Scots Language Centre

Word of the week

swither v. be uncertain about what to do or choose, doubt, hesitate, dither

on 30th Jul 2007

Swither is something of a stealth Scots word. Many Scottish people use it without any notion of its Scottishness, and along with words like 'outwith' and 'pinkie', and phrases such as 'where I s...

peevers n. the game of hopscotch

on 23rd Jul 2007

Peevers (or peever) is known by a variety of different names, including pallalls and beds, though this term also refers to the numbered spaces chalked on the ground, used in playing the game. An...

breenge n. a violent or clumsy rush, a dash, a plunge

on 16th Jul 2007

Breenge is often used of powerful movement, appropriately illustrated in a Herald report on a rugby match between Glasgow Hawks and West of Scotland this April: "West's efforts finally earned th...

airt n. point of the compass, direction; way, manner

on 09th Jul 2007

Airt is perhaps more often encountered in literature than in everyday speech, yet poetic references such as Robert Burn's 'Of a' the airts the wind can blaw, I dearly like the west', keep such w...

cundy n. a covered drain, the entrance to a drain; a tunnel, passage

on 02nd Jul 2007