie | canny | kanny careful, prudent, also dexterous, skillful in context
cannie | canny exceptional, bringing luck, supernatural, not of this world in context
cannie | canny kind, pleasant in context
canniest quietest  
canny gaun easy going  
cant sing softly, tell old stories  
cantie | canty cheerful, happy, contented in context
cantle build, set on high aslo strengthen, to stimulate in context
cantrip | cantraip | cantrap | cantrup magic spell, a piece of mischief in context
cantrum a mischievous idea in context
caochan kɛxən a stream, or the fermented brew before the process of distillation into spirits  
cap wooden cup or bowl  
He's as fou as cap or staup'll mak him completely drunk - as inebriated as cup or tap will make him  
caper a bit of oatcake with butter and some good cheese - perfect to go with a nice distilled malt spirit  
capercailzie | capercaillie ˈkapərˈkelji the wood grouse the game bird - game in that it's likely to have a go at giving you a good kicking if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time - and they can be really big in context
capernoitie ˈkapərˈnoitɪ capricious, crazy, irritable - probably from the game bird above  
capestane | caipstane capstone  
carb wrangle, quarrel  
care | caer care  
care na by do not care  
carefu | carefae | carefie careful  
carfuffle | curfuffle karˈfʌfl disorder, quarrel  
cark a load, care, worry, fuss in context
carl | carls peasant, working men  
carl-hemp male-hemp  
carle | carlie ˈkarlɪ old man, fellow (disparagingly), a manikin in context
carline | carlin ˈkarlɪn old woman, Witch in context
carmele ˈkarˈmil heath-pea  
carnaptious karˈnapʃəs irritable, quarrelsome in context
carrant expedition, sudden journey  
carsackie an overall, smock  
carse kars extensive low land along a river bank  
carvie caraway  
castock cabbage stalk  
cat's een germander speedwell  
cateran ˈkatərən highland maurader/s  
catter to make a noise by striking, to babble, to prattle  
cattiewurrie violent dispute, wrangle, wranglesome, quarrelsome in context
caucht caught  
caudron | ca'dron caldron  
cauf | ca'f kɑv calf  
cauf-leather calf-leather  
cauk | kalk chalk, lime  
caul kɑl a weir or dam  
cauld | caal | cowld kɑld cold in context
cauld kail het again a stale story, reheated food  
cauldrif | cauldrife chilly, indifferent  
caunle | can'le candle  
caup cap  
caur kɑr calves  
causey | causie | cassie causeway, paved area  
kiss the causey fall on your face, come a cropper  
cavie a hen-coop, a children's game - base tig  
cawd | ca'd drove  
ceetie | ceety | ceitie ˈsitɪ city  
ceevil | cievil civil  
ceilidh kelı social gathering, often with story telling, singing, playing musical instruments, lots of scottish dances danced (some are ilk to a martial art), drinks drunk and just as it is about to slip into second gear - accompanied by oatcakes and stovies  
cep except, unless  
cepna | ceptna ˈsɛpnə except not  
certie assuredly, to be certain in context
certies certainly  
chack tʃak nip, a notch or groove, rabbet  
chackart stonechat  
chaff | check chafe, rub, wear  
chaft tʃaft chin, jaw, cheeks in context
chaft blade jaw-bone, cheek-bone  
burst their chafts came unstuck  
chaiple chapel  
chairge charge in context
champ mash, crush, munch, chew  
chancer opportunist in context
chancie | chancy lucky, fortunate in context
change-house tavern  
channel ˈtʃanl a gutter  
channer grumble, shingle, gravel in context
chanter bagpipe chanter, the bit with the holes that the fingers play the melody on, training chanters let you practice without the bother of the bag or the drones etc - quieter too  
chantie | chanty ˈtʃantɪ chamber-pot - for under the bed so you don't have to travel out to the privvy at night, or nowadays stagger across the room to the on-suite porcelain in context
chap | shap to strike, knock on a door in context
chapman packman, pedlar  
chapper door knocker in context
chapper-up a person paid to be an alarm clock by going around banging on doors waking people up in time for their work  
chappit-tatties mashed potatoes  
chape | chaip tʃep cheap  
chatter | chattered frayed  
chatterin-bite, chitterin-bite, chittery-bite a warming morsel to eat for relief and protection from the cold after a swim in context
chattle | chauttle tʃatl nibble, chew feebly in context
chaumer | chalmer | chamer ˈtʃɑmər chamber , room  
chaw | chow tʃʌu chew, provoke, make in context
cheek-for-chow cheek-by-jowl (i.e. close beside)  
cheenge | cheinge change in context
cheenie | cheinie | cheeny china, porcelain  
cheep | cheip ˈtʃip whisper, squeak, peep  
cheuch | teuch | tyeuch ˈtʃux tough, durable in context
cheyne | chene | cheen | chine tʃəin chain in context
chib tʃɪb to stab or slash, the instrument such as a dagger or ice pick for stabbing or slashing with in context
chief | cheif ˈtʃif the boss, friendly term for a male stranger  
chiel | cheild ˈtʃil lad, young man, fellow in context
chimley | chimbley ˈtʃɪmlə chimney  
