“Mad wae it”, “blootered”, “steamin’”, “pished” – welcome to Scotland, where the art of being drunk comes with its own thesaurus.
If you’ve ever spent an evening in a Scottish pub or stumbled past a chip shop at 1am on a Saturday, you already know that Scotland doesn’t just do drinking. It narrates it loudly, colorfully, and often unintelligibly.
Whether you’re sipping a single malt in a cozy Highlands bar or clutching a Buckfast bottle on Sauchiehall Street (no judgment), chances are someone nearby will be describing their inebriation using words that sound like insults, war cries, or affectionate nicknames.
Scottish Drinking Slang: A Language of Its Own
This post isn’t about glorifying drinking, but rather about decoding a surprisingly poetic, brutally honest, and uniquely Scottish lexicon of intoxication. Knowing the difference between being “half-cut” and “mortal” might not save your liver, but it’ll absolutely earn you points with the locals.
This post covers the full spectrum of drunken states from lightly buzzed to “needs scraped off the pavement” including regional variations and a few idioms that double as life lessons. If you’re planning to drink in Scotland (or just want to understand what your hostel mates are mumbling), this guide is your starting point.
Level One: The Lightweights
These are your gentle, early-evening states. The cheeks are flushed, the jokes are flowing, and no one’s been cut off yet. You’re feeling good — maybe a little too confident about your pool skills — but still in control.
Here’s how you might hear a Scotsman (or woman) describe being slightly under the influence:
1. Merry
A charming classic. Not too wild, just pleasantly tipsy. Grandma-approved.
“Ach, I’m just merry. One more glass of wine’ll do me fine.”
2. Tipsy
Universally understood and a bit posh, but still commonly used. Often a halfway point between “fine” and “famous last words.”
3. A Bit Fu’
“Fu’” means “full” — of drink, obviously. Very Scottish. Quietly accurate.
“She’s a bit fu’ already and it’s only half-eight.”
4. Slightly Steamin’
“Steamin’” is a versatile term we’ll see again (and again), but this is the mild form — enough to warm your belly, not ruin your night.
5. Warmed Up
Not slang per se, but a widely understood stage. You’re limber, sociable, and probably starting to dance in place.
6. Giddy
Self-explanatory. Slightly embarrassing. Usually heard in groups of friends just starting their night.
7. Rosy-Cheeked
A polite euphemism. Could mean anything from “I’ve had one glass” to “I’m on my third Negroni and lying about it.”
8. Chuffed Wi’ Masel’
Not strictly a drinking term, but often paired with a few pints and a sudden burst of self-confidence.
“I sank that pint in five seconds. Chuffed wi’ masel’, so I am.”
9. Feeling the Drink
The point where you realize it’s working. Maybe a bit too well. Still fine. Ish.
“I’m alright, just feelin’ the drink a wee bit.”
10. A Wee Swally
A “swally” is a drink — or an excuse for several. A good swally means you’re enjoying yourself, usually in responsible moderation (emphasis on “usually”).
“Went oot for a quick pint and ended up havin’ a wee swally wi’ the lads.”
Level Two: The Standard Drunk
At this point, the drinks are flowing, the volume’s up, and the dignity is starting to slide. You’re no longer “feeling the drink,” you are the drink.
These are the terms Scots throw around when they’re well into the night and just shy of disaster. Still walking, still talking, but absolutely steamin’ in every sense of the word.
11. Pished
Arguably the most iconic Scottish drunk word. Not to be confused with “pissed” in American slang (anger), this just means solidly, unequivocally drunk.
“He was pure pished, tried to pay for his pint wi’ a Greggs receipt.”
12. Steamin’
Ubiquitous. Used across all of Scotland. Sometimes casual, sometimes catastrophic.
“Aye, I’m steamin’ — and proud.”
13. Blootered
A notch above “steamin’,” but still standing. Often shouted across bars with admiration or concern.
“She got absolutely blootered at the wedding — danced tae Shania Twain on a table.”
14. Half-Cut
Halfway to hammered. Also known as “functional but optimistic.”
“Just half-cut, honest. I can still spell my name.”
15. Well-Oiled
A poetic one. Smooth, relaxed, a little glossy around the eyes.
16. Buckled
Sometimes physical (“legs are buckled”), sometimes emotional. Either way, gravity’s not your friend anymore.
“Buckled tryin’ tae get oot the taxi. Missed the pavement.”
17. Melted
Somewhere between physically sagging and mentally useless. Usually horizontal soon after.
18. Oot Ma Nut
Out of your mind. Speech slurred. Emotions untethered. Still kind of aware of what’s happening, but barely.
19. Oot Yer Face
Roughly the same as above, with added facial expression. You look gone – and you are.
20. Swallied
From swally (drink), as in: “He’s well swallied.” Can be used fondly or as a warning.
21. Well Gone
A gentle way of saying “write-off.” You’re past the point of return, but still upright. Kind of.
