contracted, as if it were
ominous, and portended a sudden separation."--_Kelly._

Hasty was hanged, but Speed-o'-foot wan awa.

Haud the hank in your ain hand.

Do the difficult part of your work yourself, or retain every
advantage you can.

Haud your feet, Lucky Dad, auld folk's no fiery.

Literally, look to your feet, as you are not nimble: applied when
people stumble.

Haud you hand, your father slew a whaup.

Haud your hands aff ither folk's bairns till ye get some o' your ain.

Hawks winna pike out hawks' een.

"It was an unco thing to see hawks pike out hawks' een, or ae kindly
Scot cheat anither."--_Rob Roy._

Hearken to the hinder-end, after comes not yet.

Hearts may 'gree though heads may differ.

He begs frae them that borrowed frae him.

He bides as fast as a cat does to a saucer.

Meaning that a person will "bide" or stay only so long as he can get
anything, or serve his own purpose.

He blaws in his lug fu' brawly.

"Blaw his lug," to praise a person in an extravagant or fulsome
manner.

He blushes at it like a beggar at a bawbee.

He breeds o' the gowk that casts a' down at e'en.

He brings a staff to break his ain head.

He can do ill, and he may do gude.

He can haud the cat and play wi' the kitten.

He can ill rin that canna gang.

He can lee like a dog licking a dish.

He canna see an inch before his nose.

He can say "My Jo," and think it no.

That is, he can be complimentary in his speech, but not in his
intentions.

He can suck the laverock's frae the lift.

"In relation to one who possesses great power of wheedling. It
evidently alludes to the idea of the fascinating power of serpents
by means of their breath."--_Jamieson._

He can wile the flounders out o' the sea.

"'Heard ye ever the like o' that, laird?' said Saddletree to
Dumbiedikes, when the counsel had ended his speech. 'There's a chiel
can spin a muckle pirn out o' a wee tait o' tow!... And he's cleckit
this great muckle bird out o' this wee egg! He could wile the very
flounders out o' the Firth.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

He caresna wha's bairns greet if his ain laugh.

He ca's me scabbed because I winna ca' him sca'd.

Meaning that a man has endeavoured to make his opponent in a
particular transaction lose his temper, but failing to do so, he
loses his own.

"Hech!" quo' Howie, when he swallowed