chimley-heid ˈtʃɪmləˈhid mantelpiece  
chincoch | chincough ˈtʃɪncox whooping-cough  
chitter tremble, shiver, chatter, in context
chitty rran wren  
chock choke  
chokit choked, to be choking in context
chook | choukie | chookie | chuk ˈtʃukɪ chicken in context
chowe | chow tʃʌu a quid of tobacco - to chew  
chow the ball in shinty  
chuck pebble or marble, chic  
chuckie-stanes ˈtʃʌkɪstens pebbles in context
chuffie fat-faced, portly  
chum accompany as a friend  
chuse | choise to choose  
citiner a citizen  
clachan ˈklaxən village, hamlet  
claddach ˈkladəx gravelly banks and bed of a river  
claes ˈklez clothes in context
clag clog, smear, block up in context
claggy klagi heavy sticky soil  
claik gossip, a barnacle, besmear with stuff that's sticky  
clamb kleθ climbed in context
claimed verbal notification of being chosen by another to a fight or a beating in context
claith | cloot | clout kleθ cloth in context
clamihewit a blow, a thrashing, uproar  
clamjamfrie | clanjamfrie | clamjamphry klamˈdʒamfrɪ a mob, vulgar crowd in context
clamp patch,mend, or a vegetable mound covered in hay with packed soil over it to protect the contents from frost and wet through the winter  
clamp (curling) iron grip worn on the shoe to prevent slipping on the ice  
clan extended family group  
clankie a severe knock  
clairet claret - the other Scottish national drink besides whisky - down to the auld alliance - France and Scotland  
clap clap, a heavy blow  
clap pat affectionately in context
clapped oot worn out  
clappin patting affectionately in context
clark a clerk  
clarkit clerked  
clart | clairt | clert soil, stickiness, mud, mire  
clarty muddy in context
clash-bag a tell tale, a stool pigeon in context
clasher an idle tale, gossip  
clat a soft lump, clot  
clatter gossip, scandal, defamatory talk, confidential talk. in context
clatter-bag | clatter-bash a tell tale, a gossip  
clatch a wet dirt lump, dirty person  
claucher klɑxər move with difficulty as through treacle  
claucht | claught | clacht grasped  
claver | claiver ˈklevər gossip  
clash-ma-claiver | clishmaclaver ˈklaʃməˈklevr a gossiping (group)  
claver ˈklevər clover  
claw klɑ a scratch or to scratch  
clay-cauld clay-cold.  
claymore a two-handed double edged Highland sword - very big  
cleck | cloak hatch  
cleckin a brood  
cleckin-hen brooding hen  
cleed | cleid klid to clothe  
cleek | cleik klik a catch, a hook, grasp, link, snatch in context
cleekit grasped  
cleesh whip  
cleester klistər bedaub, plaster  
cleg | gleg horsefly - with a bite like a red hot poker burn and lands like an undetectable gentle breeze  
cleuch | cleugh kl(j)ux gorge, ravine, cliff, crag in context
cleuk | clook | cluke kluk a claw, a hand also to scratch with or catch with a claw in context
cley clay  
click klɪk girlfriend, new romantic partner, a catch in context
clim climb  
clinch limp  
clink a sharp stroke, to chink  
clink klɪnk jail  
clippie female ticket collector on the busses (from clipping the tickets)  
clips shears  
clish repeat gossip  
cliver | cluver | klivver clever  
cleverality cleverness  
clocher kloxər bronchial mucus, to clear  
clock | klok brood  
clockbees flying beetles  
clocker beetle  
clood | clud klud cloud  
clood-kittler skyscraper  
cloot | clout | clowt a cloth, a patch, slap strike  
clootie-dumpling a suet and fruit dumpling boiled in a cloth - much tastier than it sounds. An all rounder - hot slices can be eaten as a pudding with milk or custard, or cold eaten like cake with tea, or fried as part of a fry-up  
close | closs klos narrow covered entry passageway to a common stair in tenement flats and also continues onto the back courtyard with drying greens  
clour | clour a bump or swelling after a blow, a bruise  
clowe klʌu a clove  
cluff hit with the curved palm, cuff  
cludgie lavatory in context
cluif | clufe kløf hoof  
clunk to make a hollow sound  
clype | clipe kləip inform against or informer, to tell on in context
clype-cams surveylance cameras  
clytach incomprehensible babble  
clyte | clite rap knuckles, a smart blow  
coble a broad and flat boat  
coch cox cough  
cock (curling) the circle at the end of the rink that the stones are aimed at, raise a fist in a threatening manner  
cock-a-lorie eetum, peetum, penny pie, cock-a-lorie, jinkie jye counting-out rhyme  
cockieleerie ˈkokɪˈlirɪ crowing of the cock at dawn, the cock  
cocks fellows  
cod | coad a pillow, stones acting as supports for a construction  
codgie comfortable in context
coff buy  
cog | coag | coagie wooden pail or wooden drinking vessel  
coggle ˈkogl to wobble, totter, about to fall  
cole a haycock  
colf kolf fill in, stop up  
coll | collie (curling) a line drawn across the rink, a stone that fails to cross that line towards the tee and therefore fails to count  
collie | cogle dog, the border collie the black and white kind that herds up sheep to whistles and intemperant shouting  
colliebuction ˈkolɪˈbʌkʃən a nosiy squabble  
