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Spik
The living Shetland dialect dictionary — thousands of wirds, with meanings, pronunciations and examples.
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H wirds
180 wirds
- haanoun
/HAH/
main house or laird's manor
“He's awa at da haa”
- haafnoun
/HAHF/
deep open sea, offshore fishing grounds
“Us'll gae oot tae the haaf the morn.”
- haaf mannoun
/HAAF-man/
offshore fisherman working far out at sea
“Da haaf man gaes oot ilk mornin.”
- haaglessadjective
/HAAG-less/
without pity or compassion
“He wis haagless wi thae bairns”
- haand's turnnoun
/HAANDZ-TURN/
short stint of manual labour
“Aye, it's ma haand's turn tae mend the net.”
- haandigripsnoun
/HAAN-dee-grips/
Blows delivered by the hands
“Da lad gied Jamie haandigrips.”
- haandlessadjective
/HAAND-less/
lacking skill with the hands
“He's awfy haandless at peelin tatties.”
- hackverb
/HAK/
to cut or chop roughly
“Hack the cod afore bakin'.”
- haddverb
/HAHD/
to hold or continue on
“I hadd a keek at the market.”
- haddibaandnoun
/HAD-ee-bahnd/
Transverse timber securing a boat's frames
“He set the haddibaand unner the thrawt”
- hagmarknoun
/HAG-mark/
Boundary marker between grazing areas
“Meet me at the hagmark afore we gang the sheep.”
- hailverb
/HAYL/
Haul in fishing gear; sweat streaming
“Hae ye hail the net in yet?”
- hailin kabenoun
/HAY-lin-KAYB/
wooden pin for guiding fishing line
“Haud the hailin kabe an' we'll heeze her up.”
- haily pucklenoun
/HAY-lee PUCK-uhl/
small lump of hailstone ice
“Da road wis aal white wi haily puckle.”
- hainverb
/HAYN/
Hold back; use sparingly; economise
“Hain a bit o' fish for the bairn.”
- hairnoun
/HAIR/
tiny particle; slightest visible trace
“Nae hair o' the bannock left”
- hair rivinnoun
/HAIR-RIV-in/
sudden strong gust of wind
“A hair rivin cam ower the voe an snatched ma hat.”
- hairseadjective
/HAIRS/
Rough, husky, strained-sounding voice
“Da auld man's hairse aye maks folk listen.”
- hairstnoun
/HAYRST/
autumn harvest; gathering of crops
“Hairst's here an' the fowk's oot at the rigs.”
- hairst blinksnoun
/HAYRST-BLINKS/
distant heat-lightning flashes on warm nights
“A sat an watched hairst blinks t' nicht.”
- hairst mönnoun
/HAIRST-muhn/
autumn full moon marking the harvest
“Wi sat doon unner the hairst mön”
- hairst rignoun
/HAIRST-RIG/
strip of land being reaped
“Da hairst rig's near doon noo.”
- hairy mölditadjective
/HAIR-ee-MOHL-dit/
covered in fuzzy green growth
“Dinna eat da, it's hairy möldit.”
- haleadjective
/HAYL/
whole and not damaged
“Da auld boat cam hame hale.”
- hale an haddenadjective
/HAYL-an-HAD-en/
completely intact and undamaged
“Da auld boat cam hame hale an hadden.”
- half gaetsadverb
/HAF-GAYTS/
Partway between two places or stages
“A'm half gaets hame.”
- half oot aforenoun
/HAF-OOT-uh-FOR/
upper half of sheep's ear cut
“Ah seen da lamb wi a half oot afore on't”
- half oot ahintnoun
/HAF OOT ah-HINT/
ear notch indicating sheep ownership
“Ah gied the lamb a half oot ahint.”
- halligetadjective
/HAL-ih-get/
rowdy, disorderly, uncontrolled behaviour
“Da bairns war richt halliget.”
- hallonoun
/HAH-lo/
tied bundle of straw for cattle
“Gi'e the hallo tae the coos noo.”
- hallowe'ennoun
/HAL-uh-ween/
Evening of October 31st
“Aw'll gae oot wi the bairns on hallowe'en”
- halversnoun
/HAL-vurz/
a person's half when splitting
“Gie me ma halvers o' the catch.”
- hamarnoun
/HAH-mar/
steep rocky hill or crag
“Da bairn clamb da hamar an' keekit ower”
- hamenoun
/HAYM/
one's home; at or to home
“Ah'm gaen hame noo.”
- hame abootadjective
/HAYM-uh-BOOT/
Cosy, plain, comfortable like home
“Dis hoose is gey hame aboot.”
- hame troweadverbial phrase
/HAYM-TROH/
on the way home
“Ah'm gaun hame trowe.”
- hamefirnoun
/HAYM-FEER/
bride's first homecoming celebration
“We gaed tae the hamefir efter the weddin.”
- hankverb
/HANK/
Coil rope for stowing or handling
“Will ye hank the line noo?”
- hanselnoun
/HAN-suhl/
token gift for an inaugural occasion
“A'll gie the bairn a hansel the morn.”
- hanspernoun
/HAN-spuh/
Sore, tired legs after exertion
“A hae hansper efter da lunt.”
- hantlenoun
/HAN-tul/
a large amount; plenty
“A hantle o folk cam tae the ceilidh”
- hanvaeginverb
/HAN-VAY-gin/
delay or stall doing needed tasks
“Dinna hanvaegin noo, we hae wark te dae.”
- hapnoun
/HAP/
Traditional knitted shoulder-wrap, typically handmade
“Tak the hap, it's gey cauld.”
- hap lacenoun
/HAP-lays/
Knitted border or edging of shawl
“Da hap lace's awfy braw.”
- happerverb
/HAP-er/
to block or hold back progress
“Da tide happer yer boat”
- hard darkeninnoun
/HAARD-DARK-en-in/
last light before nightfall
“Coom oot, the hard darkenin's gey braw”
- harkverb
/HAHRK/
speak in a low private voice
“Hark intae ma lug”
- harlverb
/HAHRL/
shuffle along with faltering steps
“A'll harl hame noo.”
- harnedadjective
/HARN-ed/
Made hard by use or exposure
“Ma haans are richt harned.”
- harnpannoun
/HARN-pan/
bony skull casing protecting the brain
“Dinnae ding yer harnpan oan the beam.”
- harnsnoun
/HAHRNZ/
the brain; mental capacity or intelligence
“Da bairn's got braw harns.”
- harrnoun
/HAHR/
upper plate of a door hinge
“The harr o' the dor's a' worn.”
- harskadjective
/HARSK/
Severe, cold and stormy weather
“Da wind's gey harsk.”
- haslocknoun
/HAS-lok/
soft wool beneath a sheep's neck
“Gie's the haslock for the bairn's bonnet”
- hassnoun
/HAHS/
Throat; specifically the windpipe
“Da bairn near choked his hass wi a bit o' fish.”
- hassensplural noun
/HAS-enz/
Planks beside the keel on a boat
“Aw'll pit new nails in the hassens the morn”
- haste deeverb phrase
/HAST-ee-DEE/
leave quickly; hurry away
“Haste dee, da ferry's gaun.”
- hatterverb
/HAT-er/
bully or handle someone roughly
“Dinna hatter the wee bairn.”
- haververb
/HAY-vuh/
speak nonsense; babble aimlessly
“He's aye a haver.”
- headnoun
/HED/
Yarn measurement and single animal count
“A hae a head o waul tae spin the morn.”
- head rignoun
/HED-RIG/
field strip used for turning plough
“Aw'll till the head rig efter the feeld's dun.”
- headicraanoun
/HEH-di-KRAH/
a head-first flip or roll
“He gied a braw headicraa intae da sea”
- headlichtadjective
/HED-likht/
feeling dizzy or lightheaded
“Ah'm a wee headlicht efter da kirk dance”
- headlinsadverb
/HED-LINZ/
headfirst in a reckless hurry
“Da laddie gaed headlins intae da burn.”
- heads ta traasadverbial phrase
/HEDS-TA-TRAAS/
alternating heads and feet arrangement
“Pit the bairns heads ta traas on the bed.”
- hearverb
/HEER/
listen or give brief skeptical agreement
“Hear, nae bother.”
- hearinnoun
/HEER-in/
a surprising reported tale or rumour
“There's a queer hearin gaun roond.”
- heaveverb
/HEEV/
to throw or fling something
“Gie it a heave intae the boat.”
- hecknoun
/HEK/
stick used to aid walking
“He leanit on his heck an' gaed alang.”
- heckleverb
/HEK-uhl/
to move slowly with difficulty
“He heckled up the brae wi' the cart”
- hedverb
/HED/
Past form of have; possessed
“Ah hed nae time yestreen.”
- hedder kowenoun
/HED-er KOH/
large bushy clump of heather
“Da bairns hid in da hedder kowe.”
- hedderkindunknoun
/HED-er-kin-dunk/
Plank on a fulcrum; rocking motion
“Aw satt oan the hedderkindunk wi da bairns”
- hedimoonoun
/HED-ih-moo/
shimmering mirage caused by heat
“Ah seen a hedimoo ower da brae.”
- heeldverb
/HEELD/
Lean or tip over; cause to capsize
“Da boat heeld ower in da gale.”
- heesieadjective
/HEE-see/
sent away; made to leave abruptly
“He wis heesie efter the meetin.”
- heftnoun
/HEFT/
Handle or prized personal possession
“Mind the heft, it's auld an' dear tae me.”
- hegrinoun
/HEG-ree/
heron; nickname for a lanky person
“Hegri, ye're late agin.”
- heichtnoun
/HAYCHT/
the highest point or summit
“We gaed up tae the heicht.”
- hellerynoun
/HEL-uh-ree/
worthless stuff or nonsense
“A'll hae nae use fer that hellery.”
- helli möldcompound noun
/HELL-ee MURLD/
graveyard or cemetery; 'holy earth'
“Ah'll gang tae the helli möld.”
- hellicknoun
/HEL-ik/
broad flat rock sloping to sea
“Set the boat on the hellick an haud her fast.”
- hellisomadjective
/HEL-iss-um/
Friendly, easy to get on with
“She's a hellisom lass, aye up for a blether.”
- hellynoun
/HEL-ee/
short holiday or time off
“Ah'm awa fer the helly”
- helsininterjection
/HEL-sin/
exclamation used to greet arrivals
“Helsin, braw te see ye!”
- helyernoun
/HEL-yer/
sea-filled coastal cave at high tide
“We hid the boat in the helyer afore the storm”
- hemsnoun
/HEMZ/
wooden triangular collars for sheep
“Aw hae put hems oan the yow”
- henchnoun
/HENCH/
upper thigh or buttock area
“Mind yer hench, da floor's slippit.”
- hench bennoun
/HENCH-BEN/
bone from an animal's hip
“Gie us the hench ben.”
- hench headnoun
/HENCH-hed/
upper part of an animal's haunch
“Mind the hench head when ye lift the sheep”
- henkverb
/HENGK/
to walk unevenly; limp or hobble
“Da auld man henk hame.”
- hentverb
/HENT/
Pick up and gather items or people
“Hent the weans hame noo”
- hentilagetsnoun
/HEN-ti-LAG-ets/
Loose tufts of sheep fleece
“Ah broucht hentilagets hame fae the brae.”
- hentinsnoun
/HEN-tins/
leftover grain gathered after harvest
“Da bairns hev bin pickin the hentins.”
- herald deuknoun
/HER-uld DYOOK/
red-breasted diving sea duck
“I seen a herald deuk oot by da voe.”
- herlaneadverb
/HUR-layn/
by oneself; without any company
“Da auld mither sat herlane at neet.”
- herselpronoun
/HER-sel/
reflexive form of the pronoun her
“She telt the bairn a story hersel.”
- hertnoun
/HERT/
the heart, sometimes the belly
“He haes a muckle hert.”
- hert hollnoun
/HERT-HOLL/
the exact middle or core
“Da kirk stans i da hert holl o da toon.”
- hert stennoun
/HERT-sten/
flat stone forming the hearth
“Pit the kettle on da hert sten.”
- hertscadnoun
/HERT-skad/
burning sensation in chest or throat
“Ah've got hertscad efter that suppy.”
- hespnoun
/HESP/
Skein of yarn prepared for spinning
“Ah maun win the hesp afore Ah kin spin.”
- hethinterjection
/HETH/
mild exclamation for surprise or annoyance
“Heth, ye canna dae that!”
- hicksinoun
/HIKS-ee/
brief bout of involuntary hiccups
“Ah hae a wee hicksi.”
- hiddleverb
/HID-uhl/
Hide or tuck away out of sight
“Hiddle the keys in the kist.”
- hidenoun
/HYDE/
animal skin or pelt
“Da's a bonnie hide frae the seal”
- hide or hairidiomatic noun phrase
/HYDE-nor-HAIR/
a trace or sign of someone
“There's nae hide nor hair o' him.”
- hidmostadjective
/HID-mohst/
last in a group or line
“He bides hidmost o' the lot.”
- hill gaetnoun
/HIL-GAYT/
path across a hill or ridge
“A'll tak the hill gaet”
- hill grindnoun
/HIL-GRYND/
gate to communal hill pasture
“Ah'll meet ye at the hill grind.”
- himlaneadverb
/HIM-layn/
by himself; without any company
“He cam himlane hame”
- himstadjective
/HIMST/
petulant, flighty, easily offended person
“He got himst ower a wee thing.”
- hinderverb
/HIN-der/
Prevent or obstruct; exclamation of surprise
“Hinder, ye wadnae dae that!”
- hinnynoun
/HIN-ee/
Affectionate term for a loved one
“Coom awa, hinny.”
- hinny spotnoun
/HIN-ee-SPOT/
Triangular wooden block for boat stem
“Hae ye set the hinny spot?”
- hinnywarnoun
/HIN-ee-WAHR/
edible seaweed gathered from shore
“A'll hae a wee bit o' hinnywar.”
- hintverb
/HINT/
slip in and out unseen
“He hint aboot the toon, nae ane saw him”
- hipverb
/HIP/
leave out or skip over
“Dinna hip her frae the list.”
- hippennoun
/HIP-en/
cloth or disposable baby diaper
“Gie the bairn a clean hippen”
- hirdverb
/HURD/
Reap and gather harvest crops
“We'll hird da tatties the morn.”
- hirdanoun
/HIR-da/
utter disorder; scattered, broken pieces
“Da hoose is hirda efter da party”
- hirniknoun
/HEER-nik/
small corner or tiny hiding place
“Ah'll put it in a wee hirnik abuin the dresser.”
- hirpleverb
/HUR-pul/
move along with a limp
“Da auld dug hirpled hame.”
- hiss hassnoun
/HISS-HASS/
a confused fuss or noisy commotion
“Dinna mak a hiss hass aboot it.”
- hitverb
/HIT/
to strike; past participle of throw
“He haes hit da line owerbaord”
- hitselreflexive pronoun
/HIT-sel/
reflexive for things or animals
“Da dug lickit hitsel”
- hivvetnoun
/HIV-vet/
Raised localized swelling or small lump
“Ah've got a hivvet oan ma arm.”
- hochnoun
/HOKH/
Back part of the upper leg
“I hae a sair hoch efter da fae.”
- hochbendtransitive verb
/HOK-bend/
Tie cord above animal's hock
“Gie the coo a hochbend afore ye staart tae milk.”
- hockverb
/HOK/
to dig or make a hole
“A'll hock the tattie bed the morn.”
- hockinadjective
/HOK-in/
Extremely hungry; ravenous and starving
“Ah'm hockin, gie me a bit o scran.”
- hoenoun
/HOO/
small dogfish and Lunnasting nickname
“Da hoe swam near da boat”
- hoe moothedadjective
/HOH-MOOTHD/
projecting upper jaw with snout-like profile
“Da dug's a bit hoe moothed.”
- hoidverb
/HOYD/
To hide; put out of sight
“Hoid it awa in ma drawer.”
- hoidie hollnoun
/HOY-dee-HOLL/
small concealed spot used for hiding
“Da cat sleepit in da hoidie holl doon by da dyke.”
- hoilternoun
/HOIL-ter/
bulky, awkward, clumsy person
“Ye hae tae gie da hoilter plenty o' room”
- höldverb
/HOHLD/
Kept or grasped; held in place
“Ah'll höld the boat fir ye.”
- holmnoun
/HOHM/
small low-lying islet near shore
“Da bairns gaed oot tae da holm.”
- holtryadjective
/HOL-tree/
Rough, uneven ground with hummocks
“Mind yer fit, da brae's holtry”
- höminnoun
/HOO-min/
dim light just after sunset
“We'll be hame afore hömin.”
- hoochnoun
/HOOCH/
short loud shout to attract attention
“Gie's a hooch!”
- hookersnoun
/HOOK-ers/
bent knees or leg joints
“Mind yer hookers when ye stoop.”
- hoorkleverb
/HOOR-kul/
crouch low close to the ground
“Hoorkle doon bi da dyke, bairn.”
- hooronoun
/HOO-roh/
loud noisy commotion or disturbance
“Fit a hooro at da pier yisterday.”
- hoosenoun
/HOOS/
A dwelling or person's home
“A'll bide i' the hoose the nicht”
- hoosomeverconjunctive adverb
/HOOS-uh-MEV-er/
Introduces contrast: yet, nevertheless
“He telt me nae tae come, hoosomever A juist gaed alang.”
- hooterverb
/HOO-tuh/
Intimidate someone into keeping quiet
“Dinnae let him hooter ye”
- hornnoun
/HOARN/
projecting tip of a boat
“Ah tied a wee flag tae the horn.”
- horn towesnoun
/HORN-TOHZ/
rope tether used to secure cow
“Pit the horn towes oan the coo i' the byre.”
- horridadverb
/HORR-id/
Shetland intensifier meaning very; extremely
“It's horrid cauld oot the day”
- horse gocknoun
/HAWS-GOK/
small marsh wading bird
“Aa saa a horse gock i' the moss.”
- hostnoun
/HOHST/
a sudden bout of coughing
“Da bairn hed a sair host.”
- houbnoun
/HOOB/
shallow tidal lagoon at voe head
“Wi gaed oot tae fish in the houb.”
- hövverb
/HUV/
to throw or heave forcefully
“Shi höv the sack intae the boat”
- hövinoun
/HUH-vee/
Shallow woven bait-carrying basket
“A'll tak the hövi doon tae the voe.”
- howdienoun
/HOW-dee/
local woman assisting childbirth
“Da howdie coom an' helpit wi da bairn.”
- howeverb
/HOW/
loosen soil with a hoe
“A'll howe the tatties the morn.”
- hubbelskyunoun
/HUB-uhl-SKYOO/
A loud, chaotic, noisy commotion
“Dinna gang near da hubbelskyu.”
- hubbitadjective
/HUB-it/
Shunned or driven away after accusation
“He wis hubbit fae the toon.”
- hufsinoun
/HUF-see/
home-baked cake made without recipe
“Gie us a bit o that hufsi.”
- huggistaffnoun
/HUGG-ee-staf/
Sturdy long-handled hook for landing fish
“Gie's the huggistaff, I'll houl the cod aboord.”
- hullverb
/HUL/
scoop out to make a cavity
“Kin ye hull the neep?”
- hulternoun
/HUL-ter/
large irregular solitary mass of stone
“Yon hulter staans on the strand.”
- humlibaandnoun
/HUM-lee-BAHND/
looped rope holding an oar
“Set da humlibaand oan da gunnel”
- hummelledadjective
/HUM-meld/
smoothed and scoured by the sea
“Yon hummelled driftie lyis oan the strand.”
- hundnoun
/HOOND/
domestic dog; pet or working dog
“Da hund's oot da noo.”
- hundiclocknoun
/HUN-di-klok/
Large winged beetle, the maybug
“A hundiclock's oan the windae.”
- hunklenoun
/HUNK-ul/
brief shoulder lift expressing indifference
“I axed him aboot it, an he gied a hunkle an didna ken.”
- hunkseverb
/HUNK-suh/
Lift or heft onto one's shoulder
“Gie's a haand, I'll hunkse the creel.”
- hunseverb
/HUNS-uh/
poke through to find something
“Gie't me an' I'll hunse the bag.”
- hurdnoun
/HURD/
large shoreline rock or boulder
“Da hurd stans oot oan da strand.”
- hurlverb
/HURL/
to push or haul on wheels
“Gi'e the barrow a hurl alang the pier”
- hurl borronoun
/HURL-BOR-uh/
one-wheeled handcart for carrying loads
“Tak the hurl borro oot tae the croft.”
- hurlessadjective
/HUR-less/
Utterly exhausted; drained of energy
“A'm hurless etter da lang wark.”
- hurrverb
/HURR/
steady low hum or soft whirr
“Da wheel aye hurr alang.”
- hushnoun
/HUSH/
low steady murmur of the sea
“Da hush o' sea fills da voe.”
- hushie baainterjection
/HUSH-ee BAA/
soft lullaby phrase to soothe child
“Gie the wee bairn a hushie baa.”
- hyocklebanenoun
/HYOK-uhl-BAYN/
broad shoulder blade, the scapula
“He brakkit his hyocklebane on da boat.”
- hyooknoun
/HYOOK/
Curved hand sickle or fishing tool
“He gaed oot wi' the hyook an' a line.”
- hystverb
/HIST/
pull up or lift into position
“Hyst the sail noo.”