22. Talkin’ Pish / Mince
Not a state of drunkenness, but a side effect. Once you’re at this stage, everything that comes out of your mouth is suspect.
“He wis talkin’ pure pish – said he could fight a seagull and win.”
Level Three: The Gone Stage
This is the point of no return. If you’re using any of these phrases to describe someone, they’re not just drunk, they’re disassembled. Speech: incoherent. Balance: non-existent. Decisions: criminal.
Whether you’re getting carried out of a pub or waking up on a stranger’s couch clutching a traffic cone, this is the lexicon of total obliteration.
23. Aff Yer Heid
One of the most iconic phrases in Scottish drunkenness. You’re out of your mind. You’re gone. You’re a walking hazard.
“He turned up at the wedding aff his heid — started dancing wi’ the cake.”
24. Paralytic
No mobility, no memory. Often horizontal. Possibly being dragged to a cab.
25. Mortalled
Completely wrecked. Rarely used for fun; usually said with disbelief or second-hand embarrassment.
26. Guttered
Exactly what it sounds like. You either are in the gutter or spiritually aligned with it.
27. Smashed / Wrecked / Plastered
These more generic UK terms are still used across Scotland, especially among younger crowds. Equally valid, equally messy.
28. Buckled (Revisited)
Reappears here, but now it’s not cute — it’s collapse-adjacent. Legs fully done.
29. Mullered
Imported from England but sometimes heard. This basically means incoherent, slurring, possibly being sick in the bush.
30. Totalled
Unresponsive. Doesn’t know what year it is. Might have argued with a lamppost.
31. Scuttered
Often used in rural or northeast Scotland. Vivid and satisfying to say, like the drink just exploded your system.
32. Scunnered
More emotional than physical, this is when drink (or life) has defeated you. You’re fed up, wrecked, mentally done. Not always drunk-related, but hits hard when you are.
“I tried to keep up wi’ Tam and Davie but I’m pure scunnered noo. Goin’ hame.”
33. They’re Awa Wi’ the Fairies
This one’s poetic — and slightly concerning. Usually means someone’s utterly out of it, detached from reality, or having full conversations with invisible pals. Could be booze, could be something stronger.
“Leave him be, he’s awa wi’ the fairies. Tried to pay the kebab man in buttons.”
34. Foo-Barred
Military slang but occasionally borrowed. FUBAR = F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition. Appropriate.
35. Mingin’
Not strictly drunk, but often used to describe someone who is both disgusting and drunk. Bonus points if they’re also spilling curry sauce down themselves.
“He wis mingin’. Spilled Mad Dog 20/20 down his front and called it cologne.”
36. Trolleyed / Off Ma Trolley
You’re done. Put you in the boot and drive you home. Possibly used by someone laughing while filming you for Snapchat.
37. Gone Tonto
Off-the-rails drunk. Wild-eyed. Chaos incarnate. You’ve long since been kicked out of the pub.
Key Traits of This Stage:
- Eyes glazed
- Speech: 10% English, 90% nonsense
- Spontaneous singing or crying
- Missing phone, shoes, and/or self-respect
Level Four: The Aftermath
After the chaos comes the reckoning. You’ve made it home (somehow), but your soul stayed in the taxi. These phrases cover the morning after — the legendary Scottish hangover, best approached with a roll and square sausage and absolute silence.
38. Deid
Not “dead,” but deid. You look deid. You feel deid. You might wish you were deid.
“Leave me, I’m deid. Can’t even blink.”
39. Hanging
Classic hangover slang. Simple. Effective. Accurate.
“Mate, I’m hanging like a burst piñata.”
40. Ma Heid’s Burst
Not a literal explosion, just the feeling of one. A standard symptom of “too many swallies.”
41. Rough as a Badger’s Arse
Beautifully disgusting imagery. We don’t recommend visualizing it.
42. Greetin’ for Death
Slightly dramatic. Slightly accurate.
43. In a Bad Way
Understated but ominous. If a Scot says they’re “in a bad way,” cancel their plans and bring Lucozade.
44. Still Pished
Sometimes the hangover skips you… and the booze just hangs on. You wake up still drunk. It’s not fun.
45. Cannae Face the Day
Existential dread. Usually delivered from under a duvet burrito.
46. I’m Affa Peely Wally
A beloved Scots phrase for looking pale, wan, or like you’ve just crawled out a tomb. Often the morning after, or halfway through a hangover when regret sets in.
“Don’t talk tae me, I’m affa peely wally. I need a roll and sausage and divine intervention.”
47. Pure Regrettin’ It
No more confidence or wild theories. It’s just flashbacks and shame here.
48. Gaggin’ for a Fry-Up
The one hope on the horizon. Grease is the only cure.
“Get me a square sausage, tattie scone, and Irn-Bru before I die, please.”
49. The Fear
While not exclusively Scottish, “the fear” is well-respected here. It’s that psychological hangover where you remember just enough to know it was bad.
