Part 3

A's fair at the ba'.

"All's fair in war."—English.

As fause as Waghorn.

"Waghorn, a fabulous personage, who, being a liar nineteen times greater than the devil, was crowned King of liars."—Jamieson.

A's fine that's fit.

A's fish that comes to the net.

As fu' o' mischief as an egg's fu' o' meat.

As gentle as Gorman's bitch, that lap ower the ingle and ate the roast.

As gude a fellow as ever toom'd a bicker.

As gude eat the deil as sup the kail he's boiled in.

As gude fish in the sea as e'er cam out o't.

As gude gie the lichtly as tak it.

"Lichtly, an expression of contempt or insult: to undervalue, to slight, to despise."—Jamieson.

As gude may haud as draw.

As gude may haud the stirrup as he that loups on.

As gude merchants tine as win.

As gude ne'er a bit, as ne'er the better.

"Unless you make a thing the better for you, you had as good let it alone."—Kelly.

A's gude that God sends.

A shave aff a new cut loaf's never missed.

A shor'd tree stands lang.

"Men do not die of threats."—Dutch.

A short grace is gude for hungry folk.

A short horse is sune wispit.

A sight o' you is gude for sair een.

"'Wha's this o't?' again exclaimed Madge Wildfire. 'Douce Davie Deans; the auld doited whig body's daughter, in a gipsy's barn, and the nicht setting in! this is a sight for sair een!—Eh, sirs, the falling off o' the godly!—and the t'other sister's in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh.'"—Heart of Midlothian.

A sillerless man gangs fast through the market.

A silly man will be slily dealt wi'.

"He that makes himself a sheep, shall be eaten by the wolf."—English.

A sinking maister maks a rising man.

A skelpit bum breaks nae banes.

Ask the tapster if his ale be gude.

Ask your purse what you should buy.

Ask nae questions, and I'll tell nae lees.

"'What needs ye be aye speering then at folk?' retorted Effie. 'I'm sure, if ye'll ask nae questions, I'll tell ye nae lees. I never ask what brings the Laird of Dumbiedykes glowering here like a wull cat (only his een's greener, and no sae gleg), day after day, till we are all like to gaunt our chafts aff.'"—Heart of Midlothian.

As lang as a dog would be bound wi' a bluidy puddin'.

As lang as the bird sings before Candlemas he greets after it.

As lang as ye serve the tod ye maun carry his tail.

As lang as ye stand ye dinna stay.

"It is enough to make it appear that you did not stay, if you can say you never sate down; an argument to make our friend, who is in haste, to stand and chat awhile."—Kelly.

As lang lasts the hole as the heel leather.

"Spoken to them that quarrel with a hole in your coat or shoe: often applied otherways."—Kelly.

As lang lives the merry man as the sad.

As lang rins the tod as he has feet.

A slow hand maks a sober fortune.

A slow fire maks a sweat maut.

A sma' leak will sink a great ship.

As menseless as a tinkler's messan.

As merry's a mautman.

A smith's house is aye lowin'.

As mony heads as mony wits.

As muckle upwith as muckle downwith.

A's no gowd that glitters, nor maidens that wear their hair.

"It was the fashion some years ago (1721) for virgins to go bareheaded. The proverb means that everything is not so good as it appears."—Kelly.

A's no help that's at hand.

A's no ill that's ill like.

A's no part.

A's no tint that fa's bye.

A's no tint that's in hazard.

A sorrowfu' heart's aye dry.

"Spoken when widows or widowers drink liberally, alledging it was to quench their sorrow."—Kelly.

A sooth bourd is nae bourd.

"'D'ye hear that, Provost?' said Summertrees. 'Your wife's a witch, man; you should nail a horse-shoe on your chamber door. Ha, ha, ha!'

"This sally did not take so well as the former efforts of the laird's wit. The lady drew up, and the Provost said, half aside, 'The sooth bourd is nae bourd; you will find the horse-shoe hissing hot, Summertrees.'"—Redgauntlet.

As poor as a kirk mouse.

A spunefu' o' stink will spoil a patfu' o' skink.

"Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour."—Ecclesiastes, x. 1.

A spur in the head's worth twa in the heel.

As sair fights the wren as the crane.

As sair greets the bairn that's paid at e'en as it that gets its paiks in the morning.

As sib as sieve and riddle that grew in ae wood.

"Spoken of them who groundlessly pretend kindred to great persons."—Kelly.

As sune comes the lamb's skin to the market as the auld tup's.

"Of young die many, of old 'scape not any."—English.

As sure's death.