collieshangie ˈkɔlɪˈʃaŋɪ brawl, uproar, dog fight in context
collogue whispered conference, chat  
collop slice of meat  
come forrit growth, make progress  
come in bye come in and be near  
complein | compleen complain, be unwell  
compluther | complooter agree, fit in or mix with  
consait conceit  
confab talk in a group, confabulation, meeting  
confeerance conferance  
conflummix confusion, bewilderment, an unwelcome surprise in context
confooter confound  
connach ˈkonəx waste, spoil, consume  
conseeder | conseider consider  
conteen | contein contain  
conter | coonter oppose, against in context
contermacious | contermatious perverse in context
contrar | contrair contrary  
convoy escort, accompany  
coo | cou a cow  
coo's lick cowlick, tuft of hair hanging over the forehead in context
It's bi the mooth o the coo that the milk comes It is through the mouth of the cow that the milk comes,- if you neglect your preparation, don't expect a good end result  
cooard coward  
cooch couch  
cood cud  
coof a rogue, fool, coward in context
cook dissapear, dodge in and out of view  
coom | cowm soot, dust from the fire or the fuel  
coomceil ˈkumˈsil an arched ceiling  
cooncil council  
coonciller | cooncillor counciller, one who gives council in context
coonsel counsel  
coont count in context
coontenance count in context
coordly cowardly  
coorse coarse, foul weather, rough and disagreeable in context
coorted courted  
cooser a stallion  
coot the guillemot  
cootie a small pail  
cootie ˈkutɪ leg-plumed  
corbett Scottish peaks between 2500 and 3000 feet in height which one can visit one by one to collect similar as to how some collect Munros in context
corbies ravens, sometimes rooks or crows in context
corbie stanes the steps on a stepped gable end of a building in context
cordiner shoemaker  
core (curling) a team of curlers, a company  
corn kist corn storage bin  
corn kister one type of song sung at a bothy ballads evening  
corn mou corn heap  
corn't fed with corn  
waur to water than to corn addicted to drink  
coronach ˈkorənəx funeral lament, dirge  
corp | corse body, corpse  
corrie a hollow on the side of a mountain  
corrie-fistit | caur-fistit | caurie-fistit left, left handed in context
corrieneuchin korɪˈnjuxɪn conversing intimately  
cors search for  
cosh snug, cosy  
cottar | cotter tenant in a cottage in context
couart | cooart | cooard coward  
couldnae | couldny | couldnie | cudnae | cudna could not in context
couer | coor | cooer cower, crouch in context
coorie | courie | coory crouch down beside someone for protection, snuggle in, nestle in context
courie in | coorie in snuggling in in context
coup | cowp kʌup to capsize, turn over, a rubbish tip, buy or trade in context
coupon the face, the football pools competition in context
couthie | couthy kuθɪ affable, agreeable in context
cowe kʌu crop, cut, rebuke  
cower get well again, revive  
cowper a horse dealer  
cowt colt, coltish person  
coz | cuz kɑz because in context
crabbit bad tempered  
crack | craik chat, news, boast in context
craft a skilled trade, cunning  
craft-rig croft-ridge  
craichle krexli croak  
craig | crag kreg neck, throat, a crag, a rugged cliff in context
craik croak, the corn-crake  
craitur | craiter ˈkretər creature in context
cramassie crimson  
crambo-clink rhyme  
crammock | cummock crooked staff, walking stick  
cran | crann kran iron tripod over fire for pots, crane, crane the bird  
cran Scots measure of herring (37 and a half gallons), a tap  
crane cranberry  
crank harsh noise, difficult  
crankie | cranky unsteady, insecure, bad tempered, fractious in context
crankous fretful  
cranks creakings  
crannie | cranniedoodlie | cranniewanny little finger  
crannog a round dwelling big enough to house a very big extended family on the edge of a loch built on poles over the water near the shore - some think they were defensive structures, so do I - defense against the bloody midges, out over the loch the breeze keeps them at bay in context
cranreuch hoar-frost  
crap crop  
craw | craa a crow, to boast in context
be shot wi the craws get in trouble through bad associates  
creash | creish kriʃ grease, tallow in context
creel | creil kril a deep basket, on the back mainly for fish or peats, fish trap, a lobster pot in context
creenge | creinge cringe  
creepie three legged stool  
creepit kripɪt crept  
creuk | crook | cruke, cruik hook, lameness, lame  
crib curb  
criffins | crivens ˈkrɪvnz expressing astonishment in context
crittle | crittel a broken piece, particle in context
crivens jings, help ma boab, the big yins goan an goat ma job goodness gracious, heaven help me, the chap known as the big man has been given my job  
crochle | croichle kroxl limp, cough  
crock an old ewe, croak  
croft kroft a small agricultural unit, most of which are situated in the north of Scotland with most averaging out at 5 hectares in size but can be 0.5 or 50 in some cases.  
