Back-end, C, late autumn.
“T’ _back-end’s_ ola’s t’ bare-end.”—Proverb.
Bain, C, near, convenient. Used in most of the northern counties.
“I swin’d my ways t’ _bainest_ geeat ower t’ fell into Sleddle.”
_Rev. T. Clarke._ Johnny Shippard.
Bairn, S, a child; Barne, C.
“Maidens’ _bairns_ are aye weel bred.”—Proverb.
“They hed _barnes_ an’ bits o’ flesh persirv’d i’ bottles as fwok does
berries.”—_Ritson._ The Borrowdale Letter.
Barken’t, S and C, encrusted.
“For God-seak put that barne in t’ dolly-tūb an’ scrūb’t: it’s fairly
_barken’t_ ower wid mūck.”—Said of a rarely washed infant.
Barrow-back’t, C, bent by heavy work, such as wheeling loaded _barrows_.
“He’s gitten bow’t an’ _barrow-back’t_, an’ wizzent sair o’ t’
feàce.”—Heard at Ullock.
Batt, S and C,
“At ya _batt_ he fell’t me flat,
’Od dye! he’ll be a darter.”
_Mark Lonsdale._ The Upshot.
Baul’, S, bold, fierce.
“The first fuff o’ a fat haggis is aye the _baul’est_.”—Proverb.
Beàdless, C. This adjective is used to signify intolerable in
suffering, and also impatient of pain—thus
“He says t’ pain’s _beàdless_, but than he’s a _beàdless_ body.”
Said to a Doctor.
Beck, C, a rivulet.
“Change is leetsome, if it’s no’but oot o’ bed intil t’ _beck_.”
Proverb.
Beel, C, to bellow like a bull.
“Summet tha caw’t roworgins began a _beelin’_ like a hundred mad
bulls, an’ as many lal lads i’ ther sarks began a screamin’ murder, I
think, for ivery _beel_ was like thunner.”
_Ritson._ The Borrowdale Letter.
Begonk, Old S and C, a disappointment, “a sell.”
“Now Cromwell’s gane to Nick; an’ ane ca’d Monk
Has played the Rumple a richt slee _begunk_.”
_Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.
Begood, S, began.
“The baronne he _begood_ to bob,
No longer colde he stande.”
_Hogg._ Lyttil Pynkie.
Beild, S and C, shelter.
“Better a wee buss than nae _beild_.”—Proverb. _Burns’_ Motto.
“Weal _beealt_ frae t’ fell wind by some heeh crags.”
_Rev. T Clarke._ T’ Reysh-bearin’.
Bein, S, snug, comfortable.
“Were your _bein_ rooms as thinly stocked as mine,
Less ye wad lose, and less wad ye repine.”
_Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.
Belyve, S and C, by and bye.
“_Belyve_, the elder bairns come drapping in.”
_Burns._ Cotter’s Saturday Night.
Ben, S, the inner part of a house.
“It’s ill bringing but what’s no _ben_.”—Proverb.
Bent, S, a coarse hard grass; applied also to the sterile land where
bent grows.
“Gin ye’ll consent to scour the _bent_
Wi’ me, a rantin’ Hielandman.”
_Hamilton._ Song.
Billie, S, brother.
“Be of gude cheir, now, Archie lad!
Be of gude cheir, now, dear _billie_.”
Ballad—Archie o’ Ca’field.
Bink, S, a bench for sitting upon.
“For faut o’ wise fouk feuls sit on _binks_.”—Proverb.
Birl, S, to drink in conviviality; also to spend money in drinking.
“When they were at the supper set
An’ _birlin’_ at the wine.”
Ballad—Young Huntin.
“She took me in, she set me doon,
An’ hecht to keep me lawin’ free;
But, cunning carlin’ that she was,
She gar’t me _birl_ my bawbee.”
Song—Andro’ wi’ his cutty gun.
In the Lake Country the attendants who serve the drink round at
sheep-shearings, etc., are called _burlers_.
Birkie, S, a brisk forward fellow.
“See yon _birkie_ ca’d a lord.”
_Burns._ For a’ that.
Black-kites, C, bramble berries; in some parts called brummel-kites, in
others black-bums.
“I wantit grog—she brong mé _black-kite_ wine.”
Heard at Harrington.
Blate, S and C, bashful.
“A _blate_ cat maks a proud mouse.”—Proverb.
“I’ve wonder’t oft o’ leàte
What made thee leùk sea skar an’ seem sea _bleàte_.”
_Graham._ Gwordie and Will.
Bleeze, S and C, flame.
“In winter when he toils through wind and rain,
A _bleezin’_ ingle and a clean hearth-stane.”
_Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.
Blether, S and C, noisy silly talk, loquacity.
“A lawyer neist, wi’ _bletherin’_ gab,
Wha speeches wove like onie wab.”
Old Song—Jenny’s Bawbee.
“Chaps like these, like butterflees,
Win owte wi’ pride an’ _blether_.”
_Anderson._ Laird Johnie.
Blink, S, glance.
“The evening sun was ne’er sae sweet
As was the _blink_ o’ Phemie’s e’e.”
_Burns._ Blythe was she.
Blurt, C; Blirt, S, sudden burst of weeping, etc.
“The lassie lost her silken snood,
Whilk cost her monie a _blirt_ an’ bleer e’e.”
Song.
Blythe, S, cheerful, happy.
“A _blythe_ heart mak’s a blooming look.”—Proverb.
Bood, S, behoved to.
“Weel leese me o’ you, Souter Jock,
For tricks ye _bood_ be tryin’.”
_Ferguson._ The Election.
Boune, Old S, to journey or go.
“Win up! win up, now, Hynde Etin,
Win up, an’ _boune_ wi’ me.”
Ballad—Hynde Etin.
Bowk, S and C, to retch.
“For aye ye sup the brose at e’en
Ye _bowk_ at in the morn, lassie.”
Song—Ye ha’e lain wrang, lassie.
Brae, S, bank of a stream, brow.
“’Neath the brae the burnie jooks.”
_Tannahill._ Gloomy Winter.
Brackin’, C; Breckan, S, the common fern (_Pteris Aquilina_).
A lady near Hawkshead having bought a small fern plant at a flower
show, a neighbour exclaimed, “Three and sixpence for a lile _brackin_!
I’d ha’ browte her a leeàd o’ them for’t!”
“Round the sylvan fairy nooks
Feathery _breckans_ fringe the rocks.”
_Tannahill._ Gloomy Winter.
Brant, C, steep.
“Old Man! Old Man! your sides are _brant_.”
The Old Man.