Weel done min, Captain Frumpsqualler the first is noo straicht jist like ye straichtened Skew Bazzer Whiffington ahn the ithers, but ah see Baw Graip Clatterbutt the third is noo the squint yin.

Ye’ll hae tae toddle up the ledder agin.

The fourth jobbie in frae left as ye can see.

I’m takin tint o yiz taking doon the ledder iviry time. Ye weel ken mha skelly ee disni tak distraction weel.

Ye’ll no be forgotten when ye get yer annual day aff at Christmas.

Translate:

squint: not aligned, off the square.

Well done my man, Captain Frumpsqualler the first is now straight just as you have straightened Skew Bazzer Whiffington and the others, but I see Baw Graip Clatterbutt the third is now the misaligned one.

You shall have to toddle up the ladder again.

It is the simple task of the fourth in from the left as you can see.

I am taking note of you two taking the ladder down every time. You certainly appreciate that my awkward eye does not take distractions well.

You will not be forgotten when you get your annual day off at Christmas.

ˈskwɪnt
The Scottish Word: squint with its definition and its meaning illustrated and captioned with the word used in context in the Scots language and in English.

(This is a Scotstober 2024 Word.)

All of the Scotstober words illustrated for week three are available to scroll through on a single page here.

Squint a Scottish word?

I was as surprised as everyone else when a girl on Twitter revealed that her English colleagues did nor regard this use of squint as being correct. Apparently it is Scottish only usage. It is certainly in common regular use by everyone I know.

When I was hanging stuff for my diploma show, often the call would sound out – “that one (in the middle or top left or whatever) is squint. Straighten it”.

Well well. Live and learn.

I’d always assumed it was English and in use UK wide.