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THE
ENGLISH DIALECT DICTIONARY
THE
ENGLISH DIALECT
DICTIONARY
BEING THE
COMPLETE VOCABULARY OF ALL DIALECT WORDS STILL IN USE, OR KNOWN
TO HAVE BEEN IN USE DURING THE LAST TWO HUNDRED YEARS
FOUNDED ON THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY AND ON A LARGE
AMOUNT OF MATERIAL NEVER BEFORE PRINTED
EDITED BY
JOSEPH WRIGHT, M.A., Ph.D., D.C.L.. LL.D.
PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE PHILOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Volume IV. M— Q
HENRY FROWDE
OXFORD, LONDON, EDINBURGH
NEW YORK, TORONTO
1905
O.trfOfb
PRINTED BY HORACE HART
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS
NOTE
Thl English Dialect Dictionary iV printed cil Ihc cxpetac of Josuni WmaiiT, MA.
ti() Banbury Road, Oxford
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST
REPRESENTED BY NUMBERS
N.I.* = Antrim and Down. — A Glossary of Words in use
in the Counties of Antrim and Down. By W.
Hugh Patterson. E. D. S., 1880.
Bnff.' = Banffshire. — The Dialect of Banffshire. By Rev.
W. Gregor, 1866.
Erks.^ = Berkshire. — A Glossary of Berkshire Words and
Phrases. By Major B. Lowsley. E. D. S , 1888.
Cai.^ = Caithness. — MS. Collection of Caithness Words.
By D. NicoLSON.
Cmb.' = Cambridgeshire. — MS. Collection of Cambridge-
shire Words. By J. W. Darwood.
Chs.' = Cheshire. — Glossary of Words used in the County
of Chester. By R. Holland. E. D. S., 1884-6.
Chs.° = Cheshire. — An Attempt at a Glossary of some Words
used in Cheshire. By Roger Wilbraham, 1826.
Cbs.^ = Cheshire. — A Glossary of Words used in the Dialect
of Cheshire. By E. Leigh, 1877.
s.CIis.^ = Cheshire. — The Folk-Speech of South Cheshire.
By Th. Darlington. E.D. S., 1887.
Cor.' = Cornwall. ^ — Glossary of Words in use in Cornwall.
By Miss M. A. Courtney and T. Q. Couch.
E. D. S., 1880.
Cor.2 = Cornwall. — The Ancient Language and the Dialect
of Cornwall. By F. W. P. Jago, 1882.
Cor.^ = Cornwall. — MS. Collection of Cornish Words. By
T. C. Peter.
Cum.l = Cumberland. — A Glossary of Words and Phrases
pertaining to the Dialect of Cumberland. By
W. Dickinson. E. D. S., 1878-81.
Ctun.* = Cumberland. — The Dialect of Cumberland. By
R. Ferguson, 1873.
Cnm.3 = Cumberland. — The Folk-Speech of Cumberland
and some Districts adjacent. By A. C.Gibson, 1869.
Cnm." = Cumberland.— A Glossary of the Words and
Phrases pertaining to the Dialect of Cumberland.
By W. Dickinson. Re-arranged, illustrated, and
augmented by quotations, by E. W. Prevost, 1899.
Der.' = Derbyshire. — Pegge's Derbicisms, edited by Th.
Hallam and W. W. Skeat. E. D. S., 1894.
Der.'' = Derbyshire. — An Attempt at a Derbyshire Glossary.
By John Sleigh, 1865.
nw.Der.l = Derbyshire.— MS. Collection ofNorth-West Derby-
shire Words. By T. Hallam.
Dev.i = Devonshire. — Glossary to ' A Dialogue in the
Devonshire Dialect,' by a Lady. By J. F.
Palmer, 1837.
Dev.s = Devonshire. — MS. Collection of North Devonshire
Words. By W. H. Daniels.
Dev.* = Devonshire. — MS. Collection of Devonshire Words.
By Mrs. Sarah Hevvett.
Dev.* = Devonshire. — A Glossary of Devonshire Plant
Names. By Rev. Hilderic Friend. E.D.S.,1882.
nw.Dev.i = Devonshire.— The Dialect of Hartland, Devon-
shire. By R. Pearse Chope. E. D. S., 1891.
Dorsetshire. — Poems of Rural Life, in the Dorset = Dor.'
Dialect ; with a Dissertation and Glossary, 1848.
By W. Barnes.
Durham.— A Glossary of Provincial Words used = Dnr.'
in Tecsdale in the County of Durham, 1849.
Durham. — A List of Words and Phrases in every- = e.Dur.'
day use by the natives of Hetton-le-Hole. By
Rev. F. M. T. Palgrave. E. D. S., 1896.
Durham. — Walks in Weardale. By W. H. Smith = w.Dnr.'
(ed 1885).
East Anglia. — The Vocabulary of East Anglia. = e.An.'
By R. FoRBY, 1830. Second Edition, consider-
ably enlarged, by W. Rye. E. D. S., 1895.
East Anglia.— The Vocabulary of East Anglia. By = e.An.^
Rev. \V. T. Spurdens. E. D. S., 1879.
Essex. — A Glossary of the Essex Dialect. By = Ess.'
R. S. Charnock, 1880.
Gloucestershire. — A Glossary of Dialect and = Glo.'
Archaic Words used in the County of Gloucester.
By J. Drummond Robertson. E. D. S., i8go.
Gloucestershire. — A Glossary of the Cotswold = Glo.^
(Gloucestershire) Dialect. By Rev. R. W. Hunt-
ley, 1868.
Hampshire. — A Glossary of Hampshire Words = Ilnip.i
and Phrases. By Rev. Sir W. H. Cope, Bart.
E. D. S., 1883.
Hampshire. — Isle of Wight Words. By Major = I.W.'
H. S.mith and C. Roach Smith. E. D. S., 1881.
Hampshire. — A Dictionary of the Isle of Wight = I.W.*
Dialect, and of Provincialisms used in the Island.
By W. H. Long, i886.
Herefordshire. — A Glossary of Provincial Words = Hrf.'
used in Herefordshire and some of the adjoining
Counties. [By Sir G. C. Lewis], 1839.
Herefordshire. — Herefordshire Glossary. By = Hrf.^
Francis T. Havergal, 1887.
Kent. — A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and = Ken.>
Provincialisms in use in the County of Kent.
ByW.D. PARiSHandW. F.Shaw. E.D.S, 1887.
Kent. — An Alphabet of Kenticisms. By Samuel = Ken.^
Pegge. E. D. S., 1876.
Lakeland. — Lakeland and Iceland. By T.Ellwood. = Lakel.'
E.D.S., 1895.
Lakeland. — Lakeland Words. By B. Kirkby, 1898. = lakel.*
Lancashire.— A Glossary of the Lancashire Dialect. = Lan.'
By J. H. NoDAi and G. Milner. E. D. S., 1875-82.
Lancashire. — A Glossary of the Words and Phrases = u.Iian.'
of Furness (North Lancashire). By J. P. Morris,
1869.
Lancashire. — A Glossary of the Dialect ol the = ne.Lan."
Hundred of Lonsdale. By R. B. Peacock. London
Phil. Soc. Trans., 1869.
Lancashire. — AGlossaryof Rochdalewith-Rossen- = e.lan.'
dale Words and Phrases. By H. Cunliffe, 1886.
VI
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST
nsXan.' = Lancashire. — A Blegburn Dickshonary. By J.
Baron, 1891.
s.Lan.^ — Lancashire. — The Folk-Speech of South Lan-
cashire. By F. E. Taylor, 1901.
Iiel.i = Leiceatershire. — Leicestersliire Words, Phrases,
and Proverbs. By A. Benoni Evans. E. D. S.,
1881.
Lin.' = Lincolnshire. — Provinciai Words and Expressions
current in Lincolnshire. By J. E. Brogden, 1866.
n.Lln.* = Lincolnshire.— A Glossary of Words used in the
Wapentakes of Manlcy and Corringham, Lincoln-
shire. By Edward Peacock. E. D. S., First
Edition, 1877; Second Edition, 1889.
aw. Lin.* = Lincolnshire. — Glossary of the Words in use in
South-West Lincolnshire. By Rev. R. E. G. Cole.
E.D.S., 1886.
Nrf.' = Norfolk.— Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. By
J. G. Nall, 1866.
Khp.' = Northamptonshire. — Glossary of Northamptonshire
Words and Phrases. By A. E. Baker, 1854.
Nbp.^ = Northamptonshire. — The Dialect and Folk-Lore of
Northamptonshire. By Thomas Sternberg, 1851.
H.Oy.' = North Country. — A Glossary of North Country
Words. By J. T. Brockett, 1846.
K.Cy.^ = North Country.— A Collection of English Words,
1691. By John Ray. E.D. S., 1874.
Nhb.' = Northumberland. — Northumberland Words. A
Glossary of Words used in the County of North-
umberland. By R. O. Heslop. E. D. S., 1892-4.
Not.' = Nottinghamshire. — MS. Collection of Nottingham-
shire Words. By Thomas A. Hill.
Not.^ = Nottinghamshire. — MS. Collection of Nottingham-
shire Words. By Horace Walker.
Hot.^ = Nottinghamshire. — MS. Collection of Nottingham-
shire Words. By R. L. Abbott.
Oxf.' = Oxfordshire. — O.xfordshire Words. ByMrs. Parker.
E.U. S., 1876, 1881.
Hixt.' - Rutlandshire. — Rutland Words. By Rev. Christo-
pher Wordsworth. E. D. S., 1891.
S.fcOrk.'- Shetland and Orkneys. — An Etymological Glos-
sary of the Shetland and Orkney Dialect. By
T. Edmondston, 1866.
Shr.i = Shropshire. — Shropshire Word-Book, a Glossary
of Archaic and Provincial Words, &c., used in the
County. By G. F. Jackson, 1879.
8hr.^ = Shropshire.— Salopia Antiqua. By C. H. Harts-
HORNE. London, 1841.
w.Som.* = Somersetshire. — The West Somerset Word-Book.
A Glossary of Dialectal and Archaic Words and
Phrases used in the West of Somerset and East
of Devon. By F. T. Elworthy. E. D. S., 1886.
Stf.* = Stafifordshire. — An Attempt towards a Glossary of
the Archaic and Provincial Words of the County
of Stafford. By Charles H. Poole, 1880.
Stf.' = Staffordshire.- MS. Collection of Statfordshire
Words. By T. C. Warrington and A. Pope.
Snf.» = Suffolk.— Suffolk Words and Phrases. By E. Moor,
1823.
Bnr.' = Surrey. — Surrey Provincialisms. By Granville
Leveson-Gower. E. D. S., 1876,1893.
Sn».* = Sussex.— A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect. By
W. D. Parish, 1875,
Sn».2 = Sussex. — A Glossary of the Provincialisms in use in
the County of Sussex. By W. D. Cooper,
1853-
Warwickshire. — Warwickshire Glossary. By T. ^ War.*
Sharp. Ed. by J. O. Halliwell, 1865.
Warwickshire.— A Warwickshire Word-Book. By = War.*
G. F. Northall. E. D. S., 1896.
Warwickshire. — MS. Collection of Warwickshire = War.^
Words. By E. Smith.
Warwickshire. — GlossaryofWarwickshireDialect. = War.*
By G. Miller, 1898.
W^arwickshire. — South Warwickshire Words. T.y = s.War.'
Mrs. Francis. E. D. S., 1876.
Westmoreland. — MS. Collection of Westmoreland = Wm.'
Words. By W. H. Hills and Dr. Just.
Westmoreland and Cumberland. — Dialogues, = Wm. &
Poems, Songs, and Ballads, by various writers. Cum.'
in the Westmoreland and Cumberland Dialects.
Published by J. R. Smith, 1839.
Wexford. — A Glossary, with some Pieces of Verse, = Wxf.'
&c. By Jacob Poole, 1867.
Wiltshire. — A Glossary of Words used in the = Wil.'
County of Wiltshire. By G. E. Dartnell and
E. H. Goddard. E. D. S., 1893.
Wiltshire.— A Glossary of Provincial Words and = Wil.^
Phrases in use in Wiltshire. By J. V. Akerman,
1842.
Worcestershire. — A Glossary of West Worcester- = w.Wor.'
shire Words. By Mrs. Chamberlain. E.D.S.,1882.
Worcestershire. — South - East Worcestershire = se.Wox.'
Words. A Glossary of Words and Phrases used
in South- East Worcestershire. By Jesse Salis-
bury. E. D. S., 1894.
Worcestershire. — Upton-on-Severn Words and = s.Wor.'
Phrases. By Robert Lawson. E. D. S., 1884.
Yorkshire. — A Glossary of the Cleveland Dialect. = n.Yks.'
By Rev. J. C. Atkinson, 1868. Additions to the
above. E. D. S., 1876.
Yorkshire. — A Glossary of Words used in the = n.Yks.'
neighbourhood of Whitby. By F. K. Robinson.
E.D. S., 1876.
Yorkshire. — A Glossary of Words used in Swale- = n.Yks. ^
dale, Yorkshire. By Captain John Harland.
E. D. S., 1873.
Yorkshire. — Wit, Character, Folklore, and Customs = n.Yks.'*
of the North Riding of Yorkshire. By R. Blake-
borough, 1898.
Yorkshire.- Yorkshire Folk-Talk. By M. C. F. = ne.Yks.'
Morris, 1892.
Yorkshire. — A Glossary of Words used in Holder- = e.Yks.'
ness in the East Riding of Yorkshire. By F. Ross,
R. Stead, and Th. Holderness. E. D. S., 1877.
Yorkshire. — A Glossary of Words pertaining to = m.Yks.'
the Dialect of Mid-Yorkshire. By C. Clough
Robinson. E. D. S., 1876.
Yorkshire. — The Dialect of Craven, in the West = w.Yks.'
Riding of the County of York. By W. Carr, 1828.
Yorkshire. — A Glossary of Words used in the = w.Yks. '
neighbourhood of Sheffield. By S. O. Addy.
E. D. S., 1888-90.
Yorkshire. — A Glossary of the Dialect of Almond- = w.Yks.^
bury and Huddersfield. By Alfred Easther.
E. D.S., 1883.
Yorkshire. — The Hallamshire Glossary. By J. = w.Yks.''
Hunter, 1829.
Yorkshire. — The Dialect of Leeds, and its Neigh- = w.Yks.^
bourhood to which is added a copious
Glossary. By C. C. Robinson, 1861.
Whtn no authority is given for plaHt-names, the information has been obtained from A Dictionary of English
Plant Names, by J. Britten and R. Holland. E. D. S., 1878-86.
LIST OF WORDS FOR THE PRESENT KEPT BACK
FROM THE WANT OF FURTHER INFORMATION
MAD, adj. In phr. a mad mountainside,
meaning unknown (Ir.).
MAEGINS,s6./i/. Meaning unknown (Sh.I.).
MAGEE. sb. A cat (Hrf.).
MAGICAL MUSIC, p/ir. A drawing-room
amusement (Suf.).
MAGMES, sb. Manganese (Stf.).
MALAPEN, V. In phr. to vialapen hares,
meaning unknown (Abd. i.
MALA-WHOOT, int. A direction to horses ;
exact meaning doubtful (Hmp.).
MALICE, sb. In phr. to die zvithont malice,
meaning unknown (Wor.).
MANATHER, s6. Meaning unknown (Ir.).
MANE, sb. In phr. the mane of a sheaf,
meaning unknown (Sh.I.).
MANGLE, sb. In phr. the mangle count,
meaning unknown (w.Yks.).
MANGRIM, s6. Lameness (? Sh.I.).
MAPPET, ppl. adj. In phr. a mappet chin,
meaning unknown (Dev.).
MARCH-WISHER, sb. In phr. a March-
ivisher is never a good fisher, meaning un-
known (Nhb.).
MARGEN, sb. Tares in corn (s.Cy.).
MARLE-THROWING, ppl. adj. Meaning
unknown (Gall.).
MARRET, sb. A marsh, bog (n.Cy.).
MASK, V. To bewilder (Wil.).
MATHER, 5*. A dish for holding meal (Kcb.).
MAUD, adj 111 (Ess.).
MAUL, V. In phr. the ewes mauled their
turnips, meaning unknown (Nrf.).
MAUND or MAND, sb. A root (Dev.).
MAWSE, adj. Meaning unknown (Sc).
MAY-BOYS, sb. pi. Meaning unknown
(Wxf).
MAYBURN, sb. A kind of bird (Cor.).
MAY-DOLL, sb. Meaning unknown (Cor.).
MEA, sb. A pasture (w.Yks.).
MEARA-GEEKS,56.//. Noisy or obstinate
people I Cor.).
MEDDER, sb. or adj. In phr. one medder
edder ware, meaning unknown (Chs.).
MEDDY, sb. Meaning unknown (Cor.).
MEENIAorMINYAR.si!'. Meaningunknown
(Gall.).
MEG, sb. Inphr.forabitofa meg, meaning
unknown (Dev.).
MELT(E, sb. A measure of two bushels of
coal i? misprint for ' mett'] (Ken.).
MENSE, sb. ? A confinement (Cum.).
MENSE, V. To clear the way (Som.).
MERLIN, sb. A mermaid (Lth.).
METHAM, adj. In phr. metham wi/A, equal
to (?Cor.).
MICONOMY.s/v. Melancholia, a low-spirited
condition (Wil.j.
MILLVADER,?'. Meaning unknown (Gall.).
MINNOYT, pp. Meaning unknown (Bnff.).
MISDIMABLE, adj. Applied to a house :
meaning unknown (Sc).
MISGATE, sb. A misdeed (Sc).
MISHWY or MISH WE, adj. Unwell, poorly
(War.).
MISLOOIN, sb. Displeasure (Sc).
MISSET, adj. Not missed (Lin.).
MITCH-POOL, sb. A whirlpool (e.An.).
MOARLIE, adj. Meaning unknown (Gall.).
MOINBU, sb. An invitation to a funeral
transmitted in a manner similar to the
fiery cross (Sh.I.).
MOINDER, V. Meaning unknown (Lan.).
MOLLION, sb. Meaning unknown (Slg.).
MOLLY, sb. In phr. a molly of potatoes,
meaning unknown (Chs.).
MONE-DAYS, sb. pi. Certain slates used in
roofing (Glo.).
MOONED, ppl. adj. In phr. mooned pools,
meaning unknown (Lan.).
MOOP, V. In phr. to have the nose and chin
moop, meaning unknown (Lth.).
MOOPING. sb. Meaning unknown (Slk.).
MOOR-GED, sb. Meaning unknown (Dev.).
MORT, 56. In phr. not fit for any mort to
see, meaning unknown (Nrf).
MOSSICK, sb. Meaning unknown (Lin.).
MOT, conj. But (Wxf.).
MOUSE, V. In phr. to mouseortalk, meaning
unknown (Yks.).
MOUSUNT, pp. In phr. to be moiisunt in a
poke, meaning unknown (Lan.).
MOUT, sb. In phr. to house with mout,
meaning unknown (Lth.).
MOWT, pp. In phr. neither lamed nor moivt,
meaning unknown (Lan.).
MUGGENT, ppl. adj In comb. Ill-muggent,
meaning unknown (Bch.).
MULLOCK, sb. The stump of a tree(w.Cy.).
MUM, sb. In phr. a dead mum, meaning
unknown (Lan.).
MUMPER, sb. Meaning unknown (Kcb.).
MUMPIT, sb. In phr. mumpit and crumpet,
meaning unknown (Dev.).
MUNCHEON, sb. A luncheon [prob. mis-
print for ' nuncheon '] (Glo.).
MUNGUS, sb. An old marl-pit (War.).
MURCHEN, sb. Some kind of animal ( Per.).
MURKLE, sb. A term of contempt applied
to a person (Fif.).
yiVKT.adj. In phr. a blue murtfin, meaning
unknown (Slk.).
NAAT, sb. In phr. a naafs chack, meaning
unknown (Nrf).
NABLE, adj. In phr. nable rigs, meaning
unknown (Ken.).
NABOB, sb. In phr. to play nabob, to tres-
pass (Wor.).
NAMEUL, sb. An animal (w.Yks.).
NANK.sA. The great northern diver, Colym-
busglacialis [?a misprint for 'nauk'] (Nhb.).
NAPER, sb. In phr. luealth of grace seemed
in your naper to spare a farl, meaning un-
known (Edb.).
NARGER, adj. Narrower (Som.).
NAZZLES \sic\ adj. Ill-tempered (Yks.).
'NELSE, conj. Unless (vv.Cy.).
NESH, adj. Hungry (Suf).
NIDGELL, sb. A fat, froward young man ;
a lover whom no rival can displace (Gall.).
NIDY-NOY, adv. In phr. to gang donaring
nidy-noy, meaning unknown (Edb.).
NIP-NAP, sb. Meaning unknown (Stf.).
NIRB, sb. Anything of stunted growth ; a
dwarf (Slk.).
NOGERNOW, sb. In phr. a great noger-
now of afelloiv, meaning unknown (Lan.).
NOIT, V. To throw away a chance ; to spoil
carelessly (w.Yks.).
NOOCHING, ppl. adj. Slouching, stooping
[?a misprint for ' mooching'] (Glo.).
NOR, adv. No more (n.Cy.).
NOR-NE ME, phr. Not I (w.Yks.).
NOSESKIP, adj. ? Nasal ; in phr. a noseskip
twan^ (Elg.).
NOUGHEL, sb. A knuckle (Wxf.).
NUDGELL, sb. A corner (Dev.).
NUNIKIN, sb. Meaning unknown (Lan.).
NURRILL'D, ppl. adj. In phr. a nnrrill'd
stott, meaning unknown (Gall.).
NUZE, ? sb. Coughing (Lan.).
OASTEED, sb. The grey wagtail, Motacilla
melanope [? misprint for ' oatseed '] (Cum.).
OCTOAVER, sb. In phr. a pair of octoavers,
meaning unknown (e.Yks.).
OLER, sb. Meaning unknown (w.Yks.).
OLFORD, sb. An orphan (Dev.).
OLINK, sb. Meaning unknown (Sc).
? A magic-lantern slide (Lon.
An allowance, esp. for horses
OMBRE, sb.
slang).
OMER, sb.
(w.Yks.).
ONRUDE, adj. Rude (Cor.).
ONTJETHorONJETH,si!'. Asmall parcel of
ground lately enclosed from a common and
let to a tenant for a money-rent onlj' (Sh.I.).
OSSITING, prp. Coughing (w.Yks.).
OUSEL-HUNTING, vbl. sb. A customary
method of expressing popular disapproval
of an individual [prob. a misprint fur
• onset ' = hooset, q.v.] (Hmp.).
VI II
LIST OF WORDS KEPT BACK
OUSET, sb. A cluster of" small cottages
m.Cv.).
0-WARPS, <l>. A landing-place (Chs.).
PACKDAM, sb. Meaning unknown (Dev.).
PADDY, tii/j. Clear, unmistakeable (Cum.).
PADOCK. sb. In comb. Dike-padock, some
kind ollisli (Dev.l.
PAGAE, :■. To please (Cor.).
PALADUM, sb. Meaning unknown (Gio.).
PALE, sb. In phr. /o pour on one's pale a
put of i^ood ak. meaning unknown (Edb.).
PALLACH, V. Meaning unknown (Frf.).
PALLINS. ■adv. An intensitive (Lin.).
PALSKE. sb. A kind of cake (Wxf.).
PAPARAP, 5/'. Meaning unknown (Mry.).
PAR-TAIL, sb. Some kind offish (Slk.).
PAUSATION, 5/>. A pause (Dev.).
PAWN, V. To move (Sh.L).
PAWRE, V. To push (Dev.).
PEAK, ;•. In phr. to peak the pheasants in
the trees, meaning unknown (Yks.).
PEEDINS. ^adv. An intensitive (Lin.).
PEENE ADL AND, s/a The urine that escapes
from a hare or rabbit after death by shoot-
ing (n.Yks.).
PERSEEN, V. To pretend (Wil.).
PETT or PETTIT, sb. The skin of a sheep
without the wool (Rxb.).
PICTREES, sb. pi. Ghosts (n.Cy.).
PIL, sb. A heavy club (n.Cj'.).
PINDER.i/'. In phr. rt^»W«'r^r^<'«, meaning
unknown (w.Yks.).
PINK-PANK, V. To make a noise by
touching the strings of a stringed instru-
nunt (Elg.).
PINNER, sb. In phr. to take another pinner,
meaning unknown (Rnf.).
PIOUS-HIGH, adv. In phr. to hold up the
nose pious-high, to act in a sanctimonious
manner (Dor.).
PLAYER, sb. Pleasure (Cor.).
PLECKY, sb. ? A plan or a place (w.Yks.).
PLENE, adj. Full, abundant (Sc).
POCHIN, sb. A hedgehog (Som.).
PODGE, sb. A purge (n.Yks.).
PODLIHKER, sb. An octopus (Cor.).
POIRE, sb. A party sect or creed (s.Don.).
POLL, 5/;. In phr. wy heart is lighter than
the poll, meaning unknown (n.Sc).
POMER, sb. Meaning unknown (Lan.).
PONG, sb. Meaning unknown (Abd.).
POOLE, sb. Some kind of bird (w.Yks.).
POPJOYING, prp. Meaning unknown
(Brks.).
POPPOE, sb. An ass (w.Yks.).
PORTUNI, sb. The name of a demon
(.'Nhb.).
POSIL, sb. In phr. to rack toposils, meaning
unknown (Frf.).
POSSEE, adj. Possible (Wil.).
POSSILE, sb. Meaning unknown (Frf.).
POSTISSER, sb. Pots (Brks.).
POU, sA. A pan [? misprint for'pon'] (Lan.).
POUKENPIN.i-i. Meaningunknown(Rnf.).
POUSTER. V. Touse quack remedies (Dev.).
POUT-HEARED, ppl. adj. Having staring
hair (Dor.).
POW, sb.^ In phr. to steal a pow, meaning
unknown (Edb.).
POW, sb.'^ The stickleback, Gasterosteus
trachiiriis (Som.).
POWELL, sb. In phr. to it'in in fair powell,
meaning unknown (Lan.).
POWLENS, sb. pi. In phr. to put powlens
under the needle, meaning unknown (Dur.).
PRASE, sb. A small common (Cor.).
PRING, sb. In phr. by pring, meaning un-
known (Nhb.).
PROANDER, adv. Peradventure (Cor.).
PROINER, sb. A pruner (Som.).
PROSEYLA',i6. Meaning unknown (n.Sc).
PUDDUD, V. To pad about (Oxf.).
PUFFINET, sb. The black guillemot, Uria
grylle (Fame I.).
PUG, V. To eat (Wil.).
PULLA, sb. A pool or lake of standing
water (Nrf.).
PULLAS, sb. A pulley (Lan.).
PUNDLE, sb. A short, fat woman ; an ill-
dressed woman (? I.W.).
PUNGARLICKING, ppl. adj. Anxious,
troubled (Rdn.).
PUPETS, sb. pi. Meaning unknown (Ess.).
PUP-GALLANTER, sb. Meaning unknown
(Elg.).
PURL.HANDED,/>/>/.a(^'. Meaningunknown
(Lnk.).
PURSELLED, ppl. adj. Meaning unknown
(Edb.).
PUTSOM. Meaning unknown (Dev.).
PYAGH, sb. A large dog-fish (Uls.).
QUAT, V. To flatter (Dev.).
QUILLE, sb. In phr. a maiden oak which
stood in the quille, meaning unknown (Som.).
QUILT, V. In phr. to qutlt upstairs for em-
ployment, meaning unknown (w.Yks.).
QUINDAM, sb. A fifteenth (Lan.).
QUINEL, sb. The wedge or nail fastening
the blade to the handle of a scythe (Hrf.).
QUISK, V. To complain [? misprint for
'quirk'] (Hmp., Wil.).
QUISTICAL,flrf/'. Meaning unknown (Ayr.).
M
MA, see Mae, adj., Mar, v}, Maw, sb}. Mow, v}, My.
MAA, sb} Sc. Also Nrf. Also written ma Sh.I. ; and
in forms mar Kcb. ; maw Sc. ; mow Nrf. [ma.] 1. The
common gull or sea-mew, Larus canus.
Sh.I. A'll vvaager 'at A'm fune mair maa's eggs is ony ane o' me
age in Shetlan', Sh. News (May ao, 1899) ; Feth du'l see Di'l hae
de fleein' lek' a ma', ib. (Mar. la, 1898) ; S. & Ork.' Cai.' Applied
to several species of gull. Abd. It is here to be noted that no
maws were seen in the lochs of New or Old Aberdeen since the
beginning of thir troubles and coming of soldiers to Aberdeen,
Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) I. 332. Per. To ' ding the Dutch,' and
secure their own fish for their own maws, was now [1720] the
great aim and end of Scottish maritime enterprise, Haliburton
Fuiih in Field (1894) 97. Rnf. Yon lonely maw, that, ever and
anon. Dives into the parting bosom of the bonnie Forth, Fraser
Poet. C/imifS ( 1853) 21. Kcb. Swaikson Birds (1885) 207. Nrf.
Cozens-Hardy Broad 1X1/. (1893) 49.
2. Comp. Maa-craig, a crag frequented by gulls.
Sh.I. The gull that kept us company has gone to roost in the
distant maa-craig, Spence Flk-Lore (1899) 133.
3. The herring-gull. Lams argentaius. Cai.'
[1. ON. mar, a sea-mew, gull {'larus'), Mia- (in contps.)
(Vigfusson) ; cp. OE. maiv.\
MAA, sb.'^ Lth. (Jam.) Also in form maw. [Not known
to our correspondents.] An atom, jot, whit.
Ne'er a maa. Fiend a maw. Deil a maa.
[Norw. dial, ma, a chip of sawdust (Aasen).]
MAA, MAAD, MAADER, MAADHUR, see Mow, v.'',
Mae, sb.. Maw, sb.^, Maud, s6., Mather, int., Mawther.
MA-AGED, ppl. adj. Cor. Mad, crazj', 'mazed.'
Our ould cat wud tear up, coover its ars like a ma-aged thing,
Hunt Pop. Rom. w.Eitg. (ed. 1896) 255 ; Cor.^ A mere variation
of the pronunciation of ma-azed, mazed (q.v.).
MAAGER, adj. S. & Ork.' [magan] Lean, thin,
scraggy.
[Norw. dial, wager, lean (Aasen) ; ON. magr (Vig-
fusson) ; cp. OE. mo'ger (Sweet).]
MAAGUM, MAAIN, see May-game, Mowing.
MAAK, sb. Cai.* [mak.] The milt of a fish.
[Norw. dial, mjflke and mjokkje,the milt of a fish (Aasen) ;
Dan. mcclke.]
MAAK, see Mawk, 56.' '
MAAKER, sb. Dor. A pole with a cloth fastened to
it with which an oven is cleaned. Cf mawkin, sb. 4.
(W.C. c. 1750) ; (A.C.)
MA AKIN, MAAKISH, MAAL, MAALD, see Mawkin,
sb.. Mawkish, Meal, sb.'^, Mould, adj.
MAALIN, sb. Sh.I. [malin.] The merlin, Falco
aesalon. S. & Ork.'
MAALIN, MA ALWARP, MAAM, see Mailin, Marlin,
Mouldywarp, Malm.
MAAMBLE, v. Suf* [mam(b)l.] Of soil : to stick
to the spade or dibbling instrument. See Malm.
When the soil sticks to the dabs in the operation of dibbling,
and falls off in lumps, it is said to' maamble.' In digging stone land
also, when it sticks to the spade.
MAAMIE,t;.andn(/y. Sh.I. [ma'mi.] 1. v. To soften
or crush the earth by delving or ploughing. S. & Ork.'
2. adj. Soft, fine. ib. See Malm.
MAAMIE, see Mammy, sb.^
MAAMOUTH, 56. I.W.^ A silly, talkative person.
VOL. IV.
Hence Maamouthed, ppt. adj. talking foolishly, stupid.
Cf mawmooin.
Ded ye ever zee sich a gurt zote, maamouthed thing as she is ?
MAAN, MAANDER, see Mow, w.^ Maunder.
MAANDRED, sb. Sh.I. Also written maandrhid.
Manhood; strength; manliness.
For maandrhid der foon his equal, edder at sea or shore, Sh.
News (May 21, 1898'i ; S. & Ork.i
MAANDREDAN, MAAP, see Maunder, Mope.
MAAR,s6. Sh.I. Also written mar-, [mar.] 1. The
ocean ; the sea-bottom.
Spence Flk-Lore (1899) 120; ' To lay de mar,' to lay the long-
lines on the sea-bottom, Jakobsen Norsk in Sh. (1897) 93 ; Maar,
one of the old haaf-terms for the ocean, now only occurs in comps.,
ib. Dial. (1897) 24.
2. Comp. Mar-bank, an abrupt slope of the sea-bottom.
Jakobsen Dial. (1897) 24.
[1. ON. man; the sea. 2. ON. mar-bakki, the border
between shoal and deep water along the coast(ViGFUssoN).]
MA AS, MA AT, MAAWL, see Maws, Mout, v.. Mole, sb.
MAAYC0CK,s6. I.W.* A conceited fellow; a coxcomb.
[A meacock wretch can make the curtest shrew, Shaks.
T. Shrew, 11. i. 315.]
MAB, si.' and v. Obs. n.Cy. 1. sb. A slattern.
Bailey (1721) ; Grose (1790): N.Cy." 2. v. To dress in
a careless, slovenly manner, ib. See Mob(b.
[Prob. the same word as ' Mab,' the queen of the fairies ;
cf Mab led.]
MAB, sb.' Yks. [mab.] A marble, taw. w.Yks.
Sheffield Indep. (1874) ; w.Yks.^
MABBIE, sb. Sc. A woman's cap. See Mob, sb?
And we maun hae pearlins and mabbies and cocks, Chambers
Siigs. (1829! I. 223.
MABBIER, see Mabyer.
MABBLE, v.^ Nhb. Yks. Also in form mable Nhb.'
[ma'bl.] To dress stone roughly with a hammer or stone
axe instead of smoothing it with a chisel. n.Yks.'^'*
Hence Mablin, sb. a mason's small hammer, having a
hammer face at one end and a chisel point at the other.
Nhb.'
MABBLE, v.^ Ken. [mae'bl.] To confuse, mix, throw
into disorder.
An books and such like mabbled up. Masters Did and Sal (c.
1821) St. 70 ; Ken.'
MAB LED, phi . Obs. War. Also in form mobbled.
Led astray by a Will-o'-the-Wisp.
Johnson & Sieevens Shakespeare (1803) X. 265, in Brand Po^.
Antiq. (ed. 1813) II. 678 ; Mobbled Pleck, Allies Anliq. Flk-Lore
(1852^ 438.
[In Shaks. 'Mab' appears as the queen of the fairies.
O then, I see Queen Rlab hath been with you, R. S^ J.
I. iv. 53.]
MABYER, sb. Cor. Also written mabbier, mabyear.
[mae'bjafr).] A young hen ; a pullet, chicken.
I'll sell en them two mabyers, Thomas Rhymes (1895) 23;
Grose (1790) ; Polwhele in Williams [s.v. lar) ; Cor.' As stiff
as a mabyer ; Cor.^^, w.Cor. (G.F.R.'i
[OCor. mab-hiar, i.e. the son of a hen.]
MAC, sb. w.Yks. A shortened form of • sumac,' used
by dyers. (S.K.C.)
lo
MAC
[2]
MACK(S
MAC, see Make, sA.' . , - ,
MACABAW, sb. Sc. Also written macabaa. A kind
of SnutT. „ J- / O ^ TT
Lnk. Licht broon an" macabaw, Murdoch Readings (1895) 11. 9.
Gall. Ye maun bring me a treat o' this same Macabaa, Mactaggart
Enrycl. (1824) 323, ed. 1876.
[Fr. macouba, 'tabac qui croit dans le canton de la
Martinique qui porte ce nom ' (Littr6).]
MA C ALIVE CATTLE, /i//r. '> Obs. Sc. Cattle appro-
priated to a child who is sent out to be fostered.
w.Sc. These beasts are considered as a portion and called Maca-
live cattle, of which the father has the produce but is supposed
rot to have the full property but to owe the same number to the
child, as a portion to the daughter or a stock for the son, Johnson
Jm. Hebrides, VIII. 374 (Jam.).
MACARONI, sb. Obs. or obsol. Sc. Nhb. Yks. Nhp.
e.An. Also written inacaroony e.An.* ; maccaroni Sc. ;
mackerony w.Yks.^ ; and in form macaroon e.An.'
1. A fop, ' dandy ' ; an overdressed person. Also used
attrih.
Frf. Than does an oyster wench or cronnie To personate a Maca-
roni, MoRisON Poems (1790) 8. Slg. AfT wi' maccaroni shape Turn
shoe or boot, MuiR Po*»is(i8i8) 5. Edb. Daft gowk, in macaroni
dress, Fergusson Fows (1773) 138, ed. 1785; His coat an' hat
were o' the maccaroni clip, Ballantine Gaberhimie (ed. 1875) 336.
Rxb. Each master, miss, and parent sage, Is now a macaroni, W.
Wilson Poems (1824) 22. w.Yks.^ Way, tha does look a macker-
ony now ! Nhp.', e.An.' 2
Hence Macaronian, adj. foppish.
Slg. Give ear ilk Macaronian beau 'Tween George's Square an
eke Soho, Galloway Poems (1792) 16.
2. Conip. Macaroni-gin, obs., a kind of colliery gin.
Nhb.t There is a sort of gins called 'whim-gins,' and a kind
known by the name of 'macaroni-gins,' Brand Hist. Newc. (1789)
II. 684.
MACDONALD'S DISEASE, p/ir. ? Obs. Sc. An
aflection of the lungs.
Per. It is called the Macdonald's disease because there are par-
ticular tribes of Macdonalds who are believed to cure it with the
charms of their touch and the use of a certain set of words. There
must be no fee given of any kind, Statist. Ace. V. 84 (Jam.).
MACE, s6. w.Yks.* [mes.] The top of the jaw of a vice.
MACE, see Make, sb.^, Mass, sb.^
MACER.sA. Obs. Sc. Amace-bearer, anofificer who
preserves order in a court of law.
Sc. No macer's lungs did bawl the rolls of hell, Pennecuik Col/.
(17871 21. Abd. The heraulds, pursuivants, macers, and trum-
peters, followed his majesty in silence, Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792)
I. 24. Slg. When removed, the macer came to him, and charged
him to enter ward in the house of Airth, Brl'ce S^toioms (1631)
91, ed. 1843. Edb. Built anno 1663, by the old Macer to the
Session, Robert Hamilton, Pennecuik IVis. (1715') 172, ed. 1815.
[Meiresand maceresthat menes ben bitwene The kynge
and the comune to kepethe lawes, P. Ploivman (b.) hi. 76.]
MACH, see Maught, sb., Mawk, si.'
MACHINE, sb. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Yks. Dev. Also in
form machie \Vgt. [msJI-n.] 1. In co;«/. Machine-house,
the shed containing the horse-gear for driving machinery.
nw.Dev.' 2. The engine for drawing coals. Nhb., Dur.
Greenwell Coat Tr. Gl. (1849). 3. A piece of flat wood
used in making a kind of oatcake. w.Yks.^ Hence
Machine-bread, sb. a kind of oatcake made with the
' machine.'
Tlie meal, being first leavened, is poured on a bakestone, and
then scraped by a piece of flat wood called the machine. It makes
the cake quite flat, ib.
4. A conveyance, vehicle, a carriage, cart.
Sc. I hadn't the face to bring such a ramshackle, rotten old
machine up to the front door, Keith Pnie (1895 230 ; Have the
machine brought to the door (H.W.). Abd. His machine, as
Sandy termed the gig, became familiarly known, Alexander Ain
Flk. Ci88a) 107. Frf. Mr. Dishart, give Nanny your arm, and I'll
carry her box to the machine, Barrie Minister (1891) xiii. Ayr.
A close machine, hurrying up from Ayr, vomits oot the Bishop,
Service Dr. Diiguid ^cd. 1887; 182. Lnk. Gordon Pyotshaw
(1885, 158. Lth. LuMSDEN SA«/>-/ifarf (1892) 224. Gall. (A.W.)
Wgt. A carter, who sometimes left his machie over night at the
scene of his day's labour, Fraser Wigtown (1877) 321. N.I.'
MACHLE, V. Per. (Jam.) [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] To busy oneself to no purpose, to be earnestly
engaged yet to do nothing right.
Ye'll machie yoursell in the mids of your wark.
MACHREE, p/ir. Irel. I. Ma. A term of endearment :
my heart !
Ir. Och, Molly, we thought, machree, ye would start back agin
into life, Tennyson 7o-»io»-raa/(i885). n.Ir. Och, Barney, machree!
it's meself that was fooled. Lays and Leg. (1884) 20. Ant, A
profusion of machrees," Hume Dial. (1878) 23. w.Ir. But, jew'l
machree, they soon run back into his room, Lover Leg. (1848) I.
102. Wxf. But girls, machree, he'll be living for ever, Kennedy
Banks Boro (1867I 48. I Ma, Machree ! Machree! The darling's
dancing like a drumstick! Caihe Manxman {i8g.i\ pt. i.v ; Machreel
machree! it shudn be ! Brown IF</r/i (1889) 126.
[Ir. mo croidhe .' my heart ! (O'Reilly).]
MACHT, see Maught, sb.
MACIATE, V. Cor. To emaciate ; to smash, crush.
(M.A.C.) ; A g'eat stoane faalled down 'pon my hand 'esterday,
and 'maciated my fust finger, Tregellas Tales, 'Lizbeth Jane, 3.
MACK, sb. Glo.' [mak.] In phr. at mack, ' maris
appetens.'
MACK, see Mag, sb}. Make, v}, sb.^^, Mawk, s6.'
MACKAINGIE, s6. Bnft'.' lnphr./airmackaingie,{air
play, lull scope.
Gee me fair mackaingie o't, an' a'U dee't ringin'. To hae fair
mackaingie.
MACKER, 5i. Nhb.' Also in forms macket, mawkie.
A black coah' band or inferior coarse coal.
MACKEREL, sb. Sc. Irel. Cum. Yks. Sus. Guer. Also
written mackeral Lnk. ; macrel Sc. (Jam.) [makril,
mak-rl.] 1. In coiiip. (i) Mackerel-bird, the wr^'neck,
Jyitx torquilla ; (2) -cock, the Manx shearwater, Pufftmts
angtoriim ; (3) -guide, the gorebill or gar-fish. Be/one vul-
garis; (4) -hawk, Richardson's skua, Slercorariits crepi-
datus; (5) -scout, see (3); (6) -sture or -stor, the tunny,
Thymius vulgaris.
(i) Guer. SwAiNSON Birds (1885^ 103 ; The mackerel bird was
heard at St. Martin's on Sunday last, Clerk's Guer. News (Apr. 12,
1889). (2) N.I.' e.Ir. SwAiNSON iA. 212. (3) Cum.* vs. v. Herring).
Sus. [It] is supposed to act as pilot to the mackerel. Sawyer Sus.
Nat. Hist. {1883) 13. [Satchell (1879).] (4) Cum.* (5) N.I.'
At Strangford Lough, and Spearhng at Portrush (s.v. Horn-eel).
(6) Sc. From its enormous size, it being the largest of the genus,
Pennant Tour (1772) 8 Jam.). [Satchell (18791.] _
2. Phr. as clean as a mackerel, completely, entirely.
Lnk. 'Dune as clean as a mackerel!' he roared, Gordon
Pyotshaw (1885) 103. w.Yks. A nokt im ouar sz tlian az a makril
(J.W.).
MACKET, MACKLE, see Macker, Maggot, s6.=, Makle.
MACKLED, />/>/. flfi^: Nhp.' [ma'kld.J Spotted.
Applied to marble-paper, which was ' nicelj' mackled.'
[Fr. mactder, to spot, blot (Cotgr.).]
MACKRO, sb. Ken. [maekro.] A mackerel, a cry
used by street-hawkers of mackerel.
Fine maekro, six-a-shilhn' maekro (D.W.L.).
[Fr. maquereau, a makerel (Cotgr.).]
MACK(S, sb. pi. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der. Nhp. Also
written mak- Nhp.*; makk-n.Yks.Lan.s.Chs,'; moek-Lan.
[mak{s.] In phr. by tlie iuack(s, an oath, an exclamation, a
disguised form of ' by the mass!' Cf. meaks, megs. See
Mass, si.' 3.
Lan. By th' mack, hoo says, but there'd need no Maine Liquor
Law, Staton B. Shuttle Visit Manch. 34. n.Der. Addy Gl. (1890),
Hence (i) Mackin(s or Makkin(g)s, (2) Macklins, (3)
Makkers, sb. {pi. used in oaths and exclamations.
(11 n.Yks. Neea, makkings ! Spec. Dial. (1839) 5. s.Chs.'
(s.v. By). Nhp.2 i^a) Lan, By the macklins, age, un so aw
will, Staton Loominary (c. 1861) 117; By th' macklins, Bobby,
but yon chap's not sitch a foo after aw, ib. Shuttle Bowtun,
35- (3) Lan. By the makkers, that ud just be it, Brierley
likdale (1868) 27; By the makkurs would he? ib. Day Out
(1859) 16.
[Is not my daughter Maudge as fine a mayd. And yet,
by Mack, you see she troules the bowle. Hist. Albino (1638)
130 (Nares) ; Mack, I think it be so, Joxson Every Man
(1598) III. iv. 18, ed. Wheatley, 58. (1) I would not have
MACKY-MOON
[3l
MADANCHOLY
my zonne Dick one of those boets for the best pig in my
stye, by the mackins ! Randolph Muses Lookiitg-g/asse
(1643) ('■*.).] . ^ r ,
MACKY-MOON, 5*. and v. Som. 1. sb. A fool, a
silly person ; a 'guy,' a queer-looking figure.
Agrikler R/iymes (,1872) Lilrod. 7; (W.F.R.); W. & J. Gl.
(1873^ w.Som.J Come, be quiet, cas-n, and neet make a macky-
moon o' thyzul.
2. The kingfisher, A/cecio ispida. w.Som.*
3. V. To play the fool.
Meiistur see I a macky-mooning along wi' tother chaps : he
soon stopped I at that (W.F.R.)-
MACMILLAN FOLK, />/;>-. Sc. The Reformed Presby-
terians. Also called Macmillanites.
Lnk.The'Macmillan fock,' known as the Reformed Presbyterians
of the present day, Hamilton Poems (1865) 184. Gall. Obsol. So
called from Macmillan, one of the founders of that body. The
Reformed Presbyterian Church was in 1875 mostly united with
the Free Church of Scotland (A.W.).
MACON, see Mawkin, sb.
MAD, adj} and sb} Var. dial, and colloq. uses in Sc.
Irel. and Eng. [mad, maed.] 1. adj. In comb, (i) Mad-
leed, a mad strain ; also used atlrib. ; (2) -lock, a lunatic,
a mad fellow ; a wild, giddy person, a madcap ; (3) — moll
o' the woods, an untidy woman or girl ; (4) -pash, (5)
-start, see (2) ; (6) -woman's milk, the sun-spurge,
Euphorbia Helioscopia.
(i) Abd. When days o' grief Come sleekin in, like midnight
thief And nails yir mad-leed vauntin, Tarras Poems (1804) 17
(Jam.). (2) Lan. This madlock here is gooin' t' liver yor letters,
Brierley Irkdale {1S65) 253, ed. 1868 ; Whoopin on sheawtin like
madlocks, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (1740) 17; Lan.' (3") e.Suf.
(F.H.) (4'1 N.Cy.i, Nhb.i, w.Yks.i, ne.Lan.i, Chs.'^^ (5) Chs.'
I once had a cow with so vile a temper that no one could milk her.
She always went by the name of ' Madstart." (6) s.Bck. (B. & H.)
2. Angry, annoyed, vexed. In gen. colloq. use.
Frf. She'll be mad when she gets it, Barrie Tommy (1896) 35.
Per. She was beaten for aince and wes rael mad, Ian Maclaren
Brier Bush (1895) 219. Ayr. Care, mad to see a man sae happy,
E'en drown'd himself amang the nappy, Burns Tarn o' Sliaiiter
(1790) 1. 53. Gall. Says I, as plain as if he hadna been a minister,
I was that mad, Crockett Bog-My>ile (1895) 379. N.I.', n.Cy.
(J.W.), Dur.', Lakel.2 Cum.^ What mak's j'an madder nor o'
t'rest, 8. Wm. He med meh sayah mad, Blezard Sh^5. (1848) 34;
Awes reet mad at em, thatawos,S/«c. £><«/. (1883) pt. iii.2. n.Yks."
Aa bud. Ah war mad wiv her. ne.Yks.' He was mad, noo. e.Yks.
Neddy hissen gat seeah mad ower it, Nicholson Flk-Sp. (1889)
34. m.Yks.i w.Yks. Are ta mad at mha? Leeds Merc. Siippl.
(Jan. 5, 1889) ; w.Yks.''^ Lan. Nay, don't get mad, and go ofi",
WestallSijcA £>£««( 1889; II. 160; Barbara was stiir mad,' Francis
Daiighler 0/ Soil [iSgs^ 6-]. ne.Lan.*, e.Lan.' I. Ma. What 1 said
to her,madeherasmadasmadtS.M.). Chs.' Der.^ Aye, but I was
mad at him. nw.Der.' s.Not. Don't be mad with me. Prior /?«<»«
(1895) 262. Not.' Lin.' Did yah do it to make me mad ? n.Lin.
Then Crookleshanks gets mad. Peacock Tales and Rhymes (1886)
93. sw.Lin.' Some women would have turned up, and been very
mad. Lei.', Nhp.' War.^ I was that mad I didn't know how to
contain myself ; War.*, s. War. ' Shr., Hrf. Bound Prowwr. (1876).
Glo.', Brks.' -w.Mid. 1 was that mad I could have boxed his ears
(W.P.M.). Ess. Made me feel that mad, I could a swore,
DowNES Ballads (1895) II. 10; Ess.', Ken.' Sur. Jennings Field
Paths (1884) 38. Sus. (F.A.A.) ; Sus.' Ah! he just will be mad
if he comes to hear an't. I.W.' She was mad wi'n. w.Som.l
I was mad 'nough to hat'n down.
Hence (i) mad angry, (2) as mad as a bear with a sore
lug, (3) — a hare, (4) — a hedge, (5) — a March hare, (6) —
a piper, (7) — apown hand, (8) — a tup, (9) — a wasp, (10)
— wheelbarrows, phr. very angry.
(i) N.I.' (2) e.Yks.' (3) Ayr. It pits me aye as mad 's a hare.
Burns Ep. to J. Ranktne (1784) st. 13. (4) w.Yks. (E.S.A.) (5)
Ant. Ballymena Obs. (1892). (6) Cum., Wm. (M.P.) n.Yks.
Mfistsrwazaz mad 3Z a paiper wen t'lad let hoses gabp awe W.H.).
w.Yks. As mad as a piper, Prov. in Brighouse News Aug. 10,
1889^ n.Lan. Look, we've med him as mad as a piper (G.W.).
(71 Lan. Dick, as mad as a pown haund, Takin th' New Year in
(1888)9. (8) nw.Der.' He wuras mad as a tup. (9) I.Ma. Walks
out of the room as mad as a wasp, Rydings Tales (1895) 39.
Chs.' (10) w.Cor. The sheep were as mad as wheelbarrows
(A.L.M.).
3. Excited by liquor.
Cum. I'll hev a drop o' new rum ; it'll mak me as mad as owt
(J-Ar)-
4. Dotingly fond of, eager, keen, desirous of; gen. with
for or after.
Cai.' To be mad for a thing. CId. He was mad for't (Jam.).
n.Yks.* He seems fair mad efter t'lass, 414. w.Yks. (J.W.), Der.^,
nw.Der.'
5. sb. Madness, intoxication. Glo.'
6. Spite ; gen. in phr./o>- mad.
w.Yks. He threw a stoan through t'winda for mad (S.K.C.).
7. pi Obs. A disease in sheep.
e. & s.Cy. Ray (1691). [Worlidge (1681).]
MAD, sZ).2 Obs. or obsol. Sc. Yks. Ess. Also written
madde e.Yks.; and in forms made Gall. ; maid n.Sc.(jAM.);
mid Ess. 1. A maggot. Cf. maddock, sb.^
n.Sc. (Jam.) Gall. The larvae, or seed of mawks, maggots, as
laid by the blue-douped mawking (lee . . . on . . . putrid llesh,
Mactaggart Encycl. (1824). e.Yks. For fear of maddes breeding,
Best Rur. Econ. (1641) 6.
2. An earthworm.
m.Yks.' Ess. Ray (1691) ; (K.) ; (P.R.^ ; Gl. (1851) ; Ess.'
[L Cp. ME. mathe, 'isxm\is' (Prompt. 321); OE. tnapa,
maggot (Sweet).]
MAD, 5i.3 Cld. (Jam.) Also in form maud. A net for
catching salmon or trout.
[It is] fixed in a square form by four stakes and allowed to stand
some time in the river before it be drawn.
MAD, (7^'.= Obs. Wil. Of land : spoilt, damaged.
If it be sowed with wheat it will be mad, and come to nothing,
Lisle Hiisbandty (1757) 100 ; The wet spewy clay ... is mad by
much rain, if heat and winds follow, ib. 117 ; Wil.'
MAD, see Maud, sb.
MADAM, sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. Also in
forms ma'am Som. ; marm Midi, [ma-dam, maedsm.]
1. A title of respect often prefixed to the names of gentle-
women instead of Mrs.' ; a squire's wife.
Nhb. Aw was gannin to th' Madam's at Apperley, Bewick Tyneside
Tales (1850) 12. w.Yks.2, ne.Lan.' Midi. Quid Marm Wroight,
Barteam People of Clopton (1897) 55. Nhp.' Obsol. War.s,
s.Wor.' Hrf.' A young unmarried lady is a ' young madam.'
e.An.' In a village, the esquire's wife . . . must have 'madam' pre-
fi.xed to her surname. The parson's wife, if he be a doctor, or a
man of considerable preferment and genteel figure, must be
' madam ' too. The wife of the humble vicar, the curate, the farmer,
and the tradesman, must be content with the style of mistress.'
Dor.' Madam A gi'ed me deas frock. Som. Applied to the most
respectable classes of society : Madam Greenwood, Jennings
Dial. w.Eng. (1869).
2. A mistress ; a fine lady.
Ayr. I redde ye warn your madam, that gin she sends you here
again I'll maybe let his grace ken, Galt Githaize (1823) ii. Lnk.
When she's married she turns a madam, her mistress did not work
much, and why should she? Graham Writings (1883) II. 149.
Edb. A fine madam that maun have nae less than a fedder bed to
rest on, Beatty Secretar (1897) 233.
3. A title given to the mistress of a parish school.
Som. ' Ma'am ood touch us on the ban' wi' her ferule.' An old
school-mistress of bygone days is well remembered by the title
of ' Ma'am Davis ' (W.F.R.).
4. A contemptuous term for a woman ; a ' hussy ' ; also
applied to children.
Per. The deil a penny debt has he— Nor scarlet madams
blinking, Nicoll Poems (ed. 1843) 177. Ayr. Putting on the look
of a losel and roister, gave him a groat, and bade him go to the
madam's dwelling, Galt Gilhaiee (1823) viii. Gall. A wildcat
madam at the best, I warrant, Crockett Anna Mark (1899) xviii.
s.Stf. Her's a reglar brazen madam. Pinnock Bit. Cy. Aim. (1895).
s.Not. Come hear, madam, or ah'll smack yer. She's a mardy
little madam (J.P.K.). Nhp.' I'll give it you, madam, if you don't
do as you're bid. War.^ She is a madam. w.Wor. I'm quite
ashamed of 'em, they're brazen madams, S. Beauchamp Grantley
Grange (1874) I. 68. s.Wor.' Dev. I'd make the madams squall,
Peter Pindar IVks. (1816) IV. 183.
MADANCHOLY, adj. Yks. Lan. Also written mad-
an-colly e.Lan.' [madsnkoli.] 1. A corruption of the
word ' melancholy.' e.Lan.' 2. Very vexed, sulky.
w.Yks. Shoo'd be as madancholy as owght if tha wor to tell
her shoo'd a wart ov her nooase, Leeds Merc. Suppl. (Feb. a, 1895).
MADDED
[4]
MADE
MADDED, ppl. adj. Obs. Sc. Mad, foolish.
Per. Sliall I so besotted be, And madded, as to sell my soul \
NicOL Poems (17661 240.
MADDEN, i;. Sc.Yks. [madan.] To anger, annoy, vex.
Frf. But what maddens rac is that every penny of it should go
to those bare-faced scoundrels, Barrie M. Ogiivy (1896) 78.
w.Yks.s Doan't madden him no moar, pretha doant ; he's mad
cniffi' awal conscience.
MADDER, sb} Hmp. Wil. Dor. Also in form mader
Dor.' [maedair), .'maE-53(r).] 1. The stinking chamomile,
AiitliemisColula. Also in />/. Hmp.', Wil.', Dor.' Cfnia-
ther,iA. 2. The sweet woodruft", ^i^/mr/rt orfora/rt. Wil.'
MADDER, s6.2 w.Sc. (Jam.) [ma'dar.] A vessel used
in mills to hold meal.
Hence Madders-full, sb. as much as will fill a ' madder.'
She . . . was there at home crying out her eyes madders'full,
fit for neither mill nor moss, Sa.\oit and Gael (1814) I. 2.
MADDER, sb.^ and v. Yks. Also written maddher
e.Yks.i ; mader n.Yks. 1. sb. Pus, suppurating matter.
n.Yks. It's mebi betor far madar kumin ut ; it'l hisl sinner
(W.H.); n.yks.2 e.Yks.' il/S. nrfrf. (T.H.) w.Yks.'
Hence Maddery, (Jc/j- charged with matter. n.Yks.*
2. -J. To fester. n.Yks.* e.Yks.' .d/S. nrt'rt'. (T.H.)
MADDERDOM, s6. Sh.I. Inphr./iorroro' maMerdom,
a wild, madcap person.
Come doon oot o' da ledder an' leave aff dat ringin' a bells on a
Sunday night, dQ horror o' madderdom, Sli. News (Jan. 22, 1898).
MADDERIM, sb. Sc. Also written madderam S. &
Ork.' ; maderim Sh.I. ; and in forms maddendrim Cai.' ;
madram, madrim Sh.I. [ma"d{3}riin.] i\Iadness, folly;
mad pranks, boisterous fun.
Sh.I. Der madram alhvis maks me wae, Junda Klingrahool
(1898^ 31 ; Da muck kishie 'ill tak' a' dis maderim oot o' dee, S/;.
Neus (War. 24, 1900'i ; I wis . . . carin' fur naethin' bit madrim
an' foally, Burgess Sketches (2nd ed.) 88 ; S. & Ork.', Cai.'
MADDIE, s6.' Abd. A lunatic. (A.W.)
MADDIE, sA.* ? Obs. Sc. A large species of mussel.
w.Sc. The three rocks . . . are call'd maddies from the great
quantity of big muscles called maddies, that grows upon them,
Martin IV. Islands (1716) 54 (Jam.'.
MADDLE, V. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan. Also
written maddal w.Yks. ; maddel Lan. ; madia n.Yks. Lan.
[ma-dl.] 1. To wander in speech, to ramble, talk inco-
herently ; to rave, be delirious.
N.Cy.', Nhb.', Cum., Wm. (M.P.) Cnm.a This he maddelt aboot
ebben endways away, 164 ; Cum.", n.Yks.' w.Yks. He mawne'd
an' maddle'd all aboot His daddy cumin heame, Blackah Poems
(1867) 16; (J.W.); WiLLAN List ffWi. (181 1); w.Yks.' Then shoe
maddies an taurns ower in a sweb, ii. 291. Lan. I mun be madlin,
Eavesdropi-er ym. Life (1869) 22 ; Thornber Hist. Blackpool
(1837) 108. neXan.'
2. To become confused or bewildered ; to forget.
Dur.', 8.Dur. U-E.D.), Lakel.* -Wm. Awes faer maddlet an
sed ta maseir, this is parlish vvaark. Spec. Dial. (1885) pt. iii. 3.
n.Yks.'* e.Yks.i Ah's fair maddled amang it all. w.Yks. Ah felt
reight dizzy an maddald, Tom Treddlehovle Bairnsla Ami. (1847)
43. Lan. Aw felt rayther maddelt, Ferguson Preston Eggsibislmn
(1865) '; Tummy geet maddle't clen up i' th' fur end, Waugh
Heather (cd. Milner) I. 229.
Hence Madly, adj. in a dazed, muddled condition.
n.Yks. Aye ! He's vara old an' madly (R.H.H.).
3. To lose one's way; to stagger; to move aimlessly
about, to potter ; gen. with aloitg.
n.Yks.' 1 n.Yks." Ah didn't ken wheear .^h war, bud Ah maddled
along, fust yah waay an' then t'ither. w.Yks. 'Well, 'ow's your
uncle? I suppose 'e maddies along as usual ? (F.P.T.); w.Yks.'
As soon as 1 gat to t'moor I began to maddle. ne.Lan.'
4. With o/or after: to be fond of, to dote, to be madly in
love with.
n Cy. She maddies after that fellow, Grose (1790) ; N.Cy.* She
maddies of this fellow. n.Yks.' ; n.Yks.= He runs maddling after
her the day tiv an end ; n.Yks.* Thoo'U gan maddlin' efter t'lass
whahl thoo'll loss thi job.
5. To confuse, bewilder, esp. with noise ; to perolex
muddle. '^ '
Cum.i, s.'Wm. (J.A.B.) n.Yks. 'Twad maddle a priest (R.H.H.);
n.Yks.' Ah was fairly maddled wi't, sik a din an' clatter as
'twar; n.Yks.2»* ne.Yks.' T'noiseo' t'organ maddies ma. e.Yks.'
m.Yks.' My head aches, and feels fair maddled. w.Yks. (C.W.D.^ ;
w.Yks.' Thou parfitly maddies me wi aw thy . . . larnin, ii. 308;
w.Yks. 234 ; w.Yks. 5 Mother ! ah can't du this sum if t'barn goas
on i' that waay, cos he maddies muh. Lan. Feerfo things, . .
welli maddlunt me fur o' bit, Paul Bobbin Sequel (1819I 11 ;
Lan.' Make a less din, childer, win yo; for my yed's fair maddle't
wi one thing an' another, Waugh Home Life (1867) xix. n.Lan.',
ne.Lan.', e.Lan.', m.Lan.'
6. Coinp. Maddle-brain, strong drink-
w.Yks. He'd gotten so mich maddle-brain wal he didn't knaw
t'road home, Deicsbre Olrn. (Dec. 2, 1865) 16.
[Delirare, dissipere, to maddle, Levins Maitip. (1570).]
MADDLINiG, sb. and adj. Lakel. Cum. Yks. Lan. Alse
written maddlen Lakel.* ; madlin Cum. w.Yks.^ Lan.'
ne.Lan.' e.Lan.'; madling w.Yks.^ [ma'dlin.] 1. sb. A
fool, simpleton, blockhead; a dotard; a flighty, extravagant
person. See Maddle.
Lakel. 2 Thoo's a gurt maddlen ta gang an' sell t'cowey. n.Yks.
He's a reel maddlin, IVhy fohn {Coll. L.L.B.). w.Yks. Gooid-for-
naught madling! Bronte Wutheiing His. (1847) xiii ; Thah
maddlin', what's ta been dewin' nah? (S.K.C.) ; w.Yks.'^s Lan.
Thaa meytherin' owd maddlin thaa, Ackworth Clog Shop Chron.
(1896) 66; Do baud thi tung, thoo madlin', I pritho, Waugh ya;i-
nock (1874) ii ; Lan.', e.Lein.'
2. A bad memory.
Cum. Linton Lake Cy. (1864} 307 ; Gl. (1851). ne.Lan.'
3. A weaving term : see below.
w.Yks. A way used by weavers to mix or confuse the place in a
piece of cloth, where a slightly different weft began to be used.
This was done by using first alternate threads of the new and old
kinds, and so gradually introducing the new till it was solely used
(W.T.).
4. adj. Foolish, silly, flighty ; confused.
n.Yks.* A maddling deed. w.Yks. A madlin fool, Nidderdale
Olm. (1876) ; w.Yks.8 ; w.Yks.^ To be ' maddling,' is to have our
ideas of things confused. Lan. A lot o' madlin' chatter-baskets,
Wavgh Heather (ed. Milner'i II. 152.
5. Perplexing. w.Yks.'(J.W.), w.Yks.^
MADDOCK, s*.' Obs. n.Cy.Yks. 1. A maggot. Cf.
mad, sb.', mawk, sb.' 1.
n.Cy. (K., s.v. Mauks). n.Yks. Meriton Praise Ale (1684) Gl.
m.Yks.'
2. A whim. n.Cy. Grose (1790).
[1. Dan. maddik, maggot (Larsen) ; ON. nta^kr (Vig-
fusson).]
MADDOCK, 56.* Nhb. Dev. Also in form maddick
nw.Dev.' [ma'dsk, mas'dik.] 1. A mattock.
nw.Dev.i There are three different kinds in general use, viz. : i.
'Rooting maddick' for digging furze, earth, &c. ; 2. 'Hacking
maddick ' for cleaning the surface of the earth of weeds, (li:c. ; 3.
* Digger' or ' Digging maddick,' formed with two prongs, and used
for digging potatoes, &c.
2. Coiiip. Maddock-hoe, a tool, an axe at one end and a
hoe at the other, used in clearings for stubbing up furze-
roots, (S:c. Nhb.'
MADDRICK GULL,/)/in Cor. The black-headed gull.
Lams riidibimdiis.
RoDD Birds (1880 315 ; Swainson Birds (1885) 209.
MADE, ppl. adf Sc. Nhb. Yks. Chs. Lin. Lei. War.
Som. In comb, (i) Made earth, (2) — ground, ground that
has been disturbed by digging as distinct from virgin soil ;
land where the surface soil has been raised, or hollows
filled up with rubbish, or any material differing from the
surroundings; {3) — hedge, a hedge made of dead material,
such as thorns, &c. ; (4) — lie, a deliberate falsehood ; (5)
— up, (a) in phr. viade-iip land, &c., see (2) ; (b) in phr. a'
made npfrae the pan and the spoon, a man of more flesh and
appetite than brains ; (6) — wine, home-made wine.
i,i) w.Yks.2 Lei.' When a pit is filled up with earth, or a bank
or mound artificially raised, the earth used for the purpose is so
called. War.3 (2) w.Yks.^, Lei.', War.3 w.Som.' Well ! any-
body wid'n reckon to vind made-ground here, down to this here
deepness. (3) n.Lin.' (4) Slk. A downright made lee, HoGG
Tales (1838) 296, ed. 1866. (5, o) Nhb. Homes built on ' made up'
land. ' Made up' sites are composed of street sweepings, &c.,
Nnvc. IVkly. Chron. (May 4, 1895) 5, col. 6. (i) Slk. He's a
comical chap ; he's no a' made up frae the pan and spoon, Hogg
Tales V1838) 282, ed. 1866 ; (A.W.) (6) Chs.', w.Som.»
MADE
[5]
MAFFIE
MADE, see Mad, sb.'
MADELL, sb. Wil.^ Also in form medal. The game
of 'merills' or 'nine men's morris'; see below. See
Merrills.
Several varieties known respectively as ' Eleven-penny,' ' Nine-
pennj',' ' Six-penny,' and ' Three-penny,' according, to the number
of pieces used. * Eleven-penny * is played with eleven pieces each
side, instead of nine. The players move alternately, and the
general principle is to get three pieces together in a line anywhere
on the dots or holes, while at the same time preventing your
adversary from making a line. ' Nine-penny,' ' Six-penny,' and
'Three-penny ' differ only in the number of men each side and the
form of the board. The ' board ' is scratched or chalked out on
paving-stones, drawn on the slate, cut deep into the turf on the
downs, or the top of the corn-bin (with holes instead of dots), in
short, made anywhere and anyhow. The ' men ' or ' pieces ' may
be anything available, sticks being played against stones, beans
against oats, &c.
MADEMENT, sb. Cmb. [medment.] Hay harvest.
See Math, sA.' 'About madement' [hay-making time] (W.M.B.).
MADER, MADERIM, see Madder, sb}^, Madderitn.
MADGE, sb} Yks. Also in form madgy n.Yks.'^
[mad?.] The clown or buffoon of the ' Plough-stots ' (q.v.);
a footf Also in conip. Madgy Peg.
n.Yks. During the dance two or three Toms or Clowns make
antic gestures, while another set called Madgies or Madgj'pegs,
dressed like women, collect money, Lucas Stud. Niddcrdale [c.
1882)48; n.Yks.is", m.Yks.i
MADGE, sb.' Sc. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der. Nhp. Wor. Suf
[madg.] 1. In cotiib. (i) Madge-bone, the fetlock bone of
a horse; (2) -mony-legs, the dog's-wheat, Triticuin
caitinnDi ; (3) -owl, the barn-owl, Stri.x flammea ; see
Madge-howlet ; (4) Madges Station, a certain landmark
on the moors, west of Dore.
(i) ne.Lan.i (2) Yks. From its numerous creeping roots, which
quickly fill the soil (B. & H.). (3) w.Wor. Bemii'sjrn. (Mar. 3,
1888). [Morris Hist. Brit. Birds (1857).] .(4) w.Yks.=
2. The barn-owl, Strix flammea. Nhp.'
3. The magpie, Pica riistica.
w.Yks.i, ne.Laji.', Chs.3 (s.v. Jack Nicker), Der.' Ofo., Nhp.',
Wor. (H.K.), Suf.' [Morris Hist. Brit. Birds 1,1857^]
4. A playful or contemptuous term for a woman.
Sc. That glaikit madge Leddy Sibby, Sa.xon and Gof/(i8i4) III.
ic6 (Jam.). Lnk. (Jam.)
5. The little fore-pin set up in the game of ninepins, the
'Jack.' ne.Lan.', e.Lan.'
[2. Thou lasie madge That fearing light, still seekest
where to hide, Du Bar/as (1598) (Nares).]
MADGE-HOWLET, sb. Wor. Nrf. The barn-owl,
Strix Jlammca. Cf. margiowlet.
w.Wor. Berrow's Jrn. (Mar. 3, 1888). Nrf. Swainson Birdi
(1885) 125.
[As sweet melodious as madge-howlet's song, Taylor
fyor/^?s(i63o)(NAREs); He sit in a barn with madge-howlet,
and catch mice first, Jonson Every Man {1598) 11. ii, ed.
Cunningham, I. 18.]
MADGETIN, sb. e.An. [mse'dgatin.] The Margaret
apple. e.An.', e.Suf. (F.H.)
[Cp. Fr. tnargoton, the name of a kind of apple in
Normandy ; see Joret Flore populaire (1887) 258.]
MADGIN, see Mudgin.
MADGIOWLER, s6. Cor.' A large moth. Cf. maggy-
owler, margiowlet.
MADLE, MADLIN(G, see Maddle, Maddlin.
MADLOCKS, 56. //. Rnf (Jam.) [Not known to our
correspondents.] Oatmeal brose made with milk instead
of water.
MADRAM, MADRIM, see Madderim.
MAE, sb. and v. Sc. Irel. Also written maa, male
Sc. ; may Sc. Ir. ; mey Sc. [me.] 1. sb. The cry or
bleat of sheep, esp. that of lamlDS.
Cai.' Frf. The innocent lammies hae ceased . . . tae gi'e vent
to their plaintive mae, mae, LowsoN Guid/olhw (1890) 56. Edb.
Lambs bear treble with their kindly mae,PENNEcuiK//«//'co« (1720)
24. Slk. As to the storm, my sheep are just at ane mae wi't,
Hogg Tales (1838) 293, ed. 1866.
2. A child's name for a sheep ; a sheep call.
Sc. My sheep male, male, Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1870) 31.
Abd. (G.W.) Fif. Oo' gleaned fae the fiel'. What thorn had torn
fae tousy mey, Allan Cracks wi' Flutorum (1899) 36. Per. (G.W.)
3. V. To cry or bleat softly, as a Iamb does.
Sc. Used to denote the bleating of lambs, while ' bae ' is gen.
confined to that of sheep ( J am.\ Ayr. By ran a black tip maying.
Which did her fright, Fisher Poems (1790) 149. Lnk. Ewes shall
bleat, and little lambkins mae, Ramsay Poems (1800) II. 14 (Jam.);
The boys would maa and bleat, Stewart Twa Elders (1886)
147. GaU. Ewies for their younglin's maed, Nicholson Poet.
IVks. (1814) 42, ed. 1897. n.Ir. Whuniver yin o' the fellas met
me he wud begin mayin' like a goat, Lyttle Paddy McQuillan, 16.
MAE, adj. Sc. Nhb. Yks. Stf. Also written ma Sc.
e.Yks.'; may Nhb.'; and in forms meea e.Yks. ; moo Stf.'
[me.] More, more in number. Also used subst.
Sc. A fair maiden tocherless will get mae wooers than husbands,
Ramsay Prov. (1737). Bnff. Taylor Poems {I'j&i) 67. Kcd.
Several mae that I did ken, Jamie Muse ( 1844) 71. Frf. Mony mae
had nane ava, Piper of Peebles (1794) 5. Per. (G.W.) Dmb.
Salmon Gowodean (1868) 83. Rnf. Gie'snae maesic withershins,
PiCKEN Poems (1813) 1, 151. Ayr. Sal-alkali o' Midge-tail clippings,
And mony mae, Burns Dr. Hornbook (1785) st. 22. Lnk. Mony
gentry mae than he, Ramsay Gentle Shep. (1725) in, ed. 1783.
Edb. Wha mae than he can tell, M'Dowall Poems (1839) 222.
Bwk. Need I mention ony mae ! Henderson Pop. Rhymes (1856)
14. Feb. Affleck Poet. Wks. (1836) 9a. Slk. Mae to care for
than yoursel', Chr. North Aoctes (ed. 1856) III. 336. Dmf. And
twa-three mae the fight prolong, Mayne Siller Gun {180B) q^. GaU.
The mae she drowned the mair enjoyment, Nicholson Hist. Tales
(1843) 30. Kcb.To fetch mae stanes wi' 's apron furl'd, Davidson
Seasons (1789) 39. Nhb. Like her alake I I hae nae mae, Donald-
son Poems (1809), in Dixon Whiltingham Vale (1895) 252; Nhb.'
The mae pairt on them wis gan back agyen. e.Yks. Meea meyn,
and mare wark [more men, and more work], Marshall Rur,
Econ. (1788) ; e.Yks.', Stf.'
Hence a ma,phr, all the more.
Sc. ' I wot they cost me dear enough.' ' The shame a ma,' Scott
Minstrelsy (1802) II. 122, ed. 1848.
[Sex scor and seuen yeir lined sarra And deid wit-outen
childer ma, Cursor M. (c. 1300) 3210. OE. ma, more in
number.]
MAEG, sb. and v. Sc. Nhb. Also written maig Sc.
(Jam.) Sh.I. Cai. ; and in forms mag Sc. (Jam.) ; mage
Nhb. (Hall.); meag Nhb.'; meg, myeg Nhb.' [meg,
miag.] 1. sb. A hand, a large, clumsy hand, used in an
uncomplimentary sense.
Sc.Rede thame owto' the maigo' the wicket, RiddellPj.(i857)
Lxxxii. 4. Sh.I. If he gets his maigs ower da jaws o' da gaut, he'll
repent hit afore William slips his grip, Sh. News (Aug. 20, 1898) ;
(Coll. L.L.B.) Cai.' Keep yer maigs aff that. Bwk. Yoursherney
maegswa'd file the sea, Henderson Po/>. P/rywes (1856) 79. Rxb.
Haud aff yer maigs, man (Jam.), Nhb. ' A dorty meag. Keepyor
clarty megs off the butter.
Hence Maegsie, sb. one who has large, clumsy hands.
S. & Ork.'
2. pi. The flippers of a seal. Sh.I. (Co//. L.L.B.); S.&Ork.'
3. V. To handle, finger ; to handle anything roughly so
as to render it useless or disgusting.
Rxb. ' He's maigit that bit flesh sae, that I'll hae nane o't.' Often
applied to the handling of meal in baking. ' Lay down that kitlin,
lassie, ye'll maig it a' away to naething' (Jam.). Nhb.' Whae's
gan ta eat that eftor a' yer myegin ?
MAEN, see Moan.
MAESH, sb. Som. Moss. Sweetman Wincanton CI.
(1885).
MAESLIE,MAET,MAETHER,MAEZLE, see Measly,
Meat, Mather, //;/., Mazle.
MAFF, sb. Cum. [maf.] A foolish, silly person ; a
fool. See Mafflin.
Maffs better fed far than taught, Anderson Ballads (ed. 1808)
170; Poor silly Maff, Dickinson Lit. Rem. (1888) 139; Cum.'
MAFFIE, sb. Nrf. [mse'fi.] A farmer's cart ; see below.
See Morfreydite, 2.
' Maffie ' is derived from hermaphrodite, and signifies a cart on
to which, for the purpose of carting hay or corn, is affixed a con-
trivance like the fore-part of a wagon, so that in fact it is neither
cart nor wagon, Haggard Farmtr's Year, in Longman's Mag.
(June 1899) 153.
MAFFLAN FEAST
[6]
MAG
MAFFLAN FEAST, ;>//>-. Cum.* See below; also called
Fummellan Feast (q.v.), s.v. Fumble.
When a married couple are dilatory in producing issue, a few
sly neighbours assemble, unbidden, at the house of the barren pair
and invite themselves to tea and make merry, and to wish better
success (s.v. Fummellan".
MAFFLE, V. and sb. Sc. n.Cy. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks.
Lan. Chs. Lin. Lei. Nhp. War. Wor. e.An. Dor. Som.
Also in forms mofBe Yks. Lin. Lei.> Nhp.' War.* e.An.> ;
muffle Lin. Lei.' War." s.War.' Wor. e.An.' Dor. Som.
[ma-fl, mo-fl, ms fl.] 1. v. To stammer, hesitate; to
mumble, speak indistinctly.
N.Cy.' Cum. Ho wad a mafl'elt an toke 't on, ScoApyoe Sargis-
son (i88i^ 198; Cum." n.Yks.* Noo let's hear what thoo 'ez ti
saay foor thisel, an' deean't matHe on i' that road. e.Yks.' MS. add.
(T.H. Lan.', eXan.* Lin. Hollow ay. Lei.' A moffles soo, yo'
cain't mek aout a wood as a says, not joostly. Nhp.', War.*, e.An.'
e.Nrf. FoRBY Gl. (1830). Dor. (.C.V.G.) Som. She did zim to
muffly when one spok to her, but I didn' think she were so bad
(W.F.R.).
Hence Maffling or Moffling, ppl. adj. speaking thickly
and unintelligibly. Nhp.'
2. To blunder, make mistakes, muddle ; to act or talk
in a foolish way ; to idle away time, to strive uselessly.
n.Cy. Grose (1790). s.Dnr. (J.E.D.) Cum. (M.P.) ; Cum.'* ;
Cum." He just maffles aboot an' dus nowt geud. s.Wm. (J.A.B.)
n.Yks." If he mafBes on wi' t'job i' yon waay he'll ni\'\'er mannish
it. w.Yks. HuTTON ToHi'/o Caws (1781). n.Lan.', Nhp.'
Hence (i) Maffle-horn, sb. an incapable, blundering,
inefficient person ; (2) Mafflement, sb. dilatoriness, non-
sense, trifling; concealment, underhand work; (3)Maffling,
Moffling, or Muffling, [a] vbl. sb. mismanagement, blun-
dering ; (b) ppl. adj. blundering, clumsy, foolish, stupid ;
useless, unable to work ; weak, feeble, infirm.
(i) Lan.', n.Lan.', ne.Lan.' (2' Cum. (E.W.P.) ; Cum.* Toakin
sike maflementi Ye mun be nick't i' t'heead, 216. Lan. I like
that! There's nae mafflement aboot it, 16. yrtH«0(r4i,i874) v. ; Lan.',
Chs.'* (3, a) Dmf. After much higgling and maffling, the printers
have got fairly afloat, Carlyle Lett. (Jan. 22, 1837 . i,b) Nhb.
Like a mafflin' aad man, aa's gan te gi ye the fore pairt o' the story
at the hint end, Haldane Geordy's Last (1878) 8. Cum. He . . .
turned his maffling oald held t'other way, Mary Drayson (1872)
10. w.Yks.' s.Yks. 1 remember hearing an old lady speak of
a person as moffling whose mind and thoughts had become im-
paired by reason of old age, N. if Q. (1878) 5th S. ix. 256. n.Lan.
Sum mafflin' fella set it agaain, R. Piketah Forness Flk. (1870) 11.
ne.Lan.' Lei.' A's a shooflin' mofflin' sort o' feller. Ah'm sa very
mofflin. War.*** s. War.' I get as muffling as a child. Wor. My
sight gets very muffling (H.K.).
3. To puzzle, confuse, bewilder.
N.Cy.' Nht). 'Twad maffle ony ferrjman Te be a tick behine,
Haldane Geordy's Last (1828) 19. Lakel.'^ Thoo's maffled me noo,
an' Ah've lost me coont. Cum. Ah's been fair maffelt wi' work aw
t'daj'. What's maflelt ye so! Rigb\ Midsutmtier to Martinmas {i8gi)
iii. Wra. Thoo mont mind them sea mich er else thoo'll git maffled,
Billy Tyson, 18. w.Yks. Willan List Wds. (1811).
Hence (i) Maffled, ppl. adj. puzzled ; confused, bewil-
dered ; slightly insane ; (2) Maffling, (a) sb. a state of
perplexity or confusion; (6)/'/'/.«fi^'.confusing, bewildering;
(3) Maffly, adj., see (i).
(i ) Cum. (H.W.) Wm. She was what they call in the country
maffled, that is confused in her intellect, Soutiiey Lett. (1820, III.
186, cd. Warter. w.Yks. Ve's niv\'er goin' ! I's fair maffled!
Banks Wooers (1880) i. n.Lin.' She's not craazy but just maffled
like, (a, a) N.Cy.' (A) w.Yks. Willan Lis/ fJ^rtfe. (181 1). Nhp.'
As often evinced in the imbecility and indecision of old age. (3)
Cum.* Said of an old person who, by reason of age, is bewildered.
' He's turnin' varra maffly.' Wm. (B.K.)
4. To spend recklessly ; to squander, waste in trifles.
s.Chs.' Dh)uwd mon aad u jel u miin-i wiinst, bdr ey maaflt it
au- uwec- \ Th' owd mon had a jell o' money wunst, bur he mafflet
it aw awec], Nhp.' The following item appears in the accounts of
a certain parish, where the money could not be accounted for :
'Tomoffled away, forty pounds.' 'He moffles all his money away.'
5. See below.
Nhp.' Applied to land in an intermediate state between very wet
and very dry. When it clings to the plough, and obstructs its
working, a farmer would say, ' The land moffles so, I can't get on.'
6. To stifle, overcome with heat. m.Yks.' Cf. maft.
7. sb. Hesitation, dilatoriness ; nonsense, trifling, con-
cealment, underhand work.
Lan. Wi' no maffle abeawt him, Waugh Sketches {iB^k^^ 49 ; Lan.'
[1. Which so stammered or mafled in his talke, that he
was not able to bring forth a readie worde, Baret (1580).
MDu. niajffden, to stammer (Oudem.\ns).]
MAFFLIN, sb. n.Cy. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan. [ma-flin.]
A simpleton, a sillj-, foolish person.
n.Cy. (Hall.), Lakel.2 Cum. (M.P.) ; Cum.'; Cum.* Whoar's
thy eyes, thoo mafflin ? 177 ; Cum." Wm. Like a mafflin bezzling
dawn Strang liquors, Hutton Bran New IVark (1785) 1. 456; It
wes a lile bit afoor t'poor mafflin es wes left i' t'wood cud find his
way back ta t'rooad. Spec. Dial. (1880) pt. ii. 35. s.Wm. (J.A.B.) ;
Lile mafflins, as we wer, Southey Doctor {ed. 1848; 559. w.Yks.
Hutton Tour to Caves i^i-iBi). ne.Lan.'
MAFFLING, prp. Lin.' [ma-flin.] Said of a dog
running after and barking at sheep.
MAFT, V. and sb. Yks. Also in form meft n.Yks.*
[maft.] 1. V. Of dust, snow, &c. : to drift.
n.Yks.2 ' It mafts sair,' the dust or the snow drifts very much.
Hence Maf ting, />/>/. adj. drifting.
n.Yks. Sky was thick wi' maftin fog, MuNBY Verses (1865) 6a.
2. pass. To be stifled or overpowered by want of air,
great heat, &c. ; to be out of breath by great exertion, as
in fighting against a storm.
n.Yks.(T.S.j; n.Yks."; n.Yks.* Oppent'winner,.. Ah's ommaist
mafted i' t'pleeace. ne.Yks.' Ah wer that mafted, ah wer fit ti soond
awaay. e.Yks. It's a sowmy neet ; Ah's ommast mafted, Nichol-
son Flk-Sp. (1889 92 ; e.Yks.i Cum in, thoo leeaks ommost mafted.
m. Yks.' w.Yks. Shoo wur ommast mafted, T. Toddles Comic Aim.
(1866) ; w.Yks.5
3. sb. A state of suftbcation or stifling.
n.Yks.2 ' What a maft ! ' a close packed company.
MAG, s6.' and v. In gen. dial, use in Eng. Also in
forms mack w.Som.' ; maggy Dev. [mag, maeg.] 1. sb.
The magpie. Pica fits/ica. Cf madge, sb.' 3.
Nhp. Wliile Mag's on her nest with her tail peeping out, Clare
Poems (ed. 1873) 245. Brks.', Suf.' (s.v. Madge\ w.Som.'
2. A chatterer, a chatterbox; a talkative, garrulous person.
w.Yks. 2 s.Not. What a mag you are, child ; rest your tongue
a bit (J.P.K.). War.* Shr.' Sometimes reduplicated, as, ' I never
'card sich a mag-mag as j-o' in all my days.' Shr., Hrf. Bound
Proi'inc. (1876). Oxf. (G.O.)
3. Prattle, chatter; a talk, gossip, chat.
Brks.' Hawld thee mag. e.Suf. Shut your mag (F.H.). Hmp.'
Dev. Let me have a little mag with Emma, Sharland Ways Village
(1885) 26.
4. A scold, a fault-finding woman. m.Wor. (J.C),
w.Wor.', se.Wor.'
5. V. To chatter, prattle,talk continuously; togossip,chat.
w.Yks. For t'sakea stoppin' longer to mag, TomTreddlehoyle
Bairnsla Ann. (18^-]) 42; w.Yks.^ ; w. Yks. ^ Turn in, Tom, an' let's
mag a bit ! Chs.'* s.Not. She magged and magged, till I felt fit
todrop (J.P.K.). Nhp.' How the child mags away. That woman's
always magging about. Hrf. Ther wuz ur maging un ur meaking
moor naise nur vower undert monkind ood (^Coll. L.L.B.). Nrf.
Holloway. Ess. Gl. (1851); Ess.'
Hence Magging, vbl. sb. talking, chattering.
Dev. They want to read in peace without any magging going on
round 'em, Sharland IVays Village vi885) 99- Slang. I'm bound
the members as silenced us, in doing it had plenty of magging,
Hood Poems (ed. 1863-3) Sweep'' s Complaint.
6. To tease, worry incessantly ; to scold, complain, find
fault ; to abuse.
w.Yks. He was always maggin at t'bairns er somebody (B.K.).
Nhp. ^ They two be alias maggin. War.*, w.Wor.', se. Wor.' Shr.'
Canna yo' be queet, an' nod mag me so ? Hrf.^ n.Bck. His wife
is always a magging at him (A.C.). Bdf. Batchelor Anal. Eng.
Lang. (1809) 138. Hrt. She comes out and mags at me over the
hedge (G.H G.). e.An.' It implies somewhat of displeasure, not
amounting to wrath. When two vulgar vixens come to a down-
right scolding bout, each is said to 'rag 'her antagonist. In a trifling
disagreement, they are said to • mag ' at one another. Nrf. You're
alius a magging, Emerson Son of Fens (1892 366. Ess. I mag at
her(M.A.R.). Ken. Such a one to mag. Keeps on mag, magging
(D.W.L.). I.W.2 Dev. Don't ee maggy zo, Pulman Sketches
(1843) 114, ed. 1871.
MAG
[7]
MAGGOT
Hence (i) Magger, sb. a scolding, complaining person ;
(2) Maggy, adj. cross-grained, disagreeable.
(i) w.Vks. He'snowt nobbut a regular magger(B.K.). (2) Ken.
A maggy sort of man (D.W.L.).
MAG, s6.^ Nhp. War. Shr. I.W. Wil. Dor. Som. Also
in forms meg Nhp.' War.^ Shr.^ Wil.'; meggy Wil.'
[mseg, meg.] 1. A mark or stake to pitch or throw at,
in the games of 'pitch and toss,' quoits, &c. ; a stone
thrown at a mark or other stone.
Nhp.i, War. (J.R.W.), War.2 Shr. Northall Wd-bk. (1896) ;
Shr.2, 1.W.' 2 Wil.i In the game of Must, q.v., a small stone— called
a ' meg ' or ' meggy ' — is placed on the top of a large one, and bowled
at with other ' meggies,' of which each player has one. Dor.'
Som. SwEETMAN IVmcaiiton Gl. (1885).
HenceMeg-flying,s6.thegame of 'pitch and toss.' War.^
2. A boj-s' game ; see below ; a stone used in the game.
Dor.' A game among boj'S in which the players throw at a stone
set up on edge.
MAG, see Maeg.
MAGAZINE, sb. Yks. [magazrn.] A lot, quantity,
number; a crowd, gathering.
w.Yks. All t'magazine on 'em stood up, Yks. Wkly. Post (May
16, 1896) ; Pitch all t'magazine on 'em on t'fire an' burn 'em. All
t'bloomin' magazine on 'em's ta goa ! Leeds Merc. Suppl. (May 26,
1896).
MAGDUM, sb. Sh.I. [ma-gdam.] A counterpart, an
exact resemblance. S. & Ork.'
MAGE, see Maeg.
MAGENIKEN, sb. Nhb.' A genius, ? a corruption of
the word ' magician.'
MAGERFUL, adj. Sc. Masterful, exercising an undue
influence over.
Frf. I couldna help contrasting them, and thinking how masterful
your father looked. . . I couldna help admiring him for looking so
magerful, Barrie Tommy{\8q6) x; OGod,keep mefrombecoming
a magerful man ! ib. ; She spirited hersel awa', the magerful
crittur, ih. Minister {iQgi) ix.
MAG(G, sb. In gen. dial, and slang use in Sc. Irel. and
Eng. Also in forms maick Abd. ; maikSc. (Jam.) Nhb.' ;
make Inv. Cld. (Jam.) Edb. Ant.; meg Nhb.' n.Yks."
ne.Yks.' w.Yks."= m.Lan.' Not. War.^ Glo.' Nrf. [mag,
meg, mek.] 1. A halfpenny; Jig. a very small sum.
Sc. (Jam.), Inv. (H.E. F.) Abd. He married for siller. . . But
. .. he ne'er fingered a maick o't, Anderson /?/i>'»ifs(ed. 1867") 17 ;
In common use in the city of Aberdeen (W.M.). Frf. First they
toss them up a maik To learn what course they ought to take,
Beattie Arnha (c. 1820) 12, ed. 1882. w.Sc. Still a cant term,
esp. among boys when bargain-making, as, ' Come, I'll gie ye a
maik for yon peerie ' (Jam.). Fif. In common use among boys and
lower classes in Dundee. At weddings it was the custom (until
quite recently at least) to throw coppers out of the window to the
children in the street. These commonly shouted, ' Maiks, maiks,
butter an' baiks, Up wi' the window [wi-ndi] and doun wi' the
maiks' ^W.A.C.). Slg. Three pence— twa maiks frae a groat,
Taylor /'o«ms (1862) 31. Cld. ' A make bake,' a halfpenny biscuit
(Jam.). Rnf. Wi' a maik in his haun. He gangs business-like wi't
tae the candyman's stan', Neilson Poems (1877) 47. Ayr. He
grabbit at every maik. Service Dr. Dugiiid(ei. 1887) 27 ; (F.J.C.)
Lnk. Wee toddlin callans hain their orie maiks, MuiR Minstrelsy
(1816) 2. e.Lth. The chaps used to stop in the hame-comin an'
melt their maggs, Hunter y. /«mV* (1895') 97. Edb. Recompens'd
wi' makes, LiDDLEPof»i5(i82i) 84. Ant. (W.H.P.j Nhb. Aw'll
cadge a meg ov Toby Walker, Wilson Tyneside Sngs. (1890J 34a ;
Nhb.', n.Yks.* ne.Yks.' Only used in the phr. ' Ah a'e n't a meg.'
w.Yks. A meg for runnin' a errand, Yisman. (Oct. 1898) 315 ;
w.Yks.235^ m.Lan.', Not. (J.H.B.), War.2 Glo.' I haven't a meg
about me. Lon. I does what they call 'the pile of mags,' that is,
putting four halfpence on a boy's cap, and making them disappear,
Mayhew Lond. Labour (ed. 1861) III. 107. Nrf. (H.J.H.) Som.
A hadn't got a mag, Agrikler Rhymes (187a) 73. Slang. You
cares not a mag if one party should fall, Lytton Paul Cliffotd
(1848)123.
2. A penny. w.Yks. Hlf.K. Courier (May aa, 1897). Nhp.'
3. pi. A small fee or gratuity ; a ' tip.'
Sc. Allowance to ploughmen when on duty from home, Morton
Cydo. Agric. (1863). Ayr. ' Thou's nane blate for thy years, but
tak thou that by way o' mags ! ' quo' she, and she yerkit my
haffet with her loof. Service Notandiims (1890) no. Lnk. They're
well paid for their preaching, they may very well both marry and
chrisen a' the poor foukes into the bargain, by way of a maggs,
Graham IVrilings (1883) II. 60. Ltlj. The gratuity which servants
expect from those to whom they drive any goods (Jam.).
MAGG, V. Sc. [mag.] To carry off clandestinely,
to steal.
Sc. They were a bad pack— steal'd meat and mault, and loot the
carters magg the coals, Scott Midlothian (18 18) xliv. Lth. To
magg coals, to defraud a purchaser of coals, by laying [sic] off
part of them by the way (Jam.).
MAGGED, pp. Bdf. Tired out, exhausted, jaded.
I'm quite magged with my day's glanin' (J.W.B.).
MAGGEM, MAGGER, see May-game, Maugre.
MAGGIE, sb} Sc. Brks. w.Cy. Also written Maggy,
[nia-gi, mse-gi.] 1. In comb, (i) Maggie Findy, a woman
who is good at shifting for herself; (2) — manyfeet, (a)
a centipede ; also called Maggie wi' the many feet ; (b)
a wood-louse ; (3) — Rab or Robb, (a) a bad halfpenny ;
(b) a bad wife.
(I) Rxb. (Jah.^ (a,a)Bnff. The boy was asked what it was. 'It's
a MaggyMonny Feet,'he said, Smiles A^a^io-. (i8761ii. Ags.(jAM.,
s.v. Monyfeet). Rxb. <'6. Brks. G«(^ .Wa^. (1784) 332, ed. Gomme.
(6) w.Cy. (Hall.) (3, rt) Sc. (Jam.) (A) Abd. He's a very guid
man, but I trow he's gotten a Maggy Robb o' a wife !i'A. 1.
2. A young woman or girl ; a jade.
Frf. Troth little profit has she made By fisher maggies, Beattie
Ketty Perl (c. 1820).
3. Obs. Mining term: a species of till or clay ; see below.
Lnk. The most uncommon variety of till, is one that by the
miners is called Maggy. It is incumbent on a coarse iron-stone,
Ure Hist. Riitherglen (1793) 253 (Jam.1.
MAGGIE, sA.2 Sc. Nhb.Wm. Lan. [ma'gi.] 1. The
magpie. Pica n/stica.
N.Cy.' Nhb. Maggys an' cock robins an' butterflees, Chater
Tyneside Aim. (1869) 12 ; Nhb.' Wm. Penrith Obs. (May 18, 1897).
ne.Lan.'
2. The common guillemot, Lomvia troile.
Frf. [So called] from the black and white plumage, resembling
that of a magpie, Swainson Biids (1885) ai8.
MAGGIE, see Magrim.
MAGGLE, V. Won Glo. Oxf. [ma'gl, msegl.] To
worry, tease ; to tire out, exhaust.
w.Wor.' Glo.' ' It's enough to maggle un to dyuth ' [death];
said on a very muggy day. 0»f. A person who is both hot and
tired is ' maggled to death ' (G.P.) ; Oxf.' I be maggled to dyeath.
[To maggle, mactare, excarnijicars, Levins Manip. (1570).]
MAGGLED, />//. «(// Obs. Sc. Mangled, bungled.
What a maggled work you have made it now, Kirkton Ch. Hist.
(1817)276.
[Creuell maglit face, Douglas Eneados (1513), ed. 1874,
III. 42.]
MAGGOT, s6.' and v. In gen. dial, use in Sc. and Eng.
Also written magot Dmb. e.An.' Sus. Dor. ; and in forms
maggat Wm. ; maggit Elg. Per. Hrf ; meggot Hmp.
[niagat, msgat.] 1. sb. In comp. Maggot-fly, the fly,
Mitsca vomitoria.
Nhp.' The common fiesh-fly, so called from its depositing its
eggs upon butcher's meat.
2. A whim, fancy, caprice ; a fad, crotchet.
Sc. He has a wheen maggots that maun be cannily guided,
Scott Nigel (i8aa) iii. Elg. Tester Poems 1865 1 79- Abd. What
new maggot has ta'en them noo? Mi^Kenzie Sketches (1894) xiv.
Per. Cleland Iiichbracken (1883) 10, ed. 1887. Dmb. Mr. Bacon
has gotten himself vext and affronted so much with his magot
about the Kirk, Cross Disruption (1844) xxxviii. Edb. Some
crank, or maggots, dand'rin i' their head, Learmont Poems (1791)
305. Bwk. She's as fu' o' maggots as the Bride o' Preston, Wha
stopt hauf-way, as she gaed to the Kirk, Prov., Henderson Pop.
Rhymes (1856) 106. n.Cy. (J.W.) Wm. Let me hear na mair
o thee maggats, Wheeler Dial. (1790) 38. w.Yks. tJ.W.) Lan.
Hoo's getten some maggot in her head, Francis Daughter of Soil
(1895I 72. ne.Lan.' n.Stf. When there's a bigger maggot than
usial in your head, Geo. Y-iaot A. Bede (1859) I. 115. Der. His
head's as full o' maggots as an egg is o' meat, Verney Stone Edge
1^1868"; X. Lei.' Nhp.' ' What maggot have you got in your head
now?' or, 'What maggot bites?' is an expression in common
use. War.*. Glo.' Brks.' 'To have a maggot in the yead' is to
hold very strange and unusual notions. e.An.' e.Snf. She won't
work till the maggot bites (F.H.). Ess. (W.W.S.), Ess.' Sus.
Don't have any of j'our magotswith me (F.E.S.). Hmp.Aperson
MAGGOT
[8]
MAHERS
full of whims and fads is said to have the maggots (H.C.M.B.).
s.Hrnp. His father had impatiently endured these most unnatural,
absurd tastes as some of Everhard's ' maggots,' Verney L. Lisle
(1870) V. I.W.' He's vull o' maggots. Dor. What maggot has
gaffer got in his head ? Hardy IVoodlanders (1887) U. vi ; Barnes
Gl. (1863}. Som. He've a-got a maggot in the brain o' un that
won't let un bide still, Raymond Men 0' Mendip (1898) ii. Dev.
VatherVe a gotten a maggot in's head, Longmans Mag. (Dec.
1896I 160. Cor.=
Hence (i) Maggative or Maggativous, adj., (2) Mag-
getting, fpl. adj. full of whims or fancies, whimsical,
capricious, crotchety; (3) Maggoty, adj. {a) see (2); (b)
queer-tempered, fractious, cross, ill-tempered, irritable ;
(4) Maggoty-headed, rtrt). (d) see (2); (6) passionate ; (5)
•minded, fpl. adj., see (2) ; (6) -pate, sb. an opprobrious
term ; (7) -pow, sb. a whimsical, crotchety person.
(i) Bnff.' He's a peer maggative bodie. Fahwid mine fat hediz?
' Maggativous ' has more force than 'maggative.' (2) Sus. I won't
stand your magotting tricks (F.E.S.). (3,a)Cai.i Dmb. Offendin'
him wi' your maggotty notions, Cross Disruption ( 1844) v. N.Cy.'
s.Dur. She's a varra maggotty awd body (J.E.D.). Brks.', e.An.i
e.Suf. Dainty about food or drink (F.H.). Ken.' He's a maggoty
kind o' chap, he is. Hmp.', I.W.' Dor. (C.W.) ; What a magoty
man he is, Barnes Gl. (1863). (A) s.Wor.', Hrf.2 Glo. Ah ! he
wur a sad maggotty cust'mer a' times, Buckman Darke's Sojourn
(1890' vi; Glo.' Dev.' Don't be so maggoty, j-ou silly boy. (4, «)
Abd. Ye're a maggoty-heided wratch, Dominie Will, M'Kenzie
Sketches {iSg^)m. (Ainw.Dev.' (5) Oxf. He's a maggotty-minded
customer, you can't depend on his saying the same thing two da3's
running (CO.). [6) s.Cbs.' I have heard schoolboys call after
a red-headed companion, ' Red-yed and maggoty-pate.' In an old
school book, in use some two hundred years ago, occurs the
following, ' Mr. is an old maggoty-pate.' (7) So. Darlington
Flk-Sp. U887).
3. A fidgety, restless child.
Chs.' Eh ! tha unaisy maggot. Ken. Can't ye kip still, ye little
maggot? (W.F.S.)
4. pi. Tricks, nonsense.
Wil.' Hers at her maggots again. Thur be such a sight o'
'oondermentin' chaps a gaapsin' about thur alius, a body caan't
bide quiet nohow fur their maggots, ib. 213.
Hence (i) Maggotfs diversions, phr. wanton or rattling
fun ; see Megs diversions, s.v. Meg, sb.^ ; (2) Maggotty,
adj. frisky, playful, full of tricks, frolicsome.
(i) Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). (2) N.Cy.' s.Not. Spirited, wild
and tricky (of a horse ; used by women and children). ' Run
away, Willy, there's a maggoty horse coming' (J.P.K.V Brks.
Gl. (18521; Brks.', Hmp.', I.W.' Wil. Slow Gl. (1892 ; Britton
Beauties (1820) ; Wil.' n.Wil. He's so terrible maggotty (E.H.G.).
5. V. To kill the maggots on sheep with mercury dressing.
s.Wor. ;H.K.) Hrf. They ave dun maggitin the ship {Coll.
L.L.B.). Oxf.' Get up an' maggot the ship, MS. add.
6. Of deer: to damage the bark of j'oung trees by
nibbling at them here and there. Also usedy?^.
Hmp. Gen. of a boy committing wanton mischief (J. Ar.)
7. To waste money, to spend foolishly.
Hmp. To maggot your money away (J.R.W. ) ; Hmp.'
MAGGOT, s6.= Irel. Lin. Won Hrf. Glo. Oxf. Wil.
Som. Dev. Also in forms macket w.Som.' ; magget
w.Wor.' s.Wor.' Hrf.'' Cor.'; maggit se.Wor.' ; maggut
Glo. [ma-gat, meegat.] The magpie, Pica rustica. Cf.
mag, s6.' 1.
Lin. (E.P.^, Wor. (W.K.W.C.C.) w.Wor. Thee's no more
brams nor a maggit, Benow's Jni. (Mar. 3, lo, 1888) ; w.Wor.',
s.Wor. (H.K.), s.Wor.', se.Wor.', Hrf.2, Glo. (A.B.), Glo.', Oxf.
(J.W.\ Som. (W.F.R.), w.Som.'
Hence Maggotty-pie, sb. the magpie.
Wxf.', Wor. (H K.), Glo.' Wil.' Still in use. At Deverill,
thirty years ago, there was a nursery rhyme as follows: 'Hushaby,
baby, the beggar shan't have 'ee. No more shall the maggotty-pie.'
w.Som.' 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 ? ' Cor."
[The same word as obs. E. Magol, a pet form oi the
name Margaret. Cp. Fr. Margot, 'diminutif tres familier
de Marguerite, nom vulgaire de la pie ' (Littre) ]
MAGGOTTING, prh. Wil. [mae'gatin.] Meddling.
SlowG/. (1892}; Wil.» L 6 J 6
Also written -owla.
Cf. madgiowler, mag-
MAGGY-OWLER, sb. Cor.^
The goat-moth, Cosstts ligniperda.
owlet, 2.
MAGHOGES, s4.//. Obs. Wxf.' Maggots.
MAGISTRAND, sb. Sc. A student in his fourth year
about to become a Master of Arts, in the University of
Aberdeen.
Abd. Now a Magistrand — that is, one about to take his degree
of Master of Arts, Macdonald Sir Gibbie (1879) 1. Fif. Up from
their mouldy books and tasks had sprung Bigent and Magistrand,
Tennant Anster (1812) 25, ed. 1871. Lnk. We of tjie magistrand
class, now in the beginning of April, concluded our lecturing, WoD-
Row Ch. Hist. (1721) II. 271, ed. 1828; The Magistrand Class is the
class of Magistrands, those who proceed to the M.A, degree (A.W.).
MAGISTRATE, s6. Sc. A red herring. See Glasgow
magistrate.
Lnk. Ham's unco dear, sae, if j'e like, we's hae a ' magis-
trate,' Nicholson Kikvuddie (1895) 119 ; Frequently heard in the
Glasgow district (D.N.) ; 'Glasgow magistrate ' is a common cant
name for a red herring. The qualifying word may be omitted
at times (G.W.).
MAGLOON, sb. Nrt. 1. The red-throated diver,
Colynibns septentrionalis. Swainson Birds (1885) 214.
2. The great northern diver, C.glacialis. Cozens-Hardy
Broad Nrf. (1893) 49.
MAGNIFICAL, adj. w.Som.' Grand, fine, magnificent.
Squire 's a magnifical [mag'neef'ikl] sort of a gin'lman.
[The house that is to be builded for the Lord must be
exceeding magnifical, of fame and glory throughout all
countries, Bible i Chron. xsii. 5.]
MAGNIFY, V. Irel. Glo. Dev. [ma'gnifai.] To
signify, matter.
N.I,' That hurt won't magnify. Glo.' It don't magnify, 20. Dev.
How may hap, sir, what doez ael this magnify? Gent. Mag. (1733)
331, ed. Gomme ; (Hall.)
MAGOWFIN, sb. s.Chs.' [megau-fin.] A grimace.
MAG-OWLET, sb. Obs. or obsol. Lin. Also in forms
mag-owl Lin.' ; -ullat n.Lin.' 1. The owl, Strixflatitmea.
Thompson Hist. Boston (1856) 714 ; Brookes Tracts Gl. ;
Lin.', n.Lin. (E.P.), n.Lin.'
2. A large moth. See Madgiowler.
Applied not only to the owl itself, but to some large moth,
which may have been thought, perhaps, to resemble it, Brookes
Tracts Gl.; Lin. '
MAGPIE, sb. Sc. Irel. War. Shr. Ken. Wil. Som. Cor.
1. In comb, (i) Magpie diver, (a) the smew, Mergits
albelhis ; (b) the golden-eye duck, Fiiligiila clangtila; (2)
— widgeon, the goosander, Mergits castor.
(i, (j) Ir., Ken. [So called] from its black back and white under
parts, Swainson Birds (1885) 165. (A) Wil. Also known as the
' magpie diver,' a very descriptive name, by reason of the black
and white plumage of the male. Smith Birds (1887) 494. (2) Shr.'
2. Fig. A talkative child or woman ; a scold, a term of
contempt.
Dmb. To sea the mistress soe ill about sitch an ugly wee magpie
of a body. Cross Disruption (1844) ^''''- War.^ She is a regular
magpie. Cor. A scolding woman is called a magpie, Hunt Pop.
Rom. w.Eng. (1865) 429, ed. 1896.
3. Fig. A collector of specimens, curiosities, &c.
War.3 In Birmingham the word is used of collectors. ' What
a magpie he is,' he is enthusiastic in adding to his collection.
4. A large moth. Cf. maggy-owler. Som. Compton
Winscombe Sketches (1882) 140. 5. A variety of potato.
n.Som. The sorts [potatoes] cultivated are the kidney, white
scotch, magpie, rough red, purple, and silver skin, Marshall
Review (1818I II. 519.
6. A large marble of brown earthenware. War.*
MAGRE, see Maugre.
MAGRIM, sb. Nhb. Dun Also in form maggie Dur.
[ma-grim.] A difficulty, an awkward predicament.
Nhb.' ' That's the magrim ! ' you exclaim if you suffer a mishap
that is difficult to be rectified. Dur. Gibson i/^-Wra>'rf(i/eG/. (1870).
MAGY, adj. Yks. [me-gi.] Foggy.
n.Vks. It's terr'ble magy to-neet (F.P.T.'.
MAHERS, sb. pi. Sc. A tract of low-lying wet land,
oi a marshy and moory nature.
Gall. Mahermore or Mahermere is a specimen, Mactaggart
Encycl. (1824).
MAHOGANY
[9]
MAIDEN
MAHOGANY, sl>. Irel. Cor. [m3-o-g(3)ni.] 1. In
comb. Mahogany acquaintances. See below.
Ir. To give offence, as he did, to many of the most respect-
able gentlemen of Ireland by calling the Whigs an 'eating and
drinking club,' . . what they call in Ireland mahogany acquaintances,
Barrington Sketches (1830) I. xv.
2. A drink consisting of gin and treacle.
Cor. Drinking mahoganj'. Hunt Pop. Rom. w.Eng. (ed. iSge")
436 ; Mr. Eliot mentioned a curious liquor peculiar to his country
which the Cornish fishermen drink. They call it ' mahogany,'
and it is made of two parts of gin and one part treacle, well
beaten together, Croker BoswelFs Life Johnson (ed. 1835) 53, in
N. & Q. (1865) 3rd S. vii. 280 ; Cor,' 2
MAHOUN, .sA. Obso/. So. A name given to the
Devil : g-eii. in plir. Atild Mahoiin.
Sc. To this day Mr. P. enjoys the reputation of being no less a
personage than auld Mahoun himself, Scotch Haggis, 118. Mry.
Save us ! that's surely Mahoun, Or that fearfu' Sir Robert o'
Gordonstown, Hay Liiitie (1851) 58. Abd. A' the auld wives
cried, auld Mahoun, I wis ye luck o' the prize, man, Paul AM.
(1881) 63. s.Sc. Peeping at him, as if he were the ' guidman o"
the croft,' Mahoun himsel, Wilson Tales (1839') 322. Ayr. And
ilka wife cry'd ' Auld Mahoun, We wish you luck o' your prize,
man,' Burns The DeiVs azva^ tci' the E.vasemau, st. i. Draf. Even
he from whom our word of evil omen ' Mahoun ' is comed, Wal-
lace Schoohitaster {i8gg) 133.
[' Gramercy, teljour,' said Mahoun, ' Renunce thy God
and cum to me,' Dunbar Poems (c. 1510), ed. Small, II.
145. OFr. Mahoii, name of one of the principal devils,
prop, a form of Mahomet ' ; see La Curne (s.v.).]
MAICE, sb. Cor.' [meis.] The mesh of a net.
[Cp. Du. maas, a mesh.]
MAICH, see Maught.
MAICHERAND, ppl. adj. Ags. (Jam.) Weak, feeble,
incapable of exertion.
MAICK, see Mag(g.
MAID, sb. and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. Also
in form meed- s.Chs.^ [mid, mesd.] 1. sb. A young
girl, a ' lass ' ; a daughter.
Peni. Hisht now, there's a good maid (E.D.). GIo.i Wil. The
little village girls answer to a stranger : ' I be Mrs. Fletcher's
little maid,' Tennant yill. Notes (1900) 53. Dor. Vor all the worl
like a zick chile or a little maid a-fretten, IVhy Joh>t {Coll. L.L.B?);
Five, they've buried there. Yes five, and she no more than a
maid yet. Hardy Greenwd. Tree (1872) I. 19. Som. ' Is it a boy
or a maid ?' is the question invariably put if the sex of a 'little
stranger' is asked. 'I've not seen my maid this while,' an old
woman will say, speaking of a married daughter (W.F.R.) ; A
ginger-headed maid, Rayhond Tryphena (1895) 11. w.Som.'
Her's a oncommon purty maid. Who did 'er marry ? Why,
her's the old Jan Baker's maid. Dev. He didn't know how his
little maid comed to break her leg at all, Peard Mother Molly
(1889) 213 ; The small maid, his darter Susan, be gone off to her
mother's folks, Pall Mall Mag. (Feb. 1900) 155. n.Dev. Bet a
tyrant maid for work, E.xm. Crtshp. (1746) 1. 569. Cor. Maids
should bide tu bed, Cahill Wheal Certainty (1890) 45.
Hence (i) Maidy, sb. a young girl ; also used as a term
of address ; (2) Meedish, adj. of a man : effeminate ; of a
woman : prudish.
(i) Dor. Why maidy, . . the prettiest milker I've got in my
dairy. Hardy Tess (1891) 173, ed. 1895; Maidy Anne must come
in, 16. Trumpet-Major {1880) iii. (2) Chs.'
2. Comb, (i) Maid-in-the-mist, the navel-wort, Cotyledon
Umbilicus. s.Sc. (Jam.) ; (2) -'s-love, the southern-wood,
Artemisia Abrotanum. Nhp.' ; (3) -of-the-mead, the
meadow-sweet. Spiraea Ulmaria. Chs.^
3. Phr. (i) auld maid's bairn, a child according to the
pattern or ideal of an old maid, such a child as an old
maid would have brought up if she had had one ; (2) best
maid, a bridesmaid ; cf best, 2 (7).
(i) Fif. 'Auld maid's bairns are never misleared,' she would
remark, Colville Vernacular (1899) 17. (2) e.Fif. Andra Soutar
was to be best man an' my sister Chirstie best maid, Latto Tarn
Bodkin {1864') xxiv.
4. A female sweetheart.
Som. Young men did walk their maids, Raymond Tryphena
(1895) 35. Dev. Ah ! yer com'th Bill Rooksan' 'esmaid, Hewett
Peas. Sp. (1892).
VOL. IV.
5. A person of chaste life of either sex; a bachelor.
■w.Yks.ArchaiclVds. in Yks. H'kly. Post {Sept. 8, 1883^7. w.Som.'
He was a very quiet fuller — my belief, he lived and died a maid.
Hence Maidship,s6. maiden con dition.an unmarried state.
Lnk. Tib ne'er had ance been married. But ticht an' square her
maidship carried, Murdoch Doric Lyre (1873) 103.
6. A child of either sex.
Sus. Friend Pla)!t Names (1881) 10 ; Sus.i Sometimes used for
children of both sexes who are too young to work.
7. The last handful ofcorn cut in harvest. See Maiden, 10.
Edb. Sad mischance ! The Maid was shorn After sunset ! As
rank a witch as e'er was born. They'll ne'er forget I Hat' st Rig
(1794'; 43. ed. 1801 ; This is esteemed exceedingly unlucky, and
carefully guarded against, note.
8. Various species of skate, esp.^ff/rtZ'rti'/s. Cf.maiden,13.
w.Ir. I recollect when fishing at the sea-side hearing a very old
Joe about being ' caught by a maid ' when one has been accidentally
bitten by a skate, A^. & Q. (1869') 4th S. iii. 311. Cum.", Lin.
(P.R.) Sus.i At Hastings (s.v. Kiveling) ; A fish-wife crying,
' Buy my soles, buy my maids,' N. & Q. (1882) 6th S. v. 391.
[Satchell (1879).]
9. A fish-worm. Sh.I. (Coll. L.L.B.) 10. A clothes-
horse. Cf. maiden, 17.
Lan.', n.Lan.', ne.Lan.' Chs, 1727 (Inventory), 3 Old Maids,
o. o. 9, Barlow Hist. Collector {18=,=,) II. 99. s.Chs.i, Shr.', Ken.'2
U. A wooden instrument for washing clothes, a 'dolly'
(q.v.). Cf. maiden, 18.
s.Stf. PiNNOCK Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). War. Prisoner struck his
wife with a washing ' msM,' B'hani Dy. Gazette (Oct. 6, i8g6 ;
War.2 It differs from the Dolly-peg, in that its base is circular and
solid, save for two deep intersecting fissures from the opposite
diameters : thus exhibiting four massive staves, instead of slender
pegs; War.3, w.Wor.' Shr. Northall IVds. (1896).
12. An iron frame for holding the ' backstone ' (q.v.) over
the fire. Shr.'* 13. An iron trivet placed on a fire on
which to stand a kettle. e.An.' 14. A contrivance by
means of which a smith sprinkles water on the fire. ib.
Cf maiden, 20.
15. Obs. A straw mat ; see below.
Shr.i A round straw mat — having a bow-handle — used as a kind
of breastplate to protect the person when lifting a large iron pot
off the fire : the pot rested against it, and was carried by the ' ears '
on each side.
16. In lace-making : a short three-legged tressel to
support the pillow in the lap of the lace-maker, her foot
resting on the rail at the bottom to steady the frame.
Nhp.' See Lace-horse, s.v. Lace, sb} 1.
17. V. To wash clothes with a ' dolly.' War.*, w.Wor.'
Hence Maiding-tub, sb. a tub for washing clothes with
a 'dolly.' s.Stf. PiNNoCK Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). War.*, w.Wor.'
MAID, see Mad, sb.'-
MAIDEN, sb., adj. and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel.
and Eng. Also written maaiden Brks.' ; mayden n.Cj'.
Wil. ; and in form meaden Dor. [medan, meadan.]
1. sb. In comb, (i) Maiden bark, the bark of a young
oak-sapling not yet arrived at timber ; (2) — chance, a
first chance; (3) — comb, the new white comb of the
first year made at the top of the hive in which eggs have
not yet been deposited ; (4) — crop, a first crop grown
from seed ; (5) — down, an unbroken, unploughed down
or hill; (6) — duck, the shoveller, Spatula clypcatn; (7)
- hair or maiden's — , the muscles or sinews of oxen
when boiled ; (8) -'s name, a maiden name ; (9) —
pasture, grass land which has never been ploughed ; (10)
— rents, obs., a noble paid by every tenant of the manor
of Builth at their marnage or the marriage of a daughter;
(11) — way, a Roman road; (12) Ha'-maiden,the brides-
maid at a wedding.
l^i) Hmp.' Itismorevaluablethan 'timber-bark' (whichrequiresto
be cut and hatched for the market), and still more so than ' pollard-
baric' (2) Dmf. Yer ain lug'se get the maiden chance. Loot doon
and hear me, Quinn Heather (1863) 133. (3) Dev. We took some
maiden comb from that hive, Reports Provinc. (1884) 23. (4) Hrt.
Very reluctant of going to seed in a maiden crop, Stephens Farm
Bk. (ed. 1849) 1. 589. (5) Brks.', Hrap.', n.Hmp. (J.R.W.) (6)
Wxf. (J.S.) ; Swainson Birds (1885) 158. (7) GalL It is called
maidenhair from its resembling in colour the hair of a maiden,
Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 336, ed. 1876. Nhb.» (8) w.Yks. A
c
MAIDEN
[lO]
MAIDEN
connot justly say whot her maiden's name mut be (A.C.). (9)
w.Yks.2 (lo)Rdn.(K.); Bailey (1721). (ii)N.Cy.i The Roman
highway running from the station at Wliitley Castle, Northumber-
land, into the county of Westmoreland. Nhb.' A Roman branch
road which leaves the main way near Kirby Thore, after it has
descended the pass of Stainmore, in Westmoreland. Slanting
along the western side of the Pennine Range under Cross Fell it
grades up the slope to the water shade, and then descends to the
Gildersdale burn and enters Northumberland. [Mayden way is
generally reckoned a Roman way, and mayden castle one that
stands upon such a way, Af. d- Q. (1880) 6th S, i. 184.] (12)
n.Sc. (Jam.)
