Chapter 4

'An eldern stake and blackthorn etherWill make a hedge to last for ever.'—Wilts Saying(A.).

Eve. SeeHeave.

Even-ash. Ash-leaves with an equal number of leaflets, carried by children in the afternoon of the 29th May (Wild Life, ch. v). SeeShitsac.—N.W.

Evet. SeeEffet.

Ex, pl.Exes. An axle (S.).—N. & S.W.

Eyles. SeeAiles.

F. (1)Fforth. Examples :.—Fust, thirst;afust, athirst. An old characteristic of the Western and South-Western groups of dialect. (2) F, at the beginning of a word, is frequently sounded asv, as fall,vall; flick,vlick; font,vant.

Fadge. SeeFodge.

Fag. SeeVag.

Faggot,Fakket. (1) A woman of bad character is 'a nasty stinking faggot (or vaggot).' Often used in a milder sense, as 'You young vaggot! [you bad girl] what be slapping the baby vor?'—N. & S.W.

'Damn you vor a gay wench, vor that's what you be, an' no mistake about it; a vaggot as I wun't hae inmyhouse no longer.'—Dark, ch. xii.

(2) A rissole of chopped pig's-liver and seasoning, covered with 'flare': also known asBake-faggot.—N. & S.W.

'Tripe an mince meat,Vaggots an pigs veet,An blackpuddins stale, on which to regale.'—Slow'sPoems, p. 26.

Falarie. Disturbance, excitement, commotion.—N. & S.W.

'"Look'ee here, there 've bin a fine falarie about you, Zur." He meant that there had been much excitement when it was found that Bevis was not in the garden, and was nowhere to be found.'—Wood Magic, ch. ii.

'Used about Wilton, but not so extensively as its synonymrumpus.'—Letter from Mr. Slow.

Fall about.v.Of a woman: to be confined. 'His wife bin an' fell about laas' night.'—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Fall down. Of arable land: to be allowed to relapse of itself into poor rough pasture.—N.W.

'Some of the land is getting "turnip-sick," the roots come stringy and small and useless, so that many let it "vall down."'—Great Estate, ch. i. p. 6.

Falling.n.A downfall of snow. 'I thenks we shall have some vallen soon.' Only used of snow.—N. & S.W.

Falling-post. The front upright timber of a gate. Occasionally heard at Huish;Head, however, being the more usual term there.—N.W.

Falsify. Of seeds, young trees, &c.: to fail, to come to nought.—N.W.

Fancy man. A married woman's lover. 'He be Bill's wife's fancy man, that's whathedo be.'—N.W.

*Fang. To strangle; to bind a wounded limb so tightly as to stop the flow of blood (A.B.H.Wr.).

Fantag,Fanteague, &c. (1)n.Fluster, fuss.Fantaig(S.).—N. & S.W. (2) Vagaries or larks, as 'Now, none o' your fantaigs here!' At Clyffe Pypard, N.W., 'a regular fantaig' would be a flighty flirting lad or girl, a 'wondermenting or gammotty sort of a chap.'—N. & S.W.

*Fardingale. A quarter of an acre (H.Wr.Lansd. MS.). The old form isFarding-deal(Wr.). CompareThurindale, &c.—Obsolete.

'1620. Itm, to the same Thomas & Nicholas Lea for theire helpe to laye the Acres into ffarendells.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 202.

'1649. Twoe ffarthendels of grasse.'—Ibid.p. 217.

Farewell Summer. The Michaelmas Daisy.—N. & S.W.

Fashion. The farcey, a disease in horses (A.H.Wr.). Fr.farcin.—N.W.

'An old Wiltshire farmer, when his grand-daughters appeared before him with any new piece of finery, would ask what it all meant. The girls would reply, "fashion, gran'váther!" when the old man would rejoin, "Ha! many a good horse has died o' th' fashion!"'—Akerman.

Favour. To resemble in features, &c. 'He doesn't favour you, Sir.... He is his mother's own boy.'—N. & S.W.

Featish. Fair, tolerable (A.B.). Used of health, crops, &c. 'How be 'e ?' 'Featish, thank 'e.'—'There's a featish crop o' grass yander!' (A.). M.E.fetis(in Chaucer), O.F. fetis,faitis.—N.W.

'The worthy farmer proceeded to ask how the children got on at the Sunday-school. "Oh, featish, zur ... Sally, yander ... her's gettin' on oonderful."'—Wilts Tales, pp. 139-140.'"How's your voice?" "Aw, featish [fairish]. I zucked a thrush's egg to clear un."'—Greene Ferns Farm, ch. i.'"Ees, this be featish tackle," meaning the liquor was good.'—Ibid.ch. vii.'A' be a featish-looking girl, you.'—Ibid.ch. i.

'The worthy farmer proceeded to ask how the children got on at the Sunday-school. "Oh, featish, zur ... Sally, yander ... her's gettin' on oonderful."'—Wilts Tales, pp. 139-140.

'"How's your voice?" "Aw, featish [fairish]. I zucked a thrush's egg to clear un."'—Greene Ferns Farm, ch. i.

'"Ees, this be featish tackle," meaning the liquor was good.'—Ibid.ch. vii.

'A' be a featish-looking girl, you.'—Ibid.ch. i.

*Fern Buttercup.Potentilla Anserina, L., Silverweed.—S.W. (Zeals.)

Fess. (1) Of animals: bad-tempered, fierce. A cat with its back up looks 'ter'ble fess.'—N. & S.W. (2) Cocky, impudent, confident. Also used in Hants.—S.W., occasionally. (3) Proud, stuck-up (S.).—S.W.

Fet. SeePreterites.

Fevertory.Fumaria, Fumitory, from which a cosmetic for removing freckles used to be distilled.—S.W.

'If you wish to be pure and holy,Wash your face with fevertory.'—Local Rhyme.

Few. 'A goodish few,' or 'a main few,' a considerable quantity or number.—N. & S.W.

'I ferrets a goodish few rabbits on bright nights in winter.'—Amateur Poacher, ch. vii.

Fiddle-strings. The ribs of the Plantain leaf, when pulled out. SeeCat-gut.—N.W.

*Field. The space, or bay, between beam and beam in a barn, as 'a barn of four fields.' (D.).

Figged(two syll.),Figgedy,Figgetty,Figgy. (1) Made with a few 'figs,' or raisins, as 'viggy pudden.' Figged Pudding, Plum pudding (Monthly Mag., 1814). Figgetty Pooden (S.).—N. & S.W. (2)Figged.Spotted all over, as a pudding is with plums.—S.W. A true-born Moon-raker, describing his first night in 'Lunnon,' where he made the acquaintance of numerous members of the 'Norfolk-Howard' family (Cimex lectularius), spoke of his face as being 'vigged aal auver wi' spots an' bumps afore marning.'