crofter normally the tenant of the croft, paying rent to the landlord, but many others have purchased their crofts and are owner-occupiers.  
crog a big hand  
cronie | crony companion  
croodle cower, nestle  
croon krun bellow, roar, lament  
crote a particle, a crumb  
crottle | crotal a lichen that can produce a reddish brown dye - cudbear, fragment, crumb  
crotly krotlɪ crumbly in context
croud | crood crowd  
croun | croon krun crown in context
crouse | crous krus bold, arrogant, cheerful  
crousely confidently  
crouss | crooss | croose cheerful  
crowdie | croodie krʌudɪ a soft cheese, also oatmeal and cold water mixed and eaten raw in context
crowdie-time porridge-time  
crub curb, cattle crib  
cruban ˈkrubən the crab in context
cruddle congeal  
cruds curds  
cruik krjuk crook, hook  
cruisie | crusie ˈkruzɪ an open boat shaped lamp with a wick made from the pith of rush with butter or fat as fuel  
cruive | cruve krøv fish trap made of stakes, pen  
crulge krʌldʒ cower, crouch  
crummock ˈkrʌmək stick with a crooked head, shepherds crook  
crump crisp  
crunkle | krunkil crinkle, crackle  
crunt a heavy blow  
cry call, name  
cry doon suppress  
cryne | crine shrink, fear  
cuddie | cuddy kʌdɪ donkey, horse, joiners trestle, a small tub in context
cuddle sit close to, marble close to the target  
cude kød hair-brained  
cuid | cood | cude a shallow tub, for milk  
cuif | coof | cufe | kufe fool  
cuik kj uk cook in context
cuil | cule køl cool in context
cuisin | kizzen cousin  
cuist cast  
cuit | cute køt ankle, fetlock  
cuiter mend, patch up, pamper in context
cuitch caught  
cullen skink smoked fish soup  
culyie ˈkʌljɪ fondle, cherish, coax  
cummer | cumber | cumer trouble, distress  
cundie | cundy kʌndɪ cast iron slotted covered drain in the gutter - esp of Dundee in context
cunyie | cunzie ˈkʌnjɪ money, coin  
curch a kerchief for the head  
curchie | curtchie ˈkʌrʃɪ a curtsy  
curcuddoch kʌrˈkʌdjəx sitting close together side by side  
curler one who takes part in the sport of curling - throwing big heavy stones to roar down the ice with accuracy of aim and heft.  
curling-stone made of granite - the best of which is blue hone granite from Ailsa Craig - of a weight between 38 and 44 pounds with a maximum circumference of 36 inches and a minimum height of 4.5 inches with a handle on a flattish top and a flattish but concave base to provide minimumn contact with the ice  
curmurring a grumbling of talk  
curn a few  
curpin | curple the crupper of a horse  
currach | currok ˈkʌrəx a coracle, a light circular dish shaped boat made of hide stretched over bent laths of wood in context
curran | curn currant  
currie small stool  
currieboram ˈkʌrɪˈborəm confused, a frightened crowd  
currieshang ˈkʌrɪˈʃaŋ a quarrel  
cushat ˈkʌʃət the wood pigeon, the starling  
cushie ring-dove, affectionate call to a pet in context
cuthill ˈkʌθl a grove, small wood  
cuttag a middle sized dumpy woman  
cutter hip flask holding half a mutchkin of whisky. Yum...  
cuttie | cutty short  
cuttle ˈkʌtl whet, sharpen, give a sharp edge to in context
cutty sark ˈkʌtɪˈsark a short shirt, a shift in context
cutty-stool wooden three legged stool on which one had to sit in full view of the congregation if one had been caught sinning in context


Scottish Words illustrated

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