An emphatic assertion that the truth had been told. At school we had a pious faith in these words. Any narrative clenched with them was invariably believed. If anything was said of a questionable nature, the listener would say, "Say sure's death to that, then." If repeated, confidence was fully restored.

A steek in time saves nine.

As the auld cock craws the young cock learns.

As the day lengthens the cauld strengthens.

As the fool thinks the bell clinks.

As the market gangs the wares sell.

As the sow fills the draff sours.

As the wind blaws seek your beild.

That is, endeavour to suit yourself to circumstances. Kelly pawkily remarks, This is "a politick proverb! advising us to make our interest as the times change. This proverb some act very dexterously, and others cannot get acted."

A still sow eats a' the draff.

A's tint that's put in a riven dish.

All is lost that is put into a broken dish. Favours bestowed on ungrateful persons are thrown away.

As tired as a tyke o' langkail.

"Are ye fou already, Watty Walkinshaw? If ye mudge out o' that seat again this night, I'll mak you as sick o' pies and puddings as ever a dog was o' langkail."—The Entail.

As true as Biglam's cat crew, and the cock rocked the cradle.

"Spoken when we hear one call that true that we know to be a lye."—Kelly.

A' Stuarts are no sib to the king.

Although all of the same name, we are not of the same family. "There is some distance between Peter and Peter."—Spanish.

A sturdy beggar should hae a stout nae-sayer.

As wanton as a wet hen.

As weel be hang'd for a sheep as a lamb.

As weel be sune as syne.

Used as a suggestion that a thing had better be done at present than put off till a future time, or vice versa. "Ae wise body's eneugh in the married state. But if your heart's ower fu', take what siller will serve ye, and let it be when ye come back again—as gude syne as sune."—Heart of Midlothian.

As weel be out o' the warld as out o' fashion.

As wight as a wabster's doublet, that ilka day taks a thief by the neck.

As ye are stout be merciful.

As ye brew sae ye maun drink.

"Some will spend, and some will spare, And wilfu' folk maun hae their will; Syne as ye brew, my maiden fair, Keep mind that ye maun drink the yill."—Burns.

As ye brew weel ye'll drink the better.

"'So ye hae gotten your auld son married? I hope it's to your satisfaction.'

"'An he has brewed good yill, Mr Keelevin, he'll drink the better,' was the reply; 'but I hae come to consult you anent a bit alteration that I would fain make in my testament.'"—The Entail.

As ye mak your bed sae ye maun lie on't.

A's yours frae the door out.

"A jest upon those who pretend that such and such things in the house are theirs. As if you would say, all the household goods without the doors are yours."—Kelly.

A taking hand will never want, let the world be e'er sae scant.

A tarrowing bairn was never fat.

A child that refuses or is slow in taking its food. People who will not take advantage as opportunities offer, cannot expect to prosper so well as those who do.

A tale never tines in the telling.

A' that's said in the kitchen shouldna be tauld in the ha'.

A' that's said shouldna be sealed.

A' that ye'll tak wi' ye will be but a kist and a sheet, after a'.

In allusion to the death of persons who may be proud of their possessions.

A' the claes on your back was ance in clues.

A' the corn's no shorn by kempers.

To kemp, to strive. All do not strive alike. All cannot equally excel in work. This proverb supports the claims of those who do not excel, by suggesting that even the "kempers" cannot overtake all the work that is to do.

A' the keys of the country hang na in ae belt.

All the influence or power is not in one man's possession.

A' the men i' the Mearns can do nae mair than they may.

No man can do more than he has strength to do. There is an Aberdeenshire saying of similar import, "I can dee fat I dow: the men in the Mearns can dee nae mair."

A' the speed's no in the spurs.

A' the winning's in the first buying.

A' the wit o' the world's no in ae pow.

A'thing angers ye, and the cat breaks your heart.

A' things thrive at thrice.

A'thing wytes that no weel fares.

A thoughtless body's aye thrang.

A thrawn question should hae a thrawart answer.

A thread will tie an honest man better than a rope will do a rogue.

At my leisure, as lairds dee.

"Fair and softly, as lawyers go to heaven."—English.

A tocherless dame sits lang at hame.

A tocher's nae word in a true lover's parle.

"Oh wae on the siller, it is sae prevailing! And wae on the love that is fixed on a mailen! A tocher's nae word in a true lover's parle, But gie me love, and a fig for the warl!"—Burns.

A toolying tike comes limping hame.

"Toolying tike," quarrelsome dog.

A toom hand is nae lure for a hawk.

A toom pantry maks a thriftless gudewife.

A toom purse maks a thrawn face.

At open doors dogs gae ben.

A travelled man has leave to lee.

A tree's no a mast till its hewn.