Level Five: Advanced Skills (Gaelic)
For the language nerds, here’s a taste of what being drunk sounds like in Scottish Gaelic. These aren’t commonly heard in the pubs unless you’re in a Gaelic-speaking region, but they’re beautiful, expressive, and worth knowing.
50. Air mhisg
Pronounced: [air vishk]
The standard term for “drunk.”
“Tha mi air mhisg” – I’m drunk.
51. ’Na mhisg / ’Na deoch
Pronounced:
- [na vishk] (for masculine subjects)
- [na yishk] (for feminine subjects)
- [na joch] (for both, in the case of ‘na deoch)
More poetic phrasing for “He/she is drunk.” It implies immersion, like the person is in drink or enveloped by it.
Tha e ’na mhisg. — “He is drunk.”
Tha i ’na deoch. — “She is in drink.”
52. Air a’ bhòil
Pronounced: [air uh vohl]
Literally “on the boil.” Used for someone who’s raging drunk, worked up, agitated, or aggressive. Think of a pot of water bubbling over..
53. Air deoch làidir
Pronounced: [air joch LAH-jeer]
On strong drink.” Could describe someone who’s halfway through a bottle of Talisker or halfway through their downfall.
54. Air seachran
Pronounced: [air SHACH-run]
Literally means “wandering” or “lost.” A poetic way of describing someone who’s a bit adrift mentally, physically, spiritually – likely due to whisky.
Level Six: Advanced Scottish Slang Phrases
Because Scottish slang just keeps giving, here’s a final blitz of expressions you’ll hear at every stage of inebriation:
55. “He couldnae hit the floor if he fell.”
So drunk he’s lost to the laws of physics.
56. “She hud a skinfu’.”
Absolutely full of booze.
57. “Drinkin’ like a fish.”
No explanation needed, butften used for the guy who was “just popping in for one” five hours ago.
58. “As full as the Clyde on a wet day.”
A very Scottish way to say someone is absolutely soaked in alcohol. The River Clyde, already full, gets even more dramatic during rain, as do most Scottish nights out.
59. “Out wi’ the fairies and back again.”
It suggests someone who’s briefly left this earthly realm (mentally or spiritually), usually after one too many, only to return mid-sentence like nothing happened. Hazy, dazed, mildly enchanted.
60. “Couldnae find his erse wi’ both hands.”
Crude but brilliant. This means the person is so far gone they’ve lost all sense of direction, coordination, and logic. As in: don’t trust them to find a kebab, let alone get home.
61. “Talkin’ mince.”
Usually reserved for the late-stage drunk who’s gone from charming to unintelligible. They’re not speaking, they’re producing a word salad. Bonus points if it’s slurred, shouty, and makes zero contextual sense.
62. “Blootered tae the gunnels.”
An extension of blootered, but even more expressive. “Tae the gunnels” means to the brim, like an old boat about to sink. You are completely full of drink, no room left in the tank, sinking into the pavement.
63. “Pished as a newt.”
A widely loved gem of Scots slang, especially across the Central Belt. It means very drunk, but the comparison to a newt is gloriously mysterious — no one really knows why newts get dragged into it, but it’s vivid and sticky in the mind. Bonus: rolls off the tongue nicely when you’re slurring yourself.
64. “Tha e cho teth ri taigeis.” (Scottish Gaelic — literally: “He’s as hot as haggis”)
This idiom isn’t strictly about drink, but in some parts of the Highlands it’s said of someone who’s flushed, sweating, and clearly had a few too many. Used teasingly when someone’s red-faced and overly enthusiastic.
Why Are There So Many Scottish Slang Phrases for “Drunk”?
Let’s be honest, it’s not a coincidence that Scotland has this many words for being drunk. This is a country where storytelling is sacred, community is king, and alcohol has long been both social glue and national export.
Scotland is home to over 2,000 pubs, ranging from village locals where everyone knows your dog’s name, to rowdy city-centre spots with sticky floors and 3am karaoke. In many small towns, the pub is still the unofficial town hall, therapy centre, and Saturday night stage. Sometimes it’s these things all at once.
And then there’s the whisky. Scotland produces over 70% of the UK’s whisky output, and with more than 140 active distilleries, it’s both tradition and infrastructure. Whisky regions like Speyside, Islay, and the Highlands each have their own flavours, their own histories, and, yes, their own preferred drunken vocabulary.
Add to that the infamous Buckfast (a caffeinated tonic wine brewed by monks), the ever-reliable Tennents, and the holy hangover cure known as Irn-Bru, and you start to see the full ecosystem. Drinking here is simply part of the culture.
Historically, alcohol has played every role from celebratory ritual to survival strategy. Harsh weather? Dark winters? Long work weeks? You’ll find a dram by the fire and a round of pints with mates at the end of it. And when people drink together often, they talk about it constantly, creatively, and with an evolving arsenal of slang.
So it makes perfect sense that Scots don’t settle for just “drunk.” They’ll give you fluthered, mullered, oot yer nut, and chuffed wi’ masel’ all depending on how the night’s gone.
