These 18 Scottish words have just been added to the 2019 Oxford Dictionary

A host of household Scottish words and phrases feature in the latest update of the Oxford English Dictionary.

More than 650 new words, senses and subentries have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), and among them are a large number that are unique to denizens north of the border.

First published in the 1880s, the OED is regarded as the definitive dictionary of the English language, but has been criticised in the past for its exclusion of formal and informal words common to specific regions such as Scotland.

Among the latest additions to the Oxford English Dictionary is the Scots noun 'bawbag'. Picture: Bawbags

However, those days of lexicologic elitism appear to be well behind us following the news that the OED’s ‘heid-bummers’ have introduced a raft of popular Scots words to their famous glossary, including ‘bawbag’.

Described by OED as a noun for scrotum, the term is also a commonly used insult across Scotland.

Bawbag joins several other familiar Scots words and colloquialisms including: baffie, bowfing, coorie, geggie, and, that most well-kent term used to describe a native of Glasgow, Weegie.

Midge Whyte, co-founder of Bawbags underwear, welcomed the addition of a word that inspired his company.

He said: “It’s great to see bawbag recognised in the dictionary. It’s a fantastic descriptive word and is particularly useful in the times we’re currently living through.

“The new scots words will certainly make Scrabble a lot easier in my house at Christmas – that’s at least 14 points straight away. Can we get toalie, shan and bowfin next?”

New Scottish word entries

• baff, n.2: “A slipper; = baffie n. Usually in plural.”

• baffie, n.: “A slipper, esp. one that is old and worn out (cf. bauchle n. 1). Usually in plural. Cf. baff n.2”

• bam, n.2: “A foolish, annoying, or obnoxious person; (also spec.) a belligerent or disruptive person. Often as a contemptuous form of address. Cf. bampot n…”

• bampot, n.: “A foolish, annoying, or obnoxious person; (also spec.) a belligerent or disruptive person. Often as a contemptuous form of address. Cf. bam n.2…”

• bamstick, n.: “A foolish, annoying, or obnoxious person; (also spec.) a belligerent or disruptive person. Often as a contemptuous form of address. Cf. bam n.2…”

• bawbag, n.: “The scrotum. Cf. ball bag n. 2.”

• bealach, n.: “A narrow mountain pass.”

• bide-in, n.: “= bidie-in n.”

• bidie-in, n.: “A person who lives with his or her partner in a non-marital relationship; a cohabiting partner.”

• bosie, n.1: “A person’s bosom.”

• bowf, n. and adj.: “An unpleasant smell; a stink. Also figurative.”

• bowfing, adj.: “Foul-smelling, stinking. Also more generally: unpleasant, horrible.”

• coorie, v.: “intransitive. To crouch, stoop, or keep low, esp. for protection. Usually with down, in.”

• fantoosh, adj.: “Fancy, showy, flashy; stylish, sophisticated; fashionable, exotic. Often used disparagingly, implying ostentation or pretentiousness.”

• geggie, n.2: “A person’s mouth. Frequently in shut your geggie: ‘be quiet’, ‘shut up’.”

• rooked, adj.: “Originally: deprived of money through fraudulent or underhand means; swindled, fleeced. In later use also (chiefly Scottish): without money…”

• sitooterie, n.: “A secluded area within a building where people can sit apart from others; an alcove, recess. Now rare.”

• Weegie, n. and adj.: “A native or inhabitant of Glasgow; a Glaswegian.”

New Scottish senses

• bauchle, n., Additions: “A mess, a muddle; (hence) a source of ridicule or derision, a laughing stock. Chiefly (and earliest) in to make a bauchle of: to treat with…”

• grass, v., sense 6a: “ transitive. Scottish. To turn (a person) out of office; to vote out. Also intransitive in to send (a person) a-garsing: to turn (a person) out; to…”

• grassing, n., sense 1a: “orig. Scottish. The feeding of cattle, sheep, etc., on grass; the provision of pasturage; grazing, pasturing.”

• hee-haw, n., Additions: “Scottish colloquial. Nothing at all, absolutely nothing.”

• jotter, n., Additions: “Scottish colloquial. to get one’s jotters (and variants): to be dismissed from a job or position; to get the sack.”

• jotter, n., Additions: “Scottish colloquial. to give (a person) (hisor her) jotters and variants: to dismiss (a person) from a job or position.”

• roaster, n., sense 5: “Scottish colloquial. An obnoxious, annoying, or otherwise objectionable person; an idiot. Frequently as a disparaging form of address. Cf. roast v…”

• sprag, n.2, sense 1b: “Scottish (Shetland). A person with an arrogant, swaggering manner; a boaster, a braggart. Now rare.”

• title, v., sense 1c: “transitive. Scottish. To enrol or register (someone) as a citizen or burgess. Also reflexive: to put oneself forward for registration in such a…”

• titter, v.1, sense 3: “intransitive. Scottish (Orkney and Shetland). To shiver, to tremble.”

• titulary, adv., adj., and n., sense A: “Scots Law. By way of title; by right. Cf. title n. 11. Obsolete. rare.”

• titulation, n., sense 1: “Scottish. A listing, an inventory. Obsolete. rare.”

• tube, n., Additions: “Scottish colloquial. Also in form choob. A stupid or contemptible person; an idiot. Frequently as a disparaging form of address.”