"I like the lassie, Mundy, wi' my heart, An' as she's bonny, dootna but she's smart; The creature's young, she'll shape to ony cast— Nae tree till it be hewn becomes a mast."—Ross's Helenore.

A tricky man's easiest tricket.

A turn weel done is sune done.

A twalpenny cat may look at a king.

Auld chimes and auld rhymes gar us think on auld times.

Auld folk are twice bairns.

Auld moon mist ne'er died o' thrist.

"Foggy weather in the last quarter of the moon is supposed to betoken moisture."—Robert Chambers.

Auld sins breed new sairs.

Auld sparrows are ill to tame.

Auld springs gie nae price.

Things out of fashion are valueless.

Auld stots hae stiff horns.

Auld use and wont hings about the fire.

Old manners and customs are difficult to be got rid of.

Auld wives and bairns mak fools o' physicians.

Auld wives were aye gude maidens.

A vaunter and a liar are near akin.

A wa' between best preserves friendship.

Meaning that friends are best separate.

A wad is a fule's argument.

"Fools, for argument, lay wagers."—Butler.

A waited pat's lang o' boiling.

A wamefu's a wamefu' wer't but o' bare cauf.

A bellyful is a bellyful, no matter what kind of meat is taken. A variation occurs in St Ronan's Well:—"A wamefu's a wamefu' whether it be o' barley meal or bran."

A wee bush is better than nae beild.

"Dame Elspeth is of good folk, a widow, and the mother of orphans,—she will give us house-room until something be thought upon. These evil showers make the low bush better than no beild."—The Monastery.

A wee house has a wide throat.

A wee house weel fill'd, a wee piece land weel till'd, a wee wife weel will'd, will mak a happy man.

A wee mouse will creep beneath a muckle corn stack.

A wee spark maks muckle wark.

A wee thing fleys cowards.

A wee thing puts your beard in a bleeze.

A wee thing ser's a cheerfu' mind.

A wet May and a winnie, brings a fu' stackyard and a finnie.

"Implying that rain in May and dry winds afterwards produce a plentiful crop, with that mark of excellence by which grain is generally judged of by connoisseurs—a good feeling in the hand."—Robert Chambers.

A whang off a cut kebbuck's never miss'd.

A wife is wise enough when she kens her gudeman's breeks frae her ain kirtle.

Kelly gives a very indifferent version of this proverb, and says, "This is old, and a good one if rightly understood: that is, she is a good wife who knows the true measure of her husband's authority and her obedience."

A wight man ne'er wanted a weapon.

A wild goose ne'er laid tame eggs.

A wilfu' man maun hae his way.

"'Reuben Butler! Reuben Butler!' echoed the Laird of Dumbiedykes, pacing the apartment in high disdain,—'Reuben Butler, the dominie at Liberton—and a dominie-depute too!—Reuben, the son of my cottar!—Very weel, Jeanie, lass, wilfu' woman will hae her way—Reuben Butler! he hasna in his pouch the value o' the auld black coat he wears.'"—Heart of Midlothian.

A wilfu' man ne'er wanted wae.

"It has been said, and may be sae, A wilfull man wants never wae, Thocht he gets little gains."—Cherrie and the Slae.

A wilfu' man should be unco wise.

A willing mind maks a light foot.

A winking cat's no aye blind.

A winter day and a wintry way is the life o' man.

A winter night, a woman's mind, and a laird's purpose, aften change.

"Women, wind, and luck soon change."—Portuguese.

A wise head maks a close mouth.

A wise lawyer ne'er gangs to law himsel.

A wise man carries his cloak in fair weather, an' a fool wants his in rain.

"An encouragement to care, caution, and foresight, and especially not to leave your cloak, be the weather e'er so encouraging."—Kelly.

"Chiels carry cloaks, when 'tis clear, The fool when 'tis foul has nane to wear."—Ramsay.

A wise man gets learning frae them that hae nane o' their ain.

A wise man wavers, a fool is fixed.

A woman's gude either for something or naething.

A word is enough to the wise.

A working mither maks a daw dochter.

Another rendering of "A light-heeled mother," &c.

Aye as ye thrive your feet fa's frae ye.

"Unexpected interruptions occur in business."—Kelly.

"The farther you go, the farther behind."—English.

Aye flether away;—since I'll no do wi' foul play, try me wi' fair.

A yeld sow was never gude to gryces.

This more expressive than elegant proverb means that those people who have no family of their own are rarely inclined to be kind to the children of others.

Aye takin' out o' the meal pock and ne'er puttin' in't soon comes to the bottom.

Aye tak the fee when the tear's in the ee.

Aye to eild, but never to wit.

