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Spik
The living Shetland dialect dictionary — thousands of wirds, with meanings, pronunciations and examples.
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M wirds
137 wirds
- maanoun
/MAA/
coastal seagull common around Shetland
“Da maa's aye stealin the fish.”
- maalnoun
/MAHL/
soft-headed hammer for gentle striking
“Gie me the maal.”
- machtlessadjective
/MAKT-less/
Powerless, unable to act or resist
“Da boat wis machtless i' da gale.”
- madadjective
/MAHD/
Extremely angry, intensely furious
“She's fair mad wi' him.”
- maddrimnoun
/MAD-rim/
boisterous, noisy, uproarious good time
“We hed a maddrim last nicht.”
- maednoun
/MAYD/
whitish fly larva in decaying matter
“I fand a maed in da fishbox”
- maeditadjective
/MAY-dit/
infested with maggots in flesh
“Da lamb's maedit.”
- maegerdomnoun
/MAY-ger-dum/
physical frailty with low spirits
“He's jist a maegerdom the noo.”
- maeginsnoun
/MAY-ginz/
central or innermost part
“Da well is in da maegins o' da toon.”
- maenverb
/MAYN/
make a low, prolonged mournful sound
“Mither sat an' maen for the bairn.”
- maeshienoun
/MAY-shee/
sturdy net for carrying hay
“Aw'll tak the maeshie oot tae the machair.”
- maetnoun
/MAYT/
food, a meal or provisions
“There's nae maet i' the hoose.”
- maet haleadjective
/MAYT-HAYL/
healthy, well-fed, hearty appetite
“Da bairn's aw maet hale efter tucker.”
- maikverb
/MAYK/
to be equal or to match
“Da new spoon can maik wi da auld yin”
- mairchnoun
/MAIRKH/
boundary line between neighbouring properties
“Mind yer kye, the mairch's yon stane.”
- mairch stanenoun
/MAIRCH-STAYN/
stone marking boundaries between lands
“Bide a meenit by da mairch stane.”
- maistlinsadverb
/MAYST-linz/
very nearly, almost the case
“Ah maistlins missit the ferry.”
- makverb
/MAK/
to make or cause to be
“A'll mak us a bit o supper.”
- makadönoun
/MAK-uh-DOH/
a false, affected show meant to deceive
“His freendship wis pure makadö.”
- makkinnoun
/MAK-in/
knitting or a cup of tea
“Coom in an hae a makkin.”
- mallienoun
/MAL-ee/
A fulmar seabird seen offshore
“Yon mallie aye cries ower the cliffs.”
- mallivoagverb
/MAL-li-vog/
put things into proper order
“A'll mallivoag the hoose afore folk come.”
- mamnoun
/MAHM/
informal word for female parent
“Mam, tak care o yersel.”
- manmodal verb
/MAHN/
expresses necessity or inevitability
“We man gang noo.”
- man bodynoun
/MAN-BOD-ee/
adult males; grown men collectively
“Man body gaed oot tae da pier.”
- mankitadjective
/MAN-kit/
completely exhausted; utterly worn out
“Ah'm mankit efter da wark.”
- mannamodal verb
/MAN-uh/
used to forbid or prohibit actions
“Manna ye gang oot the hoose.”
- mantverb
/MANT/
Speak haltingly with repeated pauses
“He mant when he tried ta spik.”
- manyugiltinoun
/MAN-yoo-GIL-tee/
Sly, deceitful schemes or conduct
“He's aye up tae manyugilti.”
- marverb
/MAHR/
To confuse or make unsure
“That question fair mar me.”
- maranoun
/MAH-ruh/
frightening oppressive nocturnal dream
“Ah hed a mara last neet”
- mareelnoun
/MAH-REEL/
bioluminescent glow on sea surface
“Da mareel lichtit da sea last nicht”
- marletadjective
/MAR-let/
Speckled or streaked in colour
“Da mare is marlet alang hir belly.”
- martabolimas daynoun
/MAR-tuh-BOH-li-mas-DAY/
Local feast for St Martin's relics
“Aw'll gang tae martabolimas day.”
