Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1871, 1991-2003
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LIKESAE, adv. Also lik sae, likesay.
1. Similarly (Ags., m.Lth. 1960). Cf. Likeas.Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms Intro. 3:
Likesae, twa mae Psalms, cxiv. an' cxv., they sowthir intil ane.
2. For example (Ags., Edb. 2000s). Slg. 1991 Janet Paisley in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 127:
Things that happen, likesae - yer oot fur a walk
an some bloke whits never even spoke afore goes by
an he's givin ye the eye. Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 44:
Syne he maun spik lik sae - "lassies" - or "bonnie lassies" -
3. Used as a filler or intensifier. Cf. by the way, By, 4. (13).Edb. 1994 Irvine Welsh Acid House 79:
Likesay, jist sayin thit the blockage'll be doon in the drains, ken, no the stink pipe. Probably the bend, likes. Edb. 1994 Irvine Welsh Acid House 100:
Wi aw used tae hing aroond John Deaf's hoose. It wis really mingin likesay, bit that nivir bothered ye sae much in they days. Edb. 2003:
Likesay, the price o thae pies is ridiculous!
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"Likesae adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/likesae>
