AARON’S ROD—It grows e’ t’ garden.
ABACK—Behind; in the absence of; over some land-mark or another. Thus, a cap hangs up aback o’ t’ door; a tale may be told about some one aback of his back; and another comes frae aback o’ t’ fells.
ABACK-O-BEYONT—The place from which comes nothing but mystery and terror for barns; neea body’s bin an’ come back to say whar it ligs.
ABIDE—Put up wi’; ah can’t abide mucky fooak.
ABREED—Level, equal, broadcast. They war walken o’ abreed.
ACOCK—Hay that is cocked up in “fiut cocks,” or, “gurt cocks”; something that is set finely, and evenly balanced; ready and eager for a fratch; a hat put on sideways; put out of temper; glib.
ACOCKINECKS—Where most youthful jockeys make their first attempt at riding, namely, across the father’s neck; and later on in life as a schoolboy’s game. To ride acockinecks is regarded as fine enough for anyone.
ACOS—For the reason; because. “What for dud thoo punch at my shins?” “Acos Ah thowt Ah wad see what thoo wad say if Ah dud.”
ACROSS—Met with. Ah com across an auld nebbur er tweea.
ACROOK—Crooked. When t’ maut gits intul a chap’s legs an’ he gahs across t’ rooad he’s gaan acriukt.
ADDLE—Earn. In the sense of the word as now used in literature, “addle” has none but an exactly opposite meaning. To earn; to turn to good account; to make a living; it has nothing to do with barrenness, corruption, or rottenness. How Addle, Addlepate, Addle-head, Addle-brain, and so forth have sprung from so respectable an origin can only be conjectured.
ADDLIN’, ADDLINS—Earning; wages. “Is ta addlin owt much?” “Siavin’s good addlin.” “His addlins divn’t come to mich.” “He taks miast of his addlins hiam tul his wife an’ barns.” Like Addle, Addlin’, and Addlins are of good repute in Lakeland lore.
AFRONT—Before. He was on afront.
AFORE—In front of; before. A gurt dub o’ watter afooar t’ door. Winter’s come afooar it time.
AFORETIME—Previously: the old days. They’d hed some bother afooartime about t’ sheep an’ t’ dykes. Afooartime yan used ta be prood o’ some good poddish fer yan’s supper.
AFOREHAND—Done before; he had his rent ready afooarhand.
AGREE—Amiss, crossways. T’ auld piase-eggers wad sing:
If ye give us nowt we’ll tak nowt agree,But we’ll gang and sail owld England’s sea.
If ye give us nowt we’ll tak nowt agree,But we’ll gang and sail owld England’s sea.
If ye give us nowt we’ll tak nowt agree,But we’ll gang and sail owld England’s sea.
If ye give us nowt we’ll tak nowt agree,
But we’ll gang and sail owld England’s sea.
AGGLE AN’ JAGGLE—To higgle over a bargain; a bit o’ fendin an’ priuvin’ ower owt.
AGATE—Started; abusing; out of the way. “Hev ye gitten agiat mowin’?” T’auld beggar’s allus agiat o’ yan er anudder on us blackin’ an’ gaan on. Ye’ve gian a lang way agiat.
AGATEWARDS—Towards the gate. Said by some to be a relic from the times when savage dogs rendered it necessary for the visitor to be “set” by “t’ fauld yat.” Another and an older reason than savage dogs still keeps the custom of “settin’ yan anudder agateards” alive, and is likely to do, so long as lads and lasses care for one another’s company.
AIBLINS—Possibly. Will ye gang o’ Sunday? Aiblins ah may.
AH-WOOA-GE-HEDDER-COME-UP—A nag ’at doesn’t understand its orders is apt ta git t’ whup. We yance watched a chap plewin, an’ he said, “Ah-wooa-ge-hedder-come-up” till he was stalled, then he let flee wi a clot, coad t’ nag a fiual, an’ telt it ta liuk an see what seck wark it was makkin.
AHINT—Behind. Allus keep ahint a shutter. Thoo can git on ahint me an’ hev a ride. We’re a lang way ahint wi oor wark.
AJYE—O’ yah side as some fooak weear their hats.
AIM, AIMED—Intend, intended. We didn’t aim ye to know. Ah’d aimed ye to stop an’ hev a cup o’ tea.
AIR, AIRED—To warm or dry. Air t’ bed; air mi shirt. A drop of aired milk.
AIRIN’—Showing off. He was arin’ hissel oot in his majesty.
AKEEN—Related. They’re nowt akeen ta yan anudder. Siam as Rag Mary, akeen ta o’ t’ gurt fooak.
ALLODIN—Not in regular employment, but looking for an engagement. This is a gay auld farrand word an’ taks us back a lang way.
ALLY-COM-PANNY—A game.
Rhyme—Ally-com-pannyWhen ’ll ta marry?When apples and peers is ripeAh’ll come ta thi wedden,Without any bidden,An’ dance wi t’ bride at night!
Rhyme—Ally-com-pannyWhen ’ll ta marry?When apples and peers is ripeAh’ll come ta thi wedden,Without any bidden,An’ dance wi t’ bride at night!
Rhyme—Ally-com-pannyWhen ’ll ta marry?When apples and peers is ripeAh’ll come ta thi wedden,Without any bidden,An’ dance wi t’ bride at night!
Rhyme—Ally-com-panny
When ’ll ta marry?
When apples and peers is ripe
Ah’ll come ta thi wedden,
Without any bidden,
An’ dance wi t’ bride at night!
ALL-OWERISH—A feeling of general weakness or ailment. Ah nobbut feel a bit o’ owerish ta-day, ah’s o’ ower alike.
ALLEY—An alabaster marble, with which boys play. Hoo many marvels hes thoo? Ten potteys and three alleys.
ALLEY—A passage between the rows of seats in a hall or building. We can walk doon t’ alley.
ALAG—Leaning; on one side. That hoose side’s varra mich alag. T’carful o’ hay gat o alag. Set t’stee mair alag,i.e.give it a bit more “skatch.”
ALAG—A “call” used when necessary to disturb a flock of geese.
ALLAY—Guarantee. Allay yer tired? It is used frequently to affirm an answer that is anticipated.
AMPLE-ORDER—In perfect condition and ready. O’s e’ ample order fer t’ weddin.
AMANG-HANDS—In the midst of other and various duties. We’re thrang wi t’ hay and howin’ turnips amang-hands. She was weshen’, an’ biaken’, an’ singen’ amang-hands fer t’ barns.
ANEATH—Below. Price o’ floor’s a gay bit aneath what it yance was.
ANENT—Alongside. He could shear his rig anent a man. Directly opposite. We sat anent yan anudder.
ANO—Too; as well. Thee gang wi us ano.
ANKLE-BANDS, ANKLE-BELTS, ANKLE-STRAPS—Shoes or slippers provided with a strap to fasten around the ankle to keep them on. Fer dancin’ in thers nowt better ner a pair o’ ankle straps.
ANKLE-JACKS—Shoes that come over the ankle, and which have a long front quarter, like those worn by soldiers. He’d a pair o’ ankle jacks fer t’ Sundays.
ANGRY—Nay, nut mad, ner vexed, but inflamed an’ sair like a kin, er a frozen teea. This word illustrates the divergence there is in the use of words in the literary and dialect senses.
ANTRES—In case; providing. Tak yer top cooat antres it rains.
ANUNDER—Beneath. Did thoo see that fish gang anunder t’ breea?
A-NAG-BACK, A-FIUT—Are ye gaan a-nag-back, er ye’ll gang afiut? Riding or walking. Afoot is also often used to signify well, and up afiut.
APODE—Ah’s warn’t; dare be bund; daresay. Ye’ve hed some fash wi’ that barn, Ah’ll apode it ye hev.
APRIL-GOWK—April-fool. A person who is betrayed into some senseless errand, or action, and then informed that he’s an April gowk and that it is the first of April.
APPLE-PIE-ORDER—Neatly arranged. We’ve o’ e’ apple-pie-order fer sitten doon ta t’ tea.
ARCH-WHOL—A hole in the wall of a building in which sparrows build and light and air pass through.
ARK—Meal chest.
Many hands mak’ leet’ warkAn’ many mooths a tium ark.
Many hands mak’ leet’ warkAn’ many mooths a tium ark.
Many hands mak’ leet’ warkAn’ many mooths a tium ark.
Many hands mak’ leet’ wark
An’ many mooths a tium ark.
ARM-WHOL—The arm pits. Ah’s as sair as can be i’ t’ arm-whol. The opening in a coat or waistcoat through which the arm is passed.
ARRALS—A skin disease, also known as ring-worm, and said to be contracted by contact with cattle. Ah’ve t’ arrals on mi arm, an’ Ah want some copperas ta puzzen it wi’.
ARRANT—Thoroughly bad. He’s an arrant auld slenk.
ARRAN’-WEB—Cobweb. T’ baulks was hung wi’ arran’ webs.
ARR, ARR’D—Scar or seam left on the skin by a wound or disease. He’d a gurt ugly arr on his broo whar t’ nag hat him. It maks fooak varra kenspeckle when they’re seea pock arr’d.
ART—Quarter. What art’s t’ wind in? It’s in a wet art. What art er ye frae? This yan’s a gem o’ purest watter an’ varra near as auld as oor auld hills an’ whols. Lang let it stop.
ARVAL-BREAD—Loaves distributed at funerals.
ARVAL-SUPPER—An entertainment or feast given at funerals.
AS TIGHT—As well. Thoo mud as tight whissle as sing.
AS LEAVE—As soon. Ah’ as leave gang as stop.
AREED—Solve; guess. Areed me this riddlin.
ASS-TRUG—See ass-boord.
ASS—Ashes, an’ ashes is burnt muck, cinders, er owt else ’at’s bin throo t’ fire.
ASS, AX—Ask. Ass that body fer a drink o’ milk.
ASIDE—Near. Whar’s t’ cowrak? It’s clooas aside o’ ye.