- martinmasnoun
/MAR-tin-mas/
Shetland name for St Martin's Day
“We aye haud a braw feed at martinmas.”
- maschievverb
/MAS-sheev/
to wound or cause physical harm
“He did maschiev the lad.”
- masgoomnoun
/MAS-goom/
anglerfish with fleshy head lure
“Yon masgoom ligs i' da voe.”
- maskverb
/MASK/
To steep tea leaves in water
“A'll mask the tay.”
- matchienoun
/MATCH-ee/
Young female herring, not yet mature
“I fand a wee matchie in the net.”
- mayflooernoun
/MAY-FLOO-er/
spring wild primrose, pale-yellow flower
“Da mayflooer's keekin oot on da brae.”
- meeseryadjective
/MEEZ-uh-ree/
extremely thin, gaunt; skin and bone
“He's fair meesery efter the sair sickness.”
- meidnoun
/MAYD/
paired landmark for marine navigation
“Pit the meid an yon craig in line an haud yer grund”
- meldienoun
/MEL-dee/
small annual arable weed with white flowers
“The field's a' fu o meldies.”
- mellverb
/MEL/
to mix or blend together
“Mell the tatties an' neeps thegither.”
- mell moorienoun
/MEL-MOO-ree/
blinding, driving powdery snow squall
“A'll no ga oot in a mell moorie.”
- mellishonnoun
/MEL-ISH-un/
An oath or curse; the devil
“Gie ower, mellishon!”
- mentionnoun
/MEN-shun/
a very small amount or touch
“Gie the tatties a mention o' butter.”
- mercyinterjection
/MER-see/
Exclamation expressing surprise or dismay
“Mercy, yon's a sair sicht!”
- merknoun
/MERK/
Traditional Shetland land measure
“Da merk's nae muckle, but it keeps twa kye.”
- merky banenoun
/MER-kee-BAYN/
long bone with edible marrow
“Gie me the merky bane.”
- mertnoun
/MERT/
Fattened animal for sale or slaughter
“Yon mert is fair bonnie an weel-fed”
- mettnoun
/MET/
Small spot or stain; a blemish
“There's a mett on yer tee.”
- michtmodal verb
/MIKHT/
expresses possibility or probability
“He micht gie a hand wi the boat”
- michtyinterjection
/MIKH-tee/
forceful exclamation of surprise
“Michty, fit a sicht!”
- midden sloonoun
/MID-en-SLOO/
jocular nickname for someone from Unst
“Aye, midden sloo, come an' hev a dram.”
- middernoun
/MID-er/
a mother; one's female parent
“Hae ye seen yer midder?”
- midder nakitadjectival phrase
/MID-er NAK-it/
completely without any clothes
“Da bairn ran midder nakit alang da shore.”
- midder wirsomnoun
/MID-der WIR-sum/
thick central mass of pus
“Da midder wirsom hed tae be takken oot.”
- midder's blissinsnoun
/MID-erz BLIS-ins/
small pale patches on nails
“Hae ye seen the midder's blissins oan her nails?”
- middlinadverb
/MID-lin/
to a moderate or tolerable degree
“Ah'm middlin pleased wi't.”
- mindverb
/MYND/
remember or prompt someone to recall
“Mind ye tae tak yer hat”
- mindinadverb
/MIN-din/
from earliest remembered time
“A've kent her mindin.”
- minkieadjective
/MINK-ee/
very small, little in size
“Yon minkie lamb 'ill sleep in ma haun.”
- minnienoun
/MIN-ee/
informal Shetland word for grandmother
“minnie's gettin' the tea reet noo”
- mirackleverb
/MIR-AK-ul/
to wound or maim severely
“He'll mirackle ye if ye dae that.”
- mirdnoun
/MEERD/
a large crowded throng
“A mird o fowk gaed doon tae da pier.”
- mirdinadjective
/MIR-din/
Filled or overflowing; very abundant
“Da yaird is mirdin wi folk.”
- mire laidadjective
/MEER-LAYD/
stuck in mud, unable to move
“Da coo's mire laid oan da moss.”
- mirkadjective
/MIRK/
dark and gloomy; little light
“Da's mirk oot the nicht.”
