Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

OOYAH, int. also oh-yah. A cry of pain (Ork., Cai., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Edb., Gsw., Ayr. 2000s).wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 33:
[ELMIRE:] Ooyah, you're nipping!
[TARTUFFE:] I got carried away!
Ah'd dee raither than hurt you, Ah care faur
Too much to ever — Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 51:
ooyah An exclamation of pain: 'Ooyah! Get aff ma fit!'Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 55:
Ooyah! That thing jist wannered me oan the heid. !XXXX! That missile hit me on the head.Edb. 1992:
Oh-yah! Get oaf ma fit!m.Sc. 1992 Iain Banks The Crow Road (1993) 20:
'Maybe she had a heart attack while she was up the ladder, 'Dean suggested.. Ash kicked his shin. 'Oo-ya!' he said.