MacBain's Dictionary - Section 10

col

an impediment, Irish colaim; root qela, qlâ, break, split? See call; and cf. Greek @Gkwlúw, hinder, which is probably from the same root.

col

sin, Irish, Early Irish col, Welsh cwl, Old Breton col, *kulo-; Latin culpa, colpa, fault. Stokes hesitates between referring it to the root of Latin culpa or to that of Latin scelus, Gothic skal, English shall, German schuld, crime.

colag

a small steak or collop (Arg.); from English collop.

colaiste

a collage, Irish colaisde; from the English

colamoir

the hake ( Sh., O'Br.), Irish colamóir; cf. Scottish coalmie, colemie, the coal-fish.

còlan

a fellow-soldier, companion; cf. còmhla, together. The Irish cómhlach is for com-lach, the lach of òglach.

colann, colainn

a body, so Irish, Old Irish colinn, gen. colno, Welsh celain, carcase, Old Welsh celein, cadaver, *colanni- (Brugmann); root qela, break, the idea being "dead body"? Cf. for meaning Greek @Gnékus, corpse, from nek, kill.

colbh

pillar, Irish colbh, Early Irish colba, Welsh celff, Breton kelf; Latin columna, English column; root qel, high. Gaelic colbh, plant stalk, Irish colmh, is allied to Latin culmus. The Celtic words, if not borrowed from, have been influenced by the Latin

colc

an eider duck (Heb.); from Scottish, English colk, Early Frisian kolke, the black diver.

colg

wrath, Irish, colg; a metaphorical use of calg (i.e. colg), q.v.

colg

sword (ballads). See calg.

collachail

boorish ( H.S.D.; O'R. quoted as authority), Irish collach-amhuil; from Irish collach, boar. See cullach.

collaid

a clamour, Irish collóid; See coléid.

collaidh

carnal, sensual, so Irish, Early Irish collaide; for colnaide, from colann, body, flesh.

collaidin, codalan

white poppy (H.S.D.; O'R. only quoted), Irish collaidín, codalán; from colladh, codal, sleep.

collainn

a smart stroke; also coilleag.

colman

a dove; See calman.

colpack

a heifer, steer, Irish colpack, Middle Irish calpach; apparently founded on Norse kálfr, a calf. Hence Scottish colpindach.

coltach

like; for co-amhuil-t-ach. See amhuil, samhuil.

coltar

a coulter, Irish coltar, Early Irish coltar; from Middle English cultre, Latin culter.

columan

a dove, Irish and Old Irish colum, Welsh colomen, cwlwm, Cornish colom, Breton coulm; from Latin columbus, columba.

cóm

the cavity of the chest, Irish com, coim, chest cavity, waist, body. The Gaelic is allied to Welsh cwm, a valley, "a hollow", *kumbo-; Greek @Gku@nfos, Latin cumbere; German haube, hood; root kumbo-, bend. The Old Irish coim, covering, is from the root kemb, wind, as in cam, q.v.

coma

indifferent, so Irish, Early Irish cuma, Old Irish cumme, idem, is cumma, it is all the same; from root me, measure: "equal measure".

comaidh

a messing, eating together, Early Irish commaid, *kom-buti-s, "co-being", from *buti-s, being. See bì, be.

comain

obligatino, Irish comaoin, Old Irish commáin: *com-moini-; Latin communis. See maoin.

++comairce

protection; See comraich.

comanachadh

celebration of the Lord's Supper; from comann or comunn, society, Latin communio, English communion.

comannd

a command; from the English

++comar

a confluence, Irish comar, cumar, Early Irish commar, Welsh cymmer, Breton kemper, confluent, *kom-bero-; Latin con-fero. Root bher, as in beir.

comas, comus

power, Irish cumas, Early Irish commus, *com-mestu-, *mestu-, from med, as in meas (Zimmer, Brugmann).

combach

a companion; a shortened form of companach.

combaid

company (Dial.):

combaiste, compaiste

a compass, Irish compás; from the English

comh-, com-

prefix denoting "with, com-, con-", Irish comh-, Old Irish com-, *kom-; Latin cum, com-, con-, English com-, con-, etc. It appears as comh-, com- (before m and b), con- (before d, g), etc.