2. Coiiib.m plant-names : (i) Maiden barberry, a variety
of barberry, Berberis vulgaris ; (2) — elder, the elder of
the wood, Sambiiats fiagitis; (3) -{'s hair, (a) the bog
asphodel, Narlluxiwn ossifragiim ; (b) the hair-grass. Ami
crishila: [c) the quaking-grass, Briza media; (d) the
brist e-fern, Triclummnes radicans ; (c) the lesser dodder,
Ciiscuta Epithymum ; (/) the traveller's joy, Clematis
Vitalba; (§■) the yellow bedstraw, Galiimi veniin ; {4) —
heads, the common burnet, Sangiiisorba officinalis; (5)
•"s honesty, see (3,/) ; (6) — oak, the stalkTess flowered
oak, Querms Kobtir, var. sessilijlora ; (7) -('s ruin, (8)
Maidens' delight, the southern-wood, Artemisia Abrota-
iiiiiii; (9) —hair, the cross-wort, Galium cniciata.
^1) War. A variety which produces fruit without 'stones.'
(2) Cor.* (3, a) n.Yks. (I.W.), Lan. (4) Lin. Thompson //«/.
Boston (1856) 714 ; Lin.i (c) Nrf. A notion still prevails that
to have a bunch of the grass cilled ' maiden-hair' . . . brought
into the house is sure to bring ill luck, A^. ET Q. (1871) 4th S. viii.
58. I.W. (d) Suf.i (e) I.W. (/) Bck. (^'1 n.Cy. Turner Herlvs
(1548). Yks. (4) Yks. (5) Wil. About Michaelmas all the
hedges about Thickwood (in the parish Colerne) are . . . hung
with maydens honesty, Aubrey IVills, Royal Soc. MS. 120 ; Wil.'
Obs. (6) Hmp. 17) Dev. 7?«/>or/sPj-oj/i«(r. (1895); Dev." (8) Cor.*
(9) Nhb.»
3. A young girl ; a daughter. See Maid, 1.
Dev. Hewett Pms. Sp. (1892) ; I bain't a gurl. I be a maiden.
There be maidens in those parts, and no gurls. I dunnow, but the
leddy may be a girl, Baring-Gould J. Herring (1888) 17.
4. A servant-girl.
e.Yks.* Smith's maiden. sw.Lin.' My maiden has left me. She
has gone to the Half-way House Stattis to seek a maiden. Dev.
Hewett Peas. Sp. (189a). n.Dev. Mother she looked after the
maidens both fore and after the poor lady's death, Chanter
Wilcli (1896) I.
5. A female sweetheart. Dev. Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892).
6. An old maid, an elderly unmarried lady.
Lnk. The maiden's bairns is a' unco weel bred, Graham IVriiings
(1883) H. 36. Shr. We shall all be maidens, and so shall we all
die, Burne Flk-Lore (1883) xxxiii.
7. A title given to the eldest daughter of a farmer.
n.Sc. She is called the Maiden of such a place, as the farmer's
wife is called the Goodwife of the same place (Jam.).
Hence Ha'-maiden, sb. a farmer's daughter who sits
apart from the servants.
Bwk. A ha'-maiden and a hynd's cow are ay eatin', Prov. (ib.)
8. The female who lays the child in the arms of its
parent when it is presented for baptism. Lnk. (Jam.)
Also called Ha'-maiden.
Hence Maiden-kimmer, sb., see below.
Gall. The maid who attends the kimmer, or matron who has
charge of the infant at kimmerings and baptisms ; who lifts the
baby into the arms of its father to receive the sprinkling of salva-
tion, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 336, ed. 1876.
9. A person of chaste life. See Maid, 5.
w.Yks. Archaic Wds. in >'fo. IVIily. Post (Sept. 8, 1883) 7.
10. The last handful of corn cut in the harvest.
Sc. The last handful of corn forfeits tlie youthful designation of
maiden when it is not shorn before Hallowmas and it is called the
carlin (Jam.). n.Sc. The maiden is carefully preserved till Yule
morning, when it is divided among the cattle, ' to make them thrive
all the year round ' (lA.). Per. As the harvest of the year
approached completion a strife sprang up among the reapers which
had for its object the taking of the maiden. . . The cry arose, ' Wha
tane the maiden ? ' and the name was received with cheers. . . The
maiden was tied up with ribands and presented to the farmer's
wife, who gave it the chief place in the principal room of the farm-
house above the mirror and between the sheaves of peacock's
feathers on the mantel. There it remained carefully preserved
throughout the succeeding winter, often indeed till the rape of a
new Proserpine replaced it in the following autumn, Haliburton
Puir Aiild Sc. . 1887) 147 ; [The maiden] was generally contrived
to fall into the hands of one of the finest girls in the field ; was
dressed up in ribbons and brought home in triumph, with the music
of fiddles or bagpipes. A good dinner was given to the whole
band and the evening spent in joviality and dancing, while the
fortunate lass who took the maiden was the queen of the feast ;
after which this handful of corn was dressed out, generally in the
form of a cross, and hung up, with the date of the year in some
conspicuous part of the house. This custom is now entirely done
away. Statist. Ace. XIX. 550 (Jam.). Fif. Now the corn is feckly
shorn ; Niest day they'll get the Maiden, Douglas Poems (1806)
137. e.Fif. Latto Tain Boeth'n (1864) xxii. Edb. Now the Maiden
has been win. And Winter is at last brought in ; And syne they
dance and had the kirn In Farmer's Ha', Har'st Rig{i-jg^)^a,ed.
1801.
Hence (i) Maiden-day, sb. the day when the last sheaf
of the harvest is cut; (2) -feast, sb. the feast given on
the last day of the harvest ; (3) -night, sb. the night of
the harvest-feast.
(i) Fif. Let us tak' a gill O' whisky, gin, or brandy This Maiden-
Day, Douglas Poems (1806) 140. (2) Per. Statist. Ace. XIX. 550
(Jam.). Fif. Owre your riggs we'll scour wi" haste, And hurry on
the Maiden Feast, Douglas Poems (1806) 117. e.Fif. Great store
o' comestibles an' comdrinkables had been laid in for the maiden
feast, Latto Tarn Bodkin (1864) xxix. (3) Fif. They are fell doul'd
an' weary This Maiden-night, Douglas Poems (18061 152.
11. The harvest-home; the feast on the night of the
harvest-home. Also in pi.
Sc. The ' fry,' the ' maiden,' and dozens of inevitable occasions
demanded that the ' greybeard 'should be filled and emptied, Ford
Tliistledown (1891) 124. Per. When the hairst was shorn. The
Maidens cam', Nicoll Poems (ed. 1843) 72. Fif. Morton Cyclo.
Agric. (1863"). s.Sc. Mary and her sisters apprised me of the
evening on which their maiden, or kirn, would take place, Wilson
Tales (1839) V. 340.
12. An oak which has sprung direct from an acorn.
Ken. (W.F.S.) 13. The skate or thornback. Rata batis
and R. clavata. Also in comp. Maiden-skate. Cf. maid, 8.
Or.I. Barry Desc. Or. I. (1707) 296 (.Jam.). e.Sc. Neill FiJtes
(1810)28(1/'.). w.Ir. A^. £;■ O. (1879) 4th S. iii. 311. [Satchell
(1879)-]
14. A swarm of bees coming from a swarm of the same
year ; gen. in comp. Maiden-swarm. War.^, se.Wor.'
15. A gosling. Hmp. (J.R.W.), Hmp.^ 16. Obs. An instru-
mentforbeheadingsimilarto theguillotine. Also used (7//r/6.
Sc. He that invented ' the maiden ' first hanselled it, Kelly Prov.
(1721) 140; It will be time to sharp the maiden for shearing o'
craigs and thrapples, Scott 7?oA 7?o.v (1817) xxix. Abd. Shortly
with a maiden he was beheaded, Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) 11.
220. Lnk. The instrument called the maiden struck off his head,
Wodrow C/t. Hist. (1721) I. 157. ed. 1828. Edb. Accused, con-
demned, and execute by the Maiden at the Cross of Edinburgh.
This fatal instrument, at least the pattern thereof, the cruel Regent
[Morton] had brought from abroad to behead the Laird of Penne-
cuick . . . who, notwithstanding, died in his bed, while the unfor-
tunate Earl was the first himself that handselled that merciless
Maiden, Pennecuik JVks. (1715) 190, ed. 1815. Gall. Just at this
moment we came in sight of the Maiden, Crockett Moss-Hags
(1895) Iv.
17. A clothes-horse. Cf. maid, 10.
Lan. An' aw hang'd 'em o' th' maiden to dry, Harland Lyrics
(1866) 165; iF.R.C); Lan.i, m.Lan.>, Chs.', Shr.', Ken.* Dev.
In the neighbourhood of Tavistock, A', fr Q. (1859) 2nd S. viii.
483. nw.Dev.' Rare ; probably imported from Liverpool.
18. A wooden instrument used in washing clothes, a
'dolly' (q.v.). Cf. maid, 11.
w.Yks. Sheffield Indep. (1874) ; w.Yks.* Consisting of a long
handle with wooden feet, by means of which clothes are stirred
about in a washing tub ; w.Yks.^* War. Wise Shaliespere (1861)
150. Shr.i
Hence Maidening-tub, sb. the tub in which clothes are
washed with a ' maiden.'
w.Yks.* Salla, do yo pull t'oud maidnin tub to t'table ; w.Yks.^
19. The vane on the top of a wherry. Also called Tin-
maiden.
Nrf. As we were stowing up for the night, our tin inaiden slipped
MAIE
[II]
MAILIN
overboard, Emerson Lagoons (ed. 1896) 3a ; These vanes are
peculiar and primitive. They consist of a tin portion, with a long
streamer of bunting (red) attached, and one end of the tin is cut
out into a maiden holding a bunch of flowers — or into a man, &c.
This vane fits into a spike on the top of the mast, and when the
mast is 'owered (to pass under bridges, &c.) it is apt to slip off the
pins (P.H.E.).
20. A wisp of straw put into a hoop of iron, used by a
smith for watering his fire. Rxb. (Jam.) Cf. maid, 14.
21. Part of a spinning-wheel ; see below ; a primitive
kind of loom.
Sh.I. Da maidens is mebbe loose. Tak' aff da whaarls an' da
flicht, an' pit hit a' richt, Sh. A'ews (Nov. 13, 1897). Gall. An
ancient instrument for holding the broaches of pirns until the pirns
be wound off. Mactaggart^hcvc/. (1824). Nhb.'The two upright
standards which supported the driving wheel of a spinning wheel.
The term 'maiden ' was also applied to a little tripod with a fixed
vertical spindle at the top. The bobbin, or * pirn,' taken from a
spinning wheel, ran loosely on the spindle and allowed the thread
to be wound off. Wm. One side fixed, the other movable, with
which the people of Westmoreland wove webs of harden, woollen
girths for the bretching of horses, girths of saddles, garters, &c.
(J.H.)
22. adj. Of animals : never having borne young.
Oxf. ,Brks. :G.O. ) w.Som.' A favourite with butchers. "Tis a
maidenewe,sogood'sanywether.' ' None o' your cow beef. Hewas
a maiden yeffer dree year old ! else I never own un, nor paid vor'n ! '
23. Of trees : unfelled, unlopped, allowed to grow
naturally ; grown from the seed, self-sown.
n-Lin.' Maiden ash, an ash of the first growth, i.e. raised from
seed, not one that has grown from the ' stool ' where a former tree
has tjeen felled. Nhp.'' Oxf.' Maiden ash, maiden elm, &c., MS.
add. Brks.^ Woods are said to be stocked with 'maaiden timber'
when there has been no previous felling. Hmp.' Maiden-timber,
Wise New Forest {iQS'^ 183. Dor. Maiden tree (C.W.) ; ui.Gazel/e
(Feb. 15, 1889) 7, col. i; Dor.' Ruptured children are drawn
through a young maiden ash which has been split, in the belief
that they will be healed. w.Som.* Maiden-tree, or oftener Maiden-
stick, Dev. Reports Provinc. (1877 1 133; Dev."*
24. V. To lay a child in the arms of its parent when it
is presented for baptism.
Lnk. To maiden the wean (Jam.).
MAIE, MAIG, see Mae, sb., Maeg.
MAIG, sb. Wil. [mSg.] A peg. Slow CI. (1892);
Wil.' Cf mag, sb.'^
MAIGERS, see Maugre.
MAIGHRIE, sb. Fif (Jam.) [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] Money, valuable effects.
Of one who has deceased, it is said, ' Had he ony maighrie ? '
MAIGINTY, int. Bnff.' Also in form maiginties.
An exclamation of astonishment.
MAIGRE, sb. Nhb. [me'gar.] The sciaena or shade-
fish, Sciaena umbra.
The maigre, one of the largest of scaly fishes, Richardson
Borderer's Table-bk. (1846) V. 149. [Satchell (1879).]
[Fr. maigre, a great and skaly fish, having a wattle on
his chin (Cotgr.).]
MAIK, see Mag(g, Make, sA.'^
MAIL, sb.' and v. Obs. Sc. Nhb. Cum. Wm. Also
written mael(e Slk. ; male Sc. (Jam.) N.Cy.° Cum. Wm. ;
and in forms meal Wm. ; mail n.Cy. 1. sb. A spot,
mark, stain.
Sc. Esp. what is caused by iron ; ' an irne mail ' (Jam.). Slk.
Can ne'er wash out the wondrous maele, Hogg Foetus (ed. 1865)
87 ; Sindry methes an' maels war on it, ib. 93. n.Cy. A stain on
linen (Hall.). Wm. {ib.)
2. V. To spot, discolour, stain.
Sc. A bit rag we hae at hame, that was mailed wi' the bluid of a
bit skirling wean, Scott Midlotltian (1818) xvii. N.Cy.^, Nhb.>
Cum., Wm. NicoLSON (1677) Traits. R. Soc. Lit. (1868) IX.
[1. OE. mil/, a mole, spot, mark (iELFRic).]
MAIL, sb.^ Sc. Ircl. n.Cy. e.An. Also written male
e.An.' ; and in form maul- s.Irel. 1. .' Obs. A travelling-
bag, a portmanteau, trunk.
Sc. He . . . emptied out his mails upon the floor that I might have
a change of clothes, Stevenson Catrioiia (1893) xxii ; I trust she
has not forgotten the little mail, Scott ^66o< (1820) xxxvi. N.Cy.',
e.An.'
Hence Mailin or Mauleen, sb. (i) a purse ; (2) a small
bag or pouch.
(i) Sc, tris. (P.W.J.) (2) s.Ir. A mauleen is a little pouch or
bag for seed potatoes carried by women when they are planting fri.).
2. Comp. Male-pillion, a stuffed leather cushion on which
to carry luggage on horseback. e.An.'
[1. Unbokeled is the male, Chaucer C. T. a. 3115.
OFr. inak, 'malle' (La Curne).]
MAIL, sb.^ Sc. Nhb. Wm. Yks. Also written maill
Sc. ; male Wm. n.Yks. ; and in forms meal(l Sc. ; mealle
Or.I. ; mell n.Yks. [mil, mial.] 1. Rent, payment.
Also usedjig:
Sc. The rental-book . . . bore evidence against the goodman of
Primrose Knowe as behind the hand with his mails and duties,
Scott Rcdg. (1824) Lett, xi ; I'll pay you for my lodging maill.
When first we meet on the Border side, ib. Minstrelsy (1802 i II.
58, ed. 1848. Sh.I. Undue exactions in the settlement of their
mails and duties, S/i. News (Feb. 19, 1898). Or.I. In scat, land-
mealles and teind, Peterkin Notes (1822^ 129. Abd. The maill of
his new biggit houss at the burn heid takin in sett to be ane sang
schole, TuRREFF Gleanings (1859) 12. Per. Margaret Horms-
cleugh rests [owes] to him of bypast meall ^lo [Scots], Maidment
Spottiswoode Miscell. (1844-5) I'- 3°3- ^"*^- '^^^ yearly grass
maill for a cow was, in 1686, £4 [Scots], Hector Jitdic. Rec.
(1876) 329. Lnk. To all and haill the mails, farms, and entries
of all crops and years b3^gone and coming, Wodrow Ch, Hist.
(1721) I. 418, ed. 1828. Slk. By Lairistan foully was betrayed,
And roundly has he payed the mail, Hogg Poeiits (ed. 1865) 87.
Edb. The mails for the most part being received in money, Penne-
CUIK Wks. (1715) 64, ed. 1815. Gall. A large sum, . . being the
rents and mails ol all his New-Milns property, Crockett Anna
Mark (1899) viii. Nhb.', Wm. (K.) n.Yks. The simple word is
qualified by the prefix ' burgh ' or burrow set before it. . . This
imports that the payments ... of rent were made in connection
with . . . the burgh of Whitby, Atkinson IVhitby (1894) 267.
Hence Mailt-house, sb. a house for which rent is paid.
Abd. A lone woman or two in a ' mailt-house,' Alexander
Notes attd Sketches (1B77) 8.
2. Co;;//, (i) Mail-duty, rent ; (2) -free, rent-free, exempt
from rent ; (3) -garden, a garden the products of which
are raised for sale ; (4) -payer, a rent-payer; (5J -rooms,
hired rooms, rooms for which rent is paid.
(1I Abd. Not to pay mail-duty or service to their masters,
Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) I. 150. (2") Slg. He made a law that
all goats should be grass-mail free. Statist. Ace. IX. 44 iJam.).
Kcb. A tenant that sitteth mail-free, Rutherford Lett. (1660) No.
284. (3) Cld. The chief of these are the mail-gardens around the
city of Glasgow, from which the populous place is supplied with
all the variety of culinary vegetables, Agric. Stirv. 131 (Jam.).
(4) Sc. Skene Difficill IVds. (1681) 56. Abd, The best meal payer's
son that e'er buir hair, Ross Heleitore (1768) 115, ed. 1812. (5)
Slg. He warned me from the rest of my mail-rooms in Saltcoats
and East Mains, Wodrow Soc. Set. Biog. (ed. 1845-7) I. 351.
[I. The Inglismen suld not with gude wil thol to cum
vnder new burdines of a new sence, teines, or mailis,
Dalrymple Leslie's Hist. Scotl. (1596) H. 297. ON. mali,
a contract, a soldier's pay, wages (Vigfusson).]
MAIL, sb." Dev. [Not known to our correspondents.]
A defect in vision. (Hall.)
[Fr. iiiaille, a web in the eye (Cotgr.).]
MAIL, see Meal, si.', Meale.
MAILAK, MAILER, see Marlock, Meller.
MAILIE, «(//. I. Ma. [meli.] Of a cow : hornless ;
also used subst. a cow without horns. Cf. maillie.
Tom's got a mailie cow to sell, Caine Man.xntait 1 1894) pt. v.
xiii ; A mailie cow that was arrim. Brown IVitch (1889) 13 ; One
cow they had, . . yandhar ould mailie, ib. Yants (1881) 18, ed.
1889; She has'n much stock on the croft — just a couple of mailie
cows and a calf (S.M.).
[Gael, tnaolag, a cow without horns, der. of maol, bald,
without horns.]
MAILIE, see Maillie.
MAILIN, sb. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Yks. Also written
mailen N.Cy.'; and in forms maalin Nhb.'; maeylin
N.Cy.'; malin Nhb.'; mailin Cum.'*; meealin n.Cy.
n.Yks.' e.Yks. ; myeln Nhb.' [me'lin, mislin.] 1. A
dusting mop for the oven ; a ' mawkin,' a ' mallymop.'
n.Cy. Grose (1790) ; N.Cy.' A sort of mop made of old rags,
c 2
MAILIN(G
[12]
MAIN
with a long pole, for cleaning out an oven. Nhb.> Used for clean-
ing out the brick oven after the wood ashes have been raked out.
Dur ' A bundle of rags fastened at the end of a pole, to sweep the
ashes out of a brick oven. Cum.' ; Cum." T'yubben was swecped
oot wid a mallin. This niallin consisted of a lot o' clouts tied on
till fend of a slick. C. Pac,/. (June 29, 1893) 6, col. 3. n^y^s.
Thee goon's like an aud meenlin (T.S.); n.Yks.2 e.Yks. Mar-
shall Rur. Econ. ',1788). [(W.G.)]
2. Fig. An untidy, slovenly girl or woman.
N.Cy.' Nhb.i Ye dorty myeln. Cum.', n.Yks.2
MAILIN(G, 5*. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. Cum. Also written
niailen and in forms malen-, mealing Sc. [mi'lin.]
1. A farm, holding. Also used allrib. See Mail, sb?-
Sc. A mailing that would be dear o' a pund Scots, Scott Anlt-
quary (,1816) iv ; As one flits another sits, and that makes the
mealings dear. Kelly P) of. (1721) 8. Bnfif. I hae a mailin frae
the laird, Taylor Pocius (1787) 63. Abd. Anderson Rhymes
(ed. 1867) 191. Per. Ford //n»/> (1893) 131. e.Fif.Aweelplenished
mailin' An govvd a' my ain, Latto Tniit Bodkin (1864) xxii. Dmb.
Taylor Poims (1827) 90. s.Sc. A bit canny guidman hereawa,
\vi' a weel-stocked mailin, Wilson Tales (1839) V. 364. Rnf. Our
Laird had rais'd my mailin rent A hundred marks, Picken Poems
(18135 I. 121. Ayr. 'Twill please me mair to hear an' see't,Than
stockit mailins, Burns Poet's IVelcome, st. 6. Lnk. O' three bits
o' fairms he's ca'd lordie. Three snug little mailin's indeed,
Rodger Poems (1838) 148, ed. 1897. Lth. [He] leaves his . . .
dainty mealing, Ance his profit, pride, and praise, MacneillPo^A
ms. (1801) 152, ed. 1856. Edb. Leaumont Poems (1791) 316.
Hdg. LuMSDEN Pof»<s (1896) 22. Slk. He has the best stockit
mailings and the best filled beef-tubs, Hogg Tales (1838) 653, ed.
1866. Rxb. Riddell Poet. IVks. (1871) 1. 117. Dmf. She gae us a
dainty braid mailing. Johnstone Poems (1820) 128. Gall. Lauder-
dale Poems (1796) 83. Kcb. His mailen was stockit wi' horses
an' kye, Armstrong Ingleside (1890' 216. n.Cy. Border Gl. {Coll.
L.L.B. ) Nhb. Heiress, too, to a mailin, Weel stockit and free,
Allan Poems (1837) 29. Cum. You saw yersel how weel my
mailin thrave, Ay . better faugh'd, and snodit than the lave,
Williamson Local Elym. (1849) 20; Cum.* The heir to a cosy bit
mailen', E. C. News (Mar. 10, 1894) 8, col. i.
Hence Malender, sb. a farmer, the holder of a ' mailirig.'
Sc. The haiU tenantes, cottars, malenders, tradesmen, and
servantcs within the saidis landis, Francis9Ue-Michel Lang.
(1882) 75; Obs. (A.W.)
2. The rent of a farm.
Sc. Let the creatures stay at a moderate mailing, Scott Mid-
lothian (1818) viii. Abd. Our house is happed, and our mailen
paid, Koss Helenore (1766) i8, ed. i8ia.
3. The outfit for a bride. Nhb.'
MAELKIN, MAILL, see Mawkin, sb., Meal, sb.^
MAILLE, sb. Obs. Sc. A gold coin.
Ayr. There were Siller Pennies and Groats, Gold Pennies and
Mailles, Service Notandums (1890) 67.
\Yt. tnaille, the name of many French coins of various
values ; see La Curne (s.v.).]
MAILLER, sb. ? Obs. Sc. Also written mailer ; and
in form mealier (Jaji.). One who has a very small piece
of land ; a particular kind of cottar : see below. See
Mail, sb.'
Sc. Ane person beand in possession of onie landes, as mailler
to his maister, Skene Difficill Wds. (1681) 38. Abd. (Jam.) Rs.
Another class of persons . . . who, though they cannot be strictly
called farmers, are so in part, as they occupy one, two, or three
acres of ground. These are commonly called cottars ... or
mailers, and often hold of the principal farmer. They do not
depend on farming for their entire support, being in general,
artificers, mechanics, or day-labourers. Statist. Ace. I. 275 (16.) ;
The great body of the people is divided into two classes, tenants
and cotUgers; or as the latter are called here, maillers. The
maillers are those poor people who build huts on barren ground,
and improve spots around them, for which they pay nothing for a
stipulated term of years, ib. VII. 253 ; A species of cottager, here
called meallers, who build a small house for themselves on a waste
spot of ground, with the consent of the proprietor, and these are
ready to hire themselves out as day-labourers, ib. II. 560. Per. A
mailer is a farmer, or one who pays rent for land, also one who
tills a small piece of ground as a cottar, Lawson Bk. of Per.
(1847) ai6.
MAILLIE, s6. Sc. Irel. Also written mailie Ayr. Gall.
N.I.' [rae'li.] A pet name for a cow or ewe.
Ayr. As Mailie, an her lambs thcgithcr, Was ae day nibbling
on the tether, Burns Death of Mailie, 1. r. Dmf. (Jam.) Gall.
Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) ; Lassies to the loan do hie To milk
and feed their mailies, Nicholson Poet. Wks. (1814) 122, cd.
1897. Kcb. The maillies were there by the open faul yett. An'
the stirks on the bricht blade were feedin', Armstrong Ingleside
(1890) 2ig. N.I.' ' Mailie, Mailie,' a call to a pet sheep.
[Cp. ME. Malle, the name of a sheep. Three kj'n, and
eek a sheep that highte Malle, Chaucer C. T. b. 4021.]
MAILL YER, MAILOCK, see Meller, Marlock.
MAIL-POLE, sb. Yks. A May-pole.
w.Yks. Thej'Ve getten a May-pole up at Warley (they call it
• th' mail pole '\ Hartley Budget (1867) 10.
MAILS, sb. pi. Sc. Irel. Yks. Also written male and
in form malion w.Yks. [melz, meslz.] A weaving term :
small perforated scales made of copper or other metal,
attached to the heald through which the end of the warp
passes ; rarely used in sing.
Rnf. 'Tween beads, and broads, and leads, and mails, . . It's
just eneugh to ding us chiel's Ca'd rhymers daft, Webster
Pliymes (1835) 151 ; Temper yer ilka thrum and thread, Yea,
whether they wimple thro' a head. Or thro' a mail, ib. 152. N.I.'
Used in Jacquard weaving. w.Yks. Each is pierced with three
holes, the central one being for an end or thread of the warp to
pass through ; to the others the healds are tied (J.T.) ; Small
pieces of iron with holes forthr^ding through the ends of a warp
in a loom (J.M.) ; (S.A.B.)
[Fr. mailie, mail, or a link of mail whereof coats of mail
be made, any little ring of metal resembling a hnkof mail
(CoTGR.).]
MAILS, see Miles.
MAIN, s6.', adj. and adv. Van dial, uses in Sc. Ircl. Eng.
and Amer. Also written maain Brks.' ; mane Som. ; and
in forms magne Som. ; mayn w.Cor. ; meyne Lan. ;
mhyne Wxf.' [men, mean.] 1. sb. The greater part,
most. Also in pi.
Sc. (A.W.) Lakel.^ What we've gitten t'main ont' in. Cum.
Ah think 'at t'main o' what he hed gitten, hed gon till his feet an'
finger ends, Farrall Betty Wilson (i886^ 65. Yks. There were
t'mains of a hundred. Mains were t'middlemost (C.C.R.). n.Yks."
T'main on 'em sez 'at it is seca. ne.Yks.' T'main on 'em gans tiv oor
pump. m.Yks.' w.Yks,' Some Tom Paineri' power. .. hez coun-
sell'd main on 'em to believe it, ii. 298. Lan. Aw've getten th' meyn
o' my larnin' sin' then wi' rcadin', St.^nding Echoes (1885) 14.
ne.Lan.' The varra mai^i. Brks.' I thinks we hev a-killed the
maaiu o' the rats up at Breach Verm. w.Cy. I've a-heard the
main o' the news out in Australia, Cornh. Mag. (Dec. 1895^ 602.
n.Wil. A peaper bout ower girt vine church. Which main o'm
knaw'd avore, Slow Girt Harcbeology. n.Oor. (S.S.B.)
2. A large quantity.
w.Som.' We'd a-got a ter'ble maa'yn o' hail last night
3. An equal quantity.
n.Yks.- I want t'main of owther soort. w.Yks. (J.W.^
4. Hard work ; a spell or turn at labour.
m.Yks.' I've had hard mai'n to get my dinner down to-day.
I generally have a bit of a mai'n at the newspaper when I go
to York.
5. Patience, endurance. S. & Ork.' 6. The under-done,
half-cooked part of meat; gen. in phr. in the main, under-
done.
e.An.' Give me a slice in the main. Nrf. I like my meat home-
done; but my husband like his in the main (W.R.E.) ; Lor bor,
I carn't ate my maate so, I likes it in the main, CozensHardy
Broad A'rf. 1,1893) 41. Suf.' The meat's in the main. e.Suf.This
steak is in the main (F.H.).
7. adj. Chief, principal, most important, major ; firm,
staunch.
Sc.vA.W.) Nhb.' Applied to more important beds, as 'mainpost,'
' high main seam,' ' low main seam.' ' The deep strata of this fossil,
or what is styled in the language of the trade, '* the main coal,"*
Brand Hist. Newc. (1789; II. 263, note. Lakel.2 T'main man at a
spot is t'heed fellow. Cum. T'main fun duddent begin till t'edge
o t'ibnin, Dickinson Lamplugh (1856) 4 ; Cum." Wni. T'main
thick o' foke cums tul a doo o' this soort, Penny Rcadins at
Burnesed, 24. Yks. (J.W.) Lan. That's one o' th' main jobs for
thoose 'at's power, Waugh Owd Bodle, 264 ; Merr an aloes, wi'
aw th' main spoiccs, Staton Sng. Sol. (1859) iv. 14. nw.Der.'
Th* main chap. Hrf.^ Cider's the main thing for a mon.
8. Comb. (1) Main-band, the belt which communicates
the motive power to the machinery ; (2) — chance, a
MAIN
[13]
MAINS
livelihood; (3) -cut, a drain; (4I -engine, the surface
pumping-engine at a pit ; (5) -head, the chief in point of
number; the multitude; (6) -pin, the turning pin upon
which the fore axle of any carriage turns or locks ; (7)
-rake, the principal leading or lode of a vein ; (8) -rope,
the rope which hauls the kill tubs out in the ' Tail Rope '
system of haulage ; (9) -shore or -shure, (10) -soof, the
principal drain or sewer.
(i I w.Yks. T'main band's brokken, Shevvild Ann. (1848) 3. (2)
Oxf.'The main chance is the fust thing t'look arter ; wa's the good
of a clane 'ouse, an' nuthin t'et, dust think? MS. add. (3) Lin.
A main-cut or drain is now making by authority of Parliament,
Marshall/?(;w>zi>(i8ii) III 28. (4) Nhb.l Nhb.,Dur. Greenwell
Cod/ Tf. G/. (1 849\ (5) n.Yks.2 (6) Wil. Davis .-i^w. (1813I
Dor.', w.Som.' (7) Der. Main-rake Meerstake gave this sage
advice, Furness Medicus (1836) 33. (81 Nhb., Dur. Nicholson
Cort/ rr. G/. (1888). (9) w.Yks. (J.W.), Lan.', m.Lan.i w.Som.'
Of recent importation. (10) Lan. At th' side o' th' main-soof 'at
they're makin' up i'th road, Waugh Dead Man's Dinner, 345.
9. Great in size or degree, big ; thorough ; firm, staunch ;
of crops: fine, plentiful.
Sc. it's a main untruth, Scott Guy M. (1815) v. Abd. John
Kennedy of Kermuck, a main covenanter, Spalding Hist. Sc.
(1792)11.178. Lan.', nw.Der.' Gmg. Of growing crops, Collins
Cower Dial, in Trans. Phil. Soc. (1848-50) IV. 222. Brks. 'Amain
sight ' of anything (M.J.B.\ Hmp. A main pond fJ.R.W.). w.Cy.
My vowles eat a main deal of barley, N. & Q. (1868 ) 4th S. ii. 287.
■Wil. Yow beamain fool, Penruddocke Co»fe/!/(i86o) 31 ; A main
bit o' bother about this yer margidge, Jefferies Hodge (1880) II.
8 ; Wil.' A main sight o' vawk. Dor. Tidden a main deal o'
trouble, zimmen zo, Hare Vill. Street (1895) 90. Som. He axed
a main lot o' questions, Raymond Love and Quiet Life (1894) 34 ;
There's a main crop of apples this year (W.F.R.); W. & J. GL
(1873). Dev. Er cloase costs a main sight ov money, Hewett
Peas. Sp. (1892) 138. nw.Dev.' A main zight o' things. w.Cor.
They'll get a mayn dousting whenever they coam, Bottrell Trad.
3rd S. 174.
Hence a tnainfnv, phr. a good many.
WU. There war a maan few postes (W.H.E.). Hmp. ib.
10. Comp. (i) Main-brew, a festivity, jollification; (2)
•hamper, a kind of basket used for carrying fruit ; (3)
•sweat, the violent perspiration which often immediately
precedes death.
(i) Lan. Wern havin' a main-brew at eawcr heavvse, Brierlev
Day Out (1859) 48 ; We'd bin to a main-brew, ib, Layrock (1864)
V. (2) Som. (Hall.) (3) Sc. (Jam.)
11. adv. Very, much, greatly ; quite.
Elg. The song to be sure was main long, Couper Tourifications
(1803) I. 52. Abd. It must be main lonely for him in the guard
house the nicht, Bram Stoker IVatler's Man' (18951 160. Wxf.'
Chas mhyne weery [I was very weary]. n.Cy. Ah'm main sorry
for thee, Longman's Mag. (Apr. 1889) 619 ; N.Cy.' Wm. He
was a main sharp lad (B.K.). n.Yks. Ah's main glad to sec tlieh
(T.S.). n.Yks." Ah's ommaist main sartin he's in t'reet on it.
ne.Yks.' Ah's main glad ti see tha. e.Yks.' Dickon, Dickon, Ah's
main blythe thoo's boon to be king. w.Yks. He're a main bad
'un, Snowden Tales lipoids (1893) x. Lan. We're main sorry fur
thee, Sammy, Burnett Lowrie's (1877) xvi; I'm main sorry to
lose her, Hocking Dick's Fairy (1883) i. Der. We're main proud
of our spire, Verney Stone Edge (1868) ii. Not. Religious folks
are generally main good at objections. Prior Renie (1895) 80.
Lin. Streatfeild Lin. and Danes (1884) 344. n.Lin.' I should
maain like to goa to Lunnun if it was nobbut to sea th' Queen.
Rut.' I be main sorry. s.Wal. I be main glad to have yo' back,
Longman's Mag. (Dec. 1899) 147. Pem. I'm main glad to see
you (W.H.Y.); I'm main poorly this mornin' (E.D.). s.Pem.
Laws Link Eng. (1888) 420. Glo. Thee know'st as thee wer
main ager to year arl about et, Buckman Darke's Sojourn (1890)
ii ; Glo.' 2 Brks. Be main glad to zee 'ee, Hughes Sco!<>-. IVhite
Horse (1859) vii ; Brks.' I be maain tired ater that ther job. e.An.'
This is a main cold place. Nrf. Cozens-Hardy Bronrf A^)/ (1893)
70. Sur. I be main glad to hear it, Bickley Sur. Hills (1890) II.
XV. Hmp. 'Tis main bad, zur, Ellis Pronunc. (1889) V. 104 ; Hmp.'
Wil. I sh'd be main glad to drink yer health, sir, Swinstead Par.
en IVheels (1897) 202; He were main forwardish then, Ellis
Pronunc. (1889) V. 47; Wil.' Dor. Jenny her'll be main glad
vor to zee I, Hare Vill. Street (1895) 105 ; Dor.' A main girt tree.
Som. Let's hook it out o' this mane zharp, Frank Nine Days (1879)
34. w.Som.' Hcr's better, thank'ee, sir, but her bin main bad,
I 'sure ee. Her's main a-tookt up way un. Dev. I be mainzorry
vur Jinny, poor ol' sawl ! Hewett Peas. Sf: (1892^ ; Dev.^ Tha
rawds'U be main zoggy arter this 3'er snaw's a-milted. nw.Dev.'
Cor. I be main glad o' that, Baring-Gould Curgenven (1893)
xxxvii ; Cor.^ 'Tes main cruel the way they trems [trims] the
dogs. [Nfld. I am main sorry (W.H.P.). Amer. It's main strange,
Carruth Kansas Univ. Quay. (Oct. 1892) I ; Hit's the main biggest
rabbit ever I see. Dial. Notes (1896) I. 372.]
Hence (1) main and, phr. very, much, greatly ; (2) Mains,
adv. (a) see (i) ; (b) for the most part, on the whole.
(i) Yks. T'shop is doing main an' well, Gaskell Sylvia (1863)
24a, ed. 1874. s.Oxf. He's main an' bad, and I believe as
'ee's took for death, Rosemary Chiltcrns (1895) 163. w.Som,'
I zim maister looked raaa'yn un ugly t'anybody s'mornin'. The
roads be maayn un slipper, sure 'nough. nw.Dev.' ;2, « , Yks. (K.)
n.Yks. Thou casts a leet a lantom, Pegg, thou's mains fine, Meriton
Praise Ale (1684) 1. 487 ; n.Yks.* Mains fair, mains fond. Lin.'
He assisted me mains. (A) n.Yks.* ' Mains fine,' attractive in the
main. ' Mains proud,' haughty rather than otherwise. m.Yks.'
The place was mains full.
MAIN, sA.2 Sc. Nhb. Lakel. Yks. Lan. Chs. Also Dev.
[men, mean.] 1. A match in cock-fighting.
Sc. The schoolboys in those days were all expected to bring
a game-cock to the annual 'main,' Wright Sc. Life\ 1897) 42. s.Sc.
Dumbarton, where the best cock mains in a' Scotland are fought,
Wilson 7a/«(i836;IV.340. Nhb. A well-known rendezvous, where
mains were often fought on Sunday afternoons, Longman' s Mag.
(Feb. 1897) 331. Lakel.* Auld chaps tell us hoo a cock main was
thowt on bi them. Cum. He gat a match meadd for a main o cocks
ageaun Easter, Dickinson Lamplugh (1856) 5. Lan. An' bedrid
as he is, has his feyghtin' cocks for a main on t'floore o' his
chamber, Kay-Shuttleworth Smcirfn/i; (i860) II. 33. Chs.' Ois.
Dev. And zo our cock hath had a nick ; Iss, iss, we've lost the
main, Peter Pindar Wks. (1816) IV. 206.
2. A group of game-cocks.
Wm. As grand a main as ivver ye clapt een on (B.K.).
3. A pit or enclosed place for cocks to fight in.
Wm. Oor middensteed was yance a main fer cockfeiten ((6.).
4. In bowls : a match played by a number of couples ;
see below.
Chs.' A main at bowls is a match played by a number of couples,
the winners again playing in couples against each other till one
man is left the victor.
5. In games : a pool or sweepstake. Nhb.' A quoit main.
MAIN, V. .' Obs. Yks. To lame, maim. w.Yks.
Thoresby Lett. (1703) ; w.Yks."
[I mayne one, I take the use of one of his lymmes from
\\ym,jemebaigne,Vt^\js,Q-R. I<lorm.Fr.}ita/iaingner, 'blesser'
(La Curne).]
MAIN, see Mean, i'.'. Moan.
MAING, MAINGIE, see Mowing, Menyie.
MAINLY, adv. Sc. Cum. Wm. Yks. Glo. Wil. Dev.
[me'nli, meanli.] 1. For the most part, generally.
Cum., Wm. (M.P.) m.Yks. Ah've mainly hcd plenty o' wark,
Blackah Poems (1867) 22. w.Yks. We mainly taks wer tea
abootthis tahm, Lucas Stud. Nidderdale (c. 1882).
2. CoDip. Mainly-what, for the most part, generally.
Lakel.* Cum. He's mainly-what reeght at t'laug end, Sargis
SON Joe Scoap (1888) 163 ; Cum.^ He cx't a lot of udder gentle-
men, frinds o' his, mainly what parsons, 78. Cum., Wm. (M.P.)
Wm. We'd faer crops o havver, mainly what, bet sum on't spoilt
we seea mitch rain, Spec. Dial. (1885) pt. iii. 39.
3. Very, exceedingly, greatly.
Gall. But the station master was mainly angered, Crockett
Cleg Kelly {i8g6) so$. Glo.'* Wil. An straite his back begun la
whack. Wile mainly he did roar. Slow Courtship 0/ Mister Clay. Vev.
I wud a mainly sklawed [sic] un, Daniel Brideof Scio (1842) 190.
MAIN-RIG, sb. Fif. (Jam.) [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] A term applied to land of which the ridges
are possessed alternately by difi'erent individuals.
MAINS, s6.' Sc. Nhb. Dur. Yks. Also written mainnes
Sc. ; maynes n.Yks. [menz.] The farm attached to the
mansion-house on an estate, the home farm, the chief farm
of an estate or township, demesne lands.
So. Manerium, Ane mainnes, or domaine landes, because they
are laboured and inhabited be the Lorde, and proprietar of the
samin, Skene E.xpos. (ed. 1641) 91. Cai.' Abd. Kent ye muckle
Charlie German, Greave a while at Mains o' Glen? Still Cottar's
Sunday (1845) 37. e.Lth. I gaed ootby, an' took a bit turn roun'
the mains, Hunter /. Inwick 1,1895) 215. N.Cy.' Nhb,' The
MAINS
[14]
MAKE
word occurs in the names of many farmsteads, as Lawson Mains ;
Hallington Mains, &c. Dur.i n.Yks.John Dodsworth of Massam
Maynes, Quarter Sess. Fee. (Oct. 8, 1606) in N. R. Rec. Soc.
(1884) I. 48. , . , ,
MAINS, s6.= Sc. In phr. //;f «(a;H5 »HO>-f, see below.
Ayr. Devouring the mains more there the ither night wi' their
gallanting, Galt Sir A. Wylte (1822) xvii ; Some thought it was
na come to pass that ye would ever consent to let Miss Mary tak'
him, though he had the main's more, 16. xcvi.
MAINSWEAR, v. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. Yks. Also written
mainsweear e.Yks.' ; and in forms menswear Or.I. ;
niinswear Sc. To swear falsely. Cf. nianswear.
Sc. Grose (1790I A/5, arfrf. (C.) Cai.' n.Cy. Grose (1790) ;
N.Cy.i, n.Yks.", ne.Yks.' e.Yks. Marshall Rur. Eton. (1788) ;
e.Yks.>
Hence Manswom, ppl. adj. perjured.
Sc. jAM.i Or.I. It is leisom, gif they be mensworne, topunishe
them, Peterkin.Vo/m( 182a) /4//)f«. 86. n.Cy. Bailey (nai)- NUb.i
MAINTAIN, V. Lei.' In phr. to nmmtain causes, to pay
one's way. 'Ahcain'tmenteen causesan'pey a doctor's bill an'all.'
MAINTENANTLY, adv. n.Cy. [Not known to our
correspondents.] Mainly. (Hall.)
MAINTO, sb. Abd. (Jam.) Also in form mento.
Obligation, debt.
To be in one's mainto, out o one's mento, no longer under
obligations to one.
MAINY, see Mean, v}
MAIR, sb. Cor. [me3(r).] Sheaves of corn placed
longitudinally ; see below.
Cor.' ' The weather was so catching that I could not put my
sheaves of corn either into shocks or arish-mows ; but made them
into mairs.' These are built longitudinally, about 18 ft. in length
by laft. deep; Cor.*
MAIRDIL, i;. and «(/;'. Sc. Also written mairdal (Jam.).
[merdl.] 1. v. In pass. : to be overcome by fatigue.
Frf. I have often heard work-people declare they were perfectly
mairdiled with a piece of heavy work, N. & Q. (1854) ist S. ix. 233.
2. adj. In phr. a »iairdil woman, a woman who either
from size or bodily infirmity moves heavily. Ags. (Jam.)
MAIRLOCK, MAIRT, see Marlock, Mart, sb.'
MAIS, see Master, sh.\ Mess, s6.', Meas(e.
MAISCHLOCH, see Mashloch.
MAIS'D, ppl. adj. Fif. (Jam.) [Not known to our
correspondents.] Of fruit : mellow.
|Cp. Sw. dial, masa, to warm as the sun does (Rietz).]
MAISE.sA. Lin. Shr. Dor. Also written mays sw.Lin.';
maze n. Lin.' Dor. ; and in />/. forms maisen Dor. ; mayses
sw.Lin.' ; mazen t)or. [niez.] 1. The stinking chamo-
mile, Anthemis Co/ula. Cf. maithen.
sw.Lin.' They're them nasty mayses. Shr.' Dor. The corn
was full of mazen (C.W.).
2. pi. The ox-eye daisy, Chrysanthemum Leucanlhemuin.
n.Lin.'
[1. ME. maythes, ' cotula fetida' (Sin. Earth. 16) ; OE.
inagepe, maythe, chamomile, ox-eye (B.T.).]
MAISE, see Mease, Meise.
MAISEL, MAISENTER, see Mazle, Masoner.
MAISHIE, 5*. Sc. Also in forms maisie- S. & Ork.' ;
maizey Sh.I. ; maizie Abd. ; mashie, niaysie Sh.I. ;
mazieSh.I.(jAM.); mazyOr.I.; meashie,meshie,meyshie
Sh.I. 1. A basket or pannier made of a network of straw
or bent ; a straw net. Cf maiz.
Sh.I. jAKOBSENZJia/. (1897) 31 ; Furnishing packages employed
in the carriage of them [peats] called Cassies or Maizeys, Hiebert
Dtsc. Sh. I. (182a) 13s, ed. 1891 ; A'll see an git da meashies
reddy, S/i. Netvs (Aug. 27, 1898) ; Lass rive oot a lag o' yon
mashie. . . Fling da maeshie apo me lass, an' poo da lags frae him,
ib. (Sept. 3, 1898); A lock o' auld cashies, flakies, an' meshies,
Stewart Tales (1892) 7; Pannier holders made of rashes or
bent, and having bands of the same material for attaching to the
dibber or pony saddle, ib. note ; The apparatus by which the pony
is thus literally turned into a beast of burden consists of a pair of
straw panniers or maysies, attached to a wooden saddle or clibber,
CowiE 5/1. (1871) 167 ; For carrying turf, hay, &c. l,Coll. L.L.B.^ ;
(Jam.) Or.I. Two creels, called ' the clibber and mazy," upon the
backs of ponies constituted all the means of carriage, Fergusson
Rambles (1884 ) 146. ne.Abd. Maizie, a basket for odds and ends is
still known but is not in use (,W.M.).
2. Comp. Maisie-maisie, a net with wide meshes made
of twisted straw ropes. S. & Ork.'
[1. Norw. dial, ineis, a basket of wicker-work (Aasen) ;
ON. meiss, a basket (Vigfusson).]
MAISK, adj. Or.I. Bashful. (S.A.S.), S. & Ork.'
MAISLE, see Mazle, Meazle.
MAISON-DIEU, A*. Obs. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. Also written
maison-dew Per. ; mason-due N.Cy.' ; and in forms
messan-dew Sc. (Jam.) A hospital, a name given to a
hospital.
Sc. (Jam.) Per. The Great Cross Abbey and the Maison Dew,
Haliburton Dunbar ^1895) 91. N.Cy.' The vulgar name of an old
hospital. Sandhill, Newcastle, now taken down. Nhb.'
[Fr. Maison Dieu, an hospital, or spittle for the poor
(Cotcr.).]
MAISTRY, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Skill, power, superiority,
mastery.
Sc. He's no an ill body in the main, and maistry, ye ken, maws
the meadows doun, Scott Midlothian ;i8i8) xliv. N.Cy.'
MAITHE, sb. and v. Sc. Also in forms meath, methe.
[mef>.] 1. sb. A maggot. Cf mad, sb.^ 1.
Sc. The mair and the migraim, with meaths in the melt, Fran-
ciSQUE-MiCHEL /.rt//^. (1882) 155. Cai.', Bnff.', Rnf. ( J AM.) Slk.
Sundry methes and maels were on it, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865) 93.
2. V. To become infested with maggots.
Bnff.' The beef's a' beginnin' t'maithe.
[1. Make, mathe, wyrm yn |>e fleshe, tarmus. Prompt.
OE. maSa, worm, maggot (Sweet).]
r^AITHEN, sb. Won Shr. Glo. Sus. Hmp. I.'W. Wil.
Dor. Also written mathan Hmp.'; mathenGlo.'; may then
w.Wor.' ; and in forms maathern n. Wil. ; mathern Hmp.
Wil. Dor. ; mauthern Wil.' ; mavin Sus. ; mawthen I.W. ;
maythern Shr.'; meaden Dor.'; moithern Shr.' [me'tSan.]
1. The stinking chamomile, Anthemis Cotula. See Maise.
Shr.i, Sus., Hmp., Hmp.', I.W. n.Wil. Last year there had been
nearly as much mathern as crop, Jefferies Gt. Estate (1880) viii ;
(E.H.G.) Dor. C.W.), Dor.'
2. The ox-eye daisy. Chrysanthemum Leiicanthemum.
Glo.', Wil.' 3. The dog's chamomile, Matricaria Chamo-
milla. w.Wor.', n.Wil. (E.H.G.)
[1. OE. ;«(r^/)rj (gen. /niF^/n)!). '"a'then,may-weed(B.T.).]
MAITHEWEED, sb. n.Cy. The stinking chamomile,
Anthemis Cotida. (B. & H.)
MAIZ, sb. Obs. n.Cy. Yks. A large, light hay-basket.
n.Cy. Grose (1790). e.Yks. ( 1788). See Maishie.
MAIZE, MAIZEL, MAIZEY, see Meas(e, Mazle,
Maishie.
MAIZIE, sb. Ags. (Jam.) A linden.
MAIZIE, MAIZLE, see Maisliie, Mazle.
MAJESTY, sb. Wm. Sus. [ma-dgasti.j 1. A rage,
passion. Wm, Ah went tul him i mi majesty (B.K.).
2. A corruption of ' magistrate.'
Sus. I'll ha ya to a majesty, Lower Tom Cladpoli (1831) st. 49.
MAJOR, sb. and v. Obs. Sc. 1. sb. In comp. Major-
mindit, haughty in demeanour.
Mry.Although I be sogerclad, lam major mindit(jAM.). Cld.(i6.)
2. V. To walk with a military air, to swagger.
Sc. Can it be for the puir body M'Durk's health to major about
in the tartans ? Scott St. Ronan (1834) xx ; Ganging majoring to
the piper's Howff wi' a' the idle loons in the country, ib. Old
Mortality (1816) v.
MAKE, v.^ Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. Eng. and Colon,
[mek, miak, mak, mek, me.] I. Gram, forms. 1. Present
Tense: (i) Ma, (2) Maa, (3) Maak, (4) Maake, (5) Mack,
(6) Mae, (7) Ma'e, (8) Mai, (9) Mak, (10) May, {11 ) Meake,
(12) Meayk, (13) Meek, (14) Meeak, (15) Meh, (16) Mek,
(17) May, (18) Mheak, (19) Mheyk, (20) Myek.
(i) w.Yks. O wod'nt ma na mischief for't, Bywater Gossips, 5 ;
w.Yks.^ n.Stf. I'n set my heart on't as thee shalt ma' thy feyther's
coffin, Geo. Eliot A. Bede (1859) xi. Der. It ma's naugh to me,
Verney Stone Edge (1868) i. Lei.' (2) w.Yks. I'll maa thee do't
(J.R.); Banks ;Fl/7rf.»Ws. (1865). (3)m.Yks.'/«^rorf.37. (4)Wxf.i
Maake wye. (5)Sc.(A.W.),N.Cy.' Dur. We'll mack the bowrders
uv gowld, Moore Sng. Sol. (1859) i. 11 ; Dur.'. s.Wm. (J.A.B.),
w.Yks.' (6) Yks. Mae a brute of thysel, Howitt Hope On ( 1840) x.
Lan. At maes me ask ye, Bvrom Pof>»is (1814) 1. 97 ; Lan.', e.Lan.'
Lin. This howry day maes it clattier still, N. (f Q. (1865) 3rd S.
MAKE
[15]
MAKE
vii. 31. (7) Lan. Ma'e th' best o' th' job, Harland Lyrics (1866)
136. (8) nw.Der.' (9) Sc. ( Jam.\ Cai.' Abd. That mak's Mm sae
fond, Alexander Johnny Gibb (1871) ix. s.Dur. A'll mak tha'
behave thysell (J. E.D.'l. Cum.i" n.Yks. Sheea awlus raaks sike
greeat trubbles o' trifles, Tweddell C/cvel. Rhymes (1875) 36.
c.Yks.i, w.Yks.^ Lan. To mak' o' sure, Banks Maiicli. Man (1876)
iii. Der.2, Shr.' Sur. I maks my maark, Bickley Siir. Hills
(1890I II. vi. (10) w.Yks.Tamaymesen acquainted wi' I'geografy,
Tom Treddlehoyle Bairnsia Ann. (1863) 42 ; w.Yks."^, Lan.',
Chs.i, s.Chs.' Not. Yer mun may haste (J.H.B.). Lin. An ass
as near as mays nowt, Tennyson N. Farmer, Neiu Style (1870) st.
10. n.Lin.i He maj's sich'n a noise I can't hear mysen speak.
Shr.' (11) Sc. Murray Dial. (1873) 206. Cum. Gl. (1851).
Dev. We wull me-ake tha bawders uv goold, Baird Sng. Sol.
(i860) i. n. (12) Nhb. Meayk heayst, Bewick Tyneside Tales
(1850)10. (i3)N.I.i Cum. Thou meck'st thy flock to rest at nuin,
Rayson Sng, Sol. (1859) i. 7. (14I n.Lan. We may meeak our
little meear, Lonsdale Mag. (July 1866) 18. (15) w.Yks. Wee'll
meh thah arridges o' gode, Littledale Crav. Sng. Sol. (1859) i.
11. (16; Cum.'", s.Not. (J.P.K.), War.2 Shr.' Mck 'or a coop o'
ta^'. e.Dev. Mek much o' ee, Pulman Sng. Sol. (i860) i. 4. (17)
Wni. What toth sham meyas me forgit his neaam ? Wheeler
Dial. (1790) 18, ed. 1821. Lan. Sitch wark as tis meys, Ti.M
Bobbin I'iew Dial. (1740) 2. (18) Nhb. Mheakin a' ring aghayn,
Bewick Tyneside Tales (1850) 14. (19' Nhb. Mheyk thee sell leuk
varra sprunt, ib, 13. (20) Nhb. To myck owr free, Oliver Sngs.
(1824) 7.
2. Preterite: (i)Maad(e, (2)Maake,(3) Maate,(4)Macked,
(5) Maed, (6) Maked, (7) Mead(e, (8) Meayd(e, (9) Med,
(10) Meead, (11) Meed, (12) M'yad.
(i) w.Yks. It maade t'men all jump back, Binns Orig. (1889)
No. i. 6; w.Yks.' (2) Ess.' (3I Wxf.' (4') w.Yks. Sheffield
Indep. (1874). (5) Cai.' (6) Ken. I maked it squitter. Keeling
Rclum to Nature (1897) viii. (7) Sc. Murray Dial. (1873) 206.
Cum.3 I mead nea words aboot it, 2. Wm. Sec a racket meade,
Graham Gwordy (1778) 1. 16. Lan. Boh they mead'n me't hear
um efeath, Tim Bobbin Vietv Dial. (ed. 1806) 24. Glo. He mead
his brags avoore he died, Dixon Sngs. Eng. Peas. (1846) 201, ed.
Bell. Dev. Thay meade me Iveeper uv tha vinyirds, Baird Sng.
Sol. (i860) i. 6. (8) Nhb. Booz meayd ansur, Robson Bk. Ruth
(i860) ii. II. Wm. Slie meayde the bell tinkle. Whitehead Leg.
(1859) 6. (9) Wm. Jim Hutcheysen Med o' th' wimmen sham,
Blezard Sngs. (1848) 42. Lan. I med my mind up, Eaves-
dropper ym. Life (1869) 103. Lei.' 28. War.^ I med this
box myself. (10) n.Yks. Meead em all quite merry, Tweddell
Clevel. Rhymes (1875) 6. (11) Or.I. Hid wus her that meed a' the
sair meen an' lood yowlin', Fergusson Rambles (1884) 246. Lei.'
(12) Dor.i
3. Pp. : (i) Makken, (2) Meade, (3) Meayed, (4) Med, (5)
Meead, (6) Myed.
(i) e.Yks.' (2) Sc. Murray Dial. (1873") 206. Cum. Her . . .
has just meade a fuil o' hersel, Anderson Ballads (1805) 92. (3)
Lan. We'n meayed up our moinds to't, Ainsworth Witches (ed.
1849) Inlrod. iii. (4I Wm. He'd med up his mind, Robison Aald
Taales (1882) 3. w.Yks. 'Twere med o' wood, Twisleton Poems
(c. 1866) 6. Lan. Shop were med to pay, Doherty A'. Barlow
(1884) 7. Lei.' 28, War.2 (5) n.Yks.^ (6) Nhb. They've myed
him a lord, Oliver Sngs. (1824) 6.
II. Dial. uses. 1. In comb, with prep., adv., Sec. : (i) to
make after, to pursue, follow with haste ; (2) — at, to aim
a blow at ; to attack ; (3) — away with, {a) to kill, destroy,
murder ; (b) to throw away or discard as useless ; (c) to
spend too freely, to squander ; (d) to pawn ; (4) — by, to
excel ; to walk or run past ; (5) — down, (a) to dilute,
reduce the strength of spirituous liquors ; (/>) to prepare,
make ready ; (6) — for, (n) to approach, go in the direction
of, advance towards ; (b) to prepare, make ready for ; (r )
to foreshadow, to seem to aim at ; (7) — for off, to make
a move of departure; (8) — in, (a) to adjust, prepare ; (b)
to shut up, close ; (c) to kindle, light ; (9) — into or intil,
to make or force one's way into ; (10) — in with, to get into
favour; to ingratiate oneself; (11) — of, (a) to care for,
attend to; to make much of, to flatter, compliment; (b) to
profit by ; (c) to do with, put, place ; (12) — off, to run away,
scamperoft"; (13) — offwith,(n)see(i2); (i)see(3,fl); (14)
— on, (rt) to hurry on ; (b) to treat kindly, to encourage or
induce by kindness; to pet, caress, make much of; (15)
— out, (rt) of a light, candle, &c. : to extinguish, put out ;
(b) to prosper, succeed ; (c) to progress, get along ; (dj to
manage, contrive, make shift ; to eke out ; (e) to get a
living, subsist, live ; (/) to prove, establish a fact ; (g) to
extricate oneself ; {/t) to get hold of; (/) to puzzle; (16)
— out for, to provide for ; (17) — out to, to get to, reach
safely; (18)— out with, see (14, rf) ; (19) —through or
tlirow with, to finish, bring to a conclusion after sur-
mounting difficulties ; (20) — to, to approximate in some
degree to a certain point or object ; (21) — up, (a) to fasten
up, shut up, secure, pen up ; (b) to repair, close up ; to
close, stop, fill up ; (c) of a caterpillar : to turn into a
chrysalis ; id) to decide, intend ; (e) to rise, get out of bed ;
(/) to arrange, prepare ; (g) to raise, collect, accumulate ;
(«) to contrive, invent ; to compose ; (/) to get a horse into
good condition for selling, &c. ; {j} to make one's fortune ;
(/<■) to chop faggot-wood into proper lengths and bind it
into faggots ; (/) to coil up a rope ; («/) to break ; (22) —
upon, to prepare, get ready ; (23) — up to, (a) see (6, a) ;
{b) to overtake, implying some difficulty in so doing ; (c)
to accost a person with a view of making acquaintance ;
to make matrimonial advances; (rf) to curry favour; (24)
— up with, to be pleased with.
(i) Sc. (A.W. 1, w.Yks.i (2^ Cld. He maid at me wi' his neive
(Jam.). Cai.' Nhb.' They were makin at us wi' sticks, Oliver
Rambles (1835) 156. Cum.' Our bull mead at him full smack.
w.Yks.' (3, a) Sh.I. A lass gaen t'da banks ta mak' awa' wi' hersel',
Stewart Tales (1892) 253. Cai.' Ayr. A body gaun to mak' awa'
wi' himsel', Ainslie Land of Burns (ed. 1892) 128. n.Cy., Yks.
J.W.) Chs.' ' It's not worth rearing,' said of a calf which had
come prematurely and was very weakly, ' but I dunno like to
make away with it.' War.^ He is supposed to have made away
with his wife. Oxf.' MS. add. Brks.' I be a-gwaain to maayke
awaay wi' my dog, vor thaay tells I as a goes ater the ship o'
nights. Hnt. (T.P.F.), e.An.2 fA) n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.), Chs.>,
War.3 (c) n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.), Brks.', e.An.2 (rf j Nhp.' I'm so
distressed, I've bin obliged to make away wi' e'ery thing I got.
(4) Cld. I maid by him in an hour (Jam.). (5, «) Sc. (16.) (6) To
make down a bed, to fold down the clothes, so as to make it ready
for being entered (Jb.). Cai.' Slk. Betty, my dear, make down
the bed, Hogg Tales (1838) 291, ed. 1866. (6, a) Cai.' Cld. He
maid for the door (Jam.). n.Cy. (J.W.) w.Yks. I made for a
certain tree, Fletcher f^rt/>f«/ofe (1895) 98. Lan. (S.W.) Chs.l ;
Chs.3 Oo were making for Knutsford. Der.^ nw.Der.i (6) Sc.
They behoved to make for trouble, as being inevitable, Hutcheson
John XV. 10 (Jam.); James Russell desired him again to come
forth and make him for death, judgment, and eternity, Kirkton
Ch. Hist. (1817) Append. 417. (c) w.Som.' Your Tom do make
vor a gurt big fuller. I sim the wind do make for rain. nw.Dev.'
The win' mak'th vor rain. (7^1 n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.), Chs.'_ (8, a)
Sh.I. Shu made in hir waer, an' dan raikid alf a grain' o' worsit
a(T o' her clue, Sh. Neivs (Mar. 31, 1900). (b^ w.Yks. Tea wor
owr an't hawse made in, Hallam IVadsley Jack (1866) iv. (c)
w.Soni.' 'Look sharp and make in the vire.' Not used for lighting
a candle or lamp. Dev. Begun to zit ta work A-mekkin'in a vire.
Pulman Sketches (1842) 28. (9) Cld. He could mak intil the quay in
the darkest nicht (Jam.). (10) Sc. /i.), Cai.' (11, a) w.Sc. We a'
like to be made o' by them for a' that, Macdonald Settlement (1869)
157, ed. 1877. Per. He was flattered and made o', here, Hali-
burton Fields (1890) 131. Ayr. Mrs. Pawkie took in the bairns,
and we made of them, Galt Provost (1822) xiii. Cum. She was
petted and ' made of,' which pleased her, Linton Lizzie Lorton
(1867) iv. (6) Per. Gin ye're to make o' the Scriptures, ye maun
work them as ye would work your land, Sandy Scott (1897) 25.
(c) Sh.I. I winder what Sibbie made o' da kirnin' stane, whin shu
hed him last Fridday, Sh. News (Oct. 2, 1897) ; What made doo
o' da bottle wi' da ink ? ib. (July 15, 1900). (12) Sc. (Jam.), Cai.',
N.I.' Tip. She med off for home, Kickham Knocknagow, 624.
n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.) Lan. We med off bi th' train, Ferguson
Moudywarp's Visit, <i. Nhp.', Hnt (T.P.F.) (13, a) Sc. (Jam.), n.Cy.,
Yks. (J.W.) (A) Sus. iF.E.), (F.A.A.) (14, a) Cum.'; Cum.s
' For God-seak, lads, mak on,' ses yan, ' them's heidless woman'
greans,' 65 ; Cum.* (4; Nhb.' He's muckle myed on. Cum.' Mak
on him and he'll dea better ; Cum." n.Yks." T'dog'll follow if
thoo maks on it a bit. ne.Yks.' You maun't shoot at her, you
mun mak on her. w.Yks. (J.W.) ; I've nobbut two, but ah mack
more on em than shoo duz a hurs for all that, Tom Treddlehoyle
Bairnsia Ann. (1846) 14. Lin. He's been a deal made on, Brookes
Tracts Gl. 8. n.Lin.' That theare little dog wo'dn't run efteryou as
he duz, if you didn't mak on him as you do. sw.Lin.' It's a pity
to pet bairns, and mak' on 'em so. I think I did not make on him,
MAKE
[16]
MAKE
as I ought. e.An.> Nrf. Yow may coax [stroke] the liobby, bor j
he like to be made on (W.R.E.). dS. ") Dev. 'The candle is out."
'Yes, the wind has made it out," Bahing-Gould Sptdir (1887)
xxvii. nw.Dev.' Make out the liglit. s.Dev. Make out the candle
(G E D ) (A) n.Yks.> ' He nobbut meead badly out 1' yon busi-
ness,' met with but bad success ; n.Yks.* ne.Yks.i Gen. qualified
by badly. 'Au'd Neddy maks badly oot wi' fjob." w.Yks. He
was making poorly out, Snowden Web 0/ Weaver (iBgs) vi. s.Not.
Bob's made very badly out ; he'll coom to th' workus, a doubt
(J.P.K.). (c) Cum.' How is he makkan oot? Cum." ne.Yks.'
She maks badly oot, i.e. makes slow progress towards recovery.
s.Not. Sometimes 'e seems a bit better, but a don't think 'e'll ever
mek much out again (J.P.K.). (rf) n.Yks.' Mebbe he mak's out
to addle his living by't. w.Yks. (J. W.) Lan. ' If you can spare me
for a hour.' ' I'll mak' out,' said the engineer, Burnett i/oawM's
(1887; X. s.Not. The stun were too short, so ah put a bit at each
end to mek out (J.P.K.). n.Lin. Niver you mind, we shall niak
oot sum wa.iys fM.P.^. (<•) Sus. It struck him that dogs that
couldn't eat their food would ' make out ' badly in feeding, Eger-
TON Flk. and IVays (1884) 39; Sus.' Well, John, how are you
going to make out this winter ? (s.v. Beeves). (/) Sc. A' tales
whilk dashers tell are seldom true ; Mind it's a kittle point to
mak' out a', She/>hercfs IVcddiiig (1789) 15. Nrf. Tliey made out
that they were right after all. Arch. (1879) Vlll. 171. {g) Sc.
(Jam.) {It) Sh.I. Da boys wis managed ta mak' oot tree aald
fuskets. Burgess Sketches (and ed.) no. (i) Wil.' 'That makes
me out.' puzzles me. (16) w.Yks. Bill's fatther's made aht for
liim an' t'wife agean, Leeds Merc. S:i/>pl. {Tlcc. 13, 1890); Some
o' t'family'll hev ta mak' aht for me, Samilerer's Satchel (1877) 34.
(17) [Aus.If we could make out to one of the Queensland northern
ports, BoLDREWOOD Robbery (1888) III. xii.] (18) n.Yks." He'll
'a'e ti mak oot wi' t'bit 'at's left noo. w.Yks. (J.W.) s.Not. Give
me what yer have, and I'll make out with it for to-day (J.P.K.).
Suf. Vou must make out a' that (C.T.). (19) Sc. He maid throw
wi' his sermon alter an unco pingle (Jam.). Cai.' (20) Sc. Lon-
don and Lancashire goes on with the presbyteries and sessions
but languidly. Sundry other shires are making to, Baillie Lett.
(1775) II. 36 (Jam.). (21, (?) w.Yks. Is t'dog made up? Sheffield
Indep. (1874V Lan. Have you made up the dog for the night?
(J.W. P.) n.Lin.' If hens isn't maade up thaay pick ivery berry
off bushes. Shr.' Yo'd'n better mak that dog up i' one o' the
bings, fur if yo' tie'n 'im up be'appen 'e'll hong 'imself afoare
mornin'. (4) nCy., Yks. (J.W.) Chs.' When a gap in a hedge
has been mended it is said to be made up. A person's eye. which
is swelled and closed up from some accident, is made up. sw.Lin.'
The silt soon maks up the pipes. They've been making up the
hole, and levelling. My throat seems quiet [quite] made up. Her
ei'es are made up a'most every morning, (c) Chs.' (d) Sh.I.
1 heard dem makin' up 'at dey wir a' ta vot fir Wason, Sh. News
(Oct. 13, 1900). w.Yks. (J.W.) Chs.' We'd made it up for goo
this week end. (f) Cld. ' I canna mak up in the mornin ava,' im-
plying dislike or disability (Jam.). (/) Sc. To mak up the bed, to
put in order for the day (lA.). Cai.' (^"i Cld. It took me a' day to
mak up the ten poun' for him (Jam.). Cai.', n.Cy., Yks. J.W.) (/j)
Sc. The minister's thrang makin' up his sermon (li.). (i) n.Lin.'
Sam's gone to John Skill's agean to mak up his herses fer Lincoln
fair. [Aus. We should want to spell the horses and make 'em up a
bit, Boi,DREWOOD/fo6Ac)7( 1888) II. iii.] {j) SIk. Your master will
soon be sic a rich man that we'll a' be made up, Hogg Tales
(1838) 339. ed. 1866. (k) w.Som.' To the agricultural labourer
who shall best dig and lay a rope of hedge, and make up the wood.
First prize, ids.. Handbill 0/ Ploughing Match, Culmstock (Oct. 5,
1883). (/) I.W.2 Make up the keert rooap, you, avore it gits in a
harl. (ih) Sh.I. The old fishermen never spoke of things being
. . . broken. To be . . . broken [was expressed as] • made up,'
Spence Ftk-Lore (1899) lao ; To enable them the more readily to
find the lines [fishing] in the event of ' making up,' ib. 130. (22)
Sh.I. It's no . . . wir men comin', sae I'll awa in an' mak' upo' me,
Spence Flk-Lore (1899) 341 ; Lat wiz mak' apo' wiz, der a lok at
do r da modow, Sh. News (Sept. 3, 1898) ; S. & Ork.' 1 mak-upo-
me. (23, a) w.Yks.' (A) Sc. (Jam.) (c) Sc. [They] would make
up to the Captain, Keith Bonnie Lady (1897) 98. Fif. He was
• making ' up to Elsie Grierson, Heddle Marget (1899) 45. Ayr.
He could not do better than make up to your daughter, Galt 5i>
A. Wylii (1822) cii. Gall. I wad like to see the besom that wad
make up to my Quintin ! Crockett Standard Bearer (1898) 144.
N.I.', n.Cy. (J.W.) w.Yks. Ther's monny a daycent sooart of a
young chap 'at thinks he could like to mak' up to a young lass 'at
he's met at th' chapel, Hartley Ditl. (1868) 80. Nhp.' Mr.
has a notion of marrying ; he seems making up to a certain lady.
Brks.' I zaay, Daayme, doos'nt think young Jack Robins be a-
maaykin' up to our Maayry ? Hnt. (T.P.F.) (rf) Cum.'" (24)
Sc. If I were to tell you my whole story, . . it's my opinion that
you would be very little made up with it, Stevenson Catriona
(1893) iii.
2. Phr. (i) io make a budge, to make a move, to start off,
move ; (2) — a chimney of one's mouth, to smoke ; (3) — a
die, to die after a long illness ; (4) — a hal of any one, to
spoil ; to make a fool of; (5) — a hand of or on, (a) to use,
turn to account; (b) to waste ; to destroy; to deal with
awkwardly ; (6) — a lane, to make a passage or opening
for anything to pass ; (7) — a long neck, to stretch the
neck or head in order to reach or see anything ; (8) — a
man or a mouse, to be something or nothing ; (9) — a mark
o«//, to make a note of; (10) -^a mane or tnoan, to grudge;
to grumble ; (11) - n 7i!ock of, (a) to put in the shade, put
to sliame ; (i) to half do a thing; (12) — rt ;;n(//of/', to make
a mess of some undertaking; (13) — a noise, to scold, rate,
complain, to be angry with ; (14) — a penny by or of, to
sell, to convert into money; (15) — a poor mouth, to pretend
poverty; to endeavour to excite compassion; (16) — a
poor out of anything, to have a bad termination; (17) — a
prayer, to pray, ofler a prayer; (18) — a put, to make an
attempt ; (19) — a sidation, to clear or put away; (20) —
a li'akes, to use a great quantity ; (21) — a ivater, to ship a
sea or wave ; (22) — account, to give in an account of; (23)
— afield, to work, be fit for work out of doors ; (24) — bacon,
to make a ' long nose ' ; (25) — believe, to deceive ; (26) —
better, to improve ; to grow ; (27) — bold or so bold, to pre-
sume, take a liberty, venture ; (28) — boun\ refle.x. : to set
out for ; (29) — children's shoes, to trifle with or make sport
of; (30) — count or count on, to reckon on, to calculate,
expect; to intend; (31) — exercise, to perform family
worship ; (32) —faith, obs., to testify solemnly ; (33) —
fashion, to pretend, make a pretence of; (34) —fast, to
fasten; (35) —^nw, to confirm by the bishop ; (0,6) —fore,
to be of advantage ; (37) —for it, to be married ; (38) —
good, to recompense, repay ; give an equivalent ; (39)
— ground on. to gain ground on ; (40) — home, (a) to make
off' homewards ; (i) to shut; (41) — I,tnakc A, a children's
cry to a flock of wild geese ; (42) — it out. to get on, to do ;
(43) — it up, to arrange, agree, esp. to arrange or agree
to be married ; (44) — it up with oneself, to reconcile one-
self to ; (45) — little shoes, of a labourer : to have no regular
employment ; (46) — market, to come to terms, to agree
to marry ; (47) — markets, to go marketing or buying in
the week's provisions; (48) — ;h?(7A';, to prepare food for
the household ; (49) — moan, to pity, show sympathy or
sorrow ; (50) — meat or t'meat, see (48) ; (51) — mows, to
make grimaces or mocking faces; (52) — much of, to
flatter, pay great attention to ; to be attentive or obsequious
to i (53) — music, to perform on any musical instrument ;
(54) — neither ends nor sides, to make nothing of, do nothing
with; (55 1 — no doubt, tohawenodouht; (56) — no matter,
to be of no consequence ; (57) — one's brag, to boast, brag ;
(58) — one's feet their friend, to go off quickly, to run away ;
(59) — one's soul, to save one's soul, to go to confession
and obtain absolution ; (60) — one's tvays, to go along ;
(61) — one up, to recompense, benefit, remunerate, enrich ;
(62) — or meddle, (63) — or mell, (64) — or mend, to interfere
in any waj', gen. with a neg. ; (65) — nothing, to fetch no
money ; (66) — nought of to consider of no value, to make
nothing of; to disapprove of ; (67) — nought out, said of a
person who is ill and whose recovery is doubtful ; (68) —
outs, see below ; (69) — ready, to dress provisions ; (70)
— sensible, to inform, acquaint with ; (71) — sharp, to make
haste, be quick ; (72) — shift, to manage, contrive ; to do
with or without a thing, as the case may be ; (73) — short
tip, to run a course quickly, to draw to a hasty conclusion ;
(74) — spare, to be saving or economical ; to deal out
grudgingly ; (75) — stead, to be of use ; (76) — sure, to be
confident of; to put anything away in a safe place ; (77)
— up one's mouth, to finish a meal with a dainty or bonne
bouche ; (78) — use of, to eat ; (79) — iveight, to add so
much of the commodity being weighed as will turn the
scale; (80) — wimwams for water-wheels, to do an absurd
MAKE
[17]
MAKE
or ridiculous thing ; (81) —wise, to pretend, feign, make
believe ; (82) — wood, to make wood into faggots ; (83) —
work or a work, {a) to damage, injure, hurt ; (b) to make
a fuss or to-do ; to be angry ; (c) to make mischief
(i) w.Yks. (J.W.) Nrf. What time do you think of making a
budge in the morning? Emerson Sou of Fens (1892) 100. (a) Sc.
(A.W.), N.I.' (3) e.An.' So Will Young is like to make a die on't
at last. e.Suf. Pore Jack he's so bad I doubt he'll make a die on't
(F.H.). (4) w.Yks. (S.P.U.) (5, a) Nhp.i Most freq. used in a bad
sense, but not necessarily so. Hnt. (T.P.F.) (6) Nlip.' He's made
a hand of all his property. Hnt. (T.P.F.) e.An.i To ' makeagood,
bad, or indifferent, hand ' of an undertaking, are phrases common
enough. With us a bad sense is always understood, when no
qualifying epithet is used. ' That dog is mad, I must make a hand
on him.' e.Suf. (F.H.) (6) Slir. The colliers ranged on either side
tomayalane forthebuUto pass along, Burne/"i'*-Zo»-«(i883^, xxxi.
(7) Lnk. Making a lang neck to win down to her, Graham Writings
(1883)11.209. (8) Nhp.i (9) w.Yks. (E.G.) (10) Edb. Nor rich
nor poor e'er mak' a mane To pouch their fee, Harst Rig (1794 '
37, ed. 1801. (11, o) Ayr. Faith, this mak's a mock, a mere pantry
o' your corporation ha's an' county rooms, Ainslie Land of Bums
(ed. 1892) 146. (6) Shr.^ It's no use 'im makin' a mock on it, if 'e
conna do it, 'e'd better let it alone, an' let somebody else try thar
'ond. (ra) w.Yks. Best on us mak a mullock at times, Bickerdike
Beacon Alin.{\%i'i'). (i3)Sc.(A.W.), w.Yks. C.I.W.), nw.Der.' Nhp.i
If I stay out, Missis 'ill make a noise. War.^ If you don't get the
windows clean'd, missis will make a noise. Oxf.' MS. add. Hnt.
(T.P.F.), e.An.i, e.Suf. (F.H.), Ess.' w.Som.i Missus made a
purty noise, sure 'nough, last night, 'cause you wadn a-come home
— you'll catch it, mind! (14) Nhp.' I'll make a penny of it, if I
can. Hnt. (T.P.F.) ^15) s.Sc. I dinna want to be plagued wi'
folk makin puir mouths. Wilson 7a/fs(i839)V. 19. Dwn.(C.H.W.\
Cum."" (i6)s,Wor. (H.K.) (17) Sh.I. Afore you gang I tink du'll
mak'aprayer, J.H. Z)(iifls/F<y'(i896)6. Dmf. He was nae speaker,
and for makin' a prayer he cudna had the cawnle to Elder Blair,
PoNDERA'i>*n(«irfooH(i875) 3. (i8)Sc. (A.W,), Chs.i (i9)w.Yks.
(R.H.R.) (ao) Shr. We've made-a-wakes with the cream while
the visitors have been here (K.P.). (ai) Sh.I. Just as we gae sail,
he [the boat] made a waiter aflf o' da fore kaib, Hibbert Desc. Sh. I.
(1822') 224, ed. 1891. (aa) Kcd. He is dead, and made account,
I hope, and at the happy Fount, Jamie ./l/i(s« (1844) 12. (23) Edb.
Some Embrugh quean Is sickly, and dounae mak — A-field again,
Harst Rig (1794) 36, ed. 1801. (24) N.I.' (s.v. BaconX Chs.'
(s.v. Bacon), Dev.a (25) Sc. (A.W.), n.Yks.^, w.Yks. (J.W.) { 26)
Sc. Having . . . asked how James was — ' He's makin' better,'
quoth the goodwife, Sc. Haggis, 24. (a7) Sc. (A.W.), N.Cy.*,
w.Yks.i* Nhp.> 'If I may mak so bold as to ax a favor,' is a
common prelude when an inferior is soliciting anything from a
superior. Oxf.' A/S. arfrf., Hnt. (T.P.F.) e.An.i I have made bold
to come. Dor. And what's the young woman's name, make so
bold, hostler? Hardy SMc/A^r/a (1876) I. i. w.Som.' What might
you give for thick wagin, make so bold? Plaiz, mum, I bea-come
vor to make bold t'ax vor a vew flowers, 'cause mother's gwain
to be a buried to-morrow. (a8) Abd. The morrow's morn I'll
early mak' me boun' To see what's deein i' the borrow's toun,
Guidman IiiglismaiU (1873) a8. (^ap) e.An. She gan her missis
notidge last a'Lady ; but she di'n't git on, an' then she axt to
stay ; but her missis want hear on't, an' in course she couldn't be
expected to make child'ens shoes i' that way, N. tf Q. 1 1855) ist
S. xi. 184. (30) Sc. (A.W,). N.Cy.^Cum.i", w.Yks. (J.W.), Not.'
n.Lin.i I alus mek coont on hevin' sixty seeks o' flewkes an aacre
to sell. Lei.' Ah nivver med no caount 0' his app'nin' upon us i'
the gyaardin. Nhp.' I make 'count o' seeing all my children at the
feast. War.' e.An.' I make count to go to the fair to-morrow.
Suf. I made count to have been here before (C.T.); Suf.' I make
count ta dew it a' Sunday. e.Suf. I make count to go to Ipswich
to-morrow. Obsol. (F.H.) Ess. G/. (1851); Ess.' {3z'\Sc. Monthly
Mag. (1800) I. 332. (32) Sc. The witnesses . . . sail also make
faith that they heard, saw, and bystude, quhen the said officiar did
execute and proclaime the brieve, Skene Difficill Wds. (1681) 24.
(33) Sc. The bits of pictures he made fashion of drawing, Scott
St. Ronan (1824) xiv. (34) nw.Dev.' Make vas' the door, wull ee?
(35) Chs.' Used in a sort of jocular way. (36) Cld. Dearth frae
scarcity maks nae fore to the farmer (Jam.). (37) Sh.I. Dem 'at's
gaien ta mak' for hit in winter wid be tinkin' as muckle aboot edder
tings as da hairst ! Sh. News (Oct. 8, 1898) ; I tink him an Jessie
. . . 'ill be makkin for it noo afore lang is geen. Burgess Loivra
Biglan (1896) 36. (38) Nhp.' He gave me a present, but I shall
make it good to him in some way or other. (39) s.Not. When ah
fun ah didn't mek no ground on 'im, ah begun to run (J.P.K.).
(40, a) w.Som.' Said of any person or dog who forsakes any ex-
VOL. IV.
pedition 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.' nw.Dev.' (6) Cor.' Make-home the door; Cor.= (41)
Nhb.i As the (lock fly overhead the children shout to them in
chorus, ■ Wily geese, wily geese, make I, make A 1 ' Wild ducks
usually fly in a formation like the letter V or A. The call to the
geese is to induce them to change from a straight line to A, like
the ducks. (42) Elg. The young folks could make it out without
me, CouPER Tourifications 1803I II. 1 14. w.Som.' A very common
salutation is, 'Well, Farmer Jan, how do you make it out?' 'I
do hear they be gwain away, I s'pose they baint able vor to make
it out.' (43) Sc. She and that good-for-nothing Niel have made it
up to meet Phemie, Keith Lisbeth (1894) i. w.Sc. That couple
ower there ... I doot they're makin 't up, Macdonald Settlement
(1869) 157. Ayr. Peggy Bletherbag and Kirsty Langtonguc had
made it up wi' their men that they wad ha'e the weans a' cleaned
up on a Saturday afternoon. Hunter Studies (1870) 143. n.Cy.,
Yks.(J.W.) Lan. ' Well, aw declare,' said Dorothy, 'areyoatwo
makin it up?' Staton Loominary (c. 1861") 82. [Aus. Jim and
Jeanie made it up to be married as soon after she came up as he
could get a house ready, Boldrewood Robbety (1888) II. ix.]
(44) Yks. I cannot make it up wi' mysen, seeing women coming
out i' that fashion, Taylor Miss Miles (1890) xxiii. (45) Nrf.
(E.M.) (46) BnfT. The lea. Whan Tib an' I 'ad made market,
Taylor Poems (1787) 66. Rnf. It's time you were makin' your
market. There's nae use in waitin' ower lang, Barr Poems (1861)
^Z°- (47^ w.Yks. Onn3' man objektin to his wife goin aght we him
on a Setterday neet ta mack markits, Tom Treddlehoyle Bairnsla
Ann. (1850') 52. (48) Lnk. 'Tween makin' meals, an' washin' fluirs,
Murdoch Doric Lyre (1873) 38- (49) Sh.I. Doo mak's little maen
fir a body, Sh. News (Feb. 10, 1900). n.Sc. If thatye dee forme,
sir knight. Few for you will make meen, Buchan Ballads (1828) I.
90, ed. 1875. N.I.' When you've tooth ache they make no moan
for you. (50) Sc. (A.W.) n.Yks. The mistress prepares the food—
in the local vernacular, ' mak's t'raeat.' Atkinson Moorl. Parish
(1891) 5; n-Yks.'"! (51) w.Som.' Plaiz-r, thick there boy bin
makin' mows. (52) Ayr. Speak him kindly, and mak' much o' him,
Galt ioiVrfs (1826) XXX. w.Yks. (J.W.) s.Stf. Her'll mak much
on 'im for a bit till her's got him fast, Pinnock Blk. Cy. Ann.
(1895^. (53) Sc. (A.W.), n.Yks.' (54) w.Yks. If you mean
that the woman you say you 'can make neither ends nor sides
of is yourwife, you are in a difficult position, Yks. Post (May 16,
1889). (55) Som. He zed he made no doubt the carter ud be
minded, Raymond Misterton's Mistake (188S) 103. (56) Sc. (A.W.),
Nhb. (R.O.H.) s.Wm. Southey Doctor (ed. 1848 561. w.Yks.
As ne'er bein burnt to deeath as mays na matter, Bywater
Gossips, II. (57) s.Wor. 'E aowed'eralot o' money, an' 'e ma-ade
'is brags as 'e didn't aowe 'er nothin' (U.K.). (58) Frf. 'Now
that you've eased your conscience, Smith,' he said fiercely, 'make
your feet your friend,' Barrie Tommy (1896) 130. 1,59^ Ir. What's
all you can get here compared to making your sowl? Mavhew
Land. Labour (ed. 1861) II. 45. Wxf. Maybe it would be betther
for me to think of mekin' me sowl. It's ten years since I was at a
priest's knee, and I'll have a hard job of it, Keknf.dv Banks Boro
(1867) 209. (60) Sc. (A.W.), w.Yks.s (61) Sc. He made them
aye up, sometimes with an hundred fold in this life, and heaven
after, Thomson Cloud of Witnesses 1714) 78, ed. 1871 ; When we
receive anything useless or inadequate to our expectation or
necessities, it is ironically said. ' Ay ! that will mak me up ! ' or
seriously, 'Weel, that winna mak me sairup'(jAM. . Abd. Though
you bear the world's reproach You'll be made up for ever, Milne
Poems (1871) 18; That little bittie winna mak' me up (G.W.).
(6a) Abd. Jean has a min' o' her ain ; an' I sanna mak' or meddle
far'er wi't, Alexander Ain Flk. (1882^ 156. Edb. Mak or meddle
betwixt man an' wife, Is what I never did in a' my life, Fergusson
Poems (1773^1 109, ed. 1785. (63) Ayr. Daur to mak or mell with
the literal meaning thereof. Service Dr. Dugiiid (ed. 1887I 286.
Dur.' I'll neither maek nor mell. Lakel.', w.Yks.' (64jSus.'He
must go his own way, I'm not a-going to make or mend any more.
(65) Oxf.' MS. add. Brks.' Whate wunt maayke nothun' now, an'
we only got to look to our stock. (66) Yks. I mak nought o' that,
Taylor Miss Miles (1880) ii ; Ah mak' nowght ov a entertainment
wheare ther's noa doncin. Ah mak' nowght ov a chap 'at's a
druflfen un, Leeds Merc. Suppl. (Feb. 16, 1895). (67) Sc. (A.W.)
w.Yks. 'Hah'sya'rBill?' ' He'sabaat t'same; Ah'mflaidhe's bahn
to mak nowt aht' (S.K.C.). (681 sw.Lin.' Used in such phr. as
' Does he mak' any outs ? ' or ' What kin' outs (i.e. what kind of
outs) does he make?' That is, 'How does he get on? does he
make any progress ? ' said of a child at school, and of a lad gone
out to service. So ' I don't think he maks much outs at school
yet.' ' They made such poor outs last year.' (69) e.An.' I shall
D
MAKE
[i8]
MAKE
make ready my turkey to-morrow. I will let you know when the
beef is to be made ready, ao Som. I should certainly a-fetched
young Zam, . . if I hadn' a-been made sensible, Raymond Sam
(>«</ 5a Who (1894) 75. : 71) e.Dur.i Wm. Mak sharp an' git thi
poddish intull thi (B.K.). n.Yks.i'", e.Yks.> ra.Yks.' If thou
maks sharp thou'll get it. w. Yks.^ Mak sharp hoam agean, thear's
a good lad ! Av maade as sharp as ah could! ^72) n.Cy.. Yks.
(J.W.), nw.Der.' Lin.' If I cannot have it, I must make shift with
what I have. Shr.' I'd sooner mak'-shift any how than be al'ays
borrowin' like they bin. Oxf.i MS. add., Hnt. (T.P.F.) Dor.
Zurely us can make shift to do wi'out that there chile, Hare ri/l.
Strtel (18951 149. w.Som.' I "spose must [maek shuufm] make
shift and finish gin Zadurday night, else I count there'll be a noise.
Dev. Us make shift to keep a pig now. O'Neill Idyls (1892) 40.
1^73") Chs.^ ; Chs.s Gen. applied to fast life. A young man dying
of dissipation is said 'To have made short up.' (74) n.Yks.'
' Deean't mak' spare on't. There's mairahint ' ; of the eatables on
the table ; n.Yks.' Noo reeach teea an' help yersels : ther's nowt
ya need be neyce aboot, an' ya needn't mak spare ov owt. (,75)
Sc. Such cattle as would not drive they houghed and slew, so that
they should never make stead, Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) II. 269
(Jam.). (76) Nhp.', Hnt. (T.P.F.) (77 . Lan. They'd each on um
a butty-cake allowed at th' close uv every porritch-eitin beawt to
make up their meawlhs wi', Staton B. Shuttle Bowtmt, 5. Shr.
Still in use. After a person has eaten a sufficiency he will be
tempted to have a little more of something different, e.g. 'A snack
of bread and cheese to make up your mouth,' A'. If Q. (1888) 7th
S. vi. 38. ;78) Psm. She've a made use of nothing in the world
since yesterday (E.D.V w.Som.' 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'.' Gen. heard in neg. sentences only. Dev.
The bacon and cabbage is what I can't make no use of, O'Neill
Idyls (189a) 37 ; If I dii feel a bit out o' soarts I can make use of
a drop of Pat's home-brewed better'n I can make use of anything,
Eisg. Iltiis. Mag. (June 1896) 257. ne.Dev. Of a man very ill,
' He can't make use o' nothing,' Reports Provinc. 1 1882) 18. (79)
w.Som.' Come, maister ! that there idn nezackly ! mus' drow in a
bit o' suet vor to make weight o' it. (80) w.Yks. Banks Wkfld.
Wds. (1865). (81) Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). vr.Som.' Her made
wise her was gwain home vor to zee her mother. He put on his
best clothes an' started, make wise he was gwain to church. They
turned their back, make wise they didn zee me, but I be safe they
did. Dev.s Tidden no use to make wise you bant there, for I sees
ycr tail in behind the door. n.Dev. Now doant make-wise an' finey
zo, RocKyi»i««' Nell{iB6-]) st. 48. nw.Dev.' s.Dev. Fox Kii:gs-
bndge {i8t 4). Cor.'^ (8j) w.Som.', nw.Dev.' (83, «) Not. His
cough seems to mak' work with him o' nights (L.C.M.) ; Not.' The
pipes has bust and med work wi' fceiling. sw.Lin.' These sharp
nights will make work with the fruit. (A) Sc. 'Ou dear! what's the
useofmakingawark?" 'I makeno wark.as yecall it, woman, 'Scott
Anliquaiy 1 1816) ix. (c) w.Som.' ' 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.
3. ComA. (i) Make-ado, (a) an uproar, disturbance; fuss,
bother ; also in phr. Make-ado, have-ado,t.o make work by
bad contriving ; {b) something to do to pass the time ; (2)
■away, wilful waste, destruction ; (3) -bate, a mischief-
maker; (4) -believe, (a) a substitute; {b) a mistress treated
as a wife; (5) -count, see (11); (6) -look, a made-up
appearance ; a sham ; (7) -nought, profitless, of no
avail; (8) -shift, (n) a substitute for the time being;
gen. used contemptuously ; [b] an excuse ; (9) -sleepy, a
soporific; used atlrib.; (10) -up, (a) a fabrication, lie; (b)
anything made up of odds and ends ; also used attrib. ;
(II ) -weight, a small quantity added to make up the right
weight of anything, csp. a small candle thrown in to com-
plete the pound ; (12) -wise, (n) a pretence, ' make-believe';
also used atlnb. and advb. ; (b) a substitute.
(1,0) w.Yki. Sheffield Indep. (1874); (B.K.); w.Yks.2 (b)
Sh.I. For a kmd o' mak adQ I lightit mi pipe, Sh. News (May i?
1897). (a)LakeI.2 (3) Sc. Thank God I am no makebate, Scorr
Abbot fi820 I IV. Dev.' For make-bates 111 warrant. 14. (4, a)
n.-Yk..2 (A) Der.=, nw.Der.' (5) N.Cy.' (6) n.Yks.^ (n)ib.A
mak-nought matter. 8. a^ N.Cy.', Dur.' s.Dur. It may do but
It snobbut a mack-shift (J. E.D.). n.Yks. (T.S.) ne.Yks' w Yks
Hlf.t. Co»/wr(May 22, 1897); w.Yks.' =, Chs.' Der.2 ' Now't buta
mak'-shift.' Expressiveof any thing being ramshackle. nw.Der'
Nhp.' Ken. That'll do as a make-shift (,D.W,L.). (A) n.Yks.'
'You mun mak as good a mak-shift as you can,' an apology or
excuse. m.Yks.' (9) Ayr. Mr. Glebantiends was a very mak-
sleepie preacher, Galt Lairds (1826) vii. (lo, a) BnfT.', Gall.
(A.W.I (A"i Rnf. Frae the treacle mak'-up on the candy man's
Stan', Neilson Poems (1877) 48. Gall. A mak'-up dinner is one
made up of scraps, and odds and ends (A. W.). Nhp.' (11) n.Cy.
Grose (1790I ; (J.L. I783\ Lakel.2, w.Yks.', Nhp.', War.^a,
Brks.' Ken. Kennett Par. Antiq. (1695). w.Som.' (12, <j)
w.Som.' I zeed how 'twas ; I knowed 'twas nort but a make
wise. Dev.' Now you be a-quat you have no stomach make-wise,
and this is your orts a-fried up for me, 13. nw.Dev.' Cor. Weth
a make-wise face possed on top of his aun, J. Trenoodle Spec.
Dial. (1846) 54 ; Cor.' He's only a make-wise; Cor.' \b) Cor.'
4. To compose poetry.
Sc. Sweetly could he make, but was a young clerk of no godly
counsel, Lang Monk 0/ Pi/e (i8-]6) 131. Per. Unless I mak' to
this man's mind,. . An' wha to please them a' can write? Haliburton
Z)»;iAar (1895") 52. nw.Der.'
Hence Makar or Maker, sb. a poet.
Abd. But I'm no a makar, Macdonald Malcolm (1875) II. 12.
Per. There was no formal reception of the new makkar, Hali-
burton Fields (1890) 77 ; Makars too, wi' catchin' breath, Maun
step aside to speak wi' Death, ib. Dunbar {i8g^) 36. Ayr. Ayrshire
can boast of the name of Burns, Boswell, and a host of living
'Makars,' Ballads and Sngs. (1846) I. Inirod. 3.
5. Of a hedge : see below.
w.Som.' 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 cleanings of the ditch, upon the top of all. 'To the
labourer who shall best make and lay a rope of hedge,' Cutnistock
Agric. Soc. Meeting (1886).
6. To prepare a crop before carting after it has been cut.
e.An.' Every crop, howsoever severed from the soil, and left
upon it to dry, is said to be made when it is in a fit state to be
carried. e.Suf. To make clover or stover (F.H.).
7. To riddle meal, &c. w. Yks.^ 8. To put the soles
on boots or shoes.
Cmb.' I've done nothing this week but make a lot of cacks.
0. Of accounts, &.c. : to balance, make up ; to bring up to
date.
Abd. H-d-e, ti, for keepin' bulks. Had wale o' pounds . . . An'
yet I doubt they were to mak' Fan the sang got up, Walker
Bards Bon-Accord (1887) 603.
10. To become fit for the peculiar purpose for which
anything is intended.
Cld. Muck maun be laid in a heap to mak (Jam.).
11. To complete a process of any kind of labour.
Lan. John brought word that they [oats] would be dried
to-morrow, and we must make 'em, Walkden Diary (ed. 1866) 82.
12. To do, esp. in phr. w/ictt make yon here ?
Ayr. What mak ye sae like a thief? Burns Wha is that at my
bower door? st. i. ne.Lan.' What made you there? Der. What
make ye alone here? Le Fanu Uncle Silas (1865) I. 298. [What
make you here, you vulgar little boy? Barham Ingoldsby (ed. 1864)
Misadventures at Margate, st. i.]
13. To meddle, interfere.
Sc. If ye see ony of our folk, meddle not and make not, and
they'll do you nae harm, Scott Guy M. (1815) xxiii. SIg. He
thinks he will only preach against Poprie, and not make with
other controversies, Wodrow Sel. Biog. (ed. 1845-7) 208.
14. To act, pretend, feign.
Sc. (A.W. ) s.Wm. We meade as if we wer asleep, Soitthey
Doclor{eA. 1848) 560. w.Yks. Let us go andmaketopoach(C.C.R.).
e.Lan.' You are making that. n.Lin. She meks as if she was
gooin' to put it doon that easy he wo'd n't niver knaw nowt aboot
it. Peacock Tales ^i886) 98. e.An.'
15. To acquire by fraud or artifice ; to decoy ; to steal.
Not.' Lei.' Oo, noo, sir, it [a pigeon] een't non o' yourn ; it's
oon'y wan as Oi meed, i. e. decoyed. Nhp.' ; Nhp.' I made this
knife at a heat [stole it cleverly]. w.Som.' I reckon Jim made
thick there exe [axe].
16. With neg. : to matter, be of consequence or import-
ance, gen. in phr. it tnaksna.
Abd. Ye've gi'en my mug a crack ; But shame be fain, it dos na
mak', Beattie Parings (1801) 43, ed. 1873. Kcd. Fast or slow,
or high or laigh. It didna mak, he made them scraigh, Jamie
Muse U844) 89. s.Sc. It macksnae whether crowns or cobles Get
them their bread, T. Scon Poems (1793) 346. Slg. It maksna
though ye ne'er do mair, MuiR Poems . 1818) 26. Rnf. It maksna,
Picken Poems (1813) I. 62. Ayr. Sent aff at ancc, it maksna
whither, Sillar Poems (1789) 234. Lnk. It mak'sna whether they
MAKE
[19 J
MAKE
be blacks or grej's, MuiR Minstrelsy (1816) 6. Edb. But makes-na,
now it's got a sweel, Fergusson Poems (1773) 168, ed. 1785.
Slk. I'll wed or die, it maks na whether, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865)
377. Dmf. Suld the ferlie seem to some Nocht better than a
daffin* skair, Itmaksna, Keid Poems (1894) 57. Gall. It makes na
here for garb or gear, Nicholson Poet. IVks. (1814) 197, ed. 1897.
17. To attempt, try ; to offer. N.I.' He made to strike me.
18. To reach, come to.
Ayr. Wi' skip an' spring, like thing on wing, She made the
middle stane, Ainslie Land of Burns (ed. iSgz) 339. Wgt.
Scarcely had he made the Lag . . . When clouds began to hide
the moon, Fraser Wigtown (1877) ai2. [Aus. I thought of the
long cold hours if we didn't make our camp, Boldrewood Colon.
Reformer {i8go) I. vi.]
19. To progress, advance, come on.
Cum. Snap went the thread and down the spinnel flew ; To me
it meade, Relph Misc. Poems (1747) 3. w.Yks. It's made a went
since the time I had to do with it. Of a vat of new beer under-
going fermentation it will be said : * It has made since morning,'
hasincreased in fermentation, &c. ' It will make this way' (C.C.R.).
20. Of the tide, sea, &c. : to rise, surge, advance; of the
moon : to wax, grow.
Sh.I. The approach . . . was much jeopardised in rough weather
by the dreadful waves that ' made ' coming from Clark's corner, S/;.
News (Mar. 12, 1898). Edb. Nine o'clock, when the flood tide's
making, Campbell Deilie Jock (1897) 168. Nhb.' The tide is
makin. n.Yks.'^ 'The sea has made since morning,' begun to
surge. 'The sea is making fast.' w.Som.i The tide '11 continny to
make for a week to come. Is the moon making or going back ?
21. To ooze, flow.
n.Yks. That pipe'll hae ti be sawthered ; it's mackin' a bit (T. K.).
22. To fasten, secure, make fast.
n.Cy. Grose (1790I MS. add. (P.) w.Yks. I made't gates o' my
factory, Hallam Wadsley Jack {1&66) viii ; w.Yks.^ Has he made
yon cellar grate? w.Yks.^''^ Lan. Mary wur just makkin' th'
dur, Brierlev Daisy Nook (1859) 31 ; Lan.' Hasto made aw t'durs ?
Chs.i May th' durr ; Chs.^ ; Chs.3 Maigh th' door or th' yate. ' To
make the house' is to make it safe at night by locks and bars.
s.Chs.' Ahy shul leeuv yoa* tu mai*)th dooiirz wen dhu laad'Z
kiim'un in [I shall leeave yo to may th' doors when the lads
comen in]. Midi. Toone Diet. (1834); N. & Q. (1894) 8th S. v.
207. Stf. ib. 358; Stf.l, Der.', nw.Der.i, Not. (J.H.B.), Not.'2
s.Not. Be sure an' mek the dower afore ycr goo to bed (J.P.K.).
n.Lin. How ofens hev 1 hed to tellyer to mak' that door efter thee
when thou goas oot '. N. W Q. (1894) 8th S. v. 359. sw.Lin.'
Lei. The door sha'n't be made, ib. (1858) and S. vi. 187 ; Lei.' A
med the shutters an' nivver keyed the cotter. Nhp.* Have you
made the doors ? Make the doors. War. '^ shr. It is bed-time,
so make the doors iK.?.); Shr.i Hrf. Duncumb Hist. Hrf.
(1804); Hrf.i GIo. Pegge Derbicisms (ed. 1896).
23. To foster. War. B'ham Wkly. Post (June 17, 1893) ;
War.^
MAKE, s6.i Sc. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan. Chs.
Der. Lin. Nhp. War. e.An. Also in forms mac Lan. ;
mack Sc. (Jam.) N.Cy.' Nhb.' Dur.' Wm.' n.Yks.^ e.Yks.
w.Yks.' n.Lan.' m.Lan.' Chs.'^ nw.Der.' Nhp.' War. ;
maik Sc. ; mak Sc. (Jam.) Nhb. Dur. Lakel.'= Cum.'* Wm.
n.Yks.'" ne.Yks.' e.Yks.' m.Yks.' w.Yks.^ Lan.' n.Lan.'
ne.Lan.' e.Lan.' Chs.' Der. ; meak Cum.*; mek Cum.'*
[mek, mak, mek.] 1. Fashion, design, style ; figure,
shape, form. See Make, z^.'
Bnff. Her mak was neat, an' her skin fair, Taylor Poems {l^Z^)
61. Per. Mayhap thy mak' is no sae genty As it had been at
maiden twenty, Stewart Character (1857) 57. Ayr. Bonie and
bloomin' And straught was its make. Burns Lady Mary Ann,
St. 4. Dmf. The soughin' sprett took maik and tongue, Reid Poems
(1894) 60. Nhb. Twae o' them's Irish tramps. Ah ken by t'mak'
on them, Tynedale Studies ( 1896) No. 6. Lakel.' Cum. Ah thowt
ah wad sketch a 'Villidge Carakter,' yan o' t'oald mak, Farrall
Betty Wilson (1886) 34. Wm. He was what you might ca' a ugly
man — mak of John Rigg much, Rawnsley Rennn. Wordsworl/i
(1884,' VI. 168. n.Yks.' It's a queer mak', yon drag-harrow o'
Willy's ; n.Yks.24_ e.Yks.' w.Yks. All reyt and streyt i mak an
shap, Preston Poems (1864) 3. Lan. Thot's a foonny mak' o'
coortin', mon, Francis Friece (1895) 185; Yon mak' of a church
does no' shute me, Owen Owd Toimes (1870') 8.
Hence (i) Mack, ac/J. neat, tidy; (2) Mackerlike, <z(.^'.
much more becoming, much more to the purpose ; (3)
Mackerly or Makerly,(T(//'.shapely, fashionable; tolerable;
(4) Mackish, adj. smart ; (5) Mack like, adj. tidy, neat,
seemly, well-proportioned ; adapted to the purpose ; (6)
Mackly, an)', seemly, comely, good-looking; (7) Mackly-
what, adv. in some fashion; (8) Macky, adj., see (i) ; (9)
Makedom, sb. figure, shape.
(i)Rxb. (Jam.) {z) Nhb.' It wad leuk mackerlike if ye war
ta cairy th' waiter for the laddy, poor beggar! Yks. iJ.W.) (3)
n.Cy,GROSE(i79o); iHall.) (4) War. (16.) (5) s.Sc. t Jam.) Slk.
It would be far mair mack-like and far mair feasible, Hogg Perils
o/MrtH (182a) 11. 70 (Jam.). n.Cy., Yks. (J. W.) n.Yks.^ It might
be meead mak-like. (6) Lnk. Ramsay Poems (1721) Gl. Chs.'
(7) n.Lan.' (,8) Nhp.' (9) Per. Yon stalwart makedom I ken richt
weel. Ford Harp (1893) 419.
2. Sort, kind, species, variety, quantity ; fig. state, con-
dition.
Sc. That's no my mak. The hale year's mak, the quantity made
during the year (Jam.). Abd. Ye wad be hearkenin' til anither
mak o' a justification, Macdonald Castle Warlock (1882) Ivi.
n.Cy. What mack of corn or flock ? Grose (1790) Siippl. : N.Cy.',
Dur.' s.Dur. That's another mak o' stufl" altogether (J.E.D.V
Lakel. '2 Cum.Threeorfowermile,orsummeto't'mak, Richardson
Talk (1886) ist S. 32; Cum.' I'll turn my b.ick o' t'mak o' them;
Cum.3* Wm. Tell enny mack a lees, Spec. Dial. (1885) pt. iii. 26.
n.Yks.'=3 e.Yks. Marshall /?!(n &0);. (1788); e.Yks.' w.Yks.
He thought it was 'some mak of a toad,' Cudworth Bradford
(1876) 51 ; What mack on a bo.x is that ? (C.A.F.) ; w.Yks.^ Au'm
noan one o' that mak. Lan. Two mac o foke wurn loike tone
t'other, Byrom Poems (1773) I. 108, ed. 1814; What mak of a
craitur ban we here? Waugh Chim. Co»-««- (1874) 28, ed. 1879;
Lan.' n.Lan.' Thou's a queer make of a chap. ne. Lan.', e.Lan.',
m.Lan.' s.Lan. Wot mack o lett-tersartosettin' deawn ? Bamford
Walks (1844) 170. Chs. Drink as has browt me to this mak, Yates
O-wd Peter, i; Chs.' What mak of a mon is he? nw.Der.'
Hence Mackly or Makly, (i) adj. similar, of the same
make or kind ; exactly alike ; fitting nicely ; (2) adv. most
likely.
(i) w.Yks. But men's all mackly. Hartley Clock Aim. (1896)
43 ; Them two children is varry makly, Hlf.x. Courier (May 22,
1897"). e.An.' (s.v. Matchly). (3) w.Yks. HowsoN Cur. Craven
(1850) no.
3. Phr. (i) all make and shape, s.\\ sorts of ways ; (2) all
make of, all sorts, all kinds ; (3) a make of, (a) a kind or
sort oC having a resemblance to ; (A) nearly, almost, just
about ; (4) in a make, after a fashion ; (5) neither make nor
shape, out of proportion, ill-designed or fashioned ; (6)
nought of the make, nothing of the kind ; (7) one man's make,
fig. on a level socially, equal as regards birth, &c. ; (8)
all makes, (9) — and manders, aW kinds and sorts, all shapes
and sizes ; (10) — and shapes, {a) see (9) ; {b) ill or strangely
formed, very irregular.
(i) w.Yks. He lenns hissen aht i' all mak an' shap For that
twenty shillin' i' t'week, Saunterer's Satchel (1875) '6. (2) w.Yks.
(J.W.) Lan. Drest dolls, an' o mack o' things, Ferguson Moudy-
warp's Visit, g ; O' mak o' shapes, Mullins Johnny, i. Chs.
Drinkin', an' doin' a' mack o' wickedness, Yates Owd Peter, iv.
Der. Theer's aw mak o' tales about it. Ward David Grieve (1892)
I. iv. (3, «) s.Wra. We ust at sing A mack of a sang, Southey
Doctor (ed. 1848) 559. w.Yks. I'm a gainless thing— a mak' o'
lumber, Snowden Tales IVolds (^iSg^) 7; We're like a make o'
cousins, Leeds Merc. Siippl. (Feb. 9, 1895). Lan. I look upo' ill-
disposed folk as a mak o' mad, Waugh Heather (ed. Milner) II.
27. {b) w.Yks. ' Ah'm a mak o' done up," I am about tired out.
* Ah'm dewin a mak o' nowt,' I am doing nothing. 'Ah'm a mak
o' stall'd o' workin for fifteen bob i' t'wick,' Leeds Merc. Stippl.
(May 16, 1891). (4) w.Yks. Mister Bloward gate up and reposed
[proposed] that it wor sooa, in a mack as t'chairman had repooased
[proposed], BiCKERDiKEi?fn(ro« ..4/;;<. (1875) ; (J.W.) (5) Lakel.^
Wm. It's like t'auld woman's shift 'at she cot oot wi' t'axe, it's
nowder mak ner shap. Old saying (B.K.). n.Yks.^ It hez nowther
mak nor shap in't. e.Yks.' That cooat's neeather mak nor shap.
w.Yks. (J.W.) (6) Wm. ' Noot o' th' mak,' he replied, Briggs
Remains (1825) 137 ; I'll du nowt o't mack, Carzv Hen lot's Choice
(1879) II. xii. Yks. (J.W.) (7) Lnk. If they warna baith ae
man's mak, I wad think naething o't; for they warna a needle o'
differ between their dadies, an' what war they baith but twa
sticket taylors at the best? Graham Writings (1883) II. 34. (8)
N.Cy.' A little o' a' macks. Dur. En di'en a' maks o' jobs aboot
t'farm, Egglestone Betty Bodkin's Visit {lif]) 3; Dur.' Cum.*
'What kinds offish are in your lakes?' ' O' maks amcast.' Wm.
D 2
MAKE
[20]
MAKLE
s.Lan. PiCTON Dial.
(E C.\ Wm.», n.Yks.' w.Vks. T'roads were filled wi' aw macks
o- carriages, Dixon Craven Dales (1881) 188; w.YksS Lan.
Aw'r fyertn't o' macks o' ways, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (1740)
37. Chs.» It takes aw macks to mak every mack; Chs. ,
iiw.Der.' (9) n.Yks. An' all macks an' manders, Tweddell Clevel
Rhymes (1875") 57 ; n.Yks.' ' Have you many different sorts of
things?' -Aye. All warr'nd ye! a' ma'ks and manders ' (s.v.
Manders) ; n.Yk8.' Wo saw au maks an manders 0' queer things ;
n.Yks.* Ah've all maks an' manders on 'em. ne.Yks.' They were
all maks an' manders (s.v. Manders). e.Yks.>. ra.Yks.' w.Yks.
You loathsome weaver ! shoo called him, an' all maks an' manders
[of foul names], Yhs. IVkly. Post (Mar. 21, 1896}. (ro, fl^ Lan.
He'd seen hissel all macks an' shapes o' that hand, Donaldson
Rosseitdd Beef-ucet, 12. (41 n.Lin." What isareaping-machine like?
I never saw one.' ' Why, if thoo hes n't sean one I can't tell the,
for it's all maakes an'shaapes.'
4. Race, familj', lineage, species, kind.
w.Yks.i Lan. DA\aES Races (1856) 077,
(1865 15.
5. The act of making or gathering the har\'est.
e.An.i In this cloudy weather there is no make for the hay, &c.
MAKE, 56.2 Sc. Nhb. Lakel. Yks. Chs. Stf. Lin. Nhp.
Glo. Also written maak Bvvk. ; maik Sc. Nhb.' ; and in
forms mace Nhp.= ; mack N.Cy.' ; mak Sc. Lakel.^ Wm.
e.Yks. Stf; myak Abd. [m5k, mak.] 1. A match,
equal, fellow, ' marrow ' ; a friend, companion, consort,
'mate.'
Sh.I. Dey wir nivera cake 'at haedna a maik, Sh. News {Aug. 14,
1897". Elg. Gin we lose you. We'll never get yer mak again,
Tester Poems (1865) 161. Bnff. Taylor Poems (1787) 84. Bcli.
Sail the sleeth Ulysses now Be said to be my maik ? Forbes AJax
(1743) 3. Abd. He ne'er saw Bessy's mak' before, Shirrefs Poems
(1790) 143: Still remembered, but is not in common use (W.M.).
Frf. LowsoN Guid/ollow (1890) 240. Per. Perth never saw the
mak' o't, Haliburton Horace (1886) 7. Dmb. Now the brag o' a'
the lan', Its maik ye winna see, Taylor Poems (1827) no. Rnf.
FiNLAYSON Rhymes (1815) 160. Luk. .She hasna left her make
behind her, Ramsay Poems {i-j2i) 31. e.Lth. There wasna his
maik at waddins an' kersenins. Hunter J. Iiuvick (1895) 32. Edb.
Thy sonsy maik's nae ilka where, Learmont Poems (1791) 55-
Bwk. ' The trusty good wife o' Whitecornlees ' seems to have been
the very maak or equal of ' The wife of Auchtermuchtie,' Henderson
Pofi. Rhymes (1856 76. Feb. NicoL Poems (1805) Daft Days. Slk.
For man is but a selfish maike, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865) 331. n.Cy.
Bailey (1721); N.Cy.'^^ Nhb.' Wm. 'There's alius a mak fer a
mak,' for every Jock there's a Jean (B.K.). n.Yks. It's a black
crake That never to her-sell can get a make, Meriton Praise Ale
(1684) 1. 295; n.Yks.i e.Yks. A father, rebuking his son for
taking a worthless fellow as his companion, will say, ' Deean't
gaii wiv him. He's nooa sooat ov a mak fo thoo,' Nicholson Flk-
Sp. (1889) 72. m.Yks.', w.Yks. (C.C.R.). Chs.' s.Stf. Yo'n
never see the mak' o' him again, Pinnock Blk. Cy. Ami. (1895).
Lin. Skinner (1671). Nhp.^, Glo.'^ [Every cake hath its make
but a scrape cake hath two, Ray Prcyv. (1678) 68.]
Hence Makeless, adj., obs., matchless, without equal.
N.Cy.'^ Nhb.' 2. An image, model, resemblance.
Ayr. They made wee maiks oot o' clay or butter of them that
had thortered them, stappin' the maiks fu' o' preens and pappin
elf-shots at their heids wi' ill words and curses forbye, Service
Notaiiditms (1890) loi.
3. Phr. a mak for a mak, said of unlikely persons who
make a match in marrying. Lakel. ^
[1. Svvich another for to make, That mighte of beautee
be his make, Chaucer Hous of F. 1171-2. OE. gemcecca,
companion, comrade, spouse.]
MAKE, s6.* and v." e.An. Also in forms meag, meak
Nrf. Ess.' [mek.] 1. sb. An agricultural implement
with a long handle and a crooked iron at the end, used
to cut up peas.
e.An.' Suf. Rainbird Agric. (1819) 296, ed. 1849; Always
called a pease-make, Forby Gl. (1830) ; Suf.' Ess. Ray (1691) :
Gl. (1851) ; Ess.' ^ ^ / ' K V J,
2. A short-bladed, long-handled scythe, used to cut reeds.
e.An.i Wright E. Eng. I. 100. Nrf. I shall have to have a new
meag made, Emerson Son of Fens (189a) 93 ; The man with his
meak over his shoulder, ib. Yams (1891) 99.
3. V. To pull up peas, cut reeds, &c., with a 'make.'
Also with up.
e.An.i We talk of ' making the crop of pease.' Nrf. Which are
you going to do— meag or mow ? Emerson Son of Fens (1892) 99.
e.Suf. It's time to make my peas up (F.H.).
[1. A meake for the pease, and to swinge vp the brake,
TUSSER (1580) 37.]
MAKE, see Mag(g, Mawk, sA.'
MAKER, sb. e.An.i xhe making.
It will be the maker of the boy.
MAKIN, sb. n.Cy. (J.H.) Nhb.' A fool, simpleton.
See Mawkin.
MAKIN, see Mekkin.
MAKING, sb. Sc. Nhb. Dur. Yks. Lan. Also written
makin S. & Ork.' Nhb.' n^Yks.* ; and in form makkin Sh.L
n.Yks." w.Yks.^ Lan. [mekin, ma-kin.] 1. With up : the
final preparation of cloth, &c. before it is sent out to the
drapers. w.Yks. (J. M.) 2. Wool-combing term: with !//:
the first process of preparing the wool, for putting it upon
the comb. w.Yks. (J.T.), (E.W.) Hence (i) ;/i(7^/«^-;//>
bo.Vfp/ir. the box into which the fleece is thrown after it is
broken up. w.Yks. (S.A.B.) ; (2) — bo.x minders, phr. ihe
men who break up the fleeces and throw them into the
'making-up box.' ib. 3. Of tea: the quantity or amount
made at one time.
Sh.I. A napkin, wi' a makin' o' tae in ane o' da corners, Stewart
Tales (1892) 78; Tinks at A'm strinkin' a makkin' o' tae I Sh.
News (June 10, 1899) ; S. & Ork.', CId. (Jam.) Edb. Hyn awa' to
E'inbrough scour'd she To get a making o' her fav'rite tea, Fer-
GUSsoN Poems (1773) 108, ed. 1785.
4. The material from which anything is made. Gen.mpl.
Sc. (A.W.) Dwn. She went . . . till buy him the makin' o' a
flannel shirt, Lvttle Ballyciiddy (1892) 54. s.Ir. He bought the
makings of a coat. The makings of a pair of shoes. That chap is
the makings of a thief (P.W.J.). Wxf. While Jem is carrying the
makins of the dinner home, Kennedy Fireside Stories (1870) 99.
5.pl. Earnings. w.Yks.^ A chap'smakkinsmaksadiflerence,77.
6. pi. Opportunities, chances, openings.
Lan. If aw'd th' makkins o' thee, aw'd mak' betther use o' mi
tongue nor theaw does, Brierley Marlocks (1866) i.
7. pi. Anytliing of importance or consequence, gen. in
phr. no makings.
n.Yks.'^'Neea makkins on't,' no matter about it. m.Yks.' There
are no makings of it left. No makings ; let us go. w.Yks. Leeds
Merc. Suppl. (Feb. 16, 1895").
8. Everything, the ' whole lot.'
w.Yks. He knew all t'makkin e't shop worrnt worth a benker,
Piidsey Aim. (1876) 25; All t'makkin '11 tumle dahn, Yks. IVkly.
Post (.May 23, 1896).
9. pi. The small coals hewn out in ' kirving' and ' nick-
ing ' ; the slack and dirt made in drilling a hole in the coal.
Nhb.' Nhb., Dur. Greenwell Coal Tr. Gl. (1849).
10. A makeshift.
m.Yks.' There's little to dinner to-day; it's nought but a mak'ing.
w.Yks. Leeds Merc. Suppl. (Feb. 16, 1895).
11. Petting, fondling, caressing.
Sc. Gantin's wantin. Sleep, meat, or makin o', Old adage (Jam.).
MAKINS, see Mack(s.
MAKINT, adf Sc. Also written maikint. [me'kint.]
Confident, possessing assurance.
n.Sc. A maikint rogue, one who does not disguise his character
(Jam.).
Hence Makintly, adv. confidently, with confidence or
ease.
n.Sc. (Jam.) Fif. He cam mairchin' maikintly into the house
(W.A.C.).
