ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY.
VOL. XVII.
I
THE DIALECT
OF
WEST SOMERSET.
BY
FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY,
MEMBER OF COUNCIL OF THE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETV.
/
LONDON:
far the (English iliaUct <S0cietg
TRUBNER & CO.
1875-86.
All rights reserved.
CONTENTS.
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
PAGE
Paper read before the Philological Society, Jan. 15, 1875 . . I
Classified List of Words to Illustrate Pronunciation ... 24
On Doubtful Vowels. By A. J. Ellis, F.R.S 77
GRAMMAR OF WEST SOMERSET DIALECT. Read before the
Philological Society, Feb. 18, 1876, and Nov. 2, 1887.
Introduction and Key to Glossic , i
Nouns ............ 4
Adjectives 15
Pronouns ........... 32
Verbs 43
Adverbs 81
Prepositions .......... 87
Conjunctions 92
Interjections .......... 95
Dialect Specimens 96
The Book of Ruth in the Dialect ...... 105
Note on West Somerset Pronunciation. By Dr. J. A. H. Murray . 112
Index to Grammar . . .116
WEST SOMERSET WORD-BOOK, or GLOSSARY.
Preface . v
Introduction .......... xv
Key to Glossic and Explanations ..... xlvii
Vocabulary .......... i
List of Literary Words not Pronounced as in Standard English . 855
SERIES D.
MI SCELLANEOTJS.
THE
DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
A PAPEE BEAD BEFOBE THE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY,
JANTTAET 15iH, 1875.
FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
WITH AN APPENDIX.
(From the Transactions of the Philological Society for 1875-6, pp. 197-272.)
LONDON :
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THE
DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
IT is said that dialects are disappearing, that railways, tele-
graphs, machinery, and steam will soon sweep clean out of
the land the last trace of Briton, Saxon, and Dane. This
statement, though highly coloured, has much truth in it, if
these traces are to be looked for only in distinct forms of
speech, and in archaic words : but even in these respects,
the practical effect of modern improvements and the ad-
vance of science are far less than it is usually believed
by those who write about them, but whose acquaintance
with the subject is confined for the most part to what
others have written. This must necessarily be the case :
practical information is hard to get, except by those who
are actually living amongst the people and with whom
they feel at home. The peasantry, who are the true re-
positories of verbal treasures, are shy, and not easily drawn
out by any one they look upon as a jin'l-mun.1 Any at-
tempt from a stranger, or even the paa'sn (unless he mixes
much with them), to extract information from a real native, is
1 All the dialectal -words, which are printed in italics, are written in accordance
with Mr. Alexander J. Ellis's Glossic system of spelling, which is explained in
the Appendix, where also every vowel and diphthongal sound in the dialect is
fully illustrated by classified lists of words preceded by remarks.
4 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
at once to cause Hodge to become like his namesake, and to
effectually shut himself up in an impenetrable shell of com-
pany manners, and awkward mimicry of what he supposes to
\)3jin'l-f6aks ^ca^ 6a spai'kin.
Now although a process of levelling may be going on, as
respects quaint words and local idioms, which board schools in
every parish will surely accelerate, yet I shall hope to show
that this process is slow, and at present very far from complete.
As regards pronunciation, intonation, and those finer shades
of local peculiarity which mark divergences from the Queen's
English almost more than the words used, I maintain that
the changes are far slower than those which are constantly
going on in what we call received English itself.
Many words are continually dropping into disuse, especi-
ally such as are of a technical character, belonging to trades,
like those mentioned as extinct by Sir John Bowring in his
paper on the Devonshire dialect (reprinted from the Trans-
actions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of
Science, etc., without date) ; but even of these I may remark
that burler and burling, pronounced buur'dler, buur'dlin
(picking out all foreign substances from unfinished cloth
with an instrument called a buurdlin-uyur, burling iron),
fuller, fulling mill, tucker, tmik'in mee'uh (mills for dressing
woollen cloth), rack, rack-field (frames for stretching woollen
cloth while being dried, so as to make it even in width;
these frames are attached to posts in the ground; every
woollen mill has its rack-field), linhay (a shed, lean-to),
estemane (a fine kind of woollen serge), soce, pronounced
soa-us (companions, mates, fellow- workmen ; kau'm soa'iis is
a very common expression used either by a farmer to his
men, or by one man to his fellows), sue'unt (regular, even,
smooth : a site-tint pee's 6a klaa'th, " a smooth even piece of
cloth," a sue'unt fee'ul oa wai't, " a regular field of wheat,"
i.e. free from patches or inequalities, are both very common
phrases), and skoa'vee (the exact opposite of sue'unt), are all
perfectly familiar to me as in daily use at the present
moment. While as to the others enumerated by him,
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 5
duroy, worley, lindsey, serafine, bayeton, they are but the
names of fabrics no longer manufactured, yet remembered
still, along with camlets, ginghams, and nankeens. Sir
John's failure to discover them only proves the difficulty
to which I before alluded. A stranger as he must have
been after fifty years' absence, must fail in trying to pene-
trate below the surface of peasants' talk.
At the same time that words of this kind are becoming for-
gotten, others of a like nature are continually taking their
places, not merely in the vocabulary of the people, but, from
the manner in which they are uttered, they become new links
in the chain of that hereditary pronunciation which has come
down to us "West-country folks, and which connects us with
the times when our British forefathers were elbowed back by
the prolific Saxon, and lorded over by the proud Norman.
We in our benighted regions have now raa'ylroa"&ds, tuul'i-
graamz, and traak'shun ee'njinz, bringing with them new ideas
and enlarged knowledge; but we do not find that the au'p
kmtn'tree mai'n who come with them are in sufficient number
to make any impression upon local pronunciation ; and we
find, too, that the words which they import into the district
are adopted as words, but with more or less different sounds
attached to them ; and I have no doubt but that similar
results attend the importation of words into all other districts.
Speaking from my own experience, I have often been amused
at the very marked provincialisms in the pronunciation of edu-
cated men and women in the Northern and Midland Counties,
whose tones in conversation and whose mode of expression,
because diverging in an opposite direction, sound to my
southern ears more exaggerated from contrast than they
would to a born Londoner. For instance, the koo'm of a
Lancashire man is not so far from kum "come," as it is from
our kau'm.
The particular dialect, or sub-dialect, upon which I trust I
may be able to throw some light, is, if one may judge from
the mistakes of some, and the cursory remarks of others who
have written upon Somersetshire, very little known, and it
6 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
appears to have received far less attention than most others.
Punch's typical clown always talks what is meant for Zuum'-
urzetzhee'r, and there are glossaries and poetic effusions in
abundance written in the Saxon of the county, yet they all
belong to the Eastern division, while the far richer vocabulary
and more expressive speech of the Western is passed over
with the remark set against a few stray words in the glos-
saries "pronounced so-and-so west of the Parret," thus leaving
it to be inferred that, with the few exceptions alluded to, and
a slight difference noticed here and there in the sounds of oo,
the dialects are identical : but this is a great mistake.
In the same way it has been assumed as a fact in all the
works on the subject with which I am acquainted, that the
boundary dividing the people who utter these slightly dif-
ferent sounds is the river Parret, and one learned gentleman
quotes as a proof of this, a record in the Anglo-Saxon Chron-
icle of A.D. 658, how in a certain battle, the Britons were
driven back as far as the river Parret. My obtuseness, how-
ever, fails to comprehend how the record of a battle written
more than 1200 years ago can establish the fact that down
to this time there has been no other driving back, and that
the traces of those old Britons still remain in the speech of
their descendants up to the brink of that river, but no
further.
I admit that there is a tolerably defined boundary on the
east side of the district known as West Somerset, but so far
as language is concerned, it is not the Parret.
If we take the Ordnance map of the county, we find the
ridge of the Quantocks, a high bleak moorland, running
nearly south from the Bristol Channel. We also find a sharp
spur of the Blackdowns called Pickeridge Hill running north-
ward as far as the village of Thurlbeer (pronounced Dil'buru).
This hill, jutting out to meet the Quantocks, contracts the
great Somerset flat into a narrow neck, and in the centre of the
valley between these hills, just at its narrowest part, and pre-
cisely where a modern engineer would place a defensive
stronghold, we find the Saxon fortress of Taunton, to us
known as Taa'ntn or Taa'nun. The people of the little villa o-e
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 7
of Ruishton (called Ruyshn}, only a mile and a half to the
east of Taunton, speak the eastern dialect ; while at Bishops
Hull, one mile to the west, they speak the western.
The Quantocks are in fact, what we should expect them
to be, the natural boundary of the district, and Taunton is
the military position which protected the lowlanders of the
plain and marshes from the highlanders of the western hill
country.
On the south and south-west there is much shading off in
the mode of speech, and it is difficult to point out any sharply
defined line ; but westward, taking in a portion of Devonshire,
it follows pretty nearly the boundary of the counties as
marked on the map, and includes most of the wild and beau-
tiful Exmoor district, as well as the Brendon Hill range.
In many respects the dialect of North Devon is the same
as ours, and it much more nearly resembles it than the East
Somerset does, but there are however many marked differences.
One of the most striking is that in Devon they use us as a
nominative, while in Somerset we do not. Again they use
the old inflexion ih more than we do ; they would say, u
goo'uth, u tau'keth, "he goes," " he talks;" we should say, ai
du goo, ai du tau'kge, " he do go," " he do talk."
In noting the peculiarities of my native patois, I have taken
no pains to ascertain how far it shares them with other dis-
tricts, or in what respects it differs from them ; but leaving
comparisons and deductions to your more competent hands,
I simply place before you such facts as are within my own
personal knowledge, and every one of which I am ready to
substantiate by the test of a practical illustration out of the
mouth of some veritable plough-tail native.
Authorities upon the subject there are none, so far as I
know ; and therefore, in preparing this paper, I have adopted
no other standard than to note whatever seems to me impor-
tant in the speech of the people as a divergence from received
English. I must here, however, acknowledge the assistance, in
the way of suggestion, I have found in the two papers read
before our local Archaeological Society by my distinguished
friend and fellow-countryman, Professor Spencer Baynes, of
3 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
St Andrews. But even in his papers there are many
assertions and examples which he would, I am sure, admit to
need "quantification," if tested in the practical way I have
mentioned. Valuable as his papers are upon the general dia-
lect of the Western Counties, Mr. Baynes has omitted all
notice of the strange differences which occur in the pronun-
ciation of the same combinations of letters. For instance, he
classes My, May, day, and say as all of the same sound ;
whereas in West Somerset we should Zai, dhat dhu laa's
Dhmiz'dee in Maa-y aa'y wuz ufoo'us tu laef oa'f haa-y mak'in,
vur tu goo vur tu paa'y mee rai'nt, " Say, that the last Thurs-
day in May I was forced to leave off haymaking, for to go
for to pay my rent." Surely these different soundings are
not arbitrary, or even chance results ; but they must point
to some influence, which is to be looked for in the origin
of the word itself, or rather in the speech of those people
from whom it came to us.
The Norman has not left very many signs of his presence
among us ; yet in a district where we have the villages of
Huish Champflower, Langford Budville, Hatch Beauchamp,
and Thome Falcon, We may fairly ascribe to him any pecu-
liarity in the pronunciation of those words which must have
been daily used by him and are now adopted by us. How
otherwise is it to be accounted for that we always give the
difference in sound which I have instanced, zai, dai, paa'y,
Maa'y ? But I shall have occasion to allude to this further
on. These and similar varieties of sound seem to make our
dialect incapable of being reduced to anything like rule or
order, that is, as measured by received pronunciation ; for
the same combination of letters still offcener represents
several distinct sounds in West Somerset than it does even
in ordinary English.
The patois is essentially one of vowel-sounds, connected by
indistinct consonants ; for we get rid of these or reduce them
to faint breathings whenever we can.
I propose to take the vowels in the order of the old gram-
mars. In village schools they are called ae'ti, ai, aai, oa, yue.
We have both the open a and the close a, and a sort of semi-
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 9
open sound as in bae'ukn, or the invariable infant school
spelling of " Aaron," guurt ae'ii, lee'dl ae'ii, aar, oa, ai'n.
The various sounds of a are represented in the following
sentences: — Aa'y aa'nt u-vttw'n dhu paa'th, "I have not
found the path ; " Ai wid'n saa-r fa wae'ujez, u-peol'in dhai
tuurmuts vur zik'spuns u bai'g, " He would not earn his
wages, pulling those turnips for sixpence a bag ; " Dhu aa'tur-
maa'th icuz tue geo'd vur tu lat uwt dhik'i vaa'th 6a pai'gz een
tin, " The aftermath was too good for to let out that litter of
pigs in it." Or there is still more variety in the following:
Uur zad tu mee u Zin'dee aa'turneo'n jis ubuwd u dree, da
klauk, Aa-l tuul'&e haut tai'z, Aa'y bai'unt gwaa'yn aim lig
dhis yur noa lau'nggur ; vaur ee aa'nt ubin' unee'us mee vaur
vaawur yuur kau'm dhu tuym, un dhad'l bee dree wiks uvoa'ur
Baa'nun vai'ur ; Aa'y muyn uw dhu ween daed bloa-ee fit tu
bloa dmcn dh}oa'l ^l^cz : " She said to me on Sunday after-
noon, just about three o'clock, I'll tell you what it is, I am
not going on like this any longer ; for he has not been near
me for four years come the time, and that will be three
weeks before Bampton fair ; I remember how the wind
blew fit to blow down the old house." The prefix u in ubin'
is used almost invariably with all participles, both past and
present.
Our e is often very like the French e, and in diphthongs
with a is often so pronounced when the vowels are not sounded
separately, as in seat, meat, or eat. Dhu chll'urn ad'n ugoci'ut
u beet 6a mai't vur ai't, nur eet' nuudh'ur sai't vur tu zit duwn
paun, "The children had not a bit of meat to eat, nor yet
any seat to sit down upon."
The letter e, though called ai, is sometimes pronounced as
ee long when followed by a; for instance, nee'ur, "near,"
fee'ur "fear," bee'ut " beat," bee'us " beast." You will note
that these are distinctly vowel fractures.
For the diphthong ea as written in common English we
have at least six distinct sounds : mai't, ai't, sai't, as before
given; cfoef#/ (deal), rae'ul (real), mae'ul (meal), ae'uth (earth),
mizh'ur (measure), jil'is (jealous), mid'u (meadow). For heat
we say yaet ; and for both heath and hearth we say yee'uth,
JO THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
but to this last I must refer again. Hear, year, here, and
ear, have with us but one sound — yuur.
The commonest of these sounds is of course that which fol-
lows, if I may so express it, the genius of the dialect — that is,
to separate vowels, and sound them all, as in bee' Us (beast),
Tcke-un (clean), dee'ur (dear), mee'&d (mead), wae'ul (weal).
You will have noticed that in these double sounds the e is
sometimes ee and sometimes ae. Mr. Baynes is mistaken
in classing cart, card, heart, meat, and milk, among these
fractures, although kee'ur (care), kee-uz (case), shee'ud
(shade), and shee-ur (share), may well be so included. No
other rule than that of placing every word with the diph-
thong ea in it as an exception seems possible. But here
again Etymology may well be served by a study of these
exceptions; for without doubt they are true key-notes of
the archaic stave.
E short before n becomes long, as in ai'n (hen), pavn (pen,
for writing only), tai'n (ten), mai'n (men), wavn (when).
Before / it becomes short uu, as in wuul (well), tuul (tell),
zuul (self), vuul (fell) : but to sell becomes zil.
The substantive vuul (veil) means a portion of the internal
economy of a calf, from which rennet is made. To vuul (fell)
is a particular kind of sewing ; but we droa (throw) our trees,
we never fell them.
Funnily this change of e into u is often reflected back. I
heard a man sing a song the other day, of which the refrain
was drai'v dael kee'&r u-wai', "drive dull care away." Ser-
vants and ill-educated people always say vaelgur (vulgar) and
mael'tichue'd (multitude).
"VVe settle all dotfbts as to the ei in ee'dhur (either), and
nuifdhur (neither), for we should say, Az a-zeed' uudh'ur
tcau-n 6a m ? Nao'u, nuudh'ur wau'n waud'n dhae-ur, " Hast
seen either one of them? No, neither one of them was there."
Double e again has two or three different sounds: Aa-y
zeed un zoa geo'd zee'M laa's wik, " I saw him sow good seed
last week." Or the old couplet :
Wau'n yuur zidi'n, " One year's seeding,
Zub'm yuurz wid'in. Seven years' weeding."
BY FREDERIC THOMAS El, WORTHY, ESQ. 11
This change of e into short i naturally leads to the distinc-
tion between Ziii'd&ez an wik'ud dai'z, " Sundays and wicked
(week) days."
Our i is often like the French i [ee] : Gee mee u lee'dl beet,
icuol-ge ? " Give me a little bit, will you ? " And from this
example you will also observe that the short i has a tendency,
like short c, to become short u, or rather short oo or uo, as in
wool. Endless mistakes occur on our local railway between
tickets taken forWilliton and Wellington, which we pronounce
Wuol'itn and Wuul'itn respectively, niceties which only native
booking clerks can easily recognize. Short i changes some-
times into aa; we say, tak dim baa'tl an aa't un duwn, "take
the bittle and hit it down." This word baa'tl is a sample of
a double change. The- word in Shakespeare (Henry IV.
Act 1, So. ii.) is beetle. And this is no doubt still the
correct word ; but being, like the insect beetle, pronounced
bitl, it is changed, by the same process as hit in aat, into
baa'tl. Sometimes however it is pronounced bmj'tl. Again,
to spit is always to spaa't. Aa'y bee dhat draa'y aa'y keod'n
spaa't u zik'spum, " I am so dry I could not spit a sixpence,"
is the usual, but not elegant plea for begging a cup of cider.
Long i sometimes changes into long a: drive is always
draw, and knife is often nai'v. The personal pronoun is
sounded ii'y in East Somerset, but aa'y in West. They too
habitually use it in the accusative, we scarcely ever do so.
They would say, hee akst u'y vu'yv shil'unz ; we should say,
hee aaks nice vai'v shuuHnz, buud Aa-y wid'n gee un bud
i-aaic'ur, " he asked me five shillings, but I would not give
him but four."
In this example you will notice short i used for ou in would
(icid'n). Again, it is also used for short o, as he wairdn nit
aa-yt pae'uzcz awai vraum un, " he was not eight paces away
from him." Double negatives are the rule, and even treble
ones occur sometimes. Again, the proper name Will is
sounded quite differently to the auxiliary : Aawr Wee'ul
u'tiz u tcok dhat bai'iid, wee wuz u foo'us hi zai'n vur dim
dau'ktto' ; ee kau'm aal uwt oa'vur Buur'nun JEe'ill un geed
un sttum pee'&lz, un Aa'y kynwnt ee'ul mak wet u guurt laicng
12 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
lee-Hi raur ut, "Our Will was taken so ill, we were obliged
to send for the doctor ; he came all out over Brendon Hill
and gave him some pills, and I expect he will make out a
great long bill for it."
0 has many sounds, as ue toa-uld-&e da ut? ""Who told you
of it? " Dite-ee kau'm alau'ng un nit buyd ubuwd dhai dhae'ur
kontraap'shunz, "Do (ye) come along, and not stay about
those contrivances." 0 long is much closer, as a is much
opener with us than in East Somerset. There they say
au'ver, au'ld, tau'ld, aks, pa'th, va'st; we say oa'mir (over),
oa'l (old), toa'l (told), aak's (ask), paa'th (path), vacrs (fast) ;
but still we too give 0, though rarely, the sound of au, as
in hrau'd (road), krau's (cross), lau's (loss), tail's (toss). It
far more frequently however has a fractured sound, as hroo'ud
(road), hroo'up (rope), boo'uth (both), uvoa'Hr (before). On
the other hand, we often change o short into aa : Dhee staap
aur aal ai'n u klaat dhad'l mak dhee draap, " Thee stop or
I'll throw a clod that will make thee drop." So we say
gyuurdn plaat (garden plot).
Both long and short o change unto uu short. "We say
ruub for rob, juub for job, uud for hod, and always muuv for
move — and why not, if it is correct to say luuv (love) ? Double
0 is deservedly famous ; but, as will be seen presently, it has
more than one sound. Wau't u veol' dhik'i keok ai'z I dh-oal
geokeo-v ulaef ur beok un ur beat's duwn in uun'dur dhu peok
6a aa-y, " What a fool that cook is ! the old cuckoo has left
her book and her boots under the hay-cock." Or the old
couplet said to have been droned out in church by a parish
clerk, who had been playing cards late on a Saturday night—
Hoa'ks bee truum'ps in Au'rnur eo'd,
Dhae'&r dhai groa'ud un dhae'ur dhai steo'd.
" Oaks are trumps in Homer wood,
There they grew, and there they stood."
You will notice that we know nothing of grew, and although
1 may have very imperfectly rendered it, there is a slight
distinction between these sounds of oo and those of due (do)
and ue (who). These latter occur, again, in our vernacular
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 13
bite, and this word, you will admit, when allowance is made
for the common change of v into b, is far more like its
ancestor than the modern nondescript — view. A man, now
dead, who used frequently to come to my house, always used
to exclaim: Aa'y zlm, zuur, tai'z u blt'ipeol bue yuur, "I fancy,
sir, 'tis a beautiful view here." "With us to roof a rick, is
to ruuvm-een' or ruuvm aewt, that is, roof it in, or roof
it out. This means to pile up the hay or corn in a ridge,
so as to form slopes, on which to lay the thatch — and
in no way implies the thatch itself. Similarly tu ruuv u
uicz (to roof a house) is to set up the timber slopes, but has
no reference to the final covering ; this latter is always the
tuyl'Sen (tiling) or the dhaach. I have scarcely ever heard
the word roof used as a substantive by a true son of the
soil. For hoof we say uuf, and though wool is generally
will, yet I have very often heard wuul. The word eo'd
(wood) is peculiar, the w is always dropped, and except
in the sense of a collection of large trees, it has but one
signification. If I went to market, and said I wanted to buy
some eo'd, I should be told the price per score or hundred,
always six score, and nothing would be understood but faggots,
called faak'uts. Chairs, tables, and doors are made of tlm'ur
(timber) ; but we never hear of anything wooden. If tlm'ur is
not the word used, the particular sort of wood is mentioned,
as aa'rshn, oa'hn, bich'n, hau'lsn (hazel). If I may here
digress a little, I would remark that if I told a man to fetch
u beet da stuuf (a bit of stuff), he would probably ask if I
wanted u beet da ruuf stuuf or wau't soa'urt (what sort) ; but
no vision of woven fabric would enter his mind. Stuuf
means "sawn wood," and the geo'd (good) or ruuf (rough)
would express the quality and shape, that is, whether sawn
square, or, as the outsides of logs are, tcae'uni. A piece
with us means a part or portion of anything, whether solid
or liquid. A hogshead partly full of cider would be a pees
6a-u ok'seed (a piece of a hogshead) ; a small quantity of
potatoes, say seventy or eighty pounds, would be a pees
6a-u bai-g (a piece of a bag, a bag of potatoes being 160
pounds, or aa'yt skoa'ur wauy't eight score weight) ; a
14 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
heap of stones would be uun'ee u pees ba-u loo'tid (only a
piece of a load). A piece of cloth means the entire end or
length, as woven ; any portion cut off would be a beet da
klaa'th (a bit of cloth).
A floor, unless we spoke of a baa'rnz vloo'ur (barn's floor),
means anything but a boarded structure. When we wish
to speak of the wooden floor of a room, we always speak
of the plan'sheen, and of a single board in a floor as a plansh.
Another pretty plain Norman or French influence is seen
in the pronunciation, as well as the use of the words akue'z
(accuse) and sekeo'ur (secure). - A short time ago a man was
speaking to me about the funeral o£ a woman whom I had
well known. He said, avoa'&r uur duyd, uur ukue'z aul dlial
uur weesh vur tu kaa'r ur, " before she died, she accused all
those she wished to carry her," meaning that she had appoint-
ed and fixed upon those of her neighbours whom she desired
to bear her corpse. Since writing this paper, I have again
heard the word used in the sense of advertising or informing
beforehand : ee akue'zd urn 6a-ut un zoa dhai wuz upurpae-urd,
" he accused them of it, and so they were prepared." Again,
the beard or needle-like spears which grow on barley, when
broken off in thrashing, are called aa'ylz or barley aa'ylz,
which is however Anglo-Saxon, according to Wright. I
venture, however, to commend these words to the attention
of Norman students, together with kwaa'yn, maa'yn and ruivt,
to which I shall refer presently.
U may be called our test vowel. If a man can say beol1
(bull), i-eol (full), peol (pull and pool), he is surely erther
from West Somerset or North Devon; but yet we say kuul
(cull), guul (gull), guut, pmit, cuut, but not ruut ; we are more
correct, we say ruwt. Sometimes short u becomes i — vraanch
nits (French nuts) ; the nit of a wheel is the stock or nave.
Notwithstanding its extreme richness in vowel-sounds, it is
in its consonants that our dialect shows its great vagaries,
and although highly grammatical in its inflexions and con-
struction, it is apparently quite chaotic and arbitrary in
pronunciation. We do not like to marry our consonants
1 See Appendix, page 53,
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 15
any more than our vowels, — that is, although we can manage
initials even three deep, as in skraam (small), straa'yn,
splai'-veot'ed (splay-footed), yet whenever two final con-
sonants occur, we try to reduce them to a simple sound. To
a stranger the characteristic of our dialect is indistinctness
of articulation — possibly the result of general 'slovenliness
of utterance induced by a mild and slightly enervating
climate ; but rather I believe this to be the result of here-
ditary modes of speech derived from our remote ancestors,
whomsoever they may have been.
We usually reject final d or t when following a consonant
other than r, as in ween (wind), huyn (hind), buyn (bind), viiyn
(find), vee'ul (field), paa's (past), ma's (fast), pau's (post).
To this there are, however, many exceptions (see Appendix).
When the inflexion is sounded, the full syllable is always
given, as ee paa'sud lawng dhik wai, " he passed along that
way;" ur leok'ud vau'rn, "she looked for him;" but this is not
usual, the inflexion is commonly dropped. A man said to
me the other day, Dhee'uz lau't 6a hree'&dz aa'l an'dmash',
"This lot of reed is all hand thrashed;" Aa'y waa'rsh dhu
fae'us oa un aal oa'vur aes mau'rnin wai zoo'up un wau'dur,
"I washed his face all over this morning with soap and
water;" Aa'y-v ubee'tisl mizuul' tuurbl bae'ud, "I have made
myself very dirty." When, however, the next syllable com-
mences with a vowel, the d or t, whether an inflexion or not, is
sounded as its initial : ee uurnd uwai', " he ran away." Change
the vowel to a consonant, and we should say, ee uurn zu vacrs uz
thau'f dh-oa'l fuulur wuz aa'turn, "he ran as fast as though the
old fellow was after him." Dhai'v urab' dhu maa'yl koo'tich,
"They have robbed the mail coach." Dliai'v mtoa'uld u
wau'ch, "They have stolen a watch." This last is a good ex-
ample of the strong conjugation being supplemented by the
suffix of the weak. We have it again in toa'urd (tore), uroci'uzd
(raised), and in broa'kt (broke), when followed by a vowel.
Now, although we may call it a rule absolute that d final
following a consonant is dropped, yet this is clearly from
no dislike to the sound itself; for we find it sometimes
inserted without any apparent reason. The word corner,
16 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
after politely dropping the r, becomes by this process kau'n-
dur; and tailor is always taa-yldur. Here I must explain
that the kaun'dur 6a dhu uwz (corner of the house), means the
interior angle of the living room. If we wished to express
the external angle of the house or wall, we should always
speak of the kwaa'yn, kwauyn or kicai'n. The exceptions to
the rule of dropping the final d and t, besides those men-
tioned, are when they happen to follow r or L "We always
say paa-rt (part), kaa'rt (cart), aa'rd, (hard), vaa'ld (fell).
Aas ugoa-ut oa'urt tu dringk? "Hast aught to drink?"
Aa'y aa'nt ugoa'tit noa'&rt " I have naught." Again, when-
ever r and I come together, as in twirl, girl, purl, burl, we
find the sound too complex for our organs, and therefore
provide another syllable by inserting a d, and say twuur'dl,
puurdl, guurdl, buur'dl; while wuwdl for world, which is
a mere transposition, is one of our commonest words. Uurz
u puurti lee'dl guur'dl, " She is a pretty little girl."
Initial and medial th are nearly always softened into dh.
I can only remember one or two instances of hard initial
th. For though we say thau'f, but this is sometimes softened
into au'f. Dhu lai'un wuz awl tue u sluuree, un twuz dhat
luuvin, j'is dhu vuuri sai'umz au'f twuz buurd luym, "The
lane was very muddy, and it was as sticky as bird lime."
For thin we say theen, for off we always say oa*f. Dhu
loa-ks u-spwuuyl, dhee tnuus tak un oa'f, "The lock is spoilt,
thou must take it off."
Although much has been said and written about it, yet
our fs are not all vs. Our decided preference of course is
for the softer sound; yet we always sayfuun, faa'rmur, faat,
Fan-i. Dhiki loav 6a bra'idz maa'yn tu'f, "That loaf of bread
is very tough." Also we say puuf, ruuf, and laa'f for lath,
with many more. Of course we say icuyv (wife), kyaa'v (calf),
haa'v (half), vaured (forehead), van (fan), mar (far), and veo't
(foot). This last word as a measure of length has no plural
form. We always say aa-yt-veot dee'p ; but we talk neverthe-
less of our veet un ligz (feet and legs). In these respects
polite society is now following our lead.
A curious instance of interchange of letters, or rather
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 17
sounds, arises in the word carpenter. We sound, or rather
do not sound, the r according to polite custom, and thus
should have kaa'pentur; but kaa'fmdur is the word we use,
thus softening both the p into /, the n into m, and the t
into d. F or v and dh or th seem to be interchangeable
sounds. Vetches become dhaach'es, and very dhuur'i, while
think, though generally dhingk, is often fink\ and something,
suuf-in.
Q final is always dropped in words of more than one
syllable ending in ing. As an initial it is softened as much
as possible. Is dhu gee'ut oa'p? "Is the gate open?" Wau'ts
yur gee'&m ? " What is your game ? " Nothing is more
grating to our ears than the sing-gingg, long'gingg, of our
Northern acquaintances. In monosyllables, however, like
dhing (thing), vling (fling), dring (to press), sting, spring,
etc., we sound the ng distinctly.
All gutturals, especially final ones, are distasteful, and we
very rarely leave one ungarnished at the end of a word.
My father once heard a witness at Taa'nun Suyzez (Taunton
Assizes), in reply to the usual question as to his name, say :
Plai'z, zmir, muy nae'umz Strik; buud tu spai'k ut shau'rt, tai'z
Strikecn, " Please, sir, my name is Strick ; but to speak it
shortly, it is Stricken." When the k sound is followed by a
syllable beginning with n, we give the latter a syllable to
itself; hackney and cockney become aak'n-nee and kauk'n-nee.
Our dislike of gutturals is well balanced by our fondness
for liquids, of course I mean /, m, and n : yet we cannot do
with them mixed. We never say elm, helm, haulm, culm,
calm, or qualm, but kuul'm for the first three, kuul'm, kaal'm,
and kwal'um. The town of Collumpton on the river Culme is,
I presume, Culme-town. This place, however, is now locally
pronounced Kuul'up-m — another curious case of elision and
change. The m and the t have entirely disappeared, while
the final n becomes m. This n nearly always changes into m
after p, b,f, and v, aafaaivrpmee (fourpennny), ae-upmee (half-
penny), aeb'm (heaven), laeb'm (eleven), zaeb'm (seven), staef'm
(stiffen), kaa'fmdur (carpenter), oa'vm (oven), woa'wn (woven).
A faint sound of m in common speech is all that remains
2
13 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
of am or them : aa'l da m means all of them, and yeo m or
dhai m means you or they are.
N is articulated rather more distinctly than m, except
when joined to r-, it is then sometimes dropped, as wes'tur zuyd
(western side), eest'ureen. This last does not signify Easter
eve, but the eastern end, just as to stan un ee'n means to stand
on your head— a phrase used by boys very commonly. Also
au'pm ee-n means upright, on end. "We never say, as they
do in East Somerset, hiz'n or dhai'rn or aaw'rn ; but we do
say vau'rn for for him, and this n does duty for a neuter as
well as a masculine pronoun. Tid'n, twiu'dn, mean it is not,
it was not; aa'rtn "art thou not ?" shat-n "shalt thou not?"
Kuot'n "wilt thou not?" kas'n "canst thou not?" So also we
rarely use the ordinary possessive pronouns. Leok" tu dhu
shue'z da un, wuy ee'v u kik aewt dhu toa'urz da m, " Look at
your shoes, why you have kicked out their toes." Tae'uk
aup u gin'i pai'g bee dhu taa'yl 6a un, un dhu uyz 6a un ul
vaa'l aewt, is our version of the old saying: "Take up a
Guinea pig by its tail, and its eyes will drop out." From
these and other examples it will be noticed that our possessive
case is nearly always formed by the preposition; we very
seldom use the ordinary 's. We have, too, no neuter pronoun
for denoting a common substantive. The word it is never
used, except an abstract idea is to be expressed. We should
say tai-z for " it is," and awy oa'n due ut, " I won't do it,"
but never give it me, always gee un tu mee. The nominative
ai (he) does duty for both genders. A man said to me of his
daughter, Urz a maa-yn guurt strau'ng maa'yd, ai ai'z, " She's
a main great strong maid, she is." With us the word maid
has precisely the same meaning as its equivalent madcheu.
And here I may as well give you our present tense of the
verb "to be."
aa'y bee (I am),
dhee aa-rt (never list) (thou art),
ai'z i
or emphatic ai ai'z, ur ai'z (he or she is\
UUrZ I '*
wee bee, or wee m, wee haam- (emphatic) (we are),
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 19
yue bee, or yue m, yue haam* (emphatic) (you are),
dhai bee, or dhaim, dhai aam' (emphatic unaspirated) (they
are).
Just as the pronoun ai (he) is both masculine and feminine,
so when the verb is used interrogatively is the pronoun ur :
did'n uur ? id'n uur ? means either did she not ? or is she
not ? did he not ? or is he not ? It also has an impersonal
meaning, as kaan' ur ? can one not ? mid'n ur ? might one
not? ad'nur? had one not? Lids zee Bee ul? ad'n ur goa'ut
noa'urt tue aez baak ? wae'ur'oevur aav uur ubm' ubuy'din tue ?
"Didst see Bill? had not he anything on his back? wher-
ever has he been staying?" Before this you will have
observed that we only use aspirates before vowels for em-
phasis.
But to return to the consonants. R is the most capricious
of all, for it is dropped here and affixed there without much
apparent reason ; yet of all the consonants, one rule may be
invariably applied to it — we never roll or trill it.1 In South
Devon and Cornwall, on the contrary, they always talk of
her''ingz, and a common name is Buur''ij ; we Baytiur'inz and
Buurij. Often we hear the r aspirated, as in hreed for reed,
hroa'ud (road), while to read is tu hrai'd.
Before short vowels it is that the well-known transposition
of r takes place : TJurchut, uurn un buursh dim uurd'in oa'f 6a
Mis'tur Buur'jez buur'chez, "Richard, run and brush off the
redding from Mr. Bridge's breeches."
The danger of a little knowledge is shown in the almost
general naming of the well-known equipage the tea- urn, dhu
tai ruun. My good mother once tried to prevail on a nurse to
use the proper term ; but it was no use. Nurse persisted that
she never said uurn in her life, and was not going to begin
now. There is a large factory near where I live, called
Tonedale. Certain wise people have learnt that a dae'ul
tae'ubl should be called a dee'l tai'bl, and apply their rule to
1 The exact nature of this peculiar r is explained in the Appendix, in the no-
tation, under ,r, the proper symbol, for which r has been used for convenience
throughout this paper.
2() THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
the factory, which thus becomes Tod-ndeel. But all this
will be cured in the coming generation, by the board schools,
where forsooth, Dhai'v ubin', zuur, un utai'ch muy bwimy vur
tu spuul tarudeez* wn « pee, shoa-ur ! " They have been, sir,
and taught my boy to spell potatoes with a p, sure !
In those English words which are written with w before
the r, we still sound it as a r, as vruytin (writing), waa-sKn
(wrestling), vrawng (wrong), vrau't-uy&r (wrought-iron),
vreth-uurdlz (wreath-hurdles), vruyt (right or wright) ; but
yet the r is dropped in Fid (Fred), Fad'urik (Frederick), ms
(worse), mm (furze), oa'uz (hoarse), puns (purse), and many
others.
To many words we affix a faint " vanish " or even syllable
ending in r, as wau'r toa'iirz 2 (ware toes), mmjn yur taap'ur
(mind your top, or head). The nasal bone of all animals is
called by the butchers dhu snaut'ur boa'tin.
The following dialogue is quite authentic from the parish
of Winsford on the borders of Exmoor : —
Boy. Mau'dhur, u Uaak pluum'urz goa'ut lavgurz ?
Mother, Blaak pluum'urz goa'ut lai'gurz ! nao pidh-ee,
chee'ul.
Boy. Wuul dhaen, faath, uyv ai't u stuurtl boa-ur, aur u
dacvlz kyuw!
Mother, have black plums got legs ?
No prithee, child.
Well, then, faith, I've eaten a black beetle or a large black
snail!
We are the very type of clowns in Zumurzetzheer, because
we are said to make all our ses into zs : but this is a libel.
We should go to zee dhu sai (see the sea), and saa'r u zik'spuns
(earn a sixpence), and say sae'til waeks un zoo'iip bae'tin dhu
1 The d is here very indistinct, arising probably from the contact being im-
perfect, and every time Mr. El worthy sounded the word to me, I seemed to hear a
faint sound of a trilled r', not of the local'/, in place of the d. This reminds
me of Winkler's use of dr in his Low German Dialektikon, to represent a sound
which it was difficult to assign either to d or to r. — A. J. Ellis.
2 The existence of this >• in the local form ,«• is quite clear in Mr. Elworthy's
imitation of the local pronunciation. " Toes " is not toa-uz simply, but toa-upz.
It must be remembered that / is very vocal, and that a vowel such as aa may be
even pronounced through it. It is quite different from the trilled r\ or even the
literary vocal r.—A.. 3. Ellis.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS EL WORTHY, ESQ. 21
sae'um (sealing-wax and soap are not the same), u shacp due
mwytte (a ship sails), and plenty more.
Our 8 goes a long way and has many duties. One of the
most usual expressions after giving an order is shuur ? 1 (dost
thou hear ?) snoa ? (dost thou know ?) mtysn leok shaa'rp ?
(why dost thou not look sharp ?) kas'n hrai'd ? (canst thou
not read?). I know of no case where either an s or a z
sound is dropped ; but where s and p come together, as in
crisp, hasp, clasp, wasp, these letters are transposed, krips,
haaps, kfaaps, waups. "When a plural has to be given to
words ending in st, it is usual to make a distinct syllable of
it : crust, singular kris, plural kris'tez ; nes (nest), nestez ;
post (of a gate) makes pan's and in the plural pau'sez, not
paus'tez ; and though post (for letters) is poa'&st, the plural
is 2wa' usez.
Generally the present tense of all our verbs is formed with
the auxiliaries do for active, and be with the present part, for
neuter verbs ; but by no means unfrequently for emphasis we
use the usual inflexion. In that case, however, we have no
notion of tacking on a simple consonant and saying " he
walks." Our inflexion would be ai wau'kus, if we wished
distinctly to assert that he does not ride ; if merely that he is
walking, we should say ai du wau'kee. So we say dhu zin
skaa'lus (the sun scalds), dhu znoa vaa'lus (the snow falls), dhu
ivau'dr buurnus, tai'z tu aa't (the water burns, it is too hot).
Since this paper was commenced, a farrier gave to me, as his
reason that a pony, about which I consulted him, was not
looking well, that " ai kwee'dus." This meant that the
pony suffered pain in its mouth, and so seemed to be, as it
were, chewing the cud. This latter operation is always called
chuwin dhu kweed. I expect this gentleman would need
an interpreter if his practice led him far a- field.
This emphatic inflexion us can only be used with neuter
verbs, or transitive verbs when used without their objects, and
the same invariable rule applies to the well-known suffix y or
ie as given in the preceding and following examples ; but this
1 Since " hear " becomes t/uur, " dost hear " ought to be s-yuur, and the sy
falls iuto sh, generating shuur." — A. J. Ellis.
22 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
last is the sign of the neuter infinitive : Aa'y du faat muy
bee'us wai kee'uk, un dhai due preovee tuur'bl, " I fat my cattle
with (oil) cake, and they thrive extremely well." Aa'y zim
tul druwte tudai; "I think it will be drying weather to-
day,"— that is, fit for haymaking. Or the very common
saying, Sae'&mz Jon'i Krok'ur laa'rn du rok'ee, aa'l aewt da
ez oa'n ai'd, "The same way as Johnny Crocker learned to
rock (the cradle), out of his own head."
This short ge or i sound is clearly an inflexion, and that we
have no particular fondness for the termination is proved by
the fact that in most English words ending in y we get rid
of it. For carry we always say kaa'r, for quarry kwau'r, and
for story stoa'&r. A woman said to me the other day, Dhai'v
uroa"uzd aup a puurty stoa-Hr biiwdn, " They have raised a
pretty story about him."
Some words change their aspirates into y, as yaef'ur
(heifer), yee'&th (heath and hearth, — the same sound), yee'&t
(heat), yimr (here, hear, ear, year, — all alike) ; but this y
sound does not occur in the unaspirated words mentioned by
Professor Baynes, i.e. east, earn, earth, early, eat, ale, arm,
etc., and the y is dropped altogether in the pronoun ye:
wuofree (will you), due'ee (do you), aavee ? (have you ?).
The word heather is unknown. There is a sort of oat-grass
which is called ai'ver ; the seedsmen spell it eaver, and call it
ee'ver ; but I suspect our pronunciation is most correct. Our
word yee'uth refers to the plant only ; the land on which the
heath grows, the heathfield, is always dhu yaeffecuL
A curious use of the auxiliary as well as the old form of the
verb is found in the common expression ur daed'n au't tue u
tffai'nt (she ought not to have gone).
Upon the words and quaint idioms, the wonderful verbiage,
the cumbrous jokes, the superfluous prepositions, beyond the
few examples I have given, time does not permit me to enter ;
and though I fear I have already crowded too many examples
into this paper to make it fairly intelligible, or anything else
than a practical illustration of Zuwn'urzet indistinctness, yet
it touches only the fringe of the subject. There is a very rich
mine of treasure in our dialect still unexplored, some portion
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 23
of which I hope to be able at some time to lay open in another
form.
I ought not, however, to conclude without mentioning that
our demonstratives are dhee'uz (this), dhaiz (these), dhik,
dhik'i (that), dhai, dhoo'&z (those). Generally to all these
we add yuur or dhae-tir. Dheeuz yuur sait, "This seat here; "
Dhai dhae'&r bee'&s, "Those beasts there;" Dhik'i dhae'&r
vce'ul da wai'tt "That field of wheat there." Dhat is never
used except in a neuter sense. Aa'y daed'n zai dhat dhae'ur,
" I did not say that there."
In our adverbs we are primitive: ai du wuwk&e kwuyut
luyk, "he works quietly," aa'rd luyk (hardly), siie'unt luyk
(evenly), showing our conservatism in retaining a guttural
sound that our usual humour would lead us to discard. We
also use prez'unt luyk in its true sense of now, at this moment,
and not at some short time hence. Presently is still used
habitually in this way by many people above the middle class.
Also very commonly we affix prepositions to our adverbs,
as herefrom, wherefrom, therefrom ; and frequently, as in
German, the preposition is the last in the clause, and far
removed from the word it governs, Wae'&r zvur daed ur git
dhe zee'M vur dhik'i vce'til 6a waets vraum ? "From whence
did he get the seed for that field of oats ? "
Many of our verbs take their own prepositions after them,
Wau't bee laa'fin da? "At what are you laughing?" Daan'Se
tich da m, " Don't touch them ; " Wae'tir due ur Ice'v tue ?
"Where does he live?" Wae'&r bee gwaa'yn the? "Where
are you going ? " The old couplet giving the names of
noted parishes in the Stag-hunting district also illustrates
this:
Oa'&r, Kuul'boa'iin, un Stauk Pee'rort,
Dree jis plae'iizez yue nlv'er daed yee'r ton
Oare, Culbone, and Stock Pero,
Three such places you never did hear o'.
I have already referred to the fact that in our climate dhu
ztn du skaa'lee, "the sun scalds," and that wau'dr buurnus,
24 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
"water burns/' but possibly owing to peculiar manufacture
our u-ee-ndurz un kloa'm bee utao'rd, " windows and crockery
are torn," while our koa'&ts un aawr buwchez bee ubroa'kt,
" coats and our breeches are broken." We are fond of titles
like our German cousins, and therefore we, like them, dub
our neighbour with his calling : Bae'tikur (Baker) Smith,
Beoclntr (Butcher) Tripe, Taa-yldiir (Tailor) Halfyard,
Saa-rlur (Barber) Clark, Tuur'nee (Attorney) Green, Faa'r-
mur (Farmer) Vaawurae'tiliur (Fouracre), Eeo'pur Paa'yul
(pail) (Cooper) Pile, are all veritable names.
I have now, I trust, made good the assertion with which
I started, that the traces of our archaic speech are by no
means as yet swallowed up by the great wave of advanc-
ing civilization and enlightenment, and if the examples I
have given you shall be the means of drawing more atten-
tion from the members of this learned society to the very
rich dialect of West Somerset, I shall feel that my presump-
tion in stepping out of my accustomed obscurity, and in
coming before you to-night, is not only condoned, but very
richly rewarded.
APPENDIX.
CLASSIFIED LISTS OF WORDS TO ILLUSTRATE WEST
SOMERSETSHIRE PRONUNCIATION, WITH INTRODUC-
TORY REMARKS, AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE
GLOSSIC SYSTEM OF SPELLING HERE USED.
I. — TABLE OF GLOSSIC LETTEBS IN ALPHABETICAL OEDEE DEAWN UP
BY ALEXANDEE J. ELLIS, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A., ETC.
The Glossic letter is placed first in capitals, and is followed by
the palaeotype equivalent in parenthesis, then by Mr. Melville Bell's
Visible Speech name (except for the diphthongs), one or two ex-
emplificative words which are supposed to have the received English
pronunciation, and the number of the list containing it, where the
introductory remarks should be consulted. Long vowels in accented
syllables have the accent mark (•) placed immediately after the
vowel ; in unaccented syllables the long vowel is sometimes marked
long, as [ee]. The short vowel in an accented syllable is always
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
25
followed by a consonant, after which the accent mark is placed.
To prevent mistakes, short [aa, ee, oa] in closed syllables are thus
written. Short [u, ee], etc., coming next to other vowels, form
diphthongs or " fractures " with them. Monosyllables in the lists
are treated as accented syllables. Isolated words in Glossic are
inclosed between square brackets [ ], and in palaeotype between
parentheses ( ).
A = (se)= low-front-wide. No. 1. True
a in bat ; always short in this dialect,
lengthened in E. Somersetshire.
A A* = (aa) = mid-back-wide. No. 2.
The a in father, sometimes slightly
nasalized, as in America and South
Germany. This nasality is some-
times not recognized, but if required
might be written [(aa] = (a<).
AA = (a). No. 3. Short of the last, as
in German mann.
AAW- = (a«). No. 4. This is the
German diphthong in haws, which is
sometimes used in received speech,
but is decidedly broader than the
usual literary sound of "house. It
occurs only in the fracture No. 4.
AAW-u = (aw'). No. 4. A fractured
diphtnong.
AA-Y = (aai). No. 6. This is generally
used for the English aye meaning
' yes,' but the vowel is decidedly
long in the dialect.
AAY = (at). No. 6. The German ei, at.
AA-Yti = (aat'). No. 7. A fractured
diphthong.
AE = (E)= low-front-primary. No. 8.
This is the usual provincial short e,
which is also not unfrequent in lite-
rary pronunciation, but is rather
broader than my e in [bet], and is
the ' open' French & andopen Italian
e. It does not occur long in the
dialect, except in the following frac-
ture.
AE-U = (EE'). No. 9. This is the fully
broad French long & followed by a
glide leading to a short sound 01 u
in but, resembling the literary air in
fair, with the vowel considerably
broader and the final r quite un-
trilled. It replaces long a in the
dialect.
AEW- = (E'w). No. 10. This is the
common sound for ou in howse in the
dialect. It is a little broader than
a common Cockney and Kent pro-
nunciation, and is precisely the same
as the Norfolk sound.
AEW-u = (EM'). No. 11. The last
diphthong fractured.
AI- = (ee)= mid-front-primary. No. 12.
This is the literary long a or at in
pale, patl, without any trace of the
faint ee sound with which the literary
sound is frequently accompanied;
it is thus the French * close ' or
'shut' 4.
AO = (oo) = mid - back - wide - round.
No. 13. This occurs only before r
in literary English, as tore, bore,
where it is often confused with [au]
= (AA). It is the ' open ' Italian o.
A0-u = (oo'). No. 14. The last sound
fractured.
AU' = (AA) = low-back-primary-round.
No. 15. The usual aw in law, often
replacing short o in the dialect.
AU = (A). No. 16. The short sound
of the last vowel ; altogether coarser
than the literary [o] = (o), and liable
to be lengthened.
AU-Y=(AA't). No. 17. The oy of
boy with the [o] = (o) pronounced as
very long [auj = (AA).
AlJY = (A'i). No. 18. Scarcely dis-
tinct from the ordinary oy of ooy.
A'Y = (aht), and A'-Y = (aah«). See
note to No. 6. The first element of
this diphthong [a'] = £ah) = mid-
mixed-wide, is that delicate sound
between [aj = (fe) and [aa] = (a),
often heard in delicate pronuncia-
tions of ask, staff, and so on. The
resulting [a'y] = (aht) is much more
delicate than [aay] = (at), but re-
sembles this last diphthong more
than the [uy] = (a'i) of No. 40. It
is never confused with [aa'y] = (aa»)
in the dialect.
B = (b) = lip-shut-voice. The ordinary
b.
CH = (tsh) . The ordinary consonantal
diphthong in chest, such.
D = (d) = point-shut-voice. No. 63.
The ordinary d. Never dental; it
may indeed be quite ' cerebral ' =
[,dj = (D), as it is distinctly related
to [ r] = (R). See ,R below.
DH =(dn) = front-mixed-divided- voice.
No. 62. The ordinary th in <Ae,
that, those.
26
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
E = (e) = front-mid-wide. The ordi-
nary literary short e, apparently re-
placed by [ae] = (E) in accented
syllables in the dialect, but possibly
used in the plural -es = [ez] = (ez),
•where the sound is obscured.
E' = (ao)= low-mixed-wide. See note
to No. 8. This is scarcely more than
[er], with a perfectly untrilled [r],
in herb, which is again almost the
same as [u-] = (aa) = mid-mixed-
primary.
EA = (r2) = high-mixed-primary. See
noteto.No. 23. This is the Polish y.
EE- = (ij) = high-front-primary. No.
19. The common e long in even.
EE = (i). No. 20. The short sound
of the last vowel frequently occurs
in open and even closed syllables,
both accented and unaccented, where
it is unknown in literary English,
except perhaps in the word [be"en]
= (bin), which is however commonly
[been, bin-] = (biin, bin).
EE-u = (ii'). No. 21. A fracture of
the above, like the literary ear =
[i-u] = («'), when the r is perfectly
untrilled.
E 0- = (w2) = mid-front-round. No.
22. A deep variety of the closer
French eu in feu, the long German
oe in Go«the, ko«nig, in central
Germany. See Postscript.
E'0 = (92). No. 23. The last vowel
shortened. See Postscript.
F = (f ) = lip-divided-voiceless. Nos. 43
to 48 and No. 64. The usual F,
occurring especially in emphatic
words.
FV = (fy). No. 44. An initial com-
bination, beginning with a faint
sound of /, running off into a dis-
tinct sound of v, so that ordinarily
the v alone is usually heard, but in
emphatic pronunciation the / alone
is heard.
G = (g) = back-shut-voice. The usual g.
GT' = feJ)- Tne ba<=k of the tongue
is somewhat nearer the teeth than
for g, and a faint sound of [ee] = (i)
or y is heard. Made by attempting
to pronounce [g] and [yl at once.
II = (ah) =aspirate. A fully developed
aspirate with distinct whisper, but
chiefly heard before emphatic words
in the dialect.
HR for H.R = (HOB). The preceding
breath seemed not to be always
thrown through the position of ((r)
= (it), but, as Mr. Elworthy pro-
nounced, to be thrown first with a
little jerk through the position for
[aa] = (a). Yet as this sound is an
emphatic variety of [4r], on the
analogy of [fv], No. 44, the sound
should be = (Rh|R), or strong (Rh)
followed by weak (R).
I = (t)=high-front-wide. No. 24. The
common literary t in tin, knit. Often
obscured to [i] = (i'2).
r = (i'2), see note to No. 30. This is a
deep modification of [!]=(»)• See
Postscript.
I' = (y) = high-mixed- wide. See note
to No. 30. This is properly the
sound of Welsh u.
3 = (dzh). This is the usual j, and Age
K = (k) = back-shut-voiceless. The
usual c and k in cook.
ET' = (kj). This is [k] with an at-
tempt to pronounce [y] at the same
time.
L = (1) = point -divided -voice. The
usual I. It is very possible however
that the dialect rather uses the
'cerebral' form [,!] = (L) (see notes
to No. 23), but this would require
long observation of native speakers.
It seems however that the whole
tendency of the dialect is towards
the cerebral formation, with a re-
verted tongue. See 4R below.
M = (m)= lip-nasal- voice. The usual
m.
N = (n) = point-nasal-voice. The usual
«.
NG = (q) = back-nasal-voice. The usual
ng in sinff and « in siwk, which is
therefore written [singk] = (si'qk).
0 = (o) = low-back-wide-round. The
common short o in not. This sound
is apparently replaced in the dialect
by its near neighbour, short [au] =
(A). See note to No. 16.
0' = (oh) =low-mixed- wide-round. This
differs but slightly from [o] = (o).
See note to No. 33.
OA- = (00) =mid-back-round. No. 25.
This is the literary long o in smoke,
without any trace of a following [oo]
= (u) sound.
OA = (o). No. 26. The short sound
of the last vowel.
OA'u = (oo'). No. 27. This is nearly
the same as the literary English oar
= (6oa), with [ao] in place of [oa].
OE = (ce) = mid-front- wide-rouni No.
28. It is the open French eu in
veuf. See Postscript.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
27
00- = (uu) = high-back-round. No. 29.
This is the usual oo in pool.
00'. This is a new sign, which has
no palaeotype equivalent, and is used
for the reasons given in the note to
No. 30. It apparently represents
[5, eo, uo] = («3, 92, «2). See Post-
script.
00-u = (uu'). No. 31. The fractured
form of £oo]=(uu).
P = (p) =r lip -shut -voiceless. This is
the common p.
R = (J). This is the literary vocal rt
which is really a vowel, with per-
mission to make a trill after it. Mr.
Melville Bell takes the English sound
to be [,,r] = (r0), which he calls
"point," where the tip of the
tongue points nearly in the position
for [t], but does not touch the palate,
and is still. This sound seems to be
used by Americans in the word
America =[ume((riku]=(amer0'tk9),
and very closely resembles the dia-
lectal £,,]]. As nothing but [,r]
occurs in the dialect, in this paper r
is used for ((r) throughout.
(,R)=(R). No. 66. This is the dia-
lectal r throughout, but for con-
venience of printing, the (() has
been omitted. The tip of the tongue
points a little further back towards
the throat than it does for [t], so
that the under part of the tip is
nearer to the palate, and a hollow
space is formed between the middle
(or "front") and the tip. This pro-
duces a peculiar dullness in the
preceding vowel, which may even be
occasionally pronounced at the same
time at this £(r] = (R), thus forming
a set of "tip vowels, and these
again may bo the foundation of some
of the peculiar rowels here marked
[i, eo, too], and attributed rather to
the widening of the bottom of the
pharynx, as (i2, 92, «2), instead of to
this curving back of the tongue.
The sound written [aar], for [aa(r],
is also possibly an attempt to pro-
nounce [aa] with the tip of the
tongue in the position for [,r] — (R)-
Such vowels might be written ['aaj,
etc., simply. For [(lr] (see II above),
the tip of the tongue is stiff, but for
[,rj it is flexible, and hence can
quiver more or less strongly. In the
dialect this seems to produce a sort
of growl, still more marked in Wilt-
shire. This is called the " reverted
r," and is the Sanscrit "cerebral r"
as most distinctly pronounced in the
Dravidian languages near Madras.
R' = (r). The true tip trilled r, as
slightly trilled before a vowel in
literary English, and strongly in
Scotch, does not occur in the dialect.
It is necessary to distinguish
[r'J =(r) just described, from
[r] = (i), the vocal r or vowel [u] =
(a), generally lengthened and fol-
lowed at pleasure by this [r'].
[((r] = (rc), the untrilled r, or imper-
fect d with a stiff tongue.
[ 4r] = (R) , the reverted r of the dialect
with quivering tip of tongue.
[<r] = (r), the French and German
trill produced by quivering the
uvula.
[,r] = (i), the Danish glottal r,
where the trill is formed in the
glottis.
There is a great tendency to confuse
all the latter r's together, and to
pronounce them like the two literary
forms of r = [r, r'] = (i, r), neither
of which occur in the dialect, which
only recognizes [(r] = (R).
S = (s) = front-mixed. Nos. 54, 55.
The usual c and a in cease. The
tongue is arched.
SH = (sh)= point-mixed. Nos. 56 to
68. The usual sh in sash. The
tongue is hollowed as for [(r].
SHZH = (shzh). An initial combina-
tion in the dialect, similar in con-
struction to [fv]. See note to No.
44.
SZ = (sz). An initial combination in
the dialect, similar to [fv]. See note
to No. 44.
T = (t) = point-shut. The usual literary
English t, and decidedly not dental.
See D and ,E, above.
TH = (th) = front-mixed-divided. Nos.
59 to 63. The usual English th in
thin ; decidedly dental. The incom-
patibility of this with [(r], probably
produced the sound [d,r-] for [thr-J.
No. 63.
TEDH = (thdh). This probably occurs
as an initial combination in the
dialect similar to [fv]. See note to
No. 44.
U = (9) = mid-mixed primary. No. 32.
This bears a similar relation to [uu]
= (a) as [e] = (e) does to [ae] = (E).
As many speakers of literary English
use [ae] for [e], so many use [uu]
for [u].
28
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
U' = (v) = high -back-wide. See note to
No. 32. Perhaps the commonest
open unaccented vowel in literary
English, as America, but usually
taken to be [u], and so written
throughout this paper.
IT A = (oe) = low-back-primary. No.
33. A very doubtful vowel, possibly
merely [uu] = (a) affected by a fol-
lowing [,du,r] = (Dan). See Post-
script.
FE- = (y2y2) or foyO or (»V). No.
34. This is a variety of the French
«= [ue] = (y) = high-wide-round, or
else of French eu=[eo] = (»). See
E'O. See Postscript.
l?E = (y2) or (y,) or (*')• No. 35.
The short of the last vowel.
HI' = (u) = high-mixed-round. See
note to No. 23. This is the Swedish
u (rather more like [oo] than the
French [ue]), but it is very doubtful
whether it is really used in the
dialect. See Postscript.
TJO = (w)= high-back- wide-round. No.
36. This is the common u in fwll
and oo in book.
tTO = (w2). See note to No. 30. If
this is correctly analysed, it repre-
sents a variety of [uo] = («) produced •
by widening the lower part of the
pharynx.
UO' = (wh) = high-mixed-wide-round.
See note to No. 23. This is the
Italian close o, doubtfully assigned
by Dr. Murray to certain words now
ranged under No. 23.
UU = (a) = mid-back-primary. No. 37.
The thicker sound often heard in lite-
rary English for « in b«t, tub. In
various dialects it is often thickened
greatly, till it is difficult to distinguish
from [5a, iio]=(o, M). See Post-
script. It seems to be the regular
dialectal form for u in accented
syllables, and for the obscure sound
heard when r is transposed, as in
[guu rt] = (gaKt) for great.
UW = (a'w). No. 38. This is the lite-
rary English ou in house.
TTW-u = (aV). No. 39. A fractured
form of the last diphthong.
UT =.(»'»). No. 40. This, or [a'y] =
(&hO> is the literary English long »',
as in mmd.
UT-u = (a7). No. 41. A fractured
form of the last diphthong.
UUY = (a'e). No. 42. This is a much
thicker sound of [uy] = (8'z), and is
related to it as [uu] to [u]. It con-
stantly produces the impression of
[oay] = (dt) or [auy] = (A'I). In the
dialect it occurs only in the fracture
[wuuy] = (ua'i), which I at first
appreciated as [waoy] =(u6e).
V=(v) = lip-divided- voice. Nos. 49 to
53. The common literary English v.
"W = (w) = lip-voice. The common
literary English w.
WUUY=(ua'»). No. 42. See UUY
above.
T = (j) = front-voice. The usual
English y in yes.
Z = (z) = front-mixed-voice. No. 54.
The usual z in zeal, whizz.
ZH = (zh) = point-mixed-voice. Nos.
56, 57. The usual French / or ge
in French yu^e = [zhuezh]=(zhyzh).
The above alphabetical order, which is used in the following lists,
is not well adapted for studying the relations of the vowels, hence I
annex a phonetic linear order in which the simple vowels really used
in the dialect, so far as I can appreciate them, are arranged in order
of gradation (see my Early English Pronunciation, p. 1285).
Prefixed to each vowel is the number of the list in which it occurs.
As only quality, and not quantity, was here of importance, the dis-
tinctions of length are not assigned. The diphthongs and fractures
form separate lists. The palaeotype is subjoined, preceded by =.
19 Simple Voicels.
19. ee =i
24. i =»
30.1 =»,
12. ai =e
8. ae=B
1. a =83
2. 3. aa =a
15. 16. au =A
13. ao =o
25. 26. oa=o
36. uo =M
30. uo=M2
29. 30. oo =u
34. 35. ue=y3
22.23. 30. eo=<?2
28. oe=oe
32. u =a
37. uu=a
33. ua = (B
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWOKTHY, ESQ. 29
4 T Diphthongs. 5 Simple Fractures.
5. 6.aay =M 2J" ee* =i',
i7.w.^ =A'» j-jj -j;
40. uy = o't i*'ao -°,
0 Diphthongal Fractures.
2 W Diphthongs. r
10. aew =E'M 41. uyu =9'j
38. uw =9'w 11. aewii =E'W*
4. aawu =b.u'
39. uwii =aV
II. — CLASSIFIED LISTS OF VOWELS, DIPHTHONGS AND FEACTUEES IN
ALPHABETICAL OEDEE.
All the dialectal words in this list are written according to the
Glossic system just explained. Having previously arranged the
words in groups, according to their vowels, each word was pro-
nounced by me to Mr. Ellis, often many times, in an examination
extending over five days, and he assigned the vowels as well as he
could. The difficulties that he experienced are explained in the in-
troductory notes prefixed to each list. Some of my groupings were
slightly altered in consequence. The following is the arrangement.
The lists are placed in the alphabetical order of the Glossic
symbols for the vowels they contain, and numbered for ease of
reference. At the head of each list is given the Glossic vowel,
which determines its order, in capitals, followed by its palaeotypic
symbol in small letters, preceded by =. In the introductory re-
marks, which are in smaller type, all words in Glossic spelling are
inclosed in square brackets [ ], and those in palaeotype in round
parenthesis ( ).
In the lists themselves only Glossic is used for the pronunciation,
which forms the left-hand division of each column, the ordinary
spelling forms the right-hand division. The words are arranged in
the alphabetical order of their Glossic orthography, taking the letters
in order from the end towards the beginning in each word, as in
Walker's Bliyming Dictionary, so that all words which rhyme come
after each other, and hence, so far as monosyllables are concerned,
words in which the vowel is followed by the same consonant come
together. Final t or d separated from the rest of the word by a ( ,
as [ii-ang(d], is pronounced only before a vowel.
When the same word is found in more than one of the lists, it is to
be taken as having more than one sound in common use in the dialect.
As the object of these lists was to show the peculiar phonetic
structure of the dialect, only those words are admitted as a rule
which are common to both the literary and dialectal languages.
Those which are strictly local will appear hereafter in a glossary.
This arrangement is of course not sufficient for a complete exami-
nation of the phonetic relations, but all others can be readily formed
from these. Thus if all the words were written according to their
30
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
present literary form, they might be alphabetically arranged, and
the various dialectal pronunciations compared. The arrangement
might also be made by the original Anglosaxon or Norman forms of
the words, and these two sets separated. But one form alone could
be used here, and it seemed simplest to exemplify the existing
alphabetical sounds.
The very valuable assistance I have received from Mr. Ellis in
going through all these lists, word by word, so as to give them their
phonetic equivalents correctly, demands my most grateful recogni-
tion. I have further to express my obligation for the great labour
he has bestowed in drawing up the foregoing table of Glossic letters,
and for the many notes and remarks to which his initials are
appended.
1. Short A=rao.
This appeared to be generally the pure literary a in bat, bad, but it was often
a little deeper than I pronounce it, and verged towards [a'] = (ah). Some of
these cases are marked * in the list. Some few have been referred to [Sa] = (a)
No. 3, and perhaps some more might have been assigned to that list, which Mr.
Elworthy had not distinguished originally from No. 1 or No. 2.— A. J. E.
French, a.
wrench, v. and s.
staunch, a.
stench, s.
marsh, 9.
earth, 8.
death, *.
breadth, «.
breath, s.
edge, hedge, v.
and s.
ledge, s.
sledge (hammer)
dredge, v. and s.
sedge, s.
strange, a.
neck, s.
peck, *.
correct, a.
wreck, v. and s.
architect, «.
sprinkle, v.
thank, v. and s.
flank, *.
pant, v.
addle, v. and a.
saddle, «.
angle, v. and «.
jangle, v. and s.
rab
rob, v. pres.
and pret.
vraneh
skad
drad
scud, s.
thread, v. and s.
stanch
hrad
rod, g.
mash
sprad
spread, v .
ath
zad
said, v. pret.
dath
fak-tid*
affected, a.
brat-th
nat-ud*
knotted, a.
brath
een-dat-ud*
indebted, a.
plant'ud
planted, a.
aj
ang-gree
angry, a.
laj
laf
leave, v.
zlaj
left, pret. and a.
draj
u-laf-
left, p.p.
zaj
bag
beg, v.
stranj
kag
keg, *.
nak
Pag
peg, v. and «.
pak
ane
h&ng,v.pres. and
kurak*
(
pret.
vrak, rak
u-angfd -1
hung, hanged,
aa-rchitak
O\
p.p.
sprangk
mang
among, prep.
dhangk
strach
stretch, v. and s.
vlangk
vach
fetch, v.
pangk
anch
haunch, s.
adi
planch
plank, 8.
zadi
dranch
drench, v. and s.
angi
tranch
trench, v. and s.
jangl
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
31
1. Short A=SD. — continued.,
mang-1
mangle, man-
gold
sap
lak'chur
except, prep.
lecture, «.
tang-1
tangle, v. and s.
as', asfn
hast, hast not ?
nue-vang'gl
new-fangled, a.
bas
best, a.
vrak-1
freckle, «.
gas
guess, v. and *.
angl
handle, v. and *.
las
less, a.
kan*l
candle, 8.
. .
bless, v. pres.
span-1
spaniel, s.
bias
and pret.
vras'l
wrestle, v. pres.
and pret.
u-blas- }
blas'eed )
blessed, p.p.
blessed, a.
sat-1
settle, v.
mas
mess, s.
paus'man'l
portmanteau, s.
nas(t
nest, s.
rad'ikl
reticule, «.
ras(t
rest, v. and s.
Bkan-1
scandal, s.
/^7»a a
\ dress, 8. and v.,
lab-m
eleven, a.
UcUB
( pres. an&pret.
zaVm
seven, a.
i press, s. and v.
Ian
land, s.
pras
[ pres. an&pret.
sak-un-an*
second-hand, a.
dees'tras*
distress, *.
, (
bran, s.
puurnsas*
princess, *.
bran
brand, v. and s.
yas
yes, ad.
stran(d
strand, v. and *.
ryna
\ says, cess, «., as-
stan(d
stand, v. and s.
BUB
[ sess, v.
van
fan, van, «.
tas(t
test, v. and s.
wan
wan, a.
.vas
vest, s.
zan(d
sand
was(t
west, s.
sak-un
second, a. and v.
kwas
inquest, s.
rab-een
robin, *.
lat'ees
lettuce, s.
dag'ee'n
fag end, s.
mangks
amongst, prep.
stan'een
standing, s.
naks
next, a.
rak-n-een
reckoning, s.
taks
text, s.
las-een
lesson, s.
vaks
vex, v.
rak-n
reckon, v.
straviguns
extravagance, s.
lak'shun
election, *.
skan'ulus
scandalous, a.
drat'n
threaten, v.
bat
bet, v. and «.
prai'sap
precept, s.
lat
let, v.
bag'ur
beggar, s.
slat
slate, s.
ang'kichur
handkerchief, s.
plat
plot, «.
vadlrur
feather, s.
nat
knot, v. and s.
wadh'ur
weather, s.
pat
pet, v. and s.
aj-ur
hedger, *.
spat
spit, v.
draj'ur
dredger, *.
drat
threat, s.
dan'-jur
danger, a.
TTTof
f wet, v. and a.
stran--jur
stranger, s.
Welt
( whet, v.
zad'lur
saddler, «.
kyat
cat, s.
bat-r, badT
lat-ur
better, a.
letter, «.
vranch'-nit
( French-nut =
\ walnut, t.
zat'ur
setter, ».
plant*
plant, 8.
32
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
2. Long AAnaa.
This long vowel is frequently nasalized slightly, but not constantly, hence the
nasalization is not marked. It never exceeds, seldom even approaches, the
American or South German nasalization of this vowel. Occasionally the vowel
was made much thinner, approaching [a'j = (aah). These cases are indicated by
* as in list 1. The distinction was not marked enough to throw the words into a
separate list. — A. J. E.
aa
ah! interj.
baa-k*
back, s.
baa
baa ! interj.
slaa'k*
slack, a.
zaa
saw, s.
naa'k*
knock, v. and *.
aa-rb
vaa'lb
herb, s.
valve, 8.
traa-k*
track, v. and «.
tract, s.
suep'aarb
superb, a.
kaun-traa-k*
contract,?;, and*.
vaa'rb
verb, «.
paa'k*
pack, v. and s.
draa-d
drew, P. pret.
zaa-k*
sack, *.
u-maa'sukree-
d massacred, ^.j?.
aai
aU, s.
aa*rd
hard, a.
baa-1
bald, a., ball, s.
kyaa-rd
card, s.
puybaa'l
piebald, a.
gyaa-rd
guard, v. and *.
smaa'l
small, a.
yaa'rd
yard, e>. and s.
kraal
crawl, *.
maa-lurd
oa*pm aa-rtud
mallard, s.
openhearted, a.
skraa'l
crawl
scrawl, v. and s.
gaa-s-lee )
gyaa-slee )
ghastly, a.
waa'l
skwaa'l
wall, v. and s.
squall, s.
aa-f, aa*v
half, *.
vaa-1
fall, v. and s.
draa-f
laa-f
draught, «.
lath, s., loft, s.
faa'rshn-ubl
aa-rubl
fashionable, a.
arable, a.
saa'f
safe, a.
paa-rubl
parable, s.
staa-f
staff, s.
maardl
marl, s.
aa'rch
arch, a.
snaa'rdl
snarl, v.
saa-rch search, v. and s.
aa-sh harsh, o.
fraa-sh, vraa'sh fresh, a.
aa-rsh ash, s.
paa-sl
vraa'sl
baa-tl
parcel, s.
wrestle, v.
beetle, s. (mal-
let^
smaa'rsh
daa'rsh
gaa-rsh
laarsh
klaa-rsh
vlaa-rsh
naa'rsh
traa-rsh
saa*rsh
smash, v. and s.
dash, v. and s.
gash, v. and *.
lash, v. and *.
clash, v. and s.
flesh, *.
nesh (soft), a.
trash, s.
sash s.
haa-rtik]
maa'rvl
faaT-wuul* I
laa'm*
daa'm*
chaa'm*
kaa'pm*
AC I/ I
article, «.
marble, s.
farewell, «. and
interj.
lamb, s.
damn, v.
champ, chew, v.
captain, *.
faa-th
faith, 8.
waaTm
faa'rdn )
warm, a.
klaa-th.
cloth, *.
vaa-rdn
farthing
paa-trij
vaa-rj
saa-rj^
paa'sij
partridge, s.
verge, s.
serge, *.
passage, «4
shaa'mlin
yaa'rlin
Laa'rnia
saa'rtin
shambling, a.
yearling, a.
learning, s.
certain, a.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWOKTHY, ESQ.
33
2. Long AA=aa. — continued.
laa'rn
learn, v.
laans*
hnce, a.
paa*sn
parson, s.
saa-rs
sauce, ».
kunsaa'rnin
concerning
aa-rus
harvest, v. and a.
Baa-nun
Bampton
.
hat, a.
Taa'nun
Taunton
a
hit, v. and s.
paa-snup
parsnip, s.
baa-t
bat, a.
aa'dur
after, ad. and
prep.
klaa-t
plaa-t
clod, a.
plot, a.
kyaa-r
carry, v.
faa't
fat, a. and a.
saa'r
serve, v.
braa't
brought, v.prct.
vaa-r,vaa'rdur
far, further, a.
u-braa't
brought, p.p.
smaa-ldur
smaller, a.
flaa-t
flat, a.
paa-ldur
parlour, «.
slaa-t
slate, a.
dhaa-chur*
thatcher, a.
maa't
mat, a.
straa'chur*
stretcher, s.
spaa't
spit, v.
paa'schur*
pasture, a.
raa't
rat, s.
faa'dhur
father, a.
spraa't
sprat, a.
faa-rmur
farmer, a.
hraa-t
rot, v. and a.
maa'rsur
mercer, a.
traa't
trot, v. and a.
tarsaa'rsur }
tai-saa'sur )
tea-saucer, a.
nuurlt
zaa-lt
malt, v. and a.
salt, v. and a.
aa'tur
after, ad.
00 "tlf
have not, has
aa-ltur
halter, s.
UCd UU \
not, v. aunt, a.
zaa-ltur
salter, a.
kyaa-nt
cannot
daa-rtur
daughter, a.
saa'r'munt
sermon, a.
maa'lstur
maltster,*.
aa-rt
heart, art, a.
slaa'vur
slaver, v. and a.
daa*rt
dart, v. and a.
zaa-yur
sawyer, a.
faa rt
fart, v. and a.
gyaa's
gas, a.
kaa-rt
cart, v. and a.
r
Iro a »G*£
cask, a.
sweet'aa'rt
sweet-heart, a.
KtUv o \
cast, v. and a.
staa'rt
start, v. and a.
laa-s(t*
last, a.
maa'rkut
market, a.
blaa's(t*
blast, v. and s.
saa'lut
salad, a.
maa's(t*
mast, a.
aa*v
have, v. half, a.
paa's*
u-paa's*
past, a.
passed, p.p.
kaa'v (
kyaav (
calf, a.
saa-s*
sauce, a.
n'aarv
nerve, a.
vaa's*
vast, a.
rai'saa'rv
reserve, v. and a.
flaa-s*
flask, a.
staa'rv
starve, v.
taa-s*
task, a.
bzaa'rv
observe, a.
jaa-rndees*
jaundice, a.
oo •ni'
arrow, a.
raa-k'lees*
auricula, a.
act in s
harrow, v. and a.
daans*
dance, v. and a.
aa'tur-wurdz
afterwards, ad.
chaans*
chance, a.
spaa'rtikulz
spectacles, a.
3. Short AA=a.
The following list has been separated from No. 2. It is possible that more
•words from that list should have been included in this. The long and short
3
34
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
iJ. Short AA=a. — continued.
vowels are not sharply distinguished in the dialect. Many may be considered
rather of middle length than either long or short. It must he therefore only
understood that the words in this list seemed to me to have a shorter sound than
those in the preceding one. In the words marked * the sound of the vowel
seemed more like [a'] = (ah). — A. J. E.
vrach'eed
dee-sjas-tid
wretched, a. traa'kshun (
digested, p.p. (
traction, s.
attraction, s.
gyaal'ee
gallow, v. aap
hap,s. happen,?;.
shaamee
chamois, s.
daap
dap, v. and s.
snaach
notch, v. and s.
flaap, vlaap
flap, v. and «.
dhaach
thatch, v. and s.
klaap
clap, v. and s.
Maal'ee
Molly
slaap, zlaap
slap, v. and *.
daam-ij
damage, s.
snaap
snap, v. and *.
maarij
marriage
hraap
rap, v.
gyaal
gall, s.
draap
drop, v. and s.
kyaal
call, v.
kraap
crop, v. and s.
skaal
skyaal
| scald, v. and *.
traap
skraap
trap, v. and «.
scrap, s.
Maal
Moll, s.
straap
strop, v. and s.
skyaaf'l
scaffold, s.
vraap
wrap, v. and *.
snaaf'l
snaffle, «.
staap
step, v. and *.
draas-hl
threshold, s.
gyaap )
taak-1
tackle, v. and s.
gaap
gape, v. gap, «.
skaanrl
scamble, «.
yaap
yelp, v.
raanrbl
ramble, v.
mee-aap-
mayhap
aap-1
apple, 8.
aaks*
ask, v.
graavl
gravel, v. and s.
baal-uns*
balance, v. and*.
naavl
navel, s.
aaps*
hasp, v. and «.
traavl
travel, v.
klaap-s*
A '
clasp, v. and s.
vraal: en
( wrexen, s. praap-s*
perhaps, ad.
( (rushes) yaamut
emmet, *.
dhaachez
vetches, «.
4. Diphthongal Fracture AA.W'u=au\
Although [aaw] = (aw) does not seem to be a proper diphthong in the dialect
where [nw «3ir>(e%, B'«) are the usual forms, yet the action of the following
[tt r] = CK) seems to generate it.— A. J. E.
aawur
faawiir
flaawiir
vlaawui
paawur
5. Diphthong AA-T=&at.
our, a. hour, s.
taawur
tour, s.
four, a. emph.
flower, s.
flour, s.
vaawur
deevaawur
zaawur
four, a.
devour, a.
sour
pour, a.
slightly nasal, see '2.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHT, ESQ.
35
5. Diphthong AA*Y=daz. — continued.
though some, as aye, lay, slay, dray, gray, way, sway, eight, are Anglosaxon.
The word way is also, and more usually, [wai] = (wee), similarly for day, say, may
v., which have [aa-y] = (aa») in some other Western dialects. — A. J. E.
aa'yd
aid, v. and «.
raa'yleen
railing, s.
laa-yd
laid, v.
daa'yn
deign, v.
maa*yd
maid, s.
chaa'yn
chain, v. and *.
u-paa-yd
paid, p.p. faa-yn
feign, v.
staa-yd
baa'ylee
staid, a.
bailif, s.
plaa-yn
plain, s. and a.
complain, v.
daa-yntee
dainty, a.
maa-yn
main (very), ad.
plaa-yntee
plaintiff, s.
paa-yn
pain, s.
plaa-yg
plague, v. and s.
graa-yn
grain, v. and *.
faa-yth
aa-yt-th
faith, 8.
eighth, a.
hraa-yn
rain, v. and s.
reign, v. and s.
aa-y
aye
traa-yn
train, v. and *.
baa-y
laa-y
bay, s.
lay, v.
straa'yn
strain, v, and *.
distrain, v.
bumbaa'y
by and bye, aU.
vaa*yn
vain, a. vein, s.
faa-y !
faith! interj.
draa'yn
drain, v. and s.
gaa-y
gay, a.
spraa'yn
sprain, v. and s.
haa*y
hay, s.
gwaa'yn
going, part.
flaa-y
flay, v.
kwaa'yn
quoin, *.
klaa'y
clay, s.
taa-yldur
tailor, s.
plaa-y
play, v. and s.
kwaa'yntuns
acquaintance, s.
slaa-y
slay, v.
maa'yntnuns
maintenance, s.
mizlaa*y
mislay, v.
aa-yt
eight, *.
splaa'y
splay, a.
faa'ynt
faint, a. and v.
dees-plaa-y
Maa*y
display, v. and a.
May, s.
plaa'ynt
plaint, com-
plaint, 8.
paa'y
pay, v. and s.
paa-ynt
paint, v. and *.
hraa'y
ray, s. array, v.
saa-ynt
saint, *.
draa-y
dray, s.
taa'ynt
taint, s.
fraa'y
graa-y
fray, *.
gray, a.
kwaa-ynt
quaint, a.
acquaint, v.
praa-y
pray, v.
straa'yt
straight, a.
spraa-y
spry, a, spray, *.
raa-yz
raise, v.
straay
stray, v.
praa'yz
praise, v. and s.
waa'y
way, s. why
staa-yz
stays, s.
awaa'y
away, ad.
paa-ynz
pains, s.
zwaay
sway, v. and «.
braa'ynz
brains, s.
aa'ym
aim, v. and s.
graa'ynz
grains, s.
klaa'ym
claim, p. and s.
hraa'ynz
reins, rains, s.
paa-yleen
paling, s.
6. Diphthong AAY=a/.
Mr. Elworthy had considered this list as belonging to [a'y] = (ahi), which is
very nearly the same as [uy] = (a'z), No. 40. With the exception of those words
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
6. Diphthong AAY=&i.— continued.
ending in sh, as dash, where the sound was clearly [aav] = fc*).i »* ^7 be doubt-
ful which of the three sounds [aay, a'y, uy] = (a», tot, ,91} is really said, and
some of the words will he found as [uy] = (a'»). Possibly there is much variety
in actual use. But none of the words have [aa-y] = (aa»), JNo. 5.— A. J. &.
baay
aay
faay
dhaay
maay
paay
waay
daaysh
gaaysh
laaysh
buy, v. bye, v.
eye, 8. high, a,
fie (faith), inter j.
thigh, s.
lie, v. and *.
my (emphatic)
pie, 8.
why?
dash, v. and 8.
gash, v. and s.
lash, v. and 8.
klaaysh
smaaysh
naaysh
raaysh
saaysh
traaysh
saaydur
smaayt
saayz
praayz
clash, v. and 8.
smash, v. and s.
nesh, a.
rash, a. and s.
Bash, s.
trash, s.
cider, s.
smite, v.
size, v. and «.
prize, «?. and s.
7. Diphthongal Fracture AA*Yu=aa«".
The fracture seems to have been introduced by the following [1] or [,r], but it
is quite distinct. — A. J. E.
aa'yul
faa'yul
haa-yul
maa-yul
naa*yul
paa'yul
raa-yul
fraa*yul
ail, v.
fail, v.
hail, v. and 8.
mail, 8.
nail, v. and 8.
pail, 8.
rail, s.
frail, o. and 8.
saa'yul
taa'yul
vaa-yul
waa'yul
kwaa-yul
praa'yurz
staa-yurz
sail, v. and s.
tail, 8.
veil, v. and «.
wail, v. and 8.
quail, 8.
prayers, «.
stairs, s.
8. Short AE=E.
This short sound is very much broader than my sound of e in bet, bed, = [e] = (e),
but whether it is always as broad as the French e, e, est, and German u, is
doubtful. It does not occur long, except in the form of a fracture [ae-u] = (EE')
No. 9. Several words which were originally included in another list, as having
[e'] = (ao) ,have been introduced here at my suggestion, and are marked *. — A. J. E.
drift, v. and s.
sift, v.
stiff, a.
big, a.
Pig, *•
catch, v.
pith, s.
wreath, s.
worth, a.
heath, hearth, s.
1 The same in all compounds of head.
daed
did, v.
draef(t*
laek-weed
liquid, *.
zaef(t*
maed
might, v.
staef
iimaed*
amid, ad.
baeg
voraed
forehead, s.
paeg
oks'aed1
hogshead, s.
kaech
mael-tichued
multitude, «.
paeth
klaef-tid
cloven, o.and/*.^.
vraeth
klaef
cliff, «. cleave, v.
waeth
zlaef(t*
slack, v. (lime)
yaeth
BY FREDERIC THOMAS EWORTHY, ESQ.
8. Short AE=E. — continued.
37
waet'th
width, «. daeds
didst
eejaek-
object, v.
project, v.
maeds
Naek'lees
midst, ».
Nicholas
maek
make, v.
zaes
says
praek
prick, v.
laes
list, s.
skaelk
skulk, v. and s.
(
miss, v.
laengk*
link, s.
maes* <
missed, p.p.
staengk
stink, v. and s.
(
mist, «.
aesk
hearse, s.
umaes-*
amiss, ad.
dael
dull, a.
an'-raes1*
wrist, a.
yael
eel, s.
aeks )
paek'l
pickle, v. and s.
hacks )
axe, s.
praek'l
prickle, s.
vlaeks
flax, s.
traek'l
trickle, v.
faeks
fix, v.
aeb'm
heaven, s.
maeks
mix, v.
laeb'm
eleven, a.
ti-maeks
mixed, p.p.
zaeb-m
seven, a.
aun-maeks
unmixed, a.
laes'um
lithesome, a.
waeks
wax, v. and $»
daed-n
did not, v.
twaeks*
betwixt, prep.
bai'd-raed'n
bed-ridden, a.
klaet*
clot, v. and s.
taed-n
'tis not
waet*
wilt, v.
gaedh'ureen
gathering, «.
waest*
worst, a.
saes'turn
cistern, s.
aent*
hint, v. and «»
vlaek'sn
flaxen, a.
laent*
lint, s.
hraek'sn ]
vraek-sn j
rushes, «.
klaent*
vlaent*
clench, v. and s.
flint, s.
waek'sun
waxen, a.
maent*
mint, s.
aemp, aemt
empty, v.
staent*
stint, s.
yaef-ur
heifer, *.
fact
fit, a. and v.
vael'gur
vulgar, a.
au*rchaet
orchard, «.
maek'schur
mixture, s.
shaet
shalt, v.
aedh'ur
hither, a. ad.
tangkaet
tankard
gaedh-ur
dhaedh-ur
gather, v.
thither
puoreemaet \
puol'eemaet )
pyramid, s.
waedh'ur
wither, v.
taet
teat, s.
sbaeft'ur
shifter, s.
zwaet
sweat, v. and s.
raef-tur*
rafter, s.
yaet
heat, v. and s.
plaes-tui*
plaster, v. and *.
saekst
sixth, a.
zaes'tur*
sister, s.
taenut
tenon, s. tenant
baet'ur*
bitter, a.
faet-lz
victuals, s.
faet'ur*
fitter, s.
waets
oats, s.
laet-ur*
litter, v. and s.
9. Fracture AE«U=EE'.
This fracture is very distinctly and clearly made. The vowel is generally long,
as here marked, occasionally it seemed to become short, but I have preserved Mr.
38
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
9. Fracture AE'unEE5. — continued.
Elworthy's appreciation. Observe the insertion of [,r] in the termination -ation,
always called -[ae-urshun] = -(EE'rshan).— A. J. E.
ae'u have, v.
lae-udl ladle, *.
bae'ub babe, *.
krae-udl cradle, *.
ae-uji'd aged, a.
nae-ukid naked, a.
bae-ud bad, a.
lae-ugl label, s.
( ale, s. heal, v.
ae'ul ( heel,*.
fae-ud fade, v.
lae-ud lade, v. and s.
] bale, *.
bae>ul ( bail, v. and «.
mae-ud made, v.
gae-ul gale, s.
spae'ud spade, «.
trae-ud trade, v. and s.
jae-ul jail, s.
mae'ul male, s. meal, s.
wae'iid wade, v.
„ , ( swore
zwae-urd ( sware, t>. jw*.
W1 ( pale, a.
( appeal, 0. and «.
hrae'iil real, a.
krae-uz(d crazy, a.
bae'ubee baby, s.
sae-ul seal, v. and s.
tae-ul tale, *.
tae'udee potatoe, s.
stae'ul stale, a. steal, v.
Dae-uvee David, Davy, s.
( vale, veal, s.
vae'ul \ -i
lae'uzee lazy, a.
( veil, s.
sae-uf safe, a.
wae'ul whale, s.
bae-udh batbe, v.
zae'ul sale, s.
rae'unj range, v. and s.
trae-uk-1 treacle, «.
grae-unj grange, 8.
bae'um balm, s.
pae-uj page, «.
fae'um fame, s.
rae-uj rage, v. and s.
lae'um lame, a.
stae'uj stage, «.
blae'um blame, v. and *.
zae-uj sage, s.
vlae'um flame, s.
ae'ubrikauk apricot, s.
pae-iim palm, *.
ae'uk ache, v. and s.
frae'um frame, v. and s.
bae'uk bake, v.
tae'iim tame, v. and a.
shae-uk shake
zae-upleen sapling, s.
lae-uk lake, s.
bae'ukn bacon, «.
blae-ut, blae'uk bleat, v. and s.
ae'un hand, s. Anne
mae uk make, v.
bae'iin ban, «.
rae'uk rake, v. and s.
lae'vin lane, s.
brae'uk brake, *.
plae-un plane, v. and s.
krae'uk creak, v. and s.
mae-un man, s.
strae-uk streak, v. and s.
pae'un pan, «.
nae'um-saeuk namesake, «.
vae-un vane, s.
stae-iik stake, steak, s.
zit'iae-urshun situation, s.
wae-iik wake, v.
rai'lae'urshun relation, «.
kwae-uk qnake, v. \ oarae'urshun oration, *.
ae'iibl able, a.
jinirae'urshun generation, *.
fae-ubl fable, *.
imeetae'urshun imitation, «.
tae-ubl table, «.
grae-up grape, *.
zae'ulubl saleable, a. i hrae'up rape, s. rasp, v.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
39
9. Fracture AE'u=EE'. — continued.
skrae'up
scrape, v. and s.
nae-umlees
nameless, a.
tae'up
tape, s.
trae-ups
trape, v.
zae'up
sap, *.
/
ace, s. haste, v.
lae-ubur
labour, v. and s.
ac us \
and s.
fae'ur
fair, a.
bae-us
baste, v . base, a.
rae'ur
rear, v.
dae'us
dace, s.
tae'ur
tear, v.
fae'ua
face, s.
vae'ur
fair, s.
lae'iis
lace, s.
kwae'uf
queer, a.
plae'us
place, s.
ae'ur
air, hair, hare.
dees'plae'iis
displace, v.
bae*ur
bear, bare, v. a.
(
mace, s.
dae-ur
dare, v.
mae'us
(oak) mast, s.
fae-ur
fare, s. fair, s.
pae'us, pae'uz
pace, s.
dhae-ur
there, ad>.
spae-us
space, s.
blae'ur
blare, v.
brae4u3
brace, «.
glae'ur
glare, v.
grae'iis
grace, s.
vlae-ur
flare, v. flaw, v.s.
dees'grae'us
disgrace, v, and s
mae'ur
mare, s.
trae'us
trace, v. and s.
pae'ur
pair, s.
tae-us
taste, v. and s.
rae'ur
rear, v. rare, a.
wae'iis
waste, v. and s.
drae'ur
drear, a.
bae-un(t
baint (are not)
hrae-ur
rare, a. emph.
pae urt
part, v. and *.
tae'iir
tear, tare, v. s.
u-pae-urt
apart, ad.
stae-ur
stair, s. stare, v.
ae-ut
hate, v. and s.
were, aware,
dae'ut
date, s.
wae'ur
where, whether,
fae'ut
fate, s.
wear navigae'ut
navigate, s.
zwae-ur
swear, v. lae ut
late, a.
uzwae'ur
sworn, p.p, plae'ut
plate, 8.
stae'ujur
stager, s. slae'ut
slate, s.
ae-ukur
acre, s. mae-ut
mate, s.
bae'ukur
baker, *. . pae'ut
pate, s.
m ae-ukur
maker, s. rae-ut
rate, v. and *.
tae-ukur
taker, s. grae'ut
grate, s.
kwae-ukur
quaker, «. prae'ut
prate, v. and s.
dae-ulur
dealer, s. ; stae-ut
state, s.
stae'ulur
stealer, *. vae'ut
vat, «.
Ae'upur
April, a. lae-iiv
lathe, s.
pae'upur
paper, s. krae'iiv
crave, v
skrae'upur
scraper, s. sae'iiv
save, 0 .
krai-ae-utur
creator, s.
stae-uv
stave, *.
nae-utur
nature, s.
wae'uv
wave, v. not s.
prae'utur
prater, *.
flae'umz
flames, s.
mae'ustur
master, s.
dae'uz
daze, v.
fae'uvur
favour, v. and 5.
blae'iiz
blaze, s.
Sae'uvyur
Saviour, s.
brae'uz
braze, v.
blae'iiin-lges
blameless, a.
krae-uz
crack, v. craze, v.
40
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
10. Diphthong AEW=E't/.
This seemed to me fairly [new] = (*«), though the sound occasionally ap-
proached to [aw] = (*'«). Dr. Murray, however seems to have heard an
additional vowel and a long first element as [ae-uw] = (EE9 »} , givuig the diph-
thong [uw] = (a'«) , preceded hy [§e] = (BE), which glided into it. Whenever the
diphthong [aew]i(E'W) is muchWhened, a similar effect may be perceived, as
in the common Norfolk cow, and, very nearly, in the vulgar London cow. Hence
Dr Murray's appreciation probably arose from the slow enunciation of the single
words. The normal sound for these words in the dialect is evidently [uw] = (a u),
No. 38.— A. J. E.
baewd (before
}aun'saewn
unsound, a.
a vowel)
baewt
about, prep.
vaewn
uvaewn
found, v. pret.
found, p.p.
laewd
loud, a.
waewn
wound, v. and s.
klaewd
cloud, *.
zaewn
sound, v. and *.
shraewd
shroud, s.
udhaewtun
without, prep.
kraewd
crowd, s.
kaewkumur
cucumber, s.
praewd
baewn
proud, a.
bound, v. and s.
kaewntur
encounter, v.
counter, s.
aewn
hound, v. and *.
kaewnt
count, v.
daewn
<lown,8.prep.ad.
aewt
out, pr.
aup'm-daewn
paewn
upsidedown, ad.
pound, v. and s.
gaewt
udhaewt
go out
without, prep.
kaunrpaewn
compound, v.
raewt
rut, *.
I
round, a.
straewt
strut, v. and s.
raewn
around, ad.
aew
how, ad.
braewn
brown, a.
kaew
cow, s.
graewn
ground, s.
plaew
plough, v. and *.
kraewn
crown, v. and s. > zaumaew*
somehow, ad.
11. Diphthongal Fracture AEW'u=EV.
Before I an additional fracture is introduced. — A. J. E.
aewul
shaewul
owl, *.
shovel, v. and s.
graewul
praewul
growl, v. and *.
prowl, v.
12. Long AI=ee.
There was no tendency towards [ary] = (&»), and I at first appreciated the
sound as [e] = (ee). It was certainly nearer that sound than the London vowel
with its vanish (ee'j). This list is made up of many separate parts. 1) the
original long e retained as in head [ai'd] = («ed), 2) an original short e lengthened
as egg [ai-g] = (c<'g), 3) an original short i appreciated perhaps as short e and
then lengthened asj»t^ [pai'g] = (p«'g), 4) an original [aa-y] = (aa»)"junctured"
into [ai] as in literary English, as way [war] = (wee), 5) several words which
have now [uy] = (a'i) in literary English, and used to nave [ee] = (ii) or (i&h), as
flight, lining, lightning, fright, light, night, sight, dive, drive, knife, five, and
which are rather strong evidence of the reality of that older pronunciation. —
A. J. E.
splai'ndeed
ard
splendid, a.
head, 3.
ii-ai'd
bard
ahead, ad.
bead, s., bed, *.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
41
12. Long AI=ee. — continued.
vurbai'd
forbid, v.
tai-
tea, s.
dai-d
dead, a.
!way, s ; with,
lai-d
lead, v.
wai'
prep., wo (to
maa-ydn-aid
maidenhead, s.
horses), interj.
plai-d
plead, v.
unrawai
runaway, a.
mizlard
mislead, 0.
wai'd wai*
wed (with), v.
brai-d
bread, s.
zai*
say
drai'd
died, v.
laij
allege, v.
hrai'd
read, v.
spark
speak, v.
trai'd
traid, v.
wai'k
weak, a.
bai-dstard
bedstead, *.
rai'l
reel, v. and s.
nart'urd
neatherd, s.
pai-nsl
pencil, s.
benai'tud
benighted
ai-kl
equal, a.
darsunsee
decency, a.
ai-vl
evil, s.
slai'tee
slight, a.
ai'm
hem, v. and s.
ai-g
egg, *•
drarm
dream, v. and s.
bai-g
bag, *
rai'm
ream, v. and s.
nai-g
egg, s.
krai'm
cream, s.
pai-g
Pig, *•
skrai'm
scream, v. and *.
arch
each, a.
strai'm
stream, v. and *.
barch
beach, *.
starm
steam, v. and s.
larch
leech, s.
ai'vm
even, a. and ad.
blai'ch
bleach, v.
ai-n
hen, «., end, *.
parch
peach, *.
bai'n
bend, v. and s.
sparch
speech, s.
Bai'n
Ben, s.
rai'ch
reach, v.
darn
den, «.
brai-ch
breach, s.
farn
offend, defend,v.
prai'ch
preach, v.
dhai*n
then, a.
beesarch.
beseech, v.
lai-n
lean, 0.
tai-ch
teach, v. \ blarn
blind
utarch
taught, p.p. glarn
glean, v.
brai-dh
breathe, v.
men, s. mean, v.
vrai-dh
wreath, v.
mai-n
and 0. mend, v.
(
leash, s. (three)
amend, v.
larsh <
leash, s. (a dog
ae'timarn
amen.
I
tether)
pai-n
(writing-)pen,*.
tarth, tarf
teeth, s.
deepa'in
depend, v .
hav
bay, v. and *.
spai-n
spend, v.
uu
(a dam), bee,*.
uspai*n
spent, p.p.
dar
day, s.
rarn
rend, v.
uydai*
idea, s.
frai-n
friend, 8.
kai'
key, quay, a.
voar-ai'n
fore-end, «.
lai-
lea, *. lay, v.
stii-n, zai'n
$endi,v.pres.pret.
plai'
plea, s.
sai'n
seine, *.
oloi*
sledge, «., sleigh
tai-n
ten, a. tend, r.
Dltli ^
(part of a loom)
purtai'n
pretend, v.
vlai*
flee, 8t
wen, *. wean, t>.
pai'
pea, «.
\vai'n
when, <wf.
42
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
12. Long A.I=ee. — continued.
kwarn
quoin, s. (exter-
nal angle)
faa-rdigrai's
aanrbur grai-s
verdigris, 8.
ambergris, «*
uzarn
sent, p.p.
prai-s
priest, s.
bai-deen
bedding, s.
dees-ai'S
decease, *.
wai'deen
wedding, «.
sai's
cease, v.
spai'keen
speaking, s.
defence,*, fence,
sail-een
ceiling, s.
v. and s.
arvmeen
evening, a.
offence, s.
lai-neen
lai'tneen
lining, *.
lightning, *.
mai-nz
means, s.
amends, s.
sarmun
seaman, s.
kumai'ns
commence, *.
rai'zn
reason, v. and s.
aekspai-ns
expense, s.
trai'zn
treason, s.
sai-ns
sense, s.
sai-zn
season, «.
purtai-ns
pretence, s.
lai-p
leap
tai-nuns
attendance, s.
slai-p ) (
sleep, v. and s.
ai-t
eat, v.
zlai-p ) (
slept, pret.
u-ai't
ate, eaten, p.p.
uzlarp
asleep, a., slept,
p.p.
bai't
fart
bite, v.
fight, v. and s.
ai'mp
hemp, s.
chai't
cheat, v. and s.
tai-mp
tempt, v.
lai-t
light, v. and s.
slai-ndur
slender, a.
blai't, blai'k
bleat, v. and *.
marndiir
mender, *.
i •.* ^
sleet, s. slight, a.
tarndur
tender, a.
BuKL*b
sleight, s.
purtarndur
pretender, s.
kumplai't
complete, a.
zarndur
sender, *.
mart
meat, s.
ai-gur
eager, a.
nai-t
night, s. neat, a.
sai-zhur
seizure, s.
pai't
peat, *. ,
spai-kur
speaker, «.
seat, v. and *.
fai-nsur
fencer, 8.
sight, s. (large
fai'tur
fighter, s.
.
number)
mai'tur
meter, «.
dai-sai't
deceit, *.
sai'ntur
centre, *.
hrai-sart
receipt, *.
TTO-] *T»4"n T*
venture, v. and «.
trai't
treat, v. and s.
V cli LLLU.1 A
adventure, *.
strai't
street, «.
fai-vur
fever, s.
wai-t
wheat, 8.
lai-vur
lever, «.
zai-t
sight, *. (vision)
ai*dlees
headless, a.
barnt
bent, a.
heedless, a.
lai-nt
lent, «. and a.
ai-nlees
endless, a.
sumai-nt
cement, v. and s.
sai-nslees
senseless, a.
rai-pai-nt
repent, v.
pai-ntees
penthouse, s.
rai-nt
rent, v. and s.
ai-s
east, s., yes, ad.
tai'nt
tent, *.
fai-s
feast, v. and s.
vai'nt
vent, v. and s.
lai-s
lease, v. and s.
purvai-nt
prevent, v.
least, a.
wai'nt
went, v. pret.
pai-s
peace, s.
purzai-nt
present, v.
grai-s
grease, «.
ai-v
heave, v.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
43
12. Long AI=ce. — continued.
dai-v
larv
u-lai-v
beelai'V
klai-v
nai'v
drai-v
rarsai'V
varv
wai'v
dive, v. and a.
wai-v, warvud wove, pret.
leave, v. and *.
prarstez
priests, s. pi.
left, p.p.
c ease, s. is, v. em-
believe, v.
ai*z
( phatic.
cleave, v.
dhai'z
these, pr.
knife, s.
lai'z
lies, s.
drive, v. and «.
tai-z
tease, v. it is, v.
receive, v.
plai-z
please, v.
five, a.
pai'z
pease, *.
weave, v. sarz
seize, v. size, s.
13. Long A0=oo
Whether this list should not include all those marked [oa] = (oo), No. 25, or
whether it should not be included in the latter, is rather doubtful. Many might
esteem it the same as [au] = (AA), No. 15; but as Mr. Elworthy appreciated the
difference, and in reading really made a slight difference, these words must be
retained for further examination. In my first appreciation I considered all the
words marked [oa] = (oo) to have [ao] = (oo). — A. J. E.
chaOT
chao'rin
sik-imaor
staoT
vao'r
vao-rlun
tao'rd
chare, v.
charing, part.
sycamore, *.
story, 8.
furrow, *.
foreland, *.
tore, pret.
u-tao'rd
lao-th
kao*l
snao*
avaoT
torn, p.p.
loth, a-.
coal, s.
snow, *.,
know ?
before, ad.
dost
14. Fracture AOu=oo'.
It seemed to me that this fracture was really pronounced, and that this list
really included that marked [oa-a] = (oo') No. 27. Where the fracture is made
by an added [tt] = (9) or ('), it generally deepens the preceding vowel in all
dialects.— A. J. E.
blao-ud
ublao-ud
nao*ud
krao'ud
blew, pret.
blown, p.p.
knew, pret.
crew, pret.
skao'ur
nao'u
score, v. and s.
scar, v. and s.
know, v ., no, ad.
15. Long AU=AA.
Whether the sound was in all cases [au] = (AA), or whether it was not rather
in many (not all cases) more properly [ao] = (oo), No. 13, I found it so difficult
to determine that I have not attempted to make any division. In my first ap-
preciation I heard [ao] = (oo) in many instances. The [,r] = (R) after this vowel
is more difficult to appreciate, but it seems to be there when marked ; at least it
was felt by the speaker. — A. J. E.
au-b
Bau-b
gaxrb
jau-b
abb, hob, «.
Bob
gob, v.
job, «.
slau'b
mau-b
nau'b
vau'b
slab, s.
mob, s.
knob, *.
fob, *.
44
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
15. Long AF = A A. continued.
skwau'b
squab
wau-j
wedge, v. and *.
zwau'b
swab, v. and «.
lau-jik
logic, s.
sau'leed 1
zau'leed 1
solid, a.
yau-rk
ylau'k
fork, s.
flock, «.
au*reed
horrid, a.
smau-k
smock, s.
vrau-stid
frosted, a.
krau'k
crock, s.
lau'rd
lord, 8.
vrau'k
frock, *.
lan-lau-rd
landlord, s.
au'poal(d
uphold, v.
wau'rd
ward, v. and «.
au'rubl
horrible, a.
rai-wau-rd
reward, s.
au'nprau'fitubl
unprofitable, a.
au'kurd
awkward
bau'dl
bottle, s.
skau-liird
scholar, s.
kwau*rdl
quarrel, v. ands.
au'purd
au'd
upward, ad.
odd, a.
au-fl
au'bnaayl
offal, s., awful, a.
hob-nail, s.
Gau-d
God
kau'mikiil
comical, a.
laird
lard, s.
wau'ml
wamble, v.
naird
nod, v. and s,
au'l
all, fl.
pau'd
pod, s.
kau'l
coal, s.
rau-d
rod, «.
lau-1
loll, v.
een'rau'd
inroad, s.
nau'l
awl, *.
wau'd
wad, s.
grau'l
gravel, s.
spau-tud
spotted, a. sprau'l
sprawl, v. and s.
kau'fee
coffee, s.
ween'vau'l
wind-fall, s.
vairlee
follow, v.
au'rikul
oracle, s.
kau'ntree
contrary, a.
mau-sul
morsel, «.
vrau'S'tee
frosty, a.
lau-ryul
laurel, «.
au-f
ought, v.
(
form, v. and *.
au-f, thau-f
though, conj.
fau-rm
(not a bench,
dau-f
doff, v.
t
see furm)
kau-f
cough, v.
zwau'rm
swarm, s.
sau-f
soft, a.
vrau'm
from, prep.
lau-ng
vrairng
long, a.
wrong, ."
kau-m(d
come, v.
came, pret.
zau-ng
song, s.
zau-m
some, a.
dau'g
dog, s.
blau'S'um
blossom, s.
vrairg
frog, s.
au-pur-an*
upper-hand
skrau-nct.
crunch, v.
kau-feen
coffin, s.
wau'nch.
wench, s.
au*rgeen
organ, *.
snau-ch
notch, s.
kwauprleen
Quarrelling
pau'ch
poach, v.
mau-rneen
morning, s.
wau-rsh.
wash, v.
au%n, aun'
un, neg. prefix.
lau'th
loth, a.
bau'n(d
bond, v. and s.
slairth
sloth, «.
ii-gau'U
ago, ad.
mau'th,
moth, s. moss, «.
mau-n
maund, s.
brau-th
broth, 8.
pau-n
pond, v. and s.
vrau-th
froth, s.
dees'pau'n
despond, v.
mau'nj
mange, s.
vau-n(d
fond, a.
lau'j
lodge, v. and s. wau'n( common) one, a.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
45
15. Long AU=AA. — continued.
kurau-pshun
corruption grau-s
gross, s. and a.
au-p-lun
upland, s. and a.
krau*s
cross, *.
au-p
up,arf. and. prefix
vrau-s(t
frost, s.
lau-p
lop, v.
4-rtlT «Q <
toss, v. ana s.
flau-p
flop, v. and s.
tall o i
toast, s.
slairp
slop, v. and *. kau-mpus
compass, v. and s.
mau-p
mop, v. and s.
au-rchaet
orchard, «.
pau-p
pop, v. and s.
shau-rt
short, a.
prau-p
prop, v. and s.
wau-rt
wart, *.
tau-p
top, s.
kau-mfurt
comfort, *.
swau'p
swap, v.
au't
hot, a. ought, v.
zau-p
sop, v. and s.
dau-t
dot, «.
auT
or, conj.
dhau't
thought, v.pret.
vau'r
foT,prep.(emph.}
u-dhau't
thought, p.p.
|
ware, beware, v.
shau-t
shot, s.
wauT
(imperative)
jau-t
jot, *.
kwau-r
quarry, v. and s.
kau-t
COt, 8.
zwauT
swath, s.
skau't
scot, s.
zlau-bur |
slau-bur )
slobber, v.
blau-t
slau't
blot, v. and *.
slot, v. and s.
zmau-ldur
smaller, a.
snau't
snot, s.
tau-rchur
torture, v. and s.
pau't
pot, v. and a.
pau'chur
poacher, s.
stengk-pau't
stink-pot, s.
mau-dhur
mother, *.
spau-t
spot, v. and «.
mau-njur
manger, s.
rau't
rot, v. and s.
aul'ur
hollow, a.
grau't
groat, *.
kau-lur
collar, *.
u-vau't
fetched, p. p.
vau-rmur
former, a.
vaarvau't "j
prau-pur
proper, a.
vaar-uvau-t \
far-fetched, a.
aul'tur
halter, v. and s.
vur-vau't J
bau-ryur
borer (augur), s.
skwau't
squat, v.
au-fees
office, eaves, s.
i
set,v.pret. sat, v.
chau-ps
chops, «.
(
pret.
wau-ps
u-zau-t
set, sat, ^?. ^?.
wau-psee }
wasp, a.
pau-gut
pocket, s.
au-s
horse, a.
au-rnut
hornet, 8.
<ymi*Q s
gas, s. (occasion-
au*
owe, p.
gau a |
ally.)
dhau«
thaw, v. neut.
kau-s(t
cost, v. and a.
aun-dhau-
thaw, v. active.
lau-s(t
loss, s. lost, a.
lose, v.
lau'
vlau*
low, a. la! inter j.
flow, v.
glau-s
gloss, «.
blau*
blow, v. and «.
mau-s
most, a.
nau-
no, a. and a<#.
u-mau's
almost, ad.
eo-rau*
hurrah !
pau's i
post,«. (for gates,
brau*
raw, a.
not letters)
krau*
crow, «.
rau-s
roast, v. and s.
strau*
strew, v.
drau-s
dross, «.
au-n-tue
unto, jprfj?.
46
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
15. Long AU=AA. — continued.
airdz, odds lau-jinz lodgings, 8.
pau-s-e*. posts (for gates) au-rtz orts, s.
vrairstez frosts wau-z ^ere, v. pret.
16. Short AU=A.
My first appreciation gave these as [ao] = (o), and not as [o] = (o), as Mr.
Elworthy had considered them. Subsequent examination seemed! to show that
in Mr. Elworthy' s pronunciation they were rather [au] = (A), and were apt to
become the long of this vowel, as much as those in No. 15 ; the negative prefix
«?» = [aun'] = (An) belongs more to this list than the last. — A. J. E.
hraud
vaul-ee
dhaung
vraung
hraum'ij
raunk
zauk
vaurk
chauk'vuel'
paup-1
rode, v. pret.
Polly
follow, 9.
thong, s.
wrong, a.
rummage, &
rank, a
sock, s.
fork. s.
chock-fuli, a.
pebble
vaul'um
twaud-n
sauf-een
faurt'een
haun
u-chaup*
saup-ui
kaunvz
maus(t
kwaurt
vaurtnut
volume, *.
it was not, v.
something, s.
fortune, s.
when, ad.
chopped, a.
supper, a.
comes, v.
must, v.
quart, s.
fortunate, a.
17. Diphthong ATJ-Y=AA'£
These seemed to have the first element decidedly long, much more so than
in the literarv boy. Dr. Murray appreciated the -sound as (o'«), but on careful
observation, the few sounds in the next list which approach nearest to (o't) seem
to me more appropriately classed as (A'Z); it will be seen that they also all belone
to this list.— A. J. E.
nau'yntid
vau-yd
au'yul
wau-yur
chau'ys
rai'jau-ys
vau'ys
een'vau-ys
jau-ynt
anointed, a.
void, a.
oil, v. and s.
weigher, s.
choice, s. and a.
rejoice, v.
voice, s.
invoice, u.ands.
joint, *.
pwauynt
bau'yt
wau'yt
tree'fau'y
kau*y
kunvau'y
suurvau-y
wau'y
point, v. and s.
bait, v. and *.
wait, v. weight, s.
trefoil, s.
coy, a. decoy, *.
convey, v.
survey, v. and *.
•weigh, v.
wauy
bauyt
18. Diphthong AUY= A'-/.
See the note to No. 17.
weigh, v.
bait, v. and s.
wauyt
wait, v.
weight, *.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY. ESQ.
47
19. Long EE=ii.
These are the usual long English ee, but this length is mucn less than the
Scottish long sound, and Dr. Murray says that "to a Scotch ear they are medial
or short." They are, however, much snorter than the short [£e] of No. 20. —
A. J. E.
ee
he, pr. (emph.)
stee-fl
stifle, v .
bee
be, v. (emph.)
ee'm
hymn
I
gee, int. (to
beeTi
bin, s.
jee |
horses)
fee-n
fin, s.
vlee
fly, v.
chee'n
chin, s.
mee
dree
me, pr. (emph.)
three, a.
shee'n
shine, v. and s.
shin, s.
wee
we, pr. (emph.)
shee'nid
shone, v. pret.
zee
see, v.
dhee'n )
i V *
bee'd
bid, v. and s.
thee'n(emph.) )
thin, a.
vurbee'd
forbid, v.
kee-n
kin, 8.
uylee'd
eyelid, s.
skee'n
skin, v. and s.
u-vlee'd
fled, p.p.
pee*n
pin, v. and s.
gree'd
agreed, v. pret.
spee'n
spin, v.
hree'd reed, «.
shree'd, zhree'd shred, v. and s.
spee-n )
spee'nid J
spun, v. pret.
een'stee'd
instead, ad.
u-spee'n
spun, jt?.j9.
kwee'd
cud, s.
laat'iir-ee'n
latter end
zee'd
saw, v. pret.
see'n }
.
ii-zee'd
seen, p.p.
zee'n j
sin, v. and s.
gee'ftid
gifted, a.
tee-n
tin, v. and s.
aa'f wee'tud
half-witted, a.
but'ee'n
butt-end, s.
ee'ntue
into (emph).
wee'n
wind, s.
ee-f, nee-f
if, conj. twee-n
twin, s.
dee'f
deaf, a. : ee'n-lun
inland, a.
shee'f
sheath, s.
ee-p
hip, s.
t
itch, v. and «.
ee-ndur
hinder, v.
ee c |
hitch, v. and s.
kee'ndur
kindred, s.
bee'ch
bitch, s.
wee'ndur
window, *.
dee'ch
ditch, s.
splee'tur
splitter, *.
ree'ch
rich, a.
ee's
yes, ad.
stee'ch
stitch, s.
dhee'8
thou hast
which, pr.
kee's
kiss, v. and *.
witch, s.
gree'8
grist, *.
bewitch, v.
kree's
cress, s.
vee-sh )
fee'sh J
fish, v. and s.
kree'stez
ee't
cresses, s. pi.
yet, conj.
dee'sh
dish, v. and «.
kee't
kit, s.
wee'sh
wish, v. and *.
splee't
split, v. and s.
dee'pth
depth, s.
vree't
writ, «.
blee-j
oblige, v. pres.
and pret.
wee't
wee'dii
wit, «.
widow, 8.
ee-nj
hinge, s.
ee'ntii
into
lee-dl
little, a.
lee'v
live, v.
48
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
19. Long EE=ii. — continued.
lee-v leaf, s. vlee-z fleece, s
shee-v sheaf, *. vree-z freeze, *.
ee-z his, pr. (emph.) u-vree'z frozen, p.p.
gee'z geese, *.
20. Short EE=i.
This list is made up of two very different classes of words, those which are
closed with a consonant, and those which end in open [ee] = (i). As regards the
closed vowels, the sound is generally as short as in French and German, and kept
quite distinct from [i] = («'), No. 24; thus [speed1] = (spid), is quite different from
[spid] = (spz'd). This very short and fine [ee] in closed syllables seems to be
peculiar to our Western dialects. To call special attention to it, the form [ee]
has been written throughout these lists, although not necessary when the accent
mark is duly written in. But there is occasionally a tendency (especially in the
terminations [een, ees] = (in, is), although unaccented) to make the vowel longer,
as of middle length. As respects the words ending in an unaccented open [£e],
I have retained Mr. Elworthy's original notation ; but when he pronounced the
words to me, I seemed to hear [i] = (»') in at least a great many of them. The
fine sound was at any rate not so consistently maintained.— A. J. E.
speed
speed, s.
klaa*rjee
clergy, s.
blas'eed
blessed, a.
strae-ukee
streaky, a.
oa-msteed
homestead, *.
vaal-ee, faal'ee
value, v. and s.
ti'meed
timid, a.
jil-ee
jelly, s.
raa'peed
rapid, a.
hug-lee
ugly, a.
ae-utreed
hatred, s.
aak'leo
actually, ad.
ee
ye, pr.
ai'klee
equally, ad.
bee
be, v.
wikiee
weekly, a. and ad.
urad'ee
already, ad.
eo-lee
woolly, a.
brith-dee
birthday, *.
buul'ee
belly, *.
Vruydee
blid-ee
Friday
bloody, a.
auniee
ee-ulee
only, ad. (emph.)
hilly, a.
stid-ee
steady, a.
chuul'ee
chilly, a.
Mumrde'e
Monday
luul-ee
lily, s.
Zirrdee
Sunday
puul-ee
pully, s.
eo'dee
woody, a.
pop-ulee
pebbly, a.
meo-dee
Zad'urdee
shee'udee
moody, a.
Saturday
shady, a.
ae'upmee
vaawurpmee
vil'umee
halfpenny, s.
four-penny, a.
filmy, a.
math'udee
methodist, «.
naat'umee
J *
anatomy, s.
lae'udee
lady, s.
aak-n-nee
hackney, s.
Wai'nzdee
Chue'zdee
Dhuuz'dee
Wednesday
Tuesday
Thursday
chai'nee
puynee
gyin-ee
j t
china, s. (ware)
peony, s.
guinea, s.
pee'chee
tich-ee
pitchy, a.
touchy, a.
min'ee
minnow, s.
many, a.
muur§chee
mischief, s.
tuurnee
attorney, s.
mau-njee
mangy, a. rat'n-nee
retinue, *.
widh'ee
withe, s. uun'ee
only, ad.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHT, ESQ.
49
20. Short EE=i. — continued.
zae'upee
sappy, a.
pun -sheen
puncheon, 5.
roo'upee
ropy, «.
faa-rsheen
fashion, s.
vaaree
furrow, v.
kuursheen
cushion, s.
moa-ree
moory, a.
chaanvpeen
champion, s.
bauree
borrow, v.
bureen
burying, past.
kaa'fm-dree
carpentry, s.
laat'een
tin, s.
sael-tree
sultry, a.
vef-teen
fifteen
puul-tree
poultry, a.
aayteen
eighteen
zauree
sorry, a.
zab'm-teen
seventeen
buuree
bury, v.
dhuurteen
thirteen
fuuree
ferry, s.
zek-steen
sixteen, «.
chuur-ee
cherry, s.
eep
heap, s.
beo-churee
butchery, s.
deep
deep, a.
shuur£e
sherry, s.
cheep
cheap, a.
sal'uree
celery, *.
sheep
sheep, «.
muuree
merry, a.
keep, keep'ur
keep, v. keeper, 8.
puuree
perry, s.
neep
neap, a.
wuuree
wherry, «.
peep
peep, v.
maas'ee
mercy, s.
zweep
sweep, v. and *.
saa'rsee
saucy, a.
hrSep
reap, v.
klaa-tee
cloddy, a.
ween'tur
winter, *.
aak-tee
active, a.
vuur'dees
furthest, a.
zab-mtee
seventy
yuung-gees
youngest, a.
plai-ntee
plaintiff, s.
plenty, ad.
boa- lees
poa'lees
bolus, s.
police, *.
fairrtee
forty
aar-neea
earnest, a.
thuurtge
thirty
aun-ees
honest, a.
maes-tee
misty, a.
pees .
piece, 8.
ris'tee )
uurstee j
rusty, a.
haartees
j is -tees
artist, *.
justice, *.
kris'tee
kuurstee )
crusty, a.
gyaal-ees
raak-lees
gallows,s.anda.
auricula, s.
fuwstee
fusty, a.
jil-ees
jealous, a.
aav^e ?
have you ?
zil-ees
zealous, a.
kiz'ee
kersey, 8.
buul'ees
bellows, 8.
lae'uzee
lazy, a.
daewlees
dowlas, s.
vuuz'ee
fursy, Vz.
nolr •l^oa
necklace, s.
ekreech
screech, v. and «.
UctK ILCo <
Nicholas
ruub'eesb. )
ruub'ij j
rubbish, s.
uurdnees
aak'teenees
redness, 8.
activity, s.
kyat'skeenz
rue Sen
catkins, s.
ruin, v. and s.
wik-idnees
dee'fnees
wickedness, «.
deafness, s.
geen
go in
staef-nees
stiffness, s.
wag'eeu
wagon, *.
big-n-nees
bigness, «.
pij -een
pigeon, *.
uurch-nees
richness, s.
vuur-kecn
firkin, «.
kaun-tri-nees
contrariness, a.
pai'nsheen )
pin-sheen i
pension, 8.
kwik'n-nees
zik'n-nees
quickness, s.
sickness, s.
4
50
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
20. Short EE=i. — continued.
wee-tn-ne'es
witness, v. and s.
keet
kite, s.
guurt-nees
biz'nees
greatness, s.
business, s.
vuuz-keet
I furse-kite
con), *.
maa'trees
mattrass, «.
vleet
fleet, a.
traavees
traverse, v.
sarkreet
secret, a.
bee'urdlees
beardless, a.
muureet
merit, s.
chee-ul-lees
childless, a.
spuureet
spirit, s.
beg-n-nees
bigness, «.
kuuveet
covet, v.
bee'uslinees
beastliness, «.
weet
white, a.
ee'ul-nees
illness, «.
zweet
sweet, a.
skee-us-necs
scarceness, *.
eefuy
defy, v.
sheet
sheet, 8.
(fal-
21. Fracture EE-fi=ii'.
In this fracture the first element is marked as long throughout. Some of
them had been marked by Mr. Elworthy with the first element of medial length
[ :eeu] = (i1'), but the distinction did not seem to be always made in pronunciation.
Such words are, therefore, simply marked with *. As to the quality of the first
element, [ee-ii] = (ii') has been left throughout, as Mr. Elworthy had written,
but I certainly sometimes seemed to hear [igu] = (»'«'), and sometimes [iu] = (t").
The writing, however, represents what would be the first appreciation of most
hearers. See note to No. 14. — A. J. E.
bee'urd*
beard, s.
nee-ul*
needle, s.
u-fee'urd
afraid, a.
pee-ul*
pill, 8. (pillow)
bee'ud
bead, *.
spee-ul*
spill, p. spindle,*.
shee'ud
shade, v. and *.
tee'iil
till, v. and *.
aarkeeud
arcade, s.
, „
still, a. ad.
zee-ud*
seed, *.
StCG'ul
steel, s.
chee'uf*
chafe, v.
feel, v.
dee'iirth
dearth, s.
vee'ul
field, *.
kee'uj*
cage, s.
fill, v.
chee'unj*
change, v. and s.
"Will, pr. name,
shee'uk*
shake, v. Wee-ul
also a testa-
kee-uk*
cake, s.
ment, 8.
gee'ubl*
gable, *.
kwee-iil*
quill, s.
kee-ubl*
cable, *.
swee'iil*
swill, v.
an'jee-ul*
angel, s.
shee-um*
shame, v. and s.
^rt»^il
( ill, a. ad. s.
zee'um*
seam, v. and s.
t,L/ Ul
) hill, s. yield, v.
bee'uldeen*
building, 5.
Bee*ul
( Bill, «. and pr.
vee'urn
0
tern, *.
\ name
bee'un
bean, s.
bee-ul*
build, v.
ugee-un
again, ad.
gee'ul*
gill, *. guild, v.
kee'un*
cane, v. and s.
chee'ul*
child, s. chill, v.
klee'un*
clean, a.
shee'ul*
shield, 8.
shee'up*
shape, v. and s.
keegul*
kill, v. kee-up*
cape, s.
mee'ul*
mill, s. skee'up*
escape, v. and s.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
51
21. Fracture EE'u=ii'. — continued
zlee'iip
sleep, v. and s,
slept, v. pret.
bee-ustez*
TJPAMI q"y&
beasts, «. ^?^.
feast, v. and s.
u-beenee'up*
beneaped, a.
1LC Ho ,
fast, s.
bee'ur
beer, s.
chee'us*
chase, v. and *.
dee-ur
dear, a.
kee'us*
case, *. (box)
fee-ur*
shee'ur* ) (
fear, v. and s.
share, v. and ».
skee-us* }
skee-us )
scarce, a. and ad.
zhee'ur j (
shear, v. and s.
lee-us
last, v.
kee-ur*
care, v. and 8.
prizivee'urunz
perseverance, s.
skee'iir
scare, v.
U-shee'uk(t*
shaken, p.p.
klee'ur
clear, v. and a.
pee'urt
pert, a.
nee'iir
mere, a. near, a.
bee'ut
beat, v.
spee-ur
spear, s.
u-bee'ut
beaten, p.p.
tee-ur
tear, s.
gee-ut
gate, s.
etee'ur
steep, a. steer, s.
loo-tff 5
leak, v. and *.
vee'iir
fear, v. and *.
Ice lib s
leat, *.
shee'um-lees*
shameless, a.
shee'uv*
shave, v. and s.
shee-up-lees*
shapeless, a. ' kee-uv*
cave, s.
kee'urlees*
careless, a. t dhee'uz
this, ^n
bee'us*
beast, s. 1 kee'uz*
caset s. (matter)
22. Long E'0=
This vowel lorms one of the greatest difficulties in the dialect and also in
North Devon. It is usually considered to be French « = [ue] = (yy), and on re-
ferring to list No. 34, it will be found that some of the words here entered occur
there also. The sound therefore apparently fluctuates. The next attempt to
appreciate the sound gave it as French eu in. feu = [eo] = (9). But this seemed on
further hearing to be too fine and delicate. It appears to me that the lower part
of the throat, or pharynx, between the mouth and the larynx, is carelessly en-
larged, and hence that the sound is obscured, both for [ue] and [eo], and this
fact, which is represented by an "inferior" 2 in Palaeotype (Early English Pro-
nunciation, p. 1100, col. 2, bottom), may be noted in Glossic by a grave accent, as
Eue, £o] = (y2, 93). At any rate these signs will represent sounds not unlike
ue, eo] which are heard in these Western dialects. In No. 30 it will be seen that
it has been found convenient to use [i, uo] in a similar manner. I have not had
a sufficient opportunity to become familiar with these very peculiar vowel-sounds,
to imitate or analyze them properly, and hence the convenience of having some
arbitrary symbols. See Postscript. — A. J. E.
stood, v.
booby, *.
looby, s.
proof, s.
bush, s.
push, v. and s.
booth, s. both, a.
youth, *.
tooth
twinge, v. and s.
veo'tid
beo'tid
eo-d
sheo'd
keo'd
meo'd
breo d
rooted, a.
steo'd
footed, a.
beo-bee
booted, a.
leo'bee
wood, s. (would,
preo'f
v. emphatic).
beo'sh
Bhod.fpret.and pp.
peo-sh
should, v. emph.
beo-dh
could, v.
yeo'dh
mood, s.
teo-th
brood, 8.
teo-nj
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
22. Long E"0=9292. — continued.
geo'j
deo'ndl
beo'shl
eo'rn.
keo'nx
leo'm
bleo-m
reo-m
breo'm
kreo'm
greo m
drag'eo'n
buleo'n
meo*n
voaTneo'D
speon
zeon
beo
ubeo'
deo-
geo-keo
leo
sleo
uneo*
dreo*
ran'diveo*
huge, a.
yeo*
gouge, s.
woodcock, s.
eo-p
dwindle, v.
keo-p
bushel, s.
skeo-p
womb, s.
leo-p
combe, s.
dreo'p
loom, s.
treo-p
bloom, v. and s.
steo-p
room, s.
peo-r
broom, v. and s.
beo'z
crumb, s.
keo's
groom, 5.
dragoon, s.
tu-beo't
balloon, s.
meo't
moon, s.
reo't
forenoon, s.
veo't
spoon, s.
soon, a.
uveo't
bae-urveo*t
beau, s.
preo'v
above, a.
geo'dz
due, a.
eo'z
cuckoo, *.
^O'Z
loo, «.
beo'Z
slough, a.
geo'Z
enough, ad.
cheo-z
through, prep.
dheo'Z
rendezvous, s.
peo'z
(common)
i
you, pr.
whoop, v.
hoop, v. and s.
coop, v. and s.
scoop, v. and s.
loop, v. and s.
droop, v.
troop, v. and s.
stoop, v. and s.
pure, a.
abuse, s.
course, s.
coarse, a.
to boot
moot, v. and s.
root, v. and s.
foot, s.
afoot, ad.
barefooted, a.
prove, v.
goods, s.
ooze, v., whose
noose, s.
boose, v.
goose, s.
choose, v.
those, pr.
puss, s.
23. Short EV0=02.
Difficulties of appreciation necessarily increase when the vowel is hoth obscure
and short. The following list is made out of three parts, which Mr. Elworthy
assigned to different vowels. The first part he considered to be the same as in
No. 22, that is, with the vowel long. But on hearing him pronounce, the vowel
sounded to me rather short than long, and these words (with two exceptions
about which I hesitated) end in [k]. The consonant immediately following a
vowel seems materially to alter its quality in this dialect, especially when the
vowel is short. Vowels which Mr. Elworthy considered to be the same, varied
immediately to my ear under the influence of different consonants, and when he
was asked to lengthen the vowel, or pronounce it with some consonant before
which it did not appear in the dialect, he generally failed to reproduce the sound.
Acting upon this feeling, I have put as the second part of this list a set of words
all ending in [1] which occasioned Dr. Murray, Mr. Sweet, and myself extreme
difficulty to analyze, and which we all practically gave up. The vowel they con-
tained seemed to me at first like the Swedish M = [ui']=[u] pronounced very
short. Dr. Murray thought it was the Italian o ehiuso— [uo'] =(wh) (which is
probably merely the same as [ui'J with a wider pharynx), also pronounced very
short. Mr. Sweet took the sound to be the Polish y fractured, thus [eau] — (^2),
but still extremely short, and as this Polish sound is merely [ui'] with the li^
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
53
23. Short EX0=02. — continued.
opened, it would appear that all three of us were at first pretty well agreed re-
specting the position of the tongue. But on hearing the words pronounced
many times over on successive days, it appeared that the tongue was drawn up so
sharply into the [(1] = (L) position as materially to affect the quality of tone, and
that I could best imitate the sound by attempting to keep the tongue in the
the
text that Mr. Elworthy considers this vowel-sound to be quite a shibboleth. It
is best imitated by attempting to call bull [bSol-] = (b<?l), quite short, putting the
tongue in the position for [1] before the lips are opened. The third part of this
number forms the second and greater part of No. 30 [80'], where the words are
printed, because Mr. Elworthy appreciated the vowel differently. The note pre-
fixed to that number will explain the difficulties here felt. See also Postscript.
—A. J. E.
eok'id
kreok'id
eok
beok
leok
keok
peok
beol
peol
veol
skeol
epl
teolz
PAKT I.
hooked, a.
crooked, a.
hook, v. and s.
book, v. and s.
look, v. and s.
cook, v. and s.
pook, s.
kreok
teok
u-teok-
zeok
zeon-dur
feoch'ur
PABT II.
bull, s.
pull, v. and s
pool, s.
full, a. ad.
fool, s.
school, s.
wool, a.
tools, s.
Steol
reol
meol
speol
draid'feol
an'feol
buuH-veol
rook, s.
crook, v . and
took, pret.
taken, p.p.
suck, v.
sooner, a.
future, *.
Stool, 8.
rule, s.
mule, s.
spool, s.
dreadful, a.
handful, *.
belly-full, s.
PAET III.
This list is the same as No. 30, Part II.
24. Short I=*.
These words have a quite pure D0=(»)' But Mr. Elworthy does not admit
this sound in open unaccented syllables, see No. 20 [ge] = (i). In the closed
unaccented syllables, as in the inflexion -erf = [id] = («d), it is often obscured, and
tends to fall into either [i']=,(y), or [i] = (t'z), see note to No. 30.— A. J. E.
-id
kuub'id
Fid
-ed., inflexion
after g hard,
ch, sh, r.
cupboard, s.
Fred.
kling(d
gid
u-gid-
dau'gid
lid
clung, v. pret.
gave, v. pret.
given, p.p.
dogged
lead, s.
54
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
24. Short I=i. — continued.
blid
bleed, v. blood, s.
chik
cheek, s.
raid
may, might, v.
aub'jik
object, 8.
dlA
( stud, *. study,
lik
leek, s.
stid
v. and s.
slik
sleek, a.
gyi!(d
geld, v.
kau'lik
collect, s.
wis'turd
worsted, s.
buul'ik
bullock, s.
u-mil'urd
| mellowed, a.
\ and p.p.
mik
stuunrick
meek, a.
stomach, s.
zing-id )
( sang, v. pret.
krik
creek, «.
zing )
\ sing
frik
freak, s.
u-fik'sid
fixed, p.p.
shrik,zhrik,zrikshreak, v. and s.
lis'tid
enlisted, a.
strik
strike,s. strict, a.
ris'tid
rusted, a.
sik, zik
seek, v.
pidb/Se
prythee
as'ik
hassock, «.
pid-igree
pedigree, *.
stik
stuck, v. pret.
shilf
shelf, *.
kau'nvik
convict, *.
u-dig-
dug, p.p.
wik
week, s.
trig
rig, v. and 8.
skwik
squeak, v. and s.
dhing
thing, s.
twik
tweak, v. and s.
u-kling
clung, p.p.
zik
sick, a.
zling )
( sling, v. and *.
dhingk
think, v.
zling'id )
( slung, v. pret.
zlingk
slink, v.
vring
wring, v. and s.
dringk
drink, v. pret.
zing
sing, v.
u-dring-k
drank, p.p.
u-zing
sung, p.p.
zringk
shrink, v.
bich
beech, «.
ee'nstingk
instinct, *.
jich, jis
such, a.
wingk
winch, 8.
tich
touch, v. and *.
zingk
sink, v. and 8.
Hich
clutch, v. and s.
tribl
treble, a.
krich
crutch, s.
fid-1
fiddle, v. and *.
binsh
bench, s.
hrid-1
riddle, *.
blish
blush, v. and s.
tridi
treadle, *.
oa'vur-plish
•overplus, s.
jingl
jingle, v.
vlish
fledged, a.
zingl
single, a.
rish
rush, v. and s.
shil
shell, v. and *.
brish
brush, v. and s.
stil
steel, v. and s.
drish
thrush, s.
sil )
•>^n ...
krisli
crush, v. and s.
zil }
sell, v.
likurish
liquorice, s.
wil
wheel, v. and s.
mauTgij
( mortgage, v.
\ and s.
bit-1
kitl
beetle,*, (insect)
kettle, *.
jij
tnj
judge, v. and s.
trudge, v.
nitl
nettle, *. little,
a. (common)
vik-urij
vicarage, «.
zitl
settle, «. (seat)
bik
beak, s.
sil-dum
seldom, ad.
mad-ik
mattock, s.
id-n?
is not ?
vuurdik
verdict, s.
tid'n
it is not
puurfik
perfect, v. and a.
u-bin-
been, p.p.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
24. Short I=«. — continued.
zidun
( seeding, s. and
( part.
jue'bis
din
dubious, a.
( dost? dust, s.
gyil'deen
gelding, *.
Clio
\ desk, s.
gin
against, ad.
chis
chest, *.
vlag-in
flagon, s.
jis
just, a. and ad.
pin'shin
pension, v. and «.
vaaijis
verjuice, s.
bik-in
beacon, s.
kaa-rkis
carcase, «.
zidlin
seedling, s.
lis
enlist, v.
tia
tun, v.
maaHs
mallow, s.
stin
stun, v.
paalis
palace, s.
zin
son, sun, s.
bris
breast, «.
kizh-un
occasion, s.
( rust, s. v. pres.
lim-un
lemon, s.
( and pret.
diz-n
dozen, *.
kris
crust, s.
ship
sheep, 8.
kris'tez
crusts, s.pL
vlip
zirrdur
I flippant, a.
( (pliant)
cinder, «.
tris
maes'tris'
trust, v. and s.
( mistrust, s. v.
( pres. and pret.
ving'ur
finger, v. and s.
au-vis
always, ad.
bridlrur
brother, s.
wis
worse, a.
lizh'ur
leisure, s.
yit
heat, v. and s.
plizh'ur
pleasure, s.
git
get, v.
trizh'ur
treasure, s.
vurgit*
forget, v.
lik'ur
liquor, v. and s.
jit
jot, v. and a.
fid-lur
fiddler, s.
klit
clot, v. and s.
pid-lur
pedlar, s.
nit
net, nut, s.
zing-lur
singular, a.
zit
set, v. sit, v.
mil'ur
mellow, a.
jint
joint, s.
sil'ur
cellar, s.
pin-itunt
penitent, a.
ship-ur
shepherd, «.
mid'u
meadow, s.
lip'ur
leper, leopard, s.
bliv
believe, v.
vlit'ur
flutter, v, and s.
kridz
curds, s. (always)
sip'tur
sceptre, s.
stil-yurdz
steelyards, s.
ivur
ever, ad.
siz-ez
scissors, s.
skivur
skewer, v. and s. vij'itiilz
vegetables, «.
jis-tees
justice, s. zinz
since, ad.
25. Long OA=oo.
These words seemed to me to have clear [oa] =(oo), without any trace of a
subsequent [68], that is, not to he the London [oa'w] = (o0'M>). Some few
perhaps approach [ao] = (oo), hut this was too uncertain, except when before rt
tor me to transfer them to list No. 13. — A. J. E.
snow, S.
throw, v.
trough, s.
straw, *.
foe, *.
boa
bow, s.
znoa
uul'boa
elbow, v. and s.
droa
ubloa*
blown, p.p.
troa
stoa
stone, s.
stroa
snoa
dost know ? voa
56
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
25. Long OA=oo. — continued.
yoa
ewe, s. hew, v.
bluynvoa-l(d blindfold, a.
zoa
sew, v.
woa'l
whole, a.(emph.)
stoa'ld
stole, pret.
zoa l(d
sold, pret.
oa-f
off, ad.
zoa'l
sole, soul, s.
loa'k
lock, v. and s.
koa-m
comb, v. and s.
tadioak
pad-lock, s.
oa*vm
!oven, s.
smoa-k
smoke, v. and s.
kloa-vm
cloven, a.
voa'k
folk, s.
woa'vm
woven, a.
yoa'k
yelk, yolk, yoke
loa'lun
lowland, s.
oal-(d
old, a, hold, v.
kroa-p
creep, v.
boa-l(d
bold, 0.
soa'jur
soldier, s.
vree--oal(d
freehold, a.
koa-mur
comber, s.
koa-l(d
cold, a.
poa-lees
police, s.
skoapl(d
scold, v. and s.
moa'ees
moist, a. most, a.
moa'l(d
mould, v. and s.
oa-pmunt
opening, s.
toa-l(d
told, pret. and a.
u-kroa-pt
crept, p.p.
ii-stoa'l
stolen, p.p.
oa-v
hoe, v . and s.
voa-l(d
( fold, v. and s.
( foal, v. and s.
loa-v
groa'v
loaf, v.
groove, v. and s.
26. Short OA=o.
This true short [<5a] = (o) in closed syllahles forms as remarkahle a feature in
the dialect as short [£e] = (i), No. 20. Some -words seem to have both the long
and short vowel, as [voa'ks, vbaks] = (vooks, voks). The sign [6"aJ has been used
throughout to direct attention to this rare and peculiar shortening of a vowel
usually long. — A. J. E.
woal
hoap
sloap
moap
Poap
whole, a.
hope, v.
slope, v. and s.
mope, v.
Pope
hroap
kroap
moaut
kloaz
voaks
rope, s.
creep, v.
mote, s.
clothes, s.
folks
27. Fracture OA'u=0o'.
These fractures varied slightly in the purity and length of the first element,
especially before [r], so that [oa-ii, ao'ti, oau-, aou-] = foo", oo', o', o') may be
occasionally said. But I was not able to separate them into groups, and some-
times the differences seemed unintentional. — A. J. E.
noa-utid
noted, a.
u-noa-ud
known, p.p.
shoa-iird
shard, s.
droa-iid
threw, pret.
koa-urd
cord, s.
xi-groa'ud
grown, p.p.
voa'urd
ford, «.
troa'ud
trod, pret.
woa-urd
hoard, v. and *.
toa'ud
toad, *.
shoa'ud
showed, pret.
u-zoa'ud
sown, p.p.
ii-shoa'ud
shown, p.p.
soa'urtid
sorted, a.
bloa-ud
noa-ud
blew, pret.
knew, pret.
broa-iich
( broach, v.
{ brooch, «.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
67
27. Fracture OA.'\i=oo. — continued.
loa'iidL.
loath, a.
noa'urt
naught, s.
vag'iboa'uu
vagabond, s.
poa-urt
port, s.
aloa'un
alone, a.
soa'urt
sort, v. and *.
droa'un
throne, «.
goa'ut
goat, s.
toa-un
tone, s.
u-goa*ut
got, p.p.
stoa-un
stone, s.
vurgoa'ut
forgot, p.p.
goa'ur
goad, v, and 8.
koa'iit
coat, s.
shoa-ur
shore, s. sure, a.
moa'ut
moat, s.
moa-ur
more, a.
noa'iit
note, s.
voa-ur
fore, before, ad.
droa-ut
throat, *.
yoa'ur
your,jp".(emph.)
oa-uz
hoarse, a.
noa-utees
notice, v. and s.
f\ f\ ft • i"i f
( doze, v. and s.
oa*us
oast, s. host, s.
UUd \Ji£t
( dose, s.
doa-us
dose, s.
kloa'uz
clothes, s.
kloa-us
close, a.
noa'uz
nose, s.
oa-urt
aught, s.
hroa'uz
rose, s.
28. Short OE=oe.
This vowel forms another of the difficulties in this dialect. Dr. Murray
appreciated it as [i'] = (y). After having heard the list read several times on
different days, I adhered to my first appreciation [oe] = (ce) as conveying to me
the hest general impression of the sound. But occasionally the sound [i] or
[eo], No. 30, seemed to he used. See Postscript. — A. J. E.
asloen-
aslant, a.
woever
however, ad.
toet-ur
titter, v. and *.
kwoevur
quiver, s.
epoet'ur
spitter, s.
woethlees
worthless, a.
oevur
ever, ad.
moes
miss, v.
goevur
giver, s.
troes
trust, v. and s.
ehoevur
shiver, v. and *.
foet
fit, v. s. a.
skoevur
skewer, *.
shoet
shalt, v.
loevur
liver, s.
poet
pit, s.
daeloevur
deliver, v.
spoet
spit, v. and *.
kloevur
clever, a.
yoet
heat, v. and s.
noevur
never, ad.
woet
oat, s.
soevur
sever, v.
skwoent
squint, <o.
29. Long 00=ira.
This list comprises the only words which Mr. Elworthy can give, containing
unfractured [6o] = (uu). But this list and No. 31 serve to show that this sound
is not absolutely strange to the dialect, as is usually thought. In almost all the
words the dialectal [60, oo'ii] = (uu, uu') corresponds to an original [6a] sound-—
A. J. E.
uboo'
goo
UgOO'
moo'zik
above, prep.
go, v.
gone, p.p.
music, s.
doo'rubl
kroo'm
foo'unt
durable, a.
crumb, s.
fluent, a. (of a
river only)
58
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
Mr.
30. Doubtful 00', perhaps Glossic I\ E'O, U"0=«2, &„
This list of words has occasioned me the greatest difficulty of any.
Elworthy thought that the vowel was the same in all, and was surprised at any
£fficulty\eing felt. But Dr. Murray had been unable to make anything of
them beyond my first rough appreciation, when I sometimes under the influence
of a labial consonant, seemed to hear [no] = [u],. at others and generally
' " felt a little fracturing by a prefixed [i] = (t).
different orders, and I was able to separate them distinctly into three parts.
Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte, when he heard some of them, at first said he
heard French e& [oe] = (oe), and then thought that the Dutch t=[e] = (e») was
the proper sound. But as this is also a Scotch sound, native to Dr. Murray, who
had not recognized it, this appreciation appeared very doubtful. In deference to
Mr Elworthy's opinion that these words have all the same vowel, I retain them
in one list under a sign [oo1] which is not used in Glossic, but I spell the words
in three ways. . .
Part I. consists of those words in which the resemblance to [i] = (t) is most
striking In correcting the spelling of the dialectal phrases and sentences in the
body of the paper, I found that Mr. Elworthy wished an accented [iz] to
become occasionally an unaccented [oo'z], and on listening attentively there
tion I selected the 'last 'symbol. The effect is not very different from the Dutch
i. On examining the words in the list, it will be found that [i] is preceded
generally by a sibilant [s, sh] or by [r], or a [t], or followed by a sibilant,
or [p], and possibly these consonants (chiefly unvoiced) may have driven an
[eo] = (a>) sound into [i] = (*2).
Part II. consists of words marked [eo] = (?2) the same as in No. 23, from
which I cannot distinguish them. These seem to have the normal vowel, of
which [i] is an alteration effected by the adjoining consonant, and possibly
several words in this list have as much right to be put in Part I. as some of the
words therein included. Most hearers would suppose these words to have [oe] or
[uu] or [u] as their vowel.
Part III. consists of words where, for the most part, a labial consonant seems
to have given the vowel more distinctly some of the [oo] or [uo] character.
Indeed, some of these words have also the sound of [uo]. There are very few of
them, which adds to the difficulty of the appreciation.
It is impossible not to recognize in this difficulty one which must have beset
our early Western writers, when they did not seem to know whether to use » or
« in many words, and it is possible that the whole of it arises from junctures
made long ago from degraded fractures of the [eeoo] = (iu) class, passing first
through many degradations of both elements. As a proof of the difficulty which
it occasions, it may be mentioned, that though Mr. Elworthy was wonderfully
exact in his reproduction of the sounds (an unusual and difficult feat) for the first
three days of my final examination of this list, yet on the fourth he became un-
certain, although he had not been absent from the district so much as a week,
and had been accustomed to hear the words and pronounce them from child-
hood. See Postscript. — A. J. E.
PAHT I.
chlm-lSe )
chlnvb-le'e J
dhlnrl
irinrl
brim-l
chimney, ».
thimble, s.
nimble, a.
bramble, *.
trim*]
dril
shril
tril
vril
tremble, v.
drill, v. and s.
shrill, a.
trowel, s.
frill, s.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ. 59
30. Doubtful 00', perhaps Glossic I\ EV0, TTO=4, 02, u^
Part I. — continued.
simp'l
simple, a.
chlmur
chamber, a.
chip
chip, v, and a.
timur
timber, a.
ship
ship, s.
slmpur
simper, v. and s.
,
( soap, s.
wlspur
whisper, v. ands.
P
\ sip, v. and a.
shlltur
shelter, a.
bilur
billow, a.
wls
whist, 8.
sllur
cellar, a. jilt
jilt, a.
PAKE II.
beob
bib, s. pleom
plim, v.
gleob
glib, a.
zleom
slim, a.
neob
nib, s.
steom
stem, a.
reob
rib, s.
reom
rim, a.
kreob
crib, a.
breom
brim, a.
teob
( tib, s. (small
greom
grim, a.
{ beer)
preom
prim, a.
Bkweob
squib, «.
treom.
trim, v. and a.
geol'd
u-sheom'd
gild, v.
ashamed, a.
weom
whim, s.
winnow, v.
zweomd
swam, v. pret.
zweom.
swim, v.
peol'churd
pilchard, «.
zeom
seem, v.
u-peol'urd
pillowed, a.
veolum
film, v.
feol-tee
guilty, a.
sheol-een
shilling
onsh
peonsh
inch, a.
pinch, v. and *.
leomp
limp, a. and v.
and a.
veonsh
peoch
finch, a.
pitch, v. and a.
shreomp )
zhreomp )
shrimp, a.
meolsh
milch, a.
kreomp
crimp, v.
bleonrish
blemish, v. and a.
deop
dip, v. and a.
feon'ish
finish, v.
leop
lip, a.
feol'th
filth, a.
kleop
clip, v. and a.
feol-tree
filthy, a.
sleop
slip, v. and a.
teolth
tilth, s.
neop
nip, v. and a.
deoth
doth, v.
sneop
snip, v. and a.
zmeoth
smith, a.
peop
pip, a.
deopth
depth, a.
re op
rip, v. and a.
peol'ij
pillage, v*
dreop
drip, v. and a.
teolij
tillage, a.
treop
trip, v. and a.
zeol
sill, a.
streop
strip, v.
neop'l
nipple, a.
teop
tip, v. and a.
kreop'l
cripple, a.
leom-bur
limber, a.
pe'on'ikul
pinnacle, a.
meonrbur
member, a.
zweovi
swivel, a.
Sapteom'bur
September, a.
leom
limb, a.
Noaveom'bur
November, a.
kleom
climb, v .
peol'fur
pilfer, v.
60
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
30. Doubtful 00', perhaps Glossic I , EV0, TTO=«2, 9t,
Part II. — continued.
peol'ur
peop'lur
skreob'lur
pillar, pillow, s.
poplar, *.
scribbler, 8.
kreops
eolt
beolt
crisp, a.
hilt, *.
built, pret.
peop-er
kreopur
feoltur
pepper, s.
crupper, s.
filter, v. and s.
geolt
meolt
speolt
gilt, guilt, s.
milt, s. (spleen)
spilt, a.
skreoptur
speotur
zeolvur
scripture
spitter (spud), s.
silver, *.
teolt
kweolt
beol-yurdz
tilt, v. and s.
quilt, s.
billiards, a.
PAST III.
fuoHj )
vuol-ij )
village, «.
wuom'een
women, s.
winnnowing
puol'gurmij
muolk
pilgrimage, s.
milk, s.
wiion
wiiop
one, s. (are)
whip, v. and *.
suolk
wuonrl
silk, s.
wimble, s.
viiol'ivaer |
vuol'vae'ree j
fieldfare, s.
wuol
wuomp'l
will, v. and *.
wimple, s.
puoreemunt |
puol'eemunt j
pyramid, s.
wuol'u
willow
31. Fracture 00-u=uu'.
See note to No. 29.
boo'urd
board, «?. and s.
oo'ur
ore, oar, *.
boo'boo-urd
above-board, a.
"HfHVnT
( boar, s. bore, v.
zoo'urd
sword, s.
V\j\f LLL
( and s.
loo'ud
load, ad.
koo'ur
cure, v. and s.
ubroo'ud
abroad, ad. saikoo-ur
secure, v. and a.
hroo'ud
road, s.
moo'ur
more, a.
too'iid
toad, s.
zoo'ur
sore, a.
boo-uth
both, a.
stoo'ur
store, story, s.
voo'uth
forth, ad.
foo-us(t
force, v. and s.
goo-til
gold, *.
boo'us(t
boast, v. and s.
zoo'ul
sull, *. (plough)
goo-us(t
ghost, «.
boo'iin
bone, s.
koo-us(t
coast, «.
hroo'up
rope, s.
roo-us(t
roast, v. and «.
zoo-up
voo'iit
soap, s.
( vote, v. and a.
( devote, v.
poo-us(t
too'us(t
( post, v. and s.
( (letter only)
toast, v. and *.
koo'iich
coach, «.
koo'urt
court, v. and s.
hroo-uch
roach, *.
traan'spoo'urt transport, v.
voo'iirj
forge, *.
spoo'urt
sport, v. and s.
poo'ul
pole, s.
soo'urt
sort, v. and *.
voo'um
foam, v. and s.
boo'ut
boat
etoo-uQ
stone, s.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS EL WORTHY, ER<«
61
32. Short U=a.
parts. The five words in Part I. had been referred to
iu'] = (B), as an indistinct [uu] = (a), but they sounded to me just like my own
u] = (a), which I employ, and seem to hear usually in literary English, instead of
uu] = (a). See No. 37. On the other hand, [1] or [eo] = («2, ?2) maybe the
more correct form.
Part II. consists of words ending in unaccented syllables containing an
" obscure " vowel, which, if not [u] = (a), was not distinguishable from it by me.
This short [u] has often been written [u] by Mr. Elworthy, especially when
not in a closed syllable. Although unnecessary, this short mark has been gener-
ally retained.— A. J. E.
PART I.
shuf
shift, s.
stuf
stiff, a.
kluf
cliff, s. cleft, a.
slum
slim, a.
Am4
drift, s. draft, s.
Ul 111
draught, *.
PAET II.
un
him, pro.
mae'uzmunt
amazement, s.
keen-durd
kindred, *.
kee-uzmunt
casement, «.
kau'nseekuns
consequence, *.
vurtuyzmunt
advertisement
an'shunt
ancient
bae'utmunt
abatement, s.
paer shunt
patient
saa'rpunt
serpent, s.
kaun'seekunt
consequent, a.
aarunt
errand, s.
frai'kunt
frequent, a.
fuur'unt
foreign, a.
vuylunt
violent, a.
dai-sunt
decent, a.
ee'mpleemunt
implement, s.
kuur'sunt
crescent, s.
gree'munt
agreement, s.
pin'eetunt
penitent, a.
prarchmunt
preachment, s.
pae-utunt
patent, a. and s.
kroa-uchmunt
encroachment
saa'rvunt
servant, s.
fraash -muni
refreshment, *.
praz'unt
present, s.
paa-ymunt
payment, s.
vuol'burt
filbert, «.
sid'eemunt
sediment, s.
kaum-furt
comfort, 8.
raa'ymunt
raiment, *.
faak-ut
faggot, *.
maun-imunt
monument, s.
jaak'ut
jacket, *.
jij'munt
"udgment, s.
raak'ut
racket, *.
uurjmunt
regiment, 8.
braak'ut
bracket, s.
lauj-munt
lodgement, s.
juung'kut
junket, s.
gee'ujmunt
engagement, *.
thik-ut
thicket, s.
jaak'munt
ejectment, s.
spik'ut
spigot, s.
aa'ylmunt
ailment, s.
wik'ut
wicket, «.
tang-lmunt
entanglement, s.
maa'rkut
market, s.
suynmunt
signature, «.
tring'kut
trinket, s.
oa-pmunt
opening, s.
rauk-ut
rocket, *.
kunsaa'rnmunt
concernment, s.
lauk'ut
locket, «.
mizh'urmunt
measurement, s.
pauk'ut
pocket, s.
kweet'munt
acquittance, s.
sauk-ut
socket, 8.
laut'munt
allotment, *.
buuk'ut
bucket, 8.
62
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
32. Short U=a. Part II. — continued.
saal-ut
salad, s.
vaal'ut
valet, 8.
drtb-lut
dribblet, *.
hring'lut
ringlet, «.
uylut
eyelet, s.
bll-ut
billet, *.
waul'ut
wallet, s.
buul-ut
bullet, *.
puul-ut
pullet, «,
uul-mut
helmet, s.
bag'unut
bayonet, s.
uurnut
rennet, *.
au'rnut
hornet, s.
puut
put, v.
pau-put
puppet, s.
puul-put
pulpit, s.
tuup'ut
tippet, *.
kaar-ut
carrot, s.
fuurut
ferret, *,
WUUT'Ut
wherret, v.
suut
soot, s.
uursut
russet, a. and s.
kraavut
cravat, «.
zaa'put
sawpit, 8.
aa'rmput
armpit, s.
tu
too, to, ad. prep.
zu
so, ad.
(
arrow, s.
aaru
i
harrow, v. and s.
baru
barrow, s. and a.
(
marrow, *.
maru
i
morrow, «.
spaaru
sparrow, 8.
shad'u
shadow, *.
mid-u
meadow, «.
33. Short UA=(E.
These few words seem to contain a very difficult vowel, but it may be merely
Dr.
for want of a
is not
far off the sound. The [d] is here very peculiar, as in the word [tae-udeez]
= (tEE'-diz), referred to in a note on the text. See Postscript. — A. J. E.
buad'ur
guad-ur
kuad'ur
butter, s.
gutter, v. and *.
cutter, *.
shuad'ur
muad-ur
spuad-ur
shutter, s.
mutter, v. and s.
sputter, v. and s.
34. Long ITE=y2y2.
This is generally considered as the French «=[ue] = (yy) long, but both Dr.
Murray and myself, acting upon the previous experience of Prince Louis Lucien
Bonaparte, consider it to be an obscure and deep variety of this sound, produced
probably by widening the lower part of the pharynx, and hence properly ex-
pressed by (y2). Compare No. 22. See Postscript. — A. J. E.
chue'b
tube, *.
blue
blue, a.
kue'b
cube, v. and s.
flue, vlue
flue, *.
stuep-eed
stupid, a.
glue
glue, s.
u-due'd
done, p.p.
slue
slough, *.
ue
who? pr.
nue
new, a.
bue
view, *.
vuyur-nue"
bran-new, ad.
due
do, v. (emph.)
pyue
pew, s.
shue
shoe, v. and s.
spue
spue, v.
Jue
kue
Jew, s.
cue, s.
rue |
row, v. and *.
(of hay)
lue
lee, a.
drue
through, ad.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHT, ESQ.
63
J4. Long UvE=y2y2. — continued.
krue
crew, s.
yues
Sue
Sue (Susan)
dees'pue't
tiiH
I to, *)rep. (emph.)
sue't
HUB
I two, too
ue-z
stue
stew, v. and s. ' bue'z
vue
few, a. rai'fue'z
yue'zhl
usual, a.
,
skue-faa'rsheen askew, ad.
mue'z
chue'n
tune, «.
nue-z
due -8
deuce, *.
yue*z
purjue'S
produce, v.
krue -el
sprues
spruce, *.
kue-urt
use, s.
dispute, s,
suit, v. and s.
•whose, pr. v.
abuse, v.
refuse, s.
amuse, v.
moss, s.
news, 8.
use, v.
cruel
court, v. and s.
35. Short UNE=y2.
These three words seem to have the short sound of [tie], but they may rather
belong to [i]. The sound is so short and squeezed that it is very difficult to
appreciate it. See Postscript. — A. J. E.
juek duke, 8.
zuep sweep, v. pres. an
ii-zuep' swept, p.p.
36. Short 170= u.
These words were pronounced with a true [uo] = (M), but it will be seen that
1 pepper ' and ' whip ' are also found in No. 30, Parts II. and III., and it is at least
very likely that [zuokj may occasionally have the same sound. The smallness of
the number of words in both [uo] and [uo], No. 30, makes the separation of the
two sounds rather doubtful. — A. J. E.
zuok
yuok
suck, v.
( yoak, a. yoke, 8.
\ yolk, 8.
wuop
zuok-ur
puop-ur
whip, v. and s.
sucker, s.
pepper, v. and *.
37. Short UTJ=a.
In almost all forms of English, the vowels in the accented and unaccented
syllables of such a word as husband, differ. In the literary dialect they are as in
[huz-bu'nd] or £huuz-bu'nd] = (H3Z'bBnd) or (naz-bimd), but in the dialects they
are mostly distinguished as in [huuz-bund] =(Hhaz-band), or, as in the present
case, as in [uuz'bun] = (az-ban). In Mr. Elworthy's dialectal pronunciation the
[uu] was very marked. This is a very "thick" sound, and much resembles
oa] = (0) ; indeed, the latter is often taken for the former, as it only differs from
it by the rounding of the lips. — A. J. E.
tuur'u
kuurb
uub
ruub
wuub
kau'bwnub'
kuus-ecd
turf, s.
curve, s.
ebb, v. and 9.
rob, v.
web, s.
cobweb, «.
cursed, a.
buurnduld brindled, a.
guurzuld
buurnd
u-buur'nd
uurd
buurd
wuul-bmrrd
grizzled, a.
burnt, a.
burnt, p.p.
red, a. rid, v.
bread, «.
well-bred, a.
64
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
-
37. Short TJU=a:. — continued.
dhuurubmrrd thoroughbred, a.
buurndl
brindle
uun'durd
hundred, a
buurdl
burl, v.1
dhuurd
third, a.
guurdl
grill, v. girl, *.
druung-kurd
drunkard, *.
kuurdl
curl, v. and s.
vuul'urd
fallowed, v.pret.
puurdl
pearl, v. perl, v.
wuurd
hoard, v. and s.
word, s.
vuurdl
wuurdl
furl, v. ferule, s.
world, s.whirl, t\
bud, v. and s.
twuurdl
twirl, v.
buud
but, conj. (before
skwuurdl
squirrel, *.
a vowel)
fuunrl
fumble, v.
uufud
hoofed, a.
muunrl
mumble, v.
tuung-ud
tongued, a.
tuunvl
tumble, v.
skuud
[scab, (on a
wound)
buun-1
buul
bundle
belle, s. bell, s.
kyat-uuk'ud
cat-hocked, a.
rai'buul'
rebel, v.
zlai'pud
' slept (emphatic
[ pret.)
duul
kuul
dull, a.
cull, v. and «.
hrat'ud
rotted, a.
muurikl
miracle, «.
spuur'eetud
spirited, 0.
smuul
smell, «.
thuus'tee
thirsty, a.
nuul
knell, *.
tuut'Se
potato, s.
jin-ul
general, a.
uuf
hoof, *.
spuul
spell, v. and *.
shuuf
shift, 8.
uur'ul(d
herald, v. and 8.
skruuf
scurf, s.
vuur-ul
ferule, «.
druug
drag, v. and *.
tuul
tell, v.
buurch
breech, v. and s.
sivul
several, a.
kuurch
crutch, s.
wuul
well, a. ad. s.
puureesh
perish, v.
dwuul
dwell, v.
buulsh
belch, v. and s.
zwuul
swell, v .
buursh
brush, v. and s.
zuul
self, pr.
kuursh
crush, v. and *.
eezzuu'l
himself, pr.
uulth
health, s.
uur'een
herring, s.
wuulth
twuulth
wealth, *.
twelfth, a.
fuurm
firm, a. form, «.
(bench)
suurinj
syringe, v. and s.
buum
bung, s.
fuurnj
fringe, v. and s.
dhuum
thumb, *.
kuurnj
cringe, v. and «.
uul'vim
elm, s. halm, *.
uurj
ridge, s.
ruul'um.
realm, s.
guurj
grudge, v. and s.
oa'vur-wuul'iim over- whelm, v.
uursk
risk, v. and s.
dhuum
thrumb, s.
uuk
hock,«. (of horse)
buuz-um
bosom, s.
kauyduuk
decoy duck, «.
puud'n
pudding, s.
kau-nduuk
conduct, s.
buuz-geen
buskin, s.
chuuk
choke, v.
kuur-sheen
cushion, s.
u-chuuk(t
choked, p.p.
dwuul'een
dwelling, s.
tuuk
tusk, s.
kruub-chain
curb-chain, s.
tuurbl
terrible, a.
zwuul'een
swelling, s.
See page 4.
IJY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
65
•37. Short UU=a. — continued.
kmirsneen
christening, s.
IrimviiT' \
cover, v. and *.
yuureen
hearing, «.
IXULL V IAJ.
covert, «.
uurn
run, v.
(
whether
uyurn
iron, s.
wuur ^
where, ad.
muurn
mourn, v.
(
hear, here, ear,
uup'urn
apron, s.
yuur »
year, your
ekuuHtn
skeleton, s.
guurduyiir
gridiron, s.
uuz'bun
husband
zuur
sir
fuul'un
felon
puurntees
apprentice
uunrun
woman, s.
uuls
else,a.andjpro».
ruuu
urn, s.
meonvburns
remembrance, *.
yuun
yon, ad.
kaunvburns
encumbrance, s.
beeyuun*
beyond, prep.
daefurns
difference, s.
kuurmzn
crimson, s.
een-durns
hindrance, s.
uulp
help, v. and s.
hig n-urns
ignorance, «.
pluump
pump, v. and s.
puurns
prince, *.
bang-kurp
bankrupt, s.
taenvpurns
temperance
chuurup
chirp, v.
dailivurns
deliverance
stuurup
stirrup, s.
rivurns
reverence, s.
gurnudee'ur
grenadier, s.
uur'duns
riddance, «.
kaa'fmdur
carpenter, s.
puur-tnuns
pertinance, s.
vuurdur
further, ad.
deesturvuns
disturbance, s.
shuug-ur
sugar, «.
gruuts, guurts
groats
uudh'ur
either, a.
nTITIQ
burst, v. and «.
shaal'ur
shallow, a.
U LI Lib <
pres. audpret.
nuudh'ur
neither, a.
fuus
first, s.
taa-lur
tallow, s.
aunrligus
omnibus
suurklur
circular, a.
kuus
curse, *.
muunrl-lui
mumbler, s.
thuus(t
thirst
tuunrl-lur
tumbler
muus
must, v.
zwaulur
swallow, v.
Kan-lmus
Candlemas
buul'ur
bellow, v.
Kuursmus
Christmas
fuul'ur
fellow, s.
nuus
nurse, s.
bai'dfuul'ur
bedfellow, s.
puus
purse, 8.
muul'ur
mellow, a.
brak'sus
breakfast, v., 9.
vuul'ur
( felloe, s.
( fallow, s. and a.
spuur-eet
buurnt
spirit, s.
brunt, «.
yuunrur
humour, v. and s.
fuurnt
affront, v.
geo'nur
good, now !
daef-urnt
different, a.
fuun'ur
funeral, s.
guurnt
grunt, v.
tuum-pur
temper, s.
puurnt
print, v. and *.
kuur'ditur
creditor, s.
vuurnt
front, s.
shuul'tur
shelter, s.
guurt
great, a.
emuul'tur
smelter, s.
udhuur't
athwart, ad.
spuul'tur
spelter, s.
huurt
wort, s. (berry)
wuul'tur
welter, «.
smuurt
smart, a.
drug-eestur
druggist, s.
dai'zurt
desert, «.
vuur
fur, «. fir, s. ' mag-ut
maggot, 8.
5
66
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
37. Short UU=a.— continued.
,
shoot, v. pres. buurchez
breeches, s.
shuut
u-shuut'
twuulv
dees-tuurv
andpret. also s.
shot, p.p.
twelve, a.
disturb, v.
druugz
wuurdaap'lz
skwuuryulz
dhurzuuTz
dregs, s.
hoard-apples
skittles, s.
themselves, pr.
muuv
move, v. and s.
uul'durz
elders, 8.
ruuv
roof, v. and s.
uurz
hers, pr. she
juubz
vuurwurdz
jobs, s.
forwards, ad.
gyaaHpurz
is, v.
gallopers, s
38. Diphthong TJW=8^.
This is the literary diphthong [uw] = (a'w), hut there is a slight tendency to
make the first element a little longer ; the sound, however, does not reach [u-w,
e'-w] = (89'«, aah'«), and is not at all the same as [uuw] = (a w).— A. J. E.
marlee- )
muwdhid j
mealy-mouthed
struwt
f
strut, v. and s.
(also prop)
muwdh
mouth, s.
buw
bow, v. bough, s.
zuwdh
south, s.
chuw
chew, v.
uwzl
household, «., a.
luw
allow, v.
juwl
jole, *.
kluw
claw, *.
dhuwzun
thousand
zuw
SOW, 8.
vuwlur
fowler, s.
uwz
house, s.
duws(t
dust, s.
muwz
mouse, s.
kluwt
stuwt
clout, s.
stout, a.
duwst-uwz
!
dust-house
(chaff-house)
39. Diphthongal Fracture TJW'u=8V.
This fracture seems to occur before [1] only. Before [r] the diphthong changes
to [aaw] = (aw), see No. 4.
shuwul shovel, v. and s.
vuwul foul, a. fowl, s. vowel, *.
40. Diphthong UY=9/t.
This is also the literary fine long 7; it does not become [u(
in this dialect, but these forms are heard in East Somerset,
also from either [uuy]=(a'i) on the one hand, or [aay, aa1
other, and hence is kept quite clear of both No. 18 and No.
duy
tuur'ifuy
u-luy
bruyb
truyb
skruyb
uyd
u-uyd
u-duy(d
eye, s.
die, dye, v. and*,
terrify, v.
lain, p.p.
bribe, v. and «.
tribe, s.
scribe, v.
hide, v. and s.
hidden, p.p.
zluyd
u-zluyd
vluyd
hruyd
struyd
dai'd-luyvurd
u-muyndud |
tuydh
It is quite distinct
y] = (a;', aai) on the
5 or 6.— A. J. E.
slide, v. and s.
sledge, *.
slid, p.p.
flew, v. (pret.)
ride, v. and *.
stride, v. and «.
deadalive, a.
minded (in the
mind to), a.
tithe, v. and «.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
40. Diphthong UY=9'«. — continued.
67
uyth
height, *.
truyn, twuyn twine, v.
bruyd
bridle, v. and *
( fine, a. find, v.
luyk
like, v. and a.
vuyn
\ and s.
beeluyk
belike, ad.
wuyn
wind, v.
aa'rdluyk
hardly, ad. hruyp
ripe, a.
een'wurdluyk
inwardly, a. truyp
tripe, s.
gau-dluyk
godly, a. wuyp
wisp, s.
uurch-luyk j
richly, rich, act.
and a.
vuyndur
Buy^ur
finder, *.
cipher, v. and 8.
zing-1-luyk
singly, ad
buygur
bbggar, 8.
keol-luyk
coolly, ad.
vruytui
writer, s.
deonrluyk
dimly, ad.
11 Vfl
i hoist, v, and s.
thee'n-luyk
thinly, ad
uys
[ ice, s.
zoo'ur-luyk
sorely, ad.
T71TTQ
i joist, s. (sing.
keo'sluyk
coarsely, act.
juys
and^wr.)
lae'ut-luyk
lately, ad.
tuys
entice, v.
suud'unt-luyk
suddenly
vuys
fist, «.
vuyz-baul
fives-ball, s.
write, v. right,
bee-uyn-an'
behindhand, a.
vruyt
wright, a.
buygin
begging, s.
i
andv.
tuylin
vruytin
tiling, *.
writing, *.
puynt
pint, ». point,
(rarely)
uylun
island, highland
*7iTT> * I imi*
' violet, 9.
uyn
hind, «.
r U V lUilu
I violent, a.
buyn
bind, t>. and «.
duymunt
diamond, a.
eo'dbuyn
woodbine, «.
iuyv
life, «,
fuyn
fine, a.
iiluyv
alive, a.
chuyn
chimb, *. chine,
v. and s.
nuyv
struyv
knife, a.
strive, ».
kuyn(d
kind, a.
wuyv
wife, *.
muyn(d
mind, v. and s.
vruy
fry, v. and »."
YM1T7TI
pen, s. (cattle
vuystez
fists, 8.
puyn |
pen)
euyzez
assizes, s.
spuyn
spine, s.
uyz
eyes, s.
hruym
rime, v. and «.
vuyz
advise, v. fives, «.
hruyn(d
rind, v. and «. suyvz
wiiives, *.
41.
Diphthongal Fracture UY'u=8Y.
Before [1] and [(r] a fracture arises as usual, but the [,r] does not convert [uy]
into [aay]. Compare Nos. 4 and 7.— A. J. E.
wuyulduuk
puyul
wild duck
pile, v. and «.
uyur
iron, s. hire, v.
^ and *.
muyul
mild, a.
muyur
admire, v.
muyuld
mile, s.
een'tuyur
entire, a.
tuyiil
tile, v. and 8.
vruyur
friar, *.
vuyul
viol, s. file, v.
and 8. phial, «.
vuyur
kwuyur
fire, v. and «.
require, v.
.-i 5
while, ad.
zuyur
desire, v.
wuyul j
wild, a.
kwuyut
quiet, a.
68
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
42. Diphthong TJUY=a/i.
This is full [uuy], very nearly [oay] = (oi), and confused constantly with
Eauy] = (A'i). It occurs only after [w], or rather in the fractural triphthong
wu"uy] = (ua't), which is again fractured before [1], as in [hwuuyul] = (buaVl).
—A. J. E.
bwuuy
bwuuyul
spwuuyul
bwuuyleen
boy, s.
boil, v.
spoil, v.
boiling, s.
geo*d-bwuuy good-bye
pwuuyzn poison, v. and s.
bwuuylur boiler *.
III. — CONSONANTS.
In the following lists the words are arranged in the alphabetical
order of the ordinary spelling, reckoning from the beginning of the
word. The numbering of the lists, for the sake of reference, con-
tinues that of the vowel lists. The consonants treated are those
which are gppp.ially related to consonants in the literary dialect.
43. F initial retained.
It is commonly supposed that in Somersetshire every initial [f, s,
th] is changed into [v, z, dh]. This is far from being the case.
The words in this list never change [f] into [v]. It will be observed
that they are almost all of foreign origin.
fable
fae'ubl, s.
faucet fau'sut, *.
face
fae'iis, v. and s.
fault fau'iit, v. and s.
facia
fae'ushur, s.
faultless fau'tlees, a.
fact
faak, s. and f;.
faulty fau-tee, a.
factory
faak'turee
fawn (young) f >v
fade
fae'ud, v.
j \ > lau'un. 5.
deer) j
fail
faa'yul, v.
favour fae-uvur,#.ands.
failing
faayleen pres.
feature fai-chur, s.
fain, a., feign,
v. faa-yn [part.
February Pib'uree, s.
faint
faa*ynt, v. and «.
fee fee, v. and s .
fair, s. and a. )
f ."
feeble farbl, a.
fare, *. )
lae'ur
felon, villain fuul'un, s.
faith
faa-th
felony, villainy fuul-unee, *»
faithful
faa-ythfeol, a.
fellow fuul-ur, «.
false
fau-ls, faa-ls, a.
female fai-mae'ul, a., .s.
fame
fae'um, «.
fence farns, v. and s.
family
faanrlee, s.
ferment furmai-nt, v.
farm
faa-rm, v. and s.
ferret fuurut, *.
farmer
faa'rmur, «.
fever fai*vur, s.
farrier
faaryur, *.
fidgit faej'ut, v. and s.
ferry
fuur-ee, *.
fife fuyf, *.
fashion
faa'rsheen, s.
figure fig'ur, *.
fast, «., feast,
s. fee -us
figure(to cypher) fig'uree, v.
fate
fae'ut, *.
affiliate fil'ee-ae-ut, v.
fated
fae'utid, a.
filter fil-tur, v. and «.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
69
43. F initial retained. — continued.
filth
fil-tree
fine
fuyn, v. and a.
finery
feuynuree, s.
finish
fln-eesh, v.
f5rm,t(bench)}fuurm
fit, a. and s.
fit
fitch, (polecat) s. fich
fix, v. and *.
faeks
flame, fleam,
s. flae'ura
flask, s.
flaas
flat, a.
flaat
flippant, a.
I
(pliant,
flip
elastic)
I
Florey, p.n.
j
(Combe-
Fluuree
Withiel)
1
flue, *.
flue
fluent, a.
(running
quickly,
foo'unt
of a river
only)
flute, 8.
flue-t
forage, v. and s. fau'reej
force, v. and t
'. foo'us
foreign, a.
f uur een , fuurun t
forest, s.
fau'rees
fortune, 5.
fau'rteen
foundation, a.
fuwndae'urshun
fountain
fuwn'teen
fracas, s.
frae*ukus
fraction, s.
fraak-shun
fractious, a.
fraak'shus
frail, a.
fraa'yul
frame, v. and
s. frae-utn
Frank
Frangk
fray, v.
fraa-y
freak, s.
frik
frequent, a.
and ad.
frarkunt
frill, v. and s.
fril
front, s.,
affront, v.
furn(t
and s.
fruit, *.
frue't
fried- potatoes,*, fruytae-udeez
fuller's earth,
s. fuul'urzath
fundament, s.
fuun-deemun(t
furnace, s.
fuurneea
fusty, a.
fuws'tee
44. F and V initial both used occasionally.
In the following list the [f] is always retained when the word is emphatic, and
generally in the words forming Part I. it is more common than [v], but in the
other words [v] is more common than [f]. So far as I could make out, the words
really began in all cases with [fv], as [fvee'u(r] = (fvii'n)> that is, the voice of
[v] was not commenced as soon as the position was assumed, and hence a faint
[f ] was heard before it. This is like [sz] in the German see=[szee] = (szii),
and in all German words beginning with s. In the English finals, when no vowel
or consonant follows, the reverse process takes place, as " it is his" =[it-iz -hizs]
= (ttf»z nh/zs). In both cases it is assumed that [z] only is pronounced, thus
[zee, hiz], because the voice is so much more powerful than the hiss, that the
latter is unobserved. This I believe to be the case with the Somersetshire
initials [fv, sz, shzh, thdh]. But when much emphasis is laid on the word the
hiss is driven out so sharp as to predominate, and hence the buzz is not observed,
and [f, s, sh, th] alone are recognized. — A. J. E.
PART I.
Generally [f], sometimes [v].
fat, a. and s. faat, vaat
f , , ( faa'dhur
father, s. j ^.^
fear, v. and «• fee'ur, vee'ur
fiddle, v. and s. fid'l, vid'l
fight, v. s. fart, vai-t
fig, a.
forty, a.
fox, s.
fumble, v.
fig, vig
fau-rtee
vau'rtee
fau'ks, vau'ks
fuunrl, vuuovl
70 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
44. F and V initial both used occasionally.— continued.
PART II.
Generally [v], sometimes [f]
afraid, a.
uvee'iird
iifee'urd
first, a.
fish, s.
vuus, fuus
vee'sh, fee'sh
felt, s.
vuult, fault
flannel, «.
vlan'een,flan'een
fester, v. and s.
vas-tur, fas'tur
fling, v.
vling, fling
figgypudding,
s. (always
used for
plum pud-
vig'ee puud-n,
fig-ee puud'n
forge, v.
fret, v.
fringe, s.
fry, t>.
voa'urj, foa'urj
vraet, fraet
vuurnj, fuurnj
vruy, fruy
ding)
45. F initial becomes invariably
Y.
fag
vaa'g, v.
filbert
vil'burt, &
o
fall
vaa'l,v. and 8.
fill
vee'ul, v.
fallow
vuul-ur, v. s.
film
vil'um, *.
fan
van, s.
fin
vee'n, s.
fang
vang, s.
goldfinch
goo'lvraensb, 5.
far
vaa-r, a.
find
vuyn, v.
farther
vaa'rdur, ad.
finger
ving'ur, «.
farthest
vaa'rdSest, a.
fir
vuur, s.
far-fetched
vuur-vau't, a.
fire
vuyur, s.
farrow \
vaaree, v.
vaa'rth, s.
firing
firkin
vaayureen, s.
vuurkeen, s.
farthing
vaa'rd-n, s.
fish
vee'sh, s.
fast
vaa's, a. and ad.
fist
vuys, s.
fathom
vadh'um, s.
five
vuyv, 8.
fawning
vau-nin
fives
vuyz, s.
fearless
veeurlees, a.
flag
vlag, s.
feather
vaedh-ur, s.
flail
vlaa-yul, «.
feeling
vee-uleen, «.
flagon
vlag-een, «.
feet
veet, s.
flange
vlanj, *.
foil ji
vuul, v. (in sew-
flank
vlangk, s.
1L1JL <
felloe
vuul-ur, a,
flaw, s. "i
flare, vt j
vlae'ur
fennel
vin'ul, *.
flax
vlaeks, s.
fern
yee'urn, ».
flea
vlai, s.
ferule
vuurul,
vuur-dl, s.
fledged
fleece
u-vlaej, p.p.
vlee-z, s.-
fetch
vaach, v.
flesh
vlaa'rsh, s.
fetlock
vaet'lauk, a,
flew
vluyd, v. pret.
few
vue, a.
flitch
vleech, s.
field
vee'ul, «.
fling
vling, v.
fieldfare
vee-ul-vaer, «
flint
vlaent, ».
file
vaayul, v. and *.
flock
vlok, s.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
71
45. F initial becomes invariably V. — continued.
flog
vlog, v.
fowl
vuwul, s.
floor
vloor, s.
fright
vruyt, *.
flow
vloa, s.
fro'
vroa, prep.
flour
vlawur, st
frolick
vrau'lik, s.
flood
vlld, s.
froth
vrau'th, s.
flush
vlish, a.
frost
vrau-s(t, *.
flutter
vlitur, v.
further
vuur-dur, ad.
fly
vluy, v.
found
vuwn, v. pret.
foal
voa-1, s.
four
vaawur, a.
foam
voa-m, s.
free
vree, a.
fog
VOg, 8.
freehold
vree'oal, a.
fold
voa*l, s. and v.
freeze
vree'z, v.
folks
voak-s, s. p.
frost
vrau-s, s.
foot
veot, 8.
fresh
vraash, a.
for J
vau-r (emph.)
Friday
Vruydee, s.
MM
vuur, prep.
friend
vrai'n, s.
forbear
vurbae-r, v.
fringe
vuur-nj, vrinj, s.
forbid
vurbee'd, v.
frock
vrok, s.
forgive
vurgee*, v.
frog
vrog, s.
forsake
vursae'uk, v.
from
vrom, prep.
ford
voa'urd, «.
fry
vruy, v. and s.
fore
voa-r, uvoa-r, a.
full
veol, a.
fork
vau'rk, s.
fumble
vuunvl, v.
forehead
vauraed, a.
furbish
vuurbish, v.
forth
voa'uth, ad.
furl
vuur-ul, v.
fourfoot
vaur'veot', a.
furlong
vuurlong, «.
fortnight, «. )
fortunate, a. \
vau'rtneet
furlough
furrow
vuur-loa, s.
voa-ur, s.
forward
vuur1 word, a.
furze
vuuz, s.
All compound words are sounded in the same
manner as their
simple components, except where otherwise noted.
46. F final becomes V.
calf, s.
kyaa'v
loaf, *.
loa'V
half, *.
aa'v
roof, v. 9.
ruuv
leaf, *.
lee*v
sheaf, «.
zhee'v
life, s.
luyv
wife, s.
wuyv
47. F final becomes U.
turf, s. tuurtt
48. F final is lost.
bailiff, ». baa'ylge
plaintiff, ». . plaa'yntee
handkerchief, s. hang-kichur
himself
herself
ee'zzuul'
Uur-zuul*
72
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
49. V initial becomes DH.
very, ad.
veal, s.
dhuuree
dhae-ul (some-
times)
vetches, s. pi.
vouch, v.
dhaach-ez
dhuwch (com-
mon)
50. V initial becomes F.
value, v. and s. faal-ee (common)
victuals, s. faet-lz (common)
village fuoHj (common)
51. V final becomes F.
heave, v.
leave, v .
haef(t
laef
cloven, #p.
u-klaeef
u-klaeftid
cleave, v.
klaef
lieve, lief, ad. lee-t
Fivehead
Fuyfaed
52. V final becomes B.
curve, *4
kuurb valve, s.
vaal-b
53. V final lost.
give, v.
gee expensive
aekspai-nsee
gave, v pret.
given, prep.
f^1., abusive, a.
u-gid-
hue-zee (very
common)
forgive, v.
vurgee* native, s.
nae'utee
have, v.
ae-u
laxative, *.
laak-sitee
lieve, ad.
lai
aak'tee, haak-tee
above, prep.
serve, v.
boo, viboo*
)
active, a.
(very common
name of cart-
(earn •wages-
> saa*r
horse)
deserve ?)
destructive, a. struuk-tee
themselves, pr. dhuurzuul-z
deceptive, a.
saep'tee
-ive
-ee, or -eef
never -eev
(Other words of this kind are not common.)
sack
sad
saddle
sage
said
sailor
sale
sallow
salt
54. S initial becomes Z.
zaak, s. sand
zad, a.
zad'l, s.
zae-uj, s.
zaed, v. pret.
zae-ulur, s.
zae-iil, s.
zaal-u, a.
zaalt, s. see
zan(d, s.
zae'up, s.
zaut, v. pret.
Zad'urdee, *.
zaa, v. and s.
zai, v.
zaeg-munt, s.
zaej, s
zee, v.
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
73
zlngk, v.
zip, v.
zuur
zaes'tur, «.
zit, v.
zuyt, «.
ziks, a.
zikst, a.
zuyz, s.
zkich, «., almost
two syllables
54. S initial becomes Z. — continued.
seed zid silver zllvur, *.
seem zim, v. since zlnz, ad.
self zuul, pr. sinew zin-ee, a.
sell zil, v. sing zing, v.
selves zuulz, pr single
set zit, v. sink
settle | f zit-1, s. sip
settle i ' sat'l, «?. sir
seven zaeb-m, o, sister
sew zoa, v. sit
sick zik, a. site
side zuyd, *. six
sieve zeev, *. sixth
sift zaef(t, v. size
sigh zaa-y, «. v. , . ,
sill zll, «.
Note that * is almost invariably sounded as z before k, I, m, », o,
«, and w, but the following are exceptions : sort soa'urt, soce soa'us,
sovereign suuvrin, sugar shuug-ur, sure shoa'ur.
55. S final becomes TH.
moss, *. mau'th
56. SH and ZH initial both used occasionally.'
See the note introductory to No. 44. — A. J. E.
share (of a )
plough) a. )
shave, v.
shear, v.
shred
shrew
shriek
shrimp
shrink
zhee'ur, shee'ur
shears, *. pi |
ziiut; urz
zhee'uv, shee'uv
zhee'ur, shee'ur
sheaf, s.
zhee'v, shee'v
57. SH initial becomes ZH.
zhreed, s.
zhrue, s.
zhrik, v. and s.
zhreomp, s.
zhrink, v.
shrivel
shroud
Shrove-tide
shrub
zhreovul, v.
zhruwd, s.
Zhroa'v-tuyd,s.
zhrub, *.
58. SHR becomes ZR.
shrug, v. zrug
And most of the words in No. 57 occasionally.
59. TH initial is retained.
thick, a.
thief, i.
thik1
theef
thin, a
though, conj.
theen
thauf
The hard th distinguishes the adjective from the demonstrative dhik that.
74
THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
60. TH initial becomes DH.
The list would include all words beginning with th, which are
not contained in Nos. 59, 61, and 62.
61. TH initial becomes D.
thistle, *. duysl, duyshl
And all words beginning with THE, which becomes DR.
62. TH initial becomes V.
thatch, s. v. vaach, also dhaach,
63. TH final becomes F.
sheath, s.
moth, s.
zhee'f
mau'f
cloth, s.
tooth, *.
64. (GH' final becomes F.
though, conj. thau'f (always)
(as though) (uzau-f )
dough, s. duuf (sometimes)
tough, a.
cough, «.
slough, v.
65. 'GH' final is lost.
trough, 8. troa
through, prep, drue
ploiigh, s. v. pluw
enough, ad.
slough, *.
*
klau-f(common)
toof
tuuf
kau'f
sluuf
u-nue
slue
66.
transposed.
PAKE I.
R placed after the vowel before which it stands in usual English.
ready, a.
red, a.
reduce, v.
rennet
rich, a.
Richard
rid, v.
riddance, s.
riddle
ridge, v. and s. uurj
risk, v. and s. uursk
ruddy, a. uur-dSe
uur-dee
uurd
urdue's
uur-nut
uurch
Uurchut
uurd
uurduns
uurd'l, huurd'l
run, v. uurn
runner, «. uurn-ur
rush, v. and s. uursh
rust, v. and s. uurs(t
rust, a. uurstee
bread, s. buurd
brunt, s. buurnt
brush, v. and «. buursh
crush, v. and s. kuursh
crust, s. kuurst
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY, ESQ.
75
66. E, transposed. Part I. — continued.
front, *. )
affront, v. and*. ]
fuurn(t
great, a.
guurt
grenadier, s.
guurnudeeT
griddle, v.
guurdl
gridiron, s.
guurduyur
grim, 0.
guurm
grin, v. and s.
guurn
grisly, a.
guurz-lee
grizzle, v.
guurzl
grizzled, a.
uguurzl(d
grist, *.
gunr(t (some-
times), gree's
(generally)
guursl
guurt
guurtee
guurts
gristle, s.
grit, s.
gritty, a.
groats, s.
grudge, v. and s. guurj
grunt, v. and «. guurnt
trundle, v. tuunrdl
trust, v. and s. tuurs
PART II.
R placed before the letter which precedes it in usual English.
percussion, s. preekuush-un
persuade preeswae'ud
perspire praespuyur
. ,. ( praes'purae'ur-
perspiration { * ^
pervert
urn, s.
curdz, s.
preevuurt
run
kridz
IY. — NAMES OF THE LETTEBS OF THE ALPHABET.
A ae'u
B bee
C see
D dee
E ai-
I1 af
G jee
H ae'iich
I uy
J jae'u
K kae'u
L uul
M ai'm
N ai'n
0 oa
P pai
Q kue
It aa-r
8 as
T tai
U yue
"V vai
"W duub-lyue
X aeks
Y wuy
Z zad
& anpaa's£e
V. — INDEX TO THE VOWEL AND CONSONANT LISTS.
The preceding number gives the number of the list, the following
number that of the page.
VOWELS, DIPHTHONGS, AND FKACTXJRBS.
1. Short A, 30, 31
2. Long AA, 32, 33
3. Short AA, 33, 34
4. Diphthongal Fracture AAW'ti, 34
5. Diphthong AA-Y, 34, 35
6. Diphthong AAY, 35, 36
7. Diphthongal Fracture AA'Yu, 36
8. Short AE, 36. 37
76 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
V. Index to the Vowel and Consonant Lists. — continued.
9. Fracture AE-u, 37, 38, 39
10. Diphthong AEW, 40
11. Diphthongal Fracture AEW'u, 40
12. Long AI, 40, 41, 42, 43
13. Long AO, 43
14. Fracture AOu, 43
15. Long ATI, 43, 44, 45, 46
16. Short AIT, 46
17. Diphthong ATJ'Y, 46
18. Diphthong AUY, 46
19. Long EE, 47, 48
20. Short EE, 48, 49, 50
21. Fracture EE-u, 50, 51
22. Long EV0, 51, 52
23. Short EV0, 52, 53
24. Short I, 53, 54, 55
25. Long OA, 55, 56
26. Short OA, 56
27. Fracture OA-u, 56, 57
28. Short OE, 57
29. Long 00, 57
30. Doubtful 00', perhaps T, E'O, or TTO, 58, 59, 60
31. Fracture OO'ii, 60
32. Short U, 61, 62
33. Short TJA, 62
34. Long TTE, 62, 63
35. Short TTE, 63
36. Short TJO, 63
37. Short TJTT, 63, 64, 65, 66
38. Diphthong UW, 66
39. Diphthongal Fracture UW'u, 66
40. Diphthong UY, 66, 67
41. Diphthongal Fracture UY-u, 67
42. Diphthong TJTJY, 68
CONSONANTS.
43. F initial retained, 68, 69
44. F and V initial both used occasionally, 69, 70
45. F initial becomes invariably V, 70, 71
46. F final becomes V, 71
47. F final becomes IT, 71
48. F final is lost, 71
49. V initial becomes DH, 72
50. V initial becomes F, 72
51. V final becomes F, 72
52. V final becomes B, 72
53. V final is lost, 72
BY FREDERIC THOMAS ETAVORTHY, ESQ. 77
V. Index to the Vowel and Consonant Lists. — continued.
54. S initial becomes Z, 72, 73
55. S final becomes TH, 73
56. SH and ZH initial both used occasionally. 73
57. SH initial becomes ZH, 73
58. SHE initial becomes ZR, 73
59. TH initial is retained, 73
60. TH initial becomes DH, 74
61. TH initial becomes D, 74
62. TH initial becomes V, 74
63. TH final becomes F, 74
64. « GH' final becomes F, 74
65. ' GH' final is lost, 74
66. B transposed, 74, 75
POSTSCRIPT ON THE DOTJBTFUL VOWELS. BY ALEX. J. ELLIS, ESQ.
On referring to the notes prefixed to Nos. 22 to, 23 eo short, 28 oe, 30 oo' or i,
eo, wo, 33 ««, 34 tte, 35 «« short, it will be seen that I had much difficulty in
appreciating the sounds actually pronounced, and felt great hesitation as to the
correctness of the form I ultimately adopted. Indeed eo, i, uo, ue, are rather
arbitrary symbols than Glossic letters, and properly indicate only that though
the sounds heard bore a superficial resemblance to those represented by eo, t, uo,
ue, in Glossic, the nature of that resemblance was not understood. And. although
oe was used with less hesitation, it may likewise be incorrect. Since my last
long examination of the West Somersetshire sounds as pronounced by Mr.
Elworthy, I have had an opportunity to examine at much greater length the
sounds used in the Peak of Derbyshire and South Lancashire. I have thus
become acquainted with certain dialectal habits of speech which may possibly
help to explain those in West Somerset ; but I have thought it best to make no
alteration in what I wrote immediately after hearing Mr. Elworthy speak, as I
had no opportunity of correcting the impressions I then received by a fresh
examination.
The difficulties, it will be seen, relate principally to those sounds which are
produced by the joint action of the tongue and lips. Now in pronouncing a
vowel-sound, both tongue and lips have to be kept in the same position through-
out, as any change of position also changes the sound. There are certain
amounts of closure of the lips associated with certain heights of the tongue in
the cultivated languages of Europe. But it by no means follows that in the un-
cultivated dialects of these languages the same should be the case. Coarse and
rude as a dialect speaker appears to a cultivated speaker, it will be found on
examination that the dialect speaker has generally a greater range of sounds, and
distinguishes any deviation from them, as by a speaker from a neighbouring
village, with much greater readiness. One of the peculiarities of dialectal speech
is its constant replacement of a simple by a "fractured" vowel, that is, a fixed
by a gliding sound produced by changing the position of the tongue or mouth or
both while pronouncing. In Derbyshire and South Lancashire it is a habit to
begin to pronounce oo with the mouth quite wide open, and to go on closing the
lips as the sound is continued. The result, oo, is a fracture ; beginning DV a
sound MM", not unlike the French tte, and ending like a pure oo. At the first
moment it strikes a Londoner as ett, and by variously altering the amount of
closure of the lips at first, and the rapidity with which they are closed, sounds
more or less resembling w, eo, oe, may oe produced. It seems very probable that
this action of the lips may exist in West Somerset and Devonshire. My recollection
of the peculiar sound of oo in moon in North Devonshire is, that it was almost
78 THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
precisely the same as moon. To appreciate this 60, say too, and while uttering the
sound of the vowel open the lips suddenly very wide, producing mi'. The differ-
ence of the sounds MM' and oo is very striking, and there is a clear prlma facie
resemblance of MM' to ue or eo, and also to MM, oe. Then in attempting to say too,
begin with the mouth open, or a quarter or half open, and close to the usual
position for oo, keeping the tongue steady in its usual position for oo, and study
the results. It seems to me that we have here the key to this curious collection
of sounds in West Somerset, which must certainly have been formed by native
means alone.
But there is another sound in Derbyshire and South Lancashire which may be
written u, a<:d may be imitated by putting the lips in the position for oo, and
then trying to say ««. This brings the tongue much lower than for the usual
sound of oo, and produces a sound which seems to hesitate between oo and MM,
being really less sonorous than oo and less obscure than uu. It is possible that
this may be the uo of No. 30, or at least that such an uo is produced by similar
means. And a half closure of the lips tends to " thicken " MM considerably.
See note to No. 37. The ua sound (No. 33) is properly au with open lips. But
it differs very slightly from MM, which is oa with open lips.
Now that attention has been directed to these dialectal alterations of sound, we
may probably be able to analyze and explain other dialectal alterations which
have baffled observers. Dr. Murray has lately been examining the sounds of
Westmorland, and seems to have ascertained mere also the existence of forms
like 60, u. The Norfolk ue, and Scotch eo, may turn out to have been generated
in the same manner. Those to whom these sounds are strange are puzzled by
them extremely, and most observers have been content to assume them to be like
the well-known European ue, oe, eo ; but this is, in fact, a mere confession of
ignorance. The great difficulty which I have experienced in obtaining any con-
ception of the generation of these West Somerset sounds, makes me feel the
necessity of a complete reconsideration of the whole subject. — A. J. E.
STEPHEN AUSTIN AND SONS, PRINTERS, HERTFORD.
GRAMMAR
OF THE
DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
AN OUTLINE
THE GRAMMAR
DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
ILLUSTRATED BY
EXAMPLES OF THE COMMON PHRASES AND MODES OF SPEECH NOW IN USE
AMONG THE PEOPLE.
FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY,
MEMBER OP COUNCIL OF PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
(From the Transactions of the Philological Society for 1877-9, pp. 143-257.)
LONDON:
PUBLISHED FOR THE ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY
BY TRUBNER & CO., LUDGATE HILL.
1877.
This paper was read before the Philological
Society on February 18th, 1876, and
November 2nd, 1877.
STEPHEN AUSTIN AND SONS, PRINTERS, HERTFORD.
THE GRAMMAR
OF THE
DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
THIS outline of the Grammar is intended as a sequel to the
paper on the West Somerset Dialect previously published by
this Society, which treated chiefly of the pronunciation and
vowel sounds of the district ; it will be followed by a Glos-
sary, with which it is my purpose to complete the subject.
The system of Glossic spelling now adopted is the same as
that used in the previous paper, to which there appeared a
complete key, kindly drawn up by Mr. Ellis, the inventor,
and to which all who may find any difficulty are referred.1
1 The following brief abstract of the system will be found con-
venient. The Consonants b, d, f, J, k, I, m, n, p, t, v, w, y, z, and
the digraphs ch, sh, th, have their usual values ; g is always hard,
as in g\g ; h initial as in ho ! (only used for emphasis in this dialect) ;
s as in so, never as in his ; r is reversed or cerebral, not dental or
alveolar, and ought properly to be written 4r, but for convenience
simpler is printed; ng as in siwy, thiwk— thingk; ngg as in aw^er=
ang-ffur; zh is used for French j, the English sound in vision=
visA'un; and dh for the voiced form of th, as in that=dhs&. The
Vowels, found also in English, are a as in m«n; aa' in bazaar; aa
short, the same in quality, but quantity short ; ai~ in aid ; ao', like
o in bore ; aw as in laud. ; au the same short as a in watch ; ee in
Bee ; &, the same short, as in French fini • i as in iVnny ; oa as in
moan ; da, the same short (not found in English) ; oo~ in choose ; «
in wp, carrot ; uo, u in bwll. Dialectal vowels are ae, opener than
e in net, French k in nette ; eo, French eu in jewne, or nearly ; do'
the same long as in jerine ; ite, French u in dwc or nearly ; ite' the
same long, as in d# ; uu, a deeper sound of u in up than the London
one, but common in England generally; ua, a still lower and deeper
sound ; ii. (now used for Mr. Ellis's oe No. 28, and i, ko, Ho, No. 30
— see Dr. Murray's note at the end of this paper) is the natural
vowel heard with I in kind-^=kind'M/. It lies between m and un,
and etymologically is a lowered and retracted i, as tumur, zul=
timber, sill. The diphthongs aa-w as in Germ, haus ; aa-y long aa,
finishing with i, as in Ital. mai ; aay the same with shorter quantity
(a frequent form of English /) ; aew, ae finishing in oo, sometimes
heard in vulgar London pronunciation as ioMr=cow ; auy as in boy
(nearly) ; au'y with the first element longer or drawled; uio=.ow in
Z INTRODUCTORY.
The extreme importance of one uniform system of phonetics
is so thoroughly well understood, that there seems to be little
need of any apologetic explanation to the general reader for
the use of an orthography which may appear a little strange
to unaccustomed eyes, but which is, nevertheless, by far the
simplest and most easily acquired system yet introduced.
Whenever it is found that the same word is spelt in two
or more diiferent ways, it is to be understood that each mode
of spelling represents a variety of pronunciation common in
the dialect.
As in the former paper, so in this, the advice and sugges-
tions of Mr. Ellis upon the best symbols to be used in writing
the peculiar sounds of the dialect, have been invaluable ; and,
moreover, he has bestowed an amount of pains and labour
upon the analysis of these sounds which is beyond my power
adequately to acknowledge. Unfortunately, in the present
instance, Mr. Ellis has had no opportunity of revising the
proofs under the guidance of the living voice ; but Dr. Mur-
ray has kindly availed himself of an opportunity of carefully
"how; tiy, as in luy=i, y in bz'te, by; uuy, the same a little wider,
under influence of a preceding w, as picuuyzn=.poison. Imperfect
diphthongs, and triphthongs, or fractures formed by a long vowel or
diphthong finishing off with the sound of u, or the natural vowel,
are numerous; thus ae-ii (nearly as in fotr=fae*u); avu (as in more
=mao-u) ; ee-u (as in idea, near] • oa~u (barely distinct from ao-u,
say as in gr0Mw=groa-u) ; oof& (as in w00'er=woo-u) ; aawu (as
in our broadly ; aayti, • aewti ; uwu (as fl0MW=fluwu) ; uyu (as
in u-e=uyu). Of the imperfect diphthongs ee-u and oo'u, from the
distinctness of their initial and terminal sounds, are most distinctly
diphthongal to the ear, the stress being also pretty equal on the two
elements. The turned period after a vowel, as oo', indicates length
and position of accent ; after a consonant it indicates shortness of
the vowel in the accented syllable, as vadh-&r=\3.d.li'ur. As a
caution, the mark of short quantity is written over &?, da, when
short, as these are never short in English ; and it is used with &
when this has the obscure unaccented value found in a-bove, manna,
nation, etc. The peculiar South-western r must be specially
attended to, as it powerfully affects the character of the pronuncia-
tion. It is added in its full strength to numerous words originally
ending in a vowel, and whenever ivritten it is to le pronounced, not
used as a mere vowel symbol as in Cockney winder, tomorrer, etc.
That sound is here expressed by M, as win'du, maaru.
INTRODUCTORY. 3
going through them, during a visit to the district, in which
he studied the pronunciation on the spot ; and he has thus
been able to decide conclusively as to the physical basis of
one of our difficult vowel sounds, about which Mr. Ellis was
in doubt. (See Mr. Ellis's notes on the subject, pp. 58, 77,
78, Dialect of West Somerset.)
In preparing this outline, the same order of the various
parts of speech has been followed as that in Dr. Murray's
' ' Dialect of the Southern Counties of Scotland : " and it will
be found in many points that the West Somerset is brought
into direct contrast with the Scotch, by which method, it is
hoped, a comparison of these two widely diverging dialects may
be more readily made. To the assistance I have experienced
from Dr. Murray, and to the hints and suggestions received
from him, is due any measure of completeness that may be
found in this outline ; for without them much of value and
of interest must of necessity have been omitted. Dr. Murray
has also kindly contributed the notes bearing his initials
which compare the West Somerset with Old English forms
and expressions, or with those found in other dialects to
which he has given particular attention.
In dealing with the Grammar, and in compiling the various
lists of words necessary to illustrate it, it would have been
very desirable to have rendered those lists complete and ex-
haustive, by including in their proper places in them all the
verbs (conjugated with their past tenses and past participles)
which are archaic or provincial ; but this could only be
achieved by reference to the Glossary, which, at present, is
in a fragmentary state, and it has been thought better not,
on that account, to delay the publication of this outline for
an indefinite time.
It should be borne in mind that when positive general
rules are laid down as invariable, they are only intended to
apply to the dialect pure and unadulterated — a stranger
coming among the people would at once hear all the rules
broken, in the " fine " sentences addressed to him ; but long
experience enables the writer to maintain with confidence all
that is here put forward.
PLURALS IN S AND 2.
NOUNS.
THE PLURAL NUMBER.
In the district of West Somerset we have eight forms of
plural terminations, viz. s, with its varieties z, ez, and ezez ;
n; r; plurals the same as the singular; and plurals formed by
a change or modification of the root vowel of the singular.
Plural in s
is found with all words ending in the sounds of k, t, th, p, f;
also in /, when it is found in unaccented syllables ; as in the
following examples : —
ruemaat'ik l ruemaaHks rheumatic
raat raats rat
zmuth zmuths smith
traap traaps trap
uuf- uuf-s hoof
an-veol an-veols2 handful
lae-ugl lae'ugls label
Plural in z
All nouns ending in a vowel or voiced consonant, as b, d, g,
/ (in accented syllable), m, n, r, v, have their plurals in 2, as —
pai pai-z pea
klaa klaa'z claw
skeet'ee skeet'eez moorhen
/ ticking of a bed
bai-dtuy bai-dtuyz (also the entire
} bed, not the
\ bedstead)
tuuru tuuriiz turf
rub riibz rib
eo-d ^ eo dz wood (silva)
koa-urd koa-urdz cord
pai'g pai-gz pig
zaung zaungz song
buun-1 buun-lz bundle
8urd'l gurd-lz (s sometimes) girl
veVl 3 veoiz fool
uul-um uul-umz elm
1 i^i8 is always a substantive -Mwr-v u-gau-t dhu ruemaafiJc. The adjective
•would be aay Ice u-rue-mattit/z- tuur-bl. The term rheumatic pains would not be used.
Combinations of veol have their plurals sometimes in s and sometimes in
z, depending on the stress laid by individuals on the last syllable.
3 This word is often pronounced feo-l.
PLURALS OF NOUXS. O
chaa-yn chaa-ynz chain
puch'ur piiclrurz pitcher
loa'v loa'vz loaf
Plurals in ez
are found in those nouns -which end in the sounds of s, 2, sh,
zh or compounds of them, as x (=ks),j (=dzh); also those in
st or «/>•.
s fae'us fae'usez face
ps aa-ps aa-psez hasp
x fau'ks fau-ksez fox1
ts auTts au'rtsez orts, i.e. leavings
noa*uz noa'uzez nose
aewz aewzez house
sh buursh buurshez brush
ch=tsh buurch buurchez breech2
zh een*zh een'zhez hinge
j=dzh viiHj vuHjez village
st vrau-s(t vrau'stez frost3
sk kaa-s(k kaa-sez or \ ,
kaa-skez j
Words in literary English which change the final/, or/
sound of the singular, into V in the plural, are pronounced by
us with v in the singular, and consequently, as before shown,
their plurals are all in z, as
luyv life nuyv or \ , -f
nai-v )
wuyv wife
lee'v leaf shee'v sheaf
thee'v thief loa-v loaf
klee-v cliff stae'iiv staff
aa'v half kyaa'v calf
(See "West Somerset Dialect, p. 71.)
except nouns in If — which are very few. These have their
plurals in tfs instead of the Ivz of literary English, as
wuolf wuolfs not wuolvz wolf
shulf shulfs not shulvz shelf
1 Fox is pronounced by us with the /sharp, and the word vixen is never used
except as an epithet for a woman of bad temper. A female fox is a bitch fau'ks.
3 This word in the singular is used to express the hinder part of both men and
animals — also technically to the coarse wool in a fleece which grows near the tail
of a sheep. In the plural it signifies a garment as elsewhere.
3 The t is only sounded when followed by a vowel. We hardly ever sound k
after *, except when followed by a vowel, and not always even then — as vlaa's
(flask), maa-s (mask). Kaa-sez is more common than kaa-skez (see post).
6 DUPLICATED PLURALS.
In self and its compounds (see Pronouns) the /being always
dropped, thus becoming zuul, the plural follows the rule
for words ending in / with final syllable accented, and is
therefore always in z, as dhai due'd ut dhur-zuul'z (they did it
themselves).
It is curious to observe that even those people who have
learnt a little better than to talk of ur-zuul, ur-zuulz
(ourselves), would nevertheless follow the rule given above
for words in If, and always say ur-sael'f, ur-sael'fs, dhae'Hr-
sael-fs, etc. So also health, pronounced uulf, follows the same
rule, and always becomes uulfs in the plural. The ordinary
toast before placing the drinking vessel to the lips is yuur-z
au'l yur uulfs (here is (to) all your healths). This may be
heard daily as well in the village tavern as in the harvest-
field.
On the other hand, received words, which ending in th in
the singular, make dhz in the plural, as lath, path, bath, in
our dialect retain the hard th, and make their plurals in ths
instead of dhz, as maa'ths, paa'ths, bacrths, or else change the
th into /in the singular, and then, as before shown, for words
in/, they make their plurals in s, not z, as
laa-f1 laa-fs lath
maewf maewfs mouth
Yery often this th, when it follows a, is altogether dropped,
and then the plural is formed in the way before shown for
words ending in a vowel, i.e. in z, as baa'z (baths). A man
informed me — Dhai-v u-kuut' paa'z rai't drue dhu kau'ps,
"They have cut paths right through the copse."
Not only do we sound the full syllable ez after words
ending in st, but very frequently we add a second ez, as —
bee-us(t bee'iistez and often bee-ustezez beast
bris(t bris-tez ,, bris'tezez breast
kris(t kris-tez „ kris-tezez crust
vuys(t vuystez „ vuystezez fist
Some individuals use this form habitually, others
1 The verb to lath is with us laa-ft—Dhu juys wuz m ruuf, keod-n laa-ftee
(The joists were so rough (one or I) could not lath, i.e. nail on the laths). Observe
the omission of the nominative case to the verb (see post).
PLURALS OF NOUNS. /
(especially vuystezez) emphatically. I have not remarked
it as used peculiarly by children or by the most ignorant
adults. I do not give it as the rule for these words, but
it is decidedly common in ordinary sober talk.
In all these cases the plurals are several and not collective
(see Plurals without Change).
A double plural is very frequently used when speaking
of several articles which have the form of plural nouns in
the singular, as buul'ees (bellows), bran'dees (see page 12),
tau'ngz, sta'aps, etc. These become buifleesez, bran'deesez,
taungz'ez, staa'psez or staap'scz, etc. So also ae'timzez,
wuop'ensez (which see after, among plurals without singular.)
A few years ago I saw on a board over a door in Exeter —
" Here liv'th a man what don't refuse
To mend
Umbrellases, bellowses, boots and shoes."
Plural in n
is seldom heard. We do not use this form so frequently as
Dorsetshire voaks. Indeed au'ksn (oxen), cht'k'een1 (chicken),
(the plural of chick — we know no such word as chickens],
chul'iirn (children, see below), and vraek'sn2 (rushes), are all
the examples known to me, as in daily use, though I have
heard that uyn (eyes), shuen (shoes), and oa'zn (hose), were
used in this district quite within " the memory of the oldest
inhabitant." We do not use brethren, but bridh'iirz as the
plural of bndh'ur (brother). I never heard of either tree'n
or houzen.
Plural in r.
The only certain example of this form is in chul'ur,
singular chee'til, which is the commonest form of children
1 Ags. cicen, pi. cicenu, later cicene, chickene. When the final e became mute,
and the plural would have been left the same as the singular, they were differen-
tiated in the Northern and Midland dialects by adding s to the plural ; but in the
Southern the singular was contracted to chick and the plural remained chicken =
chickene = cicene = cicenu. This is a modern repetition of what occurred in much
older times in oxen, and the German -n declension generally. — M.
2 Vraeksn (Ags. rixan, pi. of rixe, risce, Chaucer rishe, Gower resche, Ayenb.
resse) is a true -n plural. The change of initial >• into vr occurs in several words
in the dialect, as vrak'n, reckon. — M.
8 PLURALS OF NOUNS.
amongst the farm labourer class. Among those slightly above
them, with a little culture, chul'urn is the usual form;
but the d (in children} is dropped by every one. Poo'tir
blid uur-v u-ae'ud su munee chul'ur, uurz u-kaum tu leok maci'yn
iceesht, " Poor blood (thing), she has had so many children
(that) she has come to look very sad" (? bewitched). "With us
doa'&n ee bleevut, chee"&l (don't believe it, child), might be
said to any person of whatever age — even to a grand-
parent ; it simply betokens familiarity. Besides this we have
the word toa'k&r, which signifies " the wherewithal," either
money or food. We have also toa'k, which means bread
simply. Whether our toa'kur is the plural of took, or
whether it be allied to the Scotch tocher, I leave to others
to decide. Tocrkur, however, like money, would be construed
as a singular noun.
Aay shad luyk t-ab'm,1 neefuun'ee aay-d u-gau'tit dhu toa'kur,
"I should like to have it, if only I had got the wherewithal."
PLURALS MADE BY MODIFICATION OF THE VOWEL.
Of this form we have no more than in literary English, i.e. :
mae'un marn men
uunrun wuonreen women
teo-dh tai-dh teeth
veot veet feet
geo'z gee'z geese
muwz rnuys mice
luws or laews luys lice
From the latter comes a very common adjective, luwzee.
This is almost invariably the quality attributed to a rogue ;
so that it may be said to be his own proper adjective.
PLURALS WITHOUT CHANGE FROM THE SINGULAR.
These are again few —
sheep, dee-iir, graews (grouse),
pae-ur (pair), puyp, (draining pipe), snuyp (snipe).
All nouns, however, when used collectively, keep the plural
1 Some individuals would say tae-un. For change of « into m see West
somerset Dialect, p. 17 ; observe also the change of v into b in t-ab-m.
PLURALS OF NOUNS. 9
unchanged, as U mun'ee uul'um bee gtoaa'yn tu droa ? " How
many elms are you going to throw ? " i.e. fell. Dim vrau's-l
due geo'd, tl chek" dhu buud, " The frost will do good, it will
check the buds." Baewd u fee'tee puyp, "About (of) fifty pipes."
This last expression uttered alone would convey a definite
idea to a native — no vision of Broseley or Meerschaum would
confuse his brain, nor would a thought of luscious port occur
to him, but only common draining pipes. Other kinds, as
baak'ee puyp, brand' ee puyp, hau'rgeen puyp (organ pipe), lid'n
puyp (lead pipe), would have their regular plurals. Dree
umrdid u brik, "Three hundred bricks." Aay nuvur daed'n
noa uur'ecn su skee'us, "I never knew herrings so scarce."
D-ee icau'nt un'ee kaa's ? "Do you want any casks?" The
ordinary plural of cask is kaa'sez, if used severally. Dhur
waud-n bud tue kaa'sez u-laf', "There were only two casks
left." Dhur wuz u suyt u bee'us tu fae'ur, " There were a
great many beasts, i.e. bullocks, at the fair." But severally
Aav ee see'd dree bee'ustez (or bee'ustezez) gwaa'yn ulau'ng?
" Have you seen three oxe"n going along ? " In the adver-
tisements in local papers is nearly always to be found, " a
lot of cask," " a prime lot of 400 cheese," " 20 cord of hard-
wood," pronounced twain'tee koa'urd u aa'rd eo'd. This last
example may be taken as a measure of quantity, and there-
fore it would be according to strict rule that nouns of
measure keep their singular form in the plural, as puynt,
kwau'rt, gyaal'un, pak1 (peck), paa'k (pack, 240 Ibs.2), loa'ud,
auks' eed (hogshead), steech (ten sheaves of corn, Northern stook).
Dhai'd u-kaa'rd aul dhu vee'ul een'tu baewd u vaawur skoa'&r
1 Peck is a measure of liquids as well as grain, etc. Vaawur shuul-eenz un
ae-ukur n tue pak u suydur, " Four shillings an acre and two pecks of cyder,"
— the usual price for mowing meadow grass.
2 The pack (240 Ibs. weight) is now almost confined to wool; teazles are, how-
ever, still sold by the pack. The load for a pack-horse was always 240 Ibs., or
ticuulv skoa'ur wau'yt. It is well within the recollection of the writer, when no
other means of carriage than pack-horses existed in considerable districts. The
pack-saddle was a curiously contrived appliance, to which sometimes long wooden
crooks, sometimes small wooden boxes with hinged bottoms, called duung-buuts,
were attached — the former for carrying hay, corn, faggots, etc., the latter for
manure, stones, or other heavy material. The load for a horse, of any heavy
material, was called a see'iim (seam), and was always understood to be 240 Ibs.
In many leases the farmer is still bound to apply " two hundred seams of good
rotten dung per acre" before a corn crop. Compare sumpter-horse.
10 UNCHANGED PLURALS.
stcech, haun duwn kau'm dim raa'yn, " They had carried, i.e.
harvested, all the field except about four score stitches, when
down came the rain." To this rule of measures keeping
their singular form in the plural, there are many exceptions ;
but upon a close inspection it will be found that there is an
indefiniteness as to the quantity signified by these exceptions,
and hence the words, though undoubtedly measures, take
ordinary plural forms, as vuurkeenz (firkins, small kegs of
various sizes to carry the allowance of cyder), bai'gz (bags).
A bag is sometimes three bushels and sometimes a quantity
determined by weight : u barg u aa'plz (a bag of apples) is
six score pounds, while u bai'g u tae'udeez (bag of potatoes) is
eight score ; beo'shlz (bushels, these are sometimes four and
sometimes eight pecks, according to the kind of produce to be
measured ; a bushel of either lime or green peas is understood
to be eight pecks), an'veols, aat'veols, kaap'veols, paug'utveols
(handfuls, hatfuls, capfuls, pocketfuls), and all combinations
of full.
Nouns of space, weight, and number are unchanged in the
plural, whether used collectively or not, except unsh (inch),
which always becomes uns/rez, unless it is used adjectively, as
in u dree-unsh plangk (a 3-inch plank); veot, yaa'rd, muyuld1
(mile), ae'ukur, mdh'um, paewn (pound), uun'did-waicyt
(hundred- weight, i.e. 100 Ibs.), tuun. Our ordinary weights
are wau'n tu nai'n paewn (one to nine pound), aa'fskaor-
wau'yt (10 Ibs.), labni2 tu nai'nteen paewn, diz'n paewn (12 Ibs.),
skao'r wau'yt (20 Ibs.), icau'n-un-tioai-ntee, tu nai'n-un-ttvarntee
paeicn, aur wau'yt ; icau'n-un-tJmurtee, etc., wau'yt, aur paeicn ;
fau'rtee wau'yt, aur tue skao'r wau'yt (40 Ibs.) ; fee' tee wau'yt
(50 Ibs.), dree skao'r wau'yt ;2 zab'mtee wau-yt (70 Ibs.), vaaivur
skao'r wau'yt, aur aa'ytee wau'yt (80 Ibs. ; see post, Adjectives
of Number and Quantity), pae'ur, kuu'pul, brae'us, lai'sh (leash)
aa'fdiz-n (6), aa-fskaor, diz'n, bae'ukurz diz'n (baker's dozen
= 13), skao-r, uun'did, laung uun'did (120), thuwzn (1000),
muul-yun (million). We know nothing of the hundred-
1 The adjective mild is pronounced muyul, as « glaa-s u muyul ae-ul (a glass
of mild ale), see p. 67, West Somerset Dialect. So, in Shakspere, vilde always
for vile; " The King is mad : How stiffe is my vilde sense." — Lear, iv. 6.
2 See West Somerset Dialect, p. 17.
PLURALS OF NOUNS. 11
weight (112 Ibs.). All these, however, have ordinary plurals
in s or z when used emphatically or severally. For instance,
Aay-v u-zee'd uuwdidz oa-rn, "I have seen hundreds of them."
T-l kail's skao'rz u paewnz, " It will cost scores of pounds."
Ur icaud-n uun'ee bu dree un ticai'ntee yuur oa'l, haun ee duyd;
bud ur bun maa-reed ugee'un uz yuurz, " She was but twenty-
three years old when he (i.e. her husband) died ; but she has
been married again for years," lit. these years (see Distin-
guishing Adjectives).
None of these nouns would be used in the plural after
definite numerals, as tai'n kuup'ul u dunks (10 couples of
ducks). Vaawur diz'n u brai'd (4 dozen of bread, i.e. 52
loaves). After indefinite numerals or nouns of quantity
plurals would sometimes be used, as Sivur pae'urz u shue'z
wuz u-stoa'uld (see post, Strong Verbs), " Several pairs of shoes
were stolen." 77 brae'uv lau't u kuiqrulz wuz u-aarmeen oa ut
ubacivd, "A brave lot of couples were arming of it about,"
i.e. walking arm in arm.
Month always becomes muuns l in the plural, except when
in twuul-muunth it stands for a year. Aay yuur'd um zai' uz
uw u wuz u zab'm muuns chee'ul, " I heard them say as how
he was a seven months child." Twuz iwuul muuns ugau'n,
veol au'p, " It was fully twelve months ago." Een ubaewd u
twuul-muunth uur-l bee au'm ugee'un, " In about a year she
will be at home again." Dree muuns ugau'n kaum Vrut/'dee,
" Three months ago next Friday."
Of yards we have three kinds, signifying different
measures. The dree veot one is seldom used except by
drapers ; when that length is spoken of as a yard, it is
called a klacrth yaa'rd.
A farmer said to me lately in reference to a distance of
three hundred yards, Keod'n bee su raa'r, "It could not be
so far." Bud wau't yaardz dee mai'n ? " But what yards do
you mean ? " The farmer was u beet uv u skau'lurd, and so it
flashed upon him that I had been speaking of the cloth yard.
We mean a "pole" of 16| feet by a yard simple, and we
1 Month is an exceptional word- dropping the th in the plural and keeping the
hard s as above.
12 PLURAL NOUNS.
often call that space a lan'yaard. The same measure squared,
i.e. a perch, we call a yaa'rd or a yaa'rd u graewn, the latter
most commonly. An acre measures aa'yt skao'r yaa'rd, and
portions of acres are tai'n, twai'ntee, fee'tee (50), etc., yaa'rd.
A rood of land is always either & kwau'rturn ae'ukur u graeicn,
or else it isfau'rtee yaa'rd u graewn. Vw munch ez dhik'ee vee'ul
u graewn ? " How much is that field ? " Wuul, ee du mizh'ur
vaawur ae'iiJeur n dree skao'r yaa'rd, bud wee au'vees kyaa'k-n
dhu vuyv ae'ukurz, ""Well, it measures four acres and sixty
perches, but we always call it the Five-acres." So that
when a measure becomes a proper name, it takes the -z,
just the contrary of ordinary English usage. Yard in the
sense of an inclosure is not used; we speak of the baa'k
kyue'urt (back-court), while a farmyard is simply a kyue'urt.
A stackyard is the mute-baa' r teen (mow-barton). As in
Scotch and English dialects generally, we always construe
broth as a plural noun. U vue brau'th wai liks een um, " A
few broth with leeks in them," is a favourite mess. Dhai
brau'th bee u-bwuuyul laung unuuf', " Those broth are boiled
long enough."
Of plural nouns we have many without singulars :
buul'ees (bellows), bran'dees (an iron tripod for holding a pot
over a wood fire), (bran'dees-faa'rsheen, brandees-fashion,
means triangularly), buu'rchez (breeches), tau'ngz, shee'urz,
siz'ez (scissors), staa'ps (pair of steps), skidz (a strong ladder
for loading casks), pun'shez (pincers), wau'yts (scales, not the
weights, these are wau'yt stoa'unz), ae'timzez (names, part of
harness), wuop'unsez (whipple-tree), kridz (curds), wae'iijez
pun'yunz (refuse of combed wool), skemps (flax tow),
skyuur'eenz (the long grass left in pasture by cattle),
spaa'rtikulz (spectacles), au'dmunts (odds and ends), ting~-
kurmunts (make-shifts), shaa'rps (bran pollard, also shafts
of a carriage or cart), au'urtz (orts or leavings), rae'umz
(skeleton, also the broken framework of any constructed
article). Poa'iir oal rae'umz, ee kaa'n aar'lee skraa'lee baewt,
"Poor old skeleton, he can hardly crawl about." Dhur
wau'd-n min'ee dhu rae'umz u dhu gee'iit u-laf', "There was
only the wreck of the gate left." Dhu shulfwuz pur tee aa'y
POSSESSIVE CASE. 13
— dhur wau'd-n noa'urt bud dhu rae'umz uv & geofz twiks dree
oa us,1 " The shelf was pretty high — there was nothing but
the bones of the body of a goose (i.e. minus legs and wings)
between three of us."
Many diseases are spoken of only in the plural, as
mai'zlz (measles), muul'igruubz (stomach-ache), strang'lz
(horse quinsy },muumps, chaul'iwaubulz (diarrhoea), fat' 8 (fits),
uytumz (restless antics), fiifuts (fidgets), yuur'buurz (a kind
of swelling in the ear), skraa'chez (sores in horses' heels),
mai'grumz (megrims), icuytz (whites), wuyul skwuurts (exces-
sive diarrhoea), skwut'urz (looseness in cattle), icau'shurz (a sore-
ness in horses' mouths), gyaaps (gaping, disease of chickens).
POSSESSIVE CASE.
The possessive case of nouns in West Somerset is formed
and used as in ordinary English, and therefore requires
little remark. Excepting in those nouns which make their
plurals by a change of vowel, as in mae'un mae'unz, mai'n
mai'nz (man), there is no difference in sound between the
possessive singular, nominative plural, and possessive plural,
i.e. three forms having the same sound. Bwuuyz luuv
(southernwood) may be either "boy's love," or "boys' love," or
" boys love " (fun !) But the word voaks people, makes voak'sez :
uur'ngen oa'vur uudh'ur voak'sez gee'urdnz, "running over
folk's gardens." There is, however, a great fondness for the
forms u (oa or uv before a vowel) (=of), and we should much pre-
fer to say dhu ai'd oa un, dhu au'rnz u dhu buul'ik, dhu taayul
u dhu au's, to his head, the bullock's horns, the horse's tail.
This rule would apply to persons as much as to animals ;
Dhee-s u-skwaut' dhu ving'ur oa un, " Thou hast squeezed his
finger;" but would not apply to proper names. "His father,"
speaking of an inferior, would be dhu faa'dhur oa un, but we
should say "Jim's father," Jaak's ai'd, "Jack's head." It
should be noted that the form oa, when used with persons,
would imply familiarity and something more. It would
imply decided inferiority, and would never be used in speak-
1 " The shelf was pretty high " is a very common saying— to express inhospi-
tality. The writer heard the above sentence quite recently.
14 VARIETIES OF THE POSSESSIVE.
ing of a superior, unless it were intended to show marked
disrespect.
Two nouns are often placed together without inflexion
when one of them is understood to be possessive. This
occurs in literary English, though not to the same extent.
Example : The mee'ul-ai'd (the mill-pond), the mee'ul-taayul
(the stream as it flows out from the mill-wheel), tceen'dur zul
(window sill), duurn-blae'ud (door-post), strai't kau'ndur (street
corner), ruuv pitch (the pitch of the roof), taewn gee'ut, pik
stae'itl (handle of a hayfork), bruydl ai'd (bridle-head). The
use of these forms is quite regular, and conveys to a native
a very definite idea, differing from that which he would have
if the same nouns were used with the ordinary possessive.
Thus the taayul u dhu mee'til is the part whence the mee'&l
taayul flows out. The duuni blae'ud is the door-post in situ,
but the blae'ud uv u duurn implies that it is detached from the
door-frame or duurnz. We should always go into a shop
and ask for a new bridle-head, but on the other hand it
would be as much the rule to say dhu ai'd u dhu bruydl-z
u-broa'kt, " The head of the bridle is broken."
Again, it would be nearly always said, dhu iveen'dur-zul du
laa'k u bee't u paa'ynt, " The window-sill wants a little paint ; "
butpuut'n au'p pun dhu zul u dhu ween'dur, "Put it up on the
sill of the window."
This form of the possessive is by no means so general
as in the Northern dialect, and the juxtaposition of two
nouns would with us only occur in one instance of all those
given by Dr. Murray, in his Scotch Dialect, p. 165. We
should say taewn gee'ut, but taa'p u dhu ee'ul (hill-head),
moa'ur u dhu tree (tree-root), ai'nd u dhu aeicz, taa'p u dhu
tree, baa'k u dhu doa'ur, kai u dhu doa'iir, zuyd u dhu aeicz,
fae'us u dhu klau'k, taayulu dhu koa'ut, zlee'v u dhu koa"ut, etc.
Sometimes the form of the possessive is literally a matter
of life and death. Aay zeed u sheeps ai'd tu dhu doa'ur (I saw
a sheep's head at the door) implies a dead sheep ; but the
ai'd oa u sheep implies a living animal.1
1 In Scotch, on the contrary, a " scheip's heid " is the head of a living sheep ?
a " scheip-head," that of the dead animal." — M.
ADJECTIVES. 15
When the noun in the possessive has an attributive
adjunct, the s is very often taken from the noun to which it
applies, and tacked on to the adjunct, as Jan Sii&o'k uwt tn
Lang'vurdz duung'kee, " John Snook out to Langford's
donkey." Mr. Bmirj tu Shoal'dur n Muut'unz pai'g, " Mr.
Bridge of the Shoulder of Mutton's pig."
Sometimes even the s is appended to a relative clause, as
dhat-s dhu mim'un want icuzu-laf' bee-uynz chee'ul, "That's
the woman what was left behind's child," i.e. that is the child
belonging to the woman who was left behind.
ADJECTIVES OF QUALITY.
These are most commonly formed and derived as in ordi-
nary English, and, except in their degrees of comparison,
have not much peculiarity in their terminations; but the way
in which they are used is often most remarkable, belonging,
perhaps, rather to the region of slang than of dialect.
Drai'd/eol (dreadful) is a very common adjective, and used
alone expresses the very dpposite of dread, i.e. close attach-
ment. A servant-girl said in my hearing, Aay wuz
drai'dfeol wai mus'us, meaning, that I was very fond of her
and she of me. The adjunct -fill, when used to form an
adjective, is pronounced with the / sharp, as drai'dfeol,
paa'ynfeol, aa'rmfeol (harmful), shee'&mfeol, pai'sfeol, etc.
When it forms a noun of measure or quantity, it is pro-
nounced veol, as aa'rmveol (armful), aa'tveol (hatful) buul'eeveol
(bellyful). Skan'ltis (scandalous) always means filthy, befouled,
but has no moral significance. I was complaining to a man,
to whom I had lent a clean cart, of the very foul purpose
to which he had applied it. His reply was, Ee shaaii" bee
u-zai'n oa'm skan'lus, " He (the cart) shall not be sent home
scandalous," i.e. filthy.
Gyaa'sli (ghastly) would be used to express anything un-
sightly or dangerous ; even to a ragged coat or a shabby hat.
An unfenced hole by the roadside would be a gyaa'sli plac'&s ;
the look down from any giddy height is almost always de-
scribed as maa'yn gyaa'sli. Grai't (great) is used only in the
sense of close friendship. Dhai bee tuurbl grai't means, "They
16 ADJECTIVES OF QUALITY.
are very thick, close friends." l The adjective of size is always
guurt (great).
Much is not often used as an adjective, except without the
noun to which it applies, as dhur waud-n muuch u-laf, " There
•was not much left." Ee aa'-n u-gau't muuch, " He has not
got much," i.e. money. Smaa'l is the opposite of guurt,
and lee'dl (little) of beg (big). It is difficult to give any rule
by which to determine the cases in which these words would
be used respectively, and yet their several uses, as employed
by natives, are definite and nearly invariable. For instance,
we should always speak of a guurt pees u buurd n chee'z (great
piece of bread and cheese), and a lee'dl bee't u mai't (little
bit of meat) ; smaa'l pees u mai't means a small joint ; lee'dl
pees is never heard. A small man is generally a lee'dl bee't
uv u fuul'ur (little bit of a fellow). Small and big would
generally be used predicatively, as the ruvur wuz smaa'l
(i.e. the water was low), the kau'rk-s tu beg (the cork is too
big). In this way small would be used with general or imper-
sonal nouns, like water, crop, sample, measure, lot, etc. ; while
little would be used with all definite nouns, as boy, cup, bag,
etc. Small and big, when used directly to qualify nouns,
would usually be strengthened, or in a way doubled. We
should never speak of a small boy, and very seldom of a big
horse, but nearly always of a lee'dl smaa'l bwuuy or a guurt beg
au's. Large, too, is in the same way seldom used alone, as
a laa'rj wuyd bai'd (large wide bed). A numerous progeny is
never a large family, but invariably a lau'ng faam'li (long
family). Dhaiv u-ae'ud u lau'ng aa'rd faam'li, "They have had
a long hard family," is a very frequent expression of
sympathy. Thick and thin mean dense and sparse, and
would not be generally used as in conventional English.
The literary thick and thin would be expressed by beg and
lee'dl, when applied to any such article as string, rope, wire,
or rods of any kind. " The thread is too thick " would be
dhu draed-z tu beg. " The lines are too thin," Dim lai'ns bee tu
lee'dl. In speaking, however, of any membranous substance,
1 So in the North, the distinction between " grytt," intimate, and " grait " or
"gert," great.— M.
ADJECTIVES. 17
as paper, parchment, cloth, etc., thik (not dhik, which is a
demonstrative) and theen would be used, as in ordinary
English. They would not be used in description of such
substances as glue, cement, mortar, clay, etc., but dhu glue
id-n stufunuf, (the glue is not stiff enough), dhu maur'turz
tu sau'f (the mortar is too soft). As applied to liquids, thick
only describes want of clearness or transparency. If it were
desired to describe a liquid as having become thick in con-
sistency, i.e. in the direction of losing its liquid condition, it
would be necessary to use some simile, and in that case thick
would be used, as thik-s tme'ukl (thick as treacle), thik-s
moa'urt (thick as lard). So of the opposite, theen-z skil'ee,
(thin as workhouse milk and water), theen-z wau'dr (thin as
water). A thin man is spae'ur, a thin animal poo'ur. The
true use of thick and thin is seen in the following examples :
Zoa yur zee'ud thik, nee'f ee muyn mir tae'u1 u kraa'p, "Sow
your seed thickly if you wish to have a crop." Dhu fae'ur
wuz thik u voaks, twuz au'l the u dring'iit, " The fair was thick
of folks, it was quite a throng." Twuz u thee'n maar'kut, tin
maws an' I dhu puynz icuz lee'uree (Germ, leer), "It was a thin
market, and almost all the pens were empty."
Some adjectives are used in a quaintly literal sense. A
tenant said to me of his hilly farm, taez tuur'ubl2 paa'ynfeol
yraewn, tacz su ktaef'ti, " It is terribly painful ground, it is so
steep."
Those adjectives which are derived from common nouns
have almost always their terminations in ee or lee as in
ordinary English, as ai'dee (heady = strong), veo'tee (footy, i.e.
full of dregs), ween'turlee (winterly), etc. ; while those derived
from abstract nouns usually end infeol, as shee'umfeol,kee'urfeol,
wae'usfeol (see p. 15). Derivatives from verbs usually ter-
minate in een or in fees, the former being nearly the same
as the ordinary present participle, as drung'keen (drunken),
zwae'urecn (swearing), slaam'ikeen (slovenly), waum'tten (un-
1 In this instance tae-u (to have) is rather emphatic and implies to be sure of.
Simply to have a crop would he tav u kraa-p.
2 This word is ordinarily pronounced tuur'bl, but in this instance for emphasis
it was drawn out to three syllables. The same often occurs with nouns.
18 ADJECTIVES DERIA'ED FROM NOUNS.
steady, going from side to side), varnturlees (venturesome),
i/uum'iirlecs (humoursome), kuum'lurlees (cumbersome, im-
peding). We have an adjective in / which is probably
derived from a verb, shuut'l (shuttle, i.e. very active, quick in
movement as a shuttle). Su shuut'l-z u rab'iit, "As quick as
a rabbit/' is a very common expression,- and might be applied
to a man, a dog, or any animal. The termination lees is not
very often used, but in the few cases where it is heard, it by
no means signifies the want of the attribute described, as in
heedless, etc. ; but, as shown above in vai'nturlees, etc., the
termination rather corresponds to full. I know of only two
adjectives in the dialect ending in sum : an'sum (handsome)
and lis'um (lithe) ; tiresome, wholesome, etc., are not usrd.1
We are very fond of the termination eesh, when we wish to
denote an inclination, or a quality short of the positive.
This can scarcely be called a diminutive so much as an
approach or inclining to the quality described ; as geo'deesh
(goodish), bae'udeesh (badish), oa'uldeesh (oldish), beg'ecsh
(biggish), smaa'ldeesh (smallish ; note the insertion of the
d after a liquid, see p. 19, Degrees of Comp.), lee'dldeesh,
skee'useesh (scarcish), smaa'rteesh, tau'ldeesh^ zauwureesh
(sourish). The same termination, when given to nouns, has
the same effect, as au'seesh (horsy), roa'yeesh (roguish), bwuuy-
eesh (boyish) ; we should rather prefer, however, in these cases,
to use the termination luyk, as gur'dl-luyk (girlish), bwuwj'luyk,
yaal'urluyk (yellowish). The termination n, en, or een, is
very common with us, and is almost invariably added to a
noun to denote the material of which the article described is
made, and it may be used with any constructive substance
whatever, as a klaa'theen koa'ut (cloth coat), oa'kn kaa's (oak
cask), pae'upurn kaa'p (paper cap), ladh'urn up'urn (leathern
1 The following adjectives would either be expressed by the equivalent set
opposite to them, or by some other form of speech, probably a simile, if a super-
lative absolute were intended :
frolicksome vrauHkeen
troublesome truub'leen
meddlesome mad'leen
wholesome nuHhee (wholesome seems quite lost)
tiresome tuyiireen, paa-ynfeol, as u paa-ynfeol daiz wuurk
quarrelsome quau-rdleen
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.
19
apron), ladh'urn buurd (bat), turn' urn eop (wooden hoop),
glaa'scnjuug, kloa'mSen pae'&n (coarse earthenware), uyurn&en
bai'dstai'd (iron bedstead), awrnecn law turn (horn lantern),
woet'n shee'v (oat sheaf), wai'tn brai'd (wheaten bread), ai'mpm
hroo'up (hempen rope),1 stuuf'm gaewn (stuff gown), stoa'un8en
waa'l (stone wall), ivaeks'n (wax), vlaeks'n (flax), boo'Hrdn
(board), uul'umeen kau'fecn, tee'neen tang'kut (tin tankard).
Only after nouns ending in n or m is this adjectival termi-
nation lengthened out to een.
DEGREES OF COMPARISON.
These are formed in the usual manner, by the addition of
ur and ees (or eest when followed by a vowel), except adjec-
tives ending in I, m, n, in which cases a d is inserted, as —
taui
tau'ldur
tau-ldees(t 2 before a vowel}
tall
veol
veol-dur
veol'dees(t ,,
full
keol
keol'dur
kepl'dees(t ,,
cool
smaa'l
smaa'ldur
smaa'ldees(t ,,
small
lee-dl •
lee'dldur
lee-dldees(t ,,
little
fuurm
fuurm- dur
fuurm-dees(t ,,
firm
ai'vm
arvmdur
ai'vmdees(t ,,
even
( klai'n
klai'ndur
klai'ndees(t }
,
( klee'un
klee'undur
klee'undees(t ) "
clean
j plaa-yn
( plai-n
plaa-yndur
plai'ndur
plaa-yndees(t )
plai-ndees(t j "
plain
marn
mai'ndur
mai-ndees(t ,,
mean
green
gree'ndur
gree'ndees(t ,,
fuyn
fuyndur
fuyndees(t ,,
fine
( dhee-n
dhee-ndur
dhee'ndees(t )
thin
( tliee'n
thee'ndur
thee-ndees(t J "
I/ILL U
kuyn
kuyn dur
kuyndees(t ,,
kind
kee'n
kee-ndur
kee-ndees(t ,,
keen
zeo-n
zeo'ndur
zeo-ndees(t „
soon
| vaa'r
vaa'rdur
vaa'rdees(t )
„
( vuur
vuurdur
vuur'dees(t3 j "
tar
Adjectives in ny, if monosyllables, sound the ng distinctly,
1 Note change of n to m after p and /. See p. 17, West Somerset Dialect.
2 When (t or (d are found written after any words in this or following lists, it
is to be understood that they are sounded only when preceding a vowel or vocal
consonant.
3 "With this inserted d compare the literary English th in.far.ther, Ags. ferre(r),
~E,.T&.ferrer,farrer,ferder,farder. The dialect, apparently, like Tudor-English,
confounds farther and. further. — M.
20
THE USES OF more AND most.
and add a g in their comparisons, while dissyllables in ing
are pronoimced ecn, and have comparative eenur or inur, as —
lau'ng
yuung
strairng
vrairng
wul'een
blee'jeen
kaech'een
tae'ukeen
shaanvleen
arleen
slaan'teen
vurgiveen
noa-een
wik'ud
kaef'ti-an'dud
bue'zee
ksparnsee
aak'tee
lau'ng-gur
yuung-gur
strau-ng-gur
vrairng-gur
wuHnur
blee-jinur
kaeclrinur
tae'ukinur
shaanrlinur
arlinur
slaan'tinur
vurgivinur
noa'inur
wik'udur
kaef-ti-an'dudur
bue'zee-ur
kspai'nsee-ur
lau-ng-gees(t
yuung'gees(t
strairng-gees(t
vrau-ng-gees(t
\vul'inees(t
blee-jinees(t
kaech'inees(t
tae-ukinees(t
sb.aam'linees(t
ai'linees(t
slaan-tinees(t
vurgivinees(t
noa-inees(t
wik*udees(t
long
young
strong
wrong
willing
obliging
infectious
attractive
shambling
healing
slanting
forgiving
knowing
wicked
kaef'ti-an-dudees(t left-handed
bue-zee-ees(t abusive
ksparnsee-ees(t expensive
haak'tee-ees(t active
haak'tee-ur l
Adjectives in ive are all compared by the inflexions as
above, while more and most, even with polysyllables, are used
only to supplement, perhaps intensify, the regular compari-
sons. The use of more and most is far less frequent than in
polite English. When used with adjectives, they go with the
corresponding degree, as moo'&r an'diur, moo'ees feo'lishees
(more handy, most foolish) ; but in these cases they do not
seem to add any weight of expression, and are simple pleon-
asms. More is sometimes used to express greater, as Moo'tir
feo'ul* ee' tue u diied ut, "More fool he to have done it."
Moo-tir roa-g-n feol, " More rogue than fool." Dhu moo-ees
pae'&rt oa-m wuz u-goo", " The greater part of them were gone."
Again, it is used for left: Dhur wau'd-n neet u beet moo'ur,
11 There was not a bit left." A man said to me, Dhai bee
dim man's kspai-nsee-ees soa'&rt kun ae"&, " They are the most
expensivest sort (you) can have."
The following are very common expressions, to be heard
daily : Dhu eem'pudum fuul'tir, " The impudentest fellow." 3
1 The comparisons being emphatic are very frequently aspirated, if the adjective
begins with a vowel.
2 Compare note 2, p. 17, as to drawing out words into another syllable for
emphasis.
3 Adjectives in -nt make superlative in -uns for -unices ; dhu uul-iguns kloa-uz,
(the most elegant clothes).
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES. 21
Dhu ivik'udees hty, " The wickedest lie." Dim dae'urshusees
roag, "The most audacious rogue." Aay nuvur dad'n
zee u tnoo'ur voa'ur-ai'diidur fuul'ur, " I never saw a more
wilful fellow." Ee-z dhu mau~s vai'nturleesees yuung
oa'uzbuurd, " He is the most venturesome young rascal "
(whore's-brood, one of the commonest of epithets).
The irregular comparisons are :
geo'd bad'r bas(t
bae'ud wus wus(t
wus'ur wus-tees(t
mauch ) moo-eesft l
, • \ moo'ur v
mum ) mau's
The emphatic forms icus'ur, wus'fees, are the most usual, and
almost invariable, when used in direct comparison. Dhee'uz
ez u snyt wust or, dhee'Hz ez u smjt wus'ur-n dhu laas, " This
one is a great deal worse than the last." Dhai zaed aaivur
Jum wuz dhu wust, or, dhu wiis'Uest oa-m awl, "They said our
Jim was the worst/' or "the worsted of them all."
/// is not an adjective in West Somerset, but a noun, with
some word prefixed to denote a part of the body • it generally
signifies a sore or wound, as in the well-known king's-evil.
Bris'f-ee'ul, iitid'ur-ee-til, kwawr'tur-ee'ul, are common cattle
ailments of a local character. People are not said to be very
ill, but vuuree bae'M. Uurdh u-bun' macryn bae^ud, "She
has been very ill."
Besides the ordinary comparisons, we have a kind of di-
minutive superlative, or something implying a little short of
the superlative proper, made by adding maus (most) to the
comparative j badrmaus soa'urt oa voaks aur dhingz means
not quite the highest class of people or things ; dim vuurdur-
maus pae'urt oa dhu wai means not quite to the extreme
end of the journey ; dhu huynurmaus, on the other hand,
would mean the last of all, as in ordinary English. Hinder
is not used by us as an adjective, but we frequently use
uyn, uyn een, uyn pae'urt, in contrast with voa'tir ;
voa'ur een (fore-end), voa'iir pae'urt oa dhu wik (beginning
1 This form is that which would be used alone, as ec'd u-gau-t dhu moo-ees
(he had the most).
22 SUPERLATIVE FORMED BY SIMILE.
of the week), wa'ur kwawrtur, uifn kioau'rtur. So also
Ee-stur-een', Was'tur zuyd, must be taken to mean the end
or side more to the East or West, rather than Eastern and
"Western. If directly East or West, we should say the
Ee'st een, the Wast een.
Our superlative absolute is formed by prefixing maa'yn,
rae'ul, vur'ee, auwkaum'un, tuur'bl, mau'rtul, nae'urshun
('nation), krue-ee'&l, nauyntid, (anointed), shau'keen (shocking)
or some other strong expletive. Mae'us bee tuurU plai'ntee
dee yuur, "Acorns are very plentiful this year." Observe
dee yuur, i.e. to-year, like to-day. Rae'ul geo'd tu dhu poo'ur
voaks, "Real good to the poor folks." Ttcuz u nauyntud
shee'um, " It was an anointed (i.e. very great) shame." Dhu
graas du kuut shau'keen bae'ud, " The grass cuts very badly."
We have an equivalent of the superlative absolute which
is more generally used than any of the foregoing. It is
the almost constant application of simile to nearly all the
actions or qualities of life. Indeed, nearly every adjective
in daily use has its own special one belonging to it,
and these similes are so generally used that they may
be taken to be the natural superlative absolutes of the ad-
jectives to which they belong. Blai'n-z u baa'tl, "Blind
as a beetle," i.e. a mallet, not an insect. Dai'd-z u
aa'mur, "Dead as a hammer." ("Dead as a door nail"
is never heard with us.) An'dee-z u gum'lut, "Handy as
a gimlet." This is a very common description of a quick,
useful servant. Kreo'kud-z u daugz uyn lig, " Crooked as a
dog's hind leg." Stracryt-s u aa'ru, " Straight as an arrow."
Green-z u lik, "Green as a leek." Aa'rd-z uyur, "Hard as
iron." This is spoken of persons or animals, and means hardi-
ness or robustness of constitution. Yal'ur-z u gin'ee, " Yellow
as a guinea." Avuree-z u baj'ur, "Hairy as a badger."
Krab'ud-z u bae'ur wai u zoo'tir avd, " Crabbed as a bear with
a sore head," — a very common description of a person out of
temper. Brai'dh-z u aa'rsh eep, "Breathe (i.e. open) as an ash
heap." This latter is a very common phrase, and is said of
land when thoroughly tilled and pulverized for a seed bed.
Mae-tiz z-u sheep, " Mazed (i.e. mad) as a sheep." This is the
THE SUPERLATIVE ABSOLUTE. 23
precise equivalent to the conventional "Mad as a March
hare." We in the west, however, draw our simile from a well-
known disease of sheep, which makes them keep spinning
round and round, and when the animal so affected is always
said te be mae'uz. Rag'ud-z u raa'm, "Ragged as a ram."
At certain seasons of the year the fleece of the ram becomes
in a state which makes this simile as apt as it is universal.
Daa'rk-s u bai'g, "Dark as a bag." Poo'&r-z u uureen, "Poor
(i.e. thin) as a herring, " — the usual description of any very
lean animal. Poo'&r-z u rae'umz, " Thin as a skeleton."
Koa'ul-z chuurutee, "Cold as charity." Praewd-z u laews,
" Proud as a louse." Zweet-s u nit, " Sweet as a nut."
Zaawur-z u grig, " Sour as a grig." I do not know the
meaning of grig, and never heard it applied to any substance
or fruit ; it is the most usual superlative of sour, and the very
name is supposed to set the teeth on edge. Stuf-s u strad,
"Very stiff." Stradz are very hard leather leggings and
'arm pieces worn in hedging or cutting faggot-wood. A
frozen cloth would be described as u-vree'z su stuf-s u strad',
"Frozen as (so) stiff as a strad." Huugmlee-z dhu daevl,
" Ugly as the devil." This is the usual superlative of ugly,
and the aspirate forms part of the comparison. Shuut'l-z u
rab'ut, " Quick, active as a rabbit." Nee'tir-z faaw&rpuns ez
tu u grau't, " Near as fourpence is to a groat." This is the
climax of exactness, but it has nothing to do with distance.
It would be said of any two things which exactly matched in
appearance, or of two valuations which approached closely in
amount ; or it would be used to express a good fit, or a close
joint in masonry or carpentry. Wai'k-s wau'dr, " Weak as
water."
These similes, which are in daily use among the people,
might probably be multiplied so as to include all the adjec-
tives in ordinary use, but in the examples given above are
found the most usual forms in which those adjectives here
noted are compared in the superlative absolute degree.
Observe that the as is sometimes sounded s, and sometimes z,
depending on the consonant immediately preceding (cf. p. 4).
Than, after the comparative, is expressed by one form
24 NUMERAL ADJECTIVES.
only, viz. by the addition of w,1 changeable after a labial to m
(see p. 17, West Somerset^ Dialect), as Aay doa' noa, nu
moo'ur-n dhu dai'd, " I don't know, no more than the dead," —
a very common asseveration. Dhik'i dhae'&r-z beg'ur-n tuudh'iir,
"That one there is bigger than the other." Aayd zeo'ndur
staa'rv-m due ut, " I would rather starve than do it." Bad'r
lae"ut-n nuvur, "Better late than never." Dhik'ee-z uvur
su munch iom'ur-n tuudh'ur, " That one is ever so much
worser than the other." Neither as nor nor is used by us
in this sense, but we should say uur-z yuung bee jue, " She is
younger than you." The sense here, however, is clearly that
she is young beside you, or, measured by you as a standard.
So avz tau'l bee ai', " He is taller than he." Neither of these
expressions can be taken as a form of than.
ADJECTIVES OF NUMBER AND QUANTITY.
CARDINAL. ORDINAL.
wairn,wair fuus(t
tue sak'un
dree thuurd
vaawur faawurth
CARDINAL. ORDINAL.
aa-yteen aa'yteenth
narnteen narnteenth
twai-ntee twai-ntee-uth
waun un twai-ntee waunun twai-ntee-uth.
vai-v, vuyv fee'th tue' un twai-ntee tue- un twai'ntee-uth
ziks zaekst dree' un thuurtee dree- un thuurtee-uth
zab-m zab-mt | vaawur-n faartee vaawur-n faar-tee-uth
aa-yt aayt-th vuyv-m fee-tee vuyv-m fee'tee-iith
nai-n nai-nth j ziks un saek'stee ziks-n saek-stee-uth
tai-n tai-nth zab'munzab-mtee zab'm un zab-mtee-uth
lab-m lab-rath | aa-yt un aa-ytee aa-yt un aa-ytee-uth
twuulv twuul'th | nai'n un aa-ytee nai'n un aa-ytee-iith
dhuur-teen dhuur-teenth nai-n un narntee nai-n un nai-ntee-uth
voo-urteen voo-urteenth ;uun*did uun-didth
vee-fteen vee-fteenth j uun-did-n wau-n uun'did-n fuus(t
zik-steen zik-steenth [uun-did-n twai-ntee uun-did-n twai-ntee-uth
zab-mteen zab-mteenth :tueuun-did tue- uun-didth
lau-ng unn-did (120), thuwzn, muul-yun.
skao-r (20), skao-r-n aa-f or skao'r-n tai-n (30), tue skao-r (40)
tue skao-r-n aa-f or tue skao'r-n tai-n (50), dree skao-r (60)
dree skao'r-n aa-f or tai-n (70), vaawur skao-r (80)
vaawur skao-r-n aa-f or tai-n (90), vai-v skao-r (100), etc.
ziks skao-r (120), zab-m skao-r-n tai-n (150), aa-yt skao'r (160)
nai-n skao-r-n tarn (190), tai-n skao-r (200), etc.
1 This contraction of than into an, en, 'n, like the kindred ut for that, is com-
mon in the English dialects. Though similar forms are found in Danish (en, at)
we cannot suppose Danish influence in the Wessex '» and ut; and, similarly, we need
uot call it in for the Northern at. See also uz yuurs for these years (p. 30), as
another instance of the dropping of initial th. — M.
MULTIPLES, FRACTIONS, DISTRIBUTIVES. 25
The reckoning by scores, as maic'ur skao'r-n zik'steen (= 96),
dhnurteen skao'r-n zab'm (= 267), is much more usual than
nai'ntee ziks, etc. A bill would be generally made out thus —
" 11 sftore and 14 of Eeed @ lid. pr sheev £10 14s. 6d.
3 sc. and 9 Potatoes @ Id. pr Ib. 11s. 6d."
In counting we do not say twenty-one, etc., always one and
twenty, etc. If an old man be asked his age, he will say,
Aa'y bee ee'ntu mee aa'ytee vaawur, or vaawur-n aa'ytee, "I am
in my eighty-fourth year, or four and eightieth " — the latter
to an acquaintance, the former to o,jin'lmun.
Waun, and its negative noo'un, are used alone as in con-
ventional English, and before a noun the latter sometimes be-
comes noa, though generally it is nuudh'ur. Ee'd u-gaut au'n
wau'n shite, bud noa aa't, or if the verb is repeated, we should
say, bud ee ad'n u'gau't aim nuudh'ur aa't, " he had not got on
any hat."
Noa would usually be used with general or plural nouns,
and nuudh'ur with those of the definite or personal class, as
noa wau'dr, noa zaa'lt, noa shue'z, but nuudh'ur koa'ut, nuudh'ur
bai'd, etc. The same distinction applies to any. As u-zee'd
uudh'ur kaew kau'mecn au'n ? " Hast seen any cow coming
on?" Deds meet un'ee sheep? "Didst meet any sheep?"
Sheep here would be understood to be plural. If a single one
were inquired for, it would always be uu'dhur sheep ?
Our multiples are zing'l (not zing-gl], duub'l, trib'l, dree'voal,
vaawurvoal, etc.
Our fractions are more curious : aa'f, waun pae'urt aewi
u dree (one part out of three, i.e. one- third), tue pae'urts acwt
u dree (two- thirds), kwau'rtur, or waun pae'urt aewt u vaawur
(fourth), dree pae'urts aewt u vaawur (three-fourths) ; dree
kwau'rturz would not be a fraction, but would be understood
as three several quarters, as of an apple cut in four, or a
carcase divided by a butcher.
The distributives are : waun aa'dr tuudh'ur, tue un tue.
Dhai wai'nt ulau'ng icaun aa'dr taudh'ur,1 " They went along
one after the other," i.e. in single file. Dhai vau'lecd dhu aesk
tue un tue, " They followed the hearse two by two."
1 This word is pronounced both taudk-ur and tuudh'ur.
26 GRAMMAR OF THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
INDEFINITE NUMEKALS.
Suiim, zuttm, or sau'm, zawm, un'&e, au'l, woal^ boo'Mh,
unuuf', uneo' (enough), jich, jish, Jis (such), uudh'ur,jiuudh'ur,
unuudh'ur, waun ur tuudh'ur (one another), dhik'ee dhae'ur
oa-m (that one, lit. that there of them), dhik tuudh'ur oa-m.
Au'l dhu hut or dhu woal keet (both signify the entire quantity] .
So aul dhu auk'saed and dhu ivoal auk'saed both mean the entire
contents of the hogshead. Ee urnd awl dhu wii, " He ran the
entire distance," we should never say the whole way. Whole
would seem to be used with nouns denoting something
actually divisible and that could be touched, and would
never be used with abstract nouns. "Whole attention" would
be »impossible as an expression with us; but dhu woal
bwuuyleen would be a very usual phrase. Awl dhu taeicn,
would mean all the people in the town ; but dhu tvoal taewn
wuz uun'dur wau'dr would refer to the streets and houses.
It is most common to place the article before both when
used alone : ee teok dhu boo'udh. This form is used habitually
even by better educated people, as, for instance, in making a
purchase, " I'll take the both," = tows les deux, which of course
is, analogically, as correct as " I'll take the whole." Unuuf',
uneo', seem to be spoken indiscriminately ; some using one
form, and some the other. They do not now represent the
singular and plural ; if they ever did so in this dialect, the dis-
tinction is now obsolete. After a verb, and when the noun,
adjective or adverb is not expressed, the usual form would
be uneo, but this is not invariable. On the other hand, we
invariably keep to the Teutonic order, and place them after
the noun, as mai't uneo' (enough meat). Enough of is never
used. I overheard a man say to another, dhee-s u-mae'ud
smeech unuuf' vur tu pwuuyzn dhu daevl, " Thee hast raised
dust enough to poison the devil." Unuu'f vur a'it (enough
to eat), druungk unuuf (drunk enough), voaks unuuf', ee-v
u-saa-rd uneo' (he has earned enough).2 Jich, jis, jish, are
equally common, but one or the other is the pronunciation
1 This word is both wocrl and wual, according to the emphasis. Sometimes it
is very long.
2 Compare the M.E. use of served = deserved, merited.— -M.
INDEFINITE NUMERALS SUCH, ANY, ETC. 27
of such. They are used in conjunction with as, and also
without, but generally the article is omitted in a direct com-
parison. Jish fuul-ur-z yue bee au' tu bee angd, " Such (a)
fellow as you are ought to be hanged," — a very common ex-
pression of abuse. Aay nuvur daed'n zee noajis dhing uvoa'ur,
" I never did not see no such thing before." Doa'n tuul au'p
ji-stmif,1 "Don't talk such nonsense." A phrase like, "I
wish I had such," would never be heard ; we should always
complete the sentence with thing or the name of the article
wished for, as Aayd gee uvur su mauch vur jish wuurks
yoa'urz, "I would give ever so much for such work as
yours." Neither do we use such-like, though we might say,
Aay weesh aay-d u-gau't jis dhing luyk. Noa jis dhing ! is
the most usual form of flat contradiction. Jich generally
comes before a vowel, as jich aa'plz (such apples), jich e'od (such
wood, lignum] ; jich u eo'd (such a wood, silva). The use of
the article is decidedly emphatic. Jich u aewz vur kwaurdleen
id-n tu bee vaewn udheen' tioai'ntee muyuld oa dhu plae'us,
" Such a house for quarrelling is not to be found within twenty
miles." Observe the pleonasm "of the place," which is
nearly always added in similar descriptions of distance. Jish
bwuuy vur ai't aa'plz, aay nuvur daed'n zee dhu fuul'ur oa un,
"Such a boy for eating apples, I never saw his fellow."
The article after such is wanting in this verbatim example,
but it is sometimes used for emphasis even before a vowel —
thus making the awkward sound of two vowels distinctly pro-
nounced one after the other, as in jich u aewz, jich u eo'd, etc.
Uitdh'ur, as already stated, means " any whatever, ever a
one," and its negative niiudh'ur means "none at all, never
a one " ; both are construed in this sense, with singular nouns
only. As u-gau'Ht uudh'ur* pau'gut? "Hast got ever a
pocket?" Aay aa'n u-ae'ud nuudh'ur2 draa'p uz wik, "I have
not had never a drop at all for a week." But unuudh'ur=alitts,
1 Here, where two ss come together, as in jis stuuf, one is dropped, and the
word is pronounced jistuuf. See also above, aw tu for au-t tu.
2 I suppose these words to be corruptions of e'er-a, ne'er-a, found in other
dialects. " I have had ne'er a drop." The interchange between r and d, dh, is
well known. In Mr. Pulman's " llustic Sketches," I find these words written
arry, narry. The result is that in West Somerset uudhw represents e'er a, other,
and either (M.E. atcthvr, other}.— M.
28 DISTRIBUTIVES, INDEFINITE ADJECTIVES.
and tuudh'ur =.alter^ are true compounds of other. Gi mee
unuudh'ur, " Give me another." Wau'n ur tuudh'ur is simply
" each other." Plai'zur,1 dhai bwuuyz bee u-kik'een wau'n ur
tuudh'ur, "Please Sir, those boys are kicking each other."
Dhikee dhae'ur oa-m kaech-n, dhik tuudh'ur oa-m lae't-n goo
ugee'un, " That one caught him, that other (boy) let him go
again." The oa-m (of them) is mere pleonasm, but is
nearly always used. Observe that tuudh'ur is simply other,
and not the other. Lum'ee zee' dhee tuudh'ur an, "Let me
see thy other hand." Tuur'z wau'n, un yuurz dhu tuudh'ur
oa-m, " Here is one, and here is the other. In the plural the
adjective uudh'ur is used as in ordinary English, as uudh'ur
voak'sez chul'ur, "other people's children;" but the noun
form others is not used.
Of the distributives each and every we use the latter only,
the former is never heard. U'vtiree graa's moo'ut oa-m du
vang ez oa'un draa'p ujiie, "Every blade of grass catches (i.e.
holds) its own drop of dew " (compare this sentence in Dr.
Murray's Scotch Dialect, p. 177). U'vuree dai is a week-day,
or ivik'ud-dai (!) Neef ee ded'n goo tii chuurch een ez uwuree dai
kloa'uz ! "If he did not go to church in his every-day clothes ! "
Either and neither are again expressed by uudh'ur and
nuudh'ur ; they are, moreover, both adjectives and conjunc-
tions. As adjectives, however, the noun or its substitute is
always expressed. Uudh'ur waun oa-m-l due, "Either will
do." Nuudh'ur shite oa-m waud-n baeg unuuf', " Neither shoe
was large enough." Dhee kas-n due ut nuudh'ur, "Thou canst
not do it either." 2 Neither is also expressed by noa moa'r.
Noa moa'r kaa'n yue, " Neither can you."
We have many words and phrases by which we indicate
an indefinitely large number, of which suyt, bwuuyuleen, keet
(kit), mas (mess), lau't, are the most used. These would be
1 As before explained, see note l,p. 27, when two ss come togetker,one isdropped.
So here, when two zs follow each other; and instead oiplai'zsur, we say plar zur.
* So frequently in O.E. Thus " Exposition of the Holy Kood," ed. Morris,
E.E.T.S. No. 46, p. 125, 1. 115:
pat if baire men on ow\ir side
Come for to help j>am in jjat tide.
And in conjunction :
Nothyr in flesche, nothir in fysche. — Babees Book, p. 18.
But the pronoun form owthir, awthir, was more Northern than Southern. — M
DISTINGUISHING ADJECTIVES. 29
enlarged or diminished by adjectives, the meanings of which
would be more or less modified if measured by standard
English. A puur't&e lau't oa voaks means a crowd, or at least
a great number of people. Tuur'ubl suyt oa mau'lskrau'h dee
yuur, "There are a great quantity of caterpillars this year."
DJiur iruz ufuyn bwuuyleen oa-m, "There was a fine boiling of
them." U mau'rtl keet o stau'k tufae'ur, "Great number of
animals (for sale) at the fair." Dhurz u mas u aci'pfa ti-raa'tecn,
" There is a quantity of apples rotting."
DISTINGUISHING ADJECTIVES.
A, an, are always ti, never un, as aay zee'd u aum'Uguus
reol oa oa'l soa'&jurz, " I saw a omnibus full of old soldiers."
The is d/iti, tending before vowels to become dh-, as dh-oa'ld
uum'un, "the old woman, the wife." After to, it is often
omitted, as ecn't-aewz, into or in the house ; au'p t-ee'ul (up at
the hill). Dacicn tufae-tir, "Down at the fair." Aa'y meet-n
ecn'tu maa'rkut, " I met him at the market." The emphatic
is dhai'. Dhaat-s dhai' beok, " That's the book."
Of the special demonstratives we have two classes, which
are used according to the particular kind of noun which has
to be demonstrated.
All abstract nouns ; the names of all the elements or of all
substances or metals of undefined shape ; all raw materials,
and even manufactured stuffs while in the piece ; as cloth,
wool, sugar, copper, corn, water, air, etc., i.e. all such as can-
not take a before them, may be classed as indefinite nouns,
and they have their own special form of demonstrative.
All articles or things of specific shape or purpose, which
can be individualized by prefixing a or an, as a cloth, tree,
apple, house, table, etc., may be classed as definite nouns
having their own demonstratives. The distinction is as
follows : —
Singular.
DEFINITE. INDEFINITE.
uz or z=this
dhee'uz or dhee'uz yuur
or dhee'uzh yuur dhus ordhush yuur =this, near at hand
dhik or dhik-ee dhaat = that
dhik'ee dhae'ur dhaat dhae'iir =that, not so near
30 THE USE OF THE SUFFIX here OR there.
Plural Definite.
uz or z or s = these
dhai-z yuur or dhecrz yuur = these
dhai or dhai dhae'iir =those
As nouns of the indefinite class have no plural, so we have
no plural demonstratives for them.
In addition to the above we have uz1 used in a particularly
idiomatic way for this or these, to distinguish periods of time,
see the example given in p. 11. Maa'reed ugee'iin uz yuurz,
i.e. for a period extending over some years. Aay aa'n u-zeed-n
uz icik, " I have not seen him this week." Here it is under-
stood that this week does not mean the seven days commencing
last Sunday, which would be dhee-uz wik, but for a period
extending over a week of time. Dhai bun u-goo' uz aawur,
" They (have) been gone this hour," i.e. for an hour. Wee
aa'n u-keep uun'ee mawur uz lau'ng-feol tuyrn, "We have
only kept four this long time."
The use with us of the adverbs here and there, pronounced
yuur and dhae'iir, in combination with the demonstratives,
serves to express fine shades of meaning as to the nearness or
distance- of the object referred to, which are perfectly under-
stood by natives, but which are far beyond the power of ex-
pression by this and that of received English. Puut dhis wai't
tu dhik eep, "Put this wheat to that heap." Gee dhee-uz au's
saum u dhaat aa'y, " Give this horse some of that hay." Maeks
au'p dhaat dhae'iir manue'ur een dhik'ee lun'ee, " Mix up that
manure in that shed." Dhaat dhae'iir, in this example, would
imply that the manure was not present to the speaker. Manure
is an artificial compound with a new-fangled name ; our fore-
fathers called all fertilizers dras'een (dressing). Every kind
of shed is a lun'ee, written linhay in local advertisements, etc.,
except that where horses are shod, this is always dhu pai'ntees
(pent-house). Droa dhush yuur nmlk een'tu dhee'uz kan,
"Throw this milk into this can." Tae'uk dhee'uz pik un tuurn
1 This uz is very frequently contracted into -z. In rapid speech, many indi-
viduals would pronounce the above ugeyun-z yuurz, u-zeed-n-z wik, vaawur-z
lau-ng feol. Long when used with time is generally lau-ng feol. Uz is often
similarly contracted when it stands for the possessive his. See Possessive Pro-
nouns, p. 40.
DISTINGUISHING ADJECTIVES. 31
oa'vur dhush yuur duung. Tae'iik dhce'uz shuwul un muuv dhee'uz
ccp oa duurt, " Take this shovel and move this heap of dirt "
(Le. soil). Dhik, or dhik'ee, corresponds almost precisely to
Latin iste, and dhik dhae'ur, or dhik'ee dhae'ur, to Latin ille.
Lat dhu kaa'fmdur puut dhik stae'iil eewtu dhik'ee dhae'ur maup,
"Let the carpenter put that handle into that (yonder) mop."
Wuur-s git dhik aa'pl? uwt oa dhik'ee dhae'ur au'rchet ? "Where
didst get that apple ? out of that orchard ? " Ee-kn ae'u dheo'z
yuur tae'udees ur dhai dhae'ur, weech ee wuul, " You can have
these potatoes or those, which you will." Dhai dhae'ur bwuuyz-v
u-toa'urd dheo'z yuur ween'durz, " Those boys have broken these
windows." Vach dhaat dhae'ur eo'd uwai' vrum dhik'ee eo'd,
" Fetch that (faggot) wood away from that wood." Here, of
course, one eo'd is definite, the other indefinite. Wuz dhaat
dhae'ur geo'd zee'ud liaut ee puut een'tu dhik'ee vee'iil oa graewn ?
"Was that good seed which (what) you put into that field?"
Dheo'z pai'z bee fuyn'dur-n dhai, " These peas are finer than
those." Dhush yuur graetcn-z brai'dhur-n dhaat dhae'ur, " This
soil is more tilled, i.e. opener than that." Dhaat dhae'ur is
used with anything of the indefinite sort, as corn, grass,
lime, to denote its position as more remote than dhush yuur,
i.e. close at hand. In speaking, however, even of any
defined article, as a book, a key, or a man, if altogether
absent, we should use dhaat dhae'ur. Aa'v ee zeed dhaat
dhae'ur nai'v oa muyn ? " Have you seen that knife of
mine?" U~e wuz dhaat dhae'ur mae'un ? "Who was that
man ?" Aay keodn kaech dhaat dhae'ur koalt, " I could not
catch that colt." In the same manner dhai dhae'ur would be
used of things absent. V-ee ! zoa'ld dhai dhae'ur buul'iks ?
" Have you sold those bullocks ?" referring to some that had
been previously spoken of, but not now present. The same
form of speech might, however, be used with reference to
things present, yet, from the gesture or intonation of the
speaker, he would not be misunderstood.
We never use the form them or thesem as demonstratives.
1 Have and hast are very frequently contracted into v as above, and s — both
when beginning a question and when used affirmatively, as s-u-gaut dhee wae'vjez?
" Hast got thy wages ? " (See Auxiliary Verbs.)
32 NEUTER DEMONSTRATIVE GENDER OF PRONOUNS.
Unlike the Dorset, " I think them housen better than
theasem," we should say, Aay du dhingk dhai aeicz'ez bee
bad'r-n dhai'z yuur\
In cases where those forms the antecedent to a relative,
we always say dhai. Dhai dhut diied ut ul ae'u tu paa'y vaur ut,
" Those who did it will have to pay for it." Dhur-z dhai Jcun
tuul ee au'l iibaewd ut, " There are those (who) can tell you
all about it." Observe the omission of the relative (see post).
When dhis or dhee-uz, dhik or dhaat, are used alone, the dis-
tinction between the kind of thing referred to is still care-
fully maintained. Of a knife it would be said, Dhee'uz, or
dhik-ee-z muyn, " This or that is mine." But of a quantity of
hay or corn, or any substance of undefined shape, it would
be said, dhiish yuur-z or dhaat dhae'ur-z yoa'urz.
But when the noun, whatever be its quality or number,
has been already mentioned, or is to be named, in the same
sentence, 'it is referred to by the neuter or indefinite form
of the demonstrative dhaat, dhis, and not dhik, dhee'uz, as
iie'z au's ez dhaat ? " Whose horse is that ?" ue'z beo'ts ez dhaat ?
" Whose boots is that ? " ez dhaat dhae'ur yoa'ur chul'urn ?
" Is that your children ? " Compare the German use of the
neuter, in Wessen Hund ist das ? Wessen Stiefeln sind das ?
Sind das Hire Kinder ? And the French invariable cela or
ga : Ces en/ants sont heureux, cela ne fait que jouer. Qa n'a
plus d'autre pere que le bon Dieu !
PEONOUNS.
The use of the pronoun of the third person resembles that of
the demonstrative adjective, with respect to the class of noun
for which it is substituted. Every class or definite noun, i.e.
the name of a thing or object which has a shape of its own,
whether alive or dead, is either masculine or feminine, but
nearly always the former ; indeed, the feminine pronouns may
be taken as used only with respect to persons. For instance,
in chaffering for a sow, it would be said, Wuul, neef tez' u zuw,
ee ulgit au'n, " Well, if it is a sow, he will get on," i.e. get fat.
Dhae-ur nuw! dhee-s u-taord dhu puch'ur. Noa aay aa'nt, ee-z
PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 33
uutree u-Icrae'tiz, " There, now ! thou hast broken (torn) the
pitcher. No, I have not, he is only crazed," i.e. cracked. A
tool, book, house, coat, cat, letter, etc., are all spoken of as
he. Sometimes even for a woman the pronoun he is used ; for
example, a man said to me of his daughter, in recommending
her as a servant, Uur-z u maa'yn guurt stmu'ng maa'yd, ai
ai'z, " Her's a main great strong maid, he is." But uur ai'z
would be more common.
It is simply an impersonal or abstract pronoun, used to
express either an action or a noun of the undefined sort, as
cloth in the quantity, water, snow, air, etc. Aay nuv'ur ded'n
noa ut zu koa'l, " I never knew it (the weather) so cold." Lat
dhu haa'y buyd, t-l druwee, " Let the hay stay, it will get dry."
Lat dhu koa'ut buyd gin ee-v u-druwud, "Let the coat stay until
he has become dry." T-wau'dn geo'd dringk, "It was not good
drink," i.e. beer. Dhee kas-n kau'm ut, " Thou canst not do
it." "We also frequently use it instead of them as a plural,
especially when referring to a number of objects of the same
kind, as Ted'n noa yues vur tu keep u paa'sl u dhingz un staa'rv
ut, " It is no use to keep a parcel of things, i.e. live stock,
and starve it," i.e. them.
The Personal Pronouns are —
1 SING.
1PL.
2 SING.
2 PL.
Nom.
full
aa-y, aa'
wee-
dhee'
yue
unemphatic
aay, aa, u
wee
dhee
eej
interrog. enclitic
ur, ees
us, ur
dhee
ee, ur
unconnected
mee
uus
dhee'
yue
Obj.
unemphatic
mee, mil
us, s,
dhee, dhu
ee
emphatic or |
prepositional )
mee, aa'y
wee, uus
dhee'
yue
3 M. AND N. DBF.
3 F.
3 N. INDEF.
3 PL.
Nom.
toll
ee', ai'
uur
.. .
dhai
unemph.
ee, ai, u
ur, u
t, ut
dhai
interrog. encl.
u, ur
ur, u
ut
urn
unconnected
ee'
uur
...
dhai
Obj.
unemph.
iin, n(m)
ur
iit
um, m
emphatic prep.
ee-
shee'
...
dhai
1 The short marks here used to show clearly the quantity are not always used
in the text. The second person plural has generally heen written ee to dis-
tinguish it from the third person singular, inasmuch as, though alike in quality,
the former is shorter.
34 THE NOMINATIVE CASE.
The first two forms are used when the nominative stands
before its verb, with or without emphasis, as ' you went,' ' you
went ' ; the third after a verb interrogatively, as ' did you ? '
its second variety in the interrogative ending of a sentence,
as * I am going, am not I ? ' 'he went, did he ? ' ; the un-
connected as in ' who went ? I ? ' you and I ' ; the objective
unemphatic, as in ' I saw you ' ; the emphatic, as in ' I saw
you,' or after a preposition, as ' he took it from her.'
The regular form of the nominative first person is
aay (or aa when followed by /, as aa'l git-n vau-r-ee, aay
wuol-, "I'll get it for you, I will"), except in interroga-
tive phrases, or the question after an assertion, as Awy kn
ab-m, kaa-n ees ? " I can have it, can I not ? " Observe the
aay here is emphatic. Bee gwaa'yn, bae'un ees? "I am
going, am I not ?" In this we have an example of the very
frequent omission of the pronoun ; when the sentence begins
with a verb, the pronoun, whether personal or impersonal, is
usually dropped. Keo'd-n due ut, keo'd-n ur ? " (One) could
not do it, couldn't one?" Kaa'n tuul'ee, "I cannot tell you."
Wau'dn ae'tibl tue, wau'z-ur ? " He was not able, was he ? "
Paa'S lau'ng dhik wai, ded'n-um? "They passed along that
way, did they not ? " The form ees given above, in bae'un
ees ? has been often written ice, and considered a trace of
the ich, utchy, ch, about which so much has been said by
Jennings and others ; but as here used it seems to be only
the plural, instead of the singular. Precisely as in ordinary
school-boy talk, " let's see, let's look," is said for " let me
look," so, kaa'n-ees would be " can't us." Since this paper
was written, I have ascertained that in a small district con-
taining two or three villages — among which is Kingsbury,
giving its name to a very large Hundred in the old county
maps — the use of utch for I is still common ; there they still
say, tiuch un uum-l goa, "I and he will go." This very
limited district is far beyond the Parrett, and lies close to
Hamdon Hill, the sharp peak above Montacute.1 Again,
1 See the Appendix to Prince L. L. Bonaparte's paper " On the Dialects of Mon-
mouthshire, Herefordshire," etc., read before the Philol. Soe. April 7, 1876 (Phil.
Trans. 1876-6, pp. 570-581), proofs of which have reached me since the above was
THE OBJECTIVE CASE. 35
ur is used interrogatively for the nominative /, both, instead
of ees when final, and when followed by other words, in
which case ees is seldom used, as Aa'l vach'n, shaa'l uur ? " I
will fetch it, shall I ? " Shi ur zai'n vau'rn ? " Shall I send
for it ? " Mum'n ur goo' ? " Must I not go P "
The objective mee is the most usual, but in the hill-country
and towards North Devon the form mu is quite general ;
both these forms are unemphatic. Emphasis is usually given
by intonation, and I have even heard the short mu empha-
sized. Occasionally Aay is used in the objective case, but
by individuals only, and it is not the rule, as Gee aay dhik,
" Give I that." Lot aay ab-m, " Let I have it." We should
never say "give it to I," but always "to me." Again, mee
corresponds to French moi. Who is there ? Me. Who did
that ? twau'd-n mee, twuz ee'.
The second person singular is most generally used by
seniors to their juniors, by boys to each other, and by farmers
to their servants or labourers. It is used to express anger,
contempt, and also endearment, but it usually implies much
familiarity, and would never, except for intentional imperti-
nence, be used by an inferior; but its form is always dhee;
thou is never heard. Dhu (thee) is again rather more heard
in North Devon than with us.
In the 3rd person ee and ai are simply individual varieties,
but when emphatic, I have only heard ee. Uur or ur is the
usual feminine third person singular, both nominative and
objective, but s/iee is the emphatic objective. Ee and ur are
both sometimes contracted into u. See example, Past Aff. of
Will, p. 62.
Ur wid'n lat uur ab-m, bud ur gid-n tu shee', " She would
not let her have it, but she gave it to she," i.e. a third female.
Ur is constantly, indeed always, used for he interrogatively,
except when particular emphasis is required, as Ee oa'n due
printed, in which the author gives his personal testimony to the existence of utch,
utchy, in the same district ; also Mr. Pulman's " Rustic Sketches," London,
J. R. Smith, 1871, p. 153, the only note upon which I would make is that " Ise
try " in the Shakspere quotation does not mean I try, but / shall try. In refer-
ence to the result of the Prince's investigations on "ize, ise, ees, for I," I can only
repeat that in this dialect ees is only used, as shown ahove, interrogatively and
finally, and that its connexion with ich is very doubtful.
36 SECOND AND THIRD PERSONS.
ut, ivuol ur ? " He will not do it, will he ? " Ad-ur bin
u-wau'yteen vuuree laung ? " Had he been waiting very
long ? " Wuz ee' dhu mae'un ? " Was he the man ? "
Our objective him is always un, n, unless it is emphatic,
when it is ee, and unless (see W. S. D. p. 17) it follows
P> b,f, when it becomes m: Tuul-n tu staa'p-m, "Tell him to
stop him." Gee un uz muun'ee, "Give him his money."
Dhai nuvur spoak (tie un, " They never spoke to him." Uur
ded'n zai noa'urt tu ee', "She did not say anything to he,"
Our first person nominative plural is commonly wee, and,
unlike Devonshire, us is seldom used, except interrogatively,
as : Shl-uus bee-n tuym? " Shall we be in time ?" Wee is also
the emphatic objective. Muyn un zai'n un tu wee; " Mind and
send it to us." In an interrogative phrase, at the end of a
sentence, ur even is used for we, as Lat-s goo, shaal-ur ? " Let
us go, shall we?" Lat-s ae'u-r voa'r-neonz tu wauns, "Let
us have our lunch at once."
Yue is emphatic, the common form being ee (=ye). Ee
ded'n zai zoa, ded ee ? "You did not say so, did you ?" Wuz
ut yue aay zeed, ur yur bridh'ur ? " Was it you I saw, or your
brother ? " Ur is also used for you interrogatively, as well
as for he. Yue muyn dhaa't naew, ivuol'ur? "You mind that
now, will you?" An oa'vur dhik eks, wuol'ur ? "Hand over
that axe, will you ? " Yue un mee bee dhu bwuuyz, " You
and me are the boys." Dhai un uus wai'n tugadh'ur, " They
and us went together." Mee ! aay bae'un gwaa'yn, " Me ! I
am not going." T-wau'dn ee', twuz mee', " It was not he, it was
me." T-wiiz uur, twau'dn mee, "It was her, not me."
(With the following compare Dr. Murray's Scotch, p. 191.)
Gi-m'eeyur an'. Tuul m&e awl u-baewd ut. Ee aa't mee een
dhu ai'd. Dhaa't dhae'ur wuz u bae'ud jau'b vau'r 8e. Aay
zeed dhu boo'iidh oa ee, or Aai zee'd ee boo'udh. Ded ee yuur-n ?
Aav ee u-yuurd ut. Wid ee noa' un, neef ee zee'dn ? Puut
dhu kuuvur paun' un. Dhur id'n noa'urt een' ut. Gee ur ur
jitez. Lat- ur goo lau'ng. Bring us u vine pai'urz. Aa'l
giv $e sau'm. Ee vau'leed um. Uur braa't urn or tine' urn.
Ee teo'k-um uwai' vrau'm um. Meanings : " Give me your
hand. Tell me all about it. He hit me in the head. That
TABLE OF PRONOUNS WITH PREPOSITIONS.
37
OJ
1
w
.-<
• 1
g
.-
b S
ifli-aii
3
1 Is
bo to bo
>~o "3 ^ 03
bo bo bo bo
OJ .— O
bo bo bo
oj ? b
OJ .i OJ
bo bo bo
33
OJ OJ
OJ OJ
to bo
i 7 •? i b
bo'bo'bo'bc bo
•k.? fc
'bc'So'So bo
• • c € k c
be & bo'Eo bo to
OJ _ b 03
3
OJ
30J
w
j ® ,—
o 3 oj oj
*.
Pi • c3 3
H
i |i
3333
3 b
b 3 3
"3 3
»»383
^ 55
1 a I'J P a
P
o ,— .;_,
30 03 03
O O O.^,
33 33 33 3
* 9.'*
. ' J* '3
'« '3
.J, 3 3 £.£
o t^.^
-3 .[i 03
'3 '3 '3 .^ '3 "3
1* Is Is Is
Rp P
P P P-
\f *
if g ^ g ^
* P Es
if if ts ^ if |f
b
OJ
"S
ri
o
•g i'§
jg||
gb§
gb7 3
?*
TlM»
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1 all f a
330
3330
§1 03
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§3§
§§
§ § § § §
§ §§
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8
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— ®*a
g g a
S 3 8 J
gb§
BbS
•S-S
3co b 2
3 OJ 3
oj b oj
XU # >D
1 Ijla
fl a 3
1 S.C3
Pi Pi Pi
3333
03 CS 3 OS
pi Pi Pi Pi
333
« 3 c3
§3b
lilt
03 03
3 333
03 3 3 03
Pi PH PH
d a^ P P
3 3 g | fl
H
•i N
8 3 8 j*
g
%
*>*"
CO OJ
3 B p 3
P fs 3
OJ
i Hi!
3 3 P
o» _ •_
3o> >u o>
333?
OJ OJ OJ OJ
XU 3flJ XU OJ
g S OJ
3^ 0 0
3 3 P
P 8 «
XI) 3O1 OJ
3 P
Q> qj
-'^ O
3 33?
OJ OJ Of OJ
3 3 P
OJ OJ OJ
xu xu xu
3 g 3 P P
,2
OJ . —
w
ss
o
•g s '3
oj 3 oj S
,3 J3 OJ fH
§ b g
-5-3
3 g 8 g
OJ b 05
i i ' j i i
§
N
1 S!
Illi
lib
a 2 a
1-3
p lii
1 t^
a alas
3333
£
03 03 3 03
222
C3 3 C3
2 ^
2 s 2 d
09 3 cs
09 eS 3 03 c8
P P P
p p- > >
p p >
P t-
P P P P
P P P
P P P P P
3
~— »«.-
83$-^
§3
b H
*• "§
m • b g
b OJ
a Irs ^ i
'a 3 3
333-
b ^
S-l b
"* .
f s 2 fe
•O *
3 i S 3 • •
.£ .,* 3 'S
J 3 3-3
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l-gl
OJ OJ
•a &
oj oj p >* b
•3 -3 |3 £ 2
OJ OJ
i 52
aj i " *" b 03
x3 -3 3 3 '3 -3
d
_CJ
-,—
_«
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^-
•** •** -*J
fi
*-• ^- HH» -** •*» •**
O
~§
"S
~3
99
09
•g
9
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2
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^3
.•j
J
PH
PI
pi
Pi
pij
p.
a
a
a
a
a"
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OJ
V
9J
OJ
B
1
o
a
8
j
1
1
£
OJ
g
•
1 The impersonal pronoun is never emphasized ; the stress is always on the preposition or verb.
a Mun is the commonest form of "them" in North Devon and the Exmoor district of Somerset, but
it is never emphasized. When emphasis is required, it is laid on the preposition or verli.
38 INDEFINITE PERSONAL PRONOUNS.
was a bad job for you. I saw you both. Did you hear him ?
Have you heard it ? "Would you know it (i.e. some definite
object) if you saw it ? Put the cover on it (definite). There's
nothing in it (indef.). OKve her her dues. Let her go.
Bring us a few pears. I'll give you some. He followed them.
She brought them to them. He took them away from them."
The objective indirect, as given by Dr. Murray, cannot be
expressed so clearly in our dialect, but amongst speakers this
is done by intonation or emphasis, as : Gee mee yur an'.
Tuul mee' au'l u-baewd ut. Ttouz u bae'ud jawb mir yue, dhaat
dhae'ur wau'z. Aay zeed yue, boo'udh oa' ee. Ded ee yuur ee' ?
V-ee u-yuurd oa dhaat dhae'ur ? Wid ee noa dhik neef ee zeed-n ?
The emphatic form of IT has no equivalent with us.
Doa'n-ee bee zu aa'rd pun 'ee. Lat uur goo-lau'ng. Bring
zum * pai'urz tu wee. Aa'l gee yue u me. U vauleed dhai.
Meanings : "Give ME your hand. Tell ME all about it. That
was a bad job for YOU. I saw YOU both. Did you hear
HIM ? Have you heard of IT ? Would you know IT (def.)
if you saw it ? Don't be so hard upon HIM. Let HER go !
Bring us some pears. I'll give YOU a few. He followed
THEM."
"We cannot join two pronouns, as in " give it me, or give
me it," we must say gee un tu mee; but we can join a pro-
noun and a demonstrative, as gee mee dhik.
Our dhai corresponds to French on; dhai du zai = on dit.
Dhai bee gee'een vaawur-n ziks vur baa'rlee, means that 4s. Qd.
per bushel is the market price for barley. Dhai zuls suy'dur
bee dhu pak, un dhai wak'nz thuurtee pak tue u auk'saed,
means that cider is usually sold by the peck, and that thirty
pecks go to a hogshead.
Our indefinite personal pronouns are dhai and un'ee-bau'dee
(anybody), and these are quite as much used by us as on is by
the French. Interrogatively we use ur, and inasmuch as a
large proportion of the sentences in ordinary talk end in an
interrogative phrase, this form must not be lost sight of.
TTn'ee-bau'dee-d luyk vur tu goo, wid-n ur naew? "One would
1 Some is pronounced zawm when emphasized, but when spoken quickly it is
zum or even zm, if a vowel follows.
VARIOUS MEANINGS OF Ur. 39
like (for) to go, would one not now?" The distinction be-
tween dhai and un'ge-bau'dee, as indefinite pronouns, is that
the former excludes the speaker as on dit, while the latter in-
cludes the speaker as on pent. Both forms are construed as
plural, although by the context it is clear that only one
person is referred to. Du au'vees due u'nee-bau'de'e u suyt oa
geo'd, " It always does one a sight of good." The amount of
benefit received by anything whatever, from a shower of
rain or a dressing of manure, to a kuup oa suydur, is in-
variably " a sight o' good." Tid-n sae'&m-z au'f un'ee-bau'dSe
keod goo', dhurzuul'y " It is not as though one could go, them-
selves." U'n'ec-bau'de'e mud ivuurk dhur ving'urz1 tu loo'unz
neef dhai tvuol, un dhai wid-n git thang'kee vaur* ut nuudh'ur,
"One might work their fingers to bones if they will, and
they would not get ' thank you ' for it neither." The same
rule applies to the other compounds, sunrbaudee, noa'baudee,
uwureebau'dee, etc.3
From the foregoing, it will be seen that ur does duty in
particular cases for six different persons, besides represent-
ing other parts of speech ; daed'ur ? may be did /, did hey
did she, did ice, did you, did one, according to the context.
Affirmatively it is unemphatic for uurt she, her ; also for our
and for or.
1 Finger is always pronounced ving-ur, not ving-gur.
z The 3rd person singular un and plural urn are the Ags. hine, heom, E.E. hin,
hem, 'em, the h being lost, as in the singular ee, at, u, Old English a. " Let his
father be what a will." — Shaksp. Merch. Ven. ii. 2. So, "Your charm so strong
works 'em." — Tempest, v. 1. The feminine uur, ur, is the Ags. heo, E.E. ho,
hoo, with loss of initial h and addition of r, which has left it identical with the
objective her, although quite distinct in history. (R, as already observed, is
added to many words which originally ended in a vowel.) The Northern she (so
slowly accepted in Southern English) is only used as an emphatic objective.
Them is not yet accepted, though their is'; Chaucer used they, but not their nor
them. My impression as to the interrogative ees for I, is that it is not derived
from ieh, though, when ieh was falling into desuetude in the district, it may have
been confounded with the plural us, and have left ees as the resultant. The use
of us, in the nom. plural interrogative, may be compared with Shakspere's frequent
shall's : " Shall' s to the Capitol ? " — Coriol. iv. 6. 148, where I do not believe in
Dr. Abbott's explanation of shall as an impersonal verb. /, he, she, are frequent
as emphatic objectives, and thee as emphatic nominative in Shakspere : " The
hand of she here — what's her name?" — A. & C. iii. 13. "1 am not thee."
— Timon, iv. 3. But Shakspere critics are very unwilling to admit the dialectal
character of much of his language, for dialects are to most of them " vulgar,"
and, what is worse, unknown domains. — M.
40 GRAMMAR OF THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS.
The adjective possessives are maay (unemph. mee, ml, rarely
mu), dhaay, dhuy (unemph. dhee, dhi, rarely dhu}, eez (unem-
phatic ez, z, s), uur (unemph. ur), aawur, yoa'&r, yue (unemph.
yur, ee), dhae'iir, dhur. The absolute possessives are maayn,
muyn, dhaayn, dhuyn, eez, uurz, aawurz, yoa'urz, dhae'urz.
Wuur-z mi aa't ? " Where is my hat ? " Ez ut maay
tuurn ? " Is it my turn ? " Dhik'ee dhae'ur-z muyn, " That
is mine." Zeed aawur Jan ? " (Have you) seen our John ? "
Dhai bee'iis bee aaivurz, " Those bullocks are ours." Dhee-s
u-broa'kt dhi buut"chez> " Thou hast torn thy breeches."
Dhaats dhuy due'in,1 "That is thy doing." T-wuz dhuyn, "It
was thine." Dhae'urz yur muun'ee, " There is your money."
T-ez yoa'iir bai'g, " It is your bag." T-wau'd-n yoa'urz, " It was
not yours." V-ee gid-n-z mai't ? " Have you given him his
food?" Uur aa't ur ai'd, "She hit her head." Aay bee saa'f
t-wuz eez (uur) traa'k, "I am sure it was his (her) footprint."
Uw d-ee noa t-ez eez, uurz ? " How do you know it is his,
hers?" His'n, her'n, our'n, your'n, their' n, are not heard
with us. In speaking to children yue instead of yoa'ur (or
ee for yur when short), is constantly used. Yue an, yiie aa't,
ee jaa^kut, etc., " Tour hand, your hat, your jacket."
Mu, dhu (my, thy), are spoken in the Exmoor district and
in North Devon, but they are not general in West Somerset.
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS.
These are ue both nominative and objective, possessive uez.
Weech, wau't (or haut'}.
Ue dued-ut ? " Who did it ? " Ue ded' ur gee- un tue ?
" To whom did he give it ? " Uez ez' ut ? " Whose is it ? "
Aay doa-noa uez taiz, " I do not know whose it is." Weech
wai bee gwaa-yn ? " Which way are you going ? " Wau't b-ee
baewt? "What are you about?" Haut' b-ee aak'teen oa?
" What are you doing ?"
Weech is never used quite alone, as in "which was it?"
1 The inflexion of the present participle has generally been written eon, which
represents the most usual sound ; but in cases where it follows a very accented
syllable, as in the above sentence, the final syllable is much shortened, and to ex-
press this it is written in.
INTERROGAT1VES, RELATIVES. 41
but if no noun is expressed, as " which man," etc., it is always
toeech oa-m ? " "Which of them ? " Sometimes, however,
weech-ee ? is heard, but this is not general except with
certain individuals, and by them weech'Se is never made the
nominative of a sentence, but is the simple interrogatory,
corresponding to the ordinary English which ?
The possessive uez is also scarcely ever heard alone, or
except before a noun, expressed or understood, as Uez aewz ez
dhaat ? (see p. 32, Demonstratives). Uez duuks bee dhai ?
" Whose ducks are those ? "
Wau't is used indefinitely, as ichat? i.e. "What do you
say ? " Wau-t-l-te gee ? " What will you give ? "
In those cases where the interrogative is governed by a
preposition, this latter is always placed last in the clause.
Ue wau'z-ut &e zaed ut tue ? " Who was it you said it to ? "
Ue wuz um tau'k&en ubaewt? "Who were they talking about?"
Ue ded ur git dhik dau'g vrau'tn ? " Who did he (or she) get
that dog from ? " Uez au's ez ur gwaa'yn tu vach um wai ?
" Whose horse is he going to fetch them with ?" Ue daed ee
baai/ dhai tae'udeez oa ? " Whom did you buy those potatoes
of? " Uez kaa'rt daed um kau'm een ? " Whose cart did they
come in ? "
THE RELATIVE.
Our relatives are dhut and waut or haut ; which and
whose are never so used, and indeed, whenever we can, we
get rid of relatives altogether, as Dhurz dhai kn tuul ee.
Aay noa'us u mae'un l-due vau'r &e, " I know a man (who)
will do for you." Dhur wuz moo'ur-n fau'rtee keod'n git een,
"There were more than forty (who) could not get in." Aa'l
shoa' £e dhu voa'ks l-man'ij ut, " I will show you the people
(who) will manage it (see p. 34, Indefinite Pronouns). With
us as is never used as a relative. We could not say " the
man as did it ;" we should say, dhu mae'un waut dued ut.
Want is used rather for stress, and in all cases dhut might be
substituted. Dhu aewz ee kn-zee' dhu ai'nd oa, " The house
you can see the end of." In East Somerset as is used for
the relative, thus, Dhu maan uz aad ut, " The man who had
it ; " but not in our district.
42 RELATIVE AND COMPOUND PRONOUNS.
We have no short method of expressing the relative pos-
sessive. To convey the idea that "the man, whose house
was burnt, lives here," we should say, dhu mae'un want ud
u-gau'ut ez aewz u-buurnd du ke'v yuur. Dhu maa'yd dhut
ad ur yuung mae'un u-kee'iild, "The girl whose lover was
killed." Dhu uum'un ee du noa dhu zun oa, "The woman
whose son you know." Dhu dau'g haut ud u-gawut ez lag
u-uurnd oa'vur, " The dog whose leg was run over." Dhu tree
ee zoa'uld dhu aa'plz (or pai'chez) oa'f-oa,1 z dai'd, " The tree
from off which you sold the apples, is dead." Observe that
fruit is not a noun with us, and that its particular sort
must be specified. To fruit is a verb neuter. Dhik'ee tree du
frue'tee wuul.
"We should use what and which indefinitely, without their
nouns, as kaa'n zee want un'eebaud'ee-z ubaewt, " One cannot
see what one is doing." Doa'noa weech tai'z, "I do not
know which it is." Notice the omission of the nominative
pronoun (see p. 34).
Waut'sumduvur is seldom used except as an intensitive,
as : Uur wud-n gee' un nuufeen waut'sumduvur, " She would
(not) give him nothing whatsoever."
COMPOUND PRONOUNS.
Compound Personal Pronouns are made by the addition of
zuul or zuulz to the possessive pronouns, as
mizuul' dhizuuT ez- or urzuu.1'
muyzuul (emp.) dhuyzul (emp.) ee'z-oruur-zuul'(emp.)
urzuul-z yurzuul'z dhurzuul'z
aawurzuul-z (emp.) yoa-urzuul-z (emp.) dhae-urzuul-z (emp.)
The use of either zuul or zuulz in the plural seems to be a
matter of individual choice. Aa'l due ut mizuut, " I will do
it myself." Shaa'n bawdhur muyzuul, " I shall not bother
myself." Ee-d nuv'ur uuree ez-zuul", " He would never
hurry himself." Dhai oa'n uurt dhae-urzuul'z or -zuul, "The}'-
will not hurt themselves." Any of these possessives can be
1 Of is spoken in two ways — where it would mean in received English off from,
as in this example, it is always oa-/. So also left off is laf oa-f, but of side is
awf zuyd.
CLASSES OF VERBS. 43
still further strengthened by the insertion of oan (own), as
Aay dued ut au'l mi-own zuul', " I did it all my own self."
Dliai aa'n u-gawut noa'baud£e mils bud dhur oa'n zunlz,
" They have nobody else besides their own selves." This is a
common description of a married couple without incumbrance.
VERBS.
If we were to classify the verbs in the "West Somerset
Dialect according to their actual tense-inflexions, irrespec-
tive of historical considerations, they might be arranged in
four divisions, viz. : 1. verbs which add t, d, or ^td, for the
past tense, to which «- is prefixed for the participle; 2. verbs
which drop this t or d (except in special cases) in the past
tense and participle, and then have the past the same as the
present ; 3. verbs which form the past tense and participle
by vowel change (the participle still having the prefix M-) ;
4. verbs which at the same time change the vowel and add -t
or d. Comparison with the older forms of the language
shows that the first two divisions contain the originally weak
verbs, those in division 2 having in this dialect dropped the
t or d of the past ; the two latter contain originally strong
verbs, division 4 having the peculiarity that the termination
of the weak verbs has been added to the original strong past.
This fondness for the weak inflexion is a remarkable cha-
racteristic of the dialect ; it will be seen in the sequel that
the number of strong verbs which it retains either in their
original strong form, or with the addition of -t, -d, is very
small ; all the remainder, as far as they continue in the
dialect, have become weak.
WEAK VERBS.
I. Verbs ending in a vowel or in r add -d for the past
tense, as —
lai-, laa-y lard, laa'yd u-lard, u-laa'yd to lie or lay.1
paa-y paa'yd u-paa*yd
1 "We make no difference between the intransitive to lie doivn and transitive to
lay down. But lie=mentiri, is not used as a verb ; a liar does not lie, but tuulz
luyz.
44
WEAK VERBS.
duy
ae-u
duyd
ae-ud
zee
zee'd
groa, grao'u
kroa, krao'ii
noa-, nao-u
bauree
groa'd, grao-ud
kroa'd, krao'ud
noa'd, nao'ud
baureed
maar'ee
maar-eed
yuur
shee-ur
yuurd
shee-urd
zwae-ur
zwae'urd
wae-ur
wae-urd
u-duyd
u-ae'iid
u-zee-d
u-groa-d, u-grao ud
u-kroa'd, u-kracrud
u-noa-d, u-na<rud
u-baureed
u-maareed
u-yuurd
u-shee'urd
u-zwae-urd
u-wae'urd
to die
have
see
grow
crow
know
borrow
marry
hear
shear
swear
wear
Rarely the vowel of the past tense is contracted or modified,
as —
gee
zai-
gid
zaed
u-gid
u-zaed
II. In verbs ending in a consonant, the -d of the past tense
and past participle (which after k, sh, ch, s,1 p, f, becomes -t)
falls away, except when followed by a vowel ; in that case it is
pronounced as the initial of the following word, as : Uur kaech
dhu bwuuyz, "She caught the boys;" but Uur kaech't u bae'ud
koa'l, "She caught a bad cold." Dhai icee'sh Mae^uree-d
u-kau'm, " They wished Mary had come." Dhai wee'sh-t uur
ad-n, "They wished she had not" (or "had him"). Ee laa'rf
boo'udh zuydz uv ez maewdh, " He laughed both sides of his
mouth." Ee laa'rf -t oa-ur, "He laughed at her" (literally of
her ; we never laugh at a person or thing). Aay wai'v tai'n
yaa'rd u-voa'tir brak'sus, " I wove ten yards before breakfast."
Uur wai'v-d awl dhu pees, " She wove all the piece." Ee lee'v
tu Taa'nun, " He lived at Taunton." Ee lee'v-d au'p t-ee'til,
" He lived up at (the) hill."
After t or d, and sometimes after n, no inflexion is added,
even before a vowel, as ee wau'n t-ab'-m? " He wanted to
have him or it." Jan wawnt au'l dhu lout, "John wanted
all the lot." Dh-oa-l mae'un wid dhu paa'z au'l oa'vur, " The
old man weeded the paths all over." Ee'v u-wid' um klee'un,
" He has weeded them clean." Ee'v u-spai'n uvuree vaa'rdn
1 th would come here, but I do not know of any verb in the dialect in -th.
2 Here the final t in wawnt is dropped, in consequence of the next word be-
ginning with <, as before shown, p. 27.
STRONG AND MODIFIED WEAK VERBS.
45
ee'v u-gaut', " He has spent every farthing he has." In
dissyllabic verbs, such as vras'l wrestle, zad'l saddle, rak'n
or vrak'n (vr=Ags. r) reckon, drat'n threaten, snaa'rdl snarl,
baal'uns balance, vaa'rngesh varnish, bau'dum bottom, the in-
flexional -d is not generally pronounced in rapid speech
before a consonant, especially in familiar words, though at
times it may be heard. But in all these consonantal verbs
the -ud is sometimes pronounced as a distinct syllable, especi-
ally when the meaning is emphasized ; as bae'uk, bae'uk-ud,
baked. Indeed, in the hill district, this appears to be the
usual form with verbs in k, g, t, d, p, b, v. Again, this
full form has a kind of frequentative force, when the verb
is used simply intransitively, or as a " verb of complete
predication " without an object, as Ee bae'ukitd dree tuymz
u Zun'di, "He baked three times a (=on) Sunday." Dhai
au'sez plmvud zab'tn aawtirz, " Those horses ploughed, i.e.
kept on ploughing, seven hours." Aay groa'pud gin aay
vawcn un> "I continued groping against (=till) I found him."
The past participle follows the same rule ; thus, Aay-v
u-draash'ud au'l-z wik, " I have been threshing all this week."
Uur-v u-wai'vud awl ur luyv, "She has woven, i.e. been a
weaver, all her life."
The following verbs, of the strong conjugation or weak
and irregular in Standard English, are weak in our dialect :
bear, bite, blow, crow, grow, come, draw, drink, fall, fight,
fly, fling, forsake, freeze, give, go, hang, hide, hold, know,
lead, lie, read, ring, run, shake, shrink, shoot, see, sing, sink,
sling, spin, spit, spring, stink, swear, swim, swing, throw,
wear, weave, win, wring.
Do, as a technical verb (see p. 71), is thus conjugated :
due, due'd, u~due'd, u-duun'd, in which the originally redupli-
cated past, dede, dyde, is treated as a regular weak past of due.
III. The modified weak verbs existing in the dialect are :
bring
braa-t
u-braa-t
to bring
buy
bairt
boa-fit
u-bau't )
u-boa-ut )
„ buy
dhingk
dhoa'ut
dhau't
u-dhoa'fit }
u-dhau't |
,, think
zul, sul
zoa-ul(d)
u-zoa'ul(d)
,, sell
46 ENGLISH STRONG VERBS, WEAK IN THE DIALECT.
toa'ul(d)
mae'ud
u-toa-ul(d)
u-mae'ud
to tell
,, make
tuul
mae-uk
To these add the preteritive verbs :
kan keo-d can
wul wid will
shaa'l sheo'd shall
mid, mud mid, mud may
Wuurk has past wuurk(t), -ud, while vroa'ut is used only
as an adjective in vroa'ut uyur, "wrought iron."
The following list contains the strong verbs and modified
weak verbs of Standard English, which in the West Somerset
dialect are treated as regular weak verbs :
PRESENT.
PAST.
PAST PARTICIPLE.
bear
bae'ur
.bae'iird
u-bae'urd
begin
beegee-n
beegee*n(d
u-beegee-n(d
beseech
beesarch
beesarch(t
u-beesai'cb(t
bleed
blid
blid
u-blid-
blow
bloa
bloa-(d, bloa'u(d
u-bloaf(d
breed
bree'd
bree-d
u-bree-d
build
bee'ul
bee-ul(d
( u-bee ul(d
( u-bee'uldud
catch
kaech
kaech(t
u-kaech-(t
cleave, i.e.
klai'v
klai-vud
u-klai'vud
adhere
clothe
kloa'udh
kloa'udh
u-kloa-udh
kloa-udhud
u-kloa-udhud
( kau'm
kau-m(d
u-kau-m(d
come
( kum
kum(d
u-kum(d
crow
kroa
kroad, kroa'ud
u-kroa-d, u-kroa-ud
deal
dae*ul
dae'ul(d, dae'ulud
u-dae-ul(d, u-dae'ulud
do
due
due'd, daed1
u-due'd, u-duun-d
j
( draa1
draa'd
u-draa-d
draw
( drae
drae-ud
u-drae'ud
drink
dringk
dringk(t
u-dringk'(t
eat
art
art
u-ai't
fall
vaa-1
vaa'l(d
u-vaai(d
fling
vling
vling(d
u-vling-(d
fly
vluy
vluyd
u-vluyd
forsake
vursae'uk
vursae-uk(t
u-vursae-iik(t
1 This form is used in negative or interrogative phrases, as Aay daed-n zai zoa,
"I did not say so." Daed yue gee oa-urt tue ut ? "Did you give ought to it?" i.e.
did you subscribe ? It may be taken as the periphrastic form of the past tense ;
while if a definite action is implied in the verb «fo, the past tense is diie'd, as :
Wuy daed-n ee due muy biz-gee ee-ns yue prau-mees ? Ee ul bee u-due'd um-buy,
" Why did you not do (i.e. repair) my mattock as you promised? He will be re-
paired by and bye." It will be found, spelt both ded and daed, representing varie-
ties of pronunciation, the latter being most common.
ENGLISH STRONG VERBS, WEAK IN THE DIALECT. 47
freeze
vree-z
vree'z(d
u-vree'z(d
grow
groa'
groa'd, groa'ud
u-groa'd, u-groa'ud
hang
ang
ang(d
u-ang-(d
hew
yao-
yao'd
u-yao'd
hit
aa-t
aa't
u-aa't
hold
oa-l(d
oa-l(d
u-oa-l(d, u-oa-ldud
keep
keep
keep(t
u-keep-(t
kneel
nee'iil
nee-ul(d
u-nee-ul(d
know
noa-u, nao'
noa-ud, nao'd
u-noa'ud, u-nao'd
leave
laef-
laef-(t
u-laef-(t
, ,
( lairs
lau-s(t
u-lau*s(t
lose
( leo-z
leo-z(d
u-leo*z(d
( mid
mid
may
( mud
mud
meet
meet
meet
u-meet*
ring
ring
ring(d
u-ring(d
run
uurn
uur-n(d
u-uurn(d
see
zee*
zee'd
u-zee-d
shed = spill
shaud
shaud
u-shaud'
shoe
shue
shue'd
u-shue-d 2
shoot
shuut
shuut
u-shuut'
en T*I TI IT
( zhringk
zhringk(t
u-zhringh*(t
Olll HilV
( zringk
zringk(t
u-zringk*(t
sing
zing
zing(d
u-zing-(d
sink
zingk
zingk(t
u-zingk'(t
slide
zluyd
zluyd, zluydud
u-zluyd, u-zluydud
sling
zling
zling(d
u-zling'(d
slink
zlingk
zlingk (t
u- zlingk' (t
sow
sew'
> zoa*
zoa-d, zoa'ud
u-zoa*d, u-zoa-ud
spend
sparn
spai'n(d
u-spai*n(d
spin
spee'n
spee-n(d
u-spee-n(d
spring
spring
spring(d
u-spring-(d
sting
sting
sting (d
u-sting'(d
stink
stingk
stingk(t
u-stingk-(t
strive
stray'v
struyv(d
u-struyv(d
sweep
zweep
zweep(t
u-zweep-(t
swim
zwum
zwum(d
u-zwiim'(d
swing
zwing
zwing(d
u-zwing*(d
teach
tai'ch
tai-ch(t
u-tai-ch(t
throw
droa*
droa-ud, droa'd
u-droa-ud, u-droa-d
weave
wai'v
wai'v, wai'vud
u-wai'v, u-wai-vud
win
wee*n
wee-n(d
u-ween-(d
wring
vring
vring(d
u-vring(d
1 loose is not used as a verb ; lurs is a common adjective, and generally ex-
presses diarrhoea, rarely the ordinary meaning.
2 We use in addition the participial adjective shaud and u-shattd', as wat- shaud
wetshod, druyshaud dryshod. Ee wuz vur-ee wuul' u-shaud-, " He was very well
shod."
48
STRONG VERBS WITH WEAK INFLEXION ADDED.
To drown is peculiar ; it is conjugated thus, both forms
being equally common :
draewn draewn u-draewn
draewnd draewndud u-draewndud
STRONG VERBS.
I. The following are the only strong verbs retained in
their simple form :
u-bun to be
u-baewn(d ,, bind
u-graewn(d, u-graewndud grind
bee
buyn
gruyn
vuyn
vruyt
bruyd
trai'd
git
vurgit*
zit
stan
goo
wau'z, wuz
baewn(d
graewn(d
vaewn(d
vroa'ut
hroa-ud, braud'
troa'iid
gau't, goa'ut
u-vaewn(d find
u-vroa'ut write
u-roa-ud, u-raud' ride
u-troa'ud tread
u-gau-t, u-goa'ut get
vurgau't, -goa'ut u-vurgau't, -goa'ut forget
zairt, zoa'ut u-zau't, u-zoa'ut sit or set
steo'd u-steo'd stand
wai-nt u-goo', u-gau-n go
U-gau'n is used adverbially for ago, sometimes for gone, i.e.
deceased; zoa dhu poo'ur oal dau'ktur-z u-gawn (dead).
II. The following verbs, originally strong, have the weak
termination superadded in the past participle, and also in the
past tense when a vowel follows, or when the verb ends in r :
brai'k
broa*k(t
u-broa'kt t
o break
drai'v
droa'v(d
u-droa'vd
drive
spai'k
spoa-k(t
u-spoa'kt
speak
klai-v
kloa-v(d
u-kloa'vd 1
cleave, i.e.
to split
stae'ul
stoa'l(d
u-stoa'ld
steal
tae'ur
toa'urd
u-toa'urd
tear
tae'uk
t^ok(t
u-teokt
take
kree*p
kroa-p(t
u-kroa'pt
creep
klum
kloa'm(d
u-kloa*md
climb
ruyz
roa-uz(d
u-roa'uzd
raise
To these may be added the past participles .... u-bau'rnd,
born, from bae'ur, not used in this sense actively, and u-duun'd,
another form of u-due'd, from do, see p. 71. Ee wuz u-bau'rnd
u-voa'ur uz tuym, "He was born before his time." A labourer
would say to his employer, Haut mus ees goo baewd nuw, plavz ?
Also weak claef, claef(t), u-klaef-tttd.
THE INTRANSITIVE INFLEXION. 49
aay-v u-duun'd dhik'te aj', " What must I go about now,
please ? I have done (i.e. finished) that hedge."
The foregoing lists are believed to contain all, or nearly
all, the verbs used in the dialect, which do not fall under the
regular division of weak verbs.
The formation of the past participle by the prefix M- is
common to all verbs alike.1
FORMATION OF THE SIMPLE TENSES.
Transitive verbs have a distinct form to express the per-
formance of the action, without an object, which may be
called the intransitive form or form of complete predication ;
thus, transitive, he digs the garden, he wrote a letter ; intransi-
tive, he digs for a livelihood, he wrote with vigour.
The intransitive form adds the termination -ee (or -i) to
the present infinitive2 with all tenses in which it is used. In
the dialect the use of the periphrastic form with do, and of
the auxiliary verbs generally, is so much the rule that the
infinitive of the principal verb is the part most used in ordi-
nary sentences, while the tense, state, etc., are formed by the
auxiliaries.
1 This u (usually written a- in dialect works) is the Old English (and German)
ge-, contracted soon after 1100 to i-, y-. It was lost from the Northern dialect
very early; in the Midland it was disappearing in Chaucer's time, though he
frequently uses it :
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours i-ronne,
but
At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.
With the widening into u-, compare the occasional use of a for »' =w in Tudor
English.— M.
2 This -Ze or -t (often written -y in Western dialect works) is understood to be
the last vestige of the Anglo-saxon infinitive -an, -ian, retained in a special con-
struction. This termination disappeared from the Northern dialect soonest, and
was preserved in the Southern much longer even than in the Midland. In the
North it had become -a, -e, before the tenth century, and was totally lost before
1250. But in the Southern dialect the Ancren Riwle, about 1200, has always
the full form in -en. In the Ayenbite of Inwyt, 1340, this is mostly ie, i, y, or e,
" his hous mid greate streng^e wolde loky." Data for connecting this with the
"free infinitive of the modern South-western dialects are not forthcoming;
but the probable course was, that as the final vowel was already by Robert of
Gloucester, 1298, elided before a word beginning with a vowel, it came at length
to be dropped before any word, and retained only when the infinitive was not
followed by an object. Its history would thus be analogous to that of mine, my:
min was first used in all positions, then contracted to mi before a consonant, then
finally before a vowel also, leaving mine as an absolute or independent form. In
both cases a contraction, originally euphonic, has developed a syntactical distinc-
tion : my house, the house is mine; so tu dig graewn, tu draa-ahee un diyee. — M.
50
FORMATION OF THE TENSES.
Pres. Actual
Past General
„ Emphatic
Imperfect
VEEB DIG.
Indicative.
TBANSITIVE.
aay, ee, etc. du dig
Pres. Habitual \ aay, ee, etc. digz
(dhu graewn)
aay bee u-dig'een
aay, ee, etc. dig
(dhu graewn)
aay, ee, etc. dig'd
(au-1 dhu laut)
aay daed' dig
( aay wuz u-dig'een
( (dhu graewn)
•n * TT TU 7 f aaY yue'z tii dig
Past Habitual | {d4 graewn)
Subjunctive.
(neef aay digz (dhu
graewn)
neef aay du dig
neef aay bee u-dig'een
( neef aay dig (dhu
graewn)
( neef aay dud J dig
Actual
INTRANSITIVE.
aay du dig'ee
aay dig'us
(the same as the Transitive}.
aay dig-ud
aay dud dig'ee
aay daed' dig'ee
(same as the Transitive].
aay yue'z tu dig'ee
neef aay dig'us
neef aay du dig'ee
(same as the Transitive}.
Past General
Imperfect
neef aay dig'ud
neef aay dud l dig'ee
neef aay wauz u-dig'een (same as the Transitive).
Imperative.
dig (dhu graewn) dig'ee !
Infinitive.
tu dig (dhu graewn) tu dig'ee
tu bee u-dig'een (same as the Transitive").
Participle and Gerund.
dig'een, u-dig'een, u-dig'een oa.
tue u-dig (dhu graewn) u-dig-ud*
tue u-dig'd (ut)
tue-v u-dig tue-v u-dig-ud
It will be seen from the above, and from the following ex-
amples, that we add the ee termination to the imperative as
well as the infinitive when used intransitively.
Examples. Aay du wuur'k tu kaa-fmdureen, "I work at
carpentering." Aay graewn dhu grees', " I ground the grist."
Present
Pres. Habitual
Actual
Present
Past
1 This is really equivalent to if I should dig, i.e. pure hypothesis.
2 It should he noted here that tv-
contraction of have, i.e. to have dug.
2 It should he noted here that the u is not the participial prefix, hut is \
The prefix is here dropped for euphony.
the
EXAMPLES OF THE USE OF THE VARIOUS TENSES. 51
Neef aay du vach-n au-m, " If I fetch him (it) home.
aay dud dma'sh dhu wai't, " If I should thrash the wheat."
Aay da icuur'kee tuur'ubl aa'rd, "I work terribly hard." Aew
dhu dringk du wuurkee ! " How the beer works (ferments) ! "
Ee graewnud au'l nai't, "He kept on grinding all night."
Neef uur du mul'kee zeo'n unuuf', " If she milk soon enough."
Neef aay draa'shud vaa'stur-n dhai, "If I thrashed faster than
they." Wee wuur'kus, muyn /" We work, remember !" Yue
daed-n gruyn un vut'ee, "You did not grind it properly."
Neef aay vach'ez-n, aa'l ai't-n, "If I fetch it, I'll eat it."
Neef yue mtz vur draa'shee lig ee', yue-d lee u mae'un, shoa'ur
Unuuf • I "If you were to thrash like him, you would be a man,
sure enough!" Dhee zing dhik zau'ng ! sfyuur? "Sing thou
that song ! dost hear ? " Kau'm naew ! zing'ee lig u mae'un,
"Come now! sing like a man." Leok shaa'rp! dig'ee vur dhee
luyv, " Look sharp ! dig for your life." Ee aa'ks mee vu-ruyt
u ladr vau'r-n, "He asked me to write a letter for him." Aay
waud-n ae-ubl tit vruyt mee-zuul', "I was not able to write
myself." Tu vruy'tee wuul', muyn, -z maa'yn aa'rd, "To write
well, remember, is main hard." Ee'z u kaa'pikul skau'lurd —
muy bwuuy ; ee-kn fig-wee lig u mae'un, "He's a capital
scholar — my boy ; he can cipher like a man." Aay wuz jist
u-weesh'een vaur' ee, un dhae'iir yue bee ! " I was just wishing
for you, and there you are!" Aa'v-ee braa't dhu plaa'ns? aay
zee'd ee dig'een oa-m au'p, " Have you brought the plants ? I
saw you digging (of) them up." Wau't due ur due' ? Ee
wai'vus. Doa'tin ! due" ur ? Ee due' ; ee du wai'vee daewn
taeicn mee'ulz', " What does he do ? he weaves. Doesn't !
does he ? He does ; he weaves down (at the) town mills."
Uul'oa dhan, soa-us ! haut bee aa'kteen oa? "Holloa then,
my mates ! what are you doing ? " Draa'shee uwai, mee
bwuuy ! " Thrash away, my boy ! "
The nominative pronoun is often omitted, as : Du zing'ee,
doa'un ur ? " (He) sings, does he not ? " Du kaech wauns,
doa'n ur ? " (He) catches wants, does he not ? " (i.e. he is a
mole-catcher).
The inflexions given above, digz, dig'us, dig(d, dig'ud, are
common to all persons, in both numbers. But instead of the
52 THE INFINITIVE MOOD, GERUND, ETC.
form -in -s, the old inflexion in -th is also found, not only in
the 3rd person singular and plural, but even in the 1st, as :
ee u'au'kth, dhai zaeth, dhai lee't'th, ee uurnth (he runs), dhai
gruynth, ee uundurstan'th, dhai wuur'kth, aay lee'vth, aay zaeth'
(I says). This form is still common in our hill-country dis-
trict, but throughout the great vale of West Somerset it is
becoming rare, except with old people, so that the peri-
phrastic (J du wau'kee, etc.) is now the most usual form of
expression for the unemphatic indicative and subjunctive
moods. The form of the principal verb in -th is unemphatic ;
but the emphatic assertions he has, he does, which in the vale
district are ee aa'v, ee due', would be, in the hill district and
throughout North Devon, ee aa'th, ee duth'.
The inflexions of the auxiliaries for the various persons are
given further on, and at the end of these will be found the
full conjugation of the verb in all the moods and tenses, by
the aid of auxiliaries.
The infinitive is used without any preposition after auxili-
aries, etc., as in ordinary English : Dhai wud-n wai'ree noa
moo'ur, "They would not weave any longer." Lat urn zee,
" Let them see." Aay yuur'd um zai', " I heard them say."
Also with to, as : Aay shud luyk t-ab-m, " I should like to
have it (him)." The infinitive of purpose is expressed by
vur (like French pour}, as : Ee daed-n goo' vur due ut, " He did
not intend to do it." Dhai aa'n gau't noa'urt vur ai't, "They
have not got anything to eat." Both infinitives are often
expressed by for to, as : JJur wau'ntud vur tu buyd au'm
tu-maa'ru, an yiie plai'z, " She (i.e. my wife) would wish to
stay at home to-morrow, an you please." Dhai aa'n u-gau'ut
noa kloa-uz vur tu goo' wai, " They have not got any clothes
(for) to go with," i.e. to wear.
The gerund, or verbal noun, and participle, or verbal adjec-
tive, have the same form, as: Ee-z u noa'eenfuul'ur, bud wau't-s
dhu geo'd tue un oa noa'een ? " He is a knowing fellow, but
what's the good to him of knowing ? "
[The form used with the verb to be seems to be that of the
verbal noun. Aay bee u-zing'een, is really " I am at or in
singing." Ego sum in cantando, not ego sum cantans. That
THE PARTICIPIAL PREFIX. THE HISTORIC PRESENT. 53
the gerund is so derived in ordinary English is well known :
" I found it in ploughing the field," being a late contraction
of, " I found it in ploughing of the field," or more fully, " I
found it in the ploughing of the field." Compare the Somerset
Aay zee'd-n u-pluween oa dhu vee'ul. In Scotch and some
Northumbrian dialects, on the contrary, it is the true parti-
ciple in -and which is used with the verb to be, "I am
singan(d), he was plewan(d) the field," quite distinct from "I
found it in pleuw-een the field." The English participle in
-ing is a compromise between the two, for it has dropped the
prefix of the Southern, and the distinctive termination of the
Northern.— J. A. H. M.]
The prefix u- (u} of the present and past participles is
generally preserved, but frequently omitted for euphony's sake
after a short vowel, and always when the participles are used
adjectively ; as : Aay b£e zing' een, but emphatically, Aay bee'
u-zing'een, "I am singing." Ee~z u maa'reed mae'un, "He is a
married man." In several verbs, in which the past participle
has come to be regular and weak, there is still an adjective
form like the original strong participle, as : Dhu suydur-z
au'l u-dringk't, " The cider is all drunk." Aawur Vurchut
wuz druungk-s u fud'lur, laa's nai't, " Our Richard was (as)
drunk as a fiddler, last night." Dhik'ee jau'b-s u-due'd, " That
job is done," i.e. complete. Twuz u duun' jau'b vau'r-n, " It
was a done job for him," actum erat de eo.
The use of the historic present is extremely common ; in
narrating events or conversations, such expressions as the
following are constantly used, even when what is related
happened long ago : Zoa aay zaes' tue un, s-aay, " So I says
to him, says I." U zaeth', ur zaeth', " He, she says." Zoa
s-aay, "So says I." Zoa s-ee', "So says he." Zoa s-uur,
" So says she." Ee'n ur goo'us, " In she goes." Aay au'ps
wu mee an', " I up with my hand." Aay eewz wu mee veo't,
" I in with my foot." Aay een' tu goo', or Ee'n aay goo'us^
" I went in." Aewt u kau'mth, " Out he comes."
The verb go is peculiar. The present participle and gerund
is gwavn\ the past participle is u-goo', while the adverb "ago"
is u-gau'n. Curious forms of the imperative Een' tu goo' I
" Go in ! " Aewt tu goo ! " Go out ! " are dimcult to explain.
54 VERBS FORMED FROM NOUNS — AUXILIARY VERBS.
So Au'p tu kau'm ! " Come up ! " Aewt tu kau'm ! " Come
out ! " JBaa'k tu kau'm ! " Come back ! " These expressions
are all emphatic, and would be used especially while assistance
was being given — in lending a hand, for instance.
Verbs can be coined almost at will, and there is a strong
tendency to convert nouns into verbs, even when a conven-
tional verb already exists to express the action ; such as to
beoch'uree, faa'rmuree, kaa'fmduree, taa'yulduree, blaa'ksmuthee,
uygluree (to carry on the trade of a poultry dealer or higgler),
dau'kturee, mul'uree, sheo'maek'uree, etc. The practice of
nearly all trades or professions is expressed by the noun de-
noting the practiser being converted into an intransitive and
frequentative verb, as in the examples above, by the common
inflexion of the infinitive being added. A man said to me
not long since, Aay shaa'n faa'rmuree vuur'ee nmuch lau'ng-gur,
" I shall not farm (i.e. continue farming) very much longer."
Since the above was written a man said to me, Aay due's u
lee'dl tu beoch'een, " I do a little at the trade of a butcher."
This latter has come to be the common word for "the butcher-
ing line."
AUXILIARY VERBS.
As before stated, auxiliary verbs hold in this dialect a posi-
tion much more important than in literary English ; indeed
very few of our sentences are without one. They are as follows :
bee or bu, ae'u, aa'v or uv, due, wul, shaa'l, mud (may or might)
and kan ; and inasmuch as it is difficult to give any account
of their various uses which shall be at all intelligible, I have
thought it best, seeing how large a part they play in our
speech, to collect a number of idiomatic sentences, such as
are to be heard daily, in the order of the several conjugations,
and so very fully to exemplify their use. I have in each case
taken the simple affirmative, the simple negative, the interro-
gative, and the negative interrogative.
Although I may be open to the charge of having given
undue space to these auxiliary verbs, yet their use is so im-
portant in the dialect that, independently of the general
notion of construction to be gained by a study of these
sentences, I have not felt justified in curtailing.
EXAMPLES OF THE USE OF AUXILIARY VERBS. 55
THE YEKB TO BE.
Present Affirmative.
Aay bee u-fee-urd oa ut, I am afraid of it.
Dhee, aa-rt (or dhee-rt) u muump Thou art a mump-head (very
ai'd, common phrase).
Ai-z (or uur-z) u-foo'us vur due He (or she) is forced (obliged)
ut, . . . u ai'zj to do it, ... he is (see p. 33).
Wee bee (or wee-m) au-1 oa us "We are all of us waiting, we are.
u-wau-yteen, wee bee',
Yue bee (or yue-m) vrau-ng You are wrong directed (e'.e.mis-
duraak-tud, yue bee, informed), you are.
Dhai bee au-1 u-broa-kt ' They are all broken,
(usual form in speaking of things)
Dhai-m au'l gwarn au-m They are all going home,
(usualform in speaking of persons')
Present Negative.
Aay bae-un saa-f oa ut, I am not safe (i.e. sure) of it.
Dhee aa*rt-n kwau-rtur-v u Thou art not the quarter of a
fuul'ur fellow (i.e. of a man).
Ai (or uur) id-n (or aed-n) u He (or she) is not at all likely
bee-t luyk vur tue, noa id-n, (for) to (do it), no, he is not.
Wee bae-un jish veo-lz, • We are not such fools.
Yue bae-un gwarn vur ab-m vur You are not going for to have it
noa jish mumree, yue bae-unt, for any such a price, you arenot.
(The most common mode of declining a bid.)
Dhai bae-un beo dree prae-iirts They are not above three quarters
faa't ee-t, fatted yet.
Present Interrogative Simple.
Bee aay u luyklee mae-iin vur Am I a likely man for (to) do it ?
due1 ut?
TTrt dhee gwai-n tu wuurk Art thou going to work this
s-mau-rneen ? morning V
Ez ur fiit ? Ez uur ? shoa-r ! Is lie (or she or it) fit (suitable ?)
Is he (she or it) ? sure !
(The latter is the usual expletive rejoinder to any kind of infor-
mation as to persons or things — ez ut ? shoa-r ! as to facts.)
Bee wee ae-iibl vur kaa'r-n ? Are we able to carry it ? it is too
z-t-avee, aed-n ur? heavy, is it not?
Bee yue kum aa-dr-n ? Are you come after (to fetch) it
(or him) ?
Bee dhai kaewz u-zoa-1 ? bee um Are those cows sold ? Are they
dee-ur, bee um ? dear, are they ?
Present Interrogative Negative.
Bae-un aay t-ab-m, dhun ? Am I not to have it (or him) then ?
Bee kau-m tu lae-ut, bae-un ees ? I am come too late, am I not ?
Aart-n dhee gwarn au*m tu Art thou not going home at
dun-ur tuym ? dinner time ?
56
EXAMPLES OF THE VERB "TO BE.
Aed-n ur gwai-n t-ae-u noa-un?
Bae'un wee* vur t-ae'u sau'm
oa ut, dhun ?
Bae'un uus geo-d nuuf vur ee- ?
.... vau'r ee ?
Bae'un yue u lee'dl beet tue*
vaa's, naew ?
Bae'un dhai' dhu sae'um?
Bae-un dhai' dhu sae'um voaks ?
Bae'un um maa-yn kue's ?
Is he not going to have any ?
Are we not (for) to have some
of it, then?
Are not we good enough for him ?
.... for you ?
Are you not a little too fast
(persuasive), now?
Are not they the same (things) ?
Are not they the same (persons) ?
Are they not very coarse ?
Past Affirmative.
Aay wuz jis- pun gwarn, I was just on the point of going.
Thou wast a very long while.
Thou wast there, I saw thee.
He (or she) was taken ill, was
not he (she) ?
"We were all wet through.
You were the worst of all.
They were all killed, except four,
they were.
Dhee wust u mau-rtl wuyul,
Dhee wuuz- dhae'ur, aay zee'd
dhee,
Ai (or u) wuz (or uur wuz)
u-teok bae'ud, waud-n ur ?
Wee wuz au'l wat drue,
Yue wuz dhu wus't oa-m au-l,
Dhai wuz au'l u-kee'uld, ee-n tu
vaawur, dhai wau-z,
Past Negative.
Aay waud-n unee-us dhu plae'us, I was not near the place.
Dhee wus-n tau'ld unuuf,
Ee (ai, u) or uur waud-n u beet
dhu wus- vau-r ut, wauz ur?
Wee waud-n dhae'ur zeo'nd
unuuf-, wauz- us?
Yue (or ee) waud-n ee*n t-aewz,
haun aay kau-m,
Dhai waud-n u-kaecht, noa-un
oa-m, dhai waud-n.
Thou wast not tall enough.
He or she was not any the worse
for it, was he (she) ?
We were not there soon enough,
were we ?
You were not in the house, when
I came.
They were not caught, any of
them, they were not.
Past Interrogative Simple.
Wuz aay gwai'n vur due- dhaat, Was I going to do that, dost
s-dhink? think?
Wuz dhee (or wuurt dhee) dhu Wast thou the girl ?
maa-yd ?
Wuz ee- (or uur) ee-n tu maa'rkut?
Wuz wee dhu marn yue aa-ks
vau-r
Wuz dhai bai-gz u-puut uwai- ?
Was he (or she) at the market ?
Were we the men you inquired
for?
Were those sacks put away ?
Past Interrogative Negative.
Wau-d-n aay vur tu vach-n ?
Waus-n dhee lau-ng wai un ?
Wus-n dhee druungk laa-s nai-t ?
Wau-d-n ee u-lae-useen oa un?
Was I not (i.e. had I not) to
fetch it (or) him ?
Wast not thou along with him ?
Wast thou not drunk last night?
Was not he lacing(thrashing)him ?
EXAMPLES, AUXILIARY VERBS. "TO HAVE.
57
Wau'd-n uur su bae'ud-z ee',
uvuree beet-n kreom ?
Wau'd-n wee* puurtee wuul
u-gyaa'leed ?
Wau-d-n uus vur tu staa*p ?
"Was not she as bad as Tie every
bit and crumb ?
Were we not very frightened ?
"Were we not (i.e. had we not) to
stop (remain) ?
"Were you not told to get ready
(lit. yourselves in order) ?
"Were not those your sheep ?
Wau'd-n yue u-toa'ul vur tu git
yuur zuulz een au'rdur ?
Wau'd-n dhai dhae'ur yoa'iir
sheep ?
Infinitive?-
Aaywau'rnunvurtubeeshoa-ur I warned him to be sure to be
vur tu bee dhae'ur bee tuym. there in time (betimes).
Dhai au-ftu bee u-shee'umdoaut, They ought to be ashamed of it.
TO HA VE.
Present Affirmative.
Aay-v u-zoa'ld mee eo'l, aa'n ees?
Dhee-s u-toa'urd dhee puch'ur,
as-n?
Ee'dh (or ee'v) u-wuypd au'p
dhu lun-ee, aa'nur ?
TJurv (or uurdh) u-saa'rd dhu
dhingz,
"Wee'v u-shaud' aui dhu mulk,
Yue-v u-gau-t u geo'd plae'us,
Dhai'v u-fun'eesh dhur voa*r-
neo'nz, aa*n um ?
Present
Aay aa*n u-zee'd noa'urt oa un,
Dhee as-n u-bun urad-ee, — as* ?
Ee (or ai) aa'n (or aa'th-n)
u-gau't u bee't, — aa'v ur?
"Wee aa-n u-teo'kt ut, naut ee't,
Yue aa'n u-zoa-ud noa dhaach'ez
eet, — aa-v ur ?
Ee aa*n u-due'd ut, bee shoa'ur !
Dhai aa-n noa'ur-tu2 due' wai ut,
I have sold my wool, have I not?
Thou hast torn (broken) thy
pitcher, hast not ?
He has wiped up the linhay,
hast he not? (i.e. made sides
to the shed, with long faggots
of brushwood called wipes}.
She has served (fed) the things
(live stock).
We have spilt all the milk.
You have a good place.
They have finished their fore-
noons (lunch), have they not?
Negative.
I have not seen anything of him.
Thou hast not been already— hast?
He has not any — has he ?
We have not taken (hired) it yet
(i.e. land — of a house would
be said u-teo'k-n, taken him}.
You have not sown any vetches
yet, have you ?
You have not done it — to be sure !
They have nothing to do with it.
1 The infinitive of to be is often omitted after will, before an adjective or
adverb — as ee-l shoa'ur tu kau'm (he will be sure to come). See other examples
under will, can, etc. The infinitive is often omitted after used to as ee aed-n
aa'f su bae'ud-z u yue'z tue (he is not half as bad as he used to [be] ).
2 Here, again, two consonants coming together, one is dropped ; uttered slowly
this would be noa-urt tu due-. So also p. 61, vu-ruyt for vur ruyt.
58
VERB "TO HAVE.
Present Interrogative Simple.
Have I said anything ?
Hast thou heard of it ?
Has she set the hen (abrood).
Have we to make that hedge?
Have you finished your break-
fast?
Have they attended church re-
gularly ? (compare keeping
chapels at college).
Present Interrogative Negative.
Aa'n aay u-wuurk aa-rd unuuf •, Have not I worked hard enough,
dhun?
As-n u-bun tu plaew
z-mau'rneen?
Uv aay zaed* oa'urt ?
Us dhee' * yuurd oa ut ?
Uv uur u-zau't dhu arn ?
Uv uus u-gairt vur mak' 2 dhik
aj-?
Uv yue (or v-ee) u-ae'iid yuur
brak'stis ?
Uv dhai (or uv urn) u-keep' dhur
chuurch rig-lur ?
Aa'n ur u-drag' dhu vee'ul ee't?
Aa'n unr u-skyaa'l dhu mulk ?
Aa'n wee u-ae'iid au'l wuz
u-kau'meen tue-s?
Aa'n uus noa'urt moa'ur vur
due?
Aa*n yue* noa brai'd een aewz ?
Aa-n ee u-bun aa'dr-n ?
Aa-n dhai (or aa'n um) u-laa'rn
dhur beok ?
then?
Hast (thou) not been ploughing
this morning ?
Has not he 'dragged (harrowed)
the field yet ?
Has not she scalded the milk?
(technical, — milk is scalded to
raise the cream).
Have we not had all (that) was
coming (due) to us ?
Have not we any more to do ?
Have not you any bread in (the)
house ?
Have not you been after him ?
(to fetch him).
Have not they learnt their book ?
Past Affirmative.
Aay-d u-zee'd-n due'een oa ut, I had seen him doing it.
Aay ad- u-gau-t wau'n, voa'r aay
lau's-n,
Dhee-ds u-bun' dhur, au'l sae'um
tuym,
Dhee ad'-s u-vaewn un, vur aay
zeed dhee ab-m,3
I had one, before I lost it.
the
Thou hadst been there all
time (i.e. nevertheless).
Thou hadst found it, for I saw
thee have it.
1 In this instance as in some few others, the participial prefix is dropped. This
is merely euphonic in rapid speech; even in this combination, if deliberately
uttered, it would be Us dhee- u-yuwd.
2 Make is quite technical and signifies to chop down all bushes and to clear the
ditches, throwing the sods on the top of the bank, etc.
3 The verb to have is generally auxiliary, and in the sense of holding or pos-
sessing is most commonly supplemented by it-gau-t. As in received English, it
implies obligation ; as / had to run for my life, though in this case we should
say Aayd u-gawt tu uur'n.
AUXILIARY VERBS.
TO HAVE.
