blate

English

Etymology

From Scots blate (“timid, sheepish”), apparently a conflation of Northern Middle English *blate, *blait (“pale, ghastly, terrified”), from Old English blāt (“pale, livid, ghastly”), from Proto-Germanic *blaitaz (“pale, discoloured”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhlAid- (“pale, pallid”) and Middle English bleth, bleath (“timid, soft”), from Old English blēaþ (“gentle, shy, cowardly, timid; slothful, inactive, effeminate”), from Proto-Germanic *blauþaz (“weak, timid, void, naked”). Cognate with German blassen (“to make pale”), bleich (“pale, pallid”). More at bleak, bleach.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bleɪt/

Adjective

blate (comparative blater, superlative blatest)

1. (Scotland, Northern England) Bashful, sheepish.
   • 1934, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Grey Granite, Polygon 2006 (A Scots Quair), p. 491:

     You'd say Not them; fine legs, and Ma struggling into her blouse would say You're no blate. Who told you they're fine?

2. (Scotland, Northern England) Dull, stupid.

Anagrams

• ablet
• bleat
• table

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Dutch

Verb

blate

1. singular present subjunctive of blaten

Anagrams

• tabel

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Scots

Etymology

Origin uncertain; perhaps from Old English blāt (“pale”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: [blet], [blit]

Adjective

blate (comparative blater, superlative blatest)

1. shy, modest, timid, sheepish
2. stupid, easily deceived, dull, unpromising