When you're gaun and comin' the gate's no toom.
When you're ser'd a' the geese are watered.
When your hair's white, ye wad hae it lockering.
"'Locker,' curled. Spoken of one who is immoderate in his desires."--_Jamieson._
When your neighbour's house is in danger tak tent o' your ain.
Where drums beat laws are dumb.
Where the buck's bound there he may bleat.
"Men must bear these hardships to which they are bound either by force or compact."--_Kelly._
Where the deer's slain the blude will lie.
Where the head gaes the tail will follow.
Where there are gentles there are aye aff-fa'in's.
There is such abundance of good prepared, that something may be reasonably expected for the poor. It may also be a delicate allusion to the failings of the aristocracy.
Where there's muckle courtesy there's little kindness.
Where there's naething the king tines his right.
While ae gab's teething anither's growing teethless.
Whiles you, whiles me, sae gaes the bailierie.
"Spoken when persons and parties get authority by turns."--_Kelly._
White legs wad aye be rused.
Whitely things are aye tender.
White siller's wrought in black pitch.
Wi' an empty hand nae man can hawks lure.
"If you would have anything done for you, you must give something, for people will not serve you for nothing."--_Kelly._
Wide lugs and a short tongue are best.
Wide will wear, but tight will tear.
Addressed to those who complain that a new article of dress is too wide for them.
Wiles help weak folk.
Wilfu' waste maks woefu' want.
Will and wit strive wi' you.
Wink at sma' fauts, ye hae great anes yoursel.
Winter thunder bodes summer hunger.
Wipe wi' the water and wash wi' the towel.
Wiser men than you are caught by wiles.
Wishers and woulders are poor house hauders.
Wit bought maks wise folk.
Wit is worth a weel-turned leg.
Wives maun be had whether gude or bad.
Wives maun hae their wills while they live, for they mak nane when they dee.
Women and bairns layne what they ken na.
That is, conceal what they know not.
Women and wine, dice and deceit, mak wealth sma' and want great.
Women laugh when they can, and greet when they will.
Women's wark is never dune.
Wood in a wilderness, moss on a mountain, and wit in a poor man's pow, are little thought o'.
Woo sellers ken aye woo buyers.
"Roguish people know their own consorts."--_Kelly._
Wonder at your auld shoon when ye hae gotten your new.
A pert reply to persons who say they wonder how you could have done so and so.
Words are but wind, but seein's believing.
Words gang wi' the wind, but dunts are out o' season.
Work legs and win legs, hain legs and tine legs.