We drank five cups o’ tea apiece,Eat hauf a pund o’ cake;An’ then we hed a jig er tweea,Ta finish off the hake.
We drank five cups o’ tea apiece,Eat hauf a pund o’ cake;An’ then we hed a jig er tweea,Ta finish off the hake.
We drank five cups o’ tea apiece,Eat hauf a pund o’ cake;An’ then we hed a jig er tweea,Ta finish off the hake.
We drank five cups o’ tea apiece,
Eat hauf a pund o’ cake;
An’ then we hed a jig er tweea,
Ta finish off the hake.
HAM-SAM—Indiscriminately. Hem! That’s nacken, an’ plenty on’t fer yance. Ham-sam’s when ye throw yer things by all in a fluster an’ hurry.
HANNIEL—A ho-buck an’ a hanniel. They mean a fellow ’at’ll jump ower a haystack ta git inta some mack o’ mischief.
HARD—Fierce, strong, when applied to the wind. Joe Steel says:
When t’ wind blows hard frae Stowgill eyast,Ye may foad yer sheep an’ hoose yer beyast.
When t’ wind blows hard frae Stowgill eyast,Ye may foad yer sheep an’ hoose yer beyast.
When t’ wind blows hard frae Stowgill eyast,Ye may foad yer sheep an’ hoose yer beyast.
When t’ wind blows hard frae Stowgill eyast,
Ye may foad yer sheep an’ hoose yer beyast.
HARD-AGAIN—Close to. It’s hard again t’ fell sides.
HARD-HODDEN—This is yan ’at co’s in when we’re sair fashed aboot many things. Ah was hard hodden ta keep mi tongue atween mi teeth an’ keep frae tellen mi mind streck oot.
HAUF-THICK—A thick heed’s yan ’at’s nut o’ theer. T’ woman at t’ shop was tryen ta sell a chap a hat, but cudn’t suit him, an’ she kept on tellen him “It’s not such large heed, but it is such a thick heed.” Well, a hauf-thick’s yan ’at’s nobbut hauf as silly as a thick-heed.
HAVER—A haver an’ a hodder’s gay neear alike.
HAKE—Trail aboot. Ye wad hake yan aboot wi’ ye as lang as ivver yan could trail.
HAKEN—Dragging about. Ah’s fair doon sto’ed wi’ haken aboot efter yon ducks an’ things, they’re seck a boddur a to mi.
HAND-RUNNIN—Yan efter anudder, streck forard like.
HANKLATH—A pocket handkerchief.
HANKLOOT—A tooel. T’ hankloot aback o’ t’ door.
HANSEL—A first sale, a beginning. What, ye wad o’ ken Potter Jammy, an’ Jinny t’ wife. Whia, Ah’ve hard Jinny say ’t mair ner yance, “Noo than, will ye give us a hansel, ta-day? Deea noo!”
HAP—Cover. Hap yersel weel up fer it’s cauld eniuf ta starve a giavlock.
HAPPIN—Bed clothing. Hev ye plenty o’ happin on?
HAPPEN—Perhaps. Happen ye’ll len me sixpence?
HATHER, HEATHERAN, HADDER, HADDEREN—A heavy mist, as near rain as neea matter. Do ye think it’ll rain to-day? Nay, it’ll rain nin, nut it marry; it may hadder a bit. T’ party ’at assd knew neea mair ner a fiul what hadder meant, an’ they set off withoot top cooats, an’ come back wet throo, an’ gaan on aboot this hadder, an’ yan o’ them says, “Ye may nut hev ‘hed her’ but you’ve ‘hed huz.’” Fooak at sweets a lot ’ll say, “Ah’s o’ in a hather.” An’ mony a yan ’at’s bin oot ’ll come in an’ say, “It’s nivver geen ower hadderan sen Ah went oot.”
HAVER—Oats. That field o’ haver liuks weel.
HAVERBREAD—Bread made from haver meal. It is of various names: thick, thin, riddle, clap, girdle, squares, snaps, or treacle parkin, according to its preparation, which is various.
HAVER-GRUST—Oatmeal e’ t’ rough state.
HAVERMEAL—Oatmeal. Havermeal poddish fer yan’s supper.
HAVERMEAL-POOAK—A wallet that a beggar carries wi’ him to put his meal in when he gits eny gien.
HAVERSACK—A cleanish pooak wi’ t’ havermeal in ’t. Tak a haversack wi’ ye.
HANG-DOG—He liuks a reg’lar hang-dog liuk, he’s neea good.
HAWKY—Hod. What t’ wo’ers hes ta tek lime an’ stians up wi’; an’ t’ man ’at sarras t’ wo’ers.
HARDIN—Rough material used for coarse aprons. A hardin brat.
HARRIED—Tired; more than sufficient. Ah’s fairly harried. Ye’ve harried mi’ wi’ meat.
HARRY—When t’ poddish hes been sarra’d oot, an’ ther’s some left, that’s Harry.
HATTY-CAP—A lads’ gam.
HASK—Rough, dry, kizened. It maks yan’s hands hask to howk amang lime. Mi skin’s as hask as owt. Well waiter’s ower hask to wesh in.
HAUVED—A sheep mark. Hauf a lug off.
HAY-BAY—A great commotion. He kickt up a gurt hay-bay aboot his money.
HAFFLE—To waver; to speak unintelligibly.
HANSEL-MONDAY—The first Monday in the new year, when it is customary to make children and servants a present.
HAUNCH—To throw.
HANG-GALLOWS—A sheepish, slenkin appearance. He’d his heed doon atween his legs, an’ liukt a reg’lar hang-gallows liuk.
HARKS-’TA—Hear tha. Harks-ta at that noo, is that thunner?
HACKEN—A term of disgust. T’ gurt brossen hacken wad eat tell he dud hissel a mischief.
HEART-SLUFT—Sickened; sorrowful; cast-down. Ah was heart-sluft when Ah fand oot Ah’d ten mile ta walk ower t’ fell, an’ dark ano. She was heart-sluft when her mudder deed. They war heart-sluft when it rained day by day, an’ seea mich hay doon.
HEED-RIGGS—The unploughed margins, or the margins that are ploughed in a contrary direction owing to turning, er t’ heed riggs.
HER, SHE—Let her alian, noo she’s fit ta len oot, she’s a gay whent ’un is——. Ah won’t say wheea, but it’s a genuine Lakeland spak. A Highlander or a Welshman (vide “Valentine Vox”) we expect to hear use the feminine pronoun, but the above had reference to a man considerably advanced in years, and the practice among us of so alluding to men as “her” or “she” is further accentuated by another remark: “She’s a gay laddy fer suppin’ her yal, is Auld Jooan.”
HERON-SEW—A jammy-lang-neck. He shot oot a neck as lang as a heron-sew.
HET-FIUT—In a great haste, or, in a moment of excitement. Off Ah set, het-fiut, theear an’ than, at top o’ mi majesty, ta hev ’t oot wi’ him.
HET-WHITTLE—O’ t’ lads ’at ivver Ah kent knows what a het-whittle is. It’s ta booar a burtree gun, er owt else, oot wi’, an’ ye mak ’t het. An auld tally iron heater maks a grand ’un, but fairation, du’t gang an’ breck t’ tally iron becos Ah’ve telt ye.
HEAF, HEAF-GAAN—The pasture of a mountain sheep; ther native spot, an’ when they’re selt wi’ t’ farm they’re heaf-gaan.
HEAFED—As t’ heaf of a sheep is that particular part on which it has to secure its food, and to which it becomes attached, so a new sheep has to get heafed, and the word has an extended application to persons who are moving. They’ll like when they get heafed. Some niver deea heaf doon at a new spot, an’ some er siun heafed—they can heaf anywhar, varra near.
HECTOR—Wheea he was, an’ whar he co frae, an’ what he was aboot Ah’ve neea mair idea ner t’ deed, but as soor as Hector’s a varra common sayen.