That is, he is always growing older, but never any wiser.

A' you rin you win.

"Taken from playing at bowls: applied to endeavours about a project that seems not feasible, where what you can make is clear gain."—Kelly.

A Yule feast may be done at Pasche.

Bachelors' wives and auld maids' bairns are aye weel bred.

Bad legs and ill wives should stay at hame.

Bairns are certain care, but nae sure joy.

Bairns speak i' the field what they hear i' the ha'.

Baith weal and woe come aye wi' world's gear.

"'And I positively must not ask you how you have come by all this money?' said the clergyman.... 'Is it anything that distresses your own mind?' 'There is baith weal and woe come wi' warld's gear, Reuben: but ye maun ask me naething mair.—This siller binds me to naething, and can never be speered back again.'"—Heart of Midlothian.

Baked bread and brown ale winna bide lang.

Bannocks are better than nae bread.

"Half a loaf is better than no bread."—English.

Barefooted folk shouldna tread on thorns.

"Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones."—English.

Bare gentry, bragging beggars.

Bare words mak nae bargain.

Bastard brood are aye proud.

Be a friend to yoursel, and others will.

Bear and forbear is gude philosophy.

Bear wealth weel, poortith will bear itsel.

Beauty, but bounty's but bauch.

Beauty is but skin deep.

Beauty's muck when honour's tint.

Beauty is worthless when honour is lost.

Be aye the thing you would be ca'd.

"Because" is a woman's reason.

"I have no other but a woman's reason: I think him so, because I think him so."—Shakespeare.

Beds are best, quo' the man to his guest.

We presume he said so on the score of economy, i.e., to evade supplying supper.

Beefsteaks and porter are gude belly mortar.

Bees that hae honey in their mouths hae stings in their tails.

Before an ill wife be gude, even if she was a' turned to tongue.

Before, I ween'd; but now, I wat.

Before, I only suspected; now, I am certain. "Spoken on the full discovery of some malefice, which before we only suspected."—Kelly.

Before the deil gaes blind, and he's no blear e'ed yet.

Before ye choose a friend, eat a peck o' saut wi' him.

Be gaun, the gate's before you.

Be going, the road lies before you. A jocose or surly hint to go.

Beg frae beggars and you'll ne'er be rich.

Beggars breed, and rich men feed.

Beggars downa bide wealth.

Beggars shouldna be choosers.

Begin wi' needles and preens, and end wi' horn'd nowte.

That is, beginnings apparently trifling may lead to very great results. Used here as a caution against dishonesty.

Be it better, be it worse, be ruled by him that has the purse.

Be it sae, is nae banning.

Used in yielding a point in dispute because you are either unwilling or unable to argue further; but also indicating that you do not admit yourself to be in the wrong.

Be lang sick, that ye may be soon hale.

Believe a' ye hear, an' ye may eat a' ye see.

Belyve is twa hours and a half.

A jocular allusion to the fact that if a person says he will be back, or done with anything "belyve," that is, immediately, or in a little, the probability is he will be longer than expected.

Be ready wi' your bonnet, but slow wi' your purse.

Be slow in choosing a friend, but slower in changing him.

Best to be off wi' the auld love before we be on wi' the new.

Be thou weel, or be thou wae, yet thou wilt not aye be sae.

Better a bit in the morning than a fast a' day.

Better a clout in than a hole out.

That is, a patched garment is better than one with holes in it.

Better a dog fawn on you than bark at you.

Better ae e'e than a' blind.

Better ae wit bought than twa for nought.

Better a finger aff as aye wagging.

"The first night is aye the warst o't. I hae never heard o' ane that sleepit the night afore the trial, but of mony a ane that sleepit as sound as a tap the night before their necks were straughted. And it's nae wonder—the warst may be tholed when it's kend: Better a finger aff as aye wagging."—Heart of Midlothian.

Better a fremit friend than a friend fremit.

Better have a stranger for your friend than a friend turned stranger.

Better a gude fame than a fine face.

Better alane than in ill company.

Better a laying hen than a lying crown.

Better a lean horse than a toom halter.

Better a poor horse than no horse at all.

Better a mouse in the pat than nae flesh.

Better an auld man's darling than a young man's warling.

"Used as an argument to induce a young girl to marry an old man, to the doing of which no argument should prevail."—Kelly.

Better an even down snaw than a driving drift.

Better an ill spune than nae horn.

Better a saft road than bad company.

"'I redd ye, Earnscliff' (this Hobbie added in a gentle whisper), 'let us take a cast about, as if to draw the wind on a buck—the bog is no abune knee-deep, and better a saft road than bad company.'"—The Black Dwarf.