Part 164

To "lightlie" is to despise or treat with contempt.

The lazy lad maks a stark auld man.

The lean dog is a' fleas.

The leeful man is the beggar's brither.

The less debt the mair dainties.

"The less I lee."

This is merely a phrase, but a very expressive one. It implies emphatically that "the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," has been told.

The less wit a man has, the less he kens the want o't.

The loudest bummer's no the best bee.

The lucky pennyworth sells soonest.

The mair cost the mair honour.

The mair dirt the less hurt.

The mair mischief the better sport.

The mair the merrier; the fewer better cheer.

The mair ye steer the mair ye'll sink.

The maister's brither's an ill servant.

The maister's ee maks the horse fat.

A fat man riding upon a lean horse was asked how it came to pass that he was so fat while his horse was so lean? "Because," said he, "I feed myself, but my servant feeds the horse."

"The master's eye puts meat on the horse's ribs."--Irish.

The maister's foot's the best measure.

The man may eithly tine a stot that canna count his kine.

Or the man who does not know his business cannot look properly after it.

The man wha sits on the silk goun-tail o' the wife wha's tocher bought it, never sits easy.

The maut's abune the meal.

"Donald Bean Lean, being aware that the bridegroom was in request, and wanting to cleik the cunzie (that is, hook the siller), he cannily carried off Gilliewhackit ae night when he was riding dovering hame (wi' the maut rather abune the meal), and with the help of his gillies he gat him into the hills with the speed of light, and the first place he wakened in was the Cove of Vaimh an Ri."--Waverley.

"The meal cheap and shoon dear," quo' the souter's wife, "I'd like to hear."

The miller mouters best wi' his ain hand.

The morn's the morn.