Chapter 7

'The wenches with their wassail bowlsAbout the streets are singing;The boys are come to catch the owls.'—G. Wither.

*Owl-catchers. Gloves of stout leather (Amateur Poacher, ch. xi).

Pack-rag Day. October 11, Old Michaelmas Day, when people change house. Also used in Suffolk.—N.W.

*Paint-brushes.Eleocharis palustris, Br.—S.W. (Charlton All Saints.)

Palm-tree. The Willow.Palms.Its catkins.—S.W.

Pamper. To mess about, to spoil a thing.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Pancherd. SeePanshard.

Pank. To pant (S.).—N. & S.W.

Panshard,Ponshard,Pancherd. (1) A potshard: a broken bit of crockery (A.B.S.).—N.W. (2) 'In a panshard,' out of temper, in a rage.—S.W. Also used in the New Forest.

Pantony. A cottager's pantry (Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxii. p. 112). CompareEntony, an entry: Berks. There are many slight variants, asPanterny.—N. & S.W.

Paper Beech.Betula alba, L.—N.W.

*Parasol.Sanguisorba officinalis, L., Salad Burnet.—S.W. (Little Langford.)

Parson. In carting dung about the fields, the heaps are shot down in lines, and are all of much the same size. Sometimes, however, the cart tips up a little too much, with the result that the whole cartload is shot out into a large heap. This is known as a 'Parson.'—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Parters. Pieces of wood in a waggon which join the dripple to the bed. SeeWaggon.—N.W.

Passover. 'A bit of a passover,' a mere passing shower.—S.W. (Som. bord.)

Payze. To raise with a lever (B.). Norman Frenchpeiser, cp. Fr.poiser.—N. & S.W.

Peace-and-Plenty. A kind of small double white garden Saxifrage.—S.W.

Peakid,Peaky,Picked,Picky. Wan or sickly-looking.—N. & S.W.

Pearl-blind. SeePurley.

Peart. (1) Impertinent (A.S.).—N. & S.W. (2) In good health. 'How be 'ee?' 'Aw, pretty peart, thank'ee.'—N. & S.W. (3) Clever, quick, intelligent.—S.W. (4) Stinging, sharp, as a blister.—S.W. (5) Lively. 'Her's as peart as ar' a bird, that's what her is!'—N.W.

Peck. (1)n.A pickaxe.—N. & S.W. (2)v.To use a pickaxe.—N. & S.W. (3)v.Of a horse, to trip or stumble: alsoPeck-down.—N.W.

'Captain Middleton's horse "pecked"—it is presumed through putting its foot in a hole—and threw the rider.'—Daily Telegraph, April 11, 1892.

*Pecker.n.The nose (S.).—S.W.

Pecky. Inclined to stumble. 'Th'old hoss goes terr'ble pecky.'—N.W.

Peel. (1) A lace-making pillow (A.B.). A little 'Peel lace' is still made about Malmesbury. A.S.pile.—N.W. (2) The pillow over the axle of a waggon (D.). SeeWaggon.—N.W. (3) The pole, with a flat board at end, for putting bread into the oven.—N.W.

Peggles. SeePig-all.

Pelt. Rage, passion (A.S.). 'A come in, in such a pelt.'—N. & S.W. The word occurs in this sense in some old plays. Herrick alludes inOberon's Palaceto 'the stings of peltish wasps,' and Topsell uses 'pelting' for angry or passionate.

'You zims 'mazin afeert to zee your gran'fer in a pelt! 'Ten't often as I loses my temper, but I've a-lost 'un now.'—Dark, ch. xii.

Penny(orPerry)moucher. A corruption ofBerry-moucher, q.v.

Perkins. The same asCiderkin.—N.W.

Perk up. To get better, to brighten up.—S.W.

*Perseen.v.To pretend to (S.).—S.W.

'There's Jack White a comin'; I wun't perseen ta know un.'—Mr. Slow.

Peter grievous. (1)n.A dismal person, or one who looks much aggrieved.Pity grievousat Clyffe Pypard, andPeter grievousat Salisbury.—N. & S.W.

'I'll tell you summat as 'll make 'ee look a pater grievous!'—Dark, ch. xv.

(2)adj.Dismal-looking. 'He be a peter-grievious-looking sort of a chap.'—S.W.

*Peter-man. See Jackson'sAubrey, p. 11.—Obsolete.

'At Kington Langley ... the revel of the village was kept on the Sunday following St. Peter's Day (29th June), on which occasions a temporary officer called "the Peter-man" used to be appointed, bearing the office, it may be presumed, of master of the sports.'—Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxiv. p. 83.

Peth. The crumb of bread.—N.W.

Pethy. Crumby, as 'a pethy loaf.'—N.W.

Pick. (1) A hay-making fork (A.B.D.), a stable-fork (D.).Pick=pitch, as inpitch-fork(Skeat).—N. & S.W. (2) The fruit of the sloe.

Picked(two syll.). (1) Sharp-pointed.Piggidon Som. bord. 'Thuck there prong yun't picked enough.'—N. & S.W. (2) Looking ill (S.). With features sharpened by ill-health. SeePeakid.—N. & S.W.

Pickpocket.Capsella Bursa-pastoris, L., Shepherd's Purse.—N. & S.W. (Enford, Mere, &c.)

Picky. SeePeakid.

*Pie-curr.Fuligula cristata, Tufted Duck (Birds of Wilts, p. 190).—S.W.

Pig-all,Pig-haw. Fruit of the hawthorn (A.).Peggles(Jefferies,Marlborough Forest, &c.)—N.W.

Pig-berry. Fruit of the hawthorn (S.).—N. & S.W.

Pigeon-pair. When a woman has only two children, a boy and a girl, they are called a 'pigeon pair.'—N. & S.W.

'So in N. Eng. "a dow's cleckin" (a dove's clutch) is used for two children.'—Smythe-Palmer.

Piggid. SeePicked(1).

Pig-haw. SeePig-all.

Pig-meat. The flesh of the pig in Wilts is, if fresh, 'pig-meat.' It is never 'pork' unless the animal is specially killed as a 'little porker.'

*Pig-muddle. Disorder, mess.—N.W.

Pig-nut. (1)Bunium flexuosum, With., The Earth-nut.—N. & S.W. (2) The very similar root ofCarum Bulbocastanum, Koch., Tuberous Caraway.—N.W., occasionally.

Pig-potatoes. Small potatoes, usually boiled up for the pigs.—N. & S.W.

Pigs. (1) SeeBoats.—S.W. (Hants bord.) (2) Woodlice.—N. & S.W. AlsoGuinea-pigsandButchers' Guinea-pigs.

Pig-weed.Symphytum officinale, L., Comfrey.—N.W. (Enford.)

Pillars. SeeWaggon.

Pimrose. A primrose. Also used in Hants.—N. & S.W.

Pin-bone. The hip bone; sometimes the hip itself.—N.W.