MAKKERS, MAKKINlOS, see Mack(s.
MAKKIN-BWEE, sb. Irel. Also in form makin-boy.
The Irish spurge, Euphorbia hiberna.
Giw. In Galway it is known as makkin-bwee; 'makkin' originally
meant root, but is colloquially applied to the parsnip ; ' bwee '
means yellow — ' makkin-bwee ' in English is therefore yellow
parsnip, Jrit. Bot. (1873) 339, in ^B. & H.\
MAKLE, -J. Not. Lei. Nhp. War. Also written mackle
Lei.' Nhp.' War.* [ma'kl.] To mend up, to make with
insufficient materials or skill ; to ' tinker up ' ; to contrive,
manage.
s.Not. A bit of a shed he'd makled up hissen. Yo'll be able
to makle it up some'ow out o' them oad stones (J.P.K.). Lei.' I
mackled his old coat up for him. Nhp.' Chiefly applied to trifling
things. ' She's very handy, she'll mackle it.' War.*
MAL
[21]
MALLACE
MAL, V. e.Yks.' [mal.] To shout ; to scream.
[Cp. Bremen dial, nwllen, 'thorigtreden,imSausegehen'
{Wtb.).],
MALACHI, si. Cor. \x\.^\\x.like MalacMschild^chokc-
fitll of sense, said of any one who boasts of himself or of
his children. Hunt Pop. Rom. w.Eiig. (1865) 425, ed. 1896.
MALACK, see Marlock.
MALADDY, adj. Nhb.' Also in form mayladdy.
Said of one who is intoxicated and cutting capers.
MALAGRUIZED, ppl. adj. Sc. Also written mala-
gruzed. In disorder, rumpled.
e.Fif. His claes belaggirt an' his frontispiece malagruzed,
Latto Tarn Bodkin (1864) ix ; Her veil an' her shawl were sae
greatly carfutHed an' malagruized, ib. xxx.
MALAHACK, v. e.An. Amer. 1. To cut or carve
in a slovenly, awkward way. Cf. molly-hawk.
e.An.i Nrf.CozENS-HARDY fiioflrf A')/ (1893) 53. e.Suf.(F.H.)
[Amer. hovi^i.!. Biglow Papers {ed. 1866) i97;Farmer; Bartlett.]
2. Of a horse or donkey : to become disabled or worn
out by hard work. e.Suf. (F.H.)
MALAK, see Marlock.
MALAMB, ii. e.Yks.' [me'-lam.] A child's term for
a lamb ; a ' baa-lamb.'
MALANCHOLY, see Melancholy.
MALAN-TREE, si. e.An. [nice-lan-trl.] The beam
across an open chimney, in front of which the mantel-
piece is fixed. (Hall.), e.An.'
MALAPAVIS, sb. Lnk. (Jam.) [Not known to our
correspondents.] A mischance ; a misfortune.
MALA VOGUE, v. Irel. Cum. Also written mail-
vogue Ir. [malavo'g.] To punish in some dire but un-
defined way ; to beat, chastise.
Ir. If you go there again I'll malavogue you (A.S.-P.) ; Isn't
there Jemmy Shields, that goes to his duty oanst a month, niali-
vogues his wife and family this minute, and then claps them to a
Rosary the next? Carleton Traits Peas. (1843) I. 153. Cum." I'll
malavogue theh.
Hence Malavogueing, vbl. sb. a beating.
Ant. (W. H.P.) w.Ir. Many's the sly malavoguein' he got behind
a hedge, Lover Leg. 1,1848) II. 453.
MALCH, see Melch, adj.'
MALDUCK, si. Sc. Also written mallduck. [mal-
dBk.] The fulmar, Fiiltnarus glacialis. Cf. mallemoke.
Sc. (Jam.) Sh.I. Swainson Birds (1885) 213. Sh.I., Or.I.
Neill Tour (1806) 198 (Jam., s.v. Malmock).
MALE, si.i Cor.'2 [mel.] The fish shanny, Blennius
pholis.
MALE, sb!^ Ess. [mel.] The bird knot, Triiiga canii-
tus. Swainson Birds (1885) 194.
MALE, sb.^ Dor. [mel.] The dandelion, Leontodon
Taraxacum. (C.W.) ; Gl. (1851).
MALE, sb.* Sc. (Jam.) [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] Five hundred herrings. Cf. meas(e.
MALE, see Mail, sb.'^^^, Mails.
MALECH, MALEDER, see Marlock, Melder, si.'
MALEFICE, sb. Obs. Sc. Also written malifice. A
bad action ; the act or effect of witchcraft.
Sc. Ihe full discovery of some malefice which before we only
suspected, Kelly Prov. (1721) 69. e.Lth. She is charged with
several malefices by laying in sickness on sundrie persons, Maid-
MENT Spottiswoode Miscell. (1844-5) U- 45- Frf. Witnesses, who
gave testimony that the malifices libelled could not have proceeded
from natural causes, LowsoN GuidfoUow (1890) 299.
[Fr. malefice, a mischief, offence, naughty deed, also, a
charm (whereby hurt is done), mischievous witchery
(COTGR.).]
MALEGRUGROUS, see Mallagrugous.
MALEK, MALEMAS, see Marlock, Milemas.
MALESHAG, sb. Yks. Glo. Hmp. I.W. Also in forms
nialleyshag I.W. ; mallishag I.W.'=; malshrag Yks.;
maltshag Glo. ; moleshag Glo.' [me'ljaeg.] A caterpillar
that devours cabbages. Cf maskel, 1.
Yks. The malshrag is a worm with many feet and breeds in cole
leaves (J.H.). G\a. Horae Subsecivae (1777) 265; Glo.', Hmp.'
I.W. Buoys is made a purpose to tarment mankind, zame as malley-
shags and vlays, Gray Aiiiiesley (1889) I. 114; I.W.'; I.W.^ I
ben to cut a cabbage or two vor dinner, but they be near all vuU
of mallishags.
[ME. malshawe, 'eruca' (Caxton's Trevisa, vi. 19).]
MALETOATE, sb. Yks. Slang. See below.
w.Yks. I'm noather a maletoate, Hottontott, ner a drummaderry,
Yksmaii. Comic Aim. (1878) 20. Slang. Maltout, a nickname. . .
used by soldiers and sailors of other corps, prob. a corr. of
'matelot,'. . a sailor, Grose Vulg. Tongue {l^8^) ; Farmer.
MALHAVELINS, sb. pi. Obs. n.Yks." Small per-
quisites or dues.
MALICE, V. Der. Lin. To bear malice towards ; to
spite or vex.
Der.i, Lin. ( Hall.) n.Lin.' Thaay saay he's malic'd him for years.
MALICE, see Mallace.
MALICEFUL, adj Or.I. n.Cy. Yks. Lin. Suf. Also
written mallisful w.Yks. [malisful.] 1. Malicious.
n.Cy. (Hall.) w.Yks. Dinah's varry mallisful, Bywater Dial.
(1839) 132, ed. 1854 ; w.Yks.i n.Lin.i She's quick in her tempers
an' hes getten a foul tongue, but she's no ways maliceful or she
wouldn't do as she hes. sw.Lin.' He seemed so maliceful, if he
took agen a child. Those Irish are so maliceful, I don't like them
about the place. I hate them maliceful tempers. Suf. And that
looked so maliceful (C.G.B.).
2. Sickly ; in bad health. Or.I. (Jam.), S. & Ork.'
MALIGRUMPH, sb. Rxb. (Jam.) The spleen.
[Fr. 'iiialengroin, sullenness (Cotgr.).]
MALIN, MALION, see Mailin, Mails.
MALISON.si. Sc. Nhb. Cum.Wm. Lan. Also written
malicin Rxb.; mallison Sc. Nhb. Lakel.* Cum.*; and in
forms melishen, melishin, mellishan Sh.I.; niellison Frf.
[ma'lisan.] 1. A curse, malediction.
Sc. My malison on them that broke the bridge, Lang Monk of
Fife (i8g6) 15. Sh.I. On dem 'at's caused dy greetin' Shorly
malison sail rest, Nicolson Aillislin' Hcddcr (1898) 36. Or.I. I
shall bequeath my malison for thy dowry, Vedder Sketches (1832)
97. n.Sc. My malison ye's feel, Buchan Ballads (1828) I. 138,
ed. 1875. Bch. He wad ne'er hae said That Philoctetes' malison
Wad light upo' my head, Forbes Ulysses (1785) 32. Abd. Mali-
sons, malisons, mair than ten That harrie the nest o' the heavenly
hen, Cadenhead Bon-Accord (1853) 115. Frf. No town-disease
retards their sleep. No mellisons there vented, Morison Poems
(1790) 50. Slg. He'll hae my malison . . . While I draw breath,
Muir Poems (1818) 25. Ayr. Many a malison from the multitude,
who were ravenous against them, Galt Gilhaize (1823) ii. Lnk.
My malison on them, baith heavy an' deep, Wha laid the first bow
o' gude barley asteep, Hamilton Poems (1865) 68. Rxb. Then
frae their malicin preserve us a', A. Scott Poems (ed. 1808) 33.
Wgt. My curse and mallison she's get For to pursue her still,
Sharpe Ballad Bk. (1823) 77, ed. 1868. N.Cy.2, Nhb. (K.) Lan.
A malison on thee ! Clegg Skelclies (1895).
2. The personification of evil ; the Evil One.
Sh.I. Whin dey tak a thing i' der heads, da melishen himsel'
widna put dem aff hit, Sh. News (Aug. 20, 1898) ; As siine as da
bag wis in we took aff laek da melishin. Burgess Sketches
(2nd ed.) gi ; Da mellishan widna had oot ta da feet, Junda
Klingrahool (1898) 44. Cat.' Ye malison !
3. A person who is cruel to animals. Cf horse-mallison.
Lakel.2 Thoo's a mallison wi' a nag, an' thoo wadn't hev ta drive a
cuddy o' mine. Cum." Wm. He is a malison with a horse (B.K.).
[1. OFr. (Norm.) maleiftin, 'malediction' (Moisy).]
MALKE, MALKIN(G, see Mawk, sb.\ Mawkin, sb.
MALKIN, sb. n.Yks.'^ Also in form mawkin. A cat.
MALL, sb.^ Sc. Wor. Shr. Also written mawl se.Wor.'
[m9l.] 1. In comp. (i) Mall-beetle, a heavy wooden
hammer. Shr.' ; (2) -stick, a heavy piece of wood used
for driving stakes into the ground. se.Wor.' 2. Phr.
viall in s/iafl, all right, able to carry on one's business,
keeping straight on. See Mell, sb.^ 3 (6'.
Dmf. You see we are rather rising than falling, ' mall in shaft,'
at any rate, Carlyle Lett, in Atlantic Monthly (Oct. 1898) 451.
MALL, si.^ Som. A ploughshare. (Hall.)
MALL, see Maul, sb.'', Mell, sb.', Moll, si.'
MALLACE, sb. Bck. Hmp. I.W. Som. Dev. and Amer.
Also written malice w.Som.' Dev.' ; mallis Amer. ; mal-
lus I.W.' ; muUers Bck. [mae'lss, -is.] The marsh-mallow,
Malva sylvestris. See Maul, sb.''
Bck. (B. & H.) Hmp. Wise New Forest (1883) 284; Hmp.',
I.W.', w.Som.i, Dev.i [Amer. Dial. Notes (1896) 1. 34a.]
MALLACHIE
[22]
MALM
MALLACHIE, sb. n.Sc. (Jam.) The colour of milk
and water mixed together.
MALLAGRUGOUS, adj. Sc. Also in forms allagru-
gous; malegrugrous (Jam.). Grim, ghastly; discontented-
looking.
Sc. (Jam.) Bch. She looked sae allagrugous that a bodie wou d
nae car'd to meddle wi' her, FoRBEs/ra. (1742) H- Abd. When
the gleyd arose, he had an allagrugous look, Ellis Pronuitc.
(1889) V. 775. Frf. An allagrugous, gruesome spectre, Beattie
Aniha (c. 1820) 52, ed. 1882.
MALLARD, sb. Brks. [mae-lsd.] The marsh-mallow,
Malva sylvestris. (B. & H.)
MALLARD, see MUler.
MALLEABLES, sb. pi. Sc. Iron-work.
Lnk. Ought o' our malleables want ye to learn ? There's chap-
pin' an" clippin' an' sawin' o' aim, Hamilton Poeiits (1865) 133.
MALLED, sb. Nhb.' The whiting-pout or bib-fish,
Cadiis Itisciis.
MALLEMOKE, sb. Sh.I. Or.I. Nhb. Also written
mallemock (Jam.); and in form malmock. The fulmar,
Fulmanis (fhuialis. Cf. malduck.
Sh.I. SwAiNSON Birds (1885 213. SI1.I., Or.I. Malmock ... ap-
pears in the friths of Orkney and voes of Shetland especially during
winter, Neill 7"oh»-(i8o6) 198 (Jam.) ; S.& Ork.i Nhb. R.O.H.)
MALLER, sb. Obs. Glo. A wooden instrument with
which to break clods. Home Siibsccivae (1777) 265.
MALLERAG, v. Lin. [ma-lirag.] To abuse, scold.
(Hall.); Lin.i He could not have his own way, so he malle-
raged me.
MALLET, sb. Irel. Dor. Cor. [malit, maelit.] 1. A
large iron hammer used for striking a ' borier.' Cor.^
2. Phr. to swing the mallet, to strike while the iron is hot.
Dor. I'll swing the mallet and get her answer this very night as
I planned. Hardy IVess. Tales (1888 H. 67.
3. Fig. in comp. Mallet-office, the office of the Mass, so
called from the beating of the breast by those who attend
during their devotions.
Ir. While they are all gone to the ' mallet-office ' we'll slip down
wid a thride o' soot on our mugs, Carleton Traits Peas. (1843)
I- 344-
MALLEYSHAG, MALLIN, see Maleshag, Mailin.
MALLING, vbl. sb. s.Dev. A beating. Fox Kings-
bridge (1874).
MALUS, MALLISHAG, MALLISON, see Mallace,
Maleshag, Malison.
MALLISS.sA. }Obs. n.Yks." /./. Prison fetters. Hence
Mallissed, ppl. adj. put in irons.
MALLOCK, sb. Dor. [maelak.] [Not known to our
correspondents.] A pig. lu.Cazette (Feb. 15, 1889) 7.
MALLOCK, v.i w.Yks.2 [ma-Uk.] To mix together.
MALLOCK, v.'^ Lin. [Not known to our correspon-
dents.] To scandalize. (Halu)
MALLOW, sb. Or.L Dor. 1. In comp. Mallow-rocks,
the marsh-mallow, Malva sylvestris. Cf. mallard, maul, sb.''
Dor. This may be a corruption of Mallow-hocks, Hock or Hock-
herb being an old name for the mallow (B. & H.).
2. The sea wrack, Zo5/fra»jfln'«rt. Or.I. (Jam.), S. & Ork.'
MALLOW, sec Mellow.
MALLS, 56.//. Obs. Som. Dev. Also written maules
w.Som.' The measles.
Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.>, Dev.> n.Dev. E.xm. Scold.
(1746) Gl.
MALLUS, see Mallace.
MALLY, sb. and /;;/. Dur. Yks. War. Dev. Also
written malley n.Dcv. [ma'li.] L sb. In couib. (i) Mally
Bent, a mythical being ; see below ; (2) -gowl, the mari-
gold, Lateitdula officinalis ; (3) -mop, an oven broom; also
Jig. a dirty wench ; (4) -muck-heap, a confused heap ; (5)
•wallops, a tall, untidy woman. See Molly, sb.^
(l) w.Yk5.2 When two people are walking t. .gelher, another will
say, ' There they go : like Nickcrbore and Mally Bent that went
agateardsallncet:' (2)n.Yks. ,13. & H.) (3)n.Yks.2 (4)n.Yks.
(t-W.) (5! Dev. Didee iver zee sich a mallywallops afore! I
niver didden, Hewett Peas. Sp. (1893).
2. A man who interferes with woman's work. War.
(J.R.W.) 3. A female ass.
n.Dev. I'd . . . Dra' popples wi' a malley, Rock Jim an' Nell
(1867) St. 35.
4. A hare. Dur. Brockett Gl. (1846). 5. //;/. Indeed ;
' marry.'
w.Yks.2 We'll have a good do to-neet, eh, mally, we will !
MALM, sb., adj. and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng.
Also in forms maara Brks.' Ken. Sur. ; mam e.An.';
mamm Cum. Hmp.' ; marm Ken.' ; marme n.Yks. Bdf ;
maulm e.An.' Suf. ; maum Sc. N.Cy.' Nhb.' Dur.' n.Yks.'"
ne.Yks.' e.Yks, m.Yks.i w.Yks.' ne.Lan.' Nhp.' Oxf Bdf
Hrt. Hmp. Wil. ; maume Hrt. ; niawm Cum. n.Yks.*
e.Yks.' w.Yks." ne.Lan.* Lin.' n.Lin.' War. ; mellum n.Dor.
Dev. ; melm nw.Dev.' ; moam Cum. Oxf ; mome N.Cy.'
Lakel.^ n.Yks.^ w.Yks. ; morm w. Yks. ; mourn Nhb.'
[mam, mom, m93m.] 1. sb. A soft friable limestone ; a
rich clayey soil mixed with chalk. Also used attrib. and
in comb. Black malm.
War. A limestone bed of the Lower Lias . . . near Stratford-on-
Avon, Phillips Geol. (1871) 109. Oxf. (K." ; Phillips Geo!. (1871)
416. Brks. A loose, greyish-white, tufaceous deposit, locally called
' malm,' and alternating with the peat which occurs in the alluvium
of the Kennet, Ramsay Rod Spec. (1862; 182. Bdf. Marme is
used in some parts to designate soils of this description [i.e. clays
with a mixture of chalk^, Batchelor y^^ric. (1813^ 10 ; Marshall
Review (1814') IV. 512. Hrt. Ellis Mod. Hiisb. (1750) II. i. loi.
s.Cy. At the feet of most, or all, of the chalk hills of England lie
narrow lines of rich, deep, andof course tender clayey soil ; which
in the southern counties is termed 'maam,' or 'raaam soil,' Mar-
shall 7?cw«<'(i8i4) IV. 512. Ken., Sur. ib. (1817) V. 368. Hmp.
On the white malms stood a broad-leaved elm, White S'f/Aonie
(1788) 4, ed. 1853 ; Hmp. 1 The gardens to the north-east and small
enclosures behind, consist of a warm, forward, crumbling mould,
called black malm, which seems highly saturated with vegetable
and animal manure. Wil. The Maumstone is to be found, more
or less, all over Wil., esp. towards Stonehenge. It is used for the
foundation of walls, and the poor people use it for whitening, in
keeping their hearth-stones clean. It is not so white as chalk,
and is much more brittle. Note in B.T. (s.v. Mealm-stan).
Hence Malmy, adj. soft, sticky, adhesive, esp. of soil ;
of weather : warm and damp.
n.Lin.' It was that cloas an' mawmy it maade me real badly.
Nhp.i Oxf. If the land be of that sort which they call maumy. Plot
Nat. Hist. {i6-n)ix. Brks.l Bdf. Batchelor ^,;?j7C. (1813) 10. Hrt.
The chalk and mould are so mixed together that we call it a maumy
earth, Ellis Afod. Husb. 1750) I. i. 36. e.An.' Nrf. Morton
Cycle. Agiic. (1863). Suf. Rainbird Agric. (1819) 296, ed. 1849.
Hmp.HoLLOWAV ; Hmp.'
2. Comp. Malm-rock, soft sandstone of the Upper Green-
sand.
Sur. A very fine, pale-cream-coloured, soft sandstone, locally
termed ' Malm-rock,' Ramsay Rock Spec. (1862) 158.
3. Soft, slatey rock. nw.Dev.' 4. Gravel underneath
the ground. Dev. Reports Provinc. (1886). 5. A jelly.
e.An.' ' All beat to a mam,' of one severely bruised by repeated
blows. Ken. A little girl . . . flung the biscuit assigned to her to
the winds and wailed for ' marm,' Keeling Return to Nature {iSij']')
XV ; Ken.'
e. adj. Friable ; smooth ; of fruit : soft, mellow, juice-
less ; insipid.
n.Cy. (Hall.), N.Cy.', Nhb.' Com. Sweet to the teaste as pears
or apples moam, Relph Misc. Poeins {I'n-i) 17. n.Yks.' ; n.Yks.*
That pear is too maum for my eating ; n.Yks." e.Yks. Marshall
7?«>-. £co». (1788 . m.Yks.' w.Yks. Willan Lis/ fKrfs. (181 1) ;
w.Yks.i", ne.Lan.' Oxf. Ray (1691). n.Dor. (S.S.B.)
Hence (i) Malmy, adj. of fruit : mellow, soft, juiceless ;
of food gen. : vapid, tasteless ; also used Jig. ; (2) Maimiie-
ness, sb. mellowness.
(I) Sc. (Jam.) Rnf. You'll probably think I am too soft and
malmy now, and it may beso, Wodrow Coires. (1709-31^ III. 403,
ed. 1843. Lnk. A pint o' trykle to mak it thicker an' sweeter an'
maumier for the mouth, Graham IVritiugs (1883) II. 14. Nhb.',
Dur.i n.Yks.2 Maumy butter; n.Yks." ne.Yks.' It's soft an'
maumy leyke. e.Yks.' w.Yks. Ahr missis didn't like that cheese
yo sent her ; sho says itsmormy (H.L.). n.Lin.' (2) BnB.^MS.add.
7. Gentle; quiet ; demure, diffident; thoughtful; smooth-
spoken.
n.Cy. (Hall.) Lakel.* As mome as a moose. Cum. Li.nton
Late Cy. (1864) 307. n.Yks.^, w.Yks.', ne.Lan.'
MALMOCK
[23]
MALVESIE
8. V. Obs. Of land : to grow mellow.
n.Yks. Fra Scapphow till the west ende of Langhovv Braw even
suth til the nether syde marmed land, Duchy of Lan. Rec. in A^. R.
Rec. Soc. 1. 34. e.Yks. Let [the earth which has been rammed]
lye three or fower dayes to mawme, Best Rut: Econ. (1641) 107.
9. To besmear; in mixing ingredients: to overturn a
portion ; of a crust : to moisten in any liquid ; to steep.
Sc. (Jam.) n.Sc. Malt is said to maum, when steeped {iO.).
N.Cy.l, Cum. (J.Ar.\ Lin.i, Brks.'
Hence Maamy, atij. besmeared. Brks.'
[1. OE. *inealm in niealmiht, sandy, chalkj'; inealni-stcm,
maum-stone (B.T.); cp. ON. iiinlinr, sand, in the place-
name Mabn-hangar, Malmo in Sweden ; Goth, tnaliiia,
sand.]
MALMOCK, see Mallemoke.
MALOROUS,^^'. .'OA5. Sc. Evil; unfortunate; malicious.
Rnf. Ane groundless and malorous prejudice conceived against
the complainer, industriously and of sett purpose to ruin him,
HzcTOR Jiidic. Rec. (1876) 131.
[Fr. nialheureux, unhappy, disastrous (Cotgr.).]
MAL-SCRAL, MALSH, MALSHRAG, see Maskel,
Melch, adj.'^, Maleshag.
MALSTER, sb. Nrf. A kind of apple.
My Aunt Golden-eye had two malster apple trees, Emerson
Son of Fens (1893^ 3.
MALT, sb.^ Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. Also in
forms ma't Sc. ; niaut Sc. Cum. n.Yks.^ Lan. Chs.^ [molt,
mpt] 1. In coiiip. (i) Malt-barn, a barn for malt; (2)
■bree, any liquor made with malt ; (3) -combfs, or -cornels,
(4) •comings, the little sprouts of barley which fall oft'
during the process of malting ; (5) -inspired, inspired by
drink ; (6) -kill or -kell, a malt-kiln ; (7) -man, a maltster ;
(8) -money, obs., see below; (9) -quearns, stones for
grinding malt ; a mill with steel crushers used for the
same purpose; (10) -rashed, overheated; burnt; (it)
•siller, money for malt, esp. in phr. thafs ill-paid malt-
siller, that is an ill-requited benefit, or to have got one's
tnalt-siller, to have been unsuccessful in a much-vaunted
scheme; (12) .stirrer, a stick with a sort of lattice-work
at the end, used for stirring malt ; (13) -sucker, in phr.
troubled with a tiialt-siicker inside, having an insatiable
craving for drink ; (14) -tap, the wicker strainer that is
put in the mash-vat, to prevent the grains passing through
the tap ; (15) -worm, a tippler.
(i) Sc. Were churches to want steeples, the kirk might be taken
for . . . the malt-barn, or the ale-house, Magopico (ed. 1836) 20.
Rnf. All and haill that dwelling-house fonnerly a malt-barn, Hector
Jtidic. Rec. (1876) 88. (a) Bch. Bacchus . . .drowned all my cares
to preach With his malt-bree, Forbes Dominie (1785) 39. (3)
Lakel.2, Yks. (K.), (J.W.) Chs.i They contain a considerable
quantity of saccharine matter, and are much used for feeding cows
that are milking. Not. (W.H.S.) n.Lin.' Often used as sheep
food. It is also used to pack bacon in for the purpose of keeping
flies away from it. Lei.', e.An.' Suf. Rainbird Agric. (1819)
296, ed. 1849. e.Suf. (F.H.) w.Som.i Mault-koa-mz. (4)Nhb.\
Lakel.^, Yks. (K.) (5) Lnk. A set o' maut-inspired whims That
end in perfect smoke, Rodger Poems (1838) 24, ed. 1897. (6)
Lnk. I'll meet you neist Friday, at Mungo's maut kill, Rodger
Poems (1838) 34, ed. 1897. w.Yks. (J.W.), Chs.' (s.v. Kill;,
e.An.2 (s.v. Kell), Suf.l (s.v. Kell), w.Som ,» (s.v. Kill). (7) Sc.
The mautman comes on Munanday, And vow but he craves sair,
KiNLocH Ballad Bk. (18271 86, ed. 1868. Abd. Robert Harrow,
maltman there, Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) II. 240. Frf. Lowson
GuidfoUow (i8go) 267. Per. Maidment Spolliswoode Miscell. (1844-
5) I. 263. Slg. Margarit Jamie, the wife of William Scott, ane
maltman, Wodrow Soc. Set. Biog. (ed. 1845-7) I. 164. Ayr. The
rain may do gude itherwise, but it 'ill no pay the mautman, Hunter
Studies (1870 I 275. Lnk. Skinners and ma'tmen, slater, candle-
makers, MuiR Minstrelsy (1816) 8. Edb. Pennecuik IVis. (1715)
396, ed. 1815. Bwk. Henderson Pop. Rhymes (1856) 60. Gall.
Mactaggart^hcvc/. (1824). (8)0xf. The malt money in the shape
of Whitsunale provided the churchwardens with funds for carrying
out the church services and providing bread and wine for the
Sacrament, Stapleton Four Parishes (1893) 263. {g) n.Lin.' (10)
Hmp.i (11) Sc. (Jam.) (12) Sus.' (13) Lan. He's troublc't wi'
a maut-seauker in his inside: . . it's some mak of a worm, that will
have ale, Waugh Tufts (ed. Milner) II. 291. (14) Nhp.' (15)
n.Yks.=
2. Phr. (i)tnalt and meal. (2) meat and malt, food and drink;
(3) t/ie malt above the meal, a slight stage of intoxication.
(1) Rnf. 'Twould maybe be as weel To mak his choice whar he
was sure O' baith his maut and meal, Barr Poems (1861) 162.
Cum. Eats and drinks of meal and maut, Hobie Noble, (a) Ayr.
Wine an' wassail, meat an' maut, Ainslie Land of Burns (ed.
1892) 284. (3'1 Sc. When he was riding dovering hame 'wi' the
malt rather abune the meal), Scott IVaverley {iBn) xviii. Abd.
Shortly we began to reel, For now the maut's aboon the meal,
Beattie Parings (1801') 42, ed. 1873. e.Fif. Healths were drunk
a' roon an' in proportion as the maut got aboon the meal, the con-
versation became fast an' furious, Latto Tarn Bodkin (1864) xxv.
Rnf. The parties being jovial, and the 'maut' in all likelihood
getting 'above the meal,' Hector Judic. Rec. (1876) 115. Ayr.
He never forgathered with Davie Miller but the maut was sure lo
win abune the meal with the twasome of them, Service Z)r. Duguid
(ed. 1887) 99.
3. Ale ; any liquor made from malt.
Sc. I've plenty o' maut, meal, and milk, NicoLL Poems (ed.
1843) 128. Mry. Achauthero' maut the drooth didna droon. Hay
Z.i'h/i> (1851) 57. Lnk. Blessings on the hearty maut . .. That
fills us fou o' pith an' pang, Murdoch Doric Lyre (1873) 30. Edb.
They rather did prefer a potion O' reaminmaut, Complaint (1795) 6.
MALT, sb.'^ e.An. Also in form mold e.Suf [molt.]
Sweat ; great heat ; also used attrib.
e.An.' e.Suf. I'm all of a malt from walking so fast (F.H.).
Hence Malted, ppl. adj. heated ; perspiring. e.An.'
MALTED, adj. Sc. War. Also in form mautit Per.
1. Made from malt.
Per. Awa wi'your mautit potation, Stewart Character (^iQ^^) 79.
2. Of seeds: germinated.
VVor. The broad beans I planted last are quite dried up, they've
started to chit like, they've malted and gone (H.K.).
MALTEN-HEARTED, nrt>-. Obs. n.Cy. Faint-hearted.
(K.), (Hall.)
MALTER, sb. Yks. Dor. Also in forms mater, mauter
w.Yks.' 1. A maltster. Dor.' 2. A vessel. w.Yks.^
MALTER, V. Nhp.2 Also in form moulter. [moTtaIr).]
To melt, dissolve, to become pulverized ; also jig. to depart
quickly.
A person describing the appearance of a ghost, said, ' It stopped
a minute and then malter'd.'
MALTHING, sb. Ant. Stockings without feet. Bally-
meiia Obs. (1892).
MALTING, sb. Nhb. Also in form moultin. Nhb.'
A malt-house ; a malt-kiln.
Sat down to dinner at a spacious malting, Richardson Bor-
derer's Table-bk. (1846I V. 30 ; Nhb.'
MALTOOLING, i;W.56. Lon. The practice of picking
pockets in omnibuses.
A woman would be considered useless to a man if she could not
. . . keep him for a few days after he comes out, which she does
by shoplifting, and picking pockets in omnibuses, the latter being
termed ' Maltooling,' Mayhew Lond. Labour (1851) IV. 324, col. i.
MALTSCALE, MALTSHAG, see Maskel, Maleshag.
MAL'VADER, v. Sc. To stun by a blow ; to injure.
Abd. Ill malvader ye. He's sair malvadert wi' the drink ^G.W.).
Hence Malvadering, sb. a beating, defeat.
Sic a malvaderin' as I am to get ; he has won six gamesalready (I'i.).
MALVERISH, adj Ags. (Jam.) Ill-mannered, ill-be-
haved, mischievous.
MALVERSE, sb. and v. Obs. Sc. 1. sb. A crime ;
also used attrib.
Sc. If any malverse was committed, he must be countable,
Fountainhall /^cci'iioHs (c. 1700) IV. 563, ed. 1759. Cld. (Jam.)
Edb. We wiss him speed Till he unravel ilka quirk, An' mal verse
deed, Learmont Poems (1791) 51.
2. V. To do wrong ; to give an erroneous judgment.
Rnf. Was there no remedy? and if so, why may not this As-
sembly find that the last malversed, and alter what thej' had done'
WoDROW Cones. (1709-31) III. 345, cd. 1843.
MALVESIE, sb. ? Obs. Sc. IMalmsey wine.
Fif. Siller jugs and stoups divine O' malvesie and claret-wine,
Tennant Papistry (1827) 99. Ayr. Fill him a cup of wine, the
malvesie, to put smeddam in his marrow, Galt Gilhnizc (1823) i.
[A lubbe of Malvesye, Chaucer C. T. d. 1260. Du.
malvezy, malmsey, so named fr. Napoli di Malvasia, a town
on the south-east coast of the Morea.]
MAM
[24]
MAMMOCK
MAM, si. Sc. Yks. Lan. Der. Lin. Oxf. and Amen Also
in form mom Amer. [mam.] 1. A child's name for
' mother" ; a shortened form of ' mama,' ' mamma.'
Sh.L His little boy . . . asked if ' mam widna waaken,' Stewart
Tales tiSga) 131 ; S. & Ork.i Bnff. Hout, hout, said Mam, ye're
sure in jest, Taylor Poems (1787) 64. Abd. The joint consent of
Mam and Dad Would be but fair. Cock Strains (1810) 1. 123. Per.
She wons, contented with her mam, Amang the curling peat reek,
Spence Poeius (1898; 42. Frf. Tennant Aiisler (1813) 48, ed.
1871. Rnf. /?»/. Il'iif (1819) 163. Ayr. At gloamin' we gaed
down yestreen To ask my mam and daddy O, Ballads and Sngs.
(1847J II. 85. e.Lth. MucKLEBACKiT Rhymes (1885) 42. n.Yks.
He can say Mam an" Dad, Tweddell Clevel. Rhymes (1875) 34.
e.Yks.i, w.Yks.i* Lan. Goo an a.x thy mam ; hoo knows what
sallyvat'iun is, Staton Rivals (1888) 3; Lan.>, nXan.i, e.Lan.',
ni.Lan.', nw.Der.', Lin.' Oxf.i ' It used to be Mam and Dad and
Porridge, and then 'twas Father and Mother and Broth, but now 'tis
Pa and Ma and Soup.' A saying referring to farmers' children.
Labourers' children now usually say Mam and Dad. [Axatr. Dial.
Notes iiSg6) I. 68, 332.]
2. Comb, (i ) Mam's fout. (2) -'s pet, the mother's favourite
child, a spoilt, petted child.
(I) Rxb. (Jam.), n.Yks.', w.Yks.' (3) Sc. He has fault of a wife
that marries mam's pet, Kelly Prov. (1721) 153. Cai.'
MAM, see Malm.
MAMADY, sb. n.Lin.' A sweetmeat made of boiled
sugar. HenceMamady-spinner, sA. amakerof'mamady.'
MAMBLE, z'. e.An.' To eat without appetite, or with
indifference. See Mumble, v.' 3.
MAMBLE, see Momble.
MAMELT, sA. Wm. Yks. Also written mammeltWm.
[ma'mlt.] A simpleton ; a fool.
Wm. Hang the for a mammelt, Wheeler Dial. (1790) 86. w.Yks.
Leeds Mere. Sitppl. Feb. 16, 1895); Hutton Tour to Caves (1781).
MAMET, see Mommet.
MAMIK, sb. Sh.L A ling having a roe.
Open da mooth o' da mamik an' bring wis safe ta da Kaavies,
Spence Flk - Lore {i8gg) 132.
MAMIKEEKIE, sb. Rxb. (Jam.) [Not known to our
correspondents.] A smart, sound blow.
MAMLOCK, sb. Yks. Also in form mumluck. [ma'm-
lak.] A small fragment of bread, a bread-crust. n.Yks.
(I.W.), n.Yks.'
MAMM, see Malm.
MAMMANS, sb. Irel. A child's name for ' mother.'
n.Ir. Wheest, my wee birdie, fur him's \vi' his ain mammans,
Lyttle Paddy McQuillan, 64.
MAMMA'S MILK, p/ir. s.Bck. The sun-spurge, Eti-
phorbia Helioscopia. (B. cS: H.)
MAMMER, V. n.Cy. Nhp. War. Oxf Brks. Bck. Hmp.
Wil. Also in forms mommer Nhp.' War." Oxf Bck. ;
mummer Oxf.' [ma-mar, mae-m3{r).] 1. To confuse,
perplex ; gen. in pp.
Nhp.' He was so mommered, he could not speak ; Nhp.2 I was
so mammerd. War.* Stop that noise, my boys, I be quite mom-
mered with it I Oxf. Oh, children, do be quiet, you fair mammer
my poor brains (G.O.) ; Oxf,' Children often say a word over and
over again, till they can say it no longer, and then say that they
are mammered. Brks. I be that mad wi' myself, and mammered,
and down, I be ready to hang myself, Hughes T. Brown Oxf.
(1861) xl ; Brks.' I was quite mammered zo many on 'um spakin' at
once. n.Bck. (A.C. ,Hmp.' Wil. Britton ;imj//«5 ('1825) ; Wil.'
2. To mutter; to hesitate, to be in doubt. N.Cy.'
[2. I wonder in my soul. What you would ask me, that
I should deny. Or stand so mammering on, Shaks. 0th.
HI. 111. 70. Mutitlare, to mamere, Voc. (c. 1425), in Wright's
Voc. (1884) 668.]
MAMMET, see Mommet.
MAMMOCK, sh. and v. Sc. n.Cy. Cum. Yks. Chs. Der.
Not. Lci. Nhp. War. Wor. Slir. Hrf. Glo. Oxf Brks. Hrt.
e.An. Ken. Sus. limp. I.W. Wil. Dor. Som. Amer. Also
written mammick Sus.'; mammuck Suf.' ; and in forms
mammocks llrf e.An.; mommackSom. ; mommick Not.'
Ken. Sus.'= Hmp.' Wil.' w.Som.'; mommock Cum.
w.Yks." Chs.' s.Chs.' Not.^ Nhp.' War.=a w.Wor." s.Wor.'
Shr.' Hrf." Glo.'; mommicks Som.; mommuck se.Wor.'
Glo. Oxf ; mommuk Ess. ; mummacks Yks. m.Yks.' ;
mummick LW." Dor. Amer. ; mummock w.Yks." Der."
nw.Der.' War.^" s.War.' w.Wor.' Glo. Brks. Wil.' Dor.' ;
mummuck n.Wil. ; mumock War." [ma-mak, mEe'mak,
momak, mu-mak, msmak.]. 1. sb. A fragment, scrap,
a broken piece, esp. of food; a slice.
Sc. A man . . . who had torn my heart to mammocks, Scott BIk.
Dwarf (iBit) iv. N.Cy.' Cum. The heavy brown fleeces which
would have been left in ' mommocks ' on the furze bushes, Linton
Lizzie Lorion (1867) xxi. n.Yks." Cut into mammocks. e.Yks.
At their dinner of watery potatoes and mammocks of beef, Leeds
Merc. Siippl. (May 25, 1895) 8. w.Yks."", Chs.' s.Chs.' Look
fit dhaat- bred kut aud in-tii mom'uks [Look at that bread cut
all into mommocks]. Shr.' Look at all these mommocks throwed
about ; Shr." You may eat your mammocks as likes. Hrf.' Glo.
Make no mammocks or orts of your meat, Horae Siibsecivae (1777)
265; A'. & O. (1853) ist S. vii. 206; Glo.'" Oxf.i Et up yer
mommucks, MS. add. e.An.' 'Eat up your mammocks, child.'
We talk of tearing a thing ' all to mammocks.' e.Suf. (F. H.), Ess.
(W.W.S.), Hmp.', n.Wil. (G.E.D.) Dor. Who do you think be
going to eat your mummicks (G.M.M.). Som. Jennings Obs. Dial.
w.Eng. (1825). w.Som.' Avore you could turn yerzul round they'd
a put away every mommick o' it, and was lookin' vor more.
Hence Mommocky-pan, sb. a pan in which fragments
of broken food may be kept.
Wor. A lady . . . wanting to engage a female servant . . . was
asked by the person seeking her place whether a mommocky-pan
was kept in the kitchen, N. &^ Q. (1873) 4'h S. xii. 427.
2. An untidy heap or mess, a litter; a confused, shape-
less mass, a dirty mixture ; confusion, muddle.
Yks. Eh, lad, yey sud seea t'mummacks at t'farmhoose now,
Macquoid Doris Bariigh (1877) xxv. m.Yks.' Any object which,
through defective management, is associated with failure, has been
made a mummacks of. Can be widely applied, from a spoiled
pudding to more important things. w.Yks." s.Chs.' Iv ahy doo
staa'rt on yu, ahy)shl mai'k ii mom'uks u yO [If I do start on
y6, I shall make a mommocks o' y6]. Not.^ Nhp.' ' What a
mommock you're making ! ' often said to children when messing
and mixing their food. ' It's all of a mommock.' War."^ w.Wcr.'
The 'ouse were ahl uv a mommock. s.Wor. He felt all of a mom-
mock if he put it on, Porson Quaint IVds. (1875) 24. Shr.' Eh !
ye notty children — makkin sich a mommock all o'er the pleace.
Hrf." The place were ahl uv a mommock. Wil.' A clumsily-swad-
dled baby or badly-dressed woman would be 'aal in a mummock.'
3. A scarecrow ; a ' guy ' ; an untidily or absurdly
dressed person. Cf mommet, 2.
se.Wor.' Wil. Your wife calls you a ' puppy-headed mummock,'
Swinstead Parish on IVheels (1897 3 ; Wil.', Dor.' Som. Jennings
Obs. Dial. tv.Eng. (1825); (J.S.F.S.); Sweetman Wincanton Gl.
(1885).
Hence Mommocked-up,/'//. adj. dressed up fantastically
and absurdly. Shr.'
4. A poor eater, one who is dainty in eating.
War., Wor. He was always a mummock at his food (H.K.).
5. V. To break or cut into pieces, to crumble, tear, mangle ;
to carve awkwardly.
s.Chs.' Deeur aa-rt ulahyv ! aay yoa' diin mom'Qk dhCi gild
mee't [Dear heart alive ! hai yo dun mommock the good meat '.
Der.", nw.Der.', Not.' Lei,' Doon't ye mammock your bread a
that'n. Nhp.' Don't mpmmock your meat so. War."^ s.Wor.
PoRSON Quaint IVds. (1875) 14. w.Wor.' 'E mammocks 'is fittle
so, 'tis a shame to see 'im. s.Wor.' Shr.' Dunna mommock that
good mate, yo'n be glad o' worse than that some day ; Shr." Child
dunna mammock thy fittle o' that'ns. Hrf. Bound Provinc. (1870) ;
Hrf.', Glo.'" e.An. Cooper Gl. (1853). Suf.' Ess. I couldn't
stand any longer to see you mammocking that mutton in that
horrible manner, N. tr Q. (1870) 4th S. vi. 329. Ken. Cooper Gl.
(1853). Sus.'" Hmp.' You are mommicking it. I.W." Don't mum-
mick that bread about zo : why casn't cut it fair. Wil.'
Hence Mommucking, ppl. adj. awkward.
Glo. A mommucking job (S.S.B.).
6. To disarrange, tumble, throw into confusion ; to pull
about, mess, make dirty ; to worry.
s.Chs.' Nhp.' ' How you mommock your clothes I ' is often said
to any one who carelessly creases or wrinkles them. War. Donna
thee mummock thysen, B'liain IVkly. Post (Apr. 29, 1899) ;
War."*" s.War.' The children do mummock me about so. Shr.'
See 'ow yo'n mommockcd a' the clane things as Oi'd jOost fo'ded.
' Dunna mommock about athatns,' is a common form of reproof.
Glo. That rabbit was mummocked about by the dogs (A.B.). Brks.
MAMMY
[25]
MAN
(W.H.Y.) Hrt. Now, then, don't sit there mammocking them air
vittals over. A'. & Q. (1870'] 4th S. vi. 328. e.Suf. How that child
mammocks its food over! (F.H.) [Amer. Z)m/. A'ote(i896) I. 398.]
7. To squander, dissipate, waste; to leave carelessly
about.
s.Chs.' Ey^z momukt au' iz muniiiwee [Hey's mommocked aw
his money awee]. Slir.' 'E mommocked all 'is money away i' no
time. Glo. Baylis IUhs. Dial. (1870).
8. To mumble. Suf. (Hall.)
[5. O, I warrant, how he mammocked it ! Shaks. Cor.
I. iii. 71.]
MAMMY, sb} Var. dial, and colloq. uses in Sc. Irel. and
Eng. Also in form maamie S. & Ork.' [mami, maemi.]
1. A child's name for ' mother.' In gen. colloq. use.
Sh.I. Bring mammie in twartree pacts. Burgess Sketches (2nd
ed.) 3. Elg. 'Tis yer mammy's life yer sookin', Tester Poems
(1865) 165. Bnfif. Taylor Poems [iiZfi 125. Abd. Paul ^/-rf.
(1881) 129. Frf. Ye surely dinna ken the dool Ye gar yer tracli led
mammy dree. Watt Poet. Sketches 11880) 9. Per. Our daddies
and our mammies, they were filled With meikle joy. Ford Harp
(1893)43. Ayr. White /oWix^s (1879)224, Lnk. Hunter PoiM;s
U884) 27. Lth. A' the weans cry crowdie, crowdie, Crowdie,
mammy, crowdie mae, Ballantine Poems (18561 140. Bwk.
Mammie! fill the parritch coggie ! Chisholm Poems (1879) 23.
Gall. Kids, . . 'Mang craigs bleat for their mammies, Nicholson
Poet. IVks. (1814) 122, ed. 1897. Kcb. Dotty, in her cradley-ba.
Is mammie's bonny bairnie, Armstrong Iitglcside (1890) 143. Ir.
Often afore it died Did be askin' its mammyfor bread, Barlow Bog-
land (i8g2) gi,e<i. i8g3. n.Cy. (J.W.) Cum. Then way full drive to
mammy scowr't, Relph Misc. Poems (1747) 60. e.Yks.^ Run
whom ti thy mammy. w.Yks.^, e.Lan.*, nw Der.*, Lin.', Suf.'
Hence JMammified, adj. of children : spoilt, petted.
s.Chs.' U maam'ifahyd lit! brivit ! Ahy)d soon shoa n ur wot
fuur iv 60 wuz mahyn [A mammified little brivit I I'd soon shown
her what fur if hoo was minel.
2. Coinp. (i) Mammy-dies, a name given to a spring
flower [not identified] ; (2) -gog, a spoilt child ; a foolish,
stupid person; (3) -sick, of a child: afraid or unhappy
when separated from its mother ; (4) -suck, see (2).
( I) w.Yks. Yks. IVkly. Post (Jan, 2, 1897). (2) w.Som.i Maam'ee-
gaug. Dev. He's a mammy-gog sort of a fuller, Reports Provinc.
(1884)24. (3) ne.Lan.',Brks.', w.Som.i (4) w.Som.'Guurt liie bee
maam"ee-zeok, kruy un aufur kuuz ee-v u aaf-s an- u bee-t !
[(What a) great baby boy ! (to) cry and scream because he has
struck his hand a little !]
3. A nurse, a foster-mother.
S. & Ork.' Abd. BIyth was the wife her foster son to see. . .
Well, says he, mammy, a' that's very gueed, Ross //f/f wore (i 768)
102, ed. 1812.
4. A midwife. n.Sc. (Jam.)
MAMMY, s6.* Hnt. [msemi.] 1. A shapeless mass.
Cf. malm, 5.
A substance is said to be all in a mammie when it is crushed out
of all form (T.P.F.).
2. Comp. Mammyjag, a moist mass.
I put on wet rags when I go to bed and keep them on all night,
and in the morning my leg is all of a mammyjag, A'. & Q. (1869)
4th S. iv. 231.
MAMMY, V. Obs. Dor. To eat slowly with little
appetite. Haynes Voc. (c. 1730) in N. <Sr^ Q. (1883) 6th S.
viii. 45.
MAMORE, sb. Sc. [ma'mor.] A big field.
Abd. An gin deelicht a' the young chiels githered to the lea o'
mamore to the ba', Ellis Proiiuiic. (1889) V. 772.
[Gael, tnag/i mor, a big field (M. & D.).]
MAMP, see Mump, v}
MAMPUS, sb. Dor. [mas'mpas.] A great number, a
crowd.
No doubt a mampus of folk of our own rank will be down here
in their carriages as soon as 'tis known. Hardy 7>ss (1891) 22 ; Gl.
(,1851) ; Haynes Ko<r. (c. 1730 in A^. & Q. (1883) 6th S. viii. 45 ;
Dor.' A mampus o' voke.
MAMSWEAR, see Manswear.
MAN, 56.' and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc Irel. and Eng.
Also in forms men I.W.^ ; min Sc. Lakel.= Cum."'*^ Wil.'
Dor.' Som. Dev.= ; mon e.Dur." n.Yks. Lan. Chs.^ s.Chs.'
Der.2 nw.Der.' Nhp.' s.War. se.Wor.' Hrf Glo. n.Wil. ;
mun N.Cy.' Cum. n.Yks." ne.Yks.' e.'Vks.' w.Vks.'s
VOL. IV.
nw.Der.i n.Lin.' Nhp.'^ Glo.= Oxf Brks.' e.An.' Hmp.'
I.W.' Wil.* w.Som.' Dev.* [man, maan, men ; mun, man,
min.] 1. sb. In comb, (i) Man-body, a full-grown male
person ; (2) -big, full-grown ; (3) -browed, having hair
growing between the eyebrows; (4) -catcher, a constable ;
(5) -chap, a man ; (6) -crazed, of a woman : love-smitten:
(7) -creeper, the water-newt, Lissotritoit puuctatits; (8)
-door, coal-mining term : a door placed in a stopping just
sufficiently large to allow a man to pass through ; (9)
-eater, see (7) ; (10) -engine, a machine used in deep mines
instead of a lift to bring the miners up and down the shaft ;
(11) -faced, having masculine features ; (12) -fond, see (6) ;
(13) -grown, (a) see (2) ; (b) of a stick or tree : flattened
in its growth so that it becomes oval and resembles the
form of a man; (14) -hole, a place of refuge in a pit to
allow the workmen to stand clear of the passing sets of
tubs ; (15) -hole door, the removable plate in a boiler which
covers a hole large enougli to admit a man for cleaning,
&c. ; (16) — Jack, every one ; gen. in phr. every man Jack,
in gen. dial, and slang use ; (17) -keen, (a) see (6) ; (b) of
cattle : ready to attack human beings ; (c) of a woman :
passionate ; (18) -keeper, {a) see (7) ; (b) a small lizard ;
(19) -mad, ' maris appetens' ; (20) -math, obsol., as much
pasture-land as can be mown by one man in a day; (21)
-muckle, see (2) ; (22) — of Kent, an inhabitant of the
Weald ; see Kent, si.' ; (23) — of law, a lawyer ; (24) —
of mean, a beggar; (25) —of sin, the Pope; (26) —of
wax, a smart, clever fellow ; a very handsome man ; also
a term of endearment ; (27) -ondle, to use the hands
instead of levers in moving a heavy body ; (28) -rued, in
phr. to be man-rued, of a woman : to repent of a marriage
she was about to make ; (29) -sucker, (a) the cuttle-fish.
Sepia officinalis; (b) the octopus. Octopus Bairdi; (c) the rock
\\\-\e\k, Purpura lapillus [not known to our correspondents];
(30) -tie, the common knot-grass, Pofygomnn aviculare ;
(31) -trap, a green bog ; (32) -weean, a woman fond of
men; a masculine woman ; (33) Men's daughter-day, the
Tuesday after Whitsun week ; (34) Men-folk(s, the male
sex ; men-labourers on a farm ; (35) -'s house, a cottage
attached to a farm-house, in which the men-servants cook
their food.
(i) Sc. The men bodies are a' alike. . . The Almichty kenned
what he was aboot when He garred women be the pain-bearers,
Keith Bonnie Latiy {l8g^) 38. Sh.I. In the winter evenings he
would . . . make keshies for those who had no ' man-body ' to look
to, Clark Gleams (,1898) 19. ne.Sc. I darena gang through the
kirkyard withoot some man-bodie wi's, Grani Keckletou, 47. Abd.
Macdonald R. Falconer (:868) 7. Frf. You want to have some
man body to take care of you, Barrie Tommy (18961 xiv. Dmb.
Ye havena been muckle the better o' having a man body alang
wi' you on this errand, Cross Disruption (1844) xviii. Ayr.
Johnston Glenbuckie (1889) 261. Lnk. For a man body as she
says, ' he has an unco spate o' words,' Eraser IVhaups (1895) i6g.
Nhb.' There \vis nee man-body i' the hoose at the time, lakel.^,
n.Yks.2 (2) N.I.' (3) Rxb. Here it is deemed unlucky to meet a
person thus marked, especially if the first one meets in themorning.
Elsewhere it is a favourable omen. The term, I should suppose,
had been primarily applied to a woman as indicating something of
a masculine character (Jam.). (4) m.Yks.* (5) Glo. Tell they
not to look ater the men-chaps, Buckman Darke's Sojourn (1890)
80. (6) n.Yks.2 (7) N.I.' (8) Nhb.' Nhb., Dur. Nicholson
Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). (9^ Ir. They are . . . supposed to go down a
person's throat when asleep and prey on his vitals, Flk-Lore Rec.
(1881) IV. 119. fio)Cor.2 (11) Abd. There's mairpoetry in auld
man-faced Miss Horn nor in adizzen like them, Macdonald Lossie
(1877) xl. (12) n.YkB.* (13, a) Su». Neither she nor her brother
dared eversayaword about the matter till they were man and woman
grown, Egerton Flk. and Ways (1884) 116. (i Cum.'" (14) Sc.
(A.W.),Nhb.i (i5)Nhb.' Nhb., Dur. Nicholson Con/ Tr. G/. (1888).
(16; Sc. You'll come, every man jack of you, Keith Indian Uncle
(1896) 107. Ir. She's sacked her ould sweethearts, ivery man jack
of them. Barlow Idylls (189a) 198. Wm. An meak o' t'man-jack
o' ye 's wise ez mesell, Wilson BitevSng. 98. w.Yks. If yodon't
set me daan, Man jack aw'll tak' yo' up. Senior Yule Clog {1882)
36. Glo. Good health to all of 'ee, every man Jack of you, Buckman
Darke's Sojourn (1890) 73. Ken. Every man-jack of them (G. B.).
Dor. Defying the farmer and the farmer's wife and the larmer's lad,
and every man jack among 'em. Hardy Wess. Tales (1888) I. 32.
E
MAN
[26]
MAN
w.Som.i Kvery man-jack o'm was a fo'ced to turn about. (17, a)
n.Yks. I seaiire she's gane eighteen, And few but, at that age, they
are men-keen, Meriton Praise Ale (1684) 1. 581-2 ; n.Yks.^ (s.v.
Man-craz'd \ (A) Nhb.> Cum. The fields where used to be the mad
man-keen bull that went raging mad if he hoard the voice or step
of a man, Li.nton Lake Cy. ^1864) 181; Cum.'", Wm. (B.K. \
n.yks.2, w.Yks.S ne.Lan.i (c) Wm. (B.K.) (18, n) Rxb., Dmf.
A name given . . . because they believe that it waits on the adder
to warn man of his danger (Jam.). Dmf. Wallace Scliooliiuislfi
(i899\ Gall. (A. W.) Ir. Zoo/d^/s/ (1854) XII. 4355. N.I.i It is
said that mankeepers will creep down the throat of a person who
falls asleep near any water where they are. Frm. Science Gossip
(1882) 41. (i) Gall. They are a kind of nimble lizard, and run
about quarry-holes, in warm weather, Mactacgart Eiicycl. (1824";
39a, ed. 1876. Dwn. 'C.H.W.) s.Don., Mun. Sui.MOXS Gl. (1890.
ii9)e.Suf. ;F.H.) (20, Midi., Nhp.A'. & Q. 1867 3rd S. xi. 205.
Oxf. At Bestmoor Meadow . . . the farmers of the adjoining parish
of Dun's Tew, had . . . each a defined number of ' menmaths'
appurtenant to their farms. After the removal of the h.iy, the
afterfeed reverted to the proprietor of North Aston, who has now
bought up and so abolished these 'menmaths,' ib. Cmb. ;'i. 96.
(ai) Lth. Gin e'er I'm man muckle.and puir faither spared, I'll mak
ye a leddy, and faither a laird, Ballantine Foch« (1856) 41. Edb.
'Jam, my son, had grown man -muckle, Maclagan Poems (1851)
315. Gall. I had grown to be man-muckle since the day on the
Tinkler's Loup, Crockett il/oss-Z^iij-s (1895" iii. (22 Ken.' (23,
Ayr. Or will we send a man-o'-law, Or will we send a sodger ?
Burns Fcle Champitre, St. i. (24"! Sc. ' O are ye a man of mean,'
she says, ' seeking ony o' my meat ? ' Jamieson Pop. Ballads ( 1806)
I. 8g. (25^1 Fif. John Knox . . . Was as it were an iron mallet To
break the Man o' Sin to flinders, TF.ntiAtn Papishy (1827) 6. (26)
w.Yks.', Der.2, nw.Der.' (27) se.Wor.' (28) n.Yks.^ (29, a)
Ken.i (i) Sus. (G.A.W.^ {c) Sus. Sdeiice Gossip {I8^^) 313. (30)
w.Som.' Dev. About Exeter we always call it man-tie, Repoiis
Proviiic. (1881) 13; Dev.* (31) Cum.'; Ciuu." To sledge home
their peats Dug up from the man-traps, Dickinson Lit. Remains
(1888)117. (3a) n.Yks. 2 (33')Lakel.2 Cum. A holiday and fair
at Penrith (B.K. ). (34' Abd. Icudna thole men-fowk to wait upon
me, Macdonald Lossie V1877) Ixx. Per. The men-folk are crackin
o' owsen an' land, Nicoll Poems (ed. 1843) 118. Ayr. I wonder
a wheen men-folk o' ye didna rise, Johnston Glenbtickie (1889')
344. Lnk. He was like a' the lave o' the men-folk, Roy Geiienils/iip
(ed. 1895 1 2. Lth. Tho' . . . men-folk ban his gabbin' chat, The
lassies they find nae sic faut, Ballantine Pof/ds (1856) 136. Bwk.
More shame to the men-folks, Henderson Pop. Rhymes (1856) 80.
Nhb.i What dis menfolk ken aboot sic things? e.Dur.' (s.v. Folk),
n.Yks,2, w.Yks. (J.W.) Lan. Hoo doesn't think mich o' menfolk
in general, Longman's Mag. Apr. 1897) 540. Glo. The men volk
are more humbler than the women volk; specially when thaay
be high seasoned (E.D.). Dor. Men-folk be all alike, Longman's
Mag. (Nov. 1898) 50. Som.'Tis a lonesome place for a woman to
bide wi' no men-folk about, Raymond Men o' Mendip (1898; viii.
w.Som.i Dev. The men-folks was all wild to try their strength,
O'Neill Idyls (1892) 90. (35) n.Sc. (Jam.) Abd.Some . . . large
farmers build a small house called the bothy, and sometimes the
men's house, in which their men-servants eat and prepare their
food, Agric. Stii-v. 518 {ib.).
2. Phr. (1) as the >«a«5a;r/, a phr. introduced after making
a statement to remove the responsibilit}' of it from the
speaker ; (2) by the man, (3) dear man or the dear man, an
expletive ; (4) tnan alive, an exclamation of impatience or
of surprise ; (5) —a-lost, a cry uttered by a traveller who
has lost his way ; (6) — dear, see (3) ; (7) — off the land,
a farm-labourer ; (8) — or mortal, any one ; (9) the bad man,
(10) the black man, the devil; (11) the man above, the
Almighty ; (12) the mere man of his nature, the natural man
as opposed to the spiritual : (13) to be all man and shirt, to
put on consequential airs; to be proud; (14) — a man
of many morns, lo be a procrastinator ; (15) — a man of
one's meat, to have a healthy appetite ; (16) — a man of
one's fwnd, to think and act lor oneself; (17) — man
enough, to be strong enough ; in gen. colloq. use ; (18) —
one's own man, to be in good health and in full possession
of one's faculties ; (19) — the man, to be just the thing
required ; (20) to show one's man, to use one's authority,
to domineer; (21) too much of a man, too heavy; (22)
joull lie a man before your mother, a phr. used to comfort
a small boy ; in gen. use ; (23) men of Gotham, see below ■
see Gotham; (24) men on, (25) men to r/rfc, colliery terms:
see below; (26) able to grow men and horses, of land:
very good and rich.
(i) I. Ma. (S.M.) (2) Lan. By Ih' inon, hoo's through, Stand-
ing fc/zofs (1885) 10. (3) Gall, (A. W.) n.Ir. The dear man, that
be.its ocht, LvTTLE Paddy McOnillan, 11. Dwn. ' Dear man ! ' sez
he, 'hoo time passes,' ib. Batlyciidcly (1892) 13. (4) Ayr. Man
alive ! the bits of speugs and starlings at the lum-tap, poor things,
maun be clean bumbazed. Service Dr. Ditguid (ed. 1887) 132.
Ir. Kiss your child, man alive! Carleton Fardoronglia (1848, i.
N.I.' Ant. Och, man alive ! but it's little ye know That never was
there, O'Neill G/^)is (1900) 52. Cum.'*, w.Yks. fJ.W.) s.Not.
' Man alive! ' she exclaimed, ' why ever didn't yer come before ! '
Prior Rente (1895) 305. Shr., Hrf. Bound Provinc. (1876). (5)
Dor. ' Man a-lost ! ' . . he cried, . . and then ran and hid himself. . .
''Tis our duty to help folks in distress. . . Man a-lost, where are
j'ou ? ' Hardy Trnnipel-Major {1880) ix. (6) n.Ir. Ay, man dear,
it's ower ocht hoo rauckle waens can eat, Lyttle Paddy McQuillan,
II. (7) Nrf. Some miserable farm-labourers, 'men off the land,'
sat drinking beer, Emerson Lagoons (ed. 1896) 102. (8) N.I.'
Now don't tell this to man or mortal. (9) Ayr. The yite has a
drop o' the bad man's bluid in it, Johnston A7/;ji(7///> ^I89I) II.
90. N.I.' Nhb.' If ye gan on se the bad-man'll get ye. (10)
Ayr. The Black Man would gi'e her power to . . . kcp the butter
frae gatherin' in the kirn, Service Notandnms (1890 100. (11)
e.Yks.' There's a man aboon'll mak yi all care some day. if you don't
care noo. w.Yks.-^, nw.Der.' ' 12) Ayr. I hae 1113- doubts whether
the mere man o' his nature hath undergone a right regeneration,
GALTifl/c(ife(i826)ii. {i3)w.Yks.5 (i4)Bnff.' (15) Sc. I wasman
o'mymeat,and mastero'my wife. Ford Tliistledown (i8gi '326. (16)
Sc.(A.W.) Chs.^GafTer'samonofhismoind. (17)610. He'snotinan
enough for the job (S.S.B.). Nrf. Mary is man enow to dress her-
self, Emerson SoH q/ /V«s (1892) 366. Sus. Three months ago,
sir, I wasn't man enough to sa\' that word, Egerton Flk. and
IVays (1884) 45. (18' s.Sc. He was never his ain man again.
Wilson Tales (1836) IV. 46. Edb. I was. 1 thought, m3' ain man
again, Beatty Scaetar (1897' 113. w.Yks. ^ Lin. Th' boane's
setting nistly, an' I begin to feel my awn man agSan. He was
queer i' his head when he said it. bud he's his awn man agean noo,
Lin. A'. & Q. (July 1890). Lei.' Wil. The double loss broke
Farmer Wilton's heart. . . The farmer never was his own man
again. He lost energj' and hope. Banks Glory (1881)3. ('9)
Suf. When Easter comes, who knows not than That veal and
bacon is the man, Ga)7rt«rf (1818) 375. (20) w.Yks. Thah's nooa
need ta show thi man here (B.K). (2i)Glo. The rollers too much
of a man for thaay osses(S.S.B.). (22) Sc. (A.W.), N.I.' (23) Not. A
similar design was once entertained by that sage race, the wise
men o( Gotham, Fii-Lore Rec. (1879) II. 67; King John intend-
ing to pass through this place . . . was prevented bj- the inhabi-
tants. . . The king, incensed, . . sent . . . some of his servants to
enquire . . . the reason of their incivility, . . that he might punish
them. The villagers . . . thought of an expedient. . . When tlie
messengers arrived at Gotham, they found some of the inhabitants
engaged in endeavouring to drown an eel in a pool of water ; some
were emplo3'ed in dragging carts upon a large barn, to shade the
wood from the sun ; and others were engaged in hedging a cuckoo.
. . In short, they were all employed upon some foolish way or
other, which convinced the king's servants that it was a village of
fools,' N. tf Q. (1850) 1st S. ii. 520. (24) Nhb.' Nhb., Dur. A
call from the onsetter to the banksman or brakesman, meaning
that men are in the cage to be drawn up, Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl.
(1888). (25) Nhb.' A similar call or signal, meaning that men
are coming up in the next cage. Nhb., Dur. Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl.
(1888). (26) n.Lin.'
3. A husband ; an accepted lover.
Sc. You'll be getting a man of your own one of these fine days,
Keith Indian Uncle (1896) 29. ne.Sc. My man . . . wis' just a fair
average o' what men are generally. Grant Keckleton, 10. Elg.
Some wives, ye ken, will thrash their men, Tester Poems (1865)
104, Bnff. "Taylor Pocwis (1787) 59. Bch. The bonnie lassie was
beguiled. She thought to get a man, Forbes Ulysses (1785) 20.
Abd. He's as good a man as a woman cu'd hae when he's sober,
Paul Abd. (1881) 61. Kcd. Grant Lays (1884) 21. Frf. The
widow, . . oppressed b3' the knowledge that her man's death at
such an inopportune place did not fulfil the promise of his youth,
Barrie Liclit (i888) v. Per. Though he be ma man, a'll say this
for him, Maclaren Aitld Lang Syne (18951 128. w.Sc. He that
had been sae gude a son to her was na likely to mak an ill man to
me, Carrick Laird 0/ Logan (1835) 264. Fif. Heddle Margtl
(1899' 142. Dmb. Cross Disruption (1844) viii. Ayr. I hope
the cadger 'ill mak' her a real guid man, Johnston KiUnallie
(1891) I. 130. Lnk. Roy Generalship (ed. 1895) 91. Lth. My
MAN
[27]
MANADGE
faither aye tells me — I'll ne'er get a man, Hacncill Pod. IVks.
(1801) 205, ed. 1856. Edb. Hame she ran To tell the tidings to
her man, Tint Qtiey (1796) 15. Feb. Affleck Poet. IVks. (1836)
81. Slk. I hae a wee wifie, an' I am her man, Hogg Poems (ed.
1865) 265. Gall. Hae ye a man : or is he dead ? Nicholson Poet.
IVks. (1814) 69, ed. 1897. Uls. Nance Colgan neglecks baith 'er
weans an' 'er man, M''Ilroy Ciaig-Umtie 1900 24. Ant. (W.H P.)
Wxf.' Nhb.' Hor man wasn't win horatthe time. Cum.* This is
the term by which a Cumbrian woman alwaj'S refers to her husband.
n.Yks.' Me an' mah man's gannan ; n.Yks.*, w.Yks. (J.W.'l Lan.
We're mon an' wife na lunger, Saunders Abel Drake's ll'i/e, ii.
s.Not. I've a man and five kids. Prior Renie (1895) 173. Nhp.^
s.War. 'Ur fund the drunkn beg'r 'ur calls 'ur mon, Why John
(Co//. L.L.B.">. Wor., Hrf. rVi. do. Horae Siibsecivae {iiii) z-j^ ;
Glc' Him's my second man. Dev. The savin's of my man an'
me for fiftj' year, Philu'otts Dartmoor (1896) 84.
4. A male paramour.
Midi. (E.S.), War.3 Wor. He is not my man, he is my husband,
Evesham Jrn. (June 10, i899\
5. A gentleman. Ess.' 6. A male animal
s.Chs.' Ah shouldna like be nudded by that mon [a bull] as we
han i' th' shippin (s.v. Nud;.
7. Of animals or things : one.
Glc' That's him [pointing to a hen] ; the other men are'nt good
layers. There's nobbut a shattering of apples on them trees ;
t'other men have a goodish few.
8. A familiar term of address to a person of either sex
or of any age ; often used at the end of a sentence to give it
special emphasis ; sometimes used as a meaningless
expletive. The forms mun, man, min seem to have
arisen through loss of stress.
Sc. ' Man, but I'm pechin' ! ' he exclaimed when he reached her
side, Keith Pnie (,1895) 273. Sh.I. {Coll. L.L.B.) Bnff. Ye'll
gang to that stinkin' place, man, till j'e droun yoursel, Sjiiles
Natur. (18761 I. 13, ed. 1879. Abd. Fat hae ye been haiverin* at,
min? Alexander yo/mty G/AA (18711 i. Per. Hoot' Peter, man,
I'm thinkin' he was that carried like in 's mind, he didna ken even
wha it was gaed by, Cleland Inchbracken (1883) 20, ed. 1887.
e.Fif. ' Noo min ! ' cried Willie, triumphantly, Latto Tam Bodkin
(1864) iv. Ayr. Man, I canna argue wi' j'ou, but I could fell you,
Johnston Glaibnckie (1889) 9. Lnk. Nainsel will lost her way,
man. . . She'll mind till dying day, man, Rodger Poems (1838) 8,
ed. 1897. Ir. O man, isn't that great? (P.W.J.) Uls. Commonly
reduplicated : ' O man, O man, there's a grand house' f P.W.J. ).
N.Cy.' e.Dur.' Eh, mon, aa din-aa. Lakel.= Ah'll tell thi what,
min. Cum. Mun, thou'll nobbet Iwose t'e guid neame, Gilpin
Sags. (1866) 256; Cum.' Thon's nea girt things, min; Cura.^ ;
Cum. 3 Whey min — there's Dick Walker an Jonathan Peel, 41 ;
Cum.* n.Yks. Be up, mon, an' werk whaile te'syabble, Tweddell
Clevel. Rhymes (1875) 9; n.Yks.* Ah'll tell tha what mun. ne.Yks.'
Tak ho'd, mun. e.Yks.' ' Mun ! Ah lickt him.' ' Did tha ? Ah
thowt thoo wad, mun.' w.Yks. ' Eigh mun, thur er sad times;
w.Yki.* Mun ah mean to goa some daay ! Sither [look you] mun !
'Thah's ower an' aboon soft Bil fur swapping thee dog fur that
bit'n a thing 1' ' Bud he's geen muh his tother to boit mun, — mun
hesn't he ur summat ?' Hit him mun! 'Mun am bown!' equi-
valent to the half-threatening phrase, 'I'm going you know!'
Come, doan't be darn abart it mun ; cheer up mun ! Lan. The
next week mon, Brierlev Layrock (1864") iv. Der.' Doff thy hat
mon. nw.Der.' Bring it here, mun. Lin. She seem'd, somehow,
soa tender, mun. Brown Lit. Laiir. (1890) 44. n.Lin.' I tell the
mun he's been dead this eaght year! Nhp.' You mait as well try
to fly, mun ; Nhp.^ Used in speaking to a female, or even to a dog.
Glo. ' What dost want, mun ? ' addressed to a little girl who had
come into the cottage (S.S.B.) ; Glo.^But the best fun is to come,
mun! Oxf.i Doo't theeself; I be tired, mun. Brks. Mose, mun,
. . . thee shouldst go in, Hughes Scour. White Horse (1859") vi ;
Brks.' What beat ther mun ' e.An.' 'Tis all true, mun. Nrf. Mun,
rub that with treacle, Emerson Wild Li/e{i8go) g8. e.Suf. (F.H.)
Hmp.i Also used in addressing a horse or dog. I.W.' Come here,
Moll, and I'll tell thee mun ; I.W.= Thee bisn't gwine to frighten
me men, I beant afeard un thee. Wil.' I'll ketch thee, min !
n.Wil. Does't knaw that, mon ? (E.H.G.) Dor.' But turn 'em into
fun, min, 221. Som. I'll do it, min, Jennings Obs. Dial. w.Eitg.
(1825). w.Som.' 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.' Dev. Aw, min ! I got a drefful talc tti tellce, Hewett Peas.
Sp. (1892) 140 ; Dev.i Why thee dist'n think a will bush tha mun?
12 ; Dev.2 I don't know so much about that, min.
9. Used attrib. to express supreme excellence or quality,
applied to persons and things ; esp. in phr. right man.
w.Yks. A niu sn oud wuman i a strit at war a reit man wuman.
Link at Sis pen-naif a main, its a man naif, a kan tel Sa [J.W.) ;
That's a reight man pipe thah's getten (B.K.).
10. V. To show signs of manhood.
w.Som.i They boys, zoon's ever they do begin to manny, there
idn no doing nort way em. Dev. Our Jack da begin ta manny,
PuLMAN 5*f/f/;('s (1842^ 114, ed. 1871.
11. To master; to domineer over, use control over.
w.Yks. Ah weeant hev tha mannin ower me ^B,K.\ Lan. Aw
con never mon her, Brierley Treadlepin, iii.
12. To incite ; to urge ; gen. with on.
Cum. He seeks the foe with rowan bough, And mans each friend
and neighbour. Burn Ballads (ed. 18771 113 ; The boys mann'd
him on, but his head was not steady, Rayson Poems (1839 23 ;
Cum.i They man't their dogs on to feight ; Cum." Wm. Wheea
man'd them on ta feight but thee, thoo auld skaymeril? (B.K.)
13. Phr. (i) to man a thing out, to face it ; (2) to man one-
self, to act like a man; to show spirit; (3) to man the
spokes, to take hold of the poles of a bier.
(i) w.Yks. It never dawned on me to man them [dangers] out
for others' sake, Snowden Weh of Weaver (1896) x. (2) Cum.
Man thysel,Jemm3', Anderson Srt/Zflrfi (ed. 1808) 100. (3) re.Sc.
The four coilins were placed in the centre of the street. . . Eight
fisherwomen ' manned ' the spokes, as is almost invariably the case
for the first lift. Green Gordonhaven (1887) 57.
MAN, sb.'^ Lakel. Cum. Yks. Also in forms maen
Cum. ; niawn Cum.' [man.] A conical pillar of stones
erected on the top of a mountain ; the mountain top itself.
Lakel.' Cum. The maen or man, the great pile of stones built
up by the ordnance surveyors to mark the highest point, lying
further to the north-east, Linton Lizzie Lorton (1867) xxx ; Roond
Scawfell Man Iheer hung. As midneet black, a clood, Richardson
Talk (1871) 17, ed. 1876; Cum.' w.Yks. Phillips Rivers (1853).
MAN, see Mann, Maund, sb.
MANADGE, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. Dun Also in forms
manaudgeN.Cy.'; manawdgeLnk.; menage Sc. [msnadg,
msna'dg.] 1. A kind of club or benefit society ; see below.
Sc. Every member pays in a fi.xed sum weekly, to be continued
for a given term. At the commencement, the order of priority in
receiving the sum collected, is determined by lot. He who draws
No. I as his ticket receives into his hands the whole sum collected
for the first week, on his finding security that he shall pay in his
weekly share during the term agreed. He who draws No. a
receives the contributions of all the members for the second week,
and so on according to their order (Jam.\ Ayr. There is a thing
which has come into most uncommon vogue amongst us of late,
that is, what is called the ' menage ' system. . . A given number of
people lay their heads together, and agree to contribute so much
a week for a specified time ; the members settling among them-
selves by lot the order in which they are to receive the weekly
slump sum. If there are say twenty in the menage, each contri-
buting a shilling per week, the member who is fortunate in the
drawing, gets a pound, less a small sum deducted for refreshment
to the company, or for the benefit of the person in whose house
the menage is held, Johnston Kilmallie iiSgi) II. 130. Lnk. This
kind of society is still common amongst the mill-girls in Bridgeton
of Glasgow, the purpose gen. being to enable them one after
another, to supply themselves with hats, Montgoherie-Fleming
Notes (1899) ; Every Scottish housewife of the working-class order
knows what a manawdge is, Murdoch Readings (1895) I. 68.
Dur. Poor widows in pit districts sometimes keep what is called a
' money ma-nadge ' ; members pay in is. a fortnight, until 21s. has
been paid in. They then receive 20s. out ol it, the remaining is.
going to the club woman for her trouble in taking care of the 205.
(F.P.)
Hence (i) Manawdge-circle, sb. the whole number of
contributors to the ' manadge ' ; (2) -wife, sb. the woman
who collects and takes charge of the money paid into the
' manadge.'
(i) Lnk. 'Cleaner' in general for the whole district, and washer-
wife for Mrs. Gruppy's manawdge-circle in particular, Murdoch
Readings (1895) I. 72. 12) Lnk. Mrs. Gruppy was a manawdge
wife who had considerable experience in the business. She was
a sort of accepted stair-head banker and chancellor of the local
exchequer, ib. 69.
E 2
MANAGE
[28]
MANDRAKE
2. The method of selling goods, esp. drapery, on credit
to be paid for in instalments. Also used attrib.
N.Cy.i Nhb. She lays out punds in manadge things. Wilson
Pitman's Pay (1843) 11 ; Nhb.'
Hence (i) Manadgeman, sb. an itinerant vendor of
goods on credit for household requirements ; (2) -woman,
sb. the woman who becomes responsible to the drapers
for the goods they persuade customers to buy on the
' manadge ' system.
(i) Nhb. Tiie manadge man not paid, Wilson Tyneside Sngs.
(.1890) 18; Nhb.l (2) N.Cy.i
[1. Fr. menage, ' le bon emploi de I'argent ' {Littr£).]
MANAGE,!'. Sc.Yks. [ma-nidg.] l.Toget through with.
Sc. Glasgow Herald :,Apr. 3, 1899 .
2. To succeed in reaching.
Lnk. Jack managed hame, the hoivor why. He kenn'd the best
himsel', Orr Laigh Ftictits (1882) 14. Dmf. Juist as I managed
the Wingate brae-heid the black clud broke wi' a roar, K'e.id Poems
(1894) 197. w.Yks. (J.W.)
MANAGEABLE, adj. Yks. Lan. [ma-nidgabl.] Manag-
ing.
w.Yks. (J.W.) Lan. Yo're so manageable an' clever an' thot,
Longman's Mag. (Apr. 1897) 543.
MANAGEMENT, sb. Cum. Not. Lin. [ina'nidgment.]
The process of manuring : manure, esp. artificial manure.
Cum. This land wantsmore management ^\V.S.). Not.'^ s.Not.
Yer'll niver ev no crops unless yer put some management on th'
land (J.P.K.). Lin. Brookes Tracts Gl. n.Lin.^ Yard manure.
* It was n't that boht stuff Ira Lunnun, it was th' manigement he
put in 'at maade his taaties graw,' Yaddkthorpe (1874' . sw.Lin.'
If lime and management won't do, I don't know what will.
MANAUDGE, MANAWDGE, see Manadge.
MANCH, V. and sb. n.Cy. Yks. Chs. Stf. Der. Lin. Shr.
Hrf Som. Dev. Also written manche Som. Dev. ; and
in forms mansh Shr.' ; niaunce w.Yks.^^ s.Stf ; maunch
s.Chs.' nw.Der.' Shr.' Ilrf^n.Dev. ; mench Lin.' ; moance
w.Yks. ; mounch N.Cy.' [raanj, monj, monj.] 1. v. To
chew ; to eat ; to munch. Cf maunge, i'.', munch, i/.'
N.Cy.' s.Chs.' Wey, Saam' left it weeur^th tit kud gy'er aaf it,
Qn do)z maunsht it in ur maayth til it s giid nuwt [Sam left it
wheer th' tit could ger at it, an' hoo's maunched it in her maith
till it's good nowtT. Som. Jennings Obs. Dial. zv.Eiig. (1825).
Dev. Moore Hist. Dev. (1829) I. 354. n.Dev. I'll maunch an'
drink vor nort. Rock Jim an' Nell (1867) st. 68. s.Dev. Fo.\
Kingsbndgc (1874).
2. To mince ; to mash, bruise, crush to a pulp ; to beat up.
s.Chs.' Goa- iin gy'et sum mee-1 aayt u.th kof'ur, un piit dheyz
too-thri tai-tOz ti5o it, tin maan'sh um au- iip tugy'edh'iir fur.dh
cnz [Go an' get some meal ait o' th' coffer, an' put theise toothry
tatoes to it, an manch 'cm aw up together for th' hens]. s.Stf.
If thee touchest me I'll maunce thee into the earth, Pinnock Blk.
Cy. Ann. (1895). Der.2, nw.Der.' Lin. (Hall.) ; Lin.' Mench it
up. Shr.i The Missis said I wuz to mansh the 'tatoes, an' 'er 'd
put the butter an' crame.
Hence Mauncher, sb. a stone crusher. Shr.'
3. To trouble, bother, take pains.
w.Yks. Ay, an' he hed to maunce hissen to gie th' meeanin'
o' that word, Yks. IVkly. Post (May 8, 1897).
4. sb. A confused mass ; a mess, muddle ; fig. a blunder,
dilemma.
w.Yk5. You stupid fellow, you have made a regular maunce of
It (G.B.W.) ; They're all maunce (S.O.A.) ; w.Yks.^ Tha's made
a bonny maunce on it. Hrf.2 All to maunch [all to bits].
5. Fig. Trouble, pains, bother ; a fuss.
w.Yks. Yks. IVkly. Post (May 8, 1897) ; w.Yks.s A person dis-
appointed HI an object is told not to make ' sich'n a maunce abart
It. 'What a maunce thou art ! ' is said to a teazing child.
6. A sloven, slut.
w.Yks. A. who's a moance? Hlf.x. Courier 1 May 22, 1897).
MANCHE, MANCHENT, sec Manchj Manchet.
MANCHET, sb. Sc. Nhb. Yks. Lan. Som. Cor. Also
written manchit Lan. ; and in forms manchent Cor.' ;
manchiin Cor.'»; nianshen Som.; manshun Cor.= ;
inanshut w.Yks. ; mansion se.Cor. [manjst.] 1. A
small loaf of white bread ; a hot cake ; a muffin.
Edb. Obs. Arnot Hist. Edmbiirgh, to, informs us that in the
16th cent, its citizens had four different kinds of whcaten bread :
the finest called manchet, Francisque-Miciiel Lang. (1882) 54.
Nhb. Manchet which we eat, Richardson Borderer's Tahlc-bk.
(1846) VI. 182. w.Yks. HuTTON Tour to Caves (1781) ; (D.L.);
w.Yks.^ Obs. The man who sold it was known as ' Billy Manchet.'
Lan. Get this manchet an' cheese into tho, Waugh Chim. Corner
(1874)86, ed. 1879. s. Lan. BamfordDm/. 1854) G/. Som. (Hall.);
W. & J. Gl. (1873V Cor.' A small loaf of bread, not baked in a
tin, in shape like a large bun. se.Cor. Any small loaf having a cir-
cular base, N. ^ O. (1881) 6th S. iv. 15.
2. Conip. (i) Manchet-bread, a small bun-shaped loaf.
Cor.'^^ ; (2) -loaf, a loaf shaped like a French roll, rising
in the middle. w.Cor. A'. &^ O. (1881) 6th S. iii. 430.
[1. Fr. (Norm, dial.) jiianc/ietle,pa.m a croute dure,inegale,
fait en forme de couronne (Moisv).]
MANCHIT, MANCHUN, see Manchet.
MANCO,si. Sc. Also in forms mankey Slk. ; mankie
n.Sc. Rnf ; manky Abd. Per. ; maunky Edb. [ma'rjko,
ma'qki.] The material ' calamanco,' q.v. ; also used a/thb.
Sc. (Jam.) n.Sc. She coost aff her mankie gown, Buchan
Ballads (1828) I. 225, ed. 1875. Abd. A manky gown, my Lucky
wore, Anderson Rhymes (1867) 18. Per. The auld wives o'
Dunblane, wi' the green manky gown, Monteath Dunblane
(1835) "3> Ed. 1887. Rnf. Her kirtle was o' mankie made O'
various hue, Finlayson Rhymes (1815) 156. Edb. Bring . . . My
maunky coat, Aidd Handsel Monday '^1792) 18; A green glazed
manco petticoat, Moir Mansie IVauch (1828) xx. Slk. Wi' wor-
sted buggers on and a jacket o' striped mankey, Chr. North
Nodes (ed. 1856) II. gg. Gall. Mactacgart fnrj'c/. (1824).
MAND, see Maund, sb.
MANDATE, v. Sc. To commit to memory ; esp. to
commit to memory a sermon before preaching it.
Sc. Mitchell Scottidsms 1,1799) 52. Gall. It would arise in
despite of me, coming between me and the very paper on which I
wrote my sermon, before ever I began to learn to mandate,
Crockett Standard Bearer {i8g8) 145.
MANDER, sb. Yks. Lan. Der. Lin. Nrf Suf. Som. Also
in forms mandher e.Yks.' ; manther w.Yks. ; maunder
Lin.' [ma'nda(r.] 1. Kind ; variety ; a dial, form of
' manner.'
n.Yks.'*, ne.Yks.l e.Yks. Noo, when they gat ti Toon Gate
bains com runnin iv all mandhers o' ways ti see what this thing was,
Nicholson Fli-Sfi. (1889) 37. e.Yks.', ra.Yks.' (s.v. Mak).
w.Yks. It's sported all manthers o' cullers, Blackah Poems
(1867) 43 ; Yks. IVkly. Post (May 8, 1897!. Lan. I'd no mandero'
wey o' helpink, Paul Bobbin Sequel (1819) 12. ne.Lan.' Der.
Addv Gl. (i888). Lin. All mandcrer games were on the goa.
Brown Lit. Laur. (1890) 49. n.Lin. He's good at farmin', and
gardenin', and preachin', and every mander o' thing. Peacock
J. Marken/ield {iQ-]2\ III. 269; n.Lin.' I couldn't think what man-
der o' thing it was cumin' when fo'st I seed a traction engine.
sw.Lin.' He's up to all mander of tricks. Nrf. He'd tarn all man-
der o' colours. Spilling Daisy Dimple (1885) 19. e.Suf. (F.H.)
Som. There was all mander of 'em as you may say (W.F.R.).
2. FUr. {i) by all mander of means, by all means; (2) no
mander of good, no good at all ; (3) no mander of use, no
use at all.
(i) w.Yks.' (2) ib. I sa nay mander a good it did her efter au,
ii. 290. (3) Lin. Noa mander o' use to be callin' 'im Roa, Roa,
Roa, Fo' the dog's stoan-deaf, Tennyson Oivd Roa (1889) ; Lin.'
It's no mander of use going on in this way.
3. pi. Manners ; fashions. n.Yks.^
MANDER, II.' Glo. Sus. Wil. Also in form maunder
Glo.' [ma-nd3{r), m9'nd3(r).] To order about in a dicta-
torial fashion ; to crow over ; to scold. Cf mandy, v.
Glo.' How he do maunder anyone about. Sus. Wile gennelmen
do naun at all But eat and roll in coaches, Mander o'er us poor
fellors here, Lower Jan Cladpole (1872) st. 3. Wil. Slow Gl.
(1892) ; Wil.' Measter do mander I about so.
MANDER, 1/.2 Lth. (Jam.) To handle ; to deal.
MANDER, see Maunder.
MANDRAKE, sb. Yks. Chs. Lin. Lei. War. Shr. Hrf.
Hrt. LW. Wil. Dev. [man-, msendrek.] 1. The white
briony, Bryonia dioica.
Yks. (B. & H.), Chs.' n.Lin.' Quacks profess to sell something
which they call ' the true mandrake.' They tell their dupes that
it is a specific for causing women to conceive. In England it is
almost always the white bryony. sw.Lin.', Lei., War.^^, Wor.,
Shr., Hrf., Hrt. I.W. (C.J.V.) WU.' The root is popularly sup-
posed to be Mandriike.
MANDREL
[29]
MANIFOLD(S
2. The black brionj', Tamils communis. Yks. 3. The
cuckoo-pint, Arum maculatum. ib. 4. The enchanter's
nightshade, Circaea Luletiaiia. n.Dev. 5. The wild
cucumber. War.^
MANDREL, MANDRIL, see Maundrel.
MANDY, V. Som. [ma-ndi.] To command. VV. & J.
Gl. (1873).
[The mone mandeth hire lyht, Lyr. P. 43 (Matzner).
OFr. iiiaiidcr, ' commander ' (La Curne).]
MANDY, adj. Glo. Wil. Dor. Som. Also in form
maundy Glo.' Dor. [ma-ndi, m9ndi.] L Domineering,
proud, haughty.
Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.' Ter'ble mandy sort of
a gin'lman.
2. Abusive, insolent, saucy ; surly ; of a horse : restive.
G\o. Hoiae Stibsecivae (1777) 271 ; Glo.' Wil. Brixton Beauties
(1825); Wil.i Now only used by very old people. n.Wil. Now
your little bellies is vuU, ye be got so mandy. I likes thuc hoss,
he's so mandy i^E.H.G.). Dor. Haynes Voc. (c. 1730) in N. & Q.
(1883) 6th S. viii. 45; (W.C. c. 1750) ; Dor.i
3. Obs. Showy. Wil.'
MANE, sb. Sc. Som. [men, w.Som. mean.] L In
comp. Mane-comb, a coarse, long-toothed comb, used for
combing horses' manes and tails. w.Som.' 2. Phr. to
make neither mane nor tail of a thing, to make neither head
nor tail of it.
Flf. I can make neither mane nor tail o't, Robertson Provost
(1894) 130.
3. The wool on a ewe's neck.
Sh.I. Ye ken mam's auld yow \vi' da coorse mane ? Sh. News
(May 5, 1900).
MANE, see Main, sb}, Moan.
MANELET, sb. Sc. (Jam.) The corn-marigold, Chry-
santhemum se^etiim.
MANFIERDIE, adj. Sh.I. Marriageable. S. & Ork.'
[Norw. dial, mann, man +/erdiff, ready (Aasen). See
Feerdy.]
MANG, v.^ and s6.' Sc. Nhb. Dur. Yks. Lin. Nhp. Wil.
Som. Dev. Also in form nieang Nhb. [mag, masr).]
1. V. To mix together ; to mess about; to touch with the
hand ; gen. of food. Cf meng:.
Nhb. Quite recently, when a boy at the tea-table had touched
a piece of bread, and changing his mind, had taken another piece,
he was desired to take the piece he had meanged, N. & Q. (1878
5thS. X.87; Nhb.'Tyek the piece o'cyek ye mang'dforst. n.Yks.''*
e.Yks. Deean't mang it aboot seeah, Nicholson Fik-Sp. (18891 !-■
m.Yks.' It mangs well. sw.Lin.' They've messed and mangcd
it so. Som. Jennings Obs. Dial. w.Eng. (1825). w.Som.' ' Hows
come to mang the zee'ud ? ' 'The bags was a bust, and zo the
zee ud was a-mangd all up together.' Dev. Moorf. Hist. Dev. (1829)
I. 354. n.Dev. Wi' zich, I reckon, Ha now deligh'th vor mang,
RocKyiMi an' Nell{i&6fj St. 89.
Hence Manged-oop, ppl. adj. messed, badly mixed.
n.Yks.' But 't wur nobbut a manged oop mess when a' wur
deean.
2. To break in pieces ; to bruise, crush ; to overpower.
Sc. That hanged or manged May ilk man mak' his end, Aytoun
Ballads (ed. 1861) II. 225; Grose (1790) .1/5. aild. [C.) Fif.
Bangsters that did ither 'mang in hideous tulyie-mulyie,TENNANT
Papistry (1827 1 196. e.Yks.', n.Lin.'
Hence Mangment, sb. a broken and confused mass.
e.Yks.' n.Lin.' What an' a mangment ther' was when H 's
pot-cart was fling'd oher up o' Mottle Esh Hill.
3. sb. A mixture ; a confused mass.
Cld. (Jam.), m.Yks.' Lei.' All of a mang, loike. Nhp.';Nhp.2
All in a mang.
4. Phr. to mix one's mang, to join in with ; to join in the
chorus.
Abd. I was bidding Jean e'en gie's a sang That we among the
lave might mi.x our mang, Ross Helenore (1768) 129, ed. iSia.
5. A mash of bran, malt. Sic. ; a mixture of barley or oats
ground with the husks and given to pigs or dogs.
n.Cy. Grose (1790) ; N.Cy.i, Nhb.', Dur.' s.Dur. Oat inang is
or was much used for feeding pigs, the flavour of the bacon being
considered finer than that produced by any other food (J.E.D.).
n.Yks.12'* e.Yks. Marshall /?»>•. £ro)/. (1788 . m.Yks.'
6. Comp. (I) Mang-corn, mixed corn. Wil. (K.); (2)
-fodder, fodder mixed with hay and straw. Yks. (Hall.)
7. An eruption on the skin blended into a mass. Nhp.'
[3. Cp. OE. gemang, mixture, union (Sweet).]
MANG, v.'^ and s6.= Sc. [mar).] 1. v. To become
frantic ; to feel great but suppressed anxiety.
Bnff.' He wiz manging t' be up an' at it. Abd. And she chokit
and boakit and cried like to mang, Chambers Sngs. (1829; I. 222.
Per. Dool fell the swain that's mang'd wi' love ! He goves for
comfort frae above, Nicol Pocius (1766) 19.
2. With at: to feel strong but suppressed anger, to be
angry with. Bnff.' He wiz mangin' at 'im for gain' awa.
3. sb. Strong, suppressed anger, ib.
[1. Resave, vhill than, a harte lyk for to mang, Mont-
GOMERiE Poems (c. 1600), ed. Cranstoun, 202.]
MA^G,prep. Sc. Nhb. Also in forms mangis, mangs,
mongis, mongs Sc. (Jam. Suppt.) [mai].] Among ; a
shortened form of 'amang.'
Sc. Gether us frae mang the heaethin, Riddell Ps. (1857) cvi.
47. w.Sc, s.Sc. ;Jah. Siippl.) Ayr. Mang her favourites admit
you. Burns Farewell, 1. 2. Nhb. Mang ten thousan' he's chief o'
them a', RoBsoN Evangeline (1870; Introd. 8 ; Nhb.'
MANGE, see Maunge.
MANGER, sb. Obs. Hrt. In comp. Manger-meat,
fodder for cattle.
The best sort of pease for manger meat, Ellis Mod. Hiisb.
(1750) I. ii. 41.
MANGHANGLE, v., sb. and adj Nhp. Dor. Som. Dev.
Also in form manangle Dev. [maegasr)!.] 1. v. To
mangle ; to mix in a wild and confused manner.
Dor. Grose (1790) MS. add. (M.) Dev. The shot 'ad manangled
'is hupper legsomethin' shockin',PHiLLPOTTsZ'«J'/)iioor( 1896) 229.
2. sb. A confused mass. Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873).
3. adj. Mixed up, confused ; also usedT^g-.
Nhp.' Som. Jennings Ois. />;(?/. u'.i'ii^. (1825). vir. Som.' There
they was, all urnin one over t'other, purty mang-hangle concarn,
sure enough.
[1. AFr. mahangler, to maim (Langtoft) ; see Ske.^t
Etym. Diet. 817.]
MANGLE, sb.'- Yks. Lin. Also in form mengel w.Yks.*
[marjl, me'r)!.] In comp. (1) Mangle-mash, a mixture;
(2) -woman, a woman who does mangling.
(i > n.Lin. Bud sich a mangle-mash as this'll niver be seed agaain,
Peacock 7"n/<'s (1890^ 2nd S. 136. (2) w. Yks.^ T'meng-el-womman
knawahs awal abart him.
MANGLE,si!i.= Yks. Not. Lin. Suf. Alsowrittenmangel-
Suf The mangold-wurzel. Beta vulgaris macrorrhiza.
Yks. ( J .W. ■), Not.' Lin. All on it now Goan into mangles an' tonups ,
Tennyson Owd Rod ( 1889 . e.Suf. (F. H.)
Hence Mangel-hod, sb. a heap of mangold-wurzels.
e.Suf (F.H.)
MANGLUMTE'W, sb. Cld. (Jam.) A heterogeneous
mixture.
MANGS, see Mang, prep.
MANGY, adj. Yks. Som. Also in form maungy w.Yks.
w.Som.' [m9n(d)gi.] 1. Troubled with the itch.
w.Yks. And maungy fowk at Scarbro, Harrogate, Ftidsiy Olm.
(1887) 4 ; (J.w.)
2. Spotted ; unevenly coloured ; dirty-looking.
Yks. That ribbon's too dark to go with black, it'll look maungy
(F.P.T.). w.Yks. I won't be seen in a raangey print (W.F.).
w.Som.' ' He wad'n so bad once, but now he's a proper maungy-
looking old thing.' Said of a table-cover the worse for wear.
3. Cowardly, mean.
w.Yks. I cannot see that it much benefits any man to tell him
all these mangy quaverings, Snowden Web of Weaver (^1896) x.
Not. (J.H.B.)
MANGY-BED, s6. Dor. A bed of ' Downs- vein-stone.'
(C.W.)
MANI, sb. Or.I. Patience. ' He has no mani' (S.A.S.).
MANIFOLD(S, sb. Sc. Nhb. Yks. Lan. Chs. Lin. Also
written mannifold w.Yks. ; mannyfolds w.Yks.' ; many-
folds n.Cy. ; and in forms manifaad n. Lan.' ; manifowlds
s.Chs.' ; niannyfoiildse.Lan.' ; manyfooad n.Yks. ; moni-
faud n.Yks.*; monyfads Nhb.'; monyfaulds Abd.;
munnyfads Nhb.' The third stomach of a ruminant, the
' moniplies,' the omasum or psalterium, so called from the
many parallel folds or layers ; intestines.
Abd. He sweels their monyfaulds awa' Wi' wauchts fae gory
MANIGATE
[30]
MANNER
quaichs, Murray Hameivith (1900) 5°- n-^y- (Hall.), Nhb.'
n.Yks. Part of a sheep's stomach (T.S.) : n.Yks.i* w.Yks. The
third stomach of an ox, Banks Wkfld. U'ds. (1865 ; w.Yks.i^
s.Chs.i Ahy)v got n u ky'aay baad-Ii stee-kt i dhu maan-ifuwldz
I I've gotten a cai badly steeked i' the manifowlds]. e.Lan.i The
intestines of birds. n.Lan.' An' he laid the manifaads down, poor
man, Local Stig. ne.Lan.' n.Lin.' The bowels of man and the
lower animals. e.Lin. The foal got hurt in his manifolds (G.G.W.).
MANIGATE, sb. Lan.> [ma-niget.] A straight road
over bog or moss land.
MANIKIE, see Mannikie.
MANIKIN, sb. Obsol. Shr.' A masculine woman.
It inna to be 'spected as poor Mary can top-an'-tayle turmits
like that great manikin as lives neighbour to her.
MANISH, V. Sc. Ircl. Nlib. Dur. Cum. Wm. YIcs. Lan.
Also written mannish Dur.' Lakel.^ Cum.^* Wm. n.Yks.'"
ne.Yks.' e.Lan.' ; and in forms manies, manis Sh.I.
[ma'nij.] 1. A dial, form of ' manage.'
Sh.I. Wir cairdin' 'ill be ane o' a new kind if da lasses dusna
manis ta get der ends ta wirk, Sh. A'ews (Dec. 25, 1897); You'll
dii fir da lasses, I tink, we'll manies da rest, S/i. Navs (June 30,
1900). Wxf.l Nhb. 'VVe had as mickle tae do as we could weel
manish. Jones A/:b. 34 ; Nhb.' Div ee think ee can manish that
horse ? Dur.' Cum. Had he not leave then to say how parson's
vvark suld be manished ? Linton Lizzie Loiioit (1867) v ; Cum.^ I
willn't oalas be here to mannish for y'c, 34 ; Cum." Wm. But a
mannish te pay, Wilson Old Mini's Talk, 86. n.Yks." Cud ta
mannish ti' len' uz fahve pund ? 34. ne.Yks.' e.Yks. He taks a
plaguey deal o' manishin, Wray Neslklon (1876) 18. -w.Yks.
I cannot manish to leave haam ez suin ez I sud, B.-\nks Wooers
^i88o) i ; w.Yks.' n.Lan.' But that's a thing ye kna reet weel 'at
I cud niver manish, Ulveysion Minor (Sept. 21, 1867). e.Lan.'
Hence (i) Manisher, sb. a manager ; (2) Manishnient,
sb. management.
(1) Wm. He was ... a varra good manisher, Spec. Dial. (18851
pt. iii. 41. (2) Nhb.', e.Dur.' Cum.^ Es for his manishment, if
he'd nb'but stuck till his fadder' advice, he needn't ha' gitten sa
varra far wrang, 27. ne.Yks.'
2. To work a farm in a prosperous manner ; to apply
manure.
Cum." To git t'land mannished for them farmers were glad an'
fain to set labourers a few stitches o' muck on, C. Pacq. (Sept, 14,
1893) 6, col. I. n.Yks.'", e.Yks.'
Hence Manishment. sb. the method of cultivating and
nourishing the land ; manure and other fertihzers. See
Management.
Nhb.' He's put a deal o' manishment into the land. Lakel.^
Ther's nowt beats gaily o' mannishment fer taties. Cum. Get
away wid ye I the lann's good enough — but it's fairly hungered
out for want o' manishment ,J.Ar.) ; Cum." It's gay peer land, and
'11 bring nowt widoot plenty o' mannishment. n.Yks.' Poor crops'
Aye. What can yau luik for else ? There's nae mannishment i'
t'land; n.Yks.'^" ne.Yks.' Oor tonnops 'as had plenty o' good
mannishment. e.Yks.' Puttin in a bit o' manishment.
MANISHON, sb. n.Yks. A little insignificant-looking
person. (T.S.)
MANITOODLIE, sb. Sc. A term of endearment for a
baby-boy. Gall. Mactaggart Eiicycl. (1824).
MANK, v.\ sb.^ and at/j. Sc. Yks. Obsol. [mar)k.]
1. V. To fail ; to be insufficient.
Abd. To mell wi' twa he wad na mank At stafl'y nevel-job, Skinner
Foetus (1809) 6. Rnf. (Jam.)
2. To make defective ; to impair, spoil.
Sc. To mank cloth, to misshape it (Jam.).
3. To want, long for. n.Yks. (T.S.) 4. sb. A want.
Sc. Herd Colt. Sags. (1776 1 Gl. Lnk. In their maw there was
no mank, Ramsay Poems {_ed. 1800) I. 280 (Jam.).
5. A shortcoming, the shying of an animal which causes
him to stop.
Lnk. They're special creatures every ane. An" mak' nae mank
about the din, Watson Poems 1853) 15; But at the crafly
couper's crack They mak' an unco mank, ib. 40.
6. ndj. Defective.
Sc. His large but mank and partial history, M'Ward Conteitdini;s
(1723) -xii (Jam.). Sh.L {Coll. L.I..H.) Lnk. Their copy ha"th
been very mank, and incorrect, Wodrow Ch. Hist. (1721) III.
457, ed. 1828.
7. Phr. to look very mank, to sccin at a loss. Sc. (Jam.
[1, 4. Fr. iiiaiiquer, to lack, be defective ; manque, defect,
lack, want (Cotgr.).]
MANK, 11.2 and s/).2 Cum. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der. Not.
Lei. Shr. Also in form manx w.Yks. [mar)k.] 1. v. To
prank, romp, play tricks ; to pretend to work, to gossip ;
^(7/. in prp.
w.Yks. It's t'cat that Amos must a been mankin wi, To.ii
Treddlehoyle Bainisla Ami. (1895) 63; w.Yks.^ A man who
had been fishing said that he could catch nothing, because his
friend, who was with him, 'was aKva^'s manking about.' He's
only manking. Lan. They'd a notion o' mankin' a bit, Rams-
BOTTOJI Phases 0/ Distress (1864'! 19; Waugh Goblin's Grave, 3^6.
Chs.' Not. 2 I knowed it was them lasses as had been mankin
about. Lei.'
2. To nod with the head. Cum.'* 3. To talk in an
aifected manner. Cum." 4. sb. A prank ; a trick ; a
practical joke.
w.Yks. We'd been havin' a bit ov a manx wi' him an' he wor
as mad as a wasp. Hartley Clock Aim. (i88o) 33; w.Yks. 2;
w.Yks.^ Can you show any manks on the bar ? Lan. Joe
said it ^vould be a good mank to knock 'em up abeaut three
o'clock ith mornin' for a cup o' tay, T. Thraddletin Sam o' Ben's
(1878) 9; Lan.i, e.Lan.' Chs. 5/1^/(1878) I. 87; Chs.', Der.2,
nw.Der.' Shr.' Yo' bin up to yore manks iheer agcn — bin 'ee ?
Hence Manky. adj. whimsical ; livelj', frisky.
w.Yks. .Sike manky feeals as them, Ah think, Broad Yks. 8.
Chs.' I could hardly ride th' tit, he were that manky.
MANKEY, see Manco.
MANKIE, V. and sb. Sc. [ma'flki.] 1. v. To fail;
to miss. Kcd. Francisque-Michel Lang. (1882) 288. Sec
Mank. v."^ 1.
2. sb. A term in the game of 'pearie'
A slattern.
See Management.
see below.
At the game of pears or pearie, when a pear misses its aim, and
remains in the ring, it is called inankie ^Iam.).
MANKIN, sb. Nhb.' The joint of a ' sheet ' of a fish-
ing-net.
MANKIND, adj. Nhp.' In comb. Mankind-woman, a
coarse, masculine woman.
MANKIT, ppl. adj. Sh.L Worn out by violent
exertion, esp. by incessant rowing. S. & Ork.'
MANKLE, see Mantle.
MANKS, sb. War.'3 [maijks.]
MANMENT, sb. e.An.' Manure.
That field wants plenty of manment.
MAN{N, see Maun, v.'
MANN, V. Sc. Cum. Also written man Sc. Cum.";
and in form maun Sc. Bnff.' [man] To manage ; to over-
come, get the better of; gen. by the employment of
much exertion.
Sc. He'll no man't (Jam.' ; Could they no mann to reform the
kirk withoot sic a bizz ? Cracks about Kirk (1843) '■ Bnff.' Frf.
Some are sent kirk-yards to haunt ; To ape the deil, the others
inannt, MoRisoN Poems (1790, 7. s.Sc. Rough Mars himsell cou'd
never mann . . . Yet to subdue, T. Scott Poems (1793) 350. Rnf.
The deevil in his wrath I man'd to ca'm, Clark Rhymes '1842)
18. Ayr. Wha themsel's could scrimply mann, But ill could do
without him, Smith Poet. Misc. (1832) 95. Lnk. Could she no
mann tae buy a coo, Orr Laig/i Fliclits 1882 46. Edb. I'll tell
ye how it's to be manned, Beatty Secretar (1897) 206. Cum.
Mappen he can man sic a laal job as yon (J.Ar.) ; Cum."
MANNER, 56.' and i'.' Sc. Irel. n.Cy. Lakel. Yks. Not.
Lin. Lei. Nhp. War. Som. Dev. [ma-n3(r, mae-nslr).]
I. sb. In phr. (i) all inaiiiur 0/ thing, everything; (2) by
all manner of means, (a) by all means, assuredly ; (b) by
hook or by crook ; (3) in a manner 0/ speaking, a formula
of apology for any statement, ' if I may say so ' ; some-
times used to convey a doubt ; also used apologetically
for strong language ; (4) no manner of use, no use at all ;
in^<?«.colloq.use; seeMander,5i. ; {~,) all manners o/ma/c(.<f,
or all manners and makes, every conceivable kind; (61 In
leave some manners in the dish, to leave a small portion of
any dish of food.
i^r) w.Yks." (2,a)Sc. (A.W.\Ir. (A.S.-P.) (6) Lns. She would
by all manner of means have him there, Croker Leg, (1862) 244.
(3) Not.' Lei.' I believe he wur quite respectable, like, in a manner
o' speakin' ; leastways, they say, ' Speak o' a man as you find
him,' and I nivver had no dcalin's wi' him good nor bad, so you
see, sir, I couldn't say no other on him in a manner o' speakin'.
MANNER
[31]
MANRITCH
War.^ w.Som.' Howsomedever I did'n zee no 'casion vor to let
he have the dog, in a manner o' spakin, Hke. I zaid I'd zee un
d — d to h — vore he sliould sar me such a trick ; ees, and zo I wid,
in a manner o' spakin, hke, you know, sir. Well, I wid'n misdoubt
what you do zay 'pon no 'count whatsomever, but 'tis a terr'ble
quair thing, in a manner o' spakin. (4)80. (A.W.) Lin.Ufsno manner
of use your trying, you cannot succeed. Dev. 'Tis no manner o' use
to maake a joke avoore he, Eng. Ilhis. Mug. • June 1896J 257. (5I
Lakel.= We'd beef, an' mutton, an' ham, an' o' manners and maks o'
good things browt in fer oor dinner. Wm. He's o' manners o" maks
o' bonny things in his basket ^B.K.). w.Yks. (J.W.) (6) w.Yks.'
2. Coiiip. Manners-bit, the last slice or small portion left
on a plate or dish.
n.Cy.iHALL.) W.Yks. = ; w.Yks." Left by the guests that the host
may not feel himself reproached for insufficient preparation. Nhp.'
3. pi. A bow or curtsej'.
Nhp.i Often said by a mother to a child when anything is given
to it. 'Where's your manners?" meaning. Why don't j-ou ac-
knowledge it by a bow or a curtesy ?
4. V. To train an animal.
Tyr. A person who trains a dog or a horse successfully is
sometimes said to know how to manner an animal properly (DA. S.\
5. To mock ; to mimic.
Dmf. Where nae tell tale echo manners. That could mock him
when sae wae, Johnstone Poems (1820) 96.
Hence Mannering, sb. mimicry, mockery. Dmf. (Jam.)
MANNER, sb.' and v.' Sc. Irel. n.Cy. Dur. Cum. Yks.
Lin. e.An. Sur. Sus. Hmp. Dev. [ma'nafr, mae'nslr).]
Also written manner Sc. (Jam. Suppl.) n.Yks. ; niannur
n.Yks.*; manor Sc. (Jam. Sttppl.) Siif. Ess.; and in form
mainer Cum.' ; manuer Suf. 1. sb. Manure ; esp. the
rich earth from hedge-rows, &c. mixed with yard-manure,
01' spread b}' itself over the field.
K.Cy.i, Dur.', Lakel.^, Cum.', n.Yks. (T.S.% n.Yks.", e.Yks.'
n Lin.' Yard manure as distinguished from artificial manures.
sw Lin.', e.An.' Nrf. Marshall Riir. Ecok. {I'l&l'}. Suf. e.An.
Dv. Times (1892) ; Suf.', e.Suf. (F.H.) Ess. Morton Cyclo. Agik.
(i'863).
2. Phr. to have a good manner, of meadow-land : to have
good, sweet grass. Sus., Hmp Holloway. 3. v. To
manure ; to prepare land for crops.
Sc. To manor Ian' (Jam. Supp!.). e.Yks.' N.I.' It's hard to
manner that ground. The land will be well mannered by the frost.
Tyr. A field is said to be well mannered when it hasbeen thoroughly
dug and ploughed and otherwise prepared for crop (D.A S.) ;
(M' B.-S.)
Hence (i) Mannered, ppl. adj. in phr. good or welt
mannered, o^ grass 01 clover: of good quality; ofameadow:
abounding in close sweet grass ; (2j Mannering, sh.
manure.
(II Sur.' Sus.' You wunt have such a very out-de-way gurt
swarth, but 'tis countable purty mannered stuff, I call it ; Sus. 2,
Hmp ' (2) Dev Couldn't grow cabbages without mannering,
Blackmore C/in'slozvell (1881) xiii.
4. To pare oft" earth from hedgerows, &c , to make a
top-dressing for fields, gen. with off or tip.
Suf. They've manored it off too much (C.G.B.); (C.T.) ; Suf.'
e.Suf. To manor up mould (F.H.).
5. Of flax : to prepare it for use ; see below.
N.I.' Flax is said to be well-mannered, or the reverse, according
to its having been carefully treated or the reverse, in the various
processes of preparation. Flax is passed through rollers to manner
it for the scutchers.
[1. The same word as lit. E. niamire, Fr. manoeuvre, lit.
a working with the hand.]
MANNER, s(^.^ w. Yks.^ Aminnov/, Leticisaisp/ioxiiins.
MANNERABLE, adj. w.Som.' Well-behaved ; polite.
I considers the young Joe Baker so manerable [man'urubl] 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 Mechaelmasram.
MANNERLY, adj. Cum. Wm. Yks. Chs. [ma'n3(r)li.]
1. (ienerous ; pleasant.
Lakel.^ She's a gay mannerly body wi' barns.
2. Tidy, respectable, decent; fashionable ; also used advb.
Lakel.^ Noo fadder, fassen yer waistcooat, an' liase yer shun,
an' gah aboot mannerly, as a body sud. Git oot wi' thi, Ah izzant
gaan by t'fauld j'at, an' Ah's mannerly eniuf fer that Ah sud say.
Cum." Ah've some mannerly clias fer t' kirk, Peiin'lli Obs. Wm.
I'hoo mun leeak aboot fer a gae mannerly hoose, an bye it.
Spec. Dial. (1885) pt. iii. 36. n.Yks. A stranger in mannerly claes
had come to keld. Heath Eng. Peas. (1893) 100. Chs.' ; Chs.^ I
know what yow would wish. Sir ; yow would have a pair of shoes
with a farantly toe and a mannerly heel.
3. Somewhat above the average ; good.
Lakel.'^ We'd a gay mannerly crop o' taties. w.Yks. A mannerly
crop. A'. & Q. (1854) 1st S. X. 211; I've a mannerly hand [at
cards] (F.P.T.).
MANNERSOME, adj. ?Sus. Well-behaved, having
good manners.
Kind and gentle, and what the old people called ' mannersome,'
Blackmore Spiiiigliave)i (1887) xxxiii.
MANNICK, V. and sb. Ess. [mae'nik.] 1. v. To play
tricks. Cf. mank, zk^ 1.
! W.W.S.^ ; Trmis. Arch. Soc. (1863) II. 185.
2. sb. One who plays tricks. (W.W.S.) Cf. manticks.
MANNIE, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. Lin. Also written manny
Sc. Nhb.' [ma'ni.] An undersized man ; a term of con-
tempt ; a term of endearment for a small boy.
Sc. David, my mannie, David, come aw;i' hame, Dickson Aiild
Mill. (18921 107. Abd. A short, thick-set man, or mannie, Alex-
ander Jolimiy Gibb (1871) i. Per. What brings you about the
town at this time o' day, m3' mannie? Cleland Inchbracken (18B3)
136, ed. 18B7. Fif. My mannie, wait a minute, Robertson Provost
(1894) 92. s.Sc. I wad hae ye ken, my mannie, I'm aye a very
tenty and frugal body, Snaith Fierceliearl (1897) 65. Ayr. Just
gie me a chiellie, I'se tak him, Tho' jimp lyke a mannie ava. Ballads
and Siigs. (1847) II. 83. Lnk. A nice, naitural, nackie bit name
for the wee mannie, Murdoch Readings (1895) II. 91. Bwk.
Whiles she chides her little manny, Chisholm Poems (1879) 22.
N.Cy.' A tight little mannie. Nhb. Ah ! mannie. says aw, ye hev
mony a tight girl, Tyneside Sngstr. (1889) 8 ; Nhb.' She guessed
it belanged tiv her manny, Horsley Geordy (1883). Lin. (Hall.),
Lin.'
MANNIFOLD, see Manifold(s.
MANNIKIE, sb. Sc. Also written manikie. A man-
nikin.
Sc. (A.W.) Hdg. There cam' to our door a mannikie queer,
Edwards Mod. Sc. Poets, i4lh S. 146. Dmf. A wee bit manikie,
Wallace Sclioolmasler (1899; 326.
MANNINS, sb. Irel. A nursery term for a small man
or boj', a mannikin.
n.Ir. Och, luvin's on him fur a wee mannins : an' wuz hiins vera
bad ' Lyttle Paddy McQuillan, 64.
MANNISH, adj Yks. Chs. Brks. Ken. Also written
manish e.Yks.' ; and in form monnish s.Chs.' [manij,
mae'nij.] 1. Of a youth: aping manhood ; overbearing;
blustering. w.Yks.^, s.Chs.', Brks.' 2. Manly.
e.Yks.' Ken. (G.B.) ; Ken.' He's a very mannish little chap.
MANNO, sb. Abd. (Jam.) A big man.
MANNY, adj. w.Yks.^ Clever, used iron.
MANNY-YOWLER, sb. Dur. A tom-cat prowling
upon roofs at night. (R.O.H.)
MANCEUVRE, sb. and v. Irel. Chs. Also in form
manyewver Ir. 1. sb. A movement of the body, esp. a
frisky movement ; a gesture.
w.Ir. My bones is bruck all along o' your^ little jackass man-
yewvers, Lover ic^. (1848) II. 561. s.Chs.' Oomai-du munydo-
vur aaf im [Hoo made a manoeuvre at him]. Ddo bi-uwld dhaaf
ky'aat-s munybowurz [Do behowld that cat's manoeuvres].
2. V. To beckon ; to gesticulate.
s.Chs.' Ahy munybo-vurd tdo ur fur kiim un sit usahyd 11 mi,
biir 60 ky'ept ur lee-s tuurnt tiidh'ur roa'd, fln wiid)nu look toat
mi [I manoeuvred to her for come an' sit aside o'me, bur hoo kept
her feece turnt tother road, an' wudna look to'at me].
MANCEUVRETY, sb. Irel. See below.
tJls. She's at the age of manoeuvrety, or may be a wee ower't
('maturity' was probably what Mrs. Dinsmore meant), M'Ilroy
Craig-Linnie (igoo) 127.
MANORTH, sb. Hrt. In phr. alt manorth of what, of
a number of different articles: all in a jumble. Hrt. Merc.
(Dec. 24, 1887).
MANPERAMBLE, 5^-. Lei.' The nonpareil, a kind of
apple.
MANRITCH, (T^; n.Sc. (Jam.) Of a woman: masculine.
MANS
[32]
MANY
MANS, int. and sb. Cum. Lan. Also in form nions
Lan. [manz, monz.] 1. /«/, An exclamation of surprise.
Cum.'* (s.v. Man alive.) 2. sb. Plir. by the iiioiis, an
asseveration.
Lan. Nay, by th' mons, yoar rung theere, Staton Rivals (1888) 5.
MANSE, sb. Sc. [mans.] The official residence of
the minister, the parsonage.
Sc. Carolus Magnus, to the effect that the ministers of the word
of God suld not perish be hunger or povertie, gave to ilUe kirk ane
manse, Skene Difficill IVds. (1681) 83 ; The cure of souls . . . with
stipend, manse, glebe, and all thereunto appertaining, Scott
Midlothian (1818) xliii. Abd. A manse, and glebe, and guid kail-
yard. Cock Stiaius (1810) I. 138. Frf. It was bitter to look at the
white manse among the trees, Barrie Minisley (1891) i. s.Sc.
Lying in a turnip field adjoining the manse, Wilson Tales (1839)
V. 113. Ayr. Faith ! the birkie wants a manse. Burns Holy Fair
(1785) St. 17. Slk. Manses are amazingly crowded wi' weans, Chr.
North AWto fed. 1856) III. no. Gall. Priests war plentier grown
than manses, Nicholson Poet. IVhs. • 1814) 47, ed. 1897.
MANSEMAS DAY, />/(;-. Sh.l. See below.
N S. Dec. 31st, O. S. Dec. 19th, Manson's Aim. (1893).
MANSHIP, si. w.Som.* Courage; vigour; manliness.
Poourlee'dl wuop'ur-snaap'ur fuul'ur — ud"n naatu bee'tu man'-
shup ubaewt-n [Poor little whipper-snapper fellow, (there) is not
a bit of manship about him].
MANSH, MANSHEN, MANSHUN. MANSHUT, see
Manch, Manchet.
MANSIE, s6. Sc. A dim. of 'man.'
Rs. My wee bit mansie, Edwards Mod. Sc. Poets, 5th S. 211.
MANSION, see Manchet.
MANSWEAR, v. Obsol. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Cum. Yks.
Also in forms (.'Jmamswear N.Cy.*; mansweer, man-
sweir Sc. ; munswear w.Yks.* To take a false oath ; to
commit perjury. Cf mainswear.
Sc. Mackay ; Thou salltna mansweer thysel, Henderson St.
Malt. (1862) V. 33. N.Cy.'
Hence Manswore or Mansworn, ppl. adj. perjured.
Sc. Prestongrange promised me my life ; if he's to be mansworn,
here I'll have to die, Stevenson Catriona (1893) xiii. Abd. He
described poor Sandy publicly, and very audiblj', as a ' man-sworn
scoon'rel,' Alexander Ain Flk. (1882) 174. Fif. Ye graceless
limmer, begone to your spindle, and thou mansworn loon, draw '
Grant Si.\- Hwidied, ix. Ayr. Declaring that hell would be
peopled wi' mansworn folk, Hunter Sl-idies (1870) 236. Edl).
