der; 'ane
canna get their breath out between wives and ministers. I ken best
how to turn my own cake. Jean, serve up the dinner, and nae mair
about it.'"--_Bride of Lammermoor._

He kens muckle wha kens when to speak, but far mair wha kens when to
haud his tongue.

He kens nae a mavis frae a madge-howlet.

He kens nae a selgh frae a salmon.

He kens nae the pleasures of plenty wha ne'er felt the pains o' poverty.

He kens whilk side his bannock's buttered on.

"There was a set of ancient brethren of the angle from Edinburgh,
who visited St Ronan's frequently in the spring and summer, a class
of guests peculiarly acceptable to Meg, who permitted them more
latitude in her premises than she was known to allow to any other
body. 'They were,' said she, 'pawky auld carles, that kend whilk
side their bread was buttered upon.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

He kicks at the benweed.

_Benweed_, ragwort. That is, he is headstrong, or unreasonable.

He lay in his scabbard, as mony a gude sword's done.

Meaning that he prudently allowed an insult or slight to pass
without notice.

He left his siller in his ither pocket.

A sarcastic allusion to those who seek to evade paying their share
of the reckoning. It was remarked of a friend of ours, that on such
occasions he "was the first to put his hand in his pocket, but the
last to draw it out."

He likes nae beef that grows on my banes.

He'll claw up their mittans.

Metaphorically, "He will kill them, or give the finishing
stroke."--_Jamieson._

He'll either win the horse or tine the saddle.

He'll gang mad on a horse wha's proud on a pownie.

Spoken of those who take undue advantage of the slight authority
they possess.

He'll gang nae farther than his tether's length.

He'll gang to hell for house profit.

He'll get the poor man's answer, "No."

He'll gie his bane to nae dog.

He'll gie you the whistle o' your groat.

He'll hae enough some day, when his mouth's fu' o' mools.

"Spoken of covetous people, who will never be satisfied while they
are alive."--_Kelly._

He'll hing by the lug o't.

"Keep a firm hold of it, as a bull-dog does of his
prey."--_Jamieson._

He'll hing that ower my head.

"'She would haud me nae better than the dirt below her feet,' said
Effie to herself, 'were I to confess I hae danced wi' him four times
on the green down by