Cuingealach: Scots Gaelic for “the narrow pass”
curate: a member of the clergy engaged as an assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest
deadfall trap: a type of trap fashioned to drop a heavy weight on the prey
deamhan (plural: deamhanan): Scots Gaelic for demon
dolabra: Latin for “pickaxe”
don’t take any wooden nickels: early 20th century American slang for “don’t do something stupid”
doss: leaves, moss, and other detritus covering the ground dru-wid: Proto Celtic word; an early form of “druid”
drystane: a construction of stacked stone or rock that is not mortared together
dunnage: Victorian slang for “clothing”
fash: feel upset or worried
fizzing: Victorian slang for "first-rate" or "excellent"
floorer: Victorian slang for "knocking someone down"
flummery: a custard-like Welsh dessert made from milk, beaten eggs and fruit
footman: a liveried servant whose duties include admitting visitors and waiting at table
frittata: Italian egg dish similar to a crustless quiche
give the sack: English slang for "firing someone from their job"
gladii: Latin plural of gladius or “sword”
glock: Victorian slang for “half-wit”
gongoozler: Victorian slang for "an idle, dawdling person"
goof: early 20th century American slang for "a man in love"
grice: a breed of swine found in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and in Ireland
groat: a type of medieval silver coin worth approximately four pence
gu bràth: Scots Gaelic for forever, or until Judgment
hold your wheesht: Scottish slang term for "maintaining silence and calm"
hoor: medieval slang for "whore", "prostitute"
Hussar: member of the light cavalry
in the scud: Scottish slang for “naked”
jem: Medieval Scots slang for a person prized for beauty and excellence, a "gem"
jess: a short leather strap that is fastened around each leg of a hawk
kirk: Scottish slang for "church"
kithan:Medieval Scots term for a "demon"
knacker: Victorian slang for "an old, useless horse"
laudanum: a tincture of opium
luaidh: Scots Gaelic for “loved one” or “darling”
maister: medieval slang for "master" or "leader"
make a stuffed bird laugh: Victorian slang phrase for something that is "preposterous or contemptible"
nag: slang for horse
naught-man: an unearthly creature that only looks like a man
nock: the slotted end of an arrow that holds it in place on the bowstring
panay: alternate name for self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)
pantaloons: Victorian word for "trousers"
parti: the ideas or plans influencing an architect’s design
peignoir: Victorian-era woman’s garment similar to a "negligee or a light dressing gown"
peridot: a green semi-precious mineral, a variety of olivine
plumbata: lead-weighted throwing dart used by the Romans
pomatum: greasy, waxy, or water-based substance used to style hair
quern: a primitive hand mill for grinding grain made of two stones
rooing: removing sheep’s loose fleece by hand-pulling
sica: a long curved dagger
skeg: Scots Gaelic for “demon”
stand hunt: to watch for prey from a blind or place of concealment
stele: an upright pillar bearing inscriptions
stockman: a person who looks after livestock
strewing: plants scattered on the floor as fragrance, insecticide, and disinfectant
tapachd: Scots Gaelic for “an ability of confident character not to be afraid or easily intimidated”
taverit: Scottish slang for "worn out, exhausted"
tear bottle: Used in the Victorian revival of the ancient custom of catching tears of mourning in a small vial with a loose stopper. When the bottled tears evaporated, the period of mourning was considered over.
trigging: in stonework, using wedge pieces to secure a construct
trodge: Scottish slang for “trudge”
valise: a small traveling bag or suitcase
woundwort: alternate name for wound healer (Anthyllis vulneraria )
Pronunciation Guide
A selection of the more challenging words in the Immortal Highlander, Clan Mag Raith series.
Aklen: ACK-lin
aquila: uh-KEE-lah
Bacchanalian: back-NIL-ee-ahn
bannock: BAN-ick
boak: BOWK
Broden mag Raith: BRO-din MAG RAYTH
burraidh: BURR-ee
cac: kak
Clamhan: CLEM-en
Clarinda Gowdon: kler-IN-dah GOW-don
Cornovii: core-KNOW-vee-eye
Cuingealach: kwin-GILL-ock
Cul: CULL
Danar: dah-NAH
Darro: DAR-oh
deamhan: DEE-man
dolabra: dohl-AH-brah
Domnall mag Raith: DOM-nall MAG RAYTH
Dun Chaill: DOON CHAYLE
Eara: EER-ah
Edane mag Raith: eh-DAYN MAG RAYTH
Fargas: FAR-gus
Fiana: FEYE-eh-nah
Fraser: FRAY-zir
Frew: FREE
frittata: free-TAH-tah
Galan Aedth: gal-AHN EEDTH
gladii: GLAHD-ee-ee
groat: GROWT
gu bràth: GOO BRATH
Hal Maxwell: HOWL MACK-swell
Hussar: hoo-ZAHR
Iolar: EYE-el-er
Jaeg: YEGG
jem: GEM
Jenna Cameron: JEHN-nah CAM-er-ahn
Kiaran mag Raith: KEER-ahn MAG RAYTH
kithan: KEY-tin
laudanum: LAH-deh-num
luaidh: LOO-ee
Lyle Gordon: lie-EL GORE-din
Mael mag Raith: MAIL MAG RAYTH
maister: MAY-ster
Mary Gowdon: MARE-ee GOW-don
máthair: muh-THERE
Meirneal: MEER-nee-el
Nectan: NECK-tin
parti: PAR-tee
peignoir: pen-WAH
plumbata: PLOOM-bah-tah
pomatum: pah-MADE-uhm
quern: KWERN
Rodney Percell: RAHD-knee purr-SELL
Rosealise Dashlock: roh-see-AH-less DASH-lock
Seabhag: SHAH-vock
sica: SEE-kah
Sileas: SIGH-lee-ess
skeg: SKEHG
Sluath: SLEW-ahth
tapachd: TAH-peed
taverit: tah-VAIR-eet
tisane: TEE-zahn
trodge: TRAHJ
valise: vuh-LEES
Wachvale: WATCH-veil
wheesht: WEESHT
Dedication
For Mr. H.
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 Hazel Hunter
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
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