Fighting-cocks.Plantago media, L., and other Plantains. Children 'fight' them, head against head.—N.W.

Filtry. Rubbish. 'Ther's a lot o' filtry about this house.'—N.W.

Fine. Of potatoes, very small.—N.W.

Fingers-and-Thumbs. Blossoms ofUlex Europaeus, L., Common Furze (S.).—S.W.

*Fire-deal. A good deal (H.Wr.).

Fire-new,Vire-new. Quite new (A.)—N.W.

Firk. (1) To worry mentally, to be anxious; as 'Don't firk so,' or 'Don't firk yourself.' A cat does notfirka mouse when 'playing' with it, but the mousefirksgrievously.—N.W. (Marlborough). (2) To be officiously busy or inquisitive, as 'I can't abear that there chap a-comin' firkin' about here.' A policeman getting up a casefirks aboutthe place, ferreting out all the evidence he can.—N.W.

*Fitten. A pretence (A.B.).—Obsolete. Compare:

'He doth feed you with fittons, figments, and leasings.'—Cynthia's Revels.

Fitty. In good health. 'How be 'ee?' 'Ter'ble fitty.'—N.W.

*Flabber-gaster.n.Idle talk (S.).—S.W.

Flag. The blade of wheat.—N.W.

'The wheat was then showing a beautiful flag.... The flag is the long narrow green leaf of the wheat.'—Great Estate, ch. i. p. 8.

Flake.n.(1) A frame, barred with ash or willow spars, somewhat resembling a light gate, used as a hurdle where extra strength is needed (Bevis, ch. xii;Wild Life, ch. iv). 'Flake' hurdles are used to divide a field, or for cattle, the ordinary sheep hurdles being too weak for the purpose.—N.W. (2)v.To make 'flakes.'—N.W.

Flamtag. A slatternly woman.—N.W. (Huish, &c.)

Flare. (1) The flick, or internal fat of a pig, before it is melted down to make lard.—N. & S.W. (2) The caul, or thin skin of the intestines of animals, used for covering 'bake-faggots,' &c.—N. & S.W.

Fleck. SeeFlick.

Flews. A sluice is occasionally so called. SeeFlowse.—S.W.

Flewy. Of a horse, troubled with looseness. 'He's what we calls a flewy 'oss, can't kip nothing in 'im.' Cf. North of Eng.Flewish, morally or physically weak. In Hants a horse of weakly constitution is said to beflueorfluey(Cope).—N.W.

Flick,Fleck. (1)n.The internal fat of a pig (A.B.C.S.).—N. & S.W. *(2)v.To flare (S.).—S.W.

Flig-me-jig. A girl of doubtful character. 'Her's a reg'lar flig-me-jig.'—N.W.

Flirk. To flip anything about (H.Wr.), as a duster in flicking a speck of dust off a table (Village Miners). Flirt is the S. Wilts form of the word.—N.W.

*Flitch. (1) Pert, lively, officious (A.B.H.Wr.).

'Right flygge and mery.'Paston Letters, iv. 412.

*(2) To beflickorflitchwith any one, to be familiar or intimate (C.).—N.W., obsolete.

Flitmouse. The bat. A shortened form ofFlittermouse.—N.W. (Marlborough.)

Flitters. Pieces. A cup falls, and is broken 'aal to vlitters.'—N.W.

*FloatingorFlowing meadow. A meadow laid up in ridges with water-carriages on each ridge and drains between (D.). A lowland meadow watered from a river, as opposed to Catch-meadow (Annals of Agric.).Floted meadowes(Aubrey'sNat. Hist. Wilts, p. 51, ed. Brit.).

Flod. SeePreterites.

Flop-a-dock.Digitalis purpurea, L., Foxglove.—S.W. (Hants bord.)

Floppetty.adj.Of a woman, untidy, slatternly in dress or person.Flopperty(S.).—S.W.

Flowing Meadows. SeeFloating Meadows.

Flowse. (1)v. act.You 'flowse,' or splash, the water over you in a bath.—N. & S.W. (2)v. neut.Water is said to be 'flowsing down' when rushing very strongly through a mill hatch. A horse likes to 'flowse about' in a pond.—S.W. (3)n.The rush of water through a hatch.—S.W. (4)n.Occasionally also applied to the narrow walled channel between the hatch gate and the pool below.—S.W.

Flucksey.adj.'A flucksey old hen,' i.e. a hen who makes a great fuss over her chickens.—S.W. (Bishopstrow, &c.) Cope'sHants Glossaryhas:—'Flucks, to peck in anger like a hen.'

Flump. 'To come down flump, like a twoad from roost,' to fall heavily (A.B.S.); also used alone as a verb, as 'Her vlumped down in thic chair.'—N. & S.W.

Flunk. A spark of fire; probably a form ofBlink, q.v.Vlonker(S.).—S.W.

Flush. *(1)n.Of grass, a strong and abundant growth (Agric. of Wilts, ch. xii). (2)adj.Of grass, &c., luxuriant.—N.W. (3)adj.Of young birds, fledged (A.B.).—N. & S.W.

Flustrated. (1) Taken aback, flustered.—N.W.

'A didn't zay anything ... but a looked a leetle flustrated like.'—Wilts Tales, p. 119.

(2) Tipsy.—N.W.

Fluttery. Of weather, catchy, uncertain, showery. ''T ull be a main fluttery hay-making to-year, I warnd.'—N.W. (Huish.)

*Fodder. A labourer 'fodders' his boots—stuffs soft hay into them to fill up, when they are too large for him (Village Miners).

*Fodge(rarelyFadge). In packing fleeces of wool, when the quantity is too small to make up a full 'bag' of 240 lbs., the ends of the bag are gathered together as required, and the sides skewered over them, thus forming the small package known as a 'fodge.'—N.W.

Fog.v.To give fodder to cattle. Cf. Welshffwg, dry grass.—N. & S.W.

'Fogging, the giving of fodder ... from a Middle English root ... is common in Mid-Wilts.'—Leisure Hour, Aug. 1893.

Fog off. To damp off, as cuttings often do in a greenhouse.—N.W. (Marlborough.)

Fogger. A man who attends to the cows and takes them their fodder morning and evening (My Old Village, &c.). A groom or man-servant (H.Wr.), the duties of groom and fogger being usually discharged by the same man on farms about Marlborough.—N. & S.W.

*Foldsail,Fossel. A fold-shore (D.). SeeSails.—N.W.

'A fold stake, locally called a "fossle."'—Wilts Arch. Mag.xxi. 132.'The "fossels" means thefold-shores, or thestakesto which the hurdles are shored up, and fastened with a loose twig wreath at the top.'—Ibid.xvii. 304.

'A fold stake, locally called a "fossle."'—Wilts Arch. Mag.xxi. 132.

'The "fossels" means thefold-shores, or thestakesto which the hurdles are shored up, and fastened with a loose twig wreath at the top.'—Ibid.xvii. 304.

Fold-shore. A stake pitched to support a hurdle (D.H.).—S.W.

Follow or Follow on. To continue.—N.W.

'If you do want a good crop, you mustfollow ona hoeing o' the ground; but you can't do no hoeing so long as it dofollowraining.'—Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxii. p. 111.

Folly. A circular plantation of trees on a hill, as 'Harnham Folly,' or 'The Long Folly' on Compton Down. This seems quite distinct from its more general use as applied to a tower or other building which is too pretentious or costly for its builder's position and means.—N. & S.W.

'"Every hill seems to have a Folly," she said, looking round. "I mean a clump of trees on the top."'—Greene Ferne Farm, ch. vi.

*Foot-cock. The small cock into which hay is first put (D.).

Footy. Paltry (A.B.), as a present not so large as was expected (Village Miners).—N.W.

For. Often affixed to the verbssayandthink. ''Tean't the same as you said for'; 'I bean't as old as you thinks for.'—N.W.

Fore-eyed. Fore-seeing, apt to look far ahead (S.).—S.W.

Fore-spur. A fore-leg of pork (S.).—S.W.

Forefeed,Vorfeed. To turn cattle out in spring into a pasture which is afterwards to be laid up for hay.—N.W.

Foreright,Vorright. (1)adj.Headstrong, self-willed. 'He's that vorright there's no telling he anything.'—N. & S.W. (2)adj.Blunt, rude, candid.—N.W. (Malmesbury.) (3) Just opposite. 'The geat's vorright thuck shard.'—N.W.

*Forel. The actual cover of a book, not the material in which it is bound. This is the usual term in Som. Old Fr.fourrel, a sheath, case.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

Fork. The apparatus used by thatchers for carrying the elms up to the roof.—N.W.

Forester. (1) A New Forest horse-fly.—S.W. (2) Any very tall thistle growing among underwood.—N.W. (Marlborough.)

*Fossel. SeeFoldsail.

Fot. SeePreterites.

FrameA skeleton. 'Her's nothing in the world but a frame.'—N.W.

*Frea,Fry. To make a brushwood drain (D.).

Freglam. Odds and ends of cold vegetables, fried up with a little bacon to give a relish. Compare Lanc.Braughwham, cheese, eggs, clap-bread, and butter, all boiled together.—N.W., obsolete.

*French Grass.Onobrychis sativa, L., Sainfoin.—N.W. (Enford.)

Fresh liquor. Unsalted hog's-fat (A).—N.W.

Frickle,Friggle. (1) To potter about at little jobs, such as an old man can do. 'I bain't up to a day's work now; I can't do nothing but frickle about in my garne.'—N. & S.W. (2) To fidget, to worry about a thing.—N.W.

'He freggled [fidgetted] hisself auver thuck paason as come a bit ago.'—Greene Ferne Farm, ch. vii.

Frickling,Friggling.adj.Tiresome, involving much minute attention or labour. Used of fiddling little jobs.—N.W.

Friggle.n.A worrying little piece of work. 'I be so caddled wi' aal these yer friggles, I caan't hardly vind time vor a bit o' vittles.' SeeFrickle.—N.W. (Huish.)

Frith. (1)n.'Quick,' or young whitethorn for planting hedges.—N.W. *(2)n.Thorns or brush underwood (D).—N.W.

'1605. Itm to James Smalwood for an Acre & halfe of hedginge frith out of Heywood.... Item for felling the same frith.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 194.

(3)v.To make a brushwood drain, as opposed toGrip, q.v. (D).

Froar. Frozen (A.B.S.); generallyVroarorVrŏrin N. Wilts, but the usual form at Wroughton, N.W., isFroren. A.S.gefroren.—N. & S.W.

Frog-dubbing. Boys throw a frog into a shallow pool, and then 'dub' or pelt it, as it tries to escape. SeeDub.—S.W.

Froom. SeeFrum.

Frout. Of animals: to take fright. 'My horse frouted and run away.'—S.W.

Frouten,Froughten. To frighten (S.).—N. & S.W.

'Lor, Miss, how you did froughten I!'—Greene Ferne Farm, ch. vii.

Frow. SeeBrow.

Frum,Froom. Of vegetables, grass, &c.: fresh and juicy (A.B.); strong-growing or rank. A.S.from, vigorous, strong.—N.W.

*Fry. (1)n.A brushwood drain (H.Wr.). SeeFrith(3).—N.W. (2)v.To make a brushwood drain (D.). AlsoFreaandFrith(D.).—N.W.

'1790. For 234 Lugg Hollow frying in Englands 2.18.6.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 248.

Fullmare.n.In my childhood I remember being told more than once by servants at Morden, near Swindon, N.W., that a colt which was playing about in a field near was 'a fullmare.' Could this possibly have been a survival of the old word 'Folymare, a young foal,' which is given by Halliwell and Wright as occurring in a fifteenth-century MS. at Jesus College, Oxford? I have never heard the word elsewhere.—G. E. D.

Fur.n.The calcareous sediment in a kettle, &c.—N. & S.W.

Furlong(pronouncedVurlin). The strip of newly-ploughed land lying between two main furrows.—N.W. (Lockeridge.)

Fur up. Water-pipes, kettles, &c., when coated inside with 'rock,' or the calcareous sediment of hard water, are said to 'fur up,' or to be 'furred up.'—N. & S.W.

*Furze-hawker.Saxicola oenanthe, the Wheatear.—N.W.

*Furze Robin.Saxicola rubicola, the Stonechat (Birds of Wilts, p. 150).—N.W. (Sutton Benger.)

Fuzz-ball.Lycoperdon Bovista, L., Puffball.—N. & S.W.

Gaa-oot!SeeHorses(A.).

Gaam. (1)v.To smear or bedaub with anything sticky.Gaamze(Village Miners). (2)n.A sticky mass of anything. SeeGam.—N. & S.W. Many years ago, at a Yeomanry ball in a certain town in N. Wilts, the Mayor, who had done his duty manfully up to then, stopped short in the middle of a dance, and mopping his face vigorously, gasped out to his astonished partner, a lady of high position, 'Well, I don't know howyoube, Marm, butIbe ael of a gaam o' zweat!'—N.W.

