blate

[ bleyt ]

/ bleɪt /

Save This Word!

adjective Chiefly Scot.

bashful; shy.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

Origin of blate

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

blately, adverbblateness, noun

blate²

[ bleyt ]

/ bleɪt /

Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.

verb (used without object), blat·ed, blat·ing.

noun

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

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
"You're too blate, Colin," he said, and then he put his arm through his wife's and gave her a squeeze to take her into his joke.
John Splendid|Neil Munro
He's 'no blate,' as they used to say in Scotland, and made himself quite at home to-night.
Wives and Daughters|Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
But I dinna ken the way ot, father; I neer did sic a thing a my days; odd, Im unco blate to tryt.
The Entail|John Galt

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