Glossary of Words, Places & Measures.

The following lists contain a number of the Scots words used by George McWillie in the writing of the diaries. Only the meanings of the words as they appear within the context of the diaries have been listed although a great many of them do have alternative meanings. For more detailed definitions it is recommended that the reader consults a good Scots dictionary such as "The Concise Scots Dictionary" or "The Scots Dialect Dictionary".  A few words appearing in the diaries don't appear in these dictionaries and seem to have slipped out of use locally so their true meaning is uncertain. Note that entries in italics are extracts from the main text to help the reader see the context in which the term was used.

Words

ABEAT: abate.
ACQUAITIE: aqua vite (water of life), whisky.
ADMIRAL: Admiral Archibald Duff served in Nelson's navy and built Drummuir castle. Click here for more on Drummuir Estate.
AHENT: behind, after, in debt.
ALTOON: old town. A farm house and steading in the area is referred to as a "farm town".
ANENT: alongside.
ANCOR: anker, a liquid measure used in the wine industry. 1 Anker = 8.33 gallons = 37.854 litres.
ANDRA FORARA: Andrea Ferara (1530 - 1583) was a celebrated Italian sword maker from Belluno, a small town north of Venice. His work was a byword for quality and was widely counterfeited in his lifetime and later. Highlanders had an extremely high regard for swords marked "Andrea Ferara" in its many spellings. It is likely that the sword mentioned in the Diaries had Andra Ferara stamped on it but unlikely that it was a genuine Ferara sword.
ANNUALS - annals, yearly historical accounts of events.
ARCHDUCK - archduke.
AVAL: (also Avel, Avell, Awvel and Yavel) Ground on which a crop of grain is grown on the same ground for the second year.
AWENS: (also Avens, Yavins, Yawin) the beard or bristle of barley or oats.
AYE: yes or always.

BABEES: an old halfpenny coin. (see weights & measures section).
BACKS: outermost boards, with bark on, from a tree sawn lengthwise into planks.
BAILL: pain, remorse.
BAIRN: child.
BANDERS, BANSTERS: the harvest hands who tie the scythed crop into sheaves using bands of straw.
BANNOCK: a round flat cake of oat, barley or pease-meal, baked on a girdle.
BAUND: bound, when the cattle are taken for winter and chained in their stalls they are said to be baund.
BARLEY: a cereal crop often used to make whisky.
BEAD: bed.
BEADED: in bed.
BEADFAST: confined to bed.
BEADFELLOWS: bedfellows, people sharing a bed.
BEAFF: beef cattle.
BEALLING: or belling, bealing, festering sore, boil, pimple.
BEAR: bere. Four or six row barley, harder than ordinary barley.
BEATS: bets.
BEHOOF: behalf.
BELEADS: blades, as in blades of grass.
BILLIE or BILLY: someone characterised as good at something, as in cow billie meaning one who tends to the cattle.
BELLMAN: bell ringer at the kirk.
BELLYBANDS: The part of the harness of a horse that loops under the horse's belly.
BELLY: stomach, as in "bellys toom" meaning stomachs empty.
BEN: A hill or mountain. Through, as in "went ben" meaning "went through".
BELIE: Baillie, a farm steward, a man in charge of the cows on a farm, an official from the office of a baliff.
BET TO ARMES: beat to arms. In this case the meaning was that the alarm was raised to summon all to fight the fire at Loch Park.
BINDER: one who ties sheaves at harvest.
BIRE: Byre. Cattle shed.
BIRK: birch trees.
BIRSED: angered.
BIRSEY: angry.
BIZZED: hungover.
BLACKCOCK: a game bird.
BLEABERRIES: bilberries.
BLACKGUAURD: blackguard, a wicked person.
BLEADS: blades, as in blades of grass.
BLECKNED: blackened.
BLEW: blue.
BLOODING: letting blood on the premise that it was good for health.
BLOOSOM: blossom.
BLOUSTRY: blustry
BOAR:  bore or dig.
BOILHOUSE: an outhouse where food for cattle is steamed or boiled.
BOILL: boil, suppuration.
BONNY: beautiful, pretty, attractive.
BONS, BOONS: bones.
BOORD: Board, as in Parochial Board of the Parish.
BOORING: boring, drilling a hole.
BORD: border or hem of a garment.
BOTHES: bothy, a dwelling on the farm to house the single men.
BOUNTING: bantam, a small type of chicken.
BOUT: the swathe of crop cut by a scythe or a mower.
BOWIE: a broad shallow dish, a tub, a barrel.
BRACK: break.
BRAKERS: breakers.
BRACKING: breaking.
BRAES: hills.
BRAKE: break, broke.
BRASEN: brazen, made of brass.
BRAWN: rounded muscle of arm or leg.
REA:  brae, sloping ground, hill.
BREARD:  the first shoots of growing grain.
BREE: liquid
BREER: beginning to show the first shoots of growth.
BREEKS: trousers
BREEST: breast.
BREISE: breeze
BRESS: brace, pair as in a brace of pheasants.
BRIARD:  See BREARD.
BRITCH: breech
BRITCHEN: strap at hindquarters of a shafthorse to allow it to push back, hesitate, hold back.
BROACK: broke, to break, bankrupt.
BROADS: broads of the knife, to pierce when blood-letting.
BROAK, BROK: broke, broken.
BROCHAN: mixture of cereals for feeding calves, gruel, porridge.
BROCK: rakings of straw.
BROCKEN: see BROAK.
BROSE: a dish of oatmeal mixed with boiling water.
BROUSED, BROWSED: bruised, oats rolled between rollers to flatten them and make them easier for animals to digest.
BRUCKLY: unsettled, weak.
BULLED: cow mated with bull.
BULTS: bolts.
BURDEY MAPPEL: bird maple.
BURN: stream or creek.
BUSHEL: clump of low growing plant, also a measure of weight.
BUSSY: busy.
BUT: besides, except.
BY THE BY: incidentally.
BYRE: a cowshed.

