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| A cock aye craws crousest (boldest) on his ain midden-head. | 1 |
| A craw’s nae whiter for being washed. | 2 |
| A dog winna yowl if you fell him wi’ a bane. | 3 |
| A fool may speer (ask) mair questions than a wise man can answer. | 4 |
| A ganging fit (foot) is aye getting. | 5 |
| A little spark maks muckle wark. | 6 |
| A man canna wive and thrive the same year. | 7 |
| A man may be proud of his house, and not ride on the rigging (ridge) of it. | 8 |
| A man may spit in his nieve and do little. | 9 |
| A man’s aye crousest in his ain cause. | 10 |
| A penny hained (saved) is a penny gained. | 11 |
| A scalded cat dreads cauld water. | 12 |
| A sicht (sight) o’ you is guid for sair een. | 13 |
| A sillerless (moneyless) man gangs fast through the market. | 14 |
| A thread will tie an honest man better than a rope will do a rogue. | 15 |
| A tocherless dame sits lang at hame. | 16 |
| A toom (empty) pantry maks a thriftless guidwife. | 17 |
| A wee bush is better than nae bield (shelter). | 18 |
| A weel-bred dog gaes oot when he sees them preparing to kick him oot. | 19 |
| A wise man gets learning frae them that hae nane. | 20 |
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| A witless heed (head) mak’s weary feet. | 21 |
| A’ are guid lasses, but where do a’ the ill wives come frae? | 22 |
| A’ are no freens that speak us fair. | 23 |
| A’ complain o’ want o’ siller; nane o’ want o’ sense. | 24 |
| A’ Stuarts are no sib (related) to the king (the family name of the Scotch kings being Stuart). | 25 |
| A’s guid that God sends. | 26 |
| Ae half o’ the world doesna ken how the other half lives. | 27 |
| Ae man may tak’ a horse to the water, but twenty winna gar (make) him drink. | 28 |
| Ae man’s meat is anither man’s poison. | 29 |
| An ill-willie (ill-natured) cow should have short horns. | 30 |
| An ounce o’ mother-wit is worth a pound o’ clergy. | 31 |
| Any port in a storm. | 32 |
| As guid fish i’ the sea as e’er came oot o’t. | 33 |
| As guid may haud (hold) the stirrup as he that loups on. | 34 |
| As weel be oot o’ the world as oot o’ the fashion. | 35 |
| Auld folk are twice bairns. | 36 |
| Aye in a hurry, and aye ahint. | 37 |
| Be slow in choosing a friend, but slower in changing him. | 38 |
| Better a fremit freend than a freend fremit—i.e., a stranger for a friend than a friend turned stranger. | 39 |
| Better a toom (empty) house than an ill tenant. | 40 |
| Better bairns greet (weep) than bearded men. | 41 |
| Better be at the end o’ a feast than the beginning o’ a fray. | 42 |
| Better be idle than ill employed. | 43 |
| Better go to bed supperless than rise in debt. | 44 |
| Better haud (hold on) wi’ the hound than rin wi’ the hare. | 45 |
| Better keep the deil oot than hae to turn him oot. | 46 |
| Better keep weel than mak’ weel. | 47 |
| Better my freen’s think me fremit as fasheous—i.e., strange rather than troublesome. | 48 |
| Better rue sit than rue flit—i.e., regret remaining than regret removing. | 49 |
| Better sit still than rise and fa’. | 50 |
| Better sma’ fish than nane. | 51 |
| Better the ill ken’d than the ill unken’d—i.e., the ill we know than the ill we don’t know. | 52 |
| Better wear shoon (shoes) than sheets. | 53 |
| Between the deil and the deep sea. | 54 |
| Bitin’ and scartin’ ’s Scotch folk’s wooing. | 55 |
| Bonnie feathers mak’ bonnie fowls. | 56 |
| Broken friendships may be sowthered (soldered), but never sound. | 57 |
| Burnt bairns dread the fire. | 58 |
| Buy what ye dinna want, an’ ye’ll sell what ye canna spare. | 59 |
| Ca’ (drive) a cow to the ha’ (hall), and she’ll rin to the byre. | 60 |
| “Can do” is easy (easily) carried aboot. | 61 |
