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C

ca’ or caa (caw) Ca’ means the same as call (in all its senses). Ca’ also means to drive or propel: to ca’ nails into a wall. To ca’ canny means to be cautious or take care: Ca’ canny along this road. To ca’ the feet frae someone is to send them sprawling.

caber (rhymes with labour) A caber is a heavy section of trimmed tree trunk thrown in competition at Highland Games. The caber must be thrown so that it lands away from the thrower and on its heavy end. The sport of throwing cabers in competition is known as tossing the caber. [The word comes from Gaelic cabar a pole]

caddis Caddis is a Northeastern word for fluff, especially the kind which accumulates under a bed.

cadger A cadger is a person who travels from place to place buying and selling goods, especially fish. A cadger is also a carrier of goods.

cadie (rhymes with lady) In Central Scotland, a man’s flat cap is sometimes referred to as a cadie.

cahoutchie or cahoochy (ka-hootch-ee) Cahoutchie is an old-fashioned word for rubber: a cahoutchie ball. [The word is adapted from the French word for rubber caoutchouc]

cailleach (kale-yaCH or kal-yaCH) In North and West Scotland, a cailleach is an old woman: My memory of her is of a vague chain-smoking cailleach in eccentric garb and heavy henna. [The word is Gaelic]

cairt 1 A cairt is a cart. 2 A cairt is also a playing card.

cairtie (care-tee) A cairtie is the name given in some areas to a child’s homemade vehicle constructed from pram wheels, wooden boxes, etc. Also called (elsewhere) bogie, geggie, hurlie, or piler.

Caithness (caith-ness) Caithness is a historic county at the extreme northeastern tip of the Scottish mainland. It is now part of the Highland council area.

Caledonia Caledonia is the poetic name for Scotland or the Highlands: Caledonia, stern and wild. Something which is Caledonian relates to Scotland or the Scots: He failed to appreciate the nuances of Caledonian humour. [Caledonia was the Roman name for Northern Britain]

Caley (rhymes with rally) The word Caledonian, when part of a place or other name, is often shortened to the informal Caley: D’ye go doon the Caley Road? Caley or Caley Thistle is used as a nickname of the football club Inverness Caledonian Thistle: Caley Thistle were beaten by St Johnstone in the third round.

call In Scotland’s Presbyterian churches, a call is an invitation to a clergyman by a congregation to become its minister: The minister of Scalpay Free Church in Harris has accepted a call to Toronto Free Church.

callant (kal-ant) or callan A callant is a young man or a lad. [The word comes from the Dutch kalant customer, fellow]

caman (kam-an) In shinty, the caman is the long stick with a curved head with which the players hit the ball. [The word is Gaelic]

camanachd (kam-an-aCH) Camanachd is the Gaelic name for shinty which is often used in connection with the sport. The Camanachd Association is the game’s ruling body. The Camanachd Cup is the premier annual cup competition.

Campbeltown (kam-bell-town) A Campbeltown whisky is one produced around the town of Campbeltown at the southern end of Kintyre. The town was formerly one of the main Scottish distilling centres, although there are now only three working distilleries there.