- mirkabrodnoun
/MEER-kah-brod/
gentle, fickle breeze shifting direction
“Da mirkabrod plays wi da sail.”
- mirkenverb
/MIR-kin/
to grow dark; turn to dusk
“Da sky'll mirken afore lang.”
- mirknennoun
/MIRK-nen/
dim, fading light of dusk
“Ah'll bide til mirknen on da brae.”
- mirlintransitive verb
/MIRL/
tremble or flicker slightly
“Da licht mirl oan da watter.”
- mirrnoun
/MIRR/
Indistinct spot or hazy smudge
“I coudna mak oot whit 't wis, jist a mirr.”
- mirry begyitnoun
/MIR-ee BEG-yit/
child born out of wedlock
“Da bairn's a mirry begyit, an we lo'e him.”
- mirry dancersnoun phrase
/MIR-ee DAN-sers/
Colourful dancing lights in the northern sky
“Da mirry dancers wur bonnie last nicht.”
- misanternoun
/MIS-AN-ter/
an unintended unlucky little incident
“Ah had a misanter at da croft.”
- miscaaverb
/MIS-kah/
To slander or speak ill of someone
“He aye miscaa aboot her i' toun.”
- misfareverb
/MIS-far/
boat swamped or wrecked at sea
“Da yole misfare i da big sea”
- mittenverb
/MIT-en/
to seize or take firm hold
“Dinna mitten the bairn!”
- moarnnoun
/MOHRN/
the next day, tomorrow
“A'll tak my boat the moarn.”
- mochnoun
/MOKH/
small nocturnal flying insect
“I seen a moch i' the kist.”
- moch aetenadjective
/MOHK-AY-ten/
moth-eaten and full of holes
“Da auld coat is moch aeten.”
- moder dynoun
/MOH-der-dee/
low long-period under-swell used by fishermen
“We kent the moder dy an' steered fur the grounds.”
- mogienoun
/MOH-gee/
animal's or person's belly, jokingly
“Da mogie o da haddie's fu o roe.”
- möldnoun
/MOHLD/
Top layer of natural ground
“A'm gaen oot tae pit the tatties in the möld.”
- möld drochtnoun
/MURLD-DROCHT/
intense thirst in dying person
“She haes möld drocht an rins aal day”
- möld richadjective
/MOHLD-rich/
extremely wealthy; possessing great riches
“He's möld rich, ken ye?”
- möldie blettnoun
/MOHL-dee BLET/
bare spot on hillside pasture
“Mind the kye aff the möldie blett.”
- möldie coosenoun
/MOHL-dee KOOS/
heap of dried peat for cattle bedding
“Gi'e the möldie coose i' the byre for the kye.”
- mönnoun
/MUN/
Earth's natural lunar satellite
“Da mön gars the sea glimmer”
- mön brochnoun
/MUN-BROKH/
luminous ring around the moon
“Yon mön broch's fair bonnie the nicht”
- monendaynoun
/MON-en-day/
The day after Sunday (Monday)
“Ah'll see ye on monenday.”
- möninoun
/MUR-nee/
bundle of nerves along backbone
“A hae a sair pain in ma möni.”
- monimentnoun
/MON-i-ment/
a foolish or senseless person
“Yon moniment's aye daft as owt”
- mooedadjective
/MOOd/
Lacking salts; sheep in poor condition
“Da ewes is fair mooed efter da lang winter”
- moolnoun
/MOOL/
Coastal headland projecting into the sea
“We'll gae tae da mool.”
- mool baandverb
/MOOL-bahnd/
To gag or silence someone physically
“Mool baand him, he's gittin oot o hand.”
- moorverb
/MOOR/
snow heavily forming deep wind-driven drifts
“It wull moor the nicht, sae bide at hame.”
- mooratoognoun
/MOO-RAH-TOOG/
small colony-forming six-legged insect
“See ye thon mooratoog on the stane?”
- moorienoun
/MOO-ree/
violent snowstorm with very poor visibility
“Bide inne, there's a moorie comin'.”
- moorie caavienoun
/MOO-ree KAH-vee/
extremely severe blizzard with drifting snow
“We hid tae bide it oot when the moorie caavie cam.”
