Pick a letter above to jump into the dictionary, or search for a word. Open any full entry to see richer detail like pronunciation, example usage, alternate spelling and origin — and to suggest improvements.

P wirds

129 wirds

paalverb
/PAHL/
Dig in feet to steady oneself
“Paal yer fit oan the brae.”
paandnoun
/PAHND/
decorative cloth strip across window top
“Ma mither put a bonnie paand ower the windae.”
paapnoun
/PAAP/
small fleshy projection, nipple or uvula
“Da bairn's aye wantin the mither's paap.”
packienoun
/PAK-ee/
itinerant hawker and fishing bundle
“Da packie cam alang wi a wheen o trinkets.”
paddock stölnoun
/PAD-uk STOHL/
wild mushroom found in pastures
“Ah spied a paddock stöl alang da dyke.”
paeknoun
/PAYK/
small tuft or bite of grass
“I gied the lambs a paek this morn”
paes eggsnoun
/PAYZ-eggs/
Easter eggs collected by visiting children
“Da bairns cam hame wi thair paes eggs.”
paes wispnoun
/PAES-wisp/
matted tangle of rope or thread
“He tyuk a paes wisp aff da reel.”
paesdaynoun
/PAYZ-day/
the Monday immediately after Easter
“We gang oot wi the bairns on paesday.”
paetnoun
/PEET/
Mossy bog material cut for fuel
“A'll tak a wheen paet the morn.”
palooviousadjective
/pa-LOO-vee-us/
completely and thoroughly drunk
“Da lad is paloovious efter da nicht”
panfrynoun
/PAN-free/
sudden fluster or nervous commotion
“A panfry cam oot whan the bairn near fell fae the rocks”
pantannoun
/PAN-tuhn/
indoor slipper with wooden sole
“A left ma pantan oan the stoop.”
parteeklaradjective
/par-TEE-klar/
exceptionally good; outstanding quality
“Da cake's parteeklar”
patverb
/PAT/
Placed, put; past form of 'pit'
“Ah pat it oan the taabel”
payverb
/PAY/
to strike sharply with the hand
“Dinna pay the bairn.”
pechverb
/PEKH/
to pant or gasp for breath
“He pech efter da hill”
pechtnoun
/PEKHT/
member of the ancient Pictish people
“Da pecht wis here lang syne.”
peegnoun
/PEEG/
brief faint glimmer of light
“Yon peeg disna bide lang.”
peelnoun
/PEEL/
a small amount or portion
“Gie's a peel o' tatties.”
peennoun
/PEEN/
single pane of window glass
“Hae ye seen the peen in the winda?”
peenienoun
/PEE-nee/
sleeveless apron worn over clothes
“Mither pit a braw peenie on the bairn.”
peerieadjective
/PEER-ee/
very small, little in size
“She's jist a peerie bairn.”
peerie wyesadverbial phrase
/PEER-ee WYZ/
in a cautious, watchful manner
“He keekit peerie wyes roond the hoose”
peesterintransitive verb
/PEE-ster/
to make a high-pitched shrill squeak
“Yon gull aye peester ower the voe.”
peety about deeinterjection
/PEE-tee-uh-BOUT-dee/
Ironic exclamation at deserved misfortune
“peety about dee, he braggit ower mickle an lost his boat.”
pellnoun
/PEL/
Bucket or a shabby scoundrel
“Gae an fetch the pell frae the yaird.”
pelletadjective
/PEL-it/
ragged, patchy coat during moult
“Da pony's right pellet the nou”
pellsnoun
/PELS/
torn, tattered garments; old rags
“She's aye i' pells, puir lass.”
peltverb
/PELT/
to rush or dash quickly
“He pelt awa tae the boat.”
pennoun
/PEN/
a bird's single feather, a plume
“Yon gull left a sma pen on da strand”
penganoun
/PEN-gah/
Shetland term for money or cash
“Ah've nae penga the nou.”
pengleverb
/PENG-gul/
Labor steadily at knitting or handwork
“Mairi sat an pengle wi her knitting a' nicht.”
penkverb
/PENK/
To make one's appearance neater
“Ah'll penk masel afore we gae oot.”
penshinsnoun
/PEN-shinz/
cow paunch lining used for tripe
“A'll boil da penshins the nicht.”
pernicketyadjective
/per-NIK-uh-tee/
fussy about small details, hard to please
“He's awfy pernickety wi da tea.”
pernyimadjective
/PERN-yim/
Excessively prim and self-righteous
“She's awfy pernyim aboot her claes.”
perskeetunknown
/PER-SKEET/
Uncertain; possibly variant spelling
“Whit's a perskeet den?”
pexintransitive verb
/PEKS/
to move slowly with effort
“He pex alang da brae”
pexinsnoun
/PEKS-inz/
A punishment or chastising action
“Maw gied me pexins for sneakin oot.”
pheesicnoun
/FEE-sik/
a purgative medicine to purge bowels
“Gie me a pheesic, Ah'm gey bungit.”
