Part 191

You did not assist me so much as I now assist you.

Ye didna lick your lips since ye leed last.

Ye drive the plough before the owsen.

Ye fand it where the Hielandman fand the tangs.

That was, in their proper place, at the fireside. A proverbial manner of saying that a thing has been stolen, in reply to those who say they found it.

Ye fike it awa, like auld wives baking.

"'To fike,' to dally about a business; to lose time by procrastination while appearing to be busy."--Jamieson.

Ye gae far about seeking the nearest.

Ye gang round by Lanark for fear Linton dogs bite you.

Ye gae gude counsel, but he's a fool that taks 't.

Ye glower like a cat oot o' a whinbush.

Ye got ower muckle o' your ain will, and ye're the waur o't.

Ye had aye a gude whittle at your belt.

Ye hae a conscience like Coldingham common.

"Coldingham moor, or common, was an undivided waste of above 6000 acres. The saying is applied to persons of lax principles, who can accommodate their consciences to all circumstances."--G. Henderson.

Ye hae a lang nose, and yet ye're cut lugget.

In appearance you have an advantage in one way, but not in another.

Ye hae a ready mou' for a ripe cherry.

Ye hae a saw for a' sairs.

Ye hae a streak o' carl hemp in you.

Figuratively this means that a person possesses firmness, or strength of mind.

Ye hae aye a foot oot o' the langle.

Ye hae as muckle pride as wad ser' a score o' clergy.

Ye hae baith your meat and your mense.

Applied to a person who has invited another to dine with him, but who has refused, or failed to make his appearance; meaning that you have both the meat he would have eaten, and the honour of having invited him.

Ye hae been gotten gathering nits, ye speak in clusters.

Ye hae been lang on little eird.

Ye hae to be pitied and prayed for, either to end ye or mend ye.