“Seea he reayde up to t’ foremost chapAn’ thunderin’ thus spak he:Says he’I’ll clash thi lugs wi’ t’ whupAn’ t’other chap to beut’.”
“Seea he reayde up to t’ foremost chapAn’ thunderin’ thus spak he:Says he’I’ll clash thi lugs wi’ t’ whupAn’ t’other chap to beut’.”
“Seea he reayde up to t’ foremost chapAn’ thunderin’ thus spak he:
“Seea he reayde up to t’ foremost chap
An’ thunderin’ thus spak he:
Says he’I’ll clash thi lugs wi’ t’ whupAn’ t’other chap to beut’.”
Says he’I’ll clash thi lugs wi’ t’ whup
An’ t’other chap to beut’.”
Lads when they swap jackilegs ’ll giv yan anudder summat to biut—happens a marvel, if tian ’s better ner tudder—er warse.
BILDERT—A rascal, a mischief.
BITTER-SWEET—Some o’ ye’s capt wi’ that, neea doot; git hod o’ yan oot o’ somebody’s wotchet, an’ ye’ll net be capt mich langer.
BLAB, BLAB-TONGUE—Indiscreet talk. A gurt blab tongue.
BLACK-AVISED—Griuby an’ mucky, er glum an’ sulky. Black-avis’d like Jooany Greeuf cat.
BLARING—Bleating of sheep, lowing of cattle, noisy crying of children.
BLUE DEVILS, BLUE DEVILLED—A chap ’at once maks t’ acquaintance o’ this complaint’s in a parlish state. They co them jim jims in America, an’ delirium tremens in England. Blue ’uns ’ll deea.
BLUE-BILLY—A hard blue stone.
BLUE-MILK—Creamless. This milk’s blue as wad.
BLEDDER-HEED—A heed ’at’s like a bledder o’ same is oft co’ed a bledder-heed, an’ t’ chap ’at carries ’t about.
BLATHER—To talk a great deal of nonsense.
BLOB—A drop of water or bubble.
BLINK—To smile.
BLIRT, BLURT—To cry.
BLOW—Ther’s cauld blow,i.e.varra poor yal; an’ blow yan’s bacca. Ther’s blow a bit—ta git yan’s wind; a blow oot—a good feed; an’ blow up—a good blackin’.
BLOWN—Out of breath. Ah’s aboot blown. Blown milk—when t’ creem’s gian; an’ blown apples an’ peers, an’ plums, efter a flow wind; an’ blown meet when t’ flees hes been at it.
BLUFF—Plain; bleak; outspoken; hearty; windy. It’s a gay useful mack ov a word is bluff, an’ its a pity it’s gitten abused bi some fooak ’ats varra lal on ’t i’ them.
BLUFT—Ta muzzle a nag een when it’s gien ta bogglin’ is ta bluft it.
BLUFTED—Darkened. His een was blufted up wi’ bein’ tenged wi’ bees. Snow hes blufted oor winda up.
BLUTTER—Ay marry. Siam as a lot o’ watter in a hurry ta git oot ov a lal whol—it blutters oot.
BLUSTERATION—Empty bombast an’ noise.
BLEEDING-HEART—A garden plant.
BLART—To give a secret away; to say something of an indiscreet character. Si thee, it gat blarted aboot frae yah body tul anudder, till ivv’ry yan o’ t’ toon knew Ah’d a new hat ’at wasn’t paid for.
BLASH—A splash. He meead t’ watter blash o’ ower us.
BLASHY—Wild flowe wet weather.
BLASHED—Soiled with muddy water, &c. Thoo’s blashed frae top ta tail. T’ lime’s blashed i’ mi e’e corner.
BLAST—Cold. Ah’ve a blast i’ mi e’e.
BLASTED—Blighted. T’ tree’s bin blasted wi leetnin’.
BLAKE—Sallow complexion. He’s turned varra blake an’ sauvy.
BLAINS—A disorder amang t’ Kye.
BLATIN’—Sheep-weshin’ an’ clippin’ days is t’ day ta hear some blatin’ when t’ yowes an’ lambs is mixed up an’ yan laitin’ anudder.
BLATE—Frightened. Thoo liuks blate eniuf.
BLATE-NER-SKAR—Nut ower modest er bashful.
BLATIN’—Bawl. Give ower blatin’, thoo gurt cauf-head, er Ah’ll gie thee summat ta blate aboot.
BLEB—Blister. T’ lal ’un gat burnt, an’ it’s skin hung i’ gurt blebs.
BLEEA—Ther’s Bleea Tarn; bleea-worms; bleea-berries; and bleea-fingers wi’ cauld; it means a bit blue-reed.
BLEEAN—Bleach. Put t’ cotton things on t’ gers ta bleean a bit.
BLEDDUR-SCALP—Dull witted. Thoo gurt silly bleddur-scalp. It izzant a nice word, this yan, but it’s useful at times.
BLEDDER-SKITE—Yan wi’ ower oppen a mooth.
BLENKIN’—Peeping. He’s blenkin’ aboot efter oor lass. Ah’ll apode it.
BLIND—A blind pap gies neea milk; blind cooal won’t burn. Ther’s fooak ’ats blind at can’t see, an’ ut’hers that won’t. Ther’s tricks diun fer a blind; ther’s blind hash, blind worms, an’ blind wo’s.
BLINDY-BUFF—Blind man’s buff.
BLINNDERS—Leather spectacles fer t’ nags, sea as they ca’t see sideways, an’ git neea muck i’ ther een.
BLIRT, BLIRTEN—Shooting at random. He was blirten aboot amang t’ crows.
BLISH—Blister. Ah’ve a gurt blish fair o’ mi heel.
BLIUD AN’ BATTER—What chaps git wi’ feiten.
BLOB—Bubble. What maks t’ water blob like yon? Siap suds.
BLOB—Watter blob, that is t’ knocklety gold.
BLODDER—To cry in an effusive way—blodder an’ rooar. What’s ta blodderin aboot?
BLODDER—Bubble. He cot his hand wi’ t’ yuk, an’ t’ bliud fair blodder’d oot on ’t.
BLODDERS—Bubbles. Let’s mak siap blodders.
BLONK—When ye can’t gang at dominoes. He pot blonk on—looked sullen.
BLEAR-EE’D—Wake wattery ees ats sair.