- mooritadjective
/MOO-rit/
reddish-brown colour of sheep fleece
“Da moorit lambs ar fair cheeky”
- moose wubnoun
/MOOS-wub/
fine silken spider web, a cobweb
“Thar's a moose wub abune the byre door.”
- mooskitadjective
/MOO-skit/
dull light grey like mouse fur
“Da jaiket is mooskit.”
- mootnoun
/MOOT/
very small animal or insect
“Dinna fash yersel aboot the moot.”
- moothnoun
/MOO-th/
a small mouthful or morsel
“Gie's a wee mooth o' that scone.”
- mooth liftinnoun
/MOOTH-LIF-tin/
small mouthful of food
“Gie's a mooth liftin o that bannock.”
- mootieadjective
/MOO-tee/
Affectionate term for very small child
“Mootie, bide close til mam.”
- morronoun
/MORR-oh/
a person with no equal
“Ther's nae morro fer her.”
- morrolessadjective
/MOR-uh-less/
Not forming a matching pair
“Thae buttons ur morroless.”
- mortaladjective
/MOR-tal/
Utterly drunk and incapacitated
“He wis mortal an cudna get tae hame.”
- mösverb
/MOESS/
become bewitched; rendered ineffective
“Da auld lass mös an nivver budgit.”
- mottnoun
/MOT/
tiny speck or dust particle
“Ther's a mott oan the windae.”
- mottyadjective
/MOT-ee/
slightly grainy or speckled liquid
“Da milk's a wee motty.”
- moy foynoun
/MOY-FOY/
playful teasing or harmless mischief
“Bairns dae hae moy foy noo an' again”
- moyenlessadjective
/MOY-en-LESS/
Listless and lacking physical strength
“He's sair moyenless efter the lang sail.”
- mucknoun
/MUK/
manure from cattle, farm dung
“Tak the muck tae the midden.”
- muckifyverb
/MUK-uh-fy/
to soil or make filthy
“He'll muckify da hoose afore ye ken”
- muckleadjective
/MUCK-uhl/
Of considerable size or amount
“Thair's a muckle hoose at the heid o' the voe.”
- mudverb
/MUD/
Lightly loosen soil for planting
“A'll mud the tattie bed the morn.”
- mudjicknoun
/MUD-jik/
small gnat-like biting midge insect
“Mudjick's aye aboot at gloamin.”
- muggienoun
/MUG-ee/
belly (guts) of a fish
“Tak the muggie oot an gie it tae the gulls.”
- mulderverb
/MUL-dur/
Crumble into powder; fall apart
“Da auld stane is beginnin tae mulder.”
- mummienoun
/MUM-ee/
Tiny bits or small broken pieces
“Can ye sweep up the mummie?”
- muntnoun
/MUNT/
calendar month, roughly one month
“A'll be hame in a munt.”
- murgnoun
/MURG/
Muddled, chaotic, untidy situation
“Da hoose's a murg”
- murgadgenoun
/MUR-gaj/
a confused, untidy, muddled state
“Da hoose's pure murgadge efter t' bairns.”
- murkenverb
/MURK-en/
become mouldy; acquire a musty smell
“Da hay's gyen murken.”
- murnverb
/MURN/
to cry; shed tears of sorrow
“Shi startit tae murn”
- murninnoun
/MURN-in/
act of weeping or lamentation
“She sat wi a quiet murnin”
- murrnoun
/MURR/
very small object or tiny specimen
“Dae ye see that murr?”
- mutchnoun
/MUTCH/
close-fitting women's frilled cap
“She hed her mutch on aal day”
- mutchkinnoun
/MUTCH-kin/
Shetland liquid measure about one pint
“Gie's a mutchkin o ale.”
- myl gruelnoun
/MEEL-GROOL/
Porridge made using milk instead of water
“Gi'me a bowl o myl gruel.”
- mylknoun
/MILK/
white dairy liquid from mammals
“Gie's me a sup o' mylk.”
- mylk an mellnoun
/MILK-an-MEL/
Hot milk with stirred oats
“Coom an hae some mylk an mell.”