To be more precise, the phrase that you usually hear people say is – greetin’ faced wee nyaff. Everybody knows that wee means small I suppose, but in this case it doesn’t really have anything to do with the actual size of the person, it’s just to add to the insult.

Greetin'(g) means moaning or crying.

A nyaff is a contemptible, annoying person. Nowadays they would be described in English as being a ned or a bit of a lowlife.

So, there you have it! Ya greetin’ faced wee nyaff a commonly heard insult in Scotland.