BODY’S-SEL—Alone; yan may howk aboot bi a body’s-sel tell yan gahs newdled.
BOONDARY-STOOP—A post that marks the township’s limits on the road.
BOX—Varra clooase; as clooase as a box.
BORRAN—A heap o’ rough cobbles.
BOB—Slip in or out in a hurry. We bob’d in an’ gat a pint o’ yal, an’ bob’d oot an’ off again.
BOCKED—Reached; heaved. Ah varra near bocked mi heart up.
BOG-BEAN, BUCK-BEAN—Bog-bean tea ’s a grand thing fer takkin fur off yer teeth, an’ given ye a stomach.
BOH’D—Took fright. Says Whitehead:
But, ah! I boh’d an’ backward steude,Seun as I gat a glance.
But, ah! I boh’d an’ backward steude,Seun as I gat a glance.
But, ah! I boh’d an’ backward steude,Seun as I gat a glance.
But, ah! I boh’d an’ backward steude,
Seun as I gat a glance.
BONNY—A bonny price, a bonny bairn, a bonny auld shindy, a bonny neet, in fact, ther’s neea limits ta owt at’s bonny—an’ a lal word’s a bonny word sometimes.
BOTCHUT—A beverage made from honey. It’ll mak neeabody drunk—a drop o’ honey botchut, but Ah’ve known fooak badly wi’ ’t.
BOTTLE O’ STREEA—Queer stuff ta bottle, some on ye’ll think, but it’s t’ way threshers lap ’t up an’ tie it wi’ bands.
BOTTOM—To get to the origin or foundation. Ah’ll boddum that drain oot first. Boddum that teeal.
BODDUMS—Shoe soles. What’s left at yal tub efter t’ drink’s drawn. Ditto tumblers an’ tots. Them’s t’ commonest sooart o’ boddums.
BODDUMS—Low lying land, somewhat level, and generally with a beck running through.
BODDUM—Whar fooak sit on.
BODDUM—Principle. He’s a chap wi neea boddum in him.
BOW-HOUGHED—Crooked houghs.
BODDUMLY—In reality; at the bottom. Boddumly Ah du’t think he wanted ta gang away. That hoose boddumly is as clean as a penny. He’s a honest fellow boddumly.
BODDERMENT—Let’s hev nin o’ thi bodderment. Fash.
BODDER—We’ve hed nowt but bodder about it.
BODDERATION—Bodderation to thi an’ thi auld gallawa, thoo can talk aboot nowt but nags.
BOX—Patch; box them up as weel’s ye can.
BOY—T’ cur dog.
BOB, BUMP—A knot of hair, same as a stag tail tied up at back at t’ heeds o’ t’ ladies.
BODES—Pyatts bodes yan’s luck. Yan’s a sorrow, tweea’s a mirth, three’s a wedden, fower a birth, five is silver, six is gold, an sebben is a secret never to be told.
BO-MAN—Be whiat honey er t’ bo-man ’ll come. “The terrible Bo,” as Ant’ny Whiteheed cos him, hes whiatened a lot o’ barns in his time.
BODJY—A bit stoot an’ rayder pursey.
BODY—A person. Can ye give a body a pipe o’ bacca?
BOGGLE—A flaysome ugly thing ’ats varra common i’ t’ looanens; they git up yan’s nooase, an’ flay nags; spirit knockin’s nowt tul a boggle.
BONE—To charge. Ah hard ’at he was tellin ’t ’at Ah was mad drunk; seea t’ next time Ah saw him Ah bian’d him wi’ ’t theer an’ than.
BONES—T’ auld snarlin’ thing he’s allus at ’t bians o’ ivrybody. Frae moornin’ ta neet he’s bianin at it aboot t’ wark.
BON—Go bon it! Varra oft used when fooak hev gitten oot o’ bed ’at wrang side, an’ ivvery thing izzant streck forrad.
BOWELL-HOLE—A small aperature in a barn, for giving light or air.
BOWERY—Plump, buxum.
BOONCE—Eject. Ah’ll boonce t’ shop o’ thee.
BOONCER—Big, smart. Yon’ fellow’s a booncer.
BOONCIN’—Lively. A booncin’ big babby.
BOON-DAY—Help given to a new tenant by his neighbours at ploughin’. They’re hevvin their biun-plewin to-day.
BOONDED—Swelled. T’ back o’ mi hand’s o’ boonded up; ye nivver saw seck a seet i’ yer life.
BOOTED-BREAD—Bread in which rye is used. Ah cud eat a shive o’ booted bread.
BORN-DAYS—Lifetime. Nivver i’ o’ my booarn days did Ah see seck a tagalt as that lad.
BORROWIN’-DAYS—T’ first three days in April.
March borrowed of April,Three days an’ they war ill,First rained, second snew,An’ third was t’ roughest day at ivver blew.
March borrowed of April,Three days an’ they war ill,First rained, second snew,An’ third was t’ roughest day at ivver blew.
March borrowed of April,Three days an’ they war ill,First rained, second snew,An’ third was t’ roughest day at ivver blew.
March borrowed of April,
Three days an’ they war ill,
First rained, second snew,
An’ third was t’ roughest day at ivver blew.
Ah reckon March tiak back seck as she hed on hand.
BOSOM—T’ wind booazums doon t’ chimley, er aroond a niuk, er in a passage.
BOWDY-KITE—A great eater. A gurt brossen bowdykite.
BONNY—A famous niam fer nags.
BRABBLEMENT—A noisy quarrel, or wrangling.
BRAKE—A heavy harrow used for breaking large clods of earth.
BRAW—Finely clothed, handsome.
BRAUN—A wild boar.
“A braun ’at hed boddert ’em neet an’ day,At last, by a butcher, was boldly shot.”—Bowness.
“A braun ’at hed boddert ’em neet an’ day,At last, by a butcher, was boldly shot.”—Bowness.
“A braun ’at hed boddert ’em neet an’ day,At last, by a butcher, was boldly shot.”—Bowness.
“A braun ’at hed boddert ’em neet an’ day,
At last, by a butcher, was boldly shot.”—Bowness.
BRIDE-ALE—The marriage feast at a rustic wedding.
BRIDE-LIAF—Wedding cake.
BRIDE-WAIN—A brides’ portion.
BREEMEN—Summat up wi’ t’ Sew.
BREED-AN-SCRAPE—A shive o’ breed wi t’ butter scriapt off to deea again. Breed an’ scriap is siam as ’taties an’ point.