Pincushion. (1)Anthyllis vulneraria, L., Kidney Vetch.—S.W. (Barford.) (2)Scabiosa arvensis, L., Field Scabious.—S.W. (Charlton.)

Pinner. A servant's or milker's apron; a child's pinafore being generally calledPinney.—N. & S.W.

'Next morn I missed three hens and an old cock, And off the hedge two pinners and a smock.'Gay,The Shepherd's Week.

'Next morn I missed three hens and an old cock, And off the hedge two pinners and a smock.'

Gay,The Shepherd's Week.

Pinny-land. Arable land where the chalk comes close to the surface, as opposed to the deeper clay land.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Pins. The hips. A cow with hips above its back is said to be 'high in the pins.'—N.W.

Pip. The bud of a flower (B.).—N.W.

*Pish!orPishty!A call to a dog (A.). In co. Clare, Ireland, this is the order to a horse to stop.

Pissabed.Leontodon Taraxacum, L., Dandelion, from its diuretic effects.—N. & S.W.

*Pissing-candle. The least candle in the pound, put in to make up the weight (Kennett'sParoch. Antiq.). Cp. Norman Frenchpeiser, to weigh.—Obsolete.

Pit. (1)n.A pond.—N.W. (2)n.The mound in which potatoes or mangolds are stored (Agric. of Wilts, ch. vii).—N. & S.W. (3)v.'To pit potatoes,' to throw them up in heaps or ridges, in field or garden, well covered over with straw and beaten earth, for keeping through the winter.—N. & S.W.

Pitch. (1)n.A steep place.—N.W. (2)n.'A pitch of work,' as much of the water-meadows as the water supply will cover well at one time (Agric. of Wilts, ch. xii).—S.W. (3) n. The quantity of hay, &c., taken up by the fork each time in pitching (Gamekeeper at Home, ch. iv).—N. & S.W. (4)v.To load up wheat, &c., pitching the sheaves with a fork (S.).—N. & S.W. (5)v.To fix hurdles, &c., in place (Bevis, ch. xxiii).—N. & S.W. (6)v.To settle down closely.

'Give the meadows a thorough good soaking at first ... to make the land sink and pitch closely together.'—Agric. of Wilts, ch. xii.

(7)v.To lose flesh, waste away. Still in use in N. Wilts.

'The lambs "pitch and get stunted," and the best summer food will not recover them.'—Agric. of Wilts, ch. xii.

(8)v.To set out goods for sale in market. 'There wur a main lot o' cheese pitched s'marnin'.'—N. & S.W. (9)v.To pave withPitchin, q.v.—N.W. (10)v.Of ground, to have an uneven surface. 'The ground this end o' the Leaze pitches uncommon bad.'—S.W. (Hants bord.)

Pitched market. A market where the corn is exposed for sale, not sold by sample (D.).—N.W.

Pitchin.n.Paving is done with large flat stones, 'pitching' with small uneven ones set on edge (A.S.).—N. & S.W.

Pitching-bar. The iron bar used in pitching hurdles (Amateur Poacher, ch. ii).—N. & S.W.

Pitch-poll. When rooks are flying round and round, playing and tumbling head over heels in the air (a sign of rain), they are said to be 'playing pitch-poll'—N.W.

Pitch-up. A short rest, as when a cart is going up a steep hill.—N.W.

Pit-hole. The grave (S.). Used by children.—N. & S.W.

'They lies, the two on 'em, the fourth and fifth i' the second row, for I dug pit-holes for 'em.'—The Story of Dick, ch. vi. p. 66.

*Pixy. A kind of fairy. This is a Dev. and Som. word, but is said to be in use about Malmesbury.

Plain. Straightforward, unaffected, as 'a plain 'ooman.'—N. & S.W.

Plan. 'In a poor plan,' unwell, in a poor way, &c.—N.W. (Seend.)

*Plank-stone. A flag-stone.

'This soyle (at Easton Piers) brings very good oakes and witch hazles; excellent planke stones.'—Jackson'sAubrey, p. 236.'At Bowdon Parke, Ano 1666, the diggers found the bones of a man under a quarrie of planke stones.'—Aubrey'sNat. Hist. of Wilts, p. 71, ed. Brit.

'This soyle (at Easton Piers) brings very good oakes and witch hazles; excellent planke stones.'—Jackson'sAubrey, p. 236.

'At Bowdon Parke, Ano 1666, the diggers found the bones of a man under a quarrie of planke stones.'—Aubrey'sNat. Hist. of Wilts, p. 71, ed. Brit.

*Plash,Pleach. To cut the upper branches of a hedge half through, and then bend and intertwine them with those left upright below, so as to make a strong low fence (A.). AlsoSplash.—N. & S.W.

Plat. The plateau or plain of the downs.—S.W.

Pleach. SeePlash.

Pleachers. Live boughs woven into a hedge in laying.—S.W.

Plim. (1)v.To swell out (A.B.S.), as peas or wood when soaked in water.—N. & S.W. (2)v.Many years ago, near Wootton Bassett, old Captain Goddard spoke to a farmer about a dangerous bull, which had just attacked a young man. The farmer's reply was:—'If a hadn't a bin aplimmin'an'vertin'wi' his stick—so fashion—(i.e. flourishing his stick about in the bull's face), the bull wouldn't ha' run at un.' No further explanation of these two words appears to be forthcoming at present.

Plocks. Large wood, or roots and stumps, sawn up into short lengths, and cleft for firewood (S.).Plock-wood(D.).—N. & S.W.

Plough. A waggon and horses, or cart and horses together, make a plough (D.). See Kennett'sParoch. Antiq.—N.W.

'The team of oxen that drew the plough came to be called the plough, and in some parts of South Wilts they still call even a waggon and horses a plough. This is needful for you to know, in case your man should some day tell you that theploughis gone forcoal.'—Wilts. Arch. Mag.vol. xvii. p. 303.

'1690. Paid William Winckworth for Worke downe with his Plough to the causway.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 237.'1709. Paid for 41 days worke with a ploughe carrying stones to the Causey.'—Ibid.p. 239.

'1690. Paid William Winckworth for Worke downe with his Plough to the causway.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 237.

'1709. Paid for 41 days worke with a ploughe carrying stones to the Causey.'—Ibid.p. 239.

(2) For the various parts of the old wooden plough see as follows:—

'I should like to hear a Wiltshire boy who had been three years at plough or sheep fold, cross-examine one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, and ask him, in the article of a plough, to be so good as to explain the difference between the vore-shoot and back-shoot, the ground rest, the bread board, the drail, the wing and point, and the whippence.'—Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xvii. p. 303.

*Ploughman. A waggoner or carter.—N.W., obsolete.

'1690. Paid for beere for the plowmen and pitchers.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 237.

*Ploughman's-weatherglass.Anagallis arvensis, L., Scarlet Pimpernel.—S.W. (Barford.)