CANDLEMASS: the 2nd of February, a Scottish quarter-day.
CAPE: cap, percussion on gun.
CAPITAL: excellent.
CARDING: a process where the raw wool or other fibre is untangled and "combed" into parallel fibres for spinning.
CARTED: carried, transported by cart.
CAST: dig, dug, cut, peats are cast or cut, roads blocked with snow are cast.
CHAFF: the outer husks of oats, often used to fill mattress.
CHANTIE: chamber-pot.
CHICK: checked.
CHINA-PALLING: chain fence.
CHILDBEAD: childbed, in bed giving birth.
CHIST: to put the oatmeal in the meal kist or chest.
CLEANING: clearing off land for sowing or after a crop has been grown on it.
CLEW RIPS: Unknown. We have 44 ricks and a howack besides 200 shaves of thach and a number of clew rips.
CLOD: a sod of earth
CLORT: a big, dirty, untidy person.
CLOSS/CLOES: when referring to weather means still and humid, when referring to the farm the closs is the farmyard.
:CLUDDY: cloudy.
COALLS: coal.
COBLE: pond for animals to drink.
COIR: choir.
COLL: a hay cock.
COLL TARRING: treating the wood with a preservative obtained from the distillation of bituminous coal
CONFIRMATION: receive title of property of deceased person.
CORNYARD: stackyard.
COW BILLIE: the servant who looks after the cattle.
COUPERS: coopers, barrel makers
CRABBET: crabbit, ill-natured.
CRAN: a measure of herrings taken from the net, averaging about 750 fish and now fixed at 37.5 gallons.
CRAW: crow.
CRAY: cry.
CREEL: a deep basket for carrying fish, peats, etc.
CROCKIE: croquet
CROFTWANDER: Unknown. I was plowing to the minester at Ley in croftwander
CROMED: Unknown. our white and read cromed cow had 2 ox calves
CULT: colt
CUPPLES: couples, rafters, a building's roof support timbers, the sloping part of the roof trusses.
CUPPLINGS: couplings, the links joining carriages of a train together.
CUTTER: at harvest the cutter scythed the crop.
CWT: hundredweight, 112 lbs
COWLERS: regimental colours.

DALE, DEAL, DEALL: a great amount.
DAME: dam of a mill.
DARTH: high priced.
DEALMECARE: devil may care, careless, apathetic.
DEAR: expensive.
DELVED: dug.
DELVING: digging.
DENNER: dinner, but can mean lunch about mid day or dinner in the evening.
DESERLIE: Disraeli, Prime Minister in 1868 and again from 1874 until 1880.
DEWAY/DEWEY/DEWIE: dewy, covered with dew
DING: when referring to snow storm, means to fall heavily or continuously.
DINNED: dined
DIREY/DIRY: dairy
DISESTABLISHMENT: separating Church from State and removing government financial support from the church.
DISHCLOUT: dishcloth.
DISHEALTH/DISHILTH: illness
DISPLENISH: sale of farm animals, equipment, furniture, etc.
DISRUPTION: unrest in the Church of Scotland over the role of government in the affairs of the church, which led to the formation of breakaway Free Church
DITCHER: ditch digger.
DIVAKS: divots, slices of turf or peat.
DIVEL/DIVILISH: devil/devilish
DIVOTED: covered with divots to form a more or less waterproof roof.
DOMANI/DOMMONIE: school headmaster.
DONE: complete, finished.
DOOG: dog
DOUP: bottom, buttocks, a doup of hay was a small stack of hay.
DOWIE: feeling ill, gloomy.
DRAM: a small drink of liquor.
DRAUGHTY: drouthy, as in drought, dry.
DRAWN STRAW: relates to thatching etc, straw pulled through the hands so that pieces shorter than required fall to the ground.
DRAY: dry
DREAL/DRELL/DRIELL/DRELLED: drill, form drills for planting e.g. turnips.
DREEPING: dripping.
DRESSED: the grain separated from chaff and straw.
DRIGGERS: dredgers.
DRIGING: dredging.
DROONS: Unknown. The first spelling Bee was held at Keith, a few from Botriphnie of the Arastocracy was thair and came home all Droons.
DRUCKED: drookit, drenched, soaked.
DRUGHT: drought
DRUM: on threshing mill the drum is the rotating drum that strips the ears from the straw.
DUBS: mud.
DUCK: Duke.
DUNG/DUNGED: farmyard manure, dunged is spread with dung.
DYCKS: dykes, drystone walls.

ERITOR: the heir who has inherited the property.
EVEN, EVENDOWN: evening.
EWIE: ewe, female sheep.
EYS: eyes.

FACTOR: Estate manager.
FAMILE: family.
FALLOW: land under grass for two years and then ploughed.
FARLIE/FERLIE: a strange sight, a marvel.
FARM: a unit of land and buildings, when speaking of "driving the farm" it means driving some of the farm animals to a market.
FARM STEADINGS: the byres, barns and other farm outbuildings.
FARROW COW: a cow not in calf or past breeding age.
FEART: frightened.
FEED: to supply a person, animal or machine with material. See fee'd.
FEE/FEED: engage for service, employed as a farm servant.
FEEIN-MARKET: a fair or market usually held at Whitsun (15th May) and Martinmass (11th November) where farmers engaged farm servants for the coming term.
FEERING: the furrow drawn out to mark the rigs before ploughing the whole field.
FEIGHT: fight.
FEINIANS: Irish rebels of the time.
FERRIER: farrier.
FILLING: in reference to grain means the swelling and maturing of the seeds.
FIRE: peat.
FIRE-HOUSE: shed for storing peat.
FROG/FROGUE: a young horse.
FLAGS, FLACKES, FLAKS: large flakes of snow, flagstones.
FLAIL: farm equipment comprising two lengths of wood linked by a flexible joint used to beat oats, barley, etc to separate the ears from the straw.
FLITTED: moved to another house.
FLWACH: light covering.
FODDER: animal food.
FOLE: foal, young horse.
FOLED, FOLLED: foaled, a mare gave birth to a foal.
FOG/FOGG/FOUG: fog, moss.
FOTHER: fodder, animal food.
FOUNDS/FOUNDING: foundations of a building, laying the foundations.
FRAE: from
FRAUGHT: a load.
FREESTONE: an easily worked sandstone.
FRESH: mild, thawing temperature.
FROG: male horse one to three years old.
FEU: a piece of land held by this tenure.
FUMACKFAIR: St. Fumack brought Christianity to Botriphnie in the sixth century and an annual fair and market was held in his name for many years.
FURBREAS: Uncertain. Thought to be the heads on oats or barley.
FURRED: furrowed.
FUSSERN: Unknown. The 26th, rain and high wind all day, cold, cold and fussern,