ASIDE—Ta “ride aside” means to ride as t’ ladies do—aside. Ta sit o’ yah side o’ t’ nag nobbut; they’ve saddles a purpose fer t’ job i’ some spots.
ASK—An ask’s a lizzard; ther’s yan i’ t’ pond.
ASKATCH—In rearing a ladder against a wall if the bottom is set well from the wall “it’s far eneuf askatch.” One who stands with his feet apart, or walks with them well set out has plenty o “skatch.”
ASS, ASSED, ASSINS—Them ’ats gaan ta git wedded know gaily weel, marry, what it is ta be assed. Ass some o’ them, an’ they’ll liuk as sheepish as asses.
ASS-CAT—A chap ’at croodles ower ’t fire when it’s a bit cauld is an ass-cat. As grey as an ass-cat—i.e.a cat ’at cronks under t’ ass-whol, an’ gits mucky wi’ burnt muck.
ASS-BOORD—A chap was tellin’ anudder what a ass-boord is, an’ he said it was a sooart of a wheel-barrow, nobbutit hed neea trunnle, neea legs, an’ neea stangs tult, an’ it was used ta gedder muck in. He mud a bin farder rang.
ASS-GRATE—An iron grate ’at fits t’ ass-whol, an’ keeps t’ barns frae tummelin’ in.
ASS-MIDDEN—T’ heap o’ burnt muck. Nearly ivvery hoose hes yan tul itsel, an’ varra few fooak but sailors ivver git a mile away frae yan o’ somebody’s.
ASS-MUCK—Ivverybody knows what ass-muck is; it izzant up ta mich fer nowt.
ASS-NIUK—In miast hooses there’s t’ hood niuk, an’ t’ ass-niuk yut, but ther nut what they used ta be, an’ ther gitten grand neeams for them. Ther’s nin o’ them can beat oors yut, we’ll stick ta er awn auld ass-niuk a bit langer.
ASS-WHOL—T’ gurt whol i’ t’ fleear whar t’ burnt muck drops intul oot ’at t’ fire.
ASSLE-TOOTH—A cruncher or molar is an assle-tiuth, an’ it’s grand when yan o’ them warks i’ t’ neet when yan sud be asleep.
ASSLE-TREE—Ivvr’y cart wheel has yan tul itsel, and revolves on it’s awn assle-tree, an’ that’ll be what t’ world gahs on it’s awn axis for I expect.
ASSOON—To fo assoon ’s a bad sign. It means yer wankly, or else ye’ve hed a gay hard knock ower t’ cannister, an’ it’s miad ye faint, an’ silly.
ASLANT—Sloping, it izzant thunner rain, it co’s aslant.
ASTRADDLE—Astride, siam as Rag Mary used ta ride on a stick, an’ somebody sed tul her, “What, yer ridin’ ta-day, Mary?” “Aye,” sez Mary, “but it’s nobbut t’ niam o’ t’ thing.”
ASTOOP—Bent with age, pain, or labour. He begins ta gang sair astoop, is said with a sympathetic tone that often implies much when tokens of decay are discerned.
ASWINT—Streck across frae yah corner tul annuder, yan sometimes gahs aswint a pasture; an’ yah auld chap used ta tell t’ tial aboot anudder ’at ’cot his pie crust aswint an’ t’ maister tel’t him he “was warse ner a ninny-hammer to cut his crust aswint.”
ATTER—A spider.
ATTER-COB—A spider’s web.
ATTER-MITE—A lal spider on t’ watter.
AT, ET, IT, UT—That; who; which. That’s t’ rooad ’at leads ta Peerith. Yon dog’s an auld slenk, ’et is ’t. He went t’ way ’it he thowt best. It izzant allus fer t’ best ’ut yan does things.
ATWINE—Oot ov a streyt line, owder up a hill, er doon yan.
ATWIST—When yan’s fishin’ tome gits hankled siam as threed.
ATWEEN—Between. Nivver thee gang atween neeabody ats feiten, let them feit it oot says Ah.
AUMRY—The office or lodgings of the almoner; also the place where the alms are given; a pantry.
AVERISH—Greedy, or hungry and eating in a guiversome manner. Tak thi time an’ divn’t be seea averish.
AVISED—Black-avised like a man that gits oot o’ bed on t’ wrang side, or gets his fias smeared with grime. A good old standing phrase that often hits off a description when more refined expressions would fail.
AW-MACKS—Goodstuff of mixed varieties. A ho’perth o’ aw-macks.
AWN, AWNY—The beard of barley, awny wheat, &c.
AWOVVER—An affirmation. Ah wadn’t deea seea, awovver.
AWMUS—An awmus dish is what they tak t’ toll in at t’ market, but what aboot t’ mooths like an awmus? Lads at t’ skiul when they want ta beg a bite o’ yan anudder’s apple, er peer, as’ fer an awmus. It’s becos it’s a sooart ov a takkin’ an’ givin’ nowt back, like miast o’ tolls, Ah reckon.
AWVISH—Seekly an’ silly, like a fellow at’s bin on t’ rant.
AYONT—Beyond. We set him a lang way ayont t’ fower rooad-ends.
AYE—Fer ivver an’ ivver an’ aye means a gay lang while.