Plurals. (1) The old termination inenis still much used, asHousen,Hipsen, &c. SeeEn(1). (2) Plurals inesare very commonly used, asbeastes,ghostes,nestes,postes,gutses. Very often a reduplication takes place, asbeastises,ghostises, &c.—N. & S.W. (3) Plurals are used sometimes instead of singulars. Examples:—'Nows and thens,' 'You'll find un a little ways furder on,' &c.

'These are rather an adverbial use of the genitive, likealways,now-a-days,needs,whiles, etc.'—Smythe-Palmer.

(4) Plant-names are almost invariably used in the plural, even where only a single blossom is referred to, as 'What is that flower in your hand, Polly?' 'That'sRobins, ma'am' (orCuckoos,Poppies,Nightcaps, &c., as the case may be).—N. & S.W.

Poach. (1) Of cattle, to trample soft ground into slush and holes.—N. & S.W. (2) Of ground, to become swampy from much trampling (Wild Life, ch. xx).—N. & S.W.

*Podge. Anything very thick and sticky. Cf.Stodge.

*Pog. *(1) To thrust with the foot.—N.W. (Malmesbury.) *(2) To set beans.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

Poison-berry. (1) Fruit ofArum maculatum, L., Cuckoo-pint.—N.W. (2) Fruit ofTamus communis, L., Black Bryony.—N.W.

Poison-root.Arum maculatum, L., Cuckoo-pint.—N.W.

Pole-ring. The ring which fastens the scythe-blade to the snead (A.).—N.W.

Polly. A pollard tree.—S.W. A Wiltshire man, on being told by the hospital surgeon that his arms would have to be amputated, exclaimed, 'Be I to be shrowded like a owld polly?'

Polt,Powlt. A blow (B.). A blow with a stick (A.). In Glouc. apples, walnuts, &c., are beaten down with a 'polting-lug,' or long pole.—N.W.

Ponshard. SeePanshard.

Pooch out. (1) To project or stick out.—N.W. (2) To cause to project.—N.W. (3) 'To pooch out the lips,' to pout.—N.W.

Pook. (1)n.A small cock of hay, &c. (S.).—N. & S.W. (2)v.To put up in pooks (D.).—N. & S.W.

Pooker. A woman employed in pooking.—S.W.

Pookers'-tea. The yearly treat given to the pookers.—S.W.

Pooking-fork. The large prong, with a cross handle, for pushing along in front of the pookers, to make up the hay into pooks.—S.W.

Pop-hole. A rabbit-hole running right through a bank, as opposed toBlind-hole(Gamekeeper at Home, ch. vi). Any hole through a hedge, wall, &c.—N.W.

Popple-stone. A pebble (S.). A.S.papol.—S.W.

Poppy, orPoppies. (1)Digitalis purpurea, L., Foxglove, so called because children inflate and 'pop' the blossoms.Papaveris only known as 'Red-weed' by children about Salisbury.—S.W. (2)Silene inflata, L., Bladder Campion, also 'popped' by children.—S.W. (Salisbury.) *(3)Stellaria Holostea, L., Greater Stitchwort (Sarum Diocesan Gazette).—N. & S.W. (Lyneham and Farley.)

Posy. The garden Peony, from its size.

Pot, orPut. (The latter is the usual S. Wilts form.) *(1) A tub or barrel (D.).—Obsolete. (2) A two-wheeled cart, made to tilt up and shoot its load (D.).—N. & S.W. Manure used formerly to be carried out to the fields in a pair ofpotsslung across a horse's back. When wheels came into general use the term was transferred to the cart used for the same purpose (D.). SeeDung-pot.

Pot-dung. Farmyard manure (Agric. of Wilts, ch. vii).—N.W.

Pots-and-Kettles. Fruit ofBuxus sempervirens, L., Box.—S.W. (Barford St. Martin, Deverill, &c.)

*Pot-walloperA 'pot-waller,' or person possessing a house with a 'pot-wall,' or kitchen fireplace for cooking. All such persons formerly had votes for the borough of Wootton Bassett. SeeWilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxiii. p. 172.

Poult. (1) 'A turkey poult,' a young turkey.—N. & S.W. (2) 'A perfect poult,' an awkward girl.—S.W. (Warminster.)

Pounceful. Masterful, self-willed. Cf.Bounceful. 'He preached pouncefully,' i.e. powerfully, forcibly.—S.W.

Powder-monkey. (1) Damp gunpowder, moulded into a 'devil,' or cake which will smoulder slowly, used by boys for stupefying a wasp's nest. (2) Ash leaves with an even number of leaflets, worn by boys on the afternoon of May 29. SeeShitsack Day.

Power. 'A power o' volk,' a number of people. A quantity of anything.—N. & S.W.

'A's got a power of plaguy long spikes all auver's body.'—Wilts Tales, p. 118.

Powlts. (1) Peas and beans grown together.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.) (2) SeePoultandPolt.

*Poyn. To pen sheep (D.).

Prawch. To stalk, to swagger. 'I see un come a prawchin' along up the coort.'—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Preterites. A few specimens may be given, ascraup, orcrope, crept;drowd, threw;flod, flew;fot,vot, orvaught, fetched;hod, hid;hut, hit;lod, led;obloge, obliged;raught, reached;scrope, scraped;slod, slid;woc, awoke;seed,seen, saw.

Pretty-money. Coins, such as old George-and-dragon crowns, or new Jubilee pieces, given to a child to keep as curiosities, not to be spent.—N.W.

Pride. (1) The ovary of a sow.—N.W. *(2) The mud lamprey (H.).

'Petromyzon branchialis.L., ... in the southern part of England is locally known as the Pride.'—Seeley,Fresh-water Fishes of Europe, p. 427.'Lumbrici ... are lyke to lampurnes, but they be muche lesse, and somewhat yeolowe, and are called in Wilshyre prides.'—Elyotes Dictionarie, 1559, quoted by Hal.

'Petromyzon branchialis.L., ... in the southern part of England is locally known as the Pride.'—Seeley,Fresh-water Fishes of Europe, p. 427.

'Lumbrici ... are lyke to lampurnes, but they be muche lesse, and somewhat yeolowe, and are called in Wilshyre prides.'—Elyotes Dictionarie, 1559, quoted by Hal.

Primrose soldiers.Aquilegia vulgaris, L., Garden Columbine.—N.W. (Huish.)

*Prinit. Take it (A.H.Wr.).—N.W.

Privet,Brivet. 'To privet about,' pry into things. 'To privet out,' to ferret out anything. SeeBrevet.

Pronged. A scythe-blade with a small flaw in the edge which may develop into a serious crack is said to be 'pronged.'—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Pronouns.I,he, andshedo duty as accusatives, as 'He towld I, but I bean't a-goin' to do nothen for he.'Herandusare nominatives, as 'Her be a girt vule, that her be'; 'Us be at coal-cart s'marnin.'Theeis used for both thou and thy, as 'What's thee name?' 'What's thee'se want to knaw vor?' 'Never thee mind.'Hyn, or more commonlyun,=him, or it, as 'I seed un a-doing on't'; 'poor zowl on hyn!' This is the oldhime, the accusative ofhe.A=he, as 'How a hackers an bivers!'Thac,Thuck, orThuck there=that.Themmin=those.Thic,Thissum,Thease,Thic here, &c.=this.Theesum, orTheesum here=these. OccasionallyTheesenin S. Wilts.ThickandThuckrequire some explanation.Thuckalways=that, but is mainly a N. Wilts form, its place in S. Wilts being usually taken byThick.ThicorThickoften=thisin N. Wilts, but far more frequently=that,—in fact, the latter may probably now be taken as its normal meaning, although it would appear to have been otherwise formerly. InCunnington MS., for instance, it is stated that 'The old termsthicandthocalmost constantly exclude the expressions This and That,' and similar statements are found in other authorities. InThick hereandThick therethe use of the adverb defines the meaning more precisely. As regards the neighbouring counties, it may be said that in Som. and Dors.thick=that; while in N. Hants it never does so (see Cope'sGlossary), always there meaningthis. It should be noted that thethis usually soundeddth, much as in Anglo-Saxon.His'n=his;Hern, or occasionallyShis'n,=hers;Ourn=ours;Theirn=theirs;Yourn=yours;Whosen=whose, as 'Whosen's hat's thuck thur?'Mun=them, is occasionally, but not often, used.Arra,Arra one,Arn, &c.=any. Negatives,Narra,Narra one,Narn, &c. 'Hev 'ee got arra pipe, Bill?' 'No, I han't got narn.' In the Pewsey YaleMais occasionally used forI, in such phrases as 'I'll go we 'ee, shall ma?' or 'I don't stand so high as he, do ma?' About Malmesbury (and elsewhere in N. Wilts) the following forms may be noted:—Wither, other;Theasamy, these;Themmy, those;TothermorTothermy, the other.

Proof.n.Of manure, hay, &c., the strength or goodness. 'The rain hev waished aal the proof out o' my hay.' 'That there muckle bain't done yet; the proof yun't gone out on't.'—N. & S.W. A thriving tree is said to be in 'good proof.'

Proofey. Stimulating, fattening.—N.W.

'The Monkton pastures used to be of good note in Smithfield, from the very feel of the beasts. There are no more "proofey" fatting grounds in Wilts.'—Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. vi. p. 29.

Proof maggot. The larva of the gadfly, which causes warbles in cattle.—N.W.

Proper. 'Her's a proper beauty,' is extremely handsome. 'He's a proper fool,' an utter idiot.—N.W.

Proud. When wheat is too rank and forward in winter, it is said to be 'winter-proud' (D.).—N.W.

Pucker. Perplexity, dilemma (S.) 'I be in a main pucker 'bout what to do wi' they taters.'—N. & S.W.

Pucksey(1) A quagmire. 'The roads wer aal in a pucksey,' i.e. very muddy. 'Out of the mucksey (=mixen) into the pucksey,' from bad to worse.—S.W. (2) Hence, a mess or muddle. 'What a pucksey the house be in!' i.e. a dirty untidy state.—S.W.

Pud. The hand; a nursery word.—N. & S.W.

*Pud-beggar,Pudbaiger. The Water Spider (S.).—S.W.

'A very interesting word. M.E.padde, a toad,paddock, Dev. and East Anglia. M.E.pode, tadpole, Icelandicpadda, used of any beetles or insects that inhabit stagnant water.'—Smythe-Palmer.

PuddleorPiddle about. To potter about, doing little jobs of no great utility.—N. & S.W.

*Pue. The udder of a cow or sheep (A.). Fr.pis, Lat.pectus.

Pug. (1)n.The pulp of apples which have been pressed for cider.—N.W. *(2)v.To eat (H.Wr.). *(3) To ear, plough, till (Wr.).

Pummy.n.A soft mass. 'To beat all to a pummy'; frompomace, the apple-pulp in cider-making.—N. & S.W.

Purdle. To turn head over heels in a fall.—N.W.

Pure. In good health. 'Quite purely,' quite well (A.).—N. & S.W.

Purler. A knock-down blow, a heavy fall.—N.W.

'One of them beggars had come up behind, and swung his gun round, and fetched him a purler on the back of his head.'—Gamekeeper at Home, ch. ix.

Purley. Weak-sighted (A.H.Wr.).Pearl blindis sometimes similarly used.

Pussy-cats,Pussies, andPussies'-tails. Catkins of willow and hazel, more commonly of willow only (S.).—N. & S.W.

Pussyvan. SeePuzzivent.

Pussy-willow.Salix.—S.W.

Put. SeePot(S.).

Put about. To vex, to worry. 'Now dwoan't 'ee go an' put yourself about wi't.'—N.W.

Puzzivent. A flurry or taking. 'He put I in such a puzzivent.' Formerly used in both N. and S. Wilts, but now almost obsolete. Fr.poursuivant. According to a note inThe Astonishing History of Troy Town, by 'Q,' ch. xvii, the phrase originated from the contempt with which the West-country sea-captains treated the poursuivants sent down by Edward IV to threaten his displeasure. Hencepussivanting, ineffective bustle, Dev. and Corn.—N. & S.W.Pussyvan(S.).—S.W.

Puzzle-pound. The game ofMadell, q.v.—S.W. (Longbridge Deverill, &c.)

*Pwine-end. The whole gable-end of a house, which runs up to a sharp point orpwine.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

Quakers.Briza media, L., Quaking-grass.—N. & S.W.

Quamp. Still, quiet (A.B.G.).—N.W.

*Quamped,Quomped. Subdued, disappointed. SeeQuamp.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

*Quanked. Overpowered by fatigue (A.). CompareCank.

Quar,Quarr. (1)n.A stone-quarry (A.B.G.S.).—N. & S.W. (2)v.To work as a quarryman (A.B.).—N. & S.W.

Quar-Martin.Hirundo riparia, Sand-Martin, from its breeding in holes drilled in the face of sandy quarries (Wild Life, ch. ix).—N.W.

Quat,Qwot, orQwatty. (1) To crouch down (sometimes, but not always, remaining quite still), as a scared partridge (Amateur Poacher, ch. iii). To squat (A.); to sit (S.).—N. & S.W. (2) To flatten, to squash flat.—N.W.

*Quavin-gogorQuaving-gog.A quagmire (A.B.H.Wr.). SeeGog.—N.W.

'In the valley below the hill on which Swindon is built, are some quagmires, called by the inhabitants quaving-gogs, which are considered of great depth, and are consequently shunned as places of danger.'—Beauties of Wilts, vol. iii. p. 8.

*Quean.A woman.—N.W. (Castle Eaton.)

'The Saxon wordquean, woman, is still used without any objectionable meaning, but its use is rare.'—Leisure Hour, Aug. 1893.'When a man says of his wife that "th' old quean" did so and so, he means no disrespect to her, any more than if he were speaking of his child as "the little wench."'—Miss E. Boyer-Brown.

'The Saxon wordquean, woman, is still used without any objectionable meaning, but its use is rare.'—Leisure Hour, Aug. 1893.