GAED/GEID: gave or went.
GALLOCHS: golachs, insects.
GAMIE: gamekeeper.
GAR: make.
GAY: gie, very, considerable, great.
GATHERDAM: the dam that gathered the waters from local streams to drive the farm machinery.
GAVEL: gable.
GEENTREES: gean trees, wild cherry trees.
GENERAL: widespread.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY: the annual meeting of the Ministers of the Church of Scotland.
GIG: small horse-drawn carriage or buggy.
GILL-STOUP: a stoup is a tankard or jug and a gill is a measure of volume, 1/4 pint.
GIRNAL: a storage chest for meal etc.
GLAIK: Glack, narrow valley between hills. Here it refers to the Glack of Midthird.
GLEBE: the portion of land assigned to the parish minister in addition to his stipend.
GLOMY: gloomy.
GLOURS: glowers.
GOODBROTHER: brother-in-law.
GOODMOTHER: mother-in-law.
GOODWIFE: a woman at the head of the household, mistress of the place.
GRUB: grub that attacks cereal crops.
GOUK: the cuckoo.
GOUR: goor, mud.
GOWANS: the daisy flower.
GRANNET: granite rock.
GRAPE: graip, an iron pronged fork used in farming.
GRAVIT: cravat, scarf, a hempen gravit is a hangman's rope.
GREIVE/GREVE: foreman on the farm.
GROUTH/GROUTHY: growth, good growing conditions.
GUANO: fertiliser derived from bird droppings, the main source of which was islands off South America.
GUDGE: gouge, a tool for gouging.
GUID: good
GULL: a thin, cold mist with slight wind.
GULLET: the narrow, deep road cutting from Ardgaithney to the Isla near the railway station.
GUM: Unknown. Thought to be a turnip disease called white gum.

HAGGESSES: stomachs.
HALLADAY: holiday.
HALPH: half.
HANTLE: a large number.
HAPPED: covered over.
HAPPENY: half old penny
HASHED: sliced, chopped, when applied to "hashed our mud and thatch" means tore it apart and damaged it.
HAUGH: a low-lying level piece of ground usually adjacent to a river.
HAY MACDOWELL-GRANT  OF ARNDILLY - The Laird of Arndilly and a  renowned Baptist lay preacher "gentleman evangelist" who toured Scotland at that time.
HEADED: in regards to turnips, the leaves are removed.
HEASY: hazy.
HEFART, HEIFER: a young animal prior to having any young.
HELSTERHEAD: head over heels.
HEWERS: stone cutters.
HILLANDS: the upland parts of the farm.
HILPENER: assistant.
HIMP: hemp
HINCH: haunch, upper thigh.
HINDMOST: last.
HIPPEN: nappy, diaper
HIR: her.
HOGSHEAD: a liquid measure used in the wine industry. 1 Hogshead = 52.5 gallons of wine = 233.93 litres.
HOLLED: dug out.
HOUGH: leg, lower leg, also see HAUGH above.
HOUKED: dug out or amongst.
LACE: lease
HOUD/HOWD: howed, when applied to turnips means to single and weed them.
HOUMER: mood, temper, disposition.
HOUT: expression of annoyance.
HOWACK, HUAK: a small rick of corn or hay.
HUDDING: Unknown. Major Gordon Duff came on his first visit to Drummuir House the 6th, clad in good hudding gray clothes, our new Eritor.
HUMBLE: cow without horns.
HURL: throw or ride on.
HURLEY: handcart.

IKSY-PIGUSY: iksy-piksy, more or less equal.
ILL-NATURED: bad tempered.
INCLOSING: enclosing, fencing.
INTRUSION: referred to the issue of State intrusion in the affairs of the Church.
ISLE: aisle of church. Admiral Duff is buried outside the current church but others may have been buried in the aisle of the old church, the ruin of which stands in the graveyard. Admiral Duff, Drummuir, died at Elgin on the 9th of this month and was buried at Botriphnie on the 15th, in front of the isle betwixt it and the Church 4 feet from the wall of the isle thair is a spruce tree on the lip of the grave closs on his right hand.   Mrs. Masson, the ministers wiffe, died the 7th, and was buried the 10th, in old Isle, Botriphnie,

JOIL: jail
JOISTED: refers to roof joists, joisted means that the roof joists are in place.
JOVAL: jovial

KAIL, KEAIL: a brassica, a curly leafed variety of cabbage.
KENS: knows.
KETNESS: Caithness.
KILLEN: kiln. Uncertain. the torneep so sore frosen that we thawed them on the killen,
KIST: a chest or trunk for storing dry goods.
KNAGGS: knots or spurs.
KNOCK: clock, a blow.
KNOWE: knoll, top of a hill.

LAID: a crop is said to be laid when it is lying flat and therefore difficult to harvest.
LAIR: a burial place or grave.
LAMMAS: 16-18 August, a Scottish quarter day.
LARICH, LARACH: larch tree.
LEAD: to lead the crop is to take the sheaves in from the fields to the cornyard.
LEAT, LET: late.
LEGG: leg.
LEP: leap, as in leap year.
LETTERING: the desk of the Reader or Precentor in past-Reformation churches.
LEY, LEA that part of land now in the pasture phase of its usage cycle.
LIFFE: life.
LIMED: spread with lime.
LINDER: woolen or flannel undershirt or jacket.
LINGRING: feeling rather weak.
LINT: flax plant.
LIVEL: level.
LIVEROCK: laverock, the skylark.
LOACH: loch
LODDED: loaded.
LOON, LOWN: boy.
LOOSED: "loosed and spread out" means that the sheaves were opened up and spread out to dry.
LOUSE: loose, unharness.
LUGS: ears.
LUM: chimney.
LUNNEN: London.

