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.

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 use “Haud Yer Wheesht” in a sentence?

Here are real examples of how Haud Yer Wheesht is used in everyday Scottish conversation:

Example SentenceContext
"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.

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