Uur-d u-kaech-t aup dhu vuyur
een rad'eenees,
Wee-d u-toa'ld-n wee-dzeo'ndur
buyd u-dhaewt'-n,
Wee ad- u-gau't u brae'uv suyt
oa-m, shoa'ur nuuf' !
Yue-d bad-r lat-n u-loa'un, yue
ad' aay tuul' ee,
Dhai-d u-lau's au'l dhur teolz,
She had lighted up the fire in
readiness ?
"We had told him we had sooner
stay without it.
We had a brave sight of them,
sure enough !
You had better leave him alone,
you had I tell you.
They had lost all their tools.
They had indeed, spent almost
(but) everything.
Dhai ad* shoa'ur, u-sparn mau's
bud uvuree-dhing,
Past Negative.
Aay ad-n u-due-d noa-urt, I had not done anything.
Dhee ad's-n u-moa'ud-n au'l,
Uur ad-n u-wau'rshd aewt dhu
skul'ut,
Wee ad-n u-kee'ul dhu pai'g gin
brak'sus tuym,
Yue ad-n u-tich* oa-m, ad' ee ?
Dhai ad-n u-mae'ud dhu stad'l
bai'g unuuf',
Thou hadst not mowed it all (i.e.
field or lawn, not grass).
She had not washed out the
skillet (a peculiar brass sauce-
pan on three legs).
We had not killed the pig by
breakfast time.
You had not touched (of) them,
had you ?
They had not made the staddle 1
big enough.
Past Interrogative Simple.
Ud aay u-bun wai um, moo'ur-n
vai'v mun'eets ?
Ud-s dhee u-dhau't oa ut?
Ud ur teok-n ee'n ?
Had I been with them more
than five minutes ?
Hadst thou thought about it ?
Had he taken him in ? (i.e. taken
up from grass — tech.).
Had he pumped water enough
for them ?
Had we had (drank), now, above
a pint apiece ?
Had you hit him hard ?
Had they sung it (the song) well?
Past Interrogative Negative.
Ad-n aay u-paa'yd-n-z mmuree Had I not paid him his money,
now?
Had you not played him before ?
(i.e. wrestled with him, or
played a bout with him at
cudgels or single-stick).
Had he not better do it at once ?
TJd ee* u-pluunvp unuuf- wau'dr
vau-r um ?
TJd uus u-ae'iid, naew, beo u
puynt u pees ?
Ud yue u-aa't-n aa*rd?
Ud dhai u-zin<r un wuul ?
naew ?
Ad-s-n dhee u-plaa'yd-n uvoa-ur?
Ad-n ur bad'r due ut tu wau'ns ?
Ad-nee'u-gau'tnuudh'urwau'n?
Had he not got one at all ?
1 The frame-work on which stacks of corn are piled up, also a bedding of
faggots or branches upon which a stack of hay is made.
60
AUXILIARY VERBS.
Ad-n uus au'vees u-wuur-k
vau'r-n ?
Ad-n yue u-tuurn dhu wau-dr
ee*ns aay toa-ld ee ?
Ad-n dhai u-fun-eesh draa-sheen?
Had we not always worked for
him?
Had you not turned the water,
as I ordered you ?
Had they not finished thrashing?
Infinitive.
Aay sheo-d-n muuch luyk vur
t-ae'ii vur t-ae'u-r,
Aay wiid-n ae-u-n een u gee',
Uur wuol- ae-u uur vling,
I should not much like to be
obliged to have her (lit. for to
have for to have her).
I would not have it (some article)
in a gift.
She will have (is determined to
have) her fling.
It is very bad not to have any-
thing for (doing) it.
Could not one have some of them ?
"Wilt thou have it for seven
shillings ?
Taez maa-yn bae'ud neet t-ae-u
noa-urt vau-r-t,
Keod-n ur ae-u zau-m oa-m ?
Wiit dhee ae-u-n vur zab'm
shul-eenz ?
Imperative.
Dhee ae-ii dhu lau-t,kau-mnaew! Have the lot, come now! (per-
_ suasive).
Ae-u sau'm aay tuul'ee,
Lat-n ae'u u lee-dl bee-t,
Lat's ae'-ur nau-meet voa'r wee
goa-us,
Yue- ae'u pae'urt oa ut, due' ee
naew,
Lat um ae-u waut dhai wuol-,
Dhai muus- ae-ii dhu bas't oa ut,
Have some I tell you.
Let him have a little bit.
Let us have our luncheon before
we go.
You have part of it, do now (per-
suasive).
Let them have what (as much
as) they will.
They must have the best of it.
YEEB TO WILL.
Present Affirmative.
Aa-1 gee-ut tu dhee — shuur mee?
Aay wuol' ae'u dhik-ee,
Dhee wut (or dhee'ult) saa'r
nuuf tue ut,
Ee-ul kwik-n baa-k ugee'un,
Uur wuol- (emph.) chaa-turee,
"Wee-ul zeo'n due ut,
Wee wuol- (emph.} ab-m,
Yue-ul (emph. yue wuol-) shoa'ur
tu droa* un,
Dhai-ul (emph. dhai wuol-) vaai
daewn,
I will give it thee — dost hear
me? (a common threat of a
thrashing).
I will have that one (emph.}.
Thou wilt earn enough at it.
He will (be) quick and (come)
back again.
She will chatter.
We will soon do it.
We will have it, or him.
You will (be) sure to throw him
(tech. in wrestling).
They will fall down.
EXAMPLES OF PRETERITIVE VERB.
TO WILL.
61
Present Negative.
Aay oa-n nuvur paa-y ut,
Aay oa-n ab-m een noa* pruyz,
Dhee wut-n bee ae-ubl vur
drai-v-m,
Uur oa-n lai'd-n vut'ee, dhu
bwuuy mus goo',
"Wee oa-n bee u-teokt ee'n lig
dhaat dhae'iir,
Yue oa-n git noa'urt buy un,
Dhai oa-n klaef* dhik'ee meot,
udhaewt zum paewdur,
I will (not) never pay it.
I won't have it at any price.
Thou wilt not be able to drive
him.
She will not lead him properly,
the boy must go,
"We won't be taken in like that.
You won't get nought by him.
They won't cleave (split) that
moot (tree stump) without
some gunpowder.
Present Interrogative Simple.
Wul aay bee jish veo-1 z-dhink ?
Wut dhee wuurk-n aewt ?
Til ee- goo drue* wai ut?
Wuol uus saa-f t-ae-u dhu jau'b,
Uul yue (emph. wuol' yue) bee
ae'ubl vur due* ut,
Uul dhai (emph. wuol' dhai) leok
aa-dr dhu dhingz,
"Will I be such a fool, dost think ?
Wilt thou work it (the field) out?
(i.e. harrow and roll sufficiently
until fit for the seed).
Will he go through with it ?
Will we (be) safe to have the
job?
Will you be able to do it ?
Will they look after the things ?
(i.e. tend the live stock).
Present Interrogative Negative.
Oa-n aay ladh'ur-n, dhaa't-s au-1 ?
Wut-n dhee kaech ut, muyn ?
0-an ee* gee* un t-ee ?
0-an uus zul dhu yuung stau-k,
d-ee aa'ks ?
0-an ee (emph. oa-n yue-) bee
t-avee vau-r-n,
Oa-n dhai bee'us au'lturee, doa-n
£e dhingk ?
Won't I leather (thrash) him,
that's all ?
Wilt thou not catch it, mind ?
Won't he give it to you ?
Won't we sell the young stock
(bullocks) do you ask?
Won't you be too heavy for him?
Won't those bullocks alter (im-
prove) don't you think ?
(will you) is a very common expletive after any request,
and is almost equivalent to " If you please," as Lavn mee dhee nai~v,
wul-ur ? " Lend me thy knife, will you ? " Lat zee dhik, wul-ur ? l
"Let me see (have) that, will you?" The infinitive be is often
dropped after will, as in the above examples, and in Uul- yhe shoa-ur
tu git-n rad-8e zeo~nd unuuf- ? "Will you (be) sure to get him ready
soon enough?"
1 Spoken deliberately this would be Lat-s zee, see notes, pp. 27, 28.
VERB "TO WILL.
SECOND PERSON SINGULAR.
Past Affirmative.
Aay-d gee' dhu wuurdl tue, ee-s
dhaat aay wud ! l
Dhee-t (or dhee-ts) lau's uvuree
vaardn oa ut, dhee wut,
Uur-cl su zeo'n due1 ut-s leok,
ee*s u wud !
Wee-d rnai-n un vau'r ee vur
noa'urt, wee wud, shoa'ur !
Yue-d bee u-draewndud ee-n
dhae-ur, yue wud saa'f unuuf • !
Dhai-d ai't dhur ai'dz oa'f, een
u kwik stik, dhai wud,
I would give the world to (do
it), yes that I would !
Thou wouldst lose every farthing
of it, thou wouldst.
She would as soon do it as look,
yes she would !
We would mend it for you for
nothing, we would, sure !
You would be drowned in there,
you would, safe enough !
They would eat their heads off
in a quick stick (short time),
they would.
Past Negative.
Aay wud-n kraa-y, dhae'ur-z u
lee'dl mae-un, noa aay wud-n,
Dhee wut's-n bik'ee daewn,
wiit's ?
Ee wud-n due noa-urt vau-r-n,
Wee wiid-n taek- ut,
Yue wud-n laef-m wud-ee ?
Dhai wud-n nuvur blae'ukee
zoa, dhai wud-n, neef sauf-een
waud-n dhu maad'r,
I would not cry, there is a little
man (persuasive), no I would
not.
Thou wouldst not keep your eyes
shut, wouldst ? (game of hide
and seek).
He would no nothing for him.
We would not undertake it.
You would not leave him, would
you?
They would never bleat so, they
would not, if something was
not the matter (spoken of
sheep).
Past Interrogative.
Wud aay bee u-fee'urd u ee4 ? —
noa- aay vraek'n !
Wuds dhee luyk ut dhee oa'n
zuul, s-noa* ?
Wud ee' maek uz zuul' jish
geok'eo-z dhaat' ?
"Wuduusuvuru-zee'd-nugee'un?
"Wud yue' u-lat-n goo-f yue wuz
mee', wud ee naew?
Wud dhai laa'k vur staa'p voa-r
dun'ur ?
Would I be afraid of him ? — no,
I reckon !
Wouldst thou like it, thy own
self, you know? (lit. dost
know).
"Would he make himself such a
cuckoo as that ?
Would we ever have seen him
again ?
"Would you have let him go if
you were I, would you now ?
"Would they want to stop before
dinner ?
1 The duplication of the verb, as in this and other examples, is so frequent
that it may be called the rule; indeed, it might be applied to nearly every sentence
under this verb.
THE CONDITIONAL daed. THE VERB "CAN." 63
Past Interrogative Negative.
Wud-n aay maek-n paa-y vaur Would not I make him pay for
ut, neef aay wuz yue ? it, if I were you ?
Wut's-n dhee aa't dhee ai'd? "Wouldst not thou hit thy head?
Wud-n uur maek u geo'd spuy Would not she make a good spy
pau's ? post (directing post) ?
Wud-n uus bee fuyn fuul'urz, Would not we be fine fellows to
t-aa'rkee tu ee' ? listen to him ? or this might
mean according to his account.
Wud-n yue u-zaed- zoa, neef yue Would not you have said so if you
wuz mee ? wud-n ee naew ? were I, would you not now ?
Wud-n dhai u-bun jis bud wuul' Would not they have been rightly
u-saa'rd aewt ? served out? (lit. just but well).
As a conditional, daed, or daed-n, is often used for would or
would not, or rather were to. A man who was wanting a
particular kind of seed said to me, Aay daed-n kee'ur neef
t-waud-n beo kuup'l u beo'shh, "I would not care if it was
not above a couple of bushels." Neef aay daed lat-n goo',
wud ee bring un baa'k ugee'un ? " If I were to let it go
(lend it), would] you bring it back again ? " Neef aay daed
vurgee' ee dhee'uz wau'ns, "If I were to forgive you this once."
Aay daed-n kee'ur is the usual form of " I would not care."
THE VEEB CAN.
This verb is not so commonly used as its equivalent to be
able. Aay bae'un ae'tibl vur tu goo' is more general than Aay
kaa'n goo', which latter is a little " fine talk," though perhaps
more emphatic than the former phrase. So also Aay kan' due
ut is more emphatic than Aay bee ae'ubl tu due ut, but some
individuals would always use the latter form.
Present Affirmative.
Aay kn rae-ul blee'v ut, I can quite believe it.
Dhee- kns daa-p daewn, een var v Thou canst dap (run) down in five
mun'eets, un baa'k ugee'un, minutes and (be) back again.
Ee' kn vaach-n au'm turaak'lee, He can fetch him home directly.
Wee' kn yuur Lang'vuurd buulz, We can hear Langford bells at
nuytuymz,1 night (lit. night-times).
Yue' kn kwik-n kaech'n, kaa'n You can (be) quick aud catch
ee ? him (or it}, can you not ?
Dhai* kn ab-m vur aa'kseen, They can have it (some article)
kaa'n um? for the asking, can^ihey not?
1 See note 1, p. 27, as to omission of the first of two similar consonants in
rapid speech ; deliberately this would be nuyt-tuymz.
64
THE VERB "CAN.
Kaa'n kaa'r-n, kan ur ?
Aay kaa'n kaa'r-n, kan* ees ?
Dhee kas-n muuv-m, kans ?
Ee (ai) or uur kaa'n ai't-n tu
twuys, kan ur ?
Wee kaa'n paa'y dim rai'nt
oa un.
Yue kaa'n nuvur bee saa'f oa
un, kan ur?
Dhai kaa-n zee' vur smeech.
Present Negative.
f (I) cannot carry it, can I ?
Thou canst not move it (or him}
canst ?
He (she) cannot eat it at twice
(i.e. two meals), canhe (or she) ?
"We cannot pay the rent of it.
You can (not) never be sure of
him, can you ? [dust).
They cannot see for smoke (or
Present Interrogative Simple.
Kun aay ae-u yoa'ur lad'r, plai'z ? Can I have your ladder, please ?
Canst thou make sure (i.e. be
certain) of it ?
Can it remain till to-morrow
morning?
Can we stay at your house to-
night (lit. by-and-bye (at)
Kuns dhee maek shoa'ur oa ut ?
gin maa'ru
Kun ee' buyd
mau'rneen ?
Kun uus staa-p tu yoa'ur aewz
umbuy nai't?
night).
Can you do with it ? or can you
do anything with him ?
Can they weave properly al-
ready ?
Present Interrogative Negative.
Kaa-n ur g-een dhee'iiz yuur Cannot I (or one} go in this way ?
Kun yue due oa'urt wai un ?
Kun dhai wai'vee vut'ee urad'ee?
wai' ?
Kas-n dhee dhaach-n, dhun ?
Kaa-n ee' droa' aewt dhik-ee
puyn?
Kaa'n uus1 ab-mvoa'rbuy nai't?
goo vur tu zee
Canst not thou thatch it (i.e.
the rick) then ?
Cannot he throw out (i.e. clean
out the dung) that cow-pen ?
Cannot we have it until to-
night ? (lit. before by-and-bye
at night).
Cannot you go to see after him
(lit. about him) ?
Cannot they spell their lesson ?
Kaa'n yue
baewd-n ?
Kaa'n um (emph. dhai) spuul
dhur las'een ?
Past Affirmative.
Aay kud (emph. keo'd) aef-m I could heave it easily, could I
ai'zee luyk, keod-nvees ? not ?
Dhee kuds (emph. keo'ds) due Thou couldst do it, if thou wilt,
ut neef wut, keo-ds-n? couldst not?
1 "With the first person plural of verbs used interrogatively, uus is always the
pronoun used ; but in our district it is not heard in affirmative sentences, as it
is in Devonshire.
EXAMPLES OF PRETERITIVE VERBS.
65
Uur kud (emph. keo'd) zeo-n
slaa't-n oa'vur, keod-n ur ?
"Wee kud lat ee ab-m u Dhuuz-
dee,
Ee kud bring un lau-ng war ee,
Dhai kud zeo-n saa-rch ut aewt,
neef umree dhai wuz u muyn
tue,
She could soon slaat1 it over (i.e.
wash the room).
We could let you have (i.e. lend)
it on Thursday.
You could bring it (or him} along
with you.
They could soon search it out, if
only they had a mind to (lit.
was minded to).
Past Negative.
Aay keod-n uulp oa ut, keod ees ?
Dhee keods-n armp-mdheezuul-,
keods ?
Ee (uur) keod-n tuul um,
Wee keod-n puut au-p wai ut
noa lau-ng-gur,
Yue keod-n muyn zu lau-ng
ugau-n, keod- ee?
Dhai keod-n nuvur vuyn aewt
dhu rai'ts oa ut,
I could not help it, could I ?
Thou couldst not empty it (by)
thyself, couldst ?
He (she) could not tell (i.e. count)
them.
"We could not put up with it any
longer.
You co'uld not remember so long
ago, could you ?
They could not never find out the
rights of it (i.e. the truth).
Past Interrogative Simple.
Kud aay (or emph. keo-d aay)
deeparn pau'n un ?
Kuds dhee deepai-n pun aveen
oa un?
Keod ur maek shuuf-m 2 puut-n
ee-n?
Keod uus keep-m veol ?
Kud yue lai-n faa'dhur u baa'tl-n
wauj-ez ?
Keod dhai vuyn bad'r graewn
vur tu tee-ulee ?
Could I depend upon him ?
Couldst thou depend upon having
it?
Could he make a shift and put it
in? (i.e. plant the garden or
sow the field).
Could we keep it full ?
Could you lend father a beetle
and wedges ?
Could they find ground better
(i.e. easier) to till ?
1 To slaa't is almost the equivalent of " to do," but it rather implies a hurried
doing. A farmer would say to a man, Leak shaa-rp-n slacrt-n oa'vur, as an order
to be quick in ploughing a field. Again it means "to throw." Ee slaa-t-n rai-t
lawng drue' un aewt dhu aewz, " He flung it right the length of (lit. through and
out) the house " (i.e. the living room). Also it means " to strike," Ee slaa-t dhu ai-d
oa un, " He hit him on the head." To slaa-t oa-vur any piece of work is to do
it rapidly, and frequently it is understood to imply haste at the expense of quality.
It has various fine shades of meaning, which a native would readily understand
from the tone of the speaker. See also specimen " Jack Stone."
2 This form of tn for and is very curious — following the rule of n changing into
in after p, b, f, v (see p. 17, W. S. Dial.), owing to the t in shift being dropped.
In the following sentence, for the same reason, the in stands for the pronoun him
or it (uti) , contracted into «. This w-sound signifies on in our well-known adverb
taa-p-m laa-yul = " up-side-down," lit. top-on-tail.
66
THE VERB "SHALL.
Past Interrogative Negative.
Keod-n aay buyd airm maa'ru
mau'rneen ?
Keods-n dhee wau'yt gin Yruy-
dee t-aa'dr-neo-n ?
Keod-n ur kau-m tu wuurk uz
mau'rneen ?
Keod-n uus au-rdur ee'ns l u
mud wuurkee luyk ?
Keod-n yue uulp steech ee 2 u
beet?
Keod-n dhai keep au-p aa-dr ?
Could not I stay at home to-
morrow morning ?
Couldst thou not wait until Fri-
day afternoon?
Could he not come to work this
morning ?
Could not we order (i.e. contrive)
so that he (i.e. the machine)
might work like ?
Could not you help a bit to stitch ?
(tech. see note).
Could not they keep up after ?
(i.e. perform their work as
quickly as their fellow workers).
THE VERB SHALL.
»
Present Affirmative.
Aa-y shl (emph. aay shaa'l)
g-uup-m zee4 un, shaa'n ees ?
Dhee shut (or) dhee shaet' maek-n
ee'n tu eo'd,
Uur shl (or shaa'l) shoa'ur tu
bee dhae'ur tu meet ee
"Wee- shl (or shaa-1) lau'smuun'ee
lig dhaa't dhae'ur, shaa'n ur ?
Yue shl (or yue shaa'l) pik aewt
weech ee wuol',
Dhai shl (or shaa'l) kuut dhik'ee
vee'ul naks.
I shall go up and see him,
shan't I ?
Thou shalt make it (the tree top)
into wood {i.e. chop up and tie
into faggots).
She shall (be) certain to be there
to meet you.
We shall lose money like that
(i.e. by doing so), shan't we ?
You shall pick out (i.e. choose)
which you will.
They shall cut that field next.
1 Ee'ns is a word of frequent use and of wide meaning. Generally it implies, as
above, in such a manner that. Ee'ns mud zai, one of the commonest expletives
after any kind of sentence, merely means as one might say. Again, Aa-l tuul-ee
ee'ns tarz, might mean either I'll tell you how 'tis, or even as it is, or more rarely,
I'll tell you what 'tis. This phrase is a very common expletive beginning to a
statement, or explanation ; while in the latter use it implies anger or threatening.
Ee^ns means also why or wherefore. Aa'l tuul'te ee'ns aay due'd ut means, accord-
ing to intonation, III tell you how I did it, or I'll tell you why I did it. The word
has various other fine shades of meaning, as Yue Jcaa'n zai ee'ns ttur oa'n ab-tn aa'dr
au'I, "You cannot say hut that she will have him after all," or Cockney '•'•how as
that she won't/' etc., or " You can't say as she won't have him." [It is evidently
a contraction of e'en as, even as, the even giving emphasis, as in "even now" ; and
compare the German ebenso. The varieties of meaning here given belong not to
the even, but to the as, which, as in other dialects, is used for so. how. that. etc.
_M.]
2 Tu steech'ee is to follow the " binders " in the harvest field, and to set up the
sheaves of corn two and two on end, so that they may support each other ; ten
sheaves are always thus placed together in two rows, and the little group so
formed is called a steech.
EXAMPLES OF PRETERITIVE VERBS.
67
Present Negative.
Aay shaa'n saaT mee wae'ujez,
shaai ees ?
Dhee shaet-n aa't dhu maa-yd,
Ee shaa'n uurt ee, mSe puur-
dee!
"Wee shaa'n ae-u noa'un dee
yuur,
Yue shaa'n tich oa urn,
Dhai shaa'n zai aew1 aay
stoaid mun
I shall not serve (i.e. earn) my
wages, shall I? (i.e. "if I
undertake this at ' piece work,'
I shall not earn my usual
wages").
Thou shalt not hit the girl.
He shall not hurt you, my pretty
(one) !
"We shall not have none this (lit.
to) year (compare to-day}.
You shall not touch (of) them.
They shall not say (how) I stole
them.
Shl-aay (or shaai aay) tuul ee
aui ubaewd ut ?
Shaet dhee goo tu maa'rkut
umbuy' ?
Shl-ee* (or shaai ur) km au-p-m
zee- ee?
Shl-uus' (or shaai us) zarn daewn
vau'r-n ?
Shul yue- (or shaai ee) bee au'm
umbuy nai't?
Shul dhai (or shaai um) wau'yt
gin yue du kau'm ?
Present Interrogative Simple.
Shall I tell you all about it?
Shalt thou go to market by-and-
bye?
Shall he come up and see you ?
Shall we send down for him
(or it} ?
Shall you be at home to-night ?
Shall they wait until you come?
Present Interrogative Negative.
Shaa'n aay (or shaa'n ees) zee' ee Shall I not see you again, before
you go ?
Shalt not thou be forced (i.e.
obliged) to give in? (i.e. to
yield).
Shall he not fetch the police ?
Shall not we meet him on Sun-
day?
Shall you not have enough to
finish out? (i.e. to complete).
Shall you not have (i.e. be
ugee'un, voa-r ee du goo
Shaet-n dhee bee u-foo-us tu gee
ee-n?
Shaa-n ur vaclr dhu poaiees?
Shaa'n us meet-n u Zun'dee ?
Shaa-n ee ae'u nuuf' vur fun--
eesh aewt ?
Shaa-n yue ae'u tu gee aewt
tue ut ?
Shaa-n dhai staa-p dh-au'sez ?
obliged) to give out to it?
(i.e. to leave it unfinished).
Shall not they stop the horses ?
1 This use of how is very common. It does not refer at all to manner, but is
the simple connective particle for ' that,' like the as or as how of other districts,
" He says as he was there." Compare the French, e.g. " Us disent que je les ai.
Qm vous etes joli ! " where que is both how and that.
68
TO stacrp, sheod, ETC.
To staa'p is both transitive and intransitive. In the latter sense
it means to dwell, to lodge, to wait, to remain, but not to cease from
any active operation, as Ee~z u-staa'peen tuMus'uz Vuur'&elcurz, "He
is lodging at Mrs. Fouracre's." If two men are working together,
sawyers for instance, and one desires the other to cease working, he
invariably says oa'lt ! (halt !) So a row of mowers would never be
told to stop, but oa'lt soa-tis ! (halt mates !) The use of these words
is very nicely defined in speaking to man and beast. To a man
walking, oa'lt ! To a horse, wai'ee-ti, ! To an ox or cow woa'ti !
I heard a man say to another who was working with him, Oa'lt !
staa'p-m luyd stee'ul gin aay b-ee-n au'rdur, "Halt! wait and keep
still, until I am in order (i.e. ready)."
Past Affirmative.
Aay shud (or aay sheo'd) luyk I should like to catch him.
lau-ng Thou shouldst move along faster.
vur tu kaech-n,
Dhee shuds muuvee
vaa'stur,
Uur shud (or uur sheo'd) buyd
au'm un neet naa'yburee zoa,
"Wee shud (or wee sheo-d) bee
wus oa*f u maa'yn sai't, aay
kaewnt,
Yue shud zee vur tu truy vur tvi
vuyn un,
Dhai shud staa-p-m pee*s-nee,
bee geo'd rai't,
She should stay at home and not
neighbour so (i.e. go about
gossiping with neighbours).
We should be a great deal worse
off, I count (i.e. consider).
You should set to and try to find
it (lit. see for to try).
They should remain, and mend
up, by good right (lit. piecen).
Aay sheod-n u-dhau'rt * u yuur
ee'mpuruns,
Dhee sheods-n u-droa'ud-n
uwaa-y,
Uur sheod-n2 u-spoa'kt gin ee
aa'kst oa ur,
"Wee sheod-n u-warnt neef dhai
ad-n,
Yue sheod-n aa-k 3 su feol-eesh,
Dhai sheod-n 2 gee war tue un,
Past Negative.
I should not have thought of
your impudence.
Thou shouldst not have thrown
it away.
She should not have spoken until
he asked her.
"We should not have gone if they
had not.
You should not be (lit. act) so
foolish.
They should not give way to him.
1 This is a very common expression among girls, when rudely chaffed by hoys,
and is equivalent to / am ashamed at your impudence. Aay sheod-n u-dhawrt
implies angry surprise.
2 Should in this sense is less frequent than ought, as Vur daed-n aw-tue u-spoa'kt,
Dhai daed-n au'-tu gee wai, would he the more usual forms of these sentences.
3 'Tu aa-k simply means to do, and usually means no more. Haut b-ee aa'kteen
oa ? " What are you doing ? " (lit. what he you acting of ?) is the commonest of
exclamations.
EXAMPLES OF PRETERITIVE VERBS.
69
Past Interrogative Simple.
Shud aay (or sheod aay) bee
ae-ubl vur gecr ?
Shuds dhee noa- un ugee-un ?
Sheod ur spark tu mae'ustur
baewd ut ?
Shud- us lat ut au-1 buyd ee'ns
t-wuol ?
Shud yue wee'sh vur tu git-n ?
Shud dhai bee u-gid wau'rneen
tue?
Should I be able to go? (i.e. may
I go?)
Shouldst thou know him again ?
Should he speak to master about
it?
Should we let it all remain as it
will?
Should you wish to get it ?
Should warning be given to
them?
Past Interrogative Negative.
Sheod-n aay ae'u maa-yn plaa-yg
wai un?
Sheods-n dhee bee u-saa-rd jis*
bud rai't, naew ?
Sheod-n uur u-mul'kud voa'r
naew?
Sheod-n uus bee brae'uv-m
aa-ktee vur tu git ut au'l
u-due'd ?
Sheod-n yue bee u-buuwd mau's
tue-duubi ? L
Sheod-n dhai u-warnt deep-ur ?
Should not I have a great plague
with him ?
Shouldst not thou be served just
(but) right, now ?
Should she not have milked (the
cows) before now ?
Should we not be brave and
(i.e. bravely) active to get it
all done ?
Should not you be bent almost
double?
Should not they have gone
deeper ?
VEEB M A Y, MIGHT.
Present Affirmative. ,
Aay (or u) mud su wuul bee I may as well be transported,
traa'nspoo'urtud, mud-n ees?
Dhee muds ab-m eef z wut,
Ee (ai, u, uur) mud kau'm un u
mud-n,
Wee mud bee u muyn tue,
praa-ps,
Yue mud bee ae'ubl vur peol-n
aewt,
Dhai mud tuurn aewt mud'leen
luyk,
may I not?
Thou mayst have it if thou wilt.
He, she, may come, and he, she,
may not.
Perhaps we may be in the mind
to (do it).
You may be able to pull it out.
They may turn out middling.
1 Tue-duub-l is the usual form of expression for anything bent back upon itself,
as a piece of iron bent so that the two ends are together. I have often heard,
Dhee-s u-buuwd mee zuyv puwdee nee'ur tue'duub'l, " Thou hast bent my scythe
pretty nearly two-double." An old man stooping very much is thus described:
Poo-ur oa'l fuul'ur, ee'z u-kaum vur tu geo mau's tue'duub'l, " Poor old fellow, he
is come for to go almost two-double."
2 This is another example of the dropping of one, when two similar consonants
come together — there are three changes in ab-m eef. 1. v into b. 2. « into m,
the alternative of ab-m being ae-un. 3. The dropping of n in neef.
70
THE VERBS "MAY, MIGHT.
Present Negative.
Aay (or u) mud-n zee1 ee gin u I might not see you until Sunday
Zun-dee tu chuurch,
Dhee muds-n ae*u tuym vur tu
wuonree tue*,
at church.
Thou mayst not have time to
winnow too (i.e. as well as
thrash).
He, she, may not let me (i.e.
allow me) to (do it) after all,
may he (or she) ?
We may not brew for a fortnight
(lit. this fortnight).
Tou may not sort them out
properly.
They may not forge it true (i.e.
straight or round).
Present Interrogative Simple.
Mud aay zaa-lt-n ee*n * vaur ee ? May I salt (i.e. cure) it for you?
Mayst thou give me leave to (do
it)?
May she sew it up for me ?
May he climb up after it (i.e. to
get it) ?
May we play in your field, please ?
Ee, u, uur mud-n lam- ee tue
aa'dr au-1, mud u ?
Wee mud-n brue'ee uz vau'rt-
nai't
Yue mud-n soa-urt um aewt
vut'ee,
Dhai mud-n voo'iirj-n true,
Muds dhee gi mee lub'urtee tue ?
Mud uur' zoa un au*p vaur mee?
Mud ur klum au*p aa-dr-n ?
Mud uus plaa*y ee*n yoa'ur vee'ul
oa graewn, plai*z ?
Mud yue slup daewn umbuy ?
Mud dhai kliip dh-oa'l au*s ?
May you slip (come) down by-
and-bye ?
May they clip the old horse ?
Present Interrogative Negative.
Mud-n aay (ur, ees) goo lau-ng May not I go with them ? •
u dhai (or wai um) ?
Muds-n dhee uulp kuut-n ?
Mud-n ee (uur) git dhu wuop
an* oa un ?
Mud-n uus au*n-dhau*2 dhu
pluump ?
Mud-n yue man's su wuul buyd
au*m?
Mud-n um (dhai) vaa'l pun 3
un-eebau-dee ?
Mayst thou not help (to) cut it ?
(i.e. the field of grass).
May not he, she, get the whip-
hand?
May not we thaw the pump ?
May not you almost as well stay
at home ?
May not they attack one ?
1 To zaa-lt and to zaa-lt ee-n are very different expressions; the former is
simply to apply salt, the latter is to cure, as bacon or hams are cured,
2 This is the transitive form, the intransitive is dhawee, as Tl dhawee tu nai't,
" It will thaw to-night."
3 The expression tu vaa'l faun (to fall upon, i.e. to pitch into) is our com-
monest method of signifying assault and battery. Ee vaa-l paun ur un saa-rd
ur shee'umfeol, " He fell upon her and served her shamefully," is the too-common
recital of the doings of a brutal husband upon his wife. Compare passim.
2 Samuel i. 15, " Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died."
THE VERB "TO DO." 71
The form may is not used ; even in the sense of permission,
it is expressed by mud (might), as in the foregoing examples.
THE VEKB DO.
This verb is not often used except as an auxiliary, though
there are some senses in which, being technical, it is always
employed, as : Tu due au'p u au's, " To do up a horse/' means
to give him his bed and make him up for the night. Also
tu due au'p is used in the ordinary conventional sense of repair-
ing, or making neat, as with a house, a garment, a carriage,
a garden, etc. Again : Naew aay bee u-duefd is a common
form of saying, " Now I am done for."
Such a phrase as " What are you doing ? " is never heard,
Haut bee baewt ? " What are you about ?" is the common equiva-
lent. Kan ur kau'm ut ? would be simply " Can he do it ? "
in the sense of being able to accomplish something rather
indefinite. Kan ur due ut? would have rather a technical
sense, and would be asked in reference to some definite work
to be done, as the repair of a broken tool by a smith. Merely
to express action, we seldom use the word do, but usually a
more definite verb signifying the specific work or action
going on.
Duun ! is the general expression used, to accept a challenge, to
clench a bargain or a bet. The past tense and past participle
of efo, when used in the limited and technical sense, are dued
and u-dued or u-duun'd (see Conjugations, pp. 45 and 48).
Due'ee and Due'ee naew are very frequent persuasive ex-
pletives, or rather forms of emphasis to a previous petition,
as Truy wur €e kaa'n taek' u lee'dl bee't, kau'm due'ee naew!
" Try whether you cannot take (i.e. eat) a little bit, come
do now ! " Due'ee leok shaa'rp-m laa'rn yur beok, dhae'ur-z u
geo'd maa'yd ! " Do look sharp and learn your book, there is
a good girl ! "
Present Affirmative.
Aay du aj'ee moo'ees tuymz, I am generally a hedger (lit. I
do hedge most times).
Dhee dus drai'vee shau'keen Thou dost drive shockingly badly,
bae'ud,
72
THE VERB "TO DO.
TJur du kweel'ee tu baeg',1
Wee du au'vees drai'v wau'n
uvoa-r tuudh'ur,
Yue du zul trae'ukl, doa'unee ?
Dhai du maek un-eebau'dee paa'y
tuurubl dee'ur,
She quills too big
We always drive one before the
other (i.e. tandem).
You sell treacle, don't you ?
They make one pay very dear.
Past Affirmative Negative.
Aay daed-n marn tue, shoa-ur !
Aay daed-n zai zoa, daed ur (ees)?
Dhee daeds-n due ut u beet luyk
oa-urt, daeds naew ?
TJur daed-n au'f2 tue u-warnt
unee'us dhu plae'us,
Wee daed-n au'-tu gee- su
muuch, daed uus naew ?
Yue daed-n muyn haut aay
toa'ld ee, daed ee naew ?
Dhai daed-n laef noa'iirt yuur
vur mee, daed um ?
I did not intend it, indeed !
I did not say so, did I ?
Thou didst not do it at all well,
didst now ? (lit. a bit like
ought).
(lit.) She did not ought to have
went aneast the place.
We ought not to give so much,
did (ought) we now ?
You did not remember what I
told you, did you now ?
They did not leave anything here
for me, did they ?
Present Interrogative.
Du aay (or d-aay) uvur keep
wuurk ubaewt ?
Dus dhee muyn aew lau'ng
ugau-n taez ?
Due ee' (or diith u) saa'r nuuf
tu maa-yntaa-yn-z zuul ?
Du wee (emph. due- uus)
wau'n-tu chart ee, d-ee dhingk ?
Du yue (or due' ee) au'vees kuut
yuur zee'ud tae*udeez ?
Du dhai puut ut au-p vuuree
aa'y?
Do I ever keep work about? (i.e.
delay to finish it).
Dost thou remember how long
ago it is ?
Does he earn enough to maintain
himself ?
Do we want to cheat you, do
you think ?
Do you always cut your seed
potatoes ? (i.e. in planting).
Do they put it up (i.e. charge)
very high ?
Doa-n aay (or doa-n ees) rai-pee
noa vaa'stur-n ee' ?
Dus-n dhee zunv taez nae'urshun
au-t?
Present Interrogative Negative.
Do not I reap (no) faster than he?
Dost thou not seem (i.e. think)
it is 'nation hot ?
1 To wind yarn by hand from a skein, or hank, on to a bobbin, or spool, for
the shuttle in weaving, is called tu Jcweel or kwee-uleen (to quill or quilling). In
the example above it means that she winds the spools too large, i.e. puts on too
much yarn, to allow it to be placed in the shuttle. This operation is always
necessary in the case of yarn that has been dyed ; and, until recent times, was
always performed by women or children, who were called kweel-urz (quillers).
J Ought is pronounced both aw/ and au't, most commonly au'f.
EXAMPLES OF VARIOUS TENSES OF THE VERB " TO DO." 73
Doa'n ee (or duth-n ee or ur)
nuvur tae'uk noa-urt ?
Doa-n uus naut air t-ae'u haut-s
kauoreen tue-s ?
Does not he ever take anything ?
(i.e. to drink) (lit. never take
nought).
(lit.} Do not us not ought to have
what is coming (i.e. due) to
us?
(lit.) Do not you never go up
along with them on Sundays ?
Do not they always put the
washing out ?
Doa'n yue nuvur g-uup lau'ng
wai um u Zun'deez ?
Doa'n um (or doa'n dhai) au'vees
puut dhu wau-rsheen aewt ?
Past Interrogative Simple.
Daed aay (or ees) larn dhee muy Did I lend thee my pick-axe ?
pik?
Daeds dhee tuul dhu sheep
z-mau'rneen ?
Daed uur beespai'k dhu mau'urt
u beoch'ur Truyp ?
Daed uus au'-tu gee' un au-p ?
Daed yue paa'y au'l dhu shaup
bee'ulz ?
Daed um (or dhai) meet wai
puurdee geo'd luuk ?
Didst thou tell (i.e. count) the
sheep this morning ?
Did she bespeak the lard of
butcher Tripe ?
(lit.) Did we ought to give it (or
him) up?
Did you pay all the shop bills ?
Did they meet with (i.e. had
they) pretty good luck ? %
Past Interrogative Negative.
Daed-n aay (or ees) tuul £e aew Did I not tell you how it would
t-wud bee', naew?
Daeds-n dhee wau'n-tu fun'eesh
VOET naew ?
Daed-n ee nuvur marn vur
kau'm noa moo'ur ?
Daed-n uus (or wee) yue'z tu
geo- dhik'ee dhae-ur wai ?
Daed-n yue zai yue zee'd-n yuur
oa*n zuul ?
Daed-n dhai zum dhai ad-n
be, now?
Didst not thou want to have
finished before this time ?
Did he not ever mean to come
again ?
Did not we use to go that way ?
zum
u-gau't fae'iir plaa-y ?
aut
Dii dhee' zee'
vau-r-n,
Doa'n dhee nuvur lat mee yuur
dhaat dhae'ur noa moo'ur,
sh-uur !
Dhee due dhee has', un-eet leok
aa'dr haut voaks du zai,
Did not you say you saw him
your own self?
Did not they seem (i.e. believe)
they had not got fair play ?
Imperative.
kn due Do thou see what you can do for
him.
Do not thou ever let me hear that
again, dost hear !
Doa'n yue puut yur zuul* aewt
dhu wai,
Thou do thy best, and not look
after (i.e. never mind) what
folks say.
Do not put yourself out (of) the
way (i.e. do not inconvenience
yourself).
74
GRAMMAR OF THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
VEEB TO KNOW.
Present Affirmative.
Aay du noa€ au'i baewd ut,
(Emph.} Aay noa'us ue- uur zaed
ut tue,
Dhee-s noa- wae'ur taez rai't ur
noa,
Ee du noa- (emph. ee noa'us, or
ee nau'th) dhu rai'ts oa ut,
ee'ns mud zai,
Wee du noa' (emph. wee noa'us)
wuur dhai kau'm vraum,
Yue du noa' (or yue noa'us) aew
aay zaed ee'ns aay wud-n ae'u
noa angks wai un,
Dhai du noa- (or dhai noa'us)
t-waud-m mee due'd ut,1
Present
2Aay doa-noa' noa moa'ur-n dhu
dai'd, eentuy,3
Dhees-n (or} dhee dus-n noa
noafurt, zuynoa! (or) tuynoa!
Uur doanoa- guurt Bee' vrum u
beolz veo't,4
"Wee doa-noa aut uur-dh u-due'd
wai un,
Tue doa-noa een-s dhai mud'n
kau'm ugee'un,
Dhai doa-noa wau'n mau'sl beet5
aew dhai bee gwaa-yn tu lee-v,
I know all about it.
I know to whom she said it.
Thou knowest whether it is
right or not.
He knows the rights of it, as one
may say.
We know where they came from.
You know how I said (how) I
would have nothing to do with
him (lit. no hanks with).
They know it was not I (who) did
it.
Negative.
I do not know any more than
the dead, not I.
Thou dost not know aught, as I
know ! (or) that I know, (ex-
pletive).
She does not know great B from
bull's foot.
We do not know what she has
done with it.
You do not know but that they
may come again.
They do not know at all (lit. one
morsel bit) how they are going
to live.
Past Affirmative.
Aay noa-iid wuur u wauz tue,
au'l sae'um tuym,
Dhee-s noa' bud dhee wuts-n
tuul un-eebau'dee,
TJur noa'ud aew mun'ee bee'unz
maek vai'v,6
I knew where he was all the
time.
Thou knewest but thou wouldst
not tell one.
She knew how many beans make
five.
1 Relative very frequently omitted. See p. 41.
2 This and the preceding sentence are the commonest disclaimers in the dialect.
3 This is a very frequent expletive after a negative affirmation— see Fielding's-
Tom Jones, book iv. chap, viii., " I don't know measter, un-t I."
4 The regular stock phrase to express ignorance or stupidity.
5 Very common phrase.
6 The stock phrase to express sharpness or cleverness. Compare Evz noafeo/, ee
atd-n, " He is no fool, he is not ! "
VERBS "TO KNOW," "TO SING.
75
"Wee noa'ud vuuree wuul u
ke"od-n kau'm ut,
Tue noa'ud zu wuul-z mee dhai
waud-n fut,
Dhai noa'd ee'ns dhur wuz
suvur oa-m dhae'ur buy,
We knew very well he could not
come it (i.e. accomplish).
You knew as well as I (did that)
they were not fit (i.e. not
properly fatted).
They knew that there were several
of them there close at hand.
Perfect Affirmative.
Aay-v u-noa'd (or u-nau'd) u
dhing- ur tue bee muy tuym,
Dhee-s u-noa-ud (or u-nau-d) u
suyt moo'ur-n dhee-s u-toa'ld
oa,
Ee-v (or ee-dh, uurdh) u-noa'd
ut au'l drue un aewt,
Wee-v u-noa'd-n kuus ee
puurdee wuul, uvoa-r naew,
Yue-v u-noa'd wai't au'l su *
dee'iir, aa-n ee?
Dhai-v u-noa'ud wuul nuuf wau't
dhai wuz au'p tue,
I have known a thing or two by
(i.e. in) my time.
Thou hast known a sight more
than thou hast told.
He, she, has known it all through-
out.
We have have known him curse
pretty well, before now.
You have known wheat quite as
dear, have you not ?
They have known well enough
what they were up to (i.e. in-
tending to do).
FULL CONJUGATION OF THE VERB
TO SING.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present Habitual.
TRANS.
Affirm. Aay dii zing, aay zingz,
Emphatic. „ due- zing,
Negative. ,, doa'un zing,
Neg.Emp. ,, due nau-t zing,
Interrog. Du aay zing,
Neg. Int. Doa-n ees zing,
Suasive. Due aay nau't zing,
Dissuasive. Doa-n aay nau-t zing
Present Actual.
TRANS. AND INTRANS.
Affir. Aay bee zing-een,
Emph. „ bee' u-zing'een,
Neg. ,, bae'un zing-een,
N. Em. ,, bae'iint u-zing'een,
INTRANS.
Aay du zing'ee or aay zing-us.
,, due' zing-ee.
,, doa'un zing'ee.
,, due nau't zing'ee.
Du aay zing'ee.
Doa'n ees zing'ee.
Due aay nau't zing'ee.
Doa'n aay nau't zing'ee.
Imperfect.
TRANS. AND INTRANS.
Aay wuz u-zing'een.
,, wau'z u-zing'een.
,, waud'n u-zing'een.
„ wuz nau t u-zing'een.
1 Compare Ags. enl stcri, whence our alse, als, as ; and German all so : Us ist
allso theueur. — M.
76
VERB "TO SING.
Inter.
N. Int.
Suasive
Dissua.
Affir.
Emph.
Neg.
If. Em.
Inter.
N. Int.
Suaswe.
Dissua.
Affir.
Empn.
Neg.
N.Em.
Inter.
N. Int.
Suaswe.
Dissua.
Bee aay zing'een, "Wuz aay zing'een.
Bae'un aay zing'een. Waud-n-ees zing'een.
Bee aay nairt u-zing'een, Wuz aay nau't u-zing'een.
Bae'un-eesnau't u-zing'een "Waud-n aay nau't u-zing'een.
Past General.
TRANS.
Aay zing(d,1
,, daed' zing,
,, daed-n zing,
„ daed nau't zing,
Daed aay zing,
Daed-n ees zing,
Daed aay nau't zing,
Daed-n aay nau't zing,
INTRANS.
Aay zing-ud, dud zing'ee.
,, daed' zing'ee.
„ daed-n zing-ee.
,, daed nau't zing'ee.
Daed aay zing'ee.
Daed-n-ees zing'ee.
Daed aay nau't zing'ee.
Daed-n aay nau't zing'ee.
Affir.
Emph. j
Neg.
N.Em.
Inter.
N. Int.
Suaswe.
Dissua.
Affir.
Emph.
Neg.
N.Em.
Inter.
N. Int.
Suasive.
Dissua.
Past Habitual.
TRANS.
Aay yue'z "^
„ daed yue*z
( yuez nau't
" ( daed-n yue'z
,, nuvur daed-n yue'z tu zing.
Daed aay (or ees) yue'z
Daed-n aay (or ees) yue'z
Daed aay yue'z nau't
Daed-n aay (ees) yue-z nau-
Perfect Indefinite.
TRANS.
Aay-v
Aay ae'u
Aay yaa'v
Aay aa'nt
Aay aa'n nau't
Uv aay
Aa'n aay (or aa'n ees)
Uv aay nau't
Aa'n aay (or ees) nau't
Perfect Definite.
TRANS. AND INTRANS.
Aay bun
Aay yaa'v u-bun
Aay aa'n u-bun
Aay aa'u nau't u-bun
Uv aay bun
Aa'v-ees bun
Aa'n aay (or aa'n ees) bun
Uv aay nau't bun
Aa'n aay (or ees) nau't bun
1 The (d pronounced before a vowel ; see ante, p. 19.
INTRANS.
tu zing'ee.
INTRANS.
u-zing'ud.
- zing'een or u-zing-een.
FULL CONJUGATION OF THE VERB "TO SING.'
77
Pluperfect Indefinite.
TRANS.
Affir. Aay-d »
Emph. Aay ad-
Neg. Aay ad-n
N. Em. Aay ad-n nau-t
Inter. Ud aay
N. Int. Ad-n aay (or ees)
Suasive. Ud aay nau-t
Dissua. Ad-n aay (or ees) nau-t J
»u-zing(d.
INTKANS.
u-zing-ud.
Pluperfect Definite.
TRANS. AND INTRANS.
Affir. Aay-d u-biin
Emph. Aay ad- u-biin
Neg. Aay ad-n u-bun
N. Em. Aay nuvur ad-n u-bun
Inter. Ud aay bun
N. Int. Ad-n aay (or ees) bun
Suasive. Ud aay nau-t bun
Dissua. Ad-n aay (or ees) nau-
Affir.
Emph.
Inter.
N. Int.
Aa-1
Aay wul'
Aay oa-n
Aay oa'nt nau't
Wul-ur *
Oa'n-ur
zmg-een.
Simple Future.
TRANS.
)>zing.
Suasive. "Wul ur neet
Dissua. Oa-n ur nau-t
INTRANS.
zmg-ee.
Future of Design.
TRANS.
INTRANS.
Emph.
Neg.
N.Em.
Inter.
N. Int.
Suasiv.
Dissua.
Aay-v u-gaut
Aay aa-v u-gaut
Aay aa-n u-gaut
Aay aa-n nau't u-gaut
( Uv ees u-gaut
{ Bee aay
( Aa-n aay u-gaut
( Bae-un aay (ees)
( Uv aay nau-t u-gaut
( Bee aay nau-t
(Aa-n aay (ees) nau't u-gaut
( Bae-un ees nau-t
vur tu zing. vur tu zing-ee.
First person not used with will interrogatively.
78 VERB "TO SING."
Future Proximate.
TRANS. INTRANS.
Affir. Aay bee
Emph. Aay bee*
Neg. Aay bae'un
N. Em. Aay bae'un nau't ! gwai'n vur tu zing. gwai-n vur tu
Inter. Bee aay ( zing'ee.
N. Int. Bae'un ees
Suasive. Bee aay nairt
Dissua. Bae'un ees nau't
Future of Obligation.
TRANS. INTRAXS.
Affir. Aay shl
Emph. Aay shaa'l
Neg. Aay shaa'n
N. Em. Aay shaa'n nau't
Inter. Shl-ur, shl-aay
Shaa-1 aay, shaa'l ees ' )• zing. zing'ee.
N. Int. Shaa'n-ur, shaa'n aay
o . ( Shl-ur nau't
Suaswe. } ghl_aay nau.t
( Shaa'n-ur nau't
Dissua.
( Shaa n aay natrt
Future Perfects (see Conjugation of SHAXL).
Aa'y shl u zing(d, Aay shl u bun2 zing'een, etc., etc.
Aa'y shl-v u-zing'd, Aay shl-v u-bun zing'een or u-zing-een.
MOOD OP PURPOSE.
Present and Past. Perfect and Pluperfect.
Affir. (Dhut) u mud zing, -zing'ee. (Dhut) aay mud u-zing(d, -ud.
Neg. (Dhut) umud-n zing, -zing'ee. (Dhut) u mud-n u-zing(d, -ud.
(See Conjugation of MAY, p. 69).
SUBJUNCTIVE OF SUPPOSITION.
Present.
TRANS. INTRANS.
Affir. (Neef) aay du zing. -zing'ee.
,, zingz. zing'us.
Emph. ,, due- zing. -zing'ee.
Neg. ,, doa'un zing. -zing'ee.
N. Em. ,, doa'un nau t zing. -zing'ee.
1 Shaa-l ees ? rather implies asking permission or advice. Shaa'l aay ? asks both
as to whether it is certain that "I shall," and also "Do you wish or advise me?"
2 The u here, as remarked previously (see note, p. 50), is not the participial
prefix, but JMVC. "When the v in have is sounded, the prefix is never dropped.
FULL CONJUGATION OF THE VERB. 79
Past.
Affir. Neef aay zing(d.1 -zing-ud.
,, dud zing.- -zing-ee.
Emph. ,, daed" zing. ,,
Neg. ,, daed-n zing. ,,
N. Em. „ daed-n nairt zing. ,,
SUBJUNCTIVE CONDITIONAL.
Past.
TRANS. INTKANS.
Affir. Aay shd,2 ee wud (or ee-d) zing zing'ee.
Emph. Aay sheo-d, ee wud-, ,, ,,
Neg. Aay sheod-n, ee weod-n (or eod-n), ,, „
N. Em. Aay sheod-n nau't, ee weod-n nau't, ,, „
Perfect.
Affir. Aay-shd, ee wud (or ee-d), u zing(d u zing-ud.
Emph. Aay sheo-d, ee wud-, ,, „
Neg. Aay sheod-n, ee weod-n (or eod-n), ,, ,,
N. Em. Aay sheod-n nau-t, ee wud-n nau't ,, ,,
IMPEEA.TIYE.
TRANS. INTRANS.
Affir. Zing ! Zing^e.
Emph. Dhee rnuus' zing, Dhee muus1 zing'ee.
Neg. Doa'un zing, Doa-un zing'ee.
( Doa-un (or) due- naut zing, Doa-un (or) due- naut zing-ee.
| Dhee muus-n zing, Dhee muus-n zing-ee.
Suasive. Due- ee zing, Due- ee zing-ee.
Dissua. Doa*n ee zing, Doa-n ee zing-ee.
INFINITIVE.
Pres. Act. Tu zing, Tu zing-ee.
Pres. Hal. Tu bee zing-een, Tu bee zing-Sen (or} u-zing'een.
Pf T»Jof \ Tue u-zing'(d> . Tue u zing-ud.
"• ( Tue-v u-zing-(d, Tue-v u-zing-ud.
Tue u bun zing-een, j
Pf. Def. T-u bun zing-een, > or u-zing-een. (Same as Trans.)
Tue-v u-bun zing-een. )
Put. Act. Tu bee gwai-n vur zing, Tu bee u-gwaa-yn vur zing-ee.
Fut.Prox. Tu be u-gwai-n vur tu
bee u-zing-een, (Same as Trans.)
1 Neef aay zing dhu zau'ng questions the statement that I sang the song ; neef
aay daed zing puts the hypothesis If I should sing, If I were to sing, which is also
expressed Neef aay icuz vur tu zing.
* Should with 1st, would with 2nd and 3rd persons.
80 THE GERUND IN "TO." THE PERFECT PARTICIPLE.
PAETICIPLES.
Present. Zing'een (or) u-zing-een, (Same as Trans.)
Past. TJ-zing-(d, TJ-zing-ud.
Future. Gwarn (or) gwaa'yn vur Gwarn (or) gwaa'yn vnr
zing, zing'ee.
Zing'een, (Same as Trans.)
As lias been already mentioned (see p. 52) for occurs both
in conjunction with to and alone, when governing the infini-
tive; on the whole, I should say that in the hill country,
towards Exmoor, for is oftener used without the usual
governing preposition than with it, while in the vale dis-
trict it is just the opposite. Unr waud-n ae'ubl vur due'-t,
"She was not able (for) to do it" (Hill). A father said in my
hearing to a lazy son, Wuys-n goo~ vur tu zee' vur tit truy vur
tu saa'r sau'mfeen? "Why dost not go (for) to see (for) to try
(for) to earn something?" (Yale). Again, the simple present
infinitive is constantly used for the gerund, as : Dhai bee goo
tu pluw, " They are gone to plough," i.e. ploughing, not to
plough the ground. Ee wuz tu wuurk haun aay kau'm, " He
was to work (i.e. working] when I came."
The gerund in to is constantly used to express the act of
undertaking the work or action signified by the verb, as :
Mae'usn Uur'chuts-v u-teokt dhu aewz tu bee'iildeen, "Mason
Richards has taken the house to building" i.e. the contract to
build. Jan Uurd teok muy graa's tu kuut'een, " John Red
(very common name) took my grass to cutting." Ee teok ut
tu dite'Sen, " He undertook it." To take to doing has also the
particular meaning (implied by context or intonation) of
scolding. See specimen " Lord Popham."
The perfect participle is sometimes substituted for the
present, as Ee wuz u kaa-'peekul lai'p au's, " He was a capital
leapt horse," i.e. leaping horse. The phrase good leapt horse
is the regular description of a hunter ; I have frequently
seen it in local advertisements of horses for sale. Also a
" good goer " is U geo'd staa-pt au's, " A good stept horse,"
i.e. stepping. Compare "A plain spoken man," "A well read
man," etc.
ADVERBS OF MANNER. 81
To a stranger much confusion would seem to exist as to
ownership, in the use of the verb belong. A man said to
me, Bee yue dim jin'lmun dhut beelau'ngz tu dhus yuur
bee'uld&en ? " Are you the gentleman that belongs to this
here building ? " In a fair, the general mode of inquiry as
to ownership is — Du yue beelau'ng tu dhai'z yuur stee'urz?
"Do you belong to these here steers?" Ue' du beelau'ng tu
dhee'uz au's ? " Who belongs to this horse P "
THE PASSIVE VOICE.
The formation of passives is simple, and may be easily
understood by reference to the examples under the auxiliary
verbs. The use of the passive is comparatively rare, and
to give a passive form to sentences which are at all involved
in their construction or meaning, it is often necessary to go a
long way round, as in the case of the complex relatives, in
order to convey the idea. In such a phrase as the dinner is
being cooked, although we might say dhu dun'ur-z u-draas'een,
the precise idea would not be conveyed. To do this we
must return to the simple active : Dhai bee u-draas'een u
dhu dun'ur. To express that the cooking is just now com-
plete, we should say, Dhu dun'ur-z u-fun'eesh draas'een, or
Dhai-v u-fun'eesh u-draas'een u dhu dun'ur. For " It is said
that we shall have war," we should say, Dhai du zai aew dhut
wee bee u-gwaa'yn vur t-ae'u wau'ur.
ADVEKBS.
Adverbs of manner are usually formed as in ordinary
English, except that, instead of ly, we generally sound the full
syllable luyk. This is sometimes attached to the word to which
it belongs, at others separated and placed after the verb,
thus : Ee du zing'ee laewd' luyk, " He sings loudly." Dhai-v
u puur'dee nee'ur u-due'd luyk, " They have pretty nearly
done." TTur kn git drue' ut ai'zee luyk, or Uur kn ai'zee git
drue' ut luyk, "She can easily finish it." Dhaat-s vuuree wuul
u-due'd luyk, " That's very well done." Uur wau'kth wuul
luyk, "She walks well." In these last examples we have
6
82 ADVERBS OF MANNER COMPARISON.
the luyk even after well, itself an adverb. Doubtless our
fondness for simile has tended to the preservation of the
adverbial like, and we have, consequently, a number of
conventional similes taking the place of the superlative
adverb. Ee uur'n lig u lau'ng duug, "He ran like a grey-
hound," i.e. very quickly. Aay wuur'ks lig u ail's, " I work
like a horse."
Adverbs are compared in the same way as adjectives, by
inserting the distinctive terminations ur and ees before luyk.
More and most are not used as forms of comparison of ad-
verbs, even when the word is polysyllabic; but they are
frequently used as intensitives along with the regular com-
parisons, thus : Aay zum ee du wuurk dhu moo'ees au'rdurli-ees
luyk uv un'ee mae'un aay noa'us, " I consider he works the
most orderliest like of any man I know." The same rule of
adding the luyk applies to adjectives in ly, when used ad-
verbially, as: Dhai chik'een du leok luyvlee luyk, "Those
chickens look UveKly" Dhai zaed ee'ns uur tcuz luuvlee
u-draas' luyk, " They said how that she was lovelily dressed."
The termination wai'z is used to change some nouns and
adjectives into adverbs, as zuydwai'z (sideways), vrau'ngwai'z
(wrongways), vruytwai'z (rightways), etc.
Faa'rsheen, "fashion," added to nouns or adjectives, gives
them an adverbial force, thus bran'dees faa'rsheen is "tri-
angularly." U oa'l yoa' u-draas't au'p laa'm faa'rsheen, "An
old ewe dressed up like a lamb," is the usual description
of a lady in too youthful attire. So skue'faa'rsheen means
" diagonally, " slunfaa'rsheen, " slantingly, " treefaa'rsheen,
" tree-like."
Also is frequently expressed by un au'l. Thus — Mam
un bwuuyz un au'l,1 " Men and boys also." Aay zaed zoa
tue un un au'l, "I said so to him, also," i.e. moreover.
A well-known old song has the chorus refrain ending in
Un poo'ur oa'l uung'kl Tau'm Kaub'lee un au'l, "And poor
old uncle Tom Cobiey and all." Besides these may be noted —
1 This is widely diffused in the English dialects. In Scotland also an'a'
(un-aa-) is the ordinary equivalent of also, " Nichol an' Alick an' a'." — M.
ADVERBS OF DEGREE. 83
astracH (astride) taa'p-m taa'yul (top on tail, i.e.
aui ulau-ng (at full length) upside down)
un ee'n (on end) baak-n voaT (back in front)
aup-m ee'n (up on end, i.e. ee'n un aewt (inside out)
upright) praa-ps (perhaps)
aup-m daewn (topsy turvy) mee-aa'p (mayhap)
beeluyk (probably) uuls (else, otherwise).
Adverbs of Degree are also generally formed with luyk,
even when there is no termination in ly in the corresponding
English word ; as after, rather, pretty much, all, quite, almost,
very, very much, very well, too, too much. The same applies to
all the words such as awful, mortal, terrible, etc., which form
the superlative absolute of adjectives.
Wuz mae'&stur een u yee'ut luyk, ? Wuul aay zumd u
wau'z rae'udhur luyk. "Was master in a heat (i.e. angry)?
"Well! I fancied he was rather ly." Uur-z u nuys yuung
uum'un, uun'ee aay zum uur du tau'kee puur'dee muuch luyk,
" She is a nice young woman, only I seem (fancy) she talks
pretty much/y." Ees ! ee-v u-dik-n au'l luyk, " Yes ! he has
dyked (tech. used in hedging) it all/?/." Voa'r un'eebau'dee
keod kau'm tue urn, dh-aewnz-d u-toa'urd-n au'l tu pee'sez
tnaus luyk, " Before one could get to them, the hounds had
torn him (the fox) all to pieces almost^." Dhikee rik-s u-puut
aup vuuree icuul luyk, " That rick is put up very welHy."
Poo'ur oal soa'll uur kaa'n yuur vuur'&e muuch luyk, "Poor
old soul ! she cannot hear very much/y." Aa'l gee'ee waun
tue' luyk, "I will give you one, too-ly." Ez ur u geodfuul'ur
tu wuurk ? Wuul! dhai vrak'nz aew u uz' vuuree luyk, "Is
he a good fellow to work ? "Well ! they reckon that he is,
very." Muuch often means strange, remarkable, as: Tez muuch
yuc ad-n u-meet-n, " It is strange you did not meet him."
Twuz muuch dhai keod-n vuyn un, " It was strange they could
not find it."
In comparing, as is not used both before and after the
adjective. We always say, like our German cousins, Su
gree'n-z u lik, "So green as a leek."1 This form is con-
1 Compare Shaksp. Richard III. ii. 1. 83, "Look I so pale as the rest?"
Eomeo and Juliet, i. 1. 140, " All so soon as," etc., etc. The Ags. was swd gren
sicd, or strengthened, eal swd gren swd. This dialect retains the original form
of the "West Saxon in the first so, though in common with the other modern
forms of speech it has substituted as for so in the second clause. — M.
84 "WHY." ADVERBS OF PLACE.
stantly strengthened by all = altogether, quite. Uur-z au'l
su bae'ud-z ee', " She is quite as bad as he." Dhik-s au'l su
geo'd-z tuudh'ur, "That one is quite as good as the other/'
Yoa'ur beots bee au'l s-aevee-z muyn, "Your boots are quite
as heavy as mine."
The " so " of degree of received English is dhaat (or
sometimes dhaat dhae'ur} with us, as in so many other of the
English dialects. Aay wuz u-teok dhaat bae'ud, Aay wuz fiit
tu duy, " I was taken so ill, I was almost dying " (lit. fit
to die). Ee wuz dhaat dhae'ur kau'ntree keod-n due noa'tirt
wai un, " He was so contrary (obstinately perverse) I could
do nothing with him." Tez dhaa't un noa~ mustae'uk, " It
is so and no mistake."
"Why" is frequently analyzed into icau't . . vaur, as:
Wau'-d-ee due dhaa't vau'r ? "Why do you do that ? " Aay
kaa'n tuul wau't ee due'd ut vau'r, " I cannot say why you did
it." Dhaat's tcau't ee zoa'ld-n vau'r, " That is why he sold
him." Again, wuy ? wuyuvur ? aewuvur ? are seldom used
except interrogatively, thus : Wuy-s buyd dhae'ur gyaa'peen ?
" Why dost stay there gaping ? " Wuy daed' ee uur'ee
yuur zuul? "Why did you hurry yourself?" Wuyuv'ur
daed ur trus-n? "Why ever did he trust him?" Aewuvur
kaum ee vur tu lau's yur ang'kichur? "However came you to
lose your handkerchief?"
Adverbs of Place are wae'ur-vraum (whence), dhae'ur-vraum
(thencej, yuur-vraum (hence), wuur tiie (whither), fhae'ur iue,
(thither), yuur-buy (here abouts), thae'ur-buy (thereabouts),
aedh'iir (hither), yaen dhae'ur (yonder). Dhee uurn yaen-dhae'ur,
un bring aedh'ur dhu taa'klin dhae'ur-rraum, "Thee run yonder,
and bring hither the harness thence." Dhai du lee'v naut
muree vaa'r dhae'ur-vraum, " They live not very far there-
from," i.e. thence. Taed-n beo dree guun shaut yuur'-vraum,
" It is not above three gun-shots herefrom," i.e. hence.
Neef taed-n dhae'ur, tez dhae'ur-buy, " If it is not there, it
is close thereabouts." Ticuz jis yuurbuy ee'ns dhai tuurn
oa'vur, " It was close by here that they turned over," i.e.
upset. Wuur bee gwaa'yn tite su vaa's ? " Whither are you
going so fast ? " Wae'ur d-ee git dhik'ee soa'urt u blaa'k gee's
ADVERBS OF TIME. 85
vraum ? " Where did you (or do you) get that sort of black
geese from ? "
Another very common adverb of place is oa'm or aum,
" home," signifying close, quite, quite as far as. It is used
with various prepositions both before and after it, as : Ee du
lee'v oa'm beezuyd u mee, "He lives close beside me." Kas-n
zee' un-? dhae'ur uz oa'm beezuyd u dhee, "Canst not see it?
there (it) is close beside thee." Haun ee kau'm tu dhu taa'p
u dh-ee'ul dhu gee'iit-s oa'm buy pun yur rai't an, "When you
come to the top of the hill, the gate is close by on your right
hand." Dhu wau'dr wuz aup oa'm tu mee vau'rk, " The water
was so deep as to come quite up to my fork." Drai'v ee'n
dhee'uz stee'urt, ee'n oa'm tu dhu nak' oa un, " Drive in this
large nail in home to its neck." Dhu buul'eeks-v u-baa'rk
dhu yuung treez aup oa'm tu dhu twuz'lz oa-m, "The cattle
have barked the young trees quite up to their twizzles," i.e.
to where the branches grow out from the stem. Dhu nai'v
wai'nt ee'n oa'm tu dhu aa'f oa un, " The knife went in home to
its haft." Aawur aewz uz aum' bee dhu chuureh, "Our house
is close by the church." This latter form is pronounced shorter
as an adverb than au'm, the noun " home," while oa'm, both
noun and adverb, is much longer than oa-m (of them).
" Away " is used in this dialect to express distance, as :
U'vur su vaa'r uwaa'y, " Ever so far away." It is used fre-
quently where " off " would be heard in received English :
uur'nd uwai' is vernacular for " absconded." I heard a woman
say, Muy mae'iin-z uur'nd uwai', that is, " My husband has
absconded and left me " (become a run-away in short).
Adverbs of Time are tu-dai (to-day), dai-mau'rneen (this
morning, lit. to-day morning) tu nai't (to-night), tu voar'neon
(this forenoon), t-aa'drneon (this afternoon), nai'tuymz (night-
times = evenings after working hours), mau'rneentuymz
(mornings, i.e. before going to work), tu-maa'ru (to-morrow), tu
yuur or dee yuur (this year) as in Early English, 'mbaay,
'mbaay nai't (by-and-bye, by-and-bye in the evening), bee-naew
(just now, i.e. a short time ago), maa'ru mau'rneen (to-morrow
morning), laa's nai't, nuw, eet (yet), naut eet (not yet), urad'ee
(already), sinz (since), zeo'n (soon), wai'n or haun (when).
86 ADVERBS OF TIME. "THOUGH."
Dhain, dhan, are not used as adverbs of time, except in the
sense of immediately afterward, as : "I went home and dhan
I went to bed," but they are often heard as illative particles,
like French done. Haun yiie kau'ms tu dhu spuypau's, tuurn
raewn pun yuur rai't an', " When you come to the directing
post, turn to the right." This last has often been said to me.
Bee shoa'ur yue aa'n u-mae'ud-n urad'ee, sinz uz mau'rneen !
" To be sure you have not already made it, since this morn-
ing ! " Ee aa'n u-biin unee'iis dhu plae'us sinz dai-mau'rneen,
voa'r brak'sus, " He has not been here (lit. aneast the place)
since this morning before breakfast." This last was the
answer given me to an inquiry for an absent labourer.
To these should be added, " by the time that" expressed by
tee'ul (compare the Northern while), as : Tee'ul dhik-s u-due'd t-l
bee tuym mir laefwuurk, "By the time that (article) is finished,
it will be time to leave work. " Tee'ul un'eebau'dee-v u-
rai'tud au'p dhik, keod maek u nue' wun, " By the time that
one has repaired that (gate) one could make a new one."
Ee' ul bee rad'ee tee'ul yiie du kau'm, "He (the article) will
be ready by the time that you arrive." Also uun'dur waun,
icai dhu sae'um, both signifying "at the same time," but used
with much exactness under differing circumstances. The
first implies the performance of two acts at one time, or by
making one journey, as : Haun ee geos daeicn baewt dhu dhingz,
.kaa'r u zuyv lau'ng wai' ee, ee'ns mud kuut aup dhu mauks awl
uun'dur waun, " When you go down to see the cattle, carry a
scythe with you, so that you may cut the tufts (of grass) at
the same time, or at one journey." The second implies
something instantaneous, as in the specimen "Nan Scott," p.
99, where the thunder is described as following the lightning
like the report of a cannon, at the same instant as the flash.
Aay zeed-n slup raewn dhu kau'ndur, un wai dhu sae'um aay
daaps raewn tuudh'ur wai, un zoa aay jis meet wai Mae'ustur
Jin'lmun, " I saw him slip round the corner, and at the same
moment I ran quickly round the other way, and so I just met
with ' Mr. Gentleman.' "
An interesting form is dhoa (then),1 as: Wai'n-s zee un?
1 Ags. $<*, Old Southern Eng. j?o, tho, the proper adv. of time, while ftonne,
NEGATIVES. PREPOSITIONS. 87
"When didst see him?" Aay zee'd-n dhoa', neet vai'v mun'e'ets
avoa'r ut aa'pt, "I saw him then, not five minutes before
it happened." Aay toa'ld-n oa ut dhoa', jist ee'ns ee km ee'n,
"I told him then, just when he was coming in." Dhoa
also implies "just now," i.e. a short time since. Wai'n
wauz ut? dhoa, neet tue mun'eets ugau'n, "When was it?
just now, not two minutes ago."
The Negative forms are made by prefixing noa, as before
shown (see Adjectives), and by adding -n to verbs, thus : Ee
ad-n nuudh'ur nai'v, " He had not any knife at all." Wud-n
ee geo' ? "Would you not go?" The usual emphatic negative
is nau't. Wus dhee dhae'ur ? Aay wuz nau't, " Wast thou there ?
I was not. " Neet (not) is also common : Dhur ud-n neet ziks
u-laef', "There are not six left." Neet also does duty for
"nor yet." Aay keod-n vuyn nuudh'ur buurd neet nuudh'ur
rab'ut pun au'l dhu faa'rm, " I could not find (never) a bird
nor yet (never) a rabbit on all the farm." Naat and naa't
are also frequently heard, and are semi-emphatic — Ee waud-n
uur'tud, naat wau'n-beet, "He was not hurt, not one bit. Aay
wud-n due ut, naa't aa'y ! " I would not do it, not I ! "
The direct replies to questions are : Noa'u (no), ees (yes),
aayee, sh (yes) (the latter sh, yes, sounded by aspiration).
We have also " ms " as a very common form of yes.
PREPOSITIONS.
These are as follows :
about ubaewt, buwt, against ugin', ugee*uns,
baewt,baewd. gin, buy.
above beo-, ubeo*, along . lau'ng, ulau^ng,
uboo-. yaen.
across utraas*, kraa's. amid muds,
after aa-rtur, aa-dr. among mangs(t.
]>anne, than, then, was more of order, sequence, and inference. So in Chaucer, of
time:
" Palamon right tho,
"With holy herte ... he rose."
Of sequence :
" Telle us som moral thing, that we mow lere
With wit, and thanne wol we gladly lere."
It is interesting to find tho still existing in the Old "West- Saxon land. From
Northern English it disappeared eight centuries ago.— M.
PREPOSITIONS.
at
tu, tue, u.
notwithstand-
before
voa-r, uvoaT.
ing
vur au'l dhaat.
behind
bee-uyn.
of
uv, -v, oa, u.
beneath
een uun-dur.
off
oa-f oa(/^. off of).
beside
beezuyd.
on
au-n, paun, u.
besides
zuydz.
out
uwt, aewt.
between
twiks.
over
oa'vur.
beyond
beeyaen-.
round
raewn.
by
bee, buy.
through
drue.
down
daewn.
to
tue, tu.
except, i.
9. all
towards
tu-wau'rdz.
but
ee'ntue, ee-ntu.1
under
uun-dur.
except
buut, saep.
underneath
een uun-dur.
for
vaur, vur.
until, till
gin.
from
vrau'm, vrum.
unto
aun-tu, auntue*.
in
ee*n.
up
au-p, uup.
into
een-tu.
•\~\T\f\T\
( paun
near
nee -fir, nuy,
upon
( au-p pun taa-p oa.
unee'us.
with
wee, wai.
without
udhaewt, dhaewt.
Whether the first syllable of ubaewt, ub&o', or ukraa's is
sounded or not depends much upon the individual speaker ;
but nearly every one would sound it distinctly, when either
is used adverbially — as in au'l ubaewt, au'p ubeo, rai't ukraa's.
On the other hand, most people would say : Puut dhu stik
baewt dhu baa'k oa un, "Put the stick about his back" (i.e.
thrash him). Aay zee'd-z ai'd beo' dhu gee'tirdn waa'l, "I saw
his head above the garden wall." Dhai km ee'n kraa's dhu
mee'ud, " They came in across the meadow."
In the sense of "against the character," when by (see below)
is not used, it is most common to say ugin' or ugee'uns, — as
Dhupoa'lees keod-n zai noa'urt ugin' un or ugee'tins-n, "The
police could say nothing against him." But on the other
hand, Aay laef dhu ladr gin dhu baa'rn, " I left the ladder
against the barn."
So also of ulau'ng or lau'ng, Dhai wai'nt lau'ng dhu rau'tid,
" They went along the road." But Ee aa't-n au'l ulau'ng, " He
hit him all along" (i.e. at full length). Aay toa'ld ee zoa,
au'l ulau'ng, " I told you so, all along."
Taen has scarcely the meaning of along, and still less does
1 Probably even to, like just to, all to, quite to, etc. " They were all drowned
even to two or three." — M.
PREPOSITIONS. "AT," "BY." 89
it mean yonder. Aay zeed-n gwai'n yaen tu-wau'rds dhu
kyue'urt, "I saw him going forwards towards the court" (farm,
yard). Again in Bring yaen dhu taa'kleen, "Bring the tackling
(harness)," it implies either hither or along with you. It is
both adverb and preposition. "We can say kaa'r yaen as well
as bring yaen. Kaa'r yaen dhu mtur'keen lau'ng wai' ee> " Carry
the firkin along with you." x
" At " is almost invariably tue or tu. Aay wuz u-luvten tu
Taa'nun, " I was living at Taunton." Aa'l due ut u dun'ur tuym,
" I'll do it at dinner time." Here the tu is contracted by the
previous t (see note, p. 27). In speaking of persons of any
place we always say tu, as Maes'tr Bae'ul tu Brad'vurd, " Mr.
Bale to Bradford." Maes'tr Gree'n tu Kaa'sl, " Mr. Green to
Castle" (i.e. of the Castle hotel). Mr. Breo'ks tu shau'p, "Mr.
Brooks to shop" (i.e. of the shop). Dhai wuz au'l tu skit'lz,
" They were all to (i.e. playing at) skittles." Again, we say " to
bed" for "in bed." Aay buyd tu bai'd u vaur'tneet, "I stayed
in bed a fortnight." Compare " going to bed." Wee wuz
au'l au'p t-ee'ul, " We were all up at the hill." " At " is
frequently omitted altogether; "at home" is never heard.
Wuy-s-n buyd au'm ? "Why dost thou not stay at home?"
U'z dhee mae'ustur au'm? "Is thy master (at) home?"
Again, tu does duty for " out of." Goa tu doa'urz, " Get
out of doors," is always said to dogs. Dhu lan'lau'rd puut
um tu doa'urz, " The landlord turned them out of doors," is
the regular expression attending such circumstances; usually
the result of too much drink.
"By," in addition to its ordinary sense, preserves the old
English one of against. Yiie nu'vur daed-n yuur noa'urt buy
tin, " You never heard anything against him " (i.e. his
character). This is a most common expression in daily use
by all. Compare "I know nothing by myself," I. Corin-
thians iv. 4.
1 The radical idea is change of place, onward : Ags. }eond, "adv. yond, yonder,
thither, beyond ; prep, through, over, as far as, after, beyond. ' — Eosworth.
Compare \end in Layamon : " he sende wide . . . )end )>ane londe," he sent far
through the land, ticotch yont, yount, adv. and prep., as : sit yont = move a little
to one side, he lives yont the streit— along or down the street. All the instances
given in the text would also be used in Scotland. The root is demonst. yon, Ags.
\eon. Yaen-dhae-ur on p. 84 is not yonder, but the Sc. yont there, i.e. over there. — M.
90 PREPOSITIONS.
Ee'ntue and een'tu must not be confounded. I heard the
following at Tauntoa market: Wee gut urn au'l een'tu dhu
puynz turaa'klee, ee'ntue baewd u dree ur vaawur, " We got
them all (the sheep) into the pens directly, except about three
or four." Dhae'ur IDUZ u skaor oa-m, ee'ntu tue ur dree,
" There was a score of them, all but two or three."
Noa'bau'dee bud mee waud-n u-kau'm, " Nobody except me
had arrived." Au'l oa-m saep aaivur Wee'&l wuz ufee'urd,
"All of them except our Will was afraid." Saep is often
used for unless, as : Saep yue du zai'n daewn, aay shaa'n
kau'm, "Unless you send down, I shall not come." Ee oa'n due
utsaep ee-z u-foo'us tue, "He will not do it unless he is obliged."
Een uun'dur and awp pun taa'p oa are fair samples of our
pleonasms. " Until " is always gin. Aay kaa'n paa'y ut
gin Kuur'smus, " I cannot pay it until Christmas." Gin l
also means " by." Ee'ul bee u-due'd gin Zad'urdee, " It will be
finished by (or against) Saturday."
" For," as in ordinary English, has sometimes the force of
considering or taking into account. Yery recently, on in-
quiring of a man as to his sister's health, his reply was, Au' !
uur-z mud'leen luyk vur shee', bud, poo'ur dhing, ee'-z u tuur'ubl
luyubaewt fuul'ur, " Oh ! she is middling like for her (i.e.
taking her circumstances into account), but, poor thing, he
(her husband) is a terrible lie-about fellow " (i.e. drunken
and profligate).
Again, to " send for " or " go for," or " send after," implies
to "fetch." Zai'n daewn aa'dr-n turaa'klee, "Send down to
fetch him directly."
"From," when used with a relative pronoun, or with
" where " or " here," is very commonly placed immediately
after the adverb, or else at the end of the sentence ; while
"hence" is always expressed by yuur'-vraum (here-from),
and " thence " dhae'ur-vraum. Keep rai't voa'r yuur'-vraum,
gin ee kaum tu dhu vaawur krau's-wai, " Keep right on
1 Ags. gean, root of ongean, ongeanes, whence agains, corrupted against. The
use of against for time = awaiting, expecting, till, is common in Shakspere : " I'll
charm his eyes against he do appear." — M.N.D. iii. 2. 99. So Genesis xliii. 25 :
" They made ready the present against Joseph came at noon." So in Scotch,
V ageane Saturday," " ageane nicht." — M.
"FROM," "TO," "NEAR," ETC. 91'
hence, until you come to the four-cross-way." Baewd u
dree muyuld yuur-vraum, "About three miles from here."
In a local paper, dated Aug. 13th, 1875, I read, " She made
no statement as to who she had the orders from." Ue' daed
urn git dhai flaaic'urz vraum ? " Who did they get those
flowers from ? " Wuur-s bring dhaat eo'd vraum ? " Where
didst bring that wood (faggot) from?" Frequently "from"
is expressed by tue=at, especially in interrogative phrases
beginning with " where," as Wae'ur d-ee ae'u dhik tue ?
"Where did you have (get) that to ? " (=at).
It will be noticed that of is sometimes u and sometime oa,
and before a vowel occasionally uv. The first two forms
depend entirely on the stress laid on the preposition, the
sound varies from the faintest breathing u to the longest
oa\ I heard a man remark upon a curious stratum of rock,
Un'eebau'dee-d nuvur blee'v haut faa'rsheen t-aez oa', " One
would never believe what fashion it is of." Several verbs
take the preposition of after them, as : Aay nuvur tich oa un,
" I never touched him." Uur keod-n uulp oa ut, "She could not
help it." Help is used transitively without the preposition.
Haut-bee aa-kteen oa' ? " What are you doing ? " Dhai bee au'vees
u-laarfeen oa un, "They are always laughing at him." Many
more, indeed most verbs, take oa (of) after the present par-
ticiple, though not after the tenses.
" To " is frequently used in the sense of " belonging to,"
as: Yuur-z u loa'k, bud dhur aed-n nuudh'ur kai' tue uny
"Here's a lock, but there is no key belonging to it." U'z ur
u sul'ur tu dhik aewz ? " Is there a cellar belonging to that
house ? " Noa ! dhur waud-n nuudh'ur buul'ee tuy tue un,
"No ! there was no belly-band belonging to him" (the cart).
Compare "No clothes to his back," "Not a shilling to his
name," etc.
Nee'iir and nuy are also adjectives and adverbs, while
unee'us is the true preposition. It would not so commonly
be said, Aay waud-n nee'iir dhu plae'us, as Aay waud-n unee'us
dhu plae'us, "I was not near the place." Twuz nuy dhu
paewn icuur uur meet-n, " It was near the pound where she
met him." Twuz u ruuree nee'iir mus', yue ad-n u-pik ut
92 CONJUNCTIONS.
een', " It was a very near miss, you had not picked it in," i.e.
that you escaped a thrashing. Aay wuz vuur'ee nee'ur pun
gwai'n, "I was very near going" (lit. near upon). Nuvur
leok aa'dr ee', doa'n ee goo unee'us-n, un ee ulkm raewn, "Never
look after (never mind) him, do not go near him, and he will
come round." Yue mus u-wai'nt au'n vuur'ee nuy aaic'ur
aewz, " You must have gone on very near our house."
" On " is sometimes expressed by u, as : Dhee-s due ut u
puurpus, " Thou didst do it on purpose." Aay zeed-n u Zitn'dee,
" I saw him on Sunday."
CONJUNCTIONS.
These are as follows :
an, un, n and
auT, ur or
buut, bud, bud but
uudlrur, uudh'urwuyz either
an, neef (eef when following n) if
wuvur however
-n than
dhaat, dhut, ut that
kuuz, kuz, ukau'z, vur kau'z, kae'uz wuy because
tue, tu too
dhan then (i. e . in that case)
nauT, nur nor
'vau'r, vur for (i.e. because)
nuudh-ur neither
thau-f, au-f, oa'f though
een kee'uz in case (i.e. lest)
ee-t yet
saep except = unless
aewsumuvur, aewsumduvur nevertheless
Among these may also be classed dhoa (though), corre-
sponding to the German dock, as Aay bee saa'f u wuz dhae'ur,
dhoa, "I am certain he was there, though." In this case dhoa
has rather the force of " notwithstanding," or " after all."
On the other hand, U wuz dhae'ur dhoa', with the stress on
dhoa, the phrase would mean, " He was there then " (see
Adverbs of Time, p. 86). Dhai'n, dhan' (then), also is fre-
quently used like dhoa, i.e. German doch, but it is not used as
an adverb of time, as: Naew dhai'n stue'peed! "Now then
stupid ! " Dhan' dhee shaet-n ab-m t-au'l, " Then thou shalt not
have it at all." Compare German denn as distinct from dann.
"TOO," "BUT," "NEITHER," " IF." 93
" Too " is often pronounced very short — tu : Ee'z u maa'yn
suyt tii bacg' vur-z kloa'us, " He is a great deal too big for his
clothes" (i.e. very conceited). This is the ordinary phrase,
and quite preserves the old idea of the blown-out frog in the
fable.
As will have been remarked in previous examples nau'r,
nur, rather than au'r, ur (or), is used in a negative sentence,
as : Uur aa'n u-ae'ud noa mai't nur dringk, lit. " She has not
had no meat nor drink."
" But " is often peculiar, as : T-wuz au'l buut' dhii wag'een
ad-n u-uurnd oa'vur-n, " It was all but (i.e. the nearest escape)
the waggon had not run over him." Uur kyaa'ld-n bud
uvuree-dhing, " She called him but everything." This is a
very common phrase, and implies that she abused him to the
utmost of her power. Saa'r-n jis bud rai't ! " It serves him
just but right." It is possible, in the last two examples, the
bud may mean "about" ; but if so, the contraction is abnormal.
Uudh'ur and nuudh'ur (either, neither), which are ordinarily
used in negative and positive sentences respectively, are in
this dialect used precisely the reverse, and moreover they are
placed only at the end of sentences, where in received English
they would come first, as : Dhee kas'n muuv-m, nuudh'ur,
"Neither canst thou move it" (lit. "Thou canst not move it,
neither"). Uudh'ur is scarcely ever used in this sense, but
usually means " otherwise " : Uur kn ab-m uudh'ur, " Other-
wise she can have it."
An for " if " is not common, although I have heard it in
ordinary talk, but An yue plai'z, "If you please," is the
regular phrase of the hill country, and may be heard daily.
Km aa'dr dhu kyaa'v an yue plai'z, muum, " (I am) come after
(i.e. to fetch) the calf, if you please, madam." But neef1 is
the ordinary equivalent of if, as : Neef aay wuz yue, etc., " If
I were you," etc. Ee oa'n due ut, neef ee kn uulp oa ut, " He
1 Neef represents the older English An if, and if, common in Shakspere and
the Tudor writers: "Oh father! «»' if you be my father." If was first
strengthened by a preceding and, like Latin et-si, Greek ical el ; then the whole
combination was weakened to the meaning of if alone. Occasionally the if was
omitted before a subjunctive, leaving an or and apparently filling its place, whence
«»' yue plai'z for " an 't please you." — M.
94 CONJUNCTIONS.
will not do it, if he can help (of) it." Wuul dliae'ur naew !
neef taed-n tu lae'iit ! " Well there now ! if it is not too late ! "
Thau'f and au'f1 are the general forms of "though," but
oa'fis frequently heard. All these forms are regularly used
where in received English we might say " if," as T-aed-n-z
au'f un'eebau'dee keod voo'urd ut, "It is not as if one could
afford it." Uur leo'kud su boa'l-z thau'f uur daed-n noa'
noa'urt ubaewd ut, " She appeared as bold as if she knew
nothing of it." U gyaa'pud j'is dhu vuur'ee sae'um-z oa'f u
nuvur zeed zh-dhing uvoa'ur, "He gaped just the very same
as though he 'never had seen such a thing before." I have
often heard this sentence.
"That," the conjunction, is frequently sounded ut; the
demonstrative and the relative in this dialect never drop the
dh. Thus : Wee au'vees zaed' ut ee-d gee aewt tu laa's, " We
always said that it would yield at last," i.e. break down, as
of a bridge. To yield after persuasion is Tu gee' ee'n.
A very common expression amounting to a conjunction is
een kee'uz. Kaa'r lau'ng u lauk u haa'yz een kee'uz mud-n
bee noa'un dhae'ur, " Carry along a lock (i.e. little) of
hay, lest (there) may not be any there." " Along " here
means along with you, and is also very frequently used thus.
Bring lau'ng yuur dhingz, een kee'uz mud bee een waunt oa-m,
" Bring along your things, in case (you) may be in want of
them." In this sentence yaen might be substituted for lau'ng
without change of meaning.
Kae'uz wuy is a very common form of " because."
Wau't-s due dhaat vau'r ? Kuuz Aay daed. " What didst do
that for? Because I did." Sometimes we hear vur kau'z,
as : Aay keod-n geo', mrkau'z u icuz tu oa'l, " I could not go,
because I was too old." In a church which I know well the
1 The change of the final guttural in though to / is very old in the north ;
\>of, thof, is the regular form in the Cotton MS. of Cursor Mundi; but the
Ayenbite has J>aj, \ah. It is singular that the initial consonant is th and not dh,
while the concessive dhoa has dh (see above). It looks as though they were
separate words like the Dutch doch and toch. In Scotch though has always had
the th sound ; old Scotch thocht, but the concessive though agrees with it. The
dropping of the initial th in though, that, than (oaf, ut, n), is important in its
bearing on the pretended Norse influence in the Scotch and North English at for
that.— M.
2 The h here is emphatic.
INTERJECTIONS. EXPLETIVES. 95
clerk, according to custom, gave out this notice : Dhus uz tu
gee' noa'&tecs ! dliur oa'unt bee noa Zun'dee yuur naks Zun'dee,
kae'&z wuy'i Mae'ustur-z gwaa'yn Daii'leesh vur prai'ch, " This
is to give notice ! there will not be any Sunday here next
Sunday, because Master is going to Dawlish to preach." In
country parishes the paa'sn is generally called Mae'ustur.
INTERJECTIONS.
Of these we have many, depending much upon intonation
for their significance. Oa' ! (Oh !) may be either an ex-
clamation of wonder, of delight, or of terror. So Aa' (Ah)
may be a cry of shame, an exclamation of incredulity, a sigh
of pain, or a sign of assent. There are some interjections
whose meaning is certain. Poo ! poa' ! mean contempt. Oa
aa'y ! doubt, opposition. Ps ! sh ! ts ! vexation ; ae'&kh !
ae'uks! ee'ks! disgust; uloa' ! surprise; haci'y! tvuop ! calling
after another.
With us interjections often run into long sentences, such
as Zing oal roa'uz -n buurn dhu buul'ees ! " Sing old rose and
burn the bellows ! " Daewn vaa'l dhu shaam'lz, wai' uurn dhu
beoch'ur! "Down falls the shambles, away runs the butcher !
These are both very common exclamations. The first is
merely an outbreak of joviality ; the last an exclamation of
fun at any grotesque catastrophe. There are, moreover, all
the well-known exclamations, but it is doubtful whether to
treat them as dialect or slang.
We have, however, a number of expletives, which rather
take the form of exclamations, and which are invariably
placed at the end of a sentence or clause ; such as : Wauns f
(once !) geod naew ! often geon'ur ! (good now !) muyn ! (re-
member!) s-noa! (thou knowest ! or dost know?) faa'y (?foi),
faa'th ! (in faith !) eentuy ! (not I !) tuy noa ! (that I know !)
zuy noa ! (as I know !) The last three are negative only.
Ee's shoa'ur ! (yes sure!) shoa'ur nuuff (sure enough!) dhaat-s
au'l ! (that's all !) dhae'ur naew ! (there now !) waut-s dhingk
u dhaat' naew ? (what dost think of that now ?) ee'ns mud zai !
(as one might say!) een u man'ur u spai'keen! (in a manner of
speaking!).
96
LORD POPHAM.
DIALECT SPECIMENS.
As connected examples of the dialect, I add the following
specimens, the first of which, referring to a well-known local
superstition, was written down from the account of one of
the patriarchs of the valley.
In the various specimens it will be found that u sounded
very short does duty for no less than ten or twelve distinct
meanings, depending of course on the context. All are pro-
nounced precisely alike, and hence the same symbol must be
used; viz.: 1. a (the article) ; 2. the participial prefix ; 3.
of; 4. at, as u dun'ur tuym; 5. on, as u Zad'urdee; 6. he ; 7.
she; 8. /; 9. one (impers. pron.) ; 10. have', 11. the present
participial prefix, as u-zee'een, which may be on; 12. there,
as ee's u wauz, " Yes ! there was."
D PATTFUM:.
Aay spoo'iiz yue-v u-yuurd
baewd dhu guurt oa'kn tree aup
tu WuuHtn Paa'rk eo'd, waut
dhai yue'z tu zai Lau'urd
Pau'pum wuz u-kuun-jurd
ee'ntue ? Wuul, doa'un ee zee*,
aup dhae'ur, yue noa* zr, dhur-z
u guurt deep bau'dum geos
daewn zu deep-s dhu taawur,
maa-yn stee'ur luyk, ee'ns mud
zai, sae'um-z dhu zuyd gwai-n
aup oa-vur "WuuHtn ee-ul, un
dhee-uz yuur oa-kn tree, ee wuz
u tuurubl guurt tree shoa'urnuuf,
ee wau'z, un ee groa-ud een
dhu zuyd oa un, un dhik'ee
plae'us ez u-kau'l Wuls'km
bau'dum. Yue muyn dhu
poo'iir oa*l Taum Aa-lway,
doa'un ee zr? dhaats dhu oa'l
Taum Aa-lwayz faa'dhur, yu noa*
zr, uulp tu droa* un, un
wai'n dhai droa'd-n, neef
ee daed-n tuurn rai't taa-p-m
taa'yiil — ee's shoa'ur, un
dhu ai'd oa un wuz rai't daewn
uun-dur, un dhae'ur ee buyd,
un dhai wuz au'l o-am
LOED POPHAM.
I suppose you have heard
about the great oak tree up
at "Wellington Park wood, which
they used to say Lord Pop-
ham was conjured (transformed)
into ? "Well, don't you see,
up there, you know, Sir, there is
a great deep bottom (ravine) goes
down as deep as the tower,
very steep like, as one may
say, the same as the side going
up over "Wellington Hill, and
this here oak tree, he was a
terrible great tree sure enough,
he was, and he grew in the
side of him (i.e. of the ravine),
and that place is called Wilscombe
bottom. You mind (recollect) the
poor (t.e. deceased) old Tom Alway,
don't you, Sir ? that is, the old
Tom Alway's father, you know,
Sir, (he) helped to throw (fell) him,
and when they threw him(the oak),
if he did not turn right top-on-
tail (head over heels)-yes sure, and
the head of him was right down
under, and there he abode (re-
mained), and they was all of them
SPECIMENS " LORD POPHAM."
97
u-fee-urd vur tu goo' u-nee-us-n,
un dhai zaed uw ee'ns u wuz
u-kuun'jurd noa'baudee keo'd-n
niivur druug-n aewt; un dhae'ur
ee buyd; un tu laa-s, aay wai'nt
au'p,kuuz dhai zaed dhuairsez-ud
shoa'ur tu bee u-kee'uld, wai tai-n
au'ksn, un aay ee'cht um au'p tue
un, un dhu buul'eeks peold-n
aewt, un druug-n ee-ntu dhu
ang-een kloaz, un aay niivur zeed
noa'urt, un. dhai wuz au'l oa-m
u-wau'yteen uu u-leok'een ee'ns
aay shud ubun u-kee'uld, uu
kau'leen oa mee u f eo'iil vur t u goo',
bud aay nuvur zeed noa'urt, neet
noa'baudee tau'l. Un yue noa'us
"WuuHtn Paa-rk aewz, doa'un
eezr? Aay muynhaunaay yue'Z
tulee'vdhur, au'p-mdhugyaa'rut,
dhur wuz u plae'us dhur dhoa'
luyk u oa'vm luyk, un aay zeed
zum beoks wai rai'deen ee-n
um, ee-n un, un dhai zaed
dhaa't wuz Lau'urd Pau-pumz
beoks, un dhai zaed uw u
mae-un wai'nt au'p un zau't
u-struyd pun dhu reo'f wai u
buybl, ee'ns ee- mud-n kaagr-n
uwai-. Ee-s ! un tez u
tuurubl oa-1 aew-zr, bud aay
niivur daed-n zee noa'baudee
dhae'ur, noa wiis-n meezuul',
ee'ns mud zai. Aewsumuvur
aay-v u-yuur'd um zai uw dhu
saa'rvun chaa'p wuz gwai'n vur
tu lat' aewt dhu aa'kn-ee
aa'dr-z mae'ustur-d u-kumd
au-m vrum maa-rkut, un dhur
wuz u mae'un u-steo'd ee'n dhu
gee'ut wai, un ee keo'd-n oa'pm
un, un haun dhai teok-n
tu due-een naks mau'rneen,
vur kau'z ee ad-n u-puut aewt
dhu au's, doa'un ee zee' zr? u
zaed, s-ee', uw u keo'd-n
puut-n aewt, kuuz dhur wuz
. u mae'un u-steo'd rai't ee'n dhu
gee'iit wai, ee'ns ee keo'd-n
afraid for to go aneast (near) him,
and they said how he was
so conjured nobody could not
never drag him out ; and there
he remained ; and at last I went
up, because they said the horses
would (be) sure to be killed, with
ten oxen, and I hitched them up to
him, and the bullocks pulled him
out, and dragged him into the
hanging-close, and I never saw
nought, and they was all of them
a- waiting and a-looking how
I should have been killed, and
calling of me a fool for to go,
but I never saw nought, nor yet
nobody at all. And you knows
Wellington 'Park house, don't
you, Sir ? I mind when I used
to live there, up in the garret,
there was a place there then
like a oven like, and I saw
some books with reading in them,
in him(the oven), and they said that
was Lord Popham's books, and
they said how a man went
up and sat astride upon the
roof with a bible, in order that he
(the devil) might not carry him
(the roof ) away. Yes! and 'tis a
terrible old house, Sir, but I
never did not see nobody
there, no worse than myself, as
(one) might say. Nevertheless
I have heard them say how the
servant chap was going for
to let out (i.e. into a pasture) the
hackney after his master had come
home from market, and there
was a man stood (standing) in the
gate-way, and he could not open
him (the gate), & when they took
himtodoing(scolding) nextmorn-
ing, because he had not put out
the horse, don't you see, Sir ? he
said, said he, how he could not
put him out, because there was
a man stood right in the gate-
way, so that he could not open
98
DIALECT SPECIMENS.
oa-pm un, un dhai au'vees
yue'z tu zai uw dhai au'vees
kunsud'urd dhaat dhaeur wuz
Lau'rd Pau'pum.
him (the gate), and they always
used to say how they always
considered that there was
Lord Popham.
The same old man recounted the following, and I sub-
sequently visited the spot, which I well knew, and found the
riggle, and very evident marks of the attempt to dig the
stone out, as narrated. It is a boulder of Chert or Flint of
very unusual size.
Yue-v u-yuurd um tuul, aa-n
ee zr? baewd dhu Kauk-kratr
stoa'un. Aa'n ee shoa'ur ?
Wuul, t-ez true aay shoa'ur ee ;
un dhai au'vees du zai dhut
dhik'ee stoa'un iavuree tuym ee
du yuur dhu kauk krau-, ee du
git aup-ra tuurn raewn. Ee's
shoa'ur ! un tez u tuurubl
guurt stoa'un, un dhai au'vees
kunsud'urd uw dhur wuz u pau't
u muun'ee een uun-dur-n : ee's,
uu aay uurd-n au'l raewn
moo'ur-n dree veot deep, un
dhur wuz u rigi een un ;
ee-s u wau'z, un yue kn zee
un naew, un dhai puut
u chaa-yn raewn un, un ee'ch
dhu pluw u au'sez tue un
vur tu tuurn un oa'vur, bud dhai
waud-n ae'ubl vur tu muuv-m,
un dhae'ur ai z tu dhee'uz vuree
aawur. Oa- ! aa 1 tuul ee dhu
wai tu goo tue un zr. Yue nau's
dhu Kyat-n Fudl, doa-un ee
zr? "Wuul, dhuur-z a paa'th
goos een u leedl vuur-dur au-n,
daewn tuwau-rdz Km Puyn.
"Wuul, dhikdhae-ur guurt stoa'un-z
een pun dhu ee'ul, un-eef
yue vau'lees dhikee paa'th yue-1
kau'm tue un.
You have heard them tell, have
you not, Sir? about the Cock- crow
stone. Have you not sure?
"Well, it is true I assure you ;
and they always do say that
that stone every time he
do hear the cock crow, he do
get up and turn round. Yes,
sure ! and it is a terrible
great stone, and they always
considered how there was a pot
of money in under him : yes,
and I rid (dug) him all round
more than three feet deep, and
there was a riggle (groove) in him;
yes there was, and you can see
him(the groove) now, andtheyput
a chain around him, and hitched
the plough (team) of horses to him
for to turn him over, but they
were not able for to move him,
and there (he) is to this very
hour. Oh ! I will tell you the
way to go to him, Sir. You know
the "Cat and Fiddle," do you not,
Sir ? Well, there is a path ( which)
goes in a little further on,
down towards " Culme Pyne."
Well, that great stone is
in upon the hill (i.e. common), and
if you follow that path you will
come to him.
The following, told me by a rough carpenter who makes
coffins, illustrates, like the incident of the oak tree in " Lord
SPECIMENS — "NAN SCOTT.'
99
Popham," the popular belief that the devil turns things
topsy-turvy. The husband had died long before the wife.
Ded yue noa* dh-oa'l Nan.
Scott, zr? Hau'suvureebau'dee
wuz u-fee-urd oa ur, kuz dhai
noa'd aew ur kud oa'vurleok' urn.
neef ur wud- . "Wuul, aay mae 'ud
dhu kau'feen vaurur, ua su true-z
aay bee yuur, twuz jist u-kau'm
wee ad'n au'l oa us u-bun
u-kee'uld. Twuz su fuyn u dai-z
uvur yue zeed, un dhu zun-d
u-bun u-shai'neen su bruyt-s
mreedhing, haun jis ee'ns wee
wuz gwai-n een tu dhu chuurch
doo'ur dhur kau'md u vlaa'rsh u
lartneen fut tu tae'ur aup dhu
vuuree stoa'unz, an- wai dhu
sae'um dhu thumrdurbuust aewt
luyk a kan'un. Wuul, haun wee
kau-m tu puut ur een dhu kee'uv,
neef dh-oa'l mae'un waud-n
u-tuurnd rai't raewn. Aay noa*
u wauz, vur aay uulp puut-n
ee'n. Oa- ! wee noa'd waut twauz
ud u-dued ut. Wee noa'd
vuuree wuul dh-oa%l fuul'ur-d
u-biin dhur lau'ng wai un.
True-z yue bee stan-een dhae'ur.
Did you know the old Nan
Scott, Sir ? Almost every body
was afraid of her, because they
kne w h ow she could overlook them
if she would. Well, I made
the coffin for her, and so true as
I am here.it was just come (*'.«. a
near miss) we had not all of us been
.killed. It was as fine a day as
ever you saw, and the sun had
been shining as bright as
anything, when just as we
were going in at the church
door, there came a flash of
lightning fit to tear up the
very stones, and l with the
same the thunder burst out
like a cannon. Well, when we
came to put her in the cave (vault),
if the old man (her husband) was
not turned right round. I know
he was, for I helped to put him
in. Oh ! we knew what it was
(that) had done it. We knew
very well the old fellow ( the devil)
had been there along with him. (It
is as) true as you are standing there.
A woman, questioned by the paa'sn as to the reason which
had induced her, a respectable woman, to marry a disreput-
able man, replied —
Doa-n ee zee-, zr, aay-d u-gau't
su muuch wau'rsheen, un aay wuz
u-foo'iis tu zai'n ut au'm, un ee'f
aay ad-n u-ae'ud ee*, aay mus
u-boa'ut u duungk.
Don't you see, Sir, I had got
so much washing, and I was
forced to send it home, and if
I had not had him I must
have bought a donkey.
Not long since, a man, whose wife had very recently died,
came and asked me to buy two hives of bees from him.
Well knowing the old superstition, I suggested that the man
Muck emphasis on and.
100 DIALECT SPECIMENS — " WASSAIL."
wished to sell the bees at once, lest they should die. His
reply was : "Au! noa'u zrf aay-v u-toa'ld um oa' ut." "Told
them! how so?" "Au! aay aa'v zr." "Nonsense! how could
you tell your bees?" "An! bud aay daed' zr, aay shoafr-ee."
"Well, but how?" "Au! aay warn daewn pun mee nee~z,
ee'ns dhai kaa'rd ur aewt, un aay wus'purd ut tue um : zoa
yue noa kizh'un tu bee u-fee'iird baewd um zr," "Oh! I went
down on my knees whilst they were carrying her (the wife's
corpse) out, and I whispered it to them : so you (have) no
occasion to be afraid about them, Sir."
Upon Old Christmas-day (6th January) it was a common
custom, well within the writer's recollection, and it is prob-
ably still practised in some parts, to go out at night into the
orchard, and to put a large pitcher of toast and cider into the
vau'rk (fork) of one of the largest apple trees, and then for
the farmer (who always has his gun) and his men to shout
together in unison :
Aa-pl tree ! Aa-pl tree ! aay Apple tree ! Apple tree ! I
wausaa'yul 1 dhee ! wassail th.ee !
Tin wee-sh dhee geod luuk* ! And wish thee good luck !
Tu bloa- un tu bae'ur ! To blow and to bear !
Aa-tveolz ! Kaa-pveolz ! dree Hatfuls ! Capfuls ! three
beo-shl bai-gveolz ! bushel bagfuls !
Un muy pau-guts veol tue- — And my pockets full too !
Ue-rau* ! ! Hurrah ! !
The gun is then fired and the hurrahs are renewed. The
toast and cider are next passed round, and then the whole is
repeated to another tree, and so on. I have heard that some
of the cider is also thrown upon the tree, but I have not seen
this done, though I have no doubt this libation is poured out
to the presiding genius of the apple tree.
Boys keeping birds from corn always shout in a peculiar
1 It will interest readers of Sir "Walter Scott to know that in wausaa-yul, the
accent is always on the last syllable, which is lengthened out as shown in the
text The word is in common use.
[This accentuation of wassail, taking us back to the Anglo-Saxon wees heel !
is very interesting, and, doubtless, embodies a genuine tradition, which the con-
ventional wassail = woss'il has quite lost. — M.J
SPECIMENS
JACK STONE AND BOB WEBBER.
101
cadence, repeated in each line, and which lays all the stress
011 the two first syllables in each clause, the following :
Jee- airp aay oa' !
Yue- reok', yue kroa- !
Aul raewn dhu vee'ulz !
Aay-v gairt tu goa- !
Au-p tue- muy neez !
Ee-n vrairst un snoa' !
Wuy due' yue art?
Muy mae'usturz wart !
Wuyl aa-y luy daewn !
Tin1 goo' tu zlai'p !
For the two specimens following I am indebted to Mr.
Mildon of Wellington, Somerset, who kindly wrote them
down in ordinary spelling. I have merely transcribed them
into Grlossic, and Mr. Mildon has been good enough to go
over the proofs with me.
'ijESHirN TWIKSjAA'K
UN BAU-B WEOB-FB.
WuulBau'b! aayaa'nu-zee'dee
uz lau'ngfeol tuym, wuul ! aew
bee- ee ? Aay aa'n u-zee'd ee
zinz aay wai'n tu Kuurtn fae'ur
laa's wik. Aay tuurnd een
kaew un kyaa'v, un aa'dr dhaat,
aay staa p tu fae'ur, un meet
wai Jum Dhuurn, un mee un ee*
ad vuy v puynts u bee'ur, un Jum
gaut druungk, un zoa wuz aay
umau's, bud aay gaut au'm
puurdee wuul, bud aay vaal
daewn wau*ns un naa'k mee
nee', un aa'dr aay km au-m,
aay ad puynt suydur un warn
tu bard. Naks mau'rneen au*p
aay gau't, un wai'n tu wuurk, un
mae'ustur zaed, "Wuul Jaa'k !
haut-s dhu maa'dr wai dhee ?
dhee urt leok'een bae'ud ; naew
g-uup-m db-au'rchut slaa'teen
eo'd, dhaat' ul taek dhu zwat'een
aewt u dhee, un dhee-t zecrn
bee au-1 rai't u-gee'un " — tin zoa
aay bee !
BETWEEIT JACK
STONE AND BOB WEBBEK.
"Well Bob ! I have not seen you
this longful time, well ! how
are you ? I have not seen you
since I went to Crediton fair
last week. I turned in (drove a)
cow and calf, and after that,
I stopped at the fair, and met
with Jim Thorne, and me and he
had five pints of beer, and Jim
got drunk, and so was I
almost, but I got home
pretty well, but I fell
down once and knocked my
knee, and after I came home,
I had (a) pint (of) cider and went
to bed. Next morning up
I got, and went to work, and
master said, " Well Jack !
what is the matter with thee?
thou art looking bad (ill), now
go up in the orchard chopping
wood, that will take the sweating
out of thee, and thou wilt soon
be all right again" — and so
I am!
102
DIALECT SPECIMENS.
AEW JtJMZ KEOK TOA-L BAIT'S
ZAA-LTUR AU-L BAEWT DHU
WUY-CL BEE-US SHOA.
"WuulBau-b! aewbee- ee?"
"Wuul, mudieen, dhang-k ee,
Jumz,uun-eelee-dlbeetu-krirpuld
au-pluyk." "Wuul, daedeegeo-
tuKuul-upmyus-dee?" "Noa-u!
Jumz, aay daed-n." "Wuul!
neef db.ee ad-s u-warnt, dhee
wut-s-n nuvur u-vurgau't ut.
Aay wai'nt een, un haun Aay km
ee-n taa-p u dhu taewn, dhoa-
Aay meet wai jis lau't u voaks,
keod-n dhingk wau't wuz airp ;
bud Aay zeogn zeed waut t-wau-z ;
dhur wuz u guurt huul'eefunt
un u fuul'ur aup taa-p oa un
ruydeen, un dhae'ur ee leok-ud
nai'n veot aay, un ee gau't u
guurt lau'ng snaewt, un dbu
bwuuyz u-uurneen aa'dr-n, un
dhan aup kau'm tue kaa'mee'ulz,
wai tue guurt uumps taa'p
dhu baa'ks oa-m, ee^ns un-ee
bau'dee keod ruyd twiks um.
Un zoa dbai wai-n airl raewn
dhu taewn. Wuul, Aay dhau-urt
Aay-d g-een un zee au-1 dhu
lau't, un zoa Aay staa'p gin ziks
uklau'k,undhoaAaygau'teenvur
zik'spuns. Wuul, Aay dhau-urt,
tu mee zuul', dhingks aay
wautiivur bee um luyk ! un Aay
zeo'n zeed. Dhu fuus dhing Aay
zeed wuz tue guurt wuyt dhingz
luyk — sae'um-z u guurt dau-g,
bud zu baeg-z u duung'kee, un
dhae'ur dhai keep wag'een dhur
ai'd'z vuurwurdz unbaa'kwurdz,
keod-n buyd stee'ul u mun-eet,
un u mae-un zaed t-wuz sai'
bae-urz. Wuul, oa-m beezuyd
u dhai, wuz u laut u guurt
uug-leedhingsshoa-urnuuf! Aay
doa-noa waut dhai wuz luyk
aa-rlee, zau-mfeen lig dau-gz dhai
wauz, bud zii baeg-z u kyaa-v,
t-wuz au 1 soa'urts, un dhu mae'un
How JAMES COOK TOLD BOB
SALTEE ALL ABOUT THE
WILD BEAST SHOW.
" Well Bob ! how are you ? "
" Well, middling, thank you,
James, only a little bit crippled
up like." " Well, did you go
to Collumpton yesterday? " "'No,
James, I did not." " Well !
if thou hadst gone, thou
wouldst never have forgotten it.
I went in, and when I came
in (to) the top of the town, then
I met with such (a) lot of people,
(I) could not think what was up ;
but I soon saw what it was;
there was a great elephant
and a fellow up (on the) top of
him riding, and there he looked (i.e.
seemed to be) nine feet high, and
he (had) got a great long snout,
and the boys running after him,
and then up came two camels,
with two great humps (on the) top
(of) the backs of them, so that any
one could ride between them.
And so they went all . round
the town. Well, I thought
I would go in and see all the
lot, and so I waited until six
o'clock, and then I got in for
sixpence. Well, I thought,
to myself, thinks I, what-
ever are they like ! and I
soon saw. The first thing I
saw was two great white things
like — (the) same as a great dog,
but as big as a donkey, and
there they kept wagging their
heads forwards and backwards,
(they) could not stay still a minute,
and a man said it was sea
bears. Well, home (i.e. close) beside
them, was a lot of great
ugly things sure enough ! I
do not know what they were like
hardly, something like dogs they
were, but as big as a calf,
it was all sorts, and the man
THE WILD BEAST SHOW.
103
zned t-wuz wuol'fs un aay-arnurz
un blaa-k bae'urz au'l tugadh'ur.
Wuul ! s-noa Bau-b, un u
lee'dl vaardur daewn wuz haut
Aay dhau'urt dhu bas't u dhu
woa'l keet, un dhaat dhae'ur wuz
u guurt ee* luyun un tue ur
dree smaa'ldur wunz, un dhae'ur
dhai wau'z u-graewuleen un
mae'ukeen au'p jish nauyz,
wuul, Aay dhau'urt, Bau'b,
haut muus bee' een dhai
fuurunt kuun'treez wuur dhai
bee uurneen baewt wuyul-uyk!
Wuul, dhae'ur ! Aay-d zeo'iidur
bee yuur wai u draap u suydur
un u beet u buurd-n chee'z-n
aewt dhae'iir wuur dhai du zai
aew dhai du saa'r su muuch
wae-ujez. WuulBau'b! naewaa-1
tuul ee, s-noa, baewt dhu ras't
oa ut ; dhur wuz tue' guurt
spau'tee dhingz, waut dhu shoa*
fuul'ur kyaa-1 lup-urz, un
dhai keep atrn graewuleen un
kraa'leen baewt dhu kee'uj ; Aay
sheod-n luyk vur tu bee lau-ng
wai dhai' vuuree lau'ng; wuul,
dhur wuz tue1 puurdee krai'turz,
au'lstrae'iikee daewn u-kraa'sdhu
baa'k luyk, waut dhai du kyaai
zai'burz, dhaat-s wuyul jaa'k
aa-sez, s-noa, Bau-b; wuul, un
dhai wau'z puur'dee, shoa'ur! un
Aay dhau'urt, wud-n dhai' leok
wuul luyk een aawur skwuy urz
poa-nee kaa'reej ? "Wuul, dhan
Aay leok-ud tu dhu muung-keez,
un fuur-unt buurdz, un zairm
oa-m-d u-guut jich lau'ng bee'ialz,
dhut Aay nuvur daed-n zee* noa
jish fuun-ee dhingz u-voa-ur, dhut
Aay daed-n beeguurj mee
zik'spuns u bee't. Aay nuvur
daed-n zee' dhu wuyul bee'us
u-voa-r naew, un Aay bee vai'v-m
fee-tee yuur oa-1 kau'm oa'l
Kuur'smus dai, beeyaen- au'l dhu
dai'z een dhu wuur'dl. "Wuul,
said it was wolves and hyenas
and black bears all together.
Well ! thou dost know Bob,
and a little further down was
what I thought the best
of the whole kit, and that
there was a great he lion
and two or three smaller ones,
and there they was growling
and making up such (a)
noise, well, I thought, Bob,
what must (it) be in those
foreign countries where they
are running about wild like !
Well, there ! I would sooner
be here with a drop of cider
and a bit of bread and cheese, than
out there where they do say how
they do serve (i.e. earn) so much
wages. Well Bob! now I will
tell you, you know, about the rest
of it ; there was two great
spotted things, what the show
fellow called leopards, and
they kept on growling and
crawling about the cage ; I
should not like for to be along
with them very long ; well,
there was two pretty creatures, all
streaky (i.e. striped) down across
the back like, what they do call
zebras, that is wild jack
asses, you know, Bob ; well, and
they was pretty, sure ! and
I thought, would not they look
well like in our squire's
pony carriage ? Well, then
I looked to (i.e. at) the monkeys,
and foreign birds, and some
of them had got such long bills,
that I never did not see no
such funny things before, that
I did not begrudge my
sixpence a bit. I never
did not see the wild beasts
before now, and I am five and
fifty years old come old
Christmas day, beyond all the
days in the world. Well,
104
THE WILD BEAST SHOW.
Aay- v u-toa'ld ee maus au-l baewt
ut ; dhur wuz u brae'uv lau't u
lee'dl dhingz uurneen baewt dhu
kee'ujez jis dhu sae-um-z guurt
kyat's, ee-ns mud zai', un wau*n
puurdee krai'tur wai smaa'l ligz,
lig u stag — dhu shoa- fuul'ur
zaed aew dhaat dhae'ur wuz u
han'teeloap. Wuul, zeon-z Aay-d
u-zee'd ut au*l pa'vur, dhu luy -un
tae'umurkumdee'n, un tu zee haut
ee- dued, ud u mae'ud yur
ae'ur stan* un ee-n. Ee warnt
een lairng wai dhu tuygur fuus',
un plaa'yd aup au'l soo'urts u
gee'umzwai dhu tuygur, undhan
dhu tuygur puut au'p uz tue*
guurt pau'z taa'p dhu fuul'urz
shoa-ldurz, Aay dhau'urt uvuree
mun-eet ee-d u buyt uz
ai'd oa'f. Wuul, aewt u kau'm,
un dhan u wai'nt een mangs dhu
luyunz un dh-aay-arnurz un
mae'ud um juump drue eo'ps
au'l u-vuyur, un dhan dhai
buurnd au'p uurd lai'ts luyk,
ee'ns dhu plae'us leok'ud nuuf
tu fruytn lin-eebau'dee, un dhu
fuul'ur kumd aewt au'l uluy • v un
naa't uur'tud wau'n beet. Aay
dhau'urt Aay sheod u zingkt
uwai', un dhan Aay kumd aewt
kuz dhai wuz gwaa-yn vur tu
veed- um, un dhaat dhae'ur wuz
zik'spuns aek'stur.
Wuul, un aa-dr dhaat Aay
meet wai Aa'ree Peol, un
wee ad dree kwau-rts u bee-iir
tugadh'ur, un gaut aa'f drung'kee
luyk, un kum au'm ulau'ng au'l
ruyt gin Aay kau'm tu dhu
vaawur kraa's wai, un dhae'ur
Aay vaa'ld oa'vur u duung'kee
dhut wuz u-luyd ukraa's dhu
hroa'ud, un Aay puut mee an1 aup
taa'p dhu baa-k oa un, un vee'uld
u wuz ae'tiree ; Aay dhau'urt
shoa'ur t-wuz dhu vuur'ee oa-1
fuul'ur uz-zuul, neef daed-n
I have told you almost all about
it ; there was a brave lot of
little things running about the
cages, just the same as great
cats, as (one) might say, and one
pretty creature with small legs,
like a stag — the show fellow
said how that there was an
antelope. Well, (as) soon as I had
seen it all over, the lion
tamer came in, and to see what
he did would have made your
hair stand on end. He went
in along with the tiger first,
and played up all sorts of
games with the tiger, and then
the tiger put up his two great
paws (on the) top (of) the fellow's
shoulders ; I thought every
minute he would have bitten his
head off. Well, out he came,
and then he went in amongst the
lions and the hyenas, and
made them jump through hoops
all on fire, and then they
burnt up red lights like, so
that the place looked enough
to frighten anybody, and the
fellow came out all alive and
not hurt one bit. I
thought I should have sunk
away, and then I came out,
because they was going for to
feed them, and that there was
sixpence extra.
Well, and after that I
met with Harry Poole, and
we had three quarts of beer
together, and got half drunky
like, and came home along all
right until I came to the
four cross way, and there I
fell over a donkey that was
lying across the road, and I
put my hand up (on) top (of)
the back of him, and felt
he was hairy ; I thought
sure it was the very old
fellow himself, if (it) did not
DIALECT SPECIMENS. 105
maek m^e ae-ur stan* rai't un make my hair stand right on
ee'n ! un dhaat dhae'ur mae'ud end ! and that there made
mee soa'bur, un au'm Aay goo'us me sober, and home I goes
su vaa's uz uvur Aay keo'd. Zoa so fast as ever I could. So
naew Aay zum Aay-v now I seem (i.e. consider) I have
u-toa'ldee au'lbaewdut,un naks told you all about it, and next
tuym dhai kairms, du dhee* geo time they come, do thou go
un zee dhu wuyul bee'us, dhee-t and see the wild beasts, thou wilt
nuvur vurgeet- ut." never forget it."
THE BOOK OF RUTH.
The following attempt at rendering the Book of Ruth
into idiomatic dialect- speech may be compared with others,
particularly Dr. Murray's Scotch. I am aware of the un-
satisfactoriness of Scripture specimens generally, but the
objection does not apply to a rural narrative like that of
Ruth.
DHU BEOK U REOTH.
Chaa-ptur I.
1. Kaew ut vaa'ld aewt een dhai dai'z, haun dhu jij ez wuz
u-rue'uleen, ee'ns dhur wuz u dee-firth een dhu kuurrtree. Un u
saa'rteen mae'un oa Bath-lae'um Jue'du, ee warn voo'uth vur tu
buyd een dhu kuun'tree u Moa'ub, ee* daed un uz wuyv, un uz tue
zunz lau'ng wai un.
2. Un dhik'ee mae'un wuz u-kyaa'l Ai-lum'uleek, un uz wuyv,
uur wuz u-kyaa'l Nai-oa'muy, un uz tue bwuuyz wuz u-kyaa'l
Alae'ulun un Chul'yun, dhai wuz au'l oa-m Ai'fruthuyts aewt oa
Bath-lae-um Jue'du. Un dhai kau'md ee'ntu dhu kuun-tree u Moa'ub,
un dhae'ur dhai buyd.
3. Un Ai'lunruleek, dhaat-s dh-uuz'bun u Nai-oa'muy, zoa tu
spai'k, ee* duyd ; un uur wuz u-laf, uur wau'z, un ur tue zunz
lau'ng wai ur.
4. Un dhai teok dhur zuulz u wuyv u-pee's, aewt u dhu wuonreen
u Moa'ub ; wau'n u dhai wuz u-kyaa'l Au-rpu, un dhu tuudh'ur
oa-m wuz u-kyaa'l Reo'th. Un dhai lee'Vd een dhik'ee plae'us
baewd u tarn yuur.
5. Un Mae-ulun un Chul'yun dhai duyd tue-, dhu boo-udh oa-m ;
un zoa dh-uunrun wuz u-laf' u-dhaewt uudh'ur waun uv ur tue
zunz ur ee't ur uuz'bun.
6. Dhan uur gau't au-p wai ur daa'rtur lau'z, ee'ns uur mud geo*
baak ugee'un vrum dhik'ee kuun'tree u Moa'ub: vur uur-d u-yuurd
aew dhut dhu Lau'urd ud u-muyndud uz oa-n voaks, een gee'een
oa-m brai'd.
106 THE BOOK OF RUTH. CHAP. I.
7. Zoa uur -warn voo'uth aewt u dhik'ee plae'us wuur uur wau'z,
un uur tue daa'rtur lau'z lau'ng wai ur; un dhai wai'nt au'n pun
dhu hroa'ud vur tu geo baak' tu dhu Ian' u Jue'du.
8. Un Nai-oa'muy zaed tue uur tue daa'rtur lau'z, geo* ! geo baak'
arch wau'n oa ee tu yuur mau'dhurz aewz : dhu Lau'urd dae'ul
kuynlee lau'ng war ee, sae-um-z yue-v u-dae'ulud lau'ng wai dhai'
dhut bee dai'd, un lau'ng wai mee'.
9. Dhu Lau'iird graa'nt ee, ee'ns ee mud vuyn ras', arch wau'n
oa ee, een dh-aewz u yuur uuz-bun. Dhan' uur kee'sd um ; un
dhai laeftud aup dhur vauys, un warpud.
10. Un dhai zaed tu uur', Shoa'urluy wee wuol* geo baak' laung
wai' ee, tu yoa'ur voaks.
11. Un Nai-oa'muy zaed, Tuurn yur-zuulz baak' ugee'iin mee
daa'rturz ; waut d-ee wee'sh vur geo' laung oa mee' vaur ? uz ur
un'ee moo'ur zunz een muy eo'm naew, ee'ns dhai mud kau'm vur
tu bee yur uuz'bunz ?
12. Tuurn yur-zuulz baak* u-gee-un muy daa'rturz, geo- yur oa'iin
wai'z ; vur aay bee tue' oa'l vur t-ae'u u uuz'bun. Neef aay wuz
vur zai', aew aay-v u-gaut oa'ps, neef aay wuz t-ae'u u uuz'bun tue'
(too) dhee'uz vuur'ee nai't, un eef aay wuz vur tu bae'ur zunz ;
13. Wud yue wau'yt vau'r um gin dhai wuz u-groa'd au'p ? Wud
yue staa'p vur dhai', vrum ae'een u (having of) uuz'bunz ? Noa'
muy daa'rturz ; vaur ut gree'vth mee tuurubl vur yoa'ur sae'uks,
aew dhut dh-an' u dhu Lau'urd-z u-geo' aewt u-gin- mee.
14. Un dhai laeftud aup dhur vauys, un warpud ugee'un : un
Au'rpu kee-sd ur mau'dhur lau ; bud Keo'th, uur clarvud tue* ur.
15. Un uur zaes, Leok ee zee', aew dhee zus'tur lau'-z u-geo baak'
tue uur voaks un tue uur Gau'dz : due1 ee naew geo baak aa'dr dhee
zus'tur lau.
16. Un Reo'th zaed, Doa'n ee bag oa mee vur tu laef ee, ur vur
tu geo baak' vrum vaul'ee-een aa'dr ee : vur wuruvur yue du geo'
aa'-l geo tue' ; un wuur yue du lauj', aa'-l lau'j tue- ; yoa'ur voak-shl
bee muy voaks, un yoa'ur Gau'd muy Grau'd :
17. Wuur yue' du duy, aa' 1 duy un dhae'ur.aa* 1 bee u-buureed :
dhu Lau-iird due zoa tu mee, un moa-ur tue-, neef oa-urt bud dath-
du pae'urt yue' un mee*.
18. Haun uur zee'd aew uur wuz veo'l muyndud vur geo lau'ng
wai' ur, dhoa* ur laf oa'f sparkeen tue ur.
19. Zoa dhai tue' wai'nt ulau-ng, gin dhai kau'm tu Bath-lae'um.
Un ut aa'pt ee'ns dhai wuz u-kau'm tu Bath-lae'um, dhut dhu woa'l
sut'ee wuz u-zau't aup u-baewd um, un dhai zaed, uz dhush-yuur
Nai-oa'muy ?
20. Un uur zaed tue um, doa'n ee kyaa'l mee Nai-oa'muy, kyaa'l
mee Mae'uru : kuz dh-Au'lmuytee-th u-dae'ulud tuur'ubl but'ur
laung wai' mee.
21. Aay wai'nt aewt veo'l un woa'l, un dhu Lau'urd-dh u-braa't
mee au'm ugee'un armptee an'dud : wuy d-ee kyaa'l mee Nai-oa'muy
dhan ; vau-r ee du zee- aew dhu Lau'urd-dh u-tas'teefuyd ugin-
mee, un dh-Auimuytee-th u-flaek'tud mee.
THE BOOK OF RUTH. CHAP. II. 107
22. Zoa Nai-oa-muy warn baak', un Reo'th, dhu Moa-ubuytees,
uur daa-rtur lau laung war ur, waut ud u-kum baak- aewt oa dhu
kuun'tree oa Moa'ub : un dhai kairm tu Bath-lae'um jis tu dhu
beegee'neen u baa-rlee aarus.
Chaa'ptur II.
1. UnNai-oa-muy-du-gau'tukee'nzmun-vuur uuz'bun, umai-tee
mae'un oa wuulth, oa dhu faa'mlee u Lunruleek ; un dhee-uzh-yuur
mae'un wuz u-kyaa'l Boa-az.
2. Un Reo'th dhu Moa-ubuytees zaed tu Nai-oa'muy, Lanree
g-uup-m dhu vee'ul, vur tu larz dhu yuurz u kau-rn, aa-dr ee'
dhut aay-shl vuyn grae'us een dhu zuyt oa. Un uur zaed tue ur,
Geo-, muy daa'rtur.
3. Un uur wai'nt un kau'm un lai-zud een dhu vee ul aa-dr dhu
rai'purz : unuur aa-p vur tu lai't pun u pae-urt oa dhu vee'ul waut
wuz u-beelaung'een tu Boa'az, dhu vuur'ee sae'um mae'un dhut
wuz ukee'n tu Lunruleek.
4. Un eef Boa'az uz-zuul' daed-n kum ulau-ng jis dhoa', vrum
Bath-lae'um, un zaed tu dhu rarpurz, Dhu Lau'urd bee war ee. Un
dhai spoak baak' un zaed tu ee-, Dhu Lau'urd bias' yue-.
5. Dhan Boa'az zaed tue uz saa-rvun mae-un waut wuz u-zau't
oa'vur dhu rai'purz, Ue'z maa'yd-z dhush-yuur ?
6. Un dhu saa'rvun mae'iin waut wuz u-zau't oa'vur dhu rai'purz
spoak baak' un zaed, Uur-z dhu Moa'ubuyteesh maa'yd, waut kum
baak- laung wai Nai-oa-muy aewt u dhu kuun'tree u Moau'b :
7. Un uur zaed, Aay du praa'y oa ee vur tu lat mee lai'zee un
gaedh'uree aa'dr dhu rai'purz mangs dhu shee'z : l zoa uur kau'm,
un uur-dh u-buyd livur sunz uz mau'rneen tee-ul bee-naew (just
now), haun uur staa-pt u lee'dl beet een t-aewz.
8. Dhan Boa-az zaed tu Reo'th, Doa'n ee yuur mee, muy
daa'rtur? Doa'n yue' g-een noa' uudh'ur vee'ul vur tu lai'zee, nur
doa'n ee ge'o wai' yuur-vraum, bud buyd wae'ur yue bee'j lau'ng wai
muy maa-ydnz.
9. Keep yuur Tiyz pun dhu vee'ul dhai bee rai'peen oa, un muyn
yue du vaul'ee um : aa'n aay u-chaa'rj dhu yuung marn ee'ns dhai
shaa'n tich oa ee ? un haun yue bee thuus'tee, taek-n geo tu dhu
vuurkeenz, un dringk oa dhaat dhae'ur, waut dhu yuung mai'n-v
u-drau-d.
10. Dhan uur vaa-1 daewn pun ur fae'us, un baewud urzuul-
daewn tu dhu graewn, un zaes tue un, s-uur,2 Aew uz ut dhut aay-v
u-vaewn grae'us een yoa'ur uyz, ee'ns yue shud taek kaewnt oa
mee-, zee'een aew aay bee bud u stran-jur?3
11. Un Boa-az spoak baak' un zaes tue- ur, T-aa-th u-bun au-1
u-shoa'ud tu mee, au'l waut yue-v u-due'd tu yur mau'dhur l«u
sunz dhu dath' u yur uuz'bun : un aew yue-v u-lar yur faa'dhur-u
1 Sheaves, v often dropped in the plural.
1 See note, p. 111.
3 Not strai'tijur, as in English.
108 THE BOOK OF RUTH.
yur mairdhur-n yur kuun'tree wuur yue wuz u-bau'rnd, un aew
yue bee u-kau'in tue u laut u voaks waut yue niivur daed-n noa*
uvoaoir.
12. Dhu Lau'urd rai'kumparns ee vur yur wuurk, un u veol
rai'waurd bee u-gid' tue ee, bee dbu Lau-urd Gau'd u UVrae'ul,
vur t-aez ee-n uun'dur eez wingz yue bee u-kau'm vur tu triis
yur-zuul'.
13. Dhan uur zaes, s-uur (says she), Lat mee vuyn fae'uvur een
yoa'ur zuyt, mee Lau'urd; kuz yue-v u-kau'mfurtud mee, un kuz
yue-v u-spoakt lig u frarn luyk tu yur saaTvun, vur au'l dhut aay
bae'un u beet luyk waun u yur oa'un maa'ydnz.
14. Un Boa'az zaes tu uur, s-ee' (says he), U dun'ur tuym yue
km aedh'ur, un ai't saum u dhu brard, un dup yur mau'sl een dhu
viuveegur. Un uur zau't beezuyd dhu rai'purz : un ee an'dud uur
sum paa-rch kau'rn, un uur ai't ut, un uur wuz u-saat'eesfuy un uur
wai-nt uwai.
15. Un haun uur wuz u-gau't au*p vur tu lai'zee, Boa'az gid
aur-durz tue uz yuung marn, un zaes tue um, s-ee-, Muyn un lat
uur lai'zee een (in not even} man'gs dhu shee'z, un doa'n ee shee'um
(rebuke, scold) uur oa ut.
16. Un taek-n lat vaa'l saum u dhu an'veolz tue-, u puurpus
vau'r ur, un laef* um ee-ns uur mud lai'z um, un muyn yue doa'un
shee'um uur vaur-t.
17. Zoa uur lai'zud een dhu vee'ul gin laef wuur'k tuym, un uur
bee-ut aewt haut uur-d u-lai'z; un t-wuz ubaewd u tue' beosh'lz u
baa'rlee.
18. Un uur teokt ut au'p, un wai'nt een'tu dhu sut'ee : un ur
mau'dhur lau zeed' haut uur-d u-lai'z: un uur braa't ut voo-uth, un
uur gid ur haut uur-d u-keep baak% aa'dr uur wuz u-saat'eesfuy
uurzul.
19. Un uur mau'dhur lau zaes tue' ur, s-uur, Wuur-v ee bun
u-lai'zeen tue, tu dai ? un wae'ur-v ee bun tu wuurk tue ? bias eed
bee ee' dhut-v u-teokt ukaewnt oa ee. Un uur shoa-ud uur mau'dhur
lau, ue t-wau'z uur-d u-bun u-wuurkeen lau'ng wai, un zaes,
Dhu mae'un waut aay-v u-bun wuurk-een lau-ng wai-z u-kyaai
Boa-az.
20. Un Nai-oa'muy zaed tue ur daa'rtur lau, Blas-eed bee ee' u
dhu Lau'urd, kuz ee aa-n u-laf- oa'f uz kuyn-nees tu dhu luveen
un tu dhu dai'd. Un Nai-oa*muy zaed tue ur, Dhu mae'un-z nee'ur
u keen tue-s, wau'n uv aa'wur nuyees keen'z voak.
21. Un Keo'th dhu Moa'ubuytees zaed, U zaes tu mee oa'vur-n
ubeo', s-ee', Yue muyn un keep vaa's beezuyd u muy yuung mai'n,
gin dhai-v u-fun'eesh au'l muy aa'rus.
22. Un Nai-oa'muy zaed tu Reo'th uur daa'rtur lau, T-aez u
geo'd jau'b, mee daaTtur, bud yue shud g-aewt wai uz maa-ydnz,
eens dhai mud-n meet wai' ee een noa vee'ul mils.
23. Zoa uur keep vaa's beezuyd dhu maa'ydnz u Boa'az u-lai'zeen
gin dhu ai'nd u dhu baa'rlee aa'rus, un u dhu wai't aa'rus : un uur
lee'v wai uur mau'dhur lau.
THE BOOK OF RUTH. CHAP III. 109
Chaa-ptur III.
1. Dhan Nai-oa'muy uur mau'dhur lau zaed tue ur, Muy daa'rtur,
shaa-n aay leok ubaewt vur ras- vaur ee, ee-ns1 mud bee wuul war ee?
2. Un nae\v aed-n Boa'az wau'n uv aawur kee-n, ee' waut beelau'ng
tu dhu maa-ydnz yue-v u-bun lau'ng wai ? Un leok ee zee- ! ee-z
gwaa-yn vur tu wuonr dhu baa'rlee tu nai't een dhu draa'sheen
vloo'ur.
3. Wau'rsh yur-zuul dhan, u-nairynt yur-zuul, un puut au'n
yur bas- kloa'uz, un geet uwai daewn tu dhu vloo'ur : bud doa'n ee
maek yur-zuul u-noa'd tu dhu mae'un gin jich tuym-z ee'-v u-fmreesh
uz vut'lz.
4. Un mee-aa'p, haun ee' du luy daewn, dhat yue' shl maa'rk dhu
plae'us wuur u luyth, un yue shl g-een, un au'nkuuvur viz veet, un
luy yur-zuul daewn ; un ee- ul tuul ee haut yue shl due1.
5. Un uur zaed tu shee', Au'l yue zaes' tu mee aa'l due'.
6. Un uur warn daewn tu dhu vloo'ur, un uur due'd koa'rdeen
tu au'l waut ur mau'dhur lau-d u-toaid ur tue.
7. Un warn Boa'az ud u-art-n u-dringk, un uz aa-rt wuz muuree,
u warn tu luy daewn tu dhu arn u dhu eep u kau'rn : uu uur
kau'm sau'f luyk, un au'nkuuvurd uz veet, un luyd ur-zuul' daewn.
8. Un ut aa'pt ubaewd u twuulv u klauk u nart, dhut dhu mae'un
wuz u-fee'urd, un tuurnd uz-zuul, un dhae'ur ! neef u uunrun
waud'n luyeen tu dhu veet' oa un.
9. Un u zaed, Ue bee yue' ? Un uur zaes tu ee', Aay bee Heo'th
yur an-maa-yd : sprad aewt dhan yur skuurt oa'vur yur an-maa-yd ;
vur yue bee u nee'iir kee'nz-mun.
10. Un u zaed tu uur', Blas'eed bee yue' u dhu Lau'iird, muy
daa'rtur : vur yue-v u-shoa'ud moo'ur kuyn-nees een dhu laa'tur
ee'n dhun een dhu fuus* beegeen'een, kae'uz wuy, yue aa'n u-vaul'eed
dhu yuung mai'n, wae'ur (whether) dhai bee poo'ur ur reech.
11. Un naew, muy daa'rtur, doa'n ee bee u-fee'urd; aa'l due- tue
ee au'l dhut yue du waunt vaur mee tue- : vur dhu woa'l sut'ee u
muy voaks un au'l, du noa- dhut yue bee u au-nees uum-un.
12. Un naew t-uz true, shoa'ur nuuf', dhut aay bee nee'ur kee'n
tue ee : aewsumduvur dhur aez- u mae'un nee'urur u kee'n tue ee-n
aay bee.
13. Buyd yuur tu nai't, un zoa shl bee', neef ee- ul due vaur ee
dhu pae'urt uv u kee'nzmun, wuul : lat-n due dhu kee'nzraunz
pae'urt: bud un eef ee oa'n due dhu kee'nzmunz pae'urt buy ee, dhan
aai due dhu kee'nzmunz pae'urt buy ee, zoa shoa'ur-z dhu Lau'urd
du lee'v : luy daewn gin dhu mau'rneen.
14. Un uur luyd tu dhu veet' oa un gin dhu mau'rneen : un uur
roa'uzd aup uvoa'r keod zee tu noa' waun ur tuudh'ur. Un u zaed,
Doa-n ee lat um noa' aew dhut u uunrun kumd ee'n tu dhu vloo'ur.
15. U zaes tue-, s-ee-, Bring oa-vur dhu vae-ul dhut yue-v u-gaut
au-n, un oald-n aup. Un haun uur oa-ld-n aup, ee mizh'urd ziks
1 Observe the omission of the nominative.
110 THE BOOK OF RUTH.
mizlrurz u baa'rlee, un loo'ud ut aup paun ur : un uur warnt een'tu
dhu sut'ee.
16. Un haun uur kum au-m t-uur mau'dhur lau, uur zaes tu shee-,
Ue bee yue', muy daa'rtnr? Un uur toaid ur aul waut dhu mae-un-d
u-due'd tue ur.
17. Un uur zaed, Ee gid mee dharzh-yuur ziks mizh'urz u
baa'rlee; vur u zaes tu mee', s-ee, Doa'n ee geo baak' lee'uree (empty)
tu yuur mau'dhur lau.
18. Dhan uur zaed, Ziit stee'ul, mee daa'rtur, gin yue du noa-,
waut faa'rsheen t-1 vaa'l aewt oa : vur dhu mae'un oa'n lat ut buyd,
ee* ul shoa-ur tu fun-eesh ut tu dai.
Chda-ptur IV.
1. Dhan Boa-az teokt uz-zuul aup tu dhu gee'ut, un dhae'ur ee
zaut liz-zuul daewn : un puurdee kwik aa-drwurdz, dhu keen'zmun
waut Boa'az-d u-biin u-tuul-een ubaewt, ee kau'm ulau'ng ; un ee
zaes tue un, s-ee', Aa-y ! jich u wau-n! staa-p u waun zuyd, zi-daewn
yuur. Un ee tuurnd l uz-zuul u waun zuyd, un zau'-daewn.2
2. Un ee teok tarn mai'n u dhu uul'durz u dhu sut'ee, un zaed,
Zit yur zuulz daewn yuur. Un dhai zau'daewn.
3. Un u zaes tu dhu kee-nzmun, s-ee-, Nai-oa'muy, uur waut-s
u-kaum ugee'un aewt u dhu kuun'tree u Moa'ub-z u-zul'een uv u beet
u graewn, waut Lunruleek aawur bridh'ur yue'z tu beelau'ng tue :
4. Un aay laa-kud vur tu tuul ee oa ut, ee*ns yue mud buy ut
uvoa'r dhu taewnz voaks, un uvoa-r dhu uul'durz u muy faa'mlee
luyk. Neef ee bee u muyn vur tu rai'dai'm 3 ut, rai'dai'm ut dhun :
bud u-nee'f yue bae'un u muyn vur tu rai'dai'm ut, wuy dhan tuul
mee', ee'ns aay mud noa' : kuz dhur aed-n nuudh'ur bau'dee uuls
vur tu rai'dai-m ut; un aay bee aa'dr yue'. Un dhu kee-nzmun zaed,
Aay wuol* rai'dai'm ut.
5. Dhan Boa-az zaes tue un, Dhu sae'um dai- ee du buy dhu vee'ul
u graewn aewt u dhu an' u Nai-oa-muy, yue mus buy un tue' u
Beo-th dhu Moa'ubuytees, uur dhut-s wuyv oa ee' dhut-s dai'd,
ee'ns yue mud ruyz aup dhu nae'um u dhu dai'd pun uzeenuur eetuns.
6. Un dhu kee'nzmun zaed, Aay bae-un ae'ubl vur rai'dai'm ut
vur meezuul', uuls aay shud spwuuyul mee oa-un eenuur eetuns :
yue' rai'dai'm muy rai'tshup vur yoa'urzuul; kuz aay bae'un ae'ubl
vur tu rai'dai'm ut.
7. Naew dhush-yuur wuz dhu war dhai aa'ktud fau'rmurlee een
1/z'rae'ul, kunsaa'rneen oa rai'dai-m'een, un kunsaa'rneen u
chan'jeen, ee'ns dhai mud maek uvureedhing aui saa'f un shoa-ur
1 To turn, being an active verb, it requires a direct object in the dialect.
2 When t and d come together, the former is usually dropped ; see zi-daewn in
previous clause. See also notes, pp. 27, 28.
3 Redeem is rather a " fine " word for dialect, but it is used, and I have always
heard it pronounced rai'dai-m, i.e. with both syllables slowly and emphatically
pronounced. This is usually done in speaking words of this class ; inheritance is
not an uncommon word. Then is sounded dhan when an adverb, and dhun
when it is the unemphatic dock.
THE BOOK OF RUTH. CHAP. IV. Ill
luyk; u mae-un yue-z tu p£ol oa-f viz shue-, un gid-n tue uz naa-ybur:
uu dhaat dhae'ur wuz u wee'tnees een LTz-rae'ul.
8. Zoa dhan dhu kee'nzmun zaes tu Boa-az, s-ee-, Buy ut vur
yur-oa-n zuul. Zoa ee drae-d oa-f uz shue.
9. Un Boa-az zaed tu dhu uul'durz un uvoaT au'l dhu voaks, u
zaes, sus ee*,1 Yue bee au'l wee'tneesez dhee'uz dai, aew dhut aay-v
u-boa'ut au'l dhut wuz beelaung-een tu Lunvuleek, un au'l dhut
wuz u-beelaung-een tu Chul-yun un Hae-ulun, oa-f vrum dhu an' u
Nai-oa-muy.
10. Oa-vur-n ubeo-, aay-v u-boa'iit tue', (also) Reo-th dhu
Moa-ubuytees, dhu wuyv u Mae'ulun, vur tu bee muy wuyv, vur
tu ruyz au-p dhu nae-um u dhu dai'd pun viz eenuureetuns, ee-ns
dhu nae-um u dhu dai'd mud-n bee u-kuut oa-f vrum uman-gs uz
bridh-urz luyk, un vrum dhu gee'ut uv uz plae'us : yue bee
wee'tneesez au-l oa ee dhee-uz dai.
11. Tin aui dhu voaks dhut wuz een dhu gee-ut-wai, un dhu
uul'durz, zaed, Wee bee' wee'tneesez. Dhu Lau-urd maek dh-uum-un
waut s u-kau-m een'tu yoa-ur aewz, luyk Kaa-chee'ul un luyk Lai'u,
dhai tue- waut bee-uldud aup dhu aewz u UVrae-ul : un du yue
aa'k au-nees luyk een Aefrae'utu, un maek yurzuul- fae'umus een
Bath-lae-uum.
12. Un lat yoa'ur aewz bee luyk dhu aewz u Fae-uruz, ee- waut
Tae-umur bae-urd tu Jue-du, u dhu zee'ud dhu Lau-urd-1 gee-ee aewt
u dhee'uz yuung uunvun.
1 3. Zoa Boa-az teok Reo'th, un uur wuz uz wuyv: un haun ee wai'nt
een tue ur, dhu Lau-urd gid ur kunsaap-shun, un uur bae-urd u zun.
14. Un dhu wuonveen zaed tu Nai-oa-muy, Blaas-eed bee dhu
Lau-urd, vur ee' aa*n u-laef't ee dhee'uz dai udhaewt u kee'nzmun,
ee'ns uz nae'um mud bee fae'umus een Uz'rae'ul.
15. Un ee' shl bee u guvur baak- tue ee u yur luyv, un u uul-pur
een yur oa-1 ae-uj : vuur yur daa-rtur lau, uur waut du luuv ee, uur
waut-s bad'r tue ee-n zab-m zunz-v u-bae-urd-n.
16. Un Nai-oa-muy teok dhu chee-ul, un uur luyd-n een ur
buuz-um, un uur nuus-n au-p.
17. Un dhu wuonreen, uur naa-yburz gid-n u nae'um, un zaed,
Dhur-z u zun u-baurnd tu Nai-oa'muy ; un dhai kyaa-ld uz nae-um
Oa'bai-d : ee-z dhu faa-dhur u Jas-ee, dhaat-s dhu faa-dhur u
Dae-uveed.
18. Naew dhai-zh-yuur bee dhu jin'urae-urshunz u Fae'uruz :
Fae-iiruz gaut Aez-run,
19. Un Aez-run gaut Raa-m, un E,aa-m gaut Umun'udab.
20. Un Umun-udab gaut Nae'ushun, Nae-ushun gaut Saa-lmun,
21. Un Saalmun gaut Boa-az, un Boa-az gaut Oa'bard,
22. Un Oa-bai-d gaut Jas-ee, un Jas-ee gaut Dae-uveed.
1 sus ee is a very common form of " says he," and is the usual form of historic
present in conjunction with u zaes as above, s-ee and s-uur are the usual forms
of " says he" and "says she" when other forms preliminary to the oratio direeta
are used, and I should not be at all straining their use if I had inserted them in
every instance throughout the narrative.
112
NOTE TTPON WEST SOMERSET
By J. A. H. MURRAY, LL.D.
During a recent stay with him in "West Somerset, Mr. Elworthy
provided me with many opportunities of hearing the dialect sounds
from many and various speakers, and I was thus enabled to re-
examine the identifications made by Mr. Ellis, and given, with
references to my own and Mr. Sweet's appreciations of the same
sounds, as an Appendix to Mr. Elworthy's former paper on the
Dialect of West Somerset, in the "Transactions of the Philological
Society for 1875-6," pp. 218-272. The results of these new
observations were of considerable importance, especially in regard
to the sound No. 30 in the Appendix referred to, and again dis-
cussed by Mr. Ellis in a final note, p. 271.
The most striking feature in the pronunciation is the strongly
pronounced " cerebral " or reversed (r, produced by turning the tip
of the tongue back as far as possible into the hollow of the palate,
and then imparting to the whole member as strong a vibration as it
is capable of in this position. The result is a dull, deep, vibrant
sound, very distinct frqm the tip-trill of a Northern r on the one
hand, or the French and German r grasseye on the other. It
prevails all over the South of England, becoming less and less
vibratory as we come from west to east — I heard it distinctly in the
Isle of Wight from natives ; and it is the undoubted progenitor of
the vocalized r of London and literary English, which could never
have arisen from the Northern tip-trill. In West Somerset it is
not only pronounced wherever r is historically present, whether
medial or final, as in au\rdu(r, order, but it is added to medial and
final vowels in many words with equal distinctness, as \nfaa\rsheen,
fashion, wtr = a = he, where it must be remembered that tr is not a
mere modification of the vowel, but a true consonant. The reversed
position of the jr also affects the pronunciation of consonants, chiefly
t, d, I, and of vowels that accompany it. The sound itself has so much
vocal quality, and tends to begin with so deep a guttural vowel, that
such words as red, rich, run, are heard as u(rd, utrtsh, utrn (which
might almost as truly be written trd, fish, trn, or trtrd, fetish, trtrn,},
the succeeding short e, i, or u being lost between the vibration of
the tr and the consonant. The peculiarity of the sound in No. 33,
remarked on by Mr. Ellis, seems to arise, not from the vowel, but
from the reversed d and r which follow it. In the word spelt by
Mr. Elworthy tae'&deez, potatoes, I heard a true dental or Northern
r for the written d, tae'ureez, or tai'urZez, and Mr. Sweet subse-
quently heard it as the same. L is also often guttural, and this is
the apparent peculiarity of the words in List 23, Part II. beol,
jjeol, etc.
As to the vowels generally, I found they varied within consider-
able limits of low and high, wide or narrow, in different mouths,
and in most cases the distinction of quantity was not a marked one.
The fractures or imperfect diphthongs here written '&, as in oa-ii,
THE NATURAL VOWEL. 113
were often hardly appreciable to me, or separable from long vowels,
and often seemed unintentional. This was especially the case before
I and r, as in bwuuy&l, vuytir, noa'urt, aew&l, etc., where the u
merely represents the vocal murmur of the I, r, and there was no
suggestion of another syllable. But ae-& and oo'ti were very
distinct, though in the former the first element seemed to me higher
than ae, and the whole sound little different from my Scotch eae,
which is ai-ft or rather i-&. Most of the words in List 21 spelt
with ee'tt seemed also identical with these, leaving but a few really
ee'ii, as where r follows, in fear, etc. The sound oo-ft seemed quite
the same as my Scotch uo, and the first element not pure oo, though
near it. Long aa~ was much thinner than short aa, the latter
approaching a deep German a, while the former was more generally
[a'] the fine sound often heard in ask, or in individuals even the
long of short English a, as in the local pronunciation of Bath. The
distinction of the two sounds was to me more qualitative than
quantitative. I was not able to hear any distinction between the
two sounds of o (ao, oa), Nos. 13 and 25 ; I think they were
meant for the same sound, viz. the wide (though not very wide) ao ;
the same with their " fractures " ao'u and oa"&.
The chief difficulty I had was with the words in Lists 28 and 30,
in which I still failed to satisfy native ears long after I had mastered
all the other sounds. I had attacked them every day for more than
a week, without any other results, than the conviction that dialectal
speakers considered and meant them all as the same sound, though
to me they sounded as different vowels ; that they were not labial,
at least not intentionally so ; and that they lay in the region be-
tween short i, short e, short u, and short French u. It was one day
while listening to Mr. Mildon (the local pronunciation of whose
own name exemplifies the sound), that I tried to echo the word
silk after him. Having tried every conceivable vowel without
satisfying him, he at length said that I seemed to put a sound be-
tween the s and I, whereas to his ear there was nothing but the L
Catching at this hint, I pronounced s'lk as in cast-le, cas'l, with
the I made into an additional syllable, and my auditors clapped their
hands : I had got it at last, after ten days' trial ! The easy utter-
ance of the other words proved it. It was the natural vowel, which
Mr. Melville Bell identified with a non-syllabic effect of his mid-
mixed vowel, and therefore very near Mr. Ellis's pala3otype (o).
But as Mr. Ellis uses this as the ordinary short English u (in which
I believe no Northern ears agree with him), we must consider the
"West Somerset sound as more front than u, i.e. nearer to i, 8, and
consequently also to French u short. In the present paper accord-
ingly it is written u, and may be looked upon as an u advanced and
raised towards I, or more correctly, looking at its history, as an 2
lowered and retracted towards #. For if the words contained in
Lists 28 and 30 be examined, it will be found that they are all
historically short », or such as had dialectically become short *.
And in comparing them with the short i list No. 24, it will be soon
114 DR. MURRAY'S NOTE ON WEST SOMERSET PRONUNCIATION.
found that they constitute certain classes of the short i words, in
•which, through the influence of the preceding or following conso-
nant, the original vowel has been lowered and drawn back from its
high and advanced position in the mouth. If the I words be
arranged in columns according to the order of the consonants that
follow the vowel, as -ik, -ig, -ing, -ish, -izh, -ich, -ij, -is, -in,, -it, -id,
-in, -ith, -idh, -il, -ip, -ib, -if, -iv, -im, that is from guttural to
labial, it will be found that -I remains before k, g, ng, sh, zh, ch, j,
except in the word pitch, where the influence of the preceding p
produces pitch ; before « and z, except where a labial or r precedes ;
before th, dh, t, d, n, except after a labial or r, or when er follows, as
titter (tiit'ur}. But on the other hand \ has become u before I, p,
b, f, v, m, the only words in which ? is found before these consonants
being such as have not an original I, but ee, as wheel (wil), sheep
(ship), believe (bliv), or foreign words like sceptre, treble, lemon.
Before tr, 2 becomes u, uu, and the combination ri also becomes
uutr, as ridge (uu(rj).
There is a remarkable correspondence between this distribution of
? and u, and the rules for the interchange of the palatal and guttural
i (H or i, and LI) in Russian, where in grammatical formations the
pure palatal i is only admissible after the back consonants k, g, kh,
sh, zh, ch, and shtsh, but with other consonants becomes the guttural
or "hard i " (H), the Polish y.
In Scotch also, where original i has been lowered to e generally,
and this in central Scotland retracted to or towards the 'mid mixed'
u (compare "let hum that isfulthy befutthy stull," attributed to Dr.
Chalmers. See my "Dialect of Southern Scotland," p. 108, note),
it remains 2 or rather ee before a few k, g, sh, and ch words, as sick,
gig, wig, whisht (seek, geeg, weeg, wheesht), while an initial to
usually gutturalizes 1 or e into the ' mid back ' or Northern short u,
as will, wit, whip (wull, wut, whup).
In listening to the pronunciation of a series of words, as stik,
Irish, bich, list, bit'l, tut'ur, skwiint, drill, chiip, bub, uvur, plum, I
seemed to hear a progressive widening of the vowel from the finest
i to the most distinct u.1
As the natural vowel is greatly influenced by the vocal quality
of the preceding consonant, unintentional and unfelt differences
easily arise among the words of this class, which accounts for my
seeming to hear several distinct vowels, and Mr. Ellis actually
throwing them into five different sound groups. This may be easily
experienced after pronouncing sulk, s'lk, by passing to mulk, nt'lk,
1 Since these observations were made, Mr, H. Nicol has read an important
paper before the Philological Society, showing that English short i was in the
16th century ee before back consonants, and when final, as in sing, itch, lady, but
t before front ones, as in thin, this, ill. This presents valuable analogies to the
West Somerset, which has however advanced a step further, since ee has become
i, and t become u ; but finally ee remains, see p. 48 of Mr. Elworthy's former
paper, and his constant spelling of such words as zab-mtee, hug-lee. In South
Scotch, also, final -ie in cantie, fyftie, etc., is rather ee than t. (See Dial. South
Scotl. p. 104.)
THE NATURAL VOWEL.
which the influence of the labial m will, unless an effort be made,
change to m&olk, as written by Mr. Ellis, No. 30, Part III. Still
more is this the case with v or w, as in village, willow, which, though
meant as vukij, wul-ti, are almost sure to be heard as vuol'ij, wuol'u,
as written by Mr. Ellis. The passage from will to wuol shows in a
remarkable manner how a sound may cross by a few steps almost
from one end of the vowel scale to the other, from Williton round
the world and back to WuoHtn ! (See D.W.S. p. 11.)
116
INDEX.
A, an, 29
aa-k 68,
aa-l=I will, 34
aay, used in the objective case, 35
Abstract pronoun, 33
Adjectives derived from common nouns,
17
of number and quantity, 24
of quality, 15
Adverbs, 81
comparison of, 82
of degree, 83
of place, 84
• of time, 85
aesJc, 25
all and the whole, 26
an = if, 93
any, 25
as, not used before comparison, 83
awl su= quite as, 75
au'l ulawng, 83
aup-m daewn, 83
aup-m ee'n, 83
atrrts, 5
Auxiliary verbs, 54
away, 85
bai-dtuy, 4
bai-gs (bags), 10
be, verb, conjugated, 55
bee^ustezez, 6
belong, confusion as to, 81
beoch'een, 54
beo-shh (bushels), 10
Book of Ruth, The, 105
both, the, 26
boy's love, 13
brai-dhur, 31
bran'dees-faa'rsheen, 12
bris-tezez, 6
broth, a plural noun, 12
but, peculiarities of, 93
by= against, 89
can, verb, conjugated, 63
ch = I, 34
Change of /into v, 5
th into/, 6
cheol-ur (children), 7
chik'een, not chifceenz, 1
cleave = to adhere, 46 ; to split, 48
Combination of pronouns with prepo-
sitions, 37
Comparison of adjectives, 19
Compound pronouns, 42
Conjunctions, 92
Counting, 25
Cider solid by the peck, 38
daed, conditional = would, 63
dai-mau-rneen, 85
Definite nouns, 29
Demonstratives, 29
dhaat=cela, das, 32
so, of degree, 84
dhaat dhae-ur, 31
dhai=on (Fr.), 38
= those. 32
dhai dhae-ur, 31
<^««=donc, 86
dhaw and aun'dhau, 70
dhee-uz, 29
dhik, dhikee, 29
dhoa = then, 86; =doch, 92
dig, verb to, — dig-us, 50
Different spellings, 2
Diminutive superlative, 21
Diseases called by plural names, 13
Distinguishing adjectives, 29
Distributives, 25
do, verb, conjugated, 45 ; auxiliary,
71
Double plurals, 7
drai'dfeol, 15
dras-een, 30
Duplication of the verb, 62
duung-buuts, 9
INDEX.
117
each and every, 28
ee=you, 36; infinitive inflexion, 49
een kee'uz=lest, 94
ee-n un aetot, 83
ee'ns, 66
cortuy, 74, 95
eesh, adjectives in, 18
ees=I, 34, 39; =yes, 87
either and neither, 28
enough, 26
Expletives, 95
faa-rsh&en, adverbial force of, 82
First person nom. plural, 36
for used with the infinitive, 80
Fractions, 25
ful, the adjunct, 15
full, combinations of, 10
Full conjugation of the verb, 76
Gender of pronouns, 32
Gerund, 52
Gerund in to, 80
gin and ugiw, 88
go, verb to, peculiarities of, 53
grai't, guurt, 15
grig, sour as a, 23
gyaa-sli (ghastly), 15
halt and stop, 68
have, verb, conjugated, 67
haun, 86
haut, 42, 72
Head of a sheep, 14
here and there, 30
high shelf, 13
Historic present, 53
Aow>=that, 67
ieh=I, 34
ill, not an adjective, 21
Indefinite nouns, 29
numerals, 26
personal pronouns, 38
Infinitive of to be omitted, 57
Infinitive, 52
Inflexion dropped in the past tense of
verbs, 44
Imperfect diphthongs, 2
Impersonal nouns, 16
Interjections, 95
Interrogative pronouns, 40
Intransitive form of transitive verbs, 49
Irregular comparisons, 21
It, 33
jich,jis,jwh=such, 26
kae'uz wny= because, 94
kauk kraw stoa'un, 98
Key to glossic spelling, 1
know, verb, conjugated, 74
kris-tezez, 6
kweel, 72
laa-ftee, 6.
lees, adjectives in, 18
ke-iiree= empty, 17, 110
List of strong verbs of English be-
come weak in the dialect, 46
Lord Popham, 96
lutree, 30
luyk, 81
make, verb, technical, 68
may, might, verb, conjugated, 69
'mbaay, 85
meat, 61
mile and mild, 10
month, 11
more, most, 20
f»w=my, 40
Multiples, 25
#zM«=them, 37
Murray's, Dr., Scotch Dialect, 14 ; com-
parison with, 38
Nan Scott, 99
Natural vowel, 1, 113
n changed to m, 65
nee-ur and nuy, 91
Negatives, 87
n, en, een, adjectives in, 18
ng, adjectives in, 19
noa and nuudh'ur, 25
-«=than, 24
Nominative case, 34
Number, adjectives of, 24
indefinitely large, 28
nouns of, 10
Numerals, definite, indefinite, 11
indefinite, 26
oa'm, aum= quite as far as, 85
oa-uzbuurd, 21
Objective case, 35
off, two ways of speaking, 42
Omission of the pronoun, 34, 61
of the relative, 32, 41
of to be, 57
pack, 9
Passive voice, 81
Personal pronouns, 33
plaa-y, technical verb, 69
Plural nouns, 12
Plurals in ths, 6
of nouns in *, 4 ; in 2, 4 ; in
ez, 5 ; in n, r, 7 ; in Ifs, 6.
by modification of vowel, 8
without change from sing., 8
118
INDEX.
Possessive case, 13
pronouns, 40
varieties of, 14
Prefix -«, 53 ; common to all verbs,
43, 49
Prepositions, 87
Preteritive verbs, 46
Pronouns, 32
Pulman's "Rustic Sketches," 35
put in, technical verb, 65
puyp, 9
Quality, adjectives of, 15
Quantity, adjectives of, 24
nouns of, 1 1
r, note on, 112
rae'umz, 12
Relatives, 41
Relative possessive, 42
rheumatic, 4
swrd— earned, 26
Scores, reckoning by, 25
Second person singular, 35
shaa-rps, 12
shall, verb, conjugated, 66
shee, emphatic objective, 35
sheep's-head, 14
Short marks over vowels, 33
shuut-l, 18
Simile, application of, 22
Singular pronouns construed as plural,
39
skan'lus, 15
slacft, 65
so, of degree, 84
some, adjectives in, 18
South-western r, 2, 112
Space, nouns of, 10
staa'p, 68
stad-l, 59
steech'ee, 66
such, 26
Superlative absolute, 22
diminutive, 21
suyt u geod, 39
taa'p-m taa'yul, 83
take to doing, 80, 97
tee-iil=l>j the time that, 86
than after comparative, 23
th dropped after a, 6
thau-f, ««•/= though, 94
the, 29
thick and thin, 16
toa'kur, toa'k, 8
tue=&t, 89; =belonging to, 91
iue-duub-l, 69
tuudh-ur= other, not the other, 28
tuynoa, 74, 95
twizzle, 85
ubaewt, ubeo, ukraa-s, ulawng, lawng,
88
u-bau-rnd=\)orr\., 48
ud, frequentative inflexion, 45
u-gaun- =deceased, 48 ; = ago, 53
MM; w=him, 36
«« aw £= also, 82
un~ee and uudh'ur, 25
-u, participial prefix, 49 ; various mean-
ings of, 96
ur, various meanings of, 39
wr=you, 36
ur=I, he, 35
us used as a nominative, 36, 64
use of various tenses, examples of the, 51
w£=that, conjunction, 94
utch, utchy = I, 34
uudh-ur=&nj whatever, 27
uun-dur waun=at the same time, 86
iivuree dai, 28
«z=this, 30
vawlpaun, 70
Verbs, ending in a consonant, 44 ; weak,
43 ; modified weak, 45 ; strong, 48 ;
originally strong, weak termination
added, 48 ; formation of simple
tenses, 49
voak'sez=]j[. of folk, 13
vraek-sn (rushes), 7
vuwkeenz (firkins), 10
vuystezez, 6
wai dhu sae'um— instantly, 86
waun, 25
M>»M»S= moles, 51 ; =once! 95
wausaafyul= wassail, 100
wautsumduvur, 42
wauyts= scales, 12
weecK-ee— which? 41
wecsht, 8
"Weight, nouns of, 10
"Wild Beast Show, The, 102
will, verb, conjugated, 60
wul-ur ? = will you ? 61
wits-tees, 21
wuurk, technical verb, 61
wuyp, technical verb, 57
yaen, 84, 88
Yards, varieties of, 11
zaa-lt, 70
zee-urn (seam), 9
zuynoa, 74, 95
THE
WEST SOMERSET WORD-BOOK.
OF
DIALECTAL AND ARCHAIC WORDS AND PHRASES
USED IN THE
WEST OF SOMERSET AND EAST DEVON.
BY
FREDERIC THOMAS ELWORTHY,
MEMBER OF COUNCIL OF THE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
" In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold ;
Alike fantastic, if too new, or old :
Be not the first by whom the new are tried,
Nor yet the last to lay the old aside."
POPE, Essay on Criticism.
gontan:
FOR THE ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY
TRUBNER & CO., LUDGATE HILL.
1886.
All rights reserved.
R. Clay and Sons, London and Bungay.
CONTENTS.
v
xv
PREFACE ...... .
INTRODUCTION . . ......
KEY TO GLOSSIC AND EXPLANATIONS ....
VOCABULARY i
LIST OF LITERARY WORDS NOT PRONOUNCED AS IN STANDARD
ENGLISH . -855
PREFACE.
ALTHOUGH the work of observing and recording peculiarities of
native speakers may fairly be considered as original research, yet
the labours of those who have before done the same thing in other
districts are of immense value to an observer, and therefore it is
fitting that acknowledgment of the obligation should be placed in
the very fore-front of these pages.
The various workers of the Dialect Society are of the greatest
use to each other, by reason of their bringing the folk-speech of
different localities into a sort of focus ; and thus they suggest to an
observer what he should look for in his own. The greatest
difficulty to be dealt with is not that of becoming familiar with
local speech, but of deciding what is provincial or dialectal, and
what is standard English — for nowadays so many novelists and
other writers employ words and forms of expression they know
more or less as being used in the place they are dealing with.
These words, however, are not literary English, nor are they slang ;
yet from frequent use they have become current, although they
have not yet found their way into dictionaries, nor will they until
Dr. Murray's gigantic task is finally completed. These writers are,
unconsciously, but steadily, building up a sort of conventional
literary dialect, containing a little of several, but not confined to
any one in particular. Whether this will tend to the improvement
of literature, or the true knowledge of the English language, is
beyond the scope of this Word-Book.
For any particular detail in the following pages I am unconscious
of being indebted to any of the Glossarists who have preceded me,
but to all I am obliged for many suggestions.
Long experience has now convinced me of that which I put
forward in my first paper on the subject, in 1875, that our
vi PREFACE.
hereditary pronunciation will survive, together with our grammatical
peculiarities, long after board schools and newspapers have brought
English as a written language to one dead level.
Holding this view, which Dr. Henry Sweet says (on Laws of
Sound Change, Phil. Society, Dec. 17, 1886) "is now generally
admitted by philologists," I have given much attention and space
to pronunciation, and to grammatical and syntactic construction,
which I trust may not be found useless to future students.
A comparison of our present dialectal pronunciation of many
literary words with 'their forms in Early and Middle English, will
prove how very slow phonetic changes have been in the past, at
least in the spoken language of the people. The same holds good,
and will be found to be fully illustrated in these pages, with respect
to many forms of grammar and syntax which have long become
obsolete in literature. Both these subjects have been dealt with
at some length in former papers published by this Society, and I
shall therefore only endeavour now to notice some facts previously
unobserved, or not adequately recorded.
Inasmuch as a great deal of the peculiarity of a dialect is
altogether lost if attempted in conventional literary spelling, or
even in modifications of it, I have continued to use Mr. Ellis's
Glossic, which though at first sight uncouth in appearance to those
accustomed only to conventional spelling, yet is extremely easy to
read after a very little practice. I have not followed all the
extreme refinements of the system ; but to have a definite and
distinct method at all is, it seems to me, of far more importance
than either the use or the merits of this or that system of notation.
A full and elaborate key will be found on p. 24 of my Dialect
of West Somerset, 1875, and a concise one, quite sufficient for the
understanding of all here written, is on p. 2 of the Grammar of
West Somerset, 1877. This latter is reprinted at the end of the
Introduction (p. xlvii).
It seems almost needless to offer anything by way of defence
against the criticisms which are certain to be applied to phonetic
spelling ; but unless some definite plan is to be followed, how is
a stranger, a foreigner for instance, to be made aware of the
difference in sound of o in come, gone, bone; of a in tardy, mustard ;
or of / in mind and wind? Could such a sentence as that which
illustrates LIMBLESS be contrived in conventional spelling? I shall
indeed be satisfied if critics confine their disapproval of this book
to the Glossic.
PREFACE. vii
I have noticed among the works issued by this Society many
attempts to convey the sound of words by ordinary values of letters,
for instance, I find " Footing pronounced Fuutiri " but no clue
is given as to the value of the two us, and not knowing the dialect
I am no wiser.
Hallivvell has "Allous; all of us — Somerset," but what stranger
to the county, or foreigner, would guess that this should be
pronounced au-l oa uus ?
I have in the following pages endeavoured to give clear defini-
tions of words, and where they related to anything of a technical
character I have tried to describe the object, so that those who
come after us may be able to know precisely what the article now
is. Who can now say with any certainty what size, shape, or
capacity, was a biker of the i5th century? The beaker of modern
novelists is something very different, even if it be not a fabulous
article. What will people understand of a Yorkshire " Stoup, a
wooden drinking vessel " ? Halliwell describes " Cleiwy, a species
of draft iron for a plough." What species ? He gives " Ledger,
horizontal bar of a scaffold." Which? Forby gives "Spud, an
instrument, a sort of hoe." What sort? Instances of similar
indefinite definitions might be multiplied to any extent. I trust
I have not run into the other extreme of describing at length that
with which everybody is familiar. Skillett and crock are common
names of household utensils, but not many town-bred people could
distinguish them in an ironmonger's shop.
In deciding whether a word or phrase is literary or not, I have
followed no exact rule. Generally words, or meanings of literary
words, if given in Webster, have not been inserted ; but for some
words, though literary, there have appeared reasons, such as pro-
nunciation, or peculiarity of use, why they should appear. In such
cases they are not, however, allowed much space. I have acted
on the best advice I could obtain — to insert doubtful words shortly,
rather than omit them.
Ordinary colloquialisms, such as all to smash, cross-patch, crow's
feet, crusty, a setting-down, stone-blind, spick and span, transmogrify,
are not here noted, though I observe that many glossaries contain
such words, but space had to be regarded, or this book would have
been unwieldy. I have in no case considered whether a word was
widely known, or peculiar to this district ; so that if in my opinion
it was a dialect word, I have inserted it, though common from
John o' Groats to the Land's End. On this point I fully expect
Vlii PREFACE.
to hear exception taken ; but if there is any value at all in pre-
serving current speech, by no means the least is to be able to
define how far any particular word or phrase is known, and in
what sense it is so known. Therefore I offer no excuse to the
reader from Northumberland who finds here a word familiar to
him, unless it is found in the dictionaries in the sense in which
I have given it ; in that case I acknowledge my faults and apologize
accordingly.
Certain well-known names of common articles have been inserted
as a sort of legacy to the future — these are now obsolescent, and
probably in a few years will be quite forgotten — e.g. pattens,
gambaders, &c.
Further, I have not taken any word at second-hand except in a
few cases, where I have specially given my informant's initials ; but
every word noted has been heard spoken by myself (except as above),
and must be accepted, or otherwise, on my own testimony alone.
And here I would remark that the one. point I have kept steadily in
view has been truth. So far as I am conscious I have neither under
nor over stated, unless it may be in the use of the word (always) —
which will be found after many of the words — to indicate that
among dialect speakers the expression is that which is the usual
and ordinary one, and that any variation from it would be quite
exceptional.
In Halliwell I find many errors. Very numerous words which
he gives as "Somerset" or "West," are either obsolete or quite
unknown, while many others described as peculiar to other districts,
are familiar in this, and probably have been so for ages —
Cheatery = fraud, " North," is one of our commonest words.
Again, many words undoubtedly peculiar to us are wrongly de-
fined— for instance, " Clavy-tack. A Key. Exmoor" Except the
coincidence of clav there is nothing even to suggest the idea of
key. The article, a mantel-piece or shelf, is perfectly common.
In the following pages I repeat that I have taken nothing from
Halliwell, nor from any other Glossary, but I have used them merely
as reminders of words which I had omitted ; and for this purpose I
have found Pulman's Rustic Sketches by far the most valuable. I
have quoted freely from his verses, and so far as dialect goes, he is
by a long way the most accurate, and less given to eke out his
versification with literaryisms. On this point, however, he does but
as all other writers of the same class, not excepting Barnes, have
done— humour and quaintness first, dialect and correct construction
PREFACE. IX
of the spoken language second. Moreover, Pulman's district is
closely allied to this, as also is that of Nathan Hogg and Peter
Pindar. It will be understood then that any word given as Somerset
by Halliwell, if not mentioned herein, is unknown in West Somerset
so far as I can ascertain. A peculiarity of all Western Dialect poets
except Pulman, who refers to the point in his preface, but yet is
guilty in his verses, is that all common English words in /are spelt
with v, and all words in s are spelt with z. No doubt it is very
funny; both Shakspere and Ben Jonson adopted that method to
distinguish a clown ; a method which has become conventional,
and has lasted down through Fielding to our own day in Punch.
But notwithstanding such authorities it is incorrect. Ben Jonson
never heard anybody say varrier (Tale of a Tub} who was speaking
his own genuine tongue. In many cases, however, there is uncer-
tainty of pronunciation, and apparent exception to the rule that
words in f or s, if Teutonic, are sounded with initial v or z, while
French or other imported words with the same initials, keep them
sharp and precise (see VETHERVOW). For example, file, for bills,
is always fuyul (O. Fr. file), while file, a rasp, both v. and sb., is
always vuyul, (Dutch, vijl). Indeed it may be taken as a rule that
where literary words in /or s have their counterparts in Dutch, our
Western English dialectal pronunciation of the initial is the same ;
compare finger, first, fist, fleece, follow, foot, forth, forward, freeze,
see, seed, seek, self, send, seven, sieve, silver, sinew, sing, sister, six, &c.
In exceptional cases where the rule does not hold good, it will
usually be found that there has been a confusion of meaning owing
to similarity of sound. For instance, summer, a season, and
summer, a beam (Fr. sommier) are both alike sounded zuuwur,
whereas but for confusion in consequence of similarity of sound,
the latter would probably have been suunrur. Sea again is excep-
tional, and is always sar with s quite sharp, while see and say are
always according to rule zee and zai.
How common these confusions of meaning and sound are, and
to what results they lead must be within the experience of most
observers. At this moment upon the wall of the boot and knife
house at Foxdown is a grafitto, very well written in Board School
hand, immediately over a fragment of looking-glass —
Things seen is Intempural
Tilings not seen is Inturnel.
Sunday, Aug. 23, 1885.
Another of my servants always says of a kind of artificial manure
X PREFACE.
— "that there consecrated manure's double so good's the tother."
He has heard it called concentrated.
Imperfect imitation of foreign pronunciation of imported words
leads to variety of sound in different districts, and eventually to
apparent change, when the form of a particular district or a literary
appreciation becomes the standard. For example, gillyflower and
manger, about which there can be no controversy, are now literary
names ; but how very unlike they are in sound to their prototypes
giroflee and mangeoire, and how much nearer to what are probably
the original O. F. sounds of these words are our rustic jiilau'fur
and mau-njur. All these points will be found dealt with in the
text.
I have ventured to include many technical words, some of which
are peculiar to the district, and others are common to the trades to
which they apply, but in most cases I think there are some points
of divergence from ordinary trade or hunting terms, sufficient to
make them worth recording here. In some cases it will be found
that common terms have in this district quite a different significa-
tion to that current elsewhere — e.g. ALE and BEER, while in others
we have our own distinct names for common things — e. g. LINHAY,
SPRANKER, &c.
Upon the slippery path of etymology I have been careful not to
tread, and whenever any remark upon that point has been made,
it has always been with much diffidence and merely by way of
suggestion, or in a few cases where received explanations are
unsatisfactory or improbable. Of course I shall be charged with
omitting the most interesting part of the whole matter, but for
many reasons I have confined myself to bare identification with
Old or Middle English, or with some foreign language, where both
sense and sound render such identification obvious. The book
is already over bulky, and etymological speculations would have
distended it, and possibly destroyed what little value it may now
possess. Moreover, an observer and recorder of facts has no
business with theories, and be he never so circumspect in his
enunciation, he cannot escape the suspicion that in his desire
to prove his propositions, his facts have been at least marshalled,
and his work will only be valued accordingly. Even if I had felt
tempted at any time to branch off into that line, I was long ago
cured of the symptom by a gentleman who has established a large
credit for learning of all kinds. Meeting him one day, he was as
usual anxious to instruct the ignorant, and he inquired if I knew
PREFACE. XI
the origin of the word sheriff. I replied that I had always thought
it was a shortened form of shire-reeve. " Nothing of the sort," was
the confident reply, " it is an Arabic word : shereef is the head
man." About the same time another gentleman asked if I knew
our word soce, and what it came from. Previous experience led me
to reply cautiously, but I was as confidently informed as by the first
gentleman, that the speaker's uncle was a great scholar, and that
" he always said soce came from the Greek Zwoc." A well-known
writer some years ago pointed out to a friend of mine that Yarrow
was a common name for river ; " doubtless," he said " from the
Anglo-Saxon earczve, an arrow, because they run straight and fast.
Thus," he continued, " we have the Yarrow in Scotland, the Yarra
in Africa, and the Yarra-yarra in Australia." In this way it is
clear that there must be a close connection between the Goodwin
Sands and Tenterden Steeple, for of course the termination le is
a mere surplusage, and to steep means to place under water, while
to tenter obviously suggests the idea of drying again, and thus the
analogy is complete, if not obvious.
Although these were examples of identification rather than
scientific etymology, I trust I learnt the lesson sufficiently to avoid
at least anything like confident assertion. Indeed, I have arrived
at the conviction that speculation as to the meanings and origins
of words, is a luxury not to be even aspired to by any but those
whose reputation is established, like the gentleman above referred
to, and therefore, though advised by those whose opinion I deeply
respect and value, to " give a good guess as to the origin of a word
whenever you can," yet I have not done so, because expecting to
be done by as I do, I accept with less reserve the statements of
those who admit in these omniscient days, that there may be
something in, on, or under the earth, which they do not know
all about.
How old a habit dabbling in etymology has been, and how deep
the pit-falls it leads people into, are shown in the following —
Britones wer' long j clepud Cadwallesme,
After Cadwall £>* was hur' kyng;
Bot Saxsous clepud hem Jeyjthen Walsheme,
By cause of sherte spekyng. .
A. D. 1420. Chronicon Vilodtmense, st. 24.
The Word Lists printed at the end do not profess to be
exhaustive of the words in use by the people of the district, nor
even to give more than a portion of the common ones, inasmuch
Xll PREFACE.
as different degrees of education involve the use of a larger or
smaller vocabulary. They consist entirely of literary words, which
are not pronounced in the usually received manner, and therefore
it may be taken that any word not in the list would, if used at all,
be sounded approximately as in standard English.
Of myself, it is enough to say that I have lived for more than
fifty years in the district, and have had the best possible oppor-
tunities of hearing and of practising my native tongue, while for
over twenty years I have been a diligent observer and careful
noter of its peculiarities ; the result of this observation is contained
in the papers already published, and in the following pages.
During the past ten or twelve years these special observations
have occupied most of my leisure time, while for the past eighteen
months preparing and correcting for the press has left no time
at all for any other occupation ; whether or not the end accom-
plished is worth the very great labour bestowed must be left for
others to decide. The work has, however, been a labour of love,
and has brought me into closer contact with my humbler neigh-
bours than any other pursuit could have done; so that I have
become familiar not only with their forms of speech but with their
mode of thought. No doubt in the plan adopted of giving nearly
every word its setting in its own proper matrix, a great similarity
and repetition of phrase will be apparent, while anything like
humour will have to be hunted for. To this I say that the people
we are studying are not specially humorous, but rather stolid,
and that to represent their speech accurately, including dullness
and repetition, is the end I have aimed at. There is much grim,
rustic humour in the people, and it is hoped that at least some
traces of it may be found herein. Of coarseness also there is and
must be a good deal ; and while I have felt that I could not but
record it, I trust nothing offensive has been retained. Advisers
have urged me to suppress nothing, and I have been told that the
strongholds of a language are in its obscenities. I have in this
taken their advice, I have not suppressed any, but yet the most
fastidious will find nothing in this book approaching to obscenity,
nor indeed greater coarseness of expression than is contained in
our expurgated Shaksperes. The reason is that there is nothing
to suppress ; the people are simple, and although there is a super-
abundance of rough, coarse language, yet foul-mouthed obscenity
is a growth of cities, and I declare I have never heard it, so it
cannot be recorded by me.
PREFACE. xiii
It must be understood that in a book of this kind only gener-
alities of pronunciation, or rather types, are possible, for in the first
place no two individuals sound all words quite alike, while from
village to village, in some slight peculiarity or other, there is a marked
difference to an accustomed ear. A lengthening of a vowel, a slight
stress in some common word, are quite enough to mark off people
from others living not far away; but to attempt to write these fine
shades of difference would be far beyond the scope of the most
elaborate notation, even if the person who observed and recognized
the peculiarity were able himself to define or imitate it.
I have been frequently struck with the inability of otherwise
intelligent people, who would both speak and write conventional
English correctly, to appreciate dialect ; that is of course where they
have been always accustomed to it. They seem to be strangely
unconscious that hosts of words, phrases, and pronunciations which
they hear daily are anything out of the common, or different to what
they would use themselves in speaking to their own class.
Long practice in watchful observation has enabled me to detect
variations which to ears equally familiar with the dialect of the
district are often quite imperceptible. Many curious proofs of this
have occurred during the past few years. I wanted with a friend to
look round the Nothe fort at Weymouth, and on speaking to the
sentry, the man replied in three words, " that's the door." Being
in Dorsetshire, I of course was struck by the man's pronunciation
of doer, and said at once to him, " I see you are a Somerset man."
"Yes." "I think you must know Huish Champflower, do you
not ? " " Well, yes, I ought to — I was born and bred to Clat-
worthy." Huish and Clatworthy are adjoining parishes, their
churches barely a mile apart. This was a trained artilleryman,
with not the vestige of a clown left in him. On two occasions in
London shops : I was a passive listener at Brandon's while a
bonnet was being discussed, and when making the payment ven-
tured to remark to the young lady, " You must have been a long
time in London." " Oh, yes, ten years ; but why do you ask ? "
" Only for information," said I ; " and did you come straight from
Teignmouth?" With much surprise at my supposing she came
from Devonshire, she said at length that she was a native of Newton
Abbott. I could not pretend to define the precise quality of her
two, but it was only in that one word that I recognized her locality.
Another young lady under like circumstances I fixed correctly at
Exeter. Quite recently a Spiers and Pond young lady at a railway
xiv PREFACE.
bar said she came from South Molton, when I asked if she did
not come from Barnstaple. It is not my practice to go about ques-
tioning people in this way; indeed, I do not remember having
done so more than a dozen times in my life, those referred to
included, but certain limited districts are very marked, though I
could not attempt to define how.
A real Taunton man I should know in Timbuctoo, and a Bristolian
anywhere, even if he were not half so marked as Mr. Gladstone is
by his native Lancashire.
These remarks are by no means intended as a blowing of my
own trumpet; and I desire to apologize for so much dragging in
of my own personal experience — but upon this subject one can
have had no other, except at second hand, which is worthless.
Many inconsistencies, many contradictions will be found by those
who search for them, and I neither pretend to deny or to justify
such. My reply in advance to such criticisms, is that the people
are inconsistent and contradictory ; that they have only been taught
by rule of thumb, and have never been accustomed, in talk at least,
to be curbed by anything at all like a rein of law.
Inasmuch as the Introduction here following is but a filling in
— a gathering up of the fragments of the pronunciation, grammar,
and syntax dealt with in the previous papers, it cannot but be
somewhat disjointed and abrupt.
Lastly, I commend this fruit of many years' thought and study,
with all its shortcomings, its repetitions and its mistakes, to the
indulgence of those who in their own persons have tried to record
and to define a dialect in any language whatever.
F. T. E.
Foxdown, February 1888.
INTRODUCTION.
THE following pages are intended to be the fulfilment of the
promise contained in the first paragraph of the Grammar of West
Somerset, written fourteen years ago, and so far as this Society is
concerned, the work on this subject in my hands is completed.
The few remarks I have now to make are but supplemental to
that paper, and to the one on the dialect previously published by
this Society, so that the two together are to be taken as part and
parcel of this Introduction. After twelve years', more or less,
constant work on the subject, it is satisfactory to be able to confirm
what has gone before, and to feel that there is nothing to be
unsaid, although there is somewhat to be filled up, and perhaps
now that my observations are mostly noted, it would be a good
time for some other worker to begin, and to note the many facts
which I shall have left unrecorded, or imperfectly dealt with.
One peculiarity of our pronunciation not before recorded, as a
rule, is that long a after g, s/i, or k, becomes long e, as in gable,
again, cave, scarce, scare, escape, shame, shape, share, shave,
pronounced always gee'ubl, ugee'un, kee'uv, skee'tis, skee'ur, skee'up,
shee'ttm, shee'up, shee'ur, shee'uv, &c.
Usually, in Teutonic, words long ay keeps the same sound in
the dialect as in literature — e. g. day, say, way, while in French, or
imported words, the sound is much widened, as in pay, play, May
(month), ray, pronounced paay, plaa'y, maa'y, raay.
Ea of lit. English pronounced long e, is in the dialect often long a,
as sea, tea, deal, heal, meal, seal, read, lead, v., meat, wheat, pro-
nounced sar, tar, dae'ul, Ji)aeful, mae'ul, saelul, rard, lard, mart,
wai't, &c., but there are many exceptions — e. g. fear, beat, heat,
pronounced ferur, bee'ut (in Devon bart}, yut, &c.
Ee, on the other hand, is frequently short /, as wik, wil, stil, for
week, wheel, steel, &c.
Short i is very often long e in the dialect, as bee'd, ee-f, beech,
dee'ch, stee'ch, ee'nj, ee'm,pee'n, seefn, skee-n, for bid, if, bitch, ditch,
stitch, hinge, hymn, pin, sin, skin, and many more.
XVI INTRODUCTION.
Readers of Nathan Hogg's poems will perceive that, as in East
Somerset, so in Devon, long o is much broader in sound than with
us. Our long oa is scarcely distinguishable from literary speech.
W. Som. Devon. Literary.
broa-kt brau-kt broke
znoa€ snau* snow
droa* drau* throw
stoa'ld stau'ld stole
koa'l kau'l cold
toal tau'l told
Like Italian and French we drop the first when two vowels come
together, or rather slide the two into one, much more than in lit.
English, as in —
vur ae'upmee = for a halfpenny.
geod1 tart = good to eat.
t'aevee vau'ree = too heavy for you.
guup'm zee* = go up and see.
boa'naa'ra = bow and arrow.
O in lit. Eng. is seldom changed or dropped, nor does it
influence neighbouring vowels. Compare go away, go in, go out,
go up, with our goo war, gee'n, g-aewt, g-uup, or g-au'p.
Wuz you to the show last night ? No, they widn lat me g'iu
'thout I paid shillin', and I could'n vord it. Nif I be able vor
g-out doors next week, the work shall be a-doo'd. Our Jim shall
g-up and put'n to rights.
" In t'ouze " is the invariable form for " in the house."
Maister home ? Ees, I count a went in t'ouze by now.
The very usual forms of narration are, So I zess, s-I. Zoa, a zess,
s-ee. You baint gwain, b-ee ? — i. e. be ye. Mother's in t-'ouze.
Home t-our house. Up t-eez place. Down t-Oun's moor. Come
in t-arternoon. You can git'n in t'Hill's (t-ee'ulz). Mr. Hill t-Upton
(t-uup'm) farm.
Abundant examples will be found in the text and in the Word
Lists of all these varieties of vowel pronunciation.
B) and often d, before le are not sounded — we say buum'l, buun'l,
muum'l, tuum't, truun'l, atrl, aanrl, nee'ul, for bumble, bundle,
mumble, tumble, trundle, handle, amble, needle, &c.
Yet we find a redundant d inserted between r and /, especially
in monosyllables. In Mid. Eng. this was done in world, which
we find written wordle by several writers — e. g. Langland, Trevisa,
INTRODUCTION. xvii
&c., but this is peculiar, and its M. E. form seems to indicate from
analogy of similar words in the dialect, that at that time as now
the final d was dropped, and that the d in ivordle is a redundant
insertion, precisely similar to our modern vernacular, guurdl,
inaa-rdl, kiturdl, puitrdl, wuur'dl, buurdl, Baa'rdl, kwau'rdl, for
girl, marl, curl, purl, whirl, burl, Barle (river), quarrel, £c.
Words spelt alike in literature, but different in meaning, have
often very distinct sounds in the dialect.
Quarrel, v. and sb., is always kwatrrdl. Quarrel, sb., a pane of
glass, is kwawryul.
On the other hand differences of sound in certain literary words
do not exist with us. Hear, ear, here, year, are all alike — yimr.
The fallowing words of lit. English ending in y drop this
termination in the dialect, notwithstanding the partiality for the
sound shown in its general use as an infinitive inflection, marking
the intransitive and frequentative form ; also as a diminutive of
nouns in words like lovy, deary, sweety, &c., and as a redundant,
perhaps euphonic, insertion, in Foxydown, Dartymoor, &c.
Stud for study, v. t. and /'. and sb. ; car for carry, v. f. ; dirt for
dirty, v. t. ; emp for empty, v. t. ; slipper for slippery, adj. ; store
for story, sb. ; ice for icy, adj.
I can't think nor stud what I shall do. In a riglur brown stud.
You can't car\ all to once. Tommy, mind you don't dirt your
pinny. Your old Jim '11 emp cloam way one here and there. The
road was that slipper, I thort never should'n ha corned 'ome. Purty
store sure 'nough 'bout th' old Bob Snook's wive. I sure ee'tis riglar
ice cold.
The form of the possessive used by a native constantly distin-
guishes to whom he refers, when there is nothing in the context to
show this.
[Aay yuurd Jum* zai tu Jaa'k ; neef ee ded'n lat loa'un dhai
wauyts haun ee wuz daewn een uun'dur ee'd braek-s ai'd,] I heard
Jim say to Jack, if he did not leave alone the scales while he was
underneath, lu would break his head. Nothing here but the form
of the possessive shows who's head would be broken. In the literary
version, the implication decidedly is that of a threat that Jim would
under certain conditions break Jack's head. Not so in the dialect.
No ambiguity would arise. The use of the possessive pronoun his
(when so contracted) is invariably reflective, and shows unerringly
that it is Jim's own head that would be broken.. On the other
hand, the opposite meaning would be just as infallibly conveyed by
b
XV111 INTRODUCTION.
identically the same words, if only the his had but had ever so
little stress upon it. " He'd break 'is aid," would express that
there had been a distinct threat to Jack on the part of Jim.
Another, and still more emphatic form of conveying the threat to
Jack, would be, " he'd break th' aid o' un," /. e. that Jim would
break Jack's head, and not that his own would be broken. We
see then that the possessive masculine pronoun contracted and
unstressed is reflective, while stressed it is objective. The feminine
possessive being incapable of such modification would be reflec-
tive in meaning whether accentuated or not, and thus in order to
narrate the threat it would be needful to say, "he'd break th' aid
o'er." It should be noted that this contraction of the possessive
his into a mere sibilant, is not consequent upon any influence of
proximate consonants — " Bill cut-s vinger " means his own finger,
while " Bill cut ees vinger," in the absence of all context, implies
some one else's finger.
Stress again in the dialect comes in to mark differences in the
meaning of homonyms, which in literary English are marked only
by the context ; for instance —
" Well nif thick-s to good vor me, he-s to good vor 'ee too."
This use of the two forms of too is invariable. When stress has to
be laid upon the too, in the case of over and above, it is laid not on
the adverb, as in literary English, but upon the adjective, e. g. to
good, to bad, &c., while in the sense of likewise it is always tue~ — good
too, bad too, &c. The aesthetic slang, quite too too, would therefore
be in violation of dialectal usage, and be unintelligible.
Another expressive difference in stress is that commonly heard
in the demonstratives this, these, when used with nouns signifying
time, in the sense of during or for the space of.
[Aa'y aa'nt u-zeed'-n z-wik], means, "I have not seen him for a
week or more," but [aa'y aa'nt u-zee'd-n dhee'uz wik], means " I have
not seen him during this current week," dating from Sunday last.
The same applies to future as well as past construction. " Your
wagin 'ont be a-do'd-z-vortnight," means, it will not be finished for
a fortnight, at least — while this fortnight in literary English would
mean, during these particular two weeks.
On opening a cistern in the garden which needed cleansing, the
man said to me, [u doa'n leok s-au'f ee'd u-biin u-tlai'nd aevv-t-s
yuurz,] he (the cistern) does not appear to have been cleaned out
for many years past. — Nov. 9. 1883.
INTRODUCTION.
XIX
The demonstrative this here is often used as a phrase implying
something new, or at least unfamiliar, and out of the common run.
A tenant farmer, speaking of some repairs to the dairy window, said
to me, They do zay how this here preforated sine 's a sight better 'n
lattin. This implied that the zinc was a new thing which he
had heard of, but never proved. So one often hears sentences
like the following — This here mowing o' wheat idn nit a quarter
so good 's th' old farshin reapin'.
Have ee a-yeard much about this here ensilage ?
This here artificial idn nit a bit like good old ratted dung, about
getting of a crop way.
This here Agricultural Holdings Act idn gwain to do no good
to we farmers, nif we do keep on having cold lappery saisons.
Th:s here bringing over o' fresh meat from America's gwain to
be the finisher vor we; beef's 'most the only thing can zil like
anything, and hon that's a-hat down, t'll be all over way farmerin.
In each of these illustrations this here has the meaning of this
new-fangled.
In adjectives we have a kind of hyper-superlative used chiefly
for great emphasis, in which the superlative inflection is reduplicated,
with or without most as a kind of make-weight.
I zim yours is the most beautifulestest place ever I zeed. The
purtiestest maid in all the parish. The most ugliestest old fuller,
'sparshly (especially) hon 'is drunk. The irregular adjectives have
the superlative inflections superadded almost regularly to their
ordinary superlatives. The bestest drink in the town. The urns-fees
old thing vor falseness. The mostest ever I zeed, &c.
Some auxiliary verbs have no inflection in the past tense, in the
dialect, e. g. to let (permit) ; to help ; consequently instead of the
principal verb being as usual in the infinitive mood — as, I let him
see ; I help(d) him do it ; I let her have it ; I help(d) mount him,
we use the past tense of the principal verb instead of the infinitive,
and so the past construction becomes unmistakable.
May 28, 1883. — A man said to me respecting a new tenant for
a cottage he was quitting — He come to me and ax whe'er wadn
nother 'ouse to let, and zo I let'n zeed the house to once. This
man or any other native would say — I let her had'n ; I help 'in
do'd it ; I help mounted'n ; I help measured'n for a new suit o'
clothes ; you mind you help me cleaned out thick pond. See
HUTCH 3.
Inasmuch as [dud'n] did not, is a present conditional form as
XX
INTRODUCTION.
well as a past, so when used in a past construction it follows the
rule of let and help, A woman would say — I didn care, /'. e. I
should not care, nif I wadn so wake, but I never didn thought
ever he'd a-sar'd me zo bad.
We see a strong analogy in this feeling that a past construction
must be marked by a past inflection, in the hymen of Sir Ferumbras ;
in the thesem [dhee'uzm] of Dorset, where sing, and plural forms
being alike, it seemed needful to add a plural inflection. See MUN.
It has over and over been given as a rule almost without
exception (see VIII. A. i, p. 4), that the past part, of all verbs is
formed by the prefix a [u]. A peculiarity however not previously
noted is that very frequently this prefix is separated from the verb
to which it belongs by the insertion of the qualifying adverb, in
phrases like the following— I was a proper overtookt. Joe've a
fresh sharp the zaw. He'd a new lined the zaddle. I told ee how
you was a vrong directed. Her zaid how he was a oncommon
vexed o' it. I 'sure you the well was a well claned out.
In these sentences the words used could not be placed after the
verbs — /. e. we could not say — JoeVe sharp'd the saw afresh —
anew ; but it is possible our dialect form may suggest something as
to the formation of such adverbs as afresh, anew, awry, £c.
In some cases and by some individuals the prefix is often used
both before the adverb as above, and again before the verb. 'Vore
I cpm'd home nif I wadn a proper a-tired out. The hedge had
0-bin all a fresh a-made, and there, they hunters com'd along and
tord'n all abroad.
Our intransitive verbs have an inflection which is only just
referred to in p. 51 of W, S. Gram. It is us, and is quite peculiar
to W. Som., or if not, I have not seen it alluded to by other
observers. Not only is this inflection distinctly intransitive, but it
is frequentative as well. A country girl would say of her occupa-
tion— I [zoa'us] sews long way mother and that. This would dis-
tinctly convey that she worked habitually with her mother at needle-
work. The form could not be used with a transitive construction,
but is construed with all the persons except 2nd pers. sing.
They zess how they work/« to factory. Her [ai'tus] eats to
vast by half. Our Handy always berkus so long's any strangers be
about. We lookz^ vor the death o' her every day. They [chee'ur-
maek'wj] chairmak#.r — (i. e. work at chairmaking) nif they can
get it. In all these cases the inflection distinctly conveys a con-
tinuance of action : and in certain districts is a commoner form
INTRODUCTION. XXI
than the well-known periphrastic one, so fully illustrated in W. S.
Gram. pp. 50 — 79.
The pronoun it is sometimes emphasized and is then pronounced
[ee't], but its use is uncommon, and only heard in such sentences
as — I tell ee it is [ee't ai'z], where both words are stressed by way
of asseveration.
All collective nouns, even if plural in form, take a singular con-
struction and take it after them. Zo you- bought all th' apples, did
ee ? well I don't know hot you be gwain to do way //, I 'ant a-got
no room.
They zess how he bought a lot o' beast off o' Mr. Bucknell, and
'/ idn a paid vor. I baint gwain to turn things in to market, nif
can't zell /'/.
As a neuter pron. it is unknown to us in W. Som., while in
Devon it is common. They say, You've a-braukt it then, to last.
Hath her a-lost it ? We say, You've a-tordVz, Hath her a-loss'« ?
The possessive form its is quite unknown ; his or her in the forms
[ee'z, viz, -s ; uur, ur,] are invariable. Indeed, one would like to
know with certainty, when its was first used in literature ; but for
.this we must wait for the new English Dictionary.
The Chapter of Wells, a presumably educated body, wrote to the
Bishop of Winchester in 1505 about the drainage of their contiguous
land —
cause the floodgate of or said myell to be pulled up, so that the water shall
haue his full course. Reynolds, Wells Cathedral, App. iii. p. 217.
The contraction of as to a mere sibilant, sometimes hard, some-
times soft, in whatever its connection, is not only usual, but without
exception, even when it begins a sentence.
'z I was gwain to St. Ives, &c., would be the way it would be
pronounced, but of course this would not be the vernacular idiom.
As in the sense of when, at the time that, or just in the manner that,
would all be expressed by eens.
I zeed'n eens (as = when) I was gwain home to dinner.
Her was a-catchd nezactly eens (as = at the moment) her come
in the door.
Twad'n nit one bit o' good to sarch no more, eens I told'n tho'
(as = just as I told him at the time).
The conjunction as, however, enters very largely indeed into west
country speech. For just as scarcely a remark can be made
without a simile, so in the construction of those similes as is to
be found in a full half — /. e. in the phrase same as [sae'urn-z]
xxii INTRODUCTION.
alternating with its synonym like. I can't zee a pin to choose in
em, one's so bad's tother. Same'* the crow zaid by the heap o'
toads, they be all of a sort.
Again as is used almost as often in connection with though,
which we pronounce off or thoff, as shown in the example to
illustrate contraction of thesz (ante p. xviii).
Tid'n 5' off I'd a-do'd ort agin he, nor neet j'off anybody was
a-beholdin to un, then anybody must put up way 'is sarce.
As is never used in the south-west, like it is in many districts,
for a relative.
"'Twas him as done it," could not be said by a native of the
Western counties. (See EVANS, Leicester Gloss, p. 26.) Neither
would it be used in the sense of like, or in the same manner as. We
could not say, " He shall reap as he has sown," our idiom would
be a complete paraphrase — " Eens he've a-zowed, zo sh'll er rape."
As, I may venture to say, is never used before if; as if is never
heard, but always, in the way before illustrated, our idiom is s-off,
or 's thoff — i. e. as though. Neither is it found in such refined
company as for or to.
In phrases like " As for that matter," or "As to what you say,"
our idiom would be " zo var's that goth," or " consarnin' o' what
you do zay." The expression " as well" in the sense of also,
likewise, and " as yet " — i. e. up to this time, have not yet filtered
down to us. We could not bring our tongues to utter such
refinements as, " Bring me some tea and a little milk as well,"
" I have never come upon such an instance as yet" but we should
say, "a drap o' milk 'long way it," " sich a instance never avore."
The double use of as — i. e. before and after the adjective or
adverb, which is now the polite form, is never heard in the dialect ;
as well as, as big as, &c. are invariably so well1 s, so big's, &c.
The preposition of is a peculiar instance of change and con-
traction under certain fixed conditions, which appear hitherto not
to have attracted attention.
1. It invariably drops its consonantal ending when followed by
a consonant, and becomes a mere breathing — u.
[Lee'dl beets u dhingz. Dhai bwuuyz du maek aup u suyt u
murs-chee.] A bag o' taties. I be that there maze-headed I can't
think o' nothin'.
2. It drops its consonantal ending, and usually becomes changed
to long o sound, when followed by a short vowel, provided that
vowel is the initial of a syllable.
INTRODUCTION. XXlil
He said he'd break th' 'ead o un. He could' n never do it out
o' is own head. There was vower or vive o' us. Trode 'pon the
voot o' 'er. I 'ant a-got none o' um (or contracted to o'm).
3. It drops its consonant and becomes of medial length when
standing at the end of a clause.
'Tidn nort vor to be 'shamed o'. Cockney — 'Taint nothink to
be ashamed on. They chil'ern o' yours be somethin' vor to be
proud o'. What be actin' o' ? is the ordinary method of saying,
What are you doing? What be a tellin' <?'? = What are you
saying ? What d'ye tell o' ! is very common ; indeed it is the usual
form of You don't say so ! indeed ! oh, brave, &c.
4. Of retains its consonantal ending when followed by a short
vowel standing alone, like the indefinite a, even though in rapid
speech it sounds like the initial of a syllable.
[Lee'dl beet uv u dhing.] Gurt mumphead of a. fuller. Bit of a.
scad, I count.
5. It retains its consonantal ending when followed by a long
vowel.
Nif on'y I'd a-got a little bit of ort vrash like. Her's about of
eighty, I count. This would more commonly be About of a. eighty,
and so accord with Paragraph 4. Comp. 'Boux o' TWENTY.
Her didn want nort of he.
6. Emphatic of is common, and loses its consonant.
[Kaa'n tuul eentaa'y hautiivur faarsheen dhai bee oa'~] is the usual
form of, I really cannot give you a description ^ them. See INTY.
I vound these thing — 'tis a 'an'l oaf o' something, but I can't
tell what 'tis o\
Certain verbs in the dialect take Rafter them, which in lit. Eng.
have at, or else require no preposition to follow them. To laugh,
always is followed by of.
Hotiver be larfin' o' ? is vernacular for What are you laughing at ?
Troake ! What are you laughing at? Plase, sir, I wad'n larfin'
0' you. Well, I did'n zee nort to larf o1' You no 'casion to larf
o' they, gin you can do it better yourzul.
To touch always takes of after it.
I zaid I'd hat down the very fust man that aim to tich o' un.
Tommy, don't you tich o' thick there hot ire, else you'll scald
yourzul.
Her thort herzul ter'ble fine, sure 'nough, but nobody w.id'n
a-tcokt in — didn lie in her burches vor to tich of a, rale lady.
Xxiv INTRODUCTION.
In this last, touch has the force of approach, in the sense of
imitating or counterfeiting.
Watch takes <?' after the participle.
Who be you watchin' o1 ? I baint watchin' <?' you.
On is never used for of (as in example No. 3) ; indeed, as a
preposition it is nearly unknown. Its use is almost confined to
adverb, as in put on, go on, straight on, &c. — but of this later.
Before cardinal numerals the dialect retains the indefinite
adjective a, while the literary speech retains it only before nouns
of number, such as dozen, score, and certain of the numerals which
have become such — e.g. hundred, thousand, million, &c. In the
dialect, however, the use is apparently subsiding, as it is now
generally confined to those cases where the number is rendered
indefinite by the expression about or more than.
How many were there ? Au ! I count there was about of a
dree or vower and twenty. Were there really so many ? Well,
I'll war'nt was more'n a twenty o'm. So we should always hear
"about of a ten, of a fifteen," or any number, and the same with
respect to more than.
The same form is found in Luke ix. 28, " And it came to pass
about an eight days after these things," except that in the modern
dialect we drop the euphonious ;/ in the article and insert of after
about.
About in this sense is always followed by of, and very frequently
the indefinite a is prefixed to nouns of time, as —
I sh'll be back about of a dinner-time.
He said he'd get'n ready about of a Vriday.
Whether these latter instances may not be contractions of at or
on, I am unable to say, but extended to about of on Friday, about
of at dinner-time, they seem awkward.
Again, the same form is used after about, when " the time of
day " is spoken of.
I sh'll be home 'bout of a zix o'clock.
About is a curious word in the dialect. It is very commonly
used in the sense of " for the purpose of." I heard a farmer say,
"This is poor trade, sure 'nough, 'bout growin' o' corn," which
being interpreted means, " This is poor stuff of soil for the purpose
of growing corn upon." Here was by no means an unintelligent
man; he had not a very marked intonation or brogue, and he
used words to be found in every dictionary, but out of his own
district I think his words would have been totally misunderstood,
INTRODUCTION. XXV
even though his hearer had the benefit of the Society's great
Dictionary with Dr. Murray himself at hand to help him.
The late Rev. "Jack" Russell (see Life, Bentley, 1878, p. 242) said, "The
hounds are as good as ever they were ; but fed on that wishy-washy trade, I'll
defy them, or any hounds on earth, to kill a good fox."
It is usual to say, " Shocking bad weather 'bout zowin' o' whate,"
" Purty tool this here, 'bout cuttin' o' timber way."
A boy who is to be thrashed, is to have a stick " about his back."
An old man, who alas ! was frozen to death, said to me of some
spar-gads which he was making into spars, " Gurt ugly toads, the
fuller that cut 'em ort to a-had 'em a-beat about the gurt head
o'un."
In both these last instances about neither means upon, or around,
or against, but a compound of all three, with an implication of
violence to boot. Of course we use about in the ordinary literary
meanings.
Another curious preposition is used only in the dialect in the
contracted form 'pon, for the on of lit English. In many cases
upon, which is first expanded to upon the top of, has become con-
tracted out of sight, or rather improved off the face of the earth.
We should not tell a person to " put it down upon the table,"
but to "put'n down tap the table." "I saw him swinging upon
the gate " would be, " I zeed'n ridin' tap the gate." This idiom
is used throughout the West. Nathan Hogg in his letter on Gooda
Vriday says —
An I'll tul thur tha vust thing I'll du ta be zshore
Pitch et in tap tha urch za wul as tha pore.
Again in Bout tha Balune —
Poor vellers ! they always wis vond uv ort vresh,
Wen they liv'd tap tha aith, an like us wis vlesh.
This word tap is all that remains of the pleonastic form " upon
the top of." When upon is used, it often has up or down before it,
just as under takes down or in to complement it.
You must git a fresh sheep-skin and put-n up 'pon the back o' un.
This was said by a farrier as part of the treatment for a sick cow,
which was lying down unable to stand. (Nov. 1883.)
I don't want no trust, I always pays down 'pon the nail.
Plaisters, poultices and such-like applications have to be " put
up" to the part.
I was a-forced to put a blister up to his chest.
I put the lotion up to his knee, eens you ordered me.
The preposition to is frequently omitted before the infinitive
XXVI INTRODUCTION.
mood, especially so before the infinitive of purpose, which, as in
French, always takes for before it.
[Yue nau- u deoVn geo1 vur due%] you know he did not intend
to do it.
Maister's gwain same purpose vor spake to the jistices vor me.
[Yue noa1 kyaa'l vur zai aew ylie zeed mee-,] you (have) no need
to say that you saw me.
[Aay bun aup-m taewn vur bespai'k tue1 nue pae'ur u bue'ts,
bud dhoal Jiim Ee*ul waud'n au-m, bud uur zaed *aew ee- shd
uurn daewn tue wau'ns,] I (have) been up into (the) town to
bespeak two new pairs of boots, but old Jim Hill was not at home,
but she said he should run down at once.
It will here be noticed that in the two last examples the verb
have is omitted, and in similar negative expressions it is generally
so left out.
[Yue noa* kizlvun,] for you have no occasion, is very common.
So the perfect tense of to be (omitted from my Grammar) is, I bin,
or I've a-bin. Thee's a-bin. He bin, or he've a-bin. We bin, or
we've a-bin. You bin, or you've a-bin. They bin, or they've a-bin.
The preposition to, if sometimes omitted in the dialect, is more
often used redundantly. Certain adverbs of place seem to require
it as a complement, and in these cases it comes always at the end
of a sentence or clause.
I can't tell wherever her's a-go to. Where's a-bin and put the
gimlet to ! I can't think wherever they be fo.
Again, to not only is always used for at, as fully explained in
W. S. Gram. p. 89, but the same preposition has to do duty for in.
Her do live to Wilscombe, to service, and we zend vor her, vor
come home to once.
Mr. Burge to Ford zaid to me to zebm o' clock last night, eens
Mrs. Jones to shop was dead to last, and they zess how her keept
on to work to her lace-making up home to her death, to the very
least dree hours a day. Jones, he was to skittles in to Half Moon
hon her died ; he don't care nort 't-all about it ; he's so good hand
to emptin' o' cloam 's you'll vind here and there. Her's gwain to
be a-buried to cemetery to dree o'clock marra /'arternoon.
So also to is used in some cases before the gerund. I've a-tookt
all Mr. Jones's grass to cutting. They was a-tookt purty well to
doing, 'bout thick there job.
To is frequently heard where in would be used in standard
English. I bide to Lon'on gin I was that bad I could'n bide no longer.
INTRODUCTION. xxvii
Another form of to means like; in that manner. Instead of
saying, "It will do so," we say, "He'll do to that." For "Let it
stay as it is," we should say, " Let'n bide to that." For " It will
do very well in that position," " He'll do very well to that."
So also, to means out of, in connection with doors. A publican
is always said " to put 'em all to doors," when he clears his house.
" Go to doors ! " is the expression always used to drive a dog out
of the house.
The prepositions for and on are often omitted in the dialect
in cases when they are necessary to literary Eng. For the purpose,
on purpose, are [sae'um puurpus], and I submit that the vernacular
is by far the most expressive form.
I com'd in same purpose vor to zee 'ee, but you wadn home,
;'. e. I came specially and solely for the very purpose of seeing you.
" On purpose " is used in the peculiar sense of " with full
intention." A boy struck by another who affirms that the blow
was accidental, would say, under the smart, " You'm a Hard, thee's
do it 0' purpose " — /. e. intentionally. In this we cannot fail to see
the analogy of the literary asleep.
The preposition in often has the meaning of at or for in con-
nection with money or price.
They ax me vor to gee in vor the job, zo I gid in vor puttin'
up o' the wall, but Lor ! I could'n 'vord vor do't in no jish money's
he've a-tookt it in.
To " give in " means " to tender " ; to give in an estimate.
In speaking of particular seasons, it is very usual to duplicate
day when it is desired to emphasize —
'Twas Lady-day day beyond all the days in the wordl. Her'll
be vifteen year old come Mechelmas-day day. I mind your poor
father died 'pon Kirsmas-day day. They zess you can have
possession 'pon Midsummer-day day.
Again at Whitsuntide it is usual to speak of Whitesn Sunday,
Whitesn Monday, Whitesn Tuesday, &c.
In constructing our sentences, the subject is very often placed
at the end of the clause, or at least after the predicate.
Idn never gwain to get no better, my poor old umman, I be
afeard. Do go terr'ble catchin', I zim, thick 'oss. Also see PLATTY.
So also the construction, whether plural or singular, depends on
the idea, and not upon the form of the noun. For example — zids
(soap-suds) are plural in lit. Eng., but in the dialect precede a
verb in the singular, while broth on the other hand is always plural.
XXviii INTRODUCTION.
Things, meaning cattle or vermin, pinchers, tongs, stairs, all take
verbs in the singular.
By way of bringing the peculiarities of our dialect into direct
contrast with the Midland, the basis of modern literary English, I
have taken Dr. Evans's Leicester Glossary, and have distinctly set
out below many forms therein given which are not known to us, for
the reason that it is often as important for a student to know what
is not done in a district, as to be informed on points which many
localities have in common. I have also noted others common to
both localities.
1. Nor, meaning than, common elsewhere, is not heard in the
West. " Yourn is better nor mine " could not be said by a Somerset
or Devon native.
2. The uninflective genitive (see Evans's Leicester Gloss, p. 22),
" The Queen Cousin," is unknown.
3. The redundant article used in Leicestershire (Id. p. 23), with
such (e.g. It is a such a handsome cat), is never heard.
4. The (Ib. p. 23) is not omitted where used in literary English.
On the contrary, it is often used when not needed in literary con-
struction. With all diseases it is used —
The cheel 've a got the measles — the scarlet fever, &c. I've a-got
the rheumatic ter'ble bad. Her's bad a-bed wi' ttt infermation o'
the lungs.
Also before trades, as —
He do work to the taildering. My boy Ve a-larned the calenderin.
We Ve a-boun' un purtice to the shoemakerin.
In these latter cases the form is that which would be used in
speaking to a superior, and its use implies that the person addressed
is not familiar with the trade. Indeed, the has a force analogous to
this here, as before explained in the sense of unfamiliar, new-fangled,
or supposed to be so by the person addressed.
Again, in speaking of any person, whenever the description old
or young is prefixed, it is always the old, the young,
I yeard th' old butcher Davy zay how the young farmer Hawkins
had a-tookt a farm.
This form is invariable in the Exmoor Scolding.
The (Ib. p. 23) is never omitted in the West before a thing to
which attention is called. We should not say — " Look at fire,"
as in Leicester, but " Look to the vire."
INTRODUCTION. xxix
5. Better seems to stand for more everywhere. We say —
I'd a-got better'n a dizen one time.
6. The inflections of comparison can be added to all participles
as well as adjectives proper. (Ib. p. 25.)
There idn no more gurt vorheadeder holler-mouth in all the
country.
'Tis the most pickpocketins (/. e. pickpocketingest) concarn iver
you meet way in all your born days.
7. Them (Ib. p. 26) is never used as a nominative, except in the
interrogative forms, Did 'em ? have 'em ? be 'em ?
We could not say "them books" either as a nominative or
accusative — our corresponding demonstrative is they.
8. We is not heard as a possessive (Ib. p. 26). Occasionally, to
children, you and he are used as possessives — Tommy, gi' me you
'an. Where's he purty book ?
Hisn, hern, ourn, yourn, theirn, are not heard.
We is not used reflectively. We should say, We'll go and warsh
urzuls, and get ur teas ; never warsh we.
Its does not exist in the dialects of the West. If the need arises
for a neuter possessive pronoun, which can be only in respect of
abstract or indefinite nouns (see W. S. Gram. p. 29), the form is 0' //
It must never be forgotten that all nouns capable of taking a before
them are masculine or feminine (very few of the latter). " It was not
a bad sermon, though its drift was uncertain," would have to be
paraphrased, " The sarment wadn so bad, but the manin o' un wadn
very clear."
9. What is with us, as in Leicester, used as a relative redundantly
(Ib. p. 26). 'Tis the very same's'w/iat I told 'ee. They baint nit
quarter so good as they, what I had last.
10. T/iis-n, that-n, &c. (Ib. p. 27), are never heard, but we often
add a genitive inflection on to the demonstratives — this, thick. .
[Dhee'uzez bruVtez bee deep-ur-n dhiks, bee u brae'uv suyt,]
this-^r breasts be deeper than thick's, by a brave sight.
11. That (p. 27) is not used in such phrases as / do that, I can
that, &c. We should in such cases say / do zo, but the expression
would sound pedantic or affected in native ears, and savour too
much of the board school.
12. Sen (p. 27) or sens are unknown with us. Self, whether
alone or in combination, is always zul.
XXX INTRODUCTION.
13. We know nothing of the en (p. 27) added to monosyllabic
verbs — we even drop it where found in lit. Eng. — e. g. to hark, to
wide, to hard, to fresh, to thick, to quick, to ripe, to hap, &c. ; but
in words where the en is part of its original form, as in token, nasten,
we retain it So also we drop the er in to lower.
I heard a man speaking of rats, say, " I reckon I've z.-low'd they
a bit." And another man who was levelling for me a short time
ago, said, " Must low thick there 'ump ever so much."
It will be noted that we in the West do not make any use of the
past participial inflection en, as in beaten, drawn, flown, so common
elsewhere. A-knowed, a-zeed, a-gid, a-do'd (sometimes a-doned),
a-tookt, a-forsookt, a-beat, a-valled, a-stoled — are our forms. I am
inclined to think a-don'd is quite a recent development, yet adjec-
tivally we constantly use the form, bough ten bread. (See p. 232.)
14. We should not comprehend can or could in the infinitive, to
can, to could (Ib. p. 31). We should simply leave out the relative —
" He's the man can do it ; " and in the other sentence — " I used to
be able vor do it in half the time."
15. What Dr. Evans calls the redundant "have" (p. 31) in the
pluperf. conditional, is nothing but the old past participial prefix.
" Nif I'd a-zeed 'n " would be our form.
I agree with Dr. Evans that such forms as Where bin I? How
bin you ? are spurious creations of dialect writers (see Preface, p. v),
who have perhaps learnt a little German, but do not know other
than literary English.
1 6. No such negative form of verb as havena (p. 31), or hanna,
wasna, worna, &c., are known in the West.
I am astonished at the existence of fourteen forms of ".I am
not," as given by Dr. Evans (p. 31). The W. S. is as copious
as any dialect, and it knows but two forms, / baint, and the
emphatic / be not. Of course " I ain't " is heard, but only among
those who talk fine, and speak the Cockney dialect learnt at board
schools.
17. We never use on instead of from or of (p. 32). We say a
lot o'm, not a lot on em; had'n zvw/z me, not had it on me. We
use the word Rafter buy. I bought thick oaf V Jim Smith.
As before mentioned, before nouns denoting points of time, we
perhaps use on, though contracted to a mere breathing. Your
boots '11 be a-dood a Zadurday night, would be our regular form ;
INTRODUCTION. XXXI
but occasionally such an expression might be heard as " trying to
mend the pump Zunday."
1 8. I think Dr. Evans' instance (Ib. p. 32), "the Quane to yer
aunt," not to be a substitution of to for for, but to be precisely
similar to the ordinary phrases — " without a coat to his back," " no
key to the lock," or to the Scriptural language, " We have Abraham
to our father."
In preparing this work for the press, I had made some consider-
able progress before it occurred to me that the number of words
and syllables dropped or omitted, and of others inserted, was very
considerable as compared with standard English, and the recurrence
of the same form in a variety of the illustrative sentences under
revision, decided me to begin to note these systematically, with the
view of bringing them together in such a shape that fresh rules of
syntactic construction, as well as of pronunciation, might be induced.
No attempt is here made to show whether these peculiarities are
right or wrong abstractedly, but merely to contrast them as they
are with their counterparts in lit. English. However imperfect the
result of these notes, it may not be considered waste of space to
insert them here. In some cases the omission is confined to that
of a single word in some particular phrase ; but when so noted it
will be understood, unless otherwise stated, that the form noted is
that in such common use as to deserve the term always.
I first take connective words or parts of speech, and then go on
to special idioms, and finally to omissions of initial or final syllables
and sounds.
Beginning with distinguishing adjectives, it is very common to
find both a and the omitted. It must be borne in mind that an
even before a vowel is unknown. (See W. S. Gram. p. 29.)
1. A is dropped very frequently but not always before the
adjective or adverb in descriptive sentences such as —
'Twas terr'ble close sort o' place, I zim. Mr. Jones is mortal
viery man. See lllust. QUICK-STICK, KIN.
2. A is omitted before bit or quarter when used as a fraction.
Thick there idn quarter zo goods 'tother. Wants quarter to
one, an' there idn no sign o' no dinner not eet. See also PLATTY,
SNOUT, RUNABOUT.
3. A is dropped after^/0/-.
xxxii INTRODUCTION.
I've a-keep the market vor number o' years. Nobody ont do
nort vor man like he. See PINCHFART, SPAT.
4. A is dropped after such, nearly always.
Jis fools' he off to be a-starve to death ! You ant a-zeed no jis
noise 'bout nort in all your born days. See GRUBBER 2, JITCH,
PANTILE, RUMPUS, RUSE, WORD o' MOUTH.
5. A is dropped after so good in comparative sentences.
I zay 'tis zo good lot o' beas' as I've a-zeed's longful time. See
LIKE i.
6. The is often omitted before same as, a phrase which has become
the regular idiom for like or just as.
I've a-do'd same's father do'd avore me. See JOGGY 2, OUT 3,
RUNABOUT, OFF 2, SPUDDLY.
7. The is always omitted before words which, though proper
names or com. nouns, serve to point out position or occupation,
precisely like the literary — I am goin' in to town — as we say, not of
London only, but of everywhere.
I be gwain vor zend to station to-marra.
He's that a-crippl'd, can't put his voot to ground.
I zeed'n in to Board (Guardians), but I could'n come to spake
to un.
We always say send "to mill," "to lime" (kiln), "to shop," " to
farrier," "to smith," &c. for anything wanted.
The cows be down to river. I be gwain down to sea.
To drive a dog out, we always say — Go to doors ! A publican
would say, Nif you don't keep order, you'll be a-put to doors.
This phrase implies more than omission of the; it stands for out of
the. See To 2.
Illustrations of various uses will be found as follows under
HOME TO, MEET WITH, HAPSE, POST OPE, RUSE 2, RAKE ARTER,
SIDELING, TIMES i, HARREST DRINK, IN HOUSE, WAD.
Before the names of public-houses the is always omitted, and
a'so in the com. phrases, to back door, to door, to hill, to load, to
rick, to road, to vore door, to lower zide, in house, up in tallet, &c.
I zeed'n in to King's Arms. See PEDIGREE, POOR 3, RUSE 2,
STEAD.
The phrase tap is peculiar, being a contraction of upon the top
of, and hence tap in the dialect has become a regular preposition.
See TOP, RUSE i.
INTRODUCTION. XXXlll
Wherj's the pen an' ink a-put to? I left it tap the table nit
quarter newer agone !
8. A pronoun, when it is a nominative case, is often omitted ; also
both nom. case and verb as well are omitted at the beginning of a
sentence. (He is a) riglar good strong 'oss, (he) idn none o' your
jibbers mind ! The words in brackets would be omitted without
any context precedent or otherwise to lead up to the omission.
(Thou) couldst do it well enough nif (thou) wouldst. [Kuds due*
ut wuul nuuf* neef wiits.]
(He) mid a-went very well neef (he) was a mind to.
Baint gwain to part way all 've a-got — /. e. we are not, &c.
See for omissions of (I) CATCH HEAT, JOGGLY 2, LETTING, LENT
CORN, MID, NEET A MOST, MOTHER NOTHER.
(You) HOVE, JAR, MAKEWEIGHT, NACKLE-ASS, PANSHORD, PUT
OUT, RIDE 5.
(He) GAMMIKIN, MUMP, NESAKTLY, RUSTY.
(It) KEEPING, HELE, JARGLE, LAMENESS, NECK-OF-THE-FOOT,
NICK 6, ONE BIT, ONT BE A ZAID, PEAR, PINDY.
(One) Low v., KITCH, MAKE SHIFT, ONE-WAY-SULL, SKIT.
(We) CANTERING, IRE STUFF, IN HOUSE, LATTY WEATHER,
MOOR i, MOMMIT.
(They) HAND OVER HEAD, PLIM, PURTENANCE.
Nom. case and verb omitted. For illust. see —
(I am) LAPPERY. (I was) HANCHING. (I have) HEEL o' THE
HAND. (He is) GAMMIKIN, ITEMS, JACK UP. (It is) PRICKED,
SCALD i. (Let it) OTHER. (You are) KICKING ABOUT, RIDE 4.
(You have) CASION, MUXY. " (They were) RUMPUS 2. (It was)
SCUMMER 2, JOB, GOOD TURN.
9. Auxiliary verbs are constantly omitted, while the nom. case is
expressed. For illust. see as follows —
(Have) KITTLE-PINS, LIVIER, MALEMAS, OUT OF SORTS,
OCEANS, PLAY 3, RUMPUS 3, RUVVLE, RENE, SEEMLY, SPLIT i,
STAND UP FOR. (Has) KNOCKING ABOUT, ON 3, PLAY 3, LET 2,
LUCK, MAKE-MOWS, MIND i, OVER, ONE TIME, SING SMALL, SENSE,
SNUFFLES, SQUINGES. (Had) OFF 2.
10. Be in the infin. mood is often dropped, nearly always before
forced, safe, sure, when following shall or will, and after used to,
ought to.
We shall fo'ced to stap work. Jim'll saafe to tell maister o' it.
XXXIV
INTRODUCTION.
Thick 'oss'll sure to kick. Things baint a bit same's they used to.
See TIME i.
Bet es won't drenk, nether, except ya vurst kiss and friends. — Ex. Court. 1. 534.
(After shall) STAND-TACK. (After will) TOP-SIDED. (After
ought to) MISTRUST.
(Before sure) GIFTS, HEFT sb., HORCH, LAB, JAKES, PEASE
ERRISH, QUAINT, SORE FINGER, TACKLING, SHOD.
(After used to) GRIP sb., JUMBLE, SHAKE 2, LIE ABED, LONG-
DOG, OUT-DOOR-WORK, PITCH 4.
11. Relative pronouns are very often omitted. See W. S.
Gram. pp. 32, 41.
There's a plenty o' vokes can Vord it better'n I can.
Tidn he can make me do it, and that I'll zoon show un.
I know very well twad'n my boy do'd it.
Was there no other place might serve to worsliip in.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, p. 535-
See GENITIVE, LOOBY, POKE 5, SHARPS, SNAP, UNDECENTNESS.
12. Webster- says, "There, is used to begin sentences, or before
a verb, without adding essentially to the meaning." So much do
we feel this, that we very often leave it out when it would always
appear in literary English. In negative sentences this is nearly
always the case. Idn nit a mossle bit a-lef. That there's the very
wistest sort is. On't be no cherries de year. Wad'n but zix to
church 'zides the pa'son. Was more pigs to market'n ever I zeed
avore. They holm-screeches be the mirscheeviusest birds is. See
COWHEARTED. The same may be said of the adverb when.
I can mind the time very well, could'n get none vor love nor
money — /. e. when I could'n.
The day'll sure to come, you'll be zorry o' it.
See POPPLE, HEART 2, JOBBER, .MANSHIP, MOLLY CAUDLE,
MUNCH, MATH, ONE WITH TOTHER, PECK, PROOF, TIMBER DISH,
GETTING, PROACH, GLARE, LEW, QUADDLY, Loss, MILL, MOGVURD,
RUBBY, RlGHTSHIP, REVEAL, RlNE, THROW 3.
13. In sentences or clauses, with so or as qualifying another adverb,
we very commonly omit the first of these connective words — Vast
as I can drow the stuff out, 'tis in 'pon me again. Quick's ever her
could, her brought the spirit, but twadn no good, he wadn able
vor tich o' it. See LEGGY, MAKE HOME, MANNY, LONG-DOG 2,
INTRODUCTION. xxxv
MUTTF.RY, MASH, PAY, RISE v. i., SACK i, STIVER. These
examples seem to be all uses ot soon, but the same form is common
with many other adverbs.
I tell ee tis vright's ninepence. Thick there cask is zweet's a
nif See SCAMBLE i. So as, i. e. in such a manner as, is often
omitted ; for example see PAPERN.
14. In phrases denoting the same time or position, the connecting
prepositions and adverbs are often omitted before and after same.
I never didn think to meet ee, same place I zeed ee to, last time
I was yer-long — i. e. at the same place as.
Her zaid her never widn have no more to zay to un, same time,
nif I was he, I widn bethink to try again. See RAMSHACKLE.
Where in lit. English we should draw a comparison by using
like, or in the same manner as, in the dialect we constantly use the
phrase same as, omitting the words just the, or exactly the.
Thick old fuller ! why he's same's a old hen avore day. That
there's same's the young farmer White do'd. See MAZE i, REAM 2.
15. After jus/ upon, we omit the connective words, the point of,
the act of, and the sense must be inferred from the context.
The doctor was jis 'pon gvvain, i.e. just upon the point of going.
The tree was jis 'pon vallin, hon a puff o' wind come and car'd'n
right back tother way. Nif her wadn jis 'pon lettin go the bird,
hon I clap my 'and 'pon the cage. See LEB'M O'CLOCKS.
1 6. All, is regularly omitted in that commonest of phrases — "But
everything" (q. v.).
I baint gwain gatherin (/. e. collecting subscriptions) there no
more. I 'ad 'n hardly a-told'n my arrant vore he begin — nif he didn
call me but everything ; and I hadn a-gid he no slack whatsomedever.
17. The words in comparison with, or compared to, as used in a
literary sentence, would be omitted by us.
Mr. Piper's proper near now, sure 'nough, what he was, cant git
a varden out o' un — /'. e. compared to what he was. Our roads
be shocking bad, what yours be in your parish — /. e. in comparison
with what yours are. This is not a mere looseness of speech,
but the common idiom. See TAFFETY, SLACK 4.
1 8. After numerals it is very common to omit the description of
price, weight, or quantity of the articles referred to, as in the literary
Hundredweight) leaving it to be inferred by the context or custom of
the market what integer is spoken of.
c 2
XXXVI INTRODUCTION.
You cant buy very much of a 'oss less'n forty — /. e. forty pounds.
I gid fifty-vive apiece for they there couples dree mon's agone, and
now they baint a wo'th 'boo forty-eight — /. e. shillings. Theyyoes to
fat, be 'em ! why they baint not no more'n eighty apiece else they be
vive hundid ! — /. e. 80 Ibs. in weight. You can buy good two-year-
old steers vor zixteen a pair — i. e. £16. I call's thick yeffer thirty
and no more — /. e. thirty score in weight when dead and dressed by
the butcher.
How be taties zillin ? Au ! you can buy so many's you mind to
vor vive — /. e. five shillings per bag of 8 score, or 160 Ibs. Whate
do yieldy well about; Mr. Slape 'ad a-got more'n forty out o' thick
there ten acres — /. e. 40 bushels per acre. To the uninitiated it
must be most perplexing to follow the chaffering of the markets,
and the ordinary business talk of farmers and those with whom they
deal.
19. Of prepositions, the omissions are numerous and regular in
the construction of sentences.
(a) At is left out in such phrases as — He do always do thick there
job breakfast times. See INTO 2, RISE.
(b) By is dropped in such sentences as — Maister off (ought)
to a-zen more 'ands. I know'd we wadn able vor do it urzuls
— /. e. by ourselves. See HIS-SELF.
(c) For is omitted before fear, less, and other words — Mother
widn come to church s'mornin fear her mid catch a cold. See
paragraph 18, p. xxxv, HELE, HULK, PACK UP.
I widn put up way it for no money, nor neet no man livin'. See
I-MAKED. Joe idn comin' long o' we more'n a wik or two — /. e.
for more than. See TWELVE, TWENTY.
(d) From is omitted in speaking of time or position. There ont
be no grass hardly now gin out in May — /'. e. from now. I wadn
no vurder away 'an our door to yours — /'. e. from our door. See
VURNESS.
(e) In is often dropped. The roof takes wet many different
places — /. e. in many. See LISSOM, NORATION, SCRAN (/. e. in or
while going on), TIME TO COME.
All relationships expressed by w-law, lose the in. Father-law,
mother-law, zister-law, brither-law, &c.
(/) Of is omitted before dock in speaking of the hour.
What's the clock, Joe? Two clock, just [tue1 klau-k, jis-]. See
NOMMIT. Also after quarter when used as a measure of time or
INTRODUCTION. xxxvii
quantity. Plase to let me lost a quarter day ? — /. e. quarter of a
day. Missus zend me arter quarter yard more o' this here cloth.
There idn no more'n quarter bag o' taties a-lef — /'. e. quarter of a
bag. I zeed'n g'in t'ouse nit boo quarter nower agone. This
last phrase is constantly varied to quarter's hour. Your 'oss 'ont
be ready this quarter's hoar [rad'ee uz kwau'rturz aawur]. They
bin a-started 'is quarter's hour. See POOCH, v., RAKE OUT, ROUTY,
SNOUT, SPARE i.
(g) To is very commonly dropped before the infinitive of purpose,
\\-\\tnfur is used.
My man's ago up'm town vor take out a summons agin un. See
LACK, MAISTER 2, MORE AND so, NEGLECTFUL, No CALL, SPARE 2,
TlTTERY, TO 20.
In the phr. to be sure, to is generally left out.
You ant a-zold yer old mare, be sure ! See JACK-A-DANDY, JAR,
POOK i. Also in /0-morrow, /0-day. I can't do it gin marra
mornin'. Maister wadn 'ome day mcrnin', but p'r'aps is come
back. See DAY MORNING.
In rapid speech to is often left out before proper names.
Take'n car they rabbits op Farm' Perry's. — Dec. 12, 1887. Her
zaid how her'd a-bin op Wrangway. I be gwain down station arter
some coal.
(Ji) Upon is omitted very frequently ; the prep, on is first expanded
into upon the top of, and then contracted into top.
Who've a-had the drenchin' horn? I put'n tap the clock my
own zull a Zinday mornin'. See PURDLY, RAUGHT, RUSE i, SOFT i,
TOP 4, TABLEBOARD.
20. Conjunctions, (a) And is often dropped in such sentences
as — Why's'n look sharp, neet bide there gappin' ? I'd make haste
'ome, neet stap here no longer, nif I was thee — neet make a fool
o' thyzul. See JIG TO JOG, NACKLE-ASS.
(b) If is omitted frequently along with the entire conditional
clause. Let thee alone, wit'n sar tuppence a day — /. e. if one were
to let thee alone. Wid'n be much water vor to grindy way, did'n
look arter the mill-head and the fenders — i. e. if I did not look
after. See KADDLE, P LAITY, SHIVE.
(c) It is quite usual to omit that.
I never did'n thought ever he'd sar me zo. We was that busy, I
could'n come no how. See Low, NAIL, SCRAG 3, SCRAWL, SNAFFLE.
Also very often the conjunction and nom. case following it are
XXXviii INTRODUCTION.
left out together. Her was in jish tear vor start, wad'n able vor
get it ready — /. e. that we were not able. See JACKETTING, LAME-
NESS, LENT CORN, NAIL.
Frequency the two words that there are dropped.
I told'n to take care wadn no stones long way the zand. Her
zeed very well could'n be no things a-lef behind, else must a-zeed
it — /. c. that there could not. See Loss, SAME PURPOSE.
21. Several words ending in y or ee in lit. Eng. drop their
terminations in the dialect. To carry is alway kaar. See LINCH,
MAKE HOME, MANNERLY, MAT, MUN, NIP UP. To DIRTY, QUARRY,
v. and sb., STUDY are always duur't, kwairr, stud. Story also, and
slippery are stoa'r and slup-ur.
The termination er is frequently dropped in rapid speech. To
lower is loa~ ; master, viaa's ; farmer, faa'rm ; butcher, beo'ch, &c.
Car up they rabbits op Farm' Perry's way Maister's compliments. —
Dec. 1887. See PUSKY.
Final d is dropped after n or /, whether followed by a vowel
or not. See FIND, MAUND, MILD, WILD, RIND, SEND, and also
Word Lists.
22. Initial letters and syllables are often omitted, such as a in
abate, abide, abuse, ad in adjoin, adjust, advance, be in beholdin',
besides, begin, &c. See ZOONDER, and Word Lists.
23. Syllables are often omitted in polysyllabic words, as in
NONSICAL, VEGFBLE, VEGETLES, &c.
If there are many omissions in our syntax, so also there are
many redundancies as compared with the same standard, but they
appear to be of a more exceptional character, and to lend them-
selves less easily to classification. It may, however, be as well
to group them together so far as noted by me. And first it will
not fail to be remarked by all who look into it, that in our dialect
we have a very remarkable piling up of negatives, particularly when
the word never is used; indeed, never seems to require another
negative to complete it. No amount of negative has any effect
upon the sense ; however many there may be they do not destroy
but rather confirm each other.
No, I never did'n zee no jis bwoys, not vor mirschy, not in all
my born days. You never wid'n be no jis fool, wid'n ee ?
INTRODUCTION. XXXIX
See IRONF.M, ITEMS, JERRY SHOP, Jis, JOCK 2, LTE BY, LIKES,
LIMB 2, LIPPETS, No ZINO, Fix, RECKON UP, RIGGLETING, SHAKED 2,
SCAMP, STAGNATED, WED WAY.
The following adverbs are often used redundantly —
As. See As, p. 31 text.
Here after this or these. See GWAINS ON.
Very often a second here is added, but both are purely redundant.
This here here tap dressin' don't do no good, not to the land.
See THIS HERE 2.
Like is one of the commonest of words, and may be tacked on
to any clause whatever, sometimes carrying a~ve.ry fine shade of
meaning, such as, so to speak, as one may say, but very often it is
wholly redundant. For examples —
See LIKE 5, KNICK-KNACKING, LICK AND A PROMISE, LIE VORE,
LINHAVT, LAPPERY, MAKE BOLD, MANNER, MENDS, MIDDLING,
MIDDLINISH, NATURAL, NECK OF THE FOOT, NORTH EYE,
SCRAMBED.
There in the phrases he, or they there, and he, or they there there,
is used much in the same way as here. See THERE 3.
Out is often used after superlative clauses. I calls thick there
there the wistest job out. See OUT, LEASTEST BIT.
It is very common to add a redundant day after the name of
any festival, as Midsummer-day day.
I can swear I zeed'n Can'lmas-day day beyond all the days in
the wordle. See LOOK 2, TURN OUT.
One old man used always to complain of his " bad luck " because
he was born on quarter-day. Which quarter? Why Lady-day
day, be sure, wis luck ! The rent wad'n ready !
To is very commonly inserted after where or wherever. The
keeper's boy asked, Jan. 30, 1888 —
[Sh-1 ur laef* dhu dhing'z sae-um plae'us \vur dhai bee the1 ?~\,
shall I leave the things (at the) same place where they be to?
See INDOOR SERVANT, MORTAL, To n.
To is also inserted before afternoon in a future construction, as
in to-day, to-night ; but with afternoon in a past sentence we use
this, or rather 's. Hence we should say — I went to zee un
'^arternoon, and I'll call in again to-marra /'arternoon. The
butcher's comin' to kill the pig a Vriday /'arternoon — /". e. Friday
afternoon. See LOVIER, QUEST, S'AFTERNOON, S 2.
The is used redundantly before names of persons whenever they
are described by any preceding adjective.
xl INTRODUCTION.
The poor old Jan Baker, that's th' old Bob's father, you know.
See KEW, KIN, POOR 2, THE 2.
By is redundant after knoiv in negative sentences, when the verb
is intransitive.
Be em gwain to drap the bread ? Not's I know by, they'll rise it
vast enough, but they don't care nort 't-all 'bout drappin' o' it-
See KEEP COMPANY, KNOW BY.
For is used after iv/iy — i.e. instead of saying simply, why? we
say why vor ? See WHY VOR.
/// is used redundantly before under, and as a prefix before
detriment, durable^ &c.
Will, you can put down the basket in under the table. See
IN UNDER, INDETERMENT, INDURABLE.
Of is commonly used after some verbs, as ask, touch, help, and
after the present participle and gerundive of all verbs.
Missus zaid I was vor ax o' ee nif you could plase to be so kind's
to lend her your girt spit.
Twadn me, I never didn tich d1 ee, an' if I 'ad I couldn help d it.
Hot be you bwoys actin' d ?
They be zillin' d things winderful cheap, sure 'nough.
There idn no good in keepin' d it about no longer. See JUMP 2,
KEEP i'. t. 2, KNACK i, LATTY WEATHER, LIKING i, MANG, OP,
SPAT.
After about, when used to express inexactness of quantity, of
is always inserted. I should think was about of a score. About
of a forty. About d thirty, I count.
Come and was are very often inserted quite redundantly in speak-
ing of time, in future and past sentences respectively.
To-marra come wik I be gwain home to zee mother ! — /. e. to-
morrow week. I ant a-spokt to un sinze last Zaturday was week,
in to Taan'un. Last Tuesday was mornin' her was a-tookt bad,
an' her ant a-bin out o' bed not sinze. See LUCK, WEEK.
Do is frequently duplicated when used as a principal verb.
Well there, we do do so well's we can. Her can't help o' it,
poor thing, her do do all's her able vor to. See NONSICAL.
Bit is always added to morsel.
Mr. Gregory zess you can't 'ave no more, 'cause idn a mossle-<W
a-lef ! See MORSEL-BIT.
More and most are still as in Mid. Eng. very commonly prefixed
to the comparative and superlative of adjectives .without adding
anything to the meaning.
INTRODUCTION. xli
Idn a more gapmoutheder gurt doke in all the parish.
Jim, nif thee artn the most vorgetfulest fuller ever I'd a-got ort
to doin way in all my born days ! See MORE, MOST.
Not is regularly placed before yet in negative sentences.
I baint gwain not eet, is the usual form of / am not going yet.
See SLEWED.
There are many phrases in use which are mere redundancies,
and merely serve to fill up the sentences of those whose ideas
run short. Such as in a manner o' spakin'. See MANNER. Eens
mid zay — /. e. so to say. TINO ! ZlNO ! &c.
In suffixes we have -t's/i, which can be applied to any adjective
or adverb without adding one iota to its meaning.
That there's a good/j// lot o' sheep. Plain ish sort o' groun' 'pon
thick farm, &c.
Sometimes, however, this termination has the force of rather, or
inclined to be, but there is nothing to show this except intonation or
context. See -Isn.
Er is also a very common addition, as in LEDGER, LEGGER,
LARK'S LEERS, TOERS, &c.
It is usual to hear a man who is going to throw down anything
from a scaffold call out, " Mind yer headers / " Summerleys is
often pronounced zummerlee-urs.
Est is constantly added to the supsrlative, particularly of the
irregular adjectives. The leasts bit out, is the commonest of
phrases. That'j the best*?/ ever I zeed. See Wis.
Our few plurals in en are very usually duplicated by the addition
of s. Oxen is rather a fine word, and seldom used, but when it is,
we say oxens.
There was a fine lot o' fat bullicks there, and most o'm was
oxcns too. Rexens is now the common plural of REX. See S 10.
A curious feature is the redundant d inserted in or at the end
of most words, after a liquid when followed by a short vowel ; also
between r and /, as smaller, tall^er, tail</er, pa'aWer (parlour),
firm</er, SCRAMDER, fine</er, cornier, zoon</er, van/er, vun/er,
lickerish (liquorice), and in gin/1, mar^/1. MERDLY, QUARDLF,
Ban/1 e = river Bade, surely, Ac.
Final d is also redundant in mil*/ = mile, millen/, liar*/,
scholar*/, &c.
A redundant r is always sounded in words ending in ation ; the
xlii INTRODUCTION.
long a being invariably fractured and r added = ae'urshttn. Also
in all words having ash in them, r is inserted. As arshen-tree,
arshes, warsh, larsh, splarsh, marsh, £c., while on the other hand
from those words, which in lit. Eng. have the r, we eliminate it — as
in fiaas/i, maash, for harsh, marsh, &c.
Final d or /, being the past weak inflection, are added redundantly
to the strong forms of a great many verbs; as in bornd, tor'd,
wor'd = wore, tookt, brokt, &c., but these will be found to be dealt
with more at length later on. For ill. see MINNIKIN, NATTLED 2,
MIRSCHY, NECK OF THE FCOT, PIECEN, SCRAG i.
A possessive s is inserted between two nouns, when the first is
used to qualify the second, as though we said cannon's ball. I
believe a rustic would give that form if the object were familiar
enough to be spoken of commonly with his fellows ; but I cannot
say I have heard it. It is however quite usual to speak of day's
light for daylight, the barn's door, barn's floor planch, the hill's
tap, the mill's tail, &c. See SAFE.
Initial s is prefixed to rr.ar.y words, and for them has become the
regular form, as in scrawl = crawl, scrumpling, snotch, splat —
i. e. plot, sprong, squinsy, &c. See S 2.
Wis a redundant initial to waunt, ;/(h)our, /zuncle, and can hardly
be held to be owing to the M. E. confusion of the terminal of the
adjective an with the initial vowel of the following word, because
in the dialect we do net recognize an at all. It may be, however,
that the few words to which this refers, have come down from
M. E. times ; they are of course analogous to the «yen of the Boke
of Curtasye (11. 25, 116, 324), and others of about the same date.
We always place a redundant a before plenty and worth ; this use
is without exception among dialect speakers. See I. A. 4.
I can't think where all the parsley's a-go to, we'd a-got a plenty
avore Kirsmas, and now idn a mossle-bit. See PLENTY, Z 3, SPOT.
This a is an undoubted adjective, and its use idiomatic, but the
constant a before worth is not so certain.
Thick idn a wo'th tuppence. Hon I come t' onheal the taty-
cave, they was all a-vrosted eens they wadn a wo'th a cobbler's
cuss. There seems an implication in this use, that worth is the
p. part, of some verb. Whether this is a survival of the Ang.-Sax.
weorftan, to become, to be, so long obsolete in literature, I will not
pretend to decide. See WORTH, LISSOM, LEARINESS, NEAR 2,
PIECEN, RAP 4.
The redundant use of the participial prefix a [u] before both
INTRODUCTION. xliii
.id verb and past part, has been already dealt with in this Introduc-
tion (p. xx), and also under VIII. A. i, p. 5.
Another superfluous a, which is probably a contraction of on or
in, but is none the less redundant, is placed before certain adverbs
or adverbial phrases, denoting situation. I baint gwain vor t'ave
it a-do'd a thick there farshin. See IV. A. i (<:), p. 3.
As regards the changes which occur in the folk-speech, they are
naturally too minute and gradual to attract attention, if measured
only by the observation of single observers, even if those should
happen to spread over a lifetime, because in the first place no exact
standard was in existence by which to start from, and secondly,
because in the experience of one individual, the changes will
generally only have taken place so slowly, and he will have become
so unconsciously accustomed to them, that even a good memory
and minute observation will fail to recognize them. The present
epoch of our history is however in this respect exceptional. The
Education Act has forced the knowledge of the three ^?'s upon the
population, and thereby an acquaintance in all parts of the country
with the same literary form of English, which it has been the aim
and object of all elementary teachers to make their pupils consider
to be the only correct one. The result is already becoming
manifest, and though less in degree, is analogous to that which we
are told exists in China. There is one written language under-
stood by all, while the inhabitants of distant parts may be quite
unintelligible to each other viv& voce.
Apart from this, it is to be expected that universal instruction
in reading and writing would certainly have a more marked effect
on, and cause more perceptible change in, the spoken words,
than would have been the case in the same period of time not
under the same powerful influence, and it is, and will be, both
interesting and instructive to watch these developments in all
parts of the country.
Not the least valuable result of the labours of the Dialect Society
will have been in the provision, more or less minute and exact, of
a standard at a certain date by which these changes may in future
be tested. The present writer is of opinion that they will be found
greater than is generally supposed ; and yet that those changes
will not in all, or in most cases, be found to take the precise
direction of levelling or uniformity, which at first sight would appear
to be most probable.
xliv INTRODUCTION.
Twelve or fourteen years ago, when the dialect of West Somerset
was first brought into notice, and its pronunciation carefully
recorded by the aid of some of the most accomplished and pains-
taking of living phonologists, a carefully prepared list was made
(see IV. S. Gram. p. 48) of verbs which, originally strong, have
the weak termination superadded to the past participle, and also
in the past tense when a vowel follows, or when the verb ends
in r. At that time, as stated (Ib. p. 49), this list was exhaustive,
and probably elementary teaching had not then had very much
time to influence and work changes. Now, however, the children
have all learnt to read, and have been taught the "correct" form
of all the verbs they use. The girl would come home, and her
mother would say, " Lize ! you didn ought to a-wear'd your best
shoes to school." Eliza would say, " Well, mother, I wore my
tothers all last year, and they be a-wore out." In this way parents
become familiar with the strong forms of literary verbs, but they
have no notion of dropping the past inflection to which they
have always been accustomed, while at the same time they wish
to profit by their children's "schoolin." Consequently the next
time the occasion arrives, Eliza is told she should have a-wor'd
her tother hat, &c., and thus wor'd and a-wor'd, woa'iird, ttwoa'urd,
soon become household words with the parents ; and the same
or a like process is repeated by them with respect to other words
all through their vocabulary. All children naturally copy their
parents' accent, tone, and sayings ; indeed I have often recognized
childrens' parentage by some family peculiarity of speech quite
as much as by physical resemblance. Consequently the school-
teaching sets the model for written language, and home influence
that for every-day talk. The result is that at the present moment
our people are learning two distinct tongues — distinct in pronun-
ciation, in grammar and in syntax. A child, who in class or even
at home can read correctly, giving accent, aspirates (painfully),
intonation, and all the rest of it, according to rule, will at home,
and amongst his fellows, go back to his vernacular, and never
even deviate into the right path he has been taught at school.
By way of illustration to these remarks, attention is asked to the
list of strong verbs now used with the weak inflection superadded,
which is not now given as exhaustive, but as only containing words
actually heard.
Let this list here set down in the same order as noted, containing
thirty-two fresh words, be compared with the former one alove
INTRODUCTION.
xlv
referred to containing ten, and it will be conceded that Board
School teaching is scarcely tending to the destruction of peculiarities
of spoken English.
beespai'k
beespoa'kt
u-baespoa'kt
to bespeak
spring
spruung'd
u-spruung'd
to spring
dhing'k
dhau'tud
u-dhaut'ud
to think
taak'
tanktud
u-taak tud
to attack
vursae'uk
vurseo'kt
u-vurseo'kt
to forsake
dig
duug'd
u-duug'd
to dig
ping
puung'd
u-puunggd
to push
ruyz
roa'uzd
u-roa'uzd
to rise
struyk
streo'kt
u-streo'kt
to anoint
strik
struuk't
u-struuk't
to strike (hit)
ang
uung'd
u-uung'd
to hang
shee'uk
sheo-kt
u-sheo'kt
to shake
struyv
stroa'vd
u-stro'a'vd
to strive
due*
duun'd
u'duun'd
to do
ai'v
oavd
u-oa'vd
to heave
wai*v
woa'vd
u-woa'vd
to weave (trans.)
wai'vee
woa'vud
u-woa'vud
to weave (in trans.)
wae'uk
woa'kt
u-woa'kt
to wake
beegee'n
buguun'd
u-beeguunfd
to begin
wae -ur
woa'urd
u-woa'urd
to wear
dring'k
druung'kt
u-druung'kt
to drink
ring
ruung'd
u-ruung'd
to ring
spee'n
spuun'd
u-spuurrd
to spin
sting
stuung'd
u-stuung'd
to sting
zwing
zwuung'd
u-zwuung'd
to swing
zee
zau'd
u-zau'd
to see
shee'ur
shoa'urd
u-shoa'urd
to shear
string
struung'd
u-struung'd
to string
zing'k
zuung'kt
u-zuung'kt
to sink
zwae'ur
zwoa'urd
u -zwoa'urd
to swear
zwum
zwaanrd
u-zwaam'd
to swim
zik
zau 'tud
u-zau'tud
to seek
In the foregoing list it will be noted that the verb to strike has
two very distinct meanings, and that the difference is well marked
by the pronunciation, although in both the double inflection is used.
Another curious distinction i=, the two compounds of think in the
past tense —
xlvi
INTRODUCTION.
He bethink't her the very rnait her made use o', means he
begrudged it; while I never bethoughted nort 't-all 'bout it, means
never recollected. [Beedhing-kt, beedhau'ttid.]
Whether this latter should be classed as a development, there is
some doubt.
Another advance apparently connected with increasing instruc-
tion is the more common use of the inflection us in the intransitive
and frequentative form of verbs instead of the periphrastic do with
the inflected pres. infin.
" I workus to factory," is now the usual form, whereas up to a
recent period the same person would have said, " I do worky to
factory." An old under-gardener, speaking of different qualities of
fuel for his use, said, "The stone coal lee'ustus (lasts) zo much
longer, and gees out morey it too " — /. e. does not burn so quickly.
— Feb. 2, 1888. He certainly would have said a few years ago —
"The stone coal du lerustee (do lasty) zo much longer." This form
is also superseding the older form eth, which latter is now becoming
rare in the Vale of West Somerset. (See W. S. Gram. p. 52.)
Board schools are certainly to be credited with a new word for
steel-pens. These are now known and spoken of as singles, mean-
ing the pens alone, without the holder. " Plase, sir, I wants a new
single." In the shops boys and girls ask for " a pen'oth o' singles ; "
but how the word has got into use, or whence it came, is unknown
to the writer.
Another change has lately become noticeable. In p. 21, IV. S.
Di.ilect, 1875, is the statement that no case was then known " where
either an s or z sound is dropped."
On Jan. 24, 1888, a labourer living all his life in Culmstock said
very distinctly twice over, Muun-ees ? for must I not ? [Mus draa
aewt dhu duung' fuus', muurrees ?] must draw out the dung first,
must I not ? There can be no doubt that this form is now becoming
the common one, whereas it used to be muus'nees.
These minute alterations are doubtless numerous, but are certain
to escape the notice of all but watchful observers ; while many of
them may have been long in use before they may be used in the
hearing of the most careful listener. They are here inserted net
only as records, but as finger-posts to any who may take the pains
to read these pages, to point out one very interesting path of
observation which they may profitably pursue.
xlvii
KEY TO GLOSSIC SPELLING AND EXPLANATIONS.
To those who have not the Table of Glossic Letters drawn up by
Alexander J. Ellis, Esq., F.R.S., in p. 24, W. S, Dialect, the
following brief abstract of the system will be found convenient.
The Consonants b, d,f,j, k, I, m, n, p, t, z>, w,y, z, and the digraphs
ch, s/i, th, have their usual values; g is always hard, as in ^i^-;
h initial as in ho ! (only used for emphasis in this dialect) ; s as in
so, never as in hu; r is reversed or cerebral, not dental or alveolar,
and ought properly to be written (r, but for convenience simple r
is printed ; ng as in sing, thiwk = thingk ; nggas in sjigtt = ang.gur -}
zh is used for French /, the English sound ia vision. •= viz/run ;
and dh for the voiced form of th, as in ///at = a'/ia.t. The Vowels,
found also in English, are a as in man ; acr in bazaar; aa short,
the same in quality, but quantity short ; ar in aid ; ao~, like o in
b<?re ; air as in laud ; au the same short as a in watch ; ee in see ;
ee, the same short, as in French fini; i as in finny ; oa as in moan ;
on, the same short (not found in English) ; oo- in cruise ; u in up,
carrot ; no, u in bwll. Dialectal vowels are ae, opener than e in
n<?t, French e in nertte ; e0, French eu in jeune, or nearly ; eo' the
same long as in jeune ; lie, French u in duz or nearly ; iie~ the same
long, as in dii ; uu, a deeper sound of u in up than the London
one, but common in England generally ; ua, a still lower and deeper
sound ; u (now used for Mr, Ellis's oe No. 28, and I, eo, uo, No. 30
• — see Dr. Murray's note, p. 112, W. S. Gram.) is the natural vowel
heard with /in kind-& = kind<u/. It lies between in and un, and
etymologically is a lowered and retracted /, as tutjrur, zul = timber,
sill. The diphthongs aa-iv as in Germ, haus ; aay long aa, finish- ,
ing with I, as in Ital. mai; aay the same with shorter quantity
(a frequent form of English /) ; aew, ae finishing in oo, sometimes
heard in vulgar London pronunciation as kaew = cow ; auy as in
boy (nearly) ; auy with the first element longer or drawled ;
uw = ow in \\ow ; uy, as in buy = i, y in b/te, by ; uuy, the same a
little wider, under influence of a preceding w, as pwnuyzn = poison.
Imperfect diphthongs, and triphthongs, or fractures formed by a long
vowel or diphthong finishing off with the sound of u, or the natural
xlviii KEY TO GLOSSIC SPELLING AND EXPLANATIONS.
vowel, are numerous; thus ae'ii (nearly as in fa//- = fae-u); wit
(as in more = rnao'u) : ee'it (as in idea, near) ; oa'u (barely distinct
from ao'ii, say as in grower = groa'u) ; oo'u (as in \\oo~er — woo'u) ;
aaw'ii (as in our broadly ; a ay it ; aewu ; uwii (as Rower =fluwu) ;
uyu (as in ire = uyu). Of the imperfect diphthongs ee'ii and oo'ii,
from the distinctness of their initial and terminal sounds, are most
distinctly diphthongal to the ear, the stress being also pretty equal
on the two elements. The turned period after a vowel, as oo',
indicates length and position of accent ; after a consonant it indi-
cates shortness of the vowel in the accented syllable, as vadfvnr =
vadh'ur. As a caution, the mark of short quantity is written over
ee, oa, when short, as these are never short in English ; and it is
used with u when this has the obscure unaccented value found in
a-bove, manna, nat/on, etc.* The peculiar South-western r must be
specially attended to, as it powerfully affects the character of the
pronunciation. It is added in its full strength to numerous words
originally ending in a vowel, and whenever written it is to be pro-
nounced, not used as a mere vowel symbol as in Cockney winder,
tomorrer, etc. That sound is here expressed by ?/, as wiivdu,
maar'u.
A reference to the table above named and to the classified word
lists following it, will be found useful.
Glossic words are usually enclosed within square brackets [ ] —
the pronunciation of the "catch" word being always so given.
Occasionally, however, glossic words inserted in conventionally
spelt sentences are in italics.
The use of hyphens in no way affects the pronunciation. They
are merely used, as in connecting the prefix to the past participle,
to show that the inflection is a part of the word, or in other cases
to mark division of syllables.
The mark ) following h shows that the initial aspirate is only
sounded when the word is used emphatically.
Similarly the mark ( before final d or / shows these letters to be
sounded only when followed by a vowel.
* In the following pages this caution does not apply, a modified system having
been adopted, as compared to that used in the grammar for which this key
was prepared.
All vowels, therefore, whether single or in combination, are to be pronounced
as short, unless followed by the turned period.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
A. This word-letter has been so exhaustively dealt with in
the New English Dictionary, that it becomes difficult to treat of
its dialectal peculiarities without in some measure travelling over the
ground which Dr. Murray has already explored. The following
uses of it will be found outside his -remarks except in those cases
where he has specially given them us dialectal, or as obsolete in
modern literature.
1. A. i. The printed capital A [ae'u], commonly called [guurt
ae'u,] great A, to distinguish it from the small a, called [lee'dl ae'u,]
little a.
Before the Board schools, children always spelt Aaron — [guurt
ae'u, lee'dl ae'u, aar oa ain].
2. [u] adj. or indef. art. Used before vowels and consonarts
alike. In the dialect an is not heard in this sense. The use of
a very commonly causes an aspirate to follow ; as \_u heks] for an
axe, [« haa'pl,] an apple, &c. [Ee-d u-gaut u huunvun laung wai
un,] he had a woman with him. [Plaiz tu spae'ur mae'ustur //
auk'secd u sai'dur,] please to spare master a (h)ogshead of cider.
For opynlyche in story fynd y not writon,
pat hit a evel spiiite was. — 1450, Chron. Vil. st. 386.
A Emperour was in )>es toun
A riche man, of gret renoun
Octouien was his name.
Weber's Met. Roman. Setiytt Sages, 1. 1229.
Therfor hit is a unhonest thyng. — Boke of Cwtasyc, 1. 265.
3. [ae'u] adj. Used emphatically to denote one, or, a certain
— definitely.
[Aay bee saaf dhur wuz ae'u beok taap dhu tae'ubl,] I am cer-
tain there was one book upon the table. This means as distinctly
that it was a book and nothing else, as that there was only one.
4. [u] adj. Very frequently used before nouns of multitude
or numerals; after about or any adverb expressing indefiniteness
2 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
always : as a many, a few, a plenty. We shall have a plenty o'
gooseberries. There was about of a forty. I should think 'twas
purty near a fifty.
Bot que Kyng Alured had regnyd J?us her'
A bou^te rt thretty long wynter.
1450, Chron. Vilod. st. 160.
Thonetoun alias Tawntoun is a 5 miles by south-west from Athelney. —
Inland's I tin. vol. ii. p. 66. A four miles or more. (So used very frequently
by Leland.)
5. [u] adj. One and the same — as in the common phrases,
all of a sort, all of a piece, /'. e. all alike. Same's the crow zaid
by the heap o' toads, They' be all of a sort.
II. A [u], v. Have, when followed by a consonant : sometimes
written ha, but seldom aspirated. This is the commonest of all the
forms, and it is occasionally heard even before a vowel.
[Dhai-d u bun kaap'ikl neef dhai-d u buyd u beet,] they would
have been capital if they had waited a little. [Btil'ee wiidn u ait
dhai zaawur aa'plz bee uz zuul,] Billy would not have eaten those
sour apples by himself — /. e. of his own accord, or unless tempted
by others.1
A common emphatic form is [ae'u], as when two friends meet,
the second sentence is usually, [Haut-1-ee ae'u ? ], what will you
have ? (to drink).
He stynte and £0316 11031 remuye hem '. }>ere til he ha fo3t is fille.
1380. Sir Ferumbras, 1. 77. (See also \. 954.)
III. A. i. [u] pron. I, ego. [Neef u waudn tu keep mi uyz
cap, sheod zuen laust ut aul, u bleev,] if I were not to keep my
eyes open, (I) should soon lose it all, I believe. (Very com.)
2. [u] pron. He. Often written a and ha. [Dhae'ur z/goo'uth,
diisn zee un?], there he goes, dost not see him? [6;zaed zoa,
diidn u ? ], he said so, did he not ?
Nixt |>an : ha zette strangle.
1340. Dan Michel, Ayenbite of Inwyt (Morris and Skeat), p. 99, 1. 24.
Wan he was armed on horses bak '. a fair kny3t a was to see.
Sir FeruHtbms, 1. 250.
A lefte ys sper and clrow ys swerd '. — Ibid. 1. 570.
So used in this poem at least thirty-one times.
And a scholle passe £e se, and trau'ayle in strange londes.
1387. John of J'm'isa, Norman Invasion, 1. 188.
Ha bed tha zet down, &c.- — Ex. Scold. 1. 167, el alia.
1 In this example, as very frequently happens, two a's would come together,
i. e. a [ii] = have, and a [ii] — the prefix to the past part. (See below.) Thus ex-
panded the sentence would be, [Bul'ee wudn wwait] : in these cases one of the.se
identical sounds is dropped as above.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. ' 3
Zo I moov'd auff vrim tharc, za vast as I kude,
Yur ha tride ta kum out, vvich I thort /ia'd a dude.
Nathan Hogg, Tha IVile Bahts.
3. [u] pron. She. As used thus, it is probable that this really
stands for the fern, he, (O.E. heo' ; M.E. Jieo, hee, //<?= 'she',) that
being the alternative of her in the nom. case. [Hur nuvur kaan
due ut, kan u~?~\, she never cannot do it, can she (he)? (See W.
S. Gram. pp. 32, 33.) [Uurdh u droad aup ur wuurk aath-n
«?], she has thrown up her work, hath she not? — July 28, 1880.
See HE.
4. [u] pron. It. Commonly applied to inanimate objects, but
most probably [u] stands for he, as in 3.
[Aay biin aa'dr dhu wag'een, bud // waudn u-dued,] I (have) been
after the wagon, but it was not done. [Dhu wee'ul-z u toa'urd
ubroa'ud udn u ? ], the wheel is broken to pieces, is it not ? In this
latter form tidn ur is commoner.
5. [u] pron. impers. One (constant use). [£/"miid zu wuul bee
u-traanspoo'urtud-z buyd wai un,] one might as well be transported
as stay with him. See ANYBODY.
IV. A. i. (a.) [u] prep. On. Before a verbal noun (nearly
always). I be gwain a pixy-wordin — a beggin — a sweepin, &c.
(Compare John xxi. 3.) Also as prefix in abed (see BAD-ABED), abler,
acock, [uveot,] afoot, alie, &c.
(/£.) Before the name of a day : [aay zeed-n u Vruydee,] I saw
him on Friday. School-children are fond of singing :
[Wee muus-n plaay u Zun'dee,
Bekae'uz eet uz u seen ;
Bud wee kn plaay u wik'ud daiz (week days)
Gun Zun'dee kaumth ugee'un.]
A Tuesdy nex (tlia auder's com) — i. e. the order is come —
Us laives. — Nathan Hogg, ser. i. p. 35.
(c.) Before certain adverbs of place or position. Billy, come
and ride a picky-back. Tommy, your pinny-s a put on a back-
n-vore. Let-n vail out a thick zide.
A J?es half Mantrible, j?e grete Citee ' ys |re hrigge y-set ?
1380. SirJ<cniinbras,\. 1680.
And a thys syde Egrymoygne a iornee j^ar is a brigge of gret fertee.
Ibid. 1. 4307.
A )jys syde jje toun );at ryuer rend. — Ibid. 1. 4315.
2. [u] prep. Of. As in the common phrase, What manner
a man. The tap a the hill. This form is usually written o', and
before a vowel it becomes [oa]. See OF.
B 2
4 .WEST SOMERSET WORDS,
3- [u] prep. To. I be gvvain in a town, /. e. in to town
(always). [Aay shl zee ee een u maarkut,] I shall see you in to
market. I bin down a Minehead's vortnight. To is also always
sounded [u] when following a word ending in d or t. [Uur diid-n
au't u due ut,] she did not ought to do it. [Dhik wuz u'zoald u
miis'tur Buurd,] that one was sold to Mr. Bird.
4- Eul prep. At. Before nouns denoting points of time always ;
before place names frequently ; in the latter case it may be same
as 3= to. [Aa-1 due ut u brak'sustuym,] I will do it at breakfast-
time. I meet-n in u Wilscombe. See To.
And blescefc : &* a last siggeiS adjutorinm nostrum, &c.
Ancrett Riivle, p. 44.
5, [u] prep. By, or for the sake of. [Leok shaarp, soa'us, u Gaudz
nae'um, ur dhu raayn-1 kaech us,] look sharp, mates, in God's
name, or the rain will overtake us !
6. [u] prep. In. Plase sir, Mr. Pike zes can't do nort way
they boots, they be all a pieces.
And eke an ax to smite the corde <7-two.
Chauc.r, Miller's Tale, 382.
And a file to file J^is nayle a two ;
pat nayle a p'st toke \>Q in bond.
1420. Chron. Vilod. st. 354.
V. A. i. [u] adv. There.
[Aay bee saaf u waudn zu mun'ee-z dhee-s maek aewt. Ees u
wauz, u moo'ur tue !] I am certain there were not so many as
you make out. Yes, there were, and more too !
2. [u] adv. How (in rapid conversation).
[Snoa u mun'ee twauz ? Noa tuynoa !], dost know how many
it was ? No 't I know !
VI. A [u], conj. And (in rapid speech). [Wuur-s u-biin u gaut
dhik dhae'ur puurtee uy?J where hast (thou) been and got that
pretty eye? (See note, II. A. v. p. 2.) In the well-known phr.
well-a-fine (see Ex. Scold. 11. 81, 269), this a must be shortened and.
As holy wry^t says us well and fyne. — Boke of Cnrtayse, 1. 182.
, Now y know wel-a-flyn : )>y message schendejj ma. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 2752.
VII. A. i. [u] Interrogative = eh ? what?
[Wuurs u biin tue? u? U? waut-s dhaat tu dhee ? u?] Where
hast (thou) been ? A ? (or Eh ?) A ? what is that to thee ? A ?
2. [ai] Interrogative, aye ? = what? what do you say? This is
rather more polite than [u ?]
( [ai] = aye ! isnot used as an exclamation like it is in Lancashire.
We never hear in W. S. Aye ! my word ! )
VIII. A. i. [u]. Prefix to past participle, forming the regular and
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 5.
nearly invariable inflection, unless where dropped in consequence
of being immediately preceded by a similar sound signifying hare
(see II. A, ?'.), or by another short vowel; in these cases the two
sounds become one. (See W. S. Gram. p. 53.) [Aay meet Jiim
z-maurnin u-gwaayn u wuurk, un u zaed,«s-ee, Jaak, wuur-s u-bun ?]
I met Jim this morning going to work, and he said, said he, Jack,
where hast been ? [Zoa aay zaed, s-aay, aay aant u-biin noa plae'us,
nur eet w-ad noa'urt, un aay keod-n «-dringkt ut, neef aay kiid
w-kaum tue ut,] so I said, said I, I have been nowhere, nor yet had
anything, and I could not have drank it, if I could have come to it.
Uncontracted this speaker would have said : [Keod-n u u~
dringkt ut, neef aay kud u «-kaum tue ut.]
It will be noticed by the above examples, that the prefix is used
before vowels as well as consonants. This is no modern corruption.
flbr]> J>an rod he stoutely '• well z-armed oppon his stede.
Sir Feruiiibras, 1. 254. (See also 1. 875.)
Although this prefix has usually been written with / or y, yet
sometimes a is found.
In pauylons rich and well abuld.— Sir Ferumbras, 1. 74.
And 3ut i liolde me well a paid. — Ibid. 1. 271.
Bot J?is lady was a angryd and a grevyd full sore,
pat he my3t not of hurr herude no sauner spede.
1420, Chron. Vilod. st. 1216.
And now I zet me down to write,
To tell thee ev'rx thing outright,
The whole that I've azeed. — Peter Pindar, The Royal Visit, st. I.
Very frequently in sentences where an adverb immediately pre-
cedes the verb, this prefix is apparently duplicated, /. e. placed
before both adverb and verb, but in these cases the prefix to the
adverb may be taken as representing have (II. A, v.), a form of
speech as common to Cockneydom as to West Somerset.
[Ee-d w-prau'pur «-teokt mee een, wauns luyk,] he had (have)
completely taken me in once (like). [Uur-d u just ^-staartud
haun aay kaum,] she had (have) just started when I came.
2. [u]. Prefix to certain adverbs and adjectives, as unee-ns, aneast
= near ; unuy, anigh ; uvoar, avore = before ; urad'ee = aready =
ready ; a-cold, &c. I was most aready to drop gin I come tap the
hill. I be a-cold sure 'nough z-mornin.
Tom's a-cold. — King Lear, III. 4; IV. 7.
Who lies here? Who do 'e think,
Why, old Clapper Walls, if you'll give him some drink ;
Give a dead man drink ? — for why ?
WThy ; when he was alive he was always a-dry.
Epitaph at Leigh Ddatnere, Wilts.
Halliwell has a number of participial adjectives formed in this way,
as a-chokcd, a-coathed, a-paid, apast, aprilled, ascat ; but inasmuch
6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
as the dialect, as a rule (see above), uses this prefix with all past
participles, it is not thought desirable to encumber these pages with
a repetition of every verb in the vocabulary of the district.
3. [u]. Prefix before worth. [Plaiz-r, mus'tur Joa'unz zaes new
dim sprang'kur ud-n u waeth main-deen,] please, sir, Mr. Jones
says (how) the watering-pot is not worth mending. They do
zay how th' old man's a worth thousands. They was all a ate
and a brokt, eens they wadn a wo'th nort. — Jan. 28, 1882.
4. [u]. Suffix, redundant. Used by many individuals by way of
emphasis, or at the end of a clause : You never ded-n ought to a
went-tf. It is very commonly heard after proper names when
shouted : Bee'ul-u ! Taum-u ! Uurch-u \ ! Bill, Tom, Dick. Many
carters and plough-boys invariably use it when calling out to urge
on their horses or oxen by their names: Blau'sm-u! Kap'teen-ii !
Fanrteen-u ! Chuuree-u ! Blossom, Captain, Fortune, Cherry.
ABB [aub], sb. Weaver's weft, i.e. the yarn woven across the
warp. In W. S. the yarns composing any piece of cloth are called
the chain (q. v.\ and abb corresponding to the warp and weft of
the northern counties. The abb is nearly always spun from carded
wool, and hence a carded warp, such as that used in weaving
blankets, flannels, or soft woollens, is called [u aub chai'n,] an abb-
chain, in distinction to one spun from combed wool, such as that
used in weaving serge, which is a [wus-turd,] worsted chain. Halli-
well is inaccurate in defining abb as "the yarn of a weaver's warp."
A weaver's art consists partly in so adjusting the stroke of his
loom as to make a certain required number of thready or in
other words, a certain weight of abb produce the required length
of cloth.
ABB [aub], sb. Tech. The name of a particular sort or
quality of short-stapled wool, as sorted, usually from the belly part
of the fleece.
ABC [ae'ii, bee, see]. The alphabet. [Dhee urt u puurtee
skatrlurd, shoa-ur nuuf ! wuy kas-n zai dhee ae'ii, bee, see,] thou
art a pretty scholar sure enough, why (thou) canst not say thy
ABC.
ABC BOOK. The book from which infants are first taught.
ABC FASHION [ae'u, bee, see faarsheen]. Perfectly; applied
to things known, as a trade, a lesson, &c. A man would be said
to know his business or profession a b c faarsheen — i. e. as perfectly
as his alphabet.
ABEAR [ubae'ur], v. t. and /. To tolerate, to endure. I can
abear to see a riglur fair stand-up fight, but I can't never abear to
zee boys always a naggin and a quardlin. [Uur keod-n ubat'ur vur
tu parurt wai ur bwuuy,] she could not bear to part with her boy.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 7
ABHOR [ubaur], v. t. To endure. Used always with a negative
construction, probably from confusion with abear. One of the
commonest of phrases is, I can't abhor it, [uur kaant ubaur-ri\ —
/. e. she cannot endure him.
Abhorrence and abhorrent are unknown.
ABIDE [ubuyd], r. /. To tolerate, to endure, to put up with ;
used only with a negative. I never can't abide they there fine
stickt-up hussies.
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible ; who can abide it ?
Joel ii. 2.
ABIER [ubee'ur], a. Dead, but unburied.
[Poo'ur saul ! uur mae'im duyd inm'ee but tuudh'ur dai, un naew
uur luyth ubee'ur^ poor soul ! her man (husband) died only the
other day, and now she lies dead (but unburied). (Very com.)
ABLEMENT [ae'ubl-munt], sb. i. Ability, mental faculty; in
the plur. it means tools or gear for any work.
[A plain'tee u ae'ublmunt baewt ee.] a plenty of ability about him.1
We should ha finished avore we corned away, on'y we 'ad-n a-got
no ablements 'long way us.
2. Strength, power. I 'sure ee, mum, I bin that bad, I hant
no more \arublnwnt-n. u chee'ul], /'. e. strength than a child.
ABLENESS [ae-ublnees], strength, agility.
[Saunvfeen luyk u fuul'ur, sm-ae'uM-nees baewt ee',] something
like a fellow, some strength in him.
ABLISH [ae'ubleesh], adj. Strong, active ; inclined to work.
[U ae'ubleesh soa'urt u yuung chaap,] an active, industrious kind
of young fellow.
A BLOW [ubloa'], adv. Blooming; full of flower.
The primroses be all ablow up our way.
ABNER [ab'mur]. Ch. name. The pronunciation of this
common name follows the rule given in p. 17, W. S. Dialect,
whereby the n is changed to m after b.
ABOMINATION [bauminae'urshun], adj. Very com. [Tiiz u
batinrinae'urshun shee'um vur tu saar dim poar dhing zu bae'ud,]
it is an abominable shame to serve the poor thing so badly. It is
quite evident that dialect speakers take the initial a to be the indef.
demon, adj. in this and many other words. (,5^ list of A. words.)
ABOO [ubeo1], adv. Above, more than, before nouns of number
or quantity. [Twaud-n vbeo' u dizen,] it was not more than a
1 Observe plenty always takes an article before it— [dhaat-s n plain 'tee : dhur
wuz n plain'tee u voaks].
8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
dozen. [Ee gid ut tue un ubeo- u beet,] he gave it him (abused
or thrashed) above a bit — /. e. very completely. Not used as the
opposite of below, to express situation ; in this sense it is ubuuw.
[Taed-n t,beo' u muunth ugau'n, aay zeed-n aup-m dhu aurchut
nbuuv dhu aewz,] it is not above a month ago I saw it up in
the orchard above the house.
ABOUT [ubaewt]. i. adv. For the purpose of.
[Dhtish yuur haarti-feeslvul, ud'n neet u beet lik geo'd oal raafud
duting, nbaeii't git'een voa'r uv u kraap wai,] this new-fangled artificial
(manure) is not nearly as effectual as good old rotten dung, for
the purpose of procuring a crop. That there's a capical sort of
a maunger ''bout savin o' corn and chaff.
2. [ubaewt — baewt], adv. Engaged upon ; at work upon. The
common question, What are you doing? is, Haut free fraewt?
[Aa'y bun ubacwt dhu suydur chee'z aul-z maurneen,] I've been
working at the cider cheese all the morning.
Wist ye not that I must be about my father's business. — Luke ii. 49.
3. adv. In different places. I've a got a sight o' work about,
and I can't come no how, vor I be fo'ced to keep gwain, vor to
look arter so much o' it.
4. adv. On hand, unfinished. While the harvest is about.
Shockin hand vor to keep work about.
ABOUT, adv. Idly sauntering. [Lae'uzee fuul'ur, ee-z au'vees
ubaewt ^\ lazy fellow, he is always idly strolling.
A man who had hurt his hand said to me, [Neef uuivee aay kud
yuez mee an', aay sheod-n bee ubaewt,~\ if only I could use my
hand, I should not be walking about idly.
[Luy-ubaewt], lie-about, adj. Drunken. [Dhai du zai aew ee z
u tuurubl luy-ubaewt fuul'ur,] they say how he is a terribly
drunken fellow.
[Urn-ubaewt], run about, (a.) adj. Wandering, restless, gad-about :
decidedly a term of depreciation. [Aay-v u-yuurd aew ee-z u tuurubl
um-ubaewt fuul'ur,] I have heard that he is a very roving fellow.
This would be said of a man who often changes employment.
(&.) sb. A pedlar. [Aay mivur doa'tm dae'ul wai' noa urn-
ubaewts,~] I never deal with pedlars.
(c.} Any itinerant, such as a beggar, a tinker, scissor-grinder,
rag-and-bone collector. We be ter'ble a-pestered way urn-abouts.
(d.) A gossip. [Uur-z u rig'lur urn-ubaewt,~\ she is a thorough
gossip or news-carrier.
(e.) v. i. To go about gossiping. Her do urn-about most all
her time.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 9
[Buyd ubaewt], (a.) v. i. To loiter. [Leok shaarp-n neet buyd
ubaewt f] make haste, and do not loiter.
(b.) To be given to drinking—/, e. to staying long in public-
houses. [Ee du buyd ubaewt maus aul dhu wik laung,] he stays
drinking in public-houses nearly all the week long (instead of
attending to his work understood].
ABOUT [ubaewt], prep. Upon ; in the sense of upon the person.
[Aay aa-n u-gaut u vaardn ubaeivt mee,] I have not a farthing
about me. [Dhee-s au'rt u ae-u dhu stik ubaewt dhu baak u dhee,]
thou oughtest to have the stick (beaten) upon thy back — or \iibaeu<t
dhee guurt ai'd,] upon thy great head. The meaning is some-
thing more than around or upon; force and very close contact
are implied. Compare the phrase, wrapped my cloak about me.
ABOVE A BIT [buuv-u-beet], adv. A good deal ; entirely.
Maister let-n 'ave it s-morning 'bore a bit, but I widn bide to
hear it ; I baint no ways fond o' the vulgar tongue.
ABOVE-BOARD [ubeo'boar], adv. Straightforward, open,
unconcealed. [Kau'm naew ! lat-s ae*-ut aui fae'ur-n ubeo'boar,~\
come now ! let us have it all fair and above-board.
ABRED [ubree'd]. Reared; brought up; //. of breed.
The writer heard the following piece of Billingsgate ;
[Man'tirz ! wuy wus u-baurnd een u deesh kifl un u-bree'd aup
een u tuuru eep !] manners ! why (thou) wast born in a dish-kettle *
and brought up in a turf-heap.2
ABRICOCK [ae'ubrikauk]. Apricot (nearly always so).
Our abricocks 'ont be fit to pick vor another vortnight.
Some englishe me cal the fruite an Ahricok.
Turner, Names of Ilerbes, 1568 : ed. Britten, p. 52.
Gerard says :
The fruit is named ... in English, Abrecoke, Aprecock, and Aprecox.
Ed. 1636, p. 1449.
ABROAD [ubroa-ud], adv. T. Scattered (semi-Tech.).
[Dee'ur, dee'ur ! dhu raayn-z u kaunveen, un aul dh-aay-z
ubroa-ud,'} dear, dear ! the rain is coming and all the hay is lying loose
and scattered. After being mown, hay is always [droad ubroa'ud^}
thrown abroad, /. e. shaken out from the rows left in cutting.
2. adv. In pieces, or separate parts.
[V-uur u-teokt dhu klauk ubroa-ud 7], has he taken the clock to
pieces ? [Ees ! keodn due noart tue un, voar u wuz u-tbokt aul
1 The dish-kettle is a very large pot hung over the fire.
2 A turf-heap here means a shanty or hut such as squatters build on a moor.
10 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
i/broa-ud,~] yes, (he) could not do anything to it, until it was taken
all to pieces. [Shauk'een bwuuy vur braik ubroa-ud-z kloa'uz,]
shocking boy for tearing his clothes to pieces.
3. adv. Unfastened, undone, open. [Laur Jiin ! dhee frauk-s
aul ubroa^id^} law Jane ! thy frock is all unfastened.
4. Quite flat; in a mash. [Skwaut nbroa-ud dhu ving'tir oa un,]
squeezed his finger quite flat. [Dhai bee fae'umus tae'udees, dhai-ul
bwuuyul ubroa-ud sae'um-z u dust u flaawur,] those are splendid
potatoes, they will boil to a mash like a dust of flour.
5. [ubroa'ud], adv. Open, asunder (very com.). My head's
splittin abroad.
• ABROOD [ubreo'd], adj. In the act of incubating.
[Uur zaut itbreo'd uur veol tuym,] she sat on her eggs her full
time. [Dh-oa'l ain-z ubrko'd tu laas,] the old hen is sitting at
last. Marked obs. by Web. and no quotation later than 1694 in
Murray ; still the common and only word used daily by everybody
who has to do with poultry. See BROODY.
ABUSY [bue'zet]. Abusive, insolent. Most commonly used in
connexion with drunk. Upon the subject of Temperance a man
thus delivered himself to the writer : [A ay doaam oa'l wai dhai
dhae'ur tai'toa'utlurz — aay bee vur u draap u stiydtir een mee
wuurk — un aay doa'un oa'l wai dhai' dhut-s druungk-n bue-zee, dhai
1 ae'un-oa geo'd tu noa'bau'dee,] I don't hold with those teeto-
talers ; I am for a drop of cider in my work ; and I don't hold with
those who are drunk and abusive, they are no good to anybody.
ACCORDING [koa'rdeen], adv. Dependent upon : contingent.
[D-ee dhingk ee-ul bee ae'ubl vur kairm? Wuul, kaa'n tuul
ee niizaa'klee, t-aez kca'rdeen wuur aayv ufiin'eesh ur noa,]
Do you think you will be able to come? Well, (I) cannot
tell you exactly; it is dependent upon whether I have finished
or not.
ACCOUNT [kaewnt], sb. Consideration, worthy of respect.
[Ee id-n noa kaewnt,] is a very common expression, to signify that
the person is of no social position or consideration.
ACCUSE [ukeb'z], v. To invite, to inform, to appoint.
[Uvoar uur duyd uur ukeo'z dhai uur weesh vur tu kaar ur,] before
she died she appointed those she wished to carry her — /'. e. her corpse
at the funeral. [Ee wuz maa'yn jiil'ees kuz ee waud-n ukeo-z tu dhu
suup'ur,] he was very jealous because he was not invited to the
supper. [Dhai wuz ukeo'z uvoar an1, un zoa dhai wuz u-prai-pae'ur,]
they were informed beforehand, and so they were prepared.
ACKLY [aa'klee — emphatic, haa'klee], adv. Actually, unques-
tionably. [Aay aa'klee kaech-n wai um een liz an',] I actually
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. II
caught him with them in his hand. [Dhu UuHfuns bee gwain tu
jiuimp oa'vtir dh-uurdl, dhai aa'klee bee,] the elephants are going
to jump over the hurdle, they are actually; said in describing a
flaming circus placard.
ACT [aa-k(t)], v. i. To do.
[Haut bee aa'ktecn oa ?], is the common way of asking — What
are you doing ? or, What are you up to ?
2. To pretend, to simulate, to sham.
[Ee aa-k bae'ud un zoa dhai lat un goo,] he pretended to be
ill, and so they let him go. [Kraa'ftee oal kauk, ee kn act'k
dh-oa-1 soa'jur su wuul-z waun yuur-n dhae'ur,] crafty old cock ;
he can act the old soldier as well as one here and there; /. e. perform
the tricks usually credited to old soldiers.
Speaking of an old dog which was going along limping, a keeper
said : He idn on'y acting lame ; he always do, hon he reckonth
he've ado'd enough — i.e. pretending lameness. — Dec. 24, 1883.
AD ! [ad]. A quasi oath. One of those half-apologetic words
like Gor ! Gad ! Gar ! which vulgar people use thoughtlessly, but who
would be shocked to be told they swore. Ad zooks ! ad zounds !
are very common. See Exmoor Scold. 11. 17, 72, 85, 93.
ADAM AND EVE [Ad'um-un-eev]. i. The plant wild orchis
— Orchis mascula (very com.).
2. Wild arum — Arum maculatum.
ADAM'S APPLE. See EVE'S APPLE.
ADAM'S WINE [Ad'umz vvuyn]. Water; never called Adam's
Ale.
ADDER'S TONGUE [ad-urz tuung]. Wild arum— ^r/m
maculatum.
ADDICK [ad'ik]. Whether this means adder or haddock, or what
besides, I do not know, but it is the deafest creature known.
[Su dee'f-s u ad'ik,~] is the commonest superlative of deaf, and is
heard more frequently than [dee-f-s u pans] (post).
Thart so cleeve as a Haddick in chongy weather.
Ex. Scold. 1. 123.
ADDLE [ad'l], sb. A tumour or abscess.
[Ee-v u-gaut u guurt ad'l pun uz nak, su beg-z u ain ag-,] he has
a great tumour on his neck as large as a hen's egg.
v. To render putrid. Hens which sit badly are said to addle
their eggs. [Nauyz unuuf' vur t-ad'l uneebau'deez braa-ynz,] noise
enough to addle one's brains.
ADDLED EGGS [ad'l igz, ad'l ag/], are those which have been
sat upon without producing chickens.
12
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ADDLE-HEAD [ad'l ai'd]. Epithet implying stupidity.
ADDLE HEADED [ad'l ai'dud]. Confused, thoughtless,
stupid.
ADOOD [u-due'd]. Done; /. prt. of do. There is another
/. part, \ti-duund,~\ but they are not used indiscriminately ; the first
is transitive, the second intrans. To an inquiry when some
repair will be completed, would be said : [T-l au'l bee u-dued gin
maa'ru nait,] it will all be done by to-morrow night. On the other
hand it would be said : [Dhai ad-n u-duund haun aay kaum,] they
had not done, /'. e. finished, when I arrived.
ADVANCE [udvaa'ns], reflective v. Used in the sense of putting
oneself forward in an intrusive manner.
[Want shud ee' udvaa-ns ee'z-zuul vaur?] what should he push
himself forward for ? A good singing-bird was thus described to
the writer: [Ee due udvaa'ns liz'zuul su boal-z u luyunt,] he does
come forward (in the cage) as boldly as a lion.
AFEARD [ufee-urd],/czr/. adj. Afraid, frightened. [Waut bee
ufee-urd oa?~\ what are you afraid of? (Very com.) This old
word, so long obsolete, is creeping back into modern literature.
Aferde (or trobelid, K. H. P.). Territus, perterritus (turbatus, perturb-
atus, K. P.). — Promp. Parv.
WTat wendest )>ou now so me a-fere : ]>ov art an hastif man.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 387.
Ich was aferd of hure face, thauh hue faire were.
Piers Plowman, ii. 1. io.
It seme}) ]>at syche prelatis & newe religious ben a-fenl of cristis gospel.
Wydif, Works, p. 59.
Be Je not a-ferd of hem that sleen the bodi. — Luke xii. 4. (Wyclif vers. )
AFFORD [uvoo'urd]. Used in selling. [Aay kaa'n uvoo urd-n
t-ee vur dhaat dhaeur,] I cannot afford it to you for that (price).
AFFURNT [fuur-nt] v. a. To offend, to affront.
[VVautiivur ee du due, doan'ee fuur/it-n,'] whatever you do, do
not affront him, is very common advice given by a father to a son
going to a new master.
AFTER [aa'dr], adv. Even with, alongside of. I heard a man
say, in speaking of thrashing corn by steam-power :
[Dhu ee'njun wain zu vaa's, wuz foo'us vur t-ae'u tue* vurt-an'
dhu shee'z — wairn keod-n nuuth'een nee'ur keep aup aaldr,~] the
engine went so fast, (we) were obliged to have two (men) to hand
the . sheaves — one could not nearly keep up after — /. e. the supply
even with the demand. With any verb of motion it means to fetch
— [zain aa'dr, goo aa'dr, uurn aa'dr',] send, go, run — to fetch.
AFTER A BIT [aa'dr u beet, aa'dr beet], adv. fhr. In a little
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 13
whilj ; after a time. [Dhik-ee plae'us-1 bee tu bee zoa'uld aa'dr
beet,'] that place will be for sale before very long. \_Aafdr u beef,
shl-ae-u sairm,] in a short time (I) shall have some. There
are various fine shades of meaning to this phrase, which are by
no means fully conveyed by the above definitions. In the first
case an interval of years might be meant and so understood ;
in the second a waiting for the season of the year is implied.
AFTERCLAP [aa-dr-klaap]. Arriere pensee ; non-adherence to
a bargain, or a shuffling interpretation of it. [Au'nur bruyt un
noa aafdr-klaaps,~] honour bright and no afterclaps, is a constant
expression in contracting bargains or agreements.
These toppingly gests be in number but ten,
As welcome in dairie as Beares among men.
Which being descried, take heede of you shall,
For danger of after claps, after that fall. — Tttsser, 49 d.
AFTERDAVY [aa-fturdae'uvee, aa'dr-dae-uvee]. Affidavit This
is a word, which though common enough, has a kind of importance
as being known to be connected with the law, and it is therefore
generally pronounced with deliberation as above ; gradually the
sound slides into the second mode if the word is repeated several
times. I'll take my bible [aa'dr-dae'uvee] o' it, is a very common
asseveration.
AFTER GRASS [aa'dr graas], sb. In other districts called after-
math or latter-math, but seldom in this. The grass which grows
after the hay is gone. It is not a second crop to be mown, but to be
fed. The term is applied to old pasture or meadow which has been
mown, and not often to clovers and annual grasses. See SECOND-
GRASS.
AFTERNOON FARMER [aardrneon faarmur], sb. (Very
com.) One who is always behind — /. e. late in preparing his land,
in sowing or harvesting his crops. See ARRISH.
AG [ag], v. t. To nag, to provoke, to keep on scolding.
Her'll ag anybody out o' their life, her will.
Thy skin all vlagged, with nort bet Agging, and Veaking, and Tiltishness.
Exmoor Scold. \. 75.
AGAIN [ugee-un]. Twice, double.
[Dhik dhae'ur dhae-ur-z-u aa'rd ugee'un-z tuudlrur], that there
one there is twice as hard as the other. [S-avee ugee-un] = twice
as heavy : [z-oa'uld ugee-un], twice as old, &c. In all senses
pronounced as above. See COMK AGAIN.
AGAINST [ugins-], adv. Towards; in the direction of. A
young man speaking of a young woman said : [Aay waint ugins ur,]
I went to meet her. — Aug. 25, 1883.
14 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
)>eu wey he nom to Londone • he & alle his,
As king iv prince of londe • wij> nobleye ynou ;
Ayn him wij) uair procession • }>at folc of toune clrou,
& vnderueng him vaire inou • as king of ]>is loncl.
Robt. of Gloucester, IVill. the Conqueror, 1. 210.
And preyeth hir for to rid en a^ein the queene,
The honour of his regne to susteene.
Chmicer, Man of Lawe s Tale, 1. 4811.
Bot when Seynt Wultrud wyst J>at {>use relekes weron comyng,
W'. pcession a^eynes hem, fuHe holylyche he went JK>,
And brou3t hem to ]>e aut', ]>e ladyes syngyng,
And set )>at lytulle shryne upon Seynt Edes auter also.
Chron. Vil. A D. 1420, st. 748.
What man is this that commeth agaynst us in the felde ?
Cffverdale's J^ers. (Genesis xxiv. 65.)
1 Against whom came queen Guenever, and met with him,
And made great joy of his coming.
Malory, Morte if Arthur, vol. i. p. 179.
AGAST [ugaas-], ad . Afraid, fearful. I be agast 'bout they
there mangle ; I ver'ly bleive the grub'l ate every one o'm.
And he hem told ti3tly • whiche tvo white beres
Hadde gorr in J>e gardyn 'and him agast maked.
Will, of Palerme, 1. 177^.
I sei to 3°w> my frendis, ]>at 3e ben not agast of hem |>at sleen )>e body.
Wyclif, Works, p. 20 (quoting Luke xii. 4).
And ])an let ]>ow )>yn hornys blowe : a J>ousant at o blaste,
And wanne ]^e frensche men it knowe : ]>ay wolle}) beo sore agaste.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 3177.
See also Ibid. 11. 1766, 3316, 3603, 4238, 4413, 4687, 4710. S^e
Ex. Scold. 1. 229.
AGE [ae'uj]. In speaking of an absent person or animal the
commonest form of inquiry, among even educated people, is —
What age man is er ? What age oss is er ? The direct address
would be, [Uvv oal bee yue ?], how old be you?
AGENTSHIP [ae-ujun-shiip], sb. Agency.
He've a tookt th' agents/lip vor the Industrial Insurance ; but
who's gwain vor t'insure he?
AGGERMONY [ag'urmunee], sb. The plant Agrimonia
Eupatoria.
AGGRAVATE [ag-urvae'ut], v. To tease, to exasparate.
[Uur-z dhu moo'ees ag'uwae'it/eens oal buuni uvur aay kumd
u'.crau'st — uur-z unuuf1 \.-ag-urTae'iit dhu vuuree oal fuul'ur,] she is
the most aggravatingest old bundle ever I came across — she is
enough to aggravate the very Old fellow.
AGIN [ugiin-, gun], i. In preparation for, until.
[Mus sae'uv dhai gee'z gun Kuursmus,] (I) must keep those
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 15
goese in preparation for Christmas. [Aay kaa'n paay ut gun
Zad'urdee nait,] I cannot pay it until Saturday night.
2. Against, in violent contact with. [Ee droa'vd au'p ugnn
dhu gee'ut,] he drove against the gate. See GIN.
AGO [ugeo-, ugoo-], past part, of to go = gone. It is strange the
dialect should have so completely kept apart from the literary
usage, as to have exactly reversed the meanings of ago and agonc
as given in the Dictionaries. Inasmuch as both forms, in both
senses, seem to be archaic, or at least Mid. Eng., it is difficult to
trace how in modern literature ago has come to be confined to time
gone — while gone and agone have become applicable to motion
only. Equally difficult is it to ascertain by what process the
precise opposite has come to pass in the spoken English of the
West.
It appears (see Murray) only to have changed from the older
form a^an about the thirteenth century, and to have ceased in
literature, in this sense, before A.D. 1700. Since the last century it
has only remained in polite English as an adjective of time — "an
hour ago."
[Wuur-s u-biin the? dhee-urt lae'ut-s yue'zhl, dhai bee aul n^o-z
aaf aa'vvur,] where hast thou been ? thou art late as usual ; they are
all ago this half-hour. [Dhur yuez tu bee u sait u rab'uts yuur,
bud nuw dhai bee aul u$0','] there used to be a sight of rabbits
here, but now they are all ago.
I'd agot a capical lot one time, but they be ago, and I an't
a-had none vor a brave while.
And so it ffell on hem, in ffeitli • fifor fiaute's Jrat J?ey vsid,
pat her grace was agao ' ffor grucchinge chere,
ffor ]>e wronge pat )>ey WTOUJte ' to wisdom afifore.
Piers Plow/nan, Rich. Red. iii. 245.
po} I left J;is sijtli whenne I am ago hens, no man wolle trowe me.
Gesta Roman, p. 8.
Alasi heo saide, and welawoJ to longe y lyue in londe
Now is he fram me ago '• |>at behold be myn hosbonde.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 2793.
(See also Ibid. 11. 290, 1215, 1648, 1764, 2351, 2794, 2958, 2986,
4013, 4009.)
Bot when Edwyge was )>us a ffo,
Edgar his brother was made ]>o kyng.
Chron. Vilod. st. 195. (See also Ibid. st. 128, &c.)
Dost think I euer c'liad the art
To plou my ground up with my cart
My beast are all I goe.
Somerset Man's Compla 'nt (xvii. cent. ). Ex. Scold, p. 7.
See also //'. 5. Grain, p. 48.
1 6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
AGONE [ugau'n], adv. Ago. This form is nearly invariable.
(See AGO.) Twas ever so long agone. I 'count must be up a
twenty year agone. [Zabm yuur ugau-n kaum Kaivlmus,] seven
years ago next Candlemas.
Dr. Murray says : " The full form agone has been contracted to
ago in some dialects. ... In the end of the fourteenth century
ago became the ordinary prose form from Caxton ; but agom has
remained dialectally, and as an archaic and poetic variant to the
present day."
Such phrases as long agone, forty year agone, ever so long
agone, &c., are quite familiar to all West-country folk.
And some also ben of J>e route
That comen bot a while agon
And ]>ei auanced were anon.
Cower, Tale of the Coffers, \. 9.
For long agone I have forgot to court ;
Besides, the fashion of the time is changed.
Two Gent, of Verona, III. i.
Oh, he's drunk, Sir Toby, an hour agone; his eyes were set at eight i' the
morning ! — Twelfth Night, V. i.
And my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.
I Sam. xxx. 13.
AGREEABLE [ugrarubl], aaj. In accord with; consenting to ;
willing to agree with. [Wau'd-ee zai tue u kwairrt? Aay bee
ugrarubl}, what do you say to a quart ? I am willing to join you.
AGREED [ugree'd], adj. Planned ; arranged, as by conspiracy ;
in league. [Tvvuz u-gree'd dhing, uvoa'r dhai droad een,] it was
a planned conspiracy, before they threw in — /. e. their hats for a
wrestling bout.
Pass'l o' rogues, they be all agreed — /. e. in league together.
AGY [ae'ujee], v. i. To show signs of age; to become old.
[Uur ae-ujus vaa's,] she ages fast. [Siinz uz wuyv duyd, ee du
ae'ujee maa'ynlee,] since his wife died he ages mainly.
I ant a-zeed th' old man sinze dree wiks avore Make'lmus
(Michaelmas), gin I meet-n s'mornin, and I was a frightened to
zee how the old man d'ag}'.
AH ! (a.) (voice raising), [aa'u], interj. Ah ! Interrogative ex-
clamation of surprise = indeed ! you don't say so !
(b.} (voice falling). Exclamation of disgust or disappointment.
\_Aa-u! wuy-s-n muyn ? dhae'ur dhee-s u-toa'urd-n !], ah! why
dost not take care? there ! thou hast broken it.
(c.} Simple Oh ! Ah ! my dear, I be very glad you be come.
A, Je blynde fooles, drede Je to lese a morsel of mete )>an o poynt of charite ?
IVydif, Eng. Works, E. E. T. S. p. 171.
A, ]>enke }e, ejrete men, )>at J>is, &c. — Ibid. p. 179.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. I/
AH! [aa'u]. Yes. [Bee'ul-s u-ad dhi naivugee'un? Aa'u!],
Bill, hast had thy knife again ? Yes.
AICH [ae'tich]. The name of the aspirate h (always).
AILER. See HEALER.
AILING IRON [aa-yuleen uyur], sb. An implement for
breaking off the spear from barley. See BARLEY STAMP.
AILS [aa.yu\z], sb. Usually applied to the beard of barley when
broken off from the grain. These little spears are always called
[bttar'lee aayulz\. The individual husks of any corn are also called
[aayulz]. The term is only applied to the separated spear or husk
— never when still attached to the grain. The singular is not often
used, but I heard it said : [Ee-v u-gau't u aayul u daewst een
dh-uy oa un,] he has an ail of dust — ;'. e. a husk in his eye. See
DOWST.
AIM [aim], v. i. To intend, to desire, to purpose.
[Niivur muyn dhur-z u dee'ur, ee daed-n aim t-aa't ee,] never
mind, there's a dear, he did not intend to hit you. [Ee du aim tu
bee mae'ustur, doa'un ur?], he intends to be master, does he not?
2. To attempt. Be ure nobody widn never aim vor to
break in and car away your flowers. " Carry away " is a common
euphemism for steal.
Olyuer egerlich ]x> gan to lok : and smot til him wi]> ire,
And eymede ful euene to Jyue j>e strok ; }>e sarsyn on is swyre.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 734-
AIN [ai'n ai'n(d u-ai'n(d], v. t. To throw (usual word). [Dhu
bwuuyz bee arneen stoa'unz tu dhu duuks,] the boys are throwing
stones at the ducks. [Aa'l aup wai u tuurmut un ai'n un tu dhu
guurt ai'd u dhee,] I will take up a turnip and throw it at the great
head of thee. This was said in the writer's presence by a man to
an offending boy. A.S. hcznan, to stone.
AIR [ae'ur], sb. and v. t. Always pronounced as a distinct
dissyllable.
Somme in er]>e, somme in aier, somme in helle deep. — Piers Plow. ii. 127.
Place hiue in good ayer, set soutlily and warme
And take in due season wax, honie and s warme. — Tusser, 16/20.
AISLE [uyul, aa'yul], sb. The passage between the pews in a
church or chapel. We know nothing of any distinction between
nave and aisles ; but there is [it aa-yul\ to every church. See
ALLEY.
AITHERWAYS [ardhurwaiz], conj. Either (constant use) ; quite
distinct from the adj. or pron., which is always \_uudhi(r^\ other.
c
1 8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Aithenvays you must go to once, or else tidn no good vor to
go 't all.
AIVER. See EAVER.
ALACK-A-DAY ! [ulaa'k u dai]. An exclamation of sorrow or
regret. Alas-a-day ! or alas ! are not heard.
ALE [ae'ul]. In West Somerset, unlike the Midland Counties,
ale is the weaker beverage ; brewed from the malt after the beer has
been extracted from it. Ale is usually sold in the public-houses at
half the price of beer. At Burton, the Beeropolis, this is precisely
reversed.
ALE-TASTER [ae'ul tae'ustur], sb. An officer still annually
appointed by ancient court leet ; at Wellington his duties, however,
have entirely fallen into disuse.
ALEEK [uleek-, ulik1], adv. Alike (always).
One of our oldest saws is :
Vruydee'n dhu wik — or week,
Zul'dum ulik' — or aleek.
This perpetuates the old belief that a change of weather always
comes on Friday.
ALIE [uluy], adv. In a recumbent position ; lying flat.
The grass is shockin bad to cut, tis all alie. Zend out and
zit up the stitches, half o'm be alie way this here rough wind.
See GO-LIE.
ALL [augl], sb. The completion ; the last of anything.
Plaise, sir, all the coal's a finished — *". e. the last of it. [Aay shl
dig au'l mee tae'udeez tumaaru,] I shall dig all my potatoes to-
morrow— /. e. I shall complete the digging. This would be perfectly
intelligible, even if the speaker had been digging continuously
for weeks previously. So, " I zeed em all out," means not that I
saw the whole number depart, but the last of them.
ALL [au'l], adv. Quite, entirely.
Her gid'n all so good's he brought. Thy taties be all so bad's
the tothers. Her and he be all o' one mind about it. This is
one of those expletive and yet expressive words which is constantly
used to complement phrases, but which can only be defined by
many examples : \_Au~l tue smaa'rsh. Awl tue un au'npaa'wur.
Au'l tue slaa'tur. Au'l tue u sluuree. Au'l tue u dring'ut. Au'l
tue u ee-p. ^w/tde u smuufr. Au'l tu noa'urt,] all to an unpower
— all to slatter — all to a slurry — all to a dringet — all to a heep — all
to a smutter — all to nort (q. v.}. See FOUR- ALLS.
ALL-ABOUT [au'l ubaewt]. Scattered, in disorder.
[Dhai bee ugoo- un laf dhur dhingz au~l ubaeivt^\ they are gone
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 19
and (have) left their things (i.e. tools) scattered about. [Dhaat-s
au'l ubaewt ut,] that's the whole matter.
ALL-ABROAD. Unfastened, scattered. See ABROAD.
And whan them takeste vp thy ryghte foote, than
Caste thy pees fro the all abrade. — Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 10/30.
ALL ALONG [airl ulavrng], adv. i. Throughout, from the
beginning, without interruption.
[Aay toa'uld ee zoa au'l ulairng,~] I told you so throughout. [T-u
bun shau'keen aarus wadh'ur au'l ulau'ng,'} it has been shocking
harvest weather without change from the commencement.
2. Lying flat ; at full length.
[Ee aup wai uz vuys un aa't-n au'l nlaulng,~\ he up with his fist
and hit him down flat. [Aay eech mee veot un vaald airl ulairng,~]
I caught my foot and fell at full length.
Zo got behind, and wey a frown
He pulled near twenty o' mun down
And twenty droad along. — Peter Pindar, Royal Visit, p. ii.
ALL OF A UGH [au'l uv u uuh-], adv. One-sided, bent,
out of truth, aslant. [Dhik'ee pau's uz airl uv u uu/t,~] that post is
quite one-sided. Poor old fellow, he is come to go all of a ugh.
ALL ONE [au'l waun], adv. Just the same.
[Wur aay goo'us, ur wur aay doa'un, t-aez au'l waun tu mee,]
whether I go, or whether I do not, it is just the same to me.
ALL ON END [au'l un ee'n]. On the qui vive ; on the tiptoe
of expectation ; with ears on end. The writer heard in reference
to an exciting local trial : [We wuz airl tin ee'n tu yuur ue'd u-
kaa'rd dhu dai,] we were eagerly anxious to hear who had carried
the day — /. e. won the trial.
ALL OUT [au'l aewt], a. Finished, used up.
[Plai'z-r dhu suydur-z au'l acwt,~] please, sir, the cider is aU
finished — i.e. the cask is empty. [Dhu woets bee airl aewt,'] the
oats are all finished. Compare "out of print," "out of stock."
ALL-OVERISH [au 1 oa'vureesh]. Out of sorts; rather poorly,
generally, but without any particular local ailment.
ALL SAME [au'l sae'um.] Just the same, of no consequence.
[Taez au'l sae'um tu mee, aay tuul ee, wuur yue du buy un ur noa,]
it is of no consequence to me, I tell you, whether you buy it or not.
ALL SAME TIME [au'l sae'um tuym], adv. Notwithstanding,
nevertheless, yet.
[Aay zaed aay wiid-n, airl saeum tuym, neef yue-1 prau'mus, <irc.,]
I said I would not (do it), nevertheless, if you will promise, &c.
c 2
2O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ALL TO. Where in other dialects they say all of or all in, \ve
in W. S. say all to. [Aay wuz u streokt airl tue u eep,] I was struck
all of a heap. So All to a muck, All to a sweat, All to a shake,
All to a miz-maze, All to a slatter. See ALL, adv.
ALL TO A MUGGLE fau'l tue u muug-1]. In a muddle, con-
fusion. [Uur ziimd au'l tue u muug'l, poo'ur soal, aa'dr ee duyd,]
she seemed all to a muggle, poor soul, after he died.
[Dhu aewz wuz au'l tue u muug'l,~\ the house was all to a muggle.
ALL TO BITS [au'l tue beets], j Completely smashed in
ALL TO PIECES [au'l tue pees'ez]. j pieces ; quite done up.
ALL TO PIECES [airl tue pees'ez]. Infirm ; said of a man
or a horse. [Poo'ur oa'l blid, ee-z au'l tiie pees'ez wai dhu
rue'maat'iks,] poor old blood, he is quite done up with the rheu-
matism. [Aew-z dh-oa'l au's ? Oa ! au'l tue pees-ez^ how is the
old horse ? Oh ! quite knocked up. [Dhu ween buust oa'p dhu
ween'dur un toa'urd-n au'l tue pees'ez,'] the wind burst open the
window and tore it in pieces.
ALL-UNDER-ONE [airl uuirdur waun], ph>: At the same
time. (Very com.) Tidn worth while to go o' purpose vor that
there — hon I comes up about the plump, can do it all under one.
FOR ALL [vur au'l], adv. Notwithstanding, in spite of.
[ Vur au'l yue bee su kluvur, yue kaa'n kau'm ut,] notwithstanding
that you are so clever, you cannot accomplish it.
FOR ALL THAT [vur aui dhaat]. Nevertheless.
[Aa'y du yuur waut yue du zai, bud vur au'l dhaa't, aay ziim
t-oa'n due',] I hear what you say, but nevertheless, I seem (am
convinced) it will not do.
FOR GOOD AND ALL [vur geod-n au'l], adv. phr. Finally, for
ever, for once and for all. •
[Ees, shoa'ur ! uur-v u-laf-m naew vur geod-n ##7,] yes, sure !
she has left him now for ever — said of a woman who had often
previously condoned her husband's offences.
ALLER [aul'ur]. Alder tree (always) ; alder wood. Gerard says :
This Shrub is called Alnus Nigra . . . and by others Frangula ... in
English, blacke Aller tree. — Herbal, Ed. 1636, p. 1469.
Alnus is called in greke, Clethra ; in Englishe an alder tree or an alltr tree. —
Turner, Herbal, p. 10.
ALLER, BLACK [blaak aul'ur], sb. The usual name for Buck-
thorn— Rhamnus Frangida. Buckthorn is never used. This plant
is frequently confounded with the dogwood — Cornus Sanguinetim —
both of which are very common in our hedges. The common
alder is also occasionally called the Black Aller.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 21
ALLER-GROVE [aul'ur groav]. A marshy place where alders
grow ; an alder thicket. The term always implies marsh, or wet
land ; [« rig'lur aul'iir groav} would mean a place too boggy to ride
through.
ALLERN [aul'urn], adj. Made of alder.
[U aid-urn an1!,] a handle made of alderwood.
ALLERNBATCH [aal'urnbaach], sb. A boil or carbuncle.
Pinswill is the commoner term. See Ex. Scold. 11. 24, 557.
ALLEY [aal'ee], sb. i. A long narrow place prepared for playing
skittles, usually with a long sloping trough down which the balls run
back to the players. [Wee'ul ! dhee goo daewn een dh-aat'ee un
ziit aup dhu peenz,] Will ! go down in the alley and set up the
pins. This order means, that Will is to set up the skittles as the
players from the other end knock them down, and to send back the
balls by the inclined trough. These places are also spoken of as the
\_Bnw leen aal'ee] or [Skit1 1 aal'ee}.
2. Passage in a church. Miss F , farmer's sister, said her
seat (in church) was on the left side of the middle alley. — April
1885. W. H. M.
Miss F was quite right, and those clever people who talk of
the passage between the pews, in the centre of the church, as the
aisle are quite wrong. The latter is from French aits, a wing (some-
times but improperly spelt aisle in old French, see Cotgr.}, and can
only apply to a part of the building lying at the side of the body or
nave. The alley is from alee or allee.
An alley, gallerie, vvalke, walking-place, path" or passage. Allte. — Cotgr.
So long about the aleys is he goon
Till he was come ajen to )>ilke pery.
Chaucer, Merchanfs Tale, 1. 10198.
Aley yn garJeyne. Peribolus, perambulatorium, et pcriobolum.
Pronip. Parv.
An aly ; deambulatorinm, ambulatorium. — Cath. Ang.
Sawne slab let lie, for stable and stie,
Sawe dust, spred thick, makes alley trick. — Tusser, 15/35.
3. A boy's marble made of alabaster, generally valued at from
five to ten common marbles, according to its quality. Sometimes,
though not often, called \aal~ee tau,] alley taw.
ALL-FOURS [aui vaa'wurz], sb. i. A common game of cards.
[Steed u gwai'n tu chuurch, dhae'ur dhai wauz t-aul vaa-wurz,~}
instead of going to church, there they were (playing) at all-fours.
2. adr. f/ir. Equal to, a match for, in agreement with.
[Vur aul u wuz su kliivur luyk, uur wuz au~l vaa'wurz wai un,]
notwithstanding that he was so clever she was quite his match.
22 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ALLICE [aal-ees], sb. Aloes (always).
I ver'ly bleive our Tommy wid a zooked 'is dhumb gin now,
nif I 'adn a keep on puttin bitter allice pon un ; I used to do it
every mornin so riglur's the clock. [Lau'r ! dhur-z u guurt bwuuy
vur tu zeok uz dhuum — wuy doa'un ee puut sm biit'ur aa'lees
baewd-n?], lor ! there is a great boy to suck his thumb — why don't
you put some bitter aloes about it ? This is the usual remedy for
biting nails and sucking thumbs.
ALLITERATIONS. See SHILLY SHALLY.
ALL MY TIME [aul me tuym]. My best or utmost exertions.
I can zee very well t'll take me all my time vor to get over thick
job. (Very com.)
ALLOW [uluw, luw, ulaew], v. t. i. To advise, to recommend.
I d' allow ee vor to put thick there field in to rape, arter you've
a-clain un, and then zeed-n out—/, e. I advise you.
Calfe lickt take away, and howse it ye may.
This point I allow for seruant and cow. — Tusser, 33/30.
2. v. i. To consider, to be of opinion. (Very com.)
1 do 'loiv eens there's dree score o' taties in thick there splat.
[Uw muuch d-ee-/«7# dhik dhae-ur rik u haay ?], how much do you
consider that rick of hay? •= /. e. how much it contains. [Aay du
luw t-1 raayn uvoar nait], I think it will rain before night.
3. To allot, to deem sufficient.
[Aay d-ulaew un baewd u twuul muunth,] I allot him about
twelve months. This was said of a man who was living very fast,
and meant that the speaker only allotted him a year of his present
course before he must come to grief.
ALLOWED [ulaewd]. Licensed.
[Dhik'ee aewz waud-n niivur ulaewd,'] that house was never
licensed.
ALL VORE [aul voar], sb. The wide open or hollow furrow
left between each patch of ground, ploughed by the same team, at
the spot where the work was begun and finished. In some lands
these airl voarz are made to come at regular intervals, and hence
the field assumes the ridge and furrow appearance. See VORE.
ALONG [ulau'ng, lau'ng], adv. i. On, in the direction of, away.
[Kau'rn ulau'iig /], come with me. [Bee'ul ! wut goo ulau'ng,
su vur-z dhu Dhree Kuups ?], Bill ! wilt go on with me as far as
the Three Cups? (public-house). [Aay zeed ur beenaew, gwain
oa'm ulau~ng~~] I saw her just now, going in the direction of
home. [Goo lau-ng! aay tuul ee,] go away! Be off! I tell
you.
2. Constantly used as a suffix to adverbs. Its force is some-
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 23
thing the same as wards — as home-along, in-along, up-along,
down-along, [yuur-/fl;///£-,] here-along, there-along, [yaen-w/rf/r;/^,]
along yonder, out-along, back-along — i.e. homewards. A man said
—I be gwain zo vur-s Holy Well Lake, and I can't stap now, but
I'll call in back-along — July i, 1886 — meaning, on my way back.
' 3. adv. Hitherto, so far, during the past.
We've had middlin luck along, like.
4. Used redundantly. I zeed'n gwain down 'long; 'long way
Bob Milton, just avore you com'd up.
ALONGST [ulangs, ulaungs(t)], adv. Lengthwise, in the direc-
tion of the longest dimension. Used very commonly in contrast
to athwart or across.
You 'ont make no hand o' thick there field o' ground, nif he idn
a guttered both ways, [ukraa's-n ulangs,~\ across and alongst.
ALOUD [ulaewd], adv. As in polite society we hear of "loud
colours," so in our lower walk we talk of "loud stinks."
[Dhik rab'ut fraa'sh ! ee stingks ulaewd,~\ that rabbit fresh ! he
stinks aloud.
ALTER [au'ltur], v. To improve in condition, to gain in flesh ;
spoken of all kinds of live stock. [Dhai stee'urz-1 au-ltur, muyn,
een yoa'ur keep,] those steers will alter, mind, in your keep. See
KEEP. [Dhai au'gz bee au'lturd shoa'ur nuuf,] those hogs (sec
HOG) are altered sure enough ! — /'. e. improved in condition.
ALTERING [au'ltureen], adj. Likely to improve, &c. Auc-
tioneers constantly wind up their advertisements of cattle sales
in the local press, with — The whole of the stock is of the most
altering description.
ALTER THE HAND {atrltur dhu an],///r. To change the
course ; usually for the better implied. (For the worse, see BAD-
WAY, 2.)
ALTOGETHER SO [au'ltugaedh'ur zoa], adv. Just to the
same degree.
Bill's all thumbs, and Jack's altogether so vitty handed.
AM AUS [umau's], adv. Almost. The / is never sounded ; nor
is the above so com. as [maus, moo'ees,] most (q. v.}.
[Dhik-s umau-s u-dued wai, ee oan paay vur main'een,] that (thing)
is almost done with (/. e. worn out) ; he will not pay for mending
[Aay-v u-ae'ud jiish bau'dhur, aay bee maus mae'uz,] I have had
such a bother, I am almost driven wild. [Uur kyaa'ld-n bud
uvureedhing umau-s,] she called him but everything almost — /'. e.
almost all the names she could think of. This is one of the very
commonest descriptions of violent abuse.
24 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
AMBY [um-baa-y, m-baa-y], adv. Contr. of by-and-by ; in a
little while; later in the day. Very often used before night.
When be gwain? Oh amby, can't go avore. [Aa-1 kaul een.
um-baay nait,] I will call in this evening or to-night.
AMEN. A very common saying is :
[Aa'main, paa'sn Pain,
Moo'ur roagz-n aun'ees main,]
Amen ! Parson Penn,
More rogues than honest men.
AMINDED [umuy 'ndud], fart. adj. Disposed, inclined, minded-
(Very com.)
I be gwain to vote eens I be aminded, and I baint gwain vor
t'ax nobody ; zo tidn no good vor they to come palaverin o' me.
AMPER [aanrpur], sb. A red pimple, a blotch on the face.
AMPERY [aam -puree], adj. Blotchy skinned.
[Aanrpuree fae'usudj blotchy faced. This is a very common
description of persons, but it would not be spoken of animals.
AN [an, un, 'n], conj. Than. The th is never heard in the
dialect as in lit. Engl. — even when emphatic.
[Doa-noa nu moo-ur-« dhu daid,] (I) do not know any more
than the dead. [Noa uudrrur waiz-« u naat'urul,] no other than a
natural (fool).
It is strange this th should have so completely disappeared; no
combination of consonants has the slightest effect in recalling it.
[Aayd zeondur Taurrree ad-n un Jiinree,] I would rather Tommy
had it than Jimmy. [Yue-d bad'r git laung aum un buyd abaewt
yuur,] you had better get along home, than stay about here.
Can it be that this is not from the A.S. thanne, but from Old
Norse an, Sw. an, which Atkinson gives (p. xxvi) for than ?
AN-ALL [un au-1], adv. Likewise, also : used chiefly redund-
antly at the end of a clause. (Very com.)
I 'sure you, sir, I've a beat-n and a-told to un, and a-tookt away
'is supper an all, and zo have his father too, but tidn no good, we
can't do nort way un. Answer of a woman to chairman of School
Board, why she did not make her boy go to school.
ANATOMY. See NOTTAMY.
ANCIENT [airshunt], sb. The ensign or national colours ;
Union Jack of a British vessel. In the Bristol Channel this is the
usual term among the fisher folk.
How can anybody tell what her is, nif her out show her ancient?
AND [an], conj. If. (Very com.) Some people always say, [An
yue plaiz,] for If you please. This form remains in the much
commoner nif, which is the contracted form of and if.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 25
fibr, and he be blessed : f>e better f>e be-tydyth.
Piers Plowman, A'ich. the Red. ii. 75.
Out-take hys felawe Olyuere '. and he were hoi and sounde ;
Ac he lyj> hert now with a spere : and berej) a gryslich wounde.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 200.
But and he be put in a good pasture. — Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 6/12.
For and it sweate not in the hey-cockes, it wyll sweate in the mowe.
Ibid. 25/16.
See also 68/62, 70/34, 142/7. See W. S. Gram. p. 93.
Puppy. Why all's but writing and reading, is it Scriben ?
An it be any more it is mere cheating zure.
Med. Why my friend Scriben, an it please your worship.— Benjonson, Tale
of a Tub, I. 2.
AN-DOG [an-duug, arrdaug]. And-iron ; always so called.
They are still very commonly used in farm-houses, and others
where wood is burnt. Several pairs are in constant use in the
writer's own house. They are well described in the old-fashioned
riddle :
Head like an apple,
Neck like a swan,
Back like a long-dog
And dree legs to stan.
ANDSELL WEIGHT. See HANDSALE WEIGHT.
AND THAT [un dhaat: -n dhaat]. A very common pleonastic
phrase, giving no force to the sentence.
[Aay-v u-saard au'l dhu dhingz-w dhaat,~\ I have fed all the cattle
and that. [Uur toa'ld-n au'l ubaewt ut-w d/iaat,~\ she told him
all about it, and that. [Mae-ustur aaks mee haut aay zad-« dhaat^
master asked me what I said, and that.
ANEAST [unee'us], adv. Near. (Very com.)
[Twaud-n ee- ee niivu-r waud-n unee-us-n,'] it was not he, he
never was near him. Used only with verbs implying motion. It
would never be said, The house is aneast the road : " handy " or
" home beside o' " would in that case be used. In the example
above, "never was near" implies never went near. See ANIGH.
AN END [un ee'n], adv. On end.
[Stan-un-ee'n,] to stand an end = to stand on the head, with
heels in the air (always). Bob waudn proper drunk tho — nif he's
riglur drunk, he d'always stan' un eefn.
ANES (Hal.). Aines. See EENS.
ANGLE [ang-1 : not as in Eng. ang-gl], sb. An earthworm.
(Very com.)
[U buunch u ang-lz wai wuVturd drue um-z dhu bas bauyt vur
ee'ulz,] a bunch of worms with worsted through them is the best
26 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
bait for eels. An old bird-fancier of my acquaintance always
speaks of feeding larks and thrushes, " You be bound vor to gie
em a angle now and then." A dung-heap's the place to find
angles.
Cf. angle-twitch of other districts — not known here.
ANGLE [ang-1], v. i. To intrigue ; to " beat about the bush ;"
to loiter about or frequent a place for some purpose.
[Wau'd-ur kau-m ang'leen baewt yuur vaur?] what does he come
loitering about here for? [Aay au-vees kunstid'urd eens ee wuz
ang'leen aa'dr Mus Jee'un,] I always thought he was angling after
Miss Jane. [Aay kaa-n ubae'ur-n, uz au-vees pun dhu ang'l^\ I
cannot endure him, he is always upon the angle — /. e. intriguing.
ANGLE-BOW [angl boa], sb. A running noose, a slip-knot,
especially a wire on a long stick for catching fish ; also a springle
for catching birds. The poacher's wire is always a angle-bow.
ANGLE-BOWING [ang-1 boa-een], sb. Tech. A method of
fencing. See Ex. Scold, pp. 46, 118.
ANGRY [ang-gree], adj. Inflamed ; applied to wounds or sores
(the usual term). He was getting on very well till s'mornin, but
now the leg looks angry.
AN IF [un eef- neefj. The regular form of if. This seems
very like a reduplication, because an (q. v.} alone is often used for
if; but in rapid common speech it is nearly always contracted
into titf[neef].
\_Neef aay wuz yue, aay-d zee un daam fuus], if I were you I
world see him d d first. Hundreds of examples of the use
of this word are to be found throughout these pages.
ANIGH [unuy, unaa'y], prep. Used with verbs implying
motion only. Near; same as aneast (q. v.}. In both these words
the prefix seems to imply motion. The sound of nigh and neigh
in neighbour is usually identical in the dialect.
[Dhur aewz viz nuy dhu roa'ud, bud aay nuvur dudn goo unuy
urn,] their house is near the road, but I never went near them.
ANIGHT [unuyt], adv. To-night, at night.
You can't never do it by day, but you can zometimes anight.
To consaile sche him clepud • , and ]>e cas him told,
So{>liche al }>e sweuen • J>at hire anty mette.
Will, of Palerme, 1. 2919.
Take )>ere the hert of him, for whos song }>ou ros vp so anyy fro me.
Gesta Roman, p. 6l.
ANOINTED. See NOINTED.
ANPASSY [an-paa-see]. The name of the sign "&." This is
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2/
the last letter of our alphabet, which always ends with aek's,
wuy, zad, atrpaa'see. See p. 75, IV. S. Dialect ; also Ampersand
and Am f assy in New Eng. Dictionary.
ANSWER [aan'sur], v . i. To endure, to last.
That there poplar 'ont never answer out o' doors, t'll be a ratted
in no time. The word is in constant use by country folk, in
nearly as many senses as given by Dr. Murray. The above is as
common as any.
ANSWERABLE [aarrsurubl], adj. Durable, lasting.
A man said to me of a draining tool (January 1879): [Dhik'ee
soa'urt bee dee'urur, but dhai bee moo'ur aan'surublur,~\ that sort
are dearer, but they are more answerable — i. e. cheaper in the end.
A thatcher living and bred at Burlescombe said to me twice,
Twas good answerable seed. — March 25, 1884.
ANT [aan, aant], v. Have not, has not (always).
See W. S. Gram. p. 58, et seq.
ANTHONY'S FIRE. See TANTONY'S FIRE.
ANTLER [anflur], sb. Hunting. A branch or point growing
out of the beam of a stag's horn. Bow (q. v.}, bay, and tray are
each of them an antler. We talk of a fine head, or fine pair of
horns ; but never of fine antlers.
A warrantable stag has bow, bay, and tray antlers, and two on top of each
horn. A male calf has no horn, a brocket only knobblers, and small brow
antlers. — Records of North Devon Staghounds, 1812-18, p. 9.
I remember seeing a deer, when set up by hounds, thrust his brovf-an/ffr
through the hand of a man who attempted to secure him. — Collyns, Chase of the
Wild Red Deer, p. 67.
ANY-BODY [un'ee bau'dee], imp.pron. One. See W. Somerset
Grammar, pp. 38, 39.
\_Uwee bau-dee keod-n voo'urd-u due ut, neef dhai diid-n due ut
nai'tuymz, keod ur?], one could not afford to do it, if one did not
do it night times (g. v.), could they? The construction is nearly
always plural.
APERN [uup'urn], sb: i. Apron; always so pronounced.
A buttrice and pincers, a hammer and naile,
An aperne and sitzers for head and for taile. — Tusser, 17/4.
2. The skin between the breast-bone and the tail of a duck or
goose when sent to table, is called the apern. This apron is cut
by carvers to get at the seasoning.
APPLE-DRANE [aa-pl drae-un], sb. A wasp. Common, but
not so much used as wapsy.
28
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
APPLE-PUMMY [aa-pl puunree], sb. (Always.) The residuum
of ground apples after all the cider has been extracted. While full
of juice and in process of cider making, the ground apples are
simply pummy (pomme).
I've a-drawd a load o' apple-pummy up in the copse, I reckon
they (the pheasants) '11 zoon vind it out. See CIDER-MUCK.
APPLE-SHRUB [aa-pl-shruub], sb. The Weigelia Rosea, no
doubt so called from the likeness of its flowers to apple-blossom.
The plant has soon become naturalized, for Dr. Prior says it was
only introduced from China in 1855. It is now one of our
commonest flowering shrubs.
APROPOS [aa-breepoa-z, haa'breepoa'z], v. defective. Re-
sembles, matches.
[Dhik'ee dhae'ur aa~breepoa*z muyn nuzaak'lee,] that one
resembles, or matches, mine exactly. I heard this spoken of a
canary. By no means uncommon.
APSE [aaps], sb. Abscess, tumcur.
Her 've a got a apse 'pon her neck. This no doubt is an
ignorant way of pronouncing abscess, which sounds so very like
aapsez, and we all know that to be plural of apse. Inasmuch then
as only one thing is referred to, we country-folks naturally drop
the plural inflection.
APSE TREE [aaps tree]. Aspen tree. (Populus tremula.}
The wind Ve a blowed down a girt limb o' thick apse tree. —
Oct. 1 88 1. Here is a good example of corruption by the literary
dialect, while the much-abused Hodge has retained the true form.
Ang. Sax. sEpse, adj.
poplar. — Bosworth.
Tremulous. Apse, m. An aspen tree, a species of
APURT [upuurt], adv. In a sulky, disagreeable manner; frown-
ingly. Her tookt her zel off proper apurt, and no mistake.
ARBALE [aa'rbae'ul]. Populus alba. The only name. This
tree, by no means rare in parks, &c., is often called by more educated
people Abelia poplar. The wood is well known, and always called
arbale by the country joiners.
ARBOR [aa'rbur], n. The shaft, spindle, or axle of a wheel or
pulley. The word is not applied to a " pin " on which a pulley
or wheel runs loosely, but an arbor is always fixed to it, so as to
revolve with the wheel, and is of one solid piece. See GUDGEON.
ARBOURAGE. See HARBOURAGE.
ARB-RABBITS [aarb rab'uts], sb. Wild geranium.
We calls em sparrow birds, but the proper name's arb rabbits. — •
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 29
May 26, 1884. — S. R. This of course is arb-rabert — Herb-Robert
( Geranium Robcrtianuni).
ARBS [aarbz], sb. The general term for all kinds of " simples "
or medicinal herbs.
Her's ter'ble bad in her inside ; her can't make no use o*
nothin' ; I've a-b\voiled down some arbs and a-gid her, and I've
a-bin to Dr. vor her, but her idn no better, and her can't sar
(earn) nort, and however we be gwain vor to maaintain her, I can't
think nor slid.
This herb is under the dominion of Venus. It is esteemed an excellent
remedy for the stone. — Culpeper, Herbal, p. 204.
ARCHANGEL [aarkan-jee-ul], sb. The yellow nettle, often
called weazel snout. Gerard (Herbal, p. 702) calls the "yellow
archangel," lamium luteum.
Our English archangels and a few others are yellow.
Cornhill Mag., Jan. 1882.
ARCH [aarch], v. t. To make or cause to be convex.
Thick there road must be ^.-arched a good bit more eet, vore the
water'll urn off vitty like. Hence —
ARCHING [aarcheen], adj. Convex.
He idn archin enough by ever so much.
ARG [aarg], v. i. To argue, to contend in words. Not so
common as downarg (q. v.}.
He wanted vor \.'arg how I'adn agot no right vor to go there,
but I wadn gwain vor to be a downarg by he.
ARGIFY [aa-rgifuy], v. i. To argue, to dispute.
[Tuurubl fuul'ur t-aa'rgifny , ee oa-n niivur gee ee'n,] terrible
fellow for arguing, he will never give in. More frequentative than
arg.
ARM [aarm], v. t. To conduct another by walking arm-in-arm.
" Zo your Jim's gwain to have th' old Ropy's maid arter all." " No,
he idn." "Oh, idn er? well, I zeed-n a-armin o' her about, once,
my own zul, last Zunday night as ever was."
ARM [aa'rm], sb. i. Axle. The iron upon which the wheel
of any carriage actually turns.
[Dhu weel km oaf, un dh-aa-rm oa un wuz u-broa'kt rait oaf,]
the wheel came off, and its axle was broken right off. See AXLE-
CASE.
2. The spoke or radius of any large wheel, such as a water-wheel,
or the fly-wheel of a steam-engine. Also the beam of a windmill
to which the sail is fixed. The entire motive power of a windmill
30 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
• — i. e. each of its four great beams, with all the apparatus fixed to it —
is called the arm.
ARM-WRIST [aarm-riis], sb. Wrist. He tookt hoM o' my
arm-wrist. Wrist is scarcely ever heard alone ; it seems only to
be considered as a part of the arm or hand, and is spoken of
always in combination with one or the other — hand-wrist (q. v.)
being the most common.
The leaves and roots .... tied to the wrestes of the armes, take away fits.
Gerard, Herbal, p. 428.
ARRANT [aa'runt], sb. Errand. In the plural it is often
applied to the articles bought at market. I heard a woman com-
plain of some boys :
[Tu au'lur aa'dr un'ee bau'dee ee'ns dhai bee gwai'n au'm wai
dhur aa-runs, taez shee'umfeol !] to hollow after (i.e. to mock) one,
as one is going home, with one's maiketing, 'tis shameful !
ARREST [aarus], sb. Harvest (always).
[Aay shaan ae*u noa'un vur pae'urt wai voar aadr aarus^\ I
shall not have any to part with until after harvest.
How dedst thee stertlee upon the zess last barest wey the young Dick Vrogwill.
Ex. Scold. 1. 32.
ARRISH [uureesh], sb. A stubble of any kind after the crop is
gone. Parley-tfrw//, wheat-arris/i, c\Q\er-arrish.
Purty arternoon farmer, sure 'nough — why, he 'ant a ploughed
his arrishes not eet. The term is understood as applying to the
field or enclosure having the stubble in it — not to the stubble itself.
Auctioneers and other genteel people usually write this eddish.
ARRISH-MOW [aareesh, uureesh muw], sb. A small rick of
corn set up on the field where the crop grew. In a showery harvest
the plan is often adopted of making a number of small stacks on
the spot, so that the imperfectly dried corn may not be in sufficient
bulk to cause heating, while at the same time the air may circulate
and improve the condition of the grain. Called also wind-mow.
ARRISH-RAKE [uureesh rae'uk], sb. A large rake used for
gathering up the loose stalks of corn after the sheaves are carried
off.
ARS. See Ass.
ARSY-VARSY [aa'rsee-vaa'rsee], adj. Upside down, bottom
upwards. Hon I com'd along, there was th' old cart a-turned
arsy-varsy right into the ditch, an' the poor old mare right 'pon her
back way her legs up'n in — /. e. up on end.
Turfe. Passion of me, was ever a man thus crossed ? all things rim arsie
varsif, upside down. — Ben Jonson, Tale of a Titb, III. i.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 31
Stand to 't, quoth she, or yield to mercy,
It is not fighting arsie-versie
Shall serve thy turn.
Hudibras, I. cant. iii. 1. 827.
ARTER-MATH [aartur-maath, aa'dr-maath], sb. See AFTER
GRASS.
ARTICLE \emph, haartikul], sb. Term of contempt for an
inferior or worthless person or thing — more commonly the latter.
Of a bad tool a man would say : [Dhiish yuurz u pur 'tee haartikul
shoa-ur nuuf,] this is a pretty article sure enough.
ARTIFICIAL [haartifee'shl], sb. Chemical or prepared manures
of all kinds. Tidn a bit same's use to, way farmerin, they be come
now vor to use such a sight o' this here hartificial. Darn'd if I
don't think the ground's a-pwoisoned way ut. We never didn hear
nort about no cattle [plaayg] plague nor neet no " voot-an-mouth "
avore they brought over such a lot o' this here hartificial, [Goa'an'ur]
Guano or hot ee caal ut.
AS [z-, s-], conj. Constantly employed in connection with though.
[S-au'fj = as though (not as if.) See OFF. Also frequently after
same in the construction of similes, beginning with same as.
He dont look s'off he bin a-cleaned out's years. — Nov. 9, 1883.
Same's the crow zaid by the heap o' toads, All of a sort. Same's
the fuller zaid.
' As is often redundant. He promised to do un as to-morrow.