Gaamy,Gammy. Daubed with grease, &c., sticky. In Hal. and Wr. 'Gaam,adj.sticky, clammy,' is apparently an error,gaamybeing probably intended.—N.W.

Gaapsey.n.A sight to be stared at. SeeGapps.—N.W.

Gaapus.n.A fool, a stupid fellow. 'What be at, ye girt gaapus!'—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Gabborn. Of rooms or houses, comfortless, bare (B.C.).Gabbern(A.H.) andGabern(Great Estate, ch. iv. p. 78). This term always denotes largeness without convenience or comfort (Cunnington MS.).—N.W.Gabbernyon Berks bord.

*Gage-ring. An engagement ring (Great Estate, ch. x).—N.W.

Galley-bagger. A scarecrow (S.).—S.W.

Galley-crow. A scarecrow (A.H.Wr.).—N. & S.W.

'"Maester," said the child, "wull 'e let m' chainge hats wi' thuck galley-crow yander?" ... pointing to a scarecrow at the other end of the garden.'—Wilts Tales, p. 103.

Gallivant. To be gadding about on a spree with a companion of the opposite sex (S.): to run after the girls, or 'chaps,' as the case may be.—N. & S.W.

Gallow. SeeGally.

Gallows(pronouncedGallus). *(1) A pair of braces. (2) Exceedingly. Used with any adjective; as 'Gallus dear,' very expensive (Great Estate, ch. iv. p. 75).—N. & S.W.

'A gallus bad wench her be!'—Dark, ch. xviii.

*(3) 'He's a gallus chap,' i.e. plucky.

Gallows-gate. A light gate, consisting only of a hinged style, top-rail, and one strut.—N.W.

Gallus. SeeGallows.—N.W.

Gally,Gallow. To frighten or terrify.Gallow(B.H.,Lansd. MS.),Gally(A.B.S.), Pret.gallered, astonished, frightened (A.B.C.S.) 'He gallered I amwost into vits.' Still in use about Marlborough and in S.W. From M.E.galwen; A.S.agælwan, to stupefy.—N. & S.W.

'The wrathful skiesGallow the very wanderers of the dark.'—Lear, iii. 2.

The word is still commonly used in the whale-fishery:—

'Young bulls ... are ... easily "gallied," that is, frightened.'—Marryat,Poor Jack, ch. vi.

Gam. A sticky mass, as 'all in a gam.' SeeGaam(2).—N. & S.W. In S. Wilts theain this word and its derivatives is usually short, while in N. Wilts it is broad in sound.

Gambrel. The piece of wood or iron used by butchers for extending or hanging a carcase (A.).Gamel(S.).—N. & S.W.

Gamel. SeeGambrel.

Gammer. A woodlouse.—S.W.

Gammet,Gamut. (1)n.Fun, frolicsome tricks. 'You be vull o' gamuts.'—N.W. (2)v.To frolic, to play the fool. SeeGammockandGannick. 'Thee bist allus a gammetting.'—N.W. (3)v.To play off practical jokes; to take in any one.—N.W.

Gammock.v.To lark about, to play the fool, to frolic. SeeGannickandGammet.—N.W. (Marlborough.)

Gammotty,Gammutty. (1)adj.Frolicsome, larky. SeeGammet.—N.W. (2)adj.Of cheese, ill-flavoured. SeeCammocky.—N.W.

Gammy. (1) Sticky. SeeGaamy.—S.W. (2) Lame, crippled, having a 'game leg.'—N. & S.W.

Gamut. SeeGammet.

Gander-flanking, To go. To go off larking or 'wondermenting.' Perhaps a corruption ofgallivanting.—S.W. (Upton Scudamore.)

Gandigoslings.Orchis mascula, L., Early Purple Orchis. CompareGandergossesinGerarde(Appendix), andCandle-gostesinFolk-Etymology. Also seeDandy-goslings,Dandy-goshen,Goosey-ganders,Goslings,Grampha-Griddle-Goosey-Gander, andGranfer-goslings.—N.W.

Gannick. To lark about, to play the fool. SeeGammock.—S.W. (Warminster, &c.)

Gapps,Gaapsey. To gape or stare at anything. 'Thee'st allus a gaapsin' about.'—N.W.

Garley-gut. A gluttonous person. Perhaps connected withgorle, to devour eagerly (see Halliwell).

'"Let's go to bed," says Heavy-Head,"Let's bide a bit," says Sloth,"Put on the pot," says Garley-gut,"We'll sup afore we g'auf" [go off].'—Nursery Rhyme.

Gashly. SeeGhastly.

Gate.n.Excitement, 'taking.' 'Her wur in a vine gate wi't.'—N.W.

Gatfer. SeeGotfer.

Gauge-brick. A brick which shows by its change of colour when the oven is hot enough for baking. Cf.Warning-stone.—N.W.

'She knew when the oven was hot enough by the gauge-brick: this particular brick as the heat increased became spotted with white, and when it had turned quite white the oven was ready.'—Great Estate, ch. viii. p. 152.

Gawl-cup. SeeGold-cup.

Gawney. A simpleton (A.H.S.Wr.).—N. & S.W.

'Leave m' 'lone y' great gawney!'—Wilts Tales, p. 83.

Gay. Of wheat, rank in the blade (D.).—N.W.

Gee,Jee. To agree, to work well together (A.B.).—N.W.

Genow. SeeGo-now.

*Gentlemen's-and-ladies'-fingers.Arum maculatum, L., Cuckoo-pint. Cf.Lady's-Finger(2).—S.W. (Farley.)

Ghastly(pronounced Gashly). This word is used in many ways, as 'Thick hedge wur gashly high, but it be ter'ble improved now.'—N.W. (Huish.) At Etchilhampton, N.W., a 'gashly ditch' is one that is cut too wide.—N. & S.W.

Gibbles. Onions grown from bulbs. Cf.ChipplesandCribbles.—N. & S.W.

Gicksey. SeeKecks.

Giggley. SeeGoggley.

Gigletting.adj.Fond of rough romping; wanton. Used only of females. 'Dwoan't ha' no truck wi' thuck there giglettin' wench o' his'n.'—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

Gilcup. Buttercups in general; occasionally restricted toR. Ficaria. Cf.Gold-cup.—S.W.

*Gill. A low four-wheeled timber-carriage (Cycl. of Agric.).

*Gilty-cup.Caltha palustris, L., Marsh Marigold.—S.W. (Zeals.)

Gin-and-Water Market. See quotation.

'Some towns have only what is called a "gin-and-water" market: that is, the "deal" is begun and concluded from small samples carried in the pocket and examined at an inn over a glass of spirits and water.'—The Toilers of the Field, p. 28.