Murd'ring traitors, .ill man-sworn, Liddle Poems (1821) 18. Slk.
They meddle wi' nane but the guilty, the murderer, the mansworn,
Hogg Tales (1838J 70, cd. 1866. Gall. Will belch out something
like a d — n, . . And be mansworn thrice in a day, Nicholson Poet.
Jffa. (1814)94, ed. 1897. N.I.i n.Cy. (K.), N.Cy.2, Nhb.> Cum.
Linton Lake Cy. (1864) -07. Yk». (Hall.) w.Yks. Thoresbv
Lett. '1703) ; w.Yks."
[The manswering of fals Laomedonis kynd, Douglas
Eneados (1513), ed. 1874, n. 209. OE. nidnsiuerian, to
swear falsely [Lev. v. i).]
MANX, V. and sb. Sc. Cum. Yks. Also in form maunt
Sc. [mant, mant.] 1. v. To stammer.
S. & Ork.i MS. add. Abd. Noo an' than he mantit in his sang,
Giitdman Ivglisynaill {i^-,^) 32. Per. Hell-born echoes trumlin'
maunt Their wilderin shout, Stewart Character (1857) 99. Ayr.
'Bout state affairs he would ha'e manted, Thom Amusement!,
(1812)26. Lnk. Yesk and maunt, Ramsay Pomis(i72i) 18. GaU.
Ye bow and maunt and bark. What hearer is na sair ? Mactaggart
&iO'c'.(i824) 299, ed. 1876. Cum.Thebreyde said mantan, 'N -yea,'
Stagg Misc. Poems ed. 1805) 130; Cum.'*
Hence (i) Manter, sb. a stammerer; (2) Manting, {a)
vbl. sb. stuttering ; stumbling ; (b) ppl. adj. stammering,
stuttering.
(i)Sc. Jam.) (2, n) Sc. Like a cran in manting soon ov'rthrawn
That must take ay nine steps before she flee, Watson Coll. Sugs.
(1706) III. 29 (tA.). (i Sc, For it's e'en wi' a mantin mouthe,
WADDELL/snia/i (1879) xxviii. 11. Kcb. Auld mantin Michael's
daughter, Davidson Seasons (1789'! 77.
2. sb. A stutter; an impediment in the speech.
Bnff.i, Abd. (G.W.) s.Sc. The former having what we call in
Scotland a mant, Wilson Tales (1839) Y. 189. e.Lth. That ane
said he had a mant, an' the tither ane that he clippit his words
Hunter / Imvick (1895) 19. w.Yk», Leeds Merc. Stippl. (Mar'
2, 1895).
[1. (i) Mad manter, vaine vaunter, Montgomerie Poems
(c. 1600), ed. Cranstoun, 85. Gael, iiiamttach, stammering
(M. & D.).]
MANTAY, MANTEL,MANTHER, see Manty, Mantle,
Mander, sb.
MANTICKS, s6.//. Chs.' [mantiks.] Pranks, antics.
Cf mank, sb.^ 4.
MANTLE, sb. and v. n.Cy. Yks. Lan. Chs. Lin. Nhp.
War. Oxf e.An. Dev. Also written mantel n.Yks.''^ Nhp.'
War.* ; and in forms mankle Dev. ; mental Suf. ; mantle
e.An.'* [ma'ntl, maenti, me'ntl.] L sb. In comp. (i)
Mantle-shelf, the chimneypiece ; the ledge or shelf sur-
mounting the chimnej'piece, in front of the grate ; (2)
•tree, the chimneypiece ; the beam across and in front
of the chimney ; (3) -wind, a wind-fan to winnow corn.
(1) w.Yks. (J.W.\ Nhp.i, Oxf. fG.O.) Dev. Having struck her
head against the 'mankle shelf,' Cornh. Mag. (Mar. 1895) 275.
(2) n.Yks.' The long, massive, but narrow wooden shelf (almost
a beam) crossing just above the wide opening of the old-fashioned
fireplace, replaced in modern houses by the chimney- or mantel-
piece ; n.Yks.2, Nhp.' War." It waur my grandpap as put up that
mantel-tree, and he carved it too. e.An.' 1.3) Clis. (K.)
2. A coarse apron; a working-apron of large size.
e.An.'s Nrf. Co?EKS-HARDY£)0(?rfA')/ i, 1893) 58. Suf. Where
is your mentle, you little slut, you? (M.E.R.) ; (P.H.E.) ; The
word 'apron' is confined to the smaller kind, such as parlour
maids wear (C.G.B.). e. Suf. A coarse coloured apron for rough
work. Of any cloth except woollen (F.H.). Ess. (H.H.M.)
Hence Mantling, sb. rough blue and white checked
cotton for making aprons. Suf. (H.H.) 3. v. To em-
brace kindly. n.Cy. Bailey ; N.Cy.^, ne.Lan.' 4. To
ape the fine lady ; to go about angrily. Lin. (Hall.), Lin.'
MANTLING, adj s.Wor. Also in form muntling. Of
commanding aspect. PoRsoi^Qiia!ntlVds.(i8']^) i^; (H.K.)
MANTO, see Manty.
MANTY, sb. Sc. Cum. Yks. Der. Ken. Also written
mantay Sc. ; and in form manto Sc. (Jam.) [ma'nti.]
1. A gown ; the material of which the gown is made.
Sc. I wonder how my cousin's silk manty . . . can be worth sitting
sneezing all her life in this little stifling room, Scott Midlothian
(1818) xxxvi. Cld., Lth. (Jam.)
2. Cowifi. (i) Manty-coat, a lady's loose coat ; (2) -maker,
a dressmaker; (3) -maker's stir, a stir given to the tea-
pot to improve poor tea ; (4) -making, dressmaking.
1 1) Sc. With pity coat and mantay coat. And jampy coat like
liUy, Maidment Ballads (1844) 14, ed. 1868. (2) Sc. 1 took them
to the manlj'-maker to get made. Ford Thistledown (1891) 246.
Bnff. Now she is grown a mantj'-maker, Taylor Poems (1787) 55.
Abd. The bride's trousseau . . . had been entrusted to the local
mantie-makker, Alexander Am Flk. (1882' 173. Kcd. Eidently
for wives an' lasses Mantie-mackers shaped an' shewed, Grant
Lays (1884) 69. Cld. (Jam.) Ayr. She's a sewer, 1 think — a
manty-maker, or something like that, I would suppose, from the
needle-marks on her fingers, Johnston Kilmallie ^1891) ii. LakeL-
Cum. She wad wi' Keate to Carel gang. And be a manty-mecker,
Ravson Poems (1839) 45- e.Yks.', Der.2, nw.Der.', Ken. (H.M.)
(31 Ken. [ib.) (41 Nhb. Tae the manty-makin' : I' wad gang tae
Biddy Macstitchem, Jones Nlib.
[1. Cp. Fr. mcuilcau, mantel, a cloak (Cotgr.),]
MANUER, see Manner, sb.'^
WlA'NX, adj. Irel. I. Ma. In fow/A. (i) Manx petrel, (2)
— puffin, the Manx shearwater, Pitffmus angloriDii.
(i) I.Ma. At one time it was found in great numbers on the
coast of the Isle of Man. Swainson Birds (1885 212. (2) N.I.'
I.Ma. Swainson ib.
MANX, see Mank, v.'^
MANY, adj. and sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng.
Also in forms meeny Chs.' ; meiny Der.' War.'' ; minny
Dev. ; monie Sc. ; monny Sc. (Jam.) w.Yks.' Lan. Chs. ;
mony Sc. (Jam.) Dur.' Lan. [me'ni, moni.] 1. adj. In
comb. (1) Many-a-bit, a long time ; (2) -a-many, verj'
many ; (3) -a-where, in manj- places ; (4) -a-while, see
(i ) ; (5) — feck, a great number ; (6) -feet, (a) the centipede,
see Meg many -feet, s.v. Meg, sb. 1 (6, a) ; (b) the creeping
crowfoot, Ranuuailus repeiis; (7) -hearted, soft-hearted ;
(8) — one, many.
(i) w.Yks.' I've not seen him for monn}- a bit. (2) Elg. Which
MAP
[33]
MAR
for mony a mony j'ear Hang on the reeky \va', Couper Poetry
(1804') II. 67. (3) Edb. Fine plantations mony-a-\vliere Wi' bra'
houses, Crawford Pooiis (17981 39. (4) Chs. For monny a whej'l
at aftur, Clough B. Bresskitlle (1879) 3. (5) Sc. My words they
were na mony feck, Ritson Sngs. (1794) I. 24 (Jam/. n.Sc.
(Jam.) [6 a, b) w.Yks.' (7) s.Dev. He was always many-hearted.
Reports Provinc. (1882') 18. (8) Sc. There's mony ane wad hae
thought themselves affronted, Scott Midlothian (1818) v. Abd.
Mony ane's gotten a watery shrood, Ale.xander Johnny Gibb
(1871) ii. Ayr. It'sye hae wooers monie ane. Burns C)'--^''5^'^j st. 2.
2. Phr. (1) rt nmn of many trades begs his bread on Sunday,
a man of many trades does not thrive so well as he who
devotes himself to one only ; (2) as many heads as many
wits, every man has his own opinion ; (3) by many a time,
by far; (4) for many a long day, {5) for this many a year,
for a long time ; (6) many a time and oft(en, frequently ; in
gen. colloq. use ; (7) many's the time, many a time ; (8)
this many (a) long, see (51 ; (9) to be too many for a person,
to be an overmatch for him ; in gen. colloq. use.
(i) Sc. Kelly Prov. (1721) 5. (2) Sc. Ramsay Prov. (1737).
(3) Lan. Nicer hi monny a time, Brierley Layyock (1864) xii. (4)
Sc. (A.W.\ Dur.' (5' Sc. No having been in the room for this many
a year, Sc. Haggis. 155. (6 i n.Cy. Grose (1790) Suppl. Chs.'^,
nw.Der.i, Nhp.', War.12, e.An.' (7) Sc. i'A.W.\ N.I.', Oxf.' MS.
add. Sux.' He's passed me many's the time without knowing me.
(,8) n.Sc. You . . . sung sae weel that ther.e's no been the like o't i'
. , .this mony lang — may be never, Glenfcrgns (1820) I. 346 (Jam.).
Abd. I hai na use to gang Unto the glen to herd this mony a lang,
Ross //f/fHO)« (1768) 31, ed. 1812. Dur.' (9) w.Yks. Hisassma's
bin ta monny for him this time. He's deead (M.F.) ; w.Yks.' Mind
thysell, or else he'll be to monny for the. Lei.' His cuff [cough] is
too many for him. Nhp.' War.^ He was one too many for him.
3. Much ; esp. a large quantity of certain substances,
such as porridge, broth. Cf few.
Sc. A great many company, Seotieisins (1787) 18. Ayr. She has
ower mony parritch, Hunter Studies (1870) 204. n.Cy., Yks.
(J.W.) Lan. Noa monny above fifty, Brierley Lavrock (1864I v.
Lei.', Bdf. (J.W.B.) Dor. (W.C. c. 1750) ; Dor.' Da the cow gi'e
many milk ? 360.
4. sb. With the indef. art. : a great number.
Per. Deil a mony trouts we gruppit, Haliburton Odiil Idylls
(1891) 14. Edb. You will meet amany yet before the last comes
along, Beatty Secrctar (1897) 374. w.Yks.' Lan. Theer's a mony
as 'ud be ready and willin' to wed wi' me, Longman's Mag. {July
1896) 255. Chs.^ 'How are your potatoes?' 'Whei, there's
a meeny rotten.' s.Stf. You've sin a many strange sights,
Murray Rainbow Gold (1886) 78. Der.' A meiny apples. Not.
(W.H.S.) Lei.' Three's a many. War.* Lawks, what a meiny
keowclips3'ou'vegot I Hnt. :T.P.) Sus. A many at her age has to
work, O'Reilly Stones (1880) 75. Dor. We've a-many little
mouths to feed, Coinh. Mag. ;Sept. 1900) 314.
6. With the def art. : the majority, the departed.
Kcd. Noo he's gaen ta join the mony, Gaen the road we a' are
gyaun. Grant Lays (^1884) 115.
6. pi. A great number, plenty, in phr. mantes o' times,
very often.
Som. You've axed me to Charterhouse manies o' times, Ray-
mond Men o' Mendip (1898) x. w.Som.' I've a-bin vore thick road
manies o' times, hon I could'n zee my 'and avore me. Dev. Minnys
a limes 'av' I zeed bur ahead ov tha ole 'untin vield, Burnett
Stable Boy (1888) xi.
MAP, sZ).' Sc. [map.] A portrait, likeness.
Ayr. Our John has gotten his map done, an' ye'll see it as weel
as himsel'. . . Some think it very like him. Hunter SZ/rfl'/Vs (1870) 21.
MAP, s6.2 Irel. Nhb. Yks. Lan. Lin. LW. [map, map.]
A dial, form of ' mop,' sb.^ (q.v.)
N.L', w.Yks.'^ Lan. Clegg 5^t*/i« (1895) 59. Lin. Brooke
Tracts Gt. 8. I.W.'
Hence (i) Map-clout, sb. a cloth for mopping floors ; (2)
•nail, sb. a nail for securing the head of a mop ; (3) Mappin,
vbl. sb. the act of mopping.
(i) w.Yks. Dish claats an' map-claats, block up iwery nook an'
corner. Hartley Ditt. (1868) 125 ; (J.W.) (2) Nhb.' From four to
six inches long, with a broad flat head. (3) Lan. Wait eautside
whol th' mappin's getten eaut o' th'gate, Clegg Sketches (iSg^; 219.
MAP, v., sb.^ and /;;/. Sc. Nhb. Cum. Also in forms
mep Cum." ; mop- Nhb.^ [map.] 1. v. To nibble; to
move the inouth as though nibbling ; to catch hold with
the teeth. Cf moup, v.^
VOL. IV.
Rnf. PicKEN Poems (1813) Gl. Lth. The rabbits even .. . munch
an' map, Lumsden Slieep-head {i8g2i 149. Cum.* Obs.
Hence (1) Mappy, (n) sb. a rabbit ; (b) int. a rabbit call ;
(2) Mapsie, sb. a pet sheep ; a j'oung hare.
(I, a) Abd. We're no like to starve, wi' sawmon i' the hedges,
an' mappies i' the trees! Macdoxald Sir Gibbie (1879) xxxiii.
Fif. 1 he mappie was his favourite pet, Colville Veniaailar (1899)
14. Lth. Wi' a mappie an' a puggie. Smith Merry Bridal (1866)
27, GalL (A.W.), Nhb.' (A) Sc. (Jam.), Abd. (G.W.) (2) GaU.
Mactaggart £Hfvf/. (1824) 337, ed. 1876.
2. Phr. to map and mell, to live with a man at board and
bed, as a wife with her husband.
Rnf. [She] lang'd for some douce decent man, Wi' him to map
and mell, Barr Poems (1861) 162.
3. sb. A rabbit. Bnff.', CId. (Jam.) 4. int. A rabbit
call. Sc. (Jam.), Bnff.', Abd., Per. (G.W.)
MAP, MAPEMENT, see Mayhap, Mapment.
MAPLE, sb. s.Cum. The sycamore, Acer Pseudo-
Plalanns. (B. & H.)
MAPLIN-TREE, sA. Glo. 1\\e md.-p\e, Acer campestre.
Our bowl is made of a maplin tree, Dixon Sngs. Eng. Peas.
(.1846) 183.
MAPMENT, sb. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan. Also in forms
maapment Lakel.'^ Cum.''' Wm. n.Lan.' ne.Lan.'; mahp-
ment Cum. ; mapement w.Yks. ; mopement Lakel.*
[ma'p-, ma'pment.] Nonsense ; foolish talk ; a silly rig-
marole. Cf. mope, 2.
Lakel.2 ' What hedye ta yer dinner? ' ' Cauf-mutton pie boiled.'
' Seek mopement thoo does talk, ther's neea seek thing as cauf-
mutton pie.' Cum. Ah wonder at a grown man talkin' sec mahp-
ment, KiGUV Midsttninicr to Martin7nas {i8gi) v'ln ; Cum.'* Wm.
He tokt fer ivver sa lang, bet toked a deeal a maapment, Spec. Dial.
(1877) pt.i. 15. w.Yks. Did ye ivverhear sic mapement ? (R.H.H.)
Lan.', n.Lan.', ne.Lan.'
MAP-MOUTHED, adj. Dev.= Of a mouth : having
lost the teeth.
MA-POT. MAPPEN, see Maw-, s6.', Mayhappen.
MAPPLEWELL SIXPENCE, //!/-. Yks. Afourpenny-
piece hammered out to the size of a sixpence.
w.Yks. Wha, rne tongue wor worn az thin az a Mapplewell six-
pence, wi giein 'em ansers, Tom Treddlehoyle Bairnsla Ann.
(1869) 35 ; The nail industry was formerly carried on at Mapple-
well, and it was the custom of the nail-makers to put fourpenny-
pieces under whatever they were hammering and flatten them
out (G.B.W.).
MAPSE, V. Som. Dev. Also in form mopse w.Som.^
Dev. [maeps, mops.] To make a smacking noise with
the lips when eating or talking.
w.Som.' Dev. 'Er dawnt zim tii "ave iver 'ad a bit or a croon
of gude raayte avore ; jist lake, zee 'ow 'er's a mapsing 'er lips
awver 'er vittals, Hewett Peas. Sp. (189a) ; Mr. mopsed
while talking, Repofis Provinc. (1891).
MAPSY, sb. Nrf. [msB'psi.] An abscess.
We thought as she'd a mapsy in her inside, but the doctor he
say as it's only a thistletow (U.W.).
MAPUS, sb. ? Obs. GIo.i The head.
MAR, V. and sb. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Lakel. Yks. Lan. Chs.
Stf. Der. Not. Shr. Also written marr Gall. Nhb. e.Lan.'
nw.Der.' ; and in form ma- Lan. Chs. [mar, nia(r).]
1. V. To spoil, damage, injure ; to defile, dirty; to hinder,
interfere with.
Sc.(A.W.), N.L' n.Cy.GR0SE(i79o);i/5.arf</.(P.) Nhb.Whewas
sureyoursport to marr, Oliver Z.oc«/S».fs. (1824I 13. n. Yks. 'Yon
chap's mich mair lahk t'mar an t'mend't ; n.Yks.*, w.Yks.' Lan.
If tha uses it like that tha'll mar it iS.W.^ ; Aw dunnot know
heaw th' piece is done. Aw'm fear'd it's marr'd enoof Bealey
Jottings {186$) 13. s.Lan, Bamford Dial. (1854). Chs.'; Chs.*
Au was welly marred. Der.', nw.Der.'
2. Phr. to be quite marred, to lose one's senses, to become
unconscious.
Lan. Now, now, Meary, i'r naw quite marr'd, Tim Bobbin View
Dial. (ed. 1806) 30.
3. To spoil a child by indulgence.
w.Yks. If aw say shoe's marrin him shoo'll say — 'Oh fiddle,'
Hartley Clock Aim. (1892'] 15. e.Lan.', Chs.' s.Chs.' Oo)z
maard dhun bo stingk's [Hoo's marred than (till) hoo stinks].
Der.2, nw.Der.' Shr.' 'Er's marred that lad tell 'e'U never be no
good to 'isself nor nobody else.
MAR
[34]
MARCH
Hence (i) Mard or Marred, (a) ppl. adj. spoilt, petted,
over-indulged ; pettish, peevish ; (b) v. with up : to spoil ;
to pet, caress ; (2) Mardish, adj. somewhat spoilt ; (3)
Mardness, sb. softness, lack of endurance, indulgence ;
(4) Mardy, (a) adj., see (i, a) ; (*) sb. a spoilt child ; (c) v.
to spoil, indulge ; also with up.
(i o) Lakel 2 w.Yks. Thcr's nowt aw dislike to see in a haase
war nur a marr'd child, Yks. Wkly. Post iMay 8, 1897); w.Yks.^"
Lao. (S. K.CO; Come, wipe thi e'en, nor be so marr'd, Mellor
Poems (1865"! 6; Not like some, marred an' sulky an' selfish,
Brierley Cast upon World (1886) 87. ne.Lan.', m.Lan.i Clis.
[To a childish girll Get away, you ma'd thing. Snowdrop [a
cow] 's very ma'd (H.A.B.) ; Ah, you mard thing (F.R.C.) ; Chs.'
A ' marred ' cat is one that likes to be petted. I once heard
a woman call her calf ' a marred owd stink' ; Chs.^ s.Chs.i Aay,
oo'z u des-purt maard ky'it-lin ; bu dhen yu seyn it)s wi bee-in
u wonlin [Ay, hoo's a dcspert marred kitiin' ; bu' then yO seyn
it's wi' bein' a onelin']. Stf.' Der.^ Mar'd gobbin. nw.Der.i
Thooz childer er very mar'd. Not.', Shr.' (i) w.Yks. Sheffield
Indep. ;i874). I2I Lan. Billy's bin browt up a mardish sort of a
lad, Briekley Cast upon World (1886) 69. (3^) Lan. I believe it's
nowt nobbut their mardness an' their way of livin' ut causes
these New York dolls to be so mich like faded waxwork, Brierley
Ab-olh- Yate Yankecland {iWs) v. (4, a) Stf. ^G.O.) Not. A boy who
cries with pain is called by his fellows a 'mardy baby' (W.H.S.);
Not.' He's that mardy he don't know what's the matter wi 'im.
s.Not. Yer shan't evnotuffev, if y'er so mardy (J.P.K.). (b) w.Yks.
Sheffield Indep. (1874^; w'yks.^ (c) s.Not. We bed to mardy
'er a bit, whilst she was badly (J.P.K.'I.
4. To annoy, irritate. Cai.' 5. To waste away ; to melt.
n.Yks. T'j'eth mars snow away underneath (I.W.).
6. sb. A defect, an impediment.
Gall. To have a marr in the speech, Mactaggart Ettcycl. (1824)
338, ed. 1876.
MAR, MAR(A, see Maa, s6.', Maar, Marrow, sb.'^, Mere,
More, sb., Mean
MARA, s6. Nhb. [ma'ra.] Myrrh. Robson 5m^. So/.
(1859) Notes.
MARA-BALK, see Mear-.
MARB, sb. ^ Obs. Sc. The marrow. Rnf. Picken
Poems (1788) Gl. (Jam.)
MARBAE, see Marble.
MARBEL, adj. Sc. (Jam.) 1. Feeble, inactive. Lth.
2. Slow, lazy, reluctant. Ayr. Cf niervil, 2.
MARBLE, sb. and v. Var. dial, forms and uses in Sc.
Irel. and Eng. [ma'rbl, mabl, ma'vl, mal.] I. sb. Dial,
forms: (i) Mahvil, (2) Marable, {3) Marbae, (4) Marl, (5)
MaroU, (6) Marrable, (7) Marval, (8) Marvel, (9) Marvil,
(10) Marvle, (11) Marvul.
(i) e.Yks.' Ah'll gi tha a gam at mahvils. (a") w.Yks.*, nw.Der.'
(3) Per. The marbae steps o' the Temple ! Sandy Scotl (,1897) 15.
(4' Not.', s.Not. (J.P.K.), Lin.i, Lei.' War. Is it marls or cob-
nuts ] Geo. Eliot Floss (i86o'l I. 46 ; War.^, w.Wor.', se.Wor.',
Hrf.2 s.Hmp. You've got some mar'ls in yer pocket for me,
■Verney L. Lisle (1870) xii. (5) Wor. (H.K.) (6) Sh.I. She's
liftid up a marrable stane, Stewart Tales (189a) 51. w.Yks.
Feightin abaght sum marrables, Tom Treddlehoyle Bairnsla
Ann. (1853:, 34 ; w.Yks.23, e.Lan.' (7) CId. (Jam.) Rnf. Picken
Poems (1788) Gl. (Jam.) (8) N.L' Wxf. In the season we shot
marvels on the road, Kennedy iSaiifo Bo)o (1867^ 5. Nhb.' Cum.
What's t'use o' my marvels and bo'' Gilpin Pop. Poetry (1875)
224. Lan. He cribbed my marvels, Burnett Lowrie's (1877) iv.
Lin.', Nhp.', w.Wor.' Slir.''Ow many marvels 'ast 'ee got, Dick?
Hrf.^.Erks.', e.An.', Suf.' Sus. As Peter sat weeping on a marvel
stone, Henderson Flk-Lore (1879) v. Som. (W.F.R.) w.Som.'
Tom, wi't play marvels ? nw.Dev.' (9) n.Yks. They were laking
at marvils I.W.~i. Clis.', n.Lin.', War.^, se.Wor.' (10) s. Wor.
PoRSON Quaxnl H-Ws. (1875). Glo.' (11) Nhb. Like pillors o'
marvul, Robson Sng. Sol. (1859) v. 15. Oxf. (G.O.), I.W.'^
II. Dial. uses. 1. sb. In comp. (i) Marble-bowls,
marbles, games of marbles ; (2) -day. Good Friday ; see
below ; (3) -stones, boulders in the glacial clay ; (4)
-thrush, the missel-thrush, Ttirdus viscivorus.
(i) Sc. (Jam.) (2) Sus. In some parts, marbles being played
by persons of all ages on that paiticular day, Sawyer Flk-Lore
(1883) 5. (3-) Chs. (S.W.) (4) Nhp. Swainson Birds (1888) 2;
Nhp.' Probably it receives this appellation from the round, marble-
like spots on the breast.
2. A marble or alley made of marble as distinguished
from those made of glass or stone, iS:c.
Abd. A' kinds o' bools — marble, stoner, and pigger, Cadenhead
Bon-Accord (1853) 249.
3. A lump containing worms found on the backs of horses,
cows, &c. w.Yks.' 4. V. To play at marbles.
Lan. He never marblet, Brierley Layrock ^I864' x.
MARBLERS, sb. pi. Dor. The company of stone-
cutters, who have exclusive rights as quarry meninSwanage
quarries from time immemorial. (C.W.)
MARBLUE, see Morbleu.
MARCARUM,si. w.Yks.^ [ma'karam.] 1. Arsenic.
2. The goosefoot, or Good King Harry, Chenopodiiim
Bomis-HenricHS. See Mercury, 2.
MARCH,s6.' Sc.Yks. Nhp. Shr.Oxf Suf.Ken. [mart/,
matj.] In comb, (i) March and May, the white alysson,
Arabis alpina ; (2) -bird, any person or creature born
in March ; (3) -daisy, the early flowers of the common
daisy, Bella perennis ; (4) — many weathers, (5) -month,
the month of March ; (6) -moon, the moon during the
month of March ; see below ; (7) — muck-it-out, see (5) ;
(8) -throstle, the missel-thrush, Tiirdus viscivorus.
(i)Nhp.(B.&H.) (2)Oxf.(G.O.),e.Suf.(F.H.1(3lNhp.'(4)Ken.i
{$) Shr.' The corn looks well now, but 'ow it'll stond the March-
month we canna tell. (6) Mry. In the increase of the March
moon, the Highlanders cut withes of the wood-bind that clings
about the oak. These they twist into a wreath or circle and care-
fully preserve it till the next March. And when children are
troubled with hectick fevers, or when anyone is consumptive, they
make them pass through this circle thrice. . . The like they do to
cattle in some distempers, Shaw yl/);y. 232 (Jam.). (7) n.Yks.*
e.Yks.' So called from the practice of cleaning out dikes, manure-
heaps, &c. (8) w.Yks. There's t'March throstle builds first (A.C.).
MARCH, s6.* and v. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Lin. Also in forms
mairch Sc. Bnff".' Nhb.' ; marsh n.Lin.' [mertj.] 1. sb.
A border, boundary; the line dividing two districts or
properties ; a landmark. Cf. mark, sb? 8.
Sc. Some of the justices thought it was but a mistake of the
marches, Scott St. Ronan (1824) viii ; Riding the marches, a
practice retained in various boroughs, esp. at the time of public
markets (Jam.). Cai.' Abd. Gordon poinded some sticks belongan'
to Forbes that had gone across the march, Michie Dceside Tales
(1872)120. Per. 5/rt/isA ^cf. XX. 441 (Jam.). Dmb. Crawhame-
ward, Rab, get your ain marches redd, Salmon Goivodean (1868)
69. Ayr. I had just passed along the head rigg of the clover-field
at the Mains march, Johnston Glenbtickie (1889) 48. Lnk. The
old farmer accompanying me, to shew me the marches, Nicholson
Kilwuddie (1895) 10. Slk. In a linn ... in the march between
twa lairds' lands ... he preached, Hogg Tales (1838) 22, ed, 1866.
Rxb. Our marches rode, our landmarks planted, Murray Hawick
Sngs. (1892) 15. Gall. Mactaggart £'ho'<^'- (1824) 365, ed. 1876.
Dmf. Ye ran o'er the march wi' my father, Johnstone Poems
(1820)128. Kcb. Rutherford if//. (1660) No. 137. N.I.' Nhb.'
Here applied to the line dividing England from Scotland. The
boundary line was in the charge of the several wardens of the
East, the Middle, and the West Marches. n.Lin.' I have come to
the conclusion that our people do not use the word 'marsh' to
signify low land, which is at times flooded by water. The idea
of a boundary seems always to be conveyed by it.
2. Comp. (i) March-dike, a boundary wall or fence ; (2)
-ditch, a ditch forming a boundary between adjoining
farms or townlands ; (3) -fence, see (i) ; (4) -man, a
borderer; (5) -stone, a boundary stone; (6) -treason,
obs., the capital offence in English border law of conspiring
with others of the opposite border for reiving and cattle-
lifting ; (7) -way, a boundary road.
(i) Self twa folk war disputin' aboot a march dyke. Cracks about
Kirk (1843) I. 9. Cai.' Gall. I'll carry your bundle as far as the
march dyke, Crockett Cleg Kelly (1896) 385. N.L', Nhb.' (a)
Cai.', Bnff.' Ir. This river . . . was the march ditch or merin
between our farms, Carleton Trails Peas. (ed. 1843) I. 118. Don.
Afther ye've got yerself over the march-ditch first. Century Mag.
(Oct. 1899) 955. ^3') Ayr. The cracks of the neighbours over march
fences, Johnston Glcnbuckie (1889) 7. (4) Sc. He is noneof your
marchmen, or Highlanders, but has lands in Ayrshire, Lang Monk
oj Fije (1876) 314. (5) Sh.I. I sat me doon apon a mairch stane,
Sh. News (Apr. 39, 1899). Or.L They to set down march-stanes
thereafter to stand for ever, Peterkin Notes (1822) 127. Cai.'
MARCH
[35]
MARE
Slg. Should you have suffered the other to have changed the march-
stone ? WoDROw Soc. Sel. Biog. (ed. 1845-7) '• 20+. Lnk. Whose
oaths are taken that the pits or march stones are standing in the
same situation they left them last year, MuiR ^//HS/rc/sy ^ 1816) 13.
n.Cy. MijMh stones . . . were formerly set up to mark the extent
of lands, estates, towns, &c., Jones NM. 89. Nhb.» (6) Nhb.
Found guilty of March Treason, Richardson Bordeiei's Tabh-bk.
(1846) VI. 194; Fyrst, ye shall enquereof Martch-Treasone ; that
is to say, where any Ingl3'she man trystes or entercommoneth, or
bryngeth in any Scottes man to come into this realme, in time of
peace or warr, to do any slaughter, to burne, robb, steale, or to do
any other offence within the realme, Nicholson Leges Maychiaruin
(ed. 1747) 127 ; The forme of an indictment for marche treason is
as folowethe. . . The jurye presentithe that A. B. of C. . .
feloniously, tratorouslye and maliciously . . . contrarietohisdewtye
and alledgance cofiderated and cospired w"' D. F. Scottes men. . .
And ... he the said A. B. accompaned w^"" the said D. F. felo-
niously, traterouslye, and maliciouslye broke the house of L. M.
Englishman at W. . . stale and drove awa3'e so many beasts, horse,
nowte, or shepe or other things as the case seamethe,/«/b»-w;rt/io>;5
of Sir R. Bower, Kt. V1551) >n Richardson Reprints, IV. pt. ii.28.
(7) Lth. Ahead ! scan out the march-way, Lumsden Sheep-head
(1892) 5.
3. V. To adjoin, border on, to be contiguous to; to bound,
form a boundary to.
Sc. 1 know the estates well ; they march with my own, Scott
Bride 0/ Lam. (1819) xvii. Abd. Thes are marched by the feilds
near the sea syde called the Lynks, Turreff Gleanings 1,1859) no.
Per. Though oor fields mairch and we've aye been neeburly, Ian
Maclaren Auld Lang Syne (1895) 12a, Frf. My garden marched
wi' that o' Miss M<'Snaflle, Willock Rosetty Ends (1886) 36, ed.
1889. Lnk. The same hedge marched the twa estates, Thomson
Leddy May (1883) 7. Gall. Which marches with mine own house
of Kirriemore, Crockett Grey Man (18961 38. N.I.' This is where
my land marches with his. Don. My farm marches Pathrick's,
Pearson's Ma^. (Mar. 1900) 311.
MARCH, MARCH AND, MARCH ANT, see Marsh, s6.S
Merchant.
MARCH-PANE, 5*. Obs. e.An.' A kind of sweetmeat ;
see below.
The principal ingredients were almonds and sugar. It was
therefore muchlikeour macaroons, but was made broad and flat, cut
into slices, and so distributed to the guests at deserts or tea-tables.
[Save me a piece of marchpane, Shaks. R. &^ J. i. v. 9.
OFr. marcepain, ' patisserie faite d'amandes pilees at de
Sucre ' ( H ATZFELD, s.v. Massepain) ; It. mdrcia pane, iiidrsa
Jxine, march-pane (Florio) ; cp. LG. marapan, marsipan,
' Marci panis ' (Berghaus).]
MARCURY, MARCY, see Mercury, Mercy.
MARD, MARDEL, see Mar, v., Merdal.
MARDLE, V. and s/;.' Sc. e.An. Also written mardel
Sc. (Jam.) ; and in form maudle e.An.'^ [maTdl, madl.]
1. V. To gossip ; to waste time in gossiping ; to dawdle.
e.An.' ; e.An.^ Tom and I stood mardling by the stile. Several
narbors stood maudling together in the road by the jossing-block.
Nrf. Oh, bor, don't 3'ou mardle, Emerson Son 0/ Fens (1892} 143 ;
The spotted rail is a quicker bird ; he don't mardle about in the
stuff, like thecommonraiI,i'6. Birds ,ed. 1895) 250; He would mardel
there all day long, A'. 6^ Q. (1853) ist. S. viii. 411. e.Suf. (F.H.)
Hence Mardler, sb. a gossip, one given to gossiping.
e.Suf. (F.H.I
2. To drawl. Nrf (A.G.) 3. To quarrel ; to interfere.
Nrf. (A.C.) 4. To indulge in merrymaking, to drink
together. e.An.^ 5. With up: to coddle, nurse ; to take
pains about. e.Suf (F.H.) 6. sb. A gossip ; alongtalk.
Nrf. Having a mardle, Cozens-Hardy Broad Nrf. (1893) 11 ;
(W.H.E.) ; I was just having a mardle (A.A.G.). e.Suf. ; F.H.)
7. One who gossips, a lounging, idle woman. Cld. (Jam.)
8. A festive meeting, a drinking bout. e.An.°
MARDLE, 56.^ e.An. [ma'dl.] A pond near a house,
on a common or by a roadside, convenient for watering
cattle. e.An.', e.Suf (F.H.) Hence Mardlens, Mardling,
or Mardlins, sb. duck-weed. Lamia minor.
e.An.' That pond's full of mardlens. Suf. (_B. & H.) Ess. Fat
forming on the gravy like mardlins in spring on a ditch, Baring-
Gould Mehalah ',1885) 329.
[Fr. mardelle dun puils, the brink or brim of a well
(CoTGR.) ; OFr. tnargele, 'rebord en pierre d'un puits '
(Hatzfeld, s.v. MargeUe).]
MARDLE, sb.^ w.Som.' [ma'dl.] A dial. pron. of
' marl ' (q.v.).
MARDO, sb. Yks. Der. [mado.] Dung, manure.
w.Yks.= n.Der. Addy Gl. (1891).
[Cp. Fr. tnerde, ' merda ' (Hatzfeld).]
MARDY, seeMar, 3.
MARE, sA.' Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also
in forms mear Sc. Nhb.' ; nieer Sc. N.Cy.' [mer, mea'r.]
1. In comb, (i) Marefart, the ragwort, Senecio Jacobaea.
Chs.'^S; (2) -'s-fat, the flea-bane, /«((/« rf)'Sf;;/cr;c(7. e.An.',
Nrf ; (3) •'s-tail,the wood-spurge. Euphorbia amyqdaloides.
Don. (B. & H.) 2. Phr. (i) the ivild tuare, a boys' game ; (2)
togiveom the wind of the mare's tad, to rideofffrom one at
once ; (3) to win the mare or lose the saddle, to determine
either to succeed or to fail altogether ; to make a bold effort;
(4) who has lost his mare ? what is the hurry ?
(i) Glo. A play among boys, wherein the person who acts the
mare, slides over the shoulders of several others, who are linked
together ; and is strapped with leathern aprons, and such like, all
the while he is getting over them, Grose (1790) MS. add. (M.)
(2": Lnk. I'se gie you the wind o' the mare's tail, and gar ye
wammel hame an" a' your wate coats about j-ou, Graham Writings
(1883)11.32. (3) Nhp.' (4) Lnk. 'Wha has lost his mare?' 'James
bade me tell you, fast as ye can send, To follow him this moment
down to the wood," Black Falls of Clyde (i8o6) 175.
3. A horse of either sex.
Ir. All horse kind are usually spoken of as mares ; the reason
apparently being that every one sells his colts, while he only keeps
the mares, Flk-Lore Rec. (i88i) IV. 118.
4. A term of abuse.
N.Cy.' Used among the lowest women of Newcastle.
5. ? Obs. The last handful of corn cut in harvest ; see
below. Cf neck, sb.^
Shr., Hrt. The last blades of corn which the reapers tie together
at the top to set up in the field to throw their sickles at. He who
cuts the knot receives the prize. Hone Everyday Bk. (1826) II. 1163.
Hrt. Chambers Bt. Days (1869) II. 378 ; The reapers tie together
the tops of the last blades of corn which is mare, Brand Pop.
Aniiq. (1772 308. [^Daily Telegraph (Oct. 10, 18891 5, col. i.]
Hence crying the mare, phr., obsol., a harvest custom ; see
below. See Cry, 12 (18).
Ir. Still practised at harvest homes in some parts. Academy (Sept.
15, 1888). s.Chs.' Now quite obs. When the last field of corn on
a farm had been cut, the labourers employed upon the farm col-
lected together upon a piece of elevated ground, and proceeded to
recite the following ' nominy ' : — 'What hast thou gotten theer?'
' A mare.' ' Wheer wilt thou send her to ? ' 'To .So and So's ' —
mentioning a neighbouring farmer, who had not been fortunate
enough to get his harvest over so soon, and who might therefore
be supposed to need the loan of the mare. Chs., Shr. ' Crying
the mare ' is quite a separate old custom from ' crj'ing the neck,"
and was as follows. The men employed on a farm who were the
first to finish harvest in a neighbourhood got a full bottle of beer,
and fixing it on the longest ' pitch-fork' or ' pikel' that could be
found, stood on the highest ground on the farm, and raising the
fork and bottle above their heads shouted a loud and resounding
shout, so as to be heard at all the surrounding farms, thus indicating
their triumph over their neighbours by being the first to finish
harvest. All these old customs fell into disuse when machinery
was introduced (M.L.). Shr.^ When a farmer has ended his
reaping and the wooden bottle is passing merrily round, the reapers
form themselves into two bands and commence the following dia-
logue in loud shouts, or rather in a kind of chant. . . First band:
' I have her, I have her, I have her.' (Every sentence is repeated
three times.) ' What hast thee ? '. . . First, ' A mare.'. . Second,
' Whose is her? '. . . First, ' H. B's.' (naming their master, whose
corn is all cut). Second, ' Where shall we send her ?' &c. First,
' To C. D.' (naming some neighbour whose corn is still standing).
And the whole concludes with a joyous shout of both bands united.
In the South Eastern part . . . the ceremony is performed with a
slight variation. The last few stalks of the wheat are left standing;
all the reapers throw down their sickles, and he who cuts it off,
cries ' I have her,' . . on which the rustic mirth begins. The latest
farmer in the neighbourhood ... is said ' to keep her all the winter.'
It not unfrequently happens, that the tanner who has been pre-
sented with ' the mar ' sends one of his harvest-men with a halter
at supper time for her!. . . ' They cry den the mar awhile I was Ihire,
becos yo sin we'den done harrast fust ; 'e gotten up o'er neet and
F 2
MARE
[36]
MARGY MORE
laid a dhel 0' the weat down i' swaaths, un awhile we wun at
supper a mon cumm'd in wie a autar to fatch her awaj'.' Hif.
The last few ears of corn are left standing, tied together at the top,
and the workmen throw their sickles at it, and he that cuts the
knot has the prize, and cries ' I have her.' ' What have you ? '
'A mare.' ' Whose is she ?' ' B.' (naming the owner three limes).
'Whither will you send her?' 'To John a Nokes ' (naming some
neighbour whose corn is not all reaped^, Blount (1681) ; Horac
Substcivae (1777^ 266. Hrt. Bailey (1721).
6. Obs. The wooden figure of a horse used in a military
punishment ; gen. in phr. to ride the mare.
Sc. If a soldier passed without saluting the chaplain, he had an
hour's ride on the wooden mare for his pains, Scott Leg. Mont.
(1818) xiv. Abd. He causes put up betwixt the crosses a timber
mare, whereon runagate knaves and runaway .soldiers should ride,
Spalding //is/. Sf. (1792) 1. 227; He . . . rode the mare, to his great
hurt and pain, ib. 231.
7. A trestle to support scaffolding ; a short beam used
to prop up laden carts.
Abd. He shouditwi'scaffoldin' planks owre their meer, Anderson
Ji/iymes (^ed. 1867)6. Lnk. How will you knowthebonesof amason's
mare. . . amongst the bones of a hundred dead horses! Because
it is made of wood, Graham IViitiiigs (1883) II. 173. Ayr. A
high stage prepared on purpose with two mares and scaffold deals,
Galt Ann. Parish (1821) x.xxvi. w.Mid. One end rests upon the
ground, whilst the other end is supported by two legs in the form
of the letter A, used to prop up laden carts, when stationary, from
behind, to prevent them from tilting backwards (W.P.M.X
8. A brickla3'er's hod, a trough for carrying lime or
mortar borne on the shoulder.
Fif. I think I set my apron and my mare as weel as you your
apparel, Tennant Card. Beaton (18231 155 (Jam.). Edb. The
builders o' the babel tow'r. An' thae wha bure the mortar mear,
Liddle Poems (1821) 43.
Hence Marefu', sb. a hodful.
I'veamarefu'o'asguid lime here as ever cam out o'a lime-kill (Jam.).
8. The slide on which casks are discharged.
Nhb.* It consists of two timbers, braced apart like the sides of a
ladder, between which the belly of the cask is held as it is slidden
down lengthwise.
10. A piece of timber, which can be fixed so as to
lengthen the leverage of the large 'gavelock' used in
quarry work. ib. 11. Soft ferruginous stone which has
no commercial value. It is found in the sandstone of the
lower coal-measures. w.Yks. (W.H.V.)
MARE.si.'^ Sc. Dev. In fo;«/. (iiMare-rode, oppressed
\vith an incubus, having the nightmare ; (2) -stane, a rough
river stone hung up in a stable ; see below.
(i, Dev. Good Christians! save me ! I am mare-rode ! Kingsley
Westward Ho (1855:1 19, ed. 1889. (2^ Ags. Resembling a hatchet
in shape, which has been worn down by collision or friction so as
to admit of a cord being fixed round it. This is hung up in a stable
to prevent the horses being ridden by the nag called the mare (Jam.).
[Mare or nyjhte mare, epialtes, Prompt. OE. mare, the
nightmare {Leechdomsi ; ON. mara (Vigfusson).]
MARE, see Mear, Mere.
MARE-BLOB, sb. Der. Nhp. War. GIo. Also in forms
mere- Der.= nw.Der.' ; mire- Nhp. The marsh-marigold,
Caltlia paliistris.
Der.2, nw.Der.i Nhp. (B. & H.) ; Nhp.l The mare-blobs are in
burnished gold, The daisies spread about the green, Clare MS.
Poem. War.3, GIo.'
MARECRAB, sb. Cor.^ Various species of harbour-
crabs, csp. Carciims maeims and Portmius piiber.
MAREEL, 56. Sh.I. Also in form mariel. [marrl.]
Phosphorescence, the phosphorescent appearance of the
sea on a dark night.
As bright as the sheenin' mareel o' the sea, Stewart Tales
(1892) 239; Jakobsen Norsit in Sh. (1897) 25; Der gloorin' wi'
da mareel fil da skio is light agen, 5/,. Neivs (Oct. 15, 1898);
Rushing towards the opposite shore like a streak of mareel,
Spence Flit-Lore (1899) 24: (A.W.G.) ; S. & Ork.'
[Dan. morild, marild, phosphorescence of the sea
(Larsen) ; Norw. dial, morcld (Aasen) ; ON. maurii-ehir,
a light from insects, decomposed matter (Vigfcsson).]
MAREILLEN,.s6. Sc. T:h(thoz-^s\\,Lophiitspiscatoriiis.
e.Sc. Here [in the Frith of ForthJ it is named the mulrein or
mareillen, Neill Fishes (1810) 33 (Jam.\
MAREM, see Marram.
MARES' TAILS, phr. In gen. dial, and colloq. use in
Sc. and Eng. Also written mare's-tails ; and in forms
maayrestaailsBrks.' ; mare-tailsw.Yks.^ Long,streaky
clouds indicating stormy weather.
SI1.I. Didna doo see yon marcs tails a' ower da croon o* da lift
aboot twal? Sh. News (Sept. 4, 1897^ Abd. The sky had on the
previous night been streaked with great 'mare's-tails' running up in
the direction of the dangerous wind, Bram Stoker Walter's Moti
(1895) I. Gall. The thin wind clouds streaked like mares' tails high
in the lift, Crockett Standard Bearer [iSgi) 39. N.Cy.', w.Yks.',
Chs.i3, s.Chs.i, nw.Der.', Nhp.', War.^S", s.War.', e.An.', e.Suf.
(F.H. ) Brks.'Maayrestaails an' mackerel sky. Not long wet nor not
long dry. Hnt. (T.P.F.), Sus.', I.W.', w.Som.' [Mackerel backs,
And mares' tails. Make tall ships Wear low sails, Cheales Prov.
Flk:-Loye, 26.]
MARFIELD PRIMULA, phr. n.Yks. The bird's-eye
primrose, PriniuUi farinosa. (R.H.H.)
MAR-FIRE, see Mer-fire.
MARFLOO, sb. Sh.I. [maTflH.] The sea-louse, Pulex
liioralis. Jakobsen Norsl; in Sh. (1897) 24 ; S. & Ork.'
[ON. mar-Jlo, 'sea-flea,' 'cancer pulex ' (Vigfusson).]
MARFRY, sb. Lin. The extreme boundary edge of
a ditch outside the hedge. See Mear-fur, s.v. Mear, 5 (4, a).
nw.Lin. We'll beat oot that there marfry agean th' stoan brigg
for a hare ! E.P. \
MARFUR, see Mear.
MARG, sb. Sus. Hmp. Also in form murg Hmp.
[mag, mag.] The stinking chamomile, Anllieniis Cotula.
Sus., Hmp. (B. & H.), Hmp.' See Margon.
MARGARET, sb. Nhb. Yks. Nhp. Hmp. Dev. Also
inform margelNhb. Nhp. 's. Hmp. 1. In ra;«Zi. Margaret's
flood, heavy rain expected about the date of St. Margaret's
day. Dev. A^. fi^O. (1850) ist S. ii. 512. 2. />/. The ox-eye
daisy. Chrysanthemum Leucantlieuuun. w.Yks. Lees Flora
(i888j 285. 3. The magpie, Pica rustica.
Nhb. (J.Ar.), Nhp.' s.Hmp. ' Look at them margets ! ' . . as three
magpies flew by, Vernev L. Lisle (18701 xvii.
MARGENT, .s^<. Sc. Yks. e.An. [ma'rdgant, ma'dgant]
A margin, beach, bank.
s.Sc. How sweet, with gliding step, to steal Along the margent
green, Watson Bards (1859) 42. e.Yks. By the margent of the
sea, Linskill £.vcAa«^e 5o«(/ (1888; ii. e.An.'
[In the beached margent of the sea, Shaks. M. N. Dream,
n. i. 85.]
MARGERY, sb. Lin. The goosefoot, or Good King
Harry, Chcnopodiwn Bonus-Henricus. (J.C.W.) Cf.
mercury, 2.
MARGIOWLET, sJ. Brks. The little white moth that
flits about at twilight in summer. (M.J.B.) Cf. madgi-
owler.
[The same word as madge-hoivlet (q.v.). The name
transferred from the owl to a species of moth, from its
nocturnal habits ; see Howlet, 4.]
MARGON, sb. Sus. Hmp. I.W. Also written margin
I.W. ; and in form morgan Sus.' Hmp. I.W.'° [ma-gan,
m9'g3n.] Various species of chamomile, esp. Anthemis
Cotula, A. arvensis, and A. nobilis.
Sus.' Hmp. Wise New Forest (1883) 284 ; (J.R.W.) ; Hmp.i,
I.W. (B. & H.),I.W.'2
MARGULLIE, v. Obs. Sc. Also written margulie-,
and in form murgully. To disfigure, mar, mangle ; to
mismanage, abuse.
Sc. Herd Coll. Sngs. (1776) Gl. Abd. Nature, unhurt by thrawart
man. And nae margullied by chicane, Keith Farmer's Ha' (1774)
St. 57 ; Shirrefs Poems (1790) Gl. ; It's sae margulied now an'
musty, Walker Bards Boit-Accord [iSS-j) 321. Lnk. My muse's
pride murgulh'ed, Ramsay Poems (1721) 324
[Fr. (Norm, dial.) margouller, ' casser la figure' (Del-
boulle) ; Fr. margouiller, to gnaw, to mumble with the
teeth, instead of kissing to bite (Cotgr.).]
MARGY MOKE, phr. Irel. Also in form margamore
S.Don. A large market or cattle fair held before
Christmas or Easter.
N.I.' Ant. A shindy ... at the margy more, Hume Dial. (1878)
23. S.Don. Simmons Gl. (1890).
[Ir. margadh mor, a big market (O'Reilly).]
MARIE
[37]
MARK
MARIE, MARIEL, see Mary, Mareel.
MARIGOLD, sl>. Irel. Yks. Chs. Shr. Ken. Also
written marygold n.Yks. w.Chs. Ken.' ; and in form
merrigo Ken.' [marigould.] 1. In co;«6. (1) Marigold-
cheese, ofis., cheese made of slcim-milk, having the petals
of marigold-flowers strewn amongst the uncoloured curd;
(2) -goldins, the corn-marigold, Cliiysaiitlieniitui sege/iiiii.
(i) Shr.' They were believed to impart a quality of mellowness.
A Marigold-cheese was about the thickness of an ordinary cream-
cheese : it was eaten as soon as it became ripe, (a) Ant. ^B. & H.)
2. The corn-marigold, Chtysaiithenititn segettini. w.Chs.
Holland G/. (1884). 3. The marsh-marigold, C(7///;a/ia/«s-
tris. n.Yks. (B.&H.) 4. A ladybird. Ken. (G.B.), Ken.'
MARI LWYD, phr. Wal. Also in form Merry-Lwyd.
See below. Cf Merry Hewid.
A custom prevails ... of carrying about at Christmas time a
horse's skull dressed up with ribbons and supported on a pole
by a man who is concealed under a large white cloth. There is a
contrivance for opening and shutting the jaws, and the figure pur-
sues and bites everybod3' it can lay hold of and does not release
them except on payment of a fine. It is generally accompanied
by some men dressed up in a grotesque manner, who on reaching
a house sing some extempore verses requesting admittance, and
are in turn answered by those within, until one party or the other
is at a loss for a reply. . . This horse's head is called Mari Lwyd,
N. &' Q. (1850) ist S. i. 173 ; ib. 315.
MARINADE, v. Cor. Also written marrinade.
[maerine'd.] To cure fish in a particular way.
Ill build for Hakes ... a factory for marinading 'em, Tregellas
ira/«(i865)io6 ; Cor.'^ Used of fish cured or cooked in a particular
way in vinegar, with bay leaves and spice.
Hence Marinaded, />/>/. adj. cured, pickled in this par-
ticular manner.
I've seen my mother pick a bay leaf and put in among the mari-
nated pilchards, Pearse D. Qitortu f 1877) ^- '^^ ; Marrinaded fish,
O'DoNOGHUE St. Kmsliton "1864) Gl. ; Cor.2
[To marinate fish [in cookery], Piscein olivo frixum
tnarino habitu afficere, niarino affedii iinbtiere. Coles (1679).
Fr. mariner, ' faire tremper (delaviande, du poisson) dans
du vinaigre, du vin assaisonne d'herbes, d'epices, avant
de las faire cuire,' . . . marinade, ' vinaigre, vin assaisonne
d'herbes, d'epices dans lequel on laisse tremper un certain
temps de la viande. du poisson ' (Hatzfeld).]
MARINE, adj. Chs.' A salt-making term : applied to
a kind of grainy butter salt.
MARINERS, sb. pi. I.W.^ A game resembling ' Fox
and geese.'
MARISH, sb. Sc. Irel. Yks. Chs. Also written mareish
Chs. ; marrish n.Yks.'°* [marij.] A marsh, or low-
lying ground liable to be flooded ; also used atlrib.
Or.I. They [islands] are of different natures, some sandie, some
marish, Wallace Desc. Or.I. (1693) 7, ed. 1883. Wgt. Peits which
they take out of a stiff black marish ground in the summer time,
Fraser Wigtown (1877 ) 86. Ir. Brown-knotted rushes and sombre
sedge, and all other marish growths, Barlow Lisconiiel {i&g^) 75.
n.Yks.'^'* Cljs. In making firm . . foundations in this boggy,
mareish soil, Travels of Sir IV. Breretou ( 1634-5J in Cliet. Soc. Pubi.
(1844 ) I. 66.
[And the marishes thereof shall not be healed, Bible
Ezek. xlvii. 11. OFr. inareis, a marsh (Hatzfeld, s.v.
Mara is).]
MARJERY, sb. ne.Lan.' A pet name for a cat.
MARK, 56.' and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. Eng. Aus.
and Amer. [mark, mak.] 1. sb. In phr. (i) mark nor
/torn, used neg.: nothing at all, not a vestige; (2) — of
month, of horses : the power of showing age by the teeth ;
Jig. youth ; (3) in mark, of a horse : j'oung enough to show
its age by its teeth ; (4) out of mark, beyond the time
when the age is shown by the teeth ; (5) mickle (or little)
mark, much (or little) in evidence ; (6) to be a mark on, to
be fond of; (7) lo wear tlie marks of any one, to be struck
by any one, to bear the marks of a blow.
(i) Gall. When one loses anything and finds it not again, we
are said never to see mark nor burn of it again : it is a shepherd's
phrase, as he burns the sheep with a red hot iron on the horns
and nose, to enable him to know it, Mactaggart Encyd. (1834).
(a) Gall. Old maidens are said sometimes to have lost the
mark o' mouth, lA. ; Ye see I've near lost mark o' mouth, And
lasses aye are fond o' youth, Nicholson Poet. IFks. (1814I 59, ed.
1897. [Aus. Any way she was very old, and long past mark of
mouth, Longitian s Mag. (Sept. 1899) 417. Amer. There are some
standin rules about the horse. . . There's the mark o' mouth,
.Sam Slick Clockniakcr (18361 and S. iii.] (3I w Som.' (4) ib.
How old d'ee call thik'oss' — Same age as other vokeses, when they
be out o' mark. (5") Abd. My toilet, indeed, it was nae mickle
mark, Edwards Mod. Sc. Poets, 13th S, 292. (6^ Ess. 'Jim oUuz
was a mark,' she say, ' on pork,' Downe Dalleids 1 1895' 29 ; A mark
on swearin ? Ah, sir, that he be, ib. 31. (71 Kcd. ' Tak' that,' quo'
he, 'ye careless shard, I'se gar ye wear my marks,' Gr.^nt Lays
(1884) 7.
2. A conspicuous figure.
Sh.I. Lowrie wis den a mark i' da kirk, Sh. News (Apr. 9, 1898),
Hence (1) Marked, ppl. adj. distinguished, prominent;
(2) Markless, adj. without distinction, not remarkable.
[1) Sc. He's come o' a gude stock. . . The Livingstones o' this
parish were marked men in the auld days. Whitehead Daft Davie
(1876) 340, ed. 1894. (2) n.Yks.=
3. A supposed invulnerable spot formed by the Devil on
the body of a witch. Also called The Devil's mark.
Sc. They searched him for ' the Devil's mark,' which was
supposed to keep him silent. This was found under his tongue.
He then confessed everything they wished. Comb. Mag. (Nov.
1898) 656; Alexander Boys, skilled in searching the mark, came,
and finds the mark in the middle of her back, wherein he thrust a
great brass pin, of which she was not sensible, neither did any
blood follow when the pin was drawn out, ib. 663. Cai. That upon
a vulgar report of witches having the devil's marks in their bodies,
Andrews Bygone Cli. Life (18991 182. Per. A small hole horny
and brown coloured, through which mark when a large brass pin
was thrust till it was bowed, the witches, both men and women,
neither felt a pain, nor did it bleed, Ritchie St. Baldnd (1883)
loi. Ayr. A notour witch-finder . . . searched Bessie for the mark,
as the poor ignorant bodies ca'd it, and which every witch was
supposed to have. This search was neither more nor less than
the jagging of her all over with lang sharp preens, to see if per-
adventure ony painless part could be found, and which wouldna
bleed, Service Dr. Diigiiid (ed. 1887) 69. e.Lth. Her body was
examined and the mark of the Devil found upon her throat. It
was believed that Satan put a mark upon all who had enlisted into
his service, which mark was recognisable by the part being bloodless
and insensible to pain. Sands Tranent (1881) 39; The searcher in
Tranent cam and found the mark on those that were suspect of
witchcraft, Andrews Bygone Ch. Life (1899) 186.
4. An aim in shooting; also ustAfig.
Sc. Praying the Lord, ye may stand to your marke, Maidhient
Pasqnits (1868). Fif. Ilka man took well his mark, Tennant
Papistry (1827) 197. Ayr. Now, Lord hae mercy on the man
That Patrick tak's a mark at, Ainslie Land of Burns (ed. 1892) 130.
5. A male sweetheart, an admirer. Lan. (S.K.C.)
6. The figured side of a knife. w.Yks.^ 7. pi. The
footprints of an otter. ne.Lan.'
8. Comp. (i) Mark-ash, a boundary ash ; (2) -oak, a
boundary oak ; (3) .stone, a stone set up to mark the
boundaries of land ; see March, sb.' ; (4) -way, a track to
enable the holders of the divisions of land in a common
field to have access to them.
(i) Hnip.' (2) Hmp. Wise Aew Forest (1883) 284 ; Hmp.' So
called from the ancient cross or mark cut on the rind. (3' Gall.
Stones set up on end for marks in the days of yore, that the
farmers might know the marches of their farms, and lairds the
boundaries of their lands, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824^ (4) w.Mid.
Before the Acts enclosing the common fields the holders of the
shots into which they were divided had access to their property
by means of tracks called 'markways.' The word is still well
remembered by old people (W. P.M.).
9. A wide gutter. Dev. (Hall.) 10. v. In phr. (i) to
mark for, io betoken, give promise of, to show signs of
becoming ; (2) — in, in shooting : to note where the birds
fall ; (3) — on or upon, to make an impression upon ; (4)
— a finger on or upon, to do the smallest injury to, to touch
in the smallest degree ; (5) — a foot to the ground, (6) —
the ground, to set foot to the ground.
(i Dor.' 'E da mark \'ar to be tall. w.Som.' Thick there colt
do mark vor a strong, useful sort of a 'oss. Dev. Thick cheeld da
mark-vor a bedd'r man than's father, Pulman Skctclus (1842) 114,
ed. 1871. (2^ nw.Dev.' When shooting birds (i.e. partridges) it is
MARK
[38]
MARKET
customary to send a boy to an elevated point to mark in, i.e. to
observe and note, for the information of the sportsmen, where the
birds drop. (3) Bnff.' Tvva men vrought a hail day tryin' t'brack
that big haithen stane ; bit they cudna mark-upon't. Cld. (Jam.)
f4'l Bnff.' Gehn ye mark a finger on 'im, a'll gee ye yir cum-agehn.
Cld. (Jam.) (5 Cld. He is sae weak that he canna mark a fit to
the grund. He's beginnin' to recruit, for he can now mark his fit
to the grund Jam.). (6) Sc. (A.W.) N.I.» He could hardly mark
the ground.
11. Of a horse or stag : to reveal its age by the teeth
or horns.
w.Som.' He do mark vower off— i.e. he is between four and five
years old.
12. Of dogs: to give tongue, to indicate where the quarry
has taken refuge underground.
w.Som.i The hounds . . . marked grandly in deep water, under
the wood, and moved what was no doubt the dog otter, IVellington
IVkly. Netvs (July 21, 1887).
13. To take aim in shooting.
Lth. Baith far an' near this lad is ken'd That he can mark right
fair, Thomson Poems ,1819) 187.
MARK, sb? Sc. Also in form nierk. [mark, mark.]
1. Obs. A silver coin worth 13s. 4^. Scots, equivalent to
I3.?)(/. sterling.
Sc. My sma' means whilk are not aboon twenty thousand merk,
Scott IVavetley ^1814) x.x.\vi. n.Sc. I'll gie ye five merks, Buchan
Ballads (ed. 1875") H. 231. Bnff. He enjoys annually 300 merks
Scotch from a Mortification, Gordon Chron. Keith (1880) 16. Abd.
Her father . . . O' some four acres held a tack For three merks
an' a croon, Anderson Rhymes (ed. 1867) 183. Frf. Wou'd
fortune for me niest lay by A score o' merks to stop my cry,
MoRisoN PofM/5 1790! 98. Fif. No ass of any great repute For
twenty Scots marks could have then been bought, TENNANT^iis/«r
(1812) 19, ed. 1871. s.Sc. Those naked katherans, to whom a
single merk would be a fortune, Wilson Tales (1839) V. 2. Dmb.
Twa merks, the}' said, wad coft a pair o' shoon, Taylor Poems
(1827) 90. Fnf. I've sin some thretty mark a year, Finlayson
Rhymes (1815) 103. Ayr. Plack, bodle, mark, and bawbie, Galt
Lairds (1826) ii. Edb. No less than six thousand merks Scots
money, Pennecuik U'ks. (1715") 44, ed. 1815. Dmf. Were it a
merk or a boddle broon, The siller was there when the day cam'
roon, Reid Poems (1894) 76. Gall. Whose keen care for the
merks, the duties, and the tacks, Crockett Grey Man (1896) 119.
Wgt. 'Ten marks Scots, left by the deceased Jannet M'Adam . . .
to the poor of this parish, Fraser IViglown (1877) 15.
2. A division of land varying in extent ; also in comp.
Mark -land.
Sc. The common burdens were laid on, not according to the
retour or merk land, but the valuation of the rents, Baillie Lett.
('775) !■ 370 Jam.). Sh.I. The lands are understood to be
divided into merks. A merk of land, however, does not consist
uniformly of a certain area. In some instances, a merk may be
less than an acre ; in others, perhaps, equal to two acres. Every
merk again consists of so much arable ground, and of another part
which is only fit for pasturage. . . Several of these merks, some-
times more, sometimes fewer, form a town. Statist. Ace. V. 195,
note{ib.); The markland in Shetland was of varying extent. In
Delting the mark is estimated as 0.7 acre ; at Lerwick a mark is
not nearly a Scottish acre ; at Unst a mark might be less than one
or equal to two. In Dunrossness a merkland ' ought to contain
1600 square fathoms'; at Fetlar a mark is estimated at half an
acre ; in North "Veil a quarter acre, Sh. News (Apr. 30, 1898) ;
The ancient valuation was disused and the skat assessed on the
marks in the pennyland. . . From the analogy of the Orkneys an
average mark would be the fourth part of a pennyland. and as a
' last ' of land contained eighteen marks, a last was 4W. land, i.e.
the fourth part of an ounceland. A mai'kland was divided into
eight ores, or ounces. . . The mark of land was the unit, for . . .
yearly rent, ib. Or.I. He laid a heavier ratement on the fractions
of every markland, then on the markland itself, Wallace Desc.
Or. I. (16931 237, ed. 1883; These penny-lands are again divisible
into smaller denominations of merks or merk-lands, farthing-lands,
and co\ys-worths, Peterkin Notes (1822) 6; Nae less than twa
marks o' laund. . . Twa marks o' laund ; that wad keep twa coos,
an' twa mares an' twa rools, Fergusson Rambles ti884) 162. Inv.
Slait is thirty merkland, Maidment Spottisivoode Miscell. (1844-5)
II- 355- Arg. The denomination of mark lands still holds in com-
mon speech, and in general one mark-land may give full employ
to one plough and one family in the more arable parts of the
county, Agric. Sum. 33 (Jam). Fif., Slg. N. & Q. (1853) ist S.
vii. 618. Rnf. V is ane second feu contract of ane merkland of
ye said lands. Hector Jtidic. Records (1876 1 303.
Hence (i) Mark-merkland, sb. a division of land varj-
ing from one to three acres; (2) -stones, sb.pl. stones
used to define the limits of a ' mark ' of land.
(i) S. & Ork.' 1,2) Sh.I. [The mark's] exact limits being de-
scribed by loose stones or shells under the name of merk-stanes,
Hibbert Desc. Sh. I. (1822) 35, ed. 1891.
3. Obs. A nominal weight. Also in comp. Mark-weight.
Sh.I. Eight pieces of this description of cloth [wadmel], each
measuring six ells, constituted a mark. \\n the seventeenth cen-
tury, however, the name of a mark of wadmel became entirely
obsolete owing to the custom introduced ofconverting it into money.
. . . The eighth part of a mark of this coarse cloth then acquired
the name of a shilling of wadmel), Hibbert Desc. Sh. I. (1822)
35, ed. 189 1 ; A newer standard of comparison had succeeded to
the wadmel, formed of a certain weight of some inferior metal.
The division, therefore, of a mark-weight of this substance into
eight ures or ounces appears to have suggested a name for the
same number of portions into which a mark of land began to be
resolved, ih. ; Sixpenny land pays to the proprietor 8 merks butter.
Statist. Ace. VII. 580 Jam.1. Or.I. 24 merks make one setting,
nearly equal to i stone 5 lib. Dutch, ib. 477 ; The least quantity
is called a merk 1 which will be eighteen ounce). Twenty-four
merk makes a liespound or setten, Wallace Desc. Or. I. (1693)
41, ed. 1883 ; The malt, meill, and beare are delivered in Orknay
be wecht. . . 24 maiks makis an setting, Skene Difficill IVds. (1681)
130 ; S. & Ork.'
[1, 3. By this gaude have I wonne . . . An hundred mark,
Chaucer C. T. c. 390. OFr. marc, ' quantite ' d'or, d'argent
pesant un 'marc' (huit onces) (Hatzfeld) ; MLG. mark,
' (Geld)-gewicht, ein halbes Pfund ' (Schiller-Lubben).]
MARK, sb.^ Dur. Yks. Lin. Dev. 1. In comb, fi)
Mark('s e'en, or St. Mark's eve, the eve of St. Mark's
day, see below ; (2) Mark, Luke, and John, a four-post
bed of which one leg is broken or gone.
(i) Dur. ' What for should you die any more than me myself? '
' Because I've had my warning ! I've had plain proof I shall. . .
I seed my own waft go into the kirk last St. Mark's eve, and it
never cam' out no more, Loiigman^s 31ag.{}u\y 1897) 252. n.Yks.
The custom of observing Mark's-e'en ... by watching in the
church porch, Simpson Jeanie o' Biggersdale (1893) 221 ; n.Yks.'
Perhaps scarcely extinct even j-et. The watch in the church-
porch, for the purpose of ascertaining who among the parishioners
is to be carried to his long home in the churchyard during the
ensuing year, is still spoken of as matter of recollection, if not of
these days' practice. 'The duly gifted watcher, according to some,
would see all his fellow-inhabitants proceed into the church, and
defile thence again in long procession, leaving only such behind
them as were auned to death before another Mark's-e'en : accord-
ing to others, the procession into the church would be formed
only of the shapes of the doomed ones, who pass into the church,
but do not return thence. Another form of the notion is, to watch
by a window which commands the church-road, when the figures
of those who are to die within the year will be seen to pass as if
' boun for cho'ch.' Should the watcher, however, fall asleep at the
mystic hour of vision (midnight) he is himself among those whose
death is auned ; n.Yks.* e.Yks. The apparitions of those who
shall die in the ensuing year, are seen to walk to the church where
they shall be buried: certain persons, 'vk-atching the kirk' to
know the fate of their fellow parishioners. If the watcher go to
sleep at the critical moment he himself is doomed to die within
the year, Marshall Rur. Econ. (1796) II. 332. Lin. In the year
1634, two men . . . agreed betwixt themselves upon St. Marke's
Eve at night, to watch in the church porch at Burton to try
whether or noe . . . they should see the spectras or phantomes of
those persones which should die in that parish the yeare following,
Edb. Aiittq. Mag. (1848"! 82. (21 e.Dev. Old Betty was under her
' Mark, I.uke, and John,' Blackmore Perlycross (1894) xii.
MARK, MARKAL, see Mirk, Mercal.
MARKET, sb. and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng.
Also written markat \Vm. ; and in form mercat Sc.
[markit, me'rkit, makit.] 1. sb. In comb, (i) Market-
bell, a bell rung to denote the commencement of a
market ; (2) -custom, a toll levied on animals brought for
sale at a market ; (3) -fare, a ' fairing ' or present brought
from a market ; (4) -fresh, (5) -fuddled, lively and excited
with drink, 'fresh,' somewhat intoxicated; (6) -hand-
kertchy, a large handkerchief used to carry home
MARKET
[39]
MARL
purchases from market ; (7) -merry, see (5) ; (8) -nitch,
the amount of ale or spirits indulged in after market ;
(9) -peart or -peert, see (5) ; (10) -place, the front teeth ;
(11) -ripe, ready for market ; ftg. old enough for marriage;
(12) -sea-crow, the hooded crow, Corviis comix; (13I
-stance, the site of a market, a field in which a market or
fair is held ; (14) -stead or -stede, obs., a market-place;
(15) -sweet, unsaleable; blown upon; (16) -town, a larger
town than a village ; (17) -trot, a slow trot, a pace slightly
quicker than walking.
(i) Cum.* At Carlisle, the ringing of a bell at 10 o'clock denotes
the commencement of the oat market, and at 10.30 the bell is rung
for the wheat market. At Cockermouth and Penrith, a bell is
also rung when the grain market opens. (2) Abd. Custodier of the
'market customs' at An'ersmas Fair, Alexander Aiii Flk. (1882)
103- (3> sSc- I'm gaun wi' ye to the market, an' ye maun gie
me my market-fare, Wilson Tales (1839) V. 51. (4) w.Yks.
(S.J.C), w.Yks. 2, Lan.i, Cbs.l Stf. The fat rascal, who was
already ' market-fresh ' when we started back, is in great feather,
Conili. Mag. (.Ian. 1894) 43. Not.i, sw.Lin.i, Lei.', War.^,
■w.Wor.i Shr. Bound ProwKir. (1876I; Shr.2 w.Som.' They zess
he wadn drunk, but 1 reckon he was a little bit market fresh like.
(5) Lan. William himself, though not precisely in that condition
recognised as ' market-fuddled,' was far from sober, Longman's
Mag. (July 1896) 253. (6) w.Yks. Befoor long he'd getten all
his bits o' duds teed up in a market handkertchy. Hartley Tales,
2nd S. 9. (7) w.Yks.2 Not. I've never known him drunk, but
I've seen him market-merry, Aot. Guardian (Apr. 1889). Lin.
Defendant admitted that he was a little market-merry, and a bit
'shouty,' Lin. Cliion. (Jan. 22, 1887^ sw.Lin.' Lei.' A weean't
droonk ! A wer oon'y maarket-merry, loike. Nhp.', War.'^^
Wor. Defendant had been to Birmingham, and had returned home
' market merry,' B'liam Dy. Post (.Oct. 3, 1896). Shr. Bound
Piovinc. (1876). Oxf.i MS. add. Hnt. (T.P.F.) (8) Dor. He's
got his market-nitch, Hardy Tess (1891) 14, ed. 1895. (9) Chs.'^
s.Chs.' Aay, ah thingk- ee)z m6o-isli u bit maa'rkit-peeurt uv u
Set-urdi [Ay, ah think he's mooistly a bit market-peeart of a
Setterday]. s.Stf. He wa' as yo' may say drunk, but just market
peert, Pinnock Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). Der.^, War.^^ Wor.
M.irket peart, or more so, Evesham Jrn. (Nov. 21, 1896). w.Wor.',
se.Wor.', s.Wor.', Shr.' Hrf. Bound Piovinc. (1876); Hrf.2
Rdn. Morgan IVds. (i88i) (s.v. Peart). Glo.' (10) Lin.' If you
bullyrag me I'll knock your market- place down j'our throttle.
sw.Lin.' ' She's lost her market-place, she'll none get a husband '
— said of a woman whose front teeth are gone. (11) Ayr. Dinna
be in a hurry yoursel', Peggie, lass ; ye are no' just market ripe,
Johnston Kilmallie (1891) I. 12a. (12) Dev., Cor. Zoologist
(1854) XII. 4255. (13) Abd. Agent for the owner of the market
stance, Alexander Ain Flk. (1882) 103. (14') Sc. At the mouth of
the water, stands the toune of Air, a notable mereat-stead, Drsc.
of the Kindome of Sc. (Jam.) n.Yks. The site called ' the Old
Market-place,' but earlier generations had heard the same place
. . .called the market-stede, Atkinson Whitby (1894) 201 ; n.Yks.^,
.Nhp.>2 (15) Sc. Grose (1790) A/5, arfrf. (C.) (16) sw.Lin.' (17)
w.Som.' (s.v. Jig-to-jog).
2. Phr. (i) the judge of the market, the arbiter appointed
to settle all disputes arising at a market ; (2) the mouth of
the market, the entrance to a market or fair ; (3) to break a
market, to spoil the market for, to spoil the chance of
buying and selling ; also used y?g-. ; (4) to lose one's market,
to throw away one's matrimonial chance ; (5) to make a
market or markets, to go marketing ; fig. to make a match,
to become settled in matrimony ; (6) to meet a bad market,
to sell badly.
(i) Abd. ' Get the joodge o' the market,' cried the onlookers,
who by this time had got keenly interested in the squabble,
Alexander Ain Flk. (1882) 102. (2) Abd. A bargain was struck
in the very ' mou' o' the market,' ib. lor. (3) Abd. Ta'en up to
the joodges, for braking 's dother's market, ib. 180 ; He canna be
alloo't to brak the man's market that gate, ib. 102. (4) Sc. (A.W.)
(5) Sc. They say my market's made : but they are mad, Penne-
cuiK Coll. (1787) 25; She hade two daughters, . . and for these
she thought she might make a better mercat in Scotland than in
England, Kirkton Ch. Hist. (1817) 373. w.Yks. Sheffield Indep.
(1874) ; A very common use is that by young men or women who
have a partner to seek, and who keep up as good an appearance
as possible. After marriage such will say when remonstrated
with for untidy habits, ' I've made my market, what does it
matter?' (B.K.) (6) Wor. (H.K.)
3. Sale, traffic, a bargain or transaction made at a
market ; the price or rate of a transaction.
Abd. Foo girsin' beasts 's sellin' ; they'll be an upwith [rising]
market shortly or it chates me, Alexander Ain Flk. (1882) 99.
e.Lth. The Session appoints some of the elders to go to the seaside
at efternoon, to see that there be no mercat in herring, Andrews
Bygone Ch. Life (1899) 135. Wgt. The backwardness of the
owners of victual to expose the same to publick mercat. Eraser
JVigtoivn (1877) 44. s.Not. He wain't stop theer long at that
market (J.P.K.). Lin.' I have made a good market of my corn.
4. pi. Marketings, things to be sold or bought at a
market.
Yks. (Hall.) sw.Lin.' I had just a few markets in my hand.
What with my markets, and my two little ones, I felt quiet
[quite] bet.
5. V. To take to market, to sell.
Wm. Our Betty cud meeak t'bultre an markat it, Goardy Jenkins.
MARKET-JE'W, sb. Cor. In comb, (i) Market-jew
crow, {a) ihe chough, Pyrrhocora.vgraciiliis; (A) the hooded
crow, Corvus conii.v ; (2) — turmut, a large white turnip.
(i, a) From its frequenting the neighbourhood of Marazion,
SwAiNSON Birds (1885) 74. [Morris Llisl. Brit. Birds (1857).]
(6) Rodd Birds (1880) 315. (2) Cor.' Grown in Marazion.
MARKING, 56. Cum.Yks. Nhp. Som. 1. The mixture
with which sheep or cattle are marked. Nhp.' (s.v. Keel).
Cf, keel, sb.^ 2. Cotiip. Marking-iron, a branding-iron
for marking sheep, cattle. Sic.
Cum.', n.Yks. (I.W.) w.Soni.' 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.
MARKSMAN, sb. N.I.' A man who cannot write his
name and therefore has to make his mark.
MARL, sA.' and v.' Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Lan. Chs. Lin.
Hrt. Wil. Som. Dev. Also written maarl Wxf; marie
Dev. [marl, mal.] 1. sb. A variety of soil consisting
principally of limestone and clay. Also used attrib.
Wxf.' Quick mud. Nhb., Dur. A limestone of a soft, friable
argillaceous or sandy nature, Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888I.
Chs. Marl . . . consists of clay, sand, and lime unequally mixed,
Marshall Reiieiu (1818) II. 139; Chs.' The clays above the rock-
salt. n.Lin.' This word here means chalk. Hrt. There are four
several sorts, Ellis Mod. Hiisb. (1750) III. i. 66. Som. The
spontaneous production of the marl land, Marshall Review
(1818) 11. 523.
Hence Marler, sb. a man who works in a marl-pit.
Chs.', Chs.3 (s.v. Marl-head).
2. Comp. (i) Marlebrute, the earth in a lime rock ; (2)
•grass, the red clover, Trifolnnn prateiise; (3) -head, the
face of marl at the deepest end of a marl-pit ; (4) -midden,
a compost of marl and earth ; (5) -pit, the hole from which
marl is dug.
(i) Dev. Young .(4«>i«/s/}.g^M'(r. (1784-18 15) XXIX. 576. (a) Som.
Marl grass is the spontaneousproduction of the marl land, Marshall
Review (1818) II. 523. Wil. A mixture also of marl-grass ... is
occasionally added, Davis Gen. View Agric. (181 1) vii. (3) Chs.';
Chs.3 The deepest part of a marlpit, where the ground occasionally
falls in on the marlers. (4) Sc. (Jam.) (5) Chs.'
3. V. To spread marl on land.
Chs.* Marl was considered such an excellent manure that it was
commonly said : ' He who marls sand May buy the land ' — because
he would be sure to grow rich if he used marl on sandy soil.
n.Lin.' The properties of marl as a fertilizer are thus set forth in
rhyme : ' If you marl land you may buy land ; If you marl moss
there is no loss ; If you marl clay you fling all away.' [If... some
fields be marled, and others left unmarled, Stephens Farm Bk.
(ed. 1849) I. 85.]
Hence (i) Marler, sb. a man employed to spread marl
on land ; (2) Marling, sb. the process of spreading marl
on land.
(i) Lan. I went to Ellen Seed's and were with the marlers till
betwixt 7 and 8 o'clock, Walkden Diary (ed. 1866) 28. (2) Lan.
Then Thomas Seed . . . having ended his marling, ib. ; The Har-
vest home and the ' shutting of marling ' were gala days, Thornber
Hist. Blackpool (1837) 95.
4. Phr. to marl a man, to cheer a man after drinking his
health ; see below.
Chs.' ; Chs.3 The gang [of marlers] after receiving any small
MARL
[40]
MARNULL
sum as a present from a chance visitor, stand in a ring ; the fact
of the donation and the amount is announced by the ' Lord of
the pit.'
MARL, !'.= and sb.^ Sc. Nlib. Yks. Ken. Wil. Som.
Also written marie Sc. Bnft'.' ; and in form myarl Cai.'
[marl, mal.] 1. v. To become mottled, variegated ; to
variegate, spot, streak. Cf. mirl(e.
Sh.I. Da sky is saftly marled ower, A sign o' wadder fair,
Stewart 7o/«ti892) 91. BnfT.i Abd. Wrinkles mark's an our liair
marie, Anderson Poems (ed. 1826) 75. Per., Cld. (Jam., s.v. Mirl).
Hence (1) Marled, ppl. adj. spotted, mottled, variegated,
streaky ; {2) Marled saliiioit, phr. the grey trout, Salino
eriox; (3^ Marly, adj., see (i).
(i) Sc. Marled stockings,^hose made of mixed colours, twisted
together before the stockings are woven or knitted (Jam.). Cai.i
Ayr. The marled plaid ye kindly spare. Burns Ansivey to Verses
(1787) St. 5. Lth. The thick chokin' drift That cam in wreathed
swirls frae the white marled lift, Ballantine Poems (1856) i.
SIk. By the marled streak and the cloudlet brown, Hogg Poems
(ed. 1865) 128. Gall. The great marled eggs o' the whaup,
Crockett Raiders (1894) -nIv ; Marled soap (A.W.% Nhb.i Ap-
plied to some kinds of leaves and to stones, &c. Ken. The fine
eating meat being that which is marled flesh and spreadwell,
Young Amials Agric. (1784-1815) XX. 266. (2) w.Sc. There be
also several rivers here which afford salmon : one sort of them is
very singular, that is called marled salmon, . . being lesser than
the ordinary salmon and full of strong large scales ; no bait can
allure it and a shadow frights it away, Martin IV. Islands (1716)
58 (Jam., s.v. Ieskdruimin\ (3' Per. Aneath that plain tippet o'
marly grey, Edwards Slraiheant Lyrics (1889) 115. Gall. Her
weather-beaten complexion, netted and marly like the reticulations
on a bladder, Crockett Anna Mark 1,1899" xx. Wil.' Applied to
fat beef, or bacon from a fat pig, where the fat seems to streak and
grain the lean. Som. Applied to the appearance of well-fed meat,
when fat and lean are well intermixed (W.F.R.).
2. sb. An indistinct mark, a mottle.
Ayr. Marls in the skin, when cold (F.J.C.). vr.Yks. Leeds Merc.
Suppl (Mar. 2, 1895".
Z. pi. The measles. Abd. (Jam., s.v. Mirl). Cf. mirl(e, 2.
MARL, v.^ and sb.^ Sc. Der. Soin. Dev. Also written
marie Sc. [marl, mal.] 1. v. To marvel, wonder.
Sc. ' I marie the skipper took us on board,' said Richie, Scott
A'(^«/(i822) iii. w.Som.i Dev. Grose (1790) il/5. flrfrf. (P.)
2. sb. A marvel, wonder.
Der.' Obs. vp.Som.' 'Tis a marl, however 'twas, they had'n all
bin a killed. Dev.' n. Dev. Es marl who's more vor rigging, £i-;;/.
Scold. '1746) 1. 130.
[1. Where is your sweetheart now, I marie ? Jonson
Tale of a Tttb (1633) 11. i, ed. Cunningham, II. 455.]
MAR^siS-.^andi'.* m.Yks.^ [mal.] 1. si. Sleet. 2. v.
To sleet.
MARL, sb.^ Lin. [mal.] A tarred string.
Lin.', n.Lin.' sw.Lin.' Used by gardeners to tie up raspberries
and other plants.
[A shortened form of naut. E. marline, a small cord used
for binding large ropes, to protect them. Du. iiiarlijn,
a der. of ttiarreit, to bind or tie knots (Hexham).]
MARL, v.^ Dev. Of silk, &c. : to ravel. (Hall.)
MARL, see Marble.
MARLAK, sb. Sh.I. [ma'rlak.] The sea-weed,
Zosttra inariiia. (A.W.G.), S. & Ork.'
[Norw. dial, niarlaitk, ' zostera ' (Aasen).]
MARLBOROUGHHANDED, «f^-. Wil. Left-handed.
(W.C.P.); Wil.' People who used their tools awkwardly were
formerly called ' Marlbro'-handed vawk,' natives of Marlborough
being traditionally famed for clumsiness and unhandiness.
MARLED, see Mould, ad;.
MARLEY, sb. Sc. Chs. War. [ma'rli, ma'li.] 1. A
marble. See Marble, I (4).
Frf. The marleys were madeof a kind of red clay hardened in the
fire, Inglis Am Flk. (1895) 94. s.Chs.', War. (W.S.B.), War.23
2. Comp. Marley-stopper, a splay-footed person. War.*
MARLIN, sb. Sc. Shr. Cor. Also in forms maalin
Sh.I. : marlion Sc. Cor.= 1. The merlin, Falco acsalon.
Sc. Eagles, falcons, goshawks, sparhawkes, marlions, and such
like, MoNiPENNiE C/iron. (1612! 200, ed. 1818. Shr.', Cor.2
2. The sparrow-hawk, Accipiter iiisiis. Sh.I.' Swainson
Birds ( 1885) 136. 3. The kestrel, Tinmmciilusalaiidariiis. ib.
MARLOCK, sb. and v. Wm. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der. Lin.
Alsoin forms maalack.mailakw.Yks. ; mailock ne.Lan.';
mairlock w.Yks. ; malack ne.Yks.' w.Yks.^; malak
e.Yks.' w.Yks.* Lin.'; malech Lin.'; malek w.Yks.;
marlak(e w.Yks. Chs.*; marluk Lan.; maylak. may-
lock w.Yks. ; morlock m.Yks.' [ma-lak,me Isk, meslak.]
1. sb. A prank, frolic, ' lark ' ; a trick, practical joke ; a
noisj' disturbance, an uproar, ' row.'
ne.Yks.' There wer sike maalacks as ah ni\"\'er seed. e.Yks.
What a do we had oot o' Billy Swaby an his malak wi Bonnick
Boggle, Nicholson Ftk-Sp. (1889" 32; e.Yks.' They kicked up a
bonny malak. w.Yks. He wor awlas up ta sum a hiz maylaks,
Pogmoor Olm. (1892) 34 ; Thinking at first she had done it for
a marlake, Snowden IFeb of Weaver (1896) i; They're making
a bonny malek, they have done nothing but fratch since they
came home (M.N.) ; Kickt up a maalack. Banks Wkjld. Wds.
(18651; What a maylock tha'rt makin, Sheffield Indep. ( 1874) ;
w.Yks.^^ ; w.Yks. ^ T'sowgers an' t'peelers is at it agean up yon-
der, ther's a bonny maalack atween "em ! Let's ha' noan o' thy
maalacks nah ! bud just clap thuh darn an' be quiet, du that !
Lan. 1 says to mysel', ' I'll have a bit marlock wi' 30n conceited
chap Dick,' Longman s Mag. (Aug. 1896) 369 ; Ofore E startud
ov his marluks E went reawnd wi' his hat, Okmerod Felley fro
Rachde (1864) iv; Lan.l, ne.Lan.', e.Lan.', Chs.'^, nw.Der.', Lin.',
n.Lin.'
2. Phr. (i) to be on the marlock, to play tricks ; (2) to make
inarlocks at, to make eyes at, to flirt.
(i) Lan. If that wurno a knock my ears are on th' marlock,
Brierlev OldKook, iii. (2) Yks. Thou's gazing after yon meddle-
some chap, . . and he making marlocks back atrthee, Gaskell
Sylvia (18631 II. xiii.
3. A fraudulent contrivance or trick.
m.Yks.' He said that he could not recollect nothing about it now.
Thinks 1 to mj'self, ' That's a morlock, however.'
4. An unfortunate accident.
w.Yks. Hamilton AngaeLit. (1841) 350 ; Send for the plumber,
there's a marlock w't watter TJ.R. ).
5. One who plays pranks, a fool. Yks. (Hall.) Lan.
Grose (1790) MS. add. iP.) 6. v. To play, frolic, romp ;
of a horse : to be restive, kick.
Wm. Tha did marlock an' kaper aboot a top et girs, Clarke
TReysli Beearin (18631. Yks. 1 seed Squeer Scamodeen's great
bull ... a tearin', and marlockin', Fetherston T. Goorkrodger
(1870) 72. w.Yks. A squad a cats mailakin on t'roof a t'stable,
Pogmoor Olm. (1893) 43' We began malackin ameng t'desks an
t'seats, Yksman. (Oct. 1878I 265. Lan. An' let j-o romp an' mar-
lock theer, Rajisbottom Phases cf Distress (1864^ 99; Is yon
Rondle's o' Crumpers marlockin' about the fowd again ? Waugh
Chim. Corner (1874) 120, ed. 1879 ; Lan.', Chs.'
Hence (i) Marlocker, sb. one who plays a practical
joke ; (2) Mario eking,///, adj., (3) Marlocky, adj. play-
ful, frolicsome.
(i) Lan. Some marlocker or other had festnt a pair o' chylt's
clogs to its feet, Mlllor Uncle Oivdem (1865) 22. (2") w.Yks.
They wor all in a marlakin' humour, Binns Ong. (1889) No. i. 7.
Lan. That road wur alus haunted wi' som mack o' marlockin frolic-
som kiends, DoiiALDSOii Rossendel Bcef-ncef, 12. Chs.* (3I Lan.
I felt raither marlock V mysel'. Waugh Heather , ed. Milneri II. 116.
MARLYSCRARLY, MARM, MARMAID, see Maskel,
Malm, Mermaid.
MARMIT, sb. Obsol. Sc. Shr. Also in forms marmint
Shr.': marmiteSc. ; marmot Shr.' A cooking utensil.
Sc. We had neither pot nor marmite, Scott Nigel (1822) xii.
Shr.' A three-legged iron pot — holding about four quarts — to be
hung over the fire. ' Bring me the marmint, to bile some linsid fur
the cow's drench." ' 2 Potts— i Marmitt.'are comprised in an /«-
venlory, dated at Aston Botterell. about 1758; Shr.2 A pot with
hooks at each side. [A'. & Q. (1874) 5th S. i. 209.]
[Fr. marmite, a great pot, kettle, boyler or boyling lead ;
esp. such a one as is used for the boyling of beef in the
kitchins of abbeys (Cotgr.).]
MARNDER, see Maunder.
MARNULL, s6. Dor. Also in form marnhill. A game,
see below. Cf. merrils.
A carter's lads' game, played with g white and 9 black stones, or
pieces of chalk and coal. The game is to make a line of Three.
When any player has done this he is at liberty to take off the board
one of his opponent's men. This goes on till only 3 of one
colour are left. Then the men (or stones) can jump to any vacant
MARNUM HOLE
[41]
MARROW
corner, and try to form another row of Three. When this is done
the game is over, and tlie pla3'er who has most men left on the
board wins ' C. J.F.) ; Out on the downs, &c., at odd times they cut
a ' board ' in the turf and have a game al fresco, I have never
seen the game played, but I have once or twice seen the figure
in question cut in the turf and wondered what it could be. Mar-
null is the name of a village in the north of Dorset (H.J.M.).
MARNUM HOLE, //;r. Lin. The south-west quarter
of the heavens.
n.Lin. We hevn't done wi' down-fall yet, th' wind's gotten into
Marnum Hole agen, /v. <&■ g>. (1870' 4th S. v. 341; Probably Lower
Marnham, near Tuxford, lying south-west of its vilifiers, gets the
credit of originating all the rain a south-west wind brings, ib. 433 ;
n.Lin.' Gen. used in relation to rain.
MAROLL, see Marble.
MAROOL.si!). Sh.L The sea-devil or frog-fish, Zo////«s
piscatorius. {Coll. L.L.B.), S. & Ork.'
[Norvv. dial, mar-iilk. manil, ' Lophius piscatorius'
(Aasen) ; Dan. itianilk (Larsen).]
MAROONJUS, adj. So. Also written marounjous
Abd. ; and in forms morungeous n.Sc. (Jam.) ; murreun-
geous e.Fif. Harsh, stern; outrageous; obstreperous.
Also used advb.
n.Sc. Often conjoined with another term expressing the same
idea ; as ' morungeous cankered ' CJam.). Abd. Neen there hed a
raair maroonjus face, Alexander yo/i»n_v Gibb (1871) xviii ; We'll
better use the bracelets [handcufl's], Tam, they're twa marounjous
deils, Ogg Willie Waly (1873"; 80. e.Fif. Oot sprang a pair o' mur-
reungeous rascals frae the wud, Latio Tani Bodkin (1864) ix.
MAROW, MARQUERY, see Marrow, sb?. Mercury.
MARR, V. Sc. (Jam.) [mar.] 1. To purr as a cat ; of
an infant : to make a cooing sound. Cld. See Mur(r, v.
2. With tip : to make a noise like two cats when pro-
voking each other to fight ; fig. to urge on or keep one to
work. Ags., Cld.
MARR, MARRA, MARRABLE, see Mar, v., Marrow,
Marble.
MARRAM, sb. Irel. Lin. e.An. Sur. Also written
marem, marrum Nrf. ; marum Sur. ; and in forms mor-
ran Ir. ; murrain Nrf [maram.] 1. The mat-grass or
sea-reed, Psaniiiia areiwria. Gen. in comp. Marram-grass.
Ir. (B. & H.) Lin. Marram grass grows abundantly on the sand-
banks of our coast, Streatfeilu Lin. and Danes (1884) 232. e.An.'
Nrf. Found on sandhills or artificially planted to prevent drifting
(R.H.H.) ; We looked idly at the tufts of Marram-grass, Emerson
Yarns (1891) 37 ; (.B. & H.) e.Nrf. Marshall Rur. Econ. (1787).
Sur. Tufts of marum, or bents — for this creeping, wiry, grass-like
growth is called by either name, Forest Tithes (1893) 39.
2. Comp. Marram-bound, overgrown and held together
by 'marram-grass.'
Nrf. I wandered by a farm on the marshlands, just within the
jagged fortalice of the marram-bound dunes, Emerson Marsh
Leaves (1898) 15.
3.*/. Places where the ' marram-grass' abounds. Nrf.
(B. &H.)
[1. ON. mar-almr, qs. marhahnr, ' sea-straw,' sea-grass
(Vigfusson).]
MARRASS, sb. .' Obs. n.Yks.* A morass, ground
liable to be flooded.
[Mys out of fiis marras as any mayn foxes. Wars Alex.
(0.1450)3932. MDu.«;flra5,;/;anriT/;, a morass (OuDEMANs).]
MARREL-, see Merrils.
MARRIABLE,«(//. w.Yks. (J.W.) ne.Lan.» [ma'riabl.]
Marriageable.
[Maryable, ntibilis, Prompt. OF. >;/rt>-/ai/? (Godefroy).]
MARRIAGE, s6. Van dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. Also
in form merridge Sc. [ma'ridg, mse'rid^.] In comp. (i)
Marriage-bone, the merrythought of a fowl ; (2) -lines, a
marriage certificate ; (3) -sark, a shirt made by the bride
to be worn by the bridegroom on the day of the marriage ;
(4) -shake, a ticking sound.
(II Cai.' (2) e.Yks.', w.Yks.'s Lan. Filling up the register,
obtaining tlie marriage lines. Brier lev //•Mn/«( 1865 5233, ed. 1868;
Lan.', Chs^, Not.', Lin.', Rut.', Lei.' War. Leamington Courier
(Mar. 13, 1897); War.234_s.-war.' Wor. The witness ' handed
in her own marriage-lines,' Evesham Jrn. (Jan. 8, 1898). Glo.'
Nrf. Francis War. Wds. (1876) 129. e.Suf. (,F.H.), w.Som.' (3)
VOL. IV.
ne. Sc. Ah've seen the bridegroom's merridge sark torn owre's lugs
in blauds wi' fechtin', Green Gordonhaven (1887) 70. (4) Sh.I. A
sound like the ticking of a watch was called a ' marriage shaek,'
Spence Elk- Lore (1899) 163.
MARRIED, ppl. adj. Chs. War. Shr. Som. 1. Applied
to women : faded, careless in appearance or dress.
w.Som.' Her was a smart, perky little 'ummun vore he married
her, but her lookth married sure 'nough now.
2. Phr. married all o'er (over), said of a woman who, after
marriage, beconaes changed for the worse in appearance.
Chs.' War.2 ' 1 see young Mrs. Waters to-day.' ' Ah, how
was 'er lookin' ? ' ' Married-all-over a'ready." Shr.' ' Han'ee sid
Mary Gittins lately?' ' Iss, dunna d-'er look bad? Aye, 'er's
married all o'er I '
MARRINADE, MARRISH, see Marinade, Marish.
MARROT, sb. Sc. Cum. Also written marrott Sc. ;
and in form morrot Sc. [marat.] 1. The common
guillemot, Lomvia troile.
e.Sc. Swainson Birds {iS&^') 218; Pennant Zool. Birds (1776)
521 (Jam.). Frf. The marrots light the billows fan, Sands Poems
( 1833^ 46. Edb. Norwill I spare a marrot, nor yet a kitty-weake,
Maidment Garland (1824) 51, ed. 1868.
2. The razor-bill, Alca torda.
Abd. Swainson ift. 217. Fif. Sibbald/Z/s/./)/'. (1803) 112 (Jam.).
e.Lth. Swainson ib. 217. Cum. (R.H.H.)
MARROW, 56.' Var. dial, and slang uses in Sc. Irel.
and Eng. Also written marra n.Ir. Cum.''n.Dev. ; and in
formmorrowlr. [ma'ra.maers.] 1. In co;;;/>. (i) Marrow-
bones, (a) the knees; (b) castanets, bones; performers
on the castanets ; (2) -truth, simple truth, the very truth.
(i, a^ Abd. Ance get . . . fowk upo' their marrow-banes til 'im,
haith, he'll lat them sit there ! Macdonald Castle Warlo.k ( 1882)
xix. Slg. Low on his marrow-bones to an old deaf and blind
cobler, Galloway PofH;s (i8io1 Siitor's Mag. 9. Ir. The cause
the devils and ' morrow-bones,' Paddiana (cd. 1848) I. 168. n.Ir.
Down I on yer marra bones — Flet on yer marra bones. Lays and
Leg. (1884') 51. Cum.'* It wad'nt a bin good fcr his marra-bcaans,
Sargisson Joe Scoap (1881) 64. w.YIcs.' I'll bring him down on
his marrow bones. nw.Der.' Som. [She] was down on her
marrow-bones upon the hard road to fasten together the torn frock,
Raymond A/en o' Mcndip (1898) vii. w.Som.' I'o bring down to
their marrow-bones. n.Dev. And nif by gurt hap tha dest zey
man at oil, thy marrabones shan't kneelee, E.xni. Scold. (1746) I.
268. Slang. So down on your marrowbones, Jew, and ask mercy!
Barham Ingoldshy (ed. 1864) Merchant of Venice, (b) Lon. V/e
the King's Royal Bell Ringers and the marrow bones and cleavers
pays our usal and customary respects. . . Having our marrow bones
and cleavers all ready to perform if reqired, N. if Q. { 1893' 8th S.
iii. 251. (2) Der. That's marrow truth, let who will deny it, Cushing
Voe (1888) II. i.
2. The centre, the essential part, the best of anything;
the main point, or the full meaning.
Ir. Hehadsent' the marrow of it' to his sister. Barlow Lisconnel
(1895) 258. Ylcs. Thou's hit t'marrowon t'mattcr, Gaskell 5)'/t'iV»
(1863) II. iii. Lin.' Now I have got at the marrow of the thing.
3. A term applied to the doctrine of a particular sect of
the Scottish Church ; also used attrib.
Sc. The work ' The Marrow of Modern Divinity,' published by
Edward Fisher in 17 18; a work which exercised a powerful influence
in its day and paved the way for the secession from the Church
of Scotland in 1736. Those who preached the evangelical doctrines
of the ' Marrow' were known as the' Marrow-men,' and hence the
application of the name to a 'kirk' is not unlikely, Montgomerie-
Fleminc Notes on Jam. (1899). Gall. Allan Welsh, minister of
the Marrow Kirk in the parish of Dullarg, Crockett Lilac Sun-
bonnet ( 1 895) i ; The precious and savoury truths of the pure marrow
teacliing, ib.
MARRCW, 5i.', adj. and v. In gen. dial, use in Sc.
Irel. and n. counties to Chs. Der. Also Shr. ? Dev. Also
written marow Shr.^ ; marro e.Yks. w.Yks. Lan. ; and in
forms mar- Lth. ; marra Sc. N.Cy.' Nhb.' e.Dur.' Lakel."
Cum."* Wm. w.Yks. n.Lan.' ; marrah w.Yks. ; marrer
Nhb. n.Yks.* ; marry w.Yks.' ; morrow S. & Ork.' Cai.'
[maT3.] 1. sb. A match, equal ; an exact counterpart
or likeness, a facsimile. Also in pi. form.
Sc. There she stood the very marrow of a country queen, Keith
Bonnie Lady {18971 51 ; Nae man can seek his marrow in the kirn
sae well as he that has been in it himscl', Ferguson Prov. (1641)
26. Sb.I. I guess you ain't never hecrd the morrow of them in
G
MARROW
[42]
MARROW
your born days, Burgess Tang (1898) 149; S. & Ork.» Cai.'
Elg. His marrow's nae i' the toon, Tester Foems f 1865) 129. EnSr.
Taylor Points (1787) 23. e.Sc. It was a room the very marrow
of this, Setoun R. Urqulmrt (18961 iii. Abd. Oor nain Maggie
hisna 'er marrow i' the pairis' for a biddable, aiven-temper't lassie,
Alexander Ain Flk. (i88j) 74. Kcd. Grant Lays (1884) 190.
Frf. Sam'l Fairweather has the marrows o't on his top coat, Barrie
Minister ;,i89i) xv. Per. Ye'll no get the marra of him in six
pairishes. Ian Maclaren Aiild Lang Syne (1895^ 235. s.Sc.
(A.C.) Rnf. Young Pictures (1865 134. Ayr. A coorse, miickle
siimph, the very marrow of her lord, Service Dr. Dngnid ^ed.
1887) 75. Lnk. I ne'er hae seen his marrow yet, Nicholson
IdyHs (1870") 121. e.Lth. Mucklebackit Rhymes [1885 "i 239. Edb.
You hae nae marrow, sure, in nature, Crawford Poems (1798)
88. Hdg. LuMSDEN P0CH15 (1896) 63. SIk. Mysell for speed had
not my marrow, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865) 434. Dmf. Reid Poems
(18941 48. Gall. But 'las! thou hast oure mony marrows,
Nicholson Pof/. IF/m. (1814) 89, ed. 1897. N.Cy.' Nhb. A mon
wha's marrow's hard to meet, Clare Love of Lass (1890) II. 80 ;
There's coal at Wallsend Can scarcely meet with a marrow, White
Nhb. (1859I 119; Nlib.i s.Dur. Slie's met with her marrow
(J.E.D.). Lakel.2 Cum. For singing he ne'er had a marrow,
Anderson Bn/Znn'i (ed. 1808) 47; Ahatfmarrows 6 Mary Hanson's,
Farrall i?f//v ff-'(750« (1886) 10; Cum.'* Cum., Wm. Fine wark
indeed, here! Lang tack follow thy marrow (M.P.\ Wm. A
fearful girt cat ; . . I nivver saa his marrow, Wheeier Dial. (1790)
III, ed. 1821 ; Itle just fit tlia es wcel es ivvcr Jammj' Langmire
nogg fit Jammy, an thoo knaas thae wor a marra. Spec. Dial.
(1885) pt. iii. 33. n.Yks.'234 e.Yks. T'aud squire's getten a
dowter withoot a marro, Wrav Nesllelon (1876^ 283 ; e.Yks.' Ah
nivver seed his marrow at plooiii. m.Yks.' They are marrows in
bone-idleness. w.Yks. He's t'vena marrah tul him (JJ.B.) ;
w.Yks.'Etraath, there nivver wort'marrowto him,ii. 286; w.Yks. 2;
w.Yks.s Ah nivver seen his marrow i' awal my born daays, 74.
Lan. Its marrow cannot be fun in o' the countryside, Thornber
Penny Stone i^iS^^') g, ed. 1886; He wor th' marrow ov his brother
Dick, Lahze 0:vd Yeiii, 15 ; Lan.', n.Lan.', ne Lan.', e.Lan.',
m.Lan.' Chs. Yow wudna foind . . . his marrow in the shoir,
Wareurton Hunting Sngs. (1860I 93; Chs.', Der.^
Hence (i) A-marrows, arff. alike, equal, corresponding;
(2) Marrowless, adj. matchless, incomparable, without an
equal.
(i) Cum. Beath amarras (H.W.). Cum., Wm. Not a-marrows
(M.P.). (2) Sc. * You are maiden marrowless,' a taunt to girls that
think much of themselves and doings, Kelly Prov. (1731) 385;
Nae equal to you but our dog, Sorkie, and he's dead, and yeVe
marrowless, Henderson Pray. (183a) 132, ed. 1881. S. & Ork.'
Edb. Ballantine Gaberltimie (ed. 1875) Gl. Kcb. My sweetest,
my matchless, and my most marrowless and marvellous well-
beloved, Rutherford Lett. : 1660) No. 180. N.Cy.', Cum.*, w.Yks.'
2. Of things : one of a pair.
Sc. My buckles are not marrows, Scoticistiis (1787') 16. Sh.I.
My een is mebbie no morrows, S/i. AVrcs (Apr. 29, 1899). Frf.
Me wearin a pair o' boots 'at wasna marrows! Barrie Thrums
(1889) XV. Gall. A pair of boots — which though they were not
marrows, Crockett C%A'f//>'(i896' 337. n.Cy.(J.L. 17831; N.Cy.';
N.Cy.^ A pair of gloves or shooes are not marrows. Nhb.' Aa've
getten yen byut on, but aa canna find the marra ti'd. Dur. It's no
use keeping that stocking, the marrow's lost (A.B.) ; Dur.' These
gloves are not marrows. s.Dur. VVhar's fmarrow to this stocking?
(J.E.D.) Lakel.2 If ye've a pair o' owt, an' h'es lost yan, ye'll
want fmarrow. Cum.* This is not the marrows of it, Sullivan,
80. s.Wm. (J. A.B.) n.Yks.i 'Looks-tee! Ah've fun a glove.'
'Aye, an' here's fmarrow on't' ; n.Yks.^* ne.Yks.' We had two,
bud we've lost fmarrow tiv it. e.Yks.' Them two stockins is
marrows. w.Yks. Willan List IVi/s. (1811) ; Banks infld. U'ds.
(1865) ; w.Yks.' Thur stockins o' mine are not marrows ; w.Yks.*,
s.Chs.',Der.i nw.Der.'Whichisth'marrowtothis? Shr.' They wun
off the same ship. Sir ; this leg's the marrow o' the one yo' seed.
That inna the marrow o' the boot the child's got on, it belungs to
another.
Hence Marrowless, acfj. not a pair, not matching, odd.
Sc. Ye hae on marrowless hose (Jam.), e Fif. On his feet were
a pair o' marrowless bauchles, Latto Tant Bodkin (1864) xiv.
Dmb. A marrowless glove and a lang-teethed heckle. Cross Dis-
niption ( 1844 j xxiii. Ayr. There was a body leeved in D'ry parish
ance put on marrowless stockins ae day to the kirk. Service Dr.
Dugmd ,ed. 1887J 2'3- L'h. Its mar'less shoon are worn as thiii
As Queen Anne coins, Ballantine Poems (1856) 130. Nhb.'
Cum. Forby usin' marrowless buttons, Anderson Ballads (180=;)
aa; Cum.'
3. A companion, mate, partner ; a workfellow.
Sc. Unto another priest his marrow. Who sent a maid his boots
to borrow, Colvil IVhigs' Siippticalion (ed. 1796) 1. 1589. S. &
Ork.' Ayr. It was nae a richt thing for us to be marrows in ony
sic trade wi' cripple Janet, Galt Sir A. IVylie (1822) v. Ltli. Sac
shalt thou dow, Wi' thy feckless marrows, my sweet wee bairn,
Ballantine Poems (1856 60. N.Cy.'^ Nhb. Wecl, him an'
Charlie wes the thickest o' marrers thegither. Pease Matk o' Deil
(1894) 19 ; Nhb.' We've been working marrows for the last six
months. Nhb.. Dur. Greenwell Coal Tr. Gl. (1849). Dur. ' Ma
marrow's off work.' A pitman calls the man who works with
him, or who works at the same place at a different time, his marrow
lA. B.). e.Dur.' Cum. He wassent a bad marrow fr o' that.
Christian Mason Ghost Story (1880) 10 ; Cum.' ; Cuai.^ A wee!
to do, thorouglily oald marrow was Joe, 160, n.Yks. Shipmen
who were marrows to those who sailed to Greenland and Finland,
Atkinson Whitby (1E94) 97. e.Yks. Spoken of oxen, &c., Mar-
shall Rnr. Econ. (1788). w.Yks. ' Ye're joking, man.' 'Not o,
marra, o'm non jokin,' The Tocsin (1841) 5 ; w.Yks.' Ass my
marrow, if I be a thief; w.Yks.^ Lan. He olus us'd to do, when
ut he sprodded obevvt wch his marros, Paul Bobbin Seqttel
(1819) 42: He freely will his money spend When he meets his
marrow, Hai liwell Pal. Antttol. (1850) 75; Lan.', n.Lan.',
ne.Lan.', Chs.'^^ s.Chs.' 'That's one o' yur marrows.' Not
common except in compounds, as' plee-marrow,' 'schoo'-marrow.'
Der.2, nw.Der.', Shr.'^ ? n.Dev. Grose (1790.
Hence Marrowless, adj. companionless, solitary.
Ayr. Know thou art not marrowless in thy exercise, Dickson
Sel. IVritings (1660) I. 58, ed. 1845. Cum.'*
4. A spouse, a husband or wife ; a lover, wooer ; of
animals or birds : a mate.
Sc. Busk je, busk j'e, my bonny bonny bride, Busk ye, busk
ye, my winsome marrow, Ramsay Tea-Table Misc. (1724I I. 235,
ed. 1871. Sh.I. O sa3' 3-6 no this, my ain winsome marrow. O say
no this ta me, Stewart Tales (1892) 236 ; I soucht dee fur mi
morrow. Burgess Sketches (2nd ed.) 128. n.Sc. O stay at hame,
my ain gude lord, O stay, my ain dear marrow, Buchan Ballads
(ed. 1875) II. 194. Cai.' Elg. Ye may mourn your lang-wist
marrow, CouPER Poetry (1804: II. 265. Abd. Her that's been my
marrow for foorty year, Alexander Ai}i Flk. (1882) 62. Kcd.
At hame his marrow Tibbie, Wisna a' thegither bare, Grant
Lays (1884 39. Frf. Some foaming wave has prov'd the grave Of
my long absent marrow, Morison Poems (1790) 124. Per. Wi'
the curse o' your marrow, John Tod, Stewart Character (jS^t)
70. Dmb. Folks are beginning to speak o' us already as marrows.
Cross Disruption (1844) xx. Rnf. Picken Poems 11813) I. 115.
Ayr. Ye kiss'd the 'spoony' hours away, Wi' Will, your winsome
marrow, Ainslie Land of Bums (ed. 1892) 290. Lnk. Here's to
our Queen an' her marrow, Rodger Poems (.1838) 61, ed. 1897.
Lth. M'Neill F>rsto;j (c. 1895) 69. Edb. Here the braw young
bride, Wi' her winsome marrow, sleeps side by side, Maclagan
Poems (1851^ 133. Slk. O stay at hame, my noble lord ! O stay
at hame, my marrow! Borland Yarrow (1890) 18. Kcb. I've
lingered in the hawthorn shade To meet my winsome marrow,
Armstrong Ingleside (1890 135. Wm. & Cum.' But his inconstant
marrow Mag . . . Lowscd his timmer leg. n.Yks.' 'A fine eagle,
that, Robert.' ' Aye. An' Ah tried main paart iv a' month t'get
t'marrow tiv it. 'Tvvur t'bigger bo'd o' t'tweea.' ne. Lan.' There's
never a sparrow Without its marrow. Chs. Let's be mate an
marrow, Clough B. Bresskitlle (1879) 8 ; Chs.'; Chs.^ The robin
and the wren Are God's cock and hen. The martin and the swallow
Are God's mate and marrow.
Hence Marrowless, <7(^'. without a husband, unmarried.
Rnf. Awakes A thousand regrets in the marrowless lass, Thom
Rhymes, &c. (1844; 86.
5. adj. Similar, corresponding, like, equal.
n.Yks.* w.Yks. It's just marro to one at Hepsabah won. Hart-
ley Gtimes* Visit (1892) 112; My britches is marrah to thine
(iE.B.) ; w.Yks. 2 The marrow glove ; w.Yks.^ Lan. Aw nei'er
sprad my e'en upo* th' marrow trick to tliis, Waugii Owd Bodle,
260. Chs.' Pigs of the same litter are called ' marrow pigs.*
s.Chs.' Wecur^zdhu maar-u stokin tCi dhis? [Wheer's the marrow
stockin' to this?] Shirts made of the s.ime piece of stuff are
marrow to each other; and a piece of new cloth of the same pat-
tern used to mend a shirt might be said to be ' marrow to it.'
6. Phr. {i) a-iiieinviv, see below; (2) inarroiv fcr bran,
(3) — the bran, alike, similar, equal ; (4) — io Bonny, lit. a
match for Buonaparte, equally bad ; (5) — to bran, (6) — to
mack, much alike, equal, similar, a match for ; (7) — lo the
MARRY
[43]
MARSH
patch, well-matched ; (8) — to which, a counterpart, exact
likeness.
(i) Bnff.i ' Nae a marrow,' not an atom ; ' the deil a marrow,'
the devil a bit ; ' the sorra a marrow,' the sorrow at all. (2)
Lakel.a (3^ w.Yks. (R.H.R.) (4) Lakel.^ Ye o know t'sayen
t'marrow ta Bonny. w.Yks. Hlfx. Conner (May 22, iSgv) ; Dyer
Dial. (1891) 105; w.Yks.3 ; w.Yks.s One who has committed any
bad action, or bears a very bad character, is ' marrow to Bonny.'
(5) s.Dur. She's marrow to bran J.E. D.). Cum. 'That yen likes
his beer.' ' They're marra t'bran the yen as t'tudder ' (E.W. P.) ;
T'assel tree, teuh, was aboot marra-teh-bran, fer t'lin-pin wholl
was rovven oot eh beaath ends on't, Sargisson Joe Scoafi (1881)
217 ; Cum.l w.Yks. Shoe's lived i' Preston a lang wile, and it's
marra to bran o' this place (F.P.T.) ; w.Yks.^s (6) w.Yks. He's
marrow to mack, H/fi:. Conner (May 22, 1897"). (7) Chs.^ A
husband and wife who were rather strange characters, and about
equally eccentric, were said to be ' marrow to the patch.' (8) Yks.
This toast-dog's marra to which of your grandmother's (F.P.T.).
7. V. To match, equal.
Sc. (A.W.),N.Cy.i Nhb. Alad . . . thit cud marra the intorprysin'
fishin'-gad ways o' the famis man, Keclinan's Ann. (1869) 3; Nhb.'
Aa've tried ti marrow the colour. Dur.' Cum. A beild I hae that
marrows thy ain, Burn Ballads (ed. 1877") 78 ; Cum.' Wm. The
rest of the week ya day marrows another, Hutton Bran New
IVark (1785) 1. 13. n.'Yks.i ; n.Yks.2 'They marrow badly.'
' Marrow me that an j'e pleease,' match me the pattern shown ;
n.'Yks.''. e.Yks.', ni.Yks.l w.Yks. In tossing for monej- : 'Will
thou marrow me, or sail I marrow thee?' [Shall I put a coin down
covered by my hand, and will you put down another?] (S.P.U.) ;
w.Yks.' 3; w.'Sfks.s Tak this an' ass 'em to marrow't ihuh, an' bring
a yard on't. ne.Lan.'
8. To mate, couple, wed ; to join, unite.
Rnf. Straj'ed "mang misty groves, Wi' ice-wreathed maidens to
marrow, Thom Rliynies, &c. (1844) 89. Ayr. Charlie 'Walkinshaw
and Bell Fatherlans were a couple marrowed by their Maker, Galt
Entail (1823) xvii. Edb. He's wise wha marrows wi' content,
Thoiigh in a rustic bid', Maclagan Poems (1851) 280. n.'Wm. To
form a draught of horses by joining. They marrowed t'nags that
year ta mow (B.K.).
9. To lend men or horses for labour to a neighbour and
to receive a similar loan in return when needed. N.I.'
[3. Marwe, or felawe yn trauayle, sociiis, soda lis, compar,
Prompt:\
MARRY, I'. Van dial, uses in Sc. Ircl. and Eng. Also
in form merry Sc. [ma'ri, meeTi.] In phr. (i) to marry
away from, to be married from a certain place, to have the
weddmg festivities at; (2) —oti, (3) —upon, (4) —ivith,
to marry, to be married to ; (5) — itself, to marry ; (6) —
the pigs, to ring the noses of pigs ; (7J wha to be mairicd
first, a card game.
(i) w.Yks. (J.W. ) s.Not. Nan was married away from 'er place
(J.P.K.). (2) Sc. Helen, . . who was married on Menelaus, King
of Sparta, Sco/icisnis (1787"; 115; It's a common report she's to
be marriet on Mr. Leonard, Rov Horseman s IVct. (1895^ ix. Frf.
Rintoul's making his ain ill luck by marrying on a young leddy,
BARRiE.;i/mM/(v-, i89i)xxv. Fif. Lieb'sgrandmither . . . wasmerrit
on auld Rab Johnstone, Wzwi-Z Margel {i?:g^) 37. Lnk. Ye wad a
been married on a lownlike, leepet, lazy lump, Graham IVn'lings
(1883) II. 28. Edb. Ye than was just new married on a Kate,
An I on Jenny, Learmont Poems (1791) 192. Gall. (A.W.)
N.I.' N.Cy.' Miss A is married on Mr. B . (3) Sc. And
she was married again upon my Uncle Robert, Stevenson Cal-
Hona (1893) xxi ; A sister married upon a minister, Ramsay
Rentin. (ed. 1859) 101. Abd. Whaurfor my mistress at the Hoose
sudna be merried upo' Lord Liftore, Macdonald Lassie (1879)
Ixvi. Ir. The handsome gintleman she's married upon, Carleton
Traits Peas. (1843) I. 417. N.I.' She was married upon a man
they call M'^Kee. (4) Dor. I doan't wish my zon to marry wid
shee, N. & Q. (:883) 6th S. viii. 157. w.Som.' (5) Ir. Where
would ye take her if ye were married itself? Paddiana (ed. 1848)
I. 97. (6: Hrf.2 When about to ring the noses of pigs, i\\ey say
they are about to ' marry the pigs.' (7) Gall. MACTACGART^Hyc/.
(1824) 458, ed. 1876.
MARRY, iiit. Sc. n.Cy. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan.
Chs. Der. Lin. Also in form mary Der.' [ma'ri.] 1. A
term of asseveration, indeed, truly; esp. in phr. Aye, marry.
Edb. Marry! I was forgetting that — but I am sore bestead,
Beattv Smr/rtr (1897) 133. N.Cy.', Dur.', s.Dur. (J. E.D.) Cum.'
Marry dud ha. Wm. Et wad mak cnny boddy mad, . . marry
wod it, Close Satirist (1833') 161. n.Yks. Used by old people
more than it is used now. If asked to do a thing, reply might be
' Nut I, marry ' (W.H. ; n.Yks.' ; n.Yks.2 . it's coming on rain.'