AYE—Aye, whia, what noo? Aye of course means “yes,” but it means a lot more. It asks questions and answers them, as well as puts them by. One well skilled in humanity’s little traits tells us that the use of this monosyllable will stick to a man longer than any other, and he could locate a man’s origin by it’s use to a few miles. Aye’s a lal un, but it’s a sticker.
BAIT—Grain ov a booard that’s yah mak o’ bait.
BACK-CAN—A can to strap on the back an’ carry milk in.
BACK-END—That is autumn.
BACKIN—Cotton wool; cotton backin. Neea doot becos it does fer backin up hollow pleeaces. Ass a tailior or a manty-makker.
BACON-COLLOP—A bacon-collop an’ a pint o’ coffee—hoo’s that fer a dish?
BACON-FLICK—A picture ta hing up in a chimly niuk. It’s miad oot ov a pig’s carcase when it’s been fed weel an’ butched.
BACK-SET—To throw backwards in growth or improvement. To be forced or fast. He gat cauld an’ it gev him a back-set. We’re back-set an’ fooar-set, an’ can’t stir a pin.
BARK—Skin. T’ sun’s burnt o’ t’ bark off mi nooas.
BACK-SIDE—Behind the house. Come an’ laik i’ oor back-side. The hinder parts.
BASH—A nasty ugly wallop. It catcht me a bash fair i’ t’ ee.
BACON-STAVE—A plaster made from a bacon collop. Anybody wi a sair throat try yan, an’ sleep wi’ ’t on.
BACKSTUN, BACKSTUN-CAKE, BACK’US—Ah fancy t’ “bake-stone” ’s aboot oot o’ date, nobbut at haver-breed time, but a backstun-ciak ’s as good, if it is biaked on t’ girdle. Thers backs as briad as a backstun, an’ mooths as wide as a backus door.
BAD—Past of bid. He bad a ten pun nooat fer t’ Galloway.
BADGER—See batch-carrier. A buyer up of eggs an’ butter.
BADGER—Brow-beat. He pot up wi’ ther tricks as lang as they did nowt nobbut badger him.
BADGER—“As grey ’s a badger” ’s a common sayin’ wi’ them as hez nivver seen yan.
BAD-WORD—Abuse. He gat t’ bad-word fra t’ maister.
BADLY—Ill. As many a lad’s bin wi’ his first pipe o’ bacca er pint o’ yal. It’s cappin how lads ’ll punish thersels to “smell like a man,” as yan o’ them yance sed.
BAIN—T’ nearest way to a place, or to do a job. It’s as bain be t’ rooad. That ’ll be t’ bainest way o’ deein it.
BARKT—Bruised. Ah barkt mi shins again t’ deur step.
BAIT—A meal, or refreshments. A scholar’s lunch. To feed horses whilst they are working; or herd t’ kye i’ t’ looanen’s as they’re garn tult t’ paster, is ta let them bait.
BALDERDASH—Queer talk. Thoo talks nowt nobbut a heap o’ balderdash. It izzant exactly leein’, but riapin’ on wi’ a lot o kelderment ’ats neea truth it ’t, an’ less good.
BAWTY-BAWT—Dog name.
BAGS—Entrails.
BACK-WATTER—In financial straits. It’s best ta keep oot o’ back-watter. An’ a mill wheel’s i’ back-watter when it’s tail bund wi’ a fliud.
BAG-’O-TRICKS, BOILIN’, BUNCH, BUNDLE—These o’ mean yah thing—an’ that is o’ t’ lot. Git oot o’ mi giat o’ t’ bag o’ tricks on ye. They’re varra oft used wi’ nut mich sense at o’.
BAIRNEY, BAIRNISH—Old age childishness.
BAMBOOZLE—Kick’t aboot an’ bamboozl’d wi’ iv’ry yan o’ them. Miad gam on.
BAND—Tether. He’s hed ower mich band.
BAND—A high place on a hill—Silver Band on Crossfell, Bowfell Band, &c.
BALKS—Thrown ower t’ balks—ass’d ta’ t’ Kirk; spurr’d; garn to be wedded.
BALKS-HEN—Whar t’ hens roost.
BANDY-LEGGED—Short legged, and bowed.
BANE—Ah yance fand a lal bottle, an’ t’ auld woman said it hed rattan bane in. Ah guess it war puzzan.
BARE—Scrimpy; hardly. It’s bare weight. It’s bare three mile ta Shap.
BARGEST—An uncanny visitant often talked about but seldom seen or heard. One who has the power of foretelling the demise of others. One who makes an unearthly din. Shut up, thoo gurt bargest, thoo! Lal ’uns ’at’s aboot ther teeth er oft telt ta be whiat an’ gah ta sleep, er t’ bargest ’ll tak them, an’ seea they allus think o’ t’ bargest as summat flaysome.
BARKEN—To clot like blood on a bandage, or to “set in” like dirt on the skin.
BARLEY—Ween a lad wants ta claim t’ dumplin end he says, “barley me t’ dumplin end, mudder,” an’ neea body else hez any chance tult. Ther’s a lot a things i’ this world ’at yan wad like ta barley.
