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

• blateness
  noun
• blately
  adverb

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

See Examples For:

blate blating

"There's not a pin to choose between you," she said, "for both of you are so blate."

From The story of Burnt Njal From the Icelandic of the Njals Saga by George Webbe Dasent

Grant was by no means "blate" in availing himself of the hint, but the Shaws were tough fighters.

From Literary Tours in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland by Daniel Turner Holmes

You’re not blate Of asking questions: I’ve not been so riddled Since that old egg-with-whiskers committed me.

From Krindlesyke by Wilfrid Wilson Gibson

Taking it to be a sort of request for a more definite description, he continued,— "A blate and fearsome sort of a fellow, you know."

From The Shadow of a Crime A Cumbrian Romance by Sir Hall Caine

He broke off to hum:— “‘Now Johnnie, troth, ye werena blate, to come wi’ the news o’ your ain, And leave your men in sic a strait, so early in the morning.’

From A Daughter of Raasay A Tale of the '45 by Stuart Travis

What meaneth then this blating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

From There is No Harm in Dancing by W. E. Penn