MACH: match, competition.
MAIRE: mare, female horse.
MANCE: manse.
MARCHES: the boundaries of properties marking where one property meets with another.
MARCURY: mercury
MARD: George's shorthand for married.
MART: ox or cow fattened for slaughter, market.
MARTESMASS: Martinmass, the feast of St. Martin (Nov 11th) being one of the term days relating to employment of farm hands.
MARTER BULLIONS: Martin Bullion, the day of the Feast of the translation of St. Martin, 4th July (old style), 15th July (new style).
MASELLS, MISSLES: measels
MASLECH, MASLOCH: mixed grain.
MASSON: mason.
MATE: mait, food.
MAVIS, MAVIES: song thrush.
MCHT: shorthand for merchant.
MEAL: oatmeal, milled oats.
MEAT: food, meet.
MEATED: fed.
MELDRE: melder, the quantity of oats ground at one time
METTLE: hardcore used to make roads.
MICKLE: big
MIDDES: a local term for Midthird farm. It is also common to refer to a farmer by the name of his farm, hence Middes means the current tenant of Midthird farm.
MILLERT: a miller.
MILTS: melts.
MIRLE: start to change from green to yellow as it ripens.
MISSELS/MISSLES/MIZZLES: measels
MISSIONERS: not clear whether this means missionaries or missionars, which were itinerant preachers.
MISSULIUM: mausoleum.
MOISTER: moisture.
MOODY and SANKEY: American evangelists who visited Britain in the late 1800s. Published books of hymns.
MOSSING: peat cutting.
MOULD: on land well-broken soil, on a plough the curved surface that turns the soil, for shooting the mould used to cast the lead balls.
MOURFOUL, MUIRFOOL: moorfowl.
MOURHENS: moorhens.
MOVABLES/MOVABLES: goods and chattles that a person takes with them when they move house.
MUCKLE: much.
MUDDING: Uncertain. Thought to be a method of constructing walls of stone held together with mud.
MUDTHACH: Uncertain. Thought to be a roof thatching made with a mixture of straw and mud.
MURRION: Unknown. Thought to be a potato disease.
MUTCH: a woman's or infant's cap or a man's night cap.

NAVIE: workman, a roadman or quarryman.
NEEP: turnip.
NEERS: neir, kidney.
NETHER: lower.
NEWERS: New Year's.
NINTEEN: a ninteen year lease of a farm.
NON: a member of the non-intrusion church.
NONINTRUSION: the principle that the State should not intrude in the affairs of the church. Members of the Free Church were referred to as non-intrusionists.
NOUT: cattle.

OCHON, OHONE: an exclamation of sorrow, usually repeated as ochan, ochan.
OFFERING: in the context of the church refers to the money put in the collection box by the congegration.
ONNEY: any.
OROW/ ORROW/ ORRA: a general worker of no particular skill.
OWRE: over.
OWRLYING: outlying.

PAILL: Unknown. Assumed to have been a type of shooting match but the type of target is unknown. First shooting, three prises and took a pin out of the senter at a paill shot
PAILING: a fence, a fence post.
PANED: pawned
PAPPER/PAPPUR/PAPUR: pauper, a destitute person living on hand-outs from the Parish.
PARK: a field, Park Estate was an estate owned by the Laird of Drummuir.
PARLIMENTER: a Member of Parliament.
PAROCHIAL BOARD: the Parish Board of Management of the church.
PEANNA: piano.
PEANS: panes of window glass.
PENNY: the old Sterling unit of currency, 2.4 old pennies equalled 1 new penny.
PHETON: phaeton, a light, four-wheeled open carriage drawn by a pair of horses.
PET: peat, a soft organic material consisting of partly decayed plants and used as a fuel for fires.
PICKEL/PICKLE: puckle, an indefinite quantity.
PILTING: pelting, heavy rainfall.
PISHING BUY THE BOWIE: Unknown. Thought to mean missing the target or misunderstanding the true meaning of a situation.
PLASH: splash.
PLATE: Unknown. It is assumed that "plate south" means from the south. The wind about plate south
PLURO: pleurisy, inflamation of the membranes covering the lungs.
POIND: impounded, sieze and sell the goods of a debtor.
POLICIES: grounds of a large house or estate.
POTCHER: poacher.
PRESS: cupboard.
PRINS: pins, (pronounced "preens").
PRINT: prent, a pat of butter usually a quarter or half pound in weight.
PROBATIONER: a licensed preacher eligible for a settled charge and ordination.
PROCLAIM:  the reading of Banns to announce an impending marriage.
PROPHENITY: profanity.
PROTTY: pretty.
PROUNING, PROWING: pruning.
PURK: pork
PURLY: a savoury dish of oatmeal, water and kail.

QUAIET, QUAEIT: quiet, still, windless.
QUARRED: quarried.
QUARRERS: quarrymen, workmen who quarry stone.
QUARRING: quarrying.
QUEET: ankle, foot.
QUINCHED: quenched, put out.
QUINE: girl
QUO SACRA: Unknown. At the Barn sacrament they had Baker Lipie, Mr. Troup, editor of the Banner and John Adam of Kabady Elders and Miller of Dundee a quo sacra minester officiating.
QUOY: a heifer until she has had her first calf.
QUZING: quizzing, questioning.

