blate

¹ American  

[bleyt] / bleɪt /

adjective

Chiefly Scot.

1. bashful; shy.

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blate ² American  

[bleyt] / bleɪt /

verb (used without object)

blated, blating

1. bleat.

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noun

1. bleat.

Other Word Forms

• blately adverb
• blateness noun

Etymology

Origin of blate¹

before 1000; Old English blāt livid, pallid, (of a sound) low (not found in ME)

Origin of blate²

1855–60; perhaps dialectal variant of bleat ( cf. great)

Example Sentences

"Certes, he's no blate; it's a fell chairge for a short day's work; but hundred or no hundred we 'ill hae him, and no let Annie gang, and her no half her years."

From Stories by English Authors: Scotland (Selected by Scribners) by Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew)

Gin ye kent what was doing at hame, I trow ye wad look blate.

From English and Scottish Ballads, Volume II (of 8) by Various

"By the faith o' Innerkepple, ye're no blate, Kate!" said the old baron, still laughing; "but come, let us see our wounded men"—taking his daughter's arm.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume I Historical, Traditionary, and Imaginative by Various

Gin ye kent what was doing at hame, I fear you woud look blate.’

From Ballads of Romance and Chivalry Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - First Series by Sidgwick, Frank

Yet, on the other hand, what could any of these men do for a poet who was 'owre blate to seek, owre proud to snool'?

From Robert Burns Famous Scots Series by Setoun, Gabriel