comhach

prize, prey: *com-agos-; root ag, drive?

comhachag

owl, Welsh cuan, Breton kaouen, Old Breton couann; Late Latin cavannus (from the Celtic - Ernault), French chouette, Old French choue. Cf. German schugu, uhu. An onomatopoetic word originally.

co had

a comparison (Sh.); comh-+ fad, q.v.

co haib

contention about rights (M`A.):

comhaich

dispute, assert, contend:

comhailteachd

a convoy, Irish comhailtim, I join; from comhal, a joining, so Irish, Early Irish accomallte, socius, Old Irish accomol, conjunctio, Welsh cyfall, *ad-com-ol. For ol, See under tional, alt.

comhair

presence, e regione, etc., Irish cómhair, Early Irish comair, Welsh cyfer, Old Welsh cwer: com-+ air, the prep. comh- and air, q.v. (Asc.). Cornish kever. Cf. comhghar of Irish

comhairc

an outcry, appeal, forewarning, Irish cómhairce, Early Irish comaircim, I ask: com-+ arc. For arc, See iomchorc.

comhairle

advice, Irish cómhairle, Old Irish airle, air+ le. This le is usually referred to the root las, desire, Sanskrit lash, desire, Latin lascivus, wanton. Ascoli suggests the root la@- of Old Irish láaim, mittere, Greek @Ge@'laúnw.

comhal

a joining - an Irish word; See comhailteachd.

comhalta

a foster-brother, Irish cómhalta, Early Irish comalta, Welsh cyfaillt, friend, *kom-altjos, root al, rear, Latin alo. See altrum.

comharradh

a mark, Irish cómhartha, Old Irish comarde; from com and Old Irish airde, signum, Welsh arwydd, Middle Breton argoez, *are-video-; root vid, as in Latin video, here pr@oe-video, etc.

comhart

the bark of a dog; from comh- and art, Old Irish artram, latratus, Welsh cyfarth, arthio, to bark, Old Breton arton. Cf. Irish amhastrach, barking.

còmhdach

clothing, covering, Irish cúmhdach, veil, covering, defence, Early Irish comtuch, cumtach, covering, "shrine": *con-ud-tog; root teg, tog, as in tigh, q.v. Cf. cúintgim, peto: *com-di-segim.

còmhdaich

allege, prove: *com-atach; See atach?

còmhdhail

a meeting, Irish cómhdháil, Early Irish comdál: com-+dáil; See dáil.

còmhla

together, Irish cómhlámh: com-+ làmh, "co-hand, at hand". See làmh.

còmhla

door, door-leaf, Irish cómhla, Early Irish comla, gen. comlad: *com-la@-, root (p)la@-, fold, groove (cf. Latin sim-plu-s, Old High German zwîfal, two-fold); root pal, pel, as in alt, joint.

comhlann

a combat, Irish cómhlann, Early Irish comlann: *com+lann; See lann.

comhluadar

conversation, colloquy, Irish cómhluadar, company, conversation; from luaidh, speak (*com-luad-tro-). See luaidh.

còmhnadh

help, Irish cúngnamh, Old Irish congnam, inf. to congniu, I help: com-+(g)nì, "co-doing". See nì, do gnìomh, deed.

còmhnard

level, Irish cómhárd: com-+ àrd, "co-high, equally high".

còmhnuidh

a dwelling, Irish cómhnuidhe, a tarrying, dwelling, Early Irish comnaide, a waiting, delay, (also irnaide): *com-naide; root nes, nas, dwell; Greek @Gnaíw, dwell, @Gnéomai, go, @Gnaétes, inhabitant; Sanskrit nas, join any one.

còmhradh

conversation, Irish còmhradh; com-+ ràdh; See ràdh.

còmhrag

a conflict, Irish cómhrac, Early Irish comrac, battle, Old Irish comracc, meeting, Welsh cyfrang, rencounter, *kom-ranko-; root renk, assemble; Lithuanian rìnkti, assemble, surinkìmas, assembly.

comhstadh

a borrowing, loan: *com-iasad-; See iasad? Cf. Early Irish costud, consuetudo.

compàirt

partnership, Irish cómpártas; from com- and pàirt, q.v.

companach

companion, Irish cómpánach, Middle Irish companach; from Early English compainoun, through French, from Late Latin compâniô, "co-bread-man", from pânis, bread. Dialectic combach.

comradh

aid, assistance:

comraich

protection, sanctuary, Irish cómairce, comruighe, Early Irish comairche, Middle Irish comairce; from the root arc, defend, as in teasairg, q.v.

comunn

society, company, Irish cumann; from Latin communio, English communion.

con-

with; See comh-.

cona

cat's tail or moss crops (Sh.); See canach. Cf. gonan, grass roots.

conablach

a carcase, so Irish; for con-ablach; See con- and ablach. "Dog's carcase" (Atkinson).

conachag

a conch (M`A.); from the English

concachair

a sick person who neither gets worse nor better (M`A.), uproar (M`F.):

cona-ghaothach

tempest, raging gale (Hend.):

conair

a path, way (Sh., O'Br.), so Irish, Old Irish conar:

conaire

the herb "loose-strife", Irish conair (O'R.); See conas.

conal

love, fruitage (Carm.):

conalach

brandishing ( Sh.; not H.S.D.); cf. the name Conall, *Cuno-valo-s, roots kuno (see curaidh) and val, as in flath, q.v.

conaltradh

conversation, Irish conaltra ( O'R.; Sh.): *con-alt-radh? For alt, See alt, joint.

conas

a wrangle, so Irish (O'R., Sh.); from con-, the stem of cù, dog: "currushness"?

conas, conasg

furze, whins, Irish conasg ( O'R., Sh.): cf. conas above. Manx conney, yellow furze.

condrachd, contrachd

mischance, curse, Early Irish contracht; from Latin contractus, a shrinking, contraction.

confhadh

rage, Irish confadh, Middle Irish confad: con+fadh; for fadh, See onfhadh.

cònlan

an assembly, Irish conlán. H.S.D. gives as authorities for the Gaelic word "Lh. et C.S.".

conn

sense, so Irish, Early Irish cond: *cos-no-, root kos, kes, as in Gaelic chì, see; Greek @Gkonnéw, understand, @Gkósmos, array ("what is seen"), world. See further under chí for kes. Stokes equates cond with Gothic handngs, wise; but this is merely the English handy. It has been suggested as an ablaut form to ceann, head. Gothic hugs, sense, has also been compared; *cug-s-no- is possible.

connadh

fuel, so Irish, Old Irish condud, Welsh cynnud, Cornish cunys, *kondutu-; rrot kond, kn@.d; Latin candeo, incendo; Greek @Gkándaros, coal.

connan

lust:

connlach

straw, stubble, so Irish Old Irish connall, stipula: konnallo-; Latin cannula, canna, a reed, canalis, Greek @Gkánna, reed. See coinnlein.

connsaich

dispute; See under ionnsaich.

connspair

a disputant: *con-desbair; See deasbair.

connspeach

a wasp, Irish connspeach (Fol.); See speach, wasp.

connspoid

a dispute, Irish conspóid; from a Latin *consputatio, for *condisputatio. See deasbud.

connspunn, conspull

cònsmunn, a hero, Irish conspullach, heroic (O'R.):

constabal

the township's bailiff (Heb.); from English constable.

contraigh

neaptide, Old Irish contracht; from Latin contractus, shrinking (Zeuss, Meyer). See condrachd and traogh.

contran

wild angelica, Irish contran (O'R.):

conuiche

a hornet (H.S.D.), cònuich (Arms.), conuibhe, connuibh (M`L., M`A.); used by Stewart in the Bible glosses. Same root as conas.

cop

foam, Middle Irish, Early Irish copp; from Anglo-Saxon, Middle English copp, vertex, top, German kopf, head.

copag

docken, Irish copóg, capóg; Middle Irish copóg. Founded on the English cop, head, head-dress, crest, tuft; Welsh copog, tufted. The same as cop, q.v.

copan

a boss, shield boss, cup; from the Norse koppr, cup, bell-shaped crown of a helmet, English cup.

copar

copper, Irish copar; from the English

cor

state, condition, Irish cor, Old Irish cor, positio, "jactus", *koru-, vb. *koriô, I place. See cuir.

còram

a faction, a set (M`A.); from the English quorum.