'When a man says of his wife that "th' old quean" did so and so, he means no disrespect to her, any more than if he were speaking of his child as "the little wench."'—Miss E. Boyer-Brown.

Queed,Quid. (1)n.The cud. 'To chamme the queed' is given as a Wiltshire phrase inMS. Lansd.1033 (H.).—N.W. *(2) Quid.v.To suck (A.).—N.W.

Queen's-cushion. A seat for a little girl, made by two persons crossing hands, and so carrying her between them. When a boy is so carried the term used isKing's-cushion.—N. & S.W.

Quest,Quist. The Woodpigeon,Columba palumbus(A.B.);Quisty. 'Thee bist a queer quist,' i.e. a strange sort of fellow.—N. & S.W.

'The Wiltshire labourers invariably call it ... the "Quisty."'—Birds of Wilts, p. 318.

Quid. SeeQueed.

Quiddle. (1)n.A fussy person; one hard to satisfy in trifling matters of diet, &c.—S.W. (2)n.To make a fuss over trifles (S.).—S.W.

*Quiet Neighbours.Centranthus ruber, DC., Red Spur Valerian.—S.W. (Longbridge Deverill.)

Quiff. A knack, a trick. 'Ther's a quiff about thuck old gate-latch.'—N.W. Compare:—

'Mr. F. J. Kennedy, secretary of the Belfast Angling Association ... "worked a quiff," to use a slang phrase, on a well-known Lagan poacher.'—Fishing Gazette, Aug. 20, 1892, p. 154.

*Quile. A heap of hay ready for carrying. Fr.cueiller.—N.W. (Cherhill.)

Quill. The humour, mood, or vein for anything. 'I can work as well as or a man, when I be in the quill for 't.' To 'Quill a person' in the language in use at Winchester College is to please, or humour him. This is very near the Wilts use.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Quilt. (1)v.To swallow (A.B.C.G.). 'The baby wur that bad, it couldn't quilt nothen.' This is used of swallowing in the natural way, whileglutchis to swallow with difficulty (C.).—N.W. (2)n.A gulp, a mouthful of liquid. 'Have a quilt on't?' have a drop of it.—N.W.

Quinnet.n.(1) A wedge, as the iron wedge fastening the ring of the scythe nibs in place, or the wooden wedge or cleat which secures the head of an axe or hammer.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.) (2) SeeScythe.

Quirk. To complain (A.B.G.); spelt Quisk by Akerman in error. To grunt (S.); to croak. A frog often quirks, and a toad sometimes.—N. & S.W.

Quiset about. To pry about (Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxii. p. 112).—N.W.

Quisk. SeeQuirk.

Quist,Quisty. SeeQuest.

Quob. (1) A soft wet place, a piece of marsh or bog.—N.W. Cp. W. of Eng.quob, a bog;quob-mire, Salop. (2) Hence 'all in a quob,' said of a bad bruise.—N.W.

Quomped. SeeQuamped.

*Quop. To throb (A.B.G.).

R. (1) In pronunciationroften hasdortaffixed or prefixed, asCavaltry, horsemen;Crockerty, crockery;Millard, miller, &c. (2) SeeHar. (3) Transpositions frequently occur, ascruds, curds;cruddle, to curdle;girn, to grin;girt, great;gird'l, a great deal;hirn, to run.

Rabbit-flower.Dielytra spectabilis, DC., the flowers of which, when pulled apart, form two little pink rabbits.—S.W., occasionally.

Rabbits. Blossoms of Snapdragon when pinched off the stem.—S.W.

*Race. The heart, liver and lungs of a calf (A.B.).

Rack. (1) A rude narrow path, like the track of a small animal (A.S.). See Gen. Pitt-Rivers'Excavations in Cranborne Chase, vol. i. ch. i. On Exmoor the wild deer always cross a wall or hedge at the same spot. The gap thus formed is called a 'rack.' SeeRed Deer, ch. iv. Also in W. Somerset.—S.W. (2) Apparently also sometimes used in the sense of a boundary.—S.W.

Radical. 'A young radical,' a regular young Turk, a troublesome young rascal. Also used in Somerset.—N.W.

Rafter. To plough so as to leave a narrow strip of ground undisturbed, turning up a furrow on to it on each side, thus producing a succession of narrow ridges (Agric. of Wilts, ch. vii). SeeBalk-ploughing.—N.W.

Rafty,Rasty,Rusty. Of bacon, rancid (A.B.S.).—N. & S.W.

Rag-mag. A ragged beggar, or woman all in tatters.—N. & S.W.

Rail. To crawl or creep about, to walk slowly (Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxii. p. 112). 'I be that weak I can't hardly rail about.'—N.W.

Raims,Reams. A mere bag of bones, a very thin person. 'He do look as thin as a raims.'—N. & S.W.

Raimy. Very thin.—N. & S.W.

Ramp. A curve (S.).—S.W.

Ramping. Tall, as 'a rampin' gel.'—N.W.

*Randin. Riotous living.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

Randy. (1)n.A noisy merry-making (S.).—N. & S.W. (Malmesbury, etc.) (2)n.'On the randy,' living in a riotous or immoral manner.—N. & S.W. (3)adj.A woman who used to be a regular attendant at all the tea-meetings and other gatherings of the kind in her neighbourhood in N. Wilts was usually spoken of as being 'a randy sort o' a 'ooman'—randyapparently being there applied to such gatherings.

*Range. Two drifts or rows of felled underwood (D.).

Rangle. To twine round anything as a climbing plant does.—S.W. (Som. bord.)

Rank,Ronk. (1) Audacious. 'Hands off! Thee bist a bit too ronk!'—N.W. (2) Outrageous, as applied to a fraud or a lie.—N.W.

*Rannel.adj.Ravenously hungry.—N.W.

'A man comes in rannel vor 's food, and plaguey little dacent vittles can a get.'—Dark, ch. ii.

Rant. (1) v. To tear.—N.W.

'She "ranted" the bosom of her print dress.'—Field Play.

(2)n.A tear or rent.—N.W.

Rantipole.Daucus Carota, L., Wild Carrot (English Plant Names).—N.W.

Rap,Wrap. A thin strip of wood.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Rapid. 'A rapid pain,' 'rapid weather,' i.e. very violent. Always so used at Clyffe Pypard. So in W. Somerset.—N.W.

'This is a Latin use: cf. Virgil'srapidus aestus(Bucol. ii. 10) andrapidus sol(Georg.ii. 321)=strong, violent.'—Smythe-Palmer.

Rare. Underdone, but not raw. Reer (A.). PronouncedRaa.

Rash. To burn in cooking (H.Wr.). Sometimes used of malt.

Rasty. SeeRafty.

*Rathe-ripes. (1) An early kind of pea (B.). (2) An early kind of apple.

*Rattle-basket. (1)Rhinanthus Crista-galli, L., Yellow Rattle.—S.W. (Zeals.) *(2)Erica cinerea?Heath. Heard only from one person.—S.W. (Deverill.)

Rattle-thrush.Turdus viscivorus, the Missel-thrush, occasionally extended to any very large Song-thrush.Rassel-thrushat Huish.—N. & S.W. (Salisbury, &c.)

*Rattle-weed.Silene inflata, L., Bladder Campion.—N.W. (Lyneham.)

Rave. The ring of twisted hazel by which hurdles are fastened to their stakes or shores.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Raves,Reaves. The waggon-rails (D.S.). At Clyffe Pypard applied to the flat woodwork projecting over the wheels from the side of the forward part of a waggon.—N. & S.W.

Rawmouse, Raamouse. The reremouse or bat; used at Tormarton, Clyffe Pypard, &c.Bat-mouseis, however, in more general use.Ryemouse(A.B.).—N.W.

Rawney,Rowney. (1)adj.Thin, poor, and uneven, as applied to badly manufactured cloth (A.B.C.).—N.W. (2)adj.Of persons, extremely thin.—S.W. (Som. bord.), occasionally.

Ray, orArray.v.To dress and clean corn (D.).—N.W.

Ray-sieve.n.A sieve used to get the dust out of horses' chaff.Rayen-sieveon Dorset bord.—N.W.

Reams. SeeRaims.

Reap-hook. The 'rip-hook' is a short-handled hook without teeth, the blade bent beyond the square of the handle; used to cut to the hand a handful at a time (D.). The old reaping-sickle was toothed or serrated. SeeHal.s.v.Hook.

Red Bobby's eye.Geranium Robertianum, L., Herb-Robert.—S.W. (Redlynch.)

Red Fiery Bang-tail. SeeBang-tail.

Red Robin Hood.Lychnis diurna, Sibth., Red Campion.—S.W. (Zeals.)

Red-Robins.Lychnis diurna, Sibth., Red Campion.—N. & S.W.

Red-weed. Red Poppy (D.). The only name forPapaver Rhoeas, &c., used about Salisbury and Warminster,Digitalisbeing the 'Poppy' of those parts. One of our oldest plant-names.—N. & S.W.

Reed. Unthreshed and unbroken straw reserved for thatching (S.). A Somerset and Devon word. 'Reed' is seldom used in Wilts, where ordinary threshed straw, made up into 'elms,' is the common material.—S.W.

Reer. SeeRare.

Reeve. To draw into wrinkles.—N.W. (Malmesbury, Clyffe Pypard, &c.)

Remlet. A remnant.—N.W.

Reneeg,Renegue(galways hard). To back out of an engagement, to jilt.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.) In Ireland a horse refusing a fence would be said torenage. See Whyte-Melville'sSatanella, ch. i. p. 7:Lear, ii. 2, &c.

Revel. A pleasure fair; a parochial festival, a wake (A.B.), as 'Road Revel.' A village Club Feast (S.).—N. & S.W. There was a revel held at Cley Hill formerly, on Palm Sunday, and one at Kington Langley on the Sunday following St. Peter's Day.

Rhaa. Hungry, ravenous. SeeRhan.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard, rarely.)

Rhan(pronouncedRhaan). To eat voraciously (S.). A form ofraven. Cf. West of Eng.ranish, ravenous.—S.W.

*Rhine(pronouncedReen). A water-course. This is a Som. word.—N.W. (Malmesbury.) Mr. Powell mentions a Wiltshire poem, which begins:—

'There once were a frog that lived in a ditch, Or 'twere may be a rheen, it don't matter which.'

Rick-barken. A rick-yard (A.). See Barken.—N.W.

Rick-stick. In thatching, after the 'elms' are fastened down with 'spicks' or 'spars' the thatch is then lightly combed over with the 'rick-stick,' a rod with a few teeth at one end and an iron point at the other by which it can be stuck into the thatch when not in actual use.—S.W. (Warminster.)

Riddle. (1)n.A coarse sieve (A.B.). Cp. A.S.hridder. See Rudder.—N. & S.W. (2) v. To sift. 'Hev 'ee riddled they ashes well s'marnin'?'—N. & S.W.

Ridge-tie. A back chain for shafts.Wridgsty(S.).—S.W.

*Riffle. A knife-board on which 'callus-stone' is used (Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxii. p. 113).—N.W. (Cherhill.)

Rig. (1)n.A horse which has not been 'clean cut,' i.e. is only half gelded, owing to one of its stones never having come down.—N.W. (2)v.To climb up upon (S.), or bestride anything, either in sport or wantonness. 'To rig about' is commonly used in S. Wilts of children clambering about on wood-piles, walls, &c.—N. & S.W.

Rigget. A woodlouse.—S.W. (Heytesbury.)

Ring. 'To ring bees,' to make a noise with poker and shovel when they swarm.—N.W.

Rinnick. The smallest and worst pig of a litter. Sometimes abbreviated intoNurk. Cf. North of EnglandRannack, a worthless fellow.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Robin's eyes.Geranium Robertianum, L., Herb Robert.—S.W.

Rock. The 'fur' or calcareous deposit inside a kettle.—N. & S.W.

Rocket. 'Don your rocket,' put on your bonnet.—S.W. (Downton.) No doubt originally this meant a woman's dress or cloak (rochet), as in M.E., but it has long been transferred to the bonnet. In Devonrochetis still sometimes applied to female dress.

Roke. Smoke.—S.W., occasionally.

Rollers(oshort). (1)n.The long lines into which hay is raked before pooking.—S.W. (Warminster, &c.) (2)v.Rolly. To put grass into rollers (Cycl. of Agric.).—S.W.

*Rommelin. Rank, overgrown (A.).

Ronk. SeeRank.

*Rook Hawk.Falco subbuteo, the Hobby (Birds of Wilts, p. 72).

Ropey.adj.(1) 'Rawpey bread,' a term applied to that peculiar condition of home-made bread, known only in dry summer weather, and caused by a kind of second fermentation, when the inside of the loaf appears full of minute threads, and has a disagreeable taste.—N.W. (2) Also applied to thick drink (S.).—S.W.

Rough. (1)adj.Unwell, as 'He bin terr'ble rough this fortnight.'—N. & S.W.

'There, she was took rough as it might be uv a Monday, and afore Tuesday sundown she was gone, a-sufferin' awful.'—The Story of Dick, ch. viii. p. 85.

(2) 'To sleep rough,' or 'lay rough,' to sleep about out of doors like a vagabond.—N. & S.W. (3)v.To treat roughly, to ill-use. 'Thuck there hoss 'll kick 'ee, if so be as you do rough un.'—N.W.

Rough Band. A housset. SeeWilts Arch. Mag.vol. i. p. 88.

Rough-carpenter. The same asHedge-carpenter.—N.W.

Rough Music. The same asHoussetandSkimmenton.—N. & S.W.

*Round-tail.v.To clip the dirty locks of wool off the tail and legs of sheep, previously to shearing. Very commonly used in many parts of the county.—N. & S.W.