BARNS—Youngsters.
BATE—To take from a stated price. Te banter. He wad’nt bate a ho’penny. Ah couldn’t bate him a plack.
BATED—Ceased. T’ rain’s nivver bated a bit sen it started.
BATCH—A sack of meal. A baking of bread—barley-meal. Nowt’s sweeter ner a bit o’ het batch-ciak, buttered.
BATCH—Bundle; number; band. Ah’ll feit o’ t’ batch for a quart o’ yal. Ther’s a batch o’ rattans o’ tagidder. They o’ went i’ yah batch.
BATCH-CARRIER—A miller’s carter. Ivv’ry-body’s hed a ride wi’t’ batch-carrier amang his batches at some turn er anudder.
BARK—A can ta hod can’les in.
BATTER—An embankment.
BARNEY—A deceitful transaction in trade or in sport.
BARNEY-DOO—A made up thing. Two wrestlers who do not fairly contest, but agree which is to fell, are said to mak a barney-doo on ’t. Neea body likes a barney-doo ower weel, ’speshally if they’ve owt on.
BARROW, BARROW-COAT—What they don lal babbies in ta keep ther bits o’ legs an’ bodies warm.
BASIL—A sheep’s skin dressed into leather, for the aprons of smiths, shoemakers, &c.
BASH—A hurry. He was gaan ower t’ fell at seck a bash.
BASHED—Broken by force. He bashed t’ lid off wi’ his clog. He gat his teeth bashed doon his throat.
BASS—Rushes, seck as they use ta boddum chairs wi.
BAT-I-BO—Pize-bo. Ah fancy sum ’ll ken best, but it’s o’t siam t’ lads knows when it’s time to laik at it, whedder it’s bat-i-bo, pize-bo, or tennis.
BAT-STREEA—Thrash with a flail, an’ net deea’t ower hard, seea as ther’ll be summat left in fer t’ nags er t’ kye.
BAT—The forward stroke a mower strikes each time with his scythe. A blow. A winged animal. A high speed—an’ a lot mair things too numerous to mention.
BAT—Alighted. Mi feet shot oot frae anunder mi, an’ Ah bat fair o’ mi heed an’ shooders.
His neck oot o’ joint, an’ his beaynes were aw broken,When at t’ bottom he bat wi’ tremendous crash.—Whitehead.
His neck oot o’ joint, an’ his beaynes were aw broken,When at t’ bottom he bat wi’ tremendous crash.—Whitehead.
His neck oot o’ joint, an’ his beaynes were aw broken,When at t’ bottom he bat wi’ tremendous crash.—Whitehead.
His neck oot o’ joint, an’ his beaynes were aw broken,
When at t’ bottom he bat wi’ tremendous crash.—Whitehead.
BAT-AN’-BREED—The ground that a mower covers with each stroke of his scythe, bat being in front of him and breed on each side. He could tak’ a ter’ble bat an’ a famous gurt breed an’ aw.
BANG, BANGIN-ABOOT—Clatter. He flang him doon wi’ a ter’ble bang. Bangin-aboot means when t’ pots an’ things are skifted wi’ somebody ’at’s in a bit ov a hig aboot summat an’ maks a lot o’ noise an’ show.
BANGED—Beat. “They bang’d o’ t’ player fooak twenty ta yan.”
BANG INTULT—Bang intult an git it ower, when a hard day’s darrak’s in front o’ yan, t’ best way to gang aboot it—bang intult.
BARK—A short troublesome cough. Thoo’ll be barken o’ neet.
BANG UP AN’ DOON—A chap ’at’s ebben up an’ doon in o’ his ways an’ dealins wi’ his nebburs is sometimes said ta be a bang up an’ doon chap, an’ it’s a blessin’ ’at ther’s a lot left amang us.
BANDYLAN—A woman wi a queer character—nobbut.
BANNOCKS—Skons made out of barley-meal. Cat ran ower t’ rannel balks eatin mewlded bannocks. If ye can say that ower fast, a few times yer nut drunk.
BAR-OOT—At breckin’ up time fer t’ helidays lads know what ta deea—bar t’ maister oot:
Bar him oot, bar him oot,Bar him oot wi’ a pin;Gie’s a month helidayEr we’ll nivver let ye in.
Bar him oot, bar him oot,Bar him oot wi’ a pin;Gie’s a month helidayEr we’ll nivver let ye in.
Bar him oot, bar him oot,Bar him oot wi’ a pin;Gie’s a month helidayEr we’ll nivver let ye in.
Bar him oot, bar him oot,
Bar him oot wi’ a pin;
Gie’s a month heliday
Er we’ll nivver let ye in.
BAR-O—Lads when they’re laikin’ at marvels say bar-o, an’ they mean it.
BARLEY-SUGAR—A sugar stick. Try a child with a stick of barley sugar.—Ruskin.
BARFIN—A horse collar. A grand thing is a barfin ta gurn throo.
BARNEY-BRIG, BORO’-BRIG, BABYLON—A children’s game.