pickverb
/PIK/
to tap lightly; small gentle strikes
“Pick the bairn's heid licht, he'll nae waken.”
pickitadjective
/PIK-it/
extremely filthy; heavily soiled
“Dinna sit dah, it's pickit.”
pickyadjective
/PIK-ee/
Hard to please; fussy about details
“She's that picky wi her tea”
pie hollnoun
/PEE-HOL/
eyelet in a shoe for laces
“Da pie holl's brokken, cannae tye ma boot.”
piecenoun
/PEES/
small ear-mark or short stretch
“Thair's a piece on the ewe's lugg”
pignoun
/PIG/
small pottery bottle for hot water
“Pit the pig ben the bed.”
pillienoun
/PIL-ee/
Shetland dialect word for penis
“Dinnae be showin yer pillie oot.”
piltocknoun
/PIL-tuk/
young pollack; Whalsay islander nickname
“Da piltock hid alang da reef.”
pinverb
/PIN/
to dart along; press tightly together
“Da bairn pin awa doon the brae.”
pinchnoun
/PINCH/
iron lever for prying large stones
“Gie me the pinch, Ah'll shift the stane.”
pingernoun
/PING-er/
small juvenile haddock found locally
“A gaed oot an' cawt a pinger.”
pinnishintransitive verb
/PIN-ish/
to feel intensely cold
“A'm pinnish efter comin hame frae da pier”
pinnishinnoun
/PIN-nish-in/
brief bitter spell of cold
“Yon pinnishin frae da north laid a skin o' ice on da voe.”
pintlenoun
/PINT-ul/
male external sexual organ
“Dinnae fash yersel aboot da pintle”
pipperverb
/PIP-er/
to quiver or shiver involuntarily
“Da bairn began tae pipper frae da cauld”
pirgverb
/PIRG/
pester by repeated complaining or insisting
“Dinna pirg me nou.”
pirlnoun
/PEERL/
small pellet of sheep dung
“Dinna step on the pirl.”
pirmnoun
/PIRM/
Small cylindrical spool for thread
“Tak the pirm frae the basket.”
pirm treednoun
/PIRM-TREED/
cotton sewing thread, not wool
“Aw'll mend the button wi pirm treed.”
pirnintransitive verb
/PEERN/
To wither or shrink away
“Da heather's pirn awa”
pirrnoun
/PEER/
a faint, gentle puff of wind
“Yon pirr liftit the curtain”
pishnoun
/PISH/
Liquid waste from the bladder
“Ah canny haud me pish”
pitverb
/PIT/
to put or set in position
“Pit the cup doon on the table”
pit apunphrasal verb
/PIT-uh-PUN/
to put on one's clothes
“Pit apun yer claes, we're awa.”
pit onverb
/PIT-on/
to pretend or put on airs
“Dinna pit on wi me.”
pitchverb
/PITCH/
To fling or hurl something
“A'll pitch da stane ower da dyke”
pitten abootadjective
/PIT-en-uh-BOOT/
feeling upset or unsettled
“He's pitten aboot efter the news.”
plagnoun
/PLAG/
shabby piece of clothing or rag
“A fand an auld plag in the kist.”
planticrubnoun
/PLANT-ee-crub/
small circular drystone-walled cabbage plot
“Ah'll gang tae da planticrub the morn.”
platshverb
/PLATSH/
Trudge with heavy flat-footed steps
“Ah saw him platsh alang da shore.”
pleepnoun
/PLEEP/
short high-pitched bird chirp
“We cud hear a pleep frae the dyke.”
pleepsitadjective
/PLEEP-sit/
constantly complaining always grumbling
“He's aye pleepsit aboot naething.”
plenishverb
/PLEN-ish/
fit out a house's interior fittings
“A'll plenish the hoose wi new doors an cuppards.”
plenishinnoun
/PLEN-ish-in/
interior rooms and inner fittings
“Da plenishin is gey cosy wi a warm peet fire”
plinkverb
/PLINK/
pluck strings or faintly twinkle
“He gied the fiddle a wee plink.”
plinkienoun
/PLINK-ee/
small handheld battery-powered torch
“Gi'e me the plinkie, hen”
plivvernoun
/PLIV-vur/
small coastal shorebird a plover
“Yon plivver nivver bides still.”
ploonoun
/PLOO/
farm implement for turning and loosening soil
“A'll tak da ploo oot the morn.”
plooknoun
/PLOOK/
small inflamed spot on skin
“Ther's a wee plook oan ma chin.”
plookyadjective
/PLOO-kee/
skin covered in small raised pimples
“Yer bairn's fair plooky the noo”
plootshverb
/PLOOTSH/
wade and splash in shallow water
“Da bairns plootsh alang da strand.”
plötverb
/PLOHT/
complain in a whining, persistent way
“Dinna plöt, lass.”
pluckernoun
/PLUHK-er/
large deep-sea anglerfish with lure
“Da plucker sat deip doon wi a wee licht ower its heid.”
plumpnoun
/PLUMP/
sudden heavy burst of rain
“Agaen cam a plump an aa wur dreech.”
plunkynoun
/PLUN-kee/
mischievous practical joke or playful deception
“He set a plunky oan me the day”
poannoun
/POH-an/
thin turf slab for roofing
“Gie's a haun wi the poan.”
poasenoun
/POH-uhs/
hidden stash of goods for future
“A hid a wee poase o tatties up the loft.”
pobienoun
/POH-bee/
high hill or prominent headland
“Da boat gaed oot frae da pobie.”
pocknoun
/POK/
Bag-shaped net fixed to handle
“Tak the pock an' land thae fish.”
pockynoun
/POK-ee/
small paper bag or pouch
“A'll put the siller intae the pocky.”
pooverb
/POO/
to pull or haul toward oneself
“Coud ye poo the skiff tae the quay?”
poochnoun
/POOCH/
small pouch in a garment
“Pit yer phone intae the pooch, lass.”
pooernoun
/POO-er/
a very large amount or number
“Ther's a pooer o boats in da voe”
pookverb
/POOK/
to kick or fling with foot
“Da gied it a pook an it skailt intae the burn.”
poopinadjective
/POO-pin/
Under the influence of alcohol
“He wis poopin efter the ceilidh.”
poornoun
/POO-er/
person lacking money or support
“Gie the poor a sup”
pooshinnoun
/POO-shin/
contemptible or objectionable person or thing
“Dinna gang near da pooshin”
pooskverb
/POOSK/
Poke or rummage to find
“Divnae poosk throo ma tings!”
pooskeredadjective
/POOS-kurd/
Completely exhausted from physical exertion
“Ah'm fair pooskered efter da croftin'.”
poosternoun
/POOS-ter/
robust physical and sexual strength
“He haes a heap o' pooster.”
pörnoun
/PURR/
person with a physical disability
“Da pör gans aboot wi a stikk.”
pör aamosadjective
/PUR-AH-mos/
physically weak or easily injured
“Haud it canny, it's pör aamos.”
pörtanoun
/PURR-tuh/
state of being poor
“He's fair pörta the noo.”
possacknoun
/POSS-ack/
small unappetising scrap of food
“Gie that possack tae the dug.”
potterstanoun
/POT-er-stah/
a period of idle waiting
“A've bin in a lang pottersta frae mornin.”
pownoun
/POW/
upper part of person or animal
“Hae ye a sair pow?”
pramverb
/PRAM/
press or pack closely together
“Pram thae tatties intae da cairt.”
preennoun
/PREEN/
small metal pin used for fastening
“Gie me the preen, the bunnet's slippin'.”
preeveverb
/PREEV/
take a small taste
“Ha'e a preeve o' this broo.”
pressnoun
/PRES/
built-in cupboard for clothes and linens
“Pit yer claes in the press.”
prettikinnoun
/PRET-ih-kin/
small lighthearted trick or mischief
“He's aye up tae some prettikin.”
pretty dancersnoun phrase
/PRIT-ee DAN-sers/
colourful dancing lights in the sky
“Ah keekit at the pretty dancers abuin the skay.”
prigverb
/PRIG/
to beg or implore earnestly
“Dinna prig fra me, I've nae siller.”
prinkverb
/PRINK/
to primp or tidy one's appearance
“Gie yersel a prink afore the ceilidh.”
proagverb
/PROH-ag/
Poke or prod while searching
“He'll proag aboot the seabag.”
proilnoun
/PROYL/
Loot or booty taken by force
“They divvied the proil amang them.”
proodadjective
/PROOD/
laid bare and open to elements
“Da croft is prood tae the sea.”
prunkadjective
/PRUNK/
Smartly dressed, stylish and confident
“She wis prunk i hir new claes.”
pucklenoun
/PUK-uhl/
single kernel of grain; tiny amount
“There's nae a puckle o bere left.”
pundverb
/PUND/
Confine a stray animal in pen
“A'll pund the stray kye”
punishverb
/PUN-ish/
eat quickly and finish all food
“Ah'll punish that bowl afore ye ken it.”
purlverb
/PURR-l/
Poke or probe with the fingers
“A gaed tae purl i't tattie rig.”
purtnoun
/PURT/
Dirty, muddled place or state
“Da hoose is a purt efter da bairns.”
pyaanoun
/PYAH/
sign that someone is alive
“Da dug gied a pyaa this mawnin.”
pyaagverb
/PYAAG/
toil until completely worn out
“Ah've been pyaag a' day.”
pyaagitadjective
/PYAAG-it/
completely worn out; utterly exhausted
“Ah'm fair pyaagit etter da wark.”
pyilktransitive verb
/PILK/
pick or pry out with pin
“A'll pyilk the whelk oot wi a pin.”
pyukkleennoun
/PYUKK-leen/
small token gift or trinket
“Ah hae a pyukkleen fer ye.”