| Care will kill a cat, but ye canna live without it. | 62 |
| Changes are lightsome, an’ fules are fond o’ them. | 63 |
| Charity begins at hame, but shouldna end there. | 64 |
| Confessed faults are half mended. | 65 |
| Corbies (crows) and clergy are kittle shot (hard to hit). | 66 |
| Corbies dinna pick oot corbies’ een, i.e., harm each other. | 67 |
| Courtesy is cumbersome to him that kens it not. | 68 |
| Covetousness often starves other vices. | 69 |
| Craft maun hae claes (clothes), but truth gaes naked. | 70 |
| Credit keeps the crown o’ the causey—i.e., is not afraid to show its face. | 71 |
| Creep before you gang (walk). | 72 |
| Cripples are aye better schemers than walkers. | 73 |
| Dawted dochters mak’ dawly wives—i.e., petted daughters make slovenly wives. | 74 |
| Deil stick pride, for my dog deed o’d. | 75 |
| Ding (knock) down the nests, and the rooks will flee awa. Used to justify the demolition of the religious houses at the Reformation. | 76 |
| Dinna gut your fish till you get them. | 77 |
| Dinna lift me before I fa’. | 78 |
| Dinna scald your ain mou’ wi ither folk’s kail (broth). | 79 |
| Do as the lassies do; say “No” and tak’ it. | 80 |
| Do on the hill as ye do in the ha’. | 81 |
| Do weel and doubt nae man; do ill and doubt a’ men. | 82 |
| Dogs that bark at a distance ne’er bite at hand. | 83 |
| Drive a cow to the ha’, and she’ll run to the byre. | 84 |
| Dumbie winna lee. | 85 |
| Early birds catch the worms. | 86 |
| Early master soon knave (servant). | 87 |
| Ease and honour are seldom bed-fellows. | 88 |
| Eat in measure and defy the doctor. | 89 |
| Eat-weel’s drink-weel’s brither. | 90 |
| Eident (diligent) youth makes easy age. | 91 |
| Eild and poortith are ill to thole—i.e., age and poverty are hard to bear. | 92 |
| Eild should hae honour—i.e., old people should. | 93 |
| Eith (quickly) learned, soon forgotten. | 94 |
| Ell and tell is gude merchandise—i.e., ready money is. | 95 |
| Envy ne’er does a gude turn but when it means an ill ane. | 96 |
| Every craw thinks her ain bird whitest. | 97 |
| Every inch of joy has an ell of annoy. | 98 |
| Every man can guide an ill wife but him that has her. | 99 |
| Every man’s blind in his ain cause. | 100 |
| Every man’s man has a man, and that gar’d the Tarve (a Douglas Castle) fa’. | 101 |
| Every one bows to the bush that bields (protects) him, i.e., pays court to him that does so. | 102 |
| Every soo (sow) to its ain trough. | 103 |
| Fair fa’ guid drink, for it gars (makes) folk speak as they think. | 104 |
| Fair folk are aye fusionless (pithless). | 105 |
| Fair maidens wear nae purses—(the lads always paying their share). | 106 |
| False folk should hae mony witnesses. | 107 |
| False freends are waur than bitter enemies. | 108 |
| Fancy kills and fancy cures. | 109 |
| Fanned fires and forced love ne’er did weel. | 110 |
| Far ahint maun follow the faster. | 111 |
| Far frae court, far frae care. | 112 |
| Far-awa fowls hae aye fair feathers. | 113 |
| Fat hens are aye ill layers. | 114 |
| Favours unused are favours abused. | 115 |
| Fire maks an auld wife nimble. | 116 |
| First deserve and then desire. | 117 |
| Flee you ne’er so fast, your fortune will be at your tail. | 118 |
| Fleying (frightening) a bird is no the way to catch it. | 119 |
| Folk canna help a’ their kin (relatives). | 120 |
| Folk wi’ lang noses aye tak’ till themsels. | 121 |
| Fools and bairns shouldna see things half done. | 122 |
| Fools are aye fond o’ flittin’, and wise men o’ sittin’. | 123 |
| Fools are aye seeing ferlies (wonderful things). | 124 |
| Fools mak’ feasts, and wise men eat them. / Wise men mak’ jests, and fools repeat them. | 125 |
| Fools ravel and wise men redd (unravel). | 126 |
| For a tint (lost) thing carena. | 127 |
| For fault o’ wise men fools sit on binks (seats, benches). | 128 |
| Forbid a fool do a thing, and that he will do. | 129 |
| Forced prayers are no gude for the soul. | 130 |
| Forgotten pains, when follow gains. | 131 |
| Forsake not God till you find a better maister. | 132 |
| Fou (full) o’ courtesy, fou o’ craft. | 133 |
| Frae saving comes having. | 134 |
| Freends are like fiddle-strings; they maunna be screwed ower tight. | 135 |
| Freits (prognostications) follow those who look to them. | 136 |
| Friendship canna stand a’ on ae side. | 137 |
| Fules are aye fond o’ flittin’. | 138 |
| Gang to bed wi’ the lamb and rise wi’ the laverock (lark). | 139 |
| Gathering gear (wealth) is pleasant pain. | 140 |
| Gentility without ability is waur (worse) than plain begging. | 141 |
| Get what ye can and keep what ye bae. | 142 |
| Gie a bairn his will and a whelp his fill, an’ neither will do well. | 143 |
| Gie a beggar a bed, and he’ll pay you with a louse. | 144 |
| Gie him tow enough and he’ll hang himsel’—i.e., give him enough of his own way. | 145 |
| Gie the deil his due, an’ ye’ll gang till him. | 146 |
| Gie the greedy dog a muckle bane. | 147 |
| Gie your heart to God and your awms (alms) to the poor. | 148 |
| Gie your tongue mair holidays than your head. | 149 |
| Giff-gaff maks gude friends, i.e., mutual giving. | 150 |
| Gin (if) ye hadna been among the craws, ye wadna hae been shot. | 151 |
| Giving to the poor increaseth a man’s store. | 152 |
| Glasses and lasses are brittle ware. | 153 |
| God does not measure men by inches. | 154 |
| God help the poor, for the rich can help themselves. | 155 |
| God help the rich folk, for the poor can beg. | 156 |
| God is kind to fou (drunk) folk and bairns. | 157 |
| God send us some siller, for they’re little thought o’ that want it. | 158 |
| God send you mair sense and me mair siller. | 159 |
| God trusts every one with the care of his own soul. | 160 |
| Good ale needs no wisp (of hay for advertisement). | 161 |
| Good gear goes in sma’ book (bulk). | 162 |
| Gowd (gold) gets in at ilka (every) gate except heaven. | 163 |
| Gowd is gude only in the hand o’ virtue. | 164 |
| Great barkers are nae biters. | 165 |
| Greedy folk hae lang airms. | 166 |
| Grudge not another what you canna get yoursel’. | 167 |
| Gude advice is ne’er out o’ season. | 168 |
| Gude bairns are eith to lear—i.e., easy to teach. | 169 |
| Gude breeding and siller mak’ our sons gentlemen. | 170 |
| Gude claes (clothes) open a’ doors. | 171 |
| Gude folk are scarce, tak’ care o’ ane. | 172 |
| Gude foresight furthers the wark. | 173 |
| Gude wares mak’ a quick market. | 174 |
| Hae you gear (goods), or hae you nane, / Tine (lose) heart, and a’s gane. | 175 |
| Hang a thief when he’s young, and he’ll no steal when he’s auld. | 176 |
| Haste makes waste, and waste makes want, and want makes strife between the gudeman and the gudewife. | 177 |
| He behoves to have meat enou’ that sal stop ilka man’s mou’. | 178 |
| He can ill run that canna gang (walk). | 179 |
| He doesna aye flee when he claps his wings. | 180 |
| He has a bee in his bonnet—i.e., is hare-brained. | 181 |
| He has faut (need) o’ a wife wha marries mam’s pet. | 182 |
| He has wit at will that, when angry, can sit him still. | 183 |
| He kens muckle wha kens when to speak, but far mair wha kens when to haud (hold) his tongue. | 184 |
| He maun lout (stoop) that has a laigh (low) door. | 185 |
| He ne’er made a gude darg (day’s work) wha gaed (went) grumbling about it. | 186 |
| He never lees (lies) but when the holland’s (holly’s) green—i.e., always. | 187 |
| He paidles a guid deal in the water, but he tak’s care no to wet his feet. | 188 |
| He sleeps as dogs do when wives bake—i.e., is wide awake, though pretending not to see. | 189 |
| He that comes unca’d (uninvited) sits unsair’d (unserved). | 190 |
| He that gets gear (wealth) before he gets wit, is but a short time master o’ it. | 191 |
| He that has a wife has a master. | 192 |
| He that has ae sheep in a flock will like a’ the lave (rest) better for ’t. | 193 |
| He that has an ill wife likes to eat butter (but her, i.e., without her). | 194 |
| He that has muckle would aye hae mair. | 195 |
| He that has siller in his purse canna want (do without) a head on his shoulders. | 196 |
| He that invented the Maiden, first hanselled it, i.e., first put it to the proof. (The Maiden was a kind of guillotine). | 197 |
| He that keeks (pries) through a keyhole may see what will vex him. | 198 |
| He that marries before he is wise will die before he thrive. | 199 |
| He that pities another minds himsel’. | 200 |
| He that spends his gear (property) before he gets it will hae little gude o’t. | 201 |
| He that steals a preen (pin) will steal a better thing. | 202 |
| He that tholes (bears up) o’ercomes. | 203 |
| He that will to Cupar, maun to Cupar—i.e., he that will to jail, must to jail. | 204 |
| He that winna be counselled canna be helped. | 205 |
| He that winna save a penny will ne’er hae ony. | 206 |
| He was scant o’ news that told that his father was hanged. | 207 |
| He wha eats but (only) ae dish seldom needs the doctor. | 208 |
| He who has a bonnie wife needs mair than twa een. | 209 |
| He’s a silly body that’s never missed. | 210 |
| He’s a wise man wha can take care o’ himsel’. | 211 |
| He’s idle that may be better employed. | 212 |
| He’s well worth (deserving of) sorrow that buys it with his ain siller. | 213 |
| He’s wise that’s wise in time. | 214 |
| Hearts may agree though heads differ. | 215 |
| His bark is waur nor (worse than) his bite. | 216 |
| Honest men marry soon, wise men never. | 217 |
| Honesty may be dear bought, but can ne’er be an ill pennyworth. | 218 |
| If a man’s gaun doun the brae, ilka ane gi’es him a jundie (push). | 219 |
| If ae sheep loup (jump) the dike, a the lave (rest) will follow. | 220 |
| If that God give, the deil daurna reave (bereave). | 221 |
| If the deil were dead, folk would do little for God’s sake. | 222 |
| If the doctor cures, the sun sees it; if he kills, the earth hides it. | 223 |
| If ye believe a’ ye hear, ye may eat a’ ye see. | 224 |
| If you dinna see the bottom, don’t wade—i.e., don’t venture, if you can’t see your way. | 225 |
| Ilka (every) blade o’ grass keps (catches) it ain drap o’ dew. | 226 |
| Ilka dog has his day. | 227 |
| Ill bairns are best heard at hame. | 228 |
| Ill hearing mak’s ill rehearsing. | 229 |
| It is better to be the head o’ the commonalty than the tail o’ the gentry. | 230 |
| It’s a gude heart that says nae ill, but a better that thinks nane. | 231 |
| It’s a sair field where a’s slain. | 232 |
| It’s an ill wind that blaws naebody gude. | 233 |
| It’s ill talking between a full man and a fasting. | 234 |
| It’s lang ere the devil dee by the dyke-side. | 235 |
| It’s no tint (lost) that a friend gets. | 236 |
| It’s sin, and no poverty, that maks a man miserable. | 237 |
| Jeddart justice: First hang a man, and syne (then) try him. | 238 |
| Joke at your leisure; ye kenna wha may jibe yoursel’. | 239 |
| Jouk and let the jaw (or jaup) gae by—i.e., duck and let the dash of dirty water pass over you. | 240 |
| Just enou’, and nae mair, like Janet Howie’s shearers’ meat. | 241 |
| Keep a thing seven years, and you find a use for it. | 242 |
| Keep oot o’ his company wha cracks o’ his cheatery—i.e., boasts of cunning. | 243 |
| Keep your ain fish guts for your ain seamaws—i.e., what you don’t need yourselves for your own friends. | 244 |
| Keep your breath to cool your own crowdie (cold stirabout)—i.e., till you can use it to some purpose. | 245 |
| Keep your gab steeket (mouth shut) when ye kenna (know not) your company. | 246 |
| Keep your mouth shut and your een open. | 247 |
| Ken when to spend, and when to spare, and when to buy, and you’ll ne’er be bare. | 248 |
| Ken yoursel’, and your neebours winna mistak’ you. | 249 |
| Kindness canna aye lie on ae side o’ the hoose. | 250 |
| Kindness comes o’ will; it canna be coft (bought). | 251 |
| Kindness overcomes a’ dislike. | 252 |
| Kindness will creep whaur it canna gang. | 253 |
| Kings and bears aft worry their keepers. | 254 |
| Kings hae long lugs (ears). | 255 |
| Kings’ caff (chaff) is better than ither folk’s corn—i.e., perquisites in his service are better than the wages others give. | 256 |
| Kings’ cheese gangs half awa’ in parings—i.e., in the expense of collecting it. | 257 |
| Kythe (appear) in your ain colours, that folk may ken ye. | 258 |
| Lang ill, soon weel. | 259 |
| Lasses and glasses are brittle wares. | 260 |
| Laugh at leisure; ye may greet (weep) ere nicht. | 261 |
| Law licks up a’. | 262 |
| Law’s costly; tak’ a pint and ’gree. | 263 |
| Leal heart leed never. | 264 |
| Learn you a bad habit, an’ ye’ll ca’d a custom. | 265 |
| Learn young, learn fair; / Learn auld, learn mair. | 266 |
| Leave Ben Lomond where it stands. | 267 |
| Leave the court ere the court leave you. | 268 |
| Let ae deil ding (beat) anither. | 269 |
| Let him tak’ his fling, and find oot his ain wecht (weight). | 270 |
| Let ilka ane soop (sweep) before his ain door. | 271 |
| Let May be oot (out) before you cast a cloot (a piece of clothing). | 272 |
| Let sleeping dogs lie. | 273 |
| Let the tow (rope) gang wi’ the bucket. | 274 |
| Leuk twice or ye loup ance—i.e., look twice before you leap once. | 275 |
| Life without a freend is death wi’ a witness. | 276 |
| Light suppers mak’ lang life. | 277 |
| Like blude, like gude, like age, mak’ the happy marriage. | 278 |
| Lippen to (trust) me, but look to yoursel’. | 279 |
| Listen at a hole, and ye’ll hear news o’ yoursel’. | 280 |
| Little gear, less care. | 281 |
| Little odds between a feast and a fu’ wame (stomach). | 282 |
| Love and light winna hide. | 283 |
| Love is as warm among cottars as courtiers. | 284 |
| Love ower het (hot) soon cools. | 285 |
| Love thinks nae ill, envy speaks nae gude. | 286 |
| Maidens’ bairns and bachelors’ wives are aye weel bred. | 287 |
| Mair by luck than gude guiding (management). | 288 |
| Marry for love and work for siller. | 289 |
| Meikle crack fills nae sack. | 290 |
| Mony an honest man needs that hasna the face to seek it. | 291 |
| Mony ane speirs the gate (inquires the way) they ken fu’ weel. | 292 |
| Mony kinsfolk, but few freends. | 293 |
| Nae butter ’ll stick to my bread, i.e., no good fortune ever comes my way. | 294 |
| Nae freen’ like the penny. | 295 |
| Nae fules like auld fules. | 296 |
| Nae man can be happy without a friend, nor be sure of him till he’s unhappy. | 297 |
| Nae man can live at peace unless his neighbours let him. | 298 |
| Nae man can mak’ his ain hap (destiny). | 299 |
| Nae man can thrive unless his wife will let him. | 300 |
| Nae man has a tack (lease) o’ his life. | 301 |
| Nae man is wise at a’ times, nor wise on a’ things. | 302 |
| Nae wonder ye’re auld like; ilka thing fashes (bothers) ye. | 303 |
| Naething is a man’s truly but what he cometh by duly. | 304 |
| Naething is got without pains but an ill name. | 305 |
| Naething is got without pains except dirt and long nails. | 306 |
| Naething is ill said if it’s no ill ta’en. | 307 |
| Nane are so weel but they hope to be better. | 308 |
| Ne’er let your gear owergang ye—i.e., never let your wealth get the better of you. | 309 |
| Ne’er put a sword in a wud man’s (a madman’s) hand. | 310 |
| Ne’er tak’ a wife till ye ken what to do wi’ her. | 311 |
| Ne’er trust muckle to an auld enemy or a new freend. | 312 |
| Nearer the kirk the farther frae grace. | 313 |
| Need mak’s an auld wife trot. | 314 |
| Needs must when the devil drives. | 315 |
| Never is a lang term. | 316 |
| Next to nae wife, a gude wife is the best. | 317 |
| Night is the mither (mother) of thoughts. | 318 |
| Now is now, and Yule’s in winter. | 319 |
| Nowadays truth is news. | 320 |
| Patience wi’ poverty is a man’s best remedy. | 321 |
| Perfect love canna be without equality. | 322 |
| Pith’s gude at a’ play but threadin’ o’ needles. | 323 |
| Plenty makes dainty. | 324 |
| Poets and painters ha’e leave to lee. | 325 |
| Poor folk hae neither ony kindred nor ony freends. | 326 |
| Poor folk seek meat for their stomachs, and rich folks stomachs for their meat. | 327 |
| Poor folks are glad of porridge. | 328 |
| Poortith (poverty) is better than pride. | 329 |
| Poverty is the mither (mother) o’ a’ arts. | 330 |
| Prayer and practice is good rhyme. | 331 |
| Pride and grace ne’er dwell in ae place. | 332 |
| Pride never leaves its master till he gets a fa’. | 333 |
| Put a stout heart to a stey (steep) brae. | 334 |
| Put not all your crocks on one shelf. | 335 |
| Quey (female) calfs are dear veal. | 336 |
| Quick at meat, quick at work—i.e., at that kind of work. | 337 |
| Quietness is best. | 338 |
| Raise nae mair deils than ye’re able to lay. | 339 |
| Reckless youth maks ruefu’ age. | 340 |
| Riches are got wi’ pain, kept wi’ care, and tint (lost) wi’ grief. | 341 |
| Riches have made mair men covetous than covetousness has made men rich. | 342 |
| Richt wrangs nae man. | 343 |
| Rule youth weel and age will rule itsel’. | 344 |
| Seein’s believin’, but feelin’s the naked truth. | 345 |
| Send a fool to France, and he’ll come a fool back. | 346 |
| Send your son to Ayr; if he did weel here, he’ll do weel there. | 347 |
| Set a stout heart to a stey (steep) brae. | 348 |
| Sins and debts are aye mair than we think them. | 349 |
| Sma’ fish are better than nane. | 350 |
| Speak o’ the deil and he’ll appear. | 351 |
| Take time in time, ere time be tint (lost). | 352 |
| The buke o’ May-bees is very braid. | 353 |
| The evening brings a’ hame. | 354 |
| The king may gang the cadger’s gate—i.e., may one day need his help. | 355 |
| There are nae fules like auld fules. | 356 |
| Thou wouldst do little for God if the devil were dead. | 357 |
| Want o’ wit is waur than want o’ siller. | 358 |
| Wealth makes wit waver. | 359 |
| Weel is that weel does. | 360 |
| Were it no for hope the heart wad break. | 361 |
| What may be dune at ony time will be dune at nae time. | 362 |
| What’s nane o’ my profit will be nane o’ my peril. | 363 |
| What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine’s my ain. | 364 |
| When bairns are young they gar their parents’ heads ache; when they are auld they make their hearts break. | 365 |
| When friends meet hearts warm. | 366 |
| When ilka ane gets his ain, the thief will get the widdie (gallows). | 367 |
| When love cools our fauts are seen. | 368 |
| When the man’s fire and the wife’s tow, in comes the deil and blaws it in a lowe (flame). | 369 |
| When the will’s ready the feet’s licht. | 370 |
| When you see a woman paint, your heart needna faint. | 371 |
| Where there’s muckle courtesy there’s little kindness. | 372 |
| Where vice is, vengeance follows. | 373 |
| Who never climbs will never fa’. | 374 |
| Words are but wind, but seein’s believin’. | 375 |
| Ye hae a stalk o’ carl-hemp in you. | 376 |
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