Slang dictionary
laldy
or laldie [lawl-dee] or [lal-dee]
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In Scottish slang, a laldy is a “beating” or “thrashing.” The expression听to give it laldy means doing something with lots of energy and vigor, e.g., with gusto.
Where does laldy come from?
The word laldy comes from late 19th-century Scottish English. The origins of the word are somewhat uncertain. One source might be the Old English听lael, “whip.” Another is that laldy is meant to sound like a whipping.
We're loving seeing all these Scottish Words on Twitter for and !
We reckon 'Braw', 'Clarty' and 'Gie it laldy' sum up Scottish Scouting! Got any of your own faves?
— Scouts Scotland (@ScoutsScotland)
Laldy originally was a noun for “a beating.” One could get a laldy, meaning “get a beating,” or give (gie in Scottish) a laldy. It could also signify more generally “punishment” and was sometimes rhyming-reduplicated 迟辞听laldy daldy.
At least by the 1950s, giving it laldy (or giein/geein it laldy, in Scottish) became a way to say “doing something with great energy or enjoyment,” e.g., The singer was giving it laldy all night.
With yer man geeing it laldy in Hamburg 鈿笍馃敶
— Grant Cassidy (@CameronianRant)
Perhaps it’s not unlike the black slang going ham, or “doing something all out.”
Leith house party in full swing now, someone's got an early Xmas karaoke present! Someone's giving it laldy to a bit of Sweet Caroline 馃暂馃暂馃帐馃帐
— Richard (@RichardE1875)
Examples of laldy
Who uses laldy?
The original sense of laldy, a “beating,” may still be seen in Scottish English,听but it’s more often found as an expression meaning听 most commonly in the phrase听giving it laldy.听That expression is听particularly associated with the slang of Glasgow.
Definayely you don't take on the fam not mess with us we don't go silently we do not to quietly we fight we stand strong and we give it as they say I'm Glasgow we get it some laldy
— KateOconnorFam36f (@KateOco97670765)
It's rather busy, can't get to the front. I can hear you though, givin it laldy 鉁婐煆解潳锔忦炼煆拣煆筹笍鈥嶐煂�
— Victoria Heaney (@Vvfabs)
While giving it laldy can refer to doing anything with enthusiasm, from sports to politics, although it’s often used online for for “singing your heart out.” For example, the expression give it laldy appeared in Irvine Welsh’s 1993 Scotland-set novel听Trainspotting, in which an old man is “giein it laldy” as he belts out tunes in a pub.
Trainspotting 2 orange hall scene, Ewan giving it laldy to "there were no Catholics left"馃槀 fukn place was in stitches. If only it were true
— David Kerr (@itstimefor55)
Additionally, a 2017 western Scotland literary journal put out by Clochoderick Press is entitled Laldy!
The dictionary definition of gie鈥檌n it laldy
— Jen (@cyborgjenny)
According to a 2015 article in The Scotsman, the newer slang word yaldi, which is used to express excitement, possibly comes from a take on or mispronunciation of laldy.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of laldy like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of laldy that will help our users expand their word mastery.