RABBET: rabbit
RACKINGS: Uncertain. Thought to be the remnants of the crop left in the fields after harvest.
RALE: real, very, "rale grabe for the lowns" means a welcome windfall for the boys.
RASED: razed, destroyed.
RASHES: rushes, a type of reed-like plant that grows on marshy land.
READ: red
READWIDE: Unknown. I have been toron the whole day with the readwide gout in my shoulders and arms
REAPES: "twin reapes" means twining together handfulls of straw to make ropes.
REAST: the rest, the remainder.
REATE: rate.
RECENDED: rescinded, cancelled.
RECEPTED: receipted.
REED: 1/160 of an acre. an old linear measure of about 9.5 feet.
REEK: smoke.
REFORM BILL: a Parliamentary Bill which gave the vote to a wider range of people.
REGISTER OF DEATHS: in 1855 it became Law that all births, marriages and deaths had to be registered. Prior to that date they had been recorded only in the Parish Records.
REGISTRAR: the person charged with keeping Births, Deaths and Marriages records.
REGYING: raging.
REKERATIONS: recreations.
RELICT: widow.
REMATICKS: rheumatics.
RETENEW: retinue.
RIBBANDS: ribbons
RICK: a stack of corn, barley, etc.
RIGBACK: spine.
RIGERS: Uncertain. rigg ends, the part at the end of a furrow or drill where the horse and plough were turned. Done plowing all but rigers.
RIGGING: ridge of roof.
RINDERPEST: a highly contagious and deadly viral disease of cattle.
RIVEN AND POSTED: Uncertain. Thought to mean that the trees used for the timber frame have been split and the uprights erected.
ROARING: shouting.
ROAS: rose, got up.
ROATING: rotting.
ROES: Roe deer.
ROUP: a displenishment sale by public auction.
ROUPED: sold out, a farmer is said to be "rouped" if he has his farm possessions auctioned off.
ROUTED: rooted.
RUCK, RUCKIE: rick, small rick.
RUDDENS, RODDENS: rowan berries.
RUNCH: wrench for manipulating nuts and bolts.
RUNING: ruining, running.
RYE, RYEGRASS: a cold-tolerant type of grass.

SARKING: the wooden boards above the rafters and below the slates.
SARKED: a building with its sarking in place.
SAUCH: willow.
SAUT: salt.
SCAPE BEE: Unknown. I got a sting with a scape bee this day the 23rd. on the arm and all swelled and read as scarlet in the space of five minutes, extraordinary sick, near died.
SCARIFF: Unknown. Assumed to mean the lumps and clods of earth. I rolled them with the big roler to brack the scariff.
SCATHIES: Unknown. An extraordinary frost now and many haill showrs, but all blown to scathies and hollows
SCITCH: scribble, writing.
SCOBS: splints, the ribs of a basket.
SCRIPED: scribed, written.
SCRONNACH: tumult, noisy fuss.
SCULL: a wicker or metal mesh shallow basket.
SECEDER: one who has left the Established church and joined the Non-intrusion church.
SEQUESTRATED: confiscated by law.
SESSION: the Kirk Session, the church court responsible for ensuring the parishioners' compliance with church laws.
SESSIONED: the act of a betrothed couple being called before the kirk session to declare their intention to get married.
SETED: seated, all seats installed.
SHACKERS: shakers, the parts on a threshing mill that separate the straw from the grain and chaff.
SHACKLEBONE: wrist bone or knuckle bone.
SHAKEN: when the grain is shaken off the uncut straw, or the berries shaken off the bushes or trees by the wind.
SHAUDELS: schedules for the census.
SHAVES: sheaves
SHAWS: the leaves or stalks of potatoes, turnips, etc.
SHEAD: shed, outbuilding.
SHEARS: shares.
SHELT: a pony.
SHERUD: shrewd.
SHIFT: each successive crop in a system of crop-rotation or the land on which this is grown.
SHIVERED: broken into splinters.
SHODS: the metal  toe and heel pieces put on the soles of boots or shoes.
SHOOS: shoes.
SHORTSOME: a cheerful, interesting companion whose nature and conversation makes the time seem to pass quickly.
SHOTTERY: a shooting match.
SHOWRS: showers.
SUGGAR, SUGGAR: sugar.
SHURY: showery.
SHAYED: shied.
SUMMERSFAIR: Summer Fair or Summer Eve Fair, was held in Keith and at the time the Diaries were written was one of the most important Fairs in Scotland.
SISES: Unknown. I saw nothing but shows of all descriptions, sheep and sises, especially large swings full of whowers night and day and all kinds of people, men, woman and chidren, theves and robers.
SIVE: sieve.
SKEATE: Unknown. The wind about plate south, it took the thach of our shead past Linmore, the likest thing to a flock of skeate of any thing ever you saw, it likways hashed all our mud thach most desperate.
SLATS, SLATTED, SLATTER, SLEATING: slates, slated, slater, slating.
SLEAD: sled, sledge.
SLUCE: sluice, the channel leading from the dam to the water wheel.
SMIDDY: blacksmith shop.
SMILTING: smelting.
SMOK: smoke.
SMORED: suffocated.
SNEED: a twisted loop.
SOAREE: soiree
SORTET: mated.
SOUGHT: wanted, asked.
SOULDERING: soldering.
SOURBOW: road from the Castle lodge to Breezybrae.
SOURING: slaking quicklime with water to form a paste for building or plastering.
SOUTER: cobbler, shoemaker.
SOW: a female pig, an oblong shaped riged stack of straw or hay.
SOWANS: the solid matter of a fermented dish made from oat husks and water.
SPAD: spade.
SPATS: gaiters or leggings.
SPAW: spa, a place for bathing in mineral-rich waters.
SPEAT, SPET: spate, flood
SPETTY: wet, rainy to the point of causing spates.
SPLUCHAN: speuchan, a tobacco pouch.
SNUFF PENS: a small quill or spoon for taking snuff.
SPRUT: sprout.
SPUR: spur wheel, a gear wheel where the meshing teeth protrude radially from the disc.
SQUARED: Uncertain. marked The 8th some plows going, the 6th. we squared of our clean land, the 8th.
STACK-DYKE: Unknown. high winds with verry weighty rain, our stack dyke built at this time and potatos howed the 20th.
STAK YARD: corn yard, where the stacks or ricks are built.
STAKES: stacks, ricks.
STEM, STAME: steam.
STAVES: a stick of weed etc.
STEADING: the farm buildings.
STEPPLE: steeple.
STERVING: starving.
STEWE: dust.
STILE, STYL: style, manner of acting, old stile means according to the old calendar.
STIPEND: the salary of a Presbyterian minister.
STOAK: gun stock.
STON, STONE: a weight measure of 14 lbs.
STOOK: usually 10 or 12 sheaves of corn set up in in a field to dry.
STOOT: stout.
STOT: young castrated bullock.
STOUP: a jug or tankard.
STREGHT: straight.
STRG: Sterling, a unit of British currency.
STRICKE: strike.
STRIP, STRIPE: a strip of land.
STRIPED: stripped, clothes removed.
STRIPPERS: the part of a threshing mill that removes the grain from the straw.
STUBBLE: the lower portions of the straw left in the ground when the crop is cut.
SUBTENNANT: an undertenant, a tenant whose superior is himself a tenant.
SUMMERSFAIR, SUMMEREVES MARKET, SUMMERISE FAIR: A Fair held in Keith on the first Tuesday of September. At the time the Diaries were written it was one of the most important Fairs in Scotland. The name comes not from the Summer season but from Saint Summarius, which was later corrupted into Saint Rufus and gave its name to the Parish Church.
SUNKING: sinking, laying the foundations for a wall.
SUPPERING: last meal of the day for farm animals.
SUTTER: souter, cobbler, shoemaker.
SVT: shorthand for servant.
SWATIES: sweets.
SWAYED: Uncertain. erected. The new Non Church all swayed and posted.
SWEEDS: swedes, Swedish turnips.
SWEER: unwilling, lazy.
SWIRLED: twisted.
SYNOD: a meeting of clergymen.
SYTHING: cutting the crop using a scythe.

