VIII.
A GLOSSARY OF WORDS AND PHRASES PERTAINING TO THK
DIALECT OF CUMBERLAND.
SERIES
C.
ORIGINAL GLOSSARIES, AND...
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VIII.
A GLOSSARY OF WORDS AND PHRASES PERTAINING TO THK
DIALECT OF CUMBERLAND.
SERIES
C.
ORIGINAL GLOSSARIES, AND GLOSSARIES WITH FRESH ADDITIONS.
VIII.
A GLOSSAEY OF WOEDS AND PHEASES PERTAINING TO THE
DIALECT OF CUMBERLAND. BY
WILLIAM DICKINSON,
F.L.S.
LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY,
BY TRUBNEB, &
CO., 57
&
1878.
59,
LUDGATB
HILL.
CLAY AND TAYLOR, PKTNTEKS.
c T r rri !i
MH^.-
PE
,.
V. .
T .
,. v
c /-,
T;
n
CONTENTS
3lossaries:I.
and Phrases pertainin? to the Dialect of Cumberland, and supplement fiords
by W. II. Words
Dickinson. in use
in Cornwall.
West Cornwall
&y Miss M.A. Courtnay East Cornwall
by T.Q. Couch. III. Words
in use
in the
Counties of Antrim
and Down.
by W.H.
Patterson
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ni
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nt
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nl
o
.nwoC jeC
INTRODUCTION. THE
present
work
is
a second edition, revised and extended, of
palwt
inglisb
jtodetg.
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY. EBBATA. Hue
Page
v,
Page
xxiii, line
20,
for Eden read Ehen 9 from foot, for Gilpin read Coward
thence along the passing the head of Borrowdale to Dunmail Eaise, south-east and eastern boundary of the county to Kirkland, and by the base of the Black Fell mountain range to Croglin, and turning westward through the once royal forest of Inglewood, by Warnel, Brocklebank, and Aspatria, to Allonby, on the shore of the Solway. To the
southward of
this district the
words and the mode of pronunciation and
to the northward, ; expression gradually merge and to the extreme north-east, into the Northumbrian, partaking in some measure of the burr peculiar to parts of that
into those of Lancashire
into the Scotch ;
county.
A little to the
north-east of the pleasant bathing village of Allonby, dialect begins to vary, and chiefly in the long i
on the Solway, the
"IHOi
.nr
^ejJeQ
.>'
yes
INTRODUCTION. THE present work is a second edition, revised and extended, of .1 Glossary of the Words and Phrases of Cumberland, published in Whitehaven, in 1859, -which has for some time been out of print. The changes in this new edition are numerous, both in the way of omission and As regards the omissions, many words previously included addition. were merely corruptions or peculiar pronunciations of ordinary current English. These it has not been deemed necessary to retain. The rule of exclusion, however, has not been absolutely or rigorously observed, because some Cumbrian forms of common English cannot without explanation be
made
intelligible to people living
beyond the borders of the
county.
In treating of Cumberland words, it must be borne in mind that, small as the county is, having an area of only a little over fifteen hundred square miles, it possesses its geography of language, ranging across the county in tolerably distinct bands, and each preserving its substantive identity with the fidelity attaching to a national language, but occasionally shading into and blending with the others, its immediate neighbours. The most clearly defined band or belt of dialect extends across the centre of the county, and its southern boundary may be traced on a map by a line commencing where the river Eden discharges its waters into the sea, ascending the course of that stream to
Egremont, and along the water-shed of the ancient forest of Copeland, passing the head of Borrowdale to Dunmail Eaise, thence along the south-east and eastern boundary of the county to Kirkland, and by the base of the Black Fell mountain range to Croglin, and turning west-
ward through the once royal forest of Inglewood, by Warnel, Brocklebank, and Aspatria, to Allonby, on the shore of the Solway. To the southward of this district the words and the mode of pronunciation and expression gradually merge into those of Lancashire ; to the northward, and to the extreme north-east, into the Northumbrian, ; partaking in some measure of the burr peculiar to parts of that into the Scotch
county.
A little
to the north-east of the pleasant bathing village of Allonby, dialect begins to vary, and chiefly in the long /
on the Solway, the
INTRODUCTION.
VI
being pronounced as ey meyne and theyne, Ac., and this continues northward along the whole border, stretching more or less into the county.
There are many idiomatic peculiarities appertaining to the dialects, or rather to the varying dialect of the county, such as contracting the 1 article the into ?, in the southern and central parts of the county, but not in the north-eastern part. Another is the common note of assent, third consists in the entire vm, pronounced with the lips closed.
A
absence of the terminative ing in
and in
its
being substituted by
in,
words of more than one syllable, and more frequently an, and by its The affix ed is compensated by an
all
retention in monosyllabic words. abbreviated 't, and those of ly and ish are in frequent use as approximThe ates or diminutives, e.g. coldly, coldish, wetly, wettish, &c.
terminative ght in right, tight, sight, and similar words, was formerly, and even within memory, pronounced resht, tesht, seesht, &c., or by aspirating the gh. Ho and Hoo are common expletives at the commencement of a reply, and especially if the replicant deems the question somewhat irrelevant or unimportant, as Ho nay Hoo ey The English language has no equivalent to the vowel sound in the way the word brust (burst) is pronounced. It is not the u, the e, nor the i, but a kind of compromise between the e and the i. The word run !
!
!
!
is
in a similar predicament, it being frequently pronounced in a halfrin and ran, and partly approaching to ren, but not
way sound between
with the sound of any of them. few words are common to both extremes of the county which are not used centrally, as craa, haak, &c., for crow, hawk. Some words are differently pronounced in different parts of the strictly coinciding
A
county, although the spelling may indicate a similarity of sound ; and Seathwaite in Borrowdale is pronounced as Sea-thwaite or
vice versa.
whate, while Seathwaite on the Duddon is Seathet the e and a in sea being distinct. Calthwaite near Penrith, and Scothwaite near Ireby, are both pronounced as o long Cothet and Scothet and a few other :
words and proper names are pronounced in an equally arbitrary manner. There are shades and variations of pronunciation and accent in the districtal dialects which are extremely difficult to explain and which can only bo properly understood on hearing the native speakers in ;
We
unrestrained colloquial glee, or in angry recrimination. of the county-born know them, but others of distant counties may require help to know them, as we should of theirs. Instances are not
wanting
1
the uniting of the article to the Terb or substantive, the following ludicrous specimens become explanatory or puzzling, as the reader may fancy
By
:
!
'
T wether an'
twasps hes spoilt
o'
trasps
'The
spoiled all the rasps. 2.
Shoemaker : 'Wife; whoaretwax?' Wife : It* a twatter a twinda, aside twatch,' '
weather and the wasps have
INTRODUCTION.
Vll
moddrn refined pronunciation is the innovation, and the homely word the original. Among the older residents of the vales there still lingers such old and uncertain, and surely doomed expressions, as and sundry others of kindred laal, laal-ly, laalish girt, girtly, girtish quaintness and many of these are given with a peculiar inflexion which
in which the
;
;
:
describe. These are easily understood when heard, and, excepting the leading word, are not easy to give an exact definition of, but they mostly act as diminutives or as degrees of comparison. The strangeness of some words and expressions cannot be duly estimated from the sound alone, and on seeing them set out in print
it is difficult to
'
becomes manifest for instance, yannanudder one another dudta did thou, &c. It is not enough to enumerate the words believed to be purely Cumbrian. There are many contractions, corruptions, and combinations now current, which custom and time are gradually incorporating into the dialect, and which another generation or two will stamp as provincialisms and without a key to such,^a stranger would encounter many difficulties in ordinary conversation with an untravelled native. '
their ludicrousness
:
'
'
;
;
It may here be remarked, that a considerable portion of the labouring population, occupied in mining, draining, and other earth- works, consists of Irishmen, who, with their families, make the western side of the
county a permanent residence or at least till the labour market tempts a removal to better paid localities. And notwithstanding this influx, the Irishisms engrafted on the native dialect are singularly few, if indeed ;
Their children reared here acquire the dialect as perfect as the and soon use not a trace of their mother tongue and even the parents, in many instances, abandon their own idiom, and learn to use
any.
natives,
:
the speech of their adopted country. It is somewhat different with the Scotch and the labourers from the borders, who nearly all retain the expressions and the peculiar inflexions of their national speech to their
dying day.
And some
of their descendants are
known
to retain suffi-
cient to distinguish their nationality over more than one generation. There is, at least, one creditable peculiarity in the dialect of Cumber-
land
;
and
this
is, its
classes in towns,
comparative freedom, except
among
the labouring
from the contemptible slang engrafted into most
others.
An
attempt has been made (necessarily imperfect in the absence of a Grlossic system) to convey an idea of the pronunciation. The chief orthographical alteration will be found in the introduction of an additional or duplicate consonant as expressive of emphasis or accent, and in part as a phonetic accommodation. Thus, the Cumberland equivalents for the word hot are het and heatt,' and the latter would be 'heat,' and would convey a different meaning, but for the additional and accented letter and so with many similar words. The whole collection has been made in the intervals of business, extending
knowledge of the
'
'
;
'
'
'
INTRODUCTION.
viii
and a years, and has been found an agreeable change, All the glossaries and publications in the relaxation. unavoidcounty dialect, hitherto met with by the author, are local, and ably provincial or are indiscriminately intermixed, and consequently over
many
serviceable
;
imperfect.
An
localizing each
attempt
one more perfect, by The sources from which information a frequent, or rather an almost continuous, is
made
to render this
word and phrase.
has been derived are,
rural personal business intercourse with nearly all classes of the inhabitants of nearly every parish in the county during the greater part of a half- century ; the inspection of various glossaries of Cumberland and north-country words ; a rigid search through the publications
an in the dialect of the county ; the contributions of friends intimate acquaintance with the mother tongue of the county, and a lifelong residence in the central district described. I am indebted for a few ancient words, still partially in use here, to
met with
'
;
A Restitvtion of
Decayed Intelligence in antiquities. By the study, For a travell of E. V. (Kichard Verstegan.) London, 1634.' revisal of the words and phrases of the south-western district, I and
am
indebted to the kindness of the late John Caddy, Esq., of Eougholrn, near Bavenglass and of those of the extreme north-eastern district, to ;
the very competent assistance of Mr. D. Tweddle, of Workington, a native of the parish of Stapleton. The kindness of Mr. John Dixon, of Whitehaven, is gratefully acknowledged, in foregoing his intention to publish a work of a similar kind, and in placing the basis of his collec-
my disposal. The late Mr. Barker, of Greystoke, heartily contributed the benefit of his intimate knowledge of the dialect of his neighbourhood, and of its geographical limits ; and to the late William Randleson, Esq., of Croft-Hill, Whitehaven, a native of Scotby, near Carlisle, I am indebted for a perusal of Brockett's Glossary, containing sundry valuable manuscript notes and memorandums, relating to the tion at
subject.
BY way of facilitating the objects of the Glossary it has been thought advisable to tabulate some of the subjects, as follows: DIALECTAL PRONUNCIATIONS OF CTORENT OR ORDINARY ENGLISH WORDS.
A Abba
aleann alliblaster
alone alabaster
among
abbey
adveyce, N.W.
arnang
advice
afword
ayqual, s.W.
afford
airm, N. fikkorn
arm acorn
equal
B Beakk
bake
PRONUNCIATIONS.
IX
INTRODUCTION.
PRONUNCIATIONS.
XI
Xll
INTRODUCTION.
PRONUNCIATIONS.
Xlll
INTRODUCTION.
XIV
WOEDS APPLIED TO BEATING OE STEIKING. THE number
of words and terms applied to beating and striking is As some remarkable to deserve separate enumeration. proof of the combative proclivities of our ancestors, when wars were sufficiently
WORDS APPLIED TO BEATING OR STRIKING.
XV
frequent ; and rapine, at times almost a necessity, as well as a powerful incentive on the borders ; the following list of their words, still in use, with a small mixture of later date relating to personal conflict, and of beating and correcting, are surprising from their number and variety ; and are very expressive of sundry degrees of intensity in the different sections of the county. Some of the words have other meanings as well. Words signifying the use of the spear in warfare are so few as to indicate that the club, the stone, the battle-axe, the bow and arrow, the sword, and the fist, were the prevailing weapons.
Bang
...
...
Bat
...
...
Batter
...
...
...
...
Bash away Beasst
...
!
Beat Bensal S. W.
...
...
Bray Breakk
...
...
...
...
Bump
...
...
Clink
...
...
Clonk
...
...
Cloot
...
...
...
...
Blaa,
Clowe Cob
...
...
Cuff
...
...
Dang
...
...
Ding
...
...
Doose
...
...
Dander
to beat
a blow, a stroke to strike repeatedly strike vigorously to beat to thrash with fist or stick to beat
a blow to bruise or beat to thrash
blow
a a a a
sharp blow
sounding blow blow not repeated to attack and scratch :
to kick to strike without malice
a blow on the head
Down
push or knock
to to
strike
a slap
knock down
knock down
Dump
...
...
Dust
...
...
Flail
...
...
to to to to to
Flap, Flop Floor
...
...
to
Fluet
...
...
a smart blow
Drub
.
...
...
thrash butt with the head beat till dust rises hit with a down stroke a blow scarcely in earnest
an
effective attack, to the haft
Heftin' ... Hide Hit Kange, Kainje, ... Kelk
...
E.
"... ...
Knap Knock Lam, E.
...
...
...
...
...
...
Larrop
...
...
Lash
...
...
Leass
...
...
Ledder
...
...
Lickin'
...
...
such as driving a dagger up
to beat the skin or hide to strike (g soft) to flog severely to hit roughly with hand, elbow, knee, or foot to strike gently and quickly
a hard blow to beat to flog with a strap, &c. to whip to thrash to beat
a thrashing
INTRODUCTION.
XVI Lig at Lounder
to strike at to thrash clumsily
Mak
go and attack
at
Mash
to disfigure by to all but kill
Massacree
blows
to abuse greatly a slight blow on the head to strike on the head a boyish term for a thrashing to beat
Maul
Nap Nope Paika
Pay
a thump with the
Pelk Pelt Prick, Prod
...
Pum, Pummel
fist
to beat query from pelt to beat to wound with the spear
with the
Quilt
to pound or beat to beat keenly
Rap
a hard stroke
Eozzel
to whip to hit with a stone, or by a sling to quiet a person by a thrashing to thrash with a stick or rod to whip or beat to disfigure without serious injury to beat with the open hand to wound with the sword
Scop Settle
Skaitch
Skelp Slaister
Slap Slash
fists
Wallop
a blow clumsily struck a stroke on the face with the open hand to break a man down a clever beating punishment with a strap to apply the strap to flog with a rod or switch to belabour the body a sharp stroke on the head to whip or thrash severely a heavy blow with a dull sound a hard stroke with the fist to beat with a stick to whip a child to punish by beating to beat keenly to beat roughly
Weft
to slap a child to beat
Slouch.
Smack Smash Spankin' Stirrup oil Strop
Switch
Tan Tap Targe
Thud
Thump Towel Trim Trounce Twilt
Warm
Whack Whale Whap, Whop Whelk
a strong and sounding blow to apply a cudgel a smart blow a thump with the fist
Whup
to
Wipe Yark
a back -handed stroke the fiercest of blows
whip
PLACE NAMES AND THEIR PRONUNCIATION.
XV11
PLACE NAMES. THE which
following
differs
is
a
list
from the
simply abbreviations
:
of places in
spelling.
Some
Cumberland the pronunciation of are corruptions, and others are
XVI 11
INTRODUCTION. Pronounced.
Spelled.
Pardshaw
Pardza
Pelutho Penrith
Pellyda, N.w. Peerath Pyk't baa Plimlan' Plunton
Pickthall, s.W.
Plumbland Plumpton Ponsonby Poolfoot
Punsaby Poo fooat,
s.w.
Ravenglass
Reb'nglass
Redmain
Reedmeann
Rockcliff
Rowcla
Rothmire
Rowmer
Sandwith
Sannatb
Saltcoats Salter
Sote cwoats Soter
Scaleby
Skealby
Scales
Skealls
Scalesceugh Scothwaite Seathwaite Seathwaite Skinburness Smaithwaite
Skelska Skotbet Seatbet, s.w.
Sea whate, c. Skinbernees
Smekttbwate
In some of tbe nortbern parishes tbere are farm-bouses called towns, as Justus' town, Nixon's town, Gibby's town, Pbillip's town, Jerry's town, &c. Otbers are onsets, as, Netber Onset, Upper Onset, &c. Very many otber names of places are more or less altered, but are recognizable.
PLANT NAMES. Cumberland names of British
plants.
Agrostemma Gitbago
Popple
Agrostis vulgaris
Water twitch
Aira coespitosa
Bull toppins,
Bull
feasses.
Bull
fronts
Allium ursinum. Alnus glutinosa
Eller
Anagallis arvensis Angelica sylvestris
Water
Arctium Lappa
Ramps Poor man's weather-glass kesb, Kesks
Bur, Crockelty bur, Clot bur, Bur dockin, Eldin a general term for dry stems used for lighting fires
CUMBERLAND NAMES OF BRITISH PLANTS.
XIX
N.w. Marsh daisy Hawer grass
Armeria maritima Arrhenatherum avenaceuin Arum maculatum Asparagus officinalis Avena
Lords and ladies Sparragrass
Havver, Woats, Aits, Cworn, and the stems Strea
Botrychium Lunaria
daisy, Ben-wort, Bennert Birk tree, Burk tree Shoe the horse, Unshoe the horse
Brassica
Roap
Dog
Bellis perennis Betula alba
, ,
Napus Rapa
N.W. Turmet seeds of the tribe are called Popple, and the plants Field kale and Wild mustard
Brassica
The
Briza media
Dadder grass, Dotherin grass, Dodderin Nancy, Dodderin Dicky Havver grass, Goose grass, N.W.
Bromus
mollis
Duck havver roots are Yowe
Bunium flexuosum
The
yorlins,
Yowe
yornals, Jocky jurnals, Jack durnils; and the plants Scabley hands
Open gowan, Water gowan
Caltha palustris
Campanula
Blue
rotundifolia
bells
Lamb
Cardamine pratensis
Bonny
lakins,
bird een, Bird
eye
Bur
Carduus lanceolatus Carex prcecox Centaurea nigra Chenopodium album Chrysanthemum segetum leucanthemum ,,
thistle
Pry, Little seg
Horse nops Meols, Fat hen Yellow gull, Gull Dog flower. White
gull,
Dog daisy,
Great daisy
Water
Cnicus palustris ,,
arvensis
,,
heterophyllus
...
Conium maculatum Digitalis
...
purpurea
...
,
-
,
Epilobium hirsutum Equiseti
thistle
Sharp thistle Fish belly N.w. Umlik Thimble, N.w. Fairy fingers Codlins and cream
are all called
,
Teadd
pipes,
Paddock
pipes,
Scrub
grass
Erythrsea centaurium
...
Eriophorum vaginatum ...
,
,
Mountain
flox
Cat tails, Catlocks, and the early blossoms Mosscrops Wart grass, Wart weed, Churnstaff
Euphorbia Helioscopia
...
Fraxinus excelsior
...
,
Esh
Fritillaria meleagris
...
,
Guinea-hen lily
flower, N.W.
Pheasant
XX
INTRODUCTION. Goose
Galixim aparine
Clawer Cleavers, Bob run up dyke, Eobin
grass,
grass,
run the dyke, Sticky back, Soldiers' buttons Bennet, Steep Bloodwort, Death come quickly, Stinkin Bobby
Galium verum Geranium Eobertianum
.
Hedera helix ... Heracleum spondylium
Hyvin
Ivin,
Hyoscyamus niger
kesh, Kesk. The dried stems are Bunnels and Candle Lighters Button twitch, Button grass N.w. Wheyte (white) top't grass Sheep rot, Eot grass N.TE. Stinkin Eoger
Ilex aquifolium
Hollin
Iris
Mekkin, Seggin, w. Seag
Dry
... Holcus avenaceus mollis and lanatus Hydrocotyle vulgaris ...
...
pseudacorus
Juncus conglomeratus, effusus and Seaves, Eeshes Gloss Whirlbent, Star bent
glaucus
Juncus lampocarpus ,, squarrosus Juniperus coinmunis
Sawin
...
Lamium purpureum
Black- man's posies
Lastrea all the species Linaria vulgaris ,, cymbalaria
Fearn brackins Butter and eggs, Chopt eggs Eambling sailor, N.w. Mother of
Linum usitatissimum
...
Lycopodium clavatum
...
thousands Line Buck horn moss
Fox
selago
Lychnis diurna
feet
Lysiinachia nummularia
Lousy beds Wandering Jenny
Malva
Common Mallow, erroneously called
sylvestris
Marsh Mallow Moss wythan
Gale, Gawel,
Myrica gale Myrrhis odorata
Sweet brackin
Narcissus, Pseudo-narcissus
Dafly, Dafty-down-dilly
Nasturtium
Water crashes
officinale
...
N.W. weyl (wild) esh
CEgopodium podagraria
Kesh.
CEkianthe crocata Ononis arvensis
Deed (dead) tongue, Water hemlock ...
...
N.w.
Weyl (wild) liquorice, Spanish
reutt
Orchis mascula
In the north called Craa teazz
Osmunda
Crow toes Bog onion
regalis
Oxalis ascetosella
Cuckoo cheese and bread
=
CUMBERLAND NAMES OP BRITISH PLANTS.
XXI
True
Paris quadrifolia Poeonia corallina
...
Petasites vulgaris Ostrutliiiim
Peucedanum
lover's knot Piannet Water dockin Felon wood, Felon
wort,
Felon
Plantago major
N.w. Fur, and^the cones Fur apples N.W. Pez Battan tails
minor ,, Polemonium coeruleum. Polygonum Bistorta
Cockfeighters Charity Easter mun-jiands,
Pinus
sylyestris
Pisum sativum
Easter
May
Waster ledges Arse-smart, Bity tongue giants,
,, Hydropiper Populus tremulus
Primus
Bonny
Cow struplin Bullister
institia
,,
padus
,,
spinosa
Esp Goose tansy, Wild tansy bird een
Potentilla anserina Primula farinosa veris
Ekberry, Eggberry, Heckberry, Bird cherry Slea tree, Slea thorn
...
Pulmonaria officinalis Pyrus Aucuparia
...
Bottle of all sorts
Boan
tree,
Bowantree, Witchwood, Hen drunks
Cock drink, Quercus robur and
sessiflora
Ranunculus repens
Yak,
N.
Yek
Meg wi' many
feet,
Meg
wi'
many
teazz, Crowfeet, Buttercups,
Bhinanthus Crista-galli Eibes grossularia
nigrum rubrum
,,
.
... .
Bosa canina
Hod the rake Hen pens, Horse
N.
pens
Grossers in the north-east Blackberries
Wineberries
Choop
tree.
The
fruit
is
called
Choops, and
N.w. Cat choops. from Norway called the g^rl fruit Chubem, in her native
A Bubus
tongue Brear, and the fruit Black kites,
fruticosus
Bummel kites, Bummelty kites, Bumly kites, Brummel kites ,, ,,
Hine berry Bunch berry
idaeus ... saxatilis
Bumex ,,
alpinus ascetosa and ascetosella
Butter leaves Sour dockins
,,
obtusifolius
Dockin
Salicornia herbacea Salices any of the trees
Salix pentandra
Wythes, Willies, N.w. Sweet willy
Sambucus nigra
Bulltree, Burtree,
,,
,,
shrubs
Pickle plant Safftrees, Saughtrees, Willy trees
sr.
Wans
Boretree
INTRODUCTION.
XXII Scabiosa succisa Schrophularia nodosa
Blue buttons
Sedum
Little houseleek
Stinkin Eoger, Stinkin Christopher
acre
Senecio Jacobsea
Booin,
Grundswaith, Agreen,
B.
Muggert Field kale, Wild mustard Felon wood, Bitter sweet
Sinapis arvensis
Solanum dulcamara
Swine thistle Yur, N.W. Dodder Courtship and matrimony
Sonchus oleraceus Spergula arvensis Spiraea
Ulmaria
from
the scent of the flower before and after being bruised Statice
Sea pink
Armeria
Taraxacum
officinale
Clocks, Pissybeds
Mother of thyme, Wild thyme Nap at noon Twitch grass, Winnelstrea Lockin gowan, N. Lockity gowaii Gleets, Fwoal feet, Clatter clogs, Son afoor f fadder
Thymus serpyllum Tragopogon pratensis Triticum repens Trollius europseus Tussilago farfara
Whin
Ulex europaeus ,,
Cat whin
iianus
Ulmus
Ome
campestris and inontana
Vaccinium myrtillus oxycoccus Verbascum thapsus ,,
Veronica Beccabunga ,, chamaedrys
tree
Blebbery, Bleaberry Crones, Croneberry, Crowberry Jacob's staff, Beggar's stalk, Beggar's blanket
...
Well ink, Water purple Bonny bird ee, Poor man's tea, Cat
. . .
eyes Vicia cracca sativa ,,
Huggaback Wild fitch, N.W. Weyl
...
(wild) fitch
As regards the proper names and sirnames of the county, many are conventionally altered, and contraction seems to be the guiding principle. Many will be corruptions some are nicknames others may have crept in from the nursery ; and all may not greatly differ from the usages of other counties. ;
Tharncroft, Workington, Auyust, 1877.
;
AUTHORITIES CONSULTED-
XX111
AUTHOKITIES CONSULTED. Anderson's Songs and Ballads in the Cumberland Dialect. Blamire (Miss) Poetical Works. 1842. Boucher (Eev. Jonathan) Glossary of Archaic and Provincial Words. :
:
1832-3. Brockett's Glossary of North Country Words. Chaucer's Poetical Works.
Clark (Ewan)
Miscellaneous Poems.
:
Clarke's Survey of the Lakes. 1787. Dyer's Ancient Modes of Bestowing 1805. Dialect of Craven.
2 vols.
1846.
1779.
Names on
the Eivers, Hills, &c.,
1828.
Ferguson (Eobert) Dialect of Cumberland. 1873. Gibson, A. C. Folk-Speech of Cumberland. 1869. and Supplement, 1814. Grose's Provincial Glossary, 1811 1855. Halli well's Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words. Hutchinson's History of the County of Cumberland. 1794. :
:
;
Lonsdale,
Mark
Lonsdale (Dr) Mackenzie. Matchell's
:
Th' Upshot. 1780. Worthies of Cumberland.
:
MS.
Nicolson, Bishop: Miscellany Accounts of the Diocese of Carlisle. 1877. Peacock's Lonsdale Glossary. 1869.
Powley (Miss)
:
Echoes of Old Cumberland.
1876.
Bay's Glossary. Eayson (John) Poems and Songs in the Cumberland Dialect. 1830. Eichardson (John) Cummerland Mak' o'talk. 1871 and 1876. :
:
Eelph (Eev. Josiah) Poems. Songs and Ballads of Cumberland (Gilpin of Carlisle). 1846 and 1874. Spenser's Poetical Works. Stagg (John) Miscellaneous Poems. 1804. Cumberland and Westmorland, Ancient and Modern, 1857. Sullivan, J. Toone's Glossary and Etymological Dictionary. 1832. Turner (Sharon) Works. :
:
:
:
Verstegan (Eichard) ties.
:
Eestitution of
Decayed Intelligence in Antiqui-
1634.
Williamson's Local Etymology.
Carlisle, 1849.
INTRODUCTION.
XXIV
THE WOEDS OF OALD CUMMEELAN'. YA neet aa was takkan ATI'
a
snoozlan an' beekan
rist an'
my
a smeukk,
shins at
t' grate neukk, aa thowt aa wad knock up a bit ov a beukk Aboot t' words 'at we use in oald Cummerlan'.
When Aa
boddert
An' than 0'
t'
my brains thinkan
set to
wark
kaymtest an'
Sek
like as
t'
we
some o' them ower, doon three or fower
an' wreatt
creuktest, like
'
'
garrak,'
dyke
stower,'
use in oald Cummerlan.'
It turnt oot three-corner't, cantankeras wark, An' keep't yan at thinkan fray dayleet till dark ; An' at times a queer word would lowp up wid a yark, 'At was reet ebm doon like oald Cummerlan'.
John Dixon,
o'
Ov words
he thowt to hev
Whitt'en, poo't oot ov his kist,
prentit, a list An' rayder ner enny reet word sud be mist Yan wad ratch ivry neukk ov oald Cummerlan'. 'at
;
Than Deawy fray Steappleton hitcht in a lock, An' Jwony ov Euffom gev some to my stock ;
Than, fray Cassel Graystick a
They
o'
com, fray Jock eekt a share for oald Cummerlan'. list
;
Friend Eannelson offer't his beukks, an' o' f rest (O man! bit he 's full ov oald stories the best) ; Aa teukk am at word, an' aa harry't his nest Ov oald-farrant words ov oald Cummerlan'.
Than naybers
an' friends browt words in sa fast, An' chattert an' laft till they varra nar brast, To think what a beukk wad come oot on't at last Full o' nowt bit oald words ov oald Cummerlan'.
Than, who can
e'er read it can enny yan tell ? Nay, niwer a body bit f writer his sel An' what can be t' use, if it o' be to spell Afoor yan can read its oald Cummerlan' ?J !
Workington, July 15th, 1859.
GLOSSARY
DIALECT OF CUMBERLAND. [The
word or phrase
letter Q. denotes the
the letter
Abbey Holme and upper E.
Aa,
shores of the Solway Frith
south-west
s.w.
;
and
;
and N.E. in the east and north-east.]
pronounced as in harm.
G. I,
Aapral (formerly
general), April.
Aa'z, Ize, G. I
I am.
is,
Aback,
G.
behind.
Aback
o'
beyont,
meer A-bed,
fwoal't
no where,
G.
'
Whoar
t'
fidler.'
s.w.,
Aboon,
sel, c. rejoicing
beyond reasonable control. Abide, c., s.w. to bear, stay,
Abreed, Abraid, spread. Ac, G. to heed.
c.
re-
'I
withstand. caa-n't abide sek wark.' suffer,
extended,
See Neer ak.
a sort of ancient Border judicature wherein a person (plaintiff or defendant) lay his champion's victory or fall in combat determined his fate, to death or freedom. Bp. Nicolson.
Afear't, heard.
Afeutt,
on
Afoor,
old.
grow '
He
ages
fast.' c.,
t'
s.w.
Again,
N.,
against,
agednn
Ageann
'
before.
Tom
field.'
t'hand,
Ageatt,
c.
inconveniently with pro-
interfering
G. going,
on the way, on
Aglet, Tag, c., s.w., Tiglet, N. the metalled end of a boot-lace, &c.
Agreeable, G. assenting to. Ahint, Bebint, G. behind.
Aim,
to intend, to purpose. aims to be a gentleman.' 'He's in his Airs, c. humours. airs to-day out of humour. '
N.E.
bound
to
age.'
foot again, progressing.
Abeunn wid Ms
Acram,
begins to
placed,
N.E. above.
main,
N.
Yage,
c.,
He
gress.
Abooan,
c.,
'
again,
in bed.
G.
Abeunn,
t'
Age,
Ageann,
lost in the distance.
N.
to be in use generally over the county ; B.C. in the east-central ; N.w. ;
indicates the use in the central parts
c.
c.
He
'
Airy,
G.
'It's
breezy. airy to-day.'
rayder
till
afraid.
c.
Afooat,
c.,
Not s.w.,
often
Afitt,
c.,
Afwore,
A-jye,
s.w.,
Afore,
G.
on one
side,
awry, ob-
lique.
A-lag, N.E. a term used in calling geese together. '
G. along. Dick.'
Alang, Lang, o'
foot.
N. before.
A-jar, G. partly open.
alang
Aleb'm,
o' c.,
s.w.,
It
Aleeven,
eleven. 1
was N.
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY. And fet water as hem was nede, The rocke anondyr.' Rom. of Octavian Imp.
Allan, G. a bit of land nearly surrounded by water an island. Ally, G. the aisle of a church. ;
A-loddin, '
She's
not engaged, on
G.
still
c.
Alongst,
N.W., Ananters, K. in Or anters in case (? perhaps). yon mouldering heap.' Stagg's
Anters,
offer.
'
a-loddin.'
Used
along.
in old
Poems.
deeds.
April gowk, April noddy, c., April feull, N., April fool. This term is provincial, but the application is of wider extent.
' G. him. Catch am, an' hod am, an' whack am weel.'
Am,
some
in
G.
Amackily,
fashion,
Amang
G.
hands,
among
other
Arch whol, c., Bowel whol,
things.
Ameast,
c.,
N.
Ameeast,
s.w.,
Amess,
a kind of oath '
of verification.
Amiss,
G.
Amess
;
Ard, aird, N.E. high.(])
a note
used in a slight (nega'It's nut seah
N.E. a cupboard, or place where victuals and sometimes plate and other valuables are kept. Nearly obsolete.
Amry, Aumry,
An, G. ing as a terminative is pronounced an. Rising, risan', &c. c.,
s.w.,
Fornenst, N.E.
opposite to ; over against. emst in some old writings.
Aneuff, N.E.
An-
Anoo, s.w., Aneugh, enough (as relating to c.,
G.
enough
nails,
c.,
nails, N. nails grown
Ang-er
jags round the nails into the flesh.
;
Angry, G. inflamed and painful. An' o', G. also, and all, too. 'We'd breed an' butter, an' cheese an' o', an' o' maks o' drink.'
Anonder, In anonder,
G.
under
;
beneath. 1
Ten schypmen to lond yede, To see the yle in length and brede,
soil,
which no doubt
is
but
its
secondary sense, such lands being dry, parched, &c., only because they lie high.' I never heard the term in Cumberland. [I think
Boucher
is
W. W.
wrong.
S.~\
debate.
G. to
'It G. argue, signify. doesn't argy'-^-it does not sig-
Argy, nify.
(as relating to
number).
Ang
;
Argify,
quantity).
Anew,
Buucher
in his Glossary: 'It is, however, in Cumberland only that I happen to have heard the term used abstractedly, to describe the quality of a place, a thus, ard country, or a field land means a dry, parched, arid says,
it is.'
tive) approval. far amiss.'
Anenst,
Slit whol, s.w., N. a vent-hole in
the wall of a barn, &c.
almost. c.
Applied
Arbitry, o. arbitrary. to manorial customs.
partly.
Ark,
G.,
Airk,
N. a chest, as
meal-
ark, &c.
Armin
chair, G. an arm-chair, or elbow-chair.
Arr, c., s.w., Err, N. a scar from a wound, a cicatrice.
Ar ridge,
G.
an angular edge.
Arris, in architecture.
Arse-beurd, a cart.
N. the
end board of
Arse-breed, G. a contemptible width or extent. 'His heall land 's nobbet a arse-breed.'
Arse-smart, c. the Pepperwort plant Polygonum Hydropiper.
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY. G. backwards. An Methodist preacher in Workington used to enlighten his hearers with 'Aa wad as seunn expect a swine to gang arsewurts up a tree and whissle like a throssle, as a rich man to
Arsewurts, early
git to heaven.'
Art,
s.w., Airt, N.
c.,
compass
point of the
Arvel breed,
N. bread prepared for a funeral. Arvel also relates to other funeral matters.
As how,
'He
that.
c.
said as
how he wad niwer gang near them.'
Aside, c. beside ; near ton aside Whitten.'
Ask,
to.
'
Par-
A-slew, Aswint, of truth
'
as asly
As-ley, as soon that G.
A-spar,
one-sided; out
'
way
wide
A-spole,
asplay
;
'He
Away, t'
'
to go away. church.' G.
Awsom,
I'll
N.
;
away
o. appalling, awful.
Ax't at church,
Hung
in
bell
t'
reapp, c., Cry 't i' the kirk, N.E. having had the banns published.
Ax't
out, c. the banns having been three times proclaimed.
;
different kinds. c.,
s.w., Ettle, N.
Addle,
wide asunder
Adlins, s.w., Etlins,
c.,
N. earnings.
Ayga, c., s.w., Yigga, Ayont, N.W. beyond.
Aywas,
c.,
N. ague.
N. anywise, always.
G. ashes.
Ass, Ax,
c.,
Aas,
x., E., s.w.,
ask
Baal, Baald, x. bold, impudent. ;
Babblement,
inquire.
Assel-teuth, G. one of the grinders or molars. Assel-tree,
G. axle-tree.
Ass-grate,
c.
a grating through
which ashes pass from the sunken cell.
fire
Ass-trug, c., s.w., Ass-beurd, N. ashes box.
Asteed,
Ts
gaan
at git
Barely heard. 'At is aa, 'At is
discourse.
things. c. the double white or yellow ranunculus.
G.
Back-boord,
dough upon Back-bred,
;
a board to roll a bake board.
G.
bred late in the
year or season. c.
Many
the
of
fell-dales, to.
against commons were formerly breasted with stone on the exposed side, or with stone
my
and
fences
G. aslant.
At, s.w., and some
G. silly
lakins, G. children's play-
Back-dyke,
G. instead.
A-swint,
Babby
Bachelor buttons,
into a
'
Attercop, c., speyder wob cock web, s.w. spider's web. A-varst, G. a vast deal.
Aydlins,
set
in reference to the feet.
Ass,
gay
c. a skeleton. 'She's dwinnelt away til a atomy.'
;
his feet a-spar.' c.
It's
to earn.
as willingly ; as the other.
apart.
'
it is. 't.'
Atomy,
Aydle,
diagonal.
;
E.
G.
't,
Ayder, Ider, Owder, G. either. Ayder syne mak, c. not a pair
the lizard or newt.
G.
that 'at is
to
quarter.
;
G.
bad wark
'At is
poddish.'
e, G. that I am. Aa's cum to advise tha, 'at is e.' Anderson,
sod,
and backed up with
earth on the inner side, hence the name.
Back
end, c. the autumn. about t' back end.'
'
On
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY. Backen,
Back
Baffle, c. to
o. to retard.
kest, '
relapse.
Back
-.
to die. ' to l-ype
to jibe ; "T oald to die.
A
saw is said to Kyp't, c. bent. be kyp't or buckled when permanently bent or twisted. G.
Kysty,
Kyte,
c.,
squeamish. s.w.,
Keyte, w. the
Lyle,
s.w.,
Leyle, N.
little.
Lj.Tal
extinct, 1874. c.
a mess of
toasted biscuits steeped in hot ale with spices
Land, '
c.
;
an
three "lands in land.
Land, c., home.
'
a posset.
estate
Willy Fisher
Lang, c.,
puddin',
o'
land.
or separate estates
s.w. to arrive '
in
Win scales hed
He
landit
;
to reach in yister
neet.'
belly.
Laal,
Now
Lamplugh.
Lamplugh
house,
Donnican.
G. long, tall, high.
be six
feiitt
'
He'll
hee, and as good as
he's lang.' c.
a privy.
See
back't settle, an uncushioned
Lang c.
Lang ligger, sofa.
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY. the sharp cord at the end of a whip. Lash away ! G. a common exclamation of encouragement
c., N., Langket, s.w. a woollen fetter for sheep. Langer east shorter west, c. a deficiency in one part is compensated by abundance in an-
Langel,
applied indifferently to play.
other.
Lang hundred, '
a.
Five scwore to
money and
pins
Six scwore to
Lash cwom',
six score.
hundred
t'
t'
H.
men,
o'
to
o'
other things.' Old Cunib. Rhyme. Lang last, a. at length ; the end He's gitten a wife at lang of. c.
because
of.
o'
him
I
on, lang beck,'
Lang
'at
'
It
a term of opproboys, denoting effeminacy or undue preference for the society of girls.
c.,
Langseyne, Langsom, G.
Lat,
s.w., Langsyne, N. long sinca
tedious.
rwoad
langsom
'It's
laid
a.
streak't,
Langways,
G.
windit,
Lant,
an enduring nature
;
at
G.
G.,
full
leaves.
Lave, N. the
G. prolix.
Laws! Loze!
c.
Layt, G. to seek. f kye heamni.'
of loo. ' At lanter the caird lakers sat i' the loft' Anderson. leets, c. for glass.
remainder.
an expression
of astonishment.
N. the
game
Lantern
rest,
Lavrick, N. the lark.
long and thin.
Lanter,
'As
lat.
1
lat.
lug't, c., Leav lug't, N. ears hanging instead of being The N. epithet is very erect. appropriate the ears hang like
lengthwise.
s.w.,
Dutch
lath.
Latch
a
Hutton
ower
G.
thin as a
length.
Lanky,
G. of
Lasty,
t'
inoor.'
Lang
G.
among
lasting.
sen,
Lang
N.
;
See Laddie.
G.
brium
was
into
fell
out, c. to use a comb forth ; to kick.
Lassie-lad,
last:
o'
Lash ceam,
s.w.,
hand
Lassie,
'
Lang
or
a coarse comb.
Lash
;
hundred of
c.,
work
horn substitutes
*
Gang
an' layt
Laytin', c. the circuit invited to a funeral, &c.
N.
G. a bed of potatoes planted on the surface. Lea, Sye, c., s.w., Sye, N. a
sidit, c. unequally balanced. Lapstan', c. the stone held on the shoemaker's lap for beating his leather upon.
Lead, G. to convey by cart Gang and lead cworn to-day, it'll
to give up.
Leadd, G. load, lade ; to lift out water with a bucket or dish.
Lantit, G. defeated, disappointed.
Lant
lakers, players at loo.
Lanters,
c.,
Lazybed,
Lap
Lap
up,
Larn, '
He
c.
to desist
;
G. learn also to teach. larns his scholars to write.' c.
to
beat
Larrop, Lash, G. to comb
scythe. '
be
dry.'
Leader, Leaff,
;
a
attack of diarrhooa ;
comb to
an whip ;
;
c.
G.,
a tendon
Lwoaf,
;
a sinew.
K. loaf.
Leahstan', G. a stone used for whetting scythes.
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY.
56 Leand,
and
c.
relating to wages, &c.
the wind.
Leet'nin' afoor deeth,
o. alone.
Leann,
Leapp, a,
s.w.,
lace
o.
Leass,
Lap,
N. leapt.
to
thrash
and
spirits.
;
Leasst cup,
tea
G.
or
Leets,
N.
Leeve
bern. G. loth.
Leatth, to
'
She was
ledtth
;
G. to
beat ; leather.
Let,
method
of
Led farm,
heavy dancing. an additional farm
c.
on which the occupier does not reside. '
G. allege. still seah.'
'Ledge,
was
'ledges it
a term used
Leead, s.w. to lead
c.,
;
to
'
He's leedan' lime.' In the last century work horses were conducted or led with cart.
halters
when
term
to
at work and the lead still remains although the horses are now driven. '
out,
c.,
lap.
Leeam,
G.
light ; to alight. for a mischief
o' thu,
leapp off
Let on,
G.
'
Nivver
ha' lefn
on
let
do not speak of it or you are aware of it.
'
show that
at, G. to strike
quickly
at.
Do n't G. to pretend. wit '- seem as if you did not see or know. '
let
c. an entrance lodge ; to 'He leudg't lodge or deposit. his goold in t' oald bank.' Leuff, N. the palm of the hand.
Leudge,
Leugh,
Leukk
N. laughed.
c. attend to him; keep an eye on him. Leumm, G. loom a tool ; a term of reproach. He's an ill leuitim.'
tull him,
;
s.w. to
'
drop
out like ripe nuts. Ay luds leukk yonder for brown leemers I led
He
'He sud
'
Leet,
'
to alight.
;
'
Leemers, hazel nuts.
Leem
a
Let wit,
Lee-co', c. look out in hand-ball play.
Leed,
G.
Let slap
He
;
c.
Let'n, G. let. that aleann.'
a rustic
c.
c. easy to easy to turn to
Leef teall,
dike top an' let in a bog.' Let leet on, or into, G. to open up secrets or mysteries.
person.
Ledder-te-spetch,
that'n.'
t'
a garrulous
G.
nor
to jerk ; to pitch a light article out of the hand.
a large one. Ledder heed, c. a blockhead.
Ledder lungs,
'I'd
teall,
of straw
Lert,
c.
Ledderer,
sooner, rather. this
account.
go do not hold. Leek, G. to leak ; a hard snbsoil of clay and gravel. See Pinnel. Ledder,
hev
Leggan'away, c. walking quickly. Lep, c., Wap, c. and N. a bundle
let
G.
agile,
sell or dispose of;
gang away.'
Leave gang, Leave hod,
G.
Leever, leever
a barn;
gay, cheerful,
c.
lightsome.
V
o.
a lucid
N. lungs.
Leyghts,
c.,
Leetsom',
'It c. leastwise. niver was seah, least way I niver
Leastways,
Leatth, Leeath,
G.
interval preceding death, ' I Leet on, c. to meet with. rwoads.' leet on him at t' cross
beat.
knew
G.
Leetly gitten leetly geann,
a shelter from
'E.
' ' !
!
'
Hans
Leuw, is
N. love.
seldom
The word
heard
in
is felt
and
love
'
Its infully under-
converse in the county. fluence
'
ordinary
57
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY. stood as in all other parts ; but the word is only spoken, in hallowed reverence.
Lick plate, Lift, c. the
Leiivv, Luff, Q. the hollow of the I' leuvv o' t' hand.' hand. '
G. arable
Ley, Lea,
land in
grass.
Verstegan, writing on the surname of Lesley, says ' Legh, Ley, or Lea, a ground that lieth
uninanured and wildly overgrown.' And, a combat being once fought in Scotland, between a gentleman of the family of Lesleyes and a Knight of Hungary, wherein the Scottish gentleman was victor, in memory thereof, and of the place where it happened, the ensuing verses '
doe in Scotland yet remain.' '
there.'
for ey in pz-onouncing.
hay grown on old ley ground. The term is now applied to rye-grass and clover hay as well. G.
Ley hay,
'
Mey
N., N.W. fondness, liking. ley kin' for thee I can't
To a child in the Abbey Hokae may be heard sinudder.' 4
Come
hither,
my
leyl ley kin'.'
Liable, o. apt ; having a pro'He's liable to get pensity to.
drunk
if
he's
ought
in
]
pocket.'
Liable,
Lib,
tries
services.
a trick at cards.
;
'
He'll help, assistance. give us a lift at a pinch.' Lift, c. a term used at funerals. What time do ye lift or start with the corpse ?
Lift, G.
'
'
Lig,
down.
G. to lie
Lig a leamm
on, G. to brutally injure a limb, &c. Lig at, G. lay to it ; work at it '
vigorously.
Lig
Liggan' upon,
G.
'
at
him,
lad.'
very urgent. upon, and mun be
It's ligyan'
done.'
Liggers, c. layers growing wood notched and laid along a hedge. Liggy bed, c. a person addicted to late rising.
Liggy boddam, Liggy,
Leycence, Leyfe, Leyke, Leyme, &c., &c., N. and N.w. substitute
Leykin',
sky
by mean
;
Between the lesse-ley, and the mare (greater), He slew the Knight, and left him
i
who
a person
c.
to gain favour
loach
Light on, c. pend on.
to rely on; trust; de-
Lick, Lig lick on, G. to discover ; to see. I could niver lig lick an
I'll
on thee to
light
in, c. a mining term below the foundation.
to dig
Lig
Lig in tul him
!
thrash
c.
him
well.
Lig ma much.
c.
lag,
abundance; too
c., s.w., Leyke, N. in danger 'It's like of; urgency; likely. to foY He'll be like to come.'
Like,
'
This
G.
Like, words,
Liker,
c. to castrate.
'
pay't.'
as
happy-Zt'/ce,
G. reliable.
the
c.
fish.
c.,
Like to, was like
is
affixed to
many
ill-fr&e,
goodi-likc,
&c.
s.w. G.
more
likely. to.
disposed
'
He
to laugh.'
'
him
efter corner.'
he went round
Lick for smack,
t'
Likken, '
N. to
compare
Now, divvent
;
to
likken
match.
me
to
hur.' c.
quick
gether.
Lickin', Licks, G. a thrashing.
to-
She lilly 't Lilly, G. to natter. t' oald man up till she gat him an' his money and o'.'
Barns were
full of
corn and hay
;
Now we've come back at cheery May day, It's all swittled
Swifts,
G.
and swattled away.
See Garnwinuels. If
Swifts stood distinction, upright, six or seven feet high ; winnels moved horizontally.
any
feast, B. an entertainment after killing a pig.
Swine
heel, G. the crooked part of the scythe blade let into the shaft.
Sye
!
!
'
Switchin',B. one of the processes of dressing flax by hand.
Steiidd, G. stood, did stand.
Stigh
slate
When we went away, at Michaelmas
too long.
'11
Stank,
a place where
pencils are got from the clay slate overlying the coal measures.
little,
Stand, G. the large washing-tub in which the doUy is worked. Stand,
stolen.
Stown, Stowp,
of c.
Sprung,
bees with brim-
G. to stifle
stone.
Stagg.
the cleft of a quill
pen.
Sprits,
'
;
'
Snot, B. the unconsumed part of the wick of a candle. See
Snowk,
G. 'I can't stomach cannot believe it.
Stomach,
.
'
pigs ; probably get to thy stye. Stob, B. a splinter entering the flesh. See Stob.
Sye
nail,
B.,
Grass nail,
c.
a
small iron hook connecting the scythe blade with the shaft.
Sye nog,
c.
the handle fixed on
the scythe shaft.
SUPPLEMENT
134
Tak neyberheed,
B.
accept assist-
When
a poor person dies the neighbours subscribe to bury him.
ance.
lash, B. the weakest part of a brewing of ale ; generally three kinds yel, or yal ; smo' beer, and tap lash. 'Taty gun, G. a pop gun made of a goose quill, and the quill punches the bullets out of a slice
Tap
of potato.
See 'Taty hash.
'Tatyseoose, B.
Taylear, G., Teaylear, N.W. tailor.
:
Tummel
G. to
empty;
Thea,
B. these.
Thick
o'
to
pour out.
hearin', G. partially deaf.
Things, G. any necessary matetea things, dinner things,
rials
&c.
Thole,
c.,
N. to B.
Thropwife,
endure
;
to suffer.
A
See Thrang.
correspondent writes that he did not know Throp, and that Throp's wife hung herself in her dishclout, inferring that care and anxiety killed her.
game where the Tig, c., touching of wood gives freedom. a
B.
Tit for tat,
you
Tom
G.
giving as
much
as
fall.
Tum'ler, G. an ale glass. Originally this was a round bottomed glass which could not be made to stand, and was obliged to be emptied at once, or held in the hand. to shake
B.
Tweezle,
'
violently.
Theer
man
as the
!
or ruffle
tweezle't up,'
when the wind
said
gale and he secured his own crop.
was blowing a
Twig, B. to lay hold of the meaning to twig ;
'
hair.
Teem,
apt to
tails, B.
had
to catch or pull his
;
a twiggan neet
It's
B.
Twitter,
See
near.
very
o'
and
as if it grasped land water keenly. See Twig. frost'
Twitter. the higher.
Uppermer,
c., B.
Up
to be even with
c.
wid,
raise or
'
lift.
;
He up wid
to his
neef and doon't him, and he was ' up wid him than !
He
n't, G. used not. n't to be so queer when he '
Use
use was a
lad.'
View
hollo,
the cheer given
G.
when the hare
is killed
by the
hounds.
get.
Toom, Turn,
B. to
Trudgin, B. spoken of a some one. Truncher,
game
B.
'
'
little
trudgin
boy following
See Truncher.
requiring
A A
dexterity. young man lies flat, resting only on his toes at a certain mark at
one extremity, and on a trencher in each hand at the other. He then tries to reach out the trenchers as far as possible, and if not held at the right angle and edgewise, down they go and he is defeated,
one year's shoot
of the willow.
tease wool. leyl
G. the
Wand,
tayleor, B. a water insect.
Want, '
G.
to deserve or require. a good skelpin to mak
He wants
him behave
his
sel.'
to ware, to spend. nobbet .war't sixpence at t'
Waar,
War,
c.
were.
G.
'
He
fair.'
(Pronounced
short.
yet, B. a heck hung below a waiter stang or pole, to act
Watter
as a fence.
Wangh,
B.
a
weak
scent.
meat begins to decay a waitgh.
See
it
When
gives out
Waugh.
135
CUMBERLAND GLOSSARY. G. this is used as expressive ' It's a of comparison or degree. lang way better to gang that way, for it's faraway t' baiuer way.'
Way,
Wee,
a thief in the candle.
G.
Wayster, N.
Wee
little;
an',
N.
a
small one, a child. '
on, G. continued. They went on fratchan at a parlish rate.'
easy circum-
G. in
off,
stances.
Weshers,
the inside works
B.
whim.
Whew!
manner,
Whim.
See
B.
c.
given to whims and
fancies. B.
'
B.
Whopper,
a
big
See
lie.
Whapper. hand, G. the advantage. Whurlygig, Whirlgig, B. a small shining beetle that disports itself on the surface of water, constantly
round and round, and
circling
diving
if
B.
wool
is
a wheel on which
G.
spun. It's
G. wrong. wrang to wrang ennybody.'
ever
;
Wuzzel,
Yak
Awivver,
B.,
c.
B.
the weasel. B.
talking G.
cubbert,
much.
dating about
There are many large oaken cupboards built into the 1640.
internal walls of old farmhouses.
when a
B. said person begins to yawn.
Yems,
&
Heamms,
B.,
See
hames.
c.,
c.,
s.
w.
Heamms. Ye'r, s.w.
Yer, G. your.
you
are.
B. earl.
Yuri,
Yet stoop,
A. Ireland
how-
indeed.
Yerl,
the frame work on the
of.
B. wills ; will. Sometimes a bargain is closed on a bystander ' Come ov his wulls.' saying,
a vice or iron screw.
process in drying. B.
aware
is
Wulls,
disturbed.
Wind row, B. peats or turves set up in a long row, being the second Wires,
;
Yance to bed,
Whup
Winch,
knows
B.
See Cap.
Yaddearn,
a slight cleaning. She gev't a whisk an' a kengeud.' See Whisk.
Whisk,
clog sole.
'Wuvver,
an expression of
contempt.
Whimmy,
a thin
Wrang, 'Rang, of
quiet
c.,
B.
of leather nailed on to connect the upper leather with the
band
Woo wheel, c., B.
of a barrel churn.
Wheem,
.
Woatin', woat leather,
Wots,
Went
Weelish
spindle of a spinning wheel, with crooked wires to guide the thread to the bobbin
B.
gate post. Yope, G. a constant talking in a See
loud voice.
Yuly, yuly,
B.
geese together.
Co., Pall Mall, Manchester.
Yope.
a call to bring
WOEDS IN USE IN
WEST AND BAST CORNWALL.
GLOSSARY OF WOEDS IN USE IN
CORNWALL.
BY MISS
COURTNEY.
M. A.
(Jomfoall BY
THOMAS
Q.
COUCH.
LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY,
BY TRUBNER &
CO., 57
&
1880.
59,
LUDGATE
HILI,.
CLAY AND TAYLOR, THE CHAUCEU PRESS.
CONTENTS.
I.
II.
SBest dTorutoaU.
BY Miss M.
A. COURTNEY.
INTRODUCTION
...
...
...
...
...
ix
GLOSSARY
...
...
...
...
...
1
ADrENDA
...
...
...
^,.
...
65
(East
CorntoaU.
BY THOMAS
Q. COUCH.
INTRODUCTION
...
...
...
...
...
69
GLOSSARY
...
...
...
...
...
"5
...
101)
ADDENDA
[In the sketch map which faces the title-page, it should be understood that the Mr. Couch writes line of demarcation is only approximately indicated. " From long observation I can distinctly trace the western brogue and speech beyond Truro eastward, though it has become shaded off." J. H. N.] :
BY MISS M. A. COURTNEY.
.
INTRODUCTION.
1.
Decay of
the Dialect in
West
3.
Cornwall. 2.
4.
Pronunciation and Grammar.
Proverbial Sayings.
Names. The Present Glossary.
^.Cornish
5.
1. WITH the introduction of railways and the increased means of communication, that has brought and brings every year more
strangers to
West Cornwall,
giving place to a vile
the peculiar dialect
is fast dying out, with a redundancy of Cockney pronunciation
The younger generation
h's.
are
expressive words their parents
ashamed of and laugh
use.
One seldom now
Shaksperian terms as giglet, a giddy girl weigh ; nor the old form of the plural peas
and
;
;
But in the outlying
stonen.
2.
hears such
fadge, to suit
fishing villages
en,
peize, to
;
housen, houses
nor derivative adjectives with the prefix
the dialect
at the old
;
peasen,
such as feasten
and inland parishes
still lingers.
A
stranger meeting one of our country labourers or miners
on the " Downses
"
(downs), and asking
him
a question,
would
pro-
bably have some difficulty ih understanding the answer. Should the words in which it was given be common all over England, the singsong drawling tones of the high-pitched voice, and the different sounds given to the vowels and diphthongs, would greatly puzzle him. The pronunciation differs considerably in places not more than ten or twelve miles apart, and persons
make
who
live in
Penzance and
the dialect their study, can easily distinguish a St. Just from a
Newlyn St. Ives.
or
Mousehole man, and both from a native of Camborne or The most marked difference in speech, however, is found
X
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
between the dwellers on "the mainland" (Penzance, &c.) and the " Scillonians." or, as they would call themselves,
inhabitants of Scilly,
thread becomes " tread," and three " tree." / is changed " " oiles " but a into oi, as pint, " point ; isles, ; point -would be a " bile." Their and boil are voices, too, "pint," pitched in a different
With them
Although none of the islands are more than three miles from 011 which is Hugh-town, the capital, each " Off-oisland " has a pronunciation of its own, and the people on St.
key. St.
Mary's, the largest,
" Mary's often laugh at the peculiarities of the Off-oislanders." They are fond of giving their children Scriptural names Obadiah, Methuselah, Melchizedek,
Emmanuel, Tobias; which they shorten
Diah, Thus, Dick, Manny, all the villages of West Cornwall.
known
shalalhashbaz, although
bear the names of
Of the I
county
dialect
into
This custom formerly prevailed in
Bias.
One man was
baptized Maher-
and women
as Maal,
live
who
the eastern part of
the
still
Loruhameh and Kerenhappuck. and pronunciation
know from
of
personal experience next to nothing, never
having spent more than a few weeks in that locality, except that the vowels are broader and the consonants harsher than in West Cornwall,
and that
it
resembles the dialect of Devon.
The following in the Land's
A
table will
End and
pron. aa
:
call,
show the
peculiarities of pronunciation
adjacent districts
caal
;
half, haalf
reading, with old parish clerks
and
;
:
master, maaster.
others, is haave.
Have, in
(au Scilly
:
call,
caul.)
A, pron.
ee
square, squeer
:
Ai, pron. ae,
E, as yallow
;
e,
;
care, keer.
both vowels sounded
:
nail,
with but few exceptions, where
tail, tael.
nael; it
becomes
a, as
yellow,
secret, sacret.
Ee, as
i,
in been, bin
Ea Ea
diphthong, as ai
En
in earth
;
:
and meet, meat, mait
mit. ;
clean, clain
;
bream, braim.
in heard, heerd.
and ear
is
sometimes spoken with a faint sound of y
ycarth, year. " En is sometimes also separated, as e-arth, we-ar, at Zennor. ,T.
W.
INTRODUCTION.
Ea Ea
in proper
names
Ei diphthong, receive, /,
/,
sound
in tea retains the old
where
pron.
pron.
is
pron.
ee,
0, as
;
say.
Tredrea, Trediay
seine, seen; except in
;
shiver, shever.
;
as kite (the bird), keet
le diphthong, pron. a 0, as
Pendrea, Pendray
:
a.
as river, rever
e,
and sea becomes
as skein, skeen
ee,
becomes
it
ay
tay,
II
:
;
child, cheeld
believe, b'lave
;
&c.
relieve, relave.
;
a ; grow, graw ; know, knaw ; &c. u : column, culumn pollock, pullock. ;
O, as o where
u in other counties, as front, not frunt
it is
;
among,
not amung. in won't as a long, wan't.
In proper names the o in the
prefix Pol
always long, as Poltair,
is
Poletair; Polsue, Polesue. Oo,
preceded by
h,
oo
is
long
not huod
hood,
:
;
hook, not
huok.
U is pronounced as G
sometimes
y, as angel,
more than one goin
;
anyel
puzzle, puozzle.
j
stranger, stranyer.
;
g
is
In words o
omitted, as going
b in peat, beat.
in sp retain the old form ps, as clasp, claps
;
hasp
;
hack,
crisp, crips.
Y in yellow
is
often changed into
Old people generally add y hacky
dull, duol
syllable ending in ing the
Words ending ;
:
singing, singin.
P as haps
u in pull
;
paint, painty
fect part., as
"
walk, walky
;
j, jallow.
to the infinitive, as dig, ;
diggy
and put an a before the imper-
goin' a diggin'."
Be commonly takes the place of are, and be not is corrupted into b'aint ; and when preceded by the verb the pronoun you is almost invariably changed into to Mittin, are 'ee
son
is
applied to
" 1
all
'ee,
as "
Where males,
are
Whur
be
'ee jailin,
my son? Goin' my son ? (my
walking so fast,
you and even occasionally
to females.)
Going
you? (A Mittin or a Mittin-house is a Noncon" You b'aint a formist, generally a Wesleyan, Chapel.) goin' to do to Meeting, are
" et,
sfire-ly?"
Ess-fye
" up your churs 1
!
I be." (Yes, I am.)
"Hav"ee most
(Have you most finished your housework
?)
catched "
Did
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
Xll
knaw sich a you ever know such ever
'ee
g'eat
maazed antic in
mad
a
fool
&c.
?)
"
all I'll
" your born days 1 (Did gi' 'ee a click under the
y-ear." (I'll give you a box on the ears.) Verbs and pronouns are often used in the second person singular instead of the second person plural, as " Coom thee wayst in, thee g'eat chucklehead, or I'll gi' 'ee a scat
the wrong side
'ee grizzle
but gammut.
(Come
in,
o' th'
on the chacks that
moueth.
you great
Thee thinkst
'ull
o'
stupid, or I will give
maake
nawthing you a slap
make you laugh the other side of your mouth. think of nothing but play.) "Beest 'ee goin' to painty to-day,
in the face that shall
You Jan
"
(Are you going to paint to-day, John
1
Him
T)
as " I don't think
much of "n." " "a CPeat takes the place of great, as bufflehead (a great g'eat and
fool); bra
1
it
are contracted into
of brave,
"a
'n,
bra' fine
'
very fine day). "And preceding one to the latter
day"
between two adjectives applies the
(a
and wicked,' bravely or very wicked, although brave alone The article a is put J. W.
bra"
would be a term of commendation."
" a bellers " "a before plural nouns, as trousers," (bellows).
The finish
" I must is very commonly used after verbs, as " " I must do work," up my odds and ends ; and where " Take take two in would be as
preposition
up
my
up
in other places
up
used,
loaves for to-morrow."
(not
Sometimes a superfluous verb
is
in)
"I added, as
looked to see."
The Cornish more, says
Tom
are fond of doubling their negatives,
" Never no
Collins."
"
When And
he died, he shut his eyes, never saw money no more."
Old Nursery Rhyme. " " I don't knaw, ant I (I don't to a question
is,
" Not as I
know, not
knaw
I)
" by," or
;
and a favourite answer
Not
as I
know,"
all pro-
nounced quickly as one word, "Notsino." Couldst, wouldst, and " How cu'st shouldst are contracted into cu'st, wu'st, and shu'st ; as such a big fool?" "Thou shu'snt tell such lies;" (thee) be " " Wu'st 'ee But to multiply examples would take too (thee) do et 1 much space for an introduction, and to those especially interested in
'ee
this
branch of the subject, I would recommend the works of the
INTRODUCTION. late Tregellas, Bottrell's first
Cornwall,
Xlll
Traditions and Hearth-side Stories of West
and second
series;
and a
little
work by "Uncle Jan
Trenoodle" (Sandys), which contains amongst other things a lection of poems in the Cornish dialect by Davies Gilbert.
Like
3.
col-
other Celts, the Cornish are an imaginative and
all
and pithy proverbs. " so drunk that he couldn't see a hole " in a nine-rung ladder ; of a piece of beef " as salt as Lot's wife's elbow." woman a few days since in describing the " Bal gals," poetical people, given to quaint sayings, similes,
I have heard of a
man
being
A
"
"
and another that some " was as hardened as Pharoah." You may be often greeted on boy " welcome as flowers in May." A You are as entering a house with,
said,
they were
all
as sweet as
blossom
;
servant when she adds a little hot to cold water, will speak of it as " he's " labourer will tell you that taking the edge off the cold."
A
sweating like a fuz' bush (a furze bush) on a dewy morning." Any one who has seen such a thing will recognize the force of the simile.
Once
I
End
asked an old Land's
guide what
made
all
those earth-
which we were passing ? His reply was, " " What rich never have in your house, a want (a mole). you people Few proverbs express more in a few words than the following
heaps in a field through
:
" Those that have marbles may play ; but those that have none must " Tis well " You've look on." that wild cows have short horns." " no more use for it than a toad for a side pocket." All play and no play, like Boscastle Market,
which begins
at twelve o'clock
and ends
at noon."
A
great
many
worthies, such as
:
of the sayings relate to long-since-forgotten " But " Oh says Parson Lasky." my blessed !
parliament, says Molly Franky." " Like
Nicholas
wedding."
A
Kemp, you've
side, like
Smoothy's
occasion for all."
"
Kate Mullet, and she was hanged for a fool." few may be interesting from an antiquarian point of view
knowing "
"All on one
To be presented
wrought Trojan."
As
as
in
Court."
"
Down
:
well
Halgaver Kingston worth London town dear bought." " Working like a " As " As " As deep as Garrick." bright as Dalmanazar."
is
ancient as the floods of Dava."
an explanation.
Of
the two last I have never heard
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
XIV
its own particular saint to which the church is " There are more saints in Cornwall than there are in
Each parish has dedicated.
The
heaven."
dedication
to
Monday
saints' feasts are
held on the nearest Sunday and
The
Sunday and Monday.
day, Feasten
inhabitants of every parish have a distinguishing nickname.
One
curious custom
woman
is
nearly obsolete, that of speaking of
a
"Kitty Ben Eoscrow," "Mary Peter Penrose," instead of Kitty, Be a Roscrow's wife, &c. 4. Cornish proper names of men and places have the accent married
on the second
as
syllable, as Borla'se,
Boli'tho, Trela'wney, Carne'gie,
In true Cornish compound
Pendre'a, Polme'nnor (Poleme'nnor).
names the noun house),
is
house,
che,
put before the adjective, as Chegwidden (white gwidden, white ; Vounderveor (great road),
vounder, road, veor, great (through ignorance
When
veor Lane). guishing one
is
last,
church
valley, eglos,
;
word
now
called
Vounder-
formed of two nouns, the distinas Nanceglos (church valley), nanc (c soft),
the
is
Crowz-an-wra (a road-side
cross), crowz, cross,
wra, road ; Peninnis (island head), pen, a head, innis, an island ; Egloshayle (river church), eglos, a church, hayle, a river (now PenThese rules hold good even when innis Head, Egloshayle Church). the words are half Cornish, half English, as Street-an-Nowan (the
new
street, of
(little
some
antiquity), Caini
castle), Castle au Dinas
Du
(black cairn), Castle
*
(a reduplication),
Vean
Chapel Ury, Chapel
St. Clare. 5.
When
asked some years since by the English Dialect West Cornwall Glossary, wishing to make it as
Society to write a
complete as possible, I consulted all the published works on the subject which were in the Penzance Library, and added to my list the words in
them unknown
the beginning of this century,
Had
few.
Those that
to me.
authority of Polwhele alone are, I
I been aware that I
now was
am
afraid,
I
have given on the
common
although
quite forgotten except to
in
by a very
have been associated with Mr.
Couch, I should have taken no examples from his works but I have all familiar to Mr. Westlake, Q.C. ;
retained them, as they were nearly (J. 1
W.), "
to
whom
Some make
castle
I
a
now
take this opportunity of tendering
fortification of stone, dinas of earth."
my
Baimister.
XV
INTRODUCTION.
and hearty thanks for his very valuable services, ungrudgingly he given, having kindly gone over the entire MS. with me. I must also thank Mr. H. E. Cornish (H. E. C.), who has done the same by sincere
the proof-sheets, and Mr.
Thomas Cornish
(T. C. ),
who
placed
all his
Those signed W. JS". I had from Mr. Wni. Noye, and Davy, Zennor through Mr. Westlake. Garlands are from a list by the late Mr. Garland in the Journal of the Eoyal Cornish words at
my
Inst. Cornwall.
I have, too, incorporated in this glossary a
disposal.
list
of
words collected by the Eev. Flavell Cook (F. C.) when at Liskeard, and kindly sent me through the Eev. W. W. Skeat ; and some from
by Bernard Victor (B. V.) and (W. F. P.), of Mousehole and by F. W. P. M.B., Plymouth. To all these gentlemen my thanks are due.
those published in the Cornishman
Wm. Jago,
Fred. Pentreath
;
MARGARET A. COURTNEY. Alverton House, Penzance,
January, 1880.
A GLOSSARY OF WORDS IN USE IN
WEST CORNWALL v. to dislike always used " I caan't abear with a negative.
Abear,
:
what I caan't
abide."
After - elapses,
(accrochet), a kind of cap or small article leap-frog. is placed on the back of the stooping person by each boy as
Accroshay
A
he jumps over him the one who knocks either of the things off has to take the place of the stooper. The first time he jumps over the boy says Accroshay, the ;
second Ashotay, the third Assheflay, and lastly Lament, lament Leleeman's (or Lelena's) war.
Acres, phr. in his acres; in his glory.
Addle-pool, a cesspool.
Ad
rabbet, inter, bother.
Adventurer, one who takes shares in a mine.
" I'm Afeard, p. p. as adj. afraid. afeard of my life to go upstairs arter dark."
Afore, adv. before.
"He
took
afore I were down." He corrected me before I had made
me up
a mistake. After, Arthur.
"I'm coom
for
who works
the dennar for After, at old Dolcoath." after
-
thoughts
;
"I caan't superfluous finery. manage the after-clapses." Something happening after the cause is supposed to have been removed. H. E. C.
After-winding, waste corn. Agait, adj. very attentive; earnest.
Agar,
adj. ugly.
Davy, Zennor.
Aglet, Aglon, Awglon, Orglon, the berry of the hawthorn. Ailer, a receiver of stolen goods. " The ailer is as bad as the stailer." (He who aids and abets the thief by standing within hail as sentry. H. E. 0.) Heller, Lostwithiel. J. W.
Aipernt, an apron. " A slut never wants a clout Whilst her aipernt holds out."
Airy -mouse, a bat, M. A. C. Airy-Mouse, H. E. C. HairyMouse, J. W. Aitch-piece, the catch or tongue of a buckle.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Ake, a groove in a stone used for an anchor (peculiar to Cornwall), to receive a rope or iron band to prevent it from slipping. Mousehole fishermen.
E. P., through
W. Noye. Video Alaire, a short time ago. says this is in common use; I query it. M. A. C. Allee-couchee, phr. to go to bed.
Almond
nuts.
nuts,
almonds.
Anan ? Nan ? you say ?
"
inter.
What
did
"
Anatomy, Atomy, a thin Also Anatomis. H. E.
person. C.
Aneest, Aneist, prep. near. caan't bear
!
Arear
!
Areah
!
an
inter-
jection of surprise. Arrea-faa. B. Victor and W. V. Pentreath.
Mousehole.
Ardar, a plough.
Ardur, a ploughman.
Aketha, quotha.
Ammenuts,
Araa
him
come
to
"I aneiat
me."
v.
Argee, Argeefy, " He's
all' ays
to
argjue.
ready to orgee"
(
Penzance,
Dec., 1879.
See Loustre, v. to work hard. Leustre. " He that caan't leustre " or He that caan't mustloustre,"
planny must work.'
'
Loustring man, a strong man, able to do a hard day's work.
Love entangle, "the
nigella or fennel-flower." Halliwell, Pol" Love - in whele. tangle," J.
W.
Lubbercock,
a
Lubberleet,
turkey-cock. " Lubber, lubber-leef,
Look
"
at
your dirty feet Said by boys in a harsh voice !
D
2
,
to
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
35
turkeys to vex them. as a hibbercock" Lad. " Sent all of a
"As red
lud," struck
a heap. W. N. the "beach-worm, used for Lug, bait.
Making-wise, v. to make belief. Malkin, a cloth nailed to a stick used to clean out ovens
;
a dirty
;
person.
"
a click tinder the lug" a box in the ear. Lug-sand, the fine sand close to the water' s edge in Mount's Bay. Lugg, the undergrowth of weeds ears.
Lugs,
I'll
gi' 'ee
in a field of corn. " If
Lumping-eel, Sudles-eel, a fish. A lamprey of the family called Petromyzidic (query)." H. R. C. ' '
adj. all of a heap. Lumpous, " She sat down lumpous." Lurker, a "boat in which the
master seiner
sits to
give instruc-
tions.
Lurk, Lurgy, idleness; laziness. "The fever of lurk, two stomachs " to eat, and neither one to work ; or the fever of lurgy.
Lutter- pooch, Litter -pooch,
a
slovenly person.
"As
stiff
as
a
'
a drink
made
of gin
treacle.
"
The weather was
so
catching that I could not put my sheaves of corn either into shocks or arish-mows ; but made them These are built into mairs." longitudinally, about 18ffc. in
length by
12ft. deep.
through H. B,
Make-home,
v.
people
"Manchun
bread."
Market-jew, Marazion. A corruption of the old name, Maia Thursday's market raiew (Carew). Norden spells it Marcajewe, and gives it the same " In his own meaning. light, like the Mayor of Marketjew" " Capital inhabitants," the corporate electors of Marazion. Through J. M. Cornish, Penzance.
Market -jew turmut,
a
large
white turnip grown in Marazion, or Yellow Dutch. a number. "
Mashes,
great Aye, a caled the poor doctor a mashes of names." Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
Maun, Maund, a large coarselymade hamper used for sending potatoes, &c., to market. a piece of bread and butter.
A sugary maw,"
bread, butter,
and sugar. (Morsel, pron. Mawsel. ) " That's Maxim, a whim. idea. old Ann's work; she's full of her maxims." ;
Madgiowler, a large moth. Maggety-pie (y's hard), a magpie.
Mahogany,
;
mon
Maw, "
Mabyer, a young hen that has never laid. mabyerC
Manchet, a small loaf of bread, not baked in a tin, in shape like a large bun called by the com-
;
like it v. you don't " Swallow you must "lump it."
Lump,
.
" He's
a make-belief.
only a make-write."
all of
and Mair.
Make wise,
St.
Levan,
C.
to shut.
Itome the door."
" Make-
May, the young
shoots of the
sycamore. May-bee, a cockchafer.
May-bird, the whimbrel. Couch. (pron. maygum), an odd, foolish action also a person who so acts. " Don't make mock of a maygame; you may be struck
May-game
;
comical yourself one day."
May-horn, a large tin horn blown by boys on May-day. Sometimes as early as five in the morning,
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. parties of boys, five or six in a party, will assemble under your
windows, blowing tin horns and conch shells, and begging for money. With the money collected they go into the country and have bread-and-cream jun-
An
additional ring of ket, &c. tin is added to the bottom of the
horns every year. Mazed-antic, Mazegerry, Mazegerry-pattick (pron. maazed), a wild, foolish, frolicsome fellow. Mazzard, a small black cherry.
Meanolas, a kind of stove. It was a square box filled with stones and clay, used by fisher-
:
men
in their boats, before the invention of stoves, as a fire-
place their hole.
on which they dressed meat. W. F. P., MouseM6nolas, H. E. 0.
Meat
mait),
to
v.
feed.
(pron. " Meat is " Mait the pigs." in Cornwall in its still used general sense, and not for ani-
mal food only." Meat-earth,
Meaty, maity
J.
W.
adj.
fleshy.
as a
common
a term of en; dearment. " She' s fayther' s little
meryon"
(pron. mer-yon).
Merry-dancers,
the
Aurora
Borealis.
Merrysole French
merisol), a
(pron.
sole.
p. "scattered by Sennen, T. C. Midget, a very small bit; a scrap. Midgetty-morrows, the fidgets.
Mewed,
p.
fright."
Midgetty-por, a great confusion. What a midgetty-por you have around you.' Miggalconpore, ' '
'
H. E. C. Midjans, " The
small
cup
is
bits ; shreds. skat (broken) to
midjans."
Milchy
-
bread,
bread,
moist,
made from milchy
sticky corn.
-
Milchy-corn, corn that has germinated.
Milpreve, a coralline ball worn
charm against
adders.
Mimsey, the minnow.
Polwhele,
Minch, Minchy, v. to play the truant. Meech, Polwhele. Mincher, one who plays the
Halliwell, Couch. stone.
Meryon, an ant
" She's a
little pig."
Meayer, a measure. Meeder, a mower.
Men, a
Merle, a link of a chain.
as a
soil.
37
truant.
Men
not used noun, but only in is
proper names. Men-an-tol, a stone with a round hole in it. Called by the country " crick-stone," because it people is supposed to have the power of healing those who would crawl
" Maen tol, or the through it. stone with a hole, on Anguidal Downs in Madern, famous for
curing pains in the back, by going through the hole, three, Borlase's five, or nine times." "Antiquities," p. 178. Men-skryfa, an inscribed stone. Sometimes spelt " en scry/a."
M
Misment, a mistake. misment on
" 'Twas a
my part."
Miz-maze, Mizzy-maze, a bewilderment. " I'm all o' a mizzy-
maze"
Mock, a
large block.
A
piece of Christmas mock is in some parts saved to light the next year's. See Chrestmasthis year' s
stock.
Mock, the cheese
or compound of apples and reeds in the wring or cider press. Polwhele.
Mocket, a bib attached to an apron to keep the front of the dress clean.
38
CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
TVEST
Mood, the fungus produced on J. W. liquor by fermentation. "
A sweetbread.
the ears inside." (Pedrack
Mow.)
Davy, Zennor.
' '
has been
(pron. mo-ey), an enclosure of ricks of corn or hay. " Out in the mo-ey close."
Moor, Maur, the root of a plant "Nack't the mabyers or tree. (little hens) both stiff wi' a great
A hybrid beMoyle, a mule. tween a stallion and an ass." T. " As stubborn as a Q. Couch, moyle." Moyle is a surname in
Vegetable sap.
Mowhay
Couch.
Moonshine,
spirit that
"
smuggled.
maur Jan
of fuz" Trenoodle.
(furse).
Uncle
Moorstone, granite.
Money-penny, the small white cowrie.
needy, hide and seek
(mope and hide). "Every fit and turn, mopping about together. Mopping going together in company; spoken of a young man and woman supposed to be courting." Towed-
=
nack, T. C.
Moral, a resemblance ; a likeness. The very moral of his fayther.' Morrabs, Morraps, land near the sea. Now used as a proper noun. '
' '
Mort, hog's lard. Mort, a plenty ; a great number.
A mort of
people." v. to digest;
Mort, Morty, turn to
entrails,
to
v. to work hard make dough.
to
silent,
root.
Moth, moss. F. C. Mouth-speech, speech.
" Hav'
your mouth-speech ?" Mow, Brummal, a round mow, enlarging in diameter from the base up to a certain height, from which it again contracts to the 'ee lost
apex. All the sheaves are placed with the ears inward in the lower, and outward in the upper, part.
(Brummal Mow.)
Mow, Pedrack, preserving
the
a round mow same diameter
throughout until it begins to contract at the apex, having all
knead
stupid person.
mumchance, to
;
J.
W.
tent
in
sit silent."
the
which strolling players perform. The performers are never spoken of as actors, but play-actors.
Mun,
decaying manure.
fish
used
for
Mundic, iron pyrites sometimes cut, polished, and sold for ornaments under the name of " Mar;
casite." v. to chew Munge, " Munge your dough
fat.
to
;
Muller, a stone formerly used for reducing tin ore to powder. Mumchance (pron. chaence), a " To sit
;
Mot, the
of
and
parsley,
Mule,
Mumming -booth,
Mor, Murre, a guillemot.
"
sheep's
cream.
Scilly.
Mop and
Cornwall.
Muggets, sheep's entrails. Muggety-pie, a pie made
to knead. well."
" He did not he munged me upon my side with his knee when I was on the ground." Penzance,
Munged (g strike me
soft).
;
T. C.
horse-collar made of twisted straw. Polwhele.
Munger, a
"a mouse, mice ; a dormouse, dormice." (Qu. mures Lat.) I heard a woman in Meneg say of two children asleep, "They are sleeping like two little mwra."
Mur, Murs,
Polwhele.
"
He Mured, p. p. squeezed. mured me up agen the wall."
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. " I war Murely, adv. almost. murely ready to daunce where I stood." Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
Murfled. freckled. Murfles, freckles.
afterwards made into a miniature sheaf, gaily decorated with ribbons and flowers; carried home in triumph, and hung up to a beam in the kitchen, where it is left until the next harvest. T.
Murgy, a
dog-fish.
Murrick, a sloven.
E.
I.
39
Q,.
Couch, Polperro,
p.
159,
gives rather a different account of this custom, and says that the neck is given on Christmas Eve to the master bullock in the
C.
Musicianer, a musician. a mule. "The hybrid between the male ass and mare." Couch. See Moyle.
Mute,
stall.
Neck
of the foot, phr. the instep.
Neflin, cross; glum; sulking. Mutting, " Don't sit mutting there."
Newfoundland
cod.
Nepperkin, the eighth part of a pint.
My-ivers, My-lverinos, interjection of surprise.
Nackan,
Nacker,
Nacker,
Nackin,
wheatear.
T.
Q.
Nagging-pain, a dull pain. Nag-ridden, troubled with the nightmare. Nail-spring, a hang-nail.
a caterpillar. ;
" applied to meat when composed of fat and lean." Couch. entrails.
adj. stingy.
!
!
say "What hav' 'ee? hav' 'ee? What hav' He answers, " A neck neck " !
What 'eeP"
A neck!
They then all hurrah loudly three times. The neck is !
A
ha'
pord
" I've
Nickers, Nuggies, gnomes ; mine fairies heard working before ;
Nickly-thize, the harvest-home Scilly Isles.
Nicky-nan-night (Hall Monday). " On the day termed Hall Monday,' which precedes Shrove Tuesday, about the dusk of the evening, it is the custom for boys, and in some cases for those '
Neck, the last sheaf of corn, which is cut by the oldest reaper. He calls out " I have et I have et I have et " The others
A
"
Nicked, p. p. deceived. nicked him."
supper.
turnip.
!
in the fire."
the miners.
Natlings, the small
Neary,
it
of nicey.'
debilitated adj. pale ; susceptible of cold.
Neap, a
Nibbles, nebulous clouds. Nice chance, phr. near chance. " 'Twas a nice chance I didn't
Nicey, sweetmeats.
Nash,
fairly T. Q.
The Barley Mow.
Nestle-bird, nestling ; the smallest bird of a brood; a pet. "The youngest of a family left at home, when the others have gone into the world." J. W.
throw
Nale, Nawl, an awl.
Natey,
Mow."
a
Couch.
Nanny- viper,
out of the
it
nepperkin, boys. Here's health to the Barley
pocket handkerchief.
the
"We'll drink
above the age of boys, to prowl about the streets with short clubs,
and
to
knock loudly at
off to escape detection on the slightest sign of
every door, running
40
CORNWALL GLOSSARY;
\VEST
a motion within.
If,
no attention be especially if any
however,
and
excited,
article be discovered negligently exposed or carelessly guarded, then the things are carried away, and on the following morning are seen displayed in some conspicuous place, to expose the disgraceful want of vigilance supposed to The characterise the owner. time when this is practised is called Nicky-nan-night,' and the individuals concerned are '
supposed to represent some imps of darkness, that seize on, and
moments."
unguarded
expose
" Nauns : for the nones." didn't do it for the nauns,'
up '
He
that is on purpose." (Camborne), T. C.
Notino, Notsino, no ; emphatic denial not that I know, or not as I know. ;
Nowle, a pig's bead. Nuddick, tbe neck.
Niddick,
T. Q., Couch,
Null, a dry crust. " He's a Nurly. nurly fellow to deal with,"
i. e.
T. C.
sulky.
Nuthall, the hazel.
Couch
(Polperro), p. 151, Royal Institution of Cornwall, 1842.
a
;
Niffed, />. p. vexed.
" She's gone
tiff.
away niffed" Night -nobby, a commode;
a
night-stool.
gill,
Noggin-wall, rough stone.
the fourth part
a
wall
built
of
" a block-
Garland.
" I said there Noise, a scolding. would be a bitter (great) noise when Missus know'd you'd brok un" (broken it). Nool,
v.
to
thump
;
Nooling, a beating. to nuzzle or nestle, as a child to its mother's v.
" Thof (though) I've bin ever sense I noozled the nepple."
bosom.
Jan
Trenoodle.
No
quarterings, no halfings, no pick-a-daniels, a term used by boys when they find anything.
Nones, Nonce, Nines, on purpose;
"He
ought.
oft
to
et."
caves Polwhele.
Ogos,
Old,
must.
"The
the
along
shore.
"It
clothes
tastes of
old."
smell
old"
of
(musty).
for the occasion.
old-fashioned person or child. "What an old hunderd she es." Query, as solemn as the old 100th Psalm. Ollick, the bouse leek. Ool, wool.
(very
to beat.
Noozled the nepple,
Uncle
do
Old hunderd, Little hunderd, an
Noggle-head, Noggy, head."
v.
Oft,
Oiler, a waterproof mackintosh.
Nimpingale, a whitlow.
Noggin, a of a pint.
Oak-web, a May-bee; the cockchafer.
Niff, a slight quarrel
"He
on the gove me a scat (slap) chaks for the nonce." " Dressed
"As plum
as 'ool"
soft).
Oost, a disease of cattle caused worms in the windpipe.
by
Ope, a narrow c'overed passage between two houses an opening. ;
Oreweed, sea-weed. Organ, Orgal, penny royaL " The Orrel, a porch or balcony. ground-apartment of a fisherman's house is often a fish cellar, and the first floor serves him for kitchen and parlour. The latter is reached by a flight of stone
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. steps ending in
an orrel or porch."
Couch. property.
Outlander, a foreigner. Out- window (pron. wender), bay or how window.
"What
stretched. .
notions you have." Overgone, p. p. as
a
overfanqed v ij over-
adj.
bewitched.
the
eaves
" Oves."
of
a
house.
to
;
breathe
an agricultural
instru-
" Frenchmen with their wooden shoes snails
and padgety poos." Jan Trenoodle. :
Uncle
Padgypow, an
eft
(proper noun).
"He's a pasker" a clumsy workman. Ludgvan,
Pass, a slap ; a beating. Pass. " Quietus, they'll give him his pass some night or other." J., Royal Institution of Cornwall.
Passle (parcel), a great number. " A bra' of passle
people."
Pasty,
a small, sharp piece of iron with a long handle for cutting out the roots of weeds. Padgetypoo, a frog ; a tadpole.
Eating
field
Pasher.
a meat and potatoe or fruit turnover.
Couch.
;
;
a lizard
;
the
newt. Pair, a set of miners that work together in a gang. Pair of movies (mules), usually about thirty, for carrying tin. halfailing; cured; patched: applied to inva" lids. poor palched creature.
Palched,
pant
T. C.
powered; faint. F. C. Overlook, to bewitch ; overlooked ;
ment
to
PansMon, a milk-pan. Pare, a
Overfanged, p. p. as adj. strained ;
Paddle,
v.
hard.