Gipsy. Carnation grass,Carex panicea, L., because it turns so brown.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Gipsy-rose.Scabiosa atropurpurea, L., the Garden Scabious.—N.W.

Girls. The short-pistilled or 'thrum-eyed' blossoms of the Primrose,Primula vulgaris, L. SeeBoys.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Gix,Gicksey, &c. SeeKecks.

Glory-hole. A place for rubbish or odds and ends, as a housemaid's cupboard, or a lumber room.—N.W.

'This has nothing to do with Lat.gloria, but is connected with M.E.glorien, to befoul (Prompt. Parv.). Compare Prov. Eng.glorry, greasy, fat. Thusglory-hole=a dirty, untidy nook. SeeFolk-Etymology, p. 145.'—Smythe-Palmer.

*Glox. This is given by most authorities as a noun, and defined as 'the sound of liquids when shaken in a barrel' (A.B.H.Wr.); but it is really a verb, and refers to the motion and peculiar gurgling of liquids against the side of a barrel or vessel that is not quite full (C.). In Hantsgloxingis the noise made by falling, gurgling water (Cope). Cf.Lottle.—N.W., obsolete.

'Fill the Barrel full, John, or else it will glox in Carriage.'—Cunnington MS.

Glutch. To swallow (A.B.C.S.). According toCunnington MS, the use ofglutchimplies that there is some difficulty in swallowing, whilequiltis to swallow naturally.—N. & S.W.

Glutcher. The throat (S.). SeeGlutch.—N. & S.W.

*Gnaa-post. A simpleton (S.).—S.W.

Gnaing. To mock, to insult (S.). Also used in West of England and Sussex.—S.W.

Goat-weed.Polygonum Convolvulus, L., Black Bindweed.—N.W.

*Gob. (1)n.Much chatter (S.).—S.W. (2)v.To talk.—S.W.

*Goche. A pitcher (H.Wr.). Perhaps a mistake, as Morton (Cycl. of Agric.) givesgotchunder Norfolk.

Gog,Goggmire. A swamp or quagmire. Cf.Quavin-gog. 'I be all in a goggmire,' in a regular fix or dilemma.—N.W.

'In Minty Common ... is a boggie place, called theGogges....Footnote. Perhaps a corruption ofquag, itself a corruption ofquake. "I be all in a goggmire" is a North Wilts phrase for being in what appears an inextricable difficulty.'—Jackson'sAubrey, p. 271.

Goggle. (1)n.A snail-shell. Cf. E.cockle(Skeat).—N.W.

'Guggles, the empty shells of snails—not the large brown kind, but those of various colours.'—Miss E. Boyer-Brown.

(2)v.'To go goggling,' to collect snail-shells (Springtide, p. 89).—N.W. (3)v.To shake or tremble, as a table with one leg shorter than the others. 'I do trembly an' goggly ael day.'—N. & S.W. (4)n.'All of a goggle,' shaking all over, especially from physical weakness. 'How are you to-day, Sally?' 'Lor', Zur! I be aal of a goggle.' 'What on earth do you mean?' 'Why, I be zo ter'ble giggly, I can't scarce kip my lags nohow.'—S.W. (Steeple Ashton.)

Goggles. A disease in sheep (Agric. of Wilts, ch. xiv).—N.W. (Castle Eaton.)

Goggly. Unsteady, shaky. SometimesGigglyis used, as in example given underGoggle.—N. & S.W.

Goggmire. SeeGog.

Gold. Nodules of iron pyrites in chalk.—N.W. Heard once or twice, near Clyffe Pypard, years ago.—G. E. D.

'On past the steep wall of an ancient chalk-quarry, where the ploughboys search for pyrites, and call them thunderbolts and "gold," for when broken the radial metallic fibres glisten yellow.'—Greene Ferne Farm, ch. v.

Gold-cup(pronouncedGawl-cup). The various forms of Buttercup. Cf.Gilcup.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

Golden Chain. (1) Laburnum (S.). The general name for it in Wilts.—N. & S.W. (2)Lathyrus pratensis, L., Meadow Vetchling.—S.W. (Salisbury.)

Goldlock.Sinapis arvensis, L., Charlock.—S.W. (Zeals.)

Go-now,Genow,Good-now. Used as an expletive, or an address to a person (S.). 'What do 'ee thenk o' that, genow!' Also used in Dorset.—N. & S.W.

Gooding Day. St. Thomas' Day, when children go 'gooding,' or asking for Christmas boxes.—N.W.

*Good Neighbour. Jefferies (Village Miners) speaks of a weed called by this name, but does not identify it. See below.

Good Neighbourhood. (1)Chenopodium Bonus-Henricus, L., Good King Henry.—N.W. (Devizes.) (2)Centranthus ruber, DC., Red Spur Valerian (English Plant Names).—N.W. (Devizes.)

Good-now. SeeGo-now(S.). Used at Downton, &c.—S.W.

Gooseberry-pie.Valeriana dioica, L., All-heal.—S.W.

Goosegog. A green gooseberry (S.). Used by children.—N. & S.W.

Goosehill. SeeGuzzle.

*Goosen-chick. A gosling (Wr.). *Goosen-chick's vather. A gander (Wr.). Both these words would appear to belong to Som. and Dev. rather than Wilts.

Goosey-gander. A game played by children (S.).—N. & S.W.

Goosey-ganders.Orchis mascula, L., Early Purple Orchis.—N.W.

*Gore. A triangular piece of ground (D.).

Goslings.Orchis mascula, L., Early Purple Orchis. SeeGandigoslings.—N.W.

Goss.Ononis arvensis, L., Restharrow. Gorse,Ulex, is always 'Fuzz.'—N.W.

Gossiping. A christening.—N.W., obsolete.

*Gotfer. An old man (H.Wr.). *Gatferis still in use about Malmesbury.—N.W.

Grab-hook. A kind of grapnel used for recovering lost buckets from a well.

Graft. (1) A draining spade.—N.W. (2) The depth of earth dug therewith.—N.W.

Grained. Dirty (A.H.Wr.);Grainted(B.); the latter being a mispronunciation.—N.W.

Grains. The tines of a gardening fork, as 'a four-grained prong.'—N. & S.W.

Gramfer. Grandfather (A.B.).Granfer(S.) andGrampare also used.—N. & S.W.

Grammer. Grandmother (A.B.S.).—N. & S.W. Becoming obsolete.

Grammered in. Of dirt, so grained in, that it is almost impossible to wash it off.Grammered: Begrimed (H.).—N.W.

*Grampha-Griddle-Goosey-Gander.Orchis mascula, L., Early Purple Orchis (Sarum Dioc. Gazette).—S.W. (Zeals.)

*Granfer-goslings.Orchis maculata, L., Spotted Orchis (Village Miners).—N.W.

*Granny-jump-out-of-bed.Aconitum Napellus, L., Monks-hood.—S.W. (Deverill.)

Granny(orGranny's)Nightcap. (1)Anemone nemorosa, L., Wood Anemone.—S.W. (Salisbury.) (2)Aquilegia vulgaris, L., Common Columbine.—N.W. (Huish.) (3)Convolvulus sepium, L., Great Bindweed.—N.W. (4)Convolvulus arvensis, L., Field Bindweed.—N.W.

*Grate. Earth (D.).

*Grate-board. The mould-board of a plough (D.).

*Gratings. The right of feed in the stubbles (D.). SeeGretton.

Gravel-Path, The. The Milky Way.—N.W. (Huish.)

*Gray Woodpecker.Picus major, the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Birds of Wilts, p. 253). SeeBlack Woodpecker.

Great axe. The large English woodman's axe (Amateur Poacher, ch. iv).

Greggles, orGreygles.Scilla nutans, Sm., Wild Hyacinth. Cf.Blue Goggles.—S.W.

*Gretton. Stubble (Aubrey'sWilts MS.) SeeGratings.

Greybeard.Clematis Vitalba, L., Traveller's Joy, when in seed.—N.W.

Greygles. SeeGreggles.

Griggles. Small worthless apples remaining on the tree after the crop has been gathered in.—N.W.

Griggling. Knocking down the 'griggles,' as boys are allowed by custom to do.—N.W.

Grindstone Apple. The crab-apple; used to sharpen reap-hooks, its acid biting into the steel. The 'Grindstone Apple' mentioned in theEulogy of R. Jefferies, p. iv. is probably the 'Grindstone Pippin' ofWood Magic, not the crab.—N.W.

Grip, orGripe. (1) Togripwheat is to divide it into bundles before making up the sheaves.—N.W. (2)n.'A grip of wheat,' the handful grasped in reaping (A.). It islaid down in gripewhen laid ready in handfuls untied (D.).—N.W. (3)v.To drain with covered turf or stone drains, as opposed tofrith. Totake up gripe, is to make such drains (D.).—S.W.

Grist,Griz. To snarl and show the teeth, as an angry dog or man (A.H.Wr.).—N.W.

Grizzle. To grumble, complain, whine, cry.—N. & S.W.

*Grom. A forked stick used by thatchers for carrying the bundles of straw up to the roof (A.B.G.).

*Gropsing. 'The gropsing of the evening,' dusk.—Obsolete.

'Both came unto the sayd Tryvatt's howse in the gropsing of the yevening.'—Wilts Arch. Mag.xxii. 227.

Ground. A field.—N.W.

'A whirlewind took him up ... and layd him down safe, without any hurt, in the next ground.'—Aubrey'sNat. Hist. Wiltsp. 16, ed. Brit.

*Ground-sill stone. Quarrymen's term for one of the beds of the Portland oolite—useful for bridges, &c., where great strength is required (Britton'sBeauties, vol. iii).

Ground-rest. The wood supporting the share, in the old wooden plough (D.).Restis a mistake forwrest(Skeat).—N.W.

Grout. (1)v.To root like a hog.—N.W. (2)v.Hence, to rummage about.—N.W.

Grouty.adj.Of the sky, thundery, threatening rain. It looks 'ter'ble grouty' in summer when thunder clouds are coming up.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Grump. 'To grump about,' to complain of all sorts of ailments.—N.W.

*Grupper. To give up (Wr.). There would appear to be some mistake here, as we cannot trace the word elsewhere.

*Gubbarn.n.A filthy place, a foul gutter or drain (A.H.Wr.),Gubborn(B.). Should not this beadj.instead ofn.? Compare Devongubbings, offal, refuse.

Guggles. SeeGoggles.

Guinea-pigs,Pigs. Woodlice. SeeButchers'-Guinea-Pigs.—N. & S.W.

*Gule. To sneer or make mouths at (A.). Also used in Hereford.

Guley,Guly.adj.(1) Of sheep, giddy, suffering from a disease in the head which affects the brain and causes a kind of vertigo.—N.W. (2) Of persons, queer, stupid, or silly-looking. CompareGuled, bewildered, Berks. After being very drunk over-night, a man looks 'ter'ble guley' in the morning.—N.W.

Gullet-hole. A large drain-hole through a hedge-bank to carry off water.—N.W.

*Gurgeons. Coarse flour (A.).

Gushill. SeeGuzzle.

Guss. (1)n.The girth of a saddle (A.B.).—N.W. (2)v.To girth; to tie tightly round the middle. A bundle of hay should be 'gussed up tight.' A badly dressed fat woman 'looks vor aal the world like a zack o' whate a-gussed in wi' a rawp.'—N.W.

Gustrill. SeeGuzzle.

Gutter. To drain land with open drains (D.).—N.W.

Guzzle. (1) The filth of a drain (B.). (2) A filthy drain (A.B.).Goosehill(Wr.),Gushill(K.), andGustrill(H.Wr.), the latter being probably a misprint.—N.W.

Guzzle-berry. Gooseberry. Used by children.—N. & S.W.

H. It should be noted that the cockney misuse ofHis essentially foreign to our dialect. Formerly it was the rarest thing in the world to hear a true Wiltshire rustic make such a slip, though the townsfolk were by no means blameless in this respect, but now the spread of education and the increased facilities of communication have tainted even our rural speech with cockneyisms and slang phrases.

Hack. (1)v.To loosen the earth round potatoes, preparatory to earthing them up. This is done with a 'tater-hacker,' an old three-grained garden-fork, which by bending down the tines or 'grains' at right angles to the handle has been converted into something resembling a rake, but used as a hoe. In Dorset hoeing is calledhacking.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.) *(2)n.The shed in which newly-made bricks are set out to dry.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

*Hacka.n.A nervous hesitation in speaking (Village Miners).—N.W.

'He speaks with so many hacks and hesitations.'—Dr. H. More.

Hacker. (1)v.SeeHakker. (2)n.The instrument used in 'hacking' potatoes; also known as aTomahawk.—N.W.

Hacketty. SeeHicketty.

Hackle. *(1)n.The mane of a hog (A.H.Wr.). (2)n.The straw covering of a bee-hive or of the apex of a rick (A.).—N.W. *(3) To agree together (A.). (4) To rattle or re-echo.—N.W.

Hagged. Haggard, worn out, exhausted-looking. 'He came in quite hagged.' 'Her 've a had a lot to contend wi' to-year, and her 's hagged to death wi't aal.'—N. & S.W.

Hagger. SeeHakker.

Haggle. To cut clumsily. SeeAgg.—N.W.

'They took out their knives and haggled the skin off.'—Bevis, ch. vii.

Hag-rod. Bewitched, hag-ridden, afflicted with nightmare. *Haig-raig, bewildered (S.).—S.W.

Hail. The beard of barley. SeeAile, which is the more correct form (Smythe-Palmer).—N. & S.W.

'The black knots on the delicate barley straw were beginning to be topped with the hail.'—Round about a Great Estate, ch. i. p. 8.

Hain,Hain up.v.To reserve a field of grass for mowing (A.B.D.).—N.W. Treated as a noun by Akerman.

'Three acres of grass ... to be hayned by the farmer at Candlemas and carried by the Vicar at Lammas.'—Hilmarton Parish Terrier, 1704.

Haito. A horse; used by mothers and nurses concurrently withGee-gee. A contraction ofHait-wo, the order to a horse to go to the left.Hightyis similarly used in N. of England.—N. & S.W.

Hait-wo. See above.

Hakker,Hacker. To tremble (S.), as with passion (A.), cold, or ague.Hagger.To chatter with cold (H.Wr.).—N. & S.W.

'Bless m' zoul, if I dwon't think our maester's got the ager! How a hackers an bivers, to be zhure!'—Wilts Tales, p. 55.

Half-baked, orHalf-saved. Half-witted.—N. & S.W.

*Hallantide. All Saints' Day (B.).

Hallege,Harrige.n.The latter seems to be the original form of the word, and is still occasionally heard; but for at least seventy years it has been more commonly pronounced ashallege,landrhaving been interchanged. We have met with it at Clyffe Pypard, Bromham, Huish, and elsewhere in N. Wilts; but, so far as we know, it is not used in S. Wilts.Havage=disturbance, which the Rev. S. Baring-Gould heard once in Cornwall, and made use of in his fine West-Country romance,John Herring, ch. xxxix, is doubtless a variant of the same word. (1) Of persons, a crowd; also, contemptuously, a low rabble. 'Be you a-gwain down to zee what they be a-doing at the Veast?' 'No,Ibean't a-gwain amang such a hallege as that!'—N.W. (2) Of things, confusion, disorder. Were a load oftop and lop, intended to be cut up for firewood, shot down clumsily in a yard gateway, it would be said, 'What a hallege you've a-got there, blocking up the way!—N.W. (3) Hence, it sometimes appears to mean rubbish, as when it is applied to the mess and litter of small broken twigs and chips left on the ground after a tree has been cut and carried.—N.W. (4) It is also occasionally used of a disturbance of some sort, as 'What a hallege!' what a row!—N.W.

Ham. (1) A narrow strip of ground by a river, asMill-ham(A.D.). (2) See Haulm (S.).

Hames. Pieces of wood attached to a horse's collar in drawing (A.D.).—N. & S.W.

Hanch(abroad). Of a cow or bull, to thrust with the horns, whether in play or earnest.—N.W.

Hand. (1)n.Corn has 'a good hand' when it is dry and slippery in the sack, 'a bad hand' when it is damp and rough (D.).—N.W. (2)v.To act as a second in a fight.—N.W. (3)v.'To have hands with anything,' to have anything to do with it. 'I shan't hae no hands wi't.—N.W. SeeHank.

Hand-box. SeeBox.

Hander. The second to a pugilist (A.). SeeHand(2).—N.W.

Handin'-post. A sign-post.—N.W.

Hand-staff. The part of the 'drashell' which is held in the hand.

Hand-wrist. The wrist.—N.W.

Handy. Near to, as 'handy home,' 'handy ten o'clock' (A.B.M.S.). 'A gied un vower days' work, or handy.'—N. & S.W.

Hang. 'To hang up a field,' to take the cattle off it, and give it a long rest, so as to freshen up the pasture.—N.W.

Hang-fair. A public execution, as 'Hang-fair at 'Vize,' formerly treated as a great holiday.—N.W., obsolete. The Pleasure Fair at Warminster on August 11 is known as 'Hang-Fair,' perhaps from the hanging of two murderers there on that day in 1813. SeeWilts Notes and Queries, i. 40, 139.

Hang-gallows. A gallows-bird (S.).—N. & S.W.

'"Where's the money I put in th' zack, you hang-gallus?" roared Mr. Twink.'—Wilts Tales, p. 55.

Hanging. (1) The steep wooded slope of a hill.—N. & S.W. (2) A hillside field (S.).—S.W.

Hanging Geranium.Saxifraga sarmentosa, L.; from the way in which it is usually suspended in a cottage window; also known asStrawberry Geranium, from its strawberry-like runners.—S.W.

Hanging-post. The hinder upright timber of a gate, by which it is hung to its post. Frequently heard, althoughHaris much more commonly used.—N.W. (Huish, &c.)

Hanglers. The hooks by which pots and kettles are suspended over open fireplaces in old cottages and farm-houses. SeeCoglers.—N.W.

*Hank. Dealings with (S.). 'I won't ha' no hank wi' un,' will have nothing at all to do with him. Cf.Hand(3).—S.W.

*Hants-sheep,Hants-horses. See quotation.

'They were called [in Wilts] hants sheep; they were a sort of sheep that never shelled their teeth, but always had their lambs-teeth without shedding them, and thrusting out two broader in their room every year.... There were such a sort of horses called hants horses, that always showed themselves to be six years old.'—Lisle'sHusbandry, 1757.

Happer-down. To come down smartly, to rattle down, as hail, or leaves in autumn.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Haps. (1)n.A hasp (A.B.).—N. & S.W. (2)v.To hasp, to fasten up a door or box (A.B.)—N. & S.W.

Har. The hinder upright timber of a gate, by which it is hung to its post. A.S.heorre, M.E.herre, the hinge of a door. SeeHeadandHanging-post.—N.W. (Marlborough; Huish; Clyffe Pypard.)

'We wants some more heads and hars cut out.' Carpenters about Marlborough usually reduce the word to a single letter in making up their accounts, as 'To a new R to Cow-lease gate, &c.'—Rev.C. Soames.

Hardhead.Centaurea nigra, L., Black Knapweed.—N. & S.W.

Harl. (1)v.To thrust a dead rabbit's hind-foot through a slit in the other leg, so as to form a loop to hang it up or carry it by (Gamekeeper at Home, ch. ii).Hardlein Dorset.—N. & S.W. (2)v.To entangle (C.).Harl, knotted (A.S.), is a mistake forharled.—N. & S.W. (3)n.An entanglement (B.C.). 'The thread be aal in a harl.' A knot (Aubrey'sNat. Hist. Wilts, p. 51, ed. Brit.)—N. & S.W. *(4) Of oats,well-harledis well-eared (D).

