J. F. Campbell Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

3G8
Thoir do pliatliadh do'n allt, mar a ni an cù.
Quench your thirst from the stream, as the dog does.
An excellenl motto for Temperance Societies.
Thoir ian a nead glan.
Take a bird out of a clean nest.
Choose a wife of good parents. See ' Pus nigliean '.
Thoir leat a' bho do 'n chaisteal, 's theid i dhachaidh
do'n bhàthaich.
Take the cow to the castle, and shell go home to the byre.
Ca' a coo to the ha', and she'll rin to the byre. — Scot.
An ox remains an ox, even when driven to Vienna. — Hungar.
Thoir òirleach do 'n bhalach, 's gabhaibh e 'n reis.
Give the impiident fellow an inch, and hell take an ell.
Gie a carl yir finger, and he'll tak' yir haill hand. — Scot.
Thoir spid do d' charaid ; 's ann air do mhuirichinn
fhein a laidheas e.
Throio reproach on your kinsman ; it will rest on your
family.
A very good and wise advice : clannishness in its commendable
phase.
Thoir thusa nuas an rionnag sin, 's bheir mise nuas an
rionnag eile, ars' an duine beag ris an duine mhor.
Bring you down that star, and I'll bring down another,
as the little man said to the big man.
Thug e breab 's a' bhuaraich.
He kicked in the shackles.
Buarach = cow-fetter.
Thug e 'cheann fo'n choille.
He betook him to the wood.
Al. Thug e 'choille fo 'cheann.
A common thing in olden times for outlaws or men in peril.
Thug iad aghaidh am buill 's an caman air.
TJiey turned all their force against him.
Lit. turned their balls and shinty clubs on him.
Thuigeadh mo sheanmhair sin, 's bha i da linn air a
h-ais.
My grandmother could understand that, and she was
two generations behind.