Ounce, the sixteenth part of any
Ovvis,
Pank,
41
always
A
' '
Pallace, a cellar for the bulking of pilchards usually a square building with a pent house roof, enclosing an open area or court. Couch. :
Palsh, palsied. Towednack, T. C. Palshallals, the diarrhoea. Paine, the palm of the hand. Pan-crock, an earthen pan. Pane, a parsnip.
Pane-seed, parsnip-seed.
Patch-hook, a bill-hook. Pattick, a merry fellow
;
a fool.
Pattick, Paddick, a small pitcher.
Paul's
pitcher-day,
St.
Paul's
Eve (January 24th); a miner's holyday. They set up a waterpitcher, which they pelt with stones until it is broken to pieces.
They then buy a new one which they carry to a beer-shop and fill, and empty it until they get drunk. In Ilfracombe the boys fill a pitcher with filth, and going about the streets throw it slily into people's houses. a forfeit. " Here's & paten,
Pawn,
and a very pretty pawn, and what shall the owner of this paivn do
?
"
Payse, Peize,
v.
to weigh.
Paysen, Peizen, weights. Payser, Peizer, a man weighs tin. Pea, the hard roe of a fish.
Peach,
who
chlorite.
Peach away,
v.
to coax or entice
away.
Peecher, ment."
" a bait B. V.
;
an
allure-
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. " He's smart. adj. fellow." peart Peasen, the plural of peas.
a
Peart,
full of quaint ; " He's a peathy man." sayings. "Peathy old fellow with plenty
Peathy,
adj. witty
of gumption." Pedalincan, the great cuttle-fish. SciUy Isles, through H. E. C.
Phrase.
Pick-up, fish and potatoes mashed together and fried.
Picrous-day, the miner's great holyday, supposed to be in
honour of Picrous, the discoverer of tin.
" " Your hands are like pie
Pie.
(pron. padilincan).
"
I shall soon learn the " phrases of the house (the habits of the family). Polwhele.
(very warm).
Pednameny, game played with pins also called Pinny-Ninny. Pedna -a- mean, heads - and B. V. tails, a game of pins."
peacen), v. patch ; to put in a piece. Piff, a slight quarrel ; a tiff.
Pednan, small pieces of Davy, Zennor.
turf.
Piggal, a pick-axe ; a large hoe used for cutting turf.
Spoken
Piggy-dog, a dog-fish. Piggy-whidden, the smallest or
a
:
' '
Pednbokshrlostwithel.
by fishermen peculiar model to
mean
' '
cod's
W.
tail."
in describing the of a boat is said :
head and conger's
P. P.
B. V.
Pedn-borbas, cod's head. Pedn-paly, the Peel, a pillow.
Peendy,
blue-tit.
Polwhele.
meat.
man, applied
to
a cunning supposed
in
cases of bewitching. Pellas, Pillus, oats
husks.
without
"I hove down some
amongst 'em to eat." corn, Avoid Nuda.
pellas
Pellowe-bere,
Pil-
Pillow-bere,
a
"I were
pillow-case. glad to put ma head 'pon the pellowebere." Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
Pend,
v.
to
shut
T.
in.
^
(pron.
to
youngest pig, sometimes applied to the youngest child. " piggy-whidden (a white pig). ' '
"
Piggy - whidden - pie.
My
Some
would die, and some did die, and of these we made piggy-
adj. tainted, applied to
Peeth, a welL Pellar, a conjuror;
Piecen
Q.
Couch.
whidden-pie."
See Crowe. Pig's-crowe. Pilcher, a pilchard. "Money without love is like salt without pitchers." Killed as dead as a salt ' '
"Like crame (cream) pilcher." upon pilchers," or pilchards. pile of wrangle,"
deeply involved in the dispute. Polwhele. " used Filer. farm
A
i. e.
implement
to pound, or cut the beards from barley in winnowing." B. V. Pilf, light grass and roots together to be burnt.
Pilf,
Pendle, a pendulum. Penique, adj. firm ; precise ; neat. " She's a little thing." " You are penique looking quite penique."
"In a
deeply involved.
Pile,
raked
Film, Pillem, light dust or
fluff.
West Cornwall.
"In
the
east of Cornwall applied to dried
mud."
Polwhele.
Fillers, places
on the downs
in-
their smoothness terrupting tufts of long grass, rushes, &c., forming covers for hares. ;
Perjinkety, offence.
adj.
apt
to
take
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
43
fellow.
the injun, left ma boondle on the planchen" (called out of a rail-
Pimpy, the after cider, made "by throwing water on the almost exhausted mass of alternate apple and straw (beverage).
Plashet, a moist place where a stream rises ; a quagmire.
Piljack, a poor, mean Piliack, Davy, Zemior. Pill, a pool ; a creek.
way
carriage to the guard).
Plat -footed,
Pin, the hip. Pin-bone, the hip-bone.
Plethan,
Pindy, mouldy. J. W. Pinnick, the wryneck.
Ploffy,
drunk as a Piraner." a.
pisky"
Laugh-
See-saw,
Margery Daw, sold her bed and lay upon straw. Sold her bed and lay on hay, Pisky came and took her away." Pisky-led, one who has lost his way, and is supposed to be bewitched. The remedy is to sit down and turn your stockings. "Pisky-led, often whiskey-led."
Pisky-stool, a mushroom. Pitch, the working of a piece of a mine, sold by public auction to two or four workmen every
two months. is let
"
pitch
The whole mine
"A
out in pitches. is a good bargain.
Pitched, p.p.
good
taking root after
"The turmats transplanting. "Also (turnips) are pitched." fruit set after the flower is gone is
said to be pitched (the meanall these cases is set)."
ing in J.
W.
Pitch-to,
v.
braid; to plait.
to set to work.
!
"A
plump. "
fat;
(hen).
Plosh, a puddle. Plosher, a half-grown bream.
Plough, a wheel-carriage drawn by oxen. Fluff, fur. soft
adj.
out
;
of con-
dition, applied to feathers, &c., sometimes to a spongy turnip.
Plum,
adj.
foolish. is
as
soft
stupid " This tye (feather-bed) ;
as
plum
light
;
;
'ool
(wool)."
" He's Pretty plum weather." as plum as boften dough." To "
fall plum mud.
to fall soft, as in
is
" 'Twill
Plum, Plim, v. to swell. plum in boiling." Plum-cake, a light cake.
Plum-dough, well
Plumming,
risen dough.
dough
yeast, raising
with yeast. Plump, a pump; a well.
pump. Plumpy,
Poam,
v.
v.
with the
to churn.
to
pummel;
v.
to
Halliwell.
knock
to
fist.
Foaming, a pummelling. Pocks, shoves or pushes.
Jan
Planchen, a board; a wooden floor. "Thrawed his hat on the planchen, and died kickey " " rather. Tendar tendar stop !
adj.
Fluffy,
" "
to
v.
pl/y young mabyer
;
ing like
adj.
Polwhele.
Pinnikin, weakly puny. Piran-day, the fifth of March; a tinner's holyday. St. Piran is the patron saint of tinners, popularly supposed to have died drunk; the proverb says, "As
Pisky, Pixie, a fairy.
Splat -footed,
splay-footed.
Uncle
Trenoodle.
Peddling, adj. meddling " She fered.
;
inter-
goes poddling."
Podging, part, as adj. poking about. "Podging about the
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY".
44 "In
house."
this thing,
podging in that." Pod^y, short and stout.
and
"A
podgy man."
Poldavy, coarse, hempen
cloath.
Pollet, Polleck, a stick, crooked or knobbed at one end. W. F. P.
Pol-yn, a stick, B. V. Polrumptious, adj. restive; obstreperous.
Poltate, Tatie, a potatoe. Pomster, v. to cure a sick person " For there's docby quackery. tors as pomsters all sorts of disUncle
eases."
Jan a
Pooch-mouth,
Trenoodle.
v.
as a portmantle Porvan, a rush-wick for a lamp. Posh, a heaviness on the chest from mucus, occasioning a loose
cough.
Polwhele.
Poss (plural posses), a gate-post. "Water will wear away stonen
Possed up, p. p. posted up ; " With pushed up placed up. a make- wise faace, passed on top of his awn." Uncle Jan Tre;
Pots, the entrails.
wooden
boxes without and with moveable sides, formerly used to carry dung on
Pots,
make mouths.
to
" Did
hear tell of sich a thing " ?
'ee see or
noodle.
protruding
mouth.
Poochy,
Porth, a cove.
Portmantle, a portm anteau.
covers,
Pook, hay-cock.
horses' backs to the fields.
"It's gone poor" Poor, bad. turned sour (as beer).
Pot-water, water for common not drinking household use
Poor-money, bad money.
:
water.
Poor-tempered, ill-tempered. Poot, a push with the feet. Poot,
and
v. to
" push.
flopt so, I
Pound, a cider mill where cider is made.
To be pooted
wesh I was
dead."
" This young fellow caught him
by the hair of his head and gauve him a bit of a shake, and gauve him a poot or two with his foot, but as to kicking him, he Towednack, T. 0.
didn't."
Powdered,
flower of the fox-glove. a sea-bird. ;
"
Powers, a great number.
Maade
with powers of
of pasty-board,
beads and looking-glass."
Jan
Uncle
Trenoodle.
pan
to a dog's
tail.
"
A preedy piece of
shall not
Popple, Popple-stone, a pebble.
"A
slightly salted.
Preedy, adj. forward
Pope, a puffin
the place
powdered cod."
Prall, v. to tie a tin
Pop-dock, Pop-glove, Poppy, the
;
;
conceited.
goods."
"I
make myself preedy"
Popple-stone pavement, a pebblestone pavement.
Eedruth, T. C. Preedy, adv. with ease. does it bra' and preedy."
Popples, poplar trees. " What a Por, a bustle or fuss. in." por you're Porf, a pool of stagnant water.
Preventive-station, a coastguard
Portens,
a
' '
appurtenance. portens"
term Sheepshead and
butcher's
;
"She
Preventive-man, a coastguard. station.
Prid-prad, a tomtit. Priden-prall, a blue-tit.
Pridy, handsome
;
good-looking
;
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. smart. "
pridy
"All prinked up
so
Uncle
Jan
(all dressed).
Trenoodle.
"a Prill, a small stone, as prill of tin." Masons speaking of a stone which does not at once
make mortar, but afterwards " a hot bursts out, call it prill." Prill, v. to mix. Prill, v. to turn sour (as beer).
Prilled, p. p. drunk. to
v.
Prinkt,
walk jauntily.
p. p.
" You're>mtAtf
dressed
finely.
up for the nones."
silver fork
Prong, a
;
also a hay-
fork.
Proper,
adj.
handsome
;
well-
" He's a proper man." Proud-flesh, fungus flesh around formed.
wounds
(exuberant
granula
-
tions).
Pru-it-Pru-it, a calling cows.
word used
in
' '
a person who continually goes to church to the neglect of
cloth.
W.
" shreds of cotton used Purvans, in wick-making for a 'chill.'" B. V. The purvana were rush wicks, the plaited rag wicks were called " boobas." H. E. C.
Pussivanting,
part, fussing; In the latter part meddling. of the seventeenth century the Poursuivants came into the county to search out all those entitled to bear arms hence the term. :
Put-going, adj. murdered.
Put-home,
home
Psalmasuntiug-person, a hypocrite
lookingboy." "Pure and stout." A pure lot of people." Purgy, a short, thick, stout person. "She's a regular little purgy." Purgy, a fat little boy. " One Purl, a guard or watch. need be always upon one's purl," i. e. one's watch. Polwhele.
Purvan, shreds of F. P. See Porvan.
Prill, v. to get drunk.
Prink,
'
45
v.
"Put shut. To see a per-
to
the door."
' '
son safely home.
" you home ?
Shall I put
;
other duties.
Quab,
fist.
Pullan,
a pool of the rocks.
among
v.
sickly,
infirm
person.
Garland.
Pad, the
Pullcronack, a small
salt
fish
water
Quaff (pron.
found
Quaffed, p. p. used as adj. satisfied ; "I'm quai/ed." full.
in pools left by the sea (bullycods) ; the shanny small-fish. ;
Pul-rose, the wheel-pit. Bottrell. The pit in which the wheel of a water-mill revolves. T. Q. Couch. Pult, the pulse. " a small Punick, person ; a B. V. dwarf." "Punick, a small eater." W. F. P.
Punion, Punyon-end, the end of a house, not having any windows or doors the gable-end. ;
Pure, Pewer, adj. good-looking ; " He's a adv. very many. pure-
quaif), v. to puff up.
Sometimes called Quail,
v.
to wither
quatted. ;
p. p. as adj.
quailled.
"These flowers soon
quail"
"Your
flowers
are
quailled."
Quail-a-way, a stye on the eye. Qualk, a heavy fall.
Quarry, Quarrel, a square or diamond-shaped piece of glass sometimes applied to a sheet of :
paper.
Quarterer, Quaterman, a lodger.
Quarters (pron. quaarters), lodgings.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
46
Quat, ftuatty, v. to hide by stooping down, as boys behind a hedge, or a hare when pursued. "Peri-
Q, weans, scallops.
Queans,
winkles."
sharp
;
shrewd
;
cutting.
Quignogs," fancies.
"
quignoys. nogs."
foolish
J.
Ramcat,
W.
Randigal, a string of nonsense "
rhodomontade.
It's
;
a regular
randigal of lies."
Bottrell.
adj.
ftueedy,
teasy as a rams-cat."
notions
or
Get out with your " You're full of u q ig-
Randivoose, a noise ; a bustle. "What's all the randivoose? I can't hear myself speak." Ranter-go-round, an old-fashioned
game of cards played in divimarked with chalk upon a
sions,
Quilkin, a frog or a young toad.
Wilky. Lostwithiel. cold as a quilkin"
J.
W. "As
Now at a and called Miss Joan. " Here's a card, as you may see Here's another as good as he Here's the best of all the three And here's Miss Joan, come tickle me. Wee, wee."
bellows or tea-tray. table,
!
Quillet, three-leaved grass, clover.
!
;
Bottrell.
" I veeled v. to flutter. come a over my sich quiltering
Quilter,
heart."
" I'll give Quilting, a beating. as 'ee sich a quilting you never
had in your
life."
Rap and
rind, plir. got together F. 0. crook.
by hook or
" The broccolow
Rare,
adj. early. (brocoli) are bra'
and rare this year." go to bed pretty rare on Sundays." T. 0. Lelant.
"We
Rab, decomposed granite used for mending roads. More Rabbin, a robin. F. C. generally rudbrist; occasionally ruddock.
Race, a
go-cart.
"
to place in a row. raced along a shelf."
Race,
v.
Cups
an excavated tunnel. Briton, December 27th, 1877.
Radgell,
W.
Rash, adj. lettuce
wood
crisp
is
;
brittle.
very rash."
" This " The
is rash."
Rauning, Raunish,a^'. ravenous; "This is a rauning voracious. a
pollock, better."
whiting
pollock
is
Raw
cream, the cream that rises naturally to the top ; not scalded or clotted,
Raw-ream,
J.
W.
Rafe, a tear or rent in a garment. Rafe, v. to rend or tear.
Raw milk, milk that has not been
Raff, Raffle-fish, unsaleable fish divided amongst the fishermen. Rames. " Looking like the rames " said of a sickly perof death
Ream,
scalded. '
:
M. A. 0. Rames of a goose, the bony framework of a goose after most of the meat has been cut off. J. W.
ream
v. it
Reamer,
to
stretch.
"Don't
out of shape." a milk-skimmer (pron.
ramer).
son.
Rechat, Eichard. Reed, unbruised straw used for bedding horses.
Lostwithiel.
Reen, prop, notm, a steep hill-side. Reese, Reeze, grain is said to reeze when from ripeness it falls
" Rams-cat, a male cat. Every in is a he Cornwall but a thing "As ram s-cat, and that's a she. '
'
out of the ear.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. v. to separate by means of a sieve, seeds, small corn, &c. from, the good grain.
Reeve,
Remlet, a remnant. ,
.
the
Rabble-ra~,h,
rabble.
break in a roof made by a strong wind carrying away the slates or thatch. carried
v.
Riffled,
away by the
" The wind
wind.
riffled lots
housen
last night
(slates)
were flying about."
Rig, fun
frolic
;
v.
Ringle,
to
;
long.
of
the hellings
;
ring
to tinkle.
;
day
I heard something rinyle
floor."
revver), any small is called a river.
stream of water
Roach, a
rash.
Robin's alight, a game of forfeits played around the fire. A piece of stick is set on fire, and whirled around rapidly in the hand of first
player,
who
says,
" Robin's alight, and if he go out I will saddle your back." It is then passed to the next who says the same thing, and so on. The person who lets the spark die out has to pay a forfeit. " Jack's alive." Scilly. ' '
!
Rory-tory, adj. very gay tawdry. "I wouldn't wear such a g'eat rory-tory pattern." " Short rosin.
Rosum,
ofrosum,"
and likely to live my hand a pawn
Jack's alive If he die in I'll
;
give." J.
Rode, sense or
W.
wit.
Lostwithiel.
"
He
hasn't
v.
to gulp
down
to drink
;
Rousabout, a bustling woman. " She's a regular rousabout."
Rout-out, a Saturday-pie (spoken in jest).
"He's
Row, rough. Row, Rows, ore
coarse, undressed tin refuse from the stamping
;
Rodeless, adj. without sense or wit.
Rodeling, Rotling, part, talking ' '
She's bin rodeling
the night." " Roostcock, a domestic cock. red as a roostcock."
Row-cast, rough-cast (a compost of lime and pebbles plastered over the outside of houses). " Es feace v. made red.
Rudded, all
Jan
all
rudded and whited."
Uncle
Trenoodle.
"a partridge." Polwhele.
Rudge,
Rud locks,
the rood
Rully, Rull,
Bottrell.
loft.
to wheel
v.
;
to roll
along.
Rulls, rolls of carded wool.
Rumbelow. "AVith Halantow, Rumbelow" the burden of the Furry song. Rumbustious, adj. noisy troublesome. " They strutted about so ;
braave andrumbustious as lubbercocks
Jan
the rode to do it."
deliriously.
Roup,
mills.
River (pron.
the
is
Roving, p. p. raving. roving mad."
noise.
bells are ringling all ' '
on the
news that
short of cash.
Riffle, a
"The
anything told as not news. "That's " Roper's news hang the crier
Ropar's-news,
;
Resurrection- lay Easter Sunday Ribble-rash,
47
"
Uncle
(Turkey-cocks).
Trenoodle.
"A
rubbish. good riddance to bad rummage."
Rummage, Rummet,
dandriff.
Rumpin,
adj.
small
miserable.
;
F. C.
As
Rumpy, "
adj.
This cotton
coarse is
;
rumpy."
uneven.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
48 Runky,
adj.
wheezy; hoarse.
rennet.
Running, Rush, Bish, a list a number made at playing at ball, &c., for another to beat. "He's gone on ;
and potatoes hashed. B. Y. Scably-gulyun, W. F. P.
ground about sometimes does great
Seal, Scale, loose
a mine
it
;
injury by falling down and stopping the shaft of a mine.
another rush " (another course). To make a new rush, v. to turn over a new leaf.
Scald-cream (pron. scaal'd cream),
Rustring-comb, a dressing-comb. Rusty, adj. rancid. This bacon is
Scald-milk, skim-milk, milk from which the clotted cream has been
rusty.
taken.
Scalpions, salt dried fish; whiting.
Sabby, adj. soft; moist; rotten. "These taturs (potatoes) are brave and sabby."
Sammy Dawkin, a stupid person. "You are a regular Sammy Dawkin, can't scull a boat" (a Padstow proverb). Sam-oven, Zam-oven, a luke-
warm
clotted cream.
oven.
made of brandy,
and a little water. "Sampson with his hair on." The same kind of drink with cider, sugar,
double the quantity of
spirits.
Sam-sodden, Zam-sodden, halfcooked, whether by boiling or baking also bread not properly risen, baked in a half -heated ;
oven.
Sape, Sapey, a stupid person. Save-all, a large pinafore with long sleeves to keep children's
A regular
scaly old fellow."
to scam a shoe is to out of shape by wearing it wrongly. "I'll scat your Scat, a slap.
Scam,
v.
twist
it
chacks"
(face).
Scat, a long season. fine
Sampson, a drink
"
Scaly, adj. miserly.
salt
"
A scat
of
weather."
Scat, diarrhoea.
Scat, a game played by boys with a small flat board or paper knife. One player holds out his hand, which the other tries to strike before he can draw it away.
Scat,
to
v.
slap
to break
;
;
to
become bankrupt. "He let fall the cup and scat un to pieces." " He's a scat merchant." " The bal is scat." " Scat up and go home " (break up your meeting). " !
Scat her face."
dresses clean.
Savour, meat or relish.
"I
fish eaten as a
allus like a savour
In Penzance, on Midsummer-day, a fair is held on the quay the boatman take sea.
;
the country people out for a short row (a great number at one time) for a penny each they call it, pennord of say." ;
"A
Say-fencibles, old coast-guards.
Scabby-gullion, a stew
' '
open.
v.
meat
to
enlarge
;
to
The rose has scat abroad."
"They had
Seat-to, a fight.
for breakfast."
Say, the
Scat abroad,
a
little seat-to."
Scavel-an-gow, a pack of a great chatter ing.
"I
lies
;
a noise of scoldheard such a scavel;
an-gow."
Scavernick, a hare.
Polwhele.
Halliwell.
Scaw-COO, night shade. Scaw-dower, water elder.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Scawnse, Sconse, sense ' '
standing.
under-
;
He hasn't the sconse
to do it."
Scawsy-buds, elder flowers.
"Eub
the hive with scawsy buds."
an elder tree. Scethen, a piece of fish cut out F. W. P. Shetlien, for bait. B. V. " v. to scratch. Ah, F. scZwm-cat." W. old P., J., you M. B.
Sclow, Sclum,
over
v.
to scatter
sliding, partly
and
manure
See Coanse.
Seool, School, a shoal of fishes.
Scotch-dew (pron.
Scott's-doo),
a mist.
Scruf, v. to shrink to" I'm scrufftd gether; to crouch. with the cold." Scriff'ed up in a corner.
gov'
me
scrimpy meayer" (mea-
sure). v. to screw up. his eyes."
Scrink, Scrinkle,
"He
scrinkt
Scroach,
v.
up
to scorch.
Scroaching, part, scorching. Scrolls, pieces of hard fat after
whitening
floors.
mottled. adj. spotted ; " Streaked, smeared, for example, a painted flat surface
Scovy,
badly would, if the paint were uneven and smeared, be called scovy." F. W. P. J., M. B.
thin silk or stuff; a thing thin or small.
adj.
make
For my fangings (wages) would look scoy." Uncle Jan Trenoodle. ' '
Scramblings, scraps of broken meat.
Scrome up, "
v.
to arrange roughly. hair."
my
Scrow
(pron. like how), v. to "The cat scratch; to graze. " I scrowed all wilt scrow you." the skin off my arm." " Take the the skin.
dog
Scruff,
out by the scruff of the neck." Scruff, ' '
to
fight
;
wrestle.
to
We pitched to scruff. "
we
" Then
scruffed."
v. to shrink together with cold.
or
Scrump,
draw
Scry, the report of the approach of a great body of fish formerly applied to wild fowl. ;
S cranny, a scramble. Scrawl, Scroal, over a
left
melting down lard.
I scromed up
Scouring guard (pron. geard), decomposed granite used for
to
"She
Scrimp, Scrimpy, scant.
-
v.
odds
fields.
Scoanse.
Scoy,
by climbing.
Scrof, Scruf, ends, rubbish.
Scrif-scraf,
Scriff,
Scaw-tree, Scow-tree, Skew-tree,
Scoad, Scud,
descend partly by
to
v.
Scrid,
49
v.
to
Scud, the hardened crust on a broil fish
They are split open, slightly dried, and seasoned with pepper and salt. Screech, a short, sudden blaze.
sore.
fire.
"
Come to the fire ; I'll put on a fuz' (furze) and make a screech." Screed, a a screed
Screedle,
little o'
piece.
" Oi"
me
mait."
v.
to
cower over the
fire.
Snrpw. a shrew mouse.
Scud, Skid, Upscud, TJpskid, v. to spill; to run over. "If you
throw the petcher on the
floor
"She won't the water scud." broke the petcher and upscud the water." Scumbered, spoken of discharging excrement.
a
bird
St. Just.,
T. 0.
Scute, an iron with which the toe and heel of a shoe are protected
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
50 (see
Cue)
the iron point of a
;
wooden plough.
v. to throw a flat stone so as to slide on the top of the ducks and to make water drakes. Skitter, F. C.
Scutter,
;
Sea-adder, a pipe-fish.
Sea-hedgehog, a kind of
shell-
fish.
Sea-holm, sea holly (angelica). Seam, a measure; a cartload of clay.
A
Sean, Seine, a pilchard net. net not less than 160 fathoms in length.
Seaner, Seiner, a
man employed
fishery.
Seed, imp. saw.
"I
seed his picter
on the
slat
(slate),
Haf an anyull
haf a
(angel),
' '
cat.
TregeUas.
Seed- lip, a wooden basket to carry seed when sowing.
Servy-day, the day after a feast
when
all
mining licence to work a The piece of piece of ground. ground is also called a set. As
Set, a
set.
Shab-off,
slices
v.
to
shabby way.
sneak
"He
off
in
wanted
a to
shab-off without paying." Shaddocks, a slate axe.
Shag, a cormorant.
"
As
;
a flake.
;
to come off in thin to peel ; shell peas.
" This Shaly, adj. rich and flaky. " "As shall/ cake is very shaly. as a rusty iron hoop." slate.
Shale-stone, Shilstone,
Shallal, a serenade on tin kettles and pans, given to notorious persons on their wedding-night. great noise is said to be a
"A
regular shallot." Shank, the spoke of a wheel.
Shape (pron.
shaape),
mess; a dirty
state.
shape you've got here.'
a shapes you are." a shape is to mess."
make
J.
'
a
great
"What a What W. " To ' '
make a
dirty
Sharps, the shafts of a carriage. Shear, a good shear of hay.
Shed yonr hair out of your eyes, phr. put your hair, &c. Shee-vo, a disturbance ; a row. " There was such a grand shee-vo"
Shenagrum, Shenachrum, a drink made with hot beer, rum, sugar, and lemon.
the scraps are served
See St. Aubyn-day. Set again, v. to reopen a business. up.
a good
v.
Shale,
Scute, a small piece of leather put on the sole of a shoe; the outside piece sawed off a balk of timber.
on the pilchard
Shale, a scale of a fish
Shig,
v.
to cheat.
cheated out of every Shigged out, " thing. They shigged me of all
my marbles." Shigged, cheated in a mean I was shigged out of manner. that money." T. 0. ' '
Shiner, a sweetheart. Shivereens, small pieces or shreds.
" Torn or broken into shivereens"
sick as
a shag."
Shaker, "two good ones and a shaker." "
" No Shakes. great shakes (not worth much). "He's no great shakes of a character."
Shoad, loose stones of tin mixed with earth. Sheading heaps, heaps from of veins of pits sunk in search metaL
Shocky, F. 0.
a
small
fish
(goby).
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Shoe-lift, a shoe-horn.
Skeet, Skeeter, a syringe.
W.
Shong, a broken inesh. B. V.
F. P.,
Skeet, to wash windows with a " Skeet the windows." syringe.
Shoot, water led to a point by a pipe or drain, and then bursting In Cornwall they often out. took the place of pumps.
Skeet, v. to eject saliva through the teeth. W. F. P. Skit, F.
W.
Shrim, a cold shiver.
Skewy,
Shrim,
Sklbbet, a small covered compartment in a large chest, always near the top.
' '
"
When I'm shuffer I'll
"A
Just.
A
T. 0.
" It Sigger, Sigure, v. to leak. siggers through the wall." Zig-ar,
H. E. C. Sim-mee, v. it seems to me. " Sim-mee it's bra' and nonsical " (seeming to me it's very nonsensical).
Sis -sling, moving Garland. sleep.
uneasily
in
onion
(chives).
skal ; T. 0.
"
of stone thrown out of a mine. Sometimes, as an adjective, ap" He's plied to a miserly person.
a skimping ould fellow." In Padstow, Skip skop night. on one night in November, the boys go about with a stone in a sling, with which they strike the doors they then slily throw ;
Sives, a species of small
"You
Skal. calling out.
John is a skimper" Skemper, H. E. 0. Skimping, the smallest fragment clean;
thuff-oldman" St.Levan. "Full, stout, well."
Skimper, a person who slurs his This bed is not weeded work. ' '
shuff
"
adj. gusty, showery.
v.
to shiver. Sh.rimm.ed, chilled. "I Shrimmed feeled sich a shrim." to death with the cold."
Mousehole. pay." St. old woman."
M. B.
P. J.
Skew, a sudden gusty shower of thick drizzling rain.
Shote, a small kind of trout. Showl, a shovel.
Shuffer.
51
term of abuse.
great
Newlyn,
in winkle-shells, dirt, &c. Couch " They strike violently says, against the doors of the houses,
and ask
for
money
to
make a
feast."
"
Skirt, adj. scanty ; short. coats were very skirt.'
Her
1
Skate, a rent or
Skate,
tear.
measure."
to rend.
v.
A
Skatereens, small pieces.
Skedgwith,
Sometimes
privet.
Skerrish.
Skeer,
v.
skeered
;
to graze.
"The
walk
Uncle J.
W.
Jan
v. to frisk
quickly.
like
a
pisky
Trenoodle.
to slide
;
to
Skittery,
slippery,
like
smooth stones. F. W. P.
v. to skim a stone surface of the water.
about
stone
my head."
Skeese, Skeyze,
v.
"
scatter.
"The things go skittering about."
Couch.
gusty.
Skeer,
to
Skit, a jest " lectioneering skit (or anything J. W. else aimed at one).
Skitter,
Skeeny, sharp
"Skirt Also Skeerty. " or witticism.
ice J.,
M.
or B.
on the
Skiver, a skewer.
about
Skivered down, skewered down. "She walks about with her arms skivered down to her sides."
;
Skeesing (pixie)."
Scouse,
Skuat, Skute, a legacy or wind"A skuat of money is a fall.
E2
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
52
F.
phrase I have heard."
M.
P. J.,
W.
B.
Skubmaw,
or fragments.
pieces said to
have gone " all to skubmaw" when she is wrecked and broken in pieces. Another use of the word^is, "I'll knack
A
ship
is
thee to Skubmaio."
Sling, a dram. invited guests.
Slivar, a large slice ; v. to cut into slices. Slice (pron. slish).
Slock, a cooking
;
Slack, impertinent
none of your talk."
talk,
"
slack."
Come, "Loose
Garland.
v
thin. Slack, Slacket, adj. slight " You're looking but slack." ;
dross
tin
Slag,
misty
;
rain
;
sleet.
Shlaggy,
Slaggy,
adj.
wet;
"The weather drizzling; miry. " What very slaggy to-day." a slaggy mess the streets are in."
"He
entice.
v.
away my to pilfer
stove.
un-
Slintrim, an incline. Slip, a young pig.
"W. F. P.
Slab, a kitchen range
Slingers, Garland.
;
slocked
dog." Polwhele says, to give privately.
Slocking-stone, is a rich, enticing stone of ore, tempting one.
Slocking-bone, spoken of the hip joint.
"
Slone, a sloe.
Eyes
as black as
a slone." Slosh, to water. Slotter,
or
spill
v.
to
make
splash about a mess.
is
Slam,
to
v.
trump.
"I'll
slam
that card."
v.
to beat.
Slammed,
beat.
"He beating. wi' a stick."
Slow Slamming, a slammed to un
woman. " The roads
cripple, a blind
Slummock,
a
worm.
dirty,
sluttish
woman. Slummockin, Slammakin,
Slams, Scrams, broken meat. Slatter-cum-drash, a great noise. starched, but not ironed linen, put by wet, and allowed to mildew, is said "to go to
Sleep,
Slotterer, a slovenly
Slottery, adj. dirty. are slottery." Sometimes applied to the weather.
Slamming, part, trumping. Slam,
Slotter, filth.
adj.
careless; untidy.
Slump, a careless work-woman.
v.
Slydom, subs, cunning. "They have too much of slydom to venture on that." Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
Slaggering (g soft). " There was a aliyerin outside the door," i. e. a great row, and fighting and tumbling about. Penzance. T. C.
Sligerin,
Slight,
adj.
ill.
"He's
but
"He
was
slight."
half clad. walking about in his
Slights,
Slim,
by hot.
slights."
to slim the teeth of pigs giving them their meat too v.
Polwhele.
Small deer, vermin. Small men, fairies.
F. C.
Smeech, Smitch, the smell or smoke arising from anything burnt in frying. Smellers, cat's whiskers.
Smulk, a
dirty, drinking
woman.
Snag-tooth, Snaggle, an irregular tooth. " "What snaggles the cheeld has."
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Sneivy, adj. low; mean; cunning.
"He's a sneivy
Snippet, a small piece. J.,
W.
F.
P.,
M. B.
"
"
white- witches See White-
witch. Sound, a swoon.
" She
down
fell
in a sound."
Snite, a snipe.
Snuff,
words given by
to their customers.
fellow."
" to be snuff" Polwhele.
to be
i. e.
affronted.
Sound-sleeper, a red and black " moth, sometimes called a seven sleeper."
Soace. Soas, friend love.
;
companion
;
"Ess, soas." "Houdyour " Come along,
tongue, soas." soas."
Sour-sops, sour-dock, or common sorrel. Soursabs, F. C.
Souse,
member of
Society, phr. a
society
(a Wesleyan). " She is in a sweet Sog, a sU ep. sog." Sogh, Polwhele.
Sog,
v.
to sleep.
Sogging, part, sleeping. a seal. "And coming nearer home, here was a sentence spoken last year by a person
Soile,
Crowan Churchtown,
living at which to
very
many even
in
Cornwall, would be as unintel' Ef ligible as a foreign tongue a soile es en a zawn he do troach about the paace that a man ken This was spoken of seals jaale.' :
at
Hell's '
Cliff. '
Mouth
Soile
'
in Gwithian ' as seal,'
was
moile was mule,' and zawn was a sandy cove in a cliff. Pedlars were called troachers, and hence the verb, to troach to go along as if with a load on '
'
'
this explanation, it
would
be seen that the sentence very well expressed the manner and speed of a seal's movements. T. C.
Sollar, a temporary floor at the bottom of a mine level, through which the air passes for ventilation.
Soons, amulets
charms.
Down
Souse is sometimes used as a verb. She soused down in her chair." ' '
Sowdling, adj. burly ; ungainly. Sows, Grammar-sows, Old sows, woodlice; millipedes.
Spadiards, the labourers or mine workers in the Stannaries of Cornwall are so called from their
Ken net, M.
spades. well.
Polwhele
G.
Halli-
them
calls
spalliers.
Spal,
"He
to break stones. " I seed to spal stones." spoiling stoanes on the road." v.
was set
un
Spale, a
fine.
v.
to
mulct or
to make anything last To spare, J. W. time.
Span,
v.
fine
;
a long
to tether.
Spanjar, Span, a tether.
Spanking,
adj.
large;
Mystic
big;
a
spanking woman.
Spanyer, Spangar, a Spaniard. The Spaniards were formerly disliked for having landed in W. Cornwall and burnt a church. Sparables, small hobnails.
Spare-work, Sparey-work, work that takes a long time doing. " Fine sewing is sparey-ivork."
Spar
-
stone,
quartz
;
Cornish
diamonds.
"
A man of penetration he, For through a
;
clumsily.
;
'
one's back; and to 'jaale' was to walk at a fast pace, which one could keep up for some time.
With
heavily
adj. sat
He
down souse." souse, down right. ' '
Soak. v. to bake thoroughly. " This bread is not soaked."
could see."
spar-stone
he
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Spars, Sparrows, willow rods used for thatching. Spell,
turn of
a
taake a
work.
"I'll
spell at et."
Spell, a long time ; often used with the adjectives bra', pure. " bra' spell of fine weather."
A
"You've bin a pure
on
spell
your arrant."
Spence,
a
larder,
a
cupboard for keeping provisions. Spend, v. to break ground. Spickaty, adj. speckled spickaly cow."
"A
;
mottled.
hooks attached
water for some hours and (for
salt
then drawn.
Spinning-drone, a cockchafer.
Couch.
to exude.
"She
Spiteous, adj. spiteful. was looking so spitvous." Splat, a spot ; a piece.
purty garden
splat
of
"
A "A
taturs."
Soing ust.
"Sprit open
Sprit, v. the fish."
Sproosen, an untidy, ungartered woman. " She's a sen
about the heels."
Spud, a garden tool for cutting out the roots of weeds. Also potatoes, H. E. C.
v. to dispute. "Not to spooty with you." St. ' T. C.
Spraggling pattern, a
large,
gay
straggling pattern.
Sprawl, a disease incident to young ducks. They are said to have the sprawls when they have not strength to stand on their "
I am Sprawl, Sproil, energy. so weak that I have no sprawl to move."
Spray, Spre, v. to chap, or crack with the cold.
Sprayed, Spreed, p. p. as adj" My lips are sprayed"
"Be
brat.
quiet
you
or bother.
"I
young spud." don't
fuss,
want
ha'
to
no spudder
about et." "I'll do a spur arter my day's work." bra' spur, a long time. "She has been gone a Ira' spur."
Spur, a short job.
Spur, a glass of
A
spirits.
"A
spur in the head two in the heel. Gi' me a glass and 'ee
splat."
Splatty, adj. covered with spots "A or pimples." splatty face."
Spooty,
a bird snare.
;
to split.
Spudder, a
Spiller, a fishing-line with several
v.
a sprite.
;
Springle, a springe
Spud, a
Halliwell.
Spise,
Spriggan, a fairy
regular sproo-
or
pantry
usually joining the kitchen;
fishing) left
Spraying, Spreeing, adj. cold ; "A spraying east wind." cutting.
Squab,
v.
my to
is
worth
I'll
shew
skeel."
push
;
to squeeze.
Squab-pie, a pie made of well seasoned fat mutton, with layers of apples and an onion or two.
Squabbed, Squadged, p.p. "I were squabbed squeezed. agen the wall." Squard, a rent. Squard, v. to rend or
Squarded.
"And
tear.
thro'
hes
squarded hat hes heer appear'd." "I a of
Squeer,
pane
glass.
erased (cracked) a squeer."
Squinge-grub, a small, shrivelled "She's a regular pippin. squinge-grub." Newquay.
old
v. to look or peer about with the eyelids half closed.
Squinny,
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. " Then Knuckey rubb'd his hat '
And
squinnied on the floor." Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
Squinny-eyed,
adj. short-sighted.
Squitch, a sudden jerk ; a twitch. to twitch
v.
Squitch,
;
to jerk out
of one's hand.
Squitchems, gas
said to have
is
the squitchems when water has got into the pipes.
Aubyn's day, the d y after a a second day's feast given feast to inferior guests to eat up what
St.
;
may
Stare, a starling.
all round.'
be
from the
left
first.
move quickly and Staver, a fussy, noisy She's a regular stover ; person. she staves about from morning to
Stave,
' '
night."
" And Stave, v. to knock down. snatched up a showl for to stave ma owt rite." Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
you
steaded, ?
Steeve,
opponents, and thereby secured a chance of trying for a prize.
Stand witness.
"Considered a sure sign of being sweethearts, if a young man and woman stand witness together, i. e. be-
come godfather and godmother of the same child. T. 0. TowedNot in all parts; nack, 1868." for I remember once hearing in
"Are
Steaded, p. p. supplied. "
Stagged, Stogged, p. p. stuck in the mud covered with mud.
Standards, a term in wrestling for a man who has thrown two
to
v.
noisily.
Steeve,
Stain, an earthen pot shaped like an urn.
of
pilchards and leeks; the heads Drought up through a hole in the crust. Halliwell.
Stacy-jar, a quart stone bottle. Stag, Stog, v. to stick in the mud ; to cover oneself with mud.
;
made
Starry-gazy-pie, a pie
Missus ?
"Shall I
to stave in.
v.
the head
steeve in
"
v.
to stow
o'
the cask,
away;
p. p.
steeved.
"Yet
I've
some
little
cobshans
(savings), I've steeved at Oak-farm." Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
Steeved, p.p. steeved to
Stem of a
frozen.
"I'm
death with the could." fork, the handle.
Stem, a jol>; work not paid
by
time.
Stemming, a turn ; in rotation. Formerly when people were
obliged to fetch their water from
to do
a common pump (or "shute") they were obliged to take their
saying that it was unlucky, at the font, never at the altar." M. A. 0.
stemming. Stent, the limits of a bargain in See TutGarland. tutwork.
Penzance a couple refuse so, ' '
first
for
streets
the
sale
small wares, &c. Stank, a fuss; a situation.
Stank,
v.
the
stalls erected in
Standings,
"I
fruit,
fast.
spider."
the last of a cow's
;
disagreeable 11 in a stank.'
Stickler, an umpire in a wrestling
to that
Stiddle, Stoodle, the upright pole to which an ox is tied in a stall.
to step
;
" Stank on " He's stanking along." Sometimes "tanking along." H. B. C.
walk
work. Stickings, milk.
am
to tread
of
match.
Stile, a flat iron.
Stinkard, a disagreeable person.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
56
Stinks -aloud,
to
smell
"This book
stinks
plir.
strongly. aloud of tobacco."
Stir-a-coose, a bustling
a busy-body. a stir.
there
was
(sometimes sturrage) in a few minutes."
"As
Stodge, porridge. stodge."
to be
a
thick as
A fog is sometimes said
"as thick as
stodge."
surface.
perpendicular wood or iron bars for crushing tin. ore to powder. They beat alternately, and are worked either by water or steam. "Working away like a stompses."
Stope-a-back, a mining operation. A stepform in a rock. Tregellas. v.
(p. p.)
stunned
fall.
Strake, Straky,
v.
to steal
marbles.
" Don't strain Strain, v. to slam. the doors so." To run violently "I against a person to strike. ran stram up agen un." Told ;
' '
T
he didn't let go, I would stram to un with a horse-whip, and I strammed to him." Illogan, if
T. C.
Stram -bang,
Slam -bang,
ado.
quickly.
Stramming,
"A
adj. big
;
monstrous. He."
A
strumming big notorious falsehood is sometimes called a strammer. "Thafs a strammer if ever there was one."
Straw -mot, a
straw.
Stream works
rain,"
v.
to dip clothes in blue-
ing water. pot, a watering pot.
Strike, a "Winchester bushel ; the third of a Cornish one, which contained 24 gallons.
anoint
Strike, v. to ointment.
as
with
long roots of weeds ; couch grass; twitch grass. H.
RC.
Stroil, strength
Stompses, Stamps (always plural),
im
heavy Stream,
Stroil,
Stoiting, the leaping of fish ; or the colour they impart to the
Stound, a fit, by a blow or
o'
rain.
Streaming
"What
Stirrage, stirrage
woman;
" A ttrame
the refuse.
(pron. strame), tin works in valleys. The tin pebbles being placed in heaps, a stream of water is turned on to carry off
has no more Polwhele.
" ;
ability.
stroil
He
than a child."
Strop, a piece of twine or rope. Stroth (like both), a hurry or fuss. "What's all the stroth
about
P
"
Strother, a person always in a fuss or hurry.
Strothing, part, hurrying.
" She
down
went
the street." strothing Stroping, said he did it all, and he was stroping about ; but, in St. Just. fact, he did very little. T. C.
Strove. a He."
"
He
strove
me down
to
Strow, Strawl, a confusion; a " The ketch en war in litter. such a strow." " Terribly strow over there," meaning a row or disturbance. Ludgvan. " There was a bit of a strow (row, noise, fight) outside the door." Sennen. T. C.
Strub, strip.
v.
(Strow pron. like how.) to rob birds' nests ; to
" The boys quite strublxd
the trees."
Strnnty, "
adj.
misty;
Warm strunty weather."
foggy.
Tibb's-Eve, a day neither before nor after Christmas. " 111
St.
do
et
next
Stubberd,
St.
Tibb's eve"
Stubbet,
peculiar to Cornwall.
an
apple
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. " Tin stuff" (tin ore). Stuff, ore. v. to walk with short, Stug along, quick steps. adj.
short;
thickset.
Stull, timber placed at the back of levels (mine galleries) to prevent the falling of rubbish.
Sturt, a run of luck ; more than the usual gain ; a mining term.
"He
had
a
bra'
last
sturt
month."
cow that has stopped giving milk. " The cow has gone to su, the milk has
Su,
v.
to go
dry
as a
:
gone into her horn." Suant, adv. smoothly. cotton doesn't
Subsist,
of
equal
but should hearts be trumps the ace would count
work
Sist,
an
Sugary -quartz,
"My
suant."
advance
on
Swail,
tool.
to scorch ; to sweeled cat, a singed
Sweel, ' '
singe.
A
' '
cat.
"
He
went down street swaising arms." Sometimes whaziny.
his
Swaising, part, swinging.
Swap, a
gadfly.
Swellack, a red-wing. whose self-esteem snuffed out,
person been
called "a poor E. 0. See Whin-
is
H.
sivellack."
A has
"A Swike, a twig of heath. swike broom," a broom made of heath twigs. Sy, a scythe.
friable
quartz
resembling loaf sugar.
Sump, the bottom of a
shaft.
Sumpmen, men employed in
Survey, a public auction. Survey-day, the day on which the under-ground workings of a mine are let. great fat woman. never seed such a suss in
Suss, a
Tab, dried roots and grass raked up and burnt a cow-dung dried for burning. Sometimes a turf. ;
sink-
ing mine shafts. Sunbeams, the long, light cobwebs which float in the air.
"I
my
born-days."
J.
W.
Table-board, a table. Tabn, food. Garland.
Tack, a slap. v. to slap with the Tackhands is to open hand. slap hands by way of approval.
Tacking, a thrashing or flogging. Tadago-pie, a pie made from abortive pigs.
" She got into a " He's in a pretty would mean a bad
Taer, a rage.
Swabbers, certain cards at whist, by which the holder was entitled to part of the stakes.
"I
never cared for whisk since swabs went out of fashion." Said by an old lady at Penzance about ten years since. Still played in some parts of Cornwall. The swabs are ace and deuce of trumps, ace of hearts, clubs.
Swab-stick, a mining
ard.
account of wages.
knave of
The four cards are value,
double.
Sturgy,
Stuggy,
57
Each player
before beginning to play puts in the pool a fixed sum for swabs.
pretty taer."
temper" temper.
Tag, the
tail
end of a rump of
beef.
Tail-corn, refuse corn. Tailings, the poorest tin; sweepings the refuse.
the
;
Tail-on-end, adj. full of expectation.
Take a heave,
v.
to
lose
the
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY,
58
trace of a vein of metal shifting of the earth.
by the
Take-horse, plir, when a vein of metal is split into two by a wedge of a different earth, it is said "to take horse.'" The wedge is called the horse.
"I Taking, a sad condition. never saw a woman in such a taking" Talfat, a raised alcove to contain a bed. Tallet, a loft over a stable.
Tally-ho, a wide covered passage between two houses.
Tamlyn,
Tammy,
a miner's tool.
Jan Tre-
Tates, potatoes.
"A
adj. pert. piece of goods." Teat, a draught of wind.
taunt
Teating, a whistling of the wind. Teel,
to
v.
or set.
till
" The owld Teeled, p. p. buried. mon was teeled to-day." " Teem out Teem-out, to pour. the liquor." " I haven't v. to close.
Teen,
teened
my
eye."
to
v.
light.
" Teen the
fire."
a
a sieve;
cloth for
Teening-time, the time to light the candles
Tamping, material used in
blast-
ing.
Tamping-iron, a
beat in a
to
tool
down the earthy matter charge used for tamping. 'T 'Andrew's dance, dance.
Tantrum-bohus,
Tantra-bobus,
lobus, lived till he died." Sometimes, like Tantra-bobus cat. M. A. C. " The tap Tap, the sole of a shoe. 1
of your shoe
is
wearing
it
;
Tell,
twilight.
say.
your lessons "
Yitus'
St.
;
Teeth-haler, a dentist. " Can v. to ?
"
wants
tapping."
pick a nail; hang to the bull's tail." " There's no temper in Temper. the ground " (no moist heat). Tell-tale,
Tend,
to wait.
v.
Tendar, a waiter at an inn guard of a train.
Term
of a time, phr. a long time. " She's bin a term of a time over her work." " Tern, a bittern. Crying like a tern."
P. J.,
Tap a tap shoe, that would I do, If I had but a little more Old Nursery Rhyme. to struggle
;
to
rage.
Tarving, struggling
;
raging.
Tarvied, p. p. struggled raged ; " And when he had convulsed. ;
W.
M. B.
Thacky
Thicky,
(pron.
this;
that.
leather," &c.
v.
the
;
Tetty rattle, Cornish stew. F.
to sole a shoe.
Tarve, Tarvy,
tell
you
Tell-tale-tit, a tell tale.
applied to a noisily playful "Oh, child, often used thus you tantera-bobus."" F. W. P. J. There's a proverb, Like tantra-
v.
Uncle
Taunt,
Teen,
straining.
Tap, "
tarvied about." noodle.
Thirl, adj. lank; thin. horse is very thirl."
Thirt-eyed, squint-eyed. never seed sich a thirt
"Our "I -
eyed
fellow."
Thoft,
v.
thoft it
imp.
was you."
thought.
"I
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. v.
Throy-ting,
from
part, cutting chips
sticks.
Thumb-beans, straw ropes twisted around labourer's legs to keep off the wet.
Thumper, a a thumper
"
That's large person. " I a great falsehood.
Thumping,
adj. very thumping woman."
Tic-tac-mollard, a
" large.
A
game; ducks
an'l drakes.
Tiching,
v.
to
dry, Grose.
Tidden,
part, setting up turves prepare for fuel."
to
tender
adj.
painful.
;
came somewhat tidden to him, that had helped to maintain ' '
It
his
mother
he
felt
it
all
along,"
i. e.
a hardship.
hard
tool.
(pron. temberin), made " To of timber. go up the tem" berin hill is to go upstairs.
Timbering
Tember-man, a mine
Timdo
carpenter.
)d e, a stupid.
Timersome,
nervous
adj.
;
timor-
ous.
Tin-dresser, a man who prepares tin ore for the smelting furnace.
Ting,
to tie together.
v.
tied up. " She's allus going about with that man tinged up to her aipernt string."
Tinged up, imp.
Tink, a chaffinch.
Tinker arter,
v.
J.
W.
to go courting.
"
Tinner, a tin miner.
A
water
' '
Bottrell.
wagtail.
v. to do the better or lighter household work. These three words, used long ago to the mother of an old friend,
Tiddly,
thus: "What can you do?" said the mistress. " I can louster and fouster, but I caan't tiddly," said the Cornish servant. See Louster. F. W. P. J., M. B. a
teat
;
mother's milk.
Titty, H. E. C. Tiddy bit, a tiny bit.
"A Tidy, adj. decent; clever. tidy little fellow," well-made; "A plump. tidy little pig." a
Tie,
Timbal, a mining
;
Gulval.
T. 0.
Tiddy,
59
large
wooden
trough,
through which a stream of water runs for the purpose of separating the ore from the dross.
a ravelling an unwoven thread from a piece of cloth.
Tifle, Tiffle, or Tifling, ;
Tiffle-out, to unravel " This cloth cloth; to unweave. does not wear well; it tifles out"
Tine-out,
slap, a sharp, sudden slap. I gov' her a nice tight slap on
Tight "
the chacks."
Toad-in-the-hole, a piece of meat
with batter pudding baked round it.
Toat, the whole of
them were
Toatlish,
"He's lith."
" The toat
lot.
there."
foolish ; weak. adj. getting owld and toat-
Totling,
J.
W.
Toit, Toitish, adj. curt " She's bra' and toit."
Token, out.
Toller,
v.
"
to betroth;
;
to
saucy.
point
He tokened me the way." a man who collects the
tolls or
revenues of the mine.
Tom-holla, a noisy, bragging man. "The Tom-horry, a sea-bird. common name of two or three Couch. species of Skua."
Tom-toddy, a young frog ; a tad" Tom-toddy, all head and pole. no body." Tom-toddy, a game in which each person in succession has to drink a glass of beer or spirits, on the top of which a piece of lighted candle has been put, whilst the others sing,
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
60 "
Tom-toddy ea coom hoam, coom
hoam; Tom-toddy ea coom hoam his eyes burnt, and his ;
With
his eyelids burnt also. Tom-toddy es," &c. Uncle Jan Trenoodle.
Tom-trot, hard-bake;
Dingle
!
a
chatterbox.
dum
a foolish
pattick, to
v.
manure
hill, as
to pull wool.
v.
Tosing, part, cleaning wool by pulling.
" She'd a Tosh, a large bunch. tosh of yellow ribbon in her hat." " A tosh of flowers."
Touch-pipe (pron. tich-pipe), a rest from work to smoke a pipe. "A change of work is as good as a touch-pipe." " "What's a fuss or Tousse, all
the tousse
?
"hurry.
now ?
Tousser, a large, coarse, round apron, worn by servants to keep their dresses clean when doing it often has a dirty work " mocket" ;
(bib).
Towans,
pi-op,
noun,
sand-hills
(Dunes).
Town-place, a farm-yard. Towze, v. to pull about roughly. Towzing, part, pulling about roughly
Trapes,
;
to
v.
walk
to saunter.
;
Trapesing, part, walking. been trapesing the streets
and
most
pilchard.
find
" I've all
" my man
day
(hus-
trough.
T. C. "
Treesing, part, idling. Treesing away your time." Trestrem, bait cut up to put on hooks. Mousehole fishermen, F.
W.
P.
Tribut (pron.
trib-ut),
tribute
;
a percentage paid on ores raised. Trib - ut - ers, tributers ; miners who work for a percentage. Trickster, " He's a
Tricker, trickster for
an
adept.
dancing."
"Triddling, part, trifling; talking nonsense." Garland. v. to support ; to set up ; to put a stone under a wheel to stop it.
Trig,
Toussing, part, hurrying ; fuss" What are ing. you toussing " about
Train-oil, expressed fish-oil,
Trawy, a
Rough-tor (pron. Row-tor). Tose,
I
band).
land.
Top-dressing, manure, Tor, prop, noun, a rugged
Sweet trade, sweetmeats. "
Spoken of with contempt.
to try
person.
Top-dress,
Doctor's trade, medi-
thing. cine.
mean
a
tra-ade),
(pron.
commonly
inter/.
Tongue Tavas, Tongue Tab, Tootle
walk quickly.
wouldn't take sich traade."
toffee.
Tom Twist and Harry
to
tozing
Trade
nawse burnt,
And
v.
Toze,
Tozing, part, walking quickly. " I saw him down street."
whirling round.
' '
I
want something to stand rowsing and towzing."
Trig-meat, any kind of shell-fish picked up at low water. Large quantities of limpets
and
peri-
winkles are gathered in Penzance on Shrove Tuesday this is called going a trigging. It was formerly the custom for boys and women to stand at the corners of the streets on that day, with blackened hands, which they rubbed over people's faces. After dusk the men and boys went about, throwing handfuls of shells, bot;
tles of filth, &c., in at open doors, taking down signs, and unhanging gates.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Troach, goods
v.
hawk smuggled
to
now sometimes
applied to hawking vegetables, &c. " The Troach, v. to trample. pigs are troaching on the flowerbeds." J. W. ;
Troacher, a hawker of smuggled goods. Troil, a
short row on the sea, paid for called a "pennord Troil is old Cornish for say."
when o'
feast.
Troll-foot,
crooked
a
foot;
a
Tulky, Tulgy, a slovenly woman. "
As black
as a tulky."
a heap a Tummals, " Tummals of letters."
quantity.
;
Tuntree, Tuntry, the pole by which oxen draw a wain.
See Bed-tye.
Turf-tye, Tye.
Turmuts,
turnips.
Turpentine-soap, yellow soap. Tut, a footstool ; a stupid person. Tut- work, job-work in mining. v.
Twingle,
club-foot.
61
to wriggle
to writhe.
;
Troll-footed, adj. club-footed.
the
Trone,
depression
between
furrows.
Trool, v. to turn round like a wheel. To roll a ball is to trool
it.
Troy town, a maze
;
a labyrinth
" I lost of streets. way 'twas a regular Troy toivn."
my
Troy town, a
litter.
;
quite a Troy town round her." hard-working man is said to work like a Trojan." Truff, a trvff"
' '
"As
trout.
fat
as
pered wretch." " Unbeknown, not known. 'Twas unbeknown to me." quite
Uncle, a term of respect applied
a
" Uncle Jan Duff, had money enough," &c. Old Nursery Rhyme. Unfrooze, v., p. p., thawed. adj. solitary, dull.
Unkid,
Unlusty, adj. unwieldy.
(g hard), used for trudge. Towednack, T. C.
Trug
Trunk, a mining
tool.
of tin-dressing.
v.
to open.
Unream,
v.
to take the cream off
Unreamed, Unrip,
tool.
a turf. thrawed a tubban at me."
Tubban, Tab,
was cutting tubbans." Tuck, v. to chuck under the
"She " He
" Have you "
p.
?
to rip.
v.
Unripped,
p. p.
"
My
dress
is
unripped in the seams."
Upping
-
See
stock.
Hepping-
stock. chin.
Uprise,
Tucking
p.
unr earned the milk
Tub, a red gurnard. Tubbal, a miner's
Couch.
Unopen, milk.
Trunking, one of the processes
Tucker, a
men.
to old
" She had
A
"
She's fine adj. cross. " I (very) and ugly to-day." never knawed sich an ugly-iem-
Ugly,
fuller.
mill, a fulling meal.
Tucking, a term used in seine pilchard fishing.
Tuck-net, a net used in tucking.
Upraise,
v.
to
church
women. Uprose, p. p. last Sunday."
" She was uprose
Upscud, Upskid. Urge,
v.
to retch.
See Scud.
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
62
TJzzle (pron. oozle), the throat.
If
Uzzle-pipe, the wind-pipe.
you want a pretty maid in a black cap, Please to take she." The Queen, Aug.
Salf,
Said
Vady, adj. damp musty. Van, a kind of omnibus entered ;
from the front
part.
Van, a rude process of trying tin ores by crushing and washing on a shovel.
Vargood, a spar about
23ft.
Veak, Veach, an inflammation ;
a whitlow.
Vean (Old
Cornish), adj. little. occasionally used, but more a term of endearment. as " Cheeld-vean." Still
Cornish), great. Used in proper nouns, as Vounderveor, great lane.
Veor (Old
a gathering in the finger, not near the top ; a whitlow. Veskin, a protection for a sore finger ; a glove.
Venom,
Vestry, the smiling of infants in their sleep.
hazel - nuts.
See
Cock-haw. Blue ripe called vinnied cheese.
Vinnied, adj. mouldy. cheese
is
an
Visgie, agricultural implement, in shape between a mattock and a hammer, for beating
down
hedges.
Visnan, Vidnan, a sand lance or sand eel. " Vizzery, vazzery, vozery, vem, Tizzery, tazzery, tozery, tern, Hiram, jiram, cockrem, spirem, Poplar, rollin, gem. There stands a pretty maid in a
black cap.
to
know who Mene,
See Ene,
shall hide, &c.
&c.
Via, Flaw, the colic in cattle produced by their eating too much green food. v.
on heavily.
to tread
See Folyer. Vore, a furrow.
Volyer.
Voryer, a horse-way; a border round a field. a large ; for holding unmended linen sold by gipsy women.
Voyder, a clothes basket basket
See Fogo.
Vug, Vugh, Hugo. Wagel, a grey Waiter, a
Veer, a sucking pig.
Victor - nuts,
23, 1879. children in E. Cornwall
when they want
Voach, long
used as a bowline to the foresail W. F. P. of our fishing boats. near a finger-nail
by
Walk
gull.
tea-tray.
(pron. waalk), v. to
make
not a walk. " Have a journey.
journey or
Walk,
a
visit,
had a nice waalk
?
"
you
asked on a
return from France.
"I'm v. to wallow. waiving in riches." " I have Wambling, a rumbling. a wambling in my innerds." " What's that 1 " a mole. Waive,
Want, "
What you
rich people never
have in your house, a want." Want-hill, a mole-hill. " How long have Wanting, phr. " been how long wanting ? you have you been away from home ?
=
Warsail, a corruption of wassail.
About six
New
men
Year's
join
Day
four or
together;
after
dark, carrying with them a little bowl, they go from house to and house, opening the doors, " Warsail.' 1 They calling out
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. then sing some doggrel rhymes, asking people to give something to
" These poor jolly Warsail boys, Come travelling through the mire."
This custom has long been conto fined the villages (pron. wars-ail).
a name for the hare in use amongst poachers. Couch. " The Way, reason. way I said " The so." I did it."
Watty,
way Wayst, Wust, ways.
"
Go
thee
wust home," go thy way. A woman taking a pig home, not being able to get it along, at last " Go thee let it saying,
go,
wayst
;
moore
I waan't have anything to
do wi'
'ee."
G3
Whelk, Whilk, a
stye on the eye.
Whem, Whim,
a
of
part
the
machinery of a" mine worked by I druv' a whem." horse-power.
Whimseys, whims.
"She's
full
of her whimseys." " As cold Whinard, a redwing. and starved as a whinard." See
Swellack.
Whip-up,
to raise; to hoist.
v.
Whip and while, adv. now and then. "Every whip and while he goes away."
Whipsidery, a machine for raising ore.
Whistercuff, a box on the
Whit' neck, -
"
weasel.
a
ear.
white-throated like a
Screeching
tvhit' -neck."
Wee's nest, a mare's nest. " They have found a wee's nest, and are laughing over the eggs."
Wh.it'- pot, a dish made of cream or milk, flour, sugar, and nutmeg a kind of custard. ;
Weelys, wicker pots or traps for catching crabs. Also Cunner-
Weered, imp.
of
" She
wear.
weered her blue gownd."
Weet, Weel,
v. to pull. "I'll weet thy loggers (ears) for thee."
Weeting, a
flogging.
Weeth, prop, noun, a Weethans, prop,
field.
noun,
small
fields.
Wee- wow,
adj.
bent
;
crooked.
My needle is all wee-wow."
adv. well " There were well-near a nigh. hundred people in the field."
Werret,
v.
to
worry " She
over-talking. out of my life."
;
to tease
werrits
by
me
" a knock. O.C. wliaf, a blow." Uncle Jan Trenoodle. " Wheal Mary."
formerly
by
tinners
White-witch, a person (either male or female) supposed to be able to charm toothache, stop bleeding at the nose, &c. ; also to be able to give assistance in recovering lost or stolen property, to cure ill-wished (beoften conwitched) persons sulted by the ignorant. See Pellar. :
Whiz, a Whiz,
"
v.
fussy, troublesome perdreadful old whiz."
A
to bustle about fussily.
Whizzing, part, bustling. always
whizzing
" He's the
about
house."
Whiz-agig, a whirligig.
Whap,
Wheal, a mine.
duty
paid
(miners).
son.
Well -near,
a
-rent,
annually
pots.
"
White
"O.C.
huel."
Whizzy, head
adj.
feels
confused.
"
My
but whizzy."
Widdershins, through E.
from
H.
to
S.,
WEST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
64
Widdle, Whiddle, a whim ; non" sensical idea. Nothing more than an old woman's whiddle." " Pshaw
go widdle."
!
a
Widdy, widdy, way, "
game. Widdy, widdy, way,
is
boys'
a very
pretty play Once, twice, three times, and all ;
run away." " He a widower. a widow." Towednack and Sennen Cove. T. C.
Widow-man, was
left
.
Wiff, a small pelerine.
v.
to cheat ; to beggar.
Wince-along, v. to swagger; to walk with a swing.
Windan
-
sheet,
a
ill
;
white
;
;
J.W.
quiet."
See Gwenders.
Wonders.
Worms people.
(pron. warms), poor old " Poor auld
worms,"
spoken of an old man and his wife, both near ninety and disabled. Morvah, T. C.
Wranny, a wren. Wriggle out the
F. C.
ashes, phr. of the grate. Sometimes Riddle out.
bars
the
Wrinkles, periwinkles.
Wroxle,
v.
to
walk unsteadily
;
to stagger.
Wustn't, v. wilt wustnt do et."
"Thou
not.
winnowing-
sheet.
Yaffer, a heifer.
a rick of corn put
Windmow, in a field
where
it
has been
Wingerly,
adj. thin
Wingery,
adj. oozing
up
miserable.
;
tainted
meat. wingery."
Windspur
-
;
" The
broach,
a
stick thrust into each thatch to secure the H. E. C. , rope.
shiny, as
mait
is
crooked end of a windspur
Windspur-rope, a rope fastened over a hay-stack to prevent its being blown about by the wind.
Winky-eye, a game. An egg is put on the ground some distance off, the number of paces being Each previously decided on. player in turn is blindfolded, with a stick tries to hit
and and
it.
Winze, a small windlass.
shaft
Yaffle.
See Jaffle.
cut.
"A poor, white winyerly fellow.''
break
sick
adj.
melancholy. "You're " looking wisht." Funny, pure (very) and but wisht." " It's wisht, but it's
clear
Wildfire, erysipelas. Wilver, a baker or pot under which bread is baked. Couch.
Wimmick,
Wisht,
with
a
Yap, v. to yelp. Yowl, v. to howL See Cousin Jacky. Zang, Sang, a small sheaf of corn such as leasers (gleaners) make. Couch. " worn-out Zeer, adj. generally used in regard to clothing, but
Zacky.
:
applied also metaphorically to 'She's very zeer.'" persons.
Stackhouse.
" to work v. alongside of a lode before breaking it down." Garland.
Zew,
Zukky, v. had un "
" to smart. here,
I'd
Camborne, zukky.' Telegraph. " Zwele, v. to singe. cat," a singed cat.
'
I wish I
make un Cornish
A
zweled
65
ADDENDA.
Crum, cramped with the See Crum.
cold.
T.
W.
S.
Parrick, a little jug. T. W. Gwinear, Cornishman, Feb.
before Shrove TuesSo called in E. Cornwall from the custom of eating peasoup on that day. Sharp Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday. Ilhistrated News, Feb. 14, 1880.
Monday
day.
Flap, a flash of lightning.
Huscen, scolded.
the
S.,
16,
1880.
Peasen (pron. paisen) Monday,
Udjiack, a small moveable block of wood used by builders in fitting the planks of a boat.
contributed by Mr. W. Copeland Borlase, Laregan, Penzance, for insertion in the Glossary. The two last are from an old Tithe-book for the parish of St. Just, now in his possession.
Words kindly too late
boys in which they touch and run. See Stig.
Coot, a beating.
Graow, gravel. See Growan. Kenack, a term applied to weakly
Kenack,
a
Willen, a beetle.
child.
a
Obsolete.
worm.
Kip, a small net used to hang vegetables.
Morgye, an a dog-fish.
ill-looking
See
wench ;
Murgy.
Pezac, a pilchard with a broken back. Pezzac is a Cornish surname.
Tigga, Tiggy, a game played by
Vannte, Vann-stone, of doubtful interpretation, possibly the stoup.
Whitesoolde, cheese. Carew says of the Cornishmen, " their meat
was Whitsul,' namely milke, '
cheese and
1
as they call it, sowre milke, butter."
EAST CORNWALL WORDS. BY
THOMAS
Q.
COUCH.
69
INTRODUCTION.
DURING a long and intimate acquaintance with the folk of East Cornwall, it has been my habit to make note of such words as are in
common
use
among them, but which have now dropped,
dropping, out of the talk of cultured society.
Many
or are
of these good
words, obsolete or obsolescent in polite English, hardly deserve their fate, but should be retained as brief, apt, and vivid expressions of
only to be represented otherwise by verbose and often clumsy periphrase. Our greatest authors were glad to use them, and thought,
their persistent survival, both in
sound and
sense, in the rustic talk,
should be a plea for their restoration to modern English speech. In the" presence of the English Dialect Society, I have shrunk
from giving many etymological remarks, and those I have ventured on may be taken as mere surplusage, to be accepted or rejected. I have given such instances of their use by our Middle English and earlier Modern English writers as my memory and scant shelves
me
supply
A
with.
few of the
peculiarities of our speech,
common
in
many
culars to the south-western dialects generally, but differing
spoken English of to-day, are here given A. The past participle of verbs has often the
parti-
from the
:
Saxon
ge),
aheerd.
as a-zeed,
affix
a (the Anglo-
There are many, but
irregularities in the accentuation of
this vowel, as slat
ill-defined,
for slate,
talde for tackle.
D bands E.
is ;
commonly
elided from the termination of words, as bans,
groun, ground en.
;
e.
g.
" I owed
'11
vorty pouns."
This old English mode of ending the adjective
is
retained
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
70
to a larger extent than in our common tongue elinen tree, cloamen dish, &c. is sounded as v before vowels and liquids. G. This letter is elided in the present participle, as doin for
by us
:
F
doing.
I has
often the sound of
loses its
Of
R
/
e,
as cheld, child
before a consonant
:
;
Tterily,
" the nap
o'
kindly, &c.
the
hill."
often transposed, as girts, groats; afeard, afraid; apern,
is
apron. S, at the beginning of liquid, is replaced
Th
is
by
words and when followed by a vowel or
its softer kin-letter, z.
pronounced d : dresh for thresh, datch for thatch. u are interchangeable in a most erratic way. We have
V and
belve for bellow, waive for wallow, liauen for haven, eual for eval (see
glossary, sub voce).
The ancient and knightly family
of Beville
bore a passant bull in their canting arms.
T is occasionally substituted for h, but not so frequently as in the We have yaffel for armful, yeffer for
other south-western dialects. heifer
it
"
and the semi-consonantal
;
e in
ewe
is
with us yawe.
In most instances the past tense of verbs is weak, as " I knowed " for " I knew it ; and in a few cases where it is weak in national
English
The
mowy,
it is
"I " strong with us, as gove," for I gave."
infinitive
mood has y
often added in termination, as to
to reapy, to milky.
Words ending
in a
mute consonant undergo metathesis,
as Jiaps
for hasp, crips for crisp. is a marked difference between the speech of East and Cornwall, not only in structure and vocabulary, but in the
There
West
intonation
of
sentences.
We
have none of
that indescribable
cadence, a sort of sing-song, which marks the patois of the West, and which I judge to be as truly Keltic as the Cornu-British words
which remain
to
it.
At
the beginning of the present century mining fgr copper, became a furor in
adventure, especially in the search
East Cornwall, and a passionate enthusiasm brought hither the skilled miners of the West, who flocked to the banks of Tywardreath Bay, and further east to the central granite ridge about the tors
INTRODUCTION. These immigrants brought with them and have
of Caradon. infusion of
71
their language, especially its technical
remember when
it
was a great mimetic
feat,
left
an
portion, but I
and_ productive of
much
mirth amongst us, to be able to imitate the talk of Cousin Jacky from Eedruth or St. Just. This intermixture of tribes, increased still later
it
by
of travel,
facilities
traffic,
telegraphy, &c., has rendered
almost impossible to draw any but a very broad and blurred line The comparison can only be made by such dialects.
between the
glossaries as that furnished
by Miss Courtney from the extreme
west, and mine from the easternmost parts of the shire. define roughly a boundary, I
know none
If asked to
better than the Partta^
mentary line from Crantock Bay, on St. George's Channel, Bay, on the English Channel, which bisects the county.
John
to
Yeryan The late
who more than any other had the faculty of and vocally representing with minute accuracy the subtlest distinctions of word and tone, even between neighbouring parishes, T. Tregellas,
seizing
thought he could plainly trace the limits of the two dialects. opinion of so well-known an expert may be here given " To any one who may be disposed to jeer at the idea as
The
:
falla-
cious or ridiculous, I should be desirous of placing such a one at
Mousehole or any village in the neighbourhood of Penzance, and for an hour to enter into easy conversation with its rustic inhabitants,
and having well
rivetted their sing-song (chant)
ceive the lessening
and
on his
ear, to per-
inhabitants altering of the intonation of the
Towednack, St. Ives, Hayle, and Camborne. Eastward of Camborne, even at Eedruth, the natural chant has died away nor is it again heard from the more guttural
as he proceeds eastward, through
;
Agnes. But be it known to the curious in these matters, the miner of Perranzabuloe expresses himself uniformly in a full note higher than his adjoining parish-
speakers of Eedruth,
Gwennap, and
ioners of St. Agnes,
and no sooner have you passed Crantock and
St.
Gubert and entered the St. Columb's, than you find the people's conversation partake, in a very small on to a very large degree, of the zalt" for salt, "yeffer" for heifer, &c., of St. Gennys and the whole neighbourhood of Camelford and Boscastle, until you hear
peculiar
in
its fullest
form the
'
I zim' for I think, 'spewn' for spoon, &c., of
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
72
Bideford, wliere the peculiarity of
Devon
is
so
manifest."
popular tongue of East Cornwall, indeed, resembles that of shire
and
1
The
Devon-
those counties generally which formed the ancient
of
kingdom of Wessex. Carew (temp. Elizabeth), whose loved dwelling-place Anthony, the home of many ancestors, was where the River Lyner " winneth fellowship with the Tamer," gives us in his Survey some account of
the language of
his time.
In those days of
difficult travel
and
of the tongue generally spoken over the
intercourse, his
knowledge county was probably slight, and chiefly drawn from East Cornwall. In his book, admirable for its keenness of observation and felicity of description, often in vernacular phrase,
inhabitants can speak no
word
we
learn that " most of the
of Cornish, but very
few are ignorant
few did yet so still " affect their own " that to an inquiring stranger they would answer, "Meea nauidua "cowzasaI can speak no Saxonage. wzneck," However, he says of the old of the English."
A
=
Keltic speech,
" The English doth
still
encroache upon
driven the same into the uttermost skirts of the shire
" ;
it,
and hath
the fate also
Kymric on the opposite shores of "Wales and Brittany. The English which the East Cornish speak " is good and pure, as of the old
receyuing it from the best hands of their owne gentry, and the Easterne Merchants." There was still, our historian says, " a broad
and rude
accent, eclipsing" after the
manner of the Somersetshire
men. Considering that the Cornish branch of the Keltic was in use
how few and unimportant are Those grand and almost changeless objects of nature, mountains, valleys, headlands, bays, rivers, submarine hills, and dells, with the more mutable territorial divisions into towns, villages, down
its
to a late date, it is remarkable
remains.
keep their old and very descripHere and there we meet tive names untouched by changeful time. .with a few of the old designations of animals, trees, and herbs. " Mountains and with the old These are the last to hamlets, farms, and even
fields, still
part
rivers," 1
Homes and Haunts of
Tregellas.
language.
remarks Sir Francis Palgrave, "still murmur the voice of the
Eural Population of Cornwall,
p. 2,
by
J. T.
INTRODUCTION.
73 "
nations long denationalized or extirpated ; and, says Canon Farrar, " though the glossaries of Gael and Cymry should utterly pass away,
the names they gave to the grandest features of will
still
many
a landscape
stand upon the map."
Many of our ancient names are most happily descriptive of the natural peculiarities of the scenes as they still exist others lead us back in fancy to the pre-historic condition of the spots, so changed, :
but
still
keeping their old designations.
Lostwithiel, a
banks of the Eiver Fowey, long connected with the of Cornwall,
by
its
name
town on the
earls
and dukes
alone takes us" far into the past,
when
it
was the place or residence of woodmen, the simple and sylvan habitation of a people leading a wild and venatic life. The Cymro-
we
Keltic tongue, to which, the Cornish being dead, appeal, tells us that the
word
is
are fain to
derived from Lios, Llys, or Les, a
and Gwddel, of the woods. In the near neighbourhood we have a large parish called Withiel, and Cuddle and other variations or corruptions are to be traced to the same root. Maen, a stone, is place,
common a prefix as the Tre, Pol, and Pen, " by which you know the Cornishmen." Mennear, maen-hir, is still a common
nearly as shall
patronymic, the first bearers of it being dwellers by the long stone. of places we have our Menadu, Menacuddle, Menabilly, Menhenniot, and a host of others. In our topographical nomencla-
As names
ture here and there occur designations
which mark the steps of the
The only traces domination remaining to us are on a few sepulchral stones by moor or wayside, where the old name is disguised by a Latin termination. typical instance is found on the road to intruder, as Tresawsen, the residence of the Saxon.
of the
Roman
A
Fowey, near the ancient camp at Castle-dore, and not far from Polkerris, where a monolith bears an inscription which is read thus
:
CIRVSIVS HIC JACIT CVNOMORI FILIVS.
The
similarity
between Cirusius and Kerris
is fairly
evident.
Later on, our Teutonic invaders made deeper changes in our language, driving the Keltic into the extreme west, and leaving the speech of East Cornwall essentially English, with just a sparse This neo-Latin influence is chiefly sprinkling of Norman words. noticeable on the scutcheons of our ancient gentry, armigers.
The
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
74
Tremaynes, dwellers by the rock, when French was fashionable took hands ; the Trewinnards, their three wiunards or
for arms the three
redwings ; and the Trefusises, their three fusils. The Carminows held to their Cornish motto, Gala Rag Whethlow ; and the Polwheles to their
Karenza
ichelas
Karenza.
In the compilation of my list I have gleaned from the collection of Jonathan Couch, who, as "Video," contributed it to Notes and Queries (voL Polperro, folk-lore,
x.,
First Series, 1854).
commonly entirely
attributed to
my
own.
my
The
glossary in the History of
father,
is,
with the chapter on
I have also had assistance from the
Verbal Provincialisms of South-Western Devonshire, by W. Pengelly, F.R.S. In this pamphlet, reprinted from the Transactions of the
Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science and Art, are
many words wall,
contributed by Mr. Pengelly from Looe in East Cornare so identical in sound and meaning with those in
and they
much doubt the accuracy of Mr. Bond's informant when he says " I have been informed that about a century ago the people of Polperro had such a dialect among them, that even the inhabitants use at Polperro, that I
:
of Looe could scarce understand what they said.
Of
late years,
however, from associating more with strangers, they have nothing particularly striking in their mode of speech, except a few of the old people."
*
Many words
have been taken from the comic and burlesque verse
Henry Daniel, a native of Lostwithiel, who has with exquisite humour and true poetic faculty made free use of our vernacular and of
;
am
indebted to an interesting series of articles contributed by F. Dr. "W. P. Jago, of Plymouth, to the pages of The Cornishman, also I
a Penzance weekly paper.
I have been much guided in the proper rendering of the \yords Ellis's Pronunciation of English Dialects, and have striven
by Mr.
them
to give 1
as phonetically as I could in ordinary spelling.
Topographical and Historical Sketches of E. and W. Looe.
75
A GLOSSARY OF WORDS IN USE IN
EAST CORNWALL. "
The door is all abraird." Abroad, Abrawd, open. Adder. The Eev. J. L. Stackhouse, Curate of St. Mellion, says, that in his neighbourhood this name which generally means the viper, Pelius Berus, is applied to the newt, Lissotriton punctatus.
Afeard, afraid. " Agate, all agate" descriptive of earnest attention.
Agen, against
Agg,
v.
until.
;
to incite; set
on; provoke. A.S. eggian. an augmentative, as " all abroad."
All, used frequently as
Alley, the Allis shad, Alosa vulgaris. times locally called chuck-childern.
Allsanders, the herb,
Smymium
From
its
bony nature some-
olusatrum.
Ampassy, the &c. (et cetera) at the end of the alphabet. This interjection, used within remembrance, is now nearly It seemed to imply a wish to have the question repeated, and extinct. " " what did to mean, you say ?
Allan.
Anend, on end
;
straight.
" Tail anend."
Monk fish, Squatina angelus (Mevagissey). the earth-worm. Angle-touch, Angle-twitch, Tagwormes which the Cornish English terme angle-touches. CAREW. Your bayte shall be a grete angyll-twytch or a menow. Treatise of Fysshynge by Juliana Berners. " I wan't go anist en." Anist, Anest, near to nigh. Angelmaine, the
;
Anker, a keg or small cask of handy size for carrying by hand, or slung on horse-back. Used by smugglers. Apple-drane, the wasp. Apsentree, the aspen, Populus tremula.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
76 Arg, to argue. Arrant, errand.
Go soul the body's guest Upon a thankless arrant. The Arrish.
Lie,
by
Sir
hairy mouse ; the bat. To war with rere-mice for
this
Ealeigh, (a Devonshire man).
A.S. hrere mus.
Ary mouse, The
W.
See Erish. their leathern wings.
Mids. N. Dream, II. ii. 4. flits above them in
village boys at Polperro address the bat as it
song
:
Ary -mouse, ary-mouse
!
fly
over
my head,
And you shall ha' a crust o' bread, And when I brew and when I bake, You shall ha' a piece o' my wedding
cake.
Ascrode, astride.
The Cornish tinner, in Carew's time, called Attle, rubbish ; refuse. the heaps of abandoned tin works, Attal Sarazin, which he translates, "The Jewes offcast" (Survey of Cornwall, ed. 1769, p. 8). The word is spelt by Pryce (Mineralogia Comubiensis), attal, attle, adall, A.S. addle, and said to mean corrupt, impure, off-casts, deads. aidlian. Whatever the root, there are many branches, as addle, idle, &c. Avore, before.
Ax, to Azew.
ask.
A
cow
is
when drained of milk before when milking is discontinued, the cow is
said to be azeio
In some parts, calving. "gone to zew."
Bal, a mine. Ball, (1) to beat. (2) to ball, or as noun, a bawl.
" Hold thy ball," hold your noise. Balch, a stout cord used for the head-line of a fishing net.
To balk pilchards is to pile them toallin layers of pilchards and salt. Balk seems to mean a hedge, Shakspere used this word ridge, and metaphorically, an obstacle. as we do. Sir Walter Blount brings news of the discomfiture of Douglas, and describing the field, speaks of
Balk, in some places bull: like,
Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty knights, Balk'd in their own blood. Henry IV., Pt. 1, I. i. That
like a balk
with his cross builded wall. Island, Canto
PHETEAS FLETCHER'S Purple
iv.
Stanza
11.
Ballywrag, to scold or abuse. Barnes, in the Glossary appended to his Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset dialect, suggests a derivation from A.S. bealu, evil, and wregan, to accuse.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
77
Bankrout, bankrupt. In the first folio edition of Shakspere, 1623, the form bankrout is generally used. See Mer. of Venice, III. i. 47 IV. i. 122. In Love's Labour Lost, I. i. 27, the form is " bankerout." Marston in Antonio's Revenge, II. ii. has ;
Bich hope
:
think not thy face a bankrout though.
From the Cornish banal. Bannel, the broom (Cytisus scoparius). this is a late form. Williams (Lexicon (Jornu Brit.) says, In the Cornish vocabulary it is written banathel, genista. It enters into the ' '
name
of
many
Bennalack."
Barm,
yeast.
places in Cornwall, as Bannel, Banathlek, Bennathlick, gives instances from cognate dialects.
He
There
is
in some
p'arts
a
trill
on the
r,
as barrum.
red, with inclination to purple, as in congestion of the cutaneous circulation.
Bassom, Bassomy, blush Bean, a withy band. Beat, burnt turf.
In Carew's time, as now, Beat-burrows, a heap of burnt turves. farmers "a little before ploughing time scatter abroad their beatboroughs" (Survey of Cornwall, ed. 1769,
p. 20).
Becker, a species of bream, Sparus pagrus. Bedman, sexton. A word going out of use. Bee-but, bee-hive. Belk,
v.
to belch. Till I
might
belk
revenge.
MARSTON, Antonio's Revenge, I. i. Hid, I. iii. Belong. A curious employment of this word is observed here, e. g. "I belong working to Wheal Jane." Belve, to bellow.
Bettermost,
Bever,
much
the best.
to shiver.
Biddicks, a mattock
:
perhaps from
beat,
burnt earth, and axe.
In some parts called Bilder, the herb Heracleum spliondylium. The bilder in many districts is that hurtful herb the hemcowflop. lock water-drop wort, CEnantlie crocata. Bishop, the
fish,
Coitus scorpius.
Black-head, a boil or furuncle.
Blacky-month, November. The mis diu of the old Cornish. Black- worm, the cock-roach.
Blame, a word of objurgation. Blinch, to catch a glimpse the caunder."
of.
" I'm blamed if I don't." E. g. " I just blinched en gain round
Blindbuck-a-Davy, the game of blind-man's
buff.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
78
Bloody warrior, the
wall-flower, Cheiranthus cheiri,
Blooth, Blowth, blossom.
No
fruit I promise from the tree for this blooth hath brought.
Which
CABEW'S Survey of
C. Prosopopeia.
Blue-poll, a species, or more probably a variety of salmon remarkable for the steel blue colour of its head, and for ascending our rivers Candlemas ; hence, when occurring in numbers (e. g. the Camel), about they are called "the Candlemas schull." The great majority are observed to be males or kippers.
Bobble, a pebble. Boldacious, audacious; bold; impudent.
Bon-crab, tbe female of the edible crab, Platycarcinus pagurus. Boostis, fat
;
well conditioned.
Boots and Shoes, the columbine, Aquilegia vulgaris.
Bowerly,
stately
and comely.
"
A
boicerly
woman."
Boy's love, southernwood.
Brage, to scold violently.
Braggaty, spotted mottled. In an old manuscript account book which belonged to a white witch or charmer of East Cornwall, I find a charm in which this adjective is applied to the adder. "A charam for the bit of an ader. 'Bradgty, bradgty, bradgty, under the ashing leaf,' to be repeated three times, and strike your hand with the growing of the hare. 'Bradgty, bradgty, bradgty,' to be repeated three times, nine before eight, eight before seven, seven ;
before six, six before five, five before four, four before three, three before two, two before one, and one before every one. Three times for the bit of an ader."
Brandys, a tripod or
trivet
used in cooking.
Here chiefly noticed for a curious idiom we have, Brath., broth. " a few brath," a dish of broth with a few cubes of bread soaked in it. It is sometimes used without fairly good tolerably well. any well-defined meaning to qualify "a noun, implying that the thing " How of its sort. 'Tis brave weather." be is
Brave,
;
moderately good "Bravish."
you?"
walked
to Eedriffe
by
E.g.
Pepys writes (September
19,
1662),
"that he
brave moonshine."
Breek, a rent or hole in a garment. a breek in it."
Qy. break.
E.
g.
" There
isn't
Briming. The name given to those scintillations of light in the sea waves at night, produced by several species of entomostraca, medusae, Carew calls it briny. &c., when excited. Bronse, thicket.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Brown- wort, the
much
fig wort,
Scropfiularia nodosa.
79 The
leaves
are
used as an application to ulcers.
Light and spongy bread
Browthy.
The buck in the dairy produced by some unknown
is
browthy.
a change in the milk and cream, influence, perhaps electrical, or more probably some fungoid or other growth by which they acquire a disagreeable taste and smell. It is very difficult to eradicate from the dairy when once in.
Buck.
is
Buckhorn, whiting, salted and dried. Once a considerable article of export from Polperro and other fishing towns but in these days ;
when we cannot wait
for fish to be salted the trade is discontinued.
Buffle-head, thick-head
But
my
Pepys,
March
dunder-head. truffle-headed fellow.
17, 1663.
Bullard, bullward
Bullum, the
;
Lord Mayor, a talking, bragging, ?
In the cow, maris appetens. Prunus interstitia, or bullace
fruit of the
tree.
Bultys, Boulter, a term applied by fishermen to an apparatus for catching conger, pollack, &c. It consists of a long line, having at intervals hanging from it snoods of a fathom length armed with tinned hooks. The snoods have many separate cords to prevent the The whole is moored, and its fish liberating themselves by gnawing. Carew calls it a botilter. position marked by a buoy.
Bumfire, bonfire.
Bunt, the concavity or bellying of a net or
mound
Burrow, a
or heap;
a
sail.
sepulchral tumulus.
See Beat-
burrows. Buss, a yearling calf
Bussy-milk, the
first
still
sucking.
milk
after calving.
Shakspere uses the word. Tusser Buts, bots, a disease of the horse. " bids the farmer beware of giving his cattle green peason for breed: December Husb., V. 17. Points Five of 6ois." Hund. ing Butt, (1) a heavy two-wheeled cart. (2) a hive; "a bee-hut."
Butter and Eggs, the flower Narcissus poeticus. Butterdock, the herb burdock, Arctium majus. cockle-bells.
Cab, a dirty mess ; a slovenly, untidy thing.
Cabby,
adj. dirty.
Caff, refuse
;
especially refuse or unsaleable fish.
Cannis, to toss about carelessly.
The
fruit are called
80
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
Caper-longer, the
shell-fish,
Pinna "
Caprouse, a tumult, or row.
He
ingens*
keck'd up zich a caprouse."
Care, the mountain ash, Pyrus aucuparia.
Cats and dogs, the catkins of the willow. Catty-ball, a ball used in play.
Canch, a mess.
Cauchy, sloppy
miry.
;
" The roads be caucliy."
Caudle, entanglement; mess. disease in sheep, &c., produced by the liver fluke, Distoma sheep affected by that disease, elsewhere known as rot, hepaticum. In Dorset it is a-cothed. Barnes (op. cit.} quotes the Anglois cawed. " such a disease Saxon Chronicle: " swile coth com on mannum
Cawed, a
A
:
came on men.
"
Chak, cheek.
Chakky
"I'm chacking with hunger."
famished.
Chacking, half N. & Q.
I'll
See
scat the' cliaks."
cheese, the fruit of the
common
mallow,
much
liked
by
children.
Chall, the building where kine are housed.
Chap, a young fellow. Cheeld, child.
Cheens, the
loins.
Cheese, the cake of alternate pounded apple and straw from which the cider is pressed.
Chien or Cheen, to germinate. some parts cheem.
Potatoes in a dark cellar cheen, in
Clutter Chitterlings, the small guts and mesentery. furrowed-faced person is called " chitter-faced."
means thin ; a
Chop, to barter.
As
for the chopping of bargains. BACON, Essay of Riches. Chopping and changing. GOSSON, School of Abuse. Chow, to chew.
Chuck, choke.
So called from the Chuck-children, the Allis Shad, Alosa vulgaris. bony nature of the fish, and its inelegibility as an article of infant diet. Chuff, sulky
;
sullen.
Church-hay, churchyard. Hoez, an inclosure. out of use, but is often heard in the adage,
A hot May
Makes a Church-town, the church
fat
village.
Church-hay.
This word
is
dropping
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
81
Churer, a char-woman.
Clam, the starfish, Asterias glacialis. Clan, a rude wooden foot-bridge over a stream. Clib, to stick or adhere.
Clibby, sticky
;
adhesive.
Click-handed, Click-pawed, left-handed. dorn, hand; gliken, left.
Cornish,
dorn-gliken
:
Galium aparine.
Gliders, the herb, rough bed-straw,
Clidgey, adj. descriptive of a gelatinous, sticky consistence in bread confectionery, &c.
Clome, earthenware, distinct from the more pellucid china-ware. Clop, to limp.
Cornish
clof,
lame
;
Idoppik, a cripple.
Clout, a napkin for infants. When clothes are taken from a chest of sweets To swaddle infants, whose young breath Scarce knows the way Those clouts are little winding-sheets Which do consign and send them unto death. ;
Cluck, to crouch
;
stoop.
HERBERT, Church Mortification. E. g. " Clucky down."
Cluck, the sitting oestrum in hens.
"My hands
Clum, benumbed.
are
clum with the cold."
Clunk, to swallow. That action by which food passes from the tongue into the pharynx. Clunker, the uvula. Clush, to
lie close
on the ground.
Clusty, a close, heavy consistence in bread, potatoes, &c.
Cockabell, Cocklebell,
icicle.
Collybrand, smut in corn.
Composants, the meteor Castor and Pollux, known to ominous of storm. Qy. Spanish cuerpo santo. Condiddle, to take away clandestinely
;
sailors
as
to filch.
Conger doust or Conger douce, ? sweet conger. The fish, Conger vulgaris, was within the memory of our oldest, and for reasons which might well be inquired into, immensely more abundant than now.
Up to the beginning of the present century, a large trade existed between Cornwall and Catholic countries in Conger-douce. For further information as to the
mode
of its preparation, see Couch's Fishes,
vol. iv. p. 345.
Coomb,
a
narrow
valley.
o
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
82
Corrat, pert; impudent; saucy; sharp in rejoinder. as Crocker's mare." E. C. proverb.
"As
corral
Corwich, the crab, Maia squinado. Cow-flop, the herb, cow parsnip,
Heradeum Splwndylium.
Cowshern, cow-dung. adj. applied to the sea -when it assumes an olive green, turbid appearance, as if coloured with cow-dung. This appearance is probably owing to the presence of animalcules, such as entomostracae, medusae, &c.
Cowsherny,
Crabbit, crabbed
sharp and contradictory.
;
Creem, to squeeze. It is metaphorically used to describe that sensation of rigor or creeping of the flesh, known as goose flesh, cutis " I felt a creem " Creemed wi' the cold." anserina. go over me." Creen, to wail, or moan.
"The
cheeld hest been creem' ng
all
day."
Crib, a crust of bread.
Cribbage-faced, small and pinched in
face.
Cricket, or Crecket, a low stool.
Qy. A.S.
down through
feebleness.
Crickle, to break
eric,
a crutch, or prop.
Crim, a morsel a small quantity of anything. Allied to the word crumb. Often applied to time. E. g. " After a crim" in a very short ;
time.
" So to fiddle. Crowd, a fiddle. Crowder,, a fiddler. long as you'll crowdy they'll dance." E. 0. proverb. Crowdero had his name from this word, said to be Keltic. Crwth is Welsh for a
Crowdy, fiddle.
sweet consent between a crowd and a Jew's harp. JOHN LILLY, Campaspe, II.
Crow-sheaf, the terminal sheaf on the gable of a Cruddle,
v.
i.
mow.
to curdle.
how thy blood cruddles at this. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER, A King and common use to qualify almost any noun, and See
Cruel, in of the meaning usually conveyed. very hard (Qy. slang). Crumpling, a stunted apple.
Cry
Cruel slow, very slow
no King,
I. i.
has nothing ;
cruel hard,
out, travail ; parturition. Shakspere makes King Henry VIII. i.) say to Lovell concerning his discarded Quee'n Catherine
(V.
:
What say'st thou ? ha What is she crying out ? her woman and that her !
To pray
for her ? Lovell. So said
;
Almost each pang a death. Cuckle-dock, the herb burdock, Arctium
majus.
sufferance
made
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
83
In that Cuckoo-spit, the froth of the insect, Cicadia spumaria. exquisitely dainty feast which Herrick spreads for Oberon is
A little Of that we
call the cuckoo spittle.
Hesperides.
Cue, an ox shoe. There are two on each division of the hoof, somewhat resembling a Q, from which the name may be derived. Culch, oyster spat. Cullers, the
same
as
Hollibubber (Delabole).
Culver-hound, the lesser spotted dogfish, Squalus catidus.
A
common school punishCustis, a smart blow on the open palm. ment ; also the name of the instrument inflicting it. Cuttit, sharp in reply
;
pert
;
impudent.
Dafter, sometimes Darter, daughter. " He's the Daps, likeness ; image. very daps
o'
es vather."
Batch, thatch.
Daver, to fade or
soil.
Davered, faded;
soiled.
Dayberry, the wild gooseberry. Deave, or Deeve, barren Delbord, the
Dems,
the
fish,
empty.
;
A
nut without a kernel
wooden frame in which a door swings.
dry stock of an apple-tree Dew-snail, the slug,
is
Limax
The dead and
agrestis.
Vide Pryce,
bird, water wagtail.
Dishwasher, the thistle.
Dogga, the picked
Milky
disle, Sonclius oleraceus.
dog-fish,
Acanthius vulgaris.
Dole, confusedly stupid. Doll, Qy. Toll, a tribute
by the Lord
of a tin-sett, tollere.
Dory-mouse, the dormouse. Dossity, spirit
;
activity.
Doust, chaff; dust.
Down-danted,
Dowse,
to
deeve.
apple-dern.
Dish, (1) a toll of tin; a gallon, according to Carew. Mineralogia Cornub. (2) to be suddenly downcast or dismayed.
Disle, the
is
nurse hound, Squalus canicula, N.E. C.
cast
down
;
depressed in spirits
;
daunted.
throw on the ground. G 2
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
84
Drang, a narrow passage or
A.S. thrang, thringcn, to press,
alley.
squeeze, or thrust.
Drash, to thrash. Drashel, a
flail.
Draxel, the threshold.
Dredge-corn, a mixed crop of barley,
oats,
A word now
Driff, a small quantity.
and wheat.
not commonly used.
Dringed, or Dringed up, crowded. Drlth, Dryth, dryness.
Drover, a fishing boat employed in driving or fishing with
drift or
floating nets.
Drug,
"
Chaucer says he profred his servyse To drugge and drawe what so men wold devyse.
to drag.
And
Drug
the wheel."
:
at the gate
Knightfs Tale.
Drule, to drivel.
Drumble-drane, the humble bee.
Dubbut, short ; dumpy. Duggle, to walk about with
effort
and
care, like a
very young child.
Dumbledory, the cockchafer.
Dummet,
the dusk.
Dwalder, to speak tediously and confusedly.
Ear-bussums, the Easy,
tonsils.
idiotic.
Eaver, in some parts pronounced Hayver.
The
Lolium
grass,
perenne.
Eglet, or Aglet, the fruit of the white thorn, haw.
Carew in
Elleck, a species of gurnard, Trigla cuculus. " Illek." tion of Cornish fishes mentions the
his enumera-
Elvan, probably a purely Cornish term applied to intrusive dykes of porphyritic felsite, but sometimes locally and ignorantly to coarse sandy beds of killas.
Emmers, embers. The old plural termination
En.
as ox, oxen housen, &c.
;
still
kept by some English nouns, by us in pea, peasen house,
chick, chicken, is retained
Pppingstock, the step from which a horse A common convenience in most farm-yards.
;
mounted, by women. Qy. upping-stock.
is
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
85
Errish, sometimes Arrish, stubble. Errish.-, or
Arrish-mow, field stacklets of wheat or barley. In the Easternmost parts of Cornwall it is,
'
Eval, a dung fork.
yule,*
eual.
Eve, to become moist. A stone floor is said to eve before wet weather. A good hygrometric mark among country folk. Evett, sometimes Ebbet, the newt.
May
never
evet
nor the toad
Within thy hanks make their abode.
BROWNE'S Britannia Eyle, the
Pastorals,
Book
I.
Song
2.
eel.
Faggot, a feminine term of reproach. Also used to designate a A man who, in the wrestling ring, secret and unworthy compromise. I presume it has some relationship sells his back, is said to faggot. to the word in use among electioneering people, faggot vote. Fairy, a weasel.
Fang, more commonly pronounced Vang,
to take ; collect ; handle, A.S. fengan. And Christendon of priests handes fonge. CHAUCER,- Man of Lawes Tale.
or receive.
Bunium
Fare-nut, Vare-nut, the earth-nut or tuberous root of the flexuosum.
Feather bow, fever few, Matricaria parthenium. Fellon, inflammation. Culpepper says that the berries of tbe bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) are applied with benefit to felons, Vide
Amara
dulcis.
Fellon-herb, the mouse-ear hawk-weed,
Fern-web, a coleopterous
insect,
Hiemceum pilosella.
Melorontha horticola.
Fetterlock, fetlock. Fit, to prepare or arrange.
" Shall I fit a cup
o'
tay for
'ee
" 1
Fitchett, a polecat. Fitty, fitting
;
Flaygerry, a Fleet,
v.
proper. frolic
;
spree.
to float.
Ere
my
This Flikkets, flashes
sweet Gaveston shall part from mo upon the ocean. MARLOWE, Troublesome Reign of King Ediv. 21.
isle shall fleet
;
sudden or rapid change of
colour.
Flox, to agitate water in a closed vessel.
Flying-mare, a peculiar and dangerous hitch or grip in wrestling.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
86 For, during.
"
Once for the day."
Forthy, officious; forward. soil or
Fouse, to
crumple.
Frape, to bind. Freath, or Vreath, a wattle. a pilchard prepared formerly smoked.
Fumade,
Furnigg,
to deceive
Cornish, "fadic," a
Gad, a chisel for
;
by the
process of balking, perhaps
desert, or fail in a promise. "Fenigy," Video.
Qy.
From
the
runaway.
splitting laminated rocks.
A.S. ga, gaad, goad.
Gaddle, to drink greedily. Gale, an impotent bull.
Gambrel, the hock of an animal. Gange. To gange a hook is to arm it and the snood with a fine brass or copper wire twisted round them to prevent their being bitten off by the fish.
Gawky,
stupid; foolish. cuckoo.
C. gog, a cuckoo.
A.S. gaec, geac, g&c, a
Geese, a girth of a saddle.
Gerrick, the garfish, Belone vulgarls. Giglet, an over merry, romping girl.
Away
with those
giylets too.
Measure for Measure, V. 352.
Ging, the whip employed to spin a top.
Gladdy, the yellow hammer. Glawer, the fish, power, Morrhua minuta, N.E. C. Glaze, to stare. Glint, to catch a glimpse of.
Goad. Land in small quantities is measured by the goad or staff with which oxen are driven. It represents nine feet, and two goads square is called a yard of ground. On the day before Christmas day poor women go Go-a-gooding. round to their richer neighbours asking alms. This is called goiny-ayooding.
Goody.
To goody
is
to thrive or fatten.
Goog, or Gug, a seaside cavern. Goosey-dance.
Burlesque sport on Christmas Eve.
Polperro, p. 161.
Gore.
"A
N.E. C.
gore of blood."
Vide Hist, of
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Gorry, a wicker
flasket
87
with two long handles, carried in the modo
of a sedan chair.
Arundo pliragmites.
Goss, the reed,
Grab, to grasp
;
seize.
Grainy, proud
;
haughty.
Grange,
to grind the teeth.
Green-sauce, the herb, Greet, earth
Rumex
acetosa.
soil.
;
Greet-board, the earth-board of a plough. Grey-bird, the thrush, Turdus musicus. Gribble, the young stock of a tree on which a graft
Corn sent
Griste, grist.
is
to be inserted.
Hedgy-gripe, the ditch by the hedge of a
Gripe, a ditch.
Grizzle, to grin
to the mill to
field.
be ground.
to laugh.
;
Guff, stuff; refuse.
Gulge, to drink gluttonously. Gumption, sense shrewdness ;
Gur, the
Hack,
fish,
aptitude of understanding.
" To hack tetties " (potatoes).
to dig lightly.
Hallihoe, the skipper
fish,
Scomberesox
Collop, or Shrove
Hall-Monday, Vide
;
shanny, Blennius pliolis, S.E. C.
saurits.
Monday, probably Hallow-monday.
Nicky-nan night.
Hall nut, the
hazel.
A
hame is used to a circle of straw rope; a horse-collar. fasten the fore leg of a sheep to his neck to prevent straying, or
Hame,
breaking fence.
Handsel, to use or handle for the first time. the heart, lungs, and liver of an animal on a butcher's Hange, " Head and hange"
Hapse, a hasp.
Hardah,
elvan. rock.
Hard-head, the herb, black knapweed, Centaurea nigra Hares-meat, the wood-sorrel, Oxalis
acetosella.
Harve, a harrow. Hastis, hasty
sudden.
;
Hauen, haven
;
harbour.
" Hastis news."
stall.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
88
The children of a family of lineage ; extraction. are said to be " o' bad havage."
Havage,
Hayne,
v. to
withdraw
from a
cattle
field
ill
repute
with a view to a crop
of hay.
See Errish.
Hayrish.
Haysing, poaching. Heal, or Hail, to hide or conceal. as bad's the stailer."
A.S. helan..
"The
hailer's
Local proverb.
Hedgyboar, the hedgehog. Hedgygripe, a ditch Heel-tap,
n.
at the foot of a hedge.
Metaphorically, the remainder
the heel-piece of a shoe.
of an ill-drained glass of liquor.
Hekkymal, the blue
tit
(Parus
cceruleus).
some
parts Hailing, roofing stone ; flat slate. His howses were unhilid And full i yvel dight. Cokes Tale of Gametyn.
Helling, in
Herringbairn, the fish, sprat, Clupea sprattus. Hile, the beard of barley.
Hoaze, hoarse.
Hobbin, a countryman's pasty which he takes to his work day meal. Hog, Hogget, a sheep after six months of age. Hollick, an alliaceous plant,
Holm-bush, the
common
for a mid-
in cottage gardens.
holly.
Holmscritch, the missel-thrush, Turdus viscivorus. Holt, hold
;
place of retreat.
Home, pronounced
From
?
horn, near to
;
nigh
helan. ;
close.
" Make horn the
door."
Homer, homeward.
Homey-wink,
the lapwing plover.
A
Horse, a fault in a rock. portion of dead ground splitting a lode, named a rider or rither in Yorkshire. Pryce.
House-warming, a wedding
gift,
or present on first keeping house.
Howsomever, however. Hudd, the husk of hard
fruit.
Huer, a man on shore who
directs
by
signs the
movements
seine fishermen.
Hull, the empty and rejected shell of nuts, peas, &c.
of the
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
89
Hulster, a hold ; place of retreat, er concealment, like Holt. " This rubbish es only a hulster for snails."
Hurrisome, hasty
;
E.
g.
passionate.
Hurry-skurry, confusion
;
intemperate haste.
Hurts, whortleberry.
lie, the liver fluke,
dtstoma hepatica, productive of rot in sheep.
Ill-wished, bewitched.
Inkle, tape
Inwards,
Jack
o'
Jack
o'
;
"
narrow webbing.
As
thick as ?Vt;?e-weavers."
intestines.
Lantern, Ignis fatuw, the pisky Puck. Lent, a figure made up of straw and cast-off clothes, carried round and burnt ^fc the beginning of Lent, supposed to represent Judas Iscariot. Hist, of Polperro, p. 125.
Jakes, a state of dirty untidiness.
Jam,
to squeeze forcibly
;
to crush.
Janders, jaundice.
Jenny-quick, an Italian iron. Jew's ears, some species of fungi.
Joan the Wad, the name
of
an
elf or pisky.
Joice, juice.
Jowter, a travelling fishmonger. " plenty of fish is vented to the
Keenly, deftly, as, "he does " Brave keenly gossan."
it
Carew says of Polperro, fishdrivers,
keenly."
whom we
that there
call jowters."
Also kindly; favourable.
Keeve, a large tub. Kenning, an ulcer on the eye. " What is called a
kenning, kerning, or a horny white speck on the several old women who profess to cure by a charm. Possibly kenning may imply a defect in the ken or sight. The old word ken is used for sight in Cornwall as well as in Scotland. I should not omit to state that the application of some plant to the part affected accompanies the muttered incantation. In the present case it is the plant or herb here yclept the kenning harb." POLWHELE'S Traditions and Recollections, vol. ii. p. 607. The plant I have seen most commonly used for clearing opacities of the cornea is the celandine, chelidonium majua. eye,
we have
Kerls, swollen and hard glands.
Same
root as kernels.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
90
Kern, to harden, as corn does after blossoming.
A
word with
large
relationships.
To kib a gap, is to mend a hedge with thorns, and put tabs or turves to keep them' down.
Kib.
Kibble, a mine bucket.
Kiddylwink, a beer-house.
Vide Tiddlywink.
Killas, Kellas, a local name in Cornwall and Devon for every kind of clay slate. It includes, in different districts, soft clay slate, roofing It may be said to include slate, fine-grained cleavable sandstone, &c. all fine-grained sedimentary rocks of silicious nature and schistose in structure.
Killick, a stone set in a frame of wood, used by fishermen to anchor a boat in rough ground, instead of a grapnel. " The word kellick, as I am informed, signifies a circle in Welsh and it is probable that the circle of wood which holds the stone is the foundation of the name." ;
Video.
" The name of a thing, commonly a piece of bread, which given under peculiar circumstances at weddings and christenings. It refers to a curious custom which probably at some time was When general, but now exists only at Polperro, as far as I know. the parties set out from the house to go to the Church, or on their business, one person is sent before them with this selected piece of bread in his or her hand (a woman is commonly preferred for this office), and the piece is given to the first individual that is met, whose attention has been drawn to the principal parties. I interpret it to have some reference to the idea of the evil eye, and its influence from envy which might fall on the married persons or on the child, and which is sought to be averted by this unexpected gift. It is also observed at births in order that by this gift envy may be turned away from the infant or happy parents. This kimbly is commonly given to persons bringing the first news to persons interested in the birth."
Kimbly. is
JONATHAN COUCH,
Polperro.
Kink, a twist in a rope ; entanglement. Kipper, a male salmon. Kit, (1) kith. Perhaps applied to the kite, (2) the buzzard, Buteo vulgaris. Milvus regalis, before the bird became so exceedingly rare.
Klip, to strike or
cuff.
"I Hipped 'en under the ear."
Knagging, inclined to be contentious, and Knap, the top or brow of a hill.
ill-tempered.
Hark on the knap of yonder hill Some sweet shepherd tunes his quill. BROWNE. As you shall see many fine seats set upon a knap of ground. !
BACON'S Essays. Knap-kneed, knock-kneed.
Ko
!
an exclamation of entreaty.
Video says Coh
is
an exclamation
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. of no very decided meaning to
"You
say,
don't
;
but
it
signifies to
mean what you
say,"
91
put off, as much as along with you."
"Go
Generally in E. 0. it is used as supplementary to any earnest request, and is very expressive of eager entreaty.
Lairy, Leery, adj. descriptive of emptiness or sinking at the stomach. Lake, a small stream of running water. Sometimes a space in the open sea where a particular current runs, as the lake off Polperro.
Gwavas lake. Lamper, the lamprey. Lampered, mottled. Lank, the
"
Lampered
all over," like
the sea lamprey.
flank, or groin.
Lapstone, the stone on which a shoemaker beats his leather. 1
Lask, a
slice
whiffing for
Latten,
taken off the tail of a mackerel ; a favourite bait in mackerel or pollack.
tin.
Launder, a shute running under the eaves of a house. "
He's as lazy as Lawrence, Larrence, the rural god of idleness. Larence." " One wad think that Larence had got hold o'n." A most humorous illustration of the dialect of Somersetshire, by Mr. James Jennings, printed in Brayley's Graphic and Historical Illustrator, p. 42, shows that Larence is there held in the same repute.
Leasing, gleaning. Leat, a mill stream. Lent-lily, the daffodil, Narcissus pseudo-Narcissus.
A slang term like " whopping."
Lerriping, expressive of unusual
size.
Still in Let, to hinder or stop. " as you let my marble."
common
use
among boys
at play
:
Levers, the plant, Iris pseudacorus. From lyfren, leaves; thin laminae, very descriptive of the flag or marsh iris.
A
common word in the Wessex dialect, signifying sheltered. a sunny aspect, but protected from the wind, eminently descriptive of our towns, the Looes.
Lew,
Lewth,
shelter.
Lidden, a monotonous song or word." Lide, the
month
tale.
Carew says
it
means
a
"
by-
of March.
Liggan, or Lig. The manure composed of autumnal leaves washed down by a stream, and deposited by side eddies (Fowey). A species of sea-weed. p. 126.
See Worgan's General View of Agriculture in Cornwall,
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY,
92 Liggy, sloppy
;
drizzly, applied to weather.
The rising of the lights is the name given to the globua hystericus, a prominent symptom in the disease hysteria.
Lights, the lungs.
Linhay, a shed consisting of a roof resting on a wall supported by pillars in front. Lintern, a
at the back,
and
lintel.
Loader, a double apple.
Lob, a stone tied to the end of a thrown from the rock.
fishing-line to
keep
it
fast
when
Locus, toffy; sugar-stick. Loitch, refuse.
In some parts of E. C.
Longcripple, the lizard. the snake and viper.
Long-nose, the
it is
the
name
of
Belone vulgaris.
fish
Loon, the bird, the northern diver, Colymbus glacialis. Lords and Ladies, the wake-robin, Arum maculatum.
Louning, lank; thin; meagre. Louster, to work hard.
"
He that
can't
schemy must lousier" Local
proverb.
Lugg, (2)
(1) the
beach-worm, Armicola.
the undergrowth of weed in a field of corn.
maw
Maa, the
or stomach.
The a pronounced
as in the next word,
male.
shanny, Blennius pholis. Malkin, a mop of rags fastened to a long pole, and used to sweep out an oven. Metaphorically, a dirty slut.
Male, the
fish
Manchent, a small
No As
loaf.
mancTiet can so well the courtly palate please fertil leaze. that made of the meal fetch'd from
my
DBAYTON,
Polyolbion.
Also applied to the crab, the harbour crab, Carcinus Maenas. velvet crab, Portunus puber, and other harbour crabs.
Mare
Mash, marsh.
Maur, Moor,
" to moor a a root, or fastening. Hence, perhaps, vessel." is a common expression, meaning, root and mould.
" Maur and mule,"
Mawnge, May, the
to
chew
;
masticate
;
munch.
flowering whitethorn.
Mazed, bewildered.
Expressive of confused madness.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
93
Mazegerry, a wild, thoughtless, giddy
fellow. Very possibly the Guare, Huare, are old Cornish for play or "The Cornish people," says Carew, "have their Guary sport. Vide Flaygerry. miracles," or miracle plays.
clown of a rustic play.
Mazzard, a black cherry.
Header, a mower. This word appears in the following verse of an old, and I suppose, an unpublished song Summer now comes, which makes all things holder The fields are all deck'd with hay and with corn The meader walks forth with his scythe on his shoulder, :
;
;
His
firkin in hand, so early in the
morn.
Mermaids Purses, the
egg-cases of some Chondroptergious fishes, often drifted to the beach with oreweed.
Merry
dancers, the flickering Aurora borealis.
Miche, to play truant.
To miche, to lurk, with a slight deviation from Fr. muser. EICHAEDSON. In our older writers the word used to mean an idle pilferer. Shall the blessed sun of heaven prove a micher. SHAKSPERE, First Henry IV., II. iv. 450. The moon in the wane, gather fruit for to last, But winter fruit gather when Michel is past ;
Though michers that love not to buy or to crave Make some gather sooner, else few for to have. TTJSSER, September Husbandrie.
Miching, idling; skulking. I never look'd for better of that rascal Since he came miching first into our house. Woman killed with kindness. HEYWOOD,
A
Milcy, adj. descriptive of bread or flour made from corn which has germinated. The loaf has a sweet taste and close consistency.
Mimsey, the minnow, Leuciscus phoxinus. Mismaze, bewilderment. Mock, Mot, a log of wood.
The Christmas mock
or
mot
is
the yule
log.
Moil, the mule, hybrid between stallion and female
Mole, the
fish,
ass.
Vide Mute.
rock goby, Gobius niger, N.E. C.
Molly-candle, a man who intrudes into women's household affairs. Such a character was down to late date known as a cotquean. Addison uses this latter word.
Mood, the vegetable Moody-hearted,
sap.
easily disposed to tears.
Moor-stone, granite.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
94
Mor, the guillemot. Mord, lard
pig's grease.
;
Mother Carey's chicken, stormy
Mowhay,
petrels, Procellaria pelagica.
the inclosure where stacks and
mows
are made.
Muffles, freckles in the skin.
Muggets, the small entrails, chitterlings. In a MS. cookery-book of the time of Queen Elizabeth, in my possession, and probably Cornish, there are directions
how
Mule, to beplaster with as moiled or bemoiled.
" to boyle calves muggetts."
mud.
"
He was muled
in
mud."
The same
Mule, to knead or make dough.
In Riley's Munimenta Gildhallm Londinensis, vol. iii., a story is given in Latin of a roguish baker who used to cheat his customers by having a hole in his table, " quce vocatur molding borde," A.D. 1327.
sea bird Guillemot ( Uria). the Mute, hybrid between male ass and mare.
Mur, the
Nacker, the wheatear, Saxicola cenanthe. Naert, night. Nail, a needle.
Natey,
adj. applied to fat
when fairly composed Qy. from
Nattlings, the small guts.
of fat
and
lean.
C. enederen,
Neat, adj. simple; undiluted. This word has wide distribution with many variations among the North-western branches of the Aryan languages. With us its use is fast dying out, and is E.g. "I'll ha' it neat" i.e. chiefly applied to spirituous drinks. without water. Christopher Marlowe in his Hero and Leander uses
it
in our sense.
"Wild savages that drink of running springs Think water far excells all earthly things ; But they that drink neat wine despise it.
Neck, a miniature sheaf of wheat with four plaited arms, intertwined with everlastings, and the more durable of flowers. The stalks of wheat brought down by the last sweep of the scythe are brought home in thankful triumph, and woven as described. In the evening the sheaf or zang is taken into the mowhay, where are assembled all the harvest party.
A stout-lunged reaper proclaims " I hav'en I hav'en I hav'en " !
!
Another loud voice questions ' '
"
What
hav'ee
?
!
:
What
hav'ee
?
A neck ! A necJe I A neck ! "
What
hav'ee
?
"
the reply and the crowd take up, in their lustiest tones, a chorus of " Wurrah." General merriment follows, and the draughts of ale or
is
;
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
95
The neck may be seen hanging to the beam of cider are often deep. of our farm-houses between harvest and Christmas eve, on which night it is given to the master bullock in the chall. " Hollaing " the neck is still heard in East Cornwall, and is one of the cheerfullest
many
of rural sounds.
Neggnr, the
ass.
Nessel, a snood of twisted twine, home-made, to which the hook fastened in fishing for smaller fish, whiting, pollack, &c.
is
Nessel-bird, the smallest of a brood.
Nessel-taker, the
little
engine for making
nessels, fixed to
the beams
of the fishermen's dwelling.
New-fang, New-vang, something newly got; new fangled. Fang.
Vide
Nibby-gibby, narrowly escaped or missed. Nicky-nan-night, the night of Shrove Monday. For an account of the curious customs which distinguish this day, vide Hep. R. Inst. of Corn., 1842, and Couch's Hist. ofPolperro, p. 151.
Niddick, occiput, or nape of the neck. Miff, a slight offence
Nimpingale,
;
a
tiff.
a whitlow.
Nut-hall, the hazel, Coryhis aveUana.
Oak-web, the cockchaffer, Melolontha Oile, the
awn
or
liile
vulgaris.
of barley.
Ood, wood. Oost, a disease of cattle, a symptom or cause of of worms in the windpipe and bronchial tubes.
which
is
the presence
A
Open-asses, the medlar, Mespilm germanica. vulgar and illsavoured story is told here as well as in Chaucer's Prologue of the " Till we be Reeve, where it is said of the open-era, roten, can we not be rype."
name of some large single rocks in the sea, not far from land. Some fish are said to taste ory, some things to smell ory, that is, like oreweed or seaweed.
Orestone, the
Oreweed, seaweed.
The ground-floor of a fisherman's house Orrel, a porch or balcony. is often a fish-cellar, and the first floor serves him for kitchen and parlour, which is reached by a flight of stone steps ending in an orrel or porch (Polperro). Orts, scraps or leavings, especially of food.
Ovees, eaves of a house.
J.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
96
Overlook, to bewitch
to have under spell
;
to cast
;
an
evil eye on.
Beshrew your eyes They have o'erlook'd me. SHAKSPERE, Merchant of
Venice.
Ozel, the windpipe.
Faddick, a small pitcher. This cellar Palace, a cellar for the bulking and storing of pilchards. is usually a square building with a pent-house roof, enclosing an open area or court. Has our word any connection with that applied to a regal mansion which had a court (area circa cedes), for giving audience ?
A
Palched, patched. patched up man. Panger, a pannier.
Pank, Pay,
confirmed invalid
is
said to be a palched, or
to pant.
to lay
on a coat of pitch or
Peendy, tainted (applied
tar.
to flesh).
The
peculiar taste or smell just
short of decomposition.
Peize, to weigh ; to poise. I speak too long, but
To eke Tho'
it,
and
tis to peize the time it out in length. SHAKSPERE.
draw
to
yet lasting, with just balance paised.
soft,
FLETCHER'S Purple
Island.
Norden Pend,
also uses
to shut in.
it,
1584.
In English we retain the
participle past, pent.
Penny-cake, the herb navel-wort, Cotyledon umbilicus. Penny-liggy, penniless. Pilch, a warm, flannel outer garment for children. Pill, a pool in a creek.
Even as a sturgeon or a pike doth scour The creeks and pills in rivers where they
lie.
SILVESTER'S Pillus, the oat grass, Avena
(Worgan
Du
Bartas.
op. cit.).
" The dust which riseth." Pilm, Pillem, dust. Carew, who says that this was one of the rude terms with which Devon or Cornishmen were often twitted. after-cider made by throwing water on the nearly exhausted cheese or alternate layer of apple and straw. It is sometunes called leverage, and is only fit for immediate use.
Pimpey, the
Pinnikin, puny. Pisky, an elf or Pittis, pale
fairy.
and wan.
Qy. piteous.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Planehin, a
97
wooden
And
or planked floor. to that vineyard was a planched gate.
SHAKSPEKE, Measure for Measure. Carew says of woodPlashet, a moist place where a brook begins. cocks, that they arrive in Cornwall "on the north coast, where almost every hedge serveth for a road, and every plashshoot for springles to take them."
An old turnip is Fluff, soft ; light and spongy ; out of condition. said to be pluff. are 'e to-day?" is often answered, "rather The fur of a hare or rabbit is also called its pluff. pluff."
"How
Plum,
soft and yielding. light and spongy dough with yeast or larm.
soft
raising
Plumming
;
;
is
Pook, Puke, a small heap of hay or turves. Foot, to strike about with the
feet, as
children do
when
uneasy.
Popdock, the fox-glove. Porr, Purr, hurry
fluster
;
Portens, a butcher's term
Power, the
fish,
:
;
pother.
probably appurtenances.
Gadits minutus.
Prease, Prize, to force a lock by means of a lever.
Preedy, evenly balanced.
The beam of a
scale nicely adjusted is
preedy.
Progue,
to probe.
Proud-flesh, exuberant granulations of a healing wound.
Pult, the pulse.
Punkin-end, Punion-end, the gable-end of a house.
Purgy, thickset;
stout.
Purt, a sharp displeasure or resentment.
Quailaway, a stye on the
eyelid.
Quarrel, a pane of glass
probably at
:
first
"
He
has taken a purt."
a small square of
Some ask'd how pearls did grow, and where Then spoke I to my girl To part her lips and show me there The
glass.
;
quarrelets of pearl.
HERRICK, Amatory
Odes,
I.
i.
Quat, so squat, or stoop down, as a hare sometimes does when pursued.
"I
Quilter, to flutter.
Quinted, over
filled
;
veel'd sich a quilterin'
com
over
my
stuffed to repletion, applied to animals.
heart."
CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
KAST
98
Rabble-fish, unsaleable
No. 265.
vol. x.
Race, a
E.
string.
among the Rag, a large
g.
The
Raffle, refuse.
fish,
shared by the fishermen. Video,
Of onions.
less saleable fish
which
aiv not sold, but divided
boat's crew, are called raffle fish.
roofing stone.
a ridge of low rocks in the sea covered
Rany,
A", fy U.,
Vide Raffle.
and uncovered by
the tide.
Rare, raw.
Rauning, ravening; Corbonarius,
Ream,
is
voracious.
Reese,
fish,
Merlangut
A.S. ryman, to extend. Cold cream is called " raw ream."
(1) v. to stretch.
(2) n.
That voracious
called the running pollack.
the rim or surface.
Corn
c.
said to reese
is
when from
ripeness
it
falls
out of
the ear.
Rheem,
to stretch or extend, as india-rubber will do.
A
rude method, once common in our villages, Riding, Ram-riding. but now suppressed, of marking disapproval of, or holding up to infamy, any breach of connubial fidelity. A cart, in which were seated burlesque representatives of the erring pair, was drawn through the village, attended by a procession of men and boys, on donkeys, blowing horns. This custom was often the occasion of much riotous behaviour.
Rig, fun
frolic.
;
He
little thought when he Of running such a rig.
set out
COWPER, John
(Jilpin.
Our people, instead of " turning over a new Rish, the rush ; a list. I have thought that this may have been leaf," begin "a new risk." derived from a primitive way of keeping a tally by stringing some sort of counters on a rush. Rode,
" He hasn't the rode to do et." aptitude. Not rode in mad-brain's hand is that can help, But gentle skill doth make the proper whelp.
skill
;
Rodeless, without rode or
TTJSSER.
skill.
Rodeling, helpless; tottering; wandering in mind. Roper's news, news told as new, but heard before. news."
" That's Roptra
E. C. adage.
Rouch, Roche, rough. Round-robin, the angler
fish,
Lophitu pueatoriug.
Roving, severe pain. rough, as in row-hound, the fish Rqncilns canicvla, and in the Cornish hill, Roivior.
Row,
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Eud,
99
red.
Rummet,
dandriif.
Buttling, a gurgling or rattling noise in the windpipe.
Sabby,
soft, moist, pasty.
"A
or imperfectly done. zam oven," is one half heated. means half sodden or parboiled. To leave "Zown-zodden," " " the door a zam is to half close it.
Sam, Zam, half
Sample,
soft
and
flexible.
Sang, or Zang, a small sheaf such as leasers (gleaners) make. Scam. To scam a shoe is to twist it out of shape by wearing
it
wrongly.
Scantle, small
irregular
too
slate,
make
small to
"size slate"
(Delabole).
Scat, to split or burst
School, Schule, a
;
to bankrupt.
body of
Carew
fish.
spells it schoek.
Variously
spelt.
My silver scaled
skulls
about
my
streams do sweep. Polyolbion, Song xxvi.
DRAYTON, In
Bank
sculls
the mid-sea.
that oft
MILTOX.
Sclow, to scratch.
Sclum, to scratch violently. Scoad, to scatter
;
to spill.
" To scoad dressing
"
(manure).
Scoce, to exchange or barter. Scollops, the dry residuum after lard
is
melted out
;
an
article of food.
Scollucks, blocks of refuse or indifferent slate (Delabole).
Sconce, brains
;
wit.
Scovey, spotted; mottled.
Scranny, a scramble.
Scrawed, scorched in the sun, as scrawed pilchard."
fish are frequently prepared. Scrowled, at St. Ives. Tregellat.
"
A
Screw, the shrew or field-mouse, Sorex araneus. Scritch, a crutch.
Scry, a report of the appearance of a body of fish, such as pilchards on the coasts of East Cornwall. Dame Juliana Berners, in her Treatise of Fysshynge with an Angle, says, "the noyse of houndys, the blastes of hornys, and the scry of foules." " They hering the scry cam and out of eche of the spere yn hym."-
LELAND. TI
2
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
100
Scry is probably connected with the old practice of crying out, or vociferating on the approach of a schule of fish.
Scud, the hardened crust on a
Scudder, Skitter, to slide
;
sore.
skate.
Scute, an iron plate with which the toe or heel of a shoe Fr. e#cus$on. Lat. scutum.
name
Sea-adders, the vulgar generic
is
armed.
for pipe-fish.
Seam, or Zeam a load of hay
manure, &c. It means with us no ; Tusser in but a cart-load, waggon-load, &c. speaking of the good crops of barley which he raised at Brentham,
definite quantity,
says (October's Husbandrie),
Five seam of an acre I truly was paid. Again, in November's Httsbandrie, he says Th' encrease of a seam is a bushel for store. Sea-vern, sea fern
The rash
Seech..
;
the coral, Gorgonia verrucosa.
of sea
waves inundating the
streets at
high
tides.
BOND'S Hist of Looes. .
Seedlip, the
wooden basket
Sense, stop.
want
An
which the sower
in
carries his seed.
exclamation used by boys at marbles,
to stop for a
moment.
Shammick, a contemptuous
when they
(Polperro.)
epithet applied to a man.
Shanny, the fish, Blennius pholis. Shenakrum. a drink composed of boiled beer, a sugar, and slices of lemon. (Qy. Snack o' rum.)
little
rum, moist
Shive, to shy, as a horse does.
Shiver, a bar of a gate. Shoal, adj. shallow.
Shortahs, masses of loose rubbish in slate quarries which have fallen in,
and
filled
up cracks and
Shot, the trout.
rents.
Carew makes
a distinction between the trout and he says, "is in a maner peculiar to Devon and Cornwall. In shape and colour he resemble th the Trowts howbeit in biggnesse commeth farre behind him." The shodtes with which is Tavy fraught. BROWNE'S Brit. Past. shot.
"The
latter,"
:
Shouell, shovell.
Shute, a conduit, or fountain of falling water. Siff, to sigh.
Sives, a small pot-herb of the alliaceous kind.
Skease, to run along very swiftly. "A Skeeny, sharp and gusty. sheeny wind."
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY. Skerret, a safe drawer in
a box.
In some places
101 it
is
shivet,
or
skibbet.
Skerrish, the privet,
Skew,
Ligmtrum
vulgare.
a driving mist.
Skit, a lampoon.
Skitter, to slide.
Skiver, a skewer.
Skiver-wood, dogwood, Cornus samjuinea. Sladdocks, a short clearer used by masons for splitting and shaping slate. Probably a corruption of slate axe. Slat, slate.
Slew, to twist or bend aslant. Slip, a
young weaned
pig.
Sloan, the sloe, Primus spinosa.
The meagre
sloan,
BROWNE'S
Brit. Pastorals.
Slock, to entice ; allure. Sloe-kin;/ stones are tempting/selected stones shown, to induce strangers to adventure in a mine. Blotter, to draggle in the dirt.
Snead, the handle of a scythe. Sneg, a small
snail.
Snite, the snipe,
doubtful meaning.
Soce, an interjection of
Arm.,
Qy.
C., tiuat, alas
!
'Sioas, alas.
Sogg, or Zogg, to dose or sleep interruptedly or lightly. Sound, or Zound, to swoon, or go into a fainting fit. "Did your brother tell you," says Rosalind, "how I counterfeited " to sound when he showed me your handkerchief ? SHAKSPERE, As You Like It, Sound-sleeper, a moth.
Sowl, or Zowl, to serve roughly
;
to soil.
Sow-pig, the wood-louse. Spale, Spal, to deduct an amerciement or forfeiture from wages not at work in good time a fine. ;
Sparrow, Sparra, a double wooden skewer used in thatching. Spell, a turn of work.
Spence, a cupboard or pantry under the Spiccaty, speckled. Spiller, a ground-line for fish.
Spise, exude.
stairs.
when
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
102 Splat, a spot.
Splatty, spotty. I've lost
Sprayed, chapped by
my
Old Song.
splatty cow.
the wind.
Springle, a snare for birds. Sproil, strength
no
energy.
;
Most commonly used
negatively, as,
" He's
sproil."
Spudder, bother.
" I don't want to ha' no spudder about et."
Squab-pie, a pie made of meat, apples, and onions.
Squinty, to squint. Stag, a cock.
Standards, a term used in wrestling for a man who has thrown two opponents, and thereby secured a chance of trying for a prize. Stare, the starling.
Stean, an earthenware pot such as meat or
fish is
cured
in.
Stemming, a turn in succession, as when in dry seasons people have to take their regular turn for water at the common schute or pump. Stingdum, the
fish Coitus scor}nus.
Stint, to impregnate.
Stogg, to stick in anything tenacious.
"
Stogged in the mud."
At a distance this imparts Stoiting, the leaping of fish in schull. colour to the sea, and is a valuable guide in seine-fishing. To feed against inclination. v. generally used negatively. cud'nt stomach it." In some of our Elizabethan dramatists it is used not as expressive of appetite, but rather of loathing, as with us:
Stomach,
"I
Elder Morton. Doth no man take exception at the slave. Lancaster. All stomach him, but none dare speak a word.
MARLOWE, Edward
the Second.
Stool-crab, the male of the edible crab, Platycarcinus pagurus. Strat, to drop.
A
mare aborting
is
said "to strat voal."
Straw-mot, a straw stalk. Strike, to anoint, or rub gently.
Triiicum repens. " To strub a bird's nest." Strnb, to rob, or despoil. " Stub, to grub. Stubbing vuz." Stub roots so tough For breaking of plough. TUSSER. Stroil, weed, especially the couch-grass,
Stubbard, the name of an early variety of apple. Stuffle, to stifle.
EAST CORNWALL liLOSSAUY.
Io:>
Stuggy, stout; thickset. Style, steel.
Suent, smooth
equable
;
even.
;
summer for pasturage on the wild, unenclosed moors, are sent summering under the care of the store cattle turned wild in
Summering,
moorland herdsmen.
Survey, an auction. Swail, or Zwail, to scorch
;
singe.
mown
Swarr, a swathe, or row of
corn or hay.
to barter.
Swop,
Sych, the edge or foaming border of a wave as or on the land. Vide Seech.
Tab, a Tack,
it
runs up a harbour
turf.
"
to clap; to slap sharply.
Tail, Teel, to
With us
till
it is
or
"To
set.
He
tacked his hands."
tail corn," or
usual for a pers
m
"to
tail a trap."
who has gone through mud
or
water to say that it teeled him up so high as he was immersed or covered. Video, N. & Q., voL x. No. 266. Tailders, or Tailor's Needles, the herb Scandiz pecten Veneris.
A
Tale, measure. tail ; all that
tale lobster is
fall short
smack
will only
for.
give half-price
"
Tallet, a loft.
one eleven inches from snout to
of this the master of a lobster
Hay
toilet."
The dwarf furze, Ulex nanus, is here called Tain, short; dwarf. " tarn vuz." Furze of which the shrubby sort is called tame. CABEW. Tang, an abiding taste. Tap, the sole of a shoe. soft, like;
Teary, Teen, to
Used
also as a verb,
tap a shoe."
dough. " I haven't teen'd
close.
"
my
eye."
Tell, to count or enumerate.
Why Tend, to kindle
;
should he think I
to set a light to.
Wash your
tell
my apricots.
Every man in his humour, I. i. (Tinder, here pronounced temlrr.
hands, or else the
fire
Will not tend to your desire.
HERKICK, Hesperules, Thekky, Thekka, thiit one that person, or thing. Syn thilke day. CHAUCEK, Knfyhtes Talc. ;
Ixxii.
)
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
104 Thirl, thin
Tho, then E.
g.
;
lean.
;
In
at that time.
common
use
among
the older poets.
.
And
Thumb
to the ladies he restored ageyn The bodies of hir housbondes that were slain, To don the obsequies as was tho the guise. CHAUCER, Knightes The band for a bundle of hay. beend, thumb band.
Tale.
Tiddlywink, sometimes Kiddlywink, a small inn only licensed to sell beer and cider. Tiddy, the breast or teat
sometimes the milk.
;
Tifling, the frayed-out threads of a
Tig, a child's
game ; a game of wood. made Timberin, Tine, the tooth of a harrow.
Tittivate, to
Tom-horry, a
neat
L. dens.
its call-note.
dress up.
;
sea-bird.
fabric.
Qy. from dyns, teeth, C.
Onomatopceitic from
Tink, the chaffinch.
make
woven
of touch.
The common name
two or three
of
species
of skua.
The word Tor, Tarr, the rocky top of a hill. central granite ridges of Cornwall and Devon.
is
chiefly used in the
Toteling, silly; demented.
Town, To \vn-place, applied
to the smallest hamlet, and even to a farm-yard. Here is an instance of the retention of the primitive use of a word. "The town or town-place, farm or homestead inclosure, is derived from tynan, to inclose, denoting its primary sense," says Sir F. Palgrave, "the inclosure which surrounded the mere dwelling or homestead of the lord." English Commonwealth, p. 65.
Trade, stuff
;
material.
Train-oil, expressed fish
Trapse, to walk slovenly Tribute.
Medecine
is
" doctor's trade."
oil. ;
to slouch.
A
consideration or share of the produce of a mine, either in money or kind, the latter being first made merchantable, and then paid by the takers or tributors to the adventurers or owners for the liberty granted of enjoying the mine or a part thereof called a PRYCE. pitch, for a limited time.
" To trig the wheel," Trig, to set up ; to support. on the sole of a shoe worn on one side.
"
To put a
" triy
Troll-foot, club-foot.
Trone, a groove or furrow; a trench. Qy. a heavy rain a countryman said the streams were tids of a cow."
line. ' '
In describing from the
like trones
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
1(X>
Truckle, to trundle. Truff, the sea-trout or bull-trout.
Tub, the sappharine gurnet fish, Trigla hirundo. Tubbut, short and thick. The tub-fish is the shortest and thickest of
its
kind.
Tuck, an operation in seine fishing described in Couch's Fishes of Brit, Islands, iv. 91.
Turf-tie, the
bed on which the
Tush, a tooth. Tut work. " certain
work
turf-rick is piled (bed-tie).
the lump as when they undertake to perform a at a fixed price, prove how it may." PKYCE.
By
:
An address of familiar respect to an old woman, not im" Un plying relationship Jinny." an address of familiar Uncle, respect to an old man, not implying " Uncle Jan." relationship
Un, aunt.
:
:
TTnlusty, unwieldy.
Unvamped, not added
to or embellished. It is used in this sense in Ford's play, The Lady's Trial, I. i. " The newest news unvamped" Uprose, a woman churched Is uprosed.
" Bishop Berkely, in his Farther Thoughts on Tar uses what appears to be the same word, fade, in the Water, p. 9, same sense." Video, N. & Q., Vol. x. No. 266.
Vady, damp.
Vamp, Vang.
a short stocking
;
the foot of a stocking.
Vide Fang.
Vare, Veer, a suckling
pig.
Veak, a whitlow. Carew says, in
his account of John Size, the uncouth creature in the household of Sir William Seville "In this sort he continued for diuers yeeres, untill, (upon I know not what veake or unkindnesse), :
away he
gets
and abroad
Vencock, fencock, the
lie
rogues."
Survey of C.
bird, water-rail.
Vester, a feather stripped of its vane, all except the point, and used by children at a dame's school, to point out the letter or word they are studying. A corruption of fescue.
Vinnied, mouldy corrupt
;
(Ft/nig).
decay.
Visgy, a mattock. Vist,
fist.
Qy. past participle of Fynigean, to spoil
;
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
106 Vitty, fitting
proper
;
appropriate.
;
Voach, to tread heavily. Vogget, to hop on one leg. In the stage Voider, a small wicker basket of the finer sort. " Enter directions to Heywood's Woman Killed with Kindness is this three or four serving men, one with a voider, and a wooden knife." :
Voks, folk; people. Volyer. the second boat in a pilchard seine.
Qy. a corruption of
folloiuer.
Vore, a furrow of a plough.
Wad,
a bundle. of a pisky.
"A
wad
o'
straw."
"Joan the wad"
is
the folk-
name
Jack the lantern, Joan the wad, That tickled the maid and made her mad, Light me home, the weather's bad. POLPERRO.
Wadge, Waive,
Wang, Want,
to bet or lay a wager. to wallow. to
hang about
in a tiresome manner.
the mole, Talpa Europoea.
Waps, wasp. Warn, warrant.
"I'll
warn
'ee."
Watercase, the herb Helosdadum nodiflorum, often in the neighbourhood of Polperro.
made
into pies
A
hare. name in common use among poachers. Shakspere, in a beautiful description of the hare and its many shifts to elude pursuit, uses the abbreviation, Wat. By this poor Wat, far off upon a hill Stands on his hinder legs with listening ear.
Watty, the
Venus and Adonis.
Well-a-fyne, a Wei a fyn.
common
interjection,
CHAUCER, Bom. of the
Wettel, a child's clout.
Whelve, Whilve, Whiff, to
Can
this
meaning
"
it's all
very well."
Rose, also Coke's Tale of Oamelyn.
be a corruption of swaddle
?
any hollow vessel upside down (Polperro). a towing-line under a breeze.
to turn
fish Avith
Whip-tree, the spreader by which the chains of iron traces are kept asunder (Whippletree).
Whitneck, the weasel.
Whole,
to heal.
A.S. halian.
Widdow-man, widower.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
Widow- woman,
107
a widow.
Wilk, Welk, sometimes Welt, a ridgy hump or tumour. Little low hedges round like welts. BACON'S Essay of Gardening.
Wilky, a toad or frog. immature reptile.
C. quilken, or quilkin.
Wilver, a baker or pot under which bread in burning embers. N.E. 0.
is
In some parts the
baked by being buried
Winnard, the red-wing, Merula Eiaca. Winder, window.
Wink,
the wheel by which straw rope
Winnick,
to
circumvent
;
is
made.
to cheat.
Wisht, melancholy ; forlorn. This word is so expressive that we have no English synonym fully descriptive of its meaning. Browne, a Devonshire man, uses it in his Brittania -Pastorals, Bk. I. Song 2 His late wisht had-I-wists, remorseful bitings. In Latimer's Sermons it is apparently used as a noun :
:
And when
they perceived that Solomon, by the advice of his father, was anointed king, by and by there was all whisht, all their good cheer was done. Parker's Edit., p. 115. Far from the town where all is wisht and still. MAKLOWE, Hero
and Leander. viridis. Some doubt exists as to the bird originally designated the woodwall. With us it is In the glossaries commonly undoubtedly the green woodpecker. appended to Chaucer's works it is said to mean the golden oriole. The green finch has also be,en set down as the bird intended.
Woodwall, the green woodpecker, Picas
The woodwele sung and would not cease Sitting upon the spraye, So loud he waken'd Robin Hood In the greenwood where he lay. Robin Hood
(Ritson).
In
many places Nightingales, And Alpes, and Finches and Woodwales. Bom. of the
Rose.
The note of the green woodpecker is very unmelodious, far from a The extreme rarity of the golden oriole is conclusive against song. The greenfinch has been suggested, but its being the bird intended. its song is hardly loud enough to have stirred the slumbers of tho freebooter. Although the voice of the green woodpecker can scarcely by any poetic licence be called a song, I incline to think it the bird meant. Yarrel (vol. ii. p. 137) gives some interesting information on the etymology of this word. Brockett, in his glossary of NorthCountry words, considers it derived from the Saxon ivhytel,' a knife. In Yorkshire and in North America a whittle is a clasp-knife, and to The origin and meaning of the woodwhettle is to cut or hack wood. pecker's name are therefore sufficiently obvious, whytel, whittle, '
why tele,
&c.
EAST CORNWALL GLOSSARY.
108
Wornal, the lump produced by the larva
of the gadily in the skin of
cattle.
Wrath, the generic name of the Wrinkle, the periwinkle Wurraw hoorah !
shell,
fishes,
Twbo
Labri.
littoreus,
!
Yaffer, heifer. Yaffol, arms
Yap,
to yelp.
Yaw,
ewe.
full.
Yewl, a three-pronged Yock, Yerk, Yolk,
agricultural tool for turning manure.
filth,
especially the greasy
and yellow impurity of
fleece.
Zacky, imbecile. Vide Sam. Zam. Vide Sang. Zeer, adj. worn out ; generally used with regard to clothing, &c., but " She is applied also metaphorically to persons. E.g. very zeer." a doze nap. Zog, (1)
Zang.
;
(2) v. to doze.
Zwail.
Vide Swail.
Zye, scythe.
109
ADDENDA. Barker, a whetstone. Barton, the demesne land or home farm, often the residence of lord of the manor.
tin-
Clavel, the impost on a square-headed window, door, or chimney.
Goil, the cuttle-fish, Sepia officinalis.
Skirtings, the diaphragm of an animal.
Spuke, a
roller
put in a
pig's
snout to prevent gruhhing.
Ugly, applied not so much to husband's terrible vgly." tempered.
faults of visage as of temper.
He
is
"
My
a well-favoured man, but cross-
CLAY AM) TAYLOK. THE CHAVCEIt PRESS.
A GLOSSARY OF WORDS IN USE IN
THE COUNTIES OF
ANTRIM AND DOWN. BY
WILLIAM HUGH PATTEKSON,
M.RI.A,
MEMBER OF THE ROYAL HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND; MEMBER OF THE BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.
LONDON: PUBLISHED FOE THE ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY
BY TRUBNER &
CO., 57
&
1880.
59,
LUDGATE
HILL.
CLAT AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS.
INTRODUCTION.
IN the
earlier part of the reign of Elizabeth the Irish
generally spoken
by
language was
the people in the North-east of Ireland, the
exceptions being in some few centres of English occupation, such as Carrickfergus, Belfast, the shores of Strangford Lough, the neighbour-
hood of Ardglass, and that of Carlingford. * During Elizabeth's reign considerable numbers of English, and of Lowland Scots, came over and settled in the thinly-populated territories of
Antrim and
the native inhabitants
Down
;
their leaders got grants of lands,
moved away
country, or, to some extent, took service with the new-comers.
and Scotch
influx of English
and
to less accessible districts of the
settlers
This
marks the introduction of
In English as a generally-spoken language into Antrim and Down. the succeeding reign the number of English-speaking settlers was largely augmented, for
as
the forests were cut
available for colonization increased,
and
of Tyrone and Tyrconnell in 1607,
many
the
district,
Scotch
along with Welsh and English.
quelling of the rebellion of 1641,
number of English-speaking
by
settlers
down
the space
after the flight of the Earls settlers
came
into
Still later, after
the
the Parliamentary armies the
was further
and
increased,
for a
considerable time afterwards a slow and gradual immigration went on, chiefly of Scots.
the
Eichard Dobbs, Esq., writes thus in May, 1683, while speaking of " traffic between Scotland and the North of Ireland Only :
backs) land here from goods upon people (with Take in from Glenarrn to Donaghadee and the ports Scotland. all
their
their
o2
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
IV
between
:
[/.
and south every
e.
of
Belfast
it]
Lough, and a short distance to the north more than 1000 of this sort that land
there are
summer without
returning."
Centuries before this time, large
numbers of Scots had passed over into the county of Antrim, but they were
Gaelic-speaking Highlanders ; they spread themselves over the district known as the ' Glens of Antrim,' and kept up for a
long time a close connection with their mother country, passing to and fro continually, and causing great trouble to the English rulers in Ireland. Irish, still
Their descendants, having amalgamated with the native occupy the Glens, and Gaelic is spoken among them to
this day.
The spread
of these turbulent Scots in Ulster
is
thus noticed by
Mr. Hill in his Macdonnells of Antrim: "In the year 1533 the council in Dublin forwarded this gloomy announcement on the subject to the council in London.
'
The
buyselly a greate parte of Ulster which
and
Scottes also inhabithe is
now
the kingis inheritance
;
greatly to be feared, oonless that in short
tyme they be in from the that more nombre same, daily, they bringinge dryven woll by lyttle and lyttle soe far encroche in accquyring and wynning it
is
the possessions there, with the aide of the kingis disobeysant Irishe rebelles, who doo no\ve ayde them therein, after siche manner, that at lengthe they will put "
and expel the king from his hole seignory
there.'
Canon Hume,
in an interesting paper on the Irish Dialects of the
English language, reprinted from the Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, thus speaks of the tide of " About immigration from Great Britain into the north of Ireland :
the year 1607,
when much
of Ulster required to be
resettled, immigration, instead of being, as previously,
planted or
a mere rivulet
on the condition of the regiments serving in the country became a flood, and strangers settled not by tens, but by thousands. large number of these were from the apple districts of Warwickshire, "Worcester, and Gloucester ; several were from Chester, or largely dependent
A
through which the adventurers passed to take shipping at the mouth of the Dee a few were from the adjoining county of Lancaster ; and ;
some from London.
The
great English settlement
commenced on
V
INTRODUCTION. the two sides of Belfast Lough.
which was
It included the
town
of Belfast,
Londonderry, became Scottito the of North Britons in the rural cised, owing preponderance districts on both sides. on Pressing by Lisburn and to the east
bank in
at first English, but, like
Lough Neagh, the English
of
Antrim
alone, all of
and crossing
characteristics;
settlers cover eleven parishes
which preserve still
to this
of
the
Tyrone.
Thus, from the tides of
the
centre of
Ulster, there
they stopped
as
only
the
at
base
was an unbroken
hour their English
Down to Armagh, Pomeroy mountains in over
further,
channel to beyond the line of
English
settlers,
from Scotch; and the district which they inhabit is that of the apple, the elm, and the sycamore of large farms
distinct
still
and two-storied
The Scotch
slated houses.
two points which
lie
Giant's Causeway,
settlers entered at
the
own country namely, at the opposed to the Mull of Cantyre on one
opposite to their
which
is
Donaghadee which is opposed to the Mull of Galloway Two centuries and a half ago Ireland was to them what Canada, Australia, and the United States have been to the side,
and
on the
at
other.
redundant population of our own times."
Hume
In another paper Canon
particularizes still further the lines of Scottish immigration
" The Scotch entered
Down by
:
Bangor and Donaghadee, and pushed
inland by Comber, Saintfield, and Ballynahinch, to Dromara and Dromore ; while in Antrim they proceeded by Islandmagee, BallyBallymena, surrounding the highlands and clare, Antrim, and reaching the sea again
by Bushmills and the Causeway. In 1633 and by way of Ayrshire, walked in
1634 the emigrants from Scotland
companies of a hundred or more from Aberdeen or Inverness-shires, and were about 500 per annum, mostly males, and many of them discontented farm-servants."
Canon Hume thus met this
forfeited lands
describes
how
the native inhabitants of the " The Irish or
tide of immigration
natives,
:
broken and conquered, reduced also in number by war, famine, and disease, occupied
as specially their desirable,
how
and
when own
possible strong positions.
They
still
regarded
the land which was least accessible, or least
fled to the hills
and morasses.
It is curious to see
in such expressions popular language has embodied these facts
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
VI as
'
Mountainy
people,'
'Back of the
.hill
folk,'
'Bog-trotters/ etc.
There they still remain, though many of the humbler classes have found permanent homes in the towns." In Down, the extensive Baronies of
Mourne and
the lords of the
soil,
the dialect of the
Lecale, and the Lordship of Newry, changed but retained the population. As bearing upon
district
it
is
to
interesting
enquire as to the nationalities of
numbers and the proportions in which these various English, Scotch, and Irish now occupy the district.
A
valuable series^ of articles from the pen of the Eev.
Canon
Hume
on these subjects was published in the Ulster Journal of The following papers were some of those which Archaeology. appeared
:
Down and
Origin and Characteristics of the People of
nine chapters, graphical
Ulster Journal,
i.
9;
i.
120;
Map, Physical Map, and Speed's Map
i.
Antrim, in
246.
Topo-
of 1610.
Ethnology of the Two Counties, iv. 154. Ethnological Map. The Elements of Population, Illustrated by the Statistics of Eeligious Belief, in six chapters, vii. 116.
Ecclesiastical
Map, constructed
from the Creed Census of 1834.
Surnames in the County of Antrim, in
five sections, v. 323.
Unique
five sections, vi. T7.
Unique
Coloured Map.
Surnames in the County of Down, in Coloured Map.
The
Irish Dialect of the English Language, vi. 47.
A Dialogue in the The county
Ulster Dialect,
vi.
40.
electoral rolls afford a convenient
way
of ascertaining
the leading names, and hence, pretty closely, the nationalities of the With this view the roll of the Co. of Antrim has been inhabitants.
examined by the Eev. Edmund McClure, A.M., and the
known
results
made
in a paper read before the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club in
The title of the paper is, 'The Surnames of the January, 1874. The Inhabitants of the Co. of Antrim and their Indications.' following extract sums up one branch of the subject
"In
:
the 1357 names of the Eoll I find that 565 are Lowland
Scotch, 18 of which are
Norman
names.
There are 234 Highland
INTRODUCTION. names.
There are in
vii
181 Irish names, and 16 Anglo-Norman of
all
The English names amount to 251, the "Welsh to seven, the Huguenots to six. The remaining names, about the time of the Conquest.
100, are those of a few foreigners, and those which I have left as
This shows simply the relative position of the names of Lowland Scotch I find represented by
undetermined.
on the
The number
Eoll.
the 565 names amounts to 5682, or about 55'80 per cent, of the
Of Scotch
entire Eoll.
of foreign origin there
is
a per-centage of
1-48.
" The Scottish Celts represented by the 234 names exhibit a proof 23'68 cent, of the Eoll. The number of Irish names portion per (181) represents only 824 of a native population, or about 8*09 per
Here the
cent.
seem
results,
from an examination of the Electoral Eoll,
add 3 per For I
To
from those obtained from other sources.
to vary
the proportion of the native Irish in the county cent., or
even a
we
represent
should have to
more, to this per-centage of 8'09. much poorer than
little
find that the native population, as a rule, are
their neighbours, so that a far less proportion of qualifications of county voters, that
is,
them have the
holdings valued at
12 per
annum. " tion
By
do not
I find this to be the case,
on the Eoll at
figure
centage over the entire county represented
ment
by
number 40
not over
1
2 per cent.
list.
The English
Those of long
settle-
who came centuries before the Plantation The Welsh names represent 28. All these
show a per-centage of 8 '3 5 of the entire Huguenots, and Germans are represented by 21 The undetermined names represent 243 on the
make 851,
Foreigners,
people on the list,
i. e.
in addition.
tat en together
I think, however, that the per-
all.
is
and that many of
the 251 names amount to 783.
in the county
Eoll.
which the native populatheir names
private enquiry in the districts in
is large
or
or about 2 '38 per cent, of the Eoll.
The
native population
is
who dwelt
in
descended in the main from well-known Irish tribes this part of the country before the
wars of Essex (Queen Elizabeth's
time)."
The words and phrases found in the main
to
in the accompanying Glossary will be
be of Scottish
origin,
and many of them have
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
Vlll
already found a place in Jamieson's dictionary, and in the various
by the English Dialect
glossaries already printed
of the
Society.
The forms
words may vary somewhat, because they naturally underwent
changes consequent upon the lapse of time since their introduction to
In many cases it was a difficulty how to spell the words, because I only had them as sounded, and the difficulty was increased an alien
when
soil.
I frequently found that the same
word was pronounced
mote ways by different persons, either natives of different or persons whose mode of speaking had been influenced by
or
in
two
districts,
different
by more or less of education. In some districts in the east of the two counties the people still talk a Scotch dialect, but with a modified Scotch accent ; the old people talk more broadly
surroundings or
'
'
than the young. Owing to the spread of well-managed schools the Some of the Scotch accent and the dialect words are passing away.
words in the accompanying Glossary are now obsolete, and doubtless I have in. a few years a much greater number will have become so. not attempted to collect the proverbs that are in use here, but so far know they are 'much the same as those used in other parts of
as I
these countries.
There are in use many phrases of comparison, of
which the following '
'
'
'
'
1
'
'
are examples
:
As big as I don't know what,' a vague comparison. As black as Toal's cloak.' As black as Toby.' As blunt as a beetle (t. e. a wooden pounder). As broad as a griddle.' As busy as a nailor.' As clean as a new pin.' As close as a wilk (t. e. a periwinkle) applied to a very '
'
:
'
'
'
As coarse as praity-oaten. As common as dish water,' very common '
very low extraction. '
'
'
'
As common as potatoes.' As could as charity.' As crooked as a ram's horn.' As crooked as the hind leg of a
'As '
reticent
person. As coarse as bean-straw.'
cross as
As dry
two
sticks.'
as a bone.'
dog.'
:
applied to a person of
INTRODUCTION. '
'
'
'
'
'
'
1
As As As As As As As As
easy as kiss.' frush as a bennel
'
(the withered stalk of fennel). (brittle) as a pipe stapple (stem). grave as a mustard pot.' great (intimate) as inkle weavers.' '
frush
'
hungry as a grew (greyhound). ill
to
herd as a stockin' full o' fleas,' very difficult to mind. times as I've fingers and toes,' a comparison for having
many
done something
often.
As mean as get out.' As plain as a pike-staff,' quite evident. As sick as a dog,' sick in the stomach. As stiff as a proker (poker), very stiff
'
'
'
'
IX
'
:
applied to a person.
'As sure as a gun.'
As sure as the hearth money.' As tall as a May-pole.' 'As thick as bog butter.' Wooden
'
'
vessels filled with butter, the manufacture of long ago, are occasionally dug out of the peatbogs the butter has been converted into a hard, waxy substance. ;
'
'
'
As As As
much crowded.
thick as three in a bed,' thin as a lat (lath). '
true as truth has been this long time,' of doubtful truth. 'As yellow as a duck's foot' (applied to the complexion).
As
by Canon
well as the publications
Hume
already enumerated,
which gives many most characteristic examples of the Belfast dialect. It is an almanac for the years 1861, 1862, I should mention one
and 1863, published anonymously, but written entirely by the learned Canon, whose authority I have for making this statement. The full title
of the
work
Poor
is
JRabbin's Ollminick for the town 'at
with, wrote down, prentet, an'
out, jist the
by Billy
Me Cart
put
of the County
Down
o'
Bilfaiost,
ivvery body ought fbe acquentit
containing varrious different things
way
the people spaketf,
side that uset to be
:
but
now
Canon Hume has also of the Entherim road, toarst the Cave hill. collected the materials for a most comprehensive dictionary or glossary of Hibernicisms.
published.
would
It
would be most
desirable that this should be
For a description of the scope and aim of
refer to his pamphlet,
Remarks on
this
work
I
the Irish Dialect of the
Liverpool 1878. English Language. In connection with our local dialect, I should also refer to a :
little
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
X
work by Mr. David Patterson, The Provincialisms of Belfast pointed Belfast 1860. In this work the writer calls
out and corrected.
:
attention to the various classes of words that are wrongly pronounced, and gives long lists of these words. He also gives a list of " words
not to be met with in our ordinary English dictionaries."
In
my
Glossary I have got some words from Mr. D. Patterson's lists, some from the Ollminick, and a few, principally obsolete, from local his-
such as Harris's History of
tories,
Down
(1744), Dubourdieu's Survey
Down
of (1802), and McSkimin's History of But most of the words and phrases have been
by
myself or
sent
me
in
by
CarricTtfergus (1823). collected orally either
friends in different country districts,
lists,
and
whom
I would
now thank
who have kindly
for the help they
have given.
Although not necessarily a part of this work, I have thought it word on the subject of the Irish language as still spoken in Antrim and Down. It has lately been said that there is no county well to add a
in Ireland in which some Irish
is
not
still
spoken, not revived Irish,
but in continuity from the ancient inhabitants of the country. In 1802 the Rev. John Dubourdieu, in his Survey of Down, thus writes: " The English language is so general that every person speaks it ; but, notwithstanding, the Irish language is much used in the mountainous parts, which in this, as in most other countries, seem to have
been the
retreat of the ancient inhabitants."
made enquiry this year (1880), and a correspondent sends the following note from the mountainous district in the south of Down " There are a good many Irish-speaking people in the neighI have
me
:
bourhood of Hilltown, but I think nearly
all
of
them can speak
English ; when, however, they frequent fairs in the upper parts of the Co. Armagh, for instance at Xewtownhamilton or Crossmaglen,
they meet numbers of people who speak English very imperfectly, and with these people the Down men converse altogether in Irish." In the Co. of Antrim the district known as the Glens,' in the N.E. '
of the county, with the adjacent-lying island of Rathlin, has remained some extent an Irish or Gaelic-speaking district. In the course of
to
some
years, about
1850, Mr. Robert
Mac Adam,
editor of Tlie Ulster Journal of Archceology,
made a
the accomplished collection chiefly
INTRODUCTION. in
XI
Antrim of 500 Gaelic proverbs, which were
translations,
peasantry
in
his
their
among
the pen of Mr.
Journal.
These were picked
homes and
MacAdam
printed, with English
at markets.
in Dr. J. A.
A
up from the
short note from
H. Murray's work on The
Dialect of the Southern Counties of Scotland (London: 1873), much to the point that I must quote it
is
so
:
" The cated
by
people are evidently the same as those of Argyll, as indiand for centuries a constant intercourse has
their names,
been kept up between them. regularly
to
the Highland
Even fairs,
yet the Glensmen of Antrim go
and communicate, without the
with the Highlanders. Having myself conversed with both Glensmen and Arran men I can testify to the absolute slightest difficulty,
identity of their speech." slightest reason to relic
Dr. Murray adds
:
"But
there
deduce the Glensmen from Scotland
;
is
not the
they are a
of the ancient continuity of the population of Ulster and
Western Scotland." I wrote this year to a friend whose home is in the Glens for "I He writes information as to the present use of Gaelic there. :
have ascertained from one of our medical men, who here, that in one of the principal glens there are about sixty persons who speak Irish, and who prefer its use to that of English, among is
themselves, but
who
all
know and
speak English.
children also understand Irish, but will not speak that they understand you if you speak to
them in
it,
Some
or let
of the
you know
it."
W. H. Strandtown, Belfast, June, 1880.
long resident
PATTERSON.
A GLOSSARY OF WORDS AND PHRASES USED IN
ANTRIM AND DOWN. A, pro.
Aan, Aas,
A
'
I.
will.'
'
A'm
sayin'.'
the hair or beard in barley.
sb.
sb. ashes.
A-back.
'Light-a-6ae&.'
'Heavy-a-&aeA-.'
Whc^
A cart
is
as to press very lightly on the loaded, the load can be arranged so ' horse, this is having it light-a-6ac& ; when the chief weight is towards the front of the cart, and therefore presses on the horse, the cart is '
Abin, or Aboon, adv. above.
Can you spell ableV you are bragging about ? Abreard, adj. the condition of a
Able.
'
Acquant,
or Acquent,
v.
= are field
you sure you can do what
when
acquainted.
the crop appears.
'I'm well acquant with
all
his people.'
Afeard, adv.
Affront. present he
afraid.
'He didn't made her.
affront
Afleet, adj. afloat.
Afore, prep, before.
Again, Agin, adv.
against.
Agee, adj. crooked ; to one Ahin, prep, behind. Aiblins, adv. perhaps.
Ailsa-cock,
sb.
the puffin.
side.
her,'
i.
e.
it
was not a shabby
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
2 Ain, adj. own.
to give earnest
v.
Airle, Erie,
money.
money given on engaging a
Airles, 07'^Arles, sb. earnest
servant.
sb. iron.
Airn,
Aims, or Plough Airns,
the coulter, sock, &c. of a plough.
sb.
When
Aiwal.
an animal falls on its back, and cannot recover said to have fallen aiwal.' '
itself, it is
sb.
Aizins,
the eaves of the thatch of a house or stack.
Same
as
Easing.
an
Aizle-tree, sb.
axle-tree.
Allan -hawk, sb. the great northern diver, and the red-throated The skua was also so called in Mourne, co. of Down (Harris, diver. See Holland-hawk. 1744). All gab and guts like a young crow, a comparison.
All All
born days, all born days.'
my
ma
my
lone, A'
my
that blister yet,' sb.
Allowance,
'
life.
A
niver seen sich a sight in all
lane, or All his lone,
'
Allow, to advise.
my
Doctor
A
!
alone.
v.
wouldn't allow you to be takin'
means I wouldn't advise
off
'
it.'
'There's no allmcance for people in
permission.
here.'
All sorts, (1) a great scolding. doin'
'She gave
me
all
sorts for
not
it.'
(2)
'
very much.
She was
cryin' all
'
sorts.'
It
was raining
all
sorts.'
All the one, the only one. All there, adj. wise
;
sane.
'
Is this all the one '
Not
all there
'
you
have.'
= not quite wise.
All together like Brown's cows, or Like Brown's cows all in a lump, a comparison. All to one side like the handle of a jug, saying.
Alo we,
Amang
v. lit
;
hans.
somehow, by
Among ye be
kindled
;
on
fire.
He'll daet amang hans,' i. e. he will get it done dividing the labour, and finding spare time for it. '
it,
blind harpers,
i. e.
settle it
among
yourselves
:
said to persons quarrelling.
Amos.
'
A
blirton amos,' a big soft fellow
who weeps
for a slight
cause.
Angle-berries, its
mouth.
sb.
large hanging warts
on a
horse, sometimes about
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. the ankle.
sb.
Anklet,
3
Anncient, Encient,
adj.
'A
cunning; knowing.
sea gull's a very
anncient bird.'
Annundher,
Antic, adj. funny funny.
Anything, used '
as anything.' sb.
Apern,
Appear,
v.
Argay,
to
Same
adv. underneath. '
droll
;
as
He's very
Innundher. Antickest
antic.'
' as a comparison. He was running I'm as mad as anything with, him.'
away
=
most
as
hard
an apron. to haunt places after death.
'You would argay the black crow
argue.
white,'
saying.
Arm.
To arm a
is
person,
to lead or support a person along
by
the arms.
Arr,
a scar, such a pock-mark, or the scar left
sb.
sb.
Arran, Ern, .
a
by
wound.
an errand.
Arred, adj. scarred
;
pock-marked.
Arris, sb. the sharp edge of a freshly-planed piece of wood, or of cement, or stone work. sb.
Arr-nut,
Art, Airt, '
day ?
the pig nut,
'
point of the compass.
sb.
A
Bunium flexuosum.
What
art '
particular part of the country, as
the win in the a bare art o' the
is
It's
country.'
Art or
'I had neither art nor part in the
part, participation.
affair.' '
As, than. Ass.
'
I'd rather sell as buy.'
He would
and greedy
At
steal the cross off
an ass :
'
said of a very
mean
fellow.
himself.
He's no at himsel,'
'
i. e.
he's not well.
Athout, without. Attercap,
sb.
'
a cross-grained, ill-natured person.
Ya
cross after-
cap, ya.'
Atween,
prep, between.
Auld-farrand, or Aul-farran, 'adj. knowing
Aumlach, Ava,
at
sb.
all.
cunning.
a small quantity.
A
'
;
'
dinna ken ava.'
Avis, Aves, adv. perhaps the Sabbath.'
Avout, unless
;
without.
may
;
'
be
;
All hae nane but.
I could not
tell
'
Avis
o'
that ava.'
a'll
gang there on
avout I saw
it.'
B 2
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
4
Away and
divart the hunger aff ye
troubling and crying for a meal before
said to
:
it is
Away and throw mouT
on yourself: probably means go and bury yourself.' Away in the mind, adj. mad.
children
who
are
ready.
said in scolding matches,
'
Away
to the hills, gone
Ax,
to ask.
v.
Ay ? Eh ?
mad.
what ? what do you say
?
Ayont, prep, beyond. '
Back.
I'm,
never
off
his
back,'
i.
e.
I'm always watching and
correcting him.
Back door work, sb. underhand work. Back spang, sb. a trick; something underhand.
'He's a decent
no back spangs about him.' sb. a stone not less than two feet high, a foot and a Back-stone, half broad, and one foot thick, placed at the back of a turf fire, between the fire and the gable. there's
man,
Back
talk, saucy replies from a child or an inferior.
'Could you eat bacon that
Bacon.
accompanies the gesture known as at me,' i. e. he took a sight at me.
Bad,
Bad Bad
He
'
adj. sick.
cess to you,
'
1
fat ?'
taking a
is
the remark *
sight.'
He made
that bacon
has been bad this month and more.'
bad luck
to you.
It is said of people who go out to walk in conscience, the rain that they have a bad conscience,' and therefore cannot abide at home. sb.
'
Bad man, the, sb. the devil. Bad place, the, sb. helL Sad Bad scran, sb. bad luck. '
Baghel, Boghel, sb.
Bailer,
Bairn,
sb.
sb.
scran to you.'
a clumsy performer.
a vessel used for
'
bailing out
'
a boat.
a child.
When a young woman appears wearing Baiverage, beverage. something new for the first time, she gives her acquaintances the '
baiverage of
Bake,
v.
Ball, sb. men a '
Balling, balling.
it,'
this is a kiss.
knead bread, as well as to bake it in an oven. a large and compact shoal of herrings is called by
to
fisher-
ball.' v.
Sea birds pouncing on a ball of fry are said to be
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Balloar, Billour, or Billyor,
Bannock, Bonnock, Banter,
v.
to holloa
to shout out.
a cake baked on a griddle.
sb.
to taunt a person to fight.
v.
;
a bankrupt.
sb.
Bankrope,
5
'He
bantered
me
to fight
him.'
Banty,
Banyan,
bantam
a
sb.
fowl.
a flannel jacket
sb.
worn by Carlingford oystermen and
fishermen.
Bap,
sb.
a lozenge-shaped bun, whitened with
Bar-drake, Bar-duck,
sb.
flour.
the red-breasted merganser.
Bardugh, sb. a donkey's pannier with falling bottom. Bare pelt, sb. the bare skin. 'He ran out on the
in his
street
bare pelt.' sb. some kind of bird (HARRIS, Hist. a scolding woman. to scold iri a loud abusive way.
co.
Barge, (1)
Down, 1744).
(2) sb. (3) v.
Barked,
v.
'
encrusted.
Barley-buggle, Barley-play,
sb.
Your skin
barked with
is
dirt.'
a scarecrow.
a call for truce in boy's games.
sb.
a large sweetened bun containing currants, in season at all times, but especially so at Hallow-eve, when it contains a ring the person who gets the ring will of course be first married
Barn-brack,
sb.
;
(Irish breac, speckled).
Barney bridge,
sb.
rhyming dialogue '
'
'
' '
a children's game. is
used
In playing
it
the following
:
How many miles to
Barney bridge Three score and ten.' Will I be there by candle light ? Yes, if your legs be long.'
?
'
'
A curtsy to you.'
'Another to you.' '
'
please will you let the king's horses go through ? Yes, but take care of your hindmost man.' Barroughed, Borroughed, adj. a cow with her hind legs tied to keep her still while being milked is barroughed. If
you
'
Barrow-coat,
sb.
a long flannel petticoat, open in front, worn by
infants.
Baste, sb. any animal except a human being. asked a servant-girl, Are you a Christian ? think I'm a baste ? See s. v. Christen. '
A '
zealous individual
She
'
replied,
Do you
'
Baste the bear, Basty,
adj.
sb.
a boy's game.
tough and hard, applied
to stiff
heavy clay or
earth.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
6
(2) sb.
'
a blow.
sb.
Bat, (1)
A
a moth.
He
me
geed
bat is called
a bat on the heed.' '
a leather-winged
bat.'
Bats and bands, a description of rude hinges, consisting of a hook which, is driven into the door-frame, and a strap with an eye which is nailed to the door, so that the door can at any time he lifted off its hinges.
a sloping sea wall.
sb.
Battery,
Battle, bottle, sb.
Bavin,
sb.
a sea
a small bundle of hay or straw.
the ballan wrasse, family Labrus.
fish,
Fishermen
of very little account, and generally use it to bait their It is also called Murran-roe,' and Morrian,' lobster-pots with.
esteem
it
'
'
'
Gregah.'
Bay,
sb.
Beal,
v.
one of the divisions or apartments in a cottage. to suppurate. sb.
Bealdin, Bealin, sb.
Bealin,
Beat
all, v. to
heard.'
Beauty
matter from a
sore.
a suppurating sore. surpass
" The day
Well, now, that beat
all that ever I
W. CAELETON.
beat att for beauty."
sleep, sb. the sleep
Becker-dog,
'
all.
had before twelve
o'clock.
the grampus.
sb.
She becomes her bonnet,' means the bonnet becomes Becomes, v. her. Shure the creathur becomes his new shuit.' '
'
Beddy,
adj. interfering; meddling. one's food, also greedy, covetous.
Bedrill, sb. a bed-ridden person
Beece,
sb. cattle
;
;
'You're very beddy,' saucy at
same
as Betherel.
beasts.
Beeslings, sb. beestings the milk got from a cow at the three milkings after she has calved. Beet, sb. a small sheaf, or bunch of flax. Beets,
sb. pi.
first
the medullary rays in wood.
sb. a round wooden mallet or pounder wooden block as used in a beetling mill.'
for kitchen use
Beetle,
;
a
'
Beetling-mill, sb. a mill fitted with large wooden 'beetles,' raised perpendicularly by machinery and falling with their own weight, for finishing linen.
Beggar's stab,
sb.
Begoud, Begood,
Begunked,
a coarse sewing-needle. v.
begun.
adj. disappointed.
Behang, an exclamation.
Same
as
'
behang
t'
Gnnked. ye for a
fool.'
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Behind God speed, an out-of-the-way place Same as At the back of God speed. Behopes,
sb.
hope
be
expectation.
;
behopes of bein'
better.'
any
7
quite out of the world.
;
' I saw him to-day, and he has no 'I had great behopea the day would
fine.'
any wretched or unfortunate person.
Bein', sb. (being),
the girth, in cart or car harness ; the piece of cord attached to the front of a boy's kite to which the string is fastened.
Belly-band,
sb.
sb. the bent stick or bow in the frame of a boy's kite upright stick is called the standard.'
Bendard,
;
the
'
Ben-weed, Bend-weed, sb. pi.
Berries,
sb.
the rag-weed, Senecio Jacobcea.
gooseberries.
a bed-ridden person ; a helpless cripple.
Betherel,
sb.
Be
to be,
must
be.
'
There be
to be
Be
to do,
must
do.
'
He
do
'
another
it,' i. e.
'He gave me
Better, (1) adv. more. (2) adj. well.
be to
man
got to help.'
he must do
better
it.
nor a dozen.'
He's not better, but he's not so bad as he was yesterchild is born, the mother is said to be better.
The moment a
day.'
Better again, still better. Beyond the beyonds, adj. something very wonderful or unexpected. Beyont the beyons, some very out of the way place. to wait.
v.
Bide,
Bid the time Big,
day, *
v.
to say good-morning, or
Come and
any similar
salutation.
see Billy biggin.'
a building.
sb.
Biggin,
Bike
o'
to build.
v.
(a bee's bike), sb. a
wild bee's nest.
Bill, sb. a bull.
Biller, sb. water-cress (in Irish biorar [birrer]).
Bindherer, Binntherer,
sb.
anything very large and good of
its
kind.
a heap ; a heap of potatoes in a field covered with earth Bing, a heap of grain in a barn. sb.
Binged up, Binner, Birl,
v.
Birse,
v.
v.
;
heaped up.
to go very quickly.
to twirl
round ;
to
go rapidly, as a vehicle
;
to run fast.
sb. bristles.
Birsy, adv. bristly.
Birthy, adj. numerous, or thick in the ground, applied to potatoes Them beans is very birthy.' prolific, or productive. '
;
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
8 sb.
Biscake, Biscuit,
a biscuit.
the root of Potentilla tormentilla, called also
sb.
'
tormenting
root.'
Bissent,
'
not.
v. is
Bisna,
If it bisna the right thing,
'
not.
is
I can carry
The bit of a Bit, (1) sb. of the lock. come
'
(2) sb. to last stage of
to the
sb. pi.
v. is
or are.
work Bizz,
v.
bit,' is
to
come
is
cut to pass the wards
to the point
;
to arrive at the
a very hot description of sugar-stick.
Bits of things, Biz, bees,
the part that
a bargain. sb.
Biting Billy,
key
it.'
too weighty.'
if it bissent
it,
is
we canny work wf
bees finished
household furniture. '
If
may
ye
you
biz goin' I'll
go
too."
'
When
that
go.'
to buzz.
"
And
sweetly you bizzed wee happy bee."
FLECHEB.
Blab, sb. (1) a raised blister; (2) a tell-tale; (3) a bee's blab, the little bag of honey within the body of a bee. Black-a-vized, adj. dark-complexioned.
the flounder or fluke, Platessa flesus.
Black-back,
sb.
a
Black-head,
sb.
the reed bunting.
Black lumps,
fish,
a favourite sweetmeat flavoured with cloves. sb. pi.
'
The
Black
out, adj.
Black
scart, sb. a cormorant.
Blad, (1) (2)
i. e.
in balls,
and
quite out.
a useless thing.
sb.
ab.
black out,'
fire's
made up
a slap or blow.
(3) v. to slap. (4) v. to
on a line.
blow or flap about in the wind, as clothes do when drying The wind would blad the young trees about.' Bladding
=
'
flapping about. sb. Strawberries, raspberries, and currants, are sold by the blade ; i. e. a cabbage-leaf into which a pint or quart, as the case may be, of the fruit, has been put.
Blade,
Blade mangles,
v.
to,
to
take
the outside
leaves off
growing
mangolds.
Blae, adj. livid; blueish.
Blae-berry,
sb.
the
'
Blae with
whortle-berry,
cold.'
Vaecinum
myrtillus.
Frughan. Bla-flum, Bla-fum,
sb.
nonsense
;
something said to mislead.
Same
as
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. '
9
Blanket. It's as braid as it's lang, like Paddy's blanket matter which of two ways a thing is done. Blanter,
'
=
it's
no
a particular kind of oats, long in the pickle, and late in
sb.
ripening.
Blashy, adj. splashy. Blast o' the pipe, sb. a smoke. Blate, adj. bashful.
Blatther,
'
sb.
He fell atylatther on
the groan','
i. e.
with great
force.
(1) sb. a slap or blow.
Blaud,
(2) v. to slap.
Bleart, adj. bleared.
Bleary-een.
sb. pi.
eyes affected
Bleerie-tea, sb. very
weak
by a thick
fluid
;
inflamed eyes.
tea.
Blessed be the Maker an exclamation, made after saying that any one is particularly ugly. !
Blessing, (1)
'You missed
as you missed your mammy's blessin' :' some one who is disappointed at having missed
said derisively to
something.
The Lord's blessing be about you,' a (2) a beggar acknowledges an alms. '
Blether, Blather, (1)
a talking,
sb.
(2) v. to talk foolishly
Blethers,
sb.
nonsense
;
;
empty
common form
in which
person.
to talk indistinctly.
foolish talk. '
=
' to spread small stones or cinders so as Blind, v. to blind a road to cover up the large stones, with which a new road has been pitched,' and to fill the interstices. '
Blind man's stan, sb. a boy's game, played with the eggs of small The eggs are placed on the ground, and the player, who is birds. blindfolded, takes a certain number of steps in the direction of the eggs he then slaps the ground with a stick thrice, in the hope of breaking the eggs then the next player, and so on. ;
;
is said to be blinked when it does not Blinked, adj. produce butter, in consequence of some supposed charm having been worked a counter charm is required to bring it right.
Cow's milk
Blister, sb.
an annoying person.
The fry are the coal fish, M&rlangus carbonarius. called gilpins, small ones pickies ; the mid-sized ones blockans and glashans, and when large, grey lord and stanlock.
Blockan,
sb.
'To get blood from a turnip,' to achieve something Blood, (1) v. very difficult in the way of getting. 'Your nose is lloodin'.' (2) y. to bleed.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
10 Blood-sucker,
Blooming Blooster,
sb.
Sally,
the hairy willow herb, Epilobium hirsutum.
to bluster.
v.
sb.
Blootther,
a stinging jelly-fish, or Medusa.
sb.
a severe blow
;
a clumsy blundering rustic.
Bloss, sb. contraction for blossom
;
a term of endearment.
The bird that the blue titmouse. Blue-bonnet, tlie cock blue bonnet,' is really the great titmouse. sb.
is
here called
'
Blue-bow, Blew-bowed,
sb.
when
said of flax
it
blossoms.
It happens longer or shorter, from the time that the Blue-month. owl pratis (potatoes) goes out, an' the new ones is not come in.' OLLMINTCK. '
sb.
Bluit,
a fish
Blurtin' thing, sb.
Boag,
sb.
a crying child.
a bog. a strong low truck with four wheels.
sb.
Boagie,
some description of skate or thorn-back.
;
'To board a person,' to bring him before a board (of v. What ails you at the man ? Guardians, for instance) on some charge. Sure lie boarded me an' got me the sack (dismissed).
Board, (1)
'
'
'
'
(2)
v.
to accost a person.
Menyanthes
sb.
Bog-bean,
trifoliata.
It is used medicinally
by the
peasantry.
Bogging,
black bog or peat, used for manure (MASON'S Parochial
sb.
Survey, 1814). sb.
Boggle,
Bog- wood,
Bohog,
sb.
a mischievous spirit or goblin.
wood dug out
sb. fir-
of peat bogs.
a rude shed, under which the priests said mass during
times of persecution.
=
'The
the boiling point. Boil, sb. the boil 'It's just at the boil. boil.'
pot's comin'
to the
1
Boiled milk,
sb.
porridge
made
Boiled upon, boiled with.
of oat-meal
and milk.
'Take some of that herb boiled upon
sweet milk.'
Boke, Bole,
v. to
sb.
Bo-man,
retch
;
to incline to vomit.
a small recess in the wall of a room. sb.
Bonaught,
a bogey. sb.
The word
is
a thick round cake
used to frighten children.
made
of oaten meal,
and often used on the harvest (DuBOURDiEU's Co. Down, 1802). clear turf coal,
first
making
baked on the of meal after
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Bone dry,
Bonham,
Booket, adj. Bool,
sb.
the
Booled oars,
men
a pig of six or eight weeks old.
Same
sb.
as
Bannock.
a louse.
sb.
Boo,
adj. perfectly dry.
sb.
Bonnock,
11
'
sized.
how
It's big booket.'
of a key, or of scissors. a kind of oars used
sb. pi.
by the Scotch quarter
fisher-
at
Carrickfergus. " Booled oars are those which row, two
at one beam upon each oar fastened a piece of oak timber, the length of such part of the oar as is worked within the boat which timber enables them to balance the oar so that they row with greater ease." S. McSsiMlN, Hist, of ;
is
;
Carrickfergus.
Bools, sb. pot-hooks.
When a small boat is running before a light out, v. the sails are boomed out so as to catch as much wind as possible.
Boom
Boon,
sb.
a
company of reapers. sb.
Boor-tree, Bore-tree,
the elder-tree, Sambucus nigra.
a stall for an ox.
sb.
Boose,
The goose
'
Bose, adj. hollow.
Bother one's head,
v.
is
a bonnie bird
to trouble one's
if it
adj. bold. sb.
Box-borra,
Boxen,
sb.
'
He come on
bose.'
'He's boun' to
as bowl as a lion.'
a wheel-barrow with
a casing of
was not
self.
Boun', v. bound; determined; prepared; certain. do it.'
Bowl,
wind
wood such
wooden
as is
sides.
round the
sides of a
farm
cart.
Boxty, or Boxty-bread, sb. a kind of bread made of grated raw potatoes and flour; it differs from 'potato bread,' or 'potato cake,' of which cold boiled potatoes form the principal part.
Box-wrack, Brace, fire
a kind of sea- wrack.
a screen, made of stakes interwoven with twigs, and covered and outside with prepared clay used to conduct the smoke from on the hearth to an aperture in the roof.
sb.
inside
a
sb.
Bracken,
sb.
any large kind of
Brads, Breads,
sb. pi.
which are attached Brae,
sb.
flat
boards or
beam
to a large
a steep bank
Braid, adj. broad.
the
;
a hill
fern.
;
scales, usually for weighing.
the brow of a
hill.
made of wood,
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
12
a large harrow, sometimes called a
sb.
Braik,
drawn by two horses because
called, not it is
drawn by one
field are called
Bramble,
;
horse.
The young blades of
sb.
Braird,
sb.
either
'
corn, flax, &c. that
come up
in a
the braird.
withered branches
A
Bramelly, or Brambled. is
'
'
it
'
double harrow,' usually the single harrow is much smaller, and is so is in one piece, it is really double, but because
'
knock-kneed
'
or
;
rubbish of twigs, &c.
bramelly-legged man is a man who out-kneed,' or has misshapen feet and '
'
legs.
Branded, Brannet,
adj. of a red colour with streaks or bands, applied
to cattle. sb.
Brander,
a broiling iron.
a turn at the operation of churning.
(1) sb.
Brash,
'
Gi'e the
churn
brash.' (2) sb.
Brattle,
an attack of
sb.
Brave, adj.
illness.
a peal of thunder. '
fine
large.
;
'
That's a brave day.'
That's a brave
chile ye've got.' '
Bravely, adv.
finely.
He's doin' bravely'
i.
e.
he
is
recovering
finely.
Brazier, cod,
sb.
a fish
Morrhua lusca ; common sea bream,
the pout,
;
M. minuta;
also the
also the poor or
power
Pagellus centrodontus.
A
'Bread and butter, and tith, thith, thith.' child is asked to repeat this, and when he gets to the last syllables the tongue gets between the teeth, and when some one gives him an unexpected blow tinder the chin of course the tongue gets bitten.
Bread.
Bread and cheese,
the young leaf-buds of the hawthorn.
word used by the Ulster Scots
(1) sb. a
Break,
sb.
(2) v. to
for a rout or defeat
The Break of Drummore,' The Break of Killeleigh.' Can you break that pound note for me ? change money. '
'
(obsolete).
'
'
Break by kind, v. to be different in habits, disposition, &c., from " The son of a dhrunk man 'ill le be inclined to be one's parents. dhrunk Breeks,
hisself, if
Breest, or Breast,
some
he dizint break by kind."
OLLMINICK.
sb. pi. trousers.
'
object.
v.
to spring up and alight with the breast breest that wall ?
Breeze, sb. fine cinders or coke. reduced to 3s. per 40 bushels."
Bremmish, sb. a dash, made by a ram. Brent clean, adj. quite
upon
'
Cud ye
" The price of fine breeze has Belfast Paper, 1875.
or furious rush or
clean.
blow
;
been
the sudden rush
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Brent new,
adj. quite
Brequist,
Same
as
the fishing frog or sea devil, Lophius piscatorius.
sb.
Molly Gowan, Kilmaddy.
Briar bunting, Bridge,
sb.
the
common
A toul'
shure
bunting.
A coal
a weigh-bridge.
sb.
abstracting coals from his '
"bran new."
as
breakfast.
sb.
Briar bot,
Same
new.
13
own
was found to have been Ah, ye fool,' said his comrade,
carter '
load.
ye ye had to go over a
bridge.'
Brills, sb. spectacles. '
to toast or scorch. brissling your shins over the fire.' v.
Brissle,
Broad
To
'
brissle potatoes.'
Don't be
stone, The, sb. a cromlech in the parish of Finvoy, co. of
Antrim. thin oat-meal porridge. There is a saying, e. that brochan is not worth saying grace such poor food comes as a right.
Brochan,
'
sb.
Never bless and that
1
brochan,
i.
Brochan roy,
sb.
brochan with leeks boiled in
it
:
for,
used by the very
poor. (1) sb. a badger has a bad smell.
Brock,
(2) sb.
broken
;
a foolish person
;
a dirty person
;
one
who
victuals.
a strong Irish accent. ' He has a brogue you could hang Brogue, hat on,' i. e. a very strong brogue. your sb.
Brogues. boots,
As vulgar as a clash very vulgar indeed. '
Broken down tradesmen, Broo,
o'
brogues,'
i.
e.
a pair of
common
5
Snow-broo
sb.
Brooghled,
Brosnach
v.
a boys' game.
sb.
= snow broth
;
half-melted snow.
badly executed. sticks, sb. an armful or bundle of branches gathered Also called Brosna and Brasneugh.
o'
for fire- wood.
Broth. Broth, like porridge and sowans, is spoken of in the plural A few broth.' Will you sup them ? They're very salt the day.' '
'
'
sb. a halo round the moon. han' storm,' saying.
Brough,
'
A far
Browlt, adj. deformed or bowed in the legs pig, a
young dog,
Bruckle, adj.
brittle.
Bruckle sayson, Brulliment,
Brumf,
or a
sb.
sb.
:
awa
brough,
That's bruckle ware ye'r carry in
very unsettled weather.
a disturbance
;
a broil.
adj. curt or short in manner.
is
a near
generally applied to a
calf. '
:
'
1
.'
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
14
to burst.
v.
Brust,
Bucht oot
v.
!
get out
!
" To be sold or let, a good buck-house, about 80 Buck-house, sb. Advt. Belfast Newsfeet long, with a well- watered bleaching green." 1738.
letter,
Buckle,
sb.
a mollusk,
sb.
Buckie-breer,
Buckled,
the scarlet berries of the wild rose.
sb.
Buckle-berries,
Buccinum undatum.
a wild rose bush.
' There, that saw's applied to a saw. e. a man who repairs saws. take her to the saw doctor,'
bent or twisted
v.
all buckled;
:
*'.
Buddagh, sb. the large lake trout, Salmo ferox. The word mean a big, fat fellow a middle-sized cod-fish.
is
said to
;
Buddy,
sb.
Budge,
v.
an individual. '
move.
to
Buffer, sb. a boxer.
Bug,
he can't budge his
old buffer,' a tough old fellow.
a large marble.
Bully-rag,
v.
to scold in a bullying
Bully-raggin',
Bum-bee,
sb.
and noisy way.
a great scolding.
a bee.
sb.
Bumbee wark, sb. nonsense. Bummer, sb. a boy's toy, made with circular disc, usually of tin
Bumming, Bun,
sb.
feet or his legs.'
a constable.
sb.
sb.
Bull,
ill
to play marbles.
v.
Bulkey,
An
'
a caterpillar infesting fruit trees.
sb.
Bulk,
He's that
v.
the
boasting
tail
Bun, Bunny,
;
;
it
a piece of twine and a small
makes a humming
noise.
talking big.
of a hare.
call to
a rabbit.
way of commission given to (1) persons who bring together buyer and seller at a flax market. Perhaps a corruption of bonus. Bunce the money.' (2) v. to divide money.
Bunce,
sb.
a consideration in the
'
Bundle,
sb.
Bunker,
Bunny,
sb.
sb.
Bunt,
v.
Burn,
sb.
to
what a child a low
bank
sits on.
at a road side, a road-side channel.
a rabbit.
run away, as a rabbit does.
a small river.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Burn-shin-da-eve, over the fire.
Burrian,
a bird
sb.
a term for a
sb,
woman who
is
15
fond of crouching
the red-throated diver.
;
A
sb. a kind of sea wrack ; the tangle, Laminaria digitata. When I was shapeless person is called in derision a burroe. sixteen I grew up as tall as a hig burroe, said by a woman from Glenarm, Co. of Antrim.
Burroe,
'
tall,
1
sb.
Bui-rough, duck,
the shell drake.
Bursted churn. When the sun sets before the grain the last day of reaping on a farm, there is said to be a sb.
Bushes,
masses of sea-weed (tangles), growing on sunken at low water.
pi.
and exposed
rocks,
Busk,
is all cut, on bursted churn.
deck oneself. " Gae busk yeirsel' an come awa' An' dinna sit here dringin'." HUDDLESTON.
to dress, or
v.
Buskin boot, Butcher,
sb.
sb.
a man's low boot
;
to tie.
the parten or shore crab, Carcinus moenas.
In summer Butter goes mad twice in the year, a saying. runs away, and in winter it is too hard, and dear as well.
Buttery fingers,
sb.
a term for a person
who
lets things slip
it
from
his hands.
Buttin' at, '
Buy.
v.
He
hinting
at.
cud buy ye
ithir,' said to
a person
at the yin en' o' the toon, an* sell ye at the who is supposed to have a small supply of
sense.
By-chap,
sb.
an illegitimate male
child.
" It was about this time that Paddy Bye-word, sb. a saying. had come to frighten him, but he only a seen that Loughran ghost Ye're late,' an' with that the bye-word riz, Ye're late, as sayd, " OLLMINICK. Paddy Loughran sayd t' the ghost.' '
'
By Gommany, a petty oath, or exclamation. By Goneys, or By Golly, an oath. By Jaiminie King, an oath. Byre,
sb.
Cackle,
a cow-house.
sb.
a concealed laugh.
01 coverlet ; a cloak or cover ; a small Cadda, Caddow, sb. a quilt or cloth which lies on a horse's back underneath the straddle.' I '
Cadge,
v. to
carry about anything for
sale.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
16
a pedlar
sb.
Cadger,
;
an itinerant dealer in
fish.
Caff, sb. chaff.
Cahill, sb.
an
eel net.
Caigey, adj. in very Cailey,
sb.
Caillyea,
good
spirits
a call or friendly
sb.
Caleeriness,
a talk round the sb.
giddiness
Caleery, adj. light
fire
fun
;
vain
;
lively
;
;
wanton ;
eager.
visit. ;
a gossip
among
neighbours.
mischief.
;
full of mischief.
;
When a calf is born, it is customary in some places to crush an egg in the hand, and thrust it, shell and all, down the animal's throat. It is also dragged by the heels round the yard for luck. MASON'S Paroch. Survey, 1819.
Calf.
Caliagh, sb. a potato of more than a year old (probably from its wrinkled appearance, as this is the Irish word for an old woman or hag). Call, sb. occasion or need. call had you to touch them
'
You had no
call to
do
'
Called on, in demand, as certain classes of goods in shops. nen's greatly called on this weather.' '
Calling, v.
He's a calling'
Cambered, adj. slightly arched which has become bent.
Came
v.
on,
Candy-man,
became sb.
toffee, called
Canney,
Canny, Cant,
v.
'
of.
'
i.
;
e.
he
is
Flan-
being called.
a builder's term for a floor or ceiling
What came
on you
'
1
a rag-man. These men generally give a candy,' in exchange for rags, &c.
kind of
cannot.
adj. cautious.
to sell
v.
by
auction.
Can you whistle and chaw meal ? addressed boasting of his powers of doing difficult things,
Cap-ball,
Capper,
What
'
that.'
'
?
sb.
sb.
Carcage,
sb.
to a person
who
is
j
a boys' game.
a turner of
wooden bowls.
a carcase.
Carf, Carp, sb. a fish, the sea bream, Pagellus centrodontus. Carf, sb. a ditch water.
;
a shallow channel cut in peat bogs for conveying
Carnaptious, adj. quarrelsome
;
fault-finding.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
17
"
sb. pi. Hundreds of men, women, and children, called carpers, are ready to catch the fish [herrings] that break from the net
Carpers,
MASON'S Paroch. Survey
on. its drawing on shore." Co. of Antrim), 1819.
'A
Carrion. persons
Carry,
(P. Ardolinis,
carrion won't poison a crow,' i. 6. there are some eat anything, or to whom nothing comes amiss.
who can
a weir or mill-lead.
sb.
boisterous or improper proceedings.
sb. pi.
Carryings on,
Carry lady to London. In this game two children grasp each other by the wrists, forming a seat, on which another child sits, who is thus carried about, while the bearers sing
my
'
Give
me
a pin, to stick in
To carry my lady Give
me
v.
Carry on,
sb.
my
thumb,
London;
another, to stick in
To carry her a Carry of the sky,
to
my other,
little bit farther.'
the drift of the clouds.
behave in a boisterous or giddy manner
to
;
to act
improperly.
Carvy
seed, sb. carroway seed. '
Case equal. as
it's
It's case equal,'
i.
e.
it's
just the same
Cash, sb. a pathway ; a covered drain water in wet ground or bog.
made
(2) v. to reject
an
sb.
Castaway,
Casting out, colours from
as
broad
Cast ones,
v.
old,
falling out
;
quarrelling
;
also
the fading out of
articles of dress.
sb. pi.
v.
A
worn-out horse.
rejected things.
v. to reproach; to bring past errors or offences. it,
cast yins;
on account of some imperfection.
Cast up,
catch
it's
to leave a passage for
'Them's old
Cast, (1) adj. rejected as being faulty. wouldn't tak them.'
Catch
;
long.
receive punishment.
up byegones; '
If
to
remind one of
he finds you here
you'll
it.'
Cat-fish, sb. a cuttle fish, Sepia qfficinalis.
Catteridge,
sb.
a cartridge.
wooden cup without a handle. Caup, Cawney, adj. cautious. Same as canny. sb.
a
Cawsey, Cassy, sb. the paved or hard-beaten place in front of or round about a farmhouse.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
18
said to
it is
Bad
'
(2) sb.
Chainy,
Champ,
sb.
mashed
*'.
;
e.
bad luck.
'
complaining way. '
coming back after a payment, Sir, I've called for the change for them pea-rods.'
'
itself.
one's feet,
Change
to scold in a
;
not merely
but money
you,' saying
potatoes.
to chide
v.
sb.
Change,
cesa, i. e. it
cess to
sb. china.
Chander,
When water is put on an oily runs into separate drops.
a house painter's term.
v.
Cess, (1) surface
v.
the change
to
put on dry shoes and stockings.
a toll of one shilling levied annually by the Chapman gill, It is sheriffs of Carrickfergus from each vessel trading to the port. to pay the cost of burying the bodies of sailors or others cast on shore. sb.
,
'
Hist. Carrickfergus.
diarged or no charged
Charged.
she's
'
dangerous
:
said of a
gun
or pistol.
a person
sb.
Charity,
who
is
deserving of charity
is
said to be a
'
great charity.' '
'
It's long o' comin', like Eoyal Charlie Charlie. that has been long expected.
said of a thing
That would charm the heart of a wheelbarrow ; and That would charm the heart of a beggar-man's crutch said in '
'
Charm. '
:
'
:
who
derision to a person
Chase-grace,
sb.
a scapegrace.
said to
Chay-chay,
singing or whistling badly.
is
cows to
call
'
Eunnin' about like a chase-grace.'
them
or quiet them.
Chay, lady, said to a cow to quiet her. sb.
Check, (1) (2)
a slight meal.
the sheet of a
Cheep,
He
checked
me
for going.'
To
slightly slacken
sail.
to chirp.
v.
Cheevy,
'
to chide.
v.
Same
to chase.
v.
as Chivy.
Chert your tongue, bite your tongue. ' If you can't you had better chert your tongue and say nothing.'
Chew,
sir
Childhre, Chile,
sb.
Chimin',
Chimley,
!
away ;
sb. pi.
or behave yourself
:
tell
the truth,
said to a dog.
children.
a child. v.
singing.
sb.
a chimney.
Chimley brace, sb. the screen that conducts the smoke from a on the hearth upwards through the roof.
fire
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Chirm, v. to sing " But
;
make a
to
19
murmuring sound.
low,
sweetly you cliirmed on ould
May momin'." FLECKER.
Chitterling, (1) si. a swallow. (2) v. chattering, as applied to the noise that
Chitty wran, sb.
Chivy, (1)
common
the
swallows make.
wren.
a chace. '
chase or pursue.
(2) v. to
Chokes,
sb.
sb. pi.
He
chivied me.'
the sides of the neck.
Chollers, Chillers,
the sides of the neck.
sb. pi.
a small Lit of whalebone attached to a sea fishingChop-stick, line to keep the snood and hook clear of the sinker. sb.
Chow,
chew.
to
v.
Chrissimis,
sb.
Christmas.
(1) sb.
Christen,
a,
human
'
The poor dog was
lyin'
on a
Don't put the dog into that clabbery
hole.'
being.
Christen' a bed.' (2) adj. Christian.
Chuckie, a hen
;
the call for fowl.
Churchyard deserter, Churn,
a harvest home.
sb.
'
mud.
sb.
Clabber,
a very sickly-looking person.
sb.
They clodded '
clabber at me.'
Clabbery, adj. muddy. Clachan, sb. a small cluster of cottages. Claghtin',
Clam,
sb.
v.
catching or clutching
at.
a shell-fish, Pecten maximus.
When
sb. a small stack of turf, containing about a load. turfs or peats are put out,' they are left for some time to dry; as soon as they can be handled they are put into footins or futtine,'
Clamp,
'
'
'
'
about four peats are placed on end, the upper ends leaning against each other. In the course of a week or two, if the weather be dry, these are put into turn footins,' several footins being put together. In this case, two rows of turf are placed on end, say six in each row, the upper ends leaning against each other on these are laid, crossAfter some time wise, as many peats as the upright ones will hold. these turn footins are put into clamps, in which they remain until they are sufficiently dry to be removed from the bog. *. e.
'
;
'
'
'
Clan-jamfrey, Clam-jamfrey,
Clargy,
sb.
Clarkin',
v.
a clergyman. clerking
;
'
sb.
Ah
!
1
a whole lot of people. he's a
good
man ;
he's
my
clargy.'
doing the work of a clerk.
Clart, sb. a dirty, slovenly
woman. c 2
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
20 Clash, (1)
a slap or blow.
sb.
(2) eb. a tell-tale. '
(3) v. to tell tales.
Clashbag,
sb.
Clatchen,
sb.
He went
and
clashed
on me.'
a tale-bearer. a brood of young chickens or ducks.
Clatin', v. the act of raking together.
Clatty, adj. dirty, slovenly.
You weren't both clatty and longsome at Clatty and long-some. that,' means that though you were quick about it, you did it badly '
and
dirtily.
Claut, a strong rake for raking
up mire
or rubbish.
Clavin, a sea-fish, the spotted gunnel, Blennius Gunnellus. also Flutterick and Codlick.
Claw-hammer, Clay-bug,
a
sb.
name
a slang
sb.
common '
Clean, adv. quite.
I
Called
for a pig's foot, also for a dress coat.
clay marble. '
dean
forgot.'
He's clean mad.'
Clean ower, adv. completely over. Clean wud, adj. stark mad. "
Clearsome, adj. clear; bright. Cled, adj. thickly covered, as a branch with fruit.
Cleek,
sb.
a hook.
Cleeked up, Cleekups,
adj.
sb.
hooked up,
stringhalt
;
as
window
curtains sometimes are.
a twitching disease in the hind legs of a
horse or ass. Gleet, sb. a double
Cleg,
(1) sb.
hook used in a boat
the gad
for belaying small ropes to.
fly.
(2) v. to clog.
Clemmed Cleush,
to death, adj. perished
sb.
a sluice
Clever, adj. large
;
;
with wet and
cold.
a water channel or spout.
fine-looking.
Clib, sb. a horse one year old. Clifted, adj. cleft or split.
Clincher,
sb.
a convincing statement or argument that settles the
matter.
Cling,
v.
to shrink or contract, as
Clint, sb. a projecting rock.
wood
in drying.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. hook with a wooden handle, used
Clip, sb. a gaff, or strong iron fish
landing
a mischievous young
;
*
Clipe, sb. anything pretty large.
Clipes, sb. tongs for holding stones
Clish-ma-claver,
sb. silly
talk
21 for
girl.
A clipe
of a boy.'
when being
lifted
by a winch.
nonsense.
;
The rattling noise of Clitterty, clatterty, meal upon Saturday. a grinding mill is supposed to resolve itself into these words. Another form '
Clitterty, clatterty, late
upon Saturday
Barley parritch, an' hardly v.
Clockin',
Clocks, (1) '
Clod,
hatching. sb. pi.
dandelions in seed.
I'd as soon
(2)
to
v.
that.'
watch
clocks [beetles] as
mind them
childre.'
throw anything, such as stones.
Cloot, sb. a hoof.
Clootie, sb. a left-handed person. Cloots, (1) sb. pi. ragged clothes; fragments of cloth. (2) sb. the devil.
Close side, sb. the right side of a carcase of mutton, so called because the kidney at that side adheres more closely than at the left, which is called the open side. Cloth, sb. linen. sb.
Clout, (1)
'
a slap.
A'll gi'e ye a clout
on the lug
if
dar' to
ye
clash.' (2) v. to slap. sb. aii instrument used in the preparation of flax ; by it the shows are removed which have not been taken off at the scutch
Clove, '
'
'
mill.*
Clutch,
sb.
the silty substance in which oysters are partly
embedded
on the oyster banks near Carrickfergus. Coag,
a vessel for carrying or holding water, made of hoops and a small barrel, with one of the ends removed.
sb.
staves, like
Coal,
a lap of hay
sb.
;
a lap cock.
Coaling hay, v. rolling it in small cocks after being cut. Coast anent, v. Farm labourers who are given money to lodge and board themselves are said to coast anent? '
a woman's gown. my coat none the worse for it to-day,' e. I am nothing (2) the worse now for having been in a much lower position at one time.,
Coat, (1)
Cobble,
sb.
I wear
'
v.
*'.
to bargain or haggle.
Cobblety-curry,
sb.
Same
as
Shuggy-shu
(1).
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
22
Cobbs, or Herring Cobbs,
Cock-bread,
which game
Cocked up,
young herrings. and other things with
adj. conceited.
a cock-fighter.
sb.
Cocker,
sb. pi.
a mixture of hard-boiled eggs cocks are fed.
sb.
sb. pi.
Cockers, Caackers,
Cockles of the heart. of onda
the cockles
the heels of a horse's shoe turned down.
A warm drink or a dram
said to
is
'
warm
heart.''
Children amuse themsb. a common wild plant, Plantago. selves in summer with knocking off the heads of each other's cocks. This is called 'fighting cocks.'
Cocks,
anything set up as a mark at which to throw stones.
sb.
Cock-shot,
Cock-stride, applied to the lengthening of the days. "About oul' New Year's Day, the days is a cock-sthride longer." OLLMIMCK. sb.
(2) v.
your
a
sb.
Cod, (1)
to
troublesome fellow.
silly,
humbug
or quiz a person
;
hoax
to
;
'
to idle about.
Quit
coddin'.'
a crusty old fellow.
sb.
Codger, Codlick,
a
sb.
fish,
the spotted gunnel.
Coffin-cutter, sb. Ocypus olens, the cock-tail, an insect larger than earwig, of a black colour. Called also The Devil's Coachman.
Cog, (1)
a wedge or support fixed under anything to steady
sb.
an
it.
steady anything that is shaky by wedging it ; to place a wedge under a cart-wheel to prevent the cart going down hill. (2) v. to
to shake.
v.
Coggle,
Cogglety, Coggly, adj. shaky potatoes and
;
unsteady.
A
'
'
dish curley kail mashed together. of Colcannon used to form part of the dinner on Hallow-eve, and usually contained a ring. The finder of the ring was to be married
Colcannon,
sb.
first.
Cold comfort, me.'
Act
sb.
Compare ii.
sc.
no comfort "
He
i.
Coldrife, adj. chilly naturally coldrife.' Coif,
v.
to
Colfin', sb.
Colley,
sb.
'
at all That's cold comfort ye're givin' receives comfort like cold porridge." Tempest,
wad
;
cold
;
of a chilly nature.
a gun.
the material used to smuts.
wad
a gun.
'
Some
people's
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. a confidential chat.
sb,
Collogue, (1)
23
(2) v. to talk confidentially. sb.
Collop,
a slice of meat.
Collop Monday,
the day before Shrove Tuesday.
sb.
'
' It's as clean as if Colly had licked it said [coalie], a dog. of a plate or bowl that has been thoroughly emptied and polished off.
Colly
:
Come
'
back.
Come back
pay the bap ye
an'
eat,'
e.
i.
come back
;
don't hurry away.
Come
in, v. to suit
Come Come
to
v.
on,
;
'
to serve.
grow up
It's
;
sure to come in for some use.' '
to thrive.
The
chile's
comin' on
over, v. to repeat anything told in confidence. come over that.'
Come round,
v.
from
to recover
illness.
'
'
finely.'
Now
don't
Doctor, do you think he's
comin' roun\'
Come
Are ye comin' much
'
speed, v. to get on with any work. speed wi' the job ? '
Commanding Common,
a severe pain, such as almost disables one.
sb.
pain,
(l)sb. hockey
a game.
;
Comun and Kaminan,
districts
Same as Shinney. Called in some from the Irish name for the game. i. e. of very low extraction, or a com-
As common as potatoes,' parison for anything very common. '
(2)
sb. the caterpillar of Sphinx atropos. "Cows eating of the grass that it passes over are believed to be affected with that fatal distemper called the connough." McSxiMiN's Hist. Carrick-
Connough worm, fergus, 1823.
Conquer,
sb.
a conqueror.
conceit ; a pleasurable prides in his garden.'
Consate,
(1) sb.
(2) si. conceit.
give
him a
To
'
knock the
'
He takes a great consate
consate out of
any
one,'
means
to
beating.
' I wouldn't do Constancy, sb. a permanency. e. I would not make a practice of it.
it
for a constancy?
'.
Contrairy, (1) adj. obstinate;
good (2)
(3) that.'
bein' so contrairy
o'
Inconvenient. v.
It
happened at a most contrairy
to prove the contrary
Convenient, adj. near.
Convoy,
'
v.
{
'Now, what's
contradictory.
the
'
?
to controvert.
;
His house
is
'
time.'
I couldn't contrairy
convenient to the church.
to escort or accompany.
Coody doon, v. kneel down. Same as Coorie doon.
'
Coody doon
an' say yer
prayers.'
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
24
Coof, or Couf, sb. a clownish fellow.
a single dropping of a cow.
sb.
Coo-pnshla,
Coorie doon,
Coorse Christian,
Coorse morning, is
a
common
Coo-sherran,
Same
kneel down.
v.
sb.
as
Coody doon.
a rough fellow.
sb.
coarse morning,
i.
e.
very wet or stormy.
This
greeting.
sb.
cow-dung.
the grey crow or hooded crow. The corby has become rare Corby, in Antrim and Down since the purchasing of dead horses and cows by the artificial manure makers became usual. sb.
;
a large
anything large
fish, for
instance.
a cormorant.
sb.
Cormoral, Corn,
a large pin
sb.
Corker,
sb. oats.
Corny-gera, or Corny-keevor,
the missel thrush, Turdus vici-
sb.
vorous.
Corp,
a corpse.
sb.
Corrag,
sb.
a wind guard for the door of a cottage,
Same
laced branches.
Corvorant, Cot,
sb.
of inter-
a cormorant.
sb.
a flat-bottomed boat.
Coulter-neb,
Coult
made
Wassock.
matter from a sore.
sb.
Corruption,
as
the puffin.
sb.
fit, sb. colt's
foot, Tussilago. '
country is the common way of saying the part of the country where I live,' so that if two farmers from districts three or four miles apart meet at market, one asks the other, 'What's the news in your country ?
Country,
'
sb.
My
'
'
Country Joan,
County crop,
sb.
sb.
an uncouth country person.
having one's hair cut very short, as it would be cut You've got the county crop : said in ridicule.
in the county prison. '
Coutther,
Cove, (1)
sb. sb.
'
'
To
course a lime-kiln Course, of limestone and coal. v.
'
to
is
put in the alternate layers
a plough-share. a cave.
rub a flagged floor with a coving-stone.' Cove, v. to rub a flagged floor with a coving stone.' Covered car, sb. a car with two wheels, drawn by one horse. There is room inside for four passengers, who sit facing each other. The door and step are at the back, the driver sits in front, perched up near the top. There are two very small windows in front, and one '
(2) v. to
'
in the door.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
25
Cowl, adj. cold.
Cowp,
to upset
v.
;
to empty.
Cow's-clap, sb. a piece of cow's-dung.
Cow's
'
tail.
To grow down,
who
a person
like a cow's tail
'
said in derision to
:
be growing shorter instead of taller. ' to to scold at. couldn't thole bein' crabbed v. Crab, carp ; when A didn't do nothin' ondaicent.' supposed to
is
A
at,
sb. the treatment that juvenile fishers give to those crabs (' partens') that fasten on their hooks and eat off the bait the crabs, when landed, are instantly trampled to death.
Crab's allowance,
(1) sb. a chat.
Crack,
(2) v. to gossip or chat
Cracked, adj. damaged
damaged
;
as
to boast. '
cracked hams,' hams which are slightly
in appearance.
the thin cord at the end of a whip
sb.
Cracker,
:
Cracks, sb.pl. tales; gossip. Crane, sb. the iron arm over a
Crapen, Crave,
'
To crave a man,'
Craw, Crow,
sb.
Creel-pig, sb. a basket.
pig,
creesh,'
sb.
i. e.
to apply to
such as
Same
Creepy, or Creepy-stool, Creesh, (1)
'
crook
'
hangs.
him
for
payment
of a debt.
a rook.
young
sb. pi. lice.
Creepers,
from which the
the crop of a fowl.
sb.
v.
fire
a boaster.
;
sb.
is
taken to market in a creel or
as Podes.
a very low stool.
a punishment of an uncertain kind.
'
You'll get the
punishment.
(2) sb. grease.
Creeshy, adj. greasy.
Creuben,
sb.
a crab.
Crib, or Crib-stone,
sb.
the curb-stone at the edge of a foot-path.
to shrink.
Crine,
v.
Crock,
sb.
a derisive term for a person
who
fancies himself ailing or
delicate.
Crocky, adj. fanciful about his health
;
hippish.
' Just go through Croft, sb. a space surrounded by farm buildings. thon farmer's croft down there,' a small field near a house.
Cronkin, adj. to describe the baying sound made by a flock of Brent Croo,
sb.
a poor, filthy cabin.
See Pig Croo.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
26
to cuddle.
;
is suspended from the hanging the pot or griddle from.
'
a hook which
sb.
Crook,
to crouch
v.
Croodle,
'
for
chimney
'
crane in a kitchen black as the crook'
As
very black. Croon, v. to lament or wail. Croose, adj. sharp-tempered ; pugnacious ; irritable ; conceited. as croose as a banty cock.'
Crop,
'
to crop land.
v.
'
Cross.
He would
To put
in crop,' to
steal the cross off
an
sow
ass
:'
'
He's
seed.
said of an avaricious
person.
A
Crottle, sb. a lichen.
Crowl, (1)
decoction of
it is
'A
a small person; a dwarf.
sb.
used for dyeing. crowl on a creepy looks
naethin',' saying.
It is said that dogs can (2) v. to stunt the growth of anything. be crmvled by giving them whiskey when they are young, and that a child is crowled if a man puts his leg over the child's head.
Crown
of the causey,
sb.
the centre of the road, the driest and
and therefore taken possession of by the strongest. The expression refers to the old paved country roads, which had no side cleanest part,
patha Crnb,
(1) sb. a horse's curb-chain. '
(2) v. to check.
Cmden, Cruds,
The
caterpillars crul the
roses.'
a parten (crab), Carcinus mcenas, of a reddish colour.
sb.
sb. pi. curds. '
Cruel, Crule, adj. very. Cruels,
blooms of the
sb.
the king's
Cruffles, sb. pi. a
Crule ban',
Cruel
*
big.'
Cruel nice.'
Cruel party.'
'
He's
evil.
kind of potatoes.
a disagreeable spectacle ; a bad case. hisself with the dhrink.' Same as Sore
sb.
crule han' o'
'
made a
Hand.
Crulge, v. to crouch near the fire ; to cramp oneself by sitting in a crouching attitude. Crumbs. Children are recommended to eat up the crumbs, for the crumbs will make you wise.' '
Crummel,
sb.
a crumb.
Crumming-knife,
sb.
a cooper's tooL
Cruse, adj. captious; cross.
Cuckle,
sb.
a cockle.
Cuckoo-sorrel,
Cckoo-spittle, secreted
sb.
wood
sb.
sorrel,
Oxalis acetosella.
the white froth deposited on plants, which is insect, Aphromora spumaria.
by and encloses the young of an
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. a small
sb.
Cudden,
the young of
fish,
27
the coal-fish, Merlangus
carbonarius.
Cuddy,
a donkey.
sb.
'Cudnae
a
tell
B
frae a
applied to a person utterly
bill's-fit,'
ignorant.
Cuidhich,
sb.
a night's lodging
sb. the broad-nosed used at Lough Neagh, and
Culloch,
and food.
This word is eel, Anguilla latirostris. is the Irish Colloch wicked, in allusion
=
It is also called
to this eel's yoracious habits.
Gorb
Hunter Eel and
Eel. sb. pi.
Cummings,
the rootlets of malt.
a curtsey. Curchie, Curcudioughly, adv. comfortably sb.
Curl
;
cosily.
a flower, the blue scabious, Scabiosa succisa. Children twist the stalk of this flower, and as it slowly untwists in the hand, say to it ' Curl doddy on the midden. sb.
doddy,
:
Turn round
an' tak'
my
biddin'.'
curled kail.
sb.
Curleys,
Curmurring,
sb.
grumbling
;
the sound caused
by
flatus
within the
body.
Curn,
sb.
a currant.
Curnaptious, adj. quarrelsome
Custom gate, Custom gap,
cross-grained.
;
sb.
one of the approaches to a
Cut, (1) sb. a measure of linen yarn.
(2) v. to tack from side to side up an inclined plane; heavy object forward by pushing each end alternately.
Cut butter.
'
It
would
cut butter, if
fair.
See under Spangle and Lea.
it
was hot/
is
to
more a
said of a parti-
cularly blunt knife.
Cut meat, To, v. to eat anything. 'They never cut meat from Saturday till Wednesday said of a lot of sheep which were in transit from Ireland to England. '
:
Cuts.
Cutter,
'
To draw
draw
lots.
a slate pencil.
sb.
Cutty, (1)
cuts,' to
a short, clay pipe.
sb.
a sea bird, the razor-bill. Also the guillemot. (2) There you are puttin' in your cutty among spoons,' said to a (3) youngster who attempts to join in the conversation of the elders. sb. '
(4) adj. short.
full.
Cutty no sense.
*
You
'
'
Cutty pipe.'
Cutty spoon.'
hav'n't a cutty full
'
(of brains),
i.
e.
you have
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
23
Da da,
Da,
Hi da
!
come home '
a helpless, useless person.
sb.
Da-dilly,
'
sb. father.
to the
wain
' !
She's a sore da-dilly of a
crayture.'
Dab,
(1) sb.
(2)
Dab Dad
a small
flat fish.
a snatch, or clutch.
Z>.
at the hole,
of bread,
sb.
sb.
a
game
a large
lump of
bread.
sb. daffodils.
Daffy-downdillies,
Daft, adj. weak-minded
Da-ho,
of marbles.
mad.
;
the hedge parsley, Anthriscw sylvestris.
sb.
See Hi-how.
A
Dais, log used as a seat, and placed against the gable of a cottage at the back of the fire, that is where a round about fire was used. If the fire-place was against the gable there was of course no room for a dais. sb.
'
'
Daiver,
to strike a person
v.
Daivered, adj. doting (1) sb.
Damsel,
;
such a blow as almost to stun him.
Same
bewildered.
as Doithered.
a damson.
(2) sb. an iron rod with projecting pins, that shakes the shoot of the hopper in a corn mill.
Dander, on the dander ; idling about
Dandher,
(1)
(2) v. to
sb.
a slow walk.
Til
;
on the
spree.
just take a dandher.'
saunter ; to walk about slowly.
Dangersome,
adj. dangerous.
When
oats are being put through frames the lightest through a sieve, and are collected by themselves, these are called dapery, co. Antrim. In co. Down they are called wake corn,' sb.
Dapery, grains
fall
'
weak
t. e.
corn.
Dare, or Dar,
v.
to taunt, or challenge.
Dark, adj. blind. Darlin, adj. nice.
'
'
He darred me
Will you give something to a poor dark '
A
darlirt red-head,'
Daurna, Daver,
Davy,
v.
s.
sb.
adj. dazed.
dare not.
Sometimes Daurnae.
to stun.
an
'
I'll take my davy.' a lazy, good for nothing person. Dawmson plume, nb. a damson.
Daw, Day,
affidavit.
sb.
sb.
one's lifetime.
See under
Your
woman 1
'
means a nice head of red
hair.
Danndered,
to fight him.'
day.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Day
an' daily, adv. constantly
Dayly
Dayligon,
6-6.
goin,
29
every day.
;
(daylight
the dusk of the
going);
evening.
Dead
'
end.
would
you saw
If
you would take your dead
it
end,'
you
i. e.
die of laughter.
Dead knowledge, sb. deceitfulness cunning. Dead man's plunge, sb. this is made by throwing ;
a stone, so that it enters the surface of water with such force that no splash is made.
Dead men's pinches,
sb. Small discoloured marks on the skin, which come mysteriously during the night, and which show themselves in the morning. They resemble the marks of finches or bruises. Deaf nut, sb. an empty nut.
Dear bless you God bless you [?], an exclamation. Dear help you God help you [?], an exclamation. !
!
A
Dear knows.
common
who knows,' or rejoinder, meaning originally, God only knows.' '
body knows,' probably meant
Dear love you Deave,
to deafen
v.
;
love you
no-
an exclamation.
[1],
*
to bewilder.
You would
He
'
a defence, or fight.
sb.
Debate,
God
!
'
'
deave one's
ears.'
can make a great debate for
himself.'
Deck
of cards, sb.
Decline,
Dede
sb.
auld, adj. very old.
Deed and doubles, Deil
a pack of cards.
consumption.
'The
(1).
deil couldn't
something very '
(2)
The
indeed.
deil
do
it
unless he
was drunk:'
said of
difficult.
gang
wi' ye, an' saxpence, an' ye'll nether
want money
nor company,' a saying.
Deil bane ye, an expression of anger.
What fortune did his wife bring him 1 Deil perlickit, nothing. Oh, deil perlickit, tied up in a clout.' '
'
'
Deil's needle, sb. a dragon-fly.
Demands,
Demean,
sb. v.
commands.
'
Have you any demands
to lower, or disgrace.
into
town ?
'
'I wouldn't demean myself to
speak to him.'
Demin
ane,
sb.
an odd one,
singular, unusual.
i. e.
sb. a dark cellar in a mill building. the place of safety in games, such as Hy spy.' (2)
Den, (1)
'
Desperation,
sb.
a great rage.
'
The master was
in desperation.'
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
30
Deval, Devalve, or Develve, '
sb. ridicule.
Devarshion,
v.
to desist.
Makin' divarshion,' turning into
ridicule.
Devil's churn staff, the sun spurge, Euphorbia lielioscopia. Same as Coffin cutter. Devil's coachman, sb. an insect. a good-for-nothing person.
sb.
Dhirl,
'
If I was dhrappin' with Dhrap with hunger, v. to die of hunger. hunger I wouldn't ask him for a farden.' A've dhruv that horse I dhruv past him.' Dhruv, v. drove ; driven. '
'
these five year.' for
making holes in the
for planting in.
ground
Dibble, or Dibble in, Diddies,
wooden implement
a pointed
sb.
Dibble,
by means a woman.
to plant
v.
the breasts of
sb.
of a dibble.
Differ, sb. the difference.
Dig, (1)
'
I wish I
sb.
a blow.
To
dig with the
had three digs
at him.'
that the person (2) wrong referred to belongs to a religious persuasion different from that of the speaker. '
Dig wi' baith
a
way of saying
feet, this is said of a clever person.
hand boy. Dig with the same Dimpsy brown, coat,'
foot,' is
belong to the same religious denomination.
foot, to '
adj.
Compare Two
Dimpsy brown,
the colour of a mouse's waist-
an undecided colour.
Din, adj. dun, or brown-coloured.
Dinge, (1) (2)
a dint.
sb.
v. to dint.
Dingle, or Dinle,
v.
to throb
;
to vibrate
;
to tingle.
Dinlin, adj. trembling; vibrating. Directly, just so
Dirt bird,
precisely.
;
the skua.
sb.
It follows flocks of sea-gulls,
and chases
they disgorge the contents of their stomachs, and the vomited matter the dirt bird eats. See Allan hawk. these birds
Discomfuffle.
Discoorse, Disgist,
v.
v.
till
v.
to
incommode.
v.
Divil
here
till
I discoorse you.'
to forget.
Distress, sb. a sickness. sb.
Come
to digest.
Disremember, Ditch,
'
to talk to.
'
Since I had that distress in
my
head.'
a fence, generally of earth.
mend
'
ye.
Served you
'
right.'
You
deserved
it
richly.'
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Diwid,
divided.
v.
Do
[doo], v. to do.'
We
'
them
divvid
from
to recover
as well as
we
31 cud.'
'I'm thinkin' he's not goin'
illness.
sb. gruel.
Dochrai,
a dock-plant. When a boy gets stung by a nettle he searches for a dock leaf, and rubs it on the wounded part, repeating the charm, ' Dockan, Dockan, in. Nettle, nettle, out.'
Dockan,
sb.
Dofe, adj. heavy heavy sound. v.
Doff,
;
stupid, as with a cold
;
also to describe a dull
to take the full bobbins off a spinning-frame in a mill.
sb. a girl who doffs, i. e. takes off the full bobbins from the spinning frames. The doffers are the youngest girls employed in flax spinning- mills. Dog, sb. the end of a rainbow. It generally precedes or accompanies a squall at sea. Same as Weather gall.
Doffer,
Dog
sb.
wilk,
off, sb.
Doing
a sea mollusc,
Purpura
lapillus.
a scolding.
Doithered, adj. doting; bewildered. Dolachan, sb. a large lake trout, not so large as the same species (Salmo ferox).
Doldram, '
buddagh,' but
adj. confused; stupid.
Dolfer, Dolver,
Dolly.
'
sb.
He had
a large marble.
hardly a dolly on him,' means he had scarcely any
clothes on him.
Done, v. did. In the same way for had gone, &c.
Done man, Donse,
sb.
sb.
Dool,
seen
'
is
used for saw
'
;
had went,'
a worn-out old man.
the devil.
Donsy, Dauncey, sb.
'
adj. sick; sick-looking.
a kind of nail.
Dooled, a cooper's term. set into the cross."
Dooless, adj. helpless
An
iron spike, sharp at both ends. " The head and bottom equally dooled and
Belfast News-letter, 1738. ;
thriftless.
Dorn, sb. a narrow neck of water (not fordable) between two or between an island and the mainland (Strangford Lough). Dotard, adj. doting. Dottier,
v.
to totter.
Douce, adj. neat;
tidy.
Dour, adj. sulky
disagreeable.
;
islands,
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
32 sb.
Dousing,
sb. a
Dowd,
'A good dousing.' a beating. woman's white cap without any
frilling.
Dowdy cap, sb. Same as Dowd. Down in the mouth, in low spirits. Dowp,
sb.
Dowse,
v.
a candle-end
also a child's
;
'
bundie.'
to extinguish.
Doylt, adj. stupid.
Dozed, adj. decayed, applied to wood. See Dribs. Drabs, sb. a drawing, or picture.
sb.
Draft, Drafts,
sb. cart-traces
sb.
Drapisy,
made
of chain.
dropsy.
Drap it like a hot potato, i. e. drop it at once. Draw, (1) v. to cart. 'He's away drawin' peats.' (2) v. to lift or raise for the ' hit him on the face.'
He
and
Drawky, Dredge,
adj.
sb.
wet
'
;
misty.
He drew his purpose of attack. drew his foot and kicked her.'
It's
'
fist,
a draicky day.'
a boat used for dredging in harbours.
Dredge box,
sb.
a flour dredger.
' It's a dreegh jab Dreegh, adj. dreary tedious ; slow. some piece of business). A dreegh road (a tedious road). boy (a slow boy). ;
'
'
'
(a weari'
A dreeyh
'
Dreep,
v.
to drip slowly
Dreepin', adj.
;
to ooze.
very wet ; drippiug.
Dribs and drabs,
sb.
small amounts.
'He pays
it
in dribs
and
drabs.'
Dring,
v.
to delay
;
to linger.
'Come
Dringing, adj. lingering, or dawdling on the way. Joan, an' don't be dringing behin'.' Drink-a-penny, the bald coot, Fulica atra.
The
little
grebe
on,
is also
so called. sb. cloth which is a mixture of flax and wool. Of the offspring of mixed marriages it is sometimes said, They're drogget, an' that's the worst of all cloth.'
Drogget,
'
Droghey,
adj. drizzly.
Droll, sb. a tale, or story.
Dropned, adj. When the sky is overcast and dark said to have a drooned appearance.'
all
'
Drop,
sb.
a rather small quantity.
'
Give us a wee drop.'
round,
it
is
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Droukit,
drenched; drowned.
n.
a door.
Raia bat is.
a hard blow.
;
person ; a kind of pig. in fried oatmeal dripping, and sometimes flavoured with (2) &. This dish is called in co. Antrim, mealy-crushy. leeks, &c., co. Down. stout (1) a short
Durgan,
Durin' ash or oak, for ever.
'They dursent do
Dursent, dare not.
the dusk
sb.
Duskiss,
it."
the evening.
;
hens, sb. fowls of which a tenant has to give a certain to his landlord each year.
Duty
adj. feeling sick.
Dwamish,
Dwaum, Dwine,
a fainting
sb.
to die
r.
Dwyble,
Dwybly,
adj.
away
fit
;
a sudden
shaky
Dyke Sheugh,
sb.
fit
of sickness.
to decline in health
;
walk with a foltering
to
v.
in the limbs.
tottering.
;
A
wee dyor
is
the same as
1
Dyorrie, adj. dwarfed
earnest money.
sb.
When
(1).
when
;
the
the right ear
'
Earywig,
sb.
sb. pi. sb.
Ee, Een,
Eedyet,
a dyorrie pig in every
There's
sb.
my ears,
as Airles.
is
some one
hot,
some one
1
i. e.
there
is speaking ill of speaking good of you. such a din that I can't hear
is
is
an earwig. the eaves of thatch.
an adze. ?b.
Same
left ear is hot,
I can't hear (2) a word.
Easin,
'
small.
shreds and tatters.
sb.
Dyuggins,
Earles,
;
saying.
litter,'
Edge,
weak
a ditch or trench, alongside a fence.
'
you
to diminish.
;
gait, as if
Dyor, sb. a small quantity of any liquid. a wee sup,' 'a wee drop.
Ears,
number
eye
an
;
'
Foot
Same
eyes.
idiot.
Eelans, of the same ago.
as Aizins.
edge,' a foot adze.
'We're
i-tl'tns.'
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Eel
35
used as a cure for deafness.
oil, ah.
these are used for bandages for sprains, and are supposed to possess a curative property they are hound round the hurt wet and slimy, just as they are taken off the eels. Eel-skin is also used for the hooden,' or mid-kipple of a flail. Ekes an' ens, sb. odds and ends ; small scraps of things turned to Ekes an' ens rise to something if you just put them together.' account.
Eel skins,
sb.
;
'
'
'
'
'
Between
Elder,
Elk,
sb.
Elsin,
End.
managed
this.'
a term for the wild swan (HARRIS, Hist. '
From, end to one
Doicn).
= from one end to the other
I've cleaned the hedge from end to one.' end to one through the whole place.' '
The
;
story's
throughout.
known from
=
;
'
to try earnestly. to get him out.' '
End's erran'.
'
On one end's
Eneugh between melts and the allusion
:
'
an attempt one's utmost. To do one's endeavour He come in, an' they done their whole endeavour Make an endeavour to do it.'
sb.
Endeavour,
another
co.
a shoemaker's awl.
sb. '
ekes an' ens I've
a cow's udder.
sb.
erran','
rounds,
to the milt
is
on one single purpose or errand. i. e.
and
between one thing and
roe of herrings.
Engrained, Ingrained, v. A very dirty-looking person have the dirt engrained into his skin.' Enjain, Injain,
Entertainment,
sb.
an ingenious thing.
sb.
lodging and food.
said
is
'
to
'That's a great enjoin.' '
man and
Entertainment for
beast,' a notice.
Entry mouth,
sb.
the end of an entry or lane, where
it
opens upon a
street.
Ere yesterday, sb. the day before yesterday. If A mak an erran' Erran', sb. an errand. '
be tae kiss
Errock,
sb.
the ox eye, '
Etarnal, adj. infernal. '
speare,
The eternal
Ettle,
v.
to intend.
Even,
v.
to impute.
Even
it 'ill
no
a young hen. sb.
Espibawn,
tae yer face,
ye,' said in anger.
Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum. He's an eternal
villain.'
Compare Shake-
devil.'
'
Would you
even the like of that to me.'
number of leaflets, used in a kind of divination. The young girl who finds one repeats the words " This even ash I hold in my han', ash, sb. an ash-leaf with an even
The She then asks the Christian
name
is,
first
first
and
I meet
is
my
true
man."
male person she meets on the road, what his this will
he the
name
of her future husband.
D
2
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
oG Evenlier,
Even
.
Face card,
a blemish
sl>.
;
anything that looks
ill.
a court card.
1 *b. a kind of thick bread made of potatoes and flour or ( ) meal, baked on a griddle. 7>. a bale of goods of an irregular shape. (2)
Fadge,
Failed, looking very
ill,
or in impaired health.
a present from a
si.
Fairin',
Faize, Fiz, r. to show or on that man.' 'He took Fall,
sb.
to fawn, as
r.
Fangled,
Fangs,
all
'Drink never fizzes impression. the medicine, and it never faized on him.*
to fell trees.
i:
Falling hatchet,
Fan,
fair.
make an
v.
*b.
'
an axe for cutting down the dog fans on me.'
trees.
'The cow has got j'angled in her
entangled.
tether.'
the roots of the teeth.
tab. a winnowing machine. Far through, nearly finished very
Fans,
;
ill.
the fourth of the circular piece of oaten cake, which Farl, on a griddle at one time. sb.
See Farley, sb. a wonder something strange. used as a term of contempt. Ye farley ye.' ;
is
baked
farlies, also
Spy
'
Farm
o'
Farmer. Farness,
Ian', sb. a farm. '
sb.
By
the holy farmer? an oath.
distance.
'
What fnrnesg
off
do you
'
live
?
Farntickled, adj. freckled.
The furntickle* niver sayd a word but Farntickles, sb. freckles. one, that they wouldn't light on a din skin,' saying. Don't fash your lug,' pay no heed Fash, v. to trouble oneself. never mind. '
'
;
AXTU1M AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
.'57
sb. Shrove Tuesday. 'That cloth will stand fatigue.' hard wear or abuse.
Fasten's e'en,
Fatigue,
ab.
Fault,
to blame.
v.
Fause
face, a mask. v.
Feat, adj. neat
That
chile
tidy.
;
the lines and markings seen in polished wood.
sb.
Feather,
'
regards family likeness.
as
to resemble, favours his father.'
Favour,
Febberwerry, February. a quantity
sb.
Feck,
;
the greater quantity or majority.
afraid.
Feerd,
Feint a hate, devil a
bit
nothing at
;
a bird, the redwing
sb.
Felt, blue /eft.'
Fend
?;.
off,
all.
the fieldfare
:
is
from striking against any
to prevent a boat
Fend
off post, sb. a post set in the ground to protect injury by carts, &c., coming in contact with it.
Feth
i,
Heth
Feth and
i,
'
here called the
large
object.
an object from
faith yes.
troth,
and
faith
by
truth.
'Feth and troth, but I won't
let you.'
Fettle,
to fix;
v.
to grind the rough
to settle;
edges from iron
castings.
man
Fettler, sb. a
\v~hofettles castings.
the first or original edge on a knife or other cutting I'll implement the first eagerness on commencing a new thing. just eat a bit now to take the fiery-edge off my appetite.' It is sometimes said of a new servant, * Oh wait till you see how he does, when the fiery-edge goes off him.'
Fiery-edge,
sb.
'
;
v.
Fike,
to
be busy in a
trifling
Fillaira, sb. a plant, valerian
Fined
v.
in,
fined.
'
a finger-stall Finger-stail, protection for a sore finger.
;
in 10s.'
the finger of an old glove used as a
When
Fired.
is said to
Firing, ;
sb.
black specks appear on the stem of growing be fired (MASON, 1814).
sb.
flax, it
a kind of mildew or disease to which young flax is subby bleachers sprit' (DTJBOURDIET/S Antrim, 1812).
called
Fissling,
Fisty,
;
He was^/wed
sb.
ject
way. also called villera.
sb.
'
a stealthy noise, such ns a faint rustling.
a nick-name for a person
who
has only one hand.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
38
It jits you to a hair in the water Fits. of a garment.'
'
'
=
it fits
you exactly
said
:
Fitty forra coo, sb. a cow that has been giving milk for say fifteen mouths, and is not with calf. '
Flaff, (1) sb. (2)
Lichenin' Jla/,' a flash of lightning.
to nutter or flap.
v.
sb. a broad, pointed spade, with one edge turned up, used for paring sods or scraws off the surface of the ground.
Flaghter spade,
'
'
A
flail consists of three parts ; the han' stav', the hooden or mid-kipple, which is a piece of cow-skin or eel-skin; and the soople, or part that comes in contact with the grain.
Flail, sb.
Flake, Flaik,
a hurdle, or arrangement -erf "branches, on which flax
sb.
was formerly dried over a
fire.
sb. flannel.
Flannen,
Flatter, to wheedle ; to coax ; to persuade. for the loan of his wheel-barra.'
Flaucht,
sb.
a flash.
Flayers,
sb.
what drops from a
Flax
comb with
ripple, sb. a
'
Away and
flatter
him
dog's tongue.
large iron teeth through
which
flax is
drawn, to remove the bolls or seeds.
He would
'
Flea.
skin a flea for the hide and tallow
' :
said of an
avaricious person.
Flee,
a
sb.
Fleech,
fly.
to coax or supplicate in a
v.
Fleet-line fishing
and
fawning way.
a line used in a particular kind of seamid- way between the surface and bottom clear off the boat, which remains at anchor by
(float-line), sb. the hook floats
;
carried the current. is
away
,
Flied, Fliet, adj. frightened.
Flinch,
sb.
a finch
;
e.
g. gold-flinch.
Flisky, adj. skittish, specially applied to a mare which kicks touched on the flank. Flit, v. to
change house.
sb.
Flitting, load of flitting.' '
A
furniture, &c.,
Floffing, Flaffin',
v.
Flooster, Floosterer,
Flooster,
v.
Floostered,
'Do you flit this week or next?' when in transit from one house to another
fluttering, as a bird sb.
when
a flatterer.
to flatter, or coax. v.
flurried.
Flowan, the bog
cotton,
when
Anthemis Cotuln.
held.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
(
3J
sb. the light clinging dust in a flax-scutching mill ; small fragments of the flax stem. Flow-bog, Flow-moss, sb. a bog through which water has flowed, or
Flowans, Flouans,
which
in
it
sb.
Flower,
lodges.
a bunch of flowers.
Flug-fisted, left-handed.
Flummery,
sb.
See under Sowans.
nonsense.
to startle a shoal of herrings at night, so that the fish indicate their presence by disturbing the surface of the water.
Flush, (1)
v.
a pool
(2) sb.
a pool of water that extends nearly across a road.
;
(3) fledged, as
Flutterick,
Flysome, Fog,
sb.
young
adj. frightful
Fog-cheese,
sb.
Fog-harrow, sb.
Fog-meal,
;
as Clavin.
dreadful.
sb.
sb.
A
a full or hearty meal. person who has eaten too have got a fog-fill,' or to be fog-fu.'
Foot go,
sb.
'
'
the melancholy howling of a dog. '
a fool man.'
E.g.
a bird, the puffin.
Foosted, adj. fusty
Foot and a
late in the year.
a harrow to clear moss away.
Fool, adj. foolish.
Fooran,
made
a soft inferior cheese,
sb.
is said to
Footing,
feet,
birds.
Same
fish.
moss.
sb.
much
a
half,
decaying
;
sb.
;
having a bad smell.
a boy's game.
a sloping plank, Avith stout laths nailed on to assist the
used by masons.
Footins,
sb.
Footther, (1) footther,
See under Clamps.
small heaps of cut peat. sb.
a useless, foolish, or awkward person. ill get you,' common saying.
'You're a
and the duck's
(2) v. to idle; there.'
to
do anything useless.
'Don't
stan' foottherhiy
Foottherin', adj. handless.
Footy, adj. trifling; small; mean. I'm for doing it,' /. e. I'm going to do For. going ? i. e. do you intend to go ? '
it.
'
Forbears, Forebeers,
(2) ad. very; past the
Forder, (2)
>\
'There was tvroforbye myself.'
common.
'
See progress; speed. to help forward.
to assist
;
Are you for
sb. ancestors.
Forbye, (1) adv. besides. (1) sb.
'
That's aforbye good horse.'
Good
forder.
ANTIUM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
JO
Fordersome, what forwards any work
To the fore
'
Fore.
Fore-end,
sb.
'
;
= in existence.
manageable.
the beginning, or early part.
fore-end of the day.
'
He may
go out in the
'
Fore-milk, sb. the first milk got from a cow at each milking it is very poor and watery. Foreway, to get the foreway of one ; to forestall ; to anticipate one. ;
sb.
Forget,
an omission
Fornenst, opposite to
;
;
'
a neglect.
That was a great forget.'
in exchange fur.
Forra-coo, sb. a cow that has been giving milk, for say nine or ten months, and is not with calf. '
Forrard, Forrit, adj. fast, as a clock. Forth, sb. an earthen fort or rath.
She's twenty-minutes forrard.'
Fosey, adj. spongy, like an overgrown turnip, or decayed wood. Foul ground, sb. the bottom of the sea, where it is covered with rocks or stones, and sea- weed. '
There was not a foundet in the Founded, Foundet, sb. anything. house,' i. e. there was nothing always used with a negative.
Founder,
sb.
a catarrh; a cold, or illness.
'
The boy has got
Foundered, adj. exhausted or lamed with wet and cold. was foundered in one of his forelegs.'
Fower- square, Foxed,
adj.
a,
'
founder.'
The horse
adj. square.
Women's
cloth boots are foxed when they have a bindall round next the sole.
ing of leather on the cloth
Foxing,
Foxy,
a
term for a red-haired person.
sb. friend,
Freen, Freet,
adj. scheming.
sb.
sb.
or relative.
an omen.
Freety, adj. having belief in charms or omens, freely about here.'
French
flies, sb.
a boy's game.
a relative. I niver seen them.'
Friend, Freen,
'We're no that
sb.
Same
Frimsy-framsy.
'
They're far out friends of mine, but
as Frincy-francy, q. v.
a game played between the dances at balls in Frincy-francy, farm-houses. chair was placed in the middle of the barn or room the master of the ceremonies led to the chair a young woman, who sat down and named the young man whom she was willing should kiss her. This he did, and then took the seat which theladv vacated. sb.
A
;
ANTRIM
DOWN GLOSSARY.
A XI)
41
He
then called out the name of some favourite girl, who was led up to there was another kiss. The girl then took the seat, and so on The same game is called Frimsey-framsey in parts of (Co. of Down). the co. of Antrim.
him
;
sb. the iron mountings on single and double they are attached to a plough or harrow.
Frizzens.
From
trees,
by which
that I went, from the time that I went.
'
the holy
'By
Frost, (1)
She'll sit
(2)
a,
an exclamation.
frost,'
frost,'
i. e.
she will die an old maid.
The frost has taken the
'
(3)
air,'
this is said
when a wet day
follows
a clear frosty morning. sb.
Frughans,
Same
whortleberries.
as Blaeberries.
Frush, adj. brittle, as applied to wood, &c. 1 shoughs separate easily from the fibre.
:
said of flax
when
the
'
Fud, sb. the tail of a hare. Full farmer, #b. a large, or well-to-do farmer.
Fum
turf, sb. light
Fur,
sb.
spongy
turf.
a furrow.
Furrow and
land, the hollows and heights on the surface of a mill-
stone. v.
Fut,
i.
e.
'
walk.
foot, to
Ye
futted
it
\veel
'
= you
walked
quickly.
Fuzionless, adj. insipid, or innutritions, as applied to fodder, &c., of inferior quality.
Fyammy, '
fyams,'
Fyams,
sb.
Gab, (1) '
(2)
adj. applied to a sea i. e. tangles.
the long sea-weeds
sb.
the
mouth
All gal and guts like a
Gabbuck, ov Gobbock, Gackin',
v.
Gaffer, sb.
Gag,
known
hence
:
as tangles.
talk.
'Gie us none of your gab.'
young
crow,' a comparison.
the piked dog-fish.
mocking. the head man over a gang of navvies.
(1) sb. a
joke
a deception.
;
'
(2) v. to ridicule.
Gailick, Gelick,
Gaily pot,
sb.
bottom covered with a growth of
sb.
Gaining, adj.
a
sb.
They began with
gaggin' other.'
an earwig.
jam
pot.
winsome
;
See Gelly cup. lovesome.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
42 Gaits,
sheaves of corn set up singly on end. They are tied higher so as to allow the base to spread.
s1>.
up than usual,
the butter burr, Petasites vulyaris.
sb.
Gallon,
sb.
Gallowses,
suspenders. sb.
Galore, Galyore,
A
Game. by the
Game
is said to be or ear.
dog
tail
leg, sb. a
Gammel,
sb.
does not howl
if it
lame leg; a leg shorter than
silly fellow.
Gang ower (going over), Gang up the hous,' go on
,96.
'
game
i's
when
held up
fellow.
the back of the knee of a horse's hind leg.
an awkward,
sb.
Ganch,
abundance.
'
A
sore ganch of a craithur.'
a scolding.
to the best room or parlour, i. e. when the parlour is up a step from the passage or outer room. In some farmhouses, where the parlour is down a step, the expression used is Gang doon the hous' an' mine the step.' '
Gangway,
a frequented thoroughfare.
sb.
'
Oh, we live right in the
gangway.'
Gant, Gaunt,
sb.
Gant, Gaunt,
v.
sb.
Gapeseed, '
They came
Gar,
sb.
sb.
Gash,
yawn.
what one can
see or spy out in here just for gapeseed, for they
make
to
v.
Garron,
a yawn. to
;
what catches the had no erran'.'
eye.
or cause.
an old horse.
a rent or gap.
'
That cow has made a sore gasU in your
hedge.' sb. any material, such as flax or india-rubber, used to pack the joints of steam or water-pipes.
Gaskin, Gather,
to suppurate.
v.
Gathering,
Gavel,
Gaw,
sb.
sb.
sb.
Gatherup,
a suppuration. a wandering rag-man.
a gable.
a trap-dyke.
sb.
Also called a March.
HAMILTON'S Antrim,
1784.
Gawk,
sb.
an awkward person.
a stand at a racecourse ; a tall building from which a look-out can be had ; a staring looking building.
Gazebo,
sb.
Gazened,
sb.
"When the seams
article are opened said to be gazened.
Gelly cup,
sb.
of a boat, a barrel, or any wooden and gaping in consequence of heat or drought it is
a small
jam pot
or cup.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Gentle, />. In Belfast the called the boys of another yorbs.
Gorb,
Same
Gorb-eel.
Gorgy-mill-tree,
Gorsoon,
a
,*b.
as Culloch, q.
'
She gave the poor
boys of any one school
v.
a willow.
sb.
young
lad.
Gospel greedy, fond of going to church. or
Goving about,
Goving round,
v.
staring about in a stupid way.
Gowk storm. On the X.E. coast of Co. Antrim, " the peasantry look forward with the greatest interest every spring for what they call the gowk (cuckoo) storm, that takes place about the end of April or the beginning of May, when the note of this bird is heard. This storm, which is from the east, casts on the beach vast quantities of sea-wrack, which is used as manure for their potatoes." THOMPSON'S Nat. Hist, of Ireland. v.
to
Gowler,
zl>.
Gowl,
howl
;
a dog,
to cry in a /.
e.
howling way.
a howler.
Gowpin, sb. the painful beating Gra, liking for
;
affection.
'
I
or throbbing in a suppurating finger.
had no
Graden,
sb.
a coarse kind of oat-meal.
Graith,
sb.
horse harness.
Granny,
sb.
The granny
is
c/ra for
it.'
Obsolete.
a small sheaf composed of the last
remaining growing stalks of corn on a farm at harvest. The stalks are plaited together, and are cut down by the reapers throwing their reaping-hooks at it from a little distance. It is then carried home in triumph, and the person who has ctit it down puts it round the neck It is sometimes hung of the oldest woman of the farmer's family. up against the chimney brace,' where it remains till next harvest, when it gives place to the new granny. Also called the Churn and '
the Hare.
Granny
gills, sb.
Granny's needle,
head vermin. *b.
a hairy caterpillar
;
a dragon-fly.
Same
as
Deil's needle.
Graul, sb. a sea-fish resembling a young salmon. A half-grown fellow.
HARRIS (1744).
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
46
sb. a gratuity paid to ship carpenters when they have completed the repair of a vessel, on bringing her out of the graving
Graving bowl, dock.
Great, adj. intimate
As
'
confidential.
;
great as
inkle weavers,"
saying.
Greatly failed, adj. much impaired in health.
Great shakes,
adj.
much
he's not of
much consequence. consequence.
Greeshaw, Grushaw, a
Gregagh,
sb.
Grew, (1)
sb.
;
embers.
Same
the ballan wrasse.
fish,
as
Bavin,
q. r.
a greyhound. a tremor.
(2) sb.
Grewsome,
The
'
shudder.
(3) v. to
Grey,
glowing ashes
sb.
to weep.
v.
Greet,
'He's no great shakes'
adj. frightful
;
chile greived at its medicine.'
anything that makes one shudder.
the grey linnet.
sb.
Grin (corruption of grain), a small quantity. A'll no gi'e ye a taste.' sthroe.'
'
Gi'e us a
wee grin
o'
'
a ditch.
sb.
Gripe,
a kind of fairy about two feet high and very strong. He helps the farmers hi harvesting, threshing, &c., but takes offence if
Grogan,
sb.
any recompense be sb.
Groof,
Group,
offered him.
the front of the body.
sb. a
'
We found
him
lyin"
Grubs, sb. juvenile thieves of the street Arab kind, with the tops or marbles of school-boys.
Grumpy, Grunt,
Grup,
sb.
grounds
;
a
fish,
who run away
sediment.
adj. disagreeable in
sb.
his groof'
round the outside of the brick
sb. a backing of clay put lining of a well.
Grummel,
Grummles,
on
drain in a cow-house behind the cows.
manner.
the perch.
(1) sb. a grasp.
(2)
to grasp or grip.
v.
(3) v.
to catch
;
'
Eels
to overtake.
is '
gy
an'
ill
to yrup.'
She's gruppin'
on us
' :
said of one
boat gaining on another.
Gudge,
sb.
a short, thick, fat person.
'
He's just a gudye of a man.',
a loud, sudden shout, caused by anger or surprise. Guldher, ' I gave a yuldher at him, and he ran away.' (2) r. to shout loudly. (1) sb.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Gullet hole,
a deep hole in a sand or
6-6.
47
mud bank
dangerous to
bathers.
a butcher's knife
sb.
Gulley,
Gullion hole,
Gumph,
sb.
muddy Same
mud.
sb.
Gullions,
a
sb.
and, in derision, a butcher's boy.
;
hole
;
a cesspool.
as Gutters.
a stupid person.
Gumption, adj. quickness of understanding common-sense tact. It's like the man's gun, that wanted a new lock, stock, and Gun. said of anything that is quite barrel, some repairs, and a ram-rod worn out. ;
;
'
'
:
adj. taken
Gunked,
1
or
(funked,
'
aback; disappointed. 'Greatly gunhed,' 'sorely quarely gunked, are common ways in which this word is
used.
Same
as
Gunner,
sb. a
workman who
Be-gunked.
Gurly, adj. surly Gut,
s'b.
repairs fire-arms
;
a narrow navigable channel
Gutters,
.v&.
a gun-smith.
;
cross.
mud.
'
The
among sand-banks
was dhreepin'
gutthcrs
or rocks.
aff him,'
i.
e.
off a
horse.
Guzzle,
v.
to take
by the
Gyly, adi\ very well
;
Hackit hands,
sb. pi.
Hackle berry,
sit.
Haddin,
sb. a
throat '
Gy, or Gai, adv. very.
It's
;
gy
to
choke a person.
an' hot the day.'
in good health.
'
How
are
'
you?'
hands chapped from exposure
a growth on a horse's '
holding or
tak
'
Same
leg.
Cfyty.'
to cold. as
Angle-berry.
(take) of land.
Hadclin. sb. the wall in a cottage which faces the door, and in Avhich is the triangular or other shaped Same as Hollan. spy-hole.' '
Haen,
v.
had.
'
I should ha' haen
them things home
in the
cart.'
Haffets. sb. locks of hair growing at the temples.
Haft, v. to plug the teats of milch cows when they are brought to market, so that the udder becomes very full of milk, or to leave them unmilked for the same purpose.
Hag, v. to cut or chop a wheen o' sticks.' Haggle,
v.
Hag-yard, HaiL, hail
to sb.
sb. shot.
wont
;
to disfigure or spoil
'
by
cutting.
I hogged
wrangle over a bargain. a stack-yard. '
Sparrow hail
into his back.'
'
=
fine shot.
'
The whole charge of
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
48 Hain,
to save
v.
Also to save or spare oneself.
to economise.
;
'
Yo
hained yersel' the day.'
No
'
Hair.
a hair feared,' not a bit afraid. '
Deil a hait
Halt, anything. sb.
Haiverel, (1)
giddy
(2) adj.
=
'
nothing at
all.
a fellow half a fool. foolish.
;
Half away, adj. mad. Half natural, sb. a fool. Half one, Hef yin, Half-piece crock, Hallion,
the ordinary deep-shaped dairy crock.
a coarse, idle, worthless felloAV.
x?>.
sb.
Hames, Hems,
Hammer,
block,
the iron or wooden parts of a cart-horse's
and
objects is represented '
Han'.
doon the
It's
Hand,
sb.
Each
a boys' game.
Bible,
of
collar.
the three
by a boy. hill, an' wi'
the han'
'
said of a thing that
:
is
See Wi' the han'.
easily done.
Hanch,
a half-glass of whiskey.
sb.
sb.
'
a voracious snap.
(1) sb. a
The dog made a hand)
ham made from
at me.'
the fore-leg of a pig.
something spoiled, or broken, or dirtied; much the same If you let the chile get the book he'll make a as Sore hand, q. v. hand of it.' (3) To take a hand at a person is to make fun of him or mislead him. There, don't mind him he's only takin' a ban' at you.' (2) sb.
'
'
'
'
;
Hand
idle, a/7/, idle.
Handketcher,
Handle yer
sb.
feet,
'
They're band idle for want
o'
their tools.'
a handkerchief.
make good use
of
T
j
our
legs.
Hand ma
doon, a term for any article of clothing purchased secondhand or ready-made, from the fact of its being handed down by the The term stall-keeper for the inspection of the intending purchaser. is sometimes used in ridicule for any odd-looking garment. Whar did ye get that auld hand ma, doon of a coat ? Compare D:'croclte moi ca, the slang French term for an old clothes shop. '
'
Hand
over head, one with another, an expression used in selling, and meaning the putting an average value on a number of things that differ in value. Now how much a piece will you say for them, if I take the whole lot hand over head.' '
Hands. When the left palm itches you are going to receive some money, when the right itches you are going to pay money.
Handsaw.
'
Your
voice
is
like the sharpening of a
very harsh and disagi-eeable.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Hand's turn,
'
any work.
sb.
lie hasn't
49
done a hand's turn these
six mouths.'
Hand
write,
Hang,
v.
sb.
hang a scythe
to
'
hand- writing.
Whose hand
to attach
is
write is that
to its
it
'
sned
'
'
?
(handle) for
use. '
Hanging,
v.
Hangin' on
standing.
my
feet all day.'
On some
estates it is customary to allow one gale of Hanging gale. rent to lie always in arrear. This is called the hanging gale.
Hank,
See under Spangle and Lea.
a measure of linen yarn.
sb.
v. to
Han'le,
Hansel, (1)
hurry sb.
to exert oneself.
;
an early meal given
to farm-labourers before they
commenced work. The first purchase made from a 2) v.
dealer hansels him,
.
Z.
several
as
cross
thorough or severe persons
;
Doing setts,'
off.
rectangular blocks of
very great. or things.
'
Severals
told
me
it.'
Shaaps, Shaups, Shade,
'
sb.
sb. pi.
the shells of beans or peas.
the parting or division of the hair on one's head
Shai. sb. a shoe.
;
a shed.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. sb.
Shaima-hait,
Shamrock,
The
sb..
Same
nothing.
as Sorra halt, Deil a hait. is
the
as a shamrock on Patrick's
Day
lesser yellow trefoil (Trifulium
plant the leafy part of which
(March
89
is
worn
minus)
17th).
an old shaky and noisy car or
sb.
Shandry-dan,
carriage.
Shank, sb. a handle.
Shanks 's mare,
(1) sb.
Shanough, sb.
Shear,
'
foot.
We
went there on shanks' s mare.'
a confidential chat. ;
to gossip.
cow-dung. a
sb.
Shaver,
on
talk confidentially
(2) v. to
Sharn,
sb.
wag
or
funny fellow
;
a keen, shrewd fellow.
to reap corn.
v.
the cutting of corn.
sb.
Shearin',
a place where intoxicating drink
sb.
Shebeen,
sold without a
is
license. v.
Shebeening,
corruption of
sb.
She-cock,
keeping a place for the unlicensed sale of drink. '
Shake
cock,' a small hay-stack built
up
loosely.
Shedding, Sheela, a
the place where cross roads intersect.
sb.
'
'
molly-coddle
or effeminate
man.
Shcela
is
a
woman's
name. Sheep's naperty,
Sheerman,
sb.
"Wanted a letter,
She
a
sb.
a plant, Potent ilia tormentilla.
workman employed
skilful
at a bleach green. Obsolete. Belfast News-
journeyman sheerman and dyer."
1739.
sole, sb. a fish, the whiff, '
Rhombus Megastoma.
the sheugh build the dike,' i. e. I make the raised fence, a Scourin' a dyke saying, my spending never exceeded my earning. sheugh,' cleaning out a ditch.
Sheugh,
always
a ditch.
sb.
let
I
always
what was dug out
let
of the ditch
'
Shill corn, sb. a small hard pimple
Shilling
seeds, sb. pi.
on the
face.
the husks of oats.
Shilling stones, sb. pi. the pair of stones in a corn mill which are used for taking the husks off oats. Shilty,
sb.
a pony (corruption of Shetland).
Shin. Shoon,
sb. pi. shoes.
Shinnen,
a sinew.
sb.
Shinney, sb. hockey, a boys' game, played with shitmeys, i. e. hooked sticks, and a ball or small block of wood culled the golloy or nag.' '
'
'
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
90
Shired, adj. thin applied to a part of any knitted article which thinner than the rest owing to loose knitting. :
Shirey, adj. thin
woven
or of
applied to the thin part of a crop or of a garment,
:
materials.
the smaller stones at a quarry.
sb. pi.
Shoddy,
is
Shoddy men,
sb.
the
pi.
men who shape paving
sets,
&c., at a
quarry. sb. pi.
Shods,
Shoe mouth,
the iron heel-tips on men's hoots. sb.
'
the open of a shoe.
I
was over the shoe moufh
in glar.'
a jolt or shake.
Snog,
sb.
Shoo,
v. to
Shoot,
Shore,
sb.
:
a fisherman's term.
a sewer.
a half-grown pig.
sb.
Shot,
sew.
to set a long line or net
v.
Shotten herring,
sb.
a spent herring
Showl, adj. shallow, as
'
;
one that has spawned.
sJiowl water.'
Shows, Shoughs, Shives, sb. pi. flax the stem in small fragments.
refuse.
It is the
hard part of
Shuggy-shu, sb. (1) a beam of wood balanced so that persons sitting on the opposite ends go up and down alternately (2) a swing. ;
Shuler,
sb. pi. cinders.
Shunners,
a shutter.
sb.
Shut,
dressmaker's term for the part of a dress between the arm-
Si, sb. a
pit
a vagrant.
sb.
and
chest.
Sib, adj. related
by blood.
Sic, such. '
Siccan, such.
Sicker, adj. sure Sight,
Siccan a heap ;
precise in
of speaking.
There was a quare sight of people
a quantity.
sb.
o' coos.'
mode
there.'
Silly-go-saftly, Silly-go-sefly, sb. a foolish, useless creature.
Simper,
v.
to
simmer.
Sinnerry, Sinthery, adv. asunder. Sirraft Chooseday, '
Sit
down
Sit fast,
*b.
off
sb.
your
Shrove Tuesday.
feet,' sit
a ranunculus, R.
down.
reperts.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY. Skart, Scart,
a cormorant.
sb.
Wee
a small quantity. Same as a drop. watther in the kettle.' Same as Squig.
sb.
Skeeg,
o'
skeeg
Skee-weep,
a dash
sb.
adj. restless
Skeigh,
91
;
'
There's no a
a smear ; something indistinct in writing.
frisky.
;
'
Skelf, (1) sb. a splinter or chip.
He
got a shelf
o'
wud ondher
'is
nail.'
(2) v. to splinter.
Skelly, (1) sb. a guess; an unsuccessful attempt. queer skelly at it.'
'You made a
(2) v. to squint.
Skelp, (1)
sb.
(2) v. to
a blow.
run
to slap.
;
Skemlin, sb. a quantity of peat dug from the edges of a bog-hole, and thrown in to be mixed, and afterwards taken out and dried. '
Tak' a skemlin
the hole.'
aff that side o'
sb. a large flat barge, used to receive the dredging machine. Skep, sb. a straw bee-hive.
Skeow,
sb.
Skerry brand, Skey,
mud
raised
by a
sheet lightning.
a small artificial island forming part of an eel-weir.
sb.
a slight shower.
Skiff, sb.
Skillet, sb. a small saucepan. sb.
Skillop,
Skimp,
to stint.
v.
Skimpy,
a gouge-shaped borer, of tapered form, for wood.
adj. a tight
fit
;
short
;
deficient in quantity.
Skin a fairy, v. said of very cold weather. cowl it would skin a fairy.' Skinadhre, Skink,
sb.
sb.
'
Dear, but
a thin, fleshless, stunted person.
Skip-jack, sb. the merry-thought of a goose See Jump -jack. Skirl, (1) sb. a cry or scream. (2) v. to
scream
Skirr, sb. a sea-bird, the tern. v.
that
a mixture to drink.
Skip, a box in which stones are hoisted out of a quarry crate to contain live fowls in transit ; a large basket.
Skirt,
it's
to
run
made
;
a basket or
into a child's toy.
ANTRIM AND DOWN GLOSSARY.
(J2
Skite, (1) sb. a term of contempt (2) si. a sharp slap or blow.
an empty, conceited
;
fellow.
(3) v. to slap.
a skewer.
sb.
Skiver,
Skiver the goose,
Skull,
:
To
'
v.
Two persons are trussed somehop about on their hunkers,' each trying
a boys' game.
sb.
like fowls they then to upset the other.
what
'
slmll cattle,' to cut off their horns close to the head.
Same as Horned or Polled. Applied to cattle which Skulled, adj. have been subjected to the cruel operation of having their horns sawii off close to the skull. a thin person.
sb.
Skyble,
Slabby, adj. sloppy
Slack, adj. neglectful
Slack lime,
;
Slabby wet
clay.'
remiss.
put water on quick lime.
to
v.
'
muddy.
;
Slack spun, adj. said of a person who is half a fool. The same kind of person is said to have only eleven cuts to the hank,' or he is not all there,' or he wants a square of being round,' &c. '
'
'
Slap, (1) sb. a gap or passage through a hedge for occasional use. is closed by filling up the opening with branches, &c. (2) sb.
'
a large quantity.
A whole slap
It
of money.'
Slater, or Slate-cutter, sb. the wood-louse, Oniscus, and several of the allied species of crustaceans.
The laths of a Slats, sb. pi. stead are called sluts. Blattering,
v.
going about like a slattern.
sb. pi.
Slavers,
Slay hook,
Venetian blind and the laths of a bed-
sb.
water flowing from the mouth. a small implement used by weavers
;
in slang, a term
for a dried herring.
Sleech,
sb. fluviatile
Sleech grass,
or marine
Sleek, Slake, sb. a smear Sleekit, adj. cunning
Sleep Slep,
in, v. to lie too v. slept.
Sleuster,
Slever,
sea-wrack growing on
;
mud
banks.
;
;
a streak of dirt.
underhand
;
hypocritical.
long in the morning, so as to be late for work.
A've slep noan.'
to flatter.
sb. saliva.
Sliggaun, Slinge,
v.