Harrige. SeeHallege.

*Harrows. The longitudinal bars of a harrow (D.).

Harvest-trow. The shrew-mouse (Wild Life, ch. ix);Harvest-row(A.H.Wr.)—N.W.

*Hask. A husky cough to which cows are subject (Lisle'sHusbandry). SeeHusk.

Hatch. (1)n.A 'wallow,' or line of raked-up hay.—N.W. (2)v.'To hatch up,' to rake hay into hatches.—N.W. (3)n.A half-door (A.B.C.). 'Barn-hatch,' a low board put across the door, over which you must step to enter.—N.W.

Haulm,Ham,Haam,Helm. A stalk of any vegetable (A.B.), especially potatoes and peas.—N. & S.W.

Haycock. A much larger heap of hay than a 'foot-cock.'—N. & S.W.

*Hayes. A piece of ground enclosed with a live hedge; used as a termination, asCalf-Hayes(D.). A.S.hege(Skeat).

Hay-home. See quotation.

'It was the last day of the hay-harvest—it was "hay-home" that night.'—R. Jefferies,A True Tale of the Wiltshire Labourer.

Hay-making. Grass as it is mown lies inswathe(N. & S.W.); then it isturned(S.W.), preparatory to beingtedded(N. & S.W.), orspread; then raked up into lines calledhatches(N.W.), which may be eithersingle hatchordouble hatch, and are known in some parts as wallows (N.W.); nextspreadandhatched upagain, and put up in smallfoot-cocks,cocks(N.W.), orpooks(N. & S.W.); finally, after being thrown about again, it iswaked upintolong wakes(N.W.), orrollers(S.W.), and if not made temporarily intosummer-ricks(N.W.), is then carried. No wonder that John Burroughs (Fresh Fields, p. 55) remarks that in England hay 'is usually nearly worn out with handling before they get it into the rick.' Almost every part of the county has its own set of terms. Thus about Warminster meadow-hay is (1) turned, (2) spread or tedded, (3) put in rollers, (4) pooked; while at Clyffe Pypard it is tedded, hatched, waked and cocked, and at Huish waked and pooked.Rolleris pronounced as if it rhymed withcollar. Hay is 'put in rollers,' or 'rollered up.'

Hazon(abroad). To scold or threaten (A.B.C.H.Wr.). 'Now dwoan't 'ee hazon the child for 't.'—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Head. The front upright timber of a gate. See Har and Falling-post.—N.W. (Marlborough; Huish; Clyffe Pypard.)

Headland. (1)adj.Headlong, as to 'fall headland' or 'neck-headland.'—N.W. (2) The strip where the plough turns at bottom and top of a field, which must either be ploughed again at right angles to the rest, or dug over with the spade; generally called theHeadlongby labourers in S. Wilts.

Headlong. SeeHeadland.

Heal,Hele. Of seeds, to cover or earth over (D.);Heeld,Yeeld(Great Estate, ch. viii). When the ground is dry and hard, and the wheat when sown does not sink in and get covered up at once, it is said not toheal well, and requires harrowing.—N.W.

Heartless. 'A heartless day' is a wet day with a strong south-west wind.—S.W.

Heater(pronouncedHetter). A flat iron (S.).—N. & S.W.

Heave,Eve. Of hearthstones, &c., to sweat or become damp on the surface in dry weather, a sign of coming change and wet.Eave, to sweat (S.).—N. & S.W.

Heavy(pronouncedHeevy). Of weather, damp. SeeHeave.—N.W.

Heaver. Part of the old-fashioned winnowing tackle.—N.W.

*He-body. A woman of masculine appearance.—S.W. (Deverill.)

*Hecth. Height (A.).

Hedge-carpenter. A professional maker and repairer of rail fences, &c. (Gamekeeper at Home, ch. iii).—N.W.

Hedge-hog. The prickly seed-vessel ofRanunculus arvensis, L., Corn Buttercup (Great Estate, ch. vii).—N.W.

Hedge-peg. The fruit of the Sloe, q.v. Cf.Eggs-eggs.—N.W. (Marlborough.)

Hedge-pick,Hedge-speäk. SeeSloe.—N.W.

Heeld. SeeHeal.

Heft. (1)n.The weight of anything as poised in the hand (A.B.C.M.S.).—N. & S.W. (2)v.To weigh or test weight in the hand (A.B.), to lift.—N. & S.W.

Hele,Heel,Hill. (1) To pour out (A.B.H.Wr.), to serve out or dispense.—S.W. (2) SeeHeal.

Hellocky. SeeHullocky.

Helm(1) SeeElm. (2) SeeHaulm.

Helyer. A tiler. An old word, but still in use.—N.W.

Hen-and-Chicken. (1)Saxifraga umbrosa, L., London Pride.—N.W. (2)Saxifraga sarmentosa, L., from its mode of growth.—N.W.

Henge. SeeHinge.

Hen-hussey. A meddlesome woman.—N.W.

Here and there one. 'I wur mortal bad aal the way [by sea] and as sick as here and there one.'—N. & S.W.

*Herence. Hence (A.B.).

Hereright. (1) Of time: on the spot, immediately (A.B.), the only use in N.W. (2) Of place: this very spot (S.).—S.W. (3) Hence (A.), probably a mistake.

Hesk. SeeHusk.

Het. 'A main het o' coughing,' a fit of coughing.—S.W.

Hetter. SeeHeater(S.).

He-woman. The same asHe-body.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard, &c.)

Hicketty. Hacking, as a cough.—S.W.Hacketty.—N.W.

Hidlock. 'In hidlock,' in concealment. Akerman, by some mistake, treats this as verb instead of noun. 'Her kep' it in hidlock aal this time.'—N.W.

Hike. To hook or catch. 'I hiked my foot in a root.' SeeHookandUck.—N.W.

Hike off. To decamp hastily, to slink off (A.B.C.S.); mostly used in a bad sense.—N. & S.W.

Hile. SeeHyle.

Hill. SeeHeal.

Hill-trot. Apparently a corruption ofEltrot. (1)Heracleum Sphondylium, L., Cow-parsnip. *(2)Oenanthe crocata, L., Water Hemlock.—S.W. (Charlton and Barford.)

Hilp. Fruit of the sloe.—N.W.

Hilp-wine. Sloe-wine.—N.W.

Hilt. A young sow kept for breeding (A.).—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Hinge,Henge. The heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep or pig (A.). In some parts of S. Wilts used only of the latter.—N. & S.W.

HintedHarvested, secured in barn (D.). 'Never zeed a better crop o' wheat, if so be could be hinted well.' A.S.hentan, to seize on, to secure.—N.W.

Back to Index Next