' Ay, Marry! it is'; n Yks.'' Aye marry I bud sha's a beauty. Aye
vadLTvy, tha're wed noo hard enecaf. ne.Yks.' Aye, marry; they
will that. e.Yks.' Aye, marry, it's time they was wed. m.Yks.'
Naj- marry ! Marry bairn ! w.Yks. He's nooan i' love wi me, net
he marry! Hartley Clock Aim. (1889) 52; w.Yks.' Satisfied!
nay nut I marry wi' thy argument, ii. 328 ; w.Yks.^ O'm e nooa
varra gret hurra, not o marra; w.Yks.^ Yus, marry! can he?
Lan. I would not remind thee o' these things. . , Not I, marry !
Brierley Cotttrs, xii. ne.Lan.', Der.' Obs. Lin. Nay marry
not I, I don't care which an a woy it goes, Lin. N. & Q. III. 11.
2. Phr. (i) marry and shall, that I will ; (2) — come oat,
(3) — come up, exclamations of surprise ; (4) — come up,
my dirty cousin, an expression used to those who are very
fastidious or who assume a distinction to which they have
no claim; (5) — ^fn;r/<', an expression of reproach ; (6j —
t faaith, an asseveration, indeed, verily ; (7) — me, (8) —
on us, see (3).
(I) n.Cy. Grose (1790-) MS. add. (P.) ; N.Cy.' (2) N.Cy.' (3)
n.Cy. Grose (1790) MS. add. (P.) ; N.Cy.', Dur.', Cum.' s.'Wm.
Hutton Dial. Sloiili and Arnside {l^6o) 1. 32. w.Yks.' (4) Chs."'^
(5) n.Yks. Marry geaupe stink, you're varra dench'd, I trow,
Meriton Praise Ale (1684) 1. 57. (6) n.Lin.' Naay, marry i'
faaith, I'll not do that. (7) m.Yks.' 8) N.Cy.'
[1. Orig. an interjectional oath, calling to witness the
"Virgin Mary. ' Ye,' quod the preest, ' ye, sir, and wol ye
so ? Marie ! ther-of I pray yowhertely ! ' Chaucer C. T.
G. 1062.]
MARSGUM, sb. Sh.I. Also in form masgum. The
frog-fish or sea-devil, Lophius piscatorius.
Is it a masgum or a turbot ? Stewart Tales (1892) 31 ; S. & Ork.'
MARSH, s6.' and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and
Eng. Also in forms march Shr.' e. An.' Nrf e.Suf ; mash
Oxf.' Brks.' e.An.'= Nrf. Suf Ken. I.W.' w.Som.' Dev.* ;
meesh Sur." ; mesh Nrf. Sus.' w.Hmp. Dev." s.Dev.
ImarJ, ma/, msej, mej.] 1. sb. In comb, (i) Marsh-bird,
(a) a frog ; (b) a man of the marshes, one who works or
Uves in the marshes ; (2) -briar, the horse-fly ; (3) -butes,
tall boots for working in boggy land ; (4) -hay, hay grown
on marsh-land ; (5) -land, km a name given to the borders
of Lincolnshire ; (/') rich alluvial soil ; (6) -land bailifif,
the ague ; (7) -landers, cattle of tlie marsh-land or short-
horned breed ; (8) -man, see (i, b) ; (9) -owl, the short-
eared owl, ^Js/o inTc/jjoZ/rA- ; (10) -sheep, the white-faced
Kentish breed of sheep; (11) -tide, an exceptionally high
tide, flooding the marshes.
(i, a) e.An.' Nrf. Cozens Hardy Broad Nrf. (1893'! 45. e.Suf.
(F.H.) (6) Ken. A ' ma'shbird ' has a grave demeanour, and very
deliberate he is in action, A}m. Fisliing Village (ed. 18921 2. (2)
Ess. You have treated me, as I would not treat a marsh briar,
Baring-Gould il/<7m/(7/i (1885) 279. (3) e.An.'^, e.Suf. (F.H.)
(4) Nrf. A sack of sweet 'mesh' hay an' a blanket or tew to tuck
yerself in, Patterson Man and Nat. 1,1895) 5°- (5. «' Lin. 1 were
living sarvant wi' a farmer down i' Marshland, .(l/o;i//;/v Packet ; Apr.
1862)377. (6) w.Som.' Good marsh-land to let. Very com. advert.
[Morton Cyclo. Agric. (1863).] (6) Nrf. He was arrested by the
Marshland bailiff (A.C). (7) e.Nrf. Marshall Rnr. Econ. (1787).
(8) Lin. A marshman, a fenman, and a woldsman are different
beings. Longmans Mag. (Jan. 1891) 252. (9) Nrf. Emerson Birds
(ed. 1895) 167. (10 Sur.' (11) Nrf On the marshes over which
the sea just retains its hold by flooding it at the high ' marsh tides,'
there is neither pebble nor stone, Cvrnli. Mag. (Mar. 1899) 314.
2. Co;;/6. in plant-names: (i) Marsh-bent, (2) -bent grass,
the fine-top grass, Agrostis alba; (3) -daisy, the thrift,
Armeria maritima ; (4) -helleborine, the Epipactispalustns;
(5) -holy more, the marsh-rosemary, Andromeda polifolia ;
(6) -mallice, -mallish, or -mallus, Ui) the marsh-mallow,
Malva sylvestris ; (b) the white mallow. Althaea officinalis;
(7) -mallow, (a) see (6, b) ; (b) the dwarf-mallow, Malva
rotiindtfolia ; (f) the marsh-marigold, Caltha pahistris ; (8)
-pilewort, the small celandine. Ranunculus Ficaria ; (9)
-succory, the marsh-hawksbeard, Crepis paludosa; (10)
-violet, the common butterwort, Finguicula vulgaris;
(11) -weed, the ma.rs\\-hoTsci&\\, Equisetum palustre ; (12)
-woundwort, the marsh-betony, Stachys palitstris.
(i) Ayr. The heath may wave abroad its bloom, and the marsh-
MARSH
[44]
MARTIN
bent its white downy banner, Ainslie Z,rt«rf 0/ Bhois (ed. 189a)
15. Su'j. Marshall Reiitw (18141 V. (2 Bnff. GoRnoN Cliroii.
Keith (1880) 284. O'i Cum.' (4) Hmp. The marsh helleborine [is
to be found] in Long parish swamp, Longman s Mag. (Dec. 1899)
15a. (5 Dor. (.G.E.D.) (6, n) Nhb.' (s-v. Maws). Lakel.^ Shr.l
March-mallus stewed into a lay is a mighty good thing fur swellin'
as comes from rheumatiz. w.Som.' Masli niallice lay's the finedest
thing in the wordle vor th' infermation. Dev. Now, ef ycr ladyship
will unly make a mashmally poullice an' put up tu yer veace, 'tweel
dra' out awl tlia 'llammalion avore marning. Mashmally-tay is
very glide vur colds in the heyde! Hewett Peas. Sp. (18921 ; Dev.*
(•«) I.W.l (s.v. MallusV f7, n) Yk^., Suf. (A) Clis.i (c) n.Yks.
(8) Nhp.' (9> w.Yks. Lees Flora ;i888) 305. (10) w.Yks. (11)
Dev.* (12' Bnff. When bruised used lo cure wounds, Gordon
C/iro.i. Keilh ,1880). Edb. Pennecuik Wks. (1715) '33. ed. 1815.
3. A name given locally to certain particular niarslies.
Oxf.' Marsh Gibbon is always called Masli. 'Gooin' t'Mash t'day ?'
Ken.l In East Kent the Marsh means Romney Marsh. Sus.' The
Southdown folk always speak of Pevensey level as The Mesh. ' I
went down to Pemscy last week, and walked out on The Mesh.'
w.Hmp. The low-lying land round Christchurch Harbour subject
lo noods is called the Mesh (H.C.M.B.).
4. Low-lying land liable to be flooded ; grass lands near
the sea ora river, whether dry or swampy; rich, level land.
Lin. The marshes are the flat lands stretching along the sea-coast
which have been reclaimed from the sea ; the fens are the flat lands
which, by a triumph of engineering art, have been reclaimed from
the swamps, Z.O)i^/);(7h'4- Mag. (Jan. 1891) 253. Brks.' The Mash
is sometimes a fine meadow, as at Newbury. Nrf. I went back to
the sheep. . . I used to drive 'em down to mash along with the cows,
Emerson Son of Fens : 1892A 23. e.Nrf. The upper sides of the
fens, or swampy margins of the rivers and lakes which abound in
the southern part of this district) being frequently out of the water's
way. afford a proportion of grazable land ; hence, probabl}', they
are provincially termed marshes, Marshall Riir. Ecoit. (1787) L
320. Suf. Have 3'ou driv them cows to mash this morning?
(M.E.R.) ; Suf.' Soni. All the level country which was once
covered with sea is called 'the mash' (W. F R. ). w.Som.^ There is
no implication of bog or swamp. ' The marshes ' are some of the
richest grazingland in Somerset. s.De v. Appl led loosel}' to meadows
by the riverside, whether dry or marshy. 'A few meshes down
the river' (G.E.D. V
5. V. To work in the marshes.
Nrf. I went mashing along with the old chap, Emerson Son of
Fens (1892) 78 ; Includes marsh-mowing, dyke-cutting, bottom-
fying, dike-drawing, &c., ib. note.
MARSH, s6.^ .' Obs. Wm. A sausage or pudding in
a gut. (K.)
MARSH, see March. 5*.*
MARSHALSEA MONEY, phi: Obs. Oxf. e.An. A
charge by which parishes were bound to contribute for
the relief of poor prisoners confined in the King's Bench
and Marshalsea prison; the count}' rate.
Oxf. ' Marsh.-ilsea money ' continued to be paid by the overseers
until about the year 1827. . . Then it seems to have merged into
the county rate, Stapleton Three Parishes (1893) 278. e.An.'
MARSK, sb. Wm. Also in form mask. Moor, high
rough pasture land.
Wm. T'shecp's up i' t'marsk (B.K.) ; We're gaen ta inclouse
Soully Mask, an' it will cost a cony penny. Close Tales and Leg.
('862)35.
MAR'S YEAR, plir. Obs. Sc. A name given to the
year 1715.
Sc. It has received this denomination from the Earl of Mar, who
took the lead in this insurrection and commanded the rebel army
in Scotland (Jam.\ Ayr. Auld uncle John, wha wedlock's joys Sin'
Mar'syear did desire. Burns Halloween (1785) st. 27.
MART, 56.' Chs. Cmb. [mat.] 1. Obs. In comp.
Mart-cart, a market-cart.
Chs."Bought a mart-cart at Thos. Henshall's sale for ^o 14s. orf.'
From an old farm memorandum-book (1787).
2. A pleasure-fair.
Cmb.' Wisbech mart begins the Saturday after the end of Lynn
mart.
MART, sfi.= Sc. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Also in forms maert
Sh.I.; mairt Sc. N.Cy.^ Nhb.' Cum.'; mert S. & Ork.'
Wgt. [mart, mert.] 1. A cow or ox fattened to be killed
and salted or smoked for winter provision; any meat
pickled and stored for the winter. Also usedyf^.
Sc. They cam out to gather marls for the garrison, Scorr Old
Morlalilv 1,18161 xxvii ; The farmer had to consider how he was
to provide a winter's mart, Hislop Anecdote (1874 258. Sh.I.
Sic an annimal as shu wis, an' a maert ta da bargain, 5/;. News
(Julj' 2, 1898, ; When they , trows] wished to take a nice mert,
they did not remove the animal to tfieirown subterranean abodes,
leaving no trace above ground, SPEXCE/"rt-Ao;-f( 1899; 1 44; S &Ork.'
ne.Sc. The mairt or the pig, that was to be salted, must be killed
when the moon was on the increase, else the meat would not keep
well, GREGOR/"/*-/.o;f (1881^151. Cai.' Bnff., Abci. Keptin salt for
use at Martinmas, Morton Cyclo. Agric. (1863). Abd. We felld the
muckle mairt, Williams Fanner's Twa Laddies 11900) St. 7. Frf.
The fatted ox killed for the Yule festivities is called a mart, A'. &> Q.
(18781 5th S. ix. 248. Slg. Whan kintra bodies gat their marts. . .
Auld Davie ay . . . Was at their head To gie the brutes their last
deserts, MuiR Poems (1818) 18. Rnf. Manj' a fou-fed nowt,
his nain. Gangs grazin' thro' the crafts. For mairts some day,
PicKEN Poems (1813) II. 13. Ayr. We have had several ekes in
the shape of cheese, crocks of butter, and the share of marts,
Johnston Kilmnllie (i8gi) I. 61. Lnk. Could you hae the heart.
To leave sae fair a lamb for sic a mart, Bl.\ck Falls of Clyde ( 1806)
122. Lth. Hetoldwhat the 'mairt ' had weighed, STRATHESKB/mi-
bonny (ed. 1891 82. Edb. He may next 3'ear get for his mart a
highland cow, Crawford Poems (1798) 16. Gall. Presently
turning them [Highland cattle]outon the moorstill the snow came,
and then killing, salting, and setting them apart as ' marts ' for
winter consumpt, Crockett Anna Mark (1899) xii. Wgt. People
then salted their meat, calling it mert, a term probably taken from
the word Martinmas. Fraser Il'ig/own (1877) 222. N.Cy.' Though
a jess frequent custom since the extensive cultivation of turnips,
it is not unusual for families to join in the purchase of a mairt and
to divide it among them. Nhb. Two or more of the poorer sort of
rustic families still join to purchase a cow, &c., for slaughter at
this time (Martinmass), called always in Northumberland, a mart.
Brand Pop. Antiq. (ed. 1848) I. 400 ; Nhb.' Dur. Raine Charters
Finchale, &e. (1837) 3. Cum.' In the last century it was a rare
circumstance to slaughter a fat beeve atan3'season but in November,
and in some districts rarely then.
2. Fig. One who lives in ease and prosperity
Lnk. Graham (Fntoi^s (1883) II. 72, note.
3. Fig. A derisive term for a tall person.
Nhb.' Ye greet muckle mairt.
[1. Gael, iiiarl, a cow (M. & D.) ; Ir. }iiai/, a cow, a beef;
Mir. marl, a beef (Macbaini.]
MART, MARTAL, see Mort, sb.^, Mout, Mortal.
MARTH, sb. Sc. Marrow, pith. Cf mergh.
Slk. O'er muckle marth i' the back, Hogg Tales (1838) 618,
ed. 1866.
[A pron. of OE. mearg, marrow.]
MARTHINS, MARTIL, see Martyens, Mortal.
MARTIN, 56.' Sc. \n ^hv. {1] Maitin-a-bulliniiis, {2)
St. Martin of Bullion's diiy, July 4, the feast of the Transla-
tion of St. Martin.
(i) Sh.I. I link Martinabullimus dae fearnycar wis da warst
dae I ever saw, Hibbert Desc. Sh. I. (,1822) 224, ed. 1891. (2)
Sc. (Jam.)
[(2) S. Martin le boiiillant, le ^jiiilkt,'S. Martinuscallidus,
S. Martini Bullionis festum ' (Ducange, s.v. Festiini) ;
4 juillet, fete de la translation de saint Martin, appelee
' saint Martin d'ete,' ou ' chaud Martin,' Reinsberg-
DuRi.NGSFELD Traditions de la Betgiqiic (1870) II. ig.]
MARTIN, 5^.2 Sc. Irel. e.An. In conip. (i) Martin-oil,
the stormy petrel, Proceltana pdagica ; (2) -snipe, the
green sandpiper, Hclodroinas ocliropiis; (3) -swallow, the
martin, Chelidon itrbica.
(i) Glw. SwAiNSON B/rrfs (1885) 211. (2) e.An.' Nrf. Cozens-
Har'dv Broad Nrf. (1893) 49; Swainson ib. 197. 3) e.Lth. ib. 56.
MARTIN, sh.^ Yks. Lan. Chs. Not. Lin. Lei. War.
Wor. GIo. Oxf Mid. Ken. Sus. Hmp. Wil. Dor.Som. Dev.
Also written marten War.'' Glo. Oxf Dor.' Dev. [matin,
ma'tsn.] 1. A heifer, the twin of a bull-calf, ,.c.f;;. supposed
to be incapable of breeding. Also in comp. Martin-calf
or -heifer. See Free-martin, s.v. Free, adj.^ 1 (14).
w.Yks.' Chs.' ; Chs.^ It is a received idea that if a cow has
twin calves of opposite sexes, the cow calf never breeds. Not.^
Lin. Thompson Nist. Boston (1856) 714; Lin.' sw.Lin.' Don't
buy 3'on, I doubt she's a Martin-calf. Lei.' Not a true heifer, but
an undeveloped male with many of the characteristics of the ox,
and generally fattened and killed about Martinmas. War.^; War.*
MARTINMAS
[45]
MARY
Why, Bill, that be a marten ; yer mustn't spect a calf out of her.
s.Wor. ' Glo. Hoi-ae Snbsceivae (1777") 267; Glo.', wMid. (W.P.M.l,
Ken. (P.M.), Sus.'=, Hmp.i Wil.' An animal with an ox-like
head and neck, which never breeds, but is excellent for fatting
purposes. . . Recent investigations, however, have proved that
though the external organs of a free martin may be female the
internal are in all cases male. Dor. ^ wSom.^ I'he 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. Dev. Twin calves of different sexes are spoken of as
mate and martin, and that the female is sometimes called a free
martin-heifer, Ref^orts Province (1893), nw.Dev,^
2. Obs. A spayed heifer.
ne.Lan.i Oxf. KE.NNEn Pai: Aii/ig. (1695); (K.); Home Siib-
secivae (1777) 267.
MARTINMAS, sb. Sc. Lin. Nlip. Suf. Ess. Also in
forms martlemas sw.Lin.' Nhp.' Suf. Ess.' ; martomes,
martmasSc. [marti(n)m3s, mati(n)m3s.] 1. St. Martin's
daj', a Scotch quarterly term-day ; the November term.
Also used attiib.
Sc. Recently the Martinmas Term day for removals, and for
engagement of ser\'anls, was fixed for Nov. 28 lA.W.X n.Sc.
Feein' Friday, . . the week before Martinmas, Gordon Caigleti
(1891) 66. Abd.The Martomes terme last bypast and Witsonday
terme to cum, Turreff GIfaiii)igs (1859) 169. s.Sc. Only a few
days before the term of Martinmas, Wilson Tales (1839") V. 305.
Rnf. Upon the terme of martmas nixt to come in this instant year
of God, Hector Judic. Records (,1876) 44. Ayr. Ye ken it should
have been paid at Martinmas, Johnston Glenhuckie C1889) 81.
Hdg. Againe Martinmas neist, Ritchie St. Ba/dred {i8B^) 70.
2. Co;«/i.(i)Martinmas-beef,cattle killedaboutMartinmas
time, of which the meat is cured and kept for winter pro-
vision ; (2) -foy, a farewell feast held at Martininas ; (3)
•hiring, a fair at which servants are hired, held about
Martinmas time ; (4) -servant, a servant hired about
Martinmas time.
(i) Nhp.' Suf., Ess. Beef dried in the chimney, like bacon ; . .
it is usual to kill the beef for this purpose about the feast of St.
Martin, November 11, Gkose (1790). Ess. CI. (1851); Ess.' (2)
Per. It depends a good deal on the departing ploughman's charac-
ter, or rather disposition, whether his foy at Martinmas is big or
little. . . As many as eight or nine men, with as many of the maid-
servants additional, may take part in a Martinmas foy. The enter-
tainment could not begin till the horses on the farm were
* suppered,' but beginning at nine p.m. . . it might go on till one
or two next morning, Haliburton Ftttth in Field (1894") 20. (3)
sw.Lin.' It were a Martlemas hiring. (4") Lin. I was a Martlemas
ser\'ant one while, on the tother side of the Trent (R.E.C.).
MARTLESHAM LION, phr. Suf. In phr. as red as
Martlcsham lion, very red. e.An. Dy. Times (1892).
MARTLET, sb. Obs. Sc. The marten, Muslela inaties.
SiBBALD G/. (i702)('Iam.); FnANCisQUE-MicHELZ,mi^. (1882) 134.
MARTON CHAPEL, //;r. Chs.' In phr. to be all on
one side like Marlon Chapel, to be much on one side.
MARTYENS,5Z)./>/. Irel. Alsoin forms marthins, mar-
tyeens. A kind of woollen gaiters or stockings without feet.
Ir. A man sewing two martyeens, Cauleton Trails Peas. (ed.
1843) 201. n.Ir. O'Toole in the rain went his Riv'rance to meet
With keedug on head and with martyens on feet. Lays and Leg.
(1884) 12. Uls. (M.B.-S.)
MARTYR, sb. and v. Sc. Dur. Also written marter
Sc. ; martir Cld. (Jam.) ; and in forms maater Dur. ;
mairter e.Fif; merter Per.; mertir Frf. ; myarter Cai.'
[martar.] 1. sb. In comb. Martyr's stane, a stone
marking the grave of a ' martj'r' ; see below.
Dmf. Wi' death an' his sandglass on the martyrs' stane, Cro-
mer Remains (1810) 116 ; The martyrs . . . are those unfortunate
people who perished in the deadly struggle of the Church of Scot-
land with English prelacy. Their graves were marked out by
their countrymen with hewn stones (.called the martyrs' stanes)
rudely sculptured and strewn with rhymes of scriptural denuncia-
tion against their persecutors, ili. note.
2. A spoilt or dirty condition or appearance, a mess ;
anything that causes such a condition.
Sc. (.Jam.) Frf. The hoosc was juist in a mertir (W.A.C.).
3. V. Tocutdown, mutilate, disfigure, to torture, torment;
to injure.
Sc. Francisque-Michel Lang. (1882) 373. Cai.' Dur. He was
sair maatered aboot the fyess (F. P.).
Hence Martyran, sb. ill-treatment, the act of subjecting
to great pain. Bnft".'
4. To bungle, mismanage, confuse, spoil ; to work in a
dirty and clumsy manner. Cai.', Ags., Cld. (Jam.)
5. To bedaub, bespatter, dirty.
Frf. Mertir'd wi' clort iW.A.C). Fer. In scutter holes hinch-
deep I've been. Wi' dirt a' mertered to the een, Spence Poems
(1898) 165. e.Fif. His face was mairterit wi'cairt creesh an' pat-
bleek. Latto Tant Bodkin (1864^ xi.
Hence Mertered, />/>/. adj. bedaubed, bespattered.
Per. Collie left me in the bog A mittled, mertered, drooket
laddie, Spence Poems (1898I 71.
MARTYREESE, v. Sc. Also in form mertyreese
Abd. To victimize, martyr.
Kcd, 'Tibbie, here am I ! ' cried Tammie, ' Martyreesed, as ye
may see," Grant Lays (1884) 46.
Hence Mertyreesin, sb. martyrdom.
Abd. Hats is a perfect mertyreesin, Alexander Johnny Cibb
(187O i.
MARUM, see Marram.
MARVEL, sb. and v. Sc. Yks. Sus. L sb. The white
horehound, Jllarriibiiim viilgare. Sus.' 2. pi. News ;
somethingwonderful to relate. n.Yks.' 3. v. To marvel
at, wonder at.
Fif, Sir Knicht did hing a while on wing, Marvellin' the meanin'
0' that thing, Tennant Papistry (1827) 33.
MARVEL,MARVIL,MARVLE,MARVUL. see Marble.
MARY, s6. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. Also written
marie Sc. ; and in form meary Dor. [meri, mesri.J
1. In comb, (i) Mary and Joseph, a garden variety of the
forget-me-not, Myosolis paluslris; (2) -apple, a variety
of apple; (3) -bird, the ladybird, Coccinella scplcmpiinctala;
(4) — Brown, a children's singing game; see below; (5)
-gowlan, (a) the corn-marigold, Clirysanlhemiim segctiim \
(6) the common Aa\sy, Bellis perennis ; (6) -mas, September
8th, the festival of St. Mary; (7) -sole, the smear-dab,
Pleuroncctes microccphalus ; (8) -'s tears, the common lung-
wort, Pulmonaria officinalis.
(i) n.Lin.i (2) Hmp. (J.R.W.) (3) n.Yks.^ i'4':i £ur. ' Here
we go round, ring by ring. To see poor Mary lay in the ring ;
Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown, "To see your dear mother go
through the town. I won't rise, I won't rise [from the ground 1,
To see my poor mother go through the town. . . I will rise, I will
rise up from off the ground. To see my dear sweetheart go through
the town.' The 'daughter' lays down and at tlie end of the game
joins the line and another lays down, Gomme Games (1894) 364.
Sus. Played b}' the children standing in line and advancing and
retiring towards the lying or kneeling child, lA. 367 ; In the Hurst-
monceux version, when the last verse is sung, the girl in tlic
middle rises and picks a boy out of the ring; he goes in the middle
with Iier, and they kiss, ib. [The children form a ring, one child
laying or kneeling down in the centre. The ring sing the first,
third, fifth, and alternate verses; the girl in the middle answers
with the second, fourth, and so on, altcrnatelj'. At the last verse
the girl jumps up and breaks through the ring by force; another
girl takes her place in the ring and the game begins again, ib.
For further rhymes, see ib. 364-7.] (5, a\ Nhb.* In the vicinity
of Newcastle, Hardy Hist. Lwk. Natur. Club, II. 13. lAi In the
neighbourhood of Wooler the name mary-govvlan is given to the
common daisy, ib. 18, note. (6) Ayr. My Lord himsel', at last
Mar3'mas, when he sent for me to make a hoop to mend her leg,
G ALT G/'//in!£f (1823) V. (7iSc.(C.D.) ISatchell (1879).] (8)
Dor. The spots on the leaves being regarded as the marks of the
tears shed by the Virgin Mary at the Crucifixion, w.Gazelte (Feb.
15, 1889) 7, col. I.
2. Phr. (i) Marys gone a milking, a children's singing
game ; see below ; (2) — mi. red a pudding up, a children's
singing game ; see below ; (3) la lie until Si. Mary's knot,
to cut the sinews of the hams of an animal, to hamstring.
(i) Ess. Supposed to be sung between mother and daughter and
beginning, ' Mary's gone a milking, a milking, a milking.' Flk-Lore
Rcc. (1880) III. pt. ii. 167. (2) w.Yks. ' Mary mixed a pudding up,
she mixed it very sweet. She daren't stick a knite in till John came
home at neet. Taste John, taste John, don't say n.ny. Perhaps to-
morrow morning will be our wedding-day. The bells shall ring and
we shall sing And all clap hands together (round the ring). . . It's
slippery as a glass; If we go to Mrs. We'll find a nice young lass.
Mary with the rosy cheeks. Catch her if you can ; And if you can-
not catch her, We'll tell you her young man.' A ring is formed bj-
MARY
[46]
MASHELTON
the children joining hands, one child in Ihe centre. The first verse
is sung. Two children from the ring go to the one in the centre
and ask her who is her love. . . After that the rest is sung, Gomme
Games (1894. 368. (3) Sc. Then Dickie into the stable is gane, —
Where there stood thirty horses and three. He has tied them a' wi'
St. Mary's knot, Poel. Miiseuiu ^1784 27 (Jam.;.
3. Ohs. A maid of honour ; a female attendant.
Sc. Wi* the queen and her maries all, To see fair Johnie slain,
KiNLOCH Ballads ;i827' 84 ; Now bear a hand, my Maries a', And
busk me brave and make me fine, Scott Miiisticlsy (ed. 1803)
II. 173; Yestreen the Queen had four Maries, Tlie night she'll hae
but three; There was Marie Seaton and Marie Beaton And Marie
Carmichael and me, tb.
4. A female friend. Ess.'
MARY. MASCALE,MASCEL,MASCELIN,seeMerry,
Maskel, Maslin, sl>.^
MASCHLE, sh. and v. Sc. Also written maslile (Jam.).
[ma'Jl.J 1. sb. A mixture; a state of confusion; also
used cidvb. in a state of confusion. Cf. meeschle.
Bnff.' Sic a maschle's a' thing's in. Cld. What a maschle ye've
made ;Jam.).
2. V. To mix or crumble into a confused mass ; to put
into a state of confusion, to allow to become confused.
Also with !//. BntV.', Cld. (Jam.) Hence Mashlin, />/>/.
ndj. mixed, mingled, blended in a coarse or careless
manner. n.Sc. (Jam.) 3. With up : to be closely con-
nected by marriage and blood relationsliip.
Bnff.' They're a' mas-chlet up thegeethir in that place.
MASE, sb. Or.I. A net with wide meshes made of
twisted straw ropes. Cf. maishie, 2.
It is laid across the back of a horse for fastening on sheaves of
corn, ha}-. Sec. Also for supporting the cassies or straw-baskets
which are borne as panniers one on each side of a horse (Jam.).
MASE, see Maze, Mess, sb.^
MASELDINE, MASENTER. MASER, MASGUM, see
Mashelton, Masoner, Mazer, Marsgum.
MASH, v., sb} and adj. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng.
Also in forms maesh Som. ; mass Cum.* w.Yks. ; mesh
w.Yks. se.Wor.' Glo.' Oxf.' Nrf. n.Wil. ; meysh Lan. ;
niish Suf ; mysh Wm. [maj, mej, mas.] 1. v. To
infuse, as of tea or malt. See Mask, v. 1.
N.Cy.' I'm just about mashing the tea, Lakel.^ Put t'kcttle on
an' mash a sup o tea. Cum. I mass't a cup o' tea, Richardson
Talk (1871) ist S. 25, cd. 1886; Cum.i n.Wm. Let the tea hev
time to mash ^B.K.). n.Yks. l,T.S.\ n.Yks." ne.Yks.' T'tea isn't
quiet masii'd 3'it. w.Yks. Aw sed if he'd stop aw'd mass a sooap
o' teah, Yks. Wkly. Post (May 8, 1897') ; w.Yks.^s, Lan.> Chs.' He
was reeachin t'teapot out o' t'cupboard, to mash his tea, Eaves-
dropper Vill. Life (1869I 18. D;r. Tea'U be mashed soon now,
VEKNEvS/oHefrf^f (1868) xxii. Not.i Lin. Streatfeild ii'ji. mirf
Danes (1884) 344. Lei.^ I suppose as you did as you mostly do,
put the tea in the oven to mash before you went to chapel. War.^^"
s.War.i The tea-pet is set by tlie fire to mash. Shr.' Oxf.' Av
ee mashed. Missis? 71/5. add. s.Oxf. 'Owsomdcver, we must 'ave
our teas now, I ha' mashed it this 'alf hour, Rosemary Chilterns
('895)35- e.An.' Nrf. Jane, ha'yawmeshed thetayit? (W.R.E.)
Suf. (E.G.P.) e.Suf. Have you mished your malt yet? (F.H.)
Hence (i) Mashing, sb. the first putting of hot water to
the malt in brewing; (2) -basket, sb. a wicker strainer
used in brewing; (3) -mundle, (4) -mungle, (5) -staff, (6)
•shovel, sb. an implement used in brewing to stir the
malt; (7) -tub, sb. a tub in which the malt is 'mashed' in
the process of brewing.
(i) w.Yks. Banks IVkJld. JVds. (1865'). (3) Shr.» (3) ib. Used
for stirring the malt in the ' mashing-tub," and the 'drink' in the
' furnace.' (4) Chs.' (5) Shr.' Mashing-stalT, pouch and taps,
Auclwneet'sCalal. (1877). (6; w.Soni.' Having a long handle, with
cross pieces at the end, so that the general appearance is some-
thmg hke a shovel. It is used in stirring up the mash, or wetted
malt, in the act of extracting the w-ort. (7) Shr.' Either round or
oval in form. ' Three oak mashingtubs.' Aiidioneei's Catal.
2. Coiiip. (i) Mash-man, one who has charge of the
'mashing' of malt at a distillery ; (2) -rule, (3) -staff, an
instrument for stirring up the malt in a ' mash-tub ' ; (4)
•tub, (5) -vat or -fat, a large tub in which malt is 'mashed'
for brewing.
(i )Sc. Hewasengaged asamashman at a distillery, Ford Thistle-
down (1891) 295. (,2 Lei.i, Nhp.i, \Var.3 Shr.' ' Mash-rule, ladder,
and sieve,' .^«rf/oH«)-'s CoW. (1875). (3') Shr.* (4) Sc. (A.W.),
w.Yks.', Chs ', Not.' Lin. Stkeatfeild Lin. and Danes (1884) 344;
Lin.', Lei.i, se.Wor.', Shr.^, e.An.', Oxf.' MS. add. n.-Wil. (,E.H.G.)
(5) Sc. ;A.W.) Wm. Ciini. and IVm. Trans. XIII. pt. ii. 266.
Lin. Streatfeild Lin. and Danes (1884) 344. Lei.', Shr."
3. To smash, break ; to crush, bruise ; freq. with tip.
Cum. T'coop-bword top w-as sooa masht up, at t'cottrel was neah
use at oa, SARGISsoNyotf Scort/' I 1881 ) 217 ; Cum.'** Wm. He wcs
o masht ta bits. Spec. Dial. (1885) pt. iii. 41 ; T'aald soo . . . wi er
heead fast in teea piggins an mysht it o ta bits wi tryan ta gitre
heead oot, ib. 4. n.Yks.' There's been a deal o' gran' pankins a'
mashed up here ; n.Yks.* e.Yks.' Don't mash them cooals si
mich. w.Yks. Adam gate so mesht wi't fall, Preston Poems. &c.
(1864") 4 ; w.Yks.^i Lan. Theers . . . four pipes masht, Tim Bob-
bin View Dial. : ed. 1740) 26; O' thi bits o' pots an* sticks mashed
up, Clegg Sketches (1895) 468. ne.Lan.', Der.' Lin An' I claums
an' I mashes the winder bin, Tennyson Ourf Rod ^1889! ; An'
their mashin' their t03-s to pieaces, ib. Spinster's Sueet-arts (1885'.
Hence (i) Mashed-sugar, sb. moist-sugar ; (2) -up, ppl.
adj. exhausted, overcome, knocked up.
(i) Oxf.' (2) Wm. Oor lile Jack was fare masht up, Kendal Cy.
News (Sept. 22, 1888V n.Yks." -A mashcd-up man,' one broken
in constitution. w.Yks. 'Is moother wur fair mashed oop wi'
nursin' 'im (F.P.T.). m.Lan.'
4. Coinp. Mash-mortar, in phr. to hit tip iitio niash-inortar,
to hit into small pieces, to crush utterly. Dor.' 5. To
do anything in a bustling hurry, to rush about.
Wm. Tha mashed offdoon t'turnpike an gataway as fast fas^ivver
Iha cud, Taylor Sketches (1882) 1 1. Lan. Mej-sh at it, lad. Stand-
ing Echoes (1885) 23. ne.Lan.' He com mashin' doun. Lin.'
6. To measure, cut olT.
w.Yks.* Gi'e us that length o' band ah sawah . . . an' lets mash
a bit to tee me boit wi', 51.
7. sb. Heat, a condition of heat and perspiration.
w.Hrt. Not infrequently used . . . some twenty 3'ear5 since.
' I'm all in a mash,' was a common exclamation of the haymaker or
harvest-man. A', if Q. (1880) 6th S. ii. 197.
8. A smash ; a soft pulpy heap, a fragmentary mass, a
mess ; /?§•. a muddle, mistake.
s.Sc. A' the mash o' pleasures punyThatfraeitfa',T. Scott Porws
(1793) 318. Cum. In vice will bang them aw to mash, Rayson
Poems (.1839: 34; Cum.', n.Yks. (W.H ) e.Yks.' He's throdden
on it, an noo it's nowt bud a mash. nw.Der.'
Hence Mashment, sb. anything cut up and mixed
together; /ig. a muddle, 'hash.'
Wm. I sud meak mashment on't, Wheeler Dial. (1790) 79.
ns.Lan.'
9. A mason's large hammer; ahammer used for breaking
stones. Also in coDip. Mash-hamnier.
Cai.', Abd. (Jam.) Lnk. Hurrah for the clink o' the mash an'.
the dourer, CoGHiLL PofHis (i8goj 83. Nhb.' n.Yks. A hammer
with double cutting edge (the head more than 6 inches long), Whin-
stone Quarries (C.V.Cl.
10. The thread of a screw. Wor. (H.K.), Hrf.'', Glo.'
11. A term of admiration for anything fine, esp. of dress.
w.Yks. O just look, izntthat a mash! Ai, that iz a mash (W.H.).
12. adj. Hot, warm.
Bdf. ' When the oak is before the ash The summer will be dry
and mash.' No other use of the word ' mash ' in the sense of hot
could be obtained in the same district, A'. CfQ. (1880^ 5th S. ii. 113.
MASH, si.= Lan. Suf. Cor. [maf, masj.] A large
quantitj', a considerable number; a mass.
Lan.' ne.Lan.' We hod a mash on it. Suf. (C.T.) Cor. A
called the poor doctor a mashes of names, J. Trenoodle Spec.
Dial. (1846, 29; Cor.'; Cor." Mashes cf mait.
MASH, see Marsh, s6.'. Mesh.
MASH-CORNS, si.//. Irel. Also in form mashy-corns.
The roots of the silvcrweed, Potentilla anseriita.
N.I.' The root is roasted and eaten. It tastes much like a parsnip.
Tyr. Science Gossip (1881) 278.
MASHELGEM, see Mashelton.
MASHELMENT, sb. ne.Lan.' [ma'/lment.] Wheat
and barley grown and ground together. See Maslin, sb.^
MASHELTON, si. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Yks. Lin. Also in
forms maseldine Lin.; mashelgem, mashelshon ne.Yks.';
mashelson n.Yks.' ne.Yks.' e.Yks. ; masheltum Lakel." ;
maslegin w.Yks.''; masselgeni N.Cj'.' Nhb.'; masselgin
Dur.' ; masseljam Nhb.' ; masselton Cum.'; massledine
MASHER
[47]
MASK(E
e.Yks. ; masslegin Yks. w.Yks.': masslinjem Nhb.';
niastlegin w.Yks.^ ; iiieshTtun w.Yks. [majltan.]
1. Mixed corn, a mixture of dift'erent kinds of grain or
of their flour or meal, esp. of wheat and rye. Also used
aitrib. See Maslin, sb}
N.Cy.i Nhb. ' Wheaten meal and rj-e meal mixed for brown
bread. The grain is often grown together and mixes in threshing,
and is generally baked with leaven. Dur.' Lakel.^ A mixture of
wheat, rye, and barley. Cum. Keall O' masselton pez o' dark grey,
Dickinson Ctiiiibr. (1876 243. Yks. Grose (1790; .^/5. add. (P.)
n.Yks.' Applied to the purpose of making brown bread ; n.Yks.*,
ne.Yks.' e.Yks. Marshall Rtir. Econ. (1788) ; One halfe . . .
sowne with massledine, and the other with cleane wheate. Best
Rm: Eton. ^1641) 43. w.Yks. Banks iFkfld. ll^ds. {1865); Watson
Nist. Hlfx. (1775) 542; w.Yks.'"; w.Yks.s A mixture of rye and
wheat, used for the making of brown bread. The two kinds of seed
are generally sown together, requiring light land, however, for
the purpose. Lin. Gent. Mag. (1861) pt. ii. 506.
Hence Masseltonbatch, sb. a sack of mixed grain
ready for being ground.
Cum. A masselton batch will be sent off to t'mill, Dickinson
Ciiinbi: (1876) 254 ; Cum.'
2. Phr. lo make luaslielton of anyHiiiig, to do anything
imperfectly, to make a muddle of, to bungle.
Nhb.' Thoo's mjed reg'lar masseljam on't this time. n.Yks.'
To make mashelton of one's discourse is to put fine and vulgar
words together. ne.Yks.' They can mak nowt bud mashelshon
on't [said of ignorant persons trying to speak in a refined manner].
MASHER, see Masker, v.
MASHES, 5*.//. ne.Yks.' [ma'Jsz.] A kind of gaiters,
(s.v. Gamashes).
MASHIEjsA. So. [nia'Ji.] Aparticular kind of golf-club.
Fif. Tarn . . . made a tremendous drive, and alack ! the ba' landed
in the valley. When he got doon a squeeky voice was cryin',
' Use yer mashie,' M'Laren Tibbie (1894) 87.
MASHIE, MASHLE, see Maishie, Maschle.
MASHLIE, s6. Sc. (Jam.) [ma'JIi.] 1. Mixed grain ;
gen. peas and oats. See Mashlum. 2. The broken
parts of a moss. n.Sc. Hence Mashlie-moss, si. a moss
that is much broken up.
16. One in which the substance is so loose that peats cannot be
cast ; but the dross or mashlie is dried and used for the back of a
fire on the hearth.
MASHLOCH, sb. and adj. Obs. Sc. Also in forms
maischloch(jAM.); mashlach; mashlichfjAM.); mashloc;
mashlock (Jam.). [ma'Jlax.] 1- sb. Mixed grain, gen.
peas and oats. Sc. (Jam.) See Maslin, si.', Mashlum.
2. Obs. A coarse kind of bread.
Sc. Ne'er mint at baking another bannock as lang's there's a
mouthfu' o' mashlock (bread made nearly all of bran) to be had in
the township, Si. Jo/insloiin, II. 37 (Jam.) ; [Edinburgh] citizens
had four kinds of wheaten bread ; the finest called manchet, . .
the fourth . . . mashloc, Francisque-Michel Lang. (1882) 54.
3. adj. Promiscuous, mingled.
Bnfr. Thus gaed on the mashlach fecht, Taylor Poems (17B7) 25.
MASHLUM, sb. and adj. Sc. Yks. Lin. Also in forms
mashlam Sc. ; mashlin Sc. (Jam.) ne.Yks.' Lin. [ma'Jlsm.]
1. sb. Mixed grain ; the flour or meal of different kinds
of corn. See Maschle, Maslin, s6.'
Sc. Gen. pease and oats (Jam.) ; Morton Cycle. Agiic. (1863).
Cld. (Jam.) Rnf. Mashlin, per boll, CZ os. od. Scots, Hector
Judic. Records (1876) 338. Lnl. 20 stacks of oats, and 5 stacks
mashlum, secured in splendid condition, Falkiih Herald (Oct. 28,
1899'. ne.Yks.' (s.v. Mashelson). Lin. Wheat and rye mixed,
Gent. Mag. (1861) pt. ii. 506.
2. A mixture of any kind of edibles. Cld. (Jam.) S. adj.
Mixed ; made from different kinds of grain.
Sc. The mashlum bannocks will suit their muirland stamachs,
Scott Old Mor/alily(i8i6' xx. s.Sc. The mashlam bannock is amang
the meal, Wilson Tales (,1839) V. 220. Cld. Mashlin meal (Jam ).
Rnf. His away taking . . . ane burden of mashlum corn from his
neighbour. Hector Judic. Records (i8-]6) 196. Ayr. I'll be his debt
twa mashlum bannocks. Burns Author's Earnest Cry (1786) st. 20.
MASK, si.' Yks. War. [mask, maesk.] 1. The face,
without any idea of disguise.
n.Yks.* ne.Yks.' Sha'U tak' thi mask for tha [She will photo-
graph you].
2. A hunting term for a fox's head.
n.Yks.*, ne.Yks.' War.^ The fo.x ' set his mask straight for the
hills,' Mordaunt & Verney IVar. Hunt {\8g6) II. 212.
MASK, si.' Sc. Suf Sus. 1. A quantity ; a mass. See
Mash, si."
Frf. There was a great mask o' things in't, Barrie Thrums (1889)
xiv ; I thought of ' mask,' but that would mean the kiik was
crammed, ib. Tommy (^1896) xxxvii. Suf. (C.T. ) e.Suf. Used by
the old only (F.H.).
2. Phr. lo be one mask, to be completely covered with
anj'thing.
Sus.' GfH. mud or blood. 'Why! you're one mask ! Wherever
have you been ? '
MASK, sb.^ Cor. The mast of a ship.
e.Cor. Look at es mask, es ropes, Daniel Poems.
MASK, V. Sc. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Yks. [mask.] 1. To
infuse, as of tea or malt. See Mash, v. 1.
Sc. I hope your honours will take tea before ye gang to the
palace, and I maun gang and mask it for 30U, Scorr IVaverleyiiSi^)
xlii. Sh.I. Till mammie hangs the little pot, And granny masks
the tea, Sh. News (Sept. 10, 1898). ne.Sc. He puts on the fire,
an' even masks my drap tea. Grant KcckUtott. 98. Cai.' Abd.
A starn o' gweed maut, maskit i' 3'er nain bowie, Alexander
Johjiny Gibb 1,1871') xxx. Per. Milkin'the coo, Or maskin'the tea,
Haliburton Ochil Idylls (1891) 107. Fif. Fry some ham an' eggs,
an' mask a cup o' tea, Robertson Provost (18941 i'6. Ayr. Mrs.
Baldwhidder had just infused (or masket) the tea. Galt Ann.
Parish (1821) vii. Lnk. Five pecks o' maut masket in the meikle
kirn, Graham Ifritings (1B83) II. 14. Edb. The auld wife sleely
masks the tea, Glass Cal. Parnassus (1812) 9. Kcb. I hope that
for His sake who brewed and masked this cup in Heaven, ye will
gladly drink, RuTHEBroRD Lett. (1660) No. 287. N.Cy.' Nhb.'
Wor aad wife's ganna mask the tye. Cum. While the tea's maskin'
fJ.Ar.) ; Cum.', n.Yks.'*, ne.Yks.i, m.Yks.' w.Yks. Mask yon
bit o' teca (J.T.F.V
Hence (i) Masked, ///.f/f^'. infused, drawn; (2) Masking,
sb. an infusion, a sufficient quantity of tea, &c., for an
infusion ; (3) -fat, (4) -loom, si. a brewing utensil, a mash-
tub ; (5) -pat, sb. a teapot ; (6) -rung, sb. a rod for stirring
malt in the mash-tub.
(i) Sc. Miss Jennet had poured away the over-masked tea and
infused it afresh, Keith Bonnie Lady (1897J 137. 1,2) Sh.I. Der's
nae wy ta get a maskin' o' tea unless da Lord sends it, Stewart
Tales (18921 48 ; S. & Ork.' Abd. Steep a maskin' for the New
Year's yill, Guidman Ingtismaill (1873,1 30. Cld. (Jam.), Nhb.^ (3)
Sh.I. Drowned in his own masking-fat. Scott Pirate (1822) xxiv.
Far. Lawson Bk. oj Per. (1847) 205. Rnf. Ane maskene-fatt, ane
fetterit lok, Harp (1819) loi. Gall. In the new hall ... a
masken isM, Inventory oJ Caerlavetock (1640) in Nicholson iVii/.
Tales (18431 266. (4') Sc. Herd Colt. Sngs. f 1776) Gl. Ayr. I did
put in my masking loom, Amang the malt, aft locks o' broom,
Fisher Poems (17901 60. Lnk. That she stowed in her masking-
loom, Ramsay Poems (1721) 20. (5^ Frf. What maist concerns my
tale e'noo Is Mysie's maskin'-pat. Watt Por/. SAf/f/;fS (1880) 21.
Per. Lawson Bk. oJ Per. (18471 205. Ayr. Then up they gat the
maskin-pat, Burns When Guildjord good, st. i. e.Ltb. Folk wadna
drink the like o't noo, they wad say it was the syndins o' the
maskin-pat, Hunter/. Imrick (1895) 146. (61 Sc. (Jam.) Abd.
Aul' Kate brought ben the maskin' rung, Cock 5VmrHs( 1810) II. 136.
2. Comp. Mask-fat, a brewing utensil, a mash-tub.
Dur. Raine Charters, &c. Finchale (1837') 78.
3. To be in preparation, to be in process of production ;
of rain, wind, or storm : to be preparing for, to be ' brew-
ing' ; freq. with ttp.
Bnff.' It's maskin' up for anither shoor. Ayr. I could see that
he was maskin' for the pocks. Service Dr. Duguid {ed. 1887) 116.
Gall. Mirky cluds in the south-wast Are masking up a blashy blast,
Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 364, ed. 1876. 'Yks. The sky masks
for better weather (C.C.R.). n.Yks.' It's masking for thunder.
[1. Sw. mdska, to mash for beer (Widegren) ; Dan.
mivske (Larsen) ; Norw. dial, mask, grains (Aasen).]
MASK, see Marsk, Mass, tb.'^
MASKiE, sb. and v. Sc Yks. Chs. [mask.] L sb.
A mesh of a net.
Bnff.' n.Yks. Two Newport men for fishing with a net of which
every maske was not two inches broad and one inch long, Quarter
Sess. Rec. (Apr. 20, 1669) in A^. R. Rec. Soc. VII. 134. Chs.'^^
2. A crib for catching fish.
Sc. (Jam.) Sh.I. Dey can geng alT an' get der nets whin we
widna get a mask, Sh. News (Sept. 9, 1899).
MASKEL
[48]
MASON ER
3. V. To catch in a net.
Ayr. A fish is said to be maskit (Jam.).
[1. Maske of ncttc, iiiaciila, Prompt. OE. }tiax, net
(Sweet); Dan. maske, a mesli (Larsen).]
MASKEL, sb. Soni. Dev. Also written mascel Dev. ;
inaskell nw.Dev.' ; and in forms mahlscrall, mal-scral,
maltscale, marlyscrarly, mascale Dev. ; maskill n.Dev. ;
maul scrawl s.Dev.; inawl-scrawl w.Som.'; muskel Dev.'
[mEB'sld, m9lslir9l.] 1. The common green caterpillar.
Cf. maleshag.
w.Som.' We shan't ha' no gooseberries dee year hardly, vor
the mawl-scrau'ls. Dev. Cabbages at this time of the year are
generally full of malil-scralls, Reports P> ovine. {iW^) 99; Thagiize-
berry bushes be acovered awl awver \vi' malscrals, Hewett Peas.
Sp. (18921; You knows no more than amarly-scrarly, Black.more
ChriitoivcU \ 1 88 r ^ .xx.wi ; IioraeStibsecivae{i 777 ' 265 ; A'. & Q. (1856)
and S.i. 143; Dev.'Imeend when it went against her to kill a muskel
or an oakweb, 54. n.Dev. Cubabys be good, an' maskills too, Rock
Jim an Nell < 1867) st. 124. nw.Dev.', s.Dev. (F.W.C.)
2. A small shrivelled apple.
w.Som.i 1 thort we should a had some cider, but they [the apples]
be all a turned to maw-i-scrawls.
MASKER, sb. \Vm. [ma'sksr.] A mummer, guiser.
At Kursmas teea, ther was t'maskers, Southey Doctor (ed.
1848, 559.
MASKER, V. n.Cy. Yks. Chs. Stf. Der. Lm. Shr.
Also in form masher Stf [ma-sk3(r.] 1. To render
giddy, senseless ; geii. in pp. confused, bewildered, as by
losing one's way in fog, snow, or darkness.
n.Cy. Grose (1790") MS. add. (P.l Chs.^ He were welly mas-
kered. Stf. Ray 1 1691I MS. add. (J.C.) Der. Addy Gl. (1888) ;
Der.°, uw.Der.' Shr.' It wuz a great mercy the poor fellow wunna
lost — 'e got maskered i' the snow-storm o' the 'ill. Maskered wuth
the mon's talk ; Slir.' Sich a dark neet I was masker'd like. Gid
him a lick as quite masker'd him.
2. To choke, stifle.
n.Cy. Grose (1790") MS. add. (P.) Chs.' A crop overgrown with
weeds would be said to be ' maskert wi' weed.' Clis.^ s.Chs.*
Ahy m wel'i maas'kurt wi flem [I'm welly maskert wi' flem]. Mi
fee'dhur z gotn sich' u baad' kof; ee kofs sumtahymz lahyk uz iv
ee)d maas'kur [My feether's gotten sich a bad cough; he coughs
sometimes like as if he'd masker].
3. To decay ; to rust.
w.Yks.' Stee wer rosseled, fram, gor an masker'd, ii. 287. n.Lln.'
Th' sap of oak soon maskers all awaay to noht. Them ohd iron
spools is that masker d thaay weant hohd waiter at all.
[1. ME. nialskren, to bewilder, to be bewildered (Matz-
ner).]
MASKERT, sb. Sc. (Jam.) The marsh-betony or
clown's all-heal, Slachys pahtsiris. Cf. marsh-woundwort,
s.v. Marsh, s6.' 2.
MASKILL, see Maskel.
MASKINS, sb. pi. Yks. Lan. Der. Also in form
meskins w.Yks.' [ma'skinz.] In phr. by the niaskins, an
oath, exclamation, by the Mass ! See Mass, si.' 3.
w.'ifks.' By t'meskins, — I wad ayther a geen him a girt clout our
t'heead, or degg'd him, ii. 293. Lan. By th' maskins, Jone, theawst
pleost meh well. Ridings Vl/H5f (1853) 21; It's her, by the mas-
kins ! Brierley Cast upon IVoild (1886) 266 ; Neaw, byth' mas-
kins, if I be naw fast ! Tim Bobbin View Dial, (ed, 1806) 9. nw.Der.'
[By the Maskins I would give the best cow in my yard,
to find out this raskall. Baron Cyprian Academy 1 1647)
bk. I. 53 ; By the meskin, methought they were so, indeed,
CiiAi'.MAN May-dav (1611 1 iv. iv, in Plays (ed. 1874) 301.]
MASKIS, sb. Sc. A mastiff. See Masty, sb.
Slk. The maskis will not move his tongue, Hogg Poems (ed.
i865'i 329.
MASLEGIN, see Mashelton.
MASLEY, adj. Glo.' [mse'zli.] Of wood : knotty,
(s.v. Mazzerdy.)
MASLIN, s6.' In gen. dial, use in Sc. and Eng. Also
in forms masceline n.Yks.^ ; measlin Nhp.'; meslin Sc.
(Jam.) n.Cy. n.Yks.' ne.Yks.' e.Yks. Der. Lin.' n.Lin.'
Nhp.'e.An.' Nrf. Suf. w.Som.' ; mezlin Chs.' ; mislon Ess.
rma'zlin,mezlin.] 1. Mi.xed corn, a mi.xture of different
kinds of grain or of their flour or meal, esp. of wheat
and rye.
w.Sc. SiBBALD Gl. (1702) (Jam.). n.Cy. Morton Cydo. Agnc.
(1863^ Nlib. February is the best and safest seed time for wheat,
maslin and rye, Marshall 7?mfZ£/ (1808) I. 76; Nhb.'Wheatenmeal
and rye meal mixed for brown bread. The grain is often grown
together and mixes in threshing and is generallybaked with leaven
(s.v. Masslinjem). Dur.' (s.v. Masselgin). n.Yks.' (s v. Mashelson) ;
n.Yks.^ A mixture of wheat, rye. &c. in a mash. ne.Yks.' e.Yks.
MARSHALLy?H)'.AVo)i.( 1 788) (s.v. Mashelson). w.Vks.' Lan. Davies
/?afis (1856) 279. Chs.' A custom quiteout of fashion now. Der.
Meal and meslin fill'd a carved ark, Furn ess i)/a//c//s( 1836) 21. Lin.^
A mixture of wheat and oats. n.Lin.^ Obsol. Nlip.' Obs. ; Nhp.^
War. Ray (1691) 71/5. add. (J.C.) Hrt. Mustin [i/c], Ellis Mod.
Hush. (1750) V. i. 38. Bdf. Bread made of various kinds of flour,
Batchelor .^Hfl/. £;;^. /.««^. (1809) 138. e.An.' Suf. Rainbird
Agric. (1819) 296, ed. 1849. Ess. Paid lor a boushel of mislon and
half a boushel of whet for James Rorsbrock o. 7. 2, Colne Over-
seers' Accounts (i7i4\ w.Som. ^ Mixture of wheat, barley, and oats
— often sown upon odd corners for poultry or game.
2. Comp. (i) Meslin-bird, the fieldfare, Tiirdiis pilaris \
(2) -bread, bread made from the mixed flour or meal of
different kinds of grain ; (3) -corn, mixed corn.
(i) Nrf. Cozens-Hardy Broad Nrf. (1893) 51. (2) e.An.*
Fifty years ago . . . the household bread of the common farm-houses
in those districts was made of rye. Meslin bread, made with equal
quantities of wheat and rye, was for the master's table only. Suf.
Rainbird Agric. (1819) 296, ed. 1849. (3) w.Som. ^
[1. The tother for one loafe have twaine. Of mastlin, of
rie, or of wheate, Tusser Hiisb. (1580) 145; Mastiljon,
'mixtilio,' Cath. Angl. (1483). MDu. niasleltiiii, viasteltiyn,
a mixture of wheat and rye in equal proportions (Oude-
MANS).]
MASLIN, si.= Yks. Chs. Lei. War. Wor. Shr. Ken.
Also in form meslin Shr.' [ma'zlin.] 1. A mixed
metal, brass ; gen. used atlrib.
Chs. ij Maslyn basens, Inventoiy (161 1"; in Local Gteaniiigs(Feb.
1880) VIII. 300; Chs.' An alloy of copper with some harder metal.
Formerly in use. . . An old spoon, apparently made of some alloy
of copper, not brass, but more like gold in appearance, which the
grandfather of m3' informant spoke of some fifty years since as a
masiin spoon. War. Brass vessels for boiling fruit, Sec, are called
maslin pans in the Birmingham trade. A'. & Q. (1882 1 6th S. vi. 158.
Wor. This name [maslin pans] is given in and about Stourbridge
to brass pans or kettles used for preserving fruit, ib. (1884) 6th S,
X. 289. Wor. , Shr. Maslin pans . . . were made in the seventeenth
century at Coalbrookdale and Stourbridge, and the word 'maslin '
was and is common, ib. (1891) 7th S. xi. 83. Ken. Maslin-pots,
three-legged pots made of the same metal as tops [bell-metal], ib.
(1854) 1st S. x. 393.
Hence Maslin.kettle, sb. a large vessel used to preserve
fruit in or to boil milk.
Lei.' Either shallow or deep, for boiling milk in. War.*; War.^
A maslin kettle was an indispensable article in the jam-making
season, and in many houses was used almost solely for this pur-
pose. Wor. Maslin kettle, Auction Catalogue, Castle Morion (1819).
w.Wor.' Made of zinc and copper. s.Wor. (H.K.), Shr.'
2. A vessel or pot made of mixed metal.
w.Yks. '^ A small saucepan, ^o<. made of brass. War. Cast iron
enamelled goods [for boiling fruit, &c.] are also called maslins,
A^. & Q. (1882) 6th S. vi. 158. Ken. An old brazier informs me
that three-legged pots made of the same metal as tops, generally
called bell-metal, were formerly known as maslins, ib. (1854) 1st
S. X. 393.
[1. pe wyndowes wern y-mad of iaspre • • . J^e leues were
masalyne, Sir Fenimbras (c. 1380) 1327. OE. ma'stling, a
kind of brass (B.T.) ; (Nhb.) mcrslen, ' jes ' (John ii. 15).]
MASON-DUE, see Maisondieu.
MASONER, sb. and v. Yks. Lin. Lei. War. Won Glo.
Oxf Sus. Also in forms maisenter Oxf ' : masenter
War.* s.War.' ; masonter s.Wor.' se.Wor.' Glo.' ; meea-
sonern.Yks.*; mesenter War.* [me'S3na(r),mes3nt3(r).]
1. sb. A mason ; a bricklayer.
n.Yks.'' n.Lin.i Them Smiths hes been maas'ners hereabools
for oher a hutulerd year whativer moore. sw.Lin.' The masoners
can't come while next week. Lei.', V/a.r.'^^'^, s.War.' s.Wor.
Why, Ted's pretty nigh a masonter got (H.K.) ; s.Wor.', se.Wor.',
Glo.', Oxf.', Sus.'
2. V. To do the work of a mason.
s.Wor. A wuz on a masonterin' thur a' las' wik CH.K.).
[The forms with -ter are due to association with car-
penter.^
MASON-WORD
[49]
MASTER
MASON-WORD, 56. Wbs. Sc. A masonic pass-
word.
Per. The Mason-word (one sa3-s) I know as plain As any Brother
in the Mason's train, Nicol Pof»is / 1766) 83. Gall. 'Tis given out,
that when he took the Mason word, he devoted his first child to
the Devil, Telfar Tnie Relation of an Apl>arilion, &c. (1695'! in
Nicholson //is/. Ta/fs (,18431 7.
MASON Y, V. Som. Dev. To work as a mason, to
follow the trade of a mason.
w.Som.i The trade of a mason 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. ' I did'n know you was
able to masony [mae'usnee].' ' I sar'd my perntice to the hutching,
but now I do masony.' nw.Dev.i
MASQUET, ppl. adj. w.Cy. In phr. to go a iiiasqiief, to
lose one's way. See Masker, v.
O sir, do'ee please come down, the gentleman has gone a
masquet, his beard and his hair be full of conker-bells, and he's
most ago, Thornton R/min. (1897) vi.
MASS, sb} Sc. Irel. n.Cy. Cum. Wni. Yks. Lan. Stf.
Der. Rut. Also written mas Sc. ; and in forms mes Sc. ;
mess Sc. n.Cy. Cum.'34 Wm. Yks. Stf.» Der.= nw.Der.^;
mex Cum.' ; miss Sc. Lan. [mas, mes.] 1. In comb.
(i) Mass John, a clergyman or minister of religion;
(2) -man, a Roman Catholic.
(i) Sc. Mess John ty'd up the marriage bands, Ramsay Tea- Table
Misc. (17241 I. 9, ed. 1871. BnfF.This letter than read grave Mess
John, Taylor Poems (,1787) 95. Bch. To draw a weapon at the
last. That sticks Mass John, Forbes Z)om/i'k/'i?( 1785) 25. Abd. Mess
John himsel' sometimes got knocks nae to his mind, Anderson
Rhymes (ed. 1867) 58. Frf. Hurrah for the bridal day. Mess John,
and the dancers, Johnston Po«;«s (1869J 178. Per. He is gone to
call Miss John To join our hands, and make us one, Nicol Poems
(1766) 161. Dmb. In the place Whare Mess John draps water on
their face, Taylor Poems {i82-j) 43. Rnf. Barr Poems i iS6i 1 13.
Ayr. The pulpit whaur the gude Mess John His wig did weekly
wag, AiNSLiE Land of Burns (ed. 18921 78. Lnk. We had nae
ministers than but priests, Mess Johns, Black Friers and White
Friers, Graham Writings (1883) l\. 134. Lth. Lumsden S/ieep-
h/ad (iSga) 108. Edb. The wacfu' scald o' our Mess John. Fer-
GussoN /"ocxjs (1773) 162, ed. 1785. Peb. With greater sway Than
even the little great Mass John, Lintoiin Green i 1685) 21, cd. 1817.
Gall. At the manse, as they cam' by, Bespakc Mess John, the
knot to tie, Nicholson Poet. Wis. (1814) 75, ed. 1897. Wgt. The
would-be Benedict went to Mess John to acquaint him with his
matrimonial intentions, Fraser Wigtown (,1877) 347. (21 Ir. He
was not a Mass-man, he was a Protestant, Time Mar. 1889) 318.
2. A title prefixed to the Christian name of a minister of
religion.
So. Mes Davie Mortoun blest them in the dawing, Maidment
Pasquils (1868) 188 ; Blessed be God, Mass James, that sent you
to my house, Pitcairn Assembly (1766) 9 ; Cameronian preachers
were so styled, . . as Mas David Williamson, Mas John King,
N. &> Q. (1852) ist S. V. 322. Lnk. At last Mess John Hill hears
of the horrid action, Graham Writings (1883) H. 20. Gall. Never
a chiel has been fit to be the minister o' Balmaghie since auld
Mess Hairry died ! Crockett Standard Bearer (1898) 117.
3. An oath, exclamation. Also in phr. amass, by the mass.
See By, prep. 16. Cf megs.
Fif. Mass ! I'm glad to see j'ou here, Tennant Papistry (1827)
20. n.Cy. (J.L. 1783) ; Grose (1790) MS. add. (P.) Cum. Mess
lad, but he'll keep them aw busy, Anderson Ballads (18051 7 ;
' Why don't you take off your hat to me, boy ? ' 'If you please,
sir, if you'll hod teaa cofe, amass I will,' Dickinson Cunibr. (1876)
271 ; Cum.' Amess it is ; Cum.^ Ey, mess ! I was warn't gaily
weel, 180; Cum.* ' Yeh dunnot mean teh tell meh ... at j'eh ha
sebbenty wives ?' . . . 'Vis, amess hevee.' Sargisson Joe Scoap
(1881) 177. Cum., Wm. Mostly in connexion with a comic threat.
'Mess, but aa'l warm thee!' (M.P.) Wm. An mass I'll be soa
tea, er I'll try, Wheeler Dial. VI790 21, ed. 1821. s.Wm. By
th' mess I hennet seen yan, HunoN Dial. Storth and Arnside {i-]6o)
I. 32. Yks. (J.W.) Lan. By th' mass, Aw'll suffer like a fatted
cawf t' be kilt. Doherty A'. Barlow (1884) 18; By th' mass, yoad
neerhahadsitchyure as that if yoar ideos hadn't awtert its growth,
Staton Three Graces,^; By th' miss th' owd story ogen, Tim Bobbin
View Dial. (ed. 1806) 14. Stf.' Der. Grose (1790) ; Der.'^, nw.Der.',
Rut.'
VOL. IV.
4. Phr. (i) mass and meat, prayers and food ; (2) to miss
mass but hit the gathering, to nearly do something.
(i) Fif. Let's leave them at their mass and meat, And look about
anither gate, Tennant Papistry (1837) 134. (2) N.I.' If ye missed
mass ye hut the gatherin'.
[Messe or masse, Missa, Prompt. OE. masse (B.T.) ;
OFv. iiiesse {LaCvkne); O'N.messa (Vicfusson). 3. Mass,
thou lovedst plums well, that wouldst venture so, Shaks.
2 Hen. VI, II. i. loi.]
MASS, 56.= and v. Shr. "Wil. Som. Dev. Also in forms
maas s.Dev. ; mace Som. w.Som.' ; mask Shr.' Wil.'
Dev.* ; mess w.Dev. 1. sb. Mast, the fruit of the oak,
Qiterciis robiir, or of the beech, Fagiis sylvatica.
Shr.' Theer's a good 'it o' mass this 'ear — rar' raps fur the pigs
an'gis. Som. Jennings 06s. /);«/. a'.fH^. (1825). w.Som.' Mae'us
bee tuur'bl skee'us dee yuur- [acorns are very scarce this year].
Dev.* n.Dev. Grose (1790). w.Dev. Marshall /?»>-. Econ. (1796).
s.Dev. (F.W.C.)
2. V. To search for or collect acorns.
Wil.' w.Som.' Can't keep the pheasants home nohow — they
be macin' and blackberrin' all over the place.
MASS, sb.^ Slk. (Jam.) Pride, haughtiness, self-conceit.
See Massy, 2.
MASS, see Mash, v., Master, s6.'
MASSACREE, v. Nhb. Cum. Yks. Lan. Chs. Not. Lei.
War. Oxf Som. Also in forms niarcycree Nhb.'; marcy-
kree Nhb. ; mercycree Nhb.' [ma'sskrl.] To massacre,
butcher, kill ; to destroy life by accident.
Nhb. Then Petticoat Robin jumpt up agyen, Wiv's gully to
marcykree huz aw, Allan Tyneside Sngs. (1891) 96 ; Nhb.', Cum.',
w.Yks.', ne.Lan.' Chs.' An old shepherd objected to some canal
scourings being placed on a meadow where ewes were lambing,
lest the young lambs should flounder into the soft mud and be
' massacreed.' Not.' Lei.' Ah'U massacree ye, my lad}', next
toime as I ketch a holt on ye. War.^ I'll massacree them cats ;
War.3 Oxf.' I'll massacree tha, MS. add. w.Som.' To think that
so many o' they poor little chillern should a bin a massacreed
like that.
MASSARD, MASSELGEM, MASSELGIN, MASSEL-
JAM, MASSELTON, see Mazzard, sb.'^, Mashelton.
MASSER, sA.' Obs. Lan. Lei. 1. A shopkeeper,
mercer. Lan. (K.) 2. A merchant. Lei. ih.
MASSER, 56.* Som. A privy, jakes. (Hall.)
MASSLEDINE, MASSLEGIN, MASSLINJEM, see
Mashelton.
MASSLINN, sb. Suf [mae'slin.] The mistletoe, Vis-
cuin album. Science Gossip (1882) 215.
MASS WEBB, see Mouse-web.
MASSY, adj. Sc. Nhb. Cum. [ma'si.] 1. Massive,
bulky, strong ; big.
Sc. Elsie's neives are massy, Outram Lyn'cs (1887) 125. n.Sc.
He grasped his sword sae mass}', Buchan Ballads (ed. 1875) II.
64. Frf. Come on. my massy cudgel soon you'll feel, Morison
Poems (1790) 1 71. Rnf. Her mass}' nose like Etna glows, M^'Gilvr ay
Poems i^ed. 1862) 319. Ayr. Aft clad in massy siller weed. Burns
Sc. Drink (1786) St. 7. Lnk. A massy punch-bowl, wi' a braw
mounted cap, Rodger Poems (1838) 14, ed. 1897. Lth. How glad
each joyful soul Will fill the Poet's massy bowl, Tho.mson Poems
(1819) 217. Edb. Let massie clouds form the Cimmerian night,
Pennecuik Helicon (1720) 166. Nhb.'
2. Self-important, conceited ; boastful, bragging. Also
used advb.
Sc. I hae broken his head or now, for as massy as he's riding
ahint us, Scott Old Mortality (18161 xiv. Lnk. My gentleman gets
in and talks very massy aboot the grand job Government was
lookin' oot for him, Eraser Whnnps (1895) xiii. Slk. Cocking
his tail sae massy like, Hogg Tales (1838) 53, ed. 1866. Nhb.'
He's a massy fellow. Cum.* ' He's a massy independent fellow ' ;
a term used by a girl who turns up her nose at the old lover.
MASSY, MAST, see Mercy, Must, sb.^
MASTEL, sA. Obs. Cum.'* A patch or border of an
arable field never ploughed.
MASTEN, sb. Sh.I. A mast. S. & Ork.'
[Dan. ntasten, the mast (with postpositive article).]
MASTER, s6.', adj., adv. and i'. Var. dial, uses in Sc.
Irel. and Eng. Also in forms maaster n.Yks.* w.Yks.;
maasther n.Yks.* ; mace Wil.'; maester Sh.I. ; maestur
Shr.'; maisWil.'; maisterSc. N.Cy.' Nhb.' Dur.' Lakel.'
II
MASTER
L50]
MASTER
Cum.>*n.YUs.'* e.Yks. w.Yks.' n.Lin.' Nhp.' Shr.' Hnt.
Sur. Dor. w.Som.' ; niaisther n.Yks.= e.Yks.' ; marster
Ess.> ; mas Soin. w.Som.' ; mass Ken.' ; mayster Brks.';
nieaster Lan. Der.^ Lin. Dor. : meeaster n.Yks." ; mester
Sh.I. n.Ir. n.Cy. w.Yks.^ Chs.' s.Chs.' nw.Der.' Not.
sw.Lin.' ; mesther Chs.' ; mestur Lan. [mesta(r, mess-
t3(r, me-stair.] 1. sb. In coiiib. (1) Master-beast, the
most powerful beast in a herd, the leader of a herd ; /ig.
the most influential person, the victor, winner ; (2) -bee,
the queen-bee ; (3) -bullock, see (i); (4) -cow, the leading
cow of a herd ; (5) -daddy, a troublesome child, one who
tries to get the upper hand ; (6) -drain, a principal drain ;
(7) -fule, a champion ass ; (8) -handle, the left handle of
a plough ; (9) -heap, the largest portion, the highest heap ;
(10) -keeper, an officer of the New Forest; (11) -man, (a)
an artisan or tradesman who sets up for himself, an
employer ; an overlooker, ruler, governor ; (b) the head
of a family or household, a husband ; (c) a person of self-
willed and violent temper ; (12) -pen, the chief feather of
a bird ; (13) -pig, the largest and strongest pig in a sty ;
(14) shifter, an official who has responsible charge of a
mine or portion of a mine in his shift during the absence of
the overman; (15) -swingle-tree, see (17); (16) -tail, see (8);
(17) -tree, the swingle-tree of a plough ; the large spreader
of a harrow ; (18) -wasteman, an official in charge of the
ventilation of a mine ; (19) -wood, the principal beams of
wood in the roof of a house; that part of the roof-timber
of a farm building which has been put in at the expense
of the proprietor; (20) -work, a certain amount of work
on the ' mains ' farm exacted from the neighbouring
tenants of small holdings.
(i) n.Yks.* His wife's t'maisther-beeast. n.Lin.^ He's th'maister
beast at . Iv'ry body but one or two e' th' parish is sewer to
voate that way he tells 'em. Most foaks said as B 'ud win,
but I alus said as we should prove th' maister beasts e' th* long
run. w. Mid. (W.P.M.) (2) e.Yks. The master bee is longer and
larger then the other bees, Best Rtir. Econ. (1641) 64. (3) w.Mid.
(W.P.M.) w.Som.* The cow which beats or drives the rest of
the dairy is called the ' mae'ustur buulik.' There is always one
in every dairy. (4) Chs.* In most herds of cattle there is generally
one cow to which all the others give way. She is called the
* master cow,' and generally leads the way from one pasture to
another, the rest following. s.Chs.* Hrt. The great danger that
weak and underline cows are liable to suffer by those we call
master cows, Ellis Cy. Hswf. (1750; 174. w.Mid. (W.P.M.) (5)
Oxf. That child's a fair master-daddy (CO.). 16) w.Yks.'.ne.Lan.*
(7) e.An.* ;8) Chs.' That which the man holdeth while he cleareth
the plough from clogging earth, Acade%uy of Aryiioryy Bk, III. viii.
(9^ n.Yks.2 (10) Hmp. 1193 acres are held by the master-keepers
and groom-keepers, attached to their respective lodges, Marshall
Review (1817) V. 289. (11, a) Edb. How there was a great affray :
Some master-man Was soundly swing'd, Har'st Rig (1794) 38, ed.
1801. n.Ir. A saw the big fellow lauchin' when the mesterman
ca'd me ' gentleman,' Lyttle Paddy McQuillait, 28. Nhb.', Dur.*
Lakel.^ A chap 'at's sarra'd his time, bin a journeyman, an' than
set up fer hissel — a maisterman tailicr, an'seea on; an' he's mebbe
t'maister ower neea body but hissel. n.Yks.'24_ w.Yks.* (A)
N.Cy.' Nhb. Ah maist think Ah'U be pleased to hev him for a
maisterman! Clare Loveof Lass (1890) I. 113 ; Nhb.' Ye'II he' ti'
see the maisterman hesel. Cum. The maistermen . . . made their
way first to the village inn, Caine Shad. Crime (1885) loi ; Cum."
Wm. RusKiN Fors Clavigera (ed. 1896) I. 294, note, {c) Wm.
Thoo's a bit ov a masterman but Ah'll tak thi doon a peg (B.K,).
(12) Sh.I. I wis faerd at du hurtet di peerie croon, Or brukkled da
racsterpen o' di wing, Junda Ktingrahool (1898) 8. (13) sw.Lin.'
(14) Nhb.» Nhb., Dur. Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). (15)
n.Yks. (I.W.) (16) s.Wor. Attached to and in the same line
with the beam (H.K.). Shr.'a (17) S. & Ork.' The swingle-tree
which IS nearest the plough. Or.I. (Jam.) e.Yks. A swingle-tree
of double length, used in yoking four horses by four swingle-trees.
Sometimes called a four horse balk, Leeds Merc. Siippl. (Feb. 9,
1895). s.Pem. The big spreader (to which the small spreaders
are attached) fixed to a harrow (W.M.M.). (18) Nhb.* Nhb.,
Dnr. A person who has responsible charge of the entire ventila-
tion of the mine on the out-bye side of the working headways,
including both the intake and return air-courses, under the
direction of the manager or under-viewer, Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl.
(i888,. (19) Cai. The principal beams of wood in the roof in a
house (Jam.) ; The tenant being always bound to uphold the
original value of the master wood, as it is termed, Agric. Stirv.zo
Ub. : Cai* [It] was not included in the ' comprisement,' that is, the
valuation which an incoming tenant had to pay to the outgoing.
(20) Obs., ib.
2. Phr. (i) Master of mortifications, obs., the manzgn oi
certain public funds, chosen annually; (2) — of the copse,
the missel-thrush, Tiirdiis viscivorus ; (31 — of the work or
— ofivorks, a superintendent of town buildings ; (4) — on,
the master of, having overcome the difficulties of; (5) to be
oii^s master at, to be superior to one in anything.
(i) Abd. Scoticiaius (1787) 56. (2) w.Wor. Beirow's Jrii. (Mar. 3,
1888). (3) Abd. A member of Town Council chosen to take charge
of a Town Council's property in stone and lime, and see that it
is kept in repair (A.W.). Ayr. A scaffold had been erected ... by
Thomas Gimlet, the master-of-the-work, Galt Provost (1822) ix.
(4^1 Cum. He wad very leykely suin get maister on her, Silpheo
Billy Bramian (1885) 3. Yks. (J.W.) Not. He's thoroughly
mester on it fL.C.M.I. sw.Lin.* It taks a deal of getting mester
on. He's well mester on it. (5) Lakel.' He's my maisterat leein'.
3. The head of a household or family ; a husband.
Wm. Oor master's varra thrang wi' his wark (B.K.). n.Yks.'
'Our maaster's not at home. He's awa' ti't'hirings;' the farmer's,
or cottager's, wife, of her husband; n.Yks.", e.Yks.* w.Yks. 'My
mester,* or ' ahr mester,' is pre-eminently the wife's mode of
referring to her husband, Sheffield Indep. (1874). Lan. A rough
measter to make and mend and ' do ' for, Fothergill Probation
(1879) "■'' ; Missis, yoar as keen as yoar mestur, Staton B.
Shtitlle Maiich. 34. ne.Lan.* Chs.* A husband and wife never
walk arm in arm. The ' mester' walks in front and the wife follows
about two yards behind. nw.Der.* Not. My mester's very badly.
Thank you kindly for calling. Missis (L.C.M.); Not.' s.Not. Is
the mester astir yit ? She's a widder; her mester died a year
agoo (J.P.K.'i. Lin.* My master will soon be home to tea.
sw.Lin.* The two mesters, her mester and my mester, lifted her
in. Lei.* Nhp.* A wife's inquiry for her husband usually is,
'Where's the maister'' War.2 My master isn't home yet;
War.34, s.War.*, Shr.', Hrf.=, GIo.* Oxf. How's the master to-
day ? (G.O.) Hnt. iT.P.F.), Sus.* w.Som.* A wife (of the small
farmer and lower middle class only) always speaks of her husband
as ' maister.'
4. A term of address to a superior or stranger, Sir.
N.I.* Are you wanting any bog-wood the day, master? Nhb.
Aye master, but a miss is as good as a mile, Richardson Borderer's
Table-bk. (1846) V. 56. Cum. Hoots, maister, I ken a better way
nor that, Burn Fireside Crack (1886) 8. n.Yks. Eh, but it never
will, maister, Linskill Betw. Heather and N. Sea (1884) iii. e.Yks.
' Whah, maisther,' says Bobby, ' hoo's this?' Nicholson Flk-Sp.
(1889I 37. w.Yks. Can't ye tak that barn on to yer knee,
maister? Sauiiterer's Satchel (1875') 39. Lan. Thenk yo', measter,
all th' same, Banks Maiich. Man (1876) i. Chs. Eh ! mester, but
it's a grand country you coom from somewheer, Egerton/7^. and
IVavs (1884) 84. Der.2 Lawks, measter, Oi'm well'y spent (s.v.
We'll'y). Not. (L.C.M.) s.Not. Good mornin', mester iJP-K-)-
War. 3 Geit. applied by labourers to those above them in rank.
' Master, can you tell me what time o' day it is ■ * Shr.* s.Pem.
Master, what o'clock is it? Laws Little Engl. (1888' 421. 0.xf.*
' Yer's the money, Willum.* 'I'henk ee, Maastcr.'
5. A title of respect prefixed to names, Mr. ; gen. used
of labourers or men of the lower class.
n.Cy. (J.F. M.) Lin. That all depends on Measter Scuffham,
Gilbert Riigge (1866) 318. War. Wise Shakespere (1861) ;
War.''*, s.War.* Oxf.' Labourers are called 'Master So-and-so';
only the principal farmers, &c. are called ' Mister.' Hnt. How's
Master Smith to-day ? (T.P.F. Ess.* Ken.* The labourer's title.
'Where be you goin', Mass Tompsett?' (s.v. Muster). Sur. Used
. . . only . . . for respectable men of the humbler sort. A farmer
for instance is Mr. ; his bailiff, if he has one, is Master So-and-
so, N.tfQ. (1878) 5th S. X. 222; Sur.* Sus. A respectful title
applied to the older generation of labourers (F.E.); Sus.* A
married man, young or old, is 'Master,' even to his most intimate
friend and fellow workmen, as long as he can earn his own liveli-
hood ; but as soon as he becomes past work he turns into * the
old gentleman,' leaving the bread-winner to rank as master of the
household. 'Master' is quite a distinct title from 'Mr.' Thus
' Mus Smith' is the employer, 'Master Smith' is the man he
employs. Hmp. Old Master Carpenter used to be clerk (H.C.M.B.).
Wil.* A style still used by the lower classes in n.Wil. to trades-
men and sons of farmers. Thus a brickmaker whose name is
Davis, is called ' Mace Davis,' and sons of farmers are called
MASTER
[51]
MASTERPIECE
'Mace John,' or 'Mace Thomas,' the surname being sometimes
added and sometimes not, /Fi7. Arch. Mtig. I. 338. ' Mais' before
a consonant. Before a vowel it would be • MaisV or ' Maistr" —
as ' Maistr' Etherd.' Dor. Yes, Maister Derriraan, Hardy
TrumpelMajor (i88o' vi. Som. Mas Cliedzoy (C.W.D.'. w.Som.'
I likes Mas' Jim better-n all the rest o'm.
6. An cmploj'er, the head of a shop or works ; the name
given to a farmer by the farm-labourers.
Abd. I'll need to gar yer maister tak' ye afore the Shirra,
Alexander Johnny Gibi > 1871I viii. Edb. Upon the morn the
master looks To see gin a" his fowk ha'e hooks. Harst Rig (ed.
1801) 9. n.Cy. (J.W.^, n.Yks.* w.Yks. Little mesters are manu-
facturers in a small way of business, who take part in the actual
work as if they were journeymen, Sheffield Indep. (1874 1. Lin.
The farm labourer alwaj's speaks of his employer as 'our maister'
(J.CW.X Shr.', Brks.i Dor. A toast or song that is usually
the first done justice to at a Dorsetshire harvest home — that
in honour of the ' measter,'. . as follows : • Here's a health unto
cur master. The founder of the feast,' &c., N. & Q. 1 1879) 5th S.
xi, 78 ; The imposing form of the ' master* could be seen leaning
over the gate, Longman's Mng. (Sept. 1900) 447. w.Som.'
' 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 pettj'.
7. A respectable, well-dressed man ; a gentleman ; any
individual.
w.Yks. Tell that there mester. Sheffield Indep. (1874) ; The
Shevvild chap's Second Letter tot Mester, Shevvild Ann. (1851)
I ; w.Yks. ^ There's a mester comin'. s.Not. (J.P.K.)
8. A landlord, a laird.
Cai. The farm must . . . assist when called out in cutting down
his landlord's (or as here termed his master's) crop. Statist. Ace.
X. 17 (Jam.^; Cai.i
9. A schoolmaster, dominie.
n.Sc. There is but one other garden to equal it in Carglen (let
alone, of course, the minister's or the maister's^, Gordon Car-
glen (i8gr) 165. Abd. Did the creatur raellj' gae the length o'
threatenin' the maister. Alexander Johnny Gibb (1871) xvii ; A
schoolmaster is the maister (G.W.). Lnk. Forgot the griefs that
were to come, The maister's swingin' tawse, Nicholson Idylls
(1870) 94. Gall. Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 336, ed. 1876. Cum.
Gl. (1851). n.Yks."
10. The parson of a parish.
w.Som.' This is to gee notice — there on't be no Zindj^here next
Zindy, 'case why — maister's a-gwain Dawlish vor praich.
11. An adult, a young man when grown up.
s.Not. Among children any adult man is a mester (J.P.K.).
w.Dor. Roberts Hist. Lyme Regis (i834\
12. The eldest son of a baron or viscount.
So. (A.W.) ; The Viscount of Arbuthnott's eldest son is stiled
[si'c] Master of Arbuthnott. This, however, is getting into desue-
tude, Monthly Mag. (1798) W. 437. Abd. Petagogis to my Lord
Gordoun and Master of Caitness, Turreff Gleanings (1B59I 32 ;
The master of Forbes moved some complaints against the Bishop
of Aberdeen. Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792^ I. 87.
13. The eldest son of a squire. Sur.' 14. The leader
ofa herd of cows. w.Som.' 15. Used of one distinguished
for any quality of mind or body ; anything good of its kind.
n.Yks. A maister of a lass [one that is strong, clever, masterful,
or rapacious]. A maister ofa 'swill' [a great wicker basket]
(LW.) ; n.Yks.' She's a maister te gan [of a mare]. A maister at
eatin'. w.'Yks. But this wor t'mester— a regular Tomtarralegs,
Hallam IVadsleyJack (1866) xix. Suf. (R.H.H.^,
16. adj. Chief, principal ; great, best ; remarkable.
Hrt. The master roots of a vigorous tree, Ellis Mod. Hush,
(1750) 'VII. ii. 63. Suf. He's a master man for that (C.T.). e.Snf.
'A master boy,' an overgrown boy ; also a very clever boy. 'They
had a master row together' (F.H.). Ess. An' then Bill give the
booy a shaike. That was a master spree, Dovine Ballads (1895)
22 ; Well, that is the master bit I do think I ever was towd, ib. 7.
17. adv. Used as an intensitive : extremely, very ; best.
Hrt. You may draw out what underline plants you please, and
only leave the master thriving one, Ellis Mod. Hiisb. (1750) VII.
i. Suf. I see the master grut rat, e.An. Dy. Times (1892); That
fared a master long time to me (C.G. B.) ; That's a master fine boss
you a got (C.T.). e.Suf. You've been a master long while doing
it (F.H.). Ess. Ellis Ptonunc. (1889) V. 222.
18. V. To domineer.
s.Chs.' Yoa- bin au-viz kiimin raaynd)th bongk, mcsturin, bur
ah")l sey iv yoa- \\ mestur oaT mey [Yo bin auvays comin' raind
th' bonk, nicsterin' ; bur ah'Il sey if yo'n mester o'er mey].
Hence (i) Maisterin, />//. adj. imperious, authoritative;
overbearing ; (2) Mastership, sb. control.
(i) Shr.' ' 'E seems a maisterin' sort o' mon, that.' ' Oh, aye !
'e can do the maisterin' part right well, but a bit o' 'ard work 66d
shoot 'im a sight better.' (2) s.Chs.' Wi miin aa siim mes'tiirship
oa-r sich fel uz, els dhi')n bi gy'ct'in mes'tur u iiz [We mun ha'
some mestership o'er sich fellows, else they'n be gettin' mester o'us].
19. To defeat, overcome, best.
w.Yks. If thah starts o' feytin" him he'll maister theh (jE.B.\
MASTER, 5^.2 Obs. or obsol. Sc. Also in forms
maister, mester ; mister (Jam. StippL). Stale urine.
Sc. Take near a tub-full of old master . . . and mix it with as
much salt, Maxwell 5c/. 7"<yj)/s. (1743) 26s(Jam.); Liquid collected
from a bj-re ; applied also to the contents of the midden hole of a
farm-house (Jam. Siippl.). ne.Sc. Another common detergent was
stale urine, maister, Gregor Flk-Lore (1881) 176. Cal.' Used as
a lye. Per. Here heaps o' filth, there dubs o' mester, Stewart
Character \i8^-;) 62. Lth. Sturdy cans for haudin master, Thomson
Poems (1819 : 74.
Hence (i) Master-can, sb. a can for holding urine; a
chamber-pot ; (2) -laiglen, (3) -tub, sb. a wooden vessel
for preserving urine.
(i) Sc. 'Tis out o' the sowen kit And 'tis into the maister-can,
Herd Coll. (1776) II. 139 (Jam.). Lth. An auld master-can,
Thomson Poems (1819) in. Edb. Nor uly-pig. nor maister-cann.
But weel may gie Mair pleasure to the ear o' man Than stroke o'
thee, Fergusson Poems (1773) 171, ed. 1785. (2) Wi' maister
laiglen like a brock He did wi' stink maist smore him, ib. 169. (3)
Sc. (Jam.)
[Cogn. w. G. tiiisf, dung; MDu. miesf, OE. Mteox, Goth.
maihstiis \ see Kluge and Schade (s.v. Mist).']
MASTER DOBBS, see Dobbs.
MASTERDOM, si. Sc. Lan. Mastery, the upper hand.
Ayr. That spirit of masterdom \vithout which there can be no
command, Galt Gil/iaise V1823) xviii. ne.Lan.'
MASTERFUL, adj. In s^eii. dial, use in Sc. and Eng.
Also in forms maisterfou Bnff.' ; maisterful Nhb. Cum.
Wm. w.Yks.' ne.Lan.' w.Som.' ; maistherful n.Yks.'*
e.Yks.' e.Lan.' ; maystervtil Brks.' ; mesterfil S. & Ork.'
1. Determined, obstinate, self-willed, overbearing, im-
perious.
Sc. (A.W.) Nhb. Butdinnabeowermaisterful. ClareLovc o/Lass
(1891) I. 112. Cum. He's a maisterful man, an yan can deah nowt
%vi' him (E.W.P.") ; Cum.* I think that she was the more masterful
ot the two for she never gave in. Wm. (B.K. \ n,Yks.2, e.Yks.',
w.Yks.', ne.Lan.', e.Lan.' Chs.' ; Chs.^ "Thon lad's too masterful
by hafe. oi mun take im down a peg. Not.' Lei.' She's a most
masterfuUest temper. Nhp.' You little masterful thing ! War.
She'll get so masterful, there'll be no holding her, Geo. Eliot
S.Marner{iB6i) iia; War.S", s.War.', Hrf.2 Glo. The boy's that
masterful, I can't manage him (A.B. ). Oxf.' MS. add. Brks.'
Our Gerge be got that maystervul ther j'ent no doin' nothun' wi'
'un. Bdf. (J.W.B.), Hnt. (T.P.F. , Snr.', Sns.i w.Som.' Applied
also to animals. 'Our Daisy's a maisterful sort ofa bullick, her'll
beat other cow we've a got.'
Hence Masterfully, adv. violentljf, forcibly.
Abd. Took some money frae Mr. Robert Jameson, minister at
Marnan Kirk, violently and masterfully, Spalding Htst. Sc. 1^1792)
I. 34. Rnf. Did most masterfullj' and violently rescue the said
Gavin Pow, ye prisoner, Hector yKt/ir. Records ,1876) 68.
2. Spiteful. e.An.' 3. Great in size, strong, powerful.
S. & Ork.i, Bnfif.' n.Yks.* A maistherful weight.
4. Wonderful. Suf. (R.H.H.)
MASTERLIN', sb. ne.Lan.' A petty master, a would-
be master.
MASTERPIECE, sb. and adj. Yks. e.An. Dev. Cor.
Also in form maisterpiece w.Yks. 1. sb. Anything sur-
prising or wonderful, that which excites admiration.
e.An.', Suf. (C.T.) Dev. An enormous rat was turned out. 'He
be a masterpiece ! ' exclaimed Bill, Reports Piovinc. (1893). Cor.
Why, you'm a masterpiece, young man ! Mortimer Tales Moors
(1895) 224; He vvasa masterpiece ofa shotsman and snarer, 16.265.
2. A self-willed person, one who persists in having his
own way.
w.Yks. That barn o' thine's a reyt maisterpiece ; it'll get owt it
w-ants J£..'B.) ; A ! it is a little maisterpiece I It roared all t'nccl
through, Leeds Merc. Siippl. (Feb. 9. 1895'.
II 2
MAST-HEAD
[52]
MATED
3. adj. Chief, great, wonderful.
Nrf. They're the master-piece bards for pickin' up worams,
Patterson Man mid Nat. (1895' 27.
MASTHEAD, sb. Sc. In phr. to the mast-head, to the
utmost limit, to the end ; extremely, very, in abundance.
Abd. Hold on to the mast-head [endure to the end]. He is mad
to the mast-head. They got whisky to the mast-head. The laddie
was punished to the mast-head , G.W.'. Edb. An Idiot cram'd to
the mast-head Wi' that insatiate glutton weed, Liddle Poems
(182O 97-
MASTICK, sb. Som. [mae'stik.] An acorn, mast, the
fruit of the oak, Querciis robiir. (J.S.F.S.), 1 F.A.A.)
MASTIS, sb. Nhb. Cum. Lan. Also written mastice
ne.Lan.' ; andin form mestiss Nhb. [ma'stis.] A mastiff
dog. Nhb. (R.O.H.), Nhb.', Cum.', ne.Lan.'
[The cur or mastis, Douglas Eiwados (1513), ed. 1874,
III. 206 : A mastis, licisciis, Caih. Angl. (1483).]
MASTLEGIN, see Mashelton.
MASTROUS,rt(//.and«a'j'. Obsol Suf. 1. Wy. Great,
extreme, remarkable. e.Suf (F.H.) 2. adv. Very,
extremely, ib. Cf. master, sb} 16, 17.
MASTY, sb. Dur.' Cum.' w.Yks.' w.Wor.' [ma-sti.]
A mastiflf dog. Also in coiiip. Mastie-dog.
[Fr. Jiiasliii, a mastive (Cotgr.) ; with change of suffix,
cp. haughty (Fr. haiitaiii}.]
MASTY, adj. Lin.' sw.Lin.' [ma'sti.] Large and
strong, big.
MAT, s6.' Sc. Nrf. Ken. Hmp. Also written matt
Ken. [mat, maet.] 1. In coiiifi. Mat-grass, (i) the wire-
bent, Mardus stricta ; (2) the marram-grass, Psamma
arenaria.
[i) Bnff. Gordon Chron. Ktilh (1880 284. (2; Nrf. (B. & H.l
Hmp. A great tussock of the ' mat ' grass which dips into the water,
Longtnans Mag. (Dec. 1899) 155.
2. A woollen bed-covering ; the coarse piece of sacking
on which the feather-bed is laid.
Rnf. A mat meant a thick woollen covering for the bed, generally
wrought into a pattern, Wallace Schoolmasttr (1899; 350. Ken.
Obs. Back chamber right hand, i flock bed. . . Fram matt and
cords, Pluckley Vesliy Bk. ^Oct. 25, 1790).
MAT, sb.'^ e.An. A tool for stubbing furze, ling, &c. ;
a mattock. e.An.', e.Suf. (F.H.)
MAT, V.' Hrf.* [mat.] In phr. to mat potatoes, to stir
the earth round them.
MAT, v.'^ se.Wor.' [mat.] To fit ; to correspond.
Cf mattle, v}
MAT, see Malt, sb.\ Mote, v.''
MATASH, sb. Sh.I. A corrupt form of ' moustache.'
He rubbed da froad o' da mylk aff o' his matash, wi' da sleeve
o' his froak, Sli. Neuis (,June 4, 1898) ; Yon twisted matash is dat
pitten on lack, 'at ft's juist a scunnerashen, ib. Oct. a8, i899\
MATCH, 5A.1 Sc.Yks. Not. Dor. [matj.] 1. Incomb.
(i) Match-dipt-atboth-ends, an old-fashioned brimstone
match ; see below ; (2) -hawkers, a nickname for the
people of Otley ; (3) -paper, obs., brown paper soaked in
a solution of saltpetre and used with a flint and steel to
light pipes, &c. ; (41 -steil, a used match ; (5) -stick, the
wooden part of a lucifer-match.
(i) e.Yks. The present paraffin match has quite superseded the
old brimstone match, made of a splinter of wood about si.x inches
long, and dipped at both ends. They used to be hawked about by
pedlars, and sold at a halfpenny per bundle of about 20 matches ;
and were only used for ignition by the spark on the tinder, produced
by the flint and steel, Nicholson Flk-Sp. (18891 18. (2) Yks.
They're called • match-hawkers,' Wherefore each must wield a
match, Yks. Comr/ (1844) VI. 81. (3) Ayr. Just put a fingerfu' o'
poother 1' the pan. and set lowe to it wi' a bit o' match-paper,
Johnston Gleiibiickie (1889 '9- (4' Not.^ (5 Edb. Thedeilmade
match-sticks o' his bains, Learmont Poems (1791] 24.
2. See below.
Dor. She bore in her arms curious objects about a foot long, in
the form of Latin crosses (made of lath and brown paper dipped
in brimstone— called 'matches' by bee-masters). W.\v.d\- Giecinid.
Tree ^1872) pt. iv. ii.
MATCH, v., sb? and adj. Sc. Irel. Cum. Rut. Bdf Ken.
Wil. Soni. Dev. fmatj, mastj] 1. v. In comb. Match-
me-ifyou-can, the ribbon-grass, Phalaris anuidinacea.
Ken.' 2. Phr. to match it out, to make provisions last
for an appointed time; to accomplish one's work by a
given date.
Wil. I hope to match it out to the end of the week, Jefferies
Hdjinv. '1889) 189.
3. To marry, mate.
Sc. This marks rather that the Spotswoods have matched with
the Gordons, and married one of their daughters, Maidment S/io^/is-
woode Misc. (1844-5) !■ 5- Elg. Auld maids we'll grow. Unless we
match wi' somebody. Tester Poems (1865) 220. Edb. Nae lass
wi' him will ever match, Crawford (1798 104.
4. To manage ; to master.
Rut.' ' I can't match that ! ' An old man, learning netting from
my boy, said, ' I think I can match it.' Bdf. 'Shall I help you to
hold that?' 'Thank you, sir, I can match it' (J.W.B.'. Ken.
(W.F.S.) w.Som.' I thort to a bin there, but I could'n quite match
it, come to last. nw.Dev.'
5. sb. Comb, (i) Match-(a)-running, a game resembling
prisoners base ; (2j -party, a person who arranges
marriages.
(i) Ken.(G. B.),KeiL'' (2) Ir. Before Lent is the great time for mar-
riage contracts, and you will meet 'match parties "everywhere going
about bargaining for a ' boy' or ' ghl,' Fti-Lore Rec. (1881; IV. in.
6. adj. Sufficient ; competent.
Cum. Jonty's match ta mak a good start wi' that, Rigby Midsummer
(1891' xiii.
MATCHED, /I//, rtrfy. Cum. Yks. Also written matcht.
[matjt.] 1. Put to the extreme limit of one's forces or
ability; almost overtasked.
n.Yks. Of a woman newly but not wisely married, 'Ay, she's
tied a knot with her tongue she'll be matched to unloose wiv her
teeath,' Atkinson MooiI. Parish U891J 35 ; He was a matcht man
(I.W.) ; n.Yks.' He'll be matched to win there while neeght.
He'll be matched to dee't, ony way he can franie't. Matched to
sit oop on eend ; n. Yks.* Ah s'all be hard matched ti git t'job deean.
2. Equal to, capable of.
Cum.'' ' Ise matched te fell thee twice oot o' thrice'; a wrestler's
boast.
MATCHET, sb. e.An. [mae'tjat.] A popular name
for a cart-horse, that is a mare. (F.H.)
MATCHLY, adj. and adv. Obs. e.An. s.Cy. Also in
form meatchley s.Cy. 1. adj. Exactly alike ; fitting
together. e.An.'
e.An.' Nrf. T. Browne Tract nii. (c. 1680^ in JVks. (ed.
Wilkins', III. 233.
2. adv. Perfectly; well; mightily. Nrf. (K.); Ray
(1691). s.Cy. Grose (1790).
MA.TCHY,sb. Nhb.' [ma'tji.] A piece of touch-paper;
see below. Cf. match-paper.
Soft brow'n-paper steeped in a solution of saltpetre, and used in
obtaining a liglit from a Hint and steel. Still carried by old men
in the fields.
MATE, sb. and v. n.Cy. Yks. Chs. Not. Ken. Sus. LW.
Dev. Also in form meyat I.W.' [met, meat.] 1. sb.
In phr. (II /'// be mate if you'll be manvn<, I'll make one of
a pair if you will make the other ; (2) tlie mate iit the loom-
gate, the companion weaver at the next loom ; (3) to be
mates ivith, to be friendly with.
{l) Ch%. Ci-OVGH B. BresskiW.e {iS-ig) S. (2) w.Yks. (J.M.) (3)
n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.) e.Ken. She is such a one to be mates with
anj' one (G.G,).
2. A carter's assistant ; the boy who leads and tends the
horses of a team.
Ken. (W.H.E. Sus. [A] carter-boy credited with the following
advice to his father, whose ' mate' he was, Egerton Ftk. and IVays
(1884; 26. I.W.'
3. A common form of address to a stranger.
Yks. (J.W. ^ s.Not. What part do yer come from, mate? (J,P.K.)
4. A match. w.Yks. Thoresby Lett. (1703 1; w.Yks."
5. The male of twin calves of difterent sexes.
Dev. The pair are spoken of as mate and martin, Reports Proviiic.
(1893).
6. V. To match, equal. w.Yks. (J.W.)
MATE, see Meat.
MATED, pp. Sc. Lin. Nhp. Oxf. Also in form maated
Lin. [metid.] Confused, bewildered,
Lin. The feller's clean daazed, an' maazed, an' maated, an'
MATER
[53]
MATTER
muddled ma, Tennyson Locksley Hall Sixty Years After, &c. (iSSvl
145. Nhp.' When I get into the street at night, I am so mated, 1
hardly know where I be. Oxf. ^G.P.) ; Oxf.' I be reg'lar mated.
Hence Matedout, pp/. adj. exhausted with fatigue.
Rxb. (Jam.)
[My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight, Shaks.
Macb. V. i. 86 ; pat left vver on-lyue . . . Wer also niaistrett
& masyd & mated of {'air strennthes, Wars Alex. (c. 1450)
1270. OFr. iiiatiT, ' abattre, vaincre ' (La Curne).]
MATER, see Malter, sb.
MATERIAL, rtrf/'. N.I.' Good, excellent. A material cow.
MATERIALS, 56. /./. Irel. Som. 1. Builders' plant.
w.Som.' Then I must tender vor you to vind zand and bricks
and lime an' that, and I must vind materials [mutuuryulz]. We
can begin the job torackly, nif you can plaise to zend your wagin
arter the materials.
2. The ingredients for making punch ; punch.
It. Take my advice, leave ' the materials * alone to-night and
stick to the claret, Smart Master of Rathkelly (1888"! II. 53 ; The
'materials' were called for. . . A huge array of whisky-bottles
and hot water and lemons, Paddiaiia (ed. 1848) I. 168.
MATFELLON, sb. n.Yks. [ma-tfelsn.] The small
knapweed, Ceiitaiirea nigra. (R.H.H.)
[Jacia nigra, matfeloun, Sin. Earth, (c. 1350) 24. OFr.
mathfcloiin, ' iacea nigra ' (Alphita) ; for forms in Fr. dial,
see JoRET Flore Populaire (1887) 118.]
MATFULL, sb. Sh.I. A herring that is 'full,' as
distinguished from one that is ' spent.' See Matie.
Crown brand matfulls 22 to 22! m., Slu Netvs (Aug. 27, 1898).
[Norw. dial, maffiill, stifiF and heavy from surfeit, used
of animals (Aasen).]
MATH, sb.^ Irel. Yks. War. Wor. Hrf. Glo. e.An. Som.
[maf), mae)).] 1. A mowing.
Wor. It will come in for the latter math (W.C.B.). Hrf.A day's
math is about an acre, or a day's work for a mower, Morton
Cyclo. Agric. (1863). Glo. The first math, or cutting of a
valuable piece of freehold meadow land, Eves/iain Jrn. (Oct. 24,
1896). e.An.', Som. (Hall.)
2. A crop of grass.
War.3, Ess. (W.W.S. w.Som.' Capical math o' grass; aa'U
warnt is two ton an acre.
3. Meadow-Jand. Wxf. Hall />•. (1841) 11. 161. n.Yks.^
[1. OE. incrp, math in aftermath, mowing, hay-harvest
(B.T.). MLG. made, ' Matte, Wiese ' (Schiller-Lubben).]
MATH, ii.=' Som. A litter of pigs. W. & J. G/. (1873).
MATH, MATHEGLUM, MATHEN, see Mather,
Metheglin, Maithen.
MATHER, s6. War. Hrf. 1. The stinking chamomile,
AntheiiiisColula. War.^ See Maithen,! ; cfmadder,i-A.' 1.
2. The great ox-eye daisy, Chrysanthemum Leitcanthenium.
Hrf.' See Maithen, 2.
MATHER, V. Glo. To turn round before lying down
(as an animal). (W.H.C.), Glo.'
MATHER, int. Sc. Lin. Ken. Sus. Hmp. I.W. Dor.
Som. Also in forms maader, maether Abd. ; math Som. ;
mawther Sus. ; mether I.W.^ Dor.' ; meyther I.W.' ;
midda Lin. ; mither I.W.' Ken.' Som. ; mother Sus.'*
[mae't53(r), mitS3(r).] 1. A carter's call to his horse to
come to the near side, 'come hither.' Abd. (Jam.), (G.W.)
Sus. (R.B.) Hmp. Holloway. I.W.'^ 2. Comp. (i)
Mather-ho, (2) out, (3) -way, a carter's call to the horse
to come to the left ; (4) -whoy, a call to a horse to come
over gently ; (5) -wo, see (3).
(i) Dor.' Ev'ry boss da know my fiace. An' mind my ' mether
ho! an' whug,' 221. (2) Sus. Ma the route [sic'\ (E.E.S.). {3)
Ken.', Dor. (W.C.) Som. He said ' good-day ' to the host, ' mither
way' to the horses, and proceeded on his road, Raymond Gent.
Vpcott (1893) 8. ( 4) Lin. The novel sound Of ' midda whoy ' when
dear old Bright Would drive the horses round, Brown Lit. Laiir.
(1890)64. (51 Sus.' 2
MATHERN, see Maithen.
MATHON-'WHITE, sb. Wor. A variety of hop.
There arc two varieties in particular esteem both with the
planter and the merchant, the Golding-vine and Mathon White,
Marshall Revitio ^I8I8l II. 378.
MATHUM, see Meathum.
MATIE, sb. Sc. e.An. Also in forms matje Sh.I.;
mattie Sc. Sh.I. [mati.] An immature herring; a fat
herring. Cf niatfull.
Sh.I. Excluding the Lewis and Barra matje fishings, Sh. News
■Aug. 27. 1898 ; I quote to-day; . . Shetland maties, 16 to 17 m. ; . .
crown-brand malties, 18 to 19 m. ; . . do. maties, 15 to 17 m., id.
ne.Sc. They . . . pitched the individual herrings into different heaps,
according as they were 'full,' 'spent,' 'matties,' or ' tornbellies,'
Green Gordonhaveu \ 1887) 45. nw.Sc. The herrings taken in the
Minch in May and June are technically known as 'matties,'
Buckland Fishes (1880) 113. e.An. Nall GI. 280.
[MLG. madikes-herink, 'jetzt': matjes-h. ' Hering, der
gefangen wird, ehe er voll Rogen oder Milch ist ; wenn er
voU Rogen oder Milch ist, heisst er vtill-herink' (Schiller-
Lubben).]
MATLE, see Mattie, v.'
MATLO, sb. Or.I. Also in form matilot S. cS: Ork.'
[ma-tlo.] The common house-fly, ./l/«sc«ato;/;t'i//cf;. (S.A.S.),
S. & Ork.'
MATRIMONY,s/». Yks. Ken. Dev. [mat-.msetrimani.]
1. In comp. Matrimony-cake, a large round cake ; see
below.
e.Yks. A large round cake, called matrimony cake, having a layer
of currants between two layers of pastry, is covered with sugur,
then cut into as many pieces as there are persons at the feast,
Nicholson Flk-Lore 1890) 11.
2. A mixture of gin and whisky, or gin and rum. nw.Dev.'
3. The red valerian, Centranihus ruber. e.Ken. (G.G.)
MATTENT, ppl. adj. Nhb.' Also in form mattered.
[ma'tsnt.] 1. Of flour : made from wheat that has
sprouted. 2. Comb. Mattent-bread, bread made from
wheat that has sprouted.
' Mattered-breed ' sticks to the knife when cut, in consequence of
inferior flour used in its composition.
MATTER, sb. and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng.
Also in forms maiter, maitter Abd.; mater Nhb.; matther
e.Yks.' ; metter Dev. [ma'ta(r, met3(r.] 1. sb. In phr.
(i) about a matter, very nearly ; (2) a little matter, a small
amount, esp. of monej' ; (3) a matter of, about, approxi-
matel}', used before a number ; in gen. colloq. use ; (4) a
sair matter, a bad business ; an unfortunate occurrence ;
(5) no matteri s of nobody s, no one's concern ; (6) no matter(s
o)i it, (7) there is no matter, it does not matter; (8) there's
no matter for such a person, such a person does not deserve
consideration ; (9) to let a person know li'hat ivas matter,
to reprove a person ; to take revenge on him ; (10) to little
matter, to little purpose ; to small advantage ; ( 11) to make
no matter, to be of no consequence ; (12) ivhat [the) matter?
what does it matter? (13) any tnatters, much, any great
quantity; (14) as near as (makes) no matters, as near as
can be ; (15) no great tnatters, nothing to boast of, esp. of
health; (16) no matters, nothing out of the common,
nothing to speak of, gen. of health ; also in sing. ; (17) to
be of no tnatters, (18) to make no great matters, see (11).
(i) w.Yks.' (2) w.Yks. An t'tahn allahd her a little matter ta
help her ta keep um on. Ytisynan. Comic Ann. ^\%iZ 38. (3) Abd.
A maitter o' twa shillin's or half-a-croon, Alexander Johnny Gibb
(i87iix. Gall.(A.W.) Cum.' Amattero' twenty ormair; Cum.^He
wad give anybody 'at ken't t'fells weel a matter o' five shillin to g'a
wid him, 2: Cum." Yks. Ah've a matther o' fotty sheiipe (P.P. T.).
w.Yks.' nw.Der.' A matter o' twenty. Not.' Lei.' A matter o'
thray af-points o' gin. Nhp.' A matter of a hundred people there.
War.3 Oxf.' MS. add. Brks.' Sus. A matter of forty years or
so, Tennant Vtll. Notes (igoo'i 139. Dev. They kept comp'ny un-
beknawst to un lor a matter o' three months or more. Blacli and
IVhite {June 27, 1896)824. u) Sc. i.A.W.) nw.Abd.'T's a sair maiter
thatwe'reootO'biskit, Gooa'a){A'(i867lst. 7. (5) Yks. >C.C.R.) (,6)
Yks. It's gone and no matter on it (C.C.R.). (7) Sc. Monthly Mag.
(1798) II. 436. (8) Yks. There's no matter for such folk as will
go wrong (C.C.R.). (9) n.Yks. (I.W.) do) Abd. Main sports .. .
Which, gin I ga'e you stick an' stow. Wad tak' o'er mukle time
e'enow. To little matter, Shirrefs Poems (1790) 214. (11) Nhb.
It mhead ne mater, Bewick Tyneside Tales (1850) 14. Yks.
(J.W.) (12) Ayr. An' hae to learning nae pretence. Yet. what
the matter? Burns To J. Lapraik (Apr. 1, 1785)51.9. Gall. May
be some for a' their cracks Will get, and what the matter. Their
licks this day, Mactaggart Eneycl. (1824) m, cd. 1876. n.Yks.
(,I.W.) (13) n.Yks. Did it rain onny matters? (I.W.) ne.Yks.'
MATTERABLE
t54]
MAUGH
e.Yks.i He' j-a had onny matthers o' rain i your payt? (14) Not.^
Lin. Brookes Tracts Gl. 8. Lei.'. War.3 (15^ Cnm.i; Cum.*
Thee furst bargin leucks neah girt matters to be deuhan wid. Sar-
GISSON Joe Scodp (1881 I 218. ne.Yks.' Ah can't tak neea greeat
matters o' meeat. w.Yks.' 'How's tliy wife?' ' Naa girt matters.'
Not.' Lin. Brookes ib. nXin.' Thaay've built a new chech at
Borringham, bud it's noa great matters to look at. Let' Nhp.'
I am no great matters. War.^ Hrt. I don't fare no great matters
this morning,////. Mt,c. Dec. 24, 1887. Hnt. (T.P.F.) (16)
n.Yks.2 Neea matters o' good. ne.Yks.' e.Yks.' Ah's neeah
matthers. w.Yks.' Lin. He's no matters of a scholar, Brookes
Tracts Gl. n.Lin.' • How are you ofT for gooseberries this year ? '
* We've noa matters, I niver seed so few.' e.An.' Nrf. It is no
matter of a rhoed, Rye Hist. Nrf. (1885 1 -xv. Snf. I don't fare no
matters, e.An. Dy. Times (1892). (17) Lin.' It's of no matters, I
can skelp the load without him. (18) n.Yks." It maks neea gert
matters owt 'at he sez.
2. Information.
n.Yks.« Onny matter 'at he knaws weean't mak onnybody neea
wiser.
3. A number, quantity ; a quantity of food.
Sc. She retired and left the stranger to enjoy the excellent
matters which she had placed before him, Scott St. Roiian ,1824)
ii. n.Yks." Nut onny gert matters foor me. Ah 'ed summat afoor
Ah cum'd. e.An.' There was a matter of 'em.
4. V. To esteem ; to value ; to care about.
n.Cy. (Hall.') Cum.' ' What tou's seiinn left te pleass ? ' 'Ey,
I dudn't matter t much'; Cum.* n.Yks. We did not matter his
remarks (C.F.) ; n.Yks.' Ah dean't matter him, nat t'valley ov an
au'd naal ; n.Yks.* Ah ni\'ver did matter him mich. ne.Yks.' Ah
deean't matter him mich. e.Yks. Ah think mah missus disn't mich
matlher her new maiden. w.Yks.' I matter naan o' thy collops ;
w.Yks.2 I don't matter it at all. Lan. I mattered not if we ex-
changed, so I took his box and he took mine, Walkden Diary
(ed. 18661 80. ne.Lan.' n.Lin.' Steam cultivaators is all very
well for th' hill-side, bud I matter 'em noht for law-land. Dev.
Wul I daunt metier that, Nathan Hogg Poems (1886) 61.
6. To know, have knowledge of
Yks. Do you matter ought on him ? (C.C.R.)
MATTERABLE, (7(//. Cum. [ma'tfjarsbl.] Important;
of consequence.
Cum.' What he does isn't matterable ; Cum.*
MATTERED, see Mattent.
MATTER-FANGLED, adj. Cum.'* [ma-t>ar-far|ld.]
In incipient dotage ; muddle-headed, confused.
MATTERLESS, adj. Dur. Cum. \Vm. Yks. Lin. Shr.
[ma't3(r)l3s.] 1. Unimportant, immaterial.
e.Dur.' It's matterless. Cum. It's quite matterless to me who
does it l,E.P.) ; Cum.*, n.Yks.' n.Lin. It's matterless, for when
he's here, he never does nowt, Peacock R. Skirlaiigh , 1870) II. 64 ;
n.Lin.' It's matterless which waay you tak' th' watter, for be it
how it maay my land is alust flooded.
2. Indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested.
s.Wm. I was meeterley easy, quite matterless about it, Hutton
Dial. Storth and Arnside ^1760) 1. 14. Shr.' Oh aye ! if yo'n do
things fur 'er, 'er'U tak' on as matterless as if it didna belung to 'er.
3. Incapable ; incompetent ; helpless ; shiftless.
Cum. Mrs. Robinson ... is said ... to have been a simple,
matterless body, Hutchinson Hist. Cum. (1794' I. 225. n.Yks.'
MATTERY, v. w.Som.' To discharge pus.
Plaise to gie mother some rags, 'cause father's leg do mattery
[maafuree] zo.
MATTERY, (7(/y. Nhb. [ma-tO'iri.] Wordy; loquacious.
When a farmer stopped her, and made a great fuss about the so-
called trespass, she remarked: 'What a mattery old man' (R.O.H.).
MATTIE, see Matie, Matty, sb.
MATTLE, t;.' Lin. Also written matle n.Lin.' [ma'tl.]
To match, mate. sw.Lin.' Yon just mattles it.
Hence (i) Matley, adj. equal; alike ; (2) Mattler, sb.
the match to anything ; the fellow, the equal.
(0 (Hall.) (2) Let him cum on mun, I'm his mattler. Brown
Neddy (1841') 10. n.Lin. Sutton IVds. (1881) ; n.Lin.' Thaay' re
the very matler o' one anuther, as like as two peys. One a'kill'd
but yesterday an' its mattler the day afoor. sw.Lin.' The mattler
to the white one has cauved.
MATTLE, i'.= Rxb. (Jam.) To nibble.
MATTRICE.C0AT,s6. Obs. e.Yks. A peculiar growth
of fleece ; see below.
When . . . the fleece is as it weare walked together on the
toppe, and underneath it is but lightly fastened to the under-
growth, . . it is called a mattrice-coat, Best Riir. Eton. 1641) 20.
MATTY, sb. Nhb. Cum. Lan. Also written niattie
Cum.^ [nia'ti.] The mark at which players aim in quoits
or pitch-and-toss ; also used fig., asp. in phr. to shift one's
iiiatty, to alter one's position or policy. Cf. mot, 50.-
Nhb.' Cum.Thou's olas that thrang, there's nae stirrin thee off
thy matty (E.W.P.); Ah'd hardly shiftit me matty an geaan ower
teh sit wih t'lasses a minnet, Sargisson Joe Scoap ^i88i) 30;
Cum.'; Cum.^ Skiftin his mattie as fancy may please, 54. ncLan.'
MATTY, adj. Sc. (A.W.) Yks. (J.W.) Nhp." [mati.]
Matted, twisted, interwoven.
MATY, see Meaty.
MAUCH,see Maught, Mawk, s6.', Moch, (r^., Mooch, v.'^
MAUCHT, adj. Rxb. (Jam.) Also written maught.
Tired, worn out; puzzled; defeated ; out of heart.
MAUCHT, see Maught.
MAUD, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. ? Yks. ? Lan. Also written
niawd Sc. (Jam.) N.Cy.'; and in forms maad Sc. (Jam.)
Nhb.'; mad Lnk. ; maund w.Yks. [mad.] 1. A shep-
herd's plaid ; a shawl.
Sc. A maud, as it is called, or a grey shepherd's plaid, supplied
his travelling jockey-coat. Scott Gil)' yi/. (1815) XXV ; vJam.) Lnk.
Blankits an' sheets, tikes an' braw mads. Watt Poems 1827 60.
Lth. To coax or wheedle from me my beautiful and valuable
Paisley maud, Lumsden Sheep-head ,1892) 269. Edb. Like a fool
Wi's bonnet and his maud, Carlop Green 1,1793 '24, ed. 1817.
Hdg. As aft I've seen a maud Hing owre the hurdies o' a jaud,
Belanging to some gipsy scamps, Lumsden Poems (1896 1 14. Slk.
Twa lang liesh chaps . . . baith happit wi' the same maud, Hogg
Tate (1838) 7, ed. 1866. Dmf. ■ Kinvaig' — what's that? a tippet
or a ' maud,' Wallace Schoolmaster (1899: 339. N.Cy.', Nhb.'
w.Yks, The apparition wore a broad blue bonnet and a maund or
plaid like a Scotchman, Grainge Pedlar (1866} 3. Lan. Nathan
wrapped in the same maud with Sally, Kay-Shuttleworth ^cara-
dale (i860) II. 79.
2. Coiiip. Maud-neuk, the triangular corner of the plaid
in which the shepherd carries weak lambs or anything he
may require. Nhb.' (s.v. Herd's Maud).
MAUD, MAUDLE, see Mad, sb.^, Mardle, v.
MAUDLIN, sb. Nhb. Cum. Yks. Wil. [modlin.]
1. In comp. (i) Maudlin-fair, a fair held at Hedon on the
feast of St. Mary Magdalen : Jig. a great uproar ; (2) -flood,
a flood occurring about the time of the feast of St. Mary
Magdalen ; (3) -seam, a particular seam of coal, so called
because it was first worked extensively on property
belonging to the hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, Newcastle.