corc

a cork, so Irish; from the English

corc

a knife, gully, dirk, Irish corc: *korko-, *qor-qo-, root qor, qer cut; Lithuanian kirwis, axe; Greek @Gkérma, a chip, @Gkeírw, cut. Allied to the root sqer of sgar, q.v.

corc

oats, Irish coirce, Middle Irish corca, Welsh ceirch, Breton kerc'h, *korkjo-. Bezzenberger suggests connect with Lettic kurki, small corn. Possibly for kor-ko-, where kor, ker is the root which appears in Latin Ceres, English cereal, Greek @Gkóros, satiety, Lithuanian szérti, feed. The meaning makes connection with Greek @Gkórkoros, pimpernel, doubtful.

corcur

crimson, Irish corcur, scarlet, Old Irish corcur, purple, Welsh porphor; from Latin purpura (English purple).

còrd

a rope, Irish corda; from English cord, Latin corda.

còrd

agree, Irish cord; from obsolete English cord, agree, bring to an agreement, from Latin cord-, the stem of cor, heart, whence English cordial, etc. The Scottish has the part. as cordyt, agreed.

cordaidhe

spasms (Sh.): "twistings", from còrd.

còrlach

bran, refuse of grain (M`D.; O'R has corlach), còrrlach, coarsly ground meal, over-plus. A compound of còrr, "what is over"?

còrn

a drinking horn, Irish, Early Irish corn, Welsh corn, Breton korn, *korno-; Latin cornu; English horn; Greek kéras, horn.

còrnuil

retching, violent coughing: *kors-no-? For kors, See carrasan.

coron

a crown, Irish, Early Irish coróin, corón, Welsh coron; from Latin corona (English crown).

corp

a body, Irish, Old Irish corp, Welsh corff, Breton korf; from Latin corpus (English corpse, Scottish corp).

corpag

tiptoe (Arms.); seemingly founded on corr of corrag.

corr

a crane, Irish, Early Irish corr, Welsh crychydd, Cornish cherhit, Old Breton corcid, ardea, *korgsâ, korgjo-s; Greek @Gkérhw, be hoarse, @Gkerhnc, a hawk, Old Slavonic kraguj, sparrow-hawk. Cf. Welsh cregyr, heron, "screamer", from cregu, be hoarse; Anglo-Saxon hrágra, German reiher, heron, Greek @Gkrízw, @Gkríke, screech.

còrr

excess, overplus, Irish corr; Gaelic corr, odd, Irish cor, corr, odd; also Irish corr, snout, corner, point, Early Irish corr, rostrum, corner. The Early Irish corr, rostrum, has been referred by Zimmer and Thurneysen to corr, crane - the name of "beaked" bird doing duty for "beak". The modern meanings of "excess, odd" (cf. odd of English, which really means "point, end") makes the comparison doubtful. Refer it rather to kors-, stick out, point, head; Greek @Gkórsc, head; stem keras-; Latin crista, English crest; further is Greek @Gkéras, horn, Latin cerebrum, Norse hjarsi, crown of the head; and also còrn, horn, q.v. Hence corran, headland.

corra-biod

an attitude of readiness to start; from còrr, point, and biod = biog, start. corra-beaga (M`A.).

corrach

abrupt, steep, Irish, Middle Irish corrach, unsteady, wavering; "on a point", from corr, point, odd?

corra-chagailt

glow-worm-like figures from raked embers, Irish corrchagailt; from còrr, a point, and cagailt.

corradhuil

first effor of an infant to articulate. An onomatopoetic word.

corrag

a forefinger, finger; from còrr, point, etc.

corra-ghriodhach

a heron, crane, Irish corr-ghrian, heron; from còrr, and (Early Irish) grith, a cry, scream, *gr@.tu-, root gar, of goir, q.v.

corran

a sickle, Irish corrán, carrán, Middle Irish corrán, *korso-, root kors, kers, an extension of Indo-European qero, Greek @Gkeírw, etc., as in corc, q.v. Cf. Indo-European qerpo, cut, from the same root, which gives Latin carpo, cull, Greek @Gkarpós, fruit (English harvest), Lithuanian kerpu, cut, Sanskrit kr@.pana, sword. Gaelic may be from a korpso-, korso-. The Gaelic has also been referred to the root kur, round, as in cruinn, Irish cor, circuit ( O'Cl.).