HEEDAMANECKUM—This sud be “heed ’im” er “neck ’im,” neea doot—that is, “bi a heed,” er “bi a neck,” but it’s used as Ah’ve set it doon. He shot oot, si tha, t’ better leg first an’ off he went, lick fer smack, heedamaneckum. That’s yan ’at’s gaan ta win a rias. Anudder’ll say siam as a chap was tellen mi yance, he was gaan ta t’ station ta gang bi t’ train ta Pe’rith, an’ ta git a bit bainer he cot ower a dyke on t’ line, an’ i’ runnen doon t’ batter he gat his fiut fast i’ yan o’ t’ wires they set ta catch pooachers, an’ poo t’ signals wi’, and seck. He was gangen at a gay good bat ta begin wi, an’ ower he went, heed ower heels, an’ landed i’ t’ gutter, heedamaneckum, an’ neea bark left on his snoot, an’ his dicky spoilt, an’ sair as a kyle.
HEEMER—Higher. A bit heemer up ner that.
HEEMEST—It’s t’ heemest o’ t’ lot.
HEART-BLOOD—Theer gahs a drop o’ heart bliud, they say, when yan sighs, and Herbert refers to this belief when he says:
“The sigh then only is,A gale to bring me sooner to my bliss.”
“The sigh then only is,A gale to bring me sooner to my bliss.”
“The sigh then only is,A gale to bring me sooner to my bliss.”
“The sigh then only is,
A gale to bring me sooner to my bliss.”
HEATER—It’s an iron ta heat t’ iron, ta iron wi’, is t’ heater, seea noo than ye hev ’t, an’ o’ aboot it.
HEAT-DROPS—Gurt wallopin drops ’at come oot o’ t’ sky when it’s varra het an’ nut many cloods aboot.
HEAT-SPOTS, HEAT-LUMPS, HEAT-RASH—O’ these mean yah thing; it’s t’ bliud at gits oot o’ fettle when it’s seea het.
HECK—The place where hay and straw is put up for cattle to eat from. It is formed of bars, or rails.
HECK—A passage within a building. Famish spots fer boggles is t’ hecks.
HEE-BUR, HEE-BER—Rising ground on the side of the Lyvennet.
HEE-FLOWN—A body’s ’at’s gurt ideas. Yan ’at’s a bit ov a temper, teea.
HEE-MOOR—Likely frae t’ time afooar t’ common went up.
HEE-GARY—It means a hee temper. A chap when he’s hed a bit ov a tiff wi’ his best lass, an’ sets off an’ ’lists, does it in a hee-gary. Many a yan leeves ta be sooary fer deein’ things in a hee-gary.
HEFT—Handle of a knife.
HEG—See egg.
HEFTIN—A putting up. Ah gat a heftin wi tryin’ ta carry that pig on mi rig.
HEG-BATTLE—Yan ’at breeds mischief. Ther’s nearly allus a heg-battle amang a lot. He tells yan a bit ov a tial aboot what anudder’s been sayen er diun: than he gahs back an’ puts a bit tult. T’ next thing he says ’at seea an’ seea ’ll feit, an’ he gits them tagidder. Noo than, says he, t’ better cock spit ower my thum, an’ he sticks his thum oot, an’ likely biath ’ll spit, than yan o’ them gies tudder his coo bat, er tig, an’ a duel i’ miniature is t’ result.
HEG-BERRY, HECK-BERRY—Dog-cherry. We used ta lait them i’ t’ dikes.
HELM-WIND—Aboot t’ Brough Hill time o’ t’ year ther’s mair fooak knows aboot it ner cares. It’s when t’ wind comes off t’ fells in a bad temper, an’ fit ta skin a tiad. It’s grand when it’s blowin’ stacks ower, riven trees up, an’ clashen t’ hens an’ t’ turkeys aboot like flees. Noo them ’at’s nivver seen a helm-wind at its warst du’t know iv’rything ther is i’ seck a simple thing as t’ wind.
HERD—Herden t’ kye i’ t’ looanens. It’s a dowly job fer yan, but some lads Ah kent lang sen used ta mak some fun fer thersels wi’ hevin riases. Yan riad on an auld black cowey, an’ tudder on a cuddy, an’ ta this day they’ll talk aboot it, an’ laugh tell ther sides wark, an’ ta liuk at them ye wad think they war biath ower mome an sooaber fer owt but a funeral.
HERDWICKS—A lish mak o’ lal sheep ’at gahs on t’ fells.
HESP—A door sneck; yan at gah’s ower a stiaple.
HESPIN—A vigorous determined effort. He was hespin intul ’t wi’ a rattle.
HEFTED—Established. He gat hissel fairly weel hefted in, an’ nin o’ them cud touch him.
HELPLY—An’ this is a good auld hes been, fer a helply mak ov a body’s yan ’at’ll deea a good turn when we’re sair in need on’t.
HEN-PEN, HEN-BANE—It’s bane o’ owt else besides hens, an’ Ah never saw yan written, did ye?
HECK-BOARD—A loose board at the back of a cart.
HEUCK—Hook; a crook; a sickle.
HEAVY-TAILED—This refers to the magnitude of wealth a prospective bride may possess. In some cases they are brokkun backt’ ’t; an’ in some they’re leet i’ t’ heed.
HEMP—A rough hardy fellow, wi’ nut ower mich manners. Thoo’s a gurt rough hemp.
HETHER-FACED—A bit stubbly.
HEEZE-UP—Lift up.
HEV—Have.
HED—Had.
HEED—What Ah’ve kent ye bi heed this many a year. It means ta know wheea ye er, what ye deea, an’ whar ye co’ frae withoot hev’in a speaken acquaintance. Yah auld chap was nooated becos iv’rybody he met he kent bi heed.
HEED-WARK—Red campion.
HIAMS—These is things ’at nags is yoked tull, but what they er caps me ta tell ye. Some fooak co’ them homes, some hames, but we stick tult auld ’uns—hiams.
HIDE-BUND—A complaint amang t’ kye ’at’s crippled.
HIGH-LOW—A card gam. High-low, Jack an’ t’ gam.
HIGH-LOWS—A mack o’ shoon ’at come ower t’ ancle.
HIGHT—A chap ’at’s seea greazy ’at he’ll put ye in his pocket yah day, an’ t’ next snap yer heed off. Ther’s an auld sayin’ aboot this but space an’ seck hinders me frae putten ’t in. Ye’ll o’ happen think on ’t noo. Ah wonder what auld Parson Harrison wad think aboot us an’ oor memo ways aboot t’ words ’at he used.
HIRPLE, HURKLE—Ah’ve put these tweea tagidder fer they’re a draft, Ah think. They mean ta limp. Ah can hardly hirple fer corns. Ta sidle up to. He wad hurkle up tull her if he hed t’ least lal bit ov a chance.
HITCH—To hop on one foot. Hoo far can thoo hitch?
HITCHI-POT, HITCHI-BED—A gam ’at lasses laik at wi’ bits o’ pot, an’ they hitch it aboot o’ yah fiut.
HITTY-MISSY—A ning-nang sooart ov a chap ’at’s easy put off, an’ izzant varra particular aboot keepen his word, er diun as he says he will. Also something of which there is much doubt, as, for instance, the continuance of fine weather, the success of some undertaking depending on many circumstances. He’s nobbut a hitty-missy customer, izzant yon; ye mun watch him. Oor picnic’s a Setterda, an’ it’s hitty-missy fer a fine day for ’t, t’ way t’ glass is gaan doon.
HIUK, HIUKS—A coo wi’ a hiuk doon liuks aboot as funny as a chap wi’ yah lug. What a hiuk is ye mun ass t’ coo doctor. Ah nivver saw inside o’ yan.
HIAM-SPUN—A rough article of any sort is said to be a hiam-spun ’un. A person of homely and unaffected ways is hiam-spun, and drink that is brewed at home is hiam-spun.
HIDEN—A thrashing. Ah gat a hidin for ’t.
HIE—Hurry. Hie thi ways hiam honey ta thi mudder.
HINDERENDS—Kaff an’ seck ’at comes oot through t’ deetin machine.
HIP-HAWS—Hawthorn berries.
HISK—To draw the breath through the closed teeth, making a hissing noise. A sign of alarm or fear. Thoo fair maks yan hisk wi’ thi tials aboot goasts.
HIULET—An owl. Commonly known amang lads as a jinney-hiulet.
HIUZ—A nasty, plagy cough, frae a ticklin’ throoat. That coo hez a nasty hiuz wi’ ’t; it’s a bit o’ turnip i’ t’ throoat.
HIUZENS—Husks. Broon leemers ’ll shell oot o’ ther hiuzens.
HITHER AND YON—Here and there.
HICK-HAW—A cuddy love-song.
HIND—A farm manager who lives on the farm, and carries it on as a farmer would.
HINGKAPONK—An imposter, or deceiver. Thoo’s an auld leein hingkaponk, an’ Ah wadn’t believe thi as far as Ah cud throw a bull bi t’ tail.
HIT-ON, HAT-ON—Agree. They niver cud hit-on. Meet. We hat-on at public hoose.
HIDDLEINGS—On t’ sly. T’ lasses mead a gurdle ceak ta-day on t’ hiddleings when t’ mistris was et market. Just like a lass trick!
HIG—A bit o’ hee-flown temper. Ah went off i’ a hig.
HIGHTY-TIGHTY—A skip jack mak ov a body, wi’ mair wind ner woo’.
HING—A male salmon or trout.
HIPPIN—A baby’s under-wraps. It’s fer ther bits o’ hips, siam as leggins is fer t’ legs.
HINK, STRIDE, AN’ LOWP—Athletic exercise. Hop, step, and jump.
HICKLEDY-PICKLEDY—He threw them in hickledy-pickledy, gurt an’ lal, soond er unsoond. It means mixed up, without order or arrangement.
HOTCHEY-CAP, HATTY-CAP—A lad’s gam wi’ a bo’ an’ ther hats, o’ set in a row ta throw intul.
HODDER—A sticker. Yan ’at never leaves lowse o’ owt, he’s a hodder.
HOD-IN—A plewer’s instructions tull his nags.
HOD-OFF—T’ siam again.
HOD-HARD—“Hod hard, Thomas, mi fiut’s gitten hankled i’ t’ car riap”—t’ fact was he was trailen ahint t’ car ’at Thomas was driven fer o’ he was worth, an’ t’ lad wanted him ta stop but dudn’t like ta say seea. It’s a good thing i’ life ta know when ta hod-hard a bit an’ liuk aroond whar t’ next step’ll leet.
HOD-ON—When t’ car gahs on wi’ a liad o’ hay on an’ yan’s atop on’t, hod on.
HOGG—A sheep; a swine; an idle mucky body.
HOG-WHOLS—Smoots i’ t’ wo’s fer sheep ta gang throo, oot o’ yah field ta anudder.
HONK—Ah’s nearly sham’d o’ putten these mack doon, but they’re theer an’ Ah mun deea ’t. Thoo gurt idle honk, thoo; thoo’ll honk aboot anyway afoor thoo’ll buckle ta some wark.
HOOD, HOODEN—What they hap stook heeds up wi’.
HOPPET, HOPPER—What a sower carries his seed in when he goes forth to sow.
HOPPLE—To tie a nag’s legs tagidder, seea as it ca’t gah far away.
HOW—Hoe.
HOW-SCROW—In confusion. Mair nacken. We’re o’ how-scrow at oor hoose, wi’ weshin an’ seck like bodderment. Ye cart git yer nooase intul t’ whol hardly—that’s how-scrow.
HOWKS—A gristly substance that grows over the eyes of a pig. Oor pig’s gitten t’ howks.
HOWKS—A disease amongst cattle and swine, followed in the former case by sudden death unless the animal is bled.
HOWKS—When one person takes in another in trading, or gets something out of another by unfair means.
HOBBLY—Rough, uneven.
HOLY-STONES—Stones with a natural hole through them, hung up in stables as a charm against disease.
HORNEY—The tip of a cow’s horn made into a top.
HORSE-SHOES—The game of quoits.
HOODWINK—In hiding. They’ve a few cotters i’ hoodwink.
HOTTER—A body’s sair hodden when they can hardly hotter an’ walk.
HOWDER—Havoc. T’ frost’s played howder wi’ berry trees.
HO-BUCK—A gurt lammasen lad ’at ’ll jump ower a hoose, an’ can’t sit whiatly fer his life, an’ ’ll gang ower dikes an’ wo’s an’ gutters fer a breck—we co him a ho-buck. Yan ’at izzant ower mannerly, an’ does things ’at he owt ta be ashamed on—he’s a ho-buck.
HOGGUS—T’ oot-buildens away frae t’ farm-hoose, whar t’ young beeas is kept, an’ t’ sheep sarra’d i’ winter. Famish spots fer gitten flayed in is t’ hogguses.
HOLME—A low level tract of land by a river or stream,e.g., Eden Holme.
HOBSON’S CHOICE—That er nin.
HOCKER, HOCKEREN—A chap ’at izzant ower lish ’ll hocker ower a wo er on ta a nag back as weel as he can. An’ sometimes if ye ass a nebbur hoo he’s gaan on he’ll say, “Ah’s hockeren on as weel as Ah can,” an’ ye know at yanse ’at that izzant as weel as he could like.
HOD-DEEA—Yan ’at’s a hindrance. Sista come oot o’ t’ way, thoo’s nowt but a hod-deea.
HOD-DEEA—Noo a hod-deea’s summat ’at yan does fer t’ love o’ t’ thing, siam as Ah’s stringin’ o’ this riapment tagidder aboot oor auld talk. A chap ’ll garden fer a hod-deea, er he’ll keep hens, er fish, er fiddle. Owt i’ t’ natur ov a hobby ’at’s diun at odd times fer a change. Many a man’s a gay bit better fer hevvin a good hod-deea.
HODFAST—An iron hook for holding a rain water spoot up.
HOFFS—Hips. Ah’s as sair as sair aboot t’ hoffs wi’ mowin.
HONESTY—It grows i’ t’ garden—sometimes.
HOOK-IT—Get off sharp. Thoo mun hook it as hard as thoo can. He’s hook’t-it—run away from his place.
HOOK’T-IT—Gone off. He’s gian an’ hook’t it wi’ my watch on him.
HOOASE-FOOAK—Dudn’t Ah tell ye ’at fooak’s fooak yut wi’ huz? Whia an’ t’ hoose fooak’s them at stops at hiam an’ du’t gah oot ta work i’ t’ fields.
HO’-PLAISTER—Plaster of Paris. Is them ornyments marble? Nay, they’re ho-plaister.
HOTCHT-UP—Get together more closely. That’s varra nice, an’ soonds grand, but ta hotch-up er git hotcht-up is a different thing. A chap ’ll hotch-up ta mak room on a seat withoot gitten up. Fooak ’ll hotch-up ta yan annudder acos they like to be clooas aside o’ them; an’ sometimes they’re hotcht-up becos they mun be, whedder they want er nut.
HOW-WAY—Coo language—Hoy! how-way. Dog language—How-way by! Barn language—How-way hiam as hard as thoo can leddur.
HOOSE-AN’-HARBOUR—Shelterless; deserted. They’ll eat ye oot o’ hoose an’ harbour.
HORN—Impudence. Thoo’s ower mich horn fer me.
HORSIN-STIAN, HORSIN-STEPS—T’ steps whar t’ riders “horse,” or mount. Mainly again t’ stiable door.
HOW—Hollow; empty. Ah’ve hed neea breakfast, an’ Ah’s as how as Ah can be for ’t. Thoo liuks varra how.
HOW-BACKT—A nag wi’ a hollow spot i’ t’ back. Ah saw yan yance, an’ t’ cart saddle went intul t’ how spot.
HOW-SEEDS—They beat t’ fire wi’ them when they’re biaken havver-breed. They’re t’ huizens off wots ’at’s gaan to be grun.
HOWK—Howk thisel off hiam. It means ta hook it, er git off reet sharp.
HOP-SCOTCH—Hitchipot.
HOIDER—Summat varra rough an’ hard i’ t’ talken line. Ah threw t’ cart ower at t’ gap steed an’ t’ maister play’d hoider ower ’t.
HOWKEN—Howken aboot fer owt he can git. It’s yan ’at’s allus glooaren aboot him fer a good bargen, an’ owt else.
HOWK—“Howks, grubs, an’ worms fra under t’ under breeas,” says Whiteheed; it means ta grobble for them, an’ howk them oot.
HOWK—To turn things over when searching.
“Like otter dogs they hunt oor beaynes,Rive up the cairns, howk through the reaynes,Where e’er they find a heap o’ steaynes,Like swines they’re reuten in.”Anthony Whitehead.
“Like otter dogs they hunt oor beaynes,Rive up the cairns, howk through the reaynes,Where e’er they find a heap o’ steaynes,Like swines they’re reuten in.”Anthony Whitehead.
“Like otter dogs they hunt oor beaynes,Rive up the cairns, howk through the reaynes,Where e’er they find a heap o’ steaynes,Like swines they’re reuten in.”
“Like otter dogs they hunt oor beaynes,
Rive up the cairns, howk through the reaynes,
Where e’er they find a heap o’ steaynes,
Like swines they’re reuten in.”
Anthony Whitehead.
Anthony Whitehead.
HOWK—To scoop out; howk a whol; howk t’ inside oot.
HOB—T’ guardian imp o’ t’ fireside, hob, hood, or t’ rannel baulk. It is recorded of one of these who made himself so familiar that the family decided to remove out of his way, and one of the family on the eve of the removal metwith him in the byre and asked what he was up to there, got for a reply, “Oh, nowt; nobbut greasen mi shoon; we’re gaan ta skift ta-morn.” Hob was gaan ano, seea they stopped on.
HONEY—A term of endearment for a child. Come in, honey, an’ gang ta bed; an’ if thoo doesn’t deea as thoo’s telt, Ah’ll clash thi lugs fer thi.
HONEY-FO—A bit o’ good luck i’ t’ legacy line. An’ it maks things gah as snod as t’ sugared dew ’at maks t’ looanens seea sweet.
HONEY-FO—Ah’s neea botanist, naturalist, herbalist, ner nowt o’ that mack, but fer o’ that on a fine day i’ July, when t’ sun’s shinen, an’ t’ birds is singen, an’ t’ tree leaves glissen an’ shine, an’ t’ bees buzz amang them, an’ ther’s bin a honey-fo’, Ah like ta be i’ t’ looanens.
HOW-I’-T’-WAME—Big i’ t’ belly.
HORROCK—Played horrock amang ’t.
HODDEN—Held.
HODDEN-GRAY—Cliath miad oot o’ woo ’at’s left its nat’ral colour without dyein.
HUMPING—Crying. What’s ta humpin aboot?
HUMMER—An expletive, a mild oath. Thee gah ta hummer, an’ tak’ thi auld nag wi’ tha. Hummer it, Ah’ve knock’t mi’ finger nail off.
HUMMERY—Oh, hummery ta seck as thee.
HUBBLESHOO—A gurt nurration an’ fluster. Ther was seck a hubbleshoo i’ oor henhoose as yan niver hard, an’ it was a wizzle efter t’ chickens.
HUFF—In a nasty temper.
HUNSIP, HUNSIPEN—A bit ov a streitnen oot wi’ t’ use o’ varra bad words. Ah niver gat seck a hunsipen ower owt be neabody as Ah dud ower that auld hare Ah shot.
HUSSIF—A holder for pins and needles, made of cloth, and folds up into a small compass.
HUFT—Bad temper’d. A bit huft; in a huff. Ah was huft ta think on’t.
HUGGIN—As mich streea, er hay, er owt o’ that sooart as yan can carry at yance, that’s a huggin. As mich yal as a chap can carry an’ walk streck; that’s a huggin, ano.
HUGGIN-AN-POOIN—This is efter t’ siam strain as hag-an-trail, an’ some fooak er said ta be huggin an’ pooin thersels ta death fer t’ siak o’ siaven brass.
HULK—An idle lout. Git oot o’ mi rooad, thoo gurt idle hulk thoo, fer thoo’s nowt else. It has been remarked that as our fore-elders were of a roving, marauding character, their language and ours naturally represents much of that kind of life. A closer acquaintance with the folk speech and a fuller appreciation of the significance of its words reveals the instinctive hatred of all that is mean, deceitful,or underhand. No one can understand fully such a word as “hulk,” the tone in which it is used of sheer disgust, without feeling that it comes from an inherent dislike of the thing signified.
HULKEN—Idling, lounging ways. T’ gurt hulken, he rayder hulk aboot an’ deea owt but work.
HULL—Whar they keep cauves an’ swine, ta be sewer.
HUMLY-CUMLY—A lad’s game o’ hoppen like a tiad.
HUSK—Hoarse. Ah’ve a bad cauld, an’ Ah’ve bin as husk as husk fer ower a week, an’ Ah’ve neea doot but a drop o’ rum an’ honey wad skift it.
HUSSLE—What for does thoo hussle like that? Fooak ’ll say thoo’s t’ scab. It means ta hotch yer back up amang yer duds.
HUTTY-BACKT—Spinal curvature.
HUPE-BAN—A band for the hips. T’ auld fashioned tailors used ta put yan on yan’s troosers an’ aboot three buttons, but lauve in days yan wad be laft at ta ass fer yan noo-a-days.
HUPE-BUN—A bit stiff an’ that aboot t’ hips, makken fooak walk as if ther feet wer tied tagidder.
HUZZ, HUZZ’D, WHUZZ, WHUZZ’D—These is o’ yah mak, an’ they’re akeen ta ooze, whiz, an’ seea on. Ooze means to come oot whiat an’ stiddy; huzz an’ hiuz means ta come oot, but in a hurry, an’ makkin a bit o’ stir aboot it. Water ’ll fair huzz throo a lal whol; seea will bliud oot ov a pig throoat. A lad ’ll send a stian oot ov his sling, an’ say, “By gen! dud thoo hear t’ whuzz!”
HUG—Wrestling. Tak hauld o’ hands wi’ yah hand apiece, an’ git hauld o’ yan anudder wi’ t’ tudder, an intul’t wi’ t’ feet; a gay lish fellow hes t’ best chance.
HUPE—Around the body at the hips. He’s gay middlen o’ hiup.
HURREN—A shoolen, slenken, shafflen sooart ov a chap ’at’s sense left ta be shamm’d ov hissel, gahs hurren by fooak wi’ his heed doon.
HUGGIN’ AN’ LUGGIN’—Nursing an’ suckling an infant.
HUGGINS—The hips. She’d t’ barn astride ov her huggin an’ a canful o’ watter e’ tudder hand.
HYPE—A chip i’ wrusslin. When tweea kye feit, they deea t’ hype. They stick a horn in, an’ lift up, an’ sometimes tak t’ skin off.
ILLION-END—A wax-end.
ILL-GREEN—Badly disposed. An ill-green auld tyke.
ILK—Family; breed. He’s yan o’ t’ siam ilk.
ILL—Nut badly, but vile an’ bad. An ill-liukin’ thing, an ill-wind, an’ seea on.
ILLIFY—To slander or defame. Sista, he dud iv’rything ’at laid i’ his poor ta illify me at mi spot.
ILL-MEZZUR—Hard usage. A briakin, a cottonin, an’ sec. Ther war tweea or three ugly liuken thieves darken aboot, an’ he was flait o’ gitten ill-mezzur frae them gaan hiam.
IMP—A mischievous barn’s varra oft co’d a poky lal imp.
IN—Permissible; to be allowed. Nay, come noo, that izzant in at neea price.—meaning that something referred to is unfair.
ING, INGS—A field and place name—Wood Ing, Main Ing, Hard Ing, The Ings, an’ sec like.
INGLE, INGLE-NIUK—Yah while it’s set doon at some ov oor auld ingles hed hed a fire allus burnen i’ them fer generations, but it’s a fashion ’at’s deein oot, as cooal gits mair common, an’ t’ turf and peat scarcer. But ther’s some conny auld ingle-niuks up an’ doon amang us, an’ they’re famish spots ta sit an’ tell boggle tials when t’ wintry neets is on, an’ t’ wind’s bealen doon t’ chimla, an’ iv’ry rattle maks yan’s skin creep up yan’s back wi’ t’ thowts o’ t’ awful things ’at yance war seen.
INKER—The eatable contents of a beggar’s wallet.
INKLEWEAVERS—They’re as thick as inkleweavers. Inkle is a rough mak o’ braid, er tape, an’ t’ weavers on ’t war some off-comers ’at leeved bi thersells an’ keeped thersels ta thersels a gay bit, an’ seea t’ spack gat set off when it hed a meanin’ an’ it sticks on when an’ whar it hes nin o’ nowder.
INKLIN—A brief hint. Awovver, Ah gat an inklin o’ what they war efter.
INTACK—A field name.
IS, IZZANT—Ther tweea varra nearly tak’ t’ place of am an’ are. Ah is badly; thoo is a fiul; them tweea izzant oors; we’st be theer.
IN-BANK—Doon hill. It’s o’ inbank frae Pe’rith.
IN-ANUNDER—Underneath. Dud thoo see that gurt whelken rattan gah in anunder t’ coorn kist?
IVERSOME—Always. Iversome at yan aboot it.
JACKY-STENS—A lass gam.
JACKSONED, JACKSONIN—Thrashed, thrashing. He gat amang a lot o’ potters at Brough Hill, an’ they gev him sec a Jacksonin as he’ll nivver fergit.
JAGG—A journey. We’ll gang anudder jagg. A load; we’ve nobbut a lile jagg left; turn to pay; Oh! Ah’ll stand mi jagg.
JACKI-NAPES—A mischievous lad. He’s bin i’ mischief again, hes he; he’s a young jacki-napes ta be sewer.
JANGLIN—Domestic discord. Says Bowness:
“Will te drop thi janglin’, Jinnet?Naggin i’ that nasty way,Nivver ligs thi tongue a minnet,Stop it, du, I beg an’ pray.”
“Will te drop thi janglin’, Jinnet?Naggin i’ that nasty way,Nivver ligs thi tongue a minnet,Stop it, du, I beg an’ pray.”
“Will te drop thi janglin’, Jinnet?Naggin i’ that nasty way,Nivver ligs thi tongue a minnet,Stop it, du, I beg an’ pray.”
“Will te drop thi janglin’, Jinnet?
Naggin i’ that nasty way,
Nivver ligs thi tongue a minnet,
Stop it, du, I beg an’ pray.”
JABBER—Talk, an’ plenty er ower mich on ’t. Ther jabber’s nivver diun.
JACKET—Skin, Ah’ll warm thee thi jacket. ’Taties boiled i’ ther jackets.
JACKILEGS—Pocket knife. Ah’ve a famish good jackilegs at Ah’ll gie thi for ’t, if thoo’l cowp mi.
JADE—A gay lish jade, not meaning anything but approval, of an active, stirring woman. A gurt idle jade has the opposite meaning.
JADDUR—Vibrate. Hem! Du’t clash t’ door teea like that, thoo maks iv’ry pot i’ t’ hoose jaddur. Clashen aboot, thoo’s warse ner a bull in a pot shop.
JANNOCK—Fair-play. Noo that’s a lang way off bein’ jannock.
JANT—A journey for pleasure. We’ll hev a jant oot efter tea.
JARBLE—To smear with mud. Thoo’s jarbled o’ thi pettycooats.
JAUM—“T’ jaum” is generally used for chimney piece, but t’ door jaum an’ t’ winda jaum er theer ano.
JAW—This means tongue, an’ plenty on ’t. Let’s hev nin o’ thi jaw.
JAW’D—Abused. He jaw’d me rarely when Ah spak tull him fer his awn good.
JERRY—They’re varra few noo, er t’ jerries, whar they sell yal without ass’in t’ Queen, an’ mak ther awn. If they’re co’ed jerry whols acos o’ t’ bad yal they sell, ther’s neea wonder at “jerry” bein’ used fer seea many maks o’ thing ’at’s up to varra lal.
JET, JERK, JERT—To throw a stone by bringing the elbow in contact with the side, instead of the usual over-arm method of throwing. Ah cud varra near jet it as far as thoo can throw ’t.
JET—To shake hands. Children’s rhyme, as follows:
Shak hands lal kind cousin,Lang sen we met;A cup o’ good ale,Jet, Jet, Jet.
Shak hands lal kind cousin,Lang sen we met;A cup o’ good ale,Jet, Jet, Jet.
Shak hands lal kind cousin,Lang sen we met;A cup o’ good ale,Jet, Jet, Jet.
Shak hands lal kind cousin,
Lang sen we met;
A cup o’ good ale,
Jet, Jet, Jet.
JIB—Face. Hod up thi jib tell Ah wesh ’t. Near to Shap on the Appleby road is a point spoken of as t’ “Jib.” “We war gaan ower t’ Jib afooar ye come ta t’ Rakes,”—from which it almost seems that the crest of a hill or the edge; of a higher level is known as a Jib.
JIG, JIGGEN—Fussing about. Thoo’s jiggen aboot i’ good time ta-day.
JIKE—To squeak. Mi shun is jiken leddur. T’ watter’s that hard it varra near jikes when yan weshes yansel wi’ ’t.
JIMMERS—Hinges. T’ door jimmers wants greasin’.
JIMMY-TWITCHER—A wire-worm wi’ as many feet o’ them as thers days in a year.
JINNY-SPINNER—A lang legged moth ’at likes a leet.
JIMMY, JAMMY, JADY, JADE—James. An’ yan jammies a bit sometimes when yan’s mair ner yan can carry streck.
JIMP—Cut out neatly. Thoo mun jimp it off nicely at t’ corners.
JIMPT—Scanty; pinched. Thoo’s jimp’t it off far ower short at t’ back.
JIP, GYP—What we co’ oor cooaly, but when a lad gits a good twanken, that’s gip, ano! A bad lad; he’s a reg’lar gyp.
JISTE—Jisting oot, like beese ’at’s fest oot ta gerse.
JOGGLE—Loose. This seat joggles aboot. To overflow. It was that full that some on’t wad joggle ower. Remind. He’ll mebbe fergit, but thoo mun joggle his mem’ry.
JOCKY-TRODDLE—A bit o’ horse swappin’ mack o’ craft.
JORAM—A joram o’ yal, a joram o’ physic—it’s evident that wheeaivver gits a joram, gits rayder mair ner’s good.
JOSS—To crowd. We joss’d again yan anudder.
JOSSEN—Crowded; squeezed. They war jossen aboot i’ lumps.
JOWL—To shake up. Thoo mu’t jowl t’ can at o’ er thoo’ll spill t’ milk. An ugly blow. Ah catcht mi heed seck a jowl over t’ jaum. To knock; to bring in collision. Ah’ll jowl yer heeds tagidder if ye can’t be whiat.
JONK—A rough journey. Ah com ower t’ fell tudder neet fra Mardle, en Ah hed a tur’ble jonk.
JOWK—To clash aboot.
JOWEL—The arch of a bridge.
JOY, DOY—An endearing pet name. Come thi ways joy ta thi auld ganny fer a berry shag. Did um doy? We’ll gie them ’t.
JONATHAN—A kind o’ ket miad oot o’ how-seeds ta mix wi’ haver meal. Jonathan hed’nt ower good a reputation amang fooak ’at hed ta leeve a gay deal o’ poddish, fer it maid them varra bitter, an’ neabody but millers thowt owt on ’t.
JOIST—Agistment. See Jiste.
JUD—An ugly push. He catcht mi sec a jud i’ t’ ee wi’ his gurt hard elbow.
JUMP—When a blacksmith wants ta shorten an’ thicken owt he jumps it, an’ when a cricket bo’ hits ye on t’ thumb end and sends it up tweea er three inch it’s jumped. A chap gahs ta t’ toon an’ co’s back wi’ his nooas stuck up, nacken like rotten sticks—he’s jumped up. Miss. We’ll jump that sum, it’s a hard ’un. Ah war fair jumpen mad wi’ t’ tic. Ther’s tweea er three mair macks o’ jumps, but that’s eniuf, an’ eniuf’s plenty.
JUMPER—A drill for blasting purposes. A Welshman tells mi ’at it’s what they co’ them teea. Yance Ah ass’d an auld chap what yan was, and he said “a kurn jumper.” That wad be a up an’ doon kurn, Ah reckon, an’ ye hev ’t ta nowt.
JYSELIN—It means the swaymish gait of a young chap ’at hardly knows hoo ta hod hissel amang fooak. Many a yan jysles a bit when they’re oot o’ ther element ’at gahs streck as a seeve amang t’ nags an’ t’ kye.
KAIL-POT—An iron pan. But makkin broth is co’ed boilen t’ pot.
KATE-AN’-DAVID—Tweea ’at’s varra thick.
KATIN-AN’-SIAVIN—Scriapin a bit tagidder, an’ takken care on ’t. That’s katin-an’-siavin.
KELTEREN—Stuff ’at’s lowse an’ scrowen aboot amang yan’s feet’s said ta be kelteren aboot. Hoo can yan git on wi’ yan’s wark wi’ seea mich streea kelteren aboot wharivver yan puts yan’s feet doon!
KEDGE—Kedge an’ kite mud ha been yan, as nar as Ah can tell ye. It’s t’ wiam again.
KEEABER—Kelterment an’ rubbish.
KEEK—A squinten, peepen, pinken trick is this—keep off’t. Peeped. He was flait o’ missin summat, an’ keekt ower t’ winda blind.
KEK—Turn-up. Kek t’ cart up i’ t’ cart hoose. Sticking oot. Durt kek thi gurt feet up like that, er somebody’s gaan ta tum’le ower them. To trip up. Ah kek’t him ower as grand as ivver thoo saw owt i’ thi life.
KELDERMENT—A conglomeration of incongruous parts (cush barn!). Say it’s a lad’s pocket ’at’s ower full, an’ his mudder hes ’t turned oot. Ther’ll be a crib chain, a bit o’ flint an’ an auld rasp, his jackilegs, an’ as mich string as wad hang him, a teetolly if it’s Christmas time, an’ a rusty nail er tweea, a bit o’ indy if he gahs ta t’ skiul, an’ his sliat cloot, an’ a stump er mair o’ pencil, an’ happen aboot t’ last thing’s an inch o’ twist, ’at he ca’t tell hoo that’s gitten in. His mudder co’s it a heap o’ kelderment.
KELK—Anudder dignified term (nacken again) for a salute. Ah gat a kelk i’ t’ stomach wi’ yon young imp ’at Ah’s nut fergit fer a bit.
KELL, KELD—A spring or well, found in place names,e.g., Gunner-Keld, Salkeld, Threlkeld, &c.
KELTER—Money.
KEMP—A rough fellow. He’s a gurt cooarse kemp ’at is he. He izzant fit to hev a cuddy.
KEN—Know. Ah dud’nt ken thi i’ that hat. See; perceive (hem!). It was varra nar dark, but Ah cud ken summat afooar mi.
KEN’D—Saw. Ah just ken’d him as he was turnen in ta t’ fauld.
KENNIN’—Knowing. Thoo does grow! Ah’s sewer thoo gits oot o’ kennin’ barn.
KENSELIN—A thrashing. Thoo’ll git a kenselen if thi mudder catches thi smiuken bacca. It izzant bacca, it’s fooal-fiut.
KENT—Knew. We kent yan anudder when we war lads.
KEP—Catch. Ther’s mair fooak can kep ner can keep. Crecketers can kep t’ bo’ at times.
KESH—A dried stalk, seck as brocoli, cicely, an’ seea on. As dry as a kesh; ther’s nowt mich ta be gitten oot ov a kesh.
KESLOP—As tiuf as keslop. It’s t’ rennet to put i’ milk ta mak cheese on.
KESSEN—Cast. A sheep er a nag er a coo ’at gits kessen is in a varra strait spot, laid fair on t’ back an’ can’t stir leg ner limb, an’ yan hes ta lift a bit ta git them upended. Bent wi’ t’ sun, siam as t’ chap legs. When someone telt him they war varra bowed, “Aye,” sez he, “they’re a bit kessen wi’ t’ sun.”
KEST—Whemmle. Swarm. T’ bees is gaan ta kest.
KET—Ah’ve neea casion ta say ’at ket’s summat o’ neea ’coont. Owt ’at’s nasty ket is up ta nowt. An t’ aulder end ’ll varra oft say, “keep frae amang seck nasty ket,” when they mean bad mannered fooak.
KEVEL—A blunderen awk’ard way. Kev’len aboot i’ thi gurt clogs. Anudder an’ yan mair tull t’ lot o’ niams fer a rattle on t’ lug. He catch’t him a nasty kevel wi’ his flat hand.
KEYED, KEYEN—When t’ maut gits intul a chap’s legs an’ they plet a bit as he stackers frae yah side o’ t’ looanen tul tudder, he’s keyen a bit an’ his legs is keyed.
KEY-STAN—Ah’ve kent many a queer ’un, but si’sta thoo’s t’ key-stan o’ t’ lot. That’s fully explained.
KENSPACKABLE, KENSPECKLE—Conspicuous; easily picked out. He’d nobbut yah lug, an’ it maks a body varra kenspeckle.
KET-CRAW—A carrion crow.
KENT-GRUND—It’s when yan knows whar yan is, an’ yan’s varra feet seems ta ken o’ aboot it.
KETTLE-O’-FISH—A sad mess. That’s a bonny kettle-o’-fish, awivver, ’at is ’t.
KEW—Fettle. Ahs a fair good kew fer a few poddish. His nooase gat knockt oot o’ kew wi’ feitin.
KEEP—Food. He was worken fer nowt nobbut his keep an’ happen a bit bacca.
KIAD—A sheep loose er a bug. Ther nasty creepen kittlen things ta git on ta yer body. What ye’ll ha seen themsauven an’ dippen, Ah lite; that’s on account o’ t’ kiads an’ t’ wicks amang t’ woo’.
KIAVE—Noo that’s a grand ’un, an’ signifies wiaden aboot amang snow, er gerse, er muck. We kiave aboot frae mornen ta neet.
KIAV’D—We kiav’d through; got through a difficulty anyhow. They kiav’d doon t’ middle o’ ther bit—that is they wasted t’ middle, an’ warrant ower nice wi’ t’ sides.
KIAVEN—Always busy diun nowt. They’re allus kiaven at it, nivver diun, up ta t’ een i’ muck an’ wark.
KIRK-GARTH—Whar we’ll o’ gah yah day an’ lig as whyat as can be.
KIBBLE—A kibble’s owt frae a swill tull a porringer. Bring thi kibble an’ full’t.
KIDDIED—Ta play t’trewen. Yance ov a while they warn’t hauf as nice aboot playen trewen as they er noo, an’ some lads ’at Ah kent hed aboot a quarter i’ yan o’ them ghylls Ah telt ye on. Hooiver when t’ cauld wedder com they’d ta turn up, an’ in explanation of their absence informed the man of rods that they’d “been wanderen aboot.” Them was days when a lad hed some fun i’ bein’ whick.
KILP—Ass t’ lasses what they fassen ther frock wiasts wi’, kilps an’ e’en.
KING-COUGH—When t’ barn coughs an’ kinks tell it’s black i’ t’ fias.
KIN—A crack i’ t’ skin wi’ t’ frost, hard watter, an’ seck. Ah’ve seen a chap drop melten shoemakker’s wax intul them, an’ he’s gurned like o’ that when it bat.
KINK—A twist. T’ dog hed a kink i’ t’ tail.
KIN’LIN—Firewood. Git t’ kin’lin in.
KIRK-MAISTER—Churchwarden.
KIRN-SUPPER—The rejoicing at the conclusion of harvest. Not so many years ago it was a practice to serve cream that had been beaten up in the kirn, with other good things of a similar nature, and from this no doubt comes the name.
KIRN—To stir up. Thoos’ neeea casion ta kirn it aboot like that.
KIRN—T’ first kirn I remember owt aboot was a lang strait tub wi’ wood hoops on. It hed a lid on ’t, an’ throo t’ middle o’ t’ lid ther was a lang streck stick, like a riak steel; this hed a cross on t’ boddum ta stir t’ milk wi’, an’ it liukt gaily hard wark wallopen on ’t up an’ doon. An’ this they co’ed a up an’ doon kirn, an’ t’ aulder end co’ them stand kirns, ta tell them frae kirns ’at’s worked wi’ a han’le.
KING-APOSSLE—A lad gam.
KIRNEN—In constant commotion. It was kirnen an’ jowlen, jowlen an’ kirnen, nivver still; allus at it, kirnen an’ jowlen. That was a famish auld chap’s view o’ t’ sea t’ first time; anudder said his booels was kirnen up an’ doon.
KISENED—As kisened as a kill stick. Noo Ah nivver saw a kill stick, but it’s summat varra dry wi’ neea natur left in ’t, acos owt ’at’s kisened’s mortal near withoot any sap er owt worth niamen.
KIST—Meal kist; clias kist; cooarn kist; an’ tudder, t’ last suit of o’.
KIT—O’ t’ young ’uns. Ah’ve put o’ t’ kit o’ them off ta bed. She’s come an’ browt o’ t’ kit wi’ her, an’ seea on.
KIT—Ther’s a lot o’ different macks, let’s see. Ther’s a fish-kit, a wiss-kit, a bas-kit, a band-kit, a watter-kit, a shop-kit, a chammerly kit, a taty kit; t’ tinklers hes a kit, seea hes t’ sowjers on Brackenber’s historic plain (that’s a bit o’ nacken o’ mi awn); an’ even t’ varra beggars on t’ rooad ’ll hae ther kit—a gurt wallopen pocket, er a lal bit pooak; Ah izzant sartin that Ah’ve set them o’ doon but they’ll deea ta be gaan on wi’. Mainly a kit’s summat (varra near owt) to put summat in an’ carry it aboot wi’ yan. In the Church accounts at Morland, A.D. 1648, Kit is speltChyt.
KITE—Stomach. It lal kite’s that full ye could crack a loose on’t. Ther’s a bit a difference atween a kit an’ a kite, but ther alike i’ yah respect, an’ that is they’re ta carry stuff aboot in. Tian’s fer t’ back an’ tudder fer t’ front mainly.
KITH-NER-KIN—They’re badly off at’s nowder kith-ner-kin.
KITLIN—A young ’un—he’s nobbut a kitlin.
KITLIN-TATIES—Howken them oot wi’ t’ fingers an’ leaven t’ tops—it izzant a honest way, as a rule.
KITTLE—Varra spry an’ sharp. As kittle as a moose trap. Likely. A kittle spot fer an auld hare.
KITTLE—Itch. T’ frost’s i’ mi teeas, an they kittle whel Ah can hardlee bide i’ mi skin. A sair spot ’at’s menden kittles.
KITTLED—Pleased. He was fairly kittled wi’ a bit ov a tial aboot owt funny.
KIRMAS-GIFT—Summat fer t’ barns. Varra oft a paper o’ pins ta laik wi’.
KIRSMAS-GLASS—This is fer up-grown ’uns they tak’t warm, wi’ a bit o’ sugar tull ’t.
KNAB—To catch; to take possession of. Ah’ll knab thi if thoo co’s here. He’s knabb’d mi knife, Ah believe.
KNAB—A high situation; where an elevation terminates. He went ower t’ knab. Hardendale Knab, in Westmorland, an’ lots beside.
KNAP—A smart blow. He gat a knap ower t’ lug. The sound made by two hard substances meeting. His heed went “knap” when he bat on t’ fleear.
KNAP—Deft, cunning. He’s a knap hand wi’ a gun.
KNAPPIN—A sharp manner in walking. He was gaan knappin doon t’ rooad in his clogs. To drive small nails with a light hammer.
KNARLED—Knotty; awkward and hard to deal with. Thoo’s a knarled auld beggar.
KNARLEN—Scolding; complaining. What’s ta knarlen aboot; thoo’s allus knarlen aboot summat.
KNEE-DEEP—When it’s snow ’at’s knee deep, it’s deep eniuf.
KNEP—Pick. Thee jump up an’ knep a daisy is a derisive expression. The horses knep one another, an’ a knep of corn or grass is good to catch yan wi’.
KNIT—A swarm o’ bees “knit” whar t’ queen’ll let them; an’ fooak knit round yan anudder when ther’s a bit o’ trouble on’, er a bit o’ fun.
KNOCK—Rate, bat. He was gaan at a ter’ble knock.
KNOCKIN’-ON—Getting forward (hem!). We’re knockin on.
KNOCKIN’-OFF—Giving over. Ye’ll be knockin off siun.
KNOCKT—Done. Oh, he’s knockt anytime.
KNOCK-KNEED, KEY-LEGGED—This izzant t’ spot ta pick fun oot o’ anybody’s misfortune, but they mun be set doon wi’ t’ rest.
KNODDEN—Wait while Ah’ve knodden. She was biaken, seea ye may guess what it means.
KNOP—A bud. T’ rosy-tree’s i’ knop. A door handle. T’ door knop’s lowse. A tub ’at women fooak wesh clias in. Full t’ knop, an’ set clias ta soffen. Head. T’ barn knop’s sair. Ah catch’t mi knop ower t’ stee.
KNOT, KNUT—Top o’ t’ heed. T’ ladies’ word fer their way ov hair dressen.
KNOT—A “lumpy” hill in a chain of hills—e.g., Helmside Knot, Hard Knot, Arnsid’ Knot, Benson Knot.
KNOTTY-TOMMIES—Boilt milk wi’ t’ haver meal thrown in i’ hanfuls. It comes oot i’ lumps as big as a cock-heed, an’ as sweet as a nut.
KNOWE—A rounded hill. We went ta t’ top o’ t’ knowe.
KNURL’D—Shrunken; shivering. T’ barn’s knurl’d wi’ cauld, tak’t in.
KNURR-AN’-SPELL; SPELL-AN-BULLET—A lad gam.
KOOK-AN’-HEYDE—Hide and seek.
KOP—Shoot kop an’ hod a bit o’ cooarn, an’ ye’ll catch a a nag happen.
KOP—Catch. She’d plenty o’ brass as far as that gahs, but she was neea gurt kop fer o’ that.
KOPT—Caught. It copt me on t’ back; kopt e t’ wotchud; kopt in a shoor.
KYE—Cows collectively (nacken again). Gang an’ fetch t’ kye in ta milk.
KYLE—An angry or inflamed sore which does not head up to burst like a bile. Mi nief’s as sair as a kyle whar Ah cot it.
KYSTY—Fooak ’at’s varra pensy aboot what they eat, er said ta be kysty.
KYTLE—A workmen’s linen jacket for summer. A kytle’s a varra handy thing i’ het wedder.
LADE, LADLE, LADIN’-CAN—To empty water out of any place with a ladin-can is to lade it oot. Poddish suppers o’ know what a ladle is seea Ah need say neea mair.
LANSMER—Field name.
LAL—Little. A lal word’s a conny word.
LAL-’UN—Child. Hoo’s t’ lal-’un?
LAV’ROCK—It’s nowt nobbut t’ lark ’at sings i’ t’ sky, but ther’s neea spot i’ this world whar they deea ’t better ner i’ Lakeland. An’ Ah’ll tell ye what besides that, ther’s varra few pliaces ’at liuks any better ner oors if ye’ll tak it i’ t’ reet time, say i’ July when t’ looanens er full o’ rooasies, an’ t’ fields full o’ gerse, an’ t’ trees full o’ leaf an’ blossom, an’ t’ rabbits er laken, an’ t’ lavrocks singen, an’ t’ cushats cooen. Ye chaps ’at know what setts er, an’ er acquainted wi’ gas, tell us noo streck oot frae yer hearts, is ther owt ta come up tul ’t ’at ye ken on?
LAIRY, LAIRT—Miry, as clayey land in wet weather. Draggled with wet adhesive mud, as sheep may be that are on t’ turnips in a wet fit o’ weather, an’ they git clarty an’ lairt wi’ ’t.
LASH—To feed immoderately. Lash it in.
LACED—Drunk.
LACED-TEA—Tea wi’ rum in ’t fer kursenins, weddins, er owt o’ that mack.
LADIES’-GARTERS—Ornamental grass, striped.
LAD-BARN—A man child. T’ doctor’s browt huz a new babby, an’ it’s a lad-barn.
LADDY—T’ dog.
LASSIE—T’ bitch.
LAID DOON—When tweea wrusslers meets, an’ yan o’ them turns flait, er fer owt else, an’ wid’nt gah on wi’ ’t, he’s said ta lig doon, er he laid doon ta seea an’ seea.
LAID-DOON—A plewed field ’at’s turned to gerse—an’ ther’s white a lot o’ fields laid doon i’ that way i’ Lakeland.
LAIK—When a grizzled auld chap sits doon ta think aboot t’ laik lads an’ lasses ov his barnish days it maks him feel auld an’ daft, an’ efter o’ ther’s summat aboot it ’at yan likes. Yan’s here, anudder’s yonder, ower t’ sea’s some, i’ gurt toons an’ hee spots udders, some hes barns o’ ther awn laiken, an’ some hezzant; ther’s some i’ t’ auld spot, an’ some izzant whar we can see ther fiases any mair ’i this changen scene, but them ’at’s laikt tagidder as barnser a lang time fergitten yan anudder o’tagidder. Laiken is t’ free masonry o’ t’ grand order o’ barns, an’ they’re lucky an’ happy ’at leets on a good lodge.
LALL—To hang the tongue out in derision. Ah’ll larn thi ta lall thi tongue oot at me.
LALLEN-OOT—Protruding. T’ tongue was lallen oot a fiut varra nar. Said of an exhausted horse.
LADY-CUSHION—A rockery plant.
LAMB-TAILS—The bloom of the hazel.
LALLIKER, LORRIKER—Tongue. T’ doctor wanted ta see a barn tongue ’at was badly, an’ ass’d it to put it oot. T’ barn dudn’t understand nacken, seea t’ mudder hed a go, “Lal oot thi lalliker,” an’ oot it com.
LAND-END—Ther’s rians, heed rigs, an’ land-ends, they’re o’ amackaly o’ yah sooart, with a difference, ye ken. If some ov oor farmer lads wad set tull, they wad fair cap some on us wi’ ther niams an’ nooations.
LANDSLACK—Field name.
LANGEN—A feminine peculiarity.
LAITHE—Unwilling. Ah was laithe ta put him i’ t’ Coonty Coort, but what cud Ah deea, he wadn’t come tull.
LADS—Sons. An’ they stop “lads” in some cases until they become old men. “Neddy lads” was turned seventy.
LAG—Last. In choosing the order of playing some children’s games “foggy” and “lag” stand for first and last.
LAP—To wrap up; to finish up; a lap o’ streea.
LAWRENCE LARRY—It’s a complaint ’at bodders fooak ’at er boorn tired an’ nivver hev a chance to rest thersels.
LASHOP, LASHOPEN—Caleeveren aboot frae spot ta spot.
LANG-TONGUED—Yan o’ them fooak ’at talks thirteen ta t’ dozen. Thoo lang-tongued slenk thoo; thoo wad talk a dog tail oot o’ joint.
LANT—What they mix amang yal ta mak’t grip. Cush, what stuff yan’ll swallow.
LANT—Lant’s annudder ta t’ lot. Ah’ll lant thee thi canister. It’s a card game ano, laiken at lant, an’ it’s summat else ’at Ah won’t put in, er ye’ll laugh.
LASH-COOAM—What we reed wer heeds wi’, ta be sewer.
LASH—To comb. To stir water round a vessel to clean it out. Lash a sup o’ het watter roond tweea er three times.
LASS-BARN—That’s t’ new woman i’ miniature.
LAUVE, LAUVINS, LAUVINS-DAYS, LAUVES-ME—Fullers up, siam as Lawk-a-mercy, Lord love me, an’ tweea er three mair o’ t’ siam mack.
LAVE—Remainder.
LAWTER—A brood of chickens, or a litter of pigs.
LAZY-BED—Noo Ah’s nut a gardener, but it’s like this, ye lig yer taty sets doon and cover them ower asteed o’ griaven a trench ta set them in.
LANG-LAST—Owt ’at’s lang i’ comen, siam as t’ last o’ these riapen tials Ah’s tellen. At t’ lang-last he gev ower an’ shot up.
LANG-LENGTH, LANG-STRECK—Full length, but not necessarily a “long” one, for it is recorded of one whose diminutive proportions allowed him in his own words to fo’ o’ his lang length ower a coo clap.
LANG-SNOOTS—A mack o’ apples.
LEDDUR-BACKS—An’ seea ’s these.
LAMMAS—Off in a hurry. Thoo mun lammas off efter him as hard as thoo can leddur.
LANGSETTLE—A wooden seat generally provided with a good thick cushion, and forming one of the standard items of furniture in the kitchen of a farm house. Famish things is a langsettle when yan’s tired oot.
LASHINS—A plentiful allowance. We’d lashins o’ rum an’ milk, an’ bacon, an’ eggs, an’ yal.
LATE, LATEN, LATED—Seek, seeking, sought. Late us mi shun, will ta? What ar ye laten? Ah’s laten t’ cuddy fer sewer, t’ auld beggar. Tudder chap thowt Tom was daft acos he was laten t’ cuddy an’ liuken at t’ rooad siam as if he thowt a cuddy cud field in a car-track, but Tom was laten fiut marks, to see whilk way it hed gian. Ah’ve lated hee an’ low fer that nooat. Fooak ’at’s allus laten er varra oft fooak ’at’s liat.
LAZY-BAND—When a cross cut saw hez ta gah through a varra thick tree, a riap’s fassened ta t’ hannles, an’ three or fower men git hauld an’ poo, an’ that’s co’ed a lazy-band, but mind ye it izzant acos they’re idle—net it marry.
LALDER, LALDEREN—Doe den it noo, but cush barn, Ah’ll tell ye what this is neea laughen matter ’at is ’t nut, lalderen aboot, clashen in an’ oot first e yah body’s hoose an’ than in anudder Ah reckon nowt on ’t ’at deea Ah nut.
LANGSOME—A most expressive word, implying not only long and lonely, but wearisome, and oppressive by reason of some haunting desire which cannot be got rid of for want of diversion.