Glossary Of Scottish Words Used By Robert Burns: P-Words

P-Words

by Robert Burns

Pack
Intimate, familiar; twelve stone of wool.
Paidle, Paidlen
To walk with difficulty, as if in water.
Painch
Paunch.
Pang
To cram.
Parishen
Parish.
Parle
Courtship.
Parritch
Oatmeal pudding, a well-known Scotch dish.
Pat
Did put, a pot.
Pattle, or Pettle
A small spade to clean the plough.
Paughty
Proud, haughty.
Pawky, Pawkie
Cunning, sly.
Pay't
Paid; beat.
Peat-reek
The smoke of burning turf; a bitter exhalation; whiskey.
Pech, Pechin'
To fetch the breathe shortly, as in asthma, respiring with difficulty.
Pechan
The crop, the stomach.
Pet
A domesticated sheep, etc.; a favourite.
Pettle
To cherish.
Philabeg, or Philibegs
The kilt; short petticoats worn by Highlanders.
Phrase
Fair speeches, flattery, to flatter.
Pibroch
A martial air.
Pickle
A small quantity, one grain of corn.
Pigmy-scraper
A little fiddler; a term of contempt for a bad player.
Pine
Pain, uneasiness
Pingle
A small pan for warming children's sops.
Pint-stoup
A two-quart measure.
Pit
To put.
Placad
A public proclamation, to publish publically.
Plack
An old Scotch coin, the third part of an English penny.
Plackless
Penniless, without money.
Plaidie
Diminutive of plaid.
Platie
Diminutive of plate.
Plew, or Pleugh
A plough.
Plisky
A trick.
Plumrose
Primrose.
Pock
A meal-bag.
Poind
To seize on cattle, or take the goods as the laws of Scotland allow, for rent, etc.
Poortith
Poverty.
Posie
A nosegay, a garland.
Pou, Pou'd, Pou't
To pull, pulled.
Pouk
To pluck.
Pouse
To pluck with the hand.
Poussie
A hare or cat.
Pout
A polt, a chick.
Pouthery, Pouther, of Powther
Fiery, active, like powder; gunpowder.
Pow
The head, the skull.
Pownie
A little horse, a pony.
Preclair
Super-eminent.
Pree'd
Stealthily kissed.
Preen
A pin.
Prent
Printing, print.
Prie
To taste; prie'd, tasted.
Prief
Proof.
Prig
To cheapen, to dispute; priggin, cheapening.
Primsie
Demure, precise.
Propone
To lay down, to propose.
Pund, Pund o' tow
Pound, pound weight of the refuse of flax.
Pyet
A magpie.
Pyle, a pyles o' caff
A single grain of chaff.
Pystle
Epistle.

Source:

The Poetical Works Of Robert Burns
Copyright 1910
Ward, Lock, and Co., Ltd