Sometimes, however, this use is but a contraction for " as may be "
— it is thus very common in narration. More-n a month agone
her zaid her'd sure to come as a Friday. Calling to see two very
old servants, and a woman living with them, who has been bed-
ridden for many years, the wife said to me : You zee, sir, tis like
as this here, — her idn able vor to do nothin vor herzel, and her
'ant a-got a varden comin in like, no more-n what the parish 'lowth
her, and any little thing like do come very septable like, I sure 'ee,
sir.— July i, 1886.
As is never used twice, in the way it has become usual in
the literary dialect — e.g. as much as, as wide as, &c., we always say
so much as, so wide as, &c. Even in the sentence, " As he fell, so
he lied," we should say, [Eens u vaald, zoa u luyd]. " Quite as
well," "as well" (=also), "as yet," would be [/us su wuul—su
wuul — zoa vaar voofuth,~] so far forth (i. e. as yet).
ASHEN [aa-rshn], adj. Made of ash. [Su geod u acrrs'.n
tae'ubl z uvur yue zeed,] as good an ash table as you ever saw.
So wadly, that lik was he to byholde
The boxtre, or the asschen deed and colde.
Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 1. 1303.
32 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ASHEN-FAGGOT [aa-rshn faak'ut], sb. The large faggot which
is always made of ash to burn at the merry-making on Christmas
Eve — both Old and New. We know nothing of a yule-log in the
West. It is from the carouse over the ashen-faggot that farmers
with their men and guests go out to wassail (q. v.) the apple trees
on Old Christmas Eve (Jan. 5). Why ash is de rigueur I have
never been able to find out, but the custom of burning that wood
is probably as old as Saxon times. The faggot is always specially
made with a number of the ordinary halse binds, or hazel withes,
and in many cases, if large, it is bound with chains as well, to
prevent its falling to pieces when the binds are burnt through. It
is usual to call for fresh drink at the bursting of each of the withes.
ASH WE ED. See WHITE ASH.
ASKER [aas'kur, vulgarly aak'sur], sb. A refined term for a
beggar. A respectable servant-girl in reply to her mistress, who
had inquired what the girl's young man did for his living, said :
Please-m he's a.-asker, and tis a very good trade indeed-m.
ASLEN [uslaen*, uslun-], adv. Aslant, athwart ; usually slanting
across in a horizontal or diagonal direction.
[Au'kurd vee'ul vur tu pluwee een, aay shud wuurk-n rai't
i/shirr,~] awkward field to plough in ; I should work it right across
diagonally. This word would not often be used to express a slant
from the perpendicular, though occasionally it is heard in this
sense. Thick post is all aslen — /'. e. not upright. This expression
might also mean not fixed square.
ASS [aa's], sb. The seat, the buttocks, the back part of the
person ; hence the hinder-part of anything.
[Puufn uup pun dh-aas u dhu wageen,] put it up on the back
part of the wagon. The ass of the sull. The ass of the water-
wheel. The ass of the barn's doer. Occasionally the anus is so
called, but in such cases either the context or some qualifying
word points the meaning.
This word is usually written arse (A.S. sers), but no sound of r is
ever heard except in arsy-varsy, which is a mere alliteration. There
are many combinations, especially used as expletive terms of abuse.
These again are turned into adjectives by the addition of ed [ud] :
nackle-ass, nackle-assed ; dugged ass, (lugged assed ; heavy ass, heavy -
assed.
Ars, or arce (aars H.) anus; culus, podex. — Promp. Parv.
Jut am ich chalenged in chapitele hous • as ich a childe were,
And baleysed on J>e bar ers ' and no breche bytwyne.
Piers Pltnvman, vii. 1. 156.
Here is William Geffery, evidently a lunatic,
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 33
whypped at a cart's arsse from the Marshallse in Suthewarke to Bethelem
with out Bishoppys gatte of London, for that he belevyd one John More to
be Christ, the Savyour of the worlde. — "Three fifteenth century Chronicles, by
John Stowe, the Antiquary. Edited by James Gardner, Camden Society, 1880."
— From Athauntm, A p. 16, 1881, p. 519.
If sheepe or thy lambe fall a wrigling with taile,
Go by and by search it, whiles helpe may preuaile :
That barberlie handled I dare thee assure,
Cast dust in his arse, thou hast finisht thy cure. — Tusser, 51/4.
ASS OVER HEAD [aa-s oa-vur ai'd], phr. Head over heels,
topsy-turvy. This is the usual expression used to describe a
headlong fall. A timid old workman said of a rickety scaffold :
I baint gwain up pon thick there till-trap vor to tread pon
nothin, and vail down ass over head.
" What's the matter William ? " " Brokt my arm, sir. Up loadin
hay, and the darned old mare, that ever I should zay so, muv'd
on, and down I vails ass over head"
ASS-SMART [aa 'smart], sb. Water-pepper — Polygonum Hydro-
piper:
the herbe which the herbaries name Parsicarium, englishe men cal Arssmerte.
Turner, p. 31.
ASTRADDLE [astrad'l, or ustrad'l], a. Astride.
[Neef aay diid-n zee ur ruydeen dh-oal airs aup ustrad'l, sae'um-z
u guurt bwuuy,] if I did not see her riding the old horse up astride,
like a great boy.
AT [aa't]. [Yuur-z aa-t ut,] here's at it ; a very common expres-
sion on beginning or resuming work. [Aa-1 bee aa't ut, fuus dhing
maa'ru mau'rneen], I will be at it, first thing to-morrow morning.
ATE [ait], v. Eat (always) ; /. /. [ait,] /. /. [u-ait].
[Taunree, doa'unt yue ait dhai buureez!], Tommy, don't you
eat those berries ! There now ! he have [u-aif] em arter all !
They was all a ate an a brokt, eens they wadn a wo'th nort. —
Jan. 28, 1882.
ATH [aeth], sb. Earth, soil, the earth.
[Droa u lee'dl aeth- oa'vur-t,] throw a little soil upon it. [Noa
soa-1 pun aeth- keod-n due ut], no soul upon earth could do it.
ATHIN [udhee-n], prep. Within. I zeed where the shots went
to : they wadn athin dree voot o' the hare. Not used as an adverb.
ATHOUT [udhaewt], conj. Without, unless. Not used as an
adverb. I on't come, athout you'll come too.
ATHURT [udhuurt], adv. Across, athwart.
[Ee vaa-lud rai't udhuurt dhu aj1,] he (the tree) fell right across
D
34 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
the hedge. [Dhu pees u klaa'th wuz u-kuut rai't udhuur t-\\
ukraa's,] the piece of cloth was cut right athurt and across. The
pleonasm here used, which is perhaps the commonest form, adds
no strength to the expression.
Ad; nif es come athert en, chell gee en a lick. — Ex. Scold. 1. 512.
ATOMIES [aafumeez], sb. Old hacks, worn-out, wretched
creatures. A native of Torcross spoke derisively of the caravan-
folk who came to the regatta " as a passel of old atomies" — Aug.
1882. I. F. C. Sea Trans. Devon Association 1883, p. 80.
Hostess. Thou atomy thou ! — //. Henry IV. V. iv.
That eyes — that are the frail'st and softest things,
Who shut their coward gates on atomies. — As You Like It, III. v.
ATTACTKED [utaak'tud], /. t. and /. part, of attack. (Very
com.) Used by the uneducated above the lowest class, such as
small tradespeople.
If you plaise, sir, I must ax you vor to keep thick dog a-tied up ;
he attackted me wilful, gwain on the road — /. e. in a savage manner
as I was going along the road (past your house).
ATWIST [uteos', utwuV], adv. Crooked, awry, out of place ;
also of threads, tangled, confused. Thick there bisgy stick's a
put in all atwist — id'n no form nor farshin in un.
ATWIXT [utwik-s], prep. Between. Didn Jimmy Zalter look
purty then, way the darbies on, atwixt two policemen ?
Fro thennes shall not oon on lyve come,
For al the gold atwixen sonne and see.
Chaucer, Troylus and Cryseyde, 1. 885. See Ib. Rom. of Rose, 1. 854.
AUDACIOUS. See OUDACIOUS.
AUF [au-f, oa-f], v. def. Ought.
[Uur nuVur diid-n air/ tue u-wai'nt,] she never ought to have
gone. [Bee'ul ! dhee-s au-/t-u noa'ud bad'r,] Bill ! thou oughtest
to have known better. (Lit. Thee didst ought.)
A UGH [u uir], adv. Crooked, awry, out of place. (Very com.)
Why, thee's a got the rick all a-ugh ; he'll turn over nif dus-n put a
paust to un.
AUNT [aant], sb. Used in speaking of any elderly woman,
without implying any relationship, or other quality, just as "mother"
is used in London and elsewhere. See UNCLE.
Poor old aunt Jenny Baker's a tookt bad ; they zess her ont
never get up no more.
And, for an old aunt whom the Greeks held captive,
He brought a Grecian queen, whose youth and freshness
Wrinkles Apollo. — Troilns ana Ctessida, II. ii.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 35
Vor than aunt Annis Moreman could ha blessed vore. — Ex. Scold. 1. 25.
AUVER [au'vur]. Var. pron. of over ; heard sometimes, but
commoner, in E. Som. See OVER, and compounds.
AUVIS [au-vees], adv. Always. (Very com.)
I auvis zay so, and I auvis shall.
AVER. See EAVER.
AVORD [uvoa-urd], v. To afford (always thus). An old
gentleman reputed to be wealthy and miserly, on a bitterly cold
day, in answer to an inquiry why he had no great-coat, said to me :
[Kaan uvoa'urd u wae'ur tue koa-uts tu wauns,] (I) cannot afford
to wear two coats at once.
AVORE [uvoa'ur]. i. prep. In front of; before. Billy, don't
you go avore the osses. A little knot of flowers avore the house.
2. adv. Before ; in respect of inclination, rather than. Avore
I'd be beholdin to he, I'd work my vingers to bones, and that I
wid. Used also as in literature for before. (See Ex. Scold. 11. 14,
29, 73» Io8> I22> 29T-)
3. conj. and prep. Until. Us can wait avore you be ready,
sir. — Feb. 12, 1879. [Uur oan lat-n uloa'un uvoa'ur ee-z u-broakt],
she will not leave it alone until it is broken.
Th'art always a vustled up avore zich times as Neekle Halse
comath about.— Ex. Scold. 1. 108. (See also U. 1. 261.)
4. adv. In the front place. Captain's the best oss to go
avore.
AVORE-HAND [uvoa'ran1], adv. Beforehand. Mind you get
em in readiness avore-hand. To be uvoa'ran'z, avore-hands, //. to
out-wit. [Aay wuz uvoa'ran'z wai un, vur au'l u wuz zu kliivur,]
I out-witted him (or got the better of him), notwithstanding that
he was so clever.
AWKARD [a-rkurd], adj. (Very com.) Difficult ; not easily
overcome. A awkard cornder. I sure you, mum, 'twas a terble
awkard job, and I widn do it ageean vor no such money.
Gwain to leather our Jim, is er? well, let-n look sharp and
begin ; nif he don't vind Jim a awkard customer vor to 'an'le
(handle), you tell me, that's all.
AX [aa'ks], v. To ask ; to publish banns. Pret. aa'ks, p.p.
u-aa-ks. We always say, [Aay aa'ks yur paardn] — never, I beg
your pardon.
Her's gwain to be a-ax next Zunday — /. e. her banns will be
published.
and herefore we axen cure owen dampnacion in J>is priere.
Wyclif, En*. Works, E. E. T. S. p. 170.
D 2
36 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
and here-bi ]>ei axen here owen dampnacion. — Ibid. p. 176.
And schewed her signes • ffor men shulde drede,
To axe ony mendis ' ffor her mys-dedis.
Langland, Rich, the Red. ii. 34.
AX OUT, or OUT-AX [aewt-aa-ks], v. To completely publish
the banns. [Dhai wuz aakst aewt laa*s Zmvdee,] their banns were
published for the third time last Sunday. See OUT-AX.
AXEN [aak'sn]. Ashes. I have found one old man in the
parish of Clayhidon who still uses this word, but it is very nearly
obsolete. — Aug. 1880. See ASH, New Eng. Diet.
AYE [aa'y]. Yes (affirmatively) ; indeed ? (interrogatively).
AYERLY [ae'urlee], adv. Early (always).
How be off vor aycrly taties ? {Ae'urlee~\ birds catch the worms.
AYTHER, or AITHER [ai-dhur], adj. and conj. Either.
Quite distinct from either, in the phr. either one = ever-a-one [udhu'ur
waun]. The commonest form of conj. is aitherways (q. v.).
Aither you was there, or you wad-n. I be safe 'twas aither her
or her zister.
Within the halle, sette on ayther side,
Sitten other gentylmen, as falle that tyde.
Boke of Curtasye, 1. 21.
AZUE [uzeo'), adv. A cow before calving, when her milk is
dried off, is said to be azue, or to have gone zue.
Th' old Daisy's a go zue, but her ont calvy eet's zix wicks.
Thee hast let the kee go zoo vor want o' strocking. — Ex. Scold. 1. no.
B
B. [bee]. The common description of a dolt or ignoramus is,
[Ee doa'noa B vrum u Beolz veot,] he does not know B from a
bull's foot. The expression "B from a battledore," as given in
Nares and Halliwell, is a literary colloquialism not known to us in
the West.
I know not an] a. from the wynde-mylne, ne a b. from a bole-foot. — Political
Poems, vol. ii. p. 57. A.D. 1401.
BACK [baak-], v. To bet.
They on't never do it for the money, I'll back. [Aa'l baak dhai
baeom aum vore twuulv u-klauk u nait,] I'll bet they will not be at
home before twelve o'clock at ni^ht.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 37
BACK [baak], v. t. and /. Hunting. When the deer or other
quarry turns and runs back over the same track he has gone over.
If a deer has gone to water shortly after passing through a wood, it not
unfrequently happens that the cunning animal has merely soiled when he entered
the stream, and then backed it on his foil, and laid fast in the covert. — Collyns,
Chase of the Wild Red Deer, p. 137.
BACK ALONG [baa'k lau'ng], adv. Homewards.
[Kum au*n, Jiim ! lat-s zee baewt gwai'n baa'k lau'ng^ come
on, Jim ! let us see about going homewards. [Aew laung uvoa'r
yue bee gwai'n baa'k ulau'ng?], how long before you are going
homewards ? See ALONG 2.
BACK AND FORE [baak'-n voa'ur], adv. Backwards, hind-part
foremost.
[Waut bee baewt? Kas-n puut aun dhee jaa'kut baak'-n voa'ur,~\
what are you about? (Thou) canst not put on thy jacket back-
wards. [Foo'us tu shuut-n een baak'-n voa'ur,'] obliged to put
him (the horse) in (to the railway truck) hind-part foremost. See
SHUT; also Trans. Dev. Association, 1886, p. 91.
BACK AND FORE SULL [baak-n voa'r zoo-ul], sb. A plough
made to turn a furrow at will either to the right or left ; same as
a two-way sull (q. ?'.), called also a vore and back sull.
BACK-CHAIN [baak-charn, or chaa'yn], sb. A short chain, of
which the middle part is made of flat twisted links, used to bear
on the back of a horse to support the shafts of a cart. The back-
chain is no part of the harness, but is always fixed at one end, to
the 0^~or right shaft. See CART-SADDLE.
BACK-CROOK [baak-kreok], sb. A crook sliding upon a rod
of iron, fixed to the near, or left, shaft of a cart. It is to this crook
that the back-chain is hooked on, when it has been passed across
the cart-saddle.
BACK-DOOR TROT [baak-doo-ur-traat]. Diarrhoea.
I be saafe, nif I was vor ate very many o' they there, twid zoon
gie me the back-door trot.
BACKER [baak'tir], adj. Rear. Not used as a comparative
any more than hinder, but cf. Lit. inner, outer, utter, former, under,
over, all comparatives in origin. Back-part of Lit. Eng. is identical
in meaning with backer-part of the dialect. Never used as an adv.
1 know I zeed-n down in under the jib, there in the backer-zifa
o' the cellar, s'now (dost thou know). The backer end o' thick
there field's mortal rough, sure 'nough. Tord the backer part o'the
wagin limbless.
BACKLET [baak-lut], sb. The back premises of a house; the
backdoor exit. [Dhai-v u-roa'uzd mee rarnt tu vaa'wur paewn a
38 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
yuur, vur dhee'uz yuur aewz, un dhur ed-n noa gyurdn nur neet
u beet uv u baak-lut,~\ they have raised my rent to four pounds a
year for this house, and there is no garden, and not any back-door,
or back premises. Good backlet, is often seen in advertisements
of houses to let.
BACK-STREAM [baak-streem], sb. Tech. To every water-
mill there is necessarily a back stream, which is the channel leading
from the weir, to carry off the surplus water. The leat and the
back stream are as indispenable as the waterwheel itself.
BACK-SUNDED [baak'zundud], adj. Facing the north ; land
sloping towards the north is said to be baak-zundud. Cold back-
zunded field o' ground, is a very common description. Thick 'ouse
is back-zunded, he ont suit me in no price.
BACON-PIG [bae'ukn-paig]. A fat pig of a size fit to make
bacon, as distinguished from a porker. In chaffering for a pig, it
is common to say, [wai, u zaak u baa'rlee mae'ul ul mak u bae-ukn-
paig oa un,] why, a sack of barley meal will make a bacon-pig of
him.
Trade in mutton and lamb was slow at "]\d to 8d per Ib. Pigs in moderate
supply, — bacon-pigs, gj. 6d. to 9^. <)d. per score ; porkers, icu. to lew. 6d. —
Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 19, 1 886.
BACON-RACK [bae'ukn raak], sb. A large frame suspended
horizontally, under the beams in most farm house kitchens, and in
a great many cottages, upon which is placed the sides of bacon
as soon as they are taken from the salt ; here the bacon dries, and
is kept safely from rats and cats.
BACON-SETTLE [bae-ukn safl]. See SETTLE.
BAD [bae'ud], adj. This term as applied to a man (it is
scarcely ever applied to a woman), is generally understood to be
limited to one who ill-uses his wife, and includes idleness and
profligacy, but it would not be used to designate a foul-mouthed
man. See WICKEDNESS. [Ee-z u bae'ud luy u-baewt fuul'ur, ee
doa'n aa'rlee kaar uur au'm noa'urt,] he is a profligate, drunken
fellow, he scarcely carries her (his wife) home anything — /'. e. of his
wages. A shocking bad fellow would mean always, a drunken
profligate.
2. Sick, ill. I bin that bad, I 'ant a-sard zixpence, is dree weeks.
BAD-ABED [bae'ud ubard]. i. phr. So ill as to be confined
to bed. Plaise mum, father's bad-abed, and mother zen n:e up
vor t' ax o' ee, vor to be so kind's to gee un a drap o' spurit.
BAD DISORDER [baenid deezau'rdur]. Lues venerea ; always
spoken of by this name, unless by a coarser one.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 39
BAD-OFF-LIKE [bae'ud oa-f luyk], a. Badly off, needy.
[Poo-ur dhing, uurz u-laf' tuurubl bae'ud oaf luyk,'] poor thing, she
is left very badly off.
BAD-PLACE [bae'ud plae'us]. Hell. Mothers tell their
children, [Neef yue bae'un u geo'd maa'yd-n zai yur praayurz-n
keep yur chuurch, yue ul geo tu dhu bae'ud plaeus,~\ if you are
not a good girl, and say your prayers and keep your church, you
will go to the bad-place.
BAD WAY [bae'ud wai], phr. i. Ill ; past recovery.
Thank ee, sir, her idn a bit better ; I be ter'ble afeard her's in a
bad way — /. e. that she will die.
2. Going to the bad in several senses.
[Neef ee' doan au'ltur uz an, ee ul zeon bee een u bae'nd wai, un liz
trae'ud oan bee u waeth u vaardn,] if he does not change his course
(alter his hand), he will soon go to the bad altogether, and his
trade will not be worth a farthing.
BAG [baig], sb. i. A customary measure of both quantity and
weight. Ordinarily, a bag is a sack made to hold three bushels ;
but potatoes, apples, turnips, and, in some local markets, corn, are
always sold by the bag ; and for each article, not otherwise specially
contracted for, the bag is by local usage understood to be a certain
fixed weight : thus, a bag of apples or turnips is always six score =
120 Ibs., while of potatoes it is always eight score = 160 Ibs.
Hence various-sized baskets, made to hold certain quantities,
are called "half-bag maun," "quarter-bag-basket," "40 or 5olb.
basket " = about one bushel ; " aolb. basket" = £ of a bag. The
bag of corn of different kinds varies in different markets, and as
a grain measure is obsolescent in most places. The bushel of
64lbs. wheat, 481bs. barley, 4olbs. oats, is now the usual integer.
See SACK.
2. The scrotum of any domestic animal.
3. The womb ; also very commonly the udder.
4. The bucolic rendering of the slang figurative sack.
[Zoa ee-v u gaut dhu baig, aagn ur?], so he has got the sack,
has he not ? — /. e. been discharged from his situation or work.
BAG [bag], v. To crib, to cabbage, to seize, to claim. Used
rather in a jocular sense, and not intended to convey the full force
of to steal. [Ee bagd aul dhur dhingz-n uyd um uwai',] he cribbed
all their things and hid them away. In games it is usual to cry
out : Bags I fust go ! Bags I thick, &c. See BOARD.
BAGONET [bag-unut], sb. A bayonet.
40 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Airl dhu soa'ujurz-d u-gaut dhur muus'kuts wai dhu bag'unuts
u-fik-s,] all the soldiers had their muskets with their bayonets fixed.
Tha saujers wis all awmin cal'd up be night,
Way thare bagganit guns, vur ta zee aul wis rite.
Nathan Hogg, ''Bout the Rieting, P. i.
BAILIE [bae-ulee], sb. Bailiff (always).
Who's the bailie to the County Court, now th' old 's dead ?
The sheriffs officer is always the bum-bailie. So we have market-
bailies, water-bailies, &c. (See Ex. Scold. 1. 170.)
for a bayli, stivvard & riche men of lawe schullen haue festis
and robis and mynystralis, rich cloj>is and huge jiftis.
Wyclif, Eng. Works, E. E. T. S. p. 129. (See Promp. Parv. p. 22.)
1 De par dieux* quod this yeoman, leve broker,
Thou art a baili, and I am another. — Chaucer, Frere's Tale, 1. 131.
Bayly, an officer — baillif, s. m. — Palsgrave.
Bailli, m. A Bayliff (but of much more authority than ours), a magistrate
appointed within a province. — Cotgrave.
BAIT [bauyt], v. To feed on a journey.
[Dhee kns staa'p-m bauyt s-noa tu Raas-n bee Dhangk'feol,]
thou canst stop and ba:t, thou dost know, at (the) Rest and be
Thankful (name of a well-known public-house).
BAIT [bauyt], sb. A lure, a meal or refreshment ; also any
business — a job.
[Aay-v u-gut u puurdee bauyt yuur, aa-n ees ?] I have a pretty
job here, have I not ? This word is invariably pronounced as here
given, and so it was in the fifteenth century — bait would not be
understood by many ; so weight is always wauyt.
Ees, fyschys mete on a hoke (or boyght for fisshes, P.). Esca, escarium.
Promp. Parv. p. 143.
BAKING [bae'ukeen], sb. i. The quantity of dough kneaded
and baked at one time ; the batch.
So good a bakin as ever I put in the oven.
Bakynge (or bahche, K.). Pistura. — Promp. Parv.
2. A family dinner sent to the bakehouse.
[Aay-d u-guut u oa'vm-veol u bae'ukeenz tue, haun dhu kraewn
oa un vaa'ld een,] I had an oven full of family dinners, too, when
the crown of it fell in.
BALD-FACED [baal fae'usud, baul fae'usud], adj. Description
of a man without beard or whiskers — like the Chinese.
You know un well 'nough, but I can't mind hot's a-called ; baald-
faced, pock-vurden old feller.
BALD-HEADED [baul-ardud], adj. Bald.
Poo'ur oa'l blid ! ee-z su baul ai'dud-z u blad'ur u laud,] poor
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 41
old blood ! he is as bald as a bladder of lard. A person is never
described as bald; always bald-headed.
BALK [batrk], i. sb. Tech. A squared, unsawn log of yellow
pine timber of a particular kind. Constantly applied to an imported
log of any kind of fir-wood, but not alone -or without qualification —
such as a balk of Memel, balk of Dantzic, balk of timber (the latter
meaning fir of any kind) ; but " a piece of balk " is understood
as above. A carpenter said to me of a piece of board I gave him
for a purpose : Tis murder to use such stuff as that ; this here balk
is gettin ter'ble scarce, tis 'most so dear's mahogany.
2. Joists, beams of a house.
To climben by the ranges and the stalkes ;
Unto the tubbes, hanging in the balkes.
.Chaucer, Millers Tale, 1. 439.
Balke in a howse. Trabs. — Promp. Parv.
Balke of an house, pouste. — Palsgrave.
BALL [bau-1], sb. A knoll, a rounded hill ; as " Cloutsham ball"
I know many fields in different parishes called "the ball" — all are
hilly and rounded.
Up to Thunder Ball — over N. Molton Common to Twitching Ball Corner —
crossed over into Ball Neck. — Rec. N. Dev. StaghounJs, p. 69.
Met at Bray Ball — Ib. p. 72.
BALL [bavrl], v. and sb. To track a footprint ; spoken only of
a fox. [Aay bau-ld u fauks dai-maurneen aup-m Naa'pee-Kloaz,]
I saw the track of a fox this morning up in Knappy Close. See
SLOT, PRICK.
BALL [bavrl]. A favourite sign for public-houses ; hence in the
immediate neighbourhood of Wellington we have several hamlets
taking their names from the public-house, while in one case the inn
has long ceased to exits — as White-&7//, Blue-^a// (2), Red-<fo// (2).
The White-&z// Tunnel is well known on the G. W. Railway.
BALLARD [baal'urd], sb. A castrate ram. See STAG.
BALLET [baal'ut], sb. Ballad (always). Song — such as are
sung at fairs — generally comic, sometimes obscene.
"The true old form, nearly." — Skeat.
" They . . . took a slight occasion to chase Archilochus out of their city,
perhaps for composing in a higher straine then their owne souldierly ballats and
roundels could reach to. — Milton, Areopagitica, ed. Hales, p. 8.
BALLOT [baa'lut 0r buTut], sb. Bundle, package.
BALLYRAG [baaHrag-], v. To scold, to abuse.
[Uur baal-irag-n. lig u pik'pau'gut,] she abused him like a
pickpocket. (Very common expression.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BAME [bae'um]. Balm. Melissa officinalis (always).
)>e o<5er reisun is ]>et hwo J>et here a deorewuriSe licur, o$er a deorewur&e wete,
as is bame, in a feble uetles. — Ancren Riwle, p. 164.
Ac by myddel ]>er hongej) her : a costrel as )>ou mijt se
hwych ys ful of j>at batne cler : )>at precious ys and fre.
Sir ferumbraSf 1. 511-
Gerard spells it bawme.
JSaume, an herbe, bauslme. — Palsgrave,
BAME-TEA [bae'um tai']. The infusion of balm ; it is
thought to be a [fuyn dhing vur dh-ee'nfurmae'urshn,] fine thing
for inflammation.
BAMFOOZLE [baanrfeo-zl], v. To bamboozle, to play tricks
upon, to deceive.
[Doa'n yue lat-n baamfeo'zl ee,] dont you let him take you in.
BAN [ban ; often bae'un], v. To forbid, to prohibit.
[Ee ban un vrum gwai'n ee*n pun ee'z graewn,] he forbid him
from going in up his land. — October 1876. See FEND.
BANBURY. The fame of Banbury, of which Halliwell gives
several instances, is preserved in the old nursery rhyme :
Ride a cock horse
To Banbury cross,
To see a fine lady
Ride on a white horse.
BANDOG [ban'daug], sb. A yard-dog, a house-dog, whether
chained or not.
BANDY [ban-dee], adj. Having one or both legs bent inwards
at the knee, knock-kneed : the opposite of bow-legged. Used
alone ; not in conjunction with leg.
A bandy old fellow. See BOW-LEGGED, KNEE-NAPPED.
BANES [bae'uns]. i. sb. Ridges in land. See BENDS.
2. Banns of matrimony ; always pronounced as above ; appar-
ently a preservation of Mid. Eng. (See BANE in Promp. Parv.
and Cat. Ang. ; also under BANN in New Eng. Diet.}
Bane . . . also the banes of matrimony. — Cotgrave.
Es verly believe tha Banes will g'in next Zindey. — Ex. Scold. I. 455.
BANG [bang], i. sb. A cuff, a clout, a blow.
[Aa'l gi dhee u bang uun'dur dhu yuur,] I will give thee a cuff
under the ear. The usual word used in threats like the above.
2. A fib, a lie.
[Naew dhee-s u-toa'ld u bang, aay noa1,] now thou hast told a lie,
I know.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 43
BANGING [bang-een]. A very common expletive expressive
of size ; always used with guurt.
[U guurt bang-eeti raat,] a great banging (/'. <?. very large) rat.
BANKER [bang'kur]. i. sb. A kind of rough erection of
stones, or a bench upon which the stones for building are dressed
or nobbled. Is it possible that the term for a covering for a bench
may have been applied to the bench itself? Or can this be the
O. F. bane, a bench, with our West Country redundant er added ?
Cf. leggtr, toe-er, &c.
curiouste stondi)) in hallis, boj>e in making of ]>e housis, in doseris, baiuurs,
and cujshens, and mo veyn Jmigis J>an we kunnen rikene. — Wyclif, Works,
P- 434-
Banker. Sammarium, amphitaba. — Prom p. Parv.
See also Way*s note, Ib. p. 23.
Banqitier : m. . . . also a bench cloath, or a carpet fora form or bench.
Cotgrave.
2. A man whose business it is to hew rough stones into shape
fit for walling.
Tom 's the best banker ever I zeed in my life. — January 1876.
3. Rough boards nailed together like a small door ; used by
masons on a scaffold to hold their mortar, called elsewhere a
mortar-spot.
BANNIN [bae'uneen], sb. Anything to form a barrier, or
temporary fence. When a footpath crosses a field it is very
common to crook down branches of thorn, at intervals, on each
side of the path, to prevent people from straying from the track.
This is frequently called [puufeen daewn sm bae-uneen,~\ putting
down some bannin.
BAN T [bae'un(t]. Am not, are not. The invariable negative
of the verb to be, pres. tense, in the ist person sing., and ist, 2nd,
and 3rd pers. plur. See Grammar of W. Somerset, pp. 55, 56.
BAN-TWIVY TWIST [ban twiivee twus], adv. phr. (Very com.)
Askew, awry, out of truth. Same in meaning as scurry whiff.
[Kyaalth liz-zuul u weelruyt ! neef ee aan u-ang dhu wee'ul u dhu
wag'een aul Ian tun'ivee turns, jis dhu vuree sae'um-z u fud'lurz
uul'boa,] calls himself a wheelwright ! and if he has not hung the
wheel of the wagon all out of truth, just the very same as a fiddler's
elbow.
BAR [baa-r], v. i. Used only in the passive voice. To be
debarred, prevented.
[Ee wuz \\-baa-rd vrum gwai'n, kuz uv uz wuyv — uur wuz u-teokt
bae'ud jis dhoa-,] he was prevented from going, on account of his
wife — she was taken ill just then.
44 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BARE [baefur]. i. adj. Thin, lean, in low condition ; applied
to animals — bare-boned.
[Dhai bee'us bee tuurbl bae-ur,~] those beasts are very thin.
2, Plain, unadorned, meagrely furnished.
[Au'nkaunrun bae~ur kunsaa'rn,] uncommonly bare concern —
said of a shabby performance at a travelling circus.
BARERIDGED [bae'ur-uj'ud]. Applied to riding on horse-
back without saddle or covering to the horse's back.
Thee't never be able to ride vitty, avore canst stick on bare-ridged.
BAR-IRE [baar uyur], sb. Quite distinct from ire-bar. The
former is merchantable iron for smiths' use ; the latter is a crow-bar.
Sometimes one hears, Where's the bar-ire? — i.e. crow-bar; but
the demonstrative makes all the difference. In reply to a remon-
strance about his charges, a blacksmith said : Well, sir, 'tis a little
bit better now ; but I didn't charge no more vor shoein o'm when
bar-ire was more-n so dear again.
BARM [baa'rm], sb. The only name for yeast. A. S. beorma.
BARNACLES [baa-rniklz], sb. Spectacles.
BARNEY-GUN [baarni-guun], sb. Shingles. Herpes.
[They zes how tis the barney-gun, but I sure you I 'ant got no
paice way un (/'. e. my husband) day nor night, he's proper rampin
like.— July 1876. Mrs. R. .
Tho come to a Heartgun. Vorewey struck out and come to a Barngun.
Ex. Scold. 1. 557.
BARN-SIEVE [baarn zee'v], sb. Tech. A sieve of which the
bottom is made of plaited cane — used in winnowing.
BARN'S-DOOR [baa'rnz-dooair, or doa'ur], sb. (In the Hill
district the first form, oo'ur, in floor and door are heard ; in the Vale
the second, oa'ur). The door of the barn, generally made in two
parts, meeting and fastening in the middle, while one, and some-
times both of these parts are again divided, so that the upper half
may be opened while the under is kept shut. The only light in
a barn is usually that from the doors when open.
The possessive inflection is always retained — barn-door is never
heard.
The same occurs in many cases — e. g. pig's meat = hogwash ;
cart's tail, &c. A farmer's wife said to me: We never don't
drink the pump's water. — July gth, 1886.
A very common saying expressive of inconsistency is :
[Mud su wuul puut u braas nauk'ur pun a baam-z-doo'ur,'] (you)
may as well put a brass knocker on a barn-door. So we always say
barn' s-door fowls.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 45
BARN'S-FLOOR [baa-rnz vloo'ur], sb. The only name given
to the thrashing-floor. It is generally in the centre of the barn,
and on the same level as the sill of the barn' s-door, of which there
are always two, one at each end of the floor, /'. e. back and front
of the building. It is never made to cover the entire space within
the barn, but is only about ten feet in width, its length being the
width of the building. It is generally raised above the bays on each
side, and has a low wooden partition called the spirting-board, on
either side, to keep the corn upon the floor. It is made of elm
planks, two inches thick, while the rest of the barn is usually floored
with concrete, or beaten earth. The best barns are constructed so
as to drive a wagon loaded with corn in at one door along upon
theyftw, and when unloaded it passes out at the opposite door.
See ZESS, POOL.
BARN'S-FLOOR PLANK, or PLANCH [baa-rnz-vloo'ur
plansh], sb. A particular size of plank, which is usually two
inches thick and eleven inches wide ; it is of elm, on account of
its toughness.
The above is applied to the boards or planks severally ; when
spoken of collectively as material they are called planchin.
Thick there butt'll cut out some rare barn's-jioor planchin ; i. e.
flooring.
The same term is used for the wood-work of the floor : Plaise,
sir, the barn's-vloor's a-come to doin shocking bad; the planchin
o' un 's all a-ratted to [tich-eod,] touch-wood.
BARNY [baarnee], sb. An altercation, dispute, quarrel.
Of some quarrelsome neighbours, a man said : Twas a purty
barney way 'em sure 'nough ; and later on the same day of
another matter: I'll warnt there'll be a barney over thick job. —
Dec. 22, 1885.
BARREL [baa-ree-ul], sb. Applied to that part of the body of
a horse which is between the fore and hind legs ; the belly.
[Ee du mizh'ur wuul een dhu baa'ree-ul, ee kn kaa-r-z diin'ur
lau'ng wai un, ee- kan,] he measures well round the body, he can
carry his dinner along with him, he can. Very often I have heard
the above (verbatim) praise of a stout-bodied horse.
BARREN [baa-reen], adj. Of any animal not pregnant. It is
important to the grazier who buys the cow or heifer to be assured
as to her state. One invariable question put by the buyer of a cow
for grazing, before he completes the bargain, is :
[Wuol yue wau'rn ur baa- reen?\, will you warrant her barren?
A barren animal may have had any number of offspring.
BARRENER [baarinur], sb. A cow which has borne one or
46 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
more calves, but is not now in calf. The regular Tech. word.
fresh-barreners are constantly advertised for sale. See FRESH.
PRESENT ENTRIES :
I barrener, 2 prime fat heifers, 3 fat heifers, 8 very superior fat Devon heifers,
5 fat horn ewes, 10 fat hogs, 2 fat steers, 2 young barretters, Devon bull, Devon
barrener, three-years-old heifer, in calf; fresh barrener, cow and calf, Devon
yearling bull, 10 fat lambs, 10 fat horn ewes, I excellent shorthorn barrener. —
Som. Co. Gaz. Ap. I, 1882.
Four good young dairy cows in milk and in calf, I barrener in milk. — Advert,
in Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
BARREN-SPRING [baareea spring], sb. Water unfit for
irrigation — /. e. non-fertilizing.
[Ted-n geod vvau'dr, tez u baareen spring,~\ was said to me by a
tenant of a stream of water running near a farmyard. Though
clear and tasteless, cattle will not readily drink it ; they prefer the
foulest ditch water. Probably it is too cold for them.
BARRING [baa-reen], pres. part. Excepting, excluding.
[Aa'l bee dhae'er, baa-reen miisaa'ps,] I will be there, if not
prevented by accidents.
\_Baa'reen lats yue shl shoa'ur t-ab-m,] excepting unavoidable
hindrances occur, you shall (be) sure to have it. See LET.
BARROW-PIG [baa'ru paig]. A gelt pig (always). Never
heard alone, or otherwise than with pig. It could not be said,
" the pig is barrow " — it is always, " 'tis a barrow-pig."
BARTLE [Baar-tl], sb. St. Bartholomew. Bartlenias fair held
August 24th, called also Bathemy fair [baa'thumee].
BARTON [baa'rteen], sb. That part of the farm premises
which is specially enclosed for cattle ; very frequently called the
stroa bawrteen, because it is here that large quantities of straw are
strewed about to be eaten and trodden into manure. See COURT.
In this sense it is very common to reserve in leases the use of
bartons, linhays, &c., for certain periods after the expiration of the
term, for the consumption of the fodder which must not be sold
for removal.
And also at any time after the first day of September to enter the bartons and
stalls, and haul and carry away the dung, &c. — Lease from Author to a farmer,
dated Sept. 27, 1884.
The enclosure for corn and hay-stacks is called the maew-baar-teen.
See Mow.
The term barton is also applied to the entire farm and homestead,
but in this case it is only to the more important farms ; very often
it is the manor farm, or the principal holding in the parish, whether
occupied by the owner or not — generally not. In these cases the
farm, including the homestead, generally takes the name of the
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 47
parish preceding the barton, as Sampford Barton, Kittisford Barton,
Leigh Barton, Chevithorne Barton, &c.
BASE [bae-us, bee-us, bae'us mulk, bee'us miilk], sb. The first
milk from a cow immediately after calving. It is never used for
dairy purposes, but generally given to pigs. The word is used as
often without mulk as with it. "I've a stroked her down, for to
take off the base" See BiSKY-MiLK.
BASE CHILD [bae-us chee-ul]. A bastard.
BASTARD KILLER [baas-turd kee'ulur], sb. T.ie plant savin
— -Juniperus sabina.
BAT [baat]. i. sb. A heavy laced boot, thickly hob-nailed;
c tiled also aa'f baats.
[Aay-d u-biin een tu beespai'k u pae'ur u baats,'] I had been in to
bespeak a pair of boots.
2. Bricks when not whole are called half or three-quarter bats,
according to size, as compared with the perfect brick.
3. In ploughing a field there are always some corners and
genjra'ly other small places which cannot be got at with the plough,
and must be dug by hand — these are called [baats].
4. A round stick used to strike the ball in the game of rounders.
This stick is oftencr called a timmy.
As to a thef ye come oute, with swerdes and battes to take me.
Story of the Three Cocks. — Gesta Roman, p. 79.
BATCH [baach], sb. A baker's oven-full of bread. The
quantity baked at one time.
The barm stinkt, and spwoiled all the batch o' bread.
Batche of bread, fournee de pain. — Palsgrave.
See BAKING.
BATE [bae'ut], v. To reduce in price; to take less than
demanded.
[Bae-ut mee zik'spuns-n aa'l ab-m,] come down sixpence, and
I will have it.
[Aay oa'n bae'ut u vaardn,] I will not abate a farthing. The
above is about the only meaning known in the dialect.
EATER [bae'utur], sb. Hunting. An abater, or stag, which
either from old age or hard living has becomj "scanty in his head "
— ;'. e. has not the rights (q. v.) which he should have in accord-
ance with his age. See Records N. Devon Staghounds, 1812-18,
p. 9.
A heavy bodied stag with a large slot, having a head that might equally well
48 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
indicate a hater — or deer going back— or a youngish one. — Account of a Stag-hunt
on Aug. 19, 1886, in Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 26, 1886.
BATH [baath], v. t. To bathe.
[Wee baath uz ai'd livuree dai wai chiil wairdr eens mud waursh
aewt aul dhu kuruup'shn,] we bathe his head every day with chilled
water, so as to wash out all the matter (from the wound).
BATTENS [baafnz], sb. Tech. The strips of wood fixed
longitudinally upon the rafters, to which are fastened the slates,
tiles, or thatch, as the case may be.
BATTER [baat'ur], v. i. and sb. When a wall is made to slope
inwards towards the building or bank, it is said to baiter. The
amount of slope is called the batter. This word is the converse of
over-hang.
BATTERY [baafuree]. Buttress (always).
Speaking of a wall which was leaning, a man said to me : I
think he'd stan nif was vor to put up a bit of a battery agin un. —
1 4th Feb. 1881.
BATTLE [baai'l], sb. A heavy wooden mallet bound with two
iron rings, used for cleaving wood. In this sense we generally
hear it coupled with the wedges. Where be the battle- n wadges?
See WEDGES. Pronounced also, but not so commonly, beet'l, but'l,
buytl ; the last form is more frequently heard than the other two.
See STANDING-BATTLES.
Still let them graze, eat sallads, chew the cud :
All the town music will not move a log.
Hugh. — The beetle and wedges will where you will have them.
Benjonson, Tale of a Tub, I. 3.
BATTLE-HEAD [baafl ai'd]. i. (Always.) The miller's
thumb fish.
2. A stupid, thick-headed fellow.
[Yu guurt baat'l ai'd! Aay mivur ded-n zee dhu fuuHir u
dhee !], you great battle-head ! I never saw the fellow of thee !
BATTLE-HEADED [baaH-ardud], adj. Stupid.
[Ee-z dhu baa'tl-ai'duds guurt dung'ee'ul uVur yue zeed-n yur
luyv,] he is the battle-headedest great dunghill you ever saw in your
life.
BATTLE-STICK [baafl-stik], sb. The handle of the battle, or
beetle, as most glossaries call it.
[Dhu bas dhing vur u baat'l-stik-s u graewnd uul'um,] the best
thing for a battle-stick is a ground elm.
BATTLE-STOCK [baaH-stauk], sb. The round head of the
battle or beetle. It is generally made of a junk of an apple-tree.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
49
[Mus au'vees pik aewt u zaawur aa-pl vur baat'l-staiiks — zweet
aa-plz bee sau-f eo'dud,] one must always pick out a sour apple
(tree) for battle-stocks — sweet apples are soft wooded.
BAUDERY [bairduree], sir. Obscene, filthy language.
[Nuvur ded-n yuur noa jis bairduree uvoa'r.] I nevor heard such
obscenity before.
BAWL [baa'l], sb. Chatter, impertinence, talk.
[Oald dhee baa'l, uls aa'l maek dhee !], stop thy chatter, or I
will make thee ! [Kaa'n spark bud uur mus puut een uur baa'l /],
one cannot speak (in reproof) but she must put in her impertinence.
[Kau'm soa'us ! yuur-z moo'ur baa'l-n wuurk, u puurdee suyt ! ],
come mates ! here is more talk than work, a pretty sight.
BAY [bar, rarely baay]. i. sb. A dam or bank for the purpose
of retaining or turning water aside ; never applied to the water
itself. In mixing mortar, it is usual to make a circular bay of
sand to retain the water poured on the lime.
A very common method of fish poaching is to make a bay, at a
dry season, so as to divert the stream from a pool or hole, and then
to dip out all the water in the pool, of course catching all the fish.
See STANK.
Moile, f., an arch, damme, or bay of planks, whereby the force of water is
broken . — Cotgrave.
Bay (mech.) or pen, a pond head made very high to keep in water for the
supply of a mill. — Slat. 27 Elizabeth. — Crabb.
2. The space on a roof between two principals extending
from the eaves to the ridge. If an old roof required new covering
in uncertain weather, it would be usual to give orders only to strip
one bay at a time. It would generally be about ten feet wide, but
depending upon the construction of the roof.
[Wee aa'n u-guut uun'ee bud waun bar u raef'turz vur tu
fiin'eesh,] we have only got one bay of rafters to finish.
3. That part of a barn which is generally on each side of the
thrashing-floor ; in this sense, no doubt, the space partitioned off
by the floor partakes of the nature of a recess. The word is used
to express the entire space on either side of the floor. See BARN'S
FLOOR, ZESS ; also POOL.
Ileje houses with-inne }>e halle to hit med,
So brod bilde in a bay, )>at blonkkes myjt renne.
£.£. Alliterative Poems. Cleanness, 1. 1391.
E. E. T. S.
4. The second from the head of the points or antlers (q. i.)
growing out of the horns of a red-deer, by which the age of the
stag is judged. See Bow, POINTS, RIGHTS.
50 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BAY [bai], v. t. To pond or obstruct the flow of water. To
bay back the water, is one of the commonest of phrases.
The wind bayed back the tide. Mr. Baker 've a bayed back the
water eens all o' it urnth down his ditch, and we 'ant a got a drop
vor the stock to drink.
The water rose three feet in half an hour, and now you would have to bay
back the stream to get a bucket full.— P. Q. K., Jan. 10, 1880.
BAY [bai]. i. v. and sb. To give out the deep- voiced sound of
a stag, or bloodhound, or other large dog. Ordinary dogs are said
to bark, while to bay is to utter a long, deep howl. Of staghounds
a man would say :
[Aay yuurd dhu bar oa-m,] I heard their bay. Of foxhounds,
harriers, or small sporting dogs : [Aay yuurd um gee'een tuung,]
giving tongue.
Bay of houndes, aboyement de chiens, aboy, sm. — Palsgrave.
2. i>. t. and sb. Hunting. Hounds are said to bay a deer when
they surround him in some spot where they cannot get at him, but
keep baying at him.
Here the pack bayed him on a rock for an hour, and in attempting to turn
round he fell, and the hounds closed on him.
Records North Dev. Staghounds, p. 41.
We see below us our quarry, dripping from his recent bath, standing proudly
on a rock surrounded by the flowing tide The hounds bay him from the
land. — Collyns, p. 143.
When this occurs the stag is said to be at bay.
J>e couhercles hound )>at time ....
he gan to berke on )>at barn, and to bait it hold,
)>at it wax neij of his witt. — William of Palenne, \. 32.
Favourite was stabbed in the flank by the stag when at bay, and died two days
after. — Records North Dev. Staghounds, p. 43.
BE- [bi-, bee-]. A common prefix to verbs, generally having a
strengthening force, as in beknown, beneaped; but sometimes having
the force of the prefix mis in misbehave, as in becall, &c. The
examples in these pages will show it to have as many significations
as it possesses in Mod. German. See BEHOPE.
BE [bee], /. part, of to be = been. Very common in the Hill
district.
[Uur aath-n \\-bse tu chuurch ziinz Kuursmus,] she has not been
to church since Christmas.
In Gernade atte siege hadde he be
At many a noble arive hadde he be.
Chaucer, Prologue, 11. 56, 60.
We habbej? be felawes gode and trewe : in body and eke on herte.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 277.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 51
For euere my bred had be bake : myn lyf dawes had be tynt :
Ibid. 1. 577.
And sayde, Lord God, Jyff hit be )>i wytt
Stawnche J>is feyr' lord Jhii, y prey nowe ]>e,
At )>yn owne lust, for |>at is skytt,
)>at aft ]>yng ever ydo be. — Chron. Vilod. st. 327.
Vor es olweys thort her to ha be bare Buckle and Thongs.
£x. Scold. \. 545.
BEAK-IRON [bik-uyur]. The iron T used by coopers, on
which they hammer and rivet their hoops. It answers the purpose
of a small anvil. The pointed end of a common anvil is called
the \bik u dhu an~vee-u!,~} beak of the anvil. Halliwell is wrong in
describing this as a blacksmith's tool.
BEAM [bee'm]. i. sb. Of a sull, or plough. The back or
main support, now wholly of iron, but till recently always of wood,
to which all the other parts are attached. Beneath the beam is
fixed the breast or foundation of the working part of the implement,
and from its latter end springs the tail or handle. See WANG.
2. Of a loom. In every common loom there are two beams or
rollers, one called the [c/iarn bee'm^ chain beam, on which is wound
the warp, and from which it is unwound as the cloth is woven ;
the other called the \klau-th bee-m^ cloth beam, upon which the
fabric is rolled up as woven.
3. The balanced part of a weighing-machine, to each end of which
a scale is hung. The whole apparatus is the " Beam and Scales."
See WEIGHTS.
BEAM [bee'm], v. t. To wind the warp upon the chain beam.
This is a matter of some nicety, as all the threads have to be kept
even and parallel, or it will not make a good bosom (g. v.}.
BEAMER [bee'mur], sb. A person whose work it is to beam
chains — /'. e. to wind the warp upon the roller or beam, ready for
the weaver to place in his loom.
BEAM-FEATHERS [bee'm vadh'urz], sb. The stiff quill
feathers in a bird's wing.
BE AM ING- FRAME [bee'meen frae'um], sb. The machine in
which the above operations preparatory to weaving are performed.
BEAN-HAULM [bee-un-uul'um], sb. The stalks of the bean
after thrashing. See PEASE-HAULM.
BEANS [bee'unz], [Ee du nau' (or ee nau'th) aew miin'ee
bce'unz maek vai'v,] he knows how many beans make five, is a very
common description of a cute, clever fellow — equivalent to t e
ordinary phrase, He knows what he is about. Set B.
E 2
52 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BEARERS [bae-ururz]. At funerals there are two classes of
bearers. The under-bearers, who actually carry the corpse on their
shoulders, and the pall-bearers, generally friends not related to the
deceased person, who walk by the side and hold a corner of the
pall in their hands — the pall [pau'l] being thrown over the coffin
and the heads of those carrying it. All this used, until lately, to
be de rigueur, but now it is becoming obsolete. The same custom
may still be seen in some foreign countries , where friends walk on
each side of the hearse, each holding the end of a band or ribband
attached to the coffin.
BEARING [bae'ureen]. i. The block or eye in which any
spindle or shaft revolves ; the journal-box.
2. Any part of the spindle itself which touches a support, or on
which it turns. A long shaft may have many bearings in it, as well
as under it.
3. The journals or gudgeons are likewise called bearings.
BEARING-PAINS [bae'ereen paa-ynz], sb. The pains imme-
diately preceding child-birth.
BEAST [bee -us], sb. Oxen. Collective noun, very seldom used
as a singular.
[Wuur bee gwaa'yn wai dhai bee~us1\ where are you going with
those "beast"? When used severally, which is not very often,
this word becomes bee'ustez, and more rarely bee'ustezez. [U-ee
meet dree berustez kau'meen aim?], did you meet three oxen as
you carne onwards ? See EULLOCKS.
Weary and wet, as bestys in the rain
Comes silly John, and with him comes Alein.
Chaucer, Reeves Tale, 1. 187.
A farmer told me : [Aay-v u-gid aewt tu wuurkeen u bee'us — doan
paa'y; dhai doan kaum tu beef zu zeo'n bee u yuur,] I have given
up working "beast," (it) does not pay; they do not become beef
so soon by a year (as those not used for ploughing, &c.).
BEASTLE [bee-usl], t\ t. To soil, to befoul, to make filthy.
[Muyn un neet bee'usl yur kloa'uz,] mind and not soil your clothes.
[Draat dhu cheeail ! neef ee aa'n K-berusl liz-zuul au-l oa-vur !], drat
the child ! if he has not befouled himself all over !
How thick pony do drow the mux; he'll beastle anybody all over,
nif they baint awa'^e to un !
BEAT [bai-t], v. t. and sb. A process in husbandry. To dig
off the " spine " or turf, and then to burn it and scatter the ashes
before ploughing. Tlv's is a very common practice when Hill
pasture has become overrun with objectionable growths, such as
gorse, brambles, or ferns ; or when moorland is first tilled.
\YEST SOMERSET WORDS. 53
[Dhik dhaenir klee'v-zu veol u vuuz moa'rz, aay shl-ae'un u-fo/7,]
that cleeve is so full of furze roots, I shall have it beaten. In other
districts this process is called Denshiring ; i. e. Devonshire-ing.
There is some land adjoining a moor in the parish of Culmstock
called " Old beat" [oa'l bai t].
In the Ex, Scold, this is treated as a substantive, 1. 197, and there
is some doubt whether the word originates in a noun or a verb,
because the same word is used for the operation and for the thing
operated on. "Pare and Lunv the beat" is a very common ex-
pre-sion, equivalent to simply beat. We hear constantly of burn-
beating, which does not help us, because it might mean either
burning the beat, or burning and beating. On the whole I incline
to the verbal meaning, and the passage in the Ex. Scolding, 1. 197.
Skooling o' beat, hand-beating, £c., seems to support this view. At
the same time, the past tense and past part, are very seldom used ;
but I believe I have heard both beated [bai'tud,] and beaten
[bai'tn]. The latter, however, is a made-up word by somewhat
educated people, and cannot be taken as throwing any light on the
question. Beated would be said by the common labourer; but
then it may be only a verbalised noun like leaded, or salted.
BEAT-AXE [bee-ut-eks, bai't-eks, bufeks], sb. A kind of broad
mattock almost like an adze, used for beating, as above,
BEATER [bee'utur, or bai'tur], sb. The drum in a thrashing-
machine which actually beats out the corn from the ear.
BEAT OUT [bee-ut, or bait aevvt], v. To thrash. Birds are
said to beat out the corn when they attack it while still uncut.
BEAUTIFUL [bue'tipeol, bue'tifeol], adj. Delicious to the
taste.
[Ohai brau'th yue gid mee, wauz bue'tipeol^ they broth you gave
me were delicious.
BECALL [beekyaa-1], v. To nickname, to abuse; to call by
opprobrious epithets.
[Tu yuur ee'ns ee beckyaa'lud ur, t wauz shee'umfeol,] to hear
how he villified and abused her, it was shameful. [Uur beekyaa~ld-\\
au-1 dhut uvur uur kud laay ur tuung tue,] she called him all the
names she could lay her tongue to.
BECAUSE-WHY. See CAUSE WHY.
BED [bai-d]. i. sb. Called also [bard pees,] bed-piece. The
piece of wood bearing on the springs or axle of a waggon upon
which rests the body.
2. The under side of the stratum in a rock. It is a condition
in most contracts for walling that the stones shall be " well beddid
54 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
in good mortar and laid upon their own proper beds " — ;. e. that the
stones shall be placed in the wall in the line of their stratification.
A good mason can tell which is the bed or under side of a stone,
from that which was uppermost while yet in the rock.
3. Of a sull. The part which slides along the bottom and side
of the furrow, and has to endure the grind and wear more than
any part except the share. It forms a kind of runner or wearing
part, and is bolted to the breast. In old wooden ploughs or
Nanny-sulls it was an iron plate nailed on to the breast. Called
also, and very commonly, the landside.
BED [bard], v. t. i. In building — to lay a stone evenly and
horizontally in its proper position. See BED 2, supra.
2. To lodge.
[Uur teok-n een tu bai'd-n boa'urd,] she took him in to lodge
and board.
Nobody can't never 'vord to bed-n. and board-n vor dree shillins
a week, a gurt hard bwoy like he.
He sholen hire cloven, washen, and wringen,
And to hondes water bringen ;
He sholen bedden hire and J>e,
For leuedi wile we )>at she be.
1280. Havelok the Dane, 1. 1233.
BED-ALE [baid ae'ul], sb. A feast in celebration of a birth.
Halliwell is quite wrong ; the liquor usually prepared for these
occasions is never bed-ale, but Groaning-drink. The mistake arose
from the last century glossarist of the Ex. Scold., who glosses it
(p. 120), "Bed-ale, Groaning-ale, that which is brewed for a
Gossiping or Christening feast." The very passage (below) in
which the word occurs shows by the context that he did not
understand it, and t\\aA. festival, not liquor, is meant.
Chawr a told that ye simmered upon wone tether, up to Grace Vrogwell's
bed-ale.— Ex. Scold. 1. 564.
Feyneden hem for heore foode • fouzten atte ale.
Piers Plowman, A. Prol. 1. 42.
Bride-ales, Church-ales, Clerk-ales, Give-ales, Lamb-ales, Leet-ales, Mid-
summer-ales, Scot-ales, Whitsun-ales ; and several more.
Brand's Pop. Antiq. (410 ed.) V. i. p. 229.
Lancelot. Because thou hast not so much charity in thee as go to the ale with
a Christian.— Two Gent, of Verona, II. 5.
BEDANGD [beedang'd]. An expletive ; quasi oath.
\_Beedang~d eef aay due !], bedangd if I do !
BEDFLY [bard vluy], sb. Common flea.
BEDLIER [baidluyur], sb. A bedridden person. (Very com.)
An old woman in the almshouse at Wellington said to me of an
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 55
old man who had broken his thigh : He on't never walk no
more; he'll be a bedlier so long's he do live. — May 31, 1885. In
Devonshire they say bedlayer.
Promp. Piw. — Bedlaivyr. Bedered man or woman — Decumbens.
Way in Promp. Parv. p. 28, quotes a will of 1419, in which bedlawermen are
left fourpence each.
BED-MATE [bai'd mae'iit], sb. Bed-fellow.
BED-PAY [bai'd paay], sb. The allowance paid by a sick club
to a member confined to his bed ; this is reduced to walking-pay so
soon as he can get up.
BED-TIE [bai'd tuy]. i. sb. The ticking or case enclosing the
feathers or materials of the bed.
[Dhai vaewn dhu wauch u-puut een'suyd dhu bai'd tuy,~] they
found the watch put inside the ticking of the bed.
Taye : f. Any film, or thin skin. Une taye cToreiller, a pillow-beer.
Cotgrave.
Mod. Fr. — Taie cToreiller, a pillow-case.
2. The bed, including both feathers and case.
BEE-BIRD [bee-buurd], sb. The flycatcher or white-throat.
BEE-BREAD [bee'-buurd], sb. A kind of food gathered for
the larvae, neither honey nor wax. A.S. bio-bread. (See Boethius,
sect. 23.)
BEE-BUTT [bee'buut], sb. Bee-hive — /. <?. the common straw
hive. See BUTT.
The belief is almost universal, that should a death occur in the
house to which the bees belong, each butt ought " to be told of it,"
otherwise they will all die. The coincidence of a death in my
own family and the immediate and unaccountable death of several
hives (all I had) of previously healthy bees, has occurred to myself
twice within the last few years, and I have been asked by several
people, to whom I have mentioned the fact, if I had "told the bees
about it"? See IV. S. Gram. pp. 99, 100.
It is considered very unlucky if in swarming the bees alight on
a dead tree ; it portends that there will be a death in the family
very soon.
BEECHEN [buch-n], adj. Made of beech.
[Lau't u buch-n plangk,] lot of beech plank.
BEEN TO, phr. In speaking of meals, the usual mode of
inquiry, if the repast has been taken, is, [V-ee bun tu dun'ur ?] — /. e.
have you had your dinner? I've been to breakfast, simply means
1 have eaten it, and implies no movement whatever, from or to
56 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
any place in the process. So, " we went to supper avore we
started," merely means that we had supper.
Es went to dinner jest avore. — Ex. Court. \. 486.
BEER [bee'ur], sb. Strong malt liquor; that brewed with the
first mashing of the malt. See ALE.
BEER [bee'ur]. Tech. In weaving, the width of a piece
of cloth is determined not only by the fineness of the reeds or
sidgh, but by the number of beer of 40 threads each in the warp.
Hence warps are known as 20, 30, 40 beer-chains, and thus the
latter would be a warp containing 40 x 40 = 1600 threads. Used
throughout the Western counties, but I believe unknown elsewhere.
BEG AGED [beegae'ujd], adj. part. Bewitched, hag-ridden, over-
looked.
Poor soul, her never 'ant a got no luck like nobody else ; I ont
never bleive eens her idn a begaged by zomebody or nother.
What a Vengeance ! wart betoatled, or wart tha baggaged? — Ex. Scold. 1. 4.
BEGET [beegif], v. t. and /. To forget. (Very com.) P. t.
beegau't ; p. p. u-beegau-t. I beget whe'er I have or no.
Es don't know \vhot Queeson ye mean ; es begit whot Quesson twos.
Ex. Scold. 1. 493.
BEGIN [beegee-n], v. i. i. To scold.
Maister'll begin, hon a comth to vind eens you an't a-finish.
2. To interfere ; to molest.
What d'ye begin way me vor then? I did'n tich o' you, 'vore
you begin 'd way me.
BEGOR [beegau'r, beegau'rz, beeguunv, beeguunvurz]. All quasi
oaths; asseverations.
BEGURGE [beeguurj-], v. t. To grudge.
He never didn begurge her nort; her'd on'y vor t' ax and to
have, way he; nif on'y he'd a got it. The still commoner word
is bethink.
BEHAP [bee-aap1], adv. Perhaps, peradventure.
Behap you mid-n be there, and then what be I to do ? [Dhai
oan lee'ust aewt bee-aap-,~] i. e. perhaps they will not last out.
By happe. Par aventure. — Cot grave.
BEHOLD [bee-oa'l], v. To experience. [Nuvur daed-n bee-oa-l
noa jish stingk,] (I) never experienced such a stench. Of all the
rows I ever [bee-oal] behold, that was the very wust.
BEHOLDING [bee-oa-ldeen]. Under obligation.
[Aa'l ae'u waun u mee oa'un, un neet bee bee-oafldeen tu
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 57
noa'baudee,] I'll have one of my own, and not be under obligation
to anybody.
BEHOLDINGNESS [beeoa-ldeenees], sb. Obligation. (Com.)
[Dhur id-n noa bee-ccfldeenees een ut, uuls wee eod-n ae'u-n,] there
is no obligation in it, or we would not have it — or him.
BEHOPE [bee-oa-p], v. To hope.
I do behope, that by the blessing o' th' Almighty, I shall be able
to get about a bit, and sar a little, nif tis but ever so little, I do
behope I shall.— Feb. 1882.
BEHOPES [bee-oa-ps], sb.pl. Hope; confidence.
An old "Cap'n" at Watchet speaking of the diminished trade of
the place said : " I be in good behopes that we mid zee it a little
better arter a bit." — Dec. 17, 1886.
BEKNOW [beenoa-], v. To understand, to acknowledge.
[Twuz wuul beenoa'd t-au'l dhu paa'reesh,] it was well understood
by all the parish.
BELFRY [buul 'free], sb. The room or basement in the tower,
from which the bells are rung. The name is not applied to the
tower, nor to the room in which the bells are hung. I know
several instances in which the ropes pass through the ceilings of the
be/fry and the dock-chamber above it, to the bells hung in the upper
story of the tower. See BELL-CHAMBER.
Bell/ray, Campanarium. — Promp. Pan'.
BELIKE [beeluyk], ad. Probably, perhaps.
[Geod nai't-ee; beeluyk yue'ul km daewn dhan,] good night to
you ; probably you will come down then. Though found in Sir
W. Scott, this word is rare in Lit. English, yet in the dialect it is
the commonest form.
Jealous he was, and held her narrow in cage,
For she was wild and young, and he was old,
And deemed himself belike a cuckold.
Chaucer, Millers Tale, \. 38.
BELK [buulk, buul-kee], v. To belch.
BELL [buul], sb. Of a stag. The bellow or roar of the stag at
rutting time ; said to be a very loud, unearthly kind of noise ;
different to that of any other animal.
Before the lapse of an hour I satisfied myself that what I had heard, was the
bell of ihe,stag, roaming in the distance. — Collyns, p. 60.
BELL-CHAMBER [buul chtinrur]. The upper story of the
church tower in which the bells are hung. In this district spires
and steeples are almost unknown ; the \Jaaw ur~\ or \chuunh
taawur,~], tower is invariable, even though it be a spire.
58 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BELL-HORSE [buul airs]. The leader of a team. Formerly
it was common, and even now it is sometimes seen, that the leader
carries a board with four or five bells hung under it, attached to
his collar by two irons : these irons hold the bells high above the
horse's shoulders. The bells, which are good-sized and loud-
sounding, are hidden from sight by a fringe of very bright red,
yellow, and green woollen tassels ; as the horse moves the jangle
is almost deafening.
In setting children to run a race the start is given thus :
Bell-horses ! bell-horses, what time o' day ?
One o'clock, two o'clock, three and away !
BELLIS [buTees, buul'ees, buTeesez], sb. Bellows. A black-
smith of my acquaintance always speaks of his [bul'eesez,~\ bellises.
This form is quite common. In farm-houses, where wood is still
the principal fuel, the bellows is in constant use. It is thought
very unlucky to put the bellows on the table ; many a housewife
would be horrified at the sight.
A few years ago might be seen in Exeter, on a signboard :
Here lives a man what dont refuse
To mend umbrellases, bellowses, boots and shoes.
BELL-ROSE [buul roa'iiz], sb. Commonest name for the
daffodil — Narcissus Pseudo- narcissus.
I knows a orchet a covered wi they there bell-roses. — Feb. 21,
1881.
BELLY [buul'ee], sb. Womb. A very common bucolic saying,
precisely expressive of what is called " discounting " in commercial
talk, is [Ai'teen dhu kyaa'v een dhu kaewz buul-ee,~] eating the calf
in the cow's belly.
Bely. Venter, akus, uterus. — Promp. Parv.
BELLY-GOD [buul-ee gaud]. A glutton.
I calls he a proper belly-god; all he do look arter is stuffin his
ugly guts.
BELLY-PART [buul-ee paart], sb. The thin bacon which comes
from the abdomen of the pig.
BELLY-TIE [buul-ee-tuy], sb. The strap belonging to the
harness which passes under the horse's belly. There are always
two ; one to fasten on the saddle, and the other to prevent the
shafts from rising. Called elsewhere wanty — /'. e. womb-tie.
BELLY-TIMBER [buul-ee tiinrur], sb. Victuals and drink;
food in general.
[Kau-m soans! ed-n ut tuym vur t-ae'u sum buulee-tum-urf}^
come mates I is it not time to have some victuals ? Well, I calls it
very purty belly tinker ; I wish I midn never meet way no wisser.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 59
BELONG [beelairng], v. To appertain. Used peculiarly in the
dialect so as to make the person appertain to the thing, instead
of the converse. For the question : " To whom do these houses
belong?" we should say : [Ue du beelairng tu dhai'zh-uur aevvzez?]
— /. e. who belongs to these houses ?
A " forreigner " from Halse (about six miles off), seeking work,
said to me : Be you the ginlmun, make so bold, that do belong to
this here house ?
At any fair or market it is very common to hear: Who do
belong to these here bullicks ?
The following shows this construction to be no modem corruption
on the part of dialect speakers.
And whanne J>e dame hath ydo : l>at to |>e dede longith,
And hopith for to hacche : or heruest begynne,
Thanne cometh ]>er a congioun, &c.
Langland, Rich, the Red. III. 1. 43.
BELVY [buul'vee], v. i. To bellow, as a cow; to roar (always).
[Dlvoal Jup'see doan taek u beet u noa'tees oa ur kyaav ; ur aan u
buul-vud nuudhur wauns — neet-s aay-v u yuurd,] the old Gypsy does
not take any notice of (the loss of) her calf; she has not once
bellowed — not that I have heard. — September 1884.
BEMEAN [beemai'n], ref. v. To disgrace, to stoop, to lose
caste. [Aay kaa*n dhingk aewiivur uur keod beemai'n urzuul* vur
tae'u jish fuul'ur-z ee*,] I cannot think how she could have stooped
to have such a fellow as he.
BEN [barn], sb. Part of the frame of a carding-engine. It is
probably bend, as its shape is semicircular; it serves to carry the
various rollers parallel to the main drum or cylinder.
BENDS [bai'nz], sb. The ridges in land which has been thrown
up into "ridge and furrow" (q. v.}.
BENOW. See BY-NOW.
BENT. See BONNET.
BEPITY [beeptifee], v. To commiserate.
[Aay sheod u beepiiteed uur moo'ur, neef t-ad-n u-biin ur oa*n
fairut,] I should have pitied her more, if it had not been her own
fault.
BERK [buurk], sb. Bark of a dog.
BERKY [buurkee], v. i. To bark (always).
I yeard-n (a fox) berkin, and gee-in tongue jist the very same's
a hound. Our Tip on't never berky 'thout he yearth a stranger.
See GIVE TONGUE.
60 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Our dialectal pronunciation seems to be the archaic, and in this
case again the literary form is the corruption.
Gif Jm berkest ajein . ]ni ert hundes kunnes.
Ancrcn Riwle, p. 122, 1. 3.
he koured lowe
to bi-hold in at }>e bole : whi his hound berkyd.
William of Paler me, \. 47. (See also 1. 55.)
Berkar, as a dogge. Lalrator.
Berkyn. Laf.ro, baffo, baulo.
Wappon, or berkyn, idem quod, Berkyn, supra. — Promp. Pan,'.
Berkyng of a dogge, aboyement. — Palsgrave.
And Y ]>e wlielpus wl in hur' body I )>e tyde,'
Burke fast at }>e kyng and hur' also.
Chron. Vilod. st. 222. (See also Ib. st. 227.)
BERRIN. See BURIN.
BERRY [buuree], sb. A group of rabbit-holes having internal
communication. Called also [u buuree u oa'lz,] a berry of holes.
Hal. is wrong. The word does not mean a "herd of conies," but
applies to the burrows ; for it is applied equally to the " earths "
or holes of foxes or badgers ; never applied to a single hole.
[Dhu buuree vvuz dhaat baeg, dhu fuuruts keod-n git um aewt,]
the berry was so big the ferrets could not get them (the rabbits)
out. A single hole might be called a burrow, though rarely, but
never a buuree. *
A Hole (or berry"] made by a Conny. Tute. — Cotgi-ave, Sherwood.
BERRY [buuree], v. i. To dig a hole with the feet ; to burrow :
applied to any animal. Of a badger I have often heard it said :
Tidn a bit o' good to dig arter-n ; he can berry vaster-n yon can.
A dog is said to berry, when he marks and digs at a rabbit-hole.
BESCUMMER [beeskiinrur, beeskuunrur], v. To besmear,
either with filth or (Jig.) with abusive language.
[Ee beeskiiunrurd-vi oa'vur wuul1,] he abused him thoroughly ;
but [Ee beeskuuni'urd-n. au'l oa'vur,] means he besmear'd him all
over with filth. Minute changes of this kind often make vast
changes in the meaning.
BESOM [buVum], sb. The broom plant, often called [gree'n
buz'um] — sarothamnus scoparius. An infusion of the leaves of this
plant is held to be the great specific in dropsical cases ; but this
infusion I have never heard called anything but [breo'm tar,]
broom-tea.
Bwoil down some green besom, 'tis the finedest thing in the
wordle, when anybody Ve a catched a chill or ort.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 6 1
BESTEST [bas-tees], adj. (Very com.) Double superlative
of good ; the very best.
[Dhaat dhae-ur-z dhu bas'tees livur aay-d u-gauf,] that is the
very best I ever had. See INTRODUCTION.
BEST-PART [bas pae'urt]. The greater part ; very nearly the
whole.
[Dhu bas pae'urt u dhu war,] nearly the whole way.
[Dhai bun u-geo1 bas pae~urt-\\v u aawur,] they have been gone
nearly a \\ hole hour.
BE SURE [bee shoa'ur]. To b2 sure ; certainly.
\_Bee-shoa-ur ted-n dun'ur-tuym urad'ee,] to be sure it is not
dinner-time a'ready. [B-ee gwai'n t-ab-m ? Bee shoa'ur aay bee*,]
are you going to have it ? Certainly I am.
BETHINK [beedhing-k,/. /./ beedhau't, /././ u-beedhau't, and
u-beedhairtud : often beedhing'kt, u-beedhing'kt], v. To begrudge,
to abstain from.
[Ee wiid-n niivur beedhing-k dhu muun'ee,] he would never
begrudge the money. [Ee ded-n beedhing'k tu au'lur, vur au'l ee
ded-n aaTlee tich oa un,] he did not a' stain from (or begrudge
himself the satisfaction of) crying out (to halloo), though he scarcely
touched him. This phrase means more than this; it implies that
he bellowed very loudly for a very slight blow.
When used in the above senses the past tense is always formed,
either by the periphrastic did, as in the example above given, or by
the weak forms of the perf. and past part., and the construction
is generally negative as above. But on the other hand, the use of
the strong forms of the perfect and p. p. bethought, or frequently
bethoughted [beedhau'-tud], completely changes the meaning to
the literary sense of remembered, recollected. Unlike the literary
usage, however, it does not necessarily require the reflective form
(bethought me, or myself, &c.). We should say: Hon I come
to think it over, I bethoughted all about it — i. e. I remembered all
the circumstances. The present tense, bethink, is not used, except
as above — /". e. to begrudge : never to express recollection.
BETIME [beetuym], adv. Early; not simply in good time.
[Muyn un bee dhae'ur beehtymj\ mind and be there early. I
shall be up betime to-morrow morning—/, e. early. Betimes is
never used.
BETTER [bad'r], adj. comp. More in quantity or time ; later
in time.
[Dhur wuz bad-r-n u diz'n oa-m,] there were more than a dozen
of them. [J3aJ-r-n u naawur u-gau'n,] more than an hour ago.
[Twuz bad-r-n dree u klau'k,] it was past three o'clock.
62 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BETTER-FIT [bad'r fut], phr. (Very com.) It would be
better if.
\_Bad~r fut dhai-d muyn dhur oa-n buVnees,] it would be better
if they would mind their own business. \_£ad~r fut ee ad'n
u-wai'nt u nee 'us dhu plae'us,] it would be better if he had not
gone aneast the place.
BETTERMENT [bad-rmunt]. Same as BETTERNESS.
BETTERMOST [bad'rmaus, bad'rmoo'ees], adj. Almost the
best — not quite.
[Dhai wuz aui bad'rmaus soa'urt u voaks luyk,] they were all
very respectable people, but not quite the highest class.
I 'spose 'tis the [bad'rmoo'ees,] bettermost way vor to wrop-m
up (/. e. a burst pipe) ; but the bestest wid be vor to cut-n out and
put in a new one, nif could let out all the water. — Jan. 10, 1887.
BETTERNESS [bad'rnees], sb. Improvement.
[Lat-s zee u lee'dl bad'rnees een dhiish yuur wuurk, uuls yue* un
aay shl vaa'l aewt,] let us see a little improvement in this work,
otherwise (else) you and I shall fall out.
BETTER-WORTH [bad'r waeth]. Higher in price, worth more.
(Very com.)
The sheep were rather better worth, especially breeding ewes, which were sold
at from 35 s. to 42^. each. — Market Report in Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 19,
1886.
BETWEEN-WHILES [twee-n wuyulz]. At odd times, at
leisure intervals.
[Yue kn due ut vuuree wuul twee'n wuyulz,~\ you can do it
very well at spare moments.
BETWIXT [beetwiik-s], adv. Between. Usual form. Final /
never sounded. To go " betwix th' oak and the rind," is a very
com. phrase to express trimming, want of decided, manly, straight-
forwardness.
Tidn no good to reckon 'pon he ; he do like to go betwix th'
oak and the rind. He'll promise very fair like, but tidn in un vor
to zay Ees, or No.
Ther com a kyte, while that they were wrothe,
And bar awey the boon bitivixe hem bothe.
Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 1. 321.
BETWIXT-AND-BETWEEN [beetwiiks-n-beetwee'n], adv.
Neither one thing nor the other; half-and-half; undecided.
I likes vor vokes to zay hot they do mane ; but he's like zome
o' the rest o-m, all bttwix-n-between^ nother one way nor tother;
jou can't never make sure which way he'll go arterwards.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 63
Thy wyf and them most liangen fer a-hvynne,
For that betwixe you schal be no synne,
No more in lokyng than ther schal in dede.
Chaucer, Millers Tale, 1. 403.
BEYOND [bee-yurr]. Over and above ; in excess of.
I consider that beyond fair—/, e. in excess of what justice
demands. Said in reference to the terms of an agreement by a
farmer. This usi of the word is common.
BIAS [buyus], sb. Said of birds or animals frightened out of
thjir accustomed locality — as of partridges, which do not seem to
know where they are flying. Ah ! they be out o' their bias.
BIBBLE [bub'l], v. i. To tipple, to booze.
2. sb. Tipple, drink, beverage.
[Puurdee geod biib'l^ pretty good tipple.
BIBLE-OATH [buybl oa'uth]. A very strong asseveration.
[Aa'l taek mee buy bl oa-uth oa ut,] I'll take my solemn oath
on the Bible of it.
BICKER [bik'ur], sb. Beaker: applied only to a wooden vessel
of a certain kind and shape, used for carrying water. It is deep
and narrow, made of staves and hoops, with an iron handle en
one side ; the general form that of a pitcher. It holds about two
gallons. It is very frequently seen at farm-houses and cottages
in the Hill districts of West Somerset and North Devon. It is not
used as a drinking-vessel. There seems to be no certainty as to
what the vessel was origiially. It seems now to be taken for
granted that it was a drinking-vessel, but there is no authority for
this ; neither can it be said confidently whence, or how, the word
comes to us, as we find Mod. Germ, becher. Mod. Icelandic bikarr,
and Mod. Italian bicehiere. Its pronunciation in the middle ages
was that preserved by us in the dialect, and by the Scotch. (See
Murray, N. E. D.) It is as unlike modern Eng. beaker as the
modern conventional ideal of the article is in all probability unlike
the reality.
Byker, cuppe (bikyr, P. ) . Cimbium. — Promp. Parv.
The following seems to prove it to have been a large vessel, but
from its having a cover, it may not have been a drinking-cup at all,
most probably a flagon. See BOWL-DISH.
I Jewe to John Forster my godsonne a beaire of seiner y-keueryd, |>at weyyth
xxv ounsus I quarter. — Will of Thomas Bathe, 1420.
Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 45, 1. 7. (See also Ibid. 1. 17.)
BICKERMENT [bik'urmunt]. Discord, wrangling, contention.
(Very com.)
[Yuur ! draap1 ut, wuol ee? lat-s ae'u las bilfurmunt^ here ! cease,
will you? let us have less quarrelling.
64 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Welsh. Bicre, sub., a conflict, skirmish, or bickering. Hence the English
bicker. Bwau cnvys yn biccra oedd. — Richards.
Bikyr of fytynge (bykere or feightinge, P.) Pngna. — Promp. Paiv.
They bykered togyther halfe an houre and more. — Palsgrave.
PICKY [bik-ee], sb. and v. The game of hide-and-seek. To
bik'ee is for the seekers to go and lean their heads against a wall
so as not to see where tru others go to hide. This is also called
to [bik-ee daewn,] bicky down.
One often hears : [Bee'ul ! dhee dtis-n bifcez fae'ur, dhee-s zee',]
Bill ! thou dost not keep thy eyes closed, thou dost see.
[Km airn, lat-s plaay tu bik'ee^ come on, let us play at hide-
and-seek.
BIDDYS-EYES [bud'eez uyz], sb. The heartsease; pansy.
Viola tricolor.
BIDE [buyd; p. t. buyd ; /. /. u-buyd] (the strong form bode is
unknown in the West), T. To remain, to stay, to lodge.
[Aay buyd stee'ul gin dhai wuz u-goo1,] I remained quiet until
they were gone.
The day is come, I may no lenger byile. — Chaucer, Reeve's Tale, 1. 317.
Wi they last fellers I shan't bide
Ta ha no moore ta zay ;
Zo they mid put my book azide,
Er look zum other way.
Pitlman, Rustic Sketches, p. 74-
[Ee buydz laung wai dh-oal Maal'ee Joa'unz,] he lodges (along)
with old Mary Jones.
This joly prentys with his maystir bood,
Til he was oule neygh of liis prentyshood.
Chaucer, Coke's Tale, 1. 35.
BIDE [buyd], v. i. To become pregnant, said of all animals.
Her (a mare) 've a-bin dree times to " Varmint," but her 'ont
b!de by un.
BIDE BY [buyd buy], v. t. To maintain ; to insist upon ; to
stick to. (Very com.)
I've a-zaid it, and I'll bide by it.
Did he gie you a price in the place? Ees. Well, then, I'll
warn un he'll bide by it, and tidn nat a bit o' good vor to bid-n
no less.
BIDIN, BIDIN-PLACE [buydeen], sb. Lodging; p'ace of
abode. (Very com.) For illust. see PuL Rustic Sketches, p. 21.
BIDIX [biid'iks], sb. See BEAT-.'.XE.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 65
BIG [baeg,] adj. i. Bumptious, conceited, grand, consequential.
[U suyt tu baeg' vur-z kloa'uz,] a deal too big for his clothes.
Costard.
I Pompey am, Fompey, surnam'd the big.
Love's Labour Lost, v. 2.
2. Applied to a river swollen with rain.
[Dhu wau'dr wuz tu baeg~ — keod-n goo lau'ng,] the water was
too much swollen — I could not go along — /. e. ford it.
BIGETY [beg'utee], adj. Bumptious, pompous, haughty.
Nothing suggestive of religious intolerance is implied.
[Maayn beg'utee luyk, id-n ur?j very bumptious (like), is he not?
BIGNESS [baeg-nees], sb. Size. (Very com.)
Hon I zeed it fust, twadn on'y the bigness of a pin's 'ead.
Bout the bigness of a good big turmut.
Tins pendent world, in bigness as a star
Of smallest magnitude close by the moon.
Milton, Paradise Lost, ii. 1052.
They (some insects) are much of the bigness of the common black beetle. —
Dr. T. Molyneux. — Transactions of the Royal Society, Oct. 1697, p. 751.
White Specks . . . have since been observed to increase very much both in
Number and Bigness.
Account of a Negro-Boy that is dappel'd in several Places of his Body with
white Spots. — Ibid. p. 781.
Used much by other writers about this time.
The Plum or Damson tree is of a mean bignesse. — Gerard, Herbal, p. 1496.
BILLED [buTud], adj. Wild, confused, half-mad.
[Doa'n ee keep aup jush raa'tl, yue-ul drai'v mee bul'ud^\ do not
keep up such noise (rattle), you will drive me wild.
BILLET [buTut], sb. A mess, a scrape, a "kettle of fish," a job.
[Yuur-z u puurdee Inilut, shoa'ur nuuf!] here is a pretty
concern, sure enough ! [U fuyn bi'd'ut ee-d u-gaut, vur tu git-n
tu geo1,] a fine job he had to get him to go. [Twaud-n u bae'ud
bul'ut,~] a man said to me of a situation he had just left. This use
is probably derived from the soldier's billet, in the sense of the
house, where he is lodged or billeited. Hence any situation or
position becomes a billet.
BILLY [buTee], sb. i. When making Reed, the sheaves of corn
are held firmly and only allowed to pass into the thrashing-machine
sufficiently to beat out the corn from the ears ; they are then drawn
out again and laid aside to be thrashed, combed, and finished by
hand ; these partially-thrashed sheaves are called billies. Three or
four of these are usually bound up together, and the bundle so
made is also called a billy. See REED.
66 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. A machine for spinning carded wool into a soft yarn called
slabbing (see SLUBBING), which is again spun into a smaller and
closer thread by the Jenny ; both these machines have now been
genera' ly superseded by modern appliances — though for some
purposes they are still in use. The Billy-roller (see.. Murray, JV.
E. D.}, referred to by Ure, is a straight wooden rod of some eight
feet in length, round, and about the siza of a pike-staff — each end is
shod with iron, so that it naturally became a formidable weapon
for rioters. See JENNY, WILLY.
BILLY [buTee]. A very favourite subject of simile or com-
parison. [Luyk bul'ee oa !] is used in speaking of all manner of
subjects.
[Neet prai'ch ! ees u kan', luyk bul'ee oa !] not preach ! yes he
can, like Billy oh !
Nif 'twas on'y to catch a-vire, aa'l warn 'twid burn like Billy oh !
— Jan. 10, 1887.
BIM-BOMS [beem baunrz]. Church bells. Used to children.
[Aa'rkee, Tairmee, tu dhu puu'rdee beem baunrz^ listen, Tommy,
to the pretty bells.
Bim, bone. . . Ding, dong. . .
Hark the merry bells are ringing.
W. Hills, Rounds and Can. 4.
Now by Day's retiring Lamp,
He hears the convent's matin bell,
Bim borne bell. — Glee.
BIME-BYE [buym buy, baam-buy, buum buy]. By and by.
See UM-BYE.
Bum bye, the squier com'd and zat
(Es collar windid roun' es hat)
Upon the grass, an' did begin
Es vurrul'd rod ta vaas'n in.
Piilman, Rustic Sketches, p. 1 8.
BIND [buyn], sb. i. A band either of twisted hay or straw,
or of a green rod of willow, hazel, or other tough wood, such as
can be twisted so as to become fit for a ligature for faggots,
sheaves, &c.
[Due1 ee uunr un kuut tue ur dree buynz', un tuy aup dhaat
dhae'ur eo'd,] do run and cut two or three binds, and tie up that
(faggot) wood. No other term used.
2. The stalk of any creeping plant, as of hop, withy-wind,
traveller's joy, &c.
there again
When burr and bine were gathered ; lastly there
At Christmas ; ever welcome at the Hall.
Tennyson, A yl tiler's Field, 1. in.
BIND [buyn], v. t. Applied to wheels. To put on the tyre,
or to shrink a band of hot iron upon any article. See BOND.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 67
AVe've been so busy a-binin o' wheels, we haven't been able to
begin. — July 14, 1886.
BIRCHEN [buurchn], adj. Made of birch, as [u buur-chn
breom], a birch broom.
BIRD [buurd]. The partridge.
[Aay zeed u fuyn kuub'ee u buurdz uz mau'rneen,] I saw a fine
covey of partridges this morning. Sportsmen inquiring of labourers
in the fields, always ask if they have seen any birds, and are always
understood to mean partridges.
BIRD-BATTING [buurd bae-uteen]. The only term used.
The net is always Bird-battin-net. Bat-fowling would not be
understood. Catching birds at night by means of a strong light
held behind a net. The birds are driven from their roosts, and fly
towards the light into the net. This latter is attached to two long
sticks bent together at the ends, so as to form an arch with a
joint in the centre, where the sticks meet. The fowler holds one
of the sticks in each hand, which, when the net is open, are far
apart, and the whole perpendicular. As soon as a bird flies
against the net he instantly folds it, so that the bird is enclosed.
The net is then thrown down on the ground, by which means
the bird is more effectually entangled. Large numbers of birds are
caught in this way on winter nights, when they roost in ivy or under
the eaves of corn-stacks. See BAT-FOWLING, Murray, N. E. D.
BIRD'S EYE. i. Germander Speedwell. The usual name.
Veronica chamcedrys.
2. The flower of the Evergreen Alkanet, a very common weed.
Anchusa sempervirens.
BIRD'S MEAT [buurdz mart]. Berries— either of thorn, holly,
or ivy.
[D-ee uvur zee buurdz mai't su plai'ntee uvoa'r?] did you ever
see berries so plentiful before ? Also bird-seeds of all kinds.
See MEAT.
BISGY [buz-gee], sb. A tool for rooting. It is a combination
of heavy mattock and small axe. (Very com.)
Bes-ague, f. A (double-tongued) mattock. — Cotgrave.
French, bes-aigue, double axe or bill, from Old Fr. bes, twice ; aigu, sharp.
Murray, N. £. Diet.
Thereon sette were besagtiys also.
ab. 1430. Lydgate, Chronicles of Troy, iii. 22.
On ech shulder of steele a besagew.—dQ. 1440. Partonope, 1. 1936.
BISHOP [beesh'up]. i. v. To burn horses' teeth with a hot
iron so as to destroy the marks of age. (Very com.)
F 2
68 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
This way of making a Horse look young is called Bishoping.
Bradley, Family Diet. s. v. Horse.
2. To trim or furbish up any article so as to make it look better
than it really is.
3. To confirm.
Our Jim never wadn a.-bishoped.
and by-cam a man of a mayde : and metropolitanus,
and baptisede, and busshoppede : with ]>e blode of hus herte.
Piers Plowman, xviir. 267.
Thoughe your chylde be christened, I wene he be nat bysshoped yet.
Palsgrave.
4. sb. A drink, compounded of various sweet ingredients.
A bowl of that liquor called bishop, which Johnson had always liked.
Boswell, Life of Johnson, ed. 1831. I. p. 235.
BISHOP'S THUMB [beesh-ups dhuunv]. A well-known variety
of pear.
BISKY [buVkee], sb. Biscuit.
[Wuol ee av u bUs'kee, muy dee'ur?] will you have a biscuit,
my dear ?
Fourteen hundred tones off corn too be bakyd ynto bysky.
1595. Sir I. Gilbert in N. and Q. Ser. Hi. 1864. Feb. 109/1 (Murray).
BISKY-MILK [bus-kee miilk], sb. The first milk after calving.
This is the commonest term in the district. See BASE.
BIT [beet], sb. A short time, a little while. (Very com.)
I on'y yeard o' it a bit agone — /'. e. a short time ago.
BIT [beet], i. The tool used by tinmen and others for
soldering.
2. A piece of money; coin.
[U faawurp-mee beet, u dnip'mee beet,~\ fourpenny piece, three-
penny piece, [u zik-spunee beet,'] a sixpence.
BIT AND CRUMB [beet-n kreo'm], ad. phr. Every morsel;
entirely, altogether.
[Wee pikt aup uvuree beet-n kreo'm,"] we gathered up every
morsel. This is a very common expression, and would be applied
to any substance, as hay, manure, seed, soil. The phrase is also
used in the abstract — I'd just zo zoon, every bit and crumb.
Why 'tis every bit and croom za bad as shutting a unvledged paadridge, er
coosing a hare avore he's old enough to open ez young eyes ver the fust time !
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 12.
BITCH-FOX [biich-fauk's], A vixen. Vixen is a literary word
— we always say dog-fox and bitch-fox.
A Bitch Fox, Regnarcte. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
I
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 69
BITE [buyt], sl>. Applied to grass when growing.
[Dhur-ul zeo'n bee u geod buyt u graas een dhu guurt mee-ud,]
there will soon be a good bite of grass in the great meadow — /. e.
the cattle will get a mouthful.
BITS ING [beet -seen]. Used with little, merely to intensify.
[Dhai bee uun'ee lee'dl btet'seen dhingz,] they be only little
bitsin things. This in* termination often has an adjectival force.
Compare " Great topping horse," " Fine slapping mare."
BITTER-SWEET [biifur zweet]. A very common and prolific
apple; uneatable, but excellent for cyder.
A Bittyrswzte ; amarimtlluin. — Cath. Anglicum.
Amer-doux, a bitter-sweet apple. — Co/grave.
The best sort of Cyder — made of the Bitter-sweet.
Bradley, Farming Dictionary (Murray).
BITTING-YARN [beef een yaarn], sb. A small quantity of yarn
of the same kind as the warp, which is given to a weaver to enable
him to bit or piece any threads of his warp which may break while
weaving the cloth. It is evident that if a thread breaks, it is too
short to tie ; the weaver must then insert a short length with two
knots ; these short ends he keeps ready, and calls them bitting-yarn.
BIVVER [buvur], v. and sb. To shiver, to shake with cold.
[Poo'ur dhing, aew ee due buvuree !} poor thing, how he shivers !
[Muy an'z bee aul tue u buvur,~] my hands are all of a shake.
and they were so couragyous that many knyghtes shoke and bettered for
egrenes. — Afallory, Morte d 'Arthur, I. xv. (Murray).
BLACK, BLACK-LOOKING [blaa-k, blaa-k-leok-een]. Sullen,
ill-tempered, frowning.
[VVuul ! aay ziimd u leok'ud maayn blaa-k,~\ well ! I fancied he
looked very cross. [Dhu blaa'k-leok'eens krai'tur uvur yue zeed,]
the most sulky-looking woman that ever you saw (lit. black-
lookingesf).
BLACK-ALLER [blaak aal'ur]. Rhamnus frangula, or Buck-
thorn. Often so called to distinguish it from the whit-aller or
elder.
Alnus nigra sive frangula. The Black Aller tree.
The inner barke of the blacke Aller tree is of a purging and dry qualitie.
Gerarde, Herbal, p. 1470.
BLACK-A-MOOR'S BEAUTY [blaak-ee moa-rz bue'tee]. The
flower scabiosa succisa.
BLACK-DOG [blaak duug]. A gun. To let go the black dog
at, is to shoot at.
/O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Ee wid-n staa'p, zoa aay puut dhu blank duug aa'dr-n,] he would
not stop, so I put the black dog after him — /. e. shot at him. I
never heard a gun called a black bitch, but it is often called
Black Bess.
BLACK-FROST [blaak vrairs]. A dry frost— such as comes
with an easterly wind.
BLACKHEAD [blaak'aid], sb. A boil, a gathering.
See PINSWILL.
BLACK-HEART [blaak-aart], sb. An epithet ; black-guard.
The Cockney term blaguard is never heard, though blaak-aart, with
the same meaning, is very common.
BLACK-MAN [blaak'-mae'un], sb. A terrible object ; a bogy
(q. -v.) ; a nursery terror. (Very com.)
Lizzy, you be quiet toreckly, else I'll put you in the cubid
(cupboard) 'long way the black-man !
Now you be good chillern, else the black-man '11 come down the
chimley arter ee.
BLACK POPLAR [blaak paup'lur, pup-lur]. Populus nigra,
also called water-poplar.
BLACK-POT [blaak paut], sb. Sausage made of blood and fat.
See POTS AND PUDDINGS.
BLACK-PUDDING {blaak puud'n], sb. Blood and fat sausage
— same as BLACK-POT.
In lyric numbers write an ode on
His mistress, eating a black-pudden.
Hudibras, II. Cant. iii. 1. 379.
Some for abolishing black-pudding
And eating nothing with the blood in.
Hudibras, III. Cant. ii. 1. 320.
BLACKS MITHY [blaak'snuithee], v. i. To practise the trade
of smith. See FARMERY.
He 've a gid up his place 'is zix months — now he do blacksmithy.
BLACK WINE [blaak- wuyn]. Port wine. A few years ago,
when port and sherry were the only wines seen in ordinary house-
holds, it was common to ask visitors whether they preferred white
or black wine. The term is now nearly obsolete.
BLADDER [blad'ur], sb. Talk, jaw, gabble.
[Oa-l dhee blad-ur!~\ hold thy jaw ! (Very com.)
This is, no doubt, our Western form of the North country blether,
or blather. See BLETHER, &c., Murray, N. E. Diet.
BLADDER-HEAD [blad'ur ai'd]. A stupid and tiresome talker ;
one not to be put down ; who will keep on arguing, and will have
the last word ; a wind-bag. Also a rough, coarse, brutal bully.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 7 1
[Wur-z dhee man'urz? yu guurt blad'ur ai'd /] where are thy
manners? you great bladder-head!
Sar-n jis but right ! and I wish every gurt bladder-head like ee,
mid meet way his hidins, same farshin.
Cf. Bletherskate, blatherskite.— Murray, N. E. Diet.
BLADDERMENT [blad'urmunt], sb. Noisy talk; blustering.
[Twuz noa'urt bud a blad'urmunt,'] it was nothing but a windy
harangue.
BLADDER MOUTH [blad'ur maewdh]. Epithet applied to
a coarse, noisy talker, devoid of sense ; usually [guurt blad'ur
maewd/i]. The consequent adj. [blad'ur maewdhud,~] bladder-
mouthed, is also very frequently heard. Same as BLADDER-HEAD.
BLADE [blae'ud]. i. The upright part of a door or window
frame. All such frames have two blades, besides the sill and the
lintel. See DURNS ; also W, S. Grammar, p. 14.
2. A term for a character; an individual.
[Puurdee oa'l blae'nd, shoa'ur nuuf!] pretty old fellow, sure
enough !
BLAKE [blae-uk, blae'ukee], v. To bleat.
[Dhu sheep doan luyk dhik'ee veeail, dhai d-au'vees begee'n tu
blae'ukee een un turaak'lee,] the sheep do not like that field, they
(do) always begin to bleat in it, directly.
The sheep da blake, the bullicks blare,
An the birds be gaily zinging.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 23.
BLAMED [blae'umd], /. /. Very common exclamation,
amounting to a quasi-oath — with quite as much force.
[Neef aay due aa'l bee blae'umd 7] I will be blamed if I do.
[Blae'umd cef aay doa'n !] (I'll be) Flamed if I don't. \Blae' urn
mee-, neef dhee shaet-n ae' ut,] blame me ! if thou shalt not have
it — /'. e. a thrashing.
BLANCH [blansh], v. t. Hunting. To head back a deer, or
turn him from his course.
Onwards to Westgate, when the deer was blanched. '
Records North Dev. Staghounds, p. 30.
He pointed for the decoy in the centre of the marshes running down to the
bay, but, being blanched, went up into the coverts above West Porlock.
Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 19, 1886.
Thenne shalt J)ou blenche at a^bergh ' ber no fals wytnesse.
Piers Plowman, vm. 1. 227.
BLANKS [blangks], sb. Sparks of fire.
72 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
At a recent fire at a farm a man said to me : [Luuk'ee dhu ween
wuz tuudh'ur wai, uuls t-wid u bloa'd dhu blangks rait daewn een
taap oa dhu aay rik,] lucky the wind was the other way, else it
would have blown the sparks right down upon the hay-rick.
See VLANKS.
BLARE [blae-ur], v. i. To bellow — applied to cattle.
[Waut ae'ulth dhu kaewz? dhai bun blae'urcen au'l z-mau'rneen,]
what ails the cows ? they have been bellowing all the morning.
See BLAKE.
Bloryyrf or wepyn (bleren P.). — Ploro,_ftto.
Bloryynge or wepynge (bloringe P.). — Ploralus, fletus. — Promp. Farv.
2. To rave, to storm, to scold noisily.
[Dhae'ur u wauz, blae'urcen lig u guurt beol,] there he was, raving
like a great bull.
The worthies also of Moab bleared and cried for very sorrow.
Isaiah xv. 4. Coverdale vers.
BLAST [blaa-s(t], v. (Very com.) To inflate: to swell in the
stomach (said of cattle).
In the spring, when green food is very plentiful, it often happens
that cattle eat too greedily, and gas seems to accumulate in the
stomach, so that they begin to swell, frequently to an enormous
size. When in this state they are said to be u-blaa'stud. The
remedy is to drive them about so as to give plenty of exercise ; if
this fails, a stab in the flank, when the gas instantly escapes, and
the wound is covered by a pitch-plaster.
[Huurn ! dhu kaewz v-u-broakt een'tu dhu yuung1 graas, dhai ul
zeo'n blaas dhurzuul'z neef dhai buydz dhae'ur,] run ! the cows
have broken into the young grass (clover), they will soon blast
themselves if they stay there.
The same herbe slaketh the bowels whan they are blasted up and swollen.
Lyte, Dodoens (1578), I. xcv. 137.
BLAST [blaa-s(t], sb. and v. i. A faggot or even a branch of
dry furze. In our Hill country, ovens are heated with wood fires,
and to cause the fuel in the oven to blaze well is " to blast out
the oven." The best material is dried gorse ; and a branch of this,
which is also constantly used to "catch up" the fire on the hearth,
is always called a blast of furze, [u blaa-st u vuuz].
2. v. To misfire ;~to flash in the pan. Closely connected with
the a':ove, which implies blaze. No doubt the phrase comes from
the days of flint locks and priming.
The darn'd old gun blasted, else I should a-had a fine shot.
BLEED [blid], v. t. This and the intrans. form, to bleedy
[blid'-ee], are very com. It and the sb. blood are invariably pro-
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 73
nounced alike. A man told me that in breaking stones "a sprawl
cut my face and made-'n blidy jis the very same's a pig."
BLEEDING-STICK [blid'een stik]. The round short staff
with which farriers strike the fleam in bleeding cattle.
BLESS [bias], v. To charm or cure by incantation. (Very
com.)
[Aay wiid-n keep dhai dhae'ur wau'rts, neef aay wuz yue1 — wuy !
dh-oa'l dae'um Sneok-1 bias um uwai* vaur ee turaak'lee,] I would
not keep those warts, if I were you— why ! the old dame Snook will
charm them away for you directly.
In Mid. Eng. to bless meant to make the sign of the Cross, and
thereby to consecrate, so that it is quite easy to see how the word
has come down to us along with hokus pokus^ &c.
Also kneolinde to eurichon, and blesce%>, ase hit seifc fcer. — Ancrtn Rhvle, p. 34.
Eftenvard huanne me stelj) yblissede
Binges o)>er onblissede huet J>et liit by. — Ayenbitr of Iniuyt, p. 41.
ffor, and he be blessid : )>e better J>e be-tydyth.
Piers Plowman, Rich, the Red. ii. 75.
She blesseth hir, and with ful pilous voys.
Chaucer, Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 351.
(See also Will, of Palerme, 1. 196.)
Tills carpenter to blessen him bygan. — Ib. Miller's Tale, 1. 262.
he lifte vp ys hond and blessed him )>an : and recomandedem to god almijte.
Sir Per umbras, 1. 256.
(See also Ibid. 11. 340, 2963, 3623, 5705. See also Spenser, Faerie Queene,
B i, C 6.)
than Ount Annis Moreman could ha biased vore, and net ha pomster'd about
et, as moather ded. — Ex. Scold. 1. 25.
BLIND-BUCKY-DAVY [bluyn -buuk-ee-dae'uvee]. Blind-
man's-buff. (Very com.) Pulman says this means Blind-buck-and-
h ivc-ye.
Pipes an' baccy, dree kird loo, —
Bline-bucky-Davey, hunt the shoe —
The wold plays one, the youngsters t'other,
All mighty pleyz'd wi one another.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 64.
BLIND EARS [bluyn yuurz], sb. Ears of corn with no seed
in them.
[Niivur ded-n zee zu miin'ee bluyn yuurz uz ez dhee'uz yuur,]
(I) never saw so many blind ears as there are this year.
should such flowers fail to be crossed, no fruit is borne, and the flowers are
then blind. — Taylor, Sagacity and Morality of Plants, p. 70.
BLIND-HALTER [bluyn-au'ltur], sb. The ordinary bridle
belonging to cart harness, having two blinkers, is always thus
named, in distinction to the night-halter, or " head-stall," by which
the horse is tied up in the stable.
74 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BLIND-MAN'S HOLIDAY [bluyn— blain mae'unz airlidai].
(Very com.) When it is too dark to see to work — not often
applied to complete darkness.
Come on soce ! 'tis blind-man's holiday ; can't zee no longer, let's
pick up our things.
What will not b'ind Cupid doe in the night, which is his blind-man's holiday.
ATas/ie (1599), Lenten Stuffe in Harl. Misc. vi. 167. (Murray.)
BLIND-MOBBED [blain maub'ud], adv. Blindfold (always).
A farmer complaining of some bad work said : Nif I didn do it
better-n that blind-mobbed I'd have my arms cut off. — Jan. 20, 1885.
BLOOD [blid], sb. i. Body: person. The pronunciation is
the same in all senses. (Very com.)
[Poo'ur oal blid, uurs u-kairm maa'yn fraa'yul,] poor old body,
she is come (to be) very frail.
Her auvis was a whisht poor blid.
For blod may seo blod ' bothe a-)mrst and a-cale,
Ac blod may nat seo blod ' blede, bote hym rewe.
Piers Plowman, XXI. 439.
2. v. f. and /. To bleed.
[Ee-s, u blid lig u pai'g, un u wuz blid au'l oa'vur,] yes, he bled
like a pig, and he was blood all over.
BLOOD AND EYES [blid-n uy z]. A very common intensitive
phrase.
[Aay uurn vur mee vuuree blid-n uyz,~\ simply means that I ran
as fast as I could. [Wee wuurk vur ur blid-n uyz,~\ we worked as
fast as we could.
BLOOD-SUCKER [blid zfeok-ur], sb. The horse-leech, in
appearance like a young eel, which appears in shoals in our brooks
in spring. They have the power of attaching themselves like a
surgical leech, but I doubt much if they would draw any blood.
BLOODY-BONES [blid-ee boa-unz]. A goblin, a bogy— used
to frighten children. Mothers constantly say to their children :
[Neef yue bae'un u geod maayd, aa'l puut ee een dhu daa'rkee
oa'l lau'ng wai dhu blid'ee boa'unz,'] if you are not a good girl, I
will put you in the dark hole, along with the bl:ody-bones.
To terrify those mighty champions,
As we do children now with bloody-bones.
Butler (1680), Remains, ed. 1759, I. p. 77.
BLOODY-DOCK [blid-ee dauk], sb. Rumex Sanguineus.
BLOODY-FINGERS [blid-ee ving-urz], sb. The Foxglove.
(Com.)
BLOODY WARRIORS [blid-ee wauryurz]. The usual name
for wall-flowers of all kinds — Cheiranthus Cheiri.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 75
BLOOMY-DOWN [bleo-mee daewn], sb. The Sweet-William.
(Com.) — Dianthus barbatus.
BLOSSOM [blau-sum]. The flower of the hawthorn — a very
usual name.
School Inspector — "What do you mean by May?" (several
hands up)— " Blossom." — May 23rd, 1883.
BLOW [bloa-], v. i. To play, used in speaking of wind
instruments. Fiddles and drums are played, but flutes, trombones,
serpents, &c., are always bloa'd.
A man told me his [bridlrur Bee'ul kn bloa' dhu fluet kaap'ikul,]
brother Bill can play the flute capitally.
A baggepipe covvde he blmve and sowne,
And therewithal he brought us out of towne.
Chaucer, Prologue (Mellere), 1. 565.
2. To blossom.
3. sb. Bloom — flowers in full blow.
BLOWTH [bloa-udh], sb. Bloom, blossom. (Very com.)
[Dh-aa'pl trees bee veo'l u bloa-udh dee yuur,] the apple trees
are full of bloom this year.
Compare greenth — Daniel Deronda, B. IV. p. 246 ; also leivth,
Tarth, math.
the seeds and effects whereof were as yet but potential, and in the blowth and
bud.— Sir Wal:er Raleigh, Hist, of World, p. 107. (Ed. 1677.)
his form and beauty though but yet in the blffivth. — Ibid. p. 148.
BLOW UP [bloa1 aup], v. i. Applied to the wind ; to increase
in force.
[T-l bloa' aup umbaay aay rak-n,] it will blow up (;. e. the wind
will rise] by and by, I think.
2. To rate, to scold.
[Mae'ustur v \±-bloa~ud mee aup shoa'ur nuuf, un twuz yoa-ur
fau't, au-1 oa ut,] master has scolded me severely, and it was your
fault, all of it.
BLUE MILK [blue* miilk]. Milk which has been scalded and
then had all the cream taken from it.
Hot d'em zend zich stuff-s this here vor ? Why, tidn no other-
ways-n blue-milk.
BLUE MILK CHEESE [blue- rmilk chee-/]. Poor cheese
made of blue milk. See SKIMMED MILK.
BLUE-VINNED [blue vun'ud]. Said of cheese when in the
state of blue-mould — also of any article covered with mildew.
See VINNED.
76 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BOARD [boa'urd], def. v. Used much in games.
[Boa'urdz aay dhu boa'ttrdf] I claim the board. I never heard
this word applied to stealing. See BAG, BONE.
BOARD [boo-urd], sb. Table. Usually applied to the table-
top, and not to the entire piece of furniture. Very frequently called
"table-board" (q. v.) when the entire table is referred to.
Hon I sar'd my parish purntice 'long way Mr. Tapp to Newhouse,
they always used to put up the girt frying-pan vull o' taties, tap the
board vor breakfast, and maister, missus, and all o' us used to help
ourzels.
A long takAe-board and two furms, all one zide o' the house.
Survives in "bed and board," "board and lodging," " boarding-
school."
Yet eft hi ssolle by more clene, and more holy uor J>et hi serue]> at godes bard
of his coupe, of his breade and of his wyne. — Ayenbite of Inwyt (1340), p. 235.
At noon, ne at no time : and nameliche at soper
Let nat syre sorfait : sitten at )>y borde.
(1393.) Piers Plowman, P. IX. 1. 276.
Boorde — Tabula, mensa, asser. — Promp. Parv.
and sche seide, Jhis lord, for whelpis eten of the crommys that fallen doun
fro the bord oi her lordis. — Matthew xv. 27. Wydifvers.
and whanne men Jeuen vs noujt renne we to ]>e borde of ]>e lord, axynge almes
fro dore to dore. — Wyclif, Eng. Works, E. E. T. S. p. 46.
BOARD-CLOTH [boo-urd klaa-th], sb. Table-cloth. By far
the commonest name in the Hill country.
[Kau'm soa'us ! lat-s ae'u sum brak'sus, navur muyn dhu boo'tird-
^ come soce ! (q. v.) let us have some breakfast, never mind
the table-cloth.
Bordedothe. — Mappn, gansape. — Promp. Parv.
a Burdedoth : discus, gausipe, mappa. — Cath. Aug.
Borde dot he, Nappe. — Palsgrave.
Also to Elyzabeth, wyfe of )>e forseyd Robert, a boorde doty with ij. towelles
of deuaunt of oo sute.
Will of Sir W. Langeford, 1411. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 19.
a good bord doth with crosse werk, and another bord doth with mylyngis at
the tone ende.
Will of Roger Elmesley, 1434. Ibid, p. 101. See also p. 56, 1. 22.
Also eschewe, withouten stryfe
To foule the borde-dothe with thy knyfe.
Boke of Curtayse, 1. HO.
BOARDEN [boo-urdn], adj. Made of board. (Always.) As
[u boo'urdn purtee'shn,] a partition made of board.
The roome wheare the wooll lyeth shoulde allwayes bee hardened under foote.
Best Farming Books (1641), p. 24. (Murray.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 77
BOAR-DISTLE [bocrur dus'l, duysl, daaslrl]. Cardnus Lanceo-
latus. Probably this is a corruption of Bur-thistle, induced by the
coarse rank growth of this variety — hence no doubt having become
boar, it has developed into bull-thistle.
BOAR-STAG [boa-ur stag]. A castrated boar. See STAG.
BOB [baub], sb. In warping " chains " by hand, a round piece
of wood is held, over which the " beer " or half " beer " of " ends "
runs, and thus the hand of the warper is preserved from the severe
friction of the constant running out of the threads composing the
warp. This little piece of wood, generally of apple-tree, is called
a bob, or sometimes a hand-bob.
BOBBERY [batrburee], sb. Row, contention, tumult, squabble.
There was a purty bobbery way em, sure 'nough. (Very com.)
Bobbery, a disturbance, row, or squabble ; a term much used in the East Indies
and China. — Smyth, Sailor's \VordBook, 1867. (Murray.)
BOBBIN [baub'een], sb. A kind of white string used to
strengthen the hem in many garments. The string, most commonly
a leather boot-lace with a knot at the end, by which the latch of
many a cottage-door is lifted from the outside, is always the bobbin.
In the story of little Red Riding-Hood, the wolf is told to pull the
bobbin and the latch will go up. Except in the sense of reel or
spool (see QUILL), which is not dialectal or provincial, bobbin in
this district means string only. A running tape in a pinafore is a
bobbin. The string of a baby's cap is a bobbin.
BOBS [baubz], sb. pi. Steelyards.
[Uurn daewn tu Beochair Eo'dz, un aa's-n plai'z tu lai'n mee
uz baubz,~\ run down to Butcher Wood's and ask him (to) please to
lend me his bobs.
BODKIN, or BATKIN [baud-kin, baafkin], sb. The bar or
whipple-tree used in ploughing or harrowing, to the centre of which,
by means of the cops or clevis, is attached the foot-chain for
dragging the implement. To each end of the bodkin a horse is
hooked on. In working with oxen no bodkin is needed, because
the leading-chain passes direct from the sull to the centre of the
yoke. See DRAFT.
Iron drags and harrows, with bodkins and chains, chain harrows, 2 mowing-
machines. — Adv. of Auction Sale. — Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
BODY [baudee], sb. Person. Used very commonly, as in the
Scotch " Gin a body meet a body.1' Although the usual impers.
pron. is anybody, yet very frequently a body is used for the lit. one.
Like anybody, this form is also followed by a plural construction.
A body widn never think they was gwain to be zo a-tookt in.
Don't you tell a body no lies, and then they'll harky to ee again.
/3 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BODY [bau-dee], sb. The abdomen.
[Shd puut u flan-een raewn dhu bairdee oa un,] (you) should put
a flannel round his body — /. e. stomach.
BODY HORSE [baud'ee airs]. In a team of three, when
driven one before the other, the middle horse is called ths baud'ee
aufs. When breaking a colt to harness, it is usual to put him in
this way between two steady horses. This is called putting the colt
in the body in distinction to in the shafts.
BOGGLE [baug'l], sb. and v. i. To do anything in a slovenly,
blundering way ; to bungle.
[Wuul ! dhiis uz u puurdee oa'l baug'l, shoarluy !] well, this is
a pretty old bungle, surely ! — said of a bad piece of tailoring.
BOGGLE [baug'l], sb. and v. A stumble not amounting to a
fall — said of a horse.
" How did the horse go ? " " Middlin like, sir ; he made a bit
of a boggle two different times, but I'd a-got-n well in hand : but I
zee I must watch-n, he do boggly 'pon level ground."
BOGGLER [baug'lur]. A horse given to stumbling, but not
actually to falling.
BOGY [boa'gee], sb. A spectre, a black demon, a common
nursery terror. Bogle and Boggle quite unknown.
Th' 'oss jump'd a one zide, darn'd if I wadn jist a-turned over,
jist the very same's 'off he'd a zeed a bogy ; and 'twas nort bat a
newspaper.
Fear'd o' the dark ! hot b'ee feard o' ? D'ee think you'll zee a
? There idn none o' they about now-a-days. Sse BLACK-MAN.
BOILING OF THEM [bwuuyleen oa-m]. Every one, the
entire lot, all put together.
[Tuul eehaut t-aiz — Bee'ul-z u waettr dhu woa'l bwuuyleen oa-m
— puut um een u bai'g-n shee-uk um au'l aup tugadh'ur,] I tell you
what it is — Bill is worth all the rest, (if you) put them in a bag and
shake them all up together. This is a very common way of express-
ing preference for one in a family.
BOIT [bauyt], sb. and v. t. Bait (always). Sometimes used
peculiarly for a. job.
Nif that there idn a darn'd purty boit vor anybody to start way a
Monday mornin. I shall go home to th' old umman bum bye
night, way my c'ane shirt so black's a chimley-zweep, and stink so
bad's a fitch. — January loth, 1887. See BAIT.
O be not we, like foolish vish,
Wi' glitt'ring things deceyv'd ;
We snatch the boh 'an' veal the sting
To late to be releyv'd. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 7.
Ez hook now 'e 've baited, an' at et he goos. — Ibid. p. 21.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
79
BOLD MAKING [boa'l mak-een]. Making bold ; using
freedom ; taking a liberty ; presuming — used in accepting an
invitation to take refreshment.
[Dhangk ee, neef tiid-n tu boa'l mak'een,~\ thank you, if it is not
too bold making. On going away after a repast, I have very often
heard : [Dhangk ee vur muy boa'l mak' een,~\ thank you for my
bold mak'ng — /'. e. my intrusion, the freedom I have used.
BOLSTER, [boal'stur], sb. In a timber-carriage of the kind
ca'led a [taap kaareej,] top-carriage — /'. e. one on which the log
is borne upon the axles and nots wung up under them — there is a
loose piece of wood on the fore-carriage, through the centre of
which passes the main-pin. Upon this piece rests the end of the
log, and it is firmly bound to it by a chain passing through holes
made for the purpose. This is called the bolster, and its use is to
permit the fore-wheels to " lock " without disturbing the burden
fixed to it. There is a similar bolster underneath the body of a
wagon for the same purpose. See PILLAR-PIECE.
BOLSTER-CHAIN [boal'stur chnayn], sb. A short, strong
chain, one end of which slides freely on a strong bar fixed to the
futchels of a timber-carriage. The other end is firmly fastened
with "dogs" to the end of the tree, when fixed upon the bolster.
The use of the bolster-chain is to hold up and keep steady the front
of the fore-carriage, to which the shafts are hinged. See BUSSEL.
BOLSTER-PIECE [boal'stur pees], sb.
See PIT-ROLLER.
Used by sawyers.
BOLSTER UP [boal-stur aup], v. t. To set up the fore-
carriage in its proper position, when the tree is loaded, and to fix
it with the. bolster-chain. This operation is of great importance in
loading timber upon a "top-carriage." If not done skilfully the
load will not "ride" well.
BOLT [boa'lt], v. t. and /'. i. To drive out of its burrow either
a rabbit or fox, or a rat from its lair.
[Fae'umus leexll buch tu boa'lt u fauks,] famous little bitch to
bolt a fox. Bolt is said of any animal driven from its hold by
ferret or otherwise. [Rab-uts d-airvees boa'ltee bas een vrau'stee
wadh'ur,] rabbits do always bolt best in frosty weather.
2. v. i. To run away; to overpower his rider — said of a horse.
Also in a race or steeplechase, if a horse swerves from the fence
he ought to jump, and goes on the wrong side of the flag, he is said
to bolt.
BOLTING-HOLE [boa-lteen oa'l]. In rabbit-berries (q.v.)
there are some holes which seem almost too small for a rabbit to
80 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
pass through ; but from one of these, when pressed by a ferret, he
is most likely to bolt. These are called \boa~lteen ocflz].
BOM AN TEG [boa'mun tag'], sb. (Com.) Putty, when used
by carpenters to fill up bad joints or defective wood.
That's what we calls banian-teg, so hard's any 'ood or ire.
BONCE [bau-ns]. A large marble for playing.
BOND [baun], v. and sb. To put an iron ring while hot upon
a wheel, or upon anything upon which it is desired to make the iron
fit very tightly by the process of cooling in situ. To bond a wheel
is to put the tyre upon it. Same as to bind (q. v.). The bond is the
tyre or ring. A band or hoop of any metal is a bond, but unless
of some metal it is a bind. Sheaves and faggots have binds, not
bonds. A mere fastening, however strong, as a chain, is not a bond.
[Plai'zr kn ur ae- u baun puut pun dhu pluump? dhu vrau-s-v
u-kraa'k-n,] please, sir, can we have a bond put on the pump ? the
frost has cracked it.
Also I bord mausure with a bond of seluer, & ouerguld, wyth a prent in J>e
myddylle, and a grypp amide.
Will of Thomas Bathe, 1420. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 46.
BONE [boa'un], v. t. i. To squint along any article to see if it
is straight, as joiners constantly do in planing. Used commonly
in all trades needing straight lines.
[Yue boa'un un yuur-zuul, yue-ul zeon zee wur uz true1 ur noa,]
you bone it yourself, you will soon see whether it is true (straight)
or not.
Twenty four boning roAs had been originally provided.
Royal Survey in Philos. Trans. 1785, vol. Ixxv. p. 411.
2. Used in games ; to claim, to crib, to seize.
\Boa unz aay dhik zuyd !] I claim that side ! [Any vaewn zab'm
oa-m, un aay boa'un dhu laut,] I found seven of them, and I cribbed
the lot. Same as BOARD.
3. To steal.
I'm darn'd if zomebody 'ant a-bone my dinner, angkecher an' all.
I zeed it to 'lebm o'clock, 'long way my jacket !
BONESHAVE [boo'un shee'uv], sb. Sciatica (still used, but
obsolescent).
Bonschawe, sekenesse (bonshawe, P.) — Tessedo, seta sis. — Promp. Parv.
)>e Bam shaive (Baynshawe, A.). — Ossedo. — Catholicum Anglicum.
a goode medicyn for boonskaive. Take bawme and fe)>erfoie, };e oon deel
bawme, and )>e Jmdde parte fe}>erfoie, and staumpe hem, and tempere hem with
stale ale, and lete J>e sike drinke Jiereof. — Sloan AIS. 100, f. 7.
ad guttam in osse que dicitur bonshawe. multum valet oleum de vitellis
ovorum, si inde ungatur. —
Jchn Anderne, Chirttrgica, Sloan MS. 56, f. l8b. (Way).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 8 1
Es dedn't mean the Boneshave, ner tha Barngun, ner the Heartgun, ner the
Allernbatch that tha had'st in thy Niddick. — Exmoor Scold. 1. 22.
In a note to the above, dated 1778, is given the following charm,
to be said with the patient lying on his back on the bank of a
stream with a staff by his side.
Bone-shave right ;
Bone-shave straight ;
As the water runs by stave
Good for Bone-shave.
BONNET [bairnut], sb. The long grass which always appears
in pasture fields when not mown for hay. The cattle do not eat
it unless it is mown. The seed-stems of the blade grasses, which
the cattle will not eat. (Called bent, bcnnet in other places.)
There idn nort a wo'th cuttin, 'tis on'y a passle o' bonnet.
BONNET-STRINGS [baun-ut-stringz]. Bents. From bonnet
(q. T.} the transition is very easy to bonnet-strings, which latter is
really a very suggestive name — quite common.
BONNETY [bau-nutee], adj.
[Dhik'ee vee'ul-z tuurubl batfnufee,~\ that field is very much
covered with long grass, or bents.
BOO [beo1], adv. i. Above; more than.
[Dhur waud-n beo' zab'm u-laf ,] there were not above seven left.
2. adj. Both.
[Aa-1 tak dhu bto' oa-m,] I'll take them both.
BOOBY-HUTCH [beo'bee uuch]. A very common name for
any quaint, uncomfortable vehicle ; it implies a carriage of soma
sort, but I never heard it used for a mere seat. I heard a man
say of an old-fashioned chaise: "Where in the wordle d'ye pick
up thick there old booby 'utch ? "
BOOK [beok], sb. The clothes sent to the washerwoman by
one family at one time.
[Aay wuz dhaat dhae'ur wai'k aay keod-n uulp kaar oa'm dhu
beok u kloa'uz,] I was so weak I could not help carry home the
wash of clothes.
The old word is buck, pronounced book. — Skeat.
A Biuk of Clothes. Bute. To Buck linnen. Faire la butfe. To wash a Buck.
Butr. A Buck- washer. Buandiere. A place to wash Bucks in. Buanderie.
Cotgrave (Sherwood). See Palsgrave, p. 472.
And laue]> hem in ]>e lauandrie
And boukt\ hem at hus brest ' and bete)> hit ofte.
Piers Plow. P. XVII. 1. 330. See Skeafs note to P. P. p. 321.
Mrs. Ford. . . . You were best meddle with buck- washing
Merry Wives of Windsor, Act III. Scene iv.
G
82 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Fahtaff. . . . they conveyed me into a £«r£-
Ford. A £«r£-basket !
Fal. By the Lord, a ^w^-basket : rammed me in with foul shirts and smocks,
socks, foul stockings and greasy napkins. —Ibid. Act III. Scene v.
BOOSTERING [beo'stureen], adj. Bustling, stirring, active.
Her's a maain boosterin sort of a umman.
Wone mussent olweys be a boostering, must a? — Ex. Scold. \. 295.
BOOT [tu beot]. In the phr. to boot. Over and above, in
addition, as a make-weight. Something into the bargain.
[Wuul dhae'ur ! gi mee vaawur paewn, vur dhu buut oa un, un
yue shl ae'u dhu ai'd tu bcot^ well there ! give me four pounds for
the butt and you shall have the head to boot (of a fallen tree).
This is the only form of this word now current in the dialect.
Obs. as a verb. See IN 2.
Botyngti or encrese yn by ynge. Licitamentum. — Promp. Paru.
To give Boote or booty (for a thing exchanged) . Rttourner.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
I boote in corsyng, or chaungyng one thyng for another, I give money or some
other thynge above the thyng.
What will you boote bytwene my horse and yours? — Palsgrave, p. 461.
Paris? Paris is dirt to him ; and I warrant, Helen to change would give an
eye to boot. — Troilits and Crcssida, I. ii.
BORE, BORER [boar, boa'rur], v. and sb. A horse whic
holds down his head, and gets the bit in his teeth, at the sar
time rushing forward, is said to bore, or to be a borer. It is ar
aggravation of hard-mouthed.
BORIER [boaryuur — boa'ree-ur]. The invariable name for an
augur.
[Plai'z tu lai'n Tau'mus, u dree-kwaurtur boa'rec-ur^\ please tc
lend Thomas a three-quarter (inch) augur.
BORN DAYS [baurn daiz], phr. Lifetime.
Never in all my born days.
BORN-FOOL [bau-rn feol]. An idiot, a stupid ass. Epithe
conveying no idea of congenital weakness of intellect.
BOSOM [buuznim]. In weaving, at every passage of the shuttle,
a portion of the threads of the warp is raised, and another part
lowered, thus forming an opening through which darts the shuttle.
This opening, or rather division, is called the bosom, and it is
upon this that the weaver has constantly to keep his eye, to see
that no ends are down — i. e. no threads are broken, and that
the abb or weft runs properly from the shuttle. It is important
to keep [u ai'vm buuz-um,~\ an even bosom, that is, to have the
I
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 83
rows of threads quite even in line, otherwise the shuttle strikes
them in passing, and is either diverted from its course or the
threads are broken. An old weaver's advice is : " Always keep
your eye pon the bosom.'"
See SLEIGH, LAY, RACE.
BOTE [boa'ut], /. /. of to buy. Bought ; always so pronounced.
He [boa'ut] a ter'ble sight o' stock to fair — and I auvis vinds-n
a very fair man, he've [u-boa'ut] bought my [bee'us Ui yuurz]
beast these years (past).
Nere )>e vorewarcle no so strong : me fcjte is out wi]> wou,
So J>at )>e king in such manere : suluer wan ynou.
1298. Robert of Gloucester, Will, the Conqueror, \. 455.
Wei he hit louede ine herte t>o he hit zuo dyere bo^te.
Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 133.
Olyuer saide, "help, iesus '• )>at boniest us wi)> J>y Mode !
Sir Fer umbras, 1. 1153.
But fust to mek us caum'ferble,
We hole a lot o' stuff
Ta haa a pick-nit under heyde,
When we'd got vish enough.
Fulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 28.
BOTHERMENT [bairdhurmunt]. (Very com. old word, both
in Devon and Somerset.) Trouble, perplexity, difficulty.
Wo've a-had a sight o' botherment way thick job.
BOTTLE [bau'tl]. Bundle, or heap. Only used in the common
saying: [Mud su wuul leok vur u nee'el een u bau'tl\\ stroa,1] one
may as well search for a needle in a bottle of straw.
Botdle of hey. Faiifatcit. — Promp. Parv.
I mike hotels of hay. Je boitdle. Aske for the hosteller, he is above in the
hay-lofte makynge bjtellts. — Palsgrave, p. 620.
BOTTLE [bau-tl, bau'dl], v. and sb. To blister ; to form bubbles
or bladders.
[Aew dhu paa'ynt-s \\-bau~tld 7] how the paint is blistered.
[Dhu skee'n oa un wuz aul oa'vur bairdlz, jis dhu vuuree
sae-um-z au'f ee-d u-ae'ud u bluVtur au'n,] his skin was all over
bladders, just as if he had been blistered.
BOTTOM [bau'tum], sb. i. A small quantity of wine or spirit
in a tumbler ready to have water addjd to it. Common at all
inns. " A bottom o' gin and a bottom o' brandy for Mr. Jones."
2. The seat ; anus.
Tommy, if you don't come in turakly, I'll whip your bottom.
3. v. t. To reach the bottom.
Boys bathing in deep water, say : 'Tis too deep vor me, I can't
bottom it, and I baint able vor zwiin.
o 2
84 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BOTTOM-GRASS [bairdm graas]. The dwarf fine grasses
which grow thickly, and come up later than the taller varieties,
such as all the finer clovers. The term has nothing to do with
We shan't have much hay to year, if we don't get a good ground
rain to bring up the bottom-grass.
BOUGH [buw], sb. This name is only given to a smaller
branch of a tree whether still growing or detached, but it implies
the end of the branch terminating in twigs. That part would
always be called a bough which would be tied up for faggot-wood.
Zee whe'er you can't pick a bough — i. e. a sprig — or two o' laur-yel
and holm vor a bit o' kirsmasin.
See LIMB, RAMBLE.
BOUGHTEN [bau'tn, bau'dn], part. adj. Bought, in distinc-
tion to home-made.
[Kau'm, muVus ! wuy doa'n ee bae'uk? Aay kaa'n u-bae-ur
dhiish yur bairtn brai'd,] come, mistress ! (wife) why don't you bake ?
I cannot bear this boughten bread.
Bonghten stockings baint like home-made ones.
BOW [buw], sb. The name of the point or antler which grows
from the front of a stag's horn, nearest to the head. For the
following account, I am indebted to Mr. Chorley of Quarme :
" A male deer of one year old has in general one straight horn
each side only, which we term his ' upright.' At two years old,
he would probably have bow and uprights above this point ; at
three years old he should have bow, bay, and uprights ; and at four
years old, boiv, bay, tray, and uprights ; while at five years, he
should carry bow, bay, tray, with two points on top, each side (/. e.
on each horn) ; he would then be what we call a warrantable stag,
fit to hunt with hounds (a deer of ten points), and perhaps he may
go on for a year or two with these points only, or increase them
on top, on one side, or on both, as the case may be, and in doing
this may possibly lose a bow, a bay, or a tray on one side or other. \
I think a stag is at his best at six years old, or seven at latest, and
then goes back in the size and length of horn, though possibly he
may increase the number of points on top to as many as four on
one side and three on the other, or four on both. We seldom
find a pure forest (Exmoor) stag with more than this, which would
make him (supposing of course he has all his points or rights as
we call them, under) a stag of thirteen or fourteen points— that is,
' bow, bay, tray, with three ' or ' four on top ' one side, and ' bow, bay,
tray, with four on top,' the other. I have seen them with many
more than this number of points, but in that case the head is
' palmated,' and I do not consider the deer to be perfectly pure
in breed, perhaps crossed with some other kind of Red-deer. It
is rare to find a deer go on quite regularly in the increase of horn,
'WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 8$
as I say he should do, and does do sometimes ; but he is very
uncertain from various causes — scarcity of food, accidents, strength
of constitution, £c. I once knew one shed his horns twice in one
year ; but he was kept by a farmer near me, and lived riotously and
unnaturally."
Bow must not be confounded with brow. Bow is the name of
the Brow-antler (q. v.}.
A warrantable stag has bow, bay, and tray antlers, and two on top of each
horn. A male calf has no horn, a brocket only knobblers, and small brow
antlers. — Records of N. Dev. Staghoitnds, p. 9.
BOW [buw], v. t. and *. To bend.
[Muyn yue doan buw- dhu zuyv,] take care you do not bend the
scythe. The word bend is unknown. See ANGLE BOW.
BOWERLY [baawurlee], adj. Burly, portly, stout; distinctly
a word of praise, and not conveying the idea of coarseness or
roughness of the lit. burly. Relates to appearance only.
[Ee-z u baawurlee soa'urt uv u mae'un,] he is a large, portly
sort of a man. See Trans. Devon Association, vol. xin. p. 92.
BOWL [baewul], v. and sb. This word, whether signifying a
skittle-ball, or to bowl^ has invariably the vowel-sound of aew or
tiw, as in kaew or kuw = cow.
[Aa'l baewul dhee vur zik'spuns,] I will bowl thee for sixpence.
This is the ordinary challenge to play at skittles for sixpence a
side. Bowling-alley, bowling-green are always [baewleen aal'ee —
gree'n]. It is interesting to observe how distinctly the dialect has
preserved, in its pronunciation, the difference between bowl [baewul]
a ball, and boivl [boa'ul] a basin — while the literary speech has,
like the French, confused them into the same sound.
Bolle, vesselle. Concha, litter.
Bowie. Bolus.
Bffiulyn, or pley wythe bmvlys. Bolo. — Promp. Parv.
Boule : f. A bowl (to play with or to drink in).
Boule veue. A certain play at j9tf7£//<?-casting, wherein if the Bowie be at any
time out of sight, the caster looses ; whence,
Jouer a bottle veue. To deal suddenly, to act upon hazard, to work upon no
sure grounds. — Cotgravc.
I bmvle, I play at the boules.
\V)11 you boule for a quarte of wyne. — Palsgrave.
BOWL-DISH [boa'l deesh]. A round bowl either of wood or
metal, with a short, straight handle. Also applied to a very coarse
earthen wash-hand basin. The word is very definite in its meaning
as to these two kinds of vessel ; one is for washing, the other for
dipping, but neither for drinking.
a bolle and a bagje " he bar by hus syde. — Piers Plowman, P. VIII. 164.
Skeat remarks (Notes to P. P. p. 132), " Bolle signified not only
86 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
a bowl, but a capacious cup. . . . Hence the term boiler (bowler)
for a deep drinker." We constantly find bolle-cuppe, which seems to
mean a large drinking-cup.
Also I jeue to Kateryne Lewis my seruaunt, .x ti. sterlingus, and a bolle aippe
I-keueryd of syluer )>at vveyyth xvi ounsus iij quarter. Also I 3eue to Jje same
Katerine a becttrc of seluer I-keueryd.
Will of Thomas Bathe, 1420. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 45.
In this same Will the word becure, occurs twice (one of these
" weyyth xxv ounsus I quarter "), and bollc twice. He also gives
"a stondynge cuppe of seluer y-clepped a chales cuppe ....
fat weyyth xvij ounsus & halfe quarter." From this, judging by
the weight, and that both were " i-keueryd " — /. e. had covers, it
appears that the becure was by far the largest of all, and was what
we should now call a flagon. If this is so, the beaker (see BICKER)
never was used as a drinking-vessel. but to hold the liquor, from
which it was poured into bolles or cups of various kinds for drinking.
BOX [bauks], sb. Tech. The iron tube in the centre of a
carriage-wheel into which the arm (q. v.) fits, and upon which the
wheel revolves. To " box a wheel " is to fit and wedge this iron
accurately so that the wheel may run truly. Sometimes called
axle-box.
BOXEN [bauk-sn] adj. Made of box.
[Dhur wuz u baufcsn aj au*l raewn dhu gyuurdn,] there was a
hedge of box all round the garden. A farm in the neighbourhood
is called
BOX-HAT [bauks-aa-t]. The name of the ordinary chimney-pot
hat. To wear one in a country village is thought to imply, or to
ape, gentility.
[Aay zeed Jee'unz yuung mae'un tu chuurch — geod leokeen
fuul'ur nuuf, un ee-d u-gaut au-n u bauks aa~t tue1 !] I saw Jane's
young man at church, good-looking fellow enough, and he had on
a box-hat too ! " A box-hat and a walking-stick " are the climax
of a get-up.
BOY'S LOVE [bwuuyz luuv], sb. Southernwood — artemisia
abrotanum. A very great favourite with the village belles. In the
summer, nearly all carry a spray of it half wrapped in the white
handkerchief, in their hand to church. In fact, a village church
en a hot Sunday afternoon quite reeks with it.
BRACK [braak], sb. The fat covering the intestines of edible
animals. Of a pig when melted the brack becomes lard, of other
animals, tallow. See KIRCHER, FLICK, CAUL.
BRACKSUS [brak-sus, braek-sus]. Breakfast.
[Shaa'rp soanis-n kaech yur brak'sus-n km au'n,] (look) sharp,
mates, and catch your breakfast (/'. e. eat it quickly) and come on.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 8/
BRAGS [bragz], sb. Boast. (Plur. only.)
[Ee mae '111.1-2 bragz aew-u diied ut,] he made his boast how he
did it.
I yeard'n make his brags eens he'd a-got vower hundred pound,
hon th' old man died. — Sept. 21, 1883. The verb to brag is very
seldom heard.
BRAKE [brae'uk], sb. A piece of land covered with high gorse
or furze ; also often called [u vuuz brae'titt], a furze brake. Most
Hill country farms have their brake ; many are well known " sure
finds " for a fox — as Tripp-faofc, \}pcott-&ra&e, &c. Not applied
to a mere thicket.
The stag during this interval came back and lay down in S\veeteryZ?ra>fc . . .
then . . . down through the Brake to the Sea.
Records, North Dev. Staghounds, p. 40.
BRAND [bran], sb. A log of firewood. It is generally under-
stood to be split into a convenient size for a hearth fire, and cut
three feet in length. Cleftin brans is favourite work in frosty
weather.
[Haut ee aaks vur dhai branz 7] what (do) you ask for those
brands ? See CORD.
The word certainly does not mean " a burning piece of wood ;
or a stick of wood partly burnt," as defined by Webster. If it
does, what is a firebrand ?
BRAND-RICK [bran'-rik] sb. A stack of fire-wood cut and
split into brands. See WOOD-RICK.
BRANDIS [brairdees, bran'deez], sb. An iron tripod used to
stand over a hearth fire, on which milk is placed to be scalded, or
any cooking utensil. It consists of a fiat iron ring of about seven
inches diameter, into which are welded three straight legs so as to
support the ring horizontally at about a foot from the ground.
(No other name.) Brandreth is unknown.
It'm one paire of andirons, one paire of dogges, one iron to sett
before the dripping panne and ij brandizcs ..... x*.
Inventory of the goods of Henry Candy, Exeter, 1609.
BRANDIS-FASHION [bran'dees-faarsheen], adv. Three poles
set apart at the bottom, but inclining so as to meet at the top,
would be described as set up brandis-fashion. Any triangular
arrangement of pegs or sticks set on end would also be thus
described.
BRASS [braa's], sb. Money ; impudence.
[Kaa-n due ut, t-1 kau's tu muuch braa's,~] I cannot do it, it will
cost too much money.
[Moo'ur braa-s een dhee fae'us-n dhee-s u-gau't een dhee pau'gut,]
more brass in thy face than thou hast in thy pocket.
83 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BRAVE [brae-uv], adj. In good health.
[Aew bee-ee z-mairrneen? Braeuv, dhangk ee,] ho\v do you
do this morning ? Very well, I thank you.
Oa brae'uv / a very common exclamation amounting to no more
than " indeed ! "
BRAVE AND, adv. phr. Very ; extremely.
Missus is brave and angry, sure 'nough, 'cause you come home
so late.
BREACH [braich], sb. Farming ; land prepared for a seed-
bed. If thoroughly broken up and pulverized it is said to be a
good breach. If this is not done from any cause, a bad breach.
See BREATHE.
BREAK [braik;/. /. broakt;/./. u-broakt], v. t. Farming; to
plough up lea or pasture land.
Thick there field would stand well, 'tis murder to break-n..
Hence Breach (q. v.).
He've a-brokt the Little Ten Acres and a-put-n to wheat.
BREAK-ABOUT [brark ubaewt], v. i. i. Of cattle. To be accus-
tomed to break fence, or escape from enclosures. Meeting a girl
driving cows, one of which was blindfolded, I inquired the reason.
[Au ! ee du brai'k ubacw't — kaan kip-m noa plae'us,] oh, he (the
cow) do break-about — can't keep him no place.
2. adj. The same girl added : [Uur-z u proper brark ubaewt
oal dhing — uur aez*,] her's a proper break-about old thing — her is.
—October 1885.
[Dhai bee dhu brark ubaewts laut u sheep uvur aay-d u-gaut,]
they are the break-aboutest lot of sheep (that) I ever had ; /. e. they
get out of every field they are put into.
BREAK ABROAD [brark ubroa'ud], v. To tear, to destroy.
[Shau'keen bwuuy vur braik ubroa'ud-z kloa-uz,] shocking boy
for tearing his clothes.
[Dhiis ez dree tuymz uur-v u-broa'kt ubroa'iid ur dhingz,] this is
three times she has torn up her clothes. A very common act of
tramps when admitted to the workhouse.
BREAK DEAL [brark dae'ul], v. To misdeal at cards.
(Always.)
BREAK IN [brai'k ee'n], v. t. To tame or subdue : generally
applied to colts (not to horses}, but very commonly to dogs or other
animals usually trained. We never speak of a man or woman as
a horse-breaker — always as a colt-breaker; neither do we talk of
breaking colts, but always of breaking in colts, dogs, &c.
I'll warn un (horse) quiet to ride, but he never wadn z-brokt in
to harness.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 89
He's g\vain to make so good a pointer's ever I brokt in in my
live.
BREAK OUT [braik aewf], v. i. Applied to cattle. To jump
or climb over the fence, or to escape from a certain enclosure.
[Faa'dhur, dhu kaew-z M-broakt aewf' ugee'un,] father, the cow
has broken out again ; /. e. escaped from the field in which she was
placed. — Nov. 24, 1885.
Break-about is a frequentative verb, while break out refers to a
specific action.
BREAK OUT [braik aevvt'], v. i. To have a regular drunken
bout. To get drunk.
[Ee's ! liz uvur su muuch bad'r-n u yue'z tue, ee aa-n u-broakl
aeict'-s muuns,] yes ! (he) is ever so much better than he used to
(be) ; he has not broken out these months (past).
[Ee ul due vuuree wuul zu lau'ng-z u doa'n braik aeu>t',~\ he will
do very well, so long as he does not break out — /. e. keeps sober.
Of one who has signed the pledge it is common to hear,
" He've &-brokt out again, worse than ever " — /'. e, taken again to
drunkenness.
BREAK THE HEART [braik dhu aa-rt]. When any pbce
of work is well in hand, and the first difficulties are overcome, it
is very common to say, [Ee ul zeon braik dhu aa'rt oa ut], or
[D/iu aa~rt oa ut-s \\-broa'kt,~] the heart of it is broken.
Compare Mr. Peacock's Lincolnshire " break the neck." This
latter phrase we never use in this sense.
BREAST [bruV, braes'], sb. i. Of a sull or plough. The front
part of the implement proper, which rises nearly vertically imme-
diately behind the share, and makes the first real impact upon the
soil. It is, in fact, the front meeting-place, the ridge or apex, of
the Broadside or Turnvore with the Landside, and continued back
beneath the beam is the foundation of the other parts of the
implement.
. . . that by a self-acting chain-and-rack motion the axle is always shifted
nearest to the forward end of the implement, leaving the greatest proportion of
weight resting upon the shares and breasts which are in work.
Account of new Steam-plough. — Times, July 17, 1 886.
2. That part of the circumference of a water-wheel which is
near the level of its axis. When the water is conveyed to the side
of the wheel, and not over the top, it is said to be carried in upon
the breast. Hence a b /-east-wheel in distinction from an overshot or
undershot.
BREAST-ILL [bruVt ee'ul], sb. Breast-evil; a gathering of the
breast — very common to mothers.
9O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BREAST-WORK [brus-wuurk]. Tech. Masonry built in a
curve to suit the shape of a water-wheel ; also the sloping masonry
of a weir, down which the surplus water rushes from the weir-head.
BREATH [brath], sb. Bad smell; foul odour; stench (stink is
the verb ; not so often used as a subs, as breath}.
[Neef ded-n mak um u lee'dl beet aa'dr dhu rae'ut, dhur-d bee
jis brath1 noa'baudee keod-n kaa'r um,] if one did not make them
(parish coffins) a little after the rate, there would be such an odour,
nobody could carry them (verbatim sentence).
A.S. Br&K, es. m., an odour, scent. — Bosworth.
BREATHE [brai'dh, brai'v], adj. Farming. Open : said of
ground when thoroughly dug and pulverized for a seed-bed.
[Kaa'pikul vee'ul u graewn dhik dree ae'ukurz — yue uun'ee gut-u
plaew un drag-n wauns-n ez zu brai'dh-i u aa'rsh eep,] capital field
that three-acre — you (have) only to plough and harrow it once and
(it) is as breathe as an ash-heap.
BREECHING [buurcheen], sb. i. The harness worn by the
horse in the shafts, or [shaarp airs], in distinction to the cripping
worn by a leader or [voa'r au*s]. See GRIPPING. Confined some-
times to the part consisting of saddle, crupper, and breech-piece.
2. The part of the harness which goes behind the breech of the
wheeler — the breech-piece.
"Please to lend maister your burchin." — June 28th, 1886.
BREED-IN-AND-IN [breed-ee'n-un-ee-n]. To breed with parents
of the same stock, or too closely related by blood (always) ; pre-
cisely the opposite of Halliwell's definition "crossing the breed."
See Glossary B 5, Marshall's Rural Economy, E. D. S.
BRICK-KIL [brik kee'ul] (always). Brick kiln — so also lime
kil, malt kil. The n is never sounded.
Kylne for malte dryynge (Kyll, P.). Ustrina. — Proinp. Parv.
BRICKLE [brikl], adj. Brittle.
'Tis so brickie's glass. (Very com.) See BURTLE.
and the houe (hoof) before vyll be thycker, and more bryckle than and he has
not benne morfouude. — Fitzha-berf s Husbandry, 100/8.
BRIDAL WREATH. Plant, bearing long racemes of small
white flowers. Francoa ramosa.
BRIDE-ALE [bruyd ae'ul], sb. A wedding-feast. Still in use,
but obsolescent.
Brydale. Nupcia. — Promp. Pan'.
A. Bridal. Nopces. Voyez a Wedding. — Cotgravc (Sherwood).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 9 1
and by that means the bride ale is deferred.
Benjonson, Tale of a Tub, Act III. Scene i. See also Ibid. Act II. Scene i.
BRIEF [bree'f], sb. A begging petition.
[Tez u suyt ai'ziur vur t-uurn ubaewt wai u bree'f-n tez tu-wunrk,]
it is much easier to run about with a begging petition than it is to
work. If a pig or donkey dies, or other like calamity happens, it
is usual to go to some [skau'lurd tu drae aewt u bree-f\ scholar to
draw out a brief, appealing for help to replace the loss. The loss
is very often great gain.
BRIM [briim], sb. A bank or hedge-side covered with brambles
or other wild undergrowth. A rather common name of fields is
Brim-c\osQ. In such a field one would expect a waste slope
covered with brambles, &c.
BRIMMLE [brum-1, fine talk, briinvbl], sb. Bramble. The
word bramble is never heard ; those who have been to school,
and so have been taught the modern spelling, always say [bruitfbf].
Here again the despised dialect remains true, while the literary
dialect is the corrupt. See EWE BRIMMLE.
A.S. Breniel, a brier, blackberry bush, bramble. — Bosworlh.
Brere, or brymmeytte (bretnmyll or brymbyll, p.) Tribulus vepris.
Promp. Parv.
Gurt plums an' pears, all ripe an' good,
Be thick agin the wall,
An' blackberries 'pon brini'les hangs,
An' nuts da slip brown shawl.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 42.
BRINDLED [buunrdld], adj. Striped : applied only to cattle.
In this district the term does not mean either spotted, or variously
coloured ; but has a definite technical signification, implying nearly
similar markings on a cow to those on a tabby cat — viz., black
stripes on the side and back, more or less defined, upon a brownish
ground. Brindled cows are very frequently the result of the cross
between Devon and Black cattle.
BRING-GOING [bring-gwarn, or gwaa'yn, /. /. braa't, /./.
u-braa't], v. t. i. To spend recklessly.
[Dhai du zai aew dhu yuung Mae'ustur Luuk 'ees-v n-braa't gwai'tt
au-l-v u-gau't,] they say that young Mr. Lucas has spent all he has.
2. To point out the way ; to conduct.
[Wee ul bring ee gwarn su vaa-r-z dhu vaawur krau's wai,] we
will show you the road as far as the four cross way.
BRING ON [bring aim]. To teach, to train.
[Aay shl bring un au~n tu roa'pee, aa'dr u beet,] I shall train
him to the trade of a ropemaker, after a while.
He've ^.-brought on thick there young dog vor to retraive very well.
92 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BRISS [bris-], sb. The dusty fluff of cobweb, fibre, and dust,
which accumulates under beds, behind pictures or furniture not
often moved.
Mary, do bring a duster and clean up all this briss behind the
picture.
Thy Aead-Clothing oil a 'foust ; thy Waitcoat oil horry, and thy Pancrock a
kiver'd wi Briss and Buttons. — Exmoor Scolding, 1. 155. See also p. 122.
BRITHER [bridh-ur], sb. Brother: the invariable form;
bruudh'ur is unknown. Comp. Lit. Brethren.
ac bre\er were ]>ei boj>e : as bi on fader. — Will, of Palerme, 1. 2641.
Now by that feith, and that leaute
That I owe to alle my britheren fre.
Chaucer, Rom. ef the Rose, 1. 59^2.
BROACH [broa-uch], sb. i. The tooth of a wool-comb (always).
See COMB-BROACH.
2. A meat-skewer or spit (rare, but I have heard it used). A
broach out of a wool-comb makes the very best skewer. Fr. brochc
and brochette.
Broche or spete whan mete is vpon it. Verutum. — Promp. Parv.
Whan you have bracked the meate, lette the boy tourne, and come you to
churche. — Palsgrave, p. 471.
BROAD [broa'ud — brau'ud], adj. Applied to salt — the kind
used for manure. At Taunton is a large sign-board on which is
painted, "Rock, Broad, and Fine Salt." — Dec. 1882. Broad-sa\.\.
is the common term.
BROADSIDE [broa-ud zuyd], sb. Of a sull the same as the
Turnvore. When ploughs were all wood, Broadside was the
commoner term ; now that a peculiarly bent iron plate has super-
seded it, turnvore is the word most used.
BROCK [brauk]. A badger. (Rare, but still in use in the Hill
district.) Ang. Sax. Broc — a brock, gray or badger. Irish. Broc
— a badger.
Brocke — a beest. Taxt. — Palsgrave.
BROCK-HOLES [brauk-oa'lz]. Badgers' holes.
BROCKET [braukut], sb. Hunting. A young male deer over
one but under three years old. See Bow.
The pack here divided, and part of them were stopped by Joe Faulkner from
a brocket, which went into Span Wood.
Records, North Devon Staghounds, p. 49.
They had changed on a brocket in Raleigh Wood. — Ib. p. 75.
BROKED [broa-kt], /. t. and /./. of to break (always). See
W. S. Gram. p. 48.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 93
The coords o' wenter rude be broked,
Ver vreez'd-up growth's once more awoked.
Put man, Rustic Sketches, p. I.
Then aadenvards we vish'd agen,
An' putt on smallder vlies,
As daylight brok'd. — Ibid. p. 29.
BROKE-BACKED [broa-k-baak-ud], adj. Loose-jointed ;
flimsy ; unstable. Applied to a gate, a cart, or to any article or
contrivance which ought to be rigid and firm, but which is rickety.
I heard an old, shabby carriage called a [broa'k-baak'ud oal shaiv-
dreedan*,] a broke-backed old shandrydan.
God save you alle, lordynges, that now here be !
Bot brok-bak sherreve, evel mot thou be !
Chaucer, Cokes Tale ofGamelyn, 1. 719.
Broken-backed — arne. — Palsgrave.
BROKE VICTUALS [broa'k vuflz]. Leavings of food;
remnants of meals.
Poor people who come to a house to beg, usually say :
[Aay bee kau'm tu zee wur yue kn plaiz tu gi mee u beet u
broa'k viit'lz, uur u oa'l pae'ur u beotz u-laf oa'f,] I am come to see
whether you can please to give me a bit of broken victuals, or an
old left-off pair of boots.
BROODY [breo-dee], adj. (Very com.) Said of any hen bird
inclined to incubate. Hen turkeys often possess this instinct so
strongly that they will sit and sit even if all the eggs be taken
away.
The spickety hen's gettin broody, I shall zit her 'pon duck-eggs.
See ABROOD, Broody-}\VK$> are often in demand in May for
pheasant hatching.
BROOM-SQUIRE [breo'm-skwuyur], sb. One who makes
brooms. He is generally a half outlaw, living on or near a heathy
moor, whence he steals the material for his brooms. (Com.)
See EWE-BRIMBLE.
They there broom-squires be the ones that do's it (steal eggs) ;
can't keep nothin vor em ! — July 13, 1886.
BROTH [brairth]. A plural noun, and always construed as
such. (See p. 12, Gram, of W. Som.} I have never heard broths,
as given by Mr. Peacock in his Lincolnshire Glossary.
" They broth " — " a few broth wi leeks in 'em."
An old doctor of my acquaintance always used to say : " Give
him a few broth."
BROTHER-LAW [bridh'ur-lau]. Brother-m-Iaw— the in always
omitted ; so also in all the similar relationships.
94 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BROW [bruw, braew], sb. A hill, an eminence, as well as the
edge of the declivity.
[Dhu aewz du stan* pun u bruw luyk,] the house stands on a
hill, as it were.
BROWN-STUD [braewn-stid-], sb. Bro\vn-study ; abstracted
state.
What's the matter, Liz ? — you be all to a brown stid.
BROWN-TITUS [brae wn-tuy -tees, buurn-tuytees]. Bronchitis.
(Very com.)
BROWSE [bruws], v. and sb. To trim the hedges — /'. e. to
cut the brambles and other small undergrowth which so rapidly
accumulates upon the sides of our West Somerset bank hedges.
The browse is the brambles, &c. when cut ; also brushwood when
cut. See WALLET, NICKY.
BRUSH [brush, brish], sb. i. A tussle, a row : used precisely
like the slang " go."
[Wee ad u mud'leen brush wai un, uvoa'r keod kaetch-n,] we
had a fine go with him before we could catch him. Note that we
pronounce (sweeping) brush [buursh].
2. [buursh], sb. and v. t. A kind of harrow, made by weaving
branches of thorn into a gate or hurdle — used for harrowing pasture
in the spring. To brush a pasture is to draw this implement all
over it. Very commonly done after " dressing " grass-land before
letting up for hay.
3. To beat ; to thrash.
I'll bursh thy jacket vor thee, s' hear me, ya darn'd young
osebird.
Zey wone Word more, and chill brish tha, chill tan tha, chill make thy
Boddize pilmee. — Ex. Scolding, 1. 82.
BRUSHET [buurshut], sb. A thicket ; a cluster of bush.
[Dhik'ee aj- ez u-groaxl au'l tue u buur-shuf^ that hedge is grown
all to a thicket.
In )>e wode J>at Bonder stent : ten )>oussant al by tale ;
And in ]>at ilke bmsschet by '. V. J>ousant of o]>re and mo,
y-horced and y -armed ful sykeiiy : fro J?e top in-to }>e to.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 799.
BRUSHETY [buurshutee], adj. Rough, shaggy; with all the
branchlets left on : applied to sticks or underwood.
You never can't make no hand o' stoppin o' gaps nif you 'ant
a-got some good burshety thorns to do it way.
A quick-set hedge when grown thickly is said to be \buur shut ee\.
In stopping gaps in hedges, it is customary to lay in branches of
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 95
the White Thorn, in doing which it is a good hedger's part to make
the thorns stand oat [buurshiitee] — /. e. bristling.
BUCK [buu'<], sb. i. The male rabbit only is so called.
Never now applied to a deer. See JACK. Buck-rat is heard, but
not often.
2. A young man who is smart, or particular as to dress.
[Waud-n ee- u beet uv u bunk faurnu:rlee ? Wuul ! un'eebau'dee
wiid-n dhingk ut, tu zee un naew,] was not he a smart young fellow
formerly ? Well ! one would not think so, to see him now.
3. v. t. Copulare — said of a rabbit or hare, but never of a ferret.
The sexes of the latter are always distinguished by dog and bitch.
I bucke, as a kony or feret or such lyke. ye banquette. Konyes buck every
mouth. — Palsgrave, p. 472.
BUCKED [buukt], adj. i. Applied to a saw when warped.
It constantly happens that a saw in unskilful hands becomes twisted
on one edge — this is called buukt. To buck a saw is to so
handle it in using as to bulge or cripple the blade in such a way
that it will not cut truly. A saw may be bent without injury as
it can easily be straightened, but a bucked saw is spoilt for any nice
work, and can only be put right by hammering by an experienced
saw-maker. Any other tool would be buckled (q. v.}.
2. Applied to cheese when full of air-holes or blisters like bread
— badly made. See NOTE, Ex. Scold, p. 122.
BUCKISH [buuk'eesh], adj. i. Marts appetens : said of hares
or rabbits.
2. Dandified ; showily dressed.
BUCKLE [buuk'l, v. To bend out of shape, to warp, to cripple.
[Due1 ee tak kee*ur Maa-star Uurchut yue doa'n buuk-l mee
zuyv,] do take care, Master Richard, that you do not bend my
scythe. The word means rather more than to bend, as it would
never be applied to any article without some spring, as to a poker
or piece of wire. These would be bowed. It implies an injury;
a twisting or warping. A sheet of iron might be buckled without
being actually bent. See BUCKED.
To buckle to — means to set-to in earnest. Nearly all labourers
wear a leather strap round the waist, called a £«<;/£/<?- strap ; and
when about to exert themselves specially, draw the buckle a hole or
two tighter. Compare " girding up the loins."
Yeet avore oil, avore Voak, tha wut lustree, and towzee, and chewree, and
bucklee, and tear, make wise, as any body passath. — Ex. Scolding, 1. 290.
BUCKLE AND THONGS [buukl-n-dhaungz], adj. phr. Lean,
scraggy, empty. Used both literally and figuratively.
95
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Poor old blid, her's a'most come to nothin — can't call her nort
but nere buckle-n thongs.
es olways tliort her to ha be bare Buckle and Thongs.
Ex. Scolding, 1. 545.
BUCKT UP [buukt aup]. Dressed in holiday clothes ; spruced
up : spoken only of a man.
[Waud-n aawur Saam Vi-buukt aup dhan, laas Zun'dee?] was
not our Sam smartly dressed then, last Sunday ?
BUDDLE [buud'l], z>. To suffocate as from being buried in
mud ; not to stfie as with dust or vapour. I have a farm named
" Tarr Biiddle" where there is certainly plenty of mud, but I have
been unable to discover the origin of the name. From some
appearances I think there were possibly some washings of ore
from the hill (Tor, or Tarr) which rises above it. Tarr is common
in the district.
I mind once up 'pon Dunkery I got in to one o' those yer gurt
zogs ; and if there had'n a-bin two or dree there vor to help, I'm
darn'd if should-n zoon a-bin a.-buddled, 'oss and all.
the Old Hugh drade thee out by tha vorked Eend, wi thy dugged clathers
up zo vur as thy Na'el, whan tha wart just a buddled.
Exmoor Scolding, 1. 135.
BUDDLE-HOLE [buud'l oa-1], sb. A hole in a hedge to
carry off surface drainage. Possibly this meaning may give the
name to the above farm. Certainly the drainage from a large
common passes through the homestead.
BUG [buug-]. A beetle.
So snug as a bug in a rug.
See MAY-BUG.
BUGGLE-ARSED [buug-1 aa-sud], adj. Dutch built.
You knows Page th'igler— little fat buggle-arsed, drunkin old
fuller. — Verbatim, Aug. 29, 1885.
BUILDED [bee'uldud], adj. Applied to an egg just before hatch-
ing. Some hours before the young bird escapes, the egg is cracked
at the larger end; when this has occurred the egg is said to be
\bec'uldud~\.
[Dhur-z vaawur u aa'ch-n dree moar M-bee'uldud,~\ there are four
(already) hatched, and three more builded — /. e. just ready for
hatching.
BULDERY [buul'duree], adj. Applied to weather; thundery,
lowering, dark, threatening for rain.
We shall have rain avore long, looks so buldery.
Tha wut let tha Cream-chorn be oil horry, and let tha Melk be buckarJ in
buldering Weather. — Exmoor Scolding, 1. 204.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 97
BULGE [biilj, buulj-], v. t. i. To indent; to batter out of
shape.
[Dhee-s \\-buulj- een mee aaf,] thou hast battered in my hat.
[Zee aew yue-v n-buulj dhu tai'paut,] see how you have indented
the tea-pot.
2. sb. An indentation caused by a blow.
How come this here gurt bulge in the spranker ?
BULLACE [buul'us]. Wild plum. I am unable to exactly
identify the variety, but my gardener, an Exeter man, tells me
that bullace or bul/aces means a small yellow plum, and not the
sloe, Prunus spinosa ; and that it used to grow in great quantities
between Exeter and Starcross. I have heard the word used by
peasantry, but cannot say I have seen the fruit. I suspect, however,
that any wild plum would be so called.
Welsh. Bivlas, s. winter-sloes, bullace. — Richards.
Bulas frute (hollas P.). Pepulum, mespilnm. — Promp. Parv.
Of trees or fruites to be set or remoued. Boollesse, black and white.
Tusser, 34.
and J>ur}th J>e grace of god : gete vs sumwat elles,
bolaces and blake-beries : )>at on breres growen.
William of Paler me, 1. 1808.
The Bullesse and the Sloe tree are wilde kincles of Plums. ... Of the
Bullcsse, some are greater and of better taste than others.
Gerarde, Herbal, p. 1498.
A Bullace. Prune sauvage. A Bullace tree. Bellocier.
Cotgrave( Sherwood, 1672).
BULL-BAITING [beol-buyteen, beol-bauyteen]. The bull
was tethered from a ring through his nose by a rope to an iron
ring fixed in the ground, and was then set upon by dogs trained
to worry him. Many of these rings are still existing in situ, and
the places are still known as bull-rings, generally at the village
cross-way, or on the village green. Cf. the Bull-ring at Birmingham.
Many now living have witnessed these exhibitions, which regularly
formed part of the village revel.
BULL-BEGGAR [bfeol-bag-ur]. A ghost ; a frightful object.
[Ntivur zeed noa jish chee'ul — uur-z u-fee'urd tu g-een dhu
daa'rk, eens uur mud zee u beol-bag'ur, aay spoo'uz,] never saw
such a person — she is afraid to go in the dark, lest she should see
a ghost, I suppose. See BOGY. See JVares, I. p. 118.
BULL-DISTLE [beol-duyshl— daaslvl], sb. Same as Boar-distle.
Carduus lanceolatus.
BULLED [buul-ud], adj. The condition of a cow (always).
Man's appetens. In this word the usual vowel sound of bull [beol]
is completely changed to that heard in lit. hull.
98 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BULLERS [buTurz — buul'urz], sb. pi. The flowers of any um-
belliferous plants, such as chervil, cow-parsnip, &c. I have heard
it applied to the small feathery umbels of the hog-nut. — Bunium
flexuosum. Occasionally, though rarely, the name is given to the
entire plant, particularly Heracleum sphondylium.
BULLOCK [buul'eek], sb. The universal generic name for
horned cattle — including bulls as well as cows.
[Dhu fae'ur wuz veol u buul'eeks, sheep-m, au'sez,] the fair was
full of bullocks, sheep, and horses.
[V-ee zoa'ul dhik yaef'ur? Aa ! vuuree nuys buul'eek f\ have
you sold that heifer ? Ah ! very nice bullock !
Mr. Hosegood d'always keep a bullock — i. e. a bull. — Jan. 15, 1 886.
BULLOCK-BOW [buul'eek boa*], sb. A round piece of wood,
bent to the shape of U. The bow passes round the animal's neck,
and its ends pass upwards through two corresponding holes in the
yoke, which rests on the necks of the oxen. This kind of ox -gear
is now almost gone out of use.
BULL-STAG [beol stag]. A gelded bull. See STAG.
BUM [buum], sb. Seat, buttocks, anus.
A Bumme. Cul. A foul great Bumme. Culasse. — Cotgr. (Sherwood).
Chloe. . . . before I diseased myself, from my hood and my farthingal,
to these £«;«-rowls and your whale-bone bodice.
Ben yonson, Poetaster, II. I.
BUM [buum], v. and sb. To dun; a dun. Sheriffs officer.
Also as in lit Eng. — to dun into.
You can't bum nort into the head o' un.
I can't abear t'urn about bummin vokes vor money.
Those yer bums gets their money aisy like, they 'ant a-got to
work 'ard same's I be a-fo'ced to.
BUM-BAILIE [buum-bae'ulee], sb. A sheriffs officer.
BUMBLE [buunrbl— buunrl], sb. A bumble-bee.
I tell thee tidn a dummle-dary, 'tis a bummle.
I bomme, as a bombyll\&z dothe, or any flye. — Palsgrave.
BUM-CORK [buunr-kaurk], sb. A bung. We never use the
word bung alone. So \buum'-oal^\ a bung-hole — \buum-shee'uv^\
bung-shave, a taper cutting tool for enlarging bung-holes — used
coopers.
BUMMLE [buunrl], sb. A bundle; a quantity of anything
an untidy package.
[Aay zeed-n wai u guurt buunrl tue uz baak,] I saw him with a
great bundle on his back.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 99
[Dhaat-s u fuyn buuwl, shoa'r nuuf!] that is a fine slovenly
parcel, sure enough !
BUMP [bump], v. t. To jolt j to shake.
I wish we could have some springs a-put to our cart ; hon I do
ride in un to market, he do bump anybody jis to death.
BUMPING [buum -peen], adj. Big.
[Dhaat-s u buum'peen luy,] that's a bumping lie.
On'y zix mon's old ! well then, I calls-n a guft bumpin cheel vor
his age.
BUMPY [buunrpee]., adj i. Uneven : said of a rough road.
Bumf>y-lane; the name of a lane in Wellington.
[U buunfpee soa'urt uv u roa-ud,] an uneven sort of a road.
2. v. i. To shake ; to jolt.
Well he do bumpy a bit ; I 'spose, Missus, we must see about
some springs vor-n arter a bit.
BUM-SUCKER [buunv-zeok'ur]. A toady; a tuft hunter.
(Com.)
BUM-TOWEL [buum-taewul], sb. The bottle-tit,
[Jaak ! aay noa'us u buum-taewulz nas- wai zab'm agz een un,]
Jack ! I know a bottle-tit's nest with seven eggs in it.
BUNCH [buunch], sb. i. Spot, patch, mark.
[Ee-d u-guut buun'chez au'l oa'vur dhu fae-us oa un,] he had spots
or marks all over his face.
2. Bad figure ; stumpy shaped ; squat
[Aay ziim uur leok'ud au'l tue u buunch,'} I fancy she appeared
all of a bunch.
BUNCHY [buun-shee], sb. Banksia (rose) (always). No doubt
the clustering growth of this variety has led to the corruption.
I never didn zee my bunchies so fine 's they be de year.
BUNCHY [buun'shee], adj. Punchy, short, fat, stumpy.
[Uur-z u buun-shee leed'l dhing, uur aez',] she is a short, fat, little
thing, she is.
BUNGY [buung-gee], adj. Short, stumpy, squat: spoken of
both man and beast.
[Puurdee lee'dl au's — u lee'dl tiie* buung-gee luyk,] pretty little
horse — a little too squat and short.
Bungy old fuller like, all ass an' pockets, 's-now.
BUNT [buunt], sb. A machine for dressing flour — /. e. for
separating the flour from the bran and pollard. A bolting-mill ;
always called bunt in this district.
H 2
IOO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BUP-HORSE, BUPPO [buup-airs, buup-oa]. Said to infants.
[Leok dhae'ur-z u puurdee buup-airs^ look there is a pretty
bup-horse. So the old nursery rhyme is here varied to [Ruyd u
buup-au's tu Baanrburee Krau's], &c., our commonest version of
" Ride a cock-horse," &c.
[Kau'm, Jiiirree,, dhur-z u geod bwuuy, un ee shl ruyd dhu
buup-oa^ come, Jimmy, there's a good boy, and you shall ride
the horse.
BUR [buur], sb. The little round seed-pod of the Galium
Aparine. Also the seed of the Burdock Artium Lappa, and of the
Boar thistle — Carduus lanceolata.
Burrc that cleveth to. Gloteron. — Palsgrave.
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs,
Losing both beauty and utility. — Henry V. v. 2.
BUR [buur], sb. Hunting. The ball or knob of a stag's horn
just at its juncture with the skull. The horn is always shed
immediately below the bur.
BURD [buurd], sb. Bread (always by real peasants. In towns
it is braid}.
[Aew-z buurd u-ziil'een?] how is bread selling? [U guurt pees
u buurd-n chee'z,] a great piece of bread and cheese.
BURGAGE [buurgeej], sb. A part of the old borough of
Wellington still so called.
For toke \>ei on trewely ' J>ei timbrede not so hye,
Ne boujte none Borgages • beo Je certeyne.
Piers Plowman, P. III. 1. 77.
BURGE [buurj], sb. Bridge. (Always.)
Bridge and Bridges are very common surnames in this district
— always pronounced Buurj and Buurjez. Surge is also a
common name, so spelt ; evidently this was Bridge originally, but
the spelling has been amended to suit the sound.
BURIN [buureen], sb. The usual word for a funeral; a
burying.
[Dhai bee gwain t-oal dhu buureen u Zad'urdee,] they are going
to have (hold) the funeral on Saturday.
In ]>e abbey of Cam • iburred was |>is king ;
and Henry is Jonge sone ' was at is buriing.
Robt. of Gloucester, Life of W. the Conqueror, \. 521.
and him-zelf efter his beringe ine his spelle het hise
healde and loke to ech man ]>et wile by y-borje.
Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 5.
Of Archinoris burynge, and the pleyes,
And how Amphiorax fil thorwgh the grounde.
Chaucer, Troylus and Creseyde, V. 1. 1512.
that my wyfe and al my chyldren be atte my berynge, yn case they leue.—
Will of John Solas, 1418. Fifty Earliest Wills,?. 29, 1/12. See also 1. 5.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1OI
BURL [buurdl, buurdlee], v. t. and /. To pick out from a piece
of woollen cloth all foreign substances such as knots in weaving,
or small pieces of hay or thorns which have escaped the carding
process. Always done by women, who draw the cloth carefully
over a sloping bench in a good light. This work is performed
between the washing and the milling process. See REAR UP.
"Well, Susan, where do you work now?" "Oh! I do burdly
down to factory hon I be able vor to stan' to it."
to SttrtedoQa: : extubare. — Cat. Ang.
Byrling of clothe. P 'insure. — Palsgrave.
BURLER [buurdlur], sb. A person whose business it is to
burl woollen cloth.
BURLING-IRON [buurdleen-uyur], sb. The instrument used
in burling. It is a strong pair of tweezers, having very strong and
fine points. It is grasped in the right hand with the thumb loose,
which rests on the cloth and serves to guide the tool.
BURN [buurn], sb. A burden — /. e. a man's load ; as much as
a man can carry on his back. See CREEP.
[Aay waz* vur aaks oa ee, plai'z, wur yue keod spae'ur faa'dhur
u buurn u stroa',] I was for (to) ask — /. e. I was sent to ask you,
please, whether you could spare father a burden of straw. This
message was given by a boy in my hearing.
Was, when emphatic (and as here meaning " was instructed "), is
very often waz- with the same sound as in has. Heard again,
July 13, 1886.
BURN-ROPE [buurn roap, or roo'up], sb. A small rope used
for tying up a burden, or man's load, of straw, furze, faggots, &c.
At one end is fastened a pointed piece of wood having a deep
rounded notch by means of which the rope is drawn tight and
instantly made fast, while it can with equal ease be let go when
required. These are much used in bringing faggots down from
steep woods — carrying straw for cattle, &c.
BURRED [buurud], adj. The condition of a sow; boarward.
BURROW [buuru], sb. Barrow; mound of earth; any heap
of soil ; mole heaps are \ivaunt lniur-uz}. On our Hills are many
ancient tumuli, all of which are called buur'uz, as Elworthy
Burrow, Huish Champflower Burrow, Wiveliscombe Burrow^
Symmons Burrow, and many more ; -some of these are spelt
Barrow and others Borough, on the Ordnance maps, but they are
all pronounced the same. See BERRY, WANT.
Lay on at Dercombe Common : up over Filclon Bridge to Five Burr<nus.
Records, North Dev. Staghounds, p. 76.
on to the Porlock road to White Stones, and turned off to the left for Black
Burrow. — Ib. p. 78.
IO2 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BURSTLE [buursl], v. t. and /. ; sb. Bristle (always).
Urchet, I wants a wax-end — mind you puts a good burstle in un.
Didn th' old dog burstle up his busk then, hon he zeed your
" Watch "? 1 thort there was gwain to be murder way em.
Our Jim's a quiet fuller let'n alone : but he'll zoon burstly up nif
anybody d'affurnt'n.
Upon the cop right of his nose he hade
A werte, and thereon stode a tuft of heres,
Reede as the berstles of a souwes eeres.
Chanftr, Prologue, 1. 555. (The Mellere.)
BURT [biirt, very short — almost brf], v. To dent, to bruise ;
as of a pewter-pot.
[Leok ee zee1 ! neef dhee as-n u-droa'd daewn dhu taung'z un
\\-btirt ee'n dhu tai'paut,] look ! if thou hast not thrown down the
tongs and dinted in the teapot.
Compare gurt for great and grit ; also crids for curds, and drit
for dirt. Hal. has Brit.
and so J>ei sillen in manere J>e spiritual lif of cristis apostilis and disciplis for
a litel dril and wombe ioie.
Wyclif (Works, E .E. T. S.), p. 166. See also Ib. p. 182.
BUSHEL [beo'shl], v. t, To measure grain with a bushel
measure.
BUSHELY [beo-shlee], v. i. To yield so as to quickly fill the
bushel measure. See PECK.
The wheat don't half bushely de year, same's I've a knowed it
avore now.
BUSHMENT [beo'shmunt], sb. A thicket, a bushy place.
[Twaud-n noa vuurdur oaf-n dhik dhae'ur foo'skmunt^\ it was
no further off than that thicket. (Very com.)
Busshetnent, embuche. — -Palsgrave.
wan y ros of my bedde,
y leuede jou on a buchyment (wrongly glossed ambush).
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 797.
See BRUSHET.
BUSK [buusk], sb. i. The hair growing along dogs' backs,
which when in a pugnacious mood they cause to stand straight
up. It is very common to talk of a dog [wai uz buusk au'l un
ee'n,] with his busk all on end. From this arises the frequent
description of a man being made angry — [Puut liz buusk au'p,]
put his busk up, precisely equivalent to the American " his dander
was riz." Hence to busk is to irritate, to stroke the wrong way
— /. e. to cause the busk to rise.
ripping-up, or round-shaving wone tether, stivering or grizzling, tucking or
busking. — Ex. Scolding, 1. 312.
2. The front stiffener of a woman's stays.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 03
BUSKINS [buuz'geenz], sb. Leather gaiters covering the leg,
but not reaching to the knee. I have never heard this name
applied to cloth leggings. See OVERALLS, BUTTON-STOCKINGS.
BUSS [buus], sb. A young fatted bullock which has never been
weaned.
BUSS-BEEF [buus- beef], sb. The flesh of an umveaned calf
which has sucked the mother until full grown.
[Tiid-n au'vees tarndur, aay-v u-noa'd zaum u dhush yur buns' -beef
maa'yn tuuf',] it is not always tender, I have known some of this
here buss-beef very tough. — July 31, 1879.
BUSSEL [buus-1], v. and sb. See TIMBER CARRIAGE. When
timber is loaded on a ' top carriage,' the but end always rests on
the ' pillar-piece ' or ' bolster ' of the ' fore carriage ' — and inasmuch
as the shafts of this kind of truck are hinged, the framework
of the carriage has to be supported and kept rigid independently.
For this purpose there is a strong iron bar called the bussel,
liaving a ring sliding loosely upon it, with a short but strong chain
attached to this ring. When the tree is loaded, to bussel ^^p is to
make fast this short chain called the bussel-chain to the tree with
' dogs,' so that the front wheels may be able to ' lock,' while the
' carriage ' may at the same time be held firmly in its place. No
bussel is required for an ' under-carriage.' Same as BOLSTER-CHAIN.
BUSY-GOOD [buz-ee-geod]. A name for a meddling busy-
body.
Her's a riglar old busy-good,
BUT [bud], adv. Almost ; all but.
[Uur kyaal'd-n bud uvureedhing,] she called him almost every-
thing— /'. e, by all the abusive epithets she could lay her tongue to.
I thort a was a quiet sort of a man avore, but he cuss'd, he
damn'd, he call'd me but everything. — Jan. 16, 1887.
Very common as above, but not used otherwise in this sense.
BUT [buut], eonj. Nothing save ; nothing but.
I ant a-'ad but a bit o' bread since yes'day mornin'.
For my labour schall I not gett,
But yt be a melys mete.
Weber's Met. Roman. Sir Cleges, 1. 347.
BUTCHING [beoch-een], part. sb. Butchering; practising the
trade of butcher. The ordinary form, but this is an exception to the
usual rule as to trades (comp. shoemakering, druggistering, farmer-
ing, gardenering, keepering, &c.), which is that the frequentative
ilection ing is added not to the verb, but to the verbal noun.
A man came with his cart to cut up a pig killed the day before,
104 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
and to carry away part; a by-stander said: [Wuul, Wul-yum, zoa
yue bee paurk-beoclreen tu dai, bae'un ee?] well, William, so you
are pork-butching to-day, are you not? — Oct. i, 1886.
One of her boys is gwain taildering and tother hutching.
See PARKING.
BUTT [buut], sb. A hedge. Often used also as an adj. A
butt -hedge. (Very com.) Not confined to a boundary hedge,
though doubtless that is the true meaning.
A farmer rabbiting said : [Yuur ! wee aa'n u-truyd dhee'uz yur
buuf]. And later on same day : [Aa-1 waurn dhur-z waun een
dhik dhae'ur buuf}. Here, we have not tried this here hedge. I
will warrant there is one in that there hedge. — November 24th,
1885.
BUTT [buut], sb. A heavy cart on two broad wheels ; made to
tip (see SWORD) ; used chiefly for carrying manure, and hence very
commonly called a dming-buut. In local advertisements of sales of
farm implements, it is usually spelt by auctioneers, putt. In leases
also, putt-load of good rotten dung is fast superseding the old seam
(q. v.). Another kind, called a druug-buut, or dwwil-buut, — three-
wheel-fo/// — is in shape like a very large deep wheel-barrow, but
with three low wheels — two of which take the places of the legs
of a wheel-barrow. This is drawn by one horse in chains, and the
druug is a very simple, self-acting drag or break contrived with the
chain to which the horse is attached. This chain is fixed to eacl
of the cheeks which rest on the front wheel, and is made of such
a length that it will only fall upon the circumference of the wheel,
and will not pass over it. The horse is hooked on to a heavy
swivel in the centre of this chain. When he pulls, the chain rises
and the wheel is free ; as soon as the strain ceases the chain falls
on the wheel and instantly stops it. Drug-butts are very useful
implements in hilly land for taking out manure, &c. The driver
can cause the horse to upset the butt and to right it again.
BUTT [buut], sb. A guard worn on the left hand at cudgel-
playing or single-stick. It is a small half-round basket, having a
stick thrust through it which is grasped by the hand. Sometimes
the butt is merely an improvised padding of cloth, or a garment
wrapped round the arm.
When about to play a bout, it is usual to say to the opponent :
[Keep aup yur buut, un Gaud prai-zaa'rv yur uysait,] keep up your
butt, and God preserve your eyesight. So " keep up your butt "
is a very favourite figurative expression for " be on your guard."
BUTT [buut], sb. i. Of bees. A hive or swarm of bees is
always called [u buut u bee'z]-
[Tau'k ! uur-d tauk u buut u bee'z tu datlr, uur wid,] talk !
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 05
she would talk a swarm of bees to death, she would. (Very common
expression.)
2. The common straw hive is always a butt, or a bee-butt.
[Dhu bee'z bee zwaurmeen, un wee aa'n u beet uv u buut vur
tu puuf urn ee-n,] the bees are swarming, and we have not any hive
at all to put them in.
BUTTER AND EGGS [buad'r-n ag-z], x. The garden
Narcissus (always) ; by some the common Daffodil also is so
called.
2. A variety of the Primrose having a double calix, growing one
out of the other. Not uncommon in the Hill district.
3. The common yellow toad-flax — Linaria Vulgaris.
BUTTER OVER [buad'r oa-vur], v. To flatter; to soft-soap.
We never say "butter up" or "butter down." You knows the
way to butter over the paa'sn, don'ee now ?
BUTTER-TEETH [buad'r tardh]. The upper front teeth.
[Droa-d-n rai't aewt-n dhu roa-ud-n aa't aewt tue*-v liz buadlr-
tai'dh,] pitched him right out into the road, and knocked out two
of his butter-teeth.
BUTTON-STOCKINGS [buufn stau-keenz], sb. Gaiters—
either of cloth or leather ; leggings. (Very com.)
BUTTONS [buufnz], sb. i. The flowers of the Feather-few
(q. v.}. Pyrethrum Parthenium.
2. Senses ; intellect. Very com. in the phr. He've a-got all
his (her) buttons.
I never don't sim thick there boy 've a-got all his buttons — /". f.
he is half-witted.
Sharp little maid — her Ve a got all her buttons, I'll warn her
(warrant).
3. Sheep's droppings.
4. The burs of various plants; such as of Clivers, Burdock,
Thisf.es, &c.
BUTTRACE, BUTTRESS [buufrees], A farrier's tool for
paring horses' hoofs. It cuts like a chisel, but has a bent handle ;
it is used by pushing the instrument away from the operator, while
the purer is drawn towards the user. See RACE-IRON.
Boutoir, m. , a Farrier's buttress. — Cotgrave.
Boutoir (far.) buttons, parer. — Spiers.
A buttricc and pincers, a hammer and naile,
An aperne and siszers for head and for taile. — Tttssfr, 17.
I06 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
BUZZ [buuz], v. i. To fuss about ; to run to and fro ; to
gossip ; to be a busy-body.
[Uur-z au'vees u buuz-een ubuwt waun plae'us ur nuudh'ur,] she
is always buzzing about one place or another.
BUZZNACKING [buuz-naak-een], sb. Same as buzzing.
Heard sometimes in this district; common in South Devon.
BW.Y ! [bwai'ee !]. Bye ! good-bye ; lit. {bee war ee~\, be with
ye, spoken rapidly, but less corruptly than in the received English
good-bye !
BY [buy], prep. i. Against the character ; prejudicial to the
reputation, as in i Corinthians iv. 4. Used in this sense very
commonly.
[Wuul ! yue nur noa mae'un uul's kaa*n zai noa'tirt buy ur,]
well ! you nor no man else can't say nothing against her (character).
Al J>at he wiste by wylle ' to watkyn he told hit,
And Jjat he wiste by watkyn • tolde hit wille after ;
And made foos of frendes ' ]>orw fals and fykel tonge.
Piers Plowman, vii. 70.
we willej) hym lede for]) boldely : with ous wi]>oute affray,
and if J>ar is any )>at spekej) ojt by : say we it is our pray.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1664.
2. [buy],//?/. Upon; with.
There idn nort like good hard bread and cheese and cider to
work by.
A man said to me, in reference to a particular sort of food for
pigs : [Dhai du due* vuuree wuul buy ut,] they thrive very well
upon it, Th's would be quite the common mode of expression.
3. [bi, bee]. During ; in the space of.
[Wuy ! wtit-n due* ut bee dhee luyvtuym.] why ! thou wouldst
not do it in the space of thy lifetime.
" Ich by-hote ]>e,'' qua]) hunger • " pat hennes nel ich wende
Er ich haue y-dyned by }>ys day ' and y-dronke boj>e ! "
Piers Plowman, IX. 302.
4. [bee, buy], prep. Often used in the place of several other
words understood = judging from the appearance of; according to
the action of.
Thick rabbit's a-passed on, by the dog — i.e. judging from the
dog's action. — Dec. 30, 1885.
He 'ont never 'gree to it ; can tell by un — /. e. you can predict
his action, judging from his present conduct.
5. [bee, bi], prep. Of; concerning; about; relating to. (Very
com.)
Jis the same 's the man zaid by 'is wive — her's a rare forester vor
butter-n cheese.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. IO/
You don't hear it by many vokes, eens they be so good to poor
vokes as our maister is.
After the verb to know, by is constantly used in negative answers,
" Not that I know of," is nearly always [nauf-s aay noa buy], so
with the very common phrase [noa tuynoa buy,'] no 't I know by.
See TINO.
It semejj )rat god seij> bi l?es newe singeris as he did in J>e gospel to pharisees
"J)is peple honourej) me vvij) lippis," &c.
Wyclif, Eng. Works, E. E. T. S. p. 169.
Ac it ys nojt by ]>e bysshop • J>at ]>e boye preche}>,
]>e parsheprest and J)e pardoner • parten f>e seluer,
]>at poore puple in parshes • sholde haue, yf ]>ei ne were.
Piers Floivman, I. 78.
What sigge Je, lordes of renoun :
By \>e conseyl of Gweneloun ?
Wat rede Je for to do ? — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 4069.
BYAS [buyus], sb. Accustomed place or condition.
A man speaking of pheasants said : " They'll sure to come back
to their by as."
But when the feare is over, then they return to their old byas againe.
Jtogers, 1642. Hist, of Naaman, p. 33,
BYES [buyz]. A term in agriculture. The corners and ends
of a field which cannot be reached by the plough, and must be dug
by hand ; called also bats (q. v.).
BY GOOD RIGHT [bee geo'd rai-t]. Properly; in justice.
[Dhai ad-n u-gau't noa buVnees dhae'ur bee geod rai't,'] in justice
they had no business to be there. See RIGHT.
BY-NOW [beenaew], adv. Just now ; not long since.
[Wur-z mee nai'v ? aay-d u-gau'Un be&naew^ where is my knife ?
I had it just now. (Very com.)
BY-VORE [buy voa-ur], sb. By-furrow. In ploughing a field,
inasmuch as the plough works backwards and forwards, it must
be that one half of the furrows are turned in one direction, and the
other in the opposite. A freshly-ploughed field has the appearance
of alternate strips of furrows, thus lying in opposite directions.
These strips meet alternately in a by-vore and "a all-vore" — the
former where the last furrow of one is turned towards the first of
the next strip ; and the latter, when these two are turned away from
each other, leaving a trench between.
A farmer explaining the directions given in a recent ploughing-
match said : " In gatherin, you know, they've a-got vor to make a
by-Torf, and in drowin abroad they makes a all-vore." — Nov. 23,
1883. Sec GATHER.
IC8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CAB [kab], sb. i. A cake ; a mass.
[U guurt kab u duung,] a great cake of dung.
2. v. t. To clog.
No wonder the machine 'ont work, he's all z.-caUd up way graise.
CABBY [kab'ee], adj. Sticky, adhesive, viscid.
This here bread 's propper cabby.
CACK [kaak], v. Cacare.
Welsh. Cachie, to go to stool. — Richards.
Cakkyn, or fyystyn. Caco. — Pro/up. Parv.
CACK [kaak], sb. Human excrement.
Welsh. Cach, dung, ordure.
CAD-BO1T [kad-bauyt]. Cad-bait. The caddis-worm ; mor
commonly called [eo'd-kaaryur,] wood-carrier (g. v.}.
C ADDLE [kadi], v. and sb. To fuss or bustle about witho
really doing anything ; a fuss or useless bustle.
[Dhae'ur, dh-oai mae'un du kad'lee baewt, jis lig u ai'n wai wau'n
chik,] there, the old man fusses about, just like a hen with one
chicken.
[Haul ai'ulth ee, Mus'us? yue bee aui een u kad'l z-mau'rneen,]
what's the matter, Mistress ? you are all in a bustle this morning.
Wul Grummleton zwar'd by the zun and the moon,
And by all the green leaves 'pon the tree,
If ez wife ed but take to her office agen,
Her should nivver be caddFd by he.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 31.
C ADDLING [kadieen], adj. andflres.flar/. i. Fussy; peddling;
constantly applied to day labourers, who manage to seem to
working, but yet who do next to nothing.
[U kad'leen oai fuul'ur — ee doa'n saa*r tuup'uns u-dai1,] a peddling
old fellow — he doesn't earn two-pence a day,
2. Tricky, pettifogging, shuffling.
[Kaa-n nuvur dae'ul wai ee-, u-z au'vees zu kad'leen,~\ (I) can't
never deal with him, he is always so shuffling.
CADGE [kaj], sb. Act of tramping, or leading a vagabond life.
Purty old bun'le her is — her bin 'pon the cadge 'is ten year.
CADGER [kaj'ur], sb. A tramp; one who gets his living by
simply wandering about begging or stealing, but never by working.
[Aay-v u-yuurd um zai' eens dhai'zh-yuur kaj-urz du due* vuuree
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
wuul buy ut,] I have heard them say that these cadgers do very
well at it. They zes how 'tis a wo'th vive sh llins to 'em vor to
zingy drue the town o' Welli'ton.
CADGING [kaj'een], sb. The trade of a cadger or tramp.
[Miirree u wus choa'r-n kajmeen,~\ many a worse chore (q. v.) than
begging.
CADGY [kaj-ee], v. i. To wander about the country like a
vagabond, begging or stealing, as opportunity offers.
[Haut-s kau'tn u dh-oa'l Ae'urun Joa'imz? Oa ! ee doa*n due'
noa'urt bud kaj-ee baewt,] what has become of the old Aaron
Jones ? Oh ! he does nothing but beg or steal.
CAFENDER [kaa-fmdur], sb. Carpenter (always).
Two caffinders was fo'ced ta be zeynd vor, and they zaw'd, an' zaw'd, an 'zaw'd,
till ta last they zaw'd en out.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 67.
CAFENDERING [kaafmdureen], sb. Carpentry.
[Dhur-z u suyt u kaa'fmdureen uvoa'r dh-aewz ul bee u-due'd,]
there is a great deal of carpentry (to be done) before the house will
be finished.
CAFENDERY [kaa'fmduree], v. i. To practise the trade or
pursuit of a carpenter. In this and similar cases, the verb thus
formed is frequentative, and implies continuance. See FARMERY.
CAG [kag1], sb. Bad meat, carrion ; sometimes called cag-mag.
CAG-BUTCHER [kag-beoctrur], sb. One who buys diseased
meat, or animals after they have died, and who sells the meat for
sausages or dogs' meat ; also a horse-slaughterer.
CAGE OF TEETH [kee'uj u tai'dh], sb. A set of teeth whether
natural or artificial is always called a cage.
[Wuul ! dhee-s u-gauf u geod kee'uj u tai'dh, shoa'ur nuuf, fiit
tu mak un'ee faa'rmurz aa'rt ae'uk,] well ! thou hast a good set of
teeth, sure enough — fit to make any farmer's heart ache (q. v.~).
[Ez ut true1, zr, eens kn ae-u u nue* kee^uj u-puut een ?], is it true,
sir, that (one) can have a new cage put in ? — /. e. set of teeth.
CAKE [kee-uk], sb. Bread made into a flat shape instead of like
the ordinary loaves. This kind is particularly suitable to bake
upon the embers or "coals." In the sense in which we now use
the word in this district, as applied to bread, it is used throughout
the A. V. of the Scriptures.
CALF [kyaa-v], sb.
one year old.
Hunting. A deer, male or female, under
IIO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
My derlyng is lijk a capret, and a calf of hertis.
lYyclif. vers. Song of Solomon, ii. 9.
The hounds took after a hind with a calf by her side, but they were soon
whipped off. Records, North Devon Staghounds.
CALF-BED [kaa'v, or kyaa'v-bard]. The womb of a cow ; also
the placenta of a cow.
CALF-LOVE [kaav-luuv], sb. The common falling in love of ar
^overgrown boy with a woman much older than himself.
CALL [kairl, kyaa'l], v. tr. i. To abuse, to call names.
[Uur kau-ld-n. bud uv'ureedhing,] she abused him to the utmost
lit. called him (all) but everything.
I thort a was a quiet sort o' fuller avore ; but tho he cuss'd, he
damned, he call' 'd me but everything* — Jan. 22, 1887.
[Uur kyaa'ld ur au'l uur kud luy ur tuung* tue,] she abused her
to the utmost of her power.
2. v. i. To utter the call-note to its mate : said of a partridge.
[Doa'n ee yuur um kau'leen ?] don't you hear them calling?
Nif you do year the birds cally, mind, they baint gwain to lie-
/'. e. they will fly off before you get near them.
See COCKING.
CALL [kau'l], v. t. To consider; to estimate.
[Dhai kau'lz ut dree muyuld yuur-vraum,] they consider it (t
be) three miles from hence.
[Ee du kau'l ee'z dhu vuuree bas'tees soa'urt kn ae'u
muun'ee,] he considers his the Very bestest sort (one) can have for
money.
CALL [kau'l], sb. Occasion ; business ; necessity.
[Yue noa' kau'l tu zai' wur yue bee gwai'n tue,] you (have)
need to say where you are going.
[Kairm naew ! dhur ed-rt noa kau'lv\xt noa saa'rs,] come now!
there is no occasion for any sauce.
CALL-HOME [kau'l, or kyaa'l oa-m], vb. See AX-OUT.
completely publish the banns — /. e. for the third time.
[Ded-n noa- dhai wuz gwaa'yn tu bee maa'reed ! war, dhai wuz
Vi-kyaa'ld oafm laas Ziin'dee,] didn't know they were going to be
married ! why, they were called home last Sunday.
2. phr. To remember a person's name.
I know your face very well, but I can't call 'ee home — /'. e. cannot
recollect your name. Used twice by speaker on same occasior
(com.). — Aug. 25, 1886.
CALL OVER [kau'l, or kyaa'l oa'vur]. To publish banns
church.
[Dhai wuz u kyaa-ld oa'vur u Zun'dee tu chuurch.J
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. Ill
CALLYVAN [kaa-leevair], sb. Caravan. The house on wheels
used by Gypsy hawkers ; or one of the carriages of a wild-beast
show. Any very large carriage.
CALVATRY [kaal'vutree]. Cavalry; the name for any troop
of cavalry, but generally applied to the Yeomanry cavalry.
[Noa ! Mae'ustur ed-n au'm — ai-z u-goo' aup tu Taa'nun een
dhu kaal'vutree^ no ! Master is not at home — he is gone up to
Taunton in the yeomanry.
CAMBER [kaa-mbur]. The same as camel (q. v,), but not so
commonly used. A sawyer would be ordered to cut a piece of
wood on the camber — i. e. with one edge curved convexly. This
term applies only to curves lengthwise, and could not be used to
express simple convexity of area.
Welsh. Catnm, adj., crooked, bended, bowed.
A camber-nose. — Jimius.
CAMEL [kaa'mee'ulj. A phrase used by carpenters to express
a convex divergence from the straight line. Of a beam or rafter, if
bent, it would be said, [puut-n ee'n pun dhu kaa-mee'u,r\ put it in
upon the camel — /'. e. with the convex edge upwards.
[Dhik raeftur du kaa'mee-ul moo'ur-n tue* un-shez,] that rafter is
more than two inches convex. Used as sbn adj.) and v. So camel-
backed means anything longitudinally convex.
See HOLLOW, ROUNDING.
CAMLET [kaa'mlut], sb. A kind of close waterproof cloth ; also
a cloak made of this material. Before mackintoshes were invented
camlets were as common as the former now are.
Welsh. Camlad and Catitlod, s. Camblet. — Richards.
Chamlet, Camelot.
Watered Chamlet, Camelot a ondes.
Unwatered Chamlet, Camelot plenier.— -Cotgrave (Sherwood).
CAN [kan-], sb. A metal milk-pail : generally of tin.
[Kaar lau'ng dhu kan- lau'ng war ee,] carry along the milk-pail
along with you. Often called [mulk'een kan,] milking-can.
CAN— CAN'T [kn— emph. kan-— rc^. kaa'n], v.
[Aay kn git au'n miid'leen-luyk tu diin'ur, bud aay kaa'n niivur
maek noa an- tu braek-sus,] I can get on middling-like at dinner
(/. e. have a good appetite), but I cannot ever make any hand of
breakfast. See W. S. Gram. p. 63, et seq.
CANDLE-DOUTING [kan'l-duwteen], sb. Morning; dawn.
In some farm-houses it is still sometimes, and formerly was most
frequently, the custom to "burn more can' I avore daylight than
arter dark-night." Hence when the sun is up sufficiently to see to
work is the time for can'le doutin.
112 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
When this is not done so soon as might be, it is common to
hear from the "Missus": "Come soce ! can't ee burn can'lzs
enough, 'thout burnin o' daylight too ? "
CANDLE-TEENING [kairl-tee-neen], sb. Candle-lighting.
Evening, when it grows too dark to see without a candle. Time
to light up.
vrom candle-douting to candlc-teening in the Yeavling — i.e. "from dawn to
dewy eve." — Ex. Scold. 1. 314.
CANDLE-WASTER [kani wae'ustur], sb. One who sits up
-late at night.
I have often heard a certain family spoken of thus : They be
proper candle-wasters — no odds how late anybody is a-gwain home,
aa'll warnt they baint a-bed.
Patch grief with proverbs ; make misfortune drunk
With candle-wasters ; bring him yet to me,
And I of him will gather patience.
Much Ado About Nothing, v. I.
CANIFFLY [kan-eeflee]. To dissemble; to flatter. (Nearly
obsolete.) See Ex. Scolding, 1. 257.
CANKER-BALL [kang-kur baul, or- baa'l], sb. The mossy or
hairy excrescence, often of a bright scarlet colour, found upon the
wild rose. See HUMACK.
The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
For that sweet odour which doth in it live.
The raH&r-blooms have full as deep a dye
As the perfumed tincture of the roses.
Shakespeare, Sonnet LIV.
CAN'LEMAS [kan-lmus], sb. Candlemas. Feast of the Puri-
fication, February 2nd. All these seasons are remembered by the
country folk as Chillermas, Lammas, Martinmas, &c. ; but are
utterly unknown to the factory and town people.
er he were ibore.
For ]x> he was in his moder wombe, a Candelmasse day,
per folc was at churche ynouj.
Rob. of Gloucester, Life of St. Dunstan, 1. 2.
CANLE-TEEN [kan-1-teen], sb. Evening, dusk.
I'll be 'long way-ee agin, vore cannle-teen.
CANT [kant], v. t. To turn over, or upset, as in rolling a log
of timber, or a block of stone.
Here, Jim ! lend a hand wi't, vor to cant this here piece — we
baint men enough by ourzels.
CANTING-DOG [kan-teen-duug], sb. An iron having a hooked
claw at one end, and a ring at the other, used with a lever passed
through the ring, to turn over or roll heavy trunks of trees.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 13
CANTLE [karrtl], sb. A wedge-shaped slice. Always used
for slices cut from a cheese.
[Plai-z, muurn, tu spae'ur mau'dhur u kan'tl u chee'z,] please,
ma'am, to spare mother a cantle of cheese.
[Ez dhee'uz kan-tl bai'g unuuf-?] is this cantle big enough?
Cantd, of what euer hyt be. Quadra, U. G. M initial.
Promp. Parv.
Quignon, m. A cantel, gobbet, lump.
Cliauteau, m. also a gobbet, lump, crust or cantel of bread.
Cotgrave.
A cantle or cantel : canteau, quignon.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
And Adam and cue : and ojjer be^tes alle.
A cantel of kynde witt : here kynde to saue.
Piers Plow. xv. 163.
For nature hath nat take his begynnyng
Of no partye ne cantel of a thing.
Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 1. 2149.
And cuts me, from the best of all my land,
A huge half-moon, a monstrous canlle out.
I Hen. IV. Act III. Scene i.
CANTLEBONE [kantl boo'un], sb. The collar-bone. More
properly it is the vertebra which projects at the basa of the neck
when the head is bent forward. Sometimes called the " cantle-bone
of the neck." I have heard it applied to other parts of the body ;
especially to the lowest of the vertebrae.
Darn'd if I didn think he'd a-brokt the cantelbone o' my ass.
1 ha wut net break the cantlebone o' thy tether Eend wi' chuering, chell
warmly. — Exmoor Scolding, 1. 280.
CAP [kaa'p], v. To make a collection of money — generally in
the hunting-field, after a " run," for the huntsman ; but I have
often heard the expression used in respect of collections of the like
kind for various purposes — of course on account of a cap being
used to receive the money in. Comp. " to send round the hat."
CAP [kaa'p], sb. A sum or purse of money collected.
[Dhai gau-t u kaa'p u zab'm shuTeenz-n viifpuns vairr-n,] they
got a sum collected of seven shillings and five-pence for him.
CAP [kaa-p, kyaa-p], v. t. To excel; to surpass.
[Dhik stoa'r du kaa^p au'l dhut livur aay yuurd oa,] that story
beats all that I ever heard. Comp. to "cap verses."
Orleans. Ill will never said well.
Constable. I will cap that proverb with — There is flattery in friendship.
Henry V. III. 7.
CAPEL [kyup-1, <?rkee'upl], sb. The swivel cap on the handle
>f a flail. It is made of a piece of very tough wood, and bent so
i
I 14 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
as to form a loop, and so shaped as to turn loosely on the handle
without coming off. To the capel is attached the middle bind, which
connects the two parts of the implement. See DRASHLE.
Cappe of a fleyle. Meditentum. — Promp. Parv.
CAPICAL [kaa-pikul], adj. Capital.
[Dhaat-s kaa'pikul /] that is capital ! (always). I calls it a capical
job, Maister !
The zecond kinsarn wis moast cubical vun,
An I understood iv'ry wan thing thit wis dun.
Nathan Hogg, Tha Gentlenun Akters.
Theck stream.
Hums 'pon the gravel, zo ev coose,
Ez cappical vor breedin' trout.
Pultnan, Rustic Sketches, p. 5.
CAP MONEY [kaap muun'ee], sb. The money collected in the
field after a " run " for the benefit of the huntsman. The custom
of making this collection, is in daily observance in this district, and
is not " nearly obsolete " as described by Halliwell. " A hundred
a year and cap-money " is the commonest of phrases, for the sals
of a huntsman.
CAPPING [kaap-een], sb. Coping (always).
[Kaap'een stoa-unz,] coping-stones.
The surveyor reported to the board that the capping of the bridge at Ash Mil
needs repair. — Local Paper.
CAP-SHEAF [kaap-sheev], sb. The sheaf of corn with which
" stitch " is covered in a showery harvest.
Jim must g' up 'n the whait-field ; the cap-sheaves be all a-blowe
off.
CAR [kaa'r], sb. A nearly obsolete, close-covered, two-wheele
vehicle. The seats are sideways, with a door and steps at tl
back ; the driver's seat is in the centre of the front, and is some
what protected by a projection of the roof. It holds from four
six persons inside. Car is never applied in this district to a foi
wheeled carriage of any kind.
CAR [kaa-r], v. t. i. To carry.
[Ez ur t-ae-vee tu kaa-r ?~\ is it too heavy to carry. The secor
syllable is always dropped.
The squier was in want o' vish,
An' zeynd ver I ta git'n a dish ;
Zed e'd goo too, an what 'e think ?
Agreed to car zum meyte an' drink.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 17-
2. To lead, or cart — spoken of hay or corn.
[Dhik-ee mee-ud ul bee fut tu kaa-r urn baa 7,] that field will be
fit to lead by-and-by.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 115
[Any shl kaa-r airl mee wai't tumaa'ru,] I shall cart all — /. e. the
last of — my wheat to-morrow.
3. To lead ; to conduct. Applied to roads or paths.
You volly thick there drove, and he'll car you so straight 's a
line down to Horner.
CAR AWAY [kaa'r, or kyaar uwai*], v. t. A polite form of
to steal. See AIM 2.
A ! the thefe caryed away my bouget with hym. — Palsgrave,
Compare
Pistol. Convey, the wise it call : Steal ! foh ! a fico for the phrase.
Merry Wives of Windsor, I. 2.
CARDER [kaa'rdur], sb. A machine for carding wool.
CARDING [kaa-rdeen], sb. A roll of carded wool from the
machine, to be spun into yarn.
CARKY [kaarkee], v, i. To fret, to complain, to grumble.
(Com.)
Hot's the good to bide carkin and groanin over hot can't be
a-mended ? Tidn no good to cry over shod milk. See QUERK.
l-carke for our thryfte, and thou carest nat which ende go by-fore.
\-carke— je chagrine.- — Palsgrave.
Wail ye this woful waste of Nature's wark ;
Wail we the wight, whose presence was our pride ;
Wail we the wight, whose absence is our cark ;
Spencer. Shepherds Cal. November, 1. 14.
To carke and care, and euer bare,
With losse and paine, to little gaine.
Tusser, 113/15.
CARNATION GP.ASS [kurnae-urshun graas], sb. A common
dwarf sedge found in undrained meadow land, which is by some
believed to be the cause of the coe in sheep (carex hirtd).
See Britten, Old Farming Words, E. D. S.
CARRIAGE [kaareej, kyaareej], sb. So much of the frame-
work of any vehicle as is directly connected with the wheels ; the
carrying part — as distinct from the body or the shafts. We speak
of the " voiQ-carriage " and the " hinder-carriage " of any vehicle.
The former includes everything except the shafts and body, attached
to the fore-wheels ; and the latter the same as to the hind-wheels.
Hence a "timber carriage" [tiinrur kaareej,] consists of a frame
and wheels only.
[Mus ae'u nue* bau'dee tu dhik wag'een, bud dhu kaareej oa
un-z vuuree geo'd,] I must have a new body to that wagon, but
the carriage of it is very good. See PILLAR-PIECE, PERCH, NIB.
CARRIAGE [kaa-reej], sb. In draining land, it is usual to put
I 2
Il6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
in a " carriage" — /. e. main drain or artery, into which the smaller
ones empty themselves. Same as CARRIAGE-GUTTER, KING-GUTTER.
CARRIAGE-GUTTER [kaareej guud'r], sb. The main drain
into which the branches in draining a field are made to run.
See GUTTERING.
CARRIN [kaareen], sb. Carrion ; carcase or flesh of an animal
dead of disease ; any flesh unfit for food ; a corpse.
We do'd the best we could, but twadn not a bit o' good ; we
could'n make nort but carrin o'ur. Of a cow which was " killed
to save its life."
I tell ee hot 'tis, hon I can't ate my breakfast, I shall very zoon
be a box o' carrin.
Thoh tha wormes thi caroin gnawe,
Thi pynes lastes bot a thrawe.
Homilies in Verse. Tale of a Usurer, 1. 197. (Morris and Skeat.)
He croukej for comfort when carayne he findej ;
ka^t vp on a clyffe J>er costese lay drye,
Early Allit. Poems (Morris, E. E. T. S.), Cleanness, 1. 459.
jit feyned religious. . . . stire hem to be biried in here chirche, and stryuer
and fijtten for )>e dede careyne for loue of offrynge.
Wyclif, Eng. Works (E. E. T. S.), p. 212.
and nether wheche ne leede, to be leyde in bote a grete clothe to hely mj
foule Caryin. — Will of Thomas Broke, Devonshire, 1417-
Fifty Earliest Wills, E. E. T. S. p. 27.
Caranye or careyn. Cadaver. — Promp. Parv.
See also Langland, Rich, the Red. II. 171.
Hide carren in graue
lesse noiance to haue. — Tusser, 18/36.
CARRITER [kaa-reetur], sb. Character ; reputation.
[Aay-v au'vees u-keep* u geod kaa'reetur vur pai'gz,] I have
always kept a good character for pigs — (/. e. for having a gooc
breed).
CARRY-MERRY [kaa'ree muuree, or kuuree muuree], sb.
kind of small dray for carrying casks, consisting of two pole
mounted on four very low wheels. Any sized barrel rides securel)
on this vehicle without any fastening.
CART [kaa'rt, or kyaa-rt]. When a cart is so adjusted on its
wheels that when fairly charged it presses the shafts upwards, it is
said to loa'ud baa'k. When on the other hand it presses too
much on the horse's back, it is said to loa-ud ruurwurdz. A cart
made to " tip " is said to be made to \_shuut ##/,] shut up (q. v.).
CAR-TALE [kaar tae'ul], sb. A tale-bearer; a mischief-maker.
Oh ! her's a proper old car-tale: nif her knowth it all the
parish '11 year o' ut 'vore mcirra night.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 117
Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany,
Some mumble-news, some trencher-knight, some dick —
That smiles his cheek in years ;
Lovers Labour Lost, V. 2.
CART-SADDLE [kaa-rt-zad'l], sb. The only name for the
kind of saddle, made with a strong wooden groove which carries
the back-chain, and worn only by the horse in the shafts.
See GIG-SADDLE, HACKNEY-SADDLE.
Carte sadel, )>e comissarie, owre carte shal he leve.
PLnvman, B. II. 179. See also Ib. C. III. 190.
and also a cart-sadd, bak bandes, and bely bandes.
Fiizhcrbcrt, Husbandry, 5, 37.
CARTY [kaartee], adj. A term applied to a horse when too
clumsy to be fit for either riding or carriage work, and yet not of
the regular cart-horse stamp.
CARVY-SEED [kaa'rvee-zee'ud]. Carraway-seed.
A cake made way carvy-seed.
Car away -herbe. Carwy, sic scribitiir in campo florum. — Promp. Paj-v.
CAS, CANS, CAS'N [kas-, kans?, kas--n?]. Contractions oft/wit
canst, thou canst not, canst thou ? canst thou not ?
And thee art a lams'd in wone o' thy Yearms, and cass'ttt zee a Sheen in thy
Reart-Ee. Extnoor Scolding, 1. 127.
I vill'd my bastie brimmin' vool.
Ca's g'out ta-marra, if ee ool !
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 17.
See p. 63, verb can — West Som. Gram.
CASION [kizh'un], sb. Occasion ; need ; necessity.
[Noa kizh'un vur tu zar noa'urt, dhaewt yue bee aak'st oa,] (you
have) no necessity to say anything (about it) without (/'. e. unless)
you are asked. Same as CALL, sb.
Let go his arm.
Edg. Chill not let go, zir, without vurther casion.
King Lear, IV. 6.
CASS ! [k'ss !]. The sound for driving the cat.
CAST [kaa's], sb. The little curled heap thrown up by a worm.
Sometimes called a worm-rt«/. In the West cast is not applied to
mole-hills.
In house well deckt, what good doth gnawing rats ?
Or casting mowles, among the meadowes greene ?
Tiisser, 45/7.
CAST [kaa's], v. i. i. To warp or twist : applied to wood.
2. sb. In hunting, when the hounds are at fault, the huntsman
makes a cast" — i.e. tries around so as to cross the track of the
fox or deer, and if possible to regain the scent.
Il3 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
3. v. t. To throw down on its side a colt or bull for the purpose
of castration. Used commonly in this sense, and to throw an
opponent in wrestling (seldom).
and, I think being too strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime,
yet I made shift to cast him. — Macbeth, II. 3.
CAST OVER [kaa-s oa'vur], v. /. To consider ; to reflect ; to
ponder.
[Aay-v M-kaa's oa'vur au-l yue-v u-toa'l mee,] I have carefully
considered all you have told me.
[Haun aay kaa's utoa'rur, aay zee'd twiid-n due',] when I thought
it over, 1 saw it would not do.
Alle man's lyfe casten may be,
Principaly, in Jiis partes thre,
)>at er j>ir to our vnderstandyng ;
Bygynnyng, midward, and endyng.
Hampole (1340) Prick of Conscience, 1. 432.
CASUALTY MEAT [kaz'ltee mart], sb. The meat of animals
which have died or have been slaughtered while diseased. This
is one of the butcher's terms for this quality of meat.
See MISFORTUNE MEAT.
CATCH HEAT [kaech yiit], v. To get warm with exercise.
(Always.) The phrase would not be applied to getting heat from
a fire, or from hot drink.
[Spae'ur wuurk — kaa'n kaech yiit' tue ut,] slow work — (I)
cannot get warm at it.
CATCH HOLD OF [kaech oa'ld oa], v. t. i . To'seize ; to ligl
upon ; to take.
[Dhu poa'lees kaech oa'ld oa un jis eens ee km aewt,] the polic
lighted on him just as he came out.
2. To understand.
[Aay ded-n kaech oa'ld oa ut nuzaa'klec,] I did not understanc
it exactly.
CATCHING [kaech -een], adj. i. Applied to weather; rainy
showery.
[KaecJreen tuym vur dh-aa'rus,] catching time for the harvest.
[Dhu moo'ees kaech' inees haa-ymaek'een uVur aay nau'd,] tl
most catchingest — /. e. showery — haymaking I ever knew.
2. Infectious.
[Dhur ud-n noa moo'ur kaech' inur dhing'-n dhaat dhae'ur
raat,] there is no more infectious thing than that foot-rot.
CATCHING [kaech-een], adv. Slightly lame.
[Haut ae'ulth dh-oal au's? Aay zum u goa'uth kaech'een luyk;
leok ee zee*, wuul ur, wur ee'v u-pikt aup u stoa'un ur noa,] whs
ails the old horse? I fancy he goes catching like; look, will yoi
whether he has picked up a stone or no.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 119
CATCH-WORK [kaech'-wuurk], sb. A job here and there.
Working for no particular employer, but getting employment from
any one needing assistance. See STRAPPER, JOBBING-ABOUT.
Well, I 'ant a-had nort but catch-work since I corned away vrom
Mr. Bond.
CAT-GALLOWS [kat-gaal'ees], sb. (Always.) A jumping rack,
or bar to leap over.
CAT-HANDED [kyat-an'dud], adj. Clumsy, awkward. (Very
com.)
Let-n alone, vore thee's a-spoild-n, you cat-anded son of a bitch !
CAT-HOCKED [kat-uuk'ud], adj. Denoting an ugly kind of
hind leg in horses. The upper part is very hollow, so as to make
the hocks very prominent.
• CAT'S HEAD [kats, or kyats ai'd], sb. A very large kind of
apple, sweet and juicy, excellent for cider.
CAT'S ICE [katsuys], sb. Ice, which appears to have a quantity
of air-bubbles in it, usually very thin, and only strong enough to
bear a cat.
CAT'S TAILS [kats taa-yulz], sb. Catkins, of the hazel or
willow; also frequently called kat-skeenz (catskins), which I take
to be merely a corruption of the lit. English catkin, and not a true
dialectal word.
CAUCH [katruch], sb. A poultice or plaister; a fomentation.
Well, mum, he's ter'ble bad, I 'sure you — an' he's that rampin in
his inside he don't know hot ever to do. The doctor's stuff don't
do un no good 't all. I've a bath'n way bwoil-'ot water, and now
I've a made a cauch way some seal' bran an' turpentime in a
flannen, and a-put roun' the body oa un.
See Ex. Scold, p. 123.
CAUL [kau-1], sb. The fat covering the intestines of the
edible animals. See KIRCHER, BRACK.
The Caul, or kell wherein the bowels are wrapped. Girbe.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
CAUSE [kau'z], sb. Pavement ; footpath. At Taunton Assizes,
Jan. 2ist, 1886, a servant-girl giving evidence as to a stabbing case
said : " I saw blood on the cause" The Judge (Grove) inquired
what that was, and was immediately told, the pavement or footway.
O.F. caucie ; modern chaussee. Our Western dialect often drops
the final y from words which have it in other parts, while adding it
in others by way of inflection. Cf. car, slipper, for carry, slippery.
Causey in a hye way — chavsee, — Palsgrave.
I2O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Cause is used also in Devonshire. See Trans. Devon Associa-
tion, p. 89.
In an Itinerary dated London 1719, called A Pocket Guide to
the English Traveller, p. 6 1, is a map on which is marked, "To
Luttenvorth a causey on a Com."
Item to Kingston brigge vjd ;
Item to the causy atte Wyke iiijd ;
Item to the Chirche of Herdyngton, ij Buschett barly :
WillofAlys Chirche (1430). Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 85.
The way . . . was causid with stone more than half a mile.
Ldand's Itinerary, vol. ii. p. 66.
CAUSE WHY [katrz wuy — kae'uz wuy — vurkairz \vuy — vur-
kae'uz wuy — kuz wuy]. The first form is a little fine talk, though
very common ; the second, fourth, and fifth, more usual, and used
indifferently among the less sophisticated. The third is the form
of the sedate village politician. Because ; for the reason that.
See p. 95, W. Som. Grammar.
[Aaybee saa'f t-ez noa- jis dhing — kau-zwuy muy muVus meet-r
aup-m taewn uun'ee beenaew,] I am certain it is no such thing, f(
the reason that my wife met him up in town only just now.
An' dash my wig, zo 'tis ! Cause why ?
By gar, da sar me right, ta last, —
Theck whis'lin wind, an' dretning sky
Speyk'd raayn, ver now da wetty vast.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 14.
CAVE [kae'uv, ^rkee'uv], sb. and v. Roots, such as potatoes
turnips, mangold, are often stored out of doors in a large heaj
banked over with earth and thatched with straw. To store in
manner is "to cave" them, and the store so made is called "the
cave"
[Zoa, dhai-v u-ruub' Faa'rmur Vruyz tae'udee kee-uv, aa'n um?]
so they have robbed Farmer Fry's potatoe-heap, have they not ?
CAVE [kee'uv], sb. A vault; a grave. See Gram, of W.
p. 99.
CENSURE [sarnshur], sb. Judicial sentence.
All the time the judge was gee-in the censure, you could a-yearc
a pin drap.
To you, lord governor,
Remains the censure of this hellish villain ;
The time, the place, the torture ; O enforce it !
Myself will straight aboard. — Othello, V. 2 (end).
CESS ! [saes !]. Said to a dog, or to hounds, when giving foe
• — to induce them to eat.
CESS [saes], sb. v. and adj. A rate ; a local tax.
[Aay ziim wee bee u-saes' wuY-n uvur,] I consider we are taxec
worse than ever.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 121
[Dhur-z dhu poo'tir saes, un dhu kaewrrtee saes, un dhu saes
taak/suz,] there is the poor-rate, and the county rate, and the
assessed taxes.
To Cesse : Tauxer. Cessed ' : Tauxe.
Cot grave (Sherwood).
CESS [zas-], sb. The pile of unthrashed corn heaped up in the
pool (q. v.) of the barn.
[Bae'ud oal jaulr ! dhur-z vaawur ae'ukurz u wait een dhik beet
uv u zas-,'] bad old job ! there is four acres of wheat in that bit
of a cess.
How dedst Thee stertlee upon tha tess last Rarest wey the young Dick
Vrogwill.— Ex. Scold. 1. 32. See also 11. 70, 87, 240, 284.
CESS-COLLECTOR [saes- kulak'tur], sb. Tax-gatherer ; rate-
collector.
CESTERN [saes'turn], sb. A cistern (always).
Cf sterne or cysterne. Cisterna. — Prom p. Pai~v.
A Cfstcrne, Cisterne.
A little Cesterne. Cisternon. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
CHACKLE [chaak-1], v. To cackle ; to chatter.
[Haut-s aup1 wi dhu vaewulz — dhai bee u chaak'leen zoa ?]
what's up with the fowls — they are cackling so?
Why 's-n hold thy bawl, neet bide there chacklin, same's an old
hen avore day !
Chuckle, to chatter loudly. " Do ee hold yer chacklf."
Piilman, Rustic Sketches, p. 83.
CHACKLY [chaak-lee] adj. Chattering, talkative.
I niver didn zee no jis chackly maaid's you be, niver in all my
born days. You do keep on chackle, chackle, . chackle, from day's-
light to dark night.
EC, mine leoue sustren, uolewefc ure lefdi
^t "out \>e chakele Eue
J>e hen hsvon heo haueiS ileid, ne con buten kakelen.
An ere 1 1 Jtiwle, p. 66.
CHAIN [chai'n, rarely chaa'yn], sb. A weaver's warp. In this
semi-manufacturing district many of the technical terms are quite
peculiar, and quite different from those used to express the same
! process or thing in the Northern Counties. The warp, of whatever
material, whether woollen, cotton, silk, hemp, or flax (all of which
are woven in the district), is always the chai'n. Chaa'yn is the
form used by the agricultural class for the ordinary chain ; they
know nothing of the weaver's technicalities. See ABB, BEER.
CHAIN-BEAM [charn-bee'm], sb. One of the long rollers,
extending the full width of a loom, on which is carefully wound
the series of threads composing the warp or chain, which is to
122 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
form the ground-work of the cloth. As the weaving progresses,
the chain is unwound from its beam and re-wound at precisely the
same rate upon the cloth-beam (q. v.). See BEAM.
CHAIR [chee'ur, chae'ur]. The invariable fracture in this word,
making it a distinct dissyllable is no modern corruption.
and preise thei him in the chaier of eldre-men.
Wydif. Psalm cvi. 32. See also " Chayer," Wydif. Works, p. 437.
Chayere (chayer, H.). Cathedra. — Promp. Parv.
A cheyer by-fore ]>e chemne, ]>er charcole brenned,
Watz gray]>ed for Syr Gawan, grayj>ely with clo|>ej.
Sir Gawayne, 1. 875.
Ryjt byfore godej chayere. — E. Attit. Poems, The Pearl, 1. 885.
Nabigo-de-no3ar noble in his chayer. — Ib. Cleanness, 1. 1218.
CHATTY [chai'tee], adj. Neat, trim, nice; tidy in appearance,
as well as attractive in manner.
[Uur-z u chai'tee lee'dl uunrun,] she is a neat little woman.
CHALK [chau-k]. Publicans are accustomed to keep the scor
by chalk marks behind the door, hence to be \chau~kd aup] is to b
entered as a debtor; and so the Cockney slang, "walk your chalks'
is to abscond without paying your debts. See HANG-UP.
CHALK-LINE [chau'k luyn]. The string used by carpenter
to strike a line ; also the line struck by the chalked string. " Tc
walk a r//tf/£-line," is to be very circumspect in conduct, not
deviate from the straight path of duty; very far removed froi
" walking chalks"
I chalke, as a carpenter doth his tymber with his lyne to square it.
Palsgrave.
CHAM [chaa'm], v. To chew; to masticate.
[Aay bee dhaat wai'k, neef aay-d u-guut u beet u mai't, aaj
keod-n chaa-m ut,] I am so weak, if I had a bit of meat, I couk
not masticate it.
[Dhu bas dhing tu bring aup yuung laa'rks wai, ez chaa'i
buurd-n buad'ur,] the best thing to bring up young larks with, is
chewed bread and butter. Often said to me, as a boy, by an olc
weaver bird-fancier.
Champ is literary, unknown to dialect speakers.
I chamme a thyng small bytwene my tethe or champe. le masche. Chamr,
the breed in your mouthe or ever you feed your byrde. — Palsgrave, p. 480.
CHANCE [chaa'ns], v. t. To risk ; to speculate on.
[Aa-1 chaa'ns ut, uVee-aew !] I'll run the risk of it, anyhow !
You 'ont take no less ? No, nat a varden. Well then, I tell ee
hot 'tis — I'll hab'm an' chance it.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 123
CHANDLER'S CUT [chaarrlurz kuut], sb. A joint of beef,
cut from the flank.
CHANGE [chanj], sb. A shift.
An old woman who had got ' leave out ' from the Union, came
to ask in all seriousness if " you wid be so kind, mum, as to give
me a change — eens I can put-n away in there — 'cause I zim I should
like to be a-buried 'spectable like. I know they'd let me keep-m,
vor they be very well to we old women like, and they wid-n take-n
away vrom me, you know, mum."
Chell g'in to Moulton Tomarra pretty taply, to buy some Canvest vor a new
change. Ex. Scolding, 1. 630.
CHANNEL [charrul], sb. and v. Kennel; gutter.
Money was borrowed at Wellington for " paving and channelling"
the streets.
Chandle (or canell, P.) of a strete. Canalis aqtiagium. — Promp. Parv.
CHANNEL-BONE [chan'l boa'un]. The collar-bone (com.).
The fell dart fell through his channel-bone,
Pierc'd through his shoulder's upper part, and set his spirit gone.
Chapman, Corner's Iliad, B. xvn. 1. 266.
CHANY [chai-nee], sb. China, or earthenware of the finer sort
— as distinguished from cloam (q. v.).
[Twaud-n noa'un u yur tloa'm, twuz rae'ul chai'nee, aay tuul ee,]
it was none of your crockery, it was real china, I tell you.
CHAPE [chee'up], sb. The loop on harness, on a sword-
scabbard, or on any leather strap, close to the buckle, through
which the end of the strap is passed.
Here knyfes were \-chaptd nat with bras,
But al with silver wrought ful clene and wel.
Chaucer, Prologue, 1. 365.
Chape of a schethe (sheede, K. schede, H). Spirula. — Promp. Pam.
A chape. Chappe defourreau d'espte. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Chappe. Locket of a scabbard. — Cotgrave.
Chape of a shethe — booterolle de gayne.
What shall I give the to chape my dagger? — Palsgrave, p. 480.
y pouthered with chapes and scochons.
Will of Lady A. West, 1395. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 4, 1. 13.
the whole theorie of war in the knot of his scarf, and the practice in the chape
of his dagger. — A IPs well that ends well, IV. 3.
CHARLOCK [chaarlik, chaarlauk], sb. Wild mustard — sinapis
arvensis (always). One of the commonest and most troublesome
of weeds.
124 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CHARM [chaa-rm], v. t. To cure some disease by means
supposed to be supernatural : as [tu chaa-rm zuurrrur-vauy z] (freckles)
— [tu chaa-rm wau'urts] warts ; (the w is always sounded in this
word). If the cure be perfected, they are said to be [chaa'rmd
uwar], charmed away.
CHARMIN [chaa-rmeen], adj. Well in health.
[Wuul, Saa'lee, un aew bee yue' ? Oa.chaa'rmeent Jan, dhang kee,
aewz yurzuul1 ?] well, Sally, and how are you ? Oh very well,
John, thank you, how is yourself?
CHATTER-BAG [chaafur bai-g], sb. Chatter-box; a silly
chatterer.
He's a chaffer-bag sort of a fuller — nevercan't get much sense
out o' un. — Oct. 9, 1885.
CHATTERY [chaat'uree]. When a package of glass or crockery
has any of its contents broken, the pieces rattle together when the
case is moved, and are said to \chaat'uree\.
I count there idn none o'm a-brokt, I don't year none o'm chattery.
CHAUNGY [chaunjee}, adv. Changeable: applied to the
weather; unsettled.
We baint gwain vor t' ave much rain I zim, but 'tis chaungy
sort o' weather like;
Th'art zo deeve as a Haddick in chongy weather. — Exmoor Scolding, 1. 122.
CHEAP [cheep], adj. The superlative absolutes of cheap are
" so cheap's a dog in a halfpenny " — /. e. at the cost of a halfpenny ;
" so cheap's bull-beef," and "cheap's dirt." See IV. S. Gram. p. 22.
CHEAT [chart], sb. A loose shirt front. The name of course
implies that the article is worn as a counterfeit for clean linen;
sometimes called a dicky.
CHEATERY [charturee], sb. Swindling, cheating.
[Dhur waud-n noa fae'ur plaay tau'l, twuz charturee, aui oa ut,
there was no fair play at all — it was cheating, all of it.
CHEESE [chee-z], sb. i. The quantity or charge of ground appL
in cider making, which is put into the press at one time. Th
grinding of the apples and piling the pummy (q. v.) upon the pre
with layers of straw is called putting up a cheese. The pile of apples
and straw, after being pressed down very tightly for about twenty-
four hours, is then sliced down on all sides, and the cuttings are
piled on the top of the central mass, which is again pressed down,
and the process is repeated till the pile, originally five feet square,
becomes a solid cake of one-fourth the size. This operation is
called " workin' the cheese." See DISH.
A farmer told me he had drawn out a " cider-c/ieese " for the
pheasants. That is, he had taken the spent apples after pressing,
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 125
and placed them near a covert. The birds are fond of scratching
and picking up the pips.
2. The round flat seeds of the Marsh Mallow. Children are
fond of eating them when green and soft.
3. In dancing, a lady makes a cheese when she twists round and
suddenly stoops down so as to cause her skirt to be inflated and
distended.
Nathan Hogg (Letters, p. 25) says : " Having once been asked to
define the term ' making a cheese? a country friend present favoured
the company with the following explanation : ' Way yu mist turn
round tu ur dree times, and go quat.' "
CHEESE-RACK [chee'z raak], sb. A tier of shelves found in
every cheese-room on which the newly-made cheeses are placed to
dry, and to harden by exposure to the air.
CHEESE-WRING [chee'z-ring], sb. (Always.) A cheese-press,
found in every dairy. A rock at Lynton is called " The Devil's
Cheese-wring." See CIDER-PRESS.
CHEMY [shunvee]. See SHIMMY.
CHERRYBUMZ [chuureebumz], sb. Cherubim. The fat-
faced, winged baby heads so often seen painted and carved in
country churches.
[An'jee'ulz-n chuureebuumz], angels and cherubim.
CHERRY ODDS [chuuree aud'z, chuuree aud'zez], sb. i.
Cherry-stones. (Always.)
Don't you zwaller the cherry odds, Billy.
2. A game of pitch, played with cherry-stones.
Jim, wi't thee play to cherry odds ? 'As a-got any ?
CHERRY PIE [chuuree puy]. The heliotrope— so called from
its scent.
CHEST [chuV(t], sb. The rows of corn in the ear.
Capical sort o' wheat, 'tis most always zix and zeb'm chested —
i. e. there are usually six or seven rows of grain in a single ear.
CHEST FOUNDERED [chus-vuuwn-durd]. Said of a horse,
having a certain affection of the chest and shoulders.
CHIBBOLE [chib'oal], sb. A young onion with the green stalk
attached (always). A favourite addition to salad. The pronuncia-
tion of this word is identical with the Florentine market patois for
cipblla. This should throw some light upon whence we received
the onion. Our West Country pronunciation of chibbole is altogether
different from the French ciboule, or the soft Spanish cebblla
126 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[thiwoal'yu], and would seem to point to Italy rather than to Spain
or France.
Ac ich haue porett-plantes ' perselye and scalones,
Chiboles and chiruylles • and chiries sam-rede.
Piers Plow. P. IX. 1. 310.
See also Ib. (B.) p. vi. 1. 296, and (A.) p. vn. 1. 281.
Chybolle, herbe. Cinollus. — Promp. Parv.
O. F. Scipoidle : The sea onion. — Cotgrave.
Chebole, a yong onion. Ciuol. — Palsgrave.
As St. James's, Greenwich, Tibals,
Where the acorns, plump as chibals,
Soon shall change both kind and name,
And proclaim them the king's game.
Ben Jonson, Masque, Gipsies Metamorphosed, p. I.
CHICKABIDDIES [chik'ubid'eez]. Child's name for fowls or
poultry in general.
Go and see the purty chickabiddies.
CHICKEN [chik-een]. The plural of chick. Chickens
unknown. See Note, W. S. Gram. p. 7.
CHIEL [chee'ul]. i. Child : the only form in the singular.
[U checul wuz u-buurn tu dath* aup-m taevvn laas nai%] a chile
was burnt to death up in (the) town last night.
Also commonly used in addressing or speaking of adults, ever
older than the speaker. A person might say to his or her mothe
or grandfather, or to any one with whom he was familiar, [Doa-
ee blee'v ut, chee'ul,'} don't you believe it, child. See W. S. Graih
p. 7.
For i not in ]>\s world ' hou )>at worjri child (i. e. man),
Schal euer wite of my wo • wijxnite me selue.
William of Palerme, Werwolf, 1. 541.
2. A female infant.
Well, Missus, zo you be about agee-an ! Well, what is it thee-s
time, a chiel or a bwoy ?
Shepherd (taking up the child). Mercy on's ! a barne,
A very pretty barne ! A boy or a child, I wonder ?
Winter's Tale, III. 3.
CHILL [chuT], sb. i. A very bad kind of cold : such as prc
duces secondary symptoms ; also a common cold.
[Kaecht u chid' au'l oa'vur, zab'm wiks ugau'n kaum Vruydee
un aa-n u-dued u stroa'k siinz,] (I) caught a cold all over, sever
weeks ago next Friday, and (I) have not done a stroke (of work)
since.
Rith as )>e hous-hennes : vppon londe hacchen,
And cherichen her chekonys : ffro chele of J>e wynter,
Ryth so ]>e hende Egle : )>e heyere of hem all.
Langland, Rich, the Rede, p. u. 1. 143.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. I2/
Mai no peny-Ale hem paye : ne no pece of Bacun,
Bote hit weore Frcsch Flesch : or elles P'isch I-Fri^et,
Bope chaud and pluschaud : for chele of heore Mawe.
Piers Plow. (A) P. VII. 1. 297, See also Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 75.
Bote if 3e me helpe vp to drawe : }>e ra]>ere out of pis fenne,
Wij) colde chile ich wor]> a-slawe : ne go y neuere henne.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 2331.
2. v. To make slightly warm.
[Sh'l ur chul dhu suydur?] shall I warm the cider?
[Draap u chul wau'dr vur dh-airs,] drop of slightly warmed water
for the horse.
CHILL-BLADDER [chuT-blad'ur], sb. A chilblain. (Very
com.)
CHILLER [chiil-ur]. Children. See W. S. Gram. p. 7.
CHILLER-MAS [chuTur mus]. Innocents day.
Friday, quoth-a, a dismal day !
CAtMtTMOS-dttj this year was Friday.
Sir John Oldcaslle, quoted by Nares.
CHIM-CHAM, CHIM TO CHAM [cheem-chaam, cheem tu
chaam], sb. Undecided talk ; beating about the bush ; hindering
a tradesman with inquiries, without at last giving him an order.
See CLICK TO CLACK.
You niver can't get no sense like out o' un, 'cause he's always so
vull o' chim chain. — July 1886 : said of a certain candidate for
Parliament in this division.
An' zo while Dan did light his pipe
An' chim-cham all the while,
Off went the charge, and back went Dan,
An' the stump went half-a-mile.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 29.
CHIM-CHAMMING [cheem- chaam -een].
[Wee'sh MuVtur Uurchuts wiid-n km een yuur cheem-chaanreen,
ee doa'n wau'n noa'urt,] (I) wish Mr. Richards would not come
in here hindering with his inquiries — he does not want (to buy)
anything.
CHIMLEY BACK [chunvlee baak]. i. A large iron plate which
stands at the back of the hearth, where wood fires are used. Its
use is to protect the -wall, which would be liable to be much
battered by heavy logs being thrown against it, and also to be
burnt out by constant fire against it. See IRON-BACK.
2. The back of a hearth fire-place where there is no iron plate.
This is generally built specially to bear fire and blows. It is very
common to see a space some three feet or more square, built up
with rows of small slates placed on edge, each row sloping differently
to that next to it.
128 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CHIMLEY-BAR [chiinrlee-baar]. A bar generally of iron,
though sometimes of wood, placed across the large chimneys where
wood fuel is burnt; upon this bar are hung the [chum'lee-kreoks,~]
chimley-crooks (q. ?'.), by which the kettles and crocks (q. v.} are
suspended over the fire. This bar is usually from seven to eight
feet from the hearth.
CHIMLEY-BREAST [chum-lee brus]. The projection of
masonry into a room, which contains the fire-place and the
chimney above it. It is common to find a chimley-breast in the
bedrooms of old houses with no fireplace in them, and containing
only the great chimney of the room below.
CHIMLEY-CROOK [chiirrrlee-kreok]. A peculiar kind of
pot-hook, having a contrivance of notches by which it can be
lengthened or shortened at pleasure, so as to raise or lower the
pots suspended over the fire.
CHIMMER [chiinrur, chuunvur], sb. Chamber (always so
pronounced). A bedroom; upstairs generally; any room above
the ground-floor, but never upon it.
[Wuur bee dhu wauyts? Aup-m dh-eol' chum'ur,~] where are the
scales? Up in the wool-chamber.
[Wuur-z mau'dhur? Aup-m chi'im'ur,~\ where's mother? Up-stair
[Kaar dhu bai-gz aup-m dhu kau'rn chiinrur^ carry the sacks uj
in the corn-chamber — /. e. the granary. See HOUSE.
CHINE [chuyn], sb. i. The backbone; the line of the spin:
marrow in any animal.
A butcher would direct his apprentice thus : [Muyn un kuut-r
fae'ur daewn drue dhu chuyn,'] be sure to cut it (the carcase) fairl)
down through the line of the spine.
Chyne of bestys bakke. Spina. — Promp. Parv.
Chyne of a beest. Eschinc. — Palsgrave.
2. The joint with the ribs in it, except in a sheep, is called the
chine.
[U pees u chuyn u bes'f,] a piece of chine of beef.
[U chuyn u paurk,] a chine of pork.
3. The projecting rim formed by the ends of the staves, beyon
the head of a cask, never called chime now. It is very common to
hear : He 'ont hold, the chine o' un's a-brokt — /. e. the cask will not
hold liquid.
And now so longe hath the tappe i-ronne,
Til that almost al empty is the tonne,
The stream of lyf now droppith on the chymbe.
_ Chaucer, Reevfs Prologue, 39
WtST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 29
CHINE-HOOPS [chuyn-feops]. The two end hoops on a cask,
which cover the chine or projection of the staves beyond the heads,
usually much stouter than the others.
CHIN-STAY, CHIN-STRAP [cheen--stai, cheerr-straap], sb.
The strap passing round the jaws of a horse, by which the bridle
is fastened.
1885 s. d.
Nov. 1 2th. New Chinstay and rep1"5 Head collar . . i 6
From a Saddler s Dill, Xinas, 1885.
CHIRPINGS [chup-eenz], sb. pi. Stones or road-metal broken
very small so as to be used instead of gravel. In these days of
"asphalt" pavements cbippings are made and sold in large
quantities.
To 4 loads Westleigh chippings delivered . . £14*. o/.
From a Bill, 1885.
CHITLINGS [chdrleenz], sb. Chitterlings. The small intes-
tines of the pig — usually fried as a great delicacy amongst the poor.
See KNOTLINGS.
CHITTERY [chufuree], v. i. To twitter; to chirp; to
chatter ; to whisper.
[Aew dim spaa'ruz due chut'uree f] how the sparrows do twitter !
They maaidens '11 bide there chitterin vore darknight, let em
alone — /. e. until dark.
in menye |>e contray longage ys apeyred, and som vse)> strange wlaffing,
ckyteryng, harryng and garryng, grisbittyng.
Trevisa, Descr. of Brit. 1. 162.
Chyteryn as bynlys. supra in ckaterynge. — Proinp. Parv.
Ityrdis chytter faster in Marche than in any other season.
Palsgrave, p. 484.
th\t tha wart a c frittering, raving, racing, bozzum-chuck'd, rigging, haggaging
Moil. Ex. Scoliting, 1. 63. See also Ib. p. 124.
CHIZZLY [chuVlee], adj. Gritty, sharp : said of earth or sand.
Ter'ble gra*l (gravel) this yer, 'bout wearin out anybody's boots
like, tis so.c/iizzly.
CHOICE [chauys], aJJ. Sett:ng great store by; particular in
keeping select ; careful of.
[ I'uurubl chauys mae'un baewt-s dhingz,] very particular man as
to his live stoc1':.
[Au'n-kau ivun chauys oa'vur ur daaTturz,] extremely careful of
h--T daughters.
CHOLLER [chaul'ur], sb. (Very com.) i. The jaw ; the cheek ;
the covering of the lower jaw of man or beast; the hanging lip
'>!" a hound or pointer dog. The er termination in this word is
K
I3O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
analogous to that in legger, toe-er, and is of course redundan
A.-Sax. ceole, the jaw.
[Huug'lee leok'een uunvun — dhu chaul'urz oa ur du ang daewn
sae'umz u beol duug,] ugly-looking woman — her cheeks hang down
like a bull-dog's.
[Plarz-r, dh-oa'l Bau'b-v u-gauf u guurt uump' rait een dhu
chaul-ur oa un,] please, sir, the old Bob (a horse) has a great
hump (swelling) right on his cheek.
Hee was byglicli ybounde • on botlie twoo halues,
Bothe his chaul and liis cliynne ' wyth chaynes of yren :
William of Palerme, Gestes of Alisander, 1. 1118.
2. The gills of a fish.
The way to [groa'pee], gropy (q. v.} is to tickle'n, gin you can slij
your vingers into the chollers o' un.
CHOLLYWABBLES [chauHwaub'lz], sb. Looseness ; diarrhc
CHOOGEY, CHOOGEY-PIG [cheog'ee]. The child's narm
for a pig.
[Yuur, BuTee ! kau'm un zee dhu cfoog'eez,~\ here, Billy! comt
and see the piggies.
A common piny with very little children is to take the tc
between the finger and thumb, beginning with the great toe am
changing with each line.
This choogey-pig went to market,
This choogcy-pig stayed at home,
This choogcy-pig had some meat,
This choogey-pig had got none,
This choogcy-pig said squeak ! squeak ! squeak !
Give me some too, then, Joan !
CHOOK ! [cheog ! or cheok !]. The call to a pig. Fa
maid-servants when shouting to the pigs, cry out in a very shril
tone [chto'eek ! cheo'eek /], and the pigs come running and scamperir
from all directions. See TURR.
CHOP [chaup], sb. i. An exchange ; a barter.
[Wur-s buy dhik au*s? Aay ded-n buy un — aay ad-n een
cfiaup,~\ where didst buy that horse? I did not buy him, 1 lit
him in an exchange.
2. 7/. To exchange. See RAP. Alsoyf^, to be undecided.
You never can't depend 'pon he, a's always choppin and changir
about — one day one thing, another day another.
I choppe or chaunge. I love well to choppe and chaunge every day.
Palsgrave, p. 484.
3. 7>. t. and sb. Hunting. It sometimes happens that a fox
or hare is so surrounded by the hounds that he has no chance
of running away and of thus showing sport, but is caught an
'
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 131
killed when first found, before he can get off. This is called a
1 chop:
Bad luck, the hounds chopped a fox in Tripp brake, and after
that 'twas a blank.
CHOP [chaup], sb. The cheek, or half of the under jaw of a
pig when cured (always). We know nothing of "Bath chaps"
and " m\ilton-c/i0/>s " have to be so distinguished.
CHOPS [chaups], sb. The cheeks or jaws of a person ; the lips
of a dog.
[Lik'een uz chaups,~\ licking his chops.
CHORE [choa'r], sb. A job ; a piece of business, or work.
Always so pronounced — in daily use. I much doubt Nares'
remark (p. 156), "I have little doubt it was pronounced cheer."
[U choa'r u wuurk,] a job of work. [U puurdee choa'r!~\ a
pretty job ! [Aay-d u-guuf u miid'leen choa'r vur tu puut een
dhik lun'turn,] I had a difficult piece of work to put in that lintel.
[Dhaat wuz jus choa'r-z aay aa'n u-ae'ud-z-aeb'm yuur,] that was
such a job as I have not had these seven years.
U maa'yn choa'r = a difficulty.
Going over a bill for labour, with a Culmstock man, the payee
said, " There's a good many chores I 'ant a put down at all, sir." —
Sept. 2, 1886.
Wule a weob beon, et one cherre, mid one watere, wel ibleched ?
Ancren Ri-wle, p. 324. See also Ib. p. 36.
By such poor passion as the maid that milks,
And does the meanest chara.
Ant. and Cleopatra, Act IV. sc. 13. See also Ib. Act V. sc. 2.
Vor when tha shudst be about tha Yeavling's chuers tha wut spudlee out the
Yemors, and screedle over mun. — Ex. Scold. 1. 223.
CHORE-WOMAN [choa'r uunvunj. Char-woman (always).
CHORE-WORK [choa-r wuurk]. Job work— ;'. e. piece-work,
by either sex — not paid for by daily wages.
[Aay gut lab'm shiil'eenz rig-lur, un aay gits u geod beet u
choa'r wuurk,~\ I have eleven shillings (per week) regular (wages),
and I get a good deal of piece-work.
CHORER [choa'rur]. A char-woman ; also any person, male or
female, working at odd work and not regular employment.
CHORING [choa'reen], sb. Charing; house-work by the day.
[Uur kaa'n saa-r vuuree muuch tu choa:reen,~\ she cannot earn
very much at charing. I have never heard this word pronounced
in any of its forms except with long o ; char = chaar is never
heard.
Tha wut net break the cantlebone o' thy tether Eend \vi chucrin% chell warndy .
Ex. Scot,/. I. 280.
K 2
132 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CHORY [choa-ree], v. i. To char. To go out to work by the
day, as an indoor servant : spoken only of women.
Is your wife at home? [Noa, mum! uurz u-goo' tu chocrree
vur muVus Joa'unz tu shau'p,] no, ma'am ! she is gone to char for
Mrs. Jones at the shop.
[Uur du choaree, haun uur kn gif ut,] she chars, when she can get
it (to do).
Yeet avore oil, avore Voak, tha wut lustree, and towzee, and chezvret, and
bucklee, and tear, make wise, as anybody passeth. — Ex. Scold. 1. 290.
CHOW [chuw], v. and sb. To chew, feed.
[Aay kaa'n chuw mee mart,] I cannot chew my food.
[Neef uun'ee uur kud chuwee, uur-d git au-n,] if only she could
masticate, she would get on.
[Ee'z prau'pur oa'f uz chuw^\ he is quite off his feed — /. e. has
no appetite.
Chowen, supra in cheiven.
Chowynge (or chewynge, P.). masticacio. — Promp. Parv.
CHOWDER.
CHOWER [chuwur], v. L To grumble. See JOWER.
CHOWRE. See JOWER.
CHOW THE QUEED [chuw dhu kwee'd]. To chew the cud.
Well, John, how is the cow? [Au- ! uur-z bad'r zr, uur-z ae'i
vur tu chuw ur kweed^\ oh ! she is better, sir, she is able to che\
her cud. Compare a sailor's "quid."
The pankin' bullicks now
Lies under shady heydges cool,
Er else knee-deep Stan's in the pool,
At eyze th'er' quid ta chmv ;
Pultnan, Rustic Sketches, p. 20.
CHRISTENING-VAULT [kurs'neen vairlt]. Font in a church.
April 23, 1882. Minehead. [Bae'un ee gwa'in tu leok tu dh'c
ki'irs'neen vau-lt?~\ are you not going to look at the old font? sak
twice by middle-aged woman, sexton's wife.
CHRISTIAN [kiirsteen]. A human being. A horse or dog
very often described as [su sai'nsubl-z u kiir'stee/i,~\ as sensible as
human being.
The usual response of Neapolitans when remonstrated wttl
for cruelty to animals is " non sono Cristiani."
CHRISTMAS [kuurs'mus], sb. Any evergreen used for Christ-
mas or other decoration, whether holly, mistletoe, or other; callec
also \kuur s~museen^\ christmasing.
Miss Warren Ve a-zen' me up arter some Christmas, vor to put
up in the school, 'cause th' Inspector's comin. May 1886.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 133
CHRISTMASING [kuurs'museen], verbal sb. Keeping Christmas
convivially.
We ant a-had no \kuitrs' inuseen\ de year — tidn not a bit same's
use' to.
CHUCK [chuuk], v. To choke.
[Aay bee dhaat druy aay bee flit tu chunk','} I am so thirsty,
I am ready to choke. [Smee'ch unuuf' tu chunk dhu daevl,] dust
enough to choke the devil.
Zo visliin' we mus' stap
Till Autumn's vloods da cleynze the stream,
O' weeds that chucks en, ronk and green.
Pulinan, Rustic Sketches, p. 20.
I'm dry, just chucked — a drap a ale,
I'll then purseed to tul me tale.
Nathan Hogg, Letters, p. 53.
CHUCKE-HEAD [chuuk'1-aid], sb. A gawky ; a stupid person ;
a fool. Hence chuckle-headed, daft, idiotic, thick-headed. (Both
very com.) See Pit/man, Rustic Sketches, p. 84.
CHUCKS [chuuks]. The cheeks; of a dog— the lips.
[Dhu chunks oa ur-z zu huurd-z u chuiu'ee,] the cheeks of her
is so red as a cherry.
Thy buzzom chucks were pretty vittee avoretha niad'st thyzel therle.
Ex. Scold. 1. 73. See also Ib. 11. 63, 502, 607.
As vor the Prencesses, sweet souls,
With rose chucks, and flaxen polls.
Peter Pindar. Royal Visit to Exeter, p. III.
CHUFF [chuuf], adj. Surly in manner, boorish, brusque, stiff
and unbending. (Obs. as a sb.~)
[Dhai doa'n luyk aawur niie skwuyur vuuree wuul, ee-z zu
tuurubl chuuf,'} they don't like our new squire very well, he is so
very stiff and surly in manner.
ChoflTe, or chuffe, charle, or chutt (chuffe, cherl, or chatte, H. chel, or chaffe,
supra in carle, p.). Rtisticus. — Promp. Parv.
Franctopin : A clown, carl, churl, chuff, clusterfist, hind, boor.
Marrouffle, tin gros : A big lowt : also, a rich churle, or fat chuffe.
Cotgrave.
A chuffe : Franctopin, mnsche fouyn.
A rich chuffe : Franc-goutier.
A fat chuffe : Un gros marrouffle. — Shenuood.
CIDER-MUCK [suydur muuk], sb. Refuse apples from the
press, after the cider has been extracted. See PUMMY.
CIVIL [siivl], adj. Respectable ; well conducted. Applied
usually to a servant or small tradesman.
Quiet, civil sort of a young woman.
134 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CIVIL [suvee'ul], adj. Polite, mealy-mouthed, obsequious:
insincerity implied.
[Ee-z tu suvee'ul beeaaf,] he is too civil by half : /'. e. he is falsely
obsequious.
CLACK [tlaa'k], sb. i. The valve of a pump.
[Dhu tlaa'k oa-un-z u-waewd ae\\t, zoa yue kaa'n spak dhu
pluump tu geo viifee,] the valve of it is worn out, so you cannot
expect the pump to go properly.
2. sb. A small toothed wheel attached to the upper mill-stone,
by which a shaking of the supply trough is kept up, and so a
constant stream of corn is made to flow into the mill. This is
often called the " mill clapper " (q. r.} from the noise it makes.
Clappe or clakke of a mylle (clat, H. clatte, p.). Taratantara. — Promp. Parv.
3. sb. Chatter.
[Oa-l dhee tlaa'k, wut !] stop thy chatter, wilt !
CLAMMER [tlaanvur], sb. A pole or plank across a stream,
for a rough footbridge — always so called in Hill district.
If you keep straight down you'll come to a clammer, and tother
zide o' the river, the path's plain enough. Direction received at
Cloutsham, Sept. 1883.
dostnt remember whan tha comst over tha Clam \vi tlia Old Hugh Hosegood.
Ex. Scold. 1. 133.
CLAMMY [tlaanvee], adj. Damp, moist; but not necessarily
viscous. Imperfectly dried linen or a moist hand are said to be
clammy.
This here hay 'ont do not eet, 'tis ter'ble clammy vor all the
drowin day we've a-had.
CLAMS [tlaamz], sb. Clamps, i. An implement used for hold-
ing blocks of stone, or heavy pieces of timber, while being lifted by
a crane. In shape it is like a gigantic pair of hooked scissors
suspended by a chain passing through two eyes corresponding to
the finger bows. These are drawn widely asunder to enable the
other ends to grasp their object. The lifting chain then tightens
them so that the greater the weight the tighter the grasp. This
instrument is also called a pair of clams.
2. The wooden spring holders used by shoemakers and saddlers.
CLAP-GATE [tlaap'-gee'ut]. A kind of wicket, called in many
parts a kissing-gate. Also a small hunting gate just wide enough
for a horse to pass.
CLAPPATY [klaap-utee], adv. In a lame or limping manner.
But a auvis used to go clafpaty like 'pon thick voot.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 135
CLAPPER [tlaap-ur], sb. i. The tongue of a bell (always);
sometimes called \>z\\-clapper.
A muffled peal is when the clappers be a-tied up wi' cloth or
baggin.
Clapyr of a bell. Batillus. — Promp. Parv.
lie hath a heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper ; for what
his heart thinks his tongue speaks. — Aluch Ado About Nothing, III. 2.
2. Part of a corn-mill. See MILL-CLAPPER.
CLAPPERS [tlaap'urz]. A rough contrivance made of three
small pieces of board, loosely tied together with a thong, used by
boys to frighten birds from corn. See the words they use, JK
S. Gram. p. 101.
CLAPS [tlaaps], v. and sb. Clasp.
Plaise, sir, mus 'ave a new tad-lock, the claps o' the-as is a brokt.
A marchaunt was ther with a forked berd,
In motteleye, and high on horse he sat,
Uppon his heed a Flaundriscli bever hat ;
His botus dapsud faire and fetously.
Chaucer, Prologue, 1. 270.
CLAPS KNIVE [tlaaps nai-v], sb. Clasp-knife.
CLAP EYES ON [tlaap uyz paun]. To see ; to look at.
[Aay noa'd-n zu zeo'n-z aay klaap mee uyz paun ««,] I recognized
him as soon as I saw him.
CLAP THE EYE OVER [tlaa'p dhu uy oa'vur]. To examine ;
to look at carefully.
[Ee leok'ud vuuree wuul tu fuus1, bud haunaay-d \\-klaap mee
uy oa"vur-r\ aay zee'd ee wud-n due',] he appeared all right at
first (sight), but as soon as I had examined him carefully I saw he
would not do. (Opinion on a horse. January 1877.)
CLASH [klaa'rsh, or tlaa'rsh], sb. i. The grain or lines of
growth to be seen in all kinds of wood, marking the direction in
which it will split.
Hot's bring jis piece as that vor? why he 'ont never stan,' he's a
cut right athurt the clarsh.
2. The distinctive appearance of different woods. A grainer in
imitating any kind of wood, when putting the curls and markings
upon his grounding, is said to put the [klaa-rsh] upon it.
CLAT [tlaat], sb. Coarse, obscene talk ; swearing and general
bad language.
[Niivur ded-n yuur jis tlaat' een au'l mee bau'rn dai'z,] I never
heard such foul language in all my life.
CLAT [tlaat] sb. i. A clod; a sod.
136
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Dhik'ee roa'lur ul skwaut dhu tlaats ubroa'ud,] that roller will
squeeze the clods abroad.
[Aay wuz u-foo'us tu kuut tiie ur dree tlaats,~\ I was obliged to cut
two or three sods. [Kaew-//^,] cow-clat — ;'. e. a dried cow-dung.
2. v. and sb. To clout, to slap, to cuff.
[Zee1 ! neef aay doa'n tlant dhu ai'd u dhee !] see if I don't slap
your head !
[Aa'l gi dhee u tlaat tiun'dur dhu yuur,] I'll give thee a clout under
the ear.
3. sb. A bunch of worms, having worsted drawn through them
for clatting (catching eels).
4. A clot— as a dat o' blid. So also clotted = clotted.
CLATHERS [tlaa'dhurz], sb. Clothes.
Nif I goes there, I must put on my Zindce clathers.
Jis eens I was a puttin on my clathers. — W. H. G. Dec. 6, 1883.
Old Hugh drade thee out by tha vorked eend, \vi thy dugged Clathers up
vur as thy Na'el. £.xinoor Scolding, 1. 135.
CLATTING [tlaafeen]. Catching eels, with a clot or cluster of
worms, each of which has had a strong worsted drawn through the
length of its body. This being soft and tough cannot be bitter
through, while the eel bites so greedily that it can be drawn tc
land before it will relax its hold. For full description see Pulman,
Rustic Sketches, p. 85.
CLAVEL [tlaa-vl, tlaa'vl-pees, tlaa'ul-beem]. The beam of wood,
the mantel, which is always found in old wide-chimney'd houses,
serving for a lintel over the fire-place opening. In \tlaa'rl-pees\
the piece means piece of timber, like the \zul-pees, ard-pees, zuyd-pees]
&c. ; but according to context it may also mean \\~\o. piece or shtl
fixed to the clarel, or the mantel-piece.
[Doa'n ee puut dhu guun aup pun dhu tlaa-ul-pees^ do not put
the gun up upon the mantel-piece. A well-known hostelry on th<
Blackdown Hills is called the Holmen Clavel Inn — /'. e. the " Hollj
chimney-beam " Inn. Doubtless the phenomenon of a piece of holl)
large enough for such a purpose gave rise to the name in times
long past.
A local builder discussing details as to rebuilding a farm-house
said to me respecting the kitchen fire-place: "Would you like t(
have a arch a- turned, or a clavel?" Observing that I took notice
the word, he continued, " You know, sir, we always calls 'em claals
[thaa'ulz], or claal beams." — March 5, 1881.
CLAVEL-TACK [tlaa-vl, or tlaa'ul-taak]. The clavel or mantel-
shelf. In some old farm-houses this is still the common name. I
have very often heard it, though not so often as [klaa'ul-pees].
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 137
CLAVY-TACK [tlaavee-taak]. This is only a variety of the
above. Halluvell is wrong in giving this word as a key. It is very
common to see keys hung upon nails driven into the clavel ; but the
word has no connection except in the minds of fancy etymologists.
CLEAN [tlai'n], adj. i. Said of land when free from weeds. See
DIRTY. Of timber, when free from knots, shakes, or other defects.
2. Undiluted.
I didn't know but what 'twas a drap o' wine, and so I drinkt it
down, but Lor ! twas claln brandy, and I thort twid a burn'd my
guts out.
CLEAN [tlai'n], v. Maid-servants use this word to express the
daily making neat.
Law ! if there id-n the bell, and I ant [a-tlarn] myself. Men also
clean themselves by getting ready for church on Sundays. Washing
is by no means a necessary part of the process.
CLEANING [tlai'neen], s&. The placenta of cows, sheep, &c. —
never called cleansing in this district.
Corner's Pine's Devonshire oils cannot be surpassed for galls, broken knees
sprains, swellings, inflammations (external or internal) ; cows after calving to
bring off the cleaning, swollen udders, and for sheep in lambing, &o.
Advert, in Wellington Weekly Neius, Dec. 2, 1886.
CLEAN-TIMBERED [tlain-tunvurd], adj. Usually of a horse
— clean-limbed, well-shapen, light-limbed — the opposite of heavy-
timbered.
I calls 'n a breedy looking, clean-timbered sort of a horse.
Boyet. But is this Hector?
Diimain. I think Hector wns not so clean-timbered.
Longaville. His leg is too big for Hector's.
Lovers Labour Lost, V. ii.
CLEANY [tlai-nee], v. i. To bring forth the after-birth.
[Uur aa'n u tlai'nud naut eet,] she has not cleaned, not yet :
spoken of a cow or sheep.
CLEAR [tlee'ur], sb. Liquid. Applied to food of various
kinds. Broth would be spoken of as composed of " the clear,"
/. e. the liquor, and " the bread," cr other ingredients not liquid.
So [tlee'urmart,~\ cLar-meat, is liquid wash given to pigs.
I remarked to a servant that I thought a chained dog wanted
to drink. He replied, [Noa1, zur, dhu mart aay gid-n z-mau'rneen
wuz au'l tlee-ur,'] no, sir, the food I gave him this morning was all
liquid.
CLEEVE [tlee'v], sb. A steep field ; any steep, sloping ground ;
the side of a hill ; a cliff. Thus we have Old Cleeve, a parish
adjoining the sea, the chief feature of which is some high cliffs of
138 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
gypsum mixed with the clay-slate. So Huish Cleeve and Bitter
Cleeve are names of parts of my own property.
If a person were told to '• keep along in the cleeve" he would
clearly understand that he was to keep along the side of the hill ;
neither going up nor down.
Clyffe, or an hylle (clefe of an hyll, P.). Declivum. — Promp. Parv.
CLEEVE-PINK [tlee'v pingk], sb. The cheddar-pink : generally
so called. Dianthus cczsius.
CLEEVY [tlee'vee], adj. Steep. (Not so com. as CLEFTY.)
[Du yue beelau'ng tu dhik dhae'ur tlce'vee vee'ul beo dhu roa'ud ?]
do you belong to that steep field above the road ?— See IV. S.
Gram. p. 81.
CLEFT [tlaef], v. To cleave, to split [pret. tlaef ; p. part, u-tlaef-
tnd~\. This here elm's so tough's a rope ; I shan't never be able to
cleft it.
CLEFT [tlaef], sb. A blacksmith's tool for cutting iron, often
called a [koa'l tlaef~\ (cold) ; comp. cold chisel. It is a short cutting
chisel, having a stout wire or a hazel stick twisted round it for a
handle ; it is struck with a sledge.
CLEFTY [tlaef'tee], v. i. To be capable of being cloven or split.
[Kaa'n due noa'urt wai dhai poa'lz, dhai oa'n tlae'ftee vvaun
bee't,] (I) cannot do anything with those poles, they will not split
at all (evenly, understood).
CLEFTY [tlaef'tee], adj. Steep. Same as CLEEVY.
[Kaa'n due noa'urt wai jush tlaeftee graewn-z dhaat dhae'ur,]
(one) can't do nothing with such steep land as that.
[Tuurubl paa'ynfeol faa'rm, ee-z zu tlaeftee,~\ terrible painful
farm, he is so clefty. — October 1875.
CLEVER [tluvur], adj. Applied to a horse which is a good
fencer, ;. e. who does not stumble or hesitate in making leaps.
A clever hunter constantly appears in advertisements.
[Dhoa'l mae'ur-z-u tliivur-z u kyaf,] the old mare is as clever
as a cat, may be heard any day from the young farmers in the
hunting-field.
CLEVIS [claevis], sb. (rare). The U-shaped iron with pin
through the ends, which attaches the drail or foot-chain of a sull
to the bodkin or draught-bar. Called more usually a cops, or D
cops. Clevvy in Halliwell. See COPSE, NECK-HAPSES.
CLICK-TO-CLACK [tlik-tu-tlaak-]. The noise of pattens, or
of a horse with a loose shoe.
[Uur au'vees geoth u'baewt tlik-tu-tlaak' een dhai oa'l paafnz,
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 139
wee'ntur-n zuunrur,] she always goes about click-to-cack in those
old pattens, winter and summer.
Most of these alliterative expressions have to inserted — e. g.
clitter-to-clatter, slip-to-slop, chim-to-cham, lip-to-lop, &c.
CLIM [tliim], v. To climb : applied to such work as climbing a
tree or pole.
[Kaa-n tlum dhik'ee tree — kaa'n tliip--m,~] (I) can't climb that tree
— can't clip it (q. v.}.
I clamer up, I dym up agaynst a straight wall — . I clamer or clymme up
upon a tree or clyinine as a man clothe upon a stepe hyll.
Palsgrave, p. 485. See also p. 487.
GLIMMER [tliiirrur]. To clamber.
\Tlum'bur~\ also heard occasionally, but is a little "fine talk."
From a quarry or deep pit we should \tlum'ur\ out — never
\tluni\.
CLIM-TREE [t'.um-tree], sb. The creeper — Certhia familiaris.
This little bird is not known by any other name than the above.
CLING [tling], v. t. To stick together as with gum; to cause
to adhere.
Now, Jim, you must make a good job o' this here box ; he must
be a put together vitty like, not ^.-dinged up way a passel o' glue
and bomantag.
CLINK [tlingk], v. t. i. To chink. To sound money to see if
it has the true ring.
[Aay noa'ud twuz u bae'ud shuTeen uvoa'ur aay tlingk-n,~\ I
knew it was a bad shilling before I sounded it.
2. sb. A smack or blow.
[Aa'l gi dhee u tlingk uun'dur dhu yuur, shuur mee !] I'll give
thee a rap under the ear, dost hear me !
CLINKER-VELLS [tling-kur-vuul-z], s6. Icicles. See ROBERT.
In East Somerset these are called Clinker-bells, but in West
Somerset and North Devon it is Tells, not dells. We are peculiarly
fond of the interchange of p intoyj b into v or w, and vice versa.
Ter'ble sharp vrost day-mornin, I zeed clinker-veils hangin to the
shut, up a voot long.
Ver Jack Vrost an' the clinker-bells all be a-past,
An' the zunsheene ev spring es a-com'd back ta last.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 9.
CLINK-TO-CLANK, or CRINK- TO -CRANK [klingk-tu-
klang-k, or kringk-tu-krang'k]. A common description of a rattling
sound in which a metallic ringing predominates, as a wagon loaded
with bars of iron. Sei CLICK-TO-CLACK.
140 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Could'n think whatever 'twas, comin clink-to-clank along the road
— an' tho, Mr. Kidner's wagin come on way a load o' ire 'urdles,
an' they wad-n a-boun,' an' they did rattle mind, 'nough to frighten
a zebm slaper. — January 1887.
CLINKUM-CLANKUM [tling-kum-tlang-kum], phr. Same as
"clink-to-clank." A slower and more ringing sound is implied
than in click-to-clack.
CLINT [tlunt], v. To clinch \fig. to confirm.
[Zee dhu naa'yulz bee wuul u tlun'tud^ see the nails are well
clinched.
[Dhai dhae'ur pae'utunt naa'yuls bee dhu bas- tu tluntee^ those
patent nails are the best to clinch.
[Km au-n ! lat-s g-een un ae'-u kwairrt vur tu tlunt- dhu dae'ul,]
come on ! let us go in and have a quart to clinch the deal (bargain).
CLINT [tlunt], sb. The clinch or point of the nail which is
turned down. Very commonly used in speaking of horse-shoeing.
[Zau'm wai dhu Hunts doa'n oa'l een dhu uuf1 oa un,] some way
the clinches don't hold in his hoof. This was a blacksmith's excuse
when I complained of a certain horse's shoes coming off.
CLIP [tlup], v. To clasp ; to embrace. (Very com.)
[Keod-n tlum dhik'ee, keod-n thip-m,~\ (I) could not climb that
(tree, I) could not clasp it. The common word clasp in this sense
would be unintelligible to a native. I zeed 'n clip her round the
middle. A.-S. Clyppan.
and }>eonne niid ispredde ermes leapeS lauhwinde uorfc, and cltipfe]> anc
cussefc, and wipefc his eien. Ancren Riwle, p. 230.
' Telle me, feir' woman, whi Jxm clippest me, and kyssist me so ?
Gesta Romanoi~um, p. 91.
His lefthond vnder myn heed, and his rijthond schal bidippe me.
Wyclif version, Song of Solomon, viii. 3.
.... tok in his armes,
and kest hit and clipped: and oft crist )>onkes. — Will, of Palerme, 1. 63.
I dyppe, I take in myne armes, I embrasse. He dypped me fast in his armes.
Palsgrave.
CLIP [tlup], sb. The wool shorn by a farmer off his flock ir
any one season. Amongst farmers shear (q. v.) is the word used
at markets and by dealers clip is the term.
I call yours the best clip in the county.
The markets all round are veiy firm, and prices hardening. Clips of go
quality were again disposed of to-day at \o>\d. , and others of secondary quality ;
from <)%d. to \od. per Ib. Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 19, 1886.
CLIT [tliit], adj. Applied to bread or pudding when it is
doughy and heavy; also to soil when it has become caked anc
adhesive through rain.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 141
[lie1 kn ai-t jish brai'd-z ee'z — tez airvees /////,] who can eat such
bread as his ? it is always clit.
CLITCH [tliich], v. t. To clutch ; to grasp tightly.
CLITTER-TO-CLATTER[tlufur-tu-tlaafur]. i. Chatter; idle
talk.
[Kaa'n dhingk haut livur dhai kn ae'u vur tu tuul' oa — dhae'ur
dhai bee, tlut'ur-tu-tlaat-ur vrum Muun'dee mau'rneen gin Zad'urdee
nai't,] (I) can't conceive whatever they can have to talk about —
there they are, clitter-clatter from Monday morning to Saturday
night.
2. A rattle as of loose machinery : or a noisy cart.
See CLICK-TO-CLACK.
I clytter, I make noise, as harnesse or peuter dysshes. . . . These peuter
pottes clytter as moche as if they were syluer. — Palsgrave.
CLITTY [tlufee], v. i. i. To become adhesive or caked :
applied to soil.
[Tuurubl graewn vur tu tlut'ee^ terrible ground for to clitty —
/. e. this ground is very apt to become adhesive.
2. adj. Inclined to be doughy or adhesive.
This yur pudden's proper ditty > sure 'nough — I zim tis 'most like
putty.
CLOAM [tloa'm], sb. Crockery, earthenware.
[Tue* vau'n u armteen u tloa'm,'] too fond of emptying o' cloam —
/. e. the cup ; a mild though very frequent mode of describing a
drunkard.
[Ez mau'dhur yuez tu keep u tloa'in shaup,] his mother used
to keep a crockery shop.
Slat the crock, slat tha Keeve and tha Jibb, bost tha cloam.
Ex. Scold. 1. 249.
Now, Zester Nan, by this yow see,
What sort of vokes gert People be.
What's cheny thoft, is dome ;
Peter Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter, Postscript.
DROWIN o" CLOAM [droa'een-u-tloa-m]. A very curious old
custom, of the nature of a practical joke, is observed in the
Hill district. On the night before Shrove Tuesday (last night but
one of the Carnival), if the backdoor or any outer door of tha
Parsonage or a farm-house be left unfastened, it is quietly opened,
and before any one can stir to prevent it, a whole sack-full of
broken bits of crockery is suddenly shot out in the middle of
the kitchen, or wherever the bearer can penetrate before he is
observed. He then decamps and disappears in the darkness,
generally unrecognized. People are of course apt to forget the
ciutom at the right moment, and so have their houses half filled
142 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
with' rubbish which it must have taken much pains to collect, and
prepare secretly, beforehand. I have failed to discover either the
origin or meaning of this custom, called drowin o' cloam ; but it is
evidently allied to one practised in this neighbourhood on the same
night — that of throwing a handful of stones at the door.
I am indebted to my friend the Rev. Rowland Newman, Rector
of Hawkridge, for the following : —
" The custom of throwing old dome on the Monday night before
Shrove Tuesday is still continued in our village. Why it is done I
cannot find out. The words they say when it is thrown at the door
or inside the house are —
Tipety, Tipety Tin, give me a pancake,
And I will come in ;
Tipety, Tipety Toe, give me a pancake,
And I will go.
" The young men that are in the house (if there are any) rush out
and try to collar the invaders, and if they are successful in their
catch, they bring the prey inside and black his face with soot
After that they give him a pancake."
CLOAMEN [tloa'meen], adj. Made of earthenware. See
GLASSEN. A cloamen pan would be understood to be a deep par
or bowl of coarse brown ware. Though most commonly applie
to the common brown, the word is used for all kinds of crockery.
[Dhu yaeth wuz au'l u-!uyn wai lee'dl iloa'meen skwae'urz luyl
wai u glae'ur paun um,] the hearth was all lined with little earther
ware squares like, with a glare upon them. (Verbatim descriptior
of a tile hearth.)
CLOAMEN OVEN [tloa'meen oa'vm]. An oven made
earthenware. Also called " Barnstaple oven." (Very com.)
CLOCKS [tlauks, tloa-ks]. i. The light seed-stalks of the
dandelion, which children blow upon, to tell the hour by the
number of puffs required to blow off all the seeds.
2. The embroidery which is often put upon stockings just at the
part which covers the ankles.
3. Cockchafers. A very favourite pastime of cruel boys is tc
put a pin through the body, which causes the insect to spin rounc
as they say [lig u klaukj.
CLOG [tlaug], sb. A short block of wood fastened to a donkey's
fore-foot, to prevent his straying too far. (Very com.)
The prince himself is about a piece of iniquity : stealing away from his father
with his clog at his heels. Winters Tale, IV. 3.
CLOGGED UP [tlaug-d aup]. Choked, or stopped up ; as of
machine \klaug'd aup wai grai's].
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 143
[Dhu nai'vz oa un wuz prairpur M-klaug'd aup wai duust-n fuTtree,]
the knives of it (a mowing-machine) were properly clogged-up with
dirt and filth. The word implies the presence of some adhesive
substance.
CLOGGY [tlaug-ee], adj. Sticky, adhesive.
CLOMED [tloa-md], pret. and/, part, of to climb ; less common
than {tliinrd^ but another example of the weak inflexion added
to a strong verb.
Arter I'd z.-domed up, aa'll be darned if I wadn afeard to come
down agin.
and forfci ]>et Dauid liefde )>eos two stalen of }>isse leddre, J>auh he king were,
he domb upward, & seide baldeliche to ure Louerd — Ancren Rhvle, p. 354.
And shortly up they clomben alle three
They sitten stille, wel a furlong way.
Chaucer, Millers Talc, 1. 3636.
CLOSE [tloaz]. An enclosure ; a pasture field usually, as [Baa'rnz
ftoaz, Ee'ulee tloaz^ Barn's close, Hilly close. In this sense the
word is pronounced short ; while close, v. is drawn out to \tloa~uz\.
CLOSE [tloa'us], adj. i. Applied to a saw, when its alternate
teeth are not bent sufficiently to make it cut a curf (q. v.) large
enough for the saw to pass readily. See ABROAD.
2. Applied to the wood being sawn when it binds upon the saw.
This here poplar stuffs that close, med so well cut a 'ool pack.
See OPE.
3. Potatoes are said to be close when they are not mealy.
CLOTH-BEAM [tlau'th-bee'm], sb. A roller corresponding in
width with the loom of which it forms part. Its use is to receive
the cloth wound upon it as fast as it is woven.
It will be noticed that the pronunciation of all these technical
manufacturing terms is far less broad than the same words would
be in the mouth of the out-door labourer. See CHAIN, RACE, LAY.
CLOTHEN [tlau'thn, tlaa'theen], (The first is the compromise
of those who have had a " little schooling " — the second is the speech
of the old.) Adj. Made of cloth, as \tlaa~theen lag-eenz,~] to dis-
tinguish them from leathern leggings.
I must bespake a pair o' clothen boots, my veet be that tender,
I can't wear no leather.
CLOTHES FLASK [tloam flaa-s]. The name of the large
open oval basket used by laundresses. See FLASK.
CLOUT [tluwt], v. and sb. i. To cuff; to strike about the
head with the hand ; to box the ears ; a box on the ears. This
\\ord is less common than clat (q. v.).
144 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. sb. A small nail of a particular shape, having a round flat
head.
CLOVE-GIL AWFUR [tloa-v-julairfur], sb. Clove-pink. Dian-
thus Caryophyllus (Prior). (Very com.)
ne makeden heo neuer strendSe of gingiuere, ne of gedewa1, ne of clou de
§ilofre. — Ancren Riwle, p. 370.
and in other contrees there abouten, growen many trees that beren clowe-
gylofres. — Sir J. Mandeville, Contrees beyonde Cathay, 1. 26.
Also see Gerard, pp. 588, 589.
A clove-gilli-flower, Giroffle, Betoine, Coronaire. — She>~wood.
CLOVER-LAY [tloa-vur lai], sb. A field in which there has
been a crop of clover, but which is now ready to be ploughed for
some other crop. See LAY.
CLOW [tluw]. i. A kind of hooked or bent fork — a claw — for
dragging the dung out of cow-stalls ; a well-known implement for
which I know of no other name than clow.
2, v. t. To claw, to drag.
Take-n clow out the dung, nif tis to wet vor thee to do ort else.
Oujjer be ]>e de)> fat y schel deye : y Jeue }>e such a stroke,
}>at Jrou him neuere schalt clowc a-weye : wile Jxni |>y lyf mizt broke.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 462.
CLUBBY [tluub-ee], adj. i. Sticky, adhesive.
[Zu tluub'ee-z buurd-luym,] as sticky as bird-lime.
2. adj. Plump, fleshy, thick-set.
A nice clubby sort of a bird. Clubby little chap, always in birches
and leggins. Clubby little 'oss.
CLUMPER [tluunrpur], sb. The sound of heavy tramping.
What a dumper you was makin up in chimmer.
CLUMPERING [tluunvpureen], part. adj. Noisy; likely to
make a dumper : applied either to a clumsy pair of boots or to a
heavy walker.
Girt clumperin pair o' half-boots, I should think was two or
dree poun' o' ire pon em.
CLUMPERY [tluum -puree], v. i. To make a noise in walking,
as with very heavy shoes.
[Uur du tluum'purec sae'um-z lin'ee guurt mae'un,] she tramps
with a noise like any great man.
CLUTCH [tluuch], sb. A species of weed of the cou:h kind ;
called also tucker grass. Polygonum ariculare.
CLY [tluy], sb. A common weed that holds or sticks on to
anything. Galiuin aparine.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 145
CLY-BURS [tluybuuz]. The little round seed-pods of the
Galinm aparine.
COACH-HORSES [koa-uch au saz,] sb. The common pansy
or heartsease.
COANDER [kau-ndur], sb. Corner. (Nearly always.)
[Dim kaii'ndur u dh-aewz,] the corner of the house.
See p. 19, W. S. Grammar — com p. tacryuldur, tailor ; zeo'ndur,
sooner.
Corner is rather a common surname, generally pronounced
\kair ndur~\.
But thee, thee wut ruckee, and squattee, and doattee in the Chimley Coatuler
lick a Axwaddle. Ex. Scold. 1. 143.
COANDER-PIN [kairndur-pee-n]. One of the four skittle? at
the angles of the " pack " (q. v.).
In the market-train I heard a man call out to another sitting
next the window — " Here, Mr. Coanderpin ! [kau'ndur-pee'n] do
ee le'ts ae some air, else us shall all be a-steefl'd."
COARSE [kue's, keo's], adj. and adv. Rough, boisterous, stormy :
applied to the weather.
Meeting a peasant on a wet, rough day, he will touch his hat and
say, [k&e's wadlvur zr,] coarse weather, sir.
Applied to treatment it means brutal ; rough in the extreme. A
man told me of another, [Ee du saar ur mairrtul kurs^ he serves
her (his wife) mortal coarse — /. e. he beats her shamefully.
Applied to work of any kind coarse means simply bad.
Th' old Jim 've a made a coosish job like o' thick there wall, I
count he'll vail down vore he bin up a twel'month.
My rod is but a hazel-stick,
I got a coosish line —
My hooks be small, but temper'd wul, —
My gut ez roun' an' fine.
Pultnan, Rustic Sketches, p. 9.
COATS [koa-uts]. Petticoats.
[Neef ee \vaud-n u-dras- aup-m koafuts lig u uunrun,] if he was
not dressed up in petticoats like a woman.
COB, COB-HOUSES, COB-WALLS [kaub]. Clay and gravel
mixed with straw. The walls (called cob-walls) of a great number
of old barns and cottages in this district and throughout Devonshire
are of this material. If only preserved from wet, they are very
enduring ; but they quickly dissolve if the roof is bad. Most
probably our Saxon ancestors built their houses of this material.
COBBLE [kaub-1], v. To beat ; to thrash.
[Zee-f aay doa-n kaiib'l dhee ! shuur?] see if I do not whack
thee ! dost hear?
146 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
COBBY [kaulree], adj. Applied to a particular stamp of horse =
cob-like.
COBLER'S CURSE [kaurrlurz kuus1]. The extreme of value-
lessness.
What's keep jis tool's that vor ? Why ! he idn a-wo'th a cobbler's
cuss. This is sometimes varied by "idn a wo'th," or, "I widn gee
a cooler's cuss, or a tinker's gee" (gift).
COBLER'S KNOCK [kaub'lurz nauk], sb. Given in sliding
on the ice, by quickly lifting and striking with the heel while gliding
swiftly along. Used by boys.
COCK [kauk], v. t. Applied to hay. To put it up into cocks
— same as to pook.
This yer hay 'ont do to-night, d 'an'l dead like ; an' I be afeard
t '11 rain vore mornin. Come on soce ! let's cock it up, t 'ont take
very long.
And somme he lerede to laboure : a londe and a watere,
And lyve by )>at labour : a leel lyf and a trewe.
And somme he tauhte to tulye : to theche and to coke,
As here wit wold : when the tyme come.
Piers Plowman, xxn. 236.
COCK-ANTERBURY SEED [kauk-an'turbuuree zee-uci],
Cocculus anamirta, or cocculus indicus. A well known fish-poaching
drug. It is made into pellets of paste, and if thrown into a pone
or canal the fish which swallow it come to the top of the water
intoxicated, and can be drawn out with a rake. It is no use ii
running water.
COCK-CHICK [kauk chik-], sb. Boy's name for a kind of
minnow, of which there are a great many specimens amongst the
shoals of common minnows frequenting our streams in the spring.
The cock-chick is marked with gold on the belly, and bright rec
under the fins. It is the same in size as an ordinary minnow.
COCK EYE [kauk uy]. A squint.
COCK-EYED [kauk-uyd]. Squinting.
[Uur-z u beo'tee shoa'urluy* ! neef uur id-n dhu kauk-uyds biicr
yue shl vuyn een u dai'z maarch,] she's a beauty surely ! if sh<
is not the cock-eyedest bitch you shall find in a day's march.-
September 1874. See NORTH EYE.
COCK GRASS [kauk- graas]. Plantago lanceolata. The onlj
name used by farmers for this the commonest variety of th<
plantains. See SOLDIERS.
COCKING [kauk-een]. The call of a cock-pheasant, whid
says kauk ! kauk ! kauk !
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 47
[Diid-n ee yuurn kauk-een 7] did you not hear him cocking ?
You'll vind one in thick there little copse, I year'd 'n cockin
s'mornin.
COCK-LAFF [kauk-laa-f], sb. Cock-loft. The space between
the uppermost ceiling and the roof. Only when this space is large
and is floored is it called a. garret. There is generally a kauk-laa1/
above the attics or garret.
COCKLE [kauk'l], sb. A ripple on water caused by the wind,
dearly loved by fly-fishers.
Vish the ranges well, for there's a fine cockle on s'mornin.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 86.
COCKLE UP [kauk'l aup], v. i. Certain mixed fabrics when
wetted are apt to shrink unevenly into wrinkles, so that the
threads of one material seem to ruffle or stand out from the
others. Cloth or flannel which does this is said to cockle up.
"Where be my burches, Ratchdl?" "Well, bless my soul, zes she, if I
han't a-left 'em in th' open ! " Away goes Job aader 'em, but in a minnit zings
out "Massy wull, what in the wordle hev ee done, Ratchell? They be all
cockled up lik a skin o' parchment." — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 70.
COCK-LIGHT [kauk-lai-t, or luyf], j£. Evening twilight ; same
as Dumps (very common).
The best time to meet way they wild-ducks is jist in the cock-light,
hon they be flying in.
Nares (p. 176) says this is the same as cockshut-light, but we
know nothing of cock-shut, or cock-shoot.
and meet Neckle Halse by tha Wey. He'll meet tha in tha Vuzzy-park
Coander by Cocklecrt, or avore, chell warndy. — Ex. Scolding, 1. 113.
COCKLING [kau'kleen], adj. Shaky, tottering, loose-jointed :
applied to constructions, not to persons.
[U brae'uv kau'kleen oa'l kunsaa'rn shoa'r nuuf,] a fine tottering
old concern, sure enough ! said by a mason of a scaffold made with
some old barrels.
COCK-STRIDE [kauk-struyd]. Lord Popham (see W. S.
Grammar, p. 96) is said to be very "troublesome" at a certain
spot in the parish of Wellington, on land which formerly belonged
to him, but now forming part of the estate from which the Duke
of Wellington takes his title. Lord Popham is said to be coming
" handier " to the town by a cockstride every year.
COD [kaud], sb. i. Pod, as [pai-z-&*#</,] pease-cod. See KID.
Coddi of a beane or pese — escosse. — Palsgrave.
Al ]»e pore peple pese-^W</V.r fetten. — Piers Plow. vii. 279.
2. Testiculus, not applied to scrotum.
I. 2
148 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
COE [koa1], v. and s. Spelt coathe in some glossaries. Wet
pastures are said to coe the sheep ; /'. e. to cause a disease called the
coe. It consists of the destruction of the substance of the liver by a
living organism called a fluke (q. v.). There are certain pastures
which always produce this in the winter months, and so cannot be
stocked with sheep. Of such land it is usual to say that it is not
" sound " (q. v.}. I never heard of coe in horses or bullocks until
1884, when many bullocks were said to be coed by the unusually
wet season. A.-S. CP&.
You can't never keep no sheep 'pon thick farm, 'thout you be a
mind to coe every one o' m.
COED, or GOAD [koa'd], adj. Affected with the disease called
coe.
[Aay aa-n u koa'd sheep tu mee nae'um. Dhai mee'uds bee
tuur'ubl koa'een graewn,] I have not a coed sheep to my name.
Those meadows are terrible coe-ing ground — /. e. wet, and likely to
produce the disease.
A wud ha' had a coad, riggelting, parbreaking, piping body in tha ! olwey
wone glam or nether. Ex. Scolding, 1. 147.
COE-GRASS [koa- graa's], n. The grass which is said to be
the cause of the coe in sheep and cattle — -Juncus bufonius. By
some this disease is said to come from the goose grass — carex hirta;
but both are generally found growing either together or in similar
wet land.
COFFER [kau'fur]. In nearly every old-fashioned house used
to be found a large oak chest, always called the \kau~ fur^\ in which
the valuables were kept, and whose place was at the foot of the bed.
At the first sound of any alarm, it was always the wife's duty
instantly [tu tuurn dhu kau~fut\ i. e. to turn it round so that the
lock side should be towards the bed, and therefore more difficult
to get at.
COFFIN-HANDLE [kaufeen anTJ, .sb. When the tallow or
stearine of a candle runs down on one side it often projects and
then reunites to the candle, forming a sort of loop. This is a coffin-
handle^ and is a " sure sign of death " to the person in whose
direction it forms itself. The same superstition holds when th<
grease merely forms a considerable projection ; it is then a " winding-
sheet," and being commoner is not so much dreaded as a coffin-
handle. I have seen people turn a candle when it seemed inclinec
to form a winding-sheet in their direction.
COGS [kaugz], sb. Short pieces of hoop-iron bent at right
angles; used by weavers to form a kind of flange or support to the
chain (q. v.} when wound upon the beam. They are still used by
weavers of woollen soft yarn warps, as they are less rigid than the
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 149
cast-iron flange used in some looms. See NOGS, Almondbury
Gloss. 1883, E. D. S.
COLD [koa-l(d, koa-lee], v. t. and /'. To cool.
Why do I always put the tongs in the water ? Why, to koa'Id
um to be sure.
The wheel was s'ot, we was a fo'ce to drow some water 'pon un
vor to cold'n.
Better neet put the hailer 'pon the 'oss, gin he've a [koa'lud] a bit.
—Oct. 9, 1883.
COLDER [koa'ldur], sb. A blacksmith's cooler, or water-trough,
into which he plunges his tongs or hot iron. (Always so.)
Ees, 'tis a good shop enough, an' they've a do'd up the yeth
(hearth) an' put a new stonen colder; but Lor! 'tis trade anybody
do want, more'n a fine shop.
COLLAR [kaul'ur], v. t. i. To seize; to grasp tightly.
[Zeon-z ee zeed'-n, neef ee ded-n kaul'ur dhu poa'kur,] (as) soon
as he saw him, if he did not seize the poker — i. e. he did seize.
2. v. t. To steal.
[Saunvbaud'ee-v ^.-kauiurd muy giinrlut,] some one has stolen
my gimlet.
[Dhik duug waint ee-n tu beocrrur Eo'dz-n kaulwd M shoa'ldur
u muufn,] that dog went into Butcher Wood's and stole a shoulder
of mutton.
COLLY [kaul-ee], sb. The blackbird. (Always.) See WATER-
COLLY.
Neef we wadn to put nets 'pon the [stroa'buureez,] strawberries,
the Collies-n Drishes ud ate every one o' em.
COLT [koa'lt], sb. A young horse.
Applied indifferently to both male and female. If it is desired
to note the sex, we say [airs koa-lf\, or [tnae'ur koallf\. Filly is
unknown.
COLT [koa'lt], sb. A novice ; a learner; a beginner.
COLT-ALE, or COLTING [koa-ltae'ul, koa'lteen]. i. Footing ;
a payment exacted from new-comers into any employment.
2. A walloping; as [ded-n ee gee un u koa'lteen /] did not he
give him a thrashing !
COLTING, ot COLTISH [koa'lteen, koa'lteesh], adj. Romping,
boisterous, frolicsome. Of women, implies romping with men.
Her's a rough gurt coltish piece, way a Hy ! vor everybody.
Net zo chockling, ner it zo crewnting as thee art, a coltivg hobby-horse.
Exmoor Scolding, 1. 45.
Compare colted. — Cymbeline, II. 4.
ISO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
COLTY [koal'tee],z>. /'. To frisk, or frolic about. If applied to
females, implies lewdness.
Maister do colty about same's off a was a bwoy.
And more and zo, wut coltee and rigee wi' enny Troluber that cometh athert
tha. Exmoor Scolding, 1. 264.
COMB [koa'm], v. Instead of "combing the hair," in this
district they always comb the head.
[Tak-n koa'm aewt dhee ai'd,] take and comb out thy head, an'
\varsh thy face, an clain thy zul.
and he cam into the Cave ; and wente so longe, till that he fond a chambre, and
there he saughe a Damysele that keinbed hire Hede, and lokede in a Myrour.
1366. Sir John Maundev illc, Voiage and Travaili. Reprint 1839, p. 24.
I combe ones heed, Je fiegne. Combe thy heed for shame. I combe with a
combe ones head. Je piegne la tesie. — Palsgrave.
It is very usual now, as it was doubtless in Shakespeare's time,
to say of a termagant wife who beats her husband :
[Uur-ul koa'm aewt uz ai'd wai u dree-lag'ud steo'ul,] she will comb
out his head with a three-legged stool.
But, if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legged stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.
Taming the Shreiv, I. i.
COMB [koa-m], sb. In trenching or digging soil before winter,
or in ploughing land for a fallow, a good workman tries to leave
the sods as rough and uneven as possible, so as to allow the frost
the better to penetrate and pulverize the surface. This is called
leaving " a good comb upon it."
So also in plastering a ceiling, it is desirable that the mortar
should penetrate well between the laths, so as to leave as rough a
surface as possible above them. This is called making a good comb.
The tiles be right down 'pon the laffs, an' there idn no chance
vor to make no comb. I don't never b'leive I shall be able vor to
make it bide — /'. e. some ceiling. — March, i, 1887.
COMB [koa'm], sb. ; in Devonshire [keo'm]. i. In this district,
where the fences mostly consist of high banks with bushes and
brambles growing on them, the line or edge where the upright
bank ends and the top begins is called the [koa'm u dhu aj,] comb
of the hedge. A great deal of the hedger's art consists in setting
up the bank so as to keep this line well denned — to make a [geod
koa'm tue un,] good comb to it. In all boundary hedges, the owner's
exact bounds extend by custom to [dree veo't oa'f dhu koa'm u dhu
aj,] three feet off the comb of the hedge ; that is, to a line plumbed
down from three feet off the top outer edge of the bank.
2. The ridge of a roof; called also the [koa'm u dh-aewz,] comb
of the house. (Very com.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 151
lie (the Jay) just had strength enough to crawl up on to the comb, and lean his
backagen the chimbley, and then he collected his impressions, and begun to free
his mind. I see in a second that what I had mistook for profanity in the mines
was only just the rudiments, as you may say.
Mark Twain on Swearing, quoted in Athenawn, Ap. 24, 1880.
COMB-BROACH [koa-m broa'uch], sb. A long, sharp tooth
of a comb used for combing wool. Until about twenty years ago
this branch of manufacture was performed by hand, each comber
using a pair of combs, made of three or four rows of long, sharp-
pointed steel broaches. Only the long stapled or combing fibres
are treated thus ; the short wools are carded. See PAD, Diz.
COMBE [keo-m], sb. The abrupt rounded ending, or head of a
valley is the real combe — the cwm of the Welsh. Also a hollow or
cross valley in a hill-side. All the places in the district, such as
Wiveliscombe, Nettlecombe, Combe Sydenham, Highercombe,
Wrangcombe, Pincombe, &c., are not only in valleys, but they
partake of the features described above.
COMBINGS [koa'meenz], sb. In the process of malting, each
corn of barley grows a very distinct root, which is broken off, and
screened or sifted from the malt as the last process. These roots
are called combings, or combs. See MALT-COMB.
COMBIXG-STRAW [koa-meen stroa], sb. The waste and
broken straw which is combed out in the process of making reed
for thatching.
COMBING-SULL [koa'meen zoo ill], sb. A kind of plough
having two " broadsides " instead of one, so arranged as to throw up
a comb or ridge on each side ; called also a " Taty-zull," and in some
districts a ridging-plough. Much used for earthing up potatoes.
COMB-POT [koa'm-paut], sb. A kind of clay stove for burning
charcoal, used by wool-combers for heating their combs, which are
always used as hot as they can be without singeing the wool.
The process of combing wool by hand is now nearly, if not
quite, obsolete. See SLIVER, TOP.
COMB, TO CUT THE [kuut dhu koa-m], phr. To humiliate j
to take down a peg. (Very com.)
He's to big vor his clothes, by half; he wants vor to have his
comb a-cut vor'n.
Probably a reminiscence of cock-fighting days, when the comb of
the beaten cock usually presented a sorry spectacle.
COME (past tense of come), \_pres. t. kau'm ; pret. t. kau'm,
kau'md; past part, u-kau'm, u-kau'md]. Came is unknown.
So J>at bi-side Hastinge " to Engelond hii come ;
Horn J>ojte ]>o hii come alond • jmt al was in hor honrl.
Rob. of Gloucester, Will, the Conq. 1. 62.
152 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
]>is ilk stern }>am come to warn,
Apon )>at mont in forme o barn.
Cursor Mundi — Visit of the Magi, 1. 45.
and whan )>e koulierd com J>idere • he koured low
to be-hold in at ]>e hole.
Will of Palerme, Werwolf, 1. 47. See also 11. 39, 61.
vor by ]>e enuie of ]>e dyeule com dyaj> to ]>e wordle.
Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 26.
One £ww with an asse charged with brecle.
Rob. of Brunne (1303). Handlyng Synne, 1. 5606.
And when he come in to )>t forestes syde,
A gret lust he had to slepe. Chron. Vilod. st. 221.
To Wylton anon J>o come he y wys. — Ib. st. 351.
COME [kairm, u-kau'm,], adj. and part. Fit, ready.
[Dhai pai'z bee u kau-m,~] those pease are fit to gather.
[Uhai chick 'een bee kau-m tu kil-een,] those chickens are fit
to kill.
This word does not mean ripe, as it is said to do in some
glossaries. The pease and chickens in the above examples are
anything but ripe. Among the educated it would not sound strange
to hear : Are your cucumbers come ? Our cauliflowers are come
— meaning not ripe, buty?/ for use.
COME [kau'm], v. i. Used in the infinitive mood only, in the
sense of to do, or accomplish; to succeed in accomplishing.
[Yue kaa'n kau-m ut, naew,] you cannot do it, now.
[Dhai due'd au'l dhai noa'ud, bud dhai keod-n kau-m ut,] they
did all they knew (how), but they could not succeed in accomplish-'
ing it. (Very com.)
2. When, or by the time that the day or time comes, as :
[Aa'l bee rad'ee kaum Ziin'dee,] I'll be ready by Sunday.
[T-l bee dree' yuur, kaum dhu tuym,] it will be three years, when
the time comes, /. e. the anniversary.
and |>er-of he schele Haue, as I sayde }>er-a-fore xv. ii. at Esteren next, and x.
ii, at Esteren come twelmonthe, and ])an es he att paid.
Will of Stephen Thomas, 1417. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 39.
COME AGAIN [kau'm ugee'un], v. i. Of the dead, to appes
after death. (Very com. phr.)
There, I knowed very well he'd sure to come again, he died so
hard, and you knows so well's me, what sort of a feller he've a bin
by 'is time. See TROUBLESOME.
Rumours spread abroad that it was the re-appearance of Palmer, who had
come again, because he was buried without a coffin.
Thiselton Dyer, Eng. Folk Lore, p. 30.
COME ALONG [kaum ulau'ng], sb. An excuse; an action or
statement disapproved of; a likely story !
Oh aye, that's a fine come along! I baint gwain t'ave that, s'now !
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 153
COME AROUND [km raewn, kaum uraewn], r. t. i. To
cajole ; to overcome by flattery or by toadying.
[Zoa yue-v u-mae'ud shuuf' vur tu km raewn dhu Skwuyur, aa'n
ee ?] so you have made shift, /. e. managed to come around and
persuade the Squire, have you not ?
2. v. i. To become reconciled. To get over a fit of anger.
They be a.-come aroun all right now — I zeed em a Zadurday
s'inter-mate's ever.
The fat was all in the vire, sure 'nough ; but hon th' old man
yeard how Jim Snow'd a-got twenty poun' in the bank, he zoon
corned aroun, and zaid he didn care how quick they was a-married.
3. To recover from illness.
The doctor 've a-do'd hot a can ; but I don't never b'leive her'll
never come aroun no more in this wordle.
COME-BACK [km-baa-k], sb. The guinea-fowl. From its
peculiar call, which is said to be, " Come back, come back f"
COME-BY-CHANCE [kaum-bee-chaa-ns], sb. A bastard. A
stray pigeon who has taken up his abode with your flock is a come-
by-chance. Any article found and appropriated is so called.
COME-GOERS [kau'm goa'urz], sb. pi. Callers; casual visitors.
[Niivur zeed noa jish plae'us vur kairm-goa'urz uvoa'r,] (I) never
saw such a place for callers before.
COME IN [km ee'n]. To calve or to farrow : said of a cow or
sow. (Very com.)
[Uur ul km ee~n jist uvoa'r kurs'mus,] she will calve just before
Christmas.
COME IN [km ee'n]. To be available ; to be useful.
[Dhai augz-1 km ecn tu ai-t dhu swee'dz,] those hogs (yearling
sheep) will be useful to eat the swedes (turnips).
[Ee ul km ee'n tu tak-s faa'dhurz plae'us,] he will be available to
take his father's place.
Note pronun. of 'take his' in this com. phr. The two words
become a distinct monosyllable, and the z of his becomes s after k
or /. He will make himself ill would be [ee'ul mak-s-suul bae'ud,]
he has hit his hand, [ee'-v u-aa't-s an1].
COME O' [kau'm oa, kau'm u], v. i. To get over; to
recover.
[Ee-v u-ae'ud u shaa'rp tich, bud ee ul kau'tn oa ut naew,] he
has had a sharp touch, but he will get over it now.
If a person had been very angry, and another said, Oh ! he'll
come o1 that, it would be quite understood that the person would
get the better of, or get over, his anger.
154 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
COME ON [km airn]. To get on ; to manage ; to contrive.
[Aew d-ee km aim vvai yur niie aewz?] how are you getting on
with your new house?
[Wee km airn kaa'pikul wuul', baewt dhai proa'ucheen fuul'urz,]
we managed capitally about those poaching fellows. — Wiveliscombe,
November 1877.
COME OVER [km oa'vur, km au*vur]. To prevail over; to
outwit ; to dupe ; to persuade.
[Ted-n noa geo-d,yue kaa-n km au-vur mee',] it is no use trying,
you cannot persuade me.
[Dhai kaa'rd tu mtin'ee guunz vau'r-n, dhai kmd au'vur-n een u
kwik- stik]. They carried too many guns (/'. e. were too clever) for
him, they outwitted him in a quick stick (q. v.).
COME TO [kau-m tue]. Cost.
When the Church Institute was a-started, Mr. gid us all a
book. He come to zixpence, and in un was a-put down all about
the church, &c. — Under-gardener, Nov. 17, 1885.
This use gives rise to the rustic riddle : — If a herrin" and a half
come to dree 'aa-pence, what will a hunded o' coal come to ? —
Answer — Ashes.
COME TO [kau-m tue]. To become.
[Jan Stoo'un-z \\-kaitm tue u rig'lur oa'l mae'un, ed-n ur?] John
Stone is become a regular old man, is he not ?
[Uur-z \3i-kau' m tu leok maa'yn wee'sh, poo'ur oa'l blid !] she has
got to look very miserable, poor old soul !
COME TO LAST [kaum tu laa-s], adv. phr. In the end ; at last.
Yokes do think they be cheap, but tidn no jis thing, come to last,
they be dear 'nough.
They down arg me, gin come to last, I was fo'ced to let out a bit,
and then I gid em ther dressins.
COMFABLE [kaunrfubl], sb. i. Comforter; a knitted woollen
wrap for the throat. This name is the common one.
2. adj. Comfortable. I calls it a very comfable little 'ouse.
But fust, ta mek us caumfer 'ble,
We bote a lot o' stuff
Ta haa a pick-nit under heyde,
When we'd got vish enough :
Pulnian, Rustic Sketches, p. 28.
COMFORT [kaunrfurt]. A peculiar kind of sweet sold at fairs.
It is made of small pieces of cinnamon covered with sugar. See
FAIRING.
COMICAL [kaunrikul], adj. i. Odd in appearance ; having
some peculiarity, as a drawn face, a drooping eyelid, a rickety gait,
or an idiotic expression.
\YEST SOMERSET WORDS. 155
It is very common to say — You should not make fun of the foolish
[yiie mud bee u-teokt kaunrikul yur-zuul1,] you may be taken
comical yourself.
2. Bad-tempered.
[U kauirrikul soa'urt uv u mae'un] means a bad-tempered
man.
Maister's ter'ble comical z-mornin, got out wrong zide o' the bed,
I s'pose.
COMING IN [kaunveen ee'n], sb. i. Income derived from a
fixed source.
He's very well off; why, he've a-got up zeb'm and zixpence a week
comin in, bezides his pinsheen (pension).
2. The amount payable for valuation or otherwise upon entering
on a farm or business.
He can't never take it ; why, 'tis up dree hunded pound comin
in, and where's er gwain to vind money vor to stock it arter
that?
3. Terms or conditions upon which alarm or business is entered.
Why, he 'ant a-got no rent to pay vor up 'most two year; nif that
idn a good comin in, I never zeed 'nother one.
COMING TO [kaunveen tue1], sb. Approach, access, entrance.
'Tis u middlin sort of a place like, hon you be there, on'y 'tis sich
a mortal bad comin to.
In advertisements of sales of growing timber it is common to
see it described as "capital coming to " — ;'. e. ready of access.
COMMANYMENT[kumaa-neemunt],^. Commandment. This
form only exhibits the fondness the people have for inserting a
short ee syllable. A farm called Broadpark is always [Broa--
deepaark] ; Foxdown is always [Fauk-seeduwn], and is even some-
times written [Foxeydown].
COMPANY [kau'mp-mee]. Those who are assembled in a
public-house.
A man pleaded his temperance to me. [Aay aa*n u-zau'daewn
een noa kairmp-mee uz twuul'muunt-n moo-ur,] I have not sat
down in any alj-house assembly for a year and more.
"To keep company with" does not necessarily imply an engage-
ment, though it is usually so understood. Young men and women
constantly walk together and meet each other, who have no thoughts
of matrimony; they are only "keeping company." There is a sort
of reproach at not having a companion of the other sex on Sundays
and holidays.
COMPARATIVE, DOUBLE. See MORE.
156 W'EST SOMERSET WORDS.
COMPARE [kumpae-ur], sb. Comparison.
There idn no compare twixt her and he ; her's worth a hur.ded
o' un.
Poo ! es a sootery Vella to Andra ; there's no compare.
Exmoor Scolding, 1. 465.
COMPOSTURE [kmpaus-chur], sb. Composition.
A clerk gave out, in a church I know well, " Let us sing to
the praise and glory of God, a hymn of my own composture" &c.
COMTH [kau-mth]. Cometh.
The th inflection is much more commonly heard in the Hill
than in the Vale district. Although it is used throughout West
Somerset, especially by old people, yet it is not the most usual form,
as it is in North Devon. Here the periphrastic construction with
the infinitive is that most employed. Generally it would be said,
" He do come of a good family," but " a comth of a good family "
would be quite common. The eth is contracted to th nearly always
—as in looKth, tatith, tear'th hafth (hits), sna/th, &c.
Wery and \vete, as bestys in the reyn,
Comth sely lolian, and with him comth Aleyn.
Chaucer, Reeves Tale, 1. 187.
CONCERN [kunsaa'rn], sb. Row, quarrel, disturbance.
There was a pretty eoncarn sure 'nough, last night ; th' old Bone
Jan's wive corned home drunk, and nif he did-n take and emp the
p — pot all over her.
CONDIDDLED [kundud'ld], v. t. Used only in the past par
Spent, wasted, done or made away with, lost. (Com.)
I'd a got, wan time, a lot o' old spade guineas, but they be al
a condiddrd.—^. L. C.
Nif tha young George Hosegood had a had tha, he murt a hozed in a little
time. Ha wud zoon ha' be' condiddled. — Exmoor Scolding, 1. 289.
CONFOUND [kunfaewnd], v. t. To spoil, to wear out, tc
make shabby. (Very com.)
Ter'ble maaid 'bout confoundin her clothes ; her zister don't cost
'boo half so much, an' eet her always look'th better.
CONIGAR [kuun-igur]. A small hill at Dunster in W. Somerset
adjoining the ancient Priory = coney-garth.
Connyngere, or connynge erthe. Cunicnlaritim.
Promp. Parv. See Way's Notes, Ib. p. 90.
CONKERS [kaung'kurz]. Horse-chestnuts. I saw two boys
in my grounds throwing stones at a horse-chestnut tree. As soon
as they saw me, before I had spoken, both said at once, [Plarz-r,
aa-y aan u-biin aafeen daewn dhu kaung-kurz,~\ please, sir, I have
not been hitting down the chestnuts.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 157
So called from the game conkers (conquerors), which boys play,
by stringing the chestnuts on cords, and then striking two of these
strings of chestnuts together, until all on one string are knocked
off; those left on the other are the conkers. From this the name
is given to the nuts, and to the tree — conker-tree.
CONTANKEROUS [kairntang-kurus], adj. Disagreeable, ob-
structive, quarrelsome, cantankerous.
Her's a contankerous old lade, her is, you never can't plaise her,
do hot ee wul.
CONTRAPTION [kuntraa-pshun], sb. A contrivance, make-
shift.
[Lat-s zee u geod jaub u-mae'ud oa ut — noa'un u yur kuntraa-p-
s/iunz,'] let us see a good job made of it — none of your make-shift
contrivances.
CONTRINESS [kau-ntreenees], sb. Contrariness. Same as
American "cussedness."
He mid jist so well a-let ee 'ad-n ; he don't want-n one bit his zul,
'tis nort but contriness. But there, you can't 'spek no otherways,
they be all o'm jis the same. S'ignorant's a hound ; an 'is father
avore-n.
CONTRY [kau-ntree], adj. Obstinate, contrary, perverse. (Very
com.)
[Zu kau'ntree-z dhu daevl,] as obstinate as the devil, is the usual
simile. With us the accent is all on the first syllable, and the
second or penultimate, emphasized elsewhere, is quite dropped.
CONVENIENCY [kunvarniunsee], sb. i. Accommodation,
convenience. (Always.)
[Scot yur oa-n kunvarniunsee^] suit your own convenience.
[Dhur lid-n noa kunrai'niunsee baewt gwai'n,] there is no con-
venience about going—/, e. it is inconvenient to get there.
2. sb. A privy, or W. C.
CONVOY [kunvaify], v. t. To convey (always).
We 've a-got now vor to put all our arshes and rummage and
that, out in the strait, and 'tis all ^.-convoyd away every mornin.
COOK [keok], v. t. Cant word for to kill.
I can't abear they cats ; I've a cooked a purty many o'm by my
time.
COOS [keo-s], sb. i. Course.
[Kaa'pikul keo's, shoaair nuuf ! ] capital course, sure enough !
[Een keo-s aay oa'nt,] of course I will not.
See extract from P. Pindar, under CRUMB.
2. adj. Coarse.
158 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
COOSISH [keo-seesh], adj. Inclined to be coarse; inferior.
[Uur-z u keo'seesh soa'urt uv u buul'eek,] she is a. coarsish sort of
a bullock (g. i<.}. See COARSE.
COPER [koa'pur], sb. A dealer in horses of the low Gypsy type,
called also a [airs koa'pur}, but the word is very commonly used
alone, as an epithet for a low frequenter of fairs or markets, ready
to deal in anything, but particularly in knackers, which he tries to
furbish up and sell again as useful animals.
COP-BONE [kaup-boa-un]. The knee-cap ; the patella (always).
Hon I vall'd, I pitch 'pon a stone rait 'pon the cop-bone o' me
knee ; and I thort he was a split in two pieces ; but hon the doctor
zeed-n, he zaid how he wadn a-brokt, but I should'n be able vor
to ben' un vor a good bit.
COPSE [kau'ps], sb. In harness or plough-tackle, a U-shaped
iron, having a pin through its ends, by which the foot-chain of
a sull is attached to the bodkin. See CLEVIS.
In breeching harness a copse on either side connects the breect
strap with the short breeching-chains. A copse complete with it
pin is in shape like Q, and is often called a Dee-copse. The bow
a watch is called a copse.
COPSE [kairps], sb. and v. In this district applied to anj
description of wood-land, even to a fir plantation. At the same
time it is well understood that to copse is to cut down all the
underwood in an oak coppice when it has arrived at a certair
growth, so as to make the bark valuable. See RIPPING.
Two larch plantations at Huish Champflower are always calle
Gurt Copse and Higher Copse. These never were anything bi
plantations, for I well remember them as open common befor
enclosure.
CORD [koo'urd]. Always so pronounced.
He vnbindeth the girclel of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
Wydif, Job xii. 18.
sb. and v. A measure by which hard firewood is sold. The
logs ought to be cut into three-feet lengths, and being piled uj
crosswise should form a stack ten feet long, four feet high, anc
three feet wide. Compare Surrey, C 4, Eng. Dial. Society.
Firewood is often called cord wood, [koo'urd eo~d\. A pile of the
above size is called [u koo'urd u branz,] a cord of brands.
To cord wood is to stack it up as above for measurement.
[Neef yue ziinv yue aa'n u-guuf yur mizh'ur, aa'l koo'urd ut
aup',] if you think you have not your measure, I'll cord it up.
CORDING. ,&<? ACCORDING.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 159
CORK, [kau'urk], v. and sb. r. To turn down the ends and the
toe of horse -shoes to prevent their slipping. The corks are the
points so turned down.
[Dhu kau-urks wuz u-wae'urd daewn — keod-n a.vrlee km au'n,]
the roughing was worn down — could hardly come on.
2. To caulk.
Ter'ble slipper z'mornin, I zim ; anybody do want to be ^.-corked,
vor to keep ther stannins.
CORK [kairurk], v. and sb. Used by boys in playing at rounders.
To cork is to throw the ball at the boy who is running; a good
cork is when the boy stoops down to avoid it, and the ball is
thrown so as to hit on the " tight."
CORK ABOUT [kairurk ubaewt], sb. A gime, consisting of
throwing a ball so as to hit one or other of the players. The fun
being to dodge the ball.
CORKER [kauTkur], sb. When a boy stoops to avoid a feint,
and then gets a full blow on the posterior, he is said to get a corker.
CORN [kau'urn], sb. i. A particle of anything of about the size
of a grain of corn.
As [U kau' urn u shuug'uree kan'dee,] a corn of sugar-candy.
[U kau'urn u baa'kee, u kau-urn u blaa'k puop'ur,] black pepper.
[U kau-urn u bninrsto'aun,] brimstone.
3. sb. Wheat.
[Geod kau'urn graewn,] good wheat land.
CORNORAL OATH [kau-rnurul oa'uth], sb.
" I'll take my cornoral oath o' it," is an asseveration, meaning
as solemn an oath as if SWO.TI before the coroner.
Vor there's Tom Vuzz can take his cornoral oath that he begun vurst.
Ex moor Court skip, I. 365.
COT [kaut], sl>. A matted or felted fleece ; in this district also
commonly called a tied fleece (q. v.).
Farmer 's 'ool idn so good's mine by odds — he 's is 'most
all cots.
COT-HOUSE [kaut-aewz], sl>. The most usual name for a
cottage ; the latter is hardly ever heard among those who live in one.
The term applies to the entire building, if speaking of a cottage,
and not to a room only. See HOUSE, GREAT-HOUSE.
[Haun yue du kau'm tu zm kaut-aewzez, keep raewn pun yur
rai't an-,] when you get to some cottages, keep round upon your
right hand.
And me ne mei nout, wifcouten swink a lutel hot areren, ne nout two J>ongecle
schcon habben, wifcuten buggunge. Ancren Kiwlc, p. 362.
160 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
COTTON [kaufn], v. t. To flog ; to thrash.
[Ee kaech MuTtnz bwuuy un Tau'dlz bwuuy stae'uleen aa'plz —
un ded-n ur kaut'n urn !} he caught Milton's boy and Tottle's boy
stealing apples, and didn't he cotton them !
COTTONY [kaufnee], v. i. To be in harmony; to agree.
(Com.)
Well, I never didn hear no harm by her like, but tis a poor job |
way em — they don't cottony together vitty; and I be t.feard he do
drow up his 'an' a little bit too much — /'. e. drinks too much.
COTTY [kaufee], adj. Matted : said of wool. See COT.
[Faa'rm Kwiks ez u ruuf laut, tez zu mau'rtul kaut-ee,~] Farmer
Quick's is a rough lot (of wool), it is so very much matted.
COUCH [keo'ch], sb. Never called couch-grass. A very trouble-
some weed — triticiim repens. See STROYL.
Thick there field's in a purty mess sure 'nough ; he's so vull or
couch as ever he'll hold.
COULTER [koa'ltur, kuuHur], sb. Part of a sull, by no means
a " ploughshare," as denned by Prof. Skeat — the share is quite a
different part. A strong knife-like iron fixed nearly vertically toB
the beam of a sull immediately in front of the breast. The use
is to divide the turf or soil by a clean cut, so that the parts which
immediately follow in the track of the coulter may turn over
even roll of earth, or furrow. Called also sword [zoo'urd].
VORE.
Culler for a plowe. Cultrum. — Promp. Parv.
COULTER-BOX [koa'ltur bauks], sb. Of a sull. The ire
clip and screw by which the coulter is fixed in its place
the beam ; by slackening the screw the coulter can be adjuste
to any required depth of cut.
COUNT [kaewnt], v. To think ; to consider ; to estimate.
[Bee yue gvvai'n oa-m ? Ee's aay kaewnt,'] are you going home
Yes ! I think.
[Aay kaewnt dhai oa'n git vuuree faa't tu dhik'ee jaub,]
consider they will not get very fat at that work (/. e. not get muc
profit).
I count there's up dree or vower hunded a left.
Now don't git zayin coosn goo,
'Cause 'ast had zummat else to do !
I count thee's mine but vurry liddle,
'Sips nuss the cheel an'- play the fiddle.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 16.
COUNT, sb. See ACCOUNT.
COUPLE [kuup'l], sb. A principal timber of a roof — call
elsewhere a " principal " — never applied to a rafter. A " pair
si:
I
**
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. l6l
cjuphs" is the entire framework bearing on opposite walls, con-
sisting of the two couples meeting at the apex, together with the
"tie" or "foot" beam; to these essentials are added in some
ases a "king post," or a "queen post," together with "span-
ieces" and "struts"; but all are included in the [pae'ur u
]. A "half couple" is a single main timber, such as would
be used in a "lean-to" roof. See SIDE TIMRER.
The trees of oure houses ben of cedre, our couples ben of cipresse.
U'yclif, Song of Solomon, i. 16.
Al ]>e couples cipres were : and J>e rarters wer al-so,
And ]>e bases }>at hem bere : wij> golde were bi-go.
Sir Ftrttmbras, \. 1328.
COUPLE [kuup'l], sb. An ewe and her lamb. A double couple
is an ewe with two lambs. We constantly see advertisements of
prime couples for sale.
[Aay mus sae'uv dhik mee'ud vur dhu kuup'lz^ I must save that
meadow for the ewes and lambs.
25 cross-bred couples and hogs.
16 Devon and cross-bred beast.
Advert, in Soin. Co. Gazette, Ap. i, 1882.
COUPLE-KEEP [kuup-1 keep] is often to be found in
advertisements. It means a good crop of early grass fit for ewes
and lambs, which must be well fed.
COURT [kyue-urt, Hill district; koo'urt, Vale district}, sb. A
farmyard ; an enclosed yard for cattle, but not for stacks (see
BARTON) ; sometimes called a bullock-court [buul'eek kyue'urf}, and
also occasionally a straw barton [stroa1 baarteen] — /'. e. a yard where
straw is to be trodden into manure.
COURTLEDGE [kyue-urtleej, Hill; koo'urtleej, Vale], sb.
The yards and outbuildings appertaining to a homestead ; in local
advertisements the word is spelt as above, and also curtilage — the
latter form is used in legal documents.
Cui-tlage, or gardeyn, Olerariiiin, curtilaginm. — Promp. Farv.
duryng her lyf all my message, with the curlylagc and all the appurtenance.
Will of Rauf Heih, 1434. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 99, 1. 19. See also 11. 11, 23.
COUSINS [kuuz-nz], sb. Friends, allies. Of two people who are
not friendly, it is often said [dhai bae'un vuuree geod kuuz'tiz,~]
they are not very good cousins.
COUSINSHIP [kuuz'nshup], sb. Friendship, alliance, good
feeling.
[Dhur lid-n nna kuuz'nshup tweks dhai'] would be precisely the
equivalent of, '• There is no love lost between them."
M
1 62 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
COVERED GUTTER [kuuvurd guad-r], sb. A drain made
with square sides and flat top and bottom. See CULBIT.
COW-BABY [kaew bae'ubee], sb. Applied to a boy ; one who
is babyish for his age ; who howls for a slight hurt, or disappoint-
ment.
COW-CLAT [kaew klaat], sb. Cow-dropping.
[Dh-oa'l Kauk'ee Pee'us wuz dh-aun'lees oa'l fuul'ur livur yue
zeed. Waay ! ee-d pluwu kaew-klaat wai uz noa'uz vur ae'upmee :
ee's 1 un dhuurt-n baak- vur u pan'ee,] the old Cocky Pearse was
the onliest (q. v.) old fellow you ever saw. Why ! he would plow a
cow-dung with his nose for a halfpenny — yes ! and plow it back
crosswise for a penny. Quite true.
COW-FLOP [kaew-flaup], sb. Foxglove (com.). Digitalis
purpurea.
COW-HEART [kaew-aart], sb. Coward; a timorous person is
said to be [u kaew-aart, or kaew-aa'rtud].
Dus-n dhee bee jish kaeiv-aart-s vur bee'ut u lee'dl maa'yd,] do
not thee be such a coward as to beat a little girl.
J)ou ne schalt me fyncle no ctnvart : a liggeng man to saille.
Sir Feriinibras, 1. 593-
COW-HEARTED [kaew-aartud], adj. Tender, wanting
vitality. Applied to plants.
An old gardener forking up the roots of the troublesome with)
wind (Convolvulus arvensis) remarked, " 'Tis cow-hearted stuff "-
and a little later said :
[Tiiz dhu moo'ees kaew-aartuds stuuf, iiz-, neef dhu ziin1 ur
beet u vrau's ur oaairt du kaech' ut aewt u graewn, t-1 kee'ul-t ti
raak'lee,] it is the most cow-heartedest stuff (there) is; if the sun
a bit of frost or aught do catch it out of (the) ground, it will ki
it directly. — January 21, 1887.
COW-HOCKED [kaew-uuk-ud], adj. Applied to horses, wh(
the hind legs bend towards each other like a cow's in running,
while the feet seem to diverge. A very common but ugly feature
in Exmoor ponies.
[Dhai bee au'vees strau'ng, haun dhai bee kaew-uuk'ud,'] the
be always strong when they be cow-hucked, is a piece of bucoli
wisdom I have often heard.
COWL [kaewul], sb. A tub or barrel swung on a pole,
more commonly mounted as a wheel-barrow, used for carryir
pigs'-wash or liquid manure.
Mrs. Ford. ... Go take up these clothes here, quickly ;
Where's the £Wf/-staff?
Merry Wives of Windsor, III. iii.
\VKST SOMKKSKT \VORDS. 163
COWLEY [kaewlee]. A common field name — /'. e. cow-pasture,
cow's lea. See LEY.
COW OUT [kaew aewt], v. t. To subdue ; to tire out.
[Oa dee'ur ! aay bee rig'lur \\-kacwd aewt,'] oh dear ! I am quite
tired out.
COW-PINE [kaew-puy'n], sb. Cow-pen or stall (always).
The cow-pines be come to repairin sure 'nough, they be all to
pieces.
COY [kauy], r. and sb. To entice ; an allurement.
[Tuudlvur bwuuyz kanyd-n een tu dh-au'rchut, un dhae'uree wuz
u-kaeclr,] the other boys enticed him into the orchard, and there
he was caught.
Hee raiight forthe his right hand : and his rigge frotus,
And coics hym as he kan, with his clene handes.
iVilliam of PaUnne. Alisander of Macedoinc, 1. 1175.
For he hym maketh, with moche pride,
A nyse coye.
The coye ys with hys handys two,
Clappynde togedere to and fro.
Weber. Met. ftonian. Odouian Imptrator, 1. 1343.
COY-DUCK [kauy-duuk], sb. i. An allurement; an enticer;
a snare. A very common name for pretty barmaids.
2. v. t. To decoy ; to entice. (Very com.)
They be the [kuuveechusee's] covetousest vokes ever I com'd
across. Nif anybody 've a-got a good niaaid to work, or a lusty
chap or ort, aa'll warnt, tidn very long vore they'll coy-duck 'em
away.
COY-POOL [kauy-peol], sb. A decoy ; a pond arranged with
appliances for catching wild-fowl.
CRAB [krab], sl>. A portable winch or windlass — never used
for a crane.
CRABBED [krab-ud], adj. Surly, ill-mannered.
A maain crabbed old fellow, I zim.
" So crabbed' 's a bear wi a zore head," is the usual superlative
absolute.
Crttbl>y<t, a\vke, or wrawe (wrayvvarde, w.). Ceronicns, bilosits, catttennus.
Proinp. J'arv.
CRACK [kraa-k], r. /. To break.
Applied to breaking stones for the roads. A stone-cracker is
either a man or a machine whose business it is to break stones into
small pieces for macadamising.
Quikliche cam a cacchepol • and m/^vir/a-lwo here legges,
And here armes alter ' uf euerich of |>o jjeoues.
J'icrs rio;;>/iian, XXt. 76.
M 2
1 64 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CRACK-UP [kraak-aup1], v. To praise unduly ; to extol ; to
cry up.
[Ee kraakt-atip- dhik chis'nut maa-yn luyk,] he cried up that
chestnut mainly.
CRAKER [krae'ukur], sb. A croaker ; one who is always
complaining of ill-health.
He's a proper old craker, but I never cant zee why he shoud'n
work, same's I be a fo'ced to.
CRAKY [krae'ukee], v. i. To complain ; to croak of bodily
ailments.
[Uur du krae'ukee au'l dhu dai lairng, bud kaa n zee munch dhu
maad'r wai ur : uur-z ae'ubl vur ait, wauns ! ] she croaks of her
ailments all the diy long, but (one) cannot see much the matter
with her : she is able to eat — once ! — /'. e. at all events.
See p. 95, W. S. Gram. See Piers flow. A text xi. 65.
CRAM [kraa'm], v. T. To force food down the throat.
Turkeys are very often crammed to fatten them quickly.
I cramme mente in to my mouth, as one dothe gredyly. le riffle.
Se howe he crammeth in his meate lyke a lurcher.
Palsgrave, p. 500.
2. sb. A lie.
CRAMP BONE [kraa'in boa-un]. The knuckle-bone (patella)
of the sheep. Still worn frequently (to my knowledge) in a
bag tied round the neck, as a sure preventative of cramp. It lost
its virtue, however, if by any chance it touches the ground. (!)
CRAMP [kraa'mp], adj. Confined ; difficult of access.
[Dhau'rt aay niivur sheod-n u-due'd-n ; twuz jiish kraa'm).
plae'us tu kairm tue un,] (I) thought I never should have dor
(repaired) it ; it was such a confined and difficult place to get at it.
CRANE [krae'un]. i. A beam projecting from any building for
the purpose of attaching hoisting tackle thereto. The word implu
no machinery, windlass, or swinging part, but the beam only whicl
bears the weight.
Of course we use the word, in the ordinary sense of machinerj
for lifting heavy weights, as well.
2. A heron. At Dulverton is a heronry in Lord Carnarvon's
park, always called a \krae- unuree^ cranery.
CRANKETY [krang-kiitee], adj. i. Cross-grained; ill-tempered
also complaining in health.
Her-s a krang'kutee old thing, means that being in bad health
her temper is affected.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 165
2. sb. A name for any noisy, rattling machine or engine ; one
for instance in which the joints and pins are loose and therefore
noisy.
I wid'n 'ave thick ingin, he's a-weared out, and he 'ont a quarter
drave. A nasty old crankety, you can yur-n a mild away.
CRANY [krae'unee], adj. Stingy, grasping, miserly.
[U maa'yn krae-unee oa'l dhing, uur ai'z — tez u waeth aa'ytn-
pan s vur tu git u shuTeen aewt oa uur,] a main stingy old thing,
she is — it is worth eighteen pence to get a shilling out of her.
CRAP [kraap-], v. i. To break shortly; to snap — applied to
anything brittle.
[Uh-an'l u dhu pik kraap' rai't-n tue' een mee an1, su shau'rt-s-u
kaarut,] the handle of the pick snapped right in two in my hand,
as short as a carrot.
2. sb. A crack that can be heard, distinct from a crack that
can be seen. See CRAZE, RANE.
Could yur the crappin o' the trees way the heft o' the snow, all
about. I never didn yur no jis thing avore.— Jan. 3, 1887.
3. A crop.
[U i\\y'n.kraap' u tae'udees,] a fine crop of potatoes.
4. The best.
[Dhu kraap- u dhu lauf,] the best of the lot.
[Jaa'k-s dhu kraap' u dhu woa'l fnanvlee,] Jack is the best of the
whole family.
5. The back of the neck ; same as the scruff. Also in the phr.
Bundled 'em out neck-and-mz/.
He catch-n by the crap, an' sling un to doors.
6. The crop of a bird. The crap o' un's fit to bust.
CRAPPY [kraap'ee], v. i. To crack with a noise.
[Auy noa'ud dhu tree wuz jis pun vau'leen, vur aay yuurd-n
kraap-ec^ I knew the tree was just upon (/. e. on the point of) falling,
for I heard it crack. See CRAZE.
CRAVE [krae'uv], v. i. To claim. This word is always used
in speaking of rights or boundaries.
[Faa'rm Clay au'vees krae'uvth dhik aj',] Farmer Clay always
claims that hedge.
[Skwuyur Woob'ur du krae'uv dhu riivur aup su vuur-z dhu
buurj,] Squire Webber claims (the right of fishing in) the river, up
so far as the bridge.
2. To hunger for food.
[Uur-z au'vees Araruv-een,'] she is always hungry — said of a
horse.
1 66 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CRAZE [krae'uz ; /. /. krae'uz ; //. u-krae'uz], r. To crack : as
applied to glass, china, bells, or any brittle material. Not used
to express complete destruction.
[Aew kaunr dhu weerrdur \\-krae~uz ?] how came the window
cracked ?
[Dhee-s u-toa'urd dhu puclvur, as-n? Noa', aay aa'nt ! ee-z
uun-ee \\-kracuz^\ thou hast broken the pitcher, hast not ? No, I
have not ! he is only cracked.
[Dhai krae'uz dhu guurt buul, ring'een vur dhu yuung Skwuyur,]
they cracked the great bell, ringing for the young Squire.
I erase, as a thynge dothe tint is marie of brittell stuffe. Je fcisse.
Deale softely withall, a lytell thynge wyll erase it. — Palsgrave.
And couetise hath erased : Joure croune ffor euere.
Lan gland, Kick, the Red. p. 1.8.
Thus was Joure croune crasid : til he was cast newe. — Ib. 1. 70.
CRAZE [krae'uz], sb. A crack in a brittle material, whether
visible or not, if sufficient to injure the "ring" of the vessel to
the ear.
[Plai'z, muum, dhurz u krae'uz een dhu tai* kid'],] please, ma'am,
there is a crack in the tea-kettle. See CRAP, RANE, VLARE.
CREAM [krai'm], sb. A shiver, a shudder, a shivering state.
[Aay wuz aul tue u krai-m,~\ 1 was quite in a shiver (of fear, not
of cold).
CREAMY [krai-mee], v. i. i. To turn pale.
[Uur krahnud lig u goa'us, haun uur zeed-n,] she turned pale likt
a ghost, when she saw him.
2. v. i. To shiver, to shudder.
Lor ! how I did craimy, I thort I should a drapt hon I zeed the
blid.
3. To froth — like stout or champagne.
1 calls this yur rare trade — how [biie'tipeol] beautiful do craimy.
4. To froth with sweat. Horses frequently become partly
covered with foam, and are then said to '•'•creamy all over."
CREAMY [krai-mee], adj. Shivering; shuddering; causing tc
shudder.
This word may be applied to either cause or effect. [U kraimee
soa'urt uv u stoa'r,] a sort of story to make one shudder; or [Ul
mae-ud mee vee'ul dhaat dhae'ur krarmee, aay dhairrt aay shec
u draap-t,] it made me feel so shuddering, I thought I should have
dropped.
CREASE [krai-s], sb. — no plur. i The withers of a horse.
(Always.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 67
[Muyn un zee dhu kaul'ur doa'n gairl dhu krai's oa un,] mind
and see that the collar does not gall his withers.
Thick 'oss do measure well to crease — /'. e. at the measuring-place.
2. sb. — no change in p!ur. A ridge-tile of a roof.
[Dhu wee'n-v u-bloa-d oa'f dree or vaawur u dhu krai's,~\ the wind
has blo\vn off three or four of the ridge-tiles.
CREATURE [krai'tur], sb. Woman or girl : never applied to
a boy or man.
[LJ puurdee oa-l krai'tur, uur !] a pretty old creature, she !
[Uur wauz- u puurdee krai'tur een uur tuym,] she was a pretty
woman in her day.
^'e do not use the word like the American critter, but it is
sometimes applied admiringly to animals.
CREEPER [kree-pur], sb. A louse. This is the apologetic word
which would be used by women in speaking to \_jitr Iroaks].
CREEPINGS [krai'peenz], sb. The sensations of creeping, pro-
duced by dread ; also the shiver attending a fresh-caught cold.
CREEPY [krai'pee], r. i. To have the shuddering sensation of
fear, as at hearing a horrible tale, or a ghost story.
[Mae'ud mee krai-fee au'l oa-vur,] made me creepy all over.
See CROP ED.
CRICK [krik], sb. and r. /. A wrench, or to wrench some part
of the body so as to cause a painful strain.
[Aay-v \\-krik mee baak1 eens aay aa'n u-duexl noa'tirt tiz vauTt-
iiait,] I have wrenched my back, so that I have done no work for a
fortnight.
Crykke, sekenesse. Spasmzts, sccundutn medicos, tetanus. — Promp. Paw.
CRICKET [krik-ut], sb. A low stool, generally with three legs.
CRICKET [krik-ut], sb. The superlative absolute of merry.
So merry's a cricket. Ste GRIG.
P. Henry. Sirrah, Falstaff and the rest of the thieves are at the door ; shall
we be merry ?
Poins. As merry as crickets, my lad. But hark ye.
I Henry IV. II. iv. •
CRIDS [krudz], sb. Curds (always).
\_Krftdz-T\ wai'ee,] curds and whey; also to curdle is always to
criddle, or end \kriid-l, or krud].
This yur thunder weather's shocking bad vor keepin o' milk.
I've a-kno\ved the aivnin's milk all &-c riddled next morning. Any
bad smell or ort '11 end the milk toreckly.
Whether thou hast not mylkid me as mylk, and hast crnddid \n& togidere as
cheese? Wydif, Job x. 10.
1 68 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CURDE (crudde, K. H. p.)- Coaguliini.
CRUDDYD. Coagulatus. CRUDDYN. coagulo. — Promf. Parv.
With creym and with croddes. — Piers Ploiu. IX. 322.
CRUDDE ; of my Ike — mattes. — Palsgrave.
CRIME [kruym], sb. Report, tale, scandal.
There's all the crime o' the country 'bout her.
Why, es dont zey twos Jo Hosegood zes zo, but only zo tlia crime of tha
country goth. Ex. Scold. \. 522.
CRINKLE [kring'kl], v. t. To rumple up ; to make creases ; to
crumple up, as paper or other smooth stiff substance.
CRIP [kriip], v. t. To cut off from the fleece, the pitch adhering
to the end of the wool, with which the sheep was lettered after
shearing.
GRIPPING [kriip'een], sb. i. The harness worn by a leader,
or as we call him a fore-horse (q. v.) [u voa'r au's]. See PLOUGH.
For sale Two sets of cart-harness and two sets of cripping. Apply, &c.
Advertisement.
2. The act or occupation of clipping off the pitch from wool.
Also any quantity of wool sorted out for the purpose of having the
pitch cut off; or a similar lot already operated on.
I do work to crippin most times, but I do's chores in and out.
Come, Bill ! wut'n do thick lot o' crippin in a month o' Zundays,
let thee alone !
CRIPPLESHIP [krup-1-shiip], sb. Lameness; state of being
crippled.
I could do middlin like, nif twadn vor my crippleship. I can't
get about.
CRIPPY [krup'ee], v. i. To follow the employment of shearing
off the dung or the pitch marks which adhere to a fleece.
A boy, asked what he worked at, answered, [Aay du kn'ip'ee~\.
CRIPS [knips], sb. The clippings of the dung or pitch, with
small portions of wool adhering ; called also trippings, pitch marks,
&C.
CRIPS [kriip's ; sometimes kuurps], adj. Brittle, crisp.
[K nip's uz glaa's,] brittle as glass, is the common superlative
absolute of brittle.
[Uul'um tiirrrur ed-n fiif, tez tu k:iip-s^\ elm wood is not suitable,
it is too brittle.
CRISLING [kruYleen, kiirs'leen], sb. i. A small, black, very
sour wild plum ; same as bullace.
SOMERSET WORDS. 169
2. Small, shrivelled, immature apples.
[Uhu tree wuz veol1 u blairsurn, bud ded-n kau'm tu noaairt bud
kriis-leenz,'] the tree was full of blossom, but it came to nothing but
crislings.
3. The crisp skin on roast pork ; the crackling.
CRISS-CROSS [kriis-krau-s, or kuurs-krairs], sb. The mark
made in lieu of signature by those unable to write.
[Aaybae'un noa skaul'urd, bud aay kn puut mee kuurs krau's,~] I
am no scholar, but 1 can put my Christ-cross, is a very usual state-
ment when a petty tradesman is asked to receipt the bill, which a
neighbour has made out for him.
[Tue aa'rts un u kuurs kraufsJ\ two hearts and a Christ-cross are
drawn with the forefinger on the mash in brewing, or the sponge in
baking, and are supposed to be quite effectual in keeping off the
mischievous sprites or witches.
I have often seen this done. An old brewer whom I used to
watch as a boy, used to tell me, " The drink wid'n never work vitty,
nif wadn to put two hearts and a Christ-cross 'pon the mash.
CRISSLE [krus-1], sb. The end of the shoulder-blade of a
bullock, where it ceases to be bone and becomes cartilage or
gristle.
Butcher of Wellington always says — " I'll take out the cristle,
or, I'll take out the cristle-bone." Heard hundreds of times.
Cruschylbone, or giystylbone (crusshell, p.). Cartilage. — Promp. Pant.
CROACH, CROACHING [kroa-uch, kroa-cheen], v.i. To
encroach ; to keep on taking little by little.
The river 've ^-crouched ter'ble this last flood; he'll keep on
croachin, gin he've a-tookt in all thick there rap o' the common.
[Dhai bee dhu krocfcheeens laut uvur yiie kmd ukrau's,] they are
the croachingest lot ever you corned across.
CROACHMENT [kroa-uchmunt], sb. Encroachment.
Thick there wall dejects zix inches to var out, 'tis a proper
croachment.
CROAK [kroa'k], v. and sb. To die— or a die. (Very com.)
[Muy blee'f uur-z gwaa-yn tu kro(fk,~] (It is) my belief she is
going to die. Said of a sick cow.
[Zoa dh-oa'l mae'ur-v u mae'ud u kroa'k oa ut, tu laa's !] so the
old mare has made a die of it, at last !
CROCK [krauk]. In this district the word has a very definite
meaning. It is a cast-iron cooking-pot only, nearly globular in shape,
with three little rings on its greatest circumference : it is always of the
same pattern though of different sizes. It has a loose bow-handle
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
like a common pot, and three little legs about two inches long, to
keep it from rolling over when placed on the ground. WTord crock
never used for pitcher.
CROCK [krauk], sb. Hidden money; a find; cache.
In digging about old premises, or in pulling down old houses, it is
very common to inquire if the workman have found a crock, i. e.
any hidden money. A man told me how he once found a crock
under the floor of an old house. " There was eight-and-twenty vive-
shilling-pieces, zome o'm hundeds o' years old, wrapped up in an
old piece o' clath."
CROCKET [krauk -ut], sb. Hunting. One of the small points
growing on the top of a stag's horn. In a young deer (see Bow)
the horn ends in one point called an upright. After five years old
the horn bifurcates at the top, and each point is a crocket.
CROCKS [krauks],//. sb. Broken pieces of pot which gardeners
use for drainage at the bottom of flower-pots.
CRONY [kroa'nee], v. i. To gossip — applied only to the old.
Two old women sitting over the fire, even if quarrelling, would be
said to \kroa'nce~\ together. See NEIGHBOUR.
CROOK [kreok], sb. A pa:r of crooks is part of the gear of a
pack-horse. There are two kinds, long {rooks and short crooks.
The former consist of two long poles bent in a half circle of about
eighteen inches in diameter, but with one end much longer than
the other. A pair of these bent poles are kept about two fjet apart
and parallel to each other by five or more rungs. A frame so
constructed forms one crook, and a pair of these pairs are slung on the
pack-saddle pannier-wise. When in position the long ends of the
crooks are upright, and are at least three feet above the horse's back.
Being over five feet asunder, a very large quantity of hay, straw,
or corn can be loaded on a pack-horse. It is trodden down firmly,
(I have often trodden such a load,) and is then bound with a rope.
Faggot wood is also carried on horseback in long crooks.