Hoo many miles ta Barney Brig?Three scooar and ten.Can I get there by candle-light?Yes, and back again.Any sticks or stones on the way?Yes, both. How can I get over?Put your heels aback o’ your neckAnd then jump over.
Hoo many miles ta Barney Brig?Three scooar and ten.Can I get there by candle-light?Yes, and back again.Any sticks or stones on the way?Yes, both. How can I get over?Put your heels aback o’ your neckAnd then jump over.
Hoo many miles ta Barney Brig?Three scooar and ten.Can I get there by candle-light?Yes, and back again.Any sticks or stones on the way?Yes, both. How can I get over?Put your heels aback o’ your neckAnd then jump over.
Hoo many miles ta Barney Brig?
Three scooar and ten.
Can I get there by candle-light?
Yes, and back again.
Any sticks or stones on the way?
Yes, both. How can I get over?
Put your heels aback o’ your neck
And then jump over.
BARBARY-BARK—A cure fer t’ jawness, an’ that’s a complaint ’at theer’s some queer remedies fer.
BARE-GAWPS—Young crows er cheepers.
BARE-PELT—Your birthday suit.
BANE—An industrious, diligent, persevering man. He’s varra bane awovver.
BANG-HANDED—Same as backwards-way-aboot; a left-handed awkward way of doing anything.
BACK-HANDED-WIPE—A way o’ wipin yans nooas when yans in a hurry an’ neea pocket necklath handy.
BACK-AN-EDGE—Completely. Nay! it’s gone back-an-edge.
BACK-HOD—A door cheek, er owt ta set yer back again when it warks wi’ stoopin’.
BANKER—What masons dress flags on, an’ farmers buy pigs wi’. They’re as useful as owt ye can hev in t’ hoose is a few bankers, sez oor Betty.
BARLEY-SEED-TIME—A sulky man ’at hings his boddum lip when things don’t suit him is said ta hing a lip like an auld meear i’ barley seed time.
BAUM—Baum tea, t’ grandest thing oot fer a sweet when ye’ve a bad cauld er a good ’un.
BAND-KIT—A gurt can wi’ a lid on.
BABBLE—A lie, or to lie, but babble is nicer fer t’ barns.
BAFFLE—Confuse; discredit; cross-question. He telt his tial as streck as a seeve, neeabody could baffle him.
BACK’ARDS-WAY-ABOUT—A chap ’at gangs about his wark in an awkward fashion, an’ does a lot on’t twice ower is said ta gang t’ back’ards-way-aboot.
BACK-HAND—Deceitful dealing. It’s a back-hand trick.
BACK-HANDER—A blow with the knuckles, and the hand not clenched.
BACK-BAND—The chain with which a cart shafts are held up. Fassen t’ backban’, tweea off.
BACK-HAULD—To wrestle with the contestants behind one another, instead of facing. An attitude allowed to balance inequality in skill or strength. Ah can wrussle thee back-hauld.
BABBLEMENT—Silly discourse, partly lees.
BAIST—To beat severely.
BAWTRY-STICK—A piece of elder wood worn in the pocket as a charm against the power of witches.
BAWTRY-JOHNNY—Elder wine.
BAGGISH—Ket; muckment; bad lads er lasses. Thoo’s nowt but a impident baggish.
BAY—To bend.
BALK—A joist; a weigh-beam; a strip of land; a piece which the plough has not turned over; to disappoint. He was yan o’ this sooart ’at nivver balkt his fancy, but sed just what he thowt.
BATTEN—A thick plank.
BATTIN—A bundle of straw done up by the thrasher.
BACKENIN’—A putting backward, as frost put ’taties back i’ June.
BACK-WORD—When yan’s hired an’ izzant gaan on wi’ ’t, yan hez ta send back-word; seeam wi’ t’ tailor when ye du’t want a suit ye’ve been mezzer’d for.
BED-GOON—It’s nowt to deea wi’ sleepin, but it is a nice leet print waist fer women ta weer i’ summer.
BEDLAM-HOOSE—Whar they’re makken a gurt nurration it’s war ner a bedlam-hoose.
BESSY-CLOCK—The seed of the dandelion, blown off to find out the time, so many puffs for each hour.
BESSY-CLOCKER—Black beetle. Kill a bessy-clocker an’ it ’ll rain.
BEVEL—A violent push or blow.
BELYVE—Afooar sa long.
BEAUTY-BEUT—Dog name.
BEUST or BUST—To put a mark or brand upon sheep.
BETIMES—Occasionally. Betimes he’s queer as Dick hat band.
BECK-AN’-FELL—A wide district. He owns o’ t’ land ’tween t’ beck an’ t’ fells.
BEGYANE—Taken aback. I was begyane when Ah hard tell about it.
BELDER, BELDER-KITE—Same as bellarin’. What’s ta beldern at?
BETTERMER—Superior. Bettermer mack o’ fooak. Bettermer hat an’ seea on.
BEN’, BEND—A hide of sole leather.
BEND—Turn. Bend o’ t’ arm, &c. Ther’s fooak that stupid they’ll breck siuner ner they’ll bend, they’re that heedstrang.
BENDY-LEATHER—Ice that bends when skating over it. Bendy-leddur nivver brecks in—nobbut sometimes.
BENEATH—To demean oneself by contact, or dealings with. Ah wadn’t beneath misel wi’ thi.
BEILD—A shelter. T’ wood’s a grand beild for t’ hoose. Ther’s net a bit o’ beild o’ neea mak ner shap for t’ kye.
BENSLE—Thrash. Ah’ll bensle thi jacket thoo young taistrel.
BENSLIN—Thrashing. We played trewin, an’ t’ maister gav us seck a benslin.
BERE, BIGG—Barley. Tweea lads war laikin’ at wishin’. T’ first wanted nowt but—
“Bigg breed dipt i’ collop fatAn’ swing o’ t’ day o’ Grayrigg Fell yat.”
“Bigg breed dipt i’ collop fatAn’ swing o’ t’ day o’ Grayrigg Fell yat.”
“Bigg breed dipt i’ collop fatAn’ swing o’ t’ day o’ Grayrigg Fell yat.”
“Bigg breed dipt i’ collop fat
An’ swing o’ t’ day o’ Grayrigg Fell yat.”
T’other wadn’t wish at o’, beccs becos Jim hed gitten o’ t’ good things.
BESOM, BESOM-HEED—A rough careless lass is a gurt mucky besom, and a silly chap’s a besom-heed.
BETHINK, BETHOUGHT—Remember. Ah can’t bethink me ov his reason.
BEWL—The handle of a bucket, can, pan, or pail. T’ bewl’s het.
BEZEL—To drink greedily. He wad bezel as much yal as wad swum a ship.
BEZ’LIN—Drinking greedily. He was nivver reet nobbut when he was bez’lin yal doon his neck.
BEZ’LED—The effect of heavy drinking. His nooas was bez’led.
BENT—Coarse fell grass.
BELK—An eructation. That is, it’s a rift efter eatin’ ower mich.
BELKER—Something that’s big. That taty’s a belker.
BELKEN-FULL—When yan’s hed ower mich poddish.
BELKEN-INTULT—A chap ’at gahs intul his wark as if he liked it.
BELKIN’—A tannin’. Thoo’ll catch a belkin’ fer this.
BELLY-WARK—This sometimes comes wi’ eatin’; back-wark wi’ workin’; heed-wark wi’ drinkin’; lug-wark; tiuth-wark; shooder-wark; een-wark; an’ ivverything aboot yan warks bi’ times but t’ tongue. Thi tongue nivver warks—Ah’ve bin telt that scores o’ times.
BETTER-NER-GOOD—Varra kind. Yer better-ner-good Ah’s sewer.
BERRY, BERRY-BREAD, BERRY-CAKE—Gooseberries. “I saw the dairy of one, half filled with the berry-bread, (large flat-baked cakes enclosing layers of gooseberries) prepared by its mistress for her shearers.”—Ruskin “Fors Clavigera.”
BERRY-SHAG—Ass a lad ’ats bin noppin berries fer his mudder what he expects as siun as t’ pan boils.
BETTER—More than. He’s better ner a year auld.
BETTER-LEG—Many a yan says when they’re in a gurt hurry “Noo Ah mun put t’ better leg t’ first,” but if ye nobbut hinted ’at they’d tweea odd legs ye wad git some sauce frae them.
BEETLE-BATTLE—Bray a hard shirt soft.
BEAL—The lowing of cattle; crying; noise made by the wind. Ah’ll gie thi summut ta beal aboot.
BEALEN—Howling.
“Ya dismal, dark December neet,When t’ wind in t’ chimley sood,Com bealen doon of Cross Fell heetsA helm rough and loud.”—Whitehead.
“Ya dismal, dark December neet,When t’ wind in t’ chimley sood,Com bealen doon of Cross Fell heetsA helm rough and loud.”—Whitehead.
“Ya dismal, dark December neet,When t’ wind in t’ chimley sood,Com bealen doon of Cross Fell heetsA helm rough and loud.”—Whitehead.
“Ya dismal, dark December neet,
When t’ wind in t’ chimley sood,
Com bealen doon of Cross Fell heets
A helm rough and loud.”—Whitehead.
BEALED—To call out through fear. Summat fell afront on him an’ he fair bealed oot.
BELLAR—A bull bellars when it wants to be queer. A barn whingen is bellarin’.
BEARDED—“The bright and bearded barley.” It’s t’ awns o’ wheat, er barley, an’ seck an’ seck like.
BEARDED-WALL—A wall that has a thickness of sod on the top in which thorns are placed to keep cattle in er oot. We’d to git ower a bearded wo. “For bearding the Kirk-garth wo” forms one item in Morland Church Accounts.
BEASTINGS—The milk from a newly calved cow; there’s war things ner a beastin’ puddin’.
BEAT—To feed a fire with sticks, or turf, er owt else.
“His words of weight act like a charm,On frozen hearts, and beat them warm.”—Whitehead.
“His words of weight act like a charm,On frozen hearts, and beat them warm.”—Whitehead.
