Blair Collection > Gaelic dictionary, in two parts

D R U
D R U
Druidhean, Dargo of the Druids, i. e. Daiyo the Druid. —
Oss. Dargo. Do na druidhean, to the magicians. — Stew.
Gen.
Some writers, as Pliny, derive DruiJh from the Greek Sf«, an
oak ; but the proper etymon is the ancient Celtic vocable dru, trom
which S;u! is taken. The Druids had their name before the tireek
language was in existence ; and it is well known that the Greek
itself was partly taken from the Celtic.
The Druidh was a priest or philosopher among the Celts ; but,
among the Gael, the word Druidh commonly signifies a magician,
one skilled in occult sciences. Dion Chrysostom observes, that
the Celtic kings could not so much as design any public measure
without the Druids, who were adepts in diviijation and philosophy ;
insomuch that these priests exercised regal authority, and that the
kings, who had but tlie semblance of power, were in truth their
servants.
The Druids bore none of the burdens of government. They
chose officers for the state and for the army ; and, w.thout their
consent, even the kings could not declare war. In all respects they
affected a distinction from the laity. Their tunics reached to their
heels, while those of others only reached the knee. They suffered
tlieir beards to grow, whilst others (according to Toland) shaved all
theirs but the upper lip. Their hair was cropped, whilst that of
others was long. The Druids were entrusted with, or rather, they
procured for themselves the trust of, the education of youth. The
children of the nobility crowded about them for education ; and
with them they retired into their solitudes (according to Pomponius
Mela), and kept their pupils for twenty years under discipline.
That they were learned, is not to be questioned ; for they possessed
all the learning of their times, 'fliey believed and taught the im-
mortality of the soul. Ewrxm' yo-i «•«?' ài/^j » Uulnyi^ov Xoys;, in
Txi -ivx^s -rm àti^ÙTuv afcivkTm; imi iri/^/3i/3>i«i. — Dimhrua Sindm,
lib. v. Immortales autem dicunt hi aiiimos esse. — Sinibo, lib. iv.
Imprimis hoc volunt persuadere, non interire animas. — Ctrsiir.
lib. iv.
That the British Druids made great progress in astronomy seems
evident from Plulurdi, di: Facie in Orbc J.unie, who says that they
observed a feast in honour of Saturn every thirtieth year, the time
which the planet Saturn takes to complete its course round the sun ;
and that the feast took place on its entrance into the second sign
(Taurus) of the Zodiac. Diodorus the Sicilian, already quoted,
makes mention of a certain Hyperborean island (Britain), less than
Sicily, opposite to Celtiberia, where the Boreadae (Bards or Druids)
could bring the moon near tliem, so as to see its opacity, its con-
vexity, its mountains, and other phenomena on its surface. Some
have, with reason, understood this passage to allude to telescopic
observations.
Ca?sar, in writing of them in the sixth book of his Commentaries,
has " multa prxterea de sideribus, atque eorum motu, de mundi ac
terrarum magnitudine, de natura rerum .... disputant ;" and Mela
writes, — " Hi terra: mundique magnitudinem et formain, motus
coeli ac siderum .... scire profttentur."
That they were proficients in mechanical philosophy, the obelisks
of Stonelienge and of other places are so many standing proofs.
Cffisar observes, that the British Druids worshipped a divinity
named Taranis or Taran, which in Welch means thunder, as does
tlie Gaelic torunn. In the latter times of the Druidical order, all
the principal families in the Hebrides had their Druidh, who fore-
told future events, and decided all causes, civil and ecclesiastical.
The British Druids, according to Dr. Smith, owed their decline to
the following circumstance: — Trathal, the grandfather of I'ingal,
being chosen by tliem generalissimo (vergobretus) of the Caledonian
army sent against the Romans, did not I'eel disposed, on his return,
to resign his autliority, even at the command of the Druids. Hence
arose a civil war, in which the army of the church was defeated in
several battles. Tliese overthrows were fatal to the Druids ; they
made several attempts to regain their dominion, but all were
ineffectual. They retired to 1-thonn, tite hie of Waves, or lona,
where, it is said, llieir order was not quite extinct on the arrival of
St. Columbus in the sixth century.
Druidiieachd, s. f. Druidism ; magic; enchantment;
witchcraft; a charm. A'^. ;j/. druidheachdan ; rf. ;j/. druidh-
eachdaibh. Ban-mhaighistir nan druidheachdan, the mis-
tress of witchcrafts. — Stew. Nnh. Co ehuir druidheachd
oirbh ? who has heivitched you ? — Steic. Gal.
DauiDiiF.AN, n. p/. of druidh ; which see.
Dkuidheann, inn, s. m. More properly drotghmnu ; which
see.
210
DiiuiDHNK.itH, 5. Druids.
DuuiDiDii, fut. aff. a. of druid.
DiiuiDTE, p. part, of druid ; which see.
DRi>ion, v.a. Penetrate; affect, operate on; oOze, drop,
distil ; pour out. Pret. a. dhrùigh ; fut. aff. a. drùighidh,
shall penetrate. Cha dn"ligh thu air, you cannot penetrate
it; you cannot affect him.
Drùigheadu, idh, s. m. A penetrating; an oozing, a dis-
tilling; an operating, as on the feelings.
Druigheadh, (a), pr. part, of drùigh.
DiiuiGiiii,, V. a. Troll, hurl or roll together, or mix by
rolling together. W. trv/yll, that turns round.
Druigiili'-adii, idh, s. m. A trolling, a hurling or rollino-
together.
Druigiileagax, ain, s. m. Meal and water mixed, hens'
food.
Dri)ighteach, a. Penetrating; oozing, distilling, drop-
ping ; enticing ; attractive. Uisge drfiighteach, penetrating
rain. Le briathraibh drùighteach, with enticing words.—
Stew. Col.
Druil, v. a. Troll, twirl; roll together, or mix by rolling
together. Pret. a. dhruil ; fut. aff. a. druilidh.
Druilinn, s. f. A sudden flash, especially that of iron
heated to incandescence, when it is first struck on coming
from the forge.
DruUinn (druidli-lunn) properly signifies the flame of the Druid.?,
and alludes to that instantaneous gleam of light produced in some
Druidical ceremonies, by means, as some imagine, of gunpowder.
Of the same nature, according to Dr. Smith, was the stratagem of
the priests at Delphi, by which Xei'xes, and even the bloody
Brennus, were driven away with terror, though they approached
with the intention of pillaging it.
Drui.m, droma, s.f. (Gr. J^ofto?. Ir. druim. W. trwm.) The
back of the human body; the back of a quadruped; the
top of a hill; the top of a house ; a roof, a ridge ; a surface.
Asp. form, dhruim. Do dhruim nan amadan, for the back
of fools. — Stew. Pro. Gun druim ach athar, without roof
hut the shy. — Oss. Gaul. .\ir druim a chuain, on the surface
of the sea; druim-chroinn, the beam of a plough ; druim-
luinge, the keel of a ship; druim-fhionn, while-bached;
druim-bhreac, having a speckled back ; druim uachdair a
chàirean, the palate.
Druim-Albainn, s.f. Drumalbin ; the KaA)iJ»»i»; e^vucc
of Ptolemy.
Druim-bogiia, 4\ /. A vault.
DnuiM-BiiREAC, a. Having a spotted or speckled back.
Bradan druim-bhreac, a spotted salmon. — Old Song.
Druim-chroinn, s. /. The beam of a plough.
Drui.mean, ein, s. to. (/;om druim.) A ridge.
Druimeanach, a. White-backed; ridged.
Druim-fhionn, a. White-backed. — Mactut. and Macfar.
Druimionn, a. Ridgy. Asp. form, dhruimionn. Mar
stuaidh dhruimionn, like a ridgy wave. — Oss. Tern.
Druin, druine, s. /. Needlework, embroidery. — Shaw.
Druinneacii, ich, s. m. {Ir. id.) An artist; a inantua-
maker, a milliner, an embroiderer ; one who works with a
needle. — Shaw.
Druinneaciias, ais, s. m. Embroidery, tapestry, needle-
work, tambouring; millinery, mantua-making.
Druinnse, s.f. A burden. iV. jiZ. druinnsean.
Druinnseacii, ich, s. m. A burden. N. pi. druinnsichean.
Druipe, s ./'. A drudge.
Dri)is, s. f. (Jr. id.) Lust, lechery; perspiration. Germ.
druse, dirt; light dew. Gr. J^uc-o;, light dew.
Drùis, t'. n. Play the wanton, prostitute. Pret. a. dhrùis
Dhrùis i i fein, she prostituted herself; fat. aff. drùisidh.