*Round-tailings. The locks so clipt, which are washed and dried, and usually sold at half-price.—N.W.

*Rouse. 'To catch and rouse,' seeCatch.

Rowet-grass. The long rough grass in hedges, &c., which cattle refuse; rowan or coarse aftergrass.—N.W.

Rowetty. Of grass, coarse and rough.—N.W.

'Tangled dead ferns and rowetty stuff.'—Gamekeeper at Home, ch. ii.'That "rowetty" grass seen in the damp furrows of the meadows.'—Wild Life, ch. ii.'Our low meadowes is ... rowtie, foggie, and full of flags.'—Harrison'sDescription of Britain.

'Tangled dead ferns and rowetty stuff.'—Gamekeeper at Home, ch. ii.

'That "rowetty" grass seen in the damp furrows of the meadows.'—Wild Life, ch. ii.

'Our low meadowes is ... rowtie, foggie, and full of flags.'—Harrison'sDescription of Britain.

Rowey. Rough (C.). SeeRowetty.

*Rowless-thing. In theDiaryof the Parliamentary Committee at Falstone House, S. Wilts, 1646-7, this curious phrase frequently occurs, apparently meaning waste and unprofitable land. It is once applied to a living. Several forms of it are used, asRowlass-thing,Rowlist-thing, andRowless-thing. SeeWilts Arch. Mag., Nov. 1892, pp. 343-391. We have been unable to trace the word elsewhere, so that it may possibly be of local origin.

'George Hascall is become tenant for a Rowlass thing called Dawes-Frowd, land of Lord Arundell and estated out to Mrs. Morley a recusant ... John Selwood and Richard Hickes tenants unto Sir Giles Mompesson for his farm at Deptford and his Rowless-thing called Hurdles at Wiley.'—Diary, &c.

Sir Fras. Dowse, of Wallop, is said to have been possessed of 'anotherthingcalled the Broyl [Bruellii= woods] of Collingbourne.' See 'Wiltshire Compounders,'Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xxiv. p. 58. In the New Forest a 'rough' is a kind of enclosure.

'Philips promised to feed the horse in a "rough" or enclosure ... which was well fenced in, but the bank foundered and the animal got out.'—Salisbury Journal, Aug. 5, 1893.

Rowney. SeeRawney.

Rubble. (1) In Wilts usually applied to the hard chalk used in making roadways through fields (Wild Life, ch. ii),—N. & S.W. (2) Rubbish (A.B.C.S.).—N. & S.W.

Rubbly.adj.Of soil, loose from being full of broken bits of chalk (Agric. Survey).

Rucksey. Muddy, dirty, untidy, as applied to road, weather, or house.—S.W.

Rudder. (1)n.A sieve. A.S.hridder. See Riddle.—N.W. (2)v.To sift.—N.W.

Rudderish. Passionate, hasty (A.B.G.).—S.W. (Som. bord.)

Rudge.n.The space between two furrows in a ploughed field.—N. & S.W.

Rumple,v.To seduce. The full force of the word can only be given byfutuere, as:—'He bin rumplin' that wench o' Bill's again laas' night.'—N.W.

*Rumpled-skein. Anything in confusion; a disagreement (A.).

Rumpum-Scrumpum.n.A rude kind of musical instrument, made of a piece of board, with an old tin tied across it as a bridge, over which the strings are strained. It is played like a banjo, or sometimes with a sort of fiddle-bow.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)

Rusty. SeeRafty.

Ryemouse. The bat (A.B.). A form of Reremouse.—N.W.

Saat. 'Saat bread,' soft, sweet puddingy bread, which pulls apart in ropes or strings, made from 'grown-out' wheat. Cp. Halliwell (s.v.Sad): 'Sad bread,panis gravis, Coles.' SeeZaad-paul.

Sails. The upright rods of a hurdle (D.).Hurdle-zailin',sing. (Clyffe Pypard).—N.W.

Sally-withy. A willow (A.H.Wr.). A curious reduplication, both parts of the word having the same meaning in Anglo-Saxon.

Sar. (1) To serve (S.) or feed (Wilts Tales, p. 112). 'Sar the pegs, wull 'ee,' i.e. 'Give them their wash.'—N. & S.W. (2) ''Twon't sar a minute to do't,' will not take a minute.—N.W.

Saturday's Pepper.Euphorbia Helioscopia, L., Sun-spurge (English Plant Names).Saturday-night's-pepper(Village Miners).

Sauf. As if (S.). 'Looks sauf 'twur gwain to rain.'—N. & S.W. (Clyffe Pypard, &c.)

Scallot. Quarrymen's term for one of the upper beds of the Portland series—a fine white stone (Britton'sBeauties of Wilts, vol. iii).

Scambling. 'A scambling meal,' one taken in a rough and hurried way.—N.W.

'In thePercy Household Book, 1511, "Scamlynge days" is of constant occurrence forjours maigres.'—Smythe-Palmer.

Scat.v.To whip, beat, smack, slap.—S.W., occasionally.

Scaut. (1)v.To strain with the foot in supporting or pushing (A.); as at foot-ball, or in drawing a heavy load uphill; to stretch the legs out violently.Scotein S. Wilts.—N. & S.W.

'Stick your heels in the ground, arch your spine, and drag with all your might at a rope, and then you would be said to "scaut." Horses going uphill, or straining to draw a heavily laden waggon through a mud hole "scaut" and tug.'—Village Miners.

(2)n.The pole attached to the axle, and let down behind the wheel, to prevent the waggon from running back while ascending a hill (A.S.).—N. & S.W.

*School-bell.Campanula rotundifolia, L., Harebell.—N.W. (Enford.)

Scoop. (1) A shovel (D.).—N.W. (2) Allowance or start in a race, &c. 'How much scoop be you a going to gie I?'—N. & S.W. (Baverstock, &c.)

'Alwaies dyd shroud and cut theyre fuel for that purpose along all the Raage on Brayden's syde alwaies taking as much Skoop from the hedge as a man could through [throw] a hatchet.'—Perambulation of the Great Park of Fasterne near Wootton Bassett, 1602.

The original document is in the Devizes Museum.—N.W.

Scotch. A chink, a narrow opening. The spaces between the boards in a floor arescotches.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard, Huish, &c.)

Scote. SeeScaut.

*Scottle. To cut badly or raggedly (H.Wr.). 'Her did scottle the stuff so, that my new gownd's 'tirely spwiled.'—N.W.

Scraamb. 'To scraamb a thing down' is to reach up to it and pull it down violently (S.), in the manner thus described by Jefferies:—

'Suppose a bunch of ripe nuts high up and almost out of reach; by dint of pressing into the bushes, pulling at the bough, and straining on tiptoe, you may succeed in "scraambing" it down. "Scraambing," or "scraambed," with a long accent on the aa, indicates the action of stretching and pulling downwards. Though somewhat similar in sound, it has no affinity with scramble: people scramble for things which have been thrown on the ground.'—Village Miners.