TACKS: metal tacks hammered into the leather soles of footwear to make them more robust.
TARDS: targe, tawse, a leather strap used for chastisement in schools.
TARES: a type of vetch that looks like wheat but produces no ears.
TATIES: potatoes.
TEME HAUK: tame hawk, a domesticated bird of prey.
TENANT: someone who rents land or buildings from a Superior.
TERM: one of the four days of the year on which rent becomes due and when contracts of employment are made or renewed.
THETS: the traces for attaching a horse to a farm implement or cart.
THIGGING: begging, asking for charity.
THOUMBS: thumbs.
THREAM THRAM: a boisterous event.
THRAN, THRAWN: stubborn.
THRASH: thresh, to remove the seeds from the straw.
THREED: thread, as in sewing thread.
THREVES, THRIVES: a measure of cut grain consisting of two stooks, usually of 12 sheaves each.
THRISTLES: thistles.
THROUSH: threshed, separated the seeds from the straw.
THROW: through, "throw down" means "cast down".
TIBBYRINNES: Uncertain. Thought to be Ben Rinnes mountain.
TICKCHOLOROE: Uncertain. cholera. poorly for the past 8 days, Tickcholoroe.
TILLS: tiles, pottery drain pipes.
TILLWORKS: factory for manufacturing pottery pipes for chimney liners and for drainage.
TIRRED: the top layer removed, the roof removed.
TOLLROAD: the main road where tolls were collected to pay for the road's upkeep.
TOOM: empty.
TOON: town, when applied to a farm it means the farm house and steadings.
TORNEEPS: turnips
TORRIED: a crop attacked by the torry grub, which is the leatherjacket larve of the crane fly.
TORRY, TORY: the leatherjacket grub that attacks the roots of crops.
TOUNGE: tongue.
TRACLE: treacle, molasses.
TRAY, TRAYED: try, tried.
TROAD: mated with.
TRUMPETER: spokesperson, speaker.
TRUSDEED: Uncertain. trust deed, a legal document drawn up between the minister and the trustees of the kirk. The minester has signed his trusdeed a month ago,
TULLIE: tulle, a light net-like cloth of silk or similar material.
TURF: the surface layer of peat.

UMBERALES: umbrellas.
UNCO: very.
UNKENABLE: unknowable, impossible to recognise.
UNWEAL: unwell, ill.

VICTAL: victual, food part of the crop.
VUING: vowing, promising.
WAIR PALING: wire fence.
WAK: walk.
WALCKED: walked.
WAN: won.
WANE: one, got, "wane up" means "won up, managed to get up".
WANS: wands, supple branches.
WAR, WARE: war (military conflict), were.
WANSCOT: Unknown. I am making a wanscot little tub for dishes, I like a dish of tea after a dish of hearty brose to breakfast
WASTIE: the farmer who farmed Westerton farm.
WATREY: wet, rainy.
WEAD: weed.
WEALL: well, in good health.
WEAST: waistcoat.
WEAT: wet.
WEATHERING: withering.
WEDDOW: widow.
WEE: small.
WEEP: whip.
WEET, WEETY: wet.
WEICK: the county town of Wick in Caithness.
WEIGHEST: heaviest.
WEIGHTY: heavy.
WEMAN: women.
WHEAN: when.
WHEEP: whip.
WHINS: common gorse.
WHITSUNDAY: 15th May, a term day.
WIFFE: wife.
WINERING: Unknown. the lowmost winering of the Barfauld sown in neeps
WINNA: won't, will not.
WISHELS: vessels, ships.
WIVERS: weavers.
WOODCOCKS: game birds, large bulky wading bird with short legs and a long bill.
WRAKE: wreck.

YARDED: brought to the corn yard.
YAVEL: (also Aval, Avel, Avell and Awvel) Ground on which a crop of grain is grown on the same ground for the second year.
YEARD: the linear measure of a yard.
YESTREEN: yesterday.
YOAK: to harness a horse to a farm implement.
YOAKING: the act of harnessing a horse to a farm implement, a measure of time from yoking the horse to start work to lousing it at the end of the stint.
YOUL: Christmas, the festive season.
YOULEVEN: Christmas eve.
ZADIKEL: a widely read astrological prophetic almanac.

