Scottish Dictionary · Slang Guide· Last updated: July 2026
What Does “Haud Yer Wheesht” Mean in Scottish?
A Scottish phrase meaning hold your tongue, be quiet, stop talking. One of the most quintessentially Scottish phrases. Direct and to the point, it means stop talking, right now. Can be stern or playful depending on context and tone. Explained properly by a native Scot.
Quick Answer
Haud Yer Wheesht means Hold your tongue. Pronounced HAWD-yer-WEESHT. One of Scotland's most-used words, explained properly.
Written by Duncan, native Scottish speaker & creator of Whit Did Ye Say? (75K+ YouTube)Published: July 2026 | Last updated: July 2026
What does “Haud Yer Wheesht” mean in Scottish?
A Scottish phrase meaning hold your tongue, be quiet, stop talking. One of the most quintessentially Scottish phrases. Direct and to the point, it means stop talking, right now. Can be stern or playful depending on context and tone.
Compound of 'haud' (hold, from Old English 'healdan') and 'wheesht' (be quiet, imitative). One of Scotland's most iconic phrases, in use for centuries.
Region:Nationwide, understood across all of Scotland
How do you pronounce “Haud Yer Wheesht”?
The key is getting the rhythm right. Scottish pronunciation puts stress in different places tae standard English. Hit play tae hear it said properly by a real Scottish voice, nae robot patter.
Here are real examples of how Haud Yer Wheesht is used in everyday Scottish conversation:
Example Sentence
Context
"Haud yer wheesht, I'm on the phone."
Be quiet, I'm on the phone
"Will ye just haud yer wheesht for five minutes?"
Exasperated request for silence
"Haud yer wheesht, hen, it'll be fine."
Gently telling someone to stop worrying
Where does the word “Haud Yer Wheesht” come from?
Compound of 'haud' (hold, from Old English 'healdan') and 'wheesht' (be quiet, imitative). One of Scotland's most iconic phrases, in use for centuries.
Is “Haud Yer Wheesht” used across all of Scotland?
Nationwide, understood across all of Scotland. Scottish dialect varies significantly between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen (Doric) and the Highlands. While Haud Yer Wheesht is widely understood, the accent and context will vary from region tae region.
Test Yersel
Quick Question
Whit does “Haud Yer Wheesht” mean?
Dinnae worry, it happens tae the best o' us. Have another keek at the definition above.