“His words of weight act like a charm,On frozen hearts, and beat them warm.”—Whitehead.
“His words of weight act like a charm,
On frozen hearts, and beat them warm.”—Whitehead.
BEESE, BEEAS—Cows. Gang an’ fetch t’ beeas in ta milk.
BED, BEDDING, BEDDIN’-UP—Bed t’ swine-hull wi’ saw-come. Breckins is good for beddin’. He was beddin’-up t’ nags.
BESSY-DOOKER—A watter bird wi’ a black back an’ a white breest. It dooks i’ t’ watter as it shuts away when it’s flayed.
BECK—Stream. A Lakeland lad ’ll know summat aboot a beck, Ah dar be bund, wharivver ye see him.
“To think how poets wi’ their sangs,Their minds sud seea perplex,’Bout Eden, Lune, the Tyne, and Tees,An’ scwores o’ mucky becks.”—Whitehead.
“To think how poets wi’ their sangs,Their minds sud seea perplex,’Bout Eden, Lune, the Tyne, and Tees,An’ scwores o’ mucky becks.”—Whitehead.
“To think how poets wi’ their sangs,Their minds sud seea perplex,’Bout Eden, Lune, the Tyne, and Tees,An’ scwores o’ mucky becks.”—Whitehead.
“To think how poets wi’ their sangs,
Their minds sud seea perplex,
’Bout Eden, Lune, the Tyne, and Tees,
An’ scwores o’ mucky becks.”—Whitehead.
BECK STEPS—Stepping stones. T’ beck steps is oot o’ seet—that’s when ther’s a fliud on. Yah auld chap ’at hed ta gang ower t’ steps when t’ beck was oot, said his prayers an’ set off, but he sez, “Ah’s gaan bi t’ boddum.”
BELLIKIN—An immoderate eater or drinker—a gurt brossen bellikin.
BELLOCK—To eat hastily or greedily. He wad bellock his dinner doon, an’ off ta laik.
BELL-TINKER—A rattle on t’ side o’ t’ heed as oft as owt. But ther’s lots o’ things ’at’s co’ed bell-tinker.
BELLY-BAND—A girth. Fassen t’ belly-ban’.
BELLY-OUT—To project. That hoose wo bellys oot a lot mair ner I like.
BELLAS’D—Ah’s aboot bellas’d. That’s when a chap’s puff’s gian, er his leet’s aboot oot.
BELLYS—Lungs. Mi bellys is diun.
BELLY-TIMMER—Food. See ’at thoo gits thi share o’ belly-timmer.
BELLY-GOD—Yan ’at likes a lot o’ good tommy an’ things ta eat er drink.
BIAN-FIRE—A fire out of doors to burn up refuse.
BIAN-FIRE-DAY—The fifth of November; an’ lauve hoo we used ta watch for ’t an’ trail whins an seck.
BIDDABLE—Obedient, as a biddable child.
BIGGIN—A building.
BITE, BIGHT—A bend in a river.
BIDDY—A louse.
BICKER—A wood pot seck as they sarra hens in, I fancy. Chap sed he’d supt a bickerful o’ soor milk.
BICKER—Nags bicker when they’re ower weel coorn’, an’ lal ’uns bicker when they want ta walk.
BIDDEN—Invited to attend a funeral. Er ye bidden?
BIDDING-ROUND—The circle fixed and prescribed by ancient custom within which it is usual to “bid” or “ass” t’ nebburs to a funeral.
BINK—A stone bench or seat by the kitchen door, on which are placed various dairy utensils to “sweeten.” [To Captain Markham, of Morland, I am indebted for a copy of an extract of an inventory “of the goods of Thomas Bland, of Sleagill, A.D. 1664—item, chaires, stooles, cushions, table with binke and trough.”] From the opinions expressed by correspondents the word would also seem to bear the meaning of “bank,” or “bed”; a raised up flower-bed under a window.
BIN, BING—A corn chest with separate divisions.
BILLY, Net a goat, ner William, but t’ gurt lang spiad ’at a drainer howks clay oot wi—his billy and his how.
BILL-HOOK—A bill-hiuk’s what they dike wi’.
BIRK—It’s t’ rod at izzant spared.
BIRD-EEN—Bonny bird-een, the fairest floor ’at iver was seen.
BIRD-LIME—A preparation from holly bark, ta catch birds wi, it clags ther cleeas tull a grain ’ats daub’d wi’ ’t.
BIRL, BURL—To pour out. Birl’s a drop o’ mair tea oot, wi’ ta?
BIRR, BURR—To scotch a cart wheel. Birr t’ wheel antrees t’ meer back. A hazy ring around t’ miun when it’s gaan to snow is co’ed a burr.
BISHOP’T-MILK—Boiling milk allowed to set on t’ pan boddum an’ burnt.
BITY-TONGUE—A turnip ’at izzant fit fer eatin’ an’ bites yan’s tongue.
BIUN-HEED—It’s fine biun-heed—that is the sky’s clear even though it may be mucky under fiut.
BIUS—A stall in a cow-shed—that’s a bius.
BIUT—Added. Used chiefly in trading. SaysWhitehead: