blate

[ bleyt ]

/ bleɪt /

bashful; shy.

Nearby words

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

blate·ly, adverbblate·ness, noun

[ bleyt ]

/ bleɪt /

Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.

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

"Faith, and you are not blate," said she whimsically, but indifferent to remove herself from a grasp so innocent.
Gilian The Dreamer|Neil Munro
Grant was by no means "blate" in availing himself of the hint, but the Shaws were tough fighters.
Literary Tours in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland|Daniel Turner Holmes
But the compliment is like the chariot-wheels o Pharaoh, sae dreigh o drawing, that I canna afford to be blate wi you ony langer.
The Entail|John Galt
We're no blate at askin' the lawin', although some folk are unco' slow at payin' o't. It's just four-and-six.
Scotch Wit and Humor|W. H. (Walter Henry) Howe

But gin that wasna a quean, ye canna deny but she luikit unco like ane, and no a blate (bashful) ane eyther.'
Robert Falconer|George MacDonald