corran

headland; See còrr.

corran

a spear, barbed arrow (Ossianic Poems); from corr, a point, q.v.

corranach

loud weeping, "coronach", Irish coránach, a funeral cry, dirge: co+ràn-ach, "co-weeping"; See ràn.

corrghuil

a murmur, chirping (Heb.); See corradhuil.

còrrlach

coarsely ground meal, overplus; See còrlach.

corruich

anger, rage, Irish corruighe, vb. corruighim, stir, shake; from corrach. The striking resemblance to Middle English couroux, Old French couroux (from Latin corruptus), has been remarked by Dr Cameron (Rel.Celt. II, 625).

còrsa

a coast; from the English course. Cf. còrsair, a cruiser.

cor-shìomain

thraw-crook; from cor or car, q.v., and sìoman, q.v.

cos

a foot, leg; See cas.

còs

a cave, Irish cuas, topographically Coos, Coose, Middle Irish cuas, a cave, hollow: *cavosto-, from cavo-, hollow; Latin cavus. It is possible to refer it to *coud-to, koudh, hide, Greek @Gkeúqw, English hide, hut. The Norse kjós, a deep or hollow place, is not allied, but it appears in Lewis in the place-name Keose.

cosanta

industrious; See cosnadh.

cosd

cost, Irish cosdus (n.), Middle Irish costus, Welsh cost; from Old French cost, English cost.

cosgairt

slaughtering; See casgair.

cosgaradh

valuation of the sheep and cattle which a crofter is entitled to; Norse kost-gorð, state of affairs (Lewis).

cosgus

cost; a by-form of cosd.

coslach

like, coslas, likeness, Irish cosmhuil, like, Old Irish cosmail, cosmailius (n.): con-+ samhail, q.v.

cosmhail

like; See coslach.

cosmal

rubbish, refuse of meat, etc. (M`A.):

cosnadh

earning, winning, Irish cosnamh, defence, Old Irish cosnam, contentio, *co-sen-, root sen, Sanskrit san, win, sangias, more profitable, Greek @Ge@'\nara, booty. Middle Irish aisne, gain, *ad-senia, Sanskrit sanati, Greek @Ga@'/numi.

costag

costmary; from the English

cot

a cottage; from English cot.

còta

a coat; Irish cóta; from the English

cota-bàn

a groat:

cotan

cotton, Irish cotún; from the English

cothachadh

earning support, Irish cothughadh, Middle Irish cothugud, support; from teg, tog, as in tigh?

cothaich

contend, strive; from cath, battle?

cothan

pulp, froth; See omhan.

cothar

a coffer, Irish cófra; from the English

cothlamadh

things of a different nature mixed together:

cothrom

fairplay, justice, Irish cómhthrom, equilibrium, Early Irish comthrom, par: com-+ trom, q.v.

cràbhach

devout, Irish crábhach, Old Irish cráibdech, crabud, fides, Welsh crefydd, *krab, religion; Sanskrit vi-çrambh, trust.

cracas

conversation; from Scottish, English crack.

cràdh

torment, Irish crádh, Early Irish crád, cráidim (vb.). Ascoli has compared Old Irish tacráth, exacerbatione, which he refers to a stem acrad-, derived from Latin acritas. This will not suit the à of cràdh. Possibly it has arisen from the root ker, cut, hurt (ker, krâ).

crà-dhearg

blood-red, Early Irish cró-derg; See crò.

crag, crac

a fissure; from the English crack.

craicionn

skin, Irish croiceann, Old Irish crocenn, tergus, Cornish crohen, Breton kroc'hen, *krokkenno-, Welsh croen, *krokno- (?) From *krok-kenn: krok is allied to German ru@cken, back, English ridge, Norse hryggr; and kenn is allied to English skin. For it, See boicionn.

craidhneach

a skeleton, a gaunt figure, craidhneag, a dried peat; for root, See creathach, crìon (*krat-ni-).

cràigean

a frog, from cràg, cròg, q.v. : "the well-pawed one".

craimhinn

cancer, Irish cnamhuinn; from cnàmh, q.v.

cràin

a sow, Irish cráin, Middle Irish cránai (gen. case): *cra@-cnix, "grunter", root qreq, as in Latin cro@-cio, croak, Lithuanian krõkti, grunt.

cràiteag

a niggard woman; likely from cràdh.

cràlad

torment; from cràdh-lot, cràdh and lot, q.v.

cramaist

a crease by folding (Skye):

cramb

a cramp-iron, Irish crampa; from the English

crambadh, crampadh

a quarrel:

cràlaidh

crawl, crawling; from the English

crann

tree, a plough, Irish crann, a tree, lot, Old Irish crann, Welsh and Breton prenn: *qrenn-; cf. Greek @Gkránon, cornel, Latin cornus, Lithuanian kéras, tree stump, Old Prussian kirno, shrub (Bezzenberger). Windisch correlated Latin quernus, oaken, but this form, satisfactory as it is in view of the Welsh, rather stands for quercnus, from quercus, oak.

crannadh

withering, shrivelling, Irish crannda, decrepit; from crann: "running to wood".

crannag

a pulpit, a wooden frame to hold the fir candles, Irish crannóg, a hamper or basket, Middle Irish crannoc, a wooden vessel, a wooden structure, especially the "crannogs" in Irish lakes. From crann; the word means many kinds of wooden structures in Gadelic lands.

crannchur

lot, casting lots, Irish crannchar, Old Irish crannchur; from crann and cuiir.

crannlach

the teal, red-breasted merganser; from crann and lach, duck, q.v.

craobh

tree, so Irish, Early Irish cróeb, cráeb, *croib? "the splittable", root krei, kri, separate; as tree of English and its numerous congeners in other languages is from the root der, split; and som other tree words are from roots meaning violence of rending or splitting (kládos, twig, e.g.). For root kri, See criathar.

craoiseach

a spear, Early Irish cróisech; from craobh?

craoit

a croft; See croit.

craos

a wide, open mouth, gluttony, so Irish, Early Irish cróes, cráes, Old Irish crois, gula, gluttony. Zimmer cfs. Welsh croesan, buffoon. Possibly a Celtic krapesty-, allied to Latin cra@-pula, or to Greek @Gkraipálc, headache from intoxication.

crasgach

cross-ways, crasg, an across place; for crosg, from cros of crois, a cross, q.v.

crasgach

corpulent (Sh.; H.S.D. for C.S.); from obsolete cras, body (O'Cl.), Irish cras, for *crapso-, *kr@.ps, root kr@.p of Latin corpus?

cratach

back of person, side (Skye): crot?

crath

shake, Irish crathadh, Old Irish crothim, *kr@.to-; perhaps allied to Lithuanian kresti, kraty/i, shake. But it may be allied to crith, q.v. It has been compared to Greek @Gkradáw, brandish, which may be for @Gskardáw, root sker in @Gskaírw, spring, German scherz, joke. This would suit Gaelic crith, Welsh cryd and ysgryd.

crè

clay, Irish, Old Irish cré, g. criad, Welsh pridd, Cornish, Breton pry. Its relation to Latin crêta, which Wharton explains as from crêtus, "sifted", from cerno, is doubtful. If cerno be for *crino, Greek @Gkrínw, we should have the root kri, krei, separate, as in criathar, and it is not labialised in any language (not qrei). The Celtic phonetics are not easily explained, however. Stokes gives the stem as qreid-, but the modern Gaelic has the peculiar è sound which we find in gnè, cè. This points to a stem qre@--jâ, root qrê, which is in agreement with Latin crêta without doing the violence of supposing crino to give cerno, and this again crêtus. Cf. Old Irish clé, left.

crè, creubh

body; See creubh.

crèabag

a ball for playing, fir cone:

creach

plunder, so Irish, Early Irish crech, plundering, hosting; cf. Breton kregi, seize, bite, catch (as fire). From the root ker, cut, ultimately. See corc, knife, and creuchd.

creachag

a cockle, Irish creach, scollop shell ( O'R.); cf. Welsh cragen, a shell, Cornish crogen, Breton krog.

creachan, creachann

bare summit of a hill wanting foliage, a mountain: "bared", from creach?

creachan

pudding mad with a calf's entrails (M`L.):