Short crooks are of the same description, but smaller in capacity
and with rungs closer together. They are for heavier materials, such
as hard firewood, building stones, &c. It used to be as common
to say " I'll send a horse and crooks" as it now is to say "horse and
cart." Both kinds are now very rarely seen.
CROOK-DOWN [kreok duwn], v. To fasten to the ground by
means of a crook.
[Tae'uk-n kreok duwn zm dhuurnz een dhik'ee gyap,] take and
fasten down some thorns in that gap. See CHIMLEY CROOK.
CROOKED [kreok-ud]. So crooked's a dog's hind-leg, or so
crooked1?, a horn, are the superlative absolutes in constant use.
\YEST SOMERSET WORDS. 17 I
GROOM [kreo-m], sb. Crumb. See BIT AND CRUMB.
C ROPED [kroa pt, kroa'pud], pret. of to creep, i. This is
another of those verbs in which \ve superadd the weak inflexion
to the strong form, as [kree'p, or krarp, kroa'pt, or kroa'pud, u-
kroa'pt, or n-kroapitd\.
Sire, I relesse the thy thousond pound,
As them right now were crope out of the ground,
Ne never er nou ne haddest knowen me.
Chaucer, Frankcleynes Tale, \. 869.
See p. 48, W. S. Gram. See Piers Plow. B. Pr. I. 186.
2. part. adj. Stooping or bending down to avoid observation,
as \ii-kroa-pt beeyuyn dhu aay-rik,] stooping behind the hay-rick.
CROSS. See CRISS-CROSS.
CROSSING [krau'seen, kraa'seen], adj. Untoward, vexatious,
grievous.
[Tuurubl kraa'seen, aa'dr lin'eebau'dee-d u-teok't jis truub'l wai
un,] very grievous, after one had taken such trouble with him — said
by a woman of a son who died.
CROWDER [kraewdur], sb. A fiddler. (Com.)
They'd a-got a crowder, and they keept up a purty old game,
sure 'nough.
Crowde, instrument of musyke. Chorus. — Pro/up. Parv.
Cnoth, sb. A musical instrument called a croud — a fiddle.
Crwthor, s. One that plays upon a croud — a fiddler.
Welsh, Richard's Diet.
And whanne he cam and nyjed to the hous : he hercle a symfonye and a
civnde, and he cleped oon of the seruauntis. — Wyclif, Luke xv. 25.
Loue thai his name in croude: in taburn and in psautere synge thai til him.
Hampole, Psalter, p. 490. Ps. cxlix. 3.
I' tli' head cf all this warlike rabble,
Crowdero march'd expert and al>le.
Hu.iibras, I. Cant. II. 1. 106.
Es could a borst tha crou.i in Shivers and tha crouder too, a voul Zlave as a
\\ux Ex. Scold. \. 391.
CROWN [kruwn, kraewn], sb. In all deciduous vegetables or
plants, such as rhubarb, asparagus, &c., the part from which the
new shoots spring forth. If the roots of these were planted with
the crown downwards they would probably die.
CROWN [kruwn, kraewn], v. t. To hold an inquest upon a
dead person.
[Haun bee um gwai'n tu kraewn dhu poo'ur oa'l Jiimz Eo*d?]
when are they going to hold an inquest on the poor (g. ?'.) old James
Wood ?
172 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CROWNER [kruwnur], sb. Coroner. (Always.)
The crowner 'ont be yur vore tomarra, 'cause he's holdin a qucss
up to Langport, an' he 've a-zen word to the serjeant.
the crowner hath set on her and finds it Christian burial. — Huniht, V. i.
CROWNER'S QUEST [kruwnurz kwas']. Coroner's inquest.
(Very com.)
1st. Clown. But is this law ?
2nd. Clown. Ay marry is it : crowner' s quest law. — Hamlet, V. i.
CROWNMENT [kraewnmunt], A coroner's inquest.
The doctor 've a-gid a stifficate, zo there 'ont be no crownment.
CROW OVER [kroa- oa-vur], v. To bully ; to triumph : as a
cock does when he has won a battle.
CRUB [kruub], sb. A crib for cattle ; not a manger. It is only
found in stalls for cows or oxen, and merely consists, for the most
part, of a stiff railing of horizontal bars across the end of the stall,
behind which the hay or straw is placed. When solid in form, as is
now becoming usual, a crub is larger than a manger. See RACK.
CRUB [kruub], v. To curb.
[Oa'l vaa's ! kruub-m ee'n !] hold fast ! curb him in !
CRUB-CHAIN [kruub-chai-n, or chaa-yn], sb. A curb-chai
(always). See CURB.
GRUBBING [kruub'een], sb. Kerbing — /. e. the wooden frame
cut to fit round the top of a washing copper. See FURNACE.
CRUBBING SAW [kruub'een zair, or zaa-], sb. A narrow bi
very coarse-toothed saw, used by wheelers to saw out the fellie
also a narrow saw used by sawyers for cutting curved work.
CRUEL [krue'ee'ul], adv. Very ; (when emph. always
tri-syllable).
\Krue~ee-itl geo'd tu poo'ur voaks,] very good to poor foil
(The vernacular is often a very literal description of indiscriminat
almsgivers.)
CRUMB [kreo-m]. See BIT AND CRUMB.
A person or animal improving in appearance, is said " to
picking up his kreo'tuz." Always so pronounced.
Zich perty promises, egosh !
Zeem words o' cuse, a pack o' trosh ;
Wind, faith ! net one crume better :
Peter Pindar. Royal Visit to Exeter, p. 3.
CRUMPLING [kruunrpleen], sb. An apple which does m
mature, but which shrivels on the tree.
Sight o' crumplins de year, I count 'tis the dry saison.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 173
CRY [kruy], v. t. To repudiate a wife's debts.
No, he 'ont ha no more to do way her, and he had her z.-cried
last Zadurday night.
CRY-BABY [kruybae'ubee]. A big child given to crying. A
term of mockery used much amongst children, when tears flow too
readily.
CRYING THE NECK [kruyeen dhu nak-]. An ancient
custom of reapers when they have cut the last of the corn on a
farm. A bunch of ears is tied together called the neck (q. v.).
CRY SHAME OF [kruy shee-um oa]. To blame publicly;' to
hold up to contempt.
Everybody do cry shame d* un, eens he've a-sar'd her. Tidn no
odds hot com'th to jish fullers, — nif 't-ad-n a-bin vor he, her widn
a-bin lyin a-bier, an' the poor little chillern way nobody to look
arter 'em.
CUB [kuub], sb. A young fox; no other English animal so
called.
CUBBY, CUBBY-HOLE [kuub-ee], sb. An out-of-the-way
snuggery, such as children are fond of creeping into ; a hiding-place.
[Aay noa'us u puurdee lee'dl kuub'ee, Jiinvee,] I know a pretty
little snuggery, Jimmy.
CUCKOLD DOCK [keok'oa-1 datrk]. The Burdock.
(Cuckold is always pronounced \Keck'oa'l\ while cuckoo and its
compounds have initial g.)
CUCKOO-BUTTONS [geo'keo-buufnz]. The very adhesive
seed-pods of the \boa~r duyshl^ Boardistle (q. v.). Also of the
Burdock.
CUCKOO-FLOWER [geo-keo-flaawur]. (Much the commonest
name.) Cardamine prat en sis.
With harclocks, hemlocks, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow. — King Lear, IV. iv.
CUCKOO-LAMB [geo'keo-laa-m]. A lamb born out of season.
CUCKOO-ROSES [geo'keo-roa-uzez], sb. Daffodils.
The proper name o'm's Lent-lilies, but we always calls em guckoo-
roses. — April, 1884.
CUCKOO SHOP [geo'keo-shaup], sb. An illicit beer or cider-
shop.
[Aay muyn haun dh'oal Wee'ul Joa'unz yuez tu kip u geo-kfo-
shaup-m. dhik aew'z,] I remember when the old Will Jones used to
keep a cuckoo -shop in that house.
1/4 "WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
CUCKOO-SPAT, or SPATTLR [geok'eo-spaat-1]. The spume
called elsewhere cuckoo-spit. See SPAT.
CUDDLE [kuud'l], v. To press, or cling close to, as a child
to its mother.
This word does not imply to fondle or embrace, as it expresses
the action of the one who is embraced, or who seeks to be so.
Two children lying very close together in bed would be said to be
cuddled together. Again, chickens are said to cuddle in under the
hen. The word rather signifies a seeking after protection or
warmth.
CUDDLEY [kuud'lee], sb. The common wren.
[Aay noa'us u kuud'leez-nas wi vaawur ai'gs een un,] I know a
wren's nest with four eggs in it.
Middlin luck this year ; an't a-lost but one chick, out o' all the
lot, and thick was a poor little thing, no bigger-n a cuddley.
— March 12, 1887.
In North Devon this bird is a crackety \kraak'utee\.
CUDGEL PLAYING [kuuj-eel plaayeen]. Single-stick.
This was our favourite West Somerset game, as wrestling wa?
that of Devonshire. Both have been quite common at " revels
until within the last twenty or thirty years.
CUE [Hie1], sb. The iron heel of a boot ; often nearly as heav
as a donkey's shoe ; generally made and put on by the blacksmitl
Sometimes called cute and skute [kuet, skiiet]. See TIPS.
Did ever mortal see sic brutes,
To order me to lift my cities.
Ad ! smash the fool, he stands and talk,
How can he learn me to walk,
That's walk'd this forty year, man 1
7 he Pitman? s Revenge against Buonaparte, quoted by Brockett. p. 52.
CUFF [kuuf], v. t. To strike or beat the head ; to box the ear
Not applied to striking with any other weapon than the hand,
to any other part than the head.
GUI-BIT [kuuHnit], .sb. Culvert.
Called also a barrel arch [baaree'ul aa'rch], that is, a circuit
conduit made of brick-work. See COVERED GUTTFR.
C?//^//-bricks are specially made segment shaped, and so as tc
be built without a " centre," or sustaining frame.
CULCH [kuul'ch], sb. Broken crockery, oyster shells, and th(
usual siftings from an ash-pit.
CULL [kuul], v. t. To separate the best sheep from the inferior
Not used in selecting generally, but only with sheep.
CULLS [kuul-z], sb. Inferior sheep picked out of a flock.
UEST SOMERSET WORDS. 175
CULM [kuul'um], sb. The slack of non-bituminous or anthracite
coal is known by no other name. The large lumps are "stone-coal."
It has long been used for burning lime and for drying malt. At
nearly every coal-yard will be seen written up, " Coal, Culm, and Salt
Merchant." It is found in South Wales, and for the past few years
it has been sold largely as " smokeless coal " in other districts.
CUM-ATHER! CUM-ATHER-WAY ! [Km-aexlhur ! Km-
ae'dhur-waree-u ! Kiinv-aedhur-waree-u !] The words used by all
carters to their horses, to direct them to come hither — i. e. to the
near or left side, on which the carter always walks when driving
without reins. The [wai'ee-u], though precisely the same sound as
that used to cause horses to stop, is probably in this combination
with ye — come hither, with ye ! See WAY, WUG.
CUMBERMENT [kuunrburmunt], sb. Incumbrance, hindrance,
impediment.
You zee, mum, tidn same's 'off I was a young man 'thout no
cumberinent ; anybody could do then eens they be aminded.
CUNNING [kuun-een], adj. Wise, able, skilful, dexterous.
This word in the dialect keeps only its original meanings, and
conveys no such idea as the conventional cunning. A cunning sort
of a man might be said of a good preacher, a clever mechanic, or a
good farmer. Comp. cunning as used in the A.V.
Let my right band forget her cunning. — Ps. cxxxvii. 5.
The modern notion is expressed in the dialect by " artful " or
" false."
CUNNY-FINGERED [kiunree ving-urd]. A way of bending
the thumb into the closed hand to shoot the taw, in playing at
marbles.
CUP ! [kuup !]. The invariable call when it is desired to call a
horse towards one, or to catch him in a field — kuup ! kuup ! kuup !
CUP! [kuop ! koop !]. The call to fowls or turkeys. It is
sounded precisely as a northerner sounds cup.
No native would ever confound these calls or sound them alike.
Comp. cup. Mid Yorkshire Glossary.
CUPBOARD [kuub'id], sb. The climax or superlative absolute
of lew (q. v.). A very sheltered spot is described as [su lue'-z u
kunb-id,~] so lew as a cupboard.
CUPS AND SAUCERS [kuups-n saa-rsurz]. Acorns.
CURB [kuurb], sb. i. A curve.
We shall bring the wall to a [rig'lur kuurb'}.
i;6 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. r. To curve.
Take and [knurb-rti een raewn] to a regular sweep — i. e. cui-ve it
round. See CRUB.
CURCHY [kuurchee], v. and sb. Curtsey.
\Kunr- chee tu dhu lae'udee, lig u geo'd maa'yd,] curtsey to the
lady, like a good girl.
CURDLE [kuurdl], v. f. and /'. and sb. To curl ; a curl (always).
An example of the insertion of d between r and /, as in guurdl
(girl) ; kwaur dl (quarrel) ; wuurd'l (world) ; puurdl (purl) (q. v.}.
CURDLY-GREENS [kuur'dlee gree-nz], sb. (always). Curly-
greens, or the curled kale — brassica fimbriata.
CURDLY POLL [kuurdlee poa-1], sb. A curly head.
Our Billy's a proper little curdly-poll.
CURMSON [kuurmzn]. Crimson (always).
The nose o' un wadn hurd (red), I tell ee, he was downrait
cunnson, and no more shape nor form-n a dough-fig.
In a sey ev gold an' eurmson clouds
Outstratchin' dru the west,
The zun, lik' a gilded sheenin ball,
Ez zinken into rest. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches.
CUROSITY [keo-rau-sutee], sb. Curiosity (always).
Jim Giles zeed thick there pipe you gid me, hot you brought
home, an' he zaid how he sh'd like one o' they, vor a curosity
like. — May 21, 1866.
CUROUS [keo'rus], adj. Particular; fastidious; over nice;
careful.
Ter'ble curous old jinlmun 'bout's mait 'n drink — nif tidn
rezackly to his mind, he 'ont never tich o' it.
I be glad you liked they paths, I was uncommon cur 'ous about
'em — /. e. took great pains. — Gardener. — J. F. C.
)>enne alle ]>e toles of tolowse mojt tyjt hit to kerue,
Jms is he kyryons and clene J>at ]>ou his cort askes.
Early A Hit. Poems, Cleanness, 1. 1108.
CURRY [kuuree], sb. A kind of rough waggon used only for
harvesting, or carrying straw, browse, wallett, or similar stuff. It
has no close body, and is therefore unsuitable for such loads as
stones, manure, corn in sacks, &c. Possibly the word, though
usually printed curry, is in reality " kerry " (wain), and no doubt the
auctioneer who wrote the following thought so too :
Agricultural Implements, and Dairy Utensils. — r strong waggon, 3 kcrries,
2 Crosskill's carts, small two-wheel dog-cart, ditto pony ditto, putt.
Advertisement of Farm Sale. — Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 177
CURSHIN [kuursheen], sb. A cushion (always).
Cf. \waursheen, faa'r-sheen~\, washing, fashion, &c.
CURSHINS [kuursheenz], sb. pi. The plant Thrift (very com.).
Armeria vulgaris.
Of Thrift, or our Ladies Cushion. — Gerard, p. 602.
CURSNIN [kiirsneen], sb. Baptism, christening. See
CHRISTENING-VAULT.
CUSS [kuus, kuus'ee], v. and s. Curse, swear.
[Uur ded kuus-n, shoa'ur nuuf,] she did curse him, sure 'nough !
Qish fuul'ur tu kuus-ee, yue niivur ded-n zee dhu fuul'ur oa un,]
such a fellow to swear, you never saw his like.
CUSSIN-DAY. Ash Wednesday, or whenever the Commin-
ation is read.
CUSSIN-SARVICE [kuus-een saa'rvees]. The Commination.
CUSTOMARY-LAND [kuus'tumree Ian-]. A tenure of land
depending upon the performance of some act, specified by the
original grantor ; as the due payment of a pepper-corn by way of
rent. This is a very common nominal rental for many properties
in this district. See LAND.
CUT [kuut], sb. Weaver's term. The length as marked on the
warp or chain (q. v.) required for a piece of cloth. The warp
may contain several cuts in length.
CUT [kuut], v. castrare (always).
'Tis time to cut and tail the lambs.
a gowne of scarlet with slyt slyues y-furred, and my cuttyd hors.
Will of Kick. Dixton 1438. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. Ill, 1. 23.
CUT AND COME AGAIN [kuut-n kau'm ugee'un], sb. A very
prolific variety of kale or winter greens ; much grown in cottage
gardens.
CUTTER [kuufur], sb. A gelder (always). I have known a man
of this profession all my life, but never heard him called by any
other name than " Cutter Marks." I do not know his Christian
name.
CUT THE LEG [kuut dhu lai'g], phr. It is common for men
when working together, to hear one say :
Well soce? somebody Ve a.-cut their leg then, sure 'nough.
This is followed by the inevitable spitting, whenever any foul odour
is perceived.
CUTTY [kuufee]. The wren ; not so common as cuddley (q. v.),
and a little " fine talk " in this district.
N
1/8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The blackbird 'pon the thorn-bush zits,
The dursh 'pon th' elem high,
The rabbin, golefinch, cutt, and lark
Wi 'one er t'other try. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 42.
1. The use of this letter seems somewhat erratic and arbitrary :
in the dialect it is often dropped in words where it is sounded in
lit. Eng., while on the other hand it is often inserted redundantly
after final / and ;/, when these follow long vowels. Thus it is dropped
in all words ending in Id, nd (such as mild, child \chee~ut}, wild,
field, yield, scald, emerald, Suffield, old, fold, scaffold; and wind,
land, hand, command, hound, find, &c.), except errand, which is
always [aarunt]. It is also dropped in some words ending in
rd, when the preceding vowel is short or without stress, as in
shepherd [shiip-ur]. It is inserted in mile [muyuld] ; smaller
[smaal'dur] ; tailor [taa'yuldur] ; finer [fuyndur], &c. In some
cases, though rarely, the final d is sounded before a vowel. See
lists of literary words at the end of each letter.
D used for th is rare, but sometimes heard — perhaps oftener
than most observers are aware of. Dashle, thistle ; datch for thatch,
are quite common; also de for the may be heard from individual
speakers in many districts, while of course it is a well-known rule
that all words in lit. English beginning with thr are dr in the
dialect, as drash, dree, dread (thread), drow, drough, drum (thrumb).
2. Contraction for had and would when following vowels am
liquids — also after/, b, v,f, s, z.
I'd (he'd, she'd, you'd, they'd) a got a lot one time.
\'d a gid a sovereign out o' my own pocket, vore should a-hap'c
— ees I wid.
Bill'*/ a-had 'z dinner vore a started.
Our Jim'*/ a zoonderd a fight it out and zo a wid, nif BobV a-bir
ort of a man.
[Muslur Bruys t-Ee'ul Taap-*/ a-boa'ut-n turaak-lee, neef Joamns
dhu faar-yur-^ u-zee'd-n,] Mr. Brice to (of) Hill Top would have
bought him directly (/. e. on the spot) if Jones the farrier had seer
him.
DAB [dab], sb. i. A thump; a hard blow with hand or fist
but without a weapon.
I'll gie thee a dab under the ear, s'hear me.
Als he hit togicld, out to habbe,
Philot him gaf anothir dabbe ;
That in the scheld the gysarme
Bylefte hongyng, and eke the arme.
Weber, Met, Romances, Kyng Alisaundtr, 1. 2307.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 179
2. A lump of anything.
Jim, let's have a dab o' putty, wit ?
DAB [dab], sb. Daub. An old-fashioned way of building was
to build the four outside walls of a house as high as the eaves of
cob (q. v.). The gables and partitions were then made of rough
round poles or sticks nailed upright, and across these some split
sticks for laths ; over all was put a coat of dab or very rough mortar.
This method is called split and dab [splee't-n dab']. A great
many thatched cottages still existing are so built.
I dattbe with claye onely. Jardille. I am a poore man, I muste . daube my
walles, for I can make none other shyfte. Palsgrave.
DAB-HAND [dab-air], sb. An expert.
[Muy bwuuy-z u rigiur dab-an' tu fig'uree,] my boy is a regul ar
expert at cyphering.
DAB IN THE HAND [dab'-m dh-air], sb. i. Compensation;
earnest money; a sum on account to clinch a bargain. A very
common saying over a bargain when " earnest money " is paid, is
— [Wuul, u dab'-m dh-an'-z bad'r-n u buump-m dhu baak',] well,
a dab in the hand is better than a bump in the back.
2. A bribe, a douceur.
They zess how Turney Smith had a middlin dab in tKand 'bout
makin o' thick there will.
DABSTER [dab'stur]. An expert — not so common as dab-hand,
but the same meaning. It is a little "finer talk," and would be
used by such people as would choose their words, and who know
better than to be so common as to sound v for/, or z for s. Hence
these persons would always talk of singk and fellum — they know
better than to call it zingk (zinc), or rellum. I know many such.
DACIOUS [dae'urshus], adj. Impudent ; rude (a favourite word
with women).
[Yiie dae'urshus yuung raa'skl !] you audacious young rascal !
DAFF [daaf], adj. Stupid, dull, idiotic.
Tis a wisht thing vor em, sure 'nough, vor t-ave two o'm daff
and foolish like that there. Nif twid but plase th' Almighty vor
to take em : but there I spose her'd vex herzul to lost em, same's
off they was sensible like. Not now used as a subs.
DAFFE, or dastard, or he ]>at spekythe not in tyme. Oridurus.
Promp. Parv.
And when this jape is tald another day
I sal be held a daf, a cokenay.
Chaucer, Reevts Tale, \. 287.
and herodes J>e daffe
Jaf hus douhter for daunsyng : in a disshe ]>e hefde
Of j>e blessyde baptiste : by-fore alle hus gustes.
Piers Ploiv. xi. 177. See also Jb. xiv. 236.
N 2
ISO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DAFFY-DOWN-DILLY [daa-fee-daewn-diil'ee], sb. The daffo-
dil. (Very com. with children.)
DAG [dag]. To " set a dag " is to perform some feat in such a
way as to challenge imitation ; such as walking along a round pole
across a deep canal ; or diving off from a considerable height. It
is very common in such a case for the leader to say to his com-
panions [dhae'ur-z u dag' vaur ee] there's a dag for you — /. e. there
is a feat — do that if you can. See dazzity in Robinson's Mid
Yorkshire Glossary, E. D. S.
DAG, DAG-END [dag, dag'-een], sb. Of a sheaf of corn or reed,
the end opposite to the ears. Of a faggot of wood, the end having
the biggest sticks. Of a single branch, the stem end.
Thee art a purty fool to load, art-n ? Why thee's a put the
sheaves back-n-vore, way the dag-een towards the middle ; they
'ont ride lig that.
DAGGED [dag'ud], adj. Same as jagged. Applied to clothes
ragged at the bottom, as of a woman's skirt or a man's trousers.
" Dagged~ass " is a common term of contempt for a woman whose
skirt is jagged and foul at the lower edge.
The word now implies the result of wear and tear — no longer
dags of fashion.
DAGGYDE. Fractillosus. 'DAGGYNNE. Fractillo.
IAGGYD, or daggyd. Fractillosus. — Promp. Paru.
See Wey'snote, p. in.
but there is also the costly furrying in their gowns, so much punching of chisel
to make holes, so much dagging of shears.
Chaucer, Parsoris Tale, De superbia.
and }>anne lowh loude lyf . and let dagge hus cloj>es.
Piers Plow. XXIII. 143.
ffor wolde }>ey blame ]>e burnes . J>at brouzle newe gysis,
and dryue out ]>e dagges : and all J>e duche cotis,
England, Rich, the Redeles, III. 192.
thek gurt banging, thonging, muxy Drawbreech, daggU-teal'A Jade.
Ex. Scold. 1. 501.
DAGGERS [dag-urz], sb. The broad straight leaves of the
common iris or flag.
DAGGERS-DRAWD [dag-urz-draird], adj. Extremely hostile.
[Dhai bee rig'lur dag'urz-drau'd,~\ they are regularly at daggers-
drawn.
DAGGINGS [dag-eenz]. The clotted wool which is clipped off
from sheep which have had the scour (q. v.). See GRIBBLE.
DAIRY [dae'uree], sb. The milking cows belonging to any
farm or house.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. l8l
If a number of cows were seen going home to be milked, it
would be usual to ask, " Whose dairy's this here ? " To let a dairy
by no means implies the letting of premises except incidentally,
but is the technical way of expressing the letting of cows — /'. e. the
owner provides the cows, their fodder and shelter, while the dairy-
man has to attend to the cows, and takes all their produce, for
which he pays so much a year per cow.
DAIRY-GOODS [dae-uree geo'dz], sb. Butter, cheese, cream ;
dairy produce. Used by other than dairy people in speaking of the
above ; by the latter the produce is called goods simply.
'Tis winderful the sight o' dairy goods they do zend off vrom
our station.
Ees, but the goods baint a wo'th nort har'ly — tidn a bit same's
use to, hon butter was nineteen and twenty (/. e. pence per lb.).
DAIRY-MAN [dae'uree-mun],^. One who rents a dairy (q. v.).
Very rarely, a man employed as a labourer about a dairy.
DALL, DALLY ! [daa'l, daa'lee !], interj. Quasi, or apologetic
imprecations.
[Dacrlce, zir ! kaa-n nii'vur voo'urd tu due- ut vur dhu muun-ee,]
dall 'ee, sir ! (I) can never afford to do it for the money. — Sept. 2,
1886.
Nif I do, I'll be dolled.
I'll be datd if owr Mary thare hath'n a bin
An parchis'd be zom mayns a nu crinalin.
Nathan Hogg, Ser. II. p. 14.
DAME [dae'um], sb. i. The title of a woman of at least middle
age, of the lower middle-class — such as the wife of a small farmer.
Th' old dame Glass gid me they there lillies.
Its use implies great familiarity — perhaps a little disrespect ; no
one would speak of a lady as dame unless a slight were intended.
It is equivalent here among the peasantry to " mother so-and-so,"
in speaking of a person ; but in legal instruments and on tombs,
Dame is a title equal to Madam or Mrs.
2. The dam, mother : applied to animals or birds. (Always.)
Not now to persons.
Her's the [dae'um] dame o' your bay 'oss. They young holm-
screeches 've a-lost their dame.
And whane" }>e dame hath ydo, )>at to ]>e dede longith,
And hopith ffor to hacche, &c.
Rich, the Red. m. ]. 43. See also Ibid. 1. 48.
Alsone as that childe y-borne is
It hath wytt or har I wys,
And may speken to his dame :
Now is this a selkouthe game.
Weber, Met, Rom. Kyng Alisaunder, \. 5024.
1 82 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DAMSEL [daamzee-ul], sb. Damson. (Very com.) By some
individuals always so called.
DANCE [daa-ns], sb. and vb. Often used to express displeasure.
[Lai'd mee u puurdee daa'ns,~\ led me a pretty dance.
[Zoa aay mus daa-ns ubaewt aa'dr ee-,] so I must dance about
after^him.
[Un-eebau'dee mud bee u-daa'nseen baewt au'l dhur tuym,] one
may be dancing about all their time.
Compare, to dance attendance.
DANCY [daa'nsee], v. t. To dandle, as with an infant.
Nurses sing to children :
Dancy, Dancy, Daisy,
What sh'll I do to plaze ee ?
Take thee on my lap
And gi' thee a sop,
And that's what I'll do to plaze ee.
DANDY-HORSE [dan-dee airs], sb. A velocipede.
This was the name of the old-fashioned bicycle, which was
just high enough to take the rider's weight, and was propelled by
his pushing against the ground with his toes. I have often
heard it used for an ordinary tricycle driven by a crank; and
latterly even the modern bicycle is constantly so called in the
remoter districts.
DANG [dang], v. A compromise for damn.
[Dang- yuur blid !] would be said by a person who would be
shocked at being accused of swearing, and who would never under
any provocation use the ordinary imprecation on the eyes. The
number of words of this class, by which people let off their anger,
and yet salve their consciences by these silly attempts " to cheat
the devil," is quite astonishing.
Bit dang et aul ! I'm riting aun,
Till aul tha papers moast agaun.
Nathan Hogg, Ser. I. p. 38.
DAP [daa'p], v. i. To go quickly, briskly.
[Leok shaa'rp-m daa'p lairng,] look sharp and go along quickly.
[Aai daa'p een umbuy,] I'll pop in by-and-by.
2. v. /'. To hop as a ball. A stone thrown along the surface of
water so as to make "ducks and drakes " is said to \daa'pee\.
3. v. To fish with a rod in a peculiar manner. When th
stream is flooded and the water muddy, the bait, whether fly o
grub, is kept close to the top of the rod, with only an inch or two
of line, and is made to bob up and down very quickly on th
surface of the water.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 183
4. sb. Trick, ruse, artifice.
Annointed rogue, there idn no dap nor move that he idn up to.
5. v. t. with down. To lay or put down; it implies a temporary
or provisional laying down.
Hot 's lef thy bag o' tatees yur vor ? I 'ant a-left em ; I on'y
dapt em down while I dapt into Joe's arter a pint o' cider.
DAP [daa'p], sb. Hop of a stone on the water, or of a ball.
Thick there made zebm (seven) daps, and thine didn make on'y
but vive.
DAP-CHICK [daa-p-chik], sb. (Always.) Dabchick, or little
grebe. Podiceps minor. See DIPPER.
DAPS [daa-ps], sb. pi. i. Habits or ways. Applied either to
persons or animals.
[Ee-z u au-kurd kuus'tumur, neef mreebau'dee ded-n noa1 dhu
daa-ps oa un,] he (a horse) is an awkward customer, if one did not
know his ways.
Anybody idn no good vor want-catchin, nif they baint up to the
daps o'm, purty middlin like.
2. Likeness ; image. (Very com.)
[Dhu vuuree daa-ps uy uz faa'dhur,] the very image of his
father.
Tha hast tha very daps o' thy Old Ount Sybyl Moreman upazet.
Ex. Scolding, 1. 229.
Ha zim'd steev'd way tha cold, an tha daps me deer Jan,
Uv a thing es uv raid aw thay kals a say-man.
Nathan Hogg, Tor Abbey Vaistings.
DARE [dae'ur], v. t. i. To forbid sternly or under a penalty;
to frighten from a purpose ; to defy.
[Ur dae'urd-n. t-ai'n stoa'unz tu dhu duuks,] she sternly forbad
him to throw stones at the ducks.
[Ee daeu-rd dhu paa'sn neet tu km ee'n t- tee'z aewz noa moa'ur,]
he forbad the parson to come into his house again.
2. To threaten.
[Dhu poaieesmun dae'urd-n haut ee-d due' tue un,] the policeman
threatened him what he would do to him.
DARK-NIGHT [daaik-nait], sb. Nightfall. The beginning of
night.
The expression "daylight to darknight " is very common, to signify
the entire day from dawn to nightfall.
Another common form is " Vrom day's light to darky-night"
DARN [daarn], v. Quasi oath. Same as DALL, DAZ, &c.
1 84
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DARTER-LAW [daa-rtur lau], sb. (Always.) Daughter-in-
law. See Book of Ruth, ii. 20, in W. S. Gram. p. 108.
DASHLE [daash-1, duVl, duyshl, duysl], sb. Thistle.
All the forms of pronunciation are about equally common ; but
in none is th ever sounded.
DATCH [daach], v. and sb. Thatch.
Used generally in certain districts, particularly about Culmstock
in East Devon, and by individuals in many parts. I know several
in this neighbourhood (Wellington) and also round Wiveliscombe,
who always say, Here's the datcher comin vor to datch the ricks.
The datch 'pon Jan Gadd's house is proper a-weared out.
DATCHER [daach-ur], sb. Thatcher. (See above.)
DATCHES [daach-ez], sb. pi. Vetches. (Very com.)
By some this is pronounced dhaach'ez ; indeed v and dh are
usually interchangeable.
DAUNT [daa-nt], sb. i. A check through fear.
[Dhaat puut u daa'nt paun un puurdee kwik,] that put a check
upon him pretty quickly.
2. v. t. To tame.
You'll have to do ever so much vor to daunt thick there colt
vore you can git tap o' un.
For oft lymes he, bounden in stockis and chaynes, hadde broken the chaynes,
and hadde brokun the stockis to smale gobetis, and no man mijte daunte hym.
Wyclifvers. (Morris and Skeat). Mark v. 4.
I dawnfe, I mate, I overcome. Je matte. This term is yet scarsly admitted
in our comen spetche. — Palsgrave.
DAY [dai], v. i. ; p. t. daid ; pp. u-dard. To die. Usual
pronunciation ; precisely as in lit. day.
Her's ter'ble bad : I be afeard her's gwain to day.
Never sinze his wive daid he 'ant a bin a bit the same man.
but she denyed hit and seid J>at she had leuer dey J>an consent perto. So within
short tyme, J>e maister drew to a fer lond, and J>ere he deied.
Gest. Rom. p. 88,
after J>e lord J>at daide for me. — Ibid. p. 25.
do let me hennes bere,
}>at y ne daye in f>is degre : cristned y wold y were.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 777. See also 11. 2579, 2589.
Thare ez yus'd ta meet and chatter —
Talk uv ghosts, an uv tha dayd,
'Till horn vast our veet wid clatter,
Most aveer'd ta go ta bayd.
Nathan ffogg, Ser. II.
DAY [dai]. " To lose a day " is to be unable for some reason
to work for a day, and so to lose a day's wages.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 185
Plase, sir, I wants to lost half-a-</tfy — /. e. to go from my work for
half-a-^iy, and allow half-a-dto/j wages.
DAY-MORNING [dai-maurneen]. This morning — lit. this day
morning. (Very com.)
[Aagn u-zee'd-n sifnz dai-maur'neen — u brak'sus-tuym;] (I) have
not seen him since this morning, at breakfast-time.
Fal. What's the matter ? there be four of us here have ta'en a thousand pound
this day morning. I Henry IV. II. iv.
DAY'S MARCH [dai-z maarch], sb. (Very com.)
[Yue oa*n vuyn dhu fuul'ur oa tin neet-n u dai'z maarch,'] you
will not find his equal, not in a day's march.
DAY-TALE FELLOW [dai-tae-ul fuul-ur], \ sb. A labourer hired
DAY-TALE MAN [dai-tae-ul mun], J by the day. Hence
a term of reproach, meaning a lazy, slack workman whose only
care is to have his wages, and to do as little as he can to earn them.
(Very com.)
DAY-TOOL [dai'-teol], sb. A bad or worn-out tool.
[U praup'ur dai'-teol\ implies such an implement as a man would
use who found his own tools and worked by the day. The term is
of everyday use. Applied also fig. to persons.
He's a purty old day-tool — he too — why I widn gie un zix pence
a wik — /. e. he is used up, worn out, good-for-nothing.
DAZ ! [daa'z !], v. Very .common form of damn — this is the
bucolic form of dash.
[Daa'z ee ! niivur muyn. Daafz muy buut'nz neef aay due* !]
Daaz'd if I don't make thee know, s'hear me ! See DANG.
Chuck vul, ez wul, tha winder waz,
Zeth I, "Mee deer, now I'll be daz!
Yul yewze up aul the lite ;
An widn'et bee a purty lark
Ta layve tha wurd'l in tha dark
An turn tha day ta night."
Nathan Hogg, Ser. II. p. 6r.
DAZED [dae'uz], adj. Giddy, dazzled, bewildered, confused.
[Waut ae'ulth ee? dhee urt sae'um-z un'eebau'dee u-dae-uz,~\
what is the matter with you ? you are like a person bewildered.
DASYD, or be-dasyd. Vertiginosus. — Promp. Parv.
DEAD [dai'd], adv. Using a lever without much purchase, or
length of leverage. See PINCH.
We never can't turn the piece, nif you catch the lever so dead.
There now ! nif has'n a-catch-n deader again ! — /'. e. still more dead.
DEAD [dai'd], adj. i. We have two or three similes which are
used about equally with this word — \_dai' d-z u aanrur,] dead as a
1 86
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
hammer (never a door-nail), and [daid-z u mag'ut,] maggot. In
these combinaions it is applied only to animals or man. Of game,
it is most usual to say, [daid-z u rag]. A man looking for a bird
supposed to be only wounded would cry out, Here (it) is ! so dead's
a rag [yuur uz I zu daid-z u rag].
2. Flat, stale, as applied to drinks.
[Dhu suydur-z-u dai'd-z dee'ch-wau'dr,] the cider is as dead as
ditch-water.
DEAD AGIN [dai'd ugmv], adv. Strongly opposed to.
[Mae'ustur-z dai'd uguir dhu paa'sn,] master is averse to, or on
bad terms with the parson.
DEAD-ALIVE [dai'd-uluyv], adj. Dull; wanting in energy;
phlegmatic.
I should'n never like to be a-tied up to jish poor dead-alive
thing's her is : her's 'nough to gie anybody the blues vor to look
to her, let alone to live way her. See DEAD-LIVERED.
DEAD-HORSE [dai'd-au-s], sb. Work done in redemption of
debt is called [wuurkeen aewt dhu dard-au's,~] working out the
dead-horse.
[Aa! aay dhau'rt u wiid-n kau'm ; ee doa'n luyk tu wuurk aewt
dhu dai'd au's,~] ah ! I thought he would not come ; he does not
like to work when he has been paid beforehand. So it is
common to say, Ah ! that's a dead-oss job — meaning it is badly
done because paid for beforehand, or only done to work out an
obligation.
Hence the old saying, " Vorehand-pay and never-pay's the wist
(worst) of all pay."
DEAD LIFT [dai-d liif], sb. When horses are attached to a
weight beyond their strength to move, they frequently refuse to try
a second time ; in such a case it is said, [dhai oa*n peol tue u dai'd
/u/;'] they won't pull at a dead lift. On the other hand it is common
to hear a seller say of a horse, I'll warn un to pull twenty times
veiling (following — /. e. in succession) to a dead-lift.
DEAD-LIVERED [dai'd-luyvurd], adj. Dead-alive, dull;
stupid, sluggish.
I zim her's the [dai'd Zuyvurdz,~] dead-liverdest, gurt, gawky-
looking piece in all the parish.
DEAD-MEN'S-FINGERS [daid-mainz-ving'urz]. The plant
Orchis maculata (com.).
DEADS [dai'dz], sb. The subsoil. The barren ground or
gravel immediately below the top stratum.
[Toa'n due tu pluwee tue- tuurubl dee'p, yue-ul uun'ee bring
aup dhu dai'dz], it will not do to plough too terrible deep, you will
only bring up the barren subsoil.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DEAF [dee'f], adj. Applied to any kind of fruit or seed enclosed
in a shell or husk, which when opened is barren.
Dee'f kaicrn is an ear of corn without grain in it. Nuts without
kernels are always deef.
[Noa zee'ud een ut, u plai'ntee u buud', bud au'l oa-m dee'f ^ no
seed in it, a plenty of buds, but all of them deaf. This was said to
me of a field of clover, which seemed very good in appearance.
—Sept. 1884.
Always pronounced deef. The regular superlative absolute (see
W. S. Gram. p. 22) is always "so deef's a 'addick " — though why
a haddock should be deafer than other fish, or why a hammer is
deader than other tools, seems quite inscrutable to any but the
bucolic mind.
and all the doujtris of song schulen wexe deef.
Wyclifvers. Ecdes. xii. 4.
His eres waxes deef, and hard to here.
Hampole, Pricke ef Conscience, 1. 782.
J>e folkes heste ys
So yharded, ]>at hii be]) blynde and deve ywis,
)>at hii nolle}? non god ]>yng yhure ne yse.
1298. Robt. of Glottct-ster, p. 352.
Ley no dee/ere to my spekyng,
I swere you, sir, it is gabbyng.
1370. Chaucer, Rumaunt of the Rose. Works ; Bell, 1856 (v. 7), p. 357.
For thay ben doumbe, and therto they ben deve,
And chargeth him his ydoles for to leve.
1390; Chaucer, Seconde Nonnes Tale, Cant. Tales,\. 12,214.
A dtffman and a doumbe was helid of Crist.
1375. Wyclif, Sunday Gospel, Serm. xii. (Select English Works) I. p. 29.
Ich drawe men, quaj> seint Andrew : lo god J>at soj) is
ac wrecches and false joure beoj? : and deue and dombe iwis.
1305. St. Andrew, Early English Poems (1862), p. 99.
For deue J>orjh hus doynges, and dombe speke and herde.
*393' Piers Plowman. Pass. 22, 1. 130.
Many of hem becamen . . . deve for the noyse of the water.
1356. Mandeville, ch. 30, p. 306 (ed. 1839).
DEAF -NETTLE [dee'f niifl], sb. Dead nettle— Lamium
purpurenm.
DEAL [dae'ul], sb. Lot, quantity, part, bit.
Why, I'd zoonder go 'thout em, by a purty dale,-\\ I'd pay jish
prize. (Very com.)
And Roland iherd hit euery del: and his auaunttyngge hem greuede sore,
Ac J>oJ him self had born him wel : ]>anne spake he no more.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 44.
And with one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an
hin of beaten oil. Exodus xxix. 40.
1 88
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DEAL [dae'ul], v. t. To conclude a bargain of purchase or
sale ; to buy.
[V-ee u-dae'ulud?'] have you dealt? may be heard fifty times
in every market or fair. It is the regular question put to a seller
by a buyer when he wishes to know if the former has sold his
commodity to the departing bidder, so that if not, he may begin to
chaffer for it.
[Yue oa-n taek noa las'? Noa. Wuul dhan aay shaa'n dae'ul^
you will not take less ? No. Well then I shall not buy.
[V-ee u-boagut dhik au*s? Noa, keod-n dae~ul,~\ have you bought
that horse? No, (we) could not deal (i. e. agree as to price).
At fairs and similar places, the women who keep the " fairing,"
or gingerbread stalls, always salute the passers-by with [plaiz tu
dae'ul,~\ i. e. please to buy.
See W. Som. Dial. pp. 19, 20.
DEAN [dai-n], sb. A wide valley, a vale — as Tauntcn Dean.
]>ou says ]x>u trawej me in )>is dene,
By cawse )>ou may with yjen me se.
Allit. Poems. The Pearl, i. 295.
DEARY [dee'uree], interj. adj. and sb.
[Dee'uree 1 dee'uree mee !] deary ! deary me !
[Leok, Ai'nee ! dhur-z u dee'uree niid'l gib'ee laam !] look, Henny
(Henry), there is a deary little gibby lamb !
[Dhae'ur, muy dee'uree! dhai shaa'n uurt ee,] there, my deary!
they shan't hurt you.
DEATH [dath]. It is a sure sign of death in the family, if in
swarming the bees should settle on a dead tree or bush. If any
one should put the bellows on the table. If the flowers of May or
white-thorn are brought into the house. If a hare runs across the
path. If the owl hoots close to the house. If a winding-sheet
or coffin-handle form in the candle. If four magpies are seen
together. If parsley be transplanted.
DEATHLY-LIKE [dath'lee-luyk], adv. \ Very pale; deathly;
colourless in complexion.
[Aay ztim uur leok'ud dath'lee-luyk,'} I fancy she looked pale
as death.
DEATH-STRUCK [dath-streokf], fart. adj. Death-smitten.
[Aa* ! aay zeed u wuz dath- streak t, zu zeon-z uvur aay tlaa'p
mee uy paun un,] ah ! I saw he was death-smitten, as soon as
ever I clapped my eye upon him.
DECEIVE [dee-sai'v], v. t. and /*. To disappoint — with no impli-
cation of deception or guile.
Be sure-n be there now ; you 'ont decave me, will ee !
I was proper deceived 'bout they there boots, you know I looked
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 189
vor t'ave em to wear a Zinday ; and you never let me had em gin
the middle o' the week.
Sir, tak this son to mi techeing,
I wald noght he decayued ware. — Met. Roman. Seuyn Sages, 1. 109.
DECENTNESS [dai'sunt-nees], sb. Decency; good conduct.
There idn no order nor decentness 'bout nother one o' the sort
o'm, they be all alike.
Come! you bwoys, d'ye know what day 'tis? let's have a little
decentness.
DECLINABLE [deekluynubl], adj. Likely to go into a decline.
Consumptive.
A friend, a doctor with considerable practice among the poor,
tells me that one of the most frequent questions parents ask when
bringing their children for advice is, " Do you think he (or she) is
declinable ? " — /. e. shows signs of phthisis.
A woman speaking of her son who was ill said to me, " His
cough's so bad I be afeard he's declinable"
DECRIMENT [daek'rimunt], sb. Decoration, ornament.
Thick there thing there a-stick't up-on-een, lig that there, idn no
decrimenf, I don't consider. Remark upon an erection in a garden ;
mostly used with a negative.
J. B. Clamorous for a motto. It is foolish to encourage people to expect such
decoratnents.
1837. J G. Lockart. Life of Sir W. Scott, vol. iii. p. 311 (ed. 1839).
DEE [dee-], sb.
An iron shaped like letter Q. Such an iron is used in cart-
harness to connect the leather of the breeching with the chains.
Called also a Q-copse. See COPSE.
DEE-LOCK [dee'-loa'k], sb. A very common, cheap kind of
padlock, used for gates, &c. It is a simple piece of iron in the
shape of letter Q, having a joint at one angle and a screw
working in a short pipe at the other.
DEEP [deep], adj. Clever, cunning, crafty.
[Deep-s gaa-rliK] is a very common saying. I believe that
Garrick is the simile intended. The corruption is curious.
DEEP [deep-], sb. Depth. (Very com.)
A farmer asking me to have a new well dug for htm, said, "Tidn
vor the deep you must go down, vor to come to the water."
He wan ... all the othere kyngdoms unto the depe of Ethiope.
1356. Maundevilli, ch. 7, p. 79.
They ymagin wickednesse, and kepe it secrete amonge themselves, every man
in ye depe of his herte. '535- Coverdale Bible, Ps. Ixiii. 6.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
And drouned all the boost of Pharao and sancke down in to the deep of the see.
1483. Caxton, Golden Legend, fo. Iviii. col. 2.
Every goode housbande hath his barleye falowe, well dounged, and lyenge
rygged all the depe and colde of wynter.
1534. Fitzherbert, Book of Husbandry ', p. 22.
. . . Ride forth and bid the deep
Within appointed bounds be heaven and earth ;
Boundless the deep, because I am who fill
Infinitude, nor vacuous the space.
1668. Milton, Paradise Lost, bk. vii. 1. 1 68.
And in the lowest deep a lower deep.
Ibid. bk. iv. 1. 76.
DEEPNESS [deep-mees], sb. i. Craft, subtlety.
[Yue nuvur dud-n zee dhu fuul'ur oa un vur deefmees,'} you never
saw his equal for craft. (Very com.)
2. sb. Depth.
The deepness o' the water do bide jist about the same all the
year round.
]>e Amerel vmtil a wyndow ran : and Jar lep out Jat syre
Wei xxu fejjme ful he J>an : of dupnisse vmtil A myre.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 2311.
DEPENESSE. Profunditas ; altitudo. DEPENESSE of vatur (watyr). GURGES.
Promp. Parv.
it sped!]) to him ]>at a mylneston.of assis be hangid in his necke & ]>at he be
dreynt in-to depnesse of ]>e see. Wyclif (Works, E. E. T. S.), pp. 61-2.
but othir sedis fillen in to stony placis : where thei hadden not moch erthe,
& anoon thei sprungun vp for thei hadden not depnes of erthe.
Wyclif vers. Matt. xiii. 5. Also deepenesse in A. V. 1611.
DEFAUT [deefau-ut], sb. Fault, defect.
I'll warn the job'll answer — nif you vind any defaut I'll be bound
to make it good,
DEFAWTE. Defectus. DEFAWTY. Defectives. — Promp. Parv.
When the Emperoure harde telle J>is, he come thidir, and put a defaute to this
forsaide sarvaunt. Gest. Rom. p. 133.
)>es ben perilous ypocritis and cursed of god for defaute of charite.
Wyclif ( Works, E. E. T. S.), p. 4.
Lo, oure folk ginne)> to falle for defaute of help.
Will of Palerme ( Werwolf), 1. 1 185.
Thurgh J>e defaut here of kynd God Jan wille
Alle |>e defautes of )>e lyms fulfille.
Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 5015.
DEFY [deefaa'y], v. f. To forbid: to denounce. See FY.
After the calling of banns in a church, well known to the writer,
a man stood up and proclaimed : [Aay deenaa'y ut un deefaay
ut, dh-uunvun-z muyn !] I deny it and defy it, the woman is mine !
I
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 19 1
And a fals feond anticrist • ouer alle folke regnede,
That were mylde men and holye ' )>at no meschief dradden,
Deficden al falsnesse * and folk )>at hit vsede.
Piers Plowman, XXIII. 64.
DEGESS [dee'-jas], sb. Digestion.
The thing o't is, he's so bad in his deegess — 'tis on'y but very little
he can make use o'.
DEJECT [deejak-], v. i. To project ; to lean.
[Dhik dhae-ur dhae'ur dk<?/a/£-.y een'wurdz,] that one there projects
inwards.
DENIAL [dai'nuyul], sb. Loss, injury, hindrance.
[Twuz u maayn dai'nuyul tu dh-oal mae'un, haun u lau's uz
duung'kee,] it was a great drawback to the old man, when he lost
his donkey.
DENTURES [darnchurz], sb. Indentures.
In years past, when parish apprentices were common, this word
was in daily use. Now real field-craft among boys is almost as
obsolete as the indentures.
DENY [deenuy], v. To refuse ; to oppose ; to prevent.
[Ee nuvur diid-n denuy hautdvur uur aa'ks oa un,] he never
refused whatever she asked. See DEFY.
Did I deny to go, zoon's you ax me ?
but she denyed hit, and said, J>at she had leuer dey pan consent ]>erto.
Gest. Rom. p. 88.
for he sent unto me for my wives and for my children, and for my silver and
for my gold : and I denied him not. I Kings xx. 7.
Zure and zure you wont deny to zee me drenk 1
Ex. Scold. 1. 529.
DETERMENT [dafurmunt], sb. Injury, detriment. Very
common word amongst the most ignorant.
[Tao'un bee noa dat'urmunt tue un], it will be no injury to him :
said of a horse which had cut his knee.
DEVIL AND THE MALTSTER. It is always said that on
Culmstock Fair-day, May 2ist, " 'tis a fight twixt the devil and the
maltster " — to decide if there shall be cider to drink, or whether it
must be beer. This is but a development or perhaps another version
of the old saw,
Till Culmstock Fair be come and gone,
There mid be apples, and mid be none.
DEVIL-IN-THE-BUSH [daevi een dhu beo'sh], sb.
Commonest name for the plant " Love in a mist " — Nigella
damascena.
DEVILMENT [daevlmunt], sb. Mischief; practical joking;
larking.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Dhur udn dhu fuuHir u ee- vur daevlntunt un roa'guree, neet-n
au'l dhu kuun'tree,] there is not the fellow of he, for larking and
roguery, not in all the country.
DEVIL'S BIT SCABIS [daevlz beet skai'bees], sb. The common
plant scabiosa succisa found growing in pastures. It bears a mauve-
coloured flower on a long stem, and blooms in August and
September. See PRIOR.
Gerard (p. 726) seems to imply that DeviFs bit is not scabiosa.
He says, " It floureth in August, and is hard to be knowne from
Scabious, saving when it floureth."
As to the name, Gerard says, " It is commonly called Morsus
Diaboli, or Diuelsbit, of the root (as it seems) that is bitten off:
for the superstitious people hold opinion, that the diuell, for enuy
that he beareth to mankinde, bit it off, because it would be
otherwise good for many vses."
DEVIL'S COW [daevlz kaew], sb. i. A large black beetle.
2. The large black shell- less dew-snail. See W. S. Dial. p. 20.
DEVIL-SCREECH [daevl skreech], sb. The swift (cypselus
apus).
DEVIL'S SNUFF-BOX [daevlz snuuf-bairks], sb. A puff-ball.
DEVILTRY [daevltree], sb. Rubbish ; any undesirable object,
as a quantity of weeds in a crop — a quantity of hay or thistles in a
fleece of wool ; in such a sense the word is common, but I never
heard it applied to moral conduct. See TOADERY.
Take your hove, and scrape out the highest o' that there deviltry,
else they there plants ont never do no good.
DEVONSHIRE COAT-OF-ARMS [dab-mshurkoa-ut-u-aarmz].
Said of a horse with broken knees. Is he much blemished? Ees
fy ! a proper Devonshire coat-J-arms !
DEVONSHIRE-MARK [dab'mshur maark], sb. Same as
DEVONSHIRE COAT-OF-ARMS.
DEVONSHIRE WINE [dab'mshur-wuyn], sb. Cider.
DEW-BIT [jue'beet], sb. A mouthful or snack of food, taken in
the early morning before going to work.
This time o' year, hon anybody's about mowin or ort, I zim they
do want a dew-bit like, vore they goth to work.
DEW-CLAW [jue-klaa], sb. The small claw or hoof which
grows like a short thumb on the inside of a stag's foot, at the
fetlock.
Some dogs have this dew-claw or rudhnentary thumb. In the
horse it appears far above the knee, and is horny like the hoof.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 193
for oftentimes he will close his clawcs together . . . agayne will open them
and stray them vvyde . . . and hitting his dew-chnves upon the grounde.
1575. Titbo-ville, Art of Venerie, p. 122 (quoted by Collyns, p. 144).
In soft ground the marks of the dew-claws of a heavy stag will often be
apparent, especially when the stag is fatigued. — Collyns, p. 87.
DEW-SNAIL [jue- snaa-yul], sb. The large black slug.
The regular way to charm warts is to take a dew-snail and rub its
slime upon the warts. Then to stick the dew-snail on a black-
thorn, and as the snail perishes and disappears so will the warts.
DICKY [dik'ee],^. i. A loose or false shirt-front. See CHEAT.
2. The driving seat of a closed carriage.
3. A child's name for a bird.
[Poo'ur lee'dl dik'eef] We often hear {dik'cc buurd] also.
DIDDLE ! [diid-1 !], interj. Call for young ducks.
DIDDLE [diid'l], v. i. To make water (said to and by
children).
DIDDLE-DADDLE [dud'l-dad'l]. ( **' and *$' Dawd'
DIDDLE-DADDLING [dud'l-dad'leen]. ) ^ ' P™««tinat-
J ( ing ; undecided.
A proper old diddle-daddle — never can't get no sense like out
o' un, one way nor tother. He'll bide diddle-daddlin so long, gin
anybody else wid a-bin and a-do'd the work dree or vower times
over.
DIDN'T OUGHT [ded-n aut]. \ n ,
DON'T OUGHT [doa-n aut]. J
[Uur niivur ded-n au't t-u-zad noa'urt tue* un,] she never ought
to have said naught to him.
Mary, you doa-n au~t vor to burn that there coal ; you must vatch
(fetch) vrom tother heap.
DIE [duy], v. i. Said of animals slaughtered. A farmer speaking
of a cow which was being fattened said : He idn a very bad piece
o' beef now, mind ; I warn he'd die well inside, nif was to kill-n to
once. (Very com. expression.) Animals are said to die well or
" bad " in proportion to their internal fatness.
I was proper a-tookt in way thick yeffer — her died shockin bad —
/'. e. proved lean inwardly.
DIG [dig, daeg-], v. t. To work ground with a mattock.
[Z>/£"een tae'udeez] means taking up potatoes with a mattock.
Ground is never said to be dug with a spade. See SPIT, GRAFT.
DIK [dik], v. t. To dike. To make good the sides and top
of a hedge, which in this district is usually a high bank — /. e. to
throw up the parings upon the top.
o
194
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Tus toa-un dik~\ is to build up a sort of wall of stones without
mortar (a dry wall) against the bank.
[Tud-n u beet u geo'd tu dik'-n, ee mus bee M-stoa'ttn-dik,'] it is not
a bit of good to dike it (/. e. merely throw up the earth), it must be
stone-diked.
We should give the order to [dtk aup dh-aj'-n uurd aewt dhu
dee'ch,] dike up the hedge and rid out the ditch.
This must have been the meaning in the following passage — *'. <?.
to dig out a deep ditch, and to dike or steen up the sides to prevent
their falling in.
He criede, and comaundede alle crystene people,
To delue and dike a deop diche al aboute vnite
J>at holychurche stod in holynesse as hit were a pile.
Piers Plow. xxil. 364.
DILDRAM [dee-uldrum], si). Idle story ; silly talk.
Let's yur some sense, not a passle o' dildrams.
ha wull tell Doil,tell Dildrams, and roily upon enny Kessen Zo.il.
Ex. Scold. I. 511.
DILLY [duTee], sb. A cask on wheels for carrying liquids ; a
water-cart. Also a low four-wheeled truck on which mowing-
machines and other implements are drawn. See PUGGER.
DILLY-DALLY [duTee-daal'ee], adj. Undecided ; shilly-shally.
DIMMET [diinrut], sb. Dusk; evening twilight; when the
light has become dim.
I was looking round, eens I always do, just in the dim/net, and I
yurd a shot tother zide o' the hedge : and tho' I jumped up and
zaid, "I've a-catcht 'ee to last then, Mister Ginlman."
Evidently this is a verbal noun from the old dimmen, to become
dim — like dringet, from dringen.
And whenne he drow to |>e dore : J>anne dymmed hus eyen
He thrumbled at J>e }>reshefold : and j>rew to J>e earthe.
Piers Plow. vn. 407.
in the Desk o' tha Yeaveling, just in tha Dimmel. — Ex. Scold. 1. 166.
DIMPSY. See DUMPSY.
DING [ding], v. i. To beat or to force comprehension into a
dull understanding.
[Aay dhauTt aay nuvur sheod'n ding- ut een'tu dhu ai'd oa tin,] I
thought I never should drive it into his head.
Ryht swa ]>e devels salle ay dyng.
On )>e synfulle with-outen styntyng ; — Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, \. 7015.
2. v. To importune ; to reiterate.
You can't do nort else : you must keep on dingin away.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 95
DING-DONG [ding-dairng], adv. In good earnest; with a will.
We zeed eens we'd a-got vor to do it, zo we in to it ding-dong,
hammer and tongs, and twadn very long about.
DINSH [diinsh], adj. Dull, stupid. Probably var. pron. of
dense.
He ont never do hizzel no good, a's to dinsh by half.
DIP [diip], v. f. Tech. A process applied to sheep after
shearing ; to kill vermin, and cleanse the skin. They are placed
singly in a bath of strong poisonous liquor, care being taken not
to immerse the head.
Bee yue gwain tu dup- yur sheep dee yuur ? ] are you going to
dip your sheep this year ?
DIP [dup], sb. Salt. Used only in the following phr.
Mate ! we don't get no mate ; all we gets is tatees and dip
— i. e. dipped in salt.
DIPPER [dup'ur]. The water-ouzel. Hydrobata aquatica.
Cinclus aquaticus. See WATER -CoLLY.
This name is sometimes applied to the dap-chick, and possibly
originally so; but in this neighbourhood it has come to be used
only for the above very common bird.
DOPPAR, or dydoppar, watyr byrde, Mergulus. — Promp. Parv.
DIPPING [diip'een], sb. A strong poisonous liquor, for dipping
sheep, to kill vermin, and to prevent the scab. See DIP, v. t.
DIRD [durd], sb. Thread.
This pronunciation is precisely according to rule in the dialect.
Thr is always sounded dr, as in drash, drish, droa'ut, &c. Thus
thread would be and very often is pronounced drad or dred — then
comes the constant metathesis of the r, and dred becomes derd or
durd, just as bread becomes berdo? biird, and drish (thrush), dirsh.
DIRECT [durak1], sb. Sense, reliance, dependence.
No use t' hark to he ; idn no direct in un, no more-n a dog
berkin.
Here, Bill ! thee show 'em the way to do it. Thee's a got some
direct in thee, but the rest o'm be like a passle o' fools, I zim.
and more an zo, there's no direct to hot tha tell'st.
Ex. Scolding, 1. 149.
DIRSH [dursh], sb. Thrush. Always either dirsh or drish.
DIRT [duurt], v. t. To soil ; to dirty.
Tommy, mind you don't dirt your clean pinny.
This is one of the cases in which the y final of the literary
transitive verb is dropped in the dialect ; com p. car = carry, store
= story.
O 2
196 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
No doubt this is from A.-S. ydritan = catare by the common
metathesis ; and although to dirt now means in the dialect to soil or
to befoul, yet the original meaning is still kept alive in the phrase,
" to dirt oneself," as in " Billy 've a-bin and dirt hissel" — which
is perfectly well understood.
DIRT [duurt], sb. Soil, mould, muck.
Ter'ble sight o' dirt vor to be a shifted, can't do it vor the
money.
[Ted-n zan* flit vur mau'urtur, ted-n noa'urt bud duur't,~\ it is
not sand fit for mortar, it is nothing but earth.
[Dree ur vaawur loo'ud u duurt,'] three or four loads of earth.
DRYTE, doonge. Merda, stercus. — Promp. Parv.
See DIRT, v. t.
and Jius in a maner J>ei sillen soulis to sathanas for a litel stynkynge drit or
wombe ioie, or pride and worldly worschipe.
Wyclif (Works, E. E. T. S.), p. 182.
DIRTY [duurtee], adj. i. Said of land infested with weeds,
and especially couch (g. v.).
[Dhik'ee vee'ul-z tu duur'tee tu zee'ud aewt tu stan*. Yue oa*n
mivur git-n tlarn, dhaewt yue bee u muyn tu tuurmut-n tuep yuur
vaul'een,] that field is too foul (with weed) to seed out to stand, —
/. e. sow down to permanent grass. You will never get it clean,
unless you choose to turnip it — /. e. have a turnip crop, two years
in succession.
2. Mixed with soil or mould.
That there zand ont do vor mortar, 'tis so dirty.
DIS [dus], didst ? or, dost ?
When any one makes an assertion or expresses a strong opinion,
it is very common to hear, by way of rejoinder — [Dus-n, diisf],
(thou) didst not, didst ? or, dost not, dost ?
Dis thee think 1 be gwain to put up way thy slack ? Nif dis-n
stop thy gurt tatee-trap, I'll kick thy ass out o' the shop.
DISCOOSE [deeskeo's, deeskue's], sb. Bad language, obscenity,
swearing, blasphemy.
Of all the discoose ever I yurd in my life, that there beat
everything.
DISEASE [deesarz], sb. Annoyance, discomfort, inconvenience,
unpleasantness.
Inviting an elderly woman to accept a lift on the road, she
said, "Thankee, sir, sure ! I hope I shan't be no disease to ee."-
October, 1885.
DYSESE, or greve. Tedium, gravamen, calamitas, angitstia.
Promp, Parv.
I
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 197
and here-fore disceisen hem and putten hem in prison, and sumtyme morjjere
hem a3enst goddis lawe and the kyn.jys.
s, E. E. T. S.), P- u.
& t'.iei passid to the holy londe, & turnid a-yene withoute hurting or disese.
Gest. Rom. p. 106.
& her-by schulde be no more cost to pti ne traueile ne deisfse, but worschipe
to god & endeles good to Joure self. Wyclif ( Works), p. 179.
or eny other man, that wille trouble, disese, or pursevv of my trew seruandys.
Fifty Earliest Wills, Sir T. Brooks, 1483, p. 130.
Obsolete as a verb in the dialect.
DIS-GEST [dees-jas-], v. t. and i. To digest.
I baint able vor to disgest my mate. Thick there piece o' beef
ate tough, I count he out disgesty very well.
DISGESTION [deesjas-chn], sb. Digestion.
[Dhu dauk'tur zaes aew ur deesjas'chn-z tuurubl wai'k — uur kaa'n
dees-jas' ur vuflz,] the doctor says her digestion is very weak — •
she cannot digest her food.
DISH [dee'sh], v. To hollow ; to make concave.
The went o' the mill's too big ; he idn holler 'nough — you mus'
dish-n out a good bit.
DISH [dee'sh], sb. i. Two sizes of brown cups or mugs with
handles, made of cloam or coarse earthenware, are always called
[u ae'upmee dee~sK\ or [u pan'ee dee'sh,'] halfpenny or penny dish.
These vessels are always sold at these prices ; they hold about
a pint and quart respectively. So also we always say [u decsh
u tay] for a cup of tea.
2. The bottom of a cider-press, on which the cheese is put up.
DISHABLES [dee'shublz], sb. pi. Working dress. Very com-
mon among farmers' wives and peasant women. Fr. Deshabilles.
[Haun aay warn tu voa'r doo'ur, dhae-ur wuz Miis'us tu
paa'sneej, un aay wuz aul een mee dee'shublz eens aay-d it-bun*
u-wau'rsheen,] when I went to the front-door, there was mistress
of the parsonage, and I was in my working dress, just as I had
been washing.
A woman at her wash-tub would be nearly sure to say to a lady
who called upon her, " Plaise t'excuse me, mum, for I be all in my
dishables."
DISHCLOUT [dee-sh klaewt], sb. A kitchen cloth.
Master Harry, you can't keep on comin out here in the kitchen,
makin up such work, else you'll vind the dishclout a-pinned on to
your back one o' these days,
198 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Then sighing, said it was a cruel thing
Thus like a Dishclout, his poor heart to wring.
1795. IVolcot, Pindfriana, vol. iv. p. 112.
DISHING [dee-sheen], adj. Concave.
Sometimes applied to cart-wheels, same as DISH-LATE.
DISH-KETTLE [dee-sh-kufl], sb. A very large open iron pot,
having a swing-handle by which it is suspended on the chimney-
crook over the fire. It is used to warm the skim milk before
turning to cheese, but generally it serves the purpose of the modern
washing copper, or furnace, as we call it in the West.
[Man'urz ! wai, uur wuz u-bau'rnd een u tuuru-eep, un u breed
aup'-m dhu dee'sh-ktifl,~\ manners ! why she was born in a turf-
heap, and bred up in the dish-kettle.
It is always spoken of as the dish-kettle, like the oven — there
being never more than one in a household.
DISH-LATE [dee-sh-lae'ut], adj. A term used by wheel-wrights
to describe wheels. These are either \au~prarf} or \_dee' sh-lae'uf\. In
the former the spokes are placed perpendicularly to the axis ; in the
latter they are inclined towards the front of the wheel, so that the
periphery shall be even with the " nose " of the axle. This con-
struction gives more or less general concavity to the front of the
wheel, and is technically expressed by dish-late.
DISH-WASHER [dee-sh-wairrshur], sb. The water-wagtail.
The only name for the bird in this district.
GUIGNE-QUEUE. The little bird called a wagtail, or Dish-washer.
Cotgrave.
DISMALS [duz'mulz}, sb. pi. Low spirits; brooding de-
spondency.
Come, Jane, hot ailth ee ? I zim you be all down in the dismals
like.
DISOBLIGE [deesubleej], v. t. To stain ; to soil. Used by
quaint old people of the better class.
Mary, my love, how you have disobliged your frock.
DISPRAISE [deesprai'z], sb. Disparagement ; under-valuation.
The nicest sort of a young umman you shall vind any place —
no dispraise to present company.
Rager Hill es as honest a man as any in Challacombe : no Dispreise.
Ex. Scold. 1. 68.
DIS-SIGHT [diis'-uyt], sb. Disfigurement ; unsightly object.
This word is very common indeed among people of quite the
better class, and is certainly more expressive than its literary
equivalents. A neighbour erecting a building at some distance
from my house said — " I don't think 'twill be any dis-sight to you."
—May, 1886.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 1 99
DISTRACTED [deestraak'tud], part. adj. Mad ; overcome.
Ever zinze Zadurday nait, I bin maze distracted way the
toothache, and nort ont do me no good.
Better I were distract,
So should my thoughts be severed from my griefs.
King Lear, IV. vi.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up : while I suffer thy terrors
I am distracted. Psalm Ixxxviii. 15.
and how the Boy repented and went distracted, and wos taken up, and was
hang'd vor't, and sung Saums and sed his Praers. Ex. Scold. 1. 442.
DIT [ddt], sb. Dirt, soil.
Tommy, you'll make yourzel dit all over.
DITP^MENT [duytmunt], sb. Indictment (very com. at assi;:e
time).
DIZ [diz], sb. Tech. A small piece of horn pierced with a
flattened hole, used by hand wool-combers, through which the
sliver is drawn. See PAD.
DO [du ; emphatic due*]. Pres. due', or du; past, due'd, or ditd ;
p. part. \i-due-d, u-diie\ i. The periphrastic auxiliary with which
most of our verbs are conjugated in the present tense, as :
[Dhai du leo'k maa'yn wee'sh,] they look very sad.
For ample illustration, see W. S. Gram. pp. 45, 71.
2. v. t. To make ; to finish ; to repair.
Now thoose that round Ould Burnet stood
And zweared it clumzily was dood.
P. Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter.
See also Nathan Hogg's Letters, Ser. I. p. 33, &c.
Used also in all the senses found in lit. Eng., but the past tense
remains as it was in Mid. Eng. — /. e. do'd, or dude.
he weop nout one mid his eien, auh dude mid alle his limen.
Ancren Rhvle, p. no.
kyng Charlys ]>e Sarsyns speche y-hurde : and so dude al his host.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1 1 2.
and she dude of hir harnes & come & laye downe by him.
Gest. Rom. p. 159.
And to slen ey)>er o)>er in ]>at plas : eyther dude ys mijte. — Ibid. 1. 663.
As, schrove herr', hoselder, and aneled herr', he dude also
And sayde, doujt' loke )>at J>u be of gode chere,
For up to }>i spouse |>u shalt now go,
And dwell in hevene w' angels clere. — Chron. Vil. St. 501.
Your trap ont be z-do'd, fit to use, vore Zadurday.
The second form of/, part, is equally common.
I'll warn the job'll be o.-do vitty, nif you do let he do un.
2OO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
and Jjojte on )>e grete oj> : Jat he him adde er ydo.
Rob. of Clou. Will. Conq. 1. 15.
|>are-vore William potte J>at knyjt out of cheualry, vor he hadde ydo an
vnkunnynge dede. Trevisa, Norm. Invasion, Lib. vi. cap. 29, 1. 126.
and euer when eny Counseille shuld be ydo in J>e Empire, J>e yong knyjt was
called )>erto. Gesta Rom. p. 44.
and now ha}> schewid mo benefices to mankynde }>an he hadde do in iudas
tymes. Wyetif (Works, E. E. T. S.), P- 167.
J>e ladyes comen renyng }>o on yche a syde
To se J)e myracle J>' )>ere was y do.
Chron. Vil. St. 336.— See also Ib. St. 73.
' DONED.
And whon ]K>U hast so 7-</0
Jif Jn benyson Jjer-to. — Stacions of Rome, \. 271.
DO [due'], v. i. (Always with stress.) To get on; to prosper;
to improve in state or condition : of animals, to thrive ; to grow.
They can do very well in thick farm, nif they do stick to it — /. e.
the work.
They zess how the young Jim Bond's doin capical up to Bristol.
They young beast be safe to do in your land.
[Aay luyks dhiish yuur ee'njee mae'ul, muy pai'gz du due' vuuree
\vuul buy ut], I like this Indian meal, my pigs, do do — /. e. thrive
very well upon it.
DOAK [doa'k], sb. A stupid booby; a dullard.
Never zeed no jish gurt \doa~k^\ never in all my born days.
DOAN [doa'un], adj. Damp : said of corn, hay, sheets, linen,
&c. IV. H. G.— Dec. 6, 1883. Com. in Devon.
To nod when dozing in a sitting
she always nods at
DOATY [doa'utee], v. i.
position.
[Uur d-au'vees doa-utee tu chuurch,]
church.
But thee, thee wut ruckee, and squattee, and doattee in the Chimley Coander
lick an Axwaddle. Ex. Scold. 1. 144.
DOCITY [dau'sutee], sb. Intelligence, gumption.
He idn no good to nobody, there idn no docity 'bout'n.
Tha hast no stroil ner Docity ', no Vittiness in enny keendest Theng.
Ex. Scold. 1. 209.
DOCK [dauk], sb. The crupper of either saddle or harness.
DOCK [dauk], v. t. i. To put the crupper under a horse's tail.
Some horses press their tails down very tightly, and such are said
to be [stuf- tu dauk,'] stiff to dock.
2. v. t. Applied to sheep. To cut off the wool clotted with
dung, from around a sheep's tail.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2OI
3. v. t. To cut short.
They docked his wages a shillin a week, and told'n next ti:n2
he'd lost his work.
His heer was by his eres rounde i-shorn,
His top was dockud lyk a preest biforn.
Chaucer, Prologue (Reeve), 1. 590.
Also fig.
Mr. Ginlman's to big by half, 'tis time he was ^.-docked.
DOCKINGS [dauk-eenz], sb. Wool clotted with dung, called
also daggings (q. v.).
DOCK-SPITTER [dauk-spxifur], sb. A tool for drawing out
the roots of docks, called also \dauk-drau •«/-,] dock-drawer.
DOCK UP [dauk aup-], v. t. When a colt is first " hampered "
(q. v.), it is usual to [dauk-n aup\~] dock him up, that is, to put a
crupper and girth upon his body, and then to rein in his head tightly,
making fast the bridle.
DOCTOR [dauk-tur], sb. The seventh son in a family, born in
succession without a girl, is always called the "doctor," and is
believed to be born with special aptness for the healing art.
DOCTOR UP [dauk-tur aup-], v. t. To patch up; to cobble;
to repair in a makeshift manner.
T'other zide o' Wilscombe, bump goes down th' old gig way the
spring a-brokt, so we was fo'ced to bide and doctor «/ th' old trap
vore we could come on.
DODIPOLL [daud'ipoa'l], sb. A dunce; a blockhead ; a softy.
Nif thee art'n a dodipoll> tell me ! Get out the way, and let zome-
body way zome zense come to it.
DOFFER [daufur], sb. The last of the many cylinders of a
carding-engine ; that which has to do off or deliver, the wool or
cotton from the machine. Comp. "to doff\h& hat."
& dere hert, deliuerli : do as ich |>e rede,
Do/bliuQ }>is bere-skyn : & be stille in ]>i clones.
William of Paler me, \. 2342.
DO FOR [due1 vaur], v. t. To perform the household duties.
He do live all by his zul, but he'v a got a umman that do g'in
and do vot'n — i. e. makes his bed, cleans his house, washes and
mends his clothes ; all this is fully comprehended in the use of
to do for in this sense.
I do always do vor my zul, eens I've a do'd 'z twenty year.
An old man in the Wellington Almshouse, said, " My darter do
do vor me — her com'th in every morning, zo I baint a left no
way scan'lous " (q. v.}. — June 6, 1886.
2O2 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DOG [daug], sb. Same as AN-DOG (q. v.). Although used con-
stantly as an alternative name for Andiron, yet there was and is a
difference. In large hearth-fire places it was usual to have two
pairs of irons, particularly in kitchens where great fires were needed
for roasting. One of these pairs were dogs, the other Andirons.
The former were mere plain bars of iron with three short legs, used
for the actual work of supporting the burning logs at all times, and
therefore kept near the centre of the hearth. Both kinds are
treated of, under HAND-DOG — but the following shows that in Shake-
speare's time, the Andirons, or " Hand-dogs," were the ornamental
and not the useful dogs which really bore the fire.
lachimo. The roof o' the chamber
Writh golden cherubims is fretted : her andirons
(I had forgot them,) were two winking Cupids
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
Depending on their brands. — Cyntbeline, II. iv.
DOG DAISY [daug dai'zee], sb. The large marsh daisy, or
Marguerite. Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum.
DOGGERY [daug-uree], sb. Trickery.
[Aay-v u-yuurd um zai' uz daug-uree-^. uvuree trae'ud sups
drai'veen u baa'ru gun dh-ee'ul,] I have heard (there) is trickery
in every trade, except driving a barrow against the hill
DOG-HORSE [daug-au's], sb. A worn-out old horse, only fit
for dog's-meat.
You widn own jish passle o' old dog-osses — some o'm can't hardly
scrawly out o' the way.
DOG-LAME [daug-lae'um], adj. or adv. Applied to horses
when so lame as to be almost obliged to go on three legs like a dog.
Hot ailth the mare ! why, her's proper dog-lame !
"Lame as a dog" is the constantly-used expression to denote
severe lameness, whether in man or beast. See p. 22, W. S. Gram.
DOG'S MOUTH. We have an old saying, [Mud zu wuul git
buad'r aewt uv u daug~z maewf-s muurree aewt uv u tuurnee,]
as easy to get butter out of a dog's mouth, as money out of a
lawyer.
DOG-SPEARS [daug spee'urz], sb. The Wild Arum— Arum
maculatum.
They'v a-got differ' nt names like, but we most times calls 'em
dog-spears. — Under Gardener. — Dec. 18, 1879.
DOG'S TASSEL [daug-z tairsl], sb. The plant Wild Arum—
Arum maculatum. (Very com.) See PARSON IN THE PULPIT.
DOG-TIMBER, DOG'S-TIMBER [daug turn -ur, daug'z turn--
bur]. Dogwood — Cornus sanguinea.
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 20$
I cannot admit Dr. Prior's explanation as quoted from Threlkeld,
" that skewers are made of it." The exact contrary is the fact.
Butchers all say, " Dog-timber stinks wo'se-n a dog — tidn fit vor
skivers : t'll spwoil the mate."
Butchers' skewers are made of "skiver-timber" — Euonymus
Etiropceus — and when buying them of gypsies or others, they are
careful to smell them, because the appearance of the wood is alike.
DOG-TIRED [daug, or duug-tuyurd], adj. Quite done up;
exhausted.
[Aay wuz rig-lur duug-tuyurd^ I was completely tired out.
DOG-TROT [daug'-traat], sb. Same as JOG-TROT. (Very com.)
DOLLED UP [dau -Id wx$'\ part. adj. Petted, indulged. (Com.)
Mar. 13, 1882. — A woman on being asked by the chairman of
the Wellington School-Board why she had allowed her boy to
grow up without learning anything, said, [Wuul, ee wuz dh-aun'lee
chee'ul aay-d u-gaut, un aay spoo'uz u wuz u dau'ld aup* u beet,]
well, he was my only child, and I suppose he was a little
indulged.
DO-MENT [due'munt], sb. Fuss, row, disturbance.
[Dhur wuz u puurdee due'munt wai um,] there was a pretty
disturbance with them.
DONE ! [duun ! ], inter/. The word for accepting a bet.
[Aa'l bat vai'v shuTeenz uur oa'n ab-m. Duun /] I'll bet five
shillings she will not have him. Done !
DONED [duun'd]. Com. form of past tense and /. part, of "to
do," adding the weak inflexion to the strong. See IV. S. Gram.
p. 48.
Although sometimes used transitively, this may be taken as the
intransitive form.
Well there ! we could'n do eens we was a mind to, zo we doned
zo well's we could.
Plase, zir, the coal's all a doned.
Nif I wad'n able to a doned no better-n that there is — darn'd if
I widn a let it alone, and not a tich'd o' it.
DONNICK [daun-ik], sb. A privy. (Com.)
DONNINGS [duun'eenz], sb. pi. Sunday clothes ; also finery.
[Aay zeed ur, u-rig'd aewt een au'l ur duun'eenz,'] I saw her
rigged out in all her finery.
DOONDLE [deo-ndl, deo-nl], v. To dwindle.
There used to be a good lot o' boys there, but now they be a
doondled down to vive or zix.
2O4
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DOOS [diie-z], sl>. pi Doings. (Com.)
Party doos way em last night, up to 'Valiant Soldier' (Inn).
DOT AND GO ONE [dairt un goo wan1]. The common phrase
to describe the walk of a person lame from having one leg shorter
than the other. Also used as an epithet for the person so lamed.
See HOPPETY-KICK.
DOUBLE COUPLE [duub-1 kuup-1], sb. An ewe with twin
lambs. See COUPLE.
[Lat dhu duub'l kuup'lz ae'u dhu fuus buyt u dhu graa's,] let the
ewes with twin lambs have the first bite of the grass.
DOUBTSOME [daewtsum], adj. Doubtful.
[Tez u daewtsum kee'uz, wuur uur-1 git oa'vur-t], it is a doubtful
case whether she will get over it.
DOUGH-BAKED [doa-bae'ukt], adj. Stupid, void of sense,
soft. (A very common expression.)
He's a poor tool, he, sure 'nough — lookth dough-baked like, s'off
a was a-put in way the bread and a-tookt out way the cakes.
Much dowebake I praise not, much crust is as ill,
The meane is the Huswife, say nay if ye will.
Tusser, 79, 2.
A Turkey fig (always). See FIG.
to give him his
DOUGH-FIG [doa-feeg], sb.
DO UP [due aup], v. t. Applied to a horse
bed, and make him ready for the night.
Look sharp 'm do up your horses and come in to supper.
DOUT [daewt], v. t. To extinguish; to put out : applied to fire
or lights.
[Wee1 keod-n daewt ut, dh-ee'njun waud-n noa* moo'ur geo'd-n u
skwuurt,] we could not put it out, the engine was no more good
than a squirt.
[Daewt dhu kan-l-n km aufn,] put out the candle and come on.
DOOM' OWTE, or qwenchyn". (li^th, K. lyth, H.) Extinguo. — Promp. Parv.
When Bob, the blacksmith, 've wash'd ez face,
An' dowted out ez vire place,
An' he an' all the workmen tally
Play'th skittles in the Dolphin alley ;
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 27.
DOUZE ! [daewz !]. A very common form of quasi swearing.
I have heard very often [dfa^w.s-nae'ushun sai'z ut au'l ! daewz
yur ai'd!] (never your eyes), [daewz ut au'l !]. See DAZ, DANG,
NATION.
DOWN [daewn, duwn], adv. Laid up ; confined by illness.
Well, Thomas ! how is your wife ?
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2O$
[Au ! thang'kee, uur-z tuurubl rmid'leen, uur-z daewn ugee'un
wai dhu buurn-tuytees,] Oh ! thank you, she is terrible middling,
she is laid up again with bronchitis.
DOWN- ALONG [daewn laung], adv. Downwards. See ALONG.
DOWN-ARG [daewn-aa'rg ; v. t. and i. ; p. t. daewn-aa'rg ; /./.
u-daewn-aa'rg]. To contradict rudely; to brow-beat; to maintain
stubbornly ; to insist on the last word.
[Ee'd daeivn-aa-rg dhu vuuree daevl uz-zuul',] he would down-
argue the very devil himself.
They down-arg I eens they vound the hare 'out 'pon the
common, but I knowed better. — Oct. 1883.
DOWN-CALVING [daewn kyaa-veen],/ar/. adj. In calf, and
near the time of calving. (Very com.)
25 Dcnvn-calving cows and heifers. — Local advertisement of sale.
DOWN-COME [daewn-kau-m], sb. A fall in price. A come-
down— i. e. a social fall.
I yurd em zay how zomebody zeed the squire's son out t'
Australia, zome place, a loadin of a dung-butt. Well ! nif that idn
a down-come vor he, then tell me !
DOWN-DACIOUS [daewn-dae'urshus], adj. Audacious, impu-
dent, obtrusive.
A down-dacious young ozeburd.
DOWN-DAP [daewn-daap-], phr. Ready money. (Very com.)
[Neef aay du buy un muyn, aa'l paay vaur-n daewn-daap' ',] if I
buy it, mind, I will pay ready money for it.
DOWNFALL [daewnvaa'l], sb. Snow or rain.
I zim we be gwain to zee a downvall vore long, the wind tokenth
vor't.
DOWN-HOUSE [daewn-aewz], adv. Down-stairs. (Usual.)
Lor ! I never shan't vorget thick night. I was jist a-go up'm
chimmer, and he was down-house, hon the wind tookt the chimley,
an' down he come, right drue the roof and the planching o' the
chimner, right down into the middle o' the house. He was a sot
by the vire, an' twas jist a come, that 'tad'n a vailed pon tap o'un.
But there, by the blessing o' th' Almighty nother one o' us wad'n
a ticht o'.
A farmer speaking of some repairs to the bedrooms said,
[Wee bun foo'us tu zlai'p daewn-aewz uz vau'rtnait,] we have been
forced to sleep downstairs this fortnight. — Sept. 1884.
Wee waud-n u-goo1 tu bai'd, wee wuz daewn-aewz haun ut aa'pt,]
we were not gone to bed, we were downstairs when it happened.
206 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DOWN IN THE MOUTH [daewn een dhu maewf], adv.
Depressed, chagrined, disappointed.
I zeed in a minute eens he was over-drowed, 'cause he looked
zo down in the mouth like.
DOWN-LOOKING [daewn-leok'een], adj. Ill-looking; having
a bad expression ; unable to look one in the face.
[U wuz au'vees u daewn-leok'een oa'zburd — aay bee vuuree glad
tu yuur-z u-kaech- tu laa's,] he was always a bad-looking rascal ;
I am very glad to hear he is caught at last.
DOWN STRAIGHT [daewn straa-yt], adv. Straightforward.
[Lat-s ae'-ut aupruyt-n daewn straayt,~] let us have it upright
and down-straight — /. e. quite straightforward. (Very com.)
DOWNY [daewnee], adj. Cunning, wheedling, crafty.
Darned if you must'n get up by time vor to be upzides way
he : a downy son of a bitch.
DOWSE [daewz], v. To use the divining-rod for the purpose of
finding springs of water.
The faculty possessed by some individuals is truly marvellous,
and is not to be explained by the ordinary method, of ascribing
the action to chicanery, as the evidence to unbiassed minds is
beyond cavil. Moreover, the power is not hereditary nor commu-
nicable. Nascitur non fit. The power of the Dowser to discover
water is not merely a surviving superstition, but is believed in by
hard-headed, practical men of the world, who still habitually pay
their money for the advice of these men, and who have proved by
repeated trials that it is always correct, and worth paying for.
Quite recently a Sanatorium was to be built upon a high and
apparently very dry spot, where of course the first necessity was
water. Three professional Dowsers were sent for separately, and
unknown to each other. Each came on a different day from the
others, and under the impression that he alone was being em-
ployed, with the result that all three pointed to the same spot,
where a well was dug and abundant water found.
Inasmuch as one of my own daughters has the power to some
extent, I am able to testify that trickery plays no part in the
performance, and she herself is quite unconscious of anything by
which the rod is acted on.
The rod or twig I have seen used is a fork of about a foot long,
cut off just below the bifurcation, and in size each limb is about
as large as a thick straw. The wood, it is said, must be either
" halse," or whitethorn, and may be used either green or dry.
The operator holds an end of the twig firmly between the fingers
and thumb of each hand, and with the elbows pressed rigidly
against the sides; consequently the two ends of the twig are
pulled asunder, with the centre, or juncture of the fork, pointing
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2O?
downwards. He then moves very slowly forward, and when over
a spring the twig turns outwards, and twists upon itself into an
upright position. This movement may be repeated any number
of times — the rod twisting over and over again upon reaching
the same spot, and with equal freedom when both rod and fingers
are held by sceptical witnesses. The position in which the twig is
held seems to make it impossible that it can be turned by any
conscious muscular action. Indeed both my daughter and the
professional Dowser I have seen, assert that they cannot twist the
rod by any conscious effort.
In some parts of the county the operation is ca\\e&fowsing, and
the operator a.Jowser.
DOWSER [daewzur], sb. One who practises with the divining-
rod.
DOWSING [daewzeen], sb. The operation of searching for
water with the divining-rod.
DOWST [daewst], sb. The husk or chaff of grain, distinguished
respectively as \wai~tn daewsi\, (wheaten chaff), [wufn-daewst],
(oaten chaff), barley.-<£?z0£/, &c. The husk of the oat is still used
in some farm-houses, to make beds for servants, and is by no
means a bad stuffing ; it is easily shaken up and does not get
hard or matted like flocks.
Applied also to all the refuse blown out of corn by the process
of winnowing.
Chaff vs, never applied to anything but chopped fodder.
In the chamber over the Kitchinge.
i a duste bedd with ij duste bolsters, s
wollen blanketts and two olde rugges
It'm a duste bedd with ij duste bolsters, a paire of ) -s
In the Cocklofte over the Court.
It'm iij duste bedds, ij duste bolsters, iiij old
cov'letts and two paire of wollen blanketts
Inventory of goods and chatells of Henry Gandye, Exeter, 1609.
The pronunciation of the dialect seems to ba the ancient form.
and him ssewe)* his zennes and his defautes zuo ]>et J>e ilke wende by al
klene. j>an wynde]> in zuo uele defautes, and of motes, and of dousl wy}>out tale.
Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 108.
See DUST in Stratmann.
Deth cam dryuende after • and al to doust passhed
Kynges & Knyjtes ' Kayseres and popes ;
Lered ne lewed • he let no man stoude,
Piers Plow. B.xx. 99.
DOZEN [duz'n], sb. In past times, when wool-combers used
to take the wool home to their own houses, the quantity weighed
out to them at a time, and which they used to carry away in a bag
208 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
on their back, was called variously a piece, a stint, and most commonly
a dozen, although it actually weighed 30 Ibs. See Diz.
DRACKLY MINUTE [draa-klee-miiireet], adv. Instantly; ///.
directly-minute.
[Jaa'k ! yue mus vaach een sm eo'd draa'klee-m&n'eet — aa*n u
bee't-n aewz,] Jack ! you must fetch in some wood this moment,
(we) have not a bit in (the) house.
DRAFT [draa-f(t], v. t. i. Hunting. To select certain hounds
from a pack for gift or sale to other parties.
It is needless to say small hounds should be drafted when the strength of your
pack will allow it.
Lord Fortescne, Records of North Devon Staghounds, p. 6.
(Privately printed, N.D.)
2. sb. Hounds selected from a pack.
I must mention here the kind assistance rendered by Mr. C. Davis, who
supplied us with six couple of hounds, and with other drafts the pack was set
on foot. Collyns, p. 107.
DRAFT [draef], sb. i. The bar to which the horses are attached
in ploughing or harrowing ; not required for oxen. See BODKIN.
2. A thatcher's tool, with which he drives in the spars and knocks
in the reed.
3. A wheelwright's tool — a heavy hammer with which he drives
the spokes into the " nut." Called also SPOKE-DRAFT.
DRAG [drag], sb. i. In fox-hunting, the line of scent where
a fox has been during the previous night, before he is found and
started by the pack. Each sporting animal has his special name
for his scent before the find — just as he has for his footprints. See
TRAIL-WALK.
2. Any strong-smelling thing drawn along the ground so as to
leave a scent for hounds to follow. A red-herring or a ferret's
bed are the commonest drags used.
DRAGGLE-TAIL [drag'l-taa'yul], sb. and adj. Name for a
slovenly, untidy woman.
Her's a proper nasty old draggle-tail — her idn fit to come into
no 'spectable body's house.
Chapperonniere : a poor slut, a draggle-tail. Cotgrave.
A sluttish DRAGGLETAILE. Houssepaille'e. Shenvood.
DRAGS [dragz], sb. Heavy harrows ; not used in the sing. A
single one is spoken of as [aaf u pae'ur u dragz,~\ half a pair of
drags.
1h' old farmer Passmore used to work eight gurt bullicks all
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2O9
together, way two pair o' drags one avore tother ; that was somethin
like farmin in they days.
DRAIL [drae'ul], sb. In plough equipment, an iron running
under the beam, and attached to the breast of a " timbern sull,"
to relieve the beam from the strain of the draft. Called also drail-
ire. The word is also applied to the short chain, called also foot-
chain, attaching the sull to the draft or bodkin. The latter is
sometimes called dratf-chain.
DRANE [drae'un], sb. Drone. Usually applied to the wasp.
Contraction of apple-drane.
'Tis surprisin th apples they there dranes '11 ate.
DRANE [drae'un], sb. A drawl in speech.
He'd always a -got 'a sort of a drane like, same's off the [jaa'z]
jaws o'un was a-tired like. I reckon they works vaster hon ez
han'lin the knive an' vork.
DRANG-WAY [drang--wai], sb. A passage or narrow alley
between two walls. (Always.)
Nobody wouldn never believe there was so many houses up
there, way no comin to, but thick there drang-way.
DRANY [drae'unee], v. i. To drawl.
[Spark aup shaa'rp, mun ! neet diwunee zoa*,] speak up sharp,
man ! (do) not drawl so.
[Dhu drae'uneens fuul'ur,] the drawlingest fellow.
DRAPPY [draap-ee], v. i. To rain slightly.
Does it rain? [Wuul ! du draap'ee u lee'dl beet, but tiid-n
noa'urt,] well ! it drops a little, but it is nothing.
DRASH [draa-sh], v. To thrash (always).
See Ex. Scold. 11. 94, 346, 515.
DRASHER [draa'shur], sb. Thrasher; a thrashing-machine.
They be a-go arter th' ingin, and zoon's they comes way un,
they must go back arter the drasher.
DRASHLE [draa-shl], sb. i. A flail (q. v.)—i. e. a thrashing
instrument.
This name is the usual one — \ylacryut} flail is known but never
applied to the entire implement by an old hand.
A drashle is made up of four parts, viz., the handstick (q. v.),
eapel) middle bind, andyfa/7.
2. The sill of a doorway ; the threshold. Not used to express
the entrance, as in lit. " at the threshold," but only as above.
Plase, sir, be I to put a new drashle to John Gadd's house, or
else make it out way a vew bricks ?
p
210 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DRAT [draat], A quasi imprecation = (d-rot). (Very com.)
DRAUGHT [draa-f], sb. The turning of the scale ; the differ-
ence between the exact balance and the full weight when the
scale descends.
In selling wool in the fleece it is customary to give an actual
overweight amounting generally to i Ib. on 60, or 4 Ibs. per pack,
and this allowance is called the draught. The real meaning is the
drawing of the beam in the buyer's favour.
DRAVE [drai'v; /. tense, droavd; p. part, udroa'vd], v. t. To
drive (always).
I drams Mr. Bird's osses. You must drave in some stakes.
Thicks on'y fit to drave away the birds.
We know nothing of the old p. t. drave.
and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. — I Chronicles xiii. 7.
DRAW [draa*], v. i. Applied to a screw or a wedge; to bite;
to hold.
The wadge 'ont draw ; drow in some brick-stuff.
Applied to land ; to exhaust, as [tae-udeez du draa' dhu graewn
maa'ynlee,] potatoes exhaust the soil mainly.
[Mang'-gul-z u tuurubl dra&een kraa-p,] mangold is a very
exhausting crop.
DRAW [drau*, draa-], v. t. i. Applied to chickens, young turkeys,
or pheasants. These are subject to " the pip " or " the gaps," a
disease caused by a worm in the windpipe. The only effectual
cure is to draw them — /'. e. to push a small feather down the
windpipe and twirl it round. One or more worms will be found
sticking to the feather, and the young bird soon coughs out the
rest.
2. To extract the entrails of poultry or game. A hare ought to
be carefully draiun, and the body stuffed out with nettles.
DRAWE FOWLYS, or dysbowaylyn. Excaterizo, eviscero. — Pro mp. Parv.
3. Hunting. To draw a covert either for a stag or fox is to
cause the hounds to disperse about it for the purpose of finding
and driving out the quarry that he may then be hunted. Hence
we read so often in sporting news, such a covert " was drawn blank "
— /'. e. the hounds found nothing there.
To "draw a fox" is quite different. When he has "gone to
ground " then the terrier is sent into the hole, not so much in the
hope of his being able to draw or drag the fox out, but by his
wapping to draw the huntsmen and show them the direction of the
" earth," and to keep the fox at bay until he is dug out with
mattock and shovel.
Another meaning of drawing a fox or badger, is when the animal
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 211
has been captured — then it is a test of the gameness of the terrier
if he will go into the bng or cage and so fasten upon the " varmint "
as either to draw him out, or be drawn out still holding on.
I cannot agree with Nares on this word, but do not attempt to
explain "drawn fox."
I'll back my Pinch vor a vive pound note, to draw a fox or
a badger way other terrier in the county.
DRAW-BORE [draa'-boar], v. Tech. In pinning a tenon, to
bore the hole so that the pin shall force it tightly into the mortice.
Thick joint idn up tight, mus draw-bore-^ a good bit, an' that'll
draa un op.
DRAW-BOX [draa', or drau'-bauks], sb. i. A tool for cutting
the worm or thread in wooden screws.
2. The sucker of a pump.
DRAWBREECH [draa-burch], sb. A slut ; a slovenly woman.
(Very com.)
Burn her face ! I widn keep jish gurt drawbreech not in my
house, nif her was to pay vor bidin — zay nort 'bout no wages.
thek gurt banging, thonging, muxy Drawbreech, claggle-teal'd Jade.
Ex. Scold. 1. 501.
DRAW IN [draa' een], v. i. i. To draw back. A bully after
hectoring and bragging, if attacked, draws in, or draws in his horns
— /'. e. becomes less fierce.
Jim Gamlin was gwain on, same's he do, 'bout the fullers he've
a-drow'd, hon in come Georgy Stone ! an' you should a zeed how
Jim draa'd ee~n tho.
2. To contract expenditure.
They can't go on so vast now, they be a-fo'ced to draw in, sure
'nough.
3. To become shorter : spoken of the days.
[Dhu dai'z bee draa'een ee'n, bae'un um ?] the days are shortening,
are they not ?
DRAW OUT [draa' aewt], v. t. i. Tech. Applied to iron. To
hammer out ; to forge to a point ; to beat thinner and narrower at
the end, so as to sharpen.
Thick there pick's a-beat up to a proper dump, he must be
a-car'd in to be %.-drawed out.
2. To compose in writing; to draw up.
Hon th' old Tom Warren's dunkey died, 'twas a 'nation good
job vor th' old Tom. Mr. Greedy in to shop, draa'd aewt a brief
vor-n, an' he car'd'n about, an' I'm darn'd if he did'n git op vower
poun' a-gid'n, in 'bout o' dree days : an' th' old dunk wadn never
a wo'th vive shillins.
p 2
212 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DRAW TO [drae-u tu], v. i. To amount to.
[Aay vrak'nz dhai ul draefu /-arrdee vaawur skaor,] I reckon
they will amount to nearly four score.
DREAD [draed], sb. Thread. See DIRD.
DREADFUL [drai'dfeol], adv. i. Very.
[Drai'dfeol kuyn, drai-dfeol puurdee maa'yd, drardfeol geod
jaub',] very kind, very pretty girl, very good job.
2. Friendly ; very thick.
[Dhai zaes u\v aawur mae'ustur-z draidfeol wai Mus* Taa'p tu
Pau'n ; bud aay doa'n kaewnt t-1 niivur kaum tu noa'urt,] they say
how our master is very thick with Miss Tapp (of) to Pond (Farm) ;
but I do not believe it will ever come to anything.
Missus was always dreadful wai we maidens, but we never didn
look arter her — /. e. did not care for her.
DREATEN [draefn], v. t. Threaten (always).
Dear ! how his father have &-dreaten thick bwoy — ees, and a-
leatherd-n too ; but tidn not a bit o' good, we can't make-n go
to school.
DRECKSTOOL [draek'stbol], sb. * Threshold; same as
DRASHLE (2). Usual in the Hill and Exmoor districts.
DREDGE [draj], sb. i. Mixed corn of several kinds, as oats,
wheat, and barley sown together; done very commonly for game
feed. (Usual name.)
DRAGGE, menglyd corne (drage, or mestlyon) mixtio (mixtilio).
Promp. Parv.
Thy dredge and thy barley go thresh out to malt,
Let malster be cunning, else lose it thou shalt. — Tusser, 21-2.
2. A box by which flour is scattered or dusted upon food while
cooking.
DREDGE [draj], v. t. To scatter or sprinkle flour over any
article being cooked.
Mary, be sure you dredge the turkey well.
DREE [dree], num. adj. Three (always).
DREE-HALF-PENCE AND TWO PENCE [dree aa'pns-n
tuup-ns], adv. phr. A slow ambling canter.
[Dh-oa'l au's au'vees geos lau'ng dree aa-pns-n tuup-ns], the old
horse always goes along in a slow ambling canter.
DRENCH [draensh], sb. A dcse of medicine for a horse or
bullock.
Please, sir, I've a-brought a drench, and must be sure-n keep her
so hot's ever can.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 213
Sche fet him a drench )>at noble was : and mad hym drynk it warm.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1387.
DRENCHING-HORN [dran-cheen airrn], sb. A horn for the
purpose of administering medicine to cattle.
DREWLER [driie-lur], sb. A silly person ; a fool ; a driveller.
[U rig'lur oa'l drue'lur^\ a regular old driveller.
DREWLY [drue-lce], v. i. To slobber; to drivel: said of
infants.
Thick there boy do drewly zo, he do wet drough all his clothes
two or dree times a day.
DRIBBLE [driib'l], v. i. To cause to move slowly.
In playing at marbles, " to dribble up " is to shoot the taw slowly
so as to make it stop near some desired point. At skittles, "a
dribbling ball " is one that goes slowly up to the pins.
2. v. i. To trickle ; to ooze : as applied to liquids. This is
precisely the opposite of " to fall in drops " given by Webster as
the definition. We speak of a little dribbling lake of water — /'. e. a
very small trickling stream.
DRIFTWAY [draef'wai], sb. A cattle-path or lane ; a drove
leading to " ground " or to outlying fields. A path through a wood
is often so called ; sometimes drift alone is used.
Mere track is implied, not a made road. See DROVE.
DRIGGLE-DRAGGLE [drig-l-drag-1^ adv. and sb. In a
slovenly, slatternly manner — specially applied to women's dress j
also as an epithet.
Her's a purty old driggle-draggle vor to have in your house.
DRING [dring, dring'ee], v . t. and /. i. To press; to crowd
together. (Usual word.)
A farmer, about to enter a railway-carriage in which were several
women, said, [Yuur ! uus muus'-n g-een yuur, uus muus'-n dring
aup dhu lae'udeez,] here ! we must not go in here ; we must not
crowd the ladies. — April, 1883.
[Haut bee drin°-een zoa vauT?] what are you pressing so for?
The vokes did dringy most ter'ble vor to zee th' elephant.
Thay wis dringd up an ballin, an zwearin, an hootin,
An pushid za hard thit I lost holt me vootin.
Nathan Hogg, Bout the Rieting, Ser. I.
Huzzain, trumpetin, and dringtn,
Red colours vleeing, roarin, zingin.
So mad simm'd all the voke.
P. Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter, p. i.
2. sb. A crowd.
I h'ant a-zeed no such dring o' stock's longful time.
214 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Now to the rume to zee the king,
They all march'd off, a clever dring.
Peter Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter, p. i.
DRINGET [dring-ut], sb. A press; a crowd. Comp. DIMMET.
[Dhai wuz au'l tue u dring'ut tu fae'ur,] they were all in a crowd
at the fair. (Very com.)
DRINK [dringk], sb. (Very com.) i. Ale brewed for harvest,
or any light beer ; malt-liquor.
[VViit av-u draap u dringk ur u draap u suydur?] wilt have a
drop of ale or a drop of cider ? Cider is never called drink.
[Guut-nee fraash dringk, mis-us?] have you any (lit. got any)
fresh ale, mistress ?
2. Beer in the process of brewing, or in fermentation.
[V-ee guut koa'ldurz nuuf t-oa'l dhu dringk ?~] have you coolers
enough to hold the wort ?
DRINKINGS [dring'keenz], sb. The grog and tobacco provided
for farmers after a rent or tithe feast.
Such an entertainment is always called [u diin-ur un dring- keenz,~]
a dinner and drinkings.
DRINKY [dring-kee], adj. Having had too much, but not
absolutely drunk.
Well he wadn not to zay drunk, your honour, but a little bit
drinky, merry like ; he knovved well enough what he was about.
DRISH [drish], sb. A thrush. More com. than DIRSH.
I know's a drishes nest way dree eggs in un.
DROAT [droa-ut, drau'ut], sb. Throat (always).
Do ee gee me a drap o' cider, my droats jis the very same's a
lime-kill — I be jist a chucked.
Th' air wi new-barn insec's zwaarms,
An' ev'ry copse an' grove
Vrem veather'd drots a chorius pours
Ev whis'ling notes ev love.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 7.
Et be dahngerous vath ! bit twid be es aun vaut,
If tha munny'd a truckel'd irt down in es draut.
Nathan Hogg, Tor Abbey Vaistings.
DRONING [droa'neen], sb. A monotonous humming sound,
as the droning of a bagpipe; monotonous preaching.
[Mustur 's droa'neen-z u-nuuf' tu zarn rin'eebau'dee tu-
zlee'up,] Mr. s droning is enough to send anybody to sleep.
Hee comme first too ]>e King : and too )>e kid Queene,
And sithen hee buskes aboute • J>e bordes echone,
Hee drouned as a dragon • dredefull of noyes.
William of Palerme. Alisaunder (E. E. T. S. 1867), 1. 983.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 215
DROOL. See DREWLY.
DROPPER [draap'ur], sb. A tightly-strained wire, in all kinds
of spinning-machines of the Jenny or mule class, by means of
which the spinner can wind the spun thread evenly on the bobbin.
D ROUGH [drue], adj. Through (always).
DROUGH AND OUT [drue- un aewt], adv. Throughout;
from the first till now.
[Aay noa'd ut au'l drile' un aewt^\ I knew it all through from the
first
DROVE [droa'v], sb. A track across fields, or a path through a
wood ; a roadway, but not a constructed road. Same as DRIFTWAY.
There idn no road, but just arter you be a-come pon tap th' hill,
you'll zee a spy-post, and a little vurder on you'll come to a drove
— turns away pon your left 'and ; you volly thick and he'll car you
straight's a line down the bottom gin you come to tother road.
DROVED [droa-vd], past tense of to drive (always) ; p. part,
[u-droa'vd]. See DRAVE.
Example of the weak inflection added to the strong form. See
W. S. Gram. p. 48.
I droved home last night long way Mr. Lock to Beer.
DROW [droa-; p. t. droa'ud; //. u-droa'ud], v. t. i. To
throw (always).
Joe Hunt [droa'ud-ri] threw him a fair back vail dree times gwain.
2. v. t. To fell (throw) timber.
[B-ee gwai'n tu droa' un'ee oa'k dee yuur ? ] are you going to
fell any oak this year?
[Ee's-n Uurchut Stoo'un-v u-teok*t ut tu droa'een^\ yes, and
Richard Stone has taken it to felling.
3. v. t. To spring a snare or trap, without catching the prey.
They lousy boys 've a bin an' {u-droa-ud} all my want-snaps vor
mirschy.
They badgers be that crafty, I'd a-got vower traps, one time,
a-xot vor one, and he went and \a-drowd every one o'm, but never
catch'd a hair o' un.
DROW [druw, drawee], v. t. and /. To dry. (Always.)
[Shaa'rp een bee dhu vuyur-n rfriw yur-zuul,] (look) sharp, (and
go) in by the fire, and dry yourself.
[Aay zum t-1 druwee, um-baa'y,] I seem (/. e. think) it will be
drying weather by-and-by.
and lewede men techeres
And holy churche horen help : auerous and coueytous,
Drowfy vp dowel : and distruyej) dobest.
Piers Plowman, xv. 20.
2l6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
An' thee must zee to the dairy pans,
Er the creyme '11 be spwoiled therein,
An' thee must mine to turn the malt
That's droughin in the kiln.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 30.
DROW IN [droa* een], v. i. To give or accept a challenge in
a wrestling or cudgel-playing match.
When the ring is formed, some one throws in his hat — this is " to
drew in," and is a challenge to any man present. He who accepts,
then throws in his hat. This is " to drow in agin un."
When the bout is over, and two new contenders are required,
the "cryer" crys out \Tiie aats ! Tue aats^ two hats; and a new
bout commences between fresh players. The winners of the several
bouts or heats have to play each other, until the final winner is
ascertained.
It often happens that a noted champion can get no one to accept
his challenge. Then it is very common to hear, " Nobcdy widn
drow in agin un."
They zess how zome o' they there Wilscombe fullers be comin
to revel ; aa'll warn our Will's there long way um ; there idn nort
he do like better-n tis vor to drow in gin one o' they.
DROWND [draewnd], v. t. Drown. Very com. pronun.
Billy, how come you to drownd our chick ?
Our Rose whelpeM day-mornin, but all the pups be &-drownded
in to one — /. e. except one.
Zucks fill the Cup, we'll drownd all Sorrow
And never thenk about To-morrow.
1762. Collins, Ninth Ode of Horace, in Somerset Dialect, Miscellanies, p. 115.
DROWN THE MILLER [draewn dhu muTur], phr.
To pour too much water on the spirit in mixing grog, or to make
the tea too weak, often leads to the expression, "Now you've
z.-drownd the miller.11
DROWN WIGS AND FEATHERS ! [draewn wigz-n vadh'urz!]
An exclamation of surprise, rather implying disapprobation.
Such an expression might be heard over a game of cards on losing
a trick unexpectedly.
Also an asseveration.
[Aa-l niivur due ut, draewn muy wigs-n vadfrurz neef aay
due ! ] I'll never do it, drown my wigs and feathers if I do !
A common, though cumbrously long ejaculation is, " Drown wigs
n burn veathers, hang stockins-n shoes ! "
DROW OUT [droa- aewt], v. To twit with past delinquencies ;
to rake up old disgraces. In the Hill district this is to droiu-vcxe.
[droa-voa'ur]. In the Exmoor Scolding this is called "to drow
vore spalls." See 11. 175, 180, 309.
Quite recently a man asked me if I knew what had become of
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2 1/
some fowls which had been stolen from my premises, and said
further :
[Aay yuurd Joa un Jiim \\-droa'een aewt tu waun ur tuudrrur, un
Joa drocfud aeivt aew Jiim stoa'ld um, un dhoa Baub, ee zad hnut
feo-lz dhai wau-z vur tu drocr aewt lig dhaat dhae'ur,] I heard Joe
and Jim twitting one another, and Joe threw out how Jim stole
them, and then Bob, he said what fools they were to throw out
like that.
DROWTH [draewth], sb. i. Thirst.
I 'ant a-veel'd no jish drowtlts longful time, I'd a-gid the wordle
vor a cup o' cider.
2. Dryness, as applied to timber or articles requiring to be
" seasoned." " Lot of board warranted two years' drowth"
3. Drought.
[Wee aa'n u-ae'ud jus draewth uz nuunrbur u yuurz,] we have
not had such a drought for a number of years.
DROWTH. Soif; ou, conime driness. — Sherwood.
Ac ic haue porett plontes • perselye and scalones,
Chiboles and chiruylles • and chiries sam-rede,
And a cow with a calf • and a cart mare,
To drawe a feld my donge " ]>e whyle drouth lastej).
Piers Plowman, ix. 1. 310.
DROWTHY [draewthee], adj. Thirsty.
\_Draew~ thee wadh'ur aay zum,] thirsty weather, I fancy.
DROW UP THE HAND [droa- aup dh-air], phr. Lit. to throw
up the hand — with a cup in it, understood. To drink too much ; to
be inclined to drunkenness. See EMPTING CLOAM. (Very com.)
Is George Brown any steadier than he used to be?
Well, sir, I can't zay how I've a-zeed-n not to zay drunk like's
good bit ; but I be afeard he do drow up his hand more-n he
off to.
DRUCK-PIECES [druuk-pee-sez], sb. Sleepers in a well, either
to support the pump itself, or the pipe belonging to it.
DRUG [druug], v . t. i. To drag = trahere.
The word implies dragging along the ground by main force in
opposition to drawing upon any kind of rollers or wheels. Hence
"to drug" timber is to attach horses actually to the tree and pull
it along the ground, often to the great damage of the surface, while
" to draw " [draa'] timber is to haul it upon some truck or carriage.
[Aay druug-n. aewt.] See West Som. Gram. p. 97.
And to the court he went upon a day,
And at the gate he profred his servyse,
To drugge and drawe, what so men wolde devyse.
Ckaucer, Knightes Tale, 1. 566.
2l8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. v. i. and /. To put the drag or shoe upon a wheel, or in some
way to cause it to slide instead of turning.
The word is quite distinct from any sort of application of a
friction-break, and implies a complete stoppage of the wheel either
with or without a shoe.
[Bae'un ee gwain tu druug, daewn dh-ee'ul ? ] are you not going
to put the drag on, down the hill ?
[Diis-n zee* dhu wil-z M-druug'd u-rad'ee ? ] dost not see the wheel
is dragged already?
3. sb. The shoe or skid by which the wheel of any wagon
or other carriage is made "to drug" (q. v.).
Plase, zir, wants a new drug vor the wagin, th' old one's a-wear'd
out.
DRUG-BUTT [druug-buut], sb. A three-wheeled cart, shaped
like a large wheel-barrow. See BUTT.
DRUG-CHAIN [druug-chain, or chaayn], sb. The chain by
which the wheel of a carriage is held when dragged.
DRUGGISTER [druug -eestur], sb. Druggist. (Usual name.)
[Uz faa'dhur-z u druug'eestur,~] his father is a druggist.
A DRUGGISTER. Drogutur. — Sherwood.
DRUGS [druugz], sb. Dregs. Always so pronounced.
This is purty stuff you've a-zend me, why 'tis half o' it drugs.
DRUG-SHOE [druug-shue], sb. The shoe for dragging a wheel.
DRUM [druum],^. Thrumb. (Always.) A thrumb is an inch
or two of cloth attached to the waste part of a weaver's warp. It
is that part where all the threads of a new warp are tied on to
the old, and is not suitable to be woven on account of the great
number of knots. The thrumb is consequently the fag-end of the
last cut in a warp.
In the Parlor.
It'm one Dornex carpett, iiij old drumb cushions, and a cubbord \ .,
cloth of dornex. / VJ '
In the Chamber over the Parlor.
It'm, vj drumb cushions. xx'.
Inventory of Goods of Henry Gandyt, Exeter. 1609.
DRUNKING, or DRUNKEN-WILLY [druung-keen weeiilee].
Red valerian. Centranthus ruber. (Very com.)
DRUNKS-NEST [druungk's-nas], sb. An occasion of drunken-
ness. (Very com.)
[Dhaat-1 bee u puurdee druungks-nas^ that will be a nice
excuse for a drinking bout. Said of a guinea given to the ringers.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 219
DRY [druy], adj. i. Humorous, shrewd, eccentric.
[Jish u druy oa'l fuul'ur, kaa'n uulp kurrfeen oa un,] such a
humorous old fellow, (one) can't help laughing at him.
2. Applied to a cow not giving any milk. Sometimes called Zue
or Zeu>.
We always likes to have some just in the flush o' milk, when the
tothers be dry.
DRYE, as kyne (nete P.), or bestys J>at wille gyfe no my Ike. Exuberis.
Promp. Patv.
3. Thirsty.
I be fit to chuck ; I sure 'ee, sir, I be that dry I could'n spat a
zixpence.
4. Meat, well cooked. (Very com.)
[D-ee luyk ut gree-n ur druy T\ do you like it under-done, or well
done ? See GREEN.
DRY AS A BONE [druy-z u boo-un]. This is the almost
invariable simile to express the superlative of dryness.
DRY-JOB [druy jaub], sb. Work without cider; any work
tending to induce thirst.
Ter'ble dry-job, maister ! we be jist a-chucked way smeech ; half
a pint would do anybody a sight o' good.
DRY MEAT [druy mart], sb. Hay and corn.
[Dhik'ee mae'ur nuvur doa'n due* bee druy mar/,'] that mare
never thrives on hay and corn.
DRY-PIPE [druy puyp], sb. Smoking a pipe without the usual
glass of grog therewith.
Mr. Jones, what '11 ee plase to take ? I ax your pardon, I never
zeed you was smokin a dry pipe. (Farmer's wife.)
DRY-SHOD [druyshaud], adv. phr. Without wetting the feet.
Never zeed the water so small (/'. e. river so low) avore, could go
'cross dry-shod''most any place. See WET-SHOD.
and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
Isaiah xi. 5.
DRYTH [druyth], sb. Drought, thirst.
Frequently used, but not so common as drowth — used by rather a
better class than the latter.
DRY- WALL [druy-wau'l], sb. A wall built of stones only,
without any mortar.
DRY-WALLER [druy wau'lur], sb. One who builds walls with-
out mortar, a very different man from a mason.
DRY-WALLING [druy wairleen], sb. Building without mortar.
220 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
DUBBED, DUBBY [duub'ud, duub'ee], adj. Blunt : applied to
anything pointed.
[Kaa'n drai'v dhai naa'yulz, dhai bee zu duub'ud^ can't drive
those nails, they are so blunt-pointed.
Jim, the pick's ter'ble dubbed^ do ee car-n in and ha-un a-drawed
out.
DUBBING [duub'een], sb. Suet; also the fat used for dressing
leather, called " currier's dubbing."
DUBIOUS [jue'bees], adj. Word of very common use, and
expresses a negative, or undesirable expectancy, as [aay bee
jue^bees dhaat oa'n aa'nsur,] I do not think that will answer.
[Dhik-1 vaa*l-n brai'k zaunvbud'eez ai'd aay bee jue'bees,'] that
will fall and break somebody's head, I expect The word would
not be employed to express a wished-for expectation.
They bullicks '11 vind their way in, I be dubious — /. e. into a field
where they would commit damage. — Ap. 18, 1882.
DUCK [duuk], sb. A game.
A stone is placed upon another larger one, and the players
stand at a certain distance, and in turn throw other stones at it so
as to knock it off. Upon a player striking the duck a general rush
and scramble takes place.
DUCK'S BILL [duuks bee'ul], sb. A boring instrument used
in a stock like a centre-bit. It is mostly a chair-maker's tool.
DUCK'S BILLS [duuks bee-ulz], sb. Iris. (Huish Champflower.)
The narrow-leaved variety. Also Dielytra Spectabilis.
DUDS [duudz], sb. Clothes.
[Peold oa*f mee duudz-n. wai'n tu bard,] pulled off my clothes and
went to bed.
DUG [duug], sb. i. An iron pin; a dowel for fastening the
bottom end of a durn (q. v.) to a stone or brick floor.
2. The teat of a woman's breast.
DUGGED [duug-ud], adj. Bedraggled ; same as DAGGED.
DUMBLEDARY [duunrldae'uree], sb. i. A large kind of wild
bee, but not the very large humble bee^ which is called bunfle.
2. A dolt ; a blockhead.
Get 'long, ya gurt dumbledary !
DUMPS [duums], sb. i. Twilight; same as DIMMET.
[Twuz jis lau-ng een dhu duum's luyk,] it was just along in
the twilight.
.WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 221
2. Melancholy ; brooding ; absent in mind — as " down in the
dumps." There is no sing, in the dialect.
To PUT INTO DUMPS. Donner la imise A, faire muser.
In DUMPS. Morne. Shenvood.
DUMPSY [duunrsee], adv. i. Towards night; not used for
early dawn.
[Jis ee'ns twuz gifeen duunrsee luyk,~\ just as it was getting towards
night.
2. adj. Dark, gloomy, cloudy.
Ter'ble dumpsy, I zim, can't hardly zee.
Chaps hurnin' dru the vallin' snow
Da be-at the'r ban's an' the'r vingers blow.
Shart dumpsy days an' longful nights :
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 63.
DUMPY [duunvpee], adj. Blunt as to point; round-ended.
[Dhik stae'uk oa'n goo, ee-z tu duum-pee taap-ud,] that stake will
not go, it is too blunt-topped. Same as DUBBED.
DUNDERHEAD [duun-dur ard], sb. A blockhead ; sometimes
dunderpate.
DUNG-BELLY [duung-buul'ee], sb. A big coward : a craven.
Much the same as DUNG-HILL, but rather more conveying awkward-
ness of size.
[Guurt duung-buul'ee ! wai u chee'ul ud drai'v-m,] great coward !
why a child would drive him. See GOR- BELLY.
DUNG-BUTT. See BUTT.
DUNG-CROOKS [duung-kreoks]. See CROOK. Same as short
crooks ; for carrying manure on a pack-horse.
DUNG-HILL [duung-ee'ul], sb. A craven ; a cowardly, mean-
spirited fellow.
Well, I never didn think Joe Stone wid be jish dung-hill's that is.
No doubt this is a relic of cock-fighting.
Any cock can crow 'pon his own dung-hill — hence a dung-hill
cock as distinguished from a game-cock.
DUNG-PICK [duung--pik], sb. A dung-fork. (Always.)
DUNG-POT [duung'-paut], sb. A kind of tub having a hinged
bottom, one of which is slung on each side of a pack-horse, for
carrying earth, stones, or other heavy material.
DURN-BLADE [duurn blae'ud], sb. A. jamb or door-post, while
detached from its fellow, called [u duurn], simply, when fixed in the
wall opening. The term would be applied to a piece of timber
sawn to the proper size for the purpose.
222 WEST SOMERSET WORDS;,
This here '11 do vor a durn-blade — he idn long enough, I don't
think, vor to make two, praps can get a durn-hcad out o' un.
DURN-HEAD [duurn ard], sb. The cross piece at the top of
a door-frame, whether straight or arched.
BURNS [duurnz], sb. The frame of a door in situ ; called [u
pae'ur u duurnz,'} while being made or when detached from the
building. This and the foregoing terms are only applied to a solid
door-frame, and not to what are known as "linings " or "jambs."
I've jist a started two houses, and I want to bide home a Monday,
vor to fix the durns, eens the masons mid go on — an' I've a-got two
pair o' durns more vor to make, zo I can't come no-how vore
Tuesday. —April 9, 1887.
DUST [dus], v. t. To thrash ; i. e. to make the dust fly by
blows.
[Aa'l diis dhu jaa'kut u dhee ! shuur mee?] I'll dust the jacket
of thee, dost hear me ?
DUTCH [dtich], sb. White clover. (Almost like lit. ditch.}
I do like to zee the Dutch come up — showth there's some proof
in the ground.
DUTCH OVEN [diich oa-vm], sb. A tin hastener, in which
food is roasted in front of the fire. (Only name.) Hastener
is unknown.
DWALLY [dwau'lee], v. i. To talk incoherently — as a man in
his cups, or in delirium.
Here, Jim ! let's take th' old fuller home and put-n to bed; tidn
no good to let'n bide here and dwally all night.
This may be a survival of the traditional effect of the dwale, or
nightshade — atropa belladona.
To bedde go)) Alein, and also John,
There nas no more ; neede)> j>em no dwale.
Chaucer, Reeve's Tale, 1. 4158.
DWALE, herbe, Morella Sompnifera, vel morella mortifera. — Promp. Parv.
It is called .... in English Divale, or sleeping nightshade. . . . This kinde
of Nightshade causeth sleep, troubleth the mind, bringeth madnesse if the berries
be inwardly taken. Gerard, Herbal, p. 341.
and do]) men drynke dwale : J)at men dredej) no synne. — Piers Plow. 1. 379.
See Note by Way in Promp. Parv. p. 134. Also p. 453, Skeat's Notes to
Piers Plow. Also Prior, British Plants, p. 70.
Wilmot . . . Lock ! dest dwallee or tell doil?— Ex. Scold. 1. 137.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 223
E
E [ai-]. i. Always has sound of Fr. e.
2. [ai']. He, she (emphatic). This form is not now so com. as
it used to be.
[Ai~ ul bee buureed tu siinrutuuree, oa-n at'?] she will be buried
at the cemetery, will she not ?
This was said to me quite recently of a lady who had died the
day before.
A man said to me of his daughter, for whom he wanted to
obtain a situation :
[Ai-z u maayn guurt straung maayd, ai ai'z,] he (she) is a great
strong girl she is. See HE.
E [ee', ee], pr. He, she, it, cmph. ; you, unentph. (Usual.)
Thomas, is the cow any better ?
[Ees, aay ziim ee-\i\ due* naew — aardr u beet,] yes, I think he (she)
will do (recover) after a while.
[Aewsumdd'vur ee oan git uz mulk baak ugee'un,] notwith-
standing (this improvement) he (the cow) will not get his milk back
again.
Where's the key ?
[Ee wuz ang'een aup beeuyn dhu doo'ur beenaew,] he (it)
was hanging up behind the door just now.
[Ee aan u-kaard'-n uwai', aavw ? ] you have not carried it away,
have you ?
EAGERLESS [ai'gurlees], adj. Headstrong, eager, excited.
You did'n ought to zit yerzel up zo, take it quieter like, and not
be s'eager/ess.
A groom said of a horse, " So zoon's ever he do zee th' hounds,
he's that eager/ess, can't do nort way un.
EAN [ai'n], v. i. Used mostly in /. /. and p. part, [ai'nud,
u-arnud]. Of sheep, to bring forth ; to lamb ; to yean.
I know her've a-ean'&d some place, but I can't zee no lamb ; be
sure the fox 'ant a-bin arter-n a'ready.
The infin. [arnee] eany is sometimes heard.
Thick yoe out eany-z dree or vower days.
Yean is never heard.
ENYN, or brynge fbrthe kyndelyngys. Feto. — Promp. Pan'.
To eane. Agncler. — Cotgravt (Sherwood).
EAR-BURS [yuur-buurz], sb. A kind of swelling or kernel
behind the ears.
224 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
EAR-DROPS [yuur-draups, yuur-draaps], sb. i. Ear-rings of
all shapes. The usual term.
Her'd a-got on gurt ear-drops, same's a half-moon like, so big 's
a crown-piece : nif they was gold, they must a cost a purty penny,
sure 'nough.
2. The common name for the fuchsia.
EAR-GRASS [yuur-graa's], sb. The same as YOUNG GRASS
(q. v.}. The annual or biennial grasses sown upon arable land.
I have placed this word under E in deference to the authority of
previous glossarists ; but believe it should be year-grass, /". e. annual ;
and that it has nothing to do with A.-S. erian, for the reason that
we do not say y arable, while we do say \_yuur-graa" s],
EAR-KECKERS [yuur-kaek-urz], sb. pi. The glands on each
side of the throat, which when swollen are called mumps.
The ear-keekers o' un be a zwelled out so big's two hen-eggs.
EAR-MARK [yuur-maark], sb. and v. t. A notch or hole in the
ear of any animal by which it may be recognized again. Hence
any mark or token by which a thing may be identified.
I always ear-marks my wethers way a snotch outside th' off
ear, and the ewes outside the near ear. Comp. the legal dictum,
" you cannot ear-mark money in account."
EARNEST-MONEY [aarnees-muun'ee], sb. A small payment
on account of a purchase by which the bargain is clenched. Hence
a recruit is bound on receipt of the " Queen's shilling."
Whiche is the ernes of Joure eritage : in to the redempcioun of purchasynge in
to heryinge of his glorie. Wyclif vers. Ephts. i. 14.
ERNEST, supra in ARNEST, hansale : strena. — Promp. Parv.
to gif him V. mark for ]>e werkmansshipe, (of ]>e which I haue paied him
a noble on ernest), I wol )>e same couenant be fulfilled.
1424. Roger Flore. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 59.
EARTH [uurth, aeth], sb. i. The hole of. a fox. The earth-
stopper's duty is to go very early in the morning to stop the earths
or holes where the fox is sure to make for when pressed by the
hounds. If he has failed to do his work the cry " gone to earth "
is most likely to be heard.
I knowed well 'nough where he was makin vor : I zaid he'd sure
to go [t-aeth~] to earth in Chipstable 'ood.
The EARTH, or hole of a Fox or Badger. Goulet, Mere.
Cotgravc (Sherwood).
2. A ploughing. Comp. varth, math, &c.
[Wee niivur doa'n gee wai't bud wau'n aeth,~] we never give
wheat but one earth, /. e. we sow after once ploughing.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 225
You can break 'em up and put 'em to corn all to one earth. —
Oct. 28, 1882.
ERYAR of londe. Arator, glebe. \
ERYYN' londe. Aro. > Promp. Parv.
ERYYNGE of londe. Aracio. )
trif eax ne kurue, ne J>e spade ne dulue, ne }>e suluh ne erede, hwo kepte ham
uorte holden ? Ancren Riivle, p. 384.
Tho seyde perken plouhman • "by seynt peter of rome,
Ich haue an half acre to eren ' by )>e hye weye.
Piers Plowman, IX. 1. I.
huo J>aune ssolde erye, and zawe and ripe and mawe and o)>re er{>liche workes
to done. Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 214.
Such land as ye breake vp for barlie to sowe,
two earthes at the least er ye sowe it bestowe.
Tusser, 35/50.
EARTH-NUT [aeth'-nut], sb. Common hog-nut. JBunium
flcxuosum — called also Pigs-nut.
Apios is called .... in englishe an ernute or an earth mite, it groweth
plentuouslye in Northumberland. Turner (Britten), p. 14.
An Earth-nut. Noix chastaigne. — Colgrave (Sherwood).
Cuinterius thought the word was corrupted, and that Balanocastanon should
be read ; .... of some, Nucula terrestris or the little Earth-nut : it is thought
to be Bunium Dioscoridis of some, but we think not so. — Gerarde, p. 1065.
EAR-VRIG [yuur-vrig], sb. Earwig.
This is one of the words in which we retain the sound of the
old w before r — but how our forefathers got the r into A.-S.
eant'icga is for savants to determine.
EASE [aiz], ref. v. i. To ease oneself = cacare.
EsYft .... stercorlso, merdo, egero. — Promp, Parv.
2. sb. See LITTLE EASE.
EASEMENT [ai-zmunt], sb. Relief, assistance.
Nif you could vind me a job vor the 'osses now and again, zir,
'twid be a easement o' the rent like ; and I'd do it so rais'nable
as anybody should.
Also I wott )>at on Laffarebrugge be spendid, to make hit aft of stone, vjc
markes, in esement of the comyns, if hit so be ]>at no man be bounde by his
lond to make hit. — 1426. Wm. Hanyngfdd. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 70.
See also illustration under EM i.
EASTER LILY, EASTER ROSE [ai-stur luTee— roa-uz]. Same
as LENT LILY. Daffodil — Narcissus pseudo-narcissus. One of our
commonest spring flowers. Certain orchards and meadows are
covered with a sheet of gold for a few days, while fortunately
two or three weeks later not a vestige of the leaves can be found
Q
226 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
among the grass. To this rapid disappearance of the leaf may
be ascribed the survival of the flower. If the bulbs could be
readily found they would soon find their way with ferns and
primrose-roots to the " common garden."
EAT [art; p. art; //. u-ai't]. See THERE.
[Uur aa-n u-ai't noa'urt ziinz uur ai't dhai dhaer dhae'ur
tae'udeez,] she has not eaten anything since she ate those potatoes.
Thick bwoy wid ait us out o' ouse and 'ome, let-n have it.
EAT OUT [art aewt], v. t. i. To corrode.
Why don't you take more care o' things ? Here, I've a vound
one o' the knives a drow'd out way the rummage, and now he's all
a ate out way rist.
2. Applied to land — to absorb ; to swallow up.
Ter'ble field o' ground 'bout aitin out o' dressin — 'tis a-go in no
time.
EAT THE CALF IN THE COW'S BELLY [art dhu kyaa-v
een dhu kaewz buul'ee], v. To forestall; to obtain money in
anticipation of earnings.
Plaise to let it bide gin I've a finish the job ; I never don't like
vor to draw no money avore I've a sar'd it, I zim 'tis aitin the calve
in the cow's belly.
EAVE [ee'v], sb. The projection of a roof beyond the wall
supporting it. More often called office in this district. Many roofs
are built without any \_ee'v\ — i. e. when the rafters do not project
beyond the face of the wall.
Eaves (plur.) in old Eng. meant the clippings of the thatch.
See Skeat ; Ancren Riwle, &c.
EAVER [arvur], sb. i. A well-known grass, usually called
Devon-eaver. Lolium perenne.
I don't care vor none o' these here new farshin'd things, I always
zeeds out way nort but clover and eaver.
Wanted, up to 600 bushels Devon eaver, unadulterated, and weighing 20 Ibs.
to bushel. — Address K. 18, Morning News, Plymouth.
2. Applied to the seeds of any of the lighter grasses.
A man in a barn who was sifting clover-seed, said to me, [Aay
du puut ut drue1 dhu ruyveen zee'v, vur tu tak aewt augl dh-ai'vur,~]
I put it through the riving sieve to take out all the light grass seeds.
For a grass the name seems to be peculiar to the western counties,
while haver (Mod. Ger. hafer, Dutch haver, haber,) in other
counties is the name for oats. In Lincolnshire it means wild oats.
(See Peacock, Britten, &c. E. D. S.)
Haver means wild oats. — Prior, p. 105.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 22?
Havyr : auena, auenula. Otys : \bi Aauer. — Cath. Ang.
A fewe cruddes and creem and an hauer cake.
PUTS Plowman, B. V. 1. 284.
Gerard has Avetta Vesca : common Otes. lie says, " In Lancashire it is their
chiefest bread come for Jannocks /fo«<.r-cakes . . . and for the most part they
call the graine Hauer." — Gerard, p. 74.
He also (p. 74) says — Festuca Italica, or &gilops Narbonensis, is called in
English ffauer-grasse.
Aveneron : wild oats, barren oats, hauer, or oat-grasse. — Colgrave.
EAVY [ai'vee], v. i. To condense moisture.
Before a change of weather it is very common to see flag-stones
and painted walls become quite damp. This occurs as often in
hot dry weather before rain as in wet weather or in thaw. When
this condition appears it is said " to eavy"
The kitchen vloor d'eavy, we be gwain to zee a change.
Hal. is quite wrong in denning "£ave — to thaw."
EBET [eb'ut], sb. Eft, or small lizard. The newt is called a
[wau'dr ebut,~\ water ebet. Elsewhere called evet.
an euete enforsith with hondis, aud dwellith in the housis of kingis.
Wyclif, Proverbs xxx. 28.
ED [ud, -d]. Would, had.
[Jiim ud u-gid-n sau'm turaa'klee,] Jim would have given him
some directly. See D 2.
[Dhai-</ mivur u-kmd au'm, neef Wee'ul'^ u-biin laung wai- urn,]
they would never have come home, if Will had been with them.
The corresponding negative is [eod'n] = would not, pronounced
precisely like the adj. wooden.
EDDISH [aed'eesh], sb. (See ARRISH.) The term used in leases
and by auctioneers for a stubble-field, after corn of all kinds,
flax, peas, beans, or clover-seed. It is not applied to grass after
hay, but after any crop which has been allowed to mature its
seed, the land until again ploughed is an eddish.
(This is identical with arrish — d between vowels often changes to
r, as in parrick from paddock.')
EDGE [aej], v. t. i. To urge ; to incite.
[Ee eod'n u due'd ut, neef uur ad-n u-aef-n au'n,] he would not
have done it, if she (/'. e. his wife) had not urged him on.
of god \>et we }>eonne deS bute God one, and his engel, )>et is ine swuche time
bisiliche abuten to eggeu us to gode. Ancrcn Riwlc, p. 146.
Fader of falshede, fond hit furst of alle
Adam and Eue he eggede to don ille.
Piers Plowman, II. 1. 60.
Alswa devels sal accuse |>am par
Til whilk }>ai egged J>am, bathe nyght and day.
Ilawpolc, Prick of Conscience, 1. 5480.
See also Will, of Paler me, Werivolf, 1. 1130.
Q 2
228 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. To push ; to nudge, as when two boys are sitting together
and one pushes the other to make him move a little; this would
be called \aej-een oa un,] edging of him.
EDGEMENT [aej'munt], sb. Incitement, urging, temptation
as by example.
[Ee-d bee soa'bur nuuf, uurree dhur-z au'vees zaum aej-munt ur
nuudh'ur,] he would be sober enough, only there is always some
temptation or other.
EGMENT, or sterynge. Indtamentum instigacio, — Promp. Parv.
" Mother," quod she, "and maiden bright Mary,
Sooth is, that through wommannes eggement
Mankind was lorn, and damned aye to die. "
Chaucer, Man of Law's Tale, 1. 5261.
ED'N [ud-n]. Is not (usual form ; see endless examples
throughout this Glossary).
[Uur ud-n u beet luyk ur zustur,] she is not at all like her sister.
Very often written idn. See W. S. Gram. p. 55.
EEL [ ee'ul], sb. Ill, or evil. Any local affection of the flesh
has this word generally suffixed — as \_poa~l ee'ul,~] poll-ill (q. v.) ;
[uud'ur ee-ul, brust ee-ul, kwaurtur ee-ul], udder-ill, breast-ill, quarter-
ill. Compare KING'S EVIL.
vor heo habbefc idon muchel eil to moni on ancre.
Ancren Riwle, p. 62.
EEL-HUTCH [ee'ul-uuch, yael'-uuch], sb. A fixed iron trap
or catching eels or other fish.
EEL-POT [ee'ul, or yael'-paut], sb. A wicker trap for catching
eels.
EEL SPEAR [ee'ul, or yael' spee'ur], sb. An instrument having
many barbed blades set closely together in a row and attached to
a handle. It is thrust down into the mud of pools or ditches
where eels abound.
EEL-THING [ee-ul-dhing], sb. (Evil-thing.) Erysipelas ; St.
Anthony's fire.
Plaise to gee mother a drap o' wine.
What is the matter with her ?
Her 'th a got th' eel-thing a brokt out all over her face.
EENGINE [ee-njiin], sb. i. Engine (always).
ENGYNNE, or ingyne. Machina.
2. Hinge.
Maister 've a-zen' me arter a pair o' T eengines, vor t 'ang the
door way.
EENS [ee'ns], adv. i. Even as (/'. e. in such a manner as).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 22Q
[Ee-ns mud zai',] as one may say, is one of the commonest endings
of any kind of sentence.
It seems peculiar to this district, but is really one of the most
used of any everyday word : abundantly shown in these pages.
2. How.
[Aa'l shoa ee ee'ns kn due1 ut,] I'll show you how (one) can do it.
3. What.
[Aay tuul'ee cms tai-z,] I tell you what 'tis !
4. Why, or wherefore.
Nobody never ont know ee'ns her do'd it vor.
5. But that.
Maister didn think no otherways ee'ns he was all ready vor to go
to work. See Note, p. 66, IV. S. Gram.
6. conj. That ; so that. See DURNS.
You told me ee'tis you wadn gwain : else I should a-went too.
EEN TO [ee'n tu], adv. All but; wanting only. Lit. even to.
[Dhur wuz dree skao'r ee'n tu dree ur vaawur,] there were three
score, wanting only three or four.
Hon I come, all the vokes was ago, een to 'bout of half a dizen.
EES [ee's], adv. Yes. (Commonest form of all.)
EET [eet], adv. Yet. (Always.)
[Wee bae'un gwain, naut <?<?•/,] we are not going, not yet.
[Ee-z u bae'ud fuul'ur, un eet vur au'l dhaat, ee doa'n saa'r uur
zu bae'ud luyk,] he is a bad fellow, and yet for all that, he does
not serve her (/. e. his wife) so badly.
EGG-PLANT [ag'-plaent], sb. Solatium Melongena. Very com.
in cottage windows.
EGGS AND BACON [agz'-n bae'ukn], sb. Common Toad-
flax. Linaria vulgaris.
EGGS AND BUTTER [agz'-n buad'ur]. Same as BUTTER AND
EGGS. Daffodils ; also garden narcissus of any kind.
EH? \&v\ inter j. Used interrogatively and alone, it means what
do you say? At the end of an interrogative sentence, it repeats
the question, as [Wuur-s u-bun1 tue, ai?~\ where hast been, eh?
EITHERWAYS [ai-dhurwai'z], conj. Either. (Com.)
Eithenvays you can zend the wagin home when you've a-doned
o'un, or else you can let'n bide gin I do zend vor'n. Do jist eens
you be a mind to.
ELBOW-GREASE [uul'boa-grars], sb. Manual labour.
230 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
It is a very common saying about painting :
[Las paa'ynt-n moo'ur uulboa-grais,~\ less paint and more elbow-
grease.
ELDERN [uul'durn, uul'urn], adj. Made of elder wood.
I zim eldern nettin-neels be always the best like.
Fader of Falsness ' he foundede it him-seluen ;
ludas he lapede • with )>e lewes seluerv
And On an Ellerne treo • hongede him after.
Piers Plowman, i. 65.
ELEM [uul'um], sb. Elm.
Yours is good Ian', can zee it by the gurt elems.
ELEMEN [mil 'unseen],' tf^'. Made of elm.
\_Uulmumeen kau'feen,] elm-coffin. \_Uul~umeen plan 'sheen,] elm
flooring.
ELEMENT [uul'eemunt], sb. The sky; the firmament; the
atmosphere.
[Dhu vuyur zum tu lai't aup atrl &\\-uul'eemunt,~] the fire appeared
to light up the whole sky.
[Dhai zaes aew tiiz saunrfeen een ^-uul'eemunt du uur't dhu
tae'udees,] they say how 'tis something in the atmosphere (which)
injures the potatoes.
A man describing a thunderstorm (Aug. 1879) sa^' " TW element
was all to a flicker."
Wherfore he het J>e elementes to helpe Jow alle tymes, and brynge forth Joure
bylyue. Piers Plowman, II. 1. 17.
The elements shall melt with fervent heat.
2 Pet. iii. v. 10, 12. See Twelfth Night, Act I. sc. i.
We do not use the word in the plural.
ELEVEN-O'CLOCKS [lab'm-uklau'ks], sb. Luncheon ; a slight
repast taken by field labourers and washerwomen. See NOMMIT,
FORENOONS.
Come on, Soce ! Let's ha our labm o'clocks, vore we begins
another load.
ELSE [uuls], adv. Otherwise ; on other conditions.
You shall zend em to my house, else I ont have em.
Thee stap along s'hear, I'll help thee else!
Used also to express much more than this.
I'll warnt thick's too big, try un else — i. e. if you think otherwise.
]>e rauen rayke} hym forth ' ]>at reches ful lyttel
How alle fodez J>er fare ' elle^ he fynde mete ;
Alliterative Poems. Deluge, 1. 465.
ELVER [uu'lvur], sb. A young eel. At certain seasons they
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 23!
mny be seen in shoals, going up the streams from the sea. They
are about three inches long, and the size of a fine straw.
EM [urn, 'm], pron. r. Them. The literary them is unknown in
this dialect. Neither is it used, as in some districts, for the nom.
case — e. g. them books are nice.
I 'ont zill em vor the money, but I'd let 'ee take the pick o'w in
my prize. See abundant illustrations elsewhere in these pages.
Wan ]>ay weren alle yn y-paste • J>e maycle and }>ay yfere,
Florippe het schitte )>e clore faste ' and welcomed em with gode chere.
Sir Ferittiibras, \. 2027.
Alle |>at )>ai J)an alacche mijt : ]>er na ascnped em non. — Ib. 1. 3098.
(In this poem the usual forms are hem or hymen.} See MUN.
also in esement of Idany and of lohn of the spetytt, for Almys I lent hem, a
chest, and a vergyous barett, and a fyerpanne.
1432. Isabel Gregory, Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 91.
jif ]>ei bynden hem to most charite and ]>er wij> ben in gret enuye amongis hem
self .... |>es ben perilous ypocritis.
Wyclif (Works, E. E. T. S.), p. 4.
and the tungis of hem ben maad .sijk ajens hem, alle men ben disturblid, that
sien hem ; and ech man dredde.
Wyclif vers. Psalm Ixiv. 9, 10.
2. They, in interrogative sentences.
[Zoa dhai-v u-kaeclr Jiim tu laa's, aa*n urn ? Aay dhau'rt dhai
wid ; ] so they have caught Jim at last, have not em ? I thought
they would.
Have em a-yeard ort 'bout Mr. Pratt's vowls ? Be em gwain to
war, d'ee think, sir? Where in the wordle did em all go to? Can
em get'n a-do'd gin tomarra ?
EMMET [yaam-ut], s6. The ant. A.-S.
One of the words to which y is prefixed. Comp. YEFFER,
YEFFIELD.
The yammets be making work sure 'nough way th' abricocks,
de year, they be wis-n wapsies, hon they takes to it.
O ! thou slowe man, go to the amte, ether pissemyre : and beholde thou hise
weies, and lerne thou wisdom. Wyclif vers. Prov, vi. 6.
and )>e more ha leuej) pe more him wext his strengj>e, alsuo ase |>e litel atnote.
Ayenbite of Inivyt, p. 141.
EMMET-HEAP [yaarrrut-eep], sb. Ant-hill. The large pile
of wood and dust, so often collected in woods by the large wood
ants.
EMONY [aenvuneee], sb. Anemone. Com. gardener's name.
We ran put in they emoiiy roots in there.
Also often called enemy [aeivumee].
We be middlin off vor racklisses, but 'tis a poor lot o' enemies.
232 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
EMP, EMPT [ai-mp, ai-rnt], v. t. To empty (final y always
dropt). Comp. CAR, DIRT.
[Plai'zr, aay kaa'n ai'mp dhik saes'turn bee meezuul1,] please, sir,
I cannot empty that cistern by myself.
You must'n emp nort down thick there zink, vore he's a put in
order.
So help me God thereby he shall not win
But empt his purse, and make his wittes thin.
Chaucer, Canon's Yeoman's Tale, 1. 16208.
ac hi bye]) of grat cost and harmuolle and perilous, ase )>o ]>et emte\ J»e heite
ofhireguode. Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 58.
He slipp'd behine th' pollard stump,
An' empt ez powder horn.
Ftilman, faistic Sketches, p. 29.
EMPTIN CLOAM [armteen tloa-m, armteen u tloa-m], phr.
Drinking to excess. See DROW UP THE HAND.
[Wuul, Jan! haut-s dhu maafr? Biin ai'mteen tloam ugee'un,
aay spoa'uz !] well, John ! what is the matter? (You have) been
emptying cloam (crockery, /. e. the cup) again, I suppose.
[Ee ud-n u bae'ud soa'urt v-u fuul'ur, neef u waud-n zu fau'n u
ai'mtecn u tloa'm luyk,] he is not a bad sort of a fellow, if he were
not so fond of drinking.
Work ! the work he likth best is emptin o' cloam, and he'll work
to that way anybody.
EN [-n, un], pron. Him, her; [-m] after /, b, f, v. See
W. S. Gram. p. 33, et seq.
Tell ee hot I should do way en — why I'd take '// nif I was you,
and gee en a darnd good hidin. See hundreds of other examples in
these pages. See UN. See Ex. Scold, 11. 214, 364.
-EN [-een, after /, m, n, p, b, v, f; -n after other consonants],
regular adjectival inflection : employed in the dialect with the name
of every material capable of use.
[U stee'ul^/z pwauynt,] a steel point. [U eo'l<?<?# au's klau'th,] a
woollen horse-cloth. [Uul'um<?<?« kau'feen,] elm coffin. [Tloa'mre//
pan,] cloamen-pan. [Tee-n*wz-pan,] tin-pot. [Weobv^z brae'ustiz,]
web-braces. [Tuurf^tf bangk,] turf bank.
Oak!/z table, arsh'« plank, leather;/ apron, glass'« winder.
and herwi)) ordeynen costly chambris and beddis and siluerene vessel and gay
clo>es. Wyclif (Works, E. E. T. S.), p. 6.
Wei two Mile to loke aboute • a stryde voide )>er nas,
]>at of ]>at ilke hefyenene route ' al ful was eueiy plas.
Sir Fa-umbras, 1. 3221.
END [ee'n(d], sb. and T. t. (always so pronounced).
[Un ee-n,~] on end. [Stan un ee'n,'] stand on end — /. e. on the
head. [Aup-m ee'n^\ up on end.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 233
Tommy, where 'v 'ee bin to? — neet vive minits agone I do'd
your hair vitty, and now 'tis all up on een again, [aup-m ee'n].
There idn no een to some vokeses wants.
Better pay it, and make a eend o' it.
The show was all a eended vore us come.
EENUE. Finis.
EENDYD. Fim'tus, terninattts.
EENDYN, or makyn a(n) ende. Finio consummo, desino.
Promp. Parv.
ENDILOPE [arndeeloa'p], sb. Envelope (very com.).
I could n post my letter 'cause I had'n a-got nother etidilope vor
to put'n in.
A vew lines pin tha endilofe praps I kin scral :
Vary vew it muss be tho, an now me deer Jan,
Yu zee wat they'm doing all droo out the Ian.
Nathan Hogg, The Rifle Corps, p. 46.
ENJOY [eenjauy], v. To endure; to experience.
[Poo'ur blid ! uur d-eenjauy shauk'een bae'ud uulth,] poor
thing ! she enjoys very bad health.
ENOW [uneo*], adv. Very common form of enough.
See W. S. Gram. p. 26.
Come, Bill ! I sh'd think thee's a-'ad enoiv by this time.
Furfcerifce desert, J>o he hefde iled ham ueor ifce wildernesse, he lett ham jxjlien
wo inouh — hunger *\ jmrst, ^ muchel swine ^ muchele weorren ^ monie.
Ancren Riwle, p. 220. See also Ib. pp. 160, 340.
Ah Jet ne Jmnchefc ow nawt inoh
to forleosen ow Jnis
in hulli misbileaue ;
Life of Saint Katherine, 1. 346.
Wiliam hit sende hire vaire inou ' wi]>oute eny [ing wareuore :
As king and prince of londe • wi]>e nobleye ynou
Ajen him wij> vaire" procession • ]>at folc of tonne drou.
Rob. of Gloucester (Morn?, and Skeat), 11. 203, 211. See also Jb. 234, 242, &c.
Rynges with Rubyes ' and Richesses
{>e leste man of here mayne ° a mutoun of gold.
(Morris and Skeat), Piers Plow. III. 1. 24 (p. 189).
ENTER [ai'ntur], v. t. and /. Hunting term applied to hounds.
"A young hound is said to be \mentered till he has taken his part
in the running of the pack. He may be taken out with them, but
if he does not join in their working on his own account, it is said
he does not enter — but when he finds the scent for himself, and joins
in chorus with the others, he is said to be entered" — W. L. C.
Dec. 26, 1883.
In the Declaration issued by the Inland Revenue for return of
articles liable to duty, one of the exemptions under heading " Dogs "
is — "A Master of a Pack of Hounds, for young hounds up to the
234 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
age of twelve months, and not entered in, or used with the pack."
The in here is a mistake, and should be deleted.
Great attention must be paid to the puppies when at walk (q. v.) until enter\i to
their own game, which should never be till they are full fourteen months old.
Lord Fortescue, Records, North Devon Staghounds, p. 6.
The young hounds should always be entered in the spring instead of the
summer hunting, as in the former, fewer horsemen attend the hunt. The puppies
are therefore less likely to be frightened or rode over. — Ib. p. 6.
Several puppies were entered this year in the spring at ten months old ; this
may do for hare-hunting, but staghounds should be fourteen or fifteen months
old before entering. — Collyns, Wild Red Deer, p. 206.
ENTER [ai-ntur], v. t. Used in hunting.
A kind of rite practised at the death of a hunted deer upon
novices, male or female, who witness the death for the first time.
The quarry having been brought to ground, the hounds are kept
off — the " mort " is sounded on the horn — the woo-hoop, death-
halloo yelled ; and as soon as the " field " has come up, the throat
is cut. Then if any novice is present, some old hand dips his finger
in the blood and draws it across the face ; and thus the novice
is said to be duly entered — i. e. to be initiated into the art of venery.
When the Prince of Wales came into Somerset to hunt with the
staghounds, the ancient custom was observed.
The Prince receiving the knife from the huntsman, gives the coup, and is duly
entered by Mr. Joyce- — Daily News, Aug. 23, 1879.
During my hunting days I may say I have entered a great many of both sexes,
and I would venture to say one hardly ever forgets who gave him the mark in
this way, when thinking over old times and first experiences in the hunting-field.
I well remember who entered me. — W. L. C. Dec. 26, 1883.
ENTIRE-HORSE [eentuyur airs], sb. Stallion.
ENTRY [arntree], sb. A young hound just fit for work, for the
first time taking his part with the pack.
Joe in an evil moment had drafted out some of his best entries to give them
blood ; and three of them lay dead at the feet of the quarry. — Collyns, p. 66.
EQUAL [ai'kul, ai'gul], adv. and adj. Quite. (Always so pron.)
[Muy tae'udeez bee ai'kul zu geod-7. ee'z,] my potatoes are quite
as good as his.
I'd {ai'kul} so soon g' ome as bide here.
Felowe of egal power — collegat. — Palsgrave, p. 219.
and for the extent
Of egal justice, us'd in such contempt ?
Titus Andronicus, IV. iv.
EQUALLY [ai-kulee, argulee], adv. Same as EQUAL.
I do consider they was all {ai-gulee} to blame.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 235
Also to the Nonfies of the said chirch, (gaily to be departed among hem, to
pray for my soule x marc. — 1431. R. Tyrell. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 90.
neuertheles it is geuen in dyuerse wyse, and not egally, for some hath more,
and some hath lesse, after their merytes. Gesta Rom. p. 434.
ER [uur, ur], pron. I (enclitic), he, she, we, you, one (impers.),
her, our, they. See IV. S. Gram. pp. 33, 36, 39.
[Aa'l aat-n daewn, shaal ur ?] I will knock him down, shall I ?
[Sh-1 ur ab-m neef aay zain un aartur-n?] shall he have it, if
I send him after it.
[ Uurz u puurtee beo'tee, uur uz,] she is a pretty beauty, she is.
[Gee1 ur ur suup'ur,] give her her supper.
[Wee kn goo tumaaru, kaa'n urT\ we can go to-morrow, can we
not?
[An oa'vur dhu vuurkeen wul ur ?~\ hand over the firkin, will you ?
[Uneebau'dee wiidn due ut vur noa'urt, wild urf\ one would not
do it for nothing, would one ? More commonly [wud um ?]
[Ue dud ur gee* un tue1 ? Wuy uur bee shoo'ur,] who did he give
it to ? Why her to be sure !
[Km aim, soa'us, lat-s ae* ur nau'meet,] come on, mates, let us
have our luncheon.
[Dhai diid-n due ut dhoa* aardr au'l, dud urT\ they did not do
it then after all, did they ?
Hou long hev er bin dead? Well, let me zee, zes Tim, .... why, if he'd
lived till tamarra he'd bin dead lizac'ly a week.
Pttlman, Rustic Sketches, p. 25.
ERD [uurd], sb. and adj. Red. (Always.)
[S'nurd-z u fau'ks,] so red as a fox, is our usual superlative of
redness.
ERRISH [uureesh], sb. A stubble field, as, [Wai't uureesh,']
wheat stubble. [Pai'z uureesh,"] pease stubble. [Bee'un uureesh,~\
bean. [Woet uureesh,'] oat. [Tloa'vur uureesh,'] clover stubble.
See EDDISH.
This word is usually spelt eddish or arrish in local advertisements,
also by Webster ; but in this district it is always pronounced as
above, and is not applied to any grass except clwer, and then only
when the clover has been mown for seed, so as to leave a real
stubble.
ERRISH RAKE [uureesh rae'uk], sb. A very large and
peculiarly shaped rake, used for gathering up the stray corn missed
by the binders ; now nearly supplanted by the horse-rake.
ERRISH-TURNIPS. [uureesh tuurmuts], sb. pi. A late crop
of turnips sown after the corn has been taken. It is very common
to begin to plough up the stubble as soon as the corn is cut, and
while it is still standing in stitches. After an early harvest good
crops of roots are frequently grown. See Es for illustration.
236 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ES, EZ [uV, -z ; -s after /, k, p~\. T. Contraction of this, these,
in the sense of during, or for the space of; applied to time, either
past or future.
Wherever have ee bin ? we bin a-woitin vor ee uz hour-n more
— /. f. for the past hour and more.
I thort he must ha bin dead ; I han't a-zeed 'n-z twenty year.
Tid'n not a bit o' use to look vor'n ; he 'ont be ready-2 vortnight.
[Aay aa'n u zee'd noa jis wait uur'eesh tuur'muts, naut-^ yuurz,]
I have not seen any such wheat errish turnips not's (these) years.
See Ex Scold, p. 130 ; W. S. Gram. p. 34.
2. [ees, aes], pron. I (enclitic); us (nom.).
[Aay spoo'uz kun kaar-n, kaa'n-m T\ I suppose (I) can carry it,
can I not ?
[Aes bae'un gwai'n,] we are not going. (Very com.)
ETH [aeth], sb. Earth. See ATH.
EVEL [aevl], sb. Heddle, heald in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
In this district the word is applied by weavers, only to the actual
eye, if of steel, or loop, if of twine, through which the thread of
warp is passed, and not to the whole heddle or heald. See HARNESS.
EVEL-TWINE [aevl-twuyn], sb. A weaver's term for the twine
used to repair the harness.
EVEL1NG [ai-vleen], sb. Evening.
I'll look in umbye in th' evelin.
Net trapesee hum avore the Desk o' tha Yeavling.
Ex Scold. 1. 200. See also 11. 166, 223, 314.
EVEN [ai'vm], v. t. To divide equally.
Mother zaid we was t' even [arvnf\ even it 'mongst us.
Imogen. Thou art all the comfort
The gods will diet me with. Pr'ythee away :
There's more to be considered ; but we'll even
All that good time will give us.
Cymbelinc, III. iv.
EVEN-HANDED [ai'vm-an'dud], adv. In making any " chop "
or exchange, when there is no money to pay by way of adjustment
on either side it is said to be even-handed.
When an even-handed bargain is made respecting an exchange of
horses, they are said to be " turned tail to tail."
You must gee me vive pound, then I'll chop vor your little mare.
No, I ont chop even-handed.
EVENING PRIMROSE [aivmeen purmroa-uz], sb. (Enothera.
(Always.)
EVERLASTING PEA [uvurlaas'teen pai], sb. Perennial sweet
pea. This variety does not form seed-pods.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 237
EVERLASTINGS [uvurlaas'teenz], sb. pi. Flowers which do
not wither. Applied to several varieties. Gnaphalium, Helichrysum
Rhodanthe.
EVER SO [livur zoa], sb. phr. An indefinitely large amount.
[Aay eod-n due- ut, gi mee uvur zoa,'] I would not do it, give
me any amount.
We also use the general phrases : — ever so much, ever so far, ever
so long, ever so big, every so many, ever so few, &c.
EVERY BIT AND CRUMB. See BIT AND CRUMB.
EVERY-DAYS [uVuree-dai-z], \tf. Week days.
[Au ! aay keeps dhar vur Zun'deez, aay doa'n puut um au'n
pun uvuree-dai'Z)~\ oh ! I keep those for Sundays, I don't put them
on upon week days.
So we talk of "Sundays and every-days" — "Every-day clothes,"
&c. An "every-day horse" is one that can work all the week
long and thrive upon it — not like a [Paa'snz au's,] Parson's horse,
which can only work Sundays.
EVERY WHIP'S WHILE [uvuree wuops wuyul], adv. phr.
Every now and again.
[Tak-n due' un aup fuurnr luyk, naut vaur-n tu kaum tu due'een
nvuree wuops wuyul,~\ take and repair it up firmly, not for it to
come to repairing every now and again.
EVIL-EYE [ai'vl uy], sb. The evil glance, having the power
of bewitching, possessed by witches. See OVERLOOK. The belief
in this power is still very widely prevalent.
[Dhai du zai1 aew dhut drroa'l dae'um Tlaap-v u-gaut dh-
ai'vl uy — un uur kn mak un'ee bau'dee puyn uwai' luyk, neef uur-z
u muyn tue,] they say how that the old dame Clap has the
evil eye, and she can make any one pine away like, if she has a
mind to.
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his
dainty meats. Proverbs xxiii. 6.
EWE-BRIMBLE [yoa-bninrl, or (fine talk) bniirrbl], sb. The
common bramble — Rubus Fruticosus. This term is generally
applied to an individual specimen, and mostly when of a coarse
rank growth.
Brooms made of heath are always bound round with a, yoa-briinrl.
See BROOM-SQUIRE.
EX [eks, heks], sb. Axe (always).
Ex, instrument. Securis. — Promp. Parv.
nout ase swin ipund ine sti uorte uetten, ^ forte greaten ajein J>e cul of J>er
tax- Ancren Riivle, p. 128.
238 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
EXLE [ek'sl], sb. Axle — i. e. the entire connection between
the two wheels of a " carriage " (q. v.}. In carts or waggons it
consists of three essential parts — viz. the two "arms" on which
the wheels revolve, and the wooden [^^/-kee'us,] axle-case, to
which the arms are attached. Axle-tree is never heard.
EXULTRE, or extre, supra in A, AXILTRE. — Promp. Parv.
Strong exeUred cart, that is clouted and shod,
Cart-ladder and wimble, with percer and pod. — Tusser, 17/6.
EYE [uy], sb. A brood — in speaking of pheasants. This is the
regular word corresponding to covey of partridges.
I zeed a fine eye o' pheasants, z'mornin.
EYE [uy], sb. The centre of a wheel.
The wheel was a-tord limbless, there wadn on'y the eye o' un
a-lefL
EYES. See BLOOD AND EYES.
EYES AND LIMBS [uyz-n liimz]. These are very constantly
associated in imprecations. Note that the blood is put before the
eyes and the eyes before the limbs.
EYEBRIGHT [uybruyt], sb. Applied to more than one
flower. The commonest is Veronica chamcedrys, or Speedwell.
I have heard it applied to the bright blue flower of Alkanet — >
Anchusa ojficinalis ; also to Stellaria Holostea. The Editor of
Tusser gives Eiebright (44/5) as Euphrasia ojficinalis ; but he does
not quote his authority — possibly the following :
Eufragia, or Ophthulmica ... is called in englishe Eyebryghte, and in
duche Ougentroit. Turner (Britten), p. 84.
Common eyebright is a small, low herb, rising up usually but with one
blackish green stalk. It groweth in meadows and grassy places.
Culpeptr, Herbal, p. 168.
EZ-ZULL [uz-zuul'], pr. Himself; by himself alone. See
W. S. Gram. p. 42.
[Neef ee ka-an due ut uz-zuul', Jiim mus uu'lp-m,] if he cannot
do it by himself alone, Jim must help him.
F. It will usually be found that words beginning with/ which
have come to us from the Latin, whether through French or not,
and all imported words in f, keep their initial letter sharp and
distinct, while Archaic and Teutonic words, though written with
f, are sounded as v. It is the neglect of this rule, and of the
cognate one as to s and z, which has made Western dialect writers
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 239
ridiculous to native ears — from Ben Jonson and Shakespeare down
to Punch and the local newspapers. Even Peter Pindar and Nathan
Hogg have transgressed very frequently.
On the other hand it often happens that words in initial v,
especially when emphasized, are pronounced as if in sharp/
Tidn a town, 'tis ^fillage, I tell ee.
I hant not a bit o' fifties (victuals) to put in their heads.
and $if l>ei froj>en bi irose fisegt a}en men )>at tellen hem treuthe, noo drede
J>ei frozen heere owen confusion. — Wyclif, I'npub. Works t p. 307.
A wel fair knijt was Firumbras : ounarmid wan he lay,
Ac ys Fysage al discolourid was : for is blod was gon away.
Sir Fenimbras, 1. 1079.
)>e bond }>at \sfysage was bounden wy)) : to stoppen is louely sijt.
2b. 1. 1162.
FACE [fae'us], v. t. To answer an accuser. In this sense
very common.
[Aay kn foetus ee- ur un'ee uudtrur bau'dee,] I can answer his
accusation or any other person's.
Grttmio. Face not me : thou hast braved many men ; brave not me. I will be
neither faced nor braved. Taming of the Shrew, IV. iii.
FACE [fae'us], sb. Assurance, impudence.
[Uur-v u-gau't fae^us unuuf* vur \iiveedhing,] she has assurance
enough for anything.
Was this ihe/acf, thaty^V so many follies,
And was at last out-/a<V by Bolingbroke ?
Richard II. IV. i.
FACE-CARD [fae-us-kee'urd], sb. Court-card. Used by the
educated, as well as in the dialect.
PACKET [faak'ut], sb. Fagot ; also a term of reproach to a
woman. (Always pron, with k, not^.)
[U puurdee oa'l faak-ut, uur ai'z,] a pretty old fagot, she is.
[Faak'ut eo'd,] fagot wood; [aar'shn/a^1///,] ashen fagot.
Ashen fackots cracklin' bright,
An' cursmas can'les all a-liglit,
In doors da cheer us while we meet
Our neighbour furns in parties zweet.
Pulinan, Rustic Sketches, p. 63.
FAD [fad], sb. Fancy, whim, hobby.
Maister 've a-got a fad now 'bout warshin o' pigs, but Lor ! I
zim 'tis on'y time a-drowed away.
FADGE, FODGE [fauj], sb. A wool-sack only partly full.
The word does not signify, as Webster says, a pack or sheet — /. e.
empty — but the entire package.
The only difference between a bag of wool and a fod^e, is that
240 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
the former is a full, stuffed-out, plethoric article, while the latter
is a partly empty, limp, shapeless one.
There was zix bags an' afodge 'pon the little wagin.
FAGS ! [fagz !], interj. By my faith.
\_Fagz ! diid'n ees puut-n ulau'ng,] faith ! did not I make him
go — lit. put him along.
FAIN. See FEND.
FAIRING [fae'ureen], sb. A peculiar kind of thin, brown
cake sold at fairs, called by the better class " gingerbread nuts "
— in London in my schooldays called "Jumbles."
[D-ee luyk farureenz ur kaunrfurts bas'?] do you like fairings
or comforts (q. v.) best ?
FAIRISH [fae'ureesh], adj. and adv. Pretty good.
[Dhur wuz u farureesh shoa' u bee 'us tu fae'ur,] there was a
pretty good show of cattle at the fair.
FAIRY, FARE. See VARY.
The remark appended to Fairies in Marshall's West Devonshire
Rural Economy, E. D. S., B. 6, is inaccurate. They are neither
squirrels nor polecats, but the common weasel (mustela vulgaris).
My cook came in after breakfast and told me, " Law, sir, Gyp [the dog] have
bin and killed a fairy ! " It was a weasel. She was from Worcestershire, and
hearing the gardener call the creature vairy, interpreted it as, fairy. — Letter from
Dr. Prior.
For other instances of words in v being pronounced in f, see
word lists, FISAGE, &c. This is the common emphatic form. See
F. ;also W. S. Dial p. 72.
FAITH. See FIE.
FALDERALS [faal'diraa'lz, faul'dirau'lz], sb. Women's adorn-
ments. See FAL-LALS.
FALL [fau-1], sb. i. Avail.
[Keod-n zee ur fae'us, kuz uur-d u-guuf u fau'l oa'vur-n,] (I)
could not see her face, because she had a vail over him (it).
2. [vau'l], Vale district ; [vaa'l], Hill. The autumn ; often spoke
of as \hefall of the year.
3. [vaa'l]. A term in wrestling.
A man may be thrown with the greatest violence, but the umpire
will shout [noaz>007/] unless the man thrown falls so that both
his shoulder-blades touch the ground together; in that case the
umpire or tryer (q. v.) calls [fae'ur vaa'l], or [fae'ur baak vaa'l}.
4. [vau'l, vaa'l], v. i. To be born : said of animals.
How old is he ? Dree year off; he vailed 'pon Mayday day.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 241
Geld bulcalfe and ramlamb, as soone as iheyfal/e,
for therein is lightly no danger at all. Tusscr, 35/32.
FALL-ABROAD [vairl, or vaa'l-ubroa'ud], v. /. i. To become
stouter in build ; to grow more sturdy or thick-set.
Well, how Mr. Chardles is a-valled-abroad ! twadn on'y but
tother day, I zim, a was a poor little fuller, not wo'th rearin, an'
now a's a-come a gurt two-handed chap, fit vor a dragoon
[drag -eo -n].
2, adj. Applied to figure or build ; slack, flabby, fat, stout.
You knows Jim Salter, don 'ee?
Ees ; gurt, slack, knee-napped, vail-abroad fuller, idn er ?
FAL-LALS [faal'-laalz], sb. Laces, ribbons, and such-like
ornaments worn by women. Rather implies tawdry finery.
FALL-DOOR [vau'l-doo'ur], Vale; [vaa'l-doo'ur], Hill. Trap-
door.
To a new fall-door to seller and fixin, vind inguns, ) g
nals, scrues, two cote pant. j
Item in Tradesman's £illy Jan. 1885.
FALLING- AXE [vau'leen-eks], sb. Axe used for felling trees.
The only survival of the old verb tr. to fall. In this district we do
not now fall or fell our trees ; we always [droa,] throw them, but
use a falling-axe.
Escalus. Ay but yet,
Let us be keen, and rather cut a little
Than_/a// and bruise to death.
Afeas. for Afeasure, II. i.
FALLING-ILL [vau'leen-ee'ul], sb. Fits, epilepsy. (Com.)
It is usual when any one is taken with either a fainting or epileptic
fit to say he or she is " a drapped away " — the complaint is the
falling-ill.
Her d'ave the vallin-ill sometimes two or dree times a week.
)>e Falland Euylle : epilencia comirius vel comicialis, morbus caducus, noxa,
gertnoxa, epilensis ; epilenticns qui patitur illam infirmitatem. Cath. Ang.
FALLING-POST [vau'leen-pau'us], Vale; [vaa'leen-pau-usl,
Hill.
The post against which a gate shuts, and to which the hapse is
fastened.
In hanging of a gate, nif you've a got a good firm hanging-post
(q. v.), 'tid'n much odds about the valling-post^ 'most anything '11
do for he.
FALLINS [vau-leenz,] Vale; [vaaleenz], Hill. Apples fallen
from the trees.
[V-ee u-begee-n suydur-mak'een? Wuul ! wee-v u-puut aup u
chee-z u dhu fuus vau'Ieenz,~] have you begun cider-making? Well,
we have put up a cheese (g. v.) of the first fallings.
242 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FALLOW [vuul'ur], sb. (This word and felloe are pronounced
precisely alike.)
1 . sb. Land ploughed and harrowed several times, ready for the
seed-bed.
[Neef ee muyn t-ae'u tuurmuts, mus maek u dhuuru geo'd
vuul'ur,~\ if you wish to have turnips (you) must make a thoroughly
good fallow.
2. sb. Land merely ploughed up and left untilled for a season,
so that it may rest from bearing a crop. This is constantly done
in winter after corn, but occasionally there is what is called a
summer fallow [zuunvur vuul'ur} for the purpose of thoroughly
cleaning the land of couch and other noxious weeds.
FALLOW [vuul'ur],^'. i. Rarely used, except with field. [U
vuul'ur fee'ul], when applied to land merely ploughed or which
has lain fallow.
2. v. t. To plough and to leave fallow all the winter.
[Wee bee gwain tu vuulur dhu guurt tarn ae'ukurz,] we are
going to fallow the " Great ten acres."
To summer fallow is to plough in the spring, and leave untilled
until autumn.
In this sense ploughing alone is implied. If other work, such as
rolling, dragging, harrowing, &c. are done, the field is said to be
" worked out " (q. v.).
and if he wolde go a brode forowe, he setteth it (plough) in the vttermoste
nicke, that is best for falowynge. Filzherbert, 4 — 40.
FALL UPON [vau'l, or vaa-1 paun], v. t. To assault violently.
Her's a mortal tarmigunt ; tidn no use vor he to zay nort, her'll
•vail pon un way the poker or the bellises or ort and drave 'm to
doors in two minutes.
Your dog do vail pon mine so sure's ever he do zee un.
And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon
him. And he smote him that he died. 2 Sam. i. 15.
FALSE [fau-ls], adv. i. " To swear false " is to commit perjury.
2. adj. Wheedling, coaxing.
Her's that there fatse, her proper gits over me, I never can't zay
no to her.
3. adj. Insincere ; pretending to friendship.
He's fair 'nough to your face ; but you can't 'pend 'pon un, he's
so false as the very Old fuller.
4. Sly, deceitful, cunning.
FALSE-BLOSSOM [fairls-blairsum, or faa'ls-blaus-um], sb. The
male flower of melon or cucumber. (Always.)
Said also of any blossom which fails to set.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS, 243
FALSE-BLOW [faa-ls-bloa], sb. An unfair blow ; a blow struck
below the knee in cudgel-playing or below the waist-belt in boxing.
FALSE-FLOOR [faa'ls-vloo'ur], sb. Space between the ceiling
and the floor above. Very often in old houses, where heavy beams
are found, two sets of joists have been used ; one to carry the floor
above, and the other to carry the ceiling of the room below, with a
considerable space between them. These spaces were often very
convenient hiding-places.
FALSE-KICK [faa'ls-kik], sb. An unfair kick—/, e. above the
knee in wrestling.
FALSING [fau-lseen], sb. Wheedling, coaxing.
Her can get anything her do want like, out o' th' old man, way
her falsin — ever since her mother died he's that there a-tookt up
way her, he'll let her have hot ever her's a mind to.
FALSYN, or make false. Fahifico, — Proinp. Parv.
FALTERY [fau'lturee], v. i. To show signs of old age ; to
break up in constitution.
[Ee du fau-lturee tuurubl. Aa ! poo'ur oa'l fuul'ur, ee oa*n bee
yuur vuuree laung,] he fails rapidly. Ah ! poor old fellow, he
won't be here very long.
FAN [van], v. t. To winnow.
FAN [van], sb. A.-S.fann. An ancient but nearly obsolete
winnowing implement. It consists of a wooden frame mounted
on two pivots, and turned by a handle. Broad strips of sack-cloth
are fixed to this frame, which when turned rapidly fly out like sails,
and create a strong current of air ; the corn is then thrown from a
zimmet (q. v.) in front of the fan and the chaff is blown away.
This rough apparatus is still used in some of the Hill farms, and
is the usual one in Spain, and until lately in Italy. Compare the
/as sounded mfan and fancy.
FANN, to dense wythe corne. Vannus. — Promp. Parv.
A FAN : capisterium, pala, vattnus, ventilabrum. — Cath. Ang.
Fanne, to fanne with — uan. I fanne with a fanne. — le vanne.
vng homme peult vanner plus cle bled en vng jour quil ne peult batre en
granche en deux. — Palsgrave.
FANCICAL [fan-seekul], adj. Tasteful; particular as to the
way in which work is done.
[Mae-ustur-z u fan'seekul soa'urt uv u jun'lmun,] master is a
particular sort of a gentleman — /'. e. he will have his work done his
own way.
FANCIES [fan-seez], sb. Whims; ideas; odd likes and
dislikes ; delirious talk.
R 2
244 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I 'sure you, mum, tis one body's work vor to tend pon un ; some
days he's all vull o' his fancies like, and then I be 'most mazed way
un ; he do tell up all sorts o' stuff: sometimes tis 'bout angels he
do zee, and then the devil's comin arter-n.
FANCY [fan -see], sb. A man is said to have a fancy when he
is in love. Of a woman the word is used to express the longings
of pregnancy. The popular notion is that unless the fancy of a
pregnant woman is gratified, the child will be marked with an
image of the thing longed for.
The/ in this word, and all its combinations, is always sharp and
distinct ; never approaching v.
They zaid how Jim Snow-d a-got a bit of a fancy t' our Liz ;
but her widn ha nort to zay to he.
FANDANGLES [fan'dang'lz, not dang'glz], sb. pi. Ornaments
of the jewellery class. Any kind of fanciful adornment. Also
antics, capering, dancing about.
[Wuy dh-oa'l mae*ur-z au'l veol oa ur fan'dang-lz iiz maur-neen,]
why, the old mare is all full of her antics this morning.
FANG. See VANG.
FAR. See VAR.
FARANT [faarunt], adj. Foreign.
{Faar'unt eol], foreign wool.
[Ee ud-n wau'n yuur ubaewt; aay kaewnt u kaum vrum zaum
faarunt pae'urt,] he is not one (from) here about ; I count he came
from some foreign part.
This would not necessarily mean from abroad, but simply beyond
the local district. See FOREIGNER.
FARDEL [faardl], sb. Obs. alone, but in very com. use in the
expression, " Pack and fardel " [paak-n-faardf].
I bundled her out pack txAfttrdel — i. e. bag and baggage.
Note this word always keeps the/ sharp ; no one could say vardel,
any more than he could saj ' farden (farthing) ; always varden.
FARDELLE, or trusse. Fardellus. — Promp. Parv.
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life.
Hamlet, III. I.
J>at if any man had I-lost x. assis with hire fardels, "come to him, and J>ey
shulde haue hem. Gesta Rom. p. 285.
A FARDLE. Fardeau ; fat's, pacqitet.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
FARDEN [vaardn], sb. Farthing. (Always.)
[Dhik ed-n u-waetlr u braa's vaarfdn^\ that is not worth a brass
farthing.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 245
FARDETH [vaardiith], sb. A farthing's worth. (Always.)
[Mairdhur-v u-zarn mee aardr u vaar'duth u rmilk,] mother has
sent me for a farthing's worth of milk.
FAR-FAUGHT. See VAUGHT.
FAR-FORTH. See VAR-VOTH.
FARMER ARTERNOON [faa'rmur aa'turneon]. A name for
a slovenly farmer; one who is always behindhand with all his
operations.
[Ee-zu praup'ur oa-l faa'rmur aa'turneon ; ee-z airvees u-kuufeen
haun uudlrur voaks bee kaa'reen,] he is a regular old farmer
afternoon ; he is always cutting when other folks are carrying.
So also "Afternoon-farmer" and "Afternoon farmering" have
the same meaning.
FARMERING [faa'rmureen], sb. Farming as a pursuit.
FARMER'S HEARTACHE [faa'rmurz aa-rtae-uk]. Very
commonly used in reference to the custom of farm-servants being
boarded by the farmer, when anything betokening an unusual
appetite is said to \>Qfit to make a farmer's heart ache.
When a very large pocket-knife is produced, one often hears :
[Dhae'ur-z u nai'v ! dhik ud-n u-shee'umd u noa'bau'deez buurd-n
chee'z — ee-z flit tu maek \\faa-rtnurz avrtae-uk^ there's a knife ! that
one is not ashamed of nobody's bread and cheese — he's fit, &c.
See CAGE OF TEETH.
Showing a large clasp-knife to a keeper he said :
Thick's hot they calls ^farmer's heart-ache. — April 21, 1887.
FARMERY [faa'rmuree], v. i. To practise the trade or operation
of farming.
In this case as in most others of the like kind, such as [blaak*-
smuthee,] blacksmithy (q. v.}, the word is frequentative. It would
only be applied to the pursuit or trade itself, and would never
be used in speaking of the manner in which the pursuit were
carried on.
[Ee du faa'rm shau-keen bae'ud luyk, tiiz mau's tuym vaur-n tu
jaak aup faa-rmureen^ he farms very badly, it is almost time for
him to jack up farming.
No one would ever say, "He do farmery shocking bad," but
if asked his business, the answer would be, not "I am a. farmer,"
but " I do farmery."
Wile I'm talkin a this I mit jist za wul zay,
I wiz owt tu a varmerin vrcnds tother day.
Nathan Hogg, Mai Browris Crinalin.
The v in the above is quite wrong — written for effect. See F.
Baird never really heard varmer in his life.
246 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FARNTICLES [faarrrtikulz], sb. pi. Freckles. (Com.)
A FARNTIKYLLE: lenticula, lentigo, nettus, sesia. — Cath Ang.
PARKING [faareen], sb. Farriering ; the work, business, or art
of a farrier. (Always.)
Nif a cow's a took't way milk faiver, cold steel's the best doctor ;
I ont never spend no more in farrin. See HEDGE-BOAR.
FARROW. S
FART [faa-rt], v. i. and sb.
Tussis pro crepitu, &c. &c.
Hudibras, Pt. I. co. i. 1. 831.
PET: a fart; scape, tail-shot, or crake. — Cotgrave.
See Promp. Parv. Cath. Ang. Palsgrave, p. 218.
Ich can nat tabre ne trompe : ne telle faire gestes,
Farten, ne fi}>elen : at festes ne harpen.
Piers Plow. XVI. 205.
FARTH. See VARTH.
FARWELL [faarwuul-]. Farewell. (Always.) Precisely like
Germ. fahr.
Je, Sir, quod the clerke, now )>ou haste J)i lif savid,
do Jeld to me my nede and go ;farwett.
Gesta Rom. p. 3.
FAST [vaa's]. One of the many uses of fast in the dialect is
shown in the very common saying :
[Aa'rk fee'? u-1 tuul luyz zu vaa's uz u daug-1 ai't weet'paut,]
hearken to him ? (/. e. believe him ?] he will tell lies as fast as a dog
will eat white pot. See IV. S. Gram. p. 22.
In the lit. senses of firm, fixed, and also of quick, speedy, the
pronun. is always as above [vaa's] ; but in both v. and sb. meaning
abstinence from food, it is always [fee 'us]. Indeed feast and fast
are identical in sound.
The v. to fasten is unknown ; we always say make vast, or put
"vast.
FATCH [faach, vaach], v. and sb. Thatch.
" Men baint a bit the same's they used to, idn one in ten can
vatch a rick, and put'n out o' hand like anything. When I was
a bwoy, farmers' sons used to be able to fatchy — where is 'er one
can do it now? " — Speech of an old farmer at a ploughing-match
dinner. — Culmstock, Oct. 31, 1883.
FATH ! [faa'th !], interj. By my faith. Used affirmatively and
negatively. (Very com.)
You don't say so ! Ee-sfaa't/t !
Chell tack et out wi tha to tha true Ben,fat/i !
Ex. Scold. 1. 19. See also p. 164.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 247
A very com. asseveration is vatKn trath !
It was too sneaken, falh and troth —
A poor groat glass between them both !
Nofat/i ! it wasn't vitty.
Peter Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter.
In the above, Wolcot sacrificed the alliteration of the dialect to
the exigency of his rhyme. He should have rather written bath
for rhyme, because it is always trath in this com. saw.
A big bullied veller had a got holt (ees vath /)
A boocher vur karrin es pig in tha path.
Nathan Hogg, Gooda Vriday.
Iv'ry wan in tha rume look'd bewtivul vath,
Bit mis zee in tha day vur ta lull a gwle clath.
Ib. Bout tha Ball.
FATHER-LAW [faa'dhur-lau]. Father-in-law. (Always.)
FATHER-LONG-LEGS [faa-dhur-lairng-ligz]. Called daddy-
long-legs elsewhere.
A very common cruel pastime is to take the well-known crane-
fly or a long-legged spider and say :
[Oa '1 faa 'dhur-lau 'ng-ligz
Wiid-n zai liz prae'urz ;
Tak-n buy dhu laf' lig
Un droa un daewn-stae'urz.]
At the same time pulling out his legs by jerking his body away.
FATIGATE [faafigee-ut], v. t. To weary; fatigue; tire.
Used by those rather above the lowest class.
When we come home I 'sure you we was proper a fatigated
[u faafigee'utud]. (Very com.)
When by-and-by the din of war gan pierce
His ready sense : then straight his doubled spirit
Requicken'd what in flesh wasfatigate.
Coriolanus, II. ii.
To FATIGATE : Fatiguer. FATIGATED : Fatigui.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
FAT IN THE FIRE [faaf-n dhu vuyur],///r. Fat is generally
an emphatic word, and hence mostly retains its sharp initial. A
flare up ; a violent altercation and outburst of wrath.
They wad-n very good cousins avore, but hon George yurd how
he'd a-bin to zee her, the fat was in the vire sure 'nough.
FAULT [fau't], v. i. and /. Hunting. To lose the scent.
through Nulscale Brake, into Stoke Combe, when we again faulted for some
time. — Rec. North Devon Staghounds, p. 29.
then turned out and lay down in a potatoe garden : the hounds faulted her,
and were cast down stream a mile and half without hitting her : then backed
(<]. z1.) it and passed over her a second time.— Collyns, Wild Red Deer, p. 211.
248 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FAUT [fau-t], v.t. i. To find fault with.
[Mae'ustur nuvur doa.'nfau't muy wuurk,] master never does not
find fault with my work.
2. sb. Default; want; defect — also fault, failing, misbehaviour.
There wadn no/aut o' vittles. Twas all yourfaut.
The / of the Mod. Eng. word is never heard.
FAWTE, or defawte. Defectus. — Promp. Parv.
J>ey were so ffeble and ffeynte : for jfattte of Joure lawe.
Langland, Rich, the Red. II. 63.
if thei shulde do penaunce, ]>e settith anoj>er to fulfill \ierfawtis.
Gesta Rom. p. 44.
meni)> fawte of bileue & dispeire of ]>e gracious gouernance of god.
Wyclif, Works, p. 388.
Bot he defendid hym so fayr, J>at nofauf semed.
Sir Camay ne, 1. 1551.
FAUT-VINDING [fau't-vuyndeen], adj. (Very com.)
[Ee-z dhu fau't-vuyndeens mae'ustur dhut uvur aa'y-d u-gau't,]
he is the fault-findingest master that ever 1 had.
FAUTY [fau'tee], adj. Defective, imperfect.
I calls 'n &fauty piece o' timmer.
FAWTY, or defavvty. Defectivus. — Promp. Parv.
or ellis men mosten say ]>at god is and was fawty in ordenance of bo}>e his
lawis. Wyclif, Works, p. 364.
Now am \fawty, & fake, and ferde haf been euer.
Sir Gaivayne, 1. 2382.
Such waiter isfautie that standith so by
Onmindful of seruice, forgetting his ey. — Tusser, 99-2.
FAUTY [fau'tee], adj. Grumbling, scolding.
[Uur-z u brae'uv-m fairtee oa'l dhing, ur ai'z,] she is a brave
and (/. e. very) scolding old thing, she is.
FAVOUR [fae-uvur], v. t. To resemble. (Com.)
[Uur du faeuvur ur mau'dhur nuzaak'lee,] she resembles her
mother exactly.
FAY [faa'y], v. To prosper; to succeed.
[Toa'un nuvur faay wai un, un zoa aay toa'ld-n tue uz fae'us,]
it will never prosper with him, and so I told him to his face.
FEATHER [vadh'ur], sb. Condition, humour.
[Aew wauz' ur? wuz ur een miid'leen vadh'ur I] how was he?
was he in a good humour ?
FEATHERFEW [vadh'urvoa-J, sb. The plant feverfew.
Pyrethrum parthenium.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 249
FEATY [fee-utee], adj. i. Applied to wool ; when a number
of coarse short white hairs are mixed with the finer wool of the
fleece — called also kempy (q. v.).
Used also to express any bad condition ; such as scabby, stained,
or mixed with foreign matter.
2. adj. This word expresses a particular kind of injury to
which wool or woollen cloth is liable if left long in the damp — it
seems to be rotten as to strength, while in appearance there is
little change.
FEED [feed], v. t. To suckle. Of babies only in this sense.
FEEDED [fee-dud, or feed Hid, u-fee'dud], p. f. and/, part, of to
feed. Fed.
[Ted-n naut u beet u yue's vur tu dhengk dhai dhae'ur faz'-
unts-1 buyd au'm, udhaewt dhai bee \\-fee'dud rig'lur luyk,] it is no
use to think those pheasants will stay at home unless they are
regularly fed. — Jan. 26, 1882. Spoken by a man upon the subject
of rearing pheasants.
A keeper speaking of a petted dog said :
He's &-feeded by all the chillern ; they be ter'ble a-tookt up way
un. — Dec. 10, 1886. (Very com.)
FELL-MONGER [vuul', or vael'-muung'gur], sb. A man whose
trade it is to buy sheep-skins, and to treat them with lime, so as
to get the wool off. He then sells the skins, called pelts (q. v.),
to the tanner, and the wool to dealers or manufacturers.
That J>ey ffeblen in ffleissh, \i\ffelle, and in bones.
Langland, Rich, the Red. III. 16.
Vpon zfelle of )>e fayre best, fede J>ay J>ayr houndes.
Sir Gawayne, 1. 1359.
A FELL-MONGER : Peaucier, Pelletier, megissier, megider.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Felmongar — megissier. — Palsgrave.
FELLOW [fuul-ur], v. t. To match ; to find the equal. (Very
com.) Frequently spelt fuller as a sb.
[Aa'l bee baewn yue doa'un fuul'ur dhik dhae'ur duug, neet
dheen twain'tee muyuld u dhu plae'us,] I will be bound you do
not match that dog within twenty miles.
FELL-WOOL [vuul'-eol], sb. The wool pulled from sheep-
skins in distinction from the \ylee' z-tol,~\ (fleece wool) shorn from
the living animal.
In this district fell-wool is the usual name — in most others it
is skin-wool.
Fell, a skyn of a shepe — peau de layne. — Palsgrave.
Ctrin. Why, we are still handling our ewes : and their fells, you know,
are greasy. As You Like It, III. ii.
250 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FELT [fault, vuult), sb. Fieldfare (rare).
FELT [viilt], sb. Raw hide ; dried untanned skin of any
animal. Felt always, in all senses, pronounced [vult].
FEND [fai-n ; p. t. fai-n ; /. p. u-farn], v. To forbid.
[Ee fai'n un vrum gwai'n pun ee*z graewn,] he forbid his going
on his land.
The word is also much used by boys in their games [fai-n sliips,]
at marbles, \Jarn pee-peen,] at hide and seek, &c.
FENDER [fa'indur], sb. A sluice. The only name in use
to imply the whole apparatus for controlling water-flow, but the
fender proper is the door or shutter which slides in a grooved
frame — this latter is called t\ie fender frame.
You zaid you'd have the fender a-do'd : can't turn the water into
thick there mead till he's a-put in order.
FERANDUM [furan'dum], sb. Verandah.
You main, Sir, out by \hzferandum. — Oct. n, 1886.
A good example of the rule under F (q. v.~).
FERND [fuurnd], sb. Friend. (Very com.)
He bin awvis a good fernd to you, mind, an' I wul zay it, 'tis
sheamful vor to urn un down behine 'is back like that there.
Now reyders all, I tull ee wot,
Theckfurnd of mine who was a sot,
An' guzzl'd till ee'd almost bust,
Now only drinks ta quinch es thust.
Pultnan, Rustic Sketches, p. 1 8.
FERN-OWL [vee'urn-aewul], sb. The Nightjar — Caprimulgus
Europceus. Not so com. as Night-crow.
FERSH [fuursh], adv. and adj. Fresh.
Plase, Sir, Mr. Haddon zess your coat must befers/i a-lined.
)>ar buj) also salt welles fer fram ]>e se, & buj> salt al J?e woke long for-to
Saturday noon, andferscA from Saturday noon for-to Monday.
Trevisa, Des. of Brit. Lib. I. C. 41, 1. IOO.
FESS [faes-], v. To confess.
He never widn fess who 'twas do'd it, but we all knowed he'd
a-got a hand in the job.
FETCHY [vach'ee], v. i. To recover ; to improve in health.
Thomas, how is your wife ? Thank-ee, Sir, her'll vetchy up again
now, I zim, but her've a-bin ter'ble bad.
FETTERLOCK [vafurlauk, rarely fafurlauk], sb. Fetlock of
a horse — the usual name in the district.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 251
FEW [veo-], adj. i. Little in quantity; always used with broth
and some other liquids.
[U vlo- brau-th,] a. few broth — /'. <?. a small quantity.
Bill, urn arter a vew turps — this here paint's to thick by half.
This use seems wide-spread. See Brockett, Northumberland
Glossary, 1825.
2. sb. An undefined number.
[U geo'd veo;'] a good few.
FEWSTER [feo-stur], sb. Fester, or gathering.
Of a lame dog, a keeper remarked two or three times :
He've a-got zfewster behind the shoulder o' un. — Nov. 27, 1886.
FIDDLE-FADDLE [fud'l-fad'l], v. i. To trifle; to make
pretence of work.
[Dhee-t fud'l-fad'l aul dhu dai lau'ng, lat dhee uloa'un,] thou
wouldst trifle and do no work all the day long (if one) let thee
alone.
2. sb. Trashy talk ; nonsense.
Hot's the good to tell up a passle o' fiddle-faddle 'bout it ?
FIDDLER'S-MONEY [fud-lurz-muun-ee], sb. Small change;
three-penny and four-penny pieces, if several are given together.
Why, missus ! this here's hot mid call fiddler* s-money.
See Dev. Assoc. vol. ix. ist Rep. Provincialisms, p. 8.
FIDDLING [fiid'leen], adj. i. Applied to a piece of work
of a more intricate or minute kind than customary. A blacksmith
accustomed to shoe horses, would call it [u fud'leen jaub,] a
fiddling job to repair the " wards " of a key. So a field-labourer
would call \\. fiddling work to fork up a flower-border.
2. verbal sb. Any pretence of work, while nothing is really being
done, is called fiddling about.
Hast-n a finish'd not eet ? I zee thee art gwain to bide fiddlin
about, eens thick job mid least gin Zadurday night !
FIE ! [faa-y ! 0rfae*ee !] inter j. By my faith ! =parfoi I O. Fr.
fei.
Is it true ? [Eegs faay un dhaat t-ai'z !] yes, by my faith, and
that it is.
[Nuo, faay /] no, fie ! This form is quite as com. zsfath (q. v.).
]>ai asked quat )>ai soght, and ]>ai
Said, a blisful child, par /a*.
Cursor Mundi, Visit of the Magi, 1. 75.
Her were a forser for J>e mfaye,
If )>ou were a gentyl lueler.
Early Alliterative Poems, The Pearl, 1. 263.
252 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
What ? fy ! schold i a fundeling * for his fairenesse tak ?
Nay, my wille wol noujt a-sent ' to my wicked hest.
William of Palerme, 1. 481.
MAFEY, othe (maffeyth, S.). Medius fidius . — Promp. Parv.
FIE [fuy, faa'y], v. t. To curse ; to cry shame on. Rare now
in this sense, except in the common phrases, " Fie upon thee ! "
" Oh fie /" — i. e. shame.
FY. Vath, racha (vaa, P.). — Promp. Parv.
but I seie to 3011 that ech man that is wrooth to his brothir, schal be gilti to
doom, and he j>at seith to his brothir^', schal be gilti to the counceil ;
Wydif, Matthew v. 22.
and ]>ow hast feflfyd hure with fals :fy on such lawe !
Piers Plow. III. 137.
" Fy," qua]) Moradas, " wat ert )>ow : ]>at telest of me so lyte ?
For such a dojeyne y make auow : y nolde no3t Jyve a myte."
Sir Fcrumbras, 1. 1578.
& J>at wannehe spak of crystendom, How he spatte &.fyede }>ar-on.
Jb. 1. 5443-
And soft unto himself he sayed. Fie
Upon a lord that will have no mercy.
Chaucer, Knightes Tak, 1. 1775.
FIELD [vee'ul, fee'ul], sb. This word is rarely used alone. An
enclosure is [u vee'ul u graewn,] a field of ground.
[Aan ee u-fun'eesh dhik/ee vee'ul\i graewn naut ee't?] have you
not finished that field not yet ?
[Vuul'ur jfor#/,] fallow field — ;'. e. ploughed, but not sown.
[Lai' vee"ul,~\ grass or pasture field, of sown or annual grasses.
[Vleks fee-ul,~\ flax field. It is rare to connect field with the crop.
A wheat-field would be [u pees u wart ; pees u baarlee ; pees u
tae'udees, pees u tuurmuts, pees u rae'up,] piece of wheat ; &c.
FIERY-TAIL [vuyuree-taa'yul], sb. The Redstart. See LADY-
RED-TAIL. Phxnicura ruticilla.
FIFTY-SIX, sb. See VIVTY-ZIX.
FIG [fig], sb. Common pudding raisin. (Always.) See DOUGH-FIG.
FIGGY-PUDDING [fig-ee-puud-n], sb. The ordinary name for
plum-pudding. Also a baked batter pudding with raisins in it.
FIGURE [fig'ur], sb. Resemblance, likeness.
[Uur-z dhu vuuree fig'ur uv ur mau'dhur,] she is the very image
of her mother.
FIGURY [fig'uree], v. i. To cypher ; to do sums of figures.
[Yue* plai'z vur rak'n ut aup- ; aay kaa'njig'uree zu wuul-z-au'm,]
you please to reckon it up ; I cannot cypher as well as some (people).
[Kaa'pikl bwuuy i\\fig~uree,~\ capital boy at cyphering.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 253
I don't zee no good in zo much larnin. Zo long's anybody can
raid ther Bible an' vrite a leedle, an' figury 'nough vor to reckon up
ther money, 'tis a plenty. I never did'n have but a quarter's schoolin,
an' then I was a put to work, an' thank the Lord, I be all so well off's
zome o' they hot do zim they do know zo much.
FILDEVARE [viil'divae'uree, vuTvae'uree, vuTeevae'ur], sb.
The fieldfare. Turdus pilaris.
FELDEFARE, byrde (felfare, P.). Ruriscus. — Promp. Parv.
A FIELD-FARE, or FELDIFARE. Grive-trasle, grive-sisalle, tourd, tourdelle.
Shenvood.
TRASLE : f. a Thrush, or Fieldifare. — Cotgrave.
Feldefare, a byrde. — Palsgrave.
FILE [fuyul], v. t. To defile (emph., hence/ sharp).
[Ee oa-n fuyul ee'z-zuul wai gwai'n dhur, wdl ur ? ] he will not
defile himself by going there, will he ?
FILE, sb. and v. Used by smiths. Always pron. [vuyulj.
FILE, sb. and v. — as to file bills on a. file. Always pron. [fuyul].
FILT [fiil-t], sb. Filth : epithet for a dirty person.
[Yu guurt _////•/, yue !] you great filth, you !
[Yu duurtee /«/•/, yue ! leok tu yur peen'ee !] you dirty filth, you !
look at your pinafore !
FILTRY [fuTtree], sb. Litter, rubbish. Used very commonly
to express any mixture or foreign substance ; as in corn or seed,
mixed with other seeds, dirt, or other matter.
[Vuuree plaa'yn saanrpl u kau'rn ; u suyt u ful'tree een ut,] very
plain (/. e. bad) sample of wheat ; a great deal of rubbish in it.
Conveys no such idea as filth. Comp. DEVILTRY.
FIND [vuyn], v. t. i. To maintain ; to protect ; to support ;
to provide with food.
They don't 'low me but dree and zixpence a wik, and that id'n
much vor to lodge and find and mend a gurt hard boy like he.
Also he witt that she haue the money |>at is reised, in Lyncolne Shire be
his patent, to/jWher with. — 1418. John Browne, Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 43.
FYNDYN, helpyn', and susteinyn hem >at be nedy (fynde theym that ar nedy,
p.). Sustenlo. Promp. Parv.
then spak the sone, " fader, drede the not : jwu shalt abide with me, and I
shM/ynrie the att the daies of my lif. 1320. Gesta Rom. p. 45.
for )>ei wolen not stire riche men to fynde pore children able of witt, and
lyuynge to scole for to lerne, but to fynde proude prestis at horn to crie faste in
>e chirche in sijtte of J>e world. Wyclif, Works, p. 1 76.
254 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Ac fauntikynes and fooles : }>e whiche fauten Inwytt,
Frendes schuldeu Jy>tdeu hem : and fro folye kepe.
Piers Plow. XI. 182.
and for to fynde to grame scole my cosyn), his sone William, xxiiij" for the
tyme of iiij. yere. — 1454. Fifty Earliest Wills, N. Sturgeon, p. 133, 1. 16.
as moche money as wolde fynde hym and all his house meate and drynke a
moneth. Fitzherbert, 153, 20.
2. A very common expression of contempt for man, beast, or
thing is :
[Wuy aay wiid-n vuyn un,] why, I would not find him ! — /'. e.
if he or it came in my way derelict and to be had for taking, I
would not appropriate.
Call thick there a knive, why I widn viri un ! — equivalent to
" would not pick it up in the road."
A man, speaking of another as a lazy good-for-nought, said : " He
idn a-wo'th his zalt; why I widn vin' un." — Dec. 13, 1886.
This saying very well illustrates the lax notions held by peasantry
generally on the question of trover.
\_Vuyndeenz kee'peenz,] findings keepings, is the commonest
of sayings, and nearly the rule of action.
FIND-FAULT [vuyn-faut], sb. A scold ; a grumbler.
Tidn no good, do hot 'ee will, you can't never plase thick there
old vind-faut* (Very com.)
and the liberty that follows our place's, stops the mouths of all find-faults.
Henry V. V. ii.
FINE [fuyn, fuyndur, fuyndees], adj. Affected ; stuck up ;
proud. (D always inserted in comp. and super.) See D i.
[Uur-z tu fuyn vur tu mulvkee, uur mus ae'-u pee-an'ee, aay
spoo'uz !] she is too proud to milk, she must have a piano, I
suppose !
I nivver zeed & finder fay,
Th' vish wiz all za vull o' play !
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 1 6.
FINE [fuyn], adj. Clear, transparent, limpid — applied to any
liquid.
This yer cider's so thick's puddle, can't get \\.fine no how.
But now, za zoon's the wauder's \uccm\\fine,
An' gittin' low, t'il be a famious time :
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 45.
FINE DRAW [fai-n, or fuyn draa], v. t. To exaggerate.
[Dhik dhae'ur stoa'ur-z tu fai'n u-draa'd,] that story is too
fine-drawn — i. e. grossly exaggerated. Comp. the slang " Draw
it mild."
FINE-DRAWING [fuyn-drau'een], sb. Tech. The name of
one of the sorts of long or combing wool, sorted out of the fleece.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 255
FINGERS [ving-urz], sb. Foxglove. (Com.) Digitalis
purpurea.
like almost to finger stalkes, whereof it tooke his name Digi/atis.
Gerard, p. 89.
FINNIKIN [fiiivikeen], adj. Minute and intricate as applied
to a piece of work. Trifling, petty, as applied to character. See
FIDDLING.
'Tis zfinnikin sort of a job, but there, must put up way it, I spose.
There idn nort like a man about'n — he's ioofinnikin like, same's
a old 'oman.
FIR-BOB [vuur-baub], sb. A fir-cone.
FIRE [vuyur; emphatic, fuyur], v. To discharge any kind of
missile ; to shoot — in this sense the word is emphatic, and hence
always sounded with sharp/; while fire as a sb. is always vire.
He fired at the rooks with his bow and arrow.
" Fire hard ! " is a common cry of boys when playing at marbles.
[Plai'z-r, dhik bwmay kips &\\n fuyureen u skwuurt aui oa'vur dhu
maa'ydnz,] please, sir, that boy keeps on firing a squirt all over the
girls.
FIRE-NEW [vuyur-nue'], adj. Quite new; brand-new; new
from the fire of the smith — hence new from any maker. As :
[U vuyur-nue aa't,] a fire-new hat.
[U vuyur-nue seot u kloa-uz,] a fire-new suit of clothes.
Brand-new is never heard in the dialect.
You should then have accosted her, and with some excellent jests fire-new
from the mint, you should have bang'd the youth into dumbness.
Twelfth Night, III. ii.
FIRE-STONE [vuyur-stoa-un], sb. Flint.
I can mind hon wadn nort vor to strik a light way but th' old-
farshin teender-box, way a steel and a vire-stone.
'Tis 'most all vire-stones up 'pon Welli'ton Hill.
FYYR STONE, for to smyte wythe fyre. Focaris, U G. in laos, -velfocare.
Promp. Parv.
FIRING [vuyureen], sb. Fuel. Only applied to wood. In
local advertisements of farmers for labourers we constantly see,
"good house and garden, firing for cutting — i.e. that fuel maybe
had for the trouble of cutting.
FIRKIN [vuurkeen], sb. The small keg in which labourers
carry their daily allowance of cider — holding usually three pints.
They are made in various larger sizes, and are then distinguished
as two-quart, dree-quart, or vower-quart virkin, &c., according to
capacity. As a measure of quantity firkin is unknown.
Plaiz, mum, Jan Snell 've zend me in way his virkin, maister zaid
how he was to be a-villed [agee'un,] again.
Fyrken, a lytell vessel— -filelte. — Palsgrave.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FIRM [fuurm], sb. i. A bench ; a form. (Always.)
2. The form or seat of a hare or rabbit.
Form is thus pronounced only when used in the above senses ;
when it signifies shape or rule it is always fau-rm, as in lit. Eng.
FIRST ALONG [fuust ulairng], adv. At the beginning, and for
some time after. (Very com.)
Well, Jim, how's your son gettin on up to Lon'on ?
Au ! no gurt things ; they do'd very well fust along, but now I
count they'd be all so well home here.
FIT [flit], adj. Used peculiarly in different senses. As :
I was that a-tired I wasy?/ to drap.
[Aay wuz/#/' tu brai'k mee nak* dhu laa's tuym wee wuz dhae'ur,]
I was very nearly breaking my neck the last time we were there.
[Wee wuz au'l/w/' tu staart,] we were all ready to start.
[Bad-r flit' yue-d u-buyd aunr,] it would have been better if you
had stayed at home.
Better jit — i. e. it would be more suitable or desirable, is a very
common phrase.
[Dhai bee'us bae'un /#/•,] those beasts are not sufficiently fatted.
[Uur wuz/z//* tu kee'ul-n,] she was ready to kill him — i. e. so
enraged as to be ready.
I was that mad way un, I was fit t' hat -n down.
FITCH [fuch], sb. The only name for the polecat.
[Staenk's lig M.fiich,~\ stinks like a polecat. This is the climax of
bad smells. See VARY.
Called fitchew by Shakespeare. See Troilus and Cres. V. i., and
Othello, IV. i.
Fissan. A fitch, or fulmart. — Cotgrave.
A FITCH, or FULMATE. Pilots JZssan. — Sherwood.
FITTY. See VITTY.
FLAGGY [vlag-ee], adj. Flabby, limp.
FLAIL [vlaa'yul], sb. Among genuine peasants this word is
only the name of a part of the thrashing implement (DRASHLE, q. v.}.
It is the short, thick club with which the blow is struck, having a
raw-hide loop fastened by a thong at one end, through which the
middle bind (q. v.) passes, and so connects it with the capel and
handstick. The following shows how old these names are :
A FLAYLE : flagellum, tribulus, tribulum vel tribula : versus :
Quo fruges terimus instrumentum tribulum fit,
Est tribula vepres, purgat Aras tribula.
T res tribuli partes manutentum, cappa, flagellum.
Manutentum, a handstaffe ; cappa, a cape,
Flagdlum, A swewille (swivel). 1483. Cath. Ang.
FLEYL. Flagellum. FLEYL CAPPE. Cappa. FLEYLSTAFFE, or hond staffe.
Manutentum. FLEYLE SWYNGYL. Virga. 1440. Promp. Parv.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 257
Cappe of &flayk — liasse dun flaiav. — Palsgrave.
Faitoures for fere her-of • flowen in-to bernes,
And flapten on \i\\\\flayles ' fram morwe til euen.
Piers Plowman, B. vi. 1 86.
FLAM [flaam], sb. A jesting lie; a deception; a cram; a
stuffing up. See FLIM-FLAM.
[Kau'm naew ! noa'un u yury?afl/;r, lat-s noa* dhu rai'ts oa ut,]
come now ! none of your cramming, let us know the rights of it.
FLANK [flangk, vlangk], sb. A spark of fire. See BLANK.
'Twas a mercy sure 'nough tother rick had-n a-catcht — the vlanks
was blowin all over the place.
For al ]je wrecchednesse of ]>is worlde, and wickede dedis
Fare]) as kflonke of fuyr, J>at ful a-myde temese,
. And deide for a drop of water. — Piers Plow. VII. 334.
The rayn rueled adoun, ridlande }>ikke,
Of k\\e_flait}ikes of fyr and flakes of soufre.
Early Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, 1. 953.
FLANNEN [flan'een], sb. Flannel ; also made of flannel.
[U pees u flatfeen vur tu raa.ek u flan'een shuurt,] a piece of
flannel to make a flannel shirt. (Usual.)
FLAP-DICK ( Cflaa'P-dik], )
T?T A P rknr-T<r \ [flaa-p-dauk], \sb. The foxglove — digitalis.
-L -Ljii JT~J_/ \J \^r J\. 1 p/1 • 1 1-1
( [flaapidauk], )
"Like a dum'ldary in a flappydock" is a common simile to
describe a busy, bustling, fussy, noisy person.
FLAP-GATE [flaap'-gee-ut], sb. A small gate swinging without
fastenings between two posts, across a footpath — called also
kissing-gate.
FLAP-JACK [flaup'-Jaak], sb. A pancake; a fritter — more
usually an apple-turnover.
We'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting days, and, moreo'er, puddings
and flap-jacks : and thou shall be welcome. — Pericles, II. i.
See Notes to John Russell's Boke of Nurture (Furnivall), p. 212.
FLAPPERS [flaap-urz], sb. Clappers for frightening birds.
The loose parts are generally called the flappers, while the entire
implement including the handle is "a pair o' clappers."
FLARY [vlae-uree], v. i. Of a candle — to burn wastefully, as
in a strong draught. Of a fire — to blaze up.
Jim, look zee how the can'l do vlary — put vast the winder.
Hon th' old linhay catched, we zeed twadn no good vor to try
to do nort ; and my eyes ! how he did vlary, sure 'nough !
FLASK [flaa-s(k], sb. The large oval basket used for linen by
all washerwomen— often called a [kloa'z /#«•/].
s
258 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FLASKET [flaa-skut], sb. The same as the flask. The two
names seem to be used quite indifferently.
[U flaa-s u kloa'uz], or [u flaa-skut u kloa'uz], would each mean
a basket (of the conventional kind) of linen.
Banne : f. A Maund, Hamper, Flasket, or great banket. — Cot grave.
A FLASKET : Banne, benne, Manequin, Manne. — Sherwood.
FLAT [flaat], sb. An oblong, flat-shaped, covered basket, used
chiefly for packing fresh butter or other provisions for market.
FLAX [vlek's], sb. i. Always so pronounced. Formerly it was
very much cultivated in this district, and most farms still have
one or more deep pools called [r/ofo-plits], in which the flax was
steeped. There are also a great number of old buildings or sheds
called [z'/<?£'-shaups,] flax-shops, in which the flax was hackled
or "dressed."
2. sb. The fur of hare or rabbit when detached from the skin.
3. v. t. To rub off the fur — applied to hare or rabbit; to
wound. When harriers come to a "check," it is common to hear:
[Yuur uur wai'nt au'n ! uur vlefcst urzuul' gwarn drue dhee'uz
yuur gee'ut,] here she went on ! she flaxed herself going through
this gate.
Thick rabbit was z.-vlext ter'ble — I count '11 die.
I zeed thick hare was a.-vtexf, but I did'n reckon you'd a-kill'd'n.
FLEED [flee'd], sb. The thin membrane of fat covering the
intestines, more usually called the kircher (q. v.).
FLEET [fleet, vleet], adj. Exposed in situation — the opposite
of lew (q. v.).
[Tuz u vleet plae'us pun taap u dhik naap,] it is an exposed
place on the top of that hill.
FLEET [vleet], sb. The exposed part ; unsheltered situation.
[Waut-s laf dhee au's rait-n dhu vleet vauru T\ why hast left thy
horse right in the unsheltered spot ?
FLESH-MEAT [vlaarsh-mai't], sb. Animal food— butcher's
meat, in distinction from " green-meat " or " dry-meat."
[Dhik dhae'ur duug auf t-av u beet u vlaar'sh-marf, uuls yue
oan mivur git-n aup een kundee'shun,] that dog ought to have
some animal food, otherwise you will never get him into condition.
FLICK [flik], sb. i. The fat of a pig which surrounds the
kidneys, and which is always melted down for lard.
The word is not used for the similar fat of other animals.
2. A very familiar epithet — as " Come on, old flick"
3. v. To fleck ; to bespatter — used especially with mud. " He
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 259
was flicked all over" would at once be understood he was
bespattered with mud.
4. A peculiar stroke with a whip or pliant stick. The blow
is given with a jerk and withdrawn with a jerk.
FLICKERMEAT [flik-urmai't], sb. Spoon-meat, such as
gruel, whitepot, junket.
Doctor, can't ee 'low me a little bit o' somethin ? I be proper
a-tired o'this \\QiQjftickermeat.
FLIGHTY [fluytee], adj. Applied to girls; unsteady; of
doubtful character — not quite so bad asfly (q. v.).
FLTM-FLAM [fliim-flaam], sb. and adj. Idle talk ; nonsense.
Don't thee tell up no such flim-flam stuff, else nobody ont
never harky to thee, nif ever thee-s a-got wit vor to tell sense.
This is a pretty flim-flam. — Beautn. and Flet. Little Fr. L. II. iii.
These are no flim-flam stories.
Ozell, Rabelais (Trans.), Prol. B. II. vol. ii. p. 4.
Ay, thes es Jo Hosegood's flim-flam. . . . No, no : tes none of Jo
IIosegood'syft'OT-yfew ; but zo tha crime o' tha Country goth.
Ex. Scold, p. 96, 1. 505.
FLING [fling], sb. Spell of folly or dissipation ; freedom from
restraint. The reason given for girls preferring almost any
occupation to domestic service is :
[Dhai kaa-n ae-u d\mr fling,] they cannot have their fling — i.e.
they are liable to restraint.
[Ee ul bee au'l rai't ugee'un aa'dr-v u-ae'ud liz fling.'] he will
be all right again after (he) has had out his spell of drunkenness.
FLIP [fliip], sb. i. A blow from the finger suddenly let slip
from the thumb ; also the simple action of letting slip the finger,
and hence the common saying, " I don't care a flip" equivalent
to a " snap of the fingers."
Fyllippe with ones fynger — chicqitenode. — Palsgrave.
2. A stroke with a whip, or anything pliant, that can give a sharp,
stinging hit. Same as FLICK 4.
[U flup uv u gig-wuop-1 kee'ul u snae'uk,] a stroke of a gig-whip
will kill a snake.
FLIP [flup], adj. Pliant, flexible. Same as LIMBER.
[U flup' stik] is a pliant stick.
The common word to express the opposite of rigid. Of a
fishing-rod it would be said :
[Dhik-s tu stiif' — ee vid-n flup' unuuP,] that one is too stiff, he
is not pliant enough.
s 2
260 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FLIP [flup], v. t. i. To discharge a marble or other missile
with the thumb. A " toss " is usually made by flipping up the coin.
2. To suddenly and forcibly disengage either finger from the
thumb. As "to flip a boy's ears;" "toflip water" — i.e. to dip a
finger in water and then sprinkle it — /. e. to discharge it by letting
the finger go suddenly from the thumb.
3. v. i. To move quickly ; to hasten.
Come, look sharp and_/7//> along.
FLIRTIGIG [fluurteegig-], sb. Epithet for a girl. (Com.)
Nearly the same as giglet, but rather implying lewdness. The
word scarcely means wanton, but certainly carries reproach for
light conduct.
I never didn yur nort by her, but her always was a bit of zflirtigig
like.
FLISK [fluskj, v. t. To sprinkle in the form of spray — as by
shaking a wet cloth. The meaning is very finely shaded ; neither
splash nor sprinkle convey the idea, which implies some force
in the propelling. The wetting would be that of gentle spray
or mist, although it might be projected with considerable force.
I have never heard the word in connection with syringe, and
squirt is altogether wide.
A person standing within reach of the spray of a waterfall might
be said to \>tflisked all over ; splashed would not apply to this case.
FLITTER [vliifur], v. and sb. Flutter, agitate.
FLITTERMENT [vkifurmunt], sb. State of nervous excite-
ment.
Why, mother, hot ailth ee? you be all to a flitterment.
Keep thyzul quiet, why thee art all to a flitterment ! — thee art'n
the fust that ever was a married, Ynow ! (dost know !)
FLITTERMOUSE [vliifurmuws], sb. The bat. See LEATHERN
BIRD.
Tipto. Come, I will see the flickermouse, my Fly.
Ben Jonson, New Inn, III. i.
RATEPENADE : A Bat, Rearmouse, or Flickermouse. — Cotgrave.
A FLITTERMOUSE, or Rearmouse. Chauve-souris. — Sherwood.
FLITTERS [vliifurz], sb. Tatters.
[Broavkt mee oa'l jaa'kut aul tu vlut'urz^ tore my old jacket all
in tatters.
This word would never be used to express rags — i. e. the
material of paper — but rather the quality of ragged.
FLOAT, or FLOATER [floa-ut, floa-utur], sb. A cart having the
axle "cranked down," so that though the wheels are high the
body is very near the ground.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 26 1
FLOOD-GATE [vhid-, or vluud'-gee'ut], sb. A gate hung upon
a pole across a stream, so that in flood-time it rises and falls by
floating on the water. Its purpose is not to obstruct the water,
but to prevent cattle passing when the water is low. The ancient
flood-gate, unlike the modern, was to control the water.
FLOUEGATE of a mylle. Sinoglocitorium. — Promp. Parv.
FLOOK [fleok, vleok], sb. The parasite which causes the coe
in sheep by eating away the liver. It is quite flat, shaped like a
flounder, and from an eighth to a quarter of an inch in length
(distoma hepaticd).
Flooke, a kynde of pleas — lymande. — Palsgrave*
FLOP [flaup], sb. Flap.
Plaise, sir, wants a new flop to the vowl-'ouse winder.
FLOP [flaup, vlaup], adv.
[Vaa'l daewn flaup j\ fell down plump.
FLOP [flaup], v. t. To flap.
I yeard-n _/%> his wings.
FLOP-HAT [flaup-aaf], sb. A broad-brimmed hat, whether of
straw or other material. The term would not be applied to a
modern clerical hat, of the straight stiff-brim kind.
FLOPPY [flaup-ee], adj. Muddy, sloppy.
[Yue ul vuyn dhu roa'ud muyn flaup'ee, aay vrak'n,] you will
find the road very sloppy, I reckon.
FLOP-TAILED COAT [flaup-taa-yul koa-ut], sb. The conven-
tional "John Bull" coat, the father of the modern dress-coat.
It is still to be seen in many a village church with its high stiff
collar and brass buttons. This name is also given to an ordinary
dress-coat.
[Yuung mae'ustur-z u-goo u-koo'urteen, aay spoo'uz, u staart'ud
oaf* een uz flaup-taayul koa'ut,~] young master is gone courting,
I suppose, he started off in his swallow-tailed coat.
FLOWSTER [fluwstur], sb. i. Fluster, confusion, agitation,
blushing.
[Zeo'n-z uur zeed-n, uur wuz aul oa'vur een u fluwstur,] (as) soon
as she saw him, she was all over in a fluster.
2. v. Used chiefly in the /. part. \\J-fluwsturd,~\ agitated.
I was that there z.-flowstcr'd, I could'n spake, nif twas to save my
live.
FLOWSTERMENT [fluwsturmunt], sb. A state of confusion,
agitation, &c.
You never didn zee nobody in no }\$, flow ster men? s he was, hon
maister axed o' un hot he'd a-got in his bag.
262 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FLUMMERY [fluunruree], sl>. Flattery; cajolery; idle talk.
[Ee diid-n main noa'urt, 'twuz uun'ee WL fluum*ureej\ he did not
mean anything, it was only his flattery. Same as FLIM-FLAM.
FLUMMIX [fluunviks], sl>. and v. To agitate; to confuse;
to frighten.
A person caught in any improper action would be described
as [au'l tue uflu-um'iks] — i. e. all in confusion.
FLUSH [vlish], adj. i. Fledged.
[Dhai drish'ez-1' bee vlish gun Zihrdee,] those thrushes will be
fledged by Sunday.
2. Even; level; without projection. (Technical.)
FLUSHET [flish-ut, vlish'ut], sb. Freshet or flood in a brook.
There was a proper flishet in our water a Vriday, vor all we
ad'n a got no rain here.
FLY [fluy], adj. Light in character — impudica.
FLY [vluy], v. i. To chap— spoken of the skin of the hands.
[Dhush yuur wee'n du maek un'eebaudeez an'z vluy tuurubl,]
this wind makes one's hands chap very much.
[Blae'umd ! eef muyan'z bae'un u-vsfoy v/ atrl tu pees'ez] (I'll be)
blamed ! if my hands are not chapped all to pieces.
FLY ABROAD [vluy ubroa'ud], v. i. To become chapped
with cold wind. Same as FLY. (Very com.)
FOB [faub], sb. Froth, foam. (Usual word.)
[Kau'm naew, muVus, dhush yuur oa'n due1, t-ez aa'f oa \&faub'j\
come now, mistress, this won't do, it is half of it (the beer) froth.
A man describing the effects of a storm, said :
[Aay zeed guurt muumps \\. faitb' zu baeg-z u buuk'ut, u-kaard
moo'ur-n tue- muyuld,] I saw great mumps of (sea) foam as large as
a bucket, carried more than two miles.
FOBBY [faub -ec], v. i. To froth ; to foam.
Aay ziim t-ez geo'd, haun du faub'ee wuul,] I fancy it is good,
when (it, /. e. the beer.) froths well.
FOCE [foo'us], v. To force ; to compel.
[Aay wuz u-fwus tue, wur aay wud' ur noa*,] I was compelled,
whether I would or no.
FOCE-PUT [foo-us-puuf], phr. Left without alternative;
compelled.
[Haut kn lin'eebau'dee due', neef dhai bee foo'us-puut- 7} what
can one do, if there is no alternative ?
\_Foo' us-puut'-s noa chauys,] " force-put is no choice," is a common
saying.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 263
FOG [vaug], sb. The long grass in pastures which the cattle
refuse. This is fog while green, and bent, or as we call it baifnut,
when dry. See BONNET.
He fares forth on alle faure, fogge wat J his mete,
& etc ay as a horce when erbes were fallen.
Early Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, \. 1683.
FOG-EARTH [vaugvaeth], sb. Peat, bog-earth. See Zoo.
FOG-GRASS [vaug'-graa's], sb. Coarse sedgy grass such as grows
in wet places. The distinction is kept between fog and fog-grass.
FOIL [fauyul], v. i. and /. Hunting. A deer is said to foil
when he retraces his steps over the same track. The scent, or the
ground, are said to be foiled when other deer than the hunted one
have crossed the scent.
FOLKS [voaks], sb. Workpeople. (Usual term.)
[Wuur bee au-l dhu voaks / ] where are all the workpeople ?
They d' employ a sight o' women vokcs, but there idn very much
vor men vokes to do.
FOND [fau-n(d], adj. i. Silly. Applied to old people become
childish.
[Dhu poo'ur oa1! mae'im-z u-kau'm praup'ur /aim luyk,] the poor
old man is become quite silly like.
In alle these thingis Joob synnede not in hise lippis, nether spak ony fanned
thing ajens God. Wyclif vers. Job \. 22.
and Joob seide, Thou hast spoke as oon of \\\z fanned wymmen ;
Wydif, Job ii. 10. See also Ib. xiii. 17.
Tell these sad women
'Tisy&«</to wail inevitable strokes,
As 'tis to laugh at them. Coriolanus, IV. i.
Pray do not mock me,
I am a very foolish, fond old man. King Lear, IV. vii.
2. Pleased with ; having a liking for.
Her's len'blefond of a drap o' gin.
FOOL-TOAD [feol-toa-ud]. Epithet of abuse— one of the very
commonest, implying stupidity.
I have heard men, boys, horses, oxen, and dogs called by this
name.
FOOT-CHAIN [ve"of-charn], sb. The chain ordrail connecting
the sull with the bodkin or draught-bar, by means of the copse or
clevis. The foot-chain has to bear the entire force of the draught.
And yf he wyll haue his plough to go a narowe forowe .... than he setteth
in the nycke next to the ploughe-beame. — Fitzherbert, 4-37.
FOOTING [veot-een], sb. A kind of tax levied by workmen
upon a new hand whether apprentice or not. See COLT-ALE.
264 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
If a gentleman takes up a tool and begins to do a little of the
work, whether farming or handicraft, it is quite usual for one of the
men to go and wipe his shoes with his sleeve or cap; this is the
form of asking for the footing.
FOOTS [veots], sb. pi. Dregs, sediment.
This here cyder 'ont suit me, there's to much voots in it.
FOOT-UP [veof-aup], v. t. To underpin. Arch.
[Dhik wau'l-d shoa'r tue u km daewn neef wee ad-n u-vhf'-n aup
wuul,] that wall would (have been) sure to come down, if we had
not well underpinned it.
FOOTY [veot'ee], adj. Said of oil or any other fluid which has
become thick or viscous.
You 'ont git nothin to bide in thick joint zo well's a drap o'
vooty linseed oil.
FOR [vur, emphatic, vairr-u], prep. i. See A. VIII. 4.
Usual before the infinitive of purpose instead of to, especially
after such words as able, ready, &c.
I baint gwain vor let you hab-m in no such money.
Her idn able vor car-n, I tell ee.
I shant be ready vor go, 's hour.
Maister zend me down vor tell ee, how he 'ont be able vor come
to-night.
[Haut-s due dhaat vau'r-u T\ what didst thou do that for?
jif God me wole grace sende, zwto make mi chirchegong ;
vor trauail of J>e voul asaut • & vor he was feble er,
Ro bert of Gloucester, William the Conqueror, 11. 491, 498.
2. Used after certain verbs, instead of of, or redundantly. The
common lit. " Not that I know of," is always [naut, or neet-s aay
noa* raur,~\ not as I know for.
Zu vaar voo'uth-s aay kn tuul vauf, tiid'n noa jis dhing',] as far
as I can say, it is no such thing.
FOR ALL [vur au'l]. Notwithstanding ; in spite of. (Very com.)
Her's a-got about again nice, thankee, and her's a-go to work
again, for all twadn but dree weeks agone come Vriday, the cheel
was a-bornd.
To hold that thine is lawfullie,
for stoutnes or for flatterie.
Tusser, Ladder to Thrift, 9-9.
FORCHES [vaurchuz]. A place at a four-cross-way on the
Blackdown Hills, parish of Clayhidon, is called Porches corner. It
is at a cross-road. Halliwell defines Porches as " the place where
two ways or roads branch off from one." Devon (?). Possibly the
definition is made to fit the situation. Is there any other Forches
in Devon ? The above is on the boundary of Somerset. Why not
Four-ashes ?
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 265
FORE [voa-r], adv. On, forward, forth. In the Hill district
this word seems to be heard in nearly every sentence, and often
redundantly.
Straight on is [rait voa'r\. Yonder is \voa'r dhae'ur]. [Aay
waint voa'r-n. zad the un,] I went up and said to him. To a horse
would be said, [Kap'teen, zwr-u !] Captain, go on ! To a sheep-
dog, \voa~ rum !~\ go before them. [Keep voa-r, voa'r yue kaum
tu dhu vaawur kraus wai,] keep on, until you come to the four-
cross-way.
dest tha thenk ees ded tell't to tha to ha' et a drode vore agen?
Ex. Scold. 1. 176. See also Ib. \. 309.
FORE-DAY [voa'r-dai], adv. Before it is light in the morning.
[Dhee urt jis lig u oa'l arn \\-roa~r-dai ^ thou art just like an old
hen before daylight. (One of the commonest of sayings.)
[Aay du mee'un vur staa'rt u naawur voamr-dat,~\ I mean to start
an hour before daylight.
FORE-DOOR [voar-doo-ur], sb. Front-door. (Always.)
[Dhu voar-doo'ur-z wuyd oa'p,] the front door is wide open.
Mary, urn, somebody's to vore-door — i. e. at the front door.
FORE-HAND PAY [voa-r-an paay], sb. Payment in advance.
A very old proverb runs,
\VoaT-an paay un nuvur paay I Fore-hand pay and never pay
Uuz dhu wus't uv au'l paay.] | Are the worst of all pay.
FORE-HANDS [voar-an'z], adv. Before-hand ; in advance.
[Ee dhau'rt tue u-ae'ud dhik laut, bud aawur Jan wuz voar-an'z
wai un,] he thought to have had that lot, but our John was fore-
hands with him — /. e. forestalled him.
FORE-HEAD [vaureed], sb. The heading of a ploughed
field ; the soil of the margins of fields. (Always so called.)
[Tu draa ae\vt dhu vaureed} — i. e. to cart the soil of the headings
over the field — a very usual operation.
FORE-HEADED [voaT-ai'dud], adj. Headstrong, wilful,
obstinate.
[Dhu voa-r-ai'duds guurt aj'boo'ur uvur aay zeed,] the fore-
headedest great hedge-boar I ever saw. See FORE-RIGHT.
FORE-HINDER [voa-r-een'dur], v. t. To prevent.
[Dhur waud-n noa'urt tu voa'r-een'dur urn,] there was nothing
to prevent them.
The implication is of some obstacle antecedent.
FORE-HORSE [voaT-airs], sb. A leader — any horse in the
team except the sharp-horse.
I shall stay here \hzfort-horse to a smock. — All's Wdl> II. i.
266 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FOREIGNER [fuurinur], s&. A stranger ; one from a distance
— no implication of " beyond sea," as in mod. lit. Eng.
Who's he? I zim a's a. foreigner; never zeed-n avore.
At Wellington Board a Guardian remarked :
He don't belong to our parish, he's a. foreigner. — Nov. 25, 1886.
Railway servants speak of the trucks or carriages of other
companies as foreign-trucks. — May 5, 1887.
Jif eni god mon isfeorrene ikumen, hercne<5 his speche, and onsweriefc mid
lut wordes to his askunge. Ancren Riwle, p. 70.
Pistol (to Evans). Ha! thou mountain foreigner!
Merry Wives of Windsor, I. i.
FORE-MINDED [voa'r-muyndud], /#?•/. adj. Predetermined.
Twadn no good vor nobody to zay nort ; could zee well 'nough
the jistices was all o'm vore-minded about it.
FORE-NOONS [voa'r-neo'nz], sb. pi. A refreshment or light
repast taken between breakfast and dinner — called also eleven
c? clocks (q. v.).
FORE-PART [voa'r-pae-urt], sb. Front. A man in speaking
of the soil sticking to the back of his shovel said :
There's most so much 'pon the back o' un as is 'pon the
vore-part o' un. — Feb. 12, 1881.
What's a do'd to thy nose? Nif has'n a made the vore-part
o' thy head purtier'n he was avore.
FORE PART OF THE HEAD [voa'r pae'urt u dhu ai'd], phr.
The face.
[Dhai-d noa dhee' lin'ee plae'us, dhee urt su puurtee een dhu
voa'r pae'urt u dhee ai'd,'] they would know thee anywhere, thou
hast such a pretty face.
I heard this compliment paid to a hideously ugly fellow ; the
phrase is very common.
FORE-RIGHT [voa'r-ruyt], adj. Headstrong; rashly blunder-
ing ; self-willed. Same as FORE-HEADED.
FORE-WENT [voai-wai-nt], pret. and p. part, of forego.
Though rare in lit. Eng., very common in the dialect. The old
present wend is obs. in the dialect.
I widn a vore-went thick trait 'pon no 'count.
FORGET-ME-NOT [vurgif-me-naaf], sb. Flower Myosotis,
of any variety. No other flowers so called.
FOR GOOD, FOR GOOD AND ALL [vur geo'd, vur geo'd-n
au'l], adv. Permanently; finally.
[Uur-z u-goo* tu laa's vurgeo'd-n airl,~\ she is gone at last, for ever,
FORK [vaurk], sb. The bifurcation of the body.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 267
The water was up to my vork. (Very com.) Sometimes the
word is vorke'd \vaur kuf\, "So deep's my rorkcd."
unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare forked animal as thou
art. King Lear, III. iv.
thee wut come oil a gerred, and oil horry zo vurs tha art a vorked ' :
Ex. Scold. 1. 47.
FORREL [fauryul — always with the/ sharp], sb. The binding,
or cover of a book. (Very com.) Cf. VERDLE.
[Mau'dhur-v u-guuf u guurt buybl wai turn 'urn fauryuh tue un,]
mother has a great bible with wooden covers to it.
FORELLE, to kepe yn a boke. Fontlus.
Promp. Parv. See Way's note, p. 171.
And take witnesse of t>e trinite, and take his felawe to wittnesse,
What he fond in afore!, of a freres lyuynge :
And bote )>e ferste leef be lesynge, leyf me neuere after !
Piers Plow. XVI. 1 02.
Fordl for a boke— couertevre de Hurt. — Palsgrave,
FORREL [fauryul], sb. Tech. The stripe which is woven
across the ends of a piece of cloth to show that it is a whole
piece. The end which is rolled or folded to come outside has usually
a rather broader and more elaborate forrel than the inner end,
and the former is distinguished as the [voaT ai'n fauryul^\ fore
end, and the latter as the [laafur ai'n fauryul,'] latter end forrel.
The stripes woven at each end of a -blanket are also called the
forrels.
FORREL YARN [fauryul yaa'rn], sb. Yarn of some colour,
differing from that of the rest of the piece, which is given to the
weaver to weave into his cloth to mark the two ends of the cut
or piece.
FOR WHY [vur wuy], conj. Because, since. Often preceded
by 'cause. See CAUSE WHY.
[Kae'uz vur wuy;~] 'cause for why. (Very com.)
I baint gwain to part way em — vor why, nif I do, I shan't ha
none a-left vor myzel.
Do thou awei ire fro thin herte, and remoue thou malice fro thi fleisch :
for-tuhi Jongthe and lust ben veyne thingis. Wydif, Eccl. xi. 10.
. . . and go awei fro yuel. For-vihi helthe schal be in thi nawle and
moisting in thi boonys.
Wyclif, Prov. iii. 8, 9. See also Ft. xiv. 12, and Prm>. iv. 3.
FORWHY. Quin. — Pronip. Parv.
FORQWHY : quiat quoniam, quumquidem. — Cath. Ang.
Ano{>er a-non ryght : nede seyde he hadde
To folwen fif Jokes : for-thy (for-ivhi) me by-houej)
To gon with a good wil : and greij>liche hem dryue.
Piers Plow. VI II. 294.
268 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Ful hydus and myrke helle es kyd,
Par-why it es with-in ]>e erthe hyd.
Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 6547. See also 1. 1248.
FOUR-ALLS [vaawur-airlz], sb. pi. The name of an ancient
inn at Taunton upon whose sign are painted the Four-alls, in
four divisions, a farmer, a soldier, a parson, and the Queen (or
king). The sign is thus explained by natives :
[Dhu faa'rmur zoa'us vur au'l,
Dhu soa'jur farts vur au'l,
Dhu paa'sn praa'yz vur au'l,
Dhu kai'ng viz oa'vur au'l.]
I noticed a public-house sign from the railway near Fulham,
"The Five Alls." What is the fifth ?— May 1887.
FOUR CROSS-WAY [vaawur krau's-wai], sb. The intersection
of two roads.
[Haun yiie kau'm tue u vaawur krau°s-wai, yue mus kip raewn
pun y ur rait an •,] is the every-day form of direction.
FOUR O'CLOCKS [vaawur u klauks], sb. An afternoon
refreshment — usual in haymaking or harvest.
FOUR SQUARE [vaawur skwae'ur], adj. Rectangular.
Thick frame idn vower square, I'll back — try un else.
This by no means implies a quadrilateral figure, any more than
a carpenter's square does, hence Webster is wrong.
FOWRE SQUARE. Qtiadnts. — Promp. Parv.
FOUSTY [fuwstee], adj. Fusty — generally applied to hay
when badly made; in such is often found a whitish dust, with
a musty smell ; also applied to a close, unhealthy smell.
\_Fuwstee aay-z saa'f tu braik u au'suz wee'n,] fusty hay is sure
to break a horse's wind. (Always so pron.)
FOX-GLOVE [fauk-s-gluuv], sb. Digitalis purpurea. The
polite name — used only by the [jun'lvoaks]. See FLAP-DOCK,
POPS, &c.
FOXY [fauk'see], adj. i. Reddish in colour.
[Dhik dhae'ur koa'ut aa-n u-wae'urd wuul — dhu ziin-v u-tuurn
un prau'pur fauk'see.J] that coat has not worn well — the sun has
turned it quite of a reddish colour.
[Huurd-z Mfauk-s,'] red as a fox, is the super, abs. of red.
2. Specked, spotted — as with spots of mould or mildew. Also
clouded, or uneven in shade of colour.
They've a-spwoiled thick piece — he's so foxy's the very devil.
Said of some bad dyeing.
FRACKLED [fraak-uld], adj. Spotted with freckles.
Our Jim's face is z-frackled all over. (Always.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 269
FRAKNY, or fraculde. Lentiginosus. — Promp. Parv.
His lippes round, his colour was sanguine,
A k\tz fracluies in his face ysprent,
Betwixen yellow and black somedcal yment.
Chauai; Xnightes Talc, 1. 2170.
On ys stede of Araby,
Of quente entaile was is stede, al y-fraclcd wy]> white & rede,
ys tayle so blak so cole :
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 3659-
FRAIL [fraa-yul], sb. A soft, bag-like basket, made of rushes
or grass. The kind used by fishmongers and poulterers — always
so called. (Very com.)
FRAYLE of frute (frayil, K.). Palata. — Proinp. Parv.
A Frale (Fraelle, A.) of fygis. Palata, — Cath. Ang.
See Skeat, Notes to Piers Plow. p. 306.
CABAS : A frail (for rasins or figs).
Vn viel cabas. An old frail whertin figs, £fc, have been.
Cotgrave.
Frayle for fygges — cabas. — Palsgrave.
FRANCE [franj], sb. Fringe.
[Nue franj -n tau'slz tu dhu aewzeen, smaa'rt, shoa'ur nuuf !]
new fringe and tassels to the housing, smart, sure enough !
Our modern pronunciation is little broader than the Mid. Eng.
A FRENGE : fimbria & cetera : ubi a hemme. — Cath. Ang.
Frengtor a Ledde or horse harnesse— -frenge. — Palsgrave.
FRANCE : fringe. — Cotgrave.
FRAPE [frae'up], v. To tuck up. Peasant women have a
way of tucking the tail of their gowns through the open slit
below where they are fastened at the waist — this is constantly
seen when scrubbing or at any dirty work, and is called [dhu
gaewn \\-frarupt aup,] the gown a fraped up.
FRAY [fraa'y], v. t. Hunting. Of a stag — to rub the horns
against trees, so as to rub off the velvet from the new head (q. v.}.
When the hartes that are in covert do perceive that their heades do begin to
dry (which is about the xxii of luly), then they discover themselves, going to the
trees to fray their heades and rub of the velvet.
1575. Tuberville, quoted by Collyns, p. 36.
For by his slot, his entries, and his port,
"R\sfrayittgs, fewrnets, he doth promise sport.
Ben Jonson, Sad Shepherd, I. ii.
The tree against which a deer thus rubs his head is called his/>7y*'«£-stock.
Collyns, Chase of the Wild Red Deer, p. 34.
FREATH, FREATHING [vruth, vrardheen]. See VREATH,
VREATHING. Sometimes this is pronounced [fnith, frai'dh^
frai'dheen], when emphatic = wreath, wreathing.
A FRITHED FELDE : excipittm. — Cath. Ang.
2/O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
This is an enclosure surrounded by a wreathed or wattled hedge.
A wood is frequently so fenced in — hence the fence is put for the
wood itself.
ffor wher so J>ey fferde • \>zffryth or be wones
Was non of hem all ' pat hym hide myjth,
Langland, Rich, the Red. II. 180.
He \sfrtyed yn with floreynes ' and o)>er fees menye,
Loke J>ou plocke per no plaunte • for peryl of }>y soule.
Piers Plow. vill. 228.
FREEZED [vree-zd], /rrf. Froze.
[Vree'zd aun'kaunvun dai maurneen luyk — dhu dhingz pun dhu
lai'n wuz \\.-vree'zd zu stiif'-s u strad,] (it) froze uncommonly to-
day morning — the things on the line were frozen as stiff as a
strad (q. v.).
FRENCH-BEANS [vran-sh-bee'unz], sb. Applied by cottagers
to the dwarf varieties only. The climbing runners are always
kidney-beans, from the colour and shape of the seed.
FRENCH NUT [vran-sh nut], sb. Walnut. (Always.)
[Porlock-s dhu plae'us vur vrawsh nuts.~\
FRENCH PINK [vran-sh pingk], sb. Same as Indian pink.
Dianthus chinensis.
FRENCH-POPS [vran-sh-pau-ps], sb. The small purple
Gladiolus. The flowers are in shape much like Pops = Foxglove.
They are very com. in cottage flower-knots.
FRESH [fraash, fraa-sh], adj. i. Generally applied to horses
or cattle. "Fresh condition" means well fed, sleek, likely to
fatten quickly — said of both horses and cattle generally. "Fresh"
as applied to a horse, means spirited^ eager to go.
Three, two, and one-year-old heifers, two prime fat heifers, one fresh
barrener in milk. — Adv. of Sale. — Wellington Weekly News, Oct. I, 1885.
2. In liquor ; half drunk. Tipsy to the extent of being excited,
but not so far gone as to be stupefied with drink.
Well, he wadn drunk, your Honour — on'y a little fresh like.
3. Cold, raw. Applied to weather.
Ter*blejfazs£ s'mornin, I zim, I can't catch yeat nohow.
FRESH-DRINK [fraash-dring-k], s&. Mild ale; table beer.
FRET [frat], v. i. i. To rust.
2. To grind — spoken of a grindstone.
[Kaa'pikul stoa-un, ee frats wuul,] capital stone, it frets (/. e.
grinds) well.
3. To ferment.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2/1
[Neef dhaat dhae'ur mart du buyd-n frat muuch lau'ng-gur t-1
bee u-spwuuyul — t-iiz u mud'leen brath- wai ut urad'ee,] if that
meat (pig's wash) remains fermenting much longer it will be
spoiled, it is a middling breath (q. v.) with it already.
FRETCHETY [fraaclrutee], adj. Fidgety, uneasy, excitable
— applied to man and beast.
Tidn a bad sort of a mare, on'y her's always so/refc/iety.
Fretchety old fellow, he've a-got more items than a dancing-bear.
FRETTEN. See VURDEN.
FRIDAY [vruydee]. The unlucky day. Never marry, set out
on a journey, or begin any important work on a Friday. The
weather is believed generally to change on Fridays, and on
Friday's weather we have two proverbs :
[ Vruydee-n dhu wik'
Uz-ul'dm ulik'.]
[Ee'ns Vruy'dee
Zoa Zun'dee.]
Friday in the week
Is seldom alike.
As Friday
So Sunday.
Right so gan gery Venus overcaste
The hertes of hire folk, right as hire day
Is gerful, right so chaungeth hire aray.
Selde is the Fryday al the wike i-like.
ChcMccr, Knightes Tale, 1. 679.
FRIGHTEN [fruytn; /. /. fruytn; /. /. u-fruytn], v. To
astonish ; to agreeably surprise. (Very com.)
[Aay wuz ^-fruytn tu zee aew dhu wait-s u-groa'd,] I was
astonished to see how the wheat is grown.
[Mae'ustur-1 bee u-fritytn. tu zee dhai yaarleenz — dhai bee
u-pliinrd aup zoa,] master will be surprised to see those yearlings,
they are plimmed (q. v.) up so — /. e. so improved.
A gardener speaking of an unaccountably low charge for the
carriage of a live turkey, said :
They only charged eightpence. I was frightened when he told
me, I thought 'twould a-bin eighteenpence to the very least. —
December 23, 1886.
FRIGHTFUL [fruytfeol], adj. Timid; easily frightened;
nervously fearful.
[Poo'ur lee-dl dhing ! piit'ee uur-z-u fruytfeol,'} poor little thing !
pity she is so timid.
FRILL DE DILLS [frtil-dee duTz], sb. pi. Laces, trimmings,
ornaments on dress.
Her's too fond o' her frill-de-dills by half — purty toadery that
there vor to go 'bout in. Can't sar the pigs, sure, 'cause t'll
spwoil my things ! Comp. FAL-LALS.
272 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
FRISK [friisk], sb. Gentle rain ; Scotch mist.
I don't think 'tis gvvain to rain much, this here's on'y a bit of a
frisk — tvvidn wet a holland shirt in a month.
FROSTED [vrau-stud], adj. Spoiled by frost (not frozen).
I count they eggs baint no good, they'll sure to be &-vrosted.
FRUMP [fruump], v. t. To hatch up; to trump up.
[Uur fruumpt aup uvuree beet u dhik dhae'ur stoa'ur,] she
concocted every word of that story.
To FRUMP. Brocardcr, gauffer, se mocquer, Sorner.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
FRUMP [fruump], sb. A concoction ; a deceit.
A FRUMP : mocquerie, brocard, cassade, nasarde.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
FRUMP [fruump], sb. An indefinite word, like "matter,"
"boiling," "lot," "kit"— not often used.
He told ma the whole Fump o' the Besneze. — Ex. Scold. 1. 34.
Al though fump is misprinted here, frump is the word.
FRY [fruy], sb. The products of lambs' castration are called
lamb's fries, and are eaten with much gusto.
FUDDLE [fuud-1], sb. A drinking bout.
Where's Jack, then ?
Hant a-zeed'n to-day, I reckon he's 'pon ihefudd/e agee-an.
Hence fuddled, stupidly drunk.
FUDDLED. Guilkret, un peu yvre. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Merrily, merrily fuddle thy nose,
Until it right rosy shall be :
For a jolly red nose, I speak under the rose,
Is a sign of good company. Old Song.
FULL. See VULL.
FULL AS A TICK [veol-z u tik-]. Said of any animal, whether
man or beast, which has eaten its fill. Super, of full.
FULL-BUTT [veol-buuf], adv. i. Face to face.
I met him full-butt — i. e. met him face to face, coming in
opposite directions.
Full-but (Fulbuyt, A.) : precise. — Catk. Ang.
2. adv. and adj. Direct, headlong, impetuously, full-tilt, straight
away, directly.
The horse urned right away /#//-£##, so hard's he could lay his
heels to ground.
I meet'n comin along towards me full-butt, same's off was
gwain t'at me down. A full-butt blow.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2/3
When Aunger hadde y-schiped hem, they seilled forth ful swythe,
Ful-but in til Denematk, wyth weder fair and lithe.
Robt. of firnnne, MS. Lambeth, 131, leaf 76, quoted by Skeat,
Preface to Havdok, p. xiii.
Symonye. coueitise & oj>ere synnys ymeafitRut couseil ajenst J)e holy gost.
Wyclif,. Works, E. E. T. S. p. 213.
FULL-DRIVE [veol-drai'v], adv. In real earnest ; in full swing ;
full progress.
[Dhai-d u-begutrnd, un wuz eeln tue ut reol-drai-v u-voa-r aay
kaum,] they had begun, and were at it in full swing before I came.
FULL-GROW [veol-groa-], adj. Adult; full grown. (Always.)
Well, thick's vull-grow, once ! Said of a very large rabbit.
FULLER [fuul-ur]. Fellow. (Always.) See VULLER.
Cf. felloe, which is as invariably pronounced vuul-ur.
FULL-STATED [veoKstae-utud]. Semi-legal phrase relating
to tenure of land held upon lives.
See Ex. Scolding — notes to 11. 405, 406, p. 86.
FULL-UP [veol-aup-], adv. Quite. The idiom is always to
place this adverb at the end of the clause, and not as in lit. Eng.
immediately before the word qualified.
I count there's a hundred stitch an acre, one way tother, vull-up
— /. e. quite a hundred per acre on the average.
[Dhur wuz thuurtee oa'm, aay bee saa'f, veol-attp-,'] there were
thirty of them, I am sure, quite.
FUN [fuun], v. t. To cheat; to defraud.
Lousy rogue ! he've a-/z/« me out o' vower poun zix shillins, and
I wish the devil'd a-got'n. ? A.-S. fandian, to tempt.
FUNNY-BONE [fuun'ee-boa'un], sb. The well-known sensitive
part of the elbow.
FUR [fuur], v. t. To throw. See VUR.
He fur'd a stone up agin the door.
Heard in W. Som. occasionally, but the word belongs to E. Som.,
where it is very common.
FURDLE [fuur-dl], v. t. To furl; to fold up. (Always.)
Look sharp and furdle up the wim-sheet, now he's nice and dry,
and put-n away, 'vore the rain do come.
The colours furdled up, the drum is mute,
The Serjeants ranks and files doth not dispute.
Taylor 's Works, 1630 (quoted by Nares).
FURNACE [fuurnees], sb. A boiler or copper to be set in
brickwork, with its own separate fire, &c.
In this district the word is never applied to the fire-place, but
always to the vessel which has to be heated by a furnace.
T
274 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I want to ax o' ee to plase to put me up a new warshin-furnace —
thick I've a-got's proper a-weared out.
Galvanized iron Furnace, 27 gals. . . iu. <)d.
Ironmonger's Bill,
See WASHING-FURNACE.
FURND [fuurnd], sb. Friend. See FERND.
I didn know avore how Jim Zalter was zfurnd o' yours.
FURNT [fuurnt], v. i. To affront; to offend.
2. sb. A front. A kind of partial wig worn by old women.
FURSTY, FUSTY [fuurstee, fuus'tee], adj. Thirsty. (Com.)
Fusty weather, I zim.
The usual word is dry, but when a little effort is made to talk
" fine," as in begging cider of " the missus," one hears :
I be ter'ble fursty, mum, midn make so bold-s t' ax vor a drap
o' cider, I s'pose?
ne presiouse drynkes
Moyste me to )>e fulle • ne my/urst slake.
Piers Plffiv. (Trin Coll. Text) XXI. 412.
And of meny o)>er men • }>at muche wo suffren,
Bo^e a-fyngrede and a-furst to turne j?e fayre outwarde,
And beth abasshed to begge. — Piers Plow. X. 84.
FURZE-NAPPER. See VUZ-NAPPER. FURZE-PIG. See
VUZ-PIG.
FUSS [fuus(t], num. adj. First. The t only sounded before a
vowel. See Vuss.
FUTCHELS [fuuch-ulz], sb. The bent pieces of wood to
which the shafts of a carriage are attached.
FUZ [vuuz], j£. Gorse, whin. SeeVvz. FUZ-PIG. See VUZ-PIG.
FY [faa'y, fuy], v. To challenge ; to defy.
[Aa.'\faay un tu preo'v ut,] I challenge him to prove it.
[Aa'l fuy ur tu zai oa'urt bee mee*,] I defy her to say any harm
against me.
G
GAB [gaab*, gab', gab'ee], sb. and v. i. Chatter, idle talk, im
pudence. (Com.)
Come now, none o' your gab, else I'll zoon taich thee better
manners !
The tongue o' her's enough to drave anybody distracted ; let her
'lone her'll gabby vrom mornin to night.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2/5
It is clear the word once meant lying talk, though that was not
its exclusive meaning.
GABBAR (or lyare, infra). JMemiaculus, mendacula, mendax.
Promp. Parv.
to Gabe ; nuntiri, & cetera ; vbi to lye. — Calh Aug.
yef me ham ret )>ing, ]>et by to hell>e to hire zaules, ne nojjyng nolle)) do, erfan
me gabbefy of ham. Ayenbite oflnwyt, p. 69.
to blame, sire, ar {?o burnes : ^at so ble]>eli gabbc ;
For my lady lis Jit a-slape ; lelly, as i trowe.
Will, of Palerme, 1. 1994.
Wei )»ou wost wyterly, bot yf )>o\v \\o\\e gabbe,
Thou hast hanged on myn hals, elleuen tymes,
And also grypen of my gold. Piers Plow. iv. 226.
ffirst J>at men ]>at blamen hem sholden holde treu)>e and not gabbe on hem.
Wyclif, Works, E. E. T. S. p. 297.
GAD [gad], sb. A stout straight stick, such as elsewhere called
a hedge-stake. The term would not be applied to a common rough
faggot stick. The idea of goad is no longer conveyed ; if used as
a weapon, it is only to strike. See SPAR-GAD, GORE.
I zeed'n beat th 'oss 'bout th 'aid way a gurt gad so thick's a
pick stale. A.-S. gaJ, a prick, goad.
a Gad : gerusa. — Cath. Aug.
Gadde for oxen, esqitillon, — Palsgrave.
Champiouns, and starke laddes,
Bondemen with here gadiles,
Als he comen fro J>e plow. — Havelok, 1. 1015.
GAD-ABOUT [gad'-ubaewt], sb. i. A person who is always
roaming away from home. Usually applied to a woman who is
over fond of visiting.
Her's a proper gad-about, better fit her'd bide home and look
arter her 'ouze.
2. A low two-wheeled carriage.
Light gadabout cart in first-class condition. A very strong useful spring cart.
Grey cart horse, a good worker in all kinds of harness.
Advert. Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 2, 1886.
GAD-CROOK [gad'-kreok], sb. A long pole with an iron hook
or claw. Most millers keep one to drag out logs or branches
brought down by floods.
GAFF [gyaaf], sb. and v. t. A stick having a sharp iron hook at
the end, used by fishermen.
You draw un in, and I'll gaff-m purty quick.
Irish. Gaf, Gafa, a hook; any crooked instrument. — O'Reilly.
Welsh. Gafaelu, to hold ; to lay hold on. — Richards.
T 2
276 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
GAFFER [gaaf-ur], sb. Master, foreman.
Look sharp, dis'n zee the gaffer's comin !
This is a new word in the district, probably brought by North-
country navvies who came to make the railway. It by no means
implies an old man, yet the phr. " th' old man " is often used in
speaking of the master, quite irrespective of age.
Mixe well (old^^) horse corne with chaffe,
Let Jack nor Gill fetch corne at will. — Tusser, 22-18.
GAIT [gae'ut], sb. Any peculiar habit, such as a nervous
twitching of the face ; any antic or grimace performed habitually.
[D-ee muyn dhu gacut dhoa'l mae'un -d u-gau't, u au-vees
peol'een aup iiz buurchez?] do you remember the habit the old
man had, of always pulling up his breeches ?
GALL [gau-1], v. and sb. To irritate ; to fret ; to hurt in feeling.
[Dhai wuz tuurubl \\-gau~ld ubaewd ut,] they were very much
hurt about it.
De-woyde now ]>y vengaunce, JmrJ vertu of rauthe ;
ThaJ I be gulty of gyle as gaule of prophet es.
Allit. Poems, Patience, 1. 285.
GALLANTEE [gyaal'untar], v. t. and /". To guarantee ; to
warrant. Used very commonly as a mere asseverative, like " I'll
bet," or " I'll be bound," &c.
I'll gallantee you'll vind a 'oodcock in thick copse.
I'd gallantee thick 'oss, agin other 'oss in the parish.
A man having a large tumour on his arm said to me, respecting
it : — " They could-n do me no good in the Hospital 'thout cuttin
o' it away, and I think they thort I was t' old. Dr. P. ... you
know, sir, zes how he could take-n off, and he'd galantee vor to cure-n,
but I be afeard ; and th' old Mr. . . . you know he've a got a good
headpiece when the drink's out o'un. Well he zess, s' ee, ' Bill, how
old art ? ' and I zess to un, ' Well, I be into my sixty-eight ' — vor I
was a-bornd pon Lady-day day beyun all the days in the wordle ;
and then th' old man ?ess to me, s' ee (says he), ' Bill, thee let-n
alone.' I sim he do reckon I should lost the use o' my arm, and
now I can do a little like, nif tidn very much — so I s'pose I must
make a shuff (shift) and put up way it." — June 2, 1886.
GALLIGANTING [gyaal'igan'teen], adj. Awkwardly big, and
slovenly in gait. Applied to persons and horses.
Gurt, slack, galligantin sort of a fuller ; I should'n think is much
work in he.
GALLIGASKINS [gyaal'igaas'keenz], sb. Rough leather over-
alls, worn by thatchers, hedgers, and labourers. They are usually
home-made from dried raw skin, and are fastened to the front only
of the leg and thigh. Often called strads (q. v.).
Galligaskins. Chauffes & la garguesque, grtcques, gregues, greguesqites,
guer guesses. Cot grave (Sherwood).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 277
GALLIMENT [gysaHmunt], sb. i. A fright.
[Aay oa*n ae'u dhik gyaal'iimtnt noa moo'ur,] I will not have
that fright again. Said of a horse's running away.
We mid all a-bin a-burn'd in our beds; 'twas jis gallimenfs my
old 'ummun 'out vorget vor one while, once !
2. A frightful object.
They there ingins be galliment enough to zet up anybody's 'oss.
They did'n never ought vor to let em go 'bout 'pon the roads.
GALLIS [gyaal'ees], adv. Gallows. Very ; exceedingly.
You be so gallis vast, dis think can do it in no time ?
GALLITRAP [gyaaHtraap], sb. ? gallow-trap.
A green circle on grass land, oftener called Pixy-ring. An old
superstition is that if a person guilty of crime steps into one of
these circles, he is sure to be delivered up to justice — /. e. the gallows
— hence probably the name.
GALLIVANTING[gyaaHvaan-teen],/tfr/. adj. Flirting; keeping
over much among the women ; acting the squire of dames. No
moral slur is implied.
'Twid be better vor thee, nif thee'ds 'arky to thy poor old father,
an' stick to thy trade — neet urn gallivantin all over the country,
wherever there's a lot o' maiden volks — zay nort 'bout spendin o'
money in fine clothes an' that.
GALLOWGRASS [gyaaHgraas], sb. Cant name for hemp—
also called neckweed.
There is an herbe whiche light fellowes merily will call Gallowgrasse, Neck-
weede, or the Tristrams knot, or Saynt Audres lace, or a bastarde brothers
badge, with a difference on the left side, &c., you know my meaning.
Wilyam Bulleyn on Neckiveede, BabeJs Book, Furnivall, p. 241.
GALLY [gyaal'ee], v. To frighten. (Very com.)
[Dhai wuz puurdee wuul \\-gyaal~eed haun dhai zeed mee*,] they
were finely frightened when they saw me. Said of boys caught in
an orchard. A.-S. gdelan, to terrify.
An' zo, bum by, a lot o' cows
K-gallied by ez scrapes an' bows, — Pulman, R. Sk. p. 69.
Galie&, ase )>e uox de$, ^ Jelpefc of hore god, hwar se heo durren ^ muwen ;
Ancren Rhole, p. 128.
Wul varmer Plant I've yerd'n zay,
Wis gally'd zo, ta urn away
Ha cud'n ; Nathan Hogg, Ser. I. p. 58.
GALLY BEGGAR [gyaaH-bag'ur], sb. Any object which may
inspire a superstitious dread, as a ghost, or any frightening object
dimly seen, as the donkey in the " Fakenham Ghost."
GALLY-POT [gyaaH-paut]. A nickname for a doctor.
278 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
" Now then, old gally-pot" was said in the hunting-field by a
well-known M. H. to an equally well-known sporting doctor.
The word is properly the name of the common white-ware pot
in which ointment or pomatum is sold.
GALOCHE [gulauslr], v. t. To cover a boot with leather, all
round above the sole. Old women's cloth boots are very frequently
galoshed.
GALACHE, or galoche, vndyr solynge of mannys fote. Crepitum, crepita,
obslringillus. Promp. Paw.
Ne coulde man by twenty f>ousand part
Counterfeet the sophimes of his art ;
Ne were worthy to unbocle his galocke.
Chaucer, Squire's Tale, 1. 10867.
As is J>e kynde of a knyght ' ]>at comejj to be doubed,
To geten hus gilte spores, and galoches y-couped.
Piers Plow. xxi. 1 1.
GAMBADERS [gaanrbae'udurz], sb. A kind of leather shield
or case for the legs of a horseman. They are attached to the
stirrup-leathers and prevent the usual splashing. They were very
common within the writer's recollection.
GAMBLE [gaanrbl, gaanvl], sb. i. The hock or elbow-joint
of a hind leg. Never applied to the entire leg (vide Webster), nor
confined to horses. Properly the word applies to the strong tendon
just above the joint, but is used to express not only the joint, but
the parts above. Same as GAMMEREL.
2. A bent stick used by butchers ; the slaughtered animal has the
gaanvl passed through the tendons of the gaanrl.
Lay by your scorn and pride, they're scurvy qualities,
And meet me, or I'll box you while I have you,
And carry you gamtrifd thither like a mutton.
Fletcher, Nice Valour, IV. i.
GAMBOWLING [gaambuwleen], part. Gambolling, jumping,
frisking.
Anybody ought always to tail and cut their lambs middlin early
like, vor to stop their gambowlin. A sight o' lambs gets hot way
gambowlin, and then they bides about and catches cold.
Gambaude — sccult, gambaulde. — Palsgrave.
Es marl who's more vor Rigging, or Rumping, Steehopping, or Ragrowtering,
Giggleting, or Gambowling, than thee art thyzel — Pitha. — Ex. Scold. 1. 130.
GAME-LEG [gee'um-lig], sb. A crippled or disabled leg.
Maister's middlin like, thanky; but you zee he can't travel wi
thick there game-leg.
GAMMERELS [gaanrurulz], sb. The under-sides of the thighs,
j ist above the bend of the knee. See GAMBLE.
Shockin pain in my gammerel.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2/9
But he's a very perfect goat below,
His crooked cambrils armed with hoof and hair.
Dcscr. of a Satyr, Dray ton, Nymphal, X. p. 1519.
thy Hozen muxy up zo vurs thy Gammerels, to tha very Hucksheens o' tha.
Ex. Scolding, 1. 153.
GAMMIKIN [gaam-ikeen], part. adj. i. Full of antics or
contortions. Posturing absurdly.
[Dhu gaam'ikeens fuul'ur uvur aay zeed, uz jis dhu vuuree
sae'um-z u muuree An'dur,] the gammikinest fellow I ever saw,
(he) is just the very same as a Merry Andrew.
Zo gamwikin 'pon gurt high banks
Ee'd often auver-tap,
An' in a deep an' vrothy hole
Ee'd tum'le neck an' crap.
Pitlman, Rustic Sketches, p. 51.
2. Awkward ; loose-jointed ; shambling in walk or carriage.
Gurt, slack, gammikin fuller, I wid'n gee un his zalt.
GANGER [gang'ur], sb. A navvy. The men employed in
maintaining a railway are always so called. I believe the word is
an importation of recent date — /'. e. since railway times.
He was a ganger 'pon the line vor siver (several) year, but come
to last, they widn keep-m no longer.
Ganger Hart, Ganger Hill, are well-known navvies.
GANNY COCK [gan'ee kauk], sb. A turkey-cock.
CANTERING [gan 'tureen], adj. Awkward, weedy, lanky : said
of men, plants, or animals.
Gurt, gantering thing ; too much daylight by half under the belly
o' un — is a very common mode of depreciating a horse.
Mus' cut down they there lauriels, they be a-grow'd up soganterin.
GAPE'S NEST [gyaap's nas], sb. i. A gaping-stock ; an
occasion for idle staring.
I baint gwain in there vor to be a gape's nest vor all thick there
roily.
Th' art good vor nort but a Cape's nest — Ex. Scold. 1. 186.
2. The occupation of idly staring. (Very com.)
[Dhae'ur dhai wauz, aul tue u gyaap-s nas,] there they were, all a
gaping ! See DRUNK'S NEST.
Wile es kainid an starid an gaps-nested roun,
A gurt cart-load a pudd'ns com'd in tap the groun.
Nathan Hogg, Tor Abbey Vaistins.
GAP-MOUTH [gyaap'-maewf, maewdh], sb. A stupid, loutish
person.
One of the commonest epithets : You gurt gap-mouth.
We poor know nort gaapmoitths ked manage, wi our hwum-made, wold-
fashin'd vlies, ta lug out glorious dishes when he ked har'ly git a single vish.
Pulnian, Rustic Sketches, p. 32.
2SO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
GAPS [gaap's, gyaap's], sb. Disease to which young chickens
are subject. A worm in the windpipe causes them to keep opening
the mouth wide, and unless cured, chokes them. See PIP, DRAW.
GAP SEED [gyaap zee-ud], sb. A wonder; a sight to be
stared at.
Hon the riders was here, 'twas a purty^/ zeed — they'd agot up
forty osses and dree or vower elephants.
GAPS ING [gyaap-seen], part. sb. Gazing idly at any trivial
object — sight-seeing, as at a fair.
Thee 't a purty sight zoonder bide gapsing about, -n mind the
[bee'us,] beast — I'd zoonder lef em way little Tommy, and he idn
half so big's thee. Said in a fair.
GAP-TOOTHED [syaap'-teo'dhud], adj. Having lost one
or more front teeth. Very common as an abusive adjective, and
also as an ordinary description.
Ya wammle-eyed, gap-toothed old son of a bitch !
Her widn be so bad like, nif her wadn so gap-toothed.
Gattothud was sche, sothly for to seye.
Uppon an amblere esely sche sat,
Wymplid ful wel, and on her heed an hat
As brood as is a bocler or a targe.
Chaucer, Prol. (description of Wife of Bath), 1. 468.
GAPY [gyaap-ee], v. i. To stand idly gazing.
[Km au*n! neet buyd dhae'ur gyaap'eenf] come on! not stay
there gaping !
I count thee'ts bide'n' gappy gin thy eyes vail out, zay nort to
thee.
That standejj at a gappe wi]> a spear,
When huntid is J>e lion or }>e bear.
Chaucer, Knighfs Tale, 1. 1641.
GAR. See GOR.
GAR. Garth, enclosure. At Dunster is a wood called
" Conigar," pronounced [cuun'igur] ; doubtless this is the Coney-
garth. There are a few other names, as Binnegar (by-near-garth) ;
Yannigar (yonder-garth), which have the same termination.
GARDEN [gyuurdn]. The word alone is always understood
to mean the kitchen garden, that is, where fruit and vegetables
grow. A pleasure-ground is spoken of as a "flower garden"
A "garden spot" is any plot of land in which potatoes,
cabbages, &c. are grown, whether separately enclosed or forming
part of a field.
GARDEN-HOUSE [gyuurdn-aewz], sb. A privy; an out-door
closet. The usual name amongst farmers' wives and women of
the class above labourers.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 28 1
GARSH [gaarsh], v. t. and sb. Gash; to cut deeply.
Ter'ble ugly garsh.
It is very common to find r inserted between a and sh. Comp.
arsh, marsh, larsh, smarsh, wars/i, vlarsh (flesh), &c., but in this
case the r is archaic.
and wifcuten J>eo ilke reoufcfulle garses of ]»e lufcere skurgen, nout one on
his schonken, auh Jeond al his leofliche licome — Ancren Rhale, p. 258.
GAARCE. Scarificacio. — Promp. Parv.
to GARCE. Scarificare.—Cath. Aug. See Note, p. 150.
GARSCHER. To chap, as the hands or lips do in a sharp wind. — Cotgrave.
Old Fr. garser, to scarify.
GARSSHE in wode or in a knyfe — hoche, s.f. — Palsgrave,
GATCHEL [gyaachyul], sb. Mouth : generally used to imply
a very large abysmal mouth.
You knowed th'old Tatie-belly, did'n ee, sir? well, he'd a-got
the on-liest gatchel of his own, ever I zeed in all my born days.
GATE [gee'ut, gyuf], sb. A constant medium for simile.
Fat thick old thing, mid so well try to fat a gate 1
Her've a got a good leg of her own, he would'n make a bad
au's], gate-post.
GATE SHORD [gyut1 shoa'urd], sb. A roadway made through
a hedge temporarily, but without a gate. The permanent
entrance to a field or garden, together with its gate, is always the
[gyut'-wai,~\ gateway.
[Dhu gyuf-wai waud-n wuyd nuuf vur dh-ee'njun, zoa wee wuz
u-foo'us vur tu maek u gyut' shoa'urd,~\ the gateway was not wide
enough for the engine, so we were forced to make a gate shord.
GATHER [gaedh'ur], v. t. i. Applied to ploughing. A piece
of land is ploughed by working up one way and back another ;
the two furrows thus made being called a "round." Working
with an implement which turns the soil only in one direction,
it follows that the two furrows made in any round must lie in
opposite directions, either towards or away from each other.
When the ploughman turns to the right for his return journey,
he gathers — i. e. he makes the furrows lie towards each other,
because ploughs are made to turn over the soil from left to right :
and consequently at the last round, or finish, two rolls of earth
are thrown up against each other, in what is called a by-vore — i. e.
the last is thrown against the first, the precise opposite of an
all-vore (q. v.). See THROW ABROAD.
Each ploughman is to plough the part allotted to him by gathering one-third,
and throwing abroad two-thirds of the sixty yards. — Printed particulars of a
ploughing match, held at Cultnstock, October 3ist, 1883.
232 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. To glean corn.
Plase, sir, I be gatherin 'long way mother — Mr. Bond zaid we
mid gather all his fields.
I've a-knowed her gather so much as two bushels o' whate
avore now, but her can't stoopy so vast now.
GAUDERY [gau-duree], sb. Tawdry finery.
Better fit her mother'd make her wear things tidy like, same's
other vokeses maaidens, nit let her ray herzel up in all that there
gandery.
GAUKAMOUTH [gau'kumaewdh], sb. Same as GAPMOUTH.
A gaping fool.
GAWK, GAWKUM, GAWKUMY, GAWKY [gairk, gau'kum,
gau'kumee, gau'kee], sb. A fool, stupid fellow, lout, clodhopper —
generally qualified by some adjective, as gurt, stupid, purty, &c.
Thee must be a purty gawk, vor to bring jis thing's thicky there !
The gome }>at so glosej) chartres, a goky is he yholden
So is he a goky, by god, )>at in the godspel faille J> ;
In masse o]>er in matynes, maketh eny defaute.
Piers Plow. XIV. 120.
GEASE [gee-us], sb. and v. t. A girth ; a leather strap worn by
most labourers. Common name for a saddle-girth.
The gease brokt and off I come.
Here ! gease' n up a bit tighter, he'll (the saddle) slip round, in
under the belly o' un, I be afeard.
GEE [gee ; p. t. gid ; p.p. u-gid], vb. t. and i. i. To give. This
pronunciation is nearly invariable, and only modified by rapidity
of utterance.
I baint gwain to gee no such money.
I s'pose you 'ant a got no jich thing's a old pair o' boots a-left off,
vor to gee away, I be shockin bad off, I sure ee, sir.
Hot b'ee gee -in. vor butter to-day, mum ? Well, we ant a-gid
no more-n ninepence in money, but we gid Farmer Lee's wive
tenpence, take it out in shop-goods.
2. sb. A gift. See COBBLER'S CURSE.
GEE IN [gee- ee-n], v. i. To tender ; to deliver an estimate.
Me and Bob Brice gid in vor't, but I s'pose we wad'n low
enough, 'cause Harry Peach Ve a-tookt it; and he on't sar his
wages to it.
Tidn no good vor to gee in 'thout can get a trifle out o' it.
GEE OUT [gee- aewt], v. i. i. To give out j to thaw.
This yer vrost'll gee out avore long.
I sim 'tis geeingout a little bit. See GIVE.
2. To yield ; to give in ; to admit defeat.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 283
I would'n never gee out avore I was a forced to.
'Tis a terrible bad job, but there, must'n gee out to it. See JEE.
GENITIVE, DOUBLE. When the genitive of the name or title
of a person is formed with the prep, of, it is very common to
duplicate it by the use of the inflected form as well.
'Twas somebody had the very daps o1 our Tom'^ (note omission
of the relative after somebody).
I'll swear to the hand-writin o' your maisterV any place, or
'vore other jidge in England.
Butler (Capt. T.) The Little Bible of the Man, or the Book of God opened
in Man by the Power of the Lamb, written by a Weak Instrument of the
Lordj. Bookseller's Catalogue, Jan. 1887.
GENTLEMAN [jun'lmun], sb. One who dresses well, and can
live without work.
What d'ye think o' he, then? nif that idn th'old Ropy's son,
a rayed up wi a box hat and a walking-stick, just as 'off a was a
ginlman.
GENTLEMAN WITH THREE 'OUTS' [jihrlmun wai dree
aewts]. (Very com. phr.)
Call he a ginlmun ! I calls 'n a ginlmun way dree outs — 'thout
wit, money, an' manners.
G ERR A WAY [gyaeruwar]. Get away. Always so pronounced
in speaking to hounds. Gerraway, Frantic !
GERRED [gyuurud], adj. Covered, clothed (hence with mud
and filth).
I was a-plastered and a gerred up to my eyes.
& of stokkes and stones, he stoute goddes callj
When ]>ay ar gilde al with golde and gered wyth syluer.
A Hit. Poems, Cleanness, 1. 1343.
Nif tha dest bet go down into tha Paddick to stroak the kee, thee wut come
oil a gerred, and oil horry zo vurs tha art a vorked. Ex. Scold. 1. 46.
GET [gut], v.t. i. To beget.
2. v. t. To thrive ; to improve.
They sheep'll sure to get, in your keep — /. e. on your land.
GETTING [giifeen], adj. Active in business ; striving.
None o' your arternoon farmers, he idn ; idn a more gettiner
sort of a man 'thin twenty mile o' the place.
GHASTLY [gyaas-lee], adj. and adv. i. Unsightly, dilapidated,
ragged, untidy.
Well, nif thee has-n a made a ghastly job o' it, I never didn
zee nort.
284 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The poor old 'ouse do look ghastly, don 'er? I can't abear
vor to zee un all a-tord abroad.
Th'old man and his 'oss and cart and all, do look ter'ble ghastly,
I zim.
2. Terrible, frightful, dangerous.
They ingins be ter'ble ghastly things vor 'osses; they did'n
off to 'low em 'pon the roads.
'Tis a ghastly place vor to drave in the dark ; they off to put up
a rail.
GIBBLE-GABBLE [gub'1-gab'l], sb. Chatter, idle talk.
A gible-gable. Barragouin. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
GIBBY [gib-ee], sb. A child's name for a sheep. A lamb is a
\gib~ee laam].
GIBBY HEELS [gib-ee ee-ulz], sb. Of horses — another name
for greasy heels, or scratches ; chapped heels. Same as KIBBY.
GID [gid],/;W. and/./, of to give. See GEE.
I gid dree and zixpence vor'n.
They ant a gid me nort, cause they zaid how that my zin must
maintain me. Her gid'n all so good's a brought. See ALL.
GIFTS [guf-s], sb. White spots which often appear on the nails
— thought to betoken coming gifts. An old saw says :
\Gtif 's pun dhu dhuum'] Gifts on the thumb
[-1 shoa'ur tu kuurn' ;] will sure to come J
[Gufs pun dhu ving'gur] Gifts on the finger
[-1 shoa'ur tu ling'gur.] will sure to linger.
GIG, GIG-MILL [gig, gig-mee'ul], sb. The machine by which
the shag or nap is raised upon blankets and other cloth. Also
applied to the building in which the machine is worked. To gig
cloth is to raise the nap by means of teasles or otherwise.
Where's your Tom now ? Au ! he do worky down to factory —
he've a-worked to the gig's two year.
GIGLET [gig 'lut],.sA A giddy, laughing, romping girl. Nothing
wanton or lewd is now implied.
I don't s'pose nothin ever will tame thick maid, her always was
a proper giglet.
GYBELOT (gyglot, s.). Ridax.
GYGELOT, wenche (gygelot, wynch, s.). Agagula. — Promp. Parv.
Here he praysis him of his wife, that is na gigelot, hot vndire the guuernand
folke. Hampole, Psalter, p. 166. Ps. xliv. xi.
Romont. If this be
The recompence of striving to preserve
A wanton giglet honest, very shortly
'Twill make all mankind pandars. Do you smile,
Good lady looseness? — Mas singer, The Fatal Dowry, III. i.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 285
Young Talbot was not born
To be the pillage otzgiglot wench. — I Henry VI. IV. vii.
Go not to )>e wrastelinge, ne to schotynge at cok,
As it were a strumpet or a giggelot :
How the good luijf tatty Air dotty ir, Babels Book, p. 40.
Hare's net as zome Giglefs, zome prenking mencing Things be.
Ex. Scold. 1. 566.
GIGLETING [gig-lteen], part. sb. and adj. Giggling; silly
laughing.
The boys mus zit down under — there'll never be nort but gigletin
way the maaidens, zo long's they zits in the gallery.
See Ex. Scold. 11. 131, 141, 568.
GIG-SADDLE [gig-zad'l], sb. The saddle belonging to a set
of single-horse carriage or gig-harness, as distinguished from the
cart-saddle, or the hackney-saddle.
GILAWFER [julau-fur], sb. Stock, gilliflower.
[WuyVsnju/aufarz,'] Whitsun gilliflowers — the white double rocket
— Hesperis Matronalis. Clovz-gilawfer = carnation. (Very com.)
The Mod. Eng. pronunciation of gilliflower is unknown in the
dialect; the latter retains the sound familiar in Chaucer's time.
GYLLOFRE, herbe. Gariophilus. — Promp. Parv.
And many a c\o\ie-gilofre,
And nutmeg to put in ale,
Whether it be moist or stale,
Or for to lay in coffer.
(Gilfillan) Chaucer, Rhyme of Sir Topas, 1. 13692.
Schadowed ]>is wortej ful schyre and schene
Gilofre, gyngure and gromylyoun
And pyonys powdered ay by-twene.
Allit. Poems, The Pearl, 1. 42.
GlROFLEE : A gilloflower ; and, most properly, the Clovz-gillojiower. — Cotgrave.
Queenes GILLOFLOWERS. Matrones. Marsh or cuckoe GILLOVERS. Bar-
baries sauvages. Sherwood.
GYLLOFER, a fovx—girouflee, oyllet.— Palsgrave.
GILD [giild], v. t. To geld.
Not far from my home is a board on a house: John . . . ,
Farmer and Gilder. See CUTTER.
Gelder of beestes — chasterevx. — Palsgrave.
GILL [gee-ul], sb. The lower jaw.
He up way his vice (fist) and meet way un right in the gill, and
down a vall'd.
GILTY CUP [gul'tee, or gee'ultee kuup], sb. Lesser Celandine,
Ranunculus ficaria.
286 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
'Mong the turf let the daisies an' gulticups wave,
Wi' the stream ever ripplin' a hymn roun' my grave.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 72.
GIMCRACK [junrkraak], adj. Slight in construction; weak;
badly contrived. Not used as a sb.
I be safe thick there ont never answer, I calls 'n a proper
gimcrack concarn — he'll be same's th' old umman's spinnin turn ;
there must be a new wheel these year, and a new body next.
GIMLET-EYED [gunvlut-uyd], adj. Having eyes which not
only squint, but are always in motion — a peculiarity not uncommon ;
the phrase is well understood.
Gee me ort ! a gimlet-eyed old bitch, 'tis wo'th zixpence to git a
varden out o' her.
GIMMACES [gunreesiu], sb. Handcuffs.
GIN [gee'n ; /. /. gee'nd, guun-d; /. /. u-gee*nd, u-guun'd], T.
To begin. A.-S. ginnan, to begin. The modern first syllable is
most commonly dropped, and in the dialectal form of the phr.
I am, or they are beginning, it is so always :
I (or) they be ginnin to pull down the burge.
Of some new houses a man said to me : Two o'm be a-zold 'vore
they be &-gun'd — i. e. before they are begun. — May 13, 1887.
And to deliuri )>e zaules of )>e hole uaderes, and of alle
)>on )>et uram J>e ginningge of ]>e wordle storue in zo]>.
Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 12.
Lo the oak, )>at haj) so long a nourisching
From the time that it ginne^ first to spring.
Chaucer, Knighfs Tale, 1. 3020.
Lo, oure folk ginne]> to falle : for defaute of help.
William of Palerme, 1. li°5,
Hark I Hark ! the lark at heaven's gate sings,
And Phoebus gins arise. — Cymbdine, II. iii. Song.
GIN [jun], sb. A steel trap, as a rat-£7#, fox-gin, pole-gv'//. All
these act on the same principle. A trap implies a means for
catching the prey alive, except among keepers, who are beginning
to use trap, where until lately they always said gin.
GINGER [jun'jur], adj. Reddish in colour ; hence ^/V
ginger whiskers. Ginger-poll is a common nickname for a red-
headed boy.
GINGERBREAD [jvuvjurbraed], adj. Weak ; slight in make ;
wanting in stability; bad in material. Applied to any kind of
construction ; much the same as GIMCRACK.
What's the good vor to put up a gingerbread thing of a linhay
like that? The fust puff o' wind '11 blow un away.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 287
GINGERLY [jiiirjurlee], adv. Cautiously, carefully, gently.
Now this yer new machine must be a-han'ld gingerly like, else
he'll zoon be a-tord abroad.
Thick there plank idn very strong, mind — you must stap gingerly
over-n, else in you goes.
GIRD-IRE [giird'-uyur], sb. A gridiron. (Com.) See GRIDDLE.
GYRDIRO.V, g ril, grillon. — Palsgrave.
GIRDLE, GIRDALE [guurdl ; emph. guurdae-ul]. Great deal.
[Maekth u guurdl u duf'urns, wae'ur yue du paa'y daewn daap',
ur uurn aup bee'ulz,] (it) makes a great deal of difference whether
you pay ready money, or run up bills.
Thick there's better-n yours by a [guur/antQ, great deal.
GIRDLER [guurdlur], sb. One who mocks at or ridicules
another; one who grins. For a boy, the epithet is precisely
analogous to giglet for a girl.
Young osbird ! I calls-n a proper young girdler — nobody can't
have no paice vor-n.
GIRDLY [guurdlee], v. i. To grin ; to sneer ; to mock at.
What art thee girdlin to? I'll make thee know, s'hear me!
Anybody's well off, nif they can't go long 'thout a passle o' lousy
boys girdlin and hollerin arter em.
GIRN [guurn], v. i. To grin. (Usual pronun.)
Thee's a-got a purty face o' thy own ; thee'rt jis fit vor to girn
drue a ho'ss collar — idn nother one can come aneast thee vor
purtiness.
They goe with the corpses girning and flearing, as though they went to a
beare-baiting. Larimer's Sermons, fol. 220, b. (quoted by Nares).
GIRT [guurt], v. and sb. (Tech.) i. In measuring timber,
the length and girt (girth) are taken. The latter is arrived at by
getting the full circumference with a cord, and then by twice
doubling the cord. The length in inches of this fourth part of
the circumference is called the girt. To measure in this way is
" to girt the tree," or to see what " he'll girt."
What size sticks be em — will any o'm girt a voot or over?
2. A girth.
Plase, sir, you must have some new girts, yours baint safe.
and a headstall of sheep's leather . . . one girt six times pieced and a woman's
crupper of velure. Taming the Shrew, III. ii.
3. adj. Great. (Always.)
4. adj. Intimate, friendly, thick. See DREADFUL.
They was always ter'ble girt like, ever since I've a-knowed em,
and eet they be a-vall'd out to last.
288 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
GIRT HAP [guurt aap], sb. Providential escape ; unusual good
luck ; lucky chance.
'Twas a girt hap they had'n both o'm a-bin a-killed.
'Twas on'y by a girt hap eens he hap to meet way un.
And nif by gurt hap tha dest zey mun at oil.
Ex. Scold. 1. 267. See also Ib. 1. 315.
GIRT MIND [guurt muyn], phr. Great mind; same as GOOD
MIND (q. v.}.
His father told-n he'd a-got a girt mind to gee un a downright
good hidin.
GIRTS [guurts], sb.pl. Grits, oatmeal.
Mind how you bwoil the girts, eens the gruel mid'n be nubby.
GIRT SHAKES [guurt shee'uks],//$r. A slang importation con-
veying much the same meaning as girt things, but more derogatory
when applied to a person. No girt shakes = a bad lot.
GIRT THINGS [guurt dhing-z], phr. Used negatively.
They baint no girt things — i. e. not of much account.
I baint no girt things to-day, mum, thank' ee — /'. e. I am not
very well.
GIRTY [guurtee], adj. Gritty.
Hot ailth this yur paint ? 'Tis ter'ble girty, I zim.
GIVE [guv], v. i. To condense moisture. The usual word is
eave (q. v.), but to give in this sense is very com., especially among
the better classes.
How the kitchen-floor do give — we be gwain to have rain.
GIVING, as stones in rainy weather. Moite. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
GIVED [guvd, /. tense, and \\-guvd, p. part.~] of to give. Gave
and given are unknown. Not so com, as gid: used by those with
a little schooling.
Her legs gived away. They zaid how they had'n &-givcd no
more.
GIVE TONGUE [gee tilling-], v. Applied to a dog, fox, or
badger — to make the vocal sound of his kind when his prey has
just started, or he is hunting by scent. This is a very different
thing from "to bark." Any dog barks by way of alarm, but only
spaniels, terriers, and hounds give tongue. A pointer or a grey-
hound would be worthless if he did so. A small dog is said to
wap (q. v.).
Nif you hear th' old Ranter gee tongue, mind, 'tis a sure find.
GLAM [glaam], sb. Talk, noise, clamour.
Hold your glam, anybody can't year theirzel spake.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 289
)>enne such a glauerande glam of gedered rachchej
Ros, ])at }>e rocherej rungen aboute. — Sir Gaivaym, I. 1426.
Much £•/«;// & gle glent vp j>er-inne.— 16. 1. 1652.
GLARE [glae'ur], sb. and v. t. Glaze or enamel.
[Tloa'm \id-n geo'd, neef ud-n u miid'leen glae'ur paun ut,]
cloam (crockery) is not good, if (there) is not a middling glaze upon
it. Most o' it's ^.-glared way zalt.
[Dhu roa'ud-z aui tue u glae'ur,"] the road is all of a glaze
(of ice).
CLASSEN [glaas-n], adj. Made of glass.
[U glaas'n deesh,] a glass dish.
GLASY, or glasyne, or made of glas (glasyn of glasse, P.). Vilreus.
Promp. Parv.
GLASSES [glaas-ez], sb. pi. Spectacles.
GLASTONBURY THORN [glaa-snbree dhuurn], sb. A variety
of white-thorn which puts out rather a sickly-looking white blossom
in winter, and is said to blossom on Christmas Day. Its name is
from the legend of Joseph of Arimathsea, who planted his staff on
Wearall Hill at Glastonbury, whence sprung the famous thorn. I
had until recently a fine specimen, which certainly did bloom at
Christmas, but only the second blossoming in May was fertile.
Called also Holy Thorn.
GLINTY [glun-tee], v. /. To glisten ; to sparkle.
I thort I zeed something glinty, and there sure enough I voun
'un, all to a heap, eens mid zay. Said of a ring lost in a hayfield.
GLISTERY [glus-tureen], v. i. To glisten.
Must put a little elbow-grease about'n, gin he do glistery ; he
idn no otherways'n a bit o' lid (lead).
GLOBES [gloa'bz], sb. Trollius Europceus. (Very com.)
Rarely found wild, but common in cottage gardens.
GLUM [gluum], adj. Sulky; sullen; cross in temper: applied
to appearance only.
Maister lookth mortal glum z'mornin, I zim ; I reckon he bide
a bit to market last night.
CLUMPING [gluunrpeen], adj. Sullen ; out of temper.
Au ! I likes it middling like, ony her's (mistress is) main glumpin
every whip's while. Servant's opinion of situation.
Thomasin. How ! ya gurt chownting, grumbling, glumping, zower-
zapped, yerring Trash !
Wilmot. Don't tell me o' glumping.
Ex. Scold. 1. 39. See also 11. 41, 313.
GNARL [naardl], v. t. To gnaw.
Here, Watch, here's a bone for thee to gnardle.
u
2QO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
GNAW-POST [naa-pau-s], sb. A stupid, ignorant lout.
GO [goo ; p. t. goa'd, wai'nt ; /. /. u-goo, u-wai'nt]. When
followed by a vowel loses the o. As :
[G-een,] go in; [g-aa-dr,] go after; [g-au-p, or g-uirp,] go up;
[g-aewt,] go out; [g-oa-vur,] go over; [g-oa'f,] go off; [g-oa-m,] go
home. G-aup'-m g-een dhu ween'dur,] go up and get in the window.
They did'n never ought to a-went. (Always thus.) See AGO.
But a always goed clappaty like, 'pon thick voot.
GO [goa, goo], v. i. i. To discharge; to suppurate.
Her've a-got a tumour gwain (i. e. going) from her sittin (q. v.}.
2. v. i. To intend — /'. e. to set about.
I be safe he never did'n go vor to do it.
Used in this sense only in a negative construction.
3. To die.
Poor blid, her time ont be long, but there, her's ready vor to go.
Poor old maister's ago to last ; well there, nobody could'n wish
vor-n to a-suffer'd no longer.
GO [goo, goa], v. i. To walk. A very com. proverb is :
A cheel that can tell avore he can go,
'11 sure t' ha nort but zorrow and wo.
Th' old man cant go 'thout two sticks. I can go middlin like,
on'y I baint very vast 'pon my veet like.
But had J>e good greehonde, be not agreued,
But cherischid as a cheffeteyne, and cheff of Joure lese
Je hadde had hertis ynowe at Joure wille, to go and to ride.
Langland, Rich, the Red. II. 113.
So that after and many a daye
He wold warn no man the waye
Neythyr to ryde nether goo. — Sir Cleges (Weber), 1. 460.
but jif me doof> hem harne, }>ey goo\> awey and comej> noujt a3en.
Trevisa, De locorum prodigiis, xxxv. vol. I, p. 371.
GO [goa], sb. Spirit, energy, pluck.
Nif he idn a proper dunghill — not a bit Q' go nor muv in un.
GO AWAY, v. i. To leak. Said of a pump, or of any leaky
vessel — the water goth away.
GO BACK [goo baak'], v. i. To deteriorate ; to get behind
in money matters ; to lose flesh (of animals or persons) ; to fail in
health or strength (of persons).
The con earn bin gwain back 'is ever so long.
They beast be &-go back wonderful since I zeed 'em ; they baint
so good by two a-head — /'. e. £2 each.
1 was a-frightened to zee how your missus is &-go back. I tell'ee
hot 'tis — nif you don't take a sight o' care o' her, you'll lost her.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 291
[Dhai yoa'z bee gwai'n bacrk tuurubl,] those ewes are losing in
condition very fast.
[Aay bae'un een noa wiin'durmunt dhu bae'uleez bee dhae'ur —
ee biin gwai'n baa'k uz yuurz,] I am in no wonderment the bailiffs
are there — he has been getting behind for years past.
Poor old fellow ! well, I did'n think he was going so soon ; but
there, I've a zeed he been going back 's ever so long.
GOB [gaub], sb. A piece ; a mass or lump : usually applied to
some soft substance, as a gurt gob o' clay ; a gob o' cow-dung.
mynse ye )>e gobyns as thyn as a grote,
fan lay J>eui vppon youre galantyne
stondynge on a chaffre hoote :
Riisselfs Boke of Nurture (Furnivall), p. 161.
GOBBED [gaub-d],/./. Plaistered.
All a gobbed up wi grease and dirt.
GOBBLE GUTS [gaub'l guuts]. Com. name for a greedy person.
A proper old gobble guts her is ; her dont come vore up eight
o'clock, and then her must have breakfast avore her begins, and
vore 'leb'm o'clock her's callin out vor her vore-noons.
A Goble-gut. Gobequinant, goulard, gouillard. — Sherwood.
GOD ALMIGHTY'S BREAD AND CHEESE [gau'd umai'teez
buurd-n chee'z]. Wood-sorrel. Oxalis Acetosella. (Very com.)
GOD ALMIGHTY'S COCK AND HEN [kauk-n-ai-n].
[Rab'een Uur'dik-n Jun'ee Ra'in,] Robin Ruddock and Jenny Wren,
[Bee Gau'd umai'teez kauk-n-ai'n.] Be God Almighty's Cock and Hen.
GOD ALMIGHTY'S COW. The Lady-bird.
GOD'S TRUTH [gau'dz treo'th]. The real truth ; the exact
truth. A very common asseveration.
That there's God's truth, nif tidn I an't a got thick stick in my
hand ! so true's you be standing there — there now !
GOFFERING [goa'fureen], sb. A kind of frilling of small pleats.
\Goa' furecn uyurz,] goffering irons are the fluted rollers with
which it is made. Always pronounced with o long.
GO FOR [goa- vaur], phr. To have the reputation of being,
or belonging to.
What is he ? Well there, he do go vor a ginlman like.
Is that his daughter ? Ees, her go'th wr't, once.
[Dhu plae'us au'vees wai'nt vur ee'z, bud mivur t-waud-n,] the
place was always reputed to belong to him, but (it) never did.
GOING [gwai'n, gwaa'yn], adv. In succession; following; one
after another.
u 2
292 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Why you've a-turn'd up th' ace dres times gwain.
I've a-knowed our Mr. Jim kill twenty shots gwain.
GOING FOR [gvvai'n vur], phr. i. Approaching in age or
number — when a round number is used.
I count th' old man's gwain vor vower score. This would be
said indefinitely if he were over seventy.
2. Used before a definite numeral signifies that the number
previous has been exceeded.
Hot's the clock ? Gwain vor half arter dree. This means that
it is more than twenty-five minutes past.
'Tis time Joe was to work, he's gwain vor vourteen — /. e. he is
over thirteen.
GOLDEN-BALL [goa'ldn-bau-1], sb. The guelder rose. Vibur-
num opulus. (Very com.) Also a variety of apple.
GOLDEN CHAIN [goa'ldn chaa-yn]. i. The laburnum.
Cytisus Laburnum. (Very com.)
2. Ranunculus globosa. (Com.)
GOLDEN CUP [goa-ldn kuup]. i. Marsh marigold. The usual
name. Caltha Palustris. Called also King-cup.
2. Ranunculus globosa. (Com.)
GOLDEN-DISHWASHER [goa-ldn-dee'shwaurshur], sb. The
yellow wagtail. (Always.) Motacilla Raii.
GOLDEN-DRAP [goal'dn-draap-]. A well-known variety of
plum.
GOLDEN-NOB [goal'dn-naub']. A variety of apple ; a kind of
golden-pippin.
GO-LIE [goo-luy], adv. phr. i. Said of corn or grass when
beaten down by wind or rain.
[Dhik'ee vee'ul u wai't-s au'l u-gao-tuy,'] that field of wheat is all
laid flat.
2. Said of the wind after a storm.
[Dhu wee'n-z •^-goo-luy,'} the wind has gone down.
GOLLOP [gaul'up], sb. A lump, as a gallop o' fat, a gallop
o' clay.
GO-LONG [goo-lairng], v. i. To pass by; to cross over; to
ford.
You bwoys off to be 'sheamed o' it, not to let the maaidens go-long
quiet like.
Nobody cant go-long thick way, you'd be up to your ass in mud.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 293
The river was all out over the mead ; cou'dn go-long 't-all ; we
was a'foced to come back and go-long round by the burge (bridge).
GO 'LONG WAY [goo hurng wai-]. To keep company with :
said of two sweethearts, not necessarily implying engagement. All
young people of the servant class like to be, or to have, a beau, who
may or may not become more closely connected.
Our Jane do go 'long way the young butcher Bishop — but lor !
her widn have jich a fuller's he 'pon no 'count, for all he'll come
to the business when th' old man do drap. He idn good-lookin
enough for our Jane.
GONE [gairn], /. /. Dead.
[Uur-z gau'n, poo'ur blid ! ] she is dead, poor soul !
GOOD-FOR-NOUGHT [geo'd-vur-noa-urt], sb. and adj. A
lazy, shiftless person.
Her's a proper good-for-nought ; her'll zoon bring his noble to
nine-pence.
GOOD HUSSEY [geod uuz-ee], sb. A needle and thread case.
GOODISH [geod'eesh], adj. r. Pretty good, or perhaps -very
good, depending on stress and individual expression.
[Dhur wuz zum gto'deesh bee "us tu fae'ur,] there were some very
good cattle at the fair.
2. A very indefinite measure of length or quantity, but rather
implying much than little. As \giod'eesh wai', geod'etsh pruyz,]
long way, high price.
GOOD L1VIER [geod luviur], sb. One who keeps up a good
establishment.
Th' old Squire was always a good tivier, and none o' the chil'ern
wadn never a-brought up vor to sar nort, but now fy ! they must
work or else starve !
GOOD MIND [geod muyn], phr. Strong inclination.
I've a-got a very good mind to zend em all back, and zay I 'ont
have em. I'd a-got a good mind to go and do it, myzel.
GOOD MUCH [geod muuclr], sb. A great deal; a large
proportion.
[U ghd muuch" u dhu wai't-s u-kaard,] a large proportion of the
wheat is carried — /. e. stacked.
GOOD-NATURED [geod-nae-uturd], adj. Said of a woman to
imply lewdness.
I've a-know'd her's twenty year, and never didn yur no good by
her ; her was always one o' the good-natur'd sort.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS [geod naayburz], sb. Red Valerian.
Centranthus ruber. (Com.)
294 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
GOOD NOW [geod'-naew, emphatic ; geo'-nur, ordinary}. A very
common phrase implying " you know."
[Y-oa'n ae- un vur dhu muun'ee, geo'-nur^ you will not have it
for the money, you know.
I tell ee hot tis, good now, you be so pokin, they'll be all a-go
vore you be come.
GOODS [geo'dz], sb. i. Household furniture and utensils.
Their goods be gwain to be a-zold a Zadurday.
2. Dairy produce, butter, cheese, cream.
There idn nort like cake vor cows ; the goods be so much better
vor 't.
I don't like to much cake vor cows, the goods baint near so good
— there's always a taste like.
GOOD TURN [geod tuurn], sb. Fortunate, or lucky chance.
[Twuz u giod tuurn yue ad-n u-buir dhur,] it was a lucky chance
you were not there.
{G^od tuurn mae'ustur ded-n zee* dhee ! ] (it was) fortunate master
did not see thee.
GOOD WAYS [geod wai'z], sb. A considerable but indefinite
distance.
He do live a good ways herefrom. How far? Well! a good
ways. Yes, but how far ? three miles ? Au ! ees, tis dree mild,
vull up ; I count tis handier vive.
GOOD WOMAN [geod uunvun], address to the wife of a peasant,
while the Squire's wife is {geod lae'udee~\, good lady.
These refinements are practised by the class above the labourer.
GOODY [geod -eel, v. i. To thrive; to improve; to grow.
Said of cattle of all kinds. A.-S. godian, to do good.
How they there young things will goody in your keep. (Com.)
vor Je muvven muchel Jmruh ham beon \-goded, and i-wursed on o$er halue.
Ancren Riivlt, p. 428.
Petha, dest thenk enny Theng will goodee or vittie wi' enny zitch a Trub es
thee art. — Ex. Scold. 1. 262.
GOOKOO, GOOKOO-BUTTONS. See CUCKOO.
GOOKOO-COLOUR [geok-eo-kuul-ur], sb. A spotted grey,
peculiar to fowls. (Very com.)
The man 've a-brought vower stags (cocks), and you can keep
which you mind to. Two o'm be gookoo-colour'd, and I likes they
best. — Oct. 23, 1886.
GOOKY [geok'ee], v. t. To bend backwards and forwards.
Evidently from the swing of the cuckoo when perched. To act
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 2Q5
the cuckoo. Women in pain, or in any mental strain, are very
prone togooky.
Tidn a bit o' use to gooky over it, you cant help o' it now.
and wi' the zame tha wut rakee up, and gookee, and tell doil.
Ex. Scold. 1. 145.
Cf. Northern geek, to toss the head scornfully. — Brockett, p. 80.
GOOLFRENCH [goo'lvranch], sb. Goldfinch.
GO ON [goo au-n], phr, i. To prosper ; to be trustworthy.
How's Bill M going on ?
Well, I be half afeard o' un — he owth me vor some barley ; but
he ont ha no more o' me, avore he've a-paid. I've a-yeard he idn
gwain on nezackly. — June 24, 1886.
Our Bob's a steady chap, he'll go on, I'll warn un.
2. To leave off; to cease; perhaps it may mean to move on, but
no such idea is conveyed in the phrase. Only used in the imper.
In a quarrel either of the parties themselves, or a third, who
wishes to stop it, says "go on" / and means " be quiet."
3. To scold ; to quarrel ; to swear.
Th' old Jim Shallis and Bob Hart vailed out last night 'bout the
money vor cutting Mr. Pring's grass, and did'n em go on ! they
called one tother but everything. They was a gwain on sure 'nough.
GOOSEBERRY [geo-z, or gue-zbuuree], sb. The devil.
[Dhu buurdz bee plaa-yeen dh-oa'l gue-zbuuree wai dhu wart,]
the birds are playing the deuce with the wheat.
Arter he've a-had a little drap nif he ont play the very old goose-
berry : said of a man, implying that he becomes drunk and riotous.
GOOSE-CAP [geo'z-kyup], sb. A silly person ; a giddy girl.
Come, Liz, hot be larfin o' now ? I never didn zee no such
goose-cap as thee art. One o' these days thee't larf tother zide o'
thy mouth [maewdh].
GOOSE-CHICK [geo-z-chik], sb. Gosling. (Very com.)
GOOSE-FLESH [geo-z-vlaarsh], sb. A rough appearance of the
skin caused by cold or chill.
GOOSE-FLOP [geo-z-flaup], sb. The common daffodil. Nar-
cissus Pseudo-narcissus. (Very com.)
GOOSE-GOG [geo-z-gaug], sb. Gooseberry.
GOOSE-GRASS [geo'z-graas], sb. A dwarf sedge. Carex hirta.
GOR ! GOR EYES ! [gairr liyz !] inter/'. A very common
quasi-imprecation or exclamation.
Gor eyes ! how a did tan un ! I 'ont do it, by gor !
296 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
GORBELLY [gatrrbuul'ee], sb. An over-corpulent person.
(Very com.) ? Welsh, gor, intensitive = very (large) holy, belly.
Prof. Skeat says it is from gore, filth, and that all doubt is removed
by comparing Swed. gor bolg. No idea of filth or contents, or of
any moral attribute, is implied by Eng. dialect speakers. In the
latter cases dung-belly is used, but only then in a figurative sense.
Gorbelly would never be used in speaking of a woman, whether
pregnant or not.
GORE [goa'ur], sb. A piece of cloth tapering to a point. An
umbrella is made entirely of gores.
So a gorecoat is a petticoat made so as to fit closely at the waist
without gathering.
A seint she weared, barred all of silk,
A barm- cloth eke as white as morwe milk
Upon her lendes, full of many a gore.
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. 3236.
Goore of a clothe. Lacinia. — Promp. Parv.
Thy Gore Coat oil a girred. — Ex. Scold. 1. 154.
GORE [goa'ur], v. t. and /. To stab or pierce with the horns
— said of cattle and deer.
Th' old cow 've a. gored two o' they pigs, eens I reckon you'll be
a-forced to kill 'em vor to save the lives o 'm.
The stag kept on goring at the hounds.
GORE [goa'ur, goo'ur], sb. Goad. A.-S. gar. A long rod
tipped with a small spear for driving oxen. Always so called.
GOSSIP [gaus'up], sb. A sponsor.
GOSSIPPING [gaus'au'peen], sb. i. A christening feast. Hence
the act of frequently attending such gatherings, where much scandal
and small talk is heard ; and so of talking scandal, and thence a
gossip = one who talks scandal.
2. v. i. and sb. A merry-making.
[Dhai bee au'vees u gaus'au'peen ubaewt,] they are always gadding
about at merry-makings.
[Dhur vvuz u maa'yn gaus'au'peen u Dhuuz'dee, aup tu Faa'rm
Stoa'unz,] there was a fine carouse on Thursday, up at Farmer
Stone's.
GOT [gaut, goa'ut], /. /. Used always with have, when posses-
sion is implied. Hast-n a got thy rags (jacket) here ? Why, thee't
want em vore night — /'. e. thou wilt want.
Nif I'd a got the vallyation (g. v.) of two or dree thorns, could
zoon stop thick road.
" I an't a got none " is the invariable form of the polite " I have
not any." Her've a got the browntitis.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 297
GO THE WRONG WAY [goo dhu rairng or vrairng war], phr.
Said commonly of cattle. A peculiar season or insufficient food
often causes a chronic state of diarrhoea under which the animal
wastes away and dies. This is what is perfectly well understood
as going the wrong way. See SKENTER.
I don't like the look o* thick yeffer, 'tis much to me nif her don't
go the wrong way.
GO TO [goa' tu, goo- tu], phr. Intend — used negatively.
A boy strikes another by accident, and in reply to the consequent
abuse, says : I didn go to do it.
Please, sir, I drow'd the stone, but plase, sir, I didn go to tear
the winder. He never went vor to hat you, did er ?
Svvete lefdi seinte Marie, uor J>e muchele blisse pet J>u hefdest }>o Jm iseie }>ine
brihte blissful sune J>e te Gyus wenden vorto ajniisemen, ase ano)>er deafclicli
mon, wifcute hope of ariste : Ancren Riwle, p. 40.
GOYLE [gauyul], sb. A ravine ; a deep, sunken, water-worn
gully, usually with a running stream down it. A chine in the Isle
of Wight ; a gill in Cumberland.
Let's try the goyle here — uncommon likely place vor a pheasant.
A scramble down into the^sya/; a clatter up the other side ; much crushing
in gate- ways ; a heat of sun-rays and anticipation, and we gallop over Wilmotsham
Common to the ravine called Nutskale.
Account of a Stag Hunt in Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 19, 1 886.
GRAB [grab], v. t. To seize ; to snatch.
GRAB APPLE [grab1 aa'pl], sb. A wild apple ; a seedling apple-
tree. Pyrus mafas.
GRAB EYE [grab' uy], sb. A peculiar grey eye in horses said
never to go blind.
GRAB STOCK [grab- stauk], sb. The young seedling apple tree
on which the better kind is grafted.
GRACY DAISIES [grae-iisee dai'zeez], sb. Daffodils. Narcissus
Pseudo-narcissus. (Com.)
GRAFT [graa-f(t], v. t. To dig with a spade, so as to push the
tool down to its full depth each time the soil is lifted. In draining
land or digging a grave, if the soil works well, so that it can be
taken out with a spade without digging first with a pick-axe, they
would say — [Kn graa'ft ut aewt,] one can graft it out. To graft is
to go much deeper than to spit. East Yorkshire, to grave.
that is, apertly, that men may see, and nane is forto graft, that is, to hide the
slawndire of synnes.
Hampole, Psalter, p. 291. Ps, Ixxviii. 3. See also pp. 296, 339, 340.
GRAFTING-TOOL [graa-fteen-teol], sb. A kind of spade, long
298 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
in blade, straight in handle, and curved on the cutting edge, used
for draining, or digging clay.
GRAINDED [graa-yndud],/. /. i. Grained ; painted to imitate
natural wood.
Sh'll er paint the door, or will you plase t' ab-m a-grainded?
2. Ingrained with dirt.
My 'ands be that z.-grainded, they ont be fit vor to put in the
butter 'is week to come.
GRAMFER, GRAMMER [graanvfur, graam'ur], sb. Grand-
father, grandmother.
Mauther ! there's thousands o' cats out'n garden !
Nonsense, cheel, hot be 'e tellin o' ?
Well then, there's hundids then !
Dont tell up sich stuff !
Well then, there's a sight o' cats.
Hast a-told em, cheel ?
No ! but I zeed grammer's cat-n ours !
-wont ye g'up and zee Grartimer avore ye g'up to Challacombe ?
Ex. Scold. 1. 537. See also 1. 542.
Oh lor ! cud gramfer, dead, but lam
All this, t'id vex'n, I'll be boun' !
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 4. .
GRAMFER-LONG-LEGS [graa-mfurlau-ng-ligz], sb. Daddy
long-legs. Zipula oleracea.
CRAMMER'S APPLES [graanrurz aa'plz]. Grandmother's
apples — a well-known kind.
GRAMMER'S PIN [graanrurz peen], sb. A large shawl-pin.
CRAMMER'S TATIES [graanrurz tae-udeez], sb. A well-
known variety of potato.
GRASS BEEF [graas- beef], sb. Meat of a grass-fed beast.
Complaining of the shrinkage of a certain joint, the butcher said :
" You know there idn nothin but grass beef this time o' year, and
we always expects grass beef to lost a little."
When Machrell ceaseth from the seas,
John Baptist brings grassebeefe and pease. — Tusser, 12-4.
GRATE [grae-ut], v. To graze.
[T-wuz u nee'ur tiich, dhu wee oil grae'utud aup ugun* mee baak',]
it was a near touch, the wheel grazed against my back.
GRAWL [grairul], sb. i. Gravel. (Always.) V is often
dropped before // comp. [shuwul, naa'ul, klaa'ul,] shovel, navel,
clavel.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 299
A very good bed o' grawl, good 'nough vor garden -paths.
Hereof this gentle knight unweeting was ;
And, lying down upon the sandy graile,
Drank of the streame, as cleare as chrystalle glas :
Faerie Qitesne, I. vii. 6.
2. The subsoil — sometimes called deads.
Nif I zets-n (the plough) any deeper, he'll be down in the grawl.
GRAWLY [grau'lee], adj. Gritty, sandy, gravelly — applied to soil.
What's the good to bring me a passle o' grawly stuff like that —
tid-n a bit fit vor flowers.
GRAZE [grae'uz], v. t. and /'. i. To fatten ; to become fat —
applied to cattle, but quite as much to stall-fed as to grass-fed.
Father don't main to zell thick, we be gwain to graze her out,
arter we've a-tookt off the flush o' milk.
I'll warn he to graze well, I knows the sort o' un (of a cow).
2. To weigh after fattening — applied to a pig.
A farmer speaking of the prices of fat pigs, said :
[Aay-v u-gauf u guurt zaew aay rak'n-ul grae'uz aup purd'ee
nuy thuurtee skoa'ur, bud aay shaa'n maek noa jis pruyz u uur,]
I have a great sow I reckon will graze up pretty nigh thirty score,
but I shan't make no such price of her. — December 21, 1886.
GRAZING [grae'uzeen], adj. Applied to land — rich, proofy,
fattening.
Capical farm, 'most all o' it grazin-land.
GREASY [grai'see], adj. Said of a horse's heels when chapped,
and giving out a slimy discharge. A very com. ailment in the
winter, consequent on bad grooming and want of exercise. See GIBBY.
GREAT-HOUSE [guurt-aewz], s&. A house of the better class,
such as the squire's, or the parson's — better than the farm-house,
and still better than the cot-house. These distinctions are quite
common among the higher classes as well as the lower.
GREE [gree-], v. i. To agree ; to live in amity.
Of a quarrelsome pair one often hears :
'Tis a poor job way em — they never [doa'un gree'~[ don't gree
very long, and her'll vail 'pon he in two minutes.
I witt ]>at myn executours do her) gre by god discrecion atte ]>e value of xx ii
amonge hame. — Will of T. Broke, Thorncombe (near Chard), 1417. Fifty
Earliest Wills, p. 27.
I have brought him a present. How gree you now ?
Merchant of Venice, II. ii.
GREEABLE [grai'ubl], adj. Suitable ; convenient ; in agreement
with; matching.
I must look out vor a dog greeable to thick I've a-lost.
303 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
That there gurt heavy plough-tackle idn no ways greeable to your
'osses : they baint nothing near big enough vor the land.
)>ann take ]>e iij. clothe, & ley the boujt on ]>e Inner side plesable,
and ley estate with the vpper part, )>e brede of half fote is greable.
1450. John Russaft Boke of Nurture (Furnivall), 129/190.
Alle prechers, residencers, and persones )>at ar greable, apprentise of lawe In
Courtis pletable. lb. p. 189.
GREEDY-GUTS [gree'di-guuts], sb. A glutton. (Very com.)
A GREEDY-GUT. Glouton, gourmandcur, gourmand, goulard, sacre, gobequinaut,
gouillart, freschedent, bauffreur. Cotgrave (Sherwood).
GREEN [gree'n], sb. Immature, unripe — as green drink,
the wort before it is fermented into beer. Green timber, that
which is unseasoned ; a green goose ; green apples. In carving
a joint it is very common to ask, "Do you like it green or dry?"
meaning underdone or well done. Green walls are walls newly
built, or freshly plastered, which have not had time to dry. Green
cheese, new cheese fresh from the press. (Always so called.)
A GREEN GOOSE or young goose. Oison, oyson, oyon, coupau.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Pandulf. How green are you, and fresh in this old world !
King John, III. iv.
There is iiij sorts of Chese, which is to say, grene Chese, softe chese, harde
chese, or spermyse. Grene chese is not called grene by ye reason of colour,
but for y" newnes of it, for the whay is not half pressed out of it, and in
operacion it is colde and moyste.
A. Borde, quoted by Furnivall, John RusselFs Boke of Nurture, p. 200.
GREEN-LINNET [gree-n-liin-ut], sb. The Green-finch. This
bird is always so called. Coccothraustes chloris.
GREEN-MEAT [gree'n-mai't], sb. Succulent vegetable food, in
distinction to dry-meat (q. v.}. (Always so called.)
There idn nothin in the wordle do do osses so much good this
time o' the year 's a bit o' green-mate ; a vew thatches, or trayfoliun
or ort.
beware of saladis, grene metis, and of frutes rawe
for ]>ey make many a man haue a feble mawe.
John Russelfs Boke of Nurture (Furnivall), 124/97.
GREENS [gree'nz], sb. The leaves of any kind of kale — but
not applied to those of cabbage, brocoli, or cauliflower ; also the
second or winter shoots of turnips — hence we speak of "A vew
greens vor dinner " — curly-greens, winter-greens, turmut-greens.
GREENY [gree-nee], v. i. To become green. (Very com.)
Nif this yer weather do last 't'll zoon 'gin to greeny, and we shall
have some keep vor the things.
]>ise Binges make]) J>e grace of J>e holy gost mid herte, and hi de> al greny
and flouri, and bere frut. 1340. Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 95.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 301
CREEP [gree'p], sb. A bundle ; a grip — such as can be carried
under the arm — of straw, sticks, &c., in distinction from a burn (q. v.).
I meet'n comin along way a greep o' hay, vor the boy's rabbit,
I s'pose.
GREY [grai1], sb. Morning twilight, early dawn. Never heard
it applied to evening. See DIMMET, DUMPS.
Jist in the grey o' the mornin.
GREYBIRD [grai'buurd], sb. Fieldfare. (Com.) Turdus pilaris.
GREY-MARE [grai-mae-ur]. A wife who rules, in the very
common saying: "The^Try mare's the best oss."
GRIBBLE [griib'l], v. t. To cut off the dung which accumulates
and mats the wool about the tails of sheep.
[Dhee goo yun1 een Vauk'smoar un griib'l dhai yoa'z,] thee go
yonder in Foxmoor and gribble those ewes.
GRIBBLE [gruVl], sb. A wild apple-tree; an apple-tree for
grafting. The fruit of the wild or seedling apple-tree. Same as GRAB.
GRIDDLE [guurdl], sb. i. Gridiron. Called also gird-ire.
Seint Lorens also ifcolede J>e te gredil hef him upwardes mid berninde gleden.
Ancren Riwle, p. 122.
Ich theologie ]>e tixt knowe, and trewe dome wytnessej>,
|>at laurens )>e leuite, lyggynge on J>e gredire,
Loked vp to oure lorde : Piers Plow. III. 129.
2. v. t. To broil on a gridiron.
Mate idn a quarter so good a-vried eens 'tis ^.-girdled.
GRIG [grig], sb. i. A cricket.
"So merry's a grig" or "So merry's a cricket," are equally
common, and have the same meaning — they are the regular
superlative absolute of merry. See IV. Som. Gram. p. 22.
A MERRY-GRIGGE, Roger ban temps, gale ban temps, goinprl. — Sherwood.
2. sb. In phr. "Sour as a grig" the usual superlative absolute
of sour ; but I have no idea what a grig is in this sense.
3. A pinch ; a bite.
Nif th' old Bob (horse) didn gee me a grig in th' arm, eens I
can't hardly bear to muv-m (move it).
GRINCUMS [gring-kumz], sb. Lues venerea. (Very com.)
Called also crinkum-crankums.
Calipso. .... no bridge
Left to support my organ if I had one :
The comfort is, I am now secure from the crincomes,
I can lose nothing that way.
Massinger, The Guardian, IV. iii.
302 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
GRINDING-STONE [gruyneen-stoa'un], sb. Grindstone.
(Always.)
GRIP [gnip], sb. A ditch cut through a bog — common on the
hills of North-West Somerset (Exmoor District).
Our hill idn a quarter zo bad's he used to, sinze the squire had
they there grips a-cut drue the zogs.
GRYPPE, or a gryppel, where watur rennythe a-way on a londe, or watur
forowe. Aratiuncula. Promp. Parv.
GRIP [griip], v. t. To rid out, or cleanse a ditch.
And will and shall properly grip up and surface gutter all the meadow and
pasture land hereby demised ; — Lease of farm, dated Sept. 27, 1884.
GRIST [gree's ; //. gree'stez], sb. The corn carried at one time to
be ground. Formerly the miller always took his payment in a
toll of the corn, and hence one of our most common proverbs :
[Dhu toa'l-z moo'ur-n dhu gree's^] the toll is more than the grist.
The precise equivalent for Lejeu ne vaut pas la chandelle.
The small mills for grinding people's own corn, all over the
country side are always called grisf-mills [gree's-mee'ulz],
GRIZZLE-DE-MUNDY [guurzl-di-muun-dee], sb. Abusive
epithet. Awkward sawney ; grinning idiot — generally used wither/
before it. (Com.)
GRIZZLY [guurzlee], v. i. To grin ; to laugh ; to jeer.
Hot art thee girzlin to ? I'll make thee larf the wrong zide o'
thy mouth torackly, s'hear me ?
GROANING [groa-neen], /0r/. sb. Labour; childbirth.
GROANING-CHAIR [groa-neen chee'ur], sb. The large chair
often found by bedsides.
GROANING-DRINK [groa'neen-dringk], sb. Ale brewed in
anticipation of childbirth. Not many years ago this provision was
made in most farm-houses.
GROAT [grau'ut], sb. Fourpence. The usual simile for
exactness is : " 'Tis so near's fowerpence is to a groat"
GROGRAM [graug'rum], adj. Mottled ; grey in colour. Tech.
in weaving ; a white chain and black abb. Hence " a grogram
forrell " is a plain band of black yarn woven at the end of a white
piece of cloth. Grogram as a colour is quite well understood as
a woven mixture of white and black, and not a mixture of wools
before spinning. The latter is grey.
GROPE [groa'p, groa'pee], v. t. and /. To catch trout by gently
feeling for the fish under the stones where they lie, then seizing
them behind the gills — a good groper is a deadly poacher of trout.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 3°3
I once witnessed a dinner improvised on Exmoor. " Jack, go
and catch a dish of fish." Jack walked into the stream, and in a
very few minutes over twenty mountain trout were ready for us.
I grope a thyng that I do nat se ; le taste. — Palsgrave.
Muche him wondrede of }>at cas f and )>an gropede he euery wounde,
And founde hem )>anne in euery plas ' ouer all hoi & sounde.
Sir Fa-umbras, 1. 1388.
GROSS [grau-s], adj. Over fat— applied to meat.
Bacon can't never be to gross vor me.
That there beef's to gross, our vokes 'ont ate it.
GROSS [grau-s], sb. i. Scum ; dross of melting metals or other
liquids.
2. Thick stoggy food, such as porridge, pig's-meat, &c.
Thick there dog' 11 ate the clear vast enough, but he 'ont tich
o' the gross.
GROUND [graewn], sb. Cultivated land ; the use of the word
is redundant. A "good piece, or field of ground" would be under-
stood to mean simply a good field. When directly qualified by an
adjective it means surface land. Thus [ee'ul graewn,~\ hill ground,
does not imply hilly land, but poor, rough, uncultivated soil, covered
with furze, heath, and ferns. See FIELD.
GROUND-NUT [graewn-nut], sb. Bunium flexuosum.
GROUND- RAIN [graewn-rarn, or raa-yn], sb. A steady, soaking
rain, that well saturates the ground.
We shan't ha' no turmuts, 'nif we don't get a downright good
ground-rain, purty quick.
GROUNDRISE [graewnruyz], sb. Of a sull. A shoe or
guard corresponding to the landside, which was fixed to the
bottom of the old wooden broadside, to raise the soil and
take off the wear and tear from the wood. In modern iron
implements there is no groundrise to the turnvore.
GROUND-STICK [graewn stik], sb. A sapling of any kind
growing from its own roots, and not a mere offshoot, as {graewn
oak; graewn aarsh; graewn uu^um,'] (elm).
GROUT [graewt], v. t. and sb. Tech. To pour in thin mortar
or liquid cement upon wall-work, so as to entirely fill up all
interstices. Hence it is common to see in architects' specifications :
Every third course to be well grouted.
GROUTS [graewts], sb. pi. The grounds of tea or coffee.
GRUB [gruub], v. t. and /. i. To dig out by the roots; to root
up ; to clear land of roots.
304 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I should like to grub thick piece o' ground, now the timber's
ago, but mus' let it alone, 't'll cost to much money.
2. To feed ; to eat.
The horse is very bad, he ont grub.
GRUBBER [gruub'ur], sb. i. A tool for rooting — a combination
of axe and mattock. Sometimes called a [gruub'een eks, or reofeen
eks,] grubbing or rooting axe. See BISGY, TWO-BILL.
2. sb. Applied to horses. A good grubber is one that is never
off his feed — hearty at all times, but especially after a hard day's
work.
[Dh-oa'l au's d-au'vees leok wuul', ee-z jish gruub'ur^ the old
horse always looks well, he is such (a) good feeder.
GRUMBLE-GUTS [gruunrl-guuts], sb. A confirmed grumbler.
D' I know th' old Jack Hooper? Know un? Ees ! there idn
no such old 'grum 'le-guts 'thin twenty mild o' the place.
GRUMPHY [gruum-fee]. GRUMPY [gruunrpee], adj. Surly,
sulky, ill-tempered. Same as GLUMPY.
GUBBY [guub'ee], adj. Thick, sticky, viscous.
This here paint wants some thinners, 'tis so gubbfs bird-lime.
GUDGEON [guuj'een]. i. The journal or end of an arbor
or spindle. The gudgeon is usually of smaller diameter than the
rest of the arbor, so as to prevent its moving laterally in the
"bearing" (q. v.} or journal-box. No part of a spindle on which
it may turn, other than the end, is called the gudgeon.
2. The pin driven in or fixed to the end of any shaft upon
which it may revolve. A barrow-wheel is usually made with a
wooden stock, having a gudgeon driven into each end.
GULCHY [guul-chee], v. i. To swallow ; to gulp. Sometimes,
though rarely, [gluuclvee].
Somethin the matter way his droat ; can't gulchy vitty.
In literature the word seems to imply greedy swallowing, gluttony
— it has lost this meaning in the dialect.
ne beo hit neuer so bitter, ne iuelefc heo hit neuer : auh gulchef> in jiuerliche,
& ne nimetS neuer Jeme. Antren Riwle, p. 240.
Galaffre : m. A ravenous feeder, greedy devourer, glutton, gulch, cormorant.
Cot grave.
Tueca. . . . slave, get a base viol at your back, and march in a tawny coat,
with one sleeve, to Goose-fair : then you'll know us, you'll see us then, you
will, gulch, you will. Ben Jonson, Poetaster, III. i.
GULLET [guul'ut], v. and sb. Term used by sawyers in
sharpening their large saws. The gullet is a hollow formed by a
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 305
round file at the bottom of each tooth, alternately on each side
of the saw-plate, by which a very sharp edge is obtained at the
back of each tooth. A sawyer, who had sharpened a large saw
for me, said :
[Dhu guuluts oa un, zr, wuz airl u-wae'urd baak', zoa aay-v u
fraa-sh guul-ut-n. airl drue un aewt], the gullets of it, sir, were all
worn back, so I have fresh gulletted it all through.
GUMMER [guunrur], sb. A name— /. <?. good-mother, prefixed
to that of an old woman.
[Dh-oa'l guum'ur Greedy's kyat-n aawurz,] the old mother
Greedy's cat and ours.
Zo th" old gummer Marks is dead to last : well, I spose her've
a put ever so many to bed by her time, an' now her turn's a-come.
GUMPTION [guunrshun], sb. Intelligence; common sense.
[Ee ul due*, dhur-z zm guuttrshun een ee',] he will do, there is
some sense in him.
GUN-BOW [guun'-boa], sb. A cross-bow. These are very
common playthings for boys, but are never called cross-bows.
GURDLY [guurdlee], v. i. Growl. (Usual word.)
[Poo'ur oal Airdee ! ee niivur doa'un guurdlee dhaewt t-iiz
strairjurz,] poor old Handy ! he never growls except it is strangers.
Is thick dug a chained up firm ? Darn un ! I be afeard o' un ;
he gurdled to me an' showed his teeth s' ugly's the devil by now.
GUTS [guuts], sb. The stomach; the intestines generally ; the
abdomen.
The ball meet wai un right in the guts — i. e. struck him in the
stomach.
" More guts'n brains," is a very common summing-up of character.
At is hesto )>ey wente fcer-to : & softe gunne taste is wounde,
His lyure, ys lunge & is guttes al-so : & found hem hoi and sounde.
Sir Fdrumbras, 1. 1095.
if you would walk off, I would prick your gtits a little, in good terms as I
may ; Henry V. II. i.
Who wears his wit in his belly, and hisgufs in his head.
Trail us and Cress. II. i.
Chad a most a bust my guts wi' laughing. — Ex. Scold. 1. 151.
Diseases of the guts and adjacent parts.
Phil. Trans. Royal Society, 1695, vol. xix. p. 77.
GUTSING [guurseen], adj. Greedy.
A gutsinz son of -a bitch, better keep he a week'n a month.
GUTSY [guufsee], v. i. To eat greedily.
There they'll gutsy an' drink all Zunday, and gin the money's
a-go, and then they be most a-starved vore Zadurday night.
x
3<?6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
You never didn zee the fuller o' he ; he'll keep on gutsing so
long's ever you or anybody else '11 vind mate vor'n.
GUTTER [guufur, guad'r], sb. A drain ; a common field drain
made with the ordinary draining pipes.
"The gutter's a chucked," is the commonest way of saying " the
drain is choked."
You 'ont make thick field dry 'thout some cross gutters.
A house-drain is usually "a undergroun'-gutter."
GUTTERING [guufureen, guadween], sb. i. Draining land
— /. e. digging out trenches, laying pipes along the bottom, and
filling in the earth.
I yerd you was gwain to zet on some guttering, sir, so I com'd
in to zee nif I could take it to doin.
2. sb. and adj. Guttling, gormandizing. Same as GUTSING.
You on't vind the fuller o' he vor gutterin, not here about, once !
A gottering hawchamouth theng ! — Ex. Scold. 1. 187.
GUTTER TILES [guad'ur tuyulz], sb. Com. draining-pipes.
GUTTERY [guut-uree], v. i. A candle in a draught, when the
tallow runs down on one side and forms wasteful masses, is said
to guttery.
Put vast the door, Sam, dost'n zee how the can'l's a guttering—
mid so well burn daylight.
GWAIN [gwai'n, gwaayn], /#?-/. Going; also used as an adv.
following, in sequence, as :
[U mnrdid gwai'n^ a hundred following one after the other.
GWAINS ON [gwaaynz atrn], sb. pi. Goings on ; doings ;
proceedings.
[Dhai'z bee puurdee gwaaynz au'n, shoa'ur nuuf ! dhai'z yuur
yuur bee,] these are nice goings on, sure enough ! these here here
are. See PUT-GWAIN.
H [ae'uch]. This letter, or aspirate, when initial, is seldom
sounded in the dialect, except by way of emphasis. Certain literary
words amongst the following, which have no initial aspirate, are
here spelt with h. They are mostly interjections, or else for some
reason pronounced with strong emphasis.
HA [u ; ae'u, or hae'U, emph. ; aa, or haa emph. before negative],
v. To have. The v is only sounded before a vowel — and not
always even then.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 307
I 'ont [u] ha none o' this yer nonsense. The usual invitation
to drink is, [Haut-1 ee ae'u ? ] what will you have ? [Dhai aa-n
u-gairt noa'un,] they have not got any. See W. S. Gram. p. 59.
Also II. A. p. 2.
If Jiay lyuede ywot to wysse Of hem y scliolde ha herd or J»ysse,
and now y ha lost hem so. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 4011. See also 1. 954.
Then brother anglers, mind your eye,
In arcler haa yer traps ta vishy
Good spoort, wi' all my heart, I wish ee.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches.
HA [u], pr. He, she, it. The sound is usually very short,
precisely like short e in the book spoken rapidly. This form is
most common in the Hills of W. Som. and in N. Bev.
Thy missus is bad again idn ha ? Sometimes written a. See
III. A. 2. See W. S. Gram. p. 96.
Nixt )>an : ha. zette strengj>e " )>et J>e vyendes J>et sle3J>e zent to zygge to keste
out. Ayenbite of Inwyt, E. E. T. S., p. 263.
By Mahomet ys o]> }>anne a swer. — Sir Fenimbras, 1. 82.
JKUI Jjojte he as a stod. — Ib. 1. 92.
& by seynt dynys a swer is o}> ]>at after >at tyme a nolde. — Ib. 1. 127.
Nefde ha bute iseid swa, ]>' an engel ne com
lihtinde, witS swuch leome, from heouene.
Life of St. Katherine, 1. 665.
how ha mullad and soulad about tha. — Ex. Scold. 1. 167.
Hot ded tha Yoe do ... but vurst ha buttoned.
Ib. 1. 214. See Ib. Note, 6. p. 49.
HAB [ab], v. A very common form of have. When followed
by n or ;// (the shortened form of Aim), hub is nearly invariable.
Well then I tell ee hot tis, I 'ont \ab-m~\ — i. e. have it — in no price.
He come to me and zaid how you should zen 'un vor to borry
my hook, zo I zaid to un, now s' I, nif I lets thee \ab-ni\ wi't thee
bring un back agean ?
The « is changed to m always after /, l>, f, V. See W. S. Dial.
p. 17. See also IV. S. Gram. p. 57.
)K>U ne sselt habbe god bole me : ne worssipie ne serui.
Ayenbite of Jnwyt, p. 5.
In bytoknyng of trawfe, bi tytle ]>at hit habbe}.
Sir Ga-wayne, 1. 626.
)>e betere y hope Jow may spede, and J>e sykerer ben on al Jour dede,
Hab Je hem seje eft-sones. Sir Ferumbras, 1. 5041.
HAB OR NAB [ab- ur nab-],///r. = "Get or lose "— " Hit or
miss" — "I'll chance it." (Very com.) In a market, a buyer
pretending to walk off, says :
X 2
308 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Then you 'ont take no less? (Seller). No, I 'ont, not one
varden. (Buyer.') Then I'll ab-m — hab or nab !
This is probably the original form, still surviving, from which the
hab-nab of literature is derived.
Tiirfe. I put it
Even to your worship's bitterment, hab nab.
I shall have a chance o' the dice for't.
Ben Jonson, Tale of a Tub, IV. I.
With that, he circles draws, and squares,
With cyphers, astral characters,
Then looks 'em o'er to understand 'em,
Allho' set down habnab at random.
s, Part II. Canto iii. 1. 990.
HACK [aak'], sb. The long row or open wall in which bricks
are set up to dry before going into the kiln.
The rain come avore we'd agot time vor to cover em, and spwoiled
the wole hack o' bricks.
HACK [aak-], v. t. and /. i. To dig with a mattock, so as to
break the clods. The term rather implies digging ground which has
already been turned up with a spade. (Obs. as a sb.}
Spit it (the ground) up rough, and after 't have a lied a bit, take
and hack it back.
Connected with axe, hatchet, adze, and Hackle (q. v.)
A HACC. Videns, & cetera : vbi hake.
An Hak ; videns, fossorium, liga, marra. — Cath. Ang.
To HATCH, or HATCHEL flax — serancer du lin. Sherwood.
Agolafre com for)? wi)> ys hache : " Ribaux," said he, " ich 3011 attache,
Ajeld Jow anon to me. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 4517.
I hacke small — lentaille, and/£ hache. — Palsgrave.
2. To kick — especially in wrestling and football.
They there Wilscombe fullers, hon they be a little bit a-zot up,
they do hack sure 'nough.
3. To ride on horseback along the road.
I've a-knowed th' old man hack all the way to Homer, to meet,
and that's twenty mild vull up, and then he'd ride all day way the
hounds, and hack home again arterwards.
4. In the phrase hack about. To scamper ; to ride hard ; to give
a horse no breathing time, or rest.
Ter'ble fuller to ride ; I wid'n let-n hack about no 'oss o' mine vor
no money.
5. To chop ; to cut unevenly ; as to hack a joint. A good gate
hacked all abroad.
HACKETY [aa-kutee], v. i. To hop on one leg.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 309
I ve a -squat my voot, eens I be a-foc'd, otherways to bide still,
or else to hackety 'pon tother.
HACKETY [aa-kutee], sb. Sometimes called \ik-utee-aak"utee,~\
hickety-hackety. The game of hopscotch.
Come on, Bill ! lets play to hackety I (Never " let's play at.")
HACK-HORSE [aak-au-s], sb. A hackney; a roadster.
What sort of a thing is it ?
Well there, tis a useful sort of a hack-horse like, but I 'ont zay
he've a-got timber 'nough vor to car you.
HACKLE [aa-kl], sb. i. The long piece of gut attached to the
end of the line, together with the artificial flies for fishing attached
to it. The flies themselves severally are never so called, but the
name is used for the whole apparatus, gut and flies together.
2. A feather from a fowl's neck, suitable for making an artificial
fly.
Our Jim can dress a hackle way anybody — t. e. prepare the feather
and tie it on to the hook, after which it becomes a " fly."
. HACKLE [aak'l], sb. and v. A kind of rough comb, through
which the fibres of flax are drawn to prepare it for spinning. The
process is called hackling ; by it the outer skin of the fibrous stalk
is broken up and got rid of.
HEKELE (heykylle, HARL. MS. 2274), Mataxa.
HEKELYNGE. Mataxario.—Promp. Parv.
An HEKYLLE : mataxa. — Cath. Ang.
To hackle flax is to prepare and separate it from the raw stalk to
the fibrous condition.
Hctchdl for flaxe, serancq, serant.
I hcckell flaxe. le cerance. . Am I nat a great gentylman my father was a
hosyer and my mother dyd heckell flaxe. — Palsgrave^ p. 582.
To HATCHEL. Sercmcer, serencer, brosser.
A HATCHEI.LER. Serancier. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
HACKLY [haa-klee], v. i. To haggle; to chaffer. (Com.)
They'd bide and hackly for an hour about twopence.
HACK-MAL, HACKY-MAL [aak'-maal, aak-ee-maal], sb. The
common torn-tit. Parus caruleus. (Very com.)
We 'ant a got no gooseberries de year, the hacky-mals eat all the
bud.
HACKNEY SADDLE [aa-kn-ee zad-1], sb. The ordinary saddle
on which a man (not a woman) rides. This is a relic of the time
when the pack-saddle was commonest, and hence the riding-saddle
had to be distinguished. If spoken of as an equipment for a saddle
310 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
horse, we always say a [bruydl-n-zad'l] bridle and saddle, but if the
saddle only were spoken of, we say : [Kaar een d\\-aa'ktree-zad-l-n.
ae'im u due'd,] carry in the hackney-saddle and have it mended,
to distinguish it from the cart or the gig saddle.
HAKENEY, horse. Bajullus eguifoms. — Promp. Parv.
HACK-SAW [aak'-zau, or zaa,] sb. A saw used by smiths and
others for cutting iron.
There idn nort better vor a hack-zaw-n a old zive (scythe).
HAD [ad-], p. part. Got. Very com. in this sense.
Could'n look vor much of a crap ; we ad'n ad but two little tad-
dicks o' dung a-left, vor to dress all thick spot o' groun.
Her zaid how, gin her'd a-paid everybody her ad'n ad but thirty
shillins for to go on way.
This use is only found in negative construction.
HADDOCK [ad'ik], sb. The usual complement of the super-
lative absolute of deaf. We seldom hear "deaf as a post" or any
other than " so deef 's a 'addick." Whether haddock is intended
I much doubt; but I never heard adder called addick.
This simile is quite common all over Devon and Cornwall.
A friend living not far from the Land's End said in a letter " Why
do the people always say ' so deaf as a haddock ' ? Is a haddock
more deaf than other fish ? "
Th'art so deeve as a Haddick in chongy weather.
Ex. Scold. 1. 123. See Ib. note 1 6, p. 37.
HAFT [haafj, sb. Handle— as of a knife, hook, &c. Not so
common as hart (q. v). A. -Sax. haft.
HEFT. Manubrium. — Promp. Parv. p. 232.
And he schal have al the wordes
Under heft and under hond.
Weber, Met. Rom. Seuyn Sages, 1. 258.
Of |>o two t>o haftes schynne outward be,
Of }>o thrydd J>e hafte inwarde lays he.
Boke of Curtasye, 1. 675.
Hafte of any tole, mane he. — Palsgrave.
HAG [ag], sb. A witch ; a wizened old woman : applied also to
the fairies or pixies.
HAGGAGE [ag'eej]. A term of reproach to a woman ; baggage.
Ya gurt Haggage. — Ex. Scold. 1. 27.
HAGGAGING [ag-eejeen], adj. Slovenly in dress ; beggarly ;
dressed like a hag.
cluttering. . . . lonching, ftaggaging Moil.
Ex. Scold. 1. 64. See also Tb. 1. 503.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 311
HAGGLE-TOOTHED [ag-1-teo-dhud], adj. Having teeth grow-
ing across or projecting ; snaggle-toothed. (Com.)
Wey zich a whatnosed, Adgj'/f-tooth'd, stare-bason ... as thee art.
Ex. Scold. 1. 54.
HAG-MALL [hag-maa'l], sb. Hag-moll — an epithet for a slattern,
or draggle-tail.
Her's a purty old beauty, her is — a rigler old hag-mall.
HAG-RIDED [ag-ruydud], adj. Suffering from nightmare.
Also applied to horses which often break out into a sweat in the
stable, and are said to have been hag-rided, or pixy-rided. The
belief is quite common that the pixies come and ride the horses
round the stable in the night. Most farm stable-doors have a
rusty horseshoe nailed, sometimes to the threshold, generally on
the inside of the lintel, to keep off the pixies.
HAG-ROPE [ag-roo-up], sb. The wild clematis whose tangled
growth is much like cordage. It is uncertain if hag in this word
has any connection, as it has been suggested, with pixy, though the
plant may well be called fairy's cordage. (Clematis vitalba^) It
seems much more probable to be the survival of the A.-S. haga,
hedge. Hedge-rope appears more rational.
HAG -THORN [agxthuurn], sb. The hawthorn. Cratagus
oxyacantha. In this, there can be no doubt, we have the older form
haga, than the haw of Lit. Eng.
Alba Spina, haeg-J)orn. — Earle. Eng. Plant Names.