(i) n.Cy. Hall.', e.Yks.' (2) Cum. ' Maudlin Flood ' occurs
. . . between July 20th and August 2nd. I have heard that the
same term was applied to August and, N. & Q. (1877) 5th S. vii.
47. (3) Nhb.i
2. Theox-evedaisy, Chrysanthemum Lencantheiuiiiii. Wil.'
MAUDLING-DRUNK, adj n.Yks.* In a maudlin con-
dition from drink.
MAUDLIN-HOOD, s6. Sc. A woollen hood. See Maud.
A hood of woollen stuff buttoned or hooked to a larger cape of
the same, and is frequently worn detached either as a protection
to the bonnet or to the uncovered head (J. An).
MAUDLINS, sb. pi. n.Lin.' [mgdlinz.] A disease
in the hoofs of horned cattle.
MAUDRING, pip. Ken. [modrin.] Mumbling. Cf
maunder. 1. (Hall.), Ken.'
MAUF,MAUG,MAUGER,seeMaugh,Mog,i'.',Maugre.
MAUGH, sb. Obs. or obsol. n.Cy. Dur. Yks. Also in
forms mauf N.Cy.' n.Yks.' e.Yks. m.Yks.' ; maug n.Cy.
Dur. ; meaugh N.Cy.''' Dur. 1. A brother-in-law ; a
near connexion.
n.Cy. Bailey 1721) ; (Hall.); N.Cy.", Dur. ;K. n.Yks. Bid
my Maugh Herry come, Meriton Praise Ale (1684) 1. 134 ; My
maugh ettled sair t'ha'e me away, Atkinson Lost 11870 xxvi ;
n.Yks.' e.Yks. Marshall /?«;•. £co«. (1788). w.Yks. Thoresby
Lett. (1703); w.Yks.*
2. A companion; a partner, colleague. n.Yks.", m.Yks.'
[1. Has Jiou here . . . any man, Sone or doghtcr, eme
or maghe {v.rr. mau, mohw), Cursor M. (c. 1300) 2807.
OE. mdga, a man, a son, a relative (B.T.) ; G. Mage, a
relation.]
MAUGHT
[55]
MAUL
MAUGHT, sh. Sc. Also in forms raach Sc. (Jam.) ;
raacht Sc. S. & Orlc' ; maich Ags. Fif. (Jam.); mauch,
maucht ; mawch Per. Fit". (Jam.) ; mought Edb. ; myach
Cai.' [m9xt, maxt.] 1. Rlight, strength, ability ; occas.
in pi.
Sc. The auld man tynes a' maught, Donald Poems (^1867) 27.
S. & Ork.' Bch. Forbes Ulysses (1785) 14. Abd. Had I the
maughts, 1 ha'e the will, Cock Strains (1810) I. 127. Ags. Jam.')
Frf. He scarcely had maucht left to wag his bit loom, Watt Poet.
Skelc/ies (1880) 33. Per., w.Sc. (Jam.) Fif. Meditatin' deeds
o' maucht, Tennant Pa/>/s/n'< 1827 142. CId., Ayr. Jam.) Edb.
In spite o' a' their maught They're rooliit O' their siller An'gowd,
Fergusson Po«HS I 1773 158, ed. 1785.
Hence (i) Maughtless, (it/J. feeble, wanting bodily
strength ; (2) Maughtlessly, a(/v. feebly, impotently ; (3)
Maughtly, adv. strongly, mightily ; (4) Maughty, adj.
mighty, powerful.
(i) Sc. (Jam.1, S. & Ork.i, Cai.' Bch. Rhaesus an' maughtless
Dolon, Forbes A/ax (1742) 4. Abd. He gae my maughtless
rhyming pat An unco doze. Cock Strains (i8io^, II. 107. Frf. His
maughtless hands on's thigh bones clattered, Beattie Ariiha ' c.
1820) 51, ed. 1882. Fif. (Jam. : Lth. Get up, ye machless brute
(Jam.). Edb. Now grown mauchless, Macneill Sc. Scailh (1795)
9. (2 I Frf. It had better been afTThan hae mauchtlessly hung by
this auld oxter staff, 'Watt Poet. Sketches 1 1880 117. ',3) Sh.I.
Da carry is coming frae da nor'-wast, an' if it hings up dat wy, it
widna be a fairlie if he sood be maughtly troo da swaar o' da dim,
Spence Flk-Lore i, 18991 245. 1^4) n.Sc. vJam.) Abd. That plaid a
maughty part, Ross Helenore (1768) 21, ed. 1812. Fif. Wi' a
machtie spang Up on the kirk3'ard dyke he sprang, Tennant
Papistry {1^2-]'] 172. Edb. Ballantine G<ii(v/H«5('f (ed. 1875) Gl.
2. Phr. io have lost the viachts, to have lost the use of
one's limbs. n.Sc. (Jam.) 3. An effort.
Per. If ever more I make one maught Your grief to throttle,
Spence Poems (i8g8) 75.
4. Marrow. Ags., Per., Fif. (Jam.)
[1. All \e. stanis Jiat er made . . . Sal smite to-gider wid
sli maght, Cursor M. (c. 1300) 22679.]
MAUGHT, see Maucht.
MAUGHY, (frt)'. ''.Obs. Ant. Of cold meat : having a
heavy smell and taste without being actually tainted.
Grose (1790) MS. add. (C.) See Mawk, sb.\ Moch, adj.
MAUGRAM, see Megrim.
MAUGRE, prep, and sb. Sc. Lin. Suf. Also written
mauger n.Lin.'; and in forms magger Bnff'; magre Frf;
magyers Per. ;maigers Rnf (Jam.) [m§'g3(r),Sc.ma'g3r.]
1. prep. In spite of; notwithstanding.
Sc. The brigands were, to my shame, and maugre my head, for
a timeof my own company, Laug Monk o/Fi/e (1896) 54. Frf. But,
dominie, I couldna hae moved, magre my neck, Barrie Minister
(1891J xliii. Per. Intending maugre Jove to have More increase
than you can receive, Nicol Po?m;s (1766) 146. Fif. They yet may
miss't Maugre their pray'rs an' graces. Gray Poems (1811) 97.
s.Sc. I — maugre all the experience of misery I had had — could
scarcely look on the animated corpse thus. Wilson Talcs 1 1839^ V.
99. Rnf. (Jam. i Ayr. Maugre all that Scots could, Ballads and
Sngs. (1846) I. 63. Edb. He would not, maugre what the wench
would have us think, 3eati\ Secretar (1897 293. n.Lin.* Theiire's
a right of waay by the Milner*s Trod, and I'll goii by it when I
want, mauger the teath of all th' lords and squires i' Linkisheer.
Suf. Maugre this my wayward fate, Suf. Garland (1818 > 42.
2. Phr. (i) i' maugre o' or a magger o', (2) to maugre, in
spite of.
( I ) Bnff.i A'U gar ye dee't a-magger o' yer neck. Abd. I' maugre
o' an Erastian Presbytery, Alexander Johnny Gibb (1871) vii.
(2') Per. He did it to magyers ye (W.A.C.).
3. sh. Ill-will, bad feeling; vexation, blame; hurt, injury.
Sc. Brown Diet. (1845).
[1. Mawgre my heide, me behufifit sustene The hard
dangeris of Mars, Douglas £'«c«(i'os(i5i3),ed. 1874, iv. 206.
OFr. maugre, ' nialgre ' (La Curne).]
MAUK, V. Wor. Hrf [m^k.] To mimic, mock.
w.Wor.' ' What are you crying for, Emma ! ' ' The b— b — b'ys
mauks me ; thaay saj'S I d — do b — b — buft so ! ' Hrf.^
MAUK, MAUKAM.MAUKIN, see Mawk,sA.»,Mawkin,
sb.
MAUL, si.' and v.^ Chs. Der. Lin. Nhp. War. Bdf Hnt.
e.An. Also written mawl nw.Der.' sw.Lin.' War.* Bdf
[m9l, m^dl.] 1. sb. Clayey or marly soil ; earth mixed
with manure. Cf moil, v. 8, mull, s6.'
• n.Bdf. Batchelor Anal. Eng. Lang. (1809) 138. e.An.' Suf,
Rainbird Agric. (1819) 246, ed. 1849.
Hence Mauly, adj. of soil : sticky.
Chs.i Applied to the soil when there has been rain enough to
make it clag on horses' feet or on the wheels of a cart. s.Chs.'
Dhur)z bin ubit liv u slob'ur ii ree'n, jiist uniif'fur mai'dhugraaynd
mauli [There's bin a bit of a slobber o' reen, just enough for maj'
the grai'nd mauly].
2. V. To cover with mud ; to besmear. Gen. used in prp.
and pp. Cf moil, v. 2.
nw. Der.' When persons are walking on a muddy road, they will
sa3', 'What mawling work it is.' Lin. Adcock Gl. (Hall.)
sw.Lin.' The roads are so muddy, one gets quiet mawled up. So
mawling and wet as it is. If j'ou'd seen how mawled I was wi'
mucking out the pig-sty.
3. To toil through claggy land. Nhp.>,War.*,Hnt.(T.P.F.)
MAUL, sb.'^ w.Som.' Imol.] 1. The stone, usually
a pebble cut in half, with which painters grind paint on
the ' maul-stone.' 2. Coiiip. Maul-stone, the large stone
on which painters grind their colours.
[1. Cp. ON. miil (gen. malar), pebbles (Vigfusson).]
MAUL, sb.^ ? Obs. n.Cy. [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] A moth. (Hall.)
[Sw. mal, moth (Widegren) ; ON. molr (Vigfusson) ;
Goth, mala {Mat. vi. 19).]
MAUL, sA." Yks. [Not known to our correspondents.]
A gull. Yks. IVkly. Post (Dec. 31, 1898).
MAUL, v.'^ and sb.^ Yks. Lan. Chs. Stf. Not. Lin. Nhp.
War. Wor. Shr. Hrf Oxf Hnt.Som. Dev. Cor. Also written
mawl sw.Lin.' s.Wor.' Oxf; and in forms moul n.Dev. ;
mowly w.Som.' ; mull Dev.'; muUy n.Dev. [m9!, mqal.]
1. V. To pull about, to handle roughly ; to tumble ; to
finger unnecessarily.
w.Yks.5 Doan't be mauling it i' that waay I Lan. Wi' thee
mauling abaatmc, Ackworth Clog Shop Chron. (1896) 237. Chi.' 3
Not. To beat out of shape (J.H.B.). sw.Lin.' How you've mawled
your victuals about. Nhp.' She came smiling out ; saying she hated
10 be mauled about, Clare Shefi. Calendar (1827 156. War.*
Don't maul the girl so ; War.^ Don't maul that fruit so. se.Wor.'
Shr.' Shepherd's a mighty good-tempered dog — 'e lets the chil-
dern maul 'im as much as they'n a mind, an' never snaps 'em. Shr.,
Hrf. BovtiT> Provinc. (1876 . Oxf. Who are you mauling about?
(G.O.) ; Oxf.' ' Mawl an' limb,' to pull about in rough play. Hnt.
(T.P.F.) w.Som.' Commonly used respecting young fellows'
rustic courtship. ' For shame ! I ont be a mowled ^muwlud, muw-
iild I no zuch way.' Dev.' n Dev. Grose (1790) : He murt muUy
and soully tell a wos weary, Exni. Crtshp. (1746) I. 381 ; To moul
and soul a person about, as at the play of ' More sacks to the mill,'
Ilorae Siibsecivae ( 1 777) 277. Cor. Yom mustn't maul the fish about,
Eorear Poems 1 1885) 17.
Hence Maulers, sb. pi. the hands.
stf.' s.Stf. Tak' yer maulers off, this is teu good for yo to
hondle{T.P.\ 'War.2, s.Wor.' Oxf. Keepyour maulers off (G.O.).
2. To put coal on a fire by hand, lump by lump.
War. 3 Shall I shut the coal or maul it on the fire?
3. To draw or tug along ; to push ; to take away roughly.
Gen. with off or away.
s.Chs.' To maul off or away, e.g. of a policeman dragging a
culprit to prison. Nhp. He mauls the heaps away, Clare Poems
(1820) 100; Nhp.', Hnt. (T.P.F.)
4. sb. pi. The hands ; the fingers. w.Yks.''
MAUL, v." and sb.^ Lan. Chs. Not. Rut. Lei. Nhp. War.
Wor. Bdf Hnt. Suf Ess. Also written mawl Wor. ; and
in form mau- Ess. [ni9l, m93l.] 1. v. To toil ; to drag
along wearily. Cf moil, v. 1.
Lan. Maulin'amung pigs and keaws, BrierleyCo//«»-5, xv. s.Chs.'
Wen yu bin yuwin un mau'lin in u feyld, un dhu sim puw'iirin
daayn iz eeut iipon'yCi,yoa bin diaad' gy'et siim-utdringk [When
y6 bin yovvin' an' maulin' in a feyld, an' the sun pourin' da'in his
heeat upon yO, yo bin glad get summat drink\ s.Not. Th' oad
boss went maulin' an' daulin' along as if 'e war asleep iJ.P.K.).
Nhp. When he a ploughboy in the fields did maul, Clare tillage
Minst. '182 1 16.
2. To fatigue, tire out; to harass, vex ; gen. used \n pp.
s.Chs.' To be mauled, . . to be overworked. Rat.' I'm clean
maul'd out. Nhp.' I'm welly mauled to death. Bdf. (J.W.B.),
MAUL
[56]
MAUND
Hnt. (T.P.F.), e.Suf. (F.H.) Es'i. A person will say that he is maud
with hard work and fatigue (H.H.M.).
Hence Mauling, ppl. adj. tiring, fatiguing, wearying.
Lei.' Its a ina\ilin job them big washes. Nhp.', War.^ Wor.
It's mawling work getting those trees away (H.K.). e.Suf. This
is a mauling hot day (,F.H.).
3. Co;«i!i.Maulhauly, heavy, troublesome, tedious. s.Chs.^
4. sb. A harassment, vexation; an infliction. Lei.', War.'
MAUL, sb? n.Cy. Yks. Der. Not. Lin. Also written
niawl Der.' ; and in form mall sw.Lin.* [m§l, m9al.l
The marsh-mallow, Malva sy/ves/n's ; gen. in pi. Cf.
mallace, maws.
n.Cy.GROSE(i79o').n.Yks." e.Yks.MARSHALL^io-.fiod. ^1788).
m.Yks.', w.Yks.5, Der.' Obs.. s.Not. (J.P.K,), Lin. (W.M.E.F.)
sw.Lin.' The seeds are eaten by children, and called Cheeses.
[Hec mnliia, malle, Voc. (c. 1425) in Wright's Voc. (1884)
644.]
MAULIFUFF, sb. n.Sc. (Jam.) A woman without
energj' ; one who makes much "fuss and accomplishes very
little; gen. used of a young woman.
MAULKIN, MAULM, see Mawkin, sb., Malm.
MAULMAS,5/<. Yks. Also written maumassn.Yks.''^;
and in forms momas(s n.Yks.' ; raomniass n.Yks.' ;
momus n.Yks.^ [mgmas.] A mass of kneaded dough
or any food not cleanlily prepared ; also Jig. a fat woman
in dirty finery ; a personal caricature.
n.Yks.' ; n.Yks.' A dainty-looking momass ! What a momus !
MAULP, MAULSCRA'WL, see Mawp, sb.\ Maskel.
MAULY, s6. Abd. (Jam.) A shortened form of ' mauli-
{\ifi' (q.v.).
MAULYARN, sb. Oxf.' Also in form maiilyern. The
lapwing, I'atieHiis vulgaris.
MAUM, MAUMASS, see Malm, Maulmas.
MAUMBLE, sb. Nhp.' A soft, sticky, adhesive mass ;
esp. of moist soil which clings to the spade. Cf. malm, 5.
All of a maumble.
MAUMBLE, MAUME, MAUMENT, see Momble.Malm,
Mommet.
MAUN, si. Shr.'° Also written mawn Shr.^ [mon.]
A horse's mane.
MAUN, v} Sc. Irel. n.Cy. Nhb. Cum. Yks. Lan. Shr.
Also in forms man Sc. (Jam.) Cai.^ N.Cy.^ Nhb.'; mann
Sh.I. ; mon Sc. m.Yks.' m.Lan.'; moun m.Yks.' [man,
man ; unstressed man] 1. Must. See Mud, v.^, Mun, t;.'
Sc.Ye maunagang farther the night, Scott Guy M. (18 15) /H/rorf.
10 ; The King . . . mon make ane new dissolution to the effect
, foresaid, Skene Dijjidll Wds. (1681I 8 ; He man da' it, Grose
(17901 MS. add. (C.) Sh.I. Ta redd oot kin ye mann be wice.
Burgess /fns»«>(i8g2~, 85 ; I man aye set my feet against da edge
o' da taft, Stewart 7'n/f s ( i 892 ' 242. Or. I. Statutes and ordinances
ma'n be maid against them, Peterkin Notes (1822^, Append. 86.
Cai.' Buff. A'. . . Maun late or soon submit to fate, Taylor Poems
(1787) 13. Elg. Tester Poems (1865) 148. Kcd. Jamie Muse
(1844I30. Bch. Forbes i9o))ii'«;V (1785) 31. Abd. Beattie Prt;7;;^i-
(1801) a, ed. 1873. Frf. I maun bide ahint, Barrie Minister
{1891) XXX. Per. A' the warld an' his wife Maun lie at ae great
level, Haliburton Horace {1886) 2; We maunna forget him, Ian
Maclaren Brier Bush (1895^ 27. Fif. I man remember sum thing
mairatlainthe,MEi.viLL.-i'!<toAio^. li6io) 146, ed. 1842; Robertson
Provost (1894) 15. Slg. In the yierd ye man be row'd, Galloway
Poems (1792) 43 ; Of force he man bow down, Bruce Sermons
(1631) iii. Dmb. A minister ye maun be, Cross Disruption (1844)
ii. Rnf. Young Pictures (1865) 47. Ayr. They maun thole a
factor's snash, Burns Twa Dogs (1786) 1. 96. Lnk. Maun we be
forced thy skill to tine? Ramsay Pochw (1721) 19; Gutcher man
cum' to the farm, Hamilton Poems (1865) 37. Lth. Ye maunna
scaith the feckless ! Ballantine Po<'(;;s (1856) 48. e.Uh. He that
wad eat the kirnel maun crack the nit. Hunter/. Inzvick (1895)
70. Edb. The gudeman out-by maun fill his crap Frae the milk
coggie, Fergusson Poems (1773) 109, ed. 1785. Bwk.HENDERSoN
Pop. Rhymes (1856) 83. Peb. Affleck Poet. Il'ks. (1836I 52. Slk.
You and me maunna exclude frae the ranks o' respectability a'
folk, Chr. North Noctes (ed. 1856) III. 68. Rxb. What maun be
maun be, Riddell Poet. IVks. (ed. 1871) 1. 6. Dmf. He maun
surely gang To seek a wife, Shennan Tales (1831) 62. Gall.
Crockett Bog Myrtle (1895) 41. Wgt. Ane maun work, an' ane
maun pey, Fraser Poems (1885) 136. n.Ir. Ye maun wait till
ye're a Mason, Lvttle Paddy McQuillan, 13 ; N.I.' Ant. If I maun
dae't A can dae't, Ballymena Obs. (1892'. N.Cy.' Nhb. Thoo, O
Solomon, maun hev a thoosan', Robson Sng. Sol. (i860) viii. 12;
Nhb.' Aa man away noo ; aa've stopt ower lang. Ye manna let
him gan. Cum. I maun no repine, Gilpin Sngs. ( 1866) 74. Yks.
Ye maun think nought at it, Howitt Hope On (1840; vi. m.Yks.'
Moun [maown-] is used in the n.w. In m.Yks., and n. and e. gen.
maun [maoh''n] is used, with muon' when the verb is preceded by
a pronoun and bears the stress alone ; while s.w. two other forms
prevail, mon (maon'] and mSan [muoh-'n]. Lan. Father said I
maun try and get a place. Gaskell A/. Sar/o« (1848 iv ; He maun
goo his aen gate, Kay-Shuttleworth Scarsdale (i860) II. 103.
m.Lan.', Shr."
2. May or might.
Nhb. Ay, lads, ye maun weel luik skeered, Clare Love of Lass
(18901 I. 30.
3. To command in a haughty or imperious manner.
Sc. Ye maunna maun me (Jam.).
Hence Maunin', ppl. adj. imperious, commanding,
haughty.
Cld. She's an unco maunin wife ; she gars ilka body rin whan
she cries Iss (Jam.).
[1. All man purches drink at thi sugurat tone, Douglas
Eiteados (1513I, ed. 1874, 11. 5; Thow man on neide in
presonne till endur, Wallace (1488) 11. 208. ON.«w«, pr.s.
will, shall; see Vigfusson (s.v. iiumn).]
MAUN, v.'^ Sc. Also in form man. [man, man.] To
accomplish by means of strength ; to effect by whatever
means.
Sc. Sud ane o' thae, by lang experience, man To spin out
tales, Wilson Poems (1816) 46 (Jam.) ; Death's maunt at last to
ding me owre, ib. (1790) 201. Lnk. He'll no man't. spoken of any-
thing which, it is supposed, one cannot effect. I'll ergh eneuch
man't (Jam.).
[Cp. Norw. dial, manna seg, to summon up the man
within oneself (Aasen).]
MAUN, v.^ Sh.L To shake the head from palsy.
S. & Ork.'
MAUN, see Mann, Maund, sb.
MAUND, sA. In ^;n-f«. dial, use in Sc. and Eng. Also in
forms man Dor.' ; mand Sc. (Jam.) Nhb.' w.Yks.' n.Lin.'
e.An.' ; maun Sc. (Jam.) Bch. Not.' Ken. Wil. Dor. e.Som.
Cor.'°; mawn Sc. e.Yks. Wil. Dor.' Som. Dev. Cor.;
moanKen.'^; mund n.Yks.* [monfd, mand, mand.]
1. A basket ; a hamper ; also in coinp. Maund-basket.
Sc. Properly for bread. Francisque-Michel Lang. 1 1882) 35.
Bch. A whittle that lies i' the quinzie o' the maun. Forbes Jm.
(1742) 13. Abd. Hand me in o'er the maund Yonder, Beattie
PnnH^5 (i8oi) 9. Cld., Rnf. (Jam.) Ayr. Cover him under a mawn,
BvRtis Cooper o'Ctiddie, St. i. n.Cy. Grose (1790) ; N.Cy.^Ahand-
basket with two lids. Nhb.' n.Yks.' A large open basket ; n.Yks.*
e.Yks. A long, narrow shallow basket of peculiar shape, used . , .
in gathering flilhcrs, N. & O. (1881) 6th S. iii. 437 ; Kendall God's
Hand {i8-jo^ 8. m.Yks.' w.Yks.' They lig seea rank o'th grund,
at thou mud fill a maund in a crack, ii. 304 ; w.Yks.''^ Midi. The
basket in which butter was brought to market. A'. & Q. ib. 14.
Not. I was going to market with my butter in my maund (L.C.M.) ;
Not.'^ s.Not. A large square basket with a hinged lid in two parts
(^J.P.K.). n.Lin.' I remember very well as Mrs. Ashton, o' Noth-
rup Hall, alust call'd a long narra' baskit a maund. s.Pem. Laws
Little Eng. (18881421. Nrf. The baskets used in the fish offices
here are called ' maunds.' They are made of osiers, open-ribbed,
and are distinguished from other fish-baskets, called 'swills,'
N, (Jo O. ib. 278 ; A basket into which herring are counted, Cozens-
Hardy Broad N>/. (1893) 100. Suf.' Large basket out of which
corn seed is sown. Ess. (W.W.S.) Ken.' A large, round, open,
deep wicker basket, larger at top than bottom, with a handle on
each side near the top i^some have two handles, others of more
modern pattern have four) ; commonly used for carrying chaff,
fodder, hops, &c., and for unloading coals ; Ken.* A deep basket,
broader at top and open there. Sur.', Sus.' Wil. One 2-bushel
basket and maun basket (W.H.E.). Dor. Men were bringing fruit
... in mawn-baskets, Hardy JVoodlanders (1887) II. ix ; (W.C);
Dor.' A-stoopen down all day to pick So many up in ma'ns an'
zacks, 179. Som. Baskets for catchingsalmon i^W.F.R.) ; W.&J.
Gl. 11873). e.Som. A ' half bag maun of potatoes ' would be a basket
containing 60 lb., A^. fr O. (1880) 6th S. ii. 388. w.Som.' 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 is generally
MAUND
[57]
MAUSE
called a ' half-bag-maun,' from its holding half a bag of potatoes, or
eighty lbs. ' Plaise, sir, we wants two new mauns, th' old ones be
proper a-weared out,' Dev. 1 said to the gardener, ' That basket
will do.' He replied, ' I'll get a basket, miss.' ' Is not that a
basket ? ' ' No, miss, that's a mawn.' The gardener says a mawn is
like a flasket, only of coarser material, Reports Proinnc. (1889') ;
Dev.' A hamper, or small basket, in which game is sent. n.Dev.
A big basket holding about one hundredweight or for counting out
big quantities of fish. If we get big catches of herrings, we say
they have caught a ' maun-basketful,' which would be about 350
herrings, or if a larger size 600 (C. N.B."). nw.Dev. A coarse basket
used for carrying turnip and other roots, &'C., to c-attle. It is
about 2 ft. in height and 18 in. in diameter, and it has two handles
(R.P.C.\ Cor. (F.L.H.;; Cor.' A large coarsely-made hamper
used for sending potatoes ; Cor.23
Hence Maundful, sb. a basketful.
n.Cy. HoLLOWAY. w.Yks,' A lile cud wumman wee a mandful
of barn lakens, ii. 356.
2. Co«/6. Mand of sprats, about a thousand sprats. e.An.'
3. Thirty of the fish hake, Merlnciiis vulgaris.
Dev. Each Mawn weighing about 200 lbs., Famier's Jni. (Nov.
30, I Sag).
[1. Mavvnd, sportida, Prompt. OFr. mayide, panier d'osier
a deux anses (La Curne).]
MAUND,!-. Sc.Not.Nhp.Shr.Hrf.Glo. Slang. [m9nd.]
To beg.
Edb. Ilk an must maund on his awn pad, Pennecuik Helicon
(1720)67. Shr., Hrf. Bound Profi'nc (1876). Slung. Slang Did.
(1865).
Hence Maunder, sb. a beggar.
Edb. She was matched to old Scrope, the Maunders King, Penne-
cuik Helicon (1720) 65. Not. ^ L.C.M.\ Nhp.2 Glo. Gl. (1851).
[Fr. iitander, to bid, to send for (Cotgr.).]
MAUND, see Maud, sb., Mound.
MAUNDER, V. and sb. In goi. dial, use in Sc. Irel. and
Eng. Also in forms maander Nhb.' \Vm. & Cum.' ne.Lan.'
Suf.' ; maandther Wm. ; mander Cum.' w.Yks.' Brks.'
e.An.' Wil. ; marnder Nrf. ; maundher e.Yks.' Lan. ;
mauners.Sc; meander m.Yks.' Dev. ; meander, monedur
Lan. ; munder Cld. (Jam.) [m9nd3(r), ma'nda(r.] 1. v.
To talk idly and incoherently ; to mumble ; to grumble ;
to threaten in an undertone ; to muse, ponder.
Sc. Thus continued the Antiquary to maunder. Scott Antiquary
(1816) x.xii. s.Sc, Slawly climbs a brae Whare nae tell-tale echo
mauners, Ance to mock him when sae wae, T. Scott Poems {1793)
358. Slk. We maun pity and forgic stupidity when it begins to
maunder, Chr. North Nodes ed. 1856) III. 179. N.I.', Nhb.i,
s.Dur. ( J.E.D.) Lakel.2 He was maunderen on aboot what he was
worth. Cum.' Wm. He does maunder queerly (B.K.) ; Esawes
maandrean aboot, Clarke Jonny Shippartl's Journa (1865) 13.
n.Yks. Hewas maundering and talking tiv hiz-sel J.W.); n.lfks.'"
e.Yks. Marshall Rnr. Ecoii. (1788); e.Yks.', m.Yki.i w.Yks.
What are teh maunderin thear abaht? Wkfld. Wds. (1865) ;
w.Yks. "3 lj„ Awgated maundherinagain,CLEGGSif/f/iM(i895).
Chs. You maunder about a shock which has made j-ou not your-
self! Banks Prov. House 1,1865) 210, ed. 1883. s Chs.' Dheeur
dhu goz mau'ndurin on, un noo'bdi laak'in nu moour noa'tis on
dhi dhun nuwt. Stf. Ray (1691) MS. add. (J.C.) Not. He goes
maundering on about old times (L.C.M.) ; Not.', Lei.', Nhp.'^^
War.* Shr.2 Goes maundering and bothering on. Hrf.' Glo.
Horae Siibsecii'ae [iTn) a-ji ; Glo.", Brks.', Bdf. J.W.B.), e.An.'^
Nrf. Brockett Gl. (1846) MS. add. (W.T.) Suf.i Ken. Sal began
to maunder ; For fare de string, when we'd gun swing, Shud brake
an cum asunder. Masters Did and Sal (c. i8ai) st. 91 ; Ken.',
Sus.', Hmp.' Wil. Britton Sfanftfs (1825) Dev.Granda... amean-
derin' and a mutterin' off in front of ivery wan riaght straight up
t'clifT road, Cassell's Fnni. Mag. 'Apr. 1895) 334; Dev.' Nort but
jowering and maundering all this day, la.
Hence (i) Maunderer, sb. a grumbler; one who talks
in his sleep ; {2) Maundert. />/>/. ndj. moped ; (3) Maundrel,
(rt) sb. a gossip ; a babbler; in phr. /o play the maundrel,
to babble ; (b) v. to babble ; (4) Maundrels, sb. pi. idle
tales ; foolish, feverish fancies.
(i) n.Yks.* (a) t.Lan. Bamford Z)i'a/. (1854). (3, a) Sc. Hand
your tongue, maundrel, Saxon and Gael (1814) III. 81 (Jam.).
Cld., Lth. (,i'A.) (6) Cld. (,A.) (4I Per., Fif., s.Sc. (.*.) Edb.
Suppose the great hae mair o' warl's guid. They hae anew o'
maundrels i' their head, Learmont Poems (1791) 305.
VOL. IV.
2. To wander about in a confused, aimless, or melancholy
fashion ; to miss one's way ; to walk unsteadily ; to act
in a helpless, imbecile manner.
Nhb.' Lakel.2 He's nowt ta deea but maunder aboot frae
moornen ta neet. Wm. & Cum.' Wm. Heear thoo is, maandthran
aboot es if thoo heddant a hand's turn to dew, Gooardy Jenkins.
n.Yks.'" w.Yks.i Lile Robin, thou hes maunder'd whear Thou'l
nut finnd mich to pleease, ii. 358. Lan. I kept moandcrin about
fro' dur to dur, Brierley Abotli-Yale Yanieeland [i88^) xii ;
Seroh wur malloncholick, un monedurt obewt nah un tawk'd o'
drewnink hursel, Paul Bobbin Sequel (1819) 33. nw.Der.'. Lei.',
War.3 s.Wor. Porson Quaint Wds. (1875^ 14. Shr.' 'E gwuz
maunderin' about like some owd cow. e.An.' Nrf. A lot o'
paaple marnderin' about on the sand. Spilling Johnny's Jaunt
(1879) vi. Ken.' Sus. An maundered by-the-bye inter de church,
Jackson Southward Ho (1894) I. 289; Sus.'
Hence Maundering, ppl. adj. listless ; idle ; helpless.
Dur.' Lei.' They've a maunderin' couple.
3. sb. A gossip ; a babbler. Sc. Brewer (1870).
MAUNDREL, sb. n.Cy. Yks. Wal. Stf Der. Shr. Also
written niaundrell Der.' ; maundrill Stf ; and in forms
mandrel Der.* nw.Der.' ; mandril Wal. [m^ndrsl.] A
miner's pickaxe, sharpened at both ends.
n.Cy. Grose (1790 Vd/S. arfrf. (P.) w.Yks.* WaX. N. & Q.
(1877) 5th S. viii. 186. Stf.', Der.'*, nw.Der.', Shr.'* [A maun-
drel and bickhornd, Howell (1660 sect. Ii.]
MAUNDY, sb. e.An.* [mo'ndi.] A feast, esp. for
children, usually but not invariably held on Maundy
Thursday.
MAUNDY, MAUNER, see Mandy, adj.. Maunder.
MAUNGE, t'.' and sb.^ n.Cy. Yks. Lan. Der. Lin. Cor.
Also written mawnge Cor.' 1. v. To munch, chew,
masticate ; to eat greedily. Cf manch, mounge, munge.
Lin. It'll maunge up the house one o' these da3's, I 'spects, Gil-
bert Rtigge {j866) I. 157 ; (.Hall.) Cor.'*
2. sb. A confused mass, a mess, muddle ; _/?§•. a blunder,
a dilemma, trouble.
n.Cy. (Hall.) m.Yks.' Table fell over, with the breakfast
things, . . and made such a maunge as never. s.Lan. Hoo made
[an] a maunge on it (F. E.T.). nw.Der.'
[1. Fr. manger, to eat, feed (Cotgr.).]
MAUNGE, J/.* and 56.* Lake!. Yks. Not. Nhp. Also
in form mange w.Yks. [m5n(d)g, mqsnfd)^.] 1. zi. To
pet, ' cocker up ' ; gen. with up.
Lakel.* w.Yks. What fordo you mange t'bairns up so? (W.F.)
2. To be in a despondent, complaining mood, to be dis-
satisfied ; with about: to go about listlesslj'.
s.Not. What are yer maungein' about for? (J.P.K.) Nbp.'
3. sb. A fit of ill-humour.
Yk». Like a little lass in a maunge, Ellis Pronunc. (1889 V. 391.
MAUNGY, adj. Lakel. Yks. Lan. Not. Also written
mawngey w.Yks. ; and in forms manegyn. Lan.' ; mangy
Wm. w.Yks. Lan.' ; moongey n.Yks. [m5'ndzi,m(53'ndgi.]
Spoilt, petted, pampered; cross, peevish, ifl-tempered ;
complaining.
Lakel.* A gurt maungy babby. Cum.* Wm. She's nut sa
varra weel, she's terble mangy (J. M.). n.Yks. He's nobbut
moonge}' (I.W.). w.Yks. He's a mangy little beggar (H.L.) ;
Thah'rt a little mawngey tooad, Banks IVk/ld. IVds. (1865);
w.Yks.^ ; w.Yks.5 A spoiled child is apt to be ' maungy' at times,
and refuses to take pleasure in what generally affords it a great deal.
' As mauangy as an owd cat ! ' ' A little mauangy dolly ! ' Lan.',
n Lan.' s.Not. A can't abide to see yer about me, yer maungey
young thing (J.P.K.).
MAUNGY, MAUNKY, MAUNNER,see Mangy, Manco,
Maunder.
MAUNSEL(L.56. Yks. Alsowrittenniaun£iI(l n.Yks.'**
[mp'nsl.] A fat, dirty, slovenly woman.
n.Yks.'; n.Yks.* A mucky maunsill ; n.Yks.*, m.Yks.'
MAUNTLY, rtf/f. ^Obs. Nhp.* Greatly ; very much.
I should mauntly like to see it.
MAUP, see Mope.
MAUPS, sb. n.Cy. Yks. Lan. Lin. Also written mawps
Lin.' [m^ps.] A stupid person.
n.Cy. (Hall.), w.Yks.', ne.Lan.' Lin.' All his talk proves him
to be a mawps.
MAUSE, f. Obs. n.Cy. To ponder upon ; to gaze at ;
to admire. Grose (1790 1.
I
MAUSE
[58]
MAWK
MAUSE, MAUSIE, MAUSY, see Mose, v., Mawsie,
Mosey, aiij}
MAUT, MAUTE, see Malt, sb}, Mort, sb}, Mote, sb}
MAUTEN, V. Sc. Also written niawten. 1. Of
grain : to begin to spring while being steeped. Sc. (Jam.)
2. Of bread : to become tough and heavy. Ags. (ib.)
Hence (i) Mautent, ppl. adj., (a) of grain : having a
peculiar taste because not properly dried ; (b) of a person :
dull, sluggish ; (2) Mawtened-loll, (3) -lump, sb. a heavy,
inactive person.
(i, a) Lnk. (Jam.) yb) Ags. {ib.) (2) Bch. (i«.) Abd. There
tumbled a mischievous pair O' mawten'd lolls aboon him. Skinner
Poems (1809^ 8. (3) Ags. (Jam.)
MAUTEN, ppl. adj. Sc. n.Cy. Also written mawten
Sc. (Jam.) 1. Of grain: having a peculiar taste because
not properly dried ; of bread: not properly baked ; moist
and friable ; also fig. of a person ; dull, sluggish. Sc.
(Jam.) 2. Comp. Mauten-corn, damp and germinating
corn. N.Cy.'
MAUTH, sb. Som. Dev. Cor. Also in form moth
Cor.'^ [mq\>, mo^.] Moss.
w.Som.' You can vind a fine lot o' mauth, miss, over in the goil.
nw.Dev.l. s.Dev.. e.Cor. JMiss D), Cor.'^
MAUTHE-DOOG, sb. I.Ma. Also in forms modda-doo,
moddeydoo. A spectre dog ; see below.
There is a notion prevalent in many places that whenever a
calamity is at hand, or in localities where some accident or evil
deed may have occurred, a spectral dog appears. . . In the Isle of
Man it is termed the ' Mauthe Doog,' Gent. Mag. (Apr. 1880) 494-5 ;
Freckened she'd come in some shape or another, like a corpse,
by gum ! or a modda-doo, gcin bawwawin. Brown IVitch
(1889) 83 ; It is . . . believed to appear at certain times, and its
presence foretells storms and shipwrecks, N. &^ Q. (1872) 4th S.
ix. 415 ; An apparition which they called Mauthe Doog, in the
shape of a shaggy spaniel, was accustomed to haunt . . . [Peel]
Castle in all parts, but particularly the guard- chamber, Boswell
Antiq. (1786) : N.if Q. ib. x. 92.
[Ir. inadadli (a dog) + dubh (black) (O'Reilly).]
MAUTHER, MAUTHERN, MAUTIT, see Mawther,
Maithen, Malted.
MAUVIE, sb. Cai.i [ma'vi.] The maw of a fish ; the
stomach of any small animal ; a rennet-bag.
MAVIE, see Mavis, Meevie.
MAVIN, s6. Sus.'^ [mevin.] The margin.
MAVIN, see Maithen.
MAVIS, sb. Sc. Irel. n.Cy. Nhb. Nhp. Bdf e.An. Also
in forms niavie Per. ; mavish Sc. Ant. n.Cy. Bdf e.An.'^;
niawish Cmb. ; mevies Lnk. [me'vis, mevij.] The
song-thrush. Tardus tiiiisiciis.
Sh.I. He had a good tenor voice and could sing like a mavis,
Burgess Stetclies (and ed.) 19. Elg. Tester Poems (1865) 212.
Bnff. Next to t-he mavis the lark or the laverock is the bird forme.
Smiles Natur. (1876) xiii. e.Sc. We showed her a mavis's nest,
Setoun R. Urquhaii (1896) vi. Abd. Gibbie could . . . sing like a
mavis, Macdonald SirGibbie (1879) xli. Kcd. Grant Lays (1884)
18. Frf. WiLLocK Rosetly Ends ^i886) 4, ed. 1889. Per. She's
singin' like a mavie, Stewart Character (1857) 79, Fif. Robert-
son P/oi;os< (1894) 23. Slg. Towers PowHS (1885) 132. s.Sc.
Watson Bards (1859; 37. Dmb. The mavis whistles on the tree,
Taylor Po«ms ( 1827; 8t. Rnf. Young AW»;ra (1865) 46. Ayr.
Service Nolandums U890) 40. Lnk. Gar thee cock thy tail like
a mevies, Graham U'ritmgs (1883) II. 37. Lth. Macneill Poet.
IVks. (1801) 160, ed. 1856. Bwk. Chisholm Poems ,1879) i9-
Feb. Affleck Poet. Wks. (1836) 139. Slk. A bit mavis! Chr.
North Noctes (ed. 1856) III. a. Dmf. Fu' wecl the sleekit mavis
kens, Cromek lieyimins (1810) 34. GalL Irving Lays 1872,, 69.
Kcb. While on tlie brake The mavis takes his Stan', Davidson
Seasons (j 789) 58. Wgt. Fraser Poems (1885) 89. Ir. Swainson
Birds (1885) 3. N.I.l ' You can sing like a mavis,' gen. used
satirically. Ant. He was singin' like a mavish, Bal/ymena Obs.
(1892). n.Cy. Hollowav. Nhb. At Dews-hill Wood the mavis
sings beside her birken nest, Charnley Fisher's Garland (1841')
5; Nhb.i, Nhp.2, Bdf. (J.W.B.i, e.An.12, Cmb. (J.D.R.) Nrf. I
fared as happy as an owd mavish over a dodman, Spilling
Johnny s Jaunt (i8-;g-\ iv. Suf. G.E.D.1, Suf.>, Ess.l
[And now is Mirthe therin, to here The briddes, how
they singen clere, The mavis and the nightingale,
Chaucer Rom. R. 11. 617-9. Fr. maiivis.]
MAVIS-SKATE, sb. Sc. The sharp-nosed ray. Rata
riiitea. Cf may-skate.
e.Sc. Neill Fishes (i8io) 28 (Jam.). [Satchell (1879).]
MAW, sb.^ and v. In geu. dial, use in Sc. and Eng.
Also written ma Dev.; maa Nhb.' ne.Lan.' I.W.' Cor.^^;
mawe Edb. War." [m9, moa, ma.] 1. 56. The stomach ;
esp. of human beings and of cattle; the heart.
Nhb. While stuffing full your . . . maws (W.G.). e.Yks.i Ah
can't eeat nl mare, ml maw's ommost brussen. m.Yks.', ne.Lan.i
Chs.'2; Chs.3 Aw's fish as comes to his maw. War.* There's
sunimat the matter with that cow's mawe. Hrt. The maw of a
sucking calf or kid, Ellis Mod. Htisb. (1750) HI. i. 122. e.Suf.
(F.H.) Ess. Jephson in Ess. Arch. Soc. (1863I II. 179. Hnip.
Ellis Pronunc. (1889) V. 104. I.W.i, w.Som.', Cor.', Cor.^ 97.
2. Comb, (i) Maw-bag, the stomach of an animal; (2)
-bind, of cattle : to become costive ; (3) -bound or -bun, of
cattle ; costive, gorged ; (4) -guts, the intestines of sheep ;
(5) -pot, see (i) ; (6) -sick, a disease of sheep caused by a
defective stomach ; (7) -skin, the stomach of a calf, salted
and cleaned, from which rennet is obtained ; (8) -turned,
made squeamish.
(i) Gall. The mawbag o' a butterflee Weel dried and stuff 'd
ahame had he. The haw too o' a midge's e'e, Mactaggart Encycl.
(1824) 238, ed. 1876. Nhb.' (21 n.Yks.^ Oor coo's fit te maw-
bind. (3) n,Yks.2, w.Yks.2, Chs. ( Hall), Chs.' ^^, nw.Der.', Not.',
Lei.', w.Som.' {4) Hev. Reports Provinc. {i8gi^. (5) Dev. Grose
(1790) MS. add. (P.) n.Dev. Let's hope Death's mapot is a-clit.
Rock Jim an' Nell (1867) st. 99. (6) Bck. Ellis Shep. Guide
(1750) 186. (7) Chs. Not only the mawskin or stomach of the
calf is used, for the purpose of coagulation, but also the curd,
Marshall Reviezu (1818) II. 48 ; Chs.' Midi. Marshall Rnr.
Econ. (1796) II. Lei.', Nhp.', Shr.'^, e.An.', Suf.' i8 1 Lnk. Some
said he was maw-turn'd wi' the fa'; for he bocked up a' the barley,
Graham JVritings (1883) II. 17.
3. The human mouth ; the throat.
Slg. Our maw wi' drouth was burning, Galloway Poems (ed.
1795'. Lth. Fast their maws they steevely cram, Bruce Poems
(1813) II. 66. Edb. Foreign falals Cram ilk ane's ameryor mavves
Wi' sick'nin' shil-shals, Learmont Poems (1791) 50. Chs.'
w.Som.' Shut thy gurl maw, and let's ha' none o' thy slack.
4. V. To eat, devour.
w.Yks.5 Well, what can yuh expect through a chap 'ats bin used
to nowt bud mawing taaties ? 35.
MA'W, sb.'^ Chs. Der. [m?.] 1. A mallet ; a large
hammer. See Mall, sb.^
Chs.' A large wooden hammer with a long handle, for driving
stakes into the ground. The head is shod with an iron hoop at
each end. s.Chs.', Der.^, nw. Der.'
2. Comp. Maw-yed, a blockhead. s.Chs.'
MAW, si.^ Cor."^ [mp.] A piece of bread and butter.
MAW, si.* Obs. Lan. Agameplayedwithapiquetpack
of 36 cards, by any number of persons from two to si.x.
Siezenoddy, maw, and rufl', were all games of cards, Harland
& Wilkinson Leg. (1873) 135.
MAW, see Maa, s6.'*. Mow, v}*
MAWBISH, adj. e.An. [niobij.] Intoxicated.
e.An.' Nrf. ' Some o' they fellows '11 go home niawbish,' says
the captain, remarking their increased hilarity, White E. Eng.
(1865) I. 97.
MAWCH, MAWD, see Maught, Maud, sb.
MAWDY, adj. s.Cy. [mpdi.] Of a child : cross,
peevish. N. St' Q. (1882) 6th S. vi. 249. Cf mardy.
MAWE, MAWER, MAWG, see Mow, i;.'. More, sb.,
Mawk, s6.'
MAWGRAM, MAWIN(G, MA WISH, see Megrim,
Mowing, Mavis.
MAWK, 5i.' and v} Sc. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Yks. Lan.
Not. Lin. Also written mauk Sc. N.Cy.'° n.Yks." e.Yks.
w.Yks.' Lan. Lin. ; and in forms maak Nhb.' Cum.'*
w.Yks.' n.Lan.' ne.Lan.' ; mach Sc. ; mack Lan.' ; make
N.Cy."; malke e.Yks. ; mauch Sc. Bnft".'; mawg n.Yks.'';
moak Nhb.'; moch Abd.; moke Nhb.' w.Yks. ='; mork-
w.Yks.^ [mpk, mpsk, mak.] 1. sb. A maggot ; esp. the
larva of the bluebottle fly.
Sc. A mach and a horse's hoe are baith alike, Ferguson Prov.
(1641) 7. Abd. (G.W.) se.Sc. Keep the herring an' the ling
Frae mauks that creep, Donaldson Poems (1809) 106. Lnk. Some
cam' frae dark, sepulchral walks. A' creepin' ow'r wi' creamy
MAWK
[59]
MAW KIN
mawks, Deil's Halloween (1856) 15. e.Lth. That's ane o' your
Leeberal Churchmen — the mawks that the Kirk has bred in her
belly, Hunter J. Imcick (1895) 193. Hdg. Ye are the silliest
gawkies To rive auld hames For sic vvheen triflin' mawkies, Lums-
DEN Sliref>-hend (1892'! 105. Slk. I saw her carefully wi' a knife
scrapin out the mauks, Chr. North Nodes (ed. 1856) IV. 97.
Gall. A mawk on a sheep's hurdie, Crockett Suttbonnet (1895)
ix. Kcb. The hen ... to the midden rins To scrape for
mauks, Davidson Seasons (1789) 5. N.Cy.'* Nhb. Shanks full
of mawks, Wilson Pi*/«m» '5 Prt>' ', 1843 1 10: Nhb.*, Dur.^ s.Dur.
Farmers speak of sheep as being 'struck' with mawks in 'hot
weather' — when the eggs of the fly germinate in the skin (J.E.D.).
Cum. (M.P.) ; Cum." He's pikin mawks oot o' a deed dog. n.Yks.
Thur 3'owes are clowclagg'd, they skitter saire, They'l be full of
mawks, if yow tack nut care, Meriton Praise Ale (1684) 11. 155-6;
n.Yks. i^^**, ne.Yks.' e.Yks. There will malkes breed immedi-
ately, Best Rm: Econ. (164a 79; e.Yks.', m.Yks.' w.Yks.
Thart' ez welcome ez a mawk i' cheese, Ykstnati. Comic Ann.
(1881) a8 ; w.Yks. "^^5 Lan. Maggots for fishing we used, as
boys, to call ' mawks,' Gaskell Lectures Dial. (1854) 3^ I Lan.',
n.Lan.'. ne.Lan.' Not.^ That sheep is covered wi' mawks ; Not.^
s.Not. Obsol. Look at the mawks i' this ship's back iJ.P.K.j.
n.Lin.' She was that mucky she niver reightled oot her hair fra
one munth end till anuther, an' e' them daays women wore
poother, so e' summer-time it ewsed to get full o' grut hewge
mawks. sw.Lin.'
Hence (it Maukiness, sh. the state of being full of
maggots; (2) Mawket, /"/i/. adj. infested withi maggots;
(3) Mawky, adj. (a) full of maggots; yb] dirty ; white and
sickly-looking ; (4) -fly, sb. the bluebottle, Musca vonii-
toria.
(i) Sc. (Jam.) (a) Gall. The sheep grow mawket ou the hill
And sair thcmsells they claw, Mactaggart&iq'c/. (i8a4) 244, ed.
1876. (3, (11 Sc. (Jam.% Bnff.i, Abd. (G.W.) Lnk. His midder
sell'd mauky mutton, Graham Writings (1883) ''• 233. Bwk.
Mawky kail, Henderson Pop. Rhymes (1856) 83. n.Cy. Grose
(1790) ; N.Cy.' Nhb. The taties'll then hev ne disease, Then
thur'U be ne mawky cheese, Bagnall Sngs. (c. 1850) 21 ; Nhb.'
' A maaky salmon,' an unclean salmon. n.Yks. (T.S.) ; n.Yks.';
n.Yks. ^ Ez decad ez a mauky ratten. e.Yks.' Mawky cheese.
w.Yks. '^*5^ ne.Lan.' Lin. Thompson Hist. Boston (1856) 714.
sw.Lin.' The sheep are all mawky. (A) n.Yks. He has a desprit
mawky look (T.S.). e.Yks.' (4) Nhb.'
2. Comp. (i) Mawk-blight, mildew caused by clusters of
maggots and minute insects ; (2) -fly, the bluebottle ; (3)
•foist, see (i) ; (4) -midge, see (2) ; (5) -worm, a maggot.
(i) n.Yks.2 (2) n.Lin.' (3) n.Yks.2 (4) Cum.'* (5) Dmf.
That greedy thief [alcohol] Wha's fiery pinions thousands bear aCf
For mauk worm beef, QuiNN Heather (1863I 102.
3. Phr. {i) as dead as a mawk, quite dead ; (2) as fat as a
mawk, very fat ; (3) as white as a mawk, sickly-looking ;
(4) silty as a mawk, excessively silly.
(i) Sc. f Jam.) Lnk. My mither's as dead as a mauk, Graham
IVritiiigs {1883) II. 39. Edb. Our bonny tortoise shell cat, Tommy,
... as dead as a mawk, Moir Mansie Waiich (1828') ix. Rxb.
What ails my watch ? She's faintit clean away, As dead's a mauk,
her case is such, Her pulse, see, winna play, A. Scott Poems
(1805) 200 (Jam.), (a) Lakel.'^ w.Yiis. Prov. in Brig/ioiise News
(Aug. 10, 1889) ; w.Yks.5 (3) n.Yks.^ e.Yks. Nicholson Flk-Sp.
(1889) aa. n.Lin.' (4) Cum.*
4. Fig. A whim ; a foolish fancy ; a joke, trick.
n.Cy. Grose (1790). n.Yks. '^ w.Yks. Like a badlj- bairn, or a
little lass in a mawk, Ellis Pronunc. (1889) V. 386. Lan. Conno'
wi thry a bit of a mauk, like, afore thingsare gonetoofar? Brierley
Tales (1854) II. 180.
Hence (i) Mawged, ppl. adj. vexed ; (2) Mawkish, adj.
whimsical ; (3) Mawky, rtfl^. whimsical, capricious, change-
able; peevish, discontented; proud, conceited; (4) Mawky-
headed, see (2).
(i) n.Yks.* (a) War.* When yer get old, mind yer don't become
as mawkish as yer mother. (3) n.Cy. (Hall.), N.Cy.' n.Yks.
Ah nivir knew onny one soa mawky, Ketherston Sinuggiits Fani.
ao ; n.Yks.' ; n.Yks.^ A mawky body ; n.Yks.*, m.Yks.' w.Yks.'
Them maaky upstarts, ii. 301. Lan. Hoo's a mawky slut, Gaskell
Lectures Dial. (1854) 31. Lin. Thompson Hist. Boston (1856) 714 ;
Lin.' It's very mawky weather. (4) n.Cy. (Hall.), w.Yks.'
5. One that is squeamish and fastidious.
w.Yks. ^ She is a mawk !
6. V. To become infested with maggots.
Bnff.' MS. adil., Nhb.' ne.Yks.' They'll mawk leyke sheep.
7. Fig. To crave for ; to become melancholy ; to mope.
n.Yks.' He mun be put intiv jacket an' trowsers, he mun ; else
he'll mawk. Thoo's mawking te gan te t'show.
[1. A mawke, tarmtis, Cath. Aiigl. (1483). Dan. madike,
a maggot (Larsen) ; ON. mai)ki- (Vigfusson).]
MAWK, .si.2 and 1-.2 'Wil. Also written maak. [mak.]
1. sb. A mop for cleaning out a brick oven. Wil.' (s.v.
Mawkin.) SeeMawkin,4. 2. v. To clean out the oven
with a mop, before putting in the bread.
n.Wil. Fetch the maakin an' maak out th' o-ven (E.H.G.).
MAWK,5A.* Wm. [m9k.] A hare. See Mawkin, si. 5.
There is an old mawk sits here (B.K.).
MAWK, v.^ Lan. Also in form mawkin. To go about
stupidly, to move in a senseless manner.
He goes mawking about after something he knows nothing
about (S.W.); Aw mawkint an lost meh gate agen Snap, Tim
Bobbin View Dial. (1740J 34; I'd mawkint obewt, Paul Bobbin
Sequel (1819) ar,
MAWK, v." Oxf. [mok.] 1. To frighten. Oxf.' MS.
add. 2. To bafile, tease, torment.
' Well I that do mawk me.' It also conveys an idea of surprise
(M.W.^.
MAWKIN, sb. In gen. dial, use in Sc. and Eng. Also
written maukin Sc. w.Yks. s.Chs.' Fit. Oxf Hrt. e.An.'
Cmb. Som. ; mawken Suf. Dor.' Dev. : and in forms
maakin Wil.'; macon Frf. ; mailkin Nhb.'; malkin Sc.
(Jam.) Cum.*n.Yks.= w.Yks." Lei.' Nhp.' War." s.Wnr.'
Shr.' e.An.' Wil.' Som. Dev.' Cor.'=; malking Lin.';
maukamNrf. ; mauking e.Yks. ; maukuniNrf. ; maulkiii
Stf. ; mawking Brks. ; mocking Nrf. ; moekin Lan. ;
moikin War.^'* s.War.' ; mokin Lan. Hinp.' ; morcan
e.An.'; morginBdf. ; morkin Shr.^ [mo'kin, niakin.]
1. A half-grown girl ; esp. one engaged to do light
house-work.
Sc. Francisque-Michel Lang. (1882) 134 ; A 1-ass and a maukin
(Jam.).
2. A slattern, an untidy person ; a showily or eccentri-
cally dressed person ; a term of abuse or contempt for
any one.
N.Cy.' Cum. Linton Lake Cy. (1864) 307 ; Cum.* Lan. Th'
moekin connot ha beighlt this egg at aw, Staton iooHimnn' ic.
1861) 88 ; Tum o' Willioms shul dash th' yallo posset e' th' Mokin's
fece, Paul Bobbin Sequel (18191 36; Lan.' He co'de her a mis-
manner't daggle-tail an' a mawkin', Manch. Critic (Mar. 31, 1876).
s.Lan. A dunce, a listless person, Bamford Dial. (1854) aoi. Chs.
Thah ruddl-faaced mawkin, CLouGHj5.B;i'ss/t'!'/('/f(i879)ao. s.Chs.'
Wey, Pol i, yoa- loo'kn u reg'ilur mau'kin, dhaafyoa- dim, wi yur
fidh'iirzun yurfol"-dhu-rol ; ivahy wuz u yiingg wensh lahykj'oa',
ahy shod bey iishai'md u foa'ks seyin mi goa' uliing- dhu road
sich' u traaliik. Fit. (T.K.J.) Der. Whj', ye're drippin" like a
joint o' meat. . .1 canna think howye can be sicha mawkin, Verney
Stone Edge (1868) v. War. He called her a country mawkin,
B'ham Daily Post (June 9, 1899). Shr.' Sally, if yo' gO'n to town
i' that owd cloak an' them filhers an' flowers stuck i' yore 'at,yo'n
a to carry the flag for the biggest maukin i' the far. e.An.' Cmb.'
What are you anticking about there for — you great maukin.
e.Suf. (^F.H.l Dev.'Muchhowacoud leke zuch a zokey molkit, such
an unsoutherly malkin, 7. Cor. Better for a man to have a threfty
wife thun a malkin, T. Towser (1873) 143; Cor.' ^
Hence Mawkinly, (i) adv. dirtily ; (2) adj. slovenly,
dirty.
(i) Lan. Aw bin so mawkinly rowld i' th' riggot. Ti.m Bobbin
Vieio Dial. (1740) 37. (a"! Lan. Noan o' yoar mawkinly treawsers
breeches, Scholes Tim Ganiwatlle (1B57) 26.
3. A scarecrow, an effigy of a man or woman, made of
old clothes stuffed with straw, put up in fields to scare
birds.
n.Yks.2 e.Yks. (Miss A.I ; An eflher some caffle, contrahvin, an
talkin, They varry seean manidged ti mak up a mawkin, Nichol-
son Flk-Sp. (I889^ 39 ; e.Yks.', w.Yks.^*, Chs.'^, Stf.' n.Stf. You
knew no more . . . than the mawkin i' the field, Geo. Eliot A. Bede
(1859) I. 108. Der.' Not. He's made his old coat into a mawkin
to keep the crows off (L.C.M.). Lin. Brookes Tracts Gl. ; Lin.'
We mun have a mawkin up to keep the birds off the line, n Lin.'
He's moore like a mawkin then a man. sw.Lin.' We mun set up
a mawkin, or the birds'll get all the seed. Lei.' Shay dew mek
'er-sen a sooch a mawkin ! Nhp,' What a malkin she's made of
I 2
MAWKIN
[60]
MAWPUSES
herself; Nhp.« War. The mavvkin'll keep off the birds (N.R.) ;
War.2«, s.War.', w.Wor.', se.Wor.', s.Wor.' Shr. In the above
recent cases the mawkin was used. Bl-rne Flk-Lore (1883) xxii;
Shr.i The Baylv's put sich a rar good maukin i' the corn-leasovv—
anybody 06d think it wuz a livin'mon; Shr.2 Hrf.i^. Glo.>,Brks.
(W.H.Y.\ Bdf. (J.W.B.!. e.An.' Nrf. (A.C.) ; They warn't no
more good than them raockings, Emerson Son of Feus , 1892) 21.
Snf. The boys called these suits (of clothes) Hawkins because they
were first exhibited in the shop windows on lay figures. The Suf.
people called a draped up figure alive or dead a Mawkin, Rust
Good Old Timis in Nonfich Argus (1888 ; (C.T.^ Suf.', e.Suf.
(F.H.), Ess. (J.F.) Sus. Dere %vos a law chep as wur a bit ov a
nabbler an a live mawkin wot hed awves loiked a mort of rubbidge
an yape, Jackson Southward Ho (1894) I. 432 ; (E.S.S.) ; Sus.>
Wil. Thee looks like a girt maakin, Jefferies Gt. Estate (1880)
viii; Wil.' Som. (W.F.R.) ; (Halu) Dev. Looking for all the
world like a mawken. Carew Aulob. Gipsy (1891) xxx.
4. A mop ; a bundle of rags fastened to a pole ; esp. used
to clean out the hot embers from a brick oven before the
bread is put in.
n.Cy. Grose (1790 : NCy.'. Nhb.' Cum. Linton Lake Cy.
(1864)307. n.Vks.2 w.Yks. Ah wor as black asa baker's maukin,
Tom Treddlehoyle Bauusia Aitu. (1847) 4 ; w.Yks.", Lan., Chs.
(F.R.C.^ Chs.' The clouts are usually attached to the pole by a
short chain. In using it, it is dipped in water, and is pushed back-
wards and forwards over the bottom of the oven ; Chs.^, s.Chs.',
Stf. (K.). Der.i, Not (L.C.M.\ Not.3, Nhp.'s War. B'liaiu IVily.
Post (June 10, 1893) ; War.' =3 se.Wor.' To prevent its setting on
fire, the mawkin is first dipped in water. s.Wor.' Shr.' Now
then, wet the maukin, an' fatch the tin to put the gledes in. GIo.
(W.W.S), GIo.i,Oxf.i Brks. Gl. (1852); Brks.', Bdf. (J.W.B.)
Hrt. Ellis Cy. Hswf. (nso"! 190. Hmp.' Wil. The malkin,
being wetted, cleaned out the ashes ; . . malkin [is] a bunch of
rags on the end of a stick, Jefferies G/. Estate {i^?>a) viii ; Wil.' 2,
Dor.' Som. W. & J. Gl. (i873\ w.Som.' Maukeen, maa-keen.
Cor. (F.RC), Cor.'2
5. A hare.
Sc. They were considerate men that didna plague a puir herd
callant muckle about a moor-fowl or a mawkin, Scott St. Ronan
(1824) xiv. Elg. CouPER Poetry (1804) I. 175. Bnff. Whan he
shot, The maukin up, an' ran awa, Taylor Poems{l^8^]^ 91. Bch.
As mirkie as a maukin at the start, Forbes Jm. (1742') 7. Abd.
He maun hae likit leevin' things, puir maukin an' a', Macdon.\ld
/>. Elginbrod (1863) I. 90. Frf. A macon killed by's fa' i' the seat :
A hare, a monster, Sands Poems (1833 84. w.Sc. Miss Jean could
loup like a maukin, Carrick Laird of Logau (1835') 271. e.Fif.
Latto Taut Bodkin (1864) xi. Slg. The tod and maukin cowerin'
flee Before the hunter's horn, Towers Po«h5 (1885 60. Rnf. Barr
Poems (1861) 49. Ayr. Tormenting the birds and mawkins out o'
their verra life, Galt Entail (1823) viii. Lnk. None will go to sea
that day they see a mauken, or if a wretched body put in a mau-
ken's fit in their creels they need not lift them that day, as it will
be bad luck, Graham JFn/iW^s (1883) II. 237. Lth. Bruce Pofxis
(1813) II. 10. Edb. MoiR Mansie Wauch (1828} xv. Bwk.
As thochtless as the maukins that were nibblin' 'mang the corn,
Calder Poems (1897) 203. Feb. Affleck Poet. IVts. (1836) 62.
Slk.HoGG ra/«ii838i 366, ed. 1866. Rxb. He left na a blade that
a maukin could bite, Riddell Poet, ll'ks. (1871) II. ao2. Dmf.
Thom Joci o' Kitoae (1878) 4. GaU. Once they raised, as it had
been a poor maukin, a young lad that ran from them, Crockett
Moss-Hags (1895) xlvii. Kcb. Mawkins hirple ower the frosty
lawn, Armstrong Ingleside (18901 151. n.Cy. He could wire a
mawkin (B.K.). Nhb. The mawkin gogglet i' the synjer's face.
Richardson Bordne>'s Table-bk. (1846^ VII. 142. Cum." Obs.
6. Comb, (i ) Maukin-hippit. Iiaving thin hips like a hare ;
(2) -mad, ' as mad as a March hare.'
(i) Per. Nane o' yer auld maukin-hippit withered bodies for me,
MoNTEATH Dunblane ; 1835) 92, ed. 1887. (a) Bnff. Down the brae
I gaed fu' wight. An' lap an' sang, grown maukin mad, Taylor
Poems 1787" 65. Edb. Fuddlin Bardies now-adays Rin maukin-
mad in Bacchus' praise, Fergusson Poems (1773) 144, ed. 1785.
a.Cy. Border Gl. Coll. L.L.B.)
7. Phr. //if maukin is gaiiii up the hill, the business in
hand is prospering. Rxb. (Jam.)
[1. jifau'kiii is prop, a dim. of the Christian name Maud.
Malkyne, or Maut (v.r. Mawde), Matilda, Prompt.]
MAWKIN, nrfy. e.Lan." Unwieldy; difficult to handle.
MA'WKIN, see Mawk, v.^
MA-WKINGFLY, sb. Sc. The bluebottle fly. Gall.
Mactaggart Encycl. (1824)336, ed. 1876. Cf mawk, 56.' 1.
MAWKISH, adj. Sc. Yks. Chs. Nhp. War. Brks. Hnt.
I W. Also in form maakish I.W.' [m^'ki/.] 1. Insipid ;
unsavoury. Chs.', Nhp.', War.^ Brks.', Hnt. (T.P.F.)
2. Slightly indisposed ; faint ; sick from drinking.
Sc. (A.W.), n.Yks. .T.S.), e.Yks.i w.Yks. Doctors doant hev
a varry cumfuttuble time ; their moast delicate bits a wark ar sich
as menny on uz wud feel mawkish abaht hanallin, Toji Treddle-
hoyle Bairnsia Ann. ( 18961 32. Chs.'^, I.W.'
MAWKRE, see Macker.
MAWKS, sb. and v. n.Cy. Yks. Chs. Der. Lin. Nhp.
War. Shr. Hrf Brks. Ess. Ken. Sus. Hmp. Also written
niawx Der.' ; and in forms mauk N.Cy.' ; mawk N.Cy.'
w.Yks. Brks.' Sus.'^ Hmp.' ; mox Der.' Hrf = [mok(s.]
1. sb. A mess ; a mixture ; a state of decay.
Chs."^^ s.Chs.' Ahy daayt dhai)n mai' u mau-ks on it [I dait
they'n may a mawks on it]. Hrf.^ The taters were all in a mox.
2. A foolish, slatternly woman ; an overgrown, clumsy
girl. Cf. mawkin, sb. 2.
n.Cy. Bailey (1721); N.Cy.', Chs.'^^, Der.', sw.Lin.' (s.v.
Mawkin). Nhp.' What a mawks I War.'^s Ess. Out of the way
with you, you lazy mawks (CD.). Ken. (K.). Sus.°. Hmp.'
Hence Mawky, adj. of a woman : dowdy and ungainly ;
wearing tawdry finery. w.Yks. (S.K.C.), Brks.'
3. V. To mess, dirty.
s.Chs.' Ahy)v mau'kst mi aan z \vi empi in treekl [I've mawksed
my hands wi' empyin' treacle]. War.^ Shr.' 'Ow yo'n mawksed
that apparn, w'y it wuz on'y clane on at tay-time.
4. To mess about ; to saunter, loiter in.
s.Chs.' DhCi chil'durn wun mau-ksin lamimgg- dhu sriibz i dhii
gy'aa-rdin [The childern won mawksin' among the srubs i' the
gardin]. Shr.' I've knit a stockin awilde we'n bin mawksin' the
lanes after a bit o' laisin'.
MAWKSY, adj. Oxf.' [m^ksi.] Soft ; tasteless ;
esp. of over-ripe fruit.
MAWKY, adj. O.xf ' [mo ki.] Over-sweet
MAWL, see Mall, sb.\ Maul, sb.\ v.''^
MAWLDY, MAWLSCRAWL, MAWLT, MAWM,
see Mouldy, Maskel, Mould, ad/.. Malm.
MAWMBLE, MAWMENT, MAWMET, see Momble,
Mommet.
MAWMOOIN, sb. w.Yks. A blockhead, simpleton;
a playful, teasing youth or girl ; lit. ' mow the moon.' Cf
maamouth.
Ha does ta put it on ? Ower thi heead, mawmooin, Hartley
Budget {lS^ 1)143; (C.C.)
MAWMS, sb. pi. Lei.' [momz.] In phr. fo make
maiviits, to make faces.
I can't go out o' my door wi'oot his mekkin' mawms at me.
MAWMSEY, sb. and adj. Not. Lei. Nhp. War. Shr.
Also written maumsey Nhp.' [m^nizi.] 1. sb. A silly,
awkward, trifling fellow ; a noodle.
Not.' Lei.' A's a poor mawmsey. Nhp.'^, War.^
2. adj. Sleepy, stupid, esp. from want of rest or from
over-drinking.
Shr.' Merry nights mak'n sorrowful moniin's— I'm despert
mawmsey to-day, an' shanna be right tell I'm pool'd through the
sheets agen.
MAWN, sb. Hrf Rdn. [m9n.] 1. Peat. Hrf. Morton
O'c/o. ^^r/c. (1863 1 ; Hrf.' 2. Cow/. Mawn-pit, a peat-
pit ; a bog. Hrf.' Rdn. Morgan IVds. (1881).
[1. Wei. maivn, gleba. caespes (Davies).]
MAWN, see Man, sb.^. Maun, sb., Maund, sb
MAWNER, t/. Dmf. (Jam.) To mimic.
He's ay inawnerin' me.
MAWNGE, see Maunge, j'.'
MAWP, sA.' Lan. Dor. Also in forms maulp, maup
Lan.'; muope Dor.' ; mwopeDor.' [mop.] 1. The bull-
finch, Pyrrliula Europara. Cf nope.
Lan. Swainson Birds 1885 66; Lan.' Paj'd for maulpp \_sic\ taken
38 in Rostherne, . . for every malpe irf., Rostherue Ckwardens'
Accts. (1673). Dor. Swainson ib. ; Dor.'
2. The blue-tit, Prt>»5 (•(?<■>•« /f«s. Lan.' In the Fylde district.
MAWP, sb.'^ and i'. w.Yks. [moap.] 1. sb. A blow.
Ah'll gi' thch a niawp o' t'heead (.iE.B.\
2. V. To strike, (ib.)
MAWP. MAWPS, MAWPUSES, see Mope, Maups,
Mopuses.
MAW'R
[6i]
MAY
MAW'R, sb. e.An. Also written maur e.An. Suf. ;
mohr e.An.^ ; mor e.An.^ Nrf. Suf. ; more Ess. ; and in
forms mo', maw e.An." Suf.' ; mo' Suf. [mosfr).] A
woman ; a girl, esp. a young girl ; ffen. used as a vocative.
See Mawther.
e.An. Here, maur, take yeow this here gotch, an' goo an' buy a
punner o' yist, N. & Q. fi872') 4th S. ix. 167 ; e.An.i" Nrf. 'Mor,
that pig is witched,' said Jimmy to his mother, Emerson Marsh
Leaves (1898) 156; .So we wool, mor, A.B.K. Wright's Fortune
(1885) 8. Suf. What were that you was a singun of, maw'r?
FisoN Mf;;^' Sk/. (1899) 10; He hurled a stone against the bo's
and mo's, Ellis Proiiunc. (1889) V. 284; Suf.>, e.Suf. (F.H.)
Ess.* A great awicward girl.
MAWRE, see More, sb>
MAWS, sb. pi. Sc. Nhb. Not. Also written mawse
Nhb.' ; and in form maas ib. [m^z, maz.] The mallow,
esp. the marsh-mallow, Alalva sylvesMs. Also in comp.
Mawsmallow. Cf. maul, sb.''
Rxb. Science Gossip (1876) 39. Nhb. (C.T.), (R.O.H.), Nlib.'
s.Not. Even where ' maul ' is used in the singular, the/>/. appears
to be generally 'maws ' (J.P. K.).
MAWSE, MAWSEY, see Mows, Mosey, adj."^
MAWSIE, adj. and sh. Sc. Also written mausie Frf.
[mozi, mazi.] 1. adj. Of persons, esp. women : stout,
well-made; of cloth and clothing : thick, strong.
Bnff.' Cld. That's a gran', mawsie gown ye've got (Jam.).
2. sb. A stout person, esp. a woman ; a stupid, slovenly,
worthless woman ; also used Jig. of a poor-sounding fiddle.
Sc. Fran'cisque-Michicl Lang. (1882) 373. BnfT.' She's a
braw sonsie mawsie, that wife o' his. Frf. The fidler lifted illia
string. Play'd tuilocii ev'r}' smite o't. When mausie wad nae loudly
sing, He gae his bow the wyte o't, Morison Poems (1790) 23.
3. A piece of strong, thick, warm dress material. Bnff.'
MAWSTER, sb. Sc. A mower.
Elg. The mawstcr strong, wi' shining steel, He bounds the
meadow through, Couper Poetry (1804) I. 100. Gall. It has what
mawsters call a matted sole, which racks the shouther-blades in
cutting it, Mactaggakt Encycl. (1824) 325, ed. 1876.
MAWSY, see Mosey, adj.^
MAWT, sb. e.Lan.' [mot] A moth.
[Norw. dial, mott, a moth (Aasen) ; ON. titotli (Vig-
fusson).]
MAWTEN, MAWTHEN, see Mauten, v., ppl. adj.,
Maithen.
MAWTHER, .s7;. ? n.Cy. ? Yks. Glo. Hrt. e.An. VVil.
Also written mauther w.Yks." e.An.' Ess.' Wil. ; morther
Suf. ; and in forms maadhur Ess. ; modder Cmb. Nrf.
Suf. Ess. ; modhdher e.An. ; modherCmb. Nrf. Suf. Ess.;
motha Glo.' ; mother n.Cy. [m5(5a(r).] A girl just
growing into womanhood, esp. a great, rough, awkward
wench ; a little girl ; an unmarried woman ; also used of
mares, cows, and other female animals. Cf. maw'r.
n.Cy. Bailey (172 1 ). w.Yks." A gret stawgin' mauther. Glo.'
A stromacking motha. Hrt. She be a reglar mawther, she be
(H.G.). e.An. Modhdhers arc honest men's daugiiters, Ray
Proii. (1678) 75; e.An.i Cmb. Ray (1691) ; Cmb.' She's a coarse
country mawther, only fit for a farmyard. Nrf. Grose (1790);
He will talk of a ' mawther ' who may or may not be Ivis 'dafter,'
Rye Hist. Nrf. (1885) xv. e.Nrf. Marshall Rnr. Econ. (1787;.
Suf. That there big morther o' yourn (ME. R. ; Ray fKe/j. (1691) ;
Suf.' Ess. A great aukurd maadliur, aint good for naathin', and
never 'ool be (W.W.S.) ; A coarse wench, Ellis Fronnnc. (1889;
V. 222; RayiA, ; Ess.", Wil. (K.)
[Awaj', you talk like a foolish mauther, Jonson Alchemist
(1610) IV. iv, ed. Cunningham, II. 60 ; No sooner a sowing
but out by and by, With mother or boy that Alarum can
cry, TussER Httsb. (1580) 39 ; Moder, servaunte or wenche,
Prompt. Norw. dial, moder, mor! used in calling girls
(Aasen !.]
MAWTHER, MAWTHERING, MAWX, see Mather,
/;)/., Mothering, Mawks.
MAWZY, sb. Nhb.' [m5-zi.] A speckled hen.
MAWZY, see Mosey, adj>
MAXEL, MAXEN, see Maxhill, Mixen.
MAXFIELD, ,';A. Chs.'^ The town of Macclesfield ;
in phr. Ma.xfield measure, heap and thrntch, or — measure
iipyepped and thriilched, very good measure.
MAXHILL, sb. Ken. Also in forms niaxel Ken. ;
maxul Ken.' ; mixhill Ken. [mae'ksl.] A dunghill.
(G.B.) ; Mixing it in layers among the farm-yard dung in the
mix-hills, Marshall Review (1817) V. 438 ; Young Attn. Agric.
(1784-18151 XXVII. 523; Grose (1790); Ken.>
MAXIE, sb. Sc. [maksi.] A ' maximus ' error ; a
great error.
Abd.Horror of horrors! amaxie,MACDONALD/?./a/cow>-( 1868)191.
MAXIM, sA.' and v. War. Wor. Suf. Som. Dev. Cor.
Also written maxums.Wor.' [mse-ksam.] L sb. Apian,
contrivance ; an experiment ; a fad ; a crotchet.
War.s w.Wor.i The curate's a fustrate 'un amongst the lads ;
'e's got such a many maxims to amuse 'urn. s.Wor.', Suf. (C.T.)
w.Som.' You never can't satisfy her, her've always a got some
maxim or 'nother. I've a tried every sort o' maxims wi' un, but
I can't make-n grow. Dev.^ I zim fayther is a bit better to-day ;
he can suck himself up by the bedpost now, that's his first maxim.
nw.Dev.i Cor.iThat'soIdAnn'swork; she's fullofhermaxims; Cor.'
2. pi. Pranks, tricks, practical jokes.
s.Wor." e.Suf. He won't come any of his maxims over me (F.H.").
n.Dev. Gale-headed Jones. . .Was playing maxims upon Will, Rock
Jim an' Nell (1867) st, 112. nw.Dev.' He's up to wan of hees
maxims, I'll warn.
3. V. To play ; gen. in prp.
Dev. When the rooks are darting about the sky they say . . . 'See
how these crows are maximing ; we shall have rough weather,'
D'Urban & Mathew Birds (1895'! 13. n.Dev. I zee, Joe Routley's
maximing. Rock Jim an' Nell (,1867^ St. 92. nw.Dev.' I zeed min
maximin' about in the fiel".
MAXIM, s6.= Stf ' A kind of lottery
MAXON, see Mixen.
MAY, i;.' Irel. Yks. Wor. Shr. Glo. Oxf. [me, mea ;
unstressed ni3.] 1. In phr. (i) may I never or J may tiei'er
ij, (2) viay I never stir, a strong protestation used to give
force to any statement.
(i) Ir. May I never, but this is the first I heard of it (A.S.-P.', ;
That I may never, if a finer swaddy ever crossed my hands,
Carleton Fardorougha (1848) i. (2) N.I.', w.Yks. (J.W.)
2. Might.
s.Wor. He may have told me, but he didn't , H,K.) ; You m.iy't,
or you might, Porson Quaint IVds. (1875^ 21. Shr." ' May' for
' might' is of gen. usage — people considerably higher in rank tlian
the peasantry employ it. ' 1 may have known what was going lo
liappen,' 'I may a done it, if I'd ony thought,' Inlrod. 65. Glo.'
If I'd alieard in time, I may have come j'esterday. Oxf. (G.O.'j
MAY, sb.^ and i/.' Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng.
Also in forms ma- Wm. ; maay Brks.' [me,me3.] 1. sb.
In comb, (i) May-bee, (2) -beetle or -bittle, the cockchafer;
{3) -birchers, (4) -birches, obs., see below ; (5) -bird, (a) the
whimbrel, Niimenius phaeopus ; {b) a person born in May ;
(6) -bug, see (2) ; (7) -cat, (8) -chate or -chet, a kitten born
in May; also used Jig. of children; (9) -cross, see below;
(10) -curlew, see (s, d) ; (11) -day, id) the 1st of May;
(b) to do the spring house-cleaning ; to do any extra
cleaning ; (12) -dew, in phr. to wash one's Jacc in May-dew,
see below; {13) -eve, the last day of April ; (14) -fire, the
Beltane fire of May-day; (15) -fish, a fish found in the
Severn at certain times of the year; also called Twait
(q.v.) ; (16) -fool, see (20); (17) -fowl, see (5, a); (18)
-garland, a garland of flowers carried by children from
house to house on May morning ; (19) -gobs, a period ot
cold weather occurring about the second week in May;
(20) -gosling or -gesling, a person befooled on the ist of
May, an ' April fool'; a silly person, a dupe, blockhead ;
(21) -gosling day, see (11, a); (22) -hill, the month of May,
a trying time for invalids ; (23) -horn, a horn blown
by boys on the ist of May ; (24) -jack, see (5, a) ; (25)
•kitten, see (8) ; (26) -lamb, a child's name for a lamb ;
(27) -month, the month of May; (28) -music, see below;
(29) -puddock, a young frog ; (30) -rolling, a merrymaking
held on May 29 ; {31) -sick, of barley, &c. : unhealthy,
j'ellow in May; (32) -sickness, the unhealthy appearance
of a crop of barley, &c., yellow in May ; (33) -singers, (34)
•singing, (35) -song, see below ; (36) -water, see (12) ;
(37) •whaap, see (5, a).
U) Cor.'« (2~i Glo.', Hmp.' Wil. Britton Beauties (1825!;
Wil.'" (3, 4) Chs.' May birches were branches of var. kinds of
MAY
[62]
MAY
trees fastened over the doors of houses and on the chimneys on
the eve of May Day. They were fixed up by parties of young
men, called May Birchers, who went round for the purpose, and
were intended to be symbolical of the character of the inmates.
Some were complimentary in their meanings, others were grossly
offensive ; and they sometimes gave rise to much ill-feeling in
rural districts. (5. o) Heb., Ir. [So called] because they appear
in the month of May in greater numbers than at other times,
SwAiNSON Birds (1885) 200. e.An. {R.H.H.\ e.An.l Nrf. One
or two whimbrel or ' May birds.' as the gunners ca'l them, Coyiih.
/>/«;'. ^Mar. 1899) 317; Swainson ib. Hmp. Now and again a
whimbrel, or May-bird, flew overhead, Coruh. Mag. (Apr. 1893)
368. Cor.'2 (A) Sc. May-birds are ay wanton (Jam.1 (6) Nhp.'
So called from gen. making its first appearance in May. War.
rl.R.W.), Glo.l, Ken.12, Sur.', Sus.i e.Sus. Holloway. Hmp.
White Selborne (1789 288. ed. 1853. Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873'.
w.Som.' Not so common as Oak-web (q.v.). (7) Nhb.i Dur. It is
believed that a cat born in the month of May will suck the breath
of a baby in the cradle if the opportunity ofl'ers, Flk-Lorc Rcc.
(1879111.205. e. Dur.' Nobody will keep a May-cat. (Sis.Pem.
They are supposed to bring adders into the house. Laws Little Eiig.
(1888; 421. Cor. Children born in the month of May are called
' May chet5,'and kittens cast in May are invariably destroyed, for —
' May chets Bad luck begets,' Hu.nt Pop. Rom. w.Eiig. (1865) 430,
cd. 1896. (9) Cxf. An ancient custom is observed in this church
[Charlton-on-OtmoorT, a cross of evergreens and flowers being
annually placed on the top of the loft where the great Rood once
stood, and here it remains all the year round. Every May Day
the village girls dressed in white bring the 'May Cross' to the
church in procession, Murray Haiiiibk. ( 1894 95. (10) Ir. Swain-
son ib. (II, a) nw.Der.' sw.Lin.' Old May Daj-, r3th May, from
which the annual hiring of farm senants is reckoned. ' She'll be
home this Mayda' week.' ' Maj' Day's the unsettledst time there is.'
Nhp.', Hnt.;T.P.F.) Nrf.Nine Maj--days out often are distinguished
by abominable and frigid weather. Haggard Farmer's }V«r (1898)
vii. (6) n.Lin.' I can't begin to maaydaay th' cupboards oot to-daay
for I've gotten my best frock on. I mun hcv that there room maay-
daayed oot,an'a fire in it. (12) So. (A.W. ) Nhb.' On the first of
May young people go out into the fields, before breakfast, to wash
their faces in Maydew. Oxf. It was formerlj- believed by many, that
if they got up early on May-morning and washed their faces with
May-dew they would possess a rosy complexion (CO.). (13) Don.
Flk-Lorejni. (1884) II. 90. w.Cy. One superstition, peculiar to the
month of Ma^', is common. . . Over many a cottage door 3'ou sec a
neatly cut cross, St. Andrew's or Latin, of birch wood, or in some
cases a bunch of birch twigs only. If you ask the meaning thereof,
you will be told that they are put up upon May Eve ' to keep offtlie
witches'; also that they may be taken down at an^- time during
the month, although they generally remain up until the following
spring, Longman's Mag. (.Apr. 1898; 547. (14) Dev. , Cor. ' May-
fires ' were long numbered amongst the sports of Jlay-daj-, Bray
Desc. Tantar and Tavy 118361 I. 325. (15) s.Wor.', Glo.' (16)
Som. Jennings Dial. w.Eng. (1869:. (17) Ir. Swainson ib. (18)
Nhp.' 421-2. Oxf. The garland is gen. formed of two willow hoops,
placed transversely, and decorated with leaves and wild flowers.
It is suspended from a stick, which is held at each end by a child
(GO.). (19) Cai.t (20, «1 Sc. There was also a practice of
making fools on May-day, similar to what obtains on the first of
the preceding month. The deluded were called May-goslings,
Chambers' Information (ed. 1842) 616. Dur.', Lakel.* Cum. (J.Ar.);
Cum.* There is still a strong prejudice against goslings hatched in
M.iy ; they are certain to be as unlucky as kittens born, or lads and
lassies married in that month. Wm. Think on neea bod3'maks a May
geslin o' thi (B.K.). s.Wm. Yeel faind naa sic Magezzlins, wha'l
gee ye out to see that ugly creature, HuTTON Dial. Slorlh and
Arnside (1760) 67. n.Yks.'^, e.Yks.' w.Yks.* A similar practice
prevails on this as on All-fools' day, and the victims are called
' May-geslings,' 357. n.Lan.' (21) n.Lan.' (22I s.Wor.' Er'll
never over-get Mahy 'ill, I doubt, poor WTatch. Hrt. ' He'll live
now, I think.' ' Yes, if he gets up May-hill ' (G.H.G.\ Ken.' ' I
don't think he'll ever get up May hill,' i.e. I don't think he will
live through the month of May. Hmp. She'll mend when she's
up may hill. May hill's sure to try 'im a bit (W.M.E.F.) ; He
won't climb up May Hill, Wise New Forest (18S3I 180. (23) Oxf.
Scores of youngsters, as usual, celebrated the .idvent of the month
of llovvers in their own peculiar way by creating a most hideous
row with their May horns, O.rf. Times (May 5, 1900" 3. Brks.'
Made by boys from the rind of the Withy, wound round and
round ; a smaller piece being wound also and inserted at the
smaller end. Cor.' Sometimes parties of boys, five or six in a
party, will assemble under your windows, blowing tin horns and
conch shells, and begging for money. With the money collected
they go into the country and have bread-and-cream junket, &c.
An additional ring of tin is added to the bottom of the horns every
year. '241 N.I.' Erroneously believed to be the young of the
curlew." (25^ Cum.*. Hrf. (E.M.W. , Som. (W.F.R.) ,26) Dur.'
{27^ n.Lin.' ' Cohd, whj' it's not near as cohd as it was last maay-
munth.' I have never heard this compound formed from the name
of any other month. Shr.' I al'ays think yarbs is best gethered i'
the May-month, they bin more juicy then than any other time.
Cor.3 ^28)Cor. The first of May is inaugurated with much uproar...
At Penzance . . . the branches of the sycamore were especially cut
for the purpose of making the * May-music' This was done by
cutting a circle through the bark to the wood a few inches from
the end of the branch. The bark was wetted and carefully beaten
until it was loosened and could be slid off from the wood. The
wood was cut angularly at the end, so as to form a mouth-piece,
and a slit was made in both the bark and the wood, so that when
the bark was replaced a whistle was formed. Hunt Pop. Rom.
w.Eng. (1865) 383, cd. 1896. ("291 Lnk. Had 3'our mouth as mim,
and grave us a May-puddock, Graham Writings (1883) II. 51. (30)
Som. A festivity at East Brent, the sport being to roll one another
down the knoll (W.F.R. ). (31) Wor. i^W.C.B.), se.Wor.l (32)
se.Wor.' (33, 34, 35) Chs.' A da}' or two before the first of May
parties of young men go out in the early morning to the various
farmhouses singing a song in welcome of the ' merr}' month.'
I~hc3* are always spoken of as ' the May Singers,' and their song is
known as ' the Maj' Song.' (36) Dev. jista leetlemoremay-watter
tu make 'e graw a bit. my dear! Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892) 141 ;
Dev. 3 The dew which lies on the grass in the early May mornings
is said by the country folk to be an excellent beautifier of'the
complexion. (37'! Ir. Swainson ib.
2. Comb, in plant-names : (i) May-blob, [a) the marsh-
marigold, Caltlta paliislris ; (b) the cucl<oo-flower, Careia-
miiie pra/ensis ; (c) the globe-flower, Tiolliiis europaeus;
(d) the celery-leaved crowfoot, Ranunculus sceleratus ; (2)
•blub, (3) -bubble, see (i, a) ; (4) -bushes, the lilac. Syiinga
vulgaris ; (5) -daisy, the corn feverfew, Matricaria inodora ;
(6) -flower, (a) see (i, a\ ; (A) see (i. 6) ; (c) see (4) ; {d)
the greater stitchwort, Stellaria Holostea ; (c) the arum
lily, Calla arthiopica ; (7) -goslings or -geslings, the
catkins of the willow; (8) -gowlin, the fla,\ -leaved goldy-
locks, Chrysoconia Linosyris: (9I -grass, see (5, (/) ; (10)
•hay, see below; (11) -lily, the lily of the valley. Con-
vallaria niajalis; (12) — of the meadow, .'the meadow-
sweet. Spiraea Ulniaria ; (13) •pink, the white pink,
Dianthus Caryophylltis ; ( 14) -spink. the primrose, Primula
ncaiilis; (15) -tops, the upper part of algae, esp. Laminaria
digitata; (16) -Tosty, the guelder-rose, Fibnrmim Opulus;
(17) -weed or -wide, (a) the wild or stinking chamomile,
Anthemis Coiula\ {b) see (5); (c) the wild ox-ej'e, Chry-
santhemum Lfucanthemum ; (d) the wild beaked parsley,
Anthrisciis sylvestris ; (e) the oar-weed, Laminaria
digitata.
(I. a) w.Yks.=, Rut. (J.P.K.), Rut.', Lei.', Nhp., War.3. Wil.'
(i) Nhp.t (c) Lei. (rf) Nhp.» (2) Wil.' (3> Wil. The flower
buds of the marsh marigold, Garden IVk. (1896) No. cxi. 77;
(G.E.D.) ,4) s.Dev. (G.E.D.) (5I s.Not. (J.P.K.) (6, a) N.I.i,
Ldd. Don. On May Eve they pull bunches of the ■ May flower'
(kingcup, or marsh marigold. Calllia f-ahistris), and put them over
the doors of their houses. Flk-Lorc Jrn. (1884) II. 90. sw.Cum.,
Chs.'^, Lin. (I.W.). w.Wor. Shr. It is still common ... for the
children to honour May-day by coming round with posies of the
glittering flowersofCrt///irt— marsh marj'gold, as it is wrongly named.
Shropshire boys and girls call them may-flowers, N. & Q. (1893)
8tli S.iii.427 ; Shr.' (/<i w.Yks.'^ Lan.5o'«iff Gossijft (1882) 164 ;
Lan.', Chs.', Hmp. (W.M.E.F.) (<; Cor. (<f) sw.Cum. i>', Lin.
(I.W.) (7) w.Yks.s (8) Wm. For her he had collected the deepest
tinged May Gowlins that grew in the meadows, Lonsdale Mag.
(1822) III. 46. (9) Shr.l (10) Sc. Twisting the red silk and the
blue. With the double rose and the May-hay, Maidment Garland
(1824) 22, ed. 1868. (11) w.Som.' (12) War.= i;i3'iDev.'> (14)
Rnf. (Jam.) ( 15 ■ Nlib.OAi. Formerlyused bykelpmakers(R.O.H.);
The laminaria sheds its upper part in broken weather, about the
end of ihe month 01 May—this, when washed ashore, is known as
May-tops, Hodgson Hist. Bwk. Nat. Field Club (1892) XIV. 2g,»ole.
(16) Dev." (17, «i Hrf. Upon the best lands we find the thistle, ..
maywide. wormwood, and wild mustard poppies, Marshall
Review (18 18) II. 278. Bdf. This is supposed to increase the May-
weed, scratch-burs, &c., BatchelorW^/ic. (1813)105. Hrt. Ellis
MAY
[63]
MAYBE
Mod. Hush. (1750) II. i. Mid., Suf.V e.Suf. (F-H."), Ken.', Sus.i
e.Sus.HoLLOWAY. Hmp.i (61 Brks. DRUCE/"/oifl 11897 287. Bck.
Science Gossip {i&qi) iig. Hrt. (c) Suf. i^rf) Wor. (f) Nhb. A
sea-weed (a species of Fiiciis) used as manure, RepO}is Agiic.
(1793-1813)45; (R.O.H); Nhb.i
3. Phr. (i) beliveeit the two Mays, between the ist and
i2th of May; (2) Queen of May. the primrose, P/v//i»/(?
acaitlis.
(I) N.I.' (2) Bnff. The Queen o' May, in rocklay green Our
Currie braes adorneth, Taylor Poems (1787) 18.
4. The hawthorn, Crataegus Oxyacautha, gen. applied
only to the blossom, but sometimes to the tree also.
Lnk. Sweet-scented hawthorn! odour-breathing May! Nicholson
Idylls (1870J 192. Nlib.i n.Yks. T'hedges is white wi' May
blossom, TwEDDELL Clcvcl. Rhymes (1875) 49. w.Yks.', n.Lin.',
War., Shr. , Glo. Oxr. Apphed to the tree as well as the blossom
(CO.). Brks.', Hrt., e.An.i, Cmb. Nrf. Trees white with may
bloom, Haggard Farmei't Year (1899) vi. Suf.', n.Ess., Sus.,
Hmp.i Wil. BRiTTONiJfa»/!>s (1825"). Dor. Som. Jennings Z)/n/.
w.Eng. (1869). w.Som.' It is thought very unlucky, and a sure
'sign of death,' if May is brought into the house. Cor. When the
flowers be out, an' the May be'pon the hedges, Pearse D. 0:ioini
(1877) I. 106; Cor.i
Hence (i) May-bread-and-cheese, sb. the leaves and
buds of the hawthorn ; (2) -bough, sb. a branch of the
hawthorn in full bloom ; (3) -bush, sb. the hawthorn ; (4)
-flower, s6. the blossom of the hawthorn; (5) -fruits, sb.
pi. the berries of the hawthorn; (6) -tree, s6. the hawthorn
tree.
(i) War.' Eaten by children. (2) Sus., Hmp. Holloway. (3)
e.An.', Nrf., e.Suf. (F.H.), Hmp.', w.Som.' (4) Cum. (5) Yks.
^6" n Lin.' Nrf. They may make fine may-trees, Haggard /flc«>f»'i"
Year '1899) vi.
5. The young shoots of the sycamore, Acer Pseudo-
platanus. Also in coinp. May-tree.
Cor. Young shoots of sycamore, as well as whitethorn, are known
as May, Flk-Lore Jm. (1886) IV. 225 ; They . . . strip the sycamore
trees (called May-trees) of all their young branches, to make
whistles, Hunt Pop. Rom. w.Eyig. (,18651 382, ed. 1896; Cor.'^
6. The small-leaved elm, Ulinus caiiipestris.
Vttv." Trans. Dev. Assoc. XI. 137. w.Cor. N. & Q. (1855) ist
5. xii. 297.
7. The laurustinus, Viburnum Ti'nus.
Dev.* Perhaps only in mistake by the lower classes; still the
name is in use.
8. The white alysson, Arabis alpina. Som. (B. & H.),
Dev." 9. The corn feverfew, Matricaria iiwdora. s.Not.
(J.P.K.) 10. V. To go very early in the morning of
May 1st, into the fields or woods, and gather boughs to
decorate the houses. e.Sus. Holloway. Hence Mayer,
sb. one who goes to gather boughs on May morning.
Cor. It is the first of May. Come along ; perfiaps we shall meet
the Mayers, Quiller-Couch SItip of Stars (1899) 79.
11. Obsol. To play at May-games. n.Lin.' 12. Of wheat:
to turn yellow in the spring. Alsoinplir. fo^o a-iuaying.
n.Lin.' Wheat is said to go a maying when the growing crop
looks yellow about the middle of the month of May. ' Th' wheat's
ofl'a maayin' agean to-year I see.' ' It's middle o' Jewne, bud I
see that wheat o' thine e' th' Crawtree cloas is agaate o' maayin'
yit.' Nhp.' The generality of the crops of wheat look yellow in
the month of May ; this is called maying, Hillyard Farming, 95.
Bdf. It is an old observation in this county that wheat which
mays, viz. turns yellow in that month, never mildews, Batchelor
Agric. (1813) 376. Hrt. All wheat should may or look yellowish
in April, Ellis Mod. Hiisb. (1750) III. i. Ken. Farmers' Jrn.
(,May 12, 1828).
MAY, sb? Sc. Irel. Cum. In pi. nieyen Wxf.' [me.]
A maid, maiden.
Sc. My bonny May, 'VEDDERPofiHs(i842) 140; He's married the
may, Longman's Mag. (Jan. 1898I 243. n.Sc. But by there came
a weel fair'd may, Buchan Ballads (1828) I. 48, ed. 1875. Per.
He saw a weel-faur'd May, Was washing aneath a tree. Ford
Harp I 1893) 18 ; Twa barefit Mays were seen, Haliburton Horace
(i886'i 20. Slk. To take this cunning may's advice, Hogg Queer
Bli. (1832) 164. Dmf. The bonniest may in a' Dundee, Cromek
Remains {1810) 153. Wxf.' Blessed yarth amang meyen. Cum.
Bonny May Marye, Burn Ballads (ed. 1877) 55.
[He at last ensewit ane wther may, Hermyony, the
dochtir of Helena, Douglas Eneados (1513), ed. 1874, 11.
139 ; pe mai })at jee wald haue, Cursor M. (c. 1300) 3238.
OE. vi^g, a woman (B.T.).]
MAY, see Mae, sb., adj., Make, v.'^
MAYBE, adv. In gen. dial, use in Sc. Irel. Eng. and
Amer. Also in forms mabbee Som. ; mabby Wil. ;
mavies N.Cy.' Nhb.' ; maybees N.Cy.'; maybes Gall.;
maybiesNhb.' ; maybis Edb. : mebbeSc. Ir. Lakel.'' Yks.
Lan.' m.Lan.' Not.^ sw.Lin.' Wor. Shr.' Glo. Oxf." Ess.
Sus. Amer.; mebbee Cum.^; mebbie Sh.I. ; mebbies
Nhb.' Dur. ; mebby Ant. N.Cy.' Nhb.' Dur.' n.Yks. e.Yks.'
w.Yks.' Stf Rut.' Nhp.'2 Hnt. Som.; med-be Brks.' ;
meebyStf.'; mevvies Nhb.' Dur. ; mevvyNhb.' [mebi,
me'ba.] 1. Perhaps, possibly.
Sh.I. Dey'll mebbie come dis wye, Sli. Netvs (July 23, iSgSj ;
I'm mebbe jost as weel laek as some 'at tinks a hantle mair o
demsells, Burgess Tang < 1898) 18. ne.Sc. Mebbe it wis the win',
Green Gordonliaven {1887) 54. BnfT. Taylor Poems (1787) 10.
Abd. He micht maybe hae mista'en the nicht, Michie Deeside Tales
(,1872^ 173. Kcd. A week or maybe mair,GRANT Lays (1884) '. Frf.
Inglis Ain Flk. (1895) 130. w.Sc. Ye micht maybe need a shuit
o' claes, Macdonald Settlement (1869) 37, ed. 1877. Dmb. Cross
Disruption (1844) i. Ayr. The fau't maybe lies in their een,
Hunter S/iirf/fS (1870) 22. Lnk. Orr Laigh Flichts (1882I ii.
Edb. Ye'll maybis hear her change her tune. Tint Quey (1796; 19.
Hdg. LuMSDEN Poems (1896) 221. Dmf. But maybe no, Shennan
7"n/«'s (1831) 39. GalL The lad kenned mair than maybes a' the
presb3'tery pitten thegither, Crockett Stickit Min. (1893) 24. Ir.
Maybe dhrift-wood, or grand bits o' boards. Barlow Bogland
(1892' 4, ed. 1893. n.Ir. Ye'll mebbe be axed what ye want,
Lyttle Paddy McQuillan, 12. Uls. Mebbe ye'll no' even alloo 'at
Rabbie Deen's drinkin' hissel oot o' hoose an' hame, M'Ilroy
Craiglinnie (1900) 24. Ant. Ballymena Obs. (1892). N.Cy.'
Nhb. Yor mavies wondrin whe aw mean, Oliver Sngs. (1824) 9;
Nhb.' * Mevvy not.' 'He's mevvies not se fond as ye think.'
' Aa'll mebby be there the morn.' ' Mebbies aye ; mebbies not,'
a phrase often used ironically, expressing incredulity. Nhb., Dur.
Greenwell Coal Tr. Gl. (1849). Dur.', Lakel.^ Cum.^ Mebbee
ther's a lock 'at doesn't know what a leear Tommy Towman is, 8.
Wm. Mebbe thae thowt thaed meeak ma looas mesell. Spec. Dial.
(1885) pt. iii. 2. n.Yks. Ah's mebby see me bairn, Tweddell
Clevel. Rhymes (1875) 33. e.Yks. You'll me'bbe finnd a bit o' good
advice, Wray Nestlcton (1876'! 104; e.Yks.' Mebbj' he'll wed her
efther all. w.Yks. Bud then ah've mebbe thowt ageean, Preston
Poems (1864) 7; w.Yks.'* Lan. ' Feightin', mebbe ! ' suggested
her father. Banks Mancli. Man (1876) iii ; Lan.' ne.Lan. Mebbe
I'll shap as weel at a bit o' music as ony on yo, Mather Idylls
(1895) 149. m.Laii.' I. Ma. A guinea ... Or maybe two. Brown
Doctor {i68-i) 26. Stf. Mebb3'when he's got round a bit, Saunders
Diamonds (1888) 29 ; Stf.', nw.Der.' Not. There's a Jennaway
in the town-council, who's maybe summat of his, Prior Rente
(1895^ 102 ; Not.2 s.Not. Mebbe you'll be wanting me to-morrer?
(J.P.K.) Lin. You'll maaybe remember (J.T.F.). sw.Lin.' Mebbe
it'll gie thee ease. Rut.' Nhp.' Often used with the adjunct 'like';
as, ' Mebbylike I shall goo' ; Nhp.^ Mebby 'twuiit, mebby 'twull.
War. Mebije the tinker '11 drop in, Elson Climbing Boys (jgoo) 104.
Shr.' Glo. Mebbe I 'ev time to tell 'e, GissiNG K;//. Hampden
(1890) I. i. Oxf.' MS. add. Brks.' Med be you be a-gwaain to
Reddin to-morrer, zur? Hnt. (.T.P.F.) Ess. Mebbe I ha' bin a
bad un, Downes Ballads (1895,1 41. Sur. Maybe you'll finish it
to-morrow, Hoskyns Tcilpa (1852) 193, ed. 1857; Sur.' Sus.
Mebbe you'll hear two or three, Jennings Field Pat/is (1884) 62 ;
Sus.' May be you knows Mass Pilbeam ? Sus.*, Hmp.' WiL
Slow Gl. (1892) ; Britton Beauties (1825). n.WiL May-be, he
wouldn't do't (E.H.G.). Som.Theywas happy enuU", tho' mabbee
motherless, Leith Lemon Verbena (18951 47; Jennings Obs. Dial.
w.Eng. (1825). w.Soni.' ' Maybe I shall, maybe I shan't.' Used
by people a little above the true dialect speakers. Dev. ' He must
be a stranger, I think." ' Maybe, Miss Annie, m.ij'be,' O'Neill
Dimpses (1893) 19. [Amer. Mebbe he will an' mebbe he wont,
Westcott David Hanim, i.]
Hence May-be, sb. a possibility ; chance ; a supposition,
guess.
Lnk. Brichtest hopes are but a maybe ! Nicholson Kitwuddie
(1895I 82. Dwn. There's nae mebbces aboot it, Lyttle Robin
Gordon, 65. Lin. Often answered by ' May-bees don't Hy this
month,' Thompson Hist. Boston (1856) 714. Som. Thaw a middent
a mebby bin wetting hes eye, Agrikler Rhymes (187a) 43.
MAYER N
[64]
MAZE
2. Phr. (i) maybe it ivas not, used ironically as a strong
affirmative; (2) — that, oh ! indeed ! (3) mebbe and perhaps,
used to express a doubtful contingency.
(i) Lns.The big bell rung out for dinner, and maybe it was not
we that were glad to hear it, Ckoker Leg. (1862) 244. (a") N.I.i
(3) w.Wor. Mebbe an' perhaps a be hup the grouns, S. Beau-
C1IAM1> TV. Haiuilloii (1875) I. 75.
MAYERN, sb. n. Yks." A gatherer of wicken or couch-
grass, TriticiDii repeiis.
MAY-GAME, sb. Som. Dev. Cor. Also in forms
niaagum Cor. ; magame Soni. s.Dev. ; maggeni Som.
[me'giam, me-gam.l 1. pi. Tricks, frolics, antics, practical
jokes ; whims, fancies. Cf. megrim, 2.
Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873) ; ' Have you ever done any heowing?'
' No, sir, not I hevn't, 'cept for maay-geeums nowand t'en ' (W.F.R.) ;
Jennings Obs. Dial. w.Eiig. (1825). w.Som.' ' Come ! none o' they
there May-games [maay-gee'umz] wi' me.' [So called] no doubt
from the revels which used to be held on May-day. Dev. 'Edawnt
do nort vrom cockcraw tu zinzet, but be up tu awl zorts of may-
games. Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892) 100; Dev.l Dame can't abide
such may-games and highdelows sabbath days, 8. s.Dev. Fox
Kiiigsbiitige (i8-]^). Cor. I doan't want no more av your ma-agums,
Forfar Peiitowau (1859'! xiv ; I'll tache 'ee to interrup' the word
o' Grace wi' your gammut an' may-games! ' Q.' Troy Town (1888)
xi; Cor.'^^ w.Cor. Any odd, foolish game is called a May-game,
FlkLoreJrn. (1886) IV. 233. '
Hence May-gemmin, adj. frolicsome, silly, childish.
Cor. 2 Such maygemmin ways.
2. A foolish, silly person.
Cor.i Don't make mock of a maygame ; you may be struck
comical yourself one day. w.Cor. Fik-Lore Jrn. (1886) IV. 233.
MAYGRIM, see Megrim.
MAYHAP, adv. Sc. Nhb. Yks. Lin. Nhp. O.xf. Brks.
Bdf. Hnt. Ess. Dor. Som. Dev. Amer. Also written
maay-hap Brks.' ; and in forms map Bdf. ; mayhaps Nhb.
Oxf.' [meap, miap.] Perhaps, possibly. Cf. maybe,
mayhappen.
Abd. Gibbie 'ill be here mayhap whan least ye luik for him.
Macdonald Sir Ciblie (1B79) xxxiii. Lnk. Mayhap you'll think 1
haltlins ken, Parker Mi&c. Poems (1859') 51. Edb. Boist'rous
winds mayhap portend That the ripe corn will hardly fend, //<i)-'i/
^'S ('794) 4°' ^tl- 1801. Nhb. Mayhaps this lord o' ours may
come to the end o' his tether some o' thae days, Jones Nhb, 271.
n.Yks.* Lin. Mowt a bean, mayhap, for she wur a bad un, shea,
Tennyson A'. Farmer, Old Style (1864) st. 6. Nhp.i, Oxf.' s.Oxf.
Twelve shillin' a week mayhap ! Rosemary Cliiltenis (1895') 92.
Brks.' Bdf. Sometimes pronounced 'mape.' A child in Sunday-
school being asked, ' Why do you suppose David took five stones
with him when he went to meet out giant Goliath ? ' replied, after
a long pause, ' 'Cause map he might meet some moore' (J.W.B.\
Hnt. (T.P.F. ) Ess. Mayhap there'll be a row, Clark /. Noakes
(1839^ St. 168; Ess.i Dor. He'll think himself as good as me —
better mayhap, Longman's Mag. (Nov. 1898) 52. Som. They do
never use the room, except mayhap in summer, Raymond Try-
phena i 1895' 2. w.Som.' I shall zee-ee to market, mayhap [miaap ].
Dev. Mayhap a slice o' coold bacon, Longman's Mag, (Dec. 1896)
156; Mayhap yii work'th in tha mill? Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892.
[Amer. When you are as old as I be, . . mayhap you may be
foundered too, Sam Slick Ctockmakcr (1836) ist S. xxvii.l
MAYHAPPEN, adv, Lakel. Yks. Lan. Chs. Stf. Dor.
Not. Lin. Lei. Nhp. War. Shr. Ess. Sus. Also in forms
mappen Lakel." \Vm. Lan.' n.Lan.' Chs.'^ sw.Lin.' Nhp.'
e.Sus. ; m'appen Lake!.' Cum.^ Not.' s.Not. Lei.' War."
Shr.'; m'appn Lin.; m'happen w.Yks. Not. sw.Lin.';
may-'oppen n.Der. ; me happen Chs.' [mapan.] Perhaps,
possibly. Cf. behappen, mayhap.
Lakel.i Cum.^ ' M'appen I may,' she says, 'm'appen I may,'
37. Wm. Mappen yal want knaa whaar a cu frae, Spec. Dial.
(1885) pt. iii. I. g.Win. Mappen they'll sarra us, Southey Doctor
(ed. 1848) 560. w.Yks. M'happen I may get to t'meatin' (F.P.T ).
Lan. Mayhappen yo'd better take him, Gaskell M. Barton (1848)
vii ; Lan.i, n.Lan.' CLs.' Me-happen yo'ncome in a bit to-neet at
after dark; Chs.s s.Chs.' Mai--aap-n yoa-)n sey dhu mes'tur ut
maa-rUit [Mayhappen yo'n see the master at market]. n.Stf. But
may-happen he'll be a ready-made fool, Geo. Eliot ^. Serf* (1859)
I. 144. s.Stf. Mayhappen the cat's as good, Muhrav Rainbow
Gold{iB86j 156. n.Der. May-'oppen we con, may-'oppen we conna,
l\\l.i.Hathersage ( 1896) i. Not. Sometimes m'happen, as m'happen
it may (J.H.B.) ; Not.' s.Not. M'appen ah shall goo an' m'appen
not (J.P.K.). Lin. M'appn he'll come yet, Brookes Tracts Gl.
n.Lin.i Maay-happen I shall goa to Garthrup o' Sunda', bud I'm
not sewer. sw.Lin.' M'happen, it's a little rheumatis. Mappen,
he may change. Lei. M'appen he thought you had no docity,
A^. (S-g. (1858) and S.vi. 187 ; Lei.', Nhp.', War .3 Shr.'M'appen
'er met, an' m'appen 'er metna. Ess. (W.H.P.) e.Sus. Mappen
he is alive, poor chap, Longman's Mag. (July 1898) 257.
MAYLADDY, MAYLOCK, see Maladdy, Marlock.
MAYOCK-FLOOK, s6. Sc. The flounder, P/«r>-o«cc/<'s
JlesHS.
Sc. (Jam.") Fif. The Mayock Flook, of the same size with the
former, without spots, Sibbald Hist. (1803) i2o(Jam.). [Satchell
.:i879\]
MAYOR, sb. Cor. In phr. (i) like the Mayor of Cale-
nich ; (2) — of Falnwulh, (3) -- of Market- Jew, see below.
(i) Calenich is one mile from Truro, and the maj-or's hackney
was pastured two miles from home ; so, as his worship would by
no means compromise his dignity by walking to Truro, he in-
variably walked to his horse to ride there, so that it was said of
any one who would keep up appearances at great trouble, that he
was 'like the Maj'or of Calenich, who walked two miles to ride
one,' Hunt Pop. Rom. w.Eng. (1865) 424, ed. 1896. (2) The
stupid man whose moods, whether of sadness or merriment, are
inopportune, is . . . said to be ' like the Mayor of Falmouth, who
thanked God when the town-jail was enlarged,' ib. ; The brewer
of Market-Jew was also mayor. . . It was his practice, when any
of the townspeople came before him, begging him to settle their
disputes, . . to shut them up in the brewery-yard, give them as
much beer as they could drink, and keep them there until they
became good friends. Owing to this practice he seldom had
enough beer to sell, and was frequently troubled to pay for his
barley. This . . . gave rise ... to the proverb still in daily use,
' Standing, like the Ma3'or of Market-Jew, in his own light,' ib.
68-9; The class who never know on which side their bread is
buttered, are said to be ' like the Maj'or of Market-Jew, sitting in
their own light,' ib. 424.
MAYS(ES, sec Maise.
MAYSGOLD,s6. Nhp.'' A children's game similar to
' Merry-ma-tanzie ' (q.v.).
MAY-SHELL, sb. Sc. Irel. The bone of a cuttle-fish.
Sepia officinalis.
Gall. Cauinshell, or Clamshell, or Mayshell, a beautiful white
piece of shelly or boney matter, in shape somewhat like a lady's
slipper, frequently found driven in upon our shores. It is reduced
by our nowt doctors to a fine powder, and blown through the
hollows of quills into cattle's eyes, which have motes in them,
M ACT aggart ^(/ryc/. (1824) 129, ed. 1876. N.I.'
MAYSIE, MAYSLE, see Maishie, Mazle.
MAY-SKATE, sh. Sc. The sharp-nosed ray, Raia
riiilea. Cf. mavis-skate.
e.Sc. This is now and then got, when the nets are shot near the
mouth of the Frith, Neill Fishes (1810^ 28 (Jam.").
MAYTHEM, sb. Cum. A ' May-gosling,' a person
befooled on the ist of May; a stupid person. Linton
Lake Cy. (1864) 307.
MAYTHEN,MAYTHERN, MAYTHER, see Maithen,
Moither.
MAYTHIG, sb. Shr.' The stinking chamomile, An-
tkeiiiis Cotiila. See Maithen, 1.
MAZALIUM, sb. Bck. The mezcreon. Daphne Mese-
reiiiii, (B. & H.)
MAZARD-BO"WL, sb. Obs. Hrf A drinking bowl,
made of maple. Grose (j'jgo) MS. add. (M.) [Mazar or
Mazer, a broad flat standing cup to drink in; so called
because such cups are often made of Maple or of the
knots of it, Blount (i68ij.]
MAZARHED, ppl. adf > Obs. Lin.' Stunned ; amazed.
Cf. mazed.
MAZE, v., sb. and adj. Sc. Ircl. Cum. Yks. Midi. Lin.
Nhp. Wor. Shr. Glo. e.An. limp. Som. Dev. Cor. and
Amer. Also written mase w.Wor.' Shr.° Glo.' ; and in
form mize Wxf ' [mez, meaz, miaz.] 1. v. To amaze,
astonish ; to bewilder, puzzle, mystify.
Cum.^, n.Yks.'" Midi. T'would maaze ee. Georgie, downriglit
maaze 'ee, to see what that ould lurcher be oop to, Bartram People
0/ Clapton, 22. Lin. But summun 'ull come ater mea mayhap wi'
'is kittle o' steam, Huzzin' an' maiizin' the blessed fealds wi' the
Divil's oan team, Tennyson A'. Farmer, Old Style (1864" st. 16.
MAZE
[65]
MAZERMENT
n.Lin.' Nhp.^ A clane mazed me. Dev. Ther's many a theng i'
tha warld complately mazes me, Longman's Mag. (Mar. 1899) 458;
Wheer 'e tuke such hideas from halways 'mazed me to know,
PHiLLPOTTsZ>a»'^«ioor(i896) 220. [Amer.Floorin one of them afore
the eyes of the others never starts the flock, it only 'mazes them,
Sam Slick Ctockmaker (1836) 3rd S. xii.]
2. To turn giddy or light-headed.
w.Wor.i Shr.2 Felt quite mascd. Glo.l
Hence Mazzing, ppl. adj. hght in the head, giddy. Lin.*
3. To wander as if stupefied.
Cum.* n.Yks.2 ' Mazing about,' wandering in a vacant mood.
4. sb. A state of amazement or astonishment; per-
plexity, confusion, surprise. Also usedjig.
Fif. [He] up the street Rade on— in mickle maze I ween. For
fient ae face was to be seen, Tennant Papisliy (1827) 137. Rnf.
In midst o' my mazes reflection unkind Shew'd the form of a
faithless young fair in my mind, Webster Rhytnes (1835) 29.
Wxf.', w.Yks.3 Hnip.i When she see 'un she was all in a maze.
Dev. My mind is kind of in a maze, Salmon Ballads (1899) 60.
5. See below.
Ant. The whirling of a top, when it is so swift as to escape the
eye, and the top seems motionless, is called by boys a maze, Grose
(1790^ MS. add. (C.)
6. Phr. to have the mase, said of herrings about to shoot
the roe. e.An.' 7. adj. Mad, crazy, lunatic ; uneasy,
over-anxious.
w.Som.i 'Mad' is never used in this sense, and is only applied to
anger, or to rabies. ' 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.' Dev.
Zo maze 's a sheep, Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892) 1 1 ; You'll draive me
maze! Daniel iJ;ia'<' o/Soo (1842) 177. nw.Dev.'
Hence (i) Maze-finch, 56. the chaffinch, /nVj^iV/acof/f?^;
see Mazedfinch ; (2) -headed, adj. giddy, dizzy ; be-
wildered ; (3) -house, sb. an asylum or madhouse ; (4)
-like, adv. stupidly, foolishly, like a madman ; (5) -man,
sb. a madman, lunatic ; (6) -Monday, sb. the Monday after
pay-day at a mine.
(i) Cor. SwAiNSON BiVrfs (1885) 63 ; Rood Ilirds (1880)315. (2)
Som. I were that maze-headed I couldn' hardly stan', Raymond
Sam andSabiua 11894) 47. w.Som.' In this combination there is
no implication of madness. Dev. Did ... a sheep become maze-
headed, . . then old Caulks was consulted, Hewett Peas. Sp. ( 1892)
Introd. 9 ; So maze-'eaded as a sheep 'e was, Phillpotts Dartmoor
(1896'! 51 ; Reports Provinc. (1897). nw.Dev.' (3) Som. W. & J.
G/. (i873\ w.Som.' Mae-uz-aewz. (4) w.Som.* I never didn zee
nobody act so maze-like's thee dis. Dev. Pore Palmer zim'd tuk'd
in a vit. An maze-like zim'd ta stare, Nathan Hogg Poet. Lett. • ed.
1866 I 2ndS.27. nw.Dev.' (5 w.Som.'Eewuz uur'neenubaewtlig
u maeuz-mun [he was running about like a madman]. Dev. A
maze-man is not exactly mad, but wildly, inconsiderately, stupidly
foolish. Reports Provinc. (1897). (6) Cor. Gen. taken as a holiday,
but on which a man will do his 'little churs ' at home (J.W.).
MAZE, see Maise, Meas(e.
MAZED, ppl. adj. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. Also
written maazedWm.Cor.^^; maized Cum.; masedShr.';
andin formmoysed n.Lin.' [me"zd,meszd.] 1. Amazed,
astonished, surprised ; bewildered, astounded, perplexed.
See Maze, v. 1.
Sc. (A.W.),N.Cy.i, Dnr.' Lakel.^ Seek sects yan saw,yan's fairly
mazedan'wonderedwhatnext. Cum.Wheyte maiz'dwi'loungin'on
ith' nuok, Stagg Misc. Poems (ed. 1807) 60. Wm. I was 'maazed
as owt, and I screamed, Rawnslev Remin. Wordsworth (1884) VI.
165. n.Yks. (T.S.), e.Yks.' w.Yks. Ah wcr fair mazed wi' t'job,
(J.H.G.); Amazed goose, applied to a person astonished, Thoresby
Lett. (1703) ; w.Yks." Lin. I nivver was so mazed e' my life, as I
waswhen Maria popp'd in an'sethersendoon hy \.\\' fi^e, Lin. N.ij" Q.
(Jan. 1892) 10. n.Lin.' Nrf. I stood like a mazed willock when
1 seed that woman wavin', Emerson Wild Life (1890) 97. Dor. I
laughed to zee 'em look zo 'mazed, zur, Windsor Mag. (Mar. 1900)
424. w.Som.' Poor soul, her's always mazed about one thing or
'nother. e.Dev. A' couldn't look more mazed and weist, if a hun-
derd ghostesses was after him, Blackmore Perlycross (1894)
viii. Cor.=
2. Stunned, confused, stupefied, dizzy, giddy, confused
in the head.