Places

The spelling of place names has varied over the years and some of the local names seem to have fallen into disuse. Furthermore, place names have a habit of being repeated throughout the area leading, for example, to their being three Coldhome farms within a few miles of Drummuir. We have tried to pin down the names and locations but if you think we have made a mistake, please contact the webmaster on dave.mcwilliam@towienet.co.uk. Note that at the time the Diaries were written there were many small farms in the area and many of these have since been amalgamated into bigger units and their names now refer only to the houses. Entries in italics are extracts from the main text to help the reader see the context in which the name was used.

ABERDEEN: (Abdeen, Abdn) The largest city in the North and North East of Scotland, now the Oil Capital of the U.K. About 50 miles East of Drummuir.
ABERLOWR: Aberlour, a town about 7 miles due East of Drummuir.
ABERNETHY: A town in the Badenoch region South West of Granton on Spey.
ABESSINED: Abyssinia in North Africa.
ABOYNE: Town about 25 miles due West South West of Aberdeen.
ACHANACIE: Uncertain but thought to be Auchanacie, which lies about 3 miles North East of Drummuir.
ACHENDOUN: Auchindoun. The Parish about 3.5 miles South West of Drummuir.
ACHERN, AUCHERN: A farm at Cairnie about 3 miles South South East of Keith.
ACHLUNKART: (Achlunkhart, Achlanchart) An Estate about 4 miles North West of Drummuir.
AISLA: The river Isla which flows through Botriphnie Parish towards Keith.
ALLOWAY: Alloa, a town to the East of Stirling.
ALMON: The River Almond which flows into the River Tay near Perth, Scotland.
ALMORE: Uncertain. Thought to be Aultmore, an area about 6 miles North North east of Keith.
ALUND: The Aland Islands. A self-governing group of Scandinavian islands owned by Finland.
ARDBRACK: The farm on Drummuir Estate adjacent to Cachenhead on the South South West side.
ARDENTORE: Uncertain but thought to be Edintore, an adjacent Estate about 3 miles East North east of Drummuir.
ARDGATHNIE: The area in which Drummuir village is located. The house of that name, where George McWillie lived from 1863 until his death in 1885, is located in the middle of Drummuir village.
ARDLUI: A town North of Glasgow.
ARNDILLY, AIRNDILLY: An Estate near Craigellachie about 6 miles West North West of Drummuir.
AUCHENDOUN: The Parish about 3.5 miles South West of Drummuir.
AUCHINDACHY: An area lying about 3 miles North East of Drummuir.
AUCHYNACHIE (Mains of): A farm, Mains of Auchanacie, lying about 3 miles North East of Drummuir.
AUCHMADIES: A farm in Boharm Parish about 4 miles North West of Drummuir.
AUCHNESCHOOL: Uncertain but thought to be the area about 2 miles South West of Drummuir.
AULDMON: Uncertain but thought to be Aulton, about 4 miles North West of Drummuir.
AULDMORE: Uncertain. Presumed to be in the vicinity of Rosarie, which lies about 3 miles North of Drummuir.

BADONACH: Badenoch. The area of Scotland stretching from about Granton on Spey to Newtonmore.
BALLENDALLOCH: Ballindalloch, an Estate about 12 miles West South West of Drummuir.
BALMORAL: Balmoral Castle, the Monarch's Scottish residence.
BANCHORY: A town about 15 miles South West of Aberdeen.
BANFF: The County Town of the Banffshire. Located on the Moray coast about 25 miles due North East of Drummuir.
BANNOCKBURN: A battlefield famous in Scottish history as the place where Robert the Bruce defeated the English armies of King Edward II in 1314. Located to the South of the city of Stirling.
BARNYARDS: Unknown. Assumed to be a farm on Drummuir Estate.
BARRIEMOSS: the railway station near Park Estate, which is located near Cornhill about 16 miles North West of Drummuir.
BELLRINNES: The mountain Ben Rinnes, which at 640m is the highest in the area and lies about 9 miles south west of Drummuir. The term "bell" seems to have been commonly used to refer to a mountain, perhaps because of its bell shape.
BELLY: refers to the parish of Bellie, which lies near the town of Fochabers.
BELLYHACK: An area about 1.2 miles South East of Drummuir.
BELNEDON: Beliden, about 25 miles south of Drummuir. It is assumed that the castle referred to was Balmoral and the church was Crathes. At that time Balmoral Castle was "new".
BELNIESCOUG, BELNYSCOUG: Used to be a croft in the vicinity of Glackmuick and Scug hill about 1.5 miles South South West of Drummuir.
BELVENIE, BALVENIE: Balvenie Castle just outside Dufftown, now ruined.
BEN LOMAND: A 973m mountain to the East of Loch Lomand and North of Glasgow.
BIRKENBURN: A farm about 2 miles South East of Keith.
BLACKHALL: Uncertain. There is currently a Blackhall Cottage about 100 yds East of Ardgaithney and a Blackhall House at the junction of the B9014 and B9115. It is thought that, at the time the Diaries were written, Blackhall was a farm in that area between Ardgaithney and Woodend.
BLACKHILLOCK: Unknown. "The 31st, the Jean meare got Blackhillock." Might refer to a Blackhillock about 2 miles South of Keith.
BLACKMOOR: Blackmuir. A farm on Drummuir Estate about 0.6 miles South of Drummuir.
BLACKPOTS: Unknown. "a lad Millne from Bodinfinnach was informed on by John Gray, Blackpots, for poaching on Drummuir".
BLACKWATER: Unknown. went to see the forest of Glenfiddoch and Blackwater
BODENFINNICH: A farm about 2 miles North North West of Drummuir.
BOGBAIN: An area about 2 miles North West of Keith.
BOGBUIE: Uncertain but thought to lie in the Lochpark area of Drummuir Estate.
BOGMOOR: Uncertain but thought to be a farm at Enzie which lies between Keith and Portgordon.
BOHARM: the Parish of Boharm is adjacent to Botriphnie to the North and West.
BOMIKELLOCH: A farm on Drummuir Estate about 2 miles East North East of Drummuir.
BONDIE, BOYNDIE: Boyndie. a village about 4 miles West of Banff.
BRACO: a farm at Grange about 4 miles East of Keith.
BRAEHEAD: A farm on Drummuir Estate about 1/2 mile South of Drummuir.
BREAMAR: Braemar. An area about 36 miles due South South East of Drummuir.
BRICHAN: Brechin. A town about 24 miles South West of Aberdeen.
BROADFIELD: Uncertain but thought to be Broadfield Farm about 3 miles North North East of Drummuir.
BROADHILL: An area of Aberdeen.
BROADRASHES: Farm or dwelling about 2.25 miles North and slightly West of Drummuir.
BROOMELOW: Broomilaw. On River Clyde at Glasgow.
BROOMHILL: A farm on Drummuir Estate about 3/4 mile East South East of Drummuir.
BROUGHAM: Unknown. "the day of David Innes roup, Brougham in Keith the 9th."
BUCHAN: The District of North East Scotland occupying the most North Easterly area of North East Scotland.
BUCKIE: A fishing town on the Moray coast of North East Scotland about 14 miles due North of Drummuir.
BURNEND: An area of Drummuir Estate about 1/2 mile South West of Drummuir.
BURNPARK: An area of Drummuir Estate about 1 mile North of Drummuir.
BUTTERYBRAE: Farm on Drummuir Estate about 1.8 miles East of Drummuir.