HAIN [ai*n], v. f. To stone; to throw. Ang.-Sax. hdenan^
to stone. See AIN for illustrations.
as here staat axij> bi fals dom of )>e world, J>ei schullen be hatid and hayneJ
doune as houndis, (stoned down like dogs), and eche man redi to peiere hem in
name and worldly goodis. — Wyclif, Works, p. 250.
Tha wut drow, and hen, and slat, ....
Tha henst along thy Torn, &c.
Ex. Scold. 11. 248, 255. Also note, p. 134.
HAIRY FARMER [ae'uree paarmur], sb. The palmer-worm
— the common hairy caterpillar, (Very com.)
HAIVS [ai'vs], sb. Haws. Berries of the white hawthorn.
We be gwain to have a hard winter, the haivs be so plenty.
HALFEN DEAL [aafm dae'ul], sb. A half part of anything.
The word rather implies a division by counting, although it is used
occasionally with reference to division by measure only, as of
liquids, cheese, &c.
I let'n had a full half en deal, same's off we was to share and share
alike.
312 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Jmt haluendol ]>an di^te he ; wij>inne for}) to stonde,
& J>at o)>er dol wy)>oute to be ; to shute and caste with honde.
Sir Ferumbras, E. E. T. Soc. xxxiv. 1. 3253.
half to me, and the tother hahiyndel to Walkyn my sone.
Fifty Earliest Wills, E. E. T. Soc. p. I, 1. 7.
HALF DOWN, or TO HALFEN DOWN [aa-fm daewn], v.
Tech. To make a kind of half ploughing, by which a shallow
sod is turned upside down upon the adjacent unmoved pod. This
is a very common operation, when it is desired only to rot the
surface growth without burying it deeply.
HALF-FOOL [aa-feol], adj. Generally used with fellow [fuul-ur],
or some word expressing person. Stupid, ignorant, half-witted.
I never widn ha nort to zay to no jis half-fool fellow as he,
\aa~feol fuul'ur-z ee1].
HALF-SAVED [aa-f-saeiivud], part. adj. Stupid ; half-witted—
a very common description.
Poor bwoy, you can't 'spect much vrom he — he idn 'boo half
a-saved.
HALLANTIDE [aa'luntuyd]. All Saints' day— November ist.
(Rare.)
'Twas a ter'ble hard winter tho — I mind 'twas nort but vrost
and snow vrom Hallantide gin Can'lmas.
HALLOWMAS [airlurmus], sb. The feast of All Hallows, or
All Saints — November ist.
We always reckons to pay our Michaelmas rent to Hallowmas
\\.-au'lurmus~\.
whose father died at Hallowmas : — Was't not at Hallowmas, master Froth ?
Measure for Measure, II. i.
Once Halloivmas come, and a fire in the hall
Such sliuers do well for to lie by the wall. — Tusser, 23/1.
HALSE [hau-ls, haa-ls], sb. Hazel ; the hazel nut. (Always.)
Three adjoining parishes in the district are Halse, Oak, and Ash
— in Domesday the former is Hatsa. A hazel-rod is always a
"halsen stick." Corylus Avellana.
HALSENING [aal'zneen], sb. Predicting evil ; speaking evil.
Oil vor whistering and pistering, and hoaling and halzenin^, or cuffing a Tale.
Ex. Scold. 1. 298.
HALSENY [aa'lznee], v. i. To divine with the hazel-wand
• — hence to foretell or predict ; then to predict evil ; and hence the
present meaning — to wish evil ; to foretell the worst ; and so generally
to speak evil. Rarely pron. [oa'znee]. See DOWSE.
You never don't hear her zay no good by nobody, but her'll
halseny all the day long 'bout everybody.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 313
Aug. -Sax. h&hian, h&lsian (auptrari, obsecrare).
O. II. Germ, htilison (augtirari).
" Ich hahie ou," he seifc ; Seinte Peter, " alse unkufce & pilegrimes.
Ancren Riivle, p. 348.
ich you helsny )>et ye ase oncou)>e and pilgrimes.
Ayenbite of Inivyt, p. 253.
and hahede hure on f>e heie name ' er hue Jennys wente.
Piers Plowman, II. 70.
These examples are rather of cbsecrare than augurari.
HALTER [airltur], v. t. To bridle a colt for the first time.
I had'n a rough colt never haltered.
In the year 1816 I bought an Exmoor pony for twenty-three shillings, a fair
price in those days. When haltered (caught, that is, after I had concluded my
bargain and secured him) for the first time in his life, he proved to be two years
old. Collyns, p. 156.
O. H. Germ, halftra. O. Dutch, halfttr, halter.
Hcltyr (or halter, s.). Capistrum. — Promf. Pai-v.
HALTER-PATH [airltur-paa-th], sb. A horse-road, but not
suitable for any carriage. There are still many of these left in
the Hill district where, since my recollection, pack-horses were the
chief mode of transit. See PLOUGH-PATH.
Across a farm of my own is a very ancient [au'ltur paa'tli},
called " Hart's Path," which was never wide enough for two horses
to walk abreast ; it is worn in some parts from five to six feet deep,
and is in fact a mere trench, but it is a public road.
Bridle-path is also used, but not so commonly.
HALY FARMER [ae'ulee paarmur]. See HAIRY PARMER.
Whether this is a slovenly pronunciation of hairy, or whether it
stands for holy palmer, as is very probable, I cannot say.
Paliiur, a common surname, is likewise always pronounced
[paarmur].
For if a prest }>at synges mes
Be never swa ful of wykednes,
pe sacrament, J>at es swa haly,
May noght apayred be }>urgh his foly.
Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, \. 3688.
HAM [aa'm], sb. Flat, low-lying pasture land. (Very com.)
A meadow near a river, if flat, is nearly always " The flam" or
" The Ham mead." I have three different Ham meads on my own
property. Some well-known flat grazing lands, just beyond this
district, near Bridgwater, are called " Pawlett Hams" The word
rather implies land subject to be flooded, but yet rich, and by no
means swampy or wet land. See MARSH.
Low Germ, hamm (fratum sepe circumdatuni).
Comp. O. L. Germ. Hammalmrg. — Stratmann, p. 247.
By no means to be confounded with A. -Sax. ham = home.
314 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The Annual Letting of 700 acres of the Pawlett Hams, and Lands in
Cannington, Huntspill, and Puriton, will take place at the Clarence Hotel,
Bridgwater, on Wednesday, the 8th December, 1886, at Three o'clock p.m.,
on the usual conditions. — Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 2, 1886.
HAMESES [ae'umzez], sb. pi. A pair of hameses are the strong
curved wood or metal pieces strapped to a horse's collar, and to
which are attached the chains or traces wherewith he draws his
load.
In the dialect there is no singular. To denote one of the
separate parts, it is necessary to say, " one o' the zides o' th'
hameses',' or "one o' th' hameses.1' See TUG.
They must haue hombers or collers, holmes withed about theyr neckes, tresses
to drawe by, and a swyngletre to holde the tresses abrode.
Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 25/41.
HAM O' PORK [aa'm u pau'urk], sb. The joint, as distinguished
from the meat. Hence it is nearly invariable to speak of " dressing
a ham o' pork" while the same speaker would say, "Thank 'ee, I'll
have a little bit o' ham."
They'd a-got everything all in order : they'd a-dressed a ham
o' pork and a gurt piece o' beef, but twadn no good arter all. —
Aug. 14, 1884.
HAMPER [aanrpur], v. To coerce; to bridle a colt for the
first time. (Very com.) See HALTER.
[Aay boa'ut dhik poa'nee au'l ruuf, uvoa'r u wuz uvur \\-aam~-
purd,~] I bought that pony in a wild state, before he was ever
bridled.
[Ees ! un u puurdee jau'b wee-d u-gaut vur tu aawpur-n !] yes !
and a pretty job we had to bridle him !
For wham myn hert is so hampred : & aides so nobul,
]>at flour is of alle frekes : of fairnes and mijt.
Will, of Paler me, 1. 441.
HANCH [airsh], v. t. To gore with the horns — said of a bull
or cow. Less commonly used than horch (q. v.).
HANCH [an'sh], sb. i. That side or end of a gate which is
hinged, or "hung."
Thick piece'll mak a very good head, but he id'n stiff enough
for a hanch.
We be bound vor to drow another piece o' oak vor zome more
gate-stuff. There's a plenty o' larras a-cut out, but we be short o'
heads an' [an'shez] handles.
2. A haunch.
The Squire zend 'em a beautiful hanch o' venison.
HANCHING [an 'sheen], sb. Carpentry. In the side of a door,
sash, or other frame, the part which is left outside the end mortices
is so called.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 315
The sarsh was too long ; vore he'd fit, fo'ced to cut away all the
handling.
HAND [an1], sb. i. The shoulder of a pig, when cut as a joint,
without the blade-bone, is called " a hand of pork."
2. In the phr. "out of hand" = (a.) immediately ; without delay.
You might depend, sir, I'll do un vor ee, right out o' hand.
(b.} = Finished ; completed.
The job shall be a-put out tf hand in a proper, workmanship
manner.
OUT OF HAND. Hastivtment, sans marchander, adcs, actitdkmcnt.
Sherwood.
3. ((7.) In the phrase, hand in — i. e. in practice, or "having the
knack." I shall do it faster when I get my hand in.
(£.) = Complicity ; taking part. Joe Hill'd a-got a hand in thick
job.
HAND-BARROW [an--baaru], sb. A kind of large tray on legs,
with four projecting handles, by which it is carried by two men.
In constant use by gardeners for carrying flowers, &c. ; also in
quarries for carrying stones. No other name.
HAND BAROW ( handbarwe, K. s.). Epircdium.
Proinp. Farv.
A handbarraiv, wheel ebarrmv, sholue and a spade,
A currie combe, mainecombe, and whip for a jade.
Tusser, 17/3.
HANDBEATING [airbee-uteen, an-barteen], sb. The act of
digging up with a mattock old weedy and furzy turf (which is too
full of roots to be ploughed) for the purpose of burning it, and so
rendering the land arable. The turf so dug is called beat (q. v.).
When the turf is free of stones and roots, another process is adopted.
A large flat knife called a spader is pushed along by the chest, so
as to slice the turf. This is called "spading the beat."
whare they be shooling o' Beat, handbeating, or angle-bowing.
Ex. Scold. \. 197.
HAND-DOGS [airduugz], sb. Commonest name for andirons.
In large old-fashioned chimney-places it was usual to have two
pairs of irons. The dogs, which were the most used, were at the
middle of the hearth, and bore the fire always. The andirons
stood on each side, and were only needed when an extra large
fire was wanted. The latter, much larger and heavier, usually had
some ornamental finish, as a brass head, a scroll, or a knob, and in
kitchens the upright part of the iron was furnished with a row of
hooks, one over the other, on the side away from the fire. On
these hooks rested the great spit on which the meat or poultry was
roasted. All this is now swept away by modern kitchen-ranges ; in
3l6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
the few farm-houses where hearth fires are still used, hand-dogs
remain, but the great spit has given place to the Dutch oven. I
well remember the erection of the "new range" in my father's
house, in the old chimney corner, where many an "ashen faggot"
had been burnt, and where all the cooking used to be done with
a wood fire, with hand-dogs such as are here described. It may
be but the fancy of advancing years, but I have a firm con-
viction that never since have there been such delicious roasts as
there used to be in the old days of wood fires. We used to call
both sets of irons hand-dogs; only distinguishing those with the
spit-hooks as big, and the others as little. See DOG.
It is pretty clear that although both andirons and dogs have now
become hand-dogs, yet the distinction was well maintained in the
Elizabethan age. In the Inventory of the goods, chattells, &c. of
Henry Gandye, Exeter, 1609, we find :
In the Haule
It'm a payre of iron dogges in the chimney . . xijd.
(but no andirons, showing probably that the fireplace was small.)
In the Parlor
It'm a pair of andirons, ij dogges, a fier shovell, a paire of) ...s ..-d
tongs, a paire of bellowes, and one iron backe . j XX11J ^ '
In the Kitchinge
It'm one paire of andirons, one paire of dogges, one iron
to sett before the drippinge panne, and ij brandizes
See SAVER, AN DOG.
It is most likely that inasmuch as Mr. Gandye's house was in
the " Citty of Exon," only two of the rooms had chimneys wide
enough to take such a fire as to require the use of andirons.
HANDLUM [an'lum], adj. Awkward; clumsy of hand; apt
to let anything fall from the hand. (Very com.)
[Uur-z dh-atrlttms maa'yd livur aay zee'd ; uur-ul tae'ur ubroa'ud
moo'ur cloa'm-un urwae'ujez kau'ms tue,] she is the handlumest girl
I ever saw; she will tear abroad more crockery than her wages
come to.
HAND-OVER-HEAD [airoavur-ai'd], adv. phr. In a reckless,
thoughtless manner.
They be bound vor to go wrong (/'. e. come to grief) ; can't go on
hand-orer-head like that there, very long.
HANDSALE WEIGHT [an-sl wauyt], sb. Any article purchased
by poising it in the hand so as to judge of the weight without
actual weighing, is called handsale weight.
How much a pound d'e gee vor they ?
I can't tell nezackly — I bought em out-an-out by \an~sl ivanyf}.
The awncell wcighf, certninly as old as the fourteenth century,
and which was forbidden by statute in the seventeenth, is most
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 317
probably the origin of our present usage, although the latter implies
rather a different mode from the cheating aumcel!.
See AUNCELL, New Eng. Diet.
HANDSTICK [an-stik], sb. The handle of a drashle (q. z-.).
It is a round straight piece of very tough ash, so shaped as to
leave a projecting ring of wood at the top. Over this comes the
capel (q. v.), which is hollowed out to fit this ring, and turns easily
upon it without coming off from the handstick. See FLAIL.
HANDWRIST [airnis], sb. Wrist. The word wrist is not
heard alone, but is spoken of as part of the hand.
What is the matter ? [Aay-v u-kuuf mee currus,] I have cut my
wrist.
HANDY [an'dee], adj. and adv. i. Near; close to. This word
is used both with respect to place and time.
They did'n come home gin handy one o'clock. Come, Soce ! I
zim 'tis handy dinner-time. Her do live up handy Taun'on.
2. adj. Apt, useful, clever-handed.
I 'sure 'ee, he's a rare fuller to work, and he's s'andy's a gimblet.
HANG [ang], i. To hang a door or gate, is to set it upon
its hinges; hence " to \mha»g" is to lift a door or gate off its
hinges. Technically a carpenter hangs a door or gate when he
fits it to its place, fixes the hinges, and makes it open and shut
properly.
2. To set a scythe in its snead is "to hang the zive."
Thy zive id'n a.-hang vitty, the toer o' un's a cocked up to much."
HANGDOG-LOOK [ang-daug-leok1], sb. A vile expression.
Me, gwain to have thick hangdog- looking fuller ! — why, I widn
be a zeed in a ten-acre field way un.
HANGE [anj], sb. The pluck — i.e. the liver, lungs, and heart
of any animal. (Always.) In dressing sheep, the head is usually
left attached by the windpipe; this is always called a "sheop's
head and hange." A calf or pig always has the head separated ;
hence one hears only of a " calf's hange" or a " pig's hange."
HANG-GALLIS [ang-gaal-ees], adj. i. Bad ; villanous-looking ;
disreputable ; " hang-gallows." A common abusive expression, im-
plying " fit for hanging."
You hang-gallis oseburd, tid'n good I catch thee.
Who's thick there hang-gallis fuller ?
What — don't know he ? Why, that's the Squire's son.
2. sb. An epithet for a profligate; ne'er-do-well.
I calls'n a proper hang-gallis — why, I wid'n be a zeed in a ten-
acre field way un.
318 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
This last phrase is very commonly used to express repugnance
at association or contact with any one.
HANGING FAIR [ang-een fae'ur], sb. An execution.
Jack and Liz be gwain to be married next Thuzday, 'cause there's
gwain to be a hanging fair to Taunton thick morning, and they
must lost a day's work, so they be gwain there fust, vor a bit of
a spree.
This actually occurred. The wedding was fixed on that day,
so that they might go to see the man hung, and be married with
the loss of only one day. I knew both parties well.
HANGING-HEAD [ang-een-ai'd], sb. Same as HANCH. The
upright part of a gate, to which the hinges are attached.
HANGING-POST [ang-een pairs], sb. The post to which the
gate is hung or attached by its hinges.
Thick piece mid do vor a vallin-post, but he id'n good 'nough
vor a hangin-post.
HANGINGS [ang-eenz], sb. i. The hinges or other apparatus on
which a gate, door, or cover is made to swing. Hinge is a term
for a specific kind of " hanging." The hook and eye or hook and
twist are the common forms of gate hangings.
(You) can put wiren hangings to thick box, neef 'ee mind to.
2. sb. Curtains of all kinds, as " winder-hangings," "bed-
hangings."
HANGYNGE of an halle, or tente. Velarium. — Pro/up. Parv.
HANGKECHER [ang-kechur], sb. Handkerchief.
There a was, way his box hat, and his walking-stick, and a silk
hangkecher sure, just like a gin'lman.
Handkerchiefs seem to have been unknown till Henry the
Eighth's time, for in 1460 we read :
Yf |?y nose ]>ou dense, as may be-falle,
Loke |>y honde [>ou dense wythe-alle ;
Priuely with skyrt do hit away,
OJ?er ellis thurghe tin tepet ]>at is so gay.
Boke of Curtasye, 1. 89.
But among the New Year's gifts of Henry VIII., an0, xxxij. (1541), we find :
Item, to ye kinges launder that gave ye king handkerchers xx*.
MS. Amndel, No. 97, fol. 167 (Furnivall, Babees Book, p. xc).
The Duke of Somerset, in the Tower, asks to have allowed him,
ij. night kerchers ; item vj. hande kerchers, and for the Duchess vj. hand
kerchers. Ellis, Letters (Babees Book, p. xc).
By 1577 they were naturalized, and not mere luxuries confined to kings and
dukes, for we read in a book of etiquette :
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 319
Blow not your nose on the napkin
where you should wype your hande ;
But dense it on your handkenher,
then passe you not your band.
Rhodes, Book of Niirture and Schoole of Good Manners (Furnivall), p. 78, 1. 261.
And in 1619 we see how completely fifteenth-century manners, as taught in
the Boke of Curtasye and by John Russell, were to be etchewed, by the following
very distinct instructions :
Nor imitate with Socrates
to wipe thy snivelled nose
Vpon thy cap as he would do,
nor yet upon thy clothes.
But keepe it clene with handkerchijfe,
provided for the same,
Not with thy fingers or thy sleeve,
therein thou art too blame.
1619, IVeste's Book of Demeanor, 1. 45 (Babees Book, p. 202).
This latter date shows that the polite handkerchief rhad then superseded the more
primitive handktchcr, which we still retain in the West.
HANGLES [ang-lz], sb. In farm-houses and places where wood
only is burnt, a bar of iron is placed across the chimney, six or
seven feet from the ground ; from this are hung iron hooks so made
as to lengthen or shorten at will, and on these are hung the various
pots and kettles over the fire. Thes* hooks are sometimes called
hangles, or "a pair <f angles," but oftener " chimbly crooks."
HANGMAN'S WAGES [ang-munz wae'ujez]. Thirteen pence
half-penny. The tradition is that in the time of good King George,
or " Farmer George," as he is still called, the hangman, himself a
reprieved convict, received the clothes of the condemned and
thirteen pence half-penny for each culprit. The price of a box
of pills is still facetiously spoken of as hangman's wages. The
rate, though low, must have proved remunerative in those
Draconic days, as pills do now. On a famous gibbet, called
" Stone Gallows," not far from my home, my father remembered
nine men hanging in a row — all executed at one time.
HANGMENT [ang-munt], sb. Entanglement; also hanging,
execution. (Very com.)
I thort I never should'n a-got droo they there brimmles, 'twas
jish hangmen t's never you behold.
They do zay how thick there fuller's a-let off, zo there 'ont be
no hangment to Taun'on thease year.
Ac ho so rat of regum : rede me may of mede,
Hou hue absolon : to hongement a-broujte ;
Piers Plowman, IV. 1. 411.
HANG UP [ang aup], phr. To bring in debt. A man having a
bill brought in unexpectedly for goods ordered on his account by
his wife or servant, would say :
I'm darned if I'll be a hanged up like this here. (Very com.)
320 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
This p)hrase is most likely the same in origin as "chalk up"-
viz. from the score due to a publican being written on a slate and
hung up, the more primitive method having been to chalk it on
the back of the door. It is easy to see how the expression might
get to be applied to a more systematic debit. See PACKMAN.
HANG UP HIS HAT [ang- aup uz aa't]. When a man
marries and goes home to the wife's house to live, he is said to
" hang up his hat."
The phrase is an everyday one, perfectly well understood by
every one. It is a bantering and rather depreciatory saying.
HANK [ang'k],^. A skein of twine, yarn, or thread of any spun
material. See PAD i. See also CUT in Brocketfs Gloss.
HANK AFTER [angvk aartur], v. To hanker; to keep longing
for ; to desire earnestly.
He do hank arter her sure-lie !
HANKS [ang'ksj, sb. Connection or dealings with — used only
with a negative construction.
Her said how her wid'n ha no hanks way un.
The word is also applied to animals generally. I have heard
people warned, moreover, "not to have no hanks" with a certain
horse, or with an undesirable bargain.
HANKY-PANKY [ang-kee-pang'kee], sb. Shuffling ; trickery ;
underhand dealing.
I told'n he was a vrong directed wi me ; I zeed droo his hanky-
panky in a minute.
HAN'LE [arrl], sb. Handle. B or d is seldom sounded between
m or n and /. Cf. fan'/, sham' I, wain' I, &c.
(We) must have a new hati'l to the plump, he's to short.
HANT [aa-nt]. Have not, or has not.
I han't, thee has'n, he han't or hath'n, we han't, you han't, they
han't. Often written ant. See W. S. Gram. p. 57.
HANTIC [han-tik], sb. Emphatic form of antic.
Hot ailth the mare ? her's all vull o' her hantics.
HANTIC, adj. Frantic ; full of excitement and gesticulation.
Whot's the matter . . . what art tha hanteck ? — Ex. Scold. I. 620.
HAP [aap], v. To chance ; to happen ; to light on.
By good luck I hap 'pon the very man. (Very common.) Happen
is never heard. Comp. MAYHAP.
]>e couherdes hound ]>at time * as happe by-tidde,
feld foute of )>e child • and fast J)ider fulwes.
William of Palcrme, 1. 32.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 321
HAPPE. Fortmia n-entus, castes, omen, — Prompt. Pan/.
Is wij) tresor so full begon,
That if Je happt )>ervpon,
Je schull be riche men for cure.
Gower, Tale of the Coffers, 1. 62.
Hafpt that /;#//<• maye : Happe what ^^//^ shal : viengne que vonldra.
And the worste happe: an pis alter. Palsgrave, p. 578.
Hit by lott happed )>at Tyrrhenus went oute wy]> many men.
Higden Pol. Trerisa, vol. i. p. 157 (Rolls).
HAP [aap], sb. Chance, fortune. See GIRT HAP.
By good hap we jis meet'n eens he was a comin out.
Bisohte him help, T; hap, *\ wisdom, as wisliche as al )>e world is iwald Jmrh
his wissunge. Life of St. Catherine, 1. 185.
I have a pris presant : to plese wi)> J>i hert.
I hent J>is at hunting : swiche hap god me sent :
Will, of Palerme, 1. 411.
Teche Je me, and Y schall be stille, and if in hap Y vnknew ony thing, teche
Je me. Wyclifvers. Job vi. 24.
HAPENNY [ae'upmee, aa'pmce], sb. Halfpenny.
I'll bet thee [aa-pmee kee'uk,] a ha'penny cake, let me ha the
fust bite nif I [lau'stus] lose.
HAPORTH [ae'uputh, ae'upurd, aa'purd], sb. A halfpenny-
worth. (Always.)
[Plaiz tu spae'ur mau'dhur u aa-purd u miilk,] please to spare
mother a haporth of milk.
HAPPERY [aap'uree], v. i. and adj. Snap or crackle.
How that there 'ood do happery !
Vir (fir) tops baint much o' viring, they be so happery.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY [aap-ee-goa-luuk'ee], adj. Thoughtless;
laisser aller ; careless; easy-going.
Her's a good-tempered sort of a maid, but there, they be both
o'm a rig'ler happy-go-lucky sort of a couple like.
HAPSE [aaps], sb. and v. t. Hasp ; fastening.
Th' hapse o' the gate's a-tor'd, an all the bullicks be a-go to road.
Mind and hapse the door arter ee, you do 'most always lef-m
onhapsed.
In this and many other words the much despised Hodge of the
West is correct, while the literary form is the corruption.
A.-S. haps, sera, fibula.
And encombred with couetyse • )>ei conne nat out crepe,
So hard hath aucryce • hapscd hem to-gederes.
Piers Plnvman, II. 192.
Y
322 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HARBOUR [aa'rbur], sb. i. Shelter; place of entertainment. •
[Kairm soa'us ! lat-s goo \.-aarbur,~\ come mates! let's take
shelter. The word shelter is unknown.
HERBEREWE (Jierbonve, K. herbermv, H. herberowe, P.). Hospitium.
Promp. Parv.
an HARBAR : hospicium, diuersorium : to HARBER : hospitari, hospituare.
Cath. Ang.
]>e frenschemen ]>anne to hure herburghcs wende,
And of )>e mete and drynke ]>at god hem sende,
Murye J>ay dude hem make. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 5689.
For archa not, nyme)) hede ' ys no more to mene,
Bote holy churche, herbergh • to alle ))at ben blesscde.
Piers Plowman, XII. 246.
2. Hunting. The place where a deer lies or has been lying; the
bed of a deer.
An old stag always tries to find a young deer to turn out of his
harbour, and so to put the hounds on a fresh scent.
HARBOUR [aa-rbur], v. i. i. To frequent.
The police kept watch on the places he was known to harbour.
Her told em how he did'n harboury there.
A litel hus to maken of er]>e,
So )>at he wel |>ore were
Of here herboru, herborwcd )>ere : — Havclok, 1. 740.
2. v. t. To shelter ; to conceal.
'Tis a place where they do harbour thieves and all sorts o' rough
car'iturs.
HERBERWYN, or receyvyn, to hcreboroghe (herbergwyn, K. herborowen, P.).
Hospitor, et si signified to take herboroghe, tune est quasi deponens. — Promp. Paw.
HARBOROWE. I lodge one in an inne. le herberge.
I intende to harborowe folkes no more. — Palsgrave, p. 579.
as chirchis or castelis to herberwen lordes inne and ladyes.
Wyclif, Works, p. 5.
jondyr is an house of haras that stant be the way,
Amonge the bestys herboryd may ye be.
Cwentry Mystery, p. 147.
HARBOUR [aa'rbur], v. t. i. Term used in stag-hunting. To
ascertain by tracking, or other means, that the deer is harbouring or
laired in a particular spot or covert.
To HARBOUR a stag. Aller a la veue. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Here's little John hath harbour1 'd you a deer,
I see by his tackling. — Ben Jonson, Sad Shepherd, I. ii.
Soon after eleven Lord and Lady Ebrington arrived. This was the signal for
tufters to be taken out, and the huntsmen went down into the densely-wooded
coombe under Leigh Hill in quest a harboured stag.
Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 18, 1886.
WEST SOMERSET \VORDS. 323
2. v. i. Hunting. Of a deer — to haunt ; to frequent ; to make
his habitat, or lair.
One glance at the slot would satisfy him. However, one point is established.
There is a stag in the neighbourhood, and no doubt that deer has harboured
with one or more hinds in the covert below. — Collyns, p. 79.
HARBOURAGE [aa'rbureej], sb. i. Shelter, stopping-place,
entertainment. (Very common.)
[Noa- aa'rbureej yuur !] no shelter here ! is the usual reply to
a tramp.
I heard a bleak moor described as [lig u dai'zaa'rt, u-dhaewt
aj', aewz, ur aafrbureej^\ like a desert, without hedge, house, or
harbourage.
The alliteration of the dialect is more forcible than that of the
received English.
2. Hunting. Covert, refuge, lair, hiding-place.
The deer made for Bollam Wood, but there was no harbourage
there, so he went on.
HARBOURER [aa'rburur], sb. Hunting. A man whose duty
it is to ascertain where the deer is lying. He is a most important
person, because upon his skill depends the finding of a stag or
hind according to season, without disturbing the other. This he
can do with great comparative certainty. Before a " meet " in
any neighbourhood where it is known that deer are used to haunt,
he obtains information from farmers and others. He then carefully
examines round the outsides of the various coverts both at evening
and at daybreak. He then knows by the slot or foot-prints whether
any deer have gone in or out of the covert, and from the shape
of the slot he knows whether stag or hind, while by its size he
can tell the age, whether " warrantable " or not — /. e. fit to be
hunted. He is careful not to disturb or scare the deer, and having
found the slot he wants, by making a circuit of the cover he can
readily determine whether the particular deer has passed on or is
harboured in that place.
It is of great consequence to have good and honest harbourers : there is not
one worth a farthing at Porlock.
Records of N. Devon Staghounds, 1812-18, p. H.
To the harbourer of a stag £i is. Oii. — Ibid. p. II.
The harbourer . . . is as important an officer in the establishment of a pack
of hounds kept for hunting the wild deer as the huntsman himself. Indeed it
would be well if every huntsman was to serve a novitiate as harbourer.
It unfortunately happens that every under-keeper and loiterer about the haunts
of the wild deer, thinks he can act as harbourer. — Collyns, p. 76.
HARD [aard], adj. i. Hardy, robust; but not full-grown,
understood. Hal. is quite wrong. The word does not mean
full-grown — it rather means growing. A "hard pig" is what in
Y 2
324 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
other counties is a " store pig." A "hard boy " is a most common
description of a strong lad, fit to work. So we hear of a '•'•hard
colt," " hard slips " (young pigs of either sex), a " hard maid " — this
means a strong, growing lass.
2. adj. As applied to cider or beer — sharp, sour.
Good hard cider 's best to work by.
3. adj. Tech. In planing a true surface, any convex part is
said to be hard ; if concave, slack (q. v.).
HARD AND SHARP [aard-n shaa-rp], «</». phr. Accomplished
with difficulty, or only just in time ; a near miss.
Ees, mum, we was there, but 'twas hard and sharp ; the train
was jis pon comin' eens we stapt.
HARD OF HEARING [aard u yuureen], adj. Rather deaf.
HARD-PUSHED [aard-peo'sht], part. adj. Hard set; hard
put to it.
We was terrible hard-pushed to get em a-dood in time.
HARD WOOD [aard eo'd], sb. i. Firewood in logs or brands
as distinguished from faggot-wood [faak'ut-eo'd], or wood, simply.
The former is sold by the cord (q. v.), and the latter by the score.
To be sold, about 100 cords of hard wood, in lots to suit purchasers. — Advert.
2. Applied to oak, ash, elm,, and beech, to distinguish them from
fir timber.
HARE'S FOOT CLOVER [ae-urz veot kloa-uvr], (Trifolium
arvense.)
HARREST DRINK [aarus dringk], sb. Ale brewed for harvest.
It is usually thin stuff, and "fresh" or new.
I be very zorry, zir, we 'ant nort in house bat harresf-drink, and
you widn care much about that, I reckon.
HARRESTING [aarusteen], sb. Working about the harvest ;
the act of getting in the corn.
He bin to work along vor Mr. Bird harrestin, but now he ant
a got nort to do.
We cant 'tend to no such jobs as that there, while the harrestiris
about.
HARK [aark, aarkee], v. i. To hearken. (Always.)
I cant never abear to hark to jis stuff. Don't you harky to he.
HARK-BACK [aark-baak-], v. i. To go back and try again.
The phrase is taken from hunting talk, when if the hounds lose
the scent they are made to hark-back, i. e. go back to a spot where
they had the scent, and try to get it again ; in fox-hunting more
generally they have to " hark-forard."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 325
HARNESS [aa'rnees], sb. The heald or arrangement of loops
of twine by which in weaving, the threads of the warp (see CHAIN)
are changed in position at every passage of the shuttle. See BOSOM.
Webster is wrong in describing harness as part of a loom ; it is
used in a loom, but is no more a part of it than is the fabric
woven ; it is adjusted into the loom along with the warp to which it
belongs.
HARM [aa'rm], sb. The distemper in dogs. In buying a young
dog it is usual to ask, " Have 'er had the harm ? "
HART [haa'rt], sb. Hunting. A male deer past mark as to his
age. An old stag of seven yeai s and upwards. See Bow.
HART [aa-rt], sb. Handle, haft.
Thick wid'n be a bad knive, neefs had (if thou hadst) a new
hart an' a new blade to un.
•
HART'S-TONGUE [aa-rts-tuung], sb. The common smooth-
leafed fern. (Scolopendrium vulgare.) More generally called
"Lamb-tongue."
HARUM-SKARUM [ae-urum-skae'urum], adj. Headlong,
thoughtless, wild.
Ter'ble harum-skarum fuller 'bout ridin an drivin.
HASH [hash, haaysh], adj. Harsh. Chiefly applied to texture
or material, to denote want of softness. The word would not be
applied to conduct.
This yer cloth dont han'le soft enough, tis too hash; I be safe
t'ont wear.
HASLING PIECES [aas-leen pees-ez], sb. Tech. Upright
pieces of wood fixed from the floor to the roof in an attic, to form
the sides of a room. Upon these hasling pieces are attached the
laths and plaster.
HASSOCK [as'ik], sb. A soft kind of footstool ; generally
made of carpet and stuffed with straw.
HAT [aaf], v. t. To hit ; to strike ; to knock. This is the
invariable word. Pres. hat ; past, hat ; /. /. a hat.
[Ee aup- wai uz vuys-n aat--n daewn,] he up wi his vist and hat
him down.
A blacksmith wanting his mate to smite with the sledge, would
say, " Hat a blow, will'er ?
Mind you don't [aa~f] your head. Aa~t een thick nail. What's
aa't the boy for ? He'd aa't hard, if he was to vail (said of a pole).
He've \i-aa~t the tap of his vinger all abroad.
An that wance an ole clummun, droo Kenton did pass,
An was hat be a chap thit vired straight ta Starcrass.
Nathan Hogs, Tha K*fle Corps.
326 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HAT [aa't], v. t. Applied to corn in harvesting. To doubly
cap-stitch — /. e. to set up the sheaves in a large stock and to cover
down the top with a kind of thatch made of some of the sheaves
with the ear downwards. This method is very common in " lappery "
seasons, and it prevents the corn from sprouting, while at the same
time it allows the wind to pass through, and so dry the straw.
I reckoned to a-car'd thick piece o' whait, but he idn 'arly fit
not eet, zo I told em to go and hafn up.— Sept. 10, 1883. Comp.
Hattock, Shropshire.
HAT [aa't], v. i. To germinate : said of seed, or plant.
The mangel did'n /iaf, so I put'n (the field) to turmuts. — March
1882. (Usual word.)
Capical lot o' plants, most every one o'm hat. This was said of
a quantity of young larches which I had planted, and which grew
well.
[Nuudlrur wau-n u dhai dhae-ur graa-f^yue gid mee, dtid-n aa't,~]
neither one of those grafts you gave me, grew.
HAT-BACK [aa't-baak'], v. and sb. To hinder; to cause to
relapse; to injure pecuniarily; hindrance; a relapse; an injury
in pocket. (Very com.)
[Dhik dhae'ur aa'rus aa't-n baak' maa'yn luyk,] that harvest
injured him severely.
[Twuz u tuurubl aa't-baak1 vau'r-n haun ee broa'k-s lag',] it was
a great loss to him when he broke his leg.
Comp. Fullback, Leicester Glos. p. 219.
HATCH [aach], sb. A half door, as the barn-hatch. Often in
cottages called the half-hatch.
I be safe I zeed th' old man a Zunday hon I passed, 'cause he
was a stood a lookin out over the hatch. See HUTCH 3.
Swed. hack; Low Germ. heck.
HEC, hek, or hetche, or a dore, (heche, K. heke, or hech, s.). Antica.
Promp. Pai"v.
An HEKE ; Antica. — Cath. Ang.
Halchc of a dore — hecq. — Palsgrave, p. 229.
The HATCH of a door. Av ant part, guichet. — Cotgravt (Sherwood).
Mome, malt-horse, capon, coxcomb, idiot, patch !
Either get thee from the door, or sit down at the hatch.
Comedy of Errors, III. i.
HAT IN THE HEAD [aa-t-n dhu ai'd], phr. To kill by a
blow on the head.
[Aay kaecht u guurt kyat ugee'un z-maur*neen. Haut-s due
wai'un ? Au ! aay aa't-n een dhu ai'd purtee kwik, aay waud-n
gwai'n tu buyd uytiimeen war un.] I caught a great cat again this
morning. What did you do with it ? Oh ! I knocked it on the
head directly, I was not going to stay playing (or fiddling) with it.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 327
H ATS IN HOLES [aafseenoa'lz],^. A boy's game. The players
range their hats in a row against a wall, and each boy in turn pitches
a ball from a line at some twenty-five feet distance into one of the
hats. The boy into whose hat it falls has to seize it and throw it
at one or other of the others, who all scamper off when the ball is
" packed in." If he fails to hit, he is out and takes his cap up.
The boy whose cap is left at the last has to " cork " the others —
that is, to throw the ball at their bent backs, each in turn stooping
down to take his punishment.
HAT UP [aa't aup], v. t. i. To trip up. Used very commonly
in wrestling.
He adn a bit o' chance way un ; why he hafn <?/, 'thout putting
his hand aneast'n — /'. e. he tripped him up and made him fall,
without touching with his hands.
2. To knock up, in the sense of putting together hastily.
Here, Bill, take and hat up a bit of a box to put-n in.
HAULIER [hau'liur], sb. One whose business is to haul or
transport goods for hire. (Never hauler.) " John Brown, Haulier."
HALYN, or drawyn. Traho.
HALYNGE, or drawynge. Tractus. — Promp. Parv.
HAVOC [aveek], sb. Waste. (Very com.)
Zee what havoc you be makin way the hay ; there 'tis a-littered
all the way in from the rick.
Of hauocke beware,
Cat nothing will spare.
Where all thing is common, what needeth a hutch ?
Where wanteth a sauer, there hanocke is mutch. — Tttsser, 77/3.
HAW ! [hau* !]. A word used in driving cows or oxen. Haw
back ! is always said when they are to go back. See JUP.
Thee art lick a skittish sture jest a yooked : Tha woudst host any keendest
Theng, tha art zo vore-reet, nif Vather dedn't haape tha. — Ex. Scold. 1. 51.
HAWBUCK [au'buuk], sb. An epithet for a clown ; a chaw-
bacon.
HAWCHEMOUTH [au-chee-maewdh], sb. An epithet often
applied to a blustering, foul-mouthed person ; also to one who
makes much noise in eating.
Th 'art good vor nort bet a Gapes-nest— a gottering, hawchamouth Theng.
Ex. Scold. 1. 187.
HAWCHEMOUTHED [au-ch-maewdhud, au'chee-maewdhud]
adj. Given to coarse, offensive talk ; blustering, bullying, or in-
decent in talk.
328 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
He ! you never did'n come 'cross a more rougher, hawchemouth-
eder, cussin, girt bully in all your born days.
HAWCHY [au'chee], v. i. To make a loud noise with the lips
or mouth in eating. (Very com.)
Where's thee larn thy manners ? Why's n shut thy girt trap, not
bide and hauchy, like a girt fat pig.
Whan tha com'st to good Tackling, thee wut poochee, and hawchee, and
scrumpee.— Ex. Scold. 1. 187.
HAY. A very common suffix to names of places, as Cot/foy
Abbey, Swin//ay Barton, Clavels/^^y (see CLAVEL, pronounced
Classy], Combe Hay. Others have the termination hayne, as
Nicholas/jay;^, Almeshayne : this is probably the plural form.
HAY-POOK [aay-peok], sb. Hay-cock. The usual word—
hay -cock is seldom heard. See POOK.
Why dedst thee, than, tell me o" the Zess, or it of the Hav-pook, as tha dedst
whileer? 'Ex. Scold. 1. 87.
HAYWARD [aaywau'rd]. An officer who is still annually
appointed by some old court leets. His duties once were to look
after fences and hedges, but his office, like those of scavenger, ale-
taster, and constable, has become obsolete in propria persona.
HE [ee], pron. i. The universal nominative pronoun to
represent all things living or dead, to which the indefinite article
can be prefixed. The old saying that in Somerset " everything is
he except a tom-cat, and that he is a she" is not quite correct.
He is used in speaking of a cow or a ivoman, but not of corn,
water, wool, salt, coal, or such things as are not individual,
but in the mass. Abundant examples of the dialectal use are
to be found in these pages. See W. S. Gram. p. 29. See III.
A. 3. pron.
Ich libbe in love-longinge,
For semlokest of alle thinge,
He may me blisse bringe,
icham in hire baundoun.
Wrighfs Lyric Poetry (about 1300), VI. p. 27.
With al mi lif y love that may,
He is mi solas nyght and day,
My joie aut eke my beste play,
aut eke my love-longynge. — Ib. XXXI V. p. 95.
Thus was your croune crasid, til he was cast newe.
Jjoru partinge of Joure pouere, to 3oure paragals.
Langland, Rich, the Red. \. 70.
Mantrible J>e Citee ys y-called, wy)> marbre fyn ys he walled.
Sir firumbras, 1. 4309.
The maiden turned oyain anon,
And tok the way he hadde er gon.
Lay Le Freine, Weber ; Met. Roman. 1. 177.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 329
And meche tresere he (St. Editha) Jaff p'abby to,
Wherefore he meche |>e belt' dude spede.
Chron. Vilodunense, Stanza 979.
The Chronicon Vilodunense, which is a life of St. Editha, speaks
of her throughout as he. She is not once to be found.
And Kyng Egbert sustre also he was
And )>ere inne also hee was ybore. — Stanza 35.
Erie Wolstons wyff forsothe hee was
Or he toke ye mantell and J>e ryng
And to make a relygiose house of hur owne place
He prayede hur brother Egbert J>e kyng. — Stanza 36.
His owne spencer's doujt' he was. — Stanza 44.
2. Emphatic ace. = him.
Tid'n no good to tris' to he. See ARC, GUMPTION.
Zend vor Recoreder — put he too 't —
We'll warrant Hawtry zoon wull doo 't.
Peter Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter.
If ez wife ed but take to her office agen
Her should niver be caddl'd by he.
.Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 31.
HEAD [ai'd], sb. r. That end or side of a gate furthest from
the hinges. See HANCH.
2. Applied to a mill-pond. If full, it is said, " There's a good
head of water." So the pond or reservoir from which the water-
wheel is driven is called the Tni\\-head, while the stream running
from the mill is the mill-tail. See TAIL OF THE MILL.
3. Of cream. In reply to an application for milk in the forenoon,
a farmer's wife's usual reply is — I ont break my head vor nobody —
meaning that now the head or cream has begun to rise, I will not
disturb it.
4. Throughout the west it is usual to speak of combing the
head instead of combing the hair. It is commonly said of a
virago, " Her'll comb out his head vor'n ! " This of course is
metaphorical, but of a woman who is supposed to be capable
of beating her husband, the usual saying is, " Her'd comb out's
head wi a dree-legged stool.
\>e hosyn on youre shuldyr cast, on vppon your arme ye hold ;
youre souereynes hcd ye kembe, but furst ye knele to ground.
1450. John Rnsselfs Boke of Nurture, 1. 962 (Furnivall, Babees Book, p. 181).
After you haue euacuated your bodye, & trussed your poyntes, kayme your
heade oft and so do dyuers tynies in the day.
1557. Andrew Borde on Sleep, Rising, and Dress. Ib. p. 246.
When you haue apparelled your selfe handsomely, combe your head softly and
easily with an luorie combe.
1602. William Vaug/ian, Fifteen Directions to present health. Ib. p. 249.
330 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The caumberlayne muste be dylygent & clenly in his offyce, with his head
kembed. Wynkyn rfe Worde, Boke of Kentynge. Ib. p. 282.
Thy head let that be kembd and trimd,
let not thy haire be long.
R. Weste, Booke of Demeanor, 1. 125. Ib. p. 295.
5. To " take by the head" of a horse, is to lead him by the bridle.
To " be a-tookt by the head" of a man, is to be the worse for
liquor.
To be " off his head" is to be mad, unaccountable, suffering from
mental delusions.
To " put heads together " is to consult, to deliberate in committee.
In all senses the pronunciation is the same.
'Bout zebb'n o'clock I creyp'd vrem beyde,
An' out o' winder shuv'd my heyde:
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 1 7.
HEAD [ai'd], sb. Hunting. The horns of a stag. Webster
is wrong: head is not the "state of," but the horns themselves.
He has a fine head or a " scanty head" according to the size and
shape of his horns, without any reference to his skull. See RIGHTS.
And standing fore the dogs ; he bears a head
Large and well beam'd, with all rights summed and spread.
Ben Jonson, Sad Shepherd, I. ii.
When old their heads are shorter in the beam but thicker in the span, and
they have fewer rights At this age their heads vary much in appearance.
Records N. Devon Staghounds, p. 9.
A large stag with an irregular head. B. T. upright.
Records N. Devon Staghounds, p. 40.
A most singular head, brow and tray, and an upright on one side, and brow
with a tall upright beam on the other ; the brow antlers very long, and the burr
close to the head. Ib. p. 44.
And bycause many men can not understande the names and diversities of
heades according to the termes of hunting.
1575. Tuberville, quoted by Collyns, p. 31.
abundance of good and nourishing food, had had its effect in maturing and
perfecting the heads. Collyns, Chase of the Wild Red Deer, p. 35.
HEAD [ai-d], adj. Best.
[Aay vrak-nz dhiish yuur dh-ard roa'ud au'l ubaewt,] I consider
this the best road in this neighbourhood.
[Aewt-n aewt dh-ard au's aewt,] out and out the best horse out
• — /. e. in the hunting field. Head carpenter, head mason, head rat-
catcher— /'. e. best, not the foreman.
HEADPIECE [ai-dpees], sb. Cleverness, ability, intelligence.
He id'n no ways short, there's plenty o' headpiece 'bout he.
'Tis all headpiece 've a car'd'n drue it all. Sam's a gurt rough
hedge-boar fellow, but he don't want for headpiece.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 331
HEADY [ai'dee], adj. Strong ; intoxicating — said of beer or
other liquor.
HEAL, HEALER. See HELE.
HEAPED UP [ee-pt aup], adj. Hipped. Tech. Term in
building, applied to a roof.
I don't like they there heaped up ruvs, I zim th' old farshin gable's
better by half.
HEARST [huurst], sb. Hunting. A female deer, over one,
under three, years old. See BROCKET.
A hind and a hearst went down to Pixey Coppice, and Tout with six couple
followed them. Records N. Devon Staghounds, p. 79.
HEART [aa-rt]. i. Often used in exclamations.
Dear heart ! whatever shall I do ?
Heart alive, soce ! whatever b'ee about ?
2. The matured wood of a tree as distinct from the sap.
Thick there piece 'ont do ; he's most all zape, id'n hardly a bit
o* heart in un. Cf. HEART-OAK.
A hearty piece of timber is one which has grown slowly, and
has comparatively little sap.
3. Applied to land when well cultivated and in a fertile con-
dition— always qualified by good or an adj. implying good.
Thick there field's in good heart now. Why, I've a dress-n
twice over. . . . The word is not used to express the opposite
condition.
HEAR TELL [yuur tuul-], phr. To hear the report.
Well, I've &-yeard tell o' jis thing, but I never didn zee nother
one avore.
I HERE TELL. Ie os dire. As soon as he herds tell that my lorde was
commyng : aussi tost quil ouyt dire que monsieur venoyt. — Palsgrave, p. 583.
HEART-GUN [aa'rt-gunn], sb. A severe internal pain, colic
(obsolescent). Gun, A.-S. gund, seems to imply inflammatory
ailment. See BARN-GUN.
Is dedn't me-an the Bone-shave, ner the Heart-gun, ner the Allernbatch.
Ex. Scold. 1. 23. Also Ib. 1. 556.
HEART-WHOLE [aart-woa-1], adj. Not fallen in love. This
expression is constantly used with reference to any one who may
have been in circumstances likely to lead to love.
Well ! I niver didn look to zee he come home therevrom heart-
wole ; but there, p'raps he idn, arter all.
HEARTY [aartee], sb. i. A colloquial name, like "my boy."
Come on, my hearty, we'll show 'em the way.
332 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. adj. Well in health. Two farmers meeting at market would
thus greet each other : Well, maister, how be you ? Hearty, thank
ee, how's all home to your house ?
HEAT [yiit], sb. Always so pronounced.
'Spare work, could'n catch yit to it.
In heat [een yiif] said of a bitch.
HEATH [yaeth]. The only name for Calluna and Erica o
all varieties. In this district heather is unknown. We have the
well-known long-heath [la.u.'ng-yaef/i] and small-heath [smaa'l-_>w///],
as described by Britten ex Lyte, E. D. S. Plant Names, 1879.
HEATH-BROOM [yaeth'-breo'm], sb. A broom made of
common heath, in distinction from a birch-broom.
HEATH-POULT [yaeth-poa-lt, harth-poa'lt], sb. The common
name for black game. See POULT.
HEAVE [ai'v, oa*vd, u-oa'vd], v. t. To throw.
Quiet ! heavin stones, you boys ?
The word in this sense, and with its past tense hov'd, is confined
to the fisher and seaside folk. See Trans. Dev. Ass. 1882, p. 142.
HEAVE [ee'v, ai'v], v. t. i. To lift ; to raise from the ground ;
to take up. Less com. than HEFT.
Thick's t'eavy to car to anybody's back, can't fieavSm, much
more car'n.
2. v. t. To urge, but not actually to vomit.
The breath (smell) was that bad, nif did'n make me heavy to it
HEDGEBOAR, HEDGEPIG [aj-boa-r, aj-pig],^. Hedgehog;
also a term for a lout ; a clumsy, stupid clod.
Purty hedgeboar fuller, he, for to set up for a doctor, better fit
he'd take to farrin — /. e. farriering.
HEDGE-CAFFENDER [aj'-kaa-fmdur],^. A rough carpenter,
such as repairs gates, rails, &c.
. HEDGE-TROW [aj'-troa, trau], sb. The ditch or drain at the
side of a hedge, called more often a ditch-trow — in this latter case
the trow, i. e. trough, is of course redundant.
HEEL [ee-ul]. Hounds following the scent in the wrong
direction are said to "be running heel" — sometimes, but rarely,
called "running counter." The latter is very fine gen'lvoke's talk.
The whole pack took it heel, and were stopped before they reached the edge
of the covert. Records N. Devon Slaghounds, p. 45.
HEEL [ee'ul], sb. The bottom end of anything erect, or capable
of being set up on end, as the heel of a post.
There must be a new hanch to the gate, the heel o' un's a-ratted.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 333
HEEL-BALL [ee'ul-bairl], sb. Tech. A kind of wax used
by shoemakers. It is the heel-ball which puts the smooth black
finish to the edges of the soles and heels of new boots. It is sold
by all curriers.
HEEL OF THE HAND [ee-ul u dhu an-], sb. The part of the
hand on which it rests in the act of writing.
What's the matter? Bad an', zir, urnd a gurt thurn into the
heel 0' u/i, and now he do mattery.
HEEL-TAP [ee-ul-taap], sb. This is still the common term for
the liquor left in the bottom of a glass after drinking. The ordinary
use of the word is, "Come, drink fair — no heel-taps!" The term
might have arisen at the time when goblets were made without
feet, and every man was expected to turn his vessel upside down.
The vessel having swelling sides would hold some of the liquor
when heeled or lying on its side. Tap is still often used for the
liquor; as, "This is a poor tap ;" hence such a drain as would lie
in the drinking-vessel when only heeled may have been the
heel-tap.
HEEVY [ai-vee, ee'vee], v. i. i. Same as EAVY.
2. adj. The condition of damp described above, so often
noticed in a thaw, or change of weather.
D'ye zee how heevy 'tis ; I be safe we be gwain to have rain, else
'twid'n heevy so.
HEFT [haef(t], v. t. i. To poise in the hands so as to judge
of the weight.
He's a very nice pullet, only please to hefm — to try the heft
o' un your own zul.
2. To raise ; to uplift.
I don't think you be man enough vor to hef thick.
]>e Sarsyn by-gan to waxe wro)>e '• egre & eke fere,
& Ae/vp ys swerd, & til him a goj> i & smot to Olyuere :
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 620.
With his lyft hand he //<r/"his gysarme,
And thought to do Pliilotas harme.
Weber, Met. Rom. Kyng Alisaunder, 1. 2297.
^ he, as ha het him,
hef\>* hatele sweord up
*\ swipte hire of )>' lieaued. — Life of St. Catherine, 1. 2450.
HEFT [haef(t], sb. Weight. This is the only word used to
express ponderance. Weight (q. v.) in the dialect means some-
thing quite different.
You'll sure to catch a cold ! your things be so light's vanity,
there id'n no heft in em.
334 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HEIGHGO ! [aa'ygoa ! haa-ygoa !], inter/. Heigho !
Heighgo ! here's a row ! what's up !
The g is always sounded in this common expression.
Hey go ! here's a purty kettle o' fish.
Hey go! what disyease &c. — Ex. Scold. 1. 15 ; also Jb. \. 283.
Heigo ! Mrs. Hi-go-shit ! A Beagle ? And hot art thee ?
Ex. Scold. \. 247.
HEIGLER [uyglur], sb. Higgler; a dealer in poultry only.
(Very com.) Always pronounced with the * long.
HEIGLY [uyglee], v. i. To practise the trade of a poultry-
dealer.
What is your father doing now ?
Well, mum, he do do a little to pork-butchin, and in the winter
he \uyglus •,] heigles ; but he don't heigjy so ter'ble much.
HELE [ai'til], v. t. To cover — hence to conceal ; to hide.
Asking a man what a rough sack in his cart contained, he said :
Oh, 'tis nort but a thing I brought 'long to hale the 'osses way.
—Feb. 12, 1 88 1.
The word is in constant daily use. The zeed idn half a haled.
Hale up that there lime 'vore rainth. Be sure 'n fiateup the mangle
way the greens, arter 'ee've a pulled em, fear o1 the vrost.
Comp. "Hill" Manley and Corringham Gloss, p. 135.
HYLLYN (hyllen or curyn, H. coueren, p.). Operio, cooperio, tego, vtlo, contego.
HYLLYNG wythe clothys (hillinge of clothes, K. p.). Tegumentum, tegmen,
velamen. Promp. Parv.
I HYLL, Je couuers. You must hyll you wel nowe anyghtes, the wether is
colde. Palsgrave, p. 585.
Loke J>at |>ou be armed sad ' & hele )>y bare scolle.
Sir Per umbras, 1. 353.
Fel )>ou hem me rijt anone : and for no]>yng hele )>ou no3t (conceal).
Ibid. 1. 1125.
Also a chariot with twey standardes heled with lether.
Fifty Earliest Wills, E. E. T. S. p. 5, 1. 27.
and yholliche of echen him ssriue be J>an J>et he him y-uel]> gelty • no }>ing to
hele (conceal) noting wyj>zigge. Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 175.
and thei camen til to me, and thei ben kikd with schame.
Wyclif vers. Job iv. 21.
A rake for to hale up the fitchis that lie. — Tusser, 17/15-
HELER [arlur], sb. i. A horsecloth ; coverlet.
Better nit put the haler 'pon th' 'oss gin he've a-colded a bit. —
Huish Champflower, Oct. 9, 1883.
2. One who covers up or conceals — hence the word is used
figuratively in the every-day saying :
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 335
[Dh-ai'/ur-z zu bae*ud-z dhu staHur,] the heler's so bad as the
stealor.
Y understonde, by thy face,
That them Alisaunder beo ;
No Me thou nought for me.
Weber, Aletrical Romances, A'yng Alisaunder, 1. 7649.
HELING [aHeen], sb. A covering; a coverlet.
Take off the helin off o' the tatee-cave, eens they mid airy a bit.
The covers of books are sometimes called healings. See Dev.
Provincialisms, ict/i Report.
HYLLYNGE, or coverynge of what thynge hyt be. Coopertura, coopertorimn,
operimentitm. Promp. Parv.
HYLLING a coveryng — couufrttire, s.f. — Palsgrave.
As wel freres as oj>er folk ' foliliche spenden
In housyng and in hdyynge ' in hih cleregie shewynge,
More for pomp and prude. — Piers Plowman, XVII. 235.
HELLIER [hiilyur, huuHur], sb. A slater; one who heles roofs.
Hellyar is quite a common surname, and is evidently derived from
the trade, like Baker, Taylor, &c. A thatcher is never called a
hellier.
We haue some sorts which by the conjectures of the most experienced Htlliers
(or coverors with Slat) haue continued on houses severall hundreds of years.
Philos. Trans, of Royal Society, A.D. 1669, v. iv. p. 1009 (on Slates).
HELLUM [uul'um, huul'um (emph.)], sb. The stalk of beans,
pease, vetches, potatoes, clover, &c. The haulm. This word is
not used in the dialect to denote straw of any kind — *. e. the stalk
of grain. A coarse kind of stalk is implied : for example, clover
dried is called clover hay, but if the clover has been left to ripen
its seed, the stalk becomes rank, and after the seed has been
thrashed out, the residuum is always "clover helium!'
Ang.-Sax. hcalm. Old H. Germ. halm.
HALM, or stobyl, stipttla. — Promp. Parv.
HELP [uulp], v. When used before another verb, especially
as a gerund before the infinitive of the principal verb, the inflection
passes from the auxiliary to the principal. Thus instead of saying,
" I remember helping to load the cart," we should always say, " I
mind help loadin the cart." The same transfer occurs in the past
construction. Instead of " I helped to load the cart," it would be,
" I help loaded the cart." See LET, MUST. See INTRODUCTION.
HEM ['m, um], pr. Them. The word them maybe said to
be unknown in the dialect ; it is never used for those t as in some
districts — e.g. "them bricks," &c. The emphatic form of obj. is
always they, as, "I gid 'em all to they." See EM.
Doggedlich y schal hem grete : swetyng for J)y loue,
J>oJ per be of hem two hundred : y wil slen hem helve.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1289.
336 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
He sende hem J>ider fol son,
To helpen hem wij> hoc ;
Parable of the Labourers, Specimens of Lyric Poetry,
T. Wright, Percy Soc. 1842.
And all J?at he met adoii he fett,
And slowe hem aft by dene. — Chron. Vil. st. 75.
Hem is used throughout this poem. See also Fifty Earliest Wills, E. E. T. S.
HEMPEN [ai-mpm], adj. Made of hemp; "A good hempen rope."
HEMPEN-HALTER [armpm-avrltur], sb. The ordinary rope
head-stall for horses. It is customary for the seller of a horse to
provide [u ai'Mpm-au'ltur], to enable the buyer to lead off his
purchase.
HEN AND CHICKEN [ai-n un chik-een], sb. The large double
daisy (Bellis perennis, garden rat:).
HER [uur], pr. Used as a nominative — nearly always : "Her
gid'n to she." Used also for /, for he, for we, for you, for one.
A woman giving evidence at Cullompton said :
Her come to me, and her zaid how volks was a-tellin 'bout it ;
but I wadn gwain to zay nort to she. — Sept. 8, 1884.
See W. S. Gram. pp. 35 et seq.
In herte hur gan to greue. — Sir Fentmbras, 1. 3760.
|>anne hurt tornde J>at mayde brijt. — Ib. 1. 5045.
]>an hur spak ]>at made Jyng : "y J>onke god of )>ys tydyng,
& marie J>y moder dere."
Gwy tok sche bi )>e middel ]>an & custe hym ; & sayde, "gode 1 em man
now am ich hoi & fere." — Sir Per umbras, 1. 5223.
For lever here (St. Editha) was J>e pore to ffedi
J>e maymot J>e seeke to wasshe and hele. — Chron. Vil. st. 274.
The gode burgeis was horn i-come,
and goth to his gardin, as was his wone,
and fond his ympe up i-hewe.
"Oh," thought he, "her was a sscherewe."
Seuyn Sages, Weber's Metrical Romances, 1. 1776.
HERB-BOOK [aarb-beok], sb. A herbal. A widow whose
husband had been a "worm-doctor" came to me, and asked me
to buy a Gerard's Herbal, which she said was " his herb-book."
HERBERY [aarburee], sb. A plantation of herbs for medicinal
purposes. There are many Herbalists or "quack doctors," as they
are called, who still drive a thriving trade. One such was for many
years a near neighbour of mine, his cottage window being remark-
able for its display of bottles containing hideous specimens of
intestinal worms. His son still practises, or, as they say, "travels,"
and has quite a considerable herbery.
HERB-GRASS [uurb, aarb-graas], sb. Rue ; evidently a corrup-
tion of herb o' grace (Ruta graveolens).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 337
HERB-ROBERT [uurb, aarb-raub'urt]. Geranium robertianum.
See JENNY WREN.
IL'rb- Robert. This herb is under the dominion of Venus. It is esteemed an
excellent remedy for the stone, and will stay blood, from whatever cause it may
happen to flow. Cnlpeper, Herbal, p. 204.
HERBS [aarbz], sb. Medicinal plants.
There's nort like herbs nif anybody's a tookt bad wi' most anything;
they be better'n all the doctor stuff in the wordle.
HERBY [aarbee], adj. Having a medicinal flavour.
Where d'ye buy this here tay, missus ? I sim 'tis ter'ble arby.
HEREFROM [yuurvraum], adv. Hence. (Very com.)
About a two mild herefrom. I 'on't budge forefront gin you
come back. Hence is quite unknown.
HERE-RIGHT [yuur-ruyt], adv. Here on the spot.
No ! let's settle it here-right.
Gyoun turde til him hys stede ; and sayde |>o, "J>ou schalt lye,
Arst y schal J>e make blede ; her ri)t ich J>e diflye." — Sir Fenimb. 1. 2738.
HERE'S TO YE [yuur-z t-ee]. The commonest of all the
forms of drinking health. The leader of a party of mowers always
drinks first ; before putting the cup orfirk in to his lips, he says,
" Come, soce ! Siere's -tee.11
" Here's luck" is the equally common form of drinking " towards
luck." Before beginning a fresh job, such as to mow a meadow,
or to begin loading corn, the leader says in drinking, "Come, soce !
here's luck"
HERRING-GUTTED [uureen, or yuureen-guufud], adj.
Thin, lean, lanky : applied to both man and beast.
A herring-gutted old son of a bitch.
HESK, HUSK [aes'k], sb.- A kind of wheezing cougli, very
common in cattle ; also a hoarseness in man.
No ! tid'n much, 'tis only a bit of a hesk. See HOSE.
The Campanula trachel'mm, Linn., is called by Parkinson throat-wort or
Aflj/v-wort. Way, Proinp. Parv. p. 228.
On a building in Wellington is a large inscription — MANUFACTORY,
Devonshire Oils. Devonshire Compound for Husk and Scour.
HESK [aes-k], sb. Hearse. (Always).
"Coming down Porlock Hill the drug-chain brokt, and overwent
the hesk, coffin and all, rattle to rip ! " This was told me by the
post-boy who was driving.
HEVEL [aevul], sb. The heddle or loop in the harness (q. v.)
through which the thread or end of the warp passes ; consequently
each thread must have its own separate hevel. In other districts
338 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
this loop is called the eye of the heald. Hevd also means the
string, or entire guide for each separate thread of warp.
HEVEL-TWINE [aevul twuyn], sb. A fine twine, such as is
used for healds or harness.
HEVIOR [aeviur], sb. Hunting. A castrated stag.
Met at Cot Bridge at ten o'clock ; tried the Arlington Coverts for the hevior.
Blank day. Rec. N. D. Sta°hounds, p. 43.
HEW-MACK [yue-maak], sb. The stock or stem of the wild
rose, Rosa Canina, used for budding or grafting upon. (Always.)
D'ye please to want a nice lot o' hewmacks de year ?
HEWSTRING [eo'streen], part. adj. Wheezing, husky,
asthmatic. (Common.)
Tid'n no use vor to put a poor old hewstrin old fellow like he
'bout no jich job's that there.
Ya gerred-teal'd, panking, kentttriltgJ&taa&. — Ex. Scold. 1. 48.
HICK [ik], v. i. To hop on one leg.
HICKERY [ik-uree], v. i. To shiver, to chatter with the cold.
Why's 'n yeat thy zul, and neet bide there hickerin ?
This here wind '11 make anybody hickery wi' the cold.
HICKETY [ik-utee]. Same as to hick.
HICKETY-H ACKETY [ik-utee-aak'utee], sb. The game of hop-
scotch— played with a piece of tile, which has to be kicked by the
player, with the foot on which he hops, over lines and into various
squares marked on the ground. Several of these are still to be
seen, scratched on the ancient pavement of the Roman Forum.
HICKETY-POUND [ik'utee paewn], sb. The game of hop-
scotch. (Very com.)
HIDING [uydeen], sb. Thrashing.
Let me catch thee again, you young osebird, and zee nif I don't
gi' thee a d — n good hidin.
HIE [buy], v. i. and /. To go ; to hasten : used very commonly to
spaniels — " Hie on, Dash " — to encourage them to hunt ; but other-
wise the word is obsolete, unless hike (q. v.) may be another form
of the same.
I zeed'n, my own zul, hiein o' the dog up in the hedge.
O ! there is a. fire in suche a place in J>e cite ; hy you to ryng your bellis, and
}>at att J>e yates of j?e cite wer stekid. Gesta Rom. p. 63.
HIGGLEDY-PIGGLEDY[ig-ldee-pig-ldee],///r. In confusion,
upset.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 339
Somebody 've a-bin and mixed all the things up higgledy-piggledy
together.
Is this Italian iglia-piglia ? Precisely the same meaning.
HIGGLER [uyglur]. A poultry-dealer only.
Ter'ble rough lot, some o' they \_uyglurz] out about Langley
Marsh. See HEIGLER.
HIGH BY DAY [uy bee dai-], adv. phr. In broad daylight.
Speaking of foxes, a man said to me :
"A little while agone they come down and car'd off some chicken
all high by day ; " and later he said, "They be bold, sure 'nough, vor
to car off poultry high by day." — May 29, 1881.
HIGHDIGEES, HIGHDEGREES [aa-ydijee-z, aa-ydigree-z],
sb. Roystering, high spirits, merriment, dancing, romping.
When I come on by the house, there was pretty highdigees
gwain on, sure 'nough.
But friendly Faeries, met with many Graces
And light foot Nymphs, can chace the lingring Night
With Juydtgvyt, and trimly trodden traces.
Spenser, Shepherd's Calendar, June, 1. 27.
While some the rings of bells, and some the bagpipes ply,
Dance many a merry round, and many a hydegy.
Drayton, Polyolbion, B. XXV. 1. 1162.
HIKE OFF [uyk airf], v. i. To skulk off. To slip away, like
a rat leaving a sinking ship.
Jack agreed to go 'long way us, but come to last he hiked off.
This phrase is not used for repudiating a bargain. See RUN WORD.
HIKE OUT [uyk aewt], v. i. Turn out ; get out ; be off.
Now then ! hike out. Look sharp, else I'll help thee !
Hike alone means simply to go ; the addition of out emphasizes
materially.
I cude git a dressmaker wenever I likes,
Uny hold up me vinger, ta walking they hikes.
Nathan Hogg's Love- Letter.
HILL [ee'ul], sb. A common.
[Aewt pun dhu ee'itl,'] out upon the common — /. e. unenclosed
land quite independent of its elevation.
[Vau-lee au-n dhu roa'ud gin ee kau'm tue u ee'ul luyk,] follow
on the road until you come to a sort of common.
In speaking of land, the climax of poverty is " so poor's a ///'//."
HILL-GROUND [ee-ul graewn], sb. Unenclosed land; rough,
uncultivated land overrun with furze or heath.
I mind very well when 'twas all hill-ground here, so var's ever
you can zee ; tidn so many years agone since 'twas a-tookt in.
HILL-WATER [ee'ul wau'dr,] sb. Water from a bog or moor.
z 2
34O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Tidn much account vor no meads, that there hill-water. — Feb.
12, 1881.
HIM ['n un 'm], ace. pr. Used for both masculine and feminine,
but not so commonly in speaking of female persons as of animals.
Thick zow '11 varrow purty quick, mind and gee un plenty o' mate.
See His, HER, UN.
Gwy tok sche be \>z middel and custe hym. — Sir Fcnimbras, 1. 5225.
See Ex. Scold. Note 6, p. 49 ; also W. S. Gram. p. 32.
And so he hulde hit twey Jer' and more,
By strengthe and lordeshepe of Quene Emme ;
j?e which had maynteynyd hy gretly byfore,
By cause he )?ou3t to ben heyr' Jj'of aft' hym (i. e. Queen Emme).
Chron. Vilod. st. 962.
HIND [uyn], sb. Hunting. A female deer of four years old
and upwards. Wild deer do not have young until four years old,
and never have more than one at a time. See HEARST.
HIND [uyn], sb. A farm bailiff. (Always.) The word bailiff
is not used in this sense, but only for a sheriffs officer.
How is your son getting on, Thomas ?
Au ! thank ee, zir, he've a-got a very good place and a good
maister : he's hind, you know, zir, to Squire Coles.
Ang.-Sax. hina, hine, a domestic.
An HYNE; vbi a servande. — Cath. Aug. p. 186.
£e gentyle lorde ^enne payej hys hyne
)>at dyden hys heste, £ay wern |>ere-ine. — E. Allit. Poems, Pearl, 1. 632.
There n'as bailiff, ne herd, ne other hine
That he knew his sleight and his covine. — Chaucer, Prol. 1. 606.
Ac Alisaundre quic hoteth his hynen,
Under heore walles to myne. — Weber, Kyng Alls. 1. 1215.
And yf my neyhjebore hadde an hyne : ofjer eny best ellys
More profitable f>an myn : ich made meny wentes,
How ich myght haue hit : al my wit ich caste.
Piers Floiuman, vn. 1. 262. See also Havelok, 1. 620.
HINDER [uyndur], v. t. To obstruct : a common pronunciation.
I was hindered in my work. See Trans. Dev. Assoc. 1882, p. 141.
HINDER-END [uyndur-ee'n], sb. The back part of anything,
as, the hinder-end of the train ; the seat.
Maister's bad again ; he've a got a risin pon his hinder-end now,
and 's fo'ced to have a 'oss-collar vor to zit pon.
HINDERMENT [ee-ndurmunt], sb. Hindrance.
They'm sinking the road, and I reckon that 'th a bin a hinderment.
—March 9, 1882.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 34!
HIPPETY-HOP, HIPPETY-HOPPETY [eep-utee -aup-utee],
adv. Lame, limping in a very marked manner : applied to both
man and beast.
Poor old fuller, he's a come vor to go all hippety-hoppety like.
HIRD [hiird], v. t. i. To clear out, to rid : generally followed
by out. (Always so pronounced.)
Me an' Jim Ware 've a tookt the pond to hirdin. I reckon we
can hird 'n out in 'bout a vower days, else we shan't sar our wages.
2. v. t. To sell, to get rid of.
I've a-got to many things by half, I must hird a lot o' it. See
THINGS, Too.
HIRDANCE [bur-duns], sb. Riddance.
'Twas a d — n good hirdance, getting they Bakers out o' the
parish ; ihey wad'n no good to nobody.
HIRDICK [uurdik], sb. Ruddock, the robin ; generally called
Rabin hirdick.
Rabin hirdick and Jenny Wren
Be God Almighty's cock and hen.
HIRDLE. A sieve. See RIDDLE.
HIRE [uyur], v. t. To hear ; not much used except by old
people, but I have heard it very often. The com. form is [yuurj.
I do like to hire our paa'son, he do praich so nice and loud like.
Ang.-Sax. hyran.
)>an stode ]>us barouns of honour, and lokede
jjyderward out of }>e tour, & al J>ys hyre\ and see}).
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 3794-
But it semej) whanne lordis hiren a false confessour
)>ei hiren an anticrist to leden hem to helle. — Wyclif, Works, p. 187.
The holygost huyrfy J>e nat : ne helpeth )>e, be | ow certayn.
Piers Plowman, xx. 220.
And to hyre j?e ydelnesses of }>e wordle. — Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 231.
Dest hire ma? — Ex. Scold. 1. 79. Twull do your heart good to hire et.
Ib. 1. 444. See also 11. 31, 139, 566, 617.
HIRE-SAY [uyur zai], sb. Hearsay.
What I do tell 'ee, zir, id'n no hire-say \ I hired it my own zel ; no,
tidn no hire-say sure.
This form is not so common in this neighbourhood as in East
Somerset, but a woman born and living far in the west district
(Culmstock) used the above sentence to me. — Dec. 1880.
Ze J>et ne he)) )>ise uondinges ; he ne may noj>ing wel conne ; bote ase me
kan J»e batayle of troye, be hyerc-zigginge. Ayenbite of Inivyt, p. 117.
HIRSTY [huurstee]. See RUSTY.
342 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HIS [iiz, emph. &&'z],pos. pr. i. The usual possessive used for
a female as well as a male ; the lit. pos. .her being very frequently
the nom. in the dialect.
How is the cow ? Well, he idn no better ; I sim I do want to
zee un chow 'is queed. See E, p. 223.
And thenk on, Bryxyn cosyn, how dredfutt hit is.
To by reve holy chirche hisf possession ; — Chron. Vilod. st. 986.
2. It is still very customary to use this form instead of the 's
inflection in writing. "John Smith his book," is the commonest
inscription in bibles and other books, even of the newest
description.
So firmly has this true piece of bad grammar taken root, that
" Mary Jones her book, the gift of her affectionate father," may also
be seen.
HIS-SELF [uz-zuul-], pr. Himself, alone.
[Plai'z-r mus ees g-aewf-n uulp Uurchut? u zaes aew u kaa'n
due1 ut uz-zuul\~] if you please, sir, shall I go out and assist Richard ?
he says he cannot do it by himself alone.
HITCH [ee-ch, p. t. ee'ch, /. part, u-ee'ch], v. t. To strike
against an obstacle ; to entangle.
I hitch my voot in a stone, and down I vall'd all along.
Plaise, sir, must have a boot, vor thick there 'oss he do hitch
one voot gin tother, and he've a cut his vetter-lock sure 'nough.
HITHER [aedh-ur], adv. To the left.
In driving it is common to say — keep hither to the driver, come
hither [km-oa/£**r] to a horse ; both mean keep or bear to the left.
The hither side \aedh~ur zuyd] is the left side — more commonly
called the near side.
HIT IT [tit* ut], v. Hunting : to find the scent ; sometimes
hit it off.
The hounds then hit it up the river, and carried it on with more or less scent
through Barton Wood. Records North Devon Staghounds, p. 65.
When the hounds came to a check, and could never hit it off again.
73. p. 68.
If then you hit the deer as you draw up stream, keep the hounds moving, and
the chances are you will come upon him in the water, and there set him up, or
hit him off, if he has broken soil. — Collyns, Chase of the Wild Red Deer.
HITY-TITY [uytee tuytee], adj. i. Haughty, easily offended,
stuck up. (?) Fr. haute tete.
They be ter'ble hity-tity sort o' vokes, I zim.
2. Full of crotchets, fussy, namby-pamby, shilly-shally.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 343
I never could'n get on way un, he's always so hity-tity like
don't know his own mind not dree minutes together.
HIZY-PRIZY [uyzee pruyzee], sb. i. Nisi prius. We could'n
get in to yur no prisoners a-tried, zo we went in the hizy-prizy.
Hence lawyer's tricks, and so any kind of chicanery or sharp
practice.
Come now ! honour bright, none of your hizy-prizy.
2. adj. Quibbling; litigious; tricky.
He's a proper hizy-prizy old fuller ; you'll be saafe to be second
best, mind, nif you d'ave much hanks way he.
HOBBLE [aub'l], v. t. i. Usually applied to horses or asses.
To tie the legs together in such a way that the animal cannot
go fast.
2. To hovel, or work as assistant or boatman in bringing vessels
to anchor or out of harbour.
3. sb. The cord or rope with which the legs are hobbled.
4. sb. A scrape, a difficulty, or awkward position.
We got into a purty hobble over thick job.
HOBBLERS [aub'lur^], sb. Hovellers; boatmen or landsmen
employed to assist in bringing a vessel into or out of harbour.
These men are always known by this name in the little ports of the
Bristol Channel.
HOBBY [aub'ee]. i. A child's name for a horse. See BUPPO.
2. sb. A pursuit ; a pastime ; a favourite plan ; a delight.
Horses be all his/wb&y. I never widn gee much vor nobody, nif
they 'ant a-got a hobby o' one sort or another.
A piece of landscape gardening near Wellington, consisting of a
large pond, an island with temple, £c., is always known by old
people who remember its construction as Proctor's Hobby, by
young people it is always the
HOBBY [aub'ee], v. i. To romp with men in a wanton, lewd
manner: said only of females. (Very common.)
Her '11 hobby wi' any fuller.
Thee wut steehoppee, and colty, and hobby, and rigzy wi' enny kesson zoul.
Ex. Scold. 1. 267. See also 1. 299.
HOBBY-HORSE [aub'ee airs], sb. A sham horse moved by a
person inside ; a stage horse. In olden times the hobby-horse
formed part of the sports of the village revel. At Minehead fair
the hobby-horse used to be brought out annually, up to within
fifty years ago.
Applied to a woman the epithet is coarse and offensive.
344 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
S<e Ben Jonson, Entertainment to the Queen, vol. v. p. 21 1, ed. Walley ; als o
Shall th' hobby-horse be forgot then,
The hopeful hobby-horse shall he lie founder'd ?
Beaumont and Ptetcfter, Woman Pleased, I. ii.
In the same act we are told how the horse was carried :
Take up your horse again, and girth him to you,
And girth him handsomely.
Net zo chockling, ner it zo crewnting, as thee art, a colting hobby-horse.
Ex. Scold. 1. 46.
HOBE ! [hoa'b !]. The usual call for a cow, repeated deliberately
and with much emphasis. The words used for calling or driving
animals are as distinct and invariable in their use, as the corre-
sponding sounds are when applied to human beings. See JUP, HAW,
JEE, WUG, CHOOK.
Also in driving oxen the plough-boys use hobe ! in a sort of sing-
song way, but at the same time shout it angrily when using the gore
to prod them, or to cause them to back ; then it is [Hocfbaak /]
This is the same word as Ha-ape in the Ex. Scold. 1. 51. Tha
art zo vore-zeet nif Vauther dedn't ha-ape l\\&. See also Ib. p. 133.
HOB-NOB [aub-naub], v. /. To sit drinking together.
They was hob-nobbin together down to Clock (Inn) last Zadurday
night ; I never did'n think they'd vail out lig that there.
I cannot see any connection between hob-nob and hab or nab
(q. v.), at least in the dialect; though Nares seem to think them
identical.
HOCK-HOLLER [auk-airlur], sb. Hollyhock, althea rosea.
The name of a hamlet in the parish of West Buckland, near
Wellington.
HOE [hoa], sb. A hill, as the Hoe at Plymouth. Generally used
as a suffix, as Yvcihoe, Martin/*<?<?, Trentis//<?^ — the two latter in the
Exmoor district. Hoe is not an uncommon name for a farm.
HOG [aug], sb. i. Applied to horses or sheep of a year old.
Hogs, simply, would be understood to mean sheep of a year old of
either sex ; these would be more particularly described as [yoa.'ai/gg]
ewe hogs, [wadh'ur augz] wether hogs, or [aug raa'mz] hog rams.
A hog colt would mean either a colt or filly of a year old. In
the Wellington Weekly News of March i4th, 1878, is an advertise-
ment of a sale of " Live Stock," among which is a " black hog cart
mare." The word hogget is not used, nor is hog applied to swine.
150 splendid fat sheep, nearly all wether hogs. Upwards of 100 exceedingly
prime and extra grazed steers and heifers.
Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 2, 1886.
2. In the com. phr. I 'ont hark to, or I don't care vor hog, dog,
nor devil. This is probably an alliterative change from hob or
devil. Cf. Hob-goblin.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 345
From elves, hobs, and fairies,
That trouble our dairies ;
From fire-drakes and fiends,
Such as the devils sends,
Defend us, good heaven !
Beaumont and Fletcher, Mons. Thomson, IV. vi.
HOG [aug], v. t. To cut short the mane of a horse or pony, so
lat it stands straight up like a brush. Judging from statues and
reliefs of horses, the custom was common among the Greeks and
Romans in classic times.
HOG-MANED [aug-mae'unud], adj. A horse or pony whose
mane has been cut short is so described. I have seen the term
used by auctioneers in their advertisements.
HOGO [hoa-goa], sb. Stink, strong smell. Fr. Haut gout.
Well, Soce, this here's a pretty hogo, sure enough !
HOG-WOOL [haug- eol], sb. The wool of a hog sheep which
had not been shorn as a lamb, and consequently it is the growth of
about eighteen months instead of twelve, the ordinary growth of the
fleece. Hog-wool is, by reason of its age, of greater length of staple,
and generally of more value per Ib. than the fleece of the same
animal if it had been shorn as a lamb at six months old. Of certain
breeds, and in some districts, the lambs are never shorn ; but in the
south of England it is found that the lambs thrive better in hot
weather without their coats. Hal. is utterly wrong in his definition.
HOKE [hoa'k], v. To gore ; to thrust with the horns : applied
to horned cattle. See HORCH.
This word rather implies the playful thrusting of the horns,
while to horch implies actual or attempted goring.
HOLD [oa-l(d], v. i. Applied to vessels containing liquid. To
be sound, not to leak ; to hold (liquid understood). Thick there
cask 'ont hold, tidn no good to put it in he — /. e. the cask leaks.
The b.iy's a let go, an' I be afeard we shant make 'n hold again.
The wall o' the leat don't hold, the water's all hurnin away.
HOLDERS [oa-ldurz], sb. The fangs of a dog.
HOLDIN [oa-ldeen],/rtr/. adj. Beholden.
I'd zoonder work my vingers to bones, than I'd be holdin
to they.
I am to no man holden trewely
So muche as yowe, and have so litil quyt.
Chaucer, Troyli4s and Cryseyde, 1. 241.
HOLD UP [oa'ld aup], v. i. To leave off raining, or to con-
tinue fine.
I hope t'll hold up zoon, or I can't think whatever we shall do
about the wheat sowing.
346 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Please God I'll hold up' gin to-marra night, all our hay' 11 be
up in rick.
HOLD WITH [oa-ld wai], v. i. To approve of.
I don't hold wi' none o' these here fine, new-fangled notions.
I do hold wi' letting volks do eens they be a minded to.
HOLING [oa-leen], part, and adj. Picking holes; fig. give
to fault-finding.
A purty holin old thing her is !
"Sir," quoj) the knyjt, "sometyme is such" holiyin% and perforacion goode,
and not wikkrfc. Gesta Rom. p. 10.
Oil vor whistering and pistering, and hoating and halzening, or cuffing a Tale.
Ex. Scold. 1. 297.
HOLLER [aul'ur], v. i. \. To cry out; to shriek; to halloo.
Don't you holler avore you be hurted.
Never holler till you be out o' the 'ood.
2. sb. Hunting. The cry given when the quarry is seen ; the
view-halloo ; the tally-ho !
The deer's gwain vor Homer, I yeard a holler down the bottom.
3. sb. Hollow ; a carpenter's tool ; a small plane, having a
concave or hollow cutting iron, with which to plane a convex
surface.
Th' old Tamlin had a got a fust-rate lot o' tools ; why ! he'd
a got a wole set o' rounds and hollers. See ROUND.
4. adv. Altogether ; thoroughly. He'll beat he holler.
5. adj. Tech. concave.
[Kaa-n due noa'urt wai dhaat dhae'ur boo'urd, tez z-airlur,']
can't do anything with that (lot of) board, 'tis so hollow.
HOLLER MEAT [aul'ur mait], sb. Any kind of poultry when
dead. A man said to me of another who was suspected of stealing
fowls : "Jim was always a tartar for holler meat." (Very com.)
HOLLER-MOUTH [aul'ur-maewdh], sb. An epithet for a foul-
mouthed ruffian.
"A gurt holler-mouth " is a very common expression.
HOLLER-MOUTHED [aul'ur-maew'dhud], adj. Noisy;
swearing ; abusive ; addicted to loud, coarse language.
Why, there id'n no gurt holler-moutheder fuller 'thin twenty mild.
HOLLER-TOOL [aul'ur-teol], sb. A cooper's drawing knife,
bent into a shape suitable for shaving out the inner surfaces of
casks.
HOLLIN [haul -een,/m. /<*/•/. of to holloa, or halloo]. Hallooing;
shouting ; crying.
:
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 347
I yeard em hollin mackerell s'morning, but I didn ax how they
was zellin o' m.
You never didn year no jis hollin and wurrawin, eens they zot
up, hon they know'd who'd a-car'd the day.
Zom hootin, heavin, soalin, hau'lin !
Zom in the mucks, and pellum sprawlin ;
Leek pancakes all zo flat.
Peter Pindar, Royal Visit, st. 3.
HOLM [oa-m], sb. The common holly is always so called — not
applied to any kind of oak.
Mind you bring some Christmasin, a good bush o' holm, and a
mestletoe, s'now.
HOLME, or holly. Ulmus, hussus. — Promp. Parv.
The HOLLY (Holme, or Hulver) tree, Houx, hous. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
HOLMEN [oa'meen], adj. Made of holly. A public house
is called " The Holmen Clave 1 " — /. e. the holly beam. See CLAVEL.
Of thornes and busshes ben her garnement,
And of holmen leues, I sigge verrayment.
Weber, Met. Rom., Kyng Alisaunder, 1. 4944.
Of the Holme, Holly, or Hulver tree. This tree or shrub is called in Latine
Agrifolium : in high DUTCH, WALDDISTELL, and of diners STECPALMEN : in
English, Holly, Huluer, and Holme. Gerard, p. 1339.
HOLM [oa-m], sb. An island. The best example is that of
the well-known islands in the Bristol Channel, the Steep Holm
and the Flat Holm, visible from every part of the Somerset coast.
HOLM, place be-sydone a watur (be-syde a water, s.). Hulmus.
See Way's note, Promp. Parv. p. 243.
HOLM-SCREECH [oa-m-skreech], sb. The missel-thrush is
always known by this name, and no other. Turdus visdvorus.
HOLT [oa'lt], sb. A wood or grove. The name occurs in
that of one or more farms, as Ash/w//, Knock/w//.
HOLT ! [oa'lt]. Halt ! stop ! This word is always used by a
man to his mate or mates working with him, when he desires to
stop. Among sawyers, blacksmiths, and handicrafts, where two
or more men have to work in concert, the expression is invariable.
It is never used in speaking to horses or cattle.
HOLUS-BOLUS [hoa-lus-boa-lus], phr. Without asking leave ;
whether we will or no. Corruption of nolins-volens.
They come and tookt th'osses. holus-bolus, and never so much
as axed or zaid thank ee.
HOLY-FLINT [oa'lee-vlun-t], sb. A flint with a natural hole
through it. It is very lucky to find such a stone, as it is better
even than a horse- shoe to keep off the pixies, or the witches, or
348 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
the evil-eye. Whether holy refers to the hole, or to the supposed
sanctity of the stone I cannot say ; but the superstition is evidently
wide-spread, for Brockett mentions it in his Glossary of North
Country Words, 1825.
HOME [oa-m], adv. Close to.
Her and her mother do live home beside o' we, the house id'r
ezactly in the street, but he's home by.
I auft ta love the stream — an' do —
Ver I wiz born -whum (home) by es side,
An' went to school, an' sar'd my time,
An' all my furns there too da bide.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 6.
HOME-COMING [oa'm, aunv-kaunreen], sb. The arrival of
the bride at her husband's home. This used to be celebrated
with much festivity, but now it is mostly confined to a peal on the
church bells.
A purty home-coming that, sure 'nough, vor to slink in to the
back-door, 's off they was asheeamed to show therzuls.
And of the feste that was at hire weddynge,
And of the tempest at hire hoom-comynge :
What folk be ye that at myn hom-comynge
Pertourben so my feste with cryenge ?
Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 11. 25, 47.
HOME-FIELD [oa'm-fee'ul]. The piece of land next adjoining
the homestead is usually the home-field ; in addition, there is
usually another on the other side, adjoining the barn, and this is
nearly always the barns-dose. One or both of these names for the
fields next the house are to be found on nearly every farm.
HOME-MADE [oa'm-mae'ud], adj. Rough ; unpolished. This
term is applied to any article of a makeshift or unfinished character.
Well, 'nif thick idn the [oa'm-mae'udees] home-madest looking
wagon I've a zeed 's longful time ! wherever did 'e get 'n ? There
idn a bit o' form nor farshin in un.
HOME TO [oa'm tue], adv. i. As far as ; up to.
The routs was up home to the nuts o' the wheels.
The water was out over the road, up home to the turnpike gate.
Ees, and I was a-fo'ced to go droo it, and 'twas up home to my
vork.
Home to door is a very common idiom, meaning as far as the
door. We went 'long way un all the way, right home to door.
This has nothing to do with home, sb.
Us rests a bit, an then go'th vore,
An then I zee'th her home ta door.
Nathan Hogg, Tha Milshy, Ser. I. p. 37.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 349
2. adv. phr. All but ; only excepting. A woman robbed of
her cabbages, said :
[Dhai'v u kaard uwai' airl aay-d u-gairt, oa'm tu dhee'uz yuur,
un dliik idn u waeth noa-urt,] they have stolen all I had, excepting
this one alone, and this is worthless.
HON [haun], adv. When. See HOT. (Usual form.)
I can't mind hon I zeed zo many volks to fair avore.
Hon I was s' old's you be, I was a fo'ce to work.
I'll lef the kay o' the door, and vetch 'n hon I come back along.
HONESTY [aun-istee]. The flower Lunaria biennis. See
MONEY-IN-BOTH-POCKETS.
HONEY [umree]. A common term of endearment.
Sally my honey !
Take care o' your money.
HONEY-BALL [huinree-baul]. Flower. Buddlea globosa.
HONEY-SUCK [uun-ee-zeok], sb. The flowers of common red
clover. (Com.)
Medow Trefoile is called in Latine 7 "rifoltitm praten se : .... in English,
Common Trefoile, Three leafed grasse : of some, suckles, Hony-suckles and
Cocks-heads. Gerard, Herbal, p. 1187.
HONEY-SWEET [uun-ee-zweet]. i. Spiraa Ulmaria. As often
so-called as Meadow-sweet.
2. adv. and adj. Usually applied to hay or straw.
Well, tidn very good hay, but I mixes their corn 'long way it,
and puts a little bit o' salt in 'long way it, and then they eats it
honey- sweet.
I was afeard o' un (the rick), 'cause 'twas out so long, but how-
somever, he cuts out honey-sweet.
HONEY-SWEET : Melliflue. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
HOOK [eok], sb. A bill-hook for chopping wood. All other
kinds of hooks have a descriptive prefix, as a spar-hook for making
spars (q. v.) ; a reap-hook, a sickle for reaping corn; a staff-hook,
i. e. with a long stale for trimming up hedges. A carpenter pointing
out bad work in some sash frames, said, Feb. 1885 :
" Nif I widn chop em out way a hook, and stick em way a board-
nail better-n that there is, I'd ate em 'thout zalt ! "
HOOKED [eok'ud], adj. Applied to a saw when its teeth are
so pointed as to catch in the wood instead of cutting smoothly; in
other districts the saw is said to be " too rank," here it is always
" too hjoked." See CLOSE.
350 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HOOP [eo'p], sb. The bullfinch — usual name. Pyrrhula
vulgaris.
They hoops be beating out the bud again ter'ble, we must burn
some more powder 'bout em — i. e. shoot at.
HOOP [bo-p], v. i. To whoop ; to shout. Used generally with
holler (i v. /.).
I yeard-n hoopin and hollering ever so long nvore I zeed-n.
There was purty works way em ; you never yeard no jis hoopin
and hollerin in all >our live, 'twas fit to wake the very dead.
Of horn and boon, in which they blew and powpede,
And therwithal thay schryked and they howpede :
It seemed tho as that heven schulde falle.
Chaucer, The Nonne Prestes Tale, 1. 579.
HOOP ! [ue'p !], interj. The word used by carters to their
horses to move on. It is never used when the horses are already
in motion, nor is it used except to heavy teamsters ; but it is the
regular word among farm carters to start their "plough" (q. v.),
whether drawing sull, harrows, or wagon. It is precisely analogous
to the shrill yee ! of French carters.
HOOP-HEADED [eop-ai'dud], adj. Hunting.
A stag whose horns are curved upwards, and between which the space narrows
towards the points, is said to be hoop-headed. — Colly ns, p. 41.
HOP [haup], v. t. To cause glass or ware to crack by putting
hot water suddenly into it.
Mind you don't hop the glass.
HOP O' MY THUMB [aup- u mea dhuunr], sb. A dwarf or
dv\arfish person ; also a fop or dandy.
Hoppe upon my thombe—fretillon. — Palsgrave.
HOPPER [aup'ur], sb. The large, tapering-shaped trough over
the mill-stones, in which is placed the grain to be ground. It is
from the hopper that the mill-clapper (q. v.} causes the grain to
flow down in a small regulated stream upon the nether mill-stone.
HOPER of a mylle, or a tramale — Taratantara. — Promp. Parv.
HOPPER of a myll, tremye. — Palsgrave, p. 232.
The HOPPER of a mill : Huche, tremie, tremuye, ou trcmblante de moulin.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
By God, right by the hopper will I stand,
(Quod John) and see how that the corn goes in.
Yet saw I never, by my father's kin,
How that the hopper wagges to and fro.
Chaucer, Reeve s Tale, 1. 4034.
In old, small mills the hopper itself was made to vibrate to and fro
so as to shake out the corn — no doubt this is the allusion above ;
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 351
but this motion has nothing to do with to hop, as suggested by
Way) Promp. Parv. 246), because a corn-hutch or receptacle for
grain, having no connection with a mill, is still called a hopper.
This is further proved by the following :
And heng hus hoper on bus hals : in stede of a scrippe ;
A broussel of bred-corn : brouht was J>er-ynne.
Piers Plow. IX. 1. 60.
Hopur ot a seedlepe (or a seedlepe, HARL, MS. 2274). Satoriiim, saticuluni,
SeedUp, or hoptir. Satorium. — Promp. Parv. pp. 246, 451.
HOPPERS [aupuirz], sb. The white maggots which are found in
cheese and hams. These have the power of curling and suddenly
straightening themselves, thereby they are able to hop or leap
several inches.
HOPPETY [aup-utee], v. i. To hop. Same as HACKETY (q. v.).
HOPPETY-KICK [aup-utee-kik-]. A person lame from having
one leg shorter than the other. See DOT.
You don't zay her's gwain to have thick there hoppety-kick fuller !
HOPPING-STOCK [aup'een-stauk]. Called also Upping-
stock. The stone steps so often seen at farm-houses and roadside
inns, by which a horse is mounted. In the olden time, when pillions
irere common, these steps were essential. Called Horsing-steps in
Yorkshire.
HOPPY [aup-ee], v. i. To hop ; to jump.
[Aa'l maek dhee aup-ee lau'ng, sh-uur mee, neef duVn muuvee],
['11 make you get on, dost hear me ? if dost not make haste.
Chell make thy kepp hoppee, wi' thy Vlanders lace upon 't.
Ex. Scold. \. 95.
HORCH [au-rch], v. To gore with the horns.
T'on't do for they bullicks for to be a-dring'd up too much,
iey'11 sure t' /torch one or tother. This is the common word.
HOREHOUND [oa-raewn], sb. A herb in much repute for
^mentations. Marrubium vulgare.
CommDn Horehound boyled in water and drunke, openeth the liuer and
Dleene and preuailes greatly against an old cough. — Gerard, p. 694.
HORN-BEAM [aurn-beem], sb. The wych-elm. In this district
the usual name for Ulmus Montana.
Called .... in English, Horn-beam, Hard-beam, Yoke-elme, and in some
laces Witch Hasell. Gerard, p. 1479.
HORN EN [aurneen], adj. Made of horn. A hornen lantern
in every farm stable. A hornen cup, hornen comb, &c.
Sing Je to the Lord in an harpe, in harpe and vois of saum : in trumpis betun
with hainer, and in vois of the hornene trumpe. — Psalm cvii. 6, IVydifvers.
352 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HORN-SHUT [au-rn-shuut], adj. Crooked; twisted; out of
the straight line. (Very com.)
Thick there board 'on't do ; can't never get-n true, he's s'/iorn-
shufs a dog's hind leg.
Horn is one of the usual similes to express extreme crookedness.
So crooked's a horn. See SHUT.
HORRY, adj. Filthy; foul. This word occurs in the Ex.
Scold. 11. 47, 155, 205.
Thy waistcoat all horry, &c. ; but it is now almost obsolete. I
have never heard it used, but old people know the word.
Ang.-Sax. horig, dirty ; hortva, hbru, dirt ; hyrwian, to defile.
Of vche best j?at here} lyf ' busk \>Q a cupple,
Of vche clene conily kynde ' enclose seuen makej,
Of vche honued, in ark * halde bot a payre.
Alliterative Poems (A.D. 1360), E. E. T. S., ed. Morris, 1. 333.
]>e spot of hor (filth) : is }>e couaytise of )>e wordle.
Ayenbite of Iniuyt, p. 228.
Somtyme envyous folke with tunge hormue
Depart en hem, alas ! — Chaucer, Comp. Mars and Venus, 1. 206.
f>at }>is synfull world J?at so horry ys. — Chron. Vilod. st. 467.
See Old. Eng. Homilies, 2. 141. Rd. Ant. 2. 176. HOWERLY, Mauley
and Cor. Glos. p. 139.
HORSE [au's], sb. A cross-legged frame, on which logs are laid
to be sawn up.
HORSE BUTTERCUP [airs buad-urkuup-], sb. Marsh marigold.
(Very com.) Caltha palustris .
HORSE-COPER [airs-koa-pur], sb. A low kind of horse-
dealer ; one who frequents fairs and markets in search of the
unwary.
'Twas a very purty lot o' 'm, I 'sure 'ee. There was Tom Saffin
the heigler, and Gypsy George the horse-coper, and tailder Jones ;
and he — what's er a called? — up to Rogue's Roost, the broom-squire ;
lor ! I can't mind the name o' un ; but there they was all to a heap,
and a purty drunksnest 'twas, sure 'nough.
HORSE-DAISY [airs-darzee], sb. The dog daisy or mar-
guerite. Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum. (Always.)
HORSE-FLY [airs-vluy], sb. The Gad-fly. See HORSE-STINGER.
HORSE-HOVE [au-s-oa'v], sb. and v. t. Horse-hoe. An im-
plement drawn by a horse which slices off the weeds just below
the surface of the ground. Often called a sham.
HORSE-MINT [au's-miint], sb. Usual name of wild mint, very
common in marshy places in this district. Mentha sylvestris.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 353
HORSES [au-sez], To "put horses together" is to agree after
a difference.
HORSE'S HEAD [airsez ai'd], sb. The usual simile with
which to compare any object for its bigness or shapeless ugliness.
Dec. 1881, a man said to me about some draining:
I never didn zee the fuller place o' it for stones ; why I've a
tookt out stones out o' thick there gutter, so big and so ugly as a
horse's head.
Horse as a prefix seems to have the force of Italian acd, and to
imply coarseness and roughness, as in horse-play, horse-daisy,
horse-radish, horse- faced, horse-mint.
Cf. HORSEHEAD, Derbyshire Mining Terms, B. 10.
HORSE-STINGER [airs-sting-ur], sb. The common dragon-fly
of all varieties is known only by this name. The gad-fly is never
called a horse-stinger, pace Halliwell.
HOSE [oa'uz], sb. Hoarseness. (Very common.) A well-known
local cattle specific, on the wrapper of each bottle, sets out the
various ailments it professes to cure in various animals, and inter
alia reads thus :
YEARLINGS
Husk
CALVES j Worms in Throat.
An authentic story is told of a clergyman, who on arriving at
Withypool to preach next day, found the sexton on the Saturday
night walking up and down the river Barle. In reply to natural
inquiry, he said he was trying to get a bit of a hose, because he had
to sing bass in church next day. Ang.-Sax. hwosta, a cough.
Hoos (hors, K, hoorse, P.). Rauens.
HOOSE, or cowghe (host, or cowhe, K. host, or cowgth, s. hoost, HARL. Ms.
2274). Tussts. — Promp. Parv.
An HOST ; tussis, tussicula.
To HOST ; tussire. — Cath. Anglicum.
In Leslie churchyard, Fifeshire —
Here lies the body of Andrew Brown,
Sometime a wright in Lunnon toon,
In the year seventeen hunner and seventy-three
When coming his parents for to see,
Of a cauld and a sair host
He died upon the Yorkshire coast.
Spectator, Sep. 6, 1884, p. 1173.
Then ha took up es pipe, an ha kauff'd auff tha hoce,
An zeth Varmer Jan Vaggis — " Wull harky now, zoce."
Nathan Hogg, Ser. I. p. 49.
See HESK.
HOSEBIRD [oa-zburd, hoa-zburd, wuuz-burd], sb. An epithet
A A
354 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
of reproach (very common) ; no doubt the corruption of whore's
brood. Plenty of examples in these pages.
Let me catch the young /wsebird, that's all, aa'll make'n know.
Not used as an adj. , like the whoreson of Shakespeare.
HOSED [oa'uzd], adj. Afflicted with hoarseness or cough.
I be a hosed up that bad I can't hardly spake. See HOSE.
Good vor nort bet scollee, avore tha art a hoazed that tha cast scarce yeppy.
Ex. Scold. 1. 1 60.
HOSED [oa'U7,d],/tfr/. adj. A cant phrase for died, like croaked.
Nif tha young George Hosegood had a had tha, he murt a hozed in a little
time. Ex. Scold. 1. 290.
HOSSED [au'seed], adj. The condition of a mare ; horseward.
HOT [haut]. What. In this word and in when (see HON) the
w sound is omitted. (Very com.)
" Hot be 'bout then, soce ! " is to be heard daily.
And more an zo, there's no Direct to hot tha tell'st.
Ex. Scold. 1. 149. See also 11. 207, 213, &c.
HOUND [aewn(d], sb. Part of a wagon. One of the two or
more pieces which are morticed through the poll-piece of the fore-
tarriage, and which carry the sweep-piece. This latter permits the
carriage to turn upon the main-pin without causing undue strain
upon it. Not used in spring wagons.
HOUND [aewn]. A term of reproach — generally applied to
boys.
You lazy, good-for-nort young hound, I'll skin yer backzide vor
ee, I will !
HOUSE [aewz], sb. i. The living room ; the ground floor
generally.
[Dhu vloo'ur-z u-wae'urd aewt, eens Uz u guurt oa'l rai't-n dhu
mdd'1 u d\\-aewz,~\ the floor is worn out, so that there is a great
hole right in the middle of the living room. This verbatim report
conveyed a very definite idea. The floor (q. v.) of fine concrete
had been broken, and so a hollow of the thickness of the concrete,
less the trodden dirt, appeared. Gurt holes of this kind are very
common, and often remain without much inconvenience for many
years. See DOWN HOUSE.
2. A room in any building, as a rm\\i-house, brew-bouse^ ma\t-/iouse,
pound-house, c\d&i-house, wash-fiouse, meat-house.
HOUSE [aewz], v. t. Used respecting corn or hay ; to place
under cover, in rick or in barn.
All the corn's ^.-housed in our parish.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 355
HOUSEHOLD [aewzl], adj. Ordinary: [aewzl brai'd,]
common bread, as distinguished from fancy.
The pronunciation of this word is peculiar, the second syllable
being shortened down to a mere /, quite as short as the second
syllable in whistle.
HOUSEHOLD-GOODS [aewzl-geodz], sb. Furniture of a
house is scarcely ever called by any other name.
I would not mind giving up the house if I could tell what to do
with my household-goods.
HOUSING [aewzeen], sb. A broad leather flap which is
fastened to the top of a horse's collar. In fine weather it stands
upright ; in wet weather it is turned down (its true use) to keep the
horse's shoulders dry. The word also includes many kinds of
ornaments erected over the collar of the vore-horse. Not uncom-
monly may be seen and heard a row of four or five loud jangling
bells, fixed under a board, and surrounded by a fringe of the
brightest yellow and red worsted, all this towering quite a foot
above the horse's shoulders.
HOVE [oa-v], v. t. and sb. Hoe.
For having o1 turmuts, did'n ought to have your hove no less'n nine
inches wide.
HOVER [uuvur], v. i. To remain undecided ; to pause before
acting. A man is said to hover about when considering a bargain
before completing it. The idea is no doubt taken from the action
of the hawk, which remains hovering or fluttering over its prey,
and then suddenly darts upon it.
HOVERS [uuvurz], sb. Hiding-places for fish. Any over-
hanging stone or bank under which a fish can hide is so called.
Also any kind of overhanging shelter, especially hollows in the side
of a hedge.
" Be sure and keep your eye 'pon the hovers along thick side
o' the hedge." Said by a keeper while rabbiting. — Dec. 1883.
HOW [aew], sb. Way. In the phr. " no how."
I can't do it no how ; no, not to save my life.
HOWDERIN [uwdureen], adj. Applied to the weather.
Cloudy, overcast, threatening, stormy.
We wants a little bit o' sun now vor to kern up the wheat ; these
yere howderin days like be good vor the turmuts, but they be bad
vor the corn.
HOWKES ! HOWSHE ! [aewks ! aewsh !], infer/. Exclamation
used in driving pigs (very com.), but usually in connection with
Turr !
[Tuuru ! aewks! tuur ! aewshu !~\
A A 2
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HOWSOMDEVER [uvvsumduvur]. Nevertheless, howsoever,
at all events.
HUCK [uuk], sb. Hock. (Always.) See COW-HOCKED.
HUCKLE-BONE [uuk'l-boa'un], sb. The hip-bone.
The HUCKLE-BONE : Gnarignon, afragak, noix. — Shenuood.
If thou shalte bye fatte oxen or kye, handel them and se that they be soft
on the fore-croppe, behynde the shulder, and vpon the hindermost rybbe, and
upon the hitcbone, and the nache of by the tayle.
Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 57, p. 53.
HUCK-MUCK [uuk'-muuk], sb. i. A strainer used in brewing.
It consists of a bundle of twigs, generally part of an old broom,
which is placed at the bottom of the mashing-keeve, or vat, to
prevent the grains running out when the wort is drawn off.
2. A term for a paltry, mean person ; a humbug.
I calls'n a proper huck-muck.
Ya huck muck son of a bitch, thee't ha my tools again in a hurry,
aa'll warn thee !
The old Mag Dawkins is bet a Huckmuck to tha. — Ex. Scold. 1. 116.
HUCKSHINS [uuk-sheenz], sb. The hock-shins; under-side
of the thighs just above the bend of the knee. See GAMERELS.
Thy Hozen muxy up zo vurs thy Gammerels to tha very Hucksheens o' tlia.
Ex. Scold. 1. 154.
HUCKSTER [uuk'stur], sb. A petty tradesman ; a small shop-
keeper.
They do keep a little huckster s shop, and zells can'ls, and baccy-
pipes, and that.
HVVKSTARE (httkstere, K.). Auxionator, auxionarius. — Promp. Pan.
HUCSTER, a man — quocqnetier.
1 love nat to sell my ware to you, you hucke so sore. Votis harcellez si trestant.
Palsgrave, p. 588.
An HUCKSTER. Regrateur, regratier, revendeur, maqitignon. — Sherwood.
HUD [uud], sb. The shell or sheath of seed-bearing plants, as
of peas, beans, &c.
'Tid'n a good sort o' peas, there's too much hud to 'em.
Also the skin of fruits, as of grapes, gooseberries.
Billy, be you eating the hud of the gooseberries ?
HUFF [uuf], sb. Offence, sulks.
Her was in a purty huff about it.
HUFFY [uufee], adj. Apt to take offence, or become sulky.
Her's a huffy old thing, nif her id'n a keep plaised.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 357
HUG [uug], sb. The itch; called also the Welshman's hug.
Scabies.
HUGGER-MUGGER [uug-ur-mugg'ur], adj. Untidy, slovenly
in housekeeping.
Tis a shockin poor hugger-mugger concarn way em, I 'sure ee.
HUH [uuh]. Pronounced like a kind of grunt. When a thing
is out of perpendicular, or when a wheel runs "out of truth," or
when anything is lop-sided, it is said to be " all of a huh."
"The old woman (now dead) who used to keep my lodge, seeing the gardener
thinning the shrubs, asked me, 'An' wunt yer onner ha that wee-wowy auld
olive down? I do zim he do grow all a htih like.'" — Letter from Dr. Prior,
Nov. 12, 1886.
HULK [uulk], sb. Seed or grain when mixed with the chaff —
/. e. after being thrashed, but before it is winnowed.
We draws in the hulk into the barn eens we do drash it, fear
o' the rain. — Feb. 12, 1881.
HULKING [uul'keen], adj. Ungainly, awkward — generally
preceded by great.
I never zeed no such gurt hulking fuller. This expression implies
idle as well as awkward.
HULL [uul], v. t. i. To shell ; to thrash seed from the pod
or sheath.
They be coming way th' ingin a Monday, vor to hull thick there
rick o' clover-zeed. They there pays (peas) on't never pay vor hullin.
2. sb. The husk or sheath of seed, as of peas, beans, vetches,
clover, &c.
HOOLE, or huske (hole, s. koll, p.). Siliqua.
HOOLE of pesyn', or benys, or o]>er coddyd fnite (hole of peson, or huske, or
codde, K. cod fiute, P.). Tecka, CATH. infressus. Promp. Parv.
GOUSSE : The husk, swad, cod, hull of beans, pease, &c. — Cotgrave.
I settc jowre patentes and Jowre pardoun} • at one pies hele!
Piers Plowman, B. vil. 193.
Note to above gives, pese hule c. (Camb. MS.) ; peese hole B. (Bodley MS.).
HULLER [uul'ur], sb. A special drum, or apparatus belonging
to a thrashing-machine, by which the seed pod or hull of peas,
beans, clover, &c. is broken up without injuring the seed.
HUM [huum], sb. Lie, false report. (Emphatic word.)
Don't 'ee believe it, 'tis all a hum.
HUMDRUM [uunrdruum], sb. A low butt (q. v.) with broad
wheels for drawing manure.
HUMOUR [yuunvur], sb. i. Matter or pus from a wound or
boil.
358 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
He 'on't be no better till all the [yuunvur-z] humours a draw'd
out.
2. A boil ; a gathering.
Thick there 'oss must have a drench vor to cold-n down, and
stop they humours about-n.
HUMOURLESS [yuunrurlees], adj. i. Subject to eruptions
of the skin.
Ter'ble humourless [yuunvurlees] horse — always somethin or
nother the matter way un.
2. Humoursome, frolicsome, joking.
So good-tempered, humourless a young fellow as you shall vind
in a day's march.
HUMOURY [yuunvuree], adj. Of the condition of a horse
or other animal ; a tendency to inflammation or eruption on the
skin ; liable to boils or pustules. Much the same as humourless.
HUMP-BACKED [uump-baak'ud], adj. Applied to anything
crooked or awkwardly shaped, as well as to persons.
This here's a proper hump-backed old thing, why, he's so crooked's
a horn. Said of a piece of timber.
HUNDERD-LEGS [umrdurd, or uun'dvid-ligz], sb. The centi-
pede. (Usual name.)
HUNDRED [uun'durd, or uun'diid], sb. A variable number.
A small hundred is five score ; a long hundred is six score ; a
"hundredweight" is one hundred pounds, not one hundred and
twelve — just as forty weight, four score weight, &c., would be forty
and eighty pounds respectively. In markets, when buying by tale,
unless "the hundred of five score" is specially mentioned, the
hundred is understood to be one hundred and twenty, now often
called " a long hundred." See COME TO.
HUNE [eo-n], sb. Handle, haft. (Not com.)
The hune o' me knive's a-brokt.
HUNGRY [uung'gree], adj. Grasping, covetous, having.
Main near, hungry old feller, proper old skin-vlint.
HUNK, [uungk], sb. Hunch.
He'd a got a hunk o' burd'n cheese fit to make a farmer's heart
ache.
HUNKS [uunks], sb. A miser.
How much did Mr. give ?
He ! he's a rigler old hunks, mid so well try to git blid out of a
vlint-stone, as to get a varden out o' he.
HURD [uurd]. Red. (Always.) Also written Erd (q. v.).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 359
Redwood is quite a common surname, always pronounced
\Huur deo'd].
An' wi' em there was fturd-kwote chaps,
Wi' boots an' birches, roun'-crovvn caps.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 57.
HURDIN [uurdeen], sb. Redding — /. e. ruddle, very commonly
daubed about sheep. (Always so called.)
HURDY [uurdee], adj. Ruddy.
I spose they be burnin the hill again, the sky lookth so hurdy
thick way like.
The zun, lik' a gilded sheenin ball,
Ez zinken into rest :
An' ez hurdy light, aslant a-drow'd,
Da tinge the fiel's, the trees, the road.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 23.
HURN [uurn, huurn (emph.)], v. t. and /. To run. (Always.)
Ang.-Sax. yrnan. Abundant examples in these pages.
Hum cheel ! and vetch the tay-run (tea-urn ; always so).
ERNYN, as horse, cursito. — Promp. Parv.
]>et ilke blodi swot of his blisfule bodie, ]>et J?e streames vrnen adun to j?er
eorfce. Ancren Riwle, p. 112.
par bu]> also salt welles and hoote welles, )>er-of eorne\ stremes of hoot ba)>es,
to-deled yn dyuers places acordyng for man and womman.
Basilius seij? jsat \>e water ]>at eorne\ and passe}) by veynes of certyn metayl.
Trevisa, Descr. of Brit. (Morris and Skeat), p. 236, 1. 18. In the trans, pub.
in Rolls Series, vol. II, p. 15, the above is rendered renneth,
Every wilde dere astore,
Hy mo wen by cours ernen to fore.
Weber, Met, Rom.t 1C. Alts. 1. 5003.
That chyld Y tok up as yerne,
And lepte to hors and gan to erne.
Weber, Met. Rom., Octottian, I. 1933.
and jjanne welled water • for wikked werkes,
Egerlich ernyng ' out of mennes eyen.
Piers Plowman, B. XIX. 375.
Now, when the cows zeed I start off,
They vollar'd me, in coose,
An" kick'd, an' kurn'd, an' drow'd ther taails
An' blarid like the deuce.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 15.
HURRY-PUSH [uuree-peo-sh], adv. phr. Bustling, driving,
in haste.
Her's always alike, no rest wi' her, all hurry-push.
You can't expect to hab'm so well a made all hurry-push, as off
I'd a got time for to do un vitty like.
HURRY-SKURRY [uuree skuuree], v. t. and adv. To do
anything in a hasty, careless manner. Take it quiet, what's the good
to hurry-skurry over your work, you'll only be forced to do it again.
360 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
HURSH [uursh], v. and sb. Rush.
He hursht up in the chimmer, and catcht up the cheel, just avore
the roof vailed in.
HURTLE-BERRY [huurtl-buuree], HURTS [huurts], sb.
Whortleberry. Vacrinium Myrtillus.
The latter is the common name, the former is a little "fine"
talk, as belonging to literature. The cry Hurts ! hurts ! may be
heard daily in the season, in most towns and villages of the
district ; but now, alas ! the Board schools are corrupting the old
name into worts. They grow in great abundance on all the
moorlands of the Quantock, Brendon, and Exmoor District.
Perhaps Dunkerry and the surrounding hills are the most prolific.
Like other fruit produce they are twice as dear as formerly,
though quite as plentiful. Thirty years ago the regular price was
tivofence per quart, never more ; now it is 4^. and 6d.
Bewar at eve of crayme of cowe, and also of the goote, )>au3 it be late,
Of strawberies and hurtilberyes with the cold loncate.
John Russell's Boke of Nurture (Furnivall, Babees), 1. 8l.
Serue fastynge butter, plommes, damesons, cheryes, and grapes, after mete,
peres, nots, strawberyes, hurtelberyes, and hard chese.
Wynkyn de Worde, Boke of Keruynge (Furnivall), p. 266.
lanuaries abstract. Of trees or fruites to be set or remooued. 13. Hurtillberies.
Tusser, p. 76.
Here we came to a long check, the deer having been blanched by some hurtle-
pickers. Records, North Devon Staghounds, p. 93.
HUSK. See HESK, HOSE.
HUTCH [uuch], sb. i. A trap, specially of a box kind, for
catching the fish, animal, or vermin bodily, in distinction from a
gin. As a rak-hutch, te\-hutcfi, salmon-^///^, so also a big ugly
carriage is a booby-hutc/i. See SCUTTLE-HUTCH.
2. A box, a chest ; as a corn-hutch, a rabbit-^tf/V^.
HOCHE, or whyche (husch, s. hoche, or hutche, H. P.). Cista, archa.
HUTCHE, or whyche, supra in HOCHE. Cista, archa.
Promp. Parv. See Ways Note, p. 255.
Byn, to kepe breed or corne, — huche. — Palsgrave.
and halen al harlotrye ' to heren it, or to mouthen it ;
Tyl pernelles purfil • be put in here hucche ;
Piers Plowman, B. IV. 115.
Thenne sone com J>e seuen}>e day, when samned wern alle,
& alle woned in )>e whichche |>e wylde and J>e tame.
Early Alliterative Poems, Deluge, 1. 361.
3. A sluice for keeping back water.
Somebody corned along in the night, and vor mirschy (mischief)
pulled up the hutch, and let go'd all the mill-head.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 361
4. Called also the scuttk-hutch ; a covered recess in a barn,
adjoining the " floor," into which the grain is shovelled as fast as it
is thrashed to await the winnowing.
5. Hatch (q. v.}, or half-door to a barn or stable, also to a house.
Many cottages have a hutch outside the door proper, often called
the half-hutch.
HUZZY [uuz'ee], sb. A term for a girl implying reproach.
An impudent young huzzy.
I [u]. Common form of prefix to past participles, used by writers
indifferently with a. Abundant examples are given by Halliwell,
vol. i. p. 472. See VIII. A. i, p. 4.
It is to be noted, that very frequently the use of the prefix in the
dialect supplants the ordinary past inflection, whether strong or
weak, as in [u-bae'uk, u-bee, u-baeg, u-deo', u-goo,] for baked, been,
begged, done, gone, &c.
Further, inasmuch as this pxefix, whether written /, or y, or a, or
u, is or may be used in the dialect with all verbs whatsoever,
it is quite needless to extend these pages by the insertion of words
merely to illustrate this use. Those only are to be found which
have some other peculiarity — e.g. loss of the ordinary past in-
flection, or reduplication of inflection by addition of the weak to
the strong. See W. S. Gram., p. 48.
I-BAKE [u-bae-uk], /. part, of the v. t. to bake.
We hant i-bake [u-bae'uk] no cakes to-day.
The intrans. form would be \u-bae~ ukud\.
Mr. Porter, be you gwain to baky to-morrow ?
No ! I hant \u-baeukutf\ i-baked Zundays, not's longful time.
Ther is payn and peny-ale • as for a pytance y-take,
Colde flessh and cold fyssh ' for veneson y-bake ;
Frydayes and fastyng-dayes ' a ferthyng- worth of muscles
Were a feste for suche folke • o)>er so fele Cockes. — Piers Plow., X. 92.
.... the queene Simyramus
Leet dichen al about, and walles make
Ful hye, of harde tiles wel ybake :
Chaucer, Legende of Goode Women, Tesbe, 1. 2.
I-BE [u-bee1],/. part, of to be. Been. (Very com., usual form.)
There, I will zay it ! you hant i-be [u-bee-] to zee your poor old
mother, nother once, never zinze her was a-tookt bad.
For if he had smyten |>e ymage, )>ou sholdest have I-be ded.
Gesta Roman, p. 3.
362 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Mvche aj> }>e sorwe ibe ' ofte in Engelonde,
As Je mowe her & er • ihure & understonde
Of moni bataile )>at aj) ibe ' & )>at men )>at lond nome.
Rob. of Gloucester, Will, the Conqueror, \. I (Morris and Skeat).
Forthi, take hede of al that I shal seye,
I have with hire ispoke, and long ibe.
Chaucer, Troyltts and Cryseyde, 1. 1079.
ICE-PLANT [uys plaent], sb. The common name for all
varieties of Mesembryanthemum, especially crystallium. There are
many new kinds, but each is known as " one of the ice-plants."
IDLE MAN [uydl man], sb. Gentleman; a man living on his
means, without any business or trade.
Nif I was on'y a idle man, same as you be, I'd zee wha'r they
should have it all their own way, or no.
IDLETON. An idler.
This word is given in the glossaries, but I cannot find that it
exists in the spoken dialect. I believe it to be a creation of some
funny poet, who has written in what he is pleased to call the
"Zummerzet Dialect."
ID'N [ud-n, ed'n, aed-n]. Is not.
This is not only the common but the invariable form. " Her id'n
no better " is the regular idiom for " She is not any better."
See W. S. Gram. p. 55.
Endless examples are to be found throughout these pages.
Bit za miny wis thare thit it idd'n no gude
Vur ta lull thur wan haf uv tha things thit was dude.
Nathan Hogg, Tha Gentlemen Aktcrs.
I-DO'£>U [u-del-d] } ' Done' p' part' of the v' f' to da (Always-)
These are the regular forms in daily use. See DONED.
Your job 'ont be i-do [u-deo1] gin 'marra night.
Th' old Bob hant i-do'd [u-deo'd dhu zuyv viifee] the scythe
properly. See VITTV.
Jms ido dede,
deafc ne akaste nawt Crist,
Ah Crist ouercom defc.
Life of St. Katherine, 1. 1123.
Harald him sende word • )>at folie it was to truste
To such oj>. as was ido ' mid streng|>e, as he wel wuste :
Rob. of Gloucester, Will, the Conq. 1. 21 (Morris and Skeat).
For hure broker sche gan to wepe ' ac sone sche had ido.
Wy]> myn enymys for to done '• f>at habbe]> ido }>is qued ?
J»at han me muche schame ido '. & y-slawe my messagers.
Sir Per umbras, 11. 1214, 1987, 2159. See also 11. 307, 379, 2467, 2563.
Gods Boddikins 'chill worke no more
dost thinke 'chill labor to be poore
no no ich haue a doe.
Somersetshire Man's Complaint. See Ex. Scold, p. 7.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 363
IF [neef], conj. Very often used redundantly with a negative
construction, especially at the beginning of a sentence or clause,
particularly in narration. See IN-AXD-OUT.
Nif the hail vvadn so big's marvels — /. e. simply the hail was as
large as marbles.
Nifth' old mare didn put along fit to tear up the very stones.
Our clock was a stapt, and hon we come to church, nif the
paa'sn wadn a-raidin o' the lessins, and we thort we was middlin in
time like.
IF-ING-AND-ANDING [eePeen-un-an'deen]. Hesitating.
I likes to hear anybody zay ees or no, to once, and not bide if-
in-and-andin gin anybody can't tell whe'r they be going to do it
or no.
IGNORANT [ign'urunt, h ign'urunt], adj. Wanting in manners.
The usual description of a rough, uncouth lout.
There idn a hignoranter gurt mump-head athin twenty mild, he
idn fit vor no woman's company.
I-GO [u-geo'], p. part, of to go. Gone. See AGO, p. 15.
A clerk ther was of Oxenford also,
That unto logik hadde long tyme i-go.
Chaucer, Prologue, 1. 285.
And multiplyinge evermoo,
Til that hyt be so fer ygoo
That hyt at bothe brynkes bee.
Ckattcer, House of Fame, 1. 293.
IKE [uyk]. Contraction of Isaac. (Com.)
So Ike Stone's a catcht to last, I thort he'd play thick game once
to many; now I reckon he'll be a tookt care o' vor one while.
I-KNOW [u-noa-], /. part, of to know. Known.
They zaid how twidn be \u-noa-~] i-know by nobody Vore the
votes was all a-told, and then twidn on'y be i-know by they that
told em.
Schal no levvednesse hem lette • ]>e lewedeste ]>at I loue,
}?at he ne wor{> avaunset ; for Icham I-knowe
)>er Cunnynge Clerkes ' schul Couche be-hynde.
Piers Plowman, ill. 33 (Morris and Skeat, p. 189).
Namly to folk of heigh condicioun,
Nought whan a roote is of a birthe i-knowe?
Chaucer, Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 215.
ILES. See AILS.
ILL [ee'ul], sb. and adj. Ailment; evil, as in "King's evil."
Usually applied to some local disease. [Brust-^r^/J breast-/// is a
soreness very common to women who are suckling. I have heard
it applied to cancer in the breast.
[Kwau'rtur ee'ul] quarter-ill is a frequent and always fatal malady
364 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
in cattle. It is an inflammatory affection which attacks the animal
in the region of one of the hips, and paralyzes the whole limb. It
is most common upon wet, undrained farms.
[Uud'ur ee'ut\ udder-ill is another common ailment of cows, but
of a comparatively trifling and purely local character.
Comp. "T is an /// wind that blows nobody any good.
ILL-CONTRIVED [ee'ul-kuntruyvud], adj. Crabbed, cross,
ill-tempered : usually applied to a woman.
Know her? Ees, I knows her, a zour-lookin, ill-contt ived old
bitch, but I never didn know no good by her. I reckon the poor
old man wid a bin alive and well this minute, neef he 'ad'n never
a-zeed her.
ILL-CONVENIENCE [ee'ul-kunvarniuns \ , sb. Inconveni-
ILL-CONVENIENCY [ee'ul-kunvarniunsee J ence.
I hope we shan't put you to no ill-convenience. We must put up
way th' ill-conveniency o' it.
ILL-CONVENIENT [ee-ul-kunvai'niunt], adj. Inconvenient,
undesirable, inexpedient.
'Tis ter'ble ill-convenient, not vor t' have nother bit of a oven.
'Twould be very ill-convenient for we to part wi thick there, 'vcre
we be suited in another.
ILL-DISGESTION [ee-ul-deesjas-chun], sb. Indigestion.
Well, John, how is your wife? Well thankee, sir, her id'n no
gurt shakes ; her can't make use o' nothin hardly ; her've a got th'
ill-disgestion so bad — her've a tookt all sorts o' doctor's stuff, but
none o' it don't do her no good.
ILL-HEARTY [ee'ul-aartee], adj. Ailing, unhealthy, delicate.
Her's a ill-hearty, wisht poor blid a come ; but I can mind her,
thirty year agone, a gurt hard maid's you'd vind in a day's march.
ILL-PART [ee-ul-pae-urt], adj. Ill-temperedly.
Her did'n ought to a tookt it ill-part like, 'cause he did'n go vor
to hurt her.
ILL-TENDED [ee'ul-tarndud], adj. Badly nursed, carelessly
fed.
Her was that ill-tended, could'n never expect her to get on.
They sheep do look as off they was ill-tended, I zim they be
gwain back.
ILL THING [ee-ul dhing], sb. The King's evil, or St. Anthony's
fire ; also applied to any spontaneous sore.
Plaise, sir, they zen un home from school, 'cause they would'n
let'n come to school, 'cause he've a got a /'// thing in his neck.
ILL TURN [ee-ul tuurn], sb. Mischief, malicious act. The
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 365
phrase, in very common use, rather refers to an action or speech
behind one's back ; as to an attempt to prevent one from getting
a situation, or to such an act as laying poison for another's
sheep-dog.
Very good sort o' man, I never didn know un do a /// turn to
nobody.
ILL-WILLING [ee'ul-wee'uleen], adj. Unwilling, disobliging.
I can't abear to ask Jims to do nothin, he's always s' ill-willin.
ILL-WISHED [ee-ul-wee-sht], adj. This is evidently the
remains of the universal belief in the evil eye. It is common to
say, if the pig is taken ill, or any other like calamity happens, " I
be safe he's &-ill-wished by somebody," giving a name of some old
person. The still commoner phrase, however, is overlooked (q. v.).
ILT. A spayed sow. See Ex. Scolding, p. 136. Rare —
obsolescent.
I-MAKED [u-mae'ukud], p. part, of to make. This is the
frequentative form.
[Aay-v u-mae-ukud ree'd vur Mus'tur Breo'm au*l uz luyv, un liz
faa'dhur u'voa'r-n,] I have i-maked reed (/. e. been accustomed to
make reed) for Mr. Broom all his life, and (for) his father before
him.
Whenne the bedelt hadde ^-»/a/£m this proclamation, ther lay by the wey too
feble men, a blynde And a lame. Gesla Roman, p. 15.
That for to speke of gomme, or herbe, or tree,
Comparisoun may noon y maked be.
Chaucer, Pro!, to Legend of Good Women, 1. 121.
IMAGE [eenveej], sb. Statue. (Always.)
The plaster figures carried about for sale by Italians are always
images.
Jjat ho nas stadde a stiffe ston, a stalworth image
Al so salt as ani se and so ho Jet standej.
E. Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, 1. 983.
An IMAGE-MAKER, statuaire, sculpteur. — Sherwood.
And my Innge to be made air naked, and no thyng on my hede but myn
here cast bakwardys, and at my hede Mary Mawdelen) leyng my
handes a-crosse. — Will of Countess of Warwick, 1439. Fifty E. Wills, p. 116.
IMMEDIENTLY [eemai-juntlee], adj. Immediately. (Always.)
Nif tidn a teokt in hand \eemai~ jnntlee~\, better let it alone.
IMPERENCE [eem-puruns], sb. Impudence, cheek.
IMPERENT [eenrpurunt], adj. Impudent, rude ; but especially,
prone to take liberties.
Go 'long y' imperent young osebird, I should'n never a thought
o' your imperence ! The usual exclamation of factory girls and
others against rude boys.
366 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
IMPIGANG [eem-pigang], sb. An ulcer or abscess. (See
NIPPIGANG.) Rare.
IMPOSE UPON [eempoa-uz], v. t. i. To overcharge. This
word is used by the better class as well as by the lower orders.
A high-charging tradesman is an "imposing fellow," or the
\_eempoa'zeens\ — i. e. the imposingest.
2. To cheat.
I never was so imposed upon before.
IMPRECATIONS. See OATHS.
IN [ee-n], adv. i. In speaking of crops it would be said :
Thick field o' ground was in to turmuts last year, and now he's
in to whait — meaning in cultivation or in crop.
2. adv. Over and above; into the bargain; without payment.
As on buying a quantity of anything the seller throws so much, or
so many, in. See BOOT.
Come now ! you can 'vord to drow a vew o' they apples in.
I 'on't buy em nif you 'on't drow in some o' tother sort.
3. prep. Upon, on.
Thick old ladder's so wake, I be most afeard to go up in un.
We go up in a ladder, or scaffold, always, and not upon it.
]>at at J>e last ]>ai ordeind tuelue,
J»e thoghtfulest amang |>am selue,
And did ]>am in a montain dern,
Biseli to wait |>e stern.
Cursor Mundi, 1. 31 (Morris and Skeat, p. 70).
4. Used as a verb ; to go, or to get in quickly.
{Ee'n wai' ee',] in with you.
I /// way my hand vore he could turn, and catcht hold o' un by
the neck.
5. See IN LAMB.
IN AND IN. See BREED IN AND IN.
IN-AND-OUT [een--un-aewt], adv. Inside out. (Always.) Cf>
UP AND DOWN, BACK AND VORE. In these cases the and may
stand for on, but the phrases would be none the less singular.
[Dhu wee'n wuz tuurbl ruuf, shoa'ur nuuf; neef mee oa'l
uumbruul'ur waud'n u-bloa'd eetv-un-aeivt zu zeo*n-z uvur aay
puut mee ai'd aewtzuyd dhu doo'ur,] the wind was terrible rough,
sure enough ; if my old umbrella was not blown in-and-out so soon
as ever I put my head outside the door.
IN-BETVVIXT [een-beetwik-s], adv. Between. (Very com.)
What is the matter?
I've a-catch my vinger in-bctwixt the door and the durn.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 367
INCLINABLE [eenkluynubl], adj. Having regard or desire
for ; inclination towards. Cf. DECLINABLE.
No, her would'n let'n come aneast her, her wad'n no way
inclinable.
IN COURSE [een keo-s], adv. Of course.
In coose you'll have your wages, whe'r you works or no.
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS always precede a plural con-
struction, even though distinctly referring to a single individual.
See W. Som. Gram. p. 39.
Anybody (one) widn never believe it, nif they didn zee it.
Tidn same's off anybody could do it theirzels.
Nobody could'n 'vord to do it nif they wadn well a paid vor
doin o' it.
Every one o'm can do eens they be a-minded.
I make my seketowrs, lacobbe Tryche, Ion Campe, & Thomas AInowe
. . . . and ]>er-to yt ys my wylle pat euer-echeon) of hem schele haue xxs' for
her (their) labor & for her besynesse.
1417. Will of Stephen Thomas. Fifty E. Wills, p. 38. See also Ib. p. 39, 1. 7.
INDETERMENT [eendafurmunt], sb. Loss, detriment.
Nif you could spare me some o'm, 'thout no indeterment to
yourzel, I should be uncommon 'bleege t'ee. See DETERMENT.
INDIAN PINK [eenjee pingk], sb. Usual name of Dianthus
chinensis.
INDOOR SERVANT [eendoa-ur saarvunt]. A farm servant
living in the master's house, no matter what his occupation may
be. In all cases the term indoor refers to the board and lodging,
and not to the work done.
Well, George, where be you to work to now? Au ! I be working
to Mr. Venn's to Dykes, indoors — i. e. I work for Mr. Venn on his
farm, and live in his house.
Wanted a young man to drive horses, indoors. Apply, &c.
Adv. Wellington Weekly News, Nov. 18, 1886.
Wanted at once, a man, indoors, to drive horses and make himself useful on
a farm ; also sufficient land for 4 or 6 cows. — Apply, GREAT HIGHLEIGH FARM,
Exebridge, near Tiverton. — Wellington Weekly News, Jan. 13, 1887.
INDURABLE [eendeo'rubl], adj. Lasting, durable.
Tid'n no use vor to put'n (the hedge) up like that there, tid'n
no ways indurable ; he'll be all down again in no time. I tell'ee
you must have some quick and plant all 'long 'pon tap o' un.
Whatever d'ee buy jish stuff as that for, t'ont wear no time ; you
ought to a had somethin indurable like, for a gurt tear-all boy
like he.
INFARING [eenfae'ureen], adj. Inlying — /. e. the opposite of
outlying.
363 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I mean to keep all the infaring ground in hand — /'. e. the land
nearest home.
INFORMATION [een-furmae-urshun], sb. Inflammation.
I 'sure you, mum, I be shockin bad off, and however we be
gwain to live and pay our way I can't think nor slid. There's he,
he 'ant a-sar'd a zixpence sinze a week avore Kirsmas, and his leg
don't get no better, and the doctor, he don't do un one bit o' good,
and th' information's that bad, he's a-swelled so big's two, and I
can't vind rags and that ; and the Board, they on't 'low me but
dree shillins, and I baint able vor to do much arter I've a-tended
he, and a-warshed and a-mended vor the bwoys, and I do behope
you'll plase to help me, vor I 'sure ee I do want it, &c. &c.
IN-GROUND [ee'n-graewn], sb. Enclosed land, as opposed to
hill-ground (q. v.), which is unenclosed common.
Some of the in-ground 'pon Exmoor is so good as any man need
to put a zull into, but a lot o' the hill-ground id'n no gurt shakes.
INGUN [ing-un], sb. Onion.
You can't make your ground to breathe for inguns. See Too.
INGY [een-jee], sb. India-rubber.
They be the best sort o' balls, they way a bit o' ingy in the
inside o'm. (Very com.)
Hast a-got other bit o' ingy vor to rub out this here black-lead
(/. e. pencil marks). See LEAD.
INHERITAGE [eenuuritae-uj], sb. Inheritance. (Com.)
Well, 'tis hard vor the poor young fuller to lost his in heritage ;
but there, th' old man was always agin un like, and he never widn
spake to un arter he married th' old Bucky's maid ; but I never
could'n zee but hot her was so good's- he, and th' old man's a-go
where he'll smart vor't ; but vor all that I zim 'tis hard for William
to lost his inheritage.
I graunte you inheritage,
Peaceably withoute strive
During the days of your live.
Chaucer's Dream, 1. 1192.
IN HOUSE [een aewz], adv. Indoors. This form is more
common in the Hill district and Devonshire than infouse (q. v.),
the Vale form.
Can't muv her — there her'll bide in 'ouze over the vire all the
day and all the wik long.
I baint safe wher missus is in 'ouze or no.
Us rests a bit, an then go'th vore,
An then I zee'th her horn ta door —
Zomtimes es go'th in hoitze.
Nathan Hogg, Tha Milshy, Ser. I. p. 37.
INKHORN [ing-kaurn], sb. Inkstand. (Com.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 369
INKLE WEAVERS [ing-kl wai-vurz], sb. Formerly tape
weavers ; and when tapes had to be hand- woven, a single tape to a
loom, the weavers had naturally to work very close together, and
hence the common saying to express crowding together, " So
thick as inkle weavers."
INKLING [eeirkleen], sb. Fancy, inclination towards.
Don't tell me ! Will Hookins would'n never come up here
every whip's while for nothing ; I can zee very well he've a got
a bit of a inkling arter our Sue.
IN LAMB [een laanv]. With lamb. (Always.) The same phr.
is used respecting mares, cows, &c., but it is mostly so when
speaking of them collectively and not severally.
Most all my cows be in calf, but thick there, her's barren, we
could'n get her way calve.
70 Nott ewes in lamb and with lambs by their side.
Wellington Weekly Neivs, Feb. 1881.
This would imply that the seventy ewes were just then lambing — •
some of them already having lambs, and the rest expecting them
shortly. Of all other animals not reckoned as stock, such as a
bitch, cat, rabbit, it is said, with pup, with young, &c. because, only
one or two being kept, they are spoken of severally.
INNOCENT [een-usunt], sb. An imbecile; idiot.
Poor little fellow, he'll never be no better-n a innocent.
Well, nif thee art-n a rigler innocent!
Do you think you had married some innocent out of the hospital, that would
stand with her hands thus? Sen Jonson, Silent Woman, IV. iii.
INOBEDIENT [eerrubai-junt], adj. Disobedient.
Tommy, I told you not to go out, you're a very bad, inobajient
boy.
Adam inobedyent oi'daynt to blysse,
]>er pryuely in paradys his place watj devised.
£. Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, 1. 237.
INOW. See ENOW.
Ye have now caught, and fetered in prisoun,
Trojans inowe, and if youre willes be,
My childe with oon, may ban redemption :
Chaucer, Troyliis and Cryseyde, 1. 78.
IN PLACE [een plae'us].
Things be zoonder a brokt 'n they be a put in place again.
INS AND OUTS [ee'nz un aewts], sb. The full particulars.
I baint gwain vor to make up my mind, gin such time's I've a
yeard all the ins and outs o' it.
INSENSE [eensai-ns], v. t. To instruct ; to make known. Lit.
to put sense into.
B B
3/O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The paa'son took care t' insense 'em what time they'd a got to
come. (In common use.)
INSI-COAT [een'zi-koa'ut], sb. An inside or under coat — /. <?.
the flannel petticoat. The term is only applied to a female's
garment.
INSIDE [eerrzuyd], sb. The inward parts'of the body generally,
as the liver, heart, &c., but chiefly the stomach or bowels.
I be ramping in my inside ; sometimes I be a tookt that bad
that I be a'most a bowed two-double.
They do zay he've a drinkt enough spirit vor to zwim in. Lor ! I
should think the inside o' un must be proper a burned out. — Jan.
1886.
'Tis 'most all over wai un, he ant a had the use o' his inside 'is
vortnight past. — April 18, 1882.
Ter'ble fuller vor his inside. I've a yeard em zay he don't make
nort of a leg o' mutton, and half a peck o' cider to warsh-n down
way. See KITTLE-BELLY.
INSTANCE [ee'nstuns], sb. Event ; occurrence ; curiosity.
[Twuz jish ee'nstuns uz aay nuvur dud'n zee uvoa'ur, een au'l muy
bau'rn dai'z,] 'twas such (an) event as I never saw before, in all my
born days. Said respecting the finding of a nest of adders in a
dung-heap. (Very com.)
INTERMENT [ee-nturmunt], adj. Intimate ; friendly ; thick.
'Twas on'y tother day they was like the devil and holy water,
and now they be all ^interment, i. e. just as friendly.
INTIMATED [ee-ntimae-utud], adj. Intimate.
Ees, I knows'n well enough to pass the time o' day, but we baint
very much intimated.
INTO [ee*ntu]. i. Approaching — always of age.
How old are you ? I bee into my twelve year old — ;". e. in my
twelfth year.
[Aay shl bee ee'ntu mee vaawur-skoa'ur-n ziks neef aay du lee'v
gin naeks Zad'urdee,] I shall be in my eighty-sixth year if I live
till next Saturday.
2. Excepting ; all but. See EEN OT.
Thick rope's a brokt into one lissom, two or dree places.
INT'OUSE [eentaewz]. Indoors, in the house. (Very com.)
Is your master at home? Dun 'naw, zr; but I'll zee whet's
infouse or no.
I be that a crippled up that I be a forced to bide infouse all the
day long.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 3/1
INTRESS [ee-ntrus], sb. Interest. (Always.)
HONORED SIR,
I have sent by the barer £20 the Intress Due the I2th of this Month ....
plese be so kind to send the receipt of this by the barer. I remain your
Obedient servant, ROBERT T.
Augest 23, 69.
Letter in possession ofatil/ior.
Tib. By the Capitol,
And all our gods, but that the dear republic,
Our sacred laws, and just authority
Are interess'd therein, I should be silent.
Ben Jonson, Scjanus, III. i.
That not the worth of any living wight
May challenge ought in heaven's interesse ;
Much less the title of old Titan's right.
Spenser, Faerie Queen, VII. vi. 33.
IN-TY [een-taa'y], phr. after a negative assertion. " Not I."
I don't know hot to zay 'bout it, in-ty. The expression is one
of every-day use, and rather implies indecision or doubt. The
above sentence in received Eng. would be, "I hardly know what
to say about it." (Very com.)
A country fellow, scratching his head, answered him, "I don't know, measter,
urCt I." Fielding, Tom Jones, B. IV. c. viii.
IN UNDER [een uun'dur], adv. i. Underneath.
[Dhai vaewn un tu laa'S aup-m dhu taal'ut, een uun'dur u buun'l
u aa*y,] they found him at last up in the taller, underneath a bundle
of hay. See W. S. Gram., pp. 88, 90.
I vound my knive a vailed down in under the jib.
The watch was a put in under the bed-tie.
His body wold he putte in auntre • for J>ere rijt £ojte he lyn
& lijt hym doun an undre a tree ' a bo3e-schot from fiat host :
Sir Fernmbras, 1. 89.
2. Beneath in command; under the direction of.
Our Bill's a go to work to the brew-house, in under Mr. Joyce
the maltster.
INVITE [ee'nvuyt, eenvuyt], sb. Invitation. Used by people
of the better class, who accentuate the final syllable, as well as by
the peasantry, who put the stress on the initial. I have seen in
notes from educated people, "Thanks for your kind invite."
The paa'sn 've a zend a [ee'nvuyf] t'all they hot belongth to the
club.
INWARD [ee*nwurd], sb. The intestines of any slaughtered
animal. The liver, lungs, and heart are not included in this term.
See HANGE. Used only in the singular in this sense. In the
plural, the viscera of more than one animal would be referred to.
I never did'n kill nother pig way such a beautiful fat inward
avore.
B B 2
372
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
INWARDS [eeirwurdz], sb. pi. The bowels, vitals, stomach,
&c. of a person. Same as inside, but less common.
I be ter'ble sick, and do keep on bringin up, and I do suffer
ter'ble pain in my inwards.
For that I do suspect the lusty Moor
Hath leap'd into my seat : the thought whereof
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards.
Othello, II. i.
IN WITH [ee-n wai], adj. Friendly, associated.
He's in wi' all the roughest lot about ; there id'n a worser
preacher no place.
IRE [uyur], sb. Iron. In the dialect iron [uyurn] is the
adjective form. Compare Iron-bar with Bar-ire. This seems to
have been so in the West since the Middle Ages. See IRONEN,
and boxes ben bro^ht forj> • I-bounden with yre,
To vnder-take f>e tol ' of vntrewe sacrifice. — Piers Plcnv. I. 1. 97.
Flaundres louef? )>e wolle of j^is londe, & Normandy ]>e skynnes & )>e fellys ;
Gaskuyn \>eyre & the leed.
Trevisa, Description of Britain, lib. I. c. 41, 1. 48.
Ys scheld |>at was wy)> golde y-batrid ' & eke wi)> ire y-bounde,
Bynd hem herde \vy\>yre & steel '. & pote hem in stokkes of trow,
Sir Ferum bras, 11. 896, 1186. Also 1. 3313.
IRE GEAR [uyur gee'ur], sb. Iron work generally. Ire gear
and ire stuff (q. v.) would not be used indiscriminately. The
former would mean all kinds of ironmongery, and completed
iron-work, including machinery of all kinds ; while the latter
would have a more definite, technical use.
IRE STUFF [uyur stuuf], sb. The ironwork of a cart, carriage,
gate, or of any construction in which iron is used with other
material.
He'd (the cart) a been a finished avore now nif ad'n a been a
fo'ced to woit for the ire stuff.
IRON-BACK [uyurn-baak], sb. A large iron plate set upright
against the back of the chimney for the purpose of shielding the
wall from the blows of logs thrown on the fire, and from the
fire itself. These iron-backs were frequently ornamental in
character. There are three in constant use in the writer's own
house.
It'm a pair of andirons, ij dogges, a fier shouell, a paire of ) ...8 ....d
tongs, a pair of bellows, and one iron-backe ) * m ' 111-' '
Inventory of the Goods of Henry Gandye, Exeter. 1609.
IRON-BAR [uyurn-baar], sb. A crow-bar.
[Plai-z tu lai-n Jiimz yur uyurn-baar,'} please to lend James
your crow-bar. See BAR-IRE.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 373
IRONEN [uyurneen], adj. Made of iron. (Very com.) This
use is emphatic — /. e. of iron and of nothing else.
[Aay ntivur dud'n zee noa jis voaks vur tae'ureen u tloa'm-z
aawurz bee; wee shl bee u-foo'us t-ae'u uyurneen dee'shez un
kuup's neef wee bee u muyn vur tu kee'p oa'urt,] I never saw such
folks for tearing crockery as ours be; we shall be obliged to have
ironen dishes and cups if we be a mind to keep aught.
T; let jmrhdriuen ]>refter
J>e spaken ^t te felien
Med irnene gadien ;
Swa ]>t te pikes *\ te irnene preones
Se scharpe ^ se starke borien )mrh
^ beoren forfc feor on )>* o<5er half.
Life of Saint Catherine, 1. 1920.
-TSH [-eesh]. A suffix often applied to adjectives, having the
force of " inclined to." Frequently quite redundant.
Smarts/* vrost z'mornin; but there, 'tis mczish sort o' weather
for the time o' the year.
IT [ut, 't], pron. i. Never used as a neuter pronoun as in lit.
English, except in such phrases as, "You never can't do it."
But it frequently takes the place of them, when many animals
or objects are referred to collectively. See W. S. Gram., p. 33.
When any person, animal, or thing is referred to, singly or
severally, he, or un, (q. v.) takes the place of //.
2. When used as an abstract pronoun, as in the sentences,
"It is not," "It would never do," the word is always contracted to
't; and, moreover, the construction following is singular without
reference to the antecedent ; e. g. —
['Zud'n muy dhingz,] it is not my things — i.e. they are not
my things.
[' JWaud'n yoa'ur buul'iks,] it was not your bullocks.
' J"is nails 1 must have. '7'is his boots, Vidn yours.
Al j?at f>ay smyte)> wij? ax or swerd '. sone to dej?e it gas.
Hit ne bu(?, he said, none Vauasers ' f>at buj? J?er on ]IQ tour,
Ac it bu)j noble bachelers ' of al france J>ay berej? ^at flour :
Sir Ferumbras, 11. 3114, 3183.
And there ben other that ben sowun in thornis ; these it ben, that heeren the
word, and myseise of the world, and disseit of richessis.
Wyclifvers. Mark iv. 1 8.
Comp. use of Fr. // y a.
3. As a pron. it is much more commonly used in Devon than
in Somerset.
[Yue'v u-brauk't «/,] you have broken it. — Devon.
[Yue'v u-toa-urd-;z,] you have torn un. — Somerset.
4. Yet. See EET.
374 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I TELL EE WHAT 'TIS [aay tuul- ee haut t-ai'z], phr. A
very common beginning to a statement, either of bucolic wisdom
or of angry dispute.
\_Aay tuul- ee haut tai'z! yiie mus art zum moa'ur bee'f-m
tae'iideez fuust,] you must eat some more beef and potatoes first,
/. e. wait till you are older — a very common phrase.
/ tell ce hot 'tis, I do zee purty plain, you've a got a darn sight
more guts-n brains.
ITEM [uytum], sb. Intention, fad, purpose, crafty design. A
keeper, speaking of a covey of partridges, said :
[Dhaat wuz dhur uytum,'] that was their item, safe enough. They
urned out o' the gate and back under the hedge to the very same
place where we vound em fust. — Sept. 23, 1886.
Our Tom's a cute sort of a fuller ; he've a got th' item now, vor
to zee whe'r he can't save a lot o' coal way doin something to the
furnace door.
Such an Item should we give our best contents, lest perhaps if we trust them
to far, they suddenly betray us. — 1642. Rogers, History of Na a man, p. 96.
ITEMING [uytumeen], part. sb. Trifling, fidgeting.
Why's-n mind thy work, and not bide itemin there ?
ITEMS [uytumz], sb. plur. Fidgets, antics.
Nuvur oa-n buyd kwuyut, gaut moa'ur uytumz-n u daan'seen
bae'ur,] (he) never won't bide quiet, (he has) got more antics than
a dancing bear. This is one of the commonest of sayings ; so also
is, " All full of his items," to describe a restless, fidgety person.
ITEMY [uytumee], adj. Tricky ; uncertain in behaviour. Very
often applied to horses — frisky, fidgety, restless.
Of a dog, a keeper said :
He's so ter'ble itemy, can't depend 'pon un a bit. — Sept. 23, 1886.
I wants a quiet steady 'oss ; I don't like thick mare 't-all, her's
so uncommon itemy.
[Tuurbl uytumee au's; dhur id-n noa gifeen oa un tu goo
vufee,] very fidgety horse ; there is no getting him to go properly.
I-WENT [u-wai'nt],/. part, of to wend = gone.
I should'n never i-went [u-warnt] nif 't-'ad-n a-bin vor you.
Oh fie ! and I always zaid you never did'n ought to i-went.
See VIII. A. i, p. 4.
And whan he hath so fer ywcnte,
Than may be seen, behynde hys bak,
Cloude, and erthe, that Y of spak.
Chaucer, House of Fame, 1. 468.
IZE. I, ego. This word is inserted in deference to the com-
pilers of other glossaries, and it occurs in the Ex. Scolding, 1. 17.
See remarks thereon, p. 136. I believe it to be literary or author's
dialect
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 3/5
JABBER [jab-ur], sb. i. Talk, chatter. (Very com.)
There they goes on, jabber, jabber, jabber, from morning to
night ; whatever they can vind to zay I can't think.
2. v. i. To talk rapidly and indistinctly.
Tidn no odds to he, he'll jabber away just the same, whe'r you be
harkin or no.
3. sb. The under-jaw (of a fish).
When you hook 'em in the jabber you can catch 'em. — G. M. D.
JABBERMENT [jab-urmunt], sb. Idle talk.
There wadn not one bit o' sense in it, I 'sure 'e 'twas nort but a
jabbennent from fust to last.
JACK [jaak], sb. i. A contrivance, consisting of a lever and
fulcrum, used in washing carriages, to lift one side so that the
wheel acted on may run round freely ; sometimes called a "carriage-
jack."
2. The knave in cards. (Always so called.)
"Jack of Clubs " is a nickname by which I have known more
than one man all my life.
3. A machine for spinning, driven partly by hand and partly by
power — used for spinning coarse, heavy woollen yarns.
4. A kind of clock-work driven by a heavy weight, to which was
attached an endless chain ; by this the spit was turned before
the fire. See HAND-DOGS.
These were very common before the days of kitchen-ranges, and
might be seen fixed upon the right side of the high chimney-shelf
in most kitchens of the better sort. Known also as "
JACK-A-DANDY [jaak-u-dan'dee], sb. A conceited, upstartish
fellow.
Be sure, you don't never take no notice of a whipper-snapper
Jack-a-dandy like he ! why I widn [vuyn un] find him ! See FIND 2.
JACK-A-LANTERN [jaak-u-lan'turn], sb. Ignis fatuus.
This I believe to be the only name known in the district. The
phenomenon only occurs in certain parts of the boggy moorland of
Brendon Hill and the Exmoor district. It is said that a farmer
once crossing Dunkery from Porlock to Cutcombe, and having a
leg of mutton with him, was benighted He saw a.Jack-a-lantern,
and was heard to cry out while following the light, " Man a lost !
3/6 \VEST SOMERSET \YORDS.
man a lost ! Half-a-crown and a leg a mutton to show un the way
to Cutcombe ! "
JACK-AMANGST-THE-MAIDENS [jaak-umang-s-dhu-maa-y-
dnz]. One who is always after women's society, and who likes to
be made much of by them. The term is applied to some parsons
who cultivate female worshippers, it is, of course, depreciatory.
JACKASS [jaak-aas], sb. i. Term of contempt, generally
prefixed to some other epithet instead of being the principal word.
\Q\\jackass fool, what's a bin and a do'd now?
A gm\. jackass toad, d — n un ! that ever I should zay zo ! I told'n
to mind and put vast the gate, and now all the pigs be in the
orchet.
2. A donkey : not often heard, except by way of rustic wit.
JACK-CHAIN [jaak chaa-yn], sb. i. The endless chain by
which the spit was driven. See JACK 4.
2. A peculiar kind of chain still so called. It is made of twisted
wire links, and is of the description used formerly for turning the
spit. A country ironmonger asked for jack-chain would at once
know the kind required.
JACKET [jaak'ut], v. t. To thrash with some weapon other
than the hand.
He hold'n vast, gin he come out in the churchyard, and then he
tookt his stick, and my eyemers, how he did jacket 'n !
JACKETTING [jaak'uteen], sb. A thrashing; also a severe
rebuke or scolding.
The judge gid Turney .... a pur ty jackettin, sure 'nough; a
zaid, never did'n ought to a braat no such case avore he.
JACK-HARE paak-ae'ur]. The male hare is always so calle
while a male rabbit is invariably a buck. The females are doe-rabbit
and doe-hare. Halliwell is wrong in saying \ha.\.Jack signifes "the
male of an animal" — i.e. generally. It is in that sense applied
to the hare only. Jackass by no means specially implies a male
.donkey, except of the human species.
JACK-IN-THE-BOX [jaak n-dhu-bau'ks], sb. Same as PARSON
IN THE PULPIT. Wild arum— Arum maculatiim.
JACK -JUMPER [jaak-juump-ur], sb. The merry-thought or
breastbone of any poultry or edible bird. So called from its often
being made into a toy. A piece of fine string tied across the two
ends, a little piece of wood, as a lucifer match, stuck in to twist the
string, and a morsel of cobbler's wax at the bifurcation. The stick
is then brought over with another twist and the end stuck in the
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 377
wax. On being placed on the floor, after a few seconds the wax
"lets go," an&jack jumps a considerable height.
JACK-PLANE [jaak-plae'im], sb. A plane of medium length,
having a projecting handle in the form of a bent peg. With this
the rougher part of the work is done, to be finished as required by
the long trying-plane or the short smoothing-plane. Used also as a
v. t. To roughly plane over any board. W.^ jack-plane un over a
bit, I 'spose.
JACK'S ALIVE [jaaks uluyv], sb. A burning stick whirled
round and round very quickly so as to keep up the appearance of a
riband of fire.
JACK SHARP [jaak shaarp], sb. A smart tingling frost.
Mornin, maister ! this is what I coS\s>Jack sharp s'mornin. (Com.)
JACK-SNIPE [jaak-snuyp], sb. The smaller of the two common
kinds of snipe. The term has no reference to sex.
JACK-SPRAT [jaak-spraat], sb. A dwarfish, insignificant-looking
man. What, thick little Jack-sprat of a fellow ! why he idn no
higher'n a twopenny loav !
JACK UP [jaak aup],///r. To break a contract ; to discontinue ;
to throiv up.
A man said to me of a farmer [Gwai'n \.\\jaak aup faa'rmureen
u blee'v, ad1 nuuf oa ut,] (he is) going to give up farming, I believe,
(he has) had enough of it.
[Neef ee-v u-teok't ut tu loa-, git u geo'd suub-mjaafc aup,~\ if you
have taken it too low, get a good sub. (sum on account), and then
jack up — /. e. leave the job. Too commonly the practice.
I believe this phrase to be the bucolic corruption of "chuck up,"
an expression which doubtless contains a reminiscence of the old
prize-ring, when the friends of the vanquished used to " chuck up "
the sponge in token of submission.
JACK-WEAVER [jaak-wai'vur], sb. The coloured dancing
reflection of sunlight cast by a swinging prism.
JACK-WEIGHT [jaak-wauyt], sb. The weight by which the
spit was turned. See JACK 4.
JAG [jag], v. t. To cut roughly, or unevenly ; to make notches.
I told you, Mary, to cut it straight, and you've been <m& jagged
the cloth right across.
[Aay oa-n lai'n dhee muy nuyv ugee'un. Leok'ee zee', aew
dhee-s uburr un u jag-n,] I will not lend you my knife again.
Look see, how you have been and notched it.
Ijagge nat my hosen for thrifte but for a bragge. ye ne chiquelte pas, &c.
Palsgrave.
3/3 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
To JAGGE. Chiquder, deschequeter. — Cotgraie,
Golds hath a shorte tagged \ek, and groweth halfe a yarde hygh.
Fittherbert, Husbandry, 20/26.
JAGS [jagz], sb. Tatters.
Brokt his coat all to jags,
Hark, hark, hark !
The dogs do bark,
The beggars be coming to town,
Some in bags, and some \njagst
And some in velvet gown.
J-'gge, or dagge of a garment. Fractilltts. — Promp. Parv,
A Jagge ; fractillus ; fractillosus, fractillatus. — Cath. Aug.
Jagge a cuttyng — chiqneture.
Jaggedness — chiqueture. — Palsgrave,
JAGGES : chiquetteres. — Cotgrave.
ffor wolde j>ey blame J>e burnes • )>at broujte newe gysis,
And dryue out f>e dagges * ' and all \>e duche cotis,
And set hem a-side. — Langland, Rich, the Reddes, ill. 192.
JAKES [jai ks], sb, i. Human excrement. (Very common.)
Zee where you be going, else you'll sure to tread in l\\t jakes.
D'ee mind thick time when we went out bird-boiting down
behind the poor old Benjy Glass's, when th' old Charley Templer
vailed all along in the jakes ?
The word rather implies a considerable quantity, such as that
found at the back of a privy ; not the privy itself, as in the
following :
I will tread this unbolted villain into mortar, and daub the wall of a jakes with
him. King Lear, II. ii.
2. (Fig.) Mess, confusion.
Maister, the snow have made a proper jakes of my work to-night.
JAKLE ! [jai'kl !]. ~Byjakle! is a not infrequent quasi-oath,
analogous to Bigor, Egad, &c.
JAM [jaam], v. t. i. To slam ; to shut with a bang. What a
rattle her do make w\' jamming thick door.
2. To squeeze or wedge in forcibly.
What's the matter with your hand ? Well, th' old horse muved
on, and the body of the butt vailed down, and he (the hand) was
a. jammed in twixt the body o' un and the sharps (q. v.).
JAMB [jaam], sb. i. Tech. among bricklayers and masons.
The upright side or wall of any opening. The /«///£ of a doorway,
in which there may be no frame for a door, would mean the side of
the entrance — /'. e, the wall, of which it is part. So the chimney-
* JaSges ul some texts.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 379
jambs are the side walls of the fireplace, while the jambs of the
chimney-piece are the usual upright parts of the structure, whether
wood, marble, or other material, forming the front on each side of
the fireplace from the floor to the shelf. The jamb of a window
is no part of the woodwork, but the side of the opening in the wall ;
hence it is usual to talk of the " splay of \hzjambs."
2. Among carpenters. The side of the frame of a doorway.
This is a technical word in the West, and is never used to express
the door-post or durn-blade. When the frame to which a door is
fastened is made of square, solid wood, the whole frame is called a
pair of durns (q. v.) ; but when it is of flat shape, or, as it is some-
times called, "linings," then the whole door-frame is a pair of jambs,
of which each side is a. jamb.
Will you have the doors fixed with jambs or durns?
JAN [jan]. John. (Always thus.)
He married th' o\&Jan Baker the blacksmith's maid. You mind
the poor old Jan, don'ee, sir, the knee-napped old fellow ? Oh ees !
you min' un.
A well-known old character, also a blacksmith, used always to be
spoken of as Jan the nailer.
JANGLE [jang-1, not jang'gl ; intrans. form, jang-lee], v. and sb.
To chatter, to talk, to prate : not necessarily in a quarrelsome
manner, though dispute is rather implied.
Ter'ble ummun tojangly.
Go there honever you will, there they be, always to & jangle one
across tother. Why, they'd jangle anybody to death. This was
said of a number of washerwomen.
to JANGYLLE ; vbi to chater. — Cath. Ang.
shejanglet/t lyke a jaye — elle jangle or cacquette comme ungjay. — Palsgrave.
uor f>e stede is holy and is y-zet to bidde God : najt uor to iangli, uor to
ne uorto trufly. Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 214. See also p. 20.
Al day to drynke * at dyuerse tauernes,
Ther to Tangle and to lape. — Piers Plowman, III. 98.
Whils they haue seyde ; loke eke withe youre myhte
Yee Tangle nouhte, also caste nouhte your syhte.
Babees Book (Furnivall), p. 3, 1. 67.
How bisy, if I love, ek most I be
To plesen hem that jangle of love, and demen
And coye hem, that they seye noon harme of me.
Chaucer, Troylus and Cryseyde, 1. 799.
JANGLEMENT [jang-ulmunt], sb. Altercation ; confusion of
tongues; talking one across another ; angry dispute. (Very com.)
[Vas'tree meefeen ! ees ! un u p\irteejanglu/munt twau'z dhur;
aay zeed dhur wud'-n bee noa soa'urt u gree'munt, un zoa aay wiid-n
buyd noa laung'gur,] vestry meeting ! yes ! and a nice disputing it
3 SO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
was there ; I saw there would be no kind of agreement, and so I
would not stay any longer.
JANGLING [jang-leen], sb. Confusion of tongues; chatter;
idle talk.
Here drop it, there's to much janglin by half, anybody can't
year theirzul spake. (Very com.)
JANGELYN', or iaveryn. Garrulo, blatero. — Promp. Parv.
JANGILLYNG; loquax, & cetera ; vbi chaleryng. — Cath. Aug.
JANGLYNG or chattyng— -janglerie. — Palsgrave.
Ich wolle haue leaute for my lawe ; let be al Joure tangly ng.
Piers Plowman, v. 173. S<x aiso x.x.11. 399.
Shulle at the hyndre gate assayle,
That Wikkid-tunge hatli in kepyng,
With his Normans fulle oft janglyng,
Chaucer, Romaunt of the Rose, 1. 5853.
JAR [jaar], sb. A stone bottle having a handle on one side
near the top — often enclosed in wickerwork. John Gilpin's famous
" stone bottles " would be jars in W. Sum.
Be sure they 'an't a-drinkt out all that there cider a'ready ! why,
I zend up the eight quart jar and the zix quart virkin to 'leb'm
(eleven) o'clock, and 'tis on'y but half arter two now !
Mr. Kemp called in vor to zay, must zend on a jar o' gin and
ajaro' brandy, cause they be gwain to hold the revel next week.
K Jarre: arrobe,jare. — Cotgrave, Sherwood.
Ital. GIARA, a flagon, or great pot, a jar. — Barretti.
JARGLE [jaargl], v. t. To gargle, or gurgle with liquid in the
throat.
[Ee toa'l mee aew aay waz' vur tu jaargl mee droa-ut wai vin'igur
un puop'ur, bud dhae'ur, ded-n due' un waun beet u geo'd,] he
told me that I was for to gargle my throat with vinegar and
pepper, but there, (it) did not do it the slightest good
JAUNDERS [jau'ndurz, jaa'ndurz, jaa'rndurz], sb. Jaundice —
always so, probably because in the dialect nearly all diseases are
plural nouns. Cf. meazles, glanders, whites, mulligrubs, small-
pocks (pox). See W. S. Gram., p. 13.
JAUNDERS TREE [jaanvdurz tree],^. The common barbary
— Berberis vulgaris, from the yellow colour of the wood.
JAW [jaa1], sb. Abuse ; impudence ; impertinence ; idle talk.
[Kau'm naew ! noa-un u dhuy jaa; uls dhee-t bee u-puuf tu
doo'urz een u kwik stik,] come now ! (let us have) none of your
abusive language, otherwise you will be put to doors (turned out)
very quickly. Com. " landlord's " threat.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 381
[Ee* ! wai, u-z au'ljaa', lig u sheep's aid !] he ! why, he is all jaw,
like a sheep's head ! A very common description of an empty
talker.
J EE [jee], interj. Used to horses as a signal to turn to the right.
Very often [jee airf] jee off is said. See WUG.
JEE WAY [jee' wai], v. To go along with ; to agree ; to jog on
together.
[Aay noa'ud uur wud-n nuv-ur jee- wai un,] I knew she would
never agree with him ; they baint no ways o' one kidney.
JELLY-DOGS [juTee-duugz], sb. pi. Harriers. (Very com.)
JENNET, JENNETING [jmrut, jiin-uteen], sb. The name
of a well-known early apple. Commonly said to wtxb. June-eating.
The same apple is often called Lammas apple, a much more
synchronal name. — Aug. ist.
Prof. Skeat says this name is from Jean. Cotgrave has
Pomme de S. Jean; or Hastwel, a soon ripe apple called the St. John's apple.
JENNY [jun'ee], sb. i. A machine for spinning various yarns,
and also for twisting two or more yarns into one thread. It was
always a hand machine, and not, as described by Webster, " moved
by water or steam." The modern machines driven by power,
which have supplanted Billy and Jenny, are called Mules.
2. Jane.
3. A female ass.
Is it a 'oss dunkey, or a jenny, you've a-lost ?
JENNY-COAT [jun-ee-koa-ut], sb. A skirt of any kind; a
petticoat. The word, though not uncommon, is rather used
jokingly or derisively than as a sober term.
JENNY-WREN [jun'ee-rai'n]. i. The wren. See HIRDICK.
2. The wild geranium — Geranium Robertianum — the most
usual name in the vale district of this very common plant; in
the hill district Arb-rabert is the commoner.
JERDAN [juurdn], sb. Chamber utensil. (Com.)
We be ter'ble a-plagued way the rats. I yeard one in the chimmer
last night abed, so I up way my half-bat and ain un to un, and
I'm darnd if I didn tear the jerdan, and a purty mess 'twas, sure
'nough !
I pray to God to save thi gentil corps,
And thine urinales, and \ti\jordanes,
Thine Ypocras, and thine Galiounes.
Chaucer, Prologue of the Pardoner, 1. 18.
Ich schall Jangly to ])ys Jordan ' with hus Juste wombe,
And a-pose hym what penaunce is • and purgatorie on erthe.
Piers Plowman, xvi. 92. See Skeat" s note, p. 304.
382 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2nd Carrier. Why they will allow us ne'er zjorden, and then we leak in your
chimney ; and your chamberlie breeds fleas like a loach.
I Henry IV., II. i. See also 2 Henry IV., II. iv.
JERICHO [juurikoa].
Drat the boy, I wish a was to Jericho. (Very common.)
JEROBOAM [juureeboa-um], sb. A chamber utensil. This
word is a facetious name, though rather common.
JERRY [juuree], sb. Same as jerdan. Less common than
jerdan, of which, or perhaps of Jeroboam, it is very likely
diminutive.
JERRY-SHOP [juuree-shaup], sb. A beer-shop; a cider-shop
a low public house. Contr. of Tom and Jerry-shop.
Well there, I wid'n a gid up a good place vor to g'in such
house as that, why, twad'n never no other'n a jerry-shop. Sak
of a groom taking a public-house.
JERSEY LILY [juurzee liil'ee], sb. Vallota purpurea. Common
name — sometimes called Guernsey lily.
JERUSALEM SEEDS [jurue'sulum zee'udz], sb. The plant
Pulmonaria officinalis. Called sometimes Jerusalem C<m<slip or
Cowslip of Bedlam.
My mother used to be ter'ble over they Jerusalem seeds vor a
arb.— S. R.
JET [jut]. A very short distance or space.
[Muuv aun ujut, wul* ur?] move on a very little, will you?
[Jus dhu lais'teesyw/ moo'ur,] just the leasts/ trifle further.
JET [jut], v. t. Same as to jot — perhaps quite as commonly
used.
How can anybody do it nif you will/cr/ the table ?
JEW [jue'], v. t. To over-reach ; to swindle; to defraud.
They do say that Bob Hellings have a jewed his brother out of
all the money the old man left em.
He'd/^av his own father nif a could.
JEW'S EYE [juez uy]. A very common expression to denote
preciousness.
[Taek-ee-ur oa un, un put'-n uwai', ee'ul bee u waeth ujue-z uy.
zau'm dai,] take care of it, and put it away, it will be worth a. Jew's
eye some day.
Mistress, look out at window, for all this :
There will come a Christian by,
Will be worth a Jewes eye. — Merchant of Venice, II. v.
JIB [jiib], sb. A stand for casks — usually of wood.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 383
JIB [jub], v. t. To place a cask upon its stand or jib.
[Aay-v u-yuurd um zai* aew ee kud jub u auk'seed u suydud
pun uz tue nee'z, un dringk aewt u dhu buunv oal oa un,] I've heard
tell how that he could jib a hogshead of cider upon his two knees
and drink out of its bung-hole. A hogshead weighs over five cwt.
JIB [jub], v. i. Said of a horse which will not try to pull his
load. See Skeat, Ety. Diet., p. 308.
JIBBER [jiib'ur], sb. A horse which jibs, or will not pull.
[Ee- Mjii/rur f daarnd eef ee oa'un peo'l tue u dai-d laef* gin dhu
buul'ee oa un du tich dhu graewn, voa'ur ee'ul gee aewt tue ut.
Noa! ee oa'un jiib,] he a jibber! darned if he will not pull at a
dead lift (q. v.} until his belly touches the ground, before he will
give up. No ! he will not jib.
JIBBER-JABBER[jub-urjab-ur],^. Idle talk ; chatter. Same
as JABBER.
JIBBING [jub'een], sb. This would imply a continuous stand
or row of stands for casks, often a fixture in cider cellars, whereas
"a jib" would be understood as a detached and portable stand.
Used also collectively for a number of loose stands, as in the
following, —
For sale, A quantity of empty cask tt&jiMring, — Local Advertisement.
JICE [juys], sb. Joist; joists — both sing, and plur. See POOL.
The dry rot's a-got into the vloor, and some o' the jice be jis the
very same's [tich-eo'd] touchwood.
Usually the final / is dropped of words ending in st. Cf.
[duus, muus, fuus, buus, waes, vuys, his,] dust, must, first, burst,
west, fist, list, and all words ending in est, ist, rst. A few of these,
though not often, resume the / when followed by a vowel.
GYYSTE, balke. Trabes, trabecula. — Promp. Pai"u.
Cyst that gothe over the florthe — soliue, giste. — Palsgrave.
JIFFY [jiif'ee], sb. A moment.
[Yue goo au'n, un aa'l oa'vurgif yue ugee'un een aa'f u jtef'ee.~\
you go on, and I will overtake you again in half a moment. (Com.)
JIG [jig], v. i. To trot ; faster than lojog.
They only jigged off at the bottom of the road. Cf. JIG-TO-JOG.
JIGGERED rjig-urd],/./^/. A quasi-oath. (Very com.)
No ! I'll be jiggered if I do !
JIGGETING [jig-uteen], part. sb. Gadding about; flaunting
about — usually said of women with a distinctly depreciatory im-
plication.
Wuy doa-n ur buyd au'm, un neet bee au'veesjig-ufeen ubaewt ?
3S4
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Dhu chul'urn wild zeo'n tuul oa ut,] why does she not stay at
home, and not be always gadding (or dancing) about? The
children would soon tell of it — /. e. show improvement.
What should the wars do with these jigging fools. — Julius Grsa>; IV. iii.
JIG-TO-JOG [jig-tu-jaug1]. The slow pace of a horse ; just faster
than a walk — called sometimes " the market trot." Very often
used in speaking to a person, as :
[Wuys-n muuv au'n, neet buyd dhae'ur jig-tu-jaug" jis dhu
vuuree sae'um-z wuop u snaa'yul?] why dost not move on, (and)
not stay there jig-to-jog just like whip(ping) a snail ? This last idiom
is very common, and although whipping a snail would imply on
the face of it some activity and exertion, yet the phrase has the
implication of going at a snail's pace,
JILLOFER. See GILAWFER.
JIM-CRACK [jum-kraak], adj. i. See GIMCRACK.
[Tidn aa'f u gee'ut, u jum-kraak dhing, neef u au's wuz vur tu
puut liz chuV ugin1 un ee-d vaal een tue- pees'ez,] it is not half a
gate (/. e. it is a very poor one), a slightly made thing, if a horse
were to put his chest against it it would fall in two pieces.
2. Tawdry ; fantastic, as applied to a building or other permanent
construction.
Our new church Ve a got a proper jim-crack look.
3. Often used figuratively to describe a person; shallow;
bumptious ; unreliable.
I would'n ha nothing to do wi' jis a jim-crack feller's he.
JIMMY [jiinree], adv. Nicely; properly; right.
Oh, that's jimmy, and no mistake.
They got on jimmy like together, 'vore thick there up-country
'osebird corned along.
JINT fjunt], sb. Joint.
Somethin' Ve a tookt me in thejint o" my right hand-wrist.
I do suffer martyrdom in my//»/j.
JIS [jus]. Just such. (Abundant examples.)
JIS SICH, JIS SISH [jus sich, jus sish]. Just such. (Very
com.)
Tom Cross ! why, he idn a wo'th his za.\t—jis sich another's
thee art.
JITCH, JIS, JISH [jich, jus, jish], adj. Such.
[Yiie nuvurded--n zee noayV/j dhing uvoa'r,] you never saw such
a thing before.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 385
\_Jish fuul'ur-z yue' bee au'tu bee-ang1,] such a fellow as you are
ought to be hung.
Unlike literary English, this word in the dialect is not followed
by the adjective a or an, unless it is desired to give great emphasis,
as — •
\_Jich u een'stuns aa'n u-biin u-zeed-z purtee wuyul,] such a
curiosity has not been seen for a pretty while.
It should be noted that the above form is not used alone or at
the end of a clause — in these cases it is stc/i, as —
We could make a shuf (shift) way half-a-dizen or sick, vore jis
time's we've a-got some more in.
JOAN IN THE WAD. Will o' the wisp. I find this word in
glossaries, as Somerset, but cannot find it elsewhere.
JOB, JOBS [joa-b, joa'bz], int. By Job ! or by Jobs ! is the
bucolic appreciation of the politer By Jove ! It is a very common
form of quasi-oath.
JOB [jaub], sb. Thing ; event ; business ; affair.
[Kaap-ikul jaub yue haap tu bee dhae'ur,] fortunate thing you
happened to be there.
[Twuz u bae'ud jaub vur uur* haun ee* duyd ; geo'd jaub neef
twiid plaiz dh-Aul'mai'tee vur tu taek uur tue1,] it was a sad event
for her when he (husband) died ; (it would be a) good thing if it
would please the Almighty to take her too.
JOBATION [joabae'urshun], sb. A preachment, or any con-
tinued speaking — not necessarily a scolding. A long sermon
would often be spoken of as " a rigler jobation." The word is a
little above the use of the pure dialect speaker.
JOBBER [jaub'ur], sb. A dealer in cattle or sheep. A pig-
dealer is always called a ^\g-jobber.
I don't think I shall sell my beast gin one o' they there big
up-country jobbers comth along.
Farmers be a got that there near, idn much a got now out o'
ifajobbiri.
JOBBING ABOUT [jaub'een ubaewt]. Getting employment
from no particular master, but from any one wanting assistance.
[Aay kn due* su wuul jaub'een ubaewt-s aay kan1 wai rig'lur
wuurk,] I can do as well (/. e. earn as much) working a day here
and a day there as I can with regular employment.
A woman replied to the chairman of the Wellington Board of
Guardians, "Well, sir, he 'an't no rigler work like, \^ jobbus about
vor any o' the farmers hot do want'n."
This last is the common frequentative intransitive form, See
West Som. Gram., p. 51 ; also Introduction.
c c
386
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
JOBS [jaubs], $b. pi. Csecus; to do jobs; caccare.
JOB-WORK [jaub'-wuurk], sb. Work done by " the piece," or
contract, as opposed to day-work.
I baint partikler, I'd su zoon do it to job-work'?, day-work.
JOCK [jauk], sb. i. Same as JOCKEY. One who deals in horses ;
one who breaks colts ; a rough-rider.
Our Bill's a bit of &jock, you know; you must get up by time in
the mornin' vor to take he in 'bout a 'oss.
2. v. t. To deal in horses.
Nobody can't never make out however he do live ; he don't
never do nort, no more-n urn about to fairs and markets jockin
a vew old 'osses.
JOCKEY [jauk-ee], sb. i. A colt-breaker.
You let Jockey Cornder hab-m, he'll zoon cure my ginlmun o'
they tricks.
2. A low horse-dealer.
They calls-'n Gipsy George, but he idn no gipsy 'tino, he's one
o' these here jockey fullers about to fairs and markets way an olc
dog 'oss or two.
3. v. t. To cheat ; swindle.
Yokes do zay how he've a.-j.ockefd the poor old man out of every
varden he've a-got.
JOCKERY [jauk'uree], sb. Roguery ; cheating.
They do zay how there was purty much jockery over thick there
vire ; he was a paid vor a sight o' things what wadn never a-burned ;
I knows that, but who zot it avire I 'ont zay.
There's purty much jockery about 'osses, but that seems a clubby
sort of a 'oss. — I. F. C.
JOG [jaug], v. t. Same as To JOT.
Here! hold-n (the candle) steady, what's jog-n zo for? Hence
figuratively " to jog the memory." See also JiG-xo-Joc.
JOGGER [jaug'ur], sb. One who shakes or nudges.
What a. jogger you be — how can anybody write ?
JOGGLE [jaug-1], v. t. To shake. See To JOG, JOT.
JOGGLY [jaug'lee], v. i. i. To tremble; to shake.
I wish thee wits-n joggly zo — nobody can't never do nort vitty
like, nif wits-n bide quiet. See WITS.
2. To jog on ; to rub along.
Well, how do the times use you ?
[Wuul! dhae'ur, aay du jaug-lee ulau'ng luyk — muus-n vuyn
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 387
muuch fairut,] well ! there, I jog on quietly — (one) must not find
much fault. This the climax of a farmer's contentment.
JOGGLY [jaug 'lee], adj. Unsteady; tottering.
[Dhaat dhae'ur-z VL jaug- lee soa'urt uv u skaa'fl; taek-ee'ur yue
bae'un u traa'pt een un,] that's an unsteady kind of a scaffold ; take
care you are not trapped on it. See IN 3.
JOGGY fjaug-ee], v. i. i. To move ; to go ; to depart.
Come on, Bill, let's joggy 'long, inus'n bide yer no longer.
Well, I 'spose 'tis purty nigh time vor us to bejoggin.
He logged til a iustice ' and iousted in bus ere,
And ouertulte al hus treuthe • with "tak-this-on-amendement."
Piers Plowman, xxill. 134.
The door is open, sir, there lies your way,
You may be jogging, whiles your boots are green.
Taming of the Shrew, III. ii.
2. To shake ; to vibrate ; to tremble.
In the market train to Exeter I heard, "Well, how this yer
coach ^Q joggy — 'tis same's off the springs o' un was a-brokt."
JOG-TROT rjaug--traat], sb. The slow pace, half walk, half trot,
of some old horses — called also a dog-trot.
JOHNNY FORTNIGHT rjauireevairrt-nait], sb. The packman.
It is usual for the hawkers who sell their goods on credit to go
their rounds every fortnight.
I do pay downdap vor my two or dree oddses ; I can't 'vord to
dale way fagy Jonny Vortnights, they be to dear vor me.
JOHNNY RAW [jaun-ee rair], sb. A clown; lout; simpleton.
Well, nif thee art-n a Johnny Raw, sure 'nough, vor to be a-
catch by a cheap jack ! zold thee a puss way half-a-crown in un,
vor a shillin', did er !
JOHN'S WORT [jaun'-z wuurt], sb. Common name for dwarf
Hyptricum, H. perforatum. See ST. JOHN'S WORT.
JOINT WEED [jauynt weed], sb. Equisetum. This is the
name used by " ginlvokes." " Mare's tails," " old man's beard " are
the common names.
JOKESIOUS fjoak'shus], adj. Joking; fond of fun; frolicsome;
jocose.
[Dhoa'l Mustur Baid'geod wuz fi&joak'shus mae'un-z yue kaa'n
vuyn, ugee'un,] the old Mr. Bidgood was such a man for joking as
you cannot find again.
The farmer who uttered the above constantly used the word,
which is by no means uncommon.
c c 2
388 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
JOLLY [jaul'ee], adj. Applied to a person — good-natured ;
pleasant ; lively ; agreeable. Ital. allegro is the precise equivalent
of our word, while mod. Ital. giulivo rather implies more merriment
than our W. S. jolly.
So jolly a man as you shall vind. A proper jolly old fuller.
Applied to place or thing — nice; pretty, as in Mod. Fr. /#//'.
Joly or lusty — -frisque.
Joly or fresshe— -joly. — Palsgrave.
JOLLIE : joli, ft isque, alaigre. — Shenvood.
Sem so])ly £>at on • )?at o}?er hyjt cam
& f>e i0/ef]a.pheih • watj gendered ]>e ]>ryd.
Early Alliterative Poems, Deluge, 1. 300.
}>an sete f>ei J>re • to solas hem at j?e "windowe,
even ouer j?e ioly place ' j?at to J?at paleis longed.
Will, of Palerme, 1. 3479.
The mavis and the nyghtyngale,
And oihevjoly briddis smale.
Chaucer, Rumaunt of the Rose, 1. 619. See also 1. 639.
In this tyme,
Olimpias, that faire wif,
Wolde make a riche feste.
Weber, Kyng Alisaunder, 1. 155.
JONNICK [jaun'ik], adv. and adj. Upright; honest; straight-
forward ; easy to get on with ; friendly. (Very com.)
He's a proper jonnick old fellow.
Come now ! honour bright, that id'n jonnick at all !
We always got on jonnick enough vore thick there keeper come
here.
JORUM [joa'rum], sb. i. An excessive quantity.
I told ee a little bit, I did'n want a gurt jorum; but zee what
you've a brought me — 'tis enough for zix.
2. A large jug, generally of brown ware.
I let em had the vower-quart jorum o' cider, and told em I'd
g'in arter another zo zoon's ever they'd a-finish.
I thought one time, the fire would have been too much for us,
but maister brought us out a gurt jorum of cider, and we into it
again, and to last we dout it proper ; but th' old engine idn much
better-n a squirt.
JOT [jam], v. t. i. To shake ; to nudge.
How can anybody write if you keep on jotting the table ?
2. sb. A shake ; a push ; a slight movement.
I only gid'n a bit of a iot, and down he went.
JOUDS [jaewdz], sb. pi. Rags ; pieces ; atoms.
This here mate's a bwoiled all tojouds. — W. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 389
JOWDER, JOWLER [juwdur, juwlur], sb. A hawker; pedlar.
[Ve&-s\\juwdur,~] fish hawker. (Very com.)
JOXVDING, JOWLING [juwdeen, juwleen], sb. Hawking.
[Ee du git liz hiveen tu tae'udee juwleen,~\ he earns his living
by hawking potatoes.
JOWERING [jaawureen], part. adj. Growling; grumbling.
Why, ya parting, tatc'iy, startling, joivering, prinking, mincing Thing.
Ex. Scold. 1. 21.
JOWERY [jaawuree], v. i. To grumble ; to growl ; to find
fault in a disagreeable grumbling manner.
[Nuvur ded-n zee' dhu fuul'ur oa un — ee ul jaawuree au'l dhu
dai lau'ng,] (I) never saw his fellow — he will grumble all the day
long.
[Dhu jaawureenees oa'l fuul'ur livur yue zee'd,] the growlingest
old fellow you ever saw.
But when the crabbed nurce
Begins to chide and chowre.
1567. TurberviHe, Ovid, p. 122.
JUDAS-TREE [jue'dus-tree], sb. Cercis Siliquastrum. This tree,
and not the elder, seems most widely traditional, as that on which
Judas hanged himself. Elders in this country, at least, would
hardly be suitable in size or strength for' the purpose. In some
parts of Portugal, especially round Lisbon, the Siliquastrum, with
its bright pink blossom, is quite a feature in the landscape during
spring, and the people believe it to be the real Judas '-tree.
JUDAS-TREE. Fabagine, guainier, guaytiier. — Sherwood.
it may be called in English Judas-tree, for that it is thought to be that whereon
Judas hanged himselfe, and not vpon the Elder tree, as it is vulgarly said.
Gerarde, Herbal, p. 1428.
JUMBLE rjuurrrl], v. f. and sb. To mix confusedly; to bring
into confusion : applied to both things and ideas, or facts.
Well, sir, I'm certain I left the roots all sorted out proper ; but
now somebody've a/«;//7^em all up together.
I baint a bit same's I used to ; I could mind anything one time,
but now hon I do want to mind ort, 'tis all of a juirile like, and
my store (story) 's all tap-m-tail like.
To JUMBLE confusedly together. Barbouiller, brouiller, mesler. — Shenuood.
Ne jompre ek no discordant thyng yfere,
As thus, to usen termes of fisyk.
Chanter, Troylus and Cryseyde, lib. ii. 1. 1037.
JUMP [juump], v. i. i. To agree; to suit.
They do zay how he and her don't jump very well together ; but
I don't hear whose fau't 'tis, so I 'spose 'tis a little o' both zides.
390 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Tranio. Master, for my hand,
Both our inventions meet xn&jump in one.
Taming of the Shrew, I. i.
2nd Senator. And mine two hundred :
But though they _/«/»/ not on a just account,
..... yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus. — Othello, I. iii.
2. To readily accept an offer.
Not her hab-m? Let-n ax o' her, that's all; I tell ee her'd jump
to un.
JUMPER [juurrrpur], sb. i. An iron bar used to bore holes for
blasting, in quarrying stone. It is used by being quickly raisec"
and dropped, so that its cutting end falls always on the same spot,
and thus a hole is quickly drilled : hence to jump a hole is tc
bore it by jumping the jumper up and down in the same place.
2. A short flannel or serge smock. The blue serge shirts worn
by sailors and fishermen sure jumpers.
JUMP OVER THE BROOM [juump au'vur dhu breo'm].
cant phrase for an irregular marriage.
He idn 'is wive, 'tino ! they on1 'y jumped over the broom.
JUMP-SHORT [juump-shau'urt], phr. in hunting — when a
horse measures his distance badly, and does not clear his fence.
The opposite of over-jump, when he springs needlessly high and far.
JUNK puungk], sb. A piece ; a lump ; a hunch.
A gurt _///«£ o' bread and cheese.
JUNKET [juung-kut], sb. This may be almost called the
standing dish as a sweet in the West Country. Although so easy
to make, it is rarely met with in perfection east of Taunton, or
where " raw dairies " begin. The best junkets are made from new
milk, warm from the cow. The sugar and a little brandy are added,
according to taste, at the same time as the rennet, and before it
has had time to thicken ; scalded or clotted cream is laid all over
the top. Usually a little nutmeg is grated over all, and the junket
is made.
Italian. Giuncata, a kind of cream cheese. — Barretti.
The giuncata sold in Italian shops is much more solid than our junket, but
stracchino dl Milano is much more like it. Junket in the l6th century seems
to have been thought very unwholesome.
JONCHEE : a bundle of rushes ; also a green cheese, or fresh cheese made
milk that's curdled without any runnet, and served in a frail of green rushes.
Cotgrave.
Joncade : a certain spoon-meat, made of Cream, Rose-water, and Sugar.
Ibid.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 391
Bewar at eve of crayme of cowe & also of the goote, ]>auj it be late,
Of strawberies & hurtiberyes with the cold loncate,
For )>ese may marre many a man changynge his astate.
Milke, crayme, and cruddes, and eke the loncate.
John Russelfs Boke of Nurture (Furnivall), 11. 81-93.
be ware of cowe creme, & of good strawberyes, hurtelberyes, louncat, for
these wyll make your souerayne seke, . . . butter is holsome fyrst & last, for
it wyll do awaye all poysons : mylke, creme, and louncat, they wyll close the
mawe. — Wykyn de Worde, Boke of Kernyng (Furnivall), p. 266.
JUP ! [juup !] interj. The word used in driving cows or bullocks
of all kinds.
\_Juup!] or \juup au'n !] (jup on), \Juup ulau'ng!] or \juub
ulau'ng !] are the commonest words.
JUST A-COME [jisf u-kau'm], adv. phr. A near chance ; a
close shave ; almost happening. (Very com.)
'Twas jist a-come you had-n a-bin to late, the train was 'pon the
very point o' startin'. See Too.
Jist a-come he had'n a-brokt 'is leg.
JUST NOW [jis nae'w], adv. Very recently; a few minutes
ago. Never used in relation to the future, as it is in Scotland and
the Northern counties.
Where's your master? Here about, I reckon, for I zeed-n just
now. This is the expression of those just a little way up the social
ladder. The common phrase of those who speak pure dialect is
by now [bi-naew] (g. v.).
KADDLE [kad'l], v. i. To loiter; to work in a dilatory, lazy
way ; to pretend to work.
[Aayv u-zee'd dhu ! dhee-t buyd kad'leen dhae'ur vur u vau'rtnait,
zai noa'urt tudh'ee,] I have seen you ! you would stay loitering
there for a fortnight, if one said nothing to you.
KAE [kae'ee, kae'eez], sb. Cow, cows.
This is the usual pronunciation in the West or Hill Country. The
following accounts for the kee of Halliwell, but it does not represent
the true sound.
Thee hast a let the kee go zoo vor want o' strocking.
Ex. Scold. 1. 1 10. See also Ib. 11. 202, 409.
KECKER, KECKERS [kek-ur], sb. i. The dried hollow stalk of
the cow parsnip, or Limperscrimp (Heradium Sphondyliuni). The
word is also applied to any dried hollow stalks, as of chervil,
hemlock, &c.
392 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. The throat ; the windpipe.
[Yuur ! tiip aup dhaaf — dhaat-1 wairrsh daewn dhee kek'ur va-rr
dhee,] here ! tip up that (/. e. drink) — that will wash down thy
throat for thee. This is a frequent saying in giving cider, after a
complaint of being "dry."
KEDGE [kaj], sb. A boat's anchor; the small grapnel usually
carried in boats.
This name is used in all the little ports on the south side of the
Bristol Channel, and is not applied to any anchor belonging to a
larger vessel.
KEECH [kee'ch], sb. The fat from the intestines of slaughtered
animals; the caul or omentum. It is different from the suet, or
kidney-fat, which is the flick in a pig, inasmuch as technically the
keech is by custom part of the offal, and is sold by butchers as tallow.
It is usually rolled up while warm into a solid lump, hence the
appropriateness of the following.
Prince Henry Why, thou clay-brained guts ; thou knotty-pated fool,
thou whoreson, obscene, greasy Idiom -keech. — I Henry IV., II. iv.
BitckingJiam. I wonder
That such a keech can, with his very bulk,
Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun,
And keep it from the earth. — Hetiry VIII., I. i.
Later on Buckingham speaks of Wolsey as "This butcher's cur," showing that
in Shakespeare's time keech, or/' ball of fat," was a common epithet for a butcher,
or any obese person. See also — Good wife Keech, the butcher's wife (2 Henry
IV., II. i.). In this sense it is now obsolete.
KEEL-ALLEY [kee-ul aal-ee], sb. Bowling alley.
KEELS [kee-ulz], sb. The game skittles, called also \kai-ulz\.
Mod. Germ, kegel-spiel. See CAILES.
KEYLES (or nine pines). Quilles. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
All the Furies are at a game call'd nine-pins, or keils, made of old usurers'
bones, and their souls looking on with delight, and betting on the game !
Ben Jonson, Chloridia, The Antimasque.
KEEM [kee'm], sb. The scum or froth which rises upon cider
when it begins to ferment in the keeve.
KEEMY [kee'mee], adj. Any liquor when fermenting and
covered with a whitish creamy scum is said to be keemy.
KEENDEST [keen -dees], phr. Any keendest thing, //'/. any kin's
thing, anything whatever, any kind of thing. (Very com.)
There I was a-lef 'thout so much as a bit of a stick : I'd a-gid the
wordle vor any keendest thing a'most.
Tha has no Stroil ner Docity, no vittiness in enny keendest theng.
Ex. Scold. 1. 209.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 393
This seems to be the old form kynnes, with the very common
insertion of Rafter a liquid, as in fine, finder, small, smallder, tailder,
cornder, varder, scramder, &c.
Now liste me to lerne : ho me lere coude,
What kynnes conceyll : ]>at ]>e kyng had.
Langland, Rich, the Red. ii. 18.
What kynnes thyng. See Skeafs Index to Piers Plcnv. p. 662.
And sy]>en he made hym as mery among ]>e fre ladyes,
With comlych caroles, and alle kynnes ioye. — Sir Gawaine, 1. 1885.
]>e wonej with-inne enurned ware
Wyth alle kynne^ perre )>at mojt repayre.
Early Allit. Poems, Pearl, 1027.
KEEP [keep, kip], v.t. i. To attend regularly.
Butcher Clay 've a keep Taan'un market 's twenty year — i. e. he
has had a regular stall there.
So "to keep your church " is to be a regular attendant.
Nobody can't never zay nort by me and my man, we've always a
keept our church and a paid our way, and a brought up a long hard
family.
2. To watch ; to guard against ; to take heed of.
Boys employed to drive away birds from seed are always said to
"keep birds."
How is it your Jim has not been at school this week ?
Plaise, sir, he bin keepin o' birds for Mr. Vuz (Furze), 'cause he
couldn get nobody else. See KICKHAMMER.
Han evere this proverbed to us yonge,
That firste vertu is to kepe tonge.
Chaucer, Troylus and Cryseyde, Ex. LIB. SEC. I. 244.
KEPYNG — obseruation. — Palsgrave.
Je knowe \>Q cost of ^is cace, kepe I no more
To telle yow tenej ]>er-of neuer hot trifel ;
Sir Gawaine, 1. 546.
3. To maintain.
Her's a-come a gurt hard maaid, and her auf to work ; tidn a bit
likely they be gwain to keep her — 'tis all they can do to vind mate
vor theirzuls.
4. To attend to ; to look after. As in to keep house,
I keeps the garden and the road and that, and Jim, he do keep
the cows and pigs.
Also I will j?at ]>e nonne f?at kepidmz in my seknes haue ij nobles.
1420. WillofSir R. Salwayn. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 54/2.
Also y bequethe to Clemens, the woman that kepes me, a gowne of muster-
devylers. 1434. Will of Margaret Asshcombe. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 97/2.
All the while we were with them keeping the sheep. I Sam. xxv. 16.
KEEP [keep], sfr. i. Food for man or beast; fodder; pasture.
394 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
That's a rare piece o' keep, up there in the four acre mead.
Thick 'oss '11 grow a hand higher in your keep.
I never didn know keep so short, for the time of the year.
To be let, five acres prime couple keep. — Local Advertisement.
Couple keep is early spring grass good enough for " couples " —
/. e. ewes with their lambs.
Thick boy idn worth his keep, let 'lone his wages.
Wanted, keep for six bullocks on oaten straw with an outlet. — Apply, A.
BOWDEN, Chappie Farm, Cruwys Morchard. — Well. W. News, Jan. 13, 1887.
2. Maintenance.
In speaking of able-bodied paupers, it is very usual to hear
guardians remark, he 'on't cost the parish nothin, 'cause can make
'n sar his keep.
KEEP COMPANY [keep kau'mpmee], phr. To have a beau,
or sweetheart, but not always with a view to matrimony. There
seems to be a sort of shame in both sexes not to have either a
" young woman " or a "young man." Hence the stories of servant-
girls (probably from the country) paying soldiers to walk with them.
Well, Henry, are you going to be married? Not as I know by.
What, are you not courting Mary Snow ? Oh, we understands one
t'other, we be only keeping company.
On the other hand, to "keep company" often implies an actual
engagement to marry.
KEEPED [kee-pud u-kee'pud], /. /. and /. part, of to keep.
(Always.) Kept is unknown; the only other form is \kee'p> keefp(t,
u-kee'p~\. The former is intrans., the latter trans.
'Tidn not a bit o' good : I've z.-keeped on gin I be a-tired, and
he don't take no notice.
Her've always a.-keept herzul 'spectable.
Sownynge alway the encres of his wynnyng,
He wolde the see were kepud for enything
Betwixe Middulburgh and Orewelle.
Chaucer, Prologue, 1. 275.
KEEPERING [kee-pureen], sb. The art or business of a
gamekeeper. (Very com.)
I'd zoonder by half have thick there boy about keeperin 'an thick
there Sam, hot I'd a-got here. Dec. 10, 1886.
KEEPING [kee-peen, kip'een]. In \hzphr. to keeping, /". e. for
maintenance.
No, I vinds 'tis cheaper vor to hire when I do want ; don't pay
me vor to keep a 'oss, he do cost to much to keeptn.
KEEP ON [keep au*n], v . i. To scold continuously.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 395
Come, missus, do 'ee let's have a little bit o' paice, you do keep
on from Monday mornin' to Zadurday night.
They on't do it a bit better for keepin on so. (Very com.)
See ON.
KEEVE [kee'v], s. A vat used in cider-making, and in brewing.
As soon as the juice runs from the press it is put into the keeve,
and left there usually for twenty-four hours, until fermentation has
set in. In brewing the word is also applied to the mash itself;
after " mashing " it is usual to cover up the vat and to leave the malt
to soak for some time. This is called "setting the keeve" [ziifeen
dhu kee"v}. Many old brewers make with their finger on the malt
the figures of " two hearts and a criss cross," as they say, vor to
keep off the pixies, while he (the keeve} do steevy.
Fr. CUVE : An open tub : a fat or vat. — Cot grave.
Fatte a vessell — quevne. — Palsgrave,
Slat tha Podgers, slat tha Crock, slat tha fCeeve, and tha Jibb, bost tha cloam.
Ex. Scold. 1. 249.
KEFTY [kaef'tee], adj. Awkward; clumsy.
Lat-n uloa'un, au'l dhuumz ! wuy, dhee urt su kaeftee-z u kaew
an'leen u muus'kut,] leave it alone, all thumbs ! why, thee art as
clumsy as a cow handling a musket. (Very common saying.)
Can this be a contraction of kay-fote — kay-footy ?
Gauan gripped to his ax, and gederes hit on hyjt
J?e kayfote on j^e folde he be-fore sette. — Sir Gawaine, 1. 421.
KEFTY-HANDED [kaef'tee-an-dud], adj. The only term in
use. Left-handed vs,fine — seldom heard.
I never took no notice avore, how that Bill Cross was kefty-handed.
KELP [kuulp], sb. Sea-weed. (Always so called.) After a
storm great quantities are often washed ashore; this is gathered
up and used for manure.
'Tis stinking stuff, but that there kelp's good dressin, arter 'tis
a-ratted (rotten).
KELTER [kaeHur], sb. Wherewith ; money.
I'd have em vast enough, nif only I'd a got the kelter.
KEMMICK [kenvik], sb. r. A flax field. This is rather a
common name of a field.
2. A weed with strong tangled roots. Rest-harrow — Ononis
arvensis. (Rare.)
Peucedanum, cammocc. Gotuna, cammuc.
Wrighfs Vocabularies, 300/27, 416/9.
KEMP [kenvp], sb. Short, coarse white hairs, often found
mixed with portions of the fleece. See SKEMP.
396
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The slit made by a
A shallow groove
KEMPY [kern -pee], adj. Applied to wool having the short, coarse
white hairs which are found in the wool of mountain sheep, or
others which have been badly fed in the winter.
KERF [kuurf], sb. A cutting or notch.
saw, called usually a \T.za:kuurf~\ sa\v-&erf.
often called a kerf. See QUIRK.
A. Sax. cyrf. O. Frisian, kerf, incisttra? — Strut mann.
solde .... ]>eo her (of Absolom) ]>e me kerf of — uor two hundred sides
seolure. Ancren Riivle, p. 398.
"Kepe |>e cosyn," quoth \>e kyng, "))at }>ou]on Xyr/"sette,
& if )>ou rede} hym ryjt, redly I trowe,
)>at JJQU schal byden £e bur J>at he schal bede after."
Sir Gawayne, 1. 372.
KERN [kuurn], v. t. i. To curdle or turn sour.
This here thunder weather's ter'ble bad about kerning the milk,
nobody can't help o' it.
2. To boil slowly ; to simmer.
KERN [kee'urn], v. i. To fill up with seed; to form seed —
said of corn ; to kernel.
[Dhu wai't-s wuul M-kee'urn dee yuur,] the wheat is well kernec
this year. (Usual phrase.)
Kerning time [kecurneen tuym]. The time when the blossom
sets and the grain is forming in the ear.
[Keod-n spak noa kraap', twuz jish wadrrur au'l drue keeurneen
tuym,] could not expect a crop, it was such weather all through
kerning time.
Bote yf )>o sed ]>at sowen is • in }>e sloh sterue,
Shal neuere spir springen vp • ne spik on strawe airne.
Piers Plowman, CXIII. 180.
The thredde time, tho grene corn in somer sholde cume,
To foule wormes muchedel the eres gonne turne.
Rob. of Clou, (ed Hearne, p. 490), quoted by Skeat, notes to P. P., p. 270.
To KYRNELLE : granare, granere, granescere inchoatium.
Catholicum Aug.
2. Applied to a horse getting into condition ; to harden.
I heard it said of a young horse, " Let'n bide a twel-month, gin
he's &-kerned up — you 'ont know un." (Com.)
KERNED [kuurnd], adj. Salted— applied to meat.
That'll be a beautiful bit when he's well a kerned — not to zalt.
Comp. CORNED-BEEF.
KERNEL [kuurnl], sb. i. Any hardened gland or swelling;
a knot under the surface of the skin.
Kernels are very frequent with some individuals, and are often
painful.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 397
KYRNEL, or knobbe yn a beeste, or mannys flesche (knoble, s.). Granulnm,
glandula. Promp. Parv.
KYRNELL or knobbe in the necke or otherwhere— glandre.
WAXYNG KYRNELS— glandes, glanders. — Palsgrave, pp. 236, 286.
GLANDE : a kernel ; a fleshy substance filled with pores, and growing between
the flesh and skin. Cotgrave.
2. A grain of corn is often so called.
Speaking of a sample of wheat, it is usual to say, "Tis small
in the kernel" — i. e. the grains are small. This is probably the
original meaning.
Kyrnel of frute. Granum, grandium. — Promp. Parv.
KERPING [kuurpeen, kyuurpeen], pr. part. Carping; dis-
contented.
Take and let the boy have a little bit o' peace ; what's the good
o' keeping on kerpin about it ?
jawing or sneering, blazing or racing, kerping or speaking cutted.
Ex. Scold. 1. 308.
KERPY [kuurpee], v. i. To carp ; to grumble ; to nag.
I be very zorry for Mr. . . . , he's a good sort of a man enough ;
but her, her don't do nort but ballirag and kerpy all the day long.
KERRY [ktiuree], sb. A kind of wagon used for harvesting
or carrying straw. Instead of the ordinary body it has only rails
at the sides, and " lades " at the ends. See CURRY.
KERRY-MERRY [kuuree-muuree], sb. A small, lo\v, narrow
dray for drawing casks.
KERS [kuurs], sb. Cress.
'Tis gettin' time to zow zome mustard-n kers.
Cresco, kerse. — Wright's Vocabularies, 135/8.
Of paramours ne sette he nat a kers,
For he was helyd of his maledye ;
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 568.
KERSEN [kiirsn, kuursn], v. t. To christen. (Always.)
They always calls'n Jack or Jan, but tidn his name by rights,
vor I do know eens he was a.-kerserid Urchet (Richard).
Over the Thames, at a low water-mark :
Vore either London, ay, or Kingston-bridge,
I doubt, were kursin'd. — Ben Jonson, Tale of a Tub, I. ii.
Scriben. Vaith, I cannot tell,
If men were kyrsirfd or no : but zure he had
A kyrsin name, that he left me, Diogenes. — Ib, IV. ii.
KERSEY [kiz-ee], adj. i. Applied to cloth. Twilled, or woven
so as to show the threads in diagonal lines or ribs.
398
"SYEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Kiz'ee blang'kuts wae'urz duub'l su lau'ng-z plaayn wai'vud,]
kersey blankets wear twice as long as plain-wove.
2. sb. Often used for a coarse twilled woollen cloth.
A piece o' blue [kiz-ee] kersey vor a gurt-coat's cloth — i. e. with
which to make a great-coat.
By this white glove (how white the hand, God knows)
Henceforth my wooing mind shall be expressed
In russet yeas, and honest kersey noes ! — Loves Labour Lost> V. ii.
KERSEY-WOVE [kiz-ee-wai-vud], adj. Woven with a twill in
distinction from [plaa'yn-wai'vud] plain-wove. A kerseymere cloth
is certainly a twilled cloth, but whether or not it is " a corrupt forr
of Cassimere " I leave to the decision of Prof. Skeat and the savant
KERSAY — cresey. — Palsgrave,
KERSIE — carize, creseau. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
KERSLINS [kuursleenz], sb. Small wild plums; bullace.
Called also krislings or christlings.
KERSNING VAULT [kursneen vault], sb. Font in a church.
At Minehead, April 23, 1883, the woman who had the key of the
church said, twice,
[Bae'un ee gwai'n tu leok tu dh'oa'l kursneen vau~lt?~\ are yoi
not going to look at the old font ?
KERSTIN [kursteen]. Christian. (Always.)
A boy at the Wellington Sunday School said, " Plase, sir, Mr.
.... zess I mus'n zay ' Our Father,' 'cause I bain't a kerstin."
KYRSTYONE, or Crystyone, proper name (kirstiane, K. kyrstyan, or krystum,
S.). Christina. Prornp. Parv.
KESSEN [kaes'n]. Christian. This pronunciation is becoming
rare.
Thee wut ha' a Hy to enny Kessen Soul. — Ex. Scold. 1. 232.
KESTER [kes-tur]. Christopher. (Common.)
KETCH [kaech], v. t. To catch. Always so pronounced. [P. t.
kaech'(t ; p. p. u-kaech'(t.~\ See W. S. Gram, on weak verbs, p. 46.
KETTLE OF FISH [kifl u vee-sh], sb. Disturbance ; uproar.
Nif maister should come to know it, 'twill be a pretty kettle of
fish, and no mistake.
KEW [keo-], sb. The heel-iron of a boot.
Th' old Jim Hill's a capical shoemaker, but he don't bethinl
to charge — he ax me vourteenpence on'y for a pair o' kews and
nailing a pair o' half bats. Called also cute, skute. See CUE.
KEX [kaeks], sb. Dried hollow stalks of certain plants, especially
cow-parsnip. See KECKER.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 399
KYX, or bunne, or drye weed (bunne of dry wed, H.). Calamus.
Promp. Parv.
KECKES of humblockes — tviav.
KICKES the drie stalke of humlockes or burres— tvyav. — Palsgrave.
And as glowande gledes * gladieth nou}te )>is workmen,
]>at worchen & waken • in wyntres nijtes,
As doth a kex or a candel • )>at caujte hath fyre & blaseth.
Piers Plowman, XVII. 217.
and nothing teems,
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs,
Losing both beauty and utility. — Henry V., V. ii.
KEY [kai'], sb. i. A spanner or screw wrench. This has its place
on every sull, by which the screws to regulate and adjust the
several parts, are turned. Any common screw spanner is called
a key. Our pronunciation of key is the old form, and the lit. in
this case again the modern corruption.
Ang.-Sax. Clauis. Coeg.
Hec clauls. Ae kay.
Hie claviger, a &y/berere.
Wrights Vocab. 667/38, 684/9.
And t>anne worstow dryuen oute as dew • and }>e dore closed,
Keyed vxA cliketed • to kepe )>e with-outen. — Piers Plowman, B. V. 622.
Such daynte hath in it to walk and pleye,
That he wolde no wight suffre bere the keye.
Chaucer, Marchaundes Tale, 1. 799.
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lies all within. Deliver me the key,
Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may !
Merchant of Venice, II. vii.
2. This word is used figuratively in the dialect as well as in lit.
Eng., and usually means the crowning-point, or best part.
I do not like that window at all.
Not like thick winder ! why, I zim he's the very kay o' the work.
3. Tech. In plastering, the mortar which, passing between the
laths, spreads on the other side ; the holding mortar at the back
of the laths is called the key.
No odds how much hair's in it, he 'ont bide if there id'n a good
key — /. e. the ceiling will not stay up. See LOCKS AND KEYS.
KIBBLE [kib'l, kub'l], v. t. To bruise or partly grind corn or
beans ; to crack the corn, so as to break the " hud."
KIBBLER [kub'lur], sb. A machine or mill for bruising corn
or beans.
KIBBY-HEELS [kib'ee ee-ulz], sb. Chapped heels— of horses.
Gibbus, kybe. — Wright's Vocab. 586/25.
MULARD : one that hath kibie-heels. — Cotgrave. See also KIBE, Sherwood.
KYBE on the heels : Mule. — Palsgrave.
400 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
KICK [kik1], \r\phr. to kick the leg; to ask or beg for a treat.
If a stranger comes into a field and asks any questions, it is very
general for the labourers to say to one or other of their fellows,
"Jim, go and kick his leg," upon which Jim goes and says they
would much like to drink his honour's health.
KICK-HAMMER [kik-aanrur], sb. A stammerer.
Pay thee for thy day's work ! Purty fuller to keep the birds,
vast asleep in under the hedge ! Ees ! I'll pay thee, wai zixpen'orth
o' strap oil, you young kick-hammer son of a bitch !
Also a scornful epithet for a bumptious little upstart.
KICK-HAMMERY [kik-aanruree], v. i. To stammer or stutter.
[VVuy-s-n spai'k aevvt, neet buyd dhae'ur kik-aawureen — haut
ae'ulth dhu bwuuy ?] why don't you speak out, not stay stammering
there — what is the matter with the boy ?
KICKING ABOUT [kik-een ubae'wt], phr. Lying about; out
of place ; neglected.
Bill's the slammickins fuller ever I corned across, sure to vind
he's things kickin' about all over the place. Quite different in
meaning to "knocking about."
KICKLE [kik'l], adj. Fickle; wavering; unstable.
Joe idn a bad sort o' fuller like, but you never can't be safe o'
un, he's so kicktis the wind.
KID [kid], sb. The seed-pod of any plant, especially of pease,
beans, vetches, &c. Same as COD i.
[Dhur-z u plain'tee u kidz^ bud laur ! dhai bee moo'ur-n aa-f oa-m
aim 'tee,] there are plenty of pods, but unfortunately more than half
of them are empty.
KIDDLE [kid'l], v. i. and adj. Same as KADDLE (q. v.). Often
used together, &&&-kaddle, to dawdle.
'Twas a purty ^/^//<?-kaddle concarn way they two old fullers,
they widn a-finish by this time nif I'd a let em alone.
KIDDY [kid-ee], v. L To form pods.
[Neef dhai-d vee'ulee su wuul-z dhai du kid^ee, twiid bee u
kaap'ikul soa'urt u pai'z,] if they would become full in proportion
to the number of pods, it would be an excellent kind of peas.
KIDLEY-WINK [kid'lee-wingk], sb. A low cider or beer shop,
where drink is sold on the sly without a license. See GUCKOO
SHOP.
KIDNEY-WEED [kid -nee weed]. Cotyledon Umbilicus.
KILL [kee'ul], sb. Kiln. (Always so pronounced, n is never
heard.) As a lime-^/7/, malt-/£/7/, /£/7/-dried.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 401
Vstrinatoriuin, a kylle. — Wright 's Vocab. 620/17.
Calcaria fornax, Plinio, iirvoo. A lime keek. — Nomenclator (quoted by Nares).
KYLL for malte. — Palsgrave.
A. KILL, KILNE, or lime-&7/. Chaufour (for to make mault), Touraille.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
KILL [kee'ul], v. Said of any substance or material which
destroys another, both literally and figuratively, as in " that purple
quite kills the pink."
[Toa'n due1 tu puut noa duurt lau'ng wai dhu zair, uuls t-1 kee'ul
dhu luym, un spwuuy'ul dhu maur'tur,] it will not do to put soil
along with the sand; if you do, it will kill the lime and spoil
the mortar. Water killth vire.
KILL-COW [kee'ul-kaew], adj. Serious ; important.
They zaid how that all the house was a burned down, but twadn
no such kill-cow job arter all ; the vire never come to none of the
best rooms like. This expression is very common, and is sometimes
changed to kill-crow.
KILL-DUST [kee'ul diis], sb. Kiln-dust ; the chafings of malt
which fall down through the floor of the kiln and are caught
beneath. See MALT-COMBS.
KIN [keen], sb. Kindred; next kin [naek's keen~\. adv. Very
nearly ; all but. (Very com.)
[Ue ! dh-oa'l Joa- Eo'd ! poa ! dhu poa'ur oa'l fuul'ur-z naek's
keen tub u feo'l,] who ! old Joe Wood ! pooh ! the poor old fellow
is almost an idiot.
[Tvvuz aun'kaunvun nee'ur shee'uv, dhu wee'ulz dud' ttich
luyk; dhae'ur ! twuz naek's keen tue u rig'lur smaarsh,] it was (an)
uncommonly near shave, the wheels were touching; indeed, it was
all but a regular smash.
KINDLY [keen 'dice keen 'lee], v. i. To whelp; to bring forth
young. Applied to bitches, rabbits, and to any small animals which
produce several young ones at a birth.
Her'll kinly 'vore morning, I count.
Holders euer ower heorte in on wifcinnen, leste j?e uttre uondonge kundlie \z
iure. Ancren Riivle, p. 194.
To much felreolac kundl& hire ofte. — Ibid. p. 286.
KYNLED, or kyndelyd in forthe bryngynge of yonge beestys.
{Kyndelid in bryngforthe ofbestys, K.) Fetatus. — Proinp. Parv.
I kyndyll, as a she hare or cony dothe whan they bring forthe yonge. Je fays
des fetis. Palsgrave.
Crist clepede hem ypocritis & serpentis and addir kyndles, and jhu cursede
hem ofte. Wyclif, Works, p. 2.
D D
402
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
KINDLY [kuynlee], adj. i. Improving; thriving. Said of
cattle.
Oncommon kindly lot of beast. Her d'an'l kindly like (handles).
They sheep be poor, but they baint a very onkmdly lookin' lot.
2. Hearty ; well (of person).
Mornin', Mr. Baker, how be you? and how's missus? Kindly,
thankee ; how's yourzul ?
KING-BOW [king-boa-], adj. Akimbo.
Did ee zee the old Jan Bale's son — idn he a purty fuller then ?
There a was, a dress'd up so fine's my lord, wi' his two arms king-
bow fashion, same's any gin'lman.
There is much difference of opinion as to the position of " the
arms akimbo." Some say it means the hands placed on the hips
with the elbows turned out, while others maintain that the arms are
folded across the breast. I incline to the former.
KEMBOLL, with arms set on kemboll. Les bras courbez en anse. .
To set his hands a kemboll. Mettre les mains en arcade sur les costes.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
KING CHARLES'S DAY. The 29th May, aniversary of the
Restoration. See OAK-APPLE-DAY.
KING-CUP [keng'-kuup], sb. i. Marsh marigold. The usual
name, Caltha palustris.
2. The Trollius Europtzus.
KINGDOM COME [keng'dum kau-m], sb. Domesday ; the daj
of judgment.
There, I'll warn thick job'll last 'gin kingdom come.
Also applied to the state of the dead.
Her's a go to kingdom come : what ! did'n ee know her was
dead?
KING-GUTTER [keng-guad-r], sb. The principal drain ir
draining a field. See CARRIAGE-GUTTER.
KINK [kingk], sb. A twist in a rope or chain which prevent
its coming straight or running through a block. The same term is
applied to the twists or bends of a wire which will not strain out
straight.
KINK UP [kingk aup], v. i. To become twisted, when applied
to a rope, or to have the links displaced when applied to a chain.
Stop ! don'ee zee he's all a.-kinkt up ? he 'on't go drough the
block lig that.
KIP [klip], sb. i. The box or frame in which minerals are drawn
up from mines, and in which miners descend, &c. Called a skip ii
northern counties.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS, 403
2. sb, A half-tanned hide or sheep-skin in the process of
tanning.
Kyppe of lanibe a furre. — Palsgrave.
KIRCHER [kuurchur], sb. i. The membranous layer of fat
which surrounds the "inward" of animals. Same as the keech.
Halliwell is wrong ; the midriff is never called the kircher.
2. The caul of any animal. Amnion.
KISSES [kees-ez], sb. Sweets.
There are several kinds of " drops " and other abominations
called kisses, but usually the kiss is the sweet which is found
wrapped inside the motto of a cracker or "cossaque."
KISSING-CRUST [kees-een kuurst], sb. The soft part of the
outside of a loaf. The part which in baking has touched the next
loaf.
KISSINTG-GATE [kees-een gee-ut], sb. A particular form of
gate for footpaths. It is only made to open far enough for one
person to pass at a time, and by that means two companions are
brought face to face across the gate — hence the name.
KISS IN THE RING [kees'-n dhu ring-], sb. A game which is
very popular among the village lads and lasses. It is played like
"drop the handkerchief," with the addition that the person behind
whom the handkerchief is dropped is entitled to kiss the person
who dropped it, if he or she can catch him or her, before the person
can get round the ring to the vacant place. Of course when a girl
drops it she selects a favoured swain, and the chase is severe up to
a point, but when a girl is the pursuer, there often is a kind of
donkey race lest she should have to give the kiss, which the lad
takes no pains to avoid. The game often degenerates into a
questionable romp.
KISS-ME QUICK [kee's-mee-kwik], sb. The pansy or heart's-
ease. The wild variety.
KIT [keet], sb. Family ; brood ; lot ; large quantity.
I don't look arter the tothers ; but Jenny's a nice maid, her's
worth all the wole kit, put 'em all in a bag and shake 'em all up
together. This latter is a very common saying.
There was a kit o' volks to market.
[Haut d-ee aak-s vur yur vaewuls, muYez? Vaa-wur-n ziks u
kuup'l. Wuul ! bud haut-1 ee taek1 vur dhu \voal kee't?~\ what do you
want for your fowls, mistress? Four-and-six a couple. Well, but
what will you take for the entire lot?
KIT [keet]. i. Christopher. Kit and Kester are equally
common.
D D 2
404
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. sb. A small fiddle, as a crowder's kit.
KITCH [kee-ch], v. To congeal. (Very com.)
Why, 'tis all cold, and the gravy's proper a.-kitcht.
Oil or blood when congealed is said to be kitcht.
The frost wadn very hard, the pond was only just ^.-kitcht over.
KITCH [keech], sb. Congealed fat or wax. See KEECH.
[Dhai brau'th waud-n noa'un u yur skee'n-vliint soa'urt, dhaewt
noa paeth' een um. Noa ! Noa'u ! dhur wuz u rae'ul geod keech
u faat paun um, eens keod u puut u vaawur paewn stoaam paun
um,] those broth were none of your skin-flint sort, without any pith
in them. No ! no ! there was a real good cake of fat upon them,
so that (one) could put a four-pound stone upon them.
KITCHEN PHYSIC [keech-een fuVik], sb. Food.
Poor soul ! her don't want no doctorin ; 'tis kitchen physic her's in
want o'.
KITCHEN-PLAY [keech-een plaa-y], phr. A very common
expression during games of cards, when one of the party holds such
cards that he wins without any skill.
Why, he'd a got all vower aces ! — rigler kitchen play /
KITH [kee'th], sb. Country ; native land — used always with kin.
It is very usual to say of a worthless, good-for-nothing fellow, He
don't care for kith, kin, hog, dog, nor devil.
[Ees ! poo'ur maa'yd, uur du vee'ul loa'unlee un wee'sht luyk, su
vaar uwai1 vrum au'l ur kee'th-n kee'n,] yes ! poor girl, she feels lonely
and sad, so far away from all her home and relations.
A.S. fy'S, a region, or country.
He (Herod) commandid son )>ai suld be slan,
If J?ai moght o)>er be ouer-tan.
Bot Godd wald not )>ai mett f>am wit ;
J>ai ferd al sauf into {?air kylh.
Cursor Mundi, Visit of the Afagi, 1. 171.
KITTLE-BELLY [kifl buul-ee], sb. Big belly.
No ! no ! I must have somebody a little bit dapper-like, not a
gurt kittle-belly like he.
No doubt the word is kettle, and the simile applies to the dish-
kettle (q. v.).
[U kit'l buul'eed oa'uz burd, au'l ee'du leok aa'dr-z liz een'suyd,]
a big bellied whoreson, all he cares for is his inside — /". e. eating and
drinking. — Dec. 24, 1881.
KITTLE-PINS [kit- 1-peenz], sb. Skittles— applied to the pins
and not to the game.
I bin down to th' old Bob Perry's an' a bespokt a new set o'
kittle-pins.
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 405
KITTLE-SMOCK [kifl smauk], sb. A short smock reaching
only to the waist. The long smock reaching to the knees is never
so-called. The kittle-smock is worn rather by the artisan class than
the farm labourer ; still it is by no means uncommon among the
latter.
KITTY [keefee], sb. A gathering; number of people.
r\ here was a purty kitty o'm, I 'sure ee ; I 'an't a-zeed zo many
vokes to Langvord revel nit's longful time.
KITTY-BATS [keet'ee baats], sb. Short leather gaiters covering
the instep, but reaching little above the ankle. These used to be
much worn by labouring men, but are never seen now on their feet.
Gentlemen now wear them, made of cloth, and called "spats."
KITTY-KEYS [keefee kai-z], sb. The red bunches of fruit of
the quickbean. Pyrus Aucuparia.
I never heard it applied to the seeds of the common ash, Fraxinus
excelsior, but it is quite possible that its bunches of seeds may be so
called.
KIVER [kivur], v. t. To cover. Not general in the west, but
the usual pronun. in East Somerset.
I schal dwelle in thi tabernacle in to worldis ; y sclial be keuered in tlie
hilyng of thi wengis. IVyclif, Psalm LX. 5.
" I pray the," quod the Emperour, " leue me som clothis, and kever my body."
Gesta Roman, p. 82.
Thy waistcoat all horry, and thy pancrock a kiver d wi' briss and buttons.
Ex. Scold. 1. 155.
KIVER [kivur], sb. Cover.
Plase, sir, we wants a new kiver to the furnace.
The kiver o' the bwoiler's a-brokt.
Though heard frequently in this district, the word rather belongs
to East Somerset.
And thou hast Joue to mee the kyueryng of thin helthe.
VVyclif, Psalm XVII. 36.
KNACK [naa'k], sb. i. Ability ; dexterity.
So Jim Green's gwain ageean. Well, he 'ant a got the knack o'
getting on, and keepin' of a good place ; but he can drow up his
hand so well's one here and there.
2. See NECK.
KNACKER [naak-ur]. A worn-out old horse. ^Doc-HoRSE.
KNACKERS [naak-urz]. Testicles.
KNACK-ME-DOWN [naak'-mee-daewn], adj. Strong— said of
drink.
406
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I calls it rare trade, 'tis proper knack-me-doum stuff, 'tis mate,
drink'n clothes !
KNAP [naap], sb. Rising ground; the brow of a hill; highest
part of the hill; a knoll.
[Neef dhur-z u zaug'ee plae'us, yue bee saa'f tu vuyn un rai't
pun dhu naap-,'} if there is a boggy place, you are certain to find
it on the highest point of the hill.
We zeed the carriage so zoon as ever he come over the knap
o' the hill.
I always do zay it, there idn no purtier knap no place than 'tis
here to Foxydown.
Ang,-Sax. CNCEP, a top, cop, knop, button. Mod. Welsh. CNAP, a bunch, a
knob, a boss. Irish. CNAP, a hillock.
Hark! on knap of yonder hill,
Some sweet shepherd tunes his quill.
Browne, Shepherd's Pipe, Eel. I . (quoted by Nares).
The KNAP of a hill, dine, on, cotipeau de montagne, •uerruque. — Sherwood*
KNAPPY [naap'ee], adj. Hilly; steep. A steep field is always
either a nappy field or a cleeiy field.
In the parish of Culmstock are two fields belonging to myself,
called in the tithe commutation, Nappy-down and Little Nappy.
KNAP-WEED [naap'-weed], sb. The very common Centaurea
nigra.
Knoppe-wede an herbe. — Palsgrave.
KNATCH [naach], sb. A bundle — same as KNITCH.
KNAW [nau'], v. t. To know. (Very com. pronun. ; always so
in Devon.) \P. tense nau'd; p. part, u-nauxi.] Knew and known
are quite unknown.
He ! call he a gardener ! why, I've a vorgot more-n ever he
knaw'd.
Well, I've &-knaw'd']\s thing avore now.
For to se, and forto shawe
Yif ]>at he hire wolde knawe. — Havelok the Dane, 1. 2784.
Thy fadir hastow tresond here !
O gentil child beo Y knawe
For what thyng hast me y-slawe ? — Weber, A". Alis., \. 723.
J>e beste knyjt of is hond : oueral he was y-hohle
]>at was knowed'vn. any lond : for to do dedes bolde.
Sir Ftrumbras, 1. 2150.
KNAW-NOR T [nau'-noa'urt], adj. and epithet. Ignorant.
'Tidn no good to harky to a gurt knaw-nort like he.
I calls-n the hignoran's, knaw-norfs (ignorantest, know-nortest)
gurt slatterpooch in all the parish.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 407
KNAW-NOTHING [nair-nuutrreen], sb.
There idn no ignoranter gurt knaw-nothiner battle-head athin
twenty mild o' the place.
"Twenty mile" is the favourite distance for comparisons.
"Gurt knaw-nothiit , holler-mouth, he's so hignorant's a hoss," is
to be heard every day.
. KNEE-BOWED [nee'-buuwd], adj. Said of corn after much
rain, when inclined to become " laid."
Thick field o' wheat looks knee-boived like ; nif don't hold up
soon, he'll go lie altogether.
The term scarcely implies that the crop is completely beaten
down — this is "go lie" (q. v.).
KNEE-CAPS [nee--kaaps], sb. i. Pads of leather and cloth
strapped over horses' knees to protect them from injury while
exercising or travelling.
2. The patellae ; always so-called, never knee-pan.
KNEE-HAPSED [nee'-aap'sud], adj. Said of corn — same as
KNEE-BOWED.
KNEELY [nee'ulee], v. i. To kneel. (Always.)
The poor maid's most a-worked to death; her knees be that
bad way scrubbin, her can't kneely 't-all now.
So var]> monye of )>is heyemen • in chirclie me may yse
Knely to God, as hii wolde • al qnic to him fle.
Rob. ofGlou., Will, the Cony. 1. 283.
KNEE-NAPPED [nee'-naap'ud], adj. Having legs bent inwards
at the knees ; knock-kneed ; implies more than bandy \ but in the
same direction.
[U puurd'ee fuul'ur ee* ! nee'-naap-ud, waun uy, u ae'ur liip, un
u ai'd lig u aewz u-vuyur,] a pretty fellow he ! knock-kneed, one
eye, a hare lip, and a head like a house on fire !
KNEE-SICK [nee'-zik], adj. Said of grass or corn when it
does not stand up straight before the scythe or sickle. Called
knee-bent in some parts — same as KNEE-BOWED.
'Tis mortal tough, mid zo well cut 'ool. Can't cut it vitty like,
and 'tis all knee-zick. — June 2oth, 1882. Said of some grass being
mown for hay.
KNEESTRADS [nee'stradz], sb. Leathers worn by thatchers
on their knees, because their work always obliges them to kneel
a great deal upon wet reed.
KNICK-KNACKERY [nik-naak-uree], sb. Small articles of
almost any kind, such as would be found at a fair, including sweets
and pastry. (Very com.)
4o8
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Dhurwaud-n noa'urt dhae'uru noa' vaal'ee luy'k, mocreestoaut
wiiz nik-naak-uree un ruunrij,] there was nothing there of any
value, most of the things were knick-knackery and rubbish. (Said
of a sale of furniture, Oct. 1881.)
KNICKLE [nik-1], v. t. To tangle— often applied to laid corn.
Can't never cut it, 'tis all &-knickled up so.
KNITCH [neech], sb. A bundle; anything knit or bound
together — as a knitch o' reed.
Where's your box, then ? Oh, I 'an't a-brought home only a few
of my things in a bit of a knitch. Low. Germ, knitcke. See NITCH.
A KNYCHE : fasciculus, & cetera : vbi a burdyii. — Cath. Aug.
first gadere Je togidre the taaris, & bynde hem togidre in knycchis to be
brente : but gadre Je the whete in to my berne.
Wyclifvers. Matthew Xlll. 30.
The foot-men kast in knohches off hay,
To make horsemen a redy way.
Weber, Richard Coer de Lion, 1. 2985.
KNIVES AND FORKS [nai'vz-n vairrks], j£. The plant Jenny
Wren — Geranium Robertianum. See LADY'S KNIVES AND FORKS.
KNOCKING ABOUT [nauk'een ubae-wt], phr. Going about.
This expression is now quite acclimatized in the district in its
ordinary meanings. It is evidently imported, as the verb to knock
cannot properly be said to exist in the dialect.
There was a plenty o' beer knockirf about.
There's a store knockirf about, how that we bain't gwain to have
no fine weather gin har'est.
Ter'ble sight o' volks knockirf about.
Squire .... bin up to Lunnon knockin' about, gin he've a spen'
ivery varden he've a got.
KNOT [nau't], sb. i. The little bed of flowers so common in
front of country cottages.
A builder said to me, "The houses will always let better if
there's a place for a little flower-vkw/ in front.
The people always talk of a " little knot of flowers avore the
door."
Knot, border, and all
Now couer, ye shall. — Tusser, 22/22.
When our sea- walled garden, ....
Her fruit trees all unprun'd, her hedges ruin'd,
Her knots disorder'd, and her wholesome herbs
Swarming with caterpillars? — Richard II., III. iv.
Flowers worthy of Paradise, which not nice art
In beds and curious knots, but nature boon,
Pour'd forth profuse on dell, and dale, and plain.
Paradise Lost, IV. 241.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 409
2. [naa't, naut1]. Flower.
Clover when in flower is said to be " all in vull knot"
3. See NOTT. KNOT-BULLOCK. See NOTT-BULLOCK.
KNOT-GRASS [naaf-graa's], sb. The genteel name. Same as
MAN-TIE, TACKER-GRASS. Polygonum aviculare.
Lysander. Get you gone, you dwarf ;
You minimus, of hind'ring knot-grass made ;
You bead, you acorn. — At ids. Night's Dream, III. ii.
Knot-grass. Herbe nouee, centidoine, herbe de S. Innocent, nonettse. — Sherwood.
KNOT-HILLS [naut-ee-ulz], sb. Knobs on the head.
[D-ee livur zee un'eebau'dee wai jish naut-ee'ulz pun uz ai'd-z
MuVtur Keok' t-Aewn'z Moa'r?] did you ever see any one with
such knobs upon his head as Mr. Cook of Hound's Moor ?
KNOTLINGS [naa-tleenz], sb. The small intestines of the pig,
which when cleaned are looped together into a kind of plait or
knot, and are then fried. See CHITLINGS.
KNOTTING [naufeen], sb. Called also Patent Knotting, a
preparation of naphtha used by painters to "kill" the turpentine
in the knots of fir timber, otherwise the natural turpentine would
"kill" the paint, and so every knot would be visible in the finished
work.
KNOTTLE [naafl], v. t. To entangle.
No wonder he did'n grow — the mores o' un was all a knottled
up to a rigler wig. Said of a plant turned out of a pot.
KNOTT-STRINGS [naaf-stringz], sb. Bootlaces. Confined
to hill district and N. Dev.
KNOW BY, v. To know of. This use is heard only in certain
negative constructions — generally to know anything by a person
means against him ; but in reply to a question, such as, Are there
any ducks to sell about here ? the answer would be [Neet-s aay
noa' buy,'} not that I know of. See By, 5.
KNOWLEDGY [nauHjee, nairlijee], adj. Cute; sharp;
knowing ; deft. (Very com.)
[Ee-z u nau'lijee soa'urt uv u fuul'ur,] he's a clever sort of a
chap. There idn no more knoledgyer bwoy'n our Jim, no place.
KNUCKLED-DOWN [nuuk-ld-daewn], adj. Applied to corn.
Beaten down ; laid.
KNUCKLE-DOWN [nuuk-1-daewn], v. i. i. To submit; to
yield ; to eat humble pie.
Nif dis'n want to lost thy place, thee'ds best go and knuckle-
down to once.
4io
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. Used by boys in playing at marbles — to keep the fist upon the
ground when " firing" the taw.
Bill ! I 'on't have it ! I cried knuckle-down 'vore thee's fire.
KNUCKLE-UNDER. To permit another to have the whip-
hand ; to play second fiddle.
I told her 'twad'n no good vor to try on thick there game —
'sthink I was going to knuckle-under to her. No, I'd zee her
d— d fust, there ! "
KNUCKLY [nuuk'ulee], v. i. i. Applied to the stalks of corn,
&c. To become crippled, or beaten down.
I be afeard that there whate 'ont stan' up : lookth maain knnckly,
I zim.
2. To move or walk in a shambling or halting manner.
Poor old fellow, he can't hardly kmickly 'long.
Also to walk or run. A man despatching a boy on an errand
would say, " Look sharp and knuckly 'long."
KONKER-TREE [kaung-kur-tree']. See CONKERS.
KRAKY [krae'ukee], v. i. To croak ; to complain.
[Uur-z u maa'yn krae'ukeen oa'l dhing — uur-1 krae'ukee su
lau'ng-z uvur uur kn git un'eebau'dee vur t-aa*rkee tue uur,] she's
a very croaking old thing — she will croak as long as ever she can
get any one to listen to her.
KURCHY [kuurchee], sb. Curtsey.
Come, Patty, make your kurchy to the lady, and say " How d'ye
do, ma'am ? " purty, like a good little maid.
LAB [lab], vb. and sb. (Com.) To blab ; to let out secrets ;
to break confidence ; a person who makes known what he ought
to conceal.
Be sure you don't zay nort about it to he, else he'll sure to lab
it out to zomebody or 'nother — he never can't keep nothin.
I 'sure you he's a rigler, proper lab.
Dutch labben, to blab or gossip.
Labbe, or he that can not kepyn non consel. — Prompt. Farv. p. 282.
Quod tho this sely man, I am no labbe,
Ne, though I say it, I n'am not lefe to gabbe.
Chaucer, Miller s Tale, \. 323. See also Tr. and Cryseyiie, 1. 251.
Thyng |?at wolde be pryue ' publisshe )>ow hit neuere,
No}?er for loue labbe hit out • ne lacke hit for non enuye.
Piers Plowman, XIII. 1. 38.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 411
don't ye be a Labb o' tha Tongue in what cham a going to sey.
Ex. Scold. \. 459.
LACE [lae'us], v. t. To flog with some weapon, as a strap or pliant
cane. The word would not be used to imply a beating with fists,
stiff stick, or cudgel. The idea of chastisement or correction is
implied in this word. A mother would use it to a child.
Let me zee thee do it agee-an ! and zee nif I don't lace thy
backside.
LACK [laak], v. t. To be in need of; to fall short of. (The
most usual word, especially in the hill district.)
My Tommy was vourteen months old, lack a day (all but a day)
when my man was a brought in dead — a vailed off a hay-rick.
I count you do lack vor ate some more beef an' pud den avore
you'll be able vor t' an'le thick — /. e. to handle that tool.
I lacke, I want a thynge : I lacke a penne, jay faulte dune flume :
I lacke nothyng, il ne me fault riens. — Palsgrave, p. 601.
I leue in to thi kepinge the v knijtes, that bethe keperes of my dowter, J)at
hem want or lak nothing. Gesta Roman, p. 140.
LACKY [laak'ee], v. i. To be wanting, or absent.
Can er depend 'pon ee, eens you 'on't lacky hon the time do
come?
Nif tha com'st athert Rager Hosegood, tha wut lackee an overwhile avore tha
com'st hum. Ex. Scold. \. 199.
LADE [lae'ud], v. t. i. To throw any liquid from one place
or vessel to another by dipping some vessel or ladle into it.
The water come in the back kitchen so vast as ever we could
lade it out. (Always.)
LADYN', or lay water. Vatilo. — Promp. Parv.
I laade water with a scoup or other thyng out of a dytche or pytte. Lade this
•water out of this dyiche. This hoye ladeth in water a pace. — Palsgrave, p. 6ci.
To LADE (or draine) a river with pails, &c. Bacqueter, caqueter une riviere.
Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Alsuo ase hit behoue]) ofte ]>et ssip lhade out J>et weter J>et alneway ge]> in.
Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 178.
Like one that stands upon a promontory,
And spies a far-offshore where he would tread,
Wishing his foot were equal with his eye ;
And chides the sea that sunders him from thence,
Saying — he'll lade it dry to have his way. — 3 Henry VI. III. ii.
2. To load;/./. [u-lae-udud], a-laded, not laden.
[Naew doa'n-ee lae'ud aup dh-oa'l au\s t-aevee,] now don't load
up the old horse too heavily.
LADYN', wythe byrdenys. Onustus, oneratus.
LADYN', or chargyri' wythe burdenys. Onerot sanino. — Promp. Pan1.
412
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I lade, I charge a thyng with a bourden.
I wylle lade this carte and than I wytt come in to dynner. — Palsgrave, p. 601.
And they laded their asses with corn and departed. — Genesis xlii. 26.
LADE [lae-ud], sb. i. The framework or ladder which is
hooked on to the front and back of a cart or wagon, by means
of which straw, hay, faggots, or other light material may be piled up.
You can't do nort about car-rin' o' hay with thick wagin, 'cause
there idn no lades to un.
2. That part of the side of a cart or wagon which projects
outwards from the side over the wheel. A " dung-butt " usually
has no lades — /. e. it has only the upright sides.
[Toa'un nuvur due* vur tu lae'ud dhik dhaeair guurt dhing pun
dhu wag'een, ee ul tae'ur dhu lae'iidz oa un aul the pees'ez,] it
will never do to load that great thing upon the wagon, " he " will
"tear" the lades of it all to pieces. The use of many tech. words
becomes confused — this is one — the part here described is properly
a rave (q. v.}.
LADE [lae'ud], sb. Person — used depreciatingly of either sex —
nearly always qualified by purty. Pronun. of lad.
Her's a purty old lade, her is, and no mistake ; why, her'll d —
and b — like any drag-oon.
He's another purty lade, let'n alone and zay nort, he'll put in
'bout of a two or dree bricks an hour. Said of a lazy, drunken
bricklayer. Same as BLADE 2.
LADE-PAIL. See LATE-PAIL.
LADY [lae'udee], sb. A woman who can afford to live well
without work.
Nif I was so well offs you be, I should be a lady. This is not
to be confounded with a " real lady " — i. e. by birth and education.
LADY-BUG [lae-udee-buug].
LADY-COW [lae-udee-kaew].
The lady-bird.
LADY-DISH-WASH, LADY-WASH-DISH, LADY-DISHY-
WASHY [dee'sh-wau'rsh, wau'rsh-dee'sh, dee'shee-wauTsheej. The
water-wagtail. See DISH-WASHER.
LADY-RED-TAIL [lae'udee-urd-taa'yul], sb. The Redstart
(Phxnicura rutidlld). The ordinary name — called also Fiery-tail
[vuyuree-taa'yul]. Redstart unknown.
LADY'S CUSHION [lae-udeez kuursheen], sb.
or cushions the common name — Armeria vulgar^s.
Thrift. This
LADY'S EAR-DROPS [lae'udeez yuur-draaps], sb. The common
name for Fuschia.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 413
LADY'S FINGERS [lae-udeez ving-urz], sb. i. The common
Orchis — Orchis mascula.
2. Common foxglove — Digitalis purpnrea. Not so common as
Snaps, Flops, Flap-dock, &c. This flower and wild arum have
perhaps more names than any others. Very likely the latter is
also called lady's fingers, but I have not heard it.
LADY'S GARTERS [lae-udeez gaarturz]. The common garden
striped ribbon grass. Digraphis, or Phalaris arundinacea,
LADY'S KNIVES AND FORKS, i. Children are very fond
of placing their hands in certain positions, and changing them at
each couplet of the following :
Here's my Lady's knives and forks, and here's my Lady's table ;
Here's my Lady's looking-glass, and here's my Lady's cradle.
2. The club-moss — Lycopodium clavatum. Very common on
Dunkery and Porlock Hill.
LADY'S NAVEL [lae-udeez naa'vl, naa-ul], sb. The plant
Cotyledon umbilicus.
LADY'S-SMOCK [lae-udee-smauk], sb. The cuckoo flower—
Cardamine pratensis. (Com.)
When daisies pied, and violets blue,
And lady-smocks all silver white,
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue,
Do paint the meadows with delight.
Lov£s Labour 's Lost, V. ii. (Song.)
LADY'S THIMBLE [lae-udeez dhiinrl], sb. The pretty blue
flower campanula rotundifolia.
LAF [laa-f(t], v. t. and sb. i. Lath.
[Dree paewn u /aa/naa'yulz,] three pounds of lath nails.
I shan't be ready for you vore to-marra mornin, I an't a finish
laftin not 'eet ; 'tis ever so vur over-n (the ceiling),
2. Same as LART, loft — usually called cock-laf.
LAFTIN-HAMMER [laa-fteen-aanrur], sb. A peculiar hammer,
joined to a small axe — used by plasterers in nailing on laths.
LAFTIN-NAILS [laa-fteen-naa-yulz], sb. A peculiar kind of
nails used in nailing on laths by plasterers ; common lath-nails.
LAFTY [laa-ftee], v. t. To nail on laths for plastering.
Our Jim's a good fellow to work, he'll lofty vaster-n one here-n
there. Who can lafty 'pon they there crooked old rafters ?
LAGLE [lae-ugl], sb. Label. (Com.)
There wad-n no mark 'pon the bottle, and I told-n to be sure-n
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
put the lagle 'pon the laxitory ; and tidn my faut her-ve a tookt the
lotion, vor I could-n tell no difference.
LAKE [lae'uk], sb. Usually "lake of water"; a small running
stream, as from a spring ; a runnel. The word is not applied to a
large pond or sheet of water, but always to running water. There
are two hamlets in the parish of Wellington, Bag/a&f and Holywell
Lake, at both of which there is only a small running stream. At
the latter, the Holywell is a spring rising in the middle of the
village, and running out of a pipe, away by the roadside.
A very common direction is, " go on till you come to a lake o'
water" — /. e. a little running stream.
Running streams are of three kinds — the smallest being a lake;
a little larger, a small brook is a "water" (y.v.}; a large stream
is a river. In this district all the streams are what are called
stickle — i. e. rapid-running and shallow, except in pools.
Vrem rise to mouth there's lots o' lakes, —
An' rivers zum — that into'n vail,
Wher vish hurn'th up ta lie the'r spaan —
The Yarty-water's best ev all.
Piil/nan, Riistic Sketches, The River Axe, p. 6.
In the following, /tf&?-ryftes must mean rifts or gullies worn by a
lake or running stream.
|>e fox & ]>e folmarde to \>e fryth wyndej,
Herttes to hyje he}>e, hare} to gorstej,
& lyounej & lebarde} to )>e /tf/fc-ryftes,
Herne} & haueke} to J>e hyje roche}.
Early Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, The Deluge, 1. 534.
LAM [laa'm], v. f. To thrash or beat, with or without instrument.
Mr. Bond catched the young osebird stealing apples, but he
did-n summons-n tho, he pared-n down there right, and, my eyes,
nif he didn lam un !
To LAMME. Bastonner, battre, frotter, estriller, fusliguer.
LAMMED. Bastonne, ftistigue, frotte, estrille.
A LAMMING. Bastonnement. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Vor es toz'd en, es lamb'd en, es lace'd en, &c. — Ex. Scold. \. 346.
LAMBS' TAILS [laanrz taa-yulz], sb. The catkins of willow and
hazel.
LAMB-TONGUE [laanv-tuung], sb. i. The common hart's
tongue fern — Scolopendrium qfficinarum. Usual name.
2. A very common weed — Chenopodium urbicum. (Always.)
LAMB-TOW [laanr-toa], sb. Lamb's wool when shorn.
I count I've a got about o' vive pack (of wool) 'thout the
lamb-tow.
LAMENESS [lae'umnees], sb. Foot rot in sheep.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 415
This here ground's so strong, always brings on the lameness in
the sheep.
LAMIGER [laanvijur], sb. A cripple.
Who d'ee think I zeed ? why, th' old Jim Baker. I 'ant-a zeed-n-z
years. Poor old fuller, he's a come to a proper old lamiger wi'
two sticks.
LAMIGERIN [laanrijureen], adj. Lame; crippling.
He was a spry fellow one time, but he's a come to go ter'ble
lamigerin. I reckon he-ve a drowed up his arm pretty much by
his time (*'. e. has drank freely).
LA MM AS- APPLE [laanrus aap-1], sb. A well-known early
apple from its ripening about Lammas day, Aug. ist. This is the
same as the Jennetting. Ang.-Sax. hidfmtzsse — i. e. loaf-mass.
LAMPERS [laanrpurz], sb. An ailment very common in
horses, a swelling of the gums and palate. See WASHERS.
His horse .... troubled with the lampass, infected with the fashions, full of
windgalls, sped with spavins. Taming of the Shrew, III. ii.
LANCH [laan-sh], v. and sb. To lance. (Usual.)
Plaise to bring your lanch vor to lanch the cow ; father zays he've
a got th' information, and he must be a blid-ed to-rackly.
LAND [Ian1], sb. Freehold or fee simple, in distinction to lease
or copyhold.
A man said to me in relation to a farm which I knew had been
held upon lives, [Ee-v u-boa'ut dhu luyvz un u-mae'ud Ian' oa ut,]
he has bought the lives and made land of it — /'. e. purchased the fee
simple.
It is very common to hear it said of an estate, [Tid-n u bee't oa
ut lan\~\ it is none of it land — i. e. freehold.
Of any unmarried female who is not thought likely to attract a
suitor, the ordinary remark is [uur-z Ian' aa'l wau'rn ur,] she is land,
I'll warrant her — i. e. that her possession is as secure to her father
as freehold.
LAND GRASS [Ian1 graas], sb. Clover or annual grasses when
mown for hay are very frequently called [Ian' graas] ; while in the
growing state the crop is called young grass.
[Auy-v u-ftin-eesh kuufeen au'l mee lan'graas, bud aay aa'n
u-begee'n dhu mee'udz, naut ee't,] I have finished cutting all my
land grass, but I have not yet begun the meadows.
LANDSHERD [lan-shurd], sb. A ridge or strip of land left
unploughed or unfilled, either between two crops, or to mark a
boundary where there is no fence. See LINCH.
Also a terrace on a hill-side. In the latter sense the word is
41 6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
very rare in W. S., but in E. Som. and Dorset, where terraces are
common on the sides of chalk downs, it is the usual name.
LANDSIDE [kuvzuyd], sb. Of a sull ; an iron plate or shoe
fastened to the breast of a plough on the side which slides along
against the unploughed soil or land. It also forms the bed or
bottom on which the implement slides, and being renewable, takes
off the wear from the fixed parts. The landside is the part against
which all the resistance of the raising and turning of the sod presses.
The share is fixed to the " toe " of the landside.
LAND-YARD [larryaard], sb. A measure of length and of
area: same as rod, pole, or perch, viz. five and a half yards.
Ordinarily this measure or area is simply a yard, but when any
confusion or mistake is likely to occur, then land-yard is used.
Allotments are always let by the yard, T^ of an acre. Applied to
distance or length, it is in constant use as the equivalent of £ of a
chain.
We hadn a-went no more'n two or dree lan'-yard, hon off come
the wheel, and there we was.
LANTERN-JAWED [lairturn-jaa'd], adj. Thin-faced, having
hollow-looking cheeks. (Very com.)
Take an' bide 'ome an' mind thy own business, ya lantern-jawed
old slatterpooch !
LAP [laap-], sb. Any weak beverage.
Call this here tay ! I calls it lap. See FORBY, Gloss, of E. Anglia.
LAP [laap], v. t. To wrap, to fold.
I thort I wid'n lost 'n, zo I lap 'm up careful like, in my
hangkecher.
Lappyn, or whappyn yn clo]>ys. Involve. — Promp. Parv.
To lappe ; vohiere. — Cath. Ang.
Plisse : Plaited, foulded, lapped tip. — Cot grave.
And whanne the bodi was takun, Joseph lappid it in a clene sendal, & leide
in his newe biriel. Wiclif, Matt, xxvil. 59.
I lappe this chylde well for the weather is colde.
Lappe this hoode aboute your heed. — Palsgrave, p. 603.
and syj>en alle ]>yn o]>er lymej lapped ful clene.
Early Allit. Poems, Cleanness, \. 175.
LAPFUL [laap-veol], sb. In several places on our hills are
isolated heaps of stones, unlike any to be found in the neighbour-
hood. One of these is well known in the parish of Winsford near
Tarr-steps. It is a large scattered heap chiefly of quartz boulders
on the brow of a hill, and no stones of the like formation are to be
found anywhere near. These heaps (one or two on the Brendon
Hills) are known as "Devil's lapfuls" and it is believed that they
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 417
could not be removed ; that whatever stones might be drawn away
by day would be replaced at night. Of the particular lapful in
Winsford it is said, that the devil first intended to build the bridge
over the Barle, close by, with these stones in solid masonry, and
that he had brought them thus far from a long distance, when his
apron-string broke, and the stones fell where they now are. He
thereupon changed his mind, and constructed the present bridge
called Tarr-steps with the great slabs of slaty rock found on the
spot. No doubt in this legend, and other similar ones which
name these heaps lapfuls, we have preserved the old word lap, skirt,
garment. Ang.-Sax. Iceppa, a flap or fold of a garment.
LAPPE, skyrte (lappe, barme, K.) Gremium. — Promp. Parv.
LAPPE, or skyrt — gyron. — Palsgrave.
Alle ])e poure puple )>o • peescoddes fetten ;
Benes and baken apples • thei brouhte in here lappes,
And profrede peers this present ' to plese J>er-with hunger.
Piers Plowman, ix. 317.
Ful he gaderede his barm,
Yet ne thought he of non harm ;
In his other lappe he gaderede some.
Weber, Metrical Rom. Seuyn Sages, 1. 899.
LAPPERY [laap'uree], adj. Wet; rainy; showery.
Sarvant, sir ! Lappery weather like vor the haymaking, sir.
I have heard the above salutation hundreds of times.
'Fear'd we be gwain to have a lappery harvest again.
LAPSTONE [laap'-stoa'un], $b. A very common nickname for
a shoemaker, from the stone upon which he hammers the sole
leather. Now then, old Lapstone !
LARKS-LEERS [laa'rks-lae'urz], sb. Untilled arable land, when
overgrown with weeds.
Such farmers as he ought to starve. Look to thick there zix-acre
piece ; why, he 'ant a ticht o' un since he was a bean arrish, and now
'tis May. I never zeed no jish mess in all my life, 'tis come to a
rigler lark's-leers.
The word is really leas, or pasture. Cow-leas is a very common
name for a pasture field, which often is corrupted, and written in
parish terriers Cowley.
LARRA [laa'ru], sb. i. A bar, shuttle, or horizontal part of a
common field gate ; also the bar of a stile, or the rail (not pale) of
a fence. A five-bar gate is " a vive lar1 gate."
The bullicks have a brokt the tap larra o' the Barn's Close gate.
Thick gate idn a weared out, he only wants one new larra and a
new brace to make 'n last for years.
Some larch lars and oak anches will last as long as anything for
a long gate. — Letter from a tenant about repairs, June 24, 1882.
E E
4i8
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. The moveable bar of a rack (q. v.} in which the under row
of tenter-hooks is driven, is called a larra, or rack-/ 'a rra. See
POLL SHEET.
LART [laart], sb. Loft. Also the flooring of a loft or upper
room. See COCK-LART. TALLET.
LASH OUT [laarsh aewt], v. i. i. To kick, said of a horse.
Take care o' thick 'oss, he's apt to larsh out.
2. To swear, or use over strong language.
Maister's all very well, keep-m pleased, but when he's a zot up,
then he do larsh out proper.
3. To spend extravagantly, same as launch out.
LATE PAIL [lae'ut paa-yul], sb. A peculiar pail, having one
of its staves longer than the others, and thus forming a handle.
It is this form alone which is called a pail. The ordinary one
as used in stables and by housemaids is called a bucket or " ring-
bucket." A late-pail (or lade-pail] is commonly used for dipping hot
water from a copper, or in making cider.
Called piggin in Shropshire and elsewhere.
LATHING [laa-theen], sb. Invitation. Rare, though still used
by old people.
Ang.-Sax. laftian. To invite, bid, send for, assemble.
J>e wayferande frekej, on fote & on hors,
Bo)>e burnej & burdej, ]>e better & )>e wers,
La\>ez hem alle luflyly to lenge at my fest.
Early Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, 1. 79.
tha wut net look vor lathing, chell warndy. Ex. Scold. 1. 189.
LATTER-END [laafur een], sb. i. Time of death.
2. The seat. (Very com.) Called also the tother end.
LATTER-MATH [laafur maa'th], sb. A second crop of grass,
not necessarily to be mown again. See AFTER-GRASS.
LATTIN [laafeen], sb. i. Tin plate — i.e. iron tinned. (Very
com.) A lattin tea-pot, a lattin pan, lattin can'lestick.
[Dhu raats ud u ait' u guurt oa'l drue dhu vloo'ur, un wee wuz u
foo'us tu naa-yul daewn u pees u laafeen, eens dhai sheod-n km
au-p-m dhu chiinrur,] the rats had eaten a large hole in the floor,
so that we were obliged to nail down a piece of tin to prevent their
coming up into the bedroom.
Skeat says "a mixed metal, a kind of brass or bronze," but here
the word is never applied to any metal but tin plate ; and the
following M. E. quotations, where brass is named as something
different, seem to bear this out.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 419
LATIN (metal) Laiton, leton (metal). — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
LAT Y N metall — laton. — Palsgrave.
By his fete fat als latoun was semand,
Crist last lyms men may undirstand.
Hainfole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 4371.
]>an mijte men many homes here • of latoun y-mad & bras :
Wei sore J>e Sarysyns affraid were ' wan j>ay herde ]>at bias.
Sir Femmbras, 1. 2647.
Moreouer y bequethe to a litelf basyn knoppea, & iij. candelstikes
of latyn, & a litill panne of brasse y-ered, and a chaufur of bras, & a lytil posnet
of bras. Will of Roger Elmesley, 1434. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. IOI.
2. Wire netting — the usual name. Also applied to the woven
wire for meat safes.
I wants a piece o' latin, middlin fine, vor to put all over the dairy
winder. See LATTIN-WIRE.
They tell me this here preferated zinc's better-n lattin.- — Mar.
10, 1882.
LATTIN-WIRE [laafeen wuyur], sb. Wire netting, such as is
commonly put over dairy windows, but it by no means implies
tinned wire ; very often called lattin alone.
That there lattin-wire you zend up idn wide enough, an 'tis t'ope
— the smaal rabbits urns droo it, and the big ones jumps over 't.
LAUDLUM [lau'dlum], sb. Laudanum. (Very com.)
Mother's rampin wi' the face ache, her wants two penno'th a'
laudlum, vor to zee if that'll do it any good.
LAUGH-AND-LIE-DOWN [laa'rf-un-luy-daewn], sb. A game at
cards.
LAUNCH [lau'nsh, lan'sh], v. i. To walk awkwardly with long
strides. (Becoming rare.)
Who lukes to the lefte syde, whenne his horse launches,
With the lyghte of the sonne men myghte see his lyvere.
Morte d' Arthurs, 1. 2560.
that tha wart a chittering, raving, racing, bozzom-chuck'd, rigging, lonching,
haggaging Moil. Ex. Scold. 1. 64.
That long-legged fellow comes launching along. — Forby, Gloss. E. Ang. ir. p. 192.
LAUNCH OUT [laan'sh aewt], v. i. To become extravagant in
living, or expenditure.
The money turned his head, I s'pose, for he launched out directly,
and then did'n last long.
LAUNDER [lau-ndur], sb. A trough or shute for conveying
rater. This is more properly a Devonshire word, where I have
icard it used, somewhat beyond this district ; it is very common
imongst the miners of Devon and Cornwall, according to Mr.
E E 2
420 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Worth. See Trans. Devon Association, 1882, vol. xiv. p. 143.
The article and its use are no doubt connected with washing, either
clothes or ore, and although the word is old and originally perhaps
confined to a person, it has now, like "washer," developed into the
name of an implement.
Lauender, wassher, P. or lawndere, infra. Lotrix.
Laivndere (or lavendyre, K. lavunder H.). Lotor, lotrix. — Promp. Parv.
A LAWNDER (lawnderer A.) ; candidaria, cotrix. — Cath. Ang.
LAUNDRE, a wassher — latiendiere.
Laundre that wassheth clothes — lauendiere. — Palsgrave, pp. 237-8.
Thise ben the causes, and I shal nat lye,
Envie ys lavendere of the court alway.
Chaucer, Legende of Goode Women, Prol. 357.
LAURENCE [laarns]. The type of laziness. Whether the saint
is referred to or not is uncertain. The name always so pron.
" So lazy as Laurence " is a common saying ; so is " He's like
lazy Laurences dog, that lied his head agin the wall to bark."
LAYER [lai'vur], sb. A kind of sea lettuce, much used for food
by the fisher folk of the Bristol Channel — Ulva latissima.
LAVISHMENT [lavish-munt], sb. Extravagance; wasteful
expense.
What ! dree can'ls burnin to once ! I 'on't have no such lavishment
in my 'ouse.
LAW-DEAR-HEART ! [lau-dee'ur-aa-rt !]. Interjection = Lord's
dear heart. This is a very common quasi-oath, per cor Christi
pretiosum. Cf. Pegge, E. D. S., 1876.
LAW! LAWK! LAWR ! LAWK-A-MASSY ! Interjections.
(Very com.)
LAXITORY [laak-situree], sb. Aperient medicine.
Plaise, sir, mother 've a zend me arter a bottle o' laxitory, her idn
no better. See LAGLE.
LAY [lar] adv. Lief; readily.
[Aay-d su lar bee traan'spoo'ustud-z wuurk vur ee*,] I would as
soon be transported as work for him.
[Dhaid au'l su lar yue teok* dhik-s tuudh'ur,] they would as lief
that you took that one as the other.
LAY [lai], v. t. i. In " making " a hedge, some of the growing
stakes are half cut through, and the branch is pulled down horizon-
tally, while sods and earth are thrown upon it to keep it down and
to cause it to make new roots. This operation is called " to lay
the hedge." See DYKE, MAKE.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 421
2. To fasten down a branch of " quick " and bury with soil,
so as to make it root.
Best way to lay some o' they lauriels, I think.
LAY, LEY [lar], sb. Land which has been sown with annual
or biennial grasses, and has come round to the time to be re-
ploughed. Often written Leigh in names of places.
Thick field's to dirty vor to stand, I shall break-n up and put-n
to lay turmuts. This was said respecting a field which had been
laid down with permanent grass, but was found after a year or
so to be too full of weeds and couch.
The term is also applied to permanent pasture, but would not
be so used, if there were anything like a good bite of grass upon it.
The word implies grass land, bare of grass. See LARK'S-LEERS.
Lay, lond not telyd. Subcetinum. — Promp. Parv.
LEY ; iscalidus, isqualidus, A LEYLANDE ; felio, frisca terra.-— Calh. Ang.
A farm in Wellington parish is called Leylands, see LINHAY :
and another Leglands. Ang.-Sax. leag, a field-pasture. The word
implies grass growing on arable land ; it is never applied to meadow.
Laylande — terre nouvellement labovree. — Palsgrave, p. 237.
A LAY-LANDS. Jachere. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
By hym sche schapput and went hur wey,
And feyr toke vp a falow Icy :
The hey re say thei no inowre.
The Huntyng of the Hare. Weber's Metrical Romances, vol. iii. p. 286.
As an hewe ]>at ere]) nat' auntrej? hym to sowe
On a leye-lond ' ajens hus lordes wille, — Piers Plow. XI. 2 1 6.
And bod hym halde hym at home ' and erye hus leyes. — Ib. X. 5.
Shorte hey, and leye-hey, is good for shepe, and all maner of catell, if it be
well got. Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 25/34.
Leye-hey is wrongly glossed " meadow hay," which it distinctly is
not, but hay made from old dry pasture, where it is usually short,
and small in quantity.
And if thou have any leys, to falovve or to sowe oates vpon, fyrst plowe
them, that the grasse and mosse may rotte, and plowe them a depe square
forowe. Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 8/5.
See also Lese. Trevisa, vol. I. pp. 131, 257, 333. See LlNHAY.
LAY [lai], sb. Part of a loom.
The frame which swings backwards and forwards at each throw
of the shuttle. It carries the reeds or sleigh, and the race-board
on which the shuttle runs.
LAYER [lai'ur], sb. A branch or sapling laid as above. See
LAY i. Oftener called a " stretcher."
There's a plenty o' stuff vor to lay, mind, and crook down som e
422 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
good layers in the gaps. Also a growing branch of a bush or shrub
pegged down and covered with earth so as cause it to root. See
LAY 2.
LAYER [lae'ur], sb. Lair. Not in the literary sense of resting-
place, or bed of a wild beast, but the home of domestic animals
to which they are accustomed, and towards which they make, if
able to escape from a strange p'ace. A dog escaped from a new
master will "go back to his layer,' i. e. his old home. So of cows,
horses, or cats ; but I never knew the word applied to sheep,
whose instinct seems not to have developed any home feeling, and
whose longings are for nothing better than good pasture.
LAYERD [lae'urd], adj. Said of animals when domesticated,
or accustomed to a new home.
A man of whom I had bought a dog, said, — [Neef yus kip'-m
u tuyd aup gin ee'z u lae-urd, ee oa-n arm t-uurn uwai',] if you
keep him him tied up until he is used to his new home, he will
not attempt to run away.
LAY HIS TONGUE TO [laa-y tfz tuung- tue],//^.
Her call'd-n all that ever her could lay her tongue to, i. e. she
called him all the names she could think of.
LAYLOCK [larlauk]. Lilac (always so)—syringa vulgar is.
LAY ON [laa-y aurr], v. t. and /. Hunting. It is usual in
stag-hunting to keep the pack shut up until a " warrantable " deer
has been driven oat of the covert by the tufters, and has had a
proper start. When this is done the master gives the order to lay
on, i. e. bring all the pack to a point where the stag has passed,
and where they will find the line of scent.
Stopped the tufters and laid on the .pack at Heasley Mill.
Records of North Devon Staghounds, p. 65.
the tufters soon found him, and the pack was laid on in the road under
Coppery. Colly us, p. 195.
LAY OUT [lai aewt], v. t. To straighten and prepare a corpse
for burial, i. e. ready to be put into the coffin.
Her was, I sim, the beautifullest corpse ever I help laid out in
all my life ; her'd a-got the sweetest smile ever you zeed ; and we
tookt the poor little baby, and put his little hand 'pon his mother's
face, but 'twas a very wisht thing to zee it, I 'sure ee.
LAY TALE. LAYTARE, LAYTER [ki-tae-ul, lartae-ur, lai-tur],
sb. The entire laying of a hen, /'. e. all the eggs she lays before
she becomes broody. (All very com., but first most so.)
What did she die of?
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 423
Au ! her was egg-bound. Pity too, vor her was a capical hen,
and her had-n a laid out nothin near her lay-tale.
Atkinson gives Lafter as the northern equivalent.
LEAD, BLACK-LEAD [blaak-lid-], sb. A pencil. (Always.)
A pencil is tech. among painters, a small brush.
Bill, let's zee thy black-lead a minute, vor to put down the
figures.
I likes they there black-leads way a piece o' injy to em. Said
at the Sunday school quite recently, 1887.
LEADER [lai'dur], sb. The main or principal shoot of any
plant or tree, from which the " laterals " branch out.
The rabbits be making sad work wi' they there young larch,
they've a-ate off the leaders off o' lots o'in. (Not in Webster.)
LEADING-CHAIN [lee-udeerrcharn, lardeen-chaayn], sb. In
plough-tackle, the main chain connecting the implement with the
centre of the yoke, if oxen are working; or with the swingle-bar
belonging to the vore horses, when such is used. This chain in
olden time was called the Teame. At present it is usual in working
with horses, to dispense with this chain ; the leaders or vore-'osses
hauling directly on the traces of those behind them. See Peacock,
Man by Gloss., E. D. S.
LEAF [lai'f], sb. The fat growing upon the intestines of
animals slaughtered for food. Called also brack and kircher.
LEARINESS [lee'ureenees], sb. Emptiness.
[Tidn to zay the leanness o' the cask, I didn care zo much 'bout
the drap o' cider, but 'tis eens they've a-sard-n and a-drow'd-n
about, eens he idn a wo'th tuppence.
LEARN [laarn, pres. laarns, pret. laarn, /. part, u-laarn], v. t.
To teach. (Always.)
Mr. Cape-ve a larn un his trade. I larns my boy night times.
Leryn, or techyn a-nother. Doceo, instruo, informo. — Promp. Parv.
To lerne ; discere, ad-, erudire. — Cath. Aug.
Lere it J>us lewede men • for lettrede hit knowej). — Piers Plow. II. 1. 135.
I lerne hym his lesson : I lerne hym to. the beste of my power.
Scole to lerne chyldre in — escole. Palsgrave, p. 606.
LEARY [lee'uree], adj. Empty. A cart or wagon returning
empty is always said to "go back leary" So also a " leary cask,"
and, commonest of all, a " leary belly." Germ. leer.
He must a rode ter'ble hard, th' old 'oss is looking main leary
's-mornin'.
In this, its commonest use, the word is most expressive, as it
implies almost faintness from hunger, or sinking of the stomach.
424 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I was that leary, I was fit (ready) t' eat a raw turmut.
"Do get me," quoc? she, "a ler tonne, withe oute onye delaye." And he
dude so : and he browte to hir swiche a tonne. — Gtsta Roman, p. 252.
LEASE [lai-s], sb. In weaving. The division of the threads
in the warp on the further side of the "harness" or "healds" from
the weaver, corresponding to the "bosom" (q. v.) through which
the shuttle passes.
LEASE [lai-z], v. t. and *. To glean corn. (Always.)
I be gwain [lai'zeen] leasing over to Farmer Morgan's.
LEASE STICKS [lai's-stiks], sb. Rods or sticks — usually two,
which are pushed through the warp to divide the lease and keep
it in place, during the process of weaving.
LEAST [lee-us], v. i. To last ; to endure.
Taek-n mai'n un au-p u bee't, un ee'ul lee'usvur yuurz,] take and
mend it up a little, and it will last for years.
LEASTEST BIT [larstees beet], sb. A very small quantity-
applied to either time, matter, or sense.
I told her to look sharp, and how twad'n no good to go t' all,
nif her was the leastest bit too late.
You never can't sell 'em nif they be the leastest bit stale like.
He had'n a-got the leasiest bit of a chance.
At a farmer's ordinary it is very common to hear, in answer to
an inquiry, —
[Aa'l av jis dhu lai'stees beet aewt,] I'll have just the leastest bit
out. The out in this case is purely redundant.
A person wanting a very small quantity of anything in a shop
would say, " I d'only want the leastest bit out" whether of sugar,
calico, or any other commodity.
LEASTWAYS [lai-stwai'z], adv. At least; that is to say.
I zaid to un, s' I, I baint gwain t'a no hanks way none o' em,
[lai'stwai'z] leastways, not 'thout I be a-fo'ced to. (Very com.)
LEAT [lee'ut], sb. i. The water-course leading to a mill.
The rats do work maainly all droo an' out the leaf. I can't think
hotever we sh'll do way em.
2. A leak. (Always.)
No wonder there was a smell, we vound a [lee-ut] leaf in the
pipe.
LEAT \\zt'\\\. frequentative lee'utee], v. i. To leak. (Always.)
[Due ur lee~ut? neef ee due1, aat daewn dh-eo'ps-n puuf-n u
zoa'keen,] does it leak ? if it does, knock down the hoops and put
it soaking — /. e. fill it with water. Said of a cask.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 425
Tommy, urn up 'm zee whe'r the fender do leafy ; nif he do, drow
is a vew arshes.
Take good hede to ]>e wynes Red, white & svvete,
Looke euery nyjt with a Candelle )>at ]>ey not reboyle nor lete ;
Euery nyjt with cold watur washe }>e pipeshede, & hit not forgete.
1430. John Russell's Boke of Nurture, Furnivall, 1. 109.
LEATHER [ladlvur], vb. To overcome; to beat; to flog.
Curiously this word does not imply any weapon. The victor in a
fight, or the winner of a lawsuit, would be said to leather his
adversary. A schoolmaster would be said to leather a boy (with
a cane) — i.e. the cane would not be understood unless it were
mentioned.
Your Don Ve a leathered Butcher Stevens's sheep-dog purty well.
This was said to me of a pointer. — April, 1880.
Also to dash or set to in earnest.
Come, Soce ! leather into it.
LEATHERING [ladh-ureen], sb. i. A beating, either actual
or figurative.
The local board meet wi' a purty leatherin up to th' assizes :
they've a got to pay un fifty pound, 'zides all th' expenses.
2. adj. Used intensitively with other words.
Girt leatherin bullicks sure 'nough.
LEATHERN-BIRD [ladh-urn-buurd], sb. The bat. Commonest
name.
LEAVER, or LAYER [lai'vur], adj. comp. of lay (q. v.). Sooner ;
rather.
There, nif I was he, I'd laver crack stones 'pon the road-n I be
under jish fuller's that. This word, though often used, is not so
common as zoonder. See RATHER.
Have levyr (have letter, K. P.). Malo. — Promp. Parv.
I have lever. Jay me mietilx, I had leaver se hym hanged :
Many men had lever se a play than to here a masse. — Palsgrave.
Ich haue an Aunte to a nunne • and to an ahbodesse ;
Hem were leuere swouny ojier swelte * J>an suffry eny peyne.
Piers Plowman, vn. 128.
So gret liking & loue I haue • ]>at lud to bi-hold,
f>at i haue leuer J>at loue • }>an lac al mi harmes.
William of Palerme, Werwolf, \. 452.
For lever here was )?e pore to ffede,
\>e maymot ]>e seke to wasshe and hele. — Chron. Vil. st. 274.
LEAVINGS [lai-veenz], sb. What is left; refuse.
No, thank'ee, I bain't come to that, not eet — I bain't gwain vor
t' have his leavins.
426 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
LEB'M-O'CLOCKS [lab;m-u-klauk-s], sb. Luncheon at eleven
o'clock — usually carried into the harvest-field. Called also
" forenoons."
[Wee wuz jis* pun aveen ur lalrm-u ktauk's, haun wee zee'd ut
fuus-; un dhoa* dhu vuyur wuz jis kaunveen aewt beezuyd u
dhu chiinvlee,] we were just upon (the point of) having our eleven-
o'clocks, when we saw it first ; and then the fire was just coming out
beside (of) the chimney. Part of the narrative of a house burning.
LECKERS [laek'urz], sb. pi. Mixtures, or compounds of fluids
for medicinal purposes. To express ordinary drink the word is
singular — laek'ur, liquor. I have heard a sick person ask for mee
laek'urs, meaning my physic.
Hi}t 111031 be do ine kende water,
And nou o]>er licour. — William of Shoreham, De Baptismo, \. 13.
And hathud every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertue engendred is the flour. — Chaucer, Prologue, \. 3.
zeed tha' pound Savin, to make Metcens, and Leckers, and caucheries, and
Zlotters ? Ex. Scold. 1. 183.
LEDGE, LEDGE-DOOR [laj-doa-ur], sb. A common kind of
door, such as is used for barns, cottages, £c. Instead of having
any frame-work or paneling, it consists of nothing but straight
upright boards nailed to cross-pieces. These cross-pieces or bars,
on which the door depends, are called ledges, or sometimes ledgers
— the er being redundant, as in toe-er, legger, &c.
LEDGER [laj'ur], sb. i. The horizontal pole of a scaffold,
which is lashed to the upright ones, and upon which (the ledger)
the strength of the scaffold greatly depends. The put-logs (see
PAD-LOCKS) or short-pieces, upon which the planking of the scaffold
rests, have one end bearing on the ledger, while the other bears 0:1
the wall in process of building.
2. A split stick used by thatchers. The ledger is laid horizontally
across the row of reed, and is then tightly bound with cord, or
more commonly withies, to the rafters. The durability of the
thatch greatly depends upon the ledger.
LEEK [Hk], sb. The superlative of greenness.
So green's a leek is the usual simile.
Green as a leeke, of a leeke. Porrace. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
Our dialectic pronunciation seems to be archaic.
As lyme-seed and //£-seed • and lente-seedes alle.
Piers Plcnvman, Xiir. 190.
LEEK-BED [lik-bard], sb. It is usual in talking to children,
when of an inquiring turn, to tell boys that they were dug up in
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 427
the leek-bed. I believe the story of the leek and parsley beds to
be very ancient bits of folk-lore. In my own case, I remember
well that I never saw a bed of either without looking to see if
there were any little boys or girls appearing. Indeed, I must have
been almost past childhoo before I knew otherwise.
LEEL [lee'ul], adj. Var. pron. Little.
[Dhaat-s u puuree lee~ul maayd,] that is a pretty little girl.
LEER [lee'ur], sb. The flank — applied to man and beast.
The sharp o' the wagin hurn'd right into the leer o' un, an' the
poor old 'oss never 'ar'ly muv'd arterwards.
and vorewey a geed ma a Vulch in tha Leer. — Ex. Scold. 1. 355.
LEEVE [lee'v], v. t\ and /. To live. (Always so pronounced.)
Zo your maaid's a-go out long way th' old Farmer Tarr to leeve !
Well, her 'ont never be 'thout a job in thicky place.
]>o ]>at williej) to leue at hame '. pleyej) to \>Q eschekkere,
& summe of hem to iew-de-dame ' & summe to tablere :
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 2224.
And leue lordlich on J>yn owe '. And habbe at }>yn heste heje & lovve
As )>ou wer woned to haue. Sir Ferumbras, 1. 5837.
my beste goune & my beste hod, & the forre in the same goune, if so be that
he lent that time. — Will of Roger Elmeslcy, 1434. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 101.
LEF [laf], v. t. To leave. (Always so.)
You can /<?/your basket gin you come back.
& J>ar-for lef\>ys assaut y-rede, & turne we ajen to fraunce.
Sir Fenunbras, 1. 4763.
And whilk way |»ai suld chese and take,
And whilk way j^ai suld lef&nA forsake.
Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 191.
LEF- WORK [laf-wuurk], v. To cease working for the day.
LEF-WORK-TIME, sb. The time at which the day's work
ends — usually 6 p.m. This term is never applied to the stoppage
of work at meal times ; at those hours the phrase is "to stop to
dinner," or "to stop to vorenoons," &c.
I'll be sure to call in arter lef -work-time.
LEF HAND [laef an-]. See RIGHT HAND.
LEF-HAND-SIDE [laef--an-zuyd], sb. The left side. Always
so unless referring to the side of the body proper.
The lef-hand-zide o' the road, the room, the gate, &c.
A northerner would tell you that you would see a house "on
your left," we should always say, You'll come to a house 'pon
your lef-hand-side.
428 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
LEF-HAND SULL [laef-an zocrul], sb. A plough made to
turn the furrow on the left of the ploughman. This kind is not so
commonly used as the ordinary or right-hand sull.
LEG. See KICK-T.HE-LEG. To put the best leg before is to
hasten briskly, not necessarily in walking, but in whatever is in
hand.
Come, soce ! nif we don't put the best leg avore, we shall be
a-catched wi' the rain.
LEG-BAIL [lag'-bae-ul], cant phr.
I zeed what was up, zo I gid 'em leg-bail to once—'i. e. bolted,
ran away.
LEGGER [lag-ur], sb. i. Leg. See W. S. Dial, p. 20.
[Waur lag-urz/'] ware legs ! See TOER, LEDGE.
2. It often happens that fields of irregular shape have a long
narrow part, much narrower than the rest of the field — this part is
called a legger, and the entire field as " the legger field." I have
one such on my own property.
LEGGY [lag-ee], v. i. To walk or run quickly.
Now then, look sharp ! thee canst leggy along nif thee art a
mind to.
[Zeo'n-z dhai zeed mee kaunveen, ded-n um lag-ee u-wai1 dhun !]
(as) soon as they saw me coming, didn't they take to their heels
just!
LEMON PLANT [laenrun plaant, or pliint], sb. The sweet-
scented verbena — Aloysia citriodora.
LENT [lai-nt], sb. Loan. (Always.)
Plaise, sir, I've a brought back the roller, and maister's much
obliged for the lent o' un.
LENT-CORN [lai'nt-kaurn], sb. Corn sown in spring, as spring
wheat, barley, and oats.
'Twas so wet, could'n come to put-n in to whate, zo I must
thurt-n (the field) back-n put-n to Lent-corn.
vnto the tyme that thou haue sowen agayne thy wynter-corne, and thy lenle-
corne, and than se what remayneth to seme thy house.
Fitzfurbert, Husbandry, 148/6.
LENT-CROCKS [lai'nt-krauks]. A curious custom prevails,
especially in the hill country, of going round to the houses of the
principal farmers or the paa'son on the night of Shrove Tuesday.
If a door can be found open, or if not, there is a knock — on the
door being opened, a man pushes in, and before any resistance can
be made empties a sackful of broken crockery and rubbish in the
middle of the kitchen. It often happens that either the people
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 429
forget the day or the custom, and so neglect to fasten their doors ;
when this is the case the crockery is deposited, and the bearer
departs often unrecognized ; but when the people are on the watch,
and admittance is denied, then sherds and broken pots are thrown
at the door. I have been unable to ascertain either origin or
significance of this customary practical joke, but it is evidently an
old one. A friend, the rector of a parish near Exmoor, informs
me that they always come to his house, and on several occasions
the kitchen has seemed half full of crocks and rubbish. In the Vale
district these are called Lent-crocks. See CLOAM.
LENT LILY [lai-nt luTee], sb. The daffodil, Narcissus, Pseudo-
narcissus. This name is not quite so usual as bell-rose.
LENT-PITCHERS [lai'nt-pdch-urz], sb. Daffodils. W. H. G.
LENT-ROSEN [laint-roa-zn], sb. Daffodils. W. H. G.
LESS THAN [las-n], conj. Unless. (Very com.)
Thick there wall's safe to vail down, less-n he's a-pausted to
once.
The bailies be in the 'ouse, and all the things be bound vor to
be a-zold, [las-n] less than they can get the money, vore to-marra
night.
For I shall distroye hyr landis alle,
Hyr men sle, bothe grete and smalle,
Hyr castelle breke and hyr toure ;
With strenghe take hyr in hyr boure,
Lesse than she may find a knyght,
That for hyr loue with me darre fight.
Weber, Met. Rom., Tpomydon, 1. l6rr.
LET [lat1], sb. i. Hindrance; impediment; injury; cause of
delay — the regular word in daily use.
[Twuz u maa'yn lat- tue un, haun ee broak-s lag',] it was a great
impediment to him (i. e. to his getting on) when he broke his leg.
Boys playing marbles cry out to their opponents "fain lets" — i. e.
beware of impeding my marble.
Lette game, or lettare of pley. Prepiludius, c. F. inprepedio.
LETTYN. Impedio, prepedio.
Letlynge, Impedimentum. — Promp. Parv.
A LETT. Empeschement, obiee, obstacle.
A Letting: Obstaclement, Empeschement. — Sherwood.
And whan the top is eaten, or broken, it is a great lette, hurte, and hynderaunce
of the goodnes of the sprynge. Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 135/5.
2. v. t. To hinder ; to obstruct. (Com.)
The weather bin shockin bad all drue the job, and that have a
let us terr'ble.
I pray you let me nat, you se I am busye. — Palsgrave, p. 607.
There be two impediments, that lette and hynder prayer, that it maye not be
herde. Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 164/1.
430
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
3. To cause ; to make to go. (Com.)
Mary, you must tell John to let the men sweep away the snow to
once. Jan. 2nd, 1887.
Let the sheep into the gurt ten acres, and let 'em back again hon
the gap's a-zot up.
]>e king Willam, uorto wite • ]>e wur}> of is londe,
Li't enqueri streitliche • J>oru al Engelonde,
Hou moni plou-lond • & hou moni hiden al-so,
Were in euerich ssire. — Rob. of Glouc. Will, the Cony. 1. 351.
Then )>e emperoure, as sone as he myght, let ordein a vesselfe fulr of blode ;
and he entrifc yn anon, & he was hole as he was ywasshe and ybathed therin,
& he was as clene as the flesch of a litelhchilde. Gesta Roman, p. 69.
And lete write writtis ' all in wex closed,
Ffor peeris and prelatis • J>at J>ei apere shuld.
Langland, Rich, the Red. IV. 26. See also Chron. Vilod. st. 161.
Latte curtesye and sylence with you duelle. — Babels Book, 1. 139.
This last pronun. of let is just that preserved in the dialect.
LET. When used as an auxiliary verb, instead of taking the
infin. after it (as in lit. Eng., e. g. I let him know what he had to
do), we form the past tense by adding the past inflection to the
principal verb, and say, I let him knowed what he had to do
[Aay lat-n noa'd haul ee-d u-gaut tu due1]. The reason is evidently
because let has no past inflection. So for " let him have " we say,
"/et'n had," "let her zeed," "let her went," &c. Who did ee let
'ad em ?
A woman said to me of her daughter, June i5th, 1887, Her's
most always bad ; I let her went down to factory, but her could'n
bide there.
The same construction is used with help (q. v.) in a still more
marked manner, because in the dialect this verb has no past
inflection.
In the verb " to let go," i. e. to turn loose, the/. /. and /. /. are
let-go' d and a let go'd.
A keeper told me that he had " a-catch two o' they there turtle
doves." On inquiring what had become of them, he said, I didn
know you wanted em, zo I let em go'd again. — June 16, 1887.
LET ALONE [lat loa-un], phr. Not to mention; to say
nothing of.
Why, tidn wages 'nough to vind'n in vittles, let 'lone clothes and
lodgings.
LET DRIVE [laet drai'v], v. /. i. To kick, said very commonly
of a horse or cow.
[Taek-ee'ur, doa'n ee stan bee-uyn ur; uur-z aap tu laet
take care, do not stand behind her; she is apt to kick.
2. To work with a will.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 43 I
Come, soce ! look sharp and let drive into it, and get it out o' the
way vore the rain comth.
LET IN [laet ee'n], v. t. To cheat, or deceive in money
matters.
So they-ve a let in everybody, have 'em ! well then, they 'ant a
let in our Thomas, I was awake to 'em. (" Our Thomas," " our
John," is a very common, facetious way of speaking of oneself.)
LET OEF [laet oa-f], v. t. To excuse ; to permit to escape.
The justices zaid how they'd let-n off this time, but he must'n
come there no more.
Plaise, sir, we was a-/<?/ off from school, cause they be paintin the
school-room.
Upon this condicion, Jjat he be good frienS to my executours, and ]>at he lete
hem note ^ministracion off myn other goode on the Manere of Pychardisokelt
ne elles where. Will of Lady Perytie Clanbowc. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 50.
LET OUT [laet aewt], v. /. i. To sublet.
They lives behind, and up in the garret, and then they lets out
the rest of the house.
I rents the seven acre field o' Mr. Baker, and I lets-n out in
garden splats.
2. To kick — said of horses. Same as LET DRIVE.
3. v.i. To swear, to use strong language — probably to let out
(a torrent of abuse understood).
[Haun dh-oal mae'un vaewnd aewt wee ad'-n u-diie'd ut, muy
uymurz ! ded-n ur laet aewt?'} when the old man (master) found
out we had not finished it, my eyemers ! didn't he swear t
It is common after a bout of swearing to hear the quasi-apology, —
Anybody can't 'elp lettin out, hon they be a-zot up.
LETTERY [lafuree], v. /. To write or paint words on sign-
boards, carts, coffin-plates, &c. To do the work of a " writer " and
grainer.
Our Bob's a-come a proper good workman ; he's a steady chap,
and 've a-larn his trade capical well ; there idn 'nolher painter in
the town can lettery or eet grainy way he, else they wid'n all o'm
come to un vor he to do it.
LETTING [laet'een], adj. Hindering; applied to weather,
showery, rainy.
A man said to me (Sept. 1879) [Keod-n saar vtiree geod nvuun'ee,
Ihu wadh'ur wuz zu laet-een,~\ i. e. I could not earn much, the
weather was so bad as to prevent my working.
LETTY-WEATHER [laef ee wadh-ur], sb. Showery ; rainy ; lit.
hindering weather — i. e. hindering harvesting or out-door work.
(Very com.)
432 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Lefty-weather this, maister, sure 'nough : tidn no good vor to tich
o' the hay ; but there, I 'spose must put up way what God A'mighty
zen'th.
LET UP [lat aup1], v. t. Meadow or pasture land intended to
be mown for hay is said to be let up, when the stock are per-
manently taken away, to allow the hay to grow.
I shall bursh over thick mead, and let-n. up to once.
LEVEL [laevl], v. f. To levy.
Mr. Jones to shop Ve a leveFd a distress 'pon 'em vor the
quarter's rent. Cornp. FORBY, n. p. 194.
LEW [lue-], adj. i. Sheltered from the wind, as [u lue plae'us] a
sheltered spot.
[Dhu lite- zuyd u dh-aj',] the lee side of the hedge. See
CUPBOARD.
[Kaa'n bee u /#rur mee'ud,] (there) cannot be a more sheltered
meadow.
Or car out haay to'sar his vew,
Milch cows in corners dry an" lew.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. xxx.
2. sb. Lee. (Very com.) Ang.-Sax. hleo, shade, shelter.
[Yuur ! lat-s g-een dhu h)e;~\ here ! let us go into the lee — /. e. let
us get under cover. See FLEET.
LEWNESS [lue- nees], sb. The condition of shelter
[Dhu plae'us iiz wuul nuuf vur Ihe-nees, bud ee luys waf] the
place is well enough as regards shelter, but it lies wet — /. e. the
situation is very damp.
LEWS [liie'z], sb. pi. Rough frames covered with canvas used
by brickmakers to place against the windy side of the "clamp" in
burning, to prevent the fire from being driven away from the
exposed side = Shelters. (Com.)
Looes or frames .... are fixed all round the kiln.
Old Country and Farming Words, Britten, p. 104.
LEWSTERY [leo'sturee], v. i. To work with a will ; to bustle
about ; to stir actively. The idea is no doubt connected with lusty
(q. v.).
He can lewstery hon's a mind to, but let'n alone, and 'tis one
step to-day and another to-marra way un.
Avore voak tha wut lustree and towzee and chewree, and bucklee, and tear
make wise as anybody passath. Ex. Scold. 1. 291.
LEWTH [lue-th], sb. Shelter ; protection from wind.
There's a sight o' lewth in under one o' they gurt beechen
hedges.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 433
herberewe lordis & riche men & namely ladies, & suffre pore men lie \vi]>-
outen or geten hous/<w//* at pore men or ellis perische for wedris & cold.
Wyclif, Works, E. E. T. S. p. 211.
LEWTHY [lue-thee], adj. Sheltered.
Thick there goyle's a proper lewthy spot.
LEYLANDS [larlunz], sb. Arable land under a grass crop.
The word is a very common name for pasture fields ; to be found
in the terriers of most estates. It will never be found in connec-
tion with meadow land proper, but it will usually denote land once
arable but now " laid " down. See LAY.
LIABLE [luyubl], adv. Likely, probable. (Com.)
Speaking of a wounded hen pheasant a farmer said, 'Tis very
liable he's a-croped into one o' these here hovers. — Dec. 29, 1886.
LTARD [luyurd], sb. Liar; d is frequently sounded after final
liquids. Comp. mild = mile, scholard, &c.
I zay you'm a Hard, there now !
LIBERTY [lub-urtee], sb. Permission. (Always.)
[Mae'usturgid mee liib'urteevvx tu kaa'r-n oa'm,] master gave me
permission to carry it home.
You can't go thick way 'thout you've a-got liberty.
LICK [lik], v. t. i. To beat; thrash; to overcome in fight.
Darned if I don't think I could lick thee, for all thee art so big.
2. To puzzle ; to astonish.
However they can make it out, eens they do, 'pon his wages,
licks me.
3. To conquer or overcome.
Turney car'd to many guns for the Local Board — they
was proper a licked about thick there job.
4. To surpass or excel.
I don't call-n a good 'oss; why, Mr. Bissett's 'oss ud lick-n. all
to fits.
LICK- AND-A- PROMISE [lik'-un-u-praurrrees], phr. Applied
to any work done hastily and ineffectually, especially to any kind
of cleaning.
Shan't be able to do it vitty like; can't only just take off the
highest o' it like : there id'n time, I 'sure ee, 't'll only be a lick-and-
a-promise, eens they do zay.
LICKERDISH [lik-urdeesh], sb. Liquorice.
LICKINGS [lik-eenz], sb. pi. Thrashing.
Nif maister zeeth thee, thee't catch thy lickins, mind ; I should'n
care to stan in thy burches.
F F
434
\VKST SOMERSET WORDS.
LICK OVER [lik oa'vur], r. t. To make a hurried, incomplete
cleaning. (Very com.)
I 'ad'n a got no time to do un proper like — I was a-fo'ced just to
licKn over, and get off the highest o' it. Verbatim excuse for not
having cleaned a dog-cart. — Aug. 1880.
LICK-SPATTLE [lik-spaafl], sb. A toady; a fawning person.
LIDDEN [Idd-n], adj. Made of lead. (Always so.)
When th* old Mr. Jones's grave was a dig'd, I zeed dree lidden
coffins, one over t'other.
LIE [luy], sb. Water which has passed through a vessel full
of wood-a.shes, to soften it and to render it alkaline for washing.
The practice of making lie, once very general, has now nearly
ceased, much to the injury of our linen, which is destroyed by
caustic alkalies called " washing powder."
Rise early every Monday morning
To join your linen, soap and lie and tub !
1808. IVolcot, One more peep at R. H., vol. v. p. 378.
LIE-LIP [luy-liip], sb. The wooden box, having holes in the
bottom, to contain the ashes for making lie. Lie-hatch — Forby.
LIE [luy], v. /. and adv. Said of the wind's direction.
Which way do the wind lie 'smornin ? i. e. from which direction
does it blow ?
Also when it ceases to blow it is said " to go lie." I count we
shall ha' rain when the wind do go lie. See GO-LIE.
LIE-ABED [luy-ubai'd], sb. A sluggard.
Farmers daughters baint a bit like they used to. When I was
young, they was a fo'ced to get up and sar the pigs and milk the
cows ; now the lie-abeds be all for their fine clothes and playing
the pianny, you don't catch they han'lin the pig's bucket, not
they— Mar. 8th, 1882.
LIE-BY [luy-buy], sb. Lemman.
Be sure he idn gwain to be fool 'nough, to [droa-s-zuul] throw
himself away lig that there. Why, her wad'n never no better :n
Squire 's lie by, and now her's anybody's.
LIE IN, LIE OUT [luyee'n, aewt], v. t. Said of horses or
cows. If they are kept housed at night, they are said to lie i>i, if
not, they lie cut.
Do your 'oss lie in or out ?
LIE VORE [luy voa'r], phr. To hasten forward.
If they (the otter hounds) was to speak out now, I count you
and me should lie vore like, should'n us? — June 15, 1883.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 435
LIG [lig], adj. Like ; so pronounced in rapid speech when
followed by a vowel, as is usual in all similes.
Nif a did'n urn lig a. long dog.
zet voaks to bate, lig a gurt Baarge as tlia art. —Ex. Scold. 1. 226.
LIGHT [luyt], sb. i. Tech. A piece of glazing consisting of
small panes of glass fixed in lead-work. Sometimes called a lead-
light-
They lights must be new leaded; the casement light 'ont hardly
hang together.
The wind Ve a blowed out two o' the lights and a-tord em
limbless.
2. One of the spaces in any divided window.
The sash line 's a-brokt in the middle light.
Tidn very often you zee a \\v&-light winder.
LIGHT A CANDLE part u kairl], phr. To compare.
He idn much o' it ; why, he idn fit to light a can' I to his father
/'. e. not fit to compare with him. The phrase is sometimes varied
to hold a candle.
LIGHTENY [luytnee], v. i. To lighten. (Always.)
'Tis a fine night, but I've a-zeed it lighteny two or dree times.
surge qui dormis, & illuminabit te Christus,
)>is is to sey, Arys J>ou £>at slepest, and Criste )>e shall Ityny.
Gesta Romanomm, p. 195.
LIGHT-HEADED [luyt-ardud], adj. Delirious ; lunatic.
LIGHT-TIMBERED [luyt-tunrburd], adj. Light-limbed.
Very commonly applied to horses.
Nice sort of a 'oss, but a leetle to light-timbered, i. e. scarcely
stout enough in the legs. See Too.
Boyet. But is this Hector ?
Dumain. I think Hector was not so cletai-titltifretf.
Lovers Labour's Lost, V. ii.
LIGHTS [luyts], sb. pi. The lungs. Applied to both man
and beast ; rarely to the former. The common use of the word
is to name the lungs of edible animals after being slaughtered.
I be very fond o' liver, but I don't care much for lights.
I remember a story which used to be told of a certain quack
doctor. He was said to have informed a patient that he could put
him in a new liver, but not new lights.
Here Crispin too forgets his end, and awl —
Here Mistress Cleaver with importance looks !
Forgets the beef and mutton on her stall,
And lights and livers dangling from the hooks.
Peter Pindar, Tales of the Hoy, IV. 166.
F F 2
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
LIKE [luyk, lig], LIKER [luykur], LIKEST [luykees], adj.
and adv. i. This word plays a very Inrge part in the speech of
the district, especially in the construction of simile, without which
no sentence of description is often completed, such as,
Maister 've a got out the wrong zide o' the bed 'zmornin, a's
lig a bear wi' a zore head.
Was the pa'son to the vestry meeting?
Ees, I 'count ; same's a is always, all to a flitter, a buzzin about
like a vly in a glue-pot.
Also constantly used in conjunction with bit.
He idn so good farmer's th' old man ! No 'tino, nit a bit like it.
2. adj. Alike.
I can't tell one vrom t'other, they be so likes two pays (peas).
3. Likely.
How is your wife ?
Au ! her bin ter'ble bad, her was like to die vor up dree wiks ;
but now the doctor 've a gid her some new-farshin stuff, and her
zimth a little bit better.
You was like to a bin a zuck'd in over thick job, neef I 'ad-n a
toM 'ee o' it.
He's liker t'ax more money than to part way un for that.
Anybody would ha zaid her was likest vor to be married of all
o'm, and now her's a lef last.
4. The usual adverbial suffix — the ly of literary English. As
Many examples of this are to be found throughout this Glossary.
See W. S. Gram., p. 81.
In the whole list of adverbs ending in ly, made from adjectives
in Walker's Rhyming Dictionary, I only find one which is commonly
sounded with ly only, viz. hardly, pron. [aarlee] = scarcely. If
it were to be used as the common adv. it would always be [aa'rd
luyk]. In this case like is redundant.
Take'n hat 'n hard-//&?, tidn no good to fiddle way un.
5. Used very commonly as a suffix, conveying the indefinite
meaning of " inclined to," or " rather."
I sim 'tis CQ\&-like s'mornin. Well ! did'n 'zactly rain, but 'twas
damp-//>fc. Come in ; I count you be hungry-//^.
It is used with every adjective, and is often tacked on to an
adverb or sentence to give the idea of uncertainty or doubt which
it is intended should properly belong to the verb in the sentence.
" I know he was there like" would mean that I believe, but am
not certain, that he was there. " I reckon 't'll rain like" implies
a doubt ; that my belief is not firm.
" He told me to meet'n here like" would mean, " I think he told
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 437
me to meet him here." " I said I'd come like" would mean,
" I said perhaps I would come."
Often the word is entirely redundant, as in
They was to (at) work in their garden like. He do urn arrants
like. Mid-n rain now like. Hot-/;&?, wet-like, good-///&?, bad-//£<r,
day-ti&e, night-//&?, &c.
Again, it is very common in speaking of health symptoms to tack
on like to the end of the sentence, as
Her was all to a vlitter like. How d'ee sim you be 'smornin'
liki ? Well, I bain't no gurt things like. See FOKBY'S Gloss.
6. sb. in phr. by all like. Likelihood ; probability.
By all like we be going to have a hard winter.
LIKE A FLY IN A GLUE-POT [lig u vluy een u glue-pant].
Com. expression, to express nervous excitement.
There nif he wad'n urneen up and down, and fizzin about lig a
rly in a glue-pot.
LIKE-AS-OFF [luyk-s-au-f], adv. phr. Just as though.
The trees was all a turned so brown, like as off they'd a bin
a burned. See OFF.
LIKE AS THIS. See As.
LIKELY [luyklee], adj. i. Promising; thriving. This word
is never used for the ordinary lit. adv.
He's so likely a young fellow, as you'll vind in a day's march.
Very likely colt. Likely lot o' sheep. Likely looking piece o'
wheat.
To like in the sense of to thrive is obsolete.
For if them by (catell) out of a better ground than thou haste thyselfe, that
catell wyll not lyke with the. Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 57/8.
But whan they be remoued, they wolde be set vpon as good a grounde, or
a better, or els they wyll noijyke. — Ibid. 140/6.
2. Suitable ; desirable.
Well, he do look likely. I'll try un, be how 'twill.
I thort I'd a-catcht hold to a likely farm like, but I'll be darned
"if I bain't a-tookt in way un.
LIKES [luyks], sb. i. Probability.
There idn no likes eens her 'ont never be no better in this
wordle.
By all likes > maister's gwain to bring home another missus.
2. sb. Resemblance ; match ; fellow.
So the poor old maister's a-go ! Ah ! you on't zee the likes o'
he again, for one while.
LIKING [luykeen], adj. i. Likely; probable.
438
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Mae'ukeen uv u nue- sul'ur vur t-oa'l dhu suydur, kuuz tiiz
luykeen tu bee su plarntee dee yuur,] making of a new cellar for
to hold the cider, because it is liking to be so plenty this year. —
May 26, 1881.
Likin' for a storm, I reckon, maister. Likin' to have fine
weather, bain' us? Th' aurmanick spaikth o' it.
We be likin to lost our paa'son — they do zay how he've a vailed
in wi' a lot o' money.
2. sb. Attachment ; love ; desire ; wish.
He've a tookt a likirf to her ; I reckon her on't zay no to un.
And in }ns mirour J>ow myjt see • murthes ful menye,
That lede f>e wol to lykynge ' al j>y lyf-tyme.
Piers Plowman, XII. 181.
hire were leuer be weded • to a wel simplere,
£ere sche mijt lede hire lif • in liking & mur|?e.
William of Paler me, Werii'olf, 1. 2O2I.
3. In the phr. " By all likin " apparently ; judging from
appearance ; in all probability.
We be gwain to have a hot summer by all likin\
A cow's teat. A very
LILY-HANGER [luTee-ang-ur], sb.
common old riddle is, —
Two hookers, two lookers, Vower stiff slanders,
Vower lily-hangers, And a whip-about. Answer — Cow.
LIMB [liim], sb. i. The large branch of a tree, but only while
the tree is standing and while the branch is attached to it, or only
just detached. A limb would include the bough.
[Dhai ang'd aup dhu wauyts tu dhu li'tni' u dhu tree*,] they hung
up the scales to the branch of the tree. See BOUGH, RAMBLE.
2. v. t. To cut off the large branches of a tree ; to lop.
We shan't never be able to drow thick [uul-um] elm nif he idn
&-limb well fust, 'cause he's so heavy [taap'ud] topped.
Of an ash tree which was leaning over a road, a man said to
me, " Our Frank limb un last winter, but I don't never think he'll
never be able vor to be a-got upright." — February 4th, 1887.
LIMBER [lunrbur], adj. Not rigid; yielding.
So limber's a fishing-rod. Said of any framework or other con-
struction not sufficiently rigid. The word does not in all cases
mean pliant ; for instance, a stout plank laid on the flat, and resting
only upon its two ends, would be said to be limber, because it
would bend if walked upon, but the same plank placed edgewise
would be stiff.
This word has also a sense of nimble. A common saying is,
"The tongue o' her's purty limber, they do zay."
LIMBER. Flexible, gavacht, flasche, floche, flache, flauide, mol, mollct, souppk.
To wax LIMBER. S'affiaqttir. Cotgrave (Sherwood).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 439
LIMBERS [liim-burz], sb. The heavy shafts of a timber
carriage. The term is not applied to the shafts of a wagon or cart.
Compare the limber of a gun.
LIMB FROM SCRAG [1dm- vrum skrag-], adv.phr. In pieces ;
to atoms ; past all restoration.
'Tis shameful how they be a sar'd (served) to school : there's
my boy'd a got a new book only t'other day, and s'mornin' he corned
home way un all a-tord limb from scrag.
LIMBLESS [liinrlees], adv. Past repair; utterly destroyed; all
to smash. (Very com.)
Was it a bad accident ? was the carriage broken ?
[Ee-s, aay kaew'nt ; ee wuz u toa'urd lunrlees — dhu bauxlee oa* un
wuz jis dhu vuuree sae'um-z au'f mreebau'dee-d u zau't pun u
ban'bauks,] yes, rather; it was broken to smash — the body was
precisely as if one had sat upon a bandbox.
[Dhu gee'ut wuz u-toa'urd /iittrlees,~\ the gate was broken to
atoms was the account given to me as the result of an accident
from a horse running away.
LIME ASHES [luym aarshez], sb. The powder and refuse
from kilns of certain kinds of lime. They are in much request
for floors of cottages, dairies, &c. A good lime ash floor is often
as durable as paving.
LIMPERNSCRIMP [lunvpurnskrunrp, lum purnskuurmp,
liinrpurskruimvp]. The cow parsnip — Heracleum spJwndylium.
Commonest name. See BULLERS, PIG'S-BUBBLES.
LINCH [lunsh], sb. i. A ledge or set-off in a wall or bank.
Car your wall all his width up so var as the ground line, then
zet back vower-n 'alf (4^ inches), and lef a bit of a linch. (Com.)
2. A strip of land left unfilled. See LAXDSHERD.
LINCHY [kin'shee], v. i. To inch; to edge on; to encroach.
Boys very commonly use the word in their games. At marbles,
for instance, if a boy has to shoot his marble from a line, and is
not quite behind it, the others call out " No linchiif ! "
He's sure to linchy nif you gee un ever so little chance.
LINE [luyn], v. t. i. To beat or thrash with some pliant
weapon.
I'll line thy birches vor thee when I catch thee.
k2. To serve — copulare. Said of a dog only. For each animal
. special word is used, in speaking of the male.
To LINE (as a dog a bitch). Ligner, aligner, mastincr.
The LINING of a bitch. Alignemcnt. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
I trowe your mastyfe have lyned my bytche. — Palsgrave, p. 612.
440
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
3. To weld in fresh steel upon the point or cutting part of a tool.
Tidn no good to sharp thick bisgey no more, he must be a lined
— the steel o' un's all a weared away.
4. To partially thrash out the corn from the sheaf, but so as not
to cripple the stalks, which have afterwards to be combed out into
reed for thatching. The sheaf of wheat so partially thrashed is
called a Billy (q. v.) or Liner (Billow, Britten).
LINER [luynur], sb. \. A sheaf partly thrashed in the process
of making reed — more commonly called a Billy (q. v.}.
2. An adjustable part of a thrashing-machine, by which the corn
can have all the ears at the end of the sheaf beaten out without
passing all the straw through the machine ; the liner is to prevent
the reed from being bruised, and made unfit for thatching.
LINES [luyns], sb. Marriage certificate.
I always keeps my lines careful like ; hap what will, I hain't gwain
to part wi' they.
LINHAY, LINNEY [liSiree], sb. A shed, or open building.
Always so-called, except when adjoining a shoeing-forge — then it is
as invariably called [pain tees] (pent-house). See PENTICE.
A cart-shed is always a [wag'een lfin'ce~\.
I do want t' ax o' ee vor to let me [ae-u] ha two or dree paustes
and a vew rough boards like, vor to put up a bit of a linhay way,
eens the colts mid urn in and out.
The word by no means implies attachment to a farmyard or to
any other building, as stated by Halliwell, but, on the contrary, it
may be either attached or not ; perhaps, in fact, linhay s are more
often detached than otherwise.
backward in the Court there was a Linny that rested upon a Wall.
1695. Mr. Zachary Mayne. 1694. (Letter concerning a spout of
water that happened at Topsham on the river, between the sea
and Exeter.) Phil. Trans, of Royal Society, vol. xix. p. 30.
To Builders and Contractors. Tenders are invited for taking down and
rebuilding a linhay at Leylands Farm, Wellington, where a plan of the same
may be seen and all further particulars obtained of Mr. Jno. Griffin, to whom
Tenders are to be sent on or before the loth day of June next.
Advert. Wellington Weekly News, June 3, 1886.
The linhay in this advertisement was quite an important, detached
range of buildings, consisting of brick cow stalls with loft over, but
the not being enclosed makes a linhay of it.
LINTERN [ton-turn], sb.
frame.
i. A lintel; the top part of a door-
2. A short beam of wood inserted over any door or window-
opening to support the wall above.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 441
LIP [hip], sb. A term applied to certain vessels, as seed-Up,
\\e-Iip (q. v.). But not now used alone. It is probable that the
lips now made of wood may once have been wicker.
A.-S. Icep, basket.
Leep, or baskett : sporta, calathus, corbis. — Promp. Parv.
Lepe : corbis, corbulus, &c., ttbi, a baskyt.
£$fe-maker : cophinarius, corbio. — Cath. Ang.
LEPE or a basket — corbeille. — Palsgrave.
and thei etun and weren fulfillid, and thei token up that lefte of relefis, seuen
If pis. Wycliffe vers. Mark viii. 8.
and bi a wyndowe in a fe/, I was laten doun bi the walle. — Ib. 2 Cor. xi. 33.
LIPPETS [luputs], sb. Tatters. (Very com.)
[Dhae'ur! aay niivur dxid'n zee* noa jish u maa'yd, uur-v u-biin1
burdz-nas'teen wai dhu bwuuyz ugee-un, un ur frauk's u broa'kt aul
tue* lup'uts,~\ there ! I never saw such a girl, she has been bird's-
nesting again with the boys, and her frock is torn to tatters.
It has been suggested to me that this is a contraction of
little-bits (?).
LISSOM [his'um], sb. i. The strand of a rope each lissom
may be composed of several yarns.
'Ton't do to trust to thick rope, he's a brokt into one lissom, two
or dree places.
Capical rope, he's a made wi' vive lissoms.
2. A narrow strip of any kind of cloth.
The piece o' cloth was a-brokt down drue un, (/. e. through its
length) into dree or vower lissoms, eens he wadn a wo'th a varden.
LISSOM [lus'um], adj. Supple; active.
He's a spry, lissom young fellow.
LIST [Ids], v. t. i. Term used by fullers of cloth, signifying to
shake or stretch out the piece of cloth from the wrinkled and
tumbled state into which it gets during the process of milling.
In order to make the cloth "mill" evenly, it has to be "listed"
several times. This is usually done by pleating the cloth upon
a bar fixed for the purpose.
2. The word is also used by fullers to express the operation of
measuring the width of the cloth from list to list during milling,
to ascertain when it is milled or shrunk to the width required.
Thick piece dont milly suant, hon I come to [luV-n] list it, I
vound a sight o' differ'nce in places.
LIST [liis], sb. The edge or selvage of a piece of any kind
of cloth. In flannels and in wool-dyed cloths it is usual to have
442
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
a list or narrow border on each side of the cloth, different in colour
from the rest. Hence listin (q. v.).
The list of cloth. Lisiere. — Cotgrave (Sherwood).
I LYSTE a garment, or border it round aboute with a lyst.
I haue lystcd my cote within to make it laste better. — Palsgrave, p. 612.
LISTED [luVtud]. Term used in woollen trade to signify that
the cloth referred to has an edging woven on each edge of the piece ;
also the width of a piece of cloth. Thus narrow and broad cloths
are still called " munow-listed " or " broad-Jisted," in reference to
the breadth of the cloth its-elf, and quite irrespective of the "list"
or stripe, which may or may not be upon each side of the piece.
Should be seven quarters of the yard in breadth within the lists.
Slat. 27 Eliz. cap. 17.
In same statute are mentioned kinds of cloth called " narrow-listed
whites," and " broad-/ufa? whites."
LISTIN [luVteen], sl>. i. The border or edge of flannel or
cloth when torn from the piece. It is while still forming a part
of the piece that it is called the list (q. v.).
2. adj. Made of //>/, as a pair of listin garters, listin slippers, &c.
LITTLE BIT [leed'l beet], sb. The commonest phrase for a
small quantity of anything, as "a little bit of nonsense," "little bit
of play," " little bit of pudding," " little bit o' music."
LITTLE EASE [lee'dl-ai'z, leexll-yuurs], sb. A lock-up; a
prison ; a cage for prisoners. Same as LITTLE-YEARS.
And mayst thou not blesse God for a little-ease, when the world could not
hold thee. Rogers, Hist, of Naanian, p. 39.
LITTLE-HOUSE [lee'dl-ajwz], sb. The common name for an
out-door privy.
LITTLE IRELAND [lee'dl uyurlun]. Nickname of a large,
improving hamlet in the parish of Wellington, called Rockwell
Green, usually called Row Green. From a bad name, which it has
acquired in times past, the latter developed into Rogue's Green,
and now from its past squalor it is often called Little Ireland.
LITTLEST [lee-dlees(t], adj. sttperl. Smallest. (Very com.)
Mary's the littlest o' the lot, and her's a gurt big piece, sure
'nough.
Well, I'll take em in your prize, nif you'll keep back the two
littlest.
Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear ;
Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.
Hamlet, III. ii.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 443
LITTLE-YEARS [lee'dl yuurz], sb. Little-ease; police cell;
lock up. This is the common name.
[Dhai vaewn dh-oal Baub SpuTur druung'k ugee'un, zoa dhai
paup'-m rait eegn dhu lee'dl yuurz tu waun's,] they found old Bob
Spiller drunk again, so they popped him in the loc'c-up at once.
LIVE [luyv], sl>. Life. Always so pronounced.
Afeard o' my live I should a-bin to late.
J>at we ne scholde to de)>e gon '• be hangid & to drawe,
Oliver be demembryd euerechon • & brojt of lyues dawe.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1158.
LIVIER [liiviur], sb. i. Inhabitant; liver; dweller.
I don't know very much about'n — he 'ant a-bin a livier hereabout,
on'y but a little bit.
I bin a livier to Wei i' ton all my live.
?. Person living.
There's a plenty o' liviers in our parish that bs more'n vovver
score. Common also in Devon.
LOAD BACK, LOADFORWARDS. See CART.
LOAVE [loa-v], sb. Loaf. (Always.)
Half a loav's better'n no bread.
LOB-GRASS [laub- graas]. Bromus MMis.
LOBLOLLY [laub'laul'ee], sb. A dish of milk, spoon m^at, or
porridge, something of the same kind as whit-pot (q. v.}
See LOPLOLLY. See Forby, Gloss. E. Anglia.
And nif it be loblolly, tha wut slop et oil up. — Ex. Scold. I. 189.
LOCK [loavk], sb. i. (Always so pron.). Lock, the fastening.
[U loak-i\ kai',] a lock and key.
and is now in the chirche Jerde ri}t at J>e est ende of the chirclie, and is fast
\-loke wij> a strong Jate. Trtuisa, vol. I. p. 373.
l>an ]>e dore schal be faste \-loke forto another day. — Ibid. p. 377.
2. v. To loa'k the wheels. When a four-wheeled carriage is not
made so that the front wheels will pass under the " body " in
turning, they often get stuck fast, and are said to be u-loafkt. To
turn the fore wheels of a carriage on the main-pin is to loa'k.
[Dhee'uz wag'een oafn loa'k viifee,] this wagon will not lock
properly — /. e. the fore-carriage will not turn properly on the
main-pin. Hence the word means both to move and to be fixed.
LOCK [lau-k], sb. A small but indefinite quantity, say from a
handful to a large bundle. Applied to such substances as hay,
wool, cotton, &c., which may be pulled out from the bulk ; as [u
444
\VKST SOMERSET WORDS.
lau'k u aa'y,] a lock of hay. This might mean a mere handful, or
enough for a meal for a horse.
[Shaarp-m pik aup dhu laifks,'} "look sharp and pick up the
leeks" is the constant admonition when wool is being handled. It
applies to the fragments which get scattered about.
Locke of hey or wolle — locquet. — Palsgrave.
And at the leaste waye, she may haue the lockes of the shepe, eyther to make
clothes or blankettes and couerlettes, or bothe. — Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 146/78.
Our cow of yore,
Who pinch'd, and yet denied a lock of hay,
Kick'd the hard Milkman off, and march'd away.
1795. J. Wolcott (Peter Pindar), Hair Pinuder, Wks. 1812, vol. iii. p. 298.
LOCK ! [lau-k !], interj. Equivalent to Lor ! This is not Alack !
(Very common.) The Ex. Scold, begins ' Lock I Wilmot,'&c. Also
see Ib. 11. 137, 520, 6 1 8.
LOCK-A-DAISY ! [kurk-u-dai-zee !], interj. of astonishment ; a
quasi oath. (Very common, much used by women.)
LOCKING-BONE [lauk'een boa-un], sb. The hip joint.
Way the same, he up with the stick and meet way un just 'pon
the locking-bone — and tho' he did-n bethink to holler.
LOCKS AND KEYS [loa'ks-n kai'/J, sb. i. Dielytra spectabilis.
I cannot account for this name of a flower so recently acclimatized,
but it is now very common in cottage gardens, and known as above.
2. Fruit of the common ash — Frazinus excelsior.
LODGE [lauj'], sb. Lodgings; a temporary dwelling-place.
A man selling garden netting said to me, If yer honour don't
like this, I've a-got a lot more down to my lodge. — May 28, 1884.
We must go an zee about a lodge — i. e. go and find lodgings.
)>ar loges & J>are tentis op )>ei gan bigge. — 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. p. 67.
As soone as the scottis sawe theym, they issued owte of theyre lodges a foote.
A.D. 1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, vol. I. ch. xvm. p. 23.
LOLLIPOP [lauHpaup], sb. A favourite kind of sweetmeat
made of sugar and butter, flavoured strongly with peppermint.
LOLLIPOT [lauHpaut]. A common epithet — booby, softy.
Ya gurt lollipot.—Ex. Scold. 1. 273.
LOLL OUT [lau-1 aewt], v. t. and /. To protrude the tongue.
[Aa-l taich dhee tu lau'l aewt dhee tuung tu mee, sh-uur !] I'll
teach thee to make grimaces at me, s'hear ! A very common
threat.
The fox is all but a don'd up — I zeed-n gwain on benow, wi' his
tongue lollin out.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 445
LONDON PRIDE [lunirun pruyd], sb. Sedum Acre.
LONE WOMAN [loa'un uunvun], sb. A spinster or widow ;
an unmarried female. The word has no moral significance, and
its connection with lorn is purely literary and alliterative.
Her's a lone 'umman, 'thout chick nor cheel ; her off to be able to
maintain herzul, 'thout comin here (to the Board of Guardians).
'Tis shameful vor to car away her things, poor soul, and her a
lone umman way nort comin in, no more-n hot her can sar to chorin
and that. Said of cabbages stolen from a widow.
A hundred mark is a long one for a poor lone woman to bear : and I have
borne, and borne, and borne. 2 Henry IV., II. i.
LONG [lau-ng], adj. Tall.
What, not know ee ? Why ! he's a gurt long fuller, you know, so
long's to-day and to-marra.
2. Large ; numerous. See LONG FAMILY.
LONG CART [lau-ng kaart], sb. A kind of cart peculiar to N.
Devon and the hills of W. Somerset. It is long in the body like a
wagon, but with two wheels. The sides are open like a ladder.
LONG-CRIPPLE [lau-ng krup-1], sb. A hare. (Not common.)
LONG-CROOKS. See CROOKS.
LONG-DOG [lau'ng-duug], sb. i. Greyhound. (Very com.)
[Ah ! tud-n u beet sae-um-z yue'z tue, haun mae'ustur yiie'z tu
kip dhai dhae'ur lairng-duugz ; twuz purtee spoo'urt dhoa-,] ah ! it
is not at all now as it used to (be), when master used to keep
greyhounds ; there was nice sport then.
2. The com. simile to express speed.
Zoon's ever her come in the field her zeed the bullicks, and tho'
the veet o' her begin to muv, nif her did'n hum the very same's a
long-dog. To "hurn like a long-dog" is the regular simile.
LONG FAMILY [lau'ng faanvlee], sb. A large family. (Always
said by all classes.)
It must be hard work for them with such a long family.
We've always a-live 'spectable, and paid our way, and brought
up a long family, and never had no help from nobody.
At Wellington Board, a Guardian discussing a case for relief said,
If 'twas a longer f am' ly I should zay Yes. — Nov. 25, 1886.
LONGFUL [lau-ngfeol], adj. Used with time. (Very com.)
See W. S. Gram., pp. 15, 101.
Well, how be you ? I 'ant a-zeed 'ee ez longful time.
A longful time this Nanny Tap,
Wes causin hee zom zore mishap,
446 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
An pin tha varm, be day nur nite,
No zingle thing wid go aun vright.
Nathan Hogg, I sen., Jan Vaggis's Tale, p. 54.
Short dumpsy days an' longftil nights,
But moon, an' stars, an' ryshy-lights.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 63.
LONG HANGED [lairng-anjud], adj. A very common term
of abuse, equivalent to long gutted.
The usual phrase is "long-hanged son of a bitch." See HANGE.
ya long-hanged Meazle — Ex. ScolJ. \. 30.
ya long-hanged Trapes. — Ib. \. 158.
LONG-HEADED [laung-ai'dud], adj. Clever ; shrewd.
Mr. Jones, I've always a-yeard em zay, that you was a very long-
headed 'turney, but I'll tell 'ee what's more, your head's double so
thick's he is long.
LONG-HUNDRED [lau-ng-uun'did], sb. Six score.
Many articles of farm produce, such as binds, reed, faggot wood,
spar-gads, spars, are sold by the hundred, and it is always expected,
unless otherwise agreed, that one hundred and twenty will be
delivered. A hundred of five score is called a small-hundred.
LONGING [hirngeen], pr. part. Belonging.
A zaid how a was a man 'longin to Milverton parish.
Thus to Cury-Malet a 3 miles, wher is a Parke longging to Chambernoun of
Devonshire. — LelaniCs Itinerary, vol. II. p. 65.
LONG-PURPLES [lau'ng puurplz], sb. This name is given
to several flowers in the district, but most generally to the grand
racemes of the Lythrum salicaria.
I have heard the common Foxglove so called, also the Orchis
mascula, which are both very abundant.
LONG-RUN [lau-ng-uurn], sb. The end.
Best is cheapest in the long-run.
LONG-STRETCH [lau-ng-straach], sb. At full length, said of
any person or animal lying down at full length.
Go in the stable 'most any time, you'll zee un a lied out to
long-stretch.
LONG-TAILED-CAPTAIN [lairng-taa-yut-kaap-m], sb. The
bottle-tit — Parus caudatus. The usual name. See HACKMAL.
LONG-TONGUE [lau-ng-tuung]. Said of a scold, and of an
unusually talkative woman.
Her's well 'nough, only her 've a got a ter'ble long-tongue — he's
gwain all day long like a mill-clapper.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 447
I can put up wi' most things, but I never could'n put up wi'
her long-tongue ; her'd draive me to distraction.
LOOBY [leo'bee], sb. An awkward, ignorant lout.
[Aay muyn un, haun u wuz u guurt leo'bee bwuuy, keod'n zai
boa1 ! tue u geo-z,] I recollect him when he was a great looby of
a boy, (who) could not say boh ! to a goose.
LOOK [leok], v. i. i. To appear; to seem.
The maid lookth to be in a riglar stid.
2. To expect ; to anticipate.
Her lookth vor to be a-confined 'vore Lady-day day.
We've ^.-looked vor her to come home 'is dree weeks, and her
'ant a zen' word hon her's comin'. They bin lookin vor the death
o' un all's day.
To look for, often means not only to expect, but to desire.
The things do look vor t'have their mate rigler. A person who
had rendered a service would refuse the offered reward by saying,
[Thang'k-ee, shoa'ur, bud aay mivur dedn leok' vur noa jis dhing,]
thank you, indeed, but I never desired or expected anything of the
kind.
To look up. to look down, to look in, mean to call upon, as
" I'll look up to-morrow morning."
"To look about," "to look after," "to look down on," "to look
into," " to look out," are all commonly used as in standard English.
LOOK AFTER [leok aartur],///;-. To care about ; to care for;
to mind ; to trouble to do anything. Very commonly used in a
negative sentence. See KITTLE-BELLY, 3rd illust.
They ax me to stop, but I didn look arter it. I shan't look arter
ontacklin th'osses. Don'ee look arter changin o' your clothes.
LOOK AFTER [leok aardur], v. t. To mind ; to take notice
of; to pay attention to.
[Aay wiid'n nuvur leok aar'dur u tee'dee-taud'ee oal fuul'ur luyk
ee1,] I would not never look after a titty-toddy old fellow like he.
Who d'ee think' s gwain to look arter hot you've a-got on ?
LOOKERS [leok'urz], sb. The eyes. See LILY-HANGER.
LOOK OVER [leok oa-vur], v. t. To forgive.
Nif you'll plaise to look it over, shan't hap zo no more. Very
different from overlook, q. v.
LOOK-Y-ZEE [leok-ee-zee1], phr. Nearly, but not quite equiv-
alent to Fr. void! voila! It is one of the very commonest
exclamations in use, and by some individuals it is made part of
nearly every sentence. I cannot decide whether the ee is the verbal
intransitive inflection, or the pronoun^.
448 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Yuur Icok'-ee-zee' ! dhush-ur-z ee'ns tai'z,] here look! this is how
it is.
[Aa*l shoa ee aew tu due* ut, lfok-ee-zee~ ! ] I will show you how
to do it, look !
[Naew dhan, lcok-ee-zee~ •.' ', wuur bee gwai'n tue ?] now then ! look !
where are you going to ?
LOOZE [Rie-z], sb. A stye. (Always.) This may be lews (q. v )/
[Jiimz Urd'eod du wau'n tu noa' wur yue'-ul plai'z tu puut-n
aup* u mie* paeg'z-/«rz, kuuz dhu wee-n-v u toa'urd dh-oa'l liierz
lunrlees,] (verbatim, Jan. 1882) James Redwood wishes to know
if you will please to build him a new pig-stye, because the wind has
broken the old stye to atoms.
LOP-EAR' D [laupr-yuurd], adj. A term of abuse. (Very com.)
Ya lop-ear }d son of a bitch !
LOPLOLLY [laup'laul'ee], sb. Any kind of gruel or spoon
meat.
Doctor, cant 'ee let me have a bit o' mate ? I be zick and zore
o' this here loplolly stuff.
LOPPING [laup-een], adj. Slow; lazy ; loose.
A loppiri rascal ! why, I wouldn't gie un his zalt to work for me.
LOPPY [laup'ee], v. i. To walk or move slowly. Often applied
to hares or rabbits.
I zeed her just lopping along, /". e. going very slowly.
Look sharp ! 's hear me ! not loppy along, one voot to-day and
tother to-morrow !
Also to go in a slovenly, awkward manner. " Going all lop to
lurrup," is quite a common expression.
LOP-SIDED [laup-zuydud], adj. Unevenly balanced ; having
one side larger than the other.
Thick load's all lop-zided, he on't never ride home, he'll safe to
turn over.
LORDS AND LADIES [lau'rdz-un-lae'udeez], sb. The wild
arum — Arum maculatum.
LOSS [lau-s(t], v. t. To lose. (Always.)
Here, Billy, 's a zixpence vor ee ; mind you don't loss-n.
[Muyn ud'n nuudh'ur oa'l een dhu bai'g, uls dhee-t lau-st aa'f
oa ut,] see that there is no hole in the b.ng, otherwise you will lose
half of it.
I count that there'll be a lostin job, they can't never do it vor
the money.
LOUSE-TRAP [laews-traap]. Cant name for a small-toothed
comb. (Very com.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 449
LOUSY [laewzee], adj. i. Sparkling water with plenty of
beads, or little air bubbles, is said to be lousy.
2. Commonest prefix to rogue, as an epithet.
A lousy rogue ! they zess how ee'll chate everybody.
Also speaking of mischievous boys, one often hears, —
They lousy boys, hotever shall er do way em ! there idn no end
to their [murs'chee] mischief!
Lowsye — pouillettx, pouilleuse, — Palsgrave.
LOVE [luuv], v. i. To like ; to be pleased. (Very com.) I
do love dearly vor to hear Mr. Allen preach. I never don't love
vor to zee hosses a-sar'd bad. I do love to ride in a boat.
See SNOOL.
LOVE-CHILD [luuv-chee-ul], sb. An illegitimate child.
This is the refined form — the common one is base-cheel.
LOVE-IN-A-MIST [luuv-een-u-muV], sb. The flower Nigella
damascena. This sounds like " love-in-a-mess," but I never heard
it called " love-entangle " (mess would be pronounced mas').
LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING [luuv-luyz-blud-een],^. The flower
Amarantus caudatus.
No other plant is known by this name among peasantry, but
some varieties of Celosia are beginning to be so called in gardens.
LOVIER [luuviur], sb. Distinct trisyllable. Lover ; sweetheart.
So Sue Gale've a-vound a lovier then ! Who is the fuller ? I
zeed 'n armin o'er a Zinday, t'arternoon.
With him ther was his sone, a yong squyer,
A lovyer, and a lusty bacheler,
With lokkes crulle as they were layde in presse.
Chaucer, Prologue, 1. 79.
LOVIN [luuveen], adj. and adv. Adhesive ; sticky.
This here clay's so lovirfs bird-lime. Of a tangled mass of
brambles I heard a man say (December, 1879), Something lovin
enough here, sure 'nough.
LOW [laew], v. i. and t. To allow — /. e. count ; reckon ; believe ;
to be of opinion ; to estimate.
[Aay du laew wee bee gwai'n tu ae*u sum bad'r wadrrur,] it is my
opinion that we are going to have some better weather.
They do 'low eens there was up a thousand bullicks to fair.
How much d'ee 'low thick there field o' ground — /. e. what size
do you call it. Same as allow (q. v.).
LOW [loa-], v. t. To lower. (Always.)
Nif he's too high, can low un a bit.
Zo they've 3.-loivd the bread to last, 'ant em ?
G G
450 \\EST SOMERSET WORDS.
Thick there hump off (ought) to be a-low'd, but I can't zee where
we be gwain to put all the stuff vrom un. (In levelling a road.)
LOWANCE [luwuns], sb. Allowance, applied only to food and
drink.
Come, Betty, the volks be woitin vor their lowance — i. e. their
cider in ordinary times, their food and drink in harvest time.
LUCK [luuk]. In bargains for cattle or horses, it is usual for
the seller to give back to the purchaser on receiving payment some
coin, from sixpence to a sovereign, according to the amount of the
deal. This coin is called /w^-money. It is frequently a matter of
bargain what amount this shall be — as, If you'll give me a sovereign
to luck, I have 'em. In all such cases the phrase is always "to
luck" and never "for luck." Earnest-money to clench a bargain is
never called or confounded with luck money. Luck bad or good
attends all transactions and events. Misfortune or success are
" bad luck" or "good luck ;" but the word is seldom used alone,
except in dealings as above.
I've a meet way bad Itick—Vve. a lost my dunkey.
I do year how he've a-had bad luck since he bin there — he've
a-lost a 'oss and two cows. — Feb. 4, 1887.
Loss of cattle or a wife is always spoke of as bad luck.
I've a meet way shockin bad luck way my ewes [yoa'z] and
lambs.
Jim Shop'and fve a meet way bad luck, sure 'nough, poor fuller —
what 'ant ee yeard o' it? His wive died last Vriday was mornin,
and her's gwain to be a-buried t'arternoon to dree o'clock, 'cause
they widn let'n keep 'er vore Zinday.
LUFFER-BOARDS [luufur boo-urdz], sb. Louvre boards.
The sloping, overlapping boards used for ventilation. There are
also chimney-tops made with louvres, advertised as Zz/^/'-pots.
LOVER of an hovvse. Lodium. — Promp. Parv.
A LUVERE ; fumarium, fumerale, lucar, lodium. — Cath. Aug.
TROTTOufiR : m. A boord in the lover of a dovecoat for pigeons to alight
on ; also, the Seat or Tribunal of a Judge ; Cotgrave.
LOVER of a hall — esclere. — Palsgrave, p. 241.
Cheke we and cheyne we • and eche chyne stoppe,
f>at no light leope yn • at loner ne at loupe.
Piers Plowman, xxi. 287. See also Sk fat's note to P. P., p. 414.
Ne lighten'd was with window, nor with lover,
But with continual candle light, which dealt
A doubtful sense of things, not so well seen as felt.
Spenser, Faerie Queen, B. VI. c. IO, st. 42.
Luvare (224), originally applied to the apertures in the roofs of ancient halls
by which the smoke from the open fires was allowed to escape, but which now
remains as the name applied to the apertures in the towers of churches whence
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 451
the sound of the bells may make its way to the air, the pieces of wood or stone
by which such openings are constructed being constantly named " lower-boards."
Athemmin, 1882, No. 2859, p. 202.
LUG [luug], sb. A measure of land = a pole or perch, also of
length = 16^ feet; in common use in the marsh district of
Somerset, but not heard west of Taunton. Here this measure is
always a '; yard," or " land-yard."
LUG [luug], it. t. To drag heavily, by main force. To cirry.
Mary, thick there cheel's t'eavy vor you to lug about.
After hanle dayej wern out an hundreth & fyfte",
As )>at lyftande lome luged aboute,
Where pe wymle & )>e weder warpen hit wolde,
Hit (the ark) sa}tled on a softe day synkande to grounde.
Early Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, 1. 442.
LUG-CHAIN [luug'-chain], sb. Tech. A double chain having
a strong ring in the centre, used in hauling timber ; by it the butt
or tree is made fast to and lifted by the " fore-carriage," and by it
the entire load is " lugged " or drawn along. The whole weight of
the " piece " borne by the " fore-carriage," in that kind of timber
carriage which has very high hind-wheels, is supported by the lug-
chain. The ring above-mentioned bears on a strong hook in the
centre of the fore axle case.
LUMP [luump], v. t. If you don't like it, you can lump it.
This very common phrase is heard chiefly among those rather
above the lowest class.
LUMPING [luunrpeen] adj. Big ; full size.
Well, there, 'tis lumping weight, take 'em along. Applied to
weight this word is the same as bumping, and implies that the
article sold is such good weight as to make the scale go down lump,
or bump.
A gurt lumping piece o' bread and cheese.
LUNGE [luun'j], v.t. i. A term used in horsebreaking. The first
operation when a colt has been haltered is to make it trot round in
a ring, being held by a long rope by the breaker. This is to lunge
the colt.
2. v. i. and sb. To lean suddenly with all the weight of the
body.
I gid a bit of a lunge, and tho he (the door) flied ope to once.
Forby says this is the original of lounge.
Eart lunging, eart squatting upon thy tether eend. — Ex. Scold. 1. 160.
LURRUP [luurup], v. t. i. To thrash ; to whack. This word
would generally be used when the weapon is a leather strap or a
rope's end.
G G 2
452
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Zee thick buckle-strap ? Let me catch thee again, and zee if I
don't lurrup thee proper way un !
2. v. /'. To walk in a hobbling, slouching manner, with a slip-
shod, slovenly gait.
Well, I never didn zee nobody lurrupy same's thee dus ; thee's
a-got the hayrick step proper, sure 'nough ! See LOPPY.
LURRUPING [luurupeen], adj. Awkward ; slouching ; also
going slouchingly and furtively ; skulking.
A gurt lurrupiri son of a bitch.
I zeed-n lurrupiri! along under the hedge, but he did-n zee me.
LUSTRY [Ids-turee, leos'turee], v. i. To strive ; to be active ;
to work hard. (Com.)
Come, Soce ! we must lustry info it, else I'm darn'd if we shall
get droo it.
Yet avore all, avore voak, tha wut lustree, and towzee, and chewree, and
bucldee, and tear, make wise, as anybody passath ; but out o' zeert a spare
totle in enny keedest theng. Exmoor Scolding, 1. 290. See also 1. 215-
LUSTY [luVtee], adj. i. Strong ; stalwart ; able.
Our Jack's a come a gurt lusty, two-handed fuller.
Emilia. A daughter ; and a goodly babe,
Lusty, and like to live : the queen receives
Much comfort in't. — IVintei's Tale, II. ii.
a. Obese ; fat. Obs. in the sense of lustful.
Of a publican it was said, He do get to listy by half; I zim less
mate and more work wid be a good thing vor he.
LUSTY, fulle of luste. Vohtpttiosus.
LUSTY or lysty. Delectuosus. — Promp. Parv.
LUSTY ; illeccbrosus, giilosus, libidinostis, voluptitosus.
Calk. Angl. See Tusser, 60/5.
M takes the place of 'n (q. v.) whenever the latter follows/,^ b,
v sounds. Thus the termination en, in the following, changes to m;
and the like will be found throughout these pages in very numerous
instances.
[Labv«, oa'p/tf, ai'mp/w, ai'vw, sau'fw,] eleven, open, hempen
even, soften = sofen. Also in the usual contractions of the stress-
less words than, and, him, when following the same labials.
[Stau'p-w /] stop him ! [Staap'-w dringk, wut-n ?] stop and drink,
wilt not? [U suyt moo'ur tuuf'-;« tuudlvur,] a sight more tough
than the other. See W. S. Dialect, p. 17, IV. S. Gram., p. 37.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 453
MACE [mae'us], sit. Mast. (Always.) Acorns; beechnuts —
the latter called beech-mace.
[Mae-us bee tuurbl skee'us dee yuur,] acorns are very scarce
this year.
MACING [mae'useen], sb. Searching for mast or acorns.
Pigs be ter'ble fond o' maciii\ now this time o' the year.
Can't keep the pheasants home nohow — they be macirf and
blackberrin' all over the place. — Oct. 25, 1886.
MACK [maak], sb. Magpie.
MACKEREL-SKY [maak'rul-skuy], sb. Sky mottled with light
striped, cirrus clouds.
Mackerel-sky ! not much wet, not much dry.
MACKET [maak-ut], M ACKETTY [maak-utee and maak-utee
paa-y], sb. The magpie. See MAGGOT.
MACKY-MOON [maak-ee-meo-n], sb. i. One who makes
himself absurd or ridiculous by playing the fool.
Come, be quiet, cas-n, and neet make a macky-moon o' thyzul.
2. The kingfisher.
MAD [mad], adj. Angry ; enraged.
I was mad 'nough to hat'n down — /'. <?. to hit him down. (Very
com. expression.) The word conveys no impression of lunacy or
common madness. See MAZE.
MADE-GROUND [mae'ud-graewn], sb. Ground which has
been disturbed, not virgin soil ; where the surface level has been
raised, or hollows filled up with rubbish, or any material differing
from the surroundings.
Well ! anybody wid'n reckon to vind made-ground here, down
to this here deepness.
MADE-WINE [mae-ud-wuyn], sb. Ginger and other home-
made wine.
MAGGOT [mag-ut]. MAGGOTTY PIE [mag-utee paa-y].
Magpie.
Pie: f. A Pye, Pyannot, Meggatapye. — Cotgrave.
If gentils be scrauling, call magget the py. — Tusser, 49/9.
A magatapie. Jagutttc, jaquette, agasse. — Sherwood.
A very old riddle, which is commonly asked in a mocking way
of very stupid people, is — •
So black's my 'at, so whit's my cap, magotty pie, and what's that?
This is of the same character as —
Made in London, sold in York,
Put in a bottle, and called a cork. What's that ?
454 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
All on a sudden, Maggot starts and stares,
And wonders, and for somewhat strange prepares.
Peter Pindar, Magpie and Robin, Vol. n. p. 271.
There are many auguries and superstitions in connection with
this bird ; but there is no doubt that of all British birds it is about
the most destructive as well as prying and mischievous. It is very
common, when one or more are seen, to say : —
One, sign of anger ; two, sign o' muth ;
Dree, sign o' wedding-day ; vower, sign o' death ;
Vive, sign o' zorrow ; zix, sign o' joy ;
Zebm, sign o' maid ; an' eight, sign o' boy.