N.Cy.' s.Dur. A poor mazed, daft creetur (J.E.D.). w.Yks.' I
can hardly tell what he wor like, I wor sea maz'd, ii. 301. s.Chs.'
Mahy uwd mon faud of u Iboud u ee- u wik' ugoa" ut Fen-uz, On
VOL. IV.
ee';z bin lahyk u bit mai'zd evur sin [My owd mon fawd off a looad
o' hee a wik ago at Fenna's, an' he's bin like a bit mazed ever sin].
War.2 He was mazed with liquor ; War," Yer seems quite mazed
like. Shr.' Poor Jack Robe'ts fell off the lather isterd'y, a-sarvin'
the thetcher — 'e wunna much 'urt, on'y a bit mased. Oxf.' MS.
add. Nrf. Just as if she was mazed, Jessopp Arcady 1 1887) iii.
Hence Mazed-headed, adj. dizzy, giddy.
Dev. 1 bant very well ; I veel za mazed-headed as a sheep,
Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892) ; Dev.' I've been going round till I'm
nearly mazed-headed.
3. Crazed, mad, lunatic, distraught, insane.
Der.'^, nw.Der.' Som. The voaks 'U think thee'rt mazed, Frank
Nine Days {i8-ig) 9. w.Som.' This here weather's fit to make any-
body mazed. I be mazed, rampin' distracted wi' the toothache.
Dev. The farmer, a matter-of-fact man, looks as if he thought us
all 'a little mazed,' as they say in Devonshire, Bray Desc. Tantar
and Tavy (1836) I. 99 ; A complete lunatic is said to be 'so mazed
as a sheep.' Sheep are said to be mazed when they have a rather
common affection of the brain, which causes them to keep on
turning round and round. Reports Provinc. ( 1897) ; Dev.' Dist
think, my sweeting, I shall e'er be maz'd anew to claw out my
own eyes? 22; Dev.' n.Dev. Et made ma amost mazed. Rock
Jim an' Nell (1867) St. 31. w.Dev. Marshall Rur. Econ. (17961.
s.Dev. Fox Kingsbridge (1874). Cor. Like a gate flop o' lightning
gone mazed an' brok loos, Daniel Bride of Scio (1842) 229 ; As
for my mother, she was a maazed wumman,TREGELLAS 7a/«(i868)
114; Cor."
Hence (i) Mazedish, adj. mad, confused, insane; (2)
Mazedness, sb. madness ; (3) Mazedy, see (i).
(i) Cor. 'Tes no mazedish condudle of mine, J. Trenoodle
Spec. Dial. (1846) 33 ; Cor.' (2) w.Som.' 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. Cor. The peculiar state of mazedness
into which he had drifted, Pearce Esther Pentreath (1891) 118;
Cor.3 (3) Cor.2
4. Eagerly desirous, ' mad after.' Gen.viiih after or about.
w.Som.' Speaking of cows eating spiced haj', a man said,' They
be mazed arter't— they'll lef the best grass vor't.' Also very com-
monly 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 im-
proper. Dev. These here ways of her's, bless you ! only made
Jan Williams all the more mazed about her. Chanter Witch (1896)
vi. nw.Dev.'
5. Fidgety, uneasy, over-anxious ; fretful.
w.Som.' Mr. Baker bin yer — he's mazed 'bout 's old machine,
'feard we shan't ado'd-n eens he can 'gin to cut his grass way un.
nw.Dev.'
6. Comp. (ij Mazed-antic, a wild, foolish, crazy person;
cf mazegerry ; (2) -finch, {a) the chaffinch, Fringilla
coelebs ; see Maze-finch ; {b)the-wagtai\,Motacil/alugiibris;
(3) -Monday, (a) the Monday after pay-day at a mine ; (b)
the Monday before Christmas.
{i) Cor." 12, a) Dev. The mazed finch, a truly Devonian appella-
tive, given to one species of this tribe in consequence of its wild
and incessant motion, Bray Desc. Tamar and Tavy (1836) I. 319.
(A) Dev. So named because of its incessant motion, Hewett Peas.
Sp. {i8ga). 1,3, (I I Cor. It was 'maazed Monday' (i.e. Monday after
the pay-day), Cfl/»io/7w ^/»i. (1894) 95. (/') Cor.^ On this day all
good housewives are at the wash-tub by two or three o'clock in
the morning, while the more youthful section of the community
celebrate the occasion by removing the gates from the neighbours'
gardens.
MAZEGERRY, sb. Dev. Cor. Also written mazegary,
-jerry Cor.' [me'zdgari.] A wild, thoughtless, frolicsome
fellow. Also used attn'b. and in coiiip. Mazegerry-pattick.
Dev. Old Pynsant, the mad fool, . . Play'd zich a mazeg'rry
trick, Peter Pindar Wks. (,1816) IV. 213. Cor. Dedst behould
sich a mazegerry pattick afore, Tregellas Tales (1860^ 81 ; Cor."
MAZELL, sft. Hmp. Ihemtzcreon, Daphne Mezereum.
MAZEN, see Maise.
MAZER, sb. Nhb. Also written maser. Anything
out of the common, a wonder; an eccentric person.
He's a reg'lar mazer, noo. She's a mazer, that neybor above,
Allan Coll. (ed. 1890) 204 ; It fissicks Jimmy, aw suppose, An'
that's a reglor maser, Wilson Tyneside Sngs. (1890) 328; (R.O.H.)
MAZERMENT, sb. Obs. Sc. Confusion, perplexity,
amazement.
Abd. A' in greatest mazerment and care, Ross Helenore (1768)
K
MAZERY
[66]
MAZZARD
32, ed. i8ia ; She . . . round about wi' mazerment 'gaii glowr, ib.
70. Fif. The monks and canons on their beds . . . tauld in mazer-
ment their beads, Tennant Paphtiy (1827) 48.
MAZERY, sb. Dev. [mezri.] Nonsense, foolery ;
madness.
A gentleman described what he considered a foolish proceeding
on the part of a public body as ' the biggest piece of mazery ever
known,' Reports Provinc. (1891) ; (R.P.C.)
MAZICAN, sb. Lakel. Yks. [ma-zikan.] A stupid
fellow : a fool, noodle. Lakel.^ w.Yks. (R.H.H.)
MAZIE, see Maishie.
MAZING, adv. Sc. Brks. Nrf s.Cy. [me-zin.] Very,
amazingly; wonderfully, astonishingly. Also used a/Zr/A.
s.Sc. We took wine thegither . . . we waur that mazing naffy,
Snaith Fieireheart (1897) 149. Brks. Varmer Small-bwones . . .a
mazin' stout man, Hughes Scour. JVItile Horse (1859) v; He's
mazing partickler about seeds, I'A. T. Brown Oxf. (1861) xviii.
Nrf. Wot play sich mazin capers, Cozens-Hardy Broad Nrf.
(1893) 19. s.Cy. I'm 'mazin' fond on thee, Em'ly, Cornh. Mag.
(Nov. 1900) 655.
Hence Mazinly or Maayzinly, adv. very, exceedingly,
extremelj'.
Brks. ' That ther bwoy o' ourn be grawin' mazinly now to be zure.
MAZLE, V. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan. Lin.
Also Cor. Also written mazel Dur.' Cum. n. Yks.^ w.Yks.
ne.Lan.'; mazzel n.Lin." ; niazzle e.Yks.' w.Yks.' Lan.'
Lin.' sw.Lin.' Cor. ; and in forms maasel Wm. ; maazle-
Cor.* ; maezle Wm. ; maisel Nhb.' ; maisle Nhb.' Wm. ;
maizel Cum.^ Wm. ; maizle Lake!.''; maysle Wm. &
Cum.'; mayzel Cum.' ; mezzle w.Yks. [mazl, mezl.]
1. To stupefj', bewilder, daze; to become stupefied or
confused. Gen. m pp. Cf. mazed.
Nhb. Over much whiskey disn't agree wi' me; it mak's me fair
mazled theere, Clare /,owo/Z.ns5( 1890) II. 184 ; Nhb.' Lakel.*
It's cniuf ta maizle yan o'tagidder. Thoo's maizled amang t'.
Cum. When you have read thus far you may be maizel't (H.W.) ;
Cum. 3 I was no'but maizelt, 22. Wm. Naarly starved to death an
maisled, Southey Doctor (ed. 1848) 560; But a fairly was
maaseied when t'maasels hed gone, Spec. Dial. (1880) pt. ii. 30.
e.Yks.' w.Yks.Omreightmezzledwi'it,////;v.CoM)7>;-(May22, 1897).
Lin. He wosn't reight, His mind was mazzled, Brown Lit. Laur.
(18901 88; Lin.i, n.Lin.' sw.Lin.' They get that mazzled wi' that
nasty beer.
Hence (i) Mazlekin, sb. a fool, simpleton, idiot ; (2)
Mazlin(g, (a) sb., see (i) ; (i) ppl. adj. stupid, foolish,
confused.
Ill Wm. I see thaust an arrant maislykin, Wheeler i3iVi/.( 1790)
19. -w.Yks. HurroN Tour to Caves (1781), (2, a) Nhb. Like
maislins they star'd, Gilchrist Sngs. (1824^ 11; Nhb.' Dur.
Gibson Up-lVearda/e Gl. (1870) ; Dur.' Lakel.' Whats ta meead
o't meer an car thou ole mazlin ? Lakel.* Cum. Sec a maz'lin as
he, Anderson Ballads (1805) 93; Cum.^ T'oald maizlin was like
to toytle off his steiil wid laughin, 4. Wm. (A.C.) ; A wor sartan
tha wer a set a maizlins, Dial. (1865") 6. ne.Lan.', n.Yks.^
w.Yks. Hltton Tour to Caves (1781). (6) Wm. & Cum.' Mayslin
gowk ! I nobbit juokt. Wm. Yan hed bettre beet teea hofe be
wioot sick maezling, mafflin ninnihammers about yan's hoose,
5/>ff. /)i'a/. (1885) pt. iii. 6. Lan.'
2. Phr. to scat }nassling, to stun, knock silly, to send
spinning.
Cor. Till I'm mazed enough to scat Thy great bussa-head a
mazzling, Thomas Raiidigal Rhymes (1895) 27 ; I'll gibben a clout
with this that will scat en a-mazzlin', Caniliome Aim. (1894) 99;
Cor.'; Cor.^ I'll scat thee mazlin', if thee artn' quiet this minute.
3. To wander aimlessly about, to trifle ; to do anything
unskilfully.
Cum. Let other lasses ride to Rosley-fair, And mazle up ind
down the market there, Relph Misc. Poems (1747) 13; I mazio
an' wander, nor ken what I's dein, Anderson Ballads (1805) 26.
w.Yks,' What's thou for oUas mazzlin about t'alehouse door?
MAZY, adj. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der. Shr. Brks. e.An. Som.
Dev. Also written maayzy Brks.' ; maazy Chs. ; masey
Shr.' ; maizy Suf ; and in forms measy Chs.* ; meazy
Lan. Chs.^ ; meezy Chs.' [mezi, mea'zi, mia'zi.]
1. Giddy, dizzy, confused in the head.
w.Yks. Mi poor heead is like a whirligig an' aw'm as mazy as
can be, Hartley Clock Aim. (1879^ 34 ; Them whirligigs makes
me mazy, Hlf.v. Courier (May 29, 1897) ; w.Yks.*^* Lan. Bein'
mazj-'s when yor inside whuzzes reaund whol yo cawn't ston up
beaut stickin' to summat, Clegg David's Loom (1894) xv; Sumheaw
it made meh meazy, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (1740) 16. m,Lan.'
Chs. Aw'U may thi yed as maazy wi th' shippon stoo' as tha has
may'dit wi th'yell, Clough/J. iJ)v«*iV//f 11879) 3; Chs."; chs.^
An old woman who drank about three gallons of gin a fortnight
made no complaint except of 'being so oft meazy,' Der.* nw.Der.'
Mj' cowd mays me very mazy. Ev tha turns round a dhat'n, dha'll
be maz3'. Shr.' Brks. GA (1852) ; Brks.' Gf«. followed by ' like."
' When I yeared what 'um had done I was zo took aback as to veel
quite maayzy-like.'
Hence fi) Maziness, sb. dizziness; (2) Meazy-sow, (a)
sb. a stupid person ; {b) adj. giddy, empty-headed.
11) Lan. Aw'U soon show yo what maziness is, Clegg David's
Loom (1894) XV. (2,n) Lan. Th' unlucky meazysow ov o' uzbant
cudnah shift hissel, Scholes Tim Gannvattte \i6~i-i) 28. (i) s.Lan.
Bamford Dial. (1854%
2. Wandering, uneasy, unsettled ; semi-conscious, wan-
dering in one's mind.
n.Yks. Used only of conversation. ' He were bad in t'fever and
quite mazey' (R.H.H.). Suf. A sick man told me that his wife
was 'as maizy as a Jew,' i.e. kept going backwards and forwards
to his room (C.L.F.).
3. Mad ; eager for, madly desirous.
Som. A mazy ould vool, W. & J. Gl. (1873). Cor. They'm fair
mazy after it now (G.H.).
Hence Mazy-Jack, sb. a fool, idiot ; a parish fool.
Dev. Get tha gone out on't, tha gurt guttling gor-bellied mazy-
jack ! Madox-Brown Dwale Blulh (1876) bk, i. i ; Dev.^ Now Joe
Izard's dead us shall 'ave to find a new mazy Jack.
4. Sickly. e.An.'
MAZY, see Maishie.
MAZZARD, sb} Sc. Irel. Yks. Lan. Not. Nhp. War.
Hrf Glo. Brks. e.An. Wil. Cor. Slang, [ma'zad, mae'zad.]
The head or face.
Sc. It was but a switch across the mazzard, Scott .^/<io/(i82o)
xix. Ir. ' Skull,' says I — and down Uicy come three brown
mazzards, Edgeworth Bulls l,ed. 1803) 129. w.Yks.' A man
said to another man who had been fighting, and whose head and
face were bruised, ' My word, tha's getten a nice mazzard ! ' Lan.
A mazzard wi' aw teeth in't, Ainsworth Witches (ed. 1849) bk. 11.
V. Not. He gave him a clout over the mazzard and served him right
(L.C.M.). Nhp.'* War. He gave him a louk on his mazzard
(J.B.). Hrf. Robertson Gl. (18901; Hrf.', Glo.' Brks. Zich
spwoorts wur only meaned vor thaay as likes their mazzard.5
broke for love, Hughes Scour. JVhite Horse {iS^g'f vi ; Brks.' Dide'
zee what a raayre mazzard that ther chap had a-got ? e.An,' Suf.'
E'yeowdont take care baw I'll gee yea lump i' the mazzard. Wil.
Dwon't'e be peart ... or I'll break thee mazzard vor thee, Akerman
Tales (1853) 31; Britton Beauties (1825 ; Wil,' Only in such
threats as : ' I'll break thee mazzard vor thee ! ' n.Wil. He've got
a turrible girt mazzard ^E.H.G.). Cor.^ Only in such phr. as'l'llgie
thee a clout on the mazzard.' Slang. You look desperate queer,
man, about the mazzard, Ainsworth Rookwood (1834) bk. v. i.
Hence Mazzardoak, sb. a headed oak. Not. (L.C.M.),
Nhp.*
[Let me go, sir, Or I'll knock you o'er the mazzard,
Shaks. Ot/t. 11. iii. 155. AJjg. use of maser, a bowl ; see
Mazardbowl.]
MAZZARD, 5/).* Irel. Wor. Glo. Ken. Wil. Som. Dev.
Cor. Also written massard Cor. ; mazard Lin. Glo.'
Dev. ; and in form mazer- Dev. [mae'zad.] 1. A small
black cherry, Pnimts aviiiiu. Also used atlrib.
Glo. Grose (1790': ; Gl. (1851I ; Baylis Illns. Dial. (1870) ; Glo.',
Ken.' w.Cy. Bailey (1731); (K.) ; Ray (1691). Wil.' w.Som.i
It is a common saying that to gather them 'you must hold on with
your nose and pick with both hands,' hence the usual remark upon
a hooked nose, ' He've a got a nose fit for a mazzard-picker.' Dev.
A small kind of cherries, black as well as red, but the black ones
the sweetest, which are frequently soak'd in brandy, to make
cherry brandy, Horae Subsecivae (1777' 271 ; He had no ambition
whatsoeverbeyond getting by honest means the maximum of mazard
cherries, Kingsley Westward Ho (1855) 4, ed. 1889; HEWErrPras.
Sp. (1892) ; Dev.'^, nw.Dev.' Cor. So fast es aw man could ate
massards, Jimmy Trebilcock (1863) 14 ; Her eyes were as black as
mazzards (F.R.C.) ; Cor.' ; Cor.^ In some places there are fairs
called after the fruit because it is in season when they take place.
Hence (i) Mazzard-brandy, sb. a drink made of small
black cherries; (2) -garden, sh. a cherry orchard; (3)
-pie, sb. a pie made of small black cherries.
MAZZARDY
[67]
MEADOW
(i) Dev.3 (a) n.Dev. (B. & H.) (3) n.Dev. Whe'r twur wort
or mazzard-pie, Rock Ji$n an' Nell (1867) st. 11.
2. The dwarf wild cherry, Pniiiiis Cerasiis. Also in
comb. Mazzard-cherry. Wor. (B. & H.), Glo.^^ Dev.
(B.& H.) 3. The bird cherry,/'n/;/!/s/'(7rf«5. Lim. (B.& H.)
Hence Mazer-tree, sb. a black cherry-tree, prob. Pntiitts
Padus. Dev. (B. & H.); N. &^ O. (1851) ist S. iii. 467.
MAZZARDY, adj. Glo. Dor.~Som. Also written maz-
zerdy Glo.' ; and in forms mazzardly Som. ; mazzerdly
Glo.' [mas'zadi.] Of wood: knotty.
Glo.i Dor. I heard a labourer complain . . . that ' the mock was
so mazzardy he could get no spawls [splinters] olT of un wi' the
bital,' A^. £7" Q. (1871) 4th S. viii. 462 ; Dor.i Som. (Hall.)
[A der. of ME. inaser, maple- wood (Matzner) ; see
Mazard-bowl.]
MAZZEN, V. Yks. Lin. fma-zan.] 1. To stupefy,
make dizzy ; to perplex, bewilder. Cf. mazle, 1.
e.Yks.i This noise mazzens ma seeah. Ah deeant knaw what
Ah's deein. n.Lin. N. & Q. (185a) ist S. v. 376; n.Lin.'
Hence Mazzening, ppl. adj. confusing. e.Yks.'
2. To be half drunk. n.Lin.'
MAZZERT,/!/. Lan.' [ma-zat] Excessively vexed.
He'd his best Sunday black on, and he came smack i'th' slutch
and he wur mazzert, I'll a-warnt yo.
MAZZLE, see Mazle.
ME, pro)i. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Eng. and A men
Also in form mah n.Yks. [mi, unstressed form ma.]
1. Re/lcv. or as an ethic dative : myself, for myself.
Cf. her, him.
Ayr. I set me down wi' right good will, Burns Highland Lassie,
chorus. Wm. Thou must bind me it and top bind me it, Southey
Doctor in A^. 6^ Q. (1888) 7th S. v. 100. n.Yks. Ah . . . sat mah
down, Castillo Poems (1878) 17. w.Yks.^ I'll wash me (s.v.
Him). Chs.'s s.Chs.i lutrod. 69. Not.', Lei.', Nhp.>, -War.^a
s.Wor. I should like to have me one. I must get me a wife, PoR-
SON Quaint IVds. (1875) 8. Shr.2 I'll goa and get me some mate.
Hrf.* I must get me a wife. [Amcr. My head aches me, Dial.
Notes (1896) I. 420.]
2. Unemphatic form of the nominative. Lei.', War.°
Cf. her, him. 3. Preceding a trans, verb, see below.
w.Yks.2 If 3'ou me believe, cousin, there were seven pints o'
fat came out o' that goose.
4. Coiid). (i) Me-alive, (2) -'s-dames, exclamations, oaths ;
(3) -seems, it seems to me ; (4) -thinks, I think.
( I ) Ayr. A seam o' teeth she had, nae doot, . . But me alive ! she
took them oot Nicht after nicht, White Jottings {i8-]g) 185. (a) Sc.
Me's dames, quoth he, Colvil Whigs' Supplication (cd. 1796) II.
275. (3. 4) Rut.' Spoken deliberately, and not as one word: 'Me
seems,' ' Me thinks.'
[On the disjunctive use oi Mc, see the Grammar.]
MEA-BERRY, sb. w.Yks. [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] The cranberry, Vacciiiitint Oxycoccos. Lees
Flora (1888) 792. See Mea-wort.
MEACE, see Meech, Meitch, Mess, si.'
MEAD, sb} Sc. Irel. Nhb. Nhp. Glo. Oxf. Brks. Ess.
Ken. Sus. Hmp. LW. Wil. Dor. Som. Also in forms
med- Nhp.'^; meead LW.' ; meud LW. ; myed Oxf.'
[mid.] 1. A meadow, field.
Sc. I met my bonny Pegg, right air, Comin'owrthe mead alanc,
Shepherd's Wedding (1789) 17. Sh.I. Keep ye a corne at ye, an'
be apo' da mead aboot da time A'm reddy, Sh. News (July 21,
1900). Mry. Lossie pours By haugh and flowery mead. Hay
Lintie (1851) 45. Per. The gowan on the simmer mead. Ford
Harp (1893) 262. Dmb. Come muirlan' birds and mourn a wee
On heathy mead, Taylor Poems (1827) 18. Rnf. Picken Poems
(1813) I. 21. Edb. His hair he pouthers, An' frisks about in mead
or park Wi' mealy shouthers. The Complaint (1795) 4. Wxf.'
Nlib.' Still in common use. * The beeses is i' the mead.' Glo. A
grass-field liable to be flooded (W.W.S.). Oxf. The canal cutting
. . . leads a portion of this boat traffic along the Yarnton meads,
Stapleton Three Parishes (1893) 311 ; Oxf.' Brks.' A be gone
down in the me-ad. Ess. Jephson £ssny, 180. Ken. Used in place-
names. Foulmead, near Deal (D.W.L.). Sus.', Hmp.', I.W.
(J.D.R.), I.W.i, Wil. (K.M.G.) Dor. A faint whiteness of more
than usual extent showed that the rivers were high in the meads,
Hakdy Wcss. Talcs (1888) I. 15 ; An' where the river, bend by
bend. Do drain our meiid, Barnes Poems (1869-70) 3rd S 16.
n.Dor. (S.S.B.^) Som. The meads that year was white as milk wi'
harse daisies, Leith Lemon Verbena (1895) 39.
2. Comb, (i) Mead-lands, meadow-land; (2) -ridd, a
certain custom peculiar to the copyholds of Cuckfield
manor, see below ; (3) -sman, an official in charge of the
common meadows, a hayward.
(i) Nhp.'2 (2) Sus. The copyholders have always claimed and
taken liberty to plow ridd and mead ridd, that is to say, to
fell and dig up by the roots any great trees that stand scatteringly
dispersed in their arable grounds or meadows, hindering their
plough and that pro bono reipubticae, and accordingly have used
this custom time beyond all memory, Customs Cuckfield Manor, in
Burrell MS. 5701, isg. (3) Oxf. The ' Meadsman ' has the
management of the business, and upon a certain appointed day
. . . takes a bag . . . down to the meadows and begins the draw-
ing, Stapleton Three Parishes {1893) 308; Boats using this towing-
path pay toll to the meadsman, ib. 311.
[1. A mede Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and rede,
Chaucer C.T. a. 89. OE. tiid'd, 'pratum' (JElfric).]
MEAD, s6.2 Chs. Lin. Pem. Ess. Som. Dev. Also in
forms maethe Som. ; meath s.Clis.' s.Pem. ; meathe
w.Som^'; meeath Chs.'; meth Chs.'^ [mid, mlj>, w.Cy.
also mecS.] A drink made with honey.
Chs.'^, s.Chs.' sw. Lin.' Made from the washings of the honey-
comb, after the honey is taken out, boiled with spices, and
fermented with barm. s.Pem. (W.M.M.) Ess. When some mead
or wind he tuck — He sed he was so thusty, Clark /. A'oakes
(1839) St. 78; Gl. (1851). Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.'
As a boy I well remember a certain house where an old house-
keeper used to regale me with meathe. She always had it at
hand, in a small barrel on draught. It used to be the usual drink
of hospitality. n.Dev. Let's have a glass of mead, Chanter Witch
(1896) 18.
MEAD, MEADEN, see Make, v?, Meid, Maiden.
MEADER, sb. Dev. Cor. Also written meeder Cor.'
[mida(r).] A mower. See Mead, s6.'
Dev. Just then a sturdy meader came, With scythe and cider-
horn, Capern Ballads ^1858) 15 ; I was wan ov the strongest men
in the parish, and wan ov the best meaders, Burnett Stable Boy
(1888) xxvii. nw.Dev.' Cor. Trans. Phil. Soe. (1858) 164; Cor.'
The meader walks forth with his scythe on his shoulder, His
firkin in hand, so early in the morn ; Cor.^ w.Cor. A mower of
hay, but since the use of the scythe has been introduced in the
cutting of corn . . . the word has been applied to a mower
generally, A\ & Q. (1854) ist S. x. 480.
MEADLESS, see Meedless.
MEADOW, sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Eng. and Amer.
Also in form midda e. Yks.' n.Lin.' [me'da.J 1. A field
set apart for hay in contradistinction to pasture land.
e.Yks. Marshall Rur. Econ. (1788) ; Fog was ommast as lang
as midda, Nicholson FlkSp. (1889) 61 ; e.Yks.', ne.Lan.',
nw.Der.', Lin. iW. W.S.) Glo. Any low flat grass-land, which
has not been plowed and is usually mown ; in contradistinction
to 'ground,' and 'ham,' Marshall Rur. Econ. (1789'. [Amer.
Dial. Notes (1896) I. 342.]
2. Grass land by the side of a brook or river ; low,
boggy grass land.
Bwk. Green bog or marshy ground, producing coarse grass,
mostly composed of rushes and other aquatic plants, Agrie. Surv.
29 (Jam.). Nhp.' Glo. Common mowing-ground, subject to be
overflowed, 71/o«//j/y M«^. (1801) 1.395. e.An.' e.Nrf. Marshall
Rur. Econ. (1787).
Hence Meadow-hay, sb. the hay which is cut from bogs.
Sc. Agric. Sm-v. 112 (Jam.). 3. pi. The dips or bottoms
of valleys in a state of perennial herbage. Midi. Marshall
Rur. Econ. (1796). 4. The cuckoo-flower, Cardamiiie
pratensis. n.Yks. (B. & H.) 5. Comb, (i) Meadow-
barley, the squirrel-tail grass, Hordium pratnise ; (2)
•bout, (3) -bright, the marsh-marigold, Calllia paliistris ;
(4) -bromus, a species of grass [not identified] ; (5) -crake,
the corncrake or \dir\Ara.\\, Cre.x pratensis ; (6) -crake cut-
box,a machine for cutting fodder; (7) -crocus, the meadow
safi'ron, Cokhicum aiitumnale; (8) -drake, see (5); (9)
•frisky, the meadow fescue-grass, Fcsttica pratensis; (10)
-kerses, the cuckoo-llower, Cardamine pratensis; (11)
•maid, the meadow-sweet. Spiraea Ulmaria; (12) •quake,
see (5); (13) -queen, see (ii); (14) -rocket, the marsh-
orchis. Orchis latifolia ; (15) -runagates, the creeping
loosestrife, Z.>iwwc/«n Nummularia ; (i6j -soot, see (11) ;
K 2
ME AG
[68]
MEAL
(17) -sweet, the garden form of the dropwort, Spiraea
Filipendula ; (18) -warp, a mole.
(ij Sus. Marshall Review (1814) IV. 45. (2) Lan., Chs.^.Shr.i
(3") Nhp.> (4) Stf. Marshall Rcvieiu (1814^ IV. 45. (5) Lin.
(E.F.), E.P. , Lin.', Nhp.i 6 n.Lin.' An old-fashioned machine
worked by hand, which makes a noise which is thought to be like
the cry of the corncrake. (7) Yks. (8) n.Yks.'', ne.Yks.' Not
SwAixsoN Birds (1885) 177. s.Not. fJ.P.K.) (9 Suf. (10)
nw.Dmf. Garden Work ,1896) New S. No. cxiv. iii. fii) s.Pem.
i,W.M.M.) (12) n.Lin.l 1^13'! Rnf. The modest meadow-queen,
And lily near the lake, Fraser Chimes (1853" no. Per. Here a
bunchy meadow-queen is Trying through a marsh to flounder,
Haliburton Ochil Idylls (1891) 158. (14) Dmf. In Annandale
and by the border [it] is meadow-rocket, Mactaggart Encycl.
(1824) 174, ed. 1876. (15) Nhp. (16) WU. Jefferies Gt.
Estate (1880) 37, ed. 1881 ; Wil.' (17I Nhp. (18) Lan. Owd
Roger o' Cherry Bob's, ut used to goo o' catchin' meadow warps,
Wood Hum. Sketches, 87.
MEAG, MEAGRAM, see Maeg, Make, sb?, Megrim.
MEAGRIES, s6. //. Sc. Miseries, ills. Cf. megrim.
Lnk. A' ither meagries amang us are rife. Oh mony's the slain
in the battle of life. Hamilton Poems ed. 1885" 225.
MEAGRIM, MEAK, MEAKE, see Megrim, Make, sb}^,
Make, v}
MEAKER, 56. Dev. The mmnovi, Leuciscus phoxinns.
(H.ALL.)
MEAKIN, MEAKING, see Mekkin, Meeking.
MEAKS, int. Cum. An exclamation. See Mack(s.
What seesta 'at her ? Meaks she's nea greet things, Ritso.n
Pastoral Dial. (ed. 1849) 5.
MEAL, sb} and v.^ Van dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng.
Also written meall Cum.' ; meeal n.Yks.'^ e.Yks.' ; and in
forms maal s.Dur. ; mail Sc. (Jam.) Nhb.' Chs.'* ; maill
N.Cy.'; male Sc. (Jam.) Gall. Uls. Shr.^; meil w.Yks.^ ;
mell Sc. ; mial Lakel.': myel Nhb.' [mil, misl, mel.]
1. sb. In comb, (i) Meal-a-forren, a meal of meat over
and above what is consumed, a meal beforehand ; (2)
•'s meat, (3) -of-meat, (4) -'s victuals, food enough for
one meal, the food taken at a meal, a meal.
(i) Gall. Mactaggart Encycl. (1824). n.Cy. (J.W.) (2) N.I.i
Uls. A' hae niver known what it was tae be ailin, or miss a male's
meat, M' Ilroy Craig-limiie (1900) 30. Dwn. i^C.H.W.) Lakel.*
They're nivver tul a mial's-meat when yan drops in o' them at
feeden time. Cum.* Ah wadn't give'm a meal's meat if he was
starvin. ■ He did not know the plaintiff was ailing. She was
never off her meal's meat,' IV.C.T. (Mar. 10, 1900' 2, col. 3. n.Yks. 2
She helped them for a meeal's meeat. m.Yks.' w.Yks. They
worasgooidasameal's meyt tul him, K4s;»aH. (1880) 74; w.Yks.';
w.Yks.5 Ther's a meil's-meit for thuh onny waay, lad — tak it an'
eit it. ne.Lan.', Chs.' s.Chs.' Dliurjz noo'bri uz;l gy'iv u poour
mon u meylzmeet wen ee^z aa'rd iip ijn waan-ts won [There's
noobry as'll give a poor mon a meal's-meat when he's hard up an'
wants one]. nw.Der.l, Lei.' Shr.' I gid the mon a shillin' an' a
meal's-mate fur 'is job ; Shr.'^ Nobody to gie him a male's mate.
e.An.' w.Som.' Do 'ee try vor t-eat, there's a dear — you 'ant a
had enough vor a meal's-meat [mae'ulz-mai t] vor a rabin. (3) Sc.
ijAM.) Gall. Wi' the minister's meal o' meat to ready, and only
gomerilHobtodoit. Crockett S/a«rfa»-rfBra)V>- (1898) 143. Nhb.'
Aa hevn't had a meal-o'-meat thi day, hinny. (4) Oxf. (G.O.)
e.An.' It is not unusual to make the meal's victuals the wages
of some short chance job of work. e.Suf. F.H.)
2. A milking ; the time appointed for milking.
Dur.' Lan. About one half from each cow each meal, Marshall
Reiiew (1808) I. 318. e.Lan.i Chs. As each succeeding drop
which a cow gives at a meal exceeds the preceding one in richness,
Marshall Review (1818) II. 42; Chs.'^^ n.Lin.' Milk is said to
be two, three, or four meals old ; that is, two, three, or four half-
days have passed since it was milked. 'Thaay do saay that Miss
Metcalfe was that near while she kep' her milk foherteen meal
ohd.' Suf.' She gon a pail brim full at a meal. LW. (C.J.V.)
Hence Meallin or Maillen, sb. the fixed time for milking
a cow. N.Cy.'
3. The quantity of milk which a cow or a herd yields
at one milking.
Cld. I Jam.), Nhb.', Dur.' 9 Dur. T'cow's gien a good maal o
milk to-neet (J.E.D.). Lakel.2 Cum.' ; Cum." The milk had
' turned ' in the dairy, though only two meals kept. Rise of River,
346. Yks. It givesitsmealof milkat either end of theday(C.C.R.).
n.Yks.2, e.Yks.' w.Yks. (W.AS.j; w.Yks.'; w.Yks.^ That cow
has given a very poor meal to-night. Chs. The meal is immediately,
after milking in summer, cooled in quantities proportioned to the
heat of the weather, Marshall Reuew (1818) II. 42; Chs.' The
term is extended to cheese-making; thus, if a cheese is made of
the morning's milk only, it would be called a one-meal cheese ; if
from the milk of two meals, a two-meal cheese ; of three meals, a
three-meal cheese. . . It is when the cows fall off in milk in the
autumn, and two meals are not sufficient to make a cheese, one
hears of three or four-meal cheeses. s.Chs.' The whole quantity
of milk obtained from a herd of cows at one milking. Two meals
of milk are, on an average-sized Cheshire farm, used to make one
cheese in the summer. nw.Der.' Lin. Why, there are three
me.ils of milk all mixed together here J.C.W.). Lin.', n.Lin.'
sw.Lin.' She has g'en a good meal this morning. It taks one cow's
meal to serve the cade-lambs. Nhp.', War.'°^ Shr.' The cows
sinken i' thar milk fast, I can see it less every meal. Hrf.'*, Hnt.
(T.P.F.^e.An.' Suf. RAiNBiRD^^nr. (1819) 296, ed. 1849; (H.H.)
e.Suf. The lightning has spoilt a whole meal of milk for me (F.H.).
Sus.'2, Dor.', Som. i^W.F.R.) w.Som.' There, that's what I call
a good meal o' milk.
Hence Meallin or Maillen, sb. the quantity of milk
which a cow yields at one milking. N.Cy.', Nhb.'
4. Used as a suffix to form adverbs implying division.
Hrf.^ To tear a thing limb-meal. A pain came on fitmeal.
5. Phr. meals more, ever so much. [Not known to our
correspondents.]
Fif. Applied to one who is given to prodigality. 'Giethemmeals-
more, they'll be poor' (Jam.).
6. V. To feed ; to have meals.
Sc. Syne the fe, thej- sal mell as it likes themsel, Waddell
Isaiah 1879) ^- '7- Fif. He can work there, and sleep and meal
here, Heddle Marget (18991 '73-
7. To decrease the number of milkings of a cow.
n.Yks.- * We've meeal'd her,' in order to check the secretion.
which the usual milking tends to keep up; a mode towards 'drying'
the cow before stalling or fattening her for the butcher. Chs.';
Chs. 3 You mun mail Cherry.
[2. OE. mcvl, a fixed, suitable, appointed time, season,
occasion (B.T.). ON. mdl, due time, meal-time ; hence of
cattle : missa mats, to miss the time, when sheep are lost
or astray for a day so that they cannot be milked (Vic-
FUSSON).]
MEAL, sb.^ and v."^ Van dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and
Eng. Also written meel Bnfi".' Bch. ; and in forms mael
Sh. I. w.Yks.; male n. In; maylLan.; meeal Wm. n.Yks.^;
mehl Sc. ; meighl Lan.; mel Sc. (Jam); meol w.Yks.';
meyl w.Yks. e.Lan.' ; meylle w.Yks.^; raiel, mill Sc.
[mil, mial, meil, mel.] \. sb. Ground corn before it is
dressed and bolted ; coarse or undressed flour.
Yks. Mind and ask for meal, and don'tbringhaver-meal i^C.C.R.).
n.Yks.' Flour for ordinary household purposes, not so much
dressed as ' fine flour.' That which results from the grinding of
the mixed corn intended for pig-feeding, just as it falls from the
stones ; n.Yks.*, ne.Yks.', w.Yks.'', n.Lin.', Ken.', w.Som.' [Mor-
ton Cyclo. Agric. (1863).]
2. Oatmeal ; the flour of oats, barley, or peas as dis-
tinguished from that of wheat.
Sc. Her two next sons were gone to Inverness to buy meal, by
which oat-meal is always meant, Johnson Jrn. to W. Is!, in Wis.
VIII. 240 Jam.). Rnf. As weel To mak his choice whar he was
sure O'baith his maut and meal, Barr Poems (1861) 162. Gall.
Ye need mony a bowl o' meal to your ribs, Crockett Moss-Hags
(1895I 326. Nhb.' w.Yks. Not so common now as ' oatmeal ' in
full (J.T.) ; Meyl-porridge and milk, Yksman. (1878) 10, col. i j
w.Yks.' Lan. Meighl for porritch, Clegg David's Loom (1894) iii.
ne.Lan.',e.Lan.',Der.(T.H.) Lin.THOMPSON/://5/.i>0ii'oH( 1856) 714.
3. Comb, (i) Mealand-ale, a dish consisting of oatmeal,
ale, and sugar spiced with whisky ; (2) -and-bree, ' brose,'
oatmeal porridge or 'hasty pudding' ; (3) -and-bree night,
Hallowe'en ; (4) -and-kail, a dish consisting of oatmeal
and kail ; (5) -andthramrael, meal and water or ale, see
below ; (6) -ark, a meal-chest or flour-bin ; (7) -bowie, a
barrel or cask for holding meal ; (8) -bread, bread made
of wheat, ground without sifting out the bran ; (9) -cog,
a wooden vessel for holding meal ; (10) -corn or -'s corn,
every species of grain ; a grain of meal ; (11) -draught,
the flour-wagon; (12) -gimel, see (6); (13) -grunder, a
miller or corn-grinder; (14J -hogyett, see (7); (15) -in,
MEAL
[69]
MEALE
a dish made of oat or barley cakes soaked in milk ; (16)
-kail, see (2); (17) -kist, (18) kit, see (6); (19) -maker,
obs., a miller ; (20) -man, (a) a miller, a flour-dealer, a
worker in a flour-mill ; ( A) a huckster, an itinerant dealer ;
(21) -meat, farinaceous food ; (22) -mol, oatmeal ' parkin ' ;
(23) -monger, a meal-seller, one who retails oatmeal ;
(24) -mouthed, afraid to speak out ; soft-tongued, plausi-
ble ; (251 -poke, a meal-bag ; a beggars wallet for holding
meal ; (26) -score, a bill for flour; (27) -seed, (28) -shod
or -shude, the husk of the oat when detached from the
grain ; (29I -skep, a small receptacle for meal ; {30) -stand,
a polished barrel for holding oatmeal ; (3i)-stone, a rough
stone of seventeen and a half pounds' weight, used in
weighing oatmeal ; (32) -wean, {33) -wife, a female flour-
dealer; (34) -wind or -wand, see below.
(I) Sc. (Jam.) Bnff.i Made when all the grain crop is cut. (2)
Bch. By this time it wis time to mak the meel-an-bree, An deel
about the castocks, Forbes Jrn. (1742) 18. (3) Mry. (Jam.) (4)
Bnff.^ Consisting of mashed kail mixed with oatmeal and boiled to
a fair consistency. (5) Bnff. Properly a little meal put into the
mouth of a sack at a miln, having a small quantity of water or ale
poured in and stirred about. At times it is made up in the form
of a bannock and roasted in the ashes (Jam., s.v. Thrammel) ; He'se
get his mess O' crowdy-mowdy. An' fresh powsowdie: O' meal
an' thrammel, Taylor Poents 1,1787) 25. (6) Sc. Grose (1790)
AIS. add. C.) Lth. In the corner between the dresser and the
meal ark, Strathesk More Bits (1885) 234. Dmf. The meal-ark,
a huge chest divided into two compartments — one for oatmeal, one
for wli eaten flour, Wallace Sc/ioo/mns/c;' (1899) 19. Gall. We'll
empty the auld carle's meal-ark, Crockett Bog-Myiile (1895) 230.
n.Ir. Male-arks, an' pitatey-pits — fiftj', at laste, Lays and Leg.
(1884) 66; N.I.', Nhb.i Lakel.2 A chest for kitchen or stable to
store meal in. Also, in a more common usage, a smaller meal
vessel for the purpose of containing in a portable way a portion
of meal for daily use. Cum.'* The oaken aumbry and meal-ark
were seen in the wall, Rawnsley, 156. Wm. A think he'd hed
his heead it meeal-ark, Clarke Spec. Dial. (1865) 16. n.Yks.^ For-
merly seen as a fixture in large old farm-houses, built of stone
slabs on the ground floor. w.Yks. (C W. D.) Lin. Here is her
meal-ark, Streatfeild Liu. and Danes (1884) 265. (71 ne.Sc.
The last act of her [i.e. the bride's] installation as gueedwife was
leading her to the girnal or mehl-bowie and pressing her hand
into the meal as far as possible, G regor F/k- Lore (1881) 93. Bnff.'
(8) Nhp.' (9 Lth. Wi' meal-cogs an' kail-cogs. Smith Merry
Bridal (1866) 7. (10) Sc. I haena tasted meal's corn the day
(Jam.). Cai.' To have not a mealcorn, to be in the greatest want.
Abd. Nae sust'nance got that of meal's corn grew, But only
at the cauld hill's berries gnew,Ross Helenore (1768^ 65, ed. 1812.
(11) n.Yks.'' (i2) n.Sc. A large, square wooden trunk, known as
the 'meal-girnel,' Gordon Carglen (1891) 85. Abd. Ye maun
mind weel the auld tale o' the meal-girnel . . . though it be ca'd a
barrel i' the Bulk, Macdonald Caslte Warlock (1882) liii. Fit.
Many an oak almerie and meal-girnel stood around. Grant Si.c
Hundred, ix. Gall. On to the lip o' the meal-girnel. Lap Kobbin
and sang his sang, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824") 413, ed. 1876.
(13) n.'Vks.^ (14) Gall. Mactaggart <6. 339. 1 15I Bnff.' (16)
Sc. And there will be meal-kail and castocks, Ramsay Tea-Table
Misc. (1724) I. 87, ed. 1871. Bwk. Oatmeal ... as hasty-pudding
(provincially meal-kail 1, Marshall Review (1818) I. 29. N.Cy.',
Nhb.' (17I Frf. It is seldom they let their auld meal-kist gae
loom, Watt Poet. Sketches (1880) no. n.Yks.= (18) Edb. A
mouse they had catched in the meal-kit, Moir Mnnsic IVatich
(1828) vii. (19) Lnk. John Bryce, mealmaker, in Cambusnethan
parish, WoDROw Ch. Hist. (1721) II. 108, ed. 1828. Edb. Meal-
makers came to truth to hald him Till time their friend was out of
strait, Pennecuik Wks. (1715) 392, ed. 1815. (20, a) Yks.
(C.C.R.i, n.Yks.2, m.Yks.i (6) Der. Grose (1790) MS. add. (P.) ;
Der.2 pt. i. 156. (21) n.Yks. We hev plenty o' meal-meat (I.'VV.) ;
n.Yks.2 I 22) w.Yks. (E.G.) (23) Abd. To have purchased from
a mealmonger during the week would have implied improvidence,
Anderson Rhymes (ed. 1867) 213. Per. Like a covetous meal-
monger. That knows the poor must starve with hunger, Unless
they give what price he pleases, Nicol Poems (1766) 165. Lnk.
My fadder stuid As quhyt as a mielmonger, Ramsay Gentle Shep.
(Scenary ed.) 719. Edb. Old Mr. Mooleypouch, the mealmonger,
Moir Mansie IVauch (18281 xxiii. Dmf. Meal-monger Dick took
owre the gate His craiken banes to recreate, Quinn Heather
(1863) 224. (24) Edb. Paid wi' crowns instead of pounds, Frae
meal-mouthed r— es or bankrupt lowns, Liddle Poems (1821) 151.
Shr.' Yo' bin so despert meal-mouthed — afeared o' spakin w'en
yo' should'n. (25) Sc. Shame be in my meal-poke then, Scott
Bride of Lant. (1819) v. Sh.I. Bairns . . . often cried for a krOl
when the mael-pock was empty, Spence Ftk-Lore (1899) 208.
Abd. Hell cairry a meal pyock yet, ere a' be deen, Alexander
Ain Flk. (1882') 96. Slk. He rested his meal-pocks on the corner
of the table, H0G5 Talcs (1838) 276, ed. 1866. Ayr. No ae handfu',
—no even a cauld potato, — in your meal-pock, Galt Sir A. IVylie
(i822)xvii. Edb.BALLANTiNEGn(5o-/HHi('e(ed. 1875) 12. Gall. Many
beggars still carry a wallet in which they collect meal, generally
in handfuls, at houses in the country. This meal they most usually
sell (A.W.); To rake the rent frae aff'the soil, Else twig the meal-
powk's strings, Mactaggart ib. 333; He often insisted to take the
mealpowk by the string, and follow him at his trade, which was
much better than farming, ib. 378. n.Cy. (J.W.), n.Yks.^ Lan.
He wur patient when th' mayl-poke wur low, Cy. IVds. (Nov. 17,
18661 40. ne.Lan.' (26) n.Yks.'^ (27, Sc. They are used for
making sowens or flummery (Jam.). Cai.' Edb. These shells,
thus separated, and having the finer particles of the meal adhering
to them, called mill seeds, are preserved for sowins, Pennecuik
IVks. (1715) 87, ed. 1815. Lakel.2 The fine inner skin which is
found on haver. w.Yks.^, ne.Lan.' (28) n.Yks. 2 Lan.The^'are
preserved in oat-shells, vulgarly called meal-shudes, Marshall
Review (1808) I. 296. (29) Nhb.' (30) Per. A 'single' ploughman
had only two items of luggage — his kist and his meal-stand, Hali-
burton Fitrih in Field (1894) 2a. (31) Gall. Mactaggart I'i. 339.
(32, 33) n.Yks.2 (34) n.Sc. To meal-wind a bannock or cake, to
rub it over with meal after it is baked before it is put on the girdle
and again after it is first turned (Jam.). Rxb. Lassie, melwand
that banna [ib.).
4. Phr. (i) Houther seeds nor meal, neither one thing nor
the other; (2) the meal came home short from the miller,
e.xpectations were disappointed.
(I : Nhb.' (2) Kcb. He cuddled an' kissed her an' ca'd her his
doo, But the meal cam' hame short frae the miller, Armstrong
Ingleside (1890 1 217.
5. V. Of grain : to produce meal.
Sc. The beer disna meal that dunze weel the year (Jam.) ; The
crops in the western part of Scotland were bulky, yet they did not
meal well (W.W.S.).
Hence Meal'd, pp. ground into powder. n.Yks.^
MEAL, sb.^ Lakel. Lan. Chs. Lin. e.An. Also written
meel Lin. ; and in forms meol Lakel.' Lan. Chs. ; miel(e
Nrf. Suf. [mil.] A sand-bank or sand-hill, freq. in proper
names. Gen. in pi.
Lakel. ^ Found frequently in proper names — Esk Meals, Meals-
gate. Cum.* Lan, There is an extensive parish called North
iVIeols ... in the sandy district to the south of the estuary of the
Ribble, A^. £/ Q. (1854) ist S. ix. 409. Chs. Along the sea-margin
of the tongue of land between the rivers Mersey and Dee, the
sand has been thrown up in domes. Two little hamlets built
amongthose sand-hills are called North and South Meols, ib. ^1853)
ist S. vii. 298 ; Place in the Wirral, on the mouth of the Dee,
pronounced 'mels' (J.W.). Lin. StreatfeildZ.i'«. aHrfZ'nHcs(i884)
232. e.An.' Nrf. White Z)iVfc/. (1833) 18; 7Vrt;i5.P/ii'/.5oc.(i855)
34; (K.) nw.Nrf. Brancaster Meals, Blakeney Meals, and Wells
Meals are among those most dreaded bythe mariner. A'. <Si'j3.(i853)
ist S. vii. 208.
Hence (i) Meal-bank, sb. a sand-hill or bank of sand
blown up by the wind ; (2) -marsh, sb. low sandy land
reclaimed from the sea.
(i) Nrf. Cozens-Hardy Broad Krf (1893) 77. e.Suf. (F.H.) ^2)
n.Nrf. The fascinating but little known region of the 'meal-marshes'
which fringe the North Norfolk coast, Cornh. Mag. i^Mar. 1899)
313; The 'meal-marshes' belonging more to land than sea, but
wholly under the dominion of the salt water, which intersects
them in creeks broad and narrow, and at spring tides floods the
whole, i'6.; Low sandy land, lying between Holkham and Blakeney
(U.W.).
[Norw. dial, mel, a,sand-bank along a lake or river-course
(Aasen) ; ON. mel'r, a sand-hill grown with bent-grass,
then gen. a sand-bank whether overgrown or bare, freq.
in Icel. local names ; wjf/-i(7^'^/, a sand-bank (Vigkusson I. j
MEAL, see Mail, sb}^, Mell, 56.=, Mool, sh}
MEALE, 56. lObs. Or.L Also written meel (Jam.);
and in forms mail S. & Ork.' ; meil(e, meill, miel. A
measure of weight.
The stipend consists of 86 mails malt (each mail weighing
about 12 stone Amsterdam weight). Statist. Ace. V. 412 (Jam.) ;
6 settings make 1 meel, ib. VII. 477 ; On the first is weighed
MEALER
[70]
MEAN
settings and miels, ib. 563; 6 settings makis an meale, . . 24 raeales
makis an last, Skene Difficill IVds. (1681) 130; Eighteen meils
make a chalder, Wallace Desc. Or. I. (1693) 41, ed. 1883; Four
meills four settings malt, twa meiles twa settings meil [meal],
Peterkin Notes (1822) 129; S. & Ork.i Equivalent to about 7J
stones Dutch.
[OE.;«rt/,a measure (Leeclidoms) ; ON.;«fl/(ViGFUssoN).j
MEALER, sb. e.An.'' A large white moth that appears
to be covered with ineal. See Miller, 4.
MEALER, see Meller.
MEALING,sZ).andc'. Sc. Alsi informs maelen,maelin,
mellen Sh.I. ; mellin S. & Ovk} fmi-lin, me-lin.] 1. sb.
A chest for holding meal. Abd. (Jam.) 2. pi. The meal
kept to dust over bannocks before they are baked. S. &
Ork.i 3_ Comb, (i) Mellin's-balley, (2) -briinnie, a cake
of meal.
(i) Sh.I. Da mearest foonder oot o' da edge o' a mellin's bailey
is a' dat a body can tak', Stewart Tales (1892) 247. (2) Sh.I.
' Heas doo mair levin i' da basin ? ' ' Yiss, a maelens-briinnie,
dat's a',' Sh. News (Nov. 4, 1899); Here's da mellen's-briinnie,
lay him apon a col, ib. (June 4, 1898'.
4. V. To dust or sprinkle with meal.
Sh.I. Shu bjuk oot anidder bannik an' maelin'd him weel, Sh.
News (Nov. 4, 1899).
[1. Fundus, a meeling, Duncan Elyin. (1595).]
MEALING, MEALL, MEALLER, see Mailin(g, Mail,
56.'3, Mailler.
MEALOCK, sb. Sc. Also written meallock Per.;
meelack Bnft".' [milak.] A crumb of oatcake, a small
fragment of bread.
Bn£f.i ' Shack the meelacks ooto' the truncher.' ' Meelackie ' and
' wee meelackie ' are in common use. Abd. I . . . got the guid o" the
mealocks and skailin's o' inspiration frae the poopit abeen m3' lieid,
Greig Logic 0' Biichan (1899) 183 ; (G.W.) Kcd. I'll ... eat the
mealocks ye Kit fa' Fan ye get bread an' cheese. Grant Lays
(1884") 22. Per. Munchin meallocks frae my pockets, Spence
Poems (1898) 170.
MEALOM, sb. Sc. [mrlam.] A very dry potato
when boiled. Gall. Mactaggart Eiicycl. (1824) 339.
MEALS, MEALTITH, sec Miles, sb. pi}, Meltith.
MEALY, adj} Van dial, and colloq. uses in Sc. and
Eng. Also written meally Cum.' ; meealy n. Yks.^ I.W.' ;
meily w.Yks. [mrli, mia-li, meili.] 1. Dusty with meal,
meal-stained.
Abd. Awa wi' 3'our mealy miller, Kinloch Ballad Bk. (1827) 14,
ed. 1868. Ayr. He was dressed in hodden-grey, mealy, dirtj', and
sair worn, Hunter Studies (1870) 73. Edb. Mealy bakers, Hair-
kaimers, crieshy gizy-makers, Fergusson Poems ( 1 773^ 1 74, ed. 1 785.
2. Of the colour of oatmeal, a pale yellowish-white.
Nhb.' 3. Of the weather : mild and damp.
Wil.i 'Twar a oncommon mealy marnin'.
4. Comp. (i) Mealy-bag, a beggar's wallet for holding
meal ; (2) -bird, the young of the long-tailed duck, Harclda
glacialis ; (3) -crushy, oatmeal fried in dripping; (4) -moth,
the lesser whitethroat, Ciirntca garnila ; (5) -mouth, (a)
a smooth-tongued person; a plausible, hypocritical tongue;
(b) the willow-warbler, Phylloscopustrochiliis; (6)-mouthed,
(a) reticent, reserved, afraid to speak out ; plausible,
smooth-tongued, hj'pocritical ; (b) dainty, fastidious in
eating ; (c) applied to a bay or brown horse having a light-
coloured muzzle.
(i) Ayr. Weel brac'd wi' mealy bags, hvRtis Jolly Beggars (1785)
1. 16. Edb. Ane clad in hoden grey, Wi' mealy bags and hollan
kent, Liddle Poems (1821) 23. (2) Nrf. Swainson Birds (1885')
162; Cozens-Hardy Broad Nrf. (1893^ 51. (3) N.I.i (4) s.Pera.
Laws LitHe Eng. (1888) 421. (5, a) Wm. He's a mealy-mooth
(B.K.). (A) w.Yks. Swainson 16. 26. (,6, a) e.Sc. Ca'him a saunt,
Wilhe, if ye're so mealy mou'ed, Setoun Sunshine (18951 323.
Abd. He sudna be that mealy mou'd aboot the best that's yon'er,
Alexander Johnny Gibh (1871) x.\ix. s.Sc. She'll no be sae
mealy-moothed as I am, Wilson Tales (1836) HI. 69. Dnib. You
were by nae means mealy mou'd In blamin' others, Salmon
Gowodean (i868) loi. Ayr. The Earl of Argyle has received a
mealy mouthed letter from that dissolute papist the Archbishop of
St. Andrews, Galt Gilhaiie (1823) i. Lnk. The fine temperance
leddy mem ! The mealy-mouthed maimber o' the Guid Templars!
Gordon Pyolshaw (1885") 141. Bwk. To admire an' fawn an'
flatter Aye as mealy-mou'd ye please, Caldlr Poems (1897) 257.
N.I.' Ant. A'll no be mealymouthed the next time, Ballymena Obs.
(1892. S.Don. Simmons Gl. (1890). Lakel.'' We du't care fer . . .
eny body 'at's mealy-moothed's o' that sooart. Cum.', n.Yks.**
w.Yks. Bud it's parlus speiking it : folk's so meilymowthed now a
days, Tom /.c« (18751 80. Lan. Grumblers an' fratchers, an' mealj'-
mouthed folk, Dottie Rambles (1898) loi. ne.Lan.', Chs.' Not.
(J.P.K.); Not.' Ah knoo what shay's after, shay need'nt be so
mealy mouthed. s.Not. A don't trust noat she says; she's too
mcily-raouthed (J.P.K.). Lin.' War.^ He is a mealy-mouthed
rascal. Suf.' Ah, yah! she's a mealy-mouthed 'an— she fare as if
butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, but cheese wouldn't choke her.
Ess. Had John bin mealy-mouth'd, 'tis plain . . . He'd lost his gal,
Clark/. A'otite (1839) st. 29; Gl. 1 1851). e.Sus., Hmp. Holloway.
I.W.' Wil. Slow Gl. (1892 . w.Som.' He idn no ways mealy-
'iiouthed — he told'n his mind right out. Colloq. I tell you you
needn't be mealy mouthed with me, Hughes T. Bro:v)i O.xf. (i86i)
.xxxiii. (6) War.^ He is too mealy-mouthed. He will be glad
someday of the food at which he now turns up his nose. (c)Ciun.'*
MEALY, adj? Wm. Spotty, disfigured by blotches or
spots, marked with blemishes. (W.H.H.) See Mail, s6.'
MEAMUA, see Mee-maw.
MEAN, ib} Van dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. L Ohs.
The tenor part in music ; a tenor.
War.3 I remember it certainly to 1855, but used only by old
members of the village choir, and other old men. Brks. Ther' wur
Dick the treble and Jack the mean, Hughes Scour. White Horse
(,1859) 170.
2. Instrumentality ; a means.
n.Sc. It was a mean to make me live by faith, Wodrow Soc. Sel.
Biog. ^cd. 1845-7) 11* i^^- Abd. It might have been a mean to
have staid manj- from rising in such a desperate business, Spalding
Hist. Sc. (1792) II. 192. Ayr. The dreadful woe . . . most wonder-
fully made a mean ... to effectuate our escape, Galt Gilhaize
(1823) xxvi. Lnk. Folk soud use ilk lawfu' mean To mend a faut,
Watson Poems (1853) 9. Edb. He excelled also in that unusual
mean of knowledge, catechizing, Wodrow Soc. Sel, Biog. (ed.
1845-7) !■• 37-
3. Property, substance ; tackle, implements.
Dis biirope is no fit ta trust your mean till, boys, Sh. News
(May 6, 1899) ; He's comin'dead frae da laand. I wiss ta Him 'at
made wiz 'at wir mean wis i' da boat, ib. (Sept. 17, 1898). Edb.
To try to grasp her little mean, Liddle Poctns ^1821) 117.
4. pi. Phr. by thai means, consequently, for that reason.
Nhp.' It rain'd, and by that means she could'nt come.
[1. The mean is drowned with your unruly base, Shaks.
Two Gent. i. ii. 95. Cp. It. mezzdno, a mean or counter-
tenor in musick (Florid).]
MEAN, adj. and sb.^ Van dial, uses in Sc. Eng. and
Amer. Also written meen Sc. (Jam. Siippl.) ; and in
forms meean n.Yks.*; meeon w.Yks.*; meinSc. ; myen
Oxf.' [mm, misn.] 1. adj. Held in common, or in equal
shares ; also used advb. in common.
Sc. Their wes ane piece of mean grass betwixt them, Ayr. and
U'gl. Arch. Coll. IV. i65 (Jam. Siippl.) ; A mein pot plaid never
even, Ferguson Prov. (1641) 6. Bwk. Where dancin' in the auld
mein-barns Was held till break o' day, Calder Poems (1897) 119;
We watched the laden carts return To the mean-yaird beside
the burn, ib. 96. Cum.' Mean field, a field in which the several
shares or ownerships are known by meerstones or other boundary
marks; Cum.* Mean fence — A stone wall on the fellside which
when in disrepair, must be put in order by the two tenants whose
land it divides ; ib. The custom connected with a mean-field is as
follows : the one tenant (he may be the absolute owner of the
land) has the right to take off the hay-crop only, whilst another
tenant has the right of eatage for the rest of the year. At times
it is only a part of a field that is in mean, it is then marked off from
the rest by meerstones or by reans. Lan. That we would go
mean at ploughing, Walkden Diaiy (ed. 1866) 94 ; We concluded
to get John Dickenson to measure our ground we had plowed
mean, ib. 116.
Hence Meaner, Meener, or Menare, sb. a mediator,
adjuster, one who divides and marks oft" in equal portions
land which is held by joint tenants. Sc. (Jam. Siippl.)
2. Of inferior quality.
Lin.' n. Lin.' Applied to food or drink. ' This tea's very mean."
Oxf.' Uuy doo kaul dhat u myen- set uuwt [I do call that a myen
set out].
3. Of bad character, worthless, naughty; angry, unkind
n.Yks. Mean as muck (,T.S.) ; n.Yks.' ' lie's nobbut a mean un,
MEAN
[71]
MEANY
yon chap ' ; a person of very indifferent character or reputation.
' It's varra mean deed, living as he lives ' ; n.Yks." He's aboot ez
meeanezthamak'em. Sha'smeeaneneeafti hunger t'baa'ntideeath.
ne.Yks.' It's a varry meean tthrick. He corns yam as meean as
muck. w.Yks. He was very mean with her. I war ganging by
t'field, and there war Willy Lovvis' bull. I couldna rin, and 'ea
cam and leuked at me across t'stile. ' Is ta gaen to be mean ? ' says
I (E.L.). [Amer. Dial. Notes (1896) I. 390.]
4. In bad health or condition.
Lin. I tell a shepherd that there is one of his sheep dead in a
certain field. He replies, ' I'm not surprised, fur it has looked very
mean a long while' (J.C.W.). Pern. He is but mean, this long time.
She was feelin' very mean, when I seen her (E. D.).
5. sb. Anything shared between two ; a common, un-
enclosed land.
w.Yks. Watson Hist. Hlfx. {i-jl^ 543 ; w.Yks.* Glo. Lands
not inclosed, Forest of Dean, Grose (1790) MS. add. (M.)
6. Phr. in mean, in common, in joint ownership.
Cum.* At times it is only a part of a field that is in mean. ' Eatage
of which common is in meane between Thos. Whinney and Wm.
Nicholson,' E.\tract from Manorial Court Bk.; None shall shear
any grass upon any raines or hedge-backs which is in meane
betwixt Gropes (?) and Gateside, ib.
[1. OE. genicene, tncine, 'communis' (B.T.). 2. ME.
mene. mean, common, poor (P. Ploivmaii).]
MEAN, i'.^ Van dial, uses in Eng. Also in forms
main{y Dev. ; meean n.Yks. e.Yks.' w.Yks. Lan. s.Chs. ;
meon Yks. ; menie Som. ; meyny Dev. [min, misn,
men.] 1. In phr. (i) to mean on, to mean, intend; (2)
— otje well, to mean well to one, to mean to do good to
one ; (3) — to say, to say.
(i) e.Yks.' What's tha meean-on, deein that? (a) n.Yks. Thou
meeans us beeath weel, Tweddell Clevel. Rhymes (1875) 34.
w.Yks. (J.W.) (3) w.Yks. (J.W.) s.Chs.i Siim foa-ks meyunun
tu see i1z th) Toa*riz un got"n in [Some lolks meeanen to see as
th' Tories han gotten in X
2. To matter, signify, to be of any account ; to need
taking into consideration.
w.Yks. Ther wor noa moor cordial i' th' bottle nur what aw
could do wi' misen, so that didn't mean. Hartley Tales, and S. 75 ;
It meeans varry little to me which it is, S/ievvi/d Ann. (1854) 24 ;
w.Yks.'' It doesn't mean. Lan. Then aw'st look a queer seet, but
aw guess it we'ant meean, Standing Echoes (1885) 12. Stf., Der.
(J.K.), Der.'^, nw.Der.' Not. ' This piece of cheese is heavier than
you told me to cut.' ' Oh ! that won't mean ' (K.G.R. ) ; It means
nothing to me (J.H.B.). Lin.' There are no weeds in this field to
mean anything. n.Lin.' You maay get a few shillin's, bud you'll
not get oht to mean onything oot on him. Lei.', War.-^
3. To make signs ; to signal, beckon, nod.
Som. If I did see her to the back, I'd menie to her to know how
Robert was (T.K.L.) ; Ai meaneed Zally to come nigh, Frank
Nine Days (1B79) 62. w.Som.' Aay mai-nud tiie un dree' ur
vaaw-ur tuymz, bud ee diid'-n tak- ut [I signalled to him three or
four times, but he did not comprehend]. I ax yer pardon, sure,
z'r — I thort you mai'nud to me. Dev. I meyny'd to 'n, and then
he know'd all about it, Pulman Sketches (1842) 115, ed. 1871 ; She
squeezed ma arm, and main'd twid be, Tozer /to«;2s (1873) 59;
Dev.' Her nadded and mean'd to en, that a shud come by the vire,
19. n.Dev. Nelly, my chuckle, mainy to 'un, Rock Jim an' Nell
(1867) St. 26.
MEAN, V? and sb? Sc. Nhb. Lakel. Yks. Lan. Also
written meen(e Sc. Cum.'; mene Sc. (Jam.) ; and in forms
meean Lakel.' e.Lan.'; mein(e, meny Sc. ; meon w.Yks.'
[min, mian.] 1. v. To utter a moaning sound, to wail ;
to complain ; to bemoan to indicate pain.
Sc. iJam.); The mavis menyed in her song, Aytoun Ballads
(ed. 1861) I. 27. Gall. When a horse e.g. which has anything
wrong with its foot or leg winces when it is touched, it is said to
'mean' it (A.W.). N.Cy.' Cum. Gl. 11851); Cum.' A horse
walking lame is said to meen the lame foot ; Cum.* Obs. Wm.
He was scan gaen ith end, thof he hed meand him this hoaf year,
Wheeler Dial. (1790) 47, ed. 1821. w.Yks.' Shoe meaned hersel
like a cowshul, ii. 288. Lan. It's kom'n to a pratty pass ot a boddy
munna meean' 'im when hee's unjustly fiogt, Walker Plebeian Pol.
(1796) 52, ed. 1807. ne.Lan.' A cow when very ill and moaning
is said to be meanin herself. e.Lan.'
Hence Meaning, sb. an indication of pain or lameness,
a shrinking. N.Cy.'
2. To pity, condole with.
Sc. Condemn him not but aye him meine For kindness that
before has been, Henderson Proy. (,1832; 25, ed. 1881 ; They that
wash on Wednesday, Are no sair to mean, Chambers Pop. Rhymes
(1890) 388 ; He's really no to mean for his meat if he wad tak it,
Ferrier Inheritance (1824) I. iv. Buff. Taylor Poems {l-|H^) 172.
s.Sc. There's no a family wha wad be mair to mean, Wilson Tales
(1836)11.164. Rnf. Picken FoOTis (1813) I. 81. Ayr. Charlie's
no to mean wi' his match, Galt Entail '^1823) xxi. Edb. I find the
rich as grit to mean 's the poor, Learmont Poems (1791)305. Dmf.
Wallace Schoolmaster (1899) 350. Nhb. He's not much to mean
(W.G.) ; Nhb.i She is much to mean. Cum.* Prelendin some
unlucky wramp or strean For Cursty's kind guid-natured heart to
mean, Relvh Misc. Poems (1747) 17. Wm. (K.)
3. "To complain of, blame, resent.
Abd. I dinnamein them to be merry And lilt awa. Skinner Po««s
(1809) 43. Per. All the tyme of his sickness he never . . . meaned
any pain, Wodrow Soc. Sel. Biog. (ed. 1845-7) '■ '"• Edb. His
sad affront was sairly mean'd. As ane of their society, Pennecuik
JVks. 1 1715) 389, ed. 1815.
4. In law : to complain, to make a complaint, to state
a case before a tribunal for the recovery of a claim.
Sc. Let Romish frogs return to Rome And meane them to the
Pope, MAiDMENTPfls^«/7s(i868; Introd. 17; Their cace did humblie
ineene Oft to the Counsell and the Queene, Rogers Reformers
(1874) 107. Abd. The gentleman rode over before the day,
meaned hiiiiself to the Lordsof the Council, who continued the diet,
Spalding //k/. Sc. (1792) 1. 52. Frf. Unto your Wisdoms humblie
means and complains I, James Nickle, Edb. Anliq. Mag. (1848)
153. Per. Having meined to the Session how greatly they have
been burdened, Maidment Spottiswoode Miscell. (1844-51 "• 296.
Rnf. Unto your Lop [Lordship] : Humbly means and shews, I,
Mr. John Davidson, Hector Judic. Tv'fcocn's (1876)29. Lnk. Having
meaned herself to the Council, they did take off the contumacy for
her noncompearance, Wodrow Ch. Hist. (1721) II. 213, ed. 1828.
5. sb. A moan, lamentation ; a complaint, esp. in phr. lo
make one's mean.
Sc. She heard a puir prisoner makingTiis meane, Kinloch Ballads
(1827) 131. Or.L Like a bothy i' terrable pain, makin' meen,
Fergusson Rambles (1884) 245. n.Sc. He maks a great mene for
himsell (Jam.). N.Cy.', Lake].' Cum. Sits by his greave and oft
maks a sad meane, Anderson Ballads (1805) i la; Aw.ay I sleeng'd,
to grandj' made my mean, Relph Alisc. Poems (1747) 2.
[1. Nu es here nan |)at wil j>am mene. Cursor M.
(c. 1300) 18255. OE. nuvnan, to lament, mourn, com-
plain (B.T.).]
MEANELS, ."^i. /)/. Obs. N.Cy.^ Spots called ' flea-
bites ' in white-coloured horses.
MEANEVERS, rtrfy. Shr.^ Meanwhile.
MEANG, see Mang, t;.'
MEANING, sb. Lan. Chs. Lin. e.An. Also written
meeanin s.Chs.' [mianin.] 1. Matter, consequence.
n.Lin.' Niver mind, doant truble thy sen aboot it, it maks no
meanin' which awaays it is.
2. An intimation, hint, likelihood ; a slight symptom.
ne.Lan.' e.An.' I felt some little meaning of fever this morning.
3. pi. Intentions.
s.Chs.' Ey)z u laad- wi ver-i giid meyunins [Hey's a lad wi'
very good meeanins].
MEANOLAS, sb. Cor. Also written meneolas Cor.=
A kind of stove ; see below.
Cor.' It was a square box filled with stones and clay, used by
fishermen in their boats, before the invention of stoves, as a fire-
place on which they dressed their meat ; Cor. 2
[OCelt. maen (men), a stone -I- 0/(75, a hearth (Williams).]
MEANT, sb. Yks. Lin. Dev. Also written ment Dev.
[nient.] Meaning ; importance.
e.Yks.' Ah've a strange, queer feeling i' my innards; Ah knawn't
mennt-ont. w.Yks. ^ He could not tell what was 'the meant o' this
cat.' Are these letters of any meant ? n.Lin. N. & Q. (185a) ist
S. V. 376. Dev. 1 want to know, sir, what's the ment of it ?
Reports Provinc. (1886) 97.
MEANTIME, sb. Sc. In phr. in the middle of the mean-
time, meanwhile.
Cai.' Edb. In the middle of the meantime, I was expatiating
to Mungo on what taste it would have, MoiR Mansie IVauch
( T fioft 1 xix
MEAN-'WATER, sb. ? Obs. Stf A voiding of blood
by cattle ; bloody water voided by cattle. (K.), Stf.'
MEANY, see Menyie.
MEANYGATE
[72]
MEARCE-POT
MEANYGATE, sb. Lan. A common pasture or walk
for cattle. See Mean, adj. 1.
MEAPEE, V. Ol>s. Dev. To show a dislike to any-
thing by making a disagreeable sound with the lips and
the mouth. Horae Siibsecivae (1777) 270.
MEAR, sb. and v. In geii. d\a\. use in Sc. Irel. and Eng.
Also written meare Gmg. Som. ; meer N.I.' Lakcl.' Cum.''
VVm. w.Yks.' Chs.i Der. nw.Der.' Nhp.' Glo.> Brks. Nrf.
Sur. I.W. Som. ; meere n.Lin.' ; meir w.Yks. ; mar- In ;
mere n.Cy. Nhb.' Lakel." Wm. n.Yks.» w.Yks. Chs. Not.'
n.Lin.' Lei.' Glo.^ Brks.' e.An.' Nrf. s.Cy. Wil.' Som.;
mier Nhb.'; and in forms mar Lin.' n.Lin.'; mara e.An.' ;
mare Nhb.'; mearae.An.^; mire Won e.An.' Nrf.; niyre
Nrf [mir.miair.] 1. si. A boundary, limit ; a landmark.
Nhb.', Lakel.2, Yks. (K.), n.Yks.» Chs.' Obs., but still found
in combination. Not. The sand mere (J.H.B.); Not.' n.Lin.'
Where a person knows his own land by meres or boundaries.
Survey of Manor of Kirlon-in-Lindsey (1787^. Lei. Beluoire
Prior}', standing upon the utmost part of the shire, almost upon
the very mere. Burton Disc. Lei. ; 1632) 43 ; Lei.' There being no
direct meer between them. Wor. (H.K.\ Shr.' Obs. Gmg. The
meares and boundaries [of which] have been time out of mind,
Baker & Francis Surv. Go-wer and Kilvey (1870) 161. Glo. Baylis
lllus. Dial. 18701 ; Suf.', Hmp.>, I.W. (C.J.V.) Som. W. & J.
Gl. (1873).
2. A balk or strip of grass left as a boundary' in common
fields or between different properties ; a grassy ridge of
ground.
Nhp.' This mode of division is superseded by modern inclosures,
and the term has consequently become obs. Glo. Baylis Uhis.
Dial. (1870] ; The strip of grass that runs round a field under the
hedge ^S.S'.B.) ; Grose (1790); Gl. (1851^; Glo.i= Brks. Gl.
(1852) ; Brks.i e.Cy. Ray (1691). e.An.i ' Nrf. A'. & Q. (1852)
1st S. V. 321. s.Cy. Ray (1691). Wil. Banks of grass, too steep
to plough, on a hill-slope between two ploughed parts , K.M.G.) ;
Wil.' A turf boundary between the downs on adjoining farms :
formed by cutting two thick turves, one smaller than the other,
and placing them, upside down, with the smaller one on top, at
inter\"als of about a chain along the boundary line. *The strips [in
a " common field "] are marked off from one another ... by a
simple grass path, a foot or so wide, which they call " balks" or
"meres",' IVil. Arch. Mag. XV'II. 294. 'Two acres of arable, of
large measure, in Pen field, Ij'ing together and bounded by meres
on both sides,' Hilmation Par. Terrier (1704% Som. Hervey
IVedmore Citron. (1887) I. 181.
3. A line of stones down a field which have been picked
out of the plough's course. Shn' 4. A grass road ; a
private carriage road between two estates or grounds.
n.Cy. HoLLowAY. Nhp.' A grass lane, near Hunsborough Hill
in the vicinity of Northampton, which separates the estates of two
neighbouring country gentlemen, is called ' The Meer ' or ' Meer
Lane,' and a similar lane in an adjoining parish bears the same
name. Brks. (W.H.Y. : Wil. Holloway.
5. Contp. (1) Mear-balk, a balk or strip of unploughed
land, forming a boundary, esp. in open fields, a ridge or
bank of earth or sand forming a boundary; (2) -bank, a
separation ; (3) -bath, see (i) ; (4) -field, an open field in
which the several shares or ownerships are known by
boundary marks ; (5) -furrow or -fur, (a) a furrow marking
a boundary ; (b) the grass which grows close to the hedge-
side or bottom ; (6) -oak, an oak forming a landmark ;
(7I -path, a path dividing two properties ; (8) -stake, obs.,
a tree or pollard standing as a boundary mark of the
divisions of a wood or coppice ; (9) -stang, obs., a land-
mark ; (10) -stone, a stone set up as a landmark ; (11)
-stoup, a boundary post ; (12) -tree, a tree planted to
mark a boundary ; (13) -walk, see (i).
(I) n.Lin.i, Nhp.i, Lei.i, e.An.'* Nrf. Trans. Phil. Soc. (1855)
34 ; Suf.i (2) Nrf. Grose (1790). (3) Nrf. Morton Cyclo. Agric.
(.1863). (4) Lakel.', Cum." Oii-. {5, a) Un.tHomoii Cyclo. Agric.
(1863). n.Lin.i jvjo^y frequently used to signify the boundary
fence between one property and another where the meerefurrow
has been before the land was enclosed. ' He flops his sen doon
e' a dikin nigh-hand th' foot-trod agean J R 's marfur.'
Lei.' (A) Lin.' (6) w.Yks.2 A division between Sheffield and
Wadsley. Shr.i (7) Brks.i (8) Sar. (K.) (9-) Wm. (f*.) (10)
Nhb.' From thence by mere stones set up in the Langstrother
to the dyke of Cernsyde, Hodgson Nhb. HI. pt. ii. 397. Lakel.'
There are still stones so standing. Cum. Dawson of Thackthwaite
shall plowe no further . . . then the jury have sett meer stones,
Hodgson Century of Paines (1883) 35; Cum.* Obs. Wm. Shifting
ofmerestanes,HuTTONBra«A'fw(K<T>/t(i785 I.307. n.Yks.* w.Yks.
HurroN Tour to Caves (iiQi) \ w.Yks.' Chs. These intakes were
wholly unfenced, mere-stones at the corners alone marking the
boundaries of each quillet. Sheaf (1880) II. 109 ; Chs.' They are
sometimes placed in a hedge to show where one man's portion
terminates and another's begins. Sometimes put at the corners
of a quillet or loon, to show the property of an individual when
lying unenclosed amongst other lands. There are many such
stones on Halton Hill. Not.', n.Lin.' Lei.' Hit's the mere-stone,
sir, as marks the mere between Cadeby an' Osbas'on. Nhp.',
War. (J.R.W.), Wor. (H.K.), Shr.' Obs., Brks.', Wil. (K.), Wil.'
Som. W. & J. Gl. (18731; (W.F.R.) (ii) n.Lin.' (,12) Chs.'
(13 Brks. (K.)
6. Obs. A measure of land containing lead ore, of varying
length ; see below.
Der. The bar-master attended and received a measure or dish
of ore, the first produce of the mine, as the condition of permitting
him to proceed in working his meer or measure of 29 yards of the
vein, Marshall Review (1814) IV. 110 ; In some places the meer
is 32 yards and in others 29 ; and they are distinguished bj'
' Lords Meers,' ' Founder Mecrs,' and ' Taker Meers,' Mander
Miners' Gl. (1824) ; The miner then is free From losing any meer
of ground or grove, Manlove Lead Mines (1653I 1. 31 ; A custom-
ary measure of land ... to which a Derbyshire miner is entitled
when he finds a metallic vein. Formerly a Derbj-shire meer in
the Low Peak contained 29 j'ards in length, and in the High Peak
31 yards in length, the breadth of a meer in both districts being
from skirt to skirt. . . Now. however, by the recent statute, . . so far
as relates to the High Peak, every meer of ground shall contain 3a
yards in length, Tapping Gl. to Manlove (1851' ; (K.) nw.Der.'
Hence Meer-stake, sb. a wooden stake driven into the
surface of the ground to show the extent of a meer.
Der. Driven into the ground in the middle of a cross ; sometimes
at every Meer's End, and sometimes only at the beginning and end
of the whole Meers, the better to find their boundaries, Mander
Miners' Gl. (1824) ; A pin of wood driven into the superficies of
the earth by the bar-master, at the end of the founder's meers, at
the time they are freed in order to show their e.\tent or end. . . In
the High Peak, a meer stake is not now necessary, Tapping Gl. to
Manlove (1851); Main-rake Meer-stake gave this sage advice,
FuRNESs Mediats (1836) 33.
7. XK Obs. To mark out or measure land.
Wm. The Scotch Burial Ground . . . never had any trustees for
itself alone, being only meered or walled ofl" and excluded from
the title, Curwen Kirkbie Kendal (1900) 84. Chs. A place where
a paier of gallowes stande, . . and that meareth and devideth the
lib'ties. Sheaf (i&So) II. 31 ; Meeringe and devydj'nge of Church-
yarde, Par. of Prestbury (i6oo 44, in Cheet, Soc. XCVII ; Chs.'
Probably quite obs., but in a deed, dated 1679, a man was permitted
' to meere out ' an acre of common land, and to build upon the land
'so meered out.' In a deed made in 1775 occurs the following
phrase: 'from the common called or known by the name of great
Lindow as the same is now meered out by meters and bounds.'
Shr.' In acopy, dated 1714, of the Terrierof the Oswestry Schools'
lands, taken in 1635, is the following: ' One parcel of meadowing
. . . meared by two oakes one att each end thereof.' Som. ;H all.)
Hence Hearing, (i) sb. a boundary ; (2) ppl. adj. marking
a boundary dividing two estates, parishes, &c.
(i) Mry. A slip of uncultivated ground of various breadth between
two corn ridges, Agric. Surv. Gl. (Jam.) Ir. This river . . . was
the march ditch or merin between our farms, Carleton Trails
Peas. (ed. 1843) I. 118. N.I.' Don. Billy starts up an' lifts the
tether to lead the goat to the inearin' of the parishes, Cent. Mag.
(Feb. igoo) 605. Myo. You see . . . those two poles ? the line
between them marks the mearing of the two lands, Stoker Snakes
Pass (1891) iv. (2) Hmp.' A mearing ditch.
8. To bound, border, be contiguous with.
Dwn. Haven't you a fancy for that farm of Gunion's that mears
your land? Lyttle Betsy Gray (1894) 53.
[1. And Hygatc made the meare thereof by West,
Spenser F. Q. (1596) bk. in. ix. 46 ; Meer, marke be-twene
ij londys. Prompt. OE. getucere {mar- in comps.), a
boundarj' (B.T.).]
MEAR, see Mare, si.'
MEARCE-POT, sb. Yks. A bedchamber utensil.
w.Yks. It wor varry little bigger ner a mearce-pot, Yks. Wkly.
Post (Oct. 17, 1896).
MEARTY
[73]
MEASLY
MEARTY, MEARY, see Mighty, Mary.
MEAS(E, sb. Sc. I. Ma. Dev. Cor. Also written mese
Sc. ; and in forms mais Sc. (Jam. Siippl.) ; niaise Sc.
(Jam. Siippl.) I. Ma. ; maize nw.Dev.' ; maze Sc. (Jam.)
I. Ma. n.Dev. [miz, mez.] A measure used in counting
herrings of varying quantities ; see below.
Sc. The number is five hundred, but . . . they are 'long hundreds' :
hence a mais of herrings is 600 herrings (Jam, Suppl.) ; Mese of
lierring conteins five hundredth, for the common use of numeration,
and telling of herring, Skene DiJficiU Wds. (1681) 87 ; The supply
of fresh herrings , . . was uncommonly large ; twelve boats, some
of them having nearly forty maze (a maze is five hundred) having
arrived in the morning, Caled. Merc. (July 34, 1815) (Jam,), I, Ma.
Tlie mode of reckoning is by scores, of which six score form the
hundred and five hundred the ' meaish ' iGaelic\ mease, or maze,
as spelt in some old Manx statutes, by which term they are sold,
consisting of 620 herrings, N'. &-■ Q (1874' 5th S, ii. 417 ; Dan . . .
shook the herrings into the hold, ' Five maze at least,' said Quil-
leash, Caine Deemster (1887) 66, ed. 1889; His outstretched arm,
at the end whereof was a herring. . . 'Ten maise of this sort for
the last lot,' ib. Mauxinau '1894) pt. iv. vii. n.Dev, At Clovelly,
Bucks, Bideford, Ufracombe, and as far as Lynton, herrings are
sold by the ' maze ' or ' meas ' of 6ia fish. This number is arrived
at in the following way: — the herrings are counted by the handful
of three fish, called a 'cast,' and thus when 40 casts have been
counted, 120 fish have been reckoned, equal to a ' long hundred ' ;
10 more 'casts' are counted, and the number reached by the
addition of these thirty more fish is 150. Then the fisherman
calls out ' cast ' and throws in another cast, completing the number
to 153 fish. This process repeated four times gives the number
of 612 fish, . . and makes up the maze or meas, A', fj* Q. (1874) 5th
S. ii. 167 ; Large quantities of herrings have been caught at
Clovelly. One fisherman, James Small, brought in about twenty
mease (mease, 600). The prices realised have fallen so low as 5s.
per mease, W. Morning Netvs (Nov. 23, 1895!; Clovelly is cele-
brated for its herrings. The fishery is in the autumn, and the fish
are sold by the maize, of 613 fish, //n«rf-AA. (ed. 1877} 67. nw.Dev.'
Cor.2 505 herrings.
[A mayse of herynge, aUistrigitirn, Cath. A>igl. (1483).
ON. Mieiss, a wooden box, a basket used for packing
herrings, hence r.ieisa slid, barrel-herrings (Vigfusson);
MLG. mese, iiieise, ' ein Mass fur trockene Sachen'
(Schiller-LUbben).]
MEASE, v} Sc. Nhb. Also written mees Sc. ; mese
Nhb,'; and in forms meisSc. (Jam.) ; meises.Sc; meyse
Cai.* [miz,] 1. To soothe, mitigate, calm.
Sc. He that crabs without cause should mease without mends,
Ray Prov. (1678) 368; May ruing heaven mees thy care, Jamieson
Ballads (1806) I. 58 ; He should be seindle angry that has few to
mease him. Henderson Prov. (1832) 3, ed, 1881. Cai.'- s,Sc.
God meise the means, Wilson Tales (1836) HI, 235. Nhb. Thus
to mese my waes, Richardson Borderer's Tahk-bk. (,1846) VI, 39 ;
Nhb.l
2. To soften, mellow fruit.
Rxb, As by putting fruit into straw or chaff (Jam.),
[1. Musand the meine mycht meis hir euer mair, Sat.
Poems (1567), ed. Cranstoun, I. 41; Bot othir lordis that
war [him] by Hes meased the king in sum party, Barbour
Bruce (\yj^) xvi. 134. Cp. ME. amese, to calm (Dest. Troy) ;
OFr. amesir (Godefroy).]
MEASE, v.* Yks, Also written meease Yks. [miz,
miaz.] To be absent-minded, 'wool-gathering,' lit. to
muse or maze (q.v.). Cf. measen.
Yks. There's a mint mair thowt on an' kenned than sike as ycy
can think uv, 'at gans meeasin' aboot at yal inds t'deea thruf. Mac-
QUOID Doris Bcjrtigh{i8'jj) xxv, m. Yks,* Somewhat ails our Nance,
or she would never go measing about, at all ends, the day through.
MEASE, see Mess, sb.^
MEASEN, V. Yks. Also in forms mooizen w.Yhs. ;
mooysen w.Yks." ; niouizen w.Yks. To be in a dreamy
state ; to act slothfully ; to mope, fret. See Mease, z/.^
Muse, V.'
m.Yks,' When not hungry a person is disposed to ' measen over
his meat.' w.Yks. Has ta nought to do but sit mooizening like
that? (S.P.U.); w.Yks.*
MEASHIE, see Maishie.
MEASKEEN, sb. Obs. Wxf A nat-bottomcd basket
for straining potatoes, &c. Cf. maishie.
VOL. IV,
MEASLE, sb. and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and
Eng. Also written meazle, meezle Sc. ; and in forms
maisle Ant.; mezzil w.Yks,* Lan.' e. Lan.* s.Chs.' Der.
nw.Der.i Shr.*; mezzlee.Lan,' Chs.' s.Chs.' Shr.' [mizl,
me'zl.] 1. sb. A spot, pimple.
s Chs.' Wey wot s maatur wi yil? Yflr fai's iz au' oaT mez ilz
[Whey, what's matter wi yO! Yur face is aw o'er mezzils].
Hence Measled, adj. (i) spotted, blotched, marked with
pimples ; speckled, mottled ; (2) of meat : having the fat
and lean well blended together.
(i5 Lnk. Lift up your meazled heads ance ma\r, Dell's Halloween
(1856) 25, Dmf. It drecped down Sawney s meezled shin, Cromek
Reitiaiiis (1810; 88, e,Lan •, s.Lan. 1 S.B.) s.Clis,' Yoa bin mez ild
au 1 oa'r. nw.Der,* He must drink very 'ard, 'is face is finely
mezzilt. Nhp.' The flesh of a healthy child is often said to be
mezzled. 'The child looks very nicely, it's little flesh is so mezzled.'
(2) Nhp.' A butcher would say, ' It's nicely mezzled with fat."
2. Comp. (I ) Measle-face, a face covered with red pimples;
(2) -faced, having pimples, having a spotty, inflamed com-
plexion ; (3) -flower, the garden marigold, Chrysanthemutn
segetum.
{,1) w.Yks,* Lan, When he coom in ogen he glooart awvishly
ot mezzil fease, Tim Bobbin View Dial, (ed, i8c6) 36; Lan.'
Der. Hartshorne Salofiia (1841). (2 Lan. Grose (1790) MS.
add. (,P.) War.^ (3) Wil. ' Children have an idea that they may
catch the complaint from handling the plant.
3. pi. A disease in swine ; small-pox in sheep.
Suf, YouNG.^«)m/i^4^M'c(,i784-i8i5jXlX,299. Ken.* [Bailey
(1721'.]
Hence Measled, adj. of animals : diseased, affected with
the measles.
w.Yks, 2 Applied to a horse, in a diseased state. e,Lan.', Chs.'
s.Chs.' We speak of pigs being mezzled. So also 'mezzled pork.'
Slir.l It is popularly supposed that food given to pigs when it is
too warm, will induce a mezzled condition of flesh. ' Tak' car' as
yo' dunna gie them lickle pigs ihar mate too warm, or we sha'n
'ave 'em all mezzled' ; Shr.* ' Th' auld sow'smezzild like, I think
ashowul die,' The word 'mezzild' describes a pig which has 'the
flesh full of tiny blobs of water all over the body ; the cheeks are
not so bad as any other part ; the fat as bad iviry mossel, but nod
so visible like to the eye,' e.An,' The hog is measled.
4. V. To cause the legs to become speckled by sitting
too close to a fire. Cf mizzle, v.'
Ant, Get up oot o' that an' dae some work, an' no be maislin'
your shins at the fire (W,T-K,).
Hence Maisled, ppl. adj. of the legs: speckled from
sitting over the fire. ib.
[1. Cp. MLG, masele, massele, 'rother, juckender Haut-
fleck ' (ScHiLLER-LuBBEN) ; y[t)\x.masclu'ten, red spots on
the legs caused by sitting too near the fire in winter
(Oudemans).]
MEASLIN, see Maslin, 5i,>
MEASLINGS, sb. pi. Yks, Lin. e.An, Also written
measlins Lin.'; and in forms meslings Lin,; mezlings
w,Yks.' ; mizzlings Lin. [mi'z-, nie'zlinz.] The measles.
w.Yks,' ' What aals yar barn. Missis ? ' ' Shoo's gotten t'mez-
lings!' Lin, Skinner ! 1671) ; Then we'd the mizzlings and the
kingcuffs and baulks (J,W.) ; Lin ', e,An.'
MEASLY, adj. Sc, Yks. 'War. Oxf Mid. Ken. Also
written measely n.Yks.* ; meazly e.Ken. ; and in form
maeslieSc, |niizli,l 1. Spotted; having a white scurfi-
ness on the skin. Cf measle.
n.Yks.* w.Yks,* A man is said to have a 'measly face,'
Hence Maeslie-shankit. adj. having the legs speckled
through being too near a fire.
Lnk. How cou'd ye confess sae niuckle to maeslie shanket
Marion, Graham Wiiliiigs {iS&^) II, 22.
2. Of swine : diseased, having 'measles.'
Ken.* ' A measly hog,' The liver is always decay 'd ; and there
are here and there in the lean flesh, on cutting it, small white spots
or pimples which seem to be cysts or bladders of fat.
3. Ftg. Poor, inferior, small ; contemptible.
Sc. \Vhen I came back it had changed into this measly sodger,
yote, 2nd S. (1889) 17, 'War.* w.Mid, They were a poor measly
lot of heifers, not worth halfwhat he gave for them. He's such a
measly sort of fellow, I never can get on with him (W.P.M.).
e.Ken. What meazly apples '^G.G.).
MEASURE
[74]
MEAT
4. Mean, miserly.
War.^ Oxf. He's a measly humbug ; you won't get anything out
of him ^G. 0.\
MEASURE, sb. and v. Van dial, uses in Sc. Eng. and
Amer. Also in forms meezer, meezure, mezzur Nlib.' ;
misser Sh.I. ; missour Sc. ; mizzer Chs.'^ [mega r,
me-z3(r.] 1.5^. A specified amount or quantity varying
in dift'erent districts, a bushel ; see below.
Nhb.i Wm. Of oatmeal, 16 quarts. Morton Cvc/o. .<4^w. (1863).
Lan. Of potatoes, 90 lbs., ib. Chs. Of wheat. 38 quarts = 75 lbs.;
of barley and oats, 38 quarts = 9^ gallons ; of malt, 32 or 36 quarts
= 8 or 9 gallons, ib.; Chs.' The measure varies for different
materials and in different localities. A measure of wheat varies,
sometimes in neighbouring parishes, from 70 lbs. to 75 lbs. or 80 lbs.
Oats are generally 45 lbs. to the measure : in Chester 46 lbs. ; and
in some districts 50 lbs. A measure of beans weighs 60 lbs. ; of
potatoes 84 lbs. ; Chs.^ A Winchester bushel of corn; Chs.^ A
bushel [Winchester] of corn. Guer., Jer. Of apples, about 3
bushels, Winchester; of potatoes, 14 pots = 7 gallons, Morton
Cyclo. Agric. (1863). [Amer. Specifically, a four-quart measure,
Dial. Notes (1896) I. 421.]
2. The act of measuring, measurement.
Sh.I. Wid Donald Ertirson sleep soond if he saw ane takkin a
skjOpfu' o' herrin', lat alane a haufo' kishie oot afore da misser? S/i.
JVeus (Aug. 13, 1898). Wor Judging from a measure we made by
foot-steps it is almost 700 yards round the base, Allies Aiitiij. Flk-
Lore [iS^o 70, ed. 1852.
3. Phr. to have a person's measure, to have all their good
and bad qualities noted. Sc (A.W.) Nhb.'Aahevyor meezer.
4. Moderation.
Sc. He that forsakes missour, missour forsakes him, Fergusson
Prov. (1641) 13.
Hence Measurely, adv. in moderation, moderately.
Eat and drink measurely, and defy the mediciners, ib. 11.
5. A vein or layer of coal. Stf.' 6. v. In phr. (i) fo
measure for a new jacket, (2) — for a warm suit of clothes,
(3) — one's back mith a stick, to thrash, beat, flog.
(i) Ken.' Now, you be ofl". or I'll measure you for a new jacket.
(2' Hrf.'' (3 s.Not. Ah'll measure yer back wi' this stick, if yer
don't goo J P.K.'.
MEASURING, prp. and vbl. sb. Irel. Nhb. Ken. Also
in formmeezerin Nhb.' 1. prp. In cow;/, (i) Measuring-
bug, a caterpillar ; (2) -stick, a stick used in planting
potatoes.
(i) Ken.' (2) Nhb.' Used in planting garden potatoes by measur-
ing each drill oft" and setting the line to it.
2. vbl. sb. A charm supposed to cure ' heart-fever' (q.v.).
Don. Women have . . * heart-fever,' . . wise women are able to
cure it by 'measuring.' They measure round the body over the
heart with a green string, Flk-Lore Jin. '.iBSe") IV. 256.
MEAT, sb. and v. Van dial, uses in Sc. Irel. Eng. and
Amen Also in forms maet Sc. ; mait Sc. w.Yks. Con^ ;
mate S. & Ork.' N.I.' Chs.' ; mayte Dev. ; meeatn.Yks.=
e.Yks.'; meht Sc. ; meight Lan.; meit Sc. (J.\m.) ; met
Sh.I.W.xf.'; mete Cld. (Jam.); meyt e.Yks. w.Yks. e. Lan.';
meyte Dev. [rait, mi3t, met, w.Yks. meit.] 1. sb. Food
in general, victuals, board ; a meal.
Sc. My father and my uncles lay in the hill, and I was to be
carrying them their meat, Stevenson Catriona (1893) xxi ; He pays
me meat and fee. Scorr Minstrelsy ^18021 I. 318, ed. 1848. ne.Sc.
[Riddle] ' I geed by a hoosie. An it wis fou o' meht, But there wiz
naither door nor window T'lat me in to eht ! ' [Answer] ' An egg,'
Gregor Flk-Lore (1881) 79. Abd. Maister Trahvis gied me my
mait, Macdonald Lossie (1877) xxv. Frf. She . . . hath scarcely
tasted meat since Monday night, Barrie;!/. Ogilvy ii8g6) 37. Per.
■ye sa'na want yer meat, Willie. . . I've cakes an' butter, cheese an'
eggs, Stewart Character (1857^, 137. Rnf. Oh, parritch is medi-
cme, Parntch is meat, An' parritch is muscle an' bane, sirs, Neil-
son Poems (1877 , 109. Ir. Won't yer Rev'rence bless the male,
if ye plase, Carleton Traits Peas. (ed. 1843) I. 161. N.I.', Dwn.
e--^-^^-' ' "Cy. (J.W.) Cum. They (i. e porridge) are good meat
(W.K.J; Cum." A workman will hire himself out at so much per
week and his meat. 'Huntin's nobbet a ratchan kind o' busi-
ness, and It taks o' fmeat out of a body's belly,' Dickinson Ciimbr.
(1876) 289. n.Yks.' ' What wages are you getting now, James ? '
' Wheea, aighteen pence an' ma' meat's aboot t'inark,' He gets 's
meat at 's dowthers ; n.Yks.^ ne.Yks.' w.Yks. That tidy lewkin
lass . . . wor both meyt an' drink to me, Cudworth Dial. Sketches
(1884) 5; Ha' sud we get on baat meyt? Yks. Wkly. Post (May 8,
1897). Lan. It would become Sir Adrian Landale o' Pulwick —
Barrownite — to have 's meat i' the kitchen. Castle Light of Scar-
they (1895) II ; Th' clock strikes nine afoor aw've t'chonce To
get a bite o' meyt. Standing Echoes (1885^ 4 ; God never sends
mouthsbut He sends meight, Waugh Snect-Baiit 11868 1 i. ne.Lan.'
I get 125. a-week an' my meat. Chs.' s.Chs.' Oz fill u mis-chuf
uz un eg'z fill li meet [As full o' mischief as an egg's full o' meat].
Stf.', n.Lin.', Shr.' w.Som.' This here's rare trade ; 'tis mai"t,
drink, and clothes. Dev. Love be moar than drink or mayte,
Salmos Ballads (1899! 63. s.Dev. i^G.E.D. Cor. We might so
well go up an' get a bit o' meat, LowRV Wreckers U8931 75 ; The
best custom we ha' got es a drap av best brandy after meat, For-
far Peiitowan (1859) i ; Cor."
Hence (i) Meatable or Meat-yabble, ac/j. having a
capacity for food, hungrj', having a good appetite ; (2)
Meaties, sb.pl. food for infants or very j-oung children.
(i' n.Yks.2 ■ I's ower meeat-j'abble to be blate.' A reply to a
request to eat. (2; Rnf. (Jam.)
2. Food for animals or birds, provender for horses or
cattle ; chaff, haj'.
Sc. (A.W.) N.I.' The horse dos'nt take his mate now at all.
Dwn. Buttermilk meat [meal and buttermilk food for birds]
(C.H.W.). e.Dur.' Only used in this wide sense, when speaking
of animals' food, ' Give the hens their meat.' Yks. The food of
fowls, cattle, and of animals generally. Hen-meat, Bird meat,
Horse-meat (C.C.R.). e.Yks. We've had lots o' meeat this back
end, fog was ommast as lang as midda, Nicholson FlkSp. (1889)
6r. Chs.' Lin. Morton Cyclo. Agric. (1863). Hrf.'
3. Flesh.
Sh.I. HitU geng troo da place if ye mak' use o' her maet (J. I.).
Cor.2
4. Beef, as distinct from mutton, &c.
e.Yks.' w.Yks. A butcher's boy many years ago who used to
go round asking, ' Do you want ony meat or mutton ?' i J.T.I
5. Bacon as distinguished from butcher's meat. n.Lin.'
[Amer. Dial. Notes (1896) I. 391.] 6. Cattle or sheep,
when fit for the butcher, fat cattle.
Lin.' I shall want a deal more for them beasts for they are meat
now. n.Lin.' We may sell them six j'ohs as soon as ther's a chanch,
thaa}''re meat ony time.
7. Co«//>. (I) Meat-ax, a poll-axe; (2) -bane, a broad bean;
(3) -board or -borde, a dining-table ; a board on which
food is dressed; (4) -earth, the natural soil or surface of
the land, esp. such as is good and fertile ; (5) -hale or
•heal, having a good appetite, in good health ; (6) -house,
a larder ; fig. a house where a liberal allowance of good
food is given ; (7) -like, having the appearance of being
well-fed, well-nourished ; (8) -list, appetite ; (9) -16m or
■lum, a vessel in which food is cooked ; ( 10) -midder or
-mither, the food-provider or mistress of a house, one who
serves out food ; (11) -nut, the fruit of the chestnut,
Castaiiea vesca ; (12, a) -rife, abounding with food ; (b)
ready for meals ; (13) -shop, (14) -spot, see (6) ; (15) -spoon,
a table-spoon ; (16) -stint, lack of food ; (17) -wage, having
board only as wages ; {18) -ward, of peas: soft and tender
when boiled ; (19) -ware, (a) potatoes, pulse, and other
farinaceous food ; (b) of soil : fertile, producing good peas
or beans ; of peas or beans: soft and tender when boiled,
good for food ; (20) -whole, see (5) ; (21) -year, the season
for crops, &c.
(i:iNot,(J.H.B.) (2"lCor.2 (3)Wxf.',n.Lin.' (4) w.Som.'Asdistin-
guished from clay, gravel, or sand. There is often abundance of
meat-earth on virgin soil where the plough has never been. Dev.
A top o' that comes meat airth, Baring-Gould/. Herritig (1888)
12 ; Dev.^ The soil which lies directlj' under newl3'-cut turf. It is
considered the most fertilizing earth to be had, and is especially
used for potting. Cor.' ; Cor.^ A load of good meat earth. (5)
Sc. The wonted ' A' meat hale, mony braw thanks ' was in-
stinctively uttered, Saxon and Gael (1814' I. 44 (Jam.). Abd.
' Hoo's a' your ain fulk 1 ' ' Brawly — meat hale and hearty,' Guid-
man Inglisntaill 1,1873 : 36. Kcd. I'm glad to hear ye're a' meat
hale, Jamie Muse (1844) 159, w.Sc. Your a* abune the blankets, I
hope, meat hale, Carrick Z.niVrfq/' /.oj^ni; (18351 91. Lnk. She's
meat-heal, and ay working some, Gr.-\iiasi Writings (1883" II. 53.
Nhb.' He's beath meat he-al and druk ho-al ; thor's little or nowse
the mitterwuv him. s.Dur. Thou's meat-heal at ony rate J.E.D.).
Lakel.2 Ah's i' gay good fettle, thenk ye, er ye o' meat-hial at your
hoose? Cum. Thank yeh; we're aameat-heall atheamm (E.W.P.);
MEAT
[75]
MEDDLE
Cum.'; Cum. 3 Barnes, some nine or ten, Mcnscful, meat-heal, fat
an ruddy, 168. n \ ks.'^, m.Yks ', w.Yks.' n.Lan. He"s meat-heal,
whether he's genteel or not, Waugii Heather (^ed. Milner) I. 97.
ne.Lan.' {6) n.Ir, ' It's weel fur ye,' scz I, * it's no a bad meat-hoose
yer in, my lass,' Lyitle Paddy MiQuillaii, 14. Cum. He was
yance aks't ta yan 6' ther slapish meet hooses, Farrall Belly
Wilson (18B6) 6\ . n.Yks.^They keepa rare meeat-hoiise. w.Som.'
The larder of the county' hospital is always so called. (7) Sc. He's
baith meat-like and claith-like (Jam.). Cai.i (8) w.Cy. Grose
(1790) Suppl. w.Som.' Taffcty is er? let'n bide a bit ; I'll warn
he'll zoon come to his meat-list. n.Dev. And cham come to my
meat list agen, Exm. Crtshp. (1746) 1. 560. (g) Sh.I. A similar
vessel . . . was long preserved in the North Isles as a maet-l6m for
any animal supposed to be suffering from the evil eye. Spe.s'CE
Flk-Lore 18991 166; S. & Ork.' (lo") Sh.I. The mistress of the
house was looked upon as the maet-midder, Speuce F//i-Loie (1899)
208; S. & Ork.' (n1 Dev.* (12, a) w.Sc, Rxb. Sibbald Gl.
(1802) (Jam.). (/() n.Yks.2 (13) Cum." On a Cumberland farm,
which is known as a * good meat shop,' the hands get their teas
sent out to them everyday, JV.C.T.A'. (1892") 3, col. 2. (,14^ ne.Yks.'
It'snobbut a middlin meeat spot. (15, 16) n.Yks.^ (17) She nobbut
gets a meeat-wage, I'b. [i&] Dev, Hovae Sithsfcivae (iTJl) 271.
(19, a) Dor. A'. 6^ Q. (1877') 5th S. viii. 45 ; Dor.' (6) Som. W.
& J. Gl. (1873'. w.Som.' Pease grown upon some soils will not
boil — i. e. do not swell, and only become hard and shrivelled.
Such soils are well known, and are said not to be meat-ware. 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. Dev. Theaze pej'ze han't meyte-
werne, They da bwoyle za hard's a boord, Pulman Sketches ' 1842)
irS.ed. 1871. f2o) n.Yks. ', m.Yks.' w.Yks. Ah've hed one dinner
to-day but Ah'm meat-whole yet (.S.K.C.). e.Lan.' (21) Sh.I. A
guid paet yearwis never a ill maetyear, Spekce/7*-Z.0)Vi 1899! 228.
8. Phr. (i) meat and uieiise, both food and politeness;
see below ; cf. mense ; (2) — for utaniters, of a horse :
receiving board in return for the use of it ; (3) to fall from
one's meat, to lose appetite ; (4) to have one's meat do one
no good, to be discontented, cliurUsh ; to be vexed, dis-
appointed, or humiliated.
^I) N.I.' Ye shud still ax a frien' t'takea bit o' whativver's goin',
if he diz, why .-^ wish him his health, an' much good maj-it do him;
if not ye hae yer meat and mense both. Ant, If you oITered food
to a visitor and it was declined owing to not being required, it
would be said, ' You had baith your meat [food] and your mense,'
Ballynteiia Obs. (1892). e.Dur.' Lakel.^ They'd a slaved biath
ther meat an' ther mense if they'd ass'd us ta hev a cup wi' them.
Cum. I've saved my meat and my mense (J. A.). (2I e.An ' Nrf.
■Wanted, pony, meat for manners, for winter months, e.An. Dy.
Press 'Nov. 2, 1894). (3) Lnk. I'm gettin' auld an' frnii, An' fa'in
frae my meat, Nicholson Kihviiddie (1895) 155. (4) Not.' Lei.'
His meat don't do him no good,
9. V. To feed, provide with food ; to board.
Sh.I. Wha can afl'urd ta pay a growin' boj', or a wumman, auch-
teen stures for a da3''s wark an' met dem apo' da best ? Sh. A'eivs
(Mar. 4, 1899). Bch. He lives, an' sail be seen well clad, An'
meated wxU enough, Forbes Ulysses (i-]8$) 2^. Abd. In Aberdeen-
shire where farm servants ' meat ' in the house, the bill of fare is
not of a very high-class order, /ofc.?, istS. (1889) 11; I thochtye
wud 'a maetit a' throu' ither, Alt.xakder Johnny Gibb (1871) vii.
Frf. What richt hae I to keep kye when I canna meat them ?
Barrie Minister (iSgi) xxvi. Per. For want o' eggs we couldna
meat a stranger. Stewart C/mrac/cr (1857) 189. CId.fjAM.) Dmb.
Toiled late and ear' to meat himself and me, .Salmon Gowodean
(1868) 97. Gall. We maun . . . toil to meat us too, Mactaggart
Encycl. (1824") 360, ed. 1876. Yks. (C. C.R.) n.Yks. ' So-and-so
ismeated in the house' isquite thecustomarymannerof expression,
Atkinson Mooil. Parish (i8gi) 44; n.Yks.' We meats em a';
lodgers, an' daytal men, an' a'; n.Yks." ne.Yks.' He meeats
hissen, an' ah weshes him. e.Yks. Mowers . . . meate themselves,
Best Rur. Econ. fi64i') ; e.Yks.' Ah've ten shillins a week, an Ah
meeats misen, j1/5. orfrf. (T.H.) m.Yks.' w.Yks. Tha's seen hah
ah meyted an rowt, Preston Poems, fjc. (1864) 26. Hrf.'^ Cor.'
Mait the pigs; Cor.^
10. To fill with grain.
Sh.I. Dis isda mUn'at maetsdacorn, daauld folksaid, S/;. AViCS
(Sept. 18, 1897).
MEAT, MEATCHLY, see Mete, Matchly.
MEATH, sb. Obs. Lin. The power to buy or to
refuse to buy, the option ; the preference.
I give thee the mcath of the buying, Ray (1691) ; (K.); Grose
(1790) ; Lin.' If an3'tliing, I gave him the mcath.
[The same word as ME. mellie, measure, moderation
(Stratmann). OE. mcrp, measure, proportion, also, the
measure or extent of power, ability, capacity (B.T.).]
MEATH, MEATH(E, MEATHER, see Maithe, Mead,
sb."", Meeth(e, Methir.
ME ATHE'W, V. N hb.' To become covered with mildew.
The wheat was all mcathewed.
MEATHUM, sb. Wm. Lan. Also in form mathum.
A fool, a stupid person, a blockhead ; a changeling.
Wm. (K.); (^Hall. 1 Wm., n.Lan. What's ta been devvan thoo
stupid meathum, thoo, to spill t'milk? (W. H.H.)
MEATY, adj. Yks. Midi. Nhp. 'War. Wor. Shr. Hrf.
Oxf Brks. Mid. Nrf Sus. Hmp. Som. Cor. Also in forms
maity Cor.^; maty Oxf Brks.' [mi'ti, meti.] Of
animals : fleshy, but not fat, in good condition for the
butcher.
Yks. (J.W.") Midi. Marshall Ptir. Econ. (1796). Nhp.' It's
a nice profitable piece of beef ; it's so meaty. War.^, s.Wor.'
Shr.' Them bullocks binna to say fat, but they bin matey — thick o'
the rib. Hrf.'», Glo. (A.B.), Oxf.' MS. add., Brks.' w.Mid.
' That's a nice, meaty little heifer.' Applied both to the live animal
and to a carcase W.P.M."). Nrf. Grose (1790). e.Nrf. Marshall
Rur. Econ. (1787). Sus., Hmp. Holloway. Hmp.' That bullock
be'ant meaty, w Som.' Hers a nice meaty bullick. Cor.' She's a
maity little pig; Cor.^
MEAUDIWARP, MEAULD, MEAUSE, see Mouldy-
warp, Mould, adj.. Muse, t'.'
MEAUT, MEAVERLY, MEA'WDE'W^ART, see Mout,
Meeverly, Mouldywarp.
MEA-WGH, ME A-WLDY, MEAWLT, ME A"WNGE, see
Maugh, Mouldy, Mould, adj., Mounge.
MEA-"WORT, sb. w.Yks. [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] The cranberry, Vaccinitiiii Oxycoccos. Lees
Flora (1888) 792. See Mea-berry.
MEA"WSE, MEA"WT, see Muse, v.\ Moot, v.^, Mout
MEAYER, sb. Cor. Also written meeyur. A measure.
A g'eat rule what he do meej-ur the ground weth, Higham Dial.
(1866) 16; Cor.'
MEAZLE, sb. and adj. Obs. Sc. Also Som. Dev.
Also in form mysel Sc. 1. sb. A leper, a filthy creature.
w.Som.' Common at the beginning of the last century. n.Dev.
What's mean by that, ya long-hanjed meazle? E.\)ii. Scold. (1746)
1. 30.
2. adj. Leprous. Sc. Francisque-Michel /.««,§■. (1882)
157; (Jam.)
[Clense je mesels, caste je out dcuelis, Wyclif (1388}
Mall. X. 8. OFr. mesel, ' leprcux ' (La Curne).]
MEAZON, MEAZY, see Mouse, sb.. Mazy.
MEBBY, MECE, see Maybe, Mouse, sb.
MEBLE, adj. Sc. Movable. Brown Did. (1845).
MECHANICKER, sb. Lan. A mechanic, workman.
Amechanicker who could get six-un-twenty silver shillin a wick,
Staton Looniinarv (c. 1861) 84.
MECK, see Make, t'.'
MECKANT, ad;'. Abd. (Jam.) Romping, frolicsome.
MECKLE, see Mickle.
MECKLEKECKLE, fl(//. Glo. Poor in quality or fibre.
Cf keckle-meckle.
A mecklekeckle sort of fellow, Northall Eli-Phrases (1894).
MECKSON, see Mixen.
MED,MEDAL,sceMake,v.', Mead,5A.',Mud,i'.*,Madell.
MEDCALF, sb. ne.Lan.' A calf's pluck.
MEDDEM,s6. Cai.' [medam.] An irritation or tickling
in the nose.
Supposed by the superstitious to indicate that a visitor is coming.
MEDDING, see Midden, sb.
MEDDLE, V. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng.
Also written medel Cum. [medl.] 1. In phr. to meddle
or (and) make, to interfere in matters which do not concern
one. Gen. with nes^.
Sc. (A.W.) n.Cy. Grose (1790) MS. add. (P.); N.Cy.', Nhb.'
w.Yks. Shejfield Indef). {jS-jn) ; w.Yks.'^ B.Stf. I wo' meddle or
mak' in yo'r affairs, Pinnock Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). Der.',
nw.Der.' swXin.' I never hear tell on liim meddling nor making
wi' no one. Not. J.H.B.}, Nhp.' War.' Quoth the young cock,
I, 2
MEDELESS
[76]
MEEK
I'll neither meddle nor make, Old Prov. ; War.* s.War.^ Brks.'
I wunt meddle nor maa3ke wi' 'e but me-ans jus' to mind my awn
business. e.An.',e.Suf. F. H.) Ess. Ne'er meddle or raaake with
wilebeas, pray, Ciark J. Aoakcs (1839) St. 127. Sus., Hmp.
HOLLOWAY. Hmp.*
2. Cow;/!. (i)Meddle-make, to interfere. Cmb. (W.R.B.) ;
(2) Meddle making, mischief-making, strife-sowing. e.Suf.
(F.H.) 3. Without a prep.: to interfere with ; to hurt,
annoy.
Ayr. Although I wouldna meddle thee. More timid ye would
need to be. Smith Poet. Misc. (1833) 38. Lnk. I'm neither gien to
mcddlin' folks. Nor notin' their affairs, Murdoch Doric Lyie (.1873)
38. Edb. Gif j'e pass me your word, my lord, to meddle me not,
I will, Beatty Sccieliir (1897) 264. Dmf. Ye'd aiblins rue fu'
soothly syne Ye meddl't warlock's ware, Reid Poems 1,1894) 61.
Gall. Wha has been mcddlin' ye? Crockett S//'c^i'/ yl/i<i.(i893) 253.
n.Ir. Shure it's jist as I toul' ye for meddlin' their bank. Lays aitd
ic^. ( 1 884 2 1 . N.I.' The dog won't meddle you. w.Yks. i,J.W.)
4. To come in contact with, to have to do with.
Sc. I wad haeye think. Afore ye meddle wi' the men. Shepherd's
JVeddiiig 1,1789" 13. Rnf. Foul fa' the chield wha thinks't a faut
To meddle wi' the juice o' maut, PicKENPof//;5(i8i3) II. 24. Cum.
(J.S.O. ) Brks.' If thee meddles wi' what yent belongin' to 'e agin,
I'll gie 'e a iarrapin.
MEDELESS, MEDHA,MEDHER,seeMeedless,Mether.
MEDICAMENTING, vbl. sb. Sc. Medical attendance.
Ayr. For many a day all the skill and mcdicamenting of Dr.
Callender did him little good, Galt Gilhaize ^1823) xiii.
MEDICINE, sb. and v. Sc. Dur. Lon. Som. Also
written medisen Dur. ; and in form metsin w.Som.'
[medsin, w.Som. me'tsin.] \. sb. Any kind of medica-
ment wlietlier for inward or outward application. w.Som.'
2. Fig. Anything disagreeable or bitter, as medicine.
Sh.I. 1 ken yon'll be a medecin ta Anty, Burgess Sketches (2nd
ed .1 29.
3.' Drink.
Lon. As long as you can find young men that's conceited about
their musical talents, fond of taking their medicine, Mayhew Loud.
Labour (i8$i) II. 20, ed. 1861.
4. V. ? To cure.
Dur. A chat m to cure erj-sipelas. ' The Ceroncepel [Erysipelas]
coming in at the town end, By the name of the Lord I medisen
thee,' A', tr Q. (1873 1 4*1' S. xi. 421.
MEDICINER, ii. Obs. Sc. Also written medicinar.
A physician, doctor.
Sc. Eat and drink measurely, and defy the mediciners, Ferguson
Prov. (1641) II ; Tell me now— j'ou also are somewhat of a
mediciner — is not brandy-wine the remedy for cramp in the stomach?
Logan Si. Johnstoiiii (1823) II. 228 iJam.). Abd, Doctor Gordon,
medicinar in Old Aberdeen, Spalding i//s^ Sc. (1792)!. 117. Tif.
Now [he] hes renunced the ministerie, and takin him to be a
mediciner, Melvill Autobiog. (1610) 417, ed. 1842. Slg. Medi-
cinars propone remedies to be applied with all diligence, Bruce
Sermons (1631I xi, ed. 1843. Rnf. The fact of the worthy bailie
being a ' Mediciner ' may account for the note appended. Hector
Judic. Rec. (1876; 87.
MEDICK, sb. Bdf. Ken. Cor. Also written meddick
Cor.=';medikBdf. [me'dik.] LAnemetic. Bdf (J.W.B.),
Cor." 2. Medicine.
Ken. You must take your medick (D.W.L.).
MEDLEY, 56. and 2/. Yks.Lan. Chs. [medli.] \. sb.
In comp. Medley-pie, a pie made of alternate layers of
apples, onions, and fat bacon. Chs. (A.J.C.) 2. A
commotion, tumult.
w.Yks. There's a bonny medley— a fine stir (C.C.R.)
3. V. To mix, mingle.
Lan. Aw sorts o strange neighses begun to be yerd, medlied
neaw un then by a skroike, Staton Loominary (c. 1861J Ii2.
[L Medle or mengynge togedur of dyuerse thyngus,
Prompt. OFr. (Norm.) medlce, ' melee ' (MoisY).l
MEDNART, sb. Sc. The meadowsweet, Spiraea
LliiHina. Brown Diet. (1845).
MEDNIP.sA. Hrf.= [mednip.] A root of briony.
As I was stocking that ere hedge-but, I came across two
uncommon big metinips.
MEEAL, MEEALIN, MEEAS, see Mod, sb.\ Mailin
Mess, s6.'
MEEATH,MEECE,seeMead,ii.=,Meese,5i.\Mouse,5i.
MEECH, V. Yks. Lan. Wor. Ken. LW. Dor. Som. Dev.
Cor. Amer. Also written meach w.Wor.' Ken.' n.Dev.
Amer. ; meich I.W. [mitj.] 1. To sneak, skulk ; to idle
stealthily or shamefacedly about ; to creep about softly.
Gen. with about. See Mitch, v.
m.Yks.i, s.Lan. (F.R.C.), Ken. (K.\Ken.' w.Som.' Her's always
a meeching about to vokeses back doors. n.Dev. Ha murt take
P'po' and meach off, E.\ni. Crtshft. (1746) 1. 469. Cor.' (s.v. Mincli).