BRISKET—T’ breest cut.
BRAG—Boast. Braggen an’ booasten o’ what wark they can deea. Let them deea ’t, sez Ah.
BRAMLI-KITE, BUMLI-KITE—Either er owder ’ll deea. The’r bramble-berries—nowt else.
BRAN-MASH—Try yan fer t’ galloway.
BRAN, BRAND—Owt ’ats new oot o’ t’ mint is bran new, an’ many a thing ’ats nivver bin i’ t’ mint.
BRASH—Rude. Brashed off wi’ laughin’.
BRECK-NECK—Furious haste. He set off neck-breck er nowt breck.
BRAIDS—Imitates; in a similar condition; like. Your fooak braids o’ oors, I see they’re cleanin’ doon.
BREAD-AN’-CHEESE—It grows i’t dyke boddums an’ t’ barns eat it. T’ Latin for ’t wad freeten ’em, ah’s flayed.
BRODDLE—Howk. Nivver broddle yer teeth wi’ a pin. Broddle yer lug wi yer elbow, t’ auld chap said.
BROD—Pierce. Mi teea’s sair whar t’ nail brodded through mi stockin intul it.
BRISSLE or BIRSET—To scorch; to parch by means of fire.
BRULLIMENT—A broil or quarrel.
BRULLY—A domestic difference of opinions; a quarrel. They’d a bit o’ a brully atween them.
BROT—Whar t’ sheep rub ther backs e’ t’ banks o’ peat.
BROCK—An otter. Many a body sez that they “sweet like a brock,” but they nivver saw yan. In the year 1609 they paid in Morland parish 13s. for Brock-heeds at a shilling each.
BROCKSHAW—Meat fra a sheep that has died a natural death. Brockshaw hes a bad reputation, an’ it cudn’t hev a war neeam.
BROGUES—Ass a drainer to let ye liuk at his clogs—them’s his brogues.
BROKKUN—Ther’s brokkun oot an’ brokkun up; an’ brokkun t’ dyke, an’ t’ bull; an’ brokkun meat an’ milk; body-brokkun, an’ heart brokkun; an’ bank-brokkun an’ brokkun backt wi’ brass; brokkun weather, an’ brokkun wark, an’ brokkun fasts; nags is brokkun in, an’ hay’s brokkun oot. Owt else brokkun, Ah wonder: Aye, when a poor fellow’s t’ bums i’ t’ hoose it’s becos he’s brokkun.
BROOKT—Mixed colour. He’s briukt wi grey. His fias was o’ briukt wi’ grime.
BROON-BESS—What they shut wild geese wi’; er at least what they try ta shut ’em wi’.
BROON GEORDIE—Brown bread. Whar they nack an’ deea they co’ it Brown George—it’s o’ t’ seeam, an’ tiasts neea better.
BROON-LEEMER—Hazel nuts that are ripening in the husk and shedding them. Ah’ve a pocketful o’ broon-leemers.
BROUGHT-IN—Converted.
BROUGHT-OUT—To hatch.
BROUGH HILL TIME—Aboot Brough Hill time o’ t’ year,i.e., Brough Hill Fair.
BROUGH HILL WEATHER—It’s cauld as Brough Hill.
BRUSH—A fox brush; brush aboot wi’ t’ wark; brush t’ meedow; a bit ov a brush at feitin’; beardy; brush yan’s hand ower another body’s fias; brush up a bit; brush t’ nags doon; brushwood; brush by yan annudder an’ nivver let wit. Ther’s a gay lot o’ different macks an’ ways o’ brushin’.
BRUSH—At times it may be necessary to remove a small obstacle, so that marble-players may get the chance of a good shot—that’s brush.
BROSSEN—Nags er men ’at eat ower mich at yance an’ er nivver full ’at efter, er said to be brossen. Some er brossen wi’ wit, others wi’ wark, and some wi’ laiken, a gay few wi’ yal.
BROSSEN-FULL—Hed mair to eat than’s easy er good.
BROSSEN-HEARTED—When a lal ’un can’t hev o’ it wants it sets tul an’ hes a good whinge, till it fair sobs—it’s brossen-hearted.
BRAG—T’ dog.
BREAS—Beck edge. Where t’ fish dark anunder. Whitehead says:
Howks grubs an’ worms fra under t’ breas,To feed t’ lal hungry troot.
Howks grubs an’ worms fra under t’ breas,To feed t’ lal hungry troot.
Howks grubs an’ worms fra under t’ breas,To feed t’ lal hungry troot.
Howks grubs an’ worms fra under t’ breas,
To feed t’ lal hungry troot.
BRECK—A mischievous prank. A favourite breck when yan was lads used to be takkin’ t’ lin’pin oot of a cart wheel, an’ then dark aback ov a wo ta hear t’ final. Brecks izzant as common noo, an’ they’ve neea need to be.
BRIEF—A collecting card, or sheet for one who has met with misfortune. They gat a brief fer him when t’ coo deed.
BRIM—Top. He was brim-full. Full of sorrow, or anger, or mirth. Ah cud see he was full ta t’ brim, seea Ah com away an’ sed nowt tull him.
BRINDLED—A cow with a striped skin. T’ cowey’s brindled.
BRITCHED—Braced. Thoos britched up ower tight. Let thi gallowses oot, min.
BRITCHED—Put into a suit. He was a gay, gurt fine lad afoor he was britched.
BRITCHIN—The fork; where two limbs join.
BRITCH-BAN—The part of a horse’s gear which enables to “back” a cart, &c.
BRITTAN—Hide; tan; Ah’ll brittan thi thi jacket for thi.
BRITTANEN—Thrashing. He gat seck a brittanen as he was lal aware on.
BRIAKEN—A thrashing. Thoos laiten a briaken an’ thoo’ll git yan if thoo gahs on.
BRITTAINER—A queer customer. Noo he’s a bit ov a Brittainer is t’ auld horsebrecker; he is ano.
BRANDRITH—T’ girdle frame and legs it stood on. “A cubbard, kist, an’ brandrith frame.”
BRANK—Swagger. He wad brank aboot in his Sunday clias as if t’ toon was his awn.
BRANLINS—Worms oot ov a muck-heap, good fer fishin wi.
BRANT—Steep. A hill that’s as brant as a hoose side taks some wind oot o’ yan.