CABBACH: A farm in Boharm Parish about 3 miles North North West of Drummuir.
CABRACH: An area about 11 miles South of Drummuir.
CACHENHEAD: Cachenhead Farm, where George McWillie was born and where he farmed from 1835 to 1843.
CACHNACONACHIE: Unknown. "The first shot I fired at a roe in the wood of Almore, an afull snow blowing, she fell among deep louse snow. I was long in finding hir among the loose snow. I went out another day in Agust, and fired at a read deer in the Cachnaconachie stripe."
CAIRNIE: A Parish and Village about 7 miles East of Drummuir.
CAITHNESS, CAITHNESSHIRE: Caithness. The County on the extreme North East corner of the Scottish Mainland.
CARNEY, CARNY: Cairney. A Parish and Village about 7 miles East of Drummuir.
CARRON: Hill of Carran, 417m and about 1 mile South of Midthird Farm.
CASHNACAPLE: Uncertain but seems to be the strip of land extending from the Castle along the Castle Drive to the Lodge.
CATNESS: Caithness. The County on the extreme North East corner of the Scottish Mainland.
CELLOCH: Unknown. Could be an alternative spelling of Shalloch, Mulben about 5 miles North North West of Drummuir.
CLAGGANS/CLAGGENS: Uncertain but seems to be an area on Midthird Farm.
CLOACHIN: Clochan, about 10 miles North of Drummuir.
CLOSSLEY: Unknown. Presumed to be part of Midthird Farm.
CLUNYBEG: Hill about 3 miles South South West of Drummuir.
CLUNYMORE: Hill about 3 miles South West of Drummuir.
COLDHOME: There are a number of Coldhome farms in the area but this refers to the one about 4 miles North East of Drummuir.
CORRIE/CORRIES: Farm about 1.5 miles South East of Drummuir.
CORSAIRTLY: Farm at the Drummuir side of Keith.
COTTERTON: Farm on Drummuir Estate.

DAVIDSTON: Davidston House, Mill of Davidston and Mains of Davidston. Part of Drummuir Estate, about 2.5 miles East of Drummuir.
DELMORE: Dalmore, about 3 miles North West of Drummuir.
DELNYSHACK: Thought to be Delnashaugh about 14 miles West South West of Drummuir.
DINDUNAS: Unknown.
DINNCORN, DINNICORN: An area of Midthird Farm.
DRUMMURE: Drummuir. Drummuir Estate and Drummuir Village.

EASTERTON: A farm on Drummuir Estate.

GARLINE: Unknown. "about 60 men quarring stones in the moor of the old toon of the Garline".
GLAIK, GLACK: A narrow valley. In the diaries it refers to the Glack of Midthird which stretches to the South of Midthird farm.

HOUDOUP: Howdoup. About 2 miles North East of Drummuir. It seems to have been the first site of the Non-intrusion (Free) church in the area although the exact location is unknown.

INCH: the town of Insch which lies about halfway between Drummuir and Aberdeen.

KETNESS: Caithness. The County to the far North East of the Scottish mainland.

LOACH: Loch. a Scottish lake.
LOACHEND: Lochend. A croft to the North of Loch Park.
LOACHPARK: Loch Park. The loch to the West of Drummuir. It was originally a boggy area and was drained by one Laird and then dug out by a successor to form the beautiful place we see today.
LUDGE: lodge. It is unclear where this lodge was located, or, indeed, whether all the references are to the same building.
LUNNEN: London.

MIDDES: A local term for Midthird farm. It is common to refer to a farmer by the name of his farm, hence Middes also refers to the current tenant of Midthird farm.
MILLAHOLE: Mill of Hole, located a short distance to the North of the East end of Loch Park. It is thought that it was originally a meal mill but was later a water-powered sawmill. Note that the water supply came from a dam on the Drumhendry Burn, not from the loch.

PARK: A field, an estate located near Cornhill about 16 miles North West of Drummuir and which at that time was owned by the Laird of Drummuir.

SOURBOW: Road from the Castle lodge to Breezybrae.
SUMMERISE FAIR: Summer Fair or Summer Eve Fair, was held in Keith and at the time the Diaries were written was one of the most important Fairs in Scotland.

TOMNACRUNNION: Tamnacruichan. Uncertain but thought to be the area about 2 miles South West of Drummuir at the limit of Drummuir Estate in the Glack of Midthird and Glack of Clunymore.
TIBBYRINNES: Uncertain. Thought to refer to Ben Rinnes, at 840m the highest mountain in the area.

WEICK: The town of Wick in Caithness in the far North of Scotland.
WESTERCHALDER: About 2.5 miles North East of Drummuir.

Measures