It would not be used of such an action as scrambling about on rocks.—N.W.

*Scram,Skram. Awkward, stiff as if benumbed.—N.W. (Malmesbury.)

Scran. *(1) A bag (A.H.Wr.) in which food is carried.—N. & S.W. (2) Victuals (S.).—S.W.

Scratch Cradle. Cat's-cradle (A.B.).

Screech. (1) The Missel Thrush,Turdus viscivorus(A.).—N.W. (2)Cypselus apus, the Swift (Birds of Wilts, p. 309).—N. & S.W.

Screechetty.adj.Creaky (S.).—S.W.

Screech Thrush. The Missel Thrush,Turdus viscivorus(Birds of Wilts, p. 129).—S.W. (Sutton Benger.)

*Scricele. To creak or squeak. SeeScruple.—N.W. (Wroughton.)

Scriggle. To take the last apples. SeeGriggles.—N.W.

Scroff,Scruff. Fragments of chips (S.). The refuse of a wood-shed; ashes and rubbish for burning.—S.W.

Scrouge. To squeeze, press, or crowd any one (A.B.). 'Now dwoan't 'ee come a scrougin' on I zo!'

Scrow. (1) Angry, surly (A.H.).—N.W. *(2) Sorry, vexed.—N. & S.W., occasionally.

'Lawk, zur, but I be main scrow to be ael in zich a caddle.'—Wilts Tales, p. 137.

Scrump. (1)n.A very dried up bit of anything (S.), as toast or roast meat 'done all to a scrump' (Cottage Ideas).—N. &. S.W. (2) Hence, sometimes applied to a shrivelled-up old man.—N. & S.W. (3)v.'Don't scrump up your mouth like that!' i.e. squeeze it up in making a face.—N. & S.W. (4)v.To crunch. A sibilated form of Crump.—N. & S.W.

Scrumpshing. Rough play: used by boys (Bevis, ch. ix).—N.W.

Scrupet. To creak or grate, as the ungreased wheel of a barrow (Village Miners). Also Scroop, Scripet, Scrupetty, Scroopedee (S.), &c.—N. & S.W.

Scruple. To squeak or creak. 'When the leather gets old-like, he sort o' dries up, an' then he do scruple—he do scricele, Sir!' i.e. the saddle squeaks. Cf.Scroop.—N.W. (Wroughton.)

Scuff aboutoralong. To drag one's feet awkwardly, as in too large slippers; to 'scuff up' the dust, as children do for amusement, by dragging a foot along the road.—N. & S.W.

Scuffle. An oven-swab.—S.W.

Scythe. The various parts of the scythe are as follows in N. Wilts:—Snead, orSnaith, the pole;Nibs, the two handles;Pole-ring, the ring which secures the blade; Quinnets (1) the wedges which hold the rings of the nibs tight, *(2) the rings themselves (A.);Crew, the tang of the blade, secured by the pole-ring to the snead.

Seed-lip. The box in which the sower carries his seed (D.) (Village Miners). A.S.léap, basket, Icel.laupr.—N. & S.W. MisprintedSeed-tipin Davis.

Seer!orSire!'I say, look here!' a very usual mode of opening a conversation when the parties are some distance apart.—N. & S.W.

Seg,Sig. Urine.—S.W.

Seg-cart. The tub on wheels in which urine is collected from house to house for the use of the cloth mills.—S.W.

Sewent,Shewent,Suant. (1)adj.Even, regular (A.B.C.S.), working smoothly. Formerly used all over the county, but now growing obsolete, although it is not infrequently heard still in S. Wilts. O.Fr.suant, pr. part. ofsuivre, to follow.—N. & S.W.

'A Piece of Cloth is said to be—shewent—when it is evenly wove and not Rowey—it is also applied in other cases to denote a thing Level and even.'—Cunnington MS.

*(2) Demure (C.).—N.W., obsolete.

'To Look Shewent, is to Look demure.'—Cunnington MS.

*Shab off. To go off (S.).—S.W.

Shackle. (1) A hurdle wreath or tie (S.): a twisted band of straw, hay, &c.—N. & S.W. (2) 'All in a shackle,' loose, disjointed (S.).—N. & S.W. (Devizes, Huish, Salisbury, Clyffe Pypard, &c.)

Shaft-tide, orShrift. Shrovetide.—S.W.

Shaggle. Of a bough, &c., to shake.—S.W.

Shakers.Briza media, L., Quaking-grass.—N. & S.W.

*Shally-gallee. Poor, flimsy (Great Estate, ch. iv). CompareSpurgally, wretched, poor, Dors.; andShally-wally, a term of contempt in N. of England.—N.W.

*Shame-faced Maiden.Anemone nemorosa, L., Wood Anemone (Sarum Dioc. Gazette).—S.W. (Farley.)

Shammock. To shamble or shuffle along hastily.

*Shandy. A row about nothing (S.). Probably a form ofShindy.—S.W.

Shape(pronouncedshap). To manage, arrange, attempt, try. 'I'll shap to do 't,' try to do it. Compare the similar use offramein some counties.—N.W. (Devizes.)

Shard,Shord,Sheard. (1) A gap in a hedge (A.B.).—N. & S.W.

'I went drough a sheard in th' hedge, instead o' goin' drough th' geat.'—Wilts Tales, p. 167.'1636. Itm. to Robert Eastmeade for mendinge a shard in Englands ijd.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 207.

'I went drough a sheard in th' hedge, instead o' goin' drough th' geat.'—Wilts Tales, p. 167.

'1636. Itm. to Robert Eastmeade for mendinge a shard in Englands ijd.'—Records of Chippenham, p. 207.

(2) A narrow passage between walls or houses; usually Shord.—S.W. (3) 'To put in a shard, or shord,' to bay back or turn the water in a meadow trench by a rough dam, such as a piece of wood or a few sods of turf.—N.W.

(4) 'A cow-shard,' a cow-clat.

*Shares. The cross-bars of a harrow (D.).

Sharpish. Considerable. 'I be eighty-vive to-year, an' 'tis a sharpish age.'—N.W. (Huish, &c.)

Sharps. The shafts of a cart (A.S.).—N. & S.W.

Shaul. v. To shell nuts. CompareShalus, husks (Chron. Vilod.).—N.W.

Sheening. Thrashing by machinery (Wild Life, ch. vi).—N.W.

Sheep. SeeAgric. of Wilts, p. 260; also quotation below.

'In the article of sheep what strange nomenclature! Besides the intelligible names of ram, ewe, and lamb, we have wether hogs, and chilver hogs, and shear hogs, ram tegs, and theaves, and two-tooths, and four-tooths, and six-tooths. So strange is the confusion that the word hog is now applied to any animal of a year old, such as a hog bull, a chilver hog sheep. "Chilver" is a good Anglo-Saxon word, "cylfer" [this should be "cilfer"] ... a chilver hog sheep simply means, in the dialect of the Vale of Warminster, a female lamb a year old.'—Wilts Arch. Mag.vol. xvii. p. 303.

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