This version differs from that of Devon and other districts.
Augurs, and understood relations, have
By magot-pies, and choughs, and rooks, brought forth
The secret 'st blood of man. — Macbeth, III. iv.
MAGNIFICAL [mag-neef'ikl], adj., adv. Grand; fine; mag-
nificent. (Very com.)
Squire • • ' 's a niagnifical sort of a gin'lman.
and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnificat,
of fame and glory throughout all countries. — I Chronicles xxil. 5.
MAID [maa'yd], sb. i. A girl; a lass. (Always.)
Her's a oncommon purty maid. Pretty girl, or lass, is unknown.
2. Daughter.
Who did 'er marry ? Why, her's the old Jan Baker's maid.
3. A woman servant of any age.
1 know a widow with a son, who is a parlour- maid.
Compare Dairy-;//*?/*/ and Post-boy, neither of which imply youth.
I have heard both terms used respecting quite old people.
bet a tyrant maid vor work, and tha stewarliest and vittiest wanch that comath
on tha stones o' Moulton. Ex. Siold. \. 568.
Mayden (or maydon, s.) seruaunt. Ancilla.
Maydyn, or seruaunt folowynge a woman of worschyppe. Pedisseqna, assecla.
Promp. Parv.
A madyn i ancilla, ancillula. — Catholicum Anglicnm.
. 4. Applied to a male person. (Com.)
He was a very quiet fuller — my belief, he lived and died a maid.
Man beyng a mayde — pneeau. — Palsgrave.
and £>at reyn schal neuere cese, or a preost J>at is clene mayde sing a masse
in a chapel j?at is faste by. — Trevisa, De locorum prodigiis, xxxv. vol. i. p. 365.
MAIDEN [maa'ydn], adj. Applied to animals. One which
has never borne young. The word is a favourite with butchers.
'Tis a maiden ewe, so good's any wether.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS 455
None o' your cow beef. He was a maiden yeffer dree year old !
else I never own un, nor paid vor'n !
MAIDEN-TREE, or oftener MAIDEN-STICK [maa-ydn-tree],
sb. A tree which has been allowed to grow naturally — /. e. has not
been pollarded, or had its head cut off.
MAIN [marn], sb.pl. Men. (Always so pronounced.)
Where be all the main ? There was a sight o' main to church.
Myjte \>is fend aryse and go : nniche sorwe wolde he do
Among my mayne here. — Sir Femmbras, 1. 4609.
And what so \>\ meyne do, abonte hem ]>ou wende,
And as myche as £011 maist, be at j?at oon eende,
And Jeve ]>'\ meyne ther hire, at }>er terme day.
1430. How the Good IVijf tatty hir doifyir (Furnivall), 11. 125-139.
MAIN [maa'yn], sb. Large quantity. (Com.)
A farmer, speaking of the weather, said, —
We'd a-got a ter'ble maayn o' hail last night. — Dec. 29, 1886.
MAIN [maa'yn], adv. i. Very. This or terrible are the most
common adverbs. The lit. very hardly exists.
Iler's better, thank'ee, sir, but her bin main bad, I 'sure ee.
2. Very much.
Her's main a-tookt up way un, but he idn no gurt shakes.
MAIN AND [maa'yn un], adv. phr. Very. (Very com.)
I zim maister looked maayn un ugly t' anybody s'mornin', 's-'off
things was crossin' like in t'ouse ; but I 'ant a-yeard nort, an' I
don't zee nort the matter way her (i. e. the mistress).
The roads be maa'yn un slipper, sure 'nough.
Quoth Robert, Richard, how d'ye do?
(Observing Dick look'd main and blue).
A.D. 1762. Collins1 Miscellanies, p. 13.
MAIN-PIN [maa'yn-peen], sb. The turning pin upon which
the fore axle of any carriage turns or locks.
MAIN-SHU RE [maayn-sheo'ur], sb. Main-sewer. (Com.)
(Name and object, both of recent importation.)
MAISTER [mae'ustur], sb. i. Master; the husband or father
of the family ; employer.
A wife (of the small farmer and lower middle class only) always
speaks of her husband as "maister."
Maister's a-go to market, and I can't tell ee nort about it, gin
he do come 'ome. The line is drawn at the employer, however
petty.
A wife of the labouring class, scarcely lower, speaks of her
husband commonly as he; if by his Christian name, as "my
456 WEST SOMERSET \VORDS.
Urchet," or " my man ; " very often by his surname, as, " Nif you
plaise, sir, Slocombe idn coming to work to-day."
2. The parson of the parish. In out-of-the-way villages this is
nearly invariable.
My mother heard a parish clerk give out in church —
This is to gee notice — there on't be no Zindy here next Zindy,
'case why — maister' s a-gwain Dawlish vor praich.
3. The cow which beats or drives the rest of the dairy is called
the \niae"ustur or the mae'ustur buuHk]. There is always one in
every dairy.
May sty r, Atagister, didascolus, petagogus. — Promp. Parv.
Afayster — maistre. — Palsgrave.
A mayster ; magister, magislralis, rabbi, rabboni. — Cath. Ang.
MAISTER. Monsieur. A MAISTER-PEECE — chef cTavre. — Shenvood.
Spelt maister in Chaucer Prol. 1. 261 ; Gesta Rom. p. 59 ; Wyclif,
Works, pp. 6, 167.
MAISTERFUL [mae'ustur-feol], adj. Domineering; imperious
— applied also to animals.
Our Daisy's a maistcrful sort of a bullick, her'll beat other cow
we've a got.
Femme testue : A domineering, or maisterfull housewife, one that would he
her husband's maister. Cotgrave.
A maistcrful dame. Femme testue. — Sherwood.
and the domesman bitake thee to a maistirfitl axer, and the maisterful axer
sende thee into prisoun. Luke xii. 58, Wiclif. -vers.
Shal noon housebonde seyn to me ' chek mat ' ;
For eyther thei ben ful of jalousie,
Or maysterful, or loven novelrye. — Chaucer, Tr. and Crys. \. 753.
MAKE [mae'uk], v. t. i. Technical word applied to a hedge.
To make a hedge is to chop out and lay down the "quick" or
underwood, and then to cut down the sides of the bank on which the
"bushment" grows, and throw the sods, together with the clean-
ings of the ditch, upon the top of all. It is this process which
causes our West Somerset fences to be so formidable to hunting
men.
To the labourer who shall best make and lay a rope of hedge. 1st prize, $s.,
2nd, 2s. 6d. — Progamme of Culmstock Agricultural Society's Meeting, 1886.
2. Cant term for to steal.
I reckon Jim made thick there exe (axe). A curtailment of the
longer " to make at one heat." A figure derived from a blacksmith's
forging a horse-shoe with once heating the iron — an impossibility,
unless the shoe be stolen ready made.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 457
3. v. i. To increase ; to grow ; to wax.
The tide'll continny to make for a week to come.
Is the moon making or going back ?
MAKE A NOISE [maek u nauyz], v. To scold.
Missus made a purty noise, sure 'nough, last night, 'cause you
wadn a-come home — you'll catch it, mind !
MAKE BOLD [maek boa'l], v. i. To presume.
A very common expression is make so bold [maek' zu boa'l].
What might you give for thick wagin, make so bold1) — i.e. may
I venture to inquire how much?
Plaiz, mum, I be a-come vor to make bold t'ax vor a vew flowers,
'cause mother's gwain to be a buried to-morrow. Midn make so
bold, I s'pose, as t'ax vor a beet o' mournin' like, a-left off?
MAKE FOR [maek vaur], v. t. To seem to aim at ; to appear
likely to make ; to foreshadow.
Your Tom do make vor a gurt big fuller.
I sim the wind do make for rain.
MAKE-HOME [maek-oa'm], T. i. To make off homewards.
Said of any person or dog who forsakes any expedition and turns
back.
Zoon's ever the collar was a-tookt off, darned if he (the dog)
didn make-home so vast as ever his legs 'ud car-n.
MAKE IN [maek een], v. t. To kindle ; to light up.
Look sharp and make in the vire. (Very com.)
This would not be used for lighting a candle or lamp.
Wall, off we started, all a-gog,
An' vishM our vull desire,
An' then begun to zit ta work
A.-mekkin' in a vire. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 28.
MAKE-MOWS [maek-maewz], v. i. To make mocking grimaces.
Plaiz-r, thick there boy bin makiri! mows, (Com.)
MOWARE, or makere of a mowe and scorn, (makar of moivys and scornys).
Valgiator (cachinnator).
Mowe, or skorne. Vangia vel valgia. — Promp. Parv.
MOWE a scorne—move, moe. — Palsgrave.
A mow, or moe. Moue.
To mow, or make a menu. Faire la moue, grimacer.
Mowing (making mouths). Moudrd. — Shenvood.
And when a wight is from hire whiel ithrowe,
Than laughetli she, and maketh hym the mowe.
Chaucer, Troy his and Cry scyde, 1. 1777.
Y f J)ou make mawes on any wyse,
A velany Jx>u kaeches or euer j>ou rise. — Boke of Curtasye, \. 55.
458
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
What mops and mowes it makes ! heigh, how it frisketh !
Is't not a fairy? or some small hob-goblin? — Bean, and Fid. Pilgrim, IV. ii.
Yea, the very abjects came together against me unawares, making mffavs at
me and ceased not. Psalm xxxv. 15 (Tyndal).
- And otherwhiles with bitter mocks and mows
He would him scorn, that to his gentle mind
Was much more grievous than the other's blows.
Spenser, Faerie Qiteene, B. vi. c. vii. st. 49.
MAKE SHIFT [maek shuuf*], phr. To manage ; to succeed.
I 'spose must [maek shuuf'm] make shift and finish gin Zadurday
night, else I count there '11 be a noise. See ex. COME AROUND.
MAKE UP [maek aup-], v. f. Applied to faggot wood. To
chop into proper lengths and bind it into faggots. The same
operation is implied in simply " making wood."
What be gwain about ?
Makin 'ood vor Mr. Bond, /. e. tying up faggots.
Prizes for Hedging.
To the agricultural labourer who shall best dig and lay a rope of hedge, and
make, up the wood. First prize, los.
Handbill of Ploitghing Match, Culmstock, Oct. 5, 1883.
MAKE USE OF [maek yue's oa], v. /. To eat. (Applied
always to sickness.)
He can't make use o' nothing.
I count he an't a-got no mate vor to make use o\ The phr. is
generally heard in negative sentences only.
MAKE IT OUT [maek- ut aewt], phr. To get on. A very
common salutation is, " Well, Farmer Jan, how do you make it
out ? i. e. how are you getting on ?
I do hear they be gwain away, I s'pose they baint able vor to
make it out, i. e. to get on.
MAKE-WEIGHT [maek-wauyt], v. and sb. To add so much
of the commodity being weighed, as will turn the scale. Any
matter or consideration added to enhance value.
Come, maister ! that there idn nezackly ! mus' drow in a bit o'
suet vor to make weight o' it.
MAKE- WISE [maek-wuyz], v. i. i. To pretend.
Our Liz was to fair then, arter all ; her made wise her was gwain
home vor to zee her mother, but I thort her wid-n ray her/el up
like that there, vor to go home. Her know'd how Jim Hooper
was gwain.
Also used participially.
He put on his best clothes an' started, make wise he was gwain
to church, and tho' he dap back, and sure enough he zeed what
they was up to, an' catcht em proper.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 459
They turned their back, make wise (i. e. pretending) they didn
zee me, but I be safe they did.
Now must es make iv!se chuwr a going to Out Moreman's, and only come
theez wey. Ex. Scold. \. 593. Also 11. 12, 292.
2. sb. A pretence ; a sham.
I zeed how 'twas ; I knowed 'twas nort but a make wise.
MAKE WOOD. For illust. see ROPE, MAKE UP.
MAKE WORK [maek wuurk], v. i. To make mischief.
They boys on't let alone thick gate, they'll keep on makin work
way un, gin they've a tord-n abroad. Also commonly used of illicit
love.
MAL, MALLY [maal, maal'ee]. Moll, Molly. (Always.)
MALEMAS [mae'ulmus]. Michaelmas.
We bin yur vive-and-forty yur come Malemas.
MALICE [maal'ees], sb. Mallows ; marsh-mallows. (Always.)
MALLARD [maal'urd], sb. A drake. Duck and mallard.
The word " drake " is not used.
A MALLARD. Malart. — Sherwood.
MALARDE a byrde. Canart. — Palgsrave.
MALLS, MAULES. In some of the Glossaries. In Exmoor
Scolding, E. D. S., p. 66 — '•'•Malls, the measles," but not found in
text. Possibly used early in the last century, but more probably
spurious, and only found in Glossaries.
MALT-COMBS [mau'lt-koa'mz], sb. The roots or sprouts of
malted barley.
COMYS, of Malte (comys, P.) Paululata. — Promp. Parv. p. 89.
CUMMYNGE (Cummyn, A.) as malte ; germinatus. — Cath. An*.
MAMMY-GOG [maanvee-gaug], sb. Same as mammy-suck.
A softy ; a spoilt child. Also a foolish, stupid person.
I could'n never do no good way un 'bout dalin — I always zim
he's a mammy-gog sort of a fuller. — Feb. 8th, 1887.
MAMMY-SICK [maanvee-zik], adj. Said of a spoilt child, who
always wants " to go home to mother."
MAMMY-SUCK [maanree-zeok], sb. An effeminate or babyish
boy.
[Guurt lue'bee maanree-zeok, kruy un aul'ur kuuz ee'-v u aat'-s
an- u bee't !] (what a) great baby boy ! (to) cry and scream because
he has struck his hand a little ! Mammy-gog also com. with same
meaning.
46o
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MANDY [maatrdee], adj. Domineering ; proud ; haughty.
Ter'ble mandy sort of a gin'lman, I've a yeard 'em zay.
MANE COMB [mae'un koa'mj, sb. A coar?e, long-toothed
comb used for combing horses' manes and tails.
A handbarow, wlieelebarovv, sbolue and spade,
A curriecombe, mainecoHibe, and whip for a Jade. — Tftsser, 17/3.
MANNERABLE [man'urubl], adj. Well-beliaved ; polite.
I considers the young Joe Baker so inalterable a young fuller's
other one in the parish. You don't zee he 'bout to no public
house, nor neet lig zome o' the young farmers in their work, so
ragged's a Mechaelmas ram.
In a manerable mershalle J>e connynge is moost commendable
To haue a fore sigbt to straungers, to sett J>em at ]>e table ;
John RusselCs Bake of Nurture, Furnivall, p. 191, 1. 1113. See also 1. 1129.
MANG [mang], v. t. To mix.
How's come to mang the [zee-ud] seed ?
The bags was a bust, and zo the zee'ud was a-mangd all up
together, I could'n 'elp o' ut.
Ang.-Sax. Mencg-an, to mix ; to mingle.
MANG-HANGLE [mang-ang-1], adj. Mixed up; confused;
used both literally and figuratively.
There they was, all urnin one over t'other, purty mang-hangle
concarn, sure enough.
MANIES [murreez]. Plur. form of many, used in the phr.
mantes o' times — /. e. very often.
I've a-bin vore thick road mantes o' times, hon I could'n zee my
'and avore me. Our Liz 've a-do'd it mantes o' times.
MAN-JACK [mae'un jaak]. Person ; used with every.
We could'n get the gate ope, zo every man-jack o'm was a fo'ced
to turn about, and go back again.
MANNER [man'ur]. The phr. "in a manner o' spakin" used
very commonly as a mere redundancy to fill out a sentence
- — /. e, so to say ; if I may say so. Howsomedever I did'n zee no
'casion vor to let he have the dog, in a manner o' spakin, like.
Often it is used apologetically for strong language.
I zaid I'd zee un d — d to h — vore he should sar me such a trick ;
ees, and zo I wid, in a manner o' spakin, like, you know, sir.
Sometimes it is so used as to convey an exactly opposite meaning
to what the words preceding would literally imply.
Well, I wid'n misdoubt what you do zay 'pon no 'count what-
somever, but 'tis a ten'ble quair thing, in a manner o' spakin.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 461
MANNERLY [matrurlee], adj. Well-behaved ; polite.
Our Jim's a mannerly sort of a chap, for all he never did'n meet
way no schooling but there — you know, tid'n always they that got
most larnin like, that knows how to car theirsels best.
That pewter is neuer for manerly feastes. — Titsstr, 85. II.
MANNY [mae'unee], v. i. To show signs of manhood, such as
a budding beard, set figure, &c.
They boys, zoon's ever they do begin to manny, there idn no
doing nort way em.
MANSHIP [man'shiip], sb. Courage; vigour; manliness.
[Poo'ur lee'dl wuop'ur-snaap'ur futil'ur — ud'n naat u bee't u
man'shiip ubaewt-n,] poor little whipper-snapper fellow, (there) is
not a bit of manship about him.
MAN-TIE [man-tuy], sb. A very common weed; in W. S.,
more commonly called tacker-grass, while in Devonshire the above
is the usual name — Polygonum aviculare.
MARCH. One of our oldest and commonest saws is —
March winds and April showers
Bringeth vo'th May flowers.
Another is —
A peck o' March dust is wo'th a king's ransom.
MARCHANT [maarchunt]. A merchant ; dealer. (Always so.)
" Now," quod our ost, ' ' Marchunl, so God you blesse ! "
Chaucer, Marchmmdes Ptol. 28.
A MARCHANT. Marchand, mercader.
A cousening marchant ' Maquignon. — Shenuood.
MARCHANTABLE [maarchuntubl], adj. In good condition ;
fit for sale.
Have you any spring chickens?
Well, mum, they baint not hardly marchantable, not 'eet.
So " not marchantable " is applied to state of health = not up to
mark, out of sorts.
Thank ee, I baint no ways marchantable like s'morning — I was
a-tookt rampin' be-now in my inside.
Margery how dost try ? (/. e. how are you ?)
Andrew. Why, fath, Cosen Margery, nort marchantable.
Ex. Scold. 1. 329.
MARBLE [maardl], sb. Marl. (Always.)
This d is often inserted between r and /. Compare girdl, girl ;
wordle, world ; Chardles^ Charles, &c.
MARE'S TAIL [mae'urz taa'yul], sb. The plant jointweed —
Equiseium. More commonly Old men's beard.
462
\VKST SOMERSET WORDS.
White fleecy clouds,
MARE'S TAILS [mae'urz taa-yulz], sb.
portending wind.
MARK [maark], rb. and sb. i. Used in speaking of the age of
a horse, as judged by the teeth, or of a stag by his horns.
He do mark vower off — /. e. he is between four and five years old.
How old d'ee call thik 'oss ? Same age as other vokeses, when
they be out o' mark.
" Out of mark " means that the time is past, up to which the age
can be told by the teeth.
" In mark " means that the horse is still young enough to mark his
age. See BISHOP.
2. v. t. Of hounds, or other sporting dogs — to give tongue ; to
dig with the feet, and otherwise to show where the quarry has
taken refuge underground.
The hounds were put on again down stream, and at the bend of Bickleigh
Weirpool they marked grandly in deep water, under the wood, and moved what
was no doubt the dog otter. — Wellington Weekly News, July 21, 1887.
MARKET FRESH [maarkut fraash], adj. Tipsy— said mostly
of farmers.
V'ee yeard 'bout th' old farmer Jones? Vall'd off's 'oss, and
brok's neck. . . . No, they zess he wadn drunk, but I reckon he
was a little bit market fresh like.
MARKETING [maarkuteen], sb. The grocery or other articles
purchased by people who usually come to the town on market day.
See ARRANT.
MARK-FOR [maark-vaur], v. i. To betoken ; to give promise ;
indicate. Same as MAKE FOR.
Thick there colt do mark vor a strong, useful sort of a 'oss.
MARKIN IRE [maarkeen uyur], sb. Branding iron for sheep,
horses, or cattle. For the former it is dipped in hot pitch and
dabbed on the freshly shorn sheep, while for horses, &c. it is made
hot, and really brands.
MARL [maarul], v. i. and sb. Marvel ; wonder.
'Tis a mar/, however 'twas, they had'n all bin a killed.
Es marl who's more vor rigging or rumping .... than thee art thyzel.
Ex. Seal. 1. 130 (see note). Also Ib. 11. 207, 214, 269.
And marie that children talk as well as kings.
Peter Pindar, Royal Tour, vol. iii. p. 339.
Hilts. You mean to make a hoiden or a hare
Of me
Where is your sweetheart now, I marie ?
Ben Jonson, Tale of a Tub, II. i.
MARLIN [maarleen]. Magdalen (/. e. Maudlin).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 463
The tower of the church of St. Mary Magdalen at Taunton, one
of the finest of our Somerset towers, is known as " Marlin tower"
by all the country round.
So high's Marlin tower, is a favourite simile.
MARRIAGE LINES [maareej luynz], sb. Marriage cer-
tificate. This is usually procured at the time of the wedding,
and is laid up as a precious treasure by the wife.
MARRIED [maareed], adj. Faded; careless in appearance
or dress. Applied to women.
Her was a smart, perky little 'ummun vore he married her, but
her lookth married sure 'nough now.
MARROW-BONES [maaru-boo'unz], sb. The knees. Used
both literally and figuratively. Hence to bring down to their
marrowbones, is to humiliate ; to force a person to crave pardon
or indulgence.
And nif by gurt Hap tha dest zay mun at oil, thy Marrabones shan't kneelie —
thof tha canst rucky well a fine. Ex. Scold. 1. 267.
MARRY [maaree]. It is usual to say " married with " instead
of, as in lit. Eng., " married to." For ex. see URCH.
MARSH [maash], sb. and adj. Alluvial soil; rich meadow.
There is no implication of bog or swamp, although the term is
only applied to low-lying land. "The marshes" are some of
the richest grazing land in Somerset. Marsh [rnaash] is a common
name for farms, and conveys the impression of rich level land.
The r is never sounded in this word. " Sa\t-?nas/i" near Minehead
is a flat occasionally submerged by very high tides. See HAM.
Good mars/i-\a.nd to let. Very com. advert.
MARTIN [maarteen], sb. Usually called a martin heifer.
When twin calves are of different sexes, the female is called
a ;//#r/;>2-heifer, and is said to be always barren. The male calf
is also generally sexually imperfect, but the term martin is never
used respecting him, as he is none the less valuable for grazing
purposes. Not applied to a spayed heifer — the operation is
unknown in this district.
MARTLEMAS [maartlmus]. Martinmas, nth November.
(Very com.) Martlemas Fair, &c.
Martilmas beefe doth beare good tack,
When countrie folke doe dainties lack. — Tusser, 12/3.
MARVELS [maarvlz]. Marbles. B and v medial are inter-
changeable in the dialect. Comp. [ruuvl,] rubble, clinkervell,
[zaeb'm,] seven, and [aeb'm,] heaven.
Tom, wi't play marvels ? Aa'll play thee, an' put in two to thy
one.
464 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MAS [maas]. Contr. of master, before a name. (Very com.)
Mas' Chardles, I wish you'd let they there tools alone.
I likes Mas' Jim better-n all the rest o'm.
Tipto. What, Burst ?
Pierce. Mas Bartolmew Burst,
One that hath been a citizen, since a courtier.
Ben Jonson, Ne~<v Inn, III. i.
Pen. Sen. But mas Broker here,
He shall attend you, nephew ; her grace's usher. — Ib. Staple of News, II. i.
MASH [maash, mursh], vb. and sb. Used in speaking of hares.
To mash is to jump or creep through a fence. A mash is the
gap or creep through which a hare goes.
Nif you vreathe up the gates, zoon's the corn's a cut, they be
fo'ced to mashy, and then the night-hunters be a doo'd.
2. A warm feed for a horse generally — bran scalded with hot
water.
MASHING SHOVEL [miirsheen shaewul], sb. A brewing
implement, having a long handle, with cross pieces at the end,
so that the general appearance is something like a shovel. It
is used in stirring up the mash, or wetted malt, in the act of
extracting the wort.
MASCHEL, or rothyr, or masch-scherel. Remulus, palmnla, mixtoriitm.
Promp. Parv.
MASH MALL1CE [maash maal'ees], sb. Marsh mallows.
Mash mallice lay's the finedest thing in the wordle vor th' in-
fermation (inflammation).
MASONY [mae'usnee], i. i. To work as a mason, or more
usually to follow the trade of a mason, which in W. S. includes
those of brick-layer, stone-waller, slater, and plasterer.
The infinitive termination added to the substantive name of any
handicraft's man, verbalizes it, and gives it the frequentative force
of following the craft, as well as of only working at it specifically,
as to farmery, blacksmithy, taildery, doctory, zaddlery, &c.
I did'n know you was able to masony. This means, able to
do the work of a mason.
In reply to the question as to what a man's trade is, the answer
is, " I do masony" and so on with any other trade.
I sar'd my perntice to the butching, but now I do masony.
MASSACREED [maas'ukreed], /. /. Massacred. Always so
pronounced ; by no means an uncommon word.
To think that so many o' they poor little chillern should a bin
a massacreed like that. — June 1883. Reference to the Sunderland
catastrophe.
MASSY ! [mas-ee ! ]. Mercy.
Lauk's a massy me ! Massy, soce ! hot be 'ee 'bout ?
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 465
Away goes Job aader em, but in a minnit zings out, " Massy wull, what in
the wordle heve ee done, Ratchell?" — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 70.
MAT [maat]. The usual contraction for Matthew.
The version of the prayer taught in this district is —
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
Bless the bed that I lie pon.
Vower corners to my bed [bai *d],
Vower an-gels guard my head [ai'd] :
Two to voot, and two to head,
And vor to car me lion I be dead [dai •<!].
MATCH IT [maaclr ut], v. t. To manage; to contrive.
I thort to a bin there, but I could'n quite match it, come to
last. I'll match it if I can any way at all.
MATERIALS [mutuuryulz], sb. pi. Builder's plant; planks,
poles for scaffolding, ropes, mortar boards, wheelbarrows, &c.
Then I must tender vor you to vind zand and bricks and lime
an' that, and I must vind materials.
We can begin the job torackly, nif you can plaise to zend your
wagin arter the materials.
MATH [maath], sb. Crop — applied only to grass.
Capical math o' grass ; aa'll warnt is two ton an acre.
A later MATH (or crop). Rerivre, arriere-foin. — Sherwood.
MATTERY [maafuree], v. i. To discharge pus.
Plaise to gie mother some rags, 'cause father's leg do mattery zo.
MAUL [mau-1], sb. The stone, usually a large pebble cut in
half, with which painters grind paint on the maul-stone.
MAUL-STONE [maui-stoa-un], sb. The stone on which
painters grind their colours.
MAUND [mairn], sb. A peculiarly shaped, strong basket, in
daily use, and always so called. No other kind of basket is a
maund. It is round and deep, without cover, and with two handles
(placed opposite each other) attached to the upper rim. Very
commonly it is used as a measure for apples, potatoes, &c., and
hence generally is called a " half-bag- maun" from its holding half a
bag of potatoes, or eighty Ibs.
Plaise, sir, we wants two new mauns, th' old ones be proper
a-weared out. — January 6, 1887.
Cf. Kent. Moan. See BAG.
Mawnd, skype, sportula. — Promp. Parv.
Manne: a maund, flasket, open basket, or pannier having handles. — Cot grave.
A MAUND. Manne, mande, fanier, corbeille, &c. — Sherwood.
H H
466 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Comp. Maundy Thursday, so called from the baskets in which the doles were
contained. — See IVay's Note, Proinp. Parv. p. 330.
And in a little tnannd, being made of oziers small,
Which serveth him to do full many a thing withall,
Drdyton, Polyolbion, XIII. 919.
A thousand favours from a maund she drew
Of amber, crystal, and of bedded jet.
Shakespeare, Lover s Complaint, st. 6.
MAUNGE [mairnj], sb. Mange in dog or horse. Always so
pronounced.
MAUNGER [mairnjur], sb. Manger. Always so pronounced.
This is a good example of the conservatism of dialectal pronun-
ciation, as well as a link in the chain of evidence of the direct
importation of Norm. Fr. words into this part of England, probably
by or through the retainers of the Norman barons, whose names
are so commonly attached to previous English place-names in this
district, e.g. Huish Champflower, Langford Budville, Sampford
Arundel, Withiel and Combe Florey, Molland Bottreaux, &c.
A MAUNGER. Manjore. — Sherwood.
Manger for a horse — mangoyre. — Palsgrave.
Ver tallet, mannger, rack, and bart'n
Must all be kip'd a-vill'd, ver sart'n. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 20.
MAUNGY [mau'njee], adj. Afflicted with mange — of a dog.
Also applied to any spotted or unevenly coloured surface.
He wad'n so bad once, but now he's a proper maungy-\oo\i\r\g
old thing. Said of a table-cover the worse for wear.
MAUTH [mau-th], sb. Moss.
You can vind a fine lot o' month, miss, over in the goil.
MAW [mau', or maa*], sb. i. The mouth.
Shut thy gurt maw, and let's ha' none o' thy slack.
2. The stomach of cattle.
MAW-BOUND [mau- or maa'-baewn-(d], adj. Said of cattle.
Constipated.
MAWKIN [mau'keen, maa'keen], sb. A swab used by bakers
to mop out the oven before putting in the bread.
Patrouille : a manikin wherewith an ouen is made cleane.
Four bulet : a maivkin. Esconilldn: a maivkin or drag, &c. — Cot grave.
MALKYNE, mappyl, or oven swepare. Dossoriiim, tersorium. — Pr. Parv.
A MAULKING (to make clean an ouen). Patrouille, fourbalel. — Shenvood.
MALKYN for an o\yn—fovrgon. — Palsgrave.
MAWL-SCRAWL [mau-l-skrau-1], s&. i. The common green
caterpillar. (Nearly always.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 467
We shan't ha' no gooseberries dee year hardly, vor the mawl-
scrawls. Cf. Scrawling in Tusser under MAGGOT.
2. Small shrivelled-up apples.
I thort we should a had some cider, but they (the apples) be all
a turned away to mawl-scrawls.
MAW-WORM [maa'-wuurm], sb. An intestinal worm.
MAXIM [maak'sum], sb. i. Crochet ; fidget.
You never can't satisfy her, her've always a got some maxim
or 'nother.
2. Experiment; device; plan.
I've a tried every sort o' maxims wi' un, but I can't make-n
grow. Said of a plant. — May 1887.
MAY [maa'y] is often a cold month.
[Neef ee wicT dhu dauk'tur paa'y
Laef yur flan'eenz oa'f in Maay.\
If you would the doctor pay
Leave your flannels off in May.
MAY [mar, maa'y], sb. The blossom of the hawthorn or
whitethorn. It is thought very unlucky, and a sure "sign of
death," if May is brought into the house. To put the bellows
on the table is very bad, but to bring in May is much worse. A
cabbage dying in a growing bed, as sometimes happens without
apparent cause, is a sure forerunner of death in the family.
MAYBE [mai'bee], adv. Perhaps.
Maybe I shall, maybe 1 shan't.
Used by people a little above the true dialect speakers. To
these latter may is unknown. See W. S. Gram. p. 69.
MAY- BUG [maa-y-buug], sb. Cockchafer. Not so common as
Oak-web (q. v.).
MAY-BUSH [maay-beosh], sb. The hawthorn.
MAY-GAMES [maay-gee'umz], sb. Larks ; practical jokes ;
horse-play.
Come ! none o' they there May-games wi' me. No doubt from
the revels which used to be held on May-day. Comp. mod. Jack
in the green and chimney-sweeps' antics on May ist.
MAYHAP [miaap-], adv. Perhaps. (Very com.)
I shall zee-ee to market, mayhap.
MAY-LILY [maa-y-luTee], sb. The lily of the valley.
Convallaria majalis.
MAZE, or MAZED [mae'uz, mae'uzd], adj. i. Mad; lunatic.
The ordinary " Mad as a March hare " has its exact equivalent
H H 2
468
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
in the everyday expression in the dialect, "Maze as a sheep."
Mad (q. v.) is never used in this sense, and is only applied to
anger, or to rabies.
This here weather's fit to make anybody mazed.
I be mazed, rampin' distracted wi' the toothache.
They've a tookt away the poor old John ... to the 'sylum, they
zess how th' old man's so maze as a sheep.
Her was screechin' an' hollerin' same's a maze ummun.
2. Fidgety; uneasy; fretful; over-anxious.
Mr. Baker bin yer — he's mazed 'bout's old machine, 'feard we
shan't a do'd-n eens he can 'gin to cut his grass way un.
He's mazd about the haay !
Ver Jack and Tom, an' Bill is there
An' all the maaidens too da share.
The fiel' work an' the plaay. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 2O.
3. Perplexed ; overcome with excitement or anxiety.
Poor soul, her's always mazed about one thing or 'nother — now
thick there darned young osebird, that ever I should say so, 've
a-urned away vrom her.
I fare as dothe the song of chanteplure ;
For now I pleyn, and now I pley,
I am so mased that I dey. — Chaucer, Anelyda and False Arcyte, 1. 323.
MAZED AFTER [mae'uzd aartur], phr. Eagerly desiring ;
" mad after."
Speaking of cows eating spiced hay, a man said, "They be mazed
arter\. — they'll lef the best grass vor't." — July 7, 1883.
The expression is also very commonly used for great love or
fondness.
"He's mazed arter her," or "her's mazed arter-n," mean that
great fondness exists for the other on his or her part respectively,
but does not imply anything improper.
MAZEDNESS [mae'uzudnees], sb. Madness.
Can't be nort else but mazedness vor to make'n go and make
jis fool o' his-zul, in there avore all the market volks — and they zess
how he had-n a drinkt nort nother.
Sche herde not what thing he to hir sayde,
Sche ferd as sche hadde stert out of a sleepe,
Til sche out of hir masidnesse abrayde.
Chaucer, Clerkes Tale, P. VI. 1. 121.
MAZE-HEADED [mae-uz-ardud], adj. Giddy; dizzy,
combination there is no implication of madness.
I was that maze-headed I could'n hardly stan'.
In this
For I haue felynge in nothynge,
But as it were a mased thynge,
Alway in poynt to falle adoun. — Chaucer, Bokeofthe Duchessc, 1. II.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 469
MAZE-HOUSE [mae'uz-aewz], sl>. Asylum ; madhouse. (Most
usual term.)
MAZE-LIKE [mae'uz-luyk], adv. Stupidly ; foolishly ; like a
madman.
I never didn zee nobody act so maze-like $ thee dis ; nobody
'thout they was proper maze, widn never a-let they had the things
vore they'd a paid the money.
Auh ]>e bimasede Isboset, lo ! hwu he dude mastliche. — Ancrett Ritvlt, p. 272.
MAZE-MAN [mae'uz-mun], sb. Madman. (Very com.)
[Ee wuz uurneen ubaewt lig u mae-uz-mun,~\ he was running
about like a madman.
So witerly was )>at word ' wounde to hert,
J>at he ferd as a mastd-man ' an marred neij honde,
So louely loue }>at time • lent him an arewe.
Hetterly Jnirth his herf— William of Palerme, Werivolf, 1. 883.
MAZZARD [maz'urd], sb. A kind of black cherry extensively
cultivated in North Devon.
It is a common saying that to gather them " you must hold on
with youmnose and pick with both hands," hence the usual remark
upon a hooked nose, " He've a got a nose fit for a niazzard-picker."
ME [mee-], pr. Often used as a nominative.
Me and Jim can zoon do thick little job.
MEADOW-SWEET [miid-u-zweet]. Flower. Spiraea ulmaria.
MEDOW-SWEET (maid sweet) or queen of the medows. Roinette. — Sherwood.
MEAL [mae'ul], sb. i. The milk from a cow at one milking.
There, that's what I call a good meal o' milk.
2. sb. Ground corn of any kind before it has been dressed or
bolted. The word is never applied to the flour of any kind of
grain. Hence to distinguish the kind we say wheaten -/«£«/, barley-
meat, [vvoefn-mae-ul] oat-0^0/, &c.
MEAL'S-MEAT [mae-ulz-mart], sb. A meal. (In daily use.)
I 'sure ee I don't know where to go vor a meats-meat^ or you
wid'n vind me urn about a-beggin'.
Do 'ee try vor t-eat, there's a dear — you 'ant a had enough vor
a meaCs-meat vor a rabin (robin).
For it is betere with reste and pees,
A melis-nieetc of hoomeli fare,
)>an for to haue an hundrid mees
Wyth grucchinge & wij> myche care.
1430. How the Wise Man tau$t his Sonne (Furnivall), 1. 89.
For my labor schall J nott gett
But yt be a melys-mete,— Weber, Met, Rom., Sir Cleges, \. 347.
4/O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
A meats-meat from my table, as I remember,
Nor from my wardrobe a cast suit.
Beaumont and Fletcher, Man's Fortune, xi. p. 403.
MEALY-MOUTHED [mae'ulee-mmvdhud], adj. Shy or slow of
speech ; inclined to be careful and precise in talk. Used generally
with a negative construction.
He idn no ways mealy-mouthed — he told'n his mind right out.
MEAN, or MEANY [main'ee], v. i. To make a signal ; to move
the head by way of sign ; to beckon. (Very com.)
[Aay mai'mid tue un dree1 ur vaawur tuymz, bud ee diid'-n tak-
ut,] I signalled to him (by nodding) three or four times, but he
did not comprehend.
No, I did not want to speak to you. Au ! I ax yer pardon,
sure, z'r — I thort you mai'nud to me. — November, 1882.
MEAT [mart], sb. Any kind of food. Rabbit's- meaf= any green
edible herb. Spoon-meaf; p\g's-tneaf — wash, &c.
This here's rare trade ; 'tis mai'f, drink, and clothes. Ees, an' if
thee's drink a quart o' it, 't'll vind thee in lodgings too. Said in
my hearing of some very strong beer.
Hey, beestys mete. Fenum. — Promp. Parv.
When ploughing is ended, and pasture not great,
Then stable thy horses, and tend them with meat. — Tusscr, 21/23.
Originally viatide signified vegetable as well as animal nutriment.
Bracket, ed. Kitchin, p. 60.
les poires sont viandes tres salubres. — Rabelais, Pantagrnel, IV. 54.
MEAT-EARTH [mai't-aeth], sb. Good and fertile soil, as
distinguished from clay, gravel, or sand. Halliwell is wrong, it
does not mean cultivated land, but merely soil suitable for cultivation.
There is often abundance of meat-earth on virgin soil where the
plough has never been.
MEATHE [mai'dh], 'sb. Metheglin — meade, or honey-wine.
As a boy I well remember a certain house I often visited, where
an old housekeeper used to regale me with meathe. She always
had it at hand, in a small barrel on draught. I have often drank
it elsewhere. It used to be the usual drink of hospitality j then
came ginger wine, then "White or Red," now, tea.
Hir mouth was sweete as bragat is or meth,
Or hoord of apples, layd in hay or heth. — Chaucer, Milleres Tale, 1. 75.
Our fashion now, they take none from us. Carmen
Are got into the yellow starch, and chimney sweepers
To their tobacco, and strong waters, Hum,
Meath and Obarni. — Ben Jonson, The Devil is an Ass, I. i.
MEAT-HOUSE [mart-aewz], sb. Larder. (Usual.)
The larder of the county hospital is always so called.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 471
MEAT-LIST [mart-Ids], sb. Appetite.
Taffety is er ? let'n bide a bit ; I'll warn (warrant) he'll zoon come
to his meat-list.
MEAT-WARE [mai't-waur], adj. Pease grown upon some
soils will not boil — /. e. do not swell, and only become hard and
shrivelled. Such soils are well known, and are said not to be meat-
ware — /. e. will not grow good pease. (Very com.)
I should think this yer ground is meat-ware.
The term is also used to describe peas or beans which are good
boilers, and fit for food.
They paise I had o' you wad'n meat-ware ; we was fo'ced to have
'em a ground for the pigs.
MEATY [mai-tee], adj. Fleshy ; good for the butcher.
Her's a nice meaty bullick.
MEAZLE. This word occurs no less than five times in the
Ex. Scold., so that it must have been common at the beginning of
the last century. The meaning is undoubtedly leper, though the
glossarist of 1778 gave " sow, or swine." It is now obsolete.
A mesel forsoj>e, we fynde he was. — Stations of Rome, E. E. T. S., 1. 247.
And alle poure pacientes ' a-payed of godes sonde,
As mesels and mendinauntes ' men yfalle in myschef. — Piers Plow. X. 1. 179.
Meseau : a meselled, scurvie, leaporous, lazarous person. — Cotgrave.
either he reproveth him by some harm of pain that he hath upon his body, as
mesel, crooked harlot, or by some sin that he doth be it meselrie, or
maim, or malady. Chaucer, Parson's Tale, De Ira.
MEECHER [meech'ur], sb. A sneak ; a lurking thief; now
more commonly a truant.
Get home, you meecher ! is the everyday salutation to a stray dog.
A woman before a school board who had threatened a summons
on account of her son's non-attendance, said, " I can't do nothing
way un ; I zends 'n riglar, but he's a proper meecher.1'
Mychare, Capax, £c. — Promp. Parv.
Caqueduc : a niggard, micher, scrape-good, penny-father, &c. — Cotgrave.
Mecher, a lytell thefe — laronceav. — Palsgrave.
Ny in alle J>e tyme of his regnyng.
Theffne mycher forsothe |>ere nasse. — Chron. Vilod. st. 206.
Once placed for profit, looke neuer for ease,
except ye beware of such michers as thease :
Unthriftines slouthfulnes, careles and rash,
that thrusteth thee headlong to run in the lash. — Tusser, 10-15.
Falstaff. Shall the blessed sun of heaven prove a micher and eat blackberries ?
I Henry 1 V., II. iv.
472 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MEECHY [meecrree], v. i. To sneak ; to play truant.
Her's always a meeching about to vokeses back doors.
He never don't tneechy, there idn no better boy vor to larn in all
the parish.
The word is constantly heard at the Wellington School Board.
A woman whose husband had been summoned for non-attend-
ance of her boy said, "We do's all ever we can; an' his father
've a-leather'd 'n manies o' times, but he [tnee'chus] meeches 'long
way Thome's boy." — May 1887.
Mychyn, or pryuely stelyn smale thyngys. — Promp. Paru.
Some meaching rascal in her house. — Beau, and Flet., Scornful Lady, V. i.
Ophelia. What means this, my lord ?
Hamlet. Marry, this is miching malecfw ; it means mischief. — Hamlet, III. ii.
Besides, so vur as tha knowst, ha murt take Pip o', and meach off, and come
no more anearst tha. Ex. Courtship, 1. 469.
An tha pleaces I've bin mitchin —
Auver meddar and dru mow,
Vur wich I've a got a zwitchin —
Noan be leff ta zwitch ma now. — Nathan Hogg, Series II. p. 4.
MEET [meet, mit], v. t. To pay.
Tidn no use to tell — I can't never meet it !
I must zell some stock avore long, vor to meet my rent.
Nif you'll plase to let it bide a little bit longer, I shall be able
vor to meet ever)' varden o' it.
Farmers say, " I be bound to meet my landlord." (Do they?)
MEETINER [meefinur mifeenur], sb. Dissenter; one who
attends meeting-houses.
No, they wadn never church-volks, they was always mcetiners ever
sinze I can mind.
MEETING HOUSE [mifeen aewz], sb. A dissenting chapel.
This word, which used to be the usual name, has now got to mean
the little village chapel where there is no regular minister.
MEET WITH [mee-t wai], phr. To have; to find; to catch;
to obtain. (Very com.)
[V-ee mee't wai puurd'dee geod spoo'urt z-maurneen ?] have you
had pretty good sport this morning ? The nearly invariable form
of this question from farmers and others.
[Zoa yue keod'-n mee't wai um, keod'ee?] so you could not catch
them, could you?
[Wee mee't wai u suyt u nuts aup t-ee'ul,] we found a quantity of
nuts up at the hill.
[D-ee noa- wuur inree-bau'dee kn mee't wai\\ geod fuurut?] do
you know where one can obtain a good ferret?
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 473
MELL [mael%], v. i. To meddle ; to pull about ; to be concerned
with.
Now don't you mell way they there edge-tools, else there'll be a
purty noise arter you've a-cut yer vingers.
Thee let 'lone the maaid — what's thee mell way her vor ?
Nif I was you I wid'n mell way thick there job 'pon no 'count.
I tell ee 'tis a nadder, don't you mell way un.
Now let me melle therwith but a while,
For of yow have I pitee, by seint Gile !
Chaucer, Chanounes Yemannes Talc, 1. 173.
And bytok hym-selue ]>e deuel of helle,
If he wolde euere wy)> follojt inelle.
Terme of ys lyues day. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 5749-
As wrong, when it hath arm'd itself with might ;
Not fit mongst men that do with reason mell,
But mongst wild beasts, and savage woods, to dwell.
Spenser, Faerie Queene, B. V. C. IX. st. I.
MELTED [muTtud], adj. Corn when it has sprouted in
harvesting produces bread sticky, heavy, and sweet in taste : when
in that condition the flour is said to be melted. The grain is, in
fact, partially malted, and there may be some connection between
melted and malted. The same effect is said to be produced by over
rapid grinding, and hence heating in the mill.
MEN. See MUN.
MEND [mai'n], v. t. In speaking of a lodger or son it is usual
to speak of "washing him" and " mending him" when his clothes
are intended.
You knows, mum, I niver can't avord vor to wash and mend
thick there gurt bwoy vor nothin, and they don't 'low me but dree
shillings a week vor vower o' us.
MENDS [marnz], sb. Amends; recompense.
Your cows Ve a brokt into my garden, and they've a spwoiled a
beautiful bed o' brocolo vor me. Well, I know'd you'd zee how I
should ha mends like, so zoon's you know'd o' it.
MEN FOLKS [mai'n voaks], sb. Usually the male labourers on
a farm. Males in general, as distinct from "women folks."
MERDLY [muurdlee], adv. Merrily.
They did'n go very well jis to fust, but arter a bit they urned
along merdly together. Said of two horses.
MERRY DANCERS [muuree daarrsurz], sb. The northern
lights, Aurora Borealis.
MERRY-GO-ROUND [muuree-goa-raewiv], sb. The revolving
machine at fairs on which children ride.
474
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MESLIN, or MESLIN-CORN [maes-leen], sb. Mixture of
wheat, barley, and oats — often sown upon odd corners for poultry,
or game ; called also dredge (q. v.) and muncorn.
Afestlyone, or monge corne (or dragge, supra ; mestilione, corne, K. mongorne,
S.). Mixtilio, bigermen. Promp. Paru.
Mastilym ; bigermen, mixtilio. — Cath. Anglican.
Metail : m, messlin or masslin ; wheat and rye mingled, sowed and used
together. Cotgrave.
If worke for the thresher ye mind for to haue,
Of wheat and of mestlin vnthreshed go saue. — Tusser, 37/21. Also 63/23.
Forby mentions " Meslin, a mixture of the flour or meal of different
sorts of grain." Also "Jtfitt/Sfe-bread, made with equal quantities of
wheat and rye, was for the master's table only. The household
broad of the common farmers in those districts (East Anglia) was
made of rye."
MESS [maes], sb. A large number or quantity.
Never did'n zee zich a mess o" volks in all my born days.
There'll be a mess o' taties
MESSMENT [maes'munt], sb. Mess ; confusion ; " kettle o' fish."
And a purty messment they made o' it.
METHEGLIN [muthaeg-lun], sb. See MEATHE.
METHEGLIN. Hydromel, miel-saude, hippocras ifeaii ;
Breuvage fait de mid &* ci'eau : Melicraty vin mieltt. — Sherwood.
METSIN [maefsn], sb. Medicine.
This is always a dissyllable with the second very short. The
word is used for any kind of medicament, whether for outward
application as lotion or ointment, or for taking internally. Physic
(q. v.) is the more usual word for the latter.
Our invariable pronunciation of / in this word instead of the
literary and Latin d is clearly old.
Metycyne (medycyn, or metecyn, s. ). Medicina. — Promp. Parv.
With vergis acquaint
poore bullock so faint,
This medcin approoued
is for to be looued. — Tusser, 33/19.
To make Metcens, and Leckers, and Caucheries and Zlotters.
Ex. Scold. 1. 182.
MEWS [mue-z], sb. Moss.
Whit-droats nestes bain't never a builded way mews ; they always
be a-builded way motes o' hay like. Cuddlies now d'ahvays make
theirs way mews.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 4/5
MID [mud], v. May or might.
June i4th, 1883. — A master of otter hounds was asked, "Are you
going to draw the Barle again this season ? " The answer was,
" Mayhap mid" — i. e. possibly I may.
Zo they mid dance, er shut, er fight,
Er hunt dru wet an' dry,
If they be pleyz'd— why, that's all right,
Ver fath an' zo be I. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 8.
MID'N [miid'n], v. May not.
[Aay kn goo* nif aay bee u muyn tue, rm'id'n ur? Mae'ustr zaed
aew u mud-,'] I can go if I wish, may I not ? Master said I may.
See IV. S. Gram. p. 69, et seq.
MIDDLE [mud-1], sb. The waist.
" To catch round the middle " is a wrestling term.
It is common to say, "so high's your middle" "so deep's your
middle" but in these cases a depth short of the waist is understood.
MYDDYL, of the waste of mannys body. Vastitas. — Promp. Parv.
MIDDLE-BANES [mudi bae'unz], sb. The waist; middle-
bands (obsolescent).
Vor tha cassent tell what mey hap to thee in thy middle-banes.
Ex. Scold. 1. 633.
MIDDLE-BIND [mud'1-buyn], sb. A ring made of raw hide,
which connects the flail (g. v.} with the capel (q. z>.), and forms the
joint of the implement. See DRASHLE.
MIDDLE-WAY [mud'l-waree], adv. Middling; pretty well.
I suppose you have done well with your dairy goods?
[Wuul, zr, mud'l-wai'ee luyk,] well, sir, middling like.
MIDDLING [miid'leen], adv. i. Tolerably well; very bad;
very good.
How be you ? Middling thank ee ; how's missis ?
Oh, 'her idn on'y very middling eens mid zay; her've a got the
brown-titus shockin' bad like.
And how's things looking? Oh, purty middling like, mus'n
grum'le.
In each of the above uses the word has a very different meaning.
" Only very middling" means very poorly, or very bad, while "pretty
middling" denotes a very satisfactory state.
2. Very; great in quantity.
They zold their things middlin bad like, did'n em ? I yeard em
zay how did'n lef 'nough vor to pay the 'spences.
I tookt out a middlin lot o' dirt, sure 'nough. I never did'n zee
no jis mess avore.
476
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MIDDLINISH [miid-leeneesh], adv. Tolerably well in health.
[Wuul, Urchut, aew bee yue- z-maurneen ? Wuul, mfid'leeneesh
luyk, thang'kee, Jiimz; aew-z yurzuul'?] well, Richard, how are you
this morning ? Well, pretty tolerable, thank you, James ; how are
you?
MIDGE-MADGE [mij'-maj], sl>. Confusion; disorder — applied
generally to things, or household menage, not to persons.
Well, tidn much nif he do go purty much to the Barley Mow,
for go home hon a will, 'tis always the same, all to a midge-madge,
and her away neighbourin".
MIGHTY [muy -tee], adj. Proud; disdainful.
They be so mighty and fine, nobody else idn hardly fit to wipe
their shoes, by all likin'.
Comp. " High and mighty."
MILD [muyuld], sb. Mile. (Very com. pronun.)
How var is it ? why, I count 'tis up vower mild yer-vrom.
Don't tell up the gin'lman no jis stuff — aa'll warn he 'on't git
there in vive mild — let 'lone vower.
It is curious that a d should be added to mile and subtracted
from mild. Plenty of other ill. will be found in these pages.
Theck sparklin", dancin', boblin' stream,
A narry, 'oody, coombe comes down —
Skess ort but stickles, vill'd wi' vish : —
Ee jines a mild below our town. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 6.
MILE [muyul, muyulur, muyulees], adj. Mild.
We be having a mile winter, ban' us ? That there cider do drink
so mite's milk. I 'ant a taste none \inuyulur\ miler nit's longful
time.
Her's the [muyulees] mil-est, zweetest temper ever you zeed.
MILEMAS [muyulmus]. Michaelmas.
He idn gwain out o' the farm vore Milemas twel'month.
Be mindfull abrode of Mihclmas spring,
For thereon dependeth a husbandlie thing. — Tusser, 57/44.
MILK-HOUSE [muTk-aewz], sb. The room in which the milk
is kept. This is the dairy (q. v.), as understood in lit. Eng.
A MILK-HOUSE. Laicliere.— Sherwood.
MILK-TEETH [muTk-tai'dh], sb. The young teeth, which
"shelled," and replaced by " second teeth."
MILK-THISTLE [muTkee-duyshl, muTk-dis'l, miil-kee-daasrrl]
Carduus marianus. This name is not used for milk-weed.
MILK-WEED [muTk-wid]. Sonchvs oleraceus.
MILK-WEED, or Wooirs milk. Hcrbe a laid.
MILK-WEED. Lhcrbe laicticre. — Sherwood.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 4/7
MILKY [muTkee ; p. t. muTkud j /. p. u-muTkud], v. i. i. To
milk ; to be accustomed to milk.
He do milky, and sar the pigs, and tend the poultry an' that.
I've z.-milked's thirty year — why, I milked vor Mr. Jones to
Sheepcott up zeb'mteen year.
2. Said of a cow. To permit herself to be milked.
Thick yeffer don't milky well 't all — her's so ter'ble itemy.
MILL, in the phr. " go to mill" [goo* tu mee'ul] — /. e. carry corn
to the mill to be ground.
Maister zess how Joe must turn over thick there heap o' dung,
and Jim must go to mill, else 'on't be nort to sar the pigs way
tomarra.
Uppon the wardeyn bysily they crye,
To yeve hem leue but a little stounde
To go to mdle and see here corn i-grounde.
Chaucer, Reeve's Tale, 1. 86.
MILL-CLAPPER [mee-ul-tlaap-ur], sb. Part of a corn mill.
See CLACK. A very common description of a chatterbox is —
[Dhu tuung- oa ur-z lig u mee-ul-tlaap'ur^ the tongue of her is
like a mill-clapper.
A MILNE CLAPPE ; tarantantantm. — Cath. Ang.
A MILL-CLAPPER. Claquet de moulin, traqnet de moulin. — Cotgrave.
huer of J>e tonges bye]) zuo uolle ]>et speke}> beuore and behynde, ]>et bye]) ase
}>e ( lefer of }>e melle J)et ne may him najt hyealde stille. — Ayenb. of Inwyt, p. 58.
MILLER [miil'ur, muTurd], sb. A large moth of any species.
MILLERD [mul-urd], sb. Miller.
The usual pronun. when used alone. The d is not sounded
when used as a title preceding a name Thus it is Miller Jones,
Miller Avis, but always "Jones the millerd."
Just eens I was gwain in house, who should come along, but th'
old Jan Hooper the miller d.
MILL-HEAD [mee'ul-ai'd], sb. The pond or reservoir of water
which supplies a water-wheel. See HEAD OF WATER.
MILL-HOUSE [mee'ul-aewz], sb. The under room in a mill,
where the meal runs down a shoot from the grinding. Quite
distinct from ;«/'//, which applies to the entire building and
premises.
The term mill-house is also commonly applied to the room or
" shop " in a " tucking-mill," where the (fulling) " stocks " are
situated.
Where's maister? I zeed-n g'in mill-ouse benow; I count you'll
[vuyn un] find him in there about.
MYLT.EHOWSE. Mokndina, molendinum. — Protnp. Parv.
4/8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MILL-TAIL [mee'ul-taa'yul], sb. The stream of water as it
runs out from under the water-wheel, after having done its work.
See TAIL OF THE MILL.
MILT [mult], sb. The spleen of any animal. (Always.)
MIMINY P1MINY [miinrunee piinrunee]. An alliterative ex-
pression without very much meaning — used by children in their
games.
Aliminy piminy, where be'e to ?
Miminy piminy, I zee you.
MIMMICKIN [rminvikeen], adj. Puny; feeble — said only of
persons.
Her's a poor little mimmickin thing, hardly worth rearing.
MIN. See MUN.
MIND [muyn ; /. /. muyn ; /. /. u-nmyn], v. t. To remind;
to admonish.
You mind, Sam, not to vorget about they arrants.
[Aay muyn un oa'vur-n oa'vur ugee'un, vur tu bee shoa'ur vur
tu bee u geo'd bwuuy,] I admonished him over and over again,
to be sure and be a good boy.
I minded him how royal 'twas to pardon when it was less expected.
Coriolanus, V. i.
MIND [muyn], v.i. i. To recollect; to remember.
Can you mind the poor old Betty Jones, that's th' old Betty
Joneses mother, you know ; but lor ! I don't s'pose you can — her
bin dead's forty year, and I mind years avore you was a bornd.
2. sb. In the phr. " to be a mind to ; " to choose to do ; to
intend to.
Tommy, you must-n go up there. What vor ? I shall nif I be
a mind to.
3. To be considering ; to be deliberating whether or not.
1 be a mind I'd break up thick field and put'n to beans.
I be half a mind to let'n go and take his chance.
4. To watch ; to look after ; to take care of. To work at any
machine or engine is to mind it.
How is it you are not at school ? Plaise, sir, mother keep me
home to mind the baby.
I used to mind the horses one time ; but since that I've a mind
the cows and the pigs and that.
A farmer seeing a boy idle, would tell him to "mind" his work.
The commonest form of "take care," or "beware," is "mind
yerzul." Mind they chains, they bain't very strong.
Mind the birds, else they'll drash out every bit o' thick there
splat o' zeed.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 479
MINNIKIN [miirrikeen], adj. Puny; under-sized — generally
used in connection with little. Same as MIMMICKIN.
Ees, her's a fine maaid a-come now ; but lor ! her was a poor
little minnikin thing, sure 'nough, when I tookt her fust.
The credite of maister, to brothell his man,
And also of mistresse, to minnekin Nan. — Ttisser, 10/20.
MINNY [miirree], sb. Minnow. (Always.)
MINUTE [murreet]. i. In the phr. " in a minute " — i. e. readily,
willingly, without a minute's hesitation.
I'd zend my ploughs for a day, in a minute, nif I wadn zo
a-pushed up.
Maister zend me down t'ax 'ee, plaise to len' un a rackin'-cock.
Tell'n I an't a-got nother one, else I'd let'n ab'm in a minute.
2. adv. At all.
I don't like thick sort, not a minute.
MIRSCHIEFFUL [muurs-cheefeo'l], adj. Mischievous.
They lousy boys again ! I know 'tis young Bill Baker ; idn a
more mirschieffuller [muurs'cheefeol'ur] young osebird in all the
parish.
MIRSCHIEVIOUS [muurs-chee-vius], adj. Mischievous.
They holm-screeches be the mirschieviousest birds is.
MIRSCHY [muurs-chee], sb. The devil ; mischief.
Sharp, Bill ! the bullicks be a brokt into th' orchet, and they'll
play th' old mirschy wi' th' apples.
How I be a terrified way they mirschy making boys !
MISBEGOT [muVbigau't], adj. and sb. Base born ; a bastard.
Whose child is that?
Oh ! her's a poor little misbegot, what I've a-got to keep vor
zomebody, but I count her on't be here long, vor all I takes a sight
o' trouble way her, poor little thing.
MISBELIEVE [muVbilee'v], v. t. To doubt a person's veracity ;
to disbelieve.
I don't misbelieve it a minute, I've a zeed purty near the same
thing, manies o' times.
Mysbeleue, mescreance. — Palsgrave.
pet weren dyade ine hire zenne and in hire misbileue.
And |>erof bye]) y-come alle |>e maneres of eresye and of misbeleuinge.
Ayenbife of Inivyt, pp. 13, 134.
MISCALL [musvkau'l], v. t. To abuse ; to use bad language.
You Miscall me like that again, that's all !
Improperer. To exprobate, upbraid, also miscal. — Cotgrave.
To MISCAL. Improperer. — Sherwood.
480 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MISDO [musdue1], v. i. To transgress ; to do amiss.
My bwoy was always quiet an* proper like, I be safe he never
widn a misdtfd, nif they tothers had'n a-coy-duck'n away 'long way
they.
If ony of hem mys doo^, nou^er banne hem ne blowe,
But take a smert rodde, and bete hem on a rowe
Til )>ei crie mercy, and be of her gilt aknowe.
1430. How the good wijf tattye hir doifyir (Furnivall), 1. 188.
MISDOUBT [mus-daewt], v. t. To disbelieve ; to doubt.
I wid'n misdoubt what you do zay, 'pon no 'count, but howsom-
dever I can't nezactly make it out.
MISFORTUNATE [musfau-rtnut], adj. Unfortunate. (Com.)
Her's a poor misforfnate thing, nort don't never zim to vitty way
her, same's other vokes.
Mysfortunate — maleureux. — Palsgrave.
MISFORTUNE MEAT [rmisfauTteen mart], sb. The meat
of an animal which has been "killed to save its life," or which had
died before assistance arrived. This kind used until lately to be
regularly " dressed " like properly butchered meat, and sent to
London for sale ; now it is dangerous. See CAG-BUTCHER.
MISGEE [miis-gee'], v. t. and /. To doubt ; to have misgiving.
I misgeed terrible whe'er he'd come or no.
MISH-MARSH [mee'sh-maarsh]. Allit. phr. In confusion ;
muddle. Same as MIDGE-MADGE.
Sue, you be a purty maaid to quill the yarn ; why, thee's a-got
it all to a tangle and a mish-marsh !
MISK [musk], sb. Mist ; fog.
T'idn nort but a bit of a misk ; Yll break abroad umbye, I count.
MISKY [mus-kee], adj. Misty ; foggy.
[Miis'kee maurneen, zr, z-maurneen, ed'nut?] misty morning,
sir, this morning, is it not ?
M1SLEST [inuslaes-], v. t. To molest ; to insult.
Nobody 'on't never mislest you, nif you don't zay nort to they.
MISLIKE [rmisluyk], v. t. To dislike. (Very com.)
[Aay sheod'n musluyk dhik jaub u bee't,] I should not mislike
that job at all.
Kni3tes war J>are wele two score
£at war new dubbed to )>at dance ;
Helm and heuyd )>ai haue forlore,
pan misliktd ]ohn of France.
More misliking was )>are J>en,
For fals treson alway J>ai wrojt.
Laurence Mi not (1352), Political Songs, C. 1. 56. (Ed. Morris and Skeat.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 48 1
Huo J>et ]ms couj>e stoppi his earen • he nolde yhyere ble]>eliche zigge ne
record! )>ing • )>et ssolde misliki god. AyenbiU of Jnwyt, p. 257.
Ne mysliked, ]>auh he loore ' o}>er lenede to pat like
}>at neuere payed peny aje ' in place ]>ere he borwede.
Piers Plowman, XVII. 311.
MISLOOK [mus'leok], v. t. To mislay; to miss; to lose tem-
porarily.
We've a mislooked ever so many of our wadges ; you 'an't a
borried none o'm, I s'pose ?
MISS [mus], v. i. To fail to germinate.
More-n half o' they taties missed. See HAT, v. i.
Never didn know the turmut zeed miss, same's 't'ave de year.
MISTRUST [mustruY(t], v. i. To be in doubt.
I always mistrusted 'bout thick there wall, he never wad'n a put
up's he off to, /'. e. I was always in doubt about that wall, it never
was properly built.
MISTRUSTFUL [mustruVfeol]. adj. Suspicious.
Ter'ble mistrustful umman, her can't never keep no maaidens.
MISWENT [mdswainf],/. /. and/./. Went astray ; gone astray.
In these tenses common, but obs. in the/r. t.
Her was a oncommon nice maid ; 'tis a thousand pities her
should 'a miswent.
[Aay kaewnt dhai bee n-miiswai'nt, uuls dhaid a-biin* yuur voa'r
naew,] I expect they have lost the way, else they would have been
here before now.
Hastely do)) ]>ey be to hewe ' and sleej) hem wy)> such turment ;
And so ]>ow schalt hemen alle schewe ' )>at ]>ey bu]> al mys-went.
Sir FerumbraS) 1. 1962.
And sayde, "Mahoun, jxnv art myswent '• for now am y vndon and schent,
]>ou art nojt vvorj? a flye. Ib. 1. 4929.
A wheston is" no kervynge instrument,
But yet it maketh sharpe kervynge tolis,
And ther thou wost I have aught myswentt
Eschewe thou that, for swiche thinge to the scole is.
Chaucer, Troylus and Cryseyde, 1. 631.
|)et is out of his wytte ine huam, skele is miswent,
f>anne wext arijt |>e ilke fol, and misivent, and wel yzed wod.
Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 18.
MIZ-MAZE [rmiz-mae-uz], sb. Confusion ; nervous excitement.
When I zeed the vire, I could'n do nothin, I was all to a miz-
maze. A woman's remark after her house was burnt.
MIZZLE [miiz-l], v. and sb. Drizzling rain.
Come on, soce ! 'tis nort but a bit of a mizzle like.
MIZZLING [mdz-leen],/ffr/. adj. Drizzling.
i i
482
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MOCK [maulc], sb. A tuft of grass. In pasture land, the
cattle usually leave tufts or patches of the ranker herbage : these
are always called mocks. The word is never applied to a root of
any kind.
Tak-n skir over the mocks, out in the Barn's close, they '11 do
to put 'pon tap o' the rick.
MOGRAGE [maug'reej], v. and sb. Mortgage.
They call's it (the land) he's, but I count 'tis purty well a
mograged. — June, 1881.
Mr. Baker 've a-got the mograge 'pon all they houses.
Invariably in such a sentence the mortgage, not a mortgage, is
said by many above the dialect-speaking class.
MOGVURD [maug'vurd], sb. Mugwort. (Always.) Artemisia
vulgaris. A very common medicinal herb.
Horehound and mash mallice and mogvurd 's the best 'arbs
is, nif anybody 've a catch'd a chill or ort.
One of the few words in which we sound w as v.
Mogwort, al on as seyn some, modirwort : lewed folk J>at in manye worries
conne no ryjt sownynge, but ofte shortyn wordys, and changyn lettrys and
silablys, f>ey coruptyn |>e o. in to u. and d. in to g. and syncopyn i. smytyn
a-wey i. and r. and seyn mttgwort.
Arund. MS. 42, f. 35. v°. Quoted by Way, Promp. Parv. p. 347.
MOILY [mauylee], v. i. To toil ; to work severely. Frequently
used with toil.
'Tis 'ard vor to be a sar'd so bad, arter I've a toile'd and a moiled
vor he, same 's I have.
Good husbandmen must moile and toile,
To laie to Hue by laboured feeld. — Tusser, 4/1.
MOLLY [maul-ee], sb. A man who fusses and busies himself
about the house, or women's work.
Nif I'd a got such a old Molly, I'd pin the dish-clout up to the
tail o' un.
MOLLY-CAUDLE [maul-ee-catrdl], sb. i. One who is over-
careful of his health ; a valetudinarian.
You 'ont catch a old molly-candle like he comin ; nif is but
ever such a little bit of a scad, he on't put's 'ead out.
2. v. t. To nurse over-careful ly ; to be over-anxious as to
health, &c.
I can't abear to zee nobody a molly -candled up in jis farshin ;
belter put the boy in a glass case to once.
No wonder the children be \vaikly, always a molly-candled up
like that there ; must'n never go out o' doors 'thout girt coats and
shawls and they things.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 483
MOMMET, MAWMET [maunrut], sb. i. A figure usually made
of old clothes stuffed with straw to frighten away the birds. A
scarecrow. (Always so called.)
Can you please to let us have a vew things, a old hat an' that,
vor to make up a bit of a mommet, the rooks be vallin' in 'pon the
taties ?
2. Epithet. A person (female) dressed in very antiquated attire
is usually described as " dressed up like a old mommet"
thei maden a calf in tho dayes, and offriden a sacrifice to the mawmet.
Wyclifvers., Acts vii. 41.
In Tyndale's and Cranmer's versions this is translated ymage,
in later versions idol.
Mi litil sones kepe Je jou fro mawmetis. — Wyclifvers., I John v. 21.
|>anne be ]>ei fals ypocritis and worschipen false maumetis.
Wydif, Works, E. E. T. S. p. 5.
MAWMENT. Ydolum, simulacrum. — Promp. Parv.
A MAWMENTT ; idolum, simulachrum.
A Mawment place (a Mawrnent howse A.) ; jdolitim (similacrum A.).
A Mawment wyrscheper ; idolatra. Cath. Aug.
Maument, marmozet, poupte,
Maumentry, baguenavlde. — Palsgrave.
What difference is ther bitwen an ydolaster and an avarous man, but that the
ydolaster peradventure hadde but a mawmet or tuo, and the avaricious man hath
rnonye ? Chaucer, Persones 7^ale. De Avaritia.
In J>at siquar J>ai come to tun,
Was preistes at j?air temple bun
To do ]>e folk, als )>ai war sete,
Ma sacrifies to ^air maumet.
Cursor Mundi, Flight into Egypt, 1. 375.
MOMMETRY [maunrutree], sb. Idolatry.
They there pa'sons wi' their can'ls and crosses and bowin and
scrapin, I calls it riglar mommetry.
Vat J>e peple of oure lond be not broujt to maumetrie, ne )>efte, ne lecherie
meyntened vnder siche pilgrimage, ne alines drawen fro porenedy men.
Wyclif, Works, E. E..T. S. p. 279. See also p. 122.
MAWMENTRYE. Ydolatria. — Promp. Parv.
A Mawmentry ; idolatria. — Cath. Ang.
And al the chirche, and al the chyvalrye,
That in destruccioun of ma-wmetrye,
And in encresse of Cristes lawe deere,
The ben acordid, as ye schal after heere.
Chaticer, Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 138.
Maivmetry is when any man gifis the luf til any creature that aghe to be gifen
to god. Hampole, Psalter, xcvi. 7.
I I 2
434
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MOMMICK [maunrik], sb. i. Morsel; scrap.
Lor ! did-n em eat ! why, avore you could turn yerzul round
they'd a put away every mommick o' it, and was lookin' vor more.
2. Mommet (q. v.).
MONEY IN BOTH POCKETS [muun-ee een boo'udh pau'-
guts], sb. The plant Honesty, from the transparent purse-like
seed-pods, which contain the seed on both sides of a dividing
membrane. Lunaria b tennis.
MONKEY FLOWER, MONKEY PLANT [muung'kee flaawur].
The Mimulus. (Always so called.)
MONKEY TREE. The Araucaria imbricata. Called also
Puzzle-monkey.
MONTH'S MIND [muuns muyn], sb. A strong fancy or
inclination ; a good mind.
I be a month's mind never to go aneast'n again ; he have a sar'd
me shameful. A wife's utterance about her husband.
jful. I see you have a month's mind to them.
Lucetla. Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see.
Two Gent, of Verona^ I. ii.
Whose noise whets valour sharp, like beer
By thunder turned to vinegar ;
For if a trumpet sound, or drum beat,
Who has not a month's mind to combat?
Hudibras, P. I. c. ii. 1. 109.
MOO [moo*, meo-], v. i. To low as a cow. This word is used
only to children — to them always. The ordinary word is belve.
Cows in child- language are always moo-cows.
MOOD [meo'd], sb. A kind of gelatinous mass which appears
in cider or vinegar — by some called the mother of vinegar.
MOONSHINE [meo-nshuyn], sb. Contraband spirits. Well
within the writer's recollection there were several farm-houses near
the coast which were said to be never without a keg or two of
moonshine.
Kent. . . . Draw, you rogue ; for, though it be night, the moon shines ; I'll
make a sop o' the moonshine of you : Draw, you — King Lear, II. ii.
MOOR [moa'ur, moo'ur], sb. A rough swampy piece of pasture
land. This term is not used to express waste or common land as
such. See HILL. Comp. Morasse. " Gurt Moor" " Little Moor"
"Moor Close," "Higher Moor," "Hill-moor," £c., are very
common names of fields — enclosed time out of mind. Unless
such fields have been drained of late years, one would expect to
find rushes and like herbage to be the staple.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 485
The fens of Somerset are nearly all called " moors" as North
moor, Stan-moor, Curry-woor, Sedge-moor, &c.
But Irische men recchep noujt of castelles ; for ]>ey taken wocles for castelles,
and mareys and mores for castel diches. — Trevisa, De Hiber, XXXII. V. i. p. 347.
MOOR [moa'tir, moo'ur], sb. i. The several branching roots
and rootlets of a tree, which grow out from the moot (q. v.). The
roots of many trees, especially the elm, are very like drawn-out
carrots, both in colour and texture. Germ. Mo'hre, a carrot.
The moors o' thick there el-em be a-urned all over thick there
cornder. Can't get nort to grow there, the groun's so vull o' moors
as ever can stick.
We've a chopped off the moors, but we shan't never beat thick
there moot abroad 'thout we puts a bit o' powder in un.
)>at quene was of Engelond • as me a]) er ytold,
))at goderhele al Engelond • was heo euere ybore.
Vor Jjoru hire com su|>)>e Engelond • into kunde more.
Robert of Gloucester, Will, the Conqueror, 1. 246.
Hure loue is mored on ]>e ful vaste : & ]>at me semej) now.
Sir Per umbras, 1. 2834.
The bowes ]>at berej) nat • and bee]) nat grene-leuede,
Ther is a myschif in J>e more ' of such manere stockes.
Piers Plowman, xvil. 1. 249.
See SPILL-MOOR.
The oo sound before a fracture, as doo'ur, moo'ur, boo'ur, noofun,
&c. (door, more, moor, bore, boar, none) is peculiar to a rather
circumscribed district, Wiveliscombe, and a few parishes to the
north and north-west. On entering the Nothe Fort of Weymouth
(1879) the sentry merely said, "That's the door," but I instantly
said to my friend, " That is a Huish man." On inquiry I found his
home was Clatworthy, the parish adjoining, and dovetailing into
Huish. The two churches are within a mile of each other. The
pronunciation is almost [beo'ur, decrur].
2. Also applied to growing herbage.
" There'll zoon be a good moor o' grass here." This was said of a
newly laid down pasture, and implied that the various grasses had
well rooted, and were growing rapidly.
MOORISH [moa'ureesh], adj. Applied to water having an
earthy, peaty taste.
All the water they've a got comes from the hill, and sometimes
'tis terrible moorish.
MOORY [moa'uree], adj. Marshy; swampy.
Thik there piece o' ground 'ont never be no good avore he's a
guttered ; he's that moory now arter so much rain, nif tidn a do'd
purty quick he'll urn all to rexens.
486 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MOORY [moa'uree], v. i. To form roots ; to throw out rootlets.
Quite different from to wredy (q. v.).
Nif you plant witlien pitches the right time o' the year, 'tis
winderful how quick they'll moory.
MOOSTER [meo'stur], v. tr. and /. A technical word used
in woollen factories. A piece of cloth is "made up," that is, rolled
or folded up ; but in finishing that process the end is doubled back
and then brought to the front to show \.\\eforrel (q. v.); to perform
this latter part of the work is to mooster the piece. A skilful hand
at the work is said to be able to moostery well. The fold with the
forrel showing is called the mooster ; it is carefully brought to the
front to show that the "piece " is entire, and has not been cut.
MOOSTERY [meo'sturee], v. i. To move quickly; to go
lithely or actively.
Come, look sharp'm moostery 'long.
MOOT [meo't], sb. The entire root of a tree, including all
moors or branching rootlets. When a tree is felled, all that
remains in the ground is called the moot. If a tree be blown
down, it is " butted," that is, sawn off at the bottom — all the root
part so sawn off is the moot. See MOOR.
MOOT [meo't], vb. To dig or grub out the root of a tree.
The chief tool used in this work is sometimes called a " mooting-
axe," but more usually a grubber or bisgy (q. v.).
MOOTERY [meo'turee], v. i. To change the feathers — said
of poultry or other birds; to moult.
MOOTURING TIME [meo'tureen tuym], sb. Moulting time.
How is it the hens do not lay now, John ?
[Wuy, muum, doa'n ee zee', tez meo-fureen tuym war um,] why,
madam, don't you see, it is moulting time with them.
MOP [maup], sb. A tuft of grass — more commonly called
mock (q. v.).
MOP [mau-p], v. /. To drink greedily.
Did'n er jis mop it up ! 'twas jis the very same's zids (suds)
down drue a gutter-hole.
MOPSING [maup'seen], verbal sb. Making grimaces in eating,
as if the food was difficult to swallow. — W. H. G. Dec. 6, 1883.
MOP-STALE [maup-stae-ul], sb. Mop-handle.
MORAL [maurul], sb. Model; likeness; image.
He's the very moral of his brother, I never didn zee two so
much alike.
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 487
MORE [moa'ur, moo'ur], adv. Often used with regular com-
paratives by way of duplication, but without increasing the force.
Thick there's more firmder'n tother.
There idn no more vore-headeder gurt mump-head in the parish.
Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing
Of whence I am ; nor that I am more better
Than Prospero? — Tempest, I. ii.
If he do not bring
His benediction back, he must to me
Be much more crueller than I to you.
Beaumont and Fletcher, Laws of Candy, IV. i.
Men cough more oftenner in wynter than in sommer. — Palsgrave, 1. 500.
and some men. graflfe theym in a whyte-thorne, and than it wyll be the more
harder and stonye. Fitzherbert, Husbandry, 137/12.
for than it is leaste ieoperdye, and the oxe shall be more hyer. — Ib. 67/3.
An' tiddn' the wealth o' the spendrif er miser
Can mek em moore happier, bedder, er wiser.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 67.
MORE [moo'ur, moa'ur], adj. Greater.
I let'n had all he ax vor, but twadn nothin' near all o'm — I count
the more part was a left arterwards.
But I haue" more witnessynge thanne Ion for the workis that my fadir jaf to
me to perfourme hem. Wyclifvers. John v. 36.
No man hath more loue thanne this. — Ib. xv. 13. Comp. with A. V.
Sclauia is a partie of Mesia : ])ere bee]j also two londes, ei}>er hatte Sclauia.
J>e more hatte properliche Sclauonia. — Treuisa, C. xxii. De Europa, vol. i. p. 1 73.
MORE AND SO [moo'ur-n zoa', or moa'r-un zoa'], adv.
Moreover; besides. (Com.)
They zess how Joe Slape 've a-tookt all Mr. Bond's grass to
cuttin', but he 'ont never be able vor do it, an' more-n zo he 'ant
nobody vor t'elp'-m ; an' aa'l warnt he 'ont get nobody nother, hon
they years the prize.
and more an' zo, thee wut rowcast, nif et be thy own Vauther.
Ex. Scold. 1. 195.
MORISH [moa'ureesh, moo'ureesh], adj. Producing the desire
for more.
Oncommon good trade this here, missus ; I zim tas'th morish.
This is a bucolic pun (because moorish (q. v.) flavour is anything but
agreeable), and a frequent way of ordering more drink.
MORSEL-BIT [mairsl-beet],^. Morsel; particle; atom. (Com.)
Thomas, how is the cow getting on? — Au! her's right enough
now ; her've a cleared up all her mate, every mossle-bit.
I'd let ee have it in a minute, but there idn one morsel-bit a-left.
Also metaphorically.
There idn one morsel-bit o' sense in the head o' un.
488
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MORT [mairrt], sb. Hunting term still common.
The horn-blast blo\vn at the death of the stag.
A couple of hundred sportsmen who had converged to this spot to witness the
coup de grace and to hear the mart sounded.
"Forester," W. Somerset Free Press, Aug. 30, 1879.
MORT [moa-urt], sb. i. Lard.
Nif anybody-v a got a bad leg or ort, there idn no fineder thing
vor-t-n mort-n chalk.
2. Mortar. Masons and bricklayers when wanting mortar,
always shout mart ! to the tender.
MORTAL [maurtl], adv. A mere intensitive.
Maister's mortal queer s'mornin ; where was er to, last night ?
MORTIFY [maurtifuy], v. t. To bother; to teaze.
Drat the cheel ! her's enough to mortify anybody out o' their life.
MOST[mau's, moa'us, moa'ees],rtdfo. i. Almost (always). Often
placed at the end of a sentence.
I be most mazed, way one tiling and tother, 'tis 'nough to make
anybody urn away, most. Most all o' em was bad.
You shall 'ab-m torackly, most. — Feb. 25, 1887.
2. Used very frequently as a sort of intensitive to the superlative,
often quite red'undantly.
Her's the most oudaciousest young hussy you'll vind in a day's
march.
In expressions like the latter the order of the words makes all
the difference.
" Her's most the oudaciousest " means she is almost the most
audacious.
[Tiiz dhu moo'ees beo'teepeolees soa'urt u tae'udeez uvur yue
zee'd-n yur luyv], it is the most beautifulest sort of potatoes you
ever saw in your life.
And then there was a damosell that rebuked sir Tristram in the most foulest
manner, and called him coward knight.
Mallory, Morte cTArthttr, V. II. ch. xv. p. 29.
MOST TIMES [moa-s tuymz], adv. phi: Generally; usually.
I most times takes a little bit of a night-cap like, avore I goes
to bed.
We be to busy vor to go to church most times, Vore th*
arternoon.
There idn a more williner maid in the wordle, than her is, most
times.
MOTE [moa-ut], sb. i. A single straw or a single stalk of hay,
always so called ; usually with a defining word prefixed, as a reed
mote — i. e. a single unbruised stalk of wheat — such for instance as
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 489
would be used in sucking up various drinks. A stravv-;;wA? would
be a bruised reed of wheat or of any of the grain-bearing plants.
Applied in this sense only to the stalks of grasses or grain. The
word implies slenderness.
2. A minute particle of any straw or similar substance. Halliwell
is wrong in defining it as a mite, a small piece. An atom of earth,
or paper, or stone, or any non-fibrous substance would never be
called a mote, while a minute splinter of wood might be so termed.
No doubt it is to the latter form contrasted with the beam that we
read in Matt. vii. 3 (Wyclif) :
but what seest thou a litil mote in the ize of thi brother ; and seest not a beem
in thin ovvne ize, &c.
Freluche : A moat, a small straw, or lint. — Cotgrave.
A Mo ATE ; Freluche. — Sherwood.
MOTHER [mau-dhur], sb. The womb of any animal. The
usual name amongst butchers. See MOOD.
'Tis a ter'ble complaint 'bout [yoa'z] ewes, 'most everybody
hereabout 've a 'ad bad luck. I've a lost a lot sure 'nough ; the
mother o'm do come out. — January 1887.
The MOTHER (or womb). Matrice, amarry, — Sherwood.
MOTHERING-SUNDAY [mau-dhureen-zvuvdee], sb. Midlent-
Sunday ; doubtless so called from pre-Reformation days, when the
mother churches were visited in turn by the faithful ; now it is
customary for servant girls to visit their mothers on that day, and
generally to visit parents. Most likely the name of the day has
given rise to the modern custom.
Why, rot the Dick ! zee Dundry's Peak
Lucks like a shuggard motherin-cake ;
The Boughs are ready to tear with snaw,
And the vrawz'd Bracks vorget to flaw.
1762. Collins, Ninth Ode of Horace, in Somerset Dialect, Miscellanies, p. 114.
MOTHER-LAW [mau'dhur-lau]. Mother-in-law. The /// is
always omitted in this and similar relationships, as father-law,
brither-law, zister-law.
MOTHER O' THOUSANDS [mau-dhur u thaewznz], sb. The
plant Creeping Campanula ; also Linaria Cymbalaria.
MOULDER [moa-ldur], v. To smoulder; to burn slowly.
A maid-servant speaking of the logs burning slowly said, they
still moulders away — i. e. they keep on smouldering. — Feb. 6, 1887.
MOUNTAIN-ASH [maewnteen-aarsh], sb. Pyrus aucuparia.
Very common tree in the district, thus called by people of the
better class. Among labouring class it is always Quick-beam.
490
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MOUSE-PIE [maewz-paay], sb. Said to be a cure for children
who wet their beds.
MOUSER-WITHY [maewzur-wudrree], sb. A kind of willow
which grows in hedges or dry places. It makes capital binds from
its toughness, and is much sought after by thatchers.
MOUSE-SNAP [maew-snaap], sb. A mouse-trap of any kind.
Com p. want-snap.
MOUTH-SPEECH [maew-spai-ch], sb. Speech.
Can't get no mouth-speech out o' her. Cf. eye-sight, head-piece, &c.
MOW [maew], sb. i. A stack or rick of corn. A heap in a
barn is never a menu, nor is a hay-rick.
The "Barley Menu" is a very common public-house sign.
Mcnve of whete or haye — mulon defoyn. — Palsgrave.
And if it be a wete haruest, make many mowes ;
Fitzhcrbert, Husbandry, 32/3.
2. See MAKE Mows.
MOW-BARTON [maew-baarteen], sb. The yard or enclosure
in which the corn stacks are placed. Every farm has its mow-
barton (always so called), but of late years, owing to the employment
of steam-thrashers, the stacks are oftener made in the harvest-field,
and consequently mow-bartons are less used. See BARTON.
I also want two long gates for the Mmvbarton, winch must be ten foot long.
Letter from a Farmer. June 24, 1882.
MOW-BURNED [maew-buurnd], adj. Said of corn, especially
barley, which has over-heated in the stack.
MOWLED [muvvlud, muwuld], part. adj. Mauled; pulled
about; hugged.
For shame ! I or.t be a mowled no zuch way.
Es won't ha ma Tetties a grabbled zo, ner es won't be ;;/;///<u/ and soulad.
Ex. Scold. 1. 377.
MOWLY [muwlee], v. i. To pull about; to keep on mauling.
Commonly used respecting young fellows' rustic courtship.
No, no, you werent so skittish thoa, ner sa squeamish nether. He murt tnully
and soully tell a wos weary. Ex. Scold. \. 381.
MOW-PLAT [maew-plaat], sb. A rick-yard or plot; the con>
moner term is mow-barton (q. v.)
No. on Tithe map. A. R. P.
128. Courtlage, Rfowplot and House . . o i 25
Schedule of Farm Lease, dated Jan. I5th, 1883, from Tithe apportionment.
MOW-STADDLE [maew-stad-1], sb. The framework upon
which a stack of corn is piled up. These frameworks are usually
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 491
supported upon stone or wood posts about two feet from the
ground, and having large flat caps on the top, upon which the
timber framing rests. The object is to keep the corn from the
damp earth, and the caps are to prevent rats or mice from climbing
up the posts. See STADDLE.
MPS [mps], adv. Yes. One of the very commonest forms of
non-emphatic yes. No vocal sound is perceptible, but merely the
vocal m followed
MUCH [muuch], sb. i. A strange thing; a remarkable fact
— " to be wondered at " understood. (Very com.)
Tis much you boys can't let alone they there ducks.
'Twas much he had'n a been a killed.
2. In phrase so much [zoa* muuch], adv. (a) Enough ; sufficient.
Mex the birmstone way zo much laud (lard) eens mid make a
sauf(soft) ball.
(b) A certain quantity ; a small quantity.
Nif the dog Ve a-got any worms, you must have zo much ragonet
[rag'unut] (areca nut) and put 'long way ut.
MUCH [muuch], v. t. i. To smooth or stroke gently with the
hand. Nearly always used in speaking to children.
Poor pussy ! much her down.
So one would much down a horse or dog — /. e. stroke it in a
caressing manner.
A baby pulls its father's whiskers ; mother says, " Poor dad-ah !
must'n hurt dad-ah ! much him down then, baby ! "
Now if thee'dst got a preckle in
Thee leg, a inch vrim auf tha skin,
Hur'd muck en down an zay a prare,
And then thee wiss'n ha min thare.
Nathan Hogg, Letters, p. 51.
2. To make much of. To pet, if applied to children. To pay
attention to, to have in honour or consideration, if applied to adults.
I sim her do much thick boy to much by half.
MUCH OF A MUCHNESS [muuch uv u muuch'nees]. Very
common phrase to express similarity, or evenness of alternative.
Whe'er you do do it or no, 'tis pretty much of a muchness.
MUCK [muuk], sb. Mud; manure. In this district rather a
new word in the singular, but very commonly used for the refuse
from the apple-press, now called cider-w«<r/£. Until recently,
however, this was always apple-pummy.
Wyclif used the word very frequently in a figurative sense.
sillynge here massis & J>e sacrament of cristi's body for worldly tniik &
womb ioie.— Wyclif, Works, p. 166. See also pp. 5, 10, 168, 174, 182.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Mukke. Funus, letamen. — Promp. Pan'.
Mukke; letamen est pinguedo terre, ruder;
to Mukke; eruderare, fimare, pastinare, purgare, stercorarc.
a vT/w/fc/k'-hepe ; fiwarium. — Cath. Anglicum.
492
MUCK OF SWEAT [muuk- u zwaet'j, sb. Excessive perspira-
tion : often applied to horses.
I know you rode the mare ter'ble hard, Master Charley, vor her
was all to a muck 0' sweat.
MUCKS [muuks]. See Mux.
MUDDLE [muud-1], sb. Confusion.
There ! you never did'n zee no such muddle in all your born
days. A gurt muddMxeaA.
MUG [muug], sb. The countenance ; the face.
MUGGARD [muug-urd], adj. Sulky ; displeased. (Rare.)
Why, than tha wut be a prilled or a muggarit, a Zennet outreert.
Ex. Scold. 1. 194. Also Ib. 1. 313.
Muglard, or nyggarde (or pynchar, infra). Tenax. avarus, ciipidinariits.
Promp. Parv.
MUGGED [muug'tid], adj. Faced ; countenanced.
[Yah ! yu huug'l-muug'ud suunf uv u bee'ch,] yah ! you ugly-faced
son of a bitch.
MUGGET [muug'ut], sb. i. The first or outer stomach of a
calf. See POOK.
2. The entire intestines of a calf.
3. The pluck of a calf — i. e. the liver, lungs, and heart. See
RANGE.
MUGGETED [muug'utud], part. adj. Made cross and sullen.
Said of a person in a bad temper. — W. H. G. Dec. 3, 1883.
MUGGLE [muug'l], sb. That part of a horse's back which lies
in a line from hip to hip.
I don't like thick there 'oss ; he's t-'igh (too high) in the muggle
for me.
MUGGY [muug'ee], adj. Weather term. Misty; hazy; un-
comfortably thick and relaxing.
MULE [moo'l], sb. i. Any cross-breed between animals or
birds of different but allied species. The commonest mule bird
is the cross between a canary and goldfinch.
2, A spinning machine, which performs the work of two old-
fashioned ones, called a "Jack" and a "Jenny," is called a
"««&."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 493
MULLIGRUB GURGIN [muuHgruub guurgeen]. An abusive
epithet, heard rarely, in the Hill country only.
How ! ya gurt Miilligrub Gurgin!—Ex. Scold. 1. 237.
MULLY-GRUBS [muuH-gruub'z], sb. i. Hypochrondria ; de-
pression of spirits.
I niver didn zee no jish a old doke, he's always down in the
mully-grubs.
2. (Rarer.) The gripes or acute stomach-ache.
MUMBLY [muunvlee], adj. (Very common.) Applied to
stones used in building. Shapeless ; awkward ; rounded ; having
no bed or flat surface.
Can't make no good work wi' they gurt mumbly things ; they be
so ugly's a 'oss's head.
MUMCHANCE [muunvchaa'ns], sb. A stolid, silent person.
(Very com.)
There her zit-th, a proper mumchance, no gettin' a word out o'
her. See Ex. Scold, p. 142.
MUMMY [muunree], sb. Very commonly used in the phrase,
" beat to a mummy.''
They vailed 'pon the poor old man and sar'd-n shameful — the
face o' un was a beat all to a mummy.
The idea is possibly that of the bandages and wraps so connected
with mummies, and needful also in a case of severe injury; but
it is difficult to see how the bucolic mind became impressed with
the details of embalming.
MUMP [muump], sb. A lump ; a protuberance ; a swelling.
Could-n ate nort, could-n er? well, was able to put gwain a gurt
mump o' bread and cheese then, in a quick stick.
I'd a got a mump 'pon the top o' my head so big's a hen-egg.
MUMPER [muunrpur], sb. Beggar; one who lives by begging.
'Tis a shame to gee ort to such voices ; why, her 'ant a-do'd a
day's work 'is ten year — her's a proper old mumper, and her dooth
well by it too, by the look o' her.
MUMP-HEAD [muump-ard], sb. i. (Very com.) A kind of
cask made to taper only in one direction.
2. A term of abuse ; stupid fellow ; thick-head.
MUMPING [muunvpeen], adj. Begging; given to begging.
Her's the falsest, miimpirfs (i. e. mumpingest) old bitch ever was
hanged.
MUMPING-DAY [muunrpeen-dai], sb. St. Thomas's Day-
Dec. 21. On this day it is thought no disgrace for quite well-to-do
people to go round begging. See MUMPER.
494
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
MUMPY [muunrpee], v. i. To beg.
There, I'd zoonder work my vingers to bones'n I urn about
mumpin' , same's her do.
MUN [mun, m'n]. Man. Very commonly used in speaking
to either sex, and by women talking to each other. Its use implies
extreme familiarity, and usually altercation or threat.
I tell thee what 'tis, mun ! thy man 'ud gee it to thee, nif I was
vor to tell'n hot I zeed.
Ay, and zo wou'd tha young George Vuzz, mun, &c. — Ex. Scold. \. 55.
Andrew (to Margery). Why, 'twas oil about thee, mun. — Ib. 1. 335.
MUN [mun],/>wz. Them. The common Devon and N.-W.
Somerset objective plural. There can be no doubt but that in
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries it came about that to hym,
representing both the accusative singular and plural, the terminal
inflection en was added in the plural to mark the difference :
precisely like the Dorset, thee'uz, this ; thee'uzumy these. Hence
we have hymen occurring in the poem of Sir Ferumbras over a
hundred times. Subsequently the hy was dropped and the modern
men remained.
This subject is treated at length in the Transactions of the Devon
Association, 1881, p. 324, et sq.
Where dids' zee mun ? Take and car mun up in the tallet.
tha wut spudlee out the Yemors, and screedle over mun.
Ex. Scold. 1. 224. Also Ib. 11. 266, 268, 270.
But than agan, Iss can't but zay,
Iss could look at mun a whole day.
Peter Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter, v. 4, p. 65.
Who if a ax'd mun to drenk wine
To one the wother they tipp'd the sign. — Ib.
" Nivar mine, now vur that, hurth a got tm'tt," zeth liee,
"An avaur the day's auver I'll manedge to zee."
Nathan Hogg, Mai Brown's Crinalin.
MUNCH [muunch]. MUNCHY [muurrchee], sb. A short,
thick-set kind of pig. See " Dunk" Peacocks Gloss. Mauley.
[Dhai muun'cheez oa'n due* vur u poo'ur mae'un — lid'-n groa'uth
nuuf een urn,] those munchies wont do for a poor man ; (there) is
not growth enough in them.
MUN-CORN [muung'-kaurn], sb. Various kinds of grain sown
together. Ang.-Sax. meridian, mencgan, to mix. See DREDGE.
Mestylyone, or monge cor tie (or dragge, supra ; mestilione, corne, K. mongorne,
S.). Mixtilio, bigermen.
MONG CORNE (supra in mestlyon). Mixtilio. — Promp. Parv.
MUNTING [muun'teen], sb. Mullion ; more frequently applied
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 495
to the upright wooden divisions of the lights in an ordinary cottage
window.
There must be a new frame altogether, the muntins be proper
a-ratted.
Montant ' : a Mountan ; an vpright beam, or post in building — Cotgrave.
MUR [muur], sb. A sea-bird, very common in the British
Channel. The Puffin — Fratercula. (Usual name.)
MURN [muurn], v. To mourn. Ang.-Sax. Murnan, to mourn.
MURNIN [muurneen], sb. Mourning. (Always so.)
The old song is always given thus, by bucolic singers —
Murn, England, mum ; murn and complain,
Your gallant hero, Nelson's slain !
To MURN ; lugere, merere, & cetera ! vbi to sorowe.
MLTRNYNGE ; atrcus, lugubris. — Cath. Ang.
Ass a man and his wyfe oft pruves,
]>e mare sorovv and murnyng
Byhoves be at J>air departyng.
Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 1845.
MUSHEROON [rnuuslrureo-n], sb. Mushroom. Always a
trisyllable, and the final n distinct, proving how much more con-
servative of imported words the dialect is than the literary language.
Mouse heron : A Mushrotne, or Toad-stoole. — Cotgrave.
Muscheron, toodys hatte. Boletus* fungus. — Promp. Parv.
MUSIC [meo'zik, not m-yue'zik], sb. Any musical instrument.
Our Jim 've a got a piece o' music what they calls a concertainer,
and he's a larnin' o' un.
MUSICIANER [meo-zish-unur], sb. Musician. (Com.)
I've a yeard he's a capical musidaner.
MUSIKER [meo'zikur], sb. Musician; bandsman.
He's a musiker by trade.
MUTTERY [muufuree], v. i. i. To splutter; to waste.
How the can'l do mutlery.
2. To smoulder.
I've a knowed a heap o' couch bide and muttery for a week, and
then zoon's ever you store ut, t'll bust out.
3. To crumble. Said of a wall or hedge which keeps on
crumbling or falling by small pieces. A bank of earth which
was inclined to slip down, and seemed to be kept up by the roots
of plants in it, was described to me thus —
[Ee-z uun-ee u-uung'd au*p bee dh-ae'ur u dh-ai'd, ee'ns mud zaif ;
ee keepth au'n muutureen, un kairm aa'rd raa'yn daewn-1 vaa1!,]
496 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
he's only hung up by the hair of the head, as one may say ; he
keeps on crumbling, and with the first heavy rain will fall down.
MUNT [muun(t], sb. Month. So used before a vowel, but
always \_muun' s~\ in the plural.
'Twadn 'boo a munt agone he was yur (here).
Til be ten muns come next Vriday.
All but a vew shart munts ago
Za bleak an' bare beneath the snow ! — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 19.
MUX [muuks], sb. Mud ; mire. The usual word.
You can't go Pound-lane way, he's all to a mux, over shoe-deep.
Thy shoes all mux, &c. — Ex. ScoU. \. 204.
A conversation is reported between a judge at Exeter assizes and a witness.
Judge. — What did you see? Witness. — A did'n zee nort vur the pillem. J. —
What's pillem ? W. — Not knaw what's pillem ? Why, pillem (be) mux a-drowed.
y. — Mux! What's mux f W. — Why, mux (be) pillem a-wat.
Sir John Howring in Transactions of Devon Association, 1866, p. 27.
The witness scarcely said be as above.
Zom hootin, heavin, soalin, hawlin !
Zom in the mucks, and pellum sprawlin ;
Leek pancakes all zo flat. — Peter Pindar, Royal Visit.
A purty mayl thort I, — iss, vay !
(Vur thicky burd jist pass) ;
Mee bastid an a sar'd up way
Zom Starcrass mucks vur sass. — Nathan Hogg, Series II. p. 19.
MUXY [muuk'see], adj. Muddy; covered with mud; dirty.
(Very common.) Mucky not known.
\Muvk" see soa*urt-v-u juub', aa-n ee, Tau'mus?] (you have) a dirty
piece of work, have you not, Thomas ?
Thy Ilozen muxy up zo vurs thy Gammerels. — Ex. Scold. \. 153.
MUXY-ROUT [muuk'see-raewt], sb. A deep muddy wheel-rut.
He (the horse) put his voot down in a nasty muxy-rout, and scat
(spattered) me all over.
MUZZLE [muuz'l], sb. The mouth ; chin ; lower part of the
face ; the mug.
Yah black-w//02/<? osebird, I'd g'in and have a ha'p'orth o' zoap
and a pen'orth o' razor, nif I was thee !
MY EYES ! A very common expression, frequently varied bj
" My eyes and limbs ! " My eye / is cockney ; never heard.
My ey enters ! [muy uymurz !] interj. Same as my eyes! but
much commoner ; the latter (my eyes /) is used by town's folk, and
those who have been to school. The second syllable is redundant,
as in Toer, leggcr, &c., so far as the er is concerned : the /// no
doubt has got in by way of euphony. It does not occur with eyes
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 497
in any other connection, nor when limbs is added as part of the
exclamation. See EYES AND LIMBS.
MY HEARTY [mee-aa'rtee]. A common salutation, often used
in a depreciating way.
I tell thee what, my hearty, nif I catch thee aneast my orchet
again, I'll gi thee such a hidin's thee't mind vor one while; what's
think o' that now ?
N
N. i. The sound of n is usually all that remains of the particle
than in our dialect. It may indeed be said that than is unknown,
and only the an is retained. That this is so must be evident
from the fact that if emphasis is to be given, an or un is sounded
in full, and never than. See AN.
Abundant examples are to be found throughout this Glossary.
2. pr. Contraction of un, the dialectal descendant of the old
Eng. hine = modern him. See UN.
This contraction is always heard when following k(see NAIL), /, r,
and all dentals or sibilants, when not emphasized, as shown in multi
tudes of illustrations throughout these pages.
When following p, b, f, or v, this n, as shown elsewhere (see
p. 17, IV. Som. ZVrt/., and pp. 37, 65, W. Som. Gram.}, changes to
m. This rule may be taken to be invariable. Note the following :
[Dhan yue oa-n zuT-« vur dhaat dhae'ur? Noa', bud yue mud'
irad-« tuudlrur dai\ un dhoa' yue wiid'n ab'-w,] then you won't sell
him (or it, or her) for that ? No ; but you might have had him
the other day, and then you would not have him.
3. prep. Contraction of in or on, under the same conditions as the
preceding, so far as regards the influence of antecedent consonants,
with the difference that in is a word on which stress is more
frequent than un = him.
[Yue kn due1 dhik juub-/« noa- tuym, neef ee puut ut aup taapv//-
taa'yul,] you can do that job in no time if you put it up top-on-tail.
[Dhaat dhae'ur roa'lur muus'n buyd dhae'ur; ee-z-« livuree-
bau'deez wai',] that there roller must not bide there; he is in
everybody's way.
[Uay bae'unt-« noa uuree,] I baint in no hurry.
[Dh-an'l broa'kt rai't-« tue1,] the handle broke right in two.
4. conj. Contraction of and under like conditions.
[Baub-;/; Jum wai'nt-« teokt oaf dhur sheo'z-;/ stau'keenz-/*
liuurnd-w airp-w zau't aup fuyn wuurk-s-» dhaat, daewn dhae-ur
K K
498 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
pun dhu zarr], Bob and Jim went and took off their shoes and
stockings and ran and hopped and set up fine works and that,
down there upon the sand.
[Zik's-// aa'f. Taap'-w-bau'dum. Buurd-« chee'z. Buad'r-w
krai'm. Zweet'-« zaawur. Bag'-w bag'eej,] six and half. Top and
bottom. Bread and cheese. Butter and cream. Sweet and sour.
Bag and baggage.
5. The regular negative inflection after certain persons and
tenses of the auxiliary and preteritive verbs. The use of this
inflexion in some cases very considerably modifies the verb itself,
as in. —
[Udvj, tiidv/, waudv/, twaudv/,] is not, it is not, was not, it
was not.
Other forms are [as'«, kasv/, wiidvz, wuys-w, wut'#, mudv/, aart-;/,
diisv;,] hast not, canst not, would not, why dost not, wilt not,
might not, art not, dost not, &c.
It is useless to add illustrations, which will be found in abundance
in other pages, and also in W. Som. Gram. p. 55, et seq.
NAB [nab], v. t. To acquire ; to catch hold of; to get possession
of; hence to steal ; to take in custody (of constables).
I wish I knovved where anybody could nab a good sort o'
cabbage-zeed.
I'd a got a capical one, one time ; but somebody Ve a nab 'm.
The [poa'lees] police be safe to nab her avore long.
NABBY [nab-ee], sb. Navvy. (Usual form.)
NABIGATOR [nab'eegae'utur], sb. Navigator ; navvy ; a rough
labourer.
The word evidently refers to the time when canals were being
cut, in various parts. Now the same class of men who help to
make railways, &c. are beginning to be called excavators.
N ACKER [naak'ur], sb. Hackney; nag.
Thick there idn a bad sort of a nacker, only I sim he goes a
little too close to the ground like. See KNACKER.
NACKLE-ASS [naak'1-aa's], adj. Poor, mean, inferior, paltry :
applied as a term of contempt to both persons and thin<;
indifferently.
[Wuy s-n buy dheezuul'u nuyv waetlv oa'urt, neet keep ubaew
jvish naak'l-aa-s dhing-z dhik dhae'ur ? ] why do you not buy yourself
a knife worth something ; (and) not keep about such a miserable
thing as that ?
[Mus zai'n u mae'un baewt dhik dhae'ur juub ; tiid'n noa geo'c
vur tu puut a skraanv naak'l-acrs fuul'ur lig ee* ubaewd ut,] yoi
must send a man to do that job ; it is no use to employ an under
sized, incompetent, paltry fellow such as he is, to do it.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 499
NAGGING [nag'een], adj. part. Aggravating ; irritating to the
temper.
Tak'n let the maid alone ; you be the very nagginest old thing
ever I zeed in all my born days. A man to his wife.
Also applied to bodily pain.
I've a bin a terrified wi' this here naggin pinswill 's vortnight and
more.
NAGGY [nag'ee], v. t. and /'. i. To irritate ; to aggravate ; to
scold incessantly.
Tid'n no use vor to keep on a naggin o' the maid ; the more
you do naggy and ballyrag, I'll warn the wo'ser her'll be.
2. sb. Child's name for tooth. (Very com.)
Here, my purty, let mother rub his poor little naggies vor-n.
NAIL [naa'yul], v. t. To make certain ; to secure. To nail
a bargain. Also to acquire ; to get hold of.
I meet thick yeffer going in to market, and I like 'n so well
I nailed'n. to once.
NAIL-PASSER [naa-yul-paas-ur], sb. A brad-awl. This word
is becoming rare, but it never meant gimlet, as Halliwell states.
NAILS. It is said to be unlucky to cut a baby's nails, they
should always be bitten off when too long.
NAIT [nai'tj. Pronun. of night. Chiefly the emphatic form,
less usual than neet (q. v.).
These are the only two pronunciations used by dialect speakers.
Night is unknown ; neat the adj. has precisely the same sound.
Sarvant, sir, beautipul nait to-naif, idn it, zir?
NAKED [nae-ukud], adj. Unprotected ; bare.
I told'n he should'n ha car'd a suvren in his naked pocket ; he
ought to a had a good long puss.
And whanne thei mijte nat offre hym to hym for the companye of peple, thei
madeu the roof nakid, vvher he was. — Wyclifvers, (Morris and Skeat) Mark ii. 4.
|>e Sarasyns dude his helm a-doun '. & maked is hed al nake ;
His handes Jeanne j>ay toke rijt ' and layden him be-hynde. — Sir Ferumb. 1. 2744.
NAKED LADY [nae-ukud lae'udee], sb. The flower of
meadow-saffron. Colchicum autumnale.
NANCY-PRETTY [nan-see-puurtee]. See NONE-SO-PRETTY.
NANNY-SULL [nan'ee-zoo-ul], sb. The old-fashioned wooden
plough of our fathers, in use in this district up to and well within
the remembrance of the author.
A Culmstock farmer said to me : " I mind very well gwain down
K K 2
5oo
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
to a ploughin-match to Broad Hembury, and car'd away the fust
prize way nort but an old nanny-zull" — October 1883.
NAP [naa-p], sb. A blow.
I'll gi thee a nap under the ear, let me catch thee again.
NAP-KNEED. See KNEE-NAPPED. NAP, NAPPY. See KNAP.
NAPPER. See VUZ-NAPPER.
NASH [naash, naarsh], adj. Tender; delicate. (Daily use.)
Comp. pronunciation of [vlaarsh, fraash, maarsh,] flesh, fresh,
mesh. A.-S. hnesc, hncesc, soft, tender.
I don't never keep thick munchy sort o' pigs, they be so nash.
Neschyn, or make nesche. Mollifico.
Growe nesche. Mollesco. — Promp. Parv.
Ue muwen more dreden J>e nesche dole }>ene )>e herde of {?eos fondunges ]pet
is uttre ihoten. Ancren Riwle, p. 192.
And woundede him rith in the flesh,
£at tendre was, and swi)?e nesh. — Havelok the Dane, 1. 2742.
And )>e saul mare tender and nesshe,
J>an is ]>e body with )>e nesshe. — Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 3110.
God hath made neischc myn herte, and Almijti God hath disturbid me.
Wyclifvers. Job xxiii. 16.
The thridde norice him scholde wassche.
The child was keped tendre and nessche.
Weber, Met. Rom. Scuyn Sages, 1. 731.
For wymmen beth of swyche manere,
All tendre and nessche. — Ib. Octotiian Imperator, 1. 1209.
J>e lond is nesche, reyny, and wyndy, and lowe by ]>e see syde.
7"rez'isa, De Hibernia, vol. i. p. 333.
of quareres of marbel of dyuers manere stone, of reed, of whyt, of nasche, of
hard, of chalk and of whyt lym. — Trevisa, Descr. of Brit. Lib. i. c. 41, 1. 43.
NASTEN [naa-sn], v. t. To befoul ; to soil ; to render filthy
or nasty.
Mind and take care o' the paper, and nit nasten it all over.
Said to a man before whitening a ceiling.
NASTIFIED [naa'stifuyd], adj. Dishonourable; tricky; un-
gentlemanly.
A keeper said to me : " I zim Mr. was a little bit nastifita
like, vor to watch me away, and then shut my tame birds.
NASTMENT [naas-munt], sb. A filthy mess ; a nuisance ; a
jakes.
Don'ee mind thick night, hon we was bird-boitin, how you
tum'ld all along in the nastment, and how you zaid how we tookt
ee there same purpose ?
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 5OI
NASTY [naa'stee], adj. Crabbed; ill-tempered; displeased.
Maister was ter'ble nasty s'mornin 'bout the ducks ; he zess how
' twas all your faut.
NATION [nae'urshun], adj. Very; extremely. (Contr. of
damnation.} In daily use.
I considers 'tis nation poor sport, we ought to a-vound dree
times so much.
Right on they went (I zed avoore
The tackle all wiz stout,
An' nashun strong) zo all the line
Zoon vrom the reyle hurn'd out.
Pttlman, Rustic Sketches, p. 37. Also p. 70.
NATION-SEIZE [nae'urshun-sarz]. A very common impre-
cation, uttered thoughtlessly by many people at the smallest
provocation. So common has the phr. become that it has
developed into an adj. — nation-seized.
Nation-seize thee ! where's a bin bidin about to ?
Well I'll be darned, if this idn a purty nation-seized sort of a job ;
here be we a-comed all this yur way and brought all our things
and that, all vor nort.
I hates a hoss, ver I've ben drow'd
Vrem all that ever I've a-rode,
An' zo I sez, Sir, I shall vail,
Ver your's is nativn-seyztd tall. — Pulinan, Rustic Sketches, p. 57.
NATOMY. See NOTTOMY.
NATTLED [naafld], part. adj. i. Stunted ; checked in growth.
Applied to young animals. W. H. G. — Dec. 6, 1883.
2. Knotted ; tangled.
How's anybody vor to quill this yur yarn? On'y zee how tiz a
nattled up ; sure they could a-tookt more care o' it in the dye-
house-n what this yur is.
NATTY [naafee], adj. and adv. Neat handed(ly) ; deft;
dexterous.
I don't know a more nattier, clever little 'umman 'an her is.
Though danger be mickle, and sauour so fickle,
Yet dutie doth tickle my fansie to wright :
Concerning how prettie, how fine and how nettie,
Good huswife should iettie,
From morning to night. — Ttisser, 63-1.
NATURAL [naafrul], sb. An imbecile person ; an idiot.
I calls it a very wisht thing, that out o' dree chillern nother one
idn no better-n a nafral.
NATURAL [naafrul]. adv. Quite; entirely. (Very common.)
5O2
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I 'sure ee, sir, the timber was natural a-ratted like's ever you
zeed ort in your life — /'. e. as completely rotten.
The tilings (stock) 'ont eat it, 'tis natural a vinne'd droughout —
/. e. (the hay) is completely mildewed.
NATURLY [naafurlee, naa'tlee], adv. Actually; positively;
certainly.
I nafurly widn gee another varden, have em or no.
They wid nafly a-car'd em all away, nif I 'adn a-stap'd em.
NATURE [nae'utur], sb. The* nourishing property of vegetable
matter; nutrition ; goodness, as applied to food.
Nif that there hay do bide about much longer, there 'ont be a
bit o' nature a-left in it — /. e. if the hay remains longer exposed to
rain and wind.
Hon they do gee us a little bit o' mait, 'tis a-bwoild and a-bwoild
gin there idn neet one bit o' natur a-lef in it. Complaint of a
workhouse inmate.
NAUNT [naa'nt], sb. This, like nuncle (q. v.), does not
necessarily imply relationship.
Well ! just eens I was comin' along, who should ees meet but
th' old JVaunf Betty, so I zaid, s' I, Well, naunt, and how d' ye sim
you be ?
I haue a naunte to nonne ' and an abbesse bothe,
Hir were leuere swowe or swelte • Jan suffre any peyne.
Piers Plowman, B. V. 153.
NAWL [nau'l], sb. Awl. Always so when used alone ; yet we
talk of a shoemaker's awl, a brad-awl, &c.
Jack's a zeed my nawl? I had'n a minute agone.
Nail for a souter — alesne.
Nail-maker— faisevr dalesnes. — Palsgrave.
Hole bridle and saddle, whit leather and tiall,
With collers and harneis, for thiller and all. — Titsser, 17-4.
NAWL [naa-ul], sb. Navel. (Com. pronun.)
For whi helthe schal be in thi nawle, and moisting of thi boonys.
Wyclifvers. Proverbs iii. 8.
Thi nawle is as a round cuppe, and well formed. — Ib. Song of Solomon vii. 2.
wi thy dugged Clathers up zo vur as thy Na'el.—Exmoor Scolding, 1. 135.
NAWL-CUT [naa-ul-kuut], sb. Used by butchers. The belly
part.
His strengthe is in hise leendis, and his vertu is in the naivlt of his wombe.
Wycliffvers. Job xl. 12.
NEAR [nee'ur], adj. and adv. i. Close. Seldom used in the
ordinary sense of close to. See NIGH.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 503
'Tvvas a near shave eens you wadn too late.
That'll do near enough ; nif 'ee try to do it better you'll spwoil it.
That's near enough ; no 'casion vor no glue joints 'bout thick
there job. Well, nif 'twadn rezackly (exactly), 'twas so neaf's four-
pence is to a groat. You baint no-ways near a-come, not 'eet — /'. e.
you are not yet nearly arrived.
2. adj. Stingy ; miserly.
Tid'n no good vor t'ax he ; a's to near vor to be honest ; why,
arter anybody Ve a-do'd the work 'tis a worth eighteen pence vor
to get a shillin' out o' un.
3. sb. Use, purpose — in the phr. "What's the near." (Com.)
What's the near to tell up such stuff's that?
NEAR BY [nee'ur buy], adv. Close at hand.
How far is it to Blagdon ? Oh, you be near by, tidn no ways
here from.
NEAR CHANCE [nee'ur chaa'ns], sb. A close shave; a near
miss.
'Twas all but the nearest chance in the wordle we 'adn a turn'd
over.
NEARDER [nee-urdur], ) ,. „ , ff* \
NEARDEST [nee'urdees], } ^ ComP' of near'
'Tis nearder thick way-'n tother. Comp. varder (lit. further),
smallder, &c.
These forms are not so common as handy, handier, nigher,
nig/ies/, because near itself is very seldom used in this sense.
NEAR-SIDE [nee'ur-zuyd], sb. The left side. In speaking
of horses, carriages of all sorts, or driving, the left side is always
so called, because the driver always walks on that side of the team.
Frequently used in reference to persons and places, but in such
connection it is rather horsey. See OFF.
This can have no connection, as suggested, with neere or nearc —
the kidney, or its antithesis would not be off. See Neere in
Promp. Parv., Palsgrave^ &c.
NEAT [nai't], adj. Applied to wines or spirits ; undiluted.
Hot or cold, sir? Nother one o' it — let's have it neat.
It is common to see " neat wines " as one of the announcements
at an inn or public-house holding a spirit license.
NEAT [nai't], sb. Cattle; bullock. This word is nearly
obsolete, and is only now found in combination, as neatherd
(which is seen in auctioneers' advertisements and particulars of
sales, &c.), and in " neat's-foot oil," the common and only name
for an oil obtained by boiling the feet of cattle — much used by
curriers.
504 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NEET, beest. Bos. (Neet, or hekfere, infra in styrk. Tuvenca .)
NEET BREYDARE. Reciarius. NEET DRYVARE. Armentarius.
NEET HYRDE. Bttbiiltis. NEET HOWSE. — Promp. Parv.
NEAT AS A NEW PIN [naits u nue- peen]. Very neat.
I didn know th' old Dame Morgan's darter, her was a-dressed
off so fine, and so nate's a new pin — different to hot her is home
about. (Very com.)
NECESSARY [naes-usuree], sb. A privy. (Com.)
NECESSITY [nai'saes'utee], sb. See STILL-WATERS.
NECK [naek], sb. It is still the custom at the cutting of the
last field of wheat on a farm, to take a large handful of ears and
plait the straws into a fanciful shape, very much like the fantastic
constructions of plaited palm leaves, carried by Roman canons on
Palm Sunday. This is called the neck, and is still to be seen in
many West country farm-houses, usually hanging to the kitchen
ceiling or the bacon-rack until supplanted by a new one at the
next harvest. In parts of N. Devon and the Exmoor district there
was quite recently a kind of ceremony at the completion of the
cutting, called " crying " or " hollaring the neck" but in many
places the neck is preserved, while the words and the custom are
lost or forgotten. Neck is no doubt nick or nitch (q. v.), a sheaf.
For the following I am indebted to the Rev. W. C. Loveband,
Rector of West Down :
" Tom Dobb of West Down, who has cried ' neck ' for more than
sixty years, is my informant.
"The ' neck' should be made of bearded wheat with four lissoms
or plaits. Size of sheaf (neck) ' big's your hand-wrist.' Two rows of
the lissoms at least. Cried at the finishing of reaping. One man
stands in the middle of the ring of reapers, holding it up. The
words begun very low [Wee* ... ae* ... un], we have un (twice).
We . , . e . . e . . . ae . . . a . . . a . . . a neck (third time);
(we have a neck), crescendo throughout. Repeated three times,
and ending with cheers, or rather, Wcoroa !
"The neck must be kept dry, and put on the supper-table dry.
The 'maids or women' of the house endeavour to 'souse water'
over the one who carries the neck, and if he allows it to become
wet, he is not allowed to have anything to drink for the rest of the
evening. Tom has been ' wet droo ' many a time, but some one
else in the mean time slipped in with the neck"
The Rev. Rowland Newman of Hawkridge says that "the old
custom of crying a neck is still continued in the neighbourhood of
Holland," and he substantially repeats the same account as the
above respecting the maids and the water. As a boy I remember
seeing the neck cried near South Molton, but I do not recollect the
water business, though that may have occurred. What I saw was
dene in the harvest-field.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 505
My recollection is clear that the shout was given as an antiphon by two sets ;
one began "We . . . ae . . . un !" answered by " Hot-ave-ee?" repeated twice.
The third time, " We ... ae ... a neck!" answered by "Atiecfc! a neck ! a neck!"
all in chorus, followed by Hurrahs. There seem to be several variations in the
mode of performing this ancient rite, and during a visit in 1765, that statesman
(Lord North) was so scared by the cries of a body of reapers, who were " crying
the neck" at the close of harvest, with upraised hooks, and the traditional shout,
"We have un!" that he thought his life was threatened. His friend, Sir
Robert Hamilton, seizing a sword, rushed out to repulse the "enemy," when
the time-honoured custom was explained and all fears allayed.
1886. R. N. Worth, History of Devonshire (Axminster), p. 67.
In reference to the above Mr. Worth writes : " I have heard of
the custom in all parts of Devon and Cornwall, and it is current
in Cornwall now, especially toward the west." He also calls attention
to a detailed description of " crying the neck " in Couch's Polperro,
1871, pp. 159-60. Also to Mrs. Bray's The Borders of the Tamar
and the Tavy, 1879, pp. 285-7, wno regards the custom as Druidical.
Mr. Worth also points out that a similar custom in Cumberland is
recorded in Brand's Popular Antiquities, ed. 1877, p. 302.
NECK AND CRAP [naek'-n kraap-], adv. phr. Bodily; com-
pletely, and with violence understood.
A publican who violentlv ejected a customer would be said "to
turn un out neck-n crap."
So a headlong tumble into a pond would be described, " he
vailed in neck-n crap"
NECKHANDKECHER [naek-ang-kechur], sb. Neckerchief,
necktie. (Always.) See HANDKECHER.
Will Moles 've a-brought our Liz a new silk \neck- ang-kichur\.
He bought-n to Minehead fair same purpose vor to gee un to her.
NECK-HAPSES [naek-aap-sez]
Are the irons put round the necks of the " under-horses " to support the
bodkins of the front ones. Pitlman, Rustic Sketches, p. 162.
These are evidently the "bearing gears " of Gervase Markham :
then there is needful! the plow clevise, and teame, the toustred, the swingle
trees, the treates, the harnesse, the collars, the round vviths or bearing geares,
bellie-bands, backebands, and bridles.— A.D. 1616. The Countrey Farme, p. 533.
NECK OF THE FOOT [naek- u dhu veo't], sb. The instep.
Did'n hurt-n much; there was a bit of a risin' like jist 'pon the
neck o' the voot like, where the wheel urn'd over'n ; but there, there
wad'n no bones a-brokt, and he 'ont take no notige o' ut.
NEDDY [nai'dee], sb. Cant name for donkey.
NEEDCESSITY [niid-sas'utee], sb. Necessity.
There wadn no needcessity \ all vor you to a-paid, I'd a settled,
and a-paid em avore.
506
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
There ont be no needcessity vor you to come, 'thout you be a
mind to.
NEEDMENTS [nea-dmunts], sb. Necessaries.
Poor old blid ! her 'ant a-got the needments vor to keep body
and soul together — her's jtst a-starved to death — ees ! and that
her is !
NEEDS [needz], adv. Of necessity ; forsooth. Com. among
farmers and others above the labouring class.
I told thee to hold thy jaw, but there thee must needs go and
let out how 'twas me — ya gurt gapmouth ! I've half a mind to
wring the scraalin' neck o' thee.
NEEL [nee-ul], sb. Needle (always).
Those who have been to school and know how to spell, such as
maid-servants, &c., say niddle [niicH].
George, thee mind and get a neel-ii twine vor to mend they there
bags.
[Lai'n-s dhuy paak'een nee'ul, wuf ?] lend us thy packing needle,
wilt ?
NEET [neet], sb. i. The most usual pronun. of night without
stress, and when in combination. (Exact rhyme of sweet.)
'Tidn vull moon again, neet's vortneet. Come in umbye-neet.
2. adv. Not.
He ont be a finish'd, neet avore Zadurday night [nai't].
Rather an emphatic, though common form. See NIT.
NEET A'MOST [neet u-mairs], adv. Not almost; /". e. not to be
compared; nothing like it. (Very corn.)
Shan't zell mine vor no less'n Mr. Gilham. Well then you can
keep em — vor yours baint so good, nor neet a'most.
NEGLECTFUL [naiglaek-feol], adj. Negligent.
Tidn no use vor tris to her : her's the \naiglaek'fiols\ neglectfulest
bitch ever come into a house.
NEIGHBOURING [naa-ybureen], sb. and part. adj. Gossiping ;
idly gadding about to neighbours' houses.
I baint no ways surprise vor to zee they boys ragged and beastly ;
there's to much neighbouring always gwain on, vor the house to be
a looked arter.
All o'm up in thick there row be all of a piece, the neighbouring
chacklins lot in all the parish. (Neighbouringest, chacklingest.)
NEIGHBOURY [naa-yburee], v. i. To go about idly gossiping
at neighbours' houses.
There ! I never don't urn about, nor I don't neighboury same's
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 5O/
some vokes, and I told Mrs. Tottle tother day, I says, s' I, Tis hard
vor anybody's chillern vor to be 'cused, &c.
Better fit her'd bide home and tend her chillern, an' neet be all
her time neighbour™ and hinderin they that got work vor to put out
o' hand.
NEMONY [minvunee], sb. Anemone.
They there nemonies makes a good show, don't em ?
The first syllable in the singular is of course taken to be the
indefinite demonstrative, and so becomes dropped in plural or defin-
ite constructions. Comp. nottomy. Anemone is often corrupted into
enemy.
NERE [nee'ur], adv. Mere. Constantly so pronounced.
'T\vas a nere nothing. See BUCKLE AND THONGS.
NESAKTLY [nuzaak'lee], adv. Exactly.
[Aay kaa-n tuul'ee nuzaak'lee wuur ez1,] I cannot tell you exactly
where he is.
Also pronounced ruzaak'lee, luzaak'lee, udzaak'lee.
NESSES [naes'uz], sb. Nests; sing, ness; plur. nesses.
This is rather the commoner form than nestes — the / is never
heard in the singular, except before a vowel, and even then but
rarely ; the same with best, worst > &c.
They there bwoys be arter the bird's nesses ageean 1
NEST [naes*(t], v. t. To nestle; to coil up like a dog. Refers
to the way a dog turns round, before he lies down. See NOOZLE.
He (a dog) ness'd hissel down 'pon the cold ground like.
NEST [naes(t], sb. A collection of any kind of things; a
gathering.
You never didn zee no jich nest o' rummage in all your born
days.
There was Jack Billings and Ned Cowlin and a purty nest o'm in
there ; zo I started to once, vore they zeed me.
NEST-EGG [naes-t-aeg-], sb. The addled or "cloamen"
egg kept in the nest of a laying hen. Also very often used
metaphorically.
A woman making a deposit in the Penny Bank for her little boy
said: —
I sim I do want to put in a bit of a nest-egg vor-n, gin he can sar
(earn) something vor his zul.
NESTLE-TRIPE [naes'l-truyp], s&. In every large brood or
litter there is certain to be one smaller and weaker than the rest ;
this is always called the nestle-tripe. So also is a weak puny child.
5o8
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
In dealing for a " varth " of pigs, it is very common for the buyer
to say, " Well then I 'ont gie the same for the nestle-tripe" or "you
shall drow out the nestle-tripe"
NESTY [naes'tee, naes'ee], v. i. To build nests.
The rooks '11 very zoon begin to nesty, I've a-zeed zome o'm
carrin 'bout sticks a'ready. Another speaker would say to nessy.
]>eos ne beofc nout iliche \>z pellican ]>e leane, ne ne vleof> nout an heih f auh
beoj) eorj? briddes, *\ nested o )>er eorfce. Ancren Khvle, p. 132.
NETTLE [naefl], v. t. To rouse the anger; to irritate.
I was that a nettled, I could a up wi' my vice (fist)-n hat-n down.
NETTLY UP [naet'lee aup", nuflee aup*], v. i. To become
angry : to fly into a rage.
I zaid to un, s' I, Tidn no goodvor to nettly up like that there
about it ; could'n be helped ; and if hard words don't break no
bones, why I'll warn they ont mend no winders.
NEVER [mivur], adv. and sb. i. It will not fail to have been
noted how the use of never leads to the piling on of negatives.
I 'oat nerer zee un again, not so long's I do live.
Stap cheel ! never 's a long day. See LIKES i.
2. By no means ; not at all.
You can't never 'spect they beast to goody in no such keep's
that — I calls it starvin' o'm. For ill. see also ILL-TENDED, M ISLE ST.
NEVERSTIDE [naevurstuyd], sb. Never. Like "when to-
morrow comes."
It is common to say to children, that they shall go somewhere
next neverstide ; or that they shall have a silver new nothing next
neverstide.
NEVER THE NEAR [naevur dim nee-ur], //*r. Unavailing;
to no purpose. (Com.)
There ! her ten' un and her watch'n jis the very same's off 'twas
her own cheel, but there, twadn never the near, he never did'n
get no better.
NEWELTY [nue-ultee], sb. Novelty. (Occasionally heard.)
Well ! there idn very much newelty in thick there contraption
like, he's something same's a old ewe a dressed up lamb-fashion.
Loo dame ! here is newelti!
In oure gardeyne of a chery-tree
I fond yt sekerly. — Weber, Met. Rom. Sir Cleges, 1. 214.
NEW-FANGLED [nue'-vang'l(d], adj. Novel in construction ;
new in kind. (Very com.)
I don't like none o' they there new-vangled machines. I likes
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 509
"to reap and mow and plow and zow" in th' old-fashion'd way,
same's father did avore me.
NEW-FOUND-OUT [nue'-vaewnd-aewt], sb. Newfoundland.
A boy, asked where his father was, replied —
Auver to New-found-out, mum, where they plants taties twice
a year, mum.
NEWS [niie'z], sb. Newspaper.
Our Tom's a good scholard ; why, most every night they zends
vor-n to come into the Barley Mow vor to read out the war 'pon
the news.
NEWSY [nue'zee], adj. Gossiping ; fond of hearing gossip.
There idn nort to choose 'twixt em, he's so newsy's ever her is ;
other one o'm 'ud talk a butt o' bees to death.
NEXT DOOR TO [naeks doo'ur], adv. Almost; very nearly.
'Twas next door to a miracle, 'hon the tree vailed, eens he hadn
a-killed none o' the chillern.
NEXT-KIN [naek-skeen], dr</#. Almost ; very nearly. Whether
this is next-kin or next-skin is hard to determine, but I think the
former is the idiom. Same as NEXT-DOOR.
The young Squire idn much o't ; they zes how a's next-kin to
a fool.
Anybody can't live by it, 'tis next-kin to starvin' anybody to
death.
They that ban't vound out 'ill zware that each o' ther vish was nex1 kin to a
salmon. Piilman, Rustic Sketches, p. 12.
NEXT-NEVER [naek's-nuVur], adv. Never.
I haven't any change now, but I will remember you when I see
you again. Ugh ! thank'ee vor nort; that'll be next-neve f I count.
NEXT-NEVER-COME-TIME [naek's-nuvur-kaum-tuym], adv.
When b'ee comin' to zee us again? Oh, I count that'll be
next-never-come-tiine.
Commonly used in a kind of jesting way.
NIB [niib], sb. The draught-tree or strong pole of a wagon,
or especially of a timber-carriage, which connects the axle of the
hinder wheels to the fore-carriage. In a timber-carriage it is used
as a strong lever in loading, to raise up the tree under the axle,
and to keep it suspended there. Hence it gives its name to the
entire back part of an under-carriage (q. v.} consisting of two very
high wheels, having an arched axle between them, with the nib
proper projecting at right angles to it, and with a strong iron bow
or eye fixed on the end, by which, when teary, to attach the nib
to the front wheels. The pole of a bullock-butt or ox-cart is also
called the nib.
510 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NIB-CHAIN [mib-charn or chaa'yn], sb. A very strong chain
belonging to a timber-carriage. It is that used to suspend the
tree under the axle of the hinder wheels. It has a slip-hook, by
means of which the chain can be unfastened and the tree let fall
without loosening the chain.
NICE [nuys], adj. Fastidious; dainty; over particular as to
food or dress.
I tell ee hot 'tis, nif you be so nice as all that there, you'll come
to want one o' these yur days. Seems to have had many meanings
of old.
NYCE. Jners. NYCEHEDE, or nycete. Inertia. — Promp. Parv.
NICE : Lither, lazy, slothful, idle, faint, slack ; dull, simple. — Cot grave.
Nyse proper or feate — mignot, coint, gobe.
Nyse strange — nice, nyes. — Palsgrave.
Quoth Pandarus, "Thow hast a ful grete care,
Lest that the cherl may falle out of the moone :
Why, lord ! I hate of the thi nice fare ! — Chaucer, Troy, and Crys. \. 1023.
He let his negheboures child for a vice
And went fram hem als moppe and nice. — Seuyn Sages, 1. 1415.
The slouen and the careles man, the roinish nothing nice,
To lodge in chamber comely deckt, are seldome suffred twice. — Tusser, 102/1.
Old Fashions please me best ; I am not so nice,
To change true rules for odd inventions. — Taming the Shreiv, III. i.
NICE-CHANCE. Same as NEAR-CHANCE (q. v.}.
NICK [nik-], sb. i. A notch.
Tell how many n:'cks is 'pon thick there tally-stick.
2. A slit or cut for the purpose of identification upon the ear
or other part of any animal. Young hares or rabbits when set
at liberty are usually marked with a nick on one or both ears.
" The Swan with Two Necks " is really the swan having the mark
of the owners, viz. two nicks on the web of the foot.
3. A niche, as a nick in a rock.
I voun un in a bit of a nick in the wall o' th' old barn.
4. A cut or a chop made on a growing stick to permit of its
being bent down or " laid " in a hedge, so that it may throw out
new shoots.
5. A nitch or bundle. See KNITCH.
6. In the phr. "nick o' time."
We happed to zee un, jis the very nick o' time.
That there hay was a-catch'd up jist in the very nick o' time ; nif
we had'n a-do'd it tho, there must a-bide vor a wole vortnight.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 511
7. In the epithet " Old Nick " for the Devil.
NICK [nik], v. t. i. To act at precisely the right moment.
I nicKd it rezactly, in two minutes more tvvid-n a do'd at all.
2. To notch ; to cut a notch.
I've a.-nick'd my knive again.
It is no trevve poynte to nycki your tayle or to haue mo nyckes upon your tayle
than I haue upon myne. Palsgrave, p. 644.
Some cutteth the napkin, some trencher will nick,
Some sheweth like follie in many a trick. — Tusser, 98/4.
NICKLED UP [nik-ld aup], part. adj. Entangled ; twisted.
Often said of beaten-down corn or grass.
No machine on't never tich o' thick there piece o' barley, he's
^.-trickled up all forms and farshins.
NICKLE-NACKLE [nik'1-naak'l], sb., adj., and adv. i. Applied
to substances or fibres — tangled.
Why, thee's a-got the skein all to a nickle-nackle.
However's anybody gwain to toze out this yur nickle-nackle
consarn ?
2. Applied to persons — namby-pamby, pottering.
Don't let me catch thee here no more, ya nickle-nackle osebird !
NICKY [nik'ee], sb. Brambles, kexes, and other hedge-prunings
(browse) done up in a small faggot — called sometimes nicky-wad.
When dry they are admirable fire-lighters. (Very com.)
Let Jim take the mare and go down in the Bottom-mead arter
they nickies what Joe 've a-tied up. Same as NITCH.
NIDDICK [mid-ik], sb. The nape or back part of the neck.
Applied also sometimes to the back of the head, and to the head
itself.
The bwoy's a-hat mortal hard — there's a gurt hump 'pon the
niddick o' un so big's a duck-egg.
Is dedn't me-an the Boneshave, ner the Heartgun, ner the Allernbatch that
tha had'st in thy Niddick. Ex. Scold. 1. 24. See also Ib. 1. 555.
NIDDY [mid'ee]. Same as NEDDY. A fool ; a jackass.
Thee must be a purty niddy vor to go down same purpose vor
to vatch the hook, and then come away wayout-n.
NIF [neef], conj. If; an' if. (Always.) Endless examples
will be noticed throughout these pages. See Ex. Scold. 11. 12,
162, 195, 196, &c.
NIFF [niif-], sb. Tiff; state of being ruffled or displeased.
Let her alone, her've on'y a-got a bit of a ni/", her'll zoon come
o' that again.
512 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NIGGLE [nig'l], v. i. To do anything in a petty, mincing
kind of way, without boldness or straightforwardness ; in a desultory
or dilatory manner.
Why's-n do thy work like a man, not bide there niggling way
it, like a zovv 'pon a holiday ?
NIGGLE [nig'l], r. t. and sb. i. Same as to nag. To aggravate.
Her'd niggle anybody's live out o' em, nif they'd let her to.
Her's always 'pon the niggle way un.
2. Nibble.
Could'n catch no fish, they wid'n only jist niggle like, 'thout
bitin' proper.
NIGGLING [nig'leen], adj. Mean ; cheese-paring.
A niggliri old thing ! can't get nort out o' her — her'd skin a
vlint by her mind.
NIGH [nuy], adv. Comp. nigher, super, nighest, near, nearly.
The usual word, though handy is perhaps more frequently used in
speaking of situation or distance.
Nif they wadn every one o'm there, I'll take my oath 'twas nigh
upon it — /'. e. very nearly all.
Thick way's so nigh 's you can go; I reckon he's nigher by a
mild, vull up-m th' old road.
'Twas the nighest chance in the wordle, eens the gurt piece o'
rock had-n a-come down tap o' my 'ead (upon my head).
NIGHST [nuyst]. Var. pronun. of 'neast. See ANEAST.
NIGHT [nai't, emphatic}, sb. Any time after the day's work is
over.
" I'll do it vor ee m' bye night" even if said in the summer, would
mean " this evening after six." Evening is a genteel word seldom
used by peasants, except to gentry. They have other words to
signify " dusk cf evening," &c. See UMBYE.
NIGHT-CAP [nai't-kaap], sb. A glass of hot grog just before
going to bed.
I be next-kin to a taytotal, I be, but I sim I can't slape vitty,
nif I han't a-got my little bit of a night-cap like, avore I goes
to bed.
NIGHT-CROW [nai-t-kroa-], sb. The night-jar or goat sucker.
(Usual name.) Caprimulgus Europceus.
NYGHTE-CROWE. Nicticorax. — Promp. Pan.
A NYGHTE-RAVENE, cetuma, tticticorax, noctua, slrix. — Cath, Aug.
NIGHT-CROWE — cresserelle. — Palsgrave.
. . . . the shrieks of luckless owls
We hear, and croaking night-crows in the air !
/>'(••;/ Jotison, Sad Shepherd, II. ii.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 513
NIGHT-HALTER [nai't-airltur], sb. The ordinary leather
head-stall, with chain attached, with which horses are fastened
when in the stable. See HEMPEN HALTER.
NIGHT-HAWK [nai't-atrk]. Same as NIGHT-CROW.
NIGHT-HUNTER [nai-t-uurrtur], sb. Poacher. (Com. name.)
Th' old Jack in the Box, eens they calls'n, 's the worst night-
hunter hereabout.
Thick there dog hot he've a-got's a proper night-hunter.
NIGHT-TIMES [nartuymz], adv. At night. (Very com.)
Plaise, sir, I be a past the standard. I goes to work, but I goes
to school night-times.
NIMBLE-TAILOR [nunrl-taa-yuldur]. i. A well-known and
prolific variety of field-pea.
2. The long-tailed titmouse. (Occasionally.) Parus caudatus.
NIMMLE [nunrl], adj. Nimble.
The nimmle ninepence is better'n the dead shillin'.
NINCUMPOOP [ning-kumpeo-p], sb. A sawny, fool, duffer.
Zo, Mary, they zess you be gwain to be a-married. Who way,
then ? Au ! why he up to Jones's be sure. Git out wi' thee I
's think I'd have zich a poor little nincumpoop'?, he ?
NINNY, NINNY-HAMMER [nun-ee], sb. A softy ; a spoony ;
silly fellow. Usually qualified by great or little.
[Git aewt ! ue's dhingk-s gwai'n vor ae'u jish guurt nun'ee-
aam'ur-z dhee* aart?] be off! who do you think will have such a
great spoony as you ?
NINNY-WATCH [nuVee-wauch], sb. A state of great excite-
ment, of longing expectancy.
The women was all to a ninny-watch gin they zeed the boats
comin' back.
Why thee art in a Ninniivatch e'ery other Torn, nif zo be tha dest bet zet
zeert in Harry Vursdon. Ex. Scold. 1. 36.
NIP [nup], v. t. i. To pinch.
What ails thy hand ? Why, I nip the tap o' my vinger, eens a
was graysin the timber-carriage, and now the nail's a-slipt oaf.
2. To wither ; to scorch.
'Twas a smart vrost last night — 't'ave &-nipt all the kidney-beans.
3. v.i. To slip rapidly through, or past; to go quickly and
stealthily.
I zeed'n comin, zo I nipt in behind the door, and there I bide
gin he was a-started again.
L L
514
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NIP [ndp], sb. i. A small meal.
Th' old missus was always very good like to me, her used 'most
always to tell me to come in the kitchen and have a bit of a nip.
2. A pinch ; a squeeze.
I meet way a nip in the drashin'-machine — 'most squat my
thumb abroad.
3. Also figurative.
'Twas a purty hard nip for 'ee, lostin' thick there gurt zo\v — I
count he was a wo'th up vive pound, wad'n 'er ?
O painfull time, for euerie crime,
What toesed eares, like baited beares !
What bobbed lips, what ierks, what nips !
What hellish toies ! — Tusser, 113/5.
NIP-CHEESE [mip'-cheez], sb. A miser.
NIP OFF [mip- oa'f], v. i. To make off rapidly and by stealth.
The young osebirds nipt ^avore I could come aneast em — drat
their heads !
NIPPER [mip-ur], sb. A small boy. (Very com.)
I mind hon I was a nipper I was fo'ced to work hard ; ees, and
live hard too. Here, nipper ! look sharp !
NIPPIGANG [niip'eegang], sb. A gathering, or whitlow ; an
abscess ; carbuncle. (Very com.)
I 'ant a-bin able vor to do nort 'is wik-n more — I got a nipp-'gang
'pon my 'an'-wrist ; and he do ache, I 'sure ee — and I be 'feard
there's another comin' tap my thumb.
NIPPY [nup-ee], adj. Hungry.
Well, I sim I be getting purty nippy ; hot's the clock, soce ?
NIP UP [mip' aup], v.t. i. To snatch up.
Her nipt up the cheel and away to go, so vast as ever her heels
could car her.
2. To wither or scorch completely.
The taties be proper a.-nipt up, sure 'nough ! way the vrost last
night.
NIT [nut], sb. i. The egg of the louse. In dogs and old
horses these may be seen as white specks adhering to the hairs.
Nyt in a mannes heed — lente. — Palsgrave.
When ploughing is ended, and pasture not great,
Then stable thy horses, and tend them with meat :
Let season be drie when ye take them to house,
For danger of niltts, or for fear of a louse. — Tusser, 21/23.
2. "So dead's a nit" is one of the regular similes commonly
used as the superlative absolute of dead. See W. S. Gram. p. 22.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 515
NIT [nit, nut, neet], adv. Not. When not comes before other
words in a sentence it takes one of the above forms. When
joined to one of the auxiliary verbs, see N 5.
There idn nit above zix a-left. Neet half a bad job, is it? Not
is only heard as a very emphatic negative.
I don't care what you do zay, 1 tell 'ee 'tis not.
NIT [mit], sb. Nut. Always so pronounced.
Sight o' nits about de year — never know'd em thicker.
NITCH [neech], sb. A bundle of any kind, but usually of firing,
either sticks or furze, such as a man would carry home on his back.
See KNITCH.
I'd zwear 'twas he ; I meet'n vull butt wi' a nitch o' vuz to his
back.
Reed — 300 nitches of good hand-made reed for sale. — Apply, John Wm. Dunn,
Higher Butteiieigh, Butterleigh, near (Jullompton.
Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 2, 1886.
NITTLE [nud'l], adj. Little. This form is extremely common
amongst children, and consequently among nurses and others
addressing them, as —
[Yuur, Biil'ee ! lu-mee waursh yue n&d'l an'z], here, Billy ! let
me wash your little hands.
[Bee yur nud'l veet koa'l ?] are your little feet cold ?
NO [noa1], adv. Not.
Jim, urn down and ax Bob whe'er he's comin' or no.
'Tidn a bit o' odds whe'er you do it or no.
I'll let 'e know 'vore Vriday nif I be gwain or no.
NOB [naub], sb. i. The head.
Tak thy gurt nob out o' the road.
2. The nose.
Well ! he've a-got a nob of his own, an't 'er now ? See NUB.
NOBBLE [naub-1], v. t. i. To steal ; to get hold of by stealth ;'
to borrow without leave.
Zomebody 've a nobbled the barrow again ; drat their heads, I
did'n care nif they'd on'y bring un back again.
2. To hew stones for walling into proper shape — /. e. to knock
off knobs or lumps.
NOBBLER [naub'lur], sb. One whose business it is to prepare
rough stones for mason's use.
A downright good nobbler's a wo'th any wages ; you can't make
no good work nif the stones bain't ^.-nobbled a little bit arter the
rate like.
L L 2
516 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NOBBLY [naub'lee], adj. Having knobs or uneven surfaces :
applied chiefly to building-stones. See MUM ELY.
NOBBY [naub'ee], adj. Good ; nice ; pretty.
Zeed our new cart ? 'Tis a proper nobby one, I can tell ee.
A late importation, but now very common.
NOBERY [noa'buuree]. Nobody. Common pronunciation in
quick speech.
I don't care vor nobery, nor nobery don't care vor me.
NOBLE. Used only in the common phrase, "Noble to nine-
pence" [noa'bl tu nuynpuns]. To spend lavishly or to live
extravagantly is said to be the way to bring the noble to ninepence.
One noble in season bestowed thereon
May saue thee a hundred er winter be gon. — Tusser, 16/16.
NO CALL [noa kau'l], phr. No need ; no necessity.
Nif maister axth o' ee, you no call vor zay how I was there.
NODDLE [naud-1, nau'l], sb. The head.
There idn no sense in the noddle o' un.
Jim, hon did thy noil zee the bursh last? I'd comb un out,
nif I was thee, and have a little o' the highest o' it a-cut off like,
s'now.
NODYL, or nodle of ]>e heed (or nolle, infra). Occiput.
NOLLE, supra, idem quod nodul. — Promp. Parv.
)>ey vse)> long berdes and longe lokkes hongynge doun by hynde hir nolles.
Trevisa, De Hibernia, xxxn. Vol. i. p. 355.
)>e lord schal make ballid J>e nol of the doujtris of Sion.
Wyclifvers., Isaiah iii. 17.
Noddle of the heed — coupeau de la teste. — Palsgrave.
Though Jris be derklich endited • ffor a dull nolle,
Miche nede is it not • to mwse ]>er-on. — Langland, Rich, the Redeles, I. 20.
NODDY [naud'ee], sb. A simple sawny; a stupid person; a
noodle.
You never did'n zee no jich slack-ass gurt noddy in all your born
days.
NODDY-POLL [naud'ee poal]. Var. of noddy. (Both very com.)
NO FASHION [noa faarsheen], adv. Badly; ill-contrivedly.
Thick's a purty thing sure 'nough, why he idn a made no
fashion.
NO FEAR ! [noa fee'ur !] interj. Used constantly, but with no
kind of connection with the subject.
'Twas a rare shear o' grass, no fear 7 and I hope we shall zee the
fuller o' un next year. — July 1883.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 517
NOG [naug], sb. A log, block. See NUG.
NOGGERHEAD [naug-urard], sb. A blockhead ; a numskull.
Call he a good-looking fuller ! I calls'n a gurt hugly noggerhead,
and s'ignorant's a 'oun (hound).
NOGGIN [naug-een], sb. A measure used only in retailing
wines and spirits. A quarter of a pint.
NOGGIN [naug'een], sb. Usually brick-*tt>g$2ft. A thin wall or
partition built of bricks on edge, with timber supports.
NO GO [noa' goo*], adv. Not to be done ; impracticable.
Turney Payne do'd all he could vor'n, and maister spokt up vor'n
too, but twadn no go, they widn 'ark to it, and they gid'n zix
months.
NO GREAT SHAKES [noa guurt shee'uks]. A generally
depreciatory expression ; inferior.
" They taties baint tio gurt shakes " means they are not good.
" Her idn no gurt shakes" means that her reputation is doubtful.
Also applied to health.
Thank'ee I baint no gurt shakes 'is mornin, I 'sur'ee ; my breath
is so short, and I can't make use o' nothin 'ar'ly.
NOHOW [noa'aew], adv. In no way.
Can't do it nohow this week.
NOIL [nauyul], sb. Tech. In the process of combing, after all
the long-fibred wool has been "pulled off" from the comb into the
sliver (q. v.\ there is a residuum of short wasty wool in the comb;
this is the noil.
Noils are regular and well-understood articles of commerce ;
throughout England. Halliwell is wrong, and so are his copiers ;
the word is nowhere used for merely coarse locks of wool, or
for dag locks, though there are both coarse and fine noils. Short-
ness of staple or fibre is the characteristic of noils, and not quality
of wool.
In the West the commoner term is pinion ; (Mod. Fr. peignon
— i. e. comb-waste ; ) and noil is quite a late importation from the
North, along with combing-machines. Evidently an old word,
it seems formerly to have implied something of little value ; now,
however, noils are an important article in commerce, owing to
improved machinery.
NYLE of wulle (nyl or wyl). Nullipensa, plur. — Promp. Parv.
NAYLE of woll. — Palsgrave.
NOINT [nauynt], v. t. To beat; to smack.
Jimmy ! tumm'ld down again and dirt yer pinny ! you bad boy,
I'll noint your bottom vor'ee, I will, you young rascal !
518 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NOINTED [nauyntud], adj. Anointed.
Very commonly used throughout the West. The idea is that
of being utterly given over to evil course — /. e. the devil's anointed.
A nointed rogue, I be safe 'twas he.
There idn nit a more nointeder young osebird in all the parish.
The implication is, however, frequently that of mere mischief. A
nointed young rascal would only mean a very mischievous boy.
NOINTMENT [nauyntmunt], sb. Ointment.
Well, Thomas, what did the doctor say ?
Au ! he gid me some stuff, and some nointment^ and told me to
come and zee un again next week.
NOISE [nauyz], sb. i. Blame; reproof; fault-finding; anger.
This is the common expression for scolding, probably because
reproof is generally administered by farmers to their men in
anything but a whisper.
[Dhur nl bee u puurdee nauyz neef mae'ustur shtid zee' ut,]
there will be a pretty noise — i. e. much complaint and fault-finding
— if master should see it.
[Ded muVus maek u nauyz kuz aay waud'-n rad'ee?] did mistress
seem angry because I was not ready ?
There'll be a fine noise hon maister knowth it.
You mus'n touch o' they, else there'll be a noise about it.
2. Scandal ; disturbance.
There's a purty noise 'bout th' old Jack Hill's wive ; he turned
her to doors torectly he vound out, eens her was gwain on.
There'll be a noise wi' the police nif tidn a finished avore ten
o'clock. — Aug. 1883. Said in reference to carting manure out of
the town.
Our dialectal use is precisely like old French.
NOISE : a brabble, brawl, debate, wrangle, squabble, chiding, altercation,
scoulding ; a quarrel, strife, odds, •variance, difference, discord, or disagreement in
words.
Qui lemme a, noise a ; Prov. He that a wife hath, strife hath. — Cotgrave.
NOISY [nauyzee], v. i. To scold ; to find fault ; to quarrel.
Her's noisin wi' zomebody or nother vrom Monday morning to
Zadurday night.
NOLL. See NODDLE.
NOMMIT or NUMMIT [naunriit, nuunveet], sb. (Very com.)
Luncheon (noon-meat). A slight meal or refreshment in the
morning ; called also vorenoons, and leb'm d clocks.
I zim I must catch a bit o' nommit vore we starts, else shan't git
nort vore up dree clock.
NUNMETE, Merettda. — Promp. Parv.
A Kune tnete : Antecena, Antecenum. — Calk. Ang.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 519
NONE [noa'un, noo'un], adj. Always pronounced with a long
vowel and fracture. The Mod. Eng. \nuun~\ is quite unknown.
Ang.-Sax. nan. See MOOR.
Plaise, mum, maister's very zorry he can't zend no eggs to-day,
but there idn \twa'un~\ a-left.
NONE-SO-PRETTY [noa-un-zu-puurtee], sb. Corrupted some-
times into Nancy Pretty [nan'see puurtee], the Virginian stock.
? Sometimes London Pride (saxifraga umbrosa).
NONPLISH [nauirplish], sb. and v. t. Nonplus. (Com.)
Hon I come t'ax o' un hot business he'd a-got there, he was
proper a.-nonplisht.
NONPOWER [naun'paawur], sb. Fat sheep at the time when
their fleeces are at the fullest growth very often get upon their
backs, and having nothing to kick against are unable to turn. The
situation is dangerous, inasmuch as the animal's struggles soon
bring on inflammation of the bowels. This position is called a
nonpower. In daily use.
I vound two o' they [yoa'z] ewes to a nonpower z'mornin', but
they wad'n hurted.
Noujt of |>e notinpowere of god • pat he ne is myjtful
To amende al }>at amys is • and his mercy grettere
fan alle ourre wykked werkes ' as holiwrit telleth.
Piers Plowman, B. xvn. 310.
NONSENSE [naiursarns], sb. Delay ; hesitation ; temporising.
I wad'n gwain vor t-ha no nonsense way he, zo I finisht it to
once, and I gid 'n a darned good hiding, een's '11 veel hot a zits
'pon a Zindays, I'll warn (warrant) un.
NONSICAL [naurrsikul], adj. Nonsensical ; full of crotchets ;
eccentric.
Terr'ble nonsical sort of a man, never can't do nort same's other
vokes do do.
NON-SUCH [nairn-zuch], sb. i. A kind of green fodder, but
I am unable to identify it clearly. I have heard "lucerne"
(medicago sativd) so named, but Prior gives medicago lupulina, and
Britten accepts his authority.
2. A variety of table apple.
NOOD [neo-d, nue'd], sb. Wood (silva). In the phr. " So thick
as a nood." The usual simile.
[Neef wuz vur tu lat ut uloa'un, dhu vuuz wud km aup'-m dhik
dhae-ur vee'ul u graewn zu thik' liz u mo'dj\ if (one) was to let it
alone, the furze would come up in that field of ground so thick as
a nood. — Dec. 10, 1886.
520
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NO ODDS [noa- audz]. No matter.
Where't gwain? No odds to thee. I be gwain there-n back
again.
NOODLE [neo'dl], sb. Simpleton ; sawney. Implies silliness of
character rather than density of intellect.
NO OTHERWAYS [noa uudh'urwai'z], adv. Simply ; entirely ;
nothing else.
" All o' un idn no otherways 'n a zog," was the exact description
given me of a field which needed draining.
NOOZLE [neo-zl], v. t. Said of a dog or other animal. To
arrange the straw for his bed with the nose, as most animals do
before lying down. The word does not mean to nestle.
If a dog be put into a place with fresh straw, he will first noozle
out a hollow, then he will turn himself round, usually three times,
and then coil himself up.
NORATION [noa'rae'ushun], sb. Disturbance ; outcry ; com-
plaint.
There's a purty noration, sure 'nough, 'bout the taties. Volks
do zay they baint a worth diggin' some places.
NORMOUS [nau-rmus], adj. Enormous. (Com.)
Normous sight o' stock to fair, can't think where all o' it comth
vrom, nor eet whoever's gwain to buy it.
NORRUD [naurud], adv. Northward. (Always.)
'Tis lookin' ter'ble black away to norrud — I zim we shall ha
znow.
NORT [noa'urt], sb. Naught; nothing. (Always.) Comp. ort
(q. v.). See hundreds of illustrations in these pages.
Margery. That's nort to nobody. — Ex. Scold. 1. 621.
In voolish things a wudn't be cort ;
Twas stoopid to treat vokes vor nort.
P. Pindar, Royal Visit to Exeter, p. I.
Bit they who kin 'vord it, I think shude be boun'
If they can't do nort else, ta come out way thare poun'.
Nathan Hogg's Letters, p. 46. ( The Rifle Corps. )
NORTHERING [nau'dhureen], adj. Wandering; slightly
deranged; incoherent.
Hotever's the matter wi' missus ? her zimth all northering like.
NORTH-EYE [nairthuy], sb. A squint.
Ees, he's a good-looking young chap enough, nif he had'n a-got
thick there bit of a north-eye like.
NORT MARCHANTABLE. See MARCHANTABLE.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 521
NORWAY [nau'rwai], sb. A kind of stone for sharpening tools,
such as knives, hooks, &c., cut into a long finger-like shape. It is
never to be confounded with a whetstone. The latter is a rough
grindstone grit for sharpening scythes, while a norway is finer in
grain, more of the texture of a hone or oil-stone, but is used dry —
/. e. without oil or water.
NOSE [noo'uz or noa'uz], sb. The end, point, or projecting
part of anything. As the nose of a shaft ; the nose of a pick-axe ;
the nose of a pitcher. Also the outer rim of any round object,
as the nose of a wheel — i. e. the edge or outer rim of the nave ;
the nose of a cask — i. e. the chine or rim.
To "lead by the nose" is to have complete influence over.
Her can lead-n by the nose, eens her's a mind to.
To " shoot through the nose " is to supplant another in love.
He used to go 'long wi' th' old Bob Jones's maid, till Bill
Hookins shut-n drue the nose.
To " turn up the nose at " any person or thing is to regard him
or it contemptuously.
To "pay through the nose" is to pay dearly or extravagantly.
See MAZZARD.
NOSE [noo'uz, noa'uz], v. t. To smell.
Not stink ! tak'n nose it, that's all.
NOSE-BAG [noa'uz baig], sb. A feast ; a feed.
Well ! hon I zeed zo many o' they there whit-neckangkecher
fullers comin', I thinks to mysul, there's a bit of a nose-bag a-gwain
on in there.
NOSE-GIG [noa'uz-gig], sb. The little tip on the upper edge
of the toe of a horse-shoe, which helps to keep the shoe in place.
NOT EET [naut ee't]. Not yet. (Always.)
Come on, how long avore you be comin' ?
\_Naut ee't-s geod' beet,] not yet this good bit — /. e. for some
time.
NOT HALF BAD [neet aa-f bae'ud], phr. Very good ; very
nice ; pleasant.
Thick there job wadn neet half bad; I could sar my day's wages
to it avore breksus.
Her idn neet half a bad maid, her idn ; I can't think hot th' old
volks wid do 'thout her.
NOT HALF SAVED [neet aa-f sae'uv], phr. Daft ; idiotic.
(Very com.)
NO THANKY A HANG'D [noa dhang'kee u-ang'd]. Phr.
implying subsequent regret at the refusal of a good offer. (Com.)
522
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
While taking our lunch under a hedge one day when shooting,
I asked an old farmer and his son to join us. The young one at
first shyly declined ; the old one, however, said —
[Aay bee t-oa'l vur tu goo1 un wee'sh two. dhang'kee u-ang-d~\, I
am too old to go and wish "no thanky" hung. — Oct. 1881.
NOTHER [nuudh'ur], adj. and conj. i. Neither. (Always.)
Ang.-Sax. ncP&or, ndfter, natf&er, naufSer.
Nif thee art'n gwain, I baint gwain nother. See OTHER.
Many illustrations will be found scattered throughout the^e
pages, showing how the dialect word is much more like the
O. Eng. than the modern neither.
ne he ne berefc no garsum bute gnedeliche his spense, ne clones nou%er, bute
one J>eo J>et he hauefc neod to. Ancren Rhvle, p. 350.
Ac hor no\er, as me may ise : in pur rijte nas. — Rob. of Clou., W. Conq. 1. 174.
He ne had nouther strenthe ne myght. — Hampole, Pricke of Consc. 1. 465,
J^erne is no\er king ne kuene £et ne ssel drinke of dea^es drench.
Ayenbite of Inwyl, p. 130.
Ande no feste no\>er termente y holde, bot iij. Masses atte my buryyng.
Will, of T. Brooke of Holditch, Devon, A.D. 1417. Early Eng. Wills, p. 27.
Put not thy fyngerys on thy dysche,
Nothyr in flesche, notkir in fische.
1480. Lytylle Ckildrenes Lytil Boke (Furnivall), 1. 27.
In Fraunce they spared nother ladies nor dameselles, grete, smalle, nor lytel.
1489. Caxton, Fay t of Arms, Pt. III. ch. xxi. p. 218.
For J>ey come]) no^t of flesche no\er beej> i-gete flescheliche bytwene fader and
moder. Trevisa, Higden P. lib. i. p. 335.
Lene not on elbowe at \>y mete,
No^er for colde ne for hete. — Boke of Curtasye, 1. 125.
2. Another. (Very com. in connection with or.)
Zome man or nother 've a-bin yur, 'cause can track'n all drue the
field.
I 'spose can get zomebody or nother to do it. See also under LAB.
NOTHER-NOTHER[nuudh-ur-nuudh-ur],tf<ft>. phr. i. Never-
another. The constant, almost only, expression used for " no other."
I've a-brokt my bizgy-stale, and I an't a-got nother-nother nif was
to gee a guinea vor'n.
Mother zess (says) you must let her hab-m again to once, 'cause
her an't a-got nother-nother.
We shan't never meet wi' nother-nother 'oss, nit a bit like th' old
[Kuurnul] Colonel (com. name for a cart-horse).
2. Not a single one; never a one. Used in negative con-
structions. In Dorset this is " narry oon," or " nar-nar."
Cas-n vind nother-nother screw bigger-n thick ?
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 523
There idn nother-nother lemon vor to be had in the town, nit
vor love nor money, zo Mr. Baker zess.
and she had gret marvayle J>at he had alle thinges to his luste, and at his
wille, and for she covde fynde nere mr peny with him. — Gesta Roman, p. 182.
NOTHER ONE [nuudh'ur wau-n], adv. phr. Never a one. In
E. Som. nar, or narry oon. See Pulman, Barnes.
[Laign-s dhee nai'v, Bee'ul, wiit? Aay aa*n u-goa'ut nuudh'ur
wau'n vur tu lai'n dhee,] lend me thy knife, Bill, wilt? I have
never a one to lend thee. See OTHER ONE.
NOTHING [nuuth-in], adv. Not nearly.
"He idn nothiri so large as [dhes'uz] this." This is the phrase
of a person a little schooled.
NOTIGE [noa-uteej], sb. Notice. (Com. pron.)
Don't take no notigt o' he's slack ; he don't main no sarce, only
he've a-had a little drap like.
NO TINO ! [noa tuynoa !]. An emphatic negative = " not that
I know." (Very com.) Often varied to no tino by !
Did 'ee meet wai un to last? No tino! th' osebird was to
shuttle vor me. See INTY.
NOTLINGS. See KNOTLINGS.
NOTT [naut], adj. and sb. Without horns — applied to cattle
and sheep; polled. -M?#-sheep, and hence nott-vrool, are regular
and well-understood descriptions of the particular breed most kept
in W. Som. and Devon. So a 7z<?#-bullock is one of a hornless
breed.
A.-S. Hnot — shorn, cut, notted. — Bosworth,
Sweet Sirope I haue a lamb,
Newly weaned from the dam,
Of the right kind, it is notted. — Dray ton, Muses Elysium, Nymph 2.
The word in Chaucer's Prologue (1. 109), which in modern
popular editions is " translated " Mtf-head, and so is senseless,
should be «0//-head — /. e. close cropped.
I notte ones heed, I clyppe it — Je tons. I haue notted my heed nowe that
sommer is come. Palsgrave, p. 645.
Tha cortst tha natted Yeo (notted Ewe) now reert, or bet lettle rather.
£jt. Scold. 1. 210.
Comprising : — 101 nott couples, 7 barren ewes, 81 large size ewe and wether
hogs (some fat), 3 rams, 4 cows and calves, 5 cows and heifers in calf, 3
barreners. Advert, in Som. Co. Gas. Ap. i, 1882.
NOTTOMY [natrtumee], sb. A skeleton. Very commonly
applied to a person or animal wasted or become very thin.
Poor blid ! her idn no otherways'n nottomy, her can't make use
o' nort. A proper old nottamy [oa'l nau'tumee].
524
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
A curious instance of the confusion of the article with the initial
of the noun (see NORATION), by which so many of our literary words
have n as initials, when properly they should have vowels, and
vice versa, have lost the n (as in adder, umpire, orange} when it
should have been retained, is found in —
RycharS Smytheot schel haue my Russet gowen ]>at y were3, and my
blac houc?, and a nold bassenet. — Earliest Eng. Wills, p. 40 (E. E. T. S.).
So also, —
Case not on walles with thy neghe (eye)
flfyr ne negh, logh ne heghe. — Bake of Curtasye, 1. 3*4-
Ne with tho horde clothe thi tethe )>ou wype,
Ne thy nyen J>at rennen rede, as may betyde. — Boke of Curtasye, 1. 1 16.
NO TWO WAYS [noa tue' wai-z], phr. Only one method.
Th' old Jenny 'ood (Wood) com'd up to me t'other day 'bout
her boy hot was a-catch d stealin' apples, vor t'ax hot her should
do 'bout it, 'cause you zee her can't 'vord vor to pay no fine nor
'spences. Zo I zess, Jinny, s'l, there idn no two ways in it, other-
ways you must vind the money, or you must g'in and zee Mr.
Bond yerzul, and zay you be very zorry, and shan't 'ap zo again.
He's a goodish sort of a man, and I count he on't be 'ard 'pon
you. Very like he'll tell'ee to gee the young osebird a good hidin'.
NOUR [naawur], sb. Hour. See remarks under NOTTOMY.
Twadn nat a nour agone I zeed-n go 'long the road.
Come, look sharp ! t'on't take thee boo quarter nour [beo
kwaurtur naawur] vor to goo and come back again.
O dear, O dear, this ez a goo—
Ta drash an' drash ver moore'n a newer,
An' git za minny rises too —
Hook sitch a sight, an' Ian' but vower ! — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 14.
NOUSE [naews], sb. Sense; ability.
Th' 'ead o' un's a put on vitty — there's some nonse about he.
This word is quite common, and it really looks as if we had a
veritable Greek word in the dialect.
NO- WAYS [noa'-waiz], adv. i. Not at all ; by no means.
No, he idn no-ways partic'lar, he'd sar (serve) me or you, just
the same farshin.
2. sb, phr. A very short distance.
They don't live no-ways herefrom — /. e. they live close at hand.
NOW-RIGHT [naew-rait-], adv. At this moment; just now.
Used both for time, immediately past, and to come.
I'll do un away vor ee now-right, avore I goes to dinner.
Comp. HERE-RIGHT, THERE-RIGHT.
Tha cortst tha natted Yeo now-reert, or bet leetle rather, laping o'er the Yonnr
Lock. Ex. Scolding, 1. 210. See also 11. 31, 140, 255, 488.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 525
In all these passages the phr. is used only to indicate the past,
but it is equally expressive of future time.
NOY [nau'y], v. t. and /. To injure ; to hurt.
Don't you believe it, he widn noy you 'pon no 'count in the wordle.
NOYYN, orgrevyn. Noceo. — Promp. Parv.
So schulde hors be drawe in ]>e same wise. But }if ]>e face is a weyward fram
the water (the water) noyeth noujt. — Higden Pol., Trevisa, lib. i. vol. ii. p. 25.
J>anne shallow come by a crofte • but come )>ow noujte {>ere-Inne ;
That crofte hat coueyte-noujte • mennes catel ne her wyues,
Ne none of her seruauntes • J>at noyen hem myjte. — Piers Plow. B. v. 581.
and he cried with a greet vois to the foure aungels, to whiche it was Jouen, to
note the erthe and the see, and seide, nyle Je note the erthe and see nether trees :
til we marken the seruauntis of oure god in the forhedis of hem.
Wyclifvers. Revelation, vii. 2, 3.
I noye, or hurt one. Je nuys. I am sorye to noye you thus moche. ye suis
marry de vous nuire tant. We noye you paraduenture. — Palsgrave, p. 644.
Such shrubs as note, in sommer destroie. — Tusser, 52/14.
NOYANCE [nauyuns], sb. Annoyance ; offence ; damage.
Nif you'll plase to let us put up the ladder in your garden, we'll
take care not to make no noyance.
To borow to daie and to-morrow to mis,
for lender and borower, noiance it is. — Tusser, 1618.
The single and peculiar life is bound,
With all the strength and armour of the mind,
To keep itself from noyance. — Hamlet, III. iii.
A cloud of cumbrous gnattes do him molest,
All striving to infix their feeble stinges,
That from their noyance he no where can rest. — Faerie Queene, I. i. 23.
NOYMENT [nauymunt], sb. Malice; intent to injure.
I knows em purty well, 'tis all a-do'd vor noyment ; they baint
lever a-plased 'thout they be on way zomebody or 'nother.
NO ZINO ! [noa zuynoa !], inter j. phr. The same as no tino
(q. v.). (Equally com.) "Not as I know."
Be you gwain to fair to-marrow ? No zino ! I 'ant no stock to
part way, nor neet no money to spend.
NOZZLE [nauz-1], sb. The nose.
Holloa, Bill ! hot's a-do'd to thy nozzle ? hast a-trode 'pon un ?
NUB [nuub], sb. A small lump of any substance, roundish in
form.
Hast a-got other nub o' chalk in thy pocket, Jim ?
Small lumps of coal are always nubs. A small lump of soil is a
" nub o' dirt."
D'ee mind hot a gurt nub the poor old maister'd a-got tap o' his
[ai-d]head?
526 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
NUBBLY [nuub'lee], adj. i. Applied to coal chiefly. Broken
into small lumps, and yet free from dust or " slack."
Let's have it nice and nubbly, we don't want no gurt nugs, nor
neet all dust like.
2. Applied to gravel, sand, or similar substances to denote that
part of it is in lumps larger than the bulk.
That there gravel on't do eens 'tis, must all be screened, 'tis so
nubbly.
The zarid therevrom 's ter'ble nubbly.
NUBBY [nuub-ee], adj. Lumpy. Said of gruel, paste, paint,
or any like matter which ought to be smooth, but which contains
lumps.
Can't never make no work way this here paste, 'tis so mtbby.
NUG [nuug], sb. A rough mass of any substance — usually
qualified by great. A gurt nug o' bread and cheese. A gurt nug
o' timber. See NUBBLY.
NUG-HEAD [nuug'-aid], sb. A blockhead. A gurt nug-head.
Ya gurt nng-headed son of a bitch ! (Very com. epithet.)
NUMBERS. Both cardinal and ordinal preserve the old usage,
almost invariably. See W. S. Gram. p. 26.
I be into my vour and zebmty — i. e. in my seventy-fourth year.
This here's the zebm and twentieth old milk pan that I've a
vound a-drowed up in this here hedge ; 'tis shameful !
How old are you ? Plaiz, zir, I be into my ten — i. e. tenth year.
Mar. 20, 1887. (Always so.) Comp. Mod. German.
The seuen and nynlithe salm hath no titil.
Wyclifvers. Psalms. Also at the head of every Psalm over XX.
NUMSKULL [nuunrskuul], sb. A clodhopper, booby, thick-
head. (Very common.)
NUNCH [nuun-sh] \ , sb. Food taken between regular
NUNCH1N [nuun 'sheen] J meals, at any time of the day.
Come on, soce ! let's have our bit o' nunch.
Nooning, beavre, drinking, or repast ad nonam, three in the afternoon, called
by the Saxons non-msete, in ye North parts a noonchion, an afternoon's mine Awn.
Bp. Kenndt, Lansd. MS. 1033.
Recinl: an after-noones nuncheon, or collation.
Gouster : a nuncAitm, drinking, aundersmeat. — Cotgrave.
His conserves or cates, when he hath well dined ; his afternoones nunciotis, and
when he goeth to bedde his posset smoking-hote.
Man in the Aloone, 1609 (quoted by Nares).
See NUNCHION, Skeafs Etymological Diet.
Our dialectal nunch seems an adaptation from lunch, just as the
literary luncheon is a confusion of the older word nuncheon.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 527
NUNCLE [nuung-kl], sb. i. Uncle.
How be you, Nuncle Jim ?
This word does not necessarily imply relationship but only
seniority and familiarity. Comp. AUNT.
2. v. t. To cheat.
NURSE-CHILD [nuus'-chee-ul], sb. A child (generally base)
taken in to nurse, or a farmed-out baby.
NURSE-TENDER [nuus'-tai-ndur], sb. Monthly or sick nurse.
NURSE-TENDING [nuus'-tai-ndeen], sb. part. Nursing.
To nurse or nursing are not used alone in the ordinary sense.
How is it you are not at school ? Plaise, sir, I be a-fo'ced to
bide 'ome to mind the baby, 'cause mother goes out nuss-tendin\
At the School Board one of the members of the board, speaking
in mitigation of a woman's delinquencies, said, " She's obliged to go
out nurse-tendin' ." — Dec. 31, 1885. (Very com.)
NUSS [nuus], sb. and v. Nurse ; to suckle. (Always so pron.)
Nuss Lock d'auvis tend my wive, but [dhee'uz] this time her an't
a-odds'd it rezackly — her idn able to nuss the cheel.
NUSSIN [nuus'een], sb. Nursing ; suckling.
NUSTHMA [niis-mu], sb. Asthma.
Mrs. Hookins is a ter'ble a- troubled wi the nits' ma.
NUT [niit], sb. i. The nave of a wheel.
The wheel mid do nif the nut o' un wad'n a ratted.
2. The head.
War ! mind thy nut !
NUTMEGS [mifmaegz], sb. Testes. (Common.)
NUZZLE [nuuz-1] 1 , v. t., v. i. Said of pigs : to root with the
NUZZLY [nuuz-lee] J snout.
They pigs must be fresh a ring'd, they be nuzzlin the field
all over. I never didn zee no sich pigs as they be vor to nuzzly.
I nosyll, as a swyne clothe in the yerth with her groyne.
Se ho we this sowe nosylleth in the grounde. — Palsgrave, p. 645.
O' [u], prep. t. Of. Of becomes short u when followed by
a consonant or a long vowel, not alone. See OF (b}.
A ter'ble sight o' stones. I be that there maze-headed I can't
hink o' nothin'. He don't think nort o' eatin [u ai'teen] a leg
528 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
<?' mutton vor's dinner. Her zaid how her 'adn a-zeed much
[u ee'] o' he, an' her didn want to, nother.
In the latter case the he is emphatic, and the contraction
rather exceptional.
2. Of becomes long o \oa'~\ when followed by a short vowel,
provided that vowel is the initial of a syllable. See OF (a).
Now thee's a-at oaf th' aid oa' un. I wadn a larfin' oa' 'er.
There was a purdy lot oa' ee, wadn er?
3. Of becomes [oa,'] medial length, when standing alone at the
end of a clause. See OF.
They never don't know hot her's a-doin' o\ Tidn nort to larf <?'.
Amang squilk was broght a writte,
O seth }>e name was laid on it ;
O suilk a stern f>e writt it spak, — Cursor Mundi, Visit of Magi (Morris), 1. 26.
4- Cu]>/^/- On. Same as IV. A. i. c.
I'll swear he never wadn o' thick zide o' the river.
But o griffoun hath the body more gret and is more strong thanne viij lyouns,
of such lyouns as ben o this half. — SirJ. Maundeville, {Morris,} Cathay, 1. 125.
One Jje hugest holde ' & hard for too wynne,
That was in Greece o J?e grounde ' grained too stond.
William of Paler me, Alisatinder, 1. 257.
And na mare be travayled o na side,
Ne with na charge mare occupide. — Hampole, Pricke of Cons. 1. 6400.
OAK AND THE RIND [oa-k-n dhu ruyn],/Ar.
"To go 'twixt th' oak and the rind" expresses the making of
very fine distinctions — hair splitting; hence the phr. has come to
mean the quibbling by which a trimmer agrees with both sides,
" runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds."
OAK-APPLE-DAY [oa-k-aa-pl-dai-]. The 2Qth of May— called
also, but not often, " Oaken-bough-day." It is the common belief
that this is the anniversary of the day on which King Charles hid
in the oak. Even fairly-educated people hold this belief, in spite
of history and of the better known Restoration Service in the old
Common Prayer-books. Pulman in his Rustic Sketches gives it as
"the anniversary of the escape of Charles II. in the oak."(!)
Tradition holds that the king came into these parts when hiding
after the battle of Worcester, and at Dunster Castle there
was (up to a recent date) a secret cupboard in a wall, which was
shown as the place where the king was hidden. On the 2Qth
May it is still the custom for all the public-houses, and many
private ones, to fasten a green bough of oak at the side of the
outer door. When they can be got, oak-apples are stuck on this
bough, often covered with gold-leaf. There seems little sign of
the custom dying out. Farm boys also stick sprays of oak with
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 529
oak-apples if procurable in their hats, while the horses always have
to be " trimmed " with oak on King Charles's day.
OAK-FERN [oa'k-vee'urn]. The large common bracken.
(Pteris aquilina.} The reason of the name is that if the stalk is
cut across near the root there are dark markings on the section
which strongly resemble a very symmetrical oak tree.
OAKS [oa'ks, emph. hoa'ks], sb. The suit of clubs in cards.
The parish clerk at . . . , whom I knew well, after (presumably)
having been playing cards late on Saturday night, dozed during the
service next day, and forgetting where he was, instead of " Amen,"
cried out, " Oaks be trumps, Mr. Hosegood." An old distich is, —
Oaks be trumps in Horner 'ood,
There they growed, and there they stood.
OAK-WEB [oa-kub, oa-kup], sb. Cockchafer. The only
common name. The spelling oak-web is adopted from other
glossarists ; there is no w sound in the ordinary pronunciation,
neither is there in wood [eo'd], but web is always, wuob distinctly.
They rooks be doin' purty well wi' they there oak-ebs — I zim I
never didn zee 'em so plenty avore.
OAT-GRASS [wufgraas], sb. Avena-pratensis.
OATHS, IMPRECATIONS, and EXCLAMATIONS. These
are so numerous, and subject to such variation from personal
equation, that only a typical list can be attempted.
'Ad ! Odds Bobs ! I'm blamed if— Be blamed if— I'm
blessed if — I'm blovved — I'm burned — I'm b . . . d — I'm
cuss'd — I'm dal'd — I'm damn'd — I'm dang'd — I'm darn'd —
I'm daz'd — I'm hang'd — I'm jigger'd — 'Drat — /. e. God rot.
'Drabbet. Rabbet. Rat. My body and soul ! My eyes ! My
eyes and limbs ! My heart alive ! My liver and lights ! My
stars ! My stars and garters ! My wigs ! My wigs and veathers !
My word ! My word and honour ! By Gad ! By George ! By
Golly ! By Gom ! By Gor ! By Goramaity ! By Goramassy !
By Gosh ! By Gum ! By Gummers ! By Jingo ! By Jobs !
Nearly all the imprecatory verbs are, at times, used in con-
junction with the exclamations, such as —
'Ad bless my body and soul ! Burn my heart alive ! Hang my
stars and garters ! Bless my stars ! Darn my liver and lights !
" Drown wigs, burn veathers, hang stockings and shoes ! " is a very
common though slightly cumbrous exclamation.
" Burn my wigs and veathers ! " is about the most frequent of all.
" By Jobs " is a very common oath, and is evidently the bucolic
corruption of " By Jove," no doubt arising from a little knowledge
M M
530
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
of Scripture, and confusion of sound. Why it is always Jobs in
the plur. is more obscure.
Lor ! lawk ! lawk-a-massy ! massy soce ! massy 'pon us ! strike
me ! s'elp me ! are, of course, mere conjunctives, and with some
individuals " Hell ! bloody hell ! " serve to eke out most sentences.
" Blooming " has of late become a favourite adjective.
After any profane exclamation or oath, especially if uttered in the
presence of a superior, it is very common to add, by way of half
apology, "That ever I should zay zo," or "Anybody can't 'elp
drowin' out," " 'Twould make a saint swear, that 'twould," " You'd
let out too, nif you was me."
OBLIGATED [aub'ligae'utud], part. adj. Not used in any
other tense. Compelled; obliged. Rather a "fine" word, used
chiefly in narrating to a superior — usually in a deprecating or
apologetic sense.
I could'n come no vaster, 'cause I was obligated vor to bide gin
the gun was a-do'd ; I know'd twad'n no good vor to come home
wi'out'n.
OBLIGE [ubleej]. Always so pronounced.
Will you plase t'obleege missus way a vew flowers ?
OCEANS [oa'ushunz], sb. i. Very large quantity.
There's oceans o' worts 'pon the hill, nif you mind to pick 'em.
2. Amply sufficient.
Nit another drap, thank ee, I've a-'ad oceans.
OD [aud], sb. The stone of the cherry.
Tommy, be sure you don't zwaller th' ods.
Boys play a kind of pitch-and-toss game with cherry-stones,
which they call " playing cherry ods" and they always speak of
the several stones as ods.
ODDS [aud'z],^. i. Concern; difference; matter; consequence.
What's th' odds so long's you be 'appy !
You mind your own business, tid'n no odds to you — /. e. it is no
concern of yours.
2. sb. A strange, remarkable thing.
'Tis odds to me however they bullicks could a-wont in thick
way, and nobody zeed 'em. 'Tis odds eens our Jan can't do it so
well's he.
3. sb. Injtff.ttiy<HUs." A considerable but indefinite quantity.
I baint gwain vor to be a put off way thick there. Where's thick
I bought ? he's better'n tother by odds.
We shall want a sight o' stuff, you 'ant a-zen' enough by odds.
4. sb. More in quantity or number.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 531
How much stuff have ee got— dree or vower load? No, tid'n
'boo one or a leedle odds. — May 2, 1887. (Very com.)
5. In the phr. " little odds of" = just about.
How many was er there? Well, I count was little odds o'
vower score.
ODDS [aud'z], v. t. To contrive ; to manage.
I tried all I know'd how, vor to make it out way the reed I'd
a-got, but I could'n odds it nohow.
You can odds it very well nif you be a mind to.
ODDS BOBS! [aud'z bainVz!] Interj. of pleasure. (Very
common.) Often it is " Odds bobs, here's fun ! "
ODMENTS [aud-munts], sb. Odds and ends.
Purty good sale up to Yercombe (Highercombe), was it ? Ees ;
zold ivrything — wadn nort but a vew odments a-left.
ODZOUNDS ! [au-dzaewnz !] Common quasi-oath = " By
God's wounds ! "
OF [uv, uuv, auv], prep. The pronunciation of this word is
peculiar, and according to nearly invariable rules.
It retains its final v sound only —
(a) When followed by a short vowel standing alone, such as
the indef. adj. a, even though in rapid speech it may sound like
the initial of a syllable. See O 2.
[Beet uv-u skad' u kaewnt,] bit of a scad, I count — /. e. we are
going to have a shower, I think.
(I)) When followed by a long vowel standing alone.
[Uurded-n wairnt noa'urt uv ee',] she wanted nothing from him.
See O i, OFF.
Of follows certain verbs redundantly — e. g. help, touch, in all
cases, and most other verbs when used frequentatively or in the
gerundive.
Twadn her faut, her could'n help o' it. I never didn tich o1 un.
What do er keep on hattin' o1 me vor? He wadn hattin' o1 ee, he
was on'y pushin' o' ee. I could spit the ground in most the same
time's I be hovin' o1 it. I tell ee I yur'd'n tellin' o' un all about it.
Thee art long enough doin' of a. bit of a job like that, while anybody
else wid do it dree times over.
Of in some cases follows " to have."
I bin thinkin' 'bout 'avin' o' un altered. — Nov. i, 1884.
Of follows about in speaking of number or quantity. See I. A. 4.
I picked up about of & basket full. I s'pose there was about of
a score <?'m.
OF [uv, auv emph.\ prep. i. On. (Very com.)
I baint saafe what day 'twas, but I do think 'twas of a. Thursday
[auv u dhuuz'dee], 'cause I zim tho I'd a-bin to market.
M M 2
532
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. From. For illust. see OF (b).
OFF [au-f], adv. and adj. i. Right. See NEAR-SIDE.
" To keep off" in driving is to keep to the right.
The right side of a horse, a carriage, or road is the "off side."
2. conj. Though, if — used with as — i. e. as though, as if. The
as (q. v.) is always contracted to a mere s or z zound.
Tidn same's off anybody was a-used to the work.
He don't look's off he bin cleaned out's years. Said of a cistern.
NOV. Q, 1883. SeelHOFF.
Auff\vx that I've got a drashin,
An bin vetch'd way minny sticks,
An, vur a clayn apurn splashing,
Zent ta bayd zun arter zix. — Nathan Hogg, Series II. p. 4.
3. Var. pronun. of ought ; always followed by to. (Very com.)
You off to a told me o' it. See OUGHT.
When construed as above in the present, off is the regular form,
ought the -exception.
OFF OF [oa-f oa], prep. From. Anything bought is said to
be bought off of so-and-so.
Where's meet wi' thick pig? I bought'n in to market off o' th'
old Jan Bale.
I always buys my cabbage zeed offd Mr. Gregory, in to shop.
OFF AND ON [oa-f-m-au'n], adv. Now and then ; occasionally.
I 'ant no reg'lar work like, but I goes to Farmer Tristram's
\pa'f-m-awn\ off and on like."
OFFER [au-fur], sb. i. An attempt, essay.
In practising any athletics, or aiming at a mark, or on any such
occasion, it is very common to hear, " That was a good offer, then I"
They sheep be gwain to break out, they've a-made two or dree
offers a'ready.
2. v. i. To attempt; to try.
Be sure nobody widn never offer vor to steal your flowers.
He d' offer very well, but he can't nezackly come it.
OFFER [auf-ur], sb. Hunting. A small knob on the top of a
stag's horn, not yet grown long enough to be called a. point (q. v.).
The offer is the rudiment, not always found, which in the succeeding
year develops into the perfect point.
We sent for a boat, and he was taken at about half-past seven with Chorister on
his back. B. T. 2. B. T. Up : with two strong offers. — Rec. N. Dn Stag. p. 57.
OFF-HAND [oa'f-an1], adv. Immediately — /. e. without
deliberation, on the spur of the moment.
I mid do it, arter a bit ; but I 'on't do it not now, off-hand.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 533
OFF-HANDED [oaf-arrdud], adj. Stiff; haughty; brusque.
Well, he's a nicish sort of a gen'lman like, way his volks ; there
idn no more pride 'bout'n 'an is way me, but I've a-zeed-n ter'ble
off-handed like way zome what don't know their place.
OFF HIS HEAD [oa-f tiz ai-d], adj. Mad.
Poor blid, whatever can her do? they do zay he's riglur off his
head.
OFFICE [au-fees],^. i. The projection or drip of the slates or
other covering of a roof beyond the woodwork — the eaves.
This is quite distinct from a projecting roof, in which the wood
framework forms the projection or eave (q. v.), and which must have
an [au-/ees] projecting from it, sufficient to carry the rain-water into
the shuting or clear of the wood-work.
2. The lower edge of a roof. Office tiles or slates are the first
row on the bottom of the slope of a roof.
OFFICE DROPPING [au-fees draap-een], sb. Eaves-dropping;
that is, the legal or customary right to so much space beyond a wall,
where the adjoining property belongs to another person than the
owner of the roof, as will permit the rain dropping from the eaves
of a roof.
OFFICES [airfeesez], sb. pi. Out -buildings; servants' quarters
of a house.
'Tis a middlin 'ouse like; there's a good garden, and most
capical offices.
And of all thynges let the butterye, the cellar, the kytchyn, the larder house,
with all other houses of offyces be kepte cleane.
Andrew Borde. Regyment, quoted by Furnivall, Babees Bake, p. 1 14.
OFFISH [oa-feesh], adj. Constrained in manner; a little
haughtiness rather than mere shyness is implied.
Her's very well like to the poor vokes, but I zim her's a little bit
offish like.
OFF-SCUM [au'f-skuum], sb. Rabble; off-scouring: applied
only to persons.
The roughest lot ever I zeed, the very off-scum o' the country, I
should think.
OFF THE HOOKS [oa-f dh-eoks], cant phr. Dead.
Look'd shockin bad, did'n er ; I count's gwain off the hooks
' vore long, poor fuller. (Recently imported.)
OH FOR [oa- vaur], v. i. To long for ; to desire eagerly.
Pregnant women are said to oh for things. See FANCY.
They auvis zaid how his mother otid vor strowberries, late in the
fall.
534
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
OILS [auyulz], sb. pi. Any lotion or liniment used for cattle.
" Devonshire Oils " is a very well-known specific, but it is doubtful
if oil of any kind enters into its composition. See CLEANING.
A dairyman's opinion upon a swelling on a cow's chest was, " I
don't think t'll come to much; nif I was you, sir, I should rub in
some oils." "What kind? — 'Devonshire Oils'?" "No, sir, they
baint strong enough, must be something sharp vor to make the
water dry up." He meant a strong absorbent. — Aug. 31, 1886.
There wadn no bones a-brokt, thank God, but 'twas a near
chance. The doctor 've a-gid me some oils vor to rub in, 'cause
where I vall'd's a-zwelled up so big's your vice (fist).
Saracens Confound is not inferiour to any of the wound-herbes whatsoeuer, being
inwardly ministred, or outwardly applied in ointments or oyles. — Gerard, p. 492.
OKKURD [auk'urd], adj. Awkward (w never sounded) ;
inconvenient.
Ter'ble okkurd vor to be so short o' water.
OLD [oa'l], adj. and adv. i. Applied to smell — musty, rotten ;
hence rank, foetid.
Ter'ble old sort of a stink, I zim ; hotever have ee bin about,
soce?
Thick there cask zmellth old like, he must be a-cleaned out avore
any cider's a-put in un.
2. adj. Cunning; clever; sharpwitted.
I count th' old man was t' old vor you, wad'n er? he's a proper
old hand.
Applied in many combinations to the devil, as Old Nick, Old
Scratch, Old Harry. The commonest is, th' old fellow [dh-oa'l
fuul-ur].
In speaking of animals or persons by name when putting old or
young before their name, it is nearly invariable to say the old or the
young, and not, as in received Eng., " Old Mr. Jenkins told me."
In the dialect we always say [Dh-ocfl muVtur Jing'keens].
[Dhu yuung Mus Btirjez kaum un aak's mee vur tu due* ut vau'r
ur,] the young Miss Bridges came and asked me to do it for her.
Nif tha young George Hosegood had a had tha. — Ex. Scold, \. 280.
Enter the old Julian Moreman. — Ib. p. 58.
Tha young Zaunder Vursdon. — Ib. 1. 192.
7X0 <?/</ Hugh Hosegood . . . Mi<?/</Hugh. — Ib. pp. 133-4.
OLD-ANCIENT [oa'l an -shunt], adj. Antiquated, old-fashioned ;
quaint, when applied to persons as an epithet.
'Tis a riglar old-ancient sort of a 'ouze, same's 'tis over to Cothay.
Her's a proper old-ancient, her is.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 535
Also a familiar epithet in addressing another.
Well, my old-ancient, how b'ee, and how's all home ?
Oldeatmcyent~Doc\.ors of physicke sayth viii. houres of slepe in sommer, and ix.
in wynter, is suffycent for any man. — And. Borde. Regyment (Furnivall), p. 246.
OLD-GROUND [oa'1-graewn], sb. Virgin soil, or land which
has not been disturbed, in opposition to made-ground (q. v.).
OLD-MEN'S-BEARD [oa-1-marnz-bee-urd], sb. Joint-weed.
Equisetum. The usual name. I have never heard Clematis so called.
OLDNESS [oa-ldnees], sb. Age ; old age implied.
Bobby (an old horse) don't show his oldness, do 'er ? I don't zee
much differnce for ten year agone. — Oct. 8, 1885.
Oldnesse — uiellesse ; aynesse. — Palsgrave.
OLD-WOMAN [oa-1-duunrun]. i. Mrs. Jones is a-come to
look a proper old 'umman, and her idn s'old's I be by zebm year.
2. Used as a term of endearment for a wife.
There wad'n nobody home but me and th' old 'ttmman.
O'M [oa'm]. Contraction of of them. (Very com.)
Abundant examples scattered throughout these pages.
ON [atrn], adj. i. Tipsy.
Well, I should'n like to zay how he was drunk, but you zee he'd
a-bin to market, and he was a little bit on like.
2. aav. In a scolding manner or humour. See KEEP ON.
Missus is on again. Now her's on 'bout the clothes.
3. adv. following the verb.
As (a) Come on! either the defiant challenge daring another to
fight, or the mere rallying friendly exhortation of one friend to
another, as in Come on, soce ! (ti) To come on ; to thrive ; to grow.
Well, they little pigs be &-comd on sure 'nough. (c) To ripen or
become fit. How your boy do grow ! why he'll zoon come on vor
to help ee in killing and that, (d} To go on ; to scold ; to rate ; to
nag. A purty old tear, her is, you on'y gee 'er a word and 'er'll go
on all day long, (e) To keep on ; to persist ; to continue. Tidn
no use to gee out, anybody must keep on keepin on nif they do want
to do ort a wo'th ort (/) To scold or rant persistently. Don't keep
on zo ! drat th' ummun, thee art 'nough to make any man urn away
and lef thee to starve, (g) To hold on ; to stop ; to cease working
or speaking ; to pause. Hold on ! don't over-ride the hounds !
Hold on ! let's hark if can hear em comin. Hold on a bit, let's zee
where he'll do, to that, (li) To take on; to grieve; to mourn.
Her tookt on, poor blid, ter'ble hon he died, 'er ded; but there, 'er
bin better off ever since.
536
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
4. prefix. The lit. in and un mostly take this form. Ondecent,
onlight, ontidy, onlucky, onless, onmerdful, oncommon, onpossible.
The great number of on- words in the Promp. Parv. show that
we preserve the M.E. form — e. g. onlawfulle, onmeuable, (innumer-
able, onpacyent, onsufferabyl, &c.
5. On with [airn wai], adv. phr. Implying action.
Well then, what b'ee always on way me vor ? — /'. e. nagging or
scolding. There you be again, always on wi' your items. 1 wad'n
on wf you, 'vore you was on wf me — /. e. playing pranks, ending in
a quarrel.
ONCE ! [wau'ns] ! interj. i. Of no particular meaning,but tacked
on to a sentence. It does not convey exactly " once for all," but
only " I say " or " I tell you." (Very com.)
" Well, thick's vull grow, once /" a man said of a very large rabbit.
2. Often used at the end of an assertion as a kind of asseverative,
like " once for all ! " "there now ! "
I took good care to let'n know my mind about it, once J Nif I
did'n zee thee myzul. I knows you was there, once ! Anyhow I
told-n what I thort about it, once! Nif I don't I'm d — d, and
that's the way to zay it, once !
There is a flavour of defiance in the above utterances, but such
is not always the force of the word. See Ex. OVERLIE.
ONCHUCK [aun'chuuk'], v. t. To unstop ; to free ; to give
vent ; to unchoke. See POND.
Joe, the gutter's a-stapped again ; mus' go down an' onchucKn.
ONCONVENIENT [aun'kunvarniunt], adj. Inconvenient. Not
so common as ill-convenient.
ONDACENT [aun-dai'sunt]. Indecent. (Always.)
There's he an' her and all they vower gurt maaidens, and zome-
times a lodger too, an' on'y two chimmers. I will zay it, 'tis down-
right ondacent.
ONE-ARM'D LANDLORD [wau-n-aarmd lan'lau'rd], sb. Cant
name for a pump. Like "Cow with the iron tail." (Very com.)
Well, Jimsy, bin drowin up your vinger again, aan' ee ? Nif I was
thee, I'd keep away vrom th' old Phil, and make in wi' the one-armed
landlord, s'now.
" Old Phil " kept a well-known public-house, and was known far
and near for his two club feet and his joviality, so that keeping
away from Old Phil was equivalent to avoiding the public-house
generally.
ONE BIT [wau-n bee-t], adv. At all. (Very com.)
[Doa'n drawee wau'n bee~t,~\ it(/. e. the atmosphere) does not dry
at all. [Twaud'-n neet wau-n bee't u geo'd,] it was no good at all.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 537
[Uur waud'n neet wau'n beet luyk ur mau'dhur,] she was not at
all like her mother.
ONE HEAT [wau'n yaet], sb. A thing made at one heat is a
cant way of saying that it was stolen. The allusion is to the
forging of a horse-shoe or other iron-work, which could not
possibly be done by only once heating the iron ; hence an article
made at one heat must have been stolen ready made.
Where's meet wi' thick there bisgy ? Au ! I made thick. Ees I
count ! to one y eat ! See To MAKE.
ONE O'CLOCK [wau'n-u-klauk]. A favourite simile, to denote
punctuality or dispatch.
So zoon's ever he zeed me, nif he wad'n off like one o'clock. The
idea is evidently taken from the alacrity with which work or tools
are dropped at one o'clock, the dinner hour, as compared with their
resumption.
ONE TIME [wau'n tuym, wan' tuym], adv. phr. Once;
formerly ; long ago.
I mind there used to be a public-house there one time, but he bin
pulled down 'is gurt many years.
We'd a-got siver o'm (several) one time, but they be all a-
condiddled.
ONE-WAY-ZTJLL [wau'n wai zoo'ul], sb. A plough of the
ordinary kind which only turns over a furrow in one direction —
generally to the right.
A two-way-zull, eens can plough vore and back in the same vore,
is a handy thing like, but can't make such good work way un's can
way a proper good one-way-zull.
ONE WHILE [wau'n wuyulj, adv. A long but indefinite time.
(Very com.)
I 'count he 'on't ax vor no more o' thick sort vor one while,
howsomdever !
I let her know'd how we did'n wish to zee her here again for
one while.
Tho hule one wile hi bi-thojte,
And after than this word up-bro^te :
Owl and the Nightingale, 1. 199.
ONE WITH TOTHER [wau'n wai tuudrrur], adv. phr. On
the average ; also, as they come — /'. e. without selection.
Is forty bushells an acre, one way tother, all over the farm, else
idn a peck ; there now !
How d'ye zill your apples, Missus ? Zix a penny one way father.
ONKNOWIN [aun-noa-een], adj. Unbeknown; unknown.
At Taunton Assizes, Jan. 22, 1886, a police constable in giving
evidence said, " If he said so, 'tis onknowin to me."
533
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
All I can zay is, that nif 'tis eens you do zay, twas onknowin
to me. This use is very common indeed.
ON-KNOWE (onknowyn, K.). Ignotus, incognitus.
ON-KNOWYNGLY. Ignoranter, ignote, inscienter. — Promp. Pai~v.
ONLIGHT [aun'luyt], v. i. To alight from a carriage or from
horseback. (Always.)
Good mornin, Mum. Law ! how 'tis rainin, do ee plase t' onlight
an come in a bit.
ONLY [aun'lee], adj. Extraordinary: used most commonly in a
depreciatory sense, and generally in the superlative. (Very com.)
He's a on-ly looking fuller, I zim, don't you ?
Nif that idn th' onliest [aun'lees] bit o' work ever I clap my eye
over ; they that do'd it ort to be a transported vur rubbery.
'Twas th' onliest [aun'lees] instance ever I yeard tell o'.
ONPOSSIBLE [au-npau-subl], adj. Impossible. (Always.)
'Tis onpossible vor to get'n ready 'vore 'marrow mornin.
ez the fifty-lebenth paart ev a shade too light in one of ez hind ligs, and
therefore 'tis onpausibleta. ketch vish. Pulman, Rtistic Sketches, p. n.
'ON'T [oa-un(t]. Won't ; will not. (Always so.) Used in the
construction of all persons, except 2nd pers. sing. See W. S.
Gram. p. 61. The w is never sounded; the final / occasionally
before a vowel, and always when used alone emphatically, as " I
'ON'T BE A-ZAID [oanin bee u-zaed'], phr. i. Will not be
advised.
[Saar-n jis bud rai't ; aay yuurd Mus'tur Bau'n tuul'n aew u-d
bee saa'f tu lau'st ut, but dhae'ur, u oafun ntivur bee u-zaed^ un
naew-vu-gau't tu smuurt,] it serves him just but right; I heard Mr.
Bond tell him that he would certainly lose it (the case), but he
would not take advice, and now he has to smart.
2. Will not be refused, or take no for an answer; will not be
restrained or withstood.
He's that voreheaded, he 'on't be a-zaid by nobody, he will have
his own way.
Margery. Ya won't be a zed. Well, bet hearky, Cozen Andra ; won't ye g'up
and zee Grammer avore ye g'up to Challacomb ? — Ex. Scold, and Court. 1. 536.
ONTHAW [aun-dhau-], v. t. To thaw. (Always.)
We was fo'ced to light a vire, vor \!onthait> the plump, vor all
t'ave a-keept on thawin like all night. See THAWY.
'OOD [eo-d], sb. i. Wood (silva).
The w is never sounded in this word, and, moreover, it is
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 539
strictly limited in its use as above. A felled tree (lignum},
whether sawn or otherwise, is tinfer.
Horner 'ood is a very favourite meet of the stag-hounds in West
Somerset.
2. Faggot wood, either in the condition of tree tops, or brush-
wood of the kind suitable for firing, whether bound up in faggots
or not. See NICKY, RAMBLE.
Class 5. — To the Agricultural Labourer, who shall best dig and lay a Rope of
Hedge and make up the Wood. First Prize, los. ; Second ditto, Ss. ; Third
ditto, 6s. — Handbill of Ploughing Match, &>c. Culmstock, October 5, 1883.
'OOL [eol, ul, -1]. Will. (Var. pron.)
The w is only sounded when extreme emphasis is given, proving
that there is a feeling that a w belongs to the word.
[Aa'l braik yur ai'd, aay %ol; yu yuung oa'zburd ; dhae'ur naew,
un dhaat aay zviil' f] I'll break your head, I will, you young rascal ;
there now, and that I will !
'OOL [eo-1], s6. Wool. (Always.)
Can't think hotever the farmers '11 do ; whait idn 'boo vower'n
zix, and they on't gee on'y but ninepence vor 'ooL — Nov. 1885.
'OOLLY [eo-lee], adj. Woolly. (Always.)
OON [oo'n], num. adj. One. Pronun. most usual in Dorset
and E. Somerset, but also heard commonly in the vale of West
Som. about Bishop's Lydeard. In the Hill district it is always
\wair,~\ and in the remainder, except as above, it is [wau'ri]. By
sounding oofn with a fracture, oo'un, it is pretty clear how we get
our modern one [wuun1].
[Aa'y aa'nt u-zee'd naar oo'n,~\ I have not seen one — lit. never
a one. (Taunton and neighbourhood.)
In alle this world thanne pore noon
We shulde fynde, I trowe not oon.
Chaucer, Romaunt of the Rose (Bell, 1856), Vol. vii. p. 196.
thou hast wounded myn herte, in oon of thin ijen, and in oon heer of thi necke.
Wyclif, Song of Solomon, iv. 9.
J>e iij knyghtes, of whom oon was strong, ano]>er wys, & pe thrid amerous.
Gesta Roman, p. 57-
ther were two knyghtis, oon was old, and pat opir was yong. — Ibid. p. 60.
Solinus seip pat men of pis lond beep straunge of nacioun, housles, and grete
fijteres, and acountep rijt and wrong al for oon, .... and hawepe breche and
hosen al oon of wolle, . . . pey fi3tep wip oon hond.
Trevisa, De Hibernia, XXXI I. Vol. i. p. 353.
OOSE [ue'z], sb. Noose ; running slip-knot. Applied generally
to a rope or heavy cordage ; the same if made of string or wire
is called angle-bow [ang'1-boa] (q. v.).
540
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Nif you be a mind vor to tie thick load eens he shan't muv, you
mus' make a cose. Get out o' the way ! darn'd if thee art'n s'han'-
lum way a rope 's a cow han'lin a musket.
OP [aup], adv. Up. Most usual pronun. See Up.
Y wil Jeld op, so god me saue '• & bileue on god almijt.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 765. See also Ib. 11. 2335, 2365, 3333.
}>anne Harold was yset op in the kyngdom & jx>3te nojt on )>e couenantes.
Trevisa, Morris's Specimens, B. I. p. 243.
OPE [oa-p], adv. and v. t. i. Open; to open. (Always.)
What, idn the gate ope? Urn, Jim, and ope 'm; take and post
(q. v.) un ope, [pau-s-n oa-p] eens he shan't vail vast.
O death thou fo, why didst thou so
Ungently treat that lewell great,
Which opte his doore to rich and poore,
So bounteously? — Tusser, 113, st. 22.
Macd. Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence
The life o' the building. —Macbeth, II. iii.
2. sb. An opening ; a gap ; a rent.
There was a gurt ope in the zide o' the carriage eens could shut
your head in.
3. adj. and adv. Tech. Of a saw.
Can't cut it like this ! the zaw idn ope enough, he's to close (q. r.)
by half. See THROW ABROAD.
This means that the teeth are not " set " enough, and so do not
cut a kerf sufficiently open for the plate of the saw to pass readily.
4. adj. Coarse in texture; applied to a sieve — coarse in
opening ; to wood, coarse grained.
That there cloth 'on't never wear, 'tis fope by half; why can look
droo it.
Thick sieve idn find enough, he's tope by a lot.
That stuff (wood) idn fit, 'tis s'ofles a sponge.
OPEMENT [oa-pmunt], sb. Opening ; crack.
I count another gurt piece o' the cliff '11 vail down purty quick
I zeed a gurt long opement s'morning eens you could shut yoi
hand in.
OPEN-ASS [oa-pm aa-s],^. The medlar. Mespilus Germaniais.
This fruit used medicinally is said to be aperient. The common
and usual name among the working class, and it appears to be a
survival, not perhaps of the fittest according to modern taste, but
of a very early period.
A.-S. Open-<zrs. Mespila, Opm-ars. — Earle, Eng, Plant Names.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 541
MESPLE : A medlar, an open-arse.
NEFFLE : A medler, or Open-arse. — Cotgrave.
An OPEN-ARSE. Mesple, neffle, nesple. — Shenvood.
Opynars a kynde of frute — neffle. — Palsgrave.
But yit I fare as doth an open-ers ;
That like fruyt is ever lenger the wers,
Til it be rote in mullok or in stree. — Chaucer, Reeves Prol. 1. 17.
OPEN-ASS-TREE. The medlar tree. (Always.)
Opynars tree, nefflier. — Palsgrave.
OPEWAY [oa-p-wai], sb. An entry ; a porte-cochere; any large
doorway, with or without a door. (Very com.)
He went into thick there opeway, gwain into the George stables,
benow, neet vive minutes agone.
That's Mr. — 's house, you'll zee the door 'pon the left-hand zide
in th' opeway.
OPOLUS [oa-pulus], sb. Obelisk. Com. name of the Waterloo
monument on the Wellington Hill.
The lightnin' 've a-strookt the tap o' th' Opulus again ; I count t'll
hat 'n down one o' these days.
OPSARVE [aupsaarv], v. t. Observe ; notice. (Very com.)
[Wuul naew ! aa'y kaumd ulairng dhae'ur tue", bud aay nuvur
dud-n aupsaarv ut,] well now! I came along there also, but I did
not notice it. — May 20, 1886.
OPSTROPOLOUS[aup-straup-ulus],tf^'. Obstreperous; trouble-
some.
They there boys be that there opstropolus, there idn no doing
nothin' vor em, nor neet way em ; nif anybody do but put down their
hook or ort, he's a-go — a-hided away. On'y tother day hon I went
to my tommy basket, vor to get a little bit o' vittles, nif a gurt vrog
didn jump out o' un. They be all vor their mirschy, and tidn not
one bit o' good vor to zay nort to em, they on'y urns away and calls
arter anybody ; they be s' impudent's the devil, and I'd most so
zoon zee un come along.
OR [aur, ur; no emph. form], adv. Before; hence sooner or
rather. A.-S. &r. Not com., but heard amongst old people pretty
frequently.
The train '11 be a-started or you be there, nif you don't look sharp.
See Ninth Report, Devon Association Provincialisms, 1886, p. 98.
Or ever I'd be a-sar'd lig that there, I'd zee em to the devil, an'
that I wid ! See Daniel vi. 24, or ever they came.
]>e latere dole of his sawe limpe<5 to recluses ; . . . . J>et habbeiS J>e arne dale
of >et Seint lame seide. — Ancren Riwle, p. 10. See also Ib. p. 86.
542 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
For suche a brawne of a best, J>e bolde burne sayde,
Ne such sydes of a swyn, segh he neuer are.
1320. Sir Gawayne, 1. 1631. See also Ib. 1. 239.
and )>at londe hatte Scotland also, for Scottes woned ]>ere sometyme, or
J>ey come into j>e o)>er Scotland. — Trevisa, Lib. I. p. 331.
£e 5131 was ful semly ' and louely for to se,
whan eij>er of ]>emperoures " er ]>ei wold stint,
eij>er o)>er keste. — Will, of Palerme, Werwolf > 1. 1611.
But many a balefull beurn • bought it full dere,
Or kid Methone ' too the kyng fell. — Ib. Alisannder, \. 309.
The knyjt to \>e keruer haldes anon,
He says hit ar he more schalle don. — Boke of Curtasye (Furnivall), 1. 709.
And now is routhe to rede, how j>e red nobb
Is reuerenced or j>e Rode.
Piers Plow. B. xv. 501. See also Chazicer, Cokes Tale of Gamelyn, 1. 96.
ORCHARD GRASS [au -rebut graas], sb. A coarse kind of
grass found in orchards. Britten says it is Dactylis glomerata.
The term is common enough, but I am unable to identify any
particular species.
ORDAIN [aurdai'n; p. t. aurdarn; p.p. u-aurdarn], v.i. To
intend. (Very com.) Also pron. [aurdaa'yn],
I ordain to a went last night, but 'twas so wet I could-n.
How is it that piece of ground is left in that state?
Under-gardener. Well, sir, we ordain to a dig'n up a Zadurday,
but the rain com'd in and we wad'n able to. — Jan. 1884.
So fat my wytt is, ]>at \>e remaindre of aft my landes and tenementes )>at I
ordeyn to myn other children fro myn heir, abide.
Roger Flore, Fifty Earliest Wills, 61/16. -
ORDER [oa'udur; /. /. oa'udur ; p.p. u-oa'udur], v. t. i. Com.
pron.
[Dhai oa'udur mee pun kuurchez, bud aay ad-n u-gau't um,] they
(the doctors at the hospital) ordered me (to go) on crutches, but
I had not got them — /. e. I never had any provided. — Applicant
for relief, Wellington Board of Guardians, June 10, 1886.
2. v. i. To arrange ; to manage ; to determine.
How be gwain Border [t-oa'udur] 'bout haulin' the things ?
Have maister ordered whe'er a's gwain to let the field o' ground
or no ? — /. e. decided.
An educated person would say, "They've sent the tablecloths,
but they are too short; however shall we order? " — i. e. manage.
ORGAN [au'rgeen], sb. The plant Penny-royal (Mentha
pulegium}. Usual name of this herb, which is much grown as a
flavouring. The name Penny-royal is unknown. It is chopped
small and put into a mess called " Tea-kettle broth " (q. v.}, which
is also often called " Organ broth."
.WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 543
A vew broth be always better vor a bit o' organ in 'em.
The herb is supposed to be good for colds.
is called ... in English, Pennie Royall, Pudding grasse, Puleall Royall,
and of some Organie. Gerard's Herbal, p. 642, ed. 1636.
A good wife once a bed of organs set,
The pigs came in, and eat up every whit ;
The good man said, Wife, you your garden may
Hog's-Norton call : here pigs on organs play.
Witts Recreations, Epigr. p. 85 (Nares).
ORMANICK [au-rmuneek], sb. Almanack. (Always.)
We be gwain t'ave a sight o' bad weather ; th' ormanick spaik'th
o' it.
ORNARY [airrnuree], adj. i. Plain ; inferior.
I calls her a very ornary sort of a bullick.
Ter'ble ornary, poor farm, sure 'nough.
2. sb. A public dinner ; table d'hote.
I be gwain to dinner to th' ornary in to Castle (Inn).
ORT [oa-urt], sb. Aught ; anything.
Nif I'd a-got a bit o' cord or ort, vor to tie un up way, he'd
lee-ast 'ome (/. e. last until we reach home).
Constantly used redundantly.
Tid'n 's off anybody was a-forced to go, or ort, when they 'ad'n
a-got no money or ort; then anybody must put up way it, like,
een's mid zay. See Ex. Scold, p. 143. See NORT.
ORT [au'rt], v. t. To waste food or provender.
Thick there yeffer's ter'ble taffety — 'er d' ort 'er mate ter'ble ;
every mornin' I vinds purty near half 'er hay down in under 'er veet ;
and tid'n th' ay, vor the rest o'm ates it honeysweet.
A farmer, speaking of feeding a cow, said, " Be sure not to gee
her to much hay to once, he 'on't on'y ort it." And again later,
" They d'always ort it, nif you gee 'em so much to once." — Nov.
21, 1886.
ORTS [aurts], sb. //.,no sing. Leavings ; scraps ; refuse. The
shells of turnips left by sheep are always so called.
A fanner would say, " Tak'n give they hogs a move, and then
tak'n dig up th' orts and let in the yoes " (ewes). This means, put
the yearling sheep (fattening) into a fresh patch of turnips, and
when the shells they have left are loosened from the soil, put store
ewes in to eat them up.
I have heard it said of a rejected sweetheart, —
[Z-dhingk aay bee gwai-n tu pik aup ee-z aurts ? Noa, aay
kaewn-t !] dost think I am going to take his leavings ? I should
think not !
Orfus, releef of beestys mete. Ramentum. — Promp. Parv.
544 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ORTYS ; farrago, ruscus ; or fodder. — Cath. Ang.
\st Thief. Where should he have this gold ? it is some poor fragment, some
slender ort of his remainder. Shakespeare, Titnon of Athens, IV. iii.
Let him have time to live a loathed slave,
Let him have time a beggar's arts to crave. — Ib. Rape of Lucrece, st. 140.
OTHER [uudh-ur], adj. i. Any.
(Let it) " be tried by other farmer you mind to," is the commonest
form of offering to refer a dispute. See ill. to DRAW, p. 211.
2. A mere redundant expression, equivalent only to the indef.
article a ; or, perhaps, to ever a.
'As a-got other knive ? Dids zee other bullick comin along ?
3. adj. Either.
Other one o'm '11 do. I be saaf 'twas other he or his brother.
sacrifice to god wi^outen charite schulde not ben acceptid, but vengaunce
schulde come on him ofyer gostly or bodily. — Wydif, Works, E. E. T. S. p. 78.
Bote god sende hem som tyme ' of som maner ioye,
0\er heer oj)er elles-wher ' elles were it reuthe. — Piers Plowman, xvi. 299.
Drye |>y mouthe ay wele and fynde
When ]>ou schalle drynke o\>er ale or wyne. — Boke of Curtasye, 1. 81.
4. conj. Either — at the end of a clause. (Very com.) In
beginning a sentence, as in "Either he is talking, or he is
pursuing" (i Kings xviii. 27), we should say aitherways (q. v.).
I tell ee hot I'll do, I'll call in myzul, or Jim can come, other.
Take other one o' th' 'osses you mind to, or the poney'll go there
nif a shall, other.
And if conscience carpe J)ere-ajein • or kynde witte oyther,
Or heretykes with argumentz • f>in honde J^ovv hem shewe.
Piers Plowman, B. XVII. 135.
OTHER ONE [uudhrur wau*n], sb. phr. Ever-a-one. In
such sentences as the following, where one simply would be used
in lit. Eng., this idiom is nearly invariable.
Where's thy angkecher? 's a-got other one?
Maister zend me down t'ax 'ee to plase to len' un a dipper, nif
you'd a-got other one — i. e. if you have one. See NOTHER ONE.
OUCHILS [uwcheelz, uuch'eelz], sb. Outside slabs of wood ;
the uneven rounded pieces, sawn on one side only, from the
outsides of trees. (Com. North Devon and Exmoor district.)
A farmer, asking for some timber for repairs, said, " Tidn no
ways particular, ouchils would do very well for that job." Possibly
a contr. of out-shells (?).
OUGHT [au't, or au'fj. Always construed with did in negative
or conditional sentences, and occasionally even when affirmative.
You never did'n ought to a-went aneast the place.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 545
The jistices zaid how that they did ought vor to pay me, nif I
could prove who do'd it.
When did us ought [au-f] vor to put in they there plants what
you promisht us? See OFF 3.
OUKS ! [aewks !] int. The cry used to drive pigs, followed
by turrh ! [aewks ! — tuuruh !]. See CHOOK.
OUR [aawur], pr. Used by families and by people of a district
in speaking not only of persons and things belonging to the same
household, but respecting all persons belonging to their parish or
neighbourhood.
What d'ye mean our Turney Payne, or he down t'Exter? — /. e.
another Mr. Payne. 'Twas our butcher Lock, not he to Taun'on.
Our jistices. Our pa'son. Our poor old Jan Stevens.
A servant would speak of all the master's property as " Our
'osses," " Our garden," &c.
OUT [aewt], adv. r. Wrong ; mistaken.
You-m out there, Robert, 'twadn he ; I zeed who 'twas.
2. Widely diverging in opinion.
I yeard em zay how they was a brave ways out in their figures,
and how that they wad'n nit a bit like vor t'agree. Said of two
agents respecting a farm valuation.
3. Very often used in speaking of seasons.
Tidn same now's 'tis out to Kirsmas.
Tidn no good to look vor they flowers vore out in July or
August.
We shan't be gwain vore out in February [fdb'ue-uree].
The use of this word rather conveys the idea of a considerable
interval of time as well as difference in season.
4. Redundant. (Very com.)
Pressed to take more at table, it would be said, "Well then, I'll
ha' the leastest bit out"
Or whan'tes avrore or a scratcht the least Theng out. — Ex. Scold. 1. 124.
5. adv. Extant — an imported cockneyism. (Very com.)
They zess how they oils be the bestest thing out, vor
information or ort.
The wo'st job out is 'bout the taties ; they be proper ratlin in
the groun'.
OUT AND OUT [aewt-n aewt], adv.phr. i. Out of hand ; once"
for all ; without after claims.
No, I on't never warrant nothing ; if I sells'n, I sel'.s'n out and
out.
N N
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. Entirely; completely; beyond comparison.
Her's out and out the best maid vor work ever I meet way.
He's th' out and cutest [aewt-n aewts] young osebird you ever
had the hidin' o'.
Ovte ami ovte ; vbi halely. — Cath. Aug.
The kyng was good alle aboute,
And she was wyckyd oitte and oute.
MS. JKawlinson, C. 86, quoted by Ilalliwell.
OUT AND OUTER [aewt-n aevvtur], sb. phr. This is another
recent cockney importation.
Zeed our new dog-cart ? proper out and outer, I can tell 'ee.
OUT-AX [aewt-aa'ks], v. t. To publish banns of marriage for
the third time (once-ax, twice-ax, out-ax). Commonly used only
as a /. part.
What, bain' um a-married ! why they must a-bin out-ax d 's two
months. Sometimes axed-out.
OUTDACIOUS [aewt-dae-urshus], adv. and adj. Very bad;
shocking — of things. (Very com.) Of persons or conduct, the
form is darious (q. v.).
I 'sure ee, sir, the hedge is a-brokt right down; he's in a
outdacious state, else I would'n zay nothing.
I sim 'tis the outdaciousest weather we've a-zeed 'is purty while ;
I never did'n reckon thick there oak wid a-blowd down.
OUT-DOOR WORK [aewt'-doar wuurk], sb. Ordinary farm
labour ; field work.
You zee, mum, I baint able vor to sar nort, 'cause I can't stand
to no out-door work, and there idn no drashin' nor reed-making
now, same's used to.
OUT OF HAND [aewt u an-], adv. At once ; without delay.
Nif you'll zen un down a dinner-time, he shall be a-do'd out o'
hand.
OUT OF SORTS [aewt u soa-urts], adv. phr. i. Indisposed
in health.
Thank ee, I be riglur out o' sorts 'iz mornin, I got th'eadache
distracted.
2. Ruffled in temper.
Hot ail'th maister? ter'ble out o' sorts, idn er? a call'd me but
everything 'cause the zaddle wad'n 'pon the mare 'vore he com'd
out.
OUT OF TRACK [aewt u traak-], adj. Out of order ; needing
repair ; out of health.
Our clock's proper out o' track, he don't go a bit vitty.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 547
The gates 'pon the farm be all out d track.
Thank ee, her's all out o' track like, her 'ant a-bin well like, 'iz
good bit.
OUT-RIDE [aewt-ruyd], sb. i. A commercial traveller.
Where is your son now ? Au ! he's doin' well 'nough — he've
a-got in out-ride vor Mr. Jones up to Bristol, zillin o' hats and
that. We zees'n once a quarter, every time he do come round
this way. (Usual word.)
2. v. i. To perform the duty of traveller. (Very com.)
He ^outride vor Mr. Honniball, zillin crockery and shop-goods.
Here pelure and here palfrayes • poure menne lyflode,
And religious out-ryders • reclused in here cloistres,
And be as benit hem bad • domenik and fraunceis. — Piers Plow. V. 115.
A Monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie,
An otttrydere, that lovede venerye. — Chaucer, Prol. to Cant. Tales, 1. 165.
'OUTS. See GENTLEMAN WITH THREE 'OUTS.
OUTSIDE [aewtzuyd], adv. Utmost.
That's the very outzide — I on't gee a varden more, whe'er I
d' hab'm or no.
OUT TO END [aewt t-ai-n], adv. phr. Finished ; done.
Plase, sir, hot mus' ees go 'bout, I be out to end wi' thick job.
Can er zend vor some more lime ? we be quite out to end.
OUTWARDLY GIVEN, adj. Dissolute ; immoral.— W. H. G.,
Dec. 6, 1883.
OVEN [oa'vm]. Always so pronounced.
We an't a-got nort but one o' these yer cloamin' ovens [oa-vmz],
and he idn big enough; we wants a proper brick oven. — Feb. 1886.
OVEN-SWAB [oa-vm-zwaub], sb. (Com.) See MAWKIN.
OVER [oa'vur], adv. i. Used in connection with some other
adv. to express fondness, regard, or care for.
Her's winderful over thick there boy.
Mr. Venn's ter'ble over's bullicks — /'. e. very particular about.
Well, I zim maister no 'casion to be so much over a vew taties,
tidn's off they was anyways scarce [skee'us].
There, I baint gwain to be over a bun'l o' straw [stroa1].
2. adv. A common saying is, —
'Tis better to be over-manned than over-tooled — /. e. that the tool
should be rather light than heavy in comparison with the man's
strength.
OVERDROW [oa-vurdroa-], v. t. To defeat an adversary in a
lawsuit. (Always.)
N N 2
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I s'pose you've a yeard how Mr. Langdon 've ^-overdrew ed the
Local Board. They zess how they've a-got to pay all 'spences,
and "t'll cost up dree hundid poun'.
OVERGET [oa-vurgif], v. t. To overtake. (Always.)
I urn vor my life, but I could'n overgit her gin her come to the
turnpike-gate.
They there plants'll zoon overgit they tothers, vor all they wad'n
half so big when they was a-put in.
OUER-GETT ; equiparare. — Cat A. Ang.
I overget a thyng that is fiyeng away with pursewyng after. le acconsnys. I
made suche dylygence that at the laste I overrate hym. Palsgrave.
OVERGO [oa-vurgoa-], v. /. To forego ; to dispense with.
I be very zorry I an't a-bin able vor to meet ee not eet, but her
bin so bad, and I an't a-sar'd nothin' nother. I thort I should be
able to make up a quarter in a week or two, and then p'raps you'd
be so kind's ^overgo some o' the rest o' it.
OVERLAND [oa'vurlan*], sb. Land having no farm-house
upon it. This word constantly takes the indef. adj. a before it.
Any piece of land let without farm buildings is called " a overland."
OVERLIE [oa'vurluy], v. t. To smother by lying upon. Such
niceties as lay and lie are unknown. See LIE.
Th' old zow Ve a-bin and overlied one o' the little pigs — I voun
un dead s'mornin'.
Well, Thomas, so you have another olive branch. Ees, and
gone agean. Missus overliecCn. last night — he was dead s'mornin',
once !
OVERLOOK [oa-vurleok-], v. t. To bewitch ; to injure with
the evil eye. (Always.) The belief in witchcraft and the evil eye"
is almost universal among the lower class.
Within the past year (1883) a girl living close by was evidently
in consumption, and after being some time in the hospital, of course
gradually getting weaker, her mother took her away, and spread
a report that they had starved her in the hospital. Speaking of
this to an under-gardener who lodged at the mother's, he said,
*' Twad'n that — they knows her wad'n a-starved ; her's overlooked,
and they knows, and zo do I too, who 'tis. 'Tis th' old Mary
•, her've a-witched ever so many by her time." The girl
died soon after leaving the hospital.
Such stories are very common in this neighbourhood.
Another instance of a like kind has occurred quite recently
(1887). A child, as often happens, pined away and died, but all
through its illness, and since its death, the parents insist that the
child was overlooked, and they point out the person who caused
the child's death.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
At this moment there is more than one person in the neigh-
bourhood, doing a thriving trade as a white witch — /'. e. one who can
overcome the evil eye, and frustrate the malice of black witches.
Halliwell says the word overlook is so used by Shakespeare, but
I cannot find it.
OVER-NICE [oa'vur-nuys]. i. Very particular; fidgety; hyper-
squeamish.
Middlin' sort of a man, but over-nice 'bout the vokes. Lor ! they
mus'n zay their soul's their own 'ardly..
2. Dainty in eating.
They that be ^over-nice '11 come to want it, one o' these yer days.
OVERPLISH [oa-vurplish], sb. Surplus. (Very com.)
They do zay how that arter everybody's a-paid, there on't be
very much overplish vor her and the chillern.
OVER-RATED [oa'vur-rae'utud],/./^/. Too highly assessed.
I must 'pale agin it — I be over-rated ter'ble — I never can't pay it.
OVER-RIGHT [au'vur-rart], adv. Opposite.
You turns into a gate over-right a blacksmith's shop.
OVER-RUN [oa'vur-uurn], v. t. In hunting, the hounds are said
to over-run the scent, when they continue running past a point
where the hare or fox has turned off, and thus have lost the scent.
OVERTOOKT [oa-vurtfeo-kt],/^/. adj. Tipsy.
I do behope you'll plase t'overlook it this time, shan't 'ap zo no
more ; I 'ad'n 'ad on'y two pints o' half and half 'long wi' Jim Zalter,
and hon I com'd out, whe'er 'twas the cold or what, I was a proper
overtookt ; but I 'sure ee, sir, I had'n a-drink nort 'ardly.
OWL [aewul], sb. Com. simile is, " Drunk's a owl" Why the
solemn bird should be taken as the ideal drunkard I know not.
Th' old Jimsy idn s'old's I be, neet by zebm year; but there,
he've a-drow'd hiszul out o' work, and don't do nort but drow
up his 'and. You don't mean that he drinks ? Ees, a do, sure !
two or dree times a week they puts'n to bed so drunk's a owl. —
May 20, 1.887.
Another very common saying now become literary is, —
[Aay du lee'v t-an'dee tu dh eo'd vur tu bee u-fraitud bi u
aewul,~] I live too near the wood to be frightened by an owl.
Meaning that blustering talk, or words of any kind, will not
deter from the purposed intention.
Another, to a person small in figure, but much padded out with
clothes : — " Why you be all veathers like a young owl; " or, " Her's
all eyes and veathers, same's a young owl"
OWN [oa-un], v. t. To recognize. (Com.)
55O WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I meet your brither to fair, but darn'd if I could own un to
fust — I an't a-zeed'n zo many years.
Well, your honour, I on't tell no lies, and I on't zwear eens I
could own un, 'cause twad'n very light, but I do ver'ly b'leeve
'twas he.
OWNSELF [oa-nzuul], adj. Selfish ; grasping.
You know what an ownself woman your aunt is. — Letter to W.
H. P., Nov. 10, 1885.
OWN TO [oa-un tue], v. f. To confess ; to admit.
He owrid to it his own zul, how 'twas he what zot th'ill a vire
(hill on fire), and now a zess how Jim Darch do'd it.
OX-EYE [auk'see], sb. Only name for both the chiff-chaff and
the willow warbler. Phylloscopus rufus and Ph. trochilus. The
former are plentiful in spring, and very much resemble the latter.
What eggs are those ?
Ox-eyes, sir [auk'eez, zr]. I knows dree or vower ox-eye's nesses.
Keeper's boy, May 24, 1887.
OXHEAD [auk-seed], sb. Hogshead. (Always.)
Plase, sir, I be come arter th' empty oxhead.
OX-PINDED [auk-s-pee'ndud],^'. Com. well-known description
of a horse with ugly projecting pins or hip-bones.
No, he idn altogether a beauty, eens mid zay; he's t'igh in the
muggle and i'ox-pinded vor that ; but he's a rare good 'oss, and
no mistake.
P. J3, v, and/ when followed by « or « sound, change it into m.
See W. S. Gram. p. 1 7, and hundreds of examples herein.
PA A IN [paa-yn], sb. and vb. Pain. (Always so pronounced.)
Here again we seem to have preserved the true sound.
Ang.-Sax. pin, pinan.
and cleopefc forfc pine r|_ seoruwe. — Ancren Riwle, p. 306.
Thar thai sal euermare duelle,
And wafullie in fines welle. — Homilies in Verse (Skeat), p. 85/165.
and haue here penaunce on pure erthe ' and nojt J>e pyne of helle.
Piers Plowman, iv. IO1.
To kepe ous fram helle pyne ;
And come be-fore god present, And fonge ther ys iuggyment,
lo ioye o£>er pyne to wende. Sir Fertimbras, li. 5728, 5739.
ver, and bernston, and a J>ousond pinen, ^et neure ne ende£> \>e uor to//;//'.
Ayenblte oflmvyt, p. 130.
Also turd frequently by Chaucer.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 551
PAASNIP [paa-snup], sb. Parsnip. Always so pron. — the r
never sounded.
Pasneppe an herbe. — Palsgrave.
PACK [paa'k], sb. i. The nine skittles are always called a
pack of skittles, and spoken of as lt t\\t pack," while the individuals
are called pins [pee'nz]. See COANDER-PIN.
2. A measure of weight or number. A pack of wool is 240 Ibs. ;
a pack of teazles is twelve " staves " of twenty " bunches " =240
bunches. The latter are always sold by the pack.
3. An indefinite number or quantity.
Pack o' nonsense. What a pack o' rooks !
4. The whole number of persons or things ; family.
I widn harky to nother one o' the w'ole pack — they'm liards
every one o'm ; I widn harky to their gospel oath, no neet vor a
bad varden.
5. A pedlar's bundle ; hence packman (q. v.).
6. sb. and v. i. A brood of black-game, analogous to covey.
There was a fine pack o' poults in the middle common zmornin'.
So they are said " to pack" when they get together in numbers
after the broods are dispersed.
Nif you do zee the poults begin to packy, tidn no good to think
you be gwain to get 'thin shot o' they. I'll warn there's always a
old cock a pitch'd 'pon a turra-heap or ort, and he'll let 'ee come
to 'bout of a dree gun-shots off, an' then he's off, an' the rest long
way un.
PACK AND FARDEL [paak'-n faa-rdl],//^. Bag and baggage.
They gypsies was there again last night, but the police [poa'lees]
zeed em, and zoon shift em along, pack and fardd. See FARDEL.
PAKKE. Sarcina, fardellus. — Prom. Parv.
PACK-GOODS [paak'-geo'dz], sb. The wares of a pedlar, as
distinguished from shop-goods, which are well known to be generally
better in quality.
I don't like they there pack-goods ; vokes do think they be cheap,
but they be dear come to last, vor there idn no goodness nor wear
in em.
PACK IN [paak ee'n], v. /. To pitch or throw underhand. In
the game of rounders one player pitches the ball to the one who
has to strike it with the "timmy" (q. v.}. The pitcher is always
said to "pack in " the ball.
Who can hat'n like that ? why's-n fack-n in vitty ! Bill, thee go
in the balls.
552 WEST SOMERSET WORDS:
P<-ck in a stwone behind theck weed,
\VulI sed ! now burn below ;
Work en wull, an' he'll be mine
In 'bout a nour or zo. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 60.
PACKING [paak-een], sb. Any material used for "packing up"
or securing a heavy weight by building or wedging up under it
while in course of lifting. A recent importation.
PACKING [paak-een], adv. Quickly ; with dispatch.
I wadn gwain to stan' no nonsense way they — I purty quick
sent 'em 'long packiri '.
PACKING-TWINE [paak-een-twuyn], sb. Stout cord or twine
used for sewing up bags of wool. It is made specially for this
purpose.
PACKMAN [paak-mae'un] ; often pack feller [paak'-fuul'ur], sb.
A pedlar; a "Johnny-fortnight."
I always tells my missus, don't you never hang me up wi" noan
o' they there pack-fullers ; nif you do I on't never pay it.
PACK OFF [paak' oa'f], //$/-. Be off; get away; be gone.
Now then, you boys, look sharp'm pack off !
PACK-SADDLE [paak'-zad'l], sb. The saddle for a sumpter
or pack-horse, on which he carries his seam (q. v.). See CROOK.
PACKE-S ADYLL — batz, bas. — Palsgrave.
A PACK-SADDLE. Bast. — Sherwood.
PACK-STAVE [paak--stae-uv], sb. The pedlar's staff on which
he carries his bundle over his shoulder, and which is often notched
with inches to measure his wares. By wearing on his journeys
this stave becomes exceedingly smooth, hence our every-day simile,
" So plain's' a pack-stave" which literature has corrupted into
" plain as a pike-staff."
And roguing vertue brings a man defame,
A packstaffe Epethite, and scorned name.
1599. Marston, Scourge of Villanie, lib. 2, sat. 5, p. 197.
PACK UP [paak aup-], v. t. To secure any heavy weight, as
it is raised, by inserting wedges or blocks underneath.
Mind wn&pack up the piece well, fear the chain should break.
PAD [pad], sb. i. The foot of a fox or otter.
2. Tech. Used by sellers of woollen yarn. The square-shaped
package of yarn in which it is generally made up for sale, consisting
of twelve bundles or hanks, and each bundle consisting of a
great many skeins varying in number according to the fineness
of the yarn — a skein being always a fixed number of yards, and
fixed weight.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 553
3. Tech. By spinners. A bundle of yarn consisting of twenty-four
small hanks, each consisting of four skeins, each skein measuring
360 yards ; consequently a. pad of yarn always represented the same
number of yards, whatever its size or weight. Before the days
of machinery, but far into the nineteenth century, the country
manufacturers gave out wool to be spun at home, by spinsters,
and the size of the thread required was fixed by ordering the fad
to be spun to a certain weight, or in other words — 24 x 4 x 360
= 34,560 yards, to be got out of so many Ibs. of wool. In
some factories even now this mode is still retained, and instead
of spinning 2o's or 30*5 they spin at so many Ibs. per/ar^/. This
word is not to be confounded with ;ped, a basket, used by Tusser,
Ray, and others, as also in Ptd-market, q. v.
Zwer thy Torn, or else tha tedst net carry whome thy Pad, and meet Neckle
Halse by the Wey. — Ex. Scold. 1. II 2, and note 4.
4. A soft kind of saddle, made without a " tree " or other hard
foundation. Used generally for very young riders. Called in
some districts a "pilch."
5. An iron (frequently called comb pad] of a peculiar shape, made
to screw into a post, and used by a hand wool-comber to hold
one of his combs firmly in a horizontal position, while he works
the wool in it with the other comb, and then draws out the sliver.
See Diz, SLIVER.
PADDLE [pad'l], sb. i. A flat-pointed iron having a long
handle, used in ploughing to free the implement from too much
adhesive soil. Modern ploughs rarely require this.
2. A little flat piece of wood, usually stuck in the outer leather
garter, used by navvys to free the shovel from adhering soil.
PADDLE [pad-1], v. i. i. To drink heavily. (Rare.)
Whan ha hath a took a shord, and a paddled, ha will tell Doil.
Ex. Scold. 1. 511. See also 1. 5.
2. To wade in mud or shallow water ; to mess or play with water.
Thick there bwoy do Y\\^& paddlin' in the water, sure 'nough.
PADDY'S TOOTHACHE [pad'eez teo'dhae'uk]. Cant term
for pregnancy.
PAD IT [pad1 ut], v. i. To tramp on foot; to foot it.
The wagon was a started home along 'vore I come'd in, zo I
was a-fo'ced to pad it all the way home.
Comp. PAD, fox or otter's foot ; also FOOT- PAD.
PAD-LOCK [pad-loa-k], sb. (Always so called.) The put-log
or short piece of wood used in forming a builder's scaffold ; one
554
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
end rests on the wall, and the other upon the "ledger" or
horizontal pole of the scaffold. Upon the pad-locks rest the
planks on which the workmen stand and place their materials.
The holes left in a wall after the removal of a scaffold are pad-
lock holes.
Cant phr. To pad the hoof—
PAD TH' UFF [pad- dh-uuf-].
/. e. to tramp it on foot.
PAIL [paa-yul], sb. A cow is said to be " a come'd in to
fail" when her calf is gone, and all her milk becomes available
for the dairy.
PAINFUL [paaynfeol], adj. Laborious — /. e. needing much
labour.
A farmer said to me of a hilly farm, " 'Tis ter'ble painful groun',
'tis so clefty " — /. e. steep.
Though countrie be more painfull,
and not so greedie gainful!,
yet is it not so vainfull,
in following fansies eie. — Tusser, 2/13.
PAIR O' STAIRS [pae-ur u stae-urz], tf. A staircase. (Always.)
This term survives in the cockney "two pair back," &c., but in the
dialect the latter phrase would be unintelligible.
Thick there 'ouze must have a new/tf/> o' stairs.
You mind how Will .... put up thick there pair o' stairs^
don' ee? how- he begin'd em up 'pon top and work down?
P ALDER [paa-ldur], sb. Parlour. The best of the two living
rooms in a farm-house — /. e. the hall and the parlour. In a cottage
the two rooms are the " house " and the " back-house."
For pronun. com p. tailder, smallder, firmder, varder, fineder.
Ur sound following a liquid takes d before it.
PALM [paa'hm], sb. All varieties of the willow when bearing
their catkins are so called. No doubt this arises from the exigencies
of our Northern climate, which obliges us to use willow catkins for
decoration on Palm Sunday.
PALME the yelowe that groweth on wyllowes — chat ton. — Palsgrave.
PAM[paam],J& In cards, the knave of clubs. (Very com.)
There is a game called " Pam loo," in which the knave of clubs
is the winning card in the pack.
FAME [pae'um], sb. i. A square of fine flannel, often handsomely
bound and embroided, in which the new-born child is wrapped.
The pame is always part of baby's toilet until it is " tucked up."
Used by upper, as well as lower class. See WHITTLE.
2. Building. A pame of joists is the row or " bay " filling up the
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 555
space between two main supports. Used when the floor is supported
by short joists bearing upon beams or dwarf walls. When the
joists reach the entire width of the room they are spoken of as a
floor (/joists [vloo-ur u juys].
FAMES [pae'umz], sb. pi. Purlins or side timbers of a roof.
W. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
PAN [pan], sb. Any depression in a field or on other land.
Oncommon likely place vor to vind a hare, there in the pan o'
the field.
By f>at were Sarajins stolen vp al frechs : And wer come inward at hard &
neychs : At a pan ]>at was bioken. Sir Ferumbras, 1. 5187.
PANCAKE DAY [pang'keeuk dai']. Shrove Tuesday.
PANEL [pan'l], sb. The lining of a saddle, usually made of
serge, called panel serge.
New /««<?/ and flocking to saddle. — Saddler's Bill, Xmas, 1882.
The word does not apply exclusively to the flaps of the saddle,
though most likely it did so originally.
It is used byTusserfor the sort of pad or cushion still often used
upon which sacks of grist corn are carried, or on which panniers
are slung. I believe this pad is still called & panel,
A panel and wantey, packsaddle and ped,
A line to fetch litter, and halters for hcd. — Tusser, 17/5.
I think Miss Jackson (Shropshire Word-Book] is quite mistaken
in calling panel a pillion.
PANKY [pang-kee], v. t. To pant; to breathe laboriously; to
puff and blow. (Always.)
" Lor ! how a &Q panky f" said an old woman at her first sight of
a locomotive drawing a train.
The fan&ih' bullicks now
Lies under heydges cool. — Pnl/nan, f!. Sk. p. 20.
When kows no longer blows an' panks,
In wauder halfway up the'r shanks. — Ib. p. 26.
PAN-SHORD [pan-shoa-urd], sb. A piece of broken pottery,
called also shord.
Never didn zee the fuller place o' this yur, vor old kettles, vryin
pans, bottles, pan-shords, and all sorts o' trumpery ; 'tis one body's
work a'most vor to bury the rummage they drows in here.
PANSHORD-DAY [pan'shur-dai1]. Shrove Tuesday. (Com.)
No doubt in allusion to the custom referred to under DROWIN' o'
CLOAM. See CLOAM.
556
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PAN-TILE [parrtuyul], sb. The ordinary roofing tile, of all
kinds, to distinguish it from tile, or tile-stone, common roofing slate.
I count you'd be gainer, vor to put up tile 'pon thick there roof;
'tis jis vleet place they there pan-tiles 'on't never answer vor no
dvvellin-'ouze. — Nov. 12,. 1886. (Usual word.)
PAP-DISH [paap*-deesb],j£ A cup or vessel used for warming
baby's food ; a mug.
I always keeps a pap-dish vor to yit up a drap o' milk or ort, in
the night, vor the poor old man. Lor ! he idn no othervvays-n a
cheel. — Wellington Almshouse, January, 1885.
PAPMATE for chylder. Papatum. — Promp. Parv.
PAPERN [pae-upurn], adj. Made of paper.
I baint gwain to wear none o' your papern shoes, and catch me
death way the rheumatic.
PARE [pae'ur], v. t. To prune or trim. (Always.)
Have your staff-hook and/#r<? up the thorn hedge.
Thick orchet o' trees do wzntflarin shockin' bad; I should like
to zee two or dree wagin-load o' 'ood a-tookt out o' un.
You wid'n plase to let m&pare up they there elems, I s'pose?
PARFIT [paarfut], adj. and adv. Perfect.
Thick job on't never be parfit gin there's a culbet a-put in, to
car off the water parfit like.
PARGET [paarjut], sb. i. A mixture of mortar and cow-dung,
used for coating the inside of chimneys.
2. v. t. To coat the insides of flues with parget. The word is
probably borrowed from architects, arid is used exclusively as
above.
PARGET, or playster for wallys. Gipsum.— Promp. Parv. See Ways Note,
A breast-plough.
PARING SULL [pae'tireen zocrul], sb.
Called also a spader.
PARISH-LANTERN [paareesh-lan-turn]. The moon.
FARMER [paarmur], sb. Palmer. See HALY-PARMER. The
palmer-worm. (Always.)
An' as ver vlies, I don't kear much
Ver moore'n a sart er two ;
Let's hev the farmer ribbed vvi' gold,
Th' yaller dun, an' blue.
PARRICK [paarik], sb. Paddock. The word paddock is
unknown, but [ad'ik or /;ad'ik~] are quite common for paddock.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 557
They cows mus'n bide in the parrick no longer, else he'll be bare
all the zummer.
I zee very well they there masons '11 purty near vill up thick
there addick way their rummage, nif they baint a-made to put it
up a little bit together like.
Ang.-Sax. pearroc,
Parr-ok, or cowle. Saginarium. See Way's Note, p. 384, in Promp. Parv.
Parrocke, a lytell parke, parquet. — Palsgrave, p. 252.
Par, an inclosed place for domestic animals.
Par-yard, the farm-yard. — Forby, E. Ang. ii. p. 243.
PARSLEY BED [paa'slee bai'd]. Besides being the source
whence children are told that the little girls come (see LEEK-BED),
it is considered to be fatal to one of the household if parsley be
transplanted. Parsley may be sown anywhere, but once sown must
not be moved until destroyed.
An old man now living went to a widow whom I know well, and
said to her, "I widn do it mysel hon he ax me, and I begged
maister not vor to do it, and now he's dead and gone ! Well, nif
he'd on'y a-harked to me and not a-muv'd that there /fl'ttfcy bed.
he'd a-bin livin' now to this minute.
PARSON [paa-sn], sb. A black rabbit. (Very com.)
A farmer when rabbiting cried out to me [Dhae'ur-z npacrsn /
shuut dhik'vur gau'd-sae'uk !] there's a. parson! shoot thick for
God's sake ! — November 27, 1886.
PARSON IN THE PULPIT [paa-sn een dhu puul-put], sb.
The wild arum. Arum maculatum.
PART [paart], v. t. To divide ; to separate ; to share.
Mother zaid we was to part it fair. (Usual word.)
On parish boundaries it is very common to see, " This parts
Tolland and Stogumber."
"Certes, sire" J>anne seide ich • "hit seme> nat here,
In ]>at Je parte\ nat with ous poure • ]>at Je passe]) dowel."
P. Plow. xvi. 115.
and aftir that thei hadden crucified hym, thei departiden hise clothes and kesten
ot. Wyclifvers. Matthew xxvii. 35.
All the versions down to the A. V. have parted in this passage
except Rheims (1582), which has deuided his garments.
PARTS [pae-urts], sb. pi. Fractions, whether of number or
quantity. Two-thirds is always [tue- parurfs^ewt u dree1]. Three-
quarters [dree* pae'urts aewt u vaawur]. \N&rr\ pae-urts aewt u
tarn,] nine-tenths ; and so on. Three-quarters of an hour is always
[dree pae'urfs uv u naaw.'ur]. . .
558 WEST SOMERSET WORDS,
They zess how the taties be shockin' bad about ; zome places two
parts out o' dree be a ratted.
Tufters often break away after a good stag, and the pack cannot be brought to
the spot for three parts of an hour or even an hour. Colly ns, p. 212.
PASSMENT [paa-smunt], sb. Parsnip. (Very com.)
To
PASS THE TIME O' DAY [paa-s dhu tuym u dar], phr.
exchange greetings or a few words of friendly gossip.
Our Squire idn no ways proud like, he do always like to^>ass Hie
time o' day 'long wai other one o' his vokes, nif he do meet em,
like. No, I never did'n know un, not no more'n jis to pass the
time o' day like.
The following is from an account of a murder at Tiverton ; two
witnesses used the expression during the same inquiry.
Since then he had been in the army, and I had been away from Tiverton for
some years, and of late years I have been just in the habit of passing the time of
day with him. — Wellington Weekly News, Aug. n, 1887.
PATCH [paa'ch], sb. Newly-imported slang phr.
So good man's his father? I tell 'ee he idn a patch 'pon th' old
man — /. e. not fit to be compared with.
PAT ON THE POLL [paat-n dhu poa-1], phr. To kill by a
blow such as would dislocate the neck. Hares and rabbits when
caught living are always killed by a pat on the poll,
PATTENS [paafnz], sb. Usually "a pair o' pattens." A kind
of clogs worn by women which rest on iron oval rings, and so
keep the feet quite two inches from the ground. They were much
worn within the writer's memory, but are now only to be found in
out-of-the-way places and on the stage.
PATTERIDGE [pafureej], sb. Partridge. (Usual name.)
PAUCH ; PAUNCH [pau-ch ; pau-nsh], v. t. and /. To tread
or trample in soft wet ground. The word scarcely implies treading
in actual mud. Either form used indifferently.
They bullicks '11 pauch thick mead all over like a ploughed field ;
take and turn 'em in, they didn ought to a-bin a-let out, paunchin
about, such weather's this.
PAUNCH [pau-nsh], sb. The stomach and intestines of all
game or hunted animals, including rabbits, but not of domestic
animals.
2. v. t. To disembowel hare, deer, or any wild animal.
PAWY [pau'ee], v. i. Of animals — to beat or dig with the fore-
feet.
Can't do nothin' way thick 'oss — he 'on't be quiet a minute ; he've
a-rub and a-pawed gin he've a-tord the vloor all to pieces.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 559
and wriggled, and pawed, and wraxled, and twined, and rattled, and teared,
vig, vig, vig. — Ex. Scold. 1. 217.
PAY [paa-y], v. t. To thrash ; to beat.
Maister '11 pay thee, ah'll warn un, zoon's a knowth it.
•PAY-RENT [paa-y-rai-nt], adj. phr. Profitable ; prolific : applied
to both crops and animals.
I calls yours a proper pay-rent sort o' pigs.
A rare pay-rent piece o' beans.
It is com. to say approvingly of any stock, " Very good lot o'
things ; they be proper rent-payers, else I never didn zee none.
PAYZE [pai-z], v. t. To weigh down ; to raise by a lever; to
prise. (Very com.) Only implies the use of the lever in one
way — /. e. by weighing down the end ; it could not be used if the
lever were lifted, having the fulcrum at the point.
Take the iron bar and payze up the end o' un, eens can put the
chain in under-n.
PEYCE, or wyghte (peise of whyght, K.). Pondus.
Peysyn, or weyyii. Pondero, libra, trutino. — Promp. Parv.
I peyse, I waye. Je poise. Tell not me, if I peyse a thing in my hande, I can
tell what it wayeth. Palsgrave, p. 655.
To PEISE. Peser. A PEISER. Pesetir.— Sherwood.
PEYCE a weyght — peys : pesant. — Palsgrave.
]>e pound J>at hue paiede hem by • peysed a quarter
More ban myn Auncel1 whenne ich weied treuthe. — Piers Plow. vil. 223.
As perle bi ]>e quite pese is of prys more,
So is Gawayn, in god fayth, bi oj>er gay kny3te3. — Sir Cawayne, 1. 2364.
And thus gan fynysshe preyer, lawde, and preice,
Which that I yove to Venus on my knee,
And in myne harte to ponder and to peice ;
Chaucer, Court of Love, 1. 687. See also Pricke of Conscience, \. 7730.
The peize and weight which this carnall world hangs upon Religion.
1642. Rogers, Hist, of Naaman, p. 208.
and ther complayned uppon Willam spicer, tayler, for w* holding of a potell
pot of pewter paysing iiijt . Eng. Guilds, E. E. T. S. p. 322.
PAYZER [pai-zur], sb. A heavy iron lever used in quarrying
stone, but always by weighing down the end. (Only name.)
PAZE [pae'uz], sb. i. Pace. (Always thus.)
[Nau ! aay ded-n uur-ee un, aay lat-n goo' uz oaom/dtfm,] no !
I did not hurry him, I let him go his own pace. — Jan. 17, 1882.
On, on she comes wi' stealthy paze,
Now ling'ring, now advancing
As maaidens tri'th ther loviers' faaith —
All teyzin an' entrancin.— Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 7.
2. v. t. To measure distance by pacing.
Nif you paze it, you'll vind tidn no varder'n hot I do tell 'ee.
560
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PEAKING [pek'een], adj. Pinched in appearance.
Well, I thort the poor maid looked maain peakin, s' off the shelf
was purty high in there ; I've a-yeard em zay how he's mortal near,
but the missus idn so bad like.
PEAL [pee-ul], adj. Applied to the countenance. Unhealthy ;
pasty-looking ; implies much more than pale.
Our Jim idn vitty 't all, a lookth peal and waik like, and zo he
hath now 'z mon's past — /'. e. for these months = several months.
PEAR [pee-ur], v. i. To appear. (Very com.)
[Pee-ur-z aupf dhai wiiz gwaa'yn vur chart mee aewt u mee
muun'ee,] (it) appears as though they were going to cheat me out
of my money.
Her zingth like a nightingale,
Pearth like a dove,
And the zong that her zing'd
Was consarnin of my love. — Old Song.
PEARL [puurul], sb. Hunting. Of a stag. (Com.)
The rough excrescences round the burr of the horn are "pearls"
Collyns, Chase of the Wild Red Deer, p. 27.
men shall alwayes knowe the olde hartes by these tokens which follow :
First, when the compasse of the burre is large and greate, well pearled, and
neare unto the moisture of the head. — Art of Venery, quoted by Collyns, p. 29.
PEART [pee'urt], adj. Sprightly; gay; brisk; lithe; lively.
No literary words can exactly express peart — there is no idea of
pert in it. Used in speaking of women or children, and sometimes
of birds. Applied to temperament or health, and never to dress
or manner. See PERKY.
How's Jenny s'mornin' ? Her's so pearfs a cock rabbin, for all,
the cheel idn dree weeks old, gin Zinday.
Godinet. Prettie, dapper, fiat, peart, indifferently handsome.
Mii>nardelet. Prettie, daintie, fiat, peart.
Accointer. To make jollie, peart, quaint, &c. — Cotgrave.
Peart : Godinet, mignard, mignardeler. A pretty Peart lass. Godinette.
Sherwood.
PEARTISH [pee-urteesh], adj. Dimin. of peart.
Her's a peartish sort of a maid like — on'y her's like some o' the
rest o'm, her on't never hurt herzul way no hard work.
PEASE-ERRISH [pai-z-uureesh], sb. The stubble after a crop
of pease has been taken.
You'll sure to vind the birds in the pease-errish, they be 'most
always there.
White wheat upon pease-etch doth grow as he wold,
But fallow is best, if we did as we shold. — Tusser, 19/5.
PEASE-HAULM [parz-uul-um], sb. The stalks of pease after
thrashing. The word [uul'um] in this sense is used in this dialect
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 561
only in connection with pease, beans, vetches, or clover after
seeding.
PEAZE OUT [pai-z aewt], v. i. To ooze or trickle— applied
to liquid.
I zeed the cider peazin' out droo the head o' the cask.
The water do keep on peazing out o' the wall.
I knowed we was a-come to the right place, 'cause I zeed how
the water'd \\\-parzucT\ out. — April 16, 1884. Searching for a
leak.
PECK [pak], v. tr. To measure with a peck.
Mind and peck it op careful like, eens mid-n be no mistake.
Spoken of a quantity of grass seed. — July, 1879.
Applied as a vb. to grain or dry measure only, notwithstanding
that/ft'^ is a measure of liquids = two gals.
I do hear how Farmer Burge is zillin' o' very good cider vor
a shillin' a. peck.
I knew a man who won a bet that he would drink " a. peck o'
cider to one tip," *". e. at a draught. He laid on his back, and the
cider ran down his throat. He survived some years.
PECK O' DIRT [paek- u duurt]. The saying is very common
when much " smeech " is being made.
Well, they do zay how everybody must ate a peck o1 dirt avore
they do die, but anybody'd zoonder nit be a-fo'ced vor ate it all
to once like.
PECK O' TROUBLE [pack- u truulrl], phr. Misfortune;
bereavement; disaster.
Poor blid, her've a-got a peck d trouble, sure 'nough. There's
'ee bidin' about doing o' nort, and drunk half his time, and her
lookin' to be a-put to bed every day — and now th' oldest boy 've
a-catched in his 'an' in the chaff-cutter and a-cut off all his
vingers.
PEDIGREE [pud'igree], sb. Tale ; story.
You never didn hear the fuller o' un vor to tell — why'll tell by
th'our. We was in to Dree Cups, and we toss'd vor a quart,
and that zot'n off — nif he didn tell up a fine old pedigree o' it, for
two mortal hours, and all 'bout nort 'all (nothing at all).
PEDLAR'S BASKET [pitd-lurz baas'kut], sb. The plant
Linarict Cymbellaria, oftener called Wandering Sailors.
PED-MARKET [paed'-maarkut], sb. A market where fruit,
vegetables, and other articles are pitched for sale, usually, or
formerly, brought to market in large panniers on donkeys or
pack-horses. The term is used in distinction to the cattle, sheep,
shambles, or corn, markets.
o o
562 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
There is a large ped-market at Taunton every Saturday on the
open space where the shambles were set up after Jeffrey's bloody
assize. The word ped only remains in this form, and in pedlar and
peddling. See quot. from Tusser, 17/5, under PANEL.
PEDDE, idem quod panere, supra (calathus).
PANYERE (or pedde infra ; pander, or paner. Calathus.
Promp. Parv. See Note, p. 390.
PED, a pannier, large basket with a lid. — Forby, ii. p. 246.
Jif )>ei becomen pedderis berynge knyues, pursis, pynnys and girdlis and spices
and sylk and precious pellure and forrouris for vvymmen. — IVyclif, Works, p. 12.
PEE [pee-], v. i. Urinare. (Always.) Used by and to
children.
PEEL [pai'l], sb. Salmon of the first season ; grilse. Called
truff'vo. South Devon.
PEEWIT [pee'weet], sb. The lapwing or silver plover. So
called from its shrill cry — Vanellus cristatus.
PELT [puul-t], sb. Passion ; rage.
My eyes ! wad'n er in a. pelt then ?
PELT [puTt], sb. A sheep-skin in the raw state after the wool
has been got off, but before being subjected to other processes by
which it may be turned into chamois (shammy), morocco, roan,
sheep, or other leather. See FELLMONGER.
A PELT. Felice, peau. A PELT-MONGER. PMetier.— Sherwood.
PEN [pai'n], sb. A spiggot — as in the "pen and fosset " used
in brewing.
PENDILO [pai-ndeeloa-j, sb. Pendulum.
Maister 've a-zend me arter the pendilo — he forgot'n hon he
tookt 'ome the clock.
PENTICE [pai-ntees], sb. Pent-house. Applied solely to the
shed belonging to a smith's shop, where horses stand to be shod.
(Always so called, and so pronounced.)
Penthouse is quite unknown ; our usual word is linhay, but we
seem to have preserved the old French better in our word, than
the literary dialect has, in its development.
PENTYCE, of an howse ende. Apptndicium, appendix, in pendo.
Promp. Parv.
receiue inne the rayne watres that fallen doune along the thackes of (happen-
tyzes aad houses. — Caxlon, Boke of the Fayt of Armes, quoted by Way.
A PENTIS ; Appendix, Appmiicium, Append iculum :
Dicas Apheduo solaria significat — jue
Appendix — qite si lignum construxeral ipsum
Dicas profectum, si saxum die manianum,
Dicas protectum si tectum noueris ipsum. — Cuth. Ang.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 563
Penthouse of a house — appends. Pentys over a stall — avuent. — Palsgrave.
A PENT-HOUSE. Un appends, soupendoue, souspenduc. — Shetwood.
PEP(T [pup'(t]. Past tense and p. part, of to peep. (Always.)
I pep round the corner. I pept in the cupboard.
PERCH [puurch], v. t. When any kind of article made from
materials found by the master is brought to be examined and
passed for payment, this word is used both to represent the
production of the work for examination by the workman, and also
the examination itself by the master or his agent.
I shall have dree dizn o' gloves ready to perch gin Zadurday,
and then you shall have your money.
I'd zoonder by half th' old maister'd perch the work hiszul, he
don't faut it not a bit like the young Joe.
No doubt originally the word was confined to the examination
of weaver's work, by pulling the piece of cloth over a bar or perch,
by which all bad work can be readily discovered. To examine a
weaver's work is always to perch the piece.
PERCH [puurch], sb. r. The iron-pointed stave or stick
often fixed by a joint to the axletree of carts and wagons, to
prevent their running back when the horse stops on an ascent.
The word no doubt is pritch or point.
2. v. t. To punch or prick holes in anything, chiefly in horses'
shoes, with a pritchil or purchil (q. v.).
Jim, mind an' purch thick shoe way vower holes one zide an'
dree tother.
3. sb. Of a carriage or wagon. The pole which connects the
axletree of the hind wheels by means of the main-pin with the
fore wheels. We often see advertisements of " Cee spring Broughams
without & perch" In a timber-carriage this is the nib.
4. v. t. To perch board is to stand it on end leaning against a
bar, alternately putting a board on each side edgewise. Sawyers
usually perch freshly-sawn boards in this way. Builders also perch
the flooring board to season before using.
PERISH [puureesh], v. i. i. To become very cold or chilled;
to become numbed.
Missus, do ee plase to yit me a drap o' cider, I be jist a-
berishcd.
Come in by the vire, cas'n — neet bide perishirf out there.
I thort the cold wid ackly a-killed me, nif my 'ands wadn
proper ^-perished, eens I could'n veel nort.
2. Anything such as wood, fruit, vegetables, that has become
decayed or rotten is said to have perished.
002
564 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Must put new rafters and new battens, all th' old ones be proper
^.-perished.
We be having so much wet all the zead '11 perish in the groun'.
PERKY [puurkee], adj. Applied only to females, and more
to dress and manner than to temperament. Pretty ; dainty ; smart ;
dressy ; nitty ; coquettish ; attractive. Would never be applied to
a large, stout parson.
You must a-knowed her 'vore he married her — her was a party
little perky sort of a body, and such a tongue ! nif her wid'n a-
talked a butt o' bees to death ! but her lookth married sure 'nough
now.
PERNTICE [puurntees], sb. Apprentice ; apprenticeship.
Of a man who had got up in the world, I heard it said, " I mind
un hon he wadn 'alf such a big man — he wadn nothin' but a parish
perntice, same's myzul. Why, we sar'd our perntice together 'long
way th' old Farmer Venn up to Park, and he was a gurt looby
bwoy, sure 'nough."
Lor ! I've a-know'd th' old Mai Jones 'ez sixty year — why, we
sar'd our perntice together out t' [Aa'rshbuurtl] .\shbrittle 'long
way th' old Farm' Coles, an' a very good maister a was, too.
PERSWARD [purswau-rd], v. /. To persuade.
Her do'd all her could, but nobody could'n never per sward he.
PERVENTIVE-MAN [purvarnteev-mae'un], sb, A coast-
guardsman.
PERVENTIVE STATION [purvai-nteev stae-urshun]. A
coastguard station. (Always.)
PESTLE [paes'l], sb. Leg. In the common term "pestle o'
pork." So called when cooked fresh, instead of being salted for
ham o' pork.
FAUCILLE : in an horse, the bought, or pestle of the thigh. — Cotgrave.
PESTELL of flesshe— -jambon. — Palsgrave.
A Pestle of Porke. lambe de porceau. — Both Cotgrave and Sherwood.
In the fyrst course, potage, wortes, gruell, & fourmenty, with venyson, and
mortrus and pestelles of porke with grene sauce.
Wynkyn de Worde, Boke of Keruyng (Furnivall), p. 278.
PHEASANT'S EYE [faznints uy], sb. The evergreen alkanet.
Anchusa sempervirens.
PHYSIC [fuVik], sb. Medicine. See METCIN. Also to express
nasty taste.
Call this yer good drink ! Darn'd if I don't call it downright
physic, missus !
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 565
PICK [pik], sb. i. A hay-fork. (Always.)
2. A pickaxe.
[Kaa'n due* noaurt wai dhee'uz pik voa'r ee'z u-shaa-rpt,] (I)
cannot do anything with this pickaxe until it has been sharpened.
PICK A BONE WITH [pik u boa-un wai],///r. To take to
task ; to demand an explanation.
I've a got a bone to pick 'long way you 'bout that there zeed; you
zold it to me vor swede, and 'tis half o' it common turmuts.
PICKED [pik-ud], adj. i. Pointed ; peaked. (Very com.)
Thick there stake 'on't do, he's to picked by half; there'll be a hole
droo the cloth in no time.
I yur'd em zay how a man made in a vire way nort but a picked
stick an' a little bit o' board way a hole in un.
Proude prestes come with hym ' moo {>an a thousand,
In paltokes & pyked shoes • & pisseres longe knyues,
Comen a3ein conscience. — Piers Plowman, B. xx. 217.
With scrip and pyked staf, y-touked hye ;
In every house he gan to pore and prye.
Chaucer, Sompnours Tale, 1. 29.
2. Applied to countenance. Pinched, sharp-featured : implies
ill-temper.
A nasty picked facdd old thing.
PICKED ARSED [pik-ud aa-sud], adj. Having the root of the
tail protruded, or projecting beyond the usual contour. Of cattle,
pointed or angular at the buttocks.
Tfcxfty ptakid arsed old thing ! Why, you can hang your hat 'pon
the pins o' un.
PICKING [pik'een], adj. Dainty in eating; particular as to
food ; also, eating little ; having a poor appetite.
I'll tell thee hot 'tis, thee'rt to pickin by half. Hard is it? I
reckon thee'ds vind it harder wi'out.
Poor blid, her do look wisht sure 'nough ; and there, her's so
pickin too, her don't make use o' nothin' [skee'us] scarce.
PICK IT IN [pik ut ee-n],//?r. To catch it ; to get a thrashing,
or a severe scolding. (Very com.)
[Dhee-t pik ut ee~n muyn, haun mae-ustur zee-th dhee ; aay
wiid'n stan een dhuy sheo'z vur zau'mfeen,] thee wilt pick it in
when master sees thee; I would not stand in thy shoes for
something.
PICKLE [pik-1], v. t. and sb. i. Seed corn before sowing is very
often steeped in solutions of various kinds, according to the receipts
or fancies of different farmers. This is always called pickling the
566
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
corn, and is done to prevent grubs or birds from devouring the
seed. Used also fa\ poisoning any substance for vermin.
2. sb. State; condition.
They'll be in a purty//V/£/<?, ah'll warn 'em, zoon's they years o' it.
Reape barley with sickle
that lies in \\\ pickle. — Tusser, 56/17.
PICK OUT, v. To discover ; to find out by inquiry.
I can't pick out nort at all about-n. Do 'ee try vor to pick out
all you can.
But what do we/zV&r out to resolute him withall?
Rogers, Hist of Naaman, p. 396 (1642).
PICK PRATES [pik prae-uts], v. To tell tales.
Billy, I on't ha you comin' to pick prates 'pon the tothers ; yoi
be all so bad's they.
And nif tha dest pick Prates upon me, and tell Vauther o', chell tell a zwc
Rabble-rote upon thee, looks zee. Ex. Scold. 1. 221.
PICK UP, PICK UP HIS CRUMBS [pik- aup rfz kreo-mz],
v. i. and /. To amend ; to improve either in health or fortune :
applied also to animals.
I reckon they be pickin up again now, her's a rare hand about
butter'n that.
Our Liz bin ter'ble bad, her was a'most come to a nottomy ; but
her's pickin up her crooms again now, like, thank th' Almighty.
I 'sure you, mum, 'tis on'y kitchen physic that he do want, nee
none o' yer doctor's stuff; nif he could meet way a little more o'
that there, he'd zoon pick up, he wid.
PICKY-BACK [pik-ee baak], adv. To carry on the back, witl
the arms round the neck and the legs supported on either side
under the bearer's arms.
The poor old man can't walk no more'n a cheel ; Joe's a-focec
to car' "n picky-back up'm down stairs.
PICTURE [pik'tur], sb. Image; resemblance. (Very com.)
[Dhu zaak' pik'tur u dh-oa'l au's,] the exact image of the ok
horse. Spoken of a young horse.
PIDDLING [piid-leen], part. adj. \. Peddling or trifling;
working in a lazy manner.
Come on, soce ! b'ee gwain to \flAtpid4Kn here all's day?
Nif anybody didn sharp 'm up a bit, he'd bide //&///« over thicl
there job vor a month o' Zindays.
2. Trickling.
Never didn zee the river zo small avore, he's nort now but a
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 567
little piddlin lake o" water, an' I can mind hon a post-boy was a
warshed away, there by our road, and a drownded, 'osses an' all.
If hops looke browne,
go gather them downe.
But not in the deaw,
tor piddling with feaw. — Tusser, 56/48.
PIECE [pee's], sb. i. Often used alone without any other noun
to explain it.
(a) A. piece (of timber) or log. (Very com.)
1 be a-com'd over vor to git some help, vor to git the/zV<tf up to
pit ; Me and Jimsy baint men enough by ourzuls.
Said by a sawyer to me (April, 1883).
(b) A piece (of flesh) — /. e. a woman, usually gross in figure ; or
used to express unchastity. (Very com.)
You knows th' old Bob Zalter's wive, don'ee? Her's a gurt
coose piece, you know.
(c) In the expression "all of a piece" — i. e. all alike, all of one
kind. (Very common.)
Maister've a-zend back these here baskets ; they baint no good
nif can't 'ave 'em all of a, piece.
You must paper the wall all over nif you want to make'n look all
of a piece.
(d) In combination — as turning-/^, pillar-//^, tail-piece, clavel-
piece.
2. A part or portion of anything.
No, tidn a finished, not eet ; why we 'ant a bin there only two
pieces o' days — i. e. parts of two days.
Better have home some more cider, had'n er, sir? there idn but
a piece of a hogshead a left.
What ! do you call yourself a man? Well, I zim I do, apiece of
a one, like.
I can't go home 'long way 'ee (/. e. all the way), but I don't mind
gwain a piece o' the way.
This use seems to be archaic.
PECE, or part. Perticula, pars, porduncula. — Promp. Parv.
3. A field, or close of land. Constantly used in combination for
the names of fields, as "Parson's //<#•<?," "Home piece." Compare
the well-known " Parker's piece " at Cambridge.
4. In speaking of any crop on the ground, whether the whole
field or only part is referred to, it is usual to say, thick piece o' whate ;
rare piece o' grass. Shockin poor piece o' turmits. Thindest piece
o' barley I've a-zeed de year.
PIECE-MEAL [pee-s mae-ul], adv. i. Applied to letting land.
568 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
When a farm is let to a number of different tenants it is said to
be let out piece-meal.
2. v. t. To let land in small holdings.
I've a-tookt the zix acres o' Mr. Baker, and I be gwain to piec
meal'n out in garden splats.
To PEECE MEAL (to divide, cut, pull, rend in pieces). Mordllir ; despecer.
Sherwood,
PIECEN [pees'n], v. t. One of the rare verbs in en. To join
or fasten together broken parts ; to mend.
We've &-piecened th' old chancy tay-pot, eens you widn never
know he was a-brokt.
Of all th' old shows ever you zeed, nif th' old Squire Newman
didn beat 'em all He'd a got on a old brown coat that anybody
widn pick up in the road — he was a piecened and a-patched all
over. Th' old man looked like a proper old cadger, and eet they
do zay how he's a wo'th thousands.
PIECENER [pees'nur], sb. A boy or girl in a factory, whose
work is to piecen or mend up the "ends" or threads which break
while being spun. Until recently pieceners were children who
lapped together the soft wool rolls from the carding engine to
feed the " billy." Now this handiwork is altogether superseded.
PIECE O' WORK [pees-u-wuurk], phr. Fuss ; disturbance.
Come now, her did'n go to do it, and tidn nort vor to make a
piece o' work about
There's a purty piece d work up 'm town ; they've a-brokt the
winders to the King's Arms, and the [poa'lees] police can't do nort
agin 'em.
PIGEON-PAIR [pij'een-pae'ur]. A son and a daughter nearly
the same age when there are no more children in a family are always
called a. pigeon-pair, whether they happen to be twins or not.
Pigeons have but two young ones at a time, and these are
said to be always male and female.
PIGEON-TOED [pij-een-toa-ud], adj. Having the feet turning
inwards. Bow-legs and pigeon-toes usually go together.
PIGGY-PIE [pig-ee-paay]. See STRAT-PIE.
PIG-HEADED [peg'-ai'dud], adj. Obstinate ; stubborn ; not to
be convinced.
Tidn nit a bit o' good to zay nort, you mid so well talk to the
tower ; idn a more pig-headeder, hignoranter gurt hedgeboar in all
the parish.
PIGS [peg'z], sb. Contraction of pixies, in the common saying,
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 569
" Plaze God and the pigs'1 See Way's note to PYGMEW. — Promp.
Parv. p. 395.
Ta marra maurnin, playze tha pigs,
Out in ma bestest close I rigs
This yer nayt vorm a mine. — Nathan Hogg, Mee Pickter tuk be Light.
PIG'S BUBBLE [peg-z buub'l], sb. The cow-parsnip.
Heraclitim Sphondylium. Usual name about Wellington. Pigs are
very fond of it, and cottagers gather it about in the hedges. See
LlMPERNSCRIMP.
PIGS-HALES [peg-z-ae-ulz], sb. Haws, the berries of the
white-thorn.
PIGS-LOOZE [peg-z-lue-z], sb. Pigsty. (Always so.) Pigsty
unknown. ? Pigs-lews — i. e. shelter (see LEW, LEWTH).
John Gadd do want to have a nz\v pig's-looze, but I told him the
rent was to low already. (Letter from agent for cottages.) See
STRAIN.
PIG'S LOUSE [peg-z laews], sb. The common wood-louse.
PIG'S MEAT [peg-z mart], sb. Wash ; refuse of the kitchen.
(Always.) When very fluid it is often spoken of as "clear meat."
PIG'S-NUT [peg'z-nut or pai'gz nut], sb. The common earth-
nut, for which pigs are so fond of grubbing and rooting. Bunium
flexuosum.
Caliban. I pr'ythee let me bring thee where crabs grow,
And I with my long nails will dig \he& pig-nuts. — Tempest, II. ii.
In my copy of Gerarde's Herbal, p. 1065, under Earth-nuts, is
an entry in handwriting of the last century, ' Somerset Pig-nuts
T. W.'
PIG'S PARSLEY [peg'z paa-slee], sb. Wild parsley. Caucalis
anthriscus.
PIG'S PARSNIP [peg-z paa'smip], sb. (Rare.) Same as PIG'S
BUBBLES, COW-PARSNIP. Heraclium Sphondylium.
PIG TOGETHER [peg tugadh-ur], v. i. To sleep or crowd
together ; to herd.
There was nine o' um all &-pig together in thick there little bit
of a 'ouze; why he idn big enough to zwing a cat in, hon's void —
tidn dacent.
PIKE [puyk], sb. i. A turnpike gate.
2. The toll payable.
Hast a-got any money vor to pay the//& way?
5/0 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PILL [pee'ul], sb. Pillow. (Very com.)
I never can't zlape way a soft ////.
PILLAR-PIECE [pul-ur pees], sb. Part of a wagon. The
cross timber attached to and supporting the bottom of the fore-
part of the body. It bears upon the foil-piece, and turns upon it
when the wheels are "locked." The main-pin passes through
both. In a timber-carriage or railway timber-truck the pillar-piece
is that on which the log actually rests, and is made to turn on its
centre.
PILLION [puTyun], sb. A seat behind a man's saddle for a
woman, on which she sits sideways. It is a kind of pad or
cushion, having a small board suspended by straps on which she
rests her feet ; her right arm is supposed to be around the man's
waist.
Pi/lions are now very rare, but may still be seen in North-west
Somerset.
PILL-TIE [pee'ul-tuy], sb. Pillow-case. Sometimes applied
to the entire pillow. It is evident tie is a French word. See
BED-TIE.
PlLLOWE BERE — taye doreiller. — Palsgrave. Sherwood.
PILLUMY [puTumee], v. i. and adj. To give out dust, as a
carpet does when beaten. Full of dust.
I'll make thy birches pillumy vor thee, nif I catch thee again.
(Very common.)
chell make thy Boddize pilmee,
. . . make my Boddize pilmee. — Ex. Scold. 11. 83, 84.
PILM, PILLUM [puTum], sb. Dust ; fluff; briss ($. v.). (Com.
in Hill dist.) See Mux.
PIN [pee'n], sb. i. The hip, both of man and beast : no other
term is used for the hip. Applied also to the hip-joint. Called
also pin-bone [pee'n-boa'un].
2. sb. The middle one of a team of three horses.
Ah'll warn un to go avore or in the pin, but he idn no sharper
(shafter).
3. \J>. t. pee'n; /. part, u-pee'n-], v. t. To hold; to clench,
as " to pin the bargain," " to pin him to his promise."
I knowd he was a slippery sort of a customer, zo I pin un there
and then.
PIN-BONE [pee-n-boa-un], sb. The projecting bone of the hip.
PIN-SHUT, or PIN-SLEFT [pee-n-shuut, pee'n-slaef], adj. a
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 57!
sb. An injury to the hip-joint of a horse, often produced by the
animal rushing through a doorway, and getting thereby a violent
blow on the projecting bone.
PINCH [pun'sh], v. t. To prize or raise up with a lever point,
having the fulcrum to bear down upon. Same as PAYZE. To raise
with a lever by using the point as the fulcrum, is " to heave."
Take and finch 'n up, you can't heave m like that — you've a-got'n
to dead by half.
PINCHFART [piin-shfaa-rt], sb. A niggard; an epithet for a
miserly person.
A proper old pinch/art t why 111 war'n un he'd skin a vlint vor
ha'penny.
It avore all, th' art an abomination Pincfmart vor thy own Eends.
Ex. Scold. 1. in.
PINDY [pee'ndee], adj. Musty in taste or smell — applied
chiefly to corn or flour.
Mother Ve a-zend me vor to tell 'ee how we can't eat the bread
— her zess 'tis so pindy, 'most stinks — ;'. e. it almost stinks.
PINE [puyn], sb. Pen for sheep or cattle. (Always so.)
The cow-pines be shockin' bad out o' order, there idn one o'm
fit vor a cow to calvy in.
PIN-FEATHERED [pee-n-vadh'urd], adj. Applied to poultry
when the downy chicken plumage is changing to the coloured
natural feathers ; when first the difference can be noted between
cocks and hens.
I never didn zee no chicken grow so vast, why they be pin-
feathered a' ready.
PING [ping, paeng; /. /. puung'd; /./. u-puung'd], v. t. To
push or thrust.
I catch'n by the scruff and pung'd the head o' un up agin the wall.
tha wudst ha' borst en to shivers, nif chad net a vung'd en, and pungd en
back agen. Ex. Scold. 1. 255.
PIN-HORSE [pee'n-aus], sb. The middle horse in a team.
They are the vore 'oss (leader), pi'n-'oss, and sharper (wheeler).
It is often said of a horse, " He'll go very well in the //;/, but
he on't go avore."
PINIATED [pdn-iae-utud], adj. Opinionated; arrogant;
obstinate; conceited.
He idn much o' it — to much to zay by half — I never baint
a-tookt in way these here piniated sort o' vokes.
PINIONS [pimyunz], sb. The short refuse wool left in the
5/2
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
comb after the long-stapled "sliver" has been drawn off. This
word, evidently from Fr. peignons, is thoroughly West country.
In other parts this regular article of commerce is called "noils."
PINK EYE [ping-k uy-], sb. i. A horse ailment; a kind of
inflammatory catarrh, causing inter alia a congested state of the eye.
2. A variety of potato.
PINKING [ping-keen], adj. Ailing; weakly; querulous-
applied to women.
So Bob Giles is a-brokt out again, idn 'er? Well there, 'tis 'nough
vor to make any fuller g'out vor t'ave a drap, way zich a poor
pinkiri thing of a wive's he've a-got.
PINKING [ping'keen], sb. A kind of rounded scallop made
upon the edge of leather or cloth by stamping with an instrument
called a " pinking-iion" I have seen notices " Pt'n&frtg done here"
very frequently.
PINK-TWINK [ping-k-twingk], sb. The chaffinch, doubtless
from its peculiar double note. Fringilla Calebs.
PINNY [peen-ee], sb. Pinafore.
Billy, you've a-dirt you pinny again. Come in, you bad boy, or
I'll put 'ee in the darky hole 'long o' the black man !
PIN-POINTING, or PIN-PLASTERING [pee-n-pauynteen,
pee-n-plaas'tureen]. Roofs are often covered (or rather were) with
small slates, which instead of nails have small wooden pegs, called
pins, driven firmly into a hole in the slate. These pins are allowed
to project only on the under side, and resting upon the lath, prevents
the slate from slipping down. In order to keep them in their
places, and also to prevent the wind from disturbing the small
slates, the row of pins along each lath is buried in a rim of mortar,
which sets around them and keeps them firm. This final operation
is called pin-pointing or pin-plastering.
PINS. It is still confidently believed that if you wish to do
injury to an enemy, you must take an onion, write the name of
your enemy on a piece of paper, and then stick it with pins to the
onion ; putting as many pins into the onion through the paper, as
it will take. The onion must then be put up the chimney, and
as it withers so will the heart of the person whose name is pierced.
An onion so pierced, and bearing the name of a well-known person
still living, was found not long since in a chimney near my own
house. Another mode of working mischief, either to an enemy or
a witch, is to take a pig's heart and stick it full of pins, and hide
it in the roof or walls of a house. As the heart of the pig is
pierced, so will be that of the person or witch whom it is desired
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 573
to punish. A heart so stuck full of pins was found very recently
on pulling down an old cottage in the parish of Ashbrittle, and is
now to be seen preserved in the Somerset Archaeological Society's
Museum at Taunton Castle.
PINS AND NEEDLES [pee-nz un nee-ulz]. The pricking
sensation often felt when the limbs have been kept long in one
position, or are " asleep."
PINSWILL [pee'nzwiil], sb. A small abscess ; a boil ; a gathering
of matter.
PINY [puynee], sb. The flower peony. (Always.)
PIP [pup], sb. i. Flat seed : that of apples, pears, cucumbers,
oranges, &c.
2. The several //Vs or spots on playing cards.
3. A disease to which chickens are very liable — same as gaps —
caused by worms in the windpipe. See DRAW i.
I PYPPE a henne or a capon, I take the pyppe from them. le prens la pfpic.
Your hennes shall never waxe faste tyll they \&pypped. — Palsgrave.
4. A slight cough in children.
Why, Billy, what's the matter — got the pip 1
PYPPE, sekenesse. Pituita. — Promp. Parv.
J>e PIPPE, pituita. — Cat A. Ang.
PYPPE, a sickenesse ; pepye. — Palsgrave.
Chervel, y-dronkyn with muls, oftyn for-doj) ^e pippe.
Arundel MS. 42, quoted by Way, Pr. Parv. 401.
5. In phr. "to take/# o'." To take offence.
Besides, so vur as tha knowst, ha murt take Pip o', and meach off, and come
no more anearst tha. Ex. Court. 1. 468. See also Ex. Scold. 11. 162, 310.
Comp. PUG, Leicester Gloss, p. 219.
PIPE [puyp], sb. i. Blood-vessel; vein; artery.
2. The common field draining pipe. Used only in the singular.
I'll pay vor gutterin', nif you'll plase to vind the pipe.
Thick gutter '11 take vower hundred o' dree inch pipe.
PIPE-GUTTER [puyp-guad-r], j£. A drain made with ordinary
tile pipes, in distinction from a stone-gutter, which is one made of
loose stones, until late years by far the commoner kind.
PIPING [puypeen], adj. Wheezing ; husky.
Her's a poor pipin\ crakin' poor cratur, her is.
a wud ha' had a coad, riggelting, parbeaking, piping Body in tha.
Ex. Scold. 1. 148.
5/4 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PIRDLE [puurdl], v. t. To cause to spin.
Let me girdle the top, I'll show thee how to make'n go.
PIRDLY [puurdlee], v.i. To purl or spin like a top. D is
usually inserted between r and / final.
Comp. \_guurdle, ivuurdl, skwuurdt}, girl, worl(d, squirrel.
Giraaihim. Anglice a chyldes whyrle, or a hurre, cum quo pueri ludui,
ORTUS. In the Medulla, Harl. MS. 2257, it is rendered "a pirdle"
Way, note to PRYLLE, Promp. Parv. p. 413.
FIRM ROSE [puurmtroa-uz], sb. Primrose. (Always.)
I han't a zeed pirmroses thicker, not's years.
There's bu'stin buds 'pon ev'ry spray,
Ari pttrniroses in every hedge. — Piumatt, Rustic Sketches, p.
PISS-A-BED [pus'-u-bai-d], sb. The dandelion. Taraxacum
Ojfirinale. Among old people this is still the usual name.
Forby (n. p. 255) says it is said to have a name equivalent to
this in every language in Europe. Also in most languages a
popular name importing lion's tooth. See Promp. Parv. p. 402.
PISSE-A-BED (herbe). Pissenliet, dent de lion, couroune dc prestrc. — She>-wood.
PISTERING [puVtureen]. One of those alliterative pleonastic
words which serve to complete the sound, without adding to the
meaning, like shilly-shally, rolly-polly, driggle-draggle, &c.
Whistering and pistering always go together, and simply mean
whispering.
They be always whisterin' and pisterirf together.
Oil vor whistering and pistering, and hooling and halzening or cuffing a Tale.
Ex. Scold. 1. 297.
PIT [peet], sb. i. Pond. A labourer in my employ always
speaks of a pond nearly half an acre in extent as " thick there pit."
2. Well. See PLUMP-PIT.
Of a well dug a considerable depth without finding water, the
contractor wrote, " I have let the pit rest for a few days, as the
fouel are (foul air) is in it very bad." — Aug. 24, 1887.
3. A saw-pit. Not by any means necessarily an excavation.
Sawyers very often speak of putting up a ///, that is, of erecting a
framework on posts or other supports above ground, on which to
place the "piece " to be sawn.
PIT-A-PAT [peet-u-paat1], phr. Any recurring sound or beat.
I yer'd'n comin' along pit-a-pat 'pon the road, ever so long avore
I zeed'n.
And tho' I veel'd my heart go pit-a-pat.
PITCH [piich], sb. i. A rod of willow, poplar, or elder, which
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS. 575
being stuck in the ground at a certain season, will take root and
grow. In making new hedges it is usual to stipulate, "to be
planted with good withy or elder pitches" or "pitchers."
2. [piich], sb. A game played with pennies or other round
discs. The object is to pitch the penny into a hole in the ground
from a certain point.
3. [pee'ch]. The climax of darkness — "dark's///^," "///r/* dark."
4. [piich], v. t. To deposit goods or produce in a market for sale.
There idn a quarter much so 'ool ^.-pitched to Bristol Fair as
used to. I mind they always used to pitch the corn in our market,
and peck it out there right.
5. v. t. and i. To load hay or corn with a pitch-fork — applied
to wagon or cart in the field, and also to loading it from the cart
upon the stack. The only word in use.
Last year I pitched every stitch o' corn 'pon the farm.
How dedst Thee stertlee upon the Zess last Rarest wey the young Dick
Vrogwill, whan George V\uzputc/?d, Ex. Scold. 1. 33.
6. v. t. To pave with pebbles or other small stones.
Will 'ee have the floor a-put in way brick, or else will 'ee hab'm
z-pitchtl
7. v. i. To shrink in bulk ; to subside in height.
A hay-rick always sinks materially in height when it begins to
heat ; in so doing it is said to pitch. Newly-made ground settles
down considerably, and so is said to pitch.
Thick there rick lookth purty high a-cock'd up, but zee un in a
vortnight's time arter he've a.-pitcht, he 'ont be half s'igh.
PITCH AWAY [piich uwai'], v.i. To lose flesh; to become
thin — applied to man and beast.
Our Bill bin shockin' bad way the fayver — I 'sure you, he's that
z.-pitchd away, he's most a-come to a nottomy.
They bee-us be a pitch 'd away oncommon — they baint zo good's
they was by vower a head — /. e. four pounds.
Your old maister's \\-pitcht away, sure 'nough — I didn 'ar'ly
know un.
PITCHER [puch-ur], sb. i. The man who throws the hay or
corn upon the wagon in harvest ; also he who throws it from the
wagon on to the rick.
2. sb. Name of a deep vase-shaped jug, having one handle
at the top on one side. The pitcher is always made of coarse
brown earthenware (cloam). If of finer ware, or china, it is 9. jug.
" Ewer and basin " are always "jug and basin."
3. A willow or other rod. Same as PITCH i.
5/6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PITCH-GUTTER [puch'-guufur, guad'r], sb. A channel or
shallow open drain formed with small stones or pebbles.
Thick road 'on't never be vitty gin there's a proper pitch-gutter
a-put in both zides o' un.
PITCHING [puclreen], sb. A pavement made of pebbles
small stones.
PITCHING-STONES [pucrreen-stoa-unz], sb. pi. Small stone
suitable for paving.
PITCH INTO [piich ee-ntu], J>hr. To attack either by word
or blow. Varied by pitch it into. Also to set to work vigorously
about anything.
They pitched into the pa'son, did'n 'em, up to vestry meetin',
'bout locking the ringers out o' the tower ? Well, I considers how
maister was right ; nif I was he, I widn have no jis drunkin1 'busie
lot, not if the bells wadn never a-ring'd at all.
PITCH-MARKET [pucrr-maarkut], sb. A market in which
the corn, wool, or other produce for sale is actually on the spot
in bulk. At present this is very rare, but it was the rule formerly.
Goods deposited in a market are always said to be pitched for
sale. See PITCH 4.
PITH [piith, paeth], sb. Substance ; strength ; bottom.
[Dhur waud'n noa paeth' een dhu puud'n,] there was no pith
(goodness) in the pudding.
He idn half a fellow to work, there idn no pith in un.
PYTHE, strength— -force. — Palsgi-ave.
The paume is J>e pty of )>e honde • and profre}> for]) )>e fyngres.
Piers Plowman, XX. 1 1 6.
Bot \>e poyntej payred at J>e pyth ]>at pyjt in his schelde},
& J>e barbe3 of his browe bite non wolde. — Sir Gawayne, 1. 1456.
PITHEE [pudlvee]. Prythee. A com. expression of familiarity,
of affection, of contempt, or defiance, according to intonation.
Oh aye ! pithee, mun, thee art'n a-gwain to come over me thick
farshin ! There's a sartin thing thee dis'n know, pithee /
Pilha, tell reaznable, or hold thy Popping, ya gurt Washamouth.
Ex. Scold. 1. 137. See also 11. 57, 132. See W. S. Dial. p. 20.
PIT-HOLE [put-oa-1], sb. A grave— children's word ; also
called pitty-hole. I remember being taught a nursery hymn, of
which one verse was —
Tell me, mama, if I must die
One day as little baby died :
And must I in the churchyard lie,
Down in the pit-hole by her side ?
!
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 577
PITICE [piifees], adj. Inferior in quality ; worthless; unsatis-
factory. (Very com.) Nothing in com. with lit. piteous.
Where's get thick knive ? 'tis a pitice thing, sure 'nough — I widn
gee thee tuppence vor'n.
A pitice tale that, sure 'nough — i. e. improbable story; not
likely to deceive anybody. " Pitice job " — /. e. badly done as to
workmanship. " Pitice consarn " — /. e. mean, paltry piece of business.
"Pitice fuller," an undersized, inefficient weakling; half a man.
"¥oor pitice trade," weak, washy beverage.
Our pronun. follows the M. E. in keeping the word a dissyllable,
while literature has corrupted it, and it is quite regular in becoming
\ptit- ees^ like [gaal'ees, aal'ees, maal'ees, buul'ees,] gallows, aloes,
mallows, bellows.
This gentil duke doun from his courser sterte
With \\&I\.Q pitons, whan he herde hem speke.
Him thoughte that his herte wolde breke,
Whan he seyh hem so pilous and so maat,
Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 1. 94. See Piers Plow. A. VII. 116, &c.
PIT-ROLLER [piif-roa'lur], sb. A strong piece of timber cut
" eight-square," /. e. octagonal in section, used by sawyers. It is
that which bears on each side of the pit, and carries the front end
of the log. It is movable, so as to allow the sawing to be con-
tinued past the bearing point. The support at the other end of
the log is called the bolster-piece ; to this it is usually " dogged "
to prevent its turning. A third cross-piece necessary to the sawing
of a log is called a transum. Its use is to support a fulcrum, by
which the end of the partly-sawn tree is " tripsed " up, so as to
permit the movement of the pit-roller as may be required.
• PIT-WOOD [puf-eo-d], sb. Larch or other wood cut into
lengths for supporting " the roof " in coal-mines.
I Thick plantation idn gwain to do no more good ; nif he was
mine I should clear'n— -pit-God's zellin' middlin' now.
PIT-ZAW [piif-zaa], sb. The large saw used by sawyers, needing
a saw-pit to work it.
PIX [pik-s], v. /. To gather the stray fruit after the crop is
taken ; to glean fruit instead of corn. Farmers usually permit
this, unless in the frequent case of the apples being left in large
heaps in the orchard " to fret " (/. e. to become half rotten) before
being made into cider.
Mr. Bird don't never zay nort nif anybody do pix his orchets.
FIXING [pik-seen]. Same as PIXY-WORDING.
PIXY [pik-see], sb. i. A fairy. The belief in these little creatures
is still prevalent, although there is great confusion of idea between
them and witches, bogies, goblins, hags, or other uncanny things.
p P
578 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The green rings so often seen in pastures are pixy-rings, round
which they dance on moonlight nights. Toad-stools are always
pixy-stools. Rusty horse-shoes are nailed over stable-doors to
prevent \\\Q pixies from "terrifyin"' the horses. See PIGS.
See long description by Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 124.
As if a picksy way es plow
Had took et vur a barly mow,
An mil tha pitmarks in her chaps
Zim'd like WOiJictsy's hosscs' staps.
Nathan Hogg's Letters, Series I. p. 50.
2. v. i. To glean stray apples.
They baint so particular our way — can pixy all over the parisl
nif you be a mind to ; they on't zay nort.
PIXY-WORDING [pik-see-wuurdeen], part. sb. Gathering the
stray qpples in an orchard after the trees have been stripped — /. e.
the pixies' hoard. (Very com.)
Farmer Jones 've a-tookt in his orchet, zo we can g'up there
pixy-wordiri — I reckon some be a-lef.
FIZZLE [puz'l], sb. The duct or pipe leading from the bladde
in slaughtered male animals. (Always.)
The Fizzle of a beast. Pible, vit. — Sherwood.
Falstajf. Away, you starveling, you elf-skin, you dried neat's tongue, bull':
piztle, you stock-fish. I Henry IV. II. iv.
. PLACE [plae'us], sb. Duty ; business. (Very com.)
A woman who fancied the parish doctor had not been so
attentive as she thought desirable, said, " 'Twas his place to come
s'often's he's wanted — what do'er get his money vor, else? —
December, 1886.
PLAGUE [plaayg], v. t. To teaze; to worry. (Very com.)
They louzy boys be enough to plague anybody to death.
PLAIN [plain, plaa'yn], adj. i. Inferior in quality or
appearance.
I calls thick there a very plain piece o' beef.
Plainish sort of a farm — anybody must git up over night vor
to live in un.
2. Applied to health.
How are you to-day? Thank 'ee, I be on'y very plain, I
sure 'ee.
Plain is compared according to rule, like fine. See D i.
You'll vind the road I tell 'ee o', ever zo much plaindern tother.
The very [plaa'yndees] plaindest lot o' stock's I've a-zeed a-zold
'is longful time.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 579
An' ev'ry minnit the light da bring
Et plainder about ta zee. —Pulinan, Rustic Sketches, p. 21.
PLANCH [plaivsh], sb. Board of any kind of wood, if an inch
thick or over; thinner it is called " board," or "thin board," or f, f,
\ inch board, as the case may be; while thicker than i£ inches it is
always plank.
"A piece ti planch" would be understood as a piece of board,
at least an inch in thickness.
^ PLANCH-FLOOR [platrsh-vloo-ur], sb. A wood floor in dis-
tinction from one of brick, stone, or other material.
Thick there 'ouze did'n ought vor to bide void, way a good
garden to un, and a planch-vloor and all. — March i8th, 1884.
PLANCHIN [plan 'sheen], sb. The board of the floor. (Always.)
The plane/tin's proper a-weared out, 'ton't pay vor men'in.
The poor young man was a-tookt way the fits, and vore anybody
could urn vore, he was a-vall'd all along 'pon the planchin.
PLANCHIN-BOARD [plairsheen-bocrurd], ,sb. Flooring-board.
Comp. Norfolk, Plancher, a boarded floor. — Forby, 255.
PLAUNCHERE. Plancula, in planca. — Promp. Parv.
Plancher made of bordes, planche. — Palsgrave.
Y* holys yat bea made for hand gunnys ben scarse kne hey fro y" plancher.
Paslon Letters, iv. 316.
PLANETS. To ' ' rule the planets " is to practise rustic astrology.
I well knew a "conjurer" who was said to be able "to rule the
planets" and who made a good living from those who consulted him.
I had one of his business cards, on which was printed his name, and
"Nativities cast," "Questions answered."
This man was always known and spoken of as Conjurer B — •.
If any one were asked what that meant, the answer was, " Au ! he's
a white-witch."
PLANK [plang-k], v. t. To pay down ; to deposit the stakes.
In accepting a challenge to bet, it is usual to say, " Done ! plank
your money " — /'. e. put it down on the table.
PLANK(Y [plang-k(ee], v. t. and /. To bend; to spring.
Applied only to a pliant article — not to any substance which would
not regain its shape, as lead, copper, &c. The idea is that of
walking on a plank bearing only on its two ends, which springs up
and down when walked over. Any horizontal support which is
bent down with the weight upon it is said "to planky down," or
"to be //drawdown " [u-plang'k daewn].
PLANT [plaen-t], sb. Young cabbage plant.
How be you off vor plants? mine didn come up 'lall ; but I've
p p 2
5 80 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
a-got a plenty o' curly greens and that, and I wants to changy waj
zomebody vor zome plants, vor zome o' they.
PLANTING [plaan-teen], sb. Plantation.
Keep right vore, gin you come to a plantiri like.
PLAT [plaat], sb. i. Plot (Always.) Very common in fieU
names. 1 have several — e.g. Jordan's plat, Ham plat, Big-burrow
plat, &c,
2. A garden allotment. See SPLAT.
Mr. Leat 've a-tookt the field o' groun vor to let-n out in plats.
PLATE [plae-ut], sb. Tech. Called also wall-plate. The piece
of wood which runs longitudinally on the top of each wall of an
ordinary building, upon which are fixed the rafters. Called also
plating.
Inch and half by vive's plenty stout vor \hzplate.
You an't a-zend enough stuff vor the plate.
There was a piece o' plate a-left — /. e. a piece of the scantling
intended for wall-plate.
PLATTER-FACE [plaafur-fae-us], sb. A round flat face, by
no means an uncommon type. Very common as an epithet.
Ya gurt platter-face !
PLATTY [plaat'ee], adj. Said of corn or any other crop
growing unevenly or in patches.
Idn quarter so good's he looks, thick there field o' barley ; he's
ter'ble flatty. Come to g'in to un, he idn no way suant like.
PLAT-VOOTED [plaaf-veofud], adj. Splay-footed ; having flat
feet ; also shambling in gait.
A plat-rooted, nackle-ass old son of a bitch ! why I widn gee un
his zalt, let 'lone taties !
A rubbacock, rouzeabout, platvooted, zidlemouth'd swashbucket. — Ex. Sc. I. 56.
PLAY [plaa'y], v. t. i. To have a bout at wrestling or with
single-stick. Used transitively only in this sense.
[Aay muyn aay plaayd Jiim Ee'ul tu Lang-vurd ravul, vur u
airlun shuur't, un aay wee'n un, vur au'l dhut ee au'furd mee vai'~
shuTeenz neef aay-d vaa'l tue un,] I remember I played (wrestled
with) Jim Hill at Langford revel, for a holland shirt, and I won it,
for all that he offered me five shillings if I would fall to him (/. e.
allow him to throw me). To express the act of wrestling intransi-
tively would be to plaa'y tu ratrsleen. See THROW IN.
\_hac\plaay dhee vur u suvreen,] I will play (wrestle with) thee
for a sovereign.
2. v. i. Of bees. When likely to swarm they fly in great numbers,
just flitting about in front of the hive : this v& flaying.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 581
Thick there butt o' bees '11 zwarm to-marro\v, I reckon, they bin
May in' all's mornin. The actual swarming is not called playing,
3. To idle ; to have no work to do.
The work bin ter'ble slack sure 'nough, we bin fo'ced to play
half our time purty near all the winter.
'Tis hard when anybody's a mind to work, vor to play half their
time, and put gwain what little they've a-tookt care o'.
PLAY FOR LOVE [plaay vur luuv], phr. To play any game
without stakes.
I don't niver zee no fun in flay in' vor love ; let's play for zomefin,
nif 'tis but ever so little.
PLEAD PARDON [plai'd paardn],//^. To humble oneself
after giving offence.
Nif thee art'n a fool, thee't go and plead pardon, and ax'n vor
t'overlook it ; 'tis a mortal sight easier vor to put thyzul out o' a
good job'm 'tis into un.
PLENTY [plai-ntee], adj. i. Plentiful.
Hurts (whortleberries) be ter'ble plenty 'pon our hill de year.
Makin' a new cellar for to hold the cider, 'cause 'tis likin to be
so plenty de year. — May 26, 1881.
2. sb. Sufficient in quantity. In this sense, unlike lit. Eng., the
word is always preceded by the adjective a.
You be welcome to so many's you be a mind to, and there'll be
a plenty a-left arterwards.
No more this time o' zittin down, thank'ee, I've a-had a plenty.
PLIM, PLIMMY [plum, plunrree], v. t. and /. To swell or
increase in bulk, as rice or peas in boiling ; hence often used for
"to grow fat."
Poor little maid, I zim how could plim her up, way a little more
kitchen physic like.
They peas baint meat-ware, they on'tflimmy one bit; you mid so
well bwoil a passle o' marvels (marbles).
PLOUGH [pluw, plaew], sb. A team of horses.
A farmer walking with me over his farm, said, on finding two stray
horses in one of his fields, " Holloa ! whose plough's this here? "
I calls that there so good a plough o' osses as ever was a-hitch'd
by the neck.
is departed unto God, by a mysfortune of his plojighe.
1505. Liber. Ruber. Wells Cathedral, fol. 123, back.
Item To William Escott for vi dayes carriage of stones and gravell for the
Causewaye w' his Plottghe at iiii.r. per diem.
1605. Borough Minute- Book of the Chippenham Corporation.
Bay horse, over 16 hands, 3 years old, warranted sound, and good in any part
of \\\z plough.— Advert, in Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 2, 1886.
582
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PLOUGH-LAND [pluw-lan], sb. Arable land.
In making your list kindly set out each field whether meadow or
plough-land. — Agent's letter, 1884.
Thick farm on't suit me, he's purty near all plough-land ; idn
meads 'nough to un.
Plmve landc — tfrre labouree. — Palsgrave.
A. plow-land . Mas de terre, meix, Voytz Oxegang. — Sherwood.
PLOUGH-LINES, or PLOUGH-GUIDES [pluwlai'nz, 09
pluw-guydz], sb. The cords used as reins by which a skilful
ploughman guides and drives his horses.
PLOUGH-PATH [pluw-paa'th], sb. Horse-path; bridle-path.
See HALTER-PATH.
Tidn no road thick way, 'tis on'y a plough-path into the ground.
In Ogilby's Britannia (1675) plough-road is marked in one or
more of the maps to signify a road practicable only for a plough
— i. e. pack-horses.
PLOUGH-TACKLE [pluw-taak-1], sb. Harness for horses;
also farm implements of all kinds worked by horses.
Sight o' wear'n tear o' plough-tackle 'pon a farm way so much
tillage.
PLUCK [plunk], sb. The hange ; the liver, lights, and heart of a
sheep. The genteel name.
PLUM [pluum], adj. i. Mellow; not harsh — applied to
drinks.
This here cider's rare trade, do drink so plum's milk.
2. Applied to soil; thoroughly tilled, or prepared for the seed.
Same as BREATHE.
Darned if we an't a-do'd zomethin' vor thick field ; we've a-work-n
and a-work-n gin he's so//?^//'s a arsh-'eap.
3. Of the weather. Warm ; genial.
We shan't have no//«/« weather vore we've a-had some rain.
PLUMB [pluum •], adj. i. Perpendicular; upright.
Thick there wall on't never stan' ; why he idn //««<£ by up dree
inches.
Plumbe, of wryhtys or masonys (pltimmc of carpentrye, or masonrye).
Ptrpendiculum. Pro/up. Parv.
2. v. t. To prove by use of the plumb-rule.
I never don't plumb another man's work; but you can plumb un
(the wall) yerzul nif you be a mind to.
PLUMB-BOB [pluunv-bau-b], sb. (Always.) The plummet of a
plumb-rule, often called the bob only.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 583
[Jiim, lai'n-s dhee baicb, wxif ; muyn-z u-laef1 oa'm,] Jim, lend us
thy bob, wilt ; mine is left at home.
PLUMP [pluump], sb. and v. Pump. (Ahvays.)
Plase, sir, the plump's a-brokt, can't plump a drop o' water. I
don't know what ailth'n, but can't plumpy 'tall — /. e. the handle
cannot be moved.
PLUMP-PIT [pluunv-pee't], sb. A well having a pump
attached.
The plump-pi f* bound to be a-cleaned out 'vore the water'll be
fit to drink. — Huish Champflower, May, 1882.
That there water 'ont never be fit vor drink gin the plump-pit 's
a-cleaned out. Said at Wellington. See PIT 2. WINK.
Pytte or well. — Palsgrave.
A PITT. Fosse, puts, — Sherwood,
PLUSH [plush], v. t. To plash — applied to hedging. The
quick or growing underwood is bent down with the points outwards,
and sods are laid on the top so as to make it grow thicker; this is
\o> plush the hedge. The word is often found in old leases. Same
as MAKE.
PLUSHER [plush'ur], sb. The layer, or horizontal stick crooked
down in making a hedge; more commonly called "stretcher."
POAT(Y [poa'ut(ee], v. i. and sb. To kick; to struggle. A
kick. (Very com.)
What's the matter, Jim ? Why th' old Bob (horse) Ve a-gid me
a. peat right in the thigh, an' I thort he'd a-brokt the bone.
Our Bill do poaty mainly in his sleep; can't get none of the rest
o'm vor to zlape way un.
Cornish, poot, pwtw, to butt, to thrust, to kick like a horse.
Welsh, pu'tw, to prick. Breton, potita, bouta (pousser). Way
says (Pr. Parv. 417) that put is derived from Fr. bouter, to
butt. (!) See Shropshire Word-Book, p. 333.
Edmodnesse is iliche jreos kointe harloz }>et scheawe<5 for$ hore gutefestre *\
hore vlowinde cweisen J?et heo pnte$ euer worfc. — Ancren Riwle, p. 328.
Wone is of >e zo]>e milde o>ren to herie, and praysy, and foty him uor> an
worpssipij. Ayenbite of Jnwyt, p. 135.
Hwo so mithe putlett]>orQ
Biforn a-nother, an inch or more. — Havelok, 1. 1033.
but thof ha ded viggee, xn&potee, and towsee, and tervee. — Ex. Scold. 1. 216.
POCK-VURDEN [pauk'-vuurdn], adj. Pock-fretten ; marked
with small-pox. (Very com.)
You must know un very well— go'th lame, and \.tf\>\z pock-vurden ;
but he idn a bit the wiss vor that.
Poke frekyns—fifyucfevri! QT: picquottevre de uerollc. — Palsgrave..
584 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
POG [paug], v. /. and /. i. To poke or thrust with the closed
hand.
I never didn never hat'n 'tall, plase sir, I on'y ]\spog'n.
2. sb. A thrust or poke with the fist.
POINT [pauynt], sb. and v. i. Hunting. The direction or
destination for which a hunted deer strives to make. See BLANCH.
Yet the deer, though not severely pressed, faced it (the wind and rain), a
made her point to the moor near Sherdon Hutch, where she took soil and w
lost. Collyns, Chase of the Wild Red Deer, p. 154.
Let the wind blow from whatever quarter it may, a deer will make his
good for some particular stream or covert which he knows well. — Ib. p. 182.
At first the deer pointed for the forest, and a grand moorland run appeared on
the cards. Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 19, 1886.
POINT [pauynt], sb. Stag-hunting. The projection upon a
stag's horn by which his age, up to a certain period, can be told.
According to its position upon the horn, each has a distinct and
separate name. Only three are found "under" — /. e. growing out
of the side of the main horn or " upright " — and these are bow, bay,
tray, counting from the root. See WARRANTABLE, UPRIGHT.
Those which grow at the end of an old deer's horns are called
"points upon top." To be able to "count \\v$> points" is to tell his
age. In accounts of " a kill " it is not sportsmanlike to give the
stag's age in years, but to say, " He had bow, bay, tray, and four
upon top.5' This would inform the cognoscenti that the stag was
at least eight years old, in fact a "Hart of ten." See Benjonson,
Sad Shepherd, I. ii. See Bow, HART, SLOT, RIGHTS.
POINTING END [pwauynteen, or pauynteen ee'n], sb. Gable
of a building.
There's th' ouze, you can jis zee the/aw«//«' een o' un 'twixt the
trees.
POINTY [pauyntee, pwauyntee], v. i. To make known ; to say.
I told'n to be sure &n& pointy when he was comin".
,- Es marl ha don't pointee whot's in tha Meend o' en. — Ex. Court. 1. 629.
POKE [poa-k], sb. A bag. Retained only in the phr. "Not
to buy a pig in &poke" — the vernacular for caveat emptor.
SAC : A sack, poke, pouch, bag :
Acheter un chat en sac. To buy a pig in a poke (say we :). — Cotgrave.
POKE [poa'k], v. t. and /. i. To stoop in gait; to protrude
the chin while stooping the back.
Stan' up ! don't poke like that. How he do poke his chin, to
be sure.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 585
2. sb. One who bends or stoops in gait.
D'ye ever zee sich a old poke in your life ? I never didn.
3. sb. One who dawdles ; a slow, inactive person.
A riglur Q\& poke, one step to-day and another to-morrow.
4. A push ; a thrust.
I gid'n a poke in the ribs.
5. A blow.
The bar vall'd down and gid me a. poke in th' aid (head) I shan't
vorgit vor one while, I can tell ee.
POKE ABOUT [poa-k ubaewt], v. i. To pry;, to go about
stealthily.
Th' old man's always pokin about, way his nose int' everything.
POKED UP. See PUGGED UP.
POKING [poa'keen], adj. Slow; dawdling.
Whatever d'ye have sich a pokin' old fuller's he vor ? I wid'n
gee un tuppence a day.
POKY [poa'kee], v. t. i. To dawdle ; to loiter.
Come on, soce ! look sharp ! b'ee gwain to poky there all's day ?
I zeed'n/0£/»' along, just the very same's whip a snail.
2. adj. Small ; confined. A little poky room. A poky little
p'ace.
POLE-PIECES [poa'l-pees'ez], sb. The strong straps by which
the horses' collars are attached to the front of the pole, to enable
them to guide and to keep back the carriage. If of chain, they are
pole-chains.
POLE-REED [poa-1-reed], sb. A long stout reed used for
ceilings instead of laths. Arundo phragmites. This may be a
corruption of pool-reed, just as bull-rush is said to be of pool-rush.
POLL [poa'l], sb. Top ; crown.
I baint gwain 'long way they there bwoys, vor t'ave my hat a-hat
off an' the poll o' un a-brokt. Said by an old man at the Culmstock
Jubilee procession, June 22nd, 1887. The hat was a reminiscence.
Slouen alle at a slyp J>at serued )>er-inne,
Pulden prestes bi \>& polle & plat of her hedes.
E. Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, \. 1264.
POLL-PIECE [poa-1-pees], sb. i. Of a roof, the top or ridge;
the piece of timber against which the rafters are fixed to form the
apex of the roof. Called more commonly the vuss or vuss-piece.
2. A part of a cart or wagon.
It is the transverse piece of wood upon which the body rests ,
586 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
and which bears on the springs, or on the axle. It is always directly
under the " pillar-piece " (g. v.}.
POLL-PARROT [pau-1-puurut], sb. Parrot. (Always so.)
A woman came to me and said, " Did you want to buy a poll-
parrot ?' '— Oct. 10, 1883.
POLL-SHEET [poa-1-sheet], sb. The top fixed bar of a rack or
fiame for stretching woollen cloth. The continuous upper row of
tenter-hooks is driven into the poll-sheets. See LARRA.
POMSTER(Y [paunvstur(ee], v. t. and /. To practise unskilful
surgery ; to meddle with a sick person, as a quack.
Tes better twar : then Ount Annis Moreman could ha blessed vore, and net
ha fomsterd about et, as moather ded. Ex. Scold. 1. 26.
POND [pau'n, pp. u-pau'ndud], v. i. and v. t. To dam back
water.
Here, Jim ! urn down and onchuck the gutter, the water's pondin
all back the road, eens nobody 'on't be able to go 'long.
'Tis the hedge 've a-rused in and ^.-ponded the water, the gutter
idn a-chuck'd.
POOCH [peo'ch], sb. and adj. A pursing or protruding of the
lips in a sulking or pouting manner.
Look to the pooch o' 'er ! Well, her's a beauty, and no mistake !
A gurt /iW/j-mouth, nif her purty face idn enough vor to turn all
the milk so zour's a grig !
POOCH, POOCHY [peo-ch, peo'chee], v. t. and v. i. To
protrude the closed lips, in a pouting manner.
I'll make thee poochy vor something, s'hear me ! can't spake to
thee, I s'pose, 'thout always zeein' thy purty mouth &-poocHd up
thick farshin vor a quarter day.
How dedst thee poochee and hawchee, and scrumpee, whan tha young
Zaunder Vursdon and thee stay'd up oil tha Neert a roasting o' Taties?
Ex. Scold. 1. 191. See also 11. 188, 311.
POOK [peo'k, sb. i. The stomach of a calf, from which rennet
is made.
Mrs. Baker, I wish you'd tell me where you get your rennet.
— Why, I buys a veil and zalts-n in. — A veil ? whatever is that ?
— Don'ee know hot a veil is ? Why a pook, be sure ! — Dear me, I
never heard of that either ; what can it be ? — Some vokes call'n a
mugget. — I really cannot understand you. What is a mugget? —
Lor, mum ! wherever was you a-brought up to ? Well, be sure ! I
s'pose you've a-zeed a calve by your time? — Of course I know
that. — Well then, th' urnet's a-tookt out o' the veil o' un.
2. sb. A hay-cock. (Always.) Sometimes called " hay J>ook" or
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 587
lpook o' hay." The word is not used in this sense, except for
hay. We do not say poo k o' corn or oats.
Why dedst thee, than, tell me o' the zess, or it o' the Hay-/<w£, as tha dedst
whileer? Ex. Scold. 1. 88.
3. v. t. To gather the hay into cocks.
1 be feard t'll rain 'vore thick mead's a-come. Take and pook'n.
up avore you lef work, and mind and neet make \he pooks to big.
POOL [peo-ul], sl>. i. Part o' a barn; on either side of the
" barn's-floor " where the corn is piled up before being thrashed.
We always clean out the pool of the barn gin sheep-shearing,
'cause 'tis so handy 'bout keepin' o'm in the dry, like. See ZESS.
2. In building, it is usual to speak of " a. pool of joists " ; meaning
the number of joists sufficient for the space between the wall and a
beam or girder, or between two beams, into which the joists are
either fixed or ready to be so. The word only applies where main
beams or short joists between dwarf walls are used ; when the joists
reach from wall to wall, the number for any room is called a "floor
of joists." See PAME.
Well, I consider 'twas purty near time to part ; he never done'd
a stroke vor a wole day's work, more'n to drow in they two pool oj
jice ; and if I didn do thick job avore breakfast, I'd be bound t'ait
'em 'thout zalt. Said by a master carpenter.
Also used for a similar space on a roof, which is covered by a
" pool tf rafters." Same as BAY 2, except that I never heard of a
" bay o' rafters. "
Every Poole of work is either 6 foot broad and 14 up on both sides, or, &c.
1669. Philos. Trans. Royal Society, vol. iv. p. 1010.
POOR [poo'ur, poa-r], adj. i. Applied to cattle — lean, thin.
Poor stock means store cattle.
They bee-us be shockin'/^w. I never didn know/<w stock so
dear.
A crow is the apparent climax of leanness. " Poor's a crow " is the
regular simile, though "poor's a rames/' /. e. skeleton, is sometimes
heard. " Poor's a rake" is a phrase used by "gen'l vokes" very
often, but not by the working class.
Al-so lene was his hors as is a rake,
And he was not right fat I undertake ; — Chaucer, Prol. to Cant. Tales, 1. 287.
2. People who are dead are always spoken of as poor so-and-so.
When old or young follow poor, the is always prefixed.
You mind the poor old Farmer Follett, that's tK old Farmer
George's father you know. See Note 5, Ex. Scolding, p. 27.
3. Used in a variety of combinations expressive of inferiority or
disparagement.
588 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Poor job wadn it, sir, 'bout the poor old Frank (of a man who
was found dead). Very/<w lot o' things, nothin' there worth ort.
Shockin'/^r trade; what they do draw into "White Bear" tidn
fit to drink ; I widn drink a quart o' ut, gee me a shillin'.
POOR FOOL, POOR OLD FOOL [poo-ur feo'l]. Expressions
of pity for a suffering animal, as a horse or a dog. Fool in this way
is constantly applied to animals as a term of endearment. The
idea is precisely analogous to the Italian " Non sono Cristiani."
The poor expresses the pity, and the fool the lack of reason.
Compare POOR BLID.
POOR OATS [poo-ur wilts], sb. Wild oats. Arena fatua.
(Always so called.)
POOR YOKES [poo-ur voaks], sb.pl The working class.
They baint a bit like poor vokeses chilern, a-rayed up so fine ;
wherever do 'em get the money vrom ?
POPE'S-EYE [poa-ps uy], sb. The round ball of muscle at the
small end of a leg of mutton. A favourite morsel with many
gourmets.
POP-GUN [paup'-guun], sb. A toy made with a piece of elder
wood, from which the pith has been removed.
POP-GUNS [paup-guunz]. The common fox-glove. Digitalis
purpurea. Same as POPS.
POPPET [paup-ut], sb. i. The head-stock of a lathe. The
[drai'veen paupfuf\ is that in which the pulley works— the head-
stock proper. The [vaul'een paup-uf\ following poppet is the
movable head or centre.
2. A puppet. (Very com.) Epithet for a silly, vapid female.
Poor fuller ! her idn nort but a neer/0//^/ of a thing.
POPPING [paup-een], sb. Empty chatter ; jaw. (Very com.)
Hold thy Popping, ya gurt Washamouth ! — Ex. Scold. 1. 138.
POPPLE [paup-1], sb. Pebble. (Always.)
That there popple lime idn no good 'bout no buildin' work, but
'tis most capical for dressin', idn none better.
They there white popples be the best vor pitchin' of a path like
thick there, but they be skee-us (scarce) to get, now.
For vche a pobbel in pole j?er pyjt
WatJ Emerad, saffer, oj^er gemme gente,
)>at alle pe loje lemed of lyjt,
So dere watj hit adubbement. — E. Allit. Poems, Pearl, 1. 117.
Some limestone and the white popple are also found in the neighbourhood.
The latter, when used for the repair of the roads, gives them a curious mottled
appearance. — Descr. of Wiveliscombe, Som. Co. Herald, July 2, 1887.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 589
POPPLE-STONE-PITCHING [paup-1-stoa-un-piiclreen], sb.
A pavement made of pebbles. (Very com.)
POPS [paups], sb. The common fox-glove. Digitalis purpurea.
Sometimes called pop-dock and poppy-dock.
PORK AWAY, PORK OFF [pairurk uwai-, pau'urk oa'f], v. t.
Applied to young pigs. To fatten them for sale while very young.
I shan't keep thick varth, I shall pork em off.
I s'pose you'll pork away thick lot o' little pigs, 'ton't never pay
to keep 'em this time o' the year.
PORKER [pairurkur], sb. A young fatted pig, intended to be
eaten fresh as "crackling pork."
POSTMANTLE [pairsmarrtl], sb. Portmanteau. (Com.)
POST OPE [pairs oa-p], v. t. To fasten open — applied to a door
or gate. (Very com.)
Mind wc\& post ope the door, eens he mid'n vail vast.
Zomebody 've \\\-pau~s oa-p dhu gyiit1] a-post ope the gate, an'
all the bullicks be a-go to road.
POSY [poo'uzee], sb. A nosegay; a bunch of flowers.
POTATOES. This is never more than a dissyllable, but with
various pron. [tae'uteez, tae'udeez, tae'ureez, tai'teez, (taet'eez,
Hill country, Dulverton to Porlock), tae'uturz].
POTATOES AND POINT [tae-udeez-n pwauynt]. One of
those mythical meals, like "flint broth," that are often talked of.
It is said that "maister" has the meat, while the "purntice"
points at it by way of seasoning to his potatoes.
POT-BUTTER [pauf -buad-ur], sb. Butter put away in summer
in earthen jars for winter use. In order to keep it, larger quantities
of salt are needed. Hence salt and pot applied to butter are
synonymous terms.
POTECARY [paufikuree], sb. Apothecary. The word is not
now of common use, as country practitioners, whatever their
qualification, even veterinary, call themselves doctors, but I have
heard it used disparagingly.
Calls hissul a doctor do er ! I calls 'n a drunkin old potecary,
there now ! Potecary is by no means a rare surname.
POT-LIQUOR [pauf-lik-ur], sb. The water in which vegetables
have been boiled ; sometimes called green-liqour, when cabbage
or other green vegetables have been boiled in it.
POT-LUCK [paut'-luuk], sb. A meal with a friend who was
not expecting, and had made no preparation for visitors.
590
\VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
POTS [pauts]. Small Q shaped boxes, placed bow side out-
wards, on either side of a pack-saddle for carrying heavy articles,
such as manure, stones, sand, &c. Each pot has a hinged bottom,
fastened by a catch, by which means the load is discharged instantly.
Called also dung-pots.
POTS AND PUDDINGS [paufs-n puud-nz], sb. pi. Sausages
made of pig's blood and fat. Same as BLACK-PUDDINGS.
POT-WATER [pauf-wau-tur], sb. Water used for drinking and
cooking, as distinguished from slop-water.
We be shockin' bad off vor water. Ees, there's always plenty
urnin in the shut, but tidn fit to drink, we be a-fo'ced to vatch every
drap o' pot-water down to copse. — Sept. 1883.
POULT [poa-lt], sb. The only name for black-game in W. Som.
Called also heath-poult.
Comin' across the hill we rosed a fine lot o' poults^ sure 'nough.
POUND [paevvn(d], v. t. i. To impound ; to hold stray cattle
until fine or damage is paid — usually in the parish pound.
Purty trick vor to lef the gates ope, and then pound another
body's cows.
2. In hunting, an impassable barrier is said "\.Q pound the field."
So also a bold rider who clears a fence which others cannot do
is said " \.Q pound the lot."
Ah ! tidn the fuss time I've a zeed em ^-poitnded, there to thick
place.
3. sb. A position from which escape seems difficult, particularly
in hunting.
They 'ad'n no business to a-went thick way, I could a-told 'em
diffurnt ; I knowed very well hon they went into thick there field
o' ground they was into a proper/6W//^.
4. v. t. To make up into pats or parcels each of ilb. weight :
mostly applied to butter, but occasionally to other commodities.
We always pouri s up our butter ; nif tidn ^-pounded, they zess
'tis pot-butter, and they on't have it.
5. sb. and v. t. A mill in which to grind the apples for making
cider. To grind the apples.
There's a capical cider-press, and a hoss-/^«//^ "pon the farm,
cause I knows who made'nr
POUND-BUTTER [paewn-buad'ur], sb. Butter made up in
pats of a pound each, as distinguished from tub or pot-butfer,
i. e. in bulk.
POUND-HOUSE [paswn-aewz], sb,
is made. (Always.)
The place where cider
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 591
POWER [paawur], v. t. i. To pour. (Always.) Power out
the tay.
2. sb. A large number.
There was a power o' volks to fair, sure 'nough.
PRAISE [praa-yz], v. t. To appraise ; to value.
I do praise thick yeffer in vourteen poun', and I wid'n zill 'n
vor no less, nif he was mine.
A trew and p'fect Inventory of the goods, Chat tells and howshoulde stuffe
of Henry Gandye, late of the Citie of Exeter, Brewer, deceased, viewed and
praised by Nicholas Hatch, &c. loth Aprill, 1609.
PRATY [prae'utee], v. L To talk ; to prattle ; to keep on
chattering.
Her've a-got a tongue o' her own, mind ; nif her an't, tell me.
Why her'll praty vrom day's -light gin dark-night, nif on'y her can
git anybody to bide 'n harky to 'er.
His knowledge or skill is in prating too much,
His companie shunned, and so be all such. — Tusser, 64/27.
PREACHMENT [prarchmunt], sb. A scolding harangue.
Hold thy noise ! mus'n a fuller zit down half an hour 'thout all
this yer preachment ? Said to a wife. ("Sit down half an hour"
is an elliptical form of " spend the evening and get drunk.")
PRECIOUSER [prastrusur], adj. Dearer; more costly.
Mr. Honniball 'ad'n a-got none o' they there cheap ones a-lef ;
these here be more preciouser, but I count they be cheapest, come
to last, /'. e. in the end.
Litil foli at a tyme is preciousere than wisdom and glorie. — Wyclif, Ecclcs. x. I.
PRESENT [praez-unt], adv. Same as PRESENTLY.
PRESENTLY [praez-untlee], adv. Now ; at this time ; imme-
diately. In the dialect this word retains its original i6th century
meaning, while it has become obsolete in lit. Eng. in that sense.
In America, however, it also retains its proper meaning, and
conveys no notion of delay or " by-and-by." Here in the West
it is still used habitually by elderly people of the better class.
Among pure dialect speakers the adverbial suffix is dropt. A
man in response to an order would say, " I'll go an' do it present"
i. e. instantly.
Thinkest thou that I cannot aske my Father : and he vvil giue me presently
more then tvvelue legions of angels. — 1582. Rhdms vers. Matthew xxvi. 53.
none might sitt still, but away they must come presentlie, and they that were
neerest and came first stayed for the rest.— 1610. Lives of Women Saints, p. 23.
one hundred and ten cases of the "caisson disease," of which three were
presently, and probably more finally, fatal.— Harper's Mag. May 1883, p. 945.
592
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PRETTY [puurtee, purtee], adj. Nice ; pleasant ; agreeable.
'Tis a purty smell; I likes it. What d'ee call it?— Sep. 23,
1883. Said by a groom of a perfume.
Applied to taste and handling.
What d'ye call it ? I likes it uncommon, 'tis very purty stuff.
Said by the same groom tasting a liqueur. — Jan. 10, 1887.
A servant-girl, of a dose of medicine, said, " Why tidn a bit nasty,
'tis a very/tfr/y taste with it." — Dec. 10, 1886.
There's a very purty veel way it. A very purty han'lin sort of
a tool. Very purty trade, /'. e. eatable or drinkable stuff.
Also very commonly used ironically.
Come, soce ! here's a purty stink, sure 'nough. Thee'rt a purty
fuller; art'n now? I calls it a purty old concarn.
PRICK [prik], v. t. and sb. i. To track a hare ; to examine the
mud in a gateway or road to see if a hare has passed, is to "prick
the hare." The print of a hare's or rabbit's foot is a. prick.
2. Followed by out. To plant out seedlings singly; to grow
them on for regular planting.
They plants (cabbage) be to leggy, they wad'n z-pricked out
zoond enough. The best way is to zow the zeed in a frame
and then/r/<r/£ 'em out.
PRICKED, or PRILLED [prikt, pruTd], adj. Turned sour;
said of any liquid turning acid.
That there beer idn a worth nort, 'tis zprickt every drap o' ut.
Time this here cider was a-drinkt; I zim 'lisa little bit zprickt
like; you taste it, else. See Ex. Scold. 11. 194, 313.
PRICKER [prik-ur], sb. i. A small setting-stick used by
gardeners. See PRICK 2.
2. One who tracks a hare by her footprints.
Mr. White's a capical pricker.
PRICKLE-BACK [prik'1-baak-],^. The common stickleback.
(Always ; stickleback unknown.) Gasterosteus.
PRIDE [pruydj, ref. v. To take credit for ; to take delight in.
Her do pride herzul 'pon keeping her 'ouze clainder'n other
vokeses ; better fit her'd pride herzul 'pon keepin' her man home,
and nit draivin' o' un to the Barley Mow (public-house) way thick
there tongue her've a-got.
PRIDY UP [pruydee aup], v. t. To make smart; to trim;
to furbish ; to " titivate."
Come, soce ! here's a middlin' smutter ; I zim 'tis most time vor
topridy up a bit, else shan't be able vor to turn round.
Our Jane do look very well hon her's &-pridedup like.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 593
anchored neer Poolo-Pen-Iang, to pridy up our ships, and to take in water and
planks that lay by our side. — Purchas, His Pilgrimes (1625), i. p. 637.
PRILL [pnil]. Prop, name : short for Priscilla. (Very com.)
PRINK [pring-k, praeng'k], v. t. PRINKY [pring-kee,
praeng-kee], v. i. To deck out in fine clothes ; to titivate ; to
furbish up : applied to personal appearance or decoration.
Wad'n 'er &-prinKd off then, last Sunday, sure 'nough ! I
could'n think whoever could be comin' down the road, so fine.
Th' art olways a vustled up in an old Jump or a Whittle, or an old Seggard,
avore zich Times as Neckle liaise comath about : — Than tha wut prinkee.
Ex. Scold. 11. 107. See also 11. 22-567.
PRIZE [pruyz], sb. i. Price. (Always.) See EM i.
" I baint gwain to gee no jis prize" may be heard a hundred
times in any market.
2. v. t. To inquire the price. (Very com.)
How be 'em zellin o' peas to market ? I cant tell 'ee, vor I didn
prize 'em.
PRYSYN, or settyn a pryce. Taxo, metaxo. — Promp. Parv.
PROACH, PROACHER [proa-uch, proa-uchur], v. and sb.
To poach ; poacher. (Very com.)
He never don't do no work 'zides proachirf ; idn a more out-
daciouser, proachiner fuller thin twenty mild; all the wole fam'ly
ti vets preachers.
An' they ed zwarm, an' sammon too,
If we ked stap the proachirf chaps.
'Tis honist fun, but zum da zay
\proach the trout I gti.—Pulman, Rustic Sketches, pp. $, IO.
PROOF [preo'fj, sb. Quality of either becoming fat, as applied
to cattle, or of causing to become fat, as applied to soil.
There's always more proof in the hill country young stock 'n what
Sis in ours hereabout.
There's more proof in one acre o' your ground to Foxydown, 'an
is in vower o' mine up under the hill.
*•
PROOFY [preo-fee], adj. i. Of cattle or sheep— of a kind likely
to improve or grow in size or condition.
I calls 'em a downright proofy lot o' hogs, cheap's a dog in a
'apenny ; why they'll cut ten poun' o' 'ool apiece.
2. Of land or soil — rich in fattening qualities.
Very proofy ground for young stock. (Very com.)
PROPER [praup-ur], adv. and adj. Undoubtedly; unmis-
takably ; completely ; thorough. (Very com.)
That's -^proper rough job as ever I zeed.
Q Q
594
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Nif he id'n a proper old 'oman. See POUND 3, and abundant
examples elsewhere.
Have ee a-made a good job o' it? Ees, I've a-zot up the hedge,
an' a-do'd it proper.
The ryjtwys man also sertayn
Aproche he schal J>at proper pyle,
J>at take} not her lyf in vayne. — E. Allit. Poems, Pearl, 1. 685.
PROUD [praewd], adj. i. Conceited ; supercilious.
Ter'ble proud sort of a man ; but vor all he do make wise vor to
know zo much ; lor ! tidn no ways to the bottom o' un.
2. adj. Honest. It is very common to hear —
Well, Josep, 'ow be you ? Middlin' like, thankee, Thomas, poor
but proud.
3. adj. in the phr. " winter-/r0#dT' : said of corn which a mild
winter has encouraged into too luxurious growth, and so rendered
liable to injury from spring frosts.
PROUD FLESH [praewd-vlaarsh], sb. Unhealthy flesh in a
wound. Very often a great mistake is made, and the term is
applied to what is really the healthy young healing flesh.
PROUD TAILOR [praewd taa-yuldur], sb. The goldfinch.
PROVE [preo'v], v. i. Of cattle — to improve ; to grow in size
or condition. See PROOF.
Never zeed nothing prove so vast in all my life as they steers
you bought to Taunton market; I zim I do zee 'em grow.
PUCKER UP [puuk'ur aup], v. i. To change countenance ; to
evince signs of nervous excitement.
When he zeed me watchin' o' un, did'n er pucker up ! He turn'd
so wheel's a sheet.
PUDGY [puuj-ee], adj. i. Of a person — thick-set; short and
stout.
A pudgy little man about up to your elbow.
2. Of a liquid — thick ; adhesive ; stodgy.
Can't work this here paint 'thout some more oil, 'tis so pudges
wex.
PUFF [puuf], sb. i. The ostler at an inn at Taunton helping on
an ulster said, "That's a nice coat, sir, I should like a/«^"out o'
that one." " What do you mean ?" "Well, a puff, sir." "What
is that?" "Why a puff, sir, to be sure, that's what we do always
say." I failed to get more, even by an extra tip. — January 1887.
But Puff possesses still a wider sphere,
For Puffihe. advertising Taylor stitches.
A scrap of Latin wins the public ear,
And gives to Puffz. handsome coat and breeches.
1806. Pder Pindar, Tristia, vol. v. 271.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 595
2. sb. A kind of light tart in which the apple or preserve is
completely hidden by the paste, in distinction from " open tart."
PUGGED UP [puug'd aup], /#/•/. adj. Poked up — /. e. confined
in space ; inconvenienced for want of room.
I went down to zee th' old Jim Vowler ; but lor ! I never zeed
no jish place avore ; there's he and his old ummun, and Jim and his
wive and vower chil'ern &-pugged up in thick there little bit of a
house. Can't work ^.-pugged up like this here. See PIG TOGETHER.
PUGGER [puug-ur], sb. A peg or plug used for stopping the
outlet of a dilly (q. v.) or an irrigating pond.
[Dh-au's uurnd uwar wai dhu dtil'ee, un aewt kaum dhu
puug-ur-n. shaud au'l dhu zig^\ the horse ran away with the dilly,
and out came the plug and spilt all the sig (q. v.}.
PUGGER-HOLE [puug-ur-oa-1], sb. The vent or hole in which
the plug fits. (Always.)
PUG-MILL [puug'-mee'ul], sb. A machine for kneading clay
in brickmaking ; also one for mixing mortar.
PUG-TOP [puug'-taap], sb. Peg-top. (Always.)
PULKING [puul-keen], adj. Cowardly; bullying.
A gurt Bulking 'oiler-mouth like he ort vor t'ave his head a-
brok't.
PULPER [puul'pur], sb. A machine for cutting roots for cattle
into very fine morsels ; the result, however, is nothing like pulp.
PULTRY [puul-tree], sb. Poultry. (Always.)
Pulte, yonge hen. Gallindla.
PULTER, Avigerulus. PUI.TRYE. Gallinaria. — Promp. Parv.
To rere vp much pultrle, and want the barne doore,
is naught for the puller, and worse for the poore. — Tusser, 21/9.
Pultrie, povllaillerie. Pulter, povllaillier. — Palsgrave.
His lordes scheep, his neet, and his dayerie,
His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrif,
Was holly in this reeves governynge. — Chaucer, Prol. to Cant. T. 1. 597.
PUMMY [puunvee], sb. i. Ground apples, in process of cider
making. Always so called before the juice is expressed; and the
same word is applied to the refuse when pressed dry ; this latter is,
however, sometimes called cider-muck (q. v.).
2. A mash ; a shapeless mass.
A man who was murdered was said to have had his head " a-beat
all to a.pummy."
PUMPLE-FOOT [putmvpl veo't], sb. Club-foot. Pumph-
vooted is the invariable description of a person having a club-foot.
QQ 2
596
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PUMPTIAL [puum-shl], adj. Punctual. (Always.)
Well then you'll mind and be pumptial, on'ee, eens midn keep
anybody a-woitin'.
PUN [pun, p'n], sb. Pound (sterling). This pronunciation is
nearly invariable at markets among farmers and cattle-dealers,
when the sum named is so many pounds and a fraction ; when the
sum is " even money," then pound, if spoken at all, is pronounced
\J>aewti\ at length.
How much d'ee ax vor thick yeffer? Voo'urteen paewn, and I
on't take neet a varden less. You on't ? No, I on't. Then I on't
buy un. Well, I should like to dale way 'ee ; what is 'er wo'th in
your money ? Ah'll tell ee what, ah'll g'ee twuul-v p'n tarn vor'n,
and I on't gee neet a varden more. Well there, gi' me arf a crown
to luck and take 'n along.
They \bee'us kau's dhuur-teen p'n tai'ri\ thirteen pun ten, one way
t'other ; cheap's a dog in a halfpenny.
It is also very usual, in speaking of prices of stock, to omit the
pounds, shillings, or pence.
He ax me vourteen a-piece vor they steers ; but they be to dear.
I calls 'em a wo'th twelve a head (pounds understood).
I bought they sheep to Taun'on market vor fifty-vive a head
(shillings understood). Comp. ordinary colloquial prices : " Five
and six," " Eight and six," " Four and nine," &c.
PUNG [puung], v. t. and sb. To prod ; to thrust ; to push with
some pointed instrument ; to prick.
: I zeed you was gwain to do mirschy way thick there stick ; and
now you've a-bin an' &-pung Tommy Giles right in th' eye, an' 'twas
jist a-come you had'n a-blin' un.
He gid'n }\s\\pung in the back way his stick, he on't vorgit it vor
one while.
PUNG'D [puung-d], p. t. of to ping (q. v.).
PUNISH [puun-eesh], v. t. To hurt; to cause suffering.
How thick there old tooth have ^.-punish me this week [thee'uz
wik] to be sure ! I thort he wid a-drove me maze.
PUNISHMENT [puun'eeshmunt], sb. Suffering ; pain ; misery.
Ah ! poor old dog, his leg is broken ; we must have him put out
of his punishment.
This would be used by educated people as well as peasantry.
PUNKIN [puung'keen], adj. Dumpy; obtuse in shape. Often
applied to a boat or vessel.
[Uur-z tu pung-kecn,~] she is too dumpy in the bows — i. e. not
sharp enough.
PUR [puur], sb. A male lamb. This word is seldom used in
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 597
W. S., but is the regular term in E. S. and Dorset. Ram or wether
is the common term in W. S.
PURCHASE [puurchus], sb. Leverage; length of lever beyond
the fulcrum.
PURCHIL, or PRITCHIL [puurchee'ul, pruch-ee'iil], sb.
The square point used by smiths to punch the nail-holes in a
horse-shoe. (Always.)
PURDLING [puurdleen], sb. i. Purring (of a cat). Comp.
insertion of d with girdl, Chardles^quardle, pirdle, &c.
Thay'd hear ftMpurdlin of a cat
Or squailing uv a mouze.— Nathan Hogg, The Milshy.
2. Twirling, or twisting round. The idea is that of the spinning
of a teetotum. See PIRALE.
PURDLY [puurdlee], v. i. i. To purr (of a cat).
There, her'll zit in the zin, and purdly by th' hour.
2. To spin round.
There was a fuller tookt a plate, and made'n purdly roun tap
o' a stick the very same's a whirdly-gig.
PURTENANCE [puurteenuns], sb. i. The "hange" of
edible domestic animals. Rather a more genteel word than
" hange."
Tidn no gurt hardship vor poor vokes when can buy a sheep's
purtenance for eightpence.
his head with his legs, and with \hepurtenance thereof.— Exodus xii. 9.
2. Applied sometimes to the "inward" or intestines, including
the stomach, but the head is no part of ft& pitrtenance.
PURTY [puurtee], adj. See PRETTY.
PURTY [puurtee], v. i. To sulk; to pout; very similar to
pooch.
Sue, 'tont never do vor thee to purty lig that, hon Joe com'th,
else I don't never bleeve '11 ha ort to zay to thee.
Nif won zey the le-ast Theng out, tha wut purtee a Zennet arter.
Ex. Scold. 1. 163.
PURTY MIDDLIN [puurtee mud'leen]. Very well, very good.
Well, Jan, 'ow do you bear't up?
Au ! purty middlin like ; mus'n grum'l I s'pose.
PUSHED UP [peo-sht aup], phr. Put about ; driven into a
corner ; over busy.
Arter a bit I shan't be so much &-pushed-up, and then 1 11 tend
to it vor ee. We bin z.-pushed-up, sure 'nough, this [-dheetiz] wik.
5Q3 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
PUSKY [puus'kee], adj. Wheezing ; puffing ; short of breath.
What a proper pusky old fuller th' old Butch' Hartnell's a-come
to ! but there, I s'pose he've a-drow'd up his hand purty well by
his time, /". e. drank heavily.
PUSS [puus], sb. i. Purse. (Always.)
Tes wor twenty Nobles a Year, and a. puss to put min in. — Ex. Court. 1. 419 .
2. The scrotum of all animals.
PUSS (cat) is pronounced [pue*z, pue'zee], rhyming witf
shoes, whose, [shue'z, ue'z]. Puss as spoken genteelly is unknown.
PUSSY [puus'ee], adj. Fat; corpulent; inclined to puff and
pant with slight exertion. Nearly the same as PUSKY.
What a pussy old fuller th' old Zaddler White's a-come ; I can
min' un when he used to go a-courtin, a slim young spark, so
genteel's a young shopman.
PUT ABOUT [puut ubaewt], p. part. Vexed; annoyed;
inconvenienced.
Maister was ter'ble put about 'cause you bide about so long.
PUT IN [puut ee-n], v. t. i. Applied to pigs — to fatten.
I shall let 'em urn a little bit longer vore they be a-//// in.
They two an't a-bin &-put in but a week. Aug. 26, 1886.
2. v. t. To plant ; to cultivate ; to sow.
Plase, sir, I want to bide 'ome to-morrow, to put in my garden.
I an't a put in no paa'snips de year, our vokes don't care nort
'taal 'bout em. May 6, 1884.
PUT OUT [puut aewt], v. i. i. To pay or spend money.
Can't never look to do no good in farmering now, nif anybody's
afeard vor to//// out. Nif 'tid'n &-put out, can't never 'spect nothin'
vor to come in. This sage remark implies that capital is needful
for successful farming.
2. v. t. Of money — to invest ; to lend on security.
Vor all a lookth jis old beastly ragged-ass old fuller, he've always
a-got money vor to put out. He've a-got 'undids &-put out, one
place and tother.
PUTT [puuf], sb. A heavy, broad-wheeled tipping cart, for
manure. This is the " fine " form of what is known as a butt or dung-
butt. I never heard a labourer say/w//. Some farmers and most
auctioneers think they can improve on the vernacular. Funnels
and iron ploughs, as in the following, are only known to those
able to read advertisements. See BUTT.
Implements. — cider vats and funnels, 50 gate hurdles, 2 waggons, 3 putts, oak
roller, 2 iron ploughs. Cambridge roller, drags, harrows, chain harrows, turnip
drill. Sale Advert, in Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
k
P
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 599
PUT TO [puuf tu], v. t. i. To apprentice or place in a position
to learn a trade.
We've a.-put Bill to the blacksmithin, and I s'pose we shall put
Jack to the tailderin, but I reckon we shan't be able vor to 'vord
\.Q put Jane to no trade, zo her must go to sarvice.
2. [puut tue*], past part. Inconvenienced; obliged to make
shift.
We was ter'ble &-put to vor want o' the things you promished.
3. [puuf tu] v. t. Said of domestic animals —
I always puts my cows to Mr. Venn's bull.
Maister zend me up vor t'ax if you'd plase to let'n/^/ the bitch
to your dog.
4. The phrase is used very commonly for send. We always say
put to school ; put to jail ; put to pound.
Was he the fuller hot was z-put to jail 'bout Mr. Quick's vowls ?
5. v. t. To sow with.
Thick fiel' o' young grass was lookin' zo bad, I brok'n up and
put 'n to turmuts.
This is the invariable form used to denote the cropping of any
piece of land. It is never " sown with wheat," or " planted with
potatoes " ; but always "put to wheat," "put to potatoes," even by
educated people.
PUT TO BED WITH A SHOVEL [puuf tu bard wai u
shaewul], cant phr. for to bury. (Very com.)
I year th' old man's bad a bed. Well, 'tis 'most time vor-n to
be Si-put to bed way a s/ww/, I zim. — October 27, 1886.
PUT TO BUCK [puut tu buuk-], phr. (fig.) Overcome;
surprised; astonished.
Ah, Robert, I reckon you was purty well z.-put to buck over thick
job.
PUT UP [puut au-p], v. t. To frequent an inn, or to make
it a house of call. (Usual phr.)
I always puts up to the George, you'll vind me there most market-
days.
PUT UPON [puuf pau-n], v. t. To ill-use; to bully; to treat
badly.
Now, you bwoys, drap it, you baint gwain vor to put 'pon the
little ones like that there ; ah'll take a stick and hide all the lot o'
'ee nif I catch 'ee agee-an.
PUT UP TO [puut aup- tu], v. t. To incite; to instruct;
to suggest.
Whoever put thee up to thick move ? thee dids'n vind it out o'
thy own head, I'll swear.
6oo
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
No, he never did'n sar his 'perntice to it ; but th' old Nailer
put 'n up to blacksmithy a bit, and he larned the rest o' it out o' his
own head.
PUT UP WITH [puut aup- wai], v. t. To endure ; to bear
with ; to tolerate. (Very com.)
Ees, 'tis a rough nasty job, but there, must put up way it I
s'pose.
Her've a-got a sight vor to put up way, poor blid ! there idn a
week what he don't leather her or somethin' or 'nother.
Zo Jim 've a-got the zack to last, 'an't er ? Well, 'tis a wonder to
me however maister /#/ up way un zo long.
PUT VAST [puut vaa-s], v. t. To close ; to shut. (Always.)
Mind and put vast the gate. Why's-n put vast the door arter
thee ? Jane, Vee/a/ vast all the winders ?
PUT VORE [puut voa-r], v. t. To advance ; to exhibit ; to set
forward ; to obtrude. Used in a great variety of ways.
Oh ees ! he's safe to put vore heeszul.
Mr. Bond's a good maister 'bout /«///« vore o' work.
All the prizes to the ploughin' match was &-put vore tap the table.
Nicish 'oss, \io.puts hiszul vore well.
and whan ha put vore tha Quesson tell en tha wudsent marry ?
Ex. Court. 1. 467.
PUX, or PUXY [puuk's, or puuk'see], sb. Mire; a muddy
quagmire.
Maister, I zim 'tis 'most time vor to do a little t' our lane, he's
always to a riglur pux. Th' orchet's a-paunched to a proper puxy.
PUXY [puuk'see], adj. Miry ; deep in mud. This word implies
deeper mire, more of a slough, than muxy. You could not talk
of puxy clothes. A muxy lane would be merely a muddy lane,
but a. puxy lane would mean ankle-deep at least.
Q,
QUADDLE [kwaud-1], v. i. i. To waddle. (Com.)
A farmer was showing me his fat stock, and pointing to one, said :
[Dhik yaef'ur-z u zoa'uld ; uur au't tue u wai'nt uvoaT naew,
uur-z u faaf-s uvur uur kn kwaudml,~\ that heifer is sold ; she ought
to have gone before now, she is as fat as she can waddle. — Feb. 2,
1882.
2. \kwau vf/], sb. Croaker; grumbler; complainer of ill-health :
also used as a nickname for one who croaks.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 6oi
I've a-know'd her's twenty year, and her've a-bin a proper old
qitaddle so long's ever I can mind.
They zess how th' old Quaddle's a middlin' an' 'bout graftin' an'
that.
QUADDLY [kwaud'lee], v. i. To grumble; to complain of
health ; to croak.
I don't believe is much the matter way un ; but there, he'll still
quaddly zo long's ever he can get anybody t' harky to un.
QUAG [kwag], sb. Term applied to a particular kind of bog.
It is solid-looking on the surface, and the turf is often so tough
that it can be walked on, but it shakes and bends beneath the
tread. If a quag be broken through by a horse's foot, he always
sinks up to the belly. It is common for sportsmen to fire a shot
at a very short distance down into a quag; this breaks a hole
through and the water boils out. A quag is seldom more than a
few yards square, and when of the green grassy kind, is usually
very convex, and the most tempting-looking spot for an unwary
horseman.
The House of Commons, where the members, always creditably ready to
redress individual wrong, were positively eager to debate anything that carried
them even for a moment out of the Irish quag. — Spectator, July 9, 1887, p. 919.
QUAGGLE [kwag'l], sb. A quivering, shaking motion, such as
that produced by walking on a quag; unsteady in condition or
situation.
Mind how you go up 'pon they there staps, they be all to a
quaggle.
QUAILY [kwae-ulee], v. /. To faint.
Poor blid ! hon they brought'n home in the cart, her quailed
right away like a dead thing.
QUAINT [kwaa'ynt], v. t. To acquaint ; to inform.
Maister 've a zen' me down vor quaint you how on't be no sarvice
to-marra, 'cause his father's a-tookt bad, likin to die. Maister lef
word how I was to bring quainted way it zo many's I could.
Oh ees ! I shall sure to zee un to fair ; me and Mr. Hill be very
well quainted,
QUAKER-GRASS [kwaenikur-graas], sb. Shaking grass. Briza
Media.
QUALIFIED [kwau-lifuyd], adj. Able ; fit ; competent.
The use of this word is very common, but it is a little " fine,"
such as small tradesmen would use obsequiously to "gentlefolk."
I 'sure you, sir, he's (the cart) well put out o' hand, and vor all
he do look light, I'll war'n un that he's qualified to car vive and
twenty hundred (weight).
6O2
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
QUALITY [kwau-lutee], sb. Gentry. Often used with folks.
Oh ! they reckons theirzul quality yokes, let it be how 'twill.
QUANDORUM [kwaun'doa'rum], sb. Quandary; extreme
perplexity.
Maister (the Parson) was in a quandontm sure 'nough, vor there
was the Bishop woiting and we was all ready, but none o' they
wadn a-come.
QUAR [kwau'r], sb. i. A quarry.
I do work in the quar vor Mr. Russell to Whipcott.
)>ei saie a litel hem bi-side ' a semliche quarrere,
Vnder an heij hel • al holwe newe diked ;
& bi-set sone saddeli ' )>e quarrer al a-boute. — W. of Paler me, 11. 2231, 2281.
2. v. t. To quarry.
We can quar stones here 'most any size.
3. sb. A worked stone ready squared for the mason's use.
That's a fine quar o' free-stone.
Quarrura ance a quarre. — Wrights Vocab. 606/26.
Quarere, or quarere of stone (quarer, K. quar, S. quarrye, P.). Lapidicina.
Pronip. Parv.
4. A rough building stone from the quarry.
We've a got urd o' most all the ruvvle, and you can 'ave a fine
lot o' quars now.
QUARDLE [kwauTdl], sb. Quarrel. (Com. pron.)
QUARDLIN [kwairrdleen], adj. Quarrelsome.
I bain't very fond o' un ; he's to quardlin by half: nobody can't
zay nort t7 he, 'thout all the fat's in the vire to once.
Your Don 's the most quardlins (quarrel ingest) dog I've a-zeed's
longful time.
QUARDLY [kwau-rdlee], v. i. To quarrel.
The d is always sounded in this word.
an wile yu'm quardlin bowt wich ez tlia best
Stid uv stikkin ta wat yu'm meade. — N. Hogg, The Cricket and the Bittle.
QUAR-MAN [kwauT-mun], sb. Labourer in a quarry ; also the
proprietor or lessee of a quarry.
QUAR-PIT [kwau-r-put], sb. A quarry, usually a small one,
whence stones for road-mending are dug ; these road-side quarries
are generally called quar-pits.
QUARREL [kwauryul]. QUARRY [kwauree], (Rarer) sb.
i. A pane of glass.
The word is now generally applied to those pieces on which the
blow-knob at the centre of the " table " of glass has been left.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 603
I told'n twad'n no odds 'bout best glass vor the stable winder, a
quarrel's well 'nough vor thick there job.
2. A pane or square in a window of any quality of glass.
Lapicidium, ance a quarrey. — Wrighfs Vocab. 591/38.
, A QUARRELL of glass. Lozenge, rhombe.
A QUARRY of glass. Rhombe, lozenge. — Sherwood.
. And than sewe togyther a whyte pece and a blacke, lyke a whole quarell of a
glasse wyndowe. — Andrew Borde on Sleep, Babees Book, Furnivall, p. 247.
it had only two or three Quarries of glass broken.
(Of a house) Zachary Mayne in Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. v. xix. p. 30 (1694).
QUARRENER [kwau'rinur], sb. A kind of apple; a very
common favourite in Devon and Somerset. It is an oblate shaped,
deep red, early apple ; also known as suck-apple, and sometimes as
quarantine.
Conduum, ance a Quaryndoun.
Conduits, ance a Quarymton tre. — Wrighfs Vocab. 574/34.
QUARTER [kwau'rtur], v. t. and /'. To drive uphill in such a
way that the horse crosses the road backwards and forwards so as
to diminish the gradient.
Why dis'n let'n quartery ? he on't never pull it up by hiszull
like that. Th' old Bob (horse) '11 quarter th' ill so sensible's any
kirstin.
QUARTER-ILL, or QUARTER-EVIL [kwau'rtur-ee-ul], sb.
A common disease in cattle ; acute inflammation of one hind-
quarter, usually fatal. See ILL.
QUARTERING [kwau'rtureen], sb. Timbers sawn into a size
suitable for rafters or partitions. As the section is usually three
inches in one direction, it may be that the word signifies " quarter
of a foot."
Plase, sir, there idn a bit o' nothin' fit, 'thout 'tis that there
quartering and 'tis most a pity to use that.
QUAT [kwaut], v. /. i. To squat ; to stoop.
1 zee'd thee, ya young osebird, I did ! twad'n no good vor thee to
quat down behind the hedge.
'Steed o' tendin' the things, there was he z.-quat down in by the
vire.
Mid este thu the mi^t over-quatie,
And over-fulle maketh wlatie ;— Owl and Nightingale, 1. 353.
2. Said of a hare or any game when flattening itself upon the
earth to escape from observation.
There's a fine covey o' birds. There they be ; I zee'd 'em quat.
This is sometimes varied by " go " or " went." Did'n 'ee zee 'em
go quatl 'twas a fine lot o'm. Zo zoon's ever her got in the vuller
(fallow) field, her (the hare) went quat torackly.
604
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
3. adj. Full to satiety — said of poultry or any animal being
fattened ; so fat as not to care to stand.
They ducks Ve a-got on sure 'nough ; why they be quat a'ready,
and they was only a-put in a Zadurday.
• Why they geeze be quat a'ready ! they 'ant a bin in but a week.
Let'n eat a zack or two o' barley, he'll zoon be quat, I'll warn 'un.
Of a pig.
QUEECHY [kwee-chee], adj. i. Sickly; feeble; queasy.
They be a poor queechy old couple.
2. Applied to land — wet; sodden; swampy.
Thick piece o' groun's terrible queechy, he on't never be no good
till he's a guttered.
QUEED [kwee'd], sb. Cud. Always so pronounced.
Nif her do chow her queed comfortable like, you no 'casion to
zend for me no more. (Well-known farrier's direction as to a sick
cow.)
Nif her do chow her queed, her'll zoon be all right again. Cf.
a sailor's quid. Also keed, Antrim Glossary.
QUEEDY [kwee'dee], v. i. To chew the cud. (Very com.)
Let me know the minute her do queedy ; her on't be no better gin
her queedus. See W. S. Dial. p. 21.
QUEEN [kwee'n]. A term of reproach, implying slovenliness
and scolding in an old woman, quite as much as unchastity in
a young one. The latter is the meaning intended when applied
to a young person.
Her's a purty old queen = old slattern and scold.
Her's a purty queen her is = she is a common prostitute.
Ang.-Sax. cwen. O. Iceland, kvsen, kvan ; O. Low. Germ. qven.
A QUEAN. Putain, paillarde, ribaulde, louve.
A lasie, nasty, lowsie quean. Caignardiere. — Sherwood.
QUEN, a womann of lytell price. Carisia. — Promp. Parv.
QUEANE, garse, paillarde, gaultiere. — Palsgrave.
At churche in ]>e charnel * cheorles aren yuel to knowe,
OJ>er a knyght fro a knaue • oj>er a queyne fro a queene. — P. Plow. IX. 45.
Or prelat lyvyng jolily.
Or prest that halt his quene hym by. — Chaucer, Rom. of the Rose, 7033.
QUEST [kwas], sb. i. Coroner's inquest.
The sergeant told me how the crowner was comin' vor to hold
the quest to-morrow t'arternoon.
In witnesse of J>is pyng • wrong was )>e ferste,
And Peres )>e pardoner ' of paulynes qucste. — Piers Plowman, c. III. no.
And sonne, as fer as ]>ou may lere,
On yuel qweslis Jiou not come,
Nei)>er fals witness ]x>u noon here.
Hov> the wise man tauy his sonne. Babees Book (Furnivall), 49/49.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 605
2. v. i. and sb. To utter the peculiar bark which spaniels or
terriers give when their game is found. The word is never used
with hounds ; they " give tongue," " speak," or " bay."
Thick there's a rare good dog, but he's a leetle bit to quiet. I
likes to hear a dog quest ; but he don't never give no quest 'thout
he's right 'pon it (the game).
QUIBBLY [kwuob'lee, kwub'lee], v. i. To quiver ; to shake.
'Twas jist a come I had'n a killed a young pheasant. I was
watchin' vor thick there thing [dhik dhae'ur dhing'] (a stoat), and
tho I zeed the leaves quibbly, and I up way the gun, but jist eens
I was gvvain to pull the trigger, I zeed 'twas one o' the birds.
—Keeper, July 8, 1887.
I be afeard I've a catcht a chill, I do quibbly all over.
QUICK [kwik'], adj. i. Succulent; full of sap. Applied to any
green fodder, of rapid growth, and which thereby is over aperient
to cattle.
Must gee they bullicks a lock o' hay, now the grass is so quick.
That there trefoy 's ter'ble quick vor 'osses to work by.
2. sb. Any plant in a growing state. Some men were going to
replant some thorn and other live stumps from a hedge pulled
down; one said, Mus' ha' the cart vor to draa over that there
quick) eens can put it up. — Dec. 1884.
QUICKBEAM [kwik'beem], sb. The mountain ash. Pyrits
Aucuparia. (Always. )
Of the wilde Ash, otherwise called Quicke-Beam, or Quicken-tree. Sorbus
sylvestris, sive Fraxinus Bubula — Gerard, Herbal, ed. 1636, p. 1473-
QUICKMEAT [kwik-mai-t], sb. Green fodder— grass, clover,
vetches, or other cattle food — to distinguish it from dry-meat, i. e.
hay, chaff, corn, &c.
Ton't never do to let the cows ha' nort but quick-meat, they
mus' ha' a bit o' corn and kee-uk (oil-cake) vor to bide by 'em.
QUICK-STICK (IN A) [kwik'-stik], phr. Immediately ; in a
very short time.
[Uur puut ee€ tu dhu rart u-baewt een u kwik'-stik^ she put
him to the right-about (/. e. packed him off) very shortly.
[Yue oa-n, oa'nee ! aa'l zee baewd dhaat'-n kwik'-stik!~\ you
won't, won't you ! I'll see about that this instant!
QUIET [kwuyut], adj. Applied to persons— gentle ; civil;
not given to strong language.
I never didn year nothin' by un, he was always a quiet, good sort
of a man.
QUILL [kwee-ul(ee], v. i. and /. To dry up or wither; to part
with its sap : applied to grass or any green vegetable matter.
606 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Dhai daash'lz-1 kwee'uhe gin tu-maaru, un dhan4 dhu dhing-z-1
pik aup uvree wau'n oa'-m,] those thistles will wither by to-morrow,
and then the cattle will eat them all.
[Bud dhai oa4n ticlr oa'-m avoaT dhai bee Vi-kwce'lud^ but they
will not touch them until they are withered.
QUILL [kwee4ul(ee], sb. v. t. and i. To wind the yarn from the
hank or skein on to a bobbin, called a quill, for the weaver's shuttle.
This quill, used formerly to be made of either a piece of elder,
a kex, or a piece of pole-reed.
Mai ! what's make the quills so big vor ? can't get 'em in.
Plaze, mum, I minds the baby ail' I do quilly vor mother wh<
her've a-got any work.
QUILL-TURN [kwee4ul-tuurn], sb. The hand-wheel and spindle
upon which the bobbin or quill is wound for gthe weaver's use ;
sometimes called turn only.
Zwer thy Torn, or else tha tedst not carry whome thy Pad.
Ex. Scold. \. 112. See also 1. 255.
QUILT [kwul't], v. t. To beat ; to thrash.
Thick there dog bin ^.-quilted awful, else he widn be so shy. —
Sept. 30, 1887.
QUILTING [kwuTteen], sb. A thrashing.
My eyes ! maister did'n play way un ; nif he did-n gie un
quiltin' ! I warn the burches o' un '11 be zore vur the next vortnight
QUINE [kwuyn, kwai'n], sb. i. In masonry the exterior
interior angle of a wall. Fr. Going, corner. — Cotgrave, Sherwood.
Father zend me vur to ax whe'er must car up thick quine square
or round.
2. A corner or turn (as in a road).
Take care o' thick young 'oss gwain round the quine.
QUIRK [kwuurk], v. t Tech. i. Used by carpenters and stone-
masons. To form a narrow groove, usually in a moulding, but
not necessarily.
Be sure 'n quirk 'n out deep enough, so as to stap the drip.
2. sb. A groove.
3. sb. The clock or pattern worked on a stocking.
4. To die ; to expire. Same as to CROAK.
Well, all I can zay is, nif her don't getter better purty quick,
her'll zoon quirk.
QVERKIN, 0. Fris. qverka, 0. Iceland, kyrkja. — Stratmann.
To WHIRKEN. Noier, noyer, suffoquer.
WHIRKENED. Noie, noyt, suffoque. — Shenvood.
QUERKENYD. Sujjocatus. — Promp. Parv.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 607
QUIRKING [kwuurkeen], adj. Given to peevish complaining ;
grumbling.
There ! I wid-n live way 'er vor no money ; her's the quirkins
(i. e. quirkingest) old thing ever I zeed in all my born days.
Thomasin. Andthee art a crewnting, querking, yeavy dugged-yess, chockling
e. — Ex. Scold. 1. 43.
QUIRKY [kwurkee], v. i. To groan ; grumble ; complain.
I 'sure you, mum, her don't do nort else but quirky all the day
long.
QUITCH [kweech], sb. var. pron. Couch. Triticum repens.
All these maner of otes weare the grounde very sore, and maketh it to beare
qityche. — Fitzherbert, Husbandry, Ed. Skeat, E. D. S., 14, 1. 17.
QUITCH-GRASS. La Saigne"e. — Sherwood.
QUITCHY [kwee-chee], v. i. To twitch; to make sudden,
involuntary movements.
A man was apparently in a fit, but a bystander, suspecting that
it was feigned, said, " Gee un a prick way a pin, you'll zee in a
minute whe'er he do quitchy or no.
Our little maid idn right, her do quitchy in her face, same's off her
was makin' o' mou's t'anybody.
QUYCCHYN, or mevyn (quichyn, K. qvyhchyn, H. qvytchyn, s. quynchyn w.)
movco. — Promp. Parv.
I QUYTCHE, I styrre or move with my bodye. . . I dare nat quylche for hym
. . . but and he here me he dare nat qziytche. — Palsgrave, p. 677.
Al aboute the proude rich e
He advaunced quykliche,
And maketh pes, maugre to eche,
Dar no man agein hym queche. — Weber, K. Alts. 4744.
QUITMENT [kweet'munt], sb. Acquittance ; receipt ; discharge.
I car'd in all the money, but I could'n get no quitment ; they
zaid how they never did'n gee nother one, but they zaid eens
'twas all right. — Nov. 1884. Said by a farmer who had paid in a
sum of money at the Bank.
A Quilting. Quitement, guerpine, guerpison. — Sherwood.
QUITS [kweets], adv. Free ; acquitted ; repaid.
Now we'm quits. Nif I zens you down half a score, that'll be
quits, [oa-n ut] won't it ? See QUIT in Skeat's Ety. Diet.
I am to no man holden trewly
So muche as yowe, and have so litil quyt: — Chaucer, Tr. & Cry., II. 241.
and J>enne he may go to >e palys, & aske an C1 by >e Emperouris lawe, and
qvite vs all. — Gesta Rom. p. 35.
Horse strong and light, soone charges qnight.—Tusser, September, 15/7.
6o8
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
QUITTANCE [kweefuns], sb. Acquittance; receipt. Less
com. than quitment.
I showed'n the quittance in his own handwritin'.
QuiTANCE: an Acquittance, release, discharge. — Cotgrave.
QVYTAUNCE. Acquietancia, apoca. — Promp. Parv.
vor wifcute cwitaunce, up of his prisun nis noninumen — Ancren Riwle, p. 126.
QUIZ OUT [kwiiz aewt], v. t. To pry ; to try to find out.
Her on't be very long 'vore her'll quiz it all out.
QUOD [kwaud], sb. Common cant term for gaol. Always
used with in. Recent importation.
Her man's //; quod for taking Farmer Jones's ducks.
B
R. The sound represented by this letter has been pronounced
by Mr. Ellis and other phonologists to be one of the chief
characteristics of South-Western speech. Upon this subject see
IV. S. Dial. pp. 20-27.
When followed by the sound of short u, expressed by either
e, i, or u, it is very commonly transposed ; as in [uurd, puurcheel,
urd, Uurchut,] red, pritchel, rid, Richard, &c.
On the other hand, it is sometimes placed before the vowel
which in lit. Eng. usually precedes it ; for examples see W. S.
Dial. pp. 74, 75. See also T AY-RUN.
Ac wane nijtes cumeth longe,
And bringelh forstes stark an stronge. — Owl and Nightingale, \. 523.
Na mo the deth ^.wercche wranne. — Ib. 1. 564.
RABBLEMENT [rab'lmunt], sb. A mob of roughs.
I 'sure 'ee I an't a bin in no jis rabblemenfs 'twas up there, no,
I don't know the time when.
RACE [rae'us], sb. In weaving, that part of the warp which
lies up the race-board, over which the shuttle passes, forming, in
fact, the under part of the ' bosom ' (q. v.}.
RACE-BOARD [rae'us-boo'urd], sb. In weaving, the board on
which the shuttle passes backwards and forwards.
RACK [raak], v. and sb. Hunting. To break fence ; the place
where a deer jumps over, or through a hedge.
The impression being necessarily wider on wet than on dry ground, and still
larger when racking over a fence. — Records North Devon Staghottnds, p. 9.
Here the hind was seen to break over the hedge into Mr. Drake's grounds, but
the few hounds who came on wilh her lost the scent, and we could only get
one hound (Cottager) to lay on the rack. — Ib. p. 88.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 609
Can he find the rack or place where the deer broke the fence into the wood,
and where probably the slot will be visible? — Collyns, p. 79.
RACK [raak], sb. A long upright frame on which woollen
cloths are stretched while drying. In the West of England Rack-
field is a common field name, telling of manufactures which have
long disappeared.
Down the water to Chelpham Bridge, Colley Bridge, Yeo town, Pitt Farm,
Pilton Bridge into the Rack-field tit Barnstaple. — Rec. N. D. Stag/Minds, p. 70.
RACK AND RUIN [raak-n-rue'een], sb. Wreck and ruin;
destruction.
You never zeed no jis place in all your live, the premises be all
a-urnd to rack and ruin, 't'll cost a little fortin vor to put it in
order.
RACKETING, RACKETY [raak-uteen], adj. i. Noisy.
Your drashin machine's a racketing old concarn, can year'n
gwain a mild off.
2. Boisterous in behaviour ; fast-living ; profligate. (Com.)
I don't know a more racketiner young fuller no place ; he'll
come to the dogs 'vore long, mark my words !
RACKLISS [raak-lees], sb. Auricula. (Always.)
I sim ours be the finedest sort o' racklisses any place.
RACK UP [raak1 aup], v. t. To fasten up a horse with a short
chain so that he cannot lie down. See Do UP.
I've &-racKn up eens he can't lie down, an' when I do's 'n
up, 'm bye night, I'll put on thick there thing to keep 'm vrom
tearin [oa'f] off the bandage.
RADDEN-BASKET. A large basket made of coarse unpeeled
willows ; a " black basket."
A farm and hill in the parish of Thorverton called Raddon, is
said to be so named on account of the number of willows growing
there. W. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
RADDLE [rad'l], v. t. and i. i. To wattle, or interweave brush-
wood between stakes so as to make a fence.
2. sb. The wattle or wreathing made as above.
Jan ! the bullicks be a-brokt out agee-an in the turmuts, urn
down and cut a thurn or two and put up a good raddle, eens mid
stap 'em proper.
RADDLING [rad'leen], sb. i. The act or operation of wreathing
brushwood.
Tookt us best part of a day 'bout that there raddling, and now
'tis all a-come to doin' again.
2. The wreathing itself. Same as RADDLE.
R R
6io
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
RADICAL [rad'ikul], sb. Reticule. (Always.) A small
covered basket, often called a radical basket.
I'll let 'ee have a brood o' they chicken next time you comes
along, nif you'll bring on a radical basket long way 'ee vur to put
'em in.
RAG [rag-], v. t. To scold ; to abuse.
I know'd thee'ts meet way ut ; 1 told thee zo ! I'll warn maister
did rag thee down proper ; and sar thee jis but right too.
RAGGED JACK [rag-ud jaak-], sb.
Floscuculi.
T. Ragged Robin. Lychnis
2. Com. variety of curled or Scotch kale.
RAGGINS [rag'inz], sb. Scolding ; abuse.
I meet'n eens I was gwain 'ome, drunk's a pig, zo I zess' to un,
s'l, thee't have thy raggins 'm bye, my hearty ! but I never thort
her'd vail 'pon un eens her ded.
RAGONET [rag'unut], sb. Areca nut. (Always so called.)
The vallyation of a bit o' ragotiet, 'bout zo big's a [bee'un] long
way zo much mort '11 zoon cure they there worms.
RAGROWTERING [rag-ruwtureen], sb. Romping; rustling
horse-play.
Es marl who's more vor Rigging or Rumping, steehopping or Ragrmateringt
Giggleting, or Gambowling than thee art thysel.
Ex. Scold. 1. 131. Seealso\. 141.
RAISE [ruyz, raa'yz], v. t. Applied to winged game. To
disturb ; to startle ; to cause to fly up. P. tense [roa'uzd], /.
part, [u-roa'uzd]. There is no distinction between raise and rise.
I rosed a fine covey o' birds 'ez mornin', right in the garden, home
by the vore-door.
RAKE ARTER [rae'uk aartur], v. i. To rake up the litter
after the wagon, when loading hay.
Tom '11 pitch to load, an Betty her can rake arter.
In this case Betty would be spoken of as the raker arter.
RAKE OUT [rae-uk aewt], v. i. i. To get up from bed.
Applied to the sleepy, yawning state in which farm servants and
others usually appear just after getting up in the morning.
Can't think hot's comin' to the young vokes. Hon I was a young
man, I'd a-mowed half an acre o' grass, or a-do'd more'n a quarter
day's work avore you be a raked out mornin-times.
2. Applied to fire — to extinguish ; to pull all the fire out of the
grate so as to put it out.
Rake out the vire and let's go to bed.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 6ll
RAKE UP [rae-uk aup], v. t. i. To cover; to bury.
Come on, rake up the vire, and let's go to bed, /. e. cover the
embers with ashes, so that they may keep alight. Of wood fire, an
every-day saying. Coal fires are generally "raked out."
At Lillington in Dorset is the following epitaph, date 1669 :
Reader, you have within this grave
A Cole rakt tip in dust.
His Courteous Fate saw it was Late,
And that to Bed He must.
Soe all was swept up to be kept
Alive until the day,
The Trump should blow it up and shew
The Cole but sleeping lay.
Then doe not doubt the Coles not out,
Though it in ashes lyes,
That little sparke now in the Darke
Will like the Phoenyx rise.
(Copied by S. Philip Unwin, Shipley, Yorkshire.)
2. Also to stir up ; to poke up ; to rouse.
To rake up the fire (depending on tone and context) means to
stir it, but in this sense roke up (q. v.) is more usual. Note
difference from rake out.
RAKING [rae'ukeen], sb. Loose stalks of corn, or litter of
hay raked up after the main crop is loaded.
Finished harvest, Mr. White? Ees, all in to a little rakin.
RAKY UP [rae'ukee aup], v. i. and ref. To rouse or bestir
oneself.
Come, soce ! do 'ee raky up a bit ; why thick there job'll take a
month o' Zindays like you be gwain on.
and wi' the same tha wut rakee up and gookee. — Ex. Scold. 1. 144.
Ad, thoa es rakad tip, and tuck en be tha Collar. — Ex. Courtship, 1. 355.
RALLY [raal-ee], v. t. i. To scold.
Her wad'n a bad sort of old ummun ; but her'd a-got a bit of
a tongue like — her wid rally the maaidens mind, nif there was ort
amiss, an' no mistake !
2. sb. Scolding ; quarrelling ; vituperation.
There was a purty rally betwixt 'em, sure 'nough ; they called
one tother^z. e. one another — but everthing.
RAM [raam], v. t. To stuff or press together; to pack carelessly.
They on't never ride like that, ^.-rammed in thick farshin, more 'n
half o'm '11 be a sp\\ oiled. Said of packing some apples.
RAMBLE [raanrl, rarely raarrrbl], sb. The branch of a tree
when felled. A large tree when cut down is divided into — •
(i) The butt or stock, called timber [tiinrur].
R R 2
6l2
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
(2) The larger branches, cut off into such lengths as are worth
sawing into board, called second timber [sak'un tiinrur].
(3) The crooked limbs, and such as are too large for faggot -wood ;
called rambles.
(4) The tops of the branches, which are bound up into faggots ;
these tops are called the wood [eo'd].
(5) The moot or stump, including all the moors or roots.
RAM-CAT [raanr-kyat], sb. A tom-cat. Usual name. Tom
is "genteel" talk. In parts of Devon they say Ram-cat and Day-
cat. In W. Somerset it is Ram-cat and Ewe-cat [yoa'kyat].
Already has killed one Ram-cat.
1802. Peter Pitidar, Great Cry and Little Wool, vol. v. p. 185.
RAMES [rae'umz], sb. A skeleton ; hence the mere bones,
the framework ; remains or remnants of anything. Also, and very
generally, applied to any person or animal unnaturally thin.
Poor old rames, her's most come to a nottomy; there idn fat
enough about her vor to graice a gimlet. Said of a person.
" Reg'lar old rames" is a common description of any lean, half-
starved person or animal. Also the framework of anything when
the principal part is gone ; as " the rames of a gate," a very common
description of part of a broken gate.
The shelf was purty high, sure 'nough ; there wadn on'y the rames
of a goose 'twixt vower o' us.
There's the rames of a wheelbarrow lyin' about ; take an1 burn
out th'ire stuff, 't'll do agee-an.
RAMMEL [raanrul], adj. Contraction of raw-milk, applied
to cheese made from the best milk, to distinguish it from skim-milk
cheese.
[Wee doa'un maek noa'un bud raanrul chee'z yuur ; voaks
dhiit-v u-boa'ut aawur geo'd/, wau'ns, kau'mth ugee'un,] we make
none but raw-milk cheese here ; those who have once bought our
(dairy) goods corne again.
RAMMISH [raanreesh], adj. Strong in smell ; rank ; stinking.
A ram in hot weather is one of the rankest of animals.
Thick there dog's 'ouse do smell rammish, sure 'nough, vor all
I've a warsh'n an' a-clane un out proper.
And stod vp in his stomak, |>at stank as J>e deuel ;
In vche a nok of his nauel, hot nowhere he fyndej
No rest ne recouerer, hot ramdande myre.
E. Allit. Poems, Patience (Jonah), 11. 274, 278-9.
For al the world thay stynken as a goot ;
Her savour is so rammyssch and so hoot,
That though a man fro hem a mile be,
The savour wol infeste him trusteth me.
Chaucer, Prol. of the Chanounes Yeman, \. 333.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 613
RAMPAGEOUS [raanrpai-jus], adj. Violent; obstreperous;
unruly. Applied to persons or animals.
The p has possibly crept in by confusion with ramping, from
rampe, to rear, to rage.
Quiet ! ya rampageous young son of a bitch !
RAMAGE, or coragyous. Corragiosns, luitosus — Promp. Parv.
J>er ben bestis J>at hau venym, as pe heynde, ]>e hounde, and pe wolf, and o)>er
bestis, pat whenne pei arn ramagous or joli, liere venym gretly noyep, so ]>at
oftyn sipes pei makyn men sike. — Sloane MS. 2584, f. 173, quoted by Way.
Or ellis he is not wise ne sage,
No more than is a gote raniage. — Chaucer, Romaunl of the Rose, 1. 5386.
RAMPIN [raanrpeen],/tfr/. adj. Distracted ; overcome ; raving.
The idea is tearing or pawing like a wild beast.
I be rampin way the toothache. I 'an't a-had a wink o' zlee-ap
ez two nights.
Poor blid, they do zay her's rampin maze, i. e. raving mad, ever
sinze he was a-brought home.
For pe saul sese pan about it stande
Grysly devels agayn it ratimpande,
Als wode lyons }>ai sal pan fare
And raumpe on hym, and skoul, and stare. — Pricke of Cons. 11. 2906, 2224.
RAMPSING [raanrseen], adj. Big; awkward; ungainly.
[Guurt raam'seen tue- an 'dud fuul'ur,] great awkward two-handed
fellow, /'. e. strong.
RAM'S CLAWS [raanrz tlaa-z], sb. The stalks of the common
butter-cup, when overgrown. Ranuuculus acris. In some seasons,
especially wet ones, the butter-cup attains a rank growth, and the
cattle refuse to eat it, so that the meadow, if not mown for hay,
becomes covered with coarse stalks without leaves, but still bearing
the yellow flowers on the top — these are called ram's claws. The
name is analogous to bent or bonnet (q. v.) applied to grasses.
It is likely that this may be a corruption of the old word ramsy.
The application to another plant does not at all affect this suggestion,
for the same name is often given to many different species.
RAMZYS, herbe (rammys, K. s. ramsis, H. ramseys, P.). Affodyllus. — Pr. Parv.
Ramsons are named of the later practitioners Allium sylrestre, or Beares
Garlicke : Allium latifolium, and Moly Hippocratictim : in English, Ramsons,
Ramsits, and Buckrams. Gerard, Herbal, p. 180.
Ramsey an herbe. — Palsgrave.
RAMSHACKLE [raanrshaak'l],^'. Rickety; disjointed; out
of order ; dilapidated.
Call thick a carriage ! I calls 'n a riglur ramshackle old
shandrydan.
No, I an't a tookt the farm, such a proper ramshackle old house
614
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
didn plase the missus ; but I zaid to her tho, same time, s' I, You
know we can't never live by a fine 'ouse. But there, her zaid
her widn never go there, zo twadn no good, but the place was
well 'nough else.
RANE [rae'un], v. t. i. To cause to crack or split.
Nif that there board idn a-put away the zun '11 rane it all to
pieces.
2. Also applied to cloth — to overstretch, so as to cause it to
become thin, and almost torn.
Thick there board-cloth was wole and sound avore her warsh 'n,
now he's a.-raned eens he on't hardly hang together.
3. v. /'. [rae'unee]. To crack ; to split.
We've a perch the board in under thick gurt tree, in the [shee'ud]
shade like, eens midn rany. T'll drowy there vast enough, 'cause
the wind can come to it. Said by a sawyer of sawn timber.
Oak's most the wistest tim'er is, vor to rany.
4. sb. [rae'un]. A crack in wood, or a thin overstretched place
in a piece of cloth.
RANGE [ran'j], sb. A sieve used for straining liquids and not
for sifting dry matter. In cider making, the juice is strained through
a range; so in cheese making. Many cooking recipes direct,
" Strain off through a fine range" i. e. a hair sieve.
RANGLY [rang'lee], v. i. To twine, or move in a sinuous
manner. (Rare.) Wangling plants are such as entwine round
other plants, as hops, woodbine.
RANTER [ran'tur], sb. An outdoor preacher. The word is
distinctly depreciatory.
One o' those yer ranter fullers, hot '11 vind prayers so long's
anybody else '11 vind mate n' drink.
RAP [raap], v. t. i. To exchange ; to swap (q. ?'.).
[Aa'l raap wai'ee, gi mee zik'spuns tu beo't,] I will exchange with
you, (if you) give me sixpence to boot.
Our Jim told me how Tailder Jones should zay how he'd rap
a new suit o' clothes vor two o' they there little pigs ; but Jim zaid
he widn rap way un, 'thout he'd let'n had a new hat 'long way 'em.
2. sb. An exchange.
[Dhai-d u-gau't-n een u raap' vur dree buun'lz u stroa1 un u
pilch' krauk,] they obtained it in an exchange for three bundles
of straw and a pitch crock.
Capical good mare her is, mind. I had her in a rap wi'
George Toms vor th' old oss and dree poun'.
3. sb. Applied to land or crops — a strip.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 615
What b'ee gwain to put thick rap o' groun' to, where you had
the carrots last year?
There's always a covey o' birds in one or tother o' they raps
o' mangle and taties.
4. Plot of any shape ; piece cut off.
Mus' have a rap o' cloth vor the bum cork, paper idn no good.
I've a got a rap o' taties over in Mr. Hosegood's field, but they
baint hardly a-\vorth diggin'.
RAPE [rae'up], v. t. To scratch with violence. To scratch
implies gentleness, i.e. to gently rub so as to cause pleasure;
hence the figurative expression, "to scratch his back" (/. e. to
wheedle, to butter up), evidently from the delight given to a dog,
cat, or other animal by that operation.
Hast a-got other bit o' rag in thy pocket ? I've &-rape my 'and
way a gurt humack, eens he do blid like a pig.
RAPID [raa-peed], adj. Violent ; rough.
I zim I be a little bit better s'mornin, doctor, the pain idn
nothin' near so rapid 's 'twas.
Sober ! don't 'ee be so rapid way un ; neef 'ee don't take care
and be tender way un, you'll tear'n all to pieces. Said of using a
mowing-machine.
RARE [rae'ur], adj. i. Raw; under-done — applied to meat.
'Tis a little beet too rare vor my aitin'.
'T'll do nezackly vor me, I likes it rare. Ang.-Sax. hrere, raw.
Rere or nesche, as eggys. Mollis (sorbilis}. — Promp. Parv.
maces and ginger, rere egges, and poached egges not hard, theyr yolkes be
a cordiall. An. Borde, Breviary of Health, quoted by Way, P. P. 430.
Reere as an egge is, mot, molle. — Palsgrave, p. 322.
2. adj. Excellent in quality ; good ; prime.
Natlins be rare trade, I be ter'ble fond o'm. Yours is rare
cider. That's a rare piece o' wheat. We'd a-got rare fun, sure
'nough. Thick's a rare knive to cut.
RASH [raa-sh], adj. and adv. Rough ; awkward in handling.
Sober ! you be to rash by half, you'll tear the cover o' un all to
pieces ; he wadn a-made vor to be a-sar'd (served) so rash. (On
opening a box.) Much the same as RAPID.
RASTY [raas-tee], adj. i. Rancid See RUSTY.
Put barlie to malting, lay flitches a salting.
Through follie too beastlie, much bacon is reastie. — Tusser, 20, v. 2.
2. Choleric ; irritable.
Mr. Cole's a good maister to we, but he can be rasty like some-
times, nif he's a put out.
6i6
\VKST SOMERSET WORDS.
RAT [raat], ?'. /. ; /. /. [raafud], /. /. [u-raafud]. To cause to
rot or decay.
I heard a man say in praise of some good tipple —
Darn'd if this idn rare trade, this here's the stuff to rat out the
veet o' your stockins.
The vloor o' the tallet's proper ^.-ratted way the wet coming in.
RATCH(Y [raa*ch(ee], v. t. and i. To stretch at waking or
getting up.
I always likes to zee young bulliks ratch and ream theirzul well
hon they gets up. I warn they be growin' and getting on.
Th* old dog don't bethink to ratchy, do er ?
and seofcfcen he gon ramien, and raxlede swifce. — Lafyimon, 1. 25991.
Benedicite he by-gan with a bolke • and hus brest knokede,
Rasclede and remed * and routte at J>e laste. — Piers Plena, vill. 6.
Roxed and raxed in other readings. See P. Plow. B. 398.
Northumb. Rax. See BROCKETT. Raxled, E. Allit. Poems, Patience, \. 1174.
RATHE [rae'udh, rae'uv], adj. Early. The positive, of which
rather is the comparative degree. The expression " we be gvvain
t'ave a rave spring de year" is not uncommon. The word also
implies in persons or animals precocity of development, either
mental or physical.
" Her's a rave young bitch, her is," was said of a girl, and was
not intended as a compliment. They yeffers be rave, sure 'nough,
/'. e. big for their age, forward in growth. Ang.-Sax. hraft.
And holdej> ys dojtere wijj deshonour, & hermyef) hem late & rathe.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 3873.
" O dere cosyn myn, dan Johan," sche sayde,
" What ayleth yow so rathe to arise ? " — Chaucer, Schipmannes Tale, 1. 98.
Wi' shoulder'd shule an' peckiss, rathe
Ta work the lab'rers starts. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 22. See also p. 56.
RATHER [rae'udhur, rae'uvur], adj. Comp. of rathe. Earlier ;
sooner in point of time. Not used for the rather of literary Eng-
lish, to express preference; for this zoonder or leaver are the words.
Your taties d'always come rather'n ours.
Rathare (or sonnare, infra). Pocins. Sonnare, or rathere. Cicius. — Pr. Parv.
and Jyf }>at I passe Rather )>an sche, it ys my wytt }>at att spengold. . . be
sold1 a-non forth-with ; 1417. Stephen Thomas, Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 38.
Many sarsynj f>an huld hem coye '• J>at rdtyr wer fers & proute.
Sir Ferumbras, \. 2286. See also 11. 426, 2331, 2705, 2924, 2958.
but whan )>e bataile is i-doo, }>an schal he be as he was ra\>er, he and oj^ere
kny^tes al i-liche. Trevisa, Lib. I. cap. xxvi. p. 261. See also Ib. p. 93.
And if thou put a lytel terre in his eye, he will mend the rather (i. e. quicker,
sooner). Fitzherbert, Husbandry. Ed. Skeat, E. D. S. 46/3.
Tha cortst tha natted Yoe now-reert, or bat leetle rather. — Ex. Scold. 1. 210.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 617
RATHE-RIPE [raedh'uruyp, rae'uv-ruyp], sl>. An early kind
of apple : yellow codling, with pinkish streaks. The first pronun.,
the commoner of the two, is, I believe, intended for rather-ripe.
A girl who developed into a woman at an early age would be
called rathe-ripe by elderly educated people. See Ex. Scold.
p. 148. Th and v are interchangeable. Fitzherbert (Husbandry,
Ed. Skeat, E. D. S. p. 14, 1. 9) spells nave of a wheel nathe.
RAT'S-BANE [raa'ts-bae-un], sb. Chervil. A common wild
umbelliferous plant, in appearance something like hemlock —
probably mistaken for it. Charophyllum sylvestre.
RATTLE [raa'tl], sb. and vb. Noise of any kind ; chatter. A
keeper of my acquaintance always uses this word.
We shan't never get aneast 'em way all this yur rattle.
The birds be all a-urned out way our rattle.
J>er-fore J>ei ratellen )>at it is a3enst charite to tellen opynly here cursed
disceitis & synnes. Wyclif, Works, E. E. T. S. p. 274.
RATTLE-BAG [raafl-bag], adj. Wild ; harum-scarum ; royster-
ing; spendthrift.
Ees, I knows'n, and a purty rattle-bag osbird a is too.
RATTLE-BRAIN [raafl-braa'yn], adj. and sb. Same as
RATTLE-BAG.
RATTLER [raaflur], sb. i. A roysterer ; a wild liver.
He's a proper rattler, 'ton't be long Vore he've a-brought gwain
hot little the poor old man lef m.
2. Cant term for a lie.
Nif that idn a rattler tell me !
RATTLE-TRAP [raafl-traap], sb. and adj. i. A makeshift
contrivance ; a shaky, rickety thing ; shabby ; dilapidated.
I baint gwain in thick old rattle-trap, I'd zoonder walk by half.
Purty rattle-trap concarn you've a-stick'd up agin my wall. I
baint gwain to put up way that, take my word vor't, zo there now 1
2. Movables; odds and ends ; chattels.
Look sharp'n get your rattle-traps out o' the way.
RATTLING [raafleen], adj. Fast; wild; profligate.
He mid do very well in thick farm, nif he wad'n so rattlin ; but
there, the father o' un was jist the same.
RATTY [raafee], v. L To become rotten. For ex. see VINNY.
RANDY [ran -dee], sb. A merry-making; a jollification; a
drinking party.
I widn gee much vor none o' these here taytotal clubs. I likes
6i8
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
a beet of a randy once a year, to Wite-suntide. Why, we walks to
church spaktable like, an' then we walks droo the parish so var's
the Blackbird, an then we zits down to a good dinner and drinkins.
R AUGHT [rau-ut],/. tense and p. part, ol 'reach.
The bullicks 've Draught in over the railin's an' ate off 'most
all my plants.
He raught the poor old "ummun's goods out o' the winder, gin
he could'n bide no longer vor the smoke, an' 'twas jist a-come,
the roof ad'n a-vall'd in tap o' un.
RAUNCH [rau-nsh], or RAUNGE [rairnj], v. t. and /. To
devour greedily ; to gnaw.
I zeed your old dog ^.-raungin a bone, an' he widn let me come
aneas'n ; nif a didn show 'is teeth an' girzle to me.
RAVE [rae'uv], sb. i. That part of the side of a cart or wagon
which projects over the wheels. Some carts are made without
raves, but when they exist, they are a fixed part of the " body."
Halliwell is incorrect, at least as to this district ; what he describes
are not raves, but lades (q. v.).
The bodye of the wayne of oke, the staues, the nether rathes, the ouer rathes,
the keys and pikstaues. — Fitzherbert, Husbandry, ed. Skeat, E. D. S. p. 14, 1. 22.
2. Bars or strips of wood across any opening.
A winder way raves to un. Dec. 17, 1885.
3. sb. A long bar having a row of iron teeth projecting at right
angles, used by weavers to guide and separate the threads of the
warp when winding it upon the " beam " of the loom. The object
of the rave is to keep the threads even, and to make them lie on
the beam at the same width as the intended piece of cloth.
4. adj. var. of rathe. (Com. especially in the superlative.) v and
/// are interchangeable ; many children are unable to perceive the
difference.
They there North Devon beast be the ravest sort o' bullicks
I can meet way vor my ground.
]>at lyghtliche launce]> vp • litel while dure)),
And J>at J>at rarest rypej> • rote)? most saunest.
Piers Plowman, xiil. 222. See also 2b. vn. 322, X. 148, xvill. 46.
RAW [rau1], adj. Tech. Applied to cloth of any kind.
Undressed, unfinished, as it comes from the loom. The regular
term. The room in which goods are placed when taken from
the weaver is always the " raw-piece shop."
It'm a peece of raive wollen clothe xxx*.
It'm a peddicoate and a wastecoate being a pawne. xxs.
Inventory of the Goods of Henry Candy e, Exeter.
RAW-CREAM [rau'-krarm], sb. Same as RAW-HEAD.
1609.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 619
RAW-HEAD [ratr-ai'd], sb. Natural cream which rises upon
the milk and is skimmed off, in distinction from that produced
by scalding. More common than raw-cream, which latter is the
alternative name in the west wherever the practice of scalding
obtains, to distinguish it from scald-cream. An old doctor
prescribed, "a tumbler-full of raw -head every morning."
RAW-MILK [rau--mulk], sb. Milk as it comes from the cow ;
not skimmed. (Always.)
A woman applying to " the Board " for relief for a deserted grand-
child said, " You zee I be forced to buy a pint o' raw-milk a day."
Aug. 20, 1885.
RAWNING-KNIFE [rairneen-nuyv], sb. Large knife used
by butchers.
RAWNY [rau'nee], v. i. i. To eat greedily and with noise.
Bill ! cas'n ait thy mait more dacenter'n that is ? why thee's
rawny jist the very same's a gurt pig.
2. Same as RHYNY.
RAY [raa-y], v. t. To deck out; to dress. (Com.)
Where be you gwain then s'mornin', all 9,-reyed out so fine ?
RAYD, or arayed wythe clothynge, or other thynge of honeste (thynge of
clennesse, K. p.). Ornatus. Promp. Parv.
With dyuers stones, precious and riche : —
Thus was she rated, yet saugh I never her liche. — Chaucer, C. of Love, 1. 818.
That neuere reed good rewle : ne resons bookis !
ffor ben £ey rayed arith : )>ey recchith no fforther.
Langland, Rich, the Redeles, III. 119.
RE- [rar-]. The prefix is nearly always accentuated, and pro-
nounced broad. [^?«rsaa*rv], reserve, [/farpai't], repeat. \_Rai-
tuyur], retire, [^artrai't,] retreat, [./farzuyn,] resign, &c. The
vocabulary is very small jn these words, and that, coupled with
the fact that the speakers feel them to be " fine " words, causes
them always to be emphasized on both syllables.
READ [hrai'd], v. t. To estimate truly; to see through; to
comprehend ; to predict.
Anybody could read 'ee. Why, can zee wet 'pon the face o' un.
[Neef Tairm doa'im aultur-z an- pur-tee kwik', aay kn rai'd ee-z
faurteen saaf unuuf-,] if Tom does not alter his hand (change his
course of life) very shortly, I can surely predict his fortune.
REAM [rai'm], v. t. i. To enlarge a hole in wood or metal.
The tapering instrument used for the purpose is always called a
reamer.
They there screws 'ont go vore I've ^.-reamed the holes droo
the hinges.
C2O
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. To stretch or draw out any elastic substance.
You can ream that there cloth, t'ont break same's some o' the
ratted stuff they sells about.
3. Applied also to cider. " 'Tis ^.-reamed" means that it has
become viscous. See ROPY.
4. intr. Capable of stretching.
Good leather to reamy, i. e. having the property of stretching.
5. To stretch oneself on awaking, or on getting up. Same as
RATCHY (q. v.). See also illus. under RATCHY.
REAMY [rai'mee], adj. Applied to cider — stringy ; viscous ;
like oil. Same as ROPY (q. v.}.
REAP [rai-p], sb. The reaper takes hold of the corn and
gathers it with his left arm, giving two or more cuts until he has
enough for a sheaf; he then lays it down ready for the binder.
The unbound sheaf, thus made, is called a reap or reap d corn.
Ang.-Sax. ripe, a sheaf; a handful of corn.
and in some places they lay them (beanes and pees) on repes, and whan they
be dry they laye them to-gether on heapes, lyke hey-cockes, and neuer bynde
them. Fitzherbert, Husbandry, Ed. Skeat, E. D. S. 29-4.
REAP-HOOK [ree'p-eok], sb. A large sickle used for reaping.
REAR [ree'ur, sometimes rae'ur], v. t. To rouse ; to disturb.
Her begind to holler, her reared all the house. Sep. 19, 1880.
Ang.-Sax. hreran, to raise; to agitate. Also reeran, to raise,
excite, move, advance.
Cotgrave has, to rere, eslever, and eslever, to raise. We still say,
in literary English, " to raise the neighbourhood," and " to rear
a monument."
For woman is a feble wight
To rere a warre against a knight. — Chaucer's Dream, 1. 469.
J>enne J>e rebaude3 so ronk rerd such a noyse,
JJat ajly hurled in his ere} her harlote3 speche ;
Early Alliterative Poems, Cleanness, 1. 873.
REAR [ree'ur], v. i. To mock ; to hoot.
He reared along the street after me.
Go, ya rearing, snapping, tedious, cutted Snibblenose.
Ex. Scold. 1. 106. See also 1. 313.
REAR UP [ree'ur aup], v. t. Tech. in the finishing of woollen
cloth.
In the raw state, /'. <?. as the cloth comes from the loom, it is
full of the oil used in the process of spinning the yarns. A strong
alkali is freely sprinkled upon the cloth, which is then beaten up
in the mill until the oil and alkali are thoroughly amalgamated,
after which the cloth is allowed to lie a few hours until a slight
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 621
fermentation commences ; then it is washed in a machine with
clean water, and the cloth is thus cleansed from the grease. The
process up to the time of washing is called rearing up.
RECKLIN [raek'leen], sb. Reckoning ; bill ; account. Compare
efiimley, chimney.
Here, missus ! what's the recklin?
RECKON [raek'n], v. i. To believe; to think; to consider.
I reckm taties '11 be [maa'yn skeenis] maain scarce de year.
RECKON UP [raek'n aup], v. t. To appraise ; to estimate
at its true value.
Didn take long vor to reckon 'ee up, nobody idn never gwain
not vor to be a-tookt in way puttin 'ee down vor a gen'lman.
REDDING [hrid'een more commonly uurd'een], sb. Red ochre
or ruddle used to daub over sheep and common cheeses. (Ruddle
or raddle are unknown in this sense.)
REDE. See WREDE.
RED-LANE [huurd-lae'un], sb. The throat.
Purty near all [ee'z] his wages goes down the herd-lane, there idn
much a-lef vor her an' the chillern.
RED-RAG [huurd-rag;], sb. The tongue.
Her idn much amiss, nif could on'y stop thick there herd rag.
RED-TAIL [huurd-taa'yul], more commonly [lae'udee huurd-
taa'yul], sb. The redstart. Phcenicura ruticilla.
RED-WATER [huurd-wau'dr, hurd-watrdr], sb. A disease
common among cattle, especially when kept on poor moorland.
REED [hree'd], sb. Wheaten straw combed and straightened
for thatching.
A good lotofrav/ for sale. Apply, &c. — Advertisement, Wellington Weekly
Navs, Aug. 20, 1885. See Tusser, 51/5 SHUT 9.
And in Sommersetshire, about Zelcestre and Martok, they doo sliere theyr
wheate very lowe, and all the wheate-strawe that they pourpose to make thacke
of, they do not thresshe it, but cutte of the eares, and bynde it in sheues, and call
it rede : and therwith they thacke their houses.
Fitzherbert, Husbandry, Ed. Skeat, E. D. S. 27, 1. 21.
It is no longer the custom to cut off the ears.
Reeds (in the pi.) would be those growing in swamps or water.
REED MAKER [hree'd maek'ur], sb. A machine driven by
power for straightening and preparing wheat straw for thatching,
by combing out short and bruised stalks.
Root pulper, turnip cutter, sheep troughs, pigs troughs, reed maker, &c.
Advert, of Farm Sale, Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
622 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
REED-MOTE [hree-d-moa-ut], sb. A single stalk of wheat
straw. The " straws " served with squashes and slings would be
called reed-motes by us.
REFUSE [rai'fue'z], sb. Refusal ; option ; pre-emption.
Arter you'd a gid me the refuse o' un, I did'n think you'd part
way un, 'thout lattin me know'd it.
REIVE [ruyv], v. t. To sift seed or grain, through a particular
sieve in winnowing.
" I an't a.-reived a good much o' it, not eet," a man said to me,
when asked when he would have finished winnowing a quantity
of clover seed.
Halliwell spells this reeve, but such a word is unknown in the
west. It appears thus in some of the Northern Glossaries.
This must surely be the same as the old word rive, to deprive ;
take away from ; to rake out ; also to divide or separate, from
which we get the sb. rift.
RYVE. Rastnim. — Promp. Parv.
Icham for wowyng al forwake
Wery so water in wore ;
Lest eny reue me my make,
Ychabbe y-Jyrned Jore. — Sp. Lyric Poetry (Morris), A. 34.
And thorwgh the body, gan hym for to ryve ;
And thus the worthy knyght was brought of lyve. — Chaucer, Tr. & Cr. 1. 1573.
Als lyons, libardes and wolwes kene,
J>at wald worow men bylyve,
And rogg |>am in sender and ryve ; — Hampole, Pr. of Cons. 1. 1228.
REIVING-ZIEVE [ruyveen-zee'v], sb. A peculiar sieve used
in winnowing.
Can take out all th' eaver out o' it way the reiving-zizve..
See Trans. Devon Association, 1881, vol. xm. p. 93.
REMLET [ninrlut1, sometimes runrlunt], sb. A remnant ;
remainder. (Very com.)
Her ax me nif I could take all the remlet, zo I zaid I wid nif
her'd bate drippence a yard.
Remelawnt (remenaunt, residuum, F. ). Residuus, reliquus. — Promp. Parv.
Byt not on thy brede, and lay hyt doun,
That is no curtesye to vse in town ;
But breke as mych as Jxm wylle etc,
The remelant to pore {K>U shalle lete — Boke of Curtasye, 1. 51.
RENDER [rai-ndur], v. t. Tech. among plasterers and architects.
To give the first coat of mortar to a wall or ceiling. To " render,
float, and finish," in some material stated, is constantly seen
in builders' specifications.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 623
RENE [hree-n], v. t. To strip off bark ; to rind.
I zee the deer bin here again ; zee how they've a.-rened the
young trees.
RENT PAYING [rarnt paa-yeen], adj. Profitable. Such as
will so increase in value as to provide for the rent. This is a
very favourite expression ; also that of describing animals as rent-
payers. Both are constantly used by auctioneers.
They can now with the greatest confidence commend the above as rent-paying
animals, and having in them some of the best strains of the Volis, Dodhill, and
Norton flocks. — Adv. of Flock Sale, Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
RERE MOUSE [rae'ur maewz], sb. A bat. Less common
than flitter-mouse. Ang.-Sax. hrere-mtis, a bat.
uespertilio, reremoivse. — Wrighfs Vocab. 625/9.
And not to rewle as reremys : and rest on f>e dales,
And spende of J>e spicerie : more )>an it nedid. — Lang. Rich, the Red. III. 272.
REVEAL [rai'vae-ul], sb. Tech. in building. The space which
any framework, as of a door or window, is kept back from the front
or face line.
The walls be that thin, the winders be a-foc'd to be a-keept out
flush, idn no \raivae'ul\ 't all.
Set back the frame eens mid show a vower'n half reveal.
REVEL [hraevl], sb. Nearly every village has its annual revel —
a kind of feast, which is evidently the survival of the festival held
on the day of the patron saint, and of the sports and pastimes
of the olden time. In most cases "Revel Sunday" is that which
follows or is nearest to the anniversary of the saint to whom the
church is dedicated, and doubtless once this was so always, but
many village churches have been rebuilt and re-dedicated, while
the date of the revel remains unchanged. At this time it is still
usual to keep up the annual festivity ; children and servants go
home to visit parents. Wrestling and cudgel-playing used to take
place in many villages ; in some, bull-baiting, cock-fighting, and
similar amusements ; but in all cases drinking was and is the
chief attraction. Hence revel and reveller have acquired a depre-
ciatory meaning.
Ther-for ich rede Jow riche : reueles when }e maken
For to solace 3our soules : suche mynstrales to haue ; — P. Plow. vni. 102.
REW [rue*], sb. i. The row or ridge in which grass falls when
cut with a scythe. Also when gathered up into a ridge in the
process of hay-making.
2. v. tr. To rew up the hay is to collect it into large ridges
ready to be loaded on the wagon. Previous to this it has often
to be gathered into small ridges and then scattered again. " Take;n
rew it up in single strik rews" means that each haymaker is to
624 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
gather into a row just so much hay as he can draw in with one
pull or movement of his rake. To rew up into " double-strik rews "
is for each person to make two pulls, and thus cover double the
space, making a row twice the size.
& many a scheld was )>ar y-cleued f & many a man was to-hewe ;
Of legges & armes honde & heued ' sone pan lay ful ]>e reive. — Sir Fer. 1. 3025.
And £orw a candel, clomyng : in a corsed place,
Fel a-doun, and for-brende : for)) al ]>e reive. — Piers Plow. iv. 106.
REX-BUSH [raak's-beo'sh], sb. A clump of rushes. (Always.)
A very old saying is: "The Barle and the Exe do both urn
out o' the same rex-bush." The meaning is that the two rivers with
such different courses rise very close together.
Rex-bush ! Fath ! tell me o' tha Rex-bush, ye teeheeing Pixy ! — Ex. Sc. 1. 129.
REXEN [raak'sn, vraak'sn], sb. Rushes. One of the very few
words which retain the en plural ; even this is now becoming
" improved " into rexens. Comp. lit. chickens.
Of an undrained field it is usual to hear, "he's all a-urned to
rexens. "
Can put up a little mow and thatch 'n way rexen. See HURSH.
RHINE [hree'n], sb. In the fen or moor district of Somerset,
extending west nearly as far as Taunton, the wide open drains are
all written rhine and pronounced ree~n. See Macaulay's account
of the Battle of Sedge Moor.
RHINY [hruynee], adj. i. Thin; lean; hungry-looking.
Jennings and Williams spell this rawny.
Fat her ! a rhiny old thing, her've a-zeed too many Zindays, I
b'lieve ; I count mid so well try to fat a yurdle. Said of a cow.
2. Miserly ; near ; close-fisted ; too stingy to be clean.
Proper rhiny old fuller, 'tis a waeth aiteenpence to get a shillin
out o' ee.
The slouen and the careles man, the roinish nothing nice,
To lodge in chamber comely deckt, are seldom suffred twice. — Tusser, 102, v. I.
RIBBIN [nib-een], sb. Riband. (Always.)
Who would not rather suffer whipping,
Than swallow toasts of bits of ribbin ? — Hudibras, II. c. i. 1. 858.
RID. Riddance. See HIRD.
RIDDLE [hriid-1, htirdl], v. t. and sb. To sift ; a sieve.
T'on't take 'boo vive minutes vor to hirdle down they arshes.
RIDE [ruyd], v. i. i. To be angry ; to be enraged.
A surly old man whom boys delighted to tease, complained to
me and said, [Dhu jaa'kaas toa'udz du uun'ee due' ut vur tu maek
mee ruyd,~] the jackass toads only do it to make me enraged.
March 30, 1878. (Very com.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 625
[Doa-n tak muuch tu mak ee' ruyd,~\ it does not take much to
make him rave and storm. April 14, 1878.
2. To journey in a carriage of any sort ; to proceed.
You can jump in the train and ride so var's Norton, and tidn
not more 'n a mild therevrom.
The Athenceum, Nov. 28, 1885, p. 699, calls "riding in a gig"
an Americanism. No other phrase would be used by a Somerset
native.
And ryde forth by ricchesse : ac rest \>ow naujt J>erinne,
For if ]>ow couplest ]>e ]>er-with : to clergye comestow neuere.
Piers Plowman, B. x. 158.
I'll hang you both, you rascals !
I can but ride ....
And you for the bacon you took on the highway,
From the poor market woman, as she rode from Romford.
Massinger, City Madam, III. i.
And he made him to ride in the second chariot. — Genesis, xli. 43.
3. To go, or to be carried safely in any vehicle.
Thick load on't never ride home ; he'll turn over Vore he've a
rode half way.
The landlord of an inn said of a plant he had placed on the
carriage, " He'll ride there, miss," meaning it will go safely.
4. To climb. Implies going where the climber is either
trespassing, making mischief, or rudely and improperly climbing.
They there factory maidens be always ridiri up 'pon thick there
hedge arter the two or dree flowers. They be always ridiri about
arter vokeses flowers.
Come down there, you boys ! What ! can't make merschy 'nough
else, 'thout ridin' all over the roof o' thick there linhay ?
No odds how firm they be, they rails '11 zoon be a-tord down :
pass honever anybody will, sure to zee a passle o' women &-ridin'
up 'pon 'em. See HAG-RIDED, PIXY-RIDED.
5. sb. A green path through a wood; a lane cut through
underwood or furze.
Shan't never do nort way the rabbits here nif there idn some
rides a-cut.
RIDE AND TIE [ruyd-n-tuy], v. i. When two people have
but one beast, and take turns to ride, they are sa:d to ride and tie.
The same form is used in work and tie, and in other operations
in which tie seems to imply taking a turn or spell.
RIDERS [ruydurz], sb. Circus performers; a circus company.
The riders be comin' next wick. (Always.)
RIDGE AND FURROW [lirj-n voa-r]. When addressing the
quality \ftrj-n vuuru~\. Applied to land when left in regular ridgts
s s
626
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
divided by furrows.
See ALL-VORE.
The object is to assist the surface drainage.
RIG [rig], sir. i. A game ; a lark; a practical joke.
They'd a-got a purty rig way th' old 'ummun's things ; they turned
over her warshin tub, and then they pushed down the butt o' bees
way a long stick ; nobody could'n g'in the garden vor two or dree
days, the young osbirds.
2. sb. An imperfectly castrated horse. (Very com.)
3. Term for a woman implying wantonness.
Proper rig her is, an' no mistake.
RIG [rig], v. t. i. To dress ; to deck out.
My eyes ! id'n her a.-rig'd out then ?
Same as RAY.
2. To rig up is to make ready ; to put together.
Tidn no gain way those here machines vor little farms, takes so
long vor to rig em up as do vor to do the work arterwards.
RIGGLE [rig'l], sb. A groove cut round some article, as a
notch cut round a stick, to make a lash hold on better. The
groove on a pulley is a riggle. For illus. see W. S. Gram. p. 98.
RIGGLETIN [rig-lteen], adj. Wanton ; lewd. (Com.)
I bain't noways a frightened to hear o' it; I never didn look vor
nort else, her was always one o' they there riggletin sort, and th'
old umm.an wadn never no better.
A wud ha had a coad, riggeliing, parbreaking, piping body in tha !
Ex. Scold. \. 147.
RIGGY [rig-ee], v. i. To romp in a lewd manner; to act the
wanton.
Her was one o' they there good-tempered ones, hon I know'd
her, fit to riggy way anybody that corned along.
But thee, thee wut steehoppee, and colty, and hobby, and riggy wi' enny
kesson Zoul. Ex. Scold. 1. 296. See also Ib. 1. 265.
RIGHT [rait], sb. Often used in a curiously personal sense.
[Neef uun'ee raftud u-gatrt uz war, uur wiid'n bee u-saard zoa,]
if only right had got his way, she would not be so ill treated.
RIGHT-HAND-SIDE [rai't-an-zuyd], sb. The right side.
Right and left, when used to indicate position, take hand in
connection with them.
When you come to the vower cross way, turn round 'pon your
right hand, and keep on gin you come to a lake o' water 'pon your
Ifft-hand-side.
The right hand-side of his head was ter'ble cut about.
The right-hand-side of your foot.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 627
RIGHT-HAND SULL [rai-t-an zoo'ul], s6. A plough made
to turn the sod to the right of the ploughman. This is the ordinary
kind, most in use.
RIGHT OUT [ruyt aewt, rai't aewt], adv. Completely;
entirely; absolutely and finally. Also in a bold, straightforward
manner, without mincing matters ; outright. (Very common.)
He ax me vor to let'n had th 'oss 'pon trial ; but I zaid I'd warn
un (warrant him) sound and quiet nif he'd buy un right out, but
I widn part way un no other ways.
'Twas a proper nasty trick, and zo I told'n to his face, right out.
RIGHTS [rai'ts, ruyts], sb. pi. Stag hunting. The points or
projections growing from the side of both horns of a stag, by which
up to six or seven years old his exact age can be determined.
Doubtless this term is derived from the fact that after four years
a perfect deer should by right have the bow, bay and tray to which
the name rights applies ; it does not apply to the " points on top."
See UPRIGHT, WARRANTABLE, POINTS.
John. And a hart of ten
I trow he be, madam, or blame your men ;
And standing 'fore the dogs ; he bears a head
Large and well beam'd, with all rights summ'd and spread.
Ben Jonson, Sad Shepherd, I. ii.
Though a good bodied deer, he had only the rights of a four-year-old deer.
Records of North Devon Staghounds, p. 62.
He had all his rights, with seven on top of one horn, and six on the other.
Colly 'us, p. 196.
Before a crowd of sportsmen, tourists, fishermen, and seaside loungers, a fine
stag, having all his rights, is killed on the beach by the huntsman, and the first
blood of the season is obtained. — Wellington Weekly JVfivs, Aug. 19, 1886,
In the Wellington Weekly News, Sept. 29, 1887, is an account
of the death of two stags on the same day. One had all his rights.
He was killed just above Marsh Bridge early in the afternoon, a good stag
with all his rights and two upon top. The other had not. A fine old stag,
having four on top on each side, but lacking his bay points. '
RIGHTSHIP [rai-tshup], sb. Justice; truth; dependence.
Nif was any rightship in it, poor vokes widn ha to work s'hard,
and they widn be so bad off nother. (Very com.)
RIN [hriiv, not quite hriin'], var. pron. Run. Very com. with
individual speakers, specially in Devonshire ; some say ren~ or hren\
A farmer of Culmstock and many others always use this form.
The water rinth away to waste. I can't abear no such rin, to
the back door.
Ang.-Sax. rinnan, irnan, yrnan, eornan, O. L. Germ., O. H. Germ., Goth.
rinnan, O. Fris. O. Icel. rinna, renna, O. Dutch rinnen, rennen, rnnnen
(rin, ren, urn), currere. — Stratmann.
S S 2
628 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
For a best, when it es born, may ga
Als tite aftir, and ryn to and fra ; —Hampole, Pr. of Cons. \. 470.
That who so euer wolde rin with his dowter. — Gcsta Rom. pp. 122, 133.
RINE [hruyn], sb. and v. t. Bark of a tree ; rind. The word
bark is used technically, and applies to that stripped from oak to
be used for tanning.
The cows Ve a.-rin'd they there apple trees, eens idn no rine a-lef
'pon some o'm.
And |)o sche caste in rynde and rote,
And sed and flour, fiat was for bote.
Cower, Tale of the Coders (Morris), 1. 297.
RING [ring'], v. t. To put a wire or other "jewel " in a swine's
snout to prevent its rooting.
'Tis time thick varth o' pigs was o.-ring'd, I zee they be 'ginnin to
rooty.
RING [ring], sb. Of bells, the entire set or peal.
There idn no purtier ring o' bells no place 'n what ours be. I
rings number vive now, vor I baint the man I was one time.
" Ring of bells " is rather a favourite sign for inns. Compare
" Cry of hounds."
As a v. t. rang and rung were until lately unknown. The regular
p. t. is ring-d and p. p. it-ring" d ; but now one often hears p. t.
ruung'd, and p. p. u-ruung-d, as the effect of the Education Act.
See INTRODUCTION.
When bells da ring the'r evenin peal,
Bells oft a-ring'd ver woe and weal. — Pulman, Rus. Sk. p. 27.
RING-BONE [ring-boa'un], sb. A com. disease in horses' feet.
A ryng-bone is an yll soraunce, and appereth before on the foote, aboue the
houe, as well before as behynde. — Fitzherberfs Husbandry, Ed. Skeat, 98, I.
RING-HOME [ring-oa'm]. To ring the church bells when a
parishioner (who can pay) brings home his bride.
What be the bells gwain vor ?
Oh, don'ee know ? why they be ringing-home the young Mr
Oh brave ! then there'll be a purty drunk's nest way em umbye
night.
RICK [rik-], v. t. and sb. To sprain, or twist. ? Wrick.
I've &-rick me ankle shockin' bad.
Her've a-meet way a rick in her back, eens her [kaa'n] can't bow
herzel, no, nit vor to pick up so much as a pin.
RIP [nip}, sb. i. A term of reproach for a woman.
A purty old rip her is, sure 'nough.
2. A very coarse-toothed hand-saw, used for sawing soft woods.
Often called a half-«>.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 629
3, v. f. To saw in the direction of the grain of the wood.
Tak'n rip down thick there board dree inches in.
RIPPING [rup-een], sb. The act of stripping the bark from oak
for tanning.
[Aay-v u-bun* aewt t-Oa'kum, riipfeen, moo'ur-n uz vaurfneet],
I've been out to Holcombe, ripping, more than this fortnight.
RIPPING-TIME [nip-een-tuym], sb. The time when the oak
sap has risen, so that the bark can be ripped or peeled off easily.
[Aay muyn twuz jis* ubaewt rup'een-tuym,'] I remember it was
just about ripping-time. Com. term for spring.
RISE [ruyz], v. i. To ferment ; to leaven.
We zits the sponge (g. v.) eight or nine o'clock o' night, and then
we lets it bide to rise gin vive or zix in the mornin', 'cordin' to the
weather and that ; and then zoon's the rest o' the batch is ready
we takes the sponge and breaks it all down together. Oct 12, 1885.
RISE [ruyz], v. t. To raise.
I should like to do it, oncommon, nif on'y I could rise the
money. Raise is unknown.
RISEMENT [ruyzmunt], sb. Advance in price.
They've a-ros'd the bread in to Taa'nun (Taunton), but there 'ant
a-bin no risement yer, not 'eet.
RISH [rish], sb. Com. pron. of rush, though not so general
as rex, rexen. Comp. drish = thrush, vlish = flush.
Ang.-Sax. risce, rixe.
RYSCHE or rusche. Cerpus, juncus. — Promp. Parv.
To be cursed in consistorie : she counteth noujte a rise he (resshe C. ; reisshe
A.). Piers Plowman, B. in. 141.
The stalk was as rish right,
And theron stode the knoppe upright -.—Chaucer, Rom. of the Rose, 1. 1701.
Kyng Richard garte al the Ynglys
Schere rysches in the marys,
To fyll the dykes of Daroun. — Rich. C. de Lion, 1. 6037.
ROAD [roa-ud, rau-ud]. The/^r. " to go to road," or " to turn
to road," represents a very common practice among small owners,
viz. to let out donkeys or cattle to browse on the roadside.
Unfortunately the habit does not stop there, but is frequently
followed by opening the gate of a neighbour's field after night-fall.
ROAR [roa-ur], sb. Uproar ; disturbance ; row.
A farmer after exclaiming against free trade, said, " But there, we
should have a purty roar sure 'nough, nif they was vor t' aim to put
any tax 'pon corn or eet fat stock." Aug. i, 1887.
Ang.-Sax. hror (?), O. L. Germ, hrora, O. H. Germ, ntora.— Stratmann.
630
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
RORE, or t ruble amonge j?e puple. Tumultus, commotio, distiirbiitm. — Pr, 1'arv,
Rare, trouble— trouble, — Palsgrave,
All the world was full of fere and in a roan, — Herman, quoted by Way,
P. P., p. 436.
ROBIN HOOD [rab-een eo'd], sb. The campion— Lychnis
diurna. The usual name for this commonest of flowers.
In the Seventh Report of the Devon Association, 1884, vol. xvi. p.
112, a woman is said to have called this Robin Wood, It is possible
this woman may have been to school and learnt that 'ood is spelt
with a w, and so have taken care to display her knowledge. Such
a case is quite common, and in that of tay-run (q. v.) has become
the accepted form.
ROD [hraud*], p, tense and /. part, of ride. Very common
pron., especially in the Hill district of W. S. among farmers.
Mr. Taap's son've a.-rod over to zay how the hounds be comin'
tomarra.
fforth }>an rod he stoutely '• wel i-armed oppon his stede,
ys herte was god & sykerly '. serued him to do |>at dede : — Sir Fer, 1. 254.
And rod forth to reson : and rouned in hus ere,
Than reson rod forth : and tok reward of no man.
Piers Plowman, v. 11. 14, 40. See also Ib. xxm. 181.
ROGUES-AGREED [roa-gz-ugree'd], sb. Confederates.
They purtend avore the jistices how they 'adn never a-zeed wan
t'other avore, but lor ! anybody could zee they was routes-agreed,
ROKER [roa'kur], sb. A long-hooked iron, used to stoke
furnace fires.
ROKE(Y [roa-k(ee], v. t. and /. To stir ; to rake ; to poke.
I never zeed eens the cow was bad, gin I come to roke her up,
and than I zeed her could'n muv.
Roke up the vire, I zim 'tis cold like.
Take'n rokey in under the moot, th' otter 'ont never start like
that there.
ROLLY [raul'ee], sb. A crowd or gathering. The use of this
word implies contempt.
Who was there ? well, 'twas a middlin' roily o'm, I 'ant a zeed no
jish rough lot's longful time.
There was a purty roily o' vokes, sure 'nough. July 10, 1887.
ROMPSTAL [ruunrsl], sb, A term of reproach for a woman.
It means much more than "rude girl," it implies wantonness in
the worst sense. See Exmoor Scold, \. 146.
RONK [raung'k], adj. Rank. The sb. rank is pronounced as
in lit. Eng. In very common use in several senses, mostly technical.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 631
A plane of which the iron projects so as to cut too thick a
shaving, is said to be " to ronk." Stones broken too small for the
traffic on a road would be described as "not ronk enough." A
carpenter would say of a board, " I must scrape 'm (plane) over
a bit, else he'll be a little bit [tue1 raung'k]." A smell might be
described as " middlin' ronk " if very bad. An over-rough file is
" to ronk," or if too smooth " not ronk enough."
Zo vishin' we mus' stap
Till autumn's vloods da cleynze the stream,
O' weeds that chucks en, ronk and green. —Pulman, Rus. Sk. p. 20.
>at wat} \>Q rauen so rank" J?at rebel wat} euer;— E. All. Poems, Deluge, 1. 455.
Hit arn ronk, hit arn rype & redy to manne ;
{?enne )?e rebaude3 so ronk rerd such a noyse. — Ib. Cleanness, 11. 869-873.
ROOKERY [reok'uree], sb. A noisy dispute ; disturbance :
probably from the noise made by rooks in their parliament.
I yeard em zay, how there was a middlin' rookery in to the board
'bout stoppin' o' pay 'cause the chillern 'adn a-bin to school.
ROOM [reo'm], sb. Dandriff; scurf in the head.
Our Tommy 've a-got a ter'ble roomy head. I can't keep 'm
clain nohow; I do warsh 'n 'most every Zadurday night, but the
room comth again torackly.
ROOST IN [reo'st ee*n], v. t. To mark the roosting-place of
game birds. (Usual term.)
At Culmstock, a farmer said of poachers, " Nif they can't come
vor to roost em in, they can't make no hand wi' the pa'tridges."
—Sept. i, 1885.
ROPE [hroa'p, hroo'up], sb. The common measure used in
husbandry for draining or hedging ; also in walling. In the former
it represents 20 lineal feet, in the latter it is 20 feet by i foot high.
CLASS 6. — To the Agricultural Labourer who shall best dig and lay a Rope
and Half of Hedge and make up the Wood. First Prize, IDS.
CLASS 7. — To the Agricultural Labourer (under 20 years of age) who shall
best dig and lay a Rope of Hedge and make up the Wood. First Prize, 6s.
Particulars of Culmstock Ploughing Match, Nov. 10, 1886.
ROPY [roa'pee, roo'upee], adj. Said of cider — viscous; same
as reamy.
Can't drink it, 'tis so ropy1?, a thong.
ROPYNGE, ale or o^er lycowre (ropy as ale, K. H. of Ale). Viscosus. — Pr. Parv.
ale must haue these properties, it must be fresshe and cleare, it must not be
ropy, nor smoky. — A. Bord, Regiment, quoted by Furnivall, Babees Book, p. 208.
Ropy small beer, hopping biscuit and horse-beef.
1798. Peter Pindar, Tales of the Hoy, vol. iv. 382.
RORY-TORY [roa-uree-toa-uree], adj. Usually applied to
colour in dress. Tawdry ; over loud ; in too great contrast.
632
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Of all the rory-tory bonnets ever you zeed, Mrs. Vickery's beat
'em all, he was all the colours o' the rainbow.
ROSED [roa'uzd], /. /. and /. part, of raise and rise. Many of
the strong verbs of lit. Eng. take the weak inflexion superadded
to the strong, as in break, brokt, take, tookt, &c. See W. S.
Gram. p. 48. Many more are acquiring it.
I rosed a fine covey o' birds in the Ten Acres.
Maister 've &-rosed me a shillin' a week.
ROT [raat], v. An imprecation.
'Od rat it all ! This is commonly worn down into Drat it.
ROT-GUT [raafguut], adj. Applied to bad drink of all kinds.
Proper rat-gut stuff, 'tis a wo'th the money to drink it.
ROUGH [hruuf], v. t. i. To roughen or make rough : chiefly
applied to shoeing horses in frost.
To rough usually means merely to put on the shoe, with nails
made to project, while the complete process by which three sharp
points are forged out of the shoe itself is " to cork."
Tell Jim jis to rough the pony, can't stop to have 'm a-corked.
2. sb. The act of roughing a horse's shoe.
1887 s. d.
Jan. 3. 8 shoes 6/. 4th, 4 ruffs, &/. 6 8
4. 4 ruffs 8
From a Wellington Smith's Bill.
ROUGH-CAST [ruuf'-kaa's], sb. and v. t. A peculiar kind of
plastering used for the outside of walls. It is made by throwing
gravel against the wet mortar and then white-washing all over. It
is considered to stand wet weather better than smooth work. Often
used fig. ; also sometimes pronounced row-cast [ruwkaas].
And more an zo, thee wut rowcast, nif et be thy own vauther. — Ex. Sc. 1. 193.
ROUGH-MUSIC [ruuf'-mue'zik], sb. A common method of
expressing popular displeasure towards any individuals, such as
a very quarrelsome pair, a wife-beater, a cuckold, an unfaithful
husband or wife, &c., is to go at night and play rough-music before
the house of the offender. The players are a mob of both sexes ;
the instruments are tin pots, tongs, frying-pans, whistles, and any-
thing capable of making a din; over and above all come the jeers
and cat-calls of the whole party. The noise is called rough-music^
but the whole process of the display of popular animosity is called
" skimity-riding." It is a thing much dreaded, and the fear of
the shame attaching to it has doubtless much effect in preserving
outward decency.
ROUND [raewn], sb. A plane having a convex bottom and
iron, used for working hollows or grooves.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 633
I got a rare set o' rouns 'n hollers, dree sizes, vor zeb'm un
zixpence.
ROUND-HOUSE [raewn-aewz], sb. The shed or building in
which the horse- gear for driving machinery is fixed. Fe\v farms
are without a round-house in which the horses go round and round.
The outside shape of these places hardly ever corresponds to the
name, hence the path of the horses must give its name to the
building.
ROUNDING [ruwndeen, or raewndeen], adj. A technical
word signifying convexity.
[Dhik dhae'ur dae'ul dhae'ur-z un lin'sh ruwndeen, veol aup',]
that deal there is fully an inch convex.
ROUNDSHAVE [raewnshee-uv], v. t. To abuse ; to scold.
Her can roundshave, mind, nif her's a mind to, vor all her's so
quiet lookin'.
Than tha wut chocklee, and bannee, and bla/.ee, and roundshave ennybody
that deth bet zey ay to tha. Exmoor Scolding, 1. 232. See also Ib. 1. 311.
ROUSE [raews, ruws], adv. and sb. With a noise ; generally
applied to something that has fallen, or suddenly collapsed.
We'd on'y but jist a-got down over the stairs, hon down come
the roof, rouse, an' then torackly arter, the chimley vailed way a
rouse right drue the vloor, jis the very same's a gun.
ROUSE-ABOUT [raewz-ubaewt], adj. Used generally to give
force in conjunction with big or gurt. It implies coarseness,
roughness, awkwardness, yet withal bustling activity. "A gurt
rouse-about piece," is a very frequent term for a big rough woman.
a rubbacrock, rouzeabotit, platvooted, zidlemouth'd swashbucket. — Ex. Sc. 1. 56.
ROUSER [raewzur], sb. Cant term for a big lie.
ROUT [raewt], sb. "Rut, or wheel-track. This word has never
a sound approaching to lit. rut, except in the form ruck (q. v.).
You can't go way no carriage, why the routs be so deep's my
knees.
ROUT OUT [raewt-aewt], v. t. To make a clean sweep ; to
turn out everything in the act of searching.
Tidn no good to zay can't vin'un. I tell 'ee I zeed'n there, an'
you must rout out ever> thing gin he's a-voun'.
ROUTY [raewtee], v. i. i. Applied to pigs— to root, /. e. to
plough up the ground with the snout.
Will ! why has'n a ring'd they there pigs, eens I told thee ?
They'll bide an routy in thick field o' grown gin the spine's jis
lig a ploughed field.
634 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. v. t. To snore.
They used to zay, could hear th' old Butcher Disney rouiy down
to the turnpike, an' that's 'most a quarter mild away.
ROVINGS [roa-veens], sb. Partly, spun worsted. When, in the
process of preparing, the long bands of combed wool are doubled
and drawn into a loose kind of rope, the product is called ravings
and the machine a " roving-hame."
ROW [ruw], v. t. Tech. To roughen cloth, /. <?. to comb or
teaze out a nap on it, as on a blanket. Usually applied to the
hand process. See GIG.
That there blanketin' idn a.-rowd enough.
This pronun. of rough is of course analogous to plough = [pluw].
•£0ag£-Tor on Dartmoor is often written Row-tor, and is always
pron. [ruwtur]. Also rough-cast (q. v.) very com. pron. [ruwkaa's],
Ang.-Sax. rttw, rough.
For, as I trowe, I have you told y-nowe
To reyse a feend, al loke he never so rowe.
Chaucer, Prol. of Chanounes Yeman, 1. 307.
)>e Amyral bende ys browes rowe ; & clepede is consaile :
Kyng Sortybrant & oj>re ynowe : ther come wy]>-oute fayle. — Sir Fer. 1. 1954.
ROZIM [rauz'um], sb. Resin. (Always so.)
ROZIMS [rauz-umz], sb. Obscenities ; low talk ; balderdash.
Come now ! shut up that there. I don't 'low no rozims in my
house. Common saying among publicans.
RUB-ALONG [ruub'-lau-ng], v. t. To continue as usual.
Well, James, how's your wife ?
Oh well, there, sir, her do rub 'long like.
RUBBACRGCK [ruub'ukrau-k], sb. Com. epithet for a filthy
slattern, who looks as if the crock had left its marks all over her.
A pretty rubbacrock vor t'eat arter ! why her's always so black's
a chimley zweep, zee her hon ever ee wull.
Ay, and zo wou'd tha young George Vuzz, mun, whan a had, a had a rubba-
crock, rouzeabout, platvooted, zidlemouth'd swashbucket. — Ex. Scold. \. 55.
RUBBAGE [ruub-eej], sb. Rubbish. (Always.)
'Tis more'n half o' it rubbage, I don't know what we be gwain to
do way it.
ROBOWS, or coldyr. Petrosa, petro. — Promp. Parv.
John Carter, for cariage away of a grete loode of robeux, that was left in the
strete after the reparacyone made uppon a hous apperteignyng unto the same
wardrobe. ffarl. MS. 4780, quoted by Way, P. P. 435.
RUBBLY [ruub'lee, ruuvlee], adj. Gritty; coarse in grain.
Applied to sand, earth, or powders of any kind. Also applied to
coal in lumps.
A truck o' nice rurrly coal, idn a showl vull o' sma1! in it.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 635
RUCK [ruuk], sb. Rut. Not used alone, but with wheel.
I zeed the stoat urn 'long the wheel-ruck.
Cart-rut, a lit. form, is never heard.
RUCKY-DOWN [ruuk-ee-daewn], v. i. To stoop low by
bending the knees ; to crouch as an Oriental does in sitting ; also
to crouch low in any posture.
Her rucked-down so low's her could, but I zeed the back o' her,
an' I'll zwear to thick there shawl 'vore jidge or jury.
RUKKUN, or cowre down' (curyn doun, K. crowdyn downe, S. ruckyn, or
cowryn downe, P.). Incurvo.
RUKKYNGE (rukklyng, Harl. MS. 2274). Incurvacio. — Promp. Parv.
That in awayte lyggen to morthre men
O false mordereour fucking in thy den \-Chaucer, Nonne Prestes Tale, 1. 405.
Now )>ei rucken in hire neste. — Cower, quoted by Stratmann.
But thee, thu wut ruckee, and squattee, and doattee in the Chimley Coander
lick an axwaddle. Ex. Scold. 1. 143. See also Ib. 1. 269.
RUFF [ruuf], sb. Roof. Always sounded ruff or ruv (q. v.).
I zim I likes to zee a ruff way zom pitch in un, not one o' those
yur flat, heaped up, bonnet things.
(RUFFE of an hows, stipra in rofe, P.).
RUFF TREE of an howse (rufters, Harl. MS. 2274). Fcstum. — Pr. Parv.
RUINATION [riie'inae'urshun], sb. This word does not mean
simply ruin. It could not be said " That house is in ruination"
but, "'twould be ruination to all our plans" would be quite
intelligible, if not classic English. Overthrow or defeat seem to
be the idea ; the active principle of injury rather than the accom-
plished destruction.
I ver'ly believe all this here artificial's ruination to the land,
/. e. artificial manures.
RUMMAGE [ruunreej], v. t., i., and sb. i. To thoroughly
overhaul or search over. We rummaged out all the drawers.
Tid'n no good vor to bide rummagin' no longer. I've a 'ad dree or
vower hours rummage arter thick there screw o' the machine, an' I
'ant a-vown un arter all.
2. sb. Litter; confusion; untidiness.
I never zeed such a rummage in all my born days.
RUMPUS [ruunvpus], sb. i. Disturbance ; confusion ; noise.
Quiet, you boys ! you keep up jitch rumpus, can't hear yer-
zel speak.
2. A quarrel ; contention.
There was a middlin' rumpus in to Half Moon last night. Who
betwixt ? Why Jim Ware an' Bill Jones, 'bout th' old Jan Slade's
maid. Fo'ced to zen vor the Poalice.
636 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
3. Scolding. Also, inquiry into an offence with a view to
punishment.
I told 'ee there'd be a rumpus when you do'd it, an' now you'll
vind you got to pay vor't.
RUNABLE [uurnubl], adj. Hunting— of a deer; fit to be
hunted ; same as warrantable, but generally used negatively.
Met at Hawkridge Ridge, tried for Holcombe's deer, and found him imme-
diately, a four-year-old deer, not ninablc. — Rec. North Devon Staghounds, p. 39.
RUN-ABOUT [uurn-ubaewt], sb. Vagrant ; itinerant.
A labourer ceased working to listen to a woman singing, and
said to me, —
[Uur zingth wuul', doa*n ur, zr? uur-v u goa'ut zaunvfin luyk u
vauys, uur aav ; ted'n beet sae'um-z moo'ees u dheo'zh yuur uurn-
ubacwts,~\ she sings well, does she not, sir? she has something
like a voice, it is not at all like most vagrants. April 26, 1884.
A hawker or pedlar is often called a run-about.
I don't never have no dailins wi' these here urn-abouts.
Ac robert renne-aboute ' shal nowjte haue of myne,
Ne posteles, but f>ey preche coune : and have povvere of ]>e bisschop.
Piers Plowman, B. vi. 150.
RUN-DOWN [uurn-daewn], v. t. To disparage ; to malign.
RUNG [ruung], sb. The round of a ladder. Any turned or
shaped stick in a frame ; as the rungs of the banister, the rungs
of a chair, or chair-rungs, — the latter are the horizontal bars between
the legs, and also in the back, whether vertical or otherwise, — the
rungs of a plate-rack, &c.
Ang.-Sax. hfting.
A ronge of a stee (of a tre or ledder A.) ; scalare. — Cath. Ang.
And leith a laddre ]>ere-to • of lesynges aren ]>e rcnges,
And feccheth away my floures sumtyme. — Piers Plow. B. xvi. 44.
Purchases are only a load of timber for making ladders and " Rongys."
1457. Historical MS. Com. Rep. on Wells Cathedral, p. 288.
RUNNER [ruun'ur, uurnur], sb. An endless towel on a roller;
a jack towel. (Always.)
A well-educated lady asked me, " What is a ' jack-towel ' — is it
a runner?"
RUN OUT [uurn aewt], v. i. To scour (of cattle) ; to have
chronic diarrhoea. See SKENTER.
Her's so poor, I be 'feard her' 11 urn out.
A keeper said, "I could'n gee the birds none o' that there stuff;
made 'em all urn out; I should a-lost half o'm. — Sept. 18, 1887.
RUN-WORD [uurn-wuurd], v. t. To repudiate a bargain ; to
back out of an agreement. (The regular phrase.) Unfortunately
this expression is but too common, and is used by all clnsses, rich
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 637
and poor alike, to describe the almost daily breaches of parole or
" market " bargains which occur.
I bought Farmer Snow's wheat in vower shillings a bushel, so fair's
ever I bought ort in my life, an' took the sample, but 'vore 'twas
drashed 'twas better worth, and he urrfd-word directly. Let'n
show me a sample o' wheat again !
RUSE [rue-z], v. i. i. Applied to earth, clay, or any like material.
To slip, or fall in. The usual word ; no other expresses the action.
A grave-digger would say of any unstable soil, —
Nif I wad'n to have some boards an' paus'n, he'd ruse in tap o'
me, /. e. the sides of the grave would slip in upon him.
I be always [u-foo'us] forced to put tim'er in they deep graves,
else they'd sure to ruse in, and then they wid'n look well, an' I
must drow it all out again, nif did'n vail in tap o' me.
Plase, sir, the bank's a rused right out in the road, and nobody
can't go 'long.
Thick there bank on't never stan' ; he's safe to ruse down.
I never help zink'd no jis well avore, we couldn go a voot 'thout
boardin o' un, else he'd ruse in so vast as we tookt it out.
Ang.-Sax. hrebsan, to shake or tumble down.
Inasmuch as any movement would cause earth or stones to ruse,
it may be that the word is Ang.-Sax. hrysian, Old Low Germ.
/irisian, Goth, hrisjian, to move, to shake.
See hrusien, Stratmann.
\>Q eoriSe gon to rusien. — Lazamon, 1. 15946.
. ]>a.t I had reuth whan Piers rogged (rused R. ) ; it^gradde so reufulliche.
Piers Plowman, B. xxi. 78.
2. Over-ripe corn or see is said " to ruse out," that is, the
grain falls out of the ear or pod in handling.
They wuts be to ripe ; I count half o'm '11 ruse out gin they be
in to rick.
RUSEMENT [rue'zmunt], sb. A slipping down ; an earth-fall.
(Always.)
They've a-had a rusement sure 'nough out to Whipcott ; all one
zide o' the quar's a-rused in, and 't'll take em a wole vortneet, vor
to hird out the ruvvle, vore they can come to any more builders
(building stones).
There's a purty rusement down in the lane, — can't go 'long wi'
no plough, nohow.
RUSTY [rus'tee, huurstee], adj. i. Applied to salt meat — rancid ;
turned orange or rust colour. Very common in bacon or hams.
RESTE (restedeA.), rancidus, ranciduliis. — Cath. Ang,
Put barlie to malting, lay flitches to salting.
Through folly too beastlie, much bacon is reastic. — Tttsser, 20/2.
638 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. Ill-tempered ; cross ; irritable.
Maister got out the wrong zide o' the bed z'mornin, didn er ?
I zim 'is ter'ble hursty like.
RUSTY-RAKE [huurstee-rae'uk], sb. Rancid or rusty bacon.
A common piece of rustic boy wit is to say to another not in the
secret, —
What'll ee take ? A hursty rake,
A zin burnd cake, or a blackbird under the hill ?
When a choice is made, the joke consists in explaining that he
has chosen rancid bacon, or a dried cow-clat (cow-dung), or the
devil, as the case may be.
RUV [ruuv], sb. and v. t. Roof. More common now than
ruff d\' v>) ') as a VD- ruv always. To form a roof.
Looky zee ! the cat's up 'pon the ruv o' the barn.
How much hay is 'er a-lef to car'in ? (left to carrying, ;'. e.
remaining to be carted). Purty near time I zim vor to begin to ruv
'm out, /. e. to roof him (the rick). This means to begin to contract
the size of the rick so as to make it slope up in the centre and
form a roof in shape. All this is conveyed in the one word to
ruv, as applied to a rick.
RUVVLE [ruuvl], sb. Rubble, the waste of a quarry. See
RUBBLE, RUSEMENT.
The tenant of a large quarry said, —
Well, could do middlin' like by it nif twadn vor the ruwle ;
there's where the money goes. 'Pon times we got to .shift a
hundred ton o' ruwle 'vore can come to the rock at all.
8
S. i. It is usual among dialect poets to spell all words beginning
with s, or s sound, with z. Most Teutonic words are thus pro-
nounced, but French and other "imported" words, as a rule,
keep the initial s as sharp as in the literary dialect. Most of these
facetious writers, even Nathan Hogg, are more anxious to insure
humorous effect than to be strictly accurate. Jennings is a bad
observer when he puts sand and sar (serve), seed and silk in the
same category. No one ever hears zar or zilk, nor anything else
than zee'itd or zan'(d. On the other hand, many words are pro-
nounced either sharply or softly according to individual or personal
equation, such as sir, sarvant, sim, single, sling, &c.
2. S is sometimes a redundant initial, as in scrawl, snofch, snip,
splat, squinsy, for notch, crawl, nip, plot and plait, quinsy.
It is also a very com. redundant suffix to surnames when of
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 639
more than one syllable, without any apparent connection with, or
influence by, the final consonant of such names.
Mr. MitchelLw 'oss. Into Mr. Handford.sw. I zeed Mrs.
Johnson* to church s'arternoon. George Randal.? zaid, &c.
3. S is often all that remains of the superlative inflection,
particularly of adjectives of two or more syllables. Monosyllables
usually take the full inflection ees.
[Ee-z dhu tuureefuyeens bwuuy,] he is the terrifyingest boy.
[Dh'au'nparsubls voa'ks,] the unpeaceablest folks.
The huglys gurt hunks. The propers little washamouth, &c.
For illus. see under GAMMIKIN, IMPOSE UPON, NEGLECTFUL,
K.CKING ABOUT, &c. In this sense the contraction has always,
without exception, the sound of sharp s, never of z, even when
following d, r, n, I.
Note that the plural inflection s in all cases, except after/, /,
or A, in the dialect, as in standard Eng., has the sound of z.
The same rule applies to the possessive inflection, which is
always z, subject to the same exceptions.
4. [s] Com. contraction of his, when not following another
sibilant. Here again s, not z, is the sound.
[Bee'ul-v u-aat's an-,] Bill have a-hat's hand — /. e. hit his.
Jim've a-tord's things abroad. Have er voun's knive? Did
Joe get's boots 'ome vore Zinday ?
[Aa-1 wau-rn u-d ruub''s oa-n faa'dhur,] I'll "warrant he'd rob's
own father.
5. [s]. Com. contraction of hast, or hadst.
Jack, where's a-bin to all's mornin'? See illus. under HAST,
NAWL, &c.
6. [s]. Com. contraction of didst or dost.
Hot's think o' they there new gloves ?
Thee's know well 'nough I wadn gwain — i. e. thou didst know.
Hot's do way my hook? I zeed thee way un benow. See HAT
7. [z]. Com. contraction of as [s] after/, £,/.
I know'd 'twas her [zeo'n-z] soon's I zeed her. See So.
8. [s, z]. Contraction of so before a vowel sound.
I zim I ant a-veel'd it s'ot 's-ever so long.
'Twas jis the same [z-au'f] 's off (as though) anybody'd a-stab me.
9. [z, s]. Com. contraction of this or these.
I 'ant a-zeed'n [z-yuurz] 's years — /. e. these years.
How be you 'z mornin'? Thank'ee, I bin very poorly like 's
day or two. Note Jot 's-ever, S 8.
10. [z]. Often added as a redundant//, inflection to en.
" Nort but rexens " is the commonest of descriptions of a wet
pasture. See MOORY.
640 \\EST SOMERSET WORDS.
Mr. Bird Ve a-turned two rare pair o' oxetu into market, I an't
a-zeed no jis beast de year.
n. [z]. Com. redundant possessive inflection in compound
\vords, as : [dai'zlait, baarnz-doo'ur,] daylight, barn-door.
SABBAGE [sab'ij], adj. Savage ; angry.
Her (the cow) was that sabbage, I ver'ly b'leive her'd a-kill'd the
boy nif I 'adn a-bin there.
SACK [zaak], sb. and v. t. i. Dismissal from employment; to
dismiss. See BAG 4.
He gid 'em all the zack. Well, I know'd he'd zack 'em zoon's he
year'd o' it — /'. e. as soon as.
This very com. phr. is said to have arisen from the old practice
of journeymen, who travelled in quest of work with their tools on
their backs. When discharged by their masters they are said to
have the sack, the bag, or the canvas, because their tools and
necessaries were packed up in it, ready to set forth.
Donner son sac, & ses quilles a. On luy a donne son sac, &c.
He hath his passport given him, he is turned out to grazing.
(Said of a servant whom his master hath put away.) — Cotgrave.
2. A measure of four bushels. Also a bag to contain that
quantity. The word is thus used only in this denned and technical
manner. See BAG i.
Ten sacks, whereof euerie one holdeth a coome. — Tusser, 17/7.
A coome is a half-quarter = 4 bushels.
SAD [sad', zad'], adj. Bad in a rather apologetic sense.
Ah, he's a sad fuller ; but there, her's all so bad's he.
'Tis a sad old concarn way 'em ; how they'll make it out theeas
winter I can't think.
SAD-BAD [zad- bae'ud], adj. Ill ; out of health.
[Aay bee zad' bae'ud, aay shoaT ee,] I be very unwell, I
assure ye.
SAFE [zaa-f, saa'f], adj. and adv. Certain ; sure ; fast.
Mind you hold zaa-f, Master Freddy, else he'll drow ee down.
I be saa'f 'twas he, nif I didn never zay another word ; I knowd'n
saa'f enough, by the gurt mop 'pon th' aid o' un (the head).
[Aay bee zu saa-faay zee'd-n-z aay bee1 ee'ns tiiz darzlait,] I am
as certain I saw him as I am that it is daylight.
We seem here again to have kept the true pronunciation.
SAAF, and sekyr. Salvus. — Promp. Paru.
Soft: (sa/l; A.). Saluus. — Calk. Ang.
Also spelt saaf in Piers Plowman.
So J>at )>e soule were saaf. — Wydif, IVorks, p. 36. See alss p. 107.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 641
My dourer is nyj deed, come them put thin honde on hir : that sche be saaf
and lyue. Wyclif, Mark v. 23.
In the passage above in St. Mark, the Tyndale, Cranmer, and Rheims
versions have be safe and live. Geneva version has be delinered of her disease
and lyue; while our own Authorized version has be healed, and she shall live.
Our latest revisers give she may be made whole and live, with or saved in the
margin.
It is of interest to note the connection and development of safe into Mod.
conventional salvation, as now understood in the passage —
1611. A. V. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people. — Luke i. 77.
1380. Wyclif. To Jeue science of helthe to his puple.
To geve knowlege of salvacion vnto his people.
J534- Tyndale, and all subsequent versions, including revised of 1885.
SAFETY [sae'uftee] , sb. The usual name for a slow-match ;
used in blasting.
The safety widn burn vitty, and I couldn get'n to go no ways ; zb
I was a-fo'ced to draw the charge agee-an.
SAFFRON [saa'furn], sb. i. A man said to me of a small
farm, " 'Tis a purty little place, he'd let so dear's saffurn" meaning
that it would let for more than its value. — August 1880. Since
then I have often heard the same expression ; thus making saffron
the climax, and absolute superlative of dearness.
2. The plant Crocus sativus.
SAID [zaed1],/. part. i. Contradicted; gainsaid.
'Twadn no use to try to do nort way 'er — 'er wid'n be z-zaid, her
wid do eens her was a-minded ; and zo I corned away and left 'er.
Vor ho ne mijte nojte alegge
That the hule hadde hire i-sed ;
Vor he spac bothe rijt an red. — Owl and Nightingale, 1. 394.
Ya won't be &-zed. — Ex. Courtship, 1. 536.
2. In the com. phr. "Well zaidl" or "Well zaidst!" [Wuul
zaed-, wuul zaed's, wuul zad's] = well done !
Well zaidst, Bill ! nif as'n a made a rare good job o' it !
Well zaid, soce ! I didn reckon you'd a-finish'd the field not
eet's hour and more !
SAINT ANTHONY'S FIRE [tan'tuneez vuyur], sb. Erysipelas.
SAINT MONDAY [sun muun'dee], sb. The drunkard's day.
Since wages have so much advanced among handicraftsmen, such
as masons, carpenters, tailors, the practice of going "on the
fuddle " from Saturday night till the wages are spent has become
terribly prevalent. I have known a tailor receive thirty shillings
on Saturday night, and on the Tuesday following obliged to borrow
a loaf of bread. The wives are not blameless for this state of
things. I have often seen a large building job stand silent all day
T T
642 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
on a Monday, and it is becoming more and more the custom to
pay wages in the middle of the week on this account.
Where are all the men ? Oh ! they be keeping Saint Monday.
In factories, of course, this could not be, though mill-hands are
no saints themselves.
SALARY [sal'uree], sb. Celery. (Always.) Apium graveoleus.
SALET [saal-ut], sb. Salad. (Always.) Salet oil ; small salet,
mustard and cress.
A SALLET. Comme a salade. — Sherwood.
Herbes and rootes for sallets and sauce. — Tusser, 40.
beware of grene sallettes & rawe fruytes, for they wyll make your sourayne
seke. . Wynkyn de Worde, Boke of Keruynge (Furnivall), p. 266.
SALT MASH [zaa'lt maa'sh], sb. Flat pasture near the sea,
which is covered occasionally at very high tides. There are
several on the shores of the Bristol Channel. Mash (marsh,
(q. v.) is by no mearts a swamp. Some of the Somerset marshes
are the most fertile lands in England.
SAM [saam]. " To stand sammy " is to treat, or to pay expenses.
Perhaps rather slang than dialect.
SAME AS [sae'um-z], adv. phr. Just as ; like ; in the same
manner that. A very frequent expression is \_Sae'um-z dhu fuul'ur
zaed'], just as the man said ; no person in particular is referred
to — indeed the whole sentence is redundant. Comp. " How a
man a zed." — Ex. Scold. 1. 84, and note 10.
Zo you've a-voun' yer 'ook then, an 'ee? Ees. How did 'ee
vin' un? Same's he was a lost — same's th'old Tucker voun 'is
ha'penny, s'now — all to a heap.
Another favourite phr. is, "Jis the very same as" [jus1 dhu
vuuree sae'um-z\ — i. e. precisely like ; in the exact manner. .
Hon her zeed the bullick nif her didn hurn jis the very same's
off th'old fuller'd a-bin arter her.
SAME PURPOSE [sae'um puurpus], adv. phr. On purpose;
with the intention. (Very com.)
Now didn I mind thee o' it, same purpose, thee shoulds'n vorget it?
They be a-come in all the way vrom Winsford, same purpose,
vor to zee maister, and now he's ago to Taan'un. See NASTMENT,
NECKHANDKERCHER.
SAND CRACK [zan- kraak], sb. A vertical crack or split in
a horse's hoof, into which the sand penetrates, and by enlarging
the crack and inflaming the foot causes lameness. A rather
common blemish.
SAR [saa'r], v . /. i. To serve. Nearly every old man, and very
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 643
many old women, of the labouring class were bound apprentice
in their youth, and they always speak of it thus —
I sar'd my pirntice to Mr. So-and-so. See PIRNTICE.
This form is much commoner than "sar'd my time."
Ver I wiz born whum by es zide,
An' went to school, an' sar'd my time. — Pultnan, Rtts. Sk. p. 6.
2. To earn ; to gain. (Usual word.) (Always pronounced
sharp — never zar.} The idea is, of course, to serve for.
I an't a.-sar'd but dree days an' a quarter's wages since a
vortnight avore Christmas, and I 'sure 'ee I be ter'ble 'ard a-drov'd,
an' I do behope you'll please. to 'low me something. — Such an
application may be heard at most meetings of Boards of Guardians
in the district.
" Sir," he seide, " me most euery day nedis laboure, and deserue viij. pense ;
and I may not gete hem but I travaile f>erfore. — Gesta Roman, p. 29.
3. To feed ; to serve with food.
You mus'n hinder Will gin he've a-sa^d the things — /. e. fed the
cattle. Have 'er &-sar'd the pigs ?
'Od darn the pigs and the sty,
If they gits no vittles till Doomsday week
They'll nivver be sard by I. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 31.
SARCE [saars], sb. i. Sauce. More common than sass [saa's].
'Tis the apple-rara that mak'th the goose.
2. Impudence.
Come, young fuller, none o' your sane, else you'll meet way
some buckle strap.
SAR OUT [saa-r aewt], phr. To pay back ; to retalliate.
Well, that's a purty trick, sure 'nough ! but howsomedever, zee
nif I don't sar thee out vor it, Vore thee art a twelmonth older,
mind.
SART A BAKED [saart u-bae'ukud], phr. Soft or dough-
baked. Common description of a softy.
Ee es net so sart a-baked nether. — Ex. Scold. 1. 472.
'S-ARTERNOON [saa-rturneo'n, zaa-rturneo-n]. This afternoon.
[Yoo'ur biiz'gee-z u-due'd — dhu bwuwy ad'-n zaafrturnco'n,~\ your
bisgey is done — the boy had it this afternoon.
This form is generally used with a past construction. See
T'AFTERNOON ; also S 9. (Very com.)
SARTIN SURE [saa'rteen shoo'ur], adv. phr. Quite sure ;
certain without doubt.
The riders be coming next week. How's know ? art sartin sure
o' it ? I shall lost a quarter vor to zee 'em come in.
T T 2
644 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SASS [saa's], sb. and v. t. Sauce, both lit. and fig. Very com.
form, but even less so in W. S. than sane (q. v.).
'Tidn no good to zay nort to em ; they 'ont on'y saa's anybody.
Mee bastid and a sar'd up way
Zom Starcrass mucks vur sass. — Nathan Hogg, Ser. II. p. 19.
SASSINGER [saas-injur], sb. Sausage. (Very com.)
SAUCER-EYED [saa-sur-uyd], adj. Having large and prominent
eyes.
SAVE [sae'uv]. To preserve what would otherwise be thrown
away. See SIG.
SAVER [sae'uvur], sb. A flat iron about two feet long by 3 in.
wide, having little scrolls or feet at each end, by which it stands
upright on its edge. Its use is to place on the hearth between
the hand-dogs (q. v.} in order to keep the hot embers and ashes
from falling into the dripping-pan. It also prevents the fire from
injuring the dripping-pan ; hence its name. A saver is to be found
wherever cooking is done with a wood fire.
It'm one paire of andirons, one paire of dogges, one iron to sett before the
dripinge panne and ij brandizes.
Inventory of the goods and chatells of Henry Gaudy, Exeter, 1609.
SAWL [sau-1], sb. i. Soul. (Always.)
Poor old sawl, her on't never do no more work in this here
wordle, her's ago to a better place ; but I should a liked to a-zeed
the poor old saw! once more. Ang.-Sax. sdwol.
Blisse, mi sattle, to Lauerd ai isse,
And alle }>at with-in me ere to hali name hisse.
xiii. Cent. Metrical Eng. Psalter, Ps. ciii. I.
)>at euer I sette saule inne, & sore hit me rwej. — E. All. Poems, Deluge, 1. 290.
Our Lauerd grauntes it us son,
Yef sawel hel be in our bon.
Homilies in Verse, Stilling of the Tempest (Morris), 1. 65.
2. Of a duck — the lungs (?).
SAY [sai'j, sb. Sea. The s is always sharp, without exception.
This marks the distinction between sea and say — the latter is as
invariably zai\
[Tau'm, haut 'ee zar ? lat-s av u boo'iit u naawur-n g-aewt tu
sar,'] Tom, what do you say ? let us have a boat an hour and go
out to sea.
SAY [zai-], sb. i. Statement.
Come now ! you've 'ad your zay, now lat's year he's store
'bout it.
2. In the phr. "Tidn to zay " — i. e. it is not to speak of; not
to name.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 645
'Tidn to zay anybody do lost their things hon they do lend it,
but 'tis the urnin about arter it, 'cause voices that do bony things
don't never bring it back. See LEARINESS.
SCAD [skad1], sb. T. A shower. (Very com.)
Do you think it will rain, Will ? There'll be a bit of a scad,
I count, zir.
In the Ex. Scold, (see remarks on pp. 151-2) this is spelt scatt.
See MOLLY-CAUDLE.
2. sl>. The fry of salmon.
You on't do nort way the trout, the river's so vull o' scad.
SCADDY WEATHER [skad-ee wadh-ur], sb. Showery weather.
See Ex. Scold. 1. 125.
SCALD [skau'l(ee, skaa*l(ee], v. t. and /. i. To burn.
I said to a blacksmith, " What is the matter, Robert ? " " Well,
sir, I never didn know no jis thing avore. I was help bondin' a
wheel vor Mr. Bird, an' Tom was 'long way me, an' jist as we was
puttin' o' un on, I catch my voot and vailed all along 'pon tap o'
the bond, an' scall my arm eens I an't a-tich a stroke o' work's
dree wiks." Fire scalds, water burns.
How the zun scallus. Sure to rain when the zun do scally
same's this yur is.
The zun [skau'lud] scalded zo zmornin', I do think 't'll rain. —
Aug. 29, 1887.
Till hur holler'd out " Viar ! aw, stiffle et out ! "
Wat a macy et was tho, as ivry wan zeth.
Thit tha old humman wadd'n a skaldid ta deth ! — N. Hogg, Letters, p. 48.
2. v. t. In this county when pigs are killed, as soon as dead
they are put into a " trendle " of hot water, by which all bristles,
and the outer cuticle, .are made to come off readily on being
scraped. This process is to scald the pig. The butcher will be
sure to say, if asked about the temperature, " You must take care
the water idn hot enough to burn."
SCALD-HEAD [skairl-ai'd], sb. A disease in the skin of the
head ; a bad kind of exema,
A scalle ; glabria, glabra, glaber.
Scalled ; glaber, glabriosus. — Cath. Ang. See note, p. 321.
Glabrosus, scalled. — Wrighfs Vocab. 586/34.
SCALD-PATED. Teigneux. The scurfe or scauld-pate. Teigne. — Sherwood.
SCALD MILK [skau-1 miilk], sb. Regular word for skimmed
milk — 1\ e. that from which the clotted cream has been taken after
scalding. See RAW MILK, BLUE MILK.
646 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SCAMBLE [skaanrl], sb. i. A mess ; a litter.
Take care how you do do it, nit to make a scant le all over the
place.
2. v. /. To litter about ; to scatter.
Art'n thee a tidy fuller now, to scant1 le about the straw like
that is ? Thee's a scammled the hay all over the place. Take care,
soce, don't 'ee make a scammle o' it.
keepe threshing for thresher, til maie be come in,
to haue to be suer fresh chaff in the bin,
and somewhat to scamble, for hog and for hen,
and worke when it raineth for loitering men. — Tusser, 51/7.
SCAMBLIN' [skaanvleen], adj. Untidy, slovenly.
Well ! thee's a-made a purty scant lirt consarn o' it, sure 'nough ;
'tis nort but a lick an' a dab. I never didn zee a more scant liner
job in all my born days.
SCAMP [skaanrp], v. t. To perform work in a bad manner, or
with bad materials. Not in Webster.
I never didn zee no job, nit so bad ^.-scamped in all my born days.
SCAMPIN' [skaam-peen], adj. Badly done.
I call's it a proper scampiri job, an' avore I'd pick anybody's
pocket like that, I zoonder starve.
SCANDALOUS [skan'lus], adj. Filthy, befouled.
Th' 'ouse was scan'lous; he wad'n fit vor a pig, let 'lone a
kirstin.
I saw a wagon I had lent, being used for a filthy purpose, and
on remonstrating with the borrower, he said, " He shan't be a-zen
'ome scan'lus."
SCANTLING [skanfleen], sb. The outside board in sawing
a tree ; also called slab. See OUCHILS.
SCARCEHEED [skee-usee'd], sb. Scarcity, want.
I count there'll be a scarceheed o' taties 'vore the winter's over;
volks do zay eens they be keepin' shockin' bad about.
SCARE-DEVIL [skee'ur-daevl], sb. The swift. (Very com.)
SCARF [skaarfj, v. t. Used by carpenters. To graft or join
two pieces of wood lengthwise by cutting the end of each obliquely,
so that when united they form one straight piece.
Thick there durn's a-ratted in the bottom, he must be ^.-scarfed.
SCARIFIER [skaarifuyur], sb. A cultivator, or implement for
tearing up the surface. Same as SCUFFLE.
SCARM [skaa'rm], sb. Tech. in woollen trade. The frame of
reels or bobbins from which the threads forming the warp or chain
of a piece of cloth are run off in the act of warping. The same
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 647
term is applied to the frame — full of bobbins of unspun yarns which
feed either mule or throstle frames.
Again it is usual to call the " scarm of work" the allowance
of material given out to be done by any particular machine,
also the quantity actually being operated on at one time by any
set of spinning machinery. The word is only used in connection
with spinning or carding — /. e. while the material is still in the
intermediate condition of unwoven yarn.
SCAT [skat], v. t. To scatter ; to fling ; to throw.
How thick there pony do scat the mud ; he purty near scat me
all over comin' home from Taan'un. See MUXY ROUT.
SCENTED FERN [sarntud vee'urn], sb. Tansy. (Tanacetum
vulgare.}
SCHOLARD [skaul'urd], sb. Scholar — /. <?. able to read and
write.
"I baint no scholard" is the usual way of saying, "I cannot
sign my name."
The popular reading of G. R., usually seen upon the royal arms
in church, is " I baint no scholard — G for George, and R for God
bless 'er."
SCHOOL [skeo'l], sb. Shoal; applied to fish, as "a fine school
of mackerel."
SCHOOLY [skfeo-lee], v. i. To teach; to keep school; to
practise the profession of schoolmaster.
A guardian said respecting the workhouse schoolmaster :
I don't zee no good vor to go to the expense o' keeping about a
man vor to schooly in the house, when there's a good school home
by vor to zend the.chillern to.
On bookes and his lernyng he it spente,
And busely gan for the soules pray
Of hem that yaf him -wherwith to scolay.
Chaucer, Prologue {Clerk of Oxenford} \. 300.
SCIENCE [suyuns], sb. Skill in boxing.
I zoon show'd 'n a bit o' science, vor all 'is bigness.
SCOARCE [skoa-rs, skoa-urs], v. t. To exchange; -to barter.
Heard sometimes, but now obsolescent.
Pan. Would not miss you, for a score on us,
When he do scourse of the great charty to us.
Pup. What's that, a horse 1 can scourse nought but a horse,
And that in Smithveld. Charty ! I never read o' him.
Ben Jonson, Tale of a Tub, I. ii.
AndrrM. Why, -fain, Cosen Margery, nort marchantable, e're since es scorst a
tack or two wey Roger Vrogvvell tether day. £*.. Courtship, \. 330.
SCOOP [skeo-p], - sb; A kind of scuttle made of wood with a
stick or handle to it, used for throwing water over manure, or clay.
648 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Also a wide wooden shovel, like a malt-shovel, used in cider making,
for throwing the pummy or ground apples upon the "cheese."
Also a wide, hollow-shaped, iron coal-shovel.
SCOOSE [skeo-s], sb. and v. i. Discourse ; altercation ; dispute ;
bad language. See DISCOOSE.
You hold your noise, I baint gwain vor t'ave no scoose way you.
They was scoosin away, sure 'nough ; but twadn no odds to me, zo
I starts out o' it.
SCOOT [skeo't], sb. The iron heel of a boot, more commonly
called a cue (q. v.). The s in this word is probably redundant, as in
splat for plot. See Si.
They canters like ponies a-top o' their scoot,
For they wears little -horseshoes knocked into their boot. — From an Old Song.
SCORE [skoa'r], v. t. To wheal ; to mark by beating.
The poor boy's back was ^.-scored like a gridiron.
SCORE [skoa-ur], sb. A weight of twenty Ibs.
How do you sell your potatoes ? Eightpence a score they
champions, and tenpence a score they magnum-bonums.
The weight of cattle and pigs is always judged by this weight,
and beef and pork are generally sold by it wholesale.
How heavy d'ye call thick yeffer? I call's her zix and twenty
score. Thick pig's vourteen score nif he's a pound.
SCORE WEIGHT [skoa-ur wauyt], sb. Twenty pounds in
weight.
I'll warnt thick otter was a score weight, vull up.
SCOT [skaut], sb. i. A Scotch fir.
I shall plant a row of scots to shelter the larch.
2. A beast of Scotch breed.
They Scots gets on well in this yere good land.
SCOTCH-FIDDLE [skaudv-fiid-l], sb. i. The scab in sheep.
No, no, there idn no mistake 'bout they there sheep, nif they 'ant
a-got the Scotch-fiddle, I'll be bound t'ait 'em 'thout zalt.
2. The itch, more commonly called the Welshman's hug.
SCOTCH SULL [skauch- zoo'ul], sb. The general name for
the modern iron plough, such as made by Hornsby or Howard.
SCOUR [skaawur], v. and sb. To be afflicted with diarrhoea.
They yerTers do scour ter'ble, mus' take 'em in.
We've had middlin luck along like way the lambs, but now a
brave lot've a-got the scour.
Sold everywhere. Scour in lambs mastered by the Devonshire Compound.
(Never fails, and a distinct preparation.) — Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 2, 1886.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 649
SCOVIN [skuuveen], sb. The fore quarter of a lamb, after the
shoulder is taken off; the brisket. (Very com.)
Very sorry, mum, I 'ant a-got nother vore quarter a-lef ; you widn
please to buy this here scovin ?
SCOVY [skoa'vee], adj. i. Uneven in colour ; blotchy ; mottled.
I can't think how 'tis, he (piece of woollen stuff) come out so
scovy ; I reckon there was some zoap a-left in un. See STRAMY.
2. sb. Muscovy duck. (Always.)
I shan't never keep no more o' these yer scovies, I can't
abear em.
SCRAG [skrag-], sb. i. The neck.
The joint " neck of mutton " includes all the ribs or chine, but
the neck end is always the scrag-end, hence from its being the
leanest and scrappiest part, the word scrag has got to be applied to
any piece of meat of like kind ; and further has developed into a
term for the fag end, or worst part, of anything. Of a board it
might be said " cut off the .ym^-end," meaning the rough knotty end.
It is often used redundantly. He bundled 'em out neck 'n
scrag — i. e. " neck and crop."
Also in the very common phrase "limb vrom scrag" — i. e. all in
pieces. Vore we could get up, the hounds had a-tord the hare
limb vrom scrag.
In describing the damage done at a rather, riotous. political meeting
in the Townhall, Wellington, held on October ist, 1885, I heard
a man say [Dhu chee'urz wuz u-toa'urd liinv vrum skrag',~\ the chairs
were broken to pieces.
2. sb. A lean, bony person or animal.
[Aay wiid'n nuVur kip jiis oa-l skrag'z dhaaf liz ; wai' lid'n faa't
nuuf baewt-n vur tu grai's u giinrlut,] I would not keep such an
old scrag (lean horse) as that ; why there is not fat enough about
him to grease a gimlet.
3. v. t. Cant phr. to hang.
Just a-come I 'ad'n a-bin &-scrag by the neck, vor I never zeed
the rope till I veel'd 'n.
^SCRAGTGY [skrag-ee], adj. Lean ; thin ; bony.
This is doubtless a development of the idea of the scrag end of
the neck of mutton.
I zeedn 'pon a scraggy old 'oss, eens you could hang up your
hat 'pon the pins o' un — i. e. the hips.
This is a very frequent form of description of a thin animal.
SCRAM [skraanv], adj. Small ; undersized ; used generally as
an intensitive of little ; also as a term of contempt in respect of size.
What's zend thick scram boy vor ? He idn no good.
650 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Call that a one-horse cart ! a little scram nackle-ass thing, why
he on't car boo a good wheelbarrow vull.
SCRAMDER [skraanvdur], adj. Comparative of scram.
Darn'd if thick there idn wo'se ageean ! why, he's scramder'n.
t'other.
SCRAMBED [skraanvd], adj. Benumbed with cold; paralyzed.
My hands be all &-scramd.
Mr. - - 've had a saizure, they zess how he's a.-scram'd all down
one zide like.
The leg o' 'er's a.-scram'd, is er ? better fit t'ad a-bin the tongue o'
'er, he on't bethink to wag, I'll warn un. Remark upon a woman
who was paralyzed.
SCRAM-HAND [skraanvan-], sb. Withered hand.
The word is seldom used in such combination with any other limb
than the hand.
You mind th' old Jonny Coles, don't ee ? Little roun-asse"d fuller,
you know, wi' a scram 'and.
SCRAN [skrair], sb. Food ; victuals.
[Aay bae'un gwaa'yn vor tu buyd ubaewt vur noa braek'sus, aay
kn pik au'p muy beet u skran" gwai'n au'n,] I do not intend
to wait about for breakfast, I can eat up my food (on the road)
going on.
SCRAP PUDDING [skraa-p puud-n]. A pudding made by
mixing flour with the small pieces of meat, left after the fat of a
pig has been melted down to lard. See BRACK.
SCRAPS [skraa'ps], sb. The residuum of the fat of a pig, after
all the lard is extracted.
SCRATCH [skraat-sh], sb. The devil ; generally old Scratch.
They urned (ran) jis the very same's off th' old Scratch was
arter 'em.
SCRATCHED [skraacrrt], part. adj. Slightly frozen, with
only a film of ice ; when the appearance of water is only that of
lines or scratches.
The water's on'y jist a-scratc/if, zo 't ant a-vreez'd very 'ard.
SCRATCHES [skraaclvez], sb. pi. Of horses. Name of
ailment. (Usual name.) Same as kibby heels.
SCRAVE [skrae'uv], sb. A frame made of strips of wood nailed
across sleepers, for the purpose of keeping goods off the floor. (Called
stillage in the north.)
SCRAWL [skrau'l, skraa'ul, more often skrau'lee], v. t. To
crawl ; to creep ; hence to hobble ; to walk slo\vly.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 6$ I
[Aay shoa'ur ee, zr, aay bee dhaaf u-kriip'uld airp wai dhu rue'-
maat'ik, aay kaa'n aarlee skracrlee baewt,] I assure you, sir, I am
so crippled with rheumatism, that I can scarcely crawl about.
And the river shall scral with frogs. — Wyclif, Exodtis viii. 3.
If gentils be scrauling, call magget the py. — Tusser, 49/9.
SCRAWLING [skraa-leen], adj. Crawling ; mean ; paltry ;
miserable. Applied to persons.
A scraivliri old hosebird ! he made wise how a did zee me ; let'n
come an' ax me to len' un a shillin ageean. See NEEDS.
SCREECH. See HOLM-SCREECH.
SCREECH OWL [skreech aewul], sb. The common owl,
which makes a loud noise like a hooting or mocking laugh.
Although so very common, yet the hooting of the screech owl is
never heard by some people without dread and foreboding of evil.
It is held to be a sure " sign of death."
A SCRITCH-OWLE. Fresaye, frezaye, strygc. — Sherwood.
SCREED [skree'd], sb. Scrap, shred — applied to cloth. More
commonly shreed.
Very sorry, but there idn a screed a-left.
Hoc presegmen A* screde. — Wright's Vocab. 655/11*
SCREEDLY [skree'dlee], v. i. To cower or huddle over the
fire. (Rare.)
tha wut spudle out the Yemors, and screedlee over mun. — Ex. Scold. \. 244.
SCREW-HAPSES [skrue--aap-su"z], sb. Usual name for the
ordinary adjustible screw-wrench. Called also Monkey.
SCRIBBLE [skriib'l], v. t. To prepare wool or other fibre for
the final process of carding.
SCRIBBLER [sknib-lur], sb. A machine for preparing wool,
intermediate between a Willy and a Carder.
SCRIBE [skruyb], v. t. Tech. To fit wood or other material
to a crooked or uneven surface.
SCRIDDICK, SKIRDICK [skrdd'eek, skiirdeek], sb. An
atom ; scrap ; crumb. Also applied to money ; the smallest coin.
I be a-zold out every bit and scriddick — i. e. every morsel.
Thick idn a wo'th a scriddick. I an't a-got nothin', not a scriddick
about me—/, e. not a farthing of money.
SCRIMP [skrunvp], v. t. To curtail, from stinginess. An old
proverb is, " Scrimp the cloth and spwoil the coat."
SCRINT [skrun-t], v. t. To scorch ; to cause to shrivel up by
heat.
652 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
There ! nif they d — d gap-mouth maidens, that ever I should zay
so ! nif they an't a-lef my shoes 'pon the hob, and there they be
all a.-scrint up to nothing — they baint a wo'th tuppence.
SCRONCH [skrau'nch], v. t. i. To crunch; to crush with a
grating sound, as in eating an apple, walking in snow, or as cattle
or horses eating hay.
I could hear the bullicks scronching, but I couldn zee nothin'.
[Niivur ded-n zee noa' jish bwuuy vur skrawnsheen aa'plz,]
never saw such a boy for grinding apples.
2. v. t. To scorch. Same as SCRINT.
SCRUFF [skruuf], sb. i. Refuse; dregs.
All the scruff and riff-raff of the town.
2. The neck.
He catch'n by the scruff &&& put'n outzide the door.
SCRUMPLING [skruunrpleen], sb. A small apple, which never
arrives at perfection. Same as crumpling. (Very com. form.)
Arter all this yer dry weather, there'll sure to be a sight o'
scrumplins 'pon the trees.
SCUD [skuud], sb. The scab which forms over a slight wound.
[Aay-v u-aaf dhu skuud- oaf mee ving-ur un mae'ud-n blid
ugee'un,] I have hit the scud off my finger and made it bleed again.
SCUFFLE [skuuf-1], v. t. i. To drag the feet along the road.
Jim, what's scuffle up the dust like that vor? — i.e. why do you
drag your feet so as to raise the dust ?
Thick boy'll scuffle out a pair o' new boots in no time — /. e. wear
them out by dragging the feet.
2. v. t. and sb. To scarify ; to work land with a cultivator or
instrument which tears up and smashes the surface without turning
over the soil as in ploughing ; a cultivator.
Plase, sir, Jim zess the scuffle 's a-brokt, an' mus'er be a-tookt
down to Phillips's ?
SCUFFLER [skuuflur], sb. A cultivator ; implement with long
bent flat tines, which moves and tears up the ground. Same as
SCUFFLE.
SCUFFS [skuuf-s], sb. Loose slippers — usually made of list.
A purty old show you be, wi' nothin' but they old scuffs on, that
nobody widn pick up in the road — an there's the paa'son and Mrs.
Gray coming down. Do'ee do yerzul up a little bit.
SCUMMER [skuunrur], sb. i. A row ; disturbance.
They was makin' up a brave scummer 'bout it, sure 'nough.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 653
2. sb. Confusion ; upset, such as the state into which a team
of horses might be thrown by a sudden accident or fright.
Thick there ingin, d — un, zot up the hosses, eens they was all
to a scummer ; so much as ever I could do vor my blid'n eyes vor
t'hold 'em. See SCUMMER, qth Report Devon Provincialisms ; 1886.
3. sb. A mess ; a soiling ; a dirty, untidy muddle.
Mind and clean up arter 'ee, and not lef it all to a scummer.
That's a proper scummeriri job.
SCUM O' THE EARTH [skuunv u dhu aeth], sb. Common
epithet for low, bad characters.
A riglar rough lot — proper scum o' the earth.
SCURRY WHIFF [skuuree wrff-], adj. and adv. Crooked; out
of line; untrue; askew; awry. (Very com.) Often used in
speaking of wheels running out of truth.
I zim, nif I was you, I wid put in my plants a little bit arter the
rate like, nit all scurry whiff like that there. See BAN-TWIVY TWIST.
SCUTCHEON [skuudreen], sb. Tech. Escutcheon. The
plate usually sold with locks, to be fixed on the key-hole.
SCUTTLE-HUTCH [skuufl-uuch], sb. A kind of roofed bin
always found on one side of a barn's floor, into this the corn is
shovelled, as thrashed on the floor, to await the screening and
winnowing.
A shuttle or skreine, to rid soile fro the corne. — Tusser, 17/16.
SCUN. To reprove sharply, especially children or young
persons.— JF. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
SEAM [zee'm], sb. A horse-load, hence sumpter-horse. In
leases it is still common to find the stipulation as to the number
of " seams of good rotten dung " to be applied by the tenant per
acre. The weight was about the same as a "pack," viz. 240 Ibs.,
and most likely was determined by the average weight of a sack
(four bushels) of wheat. Seam is the word used in speaking of
hay, corn, stones, dung, lime, fuel, or such like articles when carried
on horseback. Wool was always weighed and carried by the pack ;
hence a pack-horse, pack-saddle, &c.
Pulman says,
Seam. Three cwt. of hay, or two cwt. of straw.
Many glossarists — e.g. Parish, Sussex (perhaps on the authority
of the Promp. Parv., which does riot say the kind of corn) give
seam as eight bushels. This is impossible, except of oats. Eight
bushels or a quarter of wheat is never less than 480 Ibs. — too much
for a horse-load.
CEME or quarter of corne. Quarterium.
SEEM, of come. Quarterium. — Promp. Parv.
654 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Hit (an hors) berth on rugge grete semes,
An drajth be-vore grete temes. — Owl and Nightingale, 1. 773.
do we J>at we haue to clone ' & dijt we vs henne,
sum scluer for our semes • in \>& cite to gete. — Will, of Paler me, 1. 2553.
Ich shal a-soily J>e my-selue • for a seem of whete,
And Jut be )>y bedman ' and bryng a-doun conscience
Among kynges and knyjtes. — Pun Plowman, IV. 42.
Item, vi seames of woode vj«.
Inventory of goods of Henry Gandye, Exeter, 1609.
SECOND GRASS [sak-un graa's], sb. When clover or other
annual grasses are allowed to grow a second year before being
ploughed up, the crop, usually depastured, is called second grass.
It is a very common practice, but it is as commonly said,
[Sak'un graa-s doa'un nuvur paa'y,] second grass don't never
pay. See LEA.
SEE [zee'J, v. t. and /. To understand ; to find out ; to ascertain.
See ZEE.
Her told up such stuff nobody could'n never zee hot her maned
(meant).
I year'd tell o' it, zo I thort I come down and zee into it, where
you zaid it or no.
So " to see it out " is to go on to the end ; to inquire diligently ;
to be responsible ; to take the consequences.
'Tis a bad job, but mus'n gee out to it, mus' zee it out I 'spose.
I never wid'n gee in 'till I'd &-zeed it out, where 'twas eens they
zaid or no.
Maister gid me orders vor to vorbid ee, and I count he do mean
to zee it out.
SEED [zee*d], /. /. of to see; p.p. [u-zee'd]. Saw and seen
are unknown. The pronunciation is quite distinct from seed, sb.,
which is always zee'ud.
SEED-LIP [zee'ud-lup or zid'-ltip], sb. A sower's seed box. It
is a curved, nearly semicircular box, without a cover, which will hold
quite two bushels. It is carried by means of a broad strap across
the shoulders in such a way that a good sower can use both hands
to dip into his seed-lip, and so by keeping exact lime with his
paces, he can scatter his seed with wonderful regularity. This
method is called sowing broadcast, to distinguish it from drilling.
CEED LEPE, or hopyr. Satorium.
SEED LEP, or hopur. Satorium. — Promp. Parv.
and hang myn hoper at myn hals • in stede of a scrippe ;
a busshel of bred corne • brynge me |>er-inne.
Piers Plow. B. vi. 63. Hoper is glossed in several MSS. SEED LEEP.
SEED OUT [zee'ud aewt]. To sow land with grass seeds.
In the usual rotation of crops it is very common to hear a farmer
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 655
say of a field, "I shall put'n to barley, and then zeetfn out,"
meaning that he should sow barley, and after the corn is up he
should sow along with the barley the usual biennial grasses — clovers,
rye-grasses, &c.
When I've well a-clane thick field I shall zeecTn out permanent —
*'. e. sow perennial grass seeds, to make permanent pasture.
SEEKED [sik-ud, zik-ud], p. t. and /. p. of seek. (Usual.)
Sought was unknown until lately ; now we are beginning to hear
sough ted.
[Ur zik'ud-r\ zik'ud, un ur zweep dh-aewz, bud ur niivur keod'n
vuyn un,] she sought and sought, and she swept out the room,
but she was unable to find it.
SEEM [siinr, zurrr], v.i. To think; to reckon; to consider;
to hold the opinion. (Very com.)
[Wuul, aay zum' wee bee gwai'n vur t-ae'u zm fuyn waedlvur
au'vur u beet,] well, I think we are going to have some fine
weather shortly.
I zim you d'ax too much vor they beeast. Ter'ble poor lot o'
things, I zim. How do 'ee zim you be s'mornin' ?
The latter is one of the commonest modes of inquiry after
health, especially of an old person or an invalid.
The old impersonal reflective form, as in " it seemed good to
him," is completely lost in the dialect.
For he was strong & coraious ' & he} man of parage
Him semede it nas no}t wor]> a lous '• batayl wij> him to wage. — Sir Fer. 1. 438.
him so propirli haue i peinted ' & portreide in herte,
fat me semes in my si}t ' he sittes euer meke. — W. of Palerme, Werwolf, 1. 619.
SEEMLY [ziinvlee], adv. Seemingly; apparently. (Com.)
Two or dree 'osses bin on yur, zimly.
'Tidn a very bad job then, arter all, zimly.
SENSE [sai'ns], v. t. To understand; comprehend; to cause
to understand.
That there do beat me, sure-lie — I can't sense it nohow.
Be sure you sensed what he got to do.
SEP, SEPS [saep', saep-s], adv. Except, unless.
They be all a-go sep two, an' they I can't part way.
I know'd every one o'm, seps one girt nug'ead of a bwoy.
They never on't vind the place, seps zomebody do go 'long way
'em vor to show 'em.
SEPS [slip's],/^/, conj. Except. (Very com.)
All o'm urn'd away seps me.
There wadn nother one of our vokes there, seps th' old George,
and he idn nobody, you know.
656 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I count thee's mine but vurry liddle,
Sips nuss the cheel an' play the fiddle.
rulnitin, Rustic Sketches, p. 16.
SESS ! [saes !]. Word used to a dog when giving him his food.
(Always.)
SESSMENT [saes-munt], sb. Assessment, rate. See CESS.
The farm's a-rated t'high — I shall 'peal gin the sessment.
SET [ziif], v. i. In the Devon game of skittles the alley is much
wider than in Som., so as to allow of the bowl being delivered from
various spots, either in front of, or diagonally to the "pack." At
each round the loser has to set — i. e. to fix the spot whence the bowl
shall be delivered in the next, and the winner has to lead off
from this position. Hence the usual exclamation of the victor
on knocking down the winning pin is, "Where d'ye zit? " or " Where
d'ye zit to, now?" or if victorious a second time, "Where d'ye zit
to, every time ? "
SET THE BACK UP [ziif dhu baak- aup],//5r. To rile; to
make angry ; to enrage.
Zot his back up purty well hon her show'd-n the bill.
SET THE KEEVE [ziif dhu kee-v]. In brewing. After
wetting the malt, the mash or " goods " are allowed to remain for
a time and soak. The top appears like dry grain, and to prevent
the pixies from dancing upon it, and causing the " drink " to turn
sour, it is necessary to " set the keeve" This is done by drawing
with the forefingers, upon the malt, two figures of a heart, separated
by a cross, and then covering the whole down as close as possible
to prevent escape of steam. A man told me gravely when I inquired
why he made these figures :
[Neef ee doa'un ztit' dhu kec'v wai tue* aa'rts un u Kiirs1 krau's,
aa'l wau'rn dhai'ul spwuuyul dhu dring'k,] if you do not set the
keeve with two hearts and a Christ's cross, I will warrant that they
will spoil the drink. There is great force in the they. Not a hint
had been given previously to whom they might stand for ; but to
the initiated he and they need no antecedent. The ease and per-
fection with which the heart can be drawn at one stroke with each
forefinger is easily demonstrated by placing the two fingers together
at the indented point of the heart, and moving both at once till
they meet at the bottom.
SET THE SPONGE [ziif dhu spuuirj]. See SPONGE.
SETTLE [saefl, ziifl], sb. A very common piece of furniture.
It consists of a curved seat six or seven feet long, and having a
very high back, often forming cupboards with folding doors,
nearly reaching to the ceiling. The place of the settle is always
on the draughty side of the fire, the end being close up to and
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 657
in line with the chimney corner. Often called bacon-settle, from
the use to which the cupboards are applied.
SETTLE [saefl], v. i. i. To sink; to pitch.
'Tis a maain gurt heap, but he on't look so big arter he've a
settled a bit.
2. To pay a debt.
I went and beggdd o' un vor to settle ; he've a got a plenty o'
money ; but lor ! you mid so well try to get blid out of a vlint
stone.
3. To fall in price.
Arter all this dry weather, and no keep, stock's bound to settle.
SETTLEMENT [saeflmunt], sb. Payment.
They 'ad the goods so long agone's last May was twelmonth,
an' I've a-car'd in the bill dree or vower times, but I can't get no
settlement.
SET UP [ziif au'p], v. t. i. To enrage; to make angry.
He's a quiet sort of a man like till he's a zot up ; then look out.
Nif he can't use the vulgar tongue very purty, mind.
2. Hunting. To bring the stag to bay.
They then turned up the Hole Water Bottom, and we heard them setting up
the deer. Rec. N. Dm. Staghounds, p. 49.
I remember seeing a deer, when set up by hounds, thrust his brow antler
through the hand of a man who attempted to secure him. — Collyns, p. 67.
SEVEN-SIDED [zaeb-m-zuydud]. It is commonly held that
a person has six sides ; hence a piece of rustic wit is to call another
a " zeV m-zided fuller."
" How's make out that ? " is the usual inquiry by the unwary.
" Why, there's thy vore zide an' back zide^ thy right zide an' let'
zide, thy inside an' outzide, and then there's thy blind zide, s'now."
SEVEN-SLEEPER [zaeb'm-zlai-pur], sb. Generally the dor-
mouse ; but the term is used for any hybernating animal.
I have heard it remarked, " Why, leathern birds be zaeb-m-
zlarpurz, and zo be bees."
Asking a keeper's boy what he had there, he said, "A zaeb'm-
zlaipurz ness, zir." I had seen him take the dormouse's nest from a
bush, and only inquired to hear what he would call it. — Sept. 1886.
SEVEN-YEARS-LOVE [zaeb'm-yuurz-luuv], sb. A variety of
everlasting flower.
SEVERE [suvee'ur], adj. Sheepish ; ashamed ; confounded.
A keeper speaking of a man he had caught poaching, said :
[Haun u zeed mee* u leok-ud maa'yn siivee'ur, shoa'ur nuuf',]
when he saw me he looked very severe, sure enough — /. e. sheepibh.
u u
658 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SEW. See Zoo.
SEX [sack's], sb. A tool used by slaters. (Always so called.)
It is a kind of straight chopper, with a bill or point projecting from
the back for " holing " the slates.
Ang.-Sax. stzx, seax, a falchion, knife.
If in hewing it does not break before the edge of the seels (the hewing
instrument of the slatters), you may much doubt of the firmness of the slat.
1669. Philosophical Trans. Royal Society, p. 1009.
SHAB [shalr], sb. Scab in sheep. (Var. pronun.)
SHABBY [shab'ee], adj. Diseased with scab.
They sheep be shabby, I be saafe they be.
Jennings says, " Hence the origin of the common word shabby,
meaning paltry." (?)
Thyne sheep are ner al shabbyd ' }>e wolf shite)) woolle. — P. Plowman, x. 264.
SHACKLE, SHACKLY [shaak'l, shaak'ulee], v. t. and /. i.
To litter, or to waste.
[Muyn yiie doa'n shaafcl dh-aa'y aul oa'vur dhu hnxrud, t-1
shaakidee tuurbl neef ee doa'n wau'ch ut,] mind you don't shackle
the hay all over the road, 'tis so short, it will shackly terribly if
you don't watch it.
2. [shaak'ulee], v. i. To rattle, from looseness ; to be loose — and
hence to rattle.
[Zee' haul aa'yulth dhu wee'ul, ee du shaak-ulee tuurbl, aay
zunv,] see what ails the wheel, he do rattle terribly, I fancy.
SHACKLEBAG [shaak'lbaeg], adj. Loose j untidy.
Well, I zay, 'tis a proper shacklebag old shandrydan.
SHACKLES [shaak-lz], sb. pi. Broth.
Every mornin' my old 'ummun makth me a basin o' shackles,
and her knowth how to make 'em too, mind, way a plenty o' liks
(leeks) in 'em.
SHADE [shee-ud], sb. A shed — less common than linhay.
SHAG [shag'], sb. The cormorant — a very common sea bird
in the Bristol Channel. Always so-called. (Phalacrocorax carbo.)
SHAKED [shee'ukt],/. part. i. Said of wood split or cracked.
[Dhik boo'urd oa'n due', ee'z \i-shee'ukt,~] that board will not do,
it is cracked. [Shtofcf] shookt is beginning to be heard.
2. Broken in health ; become feeble.
I bain't a bit the man I used to ; ever sinze last Kirsmas was
twelmonth, I 'an't a-do'd a stroke o' work, an' I be that z.-shaked
I don't never think I never shall, no more.
SHAKES [shee'uks]. i. In the phr. " No great shakes."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 659
Well, Robert, how d'ye zim you be? No girt shakes, I 'sure ee ;
this yer cough do shake me ter'ble — an' night-times, like, I be
mazed way the rheumatic.
2. sb. Of wood. Cracks; fissures.
SHAKY [shee-ukee], adj. Of wood having cracks.
[Kaarn baak', shuur mu ! haufs bring dhik dhae'ur shee-ukee
pee-s vau-r?] carry it back, do you hear me I why have you brought
that shaky piece ?
SHALL [shaal-], phr. " Shall 'er ? " (/. e. shall I ?) " If I shall,"
are very common phrases, and mean "if you so desire."
I'll pay vor't, nif I shall (i. e. if you like).
I'll warn our Tom '11 do it vor ee, nif he shall — i. e. if you wish.
SHAM [shaa-m, shaam1], sb. and v. t. Horse-hoe.
Have the blacksmith a-do'd the sham? 'tis time they there
swedes was a.-sham'd over.
SHAMBLES [shaanrlz], sb. Portable covered stalls, set up in
a market-place for the sale of meat. Not applied to the market
itself. Precisely the same erection for the sale of any other article
would be a "standing."
A very common exclamation at any slight catastrophe is, " Down
vail the s/iam'Ses, away urn the butcher ! "
Another piece of rustic wit is to say when any one slips or
tumbles, "Hold up, missus, keep your s tan' ins nif can't zill nort."
O, ay ; as summer flies are in the shambles,
That quicken even with blowing. — Othello, IV. ii.
SHAME [shee'um], v. t. To scold; to rebuke.
'Ton't never do vor to beat thick dog. I've &-shame un well,
an' he knowth he've a-do'd amiss, so well's any kirstin.
SHAMMICKIN [shaanrikeen], adj. Same as Slammickin.
SHANDRY-DAN [shan'dree-dan*], sb. An old rickety, worn-oi t
carriage of any kind. Also used to express a quaint or obsolete
style of carriage, even if in good repair. See SHACKLEBAG.
SHANGLES [shang'lz], sb. plur. In sifting any material, the
residuum ; lumps or pieces which will not pass through the sieve.
A man (July 1879) who had been sifting some manure told me
[aay-v u-droa'd dhu shang-lz aewt oa'vur dhu spuyn,] I have thrown
the shangles out over the turf. (Usual name.)
SHANK S'S MARE [shangk-siiz mae'ur]. To ride on shanks's
mare is a cant phrase for to go afoot.
SHARE [shee'ur], sb. In a sull, the toe or arrow-shaped iron
which first moves the earth at the bottom of the furrow. The
u u 2
660 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
share is the part which is most apt to break by contact with rocks
or roots, and has most wear and tear. It is therefore always loose
and easily renewable.
SHARK [shaa'rk], v. t. and in. i. To steal ; to pilfer ; to go
loafing about for no good, or to see what can be picked up.
I'd a-got a very good one wan time, but somebody've a.-shark-n off.
Thick there dog's always sharkin about the town. Her's a proper
sharkin old bitch. (Said of a woman.)
2. sb. A thief; a pilferer.
Her's a riglar old shark, you can't dare to let her inside your
house.
SHARP [shaa'rp], sb. i. Sharpening; work of making sharp.
In bargaining for some work in digging gravel, the contractor
said, "You'll pay for sharps then," — /'. <?. for smith's labour in
sharpening the pick-axes.
About the work of a large quarry I was told — There's always a
blacksmith to work, for the sharps — i. e. to sharpen tools.
2. v. t. To sharpen.
George, I want vor 'ee to sharp the thurt zaw, vore can do ort
more way un. See PICK 2.
3. adv. Quickly, contr. of Look sharp !
Now then, sharp wi' thick 'oss.
A common piece of rustic wit is to reply to the every day " Look
sharp /" Luke Sharp's dead ! and thee artn fit to take 'is place.
4. sb. Shaft of any cart or carriage. (Always.)
[S-u-yuurd aew mae'ustur droa-d daevvn dh oa'l mae'ur laa-s
nai't-n broa'kt oa'f beo'udh shaa-rps u dhu gig'?] hast heard how
master threw down the old mare last night, and broke off both
shafts of the gig ?
SHARP-HORSE [shaa'rp airs], sb. Shaft horse or wheeler.
Usual term, but sometimes called sharper, also under horse.
He's a rare sharp- oss, but I don't never put'n avore. Now
Colonel's jis the t'other way — he's a good vore-'oss, but he idn no
sharper.
SHARPS [shaa-rps], sb. Bran-pollard.
[Vur u zaew aartur vaa'reen, dhurz noa-urt beemts u viie* shaa-rps
baewt bring'een au'n dhu mul'k,] for a sow after farrowing, there
is nothing beats a few sharps about causing the milk to flow.
SHARP ZOT [shaa'rp zau't, shaa-rp u-zau't], adj. Hungry;
wanting food.
Missus, I ant a-put nort into my aid (head) zinze vive o'clock
s'mornin, an' I be sharp a-zot, I can tell 'ee.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 66l
SHAVER [shee'uvur], sb. A close-fisted, huckstering fellow ; a
miser.
He's a proper old shaver, an' no mistake, nif anybody mus'-n get
up betime vor to come over he.
SHE [shee-],/r. Emphatic objective case. (Always.) See HE.
Tiid'-n luyklee aay wuz gwai'n vur tu zai1 oaurt tu shee',~\ it is not
likely I was going to say aught to she. — Sept. 8, 1884.
Her gid'n to she in to Dree Cups — /. e. to the landlady.
She is not used by dialect speakers as a nom., nor is it applied
in any case to animals.
A young man, lately returned from London, was considered very affected and
stuck up. When asked how a sick cow was, replied, " She is a little better."
The good people made fun of the idea of his calling a cow a she, and supposed
he learned that in London. — May, 1886. P. F. S. A.
Trans. Devon Association, v. XVIII. p. 100.
Gwy tok sche be )>e middel ]>an & custe hym ' & sayde, ' ' gode lemman, now
am ich hoi & fere." Sir Ferumbras, 1. 5225.
SHEAF [shee'uf], sb. Sheath, prepuce. (Always.)
Boy. Maister've a-zen me, vor t'ax o'ee vor to come an' zee Captain
(a horse's name).
Farrier. What's the matter way un ?
Boy. The sheaf Q un's a-zwelled so big's my two vistes [vuystuz].
The sheath of a beast's pizzle. Le fourreau dune beste. — Sherwood.
SHEAR [shee-ur], sb. i. The wool cut by a farmer from his
entire flock in any one season. See CLIP.
They do zay how Mr. Cook 've a-got zome o' his two shillin 'ool
by un ; and now they 'ont gee but ninepence. Why I count he
must ae'u (have) eight or nine years' shear, and a'll warnt a good
much o' it's a-ratted (rotten).
2. A crop of grass for hay. (Always.)
The shears bain't very heavy about ; I've a-yeard ever so many
farmers complainin like. Famous shear in the home mead.
3. v. t. To prune (hedges). Always done with a hook, never
with shears.
Mr. 'ant ^-sheared none of his hedges, and there they be,
zeeding all over the place.
SHEARLING [shee'urleen], adj. Applied to lambs of less than
a year old, after the first shearing. See Hogg.
Lot 6. Ten shearling lambs.— Auction particulars.
SHEEN (Y [shee-n(ee], v. i. and sb. To shine. (Always.)
How bright the moon do sheen.
The bits and stirrup-ires do sheeny like zilver.
662 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The zun, lik' vier, sheenirf bright
In a blue an' blazin' sky. — Piilman, Rustic Sketches, p. 19.
And cassent zee a sheen in thy Reart Ee. — Ex. Scold. 1. 127.
SHELL [shuT], v. t. i. To shed.
Animals and children are always said to shell their teeth — that
is, to shed or cast the milk teeth.
2. sb. An inner coffin of wood. (Only used thus.)
SHEPHERD'S DELIGHT [shiip-urz dai'luyt], sb. Whether
delight or daylight (as pronounced) is uncertain. The plant
pimpernel; also called poor man's weatherglass — Anagallis arvensis.
SHEPHERDY [shiip-urdee], v. i. To perform a shepherd's
work : hence shepherding \shup-urdeeri\, sb. the work of a shepherd.
I used to shepherdy vor Mr. Bond, but now I be a-fo'ced to
stand to work.
SHE-SHIRT [shee-shuurt], sb. A shift. (Com.)
SHET [shiit, shaef, emphJ], shalt; [shiifn, shaefn, emph.~\, shalt
not; [shiifs], shouldest; [shufsn, sheod'sn, e»iph.~\, shouldst not.
See W. S. Gram. pp. 66, et seq.
[Dhee shut ab'm vor dnip'uns, un dhee shaetn ab'm vur noa'
las1,] thou shalt have it for three pence, and thou shalt not have it
for less.
These forms are the most common in use, and the pronunciation
varies a little according to emphasis. The emph. pos. form is
dhee shaet', or dhee shut- ; in no case is / sounded.
SHILLET [shul-ut], sb. Shale. This word is the only known
name for the disintegrated top layer of the Devonian clay slate so
common in West Somerset and North Devon. From shillet — i. e.
broken slate, it gradually decomposes into fertile soil.
SHILLETH [shuTuth], sb. A shilling's worth. In N. W. Som.
and N. Dev. shillurd [shiil'urd] is the word used.
There, I've a-bin a-fo'ced vor to get two shilleth o' brandy vor'n
a'ready, an' the doctor zess how he must be a-keept up, an' how-
ever I be gwain to get it I can't think nor stid.
SHILLETY [shuTutee], adj. Applied to soil of which shillet,
not decomposed, is the chief component.
SHIMMY [shunree], sb. A shift; smock; chemise. By many
this word is used more frequently than change or smock, the latter
being a male garment. This article when belonging to a child is
nearly always called a shimmy.
SHINE [shuyn], sb. A row; contention ; scolding bout.
'Twas a middlin shine way 'em, sure 'nough. See SHEEN.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 663
SHIP [shup], sb. Usual name of a shepherd's dog — probably
shortened form of shepherd [shiip'ur]. I never heard sheep so
pronounced, although the ee in that word is as short as it can be ;
the difference is in vowel quality. In this I think Hal. is wrong.
Ship ! go vore 'em ! vore 'em, I tell thee !
SHIPPEN [shiip'een], sb. Cow-stalls ; cow-pens. An open
shed for cows is a cow-linhay. A shippen is a closer, more stable-
like building, divided into stalls. A farm near Wellington is called
"Shippen." Nothing is more absurd than to say this means
sheep-pen. Ang.-Sax. Scipen, a stall, a shed.
In Wright's Vocabularies are Bostar, uel bouille. Scipen, 185/5. Bouile,
scipen, 195/25. Bouile, scypen, 361/26. Halle, howse, chamer, garner,
grange, schepyn, 625/19. Hoc boster, Ac schyppune. Hec barcaria, A*
schepehouse, 670/26, 29.
SHIRK OFF [shuurk oaf], v. i. To slink off; to back out.
Bill zaid how he'd come 'long way us, but 'owsomedever he
shirktoffto last.
SHIT [sheet], sb. i. Term of contempt. (Very com.)
He's a regular shit. Applied to men only.
2. v. t. and sb. To void excrement. Often pronounced \shuy f\.
Ang.-Sax. scitan. O. Dutch, schiten. O. Icelandish, skita.
Thyne sheep are ner al shabbyd * ]>e wolf shite\ woolle ;
Sub molli pastore ' lupus lanam cacat. — Piers Plow. X. 264.
The addres shitcth preciouse stones. — Kyng Alisaunder, 1. 5670.
SHIT-SACK-DAY [sheet --zaak-dai], sb. Common name for
2gth of May. See OAK-APPLE-DAY.
In the north-west of Somerset and N. Devon it is common to
hear boys call out on that day, shit-zack ! shit-zack ! but I have
been unable to discover the origin. Hallivvell gives Shitsac —an.
Oak-apple, Wilts, but I have not heard the word except as above.
SHITTEN [sheet -n], adj. Paltry, mean, base, contemptible,
dirty. Same in meaning as NACKLE-ASS.
He! he idn no good; hotever can ee look vor in jis shitten
fuller's he ? He must be a shitten sort of a fellow to do that there.
No doubt the original meaning was literal, while now it is
altogether figurative.
And schame it is, if that a prest take kepe,
A schiten schepperd and a clene shepe ;
Wei oughte a prest ensample for to 3ive
By his clennesse, how that his scheep shulde lyve. — Chaucer, Prol. 1. 503.
Horn schende, and mid fule worde,
So herdes doth, other mid schit word. — Owl and Nightingale, 1. 285.
SHITTEN. Foireux. A shitten fellow. FoirarJ. — Shenvood.
Shitten lane, twelve houses. Shitten Lane — Freshford, near Bath.
Collinsorfs History of Somerset, vol. i. p. 124.
664 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SHITVIRE [sheet'vuyur], sb. Term for an overbearing,
quarrelsome bully ; a very passionate man. Never used for a
woman, for whom spitfire is the equivalent.
[Aay kyaa'lz ee'upraup'ur sheet'vuyur^ I calls he a proper bully.
SHIVE [shuyv], sb. A large slice or piece ; a round off a loaf.
'Tis winderful hot they chillern'll put away, let 'em have it.
'Tidn 'boo quarter nower agone I gid 'em a skive o' burd'n butter
apiece, and now they be jis the very same's off they was starvin'.
That he assayes knelande on kne,
\>o keruer hym parys a schyuer so fre. — Boke of Curtasye, 1. 691.
SHOD [shaud-], v. f. To spill. (Always.) P. t. [shaud-],/./.
[u-shaud'].
Tommy, mind you don't shod it, else father'll sure to leather 'ee.
There, now, I told 'ee you'd shod it, and now you've a-bin an'
tor'd the pitcher too ! Never cry arter shod milk.
But Tiny winc'd, and Tiny hunch'd,
An' Tiny cock d her nose,
An' Tiny upsot the pail also
An' shaud the milk auver his hose. — Pulman, R. Sk. p. 30.
SHOE A COLT [sheo- u koa'lt]. To cause to pay colt-ale, or
the fine customary on first entering an employment.
Jim, they be gwain to shoe a colt up to th' old Phil's, umbye
night ; we mid so well g'in an' have some o' it.
SHOEMAKERS [shue-maek-urz], sb. The water-bugs which
dart about on the surface. (Always.)
SHOOKT [sheo-kt],/. /. and/./, of to shake [shee'uk, sheo'kt,
u-sheo'kt].
[Mae'ustur shoa'th-z-au-f u wuz u-stieo'kt maa'ynlee,] master looks
as though he were much shaken — /. e. broken in health.
This form is used in Sussex (see Parish), but not in this district,
in the sense of split. See SHARED. In the ordinary lit. sense
both shee-ukt and sheer kt are used.
SHOOT. See SHUT.
SHOP [shaup], sb. Any room where any work or business is
done, not necessarily selling, as vlex shop, raw-piece shop, tendin'
shop, press shop, smith's shop.
SHOP-GOODS [shaup'-geo'dz], sb. Grocery — rarely drapery.
He d'outride vor Mr. Honmball, zellin' crockery and shop-goods
an' that. Grocery only is here meant. Comp. Dairy-goods.
SHORD [shau'urd, shoa'urd], sb. and v. f. Broken crockery;
a notch in a knife or any cutting instrument ; a gap in a hedge.
A large gap made for a cart to pass is called a gate-shord (q. v.).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 665
This latter is constantly done for temporary purposes, such as
hauling timber out of a wood, &c.
Zee how he've a-bin and a.-shorded my plane ire.
The hedges be vull o' shards all over the farm.
Used also for a cup, as a shord o' fay, less com. than dish a' tay.
To take a shord is to get drunk.
SCHERDE, or schoord, of a broke vesselle (schourde of broken vessel).
SCHORDE, supra in scherde. Testula, testa. — Promp. Parv.
Wart betwatled, or wart tha baggaged ; or had'st tha took a shord, or a
paddled? Ex. Scold. 1. 4. See also Ib. 1. 511.
SHORE [shoa'r], sb. Sewer. (Always.) Implies large drain.
Thick there gutter emps in the common shore.
The word drain is genteel. Field drains are always gutters ;
the work of making them is guttering.
SHORT [shau'urt], adv. and adj. Irritable; crusty; angrily.
[Haut'-s au'p s-mau'rneen? mae'ustur-z tuurbl shatfurt, aay
ziinr,] what is up this morning? master is terrible short, I fancy.
SHORTLECRUB. A shrew mouse.— W. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
SHOULD [shiid, sheod]. Very commonly used in narra'ion,
particularly with the oratio obliqua, and in that case is always
pronounced very short, almost [sh d].
I zeed Mr. Jones, and he zaid how you should zay I told ee
that there zeed come vrom he.
Mrs. Baker told me how Mr. White should zay he knowed we
could'n never bide in thick farm. See RAP i.
SHOULDER-SPIKE [shoa-ldur-spuyk], sb. An iron spike,
having the head flattened, and with a nail hole through it for
driving into walls to stay wood work.
SHOW [shoa-], v. i. To appear ; to seem. See SHOOKT.
That must be a healthy place. Well ! do show zo by the
chillern — /. e. it seems to be so by the look of the children.
SHOW [shoa!], sb. i. An exhibition of any kind ; a perform-
ance, whether circus, wild-beast show, wax-work, or theatricals.
They riders'd a-got a capical show last night — there was one
fuller they called Sampson, nif he did'n hang up by 'is heels and
heave up a 'oss.
2. sb. Applied to a cow — the udder; appearance; prospect.
A farmer said of a cow, " Look what a winder ful show her've
a-got. (Usual term.)
Grand heifer, splendid show.
Fowler's Catalogue of Guernseys for sale, Oct. 9, 1886.
666 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
There's a fine show for apples — /. e. prospect or appearance of
a crop.
The shew of their countenance doth witness against them. — Isaiah in. 9.
SHOW FOR [shoa- vaur], v. i. To betoken ; to portend.
Well, Thomas, what do you think of the weather?
I don't hardly know, maister, but the wind's up again, and I sim
do show vor fine weather.
SHOWL [shuwul], sb., v. t. and v. i. Shovel. (Always in Vale
dist.) See PUT TO BED WITH A SHOWL, SHULE.
Haec stribula, a schowle. — Wrighfs Vocab. 809/24.
Who'll dig his grave ?
I, says the Owl, with my little showl,
I'll dig his grave. — Cock Robin.
SHRAFF-TIDE [shraa-f-tuyd]. Shrove-tide. (Always.)
SHREED [shree'd], v. t. i. To cut into shreds or slices.
Be sure to shreed the onions well for the squab pie.
2. sb. Shred — especially strips of cloth used for nailing in fruit
trees.
SHROUD [shraewd], sb. The burning of a tallow candle, now
almost obsolete, used to give rise to many superstitions. When
the wick wanted snuffing, the cap or piece of chaired wick at the
top was called a shroud or winding-sheet, because it portended
death to the person in whose direction it inclined. The same
term and portent were ascribed to the guttering of the tallow on
the side of the candle. See COFFIN-HANDLE.
SHROUD [shraewd], v. t. To lop off the branches or twigs
from trees or poles ; to trim up a tree.
It is a common practice to cut off all branches from the tall
elm trees, and to leave a mere pole with a tuft on the top. This
is to shroud the trees.
SHROUDY [shraewdee], adj. Covered with branches.
Giving directions to a man to save all the sticks suitable for
peas and kidney-beans which he found in the hedge he was
cutting, he said, "They be a come now vor to use all shroudy
sticks vor kidney beans, and I'd so lay use shroudy sticks myzull,
as ever I would trim'd wans."
SHROWCROPED. Paralyzed by a shrew-mouse creeping over
its back. Said of animals. A Devonshire superstition. — W. H. G.,
Dec. 6, 1883.
SHUCK [shuuk-], v. t. Var. pron. of shook ; p't. of shake.
Gardeners and those who try not to speak their native word
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 667
(sheo-kt), which they think wrong, use this form, " I shuck it out
of the pot, but he was quite dead."
SHTJFF [shuuf], sb. Shift, in the sense of contrivance or
expedient.
We must make s/iufand put up way it, I s'pose.
The pronunciation of shift, a garment, is quite different [s/iuf].
SHULE [sheo'l], sb. and v. Shovel. (Var. pronun. common
in the Exmoor district and North Devon.)
\vi tha Drenking, or ort, to tha Voaken, whare they be shoaling o' Beat,
handbeating, or angle-bowing. Ex. Scold. 1. 196.
Wi' shoulder'd shule an' peckiss, rathe
Ta work the lab'rers starts. — Pulman, Rus. Sk. p. 22.
I should not have expected this pron. in Pulman's neighbourhood.
SHUT [shuuf, /. /. shuuf, /. /. u-shuuf], v. t. and /. i. To
shoot ; to discharge any kind of firearm or bow.
[Ee-d su zeo'n shuut'-n-z leok',] he would as soon shoot him
as look.
2. To empty a bag or any kind of receptacle by pouring all its
contents out at once.
[Shuut- dhu woefs,] empty the oats out of the sacks.
To discharge the contents of a cart by tipping, is always "to
shut up." " Shut up they stones gin the wall."
A farmer who wished to order a cart-load of any material to be
deposited in a particular spot, would say, "shut it (the earth or
manure) up here." The word is, of course, shoot, and is only a
more extended use of the verb in the very common notice,
" Rubbish may be shot here."
A cart which tips badly is said not to shut up Titty.
3. To cause a horse to back, or to back a cart, is always [tu
shuut baak'~\, never to put back or to back.
Jim, shut back a bit, wi't.
4. To sprout, as in the old adage about a late season : (Always.)
Wait or barley '11 shut in June,
Nif they baint no higher 'an a spoon.
Now sowe and go harrow (where redge ye did draw)
the seed of the bremble, with kernell and haw,
Which couered ouerlie, soone to shut out,
go see it be ditched and fenced about. — Tusser, 37/13-
5. To weave, regular trans, verb, used technically by weavers.
To weavy is to practise the trade complete, including all the
operations of beaming, raving, tying on, settling in, &c., while to s/,uf
is to actually ply the shuttle in the making of cloth.
663 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
" To shut a forrel " is to weave the stripes at the ends of the
piece ; or the usual stripes on blankets, &c.
6. v. t. To shoot or weld.
A blacksmith in W. Som. always talks of shutting on a piece of
steel. Tyres of wheels when loose are always said "to be cut and
shut." That is a piece of the iron cut out, and the ring re-welded.
7. To push, shove, thrust. See OPE 2, OPEMENT.
Shut in your hand and zee nif can veel ort amiss.
He had on a bag wi' a gurt hole in the bottom o' un, vor to shut
out his head, and two holes vor his arms.
8. To plane true. In carpentry. To plane the edges of boards
so as to make them quite straight is "to shut" them.
Of some dry elm flooring a man said, " This here elem do work
tough, sure 'nough, mid so well work hard's shut it."
9. "To get shut" is to get rid of; to dispose of; to dismiss
from service. A recent northern importation.
[Aay oa'n keep dhik soa'urt u pai'gz — aa'l git shuuf oa-m,] I will
not keep that kind of pigs — I'll get rid of them.
He's a lazy osbird, I'll soon get shut o' un.
The word shoot is unknown.
Where houses be reeded (as houses hane neede),
now pare off the mosse, and go beat in the reed.
The iuster ye driue it, the smoother and plaine,
more handsome ye make it to shut off the raine. — Tusser, 51/5.
SHUT [shuut'], sb. i. The weft in weaving; hence a "broke-
shut" is a fault in the weaving of a twill, where a thread of the weft
has been omitted, and consequently the regularity of the twill is
marred.
2. sb. The passing of the shuttle, and consequent running out
of the thread.
This here abb's so soft 'ton't stan' the shut.
3. The eaves gutter of a house ; any open trough for the con-
veyance of water; a spout bringing water from a spring. See
TRUNK.
I wish you'd plase to be so kind's to put us in a plump, we be
a-fo'ced to go to shut vor every drap o' water, and 'tis ever so var
to car't, and every whip's while 'tis beastly eens can't use it.
SHUT-KNIFE [shaef-nuy v], sb. A clasp-knife ; pocket-knife.
SHUTTLE [shuufl shaeH], sb. The horizontal bar of a gate
or hurdle. The upper bar of a gate is always much stronger than
the others, and is known as the top shuttle. We do not say " five-
bar-gate," but "five-5/i«///i?-gate," or " vive-lar-gate. See LARRA.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 669
SHUTTLE [shuufl], adj. Quick ; lithe ; active. (Very com.)
Yours is a rare pony, nif he idn so shuttle's a rabbit. — November
8, 1882.
Also applied to any dry or easily slipping matter, as grain,
seeds, sand, &c.
Mus' put in another board in the hutch; that there whait's so
shuttle 't'll be all over the place, else.
SCHYTYLLE, styrtyl, or hasty (schityl, on stabyl). Preceps.— Promp. Parv.
I am aferd that Ion of Sp'h'm is so schyttyl wyttyd that he wyl sett hys gode
to morgage. Paston Letters, vol. iv. p. 58.
S'l [saay]. Contraction of says I. (Very com.)
Zo I zess, s'l, I'm darned if I do ! See STUFF.
SICH [sich], adj. Very com. form, although jitch, jis, and jish
are the most usual, unless when used alone or at the end of a
clause (see p. 385). The lit. such is unknown.
For crist sei)> to siche men in ]>e gospel of seynt luk : . . . and in the gospel
of matheu seij? crist )>at siche ypocritis worschipen him.
Wyclif, Works, E. E. T. S. p. 8. See also Ib. pp. 176, 182.
SIDELING [zuydleen], sb. and adj. A slope ; sloping ground.
Most always there's a hare zittin' in thick there zidelirH .
You can't do much to tillin' sich a zideliri field ; he's to steer
vor the 'osses to work'n up an' down, an' if he's a-ploughed
zideways he'll zoon be all down to lower zide.
SIDE-POCKET [zuyd-pau-gut], sb. A woman's loose pocket,
tied round her waist and hung at the side.
The climax of uselessness is expressed thus : " He an't no more
use vor'n, 'an a toad have way a zide-pocket" This simile has now,
with many other west country ones, found its way into literature.
SIDE-STRAKES [zuyd-strae'uks], sb. i. The longitudinal
timbers of a saw-pit, one on each side; upon these rest the
bolster-piece, transum (q. v.\ and pit-roller, which support the timber
to be sawn.
2. The two principal or outside " summers " in the body of a
wagon (q. v.}.
SIDE-TIMBER [zuyd-tunvur], sb. Purline. (Always.) The
horizontal framing of a roof; the pieces which rest lengthwise upon
the couples (q. v.} and support the rafters.
SIFE, SIFY [suyf(ee, zuyf(ee], sb. and v. /. To sigh.
I sim 'tis ter'ble wisht to yur the wind sifin like that droo the
trees.
As Jan zed this, ha haiv'd a sife,
That zim'd to dra out haf es life.— A". Hogg, p. 70.
6/O \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SIG [sig, zig], sb. Urine. Never used as a verb. Not mar.y
years ago this was employed very largely in the process of fulling,
and it was carefully preserved by every, means that could be
adopted. The woollen factories used to supply to any householder
who would receive it, and undertake to " save " the sig, a tub or
vat for the purpose, and moreover paid an annual sum to the
good wife for doing so. Each establishment then kept a large
barrel on wheels, drawn by a horse, which used to make regular
rounds to collect the contents of its several clients. The neigh-
bourhood of these "dillies" was by no means agreeable, nor were
the tubs, usually standing in the corner of the garden, or other
convenient though often conspicuous place, at all ornamental or
fragrant. The advance of science has now improved these old-
fashioned appliances off the face of the earth. Comp. LANT,
Whitby Glossary, E. D. S., 1875.
SIG-DILLY [sig'-duTee, zig'-diil'ee], sb. The barrel on wheels
mentioned above.
SIGHT [suyt — s always sharp], sb. A large number or quantity.
Ter'ble sight o' mawlscrawls in the cabbage de year (this year).
What a sight o' rain we have a-' ad, sure 'nough.
SIGN [suyn], v. t. To daub a ram's chest.
SIGNING [suyneen], sb. The red or black colour daubed
upon a ram's chest at certain seasons. (Always.)
Joe, thick there sheep mus' be fresh ^.-signed ; all the signiris
a-rubbed off.
SIGNMENT [suynmunt], sb. Signature.
He's signment idn a wo'th a varden ; I widn tris'n way a bad
'a'penny.
SILL [zul'], v. t. and /. To sell. (Usual pron.)
How's butter zilliii to day, mum ? They tills very good tay
now vor two shillins, an' I can mind hon we used to gee zix and
zeb'm vor't. VVyclif nearly always spelt the word sill.
So J>ei sillen in manere pe spiritual lif of crist. — Wyclif Works, p. 166. Occurs
three or four times on same page, and hundreds of times in the book.
SILLY [zul'ee], adj. i. Simple; rural; rustic.
SELY or happy, Felix fortunatus, — Promp. Paru.
Hii todrawe)) J>e sely bondemen ' as hii wolde horn hulde ywis ;
Robert of Gloucester, Will. Ike Conq. 1. 287.
[Aay bee1 bud u zul'ee oa'l mae'un,
Un aay bee gwai'n vur tu paa'y mee rai'nt.]
I be but a silly old man,
And I be going for to pay my rent. — Old Song.
2. Imbecile — usually applied to senile decay.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 6/1
I was a-frightened to zee the old man, he's a-come proper silly
like. Ang.-Sax. sdelig. Old L. Germ, sdlig.
Ful sori was }>at sell knaue,
Mikel dred he mouthe haue. — Havelok, \. 477.
}>at watj f?e syngne of sauyte ' >at sende hem oure lorde,
& t>e sajtlyng of hym-self • with J>o sely bestej.— All. Poems, Cleanness, 1. 489.
SILVER-SPOON [ziil'vur-speo'n]. A common saying is :
Ah ! he was a-born'd way a zilver spoon in his mouth — /'. e. born
to riches.
SIMLY [sum-lee, zunrlee], adv. Seemingly. (Com.)
'Tidn no good vor to sarch no more — they didn come theas
way, zimly.
SING [sing'k], sb. Zinc. (Var. pron.) Many people who
have been to school, and know that it is very common talk to
pronounce words beginning with s like z, who would not for
anything talk of zowin' or zeed, are therefore always careful to say
sine for zinc. Moreover, the word being imported, and not native,
there is a feeling that it must needs be like cider, to be sounded
with sharp s, hence I have heard many pure dialect speakers
always call it sine.
SINGLE [sing-gl], sb. Hunting. The tail of a stag.
about and around the short tail (or single, as it is technically termed), the
colour is light brown. Collyns, Chase of the Wild Red Deer, p. 23.
SINGLERS [sing'lurz], sb. In building it is usual to put up
two rafters, framed together at the right span and pitch, as a model
for the wallers to form the gable of the right height ; these are
called singlers (not sing-glers), in distinction from the couples or
heavy timbers, which have to bear the weight of the roof.
SINGLES [sing-lz, sing-glz], sb. pi. Steel pens or nibs. The
word is, I believe, of very recent coinage, but it is quite common
in the Board schools. Boys constantly go to shops for " two-
penno'th o' singles."
SING SMALL [zing smaa'l], v. i. To eat humble pie; to
cease bragging ; to be taken down a peg.
He used to be so big's my lord, but ever sinze thick there job
up to Buckland, he bin a-fo'ced to zing small — ees he have.
SINGULAR. In speaking of any articles collectively, it is the
custom to use the singular only ; the following would, as a matter of
course, be advertised as below — Beast, post, pipe, cask, stone (/. e.
road-stones), tile, slate, board, plank. See PAN-TILE, THINGS.
A quantity of cheap brick for sale. Apply to J. C. Knowlman, auctioneer,
valuer, &c., Culmstock, Cullompton. — Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 4, 1887.
6/2 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SINK, v. t. and /. Hunting. Of a deer— to go down ; to
descend (usual phrase) ; also to lie down.
She now sank the bottom for Exford, and crossed just above the village.
Colly 'ns, p. 199.
We tried back, and she leaped out in view, down the bottom under Nymplf
Moor, and sunk in a furze brake. The pack surrounded her, but she again got
from them. Records N. Devon Staghounds, p. 77.
SINZE [siin'z, ziin'z], adv. prep. conj. Since.
The initial is uncertain, but the second s sound in this word is
always soft — i. e. z as above.
SISS [suV], v. t. The hissing noise with which to excite a dog.
Just a-come 't 'ad'n a-frightened the poor maid to death ; her's
always afeard of a dog, and there was thick there lousy boy sissin
on Towler, and tellin o' un to bite Jer.
SITTING [ziifeen], sb. Seat; buttock. A woman applying for
relief for her mother to the Wellington Board of Guardians (June
loth, 1886) said,
[Uurv u-gau't u tue'mur gwai'n vrum ur zut'een, un tiiz u tuurbl
drai'n vur u oa'l bau'dee lig uur ai'z,] she has a tumour going
(discharging) from her seat, and it is a great drain for an old body
such as she is.
SITTING OF EGGS [ziifeen u aeg-z]. Thirteen eggs (always),
that being the number considered proper to set a hen or other farm
bird upon.
Bramah eggs, pure breed, for sale. Price three and six pence per sitting.
Advert, in Wellington Weekly News, June, 1884.
SIVER [suVur], adj. Several ; a good many. (Com.)
[Aay-v u-yuurd siiwur zai* zoa,] I have heard several say so.
SiwrvcAks have ax me vor the refuse o' they there ducks, but
I zaid I widn zell em 'vore I'd a-gid you the fust offer. See ONE
TIME.
SIVES [suyvs], sb. Chives. (Always.) Allium schotnoprasum.
SIZE [suyz], sb. Degree of warmth or seasoning.
Be they broth hot, and zalt enough ? Ees ! they be jist the
right size — W. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
SIZES [suyzuz], sb. Assizes. (Always.)
SKEER [skee'ur], v. t. i. To graze. Boys playing at ducks
and drakes are said to make the stones sheer along 'pon the water.
2. v. t. Var. pron. Same as SKUR.
SKEMPS [skaenrs], sb. The skin or scale of flax. The refuse
when good flax and tow have been made—/, e. the refuse of the
refuse.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 673
SKENTER [skaeirtur], sb. i. A cow or other bullock in an
incurable state of chronic diarrhoea. See To GO THE WRONG WAY,
RUN OUT.
You never didn zee no beast in your life a-starved so bad ; they be
that poor, can 'most look droo 'em. They be so bad's skenters.
Well, Maister Jim, how do the yeifer get on? Au ! not well at
all, I be afeard her'll turn to a skenter.
I was afeard her'd turn to a skenter, but her've a-pick'd up
again.
2. The disease of a cow as above.
Nif once they've a-got the skenter proper, 'tis all over way 'em.
SKEWBALD [skUe'baal], adj. Not the same as piebald. A
horse marked with two colours besides white, such as black, bay
and white, or brown, chestnut and white would be skewbald.
SKID [skid-], v. t. \. To "skid the wheel" is to make it fast
either with a chain or a shoe ; not so common as to " drug the
wheel."
2. sb. An iron shoe upon which a wheel slides when going down
a steep hill. Same as DRUG-SHOE.
The skid o' the wagin's a-weared out.
SKIDDLEY [skid 'lee], adj. Small; diminutive; used generally
•with little, to intensify or to add contempt.
Her ax me nif I'd like vor to take ort ; an' I zaid, thanky
mum, s' 1; an' then if her didn bring me out a little skiddley bit
o' bird'n cheese, 'bout 'nough to put in a rabin's eye.
SKIDS [skid-z], sb. A kind of strong ladder used for unloading
casks. Sometimes called a. pair rf skids.
SKIFFLINGS [skuf'leenz], sb. Same as SKEMPS.
SKILLETT [skuTut], -sb. A peculiar and distinctly shaped
brass saucepan. It is cast, not beaten metal, a semi-globe in form,
hiving three short straight legs of about three inches in length,
cast on its bottom. Trie handle is tapering, but flat and quite
straight, of greater length than that of common saucepans. It is
cast in the same piece as the vessel, and in a line with the diameter.
The skillet is only suitable to be used with a wood fire on the
hearth.
SKILLY [skil-ee], sb. Thin gruel. . Always so called in work-
houses.
SKIM [skee'in], v. t. To mow down bents and mocks (tufts).
Nearly the same as skur, except that one would only skim a pasture
for the sake of appearance, and not for that of the produce.
x x
674 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The home-field do look ter'ble rough wi' all they dashles an'
trumpery, take 'n skim un over.
SKIMITY-RIDING [sktinvutee-ruydeen], sb. A mob demon-
stration against conjugal offenders, still by no means infrequent.
See ROUGH Music; also Hudibras, p. n. c. n. 1. 585.
William Southwood, a youth, on bail, was tried for feloniously wounding
Henry Mitchell at Creech St. Michael, on November 5th, with intent to inflict
grievous bodily harm. Mr. Kinglake (counsel for prosecution) said, On November
5th, both these young fellows were skimmerton riding at Ruishton. This was an
old English custom. Formerly, when ladies and gentlemen were brought into a
court of morality, which was not satisfied with their conduct, they were placed
back to back on a horse, the lady facing the animal's head, and so riding through
the village. The modern custom was that a crowd assembled outside the
offenders' house and made a noise with pots and pans as if bees were swanninj.
Somerset Co. Gazette, Feb. 16, 1884.
A very old doggrel often yelled out by those who are skimity
riding, is —
Now (Jimsy Hart), if thee disn mend thy manners,
The skin of thy ass we'll zend to the tanner's ;
And if the tanner, he on't tan un well,
We'll hang un pon a naail in hell ;
And if the nail beginth to crack,
We'll hang un 'pon the devil's back ;
And if the devil urnth away;
We'll hang un there another day.
SKIM MILK [skee'm miilk], sb. Milk from which the cream
has been taken, whether scalded or not.
SKIM-MILK CHEESE [skee-m-mulk chee'z], sb. Poor cheese
made from skimmed milk. See BLUE MILK, SCALD MILK.
SKIMP, SKIMPING [sktinvp, sktinrpeen], v. t. and adj. To
curtail. Same as SCRIMP.
Come, missus, that's ter'ble skimpiri misure, I sim.
SKIN-FLINT [skee'n-vhint], sb. A miser; one who is over
stingy.
Tidn no use vor t'ax thick old skin-vlint, 'tis a-wo'th eighteen-
pence to get a shillin' out o' he.
SKIPPITING [skiip-uteen], part. Skipping. (Always.)
I zim I do love to zee the chillern to play, skippititf about and
divertin' theirzuls.
SKIRTS, or SKIRTING [skyuurts, skyuurteen], sb. Used by
butchers. The trimmings or loose pieces taken off from the
carcass after being "dressed."
Also the loose pieces of wool mized with dung on a fleece ; also
the short wool which grows on the legs, belly and forehead of a
sheep, and which are first stripped off by the wool sorter before he
begins to separate or sort the rest of the fleece.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 6/5
SKIT [skee't], sb. Diarrhoea ; looseness in cattle, especially in
calves.
Calves be very ap to get the skit, but can zoon stap it nif 'tis
a-tookt in hand torectly.
SKYTTE, or flyx (flux). Fluxus, lienteria, dlssenUria (dyaria). — Promp. Parv.
SKITTERY [skeefuree], v. i. i. To scamper off; to skedaddle.
There they was a-villin' their pockets so vast as ever they could,
and when they zeed me, 'cause I had my Zinday coat on, they
thort 'twas maister, an' didn 'em skittery !
2. To bs afflicted with diarrhoea.
You on't catch me drinkin' that there new cider again ! nif didn
make me skittery then last night, sure 'nough !
SKITTISH [skeet-eesh], adj. Frisky, playful — applied to
animals ; lewd — applied to women.
The poor old 'oss is lookin' up, sure 'nough ; why he's so skittish
as a colt.
SKITTY [skeet-ee], sb. The moor-hen. (Always.)
SKITTY-BATS [skeefee-baafs], sb. Boots laced in front, but
not so high in the leg as half-bats.
SKITTY- VAMPS [skeefee-vaanrs], sb. Same as SKITTY-BATS.
SKIVER [skuvur], sb. and v. t. Skewer. (Always.)
Mind you skiver up the bag eens none on't vail out.
SKIVER-TIMBER [skuvur-tunrbur, skuvur-tunrur], sb. The
spindle wood ; skewer wood — only known by this name. Euonymus
europaus. Dogwood (see COUCH, Corn. Gfos.), cornus, is quite
distinct, and is utterly unfit, from its smell, for butchers' skewers.
See DOG-TIMBER.
SKOUSE [skuws], v. t. To cause to gallop ; to ride very fast.
More'n half the young 'osses be a-ruined way skousin o'm about
too young.
Now I wiz vishin', tother day,
Among a lot o' kows,
That caper'd, vrisk'd, an' scous'd about,
An' made all sarts o' rows. — Pulman, Rus. Sk. p. 15.
SKUFFIN. See SCOVIN.
SKUR [skuur, skee'ur, skyuur], v. t. To mow the bents and
tufts in pasture, after having been fed with cattle. The word
rather implies that there is a sensible quantity to be mown — /'. e.
worth making into hay. See SKIM.
X X 2
676 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SKURRING [skuureen, skyuureen], sb. The grass mown on
a fed-off pasture.
I do want vor'ee to skur over the Barn's Close, eens can put
the skyurrins up tap o' the rick.
Ang.-Sax. steer, a. plough-share, a shaving, tonsure. See ran, to
shear, shave, gnaw, cut off.
tunge $in swe swe scerseax scearp fcu dydes facen, $u lufedes hete
Vespasian Psalter, Ps. li. 4 (A. V. Ps. Hi. 2), O. E. Texts (Sweet), p. 259.
SLACK [slaa'k, zlaa'k], sb. i. Impudent language ; abuse.
Come now, we don't want none o' your slack, zo mind that, and
shut thy gurt mouth.
2. adj. Slightly hollow. In "shutting" the edge of a board,
if on squinting along it (see BONE), it appears concave, so as to
require planing down at the ends, the carpenter would say, " He's
slack in the middle ; " if on the other hand it is convex, it is said
to be "hard."
3. adj. Slow ; lazy.
D'ee know Jim Cousins? Ees, I knows the son of a bitch — the
slackest osbird in all the parish.
Ang.-Sax. sleet, sleac, languid, gentle, slow, remiss, idle, sleepy.
4. adj. and adv. Baking. Inclined to fluidity.
We always mixes for the sponge (q. v.) slacker by a lot to what
we do in the mornin'. — Oct. 12, 1885. This means that much
more water is used with the same quantity of flour, and that it is
consequently much thinner, or inclined to be liquid. See TIGHT.
SLACK-TWISTED [slaa-k-twds-tud], adj. Lethargic ; wanting
in energy or go.
'Tidn no good to zend thick slack-twisted son of a bitch, 't'll
take'n a month o' Zundays avore a's back again. Let Bill go, he
idn a quarter s'heavy 'bout the burches.
SLADE [slae'ud], sb. A valley. In this sense it is obsolete, but
is very common as a place name, as Waterc£ft&,Milir/<iz/&, Wins/tide.
Ang.-Sax. slckd.
SLAIT(Y [slai't(ee], v. t. and /. To slack lime. Same as SLEFT.
SLAM [slaam], v. t. and /'. To trump a trick at cards.
They be slammirf both o' they suits.
SLAME [slae'um(ee], v. t. and /. Applied to a grindstone, or
whetstone of any kind, in the very common case, when either by
reason of frozen water or dried oil the stone will not "fret" — /. e.
take any effect on the instrument to be sharpened.
Can't grind nort gin the stone's a-un thawed, the vrost 've
un.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 6/7
Th' oilstone '11 sure to slamy nif you lef so much stale oil 'bout'n.
SLAMMICK [slaanrik], sb. Term for a slovenly, untidy person.
SLAMMICKIN [slaanrikeen], adj. Slovenly ; slatternly ; untidy.
I calls that a proper slammickin job, a little bit o' work, and a
sight o' mess'n slurry.
Her's the slammickins old drab you'll vind in a day's march.
See S. 3.
Thus as a Greyhound is meek Merit lean,
So slammakin, untidy, ragged, mean,
Her garments all so shabby & unpinn'd.
1794- /• Wolcott, Peter Pindar, Poor Soldier Tilbury. Wks. 1812, vol. iii. p. 241.
SLAP [slaap1, zlaap'], adv. Quite ; entirely.
They boys ageean ! now one o'm Ve a-ained a stone slap droo
the shop winder!
The pony jump'd slap round. Her vall'd slap out o' the trap.
SLAP-DASH [zlaa-p-daa'rsh], adj. Headlong ; rash ; eager.
Her's a zlap-darsh sort of a maid; but her idn so much amiss,
and her's a Tartar vor work.
SLAPPING [zlaap-een], adj. An expletive — generally used
before or after gurt, like banging, bouncing, &c.
He's a slappiri gurt 'oss. Our Jack's a gurt slappiri fuller, sure
'nough. The word conveys distinct praise, however.
SLAT [slaa't], v. t. i. To throw violently, and also angrily;
to dash down so as to break. Implies a back-handed throw.
He was that there a-zot up way her, nif I 'adn a-hold'n I ver'ly
blieve he'd a slat every dish and spoon to doors.
toslat stan ^ fleowun weter ^ geweotun in drygum flodas.
Vespasian Psalter. Ps. civ. (105 A. V.) 41. Oldest Texts, p. 340.
T; utalaedde hie of Seostrum °t of scuan deafces T; bende heara tos/a(.
Ib. Ps. cvi. (107 A.V.) 14, p. 345.
Hampole translates disrupit, brastin the above passages (Bramley).
Tha wut drow, and hen, and slat,— slat the Podgers, slat the crock, slat tha
keeve and tha Jibb, bost tha Cloam.— Ex. Scold. 1. 248. See W. S. Gram. p. 65.
2. To scatter; to splash.
Mind hot you be 'bout ; no 'kision to slat the mud all over
anybody.
3. sb. A blow.
Let me catch thee again, I'll gi thee a slat under the yur (ear),
s'hear me. This is a favourite expression.
Ad ! chell gi' thee a Wherret or a Zlat in the Gimps.— Ex. Scold. 1. 101.
4. sb. A slate. (Always.) Slates for roofing are usually " tiles,"
while tiles are pan-tiles. Wilscombe Slat Quarry.
6/8 \YEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SKLAT, or slat stone (sclate or flat stone). Latcricia, ymbrex.
Slat stone, idem quod sclat. Ymbrex. — Promf. Parv.
If in hewing .... you may much doubt of the firmness of the slat.
1669. Phil. Trans. A'oyal Society, p. 1009.
SLAT OVER [slaa-t oa-vur], v. t. To do anything in a hurried,
make-shift manner. See W. S. Gram. p. 65.
SLATTER [slaat-ur, slaa'tur], v. t. To slop or spill.
Why's'n take more care, thee's z.-slattered the water all over the
place.
J>an aght J>e saul of synful with-in
Be ful foule |>at es alle slotered'm syn ; — ffamfole, Pr. of Con. 1. 2366.
SLATTERY [slaa'turee, zlaa'turee], adj. Wet ; damp.
Slattery weather, sir, s'mornin' ; but I 'count Yll break abroad.
You 'ad'n better go thick way, 'tis a slattery sort of a path like.
A " slattery harvest" is a wet, rainy harvest, when the corn is
dried with difficulty, and much damaged.
S'LAY [slar], phr. So lay — i.e. as lief. Lief is unknown.
I'd s'lay do one's tother. See LAY.
SLED-BUTT [slud'-buut], sb. A putt or dung-cart, with one
wheel in front and two sleds or slides, like a sledge, behind.
Something like a three-wheel butt, with runners instead of two of
the wheels.
A Sled (Sledde A.) ; traha. — Cat A. Ang.
A dray or sledde which goeth without wheels, traha. — Baret.
A SLED. Traineau, traitwir, train. — Sherwood.
A sled for a plough, and another for blocks,
for chimney in winter, to burne vp their docks. — Tusser, 17/11.
SLEEP AWAY [zlee-up uwar], v.i. To decay; to become
rotten. Same as SLOPE AWAY.
SLEEPY [zlee-upee, zlai-pee], adj. Said of pears just beginning
to rot. They pears be every one o'm zlaipy.
SLEEZE [slee'z], v. i. To separate; to come apart — applied
to cloth when the warp and woof readily separate from each other.
SLEEZY [slee'zee], adj. Disposed to sleeze; badly woven.
SLEFT [slae-f(t, zlae'f(t], v. t. and i. To slake lime.
Here now, 'mind thick load o' lime's &-zlefted avore you lefs
work. This here lime idn quarter a burned, 't'on't zlefty a bit.
I don't b'lieve 't'll never come abroad.
SLEIGH [slai*], sb. Of a loom. The reeds or frame of thin
parallel wires, through which the threads of the warp pass. The
fineness or coarseness of the sleigh regulates the texture and width
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 679
of the cloth. It is fixed in the lay or /at/ie, and serves to guide
the shuttle, which sleighs or slides along it from side to side.
SLAY, webstarys loome. Lanarius, radius. — Promp. Parv.
SLEWED [slue-d], adj. Drunk.
Well, Urchet (Richard), you an't a-put on thick there blue
ribbin not eet, I zee. They zaid how the meetiners had a-comed
over ee vor to sign ; but I zee you be a little bit ^.-slewed now • I
s'pose 'tis the last tich like 'vore you begins.
SLIANTIFIC [sluy-untuf-eek], adj. Scientific.
He call's hiszul siyantific, do 'er? That's one o' they there
fuller's hot do know everything. Oh brave ! 'bout farmerin', an'
our work an' that, I count I've a-vorgot more'n ever he knowed.
oncommon fine gut, and pirty rod, a-made a-purpose vor'n in a wundervull
siyantific way. Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 1 2.
SLICE [sluys], sb. i. The small flat fire-shovel used by
blacksmiths.
2. A blade, having a hook at one end to fit into a staple on a
block, and a handle at the other ; a slicer, for cutting roots for cattle
by hand.
SLIDER [sluydur], sb. A sleigh. Same as SLITTER.
SLIGHTY [slai-tee, sluytee], adj. and adv. Flimsy ; unstable ',
scamped.
[Tuurubl slai'tee jaub, aay zum1,] very flimsy job, I consider.
[Tiiz u-puuf tugadh-ur tu slai'tee-,~\ it is put together too flimsily.
SLIM-POLE [sliinr-poa-l], sb. A fool; a gaby; a simpleton.
[Wuul neef dhee* aartn u piirtee sltim'poa'l aay niivur dud-n zee
nuudlvur wamr,] well if thee art not a pretty slim-pole, I never did
not see never a one.
SLIP [skip-, //. sliip', pp. u-sliip-], v. t. To cast young— used
with all the domestic animals. Her slip voal — slip calf — slip lamb —
slip pig. See THROW 2.
Th' old mare 've z.-slip voal age'ean ; tidn no good to try her no
more.
SLIP [sliip], sb. A young store pig of either sex. A store pig
of older growth would be described as a "hard slip'' The addition
of pig (see below) is a com. auctioneer's redundancy, never used by
peasantry. Com p. " A slip of a girl."
Hot d'ye ax apiece vor they there slips ?
Two Devon cows, in milk and in calf; slip pig, a number of fowls, geese, and
turkeys.— Advert, of Sale, Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
350 sheep, 30 bullocks, 8 slip pigs, basket phaeton.
Advert, of Sale, Som. Co. Gaz. April I, 1882.
680 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SLIPE [sluyp], sb. i. A hank of twine.
2. A thick layer of hay as it is cut out from the solid rick.
3. A slice ; as "a gurt slipe o' cheese, 'nough to make a farmer's
heart ache."
This latter is a very common'expression, and represents the idea
held as to the welcome afforded to a hungry farm-servant.
SLIP IN [sliip ee*n], v. i. To be energetic.
Come, soce, slip in to it — /'. e. get to work with a will.
Look sharp and slip in along — /. e. make haste.
SLIP IT [sldp- ut], v. i. To be off; to get away.
I owed 'n vor dravin o' two lots o' sheep, and I told'n alwavs nif
he wadn home in time, no pay. Well, he come to me, up to King's
Arms, and when I widn gee un no money he begind to kick up a
row ; so I zess to un, Jim, s' I, look yur, thee'ds better slip it, else
thee't veel the toe o' theeas yur boot up agin th' ass o' thee.
— Verbatim, Sept. 30, 1885.
SLIPPER [sliip'ur, zliip'ur], adj. Slippery.
The road's so zlipper's, glass. One of the words in which the
final y of lit. Eng. has not been adopted. See STUD, CAR, DIRT.
Ang.-Sax. slipcr, slippery.
A slipper and a subtle knave ; a finder out of occasions. — Othello, II. i.
O trustless state of earthly things, and slipper hope
Of mortal men, that swink and sweat for nought.
Spenser, Shepherd's Kal. Nov., 1. 152.
An I made a mistake, vur ma staff was za zlipper,
Thet I hat wan uv ourzide a dewce uv a clipper. — Nathan Hogg, Ser. I. p. 22.
SLIPPER-SLOPPER [slup-ur-zlaup-ur], adj. Down at heel;
untidy as to ehaussure.
Father, be sure you baint gwain out all slipper-slopper like that ;
there, I'll vatch your shoes vor ee.
Old mother Slipper-slopper jumpt out o1 bed,
Open'd the window and popped out her head.
Old Nursery Song. The Fox and the Goose.
SLIP-SHOES [sliip-'shue'z], sb. Slippers ; an old loose pair of
shoes worn at night after taking off the half bats.
SLIP THE COAT [sliip- dhu koa-ut]. To shed. Any animal
like a dog or horse who changes his fur periodically is said to
slip his coat. So a snake is said to slip his skin.
SLITTER [slufur], sb. A sleigh or sledge. In the Hill country,
where the water meadows are steep, the hay is always carried in
upon slitters or sliders.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 68 1
SLITTERY [sliifuree], v. i. To slide.
'Twas a wind sure 'nough — how the tiles did slittery down.
SLIVER [sluvur], sb. The long band of wool which a comber
pulls out from his comb, usually seven or eight feet in length, and
tapering off at each end. The comber's art is to produce this of
even texture and quite smooth. A number of these slivers are laid
together and then twisted into a bundle, twelve of which are tied up
into a package called a top. See COMB-POT, Diz, TOP.
SLOB [slaub-]. sb. Slab. (Vale dist.) The outside piece of a
tree when sawn. The first board cut off; that which is sawn only
on one side, the other being convex and rough. See OUCHILS.
Sawne slab\Gt lie for stable and stie. — Tusser, 15/135.
SLOBBER [slaub -ur], v. t. To eat greedily and with noise
like a pig. Applied both to men and animals.
You never didn zee no sich old slobber-ohoips in your live ; why,
I've a-zeed-n slobber up a wole head and hange for supper, and Til
warn un he'd drink vower quart o' cider 'long way un nif he could
come to it.
SLOCK [slauk-], v. t. To entice. (Com. in N. Dev.)
Tidn likely the chillern '11 come, they be all ^.-slacked away wi'
prizes and tays and that to the meetin-house.
Jennings gives " Slock — v. a. to obtain clandestinely," but I never
heard it in this sense.
SLOE [sloa-], sb. The fruit of the blackthorn [blaakdhuurn].
Prunus spinosa.
SLOP [slaup], sb. A short linen or canvas shirt worn over all,
and reaching only to the waist, where it is gathered in tightly.
Called also a kettle-smock.
SLOPPE, garment (slop, clothe). Mutatorium. — Promp. Paw.
SLOP [slau-p, zlau-p], adj. Slack ; loose.
[Dhee-uz yuur boa-It oa-n due1, dhu mif oa'un-z tu slau-p,"] this
bolt will not do, the nut of him is too slack.
I lackth a wadge vor 'n, he's too slop in the ring. Said of a
scythe loose on the snead
SLOPE [sloa-p], v.i. To make off; to sneak off. The word
rather conveys the idea of secret departure, and so differs from
slip it (q. v.).
The son of a bitch did'n zee me, but I zeed he sloping along
under the hedge; zo I daps roun' by the barn and jis nab'd mister
gin'lman eens a corned out o' the gate.
SLOPE AWAY [sloa-p uwar], v. i. To decay ; to rot. Applied
to fruit or vegetables ; sometimes, though rarely, to wood.
682 \YEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Can't think hot ailth th' apples, they do look well 'nough 'pon
th' outzide, but come to cut em, they be all a.-sloj>ed away in the
luart like.
SLOP UP [slaup aup], v. t. To eat up greedily ; to lick up food
quickly. Same as SLOBBER.
[Neef ee oa'n slaup aup u-guurt bae'usn u brau'th voa'r yue* kn
tuul vuyv,] if he will not slop up a great basin of broth before you
c;in tell (count; five.
and nif et be Loblolly, tha wut slop it all up — Ex, Scold. \. 189.
SLOP- WASH [slaup'-waursh], sb. A wash up of a few things
before the regular washing day.
SLOP-WATER [slaup'-wau-dr], sb. Water used for washing and
other household purposes, but not for drinking or cooking. See
POTWATER.
SLOT [slaut], sb. and v. t. i. The track or foot-mark of a deer,
from which comes the verb to slot — i. e. to trace a deer by its foot-
prints. In hunting every quarry has its own peculiar term for its
own foot-mark, together with its corresponding verb. Hence " to
ball a fox" — "to prick a hare" — "to track a badger" — "to slot a
stag" — "to trail an otter," &c.
John. And a hart of ten,
I trow he be, madam, or blame your men :
For by his slot, his entries, and his port,
His frayings, fewmets, he doth promise sport.
Ben Johnson, Sad Shepherd, I. 2.
The impression of a Deer's foot is termed his slot. — Rec . N. D. Staghounds, p. 8.
here the hounds feathered on, but could not acknowledge the scent, but the
deer could be slotted (although his tracks were filled with water) on to Pryaway.
Collyns, p. 195.
from thence through Hudscot grounds into the South Molton road, where the
deer was slotted a good way. — Records North Devon Staghonnds, p. 18.
2. sb. A groove in metal — hence a j/tftf/^-machine is one for
cutting longitudinal grooves in metal ; a groove cut round any
article or turned in a lathe is not a slot.
3. A slit or longitudinal opening, as in the familiar plane-iron,
by which the position of the part having the slot can be altered by
s iding.
SLUBBING [slaub'een], sb. Woollen yarn in the first process
of spinning, when it is very loosely twisted. The machine on which
this is done is a " Slubbing-l&\\\y " [Slaub'een-Biil'ee],
The person working this machine is a slubber [slaub'ur], and the
work as well as the product is called stubbing [slaub'een]. Modern
n achinery has however nearly superseded the old " Billy " and
"Jenny."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 683
SLUG [sluug], sb. A sluggard ; a lazy, inactive person or
animal. Very commonly applied to a horse, which takes it easily
and bears the whip unflinchingly.
Fie, what a slug is Hastings ! that he comes not ; — Richard III. III. i.
SLUG-A-BED [sluug--u-bai'd], sb. and v. i. A sluggard.
Tom Cross always was a proper slug-a-bed. Come, soce ! hot be
gwain to slug-a-bed all's day ? Sometimes this is pronounced slc-ck-
a-bed.
Get vp in the morning as thou wilt,
With ouer long slugging good seruant is spilt. — Tusser, 75/1.
Why, lamb ! why, lady ! fie, you a slug-a-bed. — Romeo and Juliet, IV. v.
SLUMMIX [sluunriks], sb. A slattern.
Her's a proper old slumix, and her house is like a pig's looze.
SLURRY [sluuree], sb. i. Fluid mud. (Always.)
The bullicks 've a-paunched about till 'tis all to a proper slurry.
The mud in washing ore is called slurry.
Gore or slory. Limus, tessequa.
SLOOR or sowr (slory or sowre, K., slore or soore or cley, S.H.P.). Cenum,
limus. Promp. Parv.
2. v. t. To daub or befoul with mud.
You never didn zee no such mess in your life ; I was &-slwricd
jist the same's off I'd a-comed out of a mud-pit.
To SLURRY. Sonitter, ordir. SLURRIED. Souill'e, ordi. A SLURRING.
Souillement, ordisseuse. Sherwood. See also Cotgrave.
SLURRY OVER [sluuree oa-vur], v. t. To do in a hurried,
careless, inefficient manner.
I told thee to do it vitty, and take thy time over it, and not to
slurry it over like that.
SMACK [smaa'k], adv: Used with other adverbs, or with
prepositions — equivalent to right, slap, flop, &c.
Smack down on the floor. Smack through the window. Smack
in two pieces. Drove smack up against the wall. Smack out o'
sight. Smack over the wall. Smack out to Holland. Smack in
to Taunton.
SMALL [smaa'l], adj. Applied to water in rivers or running
streams. (Usual term.)
I an't a zeed our water zo smaa'l, not's years.
You can't catch no vish in the Barle now the water's zo small.
Ang.-Sax. smcel, thin, narrow.
SMALLDER, SMALLUEST [smaa-ldur, smaa'ldees], adj.
Comp. and super, of small. (Usual form.) See D. i.
684 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
The very smaa'ldees bird ever I zeed, he wadn no bigger'n the
tap o' my thumb.
Then aaclerwards we vish'd agen,
An' putt on smolder vlies. — J'ulman, fius. Sk. p. 29.
SMALL SEEDS [smaa'l zee'udz], sb. Clovers of various kinds,
as distinguished from the light rye and other grass seeds with
which they are mixed in sowing annual or permanent pasture
grasses. See SEED OUT.
In speaking of sowing grasses it is very usual to hear, "Whatever
ee do, don' ee bethink your small seeds."
SMART [smaa'rt], adj. Used ironically and vaguely. Poor;
miserable ; mean.
Well, that is smart work. He's a purty smart old feller, he,
sure 'nough. That was a smart lot, sure-lie — meaning that they
were a disreputable rough set. Smartish, on the contrary, is never
used except to denote goodness of some kind. " Her's a smartish
piece like " would mean that she is an active, tidy young woman.
SMART- ASS [smaa'rt-aas], sb. Same as ASS-SMART. Polygonum
Hydropiper. (Very com.)
SMARTISH [smaa'rteesh], adj. Considerable in quantity or
number; also fairly good.
There was a smartish lot o' volks to fair.
SMASH [smaarsh], sb. i. Downfall ; catastrophe.
'Twas a riglar smash, and no mistake.
2. Condition or state of complete destruction.
The trap was a brokt all to smash.
SMAT [smaaf], sb. A small quantity of anything ; odds and
ends ; petty bills. (Very com.)
I can't abear leffin' smats about, do ee go and pay 'em.
Mind and pick up they smats o' 'ood about ; there's two or dree
fackets to one place, and two or dree to another — a middlin' lot till
'tis all a-picked up together.
What's thick there smat o' turmuts a-lef there vor ?
SMEECH [smee'ch, smich], sb. i. Dust in the air.
Here, sprank some water vore you zweep, we shall be a-steefled
wi' smeech. (Usual word.)
2. Smoke. (Very com.)
Your bakehouse chimley do make such a smeech, we can't never
put out no clothes in the garden.
3. Smell; stench. (Very com.)
At the Board of Guardians for Wellington, complaint was made
of a coffin supplied to a pauper by the contractor, and complainant
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 685
said, "They widn let 'em car'n in the church; an' the smeech was
awful — 'nough to knock anybody down." — July, 1885.
}>is smech, *\ tis cnovvunge, kume<5 of gostliche sihiSe. — Ancreti Rhvle, p. 94.
Smelling and feeling are almost synonyms. It is common on
going into a warm room to say, " Ah, smells nice and warm here ! "
The whiskers of a dog or cat are constantly called smellers.
SMEECHY [smee'chee], adj. i. Dusty; smoky; stinking.
Ter'ble smeechy job, anybody could tell hot to do way a drap
o' cider, very well. Ter'ble smeechy chimley.
The [smee'chees] smeechiest breath ever I worked in ; nif twadn
enough to chuck the devil. Her (wife) was fo'ced to go arter a
drap o' gin vor me, else I could'n 'a bide there.
2. v. i. To smoke ; to give out dust ; to smell.
That there lime smee-chus ter'ble, anybody could'n bide there
'thout their virkin.
Mr. Porter, your chimley do smeechy zo we can't zee across the
garden 'pon times.
I wish that there mate o' yours (pig's wash) did'n smeechy zo.
I don't want to make no noise, but we ackly can't bide yur.
SMERT [smuurt, zmuurt], adj. and adv. Var. pron. Smart —
often used ironically. Pronounced distinctly from smart = dolor.
Thee art a smerl fuller, an' no mistake.
I knew a very loutish man who was nicknamed Smert all his life.
Jif >i sulf, hwon ))e strongest stont, one smtrte discipline. — Ancrm Riwle, p. 294.
And mikel sorwe in his herle
For his wuudes, )>at wer so smerte. — Havelok, 1. 2054.
)>ere smit no j>inge so smerte ' ne smelleth so soure
As shame, >ere he sheweth him. — Piers Plow. B. XI. 425.
I made a mistake, ,zo et zim'd, bit no hurt,
Wat thay maia'd wis ta vetch up a little bit zmurf.
Nathan Hogg, Ser. I, p. 44.
SMITE [smuyt], v. t. and /. Tech. To strike with the sledge
in forging. The smith hammers, the assistant smites.
SMITHEREENS [smiidlruree'nz], sb. Atoms; pieces — pre-
ceded always by " all to." This word rather savours of imported
slang, but it is now in common use.
[Dhu gyuf wuz u haaf au'l tu smtidh'uree-nz, bud niivur ded n
uurt u ae-ur u dhu au-s,] the gate was knocked to atoms, but not
a hair of the horse was hurt.
SMOCK [smauk1], sb. A woman's shift ; also a man's thick
linen shirt worn over all. It is made with a particular cut and
finish. There is a broad flap or collar, and the back, breast, and
686 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
shoulders are gathered up into narrow pleats. The sleeves are
full and buttoned tight at the wrist. The garment reaches to the
knee, and as to shape is de rigueur. Another kind, called a kettle-
smock, is gathered in with a tight band, and finishes at the waist.
Smock-frock is a literary word. Real smocks are now scarce.
SMOK, schyrt. Camisia. — Promp. Parv.
Hue sholcle vnsowen hure smok ' and sette }>er an heire,
To afraiten hure flesch • )>at fers was to synne. — Piers Plmu. vin. 6.
Whan cure lady .... was come in to }>is Caue, sche had forjete bihynde
hir her smok and )?e clojns ]>at Crist was wounde in.
Three Kings of Cologne, E. E. T. S. p. 87/29.
Now, how dost thou look now ? O ill-starr'd wench !
Pale as thy smock! — Othello, V. ii.
SMOCK-BOUND [smauk--baewn(d], adj. Hen-pecked; under
petticoat government. The common every-day phrase.
Jan Snell zaid how ee'd come, but missus wid'n let'n.
0 brave ! I didn know he was smock-bound lig that there.
SMOCK-FACED [smauk'-fae'usud], adj. Pale ; sickly-looking
— applied only to men, and implying effeminacy.
Get home and zook thy mother, ya smock-faced son of a bitch !
SMUDGE [smuuj1], v. t. i. To smear; to daub; to blotch
with some viscous fluid.
Harry, you've ^-smudge your copy.
2. sb. Thick rough paint.
Take'n gee un a good coat o' smudge, an' he'll last vor years.
SMUGGLE [zmuug'l], v. t. To hug violently ; to smother with
caresses.
They never zeed me, but I zeed he &-smuggliri! and a kissin'
o' her behind the kitchen settle.
SMUT [smuut], sb. i. A pernicious black fungus (Uredo
segetum, Prior) which attacks the ears and stalks of corn, mostly
wheat, after a cold spring. (Very com.)
2. Loose or obscene talk.
We on't put up way none o' your smut here, you baint in a
tap room, mind.
3. sb. An obscene or licentious talker.
1 tell thee what 'tis, Jim Giles, thee art a riglar smut.
SMUTTER [smuad-r, zmuad'r (see W. Som. Dial. p. 62)], sb.
A mess ; a smudge ; an untidy job.
[Muyn un tlai'n aup aa'dur ee, un neet laef' ut au'l tue u
smuad'r,~] remember to clean up after you, and not leave it all in
a mess.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 687
Well now ! nif this idn a purty old smutter, I never didn zee
none.
Of fustyan he wered a gepoun
Al tysinothtreJ with his haburgeoun. — Chaucer, Pro!. 1. 76.
SNACK [snaa-k], sb. A hasty meal.
[Aay uuiree jis kaeclvt aup u snaa-k u buurd'-n chee'z-n staa'rtud
tu wairns,] I only snatched a hasty meal of bread and cheese, and
set out immediately.
SNACK [snaa-k, znaak-], sb.t v. i. and v. t. Crack of a whip,
or similar loud noise.
The snack of his whip is 'most so loud's a pistol.
I likes to year the wheels snacky, then I knows th' old cart's
urnin light.
SNx\CKS [snaa'ks], sb. Shares ; partnership.
Jim Boon and Tom Tremlet went snacks in all the job; but
Tom was a little bit t'old vor Jim ; he collar'd the money.
SNAFFLE [snaa-fl], v. /. To steal. Cant phr.
A farmer speaking of some sheep which had been stolen, said,
" Everybody knowth well 'nough 'twas he snaffltd they sheep ; but
there, the poalis can't bring it home to un." — Nov. 21, 1886.
SNAG [snag-, znag-], sb. i. The stump of a tree when cut off
above the ground or hedge. The word does not apply to the
root, but only to the part above ground. The entire root, including
the snag, would be a " moot." Also a short stake projecting from
the ground ; a peg in the ground.
2. A single projecting tooth, often to be seen in old people's
mouths.
Poor old soul, her idn able to cham very much ; I 'count thick
there old snag's purty nigh th' only tooth her've a-got in her head.
SNAGGLE TOOTH [snag-1 teo-th], sb. A tooth grown across
another, or a tooth longer or projecting beyond the others.
SNAKE [snae-uk], v. t. and /. i. To sneak; hence to rob; to
cheat.
Th' old man lef up dree 'undid pound ; but Jack, he was th'
oldest o' em, he made wise a wad'n ony jist enough vor to bury th'
old man, and he snaked the rest o' em out o' every varden o' it. —
Aug. 1883. See V. A. i, p. 4.
2. sb. Sneak; thief; pilferer. Same as SHARK.
Her's a proper old snake, her's always about to volkses back
doors to zee what her can cadge.
SNAP [snaip], sb. i. A hasty meal Same as SNACK.
688 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Look sharp 'm catch a bit of a snap, and start so vast as ever you
can.
2. A check — applied to the weather.
We shall haa a snap vor this mild Vill-ditch (February). — Pitlman.
I have heard the word applied to frost in the above sense.
SNAP [snaap], sb. A trap of any kind. A mole-trap is always
fc a \va.nt-snafl."
There's a rat comes every night in the dairy, I must till a snap
vor 'n. See TILL.
So also mouse-snafl for mouse-trap. A very common saying is,
"The snap's down," meaning "you are too late." In this and
many other equally prevalent sayings, it is hard to see the
connection.
SNAPE, or SNEAP. A boggy place in a field ; snapy ground
containing small springs, and requiring to be drained. — W. H. G.
Dec. 6, 1883.
SNAP-JACKS [snaap- jaak's], sb. Stitch-wort. Stellaria
holostea, (Always.)
SNAPPY [znaap'ee], z;. /. To speak in a snappish manner.
No 'casion to znappy to anybody like that; I didn zay nort
onciveel to you, mind.
Than tha wut snappy, and than tha wut canifflee, and than tha wut bloggy.
Ex. Scold. \. 257. See also 1. 313.
SNAPS [snaa'ps], sb. Common foxglove. Digitalis Purpurea.
(Very com.)
SNAP UP [snaap au-p], v. i. To eat hastily; sometimes to eat
greedily.
Well, he wadn very long snappirf up his taties (dinner) then.
SNARLEY-HORN [snaa-rlee-airrn], sb. Snail. The usual
name used by boys, whose cruel delight it is to watch while the
poor snail creeps out of its shell, and then unrolls and puts forth its
horns, saying —
Snarhy-orn, put out your corn,
Father and mother's dead,
Zister 'n brither's out to back-door
Bakin o' barley bread.
They then throw a great stone to crush the poor creature.
SNEAD [snee'd, znee-ud], sb. The long bent stem of a scythe.
(Always.) The handles attached to the snead, by which it is held,
are the "loggers." Ang.-Sax. sruvd.
\YEST SOMERSET WORDS. OS<>
SNELL [snael], sb. A short stick pointed at both ends used in
a game called "cat" elsewhere, but in this district called stik'-n
snael' (stick and snell).
SNIBBLE-NOSE [sniib'l noa'uz], sb. A common epithet for a
niggardly miser.
He ! an old snibble-nose ! you mid so well try to get blid out o'
vlint, as ax he vor ort.
Go, ye rearing, snapping, tedious, cutted Snibblenose! — Ex. Scold. \. 106.
SNICK [snik], v. i. i. To miss fire : said of a gun.
I b'leive thick there bird wid a-drapt, nif the gun 'ad'n z-snickf.
The same expression is often used when the gun "hangs fire"
— that is, does not explode instantly upon the pull of the trigger.
2. v. f. To contrive opportunely.
We snickt it nezackly ; another minute more, the snap wid a-bin
down — i.e. we contrived it exactly at the right moment; another
minute would have been too late.
3. sb. A small notch, little more than a scratch ; not so deep as
a snotch.
Put a bit of a snick 'pon un, I shall know un ageean.
4. A click or noise as of cocking a gun.
Zoon's you drowed in the hot water, I year'd the glass go snick.
SNIGGLE [snig'l, znigTj, v. i. i. To giggle ; to laugh inanely
or at nothing ; to titter.
What's bide there snigglin vor ? I'll make thee laugh the wrong
zide o' thy mouth, s'hear me !
2. To fish for eels with a worm and a needle. Pulman describes
the process. Rustic Sketches, p. 140.
SNIGGLER [snig-lur, znig'lur], sb. One who laughs inanely ;
a giglet.
SNIPPET [smip-ut], sb. A morsel; a shred.
I sure ee there idn so much as a snippet a-lef .
SNOACHY [snoa-uchee], v. i. To speak through the nose; to
make a snuffling noise ; to snore.
Why, Jim, thee's snoachy, same's a gurt fat pig.
SNOOL(Y [sneo-ul(ee], v.t. and /. i. To trickle; to ooze-
applied to liquids ; also to some solids, to waste or crumble.
The water snooled all down the wall.
Speaking of a well dug through clay, a man said, "Nif we don't
steen un, I be afeard arter the water Ve a-zoak'd, the zides o' ua
'11 snooty away." — Aug. 26, 1887.
Y Y
690 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. v. i. and tr. To snivel ; to allow the saliva to flow from the
mouth.
Drat the cheel, how a do snooly.
The poor old man's clothes was all &-snooledvcri beastly ; anybody
wid'n love vor to come aneas'n (near him).
Nasty dirty old man, he've ^.-snooted and a-snuff'd hiszul all over.
SNOOZE [sneo-z], v. i. and sb. To sleep lightly ; to doze.
Well, I 'spose I must a-ad a bit of a snooze.
SNOOZLY [sneo*zlee], v. i. Said of an infant hiding or pressing
its face against its mother. The same is said of little pigs pressing
against their recumbent mother.
Poor little sawl, he do love to snoozly up to mother.
SNOT [snaut], sb. i. Mucus from the nose.
A .r«0//y-nosed boy.
SNOTHE, fylthe of the nose {snotte s.). Polipus (pus, mucus}. — Promp. Paiv.
MORVE : Snot, snivel. MORVEAU : Snot, snivel. — Cotgrave.
. SNEUELL : the snot or filthe of the nose, mucus. — Baret.
2. A humbug ; a craven — term of contempt.
I calls 'n a riglar snot.
SNOTCH [snaufsh], sb. A notch. (Always.)
I be saafe I be right, Mum, 'cause I cut's a snotch in this here
stick every time I comes.
SNOTCH IRE [snaufsh uyur, snaat'sh uyur]. Another name
for the wang. See SULL.
The notched bow at the front of a plough, having a loose link
by which the horses are attached, and by moving this link into the
different notches, the draft or forward direction of the plough is
regulated, so as to countervail any twist or inclination of the
implement to go out of a straight course.
See NOTCH-GEERS, Britten, Old Farm Words.
SNOT-RAG [snauf-rag], sb. A pocket-handkerchief.
SNOTTER-BONE [snau-tur boo'un], sb. Used by butchers.
The nasal bone. In preparing a pig's countenance the snotter-bone
is always chopped out.
SNOTTY [snaut-ee], adj. Mean ; paltry. (Very com.)
A snotty little fool.
SNOUT [snaewt], sb. A knob or excrescence on anything.
A man describing a cut on his face said, " I was lookin to Frank
yowin (hewing) the piece (timber), and a gurt snont vlied oaf so
big's my vice (fist), and meet way me in the face ; nif I did'n blid
like a pig, vor up quarter nower." — April 25, 1884.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 69!
SNOW-BALLS [snoa'-bau'lz], sb. Guelder rose. Viburnum
opulus. (Always.)
SNOW-BERRY [snoa'-buuree], sb. The shrub and fruit,
Symphoria Racemosa.
SNOWFLAKE [snoa'flae'uk], sb. A kind of tall double snow-
drop (rare). It grows wild in this district. Leucojum cestivum.
SNOW-IN-HARVEST [snoa'-een-aa-rust], sb. The flower called
also " White Rock." Cerastium tomentosum.
SNUFF-BOX [snuuf-bau-ks], sb. A fungus puff-ball of the
brown variety. Lycoperdon (?).
What's that, Jimmy? A snuff-boxt sir. — Jan. 18, 1887.
SNUFFLES [snuuflz], sb. A snorting noise made by pigs in
breathing, in consequence of the " ring " being inserted too deeply
in the nostrils. A very common defect very easily remedied.
Mus' fresh ring thick zow, her got the snuffles. See SNOACHY.
SNUFFLY [snuuf'lee], v. i. To make a snorting noise when
breathing.
Poor old C , he do smiffly jis like a fat pig.
Also to speak through the nose ; to nasalize all the articulation.
SNUG [snuug-], adj. Comfortable; cosy.
"So snug'?, a bug in a rug" is the common superlative expression.
No doubt alliteration is the cause of this simile.
SO [su], adv. i. Used always for the literary as in all similes
and sentences like " As black as a coal." Up to this time in the
dialect we have only adopted the second as, while in Old and Mid.
Eng. so was used both before and after the adjective.
I'll go so var's the gate. Her's so good's gold. Her lookdd to
me j'ugly's the devil. My. leg was a-zwelled so big's two. See S. 8.
Ang.-Sax. swd, swce.
for angre f>at he toke of J>at : he wax so pal so clay. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 81.
Ich mai i-son so wel so on hare,
Thej ich bi dai sitte an dare.— Oivl and Night. \. 383. See 11. 413, 518.
]>e |>ef to hem }>an tornd is fas, l>at was so blac so cole.— Sir Fcnim. 1. 2437.
Icham for wowyng al for wake,
Wery so water in wore. — Specimens, Lyric Poetry, Alysoun, 1. 38.
So shall ]>ow come to a court • as cleer so \>e sonne.— Piers Plow. vin. 232.
In the sense of thus—\. e. I am sure it was so — the dialect
form is [lig dhaat], or some such phrase. So is seldom so used.
"I be saafe 'twas like that," or "same's I do zay."
Y Y 2
692 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. [zoa-]. Used to qualify adverbs, and to make a form of
speech for which a certain would be used in lit. Eng. Thus :
[Kaa'n drai'v-m een mm ee zoa' vaar,] means "One can only
drive it in a certain distance." This form of expression does not
mean thus, as no attempt is made or needed to exemplify the
distance. Again :
[Aay shaa'n uun'ee goo zoa' vaar,] I shall only go a certain
distance — /. e. part of the way.
[Kn uun'ee ab-m zoa' laung,] can only have it a certain length,
or, for a certain time. See RAGONET.
SOAK [zoa'k], v. i. i. To drain off; to exhaust either by
drainage or evaporation.
The water in the pond's all ago, every drap o' it's all a-zoakt
away. The usual word to express the disappearance of liquid.
2. sb. A gawky; a dullard. Same as DOAK.
SOCE [soa'us]. Used only as a vocative. In constant use,
daily, hourly. Companions; friends— equivalent to "my boys,"
except that it is used by, and in speaking to women as well as
to men.
Come, soce t here's your jolly good health !
Hollo, soce ! hot be all azleeap ?
It is suggested that the word is a relic of the monkish preachers,
who used socii where their successors say brethren.
In the " Winchester notion " socius we no doubt have the survival
uncorrupted. Pulman's remarks do not apply to this district.
Labbe, labbe, Soze, labbe. — Ex. Scold. 1. 306.
Then ha took up es pipe, an ha kaufTd aufftha hoce,
An zeth Varmer Jan Vaggis — "Wull hark'n now, so's."
Nathan Hogg, Ser. I, p 49.
SO FAR FORTH [zoa- or zu vaa'r voo'uth], adv. phr. Up to
this time ; when followed by as — to that extent ; as far as. In the
former sense the so is emph., in the latter short.
I reckon'd to a zeed'n, but he an't a-bin here zoa' vaa'r voo'uth.
You knows so well's I do, eens nobody can't hinder ee, zu vaa'r
voo'uth-% you've a-got a right to go ; but you mus'n look vor all
the water t'urn in your ditch, mind.
gete it by punyschynge of peple by false wiles and by gile so fcr for\ |>at vnne^e
eny of hir princes leuede his lyf kyndeliche to ]>e ende — Trevisa, lib. i. p. 253.
An hire of-thu^te that ho hadde
The speche so for north i-ladde, — Owl and Nightingale, 1. 397.
'S'OFF [sau-fj. As if; as though.
[Uur toa'urd ubaewt sau'f u wuz mae'uz,] she tore about as if
she were mad. See So, THOFF.
\YEST SOMERSET WORDS. 693
SOFT [satrf], adj. i. Muddy; swampy; soft ground is boggy,
marshy ground.
I count you'll vind thick road purty soft to your corns, nif you
baint a-stogged. This is supposed to be humorous.
'Tis all soft ground 'long tap the hill.
2. adj. Half-witted.
Poor bwoy ! he's soft.
Soft ! what do you mean ? Why he an't a-got all his buttons — •
put in wi' the bread and a-tookt out wi' the cakes like.
SOG. See Zoo.
SOIL [sauyul], v. and sb. Hunting. A hunted deer always
makes for water to lie down in. He is then said " to soil," or to
"take soil11 in such a stream. When he leaves the water he
breaks soil.
Up to Bradley, and soiled in Col. Thornton's pond, where the leading hounds
again viewed him. Records N. Dfv. Staghounds, p. 57.
When a deer takes water he is said technically to "soil," and the place where
he indulges in the luxury of his bath is called his "soiling pit," or "soiling
pool." Collyns, Chase of the Wild Red Deer, p. 55.
He has refreshed himself in the deep pool close to the spot where he took
soil. Ibid. p. 141.
unless the hounds are watched and hunted with great care, the point where
the animal has broken soil — that is left the water — may be missed and the day's
sport destroyed. Ibid. p. 96.
it not unfrequently happens that the cunning animal has merely soiled when
he entered the stream, and then back it on his foil, and laid fast in the covert.
Ibid. p. 137. See HIT IT.
SOLDIERS [soa'jurz]. The stem and seed-pod of the cock-
grass. Plantago Lanceolata. Children get these soldiers and
make them fight until the, head of one or the other is knocked off.
SOLID [saul'eed], adj. Grave ; sad ; depressed in spirits.
Jinn, what's the matter way thee? thee's look so solid's old
Time.
SOLOMON'S SEAL [saul-umunz sae'ul], sb. The flower
Convallaria Polygonatum.
SO LONG! [zoa- hurng !] interj. Used as a valediction.
"Well then, zo long!" is a very common form of saying good-bye.
Sometimes it is "Good-bwye, zo long!11 The idea seems to be
until we meet again, and if so, is but a variant of the com. phr.
" Well then, till I zee-ee ageean ! " Zo long is mostly used in East
Somerset, especially about Bruton, but is heard occasionally in
the West.
In the train at Castle Gary I saw a young man, who came to see
694 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
another off; as the train started he merely said to his friend " zo
long!" — July 17, 1887.
SOMAT [zaunrut], sb. Somewhat ; something.
[Wuul, soa'us ! aay ziim tiiz piirdee nuy tuym vur tae'u zauwut
t-ai-t,] well, soce ! (q. v.) I think it is pretty nigh time for to have
something to eat.
SOME [sairm, zairm], adj. Used constantly for some persons.
Very commonly followed by o'm — i. e. of them.
Some do it and some don't. I baint same's some o'm, all vor
therzul, I baint. Some dm baint never plased 'thout they've a-got
it all there own farshin'.
SOME WAY [saunv wai, zaunr wai], adv. Somehow. (Always.)
[Aay spoa'uz mus maa'ch ut zaunr wai ur nuudrrur,] I suppose
I must contrive it somehow or other.
SON OF A BITCH [suun- uv u birch]. This and son of a
whore are about the commonest epithets of quasi abuse. Perhaps
they hardly amount to abuse, and are no more than coarse
colloquialisms, like Shakespeare's "w/wreson." See OSBIRD.
SOOK, SOOKY [seo'k, zeo'kee],/r. n. Susan.
SOONDER [zeo'ndur], comp. adj. Sooner; rather. (Usual
form.) See D. i.
I'd zoonder be a-transported'n ever I'd live way jis drunkin,
holler-mouthed old fuller's he.
SOONY [zeo'nee], v. i. To swoon; to faint — less com. than
to drap away.
Hon they told her eens he was dead, her zooned right away, poor
soul, her did.
A wel fair knijt was Firumbras : ounarmid wan he lay,
Ac ys Fysage al discolourid was : for is blod was gon away ;
Thre sijjes a soitnede afforn hem J>ere ; for angwys of ys wounde.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1078.
SORE [zoa'ur], adj. Displeased ; annoyed ; angry.
[Ee'z tuurbl zoa'ur baew'd ut, aay shoa'r-ee ; neef lin'eebau'dee
du tuul' oa ut, uuiree wau'n wuurd, dhu faaf-s een dhu vuyur
turaak'lee,] he is terrible sore about it, I assure ye ; if one does but
speak of it, only one word, the fat is in the fire directly.
SORE FINGER [zoa'ur ving'ur], sb. Need; time of need.
I did-n want-n, but I thort I'd put-n away ; he'd sure to come
vur a zore vinger.
We'll keep back zome o' thick heap o' dressing for a zore vinger
• — i. e. in case we should require it. — Nov. 1879.
The expression in the dialect has the precise force of " putting
aside for a rainy day."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 695
SORREL [sauryul], adj. and sb. The yellowish red colour of
some horses; light chestnut.
SORT [soa-urt], v. i. and reft. To consort; to associate.
I never don't try vor to sort wi' my betters ; anybody's sure to
vind out eens they be welcome zo long's they be a-wanted, and nit
a minit arterwards.
SOT [zairt, sau-t], /. /. and p. p. Set and sat.
I've a.-zot vower snaps vor thick there want, but he's to
knowin' vor me.
I sot down 'pon the zettle, an' I s'pose I must a.-zot there dree
parts of a nower.
Wen Varmer Jan Vaggis, an Vrends, wis a zot
A smoakin thare backy, an zoopin thare pot. — Nathan Hogg, p. 47.
SOUND [saewn(d], adj. i. Perfect in every respect, especially
in health and constitution. Used much in dealing for stock of
all kinds. Of sheep the meaning is tech. free from coe.
I don't much like the look of those sheep. Don'ee, sir? I'll
war'n 'em soun's a bell.
" Sound as a bell " is the regular superlative absolute. See W.
S. Gram. p. 25.
2. adj. Applied to land. Dry in subsoil. Unsound land is
that on which sheep become coed (q. v.).
Don't you think nothin' o' thick there farm — he idn sound.
Wanted, good sound keep for sheep ; also several tons of mangold or swedes.
F. Haskings, Washfield Mills. — Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 2, 1886.
SOUR [zaawur], adj. Applied to land. Cold; infertile; wet
in subsoil.
Thick field o' groun's so zoitr, can't do nort way un ; anybody
mid strive then heart out,, and he'd on'y bring 'em in debt.
SOUR-DOCK [zaawur-dauk], sb. Sorrel. Rumex acetosa.
The usual name.
SOWLE [zuwl, zuwul], v. t. To handle rudely; to pull about.
The word occurs in Coriolanus, IV. v. and in the Ex. Scold. 11.
l67> 37 7> 38l» but ig now obsolescent, though its meaning would
be understood by some old people. Hal. has sole.
SPADE [spae-ud], v. I. To pare off turf with a breast-plough or
spader.
I shall have thick piece o' groun ^-spaded and a-burned, avore
he's a-ploughed up.
SPADER [spae-udur], sb. A large flat- spade-shaped knife,
having one side turned up, and having a long handle with a cross
696 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
end, a breast-plough, used for slicing turf in the process of spading
the beat. See BEAT, HANDBEATING.
SPALLIARD [spaal'yurd], sb. Espalier, a trained fruit tree.
I think, sir, we must dig up that spaliiard plum. (Always.)
SPANE [spae'un], sb. A prong of a pitch-fork.
[U vaawur sparun duung- pik,] a four-pronged dung fork. 1
SPANK [spang-k], v. t. i. To slap with the hand, always on
a particular part, understood.
Tommy, come in this moment, or I'll spank your bottom.
2. v. i. Used with along. To go at high speed.
How thick there 'oss do spank along!
Puffin' Billy's spankin along to-day then, sure 'nough !
SPANKIN [spang-keen], adj. Generally applied to horses.
Good-going ; fast in pace ; implies also power and size.
That's a spankin young horse. A fine, spankin mare.
SPANNEL [span-1], sb. Spaniel. (Always.)
Your spannel, your wife, and your vrenchnit tree
The more you beat em, the better they be.
SPAN-NEW [span'-nue1], adj. Quite new ; brand new.
Hav 'ee zeed our millerd's span-new cart? he's a-painted out
same's a callivan.
SPAR [spaa'r], sb. i. The bent split sticks, used by thatchers
to fasten the reed.
2. v. t. To fasten down thatch with spars.
Be sure 'n spar'n (the roof) well, 'tis a start place.
SPARE [spae'ur], adj. i. Slow.
Come, soce ! this yur's a ter'ble spare job, I zim. Th' old Will
Greedy's a good workman, but ter'ble spare.
He's a middlin hand like, but ter'ble spare, 't'll take'n a quarter
nower vor to turn round.
tha wut . . . bucklee, and tear, make wise as anybody passath ; but out o'
Zeert a spare Totle in enny keendest Theng. — Ex. Scold. 1. 292.
2. v. t. To sell ; to part with for payment ; rather as a favour
implied.
Please to spare mother a vard'eth o' milk.
Maister zend me down vor ax o' ee nif ee'd plase to sparer a
vew sheaves o' reed, /. e. to sell, as a favour.
SPARE-GROWING [spae-ur groa'een], adj. Slow of growth :
the usual expression applied to plants.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 69?
SPARE-WORK [spae-ur-\vuurk], sb. Work requiring much
time and patience.
'Tis spare-ivork, Mum, I 'sure 'ee : nif anybody do keep on ever
so, they can't make no speed way it ; and 'tis a ter'ble little bit vor
a day's work — said of pillow-lace making.
SPAR-GAD [spaa-r-gad], sb. Stakes of hazel or willow, suitable
to be split and made into spars. See GAD.
SPARK [spaark], sb. i. A spotted or parti-coloured bullock.
The quotation in Britten's Old Country and Farming Words, p. 1 10,
"He objects to sparks" means parti-coloured cattle. In West
Somerset and Devon nothing but lone coloured cattle of the red
Devon colour are at all approved, even a star on the forehead is
thought a blemish, and departure from the true breed.
2. sb. Tech. The small cutting stone, set in the glaziers' tool,
called " a diamond," is always the spark.
Thick dimon idn a wo'th nort, the spark o' un's a-weared out.
SPARKED [spaa-rkud], adj. Spotted, or rather parti-coloured,
as a sparked cow (usual word) — /. e. a spotted cow or one marked
in two colours ; a sparked hen, a sparked cat — /. e. a tortoise-shell cat.
Found, on November l6th, a young sparked heifer. The owner may have
the same on application to Mr. T. Musgrave, Pyrland, Tauntpn, after paying
reasonable expenses. Somerset County Gazette, Nov. 25, 1882.
An' thee must watch the sparkid hen,
Or her'll go lay astray.— Ptilman, A'. S&. p. 30. See also pp. 7, 9.
SPARKED-GRASS. Phalaris arundinacea. Same as LADY'S
GARTERS. SPARKED-HOLM [spaa-rkud-oa.'m], sb. Variegated
Holly — Ilex aquifolium. SPARKED-LAURIEL \_spaa~rkud-
lau-r-yul]. Variegated \a.vxe\—Aucubajaponica.
SPARKY [spaa-rkee], adj. Variegated. Same as SPARKED.
SPARROW-BILLS [spaaru-bee-ulz, spaa-rublz], sb. Small nails
used by shoemakers for the soles of boots ; never of cast iron.
SPARROW-BIRDS [spaaru-buurdz], sb. Geranium Robertianum.
See ARE-RABBITS.
SPARROW-GRASS [spaaru-graa-s], sb. Asparagus. (Always.)
SPARTICLES [spaartikulz], sb. Spectacles.
There now, I've a-tor'd my sparticles in two pieces.
SPAT [spaat], ». /. and /. To spit. (Always.)
[Miid-n maek zu boa-1-z-t-aa'ks vur kuup- u suydur aay spoa'uz ?
aay shoa'ree aay bee dhaat druy aay keo'd-n spaat zik'spuns,] one
mi"ht not make so bold as to ask for a cup of cider I suppose? I
698 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
assure you I am so thirsty that I could not spit a sixpence.
(Com. phr.)
[Tau'mee, haut' bee yue ai'teen oa? spaat- ut aewt turaa'klee !]
Tommy, what are you eating ? spit it out directly.
It is usual to spat for luck. In a market, the luck money (q. z>.)
if handed over in coin is spat upon before being pocketed. So any
coin presented is very generally treated. Again, disgust at any bad
smell is always expressed by spitting. Curiously modern sanitarians
advise expectoration after suddenly inhaling a stench. See CUT
THE LEG.
An' there was I a-blowin', puffin',
Holl'rin, hoopin', spattiri ', snuffin',
An pad'lin' roun' about. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 34.
SPATTLE [spaat'l], sb. Spittle ; expectorated mucous.
[Aay shoa-ur ee u-z tuurbl bae'ud, liz spaai'l luyk-s au'l strae'umee
wai blid'-n kruup-shun,] I assure you he is very ill, his expectoration
is all streaked with blood and pus. Cf. CUCKOO-SPATTLE.
Ang.-Sax. spdtl. SPOTLE, idem quodSwr, supra. — Promp. Parv.
Auh ]>auh heo bispetefc hire mid hire blake spotle — Ancrcn Riwle, p. 288.
He spette into the erthe, and made cley of the spotd : and anoyntid the cleie
on hise ijen. Wyclif, John ix. 6.
SPAWL [spau'l], sb. and v. Chip from a stone ; also a place in
wood which has been roughly planed against the grain. See
SPRAWL. To peel off, or scale — said of stone.
That there stone idn no good about standin the vrost, t'll spawl
away to nothin'.
In Cornwall breaking stones is called spatting — Rev. S. Rundle.
SPALLE, or chyppe (spolle K.). Quisquilia, assula. — Promp. Parv.
SPAYART [spaayurt], sb. Hunting. Same as SPIRE. A male
deer of three years old.
SPEAK [spark], v. i. To foretell (applied to weather).
Th' ormanick spaikth o' vrost and snow out in May, but I hope
t'ont come true, else t'll be a bad job 'bout the taties.
This here misk do spaik dry weather.
Theck whis'lin' wind an dret'ning sky
Speyftd raayn, ver now da wetty vast. — Pultnan, Rus. Sk. p. 14.
SPEAR [spee'ur], sb. In malting or other germination of grain,
the spear is that sprout which develops into the future stalk, as
distinct from the shoots which form rootlets ; these proceed from
the opposite end of the grain. To watch and to check at the right
moment the growth of this spear is one of the most delicate and
skilful points in malting.
SPYRE, or corne or herbe. Hastula. — Promp. Parv.
Shal neuere spir springen vp • ne spik on strawe curne. — P. Plow. xm. 180.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 699
SPEER [spee-ur], v. i. Generally followed by into or about. To
pry, spy, ferret, search out by inquiry ; to watch.
That's who 'twas, safe enough ! I year'd how th' osbird had a-bin
speerin about down there, damn un !
Ang.-Sax. spirian, to inquire, to track.
J>ai toke J>air gesting in ]>e tun, •
And spird \\\m. efter vp and dun.— Cursor Miituli, Magi, 1. 71.
SPELL [spuul], sb. A tale ; a story ; a narration.
Paason gid us a goodish spell ta-day. Hence Gospel, &c.
Pulman, It. Sk. p. 141.
SPENSES [spai-nstiz], sb. pi. Expenses. (Very com.)
For ill. see OVERDROW. This is not merely a modern contraction.
Ne he ne berefc no garsum bute gnedeliche his spense, ne clones noufcer, bute
one >eo )>et he haueS neod to. Anrren Riiule, p. 350.
SPENSE ; vbi expense — Cath. Ang.
Hiren false confessouris wi> grete spensis ]>at leden hem faste to helle.
Wydif, Works, p. 186.
SPEWY [spyue-ee], v. i. i. To vomit.
'Twas a breath, sure 'nough ; nif I wadn fit to spewy.
2. adj. Wet ; undrained. Spewy ground is when water seems
to ooze out at the surface.
Thick there vive acres is a nasty spewy sort of a field, he lies
zour and wet like.
SPICKET [spik-ut], sb. Spigot; a wooden tap, of which the
pin is made to screw in, and so close the fawcet. It is used chiefly
in brewing (at home) to draw off the wort from the " keeve."
Usually called [pain'un spik'ut,~] pen and spigot.
SPICKETTY [spik-utee], adj. Speckled ; spotted. The word
implies much smaller spots than sparked. The eggs of thrushes,
robins, &c. are spicketty, while variegated plants are mostly sparked.
They there spickctty Bramahs be the best sort o' -vowls.
SPILE [spuyul], v. t. To steal liquor by boring a small hole
into the cask, and afterwards stopping it with a peg. This very
common theft is usually made undiscoverable by driving up one
of the hoops of the cask, and then boring the hole on the spot,
which will be covered by replacing the hoop.
SPILL [spee-ul],^. i. Spindle. Any arbor or axle upon which
a wheel revolves, as " the spill of a wheel-barrow."
[Aay mus ae'u nue1 spee-ul tu mee kwee'ul tuurn, ee'z prau-pur
u-wae-urd aewt,] I must have a new spindle for my quill turn, it is
entirely worn out. See WORRA.
700 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. A flower or seed stalk. Cabbages, rlnr>arb, and other
vegetables frequently throw up seed stalks instead of the desired
esculent ; in such case they are said " to run to a spill"
'Tis a thing what drows up a gurt long spill same's a flappy-dock.
This description would apply to numerous plants.
SPILL-MORE [spee-ul-moa-ur], sb. A tap-root. (Always.)
That tree is dead then, after all our trouble. Well, sir, he 'ad'n
a-got hardly any mores at all, he run'd straight down to a spill-more ;
I was afeard about'n when we took'n up.
SPILL OF A TONGUE [spee-ul uv u tuung-], sb. The tongue
proper of an animal, with the root cut off. A butcher will refuse
to sell the spill alone.
Nif I cuts off the spill o' un, what be I'gwain to do way all the
root?
SPIN [spee'n; /. /. spee'nd; /. /. u-spee'nd], v. t. Spun and
span are unknown, but I am beginning to hear spund and a-spund.
And thee must mine the hank o' yarn
That I Sfintfd yesterday. — Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 30.
SPINE [spuyn], sb. Turf; sward. (Always.)
They bullicks did'n ought to be in there this weather, they'll
tread the spine jis the very same's a ploughed field.
SPINE-FIELD [spuyn-fee-ul], sb. A pasture field.
SPINE-PORK [spuyn-pau-rk], sb. The meat of small pigs, on
which the bacon is left with the skin ; hence the " crackling."
They be to big vor spine-pork, and they baint big enough vor
bacon-pigs.
SPINER [spuynur], sb. i. Part of a sull. A kind of bent
knife, fixed close to and in the same line as the coulter, when
ploughing grass land. The object is to cut the surface turf or
spine in such a way that all grassy edges may be completely buried
by the " turnvore." Called in Sussex skim coulter. See Parish.
2. A kind of flat spade for cutting turf for lawns.
SPINNING-TURN [spee-neen-tuurn], sb. Spinning-wheel.
Same as QUILL-TURN (q. v.).
SPIRE [spuyur], sb. Hunting. A male deer of three years
old. See Bow, BROCKETT, SPAYART.
SP1RRITY [spuuritee], adj. Lively; active; spirited.
Her's a spirrity sort of a maid. So spirrity's a young colt.
SPIRT-NET [spuurt-nut], sb. A kind of fishing net, used in
the pools of rapid streams. It is a shallow bag in shape, tapering
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 7OI
off to what is called a "purse" [puus], made with a much finer
mesh. The net is firmly attached to two strong staves about seven
feet long, and reaches about half the length of the poles. These
are united at one end by a chain about five or six feet long, to
which also the bottom of the net is made fast, while the top of
the net is strengthened by a strong cord, corresponding to the
chain at the bottom. Two men are required to use it. One
holding each pole keeps the net nearly upright with the chain
stretched at the bottom of the pool. In this position it is drawn
through the water towards the stump or overhanging bank, which
forms the "hover," where the fish at once take shelter. Each
man then pokes under the bank, disturbing and fouling the water,
and at the same time brings his pole towards that of his partner.
In this way the fish are disturbed, and at once dart outwards, and
so into the purse. As soon as the staves are, in this fashion,
brought together, both men raise the ends of their poles at the
same moment, and lift the four sides of the net out of water.
This is a most destructive implement in moderately sized streams.
Called also two-stave net.
SPIT [spiit], v. t. i. To dig with a spade.
Maister, nif I was you I'd have thick there splat o' groun' a-jr///.
Well, what is 'er a wo'th to sfittitt ?
Also used for extracting the stump of a tooth.
The gap-mouth fool, that ever I should zay zo, brok'n (the
tooth) right off, an' zo I was a-fo'ced t'ab'm &-spit out.
2. sb. A spade's depth in the ground.
I'll have that spot turned up two spits deep.
3. A shovelful.
Here, drow up a spit o' dirt tap o' this [dhee'uz yuur] layer.
SPITTER [spufur], sb. A tool like a chisel, with a long handle
— used for weeding. Called also, though seldom, a spud.
SPITTING [spiifeen], sb. Very slight rain.
Mary, is it raining? Well, mum, 'tis and eet 'tid'n, eens mid
zay ; 'tis jist a little spittirf like.
SPITTY [spxifee], v. i. To dig ; to be capable of being dug.
This yer ground do spitty shocking bad, I could'n sar my wages
to it in a shillin' a yard.
SPLAT [splaaf], sb. i. Plot.
Well, Thomas, I zee you've a-got a rare splat o' peas up there
in thick nappy field.
I an't a zeed no fineder splat o' taties de year.
Allotments are called garden splats [gyuurdn splaat's].
702 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. Row — in "splat o' pins," i.e. a row in one of the folded
papers in which pins are stuck.
3. Plait, or length of plaited straw.
This straw hat would look better with more brim — I'll have
another splat put on.
SPLATTER-DASHERS [splaatur-daarshurz], s6. i. Leggings ;
gaiters.
2. Same as GAMBADERS.
SPLINE [spluyn, splee'un], sb. A grudge ; ill-feeling ; malice.
Her on't niver go aneas'n no more ; why her've a-got that splint
agin un, I ver'ly b'lieve her'd kill'n, nif her could.
SPLIT [spleet], v. i. and sb. i. To quarrel.
They bin so thick's thieves all along gin now, and now they've
&-split, I count vor good an' all.
2. To run ; to go quickly.
The boys split off purty quick hon they zeed me, and I hurn'd
too, so vast as ever I could split, but I could'n catch 'em.
Wi' tha same tha splettest away — down the Pennet — hilter skilter — as if tha
Dowl had ha' be in tha Heels o' tha. Ex. Scold. 1. 171.
SPLIT AND DAB [splee't-n dab']. See DAB.
SPOIL-IRE [spwauyul-uyur]. Spoil-iron. A cant name for a
blacksmith, like "saw-bones" or "gally-pot" for a doctor.
SPONGE [spuun'j], sb. In baking it is usual to mix over-night
one half of the flour to be baked next morning, and in this portion
to place the requisite quantity of yeast for the 'entire "batch."
The flour thus mixed is kneaded much "slacker" (q. v.} than is
required for the dough, but this is to allow it to "rise," or pro-
perly ferment, by the morning. This first or highly leavened
portion is called " the sponge," and to [ziit dhu spiiun-j^ " set the
sponge " is to insert the right quantity of barm, according to the
kind of flour, the temperature or the state of the weather, and is
the most delicate operation in preparing the bread. In the early
morning the rest of the flour is wetted and kneaded much
"tighter" than the sponge was done over-night, and all is then
broken down, or thoroughly incorporated together into the great
mass of dough from which the loaves are made.
[Mae'ustur d-au'vis ziit du spuun'j uVzuul' ; ee oa'un nuvur
laet noa'un u wee1 ticlv oa ut,] master always sets the sponge
himself; he will never allow any of us to touch it. See RISE.
SPORT [spoo'urt], v.i. Fish are said to "be sporting" when
they jump out of the water; also when they bite or take the bait
freely.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
703
SPOT [spaut], sb. Applied to land or crops. A small piece ;
a small enclosure ; a plot.
There's a plenty o' dung vor to dress over thick spot o' groun'.
Your spot o' taties lookth well.
SPOTTY [spaufee], adj. Uneven— said of crops which are
not equal in all parts of the field.
Turmuts be ter'ble spotty about; I don't ver'ly b'leive there idn
a suant field in the parish.
SPRANK [sprang-k], v. t. i. To sprinkle; to water with a
watering-pot — arroser. (Always.)
Harry, mind you sprank they plants well.
For it meltej) in fuyre, and Iepe|> and sprankdelh in water.
Roll's Series. Trevisa, Ifigden, lib. i. p. 319.
2. sb. A sprinkling ; a watering.
I gid 'em a bit of a sprank s'mornin'.
SP.RANKER [sprang-kur], sb. A watering-pot. (Always.)
Thick spranker's a-brokt, he on't hold water ; there's another in
the linhay.
SPRANKTNG [sprang'keen], sb. Watering; sprinkling.
There on't be no strawberries nif we don't gee 'em a good
sprankiri, and 'tidn not a bit o' use 'thout they be downright
a-zoak like.
SPRAWL [sprau'l], v. t. i. In carpentry — to cause roughness
by planing against the grain.
Dis'n zee thy plane's to ronk — how he's ^.-sprawling the work ?
Same as SPAWL, and more usual.
2. sb. A thick rough shaving ; also a chip of a stone or brick.
A mason would say to his labourer — Here, hand up a vew
sprawls, wi't.
3. sb. Agility; power of quick motion ; spring.
When 1 be a-tookt like this in my back, I an't a bit o' sprawl
in the wordle — nif I was vor to slip ever so little, down I must go.
SPRAWLS [spraa-lz], sb. See STRADDLES.
SPRAY [sprar], v. i. To become rough and sore with cold
or wind. This word does not mean " to become chapped." See
FLY-ABROAD.
I don't like this wind at all, it makes my face spray so. " My
hands are all sprayed, and as rough as a rasp," would be said by
educated persons.
SPREADER [spraed-ur], sb. The stretcher used to keep apart
he chain traces of a string horse. (Always.)
7O4 \\EST SOMERSET WORDS.
SPRIG [sprig], sb. i. A small brad or headless nail. (Always.)
2. v. t. To fasten or nail on with sprigs.
'Tidn no good vor to glue un, you must sflrig'n on.
SPRING-BUTTON [spring'-buufn], sb. and adj. Small beer;
thin swipes ; twopenny ale. So called because it may be drank
till the buttons fly off before it will take effect on the head.
Often called Tib.
SPRINGLE [spring-1], sb. A snare for birds, made with a
pliant stick and a noose.
SPRONG [sprairng], sb. Prong. (Always.) Same as SPANE,
but less common.
One o' the sprongs is a-brokt out o' the dung clow.
SPRUNGED [spruung-d], /. /. of to spring; p.p. [u-spruung'd].
Well, I sprunged up purty hearty like, and zaid to the maidens,
" Look-ee there now ! I've a-brokt my leg, darn'd if I an't ! "
The stale o' thick pick idn a-brokt, he's on'y &-sprung\L See
W. S. Gram. p. 48.
SPRY [spruy], adj. Active ; energetic ; nimble and strong.
I told Jim Roe nif a didn 'ook it, I'd kick 'is ass. What dids !
How many o' thee? Why Jim's a spry feller, mind — he'd purty
quick kick thine. See Ex. Court. 11. 579, 581.
SPUDDLE [spuud-1], v. t. To stir; to turn over; to dig about.
I asked an old man, for whom I wanted to find a job, if he
could pull down a certain piece of hedge. He replied :
[Ee's, aay spoo'uz aay keod spuud'l daewn dhik1,] yes, I suppose
I could (even with my strength) stir that down. His use of the
word implied that he was not able to do more than stir the earth
about — not dig it.
So a hen is said to "spuddle over the dowst" to find "meat"
for her chicken.
Pulman says a person fond of poking the fire is called a " Vire-
spuddle."
Hal. is quite wrong in connecting this very common word with
embers. No doubt the following is his authority.
Vor when tha shudst be about tha Yeavling's Chuers, that wut spudlee out
the Yemors, and screedle over mun. Ex. Scold. 1. 223.
SPUDDLING [spuud'leen], sb. Struggling.
I thort I yeard a brave spuddlirf like ; but lor ! I never thort
nort 'bout what was gwain on.
SPUDDLY [spuud'lee], v.i. To struggle; to kick; to resist
capture; to move quickly; to be busy in a trifling, useless way.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 705
[Tak'n aa*t-n een dh-ai'd — doa'un lat dhu poa'r dhing spuud'lee
sae'um-z dhaaf uz,] take and knock it on the head — do not let
the poor thing keep struggling like that.
Come now ! 'tidn no use vor thee to spuddly ; I shall on'y hold
thee the tighter.
An old farmer, asked how he amused himself, said, " There I do
spuddly about like, so well's 1 can ; and I do zee the things (cattle),
and look arter the yokes mornin' times like."
"Look sharp'm spuddly along !" is a common exhortation to be
quick.
SPUNKY [spuungkee], adj. Spirited; courageous; brave.
He's a spunky sort of a chap, mind; he on't stand no nonsense.
SPUR [spuur], v. t. To spread abroad or scatter, as manure
over a field. (Lat. spargere.} Comp. SPURING-BOARD.
Joe mus' g'out'n spur that there dressin'. See STRAWS.
An' he 'od work, an' luoad, an' shoot,
An' spur his heaps o' dung ar zoot. — Fitlman, R. Sk. p. xxx.
SPUR-POST [spuur-paus], sb. A short, stiff piece of wood
sunk in the ground alongside a post, and firmly nailed to it, so
as to give it strength and stiffness.
SPURING-BOARD [spuureen-boo-urd]. The usual low wooden
partition in a barn, which bounds the "vloor" on each side, and
separates it from the "pool" or "zess." The use is to prevent
the grain from being scattered in process of hand thrashing.
to SPERRE ; clandere, prohibere (inter cludere).
to SPERRE JN ; jncludere, trudere. — Cath. Ang.
To SPARRE : Barrer. SPARRED. Barr£. — Sherwood.
To f>e tour )>er he woren sperde,
J>er he greten for hunger and cold. — Havdok, 1. 448.
SPUTE [speo-t], sb. Dispute ; contention.
[Aay bae-un gwai'n tae'u noa splo-t baewd ut, muyn; aay-d
zkrndur paay dhu muun-ee un u due'd wai ut,] I am not going
to have any quarrel about it, mind ; I would sooner pay the money
and have done with it.
SPY-POST [spuy-pau-s], sb. Direction-post. (Always.)
Keep on gin you come to a vower-cross-way, and there you'll
zee a spy -post.
In the parish of Wellington are some cottages close to a cross-way
•where there always has been a direction-post. I have always heard
of the people living in them, " He (her) do live up to Spy-post:'
SQUAB [skwaub-], sb. Term for a fat, squat figure— usually
female.
z z
706 WKST SOMERSET WORDS.
Her's a fat little squab of a thing. Hence squabby, fat, loose in
figure.
SQUAB-PIE [skwaub'-puy], sb. A very favourite dish. The chief
ingredients are meat (usually mutton, never pigeons), apples, and
onions, seasoned well with pepper and salt, and over all a thick
crust like a beefsteak-pie. The squab-pie has been celebrated by
most dialect poets. See Pulman, Rus. Sk. p. 142.
SQUACKETTY [skwaak'utee], T. i. To quack like a duck.
We be gwain t'a a change in the weather ; don't ee year how
the ducks do squacketly ? (Very com.)
SQUAILS [skwuuryulz], sb. Nine-pins ; skittles. In \V. Som.
and N. Dev. this word is commoner than skittles. They are played
in a " bowlin'-alley " [buwleen-aa'lee].
There's a cnpical alley up to Ship — hot d'ee zay to a turn
to \skwuuryulz\. Come, I'll play thee vor two quart.
SQUARE [skwae'ur], sb. A superficial measure of one hundred
square feet, as a square of flooring, thatching, roofing.
SQUARE UP [skwae-ur aup], v. i. To pay a debt.
I've a-bin to un time arter time, but he on't never square up — I
shall fo'ce to put-n into Court.
SQUAT [skwaut], v. t. i. To squeeze; to crush.
Thick there roller '11 squat it down.
Our Jack's in the hospital — he catched his hand in the drashin'-
machine and squafn. all to pieces, and the doctor zess how he's
afeard he'll be fo'ced vor to have'm a-tookt off.
2. sb. The black mark of a pinch or squeeze upon the flesh.
Zee here's a gurt squat I've a-got 'pon my vinger, eens I catch-n
in the door.
SQUATTY [skwaufee], v. i. To crouch down ; to sit on the
heels. (Very com.)
Come on ! I s'pose thee'ds squatty there in over the vire all's
day, let thee alone !
Eart squatting upon thy tether Eeend. — Ex. Scold. 1. 160.
SQUAWKY [skwau'kee], v. i. To scream ; to squeal.
Here, Jinn, take up the cheel, don't let'n bide and squawky like
that is. A cat is said to squawky at night.
SQUEAKER [skweek'ur], sb. One of a late brood of partridges
or pheasants.
SQUELSTRING [skwuul'streen], adj. Sultry ; hot ; sweltering.
Ter'ble squelstritf sort o' weather, I zim ; anybody can't do
nort, and I zweats where I Stan's.
Tlia zcdst twos squchtring and hot while'er. — Ex. Scold. 1. 276.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 707
SQUINGES [skwiitrjez], sb. Quinsy. (Very com.)
Th' 'oss is ter'ble bad, he on't ait nort; I ver'ly b'lieve he got
the squinges.
SQUINNY [skwuVee], v. i. To squint; to shut one eye; to
peep.
[Aa'y zeed dhee skwuircen raewn dhu kau'ndur,] I saw you
peeping round the corner.
SQUINNY-EYED [skwiiiree-uyd], adj. Squint-eyed; having
a squint.
A squinny-eyed old osbird, let me catch'n !
SQUIRTS [skwuurts], sb. Diarrhoea. Same as SQUITTERS.
Called also Wild-squirts.
SQUITTER [skwufur], v. t. To squirt.
What's the matter, my little man? Ugh! thick there bwoy 've
&-squittercd me all over, ugh !
SQUITTERS [skwuYurz], sb. Diarrhoea.
SQUITTERY [skwiifuree], v.f. To run out; to have violent
diarrhoea. (Said of cattle.)
Mind yerzul ! her's ter'ble bad, her'd squittery over a vive-lar'd
gate.
STADDLE [stad'l], sb. The foundation upon which a stack of
corn or hay is built up. For hay — lumber, faggot-wood, or browse
(tj. v.) are commonly used, as the object is merely to keep the hay
above the damp ground. For corn a mow-staddle (q. v.) is used.
STADDLE-STONES [stad'l-stoa-unz], sb. The short stone
columns and flat caps, upon which is placed the mow-staddh (q. v.).
The stone and cap may be likened to a tall mushroom in general
shape.
STAFF-HOOK [staa'feok], sb. A hook or sickle with a handle
five or six feet long, used for " paring " hedges.
Bob, take your staff-hook and hat along the hedge gin the
turnpike.
STAG [stag], sb. i. Hunting. A male deer of five years old.
See HART.
2. sb. A castrated bull. The term is applied to any animal
emasculated after maturity, hence a very common adj. siaggy,
which means that the animal has the appearance of having, as it is
said, "run in stones too long"—/, e. not castrated early enough.
I shall drow out thick steer, I don't like 'n, I zim he looks staggy
'bout the head.
z z 2
70S WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
3. sb. A cock ; a gander.
We must get another stag-turkey 'vore they do begin to fat 'em
for Kirsmas.
Tis time to kill up they young stags. — Aug. 1885. Said of cock
fowls.
When applied to poultry stag-bird is the usual term for a male
kept for breeding purposes.
A STAGGE : pullus. A STEGGE: ancer. — Cath. Ang. See note Ib. p. 358.
A few weeks ago we had to record that Reynard paid a visit to Mr. J. Cox's
fowl-house at Hemboiough, carrying off a fine stag turkey.
Wellington Weekly News, Dec. 17, 1885.
STAGGE RT [stag-urt], sb. Hunting. A male deer of four
years old. See SPIRE, BROCKET.
STAGNATED [staeg-nae'utud], part. adj. i. Amazed; aston-
ished.
Hon I come vor to zee how quick they can turn out a bo!t,
dread 'n all, I was downright stagnated, and I zess to my/ul s' I,
Joey, you 'ant a-larned everything not eet, not 'bout blacksmithin1.
2. Become stunted in growth.
They young things don't grow one bit, they be proper ^-stagnated.
That there tree's riglcr stagnated ; he on't never do no good,
not there.
STAG'S HORN MOSS [stag-z au-rn mau-s], sb. Lycopodinm
Clavatum; called also club-moss. It grows plentifully on Dunkery
and many other of our hills.
STAIRY [stae'uree], v. i. To be able to go upstairs. At
Clovelly, a donkey is no use unless he will stairy well. The first
question there, on treating for one, is, "Will er stairy ?" — i. e. will
he go up or down steps with a load on his back ?
STALE [stae'ul], adj. i. Applied to horses' legs; puffed and
bent with age and hard work.
Poor old 'oss, he's a-come ter'ble stale in his legs, but he's middlin'
hearty like.
2. v. i. To void urine — of horses only.
3. sb. Handle. As mop-sfa!e, pick-state, broom-sta/e. The
word would only be used for the handle of such tools as require
long stick-like ones. The long shovel of West Somerset is
exceptional, its handle is always the showl-stick.
STALKETY [stau'kutee], adv. Cautiously; in a stalking,
noiseless manner.
When shooting a covert, one of the beaters, an old farmer, said,
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 709
[Mus goo stau'kutee raewn dhee'uzh yuur kairndur, uul's dim
kauk's-1 airl urn aewt,] (we) must go carefully round this here
corner, else the cocks will all run out. — Dec. 4, 1885.
STAMP, STAMPER [staanvp], sb. A stamp, or barley stamp, is
an implement used in barns to knock off the spears or iles from the
barley grains. It is a square frame with a number of knife-like,
parallel bars fixed across it. The tool is completed by an arched
iron passing from side to side of the frame, to which is fixed an
upright, cross-headed handle. It is used by forcibly jumping it up
and down upon the heap of grain. The use of this implement is
now much declining, because in the modern process of steam
thrashing the grain is well cleared of its spear by the machine.
STANDARD [starrdurd], sb. A young tree left in a hedge or
copse when the underwood is cut ; a sapling.
STANDEL [stanl], sb. A growing stick left, in cutting a hedge,
for a standard, to grow into a tree.
Except and always reserved out of this demise .... the plantations, and
also all pollards and other trees, slips, saplings and standds.
Lease of Farm from the Author, dated Sept. 27, 1884.
STANDING [starreen], sb. i. A stall or accustomed standing-
place in a market. See SHAMBLES.
Butcher Morgan 've a-paid for a stariiri in our market 'is number
o' years.
2. Stall for horses.
So John Ve a-tookt the Dree Cups (Inn) ; I do year 'tis capical
premises [prunvuzeez], and stannins for up thirty 'osses.
STANDING-BATTLES [starreen-baa'tlz], sb. The frame, with
two long prongs at right angles, used by thatchers to stand upon
when thatching. The thatch is always first laid up at the eaves or
"office" (q. v.)} and as it advances up the roof, the thatcher needs
the stan-een-baa-tlz to give him foothold upon the new thatch.
STAND TACK [stair taak-], v. i. To undertake responsibility ;
to bear the blame.
Nif thee's break-n, I shall fo'ce to stand tack vor it.
STAND TO WORK [stair tu wuurk],//?r. To work on a farm
as an ordinary out-door labourer.
I droved th' 'osses 'pon thick farm vor dree an' twenty year, but
now I stan's to work.
STAND UP FOR [stan au-p vau'r], phr. To undertake the
office of God-parent at a baptism.
[Un-eebau-dee kaa-n stan au-p vur noa'bau'dee udhaewt dhai
bun u-beesh-up,] one cannot become G d-parent for any one unless
one has been confirmed (bishoped). ( Verbatim}.— January 1878.
7IO 'WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
STAND WORD [stan wuurd], phr. To abide by an offer, or
to keep to a bargain. See RUN WORD.
You shall have they ewes vor thirty-nine apiece, and I'll stand
word till next Monday — /. e. the offer shall remain open for your
acceptance.
STANK [stang'k], sb. A dam for keeping back or turning
water aside ; implies rather a more permanent structure than a bay.
STAP [staap1], v. t. and /". i. To stop. (Always so pronounced.)
Here, stap ! where be gwain ?
2. To reside ; to lodge.
Where do you live? Well, I staps most times to Mrs. Jeffries's
hon I be 'ome, but sometimes I don't stap no place — /. e, have no
home.
3. To stay on a visit.
That's the young lady what's stappin to the sqv.ire's.
Her bin stappin 'long way her aunt to London 's dree weeks.
STARE [stae'ur], sb. Starling. (Uncommon.)
Sight o' stares about this winter.
Stares an' villvares, snipes an' cocks,
An', vrom the no'th, gurt weeld-vowl vlocks. — Put man, Kits. Sk. p. 62.
STARE-BASIN [stae-ur-bae-usn], sb. A common epithet for a
bold impudent starer.
What do the gurt stare-basin want to bide gappin to me vor? I
bain't gwain to be a gapsnest vor she.
Wey zich a what-nosed, haggle-tooth'd, stare-bason, .... as thee art?
Ex. Scold. \. 58.
START [staa-rt], v. /". i. To run away ; to bolt off.
They zess how Jim Brown's ^-started an' let' is wive 'm chillern
'pon the parish.
2. sb. Occurrence; behaviour; "go."
Well, nif this yere idn a rum start, tell me !
3. v. t. To cause to begin.
They be gwain to start the job next Monday.
4. adj. Exposed in situation ; unprotected or unsheltered from
the prevailing winds ; bleak.
This place is so start, if you don't put up good thick walls you'll
never keep the wet out. Said to me respecting a house about to
be rebuilt on a very exposed site. — Culmstock, Oct. 1881.
STARVED [staa-rvd], part. adj. Withered; benumbed;
perishing with cold.
.My hands be ^.-stan'cd wi' the cold.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 7 1 I
STARY [stae-uree], v. i. i. To stand out prominently; to be
conspicuous.
Now the field's a-ate down tight, the [duyshlz] thistles do stary
mainly I zim.
2. adj. and v. /. Applied to animals' coats : rough, standing
up ; the opposite of sleek.
The coat o' un's so starts a hedgehog ; I never didn zee un
lookin' zo bad avore, and this here cold wind makth 'n stary wis'n
he wid else.
They bullicks do stary maainly in their jackets; is the hay
fousty ? See STIVER.
3. adj. Conspicuous ; prominent ; loud in colour.
Ever zee zich a bonnet, he's so stary's a house a-vire.
4. adj. Threadbare. A word used technically of cloth in which
the separate threads are plainly to be seen.
STATY [stae-utee], adj. Of cows— heavy in calf. In constant
daily use.
Sam, urn out arter the cows ; mind you don't hurry the old Gipsy,
'cause her's gettin' staty. — Farmer's wife, October 1883.
STEAD [stud, stid], adv. Instead.
Stid o' gwain home, nif he didn bide in to Barley Mow gin ten
o'clock o' nait.
STEADY [stiid'ee], adj. i. Applied to persons— correct in
morals.
He's a steady young fellow, I never didn year nothin' by un.
2. Industrious ; persevering.
Steady chap, always to work, honever I do go 'long.
STEEFLE [stee-fl], v. t. To stifle. (Always.)
Jim, sprank a drap o' water, thee art makin' smeech enough to
steefle the devil. The latter one of the commonest of sayings.
STEEHOPPING [stee-aupeen], pres. part. Gadding about
gossiping from house to house. Usually applied to women, but not
always. Not used in any other sense. (Com. in Hill dist.)
[Uur-z au'vees u stee-aupeen ubaewt ; bad'r flit uur-d buyd au-in
un muyn ur aevvz, sae'um-z aay bee u-foo'us tue,] her is always
a steehopping about; better fit her would abide at home and
mind her house, same as I be forced to.
In itself equivalent to wayfaring, though strictly limited in
meaning. Stee or sty alone = way or ladder, are quite unknown
at present in the south.
Hare's net as zome Giglets, ... oil vor Gamboyling, Rumping, Stceheppitig,
and Giggleting. £x. Court. 1. 566.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
STEEN [stee-n], v. t. i. To build up without mortar the
circular wall of a well. Only word used in this district.
A man bargaining to sink a well (May 1885), said, "Tis a wo'th
a sovereign to steen un up ; " and again, "If I've a-got good stones,
I'll steen un up well, and make a downright good job o' un."
2. To put fresh metal on a road.
I do want to lodge a few stones 'gin your hedge, vor to steen
Foxydown Hill way.
STEENING [stee-nin], sfi. i. The walling of a well.
When come to go down to zee what 'twas, there was vive or zix
voot o* the steenirf a-rused in an' a-brokt the pipe.
2. The metal fresh laid on a road.
This yur steeniri* so rough's a baich — 'tis enough to tear th'
'osses' hearts out.
STEEP [stee'p], v. t. To stoop ; to tilt a cask. The common
use of this word is in the gerund.
[Bee shoa'ur dhee'uz yuur auk'sid u suydur ud'-n u-kau'm tu
stecpfen u-raed'ee !] to be sure this hogshead of cider is not come
to stooping already !
STEER [stee-ur], adj. Steep; abrupt in declivity. Applied to
land this word is far commoner than stickle.
Can't never do much way tillin' thick field, he's so steer.
The road's so steer's the roof of a house.
STEERT [stee-urt], sb. i. Tech. A short, thick nail, head
square and countersunk — used to drive through and fasten the
strakes of a heavy cart-wheel. ? Ang.-Sax. steort, stert, a tail.
2. A large nail of any kind.
STEEVE [stee'v], v. t. To stiffen ; to benumb ; to freeze ; to
make stiff — now mostly used of cold or frost.
My 'ands be proper ^.-sleeved ; we an't a-'ad no sich weather's
this yur, nit's longful time.
)>e hole sunne hade so hard • £e hides sfiaed,
])at hire comli closing — Will, of Palcrtne, 1. 3033.
Ad ! tha wet be mickled and a steevd wi' tha Cold vore T'Andra's Tide.
Ex. Scold. 1. 276.
STEEVY [stee-vee], v. i. To remain close shut up and hot ;
to stew. The mash in brewing is said to steevy.
They widn undo none o' the winders tho, and we was a-fo'ced
to bide there and steevy, till I thort we should a-bin a-steefled.
Let 'em bide and steevy in th' oven gin he's cold — /. e. the oven
is cold.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 713
STENT [stai-nt], v. t. i. To stop by force of inertia, as of
horses unable to move their load. Near my house is a heavy
incline on the railway, and some years ago, when engines were
less powerful, the trains (especially goods) used frequently to come
to a standstill. The common remark was constantly, "Puffin'
Billy's Si-stented agee-an."
The piece was s'heavy and the ground so soft, darned if we wadn
proper &-stented. Said of a " plough " unable to move a tree.
You zee nif thick there bottom don't stent all the hosses you've
a-got.
They seide to hym softeliche ' ' ' cesse shulle we nevere ;
Til mede be }>y wedded wyf • ne woll we nought stynti." — Piers Plow. III. 165.
he dared as doted man • for }>e bestes dedes,
& was so styf in a studie • ]>at non him stint mijt.
William of Pakrme, 1. 4055 (used many times by him).
And of that cry ne wolde they never stettten,
Til they the reynes of his bridel henten. — Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 1. 45.
take hede ]>at ]>e sonne stynte\ twyes a Jere. — Trevisa, lib. i. p. 329.
Outher such word he ]>e sent i ]>at he nel neuere a-sfynte,
Or he J>e habbe wy|> strangle y-hent '. outlier slawe )>e with swerdes dynte.
Sir Femmbras, 1. 1842.
2. v. t. To cause to cease to grow — not used in the ordinary
sense of to stunt.
That there rape don't grow one bit, they there vrosty mornins
'ave proper ^.-stented it.
STEM [stuirr], sb. A long handle. Same as STALE 3. Pipe-
stcm (always), pick-s/em, rake-^w.
STEPSES [staep-sez], sb. Pair of steps ; step-ladder.
Here, Tom, urn in arter the stepscs, 1 baint talld enough vor to
raich up.
STEWARDLY [stue'urlee], adj. Like a good steward ; careful;
deft. Her's a proper stewarly sort of a umman, her is.
tha stewarliest & vittiest Wanch that comath on tha Stones o' Moulton, no
Dispraise. Ex. Courtship, 1. 569.
STICK [stik], sb. i. A tree considered as timber.
That's a fine stick; why he'll girt (q. v.) purty nigh two voot.
What d'ye plase t'ax vor thick there stick of elem what hangs out
over the road? I widn mind drawing o' un vor the tap.
2. Put the stick about the back. The commonest threat of
mothers to children older than infants, which, being seldom carried
into execution, has consequently become a mere figure of speech,
no more heeded that if not uttered.
Tommy, come in tor'acly, else I'll put the stick about your back.
714 UKST SUMKKSliT WORDS.
3. v. t. Tech. by carpenters. To form a bead or moulding.
A man repairing another's bad work, said of some window-sashes,
[Way aa'yd chaup* um aewt wai u eo'k, un stik' um wai u
boo'urd-naa'yul bad'r-n dhnat dhae'ur ai'z,] why I would chop them
out with a hook, and stick them with a board-nail better than that
there is. To " stick a bead " or " mould " is always said.
STICKING-PIECE [stik-een-pees], sb. Tech. The part of the
neck of a bullock near where the knife entered — usually dis-
coloured with blood and sold for gravy-beef.
STICKING-PLACE [stik-een-plae-us], sb. The point in an
animal's throat where the knife is stuck. This varies in each kind
of animal.
STICKLE [stik-1], sb. i. A shallow part of a river, where the
water runs rapidly.
That's a rare stickle vor fish.
Raanges deep, an' stickles sharp —
An' in 'em all be lots o' vish. — Pultnan, Rus, Sk. p. 5.
2. adj. and adv. Steep.
Thick roofs to flat — he idn stickle 'nough.
Hence the frequent name " stickle-\>a.\\\"
Applied to water, the effect of a steep course, rapidity is the
meaning. " The river urns stickle all the way from Withypool to
Exebridge " — /. e. follows a steeply declining course, and so runs
rapidly.
STID [stud1], v. i. i. To think; to study. One of the words
in which the literary ending in y is dropped. Cf. CAR, SLIPPER, &c.
" Whatever I shall do I can't think nor stid!" is a most common
exclamation.
2. sb. Gloomy contemplation ; absence of mind ; brown-study.
What's the matter, Jane ? you be all to a stid.
The maid lookth to be in a riglur stid.
Summe swymmed J>er-on pat saue hemself trawed,
Summe styje to a stud & stared to heuen. — E.All. Poems, Cleanness, 1. 388.
3. Scheming ; design.
All he's stid is how to get most money vor little work.
STILING-IRE [stuyleen-uyur], sb. (Not com.) The instrument
used in ironing linen. To stile is now obsolete.
Tha hasn't tha Sense to stile thy own Dressing. — Ex. Scold. 1. 274.
STILL [stee'ul], adv. i. Used peculiarly to give a frequentative
or persistent force to a verb.
A servant speaking of some logs of a wood fire, said, "They'll
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 715
still moulder for days," meaning, they will keep on smouldering for
days. Used, much in the same way, redundantly.
2. [stil], sb. Com. pron. of steel.
I mus' 'ave my bisgee fresh a lined — the still o' un's all a-weared
back.
Crete slabbes of styl & yre f to ]>e wnlles )>o wern y-slente ; — Sir Per. 1. 3313.
STILL-LIQUORS [stce-ul-lik-urz]. Home-made illicit spirits.
An auctioneer selling an iron crock, said, "This is the thing
they make what they call still-liquors in down in Devonshire — must
take care you baint a-catcht though." — July 8, 1886.
STILL-WATERS [stee-ul-wau-drz], sb. A spirit illicitly distilled
from cider-dregs. Some fifty years ago the practice was very
commonly pursued, and the process is described by Pulman. I
too have often tasted " necessity," as it was sometimes called, but
cannot say that anything short of what the name implies would
lead me to swallow it. Now the reduction of duty and activity
of the excise have put an end to still-wafers, so that a cider-still
could only be found among the lumber of very old farm-houses.
I have seen several much more elaborate than the rough apparatus
described by Pulman (Rustic Sketches, p. 143).
STYLLYN, or sty He watery s. Stilla, instillo. — Pronip. Parv.
STILLURS [stuTurz], sb. Steelyards. Var. pron., less com.
than \stitl'iurdz\. Plase to len' father your stillurs.
STING-NETTLE [sting'-nufl], sb. (Always.) Urtica dioica.
The word nettle alone is not used.
Sting-nettles a-bwoiled's a fine thing vor young turkeys.
STINK-ALOUD [sting-k-ulaewd], v. i. To smell strongly.
I shan't never be able not to get this cask sweet, he sti/iks aloud.
STINKARD [stingkurd], sb. A dirty, stinking fellow.
You never can't let no jis beastly old stinkard's he not come
into your 'ouse.
STINK-HORN [sting-k-aurn], sb. A common fungus, oftener
called zog. See Zoo i. Phallus impudicus.
STINT [stun-t], sb. i. Allowance of work. In certain trades
where piece-work prevails, and work is short, it is usual to limit
each man to a certain fixed quantity, to be done in the week, and
no more. This quantity is called the stint. (Very com.) Closely
allied to- stent, yet not the same word.
2. v. t. To arrange that only a certain quantity of work shall
be done.
The spinners be all ^-stinted to two scarms a day.
716 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
STIRRUP [stuurup], sb. i. A shoemaker's strap, with which he
keeps the last firm upon his knee. Hence the stale joke of "a
pennorth o' stirrup oil at the cobbler's," which has got corrupted
into "strap oil."
2. Tech. a bent iron used in building some kinds of roof, by
which the " zide-timbers " (purlines) are supported. The word
is in common use for any kind of iron fixed so as to act as a
pendant support.
STIRRUP-IRE [stuurup-uyur], sb. The steel bow hanging
from a saddle, as distinct from the stirrup, which includes the
leather strap.
STITCH [stee-ch], sb. and v. A shock or stook of ten sheaves
of corn set up in the harvest-field. To stitchy is to set up the
sheaves, when bound, in rows of stitches.
I've a-tookt all Mr. Bird's whait to binding and stitching, and
1 count he'll have zix score stitch an acre, one way tother, vull up.
See HAT, WIND-MOW.
STIVER [stuvur], v. t., i., and sb. Applied to hair or like
substances. To cause to become rough, or to stand up in a wild
manner, like a dog or cat, which is said to " stiver up his busk "-
/. e. to cause the hair along the " busk " (back) to stand up in
anger or fear. (Very com.)
This here cold wind do stiver up the 'osses' coats, sure 'nough.
Ees, they do stivery jis the very same's a hedge -hog.
Hence from the dog's habit of raising his busk in anger at
another dog, so the word is employed in a personal sense.
My eyes ! didn 'er (he) stivery up zoon's he yeard it — /. e.
bristle up.
Nif that there on't stive^n up, why then nort on't.
Lucy, go and bursh your hair, 'tis all to a stiver, jist as off you'd
a-bin a-drag'd drue a vuz bush by the heels, 'tis sure. See STARY 2.
ripping up or round shaving wone tether, slivering or grizzling, tacking or
busking, a prilled or a muggard. Ex. Scolding, 1. 311.
STOAT [stoa'ut], sb. The ermine. Mustela erminea. No
other animal is called a stoat. Hal. is quite wrong when he says
a " polecat is called a state in Somersetshire." Both animals are
well known. Stoats are common. Sometimes pron. stot [staufj.
See FITCH.
STOCK [stauk], sb. i. Cattle ; sheep and bullocks of all kinds.
Horses are not usually included, unless in the general term
" live stock.'1
Ter'ble sight o' stock to market — an' I don't think very much
o' it's a-lef 'pon hand.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 717
2. sb. Stalk or stem of a tree ; the butt.
Tis a fine stick, sure 'nough ; but I count he's holler in the
stock.
STOCK [stauk-], v. t. i. " To stock a farm " is to place sufficient
cattle and sheep upon it.
'Tidn no use to think o' takin' a farm nif an't a-got money enough
vor to stock^n.
2. To place animals in a field for the purpose of eating the crop.
It is common to let pasture "only to be stocked" — i.e. depastured,
not to be mown for hay.
There auff to be a good shear, he (the field) an't a-bin ^.-stocked
sinze Lady-day.
And will not stock or feed the meadow or pasture lands, &c.
Lease from Author to a Farmer, dated Sept. 27, 1884.
STOCKS [stauk's], sb. The machine in which woollen cloth is
" milled " — i. e. beaten in a damp state with soap or fuller's earth
to make it shrink up to the required width and substance. Woollen
cloths are mostly woven of a far greater width than they ultimately
finish.
STOCKY [stauk'ee], adj. Thick-set; short and stout.
You must know un — stocky little fuller, all ass and pockets.
STODGE [stauj], sb. Any thick, doughy matter — mostly applied
to " spoon-meat." Probably allied to stog.
The rice-pudding is to thick, 'tis a reg'lar stodge. Hence the
adj. stodgy. Don't make the children's bread and milk so stodgy.
The word is used by educated people.
STODGED [stauj -d], adj. Full; stuffed with food.
Well, I should think thick boy's purty nigh &-stodged ; I've
a-watch-n, and told votirteen girt junks o' cake he've a-put o' one
zide, zides bread'n butter. -
STOG [staug], v. t. To stick fast in the mud.
Th' 'osses was jist &-stogged, they zinked in up over their knees.
I knovv'd you'd stog 'em thick way. You can't go thick way,
you'll be stoggedif you do. We came across the fields, and were
almost stogged. Said by a young lady. Hence stogging-y\a.ce, a
term for a spot where the mire is deep and thick. Thick there
lane's a proper sfogjin'-place. Used by all classes.
STOLD [stoa-ld], /. /. and /. /. of steal. (Always.)
Zo Tom Baffin's a-started, idn 'er? Ees, an' time vor-n to;
why he stoii a sheep vrom Mr. Lutley to Harts, an' there's a
warrant out vor-n.
I zeed th' eggs in the nest [uun-ee] only a Zinday, but gin I
passed agee-an a Tuesday they was all z-stold. — Aug. 14, 1885.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
And he vergot th' bank o' yarn,
And the puppy-dog stoFd it away ;
And he vergot the sparkid lien,
An' zo her laid astray. — Pulman^ Rns. Sk. p. 30.
STOMACH [stuunvik], sb. i. Appetite; power to brook or
endure.
I an't no stomick vor no vittles at all.
2. r. t. To endure ; to put up with ; to brook.
[Aay kaa-n stuuwik dhaat dhae'ur noa- wai'z — tiid'n z-airf nay
wuz bi-oal'deen t-ee1,] I cannot put up with that at all — it is not
as though I were beholden to him.
Hence stomachy [stuunvikee], adj. Proud; irascible ; resentful.
Ter'ble s'.omicky fuller, he is — you must'n thurt'n.
STONE-HORSE [stoa-un-airs], sb. Stallion. (Always.)
STONEN [stoa-neen], adj. Made of stone.
Tim'ern plump-trows baint much 'count ; I'd zoonder gee a little
more'n have a stonen one.
STOOD [steo-d]. P. t. and /. /. of stand, but used as a
transitive verb; to place as an obstruction.
Somebody've a-bin and a.-sfood a gurt roller right in the road.
The wagon was &-stood right in the middle o' the road.
STOOL TERRAS [steo'ul tuuruz], v. t. To stand the turves
cut for firing up on edge, so that the wind may pass through and
dry them. A common work on our Hill-country moors.
Why, 'twos thee thy own zel up to stooling o' Terras. — Ex. Scold. 1. 1 75.
STOP [staup, staap], sb. A rabbit's nest. So called because
the doe always stops or covers up the hole every time she leaves
it, until the young ones are old enough to come out.
A keeper said, "This here heavy rain 've a-killed hundids
o' young rabbits ; the stops be vull o' water."
STOP ON [staap au'n], v. i. To remain in service ; to renew
agreement for service after having given notice to leave.
Jim Giles idn comin' away arter all ; I widn stap on nif I was he.
Bide on is more common than stop on.
STOP-SHORD [staap--shoa-urd], sb. A temporary expedient ;
a make-shift ; stop-gap.
Thick old zive (scythe) mus' do vor a stap-shord, I s'pose, gin
I can meet way a better wan.
STORE [stoa-r], v. t. i. To stir. (Always.)
An old woman whom I remember well, who might have been
the prototype of Sally Brass, and who kept house for her brother,
a farmer, in the days of dear tea and sugar, was always credited
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 719
with siying to any visitors to tea, " Nif tidn zweet 'nough, soce,
store 't, there's plenty o' rnilk."
Again we have the everyday proverb as to disturbing sleeping
scandals, "The more you store 't, the wuss t'll stink."
2. sb. Stir ; disturbance ; commotion.
Of a disorderly political meeting held at Wellington, Sept.
1885, I heard it remarked, "You never didn zee no jis store in
your life, they widn let 'em zay a word."
3. sb. Story ; report ; statement ; scandal. Comp. CAR, SLIPPER.
Well, this is a purty store they've a-rosd up about her — what will
em zay next? (Very com.)
There's a store how the paa'son Ve a-vall'd out way the Squire.
STORY [stoa'ree], sb. Polite for liar — rather town dialect
among women servants.
You wicked story, you !
STRAD [strad-], sb. Stiff leathers worn over the front of the
legs (like greaves of ancient warriors) by hedgers. They are
not leggings, as they do not cover the calf. Similar pieces are
worn on the arms, and called arm-strads.
My old jacket's a-vreez'd so stiff's a strad.
This word forms the regular superlative absolute of stiff. See
W. S. Gram. p. 22.
STRADDLES [strad'lz], sb. A very common disease in young
ducks. They lose the power of walking, and their legs spread out
or straddle in opposite directions. Occasionally called the sprawls
[spraa'lz].
STRAIN [straa-yn], v. i. To distrain.
HONOURED SIR, — I am sorry to tell you that I had to strain on William
last Wednesday. I inquired to Wiveliscombe who was the best man to put in.
Letter from rent collector, Jan. 14, 1884.
STRAKE [strae'uk], sb. The wheels of heavy carts and wagons
are frequently bound, not with a single welded iron ring or tire,
but with several separate segments fixed to the "fellies" with
" steerts." These segments are always called strakes.
Also a stripe or line; a streak.
Paint a strake all along the bottom edge. Comp. Genesis xxx. 37.
I likes bacon straky, nit all fat.
STRAM [straam], v. t. and /. i. To beat with the fists,
chell baste tha, chell stram tha, chell drash tha.— Ex. Scold. 11. 94, 264.
2. v. t. To slam ; to bang with a noise.
What's stram the door like that vor?
3. sb. A lie. That's a stram, I know.
720 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
STRAME [strae'um], sb. A kind of unevenness, either in colour,
or in smoothness of surface, or texture. Suggests the idea of lines,
as opposed to mere blotchiness. See Scow.
In spreading some lime and earth upon a pasture field, a labourer
said to me, "Anybody can spur it suanter nif they do sling it;
nif anybody do jis dap it down bezide o'm 'tis sure to be all in
sf ra/fies," meaning that it would not be evenly scattered, but would
be in lines. The word is very common.
STRAMMER [straanvur], sb. A lie.
My eyemers, nif that idn a strammer !
Who told theckee slrammer?—Ex. Scold, 1. 174.
STRAMMY [straanree], v. i. To lie ; to tell fibs.
You must'n harky to all he zaith ; he can strammy^ I can tell-ee.
STRAMY [strae'umee], adj. Uneven; stripy. See STRAME.
Thick wall must be a-do'd over again, the rain have a-washed
down the fresh paint gin he's so stramfs a bed-tie.
STRANGE [stranj', not like lit. strarnj ; scmtfimts stra.e'\in'j], adj.
Shy ; reserved ; retiring.
Well, mum, her's a knowledgy maid, her is, I 'sure 'ee, on'y her's
auvis (always) so strange like way gin'lvolks.
STRANGER [stranjur], sb. A small piece of stalk floating in
the tea, which will not sink, is held to portend the arrival of a
stranger, and is always so called. Taken out of the tea and placed
wet on the back of the hand, it is struck with the back of the other
hand. If at the first stroke it adheres to the other hand the
stranger will arrive to-morrow or next day, according to the number
of strokes before it adheres to the striking hand.
STRANGLES [strang-lz], sb. Quinsy in horses.
STRAP-BOLT [straap-boa-lt], sb. Tech. A bolt with a flat
plate with holes through it instead of a head, so as to nail or
fasten it to some plane at right angles to the part or piece to be
held by the bolt.
STRAPPER [straap-ur], sb. i. An extra hand; one employed
temporarily, as in harvest-time or for thrashing.
[Aay du truy tu git drue* dhu wuurk wai mee oa'n voa'ks. Aay
bae'un fau'n u noa1 straap"urz,~\ I try to get through the work with
my own folks (/. e. regular labourers). I am not fond of temporary
helpers.
2. A big strong person. Conveys a suspicion of coarseness.
Her's a strapper, an' no mistake.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 721
STRAPPING [straap-een], adj. Used with great as an intensitivc,
implying strong, lusty, burly.
Gurt strappiri maid, fit to breed granadeers.
STRAT [straat], sb. i. A blow with the hand or fist.
[Aa-1 gidh-ee zich a straat-^ dhu chaup-s uz dhee as'-n u-ad' vor
wau-n wuyul, muyn,] I will give thee such a strat in the chops as
thee hast not had for one while, mind.
2. v. t. To smash ; to dash in pieces ; to put an end to.
Thick there job's &-strat, they on't never vind no water, and zo
I told 'em to fust.
STRAT-PIE [straat --paay], sb. A pie said to be made of little
pigs that have died at birth or before weaning. Sometimes called
"Piggy-pie." Although much talked of and joked about very
commonly, this is probably one of those myths, like mouse-pie,
which exist only in the region of romance, or at most in practical
joke. Hal. gives this as Tadago-pie. Cornw.
We've had shocking bad luck de year; never can't mind so
much strat-pie.
STRAWBERRY-TREE [stroa-buuree-tree-]. The arbutus.
The fruit of the strawberry tree is of a cold temper, hurting the stomack and
causing headache. Gerarde, Herbal, p. 1496.
STREET [strai-t], sb. Road.
A road with a few straggling houses on one side, in the parish of
Wellington, is called " Ford street" [voa'r strai-t].
STRESS [straes1], sb. and v. t. Distress for rent ; distraint.
Mr. Jones Ve a-tookt a stress vor dree quarters' rent.
Well, I be zorry vor to zee a widow umman a.-stress'd ; but her
can't never 'spect to bide there, not if her don't pay no rent.
& jif here rente be not redejy paied here bestis ben stressid & J>ei pursued
wijjouten mercy. Wyclif, Works, E. E. T. S. p. 234.
STRETCH [strach •, straaclr], v. t. "To stretch a rick" is to
cover it hastily with the reed, so as to keep off a little of the
rain, pending the proper thatching. This is very constantly done
over-night in showery weather.
Be sure'n stretch the rick 'vore you comth away.
STRETCHER [strach -ur], sb. In "making" a hedge certain
growing stakes are chopped half through, laid down lengthwise on
the hedge, and fastened down by a crook. Earth is then thrown
upon them, and they root afresh. These are the stretchers.
Hedges so made are good fences, but very bad for hunting.
I have known many horses hung up by getting the hind legs
behind a stretcher. On one occasion I remember a horse hung
.3 A
722 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
up in this way until a saw could be got to cut through the stretcher
on both sides of where his legs were held fast.
STRETCH-GALLOP [straach-gyaal-up], adv. phr. Full gallop.
(Always.)
Maister rode away stretch-gallop, I count was somethin' the
matter.
An niver ad a wurd ta zay,
Bit keep'd stratch-gallip aul tha way. — N. Hogg, p. 71.
The town was uproar'd by es coming stratch gallop up auver Anchor Hill.
Pulinan, Rus. Sk. p. 55.
STRICK [strik], sb. i. The strike or space covered in hay-
making by one stroke of the rake. See REW.
2. The stricklt or piece of straight wood used to level grain on
the surface of any measure of quantity, generally a peck. Hence
in particulars of farm sales it is usual to see " peck and strike "
[paek'n strik-]. So " j/nV/^-measure " means level, in distinction
from "heap-measure," as peas, potatoes, fruit, &c. are sold. These
differences are now for the most part being superseded by the
sale of all commodities, except liquids, by weight. Thus a bag
of apples or potatoes not only means three bushels, but that
quantity made up to a certain weight. Corn too is virtually sold
by weight, because, though nominally per bushel, it is agreed or
understood that the bushel shall weigh so many pounds, according
to the custom of the particular market.
Jennings writes this stritch; Pulman streech.
Hoc os to num. Ae strykc. — Wright's Vocab. b§\\\\.
STRIKE [struyk, strik-], v. t. i. To apply any liniment, lotion,
or ointment ; to anoint ; also to apply anything by way of charm
to a diseased part, or merely to stroke, or make passes with the
hand as in mesmeric operations. The ordinary specific for a stye
in the eye is " to strike it three times with a wedding-ring."
The mare's leg idn no better; I've a-bathe'n an' &-strookt the
place way oils, but he's a-zwell'd jis the same.
He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of his God,
and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. — II Kings v. n.
Comp. BLESS. See also Rogers, Naaman, p. 98.
2. v. i. In line fishing to give the sudden jerk needful to hook
the fish when he takes the bait.
3. v. t. To make a straight line by means of a cord, either
chalked, or as sawyers do it, wetted in lamp-black. This is oftener
called " to hat a line " — /'. e. hit.
STRING-HORSE [string--airs], sb. The leader; the horse in
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 723
any part of the team in front of the sharp-horse or wheeler. So
string-harness is that suitable for a vore-horse. See GRIPPING.
STRIP [strap-], sb. i. A blow with a stick ; a stripe.
[Gee dhik dhae'ur dairg u daewnrait geo'd sirup- ^ give that there
dog a downright good strip.
Stryppe, stroke or swappe — coup. — Palsgrave.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. — II Cor. xi. 24.
2. v. i. and tr. To rub the skin off any part of the body.
Can't think how 'tis my veet d' always strip zo bad.
I be proper z-stri/t way thick there trapes to Taan'un an' back.
STRIPE [struyp], sb. Tech. A medium quality of short or
clothing wool, clean washed with soap, and dry (or should be).
Often called Devonshire stripe.
STRIPPER [stnip-ur], sb. Tech. The smaller of each of the
pairs of rollers on a carding engine, called respectively worker and
stripper. The latter revolving at a much higher speed than the
former.
STROIL [strauyul], sb. i. Couch grass. Triticum repens.
This word is constantly applied to the white tube-like roots which
are turned up by the plough, while couch is used in speaking of
the weed generally in a growing state.
He (the field) lookth middlin' clean 'pon tap, but come to
plough un, you'll zee he's so vull o' stroil's ever he can hold.
2. sb. Dexterity; quickness of eye or limb ; agility. (Com.)
No more stroil about thee'n a jackass.
Tha hast no Stroll ner Docity, no Vittiness in enny keendest Theng.
Ex. Scold. 1. 209.
STROKE [stroa-k], v. t. To take part of the milk ; to milk
gently.
Give her this drench, and mind and stroke her every day.
Nif tha dest bet go down in the Paddick, to slroak the kee, thee wut come
oil a gerred. Ex. Scold. 1. 46.
STROOKT [streo-kt]. P. t. and /. /. of to strike, in the sense
of to anoint. See STRIKE i ; also see STRUCKT.
STROUT [struwt], sb. and v.t. i. A strut or prop. (Always so
pron.) A timber in the framing of a roof acting as a prop; to
strengthen, by fixing something having the property of spanning
or supporting, so as to keep parts asunder.
Thick there couple's a-brokt, nif he idn well &-strouted he'll come
down.
3 A 2
724 N\I IERSET \voi::
2. To walk affectedly.
I did larf, mind, to zee thick there little scram poppet-ass of a
fuller, strouty same's a stag turkey.
This makyth men mysdo • more fan oujte ellis,
And to it route and to stare.— Lang land, R. the Red. XII. 1 88.
STROVE D [stroa-vd]. P. t. and /. /. of to strive.
I sure you, sir, I widn beg nif I could help o' it. I've a-w
hard and 9,-stroved hard by my time, an' a-braat up a long fam'ly,
but now I be proper a-doned up.
STROW [stroa-], sb. Straw. (Always.) It is curious that this
word should be almost identical in sound with Mod. Germ. stroh.
All stock an' cattle took'd away,
An' kip'd atwum 'pon straw an" hay. — Pulman, Rus. Sk. p. 62.
ST ROW- MOTE [stroa--moa-ut], sb. Straw-mote. SeeM>-
STRUB [struutr], v. t. To lose all one's money or marbles at
play ; to clean out.
Jim ! can's len' me twenty marvles? I be proper *.-struVd.
STRUCKT [struuk-t]. P. t. and /. /. of to strike. Seldom
used in the literal sense of a blow, but very common to express
surprise. I was k-struckt all to a heap — /'. e. I was greatly astonished.
Although many confound the two words, yet genuine dialect
speakers preserve the difference between struck! and strookt (q. v.).
Perhaps to these struckt is rather a "fine " word.
STUB [stuub], v. t. i. In hunting. To stake a horse, or to
pierce his leg with a stump of a bush, is to stub.
Holloa, Jack, how is it you be a-voot ? Why I stub my '<
Monday, and the leg o' un's like a gate-[pau's] — /. e. swelled as
large as a gate-post.
2. sb. A sharp stump of a bush or stake ; a short piece of a
nail — often called stub-nail.
No wonder th' old 'oss went lame, sir. See, here's a gurt stub
I've a-pulled out o' the voot o' un.
Ang.-Sax. styb, stybb, a stock, trunk.
Bot stode stylle as J>e ston, o[>cr a ttitbbe au^er,
)>at raveled is in roche grounde, with rotej a hundrcth. — 9/V diwiyne, \. 2293.
Jet thu singst worst thon the hei-sugge,
Jat fli3th bi grunde among the stubbe. — Owl and Nightingale, \. 505.
At that tyme I toke this harme,
A stubbe smote me throw the arme. — Weber, Ipomydon, 1. :
STUBBARD [stuub-urd, stuub'ud], sb. An early codling apple.
One of the commonest of favourite eating apples. Not, as Mr.
SOMERSET WORDS.
Couch says, peculiar to Cornwall, but weB known in Dm* and
Somerset
STUBBED [stubbnid], adj. Short ; stampy ; squat in figure.
[Doa-n ee noa- un ? lee-dl stomtirf aa-s fuul-ur, naut no* uyur-n
u tuup-nee loa-v,] don't you know him? a little short fellow no
higher than a twopenny loaf.
STUFF [stuuf ], s>. /. To over-feed : to COM.
Her's always a stufrf thick there nipper. I cess to he
Jinn, s I, I be sate he'll bust one o' these yur days, an' then thee^t
wish thee ds a-harked to me,
STUMP [stuunvp], ?>. /. x. To cut down low— of a bush : to
leave but a short stump.
Nif you want a good thick hedge, you mustn't bethink to
stutnfm down.
2. si>. Term for a short, squat person.
Lor ! I never didn think her'd be a little bit of a $i**# Kke that.
5. r. i. To step hea\ ily, so as to make a noise in walkii§.
^ hatever be 'bout up'm chimmer, stump**' about fit to break
down the planchin' ?
4. With //—to walk.
How be comin' back ? Oh ! I count I must stump it.
STUMPY [stuunrpee], adj. Short ; thick-set in figure,
[Vuc noa-s-n wuul nuuf' — stttMnrhv lec'dl luulur, jis luyk dhu
lank- u Cluubv,] you know him well enough — stumpy little fellow,
just like the lark of Clubs.
STUN-PO1 -F. [stiin- poal], sfi. A dolt ; an ass.
Well now, thee art a shw-fflte, nif ever was. Same as Si IM POLE.
STUPE [stuc-p, st\vp], sk A stupid person. (Very com.)
What a gurt sfufr thee art, vor to go all thick way, an' artcr all
come back empty-handed.
STURTION [stuur-shun], sb. Nasturtium. (Always.) TYfl^t-
oluw majus,
S1TTRTLE-BOAR [stuurtl-boo-ur], s/>. A black-beetle.
W. S. Dial. p. 20.
SUANT [suc-unt], adj. and adv. Fvcn ; regular in position or
appearance; smoothly. (Usual word.)
1 rail that there a good *u<ifif piece o' •wluil. They beans didn
come up suatit at all. A ilrap o' oil '11 make the wheel urn siumtir
by half. Nice suant lot o' slips. That there cloth idn a wai\ -
ways suant like.
726 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Glossarists derive this very common word from Fr. suirant.
Skeat says this is suanf, an older form of suivant, and that we have
the same word in pursuant.
Reson ich seih sothliche • suwen alle bestes in etynge. — P. Plow. XIV. 143.
Men may seo on an appul treo • meny tyme and ofte,
Of o kynne apples • aren nat yliche grete
Ne of sewynge smale, ne of o swetnesse swete. — Ibid. XIX. 61.
Prof. Skeat says in reference to the above —
Of saoynge, in regular order, in perfect gradation or succession from the verb
sewe, or sue, to follow ; see 1. 72, below. The word sttant, regular, is still used
in Devonshire. — Notes to Texts A. B. & C. (Piers Plmoman), p. 375.
And anoon, the nettis forsaken, thei sueden hym.
Wyclif, Mark i. 18. Also Ib. ver. 21.
And deynen not to come in pore mennus houses for stynk and of?ere filj?e ; hou
suen J>ei charite? Wyclif, Works, p. 17.
Used frequently by William of Palerme.
An now hur veace wiz zuant quite
Et wadd'n nether urd nur wite,
Bit zweet ta luk apon. — Nathan Hogg, Ser. II. p. 37.
SUB [suub], sb. i. A sum of money paid on account of work
being, or about to be, done. See JACK UP.
[Plai'z-r tu lu nree ae'u suub pun kuufeen dhu wai't,] please, sir,
to let me have a sum on account of cutting the wheat.
2. v. To draw money on account
I can't match it, not eet (yet), you must bide gin Zadurday night,
vore I've a.-sub my job.
SUCK ! [zeo-k !], inter?. Call-word for a calf.
SUCK-APPLE [zeo'k-aa'pl], sb. A favourite red-coloured eating
apple. Called also, but not so commonly as in Devon, quarrener.
SUCKER [zeo-kur], sb. A suckling animal.
Where did you get that horse ? Why, I've a-'ad'n ever since a
was a zucker ; I bought'n to Winsford fair o' th' old Farmer Baker;
and t'll be zix year agone come the time.
SUCK IN [zeok- een], v. t. To deceive; to betray; to cheat.
I bin &-zookt in avore way thick there thing ; I on't have no more
hanks way un.
A lousy rogue ! nif he didn zook me in way they there tay-spuns,
he made wise they was zilver.
He zaid how a was purty well ^-zookt in over thick job.
I widn ha no hanks way un ; you'll be a.-zookt in so sure's a gun.
SUDDENT [suud-nt], sb. Sudden occurrence.
The tree vailed all to a suddent, and 'twas just a-come maister
had'n a-bin in under'n.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 727
SUDS. SeeZios.
SUGAR [shuug-ur], sb. You baint afeard o' a drap o' clain
water, be'ee? why you baint sugar nor eet zalt.
A common phrase to persons who do not like to go out in the
rain.
SUITERING [seo-tureen], sb. Courting. (Sometimes heard.)
The use is precisely analogous to farmering, carpentering,
druggistering, blacksmithing, taildering, &c.
SULL [zoo'ul], sb. The implement usually known as the
plough. (Always.) Plough (q. v.) in W. Som. means something
very different.
The various parts of a zool are — the beam, bed, breast, broad-
side, copse, coulter, coulter-box, drail, groundrise, key, landside,
paddle, share, spiner, sword, tail, turnvore, wang.
The word without qualification is taken to mean the ordinary
implement which turns the furrow over on the right side. There
are many varieties of the plough, as nanny-5«//, combing-jw//, or
taty-j-w//, one-way-.^//, Scotch sull, two-vore sull, two-way sull, or
back'n vore sull, right-hand sull, left-hand sull.
Combined reaper and mower, 2 iron stills, drags, harrows, cultivator, harness,
light narrow wheel cart, barley stamp, &c.
Cambridge's iron clod-crusher, oak roller, granite ditto, iron cultivator, 2 iron
sulls by " Howard."
These are from the advertisements of two different auctioneers
side by side in the same paper. — Wellington Weekly News, Oct.
15, 1885. Ang.-Sax. sulh.
Jif eax ne kurue, ne \>e spade ne dulue, ne |>e suluh ne erede, hwo kepte ham
uorte holden? Ancren Kiivlf, p. 384-
>et \>e ilke >et zet Jje hand a]>e zuol^ and loke> behinde him : ne is najt worjn
to >e riche of heuene. Ayenbite of Imvyt, p. 242.
There's promise in the springing earn
Where zool an' drill hev teyz'd the groun'.— Pulman, R. Sk. p. I.
SUMMER [zuum-ur], sb. i. A horizontal beam or joist. Also
(tech.) the longitudinal parts of the bottom of a wagon. Fr. somnncr.
The bottom o' un's a-ratted, and so be two o' the zummers.
2. Tech. The large beam on the top of a cider-press. It is that
which sustains all the pressure.
SUMMER [zuum-ur], v. t. To pasture cattle or sheep during
the summer months, away at a distance from home.
'Tis all very well vor to praich 'bout grazin o' stock. I tell ee our
ground idn good 'nough. Nif anybody could zummer their things
up in the mashes now, 'twid be a different store altogether.
I should like to take some o' they hams, vor to zummer my young
beas.
728 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
SUMMER-FAREWELL [zuunvur-faa-rwuul-]. A variety of the
Michaelmas daisy, rather common in this neighbourhood. Mr.
Britten pronounces it to be Aster divergent.
SUMMERING-GROUND [zuunvureen grae'wn], sb. Pasture
kept for summer feeding only. We know nothing of the somerland
of Kent.
SUMMERLEYS, SUMMERLEAZE [zuunrur lai'z], sb. Pasture
fed only in summer. Same as SUMMERING-GROUND.
SUMMER-SNIPE [zuunrur-snuyp], sb. The sandpiper.
Tringoides hypolencus.
SUMMER VOYS [zuunrur vauyz], sb. Freckles. (Always.)
SUMMY [suunvee], v. i. To cipher. Com., but less so than
figury.
My Bob's a capical bwoy vor to sum my.
SUMPLE [suunrpl], adj. i. Applied to leather — pliant; supple.
(Usual word.)
There idn nort'll beat curriers' dubbin vor to make boots sumple.
Mus' get a piece o' leather more sumpler'n. that there is.
2. v. f. To make supple.
I likes neat's-foot oil vor to sumple my leather way.
SUNDAYS, A MONTH OF [ztfirdeez], sb. Very common
phrase for a long time is —
Well ! let thee alone, thee wit'n finish in a month J Zundays.
SUNDAYS AND WICKED DAYS [zdirdeez-n wik'ud dai-z].
No doubt the original intention was to say wik'n dai'z — i. e.
weeken days; but the sound and the idea are so nearly in harmony
that wicked days has become the nearly invariable form.
I be fo'ced to work all the year round, Zindays and wicked days,
'tis all of a piece way me.
SUP [suup, zuup], sb. Anything drinkable.
I be hard a-zot I sure ee, mum. I 'ant a-taste bit nor zup zinze
yis'day mornin, Mrs. Dark gid me a basin o' broth.
SUPER [seo'pur], sb. Superintendent of police. (Very com.)
They (the police constables) was bound vor to let their super
know'd it.
SURDLY [suurd'lee], adj. Surly ; cross-grained. (Usual
pronun.) For this insertion of d, cf. Mardle, Quardle, Burdle,
Pur die. SeeD i.
I bain't very fond o' Mr. Baker, to Leigh, he's so ter'ble sunl/y,
no vokes 'ont bide, long way un.
Surdly Sam (I ban't bound to lull ez reyle name), &c. — Pulman, R. Sk. p. 59.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 729
SURE [shoa'ur], adv. i. Certainly; to be sure. Very com.
expletive asseveration, and few conversations go on long without it.
I don't know, sure. An't 'ee sure? (Have you not really?)
Ees, sure, you shall be safe to have 'm in time. Tidn a bit o' good
to try it, tid'n sure. The above uses are varied by sure 'iwugh, of
which abundant examples occur in these pages. See SWELTER.
2. In phr.for sure, i. e. for certain.
I b'lieve 'twas he, but I widn zay, vor sure.
SURE or SAFE AS A GUN. Usual similes.
I tell ee 't'll rain avore you be a do'd, sure's a gun.
They'll sure to gee un a month vor't, saafs a gun.
An et her winder iv'ry nite
Vur wicks thare waz a dark urd lite,
An twulve o'clock, za zaff's a fun,
An zomtimes up za late ez wan.
Nathan Hogg, The Kenlon Ghost. See also pp. 43, 51.
SURVEY [suurvai], sb. A sale by auction. (Very com.)
They zess how the bailies be up 'long way Farmer White, and
how there's bound to be a survey, vor to pay the rent.
SWALLOW-PEARS [zwaul'ur-pae-urz], sb. Services ; sorb
apples. The fruit of the Pyrus torminalis.
SWAP [swau-p, zwaup1], v. and sb. To exchange ; to barter.
Never swap horses while crossing the river.
Where's meet way thick dog? I zwap way Charley Brice a bag
o' taties vor 'n.
SWAP-HATS ! [swaup-aa-ts !]. A name for the Gallinea or
Guinea fowl, from its peculiar cry, which is said to be swaup-aa-ts !
swaup-aa-ts! swaup-aa-ts !
SWAPPING [zwaup-een], redundant adv. Used always with
big or great. Same as THUMPING, WHACKING, THUNDERING, &c.
A zwappin gurt rat. A big zwappin maid.
Ya gurt dugged-teal'd, swapping, rousling Blowze.— Ex. Scold. 1. 16.
SWAR. See ZWAR.
SWEEL [zwee-ul], v. t. To rinse j to flush with water. (Usual.)
Be sure 'n zweel out the pan well.
I've a.-zweel down the closet way more'n twenty buckets o water.
A.-S. swilian, to wash.
For he meked hym-self ouer skyle
Pottes and dysshes for to swele.
A. D. 1303. Rob. ofBnmne, Handlyng Synne, 1. 5828.
SWEET [zweet, zwit], adj. Clean; wholesome; fresh. Applied
to smell.
730 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
A freshly-washed cask would be described as [zu zweef--s u nut'].
Thick there vowl's house stink'd aloud, but now I've a-clain un
out, he's so sicetf's a nut. In this sense a nut is always the climax
of comparison, while in the ordinary sense of sweet to the taste, the
word used is generally sugar.
SWEET BETSIES [zweet Baefseez]. Double white saxifrage.
Saxifraga hypnoides. Also occasionally Dielytra spectabilis.
SWEET- CHESTNUT [zwif-chas-nut], sb. Usual name for
Castanea resca, to distinguish it from the horse-chestnut, ALsculus
hippocastanum, which is very bitter.
SWEET-HEARTY [zweet-aa'rtee], v. i. To go courting.
I can mind very well when your father used to come sweethearting.
There, 'tis a pity to disturve 'em ! let 'em zweet-hearty hon they
be young.
SWEET-TOOTH [zweet-teo'th], sb. Fondness for sweets.
Our Sal 've a-got a proper zweet-toolh, her'd eat sugary-candy all
the day long, nif her could come to it
SWELTER [zwuul'tur], v. t. To cause to sweat profusely.
Till I come to the tap o' th' hill I was purty well &-zweltered, sure
'nough, my shirt ! nif could'n a-wring un.
SWELTERING, SWELTERY [zwuuHuree(n], part. adj.
Oppressively hot; very sultry. (Applied to weather.) Same as
SQUELSTRING.
SWIG [zwig'], v. t. and sb. To drink greedily, or at least
copiously at a draught ; a draught.
[T-oa'un niivur due' vur tu laet ee1 dringk fuus*. Aay-v
u-noa'd-n zwig daewn tiie* kwau'rt tu wau'n tup* un nuvur
wing'k,] it will never do to allow him to have the first drink. I
have known him gulp down two quarts at a draught, and never wink.
Here, Jim, wut 'ave a swig out o' my virkin ?
SWIM [zwunr], v. i. i. To abound ; to overflow.
He'll work middlin like, so long's 'tis zwimmin way cider ; stap
the drink and 'tis zoon upright way un.
He maketh thy store with his blessing to swim,
And after, thy soule to be blessed with him. — Tusser, 10/59.
2. To swoon or faint
Poor blid ! zoon's her yeard o' it, her riglur zwim'd right away.
3. sb. State of giddiness or faintness.
My 'ead's all of a swim.
SWIMMER [zwunvur], sb. The air-bladder of a fish. (Always.)
In bloaters this silvery-looking purse is very conspicuous.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 731
SWIMMY [zwttnree, zwuonree], adj. Giddy.
I do veel ter'ble zwimmy like, I zim.
SWINGE [zwuVj], v. t. To beat ; to thrash.
I'll zwinge thy backzide vor thee, s'hear me !
And dede him hoslen wel and shriue
I wo|>, fif hundred sil>es and fiue :
An ofte dede him sore swinge,
And wit hondes smerte dinge. — 1280. ffavelok, 1. 212.
SWINGEING [swun-jeen, zwmrjeen], adj. i. A mere intensitive
of great.
I've a-catched a swingeing gurt rat s' mornin'.
2. sb. A beating.
A downright good swingein would do un a power o' good.
SWINGLE-TREES [zwing-1-treez], sb. Of plough-tackle—same
as, but less common than, BODKINS, WHIPPLE-TREES.
Swyngilstre (swyngyltre A.) of a harrow. Protectorium. — Cath. Aug.
Then there is needfull but the plow clevise, and swindle-tree, treates, collars,
harnesse, and cart-bridles. — Gervase Markham, Countrey Farme, p. 553.
SWING-SWANG [zwing'-zwang], sb. State of oscillation.
Lor ! he never idn gwain to stan 'pon thick there rope ! why he's
all to a zwing-zwang ! (Heard in a circus.)
SWORD [zoo'urd], sb. i. An upright iron bar, having holes in it,
fixed to the front of a tipping cart, or butt, and so arranged that a
pin put through any one of these holes regulates the slope of the
body of the cart, and keeps it in the desired position. In carting
manure on a field this enables just so much as is wanted for a heap
to be readily taken from the load, and the remainder to be drawn
on to the next heap.
2. The coulter of a plough. See SULL.
T [tee-], i. Always so pron. Also T'-iron pron. [to'-uyur],
and sometimes written tee-iron.
2. In phr. " Right to a T" [rai't tue u tee'']. A common reply
to questions, if numbers are correct, is, " Right to a T, and that too."
I presume this means even the last Tor tittle is perfect.
3. Sometimes sounded for th, as in Filt (q. v.).
Now kiss'n the zee ware thee bee'st a gwayn,
Zed tha crickit, "yu nasty vulty thing ;— Nathan Hogg, Ser. II. p. 5.
732 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
A chap tole mer zo tother day, and zed that
Thay ait nort in fa wordel zept cannels an vat. — N. Hogg, Ser. I. p. 34.
4. T final is dropped after s, as in [duus-, fuus-, bruV, vuys,] dust,
first, breast, fist, and many more.
5. To in the sense of this, as in &-day, /0-year, when followed by
a vowel.
I'll do it vor ee /evening [t'ai'vmeen]. ~ See TAFTERNOON.
TABLE-BOARD [tae'ubl-boo'urd], sb. The top of the table.
Table is the entire piece of furniture, including legs, &c. Comp.
BOARD-CLOTH.
Ue'-v u-kaard uwai' dhu kai* u dhu doo'ur? Aay laef'-m uuiree
binaew taap- dhu tae'ubl-boofurd^\ who have carried away the key
of the door? I left it only just now upon top of the table-board.
Inprimis one tabelborde, one frame, and a settell xx'.
It'm one olde dubbell tabelbord, wlh two wicker chairs iiij".
Inventory of goods of Henry Gandye, Exeter, 1609.
TACK [taak],^. A shelf. Although given in all the glossaries,
this word, at least in West Som., is only used in connection with
claveL See CLAVEL-TACK.
TACK [taak], v. t. To smack; to slap with the hand.
Tommy ! come in this minute, or I'll tack your bottom vor 'ee,
I will !
TACKER [taak'ur], sb. A shoemaker's waxed end or thread,
including the bristle. (Always.)
A man who was helping to cut down an ash said of the wood —
[Dhush yuur stuuf-s su tuuf'uz uvur wuz u taakfur,~] this here
stuff is so tough as ever was a tacker. — April 18, 1882.
TACKER-GRASS [taak'ur-graas], sb. Knot-grass. The usual
name, from its likeness to a "tacker," or shoemaker's wax-end.
Polygonum aviculare. Same as MAN-TIE.
TACKLE [taak-1], v. t. i. To bring to account.
So soon's I yeard o' it, I went and tackled-n. about it.
2. To accomplish.
Bill ! dus' think thee art man'enough to tackle thick job ?
3. To attack; to contend with; to thrash.
I'm darned if I wid-n tackle dree jish fullers as he.
4. To eat greedily ; to eat up.
There idn the fuller o' un vor 'is belly not in twenty mild o' the
place ; I ver'ly b'lieve he'd tackle a good leg o' mutton any time.
5. To harness (of a horse).
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 733
Look sharp and tackle the mare in readiness vor Joe, zoon's he
do come back. To tackle in is to//// to.
Tackle in my 'oss torectly, I do want to be off.
TACKLE [taak'l], sb. i. Gear; implements — as plough-tac&te,
i. e. all the horse implements on a farm. Gun-fac&.'e, fishing-fa^'/*?,
screw- fad/e (always), /'. e. the tools for cutting screws.
2. Applied to drink, sometimes to food. Same as TRADE.
Nif this idn rare tackle, missus ; I zim do drink moorish. This
is a grim, rustic pun upon "moory," a term for bad, boggy water,
and implies that the speaker would like more of it.
gutter tha wutt whan tha coms't to good Tackling.
Ex. Scold. 1. II. See also Ib. \. 187.
TACKLING [taak-leen], sb. The general term to include all
the harness worn by horses. The word is seldom used otherwise —
very rarely for tackle in the sense of food or drink.
Take off the tackliri, else he'll sure to break it abroad. — Dec.
1885. Said by farmer of a horse just taken from a dog-cart.
TADDICK [tad'ik], sb. A small quantity of anything; a
measure, a cart, or bag partly filled.
'Ton't take long to put up thick bit of a taddick — a man said
of a very small rick of hay.
'Tidn boo half loads, they taddicks what he do draw — another
man said of the work done by a hired cart.
TAFFETY [taa-futee], adj. Dainty in appetite; particular in
eating. (Very com.)
I never can't abear thick sort o' pigs, they be so ter'ble taffety ;
they'd starve to death 'pon the mait I gees mine.
Yokes be come taffety, sure 'nough, what they used to ; nif the
bacon's the leastest bit rusty like, they on't tich o' it now. Well,
I zay they off to bide 'thput it.
TAFFLE [taa-fl], v. t. To tangle.
That skein's all taffled up so, I never sha'n't undo it. Used by
educated people as well as peasantry.
T'AFTERNOON, T'ARTERNOON [taarturnecrn]. This
afternoon. The usual form.
I shall be sure to zee un farternoon.
This form is used with a future construction, seldom, if ever, with
a past tense— in the latter case it would be farttrnoon (q. v.).
TAH ! [taa !], infer/. Babies just learning to speak are taught
by their mothers to say " tah " by way of thanks.
Tommy, what do you say to the lady? Say tah ! directly.
TAIL [taa-yul], sb. Of a sull. The hind part, or that where
734 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
the beam ends, and to which the handles are fixed. Also the
handles.
TAIL [taa-yul], v. t. To cut off or dock the tail of any animal.
I always tails my lambs to zix weeks old.
TAIL-CORN, TAIL-BARLEY, TAIL-WHEAT. See TAILING.
TAILDERY [taa'yulduree], v. i. To practise the trade of a
tailor. See FARMERY.
TAIL-END [taa-yul-ai'n, or ee-n], sb. The remainder; the
portion left after repeated selections.
I baint gwain to take the tail-end arter he've a-zold all the best.
TAILING [taa'yuleen], sb. i. The refuse; inferior corn, which
is separated by the winnowing machine, as not fit for market.
Never zeed whait turn out better; there wadn nit a bushel o'
tailing in all thick there gurt rick.
2. sb. The coarse and dirty wool shorn off from around the
tails of sheep. Same as BAGGINGS.
TAIL OF THE MILL [taa-yul u dhu meenil], sb. i. The
stream of water as it rushes out from under the water-wheel. The
whole stream running from the mill is the mill-tail ; that which
supplies the wheel is the leat from the mill-head.
2. That part of the channel or water-course which conveys the
water away from the water-wheel. See MILL-TAIL, LEAT.
TAIL-PIPE [taa-yul-puyp], v. t. To tie an old tin or other
rattling thing to a dog's tail, and then to turn it loose. This cruelty
is frequently practised on strange dogs, if they can be caught. The
poor things run frantically, and the faster they run the worse the
clatter and the fright. Cats are sometimes served the same way.
TAIL TO TAIL [taa'yul tu taa-yul], adv. phr. Used in making
exchanges, chiefly for horses or cattle. The precise meaning is
even-handed — /. e. without any payment or other adjustment of value
in the animals or things " rapped."
Mr. Baker chopped way me vor this here 'oss vor a cow and
calve what I turned into fair. We was ever so long dalin, 'cause
he wanted to turn 'em tail to tail ; but I wadn gwain to chop way
he 'thout drawin" o' money; and come to last 1 made a sovereign
[suuvreen] out o' un.
TAIN [tai'n], num. Ten. (Always so pronounced.)
Tain thousan' times tain thousan'.
'Bout teyn o'clock thee's bedder start,
I wish 'ee luck wi' all my heart. — Pulman, ft. Sk. p. 17.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 735
TAKE [tae-uk], v. t. P. t. [teokt] ; /./. [u-teokt]. i. To hire;
to rent.
He's lookin' about vor to take a farm. He've &-tookt the farm
to dear by odds.
2. To undertake to do work.
We tookt it to low — /. e. undertook to do it for too little money.
I widn take it again vor double the money.
3. v. i. To grow.
A gardener said to me, "I put on all the grafts, but they did'n
take, not one of 'em.
TAKE AFTER [tae-uk aa-dr], v. t. To resemble in face or
carriage.
[Ee du tae'iik aa'dr-s faa'dhur maa'ynlee ; dhu vuuree daa'ps
oa un,] he do take after his father mainly ; the very daps of him
— /. e. gait, manner.
TAKE ALL MY TIME, TAKE ME ALL MY TIME [tae-uk
mee aul mee tuym]. It will need my best efforts. Very common
saying of any difficulty.
Well, I s'pose can be a-do'd ; but I'll be daal'd if 't'ont take 'em
all their time, whoever got the doin' o' ut.
TAKE IN [tae-uk ee'n], v. f. i. To strip the apples off the
trees in an orchard.
Mr. Bird 've z.-tookt in all his apples. See PIXY-WORDING.
2. Of a stack of corn. To carry the corn into the barn to be
thrashed.
We be gwain to take in a whaiten rick to-morrow ; bring up the
bitch, there's a sight o' rats in un.
3. v. t. To enclose. Said of common land. See HILL-GROUND.
TAKE IT OUT [taek'~ ut aewt], phr. To receive goods instead
of money for a debt owing ; to truck.
I zills my butter to Mr into shop ; but I baint gwain to
no longer, cause I never can't get no mqney, [au-vees foo-us] (I am)
always forced to take it out.
TAKE NOTICE [tae-uk noa-utees], phr. When a baby first
shows signs of intelligence it is said to " take notice"
TAKE OFF [taek au-f or oa-f], v. t. To take a likeness.
Father bin *-fookt of, but 'tidn a bit like'n.
TAKE OUT [taek aewt], v. t. To write out ; to copy.
Take out Mrs. Jones's bill to once.
TAKE TO [tae-uk tue], v. t. i. To enter into possession.
736 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Tis all a-signed 'bout takin' o' the farm ; but they baint gwain
to take to un gin Lady-day.
2. Of persons or animals. To adopt.
Her know'd 'twadn 'er own calve, and 'er never widn take to un.
3. To become accustomed or attached to.
Someway or nother Robert never didn take to 'er.
TAKE TO DOING [taek- tu due-een],//;r. To scold; to call
to account.
Her tookt me to doing purty well 'bout thick there cat ; but I told
her I'd cook forty o'm, nif I catched 'em here.
TAKE UP [taek atrp], v. t. i. To take in, or receive regularly,
as a newspaper. (Always.)
We've a.-tookt up the Magnet 'is tain year.
2. To contradict ; to interrupt in speaking.
Well, you no 'casion vor to take anybody up so short; .you
mid harky gin anybody Ve a-zaid what they got to zay.
TAKE UP WF [tae-uk au-p wai], phr. i. To consort with.
Pity her should take up way a fuller like he.
2. To make a hobby of. Used only in past part.
Our Jim's terr'ble a.-tookt up way raidin.
3. To be over fond : of persons.
Her's that there a.-tookt up way thick there bwoy, tidn not wan
bit o' good vor nobody to zay nort by un; her on't 'arky to it.
TALE [tae'ul], sb. The full number of eggs a hen lays before
she becomes broody. Sometimes called lay-tale.
I han't a single broody hen to my name, else I let 'ee 'ave one
in a minute ; nother one o'm an't a-laid out their tale.
TALER [tae'ulur], sb. A tale-bearer. See TELL-TALER-TIT.
This word is never pronounced like tailor [taayuldur].
TALLDER [tau-ldur], adj. Reg. comp. of tall. See D. i.
Why, Joey ! nif Lizzy idn tallder'n you be ! hotever b'ee 'bout to
let her get avore 'ee ?
ee jumped up all ta once, wi'out thinkin that ee was tallJer than the room.
Pul man, fins. Sk. p. 66.
TALLET [taal-ut], sb. The hayloft over a stable— called some-
times the stable tallet. (Regular name.) Also in any building
the space immediately under the roof; but not applied to a ceiled
room of any kind, whether attic or not. Welsh, Taflod.
The \loor o' the tallefs proper a-ratted (rotten). — October, 1885.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 737
Ver tallet, maunger, rack, and bart'n
Must all be kip'd a-vill'd, ver sart'n. — Pulman, R. Sk. p. 20.
TALY [tae'ulee], v. i. To gossip ; to chatter ; to have a tale.
Her's always ready to taly way anybody.
TAME [tae-um], v. t. To cut; to prune. (Rare.) As "to
tame a bush." See Reports 3 and 4 Devon Association, 1879-81.
TAMSINE, TAMSY [taanrzee-n, taanrzee], pr. n, Thomasine.
Tamsy is not an uncommon name.
TAN [tan], v. t. To thrash ; to beat.
Let me catch thee again ! zee whe'er I don't tan thy burches
vor thee, s'hear me !
TANG [tang], sb. The spike or part of a knife, hook, or other
tool which is inserted into the handle.
Can't put nother 'an'l to thick there 'ook, 'cause the tang o' un's
a-brokt.
TANGLEMENT [tangimunt, not tang-glmunt], sb. Tangle, or
knot.
However's anybody gwain to get droo these yer brimmles, nif
they an't a-got nother 'ook vor to cut 'em — they be all to a proper
tanglement. (Covert-beater, Dec. 1886.)
TANNING [tan-een], sb. A beating; a hiding.
'T'ANT [taa-n, taa-nt], cotitr. It has not.
[Taa-n u-biin* u-due'd naut-s lae'ut yuurz,] it has not been done
not these late years. See W. S. Gram. p. 57.
TANTARABOBUS [tarrturuboa-bus], sb. Name for the devil-
usually preceded by " old." (Very com.) It is also used very often
as a playful nickname for any boy or man. A frequent saying in
reply to a question as to the age of any one lately deceased is—
Oh ! I reckon he lived same's Tantarabobus—^ the days of his
life.
Nif thee disn mind and alter thy hand, th'old Tantarabobus '11 be
arter thee ! Tantarabobs given by Halliwell is unknown. See
BOGUS, New Eng. Diet
TANTONY'S FIRE [tan'tuneez vuyur], sb. Saint Anthony's
fire — erysipelas.
TANTRUMS [tairtrumz], sb. A fit of passion.
Missus 've got the tantrums, sure 'nough, again s'mormn .
TANTRUMY [tan'trumee], adj. Passionate; given to bursts
of ill-temper.
I can't think hot we ba gwain to do way thick bwoy, he s that
there tantrumy 'pon times, I be most afeard to zee un go off in fits.
3 B
733 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
TAP [taap], v . t. i. To begin cutting or consuming.
All the grass is a-go ; we must tap the hayrick next week.
I didn want to tap thick there cave o' taties vore arter Kirsmas.
Jim, urn out and tap in a cut o' hay, will 'er? — /. e. will you?
2. Tech. To "tap a screw" is to cut a female thread — i.e.
the screw inside the nut.
TARNAL [taarnul], adj. and adv. Eternal ; extreme ; constant ;
excessive.
'Tis a tarnal shame. Her's tarnal fond o' un.
TARNATION [taarnae'urshun], adj. A quasi oath.
'Tis a tarnation bad lot. Tarnation ugly.
TATIES AND POINT [tae-udeez-n pwauynt]. It is very
common to hear old people, when expatiating upon the hardships
of their youth as compared with the luxury enjoyed by the young
of the present day, say, " Mate, sure 'nough ! we never had'n a-got
none, 'twas always taties and zalt, or taties and point, when father'd
a-made shift vor to git hold o' a bit o' bacon like for his Zunday's
dinner.
This pointing at food, by way of exciting the imagination of its
enjoyment, seems to be not only a very ancient but wide-spread
custom.
Rev. C. Swynnerton in Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal
(Oct. 1883), on folk-lore of the Upper Punjaub, says, among other
stories much resembling those current in English peasant life —
A miser protests against another wasting his ghee by dipping his bread in it,
when by hanging up the ghee out of reach on a nail, pointing the bread at it,
and making believe very much, he might enjoy the ghee in imagination and save
it in fact. Athtweum, Nov. 3, 1883.
TATTERING [taafureen], adj. and sb. Tattling; chattering.
Come now, there's to much tatteriri by half, let's have less noise
and more work !
Her's a tatterin\ neighbourin' sort of a thing ; better fit her'd
look arter her chillern and keep 'em to school, and tidy like.
TATERYN, or iaueryn, or speke wythe owte resone (or iangelyn'.
chateryn, K. iaberyn, P.). Garrio, blattro.
TATERYNGE, or iauerynge (iaperynge, s. iaberinge, p.). Garritus.
Promp. Pan/.
TATY-DIGGER [tae-udee dig-ur], sb. A kind of double
mattock.
TATY-TRAP [tae-udee- traap], sb. The mouth.
[Doa-n maek dheezuul* u feo'l — taek'-n shuuf dhee tae'udee-
traap,~] don't make thyself a fool — take and shut thy taty-trap.
This is a very common piece of advice given by a friend to another
who is getting noisy with drink.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 739
[Wuy-s-n shuut dhee gurt taeudee-traap, un neet buyd dhae-ur
gyaap-een?] why dost (thou) not shut thy great mouth, and not bide
there gaping?
TATY-ZULL [tae'udee-zoo'ul], sb. A kind of plough, called
also a " combing-zull," used for the purpose of throwing up a
comb or ridge on each side, and so earthing up ranks of potatoes,
or other crops requiring to be so treated.
T AY-RUN [tai-ruun], sb. Tea-urn. (Always.) This article
being a mark of gentility, it needs to be fitly named. Of course,
even before Board schools, we knew that " to urn " was not genteel
speaking, and so when a tea-urn was first brought into use, we felt
that the common word must not be used in connection with it.
We knew it ought to be run, not urn, and so we have ever
called it.
For a school-gathering my wife told an under-gardener to go to
a friend's for a large " tea-urn." The man not knowing what that
was, said, "What did you plase to want, mum?" Upon which
I said at once, "The fay-run." Instantly he answered, "Oh yes,
sure, mum !" — July, 1884.
Many years ago I remember my old nurse calling to a fellow-
servant, " Mary, bring up the run to once." My mother, attempting
to correct, was immediately answered, " I never didn zay urn, not
in all my life."
TEA-KETTLE BROTH [tai'kitl brau'th], sb. A very common
and popular mess. It is made of slices of bread put into a basin,
upon which are poured boiling water. When the bread is well
soaked, the water is strained off, some butter, salt, and a soup$on
of pepper are added, then the basin is filled with boiling skimmed
milk, in which is usually some chopped organ (q. v.).
TEAR [tae-ur], v. t. To break.
Mind you don't tear the pitcher.
Who've a-bin an' a-/W the winder ? He wadn z.-tord 'smornm'.
The Boughs are ready to tear with snaw,
And the vrawz'd Bracks vorget to flaw.
.1762. Collins, Ninth Ode of Horace in Somerset Dialect, Miscellanies, p. 114.
TEAR [tae-ur], sb. Passion ; rage.
Maister's in a purty tear, sure 'nough, 'cause the bulhks b
out into the trefoy (trefoil).
TEAR ALONG [tae-ur ulairng], v. t. To go or drive at a very
rapid pace. (Very com.)
Sober ! 'tidn no good to tear along like that is ; you mid so wel
kill anybody to once as frighten 'em to death.
TEARING [tae-ureen], adj. Boisterous ; noisy ; blustering.
A eurt tearing holler-mouth— the parish idn big enough vor he.
3 B 2
740 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
TEASE [tai-z], v. t. To drive ; to harass.
The only way to get rid o' they rabbits is to keep on taziri o'm.
Bi J>ay were tened at )?e hy3e, and taysed to )>e wattrej. — Sir Gawayne, \. 1169.
TEASER [tai'zur], sb. A young ram which is allowed to run
with the ewes, but is artificially prevented from copulation.
TEDIOUS [tai-jus], adj. Fidgety; unwilling to keep still;
fretful.
Gipsy (a cow) do keep on belvin arter her calve ; her's that tai-jus
anybody can't hardly come aneast her.
TEE [tee], sb. An iron shaped like the top of the letter T, but
with a chain attached to the centre instead of the stem of the
letter. Tees are at the ends of the chain to a horse's head-stall or
night-halter.
TEEHEEING [teehee'een], part. adj. Giggling; tittering;
silly laughing.
[Kas'-n keep kwuyut, yu teehee'een yuung feo'l?] canst (thou)
not keep quiet, you giggling young fool ?
Te he" quoth she and clapt the window to. — Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. 3738.
But when the hobby-horse did wihy,
Then all the wenches gave a tihy.
Cobbe, Brit. Popular Antiquities, Vol. i. p. 207.
TEEN [tee-n], v. t. To kindle ; to set alight.
[Yuur, Jrin ! tee~n u karri, wuTur?] here, Jane ! light a candle,
will you?
)>er-of hi tettde here lijt ' alle in \>e place.
What was }>at oure Louerd Crist • J>e lijt fram heuene sende
& )>at folc )>at stod aboute ' here taperes J>ereof tende.
1298. Robt. of Clou. Life of St. Dunstan (ed. Morris and Skeat), p. 19.
On }>e wal }>at fur him hent : wi]> inne a lytel space
fat he be-gan J>ar-wiJ> be atend : in an hundred place.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 3280.
Wy)> a charme he make> fyr : & a candlee he attende\. — Ib. 1. 2413.
rearing or snapping vrom Canclle-douting to Candle-Awz/wf in tha Yeavling.
Ex. Scold. 1. 314.
TEG [taeg], sb. A yearling sheep. Same as a hog. This
word is not so often applied to the sheep as "hog," but more
frequently to the wool — Teg-wool being the same as hog-wool
(q. v.), i. e. wool of a year and a half s growth.
TELL [tuul], v. t. i. To recognize.
A man who had been hurt by a slate falling on his head, said
in reply to my inquiry, —
[Wuul, dhang-k ee, zr, aay bee gifeen bad'r, bud aay wuz dhaat
mae'uz aid'ud luyk, vur aup dree' wiks aa-dr ut, neef aay-d u meet
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 74!
ee dhoa', aay keo'd-n tuul lie' yue wau'z, nu moa'ur-n dhu dai'd,]
well, thank you, sir, I am getting better, but I was so stunned
(or giddy) for quite three weeks after it, that if I had met you
then, I could not recognize who you were, any more than a dead
man.
2. To talk ; to speak.
He do tell in his sleep ter'ble. The word is constantly used to
emphasize a piece of rustic wisdom, or a threat, by beginning —
[Aay tutd-eo. haut tai'z,] I tell ye what it is. I tell ye what 'tis, I
shan't stand it no longer.
It is often used redundantly, " I tell 'ee " being in every other
sentence, without adding anything to the sense or information
conveyed — just like " I say " of ordinary colloq. Eng.
I don't want'n, / tell ee.
Thei telden that thei schulden hede snarls. — Wyclif, Psalm Ixiii. 6.
Jet thu me seist of other thinge,
And telst that ich ne can nojt singe. — Owl and Night. \. 309.
There were some women in the village telling about it.
Account of a murder, Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 1 1, 1887.
I've a yeard tell o' it, but I never didn zee it.
They was well agreed — I zeed 'em telliri together in to Clock,
(inn) the night avore.
3. v. t. To recognize ; to distinguish.
Of two men with ferrets, neither seemed to know which of the
two was his own ; one said, " Here, let's zee 'em, I can tell mine,
any'ow, nif I look to the teeth o'un."
I can tell my own hat 'mongst a thousand.
I be that blind 'pon times, I baint able to tell my own wive hon
I meet'th her.
4. To count. (Always.)
A witness before giving evidence was thus advised —
[Hau-n yue beeaak-st oa'urt,muyn yiie au'vees /ww/vuyv, voa-r
yue du spark,] when you be asked anything, mind you count five,
before you speak.
I may tell all my bones.— Psalm xxii. 17. See also 2 Kings xvii.
5. v. t. and /. To say ; to speak.
Do what I wid I couldn get'n vor to tell a word.
Her told how her zeed two men gwain on, but her couldn tell who
" Do riot talk nonsense " is usually, " Don't tell up such stuff."
He ne telle\ bote lyte of ous : be his wordes sterne :
Proutelich he auauntte|> hem : wij> xij for to fijte.— Sir Ferumbras, 1. 117.
Holde> jow stille, and speke)) nojt : but lete> me telle as y ha Jx>Jt.— n. 1. 44'7«
742 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
6. In the com. phr. " Tell me ! " This is a mere asseveration,
and implies a challenge to contradict the speaker. It usually takes
the form, "Nif 'tidn zo and zo," or "Nif thick fuller idn a fool,
tell me /" See RATTLER 2, START 2.
TELL OF [tuul- oa], phr. To give evidence of.
[Wuul ! yue aa-v udras* dhik vee'ul u graewn prau'pur, ee'ul
tuul- oa ut ptirtee kwik, aa'l wairrn un,] well ! you have dressed
that field thoroughly, it will show the effects of it very quickly, I'll
warrant it.
TELL-TALE R-TIT [tuul-tae'ulur-tee-t], sb. Tale-bearer.
The rhyme is as common here as elsewhere —
Tell-taler-tit, your tongue shall be slit,
All the dogs in the town shall have a little bit.
TEMPER [taenvpur], sb. Applied to soil when easily tilled.
Thick there field o' groun' was in capical temper, we made-n jis
the very same's a arsh-heap (heap of ashes).
TEMPLES [taenrplz], sb. A wooden stretcher of adjustable
length, having points at either end, used by weavers to keep the
cloth as woven of the proper width in the loom. The implement
is often called a "pair o' temples."
TEMPORY [tai-mpuree], adv. In a slight, unsubstantial
manner; temporarily.
All the place is a-put up tempory, sure 'nough. (Very com.)
TENANTSHIP [taen'unshup-], sb. Tenancy.
Why my tenantship will be a-run'd out vore the work's a-finisht.
— January 1885.
TEND [tai'n(d], v. t. To attend ; to wait upon ; to serve
customers in a shop.
I can't get away, 'tis onpossible ; I must tend my customers or
lost 'em.
A mason's labourer always describes his work, " I do tend
masons."
A " tending-shop " in a mill is a room where the foreman
receives and gives out weaver's work. See NURSE-TENDING.
TENDANCE [tai'nduns], sb. Attention ; care ; looking after.
Young turkeys be terr'bl nash, they wants a sight o' tendance.
Hops dried in loft, aske tendance oft.
And shed their seedes, much more than needes. — Tusser, 56/53.
TENET [taen-ut], sb. A tenon. (Always.) Also tenet-saw
[taen'ut zau, or zaa]. (Always.)
' TERRIBLE [tuurubl], adj. i. Very intimate; thick; close
friends.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 743
Her's terrible way my missus, but I baint no ways a-tookt up way
her myzul.
They two young osbirds be terrible together. Comp. DREADFUL 2.
2. adv. Very. The most common intensitive in use, as "terrible
purty," &c. See hundreds of examples throughout these pages.
TERRIFY [tuureefuy], v. t. i. To importune.
[Uur-z au'vees tuureefuyeen ur mau'dhur vur tu lat ur goo1, bud
aay zum1 tiiz aard luyk vur tu pae'rt wai ur,] she is always impor-
tuning her mother for to let her go (to service), but I fancy it is
hard like for to part with her.
2. v. t. To torment.
[Dhai bwuwyz bee nuuf1 tu tuureefuy un'ee bau'dee tu datlr,
dhai bee*,] they boys be enough to terrify anybody to death,
they be.
3. Applied to weeds ; to hoe constantly.
You can't never get urd o' that there stuff, nif you don't keep on
terrifyin o' it.
TERVY [tuurvee], v. i. To struggle ; to writhe.
Ay, man ! thee mids tervy or eet poaty, but I can hold thee,
mind. See Ex. Scold. 1. 216.
TET [taef], sb. Teat. (Always.)
One o' Daisy's tets (a cow) is so zore I can't hardly tich o' her.
TETCH [taech-], sb. Habit; gait.
'Tis a fetch her've a-got.
TetcKe, or manner of condycyone. Mos. condicio. — Promp. Parv.
I mean not that such a tech as Naaman took here may do it.
Rogers, Hist, of Naaman, p. 96.
See Trans. Dev. Association, 1883, vol. xv. p. 93; also vol.
xvin. p. 101.
TETCHINESS [taech-inees], sb. Ill-temper ; crabbedness.
Her's good-lookin' enough, but there's too much tetchiness about
her vor me ; till her's a-come to my time o' life, a purty old queen
her'll be, I'll warn her. (Very com.)
pride of heart, stoutnesse and disdaine, techinesse, and reliques of some old
better roote which is bred in the bone.— 1642. Rogers, Naaman, p. 423.
TETCHY [tuch-ee, taech-ee], adj. Captious; irritable. (Com.)
[Uur-z u maa-yn tuch-ee oa'l dhing, uur uV naew, muyn], her's a
main tetchy old thing, her is now, mind. — Jan. 22, 1883.
And he's as tetchy to be woo'd to woo,
As she is stubborn-chaste against all suit.— Troilus and CressiJa, I. u.
744 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
This word, which the lexicographers corrupted into "touchy,"
from "touch," see Bailey, Johnson, Webster, has of late, since
Prof. Skeat's Etynwl. Diet, came out, been reinstated in the
literature, while it has always been preserved pure in the dialect.
the masses who are constantly selfish, often tetchy, and occasionally credulous.
Spectator, Jan. 13, 1883, p. 42.
TEW-IRON [tue-uyur], sb. The nozzle of a smith's bellow?, or
of a smelting furnace. (Always.) No doubt the vernacular form is
the development of the first attempts to pronounce tuyere ; having
got so far as tew-ire, education steps in, disposes of the vulgar ire,
and of course adopts the correct and polite (!) iron. Tew-ironsaxe
regular articles of ironmongery ; indeed there are " patent few-irons."
TUYERE, blast-piece; blast-pipe; tewel ; tite-iron. — Spiers.
TH initial (a) before r is almost always d, as in drash, draw,
droat, &c.
(b) There are many differences of pronun. as compared with
lit. Eng. Thing, think, thin (not emphatic) are always [dhing*,
dhing'k, dhee'n]. See Word Lists for other examples.
-TH. Contraction of verbal inflection eth, now obsolete except
in poetry and scripture, but in N. Dev. and N. W. Som. it still
remains the usual form of speech ; even there it is beginning to
be dropped in the plural The contracted form th is the rule
after all consonants and vowels alike.
Her za.it/i, for she says. [Dhu kaa's lee'ut-//*], the cask leaks.
[Dhu baa'l aup'//*], the ball hops. [Zee* aew u huurn//&], see how
he runs. [Dhu duug buur k//z], the dog barks. [Dhik bwuuy
tuul'M luyz], that boy tells lies. [Ee sae'uv/7* u laut u muun*ee],
he saves a lot of money, are all the every-day forms. Of course in
the Vale district and E. Som., where the periphrastic form is
general, this does not apply as a rule of speech, yet the inflection
is very commonly used, and in the contracted form only.
jif hundes urneth to him-ward.
He gength wel svithe awai-ward.
Vor waune snov lith thick and wide. — Owl and Nightingale, 11. 375, 430.
THANKY. See No THANKY A HANG'D.
THAT [dhaat], adv. i. So. Sometimes that there is used, but
there is redundant. (Very com.)
I be that bad I can't make use o' nort.
The clay was that there lovin', 'twas jist the very same's bird-
lime, eens mid zay.
2. In phr. "and that" = etcetera.
Oh ! he do do middlin' like way little caddlin' jobs, and urnin
arrants and that.
Her's a good maid to work, and that ; but her've a-got a bit of
a Irish temper like. See ex. RISE.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 745
3. [dhut], rel. pr. Who. (Very com.)
[Dhar dhut noa-uth has*, du zai' aew twaud'n noa1 jis dhing-,]
those who know best, say that it was no such thing.
hire ymbhwyrft eorfcena T; alle %a $e eardiafc in hire.
ejus orbis terrarum et universi qui habitant in ea.
Oldest English Texts, p. 328.
belyue J>ou scholdest on god almijt : \>at for ous gan blede.— Sir Per. 1. 398.
THAT EVER I SHOULD SAY SO ! [dhut uvur aay shud zai-
zoa !], phr. This is the commonest of exclamations, half apologetic,
whenever an oath or other very strong expression has been used
in speaking before zjiwlinun. It comes in as a sort of parenthesis
immediately following the oath.
[Dhu yuung oa'uzburd ! neef aay doafn laf-n ae'u-r, aa'l bee
daa'md ! dhut uvur aay shud zai- zoa /] the young rascal ! if I don't
thrash him well, I'll be d — d ! that ever I should say so !
THAT THERE [dhaat dhae'ur], dist. adj. That; that one-
referring to some person or thing absent or out of sight.
" Where's that there book ? " meaning a book not in sight.
" Hand over thick there book," would refer to a book visibly
at hand. See THERE 3. Also see W. S. Gram. p. 31.
Hwan godard herde \>at \er |>rette,
With ]>e neue he robert sette
Biforn J>e teth a dint ful strong. — Havelok, \. 2404.
THATCHES '[dhaa-chez], sb. Vetches. (Very com.) The
transposition of dh and v is very common. Comp. vatch for thatch,
thery for very.
Mr. Tristram 've a-zend word to zay he can spare-ee zo many
thatches as you be a mind to. — May, 1885.
half day's work two horses fatching thaches . . $s.
From Bill, Oct. loth, 1887.
THAWY [dhau-ee], v. t. To thaw. (Always.)
[Tuv \ji-dhau-ud aul nai't, un u puurdee maes tuz', shoa-r nuuf-,]
it have thawed all night, and a pretty mess it is, sure enough.
The transitive form is quite different. See UNTHAW.
THE [dhu]. i. In speaking of trades it is usual to insert the,
having a frequentative force, before a trade— implying the practice
or learning of the art. The name of the trade too takes a
gerundive or adjectival form, as if trade or business were to be
understood.
One o' my boys do work to the dyein', an tother s gwam to larn
the paintin'.
Apprentices and Improvers wanted to the Millinery, to the Dressmaking, to the
Currying. —Three Advertisements in Wellington Weekly News, Feb. 3, 1887.
746 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Wanted, an Improver to the Smithing. — Apply to James Wood, Lurley,
Tiverton.
Haddon and Son have vacancies for several Apprentices to the Dressmaking.
Adverts, both from same column, Wellington Weekly News, July 14, 1887.
2. The is almost always inserted redundantly when speaking
of a person if described as poor, young, old, big, little, &c.
Who do'd it ? Why 'twas the gurt Jim Baker.
The young Squire Jones is gwain to be a-married, idn 'er ? See
ex. under KEW, KIN, POOR 2, &c.
In the Ex. Scold, this rule is invariable. Tha young Zaunder
Vursdon, 1. 192. Tha old Hugh Hosegood, 11. 133, 134. 'lha
old Roger Hill, 1. 62. Tha young George Vuzz, 1. 55. The young
Dick Vrogwill, 1. 32, &c. &c.
3. The is often omitted —
(a) Before same. Tis same's I always told 'ee. See JOGGY 2,
OUT 3, RUN ABOUT, for further examples.
(b) In the phr. "to doors," "to shop," " to road," "in house,"
" to hill," " to harbour," " to pound," " to load," &c. For ex. see
HAPSE, HARBOUR i, HARVEST DRINK, OFF OF, POST OPE, HOME
TO, RAKE ARTER, TIMES.
(c) Before names of public-houses or places. In phr. "up in
town," " in to King's Arms," " to fair."
I'll be to Half-moon to vower o'clock, or else I can meet 'ee
to-marra to market.
For further ex. see POOR 3, PEDIGREE, SLIP IT. See also Reports
6 (p. 90) and 8 (p. 113) of Provincialisms, Trans. Dev. Association,
vols. xv., xvn.
THERE [dhae'ur], adv. i. In that particular.
" You'm out there, mind " — /. e. you are wrong in your assertion
in that particular.
2. There is often omitted at the beginning of a clause.
[Waud'n u bee't u-laf,] (there) was not a morsel left.
For further ex. see HEART, JOBBER, MANSHIP, MOGVURD.
3. Often used redundantly, or by way of extra demonstration,
after they there, thick there, that there, &c.
Mine's a rare knive, but I widn gie much vor thick there there.
See EAT, MISTRUST, ROUNDING.
THERE ALONG [dhae'ur laung], adv. of place, implying con-
tinuance of direction. (Always.)
[Dhai aewzez dhae'ur lau-ng bee au'l oa'm vauyd,] those houses
along there be all of them void.
THERE AWAY [dhae'ur uwai-], adv. of place. There ; in that
direction.
In pointing out a locality a person would say, " You can't zee
the church herefrom, but he lies out there away."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 747
THEREBY [dhae-urbuy], adv. Near that place. (Very com.)
Not known in the lit. sense of, by that means.
Nif I baint there, you'll vind me thereby ; I shan't on'y be in to
Mrs. Ridler's to Crown.
Al anoneward )?e helm an hej : ys crest a bar adoun,
& £e cercle of gold ]>at sat \er-bey : J>e perles wer worj? a toun,
Sir Fa-umbras, 1. 622.
THEREFROM [dhae-ur vraum], adv. Thence. Comp. herefrom.
(Very com.)
[Tiid-n neet ubeo" dree guun'shauts dhaeun'rauni'^ it is not,
not above three gunshots (distance) thence.
J?an ferthe he smot f>an on ys yre : & set him with al ys mayn,
J>at ys hed flej tyrfro pe swyre : ten fet on pe pleyn.— Sir Fertim. 1. 3107.
THERE NOW ! [dhae-ur naew !], inter/. (Very com.)
There now ! you don't say so !
It is also used threateningly or defiantly.
Nif I catch thee again, I'll kick thy ass, there now /
T'll take a better man 'an thee to do it, there now !
THERE RIGHT [dhae-ur rai't], adv. of place and time. Then
and there ; on the spot. (Very com.)
Summons-n? no tino ! I took-n pared-n down, there right ; an'
I'll warn I've a-lef my mark 'pon the burches o' un, too. See
HERE-RIGHT.
$a malchus ]>as word gehyrde ]>e se portgerefa him swa hetelice was
tosprcecende, he ofdroed sloh adun }><er rihte, and him sylfne astroehte oet foran
eallum }>am folce. — Adfric's Lives of the Saints, De 7 dormientibus, 1. 717.
His body wold he putte in auntre : for tyre riy }>ojte he lyn
& lijt hym doun an vndre a tree : a boje-schot fram }>at host.
Sir Ferutnbras, 1. 89.
THERY [dhuuree], adv. Very. (Com.)
[Aay bee dhuwee zaur'ee, bud aay kaa'n uulp oa* ut,] I be very
sorry, but I cannot help o' it. Comp. THATCHES.
THESE [dhai'z yuur, dheo-zh yuur, uz, -z, -s], dist. adj.
Indefinite — [Uez bee dheo'zh yuur bee'us ?] whose be these here
beasts ? — /. e. neat cattle.
Definite — {Dhai'z yuur tae'udeez bee dhu bas- soa'urt u-groa',]
these (particular) potatoes be the best sort grown.
[Aay aa'n u zeed-n uz yuurz,] I have not seen him these (/. e. for)
years. See THIS.
THEY, THEY THERE [dhai-, dhai- dhae-ur], dist. adj. Those.
They things be dearer' n they there.
Indefinite — {Dhai- yuung peg-z mus bee u-teok't ee-n,] those
young pigs must be taken in.
[Dhai-zh yuur aa'plz bee duubi zu geo'd-z dhar dhae-ur,~\ these
apples are double as good as those. See IV. S. Gram. p. 30.
748 WEST SOMERSET \YORDS.
Sclie take]) a syde Brytamoun : a conseil, & pan him frayne :
T; aske)) what buj) j^ay baroun : in prysoun sche herde playne.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1216. See also Ib. 11. 2361, 3140, 1824, 5091.
THICK, THICKY [dhik-, dhik-ee], dist. adj. That.
Thick there, thicky there, are equally common ; but I am unable
to induce any rule for the distinctive use of either form — all seem
to be synonymous. To the two latter, there is often superadded.
See THERE 3. Examples abound herein.
1 binime \>e vuele ancre \ilke uniseli gile J>et ich of seide. — Anc. Riw. p. 68.
ich am \>ilke J>at haj> destruied muche of cristente. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 364.
But thilke text hild he not worth an oystre. — Chaucer, Pro!. 1. 182.
Med. Ay, ay, thik same ! you know 'em well enough.
Ben Jonson, Tale of a Tub, III. i.
THICK [thik-], adj. i. Intimate; friendly.
[Twaud'n vuuree lau'ng ugau'n dhai wuz kau'leen waun tuuclh'ur
bud uvreedhing, un naew dhai bee su dhik- uz thee'vs,] it was
not very long ago they was calling one another but everything, and
now they be so thick as thieves.
2. adj. Imperfect. As " Thick o' yearin' " (hearing), " Thick
o' speech " — /. e. indistinct.
THICK-HEADED [thik--ai-dud],tf#. Stupid; dull. The reverse
of " long-headed," which implies astuteness rather than brilliancy.
THICK LIFTED [thik- Itif-tud], adj. Short-winded.
Poor old fuller, he's a-come terr'ble thick lifted, sure 'nough. See
Ex. Scold. 1. 126.
THICK WET [thik- waef], sb. A dense mist— very com. in
the west.
'Twas a proper thick wet, you could-n zee not a gunshot.
THIEF [thee'f], sb. A faulty wick in a candle, which causes
it to waste. (Very com.)
THING [dhing], sb. i. When applied to persons or articles is
mostly depreciatory. A bad tool is [u rig'lur dhing-'], with much
emphasis in all cases on dhing.
[Tiid'-n noayue-s vur tu maek dhing*z, dhai wiid-n buy urn,] it is
no use to make things (/'. e. bad articles), they would not buy them.
A drunken woman is [u puurdee oa'l dhing-"}. I never heard
the word applied to a man, but very often to a horse. [Dhee-s
u-gau't u dhing- naew, shoa'ur nuuf], thee hast got a thing now,
sure enough, is a very common expression.
On the contrary, when used to express a purpose, action, or
result, it has the force of implying satisfaction.
So you'll come too ; that's the thing.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 749
Nif mother'll let us come, 'twill be the very thing.
So again, according to intonation, it expresses content with person
or article.
Thick there piece is just the thing. Thick there maid's the thing
vor me.
2. Among keepers the regular word for ground vermin.
I've a-lost a lot o' birds way thick there thing [dhik dhae-ur
dhing1]. Said of a fox.
How we have a-bin a-terrified way \_dhing-z] the last vortnight ;
we've a-killed up a dizen stoats and varies.
Complaining of not finding game in a favourite spot, I was told,
"They zess 'tis the [dhing'z] things have a-killed it, but I knows
better'n that."
THINGS [dhing-z], //. s6. Cattle ; sheep ; live stock. This
noun of multitude always has a singular construction.
Anybody wid be a fool vor to keep a passle o' things and
starve it.
Urchet ! have ee zeed all the things ? Ees ! I've a-zeed it all.
THINGUMY, THINGUMYBOB, THINGUMYJIG [dhing--
umee, dhing-umeebau'b, dhing-umeejig'], sb. Equivalent to "What
d'ye call." Used as a cant name for any article or tool of which
the speaker for the moment forgets the proper word.
Hand over the thingumy.
THINK [dhing'k], v. t. To remember; to bear in mind.
(Very com.)
Now take care, mind, and think where you be, and what you
b^ about.
THINK SHAME [dhing'k shee-um], v.i. To be ashamed.
I should think shame of anybody belonging to me if they'd a-bin
there.
THIRDLE, or THURL [dhuurd'l], adj. Thin; lean; shrivelled;
hungry-looking; pinched. Applied to animals, also to grain. —
W. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
Thy buzzom Chucks were pretty vittee avore tha mad'st thyzel therle and thy
Vlesh all wangery. Ex- Scold' L 73-
THIS [tfz, -z, -s]. i. Indefinite distinguishing adj., used with
nouns denoting time. The sense is for, or for the space of.
[Aay bae-un kau'meen au'm-z wik',] I be not coming home this
week—/, e. for a week— not as in lit. Eng., during the current week
[Yoa-ur dhing-z bun rad'ee uz vau-rtnait,] your things (have)
been ready this (/. <?. for a) fortnight.
[Muy tuym lid'n aewt-y tvvuul'muunth,] my time is not oui
(for a) twelvemonth. See W. S. Gram. p. 29.
750 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. [Uz, -z]. To denote the immediate past or immediate future.
Have you seen Mr. John to-day.
[Noa, aay aa'nt u-zee'd-n-z tue1 ur dree' daiz,] no, I have not
seen him these two or three days.
I bin out to Holcombe ripping [uz vau-rtnit] — i. e. during the
last fortnight.
Your job on't be a-do'd [uz aawur] — /'. e. for the next hour.
THIS HERE [dhee-uz yuur, dhee'uzh yuur], demon, adj. i.
This — /. e. near at hand — definite and emphatic.
[Twaud'-n dhik1 dhae'ur, aay tuul1 ee, twuz dhee'uz yuur',~\ it was
not that, I tell you, it was this.
2. [dhush* yuur]. This — indefinite.
\_Dhitsh' yuur uyur oa*n due*; ee mus bee u-auglturd,] this iron
will not do ; he must be altered.
The pronunciation of these forms is distinct, and marks the
difference. To both is very commonly added another here,
analogous to THERE 3, by way of extra distinction, but the increase
of meaning is so slight, that it must be considered redundant.
What's all this here here about ?
I baint no ways a-tookt up way those here here [dheo'zh yuur
yiuir] taytotal fullers. See GVVAINS ON.
3. [dhush • yuur]. The use of this phrase, not as an actual
demonstrative, is quite common, and implies something new, as
"They tell me this here preforated sine is better' n lattin" (q. v.).
This here mowing o' wheat idn a quarter so good's the okl-
farshin reapin.
THO [dhoa-], adv. of time. Then. Still the usual form here,
though long obsolete in literature. Never used for then as a
conjunction. Ang.-Sax. 'Sd.
We bide tellin' ever so long, and tho I looked to my watch, and
zeed we 'adn a-got nit a minute to lost, vor to catch the train.
Her told'n he should have his money, but her 'adn a-got it tho.
And tho he seid to the thrid doujter, — Gesta Rom. p. 49 ; four times on same p.
Tho quath that on, and quad that other,
Owl and Night. \. 117. Also\\. 187, 199.
To do exequies, as was tho the gyse,
Tho seyde he : " O goddes cruel, — Chaucer, Knight cs Tale, 11. 135, 445.
Charlis to Oliuer saide ]>o : "god help \>e, dere herte,
Sir Firumbras, 1. 324. Also 11. 187, 212, and twenty others.
And at Wynchest' y cronyd he was
Of Elmerston, )>' was bysshoppe \>o ;
Chron. Vil. st. 7. Hundreds in this poem.
|>e bisshop seide so, bycause ]>at Kyng Henry J>e Secounde was }>oo i-come
in to Irlond freschliche after )?e martirdom of Seint Thomas of Caunturbury.
Trevisa, vol. I. p. 381.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 75!
Many other quotations in Trans. Dev. Association, vol. xvn
(1815), p. in.
THOFF [thau-f], adv. Though. (Always so.) The sound of
oug/i in though and trough, as compared with lit. pron., is exactly
reversed \thau-f, troa; instead of lit. tratrf, dhow}. Note also
difference of initial, from lit. though. See W. S. Gram p 04
See S-OFF.
Do show as thoffviz was in vor a hard winter.
And yet the perty maids, I vow,
Make me vorgive, I can't tell how,
Thoft 'tis a serious matter.— P. Pindar, R. Visit to Exeter, st. 7.
My rod da beynd, my reyl da whizz,
As thoffl'A. hook'd a bool.— Pnlman, R. Sk. p. 60. Also p. 73.
THONGY [dhaung-ee], v. i. i. To become viscous; elastic.
Cider is very often said "to thongy" when it gets into a peculiar
oily or treacly state called " reamed," or " ropy " (q. v.}.
2. adj. Viscous; like oil. See Trans. Dev. Ass. 1885, p. 112.
THORNEN [dhuurneen], adj. Made of thorn. Hence a
thorn-hedge is always a \dhuurneen-zy~}.
THORNS [dhuurnz]. In phr. "upon thorns." In a state of
excitement.
[Uur bun au'l pun dhuurnz uVur ziin-z,] she (has) been all upon
thorns ever since — i.e. in a restless, fidgety, unsettled state of
mind.
The initial th is always dh, as in then, not as in think. Of the
many glossaries which give this word not one defines the initial.
THOU,/r. sec. pers. sing., is not used by the peasantry. The
word is always thee. Thee art, t/iee'ds [dhee'ds] — i. e. thou hadst,
t/iee's [dhee'sj, thou hast, thee dis [dhee* diis], thou dost, are the
usual forms. Plenty of examples are to be found in these pages.
THREAD [draed (thraed-, to the quality}}, sb. The spiral con-
vexity of a screw.
Here, you must cut some more dread to this here bolt.
THREE-CROSS-WAY [dree-krairs-wai-]. The meeting of two
roads without intersecting. See FOUR-CROSS-WAY.
THREE OUTS [dree- aewts], phr. Three (with)outs. Used
in the very common rustic sarcasm, " A ginlman way dree outs — wit,
money, and manners."
THREE-SQUARE [dree'-skwae'ur], adj. and adv. Triangular.
THRID [timid •], num. Third. A very common pronunciation.
752 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Comp. crids for curds ; also quot. below. An exception, too, to the
nearly invariable change of thr into dr — e. g. thrash into drash, &c.
You be the thr id body I've a yeard tell o' it. See TH.
Suffren pore men hungry and \>risti and in gret mischef. — Wyclif, Works, p. 8.
THROUGH [dreo1, drue1], adv. In phr. "through and out"
[drue* un aevvt], throughout; during the entire space of time,
place, or quantity.
The piece was scovy all drue' un aewt — i. e. through its entire
length.
THROUGH AND THROUGH [drue- un drue'], adv. Com-
pletely through'
The ball went drue' un driie'. I was wet drue' un drue', in home
to my skin.
THROW [droa'], v. t. i. To produce; to bear; to bring forth.
Thick mare '11 drow a good colt.
This here ground ought to drow a good lot o' keep.
2. v. t. Of animals — to miscarry. See SLIP.
The sorrel mare 've z.-drowed her colt.
Sight o' yoes (ewes) about 've a.-drou?d their lambs.
3. v. t. Of a gin or trap — to spring it, or send it off.
[Dhu snaap-s u-droa'ud, bud lid'n noa'urt ee'n un,] the trap is
thrown, but (there) is not nothing in it. See DROW 3.
THROW ABROAD [droa' ubroa'ud], v. t. i. Tech. of a
saw. To set it so as to make it "carry more" — i.e. cut a kerf
large enough for the plate of the saw to pass readily. See OPE 3.
[Kaa'n due noa'urt wai dhee'uz an'-zau vore aay-v M-droa-d-\\
ubroa'ud,~\ (I) cannot do anything with this hand-saw until I have
set it.
2. Tech. in ploughing. To turn to the left at the end of a
furrow and return. The result is that the furrows made in going
and returning are turned away from each other, and hence at the
finish of each strip there is a double furrow, called an all-vore (f. v.).
All this is the precise opposite si gather (q. v.).
The land for ploughing will be marked out and numbered, and each ploughman
is to plough the part allotted to him, by gathering two-thirds and throwing abroad
two-thirds of the seventy yards, the furrows not to be less than six inches in
depth. — Particulars of Culmstock Ploughing Match, Nov. 10, 1886.
THROW IN [droa1 ee'n]. In wrestling or "cudgel playing"
a ring is kept by the bystanders, and the form of giving or of
accepting a challenge is to throw the hat into this ring. The
umpires (see TRIER) shout [tue aa'ts ! tue aa'ts !] two hats ! when
two fresh men are wanted, or [u aa't ! u aa't !] a hat, when a
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 753
challenge has been given, or the man in the ring has thrown his
man.
[Bairb wuz tu geo'd vau'r um ; noa'un oa-m wiid'-n droa- ee-n
ugin- un,] Bob was too good for them; none of them would
not " throw in " against him.
[Aay vaewn u waud'n tu bee noa1 kik'een, zoa aay wud'n droa-
ee-n,'] I found that there was to be no kicking, so I would not
wrestle. This was said to me by a man in great disgust, who
had described to the writer how he had carefully prepared his
boots to make them hard, and had gone to a certain place on
purpose to wrestle with a well-known champion. Throwing in the
hat is precisely equivalent to throwing down the gauntlet in the
days of chivalry.
So zoon's I'd a-drowed Jim Moles, none o' the tothers widn
drow in agin me — /'. e. would not accept my challenge.
THROWING UP HIS HAND, THROWING UP HIS
LITTLE FINGER [droa'een aup xiz an*,— lee'dl ving'ur]. Cant
phr. for drinking.
[Kaa-pikul fuul'ur tu wuurk, neef u daed'n due' zu muuch tu
droa-een aup uz an-,] capital fellow to work, if he did not do so
much at drinking.
[Zoa yue bun droa'een aup yur lee'dl ving'ur ugee'un, aa'n ee?]
so you have been throwing up your little finger again, have you not ?
Com. way of chaffing one who is drunk.
THROW THE HATCHET [droa- dhu aach'ut], phr. To
colour highly ; to exaggerate.
Must-n always take he's store vor gospel; Thomas can drow
ttt 'atchet way anybody.
THRUM [druum], sb. In weaving, when a warp is woven out
it is necessary to leave a few inches of the threads which pass
through the reeds and harness, in order to tie on the ends of the
new warp. This part cannot be woven in consequence of the
knot on every thread, it has therefore to be cut off as waste, and
is called a thrum.
PESLES : Thrums ; or that which hangs at the end of a piece of cloth like
fringe. Cotgrave.
THRVMM, of a clothe. Filamen, K.Y.L.W. villus, fractillus, U.G. in franco.
Promp. Pan?,
THRUM of clothe or threade— -payne.— Palsgrave,
O. High Germ, drum (finis, stirfs). O. Dutch drain (liduni).—Stratmann.
Hoc licinm, a throm 78/17. Licium [a throme\.— Wrights Vocab. 592/35.
Approach, ye furies fell !
O fates ! come, come ;
Cut thread and thrum, — Mids, Nighfs Dream, V. i.
3C
754 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
In the Parlor.
It'm one Domex carpett, iiij old drumbe cushions
and cubbord cloth of dornex vjs.
In the Chamber over the Parlor.
It'm vj drunib cushions xx*.
1609. Inventory of the goods, &c. of Henry Gaudy e, Exeter.
THUMBS [dhuunvz]. Of an awkward, clumsy-handed person
it is usual to say —
[Au'l uz ving'urz bee dhuumz^ all his fingers are thumbs.
THUNDERBOLT [dhuun'durboa-lt], v. t. To strike with
lightning.
May 28, 1881, the sexton of Minehead church pointed to some
repairs in the tower, and said, " He (the tower) was a thunderbolted
about of a sixty year agone."
THURT [dhuurt], v. t. i. To thwart ; to oppose; to cross.
'Ton't never do to thurt he — the fat's in the vire torackly.
2. To cross-cut. (Always.)
Why, 'tis a wo'th vive shillings to thurt thick there butt (tree)
so well's one shillin's a wo'th another.
3. To plough across the furrows of the previous ploughing.
[Yiie mus pluw un un dhuur't-n, un pluw un ugee'un, vur tu
maek' u jau'b oa un,] you must plough him (the field) and thwart
him, and plough him again, for to make a job of him.
THURT AND ACROSS [dhuurt-n ukraa-s], adv. A pleonastic
form of across ; athwart. (Very com.)
[Ee aup' wai uz stik* un kuuf-n rai't dhuurt-n ukraa's dhu baak
oa un,] he up with his stick and cut him right across the back
of him.
You be bound vor to car your gutter thurt and across Mrs.
Knight's mead, vor t'have fall'd enough. — November, 1882.
THURT-HANDLED [dhuurt-airld}, adj. Cross-handled— of
spades, forks, &c.
Thurt- an' led tools be better'n they t'others.
THURT SAW [dhuurt zaa-, zau-], s6. Cross-cut saw. (Always.)
Plase to tich up (sharpen) the thurt saw ; can't do nort way un
eens he is.
THUSTY [thuus-tee], adj. Thirsty. (Always.) Generally used
in begging cups of cider of the missus. A little polite. Dry is the
usual word to express thirst.
TIB [tub], sb. Small beer. See SPRING-BUTTON.
Th'old Bob on't never drink nort ; but th'old man's oncommon
fond of his pint or two o' tib.
To "drink nort " means not to get drunk.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 755
TICK [tuys], v. t. To entice. (Always.)
I do's my best vor to get-n to school, but they tother boys keeps
on tidr? o' un away.
I tyce one by fayre worcles to my purpose. le attice. Do other men as they
lyste, but I wyll nat tyce him to none yll. Palsgrave.
TICEMENT [tuysmunt], sb. Encouragement ; enticement.
There idn no ticement vor to keep it tidy, vor tidn a-do'd up
vive minutes 'vore they boys 've a-made it all so bad again.
TICHER [tuclvur], sb. Toucher. In the very common phrase,
" So near's a ticker" = as near as possible; a hairbreadth escape.
'Twas jist a come they hadn a bin a-turned over right into the
river — 'twas so nigh's a ticker.
TICK FOR TACK [tik- vur taak-], phr. Tit for tat (Always.)
TICKLER [tik'lur], sb. A sharp stroke with a cane or whip.
I gid'n a tickler 'cross the backzide.
TICKLISH [tik'leesh], adj. Causing uneasiness; difficult;
uncertain.
'Tis a ticklish job vor to load thick there piece (of timber) mind.
Ticklish times. Ticklish weather vor haymaking.
TICKS [tiks], sb. A small kind of horse-bean.
There idn no sort '11 beat th' old-farshin ticks.
TIDDIVATE [tiid-ivae-ut], v. t. To smarten up ; to put on the
final touch.
I s'pose must tiddivate up the garden a bit, avore the weddin.
TIDDLY WINK [tiid'lee wing-k], sb. An unlicensed public.
Same as KIDLEY WINK.
TIDLY [tiid-lee], sb. A torn-tit. Pants.
[U tdd-leez nas* wai vaawur ag'z een un,] a torn-tit's nest with
four eggs in it.
'TIDN [tud-n]. " It is not." (Always.) See IDN.
TIDY [tuydee], adj. Great; large; considerable.
There was a tidy lot o' volks there, sure 'nough ; could a-travelled
'pon their heads.
TIE [tuy], v. t. and sb. i. To exactly equal another in some
competition ; an equal. See RIDE AND TIE.
My dog tied yours, so they must run again.
2. See tie in BED-TIE.
TIE-BEAM [tuy'-beem], sb. The horizontal part of the framing
of a roof; that which ties, or prevents the " couples " from spreading.
3C2
756 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
TIED [tuyd], adj. Wool is said to be tied when it is matted in
growth. Fleeces are often found like pieces of felt, these are tied
fleeces. See COT.
Farmers in bargaining for the sale of their wool often say —
[Aay aa'n u-gairt u tuyd vlee'z tu mee nae'um,] I have not a
matted fleece to my name.
TIED UP [tuyd au-p], adj. Constipated.
I be terr'ble &-tied up in my inside ; and all the doctor's stuff don't
do me no good.
TIERS [tuyurz], sb. Short lengths of cord, cut off for the
purpose of tying the sacks when measuring up corn.
TIFFLE [tiif-1], v. t. and i. To unravel the threads of cloth ;
to make a fringe by drawing out the threads of weft.
That there stuff on't do 'thout he's a-hem'd— he'll all tifly out.
TIFFLINGS [tiitteenz], sb. pi. Threads drawn from any textile
fabric.
I could not get any cotton to match, so I was obliged to hem
it with tifflings. This word is used by educated people.
TIFFY" [tuf'ee], adj. Irritable ; easy to take offence ; subject
to tiffs.
Her widn be so bad nif her wadn so mortal tiffy.
TIGHT [tuyt], adv. and adj. i. Of dough. Stiff in consistency ;
inclined to solid.
A baker told me, "We always wets the flour in the morning
double so tight as we do what we wets night-times for the ' sponge ' "
(q. v.). That is, it is kneaded into a much more solid paste, or the
opposite of " slack " (q. v.}.
2. adj. Drunk. (Com. late importation.)
Now, Thomas, you was a little bit tight last night, and I count
you vorgot all about it.
TIGHT ARTER [tuyt aardur], adv. phr. Close after.
The bitch was tight arter'n ; but her wadn quick enough vor
to catch'n vore a come to the gutter hole.
Come, soce ! you be gwain to zlee^up, the wagins be tight arter ee.
For a best when it es born, may ga
Als tite aftir, and ryn to and fra. — Ham pole, Prickc of Conscience, 1. 470.
TILE [tuyul], sb. Slate for roofing.
A small builder said to me of a Hnhay to be built —
[Wild yue wee'sh tu kuuvur-n wai tuyulz ur pan'-tuyulz ?] would
you wish to cover him (roof) with tiles or pan-tiles ?
TILE [tuyul], v. t. Var. pron. See TILL 2.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 757
TILE-STONE [tuyul-stoo'un], sb, A roofing slate. Very com.
in speaking of single slates.
You mus' 'ave vower good tile-stones and put tap o' thick there
chimley.
The win've a-blowed down the tile-stone an' a-tord'n all to pieces.
TYLESTONE (tyle, K.p. tyilstone, A.). Tegula, later. — Promp. Parv.
Mi vertu driede as a tiyl-stoon, and my tunge cleuede to my cbekis.
Wydif, Psalm xxi. 16 (xxill A.V.).
Also there is white cleye and redde, where of thei make pottes and tylatones.
Higdtn, Polychron, Rolls Ser. v. II. p. 19. Harl, MS. 2261.
Higden has " et tegulis tingehdis." Trevisa translates this —
and stenes and o])er vessel and brent tyle to hele wif> hous and cherches as hit
were, &c.
TILL [tee-ul], v. t. i. To sow seed for a crop.
Thick field's ^.-tilled, to whait ; last year he was in to turmuts.
2. [tee'ul, rarely tuyul], v, t. To set a gin, trap, or snare.
I must till a snap vor thick there want. Bid's zee whe'er the gin
was ^.-tilled ? There's a new farshin mouse-snap what don't lack no
/.'///«' — he do till 'iszul.
Tristre is }>er me sit mid )>e greahundes forte kepen }>e hearde, ofcer til/en
)>e nettes ajean ham. Ancren Riwle, pp. 333-4.
Seint Antonie >et iseih al )>ene world ful of }>es deofles tildunge. — Ib. p. 278.
3. To prepare ; to make ready.
Speaking of the sharp practice of some neighbours, a farmer
said, "But there, didn make no odds, I was ^.-tilled vor 'em."-
NOV. 22, 1887.
How J>ys lofe J>e helpej) at nede
To tylle J>y soule with almes-dede.
Robert of Brunne, Handlyng Synne, I. 5673.
Tylyen & trewliche lyven • & her flech tempren \—P. Plowman's Creed, 1. 743.
Manning, head-keeper to Sir John H. Heathcoat-Amory, said that on the
night in question he and three others went to Langwood field, part of the home
farm having received information that some wires were tilled close by.
Poaching Case in Wellington Weekly News, March 10, 1887.
TILL [tul-], sb. The money drawer in a shop. Pronunciation
very distinct from v. till.
At the Taunton assizes, Jan. 22, 1886, it was amusing to see
how puzzled the judge was at the commonest words. A
woman, who had taken a bad half-crown, said she " Put it in the
////" The judge asked three times, " Put it in the what ? " [Dhu
tul-, mee Lau'rd.] "The what?" [Dhu /«/'.] " What do you mean ?
I cannot understand you." [Dhu tul; wur wee du keep dhu
muuivee.] Even then counsel had to translate.
TILLER [tee-ulur], sb. Of a gin or trap, the part to which the
bait is attached, and by which the trap is ' ' tilled " or set.
758 WEST SOiMERSET WORDS.
[Dhee'uz yuur jiin* ud'n noa geo'd, dhu tee-idur oa1 un-z u-broa'kt,]
this here gin is not no good, the tiller of it is broken.
TILL-TRAP [tee'ul-traap], adj. and sb. Unsafe; unsteady.
An insecure scaffold would be a " till-trap consarn." A rickety
chair, a weak ladder, a broken stool, would all be so described,
implying that a person trusting to their support would be trapped.
Here ! mus' 'ave some better materials (q. v.) 'n what that is ;
I baint gwain up 'pon no jis till-trap'^ that there an' tread 'pon nort !
TILTISH [tuTteesh], adj. Of a horse— apt to kick.
I don't like thick 'oss ; I zim is tiltish.
TIMBER [tiinrbur], sb. Of a horse — stoutness of limb.
Good sort of a 'oss — plenty o' timber. See LIGHT-TIMBERED.
TIMBER-DISH [tunrur-dee'sh], sb. A trencher; a wooden
platter.
1 can mind avore was much cloam about, 'most everybody used
t'ave timmer- dishes tho.
TIME [tuym], sb. i. The regular hours constituting the day's
work. " To lose time " is to be absent from work.
'Tis ter'ble 'ard vor to be a-fo'ced to lost time vor to go 'vore the
Board, and then fo'ce to zen' the boy to school arter all.
2. In phr. " It will take me all my time " — i. e. utmost exertion ;
all I know.
Promise to finish this week, did 'er ? then I'll warn't 't'll tak-n
all his time.
TIMES [tuymz], adv. i. Many times ; very often. (Com.)
I knows very well he's gwain 'long way 'er; I've a-zeed 'em
together times.
Missus Ve a-told you times her on't 'ave you comin' to back-door.
2. In phr. " 'pon times " = now and then, sometimes.
You can meet way a good one 'pon times.
TIME OF DAY, TO PASS THE [tuym u dai-]. Phr. in very
com. use, meaning only a civil salutation. See p. 558.
I never don't have no hanks way they ; nif I meets 'em I only
jist passes the time o' day, and on I goes.
None would look on her,
But cast their gazes on Marina's face ;
While ours was blurted at, and held a malkin
Not worth the time of day. — Pericles, IV. iv.
TIME TO COME [tuym tu kau-m], adv. phr. In future.
A very intelligent well-to-do farmer said to me, " I do think the
"ood pigeons '11 be more hurt-n the rabbits, time to come ; they be
more destructive by half." — Jan. 15, 1886. (Very com.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 750
TIMMERN [turn-urn], adj. Made of wood, as a " timmern leg "
(Always.) "Timmern hoop," "timmern 'an'l (handle) spoon."
[Dh-oa-1 beoks aup tu chuurch-v u-gau't (urn-urn fau'ryulz, au 1
oa-m,] the old books up to church have got wooden forrels (covers)
all of them.
"Old farshin timmern buckets be double so good's these yere
galvanize things." See TROUBLESOME.
" Wooden " is a literary word used only in fine talk.
TIMMY [tum-ee], sb. In the game of rounders, the stick with
which the ball is struck. (Always.)
TIMOTHY [tunruthee]. Var. of grass. Phleum Pratcnse.
TINE [tuyn], sb. The tooth of a harrow or of a rake.
'Tis time they drags was a-tookt abroad, and the tines o'm
a-draw'd out — /. e. repointed.
Ang.-Sax. find, O. Icel. tindr, Mod. H. Germ. zint.—Stratmann.
and bitweonen fjeos stalen beofc }>e tindes ivestned of alle gode J>eawes.
Antren Ri-wle. p. 754.
TINE. To kindle. See TEEN.
TINKERMENTS [ting-kurmunts], sb.pl Fittings; compli-
cations ; odds and ends ; tools.
They there mowing machines Ve a-got to many tinkerments vor me.
Come, soce ! put away your tinkerments, and let's go to supper.
TINKER'S GEE [ting-kurz gee-], sb. Tinker's gift. One of
the similes for expressing extreme worthlessness.
I widn gee a tinker's gee vor-n. See COBLER'S CURSE.
TINKER TAILOR GRASS [ting-kur taa-yuldur graa's], sb.
Cock grass. Plantago Lanceolata. So called from a game which
girls of the better class play with it ; striking the heads together, and
at each blow saying in succession, " Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, gen-
tleman, apothecary, ploughboy, thief." The blow which knocks the
head off marks the one of these professions which is to be that of
the future husband. See SOLDIERS. This name is also applied to
Lolium Perenne, and the same formula is gone through in counting
the alternate buds upon the stalk.
TINKER UP [ting-kur au'p], v. t. To cobble or mend in a
temporary manner.
The horses had bolted and broken the pole of the carriage, when
a bystander said, " Be sure can tinker up thick, eens he'll [lee'us
au-m] last home." — October, 1869.
TINNER [tiin-ur], sb. Tunner or funnel for filling tuns or
casks. (Always.)
Maister lackth to borry the tinner, 'cause he's gwain to rack
some cider.
760 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
TINO ! [tuynoa !]. Negative expletive. Commonly used with
no in reply to a question. No doubt it is a shortened form of
" that I know." (Very com.) Same as ZINO ' = " as I know of."
Be you gwain to put your name down? No, tino ! He on't
come, tino!
[Snoa' u miirree u wau'z?] dost know how many there was?
No, tino I
TIP [tup], v. t. i. To tilt up ; to drink ; to drain the cup — ;'. e.
tip it up so that all runs out.
Come ! tip it up, don't lef none for manners.
2. sb. A drink ; a draught
[Yuur, Bee'ul ! wut ae'u tup- ? yuur-z dhu vuurkeen,] here, Bill !
wilt have a tip ? here is the firkin.
3. sb. Tech. Toe-plate on a boot.
To new pair cues and tips, 6d. — Shoemakers Bill.
TIP TOP [tup- taap], adj. Very best ; capital ; excellent.
I calls'n a tip tap hat, none o' your vower and ninepenny shiners.
TISTY-TOSTY [tuVtee-tau'stee], sb. The ball-shaped flower of
the Guelder rose ; also a ball made of primroses to amuse children.
TYTE TUST, or tusmose of flowrys or othyr herbys (tytetuste or tussemose, s.).
Olfactorium. Promp. Parv.
TISHUMS [tee-shumz], sb. Sneezing.
Her'd a-got the tishums so bad her disturved all the church.
Comp. Welsh, tisio, and Heb. atisha.
TISS, TISSY [tuV, tus-ee], v. i. To hiss. (Always.)
[Yue zuf-n aup, dhaat-s au'l ; ee'ul tiis'ee sae'um-z u kauk geo'z,]
you set him up, that's all ; he will hiss same as a cock goose.
So zoon's the cider do begin to tissy, 'tis time to rack it.
TISSER [ttis'ur], sb. A slow match; a squib.
The best thing vor a wapsy's nest is a tisser. I makes em way
some wet powder an' a little brimstone. I'll kill every one o'm,
eens you can dig 'n out.
TIT [tut, teet], sb. Anything very small. Comp. TOM-TIT.
A little tit of a fuller ; why he idn no higher-n a tuppenny loave.
TITCH'OOD [tiich-eo-d], sb. Touchwood ; rotten, phosphor-
escent wood.
We can't do nort way un, sir, he's so ratted's titcKood.
T1TSUM [tut'sum], sb. The plant Hypericum androsamum.
" We always calls it titsum, but I reckon tidn the proper name
o' ut."— Oct. 3, 1882. Huish Champflower.
Prior says this is FT., and that the plant is still called by the
common people in France toute-saine.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 761
TITTER VATE [tufurvae'ut], v. t. To aggravate ; to incense.
'Tis a pity eens they can't get on ; but her do tittervate-n. terr'ble.
TITTERY [tufuree], v. i. To stutter or stammer.
[Wuy-s-n zai' haut-s u-gau'ut vur zai', neet buyd tut'ureen dhae'ur
sae'um-z u aa'feol bab'ue'n?] why dost not say what (thou) hast got
for (to) say, not bide stuttering there same as a half-fool baboon ?
'Tis a terr'ble pity the boy should tittery zo.
TITTY [tufee], sb. i. Teat; breast of a woman; of a domestic
animal [taef].
Welsh, did, didi; Irish, did ; Hebrew, dad ; Arabic, tedi; Ang.
Sax., tit; O. Dutch, titte ; Fr., tette ; O. Fr., tcte ; Span., teta ;
Ital., idta; Icelandic, tdta ; Germ, zitze.
Mammille, tittas.— Wrighfs Voc. 265/6.
TETE, Uber.—Promp. Parv.
bi |?eo titles j>et he sec ]>e mile ]>et hine uedde. — Anc. Riiule, p. 330.
Whi was Y takun on knees? whi was Y suclid with leelis? — Wyclif, Job III. 12.
Thi twei Mis ben as twey kidis, twynnes of a capret. — 16., S. of Sol. iv. 5.
T; teon }>e titles awei of J>ine bare breosten. — Life of S. Catherine, 1. 2098.
be quite es zey, a grabbling o' wone's tellies. — Ex. Court. 1. 375.
2. Also the milk from the teat.
Here then, my pretty, mother will give him some titty.
TITTY TODDY [tee'tee taud'ee], adj. phr. Vacillating ; un-
decided; silly; fussy; crochety.
Never look arter a titty toddy old fuller like he — 'tis one thing
one minute and another the next way un.
TOTERON, or waveron'. Vacillo. TOTERYNGE, or waverynge. Vacillario.
Promp. Parv.
TO [tu],j»r#. i. On; upon.
[Dhik's t-aevee tu kaa-r tu yur baa-k,] that one is too heavy to
carry to (/'. e. on) your back.
2. Out of; as "go to doors," always said to dogs. He turned
to, and put em all to doors. This latter is the ordinary way of
speaking of a publican clearing his house.
'Tis whisper'd thou wert turn'd to door,
like, very, very poor.— Peter Pindar, OdeVlli. To PITT.
3. Belonging to. There never wadn no kay to un.
4. [tu, tue-1. (a) At, or by (working at, understood).
[Ee du git viz luveen tu tae-udee jaewleen], he do get his living
to tatie jowling. .
Anybody can't sar their wages to it—*, e. by working at
that price.
762 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
At the Wellington Board of Guardians a farmer, residing many
years at Culmstock, asking about the earnings of an applicant for
relief, said, "What do her aim it to?" — November 25th, 1886.
Steady chap, he's always to work.
(t>). At. Applied to games in the sense of playing at.
[Twaud'-n ubeo' vaawur u-klauk', bud dhae'ur dhaiwau'z, au-l tit
kyiirdz), it was not above (past) four o'clock, but there they was,
all to cards — /. e. playing at cards.
I know he was there, I zeed-n 'long way em to skittles.
J)O ]>at williej) to leue at hame • pleye]) to J>e eschekkere,
& summe of hem to iew-de-dame • & summe to tablere :
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 2224.
5. At. Applied to (a) place (always), or (b) position, or (c)
direction, distance.
(a) Her do live to Taun'un, to sarvice.
A sight o' vokes to fair.
I zeed'n to market a Zadurday. See STRAIN.
Bi J?ay were tened at J>e hyje, and taysed to J>e wattrej, — Sir Gawayne, \. 1169.
to fynde pore children able of witt & lyuynge to scole for to lerne,
Wyclif, Works, p. 176.
In the phr. " was to " — /'. e. was at, or came to. At the Wellington
Board a Guardian, not the above, but a younger man, said of an
applicant for relief, "Her was to me last night." — Nov. 25th, 1886.
(b) In the com. phrases, " to the very outside," " to the very
least." " To the very nick o' time." See FRIGHTEN.
(f) In connection with home. See HOME TO.
6. At. Applied to time.
I'll be ready to dree o'clock. He told me he'd do un to once.
No doubt this invariable use has led to the confusion of ideas,
and consequent change of directly into- lorackly. (Always.) Also
in the phr. "to last," the regular equivalent for "at last," which has
probably arisen from the contr. of the phr. " Come to last" (q. v.).
To last, the poor thing couldn' stan' it no longer; her was
a-fo'ced to lefm.
Zo maister Ve a-gid thee the bag to last, I've a-looke"d vor't 's
ever so long. See SHIRK OFF.
My line got hitch'd below, ta las',
Zo I lied along upon the grass. — Pulmatt, Rtts. Sk. p. 34.
7. adj. phr.
(a) Inconvenienced ; alarmed ; moved ; excited.
Her was &put to about it, and no mistake.
(b) Applied to harnessing horses to a carriage.
John ! missus says you must/w/ to directly (rather genteel).
8. adv. Forward, in the phr. " to and again."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 763
The hyener widn bide quiet a minute ; there a was gwain to an'
again in the cage all the day long.
9. In, or so far as concerns ; used with health.
A farmer said in answer to inquiry for his wife, " Her's very well
to health, on'y her's a-crippled up terr'ble.
An hors is false to healthe ; — Wyclif, Psalm xxxn. (xxxill.) 17.
10. Of.
"Mr. Elworthy to Foxydown," is the regular description of the
author. [Miis-tr Uul-wudhee tu Faulrseedaewn.]
"Whose sheep are those?" "Mr. Bond's to Perry Elm, sir."
In all the above the sound is very short — as in rapid speech
we sound the in " the book."
11. [tue*], prep. Used redundantly by way of compliment to
certain adverbs of place ; always at the end of the clause.
I can't think wherever they be to. Where's a-put the gimlet to ?"
Her didn't zay where her was a-gwain to.
At a political meeting at Taunton, Nov. 8th, 1885, a man
shouted, "Where's Gordon toV
12. [tu, t- dee], adj. == This, with year, afternoon, as in lit. &-day,
/0-night.
Maulscrawls be ter'ble plenty to-year [dee yuur].
Your boots was a-z.en 'ome farternoon (q. v.), to vower o'clock.
Wee shall lose our harvest to yere.— 1642. Rogers, Naaman, p. 617.
13. adv. as a prefix = asunder; in pieces ; completely. (Rare.)
Reported as used in Devonshire, Mar. 1881. See Trans. Devon
Association, 1881.
Bot J>e gynys dude >o an5 alJ to barst.— 1420. Chron. Vilod. st. 1103.
Cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimeleck's head, and all to brake his skull.
Judges ix. 53.
14. adv. as a prefix to the gerund = for; for the purpose of;
for the sake of; for doing.
I've a-tookt all Mr. Bond's grass to cuttin'.
Thick hedge is a wo'th two shillins a rope to makin'.
So also ' ' to doing," " to digging," " to building," " to drashing," &c.
Thick there rat's a wo'th zixpence to killin'.
15. For.
Tradesmen's bills are always —
s. d.
To one new pair of hameses
To repairing a spade
To master's boots soled and heeled
To account rendered, &c.
16. \\.\\\,prep, implying connection.
764 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
What's he to her? — /. e. what connection has he with her?
They baint nort to me.
17. According to; in accordance with. This use is purely
commercial, and if provincial is not dialectal.
The goods are not to order.
MADAM, — The goods to your esteemed order are this day forwarded, &c.
Note from a Draper, October 1885.
1 8. With.
I likes a bit o' sugar to my tay.
19. In comparison with, in phr. nort to.
Thick there idn nort to tother. He idn nort to his brither.
20. Very often omitted before the infinitive, especially the
infinitive of purpose, which takes for before it.
You know he did'n go vor do it — /. e. did not intend to do it.
You no call vor zay how you zeed me.
Maister's gwain same purpose vor spake to the jistices vor me.
At Wellington Board of Guardians the relieving officer said a
certain person was " in a position vor contribute " towards main-
taining his mother. — Nov. 25th, 1886.
A farmer, native of and resident at Morebath, came to me for
advice as to emigrating to New Zealand, and speaking of leaving
his farm, said, " I'd a-got all my wuts vor zell ; " and in the same
conversation said, "We'm bound vor pay. We've a-got vor do't."
— June 2$th, 1886.
21. \\h&*\prep. Go or have understood.
The usual way to set on a dog is, " To un ! to un, Pinch ! " — /. e.
Go at him.
22. As a mere connective in alliterative phrases — e.g. Rattle-/0-
rip. See HESK, LOP-TO-LURRUP, C RINK-TO-CRANK, JIG-TO-JOG.
23. prep. In. Often more distinct and longer than the adv. too.
[tue-pees-ez] to pieces. See LADE 2.
24. adv. and prep. Often loses its vowel before another vowel.
What's the clock ? Vive minits [t-aa-yt] /'eight. You be [t-ai'gur]
/'eager by half. He's /'old vor thee, mun. Her was 'ome /'Easter,
but I 'ant a-zeed her sinze. He do live out /'Anstey. See Too.
Wij> that )>e Sarsyns reliede hem )>er : & J>e frensche men gunne /assaile.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 963.
25. Sometimes omitted, especially in phr. to-morrow. See
TOAKENY.
TOADERY [toa'uduree], sb. Rubbish, weeds, or any unde-
sirable object, such as dock seed mixed with seed corn, poppies, or
other weeds among the wheat.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 765
[Dh-eo'1-z veo'l u toa'uduree dee yuur,] the wool is full of foreign
substances this year.
[Aay zai'n dhee vur u baa'ru veol u geo'd duung-, diid-n ees ?
un neet vur u paa'sl u toa'uduree sae'um-z dhiish yuur'], I sent
thee for a barrow full of good dung, did not I ? and not for a
parcel of rubbish same as this here is.
TOAD UNDER A HARROW. (Actual Dialogue.)
\_Wife. Un'eebau'dee mud suwuul'bee u too'uduuirduruaa'ru-i
bee u foo'us tu leev sae'um-z aa'y bee laung u dhee' — tiiz skan'lus un
shee'umfeol aew aay bee' u-saa'rd ! Husband. U uunrun-z airvees
u-saa'rd wuul' neef uur lid'n u-aagt ubaewt, un dhee' aar't-n niivur
u-aa't ubaewt,] one may as well be a toad under a harrow as be
forced to live same as I be along with thee — it is scandalous and
shameful how I be served 1 A woman is always well served if she is
not hit about, and thee art not never hit about.
Comp. this with TWUD, Oxford Gloss, p. 102.
TO AND AVORE [the* un uvoa'r], adv. Forwards and back-
wards. In ploughing, or other work on land, the implement is
said to go to an' avore. See To 8
An work'd et too'n avore, agin
Ha com'd ta zau tha barly in ;— N. Hogg, Ser. I. p. 50.
TOBY-TROT [toa'bee-traat], sb. A softy ; a simpleton.
He's a bit of a toby-trot, too, he is ; I zim he 'ant a-got all 'is
buttons.
TO-DAY MORNING [tu-dai- mau'rneen, usually contracted to
dai' mau-rneen]. This morning. (Very com.)
I zeed-n day mornin' vore breaksus.
We com'd away day mornin' 'bout o' vive o'clock.
TODDLY ALONG [taud'lee lau'ng], v. i. To move on.
Come, Bill ! we can't bide no longer, 'tis gettin' late, we must
toddly 'long.
TO DO [tu due'], sb. Disturbance ; uproar; quarrel.
Purty to do up to board, wad-n 'er? I yeard 'em zay 'ow 'most
come to faitin' way 'em.
TO DOING [tu due-een]. In phr. "to take to doing"— i. e.
to scold. ... , , T
Missus tookt me to doin' , sure 'nough, 'bout the milk, I
could-n help o' it.
TOER [toa-ur], sb. Toe. Er is added to toe and /^redundantly.
What's the matter? Squat my toe-er. See LEGGER.
" War toe-ers ! " is always the warning against a falling weight.
TOE-RAG [toa--rag], sb. Dried salt cod-fish. (Always.)
/66 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Anybody must have a bit o' mait now and again — anybody can't
auvis live 'pon toe-rag.
TOGGER [taug'ur], sb. The moveable handle, including iron
work, fixed by ring and wedge, to the snead of a scythe.
The togger-vco. [taug'ur-uyur] is the iron tang welded to a ring,
upon which the wooden /<?§g?r-handle [taug'ur-an'l] is fixed.
The best thing you can have for togger-ariles is a ivy-drum.
I've a-got a good snead, but there idn no toggers to un.
Ang.-Sax. teogan, to tug.
ne loken ueste o none monne : ne toggen mid him, ne pleien.
Anc. Riw. p. 424.
TOGGERY [taug'uree], sb. Fine clothes ; decorations.
I zeed-n all a-drest out in all his best toggery, same's off was
a-gwain to be a-married. (Late importation.)
TOKE [toa-k], sb. Cant name for bread.
A bit o' M^'s all I can meet way vor breaksus, 'thout 'tis a
ing-un behap.
TOKEN [toa'kn], sb. A portent ; a forewarning ; a death sign.
There is an implication of awe or dread in the use of the word
in this sense.
[Dhu vuuree nart u-voa'r ee* duyd, sau'mfeen uurnd u-kraa's
dhu roa'ud jist u-voa'r mee, ee'ns aay wuz u-kaunveen oa'm laung.
Aay noa'us twuz u ae'ur, un aay dhau'rt dhoa* ee'ns twuz u toa'kn ;
un gin* aay kmd oa-m, neef ee* ad-n u-jis't u-draap't u-wai'.]
The very night before he (husband) died, something ran across
the road just in front of me, as I was coming homewards. I
know it was a hare, and I thought then that it was a token ; and
by the time I reached home, if he had not just fallen down in a fit.
Ang.-Sax. tdcen, a sign. Dutch teeken. Germ, zeichen.
Tokne, of a thynge to cumme or cummynge. Pronosticum. — Promp. Parv.
Token of a thyng to come — presaige, signe. — Palsgrave.
For roting es na better rede ;
In taken he man was suld be dede. — Cursor Mundi, Afagi, 1. 133.
By certayn tokens, als yhe sal here,
l>at byfalles when )?e ded es nere ; — Pr. of Conscience, \. 814.
TOKENY [toa'knee]., v. i. To threaten ; to give signs ; to
betoken.
[Aay ztinr du toa'knee vur raa'yn,] I consider (it) appears likely
to rain.
Also used technically in speaking of animals.
Her toafknust zo her 'on't be long — /'. e. she will calve soon.
[Uur tocfkn-us s-au'f uur-d kaa'vee voa'r maar-u mau'rneen,] she
give signs as though she would calve before to-morrow morning.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 767
[Du toa-knee vur snoa-, aay zum,] (It) do betoken for snow, I
fancy.
je token yuele >e knyjt of prys : & yuele Jou schal be-tyde.— Sir Per. \, 939.
Al hali kirc, als thine me,
Mai by this schippe takened be.— Homilies in Verse, Stilling the Tempest, 1. 23.
TOKER [toa-kur], sb. Money; wherewith.
I should like to buy one nif on'y I'd a-got the taker.
TOLL [toa-1], sb. The quantity of meal kept by the miller for
grinding another's corn.
Hence our vernacular version. of, Le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle,
is [Dhu toa'l-z moo'ur-n dhu gree's,] the toll is more than the grist.
TOLLYNGE, of myllaris. Mullura, vel molitura. — Promp. Parv.
I tolls, as a myller doth. You shal totle, or you go, or I wyll tolle for you.
Palsgrave.
Wei cowde he stele corn, and fallen thries ;
And yet he hadde a thombe of gold parde.
A whight cote and blewe hood wered he.
Chaucer, ProL (description of Miller), 1. 562.
TOM-CAT. The saying put upon us, " Everything is he except
a tom-cat, and that's a she," is a literary hoax, because among
dialect speakers ram-cat and ewe-cat [yoa'-kat] denote the sexes.
TOMMY [taunree], sb. Bread. Used alone, it does not mean
provisions in general, while in combination it does, as in " tommy -
basket," " AHw/wy-cupboard," " tommy-shop."
TOM-POT [tau-m-paut], sb. The name of a well-known red
apple, excellent for dumplings.
TONGUE-TIED [tuung--tuyd], adj. i. Indistinct in utterance ;
also sometimes, stuttering. Frequently it means unable to express,
or to get out what is wanted to be said.
Hot ailth the bwoy, is 'er tong-tiedl
2. Silent, as a witness in fear of incriminating himself.
TONGY [tuung-ee], v. i. To give tongue, as a hound ; also to
^1 yea^d^he hounds tongy, and tho' I zeed the fox gwain on
under the hedge in the very same field where I was to work.
I zim her do tongy to much vor me.
TOO [tu, very short, t- before a vowel], adv. i. The promin.
of this word is peculiar and distinct as compared with lit I
In the sense of over and above, excess, it is very short unl
particular emphasis is to be given-[/-uy, tu loa- tu beg-, tu lau ng,
/-a See, /-aevee,] too high, too low, too big, too long, too easy, too
768 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
heavy — the stress is on the adj. instead of on the adv., as in
Standard Eng. Sometimes, but not often, it is emphasized specially,
as " Thick's a little bit [tue' raung-k] too rank."
but drawen pore mennus almes and liflode to here owne couent ]>at ha]> to
moche of worldly goodis. Wyclif, Works, p. 13.
is our lord god, whom we lovith to liter} ; — Gest. Rom. p. 53.
my derwor)ie herte,
to heij vs hastily henne, • ich hope be }>e best,
euenly J)is euen while ' or men to mochel walk.
Will, o/Palerme, Werwolf, 1. 1745.
See also ill. Rogers, Hist, of Naaman, p. 96, under ITEM.
The second o in this word is comparatively modern spelling.
2. In the sense of likewise, also — too is always long.
An' a good job [tueg] too. I zeed thee there [tue'] too.
I know of no exceptions to the above rules of pronun. of this
word.
TOOKT [teok't],/. /. of take. i. To seize with sudden illness.
In this sense used only in the past tense and p. part.
The pain tookt her in the back.
Her was &-tookt fust in the zide, and tho the pain urned all over
her.
2. With away. To take away cattle, is to remove them from
pasture ; to unstock.
'Tis time they there young bullicks was z.-tookt away, they baint
doing no good.
All stock an' cattle took'd awayy
An' kip'd atwum 'pon strow an' hay. — Pulman, R. Sk. p. 62.
TOOKT BY THE HEAD [teokt bee dh-ai'd],//^. Nearly
drunk.
Rare trade, that there, I never didn drink but about of a pint
o' it, but I'll be darned if I wadn most z-tookt by ttt head.
TOOL [teo-ul], sb. Person ; subject.
Well, he idn much o' it ; I calls-n a proper poor tool.
TOOL [teo-1 emphatic, tl unemphatic]. It will.
[77 ta-ek'-n au'l uz tuym — aay tuul'ee, /&?•/,] it will take him all
his time — I tell you, it will.
TOP [taup], sb. Tech. i. A bundle of combed wool as made
up by the comber for spinning — usually weighing about 281bs.
See SLIVER. At present the word is applied to the bundles of
combed wool from the machine — hand combing having been quite
superseded.
2. Hunting. The top of a stag's horn.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 769
A fine stag was killed after a good run of three hours, having the top of one
horn shot off, the remaining horn had three on top with all his rights.
Colly us, p. 2H.
After a great deal of trouble he was taken, some distance round the point,
brought into Porlock Weir, and killed by the huntsman — a large, heavy deer,
with two upon top on each side. — Wellington Weekly News, Aug. 19, 1886.
TOP [taap], prep. Upon. Short for " upon the top of."
Where's the kay o' the poun'-'ouse? I lefm tap the shilf day
mornin'.
Wile es kainid an starid an gapsnested roun,
A girt cartload a pudd'ns com d in tap the groun.
Nathan Hogg, Scr. I. p. 30.
Tha Daysy tap tha grave. — Ib. Ser. II. p. I.
TOP-AND-TAIL, or TOP-ON-TAIL [taap'-m-taa-yul], adv. phr.
i. Head over heels ; upside down. (Always.)
[Nuvur zee'd noa* jis dhing uvoa'ur; dhu poa'nee puut iiz veot.
een u rab'ut's oa'l un praup'ur tuurnd taap--m-taayul, aa's oa*vur
ai'd,] (I) never seed no such thing before; the pony put his foot
in a rabbit's hole and proper turned top-on-tail, ars over head.
Richt be the nek full felonly,
Till top our to'// he gert hym ly. — Barbours Bruce, 1. 454.
2. Tech. Mode of laying a thin coat of thatch.
Thatchers ask if you want the roof to be " thatched," or if the
reed shall be put up taap--m-taayul — i. e. with the dag or bottom
end upwards. See Stratmann, ist ed. p. 504.
TOP-DRESS [taap--dras], v. t. To manure the surface upon
the growing crop.
I shall top-dress every bit o' my corn de year.
TOP-DRESSING [taap'-dras'een], sb. A manuring upon the
growing crop, instead of ploughing the manure into the land.
TORD [torirrd], /. t. of to tear. (Always.)
Thick there bwoy hained a stone and tord the winder. See BROKT.
See W. S. Gram., p. 48-
TOSS-BALL [tau-s-baal], sb. A soft ball for children to play with.
TOSS-POT [tau-s-paut], sb. A drunken sot.
TOSTICATED [tairstikae-utud], adj. Intoxicated. Rather a
" fine " word, and sometimes slightly facetious.
Well, William, zo you was a little bit tosticated, wad-n ee, last
night ? I thort you weared a blue ribbin.
TOT [taut], v. t. Generally with up. To add or count up ; to
ascertain the total. This is probably a slang word, but
become very com. among all classes.
Have-ee ztot up the figures ? How much do it tot up t
0
770 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
TOTELING [toa-tleen], adj. Slow; inactive; dead alive;
decrepit from age.
Poor toteliri old fuller, way one voot in the grave.
A tattling, wambling, zlottering, zart-and-vair yheat-stool. — Ex. Scold. 1. 53.
TOTELY [toa-utlee], v. i. To slouch about idly ; to dawdle.
Let thee alone, thee 't totly about gin Zadurday night over thick
bit of a job.
TOTHER [tuudh-ur], adj. i. Other = alter. See W. S. Gram.,
p. 28. (Usual form.) See OTHER.
Jinny, urn up arter my father coat.
2. The other.
I'll have one or father o'm, be how 'twill ! See RAP 4.
Tothere, or the tothere (to)>ir or the other, K. p. toyere or toder, S.). Alter,
reliquus, alius. Promp. Parv*
>ei han nei)?er J>e ton ne ]>e tofyer. — Wyclif, Works, p. 190.
Bot J)e to shaft for J>e toty dye.
And a martyr be, y wys. — Chron* Vilod. st. 236.
To mon )>ou shalle knete opon J>e ton,
J?e to\er to \>y self J>ou lialde alon.
^e ton to stabulle }>e to^er. — Boke of Curtasyc, 11. 165, 169.
3. Another, in the very com. phr. "one tother."
I zeed 'em 'busin' one tether. This would be often varied to one
or father, with same meaning. See RALLY 2.
Wull thay hug'd up wan (other in za luving a way.
Nathan Hogg, 'Bout tha Sal. Ser. I. p. 24.
TOTLE [toanitl], sb. An idler. The word rather implies a
slouching, lazy dawdler. The sb. is rare, but the vb. com.
Tattle is a very common surname, no doubt a form of the old
Totehylle or Toothill. It is very likely too that the lazy, dawdling
work of the look-out man or Meier, may have led to the present
meaning of totle.
TOTE HYLLE. Specula. TOTE HYLLE, or hey place of lokynge. Conspidllum.
Promp. Parv. See Way?* note.
TOTTERARSE [tauturaa-s], sb. One who walks in a tottering,
infirm manner.
Th' old Will Jones is proper a-doned up, sure 'nough ; I ant
a-zeed no such old two double totterarse 'is longful time.
TOUCH [tuclr], sb. i. Time; turn; season.
1 zim I've a-had it purty smart [dhee-uz] touch.
I baint gwain to take no grass to cuttin' [dhee'uz tuclr] this
touch — i. e. this season.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 771
2. Attack ; seizure ; illness.
Well her-ve a-'ad a middlin' touch o' the infermation ; but her's
about again now, thankee, mum.
3. Miss ; chance.
'Twas a near touch he 'adn a-died.
TOUCH-AND-GO [niclv-n-goa-], phr. A narrow shave ; a near
miss.
'Twas touch-and-go; another inch, mind, and over you must a
went.
TOW [toa], sb. i. The refuse or short stapled part of any
fibrous material, such as hemp-^a/, fia.x-/ow, silk-Aw, lamb-/ted/ —
i. e. torn of wool, because lamb's wool is so much shorter in staple
than fleece. In ordinary use tow alone is the refuse of flax.
2. In the phr. "in tow" — i. e. in progress.
A person negotiating with another would say, " I've got him in
tow; I expect he'll come round." Only applied to persons or to
business with persons, not to work or machinery ; the latter would
be "in track."
TOWERY [taawuree], v.f. In shooting it very frequently
happens that a bird is s'truck in the brain. Instead of dropping at
once it frequently flies on as if untouched for a greater or less
distance, it then seems to soar straight up, sometimes to a great
height, and then always falls dead. To soar up in this fashion is
" to towery"
I know'd you'd vin un dead zoon-'s I zeed-n towery.
TOWN [taew*n], sb. A collection of houses ; sometimes a single
farm. The word would not be used alone to express a farm or
very small hamlet, but is always preceded by the name of the
place. At Exton, a parish of North-west Somerset, is an example
of each kind, " Hoofown " is the name of a single farm, " Bridge-
town " is that of a public-house, a mill, and about three cottages
nearly a mile from the church and village.
It "is usual to speak of any village by its name with town added.
Thus the village at Exton is always Exton-/<?zew, though there are
only the parsonage, schools, and a dozen or fifteen cottages.
So also in all parts of the district the villages are called towns
when the collection of houses is specially referred to. Huish-/0«;«,
Winsford-/0ze;/*, Withypool-/<?w», Exford-Awrc, Cutcombe-/0tt>//, &c.,
all these will be quite familiar to frequenters of the Devon and
Somerset stag hunt.
It is not uncommon to speak of single farms in the same way
when distinguishing the house and collection of farm buildings
from the farm as a whole.
Hal. is wrong in his definition, the word is only applied as above.
3 D 2
7/2 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
through Oaktrow Wood . . . and down the water almost to Timberscombe
Town, Rec. N. Dm. Staghounds, p. 59.
down the road to Swimbndge Town, up the Svvimbridge Water. — Ib. p. 70.
ran a hind from Storridge to Upton Wood, King's Brompton Town. . .
Back by Lee Farm to Exton Town. 2b. p. 79.
TOZE [toa-uz], v. t. To disentangle ; to comb, or card. (Always.)
A nurse said to a lady recovering from sickness, whose hair had
become matted, "You must have patience, my dear, and let me
toze it out, a little to a time."
Ang.-Sax. t&san—twseZ, teasle.
TOSYNGE, of wulle or oj>er thyngys. Carptura.
TOSON' wulle or other lyke (tosyn or tose wul, s.). Carpo. — Pr. Parv.
I toose wolle, or cotton, or such lyke. It is a great craft to tose wolle wel.
Palsgrave, p. 760.
What schepe that is full of wulle,
Upon his backe they tose and pulle. — Cower, Prol. Conf. Amantis, 1. 17.
TRACE [trae-us], v. t. i. To plait. (Always.)
I can't only trace dree, but our Jim can trace zix, or so many's he's
a mind to.
2. v. t. To track in the snow — usually applied to hares. The
foot-print of a hare in the soil is a "prick," but in snow a " trace."
TRACE-HARNESS [trae-us-aarnees], sb. The harness worn
by a "vore horse" in a cart team, as distinguished from the
" breeching," or that worn by a wheeler. This term is a little
fine, rather an auctioneer's term ; those in common use by farm
carters are " Gripping" (q. v.} and "breeching."
Nine sets of breeching and trace harness, waggon lines, picks and rakes,
"Booby's" corn screen. — Adv. of Sale, Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
TRACK [traak], sb. Good order.
Mind and zee the drashin' machine's in track now, neet to keep
the volks gapin' one across tother while you be doin' o' un.
TRADE [trae'ud], sb. Stuff of all kinds ; liquor.
A Cockney might call bad beer " poor stuff," we should call it
"poor trade." " Whitpot's rare trade." See TOOKT BY THE HEAD.
Inferior materials would be called " roughish trade, sure 'nough."
See Reports 2, 5, 6, 8, Devon Provincialisms, Trs. Dev. Assoc.
TRADESMAN [trae-udzrnun], sb. A handicrafts-man — the old
use ; not applied to a shopkeeper.
A farmer's wife apologized for the noise a carpenter was making,
nd said, " We can't get the tradesmen to come when we wants 'em,
and when they do we got to put up way 'em."
TRAIL [trae'ul], sb. Of an otter — the line of scent followed by
the hounds before starting the quarry.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 773
We vound a fresh trail right across two meads, but they could-n
make no hand o' it, and we never vound th' otter. See DRAG
WALK.
TRAIN [traa-yn], sb. A line of corn laid down to attract
sparrows, or game. The fowler concealed shoots along the train,
and so makes greater havoc, killing twenty or thirty at a shot.
TRAMMEL [traanrul], sb. A net used for river poaching. It
is a kind of seine, but attached to rings sliding on a long pole.
TRANSUM [traan-sum], sb. Tech. A cross bearer used by
sawyers to support the end of the piece. A spare support thrown
across the " pit " would be also called a transmit. See BOLSTER-
PIECE, PIT-ROLLER.
TRAP [traap], v. t. To cause to fall, by the sudden giving way
of support, or by the tilting up of that which supports.
I must have a better scaffold ; I baint gwain up there vor to be
^.-trapped like a toad, and vail down and break my neck.
A very favourite amusement for cruel boys is to trap a toad. A
straight piece of wood is laid upon some support, so that a part
projects over the edge, the toad is then placed at the other or long
end of the lever thus made, a blow with something heavy is then
given on the projecting end, which causes the toad to be thrown
perpendicularly to a great height.
TRAPES [trae'ups], sb. i. A term for a slatternly, bedraggled
wcman; a slattern. See Ex. Scold. 11. 65, 158, &c.
2. sb. A muddy walk ; a trudge through mud.
I widn go another jis trapes, no not vor no money.
TRAPESY [trae-upsee], v. i. To walk by a wet and muddy
path. See Ex. Scold. 1. 200.
I baint gwain to trapesy thick way, and get up to my ass in
mucks, I can tell ee.
Her was a-fo'ced vor to trapesy all the way on to the doctor,
that time o' night.
TRAPY [trae-upee], v. i. To drag along in contact with the
ground or some other object. Applied only to clothing or the
like.
Keep in the tail o' your gurt coat, eens he mid-n trapy 'pon the
wheel. Her coats trapud every step her tookt.
TRASH [traarsh], sb. Low company ; disreputable people.
Well, I zim nif I was he I widn be a-mix'd up way no jis trash
as that there is. Comp. American, WHITE-TRASH.
TRAVEL [traa-vl], v. /. To walk ; to walk sturdily.
774 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
I've ^-traveFd over thick path hundreds o' times.
How's your foot, William ? Well, thanky, sir, he's a-got purty
near well again ; but they keep me in there (hospital) up dree
months, and I never shan't be able vor to travel no more same's
I could avore.
Maister idn nort the matter to his health, but he can't travel.
A keeper speaking of his work said, "I've a-got vor to travel
a good many miles every day o' the wik'n Zundays too. — Dec.
24, 1887.
TREACLE-POSSET [trae-ukl-paus-ut]. A hot drink made of
cider and treacle — in great requisition for colds in winter.
TREAD 'PON NORT [trai'd pun noa-urt], cant phr. To fall
down from a height. See TILL-TRAP.
TREBBLE AND QUADRUPLE NEGATIVES. Piling up
of negatives has been sufficiently illustrated throughout this work,
but that it is not a late corruption, as some maintain, the following
will show —
Bot }>en hit feft I hurre thoujt,
What he hadde sayde and thoujt J>e nyjt byfore,
pat Seynt Edus power was nought,
Ny Y God nold not do no wreche herr' fore.
1420. Chron. Vilodnn. st. 1231.
A-fore l>is day ne toke y nere f of no man such a schame.
Sir fentm&tvt, 1. 690.
He never yit no vilonye ne sayde
In al his lyf, unto no maner wight. — Chaucer, Prol. 1. 70.
For ex. see ITEMS, LIKES, No ZINO, STINKARD.
TREFOY [treefauy], sb. Trefoil; trefle ; clover. The annual
variety more commonly known as trifolium.
TREMMLE [tninrl]. TREMMLY [tninvlee], sb. and v.i.
To tremble. (Always.)
I be that waik 'pon times, I be all to a tremmle.
Hot ailth the maid ? how her do tremmly.
TREMELYN', Tremo, contremo.
TREMELYNGE, or qwakynge. Tremor, trepidacio. — Pr. Parv.
TRENDLE, TRUNDLE [truVdIe, most commonly trtiirl], sb.
A large oval tub some five to six feet in its greater axis, used for
many purposes, but chiefly for " scalding " (q. v.) pigs.
About 30 three, two, and one hhd. casks, apple mill with iron and granite
rollers, vats, tubs, trundles, ladders, poles.
Adv. of Farm Sale, Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
Ang.-Sax. trendil. Mod. H. Germ, trendil. — Stratmann.
Item, for naylle for the dayschon ijd.
Item, for ij hopis to the exiltre, and for ij
dowliges to the trendell, viij Ib. xijd.
1481-90. Howard, Household Books, Roxb. Club, p. 211.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 775
TRIER [truyur], sb. The umpire at a wrestling, cudgel-playing,
or any other match. There are usually two, and they are com-
monly old players who have retired, but who have sufficient vigour
left to insure fair play, vi et armis.
TRIG [trig], adj. Neat ; tidy.
Her's so trig a little umman's you'll zee in a day's march.
Their garden always looks trig like, and I zim our's idn never
vitty.
TRIG [trig] v. t. To fasten ; to block ; to prevent from moving
Trig ope the gate. Trig the wheel. Trig up arter.
TRIGGER [trig'ur], sb. Anything used to trig or block.
Here ! thick gurt stone '11 do vor a trigger.
TRIP [trup-], v. i. To move on a pivot or fulcrum. A paving
stone not evenly bedded when stepped upon is apt to log — this is
to trip.
Don'ee tread pon thick there stone, he'll trip and drow the slurry
all about ee.
TRIPOLIES [tnip-uleez], sd. A large kind of winter onions ;
Tripoli onions.
I shan't put in no Tripolics de year.
Corap. Ital. Portugalli, the invariable term for the best oranges.
TRIPSE [tnip-s], v. t. i. To balance as upon a pivot. Usually
applied to a heavy weight, such as a large piece of timber, mass of
stone, &c.
[You oa-n mivur tuurn un neef ee doa'n trups-n au-p pun
saunvfeen,] you will not be able to turn it (a large block of stone)
unless you cause it to balance upon something.
2. To prize orfeize up with a lever. To trips^ the fulcrum must
be fixed and the long end of the lever depressed, so as to raise the
weight with the end of the lever. The word would not be used
when lifting a weight by raising the lever.
July 4, 1883, a sawyer whom I had employed to cut a large \
in situ said to me —
[Wee mus av u pee's vur tu trfy-s-n au-p wai,] we must have a
piece (of timber) to prize it (the tree) up with.
This sentence expressed clearly to me that a strong beam was
required as a fulcrum on which "to trips" the tree with levers.
TRIPSE, or TRIPSY [triip-s, trup-see], v. i. i. To balance;
Tpuut3 r Pk'een uun-dur dh-ee, oa un eens kn jaujjv- to
rokr vuurdur baak' tu-waurdz dhu rmuH oa un > dhan ee U
trup-see s-ai'zee-z u gluuv,] fix the jack under the end of i
7/6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
tree), so as to move the roller further back towards the centre ;
then he (the tree) will swing on a balance as easily as a glove. (A
glove is the nearly invariable simile used to express the superlative
absolute of ease.) — May 16, 1882, verbatim.
2. sb. The state or condition of balancing on a pivot. Used
much more commonly as a noun than as a verb. Paving stones
are often loose, and in wet weather splash the unwary. This
condition is always described as being " all to a tripse."
I heard a man on a scaffold say to another, " Mind, Bill, thick
plank's all to a tripse"
So of a heavy mass it would more frequently be said, " get'n up
to a tripse" than " tripse'-n up," the meaning being identical.
TRIST [triis-], sb. and v. Trust. (Always.)
If Y gesside gold my strengthe, and if Y seide to purid gold, Thou art my
trist:— Wydif, Job XXXI. 24. Also Ib. XXXIX. 12. Also Prov. III. 5.
He saide, " Charlis, whar ert J>ou : in hwam my trist was euere?
SuJ>|>e )>e man y trist an most : forsake}) me at my nede,
Sir Fenimbras, 11. 912, 191.
TRIVET [triivut], sb. i. A stand for a kettle or pot, some-
times revolving on a pivot over the fire, sometimes loose so as to be
hung on to the bars of a grate. There is nothing in the article
to suggest its connection with tripod, as stated in Webster.
2. This word is the superlative absolute of right when applied to
fitness of construction. A machine repaired would be said to go
" so right's a trivet" while a correct addition of figures would be
"right to a T." See W. S. Gram., p. 22.
TROLLOP Y [traul'upee], v. i. To go in a slatternly, draggle-
tail manner — usually applied to women.
[Dhai du zar aew uur-z u-waeth' uun'didz u paevvnz, un ee't uur
ul traulupee ubaewt een u paa'sl u oa'l koo'uts un-eebau'dee
wiid'n gee tuup'uns vau'r, noa*, naut eef dhai wuz klarn,] they do
say how her is a worth hundreds of pounds, and yet her will trollop
about in a parcel of old coats (petticoats) anybody would not give
twopence for, no, not if they was clean."
TROLLY [traul'ee], sb. A frame on four low wheels, used for
carrying casks, blocks of stone, or other heavy articles.
A " hand-//W/y " is a low four-wheeled hand-truck.
TROUBLE, TROUBLY [truub'l, truub'lee], v. i. To grieve ;
to mourn.
Ever sinze father died we 'ant a-bin able to do nort way her;
her do troubly terr'ble, and her's that weak I be afeard her'll zoon
go arter-n."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 777
TROUBLED [truub'ld], part. adj. Afflicted. Always used in
connection with disease or ailments, and it has a frequentative
force. " He's ^.-troubled way the rheumatic," means not only that
he suffers, but is subject to it frequently.
Thank 'ee, mum, her's middlin' like, on'y her's terr'ble troubled
way the wind in the stomick.
TROUBLESOME [truub'lsum], adj. i. A very general belief
remains in ghosts. Any dead person who is said to " go again "
is described as " troublesome.1'
The tenant of a cottage, whose predecessor had been killed by
the fall of a wall, came to my father and said, " I can't never bide
in th' ouse — the poor old Harry's that troublesome ; zo zoon's I be
a-bed and the can' I a-douted, he do come and drag my timmern
leg all about the chimmer by the buckle-straps." This wooden-
legged man is still living, 1885.
2. Haunted — said of places or houses.
Th' old 'ouse up to Park's troublesome 'pon times. See W. S.
Gram. (Lord Popham), p. 96.
TROUNCE [traewns], v. t. To summon before a magistrate ;
to sue at law.
I knows a trick wo'th two o' bein' ^.-trounced vor a rabbit or two.
TROW [troa-], sb. Trough. (Always.) As pig's-/wo/, ditch-
trow, pump-trow. On the south coast about Sidmouth a small
fishing-boat is a trow. Comp. THOFF.
TROUGHE, of a mylle (trcnv, K.s. trough, p.). Farricapsa.—Promp. Parv.
TRUE [treob], sb. A drab ; a slut ; a low wanton. A most
opprobrious epithet for a woman. (Rare.)
Andra wou'd ha' had a Tntb in tha, nifs Vauther hadent a strat the match.
Thomasin. How Dem ! a Trub? Ex. Scold. \. 104.
TRUCKLE [truuk'l], sb. i. A small cheese, in shape like a
Stilton. So " truckle-shape" applied to cheese, refers to those of
the Stilton shape.
2. A caster. (Always.)
The very chairs 'ad a-got truckles to 'em.
A " truckle-\x& " is a low bedstead on casters, to be wheeled
underneath the usual large one.
3. v. t. To twirl ; to cause to spin round, as in the well-known
game " Truckle the trencher."
TRUCKLY [truuk-lee], v. i. To roll.
Nif you put thick stone gwain he'll truckly all the way down gm
he com'th to the sea.
7/3 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
TRUFF [truuf], sb. Salmon peal or grilse. Com. in Devon,
rare in Somerset.
They've a-catcht a little truff, nort else, — Totnes, July 28. 1880.
" He s'ealthy's a truff." A very common saying applied to an
elderly person in strong, robust health. — W. H. G., Dec. 6, 1883.
TRUG [truug1], T. i. Used with along. To haul or carry with
difficulty ; to struggle. Var. of drug.
'Twas so much as ever her could trug along way — /. e. her load
was as great as she could struggle along with. — W. H. G., Dec. 6,
1883.
TRULL [trill'], sb. Trowel. Com. pronunciation.
There thick trull was new on'y a vortnight agone, and I gid
vower'n zix vor'n, and now he idn a wo'th tuppence. See
Stratmann, ist ed. p. 508.
TRUMPERY [truum 'puree], sb. Rubbish of any kind; weeds
or any undesirable growth.
Thick there spot o' ground must be a-spit up so deep's ever can,
he's all vull o' trumpery.
TRUNK [truung'k], sb. i. A wooden pipe, generally square, to
convey water from the eaves-gutters — if of iron it is called an iron
pipe, never trunk. A wooden tube much used in corn mills to
convey the grain or flour to or from the mills. Any wooden tube.
2. Tech. Of a water-wheel. The part which contains and
regulates the supply of the water. This is often a large and
complicated iron construction, but the name is evidently a survival
of the old wooden shoot.
TRUSTLE [truus-1], sb. Trestle. (Always.)
TRUSSEL, a trestle (Norfolk).— Wright.
TRY [truy], v. i. i. To fare. (Rather rare.)
How d'ye try / — i. e. how fares it with you ? See Ex. Scold.
11. 315, 327.
2. v. t. To arbitrate ; to act as umpire. See TRIER.
I'll bet a sovereign o' it, and be tried by other man in the fair.
I be saa-f o' it ; (let it) be tried by other farmer you mind to.
TUB [tuub], sb. The gurnet, always so called along the coast
of the Severn Sea.
TUCK [tuuk], v. t. i. Of a hay-rick; to pluck out all the
loose hay from the sides after the rick has pitched.
Now, Bob, don't bethink thy vingers, ti/ck-n. in tight, mind — /'. e.
pull it out until you get to the solid mass.
2. sb. A blow.
[Sh-uur mee ! aa-1 gi dhee u geod tuuk' uun'dur dhu yuur
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 779
neef duV-n wairch ut !] dost hear me ! I will give thee a good tuck
under the ear if (thott) dost not watch it !— i. e. take care what you
are about.
3- sb. A tusk ; fang. (Always.)
I'll warn the tucks o' un was vower inches long.
I shouldn like thick dug vor to put his tucks into me.
My ferrets always got their tucks a-brokt off.
He is al kareleas of his tuxes. — Anc. Riw. p. 280.
Tayl he hath as an hog :
Croked tuxes as a dog.— Kyng Alisaunder, 1. 6546.
TUCKED UP [tuuk't aup], part. adj. i. Applied to infants
at the time when the skirts of the long robe are " shortened," by
being exchanged for a frock in which the child can use its f.-et.
In W. S. " shortened " is understood only by grand folks.
I was a-frightened to zee the cheel &-tucKd up a'ready.
2. part. adj. Applied to animals, especially horses after hard
riding — looking thin.
Th' old mare's a bit ^.-tucked up, but her'll zoon vill herzul out
again.
TUCKER [tuuk-ur], sb. One who mills, or fulls and finishes
cloth. The word no longer means a fuller, but one who folds or
tucks the cloth into a neat roll or pleat fit for the shopkeeper.
Probably the entire finishing of cloth, from the time it left the
weaver, was performed by the tucker at the tucking-mills.
Taillours, tauneris & tokkeris bo]>e, masons, minours and mony oj?er craftes,
Piers Plow. Prol. I. loo.
TUCK IN, or TUCK OUT [tuuk ee-n, tuuk aewt], sb. i. A
feast ; a hearty feed.
2. v. t. To eat greedily ; to eat largely.
He can tuck it in, and no mistake ; why they do zay how he can
zit down and finish off a leg o' mutton to one go.
TUCKING-MILL [tuuk-een-mee-ul], sb. Fuller's stocks, or
beaters for milling cloth. The term is also applied to the building
and machinery as a whole. (Always.) There is a village in
Cornwall called " Tucking-Mills."
I works to Mr. . . . 's tucking-mills.
TUFT [tuuf(t], v. t. and *. Stag-hunting. To rouse the deer
with only a few old and steady hounds. The first process in a
stag-hunt.
Tufted in Long Wood and found several hinds, tufted Kepscombe Wood and
fountl. Records N. Devon Staghounds, p. 38.
780 WEST SOMERSET \VORDS.
What I have said will sufficiently indicate what the object of tufting is. If
a covert were drawn with the pack it would frequently happen that the hounds
would divide on a dozen deer, leaving the stag of which the field are in search
in his lair. Collyns, p. 82.
Arrived within half of a mile of the covert, the pack is taken to a farm and
shut up in a barn. Two couple of tried steady old hounds are drafted out as
tufters, and with them the huntsman proceeds to the covert with the harbourer,
and begins to draw for the deer. Ib. p. 81.
TUG [tuug*], sb. Part of carriage harness, i. The hook or
other iron on the carriage, or on the whipple-tree to which the
trace is attached.
2. The large loop of leather which is buckled to each end, and
forms part of the back-strap, by which the shafts of the carriage
are supported.
3. The part of the "hameses" (q.v.), usually jointed, to which
the trace is attached.
4. The end of the leather trace at the part where it is attached
to the vehicle to be drawn.
5. A loose loop buckled round the shaft, to which (when used)
is fastened the kicking-strap.
6. The iron stud or hook on the under side of the shaft to
prevent it slipping too far through the tug (2). This latter is
frequently called " the tug of the shaft."
TUG-IRE [tuug'-uyur], sb. A strong iron fixed near the end
of each shaft of a cart or wagon, to hook on the chain traces of
the " vore horse."
TUMBLER [tuunrlur, tuunvur], sb. One of the rollers in a
carding engine.
TUN [tun1], v. t. To pour liquor into casks; to fill a cask.
Hence tunner (q. v.).
I can't bide no longer, I must tun a. lot o' cider to night, eens
can put up another cheese.
TUN-DISH [tuun'-deesh], sb. A wooden funnel for filling"casks.
Same as TUNNER.
TUNNER [tiurur], sb. A wooden funnel.
Urn down, Jack, to farm' Perry's and borry he's tunner. Be
sure'n zay you'll bring un back again, umbye night.
FONEL, or tonowre. Fusorium, infusorium.
TUNNOWRE, idem quod TONOWRE, supra. Infusorium. — Pr. Parv,
TURMUT [tuurmut], sb. Turnip. (Always.)
Turmuts be terr'ble short de year.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 781
TURMUTING [tuurmuteen], part. sub. The act of preparing
land for and sowing turnips.
All my volks and 'osses be so busy turmutin\ I can't attend to
it no way, else I'd haul 'em vor 'ee in a minute.
TURN [tuurn], v. t. i. Applied to sheep or cattle; to drive.
(Usual word.)
[Tud-n noa geo'd vur tu tuurn een u paa'sl u dhing'z tu maarkut
vur noa-urt,] it is not no good for to drive in a parcel of things
(cattle) to market for nothing.
Jim ! turn they yoa (ewe) hogs down in Vuz Close (Furze Close).
See W. S. Gram., p. 101.
2. v. i. and /. To become sour.
The milk's all z.-turrid — 'tis the thunder.
Her do look zower 'nough to turn all the milk in the country.
3. To change in condition ; to curdle. Said of cream or milk.
The butter 'on't come ; I can't get it to turn a bit.
I reckon the 'urnet's stale, 't'on't turn the milk, zo you can't
have no junket.
4. v. t. To mix and give air to manure.
Thick heap o' dressin' ought to be %,-turned, else he 'on't be half
a-ratted.
TURN AGAIN [tuurn ugee-un],///r. Domestic animals when
failing "to bide" — /. e. to become pregnant, are said to "turn
again."
TURN-CARD [tuurn-kyurd], sb. The card turned up by the
dealer ; the t;ump card.
TURN OF THE YEAR [tuurn u dhu yuur], sb. Term applied
indifferently to all seasons, and to be explained by the period at
which it is uttered, or by the context.
" I shan't be able to come till the turn of the year," would mean
till the beginning of January.
" She won't be no better till the turn of the year, would mean
the spring, or the advent of finer weather.
TURN OUT [tuurn aewt], v. t. To put horses or cattle out
to grass without housing at night.
I don't turn out my 'osses most times 'vore Midsummer-day day,
but this year there idn no trefoy, and the hay's all a-do'd.
TURN TAIL TO TAIL [tuurn taayul tu taayul], phr. To
exchange even-handed-/, e. without payment on either sid.
11 HaTe^e^zo^your 'oss ? Ees, I chop'd way Joe Bond for he's
'oss, trap, harness and all-we turned 'em tail to tail. See E
HANDED.
782 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
TURN THE WATER [tuurn dhu wairdr], tech. phr. In
irrigating meadows, the water needs frequently to have its course
changed. This requires some skill, and is called " turning water."
Very commonly the farmer will not trust a labourer to do this,
but " turns the water " himself.
TURN UP [tuurn au'p], v. t. Of horse-shoes — to forge a sharp
projection upon the heel of the shoe to prevent slipping, called
also "to cork."
Th' 'oss can't stan' — 'tis all to a glare. Well then, take'n down
and let Dan (the smith) turn un up a bit.
TURNVORE [tuurnvoa-ur], sb. The board in old ploughs, or
at present the bent iron plate by which a sull in ploughing turns
over the sod to form the furrow. See VORE.
TURR ! [tuur-u !], interj. The word always used to drive pigs.
See CHOOK.
TURRUH [tuur-u], sb. Turf for fuel.
I remember a friendless old man who used always to say —
[Aay wuz u-bau'rnd een u dee'sh-kifl un u-bree'd au'p een u
tuuru eep,] I was born in a dish-kettle and bred up in a turf heap.
In moorland districts these " turruh heaps " are always to be
seen. Spelt terra in Ex. Scold., see 1. 175.
Here, Betty, drow in a turruh — I zim 'tis cold like.
TWADN [twaud-n]. It was not. (Always.)
Plase, zr, twadn me, zr (plenty of other examples). See W. S.
Gram.) p. 56.
TWANG [twang], sb. Taste ; flavour.
I don't like this here cider a bit ; there's a nasty tiuang way it —
let's try another cask.
TWELFY-DAY [twuul'fee-dai]. Old twelfth-day—Epiphany,
old style; i8th January. This day is kept up still in country
places, where even now the reformed calendar has not taken root.
[Dhai d-au'vees g-aewt-n shuuf tu dh-aa'pl-trees pun twuul'fee-dai^\
they always go out and shoot at the apple-trees on old twelfth-night.
See W. S. Gram., p. 100. This was an Epiphany custom, and I
find it was, and is, oftener kept up on the anniversary of the old
style than the new.
TWELVE O'CLOCKS [twuul'v uklau'ks], sb. The usual name
of the bulbous plant Star of Bethlehem — Ornithogalum wnbellatum.
TWELVE, TWENTY, &c. In fairs or markets it is common
for dealers or farmers to omit the name of the coin from their
prices. The animals priced or spoken of are sufficient to make
it understood whether pounds or shillings are meant.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 783
Nif I didn lost twelve a head 'pon they sheep, I'll eat 'em 'thout
zalt — /. e. twelve shillings.
You shall have they lambs vor twenty a piece, and I 'on't bate
a varden.
He ax me zixteen a piece vor they there steers—;. <?. pounds.
You can't buy a good cow and calve less-n dree or vower and
twenty.
TWENTY-EIGHT [twai-ntee-aa-yt], sb. A 28 Ibs., or quarter
hundredweight stone.
Ax Mr. Wood to lend me a twenty-tight. A twenty-eight vailed
down tap my voot. See VIFTY-SIX.
TWICK [twik-], v. t. and z., also sb. To tweak ; to jerk suddenly.
Bide vast, what's keep tivickiri zo vor?
TWYKKYN, or sum-what drawyn'. Tradulo.—Pr. Parv.
TWIDDLE [twud'l], v. t. To twirl.
[Ee's, wee'-v u-teok't ut tu due'een, un aay kaewnt dhur oa-n bee
vuuree muuclr twud'lecn u ving-urz,. neef wee du saa'r ur wae'ujez
tue* ut,] yes, we have taken it to doing, an I count there will not
be very much twiddling of fingers, if we do serve (earn) our (daily)
wages at it.
TWINK [twing-k], sb. A twinkling ; a moment.
Urn down and zay I'll be there in a twink.
TWYNKYN, wythe the eye (or wynkyn, infra) ; Conniveo, nicito, nicto.
Promp. Parv.
TWINS [twee -HZ]. It is usual in speaking of twins to duplicate
and say, " Her had two twins" or "a pair o' twins."
TWIRDL(Y [twuurdl(ee), v. t. and in. To twirl ; to spin round.
What's the matter, Tommy, can't 'ee twirdle your top ? Let me
zee un. I know'd thick bird was dead zoon's ever I zeed'n
begin to twirdly. See D i.
I'll gee thee zomefin to make thee twirdly, s'hear me !
An wen es kom'd out vur ta stan pin tha groun,
Tha piktnrs an aul awt zim'd twirdlin aroun ;—N. Hogg, Sen 1. p. 20.
TWISTER [twuVtur], sb. A blow with a whip or other instru-
ment, such as to make the victim twist or writhe.
[Aay ad- dhu wuop- een mee an-, un aay gid'-n u twurtur,'] I had
the whip in my hand, and I gave him a twister.
TWITCH [twee-ch], v. t. and sb. i. To seize with a sudden
pain or twinge.
The rheumatic do twitch me terr'ble, same s off anybody d a-
urnd a knive into me.
784 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Her's a-troubled way twitches in the inside, eens 'pon times her's
a-drawd most two double.
2. [tweech], s. and v. t. An appliance used to hold horses for
drenching or other operations requiring complete control. It con-
sists of a stout stick about three feet long. At one end is a hole
through which is fastened a loop of strong cord. This loop is
passed over the horse's long upper lip, and the stick is twisted till
a firm grip is obtained, which makes the animal quite powerless.
To twitch a horse is to apply this apparatus.
3. sb. Couch grass. Triticutn repens.
Thick field's vull o' twitch ; he must be a worked out dree or
vower times over.
TWITTER [twiifur], sb. State of trembling ; agitation.
There, hon I yeard o' it I was all of a twitter, you mid a hat me
down way a veather.
TWIZZLE [twuVl], sb. i. Of a tree— the top of the stem where
the branches divide.
[Ue'-d u dhairrt u vuyndeen uv u rab'ut aup dhae'ur een dhu
twuz'l u dhik dhae'ur paul'iird?] who would have thought of finding
a rabbit up there in the twizzle of that there pollard? — Nov. 1886.
2. sb. A tangled mass.
Nobody can't never wind off this here yarn, you've a-got it all
to a twizzle.
TWIZZLY [twiiz'lee], adj. Applied to wood — knotty; cross-
grained.
This here stuff's shockin' bad to work, 'tis so twizztys the devil ;
I'd zo zoon plane the road.
TWO-BILL [tue'-bee-ul], sb. A double-ended mattock. Some-
times both ends are alike ; in this shape it is lighter in make, and
is often called a taty-digger. Another two-bill is when one end is
turned to form a kind of long axe used in grubbing out roots.
This kind in the vale of W. Som. is generally called a bisgy (q. v.),
or occasionally a grubber.
TWYBYL, wryhtys instrument (a wrytys tool). Bisacuta, biceps.
Twybyl, or mattoke. Marra. Promp. Parv.
TWO DOUBLE [the- duub'l], adj. Bent with age or infirmity
when applied to persons ; bent so completely as to bring the ends
together when applied to things.
Poor old man ! he's a-come to go just two double. See TWITCH i.
Th' ire bar was a-bovved two double.
Though very common, and always written two, it seems as if
from analogy it should rather be to double — i. e. completely double,
as in to break. Corny. Judges ix. 53. See To 12.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 78$
TWO-HANDED [tue'-atrdud], adj. Powerful; strong; lusty.
Gurt two-handed fuller fit vor a granadeer.
TWO-STAVE NET [tue'-stae-uvniit],^. Same as SPIRT NET (?.?•.)•
TWO-VORE ZULL [tiie'-voa-r zoo-ul], sb. A double plough, or
one which turns two furrows at once. In light soils these are most
useful, and are coming largely into use.
TWO-WAY SULL [tue'-wai zoo-ul], sb. A plough made with
shifting parts, so that it can be used to turn a furrow at will either
to the right hand or the left. The use is, that upon coming to the
end, the ploughman can turn his horses sharp round, shift the
"turnvore," and immediately return upon his tracks, turning a
fresh furrow against the one he made in coming forward. This is
of much advantage in ploughing sloping land, where it is desired
to throw each furrow up the hill. This could only be done by
ploughing along sideways with an implement adjustable as above.
Called also " Back and vore sull"
TYRANT [tuyrunt], sb. One specially capable in anything.
They zess how her's a tyrant vor butter and cheese,
bet a tyrant Maid /or Work. — Ex. Court. 1. 568.
U [u] pronounced very shortly represents the sound of short e,
as in " the book," when spoken rapidly. This is nearly what is
called the "natural vowel." See A.; also W. S. Gram., p. 112.
UFF [uuf], sb. Hoof. (Always.)
Thick oss'es voot's to long ; tell Bob to mind an pare back th
uffo' un well.
UGGLE-MUGGED [uug'l-muug-ud]. Applied to a horse--
having a badly-shaped mu«gle— i. e. rising in a sort of
hump between the pins. (Very com.) See MUGGLE.
VGGELY (vgly, S. vggytt, P.), Horridus, horribilis.—Promp. Pan.
UGLY [uug-lee, emph. huug-lee], adj. Ill-tempered; out of
Holloa, Bill! hot-s the matter? Maister corned out benow
lookin' so hugtys the devil.
ULLUM [mil -urn], sb. Haulm-the stalks of certain crops after
the seed has been thrashed out, as [pai-z, bee'un vie rs, vaa
kloa-vur-uul-um,] pease, bean, flax, vetch, or clo
UM, pr. Them ; also written 'em (<?. ?'.).
786 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
UMBERELL [uum-buruul-], sb. Umbrella. (Usual.)
Wull, Mary! hot 'ave ee a-bow'd your umberell? Facetious
remark on the unfortunate article being blown to ribands.
An then hur kar'd a humbentl
Wid cover aight besides herzul ; — N. Hogg, p. 49.
UMBYE [mbuy, umbaa'y], adv. After a little while ; by-and-
by. Never means presently, or immediately. Same as BIME-BY,
but much commoner.
Umbye in the winter you'll be glad enough way they there sticks
vor to light up the vire way.
Thee't be able t'ave thy boots umbye, but they baint a' do'd
not eet.
Constantly used with night in the sense of to-night.
I'll call in umbye night, eens I goes home 'long.
Nif you want to catch'n, look in to Half-Moon umbye flight, 'bout
of a nine o'clock.
UN [un, 'n],/r. Him.
As in the days of O.E. this pron. is the same in the ace. for
both masc. and neut. When the construction relates to an
animal or any definite object except a person it is feminine as
well. Thus in speaking of a cow, it would be said, " I gid-n the
drench, but he did-n like-w." The same sentence applied to a
woman would be, " I gid 'er the dose, but 'er did-n like-«."
No doubt this is the A.S. hine still in daily use, as seen in
hundreds of examples throughout this work.
pone lete hyne licgean ]>ser he longe waes. — Beowulf, \. 3081.
ase l>e wifci J>et spruttefc ut ]>e betere t>1 me hine ofte croppeS. — Anc. Riw. p. 86.
Pup. I'll zay't afore 'him.
Turfe. But I can gi 'tin the hearing ; zit me down, and laugh at un ;
Ben Jonson, Tale of a Tub, I. ii.
UN- [aun-]. In all words compounded with un the sound
is on. See On 4.
UNACCOUNTABLE [auirkaewntubl], adj. Irresponsible;
not compos mentis.
You mus-n look arter he, poor old fuller, he's proper on-count-
able.
UNBEKNOW'D [aun'beenoa'd], adv. Unknown : secretly ;
without the knowledge or consent of.
Her tookt up the things unbeknoufd to he, and he zess he ont
never pay it.
[Dhai-v u-kaa-rd ut au'n aurvbeenoa-d uz yuurz,] they have
carried it on secretly for years.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 787
[Neef aay-v u-gauf-n, tuz aurrbeenoa'd tu mee-,] if I have it I am
not aware of it.
Ver nort but a happy conteyntment is theirs,
Unbeknow'dty the gurt, 'mong the'r urches an' cares.— Pill/nan, R. SA. p. 22.
UNCLE [uung-kl]. Familiar term for any elderly man, without
implying any relationship. See AUNT.
Well, Uncle Jan, how be you ?
I yeard th' old Uncle Joe Moggs, down to quay, tell o' it.
UNCOMMON [amvkaunrun], adv. Very.
Well, James, this is a hot day, is it not? 'Tis, sir, oncommon.
I zim the wind's uncommon sharp s'mornin'.
UNCONVENIENT [ainrkunvarniunt], adj. Inconvenient; not
so common as iL-conveniency and ill-convenient.
UNDECENT [amrdai.sunt], fl^'.and adv. Indecent; uncivilly.
I calls it proper ondacent, way so many o'm in thick there scram
'ouse — maidens an' all to a heap.
You no call t'act ondacent, her spokt fair to you.
UNDECENTNESS [aun-darsunt-nees], sb. Indecency.
Th' ondaicentness goes on in there's shameful. (Very com.)
UNDER [uun'dur], adv. Hunting. In speaking of a stap, he
is said to have " his rights under " when he has the regular three
projections or points upon the side of each horn (called bow, bay,
and tray), without reckoning the one or more points on the top of
his horns. See Bow.
UNDER-GROPING [uun-dur-kroa-peen], adj. Sneaking;
underhanded.
Who'd harky to thick there under-cropirf son of a bitch.
UNDERGROUND ONIONS [uun'durgraewn ing-unz], sb. A
variety of onions, called also potatoe-onions, which grow entirely
beneath the soil.
UNDERHANDED [uun'duran'dud], adj. Shorthanded.
Can ee come down to-marra and help drash a rick o' whair, we
be terr'ble underhanded?
UNDER ONE [uurrdur wairn], adv. At the same time.
Mid jis so well do it all under one—\. e. at one and the same
time. (Very com.)
UNDERSTRAPPER [uun'durstraap-ur], sb. Underling; in-
ferior person ; servant.
I baint gwain in behind the Squire's understrappers; no, I
zoonder bide out altogether.
* F. 2
788 "WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
UNDER THE WIND [uutrdur dhu wee-n], adv. ph. Sheltered
from the wind.
Famous linhay vor young stock, he lies so well in under the wind.
UNHAPSE [aun-aa-ps], v. t. To unlatch ; to unfasten.
Bill, onhapse the door and let thy father come in.
UNHEAL [aun'ae'ul], v. t. To uncover. (Very com.)
T'ont never do vor t' on/teal the mangels vore the vrost have
a-gid out. See HEAL.
J>auh hus glotenye be of good ale : he go)> to a cold beddyng,
And hus heued vn-Juled: vneisyliche ywrye : — P. Plow. xvn. 74.
Of alle his goode steedes noon was him by leved ;
His howses were unhiledoxd. ful yvel dight. — Chaucer, Cokes Tale, \. 86.
Then suddenly both would themselves unhele,
And th' amorous sweet spoils to greedy eyes reveal.
Spencer, Faerie Queene, II. 12, 64.
UNHEEVE [aurrai'v], v. i. To thaw, or rather to show con-
densation. Same as To HEEVY (q. v.).
UNKETTY [uung'kutee], adj. Close; sultry; depressing.
We've had a lot o' this yer unketty weather de year.
UNKINDLY [aurrkuynlee], adj. Of land — undesirable, cold,
clayey, hard to cultivate. Applied to any undesirable article.
A nasty, cold, onkindly farm.
Of cattle — not thriving or likely to thrive.
I calls it a very onkindly lot o' yearlins.
UNKNOWIN [aun'noa'een]. Unknown. See ONKNOWING.
. . . . but he may not conterfete,
To ben unknvwen of folk that weren wyse. — Chaucer, Tr. S* Crys. 1. 1591.
It is not vnknowen: to kunnynge leodis, — Langland, Rich, the Red. III. 263.
UNLESSEN [aun'laes'n], conj. Unless. (Very com.)
[Aa-1 bee dhae'ur aun'laes'n oa'urt shiid aa'p,] I'll be there unless
aught should happen.
UNLIFTY [aurrluftee], adj. Clumsy; awkward.
Thee tack me ! ya unlifly, ill-hearty, untidy Mea-zel ! — Ex. Scold. 1. 103.
UNLIGHT [aun-luyt], v. i. To alight. (Always.)
Maister idn home, but 'on't you plase fanlight?
Mrs. Warren drov'd over s'arternoon, but her widn onl'ght, vor
.all 'twas rainin' hard.
UNPASSABLE [aurrpaa'subl], adj. Impassable.
Thick road's onpassable — the mud's up to your backzide.
UNPEACEABLE [auirpai'subl], adj. Quarrelsome.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 789
\l)\\-aun'parsul>ls voa'ks uVur aaykau'md unee'us,] the unpeace-
ablest people ever I came near.
UNPERFECT [amrpuurfik], adj. and adv. Imperfect. (Always.)
Car back thick there gin again, an' zay I baint gwain to keep'm,
'cause he's onperfick. — Keeper, September 1887.
but that they wer' corrupte, or vnperfite of the crafte, or vncunnynge in the
mystery. Gesta Rom. p. 170.
UNPOSSIBLE [amrpairsubl], adv.' Impossible. (Alsvays.)
'Tis a thing onpossible vor to get'n a-do'd by that time.
Here again the dialect has preserved what the printers have
improved off the face of the earth. In Matthew xvn. 20, the
A. V. of 1611 has "and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
The Tyndale, Cranmer, and Geneva versions have all impossible
in this passage, but our modern Testaments have changed this to
impossible. The same applies to Luke i. 37 and xvm. 27.
UNPOWER [aun-paawur], sb. Same as NONPOWER.
UNPROPER[aun-praup-ur],0^'. and adv. Improper. (Always.)
'Tis very onproper, Master Franky, to come out here making
such work in the kitchen.
That nightly lie in those improper beds,
Which they do swear peculiar. — Othello, IV. i.
UNRAY [aun-raay], v. t. To undress; to take off one's things.
On coming home from church a farmer would say, " Come ! look
sharp and unray yerzul, and vatch in the cows."
I unraye one, I put his garmentes from his backe. le
Unraye your selfe as faste as you can. Palsgrave.
UNREGULAR [aun-rig-lur], adj. Irregular; uneven ; unpunctuaL
The pays be a-comed up terr'ble onriglur.
[Jum-z dhu moo'ees .aun-rig-hirs fuul'ur pun atrl dhu faaTm,]
Jim is the most unregularest man upon all the farm.
UNRIP [aun-rup-], v. t. To rip ; to pick to pieces. (Always.)
They curtains must be all sn-onript avore they can be a-dyed.
UNSARTINER [autrsaartiner], adj. More uncertain.
There idn no crop no more onsartiner-n clover zee-ad.
UNSOOTERLY [aurrsue'turlee], adj. Awkward ; ill-contrived ;
shiftless (of a person only).
UNTACKLE [aurrtaak-l], v. t. To unharness from a carriage ;
to strip off harness from a horse.
I shan't look arter ontacklin' th' 'osses.
But vse to vntackle them once in a day,
To rub and to lick them, to drink and to play.— Tasser, 23/0
790 ^EST SOMERSET WORDS.
UNTHAW [auirdhair], v. tr. To thaw.
They turruhs (turves) baint onthawcd not eet.
To t/taw, v. i. is [tu dhawee].
The plump's a-vreezed, we shan't be able vor t'ave no water
'vore we've a-onttiaw'd'n.
UP [aup], adv. i. Quite; as much as. In this sense it is used
before numerals.
[Aay wuz mae'uz aid'ud luyk vur aup dree wiks,] I was giddy
like for /// (quite) three weeks.
How many can you spare? [VVuul, u kaewnt-s aup zaeb'm
skoa'ur oa'm u-laf', bud aay doa'un spoo'uz mus pae'urt wai au'l
oa'm,] well, I reckon (there) is quite seven score of them left, but
I don't suppose (I) must \ art with all of them.
Her do look op forty ; I should'n never a-tookt her not vor so
young's her is.
The quotation below shows that our pronunciation of this word
is no modern corruption.
Y wil Jeld op, so god me saue.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 765. See also II. 2335, 2365, 3333.
2. Often used elliptically for " got up."
Is your master at home? Ees, but he idn op; he's bad abed,
and he 'on't be op nother, nit 'vore he's better.
3. Grown up.
Her've a-got zix chillern. but then dree o'm be op out o' the way.
4. Very often used without any predicate, as " Op way un."
He op way his vice (fist), and meet way un jis under the year.
I op and told the jistices eens 'twas.
Ilercnefc nu, mine leoue sustren, hu hit is to iippcn °t Jelpen of god dede.
Ancren Rvwle, p. 146.
UP-ALONG [aup'-laung], adv. In an upward direction.
Come on ! 'tis time we was gwain up- long. The converse of
down-along.
UP-AND-DOWN [aup'-m-daewn], adv. i. Upside-down.
(Always.) Upside-down [uup'see-daewn] is com. genteel talk.
Thee's a-put the thing up-m-down.
2. adj. Hilly.
'Tis a proper up-m-down road.
UP-COUNTRY [aup'-kuun-tree], adj. Northern or Eastern.
" Up-country volks don't do same's we do do." So we speak of
" up the country." " I can't tell "ee where's a-go to, some place
up the country." This may mean anywhere beyond the immediate
neighbourhood if to the eastward. On the other hand, Devon and
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
791
Cornwall are always "down the country." "Her's a-go down the
country to sarvice." Her's a-married up-i he-conn try zome place.
He come vrom up-the-country. I never heard down-country used
as an adj.
UPHOLD [aupoa-1], v. t. To encourage ; to back up.
^ All they boys do mind is their [ee-mpidtms] impudence ; and
tidn no good to spake to 'em, vor their mothers on'y upholds 'em
in it.
UP-ON-END [aup'-m-ee-n], adv. Upright. The pronunciation
of this common phrase is its peculiarity.
[Stik--n aup--m-ee-n,~\ stick it up-on-end.
UPON TIMES [pun tuymz], adv. i. Sometimes.
I be that bad a-tookt 'pon times, I be a-bowed jis two-double
way pain.
2. adv. Occasionally ; now and then.
They 'on't do it always, but they will 'pon times.
UPPER [aup-ur], sb. The leather of a boot or shoe which
covers the foot, as distinct from the sole.
'Tis on'y dree wiks agone, come to-marra, I paid Jimsy Hill
nine shillins vor this yer pair o' boots, and th' uppers o'm be jist
a-weared out a'ready.
UPPIN-STOCK [aup-een-stauk'], sb. A permanent erection of
stone steps, still very often to be seen near the doors of farm-houses
and wayside inns, to assist the stiff and unsteady to mount their
horses. In the days of pillions these upping-stccks were a necessity,
and without them even now farmer's wives and daughters who ride
to market could not mount unaided.
UP-'PON TOP [aup'-pun taap-], //<?/. Upon. This form of the
redundant up is very common, especially where lifting or a high
place are implied.
They brought in the poor old man, and laayd-n out up-pon tap
o' the table-board.
I mind I put the kay up-pon tap o' the clock. All this is often
shortened down to top (q. v.).
UPRIGHT [aup-rait], sb. i. A perpendicular. Constantly so
used.
Thick there wall's a little bit out of an upright, I zee. — Sept. '83.
2. A prop ; a vertical post.
You must drow in another upright in under thick there beam.
•>. sb. The main stem of a stag's horn. See Bow, BAY, CROCKET.
792 \VKST SOMERSET \VORDS.
A male deer of one year old has in general one straight horn
each side only, which we term his " upright." At two years old
lie would probably have bow and uprights above this point ; at
three years old he should have bow, bay, and uprights ; and at
four years old bo\v, bay, tray, and uprights ; whilst at five years he
should carry bow, bay, tray, with two points on top each side ; he
would then be what we call a warrantable stag. — W. L. C., Jan.
19, 1878.
UPRIGHT - AND - DOWN - STRAIGHT [aup-rait - n - daewn-
straa'yt], adj. Honest ; straightforward ; fair in dealing. (Very
com.)
UPS AND DOWNS [aup-s-n daewnz], sb. Good and bad
fortune; experiences of life.
'Tidn very many volks have a-zeed th' ups and downs he have.
Anybody must put up way it, and take th' ups way the downs.
UPSET [aupzuf], v. t. Tech. In forging iron — to hammer
the end of the hot metal so as to thicken it. The converse of to
" draw out."
UPSIDES WITH [aupzuydz wai], adv. A match for; an
equal to.
Must be a downright good schollard vor to be upzides way he,
let 'lone th' artfulness o' un.
Anybody must be awaked, mind, vor to be upzides way 'em. —
June 24, 1887.
They thort to a-comed over me, but I show'd 'em purty quick
I was upzides way 'em.
UPSITTING [aupzuf een], sb. A christening feast or gossiping.
(Rare, obsolescent.)
They be gwain to hold a upzittiri to Farmer Osgood's a-Zinday,
and th' old maister's comin' a purpose.
Noa, 'twas thee roil'st upon me up to Daraty Vrogvvill's Upzitting, whan tba
vung'st to ... to Rabbin. — Ex. Scold. 1. 8. See also Ex. Court. 1. 380.
UPSOTMENT [aupzaufmunt], sb. Disturbance ; break up.
'Twas a terr'ble upsotment hon th' old maister died.
UPSTANDING [aup-stan'een], adj. Tall; big; powerful.
Fine tips tan' in', young 'oss. Gurt upstarfin' two-handed fuller.
UPSTORE [aup'stoa'ur], sb. Upstir; disturbance; report;
scandal.
A woman giving evidence before magistrates said, "'Tidn likely
I was gwain vor to zay ort about it to she, arter all this yer
upstore."— September 8th, 1884.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 793
UP TO [aup- the], adj. phr. Alive to ; equal to ; capable of.
Her's up to a thing or two, mind ; else I'm a Dutchman.
UR [uur, ur], pron. She. See ER, HER. In interrogatory
constructions ur answers for / (ego), he, and //, as well as you and
we. See W. S. Gram., p. 39.
URCH [uurch, emph. huurch], adj. Rich. (Always.)
They zess how the young Mr. Jones is gwain to be a-married way
a hurch lady, sure 'nough. See ill. to UNBEKNOW'D, Pulman, R. Sk.
URCHET [uurchut]. Richard. (Always.) The short form is
oftener Urch [uurch] than Dick.
URGE [uurj], v. i. To retch ; to strain, as in vomiting. (Always.)
This word is used by the educated class as well as by dialect
speakers.
The smell was so bad it made me quite urge.
URN [uurn, emph. huurn], v. i. and /. To run. (Always.)
Comp. TAY-RUN. Ang.-Sax. yrnan, it nan, to run.
ERNYN, as horse — cursito. — Promp. Parv. See note.
So swufce vleau ]>et ilke blodi swot of his blisfule bodie, )>ette streames vrnen
adun to J>er eorfce. " Ancren Riwle, p. 112.
An >anne welled water • for wikked werkes,
Egerlich ernynge ' out of mennes eyen. — P. Ploiv. B. xix. 375.
jif hundes urneth to him-ward
He gength wel svithe awai-ward.— Owl and Night. 1. 375.
Zo in ha urn'd an shet tha door
An did'n look, thic nite, no notr.— Aoftfofl Hogg, I. 53.
URNED OUT [uurnd aewt], adj. Run out ; spent ; exhausted.
They cowcumber vines be proper a-urn'd out.
This here ground's a.-urn'd out eens 't'ont bear nort.
URNET [uur-nut], sb~ Rennet ; formerly runnet.
lonchfe: also a green cheese, or fresh cheese made of milk that's curdled
without any runnd.
URSTY [uurstee, emph. huurstee], adj. Rusty. Said of bacon
or any salted provisions when over-kept, and become the
of iron-rust.
I can't abear ursty baccn. See RUSTY.
URZULS [urzuul-z], pr. Ourselves. (Always.) First syllable
very short.
[Wee-kn due' ut urzuul'z,] we can do it ourselves.
US [uus],/r. nom. In North Devon this use is the rule, and
it is com. in the Exmoor dist., but in Somerset it is heard less
frequently.
794 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Us be gwain t'ave a new paa'son.
Us thoughte it nas nat worth to make it wys,
And grauntecl him withoute more avys. — Chaucer, Prol. 1. 785.
USE [yue'7, //. yue'z, //. u-yue'z], v. i. i. To frequent; to
haunt. Very com. in speaking of both animals and persons.
The rabbits do use here ter'ble. The bullicks 've a.-use there to
thick pit gin they've a-trode the ground all to a pux.
They zess how he do use in to Green Dragon purty much.
I use, I wonte, or haunte a place or a custume. le vsite. I use it sometyme,
but nat alwayes : je lusite. Palsgrave, p. 769.
2. sb. Custom ; habit. (Very com.)
'Twas the poor old mother's uze, zo long's I can mind.
Twos olways thy Uze; and chem agast tha wut zo vore thy Een.
Ex. Scold. 1, 228.
UTHOUT [udhaewt], conj. Without ; unless ; except.
[Yue kaa'n git gbod dhing'z udhaewt yue bee u muyn tu paa'y
vaur ut,] you cannot get good things (stock) without you be a mind
to pay for it.
UVVER [uuvur], sb. See HOVER.
V. This letter is by no means to be taken as the equivalent of
lit. f, as caricaturists of West countrymen, from Ben Jonson to
Punch, have assumed. Teutonic words spelt with initial f are
nearly all pronounced as v, while French and other imported
words keep the initial f as sharp as in the lit. dialect. See word
lists F. and V. Emphasis is given to all f or v words by
sounding them as if in sharp f, as " Tidn a town, 'tis a fillage"
" Youy?/£ man you ! " After a short vowel and before m — v changes
to b, as laeb'm = eleven, ab'-m = have him, zaeb'm = seven ; in each
case the n changes into m after v cr b. See W. S. Gram., p. 65,
IV. S. Dial., p. 17. Have is shortened into v after all the vowels.
The tay 've a-burn'd 'is mouf. Sarah 've a-bin to zee un. ^
[Ee-z> u-gau't-n] = he have got him. [Aay-z> u-bun* dhur voa'r
naew,] I have been there before now. [Joa'-z/ u-broa'kt uz
buurchez,] Joe have broken his breeches. [Yue'-z' u-spoa'kt
urad'ee,] you have spoken already.
VAGE [vae-uj], v. tr. i. To butt — said of a ^sheep or other
animal. (Com.)
I mind hon I was a bwoy, sar-in the sheep, I'd a-got a willey
vull o' turmuts to my back, and one o' the old yoes rage me, and
hat me arse over head, turmuts and all. — Jan. 1880.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 795
2. v. t. To deceive ; to cheat.
'Tis right, I 'sure 'ee ; I widn vage 'ee '
'pon no 'count.
to FACE; adulari, assentari, ascendare, assentiri, blandirL deblandificare,
dehnen, palpare. Cat^ Jnj,
thei seiden to the wijf of Sampson, faage to thi man, and meue hym.
Wydif, Jiidges xiv. 15.
VAINFUL [vaa-ynfeol], adj. and adv. Useless ; deceptive ; in
vain.
'Tis vainful vor-n to think her '11 ever have he.
Though countrie be more painfull
and not so greedie gainfull,
yet is it not so vaitifull
in following fansies eie. — Tusser, 3/13.
VAIR [vae-ur], sb. The weasel. So called in North-west Som.
and N. Devon. In the Vale district of W. Som. always vary (q. v.).
VAIR : a rich fur of Ermines powdered thick with blue hairs, also, the grayish
colour of some eyes ; also, that which our Blasonners call Verry. MENU VAIR,
Minever ; the fur of Ermins mixed, or spotted with the fur of the Weesel called
Gris. Cotgrave.
Cinderella's glass slipper is no doubt from vair = verre.
)>ere bee)> veyres litel of body and ful hardy and strong. (Caxton has feyrcs.
The unknown translator, Harl. MS. 2261, has ivesdles.}
Trevisa, xxxil. De Hibernia, vol. I. p. 335.
VALENT [vaal'unt], sb. A short curtain. Usually applied to
that which is kept in place by a lath, and hangs on each side of
a bedstead, from the mattrass to the ground ; or to such as may
hang around the head of old-fashioned ones. Also the name of
the upper or fixed part (if any) of window drapery.
Please, 'm, the foot valent of the blue bed's a-broke down — he
must have a new stick.
VALL [vaa-1, or vau-1], v. i. i. P. tense [vau'ld] ; p. part.
[u-vau-ld]. To fall. The forms/<r//and/0//V« are unknown.
2. [vaa'l], sb. Fall — /. e. rain or snow.
The bullicks be urnin', there'll be a vail vore long.
VALL AWAY [vaa'l, or vau'l uwai'], v. t. To become thin ; to
lose flesh. Same as to pitch away, except that the latter rather
implies through illness, while one might vail away from health or
exercise. Fall always pron. with initial v.
I an't a-zeed 'ee's ever so long ; how you be walled away ! you
an't bin bad or ort, 'ave 'ee?
>et fifte ]>ing is muche scheome }>et hit is, efter val, to liggen so longe.
Ancrtn Jtiwlt, p. 326, and in many other places.
VALLIATION [vaaHae-urshun], sb. i. Valuation ; amount.
The valliation wadn near so much as you told o'.
796 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
2. Used also very frequently in an indefinite sense to express a
small quantity.
Nif anybody'd on'y a-had the valliation of about o' two showel-
vulls o' clay, could 'a stap'd it all to once. Said of an important
outburst of water, which might have been stopped if taken in hand
at first.
VALL OUT [vaal aewt], v. i. To quarrel ; to disagree.
They do zay how maister and the paa'sn be walled out, sure
'nough, 'cause the cows brokt out to road and went in the garden.
VALL OVER THE DESK [vaal oa'vur dhu duV], cant phr.
To have the banns published in church.
[Wuul, Mae'uree, zoa yue-v \i-raa~Id oo-rur dJiu dus', aan-ee?
Aay zunr, reef aay wuz yue', aay shud nau1 haun aay wuz wuul'
oa'f, un lat wuul uloa'un,] well, Mary, so you have had your banns
published, have you not? I fancy, if I was you, I should know
when I was well off, and let well alone.
And vath, nifs do vail aver the Desk, twont thir ma. — Ex. Court, 1. 475-
VALLY [vaal'ee], v. t. and sb. Value.
Mr. Mildon didn vally the stock in no jis money; and I zaid
I widn gee no more-n the fair vally o' it.
VAN [van-], sb. A fan. (Always.) An old-fashioned winnowing
machine, consisting of strips of sacking fixed lengthwise to a
horizontal framework on a spindle. This being turned by a handle
causes a powerful draught, in front of which the corn to be win-
nowed is allowed to fall in a constant stream, when the chaff is
blown away and the clean corn remains on the heap. The principle
of the modern winnowing machine is the same, only with the
addition of various sieves, by which the inferior or " tailing " corn
is separated. I have seen many vans used, but they are now
almost obsolete.
VANNUS, a -van wherwith corne is clensed from chaffe and drosse against the
wind. Juniiis Nomenclator (quoted by Way), Promp, Parv. p. 133.
VANG [vang], v. t. To seize hold of; to grasp. (Very com.)
You vang the head o' un eens he mid-n bite ; vang un tight, mind.
Ang.-Sax. fon, to take, seize, receive, accept, undertake. P. t.
feng; p. p. fangen, fongen, gefaiigen.
In our modern dialect vang has all the above meanings.
eos meiden ine marhen, wes ihroht biforen him.
he bigon to fon on pisses weis towart hire. — St. Katharine, I. 1861.
)>en Jede )>at wy}e ajayn swyj>e,
& folke frely hym wyth, to Jonge \>e Knyjt.
Sir Gawayne, 1. 816. See also 11. 646, 1556, 1315, &c.
What more worschyp mojt \\ofonge, )>en corunde be Kyng by cortayse?
Alliterative 'Poems, 1. 478, p. 15. Scedlso\. 540, p. 52.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 797
And cristendom of preestes handes /£>/*£*?
Repentyng hir she hethen was so longe.
Chaucer, Man of Latves Tale, 1. 377.
Cristendom his )>at sacrement
>at men her ferst >«£?]>.— William of Shorekam, DC Baptismo, 1. 2.
For Jef thou vangest thane cristendom,
And for than bileft clene.
William of Shoreham, quoted by Wright, cannot find the passage. See
Trevisa, I. p. 247.
Not tofonge hem by avarice, or covetise, or falshede.— Gesta Roman, p. 155.
And come before god present, a.nd/o>igt! ther ys iuggyment
To ioye oj>er pyne to wende. '— Sir Ferumbras, 1. 5739.
Destruction fang mankind ! Earth yield me roots !
Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate
With thy most operant poison. — Timon of Athens, IV. iii.
The word is still very common in W. Som. and N. Devon, but
there seems to be no such word as undervang to keep alive the
old underfong.
VANGLEMENT [vang-lmunt], sb. Contrivance.
I never don't zee no good in none o' these here new-farshin
vanglements 'bout farmerin' an' that. They be always gittin out o'
order ; and I don't never b'leive idn no savin' way 'em.
In goyinge by the way, neyther talke nor iangle,
Gape not nor gase not, at euery nzvtz /angle,
But soberly go ye, with countinaunce graue ;
Humblye your selues, towarde all men behaue.
F. SeageSs School of Vertue, 1. 265 (Babees Book, Furnivall).
VANG TO [vang- tue], v. t. To stand sponsor. Heard occa-
sionally in the Hill district, but obsolescent. Note all the glossaries
are wrong in giving vang alone in this sense.
When the paa'sn come there wad-n nobody vor to vang to un.
In the Exmoor Scolding it is thus used, and in this sense it is
always to vang to, and evidently it has been so used for nearly
five centuries, as the following clearly proves —
And when Seynt Alphege had verylyche sey in syjt,
That Seynt Ede hurre self was redy >o J>er',
Tofonge to J>e child as he had y teyjt,
Ryjt alyve as £>aw he Jet were. — Chron. Vil. st. 558.
See PENGELLY, Trans. Dev. Assoc., vol. vn., for a number of
modern authorities on this word.
VANTAGE [vaa-nteej], sb. Advantage ; gain.
Twidn be no vantage to he vor to tell 'ee a passle o lies.
nor look thou here • that euerie shere
of euerie verse • I thus reherse
may profit take • or vantage make.— Tttsser, 3/7.
A VANTAGE. Avantage, snrcroist, surcra, accessoirc.-Shcnuood'.
798 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
VAR [vaa'r], adv. Far. (Always.) Com p. \_vuur dur~\, seme-
times [raardur]. Super. [yuurdees(f\, sometimes [yaardees(f\.
VARDEN [vaardn], sb. Farthing. (Always.)
VARDIGREASE [vaardigrai's, faardigrai's], sb. Verdigris.
(Always.)
Tar'n fardigraice is the findest thing in the wordle vor sheep's
veet.
VERTE GRECE. Viride Grecumt fios eris. — Promp. Parv.
VARGE [vaa'r)], sb. A narrow strip of turf in a garden, dividing
a path from a bed.
VARJIS [vaarjiiz], sb. Verjuice ; something very sour. The
superlative absolute of sour when applied to liquid, as grig is of
solids. (Very com.)
Can't drink this yer stuff, 'tis zo zour's varjis.
VERIOWCE, sawce. Agresta. — Promp. Parv.
Be sure of vergis (a gallond at least),
So good for the kitchen, so needfull for beast. — Tusser, 19/42.
VARMINT [vaa'rmunt], sb. Vermin — in the sense of foxes,
stoats, weasels, rats, cats, hawks, magpies, or any other creatures
which prey upon game. The word is never applied to snakes,
creeping things, or parasites. See Things 2.
Nobody widn never believe the sight o' varmint we've a-put o'
one zide in the last dree mon's.
VARRY [vaaree] v. i. i. To farrow. (Always.)
2. v. i. To vary ; to disagree.
Volks can varry 'thout quardlin', can't 'em ?
VARTH [vaa-th], sb. A litter of pigs. (Always.)
Hot d'ye ax maister vor the zow and varth o' pigs ?
Thick zow've a-reared eight-and-thirty pigs to dree varths. —
November, 1884.
VAR-VOTH [vaa-r-voo-uth], adv. Far ; to that extent.
I'll tell 'ee all about it so var-votKs I've a-'ad ort to doin' way ut.
654 Perkin's (W.) A DISCOURSE OF THE DAMNED ART OF WITCHCRAFT ;
so farreforth as it is revealed in the Scriptures and Manifest by true Experience,
8vo, old calf, very scarce and curious, 1610 2$s.
Booksellers Catalogue, 1884.
VARY [vae-uree], sb. A weasel, not a stoat. In some parts,
about Dulverton, it is called a vair (q. v.). Most probably from
similarity of sound, this word too has been corrupted by some
people, who " know better " than to say rairy, into fairy. No
doubt the word is O.F. rair, fur, and our form rary the diminu-
tive, as in lovy, Billy, &c.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
799
VAST [vaa-s, vaa'stur, vaa-stees], adj. Eager : fast. (Always )
Steady, soce ! you be [tu vaa-s] by half. Thick there dog o'
mine s vaster** your bitch. I calls 'n [dhu vaa'stees] dog in the
parish.
Ac >ay slepe]) all so vaste : |>ay mowe ous no}t y-here :
\>e barouns layde on hem vaste : wi]» swerd faire & brijt,
Hure loue ys mored on j>e fu! vaste.— Sir Ferumbras, 11. 2565, 2722, 2834.
VATCH [vaach], v. t. and /. To fetch. (Always.)
Missus is a-tookt very bad ; Joe mus' g'in an' vatch the doctor
torackly.
Wat so >ei ben )>at lette> ous ojt : vytailles >ar to vacchc,
Non of ous ne sparie him nojt : strokes |>at }>ai ne lacche.— Sir Per. \. 2517.
And sayde |?ey wolden }>' theffe ov^fache,
For ony mon y wold say nay,— Chron. Vilod. st. 734.
VATCHES [vaach-ez], sb. Vetches. Same as THATCHES, a
always broad.
FETCHE, come, or tare (fehche, K.). Vicia. — Pr. Parv. p. 153.
VATE [vae-ut], sb. Vat. (Always.) As a p\g's-vate, rider-rate,
brewing-vate, &c.
FATE, vesselle. Cuva, cttpa, vel cupus. — Promp. Parv.
A vat, or vate. Vase, vaisseau, cuve. — Sherwood.
VATH, VATH AND TRATH. See FATH. Ex. Scold, p. 164.
Mouyng her heedis ^ seiynge, vath thou that distriest the temple of God ; ^
in thre daies bildist it ajen. — Wyclif, Mark xv. 29.
It is curious to compare the various translations of the original
Qua, Tyndale, 1534, Awretche ; Cranmer, 1539, A wretche ; Geneva,
1557, Hey; Rheims, 1582, Vah ; Au. Ver., 1611, Ah; Revised,
1885, Ha ; with Wyclifs as above.
VAUGHT [vau't],/./. Fetched — now only heard in the very
common alliterative proverb —
[Vuur M-vau-t, dee'ur u-bau't,] far-fetched, dearly bought. See
W. S. Gram., p. 8.
We see the word spelt mtt in the Somerset Man's Complaint
(pub. in preface to Ex. Scold.}, and fet by Chaucer. In the
Chronicon Vilodunense the word is used frequently in different
forms, in all of which it has a form more like the modern dialectal.
ftttenl>eshryne.—C/iron. Vil. st. 1174.
Bot Seynt Ede was dede forsothe byfore
And hurre soule/a/fc to hevene blysse.— Ib. st. 549.
For bleynde men hadden |>ere hurr' seyjt
And crokette and maymotte fallon J>ere hurre hele :—//>. st. 586.
A basyn w* wat' >o forthe was fattc— Ib. st. 704.
SOO WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Inure soule vmsfate to hevene. — Chron. I'il. st. 482.
And of-iente hire a-swi^e ' Seiiauns hire \.ofelte. — P. Plow. III. 96.
Freres with feir speches -filial him J)ennes. — Ib. II. 205.
And |>anne he let ]>e cofresfttfe
Vpon >e bord and dede hem sette. — Cower, Tale of the Coffers, 1. 45.
A Briton book, writen with Euangiles,
Wasyitf, and on this book he swor anoon. — Ckancer, Alan of L. T., 668.
Garyn his gode stede \umfetlen : J;at was in spaj'ne ibojt ;
Florippe liet a damesel bri3te : hastelich gon andfefte
A gret torche & hym alijte. — Sir Fenunbras, 11. 240, 1260.
VAY. See FAY.
VEATHER [vaedh-ur], v. t. In shooting — to strike feathers
from the quarry without bringing it down.
Well I thort thick wid a-come down, he was purty well a-
veathered ; but they old cocks '11 car away a sight o'shot.
VEGEBLES [vdj-ublz], VEGETLES [vdj-utlz], sb. Vegetables.
You can't have no sprouts to-day, vegetles be terr'ble [skee'us]
scarce.
VELL [vuul], sb. i. A pook or inner stomach of a calf, from
which rennet is made, and which is used, without other preparation
than drying, for curdling milk for cheese or junket. See POOK i.
2. A cataract on the eye ; a film or thin membrane.
I be afeard the poor old man's gwain blind, he've a-got a veil all
over one of his eyes, but the tother idn so bad.
VELLUM [vuTum], sb. A film. A common inj iry to ewes
and sows is to be vellum brokt, a kind of rupture.
VELYME, Membrana. — Promp. Pa>~u.
VELL-WOOL. See FELL- WOOL.
VELLY, VELLER [vuul'ee, vuul'ur], sb. and v. t. A felloe.
They wheels must be a nevt-vullur'd Vore they be a-bonded —
/. e. before the tires are put on.
VELT. See FELT.
VELVET [vuul'vut], sb. Of a stag. When his new horns are
fresh grown they are tender, and covered with a soft velvety fur.
Pity to ha' killed -n in his velvet.
VENGEANCE [varnjuns], sb. Com. name for the devil.
[Haul* dh-oal Vai'njuns b-ee baewt?] what (in the name of) the
old Vengeance be ye about? See Ex. Scold., p. 165.
VENT [vai-nt], sb. Sale ; means of disposal. (Very com.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 8oi
Tidn trade enough ; we could turn out ten times so much nif
on y could get vent vor-'t.
If vent of the market serue tliee not well,
Set hogs vp a fatting, to drouer to sell.— Tusstr, 19/27
VENTURELESS [vai-nturlees], adj. Venturesome; foolhardy
Our Bob s the [varnturleesee-s] venturelessest fuller ever I corned
across. I zess to un, s'l, Bob, I be saafe thee't break thy neck one
o those yer days.
VERDLE [vuurdl, seldom vuurul], sb. Ferrule ; never sounded
with/ Applied not only to the tube-like ferrule, but also to the
flat ring usually called a washer.
VYROLFE, of a knyfe (virol, K. vyroll, p.). Spirula.—Promp. Parv.
VyrcttUnK staffe at bothe endes.— /to& of St. Allans (quoted by Way), p. 510.
A verril (or iron band for a wooden tool). Freli, virole.— Sherwood.
VERLY BLEIVE [vuurlee blai-v]. Verily believe. (Com.)
I verly bleive the cow wid a-killed her nif I adn a-hurn'd vor my
very blid'n eyes an' a-drov'd 'er.
Es verly believe es chill ne'er vet et.— Ex. Scold. 1. 303.
VERSY [vuursee], v. i. To read out of the Bible verses in
turn. (Very com.) O. Fr. verseiller.
'Tis so wet can't go to church, must bide 'ome and versy.
Auh mid him ne schule je aoofar uerslat ne singen pet he hit muwc iheren.
A tier en Rhule, p. 44.
VERY [vuuree]. As an adjective. (Very com.)
You be the very man I was huntin' vor. Urn'd as off the very
old fuller was arter-n. 'Twas but a very trifle.
VETHERVOW [vaedh-urvoa-], sb. Feverfew. (Always.) Pyre-
thrun Parthenium.
In the dialect the idea of \fever is quite lost through the change
of the v into th (as in thatches for vetches). Thus the word would
become fet/ier, and hence by similarity of sound would be mistaken
tor feather, which is always veather — a true Teutonic word.
VEVV [veo-, vue'], adj. Few. This word does not mean /////?,
as Hal. says. It is always used with broth. " A few broth " was
always said by our old family doctor, and still is by all dialect
speakers ; but broth is always construed as a plural sb. See SIZE,
BROTH. Ang.-Sax.yraze>.
So }>at ve~ve contreies : be)) in Engelonde,
|>at monekes nabbej? of Normandie : somwat in hor honde.
Rob. ofGlouc., W. the Conq. 1. 263.
All )>e feldes \>o wern y-fuld : of dede men on \>e grounde,
Saue an vewe j^at leye & Juhle : and abide hure de|>es stoundc.
Sir Fenimbrns, 1. 952.
Harold .... hadde bote veaw knyjtes aboute hym. — Tn-v/sa, lib. vi. c. 2).
3 V
802 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
VICE [vuys], sb. Fist. (Always.) Plur. [vuystez].
VIERNS [vee'urnz], sb. Ferns. (Always.) In speaking of
vierns generally the common bracken is meant, of which great
quantities are cut for bedding.
VIEW [viie1], v. t. and sb. Hunting — to see the quarry while
being hunted.
The fox jumped up in view. See ill. under SINK, SOIL.
The master being posted on Cloutsham Ball, to him presently arrived the
whip with the gratifying intelligence that he had tvViwi/ a good stag away
towards Pool. " Wellington Weekly Neivs, Aug. 19, 1886.
VIFTY-ZIX [vee'ftee-zik-s], sb. A weight of 56 Ibs.— the usual
name for a half-hundredweight stone.
What's the matter with your foot, William ? Well, sir, a vifty-zix
vall'd down 'pon my gurt toe, and squat -n all abroad.
He was king of Engelonde ' four & tuenti jer al-so,
& duk ek of Normandie * vifty Jer & tuo. — Rob. of Gljii., IV. the Conq. 1. 517.
VIGGY [vig'ee], v. i. To kick with the feet, as dogs do in
scratching themselves ; to struggle.
Thee mids vigzy nif wit, but I'll hold thee, man.
The old word \?,fike, of which fidget is the diminutive. — Skeat.
Make£ feir semblaunt, &.fik&> mid te heaued. — Ancren Riwle, p. 206.
|>et flickered so mit )>e, StfikA mid dogge uawenunge. — Ib. p. 290.
Fykin a-bowte, infra in Fyskin. Fiskin a-bowte yn ydilnesse. — Promp. Parv.
I praye you se ho we shzfysketh aboute. — Palsgrave.
Trotib-e, a raumpe, fisgig>j£s&Mgp has wife, raunging damsell. — Cotgrave.
but thof ha ded viggee, and potee, and towzee, and tervee. — Ex. Scold. 1. 216.
VILENT [vuylunt], sb. Violet. (Always.) Also very common
name for a cart mare. " Vuylunt voa-ur !" may be heard every-
where.
VILLVARE [viil'vae'ur, vuTeevae'ur, vuTvae'uree], sb. The
fieldfare. Called also veil. Turdus pilaris. Of this there are
t\vo varieties, called from the colour Greybird and Bluebird.
VI ND. See FIND.
VINE [vuyn], sb. The plant of the cucumber. (Always.)
Called also occasionally the cucumber-vine.
Must make up a new bed, they vines be a-urn'd out.
VINNED [viin'ud], adj. Mouldy; mildewed. (Usual word.)
"Biue-wVz//<?</ cheese" is the correct description of ripe Stilton or
Gorgonzola.
Our houze is terr'ble damp, sure 'nough. I'd a put my best hat
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 8o3
on vor to o 10
A souldiers hands must oft be died with goare,
Lest, starke with rest, they/«^V waxe, and hoare.
Mirror for Magistrates, p. 417.
Zum iggs an' bacon vinned cheese,
An strong beer in a can.— Pulman, K,ts. Sk. p. 28.
VINNY [vun-ee; I, * . /. To become mouldy or mildewed.
* ( y) they ^^ ^ ™> a
VIRE-DOG [vuyur-daug, or duug], sb. Andiron. In mv
own house we burn mostly wood; but the various andirons a e
only known , as fire-do^ by polite servants. See HAND-DOGS.
A very old riddle is—
[Ai'd lig u aa-pl, naek' lig u svvair,
Baa-k lig u grai'aewn, un dree laegz to stan',1
Head like an apple, neck like a swan,
Back like a greyhound, and three legs to stan'.
VIRE-NEW [vuyur-nue-], adj. Brand-new.
Our Urch come home vrom fair way a vire-new hat, darned if I
know where the money com'th vrom.
VIRE-SPUDDLE [vuyur-spuucH], sb. Term for one who is
always poking the fire, or stirring about the embers. My experience
is that this is a very common foible. See SPUDDLE.
VIRE-TONGS [vuyur-taungz], sb. Common house tongs.
Tongs alone means the tool with which a smith holds his hot
iron.
A very old rustic riddle is —
Long legs, crooked thighs,
Little head, and no eyes.
VISH [vee-sh], sb. and v. Fish. (Always.)
VITTINESS [vufinees], sb. Dexterity ; neat-handedness.
Why, 'Arry, thee'rt all thumbs ! idn a bit o' vittiness about thee.
the featnesse and finenesse of the bodie or attire, is the fouling and defiling of
the soule : Lives of Women Saints, p. 25.
Tha hast no Stroel ner Docity, no vittiness in enny Keendest Theng.
Ex. Scold. \. 209.
VITTY [viifee], adj. and adv. Proper ; neat ; correct ; cor-
rectly adjusted, as applied to any machine or implement.
[As u-guuf au'l dhee teo'lz vut-ee?} hast got all thy tools in
order ?
[Dhaat ud-n u beet vut-ee; aay toa'l dhee aew tu due1 ut,] that is
not at all right ; I told thee how to do it.
3 r 2
804 \YEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Yuur, aa'l shoa' ee eens yue airf tu puut-n, yue aa'n u-due'd ut
u beet vtit-ee,'] here, I will show ye how you ought to put it, you
have not done it a bit properly.
Seldom heard in the comp. and superl., but I have heard,
" That'll be a vittier job."
And, look, how well my garments sit upon me ;
Much f cater than before. — Tempest, II. i.
Foot \ifeatly here and there :
And, sweet sprites, the burden bear. — Ib. I. ii.
Thy buzzom Chucks were pretty vittee avore tha madst thyzel therle.
Ex. Scold. 1. 72. See also p. 167.
This word is in very constant use, but has no connection with
"fit " (q. v.), which is always////, not vut.
VITTY- HANDED [vtifee-andud], adj. Dexterous; apt with
the fingers. (Very com.)
Never zeed no two brithers so much onlike one tother. Bill's
all thumbs, and Jack's altogether so vitty-handed.
VLAGGED [vlag-ud], adj. Flabby ; loose ; flaccid. (Com.)
Thy Vlesh oil wangery, and thy Skin oil vlaggtd. — Ex. Scold. 1. 74.
VLANKS [vlang'ks], sb. Sparks of fire. The same as BLANKS.
the two words are used indifferently.
VLARE [vlae'ur], sb. i. A star in glass or crockery; when
from a centre the fracture radiates and then stops. See CRAZE.
A vlare is always a visible damage, whereas a craze may be
imperceptible, except that the article will not " ring."
2. A flaw or defect in any article ; might be used even in
speaking of a horse.
3. v. Seldom used except in the p. part, u-vlae'urd. To crack
with a rlare.
[Dhu wee'ndur-z au'l u-v lae^urd ; dhaat-s dhai bwuuyz ugee'un!]
the window is all starred ; that is those boys again !
VLAY [vlai-], sb. Flea. (Always.)
VLEE [vice-], v. i. To fly. He can vice like a bird.
VLEX [vlek-s]. See FLAX.
VLEX-PIT [vlek-s-put], sb. A deep pool in which flax is
" watered " or steeped. In this district, where flax used to be
grown in large quantities, nearly every farm has its vlex-pit.
VLID [vliid], sb. Flood. (Always.)
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 805
VLITTERS [vlufurz], sb. i. Flutters; tatters; shreds; rat's
Brokt my old coat all to vlitters.
2. Finery ; ornament in dress.
There her was, sure, way her veathers and her vlitters; better fit
herd a-bin home to the warshin tub to work, same's her mother
do'd avore her.
VOG [vaug], sb. Bog; swamp.
Tis terr'ble voggy ground all drough there, but in thick there
place 'tis a proper vog.— Oct. 5, 1886. See ZOG.
VOLKS [voa-ks], sb. i. People.
Thick there sort o' pigs idn no good to poor volks.
Urch volks can do eens they be a mind to.
2. Workpeople.
Come, Jim ! be gwain to bide a bed all's day ! There be the
volks doing o' nort, cause they don't know what to go 'bout.
Vor te biweopen isleien nolc. * Ich chulle jcheawen al naltedliche to al
nolcke Jrine cweadschipes. . Anc. Riw. pp. 156, 322.
VOLLIER [vaul-yur], sb. Follower. Tech. That part of a
cider or cheese press which rises and falls by turning the screws.
" No volliers " is sometimes a condition of female service.
VOLLY [vaul-ee], v. t. and /. To follow.
I've a-brought back your dog, mum ; he vollied me home last
night, and I could-n drave-m nohow, he wid bide.
" Volly your hands " is a common saying. Of work it means
continue what you are doing, at games it has the precise meaning
of " follow on " at cricket — i. e. da capo.
VOR [vur, emph. vau-r], prep. For. (Always.) Also all words
compounded with for, as forgive, forsake, £c., are sounded with
initial v. Abundant ill. to be found in these pages, and in most
of the old writers of thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Hot's do that there vau'r?
VORCAUSE [vurkae-uz, vurkatrz], conj. Because. (Very com.)
I shan't be able vor to come 'vore week arter next, vorcause I've
a-promish'd Mr. Corner next week.
King Willam wende a3en • ]K> al Vls was '^°»
And began sone to grony ' and to febly al-so,
Vor trauail of }>e voul asaut ' and vor he was feble er,
And parauntre vor wreche also • vor he dude so vuele )>er.
Rob. ofGlouc., W. the Conq. 1. 489.
VORD [voo-urd], v. t. To afford.
I asked an old man whom I met in very cold weather, " Where
is your great-coat, Mr. Baker?"
806 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
[Kaa'-n voo-urd tu wae-ur tue- koa-uts tu waurrs,] (I) cannot
afford to wear two coats at once.
VORE [voa-ur], adv. Forward. Used very frequently after
verbs of motion, much more so than its synonym in lit. Engl.
It may be said to take the place of out. Spake vore! = speak out.
"To drow vore" is to throw out — i.e. to twit. "To hat vore"
to strike out. Words compounded of fore are always pronounced
with initial v. Very often it is used redundantly, as, Go vore to
Mr. Clay and zay I'll come vore to-marra.
In driving plough horses = Go on! "Captain, vore!'1 used
to horses when standing in a cart or otherwise harnessed. When
loading hay or corn in the field, a trained horse needs no leader,
but a word from the "pitcher," vore! or way ! or back! as may be
required.
That ich me draje to mine cunde,
Ne mai noman thare vore schende : — Oit'l and Night. 1. 273.
VORE [voa'ur], prep. i. Before; in front of. See AVORE.
Like an old hen vore dayslight. I zeed-n vore he went home.
Tommy, don't you go vore th' osses, mind.
2. Until.
You 'on't be able t'ab-m vore arter Kirsmas. You bide vore I
tell 'ee. Us 'on't start vore you'm ready vor go.
'Twos olways thy Uze ; and chem agast tha wut zo vore thy Een.
Ex. Scold. 1. 229.
VORE [voa'r, voo'ur], sb. Furrow. (Always.)
[\Vuys-n muyn dhee zoo'ul, ee-ns u mud mack* u klai'n voo'urf]
why dost thou not attend to your plough, so that he may make a
clean furrow?
Signifies both the roll of earth as well as the trench made by the
plough.
FORE, or forowe of a londe. Stilcus. — Promp. Parv.
pay prykecle hure stedes with hure spores • & J>an )>ay runne away ;
Ne spared rigges no|>er vores : til f>ay mette J>at pray. — Sir Ferum. \. 1564.
Freres folowen my vore ' fele tyme and ofte. — P. Plow. vil. 118.
VORE AND BACK SULL [voo'ur-n baak- zoo'ul], sb. A plough
made to turn a furrow at will either to right or left. Hence it is
able to plough vore, or forward, and back — i. e. to return in the
same track. Same as a TWO-WAY SULL.
VORE-BOARD [voo'ur-boo-urd], sb. Of a cart— the front board
on which usually the name of the owner is painted.
VORE DAY [voo-ur dai-], adv. phr. Before it is light.
I do burn more can'l vore day-n I do burn arter dark.
VORE-DOOR [voo-ur-doo-ur], sb. Front-door.
Hark ! I yeard zomebody to vore-door, urn out and zee who 'tis.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 807
VORE 'EM ! [voa-ur urn ! voo-ur urn !]. To a shepherd's dog—
the order to go in front of the sheep to drive them back.
I was driving along a road where there were some stray sheep
which I could not get past— they persistently kept just in front.
I drew as close as I could on one side and stopped, then called
out " Vore 'em! vore 'em!" The sheep instantly turned and
ran past me with a rush.— December, 1885.
VOREHEAD [vaureed], sb. Forehead. (Always.) A headlard
or space at each end of the ploughing where the horses turn— in
this district always called thus.
He've a-plough'd out thick field o' groun', in to (/. e. all but) a
piece o' one o' the voreheads.
I do mean to draw thick vorehead out over the field.
VOREHEADED [voarai'dud], adj. Wilful; headstrong; ob-
stinate.
Tidn no good vor to zay un, you'll on'y zit-n up — there idn a
more voreheadeder fuller vor cussin', dammin', and 'busin', not in all
the parish.
VORE-HORSE [voa'r-au-s], sb. A leader— called in other
counties the thill-horse.
Plase, sir, I be a-stented, and I want vor t'ax o' 'ee vor to plase
to be so kind's to lend me a vore-oss to help me up the hill.
And do parzent un with a van of rosemary,
And bays, to vill a bow-pot, trim the head
Of my best vore-horse. — Ben Jonson, Tale of a Tub, I. ii.
VORENOONS [voa-urneo-nz], sb. The forenoon meal or
refreshment — usually taken about ten. In harvest or hay time,
when the men go to work at daylight, they require to feed between
the early breakfast and the dinner. This meal is sometimes called
eleven o' clocks [laeb'm u-klau'ks].
Mary, idn the vorenoofts ready vor the vokes ? Look sharp ! d'ye
zee hot o'clock 'tis?
VORE-PART [voar-pae-urt], sb. The front. (Always.) So
also the vore-zide is the front in distinction from the back-zide.
I heard a man with grim humour ask a boy who had badly
scratched his face —
[Haut-s u-due'd tu dhu voa-r-pae-urt u dhee ai'd?] what hast done
to the fore-part of thy head ?
VORE-RIGHT [voa-r-ruyt, voa'ur-rai't, voo'uth ruyt], adj.
Headlong; impulsive. In the dialect the word has much more
force than that given by Webster (as obsolete), used by Massinger
and Beaumont and Fletcher.
Our Jim's a vore- right sort of a chap; he 'on't put up way no
nonsense.
8o8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Though \\eforeright,
Both by their houses and tlieir persons pass'cl.
Chapman, Odyssey, XV 1 1.
The word forthright is again coming into use.
Not the skilled craftsmanship of Giulio Romano, nor the forthright skill of
Del Sarto, not the grace of Guido nor the amenities of Guercino, availed to
avert the crash. Atheni?itin, No. 2962, Aug. 2, 1884, p. 152.
VORETOKENY [voa-urtoak'nee], v. i. To betoken ; to fore-
shadow ; to give warning.
[Stivur dhingz du voa'urtoak-nee eens wee bee gwai'n t-ae'-u
aard wee'ntur,] several things do foreshadow how that we be
going to have a hard winter.
VOREWAY [voa'rwai'], adv. Immediately; directly after — not
quite so instantaneous as "way the same." The meaning is rather
continuous — right on end.
Jim Boucher com'd over and told me they was there, and tho
roreway I urned up ; but I wadn quick enough, they was a-go.
YORK [vau'rk], sb. Fork. Of a tree — the part where the main
branches diverge. Same as the TWIZZLE (q. v.). See Ex. Scold.
p. 1 68.
VORN [vaurn]. For him — contracted form of vor-un. The
analogous form for them is not to be heard. In Somerset this is
vor um, or vor 'em. In Devon it is vor min, or vor mun.
VOR WHY [vur waa'y], conj. Because. See FOR WHY.
Tidn not a bit o' good to go there, vor why, t'ave bin all a-tried
a'ready. — Keeper, November 1886.
Frequently the phrase is varied to [kae'uz vur waay~\ 'cause
for why. See CAUSE WHY, FOR WHY.
A parish clerk, well-known to my mother, gave out, "There 'on't
be no Zindy yer next Zindy ; caze vor why, maister's gwain
Dawlish vor praich." See Ex. Scold, p. 168.
Louerd Crist, ase men wolden steken veste euerich )>url ; vor ivhon ? \>l heo
muhten bisteken deafc |>er vte. Ancren Rrwle, p. 62.
VOTH [voa'uth, voo'uth], sb. r. Lit. furrowth ; comp. varth
= farroiuth. A number of furrows ploughed up round a field with
which lime or other manure is mixed to be spread over the land.
Take in a voth zix or eight vores wide.
2. The end of the furrow where the plough runs out, and the
zoo'iil (sull) is turned along the heading.
[Wuy-s-n pluw dhu vee'ul tuudlrur wai? dhee-s u-guuf noa'urt
bud voa-uths-r\ vaur'eedz dhik faa'rsheen,] why dost not plough the
field the other way? thou hast nothing but voths and voreheads
(q. v.} that fashion.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 809
3. Forth — in VAR-VOTH (q. v.).
VREACH [vrai-ch], adv. Actively; in a spirited manner.
See Ex. Scold, p. 169.
They must a-worked purty dapper and vreach to ha' finish'd
a ready.
Tha wut net break the Cantlebone o' thy tether Eend wi' chuering, chcll
warmly ; tha wut net take et zo vreache, ya sauntering Troant !— Ex. Sc. I. 280.
VREATH [vraeth, vriith], sb. i. A wreathing; an interweav-
ing ; a wattled fence.
Nif you don't put up a good vreath o' thurns, mid so wull let
it alone.
2. Brushwood ; young underwood suitable for wreathing.
In Parish's Sussex Glossary this word is spelter///;.
VREATHE [vrai-dh], v. t. To wreathe ; to wattle ; to inter-
twine, as in basket work. See RADDLE.
Take and cut a thurn or two and vreathe it up vitty, eens they
can't get droo.
He ys frfyed yn with floreynes • and oj>er fees menye,
Loke )>ow plocke J>er no plaunte • for peryl of py soule.
p. riow. vin. 228.
VREATH HURDLES [vraeth- uurdlz], sb. Hurdles made of
wattled sticks.
VREATHING [vrardheen], sb. A wattling, or rough inter-
twining.
VREX [vraek's], sb. Rush. Plur. [vraek-sn, vraek'snz]. This
is one of the few remaining plurals in en; even this is scarcely
recognized as a plural, but rather as a generic name — hence the
very common reduplication when a distinct plural is to be denoted.
See REX. The initial v in this word is common to all parts, but
in the Hill district it is the rule rather than the exception.
VRIGHT [vruyt], adv. Right; in proper order. The v is not
sounded in right-hand, or to the right. This distinctive pronun.
is more com. in the Hill than Vale district.
You'm vright, Robert, arter all. They sheep com'd 'ome all
vright.
And pin tha Varm, be day nur nite,
No zingle thing wid go aun vright. — N. Hogg, Ser. I. p. 54.
VRITE [vruyt], v. t. and /. To write— usual form in Hill
district.
I baint no scholard 'bout no raidin' an vritin , I was a-pul
work hon I was lebm year old.
Maister vrofe a letter vor n-.e, to tell her to come home to once.
8 10 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
Ta vrite thur zom moar I shude ha no objeecksliin,
Bit I shant ha no rume vur ta vritc tha dirccksliin.
Nathan Hogg, The Kijlc Corps, Ser. I. p. 46.
VRONG [vrairng], adv. and adj. Wrong.
I tell 'ee 'tis all vrong hot they do zay.
Nif you goth long o' they I'll warn you'll vind you be vrong
directed.
Bit Laur a macy ! twadd'n long
Avaur ha voun thit ha wis vrong. — N. Hogg> Ser. I. p. 57.
VULCH [vuulch], v. t. and sb. (Rare.) To nudge or shove ;
something less than an actual blow is implied.
Keep quiet there. Well, what did 'er vulch I vor then?
and vorewey a geed ma a Vulch in tha Leer. — Ex. Court. 1. 354.
VULL [veol], adj. and adv. Full. This word is peculiar.
Alone, or as a prefix, it is always sounded with initial v. In com-
pounds such as a.rm-fu/t or harm/w/ a nice distinction is preserved,
depending upon the sb. compounded. When a measure of quantity
is expressed, as in pocket-full, boat-full, shovel-full, &c., then initial v
is invariable — boo'ut-veol, shuwul-v^ol, &c. But if the sb. compounded
is an abstract noun, then the ful is always sounded with / sharp,
as uwitlflol, wilful, lau-ngfeol, longful, &c. See W. S. Gram. p. 15.
VULLER [vuul'ur], v. t., sb., and adj. Fallow. (Always.)
I do mane to vitller thick piece o' ground, and let-n bide vuller
gin the fall. A clane vuller?, the kay o' the work.
VUR [vuur], adv. Far. This is the old positive of further,
and is used much more commonly than vaar in all its comparisons,
vuur, vuur'dur, vuur'dees.
Well, 'twas about so vur's I be vrom you, to this minute.
VURDEN. See POCK-VURDEN = fretten. A.-$.Jrothian.
VURNESS [vuurnees], sb. Distance — \.e.farness. (Com.)
[Twaud-n beo- dhu vuur'ness u yuur tu dhik dhae'ur tree1,] it
was not above the distance of here to that there tree.
VUR-VORE [vuur-voa'ur]. Same as VAR-VOTH (q. v.).
VUSS [vuus-], sb. In building — the ridge piece, or piece to
which the rafters are fixed at the apex of the roof.
Plase to mind and zend on a piece for a vuss.
VUSTLED UP [vuus'ld aup], adj. Bundled up, or bustled up
in an untidy manner, as a slovenly parcel, or a woman huddled up
in loose, ill-fitting garments.
Probably bustled is the same word, b and v being nearly inter-
changeable. Comp. RUVVLE and CURBE.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 8ll
Th'art olways a vustled up in an old Jump, or a whittle, or an old Seggard.
Ex, Scold. 1. 107.
VUZ [vuuz], sb. Gorse ; whin ; furze.
VUZ-CROPPER [vuuz'-kraap'urj. A name given very commonly
to the Porlock Hill horn-sheep. Also to the rough ponies which
run wild on the moors.
VUZ-KITE [vuuz--keet], sb. A kestrel.
VUZ-NAPPER [vuuz--naap-ur], sb. The whinchat. Saxicola
Rubetra. This bird is very common on our moorlands, and
is known only as above.
VUZ-PIG [vuuz'-pig], sb. The hedgehog. Evil things are
believed of the hedgehog, but in reality he is a harmless and
useful animal. He is said to suck cows, and that he rolls himself
on the apples in an orchard, and carries them off sticking upon
his spikes. He certainly will kill young birds and eat them.
W
W as an initial is dropped in han't, hau-n, to'd (2), eo'l(2), oa-nn(t
= what, when, wood, and emphatic would ; wool, and emphatic
will ; won't, &c. ; on the other hand, it is sounded in whole,
woa'l, whoop ! wuop ! but no initial w is sounded, as in E.
Som. with old, hot, &c., and is redundant in wuts. In other
respects its value is the same as in lit. English, except that it has
no aspirated form.
O. E. words which in lit. English have initial wr are commonly
pronounced vr — in some cases nearly always— e. g. write, wreath,
wrestle, wrong. See Word Lists.
WACK [waak], v.t. To overcome; to get the better of; to
beat ; to conquer in a lawsuit.
I ver'ly bleive little Jim Parsons could wacKn way one 'and — he
had-n no chance way un — /. e. with Jim.
'Tis gwain to be tried to 'Sizes next wik ; but I'll warnt Mr.
Baker '11 wack 'em.
WAD [waud], sb. A bundle of straw tied up by a thatcher.
A ridge-wad [uurj-waud] is a long narrow bundle which the
thatcher binds up to lay along on the top to form the ridge of a
hay-rick. A bundle of reed less than a full sheaf of 28 Ibs. weight
is also called a wad.
[Dhur-z dree- ur vaawur waud'z u ree'd aup-m taal'ut — aay spo<
tiiz mau-s unuuf,] there is three or four wads of reed up in tallet—
I suppose it is almost enough.
8 12 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WADGE [wauj], sb. and r. t. i. Wedge. (Always.)
Hat in a wadge. The implements for"claivin o' brans" — i.e.
splitting up firewood, are always "a battle and wadges"
2. v. t. To bet ; to wage. (Very com.)
I'd wadge my life o' ut.
I'll wadge a. quart 'pon it way any o' the comp'my.
WAD-N [waud'n]. Was not. (Always.) See many examples
throughout this work. See also W. S. Gram. pp. 56, 57.
Whe'er tu<ad<fn pausable ta haa
A midnight vishin' spree. — Pitlman, Kus. Sk. p. 28.
Bit Jan an Mariar (tho' thay wadJn long 'bout et)
Way tha ale in tha kwart, ad a manijed ta doubt et ;
Nathan Hogg, Ser. I. p. 48.
WAGON [wag'een], sb. This well-known implement has the
following parts —
BODY [baud*ee]. The entire construction or box carried upon
the wheels, into which the load is placed. This is made up of the
following —
ZIDE-STRAKES [zuyd-strae'uks] — the two outside strong longi-
tudinal pieces to which the sides are fixed — called also the MAIN
SUMMERS (see below). VORE-PIECE [voa-ur-pees] and. TAIL-PIECE
[taa-yul-pees] — the two cross-pieces uniting the ends of the
tide-strokes. SUMMERS [zuunrurz] — the longitudinal pieces mor-
ticed into the tail and vore or head piece, which support the floor
or " BOTTOM." TAIL-BOARD [taa'yul-boo'urd] — the movable part
of the back of the wagon. VOFE-BOARD [voa'ur-boo'urd] — the
fixed front part of the body, on which the owner's name, or that
of the farm is generally painted. TAIL-BOARD-PIECE and VORE-
BOARD-PIECE — the strong pieces or rails forming the upper part
of the tail and vore boards. TAIL-BOARD HAPSES [taa'yul-boo'urd-
aap'siiz] — the irons by which the tail-board is fastened. These
are sometimes merely called TAIL-PINS [taa'yul-pee'nz].
STROUTS, STANCHIONS, UPRIGHTS [struwts, stan'sheenz, aup'raits]
— various standards of wood by which the SIDES [zuydz] are sup-
ported. STANCHION IRONS [stan'sheen uyurz] — supports to the
standards. NOSINGS [noa'uzeenz]— the projecting ends of various
horizontal parts of the framing. RAVE [rae'uv] — the flat pro-
jecting part of the side, which keeps the load off the wheel. This
is usually formed of open framing like a ladder, but sometimes is
filled in with a RAVE-BOARD. LADES [lae'udz] — the gate-like
movable frames set up at both ends of the wagon for carrying
straw, hay, or other light freight which needs to be piled up high.
NEEDLE [nee'ul] — iron strap having a nut at each end to bolt
the rave-piece, or top framing of the side, down to the zide-strake.
The needle is also nailed or riveted to the SIDE- BOARD [zuyd-
boo'urd]. TAIL-BOARD LADDER [taa-yul-boo'urd lad'ur] — a ladder-
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 813
like movable frame, hung on by hooks to the tail-piece, and
supported in a horizontal position by a chain attached to each end.
The UNDER-CARRIAGE [uun'dur-kaareej] includes all the frame-
work which supports the body, and consists of the following parts —
VORE-CARRIAGE [voa'ur-kaareej]. The fore wheels and frame-
work connected with them for allowing the wheels " to lock."
HIND-CARRIAGE, or ARTER-CARRIAGE [uyn, or aa-rtur-kaareej] — the
hind wheels and all their connections.
AXLE-BOX [ek-sl-bau'ks] — the iron tube inserted in the centre
of the wheel. AXLE-TREE [ek'sl-tree], very commonly only
axle — the iron pin fitting into the axle-box, upon which the wheel
revolves. ARM [aa'rm] — the same as the axle-tree, and the most
usual term of all by which it is called. AXLE-CASE [ek'sl-kee-us]
— the strong piece of wood between each pair of wheels, to which
the two arms are securely bolted. PILLAR-PIECES [piil'ur-pee'suz] —
two stout pieces of wood upon which the vore-carriage locks or
turns. One of these, called also bolster-piece, is securely bolted
at right angles to the summers, and its fellow is firmly bolted
at each end to the axle-case, from which it is kept apart by AXLE-
BLOCKS ['ek'si-blauk's] of sufficient thickness to raise the body
above the VORE-WHEELS [voa'ur-wee'ulz] so as to allow them to
lock under it. TURN-PIN, or MAIN-PIN [tuurn-pee'n, or maa-yn-
pee'n] — the strong iron pin which passes through the centres of both
pillar and bolster-pieces and the vore-axle-case, upon which the entire
draught depends, and upon which the wre-carriage locks. HOUNDS
[aewnz] are the curved longitudinal pieces of the von-carriage,
which are bolted at right angles to the axle case, and are united
at the back by the SWEEP-BAR [zweep-baa-r], which passes under
the POLE or KNIB of the hind-carriage (see below). In front the
hounds support and connect the SHARP-BAR [shaa-rp-baa-r], to which
the shafts are hinged. Upon the hounds depends the steadiness
of the vore-carriage. They bear all the pull or draught, and
prevent a bending strajn upon the main-pin. GUIDES [guydz]
are curved irons sometimes fixed to the summers to keep the
pillar-piece from twisting the main-pin when in the act of locking.
CLIP IRONS [kliip- uyur/] are stays passing under the axle-cases
to strengthen the hounds or string-pieces, also to hold the arms in
their places.
Of the wheels, the NUT [nut] is the nave. Before being fashioned,
and while in the rough, this is a WHEEL-STOCK [wul'-statrk],
SPOKES [spoa-ks] are the radii, carefully morticed into the nut.
The PUG-BLOCK [puug'-blau-k] is a small block of wood fitted into
the NOSE [noa-uz] of the wheel—/, e. the front of the nave. On
removing the pug-block a slit is opened through which the LINCH-
PIN [hiirsh-pee-n] can be withdrawn from the arm. NUT-BONDS
[nit or nuf-bau-nz] are iron rings upon the nave to keep it from
splitting WASHERS [waurshurz] are flat rings of iron, fitting upon
the arm inside the linch-pin, to take the wear of the revolving
8 14 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
wheel off the latter. The RING [ring] is the wooden circumference
of the wheel, made up of segments called felloes [vuttlnrz]. The
BOND [bau'n] is the iron tire or ring upon the circumference of the
wheel, by which it is bound together. Some wheels are still, and
formerly most cart-wheels were, bound or hooped with STRAKES
[strae'uks], called also WHEEL-STRAKES [wul, or wee'ul-strae'uks].
These are segments of tire-iron firmly nailed to the ring with
peculiar square-headed nails called STEARTS [stee'urts]. Strakes
are of course so fixed as to cover the joint between each felloe.
Their only advantage is that they can be renewed seriatim without
taking off the whole tire. In hilly districts it is very common to
drug the wheel without a DRUG-SHOE [druug'-sheo*], by which the
tire-iron becomes much worn and needs frequent renewal. This
can be done readily by exchanging the worn strake for a new one.
DRUG-CHAIN [druug'-charn, sometimes chaa'yn] is the chain attached
to the drug-shoe, by which the wheel is carried as on a sledge.
SAFETY-CHAIN [saaftee-charn] is one which is often attached to
h-'avy wagons, by which the wheel itself may be made fast, in case
of the drug-chain breaking, or of the wheel jumping off the shoe.
The POLE [poa'ul], or PERCH [puurch], or KNIB [nub1] is the
strong piece of wood fastened at right angles to the axle-case of the
hind-carriage, by which it is connected with the vore-carriage.
STRING-PIECES [string'-pees'iiz] are curved pieces of wood fixed
on either end of the axle-case, and meeting the pole so as to
support it and further attach it to the axle-case.
SHARPS [shaa'rps] are the shafts. The BACK-CHAIN [baa-k-charn]
is fixed to one of the sharps, and passing over the back of the
horse, is carried in a groove in the CART-SADDLE, and fastened with
a hook called the BACK-CHAIN CROOK [baa'k-charn kreo'k] to the
other sharp. Thus the weight of the shafts hangs upon the back-
chain. BACK-CHAIN STAPLES, or LONG STAPLES, are fixed upon each
shaft, and allow the back-chain to slide backwards or forwards as
the horse is either pulling or keeping back. The BELLY-TIE [buul'ee-
tuy] is a chain attached to both shafts, passing under the horse's
belly, to keep the shafts from rising up when going down-hill.
The BIRCHIN STAPLE [buurcheen stae'upl] is fixed on both sharps,
to attach the breeching, to enable the horse to keep back the load.
STRAP IRONS [straa'p uyurz], or DRAILS [drae'ulz], are fixed near
the front end of each shaft to take the end of the chain of the
vore-horse, called also tug-ires, and wangs.
WAKE [wae'uk], v. t. i. To watch by a corpse. The custom
was formerly much more prevalent than now.
There you know, me and Mrs. Giles, we laid-n out so nice, and
you never didn zee a more sweeter corpse, and we be gwain up
urn bye night, and we be gwain to have vive shillins a piece, and
we be gwain to wake-n gin the mornin'.
WAKYNGE, or wetche (wach, s.). Vigilta, velvigilie. — Pr. Parv.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 8l$
2. [wai-k], adj. Weak. (Always.)
I 'sure 'ee I be so wa&e's water.
WEYKE. Debilis, imbecillis.
WEYKE of hert, or hertless. Vttors.—Promp. Parv.
and so ffeble and wayke : wexe in )>e hammes }>at }>ey had no myghte.
Langland, Rich, the Red. ii. 64.
WAKY [wae-ukee], v. i. To watch, or keep watch.
A traction engine was snowed up and a labourer was left in
charge. He said as to his duty, " Was a foo-ust vor to light up a
vire and waky by un all night. "—Feb. 1881.
WALK [wau'k], v. t. i. To escort — said commonly of lovers.
Be sure your Tom idn gwain t'ave th'old Hooper's maid! I
zeed'n walkiti1 o' her a Zinday t'arternoon.
Then git yer lass ta tek yer arm
An' walk her, lovin', roun' the farm. — Fulman, K. Sk. p. 27.
2. To cause to depart; to drive away. Used with off.
They wad'n there very long arter Maister zeed 'em ; he walked
'em ^"purty quick, I can tell 'ee.
3. sb. Hunting. Hound puppies are usually sent to farm-houses
or others to be kept till old enough to be "entered" (q. v.). To
keep one thus is called " to walk a pup," and the young hound is
said to be on the walk.
A list of Whelps at walk, to be enter'd in the spring.
Rec. N. Dev. Staghounds. 1812 — 1818. Lord Fortescue (privately printed).
To any poor person who has walked particularly s. d.
well any puppy intrusted to him 10 6. — Ib. p. 12.
4. sb. The scent of a hunted animal's passage from his feed ;
found by the hounds before the hare or other quarry is started.
See DRAG, TRAIL.
Tufted Longwood for a hind and got upon a stale walk, which the Tufters
carried on to South Radworthy, where they found two deer.
Records of North Dev. Staghounds, p. 37.
WALKING-PAY [wau'keen-piay], sb. The allowance paid by
a sick club to a member unable to work, but not too ill to walk,
and so to earn a little.
We gits vifteen shillins a-wik bed-pay, and ten shilhns walking-
pay, to our club.
WALLACE [waul-eej], sb. A mass ; a quantity.
"We've a-got wallages" equivalent to the politer, "We have
oceans."
I 'ant a-zeed no jis wallage o' sheep to market nots longfu
time.
8l6 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WALLET [waul'ut], sb. Underwood when cut. It is generally
understood to be brushwood, without the strong sticks usually to
be found in a faggot. Wallet is an intermediate description
between mere brambles and shearings (which are generally tied
up in bundles, called "nickies," or "nicky wads") and faggot-
wood, known always as 'ood [eo-d] simply. " Firewood " means
lumber in the accompanying advertisement, and I suspect the
auctioneer in this case wrote " ricks of wallet " rather than put
" fire-wood, ricks of wood," which would not have been clear, and
would have been a repetition of wood.
Rafters, firewood, ricks of -wallet, oak posts, new gates, elm hoard, carpenter's
bench and vice, old iron, grinding stone ; and a quantity of dairy utensils, &c.
Advt. in Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
WALL-EYE [watrl-aa'y], sb. Either an eye with a white iris, or
one in which the lids part so as to show the white all round
the iris.
WALLOP [waul -up], v. t. To thrash ; to hide ; to beat. (Some
stick or other weapon is implied.)
WALVING [wau'lveen]. Wallowing ; rolling in dust or dry
earth, as fowls and partridges do.
The birds bin here then walvin, fresh enough !
WAMBLE [waunrl, waunrlee], v. t. r. To wag or move about
in an untrue or eccentric manner — applied to a wheel or
machinery. Also anything loosely held or fixed is said to warn I,
as a post not deep enough in the ground.
Look to thick wheel, nif he don't watrfly, like a fiddler's elbow.
2. To walk in a rambling, unsteady manner.
Poor old fuller, he's a come to ruammle, sure 'nough. They didn
ought to let th'old man go 'bout by hiszul.
WAM-LOCKS [wau'm-loa'ks, or lau'ks], sb. The wool from the
belly. Same as BELLY-LOCKS.
Hal. is quite wrong in giving "WAMLOKES, unwashed wool."
They may be unwashed, but so may the fleece.
WANDERING SAILORS = Ivy-leaved Toad-flax. Linana
Cymbalaria. Very common on dry walls — small purple flower.
WANG [wang], sb. and v. t. A blow ; a thump. Also to thrash ;
to beat.
Fust he gid-n a wang way his vice (fist), and tho he catched up
a stick, and my eyes ! how he did wan^ the burches o' un.
WANG, or WENG [wang-, waeng-], sb. i. Wing ; part of a still.
A strong iron fixed to the front end of the beam, having notches
Ly which the end of the foot-chain or drail is adjusted, either to
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 817
the centre or to either side of the line of the beam, as may be
needful, according to the width of furrow desired.
Maister, can't ploughy way thick sool— the wang o' un's a-bowed.
2. Of a cart— the iron loop or staple upon each shaft, to which
is hooked on the chain of the vore-horse. Same as TUG-IRE.
A byrde hath wenges forto fle,
So man hath armes laboryd to be.
1480. Lytylle Childrenes Lytil Boke (Furnivall), 1. 37.
WANGED [wang-d], part. adj. Tired ; fagged ; wearied out.
I be proper twanged out ; how much vurder is it ?
WANGERY [wang-uree], adj. Flabby ; flaccid— applied to meat.
That there mait on't never take zalt, 'tis so wangery. (Very
com.)
avore tha mad'st thyzel therle, and thy vlesh oil wangery, and thy skin oil
vlagged. Ex. Scold. \. 74.
WANGY [wang-ee], v. i. To bend; to yield under a weight, as
a plank bends when walked on. (Very com.)
WANT [wau-nt], v. t. To need — used very commonly in a
peculiar manner, as — -
You don't want to be telling everybody — /. e. there is no need
for your publishing it abroad.
Her don't want to bide a minute arter they be a-come— /. e.
there is no need for her remaining.
WANT [waurrt], sb, A mole. (Always.)
When land has becc
is generally to be heard
_ _, Jt/. n jiii/ic. ^.n.iwa^3.y
When land has become very impoverished the usual rustic pun
eard, " The want'?, a-got into that there ground."
J>ere lakke]> also roo and bukke and ilspiles, -wontes and oj?ere venemous bestes
(Higden, Caret, talpis et caeteris venemosis).
Trtvisa, Dd Hibernia, vol. i. p. 339.
WANT HEAP, or WANT KNAP [waurrt eep, or naa-p], sb.
A mole-hill. (Always.)
A man brought a bill for work barely finished, and by way of
apology, said, "The want's a-got into it, else I widn a-come. "-
Dec. 21, 1887.
WANTING [waun-teen], adj. Absent.
Well, mum, we be very glad to zee 'ee back again— you've a-bin
ivantiris longful time, I zim.
WANT-SNAP [waun-t-snaap], sb. A mole-trap of any kind—
usually that made with two small bows fixed in a square piece of
wood, having two wires to hold the mole when he has sprung the
trap.
W \NT- WRIGGLE [wauirt-rig-l], sb. A mole track. A small
3 o
8l8 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
line of earth slightly moved, constantly to be seen where a mole
has made his way just beneath the surface.
WANTY [waurrtee], adj. Applied to board or stone — deficient,
*. e. wanting part to make it even ; not sawn straight upon each
edge. (Very com.) Same as WANY.
Some o' that there wanty edge'd board '11 do very well.
WANTYE [waun-tuy], sb. The belt or strap of raw hide
which used to pass over the pack-saddle and round the belly of
the horse — the wamb-tye. Pack-saddles are nearly extinct, but
I have often seen them used, and well remember the long white
wantye.
A panel and wantey, packsaddle and ped,
A line to fetch litter, and halters for hed. — Tusser, 17/5.
WANY [vvae'unee], adj. Of a board cut from the side of a tree,
^Yhere the edge is wanting, or not sawn.
[Yuur-z u u'ae-unee pees — dhee-uz-1 due',] here is a wany piece —
this one will do.
WAPPER-EYED [waap'ur-uyd], adj. Having quick-moving,
restless eyes — constantly rolling from side to side, as is seen in
very nervous persons. (Very com.)
The term "gimlet eye" expresses much the same thing.
wey zich a whatnosed haggletooth'd stare-bason,
timersome, rixy, wapper-ee'd Theng as thee art. — £x. Scold. 1. 58.
WAPPING [waup'een], adj. Yelping ; barking.
'Tis a good job we've a-got a wapping dog or two about ; they
on't let nobody come about, 'thout spakin'. — November, 1884.
Wappyn, or baffyn, as howndys. Nicto. Wappynge, of howndys, whon ]>ey
foloiv here pray or that they wolde harme to. Nicticio, niccio. — Promp. Parv.
Forby has Wappet, a yelping cur.
WAPSE, WAPSY [waup-s, waup-see], sb. Wasp. (Always.)
Me an' Jim Zalter be gwain to burn out dree wapsy's nestes
um-bye-night. Ang.-Sax. weeps.
WAR ! [wau'ur ! ], imper. Ware ! Beware !
In blasting rocks the man who applies the match to the fuze
calls out, War ! If any one lets fall any weight, it is usual to cry
out, [ Wau-r toa'urz !] Ware toes !
Maister Nichole of Guldeforde,
He is wis and -war of worde. — Owl and Night. 1. 191.
War is the snelle, war is the kene. — Ib. \. 526.
WARLOCK [wau'rloak],^. and v. t. In binding the load upon
a timber-carriage, it is usual to pass a chain loosely around the
several pieces, and then by inserting a lever, this chain may be
WEST SOMERSET WORDS, 819
twisted up to any desired tightness. To tighten a chain thu-
to warlock it. The fastening thus made is called a war?*k.
*• *• To beat; to
aa's vaur dhee>
gets hold Wami thy ^ f°r thee
WARN [wau-rn], v. t. To warrant. (Always.)
[Wtil yue wau-rn un suwn ?] will you warrant him sound ? •
A most common asseveration tacked on to almost any sentence
is, " I'll warn ee," or " I'll warn un."
He on't come aneast the place, I'll warn un. I'll warn ee
we be gwam to zee a change (of weather, understood).
WARNED IN [wau-rnd ee'n], part phr. Appointed.
The young Robert 've a-bin ^-warned in sexton. 'Twid a-bin
a shame to a gid it away arter th' old man 'ad a-'ad it so many
years. — June 16, 1884.
WARN OFF [waurn oa-f], v. t. To order; to forbid.
You bin ^-warned off this here ground times enough, zo now
you must go 'vore the justices.
WARRANTABLE [wauruntubl], adj. Hunting phr. applied
to a stag of five years old and upwards.
The following is from a letter, in reply to inquiries, by my relative,
Mr. Chorley of Quarme, who probably knows more of stag-hunting
than any other man living.
" At five years old he should carry bow, bay, tray, with two
points on top each side ; he would then be what we call a warrant-
able stag, fit to hunt with hounds (a stag of ten points). Perhaps
he may go on fora year -or two with these points only, or increase
them on top on one side, or on both, as the case may be ; but in
doing this he may possibly lose a bow, a bay, or a tray, on one
side or the other. I think a stag is at his best at six years old,
or seven at latest, and then goes back in size and length of horn,
though possibly he may increase the number of points on top to
as many as four on one side and three on the other, or even four
on both ; but we seldom find a pure forest stag with more than
this. Supposing he has all his points (or rights, as we call them)
under, this would make him a stag of thirteen or fourteen points,
viz. bow, bay, and tray under on both sides, and with four on top
both sides, or four and three, as the case may be.
" I have seen them with many more than this number of points,
but if so, the head is palmated, and 1 do not imagine the deer
to be perfectly pure in breed, perhaps by being crossed with some
other kind of red deer.
302
820 ^'EST SOMERSET WORDS.
" It is rare to find a deer to go on quite regularly in the increase
of horn, as I say he should do, and does do sometimes ; but they
are very uncertain from various causes, such as scarcity of food,
accidents, strength of constitution, £c., &c. I once knew a stag
shed his horns twice in one year, but he was kept by a farmer near
me, and lived both riotously and unnaturally." — W. L. C., Jan.
19, 1878.
A young stag (too youthful to be runnable) broke across the hill in full view
of the assembled field, but there was no ivarranlable deer forthcoming.
Wellington Weekly Nnvs, Aug. 19, 1885.
Tufters were thrown into Winsford Allotments, whence broke three ToarrtattabU
deer. Account of a Stag-hunt, Wellington Weekly News, Sept. 29, 1887.
WAS [waz-, emph.\ var. pron. See BURN.
WASHAMOUTH [wau-rshumaewf], sb. A blab ; one who
blurts out anything he has heard.
Don't 'ee tell her nort, her's the proper's little warshamouth ever
you meet way ; nif you do, 't'll be all over the town in no time.
Pitha tell reaznable, or hold thy Popping, ya gurt washamouth.
Ex. Scold. 1. 137.
WASH-DISH [wau-rsh-dee-sh], sb. The wagtail. Less com. than
Dish-washer.
WASHER [wau'rshur], sb. A flat iron ring, used under the
nut of a bolt, or on. the arm inside the linch-pin. See WAGON.
WASHERS [wau'rshurz], sb. Of horses — an affection or soreness
of the gums, accompanied by swelling" and a white appearance.
Same as LAMPERS.
WASHING-FURNACE [wau-rsheen fuurnees]. A copper for
boiling clothes in. See FURNACE.
AVASSAIL [wusaa'yul], v. t. To drink to the apple crop.
On old Christmas Eve (sth January), or the eve of the Epiphany,
it was the custom not long since, and may be still, for the farmer,
with his men, to go out into the orchard, and to place toast
steeped in cider, along with a jug of the liquor, up in the
" vork " of the biggest apple tree, by way of libation ; then all say —
Apple tree, apple tree, I wassaail thee !
To blow and to bear,
Hat vulls, cap vulls, dree-bushel-bag-vulls !
And my pockets vull too !
Hip! Hip! Hooraw ! (Bang with one or more guns.)
This ceremony and formula is repeated several times at different
trees, with fresh firing of guns. I can well remember quite a fusilade
from various orchards on old Christmas Eve.
The pronunciation of wassail is by no means wassle, but the
second syllable is long drawn out, and the first very short.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 821
WASTER [wac-ustur], sb. A imperfection in the wick of a
candle. Same as THIEF.
WATER [wau'dr], v. t. Applied to the process of preparing
flax. The stalks are placed in deep pools with poles weighted to
keep them under. This is to water the vlex.
WATER [wau-dr], sb. A stream ; brook. (Very com.)
Holcombe Water, Quarme Water, Badge worthy Water, are well
known to all West Country people.
down through Sweetery Brake to East Water Foot, down the water to Homer
Green. Rcc. N. Dev. Staghottnds, p. 67.
up the Sheardown Water, pointing for Long Wood ; turned to the left over
Hawkridge Common, and came down to the Barle at Three Waters. — Ib. p. 65.
Tufted all the coverts from Hole Water down to N. Bridge. — Ib. p. 66.
WATER-BEWITCHED [wau'dr-beewee'cht],////-. Over-diluted
grog ; very weak drink. See DROWN-THE-MILLER.
WATER-COLLY [wairdr-kaul-ee]. The water ou/.ei. Hydro-
bata aquatica, (Always.)
WATER-CROFT [wairdr-krairf], sb. Carraffe ; decanter.
(Always.)
WATERING-POT [wau'dureen-paut], sb. A garden water-pot.
Water-pot is unknown. Watering-pot is less common than its
synonym, " spranker."
WATER POPLAR [wau-dr piip-lur], sb. Popnlus nigra. (Very
Com.) Same as BLACK POPLAR. Name also applied to Populus
fastigiata.
WATER-TABLE [wairdr-tae-ubl]. sb. The ditch on each side
of a road ; also a small hollow made across a road to carry off
surplus water.
WAXEN CURL [wek-sn kuurul], sb. Inflamed glands in the
neck. Same as WHITSUN-CURL.
WAY [wai-]. In the phr. "in a way" i.e. vexed, disturbed,
much moved. (Very com.)
He's in a terr'ble way 'bout the little maid.
WAY [wai1], prep. With. (Always.) Hundreds of examples
already given.
WAY ! [wai- !], int. Used in driving horses. Stop ! (Always.)
WAY-AND-BODKIN [wai'-un-baud-keen], sb. The heavy
swingle or whipple trees used in dragging and cultivating land.
See BODKIN.
The way, or weigh, is the main tree on which both the others draw.
822 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
\VAYS [wai-z], sb. i. Distance. (Very com.)
Tidn no ways herevrom down to where he do live.
I 'ant no time vor to go all the ways 'long way ee, but I'll go a
little ways.
'Tis a gurt ways therevrom, avore you'll come t' any sort o'
harbourage. See NEAR BY.
2. sb. Part ; portion.
I baint able vor to meet ee way it all, but if you'll plase to take
two pound, that's a good ways towards it, and I'll pay the rest so
zoon's ever I can kill my pig.
WAY-WISE [wai'-wuyz], adj. Said of animals.
He'll come o' that, he idn way-wise not eet, /. e. not accustomed
to the work, not fully trained.
You never can't expect no young 'oss vor to be way-ivise same's
a old one.
WAY-ZALTIN [war-zaal'teen], sb. A sort of horse-game, in
which two boys stand back to back with their arms interlaced, each
then alternately bends forward, and so raises the other on his back,
with his legs in the air.
The term is also sometimes used for see-sawing.
WAYZGOOSE [wai'zgeo'z, or wargeos], sb. An outing of work-
people. Often spelt waygoose. A printers' bean-feast. The word
seems only to apply to the particular trade. (Very com.)
Last Thursday the workmen employed at the Wellington Weekly News Office
enjoyed their annual ivayzgoose (sic). The party left Wellington by early train ;
favoured by summer weather they spent a pleasant time at Dawlish and Teign-
mouth, and returned home well pleased with the annual trip provided by the
proprietors. Wellington Weekly NSZVS, Aug. 16, 1883.
WEAR [wae'ur, /. /. wae'urd,/. /. u-wae'urd], v. t. and i. Until
recently this was the only form in use, and the verb always seems
to have been weak, though a strong pret. and p. p. existed in
M. E. ; but now people are taught grammar, and learn at school
to write wore and worn. These, however, cannot readily unlearn,
and so in familiar talk compromise; hence I notice it 'is now
becoming usual to say, Mrs. So-and-So wor'd [woa'urd] a new
bonnet to church.
That there stuff you bought in to Mr. 's an't a-wot*d [u-
woa'urd] well at all. I have not yet (May, 1887) heard a-worn'd
[u-woa'urnd], but I quite expect to do so.
OLE, hr-weryd, as clothys and other thyngys. Vetustus, detritus.
Promp. Parv.
And yet he hadde a thombe of gold parde ;
A whyght cote and blewe hood wered he.
Chaucer, Prologue, \. 563. See also 1. 75.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 823
WEARING [waenreen], adj. Tiring ; causing weariness;
tedious.
I don't know nothin more weariti 'an a bad toothache.
WEAZEL-SNOUT [wee-zl-snaewt], sb. The yellow nettle or
archangel. Lamium Galeobdolon: Polite name.
WED WITH [wai'd way], v. f. A person who is about to
marry is said to be going to wed way so-and-so.
I don't never 'bleive her on't never wed way un arter all. This
is a negative sentence.
WEEK [wik-]. In the phrases, "come week" "was a. week."
The former is used with the future, the latter with the past
construction.
Next Vriday ccme week we be gwain to begin sheep-shearin, /'. e.
Friday week.
Her 'ant a-bin a-neast wee since last Monday was a week, and
that's jist a vortnight a-gone.
WEEL [wee-ul], adj. Wild. (Var. pron.) Ridin' z.weel-gallop.
(Always.)
WEENY [wee'nee], adj. Tiny ; minute. (Very com.)
I only wants a weeny little bit.
WEEPY [wai-pee], adj. and v. i. Said of damp walls — moist :
or of land full of water — undrained ; wet ; full of springs.
We be gwain t'ave a change o' weather, zee how the walls do
weepy. Terr'ble weepy field o' ground.
WEE-WOW [wee-wuw], adv., adj. and sb. Crooked; uneven;
untrue ; awry. (Very com.)
Could'n gee he no prize vor ploughin', 'is vores be all wee-wow.^
Thick there wee-wowy old lauriel idn no orniment, I should cut'n
down, nif I was you.
or wotherway twel zet e-long or a -weewow, or oil a puckering.
Ex. Scohi . 1. 275.
WEIGHT [wauyt], sb. In speaking of any number of pounds
in weight, it is usual to say, "Score weight," i.e. 20 Ibs., " Forty
weight," i. e. 40 lbs.,&c., just as in lit. Eng. we speak of a hundred-
weight ; in W. Som., however, a hundid wait means 100 Ibs.
Plase to buy thick porker, sir, I know he'll suit ee. Why he i
'boo (above) vower-score wait, i. e. 80 Ibs.
WEIGHTS [wauyts], sb. Beam and scales ; weighing machine.
[Wauy un ee'n tu dhu maa-rkut wauyts,~\ weigh il
market weights, L e. scales.
WEYYN, wythe wyghtys (weightes P.). Pondero.—Promp. Parv.
Haue waights, I aduise thee, for siluer & gold,
for some be in knaueiie now a daies bold ;— luster, 10/44.
824 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WEIGHT STONE [wauyt stoa-un], sb. The actual weight,
usually of iron, for weighing with the ordinary beam and scales.
A farmer borrowing from another the beam and scales, would
tell his man, [Muyn un bring au'n dhu wauyts un dhu wauyt
stoa'unz,~\ mind and bring on the weights and the weight stones.
When actually using them these are spoken of as stones, with the
weight to distinguish them.
A butcher would send to another, " Ax Mr. Clay to lend me a
vower-pound stone" i. e. an iron 4 Ib. weight.
WELL [wuul], sb. A spring of water.
You'll zee a well o' water by th' zide o' the road.
The word is of course understood when applied to a shaft sunk
for water, but in this sense the use is modern, and no older than
pumps. See WINK, also PUMP-PIT, and LAKE.
WELL [wuul-], adv. Very ; in phr. Well-nigh, ;'. e. very
nearly ; almost.
Nif I wadn well-nigh a-steeved way the cold ; I don't zim ever I
can mind jis weather.
)>ora-out al Engelond • he held ivel god pes ;
Rob. of Gloucester, W. the Conq. 1. 370.
God him sente ' a ivel fair gras. — Stations of Rome, 1. 416.
" By Mahoun," said Lukafer : " )>at ys a -wel gret folye ;
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 2166.
my feet were almost gone ; my steps had well nigh slipped. — Ps. Ixxiii. 2.
W7ELL-A-FINE [wuul'-u-fuyn], adv. phr. Very well ; truly ;
indeed.
Ay ! ay ! her'll tell well-a-fine, sure 'nough, nif anybody '11 harky
to 'er.
Alas Char(les) vncle myn : & kyng i-crouned free
Now y knowe wel-a-ffyn : \>y message schende]) me. — Sir Per. 1. 2752.
He )>at to ryjtwysnes wylle enclyne,
As holy wryjt says us wele and fyne. — Bake of Curtasye, 1. iSl.
Chem a laced •well-a-fine areacly. — Ex. Scold. 1. 8l.
thof tha canst ruckee well-a-fine. — Ib. 1. 269.
WELL DONE ! [wuul duun- ! ], inlerj. Very com. expression
of surprise at anything narrated. Equivalent to " Indeed 1 " " You
don't say so ! " " Oh, brave ! "
[Dhai zaes- aew dh'oa'l faarm Puuree-v u-vaal'd oa-f-s au-s-n
ubroa'k-s naek'. Wuul duun' /], they say that the old farmer
Perry has fallen off his horse and broken his neck. Well done !
WELL SAID ! [wuul zaed1 ! or wuul zaed's ! ], interj. of approval.
(Very com.)
Well zaid, soce ! nit that idn a good job, I never didn zee nother
one.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 825
Well zaidsy my hearties ! I did'n reckon you'd a-finish not ect.
Peck in a stwone behind tlieck weed,
IViillsed! Now burn below ;
Work en wull, an' he'll be mine
In 'bout a nour or zo.—r»lman, R. Sk. p. 60.
WELL-SPOKEN [wuul'-spoa-kn],///* Used by the better class
of people to signify that the person referred to talks, or at least
tries to talk, the literary language and not the dialect. The
examples in these pages are by no means derived from well-spoken
persons.
"She's a very well-spoken young woman," would be praise for
a domestic servant, and would imply that she had lived in a town
or been otherwise civilized. The same would be understood by
" He's a respectable, well-spoken young fellow.
WELT, WELTING [wuul-t, wuuHeen], v. t. and sb. To beat ;
to thrash. My eymers ! how maister ded welfn.
He meet way zich a weltin 's he on't vurgit in a hurry.
WENCH [wau'nsh], sb. A girl ; a maiden ; a female child.
A story is told of a child being brought to be baptized to a
waggish parson in the West Country. At the request, " Name this
child," he was answered, " You plase to name un, zir ; a long one,
you know, zir, out o' the Bible." Upon this the parson baptized
the child Maher-shalal-hash-baz, and the party retired well pleased.
Soon after the service, however, the father came to the parson.
"Plase, zir, I be come vor t'ax o'ee t'ondo the cheel again."
" Why ? " " Why 'cause 'tis a waunch, zir."
Jif bei leden a-wey mennus wyues or wenches in here newe habitis, to do
lecherie bi hem. — Wyclif, Works, p. 12.
WENT [wai-nt, u-wai'nt], p. part, of wend, now used as the /. /.
of to go. (Always.)
[Aay sheod--n u-warnt neef t-ad'-n ubmr vur dhee1,] I should
not have gone if it had not been for you.
This is one of our commonest forms of recrimination. One of
two boys caught stealing apples is almost certain to use this phrase
to the other. Another equally com. is— You never didn ought to
a-went ; for — You ought not to have gone.
buruh Marie bone & bisocne was water, ette noces, iwent to wine :
Ancren Riwle, p. 376. See also many other passages.
bus othere toke bat cors an haste : & to be tour Jeate bar-wib bub wcntt.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 3152.
Were ys knyght Cleges, tell me heor,
For thou has wyde \-went.— Weber, Sir Clegtf, 1. 476.
WENT [wai-nt], sb. Part of a fulling-stock (q. r.). It consists
of a block of wood curved and tapering, made to fit the back or
826 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
" seat " of the " stock." Wents are of different thicknesses, and
their use is to contract the size, or capacity of the stock, as may be
required to suit the thickness or quantity of the cloth to be milled.
If the stock is slack, /'. <?. if the cloth dees not sufficiently fill it,
the heavy feet will cut the cloth instead of milling it.
WEST COUNTRY [was- kuun -tree], sb. In Somerset this means
the hill country, including all the Brendon, Dunkery, and Exmoor
ranges. A West Country farmer would be at once known to come
from the district lying between Porlock, Bampton and Barnstaple,
even if the words were spoken at Tiverton, which lies far to the
west of the locality.
The term including so definite a district in two different counties,
seems to point to a feeling that the habits and speech of the people
in it are separated from those living on their west in Devon, and
on their east in Somerset.
WETHER-HOG [waedh'ur-airg], sb. A wether sheep, of a year
old. (Always.) See HOG.
WETSHOD [waefshaud], adj. Wet-footed. (Always.)
[Z-dhing'k aay bee gwai'n een dhae'ur, mun, vur tu git waei'shandl
Noa' ! u kaewnt !], dost (thou) think I be going in there, man,
for to get wet shod ? No ! I count !
WET THE T'OTHER EYE [waet dhu tuudlrur aa-y]. r\ his
is about the commonest form of in\ itation to take a second glass.
Come, now ! you baint gwain vore you've &-wet the t'other eye.
WETTY [waefee], v. i. To rain very slightly.
[Du jis waet-ee luyk, kaa'n kau'l ut raa'yn,] (it) do just \\etty
like, can't call it rain.
Theck whis'lin wind an' dret'ning sky
Speyk'd raayn, ver now da -wetty vast. — Pnhnan, Rus. Sk. p. 14.
WEX [wek's], sb. Wax. (Always.) Rarely used as a vb.
A.-S. weax, wax, wex. Shoemaker's wex. Bees'-zvex.
and J)as carman anlicnyssa mid ealle fordo
swa swa wex formylt for hatan fyre.
sElfric, Natale Sancti Georgii, Martyris, 1. 138.
Att-so I devyse & ordeyne a C ib. ivex to mynyttere and to serue to the vse
of the salue of oure lady chaperr.
Will of N. Charleton, 1439. Fifty E. Wills, p. 114.
The feire thingis of desert schulen u~exe fatte; — Wyclif, Psalm Ixv. 13.
WHAT D'YE TELL O' ! [hau't-ee tuul'oa ! ]. A very com.
exclamation, equivalent to — You don-'t say so ! Indeed ! Well, I
never ! &c.
WHATSOMEDEVER [haufsumdiivur], adj. Whatsoever.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 827
, I wid'n 'ave sich a fuller's he. no not
WHAT'S WHAT [wauf-s wauf],/Ar. (Very com.)
He knows o^j «,/,„/ so well's one here and there, /. e. he under-
stands, or has had experience.
WHAT VOR ? [hau-t vau-r ?] Why ?
Jim look sharp, hum \-Hot wr ?— D thee, I'll let thee
know hot vor nif dis-n muv along.
WHEAL [wae-ul], v. t. To mark with a blow from a whip or
cane ; to thrash.
[Dhu baa-k oa un wuz M-waeuld lig u guurd uyur,] his back
was whealed like a gridiron.
[Zee wae-ur aay doa-n ow»/ dhee ! shuur ?] see if I don't wheal
thee ! Dost hear ?
WALE, or strype after scornynge.— Promp. Parv.
Wall of a strype — enfleure. — Palsgrave.
WHEELER [wee-ulur], sb. One who makes wheels of carts or
carriages— not the same as wheelwright. The latter includes not
only the wheeler's work, but everything connected with the making
of carts and wagons.
WHEEL-LADDER [wee-ul-lad'ur], sb. A lade for the back
part of a wagon, having a small roller or windlass attached, by
which the ropes for _binding the load can be strained tight. (Very
com.)
ivheele ladder for harness, light pitchfork and tough,
shaue, whiplash wel knotted, and cartrope ynoujh. — Tusser, 17/6.
WHEEL-STOCK [\vee-ul-stauk-], sb. i. The nave of a wheel.
2. (More common use.) Short ends of elm timber cut to the
proper length, and bored through the centre, ready to be turned
and "bonded" for the nave of a wheel — a regular article of sale.
WHEEL-STRAKE [wee-ul-straeiik], sb. When the iron tires
of wheels are not put on in one solid ring, as is often the casj,
each separate segment is a strake or wheel-strake. See STEART.
WHE'ER [wae-ur, wur], conj. Whether. (Always.)
[Kaa'n tuul' ee wur yue kn ab'-m ur noa',] (I) can't tell you
whether you can have it or not.
'Tis all a toss-up wae'ur he do come or wae'ur he don't.
>e beste of hem wot not what his preiere is '\vorj>e & if/u-re it turne to liis
owene dampnacion or saluacion. Wyclif, Works, p. 1 73.
WHEREWAY [wae'urwar], sb. The wherewith ; means ; money.
Nif I'd a-got the whereway, I widn be very long athout-n.
but tha hassent tha ivharnvey. — Ex. Scold. 1. 235.
828 \VEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WHETSTONE. The liar's prize— still used thus. See Ex.
Scold, pp. 171-2.
WHICHY [weeclvee], pr. "Which. This form is very commonly
used as an interrogative.
Mr. Bird was in to fair. Whichy ? — i. e. which of them. This
is probably a very old form, as seen by the following —
]>an turde hymen )>ys bachelers : & seje comynge there
xxiiij" of fair somers : whichetyA. heuy here. — Sir Fentmbras, 1. 2692.
See A i. c. p. 2, New English Dictionary.
WHIMSY [wunrzee], sb. Fancy; hobby; crotchet; whim.
Her've a-got a whimsy eens her can't stan', and there her
li'th a-bed ; but Lor ! her can stan', ees, and urn too, nif her was
a-put to it.
WHIM-WHAM [wee'm-wau'm], sb. A crotchet; a fad.
Ees! that's another o' maister's u<him-whams; the vowls must
be all a-claned out twice a wick, sure, — I s'pose their faces must
be a-warshed arter a bit.
WHIP [wuop], v. i. i. To move briskly.
Look sharp and whip along, and neet bide about.
2. v. t. With in. To put in ; to push in ; to place in position —
quickly implied.
Come, soce, look alive and whip it (the hay) in Vore the rain
com'th.
I zeed-n comin', zo I up way the ferret and net and whipt it in
my pocket.
3. v. t. To slap with the hand.
Mothers constantly threaten their children thus — " Tommy, you
bad boy, I'll whip your bottom, I will, nif you don't come in
torackly." This phrase implies no weapon whatever beyond the
bare hand.
4. In phr. " Whip a snail." See JIG TO JOG.
WHIP-HAND [wuop-an-], sb. Advantage; command. (Very
com.)
Take care he don't get the whip- and o' ee, mind.
WHIPPENSES [wiip-unsuz], sb. Swingle trees, or bodkins-
used in harrowing or ploughing. Rare in W. Som., but heard
sometimes.
WHIPPER-SNAPPER [wuop-ur-snaap-ur], sb. A diminutive
but rather obtrusive person ; an insignificant person. The term is
decidedly depreciatory.
Be sure her idn gwain to drow 'erzul away 'pon a little whipper-
snapper like he.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 829
WHIPSWHILE [wuop-swuyul], sb. Short interval— mostly
preceded by every ; now and again.
Who's gwain to pay me vor my time? I can't Vord to be
comin' bummin' here every whipswhile vor a vew shillins o' rates.
WHIRLIGIG [wuurdleegig-], sb. A teetotum.
A common saying is, " To purdly round same 's a whireUigig"
WHYRLEGYGE, or chyldys game. Giraciilum. — Pr. Paiv.
WHISTERPOOP [wuVturpeop], sb. A blow on the ear or
chops.
When a zaid that, he zaid to un, you-m a Hard ! and way the
same he up way 'is 'an' and gid-n zich a whisterpoop right in the
mouth, and down a vails, right out.
Chell up wi ma Veest, and gi tha a Whisterpoop.
Ex. Scold, 1. 98. See also Ib. 11. 353, 578.
WHISTLE FOR [wuVl vur], phr. To lose ; to go without.
I wants to know how I be gwain to be a-paid, else p'raps arter
I've a-do'd the work I mid whistle vor the money.
WHIT-ALLER [weet-aul'ur]. The elder. Sambucus nigra.
WHITE ASH [weet aarsh], sb. The plant goutweed. ^opo-
dium podagraria. (Usual name.)
WHITE-LIVERED [wuyt, or weet'-luy vurd], adj. Cowardly ;
easily frightened. It is curious that in compounds liver has the /
very long.
Ya ! weet-liverd son of a bitch, hot art afeard o' ? Why, he on't
ait thee.
WHITE-MEAT [weef-mart], sb. Milk diet, or milk puddings-
much the same as "spoon-meat."
I be most a-starved to death, they 'ant a-let me had nor
white meat's dree wicks.
WHITE-MOUTH [weet'-maewdh], sb. An infant's ailment.
Missus, you must take some physic, the baby've a-got
while-mouth.
WHITE POPLAR [wuyt, or weet paup-lur], sb. Populus alba
— silver poplar.
WHITE ROCKET [wuyt rauk'ut], sb. The plant Hesperis
matronalis— common single white variety.
WHITESUN-CURL [wuytsn-kuurul], sb. A small kernel or
carbuncle; a small abscess, which rises and becomes painful
does not burst. Nearly the same as WAXEN-CURL. (Very com.)
830 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WHITESUN GILAWFERS [wuytsn jiilau-furz], sb. The
double white rocket. Double flowering Hesperis matronalis.
We always calls 'em Whitesun Gilawfers. — June 27, 1883.
WHITESUNTIDE [wuyt-sntuyd]. Whitsuntide. The first
syllable is always white. The several days are Whitesun Sunday,
Whitesun Monday, Whitesun Tuesday, &c.
WHITE-WITCH [wee't-wee'ch], sb. A magician; astrologer;
a male fortune-teller. The word witch is in this sense as often
applied to a man as to a woman. I knew a man for a great many
years, originally as a shoemaker, but who gave up his trade to
practise as a " witch." He was known up to his death as
"Conjuror B . . ." He had regularly printed business cards with
his name and address, and underneath, " Nativities cast, Questions
answered."
ASTROLOGY, or PLANET RULING. — Negatives prepared, &c. — Send for pro-
spectus to J. W. Herschell, Frome. — Wellington Weekly News, Feb. 16, 1888.
and how hes Vauther went agen, .... and troubled the house so, that tha
Whatjecomb, tha Whit Witch wos vorst to lay en in the Red Zea.
Ex. Court. 1. 438.
WHITPOT [wee'tpaut], sb. A once favourite dish. It was
made of cream, eggs, and flour, sweetened and spiced, to be eaten
cold. It now remains only in name, and is preserved in the
common saying, " He'll tell lies so vast as a dog '11 eat whitfot."
WHITTLE [wiifl], sb. The regular name of a baby's long
flannel petticoat. It is made with the front open, and tied with
tapes. The whittle is left off when the baby is " tucked up " or
shortened. It is really a kind of under-cloak. A.-S. hwitel, a
white mantle, a kind of cloak.
tha wet be mickled and a sleeved wi' the cold vore 'T Anclra's Tide, chun, nif
tha dessent buylha a new whittle. Ex. Scold. 1. 276.
WHO-ZAY [heo--zai], sb. A report ; an " on dit"
[Doa'n ee aarkee tue um, tuz noa'urt bud u heo'-zai^] do not
you harken to them, it is nothing but a who-zay.
WHY VOR [wuy vau'r]. Why; for what reason.
[Taek'-n aak's oa'un wuy vau~r ee kau'm tu goo',] take and ask
of him why for he came to go.
WHY-VOR-AY [waa-y-vur-aa'y], sb. Wherewith ; means ; money.
'Tidn all o' us 've a-got the why-vor-ay same's you 'ave, else we'd
goo vast enough. Same as WHEREWAY.
WICKED [wik'ud], adj. Addicted to the use of foul or profane
hmguage; foul-mouthed.
[Dhu wik'uds fuul'ur uvur yue yuurd spark,] the wickedest
fellow (/'. e. the most foul-mouthed) you ever heard speak.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 831
[Ee-z u tuurubl wik'ud mae'un,] he is a very wicked man—/, e.
as to language only. No other misconduct would be implied by
either of these expressions.
WICKED DAYS [wik-ud dai-z], sb. Week-days. (Always.)
Anybody's work idn never a-finisht yer — Zindays and wicked
days be all alike.
Week being pronounced wik— the rest is easy. A.-S. wic.
WICKEDER [wik-udur], adj. More wicked ; worse.
There idn no more wickeder liar, not in twenty mild around.
A wykkeder man j?an he was on : nas non on al hure lawe.
Sir ferumbras, 1. 2142.
WICKEDNESS [wik'udnees], sb. Foul language; cursing;
swearing. The term is confined to offences in language, and is
not applied to general misconduct.
[Yue ndvur yuurd noa' jish wik-udnees een airl yur bau'rn dai'z,]
you never heard such foul language in all your life. See BAD.
WICKERY [wik-uree], v. i. To neigh.
Th'old mare knowth father's step so well's a beggar knowth his
bag ; nif on'y a goth 'long the court her'll sure to wickery.
WICK'S END [wik-s ai-n], sb. Saturday night ; week's end.
All thee's look arter's the wicKs end: I'll warn 'ee, thee wit-n
vurgit to come arter thy wages.
WIDDY-WADDY [wee -dee-wan -dee], adj. Stupidly weak and
vacillating ; unstable ; not to be relied upon ; changeable.
A widdy-waddy old 'umman ; he don't know his own mind nit
two hours together.
WIDENESS [wuydnees], sb. Measure across. Wideness and
width are not exact synonyms.
The river's near the same wideness all along.
The weir-pool takes up all the witth of the river.
WIDOW-MAN [wee'du-mae-un], sb. A widower. (Always.)
He's a widow man way no family, zo you on't have your 'ouse
a-tord abroad way a passle o' chillern.
WIDOW WOMAN [wee-du uunrun], sb. A widow.
Her was a widow 'oman avore her married way he, and now
her's a-left a widow 'oman agee-an.
WILD [wuyul], adj. i. Angry; enraged. _
A very common jeer to an irascible person is, " Hot's the matter
then ? why thee art so wild's a cock gooze ! "
2. adj. Applied to smells.
Hotever is it here, soce ? somethin' stinks terr'ble wild, I sim.
832 WKST SOMERSET WORDS.
WILDING [wuyuldeen], sb. A wild apple.
They baint no good, they baint on'y wildins, and so zour's a grig.
WILL [\viil*, weo'l, when very emphatic ; eol, mod. emphasis; ul,
or '1 /// ordinary rapid speecJi\.
I tell 'ee I weo'l do it.
A tweyne i wol forcleue )»yn heel : wij) my swerd her rijte.
Sir Ferumbras, 1. 543. See also I. 4381.
for J>ouJ a man breke goddis hestis J>ei wole soone and lijtly assoile him.
Wyclif, Works, p. 7.
In addition to its com. use in forming the future tense, it is
constantly used in the dialect when the present tense would be
the literary construction ; particularly when any strong assertion
is made, as if the old force of the word were still retained, even
when no emphasis is laid on it.
[Aa-/ fuy dhee tu due1 ut,] I will defy thee to do it — /. e. I do
now defy thee.
[Aa-/ tuul' dhee hau't tai'z,] I will tell thee what it is — /. e. not
only " I tell thee," but " I persist in telling thee."
WILL [wee'ul], v. f. To bequeath.
Th'old man was a wo'th a good bit o' money, but 'tis shameful
how he've a-left 'is wive ; he willed every shillin' to th' oldest son,
and her's a-fo'ced to be holdin' to he vor the very bread her d'ait.
WILLY [weel'ee], sb. and v. t. A machine for preparing wool
for the scribbler or first carder. It forms the second process in the
spinning of short stapled wool. In shapi it is something like a
carder, but instead of " cards " it has sharp iron teeth. The wool
is first put through the devil, by which it is opened and partially
cleaned. It is then sprinkled with oil and fed into the willy, which
effectually mixes it, and regularly spreads the oil through the mass.
To willy wool is to pass it through this machine.
WILLY [wuTee], sb. A large basket — of a shape deep rather
than flat. The word would not be used for any shallow basket,
nor for one having a bent handle from side to side. A willy has
two small handles at the upper edge, one opposite the other.
There are "half-bag willies" "quarter-bag willies" and "two-
bushel willies" made to hold the specified quantities. Same as
MAUND. See BAG.
WILLY-NILLY [wuTee-nuTee], sb. Willing or unwilling.
Nif maister do zay it, 'tidn no use vor they to zay nort, they must
do it willy-nilly.
WIM [wiim], v. t. To winnow. (Always.)
Our volks be all busy wimin o1 barley.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 833
WIMBLE-STOCK [wiinrl-stauk], sb. The crank or brace used
>y carpenters for boring with various "bits." By confusion of
;ound in the rustic mind, this word is often now pronounced
waumi-stauk], as though wimble and wamble were synonyms.
Wymbyl. Terebntm. WYMBYL, or persowre. Terebellttm. — Pr. Pan'.
A wymbylle; dolabra, dolabellula, terebrum, &c. — Cath. Ant;.
and bore the holes with his ivymble. — Fitzhtrbtrfi Husbandrie, 24/8.
strong exeltred cart, that is clouted and shod,
cart ladder and wimble, with percer and prod. — Tttsser, 17/6.
Gimlet, often spelt gimblet, is the diminutive — for interchange
)f w and g comp. ward, guard ; war, guerre.
WIM-SHEET [wunr-shit], sb. Winnowing-sheet (Always.)
\ large sheet of strong canvas, used (more in thrashing corn by
nachine than in winnowing) to spread on the ground and catch
;he corn under the thrashing-machine.
WIND [wuyn(d], v. i. Any surface which ought to be, and is
not an even plane, is said to wind, as a door, sash, floor, board, &c.
" Can't make thick old door fit ; he winds purty nigh an inch,"
:>r "he's purty nigh an inch ivindiit."
WIND [wuyn(d], v. t. To roll up, and bind with a cord, the
fleece after shearing. Hence he whose business it is, is called a
wool-winder [eo'1-wuyndur],
WINDING-SHEET [wuyndeen-shee't], sb. The guttering of
a candle by which an excrescence is formed ; also sometimes called
a coffin-handle. Supposed to be a death sign to the person in
whose direction it forms. I have seen people change their seats
when it begins to form.
WINDLE [wun-1], sb. The redwing. (Always.) Turdus
Hiatus.
WIND-MOW [wee'n-maew], sb. In a showery harvest it is very
common to stack up the corn on the field in narrow ricks, so that
the air may freely circulate through them. Thus the corn, if im-
perfectly dried, takes no damage, as it would do if put together
in a large quantity. These small stacks are always called wind-
mows. See HAT, v. t.
WIND-REW [wee-n-reo], sb. Hay after tedding is often drawn
up in light rows, so that the wind can play through it,— these are
win-rews. The same as « double-strick rews."
and
ij
834 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WIND-SHAKE [wee-n-shee-uk], sb. and v. t. A crack or split
in wood caused by too rapid drying.
Turn eens way that there board, else they '11 be a wind-sJiakcd
[u-wee-n-shee'ukt] all to pieces.
WINK [wing'k], sb. A well from which the water is drawn by
a winch, chain, and bucket. The word is applied to the shaft — e. g.
" down the wink " — as much as to the winding apparatus.
WINK-EGG [wing-k-ag']. A game played with birds' eggs.
When a nest is found, boys shout, [Lat-s plaa'y wing'k-ag-'}. An
egg is put on the ground, and a boy goes back three paces from
it, holding a stick in his hand ; he then shuts his eyes and takes
two paces towards the egg, and strikes a blow on the ground with
the stick — the object being to break the egg. If he misses another
tries, and so on until all the eggs are smashed. This is almost the
only use to which the lower class of boys put the thousands of eggs
they take in the season.
WINNY [weeiree], v. i. To neigh gently, as a favourite horse
does when approached by his master. Same as WICKERY.
WINTER [wee-ntur], v. t. To keep or feed cattle through the
winter.
Mr. Stevens do winter his things ter'ble hard ; but I zim don't
never pay, 'tis out midsummer a'most 'vore I'll be a-pick'd up
again.
WINTER-BIRD [wee'ntur-buurd], sb. Com. name for the
fieldfare.
There's two sorts o' they there winter-birds. Some do call 'em
blue-rumps. — Keeper, Jan. 30, 1888. See GREVBIRD.
WINTER-GREENS [wee-ntur-gree-nz], sb. Curled kale. Same
as CURLY-GREENS. Brassica fimbriata.
WINTER-PROUD [wee'ntur-praewd], adj. A corn crop which
has been forced into premature growth by mild weather in winter.
Such corn is said to be winter-proud.
WIPE [wuyp], sb. and v. t. i. A long bundle of brushwood
tied with several "binds." The sides of rough sheds or "linhays"
are often made of wipes placed on end close together, and bound
to a horizontal pole half-way up. To furnish a shed with shelter
of this kind is " to wipe the linhay up."
Thick there linhay was so mortal start, I was a-fo'ce to wipe 'm
up. — Jan. 12, 1888.
2. sb. A blow.
Ah'l gi' thee a wipe under the ear, s'hear me !
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 835
WIPE THE EYES [wuyp dh-aa-yz]. In shooting, when one
person kills the game immediately after a companion has shot at
it and missed, he is said to wipe the eyes of the one who missed.
Maister wipe the pa'son's eyes dree or vower times; I count he's
better to praichin-n he is to shuttin'.
WIPE THE SHOES [wuyp dhu sheo'z]. A figurative expression
for obtaining a treat of drink.
[Aay shd luyk tu wuyp yur sheo'z,~] I should like to wipe your
shoes, would be said to a gentleman coming amongst labourers,
as a polite way of saying, "I should like to drink your health."
See FOOTING.
WISE-MAN [wuyz-mae'un], j£. An astrologer. Same as WHITE-
WITCH.
WISHING-BONE [wee'sheen-boa-un], sb. The merry-thought.
WISHT [wee-sht], adj. Sad; miserable. (Very com.)
Tis a wisht thing vor her, poor soul, vor to be a-lef like that
there, way all they little bits o' chillern, and her's a wisht poor
blid too, to the best o' times.
No doubt the real meaning is bewitched or evil wisht, i. e. suffering
from the evil eye ; and is a survival of the time when everything
undesirable or untoward was set down to witchcraft. The belief
is by no means dead. See OVERLOOK.
W1SHTNESS [wee-shnees], sb. Some result of evil eye ; any-
thing mysteriously unfortunate is a wishtness.
I calls it a proper wishtness, vor to zee a poor little crater like
her is, wastin away to nothin, an' all _ the doctors can't do her no
good. — Sept. 1884.
WISS, WISSER, WISTEST [wuV, wuVur, wus'tees], comp. adj.
Worse ; worst.
They do zay how her's wiss-n he is.
[Aay doaom zee1 eens uur-z lin'ee wiis-ur-n uudh'ur voa'ks,] 1
do not see how that her is any worser than other folks.
'Tis the very wistest [wiistees] job ever I zeed in my live.
But shameles and craftie, that desperate are,
Make many ful honest the worser to fare.— Tusser, 10/32.
WISTURD [wus-turd], sb. Worsted. (Always.)
Yarn spun from long-combed wool, not from carded short wool.
It'm ij doubletts, one jerkin, 2 paire of hoase, ij halts, irj wastes, )
a pair of wosterd stockins, a paire of silke garters, nj pan ot > x>
shoes and two paire of pantophels.
Inventory of goods and chatells of Henry Gandye, Exeter, 1609.
WIT [weet], sb. Sense ; intelligence ; knowledge. One of the
commonest depreciatory sayings is—
.1 H 2
836 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
" He 'ant a-got no more wlt-\\ plase God he should," or again,
" Ant a-got wit to zay boh ! to a gooze."
A.-S. wit — understanding ; knowledge. This meaning is at least
obsolescent in mod. literature.
WYTTE of vndyrstondynge. Ingenium.
WYTTE, of bodyly knowynge. Sensus. — Pr. Parv.
In dooing of either, let wit beare a stroke,
for buieng or selling of pig in a poke. — Tusser, 16/3.
WIT [wut], v. Wilt ? (Always.)
WITS; WITSN [wiifs ; wiifsn]. Wouldest ; would est not;
wilt not. See W. S. Gram. p. 61.
[Dhee wut'sn ae'u dhilr vurnoa1 jis muun'ee,] thou wilt not have
that one for any such sum.
Wits thee like vor to be a-sar'd same's I've a-bin ?
WITCH-ELM [wee'ch-uul-um], sb. Same as WITCH-TREE (q. v.).
This is probably a word of rather recent growth, although now
it and Witch-halse are the usual names of the Ulmus montana.
It has very likely arisen as a sort of duplicate name like Brendan,
upon the foreign word elm becoming naturalized, previous to whicli
no doubt wyche was the only name.
WITCH-HALSE [wee*ch-haa-ls]. Witch-elm. Ulmus montana.
The usual name throughout W. Somerset and North Devon.
WITCH TREE [wee'ch tree], sb. The witch-elm. Ulmus
montana. This name was most probably once used for all
varieties of the elm, and indeed it seems to have continued so
down to comparatively recent times.
A.-S. wice. Bosworth gives this, " A witche, mountain ash, roun-
tree (?)."
Wyche, tre. Ultmis. — Promp. Parv.
And nether wheche, ne leede, to be leyde in, bote a grete clothe to hely my
foule caryin. Will of T. Broke, Devon, 1487. Fifty Earliest Wills, p. 27.
This cannot mean hutch or coffin, as suggested in the footnote
to the above, because it is put in apposition to lead and doth. It
refers to the wood of which coffins were and still are mostly made.
Compare also the Devonshire spelling of 1487 with the pronun-
ciation of 1886.
Ulmus is called in greeke Ptelea, in englishe an Elme tree, or a Wich tree.
Turner, Herbcs, p. 81.
WITH THE SAME [wai dhu sae'um], adv. phr. Instantly ;
instantaneously.
[Zeo'n-z uvur aay zee'd-n aay staap1 wai dhu saeum, un au'p wai
mee wuop1 un meet warun rai't raewn dhu naek',] (as) soon as I saw
him I stopped instantly, and up with my whip and met with him
right round the neck.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 837
WITHY [wudh-ee]. The willow; osier. All species are known
by this name, as the "basket withy? "thatching withy? "black
•withy," " -"
A.-S. 101*816, wffiige, wi18i8e.
A Wethy j fastis.— Caih. Ang.
for they be moste comonly made of hasell and fwVAr, for these be the trees
,
that blome. Fitzherberfs Husbandrie, 24, 15.
The greater is called in Latine Salix perticalis, common Withy, Willow and
sallow. Gourde, Herbal, p. 1392.
Wethy leves, grene otes, boyled in fere fulle soft,
Cast J>em hole intoavesselle,— Russell's Boke of Nurture, 1. 995.
WITHY-WIND [wiidh-ee-wee-n]. Bindweed ; the wild convol-
vulus. Convolvulus arvensis. The usual name of this troublesome
weed, unchanged for a thousand years.
A.-S. wfee-ivlnde. Vivorna, wudu-winde. — Earle, Plant Names, p. 23.
the herbe which is called of the herbaries Volubilis, in english ivytJiuynde
or byndeweede, in duche Winden. Turner, Hcrbes, p. 20.
The small Bindweed is called Convolvulus minor, Volubilis minor, in English,
\Vithwinde, Bindweed, and Hedge-bels. Gerarde, Herbal, p. 863.
WITTH [waefth], sb. Width. (Always.) See WIDENESS.
WIVERY [wiivuree], v. i. To hover.
I do zee two or dree hawks, darn 'em, wtvering [wuvureen] 'pon
th' hill 'most every day. — Keeper, June 12, 1886.
WO ! [woa- !] int. To horses. Keep quiet ! (Always.) This
word is not used to a horse when moving, as a command to stop,
but when restless or fidgety, or inclined to kick.
Wo, mare ! wo, mare !
WOBBLE [waub-1],.?. /' Often WOBBLY [waub'lee]. To
shake, as of a water bed, or a bag of jelly.
This word would express the shaking of a very fat man's " corpor-
ation." So the smooth surface of a bog is said to wobble when any
part is touched.
The stock that da eyte et's za fat an' za zlake,
That the'r gurt duds da -wobble eych step they da take.
Pulman, Rustic Sketches, p. 9.
WOKT [woa-kt],/. tense, and p. part, of to wake.
The cheel wokt us dree or vower times in the night.
Come, soce ! you baint half awokt up I s'pose.
Ver vreez'd-up growth's once more awoked,
By villditch rain and March's wind.— Pulman, R. Sk. p. 3.
WOMEN- FOLKS [wuonreen-voa-ks], sb. Females in general,
as distinct from men-folks. Also female servants.
838 -WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WOOD [eo'd], sb. Used collectively — faggots of firewood. A
single one is called [u faa'kut u io'd],
[Maek'een &>•</,] making wood. Chopping brushwood or tree-
tops into the proper lengths, and binding them up into faggots.
This is sometimes called slatting wood, [slaafeen lo'd\
[Aard-&>*</,] hard-wood. Used collectively only. Firewood, /. e.
logs or brands, cut to length, and split for burning on the hearth.
Three feet is the proper length for hard-wood.
[Faak'ut-Ar^,] faggot-wood, is the tops of branches and sticks
suitable to be tied up into faggots. Hence advertisements offering
" Five hundred of wood for sale," mean five hundred faggots.
Wood in the sense of lignum is rarely used by peasantry,
except to the " quality." See OOD.
WOOD-CARRIER [eo'd-kaa-ryur ; eo't-kaa'ryur]. The caddis-
worm, from the pieces of stick which are generally adhering to its
sheath. This name is the common one among the boys who bait
pins with it to catch minnows.
WOOD-RICK [eo'd-rik], sb. A stack of faggot-wood, as distinct
from brand-rick.
A paperhanger complaining of the roughness of a wall said,
" Anybody mid so well paper a 'ood-rick"
WOOD-WALL [eo'd-waul], sb. The green woodpecker, whose
peculiar cry is said to be " Wet ! wet ! wet ! " and is a sure sign of
rain. PICKS viridis.
REYN FOWLE, bryd (or Wodeivale, or Wodehake). Ganlus, plats.
WODEWALE, bryd idem quod REYNEFOWLE. — Promp. Pa>-'.
and alpes, and finches, and wode-wales. — Chaucer, Romance of the Rsse, 1. 658.
See Tenth Report Provincialisms, Trans. Devon Assoc. 1887.
WOPPER [waup-ur], sb. ; also WOPPING, adj. A big thing
of any kind ; a big lie.
That's a wopper. Catch'd a gurt woppin rat.
WORDLE [wuurdl], sb. World. (Always.)
I don't ver'ly b'leive there's the fuller o'un in the wordle.
Werdle or worlde. Mundus, seculum, orbis. — Promp. Parv.
Lute Jeme he nom to \>z wordle : to alle godnisse he drouj :
Rob. of Clone., Dunstan, 1. 29.
Lhord y-blyssed by )>o )>et wone]> ine }?yne house in ivordles of wordles.
Ayenbite of Jnwyt, p. 269.
which by sotilte and wickidnesse getith \>e goode of j?is wordle, and )>e vanyteys
of }>is wordle. Gesta Roman, p. 8. (Very frequent in this book.)
WORD OF A SORT [wuurd-uv-u-soa-urt], phr. Angry dispute,
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 839
usually accompanied with bad language. This implies a more
violent quarrel than " a vew words."
We'd a-got a word of a sort, as mid zay, and zo I thort 'twas time
to pae'iirt (part).
WORD O' MOUTH [wuurd-u-maewdh], sb. Parole agreement.
There wad-n no writin', 'twas on'y word 0' motith, but I should-n
never think he wid'n be jich rogue's t'urn word. See RUN-WORD.
WORDS [wuurds], sb. Dispute ; disagreement ; also bad
language ; abuse.
What ! to be sure you have not left Mr. White. What's the
matter ?
Well, you zee, zr, we'd a got a vew words, an' zo I corned away,
an' I hope he'll get zomebody to do better vor'n.
A vew words is the stock reason for leaving service.
WORK [wuurk]. i. In phr. making work — mischief.
[Dhai bwuuyz bee au'vis maek'een wuurk,~\ those boys are
always making mischief.
2. Attempting to commit rape.
They've a summons-n for makiri work way Joe Salter's maid,
and 1 count he'll meet way it sharp dhee'uz tich.
WORK [wuurk], v. i. i. To ferment. Always used in con-
nection with brewing or cider-making.
Plase-m, the drink's a.-workt all out over the vate.
2. sb. Fuss ; disturbance ; row.
Maister made up fine work, 'cause the gig wad-n in order ; but
he never zaid nort about-n vore jis up ten o'clock.
WORK-A-DAY [wuurk-u-dai-], adj. Given up to work, as in
the phr. " This work-a-day wordle."
WORKISH [wuurkeesh], adj. Diligent ; industrious.
Well, Betsy, you be workish to-day, bain' ee?
He's a workish sort of a young chap.
WORKMAN [wuurkmun], sb. A farm-labourer.
There's very good premises, and two workman's cot-houses 'pon
the farm.
No, I don't drave th'osses, I be on'y a workman.
Wanted, at Lady-day, a Carter ; also a Workman, cottages and garden provided.
— Apply to L. Darby, Kerwell, Huntsham.
Wellington Weekly News, Feb. 16, 1888.
WORKMANSHIP [wuurkmunshiip-], adj. Workmanlike;
substantial.
I'll war'nt shall be put out o' hand in a proper workmanship
manner, eens you shan't vind no fau't.
840 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
WORK OUT [wuurk aewt], v. t. i. In cultivating ground,
after each ploughing, the soil is rolled and "dragged" with drags
or heavy harrows, until all the weed and couch is brought to the
surface, and the earth completely pulverized. This after process
is to work out.
We ploughed thick field, and work-n out dree times over, [un
ee ud'n tlarn naut ee't] and he is not clean yet.
2. To pay a debt by performing work to its amount.
Nif you'll plase to let me work it out, I'll 'low zix shillins a wik
gin 'tis all a-paid.
WORRA [wuuru], sb. Whorle. (Always.) The word is applied
generally to the grooved pulley fixed upon the spindle of all the
various spinning machines. It is also the name of the grooved
pulley upon a common blind-roller, in which the cord works.
The pronun. is invariable. No untaught native would guess the
meaning of whorle unless pronounced [wuurul], of which no doubt
our word is a contraction.
WHORLWYL, ofaspyndyl (whonvhil, K. "vhorle, p.). Vertcbnun. — Pr. Parv.
WORRIT [wuurut], v. /. To teaze ; to worry ; to harass.
Thick maid's enough to worrit a saint out o' their life.
WORSHIP [wuush-up], v. t. To be fond of.
A cat had been seen in a preserve, and a man said to me, " Her
idn arter the pheasants, 'tis the rabbits her do worship." Another
man said, " I tell'ee her do worship they rabbits."
WORTH [waetrr, wuutrr]. In phr. " a worth." This insertion
of a before an adjective is both curious and very com. In the
case of worth it is almost invariable, and seems to imply that
speakers feel the word to be a participle. This prefix is used even
in such com. phrases as, " 'Tidn a-wo'th while," " He wad-n a-wo'th
tuppence."
[Haut'-s dhik u waeth een yoa'ur muuiree, maek su boa'l?]
what is that one worth in your money, make so bold? A very
common way of inquiring the price of any article. An equally
common depreciatory saying is, " He idn &-wdth a louse."
Him semede it nas nojt ti'or\> a lous : batayl wi]> him to wage. — Sir Per. 1. 439.
WORTHY [wuurdhee], adj. Able ; wise enough. (Very com.)
Nif on'y I'd a-bin worthy to ha' knowed it avore.
WORTS [huurts, wuurts], sb. Whortleberries. In this district
known only by this name. In the season they are brought round
in carts, the hawkers crying, "Hurts! Hurts!" Of late I have
noticed the cry is Wuurts !
WOSBURD [woa-uzburd], sb. Common pronun. of osbird (q. v.).
This pronun. makes the meaning self-evident — i.e. "whore's brood."
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 84!
WRANGWAY [rang-wai]. A hamlet in the parish of Wellington,
near to which is a small farm called Wrangcombe [rang-keo-m].
These are situated on the ancient roadway, on which is another
place called Oldway. It is probable that the names are modern,
only dating from the cutting of the new " turnpike."
Yf hit go )?y wrung ]>rote into,
And stoppe >y wynde, >ou art fordo. — Boke of Curtasye, 1. 99.
WRASTLE, WRASTLY [vraa-sl, vraa'slee], v. i. To wrestle.
In some districts, particularly round Wiveliscombe, it is pron.
vrau-sl and vratrsleen.
There idn gwain to be no vraa'sleen t'our revel de year, 'cause
they can't gather no money vor't, nit vrom the gen'lvokes.
3if tweie men goth to wraslinge.
An either other faste thringe.— Owl and Night. 1. 793.
Ful big he was of braun, and eek of boones ;
That prevede wel, for overal ther he cam,
At wrastlynge he wolde bere awey the ram.— Chaucer, fro!. 1. 546.
Go not to J>e wrastdinge, ne to schotynge at cok.
How the Good Wijftauye her douyir, 1. 81.
such as have wrastled much with the Lord for a blessing.
1642. Rogers, Hist, of Naaman, p. 332.
WREATH-HURDLE [vraeth-, or vrarth-uurdl], sb. A hurdle
made of wattle or basket-work, as distinguished from the gate or
" vower-shuttle " hurdle.
In Dorset and other chalk districts the wreath-hurdle is the
commoner kind.
Root pulper, cake crusher, 2 iron sheep-racks, sheep-troughs, about 12 dozen
gate and 3 dozen wreath hurdles, sack trucks, corn measures.
Adv. of Farm Sale, Wellington Weekly News, Oct. 15, 1885.
WREDY [hree'd(ee], v. i. Of plants, especially corn. To throw
up several stalks from one root. Called to thiller in some counties.
Rollin's a fine thing for young wheat, 'bout makin' o' it wrcdy.
WRICK [rik, vrik], v. t. and sb. To sprain ; to wrench.
I wrick my neck more sharper ; darned if I didn think I'd a-brokt
my neck.
Well, the doctor zess how 'tis on'y a bit of a vrick in my back,
but I zim 'tis wiss-n that (worse than that).
WRIGGLE. See RIGGLE.
WRIGHT [rai't, vrai't], v.t. i. To repair; to restore.
[Dhik'ul due- ugee-un vuree wuul1, aa-rtur ee-z \\~rrai-fud airp
u beet,] that one will do again very well, after he is righted up
a bit.
2. [vrai't], adj. and adv. Right. From this com. pronunciation
842 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
it would seem as if the idea had taken root that the opposite of
I'rong must be vright.
Robert, I do vind eens you was vright all the time.
WRING [ring', vring1], sb. A press. A cheese-press is always
a "cheese-ft'/-/;^," or by many cheese-vring.
A well-known rock in the Valley of Rocks is called " The Devil's
Cheese-wring."
WRITINGS [vruyteenz], sb. Title deeds relating to land.
Well, he calls the place his own, but I count he must get up by
time vor to show the vritins. (Always.)
My God, if writings may
Convey a Lordship any way
Whither the buyer and the seller please ;
Let it not thee displease,
If this poore paper do as much as they.
1620. George Herbert, Obedience.
WRIZZLED [niz-ld, vruVld], adj. Shrivelled ; wrinkled.
Can't think how 'tis our apples 'on't keep de year — they be all
&-vrizzkd up to nothin'.
WUG ! [wuug !], imper. The word used in driving horses, to
make them go to the right or "off side." If they are to keep
much to the right it is " Wug off," if to turn round to the right,
" Wug roun','' if to turn round to the left [km yuur raewn !], come
here round. This is of course because a driver without reins always
walks on the left or " near " side.
I hollar'd " Waa ! woggoftl stan' still ! "
But on ee gallop'd up the hill. — Pulman, Rus. Sk. p. 58.
WULL [wuul-], sb. Var. pron. vtwool. The usual one among
farmers who have learnt to spell.
FLEESE of wulle. Vellns.
FLOCKKYS of wulle or oj>er lyke.
WULLE. Lana. WULLE HOWSE. Lanarium. WULLE MANN. Lanarius.
Promp. Parv.
WURD [wiird, wuurd], sb. Hoard. (Always.)
Hot be axin de year vor oyz/nf-apples ? They there baint fit vor
unird.
See PIXY-WORDING — /. e. robbing the pixies of their hoard.
WUSSER [wus-ur], adj. Worse. See Wiss.
There's so rough a lot a-lef as ever he is, and wusser. — April
13, 1881.
No, ivusse. Che lighted I but now in the yard.
Benjonson, Tale of a Tub, I. ii.
WUTS [wufs, waefs], sb. Oats. (Always.)
M'uts be terr'ble low, sure 'nough ; they on't paay vor tillin'.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 843
Y. i. As a consonant this letter very frequently takes the place
of h, as in yeffer, yeath, yarbs, yeat, yerrin, &c. See YERR.
A toteling, wambling, zlottering zart-and-vair yhcat-stool.
Ex. Scold. 1. 54. See Ib. 1. 39.
2. [ee]. As a vowel, it is commonly used to express the final
infinitive inflection of the intransitive form of verbs, as ploug/ty,
warshy, looky, talky, &c., of which abundant examples have been
given in these pages. See W. S. Gram. p. 49.
In M. E. this inflection was used with both trans, and intrans.
verbs, but in the dialect it is now confined to the latter.
\>e due Willam anon : uor-bed alle his,
J>at non nere so wod to robby. — Rob. of Glouc., W. the Cong. 1. 68.
Jet is a zenne J>et make)) to sseuty )>e gode wyj>oute }>et ne is wy>-inne.
Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 25. Hundreds of examples herein.
Now my folkes dojj )ms ivanye : y-lost ys myn honour. — Sir Ferumbras, 1. 1645.
Also Jjere is an ilond, ]>ere no dede body may roty.
Trevisa, De loconun prodigiis, xxxv. vol. I. p. 361.
3. When added to any species of handicraft, it has a frequentative
force, and implies the practice, or occupation in the work named.
I do stone-cracky hon I can get it, — means I follow the occupa-
tion of stone-breaker when I can obtain work. See MASONY.
4. The usual objective form of you.
I tell-7 hot tis. You "can't, can> ? You don't zay zo, do-.}' /
Usually spelt ee. See E 2.
5. Final y of lit. Eng. is sometimes dropped in the dialect. See
CAR, SLIPPER, DIRT, STID, STORE.
and meyntene >e pouvert of crist and his apostelis,
Jif |>ei make profession to most hey pouvert. — Wyclif, Works, p. 5.
YA [yaa], pr. You. This form is only used when applying
an epithet.
Ya gurt mumphead, you !
Ya hugly son of a bitch, I'll break the neck o' thee.
How ! ya gurt chounting, grumbling, glumping, Zower zapped yerring Trash.
Ex. Scold. \. 39.
YALLER [yaal-ur], sb. and adj. Yellow. (Always.)
844. WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
YALLER BWOY [yaal-ur bwuuy], sb. A gold coin.
I thort fust 'twas a varden, but zoon's I'd a-clane the dirt oft"
o'un, I zeed sure 'nough twas a yaller bwoy,
YALLER-HAMMER [yaal'ur-aa'mur], sb. The yellow-hammer.
Emberiza citrinella.
This very common summer bird is often called, from its peculiar
note — " Little-bit-o'-bread-an'-no-cheese." Our ammer is a more
correct pronunciation than the lit. hammer. Ang.-Sax. Amore.
YAMMET [yaanrut]. See EMMETT.
YAP [yaap'J, sb. The shrill bark of a dog.
YAPPY [yaap'ee], v. i. i. To give the short shrill bark which
spaniels or terriers do, on starting their game.
Look out ! That's th'old dog, he don't never yappy vor nort.
2. v. i. To chatter. The use of the word is distinctly depre-
ciatory.
Mind yer work, and neet bide there yappin.
avore tha art a hoazed that tha cast scarce yeppy. — Ex. Scold. 1. 261.
YAPRIL [yae-upriil], sb. April.
Thick piece o' groun 'ont be a-stock 'vore out in Yapril.
YAPS [yaap's], sb. Disease of chicken. Same as GAPS, PIP.
YAPURD [yaap-urd], sb. Halfpenny-worth.
Kyapurdti scall-milk. (Com.)
YARBING [yaarbeen], part. sb. Gathering herbs.
We've a-bin vor a riglur day's yarbin.
Old women do vind 'em 'pon times, eens they be yarbin.
YARBS [yaarbz], sb. Herbs. By this is meant " simples,"
or medicinal herbs, while those for cooking are always pot-herbs
[paut-aarbs],such as thyme, sage, mint, organ, &c.
I don't never go to no doctor ; nif any o'm be bad, I boils some
yarbs down, and gives em to 'em, and they don't lack no doctor's
stuff.
YARD [yaard], sb. Of land. A measure of five and a half
yards (i6| feet) both long and square, i.e. the same as a rod,
pole, or perch. (Always.)
In this district are three distinct yards. See W. S. Gram.
p. 1 1. For ill. see GATHER, THROW-ABROAD.
YARNEST [yaarnees], sb. Earnest. Yarnest money. Earnest
money = money paid to bind a bargain.
You'll buy un then, will-y ? Well then, I must 'ave a suvreign in
yarnest, else I 'ont stand word.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 845
YEAR [yuur], sb. The ear. (Always.)
A tuck under thy [yu2ir~\.
YEAR-GRASS [yuur-graa's]. See EAR-GRASS.
YEARLING [yaa'rleen], sb. i. A steer or heifer of a year old.
Whose be they yarlins ? so nice a lot's I've a-zeed's longful time.
2. adj. When applied to any other kind of animal, as " yearling-
bull," " yearling-colt." The latter is not the usual term, though
heard sometimes. Hog-colt is the general name.
YEARLY [yuurlee, sometimes yaarlee], adv. Early. •
You be come to yearly, I baint in order vor-y, not eet. "
YEAT [yrff], sb. and v. t. Heat. (Always.)
[Wuul, jumz ! kun-ee kaech y&t' s-mairrneen — shaa'rp, lid'-n
ut ? ] well, James, can you catch heat this morning — (it is) sharp,
is it not ? See Ex. Scold. 1. 5 4.
He knowed twad-n no good vor to come vor to kill the pig,
Vore we'd &-yeat the water vor to scald-n way.
Wul thay zot roun agane, an thay vill'd up tha kwarts,
An thaj/<?/an tha drink zim'd ta warm up thare harts. — N. Hogg, s. I, p. 48.
YEAVY [yai'vee], adj. Damp ; moist. This word expresses
the condition of painted walls and stone floors upon the giving
out of frost. See EAVY.
YEFFER [yaef-ur], sb. Heifer. (Always.)
There, maister ! don'ee call that good beef? A maiden yeffer,
and so nice a one as ever I put a knive into.
YEFFIELD [yaef-ee'ul], sb. Heathfield. Usual name for a
common.
Langford Heathfield [Lang'vurd yaef'ee'ul], Chelston Heathfield,
Milverton Heathfield, Crowcombe Heathfield, are the names of
commons in this neighbourhood, and Heathfield is the name of a
parish. See HILL, MOOR.
YELD [yuuld], sb. Hunting. A female deer not pregnant.
See BARREN.
In the autumn hunting, a yeld or barren hind should if possible be selected.
Collyns, p. 73.
YELK [yael'k], sb. Yolk of an egg. (Very com. prontin.)
Beat up the yelk of a egg way some milk and a drap o' rum's a
fine thing vor a cough.
JELKE, of an eye (ey K. S. egge, P.)- Vitellus.—Promp. Parv.
YEN [yaen1, ytin'], adv. Yon ; yonder. (Very com.)
[Wee'ul, dhee geo yun- tu faa-rmur Snuul'z, un aak's oa un tu
plai-z tu km oa-vur-n smoa'k u puyp umbuynai't,] Will, thee go yen
846 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
to farmer Snail's, and ask him to p'ease to come over and smoke a
pipe umbye night.
YENNY [yaeiree], v. i. To yean ; to bring forth young — said
of ewes only.
Her'll yenny vore mornin'.
YE RE [yuur], adv. Here. (Always.)
\_Yuur twau'z,] here it was. [Uur lid'n yuitr-,~\ she is not here.
[Yuur ! aay bae'un gwai'n t-ae'u dhaa't,] here ! I am not going to
have that.
And tellej> hym how j?at Charlemnyn Wy}> ys host hym cornej) agayn
With hym to fijte ^eare. Sir Per. 1. 5233. See also 11. 5289, 5322.
YERR [yuur-], v. t. To hear. (Always.)
I do yerr how you've a meet way a bad job, an" a lost yer dunkey.
In certain combinations the y is dropt, as \sliuur mee ? ] dost
hear me ? A very com. saying.
[Aa'-l maek' dhee muyn, shuurf\ I will make thee mind, dost
hear !
The words here and hear, as well as year and ear, have precisely
the same sound, as above. See abundant examples herein.
YERRING [yuureen], sb. i. Hearing ; trial. (Always.)
The yerrin idn avore next Monday.
2. Herring. (Very com.)
Fine yerrins ! Fine yerrins, all alive !
YET [ee-t]. See EET.
In negative sentences it is usual to find a redundant not before
yet.
I tell-y I baint gwain not eet.
YETH [yaeth-], sb. i. Heath, /. e. heather. (Always.)
The yeths all a-blow up t'hill — do look terr'ble purty, sure 'nough.
Earth has not the y sound as given in many glossaries. See
EARTH.
2. sb. Hearth. (Always.)
The hearth is that on which a wood fire is actually burnt, and
does not include the space in front of a grate. This latter is the
jr/^-stone [yaeth-stoo'un].
So a smith's forge is the large square erection at which he heats
his iron, while the yeth is limited to the very small space in front
of the " tew-ire " (q. t'.), where the fire is actually burning.
YETH-CRAPPER [yaetlr-kraap-ur], sb. A rough pony or
horse turned out upon a common, and half starved. See YYz-
CROPPER.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 847
YETH-HOUNDS [yaeth'-aewnz], sb. A phantom pack of
hounds, believed to hunt in the night, and whom some superstitious
people declare they have heard. The legend is not very common,
but is steadfastly believed in out-of-the-way places.
YETH-POULT [yaeth'-poa'lt], sb. The regular local term for
black grouse, including both sexes, which were once very plentiful
in the district, and are still common enough.
The ' Poult Inn ' on Brendon Hill is a favourite meet of hounds.
There was dree \\QU-poults and an old blackcock, but yeth-poults
be got terr'ble skee'us (scarce).
YETTER [yiifur], sb. A heater — an iron to be made red-hot
and then inserted into ironing box, tea-urn, or other article.
YOE [yoa'], v. t. i. To hew. (Always.) To hew a tree into
shape fit for sawing.
'Tis a gurt piece, 't'll take us more'n quarter day to yoe un.
2. with out — to shape with an axe.
[Vuul'urz bee bad'r M-yoa-d aewt-n dhai bee* u-zaa'd,] felloes be
better hewn out than they be sawn.
Sharp, Jim, and yoe out a laver (lever).
3. [yoa], sb. Ewe. (Always.)
That's a vew culls out o' the Qwr-aug'z,] ewe-hogs. See HOG.
YOE BRIMBLE [yoa' briinrl], sb. The common bramble.
Rubus fruticosus. The term is specially applied to one of the
long, rank, rope-like runners which are so obstructive to the
beaters in a covert, and which are much sought after by broom-
squires for binds or tyers.
Hitched my voot in a gmtyoe brim' I, and vailed all along. ^
The second b is never sounded except by those who wish to
speak like "gin'lvokes."
YOE CAT [yoa- kat], sb. Ewe-cat ; she-cat.
Sex of cats is usually distinguished as ram-cat or ewe-cat. Tom-
cat is the genteel form.
YOLK [yoa-k], sb. The grease in unwashed wool. (Always.)
Terr'ble heavy lot o' ool, sight o' yolk in it.
YOLKY [yoa-kee], adj. Of wool, unwashed; full of the
natural grease.
Yolky wool is that which is shorn from sheep without their
having been washed. The custom of shearing sheep without first
washing them is very common in Devon and Cornwall, but much
less so in Somerset.
848 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
YOU [yeo, yue], pos. p. Your. Very com. in speaking to
children.
Jimmy, come over-n let me warsh you niddle 'ands [yeo
nud'l an'z].
Lizzy, mind you don't dirt you pinny [yue pee-nee].
& certis, sirs, bote Je do : Je doj? $O~M selue schame. — Sir Fer. 1. 1611.
YOUNG GRASS [yuung- graa's]. Clover or other annual grass
sown upon arable land, in distinction to that of meadows or
permanent pasture. See LAND GRASS.
YOUNG-HIND [yuung-uyn], sb. Hunting. A female deer
of three years old. See SPIRE.
YOUNG MAN [yuung mae-un], sb. i. Sweetheart.
That's our Lizzie's young man.
So young-urnman [yuung-uunrun] is the converse and complement.
Bill Jones 've a-got a fine yoting umman sure 'nough — her do live
cook up to Foxydown.
2. sb. Bachelor. (Always, quite irrespective of age.)
Of a man of sixty it would be said, — No, he's a young man —
he wad-n never a-married.
YOUNG-STOCK [yuung'-stau-k], sb. Young steers and heifers
of indefinite age, from six or eight months to two years old.
I can't keep so much young-stock to winter, I must hinl a
lot o' it.
YOUNGY [yuung-ee], v. i. To bring forth young— said of any
animal except horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs, which have all their
special word.
I zee the bitch'v &young-ed ; how many have her a-got?
[Dh'oa'l kyat' oa'n yuung'ce naut eet-s vau'rtnait,] the old cat
will not kitten yet for a fortnight.
Thick there doe's gwain to youngy purty quick, I zee.
YCWLY [yaewulee], v. t. To howl ; to weep loudly.
Make haste along, tid-n no good to bide there yowlin — you do
make noise 'nough to frighten the very zebm slaipers.
YUCKLE [yuuk'l], sb. Woodpecker. Not so common as
Wood-wall.
YUCKS [yuuk-s], sb. Hiccough. (Usual name.)
Why, Tommy, you've a-got the yucks — drink zome cold water.
Of mint "it taketh away abhominacion of wamblyng and abateth yexeing.
Trevisa, quoted by Way. Prom p. Pan>. p. 514.
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 849
with your brest sighe, nor coughe, nor brethe, youre souerayne before ;
be yoxinge, ne bolkynge ne gronynge, neuer j?e more ;
I43°- John Russell's Boke of Nurture (Furnivall), 1. 297.
The same drunke with wine putteth away windinesse out of the stomacke, and
gripings of the belly, and helpeth the hicket m y coxing.
Gerarde, Herbal, p. 1027.
YUMMER [yuunrur], sb. and v. t. Humour (q. z>.).
Can't think hotailth maister's hackney mare, her'tha-got zyummer
a-brokt out all over the zide o' her.
You never 'ont do nort way thick there young 'oss nif you don't
yvmmer'n.
Z. i. See remarks under S.
2. Z in rapid speech, when used for his, changes to sharp s
after k or /. See ex. and remarks, COME IN.
3. contr. of he is, there is, &c.
Wull, I be glad [tu yuurs u-kaech* tu laa's,] to hear he is caught
at last.
[Baub zaed'-s u plarntee u boo'urd aup dhur,] Bob said (there)
is a plenty of board up there.
ZAHT [zaa't], adj. Soft in the sense of foolish ; imbecile ; daft.
Poor soul ! her can't help o'ut, her's a bit zaht, you know.
ZAHTY-POLL [zaa'tee-poa'l], sb. Name for a stupid, silly,
half-imbecile person.
Art-n thee a purty zahty-poll now, vor to bring the zive 'thout
other whetstone?
ZALT [zaa-lt], sb. andu t. Salt. (Always.)
ZAND [zan-(d], sb. Sand. (Always.)
ZANDY [zan-dee], adj. Sandy. (Always.)
ZANY [zae'unee], sb. A sawney ; a softy ; a loutish simpleton.
Get 'long 'ome to thy mother and zook, ya gurt zany !
ZAPE [zae'up], sb. This word is always pronounced soft. i.
Sap in wood, as distinct from heart^ i. e. the quickly grown outside
part of the trunk or branch, immediately beneath the bark.
2. The sap or circulating fluid of vegetables. The blood of
trees.
'Ton't do vor to cut the,y trees 'vore winter, else all the zape '1
urn out'n they'll blid to death.
3 »
850 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ZART [zaa-rt], adj. Soft ; daft. Same as ZAHT.
We on't 'ave he, a's to sart 'n th' aid vor our work.
I doant think thay got murch, ur thay'm windervul zart ;
Nat/iati Hogg, ser. I. p. 26. See Ex. Scold. 1. 59.
ZAW [zaa-, zatr], sb. and v. t. Saw.
Plase to len father your saw, vor to zaw up some virin.
ZAW-BOX [zaa'bauks], sb. The handle which the pit-man or
under sawyer wedges on to the pit-saw so that he may perform his
part of the work.
Where's Joe ? He've a-split the zaa'bauks 'n he's a-foced t'urn
'onie arter another.
ZEBM [zaeb'm], sb. Seven {q. v.}. (Always.) For change
of n into m, see W. S. Dial. p. 1 7.
ZEBM-SLAPER [zaeb'm-slai-pur], sb. Seven sleeper. The
dormouse. (Always.)
A keeper's boy pulled out the nest of a dormouse from a bush.
What have you got there, Jimmy? A zebm-slaper, zir. — December
29, 1886. Applied to any hibernating animal.
ZEE [zee-], v. t. and /'. To see. (Always.) P. t. zee'd; p.p.
u-zee'd.
Saw and seen are still quite unknown. Comp. pronun. of see
and sea. In lit. Eng. both are identical ; in the dialect zee' and sai\
ZEED [zee-ud], sb. i. Seed. (Always.)
This word has a very distinctive sound both as sb. and vb. from
the /. /. of zee; to see, which is zee'd, and has no fracture.
2. T. t. To seed, generally followed by out.
I shall zee'ud out thick field come the spring o' the year. I do
count zee'ud '11 be cheaper then.
ZEED-LTP [zid'-lup], sb. Seedlip (q. v.). The compounding of
the word zee'ud with lip shortens its quantity. In zeed-box, however,
[zee'ud-bauks] no change occurs.
ZEFT [zaeft], v. t. To sift.
Take the zeeve and zeft they there arshes.
ZEL [zuul-]. Self. (Always as a suffix.) Numerous examples
are to be found in the preceding pages.
ZESS [zaes-], sb. A heap; pile; now only applied to one of
corn in the barn ready for thrashing.
When thrashing was all done by hand large barns were necessary,
because a rick of corn when uncovered must be all removed at
once to a place of shelter. Hence the term " to take in, a rick "
meant to carry all the sheaves and pile them up in a zess in the
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 851
barn for thrashing at leisure. Now-a-days ricks are not taken in,
but the " steamer " is brought alongside the mow, and all the
work is completed out of doors.
How's anybody to make good work way the reed nif you bwoys
do ride up, und make jis mirschy 'pon the zess ?
Hal. is wrong in defining zess as a compartment in a barn ; the
compartment is the "pool," or the " pool o' the barn."
To ransake in the cas of bodyes dede,
Hem for to streepe of herneys and of %vede,
And so by fil, that in the cas thei founde.
Chaucer, Knightes Tale, 11. 147, 151.
Why dedst thee, than tell me o' the Zess, or it o' tha Hay-pook ?
Ex. Scold. 1. 87. See also Ib. p. 175 and 11. 32, 70, 240, 284.
ZESS [zaes']. Regular pronun. of says. See Z'-I.
Z-'I [z-aa'y]. Short but commonest form of says I. In re-
counting any accident or event in which the rustic narrator took
part, nearly every sentence has "says I " or " says he," or [zoa- u
zaes*,] so he says. Generally all oratio recta begins — [Zoa aay
zaes', z-aay,~] so I says, says I ; or [zoa* u zaes* z-uur,] or [z-ee;]
so her says, says she, or says he. In all cases the historic present
is mostly used in narrating.
ZIDS [zid-z], sb. Suds. (Always.) The foul water in which
clothes or other things have been washed with soap ; not as in the
dictionaries — "water impregnated with soap."
Idn nort in the wordle '11 stink no wis'n zids, arter t'ave a-fret
a bit.
ZIEVE [zee-v], sb. A sieve. (Always.)
ZIG. See SIG.
ZIM [ztinv], v. i. To consider; to believe ; to fancy; to think.
" I zim " means, " it seems to me."
The numberless uses of the form in the preceding pages will
show the frequency of its occurrence.
ZIMMET [zunrut], sb. An implement used in a barn for throw-
ing the corn into the winnowing machine, but formerly for throwing
it in front of the " van." The zimmet is in shape like a sieve, but
instead of open wire-work, the bottom is, like a drum, formed of a
piece of dried skin tightly stretched. In fact, a zimmet is a large
rough tambourine.
ZIN [ziiir], sb. Son and sun. (Always.)
My zin Tom's zo fine a chap's the zin ever sheen d pon.
312
852 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ZINNY [ziirree], sl>. Sinew. (Always.)
I be a-took't way that there pain in my arm, 'pon times, 'tis jis
the very same's off the zinnies was a-tord out way a pinches. I be
rampin, maze way it.
[Kuut rait drue- dhu zun'cez uv uz an'-rus,] cut right through the
sinews of his hand-wrist.
ZINO [zaa-ynoa], phr. As I know. Very commonly added .
quite redundantly to negative sentences, as a kind of asseveration.
Be you gwain to fair ?
No, z-I-know ! can't stap, /'. e. cannot afford the time.
Same in effect, and used as frequently as T-I-know, Tino (q. v.}.
ZINZE [zun'z], adv. Since. Sometimes [sun-z], never either
[ziin's or sun's] ; but always unlike lit. since.
[Aay aa'nt u-zee'd ee zun'z voa'r Kiirsmus,] I have not seen you
since before Christmas.
ZIT [zut1, p. tense, zau-ut, /. /. u-zau*ut, or u-zau't], v. i. and tr.
To sit ; set. See SET, SOT.
Plase to zit down. Her never zot yer no more'n about of a ten
minutes.
Be you comin to zee me zit the sponge umbye night ?
Her've z.-zot the sparked hen abrood 'pon they eggs her 'ad
o' you.
ZIVE [zuyv], sb. Scythe. (Always.)
ZIVE STONE [zuyv stoo'un], sb. A whetstone. See NORWAY.
ZOG [zaug-], sb. i. A very bad smelling fungus (Phallus im-
pudicus). See STINK-HORN.
Hot ever is it stenkth zo yer ? Why, 'tis nort but a zog.
2. sb. A bog or morass. (Always.)
Take care where you do ride, else you'll sure to get in the zogs
up there.
I zeed two hares 'pon the hill yes'day, jist up there above the
zogs. — Dec. 29, 1887.
ZOGGY [zaug-ee], adj. Boggy.
Mortal zcggy country sure 'nough, this yer.
You'll vind it ter'ble zoggy there under the hill — tid'n no good
to go vor to ride thick way.
He here pointed for Knowstone, but turned to the left by Soggy Moor.
Rec. N. Dev. Staghomtds, p. 50.
ZOKE [zoa'k], sb. i. Soaker ; term for a sot.
Proper old zoke, drunk half's time !
WEST SOMERSET WORDS. 853
2. sb. A dolt ; an ass. Same as DOKE.
I call's-n a riglar zoke.
ZOO [zeo-], adj. Dry of milk — of cows.
We milks twenty cows, but you know they never baint all in milk
to once, some be always zoo.
ZOOL [zoo-ul], sb. Sull (q. v.}.
ZOONDER [zeo-ndur], comp. adj. Rather; sooner. This is
the commonest word to express preference ; in this sense the literary
rather is unknown.
I'd zoonder be 'angd 'vore I'd leeve way her. See RATHE.
There ! I'd zoonder work my vingers to bones 'n ever I'd be
holdin to un.
ZOONY [zeo -nee], v. i. To swoon; to faint. See SOONY.
Her zooned right away in my arms ; and the yeat and the galliment
was enough to make her zoony, sure 'nough.
" Consummatum est" quaj> Crist, and comsede for to sounye Pitousliehe and
paal. Piers Plowman, xxi. 58.
ZOWER-ZAPPED [zaawur-zaap-ud], adj. Crabbed; sour in
temper even to the sap or marrow. Usually applied to women.
Her is a party old lade, her is ! nif her idn the zower-zappedest
[zaawur-zaap'uds] old bitch ever I yeard snarly.
glumping, zowerzapped, yerring Trash ! — Ex. Scold. 1. 40.
ZUMMER-LEARS [zuunrur-lee'urz, or lai'z], sb. Summer-leas
or pasture land not mown for hay, but fed down with stock in
summer only. I have a field thus named, written Summerleys in
the Tithe terrier.
ZWAR [zwairr], sb. i. Swath. The row or line in which grass
falls when mown with a scythe.
The hay idn a-drow'd abroad not eet, there 'tis now all in zwars.
2. A crop of grass to be mown for hay.
That there's a capical zwar o' grass in the Church field, I'll
warn is two ton an acre.
A SWARTHE (swathe, A.) : orbita falcatoris (falcatorum) est. — Cath. Ang.
SwARTH of grasse newe mowen. Granun. — Huloct.
ZWER [zwuur], v. i., sometimes v. t. To spin round ; to whirl.
Lor! he no zoonder catch-n by the collar-n he made-n zwer
round same's a pug tap (peg top).
Zwer thy Torn, else or tha tedst net carry vvhome thy P..d.
Ex. Scold. 1. 112. See note.
854 WEST SOMERSET WORDS.
ZWER [zvvuur], sb. A whizzing noise, as of the sudden rise
of a covey of partridges.
ZWOP [zwaup-], sb. A whop ; a blow, with hand or with some
instrument. (Very com.)
Zee whe'er I don't gi' thee a zwop under the year, s'hear me,
nif I catch thee agee-an — hot's think o' that, now !
and zich a zwop as shall make tha veel ma, looks zee !
Ex. Scold. 1. 40. See. also It. 11. 100, 517.
SWAP, or strok. fetus. SWEYPE, or swappe. Alapa. — Promp. Parv.
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS, used
in West Somerset, which are not pronounced by dialect
speakers as in Standard English.
Note that the bracket ( before a final consonant shows that this
consonant is not sounded unless followed by a vowel ; following
initial h it shows the emphatic form. A turned period (•) shows
the vowel or syllable preceding it to be long, or accented as the
case may be. Where two or more pronunciations of the same
word are given, the first is the most in use. For Key to Glossic
Spelling, see p. xlvii.
Abase bae'us acre
abate bae'ut across
abatement bae'utmunt act
abed ubai'd active
abide buyd, baa'yd actually
ability bul'utee acute
ablaze ublae'uz ad-, prefix
able ae'ubl adjoin
aboard uboo'urd adjourn
abreast ubrus' adjust
abroad ubroa'ud adjustment
abuse, v. bue'z, beo'z ado
abuse, sb. bue's, beo's adrift
abut buut adulterate
abutment buufmunt adulteration
academy aak'udumee, all
stress on ist syll.
accept haak'sup, emph. ;
sup', unemph.
acceptance sup'tuns
accident haak'seedunt
accommodate kaunrudae'ut
accommodation kaum 'udae'ur-
shun
koa'urdeen tue
kaewnt, kuw'nt
kue'mulae'ut
according to
account
accumulate
accurate
accursed
accuse
ace
ache
acid
acorn
acquaint
acquaintance
acquit
acquittance
haak'urut
kuus'eed
kue'z
ae'us
ae'uk
aa'seed (rare)
ae'ukaurn
kwaa'ynt
kwaa'yntuns
kwee't
kwee'tuns
ae'ukur (trisyl.)
ukraa's
h)aak(t
h)aak'tee1
h)aak'shulee
kue't
often omitted
jauyn, juyn
juur'n
jus'munt
udue'
udruf*
duul'turae'ut
duul'turae'ur-
shun
advance, v. t. to vaa'ns
lend
advantage
advertisement
advocate
adze
affected )
infected j
afflict
affront
afloat
afoot
again
against
vaa'nteej
advurtuyz-munt
h)ad'veekee'ut
ad'ees
fack'tud
age, aged
aggravate
flik(t
fuur'nt
ufloa'ut
uv^o't
ugee'un
gun, gin, gee'n
ae'uj, ae'ujeed
h)ag'urvae'ut
agree, agreement gree', gree'munt
ail, v. t. ae'ul
air ae'ur
akin kee'n
alarm laa'rm
albert,/, n. au'lburt
856
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
alder
aul'ur
arch
aarch
alfred, p. n.
aa'lfurd
archangel
h)aarchan'jee'ul
ale
ae'ul
(not a ark)
alike
ulik-
architect
h)aa'rcheetaek
alive
uluyv, ulaa'yv
architrave
aa'rgutree-v
all
au'l, aa'l (rare)
arithmetic
raeth'mutik
allotment
lau'tmunt
arm
h)aarm
allow
laew, luw
arrest
raes(t
almanac
au'rmuneek
arrow
h)aa'ru
almighty (alone)
aulmai'tee
arsenic
h)aa'rsneek
almost
umau's, moo'ees,
artful
hjaa'rtfeol
mau's
artist
h)aa'rtees
aloud
ulaewd, uluw'd
ash
aarsh
alphabet
aarfubut
ashamed
shiinvd,
already
urad'ee
ushee'umd, em.
alter
au'ltur, aa'ltur
ashes
aa'rshuz
always
au'vees, au'lwai'z,
ask
h)aa'ks
emph.
askew
uskue', (not
amen
ae'umai'n
uskyue')
amidst
mud's
aslant
usliin"
amongst
mangs, umang's
asleep
uzlee'up, uzlai'p
amount, sb.
maewnt, muwnt
asparagus
spaar'ugraa's
anchor
ang'kur
aspect
aas'pik
ancient
an 'shunt (not
assail
saa'yul
ai'nshunt)
assess
sacs'
angel
an'jee'ul
assign
suyn
anger, angry
ang-gur, ang'gree
assizes
suy'zuz
angle
ang'l (not ang'gl)
assure
shoo'ur
anguish
ang'-weesh (not
astragal
h)aa'stikl (com.)
ang'gweesh)
asylum
suyium
annoy, annoy-
nau'y, nauyuns
athwart
udhuur't
ance
atmosphere
h)aafmus (com.)
anoint
nauy'nt
atom
h)aafum
another
unuudh'ur
attorney
tuur'nee
answer
aa'nsur
audacious
uwt-dae'urshus
antic
h)an'tik
audit, sb.
au'deet
anvil
an'vee'ul
aunt
aa'nt
anxious
ang'shus
australia
au'strul'yu
any
un-ee
avoid
vauyd
ape
ae'up
awake, adj.
uwae'ukt,uwoa'kt
apiece
upees'
award
wau'rd
appeal
pae'ul, upae'ul
aware
wae'ur
appear
pee'ur, upee'ur
away
uwai*
appetite
h)aa'peetuyt
awful
h)au'feol
apply
pluy, plaay
awkward
h)au'kurd
appoint
pauynt
awl
nau'l
apprenti:e
puur'ntees
axe
h)eks
approve
preo'v, prue'v
axle
h)ek'sl
appurtenance
puurt-nu.is
april
ae'upur,
Baby
bae'ubee
yae'uprul
bacon
bae'ukn
apt
aa'p
bad
bae'ud
arable
aa'rubl
bag
bai'g beg
arbitration
aa'rbitrae'urshun baggage
bag'eej
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. 857
bail
bae'ul
bench
biinsh
bait, v. and s. to
bauyt
bend
bai'n,/. /. bai'n ;
feed
p.p. ubai'n
bait, to torment
baa'yt, buyt
benefit
biin-eefut
bake
bae'uk
benighted
beenaitud
bale
bae'ul
berry
buur'ee
ball
baa'1, bau'l
beseech
beesaixh,
ballad )
p. t. beesai'ch,
ballet V
baal'ut
p.p. u-beesaixh
ballot )
beside
beezuyd
ballast
baal'ees
bespeak
beespai'k,
balm
bae'utn
beespoa'kt,
band of music
ban'-u-meo'zeek
u-beespoa'kt
band, tie or chain
bau'n
better
bad'r
bandage
ban'deej
beyond
beeyun'
bane
bae'un
big
beg
bare
bae'ur
bill, sb. and p. n.
bee'ul
bark (of dog)
buurk
billet
biil-ut
bark (of tree)
baa'rk
biscuit
bus'kee
barrel
baa'r-yul
bitch
bee'ch, buch
barrow (wheel)
baa'ru
blade
blae'ud
barrow (tumulus)
buur'u
blain
blae'un
base
bae'us
blame
blae'um
basin
bae'usn
blaze
blae 'uz
bawl
baa'l
bleach
blaixh
beach
bai-ch
bleak
blai'k
beacon
bik'een
bleat
blae'uk
bead
bai'd
bleed
bliid
beagle
bai'gl
blemish
blunveesh
beak
bik, bai'k
blood
bliid, almost blid
beaker
bik'ur
boast
boa'us
beam
bee'm
boat
boa'ut
bean
bee'un
boil
bwuuyul
bear, v. t.
bae'ur, bae'urd,
boiler
bwuuy'lur
u-bae'urd
bone
boo'un, boa'un
beast
bee 'us, pi.
book
beok
bee'ustiiz
boom
beo'm
beat, v. t.
bee'ut, bait,
boot
beo't
bee-ut,u-bee'ut
booth
beo'dh
beau
beautiful
beo, bue
beo'teefeol
born, defective v.
bau'rnd,
p.p. u-bau'urnd
bed
bai'd
borrow
bau'ree
bedstead
bai'dstaid
bosom
buuz'um
beech, beechen
buch, buch'n
both
beo'udh
beet-root
bai't-reot
bottom
bau'dm
beetle (insect)
beg, beggar
begin
burl
bag, bag'ur
bigee'n,bigee'nd,
u-bigee'nd
bowels
bowl (cup)
bowl (ball)
boy
buw'ee'ulz
boa'l
buwul, baew'ul
boa'ee, bwuuy
bell, belle
buul
brace
brae'us
bellows
biil'ees, buul ees,
bramble
brumi
pi. buul'eeouz
brave
brae'uv
belly
belt
buul'ee
bult, buult
bread and cheese burd-n chce'z ;
emph. brai'd
858 LIST
OF THE COMMON LITERARY \VORDS.
break, v.
brai'k, broa'kt,
case (box)
kee'us
u-broa-kt
case (Fr. cas)
kee'uz
breast
brus, pi. briis'tuz
casement
kee'uzmunt
breathe
brai'dh
cask
kaas
bree :h
buurch
cavalry
kaal'vutree
breeches
buur'chiiz
cave
kee'uv
breed, st>. and v.
bree'd, bree'd,
ceiling
sai'leen
u-bree'd
celebrate
sul'ibrae'ut
bridge
burj, buurj
celery
saal'uree
brim
brum'
cellar
sul'ur
brimstone
burmstoa'un
centre
sai'ntur
brindled
biirndld
ceremony
suureemunee
brisket
biirskut
certain
saarteen
brittle
burtl
certificate
stvifeekut
broad
broa'ud
certify
saarteefuy
broadside
broa'udzuy'd
chafe
chee'uf
brooch
broa'uch
chair
chee'ur
brunt
buur nt
chamber
chum-ur
brush
buur'sh
chandler
chanlur
bull
beo'l
change
chan'j,«<7/chai'nj
bullet
buul'ut
changeable
chan'jubl
bullock
buul'eek
character
kaar'eetur
bully
buul'ee
charwoman
choa'ruum 'un
bundle
buun'l
chary
chee'uree
bung
buum
cheat
chai't
bungle
buung'l
cheek
chik
bungler
buung'lur
cherry
chuur'ee
burden
buurn
cherub
chuur'ub
burst
buus(t
chew
chuw, chaew
butcher
beoxhur,
childermas
chul'urmus
buuch'ur
chill
chiil
chimney
chum'lee,
Cabbage
kab'eej
chuunvlee
cable
kee'ubl
chin
chee'n
cage
kee'uj
china (porcelain)
chai'nee
cake
kee'uk
choke
chuuk
calf
kyaa'v
chose, p. t.
chue'z
call
kyaa'l, kau'l
Christmas
kuur'smus
camel
kaam'ee-ul
cider
suydur, sai'dur
candle
kan'l
cinder
siin'dur
candlemas
kan'1-mus
circular
suur'klur
cane
kee'un
cistern
saes'turn
capable
kee'upubl
clamber
tliim'ur
cape
kee'up
clamp
tlaam
caper
kee'upur
clash
tlaa'rsh
capital, adj.
kaap'eekul
clasp-knife
tlaa's-nai'v
captain
kaap'm
clean
tlee'un, tlai'n
carcass
kaa'rkees
cleave
tlai-v
care
kee "ur
cleaver
tlai'vur
carnation
kurnae'urshun
clever
tliivur
carpenter
kaa'fmdur
climb
tlum'
carrion
kaareen
clod )
tlaat
carry
kaar
clot )
llddL
cartridge
kaat Teej
close, adj.
tloa-us
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. 859
close, v.
tloa'uz
crusty
kuur'stee
cloth
tlaa'th, tlau'th
crutch
kuurch
cluster
tliis'tur
crystal
kuur'stul
clutch, sb.
tluch
cube
kue'b, not kyuc'b
coarse
keo's
cuckoo
geo'keo
coast
koa'us
cucumber
kaewkuunvur
coat
koo'ut, koa'ut
cud
kvvee'd
colander
kuul'eendur
cue
kue' (precisely as
come
kau'm, km
Fr. queue)
comfort
company
kaunvfurt
kau'mpmee
cure
curate
keo'ur, #<?/kyue-r
keo'rut, not
compasses
kaunrpusez
kyue'rut
compel
kmpuul'
curiosity
keo'rausutee
compete
kmpai't
curious
keo'r-yus
complicated
kau'mplee-
curl
kuur'dl
kee'utud
curling
kuurdleen
conceited
kunsai'tud
curly
kuur'dlee
concern
kunsaa'rn
curse
kuus
condense
kundai'ns*
curve
kuur'b
cone
koa'un
cushion
kuur'sheen
conger-eel
kau'ng-gur-ee'ul
consecrate
kau'nseekrae'ut
Dace
dae'us
consecration
kau'nseekrae'ur-
dainty
daayntee
shun
dale
dae'ul
consent
knsai'nt
dam, sb.
dae-um
conservative
knsaa'rvuteev
damnation
daanrnae'urshun
contented
kntai'ntud
damsel
daanrzee'ul
convenience
knvai'niunsee
dandle
dan'l
convey
knvauy
danger
dan'jur, not
cook
keok
dai'njur
cool
kue'ul
dangle
dang'l, not
cord
koo'urd, koa'urd
dang'gl
cornice
kau'rneesh
dash
daar'sh
correct
kraek'
date
dae'ut
cowl
kaewul
daughter
daar'tur
crawl
skraa'lee,kraa'lee
dead
dai'd
creak, v. and sb.
krik
deaf
deef
cream
krai'm
deal, v. and sb.
dae'ul
crease
krai's
dearth
dee'urth
create
krarae'ut
decanter
dai'kan'tur
creation
krai'ae'urshun
deceit
deesai't
creator
krai'ae'utur
deceive
deesai'v
creature
krai'tur
decency
dai'sunsee
cress
kree's
decent
dai'sunt
cringe
kuurnj
decrease
daikrai's
crinoline
kur'nuleen
default
deefau't
crisp
krup's
defeat
deefait
cruel
krue'ee'ul
defend
deefai'n
crumb
kreo'm
degree
deegrai*
crumble
kruunrl
deign
daa'yn
crush
kuur'sh
delegate
dul'igee'ut
crust
kuur's,^/.
deliberate
dailub'urae'ut
kuur'stuz,
delicate
dul'ikut
krus'tuz
deliver
dailuvur
86o
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
demon
dai'mun
earnest
aarnees
depend
deepai'n
earth
aeth
depth
diip'th
ease, easy
ai'z, ai'zee
deserter
daizaar'tur
east, caster
ai-s(t, ai'stur
deserve
daizaa'rv
eat
art
desk
dus'
eaves
au'fees
dew
jue-
eel
ee'ul, yael
dewlap
jue'laap
eight, eighth
aa'yt, aa'yt-th
diamond
duymunt
either
ai'dhur
digest
dtisjaes1
elbow
uul'boa
discourse
deeskeo's
elder
uul'dur
disease
deezai'z
elegant
uul'eegunt
disfigure
deesfig-ur
element
uul'eemunt
disgrace
deesgrae'us
elephant
uul'eefunt
dish
dee'sh
eleven
laeb'm
disorder
deezoa'dur
elm
uul'um
dispose
deespoQ'uz
else
uul's
distrust
deestriis-
embers
yuum'urz
disturb
deestuur'v
employ
eemplauy
ditch
deexh
empty, v.
ai'inp
dive
dai'v
encroach
kroa'uch
dog
duug (often)
end, sb.
ee'n(d
donkey
duung'kee
engine
ee'n-jun
doth
duth
enter
ai'ntur
dozen
diz-n
entreat
eentrai't
dragoon
drag'-geo'n
equal
ai'kul, ai'gl
drain
draa'yn
errand .
aar'unt
draw
drae'u, drae'ud,
especially
spaa'rshlee
u-drae-ud,
estate
eestae'ut
draa', draa'd,
ever, every
uvur, uvuree
u-draa'd
evil
ai'vl
drawbridge
draa'burj
ewe
yoa'
dread
drai'd
except
saep-
dreadful
drai'dfeol
experience
spae'ur-yuns
dream
drai'm
eye-sore
uy-zoo ur
dreary
drae'uree
dregs
druug'z
Fable
fae'ubl
drive
drai-v, droa'vd
face
fae'us
drizzle
diir'zl
factory
faak'turee
drop
draap
fade
vae'ud, fae'ud
drowned
draewndud
fag
vag
due
jue*
fagot
faak'ut
duke
jue'k
fail
faa'yul
duly
jue'lee
fair, adj. and sb.
fae'ur
durable
jueTubl
fairy
fae'uree
dusk
daes'k
faithful
faa'yth'feol
duty
jue'tee
fall
vaa-1, vaui, p. t.
dwindle
deo'ndl
vaa'ld, vau'ld ;
p.p. u- vaa'ld,
Each
arch
u-vau'ld
eag:r
ai'gur
fallow (field)
vuul'ur
eagle
ai'gul
false
fau'ls
ear, sb.
yuur
fame
fae'um
early
ae'urlee
family
faam-lee
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. 86 1
fan
fancy
van
fan 'see
fist
fit, adj. and sb.
vuys,^/.vuystuz
flit
far
vaa'r
fitch
fuch
farm
faa'rm
five
vai'v, vuyv
farrier
faa-ryur
fifteen
vuf'teen
farrow
vaa'ree
fix
fiks
farthing
vaa'rdn
flag
vlag
fashion
faa'rshin
flail
vlaa'yul
fast, adv.
vaa'st
flannel
flan'een
fat
faat
flat
vlaat
father
faa'dhur,
flea
vlai'
vaa'dhur
fleam
flai'm
fathom
vadh'um
fleece
vlee'z
fault
fau't
flesh
vlaa'rsh
favour
fae'uvur
fling
vling
fear
fee'ur
flint
vlun't
feast
fee 'us
float
vloa'ut
feather
vaedh'ur
flock
vlau'k
feature
faixhur
flog
vlau'g
feeble
fai-bl
flood
vlud, almost vlid
feel
vee'ul
floor
vloo'ur
felloe (as fallow)
vuul'ur
flow
vloa'
fellow
fuul'ur
flower and flour
flaaw'ur
female
fai'mae'ul
flue
flue-
fend
fai'n
flush
vliish, vlish
fern
vee'urn
flute
fluet
ferret
fuurut
fly, sb.
vice'
ferrule
vuurdl, vuur'ul
fly, v.
vluy, vluyd,
fetch
vaach
u-vluyd
fetlock
vaefurlauk
foal
voa'ul
fever
fai'vur
fog
vau'g
few
vue', veo"
fold
voa'l
fiddle
fud'l
folk
voak
field
vee'ul, fee'ul
follow
vaul'ee
fierce
fee'urs
fond
fau'n(d, vau'n(d
fife
fai'f
fool
feo'ul
fight
fai't, fuyt
foot
veot, pi. vee't
figure
fig-ur
for
vauT, vur
file (bill-file)
fuyul
for, prefix
vur
file (rasp)
vuy'ul
force
foo'us
fill
fillet
vee'ul, vul
ful-ut
fore, prefix
forfeit
voa'r, vur
fau'rfeet
film
vul'um
fork
vau'rk
filth
vul't, fult
form (bench)
fuurm
finch
vdn'sh
forth
voo'uth
find
vuyn
fortune
fau'rteen
fine
fuy'n, fai'n
forty
fau'rtee
finger
ving'ur
forward
vuur'wurd
finish
fun'eesh
fountain
faew'nteen
fir
vuur
fracas
frae'ukus
fire, and all its
vuy'ur
frame
vrae'um, frae'um
compounds
first
vuus(t, fuus(t
free
freeze
vree*
vree'z
fish
vee'sh
french
vran'sh
862
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
frequent
frai'kunt
gill (of fish)
gee'ul
fresh
fraa'sh
gillyflower
julau'fur
fret
fraet
girl
guur'dl
friday
vruydee
give
gee', gid, u-gid
friend
vrai'n
gloom
gleo'm
fright
vrai't, vruyt
glue
gleo
frightful
vrai'tfeol
gnash
naa'rsh
frill
frul, fiirul
gnaw
naa
fringe
fiir'nj
go
goo, geo, wai'nt,
frisk
fur'sk
u-geo',u-wai'nt
frock
frau'k
goat
goa'ut
frog
vrau'g
god-almighty
gau'd-ee-maitee
from
vrau'in, vrum
gossip
gau'sup
front
fuurnt
gold
goa'ul(d
frost
vrau's(t
gold-dust
goa'1-dus
froth
vrairth
gold-fish
goa'l-vee'sh
fruit
fruet
goldsmith
goa-lzmuth
fry
fruy, vruy
good
geo'd
full (see p. 810)
veol, feol
goose
geo'z
fumble
vuuml
gooseberry
geo'zbuur'ee
funeral
feo'nl, fuun'ur
gouge
geo-j
furlough
vuur'loa
grace
grae'us
furnace
fuurnees
gradual
grad'l
furniture
fuurneechur
grain
graa'yn
furrow
voa'ur
grained
graa'yndud
further
vuur'dur
grate
graeiut
furze
vuuz
great
guurt
fustian
fuus'teen
great-coat
guurt-koo'ut
fusty
fuwstee
griddle
giird'l
grill
giir'ul
Gable
gee'ubl
grin
gur'n
gage, gauge
gee'uj
grind
gruyn,
gain
gaa'yn
graewn,
gale
gae-ol
u-graew'n
gallon
gyaal'un
grip
grup
gallows
gyaal'ees
gripe
gruyp
game
gee'um
grisly, grizly
giir'zlee
gamekeeper
gee'umkip'ur
grist
gree's, pi.
gape
gyaap
gree'stuz
garden
gyuur'dn
gristle
gur-sl
gardening
gaardneen
grit
giirt, almost grt
garret
gaar'ut
groats
gurts, rt/w^/grts
gash
gaa'rsh
grocer
grau 'sur
gate
gee-ut, gyut
groom
greo'm
gay
gaa-y
groove
groa'v
gear
gee'ur
gross
grau's
geese
gee-z
ground
graewn
general
jun'urul
growl
graew'ul
genius
jai'nus
grudge
guur'j
gentlefolks
jun'lvoa'ks
gruel
grue'ee'ul
gentleman
jun'lmun
grumble
gruumi
get
gee-t, git, gut,
grunt
guurnt
gau'ut,u-gau'ut
gudgeon (mech
) guuj'een
ghost
goa'us
guilt
gul't, guul't
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
863
Hack aak
heavenly
aeb'mlee
hackle aak'l
heavy
aevee
hackney aak'n-ee
hebrew
ai'breo
haddock ad'ik
hedge
aj-
haggle ag'l
heedless
ai 'dices
hail, v. and sb. aa'yul
heel, v. and s6.
ee'ul
hake (fish) ae'uk
heifer
yaef'ur
hale ae'ul
heigh-ho !
aa-y-goa !
half (and com- aa'f
height
uyth
pounds)
hell
uul
hall aa'l
helm
uul'um
halt oa-lt
help
uul'p
halter au'ltur (vale),
hem
arm
aa'ltur (hill)
hemp -en
ai'mp -m
halve, v. t. aa'f
hen
ai'n
hand (and comp.) an'
henceforward
ai'nsvuurul,
handkerchief ang'kichur
ai'nsvuurwurd
handle an'l
hen-peckt
ai'n-pik
handsome an'sum
herald
uur'ul
handy an'dee
herbage
aar'beej
hap aap
here
yuur
hard (and comp.) aard
hereditary
uur'eedufuree
hare ae'ur
hero
ae'uroa
harmful, adj. aa'rm-feol
heron
uur'un
(armful, sb. aa'rm-veol)
herring
yuur'een, uur'een
harrier aaryur
hew
yoa
harrow aar'u
hill
ee'ul
harsh ash, aay'sh
hilt
ult
harvest aarus
him
-n, un ; -m, after
hasp, v. and sb. aaps
P, **/, *
haste ae'us
himself
uz-zuul*
hasty ae 'ustee
hind
uyn
haulm uul'um
hinder, adj.
uy'ndur
haunt aa'nt
hinder, v.
ee'ndur
hay aa'y
hinderance
ee'ndurns
hazel au'ls
hinge
ee'nj
head (and comp.) ai'd
hip
ee'p
heal ae'ul
hire
uyur
health uul'th
his
's, uz ; ee'z, emph.
healthy uul'thee
hit, "v.
aat
heap ee'p
hitch
ee'ch
hear yuur
hither
aedh'ur
hearing yuur'een
hoard, v. s. and
wuurd
hearse aesk
adj.
heart aa'rt
hoarse
oa'uz, hoa'uz
hearth yaeth
hearthstone yaeth'stoa'un
heat yut
hobby
hobnail
hoe, sb. and v.]
aub'ee
aub-naa'yul
oa'v
heater yufur
heath yaeth
hog's lard
hogshead
aug'z lau'd
auk'seed
heathen ai'dheen
hold, hole, sb.
oa'l
heathfield yaef'ee'ul
heave ai'v
holdfast
hollow (and
oa Ivaas
aul'ur
heaven aeb'm
comp.)
864
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
home
aunv, oa'm
infect
eenfaek'(t
hood
eo-d
inferior
eenfae'ur-yur
hoof
uuf
influence
ee'nfco-uns
hook
eok-
inherit
eenuureet
hooked
eok'ud
injure
ee'njur
hoop
eo'p
inoculate
nauk'ulae'ut
horse(andcomp.) airs
instead
stee'd
hound
aewn
instep
ee'nstaap
hour
aawur, naawur
insure
eenshoa'ur
house (and
aewz
interest
ee'nturus
comp.)
interment
tuur'munt
household
aewzl
invois
ee'nvauys
howl
aewul
inward
ee'nwurd
huge
uej, not yue'j
iron
uyur
humour
yuunrur
ironmonger
uyurmuun'gur
hundred
uun'durd,
ironwork
uy'urwuurk
uun'did
is
viz, -s
hurdle
yuurdl
italian
uy-taal'yun
hurl
uurdl
itch
eexh
hurrah !
wuur-au' !
eo-rau' !
Jade
jee'ud
hurtful
uur'tfeol
jangle
jang-1, «^ jang'gl
hyena
uyai'nur
January
jun'eo-ae'uree
hymn
ee-m
jaundice
jaa'ndurz
hysterics
uystruyks
jaw
jaa
jawbone
jaa'boa'tm
I, ego
uy, aa-y, u
jay
jai1, not jaa'y
idea
uydae'ur
jealous
jul'ees
if
nee'f, ee'f
jelly
jiil'ee
ill
ee'ul
jenny
jun'ee
imitate
um'eetae'ut
jewel
jue'ee'ul
impeach
eempai'ch
jingle
jing'l
import
eem'poo'urt
join
juyn
imposition
ee'mpuzee'shn
joint
jun't, juynt
impress
eempras'
joist
juys, sing, and
imprint
eempuurnt
pi.
imprison
eempuur'zn
judge
juj
improve
eempreo'v
judgment
jiij'munt
in
ee'n, -n
jumble
juunvl
inch
tin'sh
just, adv.
jus-
incline
eentluy'n
justice
jus'tees
inclose
eentloa'uz
justness
jus'nees
income
ee'nkaum
increase, v.
eenkrai's
Keep
kip
increase, sb.
ee'nkrais
keeper
kip-ur
indecent
aun-dai'sunt
keeping
kee'peen
indian
ee'njee-un
kelp
kuul'p
indies
ee'njeez
kersey
kiz'ee
indifferent
eendufurnt
kerseymere
kiz'eemee'ur
indigestion
een'dusjasxhun
kettle
kufl
indisposed
aun'deespoo'uz
key
kai'
individual
eendeevudjl
kidney
kufnee
infamous
ee'nfumus
kidney-bean
kufnee-bee'un
infant
ee'nfunt
kill
kee'ul
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. 865
kiln
kee'ul
leash
lai'sh
kin
kee'n
least
lai's(t
kind, kinder
kuyn, kuyndur
leave
lai'v
kindred
kiss
kee'ndreed
kee's
led,/. /.and/./,
lee, adj.
lai d, u-lai'd
Iu3'
kit
kee't
leek
lik
kitchen
keexheen
leeward
lue'urd
knead
nai'd
left
laf(t
knife
nuyv, nai'v
leg
lag
knit, and nit
nut
legal
lai'gul
knock
naak'
legging
lag'een
knoll
noa'l
leisure
luzh'ur
knot
naat
lemon
lunrun
knotty
naafee
lend
lai'n, p. t. lai'n ;
know
nau, p. /. nau'd ;
/./. u-lai'n
p.p. u-nau'd
lone, sb.
lai'nt
Labour
lae'ubur
leopard \
leper )
lup'ur
labourer
lae'ubur
less
las
laburnum
lai'buur'num
lesson
las'een
lace
lae'us
let
lat, laet
ladle
lae'udl
lever
lai'vur
lady
lae'udee
leveret
liivurut
lake
lae'uk
liberty
liib'urtee
lamb
laam
library
luyburee
land
lan(d
license
luyshuns
landlord
lan'lau'urd
life
luyv
landrail
lan'rae'ul
lifelong
luyvlaung
lane
lae-un
like
before a vowel, lig
lard
lau'd
lilac
lai'lau'c
lash
laa'rsh
limp
lum'p
last
laa's(t
limpet
liim'put
last, -v.
lee'us(t
line
lai'n, luyn
late
lae'ut
lintel
lun'turn
lath
laa'f
lion
luyunt
lathe
lae'uv
lip
liip
lather
laa'dhur
list
lus(t
latter
laafur
little
lee'dl, leedi
laugh
laa'rf
live, v. i.
lee'v
laurel
lau'r-yul
live, adj.
luyv
lazy
lae'uzee
loach
loa'uch
lead, v. lead, sb.
lai'd ; kid
load
loo'ud, leo'ud
leader
lai'dur
loaf
loa'v
leaf
lee'v
loaf-sugar
loa'f-shuug'ur
leak and leat
lee'ut
bath
loo'uth, loa'udh
leakage
leaky
lee'uteej
lee'utee
lock, v. and sb.
lock (of hair)
loa'k
lauk (as in Eng.)
lean, adj.
lai'n
loft
laa'f, laart
lean, v. i.
lee'un
lofty
lau'ftee
leap
lai-p, lee'up
log
luug
learn
laa'rn
look
leok
learner
laar'nur
loom
leo'm, lue'in
lease
lai's
loop
leo'p
leasehold
lai'soal
loose
leo's, lue'5
3 K
866
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
lord
lau'urd
mast (acorns)
mae'us
lose
lau's(t,/>./.lau's(t;
master
mae'ustur ( same
p.p. u-lau's(t
in all comp.)
losing
lau'steen
mate
mae'ut
loss
lau's
materials
mutuuryulz
loud
laewd
mattock
mad'eek
louse
laews
may, -ub.
mud
louvre
luuf'ur
may, sb.
maa'y
lower, v. t.
loa
mead (drink)
mai'd, mai-dh
lusty
his 'tee
mead (meadow)
mee'ud
meal (farine) )
1Y1 ^ A "111
Mace
mae'us
meal (repast) )
HldL Ul
mackintosh
maarteentaews
mean, adj.
mai'n
madhouse
mae'uz-aewz
mean, vb.
mee'un, mai'n
made
mae'ud
meaning
mai'neen
mahogany
maug'unee
measles
mai'zlz
maid
maa'yd
measure
muzh'ur
mail
maa'yul
measurement
muzh'urmunt
main
maa'yn
meat
mai't
maintain
maa'yn tarn
medicine
maefsn
major
mie'ujur
meditate
mud'eetae'ut
make
maek, mae'uk
meek
mik
maker
mae'ukur
meet
mil
makeshift
maek'shuuf
meeting
mifeen
make-weight
maek'-wauyt
mellow
muul'ur
male
mae'ul
melt
mult, muult
malt
maalt, mau'lt
member
munrbur
malthouse
maal'taewz
mend
mai'n,/. /.
maltster
maal'stur
mai'ndud ; p.p.
man )
mae'un
u-mai'ndud
men }
mai'n
merchant
maar'chunt
mandrel
maa'ndrul,
mere, adv.
nee'ur (sic)
mau'ndrul
merit
muur'eet
manful
man'feol (so in
merry(and comp.)
muur'ee
all compounds)
mesh
mursh
mange
mau'nj
mess
mas
mangel
mang'gul
message
mas'eej
manger
mangle
mau'nj ur
mang'l
meter )
metre )
mai'tur
mangy
many
mau'njee
mun'ee
methodee )
methodist )
mael'udee
maple
mae'upul
middle
mud'l
marble
maar'vul
might, v.
mut, mud
marigold
mae'ureegoa'l
mild
muyul
marl
maar'dl
mildew
mul'jue
marly
maar'dlee
mile
muy'uld
marrow
maar'u
militia
miil'eeshcc
marry
maar'ee
milk
miilk
marsh
maash
mill
mee'ul
marvel
maar'ul
miller
mul'urd
mash, v.
miirsh
milliner
mul'eenur
mason
mae'usn
million
mul'yun
massacred
maas'ukree'd
millstone
mee'ulstoa'un
mast (of ship)
maa's
milt
miilt
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. 867
mince
muns
namesake
nae'umsae-uk
mind )
mine j
muyn, mai'n
narrow
nation
naar'u
nae'urshun
minnow
mun'ee
natural
naafrul
mint
munt
nature
nae'utur
minute
mun'eet
naught
noa-urt
miracle
muureekul
naughty
nau'tee
miscall
mus-kyaal*
navel
naa'vl, nau'l
mischief
miis-kau'l
murschee
navigate
neap
nab'eegee'ut
neep, nip
misfortune
mus-fau'rteen
near
nee'ur
mishap
musaap'
neat, adj.
nai't
misjudge
miisjij'
neckerchief
naek'eechur
miss
mus
necklace
naek'lae'us
missionary
mee'shunuuree
needle
nee'ul
mist
mus
needleful
nee'ulveol
mistletoe
maes'ultoa'
needlewoman
nee'uluunrun
mistress
mus'uz
negus
nai'gus
mistrust
mustrus*
neigh
nai
mix
maeks (mex)
neighbour
naa'ybur
mixture
maek'schur
neighbourly
naa-yburlee
monument
mau'neemunt
neither
nuudh'ur
mood
meo'd
nervous
naar'vus
moon
meo'n
nest
nas(t
more
moo'ur, meo'ur
nestle
nas'l
morrow
maar'u
net, sb.
nut
morsel
mau'sl
net, adj.
nat
moss
mau's, mau'th
nettle
nuti
most
moo'ees, mau's
nevei
niivur
mote
moo'ut, moa'ut
new
nue, not nyue
mother
mau'dhur
new-fashioned
nue'-faar'sheen
moult
meo'turee
newel
nue'ul
mount
maewnt
newspaper
nue'zpae'upur
mourn
muur'n
next
nak's
mourning
muurneen
nib
nub
mouse
muwz', maewz
nice
nai's
mice
muyz
niche
nee'ch
mouth
muwdh,mae\vdh
niece
nai's
move
muuv
night
nai't
movement
muuvmunt
nimble
m'im'l
mule
meo'l, mue'ul,
nine
nai'n
notaslit.myue'l
nip
nup
mumble
muum'ul
nipple
nup'l
mumbler
muum'lur
nit
nut
muscular
muusk'lur
none
noa'un, noo'un
mushroom
muush'ureo'n
nonsense
naun'sai'ns
music
meo'zeek
noose
ue'z
must, v.
muus'
north
nau'th
northern
nau'dhurn
Nail
raa'yul
northward
nau'dhurd
nailer
naa'ylur
nose
noa'uz, noo'uz
naked
nae'ukud
not
nau't, nut, neet
name
nae'um
notch
snauch
nameless
nae'umlees note
noa'ut
3 K 2
868-
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
notice
noa'utees
pail
paa'yul
notion
noa'ushun
pain
paa'yn
nought
noa'urt
paint
paa'ynt
novembcr
noa'vum'bur
pair
pae'ur
nudge
nuj
pale
pae'ul
nuisance
nue'shuns
pancake
pang'kee'uk
pane
pae'un
Oar
oo'ur, oa'ur
pant, v.
pang'k
oat
wvit
paper
pae'upur
oath
oa'uth
parade
purae'ud
oatmeal
wut'mae'ul
pare
pae'ur
obedient
ubai'junt,bai'junt
parish
paareesh
object
aub'jik
parlour
paa'ldur
oblige
ublea'j
partridge
paa'treej
observable
aup'saarvubl
pate
pae'ut
occupation
auk'eepae'ur-
patent
pae'utunt
shun
pay
paa'y
occupy
auk'eepuy
pea
pai
odious
hoa'jus, emph.
peace
pai's
offal
au'fl
peach
paixh
omnibus
aunrleegus
peacock
pai'kauk
once
wau'ns, wan-s,
peak
pik
bo'ns
peaked
pik'ud
one
•wau'n, wan, oo'n
peal
pae'ul
onion
ing'un, ing'gun
peat
pai't
only .
aun'lee ; uun'ee
pebble
paup'l
(in rapid speech)
peel
pae'ul
opera-glass
aup'uree-
peevish
pai'veesh
tuul'eeskoa'p
pelt, sb.
pult
operate
aup'urae'ut
pelt, v.
puult
operation
au'p'urae'urshun
pen
pai'n
opinion
pun'yun
pencil
pai'nsl
orange
uureenj
penknife
pai'nuy'v
oration
noa'rae'urshun
pension
pun'sheen
orchard
aur'chut
peony
puy'nee
order
oa'udur
pepper
puop'ur
organ
aur'geen
perhaps
praaps
ornament
aur'neemunt
perish
puureesh
ostler
oa'uslur
persuade
purzwau1 rd
otter
au'tur
phial
vuy'ul
ought (anything)
oa'urt
picture
pik tur
ought, v. i.
au't
pile
puy'ul
our
aawur
pill
pee'ul
out
aewt
pillar
pul'ur
outwit
aewtwee't
pillion
pul'yun
oval
oa'vee'ul
pillow
pee'ul, piil'u
oven
oa'vm
pin
pee'n
overthrow
oa vurdroa'
pinch
punsh
owl
aew'ul
pinion
pun'yun
pip
pup
Pace
pae'i z
pit
pee't, put
pack
paak'
pitch, sb.
pee'ch
padlock
pad'loa'k
pitch, v.
piich
page
pae'uj
pitcher
puch'ur
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. '869
pit-saw
pufzaa*
pursy
puus'ee
pith
paeth
push
peo'sh
pity
piitee
pussy
pue'zee
plain
plaa'yn
plaintiff
plaa'yntee
Quail, -v.
kwaa'yul
plane
plae'un
quaint
kwaa'ynt
plaster
plaes'tur
quake
kwae'uk
plate
plae'ut
quarrel, v.
kwau'rdl
plead
plai'd
quarrel (glass)
kwauryul
please
plai'z
quell, v.
kwuul
plinth
pliin't
quench
kwai'nsh
plot, sb.
plaat
quest
kwas
plume
pleo'm
question
kwas'n
poach
proa'uch
quibble
kwuobi
poacher
proa'uchur
quili
kwee'ul
pocket
pau'gut
quilt
kwuol't
police
poa'lees
quinsy
skwun'jiiz
pond
pau'n(d
quit
kwee't
poplar
pup'lur
quit rent
kwee't rai'nt
post, sb.
pau's,^/.pau'stuz
quittance
kweetuns
post (mail)
poo'us(t
quiver
kwuovur
post-boy
poo'us-boa'ee
quoit
kauyt
poultry
puul'tree
pound
paew'n
Rabbit
rab'urt, rab'ut
pour
paawur
race
rae-us
prate
prae'utee
rachel, p. n.
raa-chee'ul
pray
praa 'y
rafter
raef'tur
preach
prai'ch
rage
rae'uj
prepare
prai'pae'ur
rail
raa'yul
preserve
prai'zaarv
railroad
raa'yulrau'd, or
pretty
puurtee,
roa'ud
puurdee
rain
raa'yn
prevent
prai'va'rnt
raise
ruyz
price
pruy 'z
rake
rae'uk
prickle
praek'l
ramble
raanrl
priest
prai's(t
range
ran'j, not rai'nj
prince
puurns
rank, adj.
raungk
principal
puurn'supul
rankle
raung'kl
print
puur'nt, pur'nt
rap
raap
printer
purn'tur
rape
rae'up
produce
purjue's
rapid
raa'peed
profess
purfaes1
rare
rae'ur
profit
prau'feet
rave
rae'uv
proof
preo'f
ray
raa'y
propagate
praup'eegee'ut
reach
rai'ch
proud
praewd
read
rai'd
prove
preo'v
ready
rad'ee
provide
purvuyd
real
rae'ul
pull
peol
ream, v.
rai'm, hrai'in
pulley
puul'ee
reap
rai'p
pulpit
puul'put
rear
rae'ur
pump
pluutnp
reason
rai'sn
punctual
puung'shl
rebel
rai'buul1
purse
puus
receipt
rai'sai't
3 K *
870
LIST OF TIIK COMMON LITERARY \VORDS.
recent
rai'sunt
row, v.
ruw
recess
rui'sas'
row-boat
ruwboo'ut
reckon
vrak'n, rak'n
rumble
ruunvl
recruit
rai'krue't
rumple
ruum'pl
red
uurcl, urd, hurd
run
uurn, hiir'n, rin,
red lead
hurd liid
ren
refuse
rai'fiie'z, not
rush, v.
hur'sh
ref'yue'z
rush, sb.
raeks-en, rish-ez
register
rai'justur
russet
uursut
regular
rig'lur
rust
uurst, rist
rein
rai'n, as in lit.
rustle
huursl
release
rai'lai's
rusty
uurstee, ris'tee
remove
rai'meo'v
rut, sb.
ruwt, raewt
rennet
uur'nut
renovate
uurneevae'ut
S before c, h, k,
•b, t is uncertain
repeal
rai'pae'ul
in sound, whether s or z.
repeat
rai'pai't
repel
rai'puul'
Sack
zaak
repent
rai'pai'nt
sacrament
saak'reemunt
report
rai'poo'urt
sacred
sae'ukre'ed,
reserve, v.
rai'zaarv
saa'kreed
resin
rauz'um
sad, sadness
zad, zad'nees
rest
ras
saddle
zad'l
retail
rai'taa-yul
saddler
zad'lur
reticule
rad'eekl
safe, adj.
saa'f, sae'uf,
reveal
rai'vae'ul
rarely zaa'f
reward
rai'wau'rd
safe, sb.
sae'uf
riddle, v, and sb.
hurdl
safety (see p. 641)
sae'uftee,
ridge
hur'j, huurj
safety, sb.
saa'ftee
rim
rum, hrum
saffron
saa'furn
rip
nip
said
zaed
risk
ur'sk, almost vsk
sail
saa'yul
river
ruv'ur, ruuv'ur
sailor
zae'ulur
rivet
riivut
saint
saa'ynt
road
hroa'ud, rau'd,
sake
zae'uk
roo'ud
salad
saal'ut
roar
roo'ur, roa'ur
sale
zae'ul
roast
roo'us, roa'us
salmon
saa'mun
rob
ruub'
salt
zaa'lt
robbery
ruub'uree
salvation
saal'vae'urshun
robin
rab'een
same
sae'um, zae'um
rod, sb.
rad, hrad
sample
saa'mpl
roe
roo
sand
zan'(d
roof
reo'f, ruuv
sandpaper
zan'pae'upur
rook
reo-k
sap, sb.
zae'up
room
reo'in
sappy
zae'uj:ee
roost
reo's(t
sash (window)
saa'ish
root
reo't
sat, p. t. of sit
zaut, zau'ut
ropa
hroo'up, roa'p
satisfy
saafeesfaa-y
rose
hroo'uz, roa'uz
Saturday
zad'urdee
rosewood
roa'zeo'd
sauce
saa's, saa'rs
rot
raat
savage
sab'eej
rotten
raat*ud
save
sae'uv
rough
ruuf, ruw
savoy (cabbage)
suvau'y
LIST OF THE COMMON T.tTF.KARY WORDS. 8;i
saw, sf>.
sa\v, p. t. of see
zaa-, zau"
zee'd, rarely
serpent
servant
saa'rpunt
saa'rvunt
zaird
serve
saaT
say
zai
service
saa'rvees
scaffol 1
z-skaa'fl
set, 7'.
zuf,/>. /. zairt
scald
z-skaa'l,z-skyaa'l,
settle, v.
safl
z-ikau'l
settle, sb.
zafl
scale
z-skee'ul
settlement
satlmunt
scandal
z-skan'l
seven
zab'm, zaeb'in
scandalous
z-skairlus
seventh
zab-mt, zaeb'mth
scarce
z-skee'us
several
siivur
scarcity
z-skee'usnees^
sew )
scare
z-skee'ur
sow |
zoa
scarify
z skaareefuy
sexton
sax'n
school
z-skeo'l
shade
shee-ud
scholar
z-skaul'urd
shadow
shad'u
scissors
SUZ'UZ
shaft
shaa'rp
scoop
z-skeo p
shake
shee-uk
scour
z-skaa\vur
shalt
shut
scramble
z-skraanrl
shambles
shaam'lz
s:rape
z-skrae'up
shame
shee'uin
scythe
zuyv
shameful
shee'umleol,
sea
sai'
shum'feol
seal
sae'ul
shape
shee'up
sealing-wax
sae'ul-wek's
share
shee'ur
seam
zee'm
shareholder
shee'uroa'ldur
search
saa'rch
shave
shee'uv
season
sai'zn
sheaf
shee'v
seat
zai't, sai't
sheath
shee'f
second
sak'un
shelf
shul'f
second-hand
sak'un-an'
shell
shul
secret
sai'kreet
shelter
sbul'tur
secretary
sak'eeturee
shift, sb. and v.
shuuf(t
sedge
zaj
shift (garment)
sbuf
sediment
siid'imunt
shilling
shuul'eer,
see, v.
zee1
shul'een
seed
zee'ud
shin
shee'n
seek
zik
shine
shee'n
seem
zum
shingles
shing'lz (one^')
seize
sai'z
shiver
shiiv'ur
seizure
sai'zhur
shoe
sheo
seldom
zul'dum
shook
sbeok't
self (suffix only)
sell
zuul
zul
shoot
shovel
shuut
shaewul, sheo'ul
selvage
zul'veej
sbred
shree'd
selves
zuul z
sbriek
shrik
semitone
sum'eetoa'un
sick
zik
send
zai'n
side
zuyd
sense
sai'ns
sieve
zee'v
sentence
separate
September
serge
sermon
sai'ntuns
sup'urae'ut
sup'tum'bur
saa'rj
saa'rmunt
sift
sigh
sight
sign
silence
zaef(t
zuyr, suyf
zuyt, suyt
suyn, zuyn
suyluns
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
silk
zul'k, sul'k
smile
zmuyul
sill
zul
smite
zmuy't
silly
zul'ee
smith
zmuth
silver
zul'vur, zuol'vur
smoke
zmoa'k
simple
sum -pl
smooth
zmue'dh,
sin
zee'n
zmeo'dh
since
zun'z, sun'z
smut
zmuut
sinew
zun'ee
snaffle
znaa'fl
sing
zing
snag
znag
singer
zing'ur
snail
znaa'yul
single
sing'l, not sing-gl
snake
znae'uk
singular
sing'lur, zing'lur
snap
znaap
sink (see zinc)
zing'k
snarl
znaar'dl
sip
ziip
sneak
znae-u'<
sir
ZUUT, suu'r, zr, sr
snow
znau, znoa
sirloin
suurlauyn
so
zoa, zu, su
sirop
suurup
soak
zoa'k
sister
ziU'tur
soap
zoo'up, zuop
sit
ziit,^. /. zau't
sober
soa'bur
situation
sufeeae'urshun
socket
zauk'ut
six
zik's
soda
soo'udu
size
zuy'z
soft
Z lU'f (t
skate
z-skee'ut
sold
zoa'ld
skill
z-skee'ul
soldier
soa'ujur
skillet
z-skiil'ut
some
zau'm, zaum, zm
skim
z-skee'm
son
zun
skim-milk
z-skee'mulk
song
zau'ng
skin
z-skee'n
soot
suut
skinflint
z-skee'nvhint
sore
zoo'ur, zoa'ur
slate
slaat
sorry
zaur'ee
sledge
zlad'zh
sort
soa'urt
sleep
zlee'up, zlai'p
soul
sau'l, zau'l
sleeper
zlai'pur
sound
saewn(d,
sleeve
zlee'v
zuwn(d
slide
zluy'd
sour
zaawur
slight
slai't
south
zaewth, ziuv'th
slim
zlum
southward
zuudh'ud
slime
zluym
south-west
zaew-waes'
sling
zling
sovereign
suuvreen
slink
zling'k
sow, sb.
z.iew
slip
zliip
sow, vb.
zoa
slippery
zlup'ur, slup'ur
spangle
spang'l
sloe
zloa
spaniel
span'l
slope
zloa'p
speak
spai'k
slough, sb. bog
slue
specially
spaa'rshlee
slow
zloa
speculate
spak'ulae'ut
sly
zluy
speech
spai'ch
smack
z naak
spell
spuul
small
zmaa'i, smaa'l
spend
spai*n(d
smaller, smallest
zmaa'ldur,
spill
spec "ul
zmaa'ldees
spin
spee'n
smart
zmiirt
spindle
spec -ul
smash
zmaa'rsh
spirit
spuur'eet
smell
zaiuul
spit (dig)
spiit
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. 873
spit
spaat
street
stra'rt
spittle
spaafl
stretch
straaxh
spittoon
spaatue'n
striven
u-stroa'vd
splash
splaa'rsh
strove
stroa-vd
splint
splee't
struckt (see
streo-kt
split
splun't
P- 724)
spoil
spwauy'ul
study, v.
stud
spoke, v.
spoa'kt
stumble
stuunrl
spool
speo'ul
stumbling-block
stuunvleen-
spoon
speo'n
blau'k
sport
spoo'urt
stun
stun
sprain
spraa'yn
stunt
staen't, stai'nt
sprawl, v,
sprinkle
spraa'l
sprang'k
stupid
stutter
schue'peed
stiifur
squall, squeal
skwaa'l
subtraction
subz'traak'shuti
square
skwuur',
suburbs
seo'baa'rbz
skwae'ur
such
jus% jich, sich
squirrel
skwuur 'dl
suck
zeo'k
staff-hook
staa'f-eok
sudden, adv.
sudd'nt
staircase
stae'urkee'us
suds
zud'z
stake
stae'uk
suet
seot (monosyl.)
stale, staler
stae'ul,
suffocate
suuf'eekee'ut
stae'uldur
sugar
shuug'ur
stall
stau'l, staa'l
summer
zuum'ur
stand
stan
sun, son
zun
standing
stan'een
surly
s-zuurdlee
steady
stud ee
survey, i>.
survauy'
steal
stae'ul
survey, sb.
suur'vai
steel
stiil, stil
swallow, v.
zwaul'ur
steelyards
stul'eeurdz
swan
swan, not swaun
stem
stiim
swarm
zwau'rm
step
staap
swath
zwau'r
stiff
Sttlf
sway
zwaa'y
still
stee'ul
swear
zwae'ur
stink
staeng-'k, steng'k
sweat
zwaet [zecp
stint
staen't, stai'nt
sweep
zeop, ziip, zweep,
stitch
stee'ch
sweet
zwit
stoat
stoa'ut, staut
swell
zwuul
stole, v.
stoa'uld
swift
zwiif'(t
stolen
u-stoa'ld
swill
zwee'ul, zwul
stomach
stuum'eek
swim
zwum
stone
stoo'un, s.oa'un
swing
zwing
stop
staap
swivel
ZWUV'l
stopper
story, sb.
staap'ur
stoa'ur
swoon
sword
zeo'n, zue'n
zoo'urd
strain
straa'yn
swore
zwoa'urd
strange
stran-j, not
strarni
Table
tae'ubl
stranger
strangle
straw
J
stran'jur
strangi
stroa
tail
tailor
take
taa'yul
taa'yukiur
taek, tae'uk
strawberry
stray
ttroa-buur'ee
straa'y
tale
tall, taller
tae'ul
taa'l, taa'ldur
,t
streak
strac'uk
tangle
tang'l
874
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS.
tankard
tang'kut
thursday
dhuuz'dee
tape
tae'up
thwart
dhuurt
task
taa's
thyself
dheezuul1
taskmaster
taa'smae'ustur
tile
tuy'ul
tassel
tau'sl
till, sb.
tul
taste
tae'us(t
till, -v.
tee'ul
tea
tai
tilt
tult
teach, teacher
taixh, tai'chur
timber
tunvur
tease
tai'z
tin
tee'n
teasle
tai'zl
tinder
tee'ndur
teat
taet
tingle
ting-1
tell
tuul
tip
tup
temper
tai'mpur
to
tu, t-, tue'
temperance
tai-mpuruns
toad
tco'ud
tempt
tai'mp
toast
toa'us(t
ten
tai'n
to-morrow
tumaaru
tenant
taen'ut
tone
toa'un
tenan table
taen'utubl
too
tu, t-, tue*
tend
tai*n(d
took
teokt
tender
tai'ndur
tool
teo'ul
tenon
taen'ut
tooth, teeth
teo'dh, tai'dh
tent
tai-nt
top
taap
termagant
taa-rmeegunt
tore
toa'urd
terrace
tuur'ees
touch
tuch, tich
terrier
tuuryur
tough
tuuf
terrify
tuureefuy
tower
ta^wur
thatch
dhaach, vaach
town
taewn
thaw
dhau
trace
trae'us
these
dhai'z
trade
trae'ud
thimble
dhunrl
train
traa'yn
thin
thee'n, dhee'n
transom
traa'nsum
thing
dhing
transport
traa-nspoo'urt
think
dhing'k
trap
traap
thirsty
thuus'tee
trash
traarsh
thirteen
dhuur'teen
travel
traa'vl
thistle
diis'l, duy'sl,
treacle
trae'ukl
dvish-l, daash'l
tread
trai'dj
thong
dhau'ng
treadle
trud'l
thorn
dhuurn
treat
trai't
thorough
dhuur'u
trellis
truul'ees
thought
dhau't
tremble
trum'l
thrash
draa'sh
trencher
tran'shur
thread
draed
trestle
truus'l
threat, threaten
draet, draet'n
trill
trul
three
dree
trim
tnim
threshold
draash'l,
trip
tnip
draek'steol
trot
traat
throat
droa'ut
troth
traa'th
throng
dring
trough
troa
through
drue
trowel
traew'ul, trul
throughout
drue'un-aewt
trudge
trij
throw
dron
truss
triis
thrush
drish
trust
triis(t
thumb
dhuum
tube
chue'b
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY WORDS. 87$
tuesday
chue'zdee
•want
wan 'I
tulip
chue'lup
warm
waa'rm
tumble
tuunvl
warrant, v.
wau'rn
tumour
chue'mur
wash
wau'rsh
tune
chue'n
wassail
wusaa-yul
turnip
tuurmut
waste
wae'us(t
twelve
twuul'v
water
•wau-dr, waafur
twenty
twai'ntee
wave
wae'uv
twill, sb.
twee "ul
wax
vvaek-s, wek's
twin
twee'n
weak
wai'k
twinge
twun'j, teo'nj
w can
wai'n
twirl
twuurdl
weave
wai'v
twist, sb.
twus(t
web
wuob
twist, v.
teo-s
webber
wuob'ur
twitch
twee'ch
wedge
wau'j
two
teo-, tue*
Wednesday
wai 'nzdee
week
wik
Unbend
aunbai'n
weigh
wauy
unbind
aunbuy'n
weight
wauyt
unbosom
aunbuuz'um
well
wuul
unchain
aunchaa'yn
welt
wuul't
unclean
auntlai'n
wench
waun'sh
unfurl
aunfuur'dl
went
wai'nt
unweave
aunwai'v
wheat
wai't
up
aup
whip
wuop
uphold
aupoa'ul(d
whip-hand
wuop-an1
urn, sb.
ruun
white
weet
use, sb.
yue'z
whole
woa'l
wholesale
woa'lsae'ul
Vain
vaa'yn
whoop
ue'p
valet
vaal'ut
whooping-cough
ue'peen-kau'f
valuable
vaal'eebl
whorl
wuur'u
value
vaal'ee
whose
iiez
vane
vae'un
width
waefth
vase
vau'uz
wife
wuyv
vat
vae'ut
wild
wuy'ul(d,
veal
vae'ul
wee'ul(d
vellum
vuul'um
wild-fire
wiil'-vuyur
vent
vai'nt
wilful
wee'ulfeol
venture
vai'ntur
will
wuol, wul*
verily
vuur'lee
willow
wul'u
vermin
vaa'rmunt
wilt?
wut ?
very
vuur'ee
wimble
wuonvl
vetch
dhaach, vaach
win
wee'n
view
vue1, bue'
wind
wee'n (d
violent
vuylunt
wind, v.
wuyn(d
violet
vuy'lunt
window
wee'ndur
vitriol
viifurul
windpipe
wee'npuyp
winnow
wuom, wum
Wagon
wag'een
winnowing
wuonveen
•wail
waa'yul
winter
wee'ntur
waist
wae'us
wish
wee'sh
wait
wauy't
wishful
wee'shfeol
wake
wae'uk
wit
wee't
8/6
LIST OF THE COMMON LITERARY -WORDS.
witch
•wee'ch
wreatlic
vrai'dh
with
wai
wrench
vran'sh
•withe
wudh'ee
wrestle
rau'sl, vraa'sl
•without
wai'uw't,
wriggle
vrig-1
udhaewt
wright
vruyt
witness
wee'tnees
wring, v.
vring
woman
uunvun
wrinkle
vring'kl
womb
eo'm, ue'rn
wrist
an'riis
wonder
wun'dur
write
vruyt
wonderful
•wun'durfeol
wrong
vrau'ng
wood
eo'd, ue'd
wrought
vrau't
woodcock
eo'dkauk
wrought-iron
vrau't-uyur
woodman
eo'dmun
wool
eo'l, ue'ul, wuul
Yearling
yaa'rleen
woollen
eo'leen
yearn
ae'urn
world
wuurdl
yellow
yaal'ur
wormwood
wuur'meo'd
yes
ee's
worse
wiis, wurur
yet
ee't
worst
wiis, wus'tees
yolk
yoa'k, yael'k
worsted
wiis'turd
yon
yiin, yaen
worth
waeth
wound
wuwn(d,
Zinc
sing'k
waewn(d
THE END.
K. Clay and Sous, London and Bungay.
Elworthy, Frederic Thomas
2031 The dialect of West
Somerset
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