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Spik
The living Shetland dialect dictionary — thousands of wirds, with meanings, pronunciations and examples.
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L wirds
138 wirds
- laaberverb
/LAH-ber/
Beat repeatedly; give a severe thrashing
“He gied him a sair laaber.”
- laaberinnoun
/LAH-buh-rin/
severe physical beating or whipping
“He hed a reet laaberin efter da row”
- laachverb
/LAAKH/
Express amusement with audible laughter
“She laachs oot sae loud.”
- laachternoun
/LAHK-ter/
a group of newborn animal offspring
“Da laachter's gey bonnie.”
- laadnoun
/LAHD/
young woman's romantic partner
“Mi laad cam tae da dance yestreen.”
- laagnoun
/LAAG/
a pull, especially hauling a boat
“Gie's a laag, lads.”
- laalienoun
/LAA-lee/
pampered child or beloved plaything
“Da laalie aye sits in Mam's airms.”
- laamernoun
/LAH-mer/
fossilized tree resin for jewellery
“Ah've got a wee laamer brooch.”
- laarnoun
/LAHR/
a gentle, light coastal breeze
“Da laar blaws frae da sea.”
- laavverb
/LAAV/
to hover briefly in the air
“Da gull laav abuin da voe.”
- lackienoun
/LAK-ee/
Third compartment of a ruminant stomach
“Da coo's lackie is fou”
- laebracknoun
/LAY-brak/
Line of breaking waves along shore
“Da laebrack cam in sae fierce”
- laekinverb
/LAY-kin/
having a tendency or likelihood
“It's laekin tae rain the morn.”
- laeklyadjective
/LAYK-lee/
very much like someone or something
“He's laekly o his faither.”
- laemnoun
/LAYM/
Partial loft or raised storage platform
“Pit the peats oan the laem.”
- laeveverb
/LAYV/
to go away or to leave
“A'll laeve the hoose noo.”
- laftnoun
/LAFT/
Upper storey used for storage
“Da laft's fu o auld claes an kist.”
- laichadjective
/LAYKH/
low-lying, level area of ground
“Da laich's gey mucky efter da rain.”
- laithadjective
/LAYTH/
unwilling, disinclined to take action
“A’m laith tae gang oot the nicht”
- lammasnoun
/LAM-us/
First of August harvest festival
“We aye mark lammas wi a bite an a dram”
- lammas speetnoun
/LAM-mas-SPEET/
sudden heavy late-summer downpour
“We wur a' waet efter da lammas speet.”
- laneadjective
/LAYN/
Alone; by oneself; solitary
“He gaed lane awa tae da voe.”
- lanerlyadjective
/LAN-er-lee/
Alone and without company
“A'm feelin lanerly the nicht.”
- langadjective
/LAHNG/
Long in space or time
“It's lang sin I seen ye.”
- lang lippenedadjective
/LANG-LIP-puhnd/
Long-awaited; expected after much waiting
“He's lang lippened tae come hame.”
- lang nebbitadjective
/LANG-NEB-bit/
describes a long polysyllabic word
“Da wurd's lang nebbit, I cannae say 't”
- lang sin syneadverbial phrase
/LANG-sin-SINE/
a long time ago
“Ah saw him lang sin syne”
- langbandnoun
/LANG-band/
long horizontal roof timber supporting rafters
“Hae ye seen the langband i' the loft?”
- langbednoun
/LANG-bed/
makeshift straw-filled bed on floor
“Ah'll pit a langbed oan the grund.”
- langernoun
/LANG-er/
tedious, dull, listless boredom
“Da film wis a richt langer.”
- langsomeadjective
/LANG-sum/
Slow to act or move
“He's aye langsome wi his wark.”
- lap a middernoun
/LAP-uh MID-er/
woman who breast-feeds another's infant
“Da lap a midder aye kens hoo tae calm the wean.”
- lapperverb
/LAP-er/
to clot; to touch gently like waves
“Da sea lapper oan the stane”
- lapstanenoun
/LAP-stayn/
flat sea smoothed anvil stone for leather
“Lay the lapstane on yer lap an' bang awa.”
- lassnoun
/LASS/
girl or woman; a female person
“Da lass's awa tae da shop.”
- lastnoun
/LAHST/
old land measure of eighteen marks
“Thon's a last o grund.”
- latverb
/LAT/
to allow or give permission
“Lat him gang wi ye.”
- lat onverb
/LAT-on/
reveal or make known information
“Lat on me when ye ken.”
- laviluggetadjective
/LAV-i-LUG-it/
Sheep with drooping floppy ears
“Da lavilugget yow bides near the croft.”
- layverb
/LAY/
Versatile Shetland verb: put or cause
“Will ye lay the bairn tae bed?”
- learnoun
/LEER/
knowledge gained by study or experience
“A hae nae lear aboot engines.”
- ledderverb
/LED-er/
to beat or flog severely
“Da faither gied him a ledder.”
- ledderinnoun
/LED-er-in/
a severe physical beating or thrashing
“He gied 'im a sair ledderin.”
- leeverb
/LEE/
to tell a deliberate falsehood
“Dinna lee tae me.”
- lee langadverb
/LEE-lang/
throughout the whole day
“Ah've bin oot lee lang.”
- leeirnoun
/LEE-er/
person who tells untrue things
“Dinna bide wi' that leeir”
- leek straenoun
/LEEK-stray/
bed-straw burned in funeral rites
“They taen the leek strae an lichtit it.”
- leepverb
/LEEP/
Partially boil; become very hot
“Gie the tatties a wee leep afore ye mash thaim.”
- leepitadjective
/LEE-pit/
partially boiled; briefly softened but not cooked
“Put da leepit tatties intae da pan.”
- leerienoun
/LEER-ee/
Shetland name for Manx shearwater
“Thar's a leerie oan da clift.”
- leeshverb
/LEESH/
work very hard with sustained effort
“Leesh the nets noo!”
- leetverb
/LEET/
to reveal or make known
“He leet it aboot da toon.”
- legginnoun
/LEG-in/
junction of tub sides and bottom
“Mind the leggin o' the pail, it's gan tae leak.”
- leidnoun
/LAYD/
steady, persistent hard work
“He warks wi leid till the job's deen.”
- lemnoun
/LEM/
clay cooking and serving vessel
“Set the lem on the ingle tae warm.”
- lemmindernoun
/LEM-in-der/
person with a permanent walking impairment
“Da lemminder aye taks a staff whan he gangs oot.”
- lempitnoun
/LEMP-it/
small marine snail clinging to rocks
“There's a wee lempit oan the stane”
- lempit cuddynoun
/LEM-pit-KUD-ee/
Small hand-held basket for limpets
“Tak yir lempit cuddy, we'll hae eneuch for tea.”
- lemsketadjective
/LEM-sket/
moving weakly or sluggishly
“Da kittin lemsket aboot da hoose”
- lenverb
/LEN/
Give something briefly expecting its return
“Wull ye len me yer mac?”
- lentnoun
/LENT/
length or extent; also 'finally'
“At lent, he cam hame.”
- lepverb
/LEP/
to drink by lapping with tongue
“Da kit wants tae lep milk frae the saucer.”
- lessinterjection
/LES/
Sorrowful exclamation of pity or regret
“Less, she's gaen awa”
- lestverb
/LEST/
continue; remain serviceable or sufficient
“Da auld boat'll lest yit.”
- lettnoun
/LET/
tiny drop or small liquid measure
“Gie's a lett o' tay.”
- leuchverb
/LOOCH/
Laughed — past form of laugh
“I leuch sair at his crack.”
- leynoun
/LAY/
grass-covered fallow meadow left to rest
“Da ley's braw the day”
- libverb
/LIB/
To castrate or geld an animal
“Ah'll lib the tup the morn.”
- libbetadjective
/LIB-it/
Castrated male animal, especially sheep
“Yon libbet's awfy calm on the brae.”
- lichtverb
/LIKHT/
to attack physically or verbally
“Dae nae licht on me.”
- lichtenin treenoun
/LIKH-tuh-nin TREE/
beam for adjusting top millstone
“Gie the lichtenin tree a wee turn afore we stairt the mill”
- lichtsomeadjective
/LIKHT-sum/
merry, bright, pleasantly cheerful
“She cam lichtsome doon da lane.”
- licknoun
/LIK/
A sudden blow or quick burst
“Da horse gied it a lick an' set aff”
- lickinnoun
/LIK-in/
a severe physical beating
“He hed a richt guid lickin frae his faither.”
- lieverb
/LEE/
come to rest; cease moving
“Da boat lie in da voe”
- liefalaneadjective
/LEEF-uh-LAYN/
completely alone with no company
“A'm liefalane the nicht.”
- life tinkinadjective
/LYF-TIN-kin/
appearing to be recovering from illness
“She's life tinkin the noo”
- liftnoun
/LIFT/
sky and sea rising or swelling
“Da lift's fu o starns the nicht.”
- lifteenadjective
/LIF-teen/
cow so weak must be lifted
“Da lifteen coo cannae gang oot on her ain.”
- liftitadjective
/LIF-tit/
Overexcited, excessively boisterous and rowdy
“Da bairns wur fair liftit at da party.”
- limmernoun
/LIM-mer/
shameless, immodest, disreputable woman
“Yon limmer aye sits reet in da middle.”
- linverb
/LIN/
to stop or cease activity
“Lin noo, there's nae mair tae say”
- lingnoun
/LING/
Native of the Skerries, Shetland
“Yon ling kens a' the best spots.”
- linknoun
/LINK/
short chain for hanging pot-hook
“Haud the link sae the pot hangs ower the ingle.”
- linksplural noun
/LIHNGKS/
places where limbs join
“Mind yer links when ye lift the creels”
- linnnoun
/LIN/
plank used to haul boats ashore
“Set the linn oot alang the strand.”
- lintienoun
/LIN-tee/
small brown finch, the twite
“Ah seen a wee lintie on the dyke.”
- lipverb
/LIP/
take a small taste or sip
“Gie it a lip.”
- lippenverb
/LIP-en/
to wait with eager expectation
“Ah'm lippen fer the ferry.”
- lippernoun
/LIP-er/
cheeky, insolent or impudent person
“Da lipper's aye gannin on.”
- lirknoun
/LIRK/
small fold in cloth or skin
“Thar's a wee lirk on da bairn's breeks”
- lisknoun
/LISK/
tiny tuft of hay or wool
“Yon lisk o' hay winna bide lang.”
- lispundnoun
/LIS-pund/
Old Shetland weight for grain and butter
“He gied me a lispund o butter.”
- lithadjective
/LEETH/
Soft, pliable; having gentle quality
“Da bannock is lith noo.”
- littnoun
/LIT/
deep indigo dye used for cloth
“Mither gied the claes a bit o' litt.”
- little wirtadjective
/LIH-tl WURT/
small, weak, of little worth
“Da little wirt winna tak ye far”
- liver drinknoun
/LIV-er-drink/
deadly finishing blow causing death
“He gied him a liver drink an' he telt ower.”
- liver headunknown
/LIV-er-hed/
Unclear Shetland term related to food
“Da liver head's aye sittin at da pier.”
- liver muggienoun
/LIV-er MUG-ee/
Person from the island of Burra
“Mind that liver muggie, he aye haes the best tales.”
- löverb
/LOH/
Strain one's ears to hear closely
“Lö noo, ye'll hear the ferry.”
- lö cupnoun
/LOH-kup/
Small furtive snack between meals
“Dinna tak ma lö cup.”
- locknoun
/LOK/
a large amount or number
“There's a lock o herrin at the quay”
- lödnoun
/LUHD/
a person's mood or a tune
“She's aye hummin a löd.”
- lodberrienoun
/LOHD-BEH-ree/
Lerwick waterfront house built over sea
“We hae auld nets in da lodberrie.”
- lodgenoun
/LOJ/
small shore-side bothy for fishermen
“Ah'll bide i da lodge the nicht.”
- lödi pipenoun
/LOH-dee-pipe/
oat straw whistle toy making music
“Da bairn blew his lödi pipe an made a bonny tune.”
- lodigrutnoun
/LOD-ee-grut/
soft, plaintive whine or whimper
“For siccan a lodigrut dat bairn is makkin”
- löfnoun
/LUF/
flat inner surface of the hand
“Gie me yer löf.”
- löf alennadjective phrase
/LUHF-AH-LEN/
entirely alone; with nobody else
“A'll bide löf alenn the nicht.”
- lömnoun
/LOHM/
shallow enamelled dish; oily water sheen
“Gie's the löm, A'll wash it.”
- lönabracknoun
/LUH-na-brack/
surging, breaking motion of waves
“Lönabrack cam in an' shuk the quoy.”
- longienoun
/LONG-ee/
black and white seabird, common murre
“Yon longie sittin on the clift.”
- looadjective
/LOO/
slightly warm; lukewarm in temperature
“Da tea's a wee bit loo.”
- loobitadjective
/LOO-bit/
lukewarm; weak, half-hearted, unimpressive
“Da tea's pure loobit.”
- looderhornnoun
/LOO-der-horn/
bullock's horn used as signal
“The looderhorn blaws an' a' the boats cam in.”
- loomverb
/LOOM/
to look, stare, or seem
“She looms oot the windae.”
- loornoun
/LOOR/
Brief deceptively pleasant spell of weather
“A's a braw loor noo.”
- loordadjective
/LOORD/
Threatening, gloomy sky or weather
“Da sky's aw loord, tak yer jaakit.”
- löragubnoun
/LUR-uh-GUB/
thick frothy sea-foam in strait
“Da boat couldna pass da voe o löragub.”
- lorennoun
/LOR-en/
large coastal black diving seabird
“Da loren sat oan da skerry.”
- loren shönnoun
/LOH-ren-SHOON/
archaic Shetland word for shoes
“Tak aff yer loren shön afore ye come in”
- loupverb
/LOOP/
make a sudden leap into air
“He loup ower the burn.”
- lowenoun
/LOW-uh/
the visible burning part of fire
“Da lowe's gaein oot.”
- lowrie towenoun
/LOH-ree TOW/
stout towing rope with a hook
“Pit the lowrie towe roond the skiff.”
- lowseverb
/LOWS/
to loosen; sudden bursting out
“Lowse the hoss frae the harness.”
- lubbanoun
/LUB-uh/
tussock of coarse vegetation on moss
“Dinna trip oan the lubba.”
- luckverb
/LUHK/
Coax or plead to persuade someone
“A'll luck him intae comin alang.”
- lucky linesnoun
/LUCK-ee-LYNZ/
stringy seaweed strands on shore
“Thar's a gey lot o lucky lines alang the strand the day.”
- lucky minnie's oonoun
/LUHK-ee MIN-eez OO/
Shetland name for bog cotton
“Aa taen a handful o' lucky minnie's oo.”
- lugnoun
/LUG/
the human ear, organ of hearing
“Gie us yer lug a minnit.”
- lumnoun
/LUM/
vertical chimney or smoke passage
“Da lum's gey fu o soot.”
- lundertransitive verb
/LUN-der/
to thrash or severely beat someone
“Mind yersel, he'll lunder ye if ye dae that”
- lunderinnoun
/LUN-der-in/
a heavy, violent physical beating
“Da lad cam hame efter a lunderin.”
- lungienoun
/LUNG-ee/
sheep intestine used as casing
“Mither's makin puddin, gie 'er the lungie noo.”
- lunkverb
/LUNK/
walk with short jerky bobbing steps
“See him lunk alang da voe.”
- lurgitnoun
/LUR-git/
a large plentiful portion of food
“She brocht lurgit o' bannocks an butter.”
- lussnoun
/LUSS/
Dry flaky dead skin on scalp
“Dinna scrat yer heid, ye've got luss.”
- lyoagnoun
/LYO-ag/
small damp hollow on hillside
“Mind yer step roon the lyoag.”