The Proverbs of Scotland Part 40

He'll gang to h.e.l.l 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.

"This phrase is always applied when people, with pretence of friends.h.i.+p, do you an ill turn, as one licking a mote out of your eye makes it blood shot."--_Allan Ramsay._

He'll mak a spune or spoil a horn.

"Ay, ay, we're a' subject to a downcome. Mr Osbaldistone is a gude honest gentleman; but I aye said he was ane o' them wad mak a spune or spoil a horn, as my father, the worthy deacon, used to say."--_Rob Roy._

He'll mend when he grows better, like sour ale in summer.

"The young laird of Balmawhapple, ... he had no imperfection but that of keeping light company at a time; such as Jinker the horse-couper, and Gibby Gaethroughwi't, the piper o' Cupar; 'O'

whilk follies, Mr Saunderson, he'll mend, he'll mend,' p.r.o.nounced the bailie. 'Like sour ale in summer,' added Davie Gellatley, who happened to be nearer the conclave than they were aware of."--_Waverley._

He'll need to dree the dronach o't.

He'll ne'er send you awa wi' a sair heart.

He'll neither dance nor haud the candle.

Like the dog in the manger, he will neither enjoy himself, nor allow others to do so.

He'll neither dee nor do weel.

Sarcastically applied to people who may be peevish or fretful through ill health.

He'll neither haud nor bind.

"'Then, if ye maun hae't, the folk in Lunnun are a' clean wud about this bit job in the north here.' 'Clean wood! what's that?' 'Ou, just real daft--neither to haud nor to bind--a' hirdy girdy--clean through ither--the deil's ower Jock Wabster.'"--_Rob Roy._

"A proverbial phrase expressive of violent excitement, whether in respect of rage, or of folly, or of pride; borrowed, perhaps, from the fury of an untamed beast, which cannot be so long _held_ that it may be _bound_ with a rope."--_Jamieson._

He'll neither hup nor wine.

Of similar import to the preceding. _Hup_ and _wine_ are two words used in guiding plough and cart horses.

He'll never rue but ance, and that'll be a' his life.

"Ride down to Portanferry, and let nae gra.s.s grow at the nag's heels; and if ye find him in confinement, ye maun stay beside him night and day for a day or twa, for he'll want friends that hae baith heart and hand; and if ye neglect this, ye'll never rue but ance, for it will be for a' your life."--_Guy Mannering._

He'll no gie an inch o' his will for a span o' his thrift.

That is, regardless of expense, his wishes must be gratified.

He'll no gie the head for the was.h.i.+ng.

To "keep the head for the was.h.i.+ng" is to retain possession of an article which has been made to order or repaired until all charges upon it are paid.

He'll no let the gra.s.s grow at his heels.

He'll no sell his hen on a rainy day.

He will not sell his wares at an unpropitious time.

He'll rather turn than burn.

He'll shoot higher that shoots at the moon, than he that shoots at the midden, e'en though he may miss his mark.

He'll soon be a beggar that canna say "No."

He'll tell it to nae mair than he meets.

He'll wag as the bush wags.

That is, he will do as circ.u.mstances compel him.

He loes me for little that hates me for nought.

His love has never been very strong if it turns for a trifle.

He'll wind you a pirn.

"An my auld acquaintance be hersel, or onything like hersel, she may come to wind us a pirn. It's fearsome baith to see and hear her when she wampishes about her arms, and gets to her English, and speaks as if she were a prent book--let a-be an auld fisher's wife."--_The Antiquary._

He lo'ed mutton weel that lick'd where the ewie lay.

"Spoken to them who will sip the bottom of a gla.s.s where good liquor was, or sc.r.a.pe a plate after good meat."--_Kelly._