Blate

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bleɪt/

Origin

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.

Full definition of blate

Adjective

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