BRANT—Brazen. He stiud up ta feit as brant as a banty cock.
BRASH—Hurry up. Brash aboot an’ skift yersels.
BRASHEN—A vigorous habit. He was allus brashen aboot at t’ top o’ his speed.
BRAT—An apron; a pinafore.
BRATTLE—A loud noise. By gum! that brattle o’ thunner soonded gayly near like. Ther’s udder maks o’ brattlin’, t’ rifle an’ seck like.
BRIDLE-ROOAD—A lal looanin’ whar nowt but a nag er a coo can gang doon.
BUFFS—Rebounds. When yan’s drivin’ a stiak an’ it’s gitten fluzzed an’ comes oot farder than it gangs in when yan hits it wi’ t’ mell, then it buffs.
BULLACE—Wild plums. Bullaces an’ sleeas—they grow i’ t’ dikes.
BULL-HEAD—Bull-heeds an’ tommy-looaches—wi’ a bit o’ threed fer a tome, an’ a pin fer a hiuk, ye can catch them i’ t’ beck. Ther’s mennoms, tommy looatches, an’ bull-heeds. Ah’ve hed many a yedderin for ’t.
BULL FIACES, BULL TOPPINS—Ye’ll find some o’ these i’ t’ coo-paster. They’re gurt ugly liukin tufts o’ rough gerse an’ stuff.
BULL-JUMPINS—Bull jumpins an’ why laikins is summat seeam as beeastins, Ah fancy.
BULL-SEGG—Thoo criuns war ner a bull-segg,i.e., a bullock at’s bin a bull ower lang.
BULL-STANG—Hornet. T’ nag ran away when it hard a bull-stang.
BULNECK—Head first; without much thought or consideration. He fell intul t’ troff bulneck. He was gaan on bulneck, an’ nivver liukin’ at his feet.
BULLOCK—Treat harshly; to domineer. He wad bullock yan aboot.
BULLOCKIN’—Bullockin’ about, mind whar thoos gaan.
BULLOCK-MAN—A farmer’s man who tends cattle as distinct frae them at works wi’ t’ nags.
BULSTONE—A whetstone that a mower sharpens his scythe wi’.
BULL-BRECK-OOT—A lad’s gam at breckin’ oot ov a ring an’ gitten catcht.
BUM—Baste.
BUM-BAILEY—We o know as mitch as we want ta know aboot t’ bum-bailey.
BUMM’LE—Bee. Ivv’rybody knows what it is when they hear yan, and when it sits doon wi’ t’ het end first they can feel it. Bumm’le aboot is when ye catch yer teea in a nick and hod yer-sel up wi’ t’ tiable cliath, an’ lands on t’ fleear amang t’ pots.
BUNCH—Ah’ll laik o’ t’ bunch. It means o’ t’ boilin’, or o’ t’ gang.
BUNDLE-UP—To bundle up yans bits o’ traps meens ’at we’re skiftin pliaces. We’s o’ hev ta bundle up an’ be off e’wer turn, an’ it’s best ta sheer clean, an’ leeve neea slape spots ahint yan.
BUNSTI, BOOTSTI—Laken at fieldin amang t’ stacks:
Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti,Thee find me an’ Ah’ll lait thee,Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti.
Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti,Thee find me an’ Ah’ll lait thee,Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti.
Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti,Thee find me an’ Ah’ll lait thee,Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti.
Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti,
Thee find me an’ Ah’ll lait thee,
Bogleti, bogleti, bunsti.
BUR—Prickly burs; they grow on a burdock, er robin-run-i’-t’-dike, an’ stick tull yan’s cooat.
BURBLECK—Petasites vulgaris. Happen it is, but a bed o’ burblecks is nobbut a varra lal account fer o’ that.
BUMP—Thick garn for jackets an’ caps.
BUM—A gurt wallopen cork fer a tub.
BURTREE—Elder. That is i’ England, but we allus say burtree in Lakeland.
BURTREE-GUN—A pop gun made of a burtree. O’ lads know hoo ta mak a burtree gun.
BUR-THISSLE—Git hauld o’ yan, an’ let it prick, an’ I’ll be bun’ ye’ll know t’ difference frae a sew thissle for ivver efter.
BUSH—The iron lining of a cart wheel naf, ’at t’ assel tree works in an’ keeps it frae wearin’ away.
BUSHIN’—Ah’ve hard a chap say it mair ner yance, when he hed stomach wark a day er tweea, ’at he’d want bushin if things did’nt tak up different.
BUSK—A stays-bone. The waist. To drive away. Mak us a stays busk. He hed yah arm aroond her busk. Ah’ll busk thee thoo young taistrel at thoo is.
BUSK—Hurry up; bustle about. Busk aboot an’ git diun, an’ we’ll gang fer a walk.
BUSTARD—What yan fishes wi’ i’ summer neets, summat like a butterflee.
BUTCH—Slaughter. It izzant iv’ry day we butch a pig.
BUTTER-SOPS—A christening item consisting of bread soaked in melted butter and sugar, flavoured wi’ rum.
BUTTER-SHAG—A shive o’ breed wi butter on ’t.
BUTT—A hide of sole leather.
BUTT—What fooak sit doon on.
BUTT—That end of a shaf ’at it stands on.
BUTTIN—A shaf set up ta dry i’ yans, nut i’ stooks.
BUTT-WELT—Ta throw stooks doon ta dry. Butt-weltin shavs is like knockin legs oot anunder a chap’s ’at bin a bit poky.
BUZZARD—Coward. A gurt buzzard flayed o’ t’ dark looanens.
BULLS & COWS (whys)—The flower of the arum macutalum, often called lords and ladies.
BUM—To buzz.
BUNCH—To strike with the foot; to kick.
BUZZOM—A besom or broom.
BUCK—Pride. Plenty of buck. Stupidity. Let’s hev nin o’ thi auld buck. A prop to hold a cart level, when not yoked.
BUCK! BUCK! how many fingers do Ah hod up? A lad’s gam.
BUFF! BUFF! hit him a cuff. T’ sign o’ war.
BUCKLE—Ther’s “buckle teea,” meanin’ git into some wark; an’ “buckle on,” ta mak an engagement at sometimes lasts fer t’ life on us.
BUCKT—Smartened up a bit. He’s buckt hissel up in his best. To spring up courage. He buckt up an’ went in an’ wan.
BUDGE—Stir. It wadn’t budge an inch.
BUFF—Bare skin. They stripped off inta buff an’ hed a reet good set teea.
BURR—A hoarse guttural tone. He sticks weel tul t’ auld burr. A hazy ring around the moon—Sign of a change.
BUTTS—Short rigs that run out.
BUBBLY-JOCK—A turkey cock.
BURR’D-IN, BURR’D-UP—To hide; to shelter. We burr’d-in at t’ field-hoose tell t’ shoor blew ower.
BY—Past. It’s by t’ post time a gay bit.
BYE—Lonely; out of the way. It’s a bye auld dowly hoose. Bye-steeds; bastys; bye-rooad, an’ seea on, er o’ t’ siam sooart.
BYE-NAME—A nick name, or pet name. Here’s a sample: Wing Tommy; Debrah Duckfiut; Jos at t’ Ho; PotterJammy; Bud Birbeck; Happy Jimmy; Garn Willie; Shoddy, t’ cadger; daft Wat; bullocky; an’ seea on.
BYE-WORD—It’s a gay fine day, like. Like in that sense is a bye-word, but it’s nobbut a peur sample ta what Ah hev on hand, but they want fettlin up a gay bit, Ah’ll apode, afoor t’ printer wad put them in.
BY-GOY, BY-GOM, BY-GOX, BY-GEN—T’ meanin o’ this lot depends hoo they’re used.
C-LINK—A link fer yoken up t’ plew wi’.
CA-BAL—A nurration kickt up wi’ chaps at’s on t’ randy, er t’ cauves, birds, ducks an’ hens, er owt else at maks a gurt noise ower nowt.
CACK—What they mack middens oot on.
CADGER—A chap at gahs aboot buyin’ butter, an’ eggs, and woo, an’ seck like things is co’ed a cadger fer short—but he doesn’t cadge.
CADGE—Ta beg without assin’ streyt oot; sometimes it’s co’ed shoolen.
CALEVER—A carry on. This is a dooment, er a bit ov a spree. Ye war hevvin’ a fine auld calever on, Ah hard tell at t’ public.
CALFISH—Cowardly. Nowt’ll mak a lad warse mad ner to tell him he’s a cauf, er he’s caufish.
CALF-HEED—A gurt, hard, soor sooart ov apples. A silly fellow’s a gurt cauf-heed.
CALF-LICKT—A curly toppin’.
CALKERS—Iron rims fer clogs an’ shoes. Ass a lad at shirlin’ time fer particulars.
CALLIFOOAGLE, CALLIFUGLE, COLLIFOOAGLE—These three o’ mean yah thing—fooak liggen ther heeds tagidder fer mischief, an’ ta deea somebody a nasty clarty trick.
CAM—A topstun fer a wo’. I’ Borrowdale they wo’d t’ cuckoo in seea as they wad allus hev yan, an’ it wad allus be spring, but t’ cuckoo fand it oot an’ flew ower, an’ yan o’ t’ wo’ers said it was acos they hedn’t gitten t’ cams on.
CANKER’D—Varra cross an’ ugly tempered. It’s better ta leave a man tul hissel when he’s canker’d.
CANT, CANTY—Active. Hoo er your fooak? They’re cant as ivver. Hoo er ye? Ah’s canty fer mi years.
CANTLAX—What’s that ivver? Ah du’t know, but it’s summat nut ower nice. He’s tian off wi’ a gurt cantlax o’ some mak an’ gitten wedded.
CAP—Surprise. It wad cap ye ta see hoo mich that barn can eat.
CAP-STUN—Cap or cape-stone is the central stone of an arch.
CAPPERS—Ah’ll set thi cappers. A lot o’ lads at laiken time used ta set cappers bi jumpin’ t’ beck at a strait spot, an’ yan o’ them went on t’ sly an’ lowsened t’ sod whar they bat, an’ t’ first yan ta lowp cappered ta t’ boddum o’ t’ beck an’ gat yarked fer’t. Ah was in at t’ yarkin.
CAPT-COORN—Coorn at’s fettled up fer t’ pooak mooth at’s gaan ta t’ market. It’s a gay auld farrand dodge.
CART-STOWER—Tweea lumps o’ wood at stick oot at end of a cart fer ’t ta leet on when it’s keckt up er ’t stowers.
CARL, CARLING—A blithe hearty fellow wi’ not too much refinement. A gay rum carl. Thoo gurt rough carlin thoo.
CARLIN SARK—Yan miad oot o’ hiam-spun lin.
CARRY-ON—A marlock, er a bit ov a lark when fooak er on t’ rant, at tierm times.
CAFF—Chaff. What t’ wind drives oot o’ t’ deetin’ machine.
CAFF-BED—Caff asteed o’ fedders.
CAFLIN—It’s allus said at leers sud hev lang mem’ries. It’s ower wi yan o’ them when they start cafflin at middle o’ ther tial.
CAMERIL—A curved piece of wood used to hang slaughtered animals up by.
CANTRIP—A boggle dance i’ some whiat kirk garth. It maks yan’s skin whidder to think on’t.
CARRY—A long way to convey anything is a gay lang carry—wellwatter, milk, er owt else.
CAR-TRACK—A road for a cart along a field side. Keep i’ t’ cart track, can’t ya?
CATER-CORNER—From one corner to another, as a shawl is doubled to wear. Thoo mun double that cater corner ways an’ than thoo’l deea ’t.
CAT-WITTED—A bit sharp an’ rayder silly. Says Anderson:
Peer Jwosep! we went ta ae schuil!He married deef Marget, the Gamblesby beauty,A silly, proud, cat-witted fuil!
Peer Jwosep! we went ta ae schuil!He married deef Marget, the Gamblesby beauty,A silly, proud, cat-witted fuil!
Peer Jwosep! we went ta ae schuil!He married deef Marget, the Gamblesby beauty,A silly, proud, cat-witted fuil!
Peer Jwosep! we went ta ae schuil!
He married deef Marget, the Gamblesby beauty,
A silly, proud, cat-witted fuil!
CAUF-NOPE—A rough blow. Ah’ll gie thi t’ cauf-nope, as Robin Knagg said when he streeuk t’ fellow ower t’ heed wi’ a rud stiak.
CAUF-HULL—What t’ cauves leeves in.
CAUF-BED—Whar cauves co’ frae’ at first.
CALDA, CALDRIGGS—Field names.
CAT-UNDER-T’-LUG—Noo, threshers, ye o know what that is. It’s threshen wi’ t’ flail afoor ye’ve gitten t’ knack on ’t. It’s grand when t’ sooples git hankled and catch yan ower t’ canister.
CARRY—What a pasture, or a farm, will allow of in the way of stock, are what it will carry.
CARRYIN’—Bearing.
CAT-GALLOWS—Tweea sticks stuck up an’ yan across ta jump ower.
CATTED—Cross fer reg’lar. A catted auld thing.
CATTY—A lad’s gam wi’ a stick an’ a peg.
CAT-COLLOP—A tiasty bit fer t’ cat when fooaks is butchen. It’ll hev anudder neeam neea doot, but Ah can’t find it.
CAT-HOS—Bird meat at grows on a thorn tree. It’ll be a bad winter, ther’s seea many cat-hos an’ choops.
CAT-NOD—Forty winks.
CAT-LATIN—Queer mixed up talk; bad writing at yan can hardly read—that’s cat-latin. The prattle of little children also. Thoo talks nowt but cat latin, Ah ca’t English ’t.
CATTER-WAW, CHITTER-WAW—A concert o’ cats on a whiat neet.
CATTLE-CREEP—A cunderth fer cattle ta gang under t’ railway frae yah field to annudder.
CALLET, CALLAT—To gossip.
CAM—A bank.
CAKE—To cackle like a steg.
CARROCK or CURROCK—A heap of stones.
CESSEN—Cast off. He’s cessen his flanin’.
CAST-UP-AT—To upbraid. He cest-up-at him o’ he knew.
CAST-UP—To appear, or be found.
CATCHY—Disposed to take an undue advantage.
CAVE—To separate.
CAIM’D—Peenj’d; cross. Siam as a chap ’ats eatin’ t’ bed an’ gaan back fer t’ bowster.
CAINJI—T’ siam again. A cainji auld thing.
CAMPLE—Argue; contradict. Hoo dar ta cample wi’ t’ gaffer like that?
CAMPLIN’—Contradiction; sauce. I’ll hev nin o’ thi camplin’, seea thoo knows noo.
CANNY, CONNY—A canny way, a canny man, a canny day, a canny auld fashioned trick, a gay canny customer, a canny lang price. Canny always seems to convey the impression of something surprising; it’s use is frequent, and it’s application various.
CARANT—Carousal. Allay this is what fooak mean when they say on t’ rant.
CASION—A mannerly mak o’ beggin’ summat ta sup. We casioned him fer some looance, but it war neea go.
CABBOR—Useless rubbish.
CARRAS—Short an’ sharp fer cart-shed.
CAHT, CA’T—Short for cannot.
CEE-HOW—A rough blow. He gat seck a cee-how under t’ lug wi’ t’ flail soople.
CESS—A rate or tax. He’s gedderen t’ cess.
CIAM—On one side, like a shoe that is worn down, or the contents of a vessel that have got stirred over.
CHURCH-MOOSE—As poor as a kirk moose.
CHAFTS—Jaws. Mi chafts er as sair as a kyle.
CHARM—Rheumatism, bleeding at the nose, warts, hiccough, nightmare, and above all toothache are some of ailments for which specific charms exist as cures. Within recent years one who had the power to “charm” away the toothache lived at Hardendale; and every one learnsviva vocethe homilies to be repeated when a tooth is drawn, or when hicough is troublesome. A charm fer drawing t’ fire up is ta set t’ fire pore seea’s ta mak a cross in t’ boddum bar. It flays t’ bad spirits of.
CHATS—Seeds of ash trees.
CHOOP—The seed pod of the rose. A fiace as reed as a choop’s a good sign.
CHANCE-BAIRN—Illegitimate child.
CHARLEY—A hump on the back; also of a lazy person it is said, he’s t’ Charley on.
CHOMP—Watch a chap eat an apple ’at’s hard; he’ll chomp, Ah’st warn’d.
CHAP—To knock or rap; a person; a sweetheart.
CHEERER—A glass of spirit and warm water.
CHOPPING-BOY—A stout boy.
CHURNEL—An enlargement of the glands of the neck.
CHUMP—A log. A chap ’at’s daft.
CHUNTER—Grumble in an undertone. Some fooak does a lot o’ chunterin’ an grumblin’, but it does ’em neea good.
CHAVEL and CHIG—To chew.
CHEESE-WOST—Curd of cheese before pressed.
CHEESE an’ Breed—Wood sorrel.
CHANG—When a chap’s tongue’s lowsed wi’ a drop o’ short stuff, an’ he talks twenty ta t’ dozen, er when t’ birds o’ sing tagidder i’ May, or t’ cocks an’ hen crow an’ cackle, it’s a’ chang.
CHARRIN’—Ye know—it’s daytal wark fer women. In America they hev it as chores.
CHEESERIM—A wooden mould to make cheese in.
CHIG CHIGGIN—Chew with the front teeth; a chig o’ bacca teea; an’ fooak ’s allus chiggin’ things ower ’at others durt want ta hear.
CHISELLED—A way o’ gitten hod o’ sombody’s brass ’at’s far frae honest.
CHOCK—Chock-full, anybody knows, is when they’ve hed plenty; chock t’ wheel is ta burr it, and t’ turners hes a chock ta lig ther tiuls on.
CHOCKED-UP—A drain mooth er a cunderth when a fliud’s full’d them er chocked up.
CHUCK—A chuck’s a hen, sewerly; but a chuck under t’ lug izzant, er a chuck on ta top ov a cart, an’ beside that a lot o’ fooak co ther tommy chuck, broon chuck, and white chuck, and seea on.
CHUFF—Pleased, like a lad wi a new jackilegs, er t’ lasses wi a new frock apiece fer Easter. T’ lad wasn’t seea chuff ’at hed nowt new but their Jim’ auld shoes ta say t’ Psalms in.
CHAFFER—Argue. What er ye chafferen ower?
CHAMMERLY—What they used to steep seed wheat in ta kill t’ filth an’ t’ bad pickles.
CHANTER-BONE—When yer feet shut oot an’ ye drop on t’ boddom o’ yer back an’ see a lot o’ stars—it’s becos ye’ve touched t’ chanter-bian.
CHATS—Lal taties.
CHAUVE, CHAUVEN, CHATTERED—Chew’d. T’ rattens hev chauven varra near through t’ cauf hull door.
CHEEK—Sides, seck as door cheeks an’ yat cheeks.
CHEEK—Impudence. Let’s hev nin o’ thi’ cheek.
CHEEPERS, CHILPERS—Young birds in the nest.
CHELP—Sauce. Thoo’s far ower mich chelp aboot thi; thoo wants ta keep thi tongue atween thi teeth a bit mair.
CHEP—T’ nooas-end. His chep’s gaily reed wi’ t’ wind.
CHEESE-FAT—A tin used in pressing cheese.
CHIME—T’ dog gowlen.
CHIME-IN—Net ta gowl, but tak a hand i’ owt ’at’s gaan on, seck as cards, tea suppin, laikin, er owt. “Come, chime-in”; it happens is harmony efter o’.
CHIN-MUSIC—When t’ barn hes t’ stomach-wark it’ll mak some fer ye.
CHIN-PIE—Lads rub yan anudder’s chins wi’ ther knockles an’ co’ it chin-pie.
CHEETRY—Knavishness. Eetry beats cheetry.
CHIP—An interjected remark. He pot in his chip.
CHIP—A wrestler’s stroke—buttock, hype, click, hank—any mair?
CHIP’T—To obtain ale by throwing out a hint. They chip’t t’ maister fer a quart.
CHIP’T—Cracked. Siam as a tea-pot spoot when it’s stood on t’ hood, er a egg when the chicken’s gaan ta come oot on’t.
CHIRM—To put a lot o’ fancy craft inta yer talk when ye durt know hoo. Noo she thinks neea smo’ drink of hersell chirmen an’ nacken. “She” was a young man fra t’ town.
CHIT—Puss.
CHITTY—PUSS-A lad’s game.
CHITTER—T’ lal uns at skiul chitter an git nointed for ’t; t’ youngs birds chitter i’ ther nests when t’ auld ’un comes wi’ a worm, an t’ swallows chitter on t’ riggin.
CHITTY—Cat.
CHITTY—Jenny-wren.
CHITTY—A diminutive. Chitty-garth, a small field. Chitty-balks, the lesser timber in a roof. Chitty-fiace, a small featured person.
CHOP-FAWN—A chap when his sweetheart hes chuck’t him fer anudder; an’ anudder ’at’s fund oot he hes t’ wrang sew bi t’ lug; an’ when oor best laid plans hez gone agley, an’ we’re soor, an’ sad an’ sulky wi’ ivv’rything an’ iv’rybody, it’s than said aboot us ’at we’re chop-fawn. An it’s gaily oft true.
CHOPS—Jaws. He hangs his chops.
CHOPPEN-AN’-CHANGEN—Varra whimmy mack o’ fooak ats allus laiten oot summat fresh ta gah on wi.
CHOWLS—Pig cheeks. T’ chowls touch t’ fleear.
CHECK-BRAT—T’ auld farrent uns wad wear a check brat, a bed-goon, cap, an’ clogs an’ be ivver seea smart an’ tidy e’ them.
CHEG, CHEGGLED, CHEGGLEN—These hes ta deea wi chowin.
CICELY—Sweet Cicely. Rabbit keepers knows what an’ whar it is. Crosby Ravensworth has been nooated for hundreds o’ years for it.
CLAG—Adhere. “Is it clag’d in?” “No,” sez t’ Cockney, “it’s gummed in.” An’ than we winkt an’ laffed.
CLAGGER—One who sticks to all he can is a clagger.
CLAMMING, CLAM—To suffer hunger.
CLAGGERAN—That’s hoo ye git up a rock, er a hoose side, when ye’ve neea stee.
CLAY-DAUBIN—A wo plaistered wi’ clay fer lime.
CLAP—Ther’s a clap o’ thunder, an’ some other sorts. Owt ’at’s set doon in a hurry is clapt doon.
CLEEATY—Ye know—Auld Cloven foot, doon below i’ t’ het spot.
CLINKS—Ye’ll find some on t’ fells.
CLIP—Condition. Ah’s a gay fair clip, that Ah is.
CLIP—A year’s wool crop. We’ve t’ last year clip i’ t’ granary yut.
CLIPPIN’—What cheer?—Oh, clippin’. A gay lish body gahs clippin’ aboot like a tweea year auld.
CLIPT ’UN—A newly shorn sheep. By gom he was off; he ran like a clipt ’un when he hard that.
CLIPT AN’ HEEL’D—E’ feiten fettle.
CLIPT DINMENT—A hauf-fed fellow.
CLUDDER—To get close together when it’s cold or lonely. T’ sheep cludders up when a dog gets among them.
CLUTHERS—In heaps, clusters.
CLOM’D-UP—Thirsty, dried up. We rowt amang that stoory lime and muck tell Ah was aboot clom’d up wi’ ’t.
CLAHM’D-UP—Nearly t’ siam as t’ last. Ah’s clahm’d up wi fleem.
CLAT—A nasty mischievous body ’at gangs frae yah body’s hoose tul anudder, hearin’ t’ tial an’ tellin’ ’t, an setten t’ toon bi t’ lugs—that’s a clat.
CLETCH, CLUCKIN’, CLECKIN’—A brood of chickens, &c.
CLOINTER—To run about over a floor, or up and down steps making a noise. Give ower clointerin’ aboot wi’ thi gurt clogs.
CLONK-CLOMPER—A gurt noise like a lad maks wi’ his clogs ’at’s far ower big fer his feet.
CLAP BREAD—Haver bread, an’ bread made from unsound flour.
CLINT—A steep face of rock, a small scar.
CLOD—To throw stones or clots. He was clodden steeans.
CLUM—Cold, heavy soil.
CLAMMEREN—Walking badly.
CLIMMEREN—Creeping up trees.
CLAVVERIN-AT—Fratchen.
CLAMS—What a saddler or a shoemaker holds his materials in whilst he stitches them together; also the implements of a veterinary surgeon.
CLANK—A shoe er a clog calker, er a cart wheel hiup, er a nag’s shoe’ll clank when they’re lowse.
CLARTY—Stickey. Yan o’ t’ finest preachers in a’ America was yance writin’ aboot a famous puddin’, an’ he sed it was “clarty.” An ther’s clarty tricks, an’ clarty fooak, an’ clarty looanens, an’ clarty trods.—See Ruskin’s “Fors Clavigera,” vol. 2, page 203.
CLASH—Ther’s wake tea; rain; gossip; a yat er a door shot wi’ a bang; an’ a rattle on t’ side o’ t’ heed; these is o co’ed clash betimes, as weel as thin poor yal.
CLASH-BAGS—A gurt gossipin’ clash-bags is a body ’at tells mair than they know aboot other fooak.
CLASH’D-LIUKEN—Yan o’ t’ world’s failures ats doon on his luck.
CLASHY—Rainy, stormy. It’s clashy weather aboot Brough Hill time varra oft.
CLAW, CLAWK’T, CLAWKEN—Ta scrat when ye’re feitin asteed o’ strikin’ wi’ yer double nief.
CLEAN-HEELS—Lads ’at’s been amang t’ pes, er i’ somebody’s wotchet, an’ er catcht ’ll show ye some clean heels as they gang ower t’ dykes.
CLEG—A gad-fly, but git yan i’ yer neck whol on a het day, an’ let it git agiat sooken, an’ than common cleg’s fine eniuf.
CLEW—A clew o’ yarn. It’s when ye’ve wund it ready fer knittin. “Give it a corner and the clew undoes,” says George Herbert.
CLICK—Snatch. Click hod ov his coat laps.
CLINKERS—A kind of nails used to protect the edges of a shoe sole.
CLINKIN’—Noo this means summat grand. A clinkin lal meear, a clinkin good plewer, er mower, er runner, er wrussler, er owt else.
CLINKS—Sheep leg joints. T’ lasses laik wi’ them, an’ co them clinks.
CLINK-OFF—Some ’ll clink off ta be soldiers, an’ some to be summat else. It means ’at they gang an’ mak neea sign, they clink off an’ git wedded er ’list, er owt else, an’ sometimes they rue their clinkin tricks.
CLOOAS-MOOTH—It’s what maks a sharp heed, but some fooak’s far ower clooas behauf.
CLUDDY—A cluddy-nut is a sooart of Siamese twin nut; tweea grown tagidder.
CLOT-HEAD—A silly fellow.
CLOWEN—Scratten. What’s ta clowen like that for? Fooak’ll say thoo’s company.
CLAGGUM—Treacle made hard by boiling.
CLAMMERSOME—Greedy, contentious, clamorous.
CLAMP—To make a noise.
CLAPPER, CLACK—The tongue.
CLEETS—Pieces of iron worn by countrymen on their shoes.
CLIFTY—Well managing.
CLOIT—A clown or stupid fellow.
CLONTER—To work in a dirty manner.
CLUFF—To strike, to cuff.
CLUMP—A mass of anything.
CLUMPY—Awkward, misshapen.
CLOMIN’—Fondling. Give ower clomin t’ dog aboot.
CLIASE-HORSE—A winter hedge; a clothes maiden, ta dry t’ cliase on afore t’ fire.
CLOOT—Hurry. Yer in a terrible cloot.
CLOOTED—Rattled. He gat clooted ower t’ lugs fer his impidence.
CLOOTEN—He was clooten off doon t’ looanen.
CLOOTS—The feet. Ram thi gurt cloots anunder t’ seat, er somebody’s gaan ta breck ther necks ower them.
CLOSE—Same as clammy.—neea wind, nowt but warm an’ clooas.
CLOUTS—A woman’s clothing. She’s jarbled o’ her clouts.
CLUFT—A cluft stick is yan wi’ tweea grains cut off an’ a bit left on like a fork.
CLAMMY—Moist warm weather. A clammy neet.
CLOGS—Ther’s hag-clogs at’s as stupid as they mak ’em; ther’s clogs fassened tull a bull snoot; clogs fer t’ fire; an’ clogs fer t’ feet—wooden soled shoes, t’ lawyer co’ed ’em. “Let’s see, your father wore wooden soled shoes, called clogs, I believe?” “Aye,” sez t’ fella he was bullyin’, “an’ if thy faddur hed worn wooden soled shoes co’ed clogs thoo’d bin weeren clogs noo.” Varra fair.
CLOCKIN’—A clockin’ hen. Ivverybody knows what that is, but tweea chaps found a watch, an’ yan o’ them said it war a clockin’ tiad, and’ they kilt it!
CLOOT—Patch, mend, a blow. A cloot under t’ lug. Aye! She says thi kitle ’s clooted an’ clooted till neea body can tell which is t’ maister cloot.
CLOCK-DRESSER—A man who cleans and repairs clocks.
COWDY—T’ siam as a nag wi’ plenty o’ cooarn in’t an’ lal wark ta deea.
CON—Study. Ah conn’d it ower e’ mi mind.
COOARN, COOARN’D—Cooarn t’ nags; t’ cooarn kist an’ seea on. But a chap’s gay weel cooarn’d when he’s a snod skin on him an’ plenty o’ girth aboot t’ boddom ov his waistcoat to hod his watch chain oot wi’; an’ ther’s lang cooarn miad oot ov a whang an’ a lal bit o’ stick; t’ farmer lads know what they’re for, an’ seea does t’ nags.
CO’E-FRAE—Place of origin. Whars his co’e frae.
COO-BAND—What she’s fassened ta t’rud stiak wi’.
COO-BAT—When tweea lads er hegged on ta feit, t’ hegbattle ’ill say ta yan o’ them “Give him his coo-bat.” It’s the gage o’ battle on a smo scale.
COO-STRIPLINS—Cowslips.
COO-TEE—A short riap miad o’ hair, wi a loop at yah end an’ a short bit o’ wood at tudder. It’s used to lap aroond a coo’s hinder legs ta keep her whiat tell she’s milked.
COONT—Sum. Read an’ write an’ coont.
COONTIN-BOOK—Arithmetic.
COO-YOKE—A coo at wears a yoke carries her character on her neck, an’ he who runs may reed ’at she’s a lowp dike.
COPY—T’ lal’uns sit on ’em, as weel as fooak ’at’s milken.
CORKER—A surpriser. T’ nag’s run away an’ brokken t’ cart stangs off, an’ thrown t’ cart ower. Whia noo, that’s a corker, an’ us seea thrang.
CORKERS—Winners.
CORKED—Conquered in a succession of games.
COW’D LOORD, COWT LOORD, COW’D LADY—A haver meal dumplin boil’d e’ broth. Says Anderson: