The Proverbs of Scotland Part 38

He has brought his pack to a braw market.

He has come to gude by misguiding.

He has coosten his cloak on the ither shouther.

He has coup'd the muckle pat into the little.

Sarcastically applied to those who claim to have executed extraordinary deeds.

He has drowned the miller.

Meaning that in mixing liquids, as in mixing toddy, too much water has been added. The English say, "He has put the miller's eye out."

He has faut o' a wife that marries mam's pet.

He has feathered his nest, he may flee when he likes.

He has gane without taking his leave.

He has gi'en up a trade and ta'en to stravaigin'.

A humorous way of expressing that a man has retired from business to live comfortably. To "stravaig" is to walk about idly.

He has got a bite o' his ain bridle.

He has gotten his kail through the reek.

"To meet with severe reprehension. To meet with what causes bitterness or thorough repentance as to any course that one has taken."--_Jamieson._

He has gotten the boot and the better beast.

This saying has evidently emanated from the stable. When persons wish to exchange horses, he who has the poorest animal gives a "boot" or compensation in addition to the horse, to make the exchange equal. The proverb is applied to a person who has over-reached his neighbour.

He has gotten the whip hand o' him.

He has got the heavy end of him.

Meaning that in an argument or struggle he has the best of it.

He has help'd me out o' a deadlift.

Or rendered very great a.s.sistance in an emergency.

He has. .h.i.t the nail on the head.

He has it o' kind, he coft it not.

Meaning that a person's bad qualities are inherited from his parents; equivalent to the saying, "What's bred in the bone won't out of the flesh."

He has left the key in the cat-hole.

He has licket the b.u.t.ter aff my bread.

To "lick the b.u.t.ter," in proverbial phraseology, is to supplant a person in business, or so interfere with his arrangements as to injure them.

He has made a moonlight flitting.

To "shoot the moon," as the English say, is to decamp from a house without paying the rent.

He has mair floor than he has flail for.

Or more work than he can overtake.

He has mair jaw than judgment.

He has mair wit in his wee finger than ye hae in your hale bouk.

He has muckle prayer, but little devotion.

He hasna a bauchle to swear by.

He hasna a hail nail to claw him wi'.

He hasna as muckle sense as a cow could haud in her faulded nieve.

He has nae clag till his tail.

"A vulgar phrase, signifying that there is no stain on one's character, or that no one can justly exhibit a charge against him."--_Jamieson._

He has nae mair mense than a miller's horse.

_Vide_, "As menseless as a tinkler's messan."

He has naething to crave at my hand.

He has need o' a clean pow that ca's his neighbour nitty now.

"A man ought to be free of those faults that he throws up to others."--_Kelly._

He has neither stock nor brock.

He has neither money nor meat.

He has ower many greedy gleds o' his ain.

Meaning that a man has too many family claims upon his generosity to meet, to be able to attend to those of strangers.

He has skill o' roasted woo--when it stinks it's ready.