Part 71

He kens whilk side his bannock's buttered on.

"There was a set of ancient brethren of the angle from Edinburgh, who visited St Ronan's frequently in the spring and summer, a class of guests peculiarly acceptable to Meg, who permitted them more latitude in her premises than she was known to allow to any other body. 'They were,' said she, 'pawky auld carles, that kend whilk side their bread was buttered upon.'"--St Ronan's Well.

He kicks at the benweed.

Benweed, ragwort. That is, he is headstrong, or unreasonable.

He lay in his scabbard, as mony a gude sword's done.

Meaning that he prudently allowed an insult or slight to pass without notice.

He left his siller in his ither pocket.

A sarcastic allusion to those who seek to evade paying their share of the reckoning. It was remarked of a friend of ours, that on such occasions he "was the first to put his hand in his pocket, but the last to draw it out."

He likes nae beef that grows on my banes.

He'll claw up their mittans.

Metaphorically, "He will kill them, or give the finishing stroke."--Jamieson.

He'll either win the horse or tine the saddle.

He'll gang mad on a horse wha's proud on a pownie.

Spoken of those who take undue advantage of the slight authority they possess.

He'll gang nae farther than his tether's length.

He'll gang to hell for house profit.

He'll get the poor man's answer, "No."

He'll gie his bane to nae dog.

He'll gie you the whistle o' your groat.

He'll hae enough some day, when his mouth's fu' o' mools.

"Spoken of covetous people, who will never be satisfied while they are alive."--Kelly.

He'll hing by the lug o't.

"Keep a firm hold of it, as a bull-dog does of his prey."--Jamieson.

He'll hing that ower my head.

"'She would haud me nae better than the dirt below her feet,' said Effie to herself, 'were I to confess I hae danced wi' him four times on the green down by, and ance at Maggie Macqueen's; and she'll maybe hing it ower my head that she'll tell my father, and then she wad be mistress and mair.'"--Heart of Midlothian.

He'll kythe in his ain colours yet.

"He'll appear without disguise; he'll be known for the man he is."--Jamieson.

He'll lick the white frae your e'en.