[Amer. To go meeching about, to go in a mean or underhand way,
Dial. Notes (1896) I. 78.]
Hence (i) Meecher, sb. a sneak, a lurking thief; (2)
Meeching, ppl. adj. sneaking, creeping softly ; poor-
spirited, cringing, melancholy, complaining. Cf. meeking.
(i) w.So:ii.' Get home, you meecher ! is the everyday salutation
to a stray dog. (a) s.Wor.' w.Wor.' 'Er's a poor meachin' sart
uv a 06man ; 'er never were good fur much. Ken. A meeching
look, a meeching pace (K.). [Amer. Heard among very old-
fashioned people in New England, but it is becoming obs. . . . ' A
meaching sort of fellow ' is one who cringes and fawns upon
you or looks as if he was always ashamed of himself. Reports
Provinc. (1891) ; Father goes up to him, looking as soft as dough,
and as meechinasyou please, Sam Slick C/orfHw/('«-, i836)istS. xv.]
2. To play truant, to absent oneself without leave.
l.W. (J.D.R.) w.Dor. Roberts Hiit. Lyme Regis (18341. Som.
Gent. Mag. (1794) 110; Jennings Obs. Dial. zu.Eiig. {182^). w.Soin.'
He never don't meechy, there idn no better boy vor to larn in all the
parish. Hisfather'vea-leather'd'nmanies o' times, but he meechus
[meeches] 'long wayThorne's boy. Dev. He used to persuade us to
go meeching from school. Reports Provinc. 1,1891 ) ; Moore Hist. Dev.
(1829) I. 354 ; Hevvett Peas. Sp. (1892) l^s.v. Mitch). nw.Dev.'
Hence Meecher, sb. a truant.
Som. W. & J. Gl. (,1873) ; Jennings Obs. Dial. w.Eng. (1825).
w.Som.* I can't do nothing way un ; I zends 'n riglar, but he's a
proper meecher. Dev.' Black-berry meechers and blue-berry snails.
All the dogs in the parish will hang at 3'our tails.' . . These lines
used to be shouted after the children who did not come to school
in time, Reports Provinc. (1891). nw.Dev.'
3. To gather up by picking or begging. Dor. B.\rnes
Gl. (18631.
[1. Sure she has Some meeching rascal in her house,
Beaumont& FLETCHERScor;//ir/Z(7(5' (1616) v. i. 3. Mecher,
a lytell thefe, laroiiceav (Palsgr.).]
MEED, sb. n.Lin.' [mid.] Desert, reward.
n.Lin.' Commonly in a bad sense. ' He's gotten sarved reight ;
that was just the meed for him.'
[The word is used in a bad sense in Havelok, ■21,02. : And
he shal yelde \& ))i mede By crist ("at wolde on rode blede.]
MEED, see Maid, Make, v}, Meeth(e, Meid, Mud, v.^
MEEDER, see Meader, Meeterly.
MEEDGE, sb. Fif A mark to steer by. Colville
Vernacular (1899) 19.
MEEDLESS, adj. n.Cy. Yks. Der. Also written mead-
less, medeless w.Yks. [midless.] 1. Troublesome,
tiresome, unruly ; restless ; lit. without reward.
n.Cy. Grose (1790) ; N.Cy.° w.Yks. If there bean acute pain,
we call it a meedless pain, Hamilton Nugae Lit. (1841) 345 ; He's
a varry medeless soart (J.H.G.) ; Yks. Mag. (1871) I. 28 ; w.Yks.'
Der. Addy Gl. (1888) ; Der.2, nw.Der.'
2. Undecided, unable to make up one's mind ; heedless,
without thought or plan ; without measure.
w.Yks. Thoresby /.(•//. (1703); I am meadless whether to drive
on or to begin it over again, Snowden IVeb of Weaver {1896) 86 ;
I was meadless how to show myself again to Elizabeth, 16. 192 ;
w.Yks. 2 I was meedless altogether ; w.Yks.*
MEEF, see Meeth, nrf/.'
MEE-FLOOR. sb. Obs. Stf. The second parting in
the coal-measures.
At Wednesbury ... in the nether-coal, the second parting or
laming is called the mee-floor, one foot thick (Hall.) ; (K.); Stf.'
MEEGRIM, see Megrim.
MEEJICK, sb. Wil. [mi'dgik.] Anything strange or
unusual.
A very common expression among the men. . . It was always ■' a
sort of a meejick,' Jefferies Gt. Estate (1880) iv ; Wil.'
MEEK,rtrt>'. Sh.LHmp. Dor. [mrk.J L Desponding,
easily depressed.
Hmp. Now he be right ill he be meeker nor ever, he be that
(W.M E.F.;.
MEEKING
[77]
MEET
Hence Meek-hearted, adj. low-spirited, faint-hearted ;
shy.
Hrap. Hebea meek-hearted man at the best o' times (W.M.E.F.) ;
He is terrible meekhearted IT.L.O.D.); (H.W.E.) Dor. (,C.W.)
2. Comp. Meek-tasted, sweet or mild of taste.
Sh.I. Dey're nae tattie sae meek taestit is da anes 'at's grown
aside wirsels, Sh. Neu'S i,Oct. 30, iSg^).
MEEKING, ppl. adj. Shr. Glo. Also written meaking
Shr.'^ Ailing, lacking energy, drooping. Cf. meeching,
s.v. Meech.
Slir.' Kitty wuz al'ays a poor meakin' thing, nod likely to get 'er
livin' like the rest; Slir.^ A meaking cratur Gwuz meaking about.
Glo.l
MEEKS, sb. Not. The bistort, Polygomtm Bistorta.
(B. & H.)
MEEL, see Meal, sb.'^^, Meale, Mod, s*.\ Mould, 56.*
MEELA, MEELACK, see MUliaih, Mealock.
MEELCAVE, 56. Ire!. A flesh-worm in the foot. s.Ir.
Simmons CI. (1890) (s.v. Mulharten).
MEELICK, sZ>. Sc. [Not Ivnown to our correspondents.]
[mrlik.] A term in playing marbles : the same spot.
AlJd. When I gave anither chap's ' pitcher' the 'speelick,' My
ain ane was sure jist to spin i' the 'meelick,' Ogg IVillie IValy
(1873I 76 ; Wlien the ring was the game a' the lakes [stakes] he
wad win, For his pitcher was sure i' the meelick to spin, Ander-
son Rhymes (ed. 1867) 137.
MEE-MA'W, sb., adj. and v. Lakel. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der.
Also written memaw w.Yks.' n.Lan.' nw.Der.' ; and in
forms meamua Wm. ; meemo e.Lan.' m.Lan.' ; memo
Lakel.* [ml'm^.] 1. sb. An antic or grotesque action
or expression ot face, a grimace ; dumb show; an affected
manner, afi'ectation.
Lakel.2 Ther's memo i' eaten, an' walken. It's a complaint
amang young fooak. Wm. Went en meaad sum meamuas ta his
maister, Wheeler Dial. (1790) 74. Lan. They'n to mony mee-
maws abeawt 'em for me, Waugh 5««i-£iaii/ (1868) ii ; Not at
that lilt-un-goo-forrud sort uv a meemaw lof a polka], Staton B.
Shuttle Visit Manch. 47 ; Lan.', n.Lan.', eXau.' m.Lan.' Yo' should
just watch a weyver tell another weyver i' th' next alley but one,
i' mee-mo' in' abeawt th' cut-looker gooin'-a-courtin' wi' that red-
heyded Sal-o'-owd Bobs. Chs.', a.Chs.*, nw.Der."^
2. A trifle, gewgaw.
w.Yks. These offerings of shreds and patches are what the West
Yorkmen call memaws — trifles of a personal character, yet each
meaning much, like the widow's mite, Manch. Cy. News {J)eQ. 30,
1899) ; w.Yks.^ Shoo's more memaws about her an' eniff. nw.Der.^
3. A simpleton, fool.
Lan. He alius had th' happy knick-knack o' not apeerin' sich a
meemaw as he semt, New IVkty. (Jan. a6, 1895) 7, col. i.
4. adj. Affected, mincing, prim.
Lakel.* That's memo talking. Wm. She's a lal prood memo
thing (,B.K.\
5. V. To make signs or grimaces ; to tell in dumb show;
to be affected ; to do anything affectedly.
w.Yks. Thay begin a memawin abaht with ther pride an non-
sense, Tom Tkeddlehovle Baitttsla Ann. (1874) 33. Lan. [Of a
singer]What's boo mee mawin abaat? Ackworth Clog Shop Chron.
(1896) 343. m.Lan.' Yo'd laff tell yo'd th' bally-werch iv yo'
watcht th' weyver i' th' next alley but one mee-mo back ageean
'Well, aw never ! '
Hence Meemawing, ppl. adj. affected, mincing.
Lan. Tha pride brussen, mee mawin, feathercock owd maddlin,
Ackworth Clog Shop Chron. (1896) 348; Afthera bit o' meemawin
talk, Clegg S/tf/c/i« (1895) 8 ; Aw wonder how they con forshame
o' their face. A lot o' mee-mawing snickets, Waugh Barrel Organ
(1886) 18.
6. To dress up, to wear a great many gewgaws.
w.Yks.^ A factory girl is ' memawed throo head to foit' upon
the Sunday, sporting her ear-rings, bracelets, &c.
7. To wheedle, coax, to caress in a wheedling manner.
Chs.' Dunna be mee-mawin me a that'ns, for get o'er me. 8. Chs.*
It)s noo yi3os dhu mee--mau-in mi u)dhaafu roa'd, dhu)l gy'et nuwt
aaj't u mey [It's noo use tha mee-mawin' me a-thatta road, tha'U
get nowt ait o' mey].
MEEN, V. Ken.* [min.] To shiver slightly. Hence
Meening, sb. an imperfect fit of the ague.
MEEN, MEEN(E, MEENY, see Mean, adj., Mean, f.',
Menyie.
MEEPY-MOPPY,.9/>. Cor." Thegameof 'hideand seek.'
MEER,5i. Yks. Der. The kidney of an animal dressed
for the table ; the fat parts surrounding the kidney. ? A
misprint for ' near' (q.v.). w.Yks.*, Der.*, nw.Der.*
MEER, see Mare, sb.^, Mear, sb.
MEERAN, sh. Sc. (Jam.) Also in form mirran Bch.
[Not known to our correspondents.] A carrot. Bch.,
Abd. See More, sb.
MEER-BRO'WED, adj Lth. (Jam.) [Not known to
our correspondents.] Having eyebrows which meet
together.
MEERISH, (7r//. Cum.** [miaTiJ.] Effeminate; insipid.
MEES, see Mease, v.^
MEESCHLE,s6. andi/. Sc. [mljl.] 1. s6. A mixture;
a state of confusion ; also used n^/fi. Cf. maschle.
Bnff.i They've made an unco meeschle o' that maiter. The hail
thing geed meeschle thegeether. Old. (Jam.)
Hence Meeschle-maschle, (i) sb. great confusion, a
confused mass of anything ; (2) adj. confused ; much
connected by intermarriage ; also used advb.
(ij Bnff.' (2) Their money maiters are a' meeschle-maschle.
The hail toonie's a' meeschle-maschle freens through ither, ib.
2. V. To mix ; to throw into confusion.
It wiz a' meesclilt up thegeethir, ib.
MEESE, 56.' Glo. Wil. Dor. Som. Dev. Cor. Also in
forms meece Glo.' : meozeDor.'; mesh Wil.*_Dor.' Som. ;
mews w.Som.' n.Dev. Cor.* [miz, mij, miiz.] Moss;
the lichen which grows upon apple-trees.
Glo. Horae Stibseavae (.17771 ^7' i Glo.', Wil.' Dor. w.Gazette
(Feb. 15, 1889) 7, col. a; Dor.' Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873) ; Jen-
nings Obs. Dial. w.Eiig. (1825^ w.Som.' Whit-droats nestes
hain't never a builded way mews [miiez]. Cuddlies now d'always
make theirs way mews. n.Dev. Grose (1790). Cor.*
Hence Meesy, adj. mossy.
Glo. Horae Siibsecivae (1777) 271. Dor.' I be happy wi' my spot
O' freehold groun' an' mSshy cot, 245.
[ME. mese, moss (Stratmann). OE. meos: treowes
meos, 'muscus' (Cleop. Gl. (c. 1050) in Wright's Voc.
(1884) 447) ; cp. MHG. viies (Lexer).]
MEESE, sA.* Cai.' The observation of certain land-
marks in order to locate a particular spot at sea. Cf.
meethie, 2.
Such observation of the relative position of prominences on the
land as enables one at sea to locale a particular bank, fishing
ground, &c.
MEESEN, MEESH, MEESH-MASH, see Mouse, sb.,
Marsh, 56.', Mish-mash.
MEESY, adj. e.An.' [misi.] Tainted, unsavoury.
[Prob. a special use of meesy, der. of iiieese, sb.^ OE.
meos is used to render ' rubigo ' (Dent, xxviii. 42).]
MEET, V. Van dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. [mit.]
1. In phr. (i) to meet in ivil/i, to meet with ; (2) — up with,
to stop, check, master ; to match ; (3) — with, to have, find,
obtain, catch ; (4) — ivith it, to ' catch it,' to be punished,
to meet with one's deserts.
(i) n.Sc. (Jam. ■), Cai.' Edb. Where he would meet in with mer-
chants in scores, Moir Mansit iVatich (1828) xi. ^a) n.Yks. He's
getten met up wiv, wi this wife (I.W.). (3"l w.Yks. (J.W.)
w.So.m.' V-ee mee-t wai puurddee geod spoo'urt z-maurneen ?
[Have you had pretty good sport this morning?] Zoa yiie keod--n
mee-t wai um, keod ee ? [So you could not catch them, could you ?]
Wee mee-t wai u suyt u niits aup t-eeul [We found a quantity of
nuts up at the hilP. (4) Glo.* You'll meet with it, 19.
2. Comb, (il Meet-her-in-the-entry-kiss-her-in-the-but-
tery, the pansy, Viola tricolor. n.Lin.' ; (2) -me-love,
the London pride, Sa.xifraga iimbrosa. Dev.* 3. To
meet with, light upon, to find.
Yks. Shall I meet a village before I get to Aireton ? (F.P.T.)
w.Yks. (J.W.) Wor. 1 met a drop of rain ^W.C.B.). Pern, I met
a scissors underneath the table. I met this muff comin' down the
hill (E.D.). B.Pem. I met this glove on the road, Lws Little Eng.
(18881 431.
4. To meet an obligation ; to pay a debt ; to pay a
creditor.
w.Yks. (J.W.) w.Som.' Tidn no use to tell— I can't never meet
it ! I must zell some stock avore long, vor to meet my rent. Far-
mers say, ' I be bound to meet my landlord.'
MEET
[78]
MEETHS
5. Obs. To place, put.
w.Cy. He to her heart did a dagger meet, Dixon Siigs. Eiig.
Pens. ^1846 51.
MEET, adj., sh. and adv. Sc. n.Cy. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der.
Nhp. Dev. Also written mete N.Cy.'^ Lan. [mit.] I. adj.
Fit, proper.
Slk. They hae gentle forms and meet, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865)
416. N.Cy.* In common use. w.Yks.*, Nhp.*
Hence Meetly, adv. fittingly, as is proper.
Per. Flunkey lords. An' pages pouther'd meetly, Haliburton
Oc/::/ Idvlls (i8gi) 61.
2. Coiiifi. (1) Meet-coat, a dress-coat; a coat which
exactly fits the size of the body; (2) -marrow, an e.xact
copy or facsimile, a fellow ; (3) -shad, exceeding what is
fitting.
[I) Sc. Used by old people as distinguished from a ' long' coat
(Jam.). (2) Abd. When tlie finished production was sent home . . .
Aunty Ann pronounced it the very meet-marrows of the one she
had held so long in loving memorj', ^Arf. U'kly. Free Press {Dec. i,
1900'. r3 i Lan. On neaw I'r in os ill o kcle os meetshad, Tim
Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1806) 39. s.Lan. (S.B.)
3. sb. pi. In phr. to meets with or meet{s zuit/i, even with,
'quits.'
Lan. Boh ister no wey o cumming meet with um ? Tim Bobbin
Viav Dial. (ed. 1806) 7. ne.Lan.' I'll be meet wi' tha. Dev.'
Odds ! thinks I, I'll be to meets with ye, 14 ; I'll be meets with
him, ill. Gl. nw.Dev. I'll be to meets way'n (R.P.C. ).
4. adv. Just, exactly.
Lan. So meet ofore eh geet teear I took Nip on rubb'd hur
primely efeath, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1806) 4a; Mony . . .
ut cud o bin weel contentud too o gwon whoam meet then,
ScHoLES Tim Gaiinvatlle (1857)45; ^^' snored mete loike an
eawl, Kay-Shuttleworth Scarsdale (i860) H. 89.
Hence (i) just meet, phr. exactly, quite; ("2) just meet
now, (31 meet noiv, phr. just now, at this moment.
(i) w.Yks. Thoresby tell. (1703); w.Yks.'' Lan. So it're just
meet as good, Dottie Rambles (1898) 140 ; Thae'll just meet plez
liim, Waugh Owd Bodlc, 256. (2) Lan. An' what's moor, there's
scores o' folk what live just meet neaw 'at knows it to be correct,
Lahee Owd Matty (ed. 1887) 45 ; Noather on um doed so wele
just mete neaw, Ormerod Fclley fro Rachde (1864) ii ; Hoo's after
some'at at's noan so good, just meet now, Waugh Chim. Corner
(1874) 27, ed. 1879. Ch3.i23 (g) nCy. (K.I, N.Cy.^, w.Yks.*
Lan. They wantun one, meet nah, ut first hevvse ut theu corns
to o' the reet bond, Paul Bobbin Sequel (1819) 7 ; Its meet neaw
buzz'd into meh heeod, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1806) 50.
e.Lan.i s.Lan. It's comn meet neaw, Bamford Dial. (1854).
5. Obs. Indifferently. Den*
[1. There is no lady living So meet for this great errand,
SiiAKS. Tivelfth N. II. ii. 46. Cp. OE. geiiiet, fit, proper ;
geinetc, fitly (Sweet).]
MEETEN'D, ppl. adj. n.Yks.^ [mrtand.] Made fit;
prepared or adapted.
MEETER, sb. War. A strap from the crupper and
back-strapof a horse's harness meetingthe collar. (J.R.'VV.)
MEETERLY, adv. and adj. n.Cy. Wm. Yks. Lan. Chs.
Der. Also in forms meatherly n.CIy. ; meederly, meeth-
erly N.Cy.= ; meterly N.Cy.* w.Yks. Chs.'^ [mita(r)li.]
1. adv. Tolerablj', moderately, fairly. Cf. meeverly.
n.Cy. It will do meeterly well, Grose (1790) MS. add. (P.)
N.Cy.i ; N.Cy.2 Meeterly, as maids are in fairness, Prov. Wm.
I am meeterly content, Hutton Bran i\,iv IVaik (1785) 1. 24.
s.'Wm. I was meeterley easy, HunoN Dial. SlortU and Amside
(1760) 1.13, m.Yks.* w.Yks. 'Hah are yo' gettin' on ? ' 'Aw,
ah'm meterly ' (jE.B.) ; There's a pack o' corn i' t'corner, thear,
meeterly clane, Bronti! Wiithering His. (1847) xvi ; Meeterly,
as Megge Riley danced, Thoresby Lett. (1703') ; w.Yks.** ;
w.Yks.s 'How are yuh daame to-daay ? ' 'Thenk'yuh, am like
meeterly ; how's yersel' ? ' Lan. ' That wur clever too-to, wur it
naw?' • Yigh, meeterly,' TiM Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1806) 26 ; An'
hc're meeterly strict too, beside, Waugh Sneek-Bnnl ^i868) ii
Lan.i, ne.Lan.*, e.Lan.*, Chs.'a Der. We're meeterly weel sar
Ward David Grieve 1^1892, III. bk. iv. vi.
sarved,
2. Handsomely, modestly, agreeably. n.Cy.fK.) ; Grose
(1790) ; N.Cy.'^ 3. adj Moderate, in a fair state, middling.
n.Cy. A meeterly body- one of moderate size (K.). n.Yks.
Hee's pratty meeterly fiesh ; liere's a good skin, Meriton Praise
Ale (1684) I. 151. m.Yks.* ' A meterly body' is a person whose
trim, becoming appearance inspires one with a pleasant feeling.
w.Yks. Tha taks ivverything shoo's getten an' it's a meeterly
dollop all at once, Hartley Clock Aim. (1879) 44. Lan. Grose
(1790) MS. add. (C.)
MEETH, adj.^ and v. Sc. n.Cy. Dur. Cum. Also
written meth(e Cum.^'* ; and in forms meef Cai.* ; meith
Abd.; meuth N.Cy.' Cum.'; miith Slk. s.Dur. [m\\>.]
1. adj. Of the weather : hot, sultry, close ; of persons :
exhausted with heat.
Sc. The da3' is meeth, and weary he, Jamieson Pop. Ballads
(18061 II. 363. Cai.* Abd. But meith, meith [het, het, ed. i8ia]
was the day, The summer cauls were dancing brae frae brae,
Ross Helenore (1768) 82 (,Jam.) ; They are posting on vvhate'er
they may, Baith het and meeth, till they are haling down, ib. 79, ed.
1812. Slk. The night is that muth and breathless, Hogg Talcs
(1838) 211, ed. 1860.
Hence (i ) Meethness, sb. extreme heat, sultriness ; soft
close weather ; (2) Meuthy or Muthy , adj. of the weather :
sultry, close, mild and damp.
(i) Abd. Wi' wae and faut and meethnass of the daj*, Sae sair
beset she was that down she lay, Ross Helenore (1768)26, ed. 1812.
(a* s.Dur, A muthy sort of a day I J. E.D.). Cum.' Meuthy weather.
2. f. To breathe with difficulty, to choke. Cum.G/. (1851).
Hence Meathy or Meuthy, sb. a difficult respiration
caused by rareness of the air.
N.Cy.', Cum. 2" e.Cum. Hutchinson Hist. Cunt. (1794) I. 220.
[1, 2. Cp. ON. md'ch', weariness, exhaustion ; meiSa, to
exhaust, to be exhausted (ViGFUssOiN).]
MEETH, adj.^ s.Sc. (Jam.) [Not known to our corre-
spondents.] Modest, mild, gentle.
[An hah leuedi mild and meth, Cursor M. (c. 1300)
10,152.]
MEETH(E, sb. and v. Sc. Also written meath(e,
meith Sc. ; and in forms meed S. & Ork.* ; meid Ags.
(Jam.); mith Bnff. ; myid Fif. (Jam.) [mi)'.] 1. sb. Obs.
A measure.
Sc. Lat me wit the meath o'my days, Waddell Psalms (1871)
xxxix. 4. Fif, They look't up ilk lofty wa', Takin' their meiths
for its downfa", Tennant Pa/iistry (1827) 189.
2. A landmark for directing the course of a vessel in
sailing, or for enabling fishermen to find particular spots
of fishing-ground ; also used ^c«. for a mark or anything
by which observation is made or an object is detected.
Sc. They werena just to ken meiths when the moorfowl got up,
Scott St. Ronan ,1824) iii. Sh.I. Fishing places, designated Raiths,
were pointed out by certain land-marks called Meiths, so that
every one knew his own raith, Hibbert Desc. Sii. I. (1822) 221,
ed. 1891; The fishermen were very particular to set their lines
in a given straight course, indicated by meiths or marks on
the land, Spence Fib-Lore (1899) 130 ; The fishermen direct their
course in sailing by observations on the land, called meeths and
formed from the bearings of two high eminences. Statist. Ace. V.
191 (Jam.) ; I link I ken whaur ye ir, by da meethes o' dasubjeck,
Stewart Talcs ,1892) 13; S. & Ork.* Cai.* Such observation of
the relative position of prominences on the land as enables one
at sea to locate a particular bank, fishing ground, &c. Abd. Where
she might be, she now began to doubt. Nae meiths she kend, ilk
hillock head \vas new, Ross Helenore (1768) 24, ed. 1812. Ags.
I hae nae meids to gae by ^Ja.m.). Fif. (jb.)
3. A hint, an innuendo.
n.Sc. One is said to give a meith or a meid of a thing, when he
barely insinuates it (Jam.).
4. V. To mark a place at sea by the bearings of objects
on the land.
Sh.I. ' I tought ye aye set hi da compass.' . . ' Saj- dey du,
Tamy, for maist pairt, when der ony distance fram [to sea], bit
when dey can meed der no sae muckle need,' Sli. News .Apr. 23,
18981 ; It is sufficiently prominent to be used by fishermen as a
landmark at sea for meithing the Burgaseurs, Spenxe Flk-Lore
(1899) 47 ; S. & Ork.* Bnff. Vith ane vther litle hauch vpon the
south syd of the said water, mithit and merched as followes,
Gordon Cliron. Keith (1880) 78.
[1. In jie mesure of his mode & mebc of his wylle,
Cleanness (c. 1360) 565 in AUit. P. 53. OL, math, measure,
degree, proportion (B.T.).]
MEETHERLY, sec Meeterly.
MEETHS, sb. pi. Sc. (Jam.) Activity, bodily energy.
One is said to have nae meeths who is inert.
MEETING
[79]
MEGGY
MEETING, sb. and fif>l. adj. Var. dial, uses in Irel.
Eng. and Amer. Also in forms mait'n- Oxf.' ;_ matin
Brks.'; maytins Dev. ; mitting Cor. [mitin, metin.]
1. sb. In phr. to give the inceting, to meet. s.Wor.\ GIo.
(A.B.) 2. The service at a chapel, or Nonconformists'
place of worship.
Uls. Presbyterian churches are usually called meeting-houses,
and 'going tu meetin' ' means going to church, Uls. Jrn. Arch.
(1858) VI. 42. Nhb. Where he was found quite dead by some
persons on their \va3- to ' Glanton Meeting,' Dixon Whittingliam
Vale [1895'! 274 ; Nhb.' We'd a gran sarmon at the meetin thi day.
Brks.' Be 'e a-gwaain to Matin' at Compton to-night ? Dev. Ef I
comes tu yer maytings vor tha benefit o' my soul, Salmon Ballads
(1899) 6g. Cor. We'll go to mitting when we're hum, Tregellas
Tales ^1865) 61. [Amer. Let's get ready and put on our better-
most close, and go to meetin, Sa.m Slick Chckniaker (1836) ist S.
xxiv ; I am going to meetin'. Dial. Notes (1896) I. 65.]
Hence (i) Meetinger or Meetener, sb. a dissenter, one
who attends a chapel ; (2) Meeting-house, sb. a Non-
conformist chapel ; an Irish Presbyterian church.
(i ) Oxf.', Brks.', e.An.i Nrf. Cozens-Hardy Bioad Nrf. (1893')
56 ; Among some of the meetingers there is not only a firm belief
in these direct personal revelations, Jessopp Arcady (1887) iii.
e.Suf. I F.H.) Sus. HoLLOWAY. Hmp.' Dor. To be a meetinger,
j-ou must go to chapel in all winds and weathers, and make yerself
as frantic as a skit. Hardy Madding Crowd (1874) xlii. w.Som.*
No. they wadn never church-volks, they was always meetiners
ever sinze I can mind. (2) Uls. Presb3'terian churches are usually
called meeting houses, Ws.yni.^^rr/;. ( 1858) VI. 42; Mr. M'VMlister's
Auld Secedin' Meelin'-House, W'Ilroy Ciaig-Liuuie (1900) 112.
Dwn. Our fowk keeps a harmone3'um fur the waens in the Sunday
skule, an' yit wadnae play it in the meetin'-hoose, Lyttle Bally-
aiddy {iBg2j 19. w.Som.' This word has now got to mean the
little village chapel where there is no regular minister.
3. pi. The point in a shaft or rope incline at which the
ascending and descending cages or tubs pass one another.
Nhb. We'd pass'd the meetin's aw'd ne doubt, Wilson Pitman's
Pay (1843) 26; Nhb.i Nhb., Dur. Meetings begin at the top of
this stone. Borings (1887 1 IV. 54 ; Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888 1.
4. pi. The meeting of two currents of the tide in More-
cambe Bay-
ne.Lan.i Often producing a rough and dangerous sea for small
craft.
5. ppl. adj. In cotiip. Meeting-board, the boards across
the middle of a wmdow to which the 'catch' is fixed.
w.Yks. (S.K.C.)
MEEUXING, prp. Hrf^ Messing anything about in
the mouth.
MEEVE, see Meve.
MEEVERLY, adv. and adj. n.Cy. Yks. Lan. Also in
forms meaverly w.Yks. '^ ; meverly n.Cy. w.Yks.'^ Lan.
[mrv8(r)li.] 1. adv. Moderately, tolerablj', middling;
lairly well in health ; easily, gently. Cf meeterly.
Yks. (Hall.) w.Yks. A' wor goin' up nice an' meverly like
(J.H-G.) ; w.Yks.3 Art ta meaverly ? Lan. Grose (1790) MS.
add. (P.)
2. Modestly, handsomely.
Lan. Un aw thowt awd nare sin hur lookin more meeverly,
ScHOLES Tim Gamwatllc [iS^Tj 14; Lan.' Aw carrid mesell meety
meeverly too, an' did as yo bidd'n muh, Tim Bobbin I'ieai Dial.
(ed. 1750) 37.
3. adj. Mild, of a gentle or modest disposition; shy,
bashful ; sparing in eating and drinking; also used iron.
n.Cy. (Hall.) w.Yks.' Williams wor ollas a dowly, swamous,
meaverly mack of a chap, ii. 306. Lan. O' meeverly, pildert owd
woman, Paul Bobbin Sequel (1819) 15 ; Eh, he's meterly meverly.
He ates loik one o' his feyghtin cocks, Kay-Shuttleworth Scars-
dale (i860 1 II. 33.
MEEVIE, sb. Sc. Also in forms mavie, mavy. The
slightest noise, gen. in phr. meevie nor mavie.
Bnff.' A leukit ool, an' harkent ; bit a hard naither meevie nor
mavie. Abd. The moon's as white's a nevv-blawn wreath o' snaw,
Meevy nor mavy, now, anewadna hear. Walker i5a«i'i-ZJoH-.<4cfo;rf
(,1887) 401.
MEEYUR, MEEZE, MEEZLE, MEEZY, MEFT, see
Meayer, Mouse, sb., Measle, Mazy, Maft.
MEG, sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. [meg.]
1. In comb, (i) Meg cutthroat, the whitethroat, Sylvia
ciiierea ; (2) -'s delight, great fun ; (3) -'s diversions, tricks,
frolics, rattling fun, esp. in phr. to play Meg's diversions
ivith ; (4) — Dorts, a pettish young woman, cf. doit ; (5) —
Harry, [a] a hoyden, a ' tomboy ' ; \b) a hermaphrodite ; (6)
— many-feet, («) a centipede ; (i I the creeping buttercup,
Ranunculus repens ; (7) — many-legs, ( Hens '11 begin a layin soon, it's so melsh ; Chs.^^ Dg[.,ij
nw.Der.' Not.* It's a melch day, mcster. Lin. It's strange melch
weather, Sir ; . . that was the melchest time I ever knew, when we
had to eat our bread with a spoon, it was so soft. A'. & Q. (i860)
2nd S. ix. 106. n.Lin.' Ther's a deal of foaks is badly an' its all
thruf this melch weather. We're hevin' a melch back-end, soa we
shall hev a huncht spring. sw.Lin.' This melch weather is all
agen the pork. Shr.' Theer's a nice melch winde this mornin' —
mild as May. Hnt. N. & Q. ib. 63.
Hence Melched, ppl. adj. melted with heat, in a warm,
perspiring condition.
Not. I'm quite melched (J.H.B.). n.Not. (H.W.)
2. Comb, (i) Melch-hearted, gentle, diffident, timid, poor-
spirited ; (2) Melsh Dick, a wood-demon supposed to
guard soft unripe nuts.
(i) s.Wor. (H.K.), s.Wor.', e.Suf. (F.H.) Ken.' Jack won't
hurt him, he's ever so much too milch-hcarted. (2) n.Cy. (Hall.)
w.Yks.^ ' Melsh Dick '11 catch thee, lad,' was formerly a common
threat used to frighten children going nutting.
3. Of a country: open, clear.
Yks. The melch coontry, Fetherston T. Goorirodger[i8-jo) 157.
4. Modest. n.Cy. Grose (1790).
[1. Du. nialsch, tender, soft, sweet, mellow ; malts,
maltsch, tender, soft (Hexham); EFris. malsk, ' mollig,
sanft' (Koolman).]
MELDA, sb. Sh.I. [me'lda.] Weeds.
Nor da kail howed dat's gaen ower wi'shickenwirt, runsliick an'
melda, Stewart 7"!7/«s(i892 42.
[Norw. dial, melde, weeds among the corn (Aasen).]
MELDER, sb} Sc. Irel. Nhb. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan.
Chs. Also written meldar .Sc. ; meldhre Irel.; and in
forms maleder w.Yks.^; milder w.Yks.^ ne. Lan.' [mel-
d3(r.] 1. An indefinite quantity of corn, esp. of oats,
ground at one time ; the meal when first ground ; also
the time taken to grind a parcel of corn ; fig. a heap,
a large quantity. Cf meller.
Sc. I have often thought the miller's folk were far over careless
in sifting our melder, Scott Monastery (1820) viii. Bnff. In doing
a melder the primitive mill hottered away at the rate of six bolls
of meal ground in a week, Gordon Chron. Keith (1880) 148. Abd.
They came flocking frae the towns like mice to a melder, Ruddiman
Sc. Parish (1828) 134, ed. 1889. Frf. When bear an' ate the earth
had fiU'd, Our simmer meldar niest was mil'd, Morison Poems
(1790) 1 10. Per. His wife had forgotten to bring home anew
melder, Stewart Character (1857) xcvi. Fif. 6 qrs. of oats sent
to mill, Morton Cyclo. Agric. (1863). s.Sc. To keep oor teeth gaun
till oor ain melder come frae the mill, Wilson Tales (1839 1 V. 90.
Ayr. Ilka melder, wi' the miller, Thou sat as lang as thou had siller,
Burns Taut o' Shunter (1790) 1. 23-4. Lnk. Thrifty wee Luggie,
the melder to speed. Was croonin' awa o'er its ilka dam-head,
Watson Poems (1853) 35. Edb. The seeds from the different
makings of meal (melders; through winter, are preserved, Penne-
cuiK Wks. (1715) 87, ed. 1815. Slk. Ower muckle . . . meldar i'
the brusket, Hogg Tales (1838) 618, ed. 1866. GaH. If the melder
be six bolls, the mutter is about the fortieth part, Mactaggart
Encycl. (1824) 356, ed. 1876. Ir. When we get home our own
meldhre, Carleton T'miVs Pras. (ed. 1843) 92. N.L' Ant. Bally-
mena Obs. (1892I. s.Don. Simmons Gl. (1890). N.Cy.' Nhb.
They 'expect their melder, or batch of oats, to give half meal for
corn,' Young .4nnals Agric. (1784-1815) XXXV. 555; Nhb.'
Lakel.' ; Lakel.* He sat doon ta seek a melder o' poddish as ye
nivver saw. Cum. O' "at I cud gev him ut due, was to leeave her
a melder 0' mecal, Dickinson Cunibr. (1875) 43; Cum.* When a
farmer carried a few bags o' havver to mak' into havver-meal for
poddish, that was cawt a melder, C. Pacq. (June 15, 1893) 6, col.
2. Wm. Tak a melder o' bran fer t'sheep (B.K.). w.Yks. There
war a melder o' folk (S.P.U.) ; w.Yks.' 3, Lan. ' n.Lan.' Under a
pile o' hay they fand sic a melder o' meeal— girt seeks full, Invas.
o' ITston (1867) 5. ne.Lan.'
Hence Meldering-day, sb. the day, kept as a kind of
feast, on which a parcel of corn was ground. N.Cy.'
2. Phr. (1) the dusty melder, the last child born in a family.
Abd. (Jam.); see Dusty; (2) to cat a melder, to eat too
M
MELDER
[82]
MELL
much. N.I.' 3. Obs. or obsol. A kilnful of oats ; as
many oats as are dried at one time for meal.
n.Cy. (Hall.), Cum., Wm. (M.P.) Yks. Holloway. Chs.
Grose (1790); Chs.'^^
[1. Norw. Aiai.nielder, flour or corn in the mill (Aasen) ;
ON. titeldr (gen, meldrar) (Vigfusson).]
MELDER, sb? Yks. [meld3(r).] Entanglement;
mental confusion. w.Yks.'
Hence Meldered, adj. mixed, entangled.
w.Yks. T'reius were so meldered, he couldn't loose 'em (S,P.U.\
MELDREN, sb. Sc. [meldran.] The quantity of
corn ground at one time. See Melder, sb}
Per. And biggit mills and grun' the meldrens, Spe.nce Poems
(1898) 70.
MELDROP, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Also written mell-drop
N.Cy.* [me'ldrop.] 1. The foam which falls from a
horse's mouth or the drop at the bit. s.Sc. (Jam.) 2. A
drop of mucus at the nose, whether produced by cold or
otherwise ; the drop at the end of an icicle ; any drop in
a pendant state.
s.Sc, Lnk. I Jam.) Rxb. Dight the meldrop frae my nose, and
I'll wear the midges frae yours (I'A.)- N.Cy.'
[1. ON. viil-divpi, the drop or foam from a horse's
mouth ; mel (mod. ;«;/ and wnV), the mouth-piece, bit
(Vigfusson). 2. Out at his nose the mildrop fast gan rin,
Henrysone Test. Creseide (c. 1500) (Jam.).]
MELDWEED, sb. Sc. The white goosefoot, Chenopo-
diiiin album. Lnk. Patrick Plaii/s (iS^i) 131.
MELDY-GRASS, sb. Sh.I. The dodder, Spergida
arviiisis. S. & Ork.'
MELG, sA. Sc. The milt of fish.
Abd. Francisque-Michel Lang. (1882) 425; (Jam.)
[Gael. )ucalg, milt offish (Macbain).]
MELGREAVE, sb. ? Obs. Sc. Yks. Lan. Also written
mellgrave Sc. (Jam.) ; and in form melgraf Lnk. (Jam.) A
quicksand. Cf. meal, sb.^
Lnk. (Jam.) Gall. It is said that a horse and his rider once
sunk in a mellgrave somewhere in Ayrshire, and were never more
heard of, Mactaggaut Encycl. (1824) 339, ed. 1876. w.Yks.
HuTTON Tour lo Caves (1781). ne.Lan.'
[Prob. a hybrid word, being a tautological comp. ; cp.
ON. nielr, a sand-bank (Vigfusson), and OFr. greve,
'terrain sablonneux, au bord de la mer ou d'uii fleuve '
(Hatzfeld).]
MELIA, MELISHIN, see Millia(h, Malison.
MELL, 5i.' and v."- Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks.
Lan. Lin. Suf Also written mel Cum.' [mel.] 1. sb.
A mallet ; a ' beetle ' ; a hammer, gen. of wood ; Jig. a
heavy fist.
Sc. He that taks a' his geer frae himsel and gies to his bairns,
it were well waird to take a mell and knock out his harns, Fer-
guson Pioi/. ;i64i) 16. Sh.I. The old knockin' stane and mell —
now obsolete, SPEN-CEF/,t-Z,o)(?( 1 899) 29; S. & Ork,', Cai.' Abd.
Death has gi'en him wi his mell, And dung him dead, Shirrefs
Poems (1790) 243. Frf, He would . . . smash them with a mason's
mell, Barrie Tommy (1896) xxix. Fif. lEimAtiT Papisity (1827)
27. Dmb. King nae mair on't ! come doun, man, wi' the mell,
Salmon Goivodean (1868) 71. Rnf. Webster Rhymes (1835) '80.
Ayr. A nieve like a mason's mell, Service Dr. Diiguid (ed. 1887)
253. Lnk. Herlittlefist — what Doghip would have termed a' wee
mell '—had left an ugly mark on his cheek, Gordon Pyotshaw
(1885) 186. Lth. A mell for knockin' bear, Thomson Poems (1819)
113. Edb. C(i)7o/i Gnc« (1793) 119, ed. 1817. Bwk. The mason's
mell and trowel Are laid aside till morn, Calder Fochw (1897) 78.
Dmf. Bogle doons them like a paver, Wi's mell this da}-, Quinn
Heather ^1863) 189. Gall. Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 247. ed.
1876, n.Cy. Bailey (1721); N.Cy.i2, Nhb.", Dur.>,Lakel.2 Cum.
Gl. (1851) ; Cum.i* Wm. Fowks o' steaynes, An Celtic mells.
Whitehead Leg. (1859) 43- n.Yks. Drive it firmly with your
mell, Atkinson Lost (1870) ii ; n.Yks,' A mell was customarily
used in connection with the frummity-trow, in the process of
preparing the wheat for use in making the furmity ; n.Yks.^S",
ne.Yks.i e.Yks. Marshal. Rur. Econ. (1788) ; e.Yks.', m.Yks.'
w.Yks. 1 ; w.Yks.s A wooden hammer, with a square head and an
upright handle, used for hooping barrels, and for tapping them
too, and for other purposes. Lan.i, n.Lan.', n.Lin,', sw,Lin.',Suf.'
2. Comb, (i) Mell-and-wedge-work, a coal-mining term :
the method of bringing down 'jud' with tools instead of
by blasting; (2) -head, a blockhead, an 'oaf; (3) -headed,
large and square-headed ; gen. used of a stupid person ;
(4) -'s-man, a stonemason; one who can handle a 'mell';
(5) -scope, a confirmed dunce ; a wooden-headed person.
(i) Nhb. A' bein' mell and wedge wark then, Wilson Pitman's
PnjV (1843) 33. (2) n.Yks.' 2, m. Yks.' n.Lin.' Thoo's a straangc
mell-head, thoo taks noa noatice o' what foaks says to thfi. (3)
Cnm.'* (4) Lnk. Banker your stane an' show ye're a mellsman,
Coghill Poems (1890) 84. (5) Cum.'*
3. Phr. (i) as dead as a mell, ' as dead as a door-nail ' ;
quite dead ; (2) /le's get/en a head and so has a mell, a phr.
used to express contempt for a very dull, unintelligent
person; (31 pick and mell, thoroughly; with determina-
tion ; ' hammer and tongs ' ; (4) the shaft is out of the mell,
things are not going prosperously ; (5) to fling the mell, to
boast, brag, exaggerate ; (6) to keep mell in shaft or to keep
shaft ill mell, to keep straight in any course ; to keep in
good health; to carry on one's business prosperously; to
make both ends meet.
(i) Edb. They'll think you're as dead as a mell, Crawford
Poems (1798) 54. (2) n.Lin.i (3) Cld. He went at it, pick an'
mell (Jam.). (4) Rnf. D'ye think, mem, her husband is
wealthy ? Some say the shaft's oot o' the mell, Barr Poems (1861)
109. (5) s.Sc. Take care o' yersel', Dan. Dinna fling the mell
ower faur, or, gor, ye may gang to the bad place, Abd. IVkly. Free
Press (Dec. 8, 1900% (6) Ayr., Lth. (Jam.) Gall. When a
person's worldly affairs get disordered, it is said that the mell
cannot be keeped in the shaft ; now unless the mell be keeped
in the shaft no work can be done, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824)
339-40, ed. 1876.
4. Obs. The prize given to the last one in a race ; the
last in any contest ; esp. in phr. to ivin, or get, the mell, to
be last, to come off worst in any encounter.
Sc. Since we have met we'll merry be. The foremost liame
shall bear the mell; I'll set me down, lest 1 be fee, For fesr that I
should bear't mysell, Herd Coll. Siigs. (1776) II. 47-8; (Jam.)
Slk. Now for the mell ! now for the mell ! Dei! tak the hindmost
now I Hogg Talcs (1838) 153, ed. 1866 ; In former ages it was
the custom on the Border when the victor in the race was presented
with the prize of honour, the one who came in last was at the
same time presented with a mallet or large wooden hammer, called
a mell, . . and that then the rest of the competitors stood in need
to be near at hand and instantly to force the mell from him, else
he was at liberty to knock as many of them down with it as he
could. The mell has now for many years been only a nominal
prize, ib. n.Cy. When a horse came last in the race, they often
say in the North, he has got the mell, Brand Pop. Aniiq. (ed.
1813) I. 448. Nhb. The unlucky young chiel who had the mis-
fortune to win the 'mell,' Dixon IVhiitingham Vale (1895") 54.
Lakel.2 They give t'warst plewer 'at a plewin match — that taks
t'mell. Cum. Still, still dog'd wi' the damn'd name o' mell !
Relph Misc. Poems (1747) 5 ; Cum.^ The jockey who is last in a
race is called the mell ; Cum-^* ne.Lan.' To get the mell is to
obtain a mallet in prize ploughing as a prize for the worst
ploughing.
5. A blow with a mallet, or any heavy weapon.
Sc. Ilka ane should get his ain And ilka Whig the mell. Cham-
bers Sngs. (1829) I. 198 : For a whole hour they would hae been
at it, baff for baflf and mell for mell, Roy Horseman's IVd. (1895) i.
Cai.'
6. A big, strong, stupid person. Sc. (Jam.), Cai.', Bnff.'
7. V. To hammer; to strike with a 'mell' or with the
fist ; to beat severely ; to pound ; to bruise.
Cai.' In the ancient husbandry, the finishing preparation of the
ground for the later sown crops was melling the clods by mattocks.
Bnff. True it is that they may mell you, Taylor PofHjs (1787) 169 ;
BnfT.' They mellt the pailin' hchd into the grun. Cld. (Jam.)
Lth. The callants flew through thick an' thin. An' yell'd, an'
mell'd wi' lounderin' din. Smith Merry Bridal (1866) 22. N.L'
Mell whuns, to bruise whins with a mallet for cattle feeding.
N.Cy.', Nhb.i, n.Yks.2 e.Yks. Nicholson Flk-Sp. {iS,B^) 27;
e.Yks.' MS. add. (T.H.) n.Lan. When things are hammered fast
together, we say they are melled together (E.M.W.). n.Lin.'
8. Phr. /'o/i/c>S'««rf«/t'//, (i)tomaul; tobeat, S.iSc Ork.'; (2)
to set to work vigorously ; to make use of all the means
within one's power. Cld, (Jam.)
MELL, 56.^ Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks. Also written
mel Dur. Yks. ; and in forms mall n.Cy. Dur.' ; meal
MELL
[83]
MELL
n.Cy. ; meyl e.Yks. [mel.] 1. The last cut of corn in
the harvest field. Cf. mail, si.' 4.
Dur. When the last handful is bound up in the golden sheaf,
and the sheaves are all placed upright in lots of ten or twelve
each, locally called stocks, the farmer's head man, or some other
elderly male person employed during harvest, proceeds with most
stentorian voice to ' shout the mell,' which is celebrated in the
following rhymes : ' Blest be the day that Christ was born, We've
gettin't mell of Mr. 's corn ; Wecl bound and better shorn.
Hip! Hip! Hip! Huzza! Huzza!' Denh.^m T'racte (ed. 1895) II. 2.
Cum.l This last cut is commonly platted, enclosing a large apple,
and hung up in the farm kitchen till Christmas Day, when the
corn is given to the best cow, and the apple to the oldest servant
on the farm ; Cuai.* Yks. When carrying the last corn, the
labourers and servants, by way of triumph cry ' mel, mel ' (K.) ;
Denham ib. n.Yks. Hear3'a, they've gitten fmell to neet, they'r
shooting (W. H.). ne.Yks.' We've gotten t'mell.
2. ? Obs. A contention for superiority on the last day of
harvest.
n.Cy. The reapers, on the last day of their business, had a
contention for superiority in quickness of dispatch, groups of
three or four taking each a ridge, and striving which should
soonest get to its termination. In the north of England this was
called a mell, Chambers Bk. Days (i86g) II. 377.
3. The harvest-home supper.
Nhb.' Nee mair at mell or merry night The cheering bagpipes
WuU shall blaw, Rcxby Lay of Ike Reedivaler Miiistr. (1809).
Dur. Gibson Up-WcardaU Gl. (1870^ Yks. Morton Cyclo. /Igiic.
(tees'). n.Yks. ^W.H.),n.Yks.'3, w.Yks. ^S.K.C.)
4. Coiiip. (i) Mellday, the last day of reaping; (2) -doll,
the last handful of corn dressed like a doll or bound neatly
together, and carried in triumph through the field ; cf.
kirn-baby ; (3) -field, the field in which the last sheaf is
cut ; (4) -shaft or -sheaf, the last sheaf or sickleful of
corn ; (5) -shilling, an additional shilling given to each of
the reapers instead of a harvest supper; (6) -supper, the
harvest-home supper.
(i) n.Cy. This day is known throughout the north by the appel-
lation of ' Mell Day.'. . An hour or two before the last and lucky
cut the village musician is sent for to proceed with all haste to
the han-est field, where he is expected to play some of his merriest
tunes ; to the sounds of which, at intervals, the shearers, binders,
and their kind-hearted master, join in socirl dance, Denham ib.
{2) n.Cy. A mell-doll, or image of corn, dressed like a doll, is
carried, amid the joyful acclamations of the people on the last day
of reaping. One of the verses of an old but vulgar song refers to
the custom : ' Odzookers ! Whom have w'e here now ! Why, sure
ita'nt Black Moll? Why, maam, you're of the fair sex, And welcome
as mell-doll,' Fam. Churcliiimn (Sept. 11, 1S89") 124 ; N.Cy.' Nhb.l
An image gaily dressed like a female child, and carried by a woman
on a pole, in the midst of a group of reapers, as they go dancing
and screaming to and from the fields on 'a shearing out day.' These
parties generally consist of women ; but after the day's work is
done, the mell-doll . . . graces the board where the swains partake
with their female partners in reaping in a plentiful meal, and the
evening concludes w'ith mirth, music, and dancing, Hodgson A^'AA.
pt. ii. II. 2. Nhb., Dur. (J.H.) Dur. My recollection of a mell
doll is of a corn-sheaf stuck with flowers and wrapped in such of
the reapers' garments as could be spared, Henderson Flk-Lore
(1879) ii. Wm. (J.H.) Yks. Henderson/7*-Z,o(i!'(i879) ii. (3)
Dur., Yks. In the years 1825 and 1826 I saw the reapers coming
home from the Mell Field in the evening, dressed in high-crowned
muslin caps, profusely ornamented with ribbons of various colours,
andprecededby music, Denham (6. 3. (4) n.Yks.' This was frequently
made of such dimensions as to be a heavy load for a man, and,
within a few years comparatively, was proposed as the prize to be
won in a race of old women. In other cases it was carefully
preserved, and set up in some conspicuous place in the farm-house ;
n.Yks.*, ne.Yks.' m.Yks.' Left standing for the farmer himself to
cut. (5' Dur., Yks. Denham (i. (6) n.Cy. Grose (1790) ; Brewer
(1870) ; N.Cy.l, Nhb.l Dur. It's corn that folks dance and sing
about when they're carrying the last load home — or may be you're
thinking of the dance at the mell supper. This mell supper . . .
comes off only in honour of corn, Longman's Mag. (Oct. i8g6)
577; Dur.i, Lakel.2, Cum.'" n.Yks. T'chap sang at t'mell supper,
TwEDDELL C/fw/. /fA>')Hfs (1875)46 ; n.Yks.' ^ ; n.Yks." The mell-
supper ... is still with us. ne.Yks.' e.Yks. Marshall Rur.
Econ. (1788). m.Yks.' w.Yks. The churn-supper was always
provided whenall was shorn, but the mell-supper after all was got
in, Bingley Herald 1887) A'oles.
MELL, sb.^ Som. A warming-pan. (Hall.)
MELL, V? and sb.* Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm.
Yks. Lan. Chs. Lei. Dor. Som. Dev. Also written mel
Dur. Dor.' ; and in form meel Dev. [mel.] 1. v. To mix,
mingle ; Jig. to have intercourse with, to have to do with.
Sc. The wcel-Ecented Barber, \\\\3. melled wi' the gentry, Vedder
Poems (1842) 78. Bnff. Taylor Poems (1787) 147. Abd. Some
fowk wud never mak' nor mell wi' naething less nor gentry,
Alexander Jolmny Gibb (1871) xix. Per. Mell na wi' rogues that
entrap an' inveigle, ?>t-e\v art Character .1857" 36. Slg. Galloway
Poems (1810) 4. Rnf. I ance was at the schule mj-sel'. An' wi' a'
mischief loved to mell. Young Pictures (1865) 144. Ayr. Nor
mell'd wi' sic as lee'd an' blether'd, Ainslie Land of Burns (ed.
1892) 188. Lnk. I'se for thy bairn provide ; Amang my ain shell
pick an' mell, Hamilton Poems (1865) 35. e.Lth. 'Mang frem 60
mell, Mucklebackit Rhymes (1885) 13. Dmf. It will not mell wi'
ought but worth. Nor be content wi' less, Thom Jock o' Knozve
(1878) 80. Gall. None of us desired to mell with loose company,
Crockett Cry •^««( 1896) vi. n.Cy. (Hall.1, n.Yks.^, Lan.' Dev.
Us mell upone bushel o'lime to two o' S3nd,ReportsProviiie.{iS88).
Hence Melling, sb. a mixture, esp. a small quantity of
light wool used to blend with darker wool.
Sc. Francisque-Michel Lang. (1882) 373. -w.Yks. (W.T.)
2. Phr. (i) mell on me no more and I'll mell on thee no
more, a formula used bj' children when making a compact
to refrain from attacking one another ; (2) to mell on one's
match, to engage with one's equal ; (3) to mell or make, to
interfere with.
(i, a) -w.Yks.* (3) s.Dur. A'll nowther mak nor mell we't
(J.E.D.). Cum.'34_ Yks. (K.) w.Yks. It'll neither mak nor mell
thee (S.P.U.). Som. Ther war naw need To mell or make wi' thic
awld creed, Jennings Obs. Dial. tv.Eng. (1825) 139.
3. To meddle ; to interfere ; often with on ; to join in
battle.
Sc. Are you sure this Earl is a man to mell with? Scott S/.
Ronan (1824) x. Abd. I wadna mell wi' 't, Macdonald R. Falconer
(1868) 132. Ayr. It sets you ill Wi' bitter, dearthfu' wines to mell.
Burns Sc. Diint: (1786) st. i6. e.Lth. Weemen hae nae business
to mell wi' them. Hunter /. Inwick (1895) 189. GaU. Wha' in
Galloway wants to ride an' mell wi' Clavers an' the lads on the
Grey Horses? Crockett Moss-Hags , 1895 ■ xvii. Wxf.' Dinna mell
wi' it. N.Cy.' Nhb. It's not my way to mell in a case like that,
Ci-AtiE Love of Lass {i&ga)\. 102; Nhb.' 'V'e'll get wrang if 3'e mell
wi'd. Dur. Gibson iZ/i-JF^-nrrfn/fG/. (1 870I ; Dur.' s.Dur. Dinnot
be freghten't, A'll nut mell o' tha (J.E.D.). Lakel.' ; Lakel.= Ah
mell wi' mi awn business. Cum. He was niver best pleased to
hear t'Cap'en's dochter's name melled on, Linton Lizzie Lorton
(1867) xxi ; Cum.'; Cum. ^They'll be a warnin' to me nut to mell
wi' wark 'at 1 hevn't been browte up till, 178. Wm. Na yan dar
mell on him, Wheeler Dial. (1790) 16. n.Yks. Nowt melt o'
nowther him ner t'mutton that tahme, Tweddell Ctevel. Rhymes
(1875) 45; n.Yks.'°3. n.Yks." If thoo mells on oor larl Jimmy
onny mair, Ah'U leather tha mysel. ne.Yks.' Thoo maun't mell
on 'em. e.Yks. Leave other folks alone— especially folks 'at's never
me'lled wi' you, Linskill Exchange So/^/(i888; iv. m.Yks.' Let
him mell of his marrow, and none be always agate of the likes of
that larl one. w.Yks. '3; w.Yks. ^ Noan o' yower melling — what
ha' ye to du wi' 't ? Lan. We're going to howd one [meeting] . . .
wheer the Manchester head constable cannot mell wi' us, Westall
Birch Dene (1889) HI. 14; Lan.', n.Lan.', e.Lan.', Chs.' Lei.>
Dunna yo' mell. Dor. Vor he've a-been so good to-j-ear, An* han't
a-mell'd wi' any squabbles, Barnes Poems (ed. 1869 3rd S. 112;
Dor.' Som. Jennings Obs. Dial. w.Eng. (1825). w.Som.' I tell
ee 'tis a nadder, don't you mell way un. Dev. (Hall.)
4. To match, equal.
Sc. Simon he's a strappin' chiel. For looks wad mell wi' ony
bodie. Whistle Dinkie (1878J I. 269 (Jam. Suppl.).
5. sb. A company.
Sc. Mackav Diet. 1 1888). Dmf. A dozen or twenty men will
sometimes go in, and stand abreast in the stream, at this kind of
fishing [called heaving or hauling], up to the middle, in strong
running water for three or four hours together : a company of
this kind is called a mell, Statist. Ace. II. 16 (Jam.).
[1. 'When god melles sorow anguys & trauaile till his
flescly lykynge, Hampole (c. 1330) Ps. ix. 9. OFr. mesler,
mi'ler, ' unir ensemble ' (Hatzfeld).]
MELL, prep, and sb.^ Nhb. Cum. Wm. Yks. Also
written mel N.Cy.° Cum.'; and in form mill n.Cy. [mel. J
\. prep. Obsol. Between. N.Cy.' Cf. amell. 2. Comb.
MELL
[84]
MELTITH
Mell-dcor(s, the passage between tlie 'heck' and the
outer door; the door opening from the 'hallan ' into the
' heck ' ; the double doors enclosing the farm-yard.
N.Cy.12, Nhb. (J.H.), Lakel.' Cum. An' some o' th' hallan, or th'
mell deers, Stagg Misc. Poems (ed. 1805) 138 ; Cum.' ; Cum. 2 ^s.v.
Amell-door^, ; Cum." Wni.& Cum.' The mell-door and heck were
always at the back of the house. Wm. Briggs Remams (1825)
201,216. ii.Yks '
3. 56. The middle.
Nhb. The mell oii't wis flagrg'd \vi' hive for the dowtors o'
Jeruz'lum, Robson Siig.Sol. (1859") iii. 10; Nhb.'
[1. Swilk maystris war made \am o mell, Leg. Holy
Rood (c. 1300) 103, ed. Morris, 90. ON. medal in a medal,
i medal, between, among ; op. Dan. mellein and imellem,
between (Larsen).]
MELL, t'.^ Cld. (Jam.) Of corn in the straw: to become
damp.
MELL, w." Hmp. [mel.] Of a cat : to mew.
I heard lier mellin in t'garden all night long (W.M.E.F.).
MELL, rt(//'. Nhb.' Of the weather : mild. Cf.mellow.
MELL, see Mail, ,s/;.'^ Meal, sb}. Mill, 56.'
MELLEN, MELLER, see Mealing, Miller.
MELLER, sb. Sc. Also in forms mailer Kcd. ;
maillyer Bnff.' ; mealer Kcd.; miller- Sc. (Jam. Suppl.)
Thequanlity of corn ground at one time. See Melder.si.'
Bnff.' We've jist a maillyer fae the mill. Kcd. They gather to
him far and near, Wi' mailers o' their corn : For if ye gie him it the
day, Ye're sure o' meal the morn, Jamie Muse (1844) 145; At
Clinter Mill a mealer lay, The aits had come frae Knowes, Un-
weigh't, unseckit i' the troch. Grant Lays (1884") 5. Dmf. Young
Peggy's to the mill gane To sift her daddie's meller, Cro.mek Re-
mains (1810I 66.
Hence Mellerin(g or Millering, sh. waste meal, esp. the
waste meal gathered after grinding the sweepings of a
meal-mill. Cf. meldren.
Sc. She would meal you with millering That she gathers at the
mill, Buchan Ballads (1828) 11. 84, ed. 1875.
MELLET, sb. e.Lan.' sw.Lin.' [melit] A small
wooden hammer ; a mallet. See Mell, sb.^
MELLETTER, sb. Lan. A surprise; a surprising
thing.
Bysungs.bo'thafsamelletter! MuLLifts T/!rHms/romSpindle,2o.
MELLGRAVE, see Melgreave.
MELLIAH, sb. I. Ma. Also written nielya, mheillea.
The gathering-in of the harvest; the harvest-home supper.
See Mehell.
There wasa great shout,' Hurrah for the Melliah ! ' It rang through
the glen and echoed in the mountains, CAiN'E^/r?».VHinH (1894) pt 11.
xiii ; Harry took heart, and eat like a mel3'a, made a very good
lay, I tell ye, Brown U'itcb (1889) 91 ; Nor at the ' Mheillea ' drank
the home-biew'tl ale. Jc^hnson Isle-iad, 53.
MELLILR, MELLIN, MELLISHON, MELLISON, see
Milyer, Mealin, Malison.
MELLOT, sb. Chs.' s.Chs.' [melat.] The short-tailed
field-mouse.
MELLOW, adj. and v. Sc. Yks. Midi. Stf Not. Lin.
Wor. Bdf Suf I.W. Also written mella n.Yks. n.Lin.';
mellah e.Yks.' ; meller s.Not. ; and in forms mallow
I.W.'; muUa Suf [mela.] 1. adj. Of fruit : ripe; of
meat : good and tender.
e.Yks.' Ten a penny, mellah peears. n.Lin.' That Scotch beast
'11 mak' mella' beaf when he's kill'd. Wor. (H.K.) Bdf. Apples
of the roughest flavour, if they be but ripe, are said to be mellow
(J.-W.B.). Suf
2. Comb. (1) Mellow-hole, a hole, esp. in a stack, where
boys put apples to ripen. e.Yks.'; (2) -nest, a hiding-
place for eatables for one's own private consumption.
n.Yks.2 3. Rendered genial by drink; slightly in-
toxicated ; mettlesome, spirited.
Abd. Ye'll mak them mellow wi' draps o' mountain-dew, Caden-
HEAD Boii-Accuid U853) '5'. Ayr. When thou was corn't, an' I
was mellow. Burns Faymer's Salutation, st.g. n.Yks. Sits be hiz
wahn er grog tell he iz mella, Castillo Poems (1878 53. Midi.
Two ' being half drunk,' and the third 'just comfortably mellow,"
Bartram People of Clo/'ton (1897) 138. Stf. Monlhly Mag. (i8i6)
I. 494. s.Not. (J.P.K.) e.Lin. They telled me the poany was a
mellow maw to catch (G.G.W.). I.W.', e.Suf. (F.H.)
Hence Mellowish, adj. slightly intoxicated.
Rnf When Jove was mellowish, He found he far'd the better,
PiCKEN Poems (1813) I. 182.
4. V. To soften. Wor. The frost mellows the ground (H K.).
MELLS, sb. pi. Sc. In phr. lo grec like biider and mells,
not to agree well.
They 'gree like butter and mells, Ramsay Prov. (1737) ; They
'gree like butter and mells [maul's, itote\ Spoken when people
do not agree, but I know not where the comparison lies, Kelly
Prov. (1721) 323.
MELLUM, see Malm.
MELLY,(7^'. Sc. [me-li.] MelIow;y?jg-. pleasant, tender.
Dmf. Ilk day tae me ye seem mair fair, BIythe, bulky, douce, and
melly, Quinn Heather (1863) 226.
MELM, see Malm.
MELMONT-BERRY, sb. Mry. (Jam.) The berry of
the juniper, Jttiiiperus communis.
MELSTHER, sb. e.Yks.' MS. add. (T.H.) A dial, form
of maltster.'
MELT, sb} Irel. Nhb. [melt.] The tongue.
N.I. ' Keep in your melt. I'll knock the melt out of you. Nhb.'
A cant word. ' Had yor lang melt, yor a3-e gan moothin aboot."
MELT, v} and sb.'^ Sc. Not. Wor. [melt.] L v. To
waste away.
Wor. If I takes him [a newly-bought bull] from good keep and
puts him to bad he'll melt (H.K.).
2. Of money : to spend in drink,
Sc. You are ready now to melt that penny into whisky, Ford
Thistledown (1891) 184 ; Hame he cam wi' coppers six Ilk day to
melt in mountain-dew, Nicoll Poems (ed. 1843) 99. Bnff.' A've
a saxpince, an' a'U melt it. Ayr. Gin I had that tippence melted
into whisky and toom'd o'er my hause. Hunter Studies (1870) 133.
3. sb. Phr. in a melt and a sivel/e>; exceedingly hot.
Not. She was all in sich a melt and a swelter, Hooton Bilberiy
Thuiland (1836 .
MELT, v.'^ Yks. Som. Dev. [melt.] To prepare barley
for fermentation ; to make it into malt.
w.Yks.' ; w.Yks.^ They don't lauk malt 'at were melted i' cukoo
taum.
Hence Melted, ppl. adj. of flour: made from corn which
has sprouted in harvesting; of bread made from such
flour : sticky, heavy, and sweet.
w.Som.' The same effect is said to be produced by over rapid
grinding, and hence heating in the mill. Dev. Thease loave ov
breyde a-clit. I 'spose tha flour wuz a-melted, Hewett Peas. Sp.
(1892) (s.v. Clit) ; Dev.', nw.Dev.'
MELT, v.^ Sc. [melt.] To make a person or animal
sink suddenly under a blow on the side ; to knock, bruise.
Sh.I. I believe A'm blue meltid me knees an' elbiks,S/;.A'(7t'5 (Apr.
I, 1899V Bch. I can teet an' hitch about. An' melt them ere they
wit ; An' S3'ne fan they're dung out o' breath They hae na maughts
to hit, Forbes Ulysses (17851 36.
[Hell spark .". . 1 sail belt thee . . . Soone fald or I melt
thee, MoMTGOMERiE Flvting (ed. 1629) 762.]
MELT, MELTAITH, see Milt, 5*.' = ^ Meltith.
MELTER, sb. w.Yks. [me-lt3(r).] One who has
charge of a crucible steel furnace. (W.S.)
MELTET, MELTETH, see Meltith.
MELTIEBOW, sb. Sc. See below. See Melt, v.^
Abd. To make the [herd's] club serve its purpose completely,
there was cut out near the handle a mystic figure, something
like an ill-fashioned monogram, known as the ' meltie-bow,' which,
it was understood, saved the club from inflicting harm on the cattle,
if it chanced to strike them below the belt, as it were, Alexander
Ain Flk. (1882)92.
MELTIT, see Meltith.
MELTITH, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Also written meltaith Lnk.;
melteth Sc. (Jam.) ; and in forms mealtith Sc. ; meltet
Abd. ; meltit Sc. [me'ltij'.l 1. A meal.
n.Sc. (Jam.) Abd. About mid-day they ae slim mehct sent, Ross
Helenore {i-]68] 52, ed. 1812. Rnf. Our mcUith's aft but scrimp
an' scanty, Picken Poems (1813) I. 124. Lnk. They're forced to
stand upon the open road, And mak' a meltaith of a bawbie clod,
MuiR Minstrelsy (1816I 5. Edb. Mayye hae mealtiths when ye're
hungry grown, Learmont Poems (1791) 261. Slk. Wi' routh o'
hamely meltith stored, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865I 373. Rxb. They
gobble their melteths nor doff the hat, Riddell Poet. IVks. (1871)
I. 36. Dmf. Quick she gat a meltith made, And welcomed them
MELVERLY
[85]
MEND
likefriens, Johnstone Pocixs (1820) 103. Gall. She . . . made their
meltiths warm and clean, Nicholson Poet. Wks. (1814') 40, ed.
1897. Kcb. 'Fore his mate Lays the delicious meltit, Davidson
Seasons (,17891 5. n.Cy. Border Gl. {Coll. L.L.B.1
2. Comb, (i) Meltith-buird, a table on which meals are
served ; (2) -hale, having a good appetite.
(i) Sc. Yer weans round about yer meltilh-buird sal grow like
the olive wands, Waddell Ps. (1871) cxviii. 3. 1,2, Rnf. To see
gin a' be meltith hale. An' thrangat vvark, Clark Rhymes (1842) 19.
3. Phr. (i) a greedy guts ne'er got a glide meltith, greed
never prospers ; (2) a hearty hand to give a hungry meltith,
an expression used to describe a niggardly person ; (3)
taa hungry meltiths makes the third a glutton, privation
leads to excess.
(i) Sc. Henderson Prov. (1B32I 29. (2) Sc. Kelly Prow. (1721)
27 ; Ray Prov. (1678) 360. (3) Sc. Ferguson Prov. (,1641) 32.
4. The quantity of milk yielded by a cow at one time.
Cf. meal, sb.^ 3.
Ags. (Jam.) Frf. She . . . the milk frae ony cow could steal An'
make whole meltits ramp ! Lowson Guidfollow (i8go': 235. Per.
(Ja.v.) Fif. Quickly they the kebbuck table, Hawkie's e'enin'
mealtith bring, Douglas Pof«is( 1806) 102. s.Sc. She accordingly
brought her evening's meltith and skimmed it into his dish, Wil-
son Tales (1839") V. 96.
[1. Norw. dial, maaltid, meal-time (Aasen) ; ON. mdltiS
(Vigfusson).]
MELVERLY, 5*. Shr.^ In phr. (i) get to Melverly
ivie thee, go where mischief maj^ befall you ; (2) Melverly
Cod helps, the inhabitants of Melverly; (3) Melverly.'
where do you think ? see below.
(i) From the circumstance of this \'illage on the Welsh side of
Shropshire being continually flooded bythe irruptions of the Severn
has originated the phr. of ' Get to Melverly wie thee.' (2) Its re-
moteness, perhaps, and the frequencj" of inundations to which it is
subject, has occasioned the place to pass into a bye word, and its
inhabitants to be called Melverly God helps. (3) After a dry
summer, the Melverleians, whose land, which in itself is rich and
productive, has been rendered morefertilebythebountiful watering
of the adjacent river, retort upon their bantering neighbours, by
the phrase of * Melverly ! where do you think?' A triumphant
kind of exclamation, which signifies that such crops as those at
Melverly' could be obtained nowhere else.
MELVIE, V. and adj. ? Obs. Sc. Also written nielvy
s.Sc. 1. V. To cover with meal or flour.
Fif. In coats meal-melvied, Tenhant Piipis/ry (1827) 69. s.Sc.
Only look at my back and think hoo sic a melvyin wad suit on
your fine black coat, Wilson Tales (1839'! V. 91. Ayr. Sma' need
has he to say a grace, Or melvie his braw claithing! Burns Holy
Fair (1785) st. 25.
2. adj. Soiled with meal. n.Sc. (Jam.)
MELYA, see Melliah.
MEM, si. and J'. Sc. [mem.] 1. sb. Madam, Ma'am.
ne.Sc. ' What have you been doing ? ' ' Nothing, mem,' Green
Gordonhaven (1887) 104. Abd. But, mem, I canna lee, Macdonald
Lassie (1877) Ixiii. nw.Abd. Eh ! Dear be here, mem, is this you V
Good-wife (1867) St. I. Per. I wuss ye gude e'en, mem an' sir,
Cleland Inchbracken (1883) 9, ed. 1887.
2. V. To call one Madam or Ma'am.
Ayr. ' Indeed, Mem.' ' Ye needna " mem " me. . . I'm a common
body,' Johnston Glenbuekie (1889") 58. Lth. He mem'd me this
and mem'd me that, Mi^Neill Pies/oii c. 1895) 92.
MEMAW, see Meemaw.
MEMBER, sb. War. War. [me-mba(r).] A person,
an individual.
War.3 He is an odd member [an odd person]. Wor. You get a
warm member sometimes, Evesham Jrn. (Aug. 13, 1896).
MEMBER-MUG, sb. Yks. Lan. [me-niba-mug.] A
chamber utensil. w.Yks. (H.L.), (S.K.C.), Lan. (H.M.)
MEMEL, sb. Wm. Yks. Also written memmel Wm. ;
memmil w.Yks. Timber imported from Memel ; red-
wood, pitch-pine.
Wm. tB. K. ) w.Yks. Memel timber is now being replaced by
pitch-pine for bearing timber. Memel timber was exported in logs,
not sawn up into sizes, of 12 to 18 inches square (J.S.); It'll sure
to stand ; it's a memmil joist (S.O.A.).
MEMO, see Mee-maw.
MEMOIR, sb. Yks. A remembrance, recollection.
w.Yks. Are they sad memoirs of changes since then ? Bicker-
dike Beacon Ami. 1 1872) 6; (J.W.)
MEMORANDUM, sb. Sc. Yks. 1. A memorial in-
scription.
Edb. The laird of the ground . . . Put up a stone with this
memorandum, Mitchell Tiiiklarian (ed. 1810) 8.
2. A memento, remembrance.
n.Yks. ' I am going to keep that as a memorandum.' Restricted
to the rural ;«. .C. C.R.J
MEN, sb. pi. Sc. In phr. the Men, see below.
n.Sc. There is a sect, or lather a special class of Presbyterians,
called ' the Men.'. .' The Men '. . . represent an advanced, not to
say an exaggerated, form of the belief held by those among whom
they live. They are regarded by those around them with reverence
as men of specially holy lives, and, from their pronounced avowal
of religion, are often called ' professors,' receiving that title as
regularly as if they had chairs in a university. Good IVds. (1881)
236 ; The ' day of the Men ' is the high day of the solemnities of
a Ross-shire communion, ib. 237.
MEN, see Man, sb.\ Mun, v.^, pron.
MENAAGER, v. Hmp. [m3nad3a(r).] To make
shift, to contrive.
' How are you going to make that old gate do ? it's all to pieces.'
' O, I'l manaager it up somehow' (^H.C.M.B.V
MENAGE, sb. Sc. [manag.] A domestic establish-
ment ; household management?
Sc. (^A.W.) Lnk. She said he only wanted one thing to make
his menage complete, . . a wife, Hamilton Poems (18651 245.
[Fr. menage, ' administration des choses domestiques '
(Hatzfeld).]
MENAGE, see Manadge.
MENAGERIE, sb. Lin. Shr. Sus. Hmp. [msna-dgari,
manae'dgari.] A collection of odds and ends ; a mixed
assembly ; a confused state of things, a litter.
n.Lin.i He wrote it all doon, what he said, an' what she said, an'
what thaay said, and what thaay hed for the'r suppers, and what
thaay paaid, and the whoale menagery on it. Slir. ' 'Eart alive,
childern, whad a menagerie yo'n got 'ere ! Sus. What's all this
menagerie about? (F.E.S.) Hmp. There just was a menaagery
there ^H.C.M.B.^.
MENAGERY, sb. Wor. Hrf. Pern. GIo. Oxf Ken.
Hmp. Also written menajery Glo.' [manse'dgari.]
1. A contrivance, a clever arrangement or makeshift.
Hrf.^ I never zeed such a menagery as that. Pem. (E.D.), GIo.i
Oxf.' What's that menagery? MS. add. Ken.' That is a menagerie I
Hmp. (H.C.M.B.)
2. An implement. s.Wor. (H.K.)
MENARD, MENCE, MENCH, see Mennard, Mense,
Manch.
MEND, V. and sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng.
[mend.] I. v. Gram, forms. 1. Preterite : Ment.
Sc. Think how aft I ment your sarks and hose ! Herd Coll. Siigs.
(1776) II. 199 fjAM.). N.I.', Shr.i
2. pp. (i) Menden, (2) Ment.
(I) e. Yks.i (2) N.I.l Hrf.i ; Hrf.2 It's just been ment.
II. Dial. uses. 1. v. See below.
w.Som.' 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
[mai'n] thick there gurt bwoy vor nothin.' Dev. She ' washed and
mended him ' to the envy of the neighbours, Good IVds. (1881) 844.
2. To cure, heal ; to make better, to improve. Also
used7?g-.
Sc. (^Jam. Siippl.) Abd, The marquis got back his keys, whilk
he took with the burthen foresaid, and could not mend himself;
such and so great was Frendraught's moyan against him at this
time, Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) I. 43. s.Sc. C ye'r love 'twill
ovvther men' ye, Or a wee deceive the time. T. Scott Poems (1793)
358. Cld. Men' yer maners (Jam.). Ayr. Not a' the quacks, wi' a'
their gumption. Will ever mend her, Burns Ep. to J. Goudie, st. 4.
SIk. To fatten and to mend ye, Hogg Poems ed. 1865') 277. Dmf.
The doctor's not worth ought I vow. He might hae mend ye lang
or now, Shennan Tales 1 1831) 53. n.Yks.' T'Cropton chap— he
mended me reeght on eend ; n.Yks.* He'll a'e ti mend his waaj's
or he'll mend up nowt. w.Yks. (J.W.) Dev. Have you seen how
a little dog is mended of lamb worr3'ing? Baring-Gould Un'lh
(1891) II. xxxix.
3. intrans. To get better, improve in health, become
convalescent.
Cld. • He's aye menin',' he is daily growing stronger I Jam.).
Ayr. The heid did not mend. Service Dr. Dugiiid ^ed. 18871 33.
MENDEN
[86]
MENGE
Twd. Februarj'; an ye be fair, The lioggs'll mend, and naething
pair [lessen!, Swainson JVeal/ier Flk-Lorc (1873) 39- Cum. Like
as if lie'd just mendit oot ov a lang illness, Farrai.l Bctly Wilson
(18861 I ; Cum.3 His hand mendit weel, 163. Wm. I hwope ya
mend' nicely, Lonsdale Mag. (1821) II. 446. n.Yks.i My son's
nicely, Sir, thenk ye: mending gey an' fast; n.Yks.-'Ah's mending
neycely noo, Ah's seean be all reel agaan. ne.Yks.i j-je's mending
nicely. e.Yks.» j»/S. nrfrf. (T.H.) w.Yks. (J.W.) Lan. Mary, my
owd lass, thae mun mend! Lake Longlent (1870) 11. vi. Chs.'
•Hows your wife to-day?' 'Go's mendin nicely, thank j-ou.'
n.Lin.* He's not well yit, bud he's mending. Gnig. William is
mending very nice now (W.M.M.).
Hence Mending, ppl. adj., in phr. (1) on the mending
hand, (2) —road, (3) —side, (4) — ivay, improving, re-
covering health.
(i) s.Wor. My ear seems on the mending hand, Porson Quaint
IVt/s. (1875) 23; Olttis Vig. Mon. in Berimu's Jrn. (1896) XVII.
s.Wor.i, Glo. (A.B.) (2) s.Wor. (H.K.) (3) w.Yks. (J.W.) (4)
s.Wor. (H.K.)
4. To improve, become better; to reform, improve in
character ; to atone, make amends for.
Per. Speak 0' yer ain sins, ye rascal ! an' let mine be. Yer
soul's black wi' them, an' it's time ye was mendin', Cleland
Inchbracken (1883") 59, ed. 1887. Cld. Things are menin' wi' him
now (Jam.). Ayr. I might have been cut aff frae the kirk
a'thegither ; however, I have made up my mind to mend,
Johnston Kilmallie (1891) I. 32; If honest worth in heaven rise
Ye'll mend or ye win near him, Burns Tani Samson (1787)
Epitaph. Edb. For Gudesake mend, while yet ye can, Mac-
lagan Poems (1851^ 184. n.Cy. (J.W.) Cum. He duddent
know what way to gang to mend hissel, Richardson Talk (1876)
2nd S. 183. n.Yks." He's mended hisscn mich. w.Yks. Leech
Merc. Siippt. (Nov. 8, i884\ Lan. Eh Jone ; thae mends noan,
Waugh Owd Bodle, 255 ; It wur a rotten place i'th Jacobin
times, an* aw dun no think it's mich men dut,BRiERLEY 7^/^5(1842,86.
Hence (i) Mendable, adj. reparable; (2) Mendation,
(3) Mendment, sb. amendment, miprovement.
(i) Kcb. Faults in your life are mendable by repentance,
WoDROW Sel. Biog. (ed. 1845-7) I. 385. (2) w.Yks. Splendid
benefits resultin' fro' this mendation i' traade, Yks. Comet (1844)
No. a, 15. (3 ■ Abd. (Jam.)
5. Phr. (i) to mend a candle, to lengthen the wick of a
rushlight; (2) — one's draught, to drink again, take
another glass ; (3) — one's drinking, to empty one's glass,
so as to leave no heel-taps ; (4) — one's speed, to quicken
one's steps ; to accelerate one's progress.
(1) Sur. N. & O. (1869) 4th S. iv. 43. (2) s.Wor. If you like
cider, sir, I hope you'll mend j-our draught, Porson Quaint IVds.
(187s' 30; s.Wor.', se.Wor.l (3) sw.Wor. I have heard in the
district between Malvern and Ledbury, ' You want to mend your
drinking.' That referred to ' heel-taps,' i.e. leaving some in the
glass, not quite emptying it before again filling (W.B.\ (4) Per.
The apples— rosy anes — I gat to gar me mend my speed ? Nicoll
Poems (ed. 1843) 89.
6. To make good ; see below.
Wor. He had been mending cabbage plants [putting in fresh
plants in the rows where those first planted had failed] (E.S).
7. To dress land with manure. Also with up.
Lan. Morton Cjffo. ^^)7f. (1863). e.Suf. i F.H.) Sur.^ A field
that is poor or run out is said to want mending (s.v. Amendment).
Sus.' Hmp.i Mending the land (s.v. Amendment).
Hence Mendment, sb. manure. See Amendment.
Mid. Manure is undoubtedly the greatest cause of fertility. (The
Middlesex farmer says ' there is nothing to be done without
' mendment '), MiDDLETON F!>w ^^nc. (1798) 305. Ken.l Ken.,
e.Sus. Holloway. Sus.'^, Hmp.'
8. To grow stout. Hence to be well mended, phr. to have
grown stouter. Uls. (M.B.-S.) 9. sb. A patch, repair.
Cld. (Jam.) 10. Phr. on the mend, improving, getting
better.
Fif. Ay, I'm on the mend ; I'll sune be up and aboot, Heddle
Maiget (1899) 45. Ayr. Really sin' ever Willie cam hame, the
wark has been on the mend, Service Aotnndiims (1890) 4. Edb.
Ye are on the mend ? but yet ye look but shilpit, Beatty Sccretar
(1897I 377. n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.)
MENDEN, inf. Nrf Suf. Also written mendin Nrf.
[niendan.] A disguised oath. See Amenden.
Nrf. ' Mendin on ye, maw,' an expression of expostulation
something like ' don't be so tiresome' (E.M.); What the mendin'
du yew mean ? Cozens-Hardv Broad Nrf. (1893) 9. Suf.' What
a menden ! e.Suf. (F.H.)
MENDER, sb. w.Yks. [me-nd3(r).] A person who
looks over and repairs a piece of cloth when finished
weaving. (J.W.), (J.M.)
MENDING, prp. e.An. In phr. mending the muck-heap,
a vulgar romp.
Holloway; e.An.' If one falls down, others fall over till there
is a promiscuous heap, of either or of both sexes, tumbling together,
as they would express it themselves, ' heads and holls,' of course
indelicately and seldom decentl3\
MENDS, si.//. Sc. n.Cy. Dur. Cum. Yks. Lan. Also Sus.
Som. Also in forms mens Sc. Cum."* e.Yks.' ; mense Sc.
1. Amends, reparation, recompense, satisfaction, revenge;
atonement.
Sc. There's nae mends to be got out of him, Scott Blk. Dwarf
(1816) X ; He that crabs without cause shall meat without mends,
Ferguson Prov. (1641) 13. Cat' 'To mak mens,' to make up
for a loss or injury. Bch. If I did wrang to lay the wyte On silly
Palamede, Fat mends gat he frae you? Fordes C^/ysses (1785) 30.
Per. NicoL Poems (1766) 60. Slg. Wodrow Sel. Biog. (ed.
1845-7) I. 139. Rnf. I hae sworn ... To hae some sort o' mends
o' the washerwife's son, Webster Rhymes (1835) 115; That's
better mense for a fault than a' your mortifying o' your members,
Graham Writings (1883) II. 21. SIk. But no mends could he
get, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865) 327. Rxb. See if ye can mak' some
mends, Riddell Poet. Wis. (ed. 1871) I. 200. Kcb. Many a
blackstroke received innocent Jesus, and he received no mends,
Rutherford Z.f«. (1660) No. 12. N.Cy.', Dur.', n.Yks.^, w.Yks.'
Sus. Holloway. w.Sora.' I know'd you'd zee how I should ha
mends like, so zoon's you know'd o' it.
2. Improvement, cure ; amelioration of conduct, health, &c.
Sc. There is nothingbut mends for misdeeds, Kelly Prow. (1721)
320; I see nae signs o' a mends yet. Ye hae the mense in your
ain ban' (Jam. Snppl.). Bnff. Taylor Poems (1787) n. Cum.^ A
varst of advice, o' free gratis begat ; But he gat nea mends, dud'nt
pur oald man, 161. n.Yks.' ' Is your wife no better? ' ' Nae, Ah
sees nae mends iv her.' ' He's been gannan a strange gate ower
lang. It's te nae use leuking for mends'; n.Yks.'' I's heartless o'
onny mends; n.Yks.* ne. Yks.' Ah doot there's neea mends for
her. e. Yks.' He awlas was a bad un, an Ah see ni mens in him
yit. w.Yks. Ther's noa mends for him (.^.B.) ; w.Yks.' Lan.
My ear gated o' ticklin. . . Well, aw shaked my 3'ed ; an' aw wiped
my ear, . . but it made no mends, Waugh Tattlin' Matty, 20.
3. Phr. (i) at the height of one's mends, nothing further to
be given or had ; (2) to the mends, in addition, over and
above, ' to boot.'
(i) Cum. Ah wad finnd oa that oot mebby, when ah was at
t'heet o' me mends, Sargisson foe Scoap (1881) 10 ; Cum.'* (2)
Sc. Often applied to what is given above bargain (Jam.) ; I will
verily give ... a free discharge of all . . . and beg him pardon to
the mends, Rutherford Lett. (1660') No. 161 i:b.).
MENE, MENEOLAS, see Mean, v.'^, Meanolas.
MENG, V. Sc. Nhb. Cum. Wm. Chs. Shr. Also written
meing Sc. (Jam.) ; and in form menge n.Cy. Chs.'°^ Shr.'
[mer), meng.] 1. To mix, mingle, blend. Cf. mang, v.^,
ment, pp., ming, v."^
Bwk., Rxb. To meng tar, to mix it up in a proper state for
smearing sheep, greasing carts, &c. (Jam.) n.Cy. (Hall.), Nhb.'
Cum. Here, lan'-leady, . . meng us up thar glasses, Stagg Misc.
Poems fed. 1807) 140 ; Cum." Obs. Cum., Wm. NicoLSON (1677)
Trans. R. Lit. Soc.(i.B6&)\yi. Shr.'
Hence (i) Meinging, vbl. sb. the act of mixing; (2)
Meng-corn, sb. mixed corn ; (3) Menged-tar,s6. a mixture
of tallow and tar for greasing carts.
(i) Slk. The meinging of repentance, Hogg Brownie of Bodsbeck
(1818) I. 288 (Jam.). (2; Nhb.', Chs.'^^ (s.v. Muncorn). (3) Nhb.'
2. Of corn : to become mixed.
n.Sc. Corn is said to meing, when yellow stalks appear here
and there, when it begins to ripen, and of course to change
colours (Jam.). Bwk. The corn's bcginnin to meng (16.).
Hence Meingyie, v. to mix, applied to grain when it
begins to change colour or to ripen. Fif [ib.)
[1. Anoon to j^e erfie he spit And wi)) erfie he menged
hit, Cursor M. (c. 1300) 13545. OE. mengan, to mix (B.T.) ;
G. vicngcn.']
MENGE, sb. Yks. [meng.] A term used in the game
of marbles ; see below.
n.Yks. If a taw sent towards the ring was accidentally stopped
MENGY
[87]
MENSE
the sender would say ' Menge,' i.e. that it should be allowed to
proceed. If his opponent in the game said ' No menge, 'the first taw
must remain, for the time being, where it was stopped [W.H.).
MENGY, sb. Dev. Also written menjy nvv.Dev.'
[me"ndgi.] The minnow, Leuciscus phoxiniis. Dev.',
nw.Dev.' [Satchell (1879).] See Minnie, sb? 1.
MENGYIE, MENIE, see Menyie, Mean, v}
MENJUS, adj. Sur. [mendgas.] A corruption of
'tremendous.'
Most menjus high spirity folks was the old master and the missus,
Blackw. Mag. (1890) 462.
MENK, V. Yks. [mer)k.] To have an inclination or
longing for anything. See Mint. v.
n.Yks. She's always menkin after finery (F.K.).
Hence Menkin, sb. a longing, craving.
I have a menkin for a bit of nice homemade bread (lA.".
MENNARD, sb. Yks. Also written menard n.Yks. ;
andinformmennadn.Yks.*e.Yks.' [me'nsd.] A minnow,
Leuciscus phoxhiHS \ a verj' small fish.
n.Yks. Duant kil dhat lal fish wat its nobst 3 menard I'W. H.") ;
n.Yks.*, e.Yks.i w.Yks. ' A little fish, is'nt it ? ' ' We ollas calls
'emmennards' (F.P.T.I ; w.Yks.'
MENNEM, sb. Nhb. Dur. Lakel. Yks. Som. and Amer.
Also written menem Wm. ; mennam N.Cy.' Nhb.';
mennim Nhb.'; mennom Dur.'; menowm Nhb. , mennum
Cum. ; and in form minim Som. Amer. [me'nam.] The
in'mx\o\w, Leuciscus phoximis. Also usedn//riZ>. Cf.mennard,
mennon.
N.Cy.' Nhb. \Vi' mennim bait an' flee, Coqiicldah Siigs. (1852)
46 ; Nhb.' Mennem hyeuks and mennem tackle are used in trout
fishing. Dur.', Lakel. ° Cum. Wi' mennums furst, an' next wi'
worms. An' than wi' grubs I baitit, Richardson Talk (1876'] 2nd
S. 24. Wm. T'silvery sided mencmcrew. Can scarcely water
find. Whitehead Tlit Lyi'eiitiet {i8sg\ 5. n.Yks.*, Som. (Hall.)
[Satchell (1879). Amer. Little ponds never hold big fish ;
there is nothing but pollywogs, tadpoles, and minims in them,
Sam Slick Clockniaker (1836] and S. xi.x.]
MENNENT, sb. Sc. The minnow, Leuciscus pho.xinus.
See Mennon.
Bwk. We sought the heather-linties' nest Or gump'd for men-
nents in the pool, Calder Poems (1897) 63.
MENNER, sb. Lan. A dial, form of 'minnow,' Leuciscus
plioxittus. Science Gossip, XVIII. 164. e.Lan.'
MENNON, sb. Sc. Also written menon ; and in forms
menin, mennin, minnin, minnon, see below, [me'nan.]
The minnow, Leuciscus phoximis. Cf. mennem.
Sc. (Jam.) Abd. Takin' minnons i' the burn wi' an' aul' creel,
Alexander .(4m /7A. {1882) 88 ; [He]'s no the worth o' a minnin,
no to say a whaul, Macdonald Sir Gibtie (1879) 1. Rnf. Down
frae the lion to the snail, Up frae the menon to the whale, Tanna-
hill Pof«(s (1807) 285, ed. 1817. Lnk. A trottin' burnie Wi' trouts
an' mennin's plenisht weel, Hamilton Poems (1865 1 89; Where
the saugh-tree shades the menin pool, Ramsay Poems (1800) II.
133 (Jam.) ; For hours he'll examine a trout or a minnon, Nichol-
son Idylls (1870) 25. Lth. Whyles sprauchliu' through the Hun-
ter's Bog For puddock, taid, or mennin, S.MITH Merry Biida! (1866)
35. Slk. When bits o' callants and lassies are plowterin about
fisbin for mennons wi' thread and cruckit preens, Chr. North
Abodes (ed. 1856) II. 63. [Satchell (1879).]
MENNOT, sb. ? Obs. Yks. The minnow, Leuciscus
phoxinus.
e.Yks. Marshall if !(>-. £<roH. (1796 II. 333. [Satchell (1879).]
MENSAL, rtrfy. }Obs. Sc. In cowA. Mensal kirk, see
below.
Sc. A ' Mensal church ' (from Mensa, a table), was a term ap-
plied in Scotland to a church that had been appropriated by the
Patron to the Bishop, and made thenceforth part of his own bene-
fice, Gordon Cliroit. Keith (1880) i. Lnk. The kirk of Daviot,
which is one of the mensal kirks of the diocese of Murray, Wod-
Row Ch. Hist. (1721) IV. 195, ed. 1828.
MENS(E, see Mends.
MENSE, sb., adj. and v. Sc.' Irel. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm.
Yks. Lan. Lin. Also written mence Sc. Cum. Yks. ;
mens Lin.' ; and in form ments Lin.' [mens.] 1. sb.
Honour, respect, reverence.
Ayr. Ye rin frae ae thing tac anither, Wi' mad intent, the Deil's
ain brither. Till mense is lost. White /oltiiigs (1879) 132. Edb.
Fortune . . . will . . . slight us for our lack o' common sense That
dinnae ken what way to do her mence, Learhont Poems (1791)
196; They'll payhim nae regard or mense, LiddlePo«>«s(i82i) 128.
2. Profuse hospitality, liberality ; a liberal amount, a
great deal.
Per. He's fou o' law the publican. He has a mense o' pure non-
sense, Stewart C/ia>af/«( 1857) 22. N.Cy.', Dur.' e. Dur.' Mense
is a great thing in this country ly funeral extravagance as a token
of respect). nw.Yks. A bottle of currant wine which she was
saving to make mence with a friend or two who were coming,
Hist. IVilliam and Joseph (1821) 84. w.Yks. There is not a mense
of snow in smoky Leeds, Hamilton Nzigae Lit. (1841) 356 ; (J.W.)
ne.Lan.' sw.Lin.' What a mense of folks there was ! Oh, dear,
it runned a mense ! He's gotten a mense outen it. The rain has
done a mense of good.
Hence Menses, sb. charity. Yks. (Hall.)
3. Pay, recompense, reward ; thanks, grateful return ;
kindness.
Rnf. We've fed him, cled him— what's our mense for't a' ? Tan-
NAHILL Po«>« (1807) 12 (Jam.). Slk. A' thegetherye'll mak but
little mence o' him, HoGG Tales (1838; 239, ed. 1866. Cum.*
'What will be my mense?' orrecompense, Sullivan CKHi.nnrf (Km.
(18571 89 i Thoo's rowl't aboot i' t'muck an' mire. An spoil't thy
cleas for mense, Richardson Talk (i885) 1st S. 88. Wm. Let us
dea what mense we can and prevent what evil, iivno^ Bran New
VVark (1785) 1. 405. n.Yks.3
4. Decency, propriety, decorum ; sense, discretion, tact ;
good manners, politeness.
Sc. We hae mense and discretion, Scott Rob Roy (1817)
vi ; Little mense to the cheeks to bite aff the nose, Ramsay Prov.
('737) ; He looks amon' fowk like a man o' mense, Ford Thistle-
down (1891) 47. Abd. I hope my frien' has ruth o' mence, Cock
Strains (1810) II. 87. Per. Be seen with men of mense, Halibur-
ton Z^M/jArt;* (1895) 31. Fif. Tennant Prt/>i5/;;>' (1827) 213. w.Sc,
Had he the mense as he has the manners, we micht mak him our
deacon (Jam. Siipp!.), Dmb. Nae gallant wends the Braes, in
mense or grace, Salmon Goivodean (1868) 3. Rnf. We haena
mense like cruel man, Picken Poems (1813) 1. 67. Ayr. She . . .
could behave hersel wi' mense, Burns Poor Mailie, St. 4. Lnk. A
rattle-skull, Wha's neither mense nor havens. Watt Poems (1827)
67. Lth. Gude nature, mense, an' wut conjoint, Lumsden Sheep-
head (1892) 97. Edb. He'll learn mair mense by-and-by, Ballan-
tine Gaberhinzie (ed. 1875) 120. Bwk. They haena mense eneuch
to ask Gin Collie will ye lick? Calder Poems (1897 223. Slk.
They haena the mense of a miller's yaud, Hogg Tales (1838) 34,
ed. 1866. Dmf. Wae worth yer name, John Barleycorn, Baith
mense an' gain ye gar us scorn, Quinn Heather (1863) 83. Gall.
Ye'U hae the sense and the mense to keep a calm sough, Crockett
Moss-Hags (1895) xviii. Rzb. She baked a cake and butter scones
for mense's sake To entertain her guest, Riddell Poet. Wks. (ed.
1 87 II I. 92. Wgt. We ha'e plenty o' mense, Fraser Po«;is(i885)
51. Uls. 'You have your mense and your meal.' Meaning when
a favour has been offered and refused (M.B.-S.). Ant. Ballymena
Obs. (1892). N.Cy.'^ Nhb. But never a soul had the mense to
come near them, Ritson A^ Garl. (1810) ; (K. ; Nhb.', Dur.'
e.Dur.' I did it for mense's sake. s.Dur. (J.E.lX), Lakel. '^ Cum.
* Meat's gude, but mense is better,' was an old proverb against
selfishness at table. ' Leave a bit on yo'r plate, for t'mense 0'
t'house' (M.P.) ; 'Taylor's mense.' A small portion left by way
of good manners (J.L. 1783'! ; Some wantin' mence, some wantin'
sense, Stagg Misc. Poems (ed. 1805 1 128; Cum.' ' He hez nowder
sense nor mense': said of a person who is silly and unmanageable ;
Cum.* n.Yks.' Nane that's owther mense or sham' wad dee it ;
n.Yks. 2 'They hae nowther mense nor sense,' neither good man-
ners nor understanding. ' Meeat is mickle, but mense is mair,'
a provision is much, but goodness is more ; n.Yks.^ ; n.Yks.* If
he'd 'ed onny mense aboot him, he wadn't 'a'e sed a thing leyke
that. ne.Yks.' e.Yks. Marshall Riir. Econ. (1788) ; e.Yks.',
m.Yks,' w.Yks. Ye've no mense aboutyo', Snowden Webof Weaver
(1896) 139; HuTTON Tour to Caves (1781); w.Yks.', n.L^n.',
ne.Lan.'
5. Neatness, tidiness, order ; freshness, gloss, newness,
bloom.
Lakel.^ Wesh thisel an mak thisel a mack of mense. Yks. Thou
has neay mence in thy clathes iK.\ n.Yks.' ' You've spoilt his
mense'; of a horse, the tail of which has been cut too short.
ne.Yks.' Thoo's ta'en all t'mense off'n thi cleeas. e.Yks. Aj' ! lass !
all mense is offa thah best bonnit, Nicholson Flk-Sp. (1889; 73 ;
e.Yks.' w.Yks. She charged me to clean it for mense, Blackah
Sngs. (1867) 43; He has no mense of himself, i.e. he does not
keep himself respectable. Obsol.\}.T.) Lin.' The best part of the
MENSE
[88]
MENSEFUL
wear or use of anything. n.Lin. When th' mense o' this here
marryin's gotten worn off, Peacock Tales (1890) 2nd S. 45 ; n.Lin.'
It was a lam'ly wi'oot ony mense among th' whoale lot. That
black velvit coat o' mine'll wear a long time yit, bud all th' mense
hes goan off on it.
6. A credit ; an ornament.
s.Sc. Her cheese could brag the country wide, And were aye a
mense to Little Billy, Watson /?«)rfs (1859) 10; Yer clever son
wha's a mense to us a', Wilson Tales (1836) II. 165. Lth., Dmf.
It is said of any individual of a family, who either in respect of
personal or mental accomplishments, sets out or recommends all
the rest, 'He' or 'She's the mense of the family,' or 'of a' the
family' (Jam.\ Bwk. We're a mense to Paxton town, Henderson
Pop. Rlnmes 11856) 15. Slk. What a mense she would be to the
town ofSelkirk ! Hogg Tales (1838" 320, ed. 1866. Rxb. Thou was
a mence At kirk, i' market, or i' spence, A. Scott Poems (1805)
105 Jam.^. Dmf. Be baith douce, an' clever, an' braw, A mense
tae yersel' an' Corby Ha', Thom Jock 0' Knowe (1878) 26 ; Blythly
I took up the springAnd bore the menseawa,Jo ! Cronek. Remains
(18101 47. N.Cy.' Nhb. 'Twadleuk mair tiv his mense tagan an'
muck the byre, Chatt Poems (i865) 86 ; Nhb.i 'He's a mense ti
the family' — one who adds repute to his circle.
7. Coiiip. (i) Mense-money, pocket-money, money kept
in the pocket so as to never be without money and to show
one's respectability; (2) -penny, (a) see (i) ; {b) liberaUty
conducted by prudence.
(i)n.Yks.2 (2, o)n.Yks.l,w.Yks. (F.K.R.) (6) N.Cy.i w.Yks.
Willan List IVds. (181 1).
8. ailj. Decent, respectable ; clean, tidy, neat. Also used
advb. See Menseful.
Wm. She turns her family out mense. I feel mense again
(B.K.). m.Yks.' I will try and make mense of it of some road
[give it a presentable appearance in some way]. w.Yks. Shoe's
as mense a woman as ivver ah knew {JE.B.) ; Mak things lewk
mense afoar t'maister comes rahnd, Yksmati. (June 28, 1879) VII.
405 ; w.Yks. ^5
9. V. To grace, decorate, adorn ; to do honour to ; to
behave respectfully or courteously to. Also \ise.djig.
Sc. Bide sweet lady from the blast. And ae night mense my
lonesome ha', Cunningham Siigs. (1813) 51 ; They mense little
the mouth that bites aff the nose, Ferguson Pcow. (1641) 33 ; Serve
me that way, and ye's no rue, But mense your kin, Pennecuik
Coll. (1787) 28. Ayr. Whatsome'eryour airts may be As we hae
nought to mense j'e wi', Ainslie Land of Burns (ed. 1892) i86.
Lth. Your things and mine's putten thegither will mense the house,
Stratiiesk More Bits (ed. 1885) 16. Edb. His legs mens'd all the
parish, at kirk and market, Mitchell Tinklarian ', ed. 1810) 6. Slk.
Good . . . bannocks ... to be pouched by them that draff and braw
wad better hae mensed, Hogg Tales (1838) 74, ed. 1866. Dmf.
Though thou'd mense Juno's car, Quinn Heather (1863) 201.
N.Cy.' The pictures mense the room. Nhb. Te mense this greet
occasion, Wilson Dicky's H'ig (1843) 81 ; The clock menses the
room. A'. & Q. (1882) 6th S. vi. 474; Nhb.' e.Dur.i Mense the
window. Cum. Broken pots for dublers mens'd the waws, Relph
Misc. Poems (1747) 15 ; My mudder thowt it mens'd a house,
Anderson B«//i2rfj (ed. 1881) 112 ; G/. (1851). n.Yks.' e.Yks.'
Mah wod. Jack, bud thoo did lewk weel o' Sunda neet, wiv a lass
ov eeather sahd ti mense tha off, MS. add. (T.H.) w.Yks. Good
tidings will mense a brazen messenger, Snowden IVeb of Weaver
(1896) 191. ne.Lan.'
10. Phr. to mense a board, to do the honours or preside
at table.
Sc. N. & Q. (1871) 4th S. viii. 465. Dmf. Conveener Tamson
mens'd the board, Mayne Siller Gun (1808) 57 ; (Jam.)
11. To tidy, make clean and neat ; to clear up. Also
rejle.x. to dress or smarten oneself up. Gen. with tip.
Wm. Yan . . . Has mens'd her up wi' labour girt. An' now she
shines again. Whitehead Leg. (1859) 23. n.Yks.^ ' I will mense
me with a new coat.' ' She mucks mair than she menses,' as the
sloven, who is said to soil more than she cleans; n.Yks.* Sha
seean mensed things up a bit when sha cam. Nobbut saay thoo's
sorry an' it'll mense t'matter up at yance. m.Yks.' Don't stay to
mense thyself up, now, but go. w.Yks. Aw've turned 'em, an'
clahted 'em, an' mensed 'em up. Hartley Clock Aim. (1894) 25 ;
Away wi' ya, an' mense yond gardin' up a bit (J.T.F.) ; w.Yks.'
I'll mence mysel up a bit. ne.Lan.' Gaa an' mense thysel up.
12. To make up for ; to amend, improve.
w.Sc. Your giein' now canna mense for your takin' then (Jam.
SiiJ>pl.^.
[1. To mene me with messes, grete menske nowe it
were, Aivntyrs Arlhitre (c. 1435) 230 in Sc. Allit. Poems
(1897) 133 ; And suche a wife f>ou sende Isaac . . . him to
ioy and menske to |ie. Cursor M. (c. 1300) 3269. 2. ON.
w/ev/ws/trt, humanity (Vigfusson). 8. ON. «;p;!«sX'r, human,
belonging to man. 9. Men suld him mensk, Cursor M.
2432-]
MENSEFUL, adj. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks.
Lan. Lin. Also written menceful w.Yks.'; and in form
mensfou Sc. [mensful.] 1. Becoming, proper, seemly,
modest, discreet ; creditable to a man, decent, respectable.
See Mense, sb.
Sc. Lay by your new green coat, and put on your Raploch grey ;
it's a mair mensefu' and thrifty dress, Scorr Old Mortality (1816)
V. s.Sc. Ye've but to be a mensefu' hand, A knowing prudent
trader, Allan Poems{i6Q-i) 30. Ayr. Wi' ilka loom auldkimmers
ken Is mensefu' in a butt-an'-ben, Ainslie Land of Burns (ed.
1892) 176. Lnk. But d'ye see fou better bred Was mensfou Maggy
Murdy, Ramsay Poems 11800) I. 278 (Jam."). Edb. It shall gang
hard wi' me an' mine, if some da3' or other he disna get a mensefu'
return for this and other kindnesses, Ballantine Gaberlumie ,ed.
1875) 62. n.Cy. Grose (1790). Nhb. R.OH.'; Dur. Gibson
Up-lVeardale Gl. (1870I ; Dur.' Wm. Wer meear ner enough te
mak' menseful fooak Gi' the'r shooders a hitch, Bowness Stud.
(1868') 46. n. Yks.' A menseful chap, enew. A menseful funeral;
n.Yks.^* ne.Yks.' Thoo deean't leeak menseful i' them things.
e.Yks. For the family thus to appear was regarded as menseful,
Jackson Life (1874) 10. w.Yks. Ah'd suin let t'lass knaw't wur
not menceful t'run after t'lads i' sich a fashion. Banks IVooeis
(1880) II. 7; (J.W."); w.Yks.' Live in a gradely, menceful, heppen
way, ii. 306. Lan. It'll be a sham [shame] if we connot find him
a menseful bit of a dinner, Waugh Jannock (1874) ii ; Davies
Races (16^6) 272; Lan.' n.Lin. Bud then ther' wasn't a mense-
fuller lass i' all England, Peacock Tales (1890) 2nd S. 32 ; n.Lin.'
Hence Mensefully, adv. becomingly, suitably, decently,
fittingly.
Nhb. Thy wit could not save the good breeches That mensefully
cover'd thy bum, Allan Tyneside Sngs. (ed. 1891) 113. n.Yks.' ;
n.Yks.'^ ' Mensefully manner'd,' a well-ordered address. ' Mense-
fully lared,' suitably instructed. ' Mensefully through the world,'
and at last 'mensefully brought out,' buried ; n.Yks. "•
2. Mannerly, polite, well-behaved ; courteous, well-bred ;
respectful.
Sc. She's as menseful a lady as ever stepped, Keith Bonnie
Lady (1897) 82. Frf. When Jeannie is near he's aye mensefu' an'
douce, \i ATT Poet. Sketches (1880) 59. Per. Woman grown, an'
mensefu', an' fair. Ford Harp (1893^ 164. s.Sc. Sic mensfu' folk
in house or ha', Watson Bards (1859'. 8. Dmb. Pate, tho' mensefu'
yad, can scarce be thought To prize his bonny rider as he ought,
Salmon Gowodean (i858) 2. Ayr. They ken'd him to be aye A
mensefu' beast, Fisher Poems (1790) 105. Lnk. Be mensfu' wi'
your mouth, and dinna eat o'er muckle, Graham Writings (1883)
II. 52. Lth. Ae douce, mensefu' weel-faur'd queen, Lumsden
Sheep-head (1892) 151. Slk. The ewes had been very mensefu'
that night, Hogg Tales (1838) 23, ed. 1866. Gall. She did not
think it becoming or menseful, Crockett Cleg Kelly (1896) 248.
Ant. He was a mensfu crathur, Balhmeiia Obs. (1892). n.Cy.
(J.L. 1783). Nhb. (R.O.H.), Lakel.^" n.Yks. 3; n.Yks.* He mun
alius mak hissen mensful. e.Yks. Marshall Rur. Econ. (1788;.
w.Yks. (J.W.), ne.Lan.'
3. Hospitable ; generous, liberal.
Lth. Instructions to see that everything was mensefu' an' wise-
like, an' to hae a royal supper in the ' Black Bull,' Strathesk
More Bits (ed. 1885) 293. N.Cy.' Nhb.' We'll set oot the best
ware for the tea; it'll be mair menseful like. e.Dur.' ' It'll be
more menseful ' — said of serving up a joint entire, to some guests,
rather than the same joint cut into chops. Lakel.' Cum. Send
her some spare-rib, and let it be a menseful bit iM.P.) ; Cum.' A
menseful swort of a body ; Cum." n.Yks. The Wise Man made
his visitors kindly welcome, made them draw in their chairs to the
fire, provided them with pipes and tobacco, . . and, in short,
'behaved hisscl' real mensefu[ wiv 'em,' Atkinson Moorl. Paiish
(1891) 118; A menseful funeral, Leeds Merc. Suppl. (Dec. 20, 1890).
4. Tidy, clean, neat ; in good order. Also used advb.
e.Ltb. The wrichts were to mak' mensefu' and wicelike a' the
close yetts, Mucklebackit Rhymes (1885) 238. n.Cy. (J.W.)
s.Dur. They keep a varra menseful house (J.E.D.). n.Yks.
(R.H.H.') ne.Yks. Clean up the garden and make it a bit mense-
ful (J.C.F.). e.Yks. A bit of paint 'uU mak t'house look quite
MENSELESS
[89]
MENYIE
inenseful (Miss A.) ; e.Yks.' Mak tliysen menseful afoor thoo gans
ti chocli. w.Yks. Thoresby Lett. (1703) ; w.Yks.'"', n.Lin.i
Hence Mensefulness, sb. tidiness, order.
n.Yks. Three lads . . . working away at a bit of toilsome clearing
which had been made necessary for ' mensefulness,' Atkinson
Sloorl. Parish (1891) 13. w.Yks. (J.W.)
5. Useful. w.Yks.^ 6. Comp. Menseful-penny, liberality
conducted by prudence ; money spent at an inn in return
for the use of the house as a place of resort.
N.Cy.' Would have their menseful-penny spent With gossips at
a merriment, Colliers IVcddiitg. Nhb.'
[1. pis maner ... is menskefuU & noble, Wars Alex.
(c. 1450) 2953.]
MENSELESS, adj. Sc. n.Cy. Cum. Yks. Also written
menceless w.Yks.' [me'nslas.] 1. Without regard for
decency or propriety ; indecent ; untidy, disorderly. See
Mense, sb.
N.Cy.i Cum. Jack out wi' monie a menseless word, Gilpin Pop.
Poetry (1875) 70. n-Yks.!'-*, e.Yks.', m.Yks.' w.Yks. Willan
List IVds. (iSn); w.Yks.s
2. Unmannerly, rude, ill-bred ; uncultured, unpolished.
Also usedy?"-.
e.Sc.The deil's menseless, but you're misleard, Setoun Siiitshine
(1895) 124. Abd. Haud yer tongue wi' that menseless-hke lauchin',
Macdonald Castle IVarlock (i882> iv. Frf. Menseless bazils,
Beattie Artiha (c. 1820) 18, ed. 1882. Per. Cheese or butter (not
both — those who united butter and cheese were counted mense-
less), Haliburton /"kWA ih /"ifW ( 1 894) 10. e.Fif. Bessie refused
to alloo sic a menseless rapscallion to set anither fit within her
academy, Latto Tarn Bodkin (1864) iii. Rnf. My menseless lay
'S now wisein' to the gloamin', Picken Poems (1813) I. 97. Ayr.
Ither menseless graceless brutes, ^VR^s Death 0/ Poor Mailie, I.50.
Lnk. Here's that menseless whaupgirnin' in at the window, Fkaser
IVhaiips (1895) i. Dmf. Low, mean, licht, and menseless, immoral
and senseless, Quinn Heather (1863) 212. Gall. Ye senseless,
menseless blastie ! Crockett Kit Kennedy (1899) 206. N.Cy.',
Cum. (M.P.), n.Yks.>2, m.Yks.' w.Yk». Willan Ais/ Wds.{i6ii);
w.Yks.'
3. Thoughtless, silly, foolish ; senseless.
Sc. He's no sae menseless, seeing he's waled sae guid a wife
(Jam. Suppl.). Abd. He jee'd na out o' that an inch Afore a
menseless man Came a' at anes athort his hinch. Skinner Poems
(1809) 7, Peterhead ed. Per. Puir menseless sheep that hae na
gotten a shepherd, Cleland Inchbracken (1883) 149, ed. 1887.
4. Greedy, covetous ; selfish, inhospitable.
Sc. Grose (1790) MS. add. (C.) Bch. To get fat cou'd be ettl'd
at By sik a menseless thief, Forbes Aja.x (1742') 4. Cum. A set
o' menseless brutes! (M.P.); Cum.' A menseless greedy gut;
Cnm.*, n.Yks.2
5. Immoderate, out of all due bounds ; incalculable ;
extraordinary.
Sc. Things has wi' dearth been menseless here awa, Morison
Poems (1790) 183 (Jam.). Abd. It was jist menseless the siller 't
he made affo' diseas't nowte, Alexander Ain Flk, (1882) 130.
MENSEN, V. Yks. [me'nsan.] With up : to tidy, make
clean and neat, put in order. See Mense, v. 11.
Let's see if we connot get all mensened up befoor yor father
comes. Hartley Clock Aim. (1893) 29; It didn't tak me monny
minits to mensen misen up, ib. (1889) 39 ; When they seed what
a dirty hoile it wor they thowght they wod mensen it up a bit,
Yks. VVkly. Post (Oct. 17, 1896) ; (J.W.)
MENSION, sb. Obs. Nhb. Also written mencon,
mencyon Nhb.' The vestige of a dike left sufficiently
visible to indicate where it had once been. See Mention.
Ye mencyon of an olde dike, Siiivey of Tuggal (1567) in Bate-
son Hist. Nhb. L 352 ; The word is of frequent use in documents
in such phrases as : — ' thence along the mencion of an old dyke
to — ' (R.O.H.); Nhb.'
MENT, V. and sb. I.W. Dor. Som. Also in form
mint w.Cy. Dor.' ; minte Som. [ment.] 1. v. To
resemble, take after ; to personate. See Mint, v. 4.
I.W.' The child ments [mencesj like his father ; I. W.^ w.Cy. A
do mint the veathero' un mortally, Grose (1790). Dor. Two little
childern ... so feair As the mother that they did zoo ment, Barnes
Fofms (1869-70) 3rdS. 24 ; My childern here, in playvul pride, Did
zit'ithinhiswoodenwalls,A-ment6n steately vo'k, 14.29; Hements
his father (S.A.K.) : Dor.i 'E da ment his father. Som. (Hall.)
2. sb. Resemblance, likeness to. I.W." Som. Sweet-
man IVincanlon CI. (1885).
VOL. IV.
MENT, pp. Obs. n.Cy. Cum. Mixed, mingled.
n.Cy. (J.L. 1783V Cum. The bluimen pezz [peas], green ment
wi'reed and blue, RELPHA/i5(r.Fo««s(i747)i3; G/.(i85i); Linton
Lake Cy. (1864) 308 ; Cum."
[Till with his elder brother Themis His brackish waves
be meynt, Spenser S/i. Kal. (1579) Julye, 24 ; The grene
with the rede meynt, Lydgate Slorie of Thebes (c. 1420)
1260. ME. meynt,}>ieyiid, vieugd, pp. ofnieitgeii; see Meng.]
MENT, see Meant, Mend.
MENTION, sb. Sh.I. [me'njsn.] A trine, a little bit.
Cf. mension.
[1] taks him a hyst wi a mention strent. Burgess Rasmie (189a)
16 ; He was, as he used to say himself in the language of one of his
man}' callings, 'jOst a mention aff o' da plumb,' ib. Tang (1898) a.
MENTITH, sb. Sc. A meal ; a dish. See Meltith, 1.
s.Sc. For these gentlemen I'se want a mentith o' coUops, an' a
mutchkin o' brandy, Snaith Fierceheatt (1807) 65.
MENTLE, MENTO, MENTS, MENY, see Mantle,
Mainto, Mense, Mean, v?
MENYIE, sb. and v. Sc. Irel. n.Cy. Nhb. Yks. Lan.
? Der. Not. Nhp. Also in forms maingie Bnff ' ; manzy
Frf.; meany Wxf.' Nhb.' Der.; meeny Lan. nw.Der.' ;
meiny w.Yks.* nw.Der.' ; meinzie Lnk. ; mengyie Sc.
(Jam.) Abd. ; menji n.Sc. ; meny N.Cy.^ e.Yks. w.Yks.*
nw.Der.' Not. ; menya w.Yks.*; menze Slg. ; menzie Sc.
n.Cy.Nhp. [me'ni.me'nji.] I.5A. Ois. A family, household.
Sc.(Jam.); FFANCisQUE-MicHELZ.m;^.ti882)290. Wxf.' N.Cy.^
We be six or seven a meny [si.x or seven in family]. e.Yks. Quite
obs. in common speech, but still preserved in an old rhyme, used
in stationing boys at the various ' hods,' preparatory to a game.
'Meny, meny, miny mo, I ax 3'a wheear mun this man go?'
Nicholson Flk-Sp. (1889) 73; e.Yks.' Obs. in common parlance,
MS. add. (T.H.) w.Yks. Thoresby Lett. 1,1703) ; Watson Hist.
Hlf.w (111^) ^H-^; w.Yks."* s. Lan. Bamford Z);Vi/. (1854).
2. A retinue, train of followers, a suite ; a company of
followers, a procession.
Sc. Childe Sinclair and his menyie steered Across the salt sea
waves, Vedder Poems (1842) 60 ; If the laird slights the lady his
menyie will be ready, Ramsay Prov. (1721)42 Jam.); Engaged
in the same joyous revel as the menyie of oJd Sir Thorn o' Lyne,
Scott Redg. (18^4) Lett. x. Flf. The menzie o' that German loon
Hae pykin' been at this my gown, Tennant Papistry (1827) 103.
Rnf. Tho' we hae neither horses nor menzie at command, Harp
(1819) 146. Lnk. They might well be seen, So properly mounted,
approaching the green, . . I dare well declare a pretty meinzie,
Maidment Ballads (1844'! 69, ed. 1868. n.Cy. Border Gl. [Coll.
L.L.B.) Nhb. Then the Percy out of Bamborowe cam. With him
a mighty meany, Ritson N. Carl. (1810) 15 ; Nhb.' Siccan a
funeral as aa nivver saa ; what a meany was there ! ? Der. While
all his meany kept behind, Jewitt Ballads ';i867) 232.
3. A crowd, throng, multitude ; a number, used both of
persons and things. Also used at/rib.
Sc. Is not this a waukril'e menyie ? Chambers Sngs. (1829) II.
353. n.Sc. Wi' menji feathers in her hat, Buchan Ballads (18281
IL 245, ed. 1875 ; A great menyie, a multitude (Jam.). Bnff. He
still managed to attend to his garden and his ' family,' as his mother
termed his maingie of beasts. Smiles A'fl^H)-. (1876 v. Cld, (Jam.)
Bch. He did the auld man leave Amon' sae fierce a menzie,
Forbes .,4;(7jr(i742) 8. Abd. This mengyie 0' shirras, an' lawvyers
an' constables, Alexander Johnny Gibb 1,1871) xviii. Frf. There
is a manzy of different things all sauced up to be unlike themsels,
Barrie M. Ogihy (1896) 76. s.Sc. The bonniest hensure o' the
hail menyie, Wilson Tales (1836) IV. 34. Slg. Without a notable
inconvenient either to body or soul, or to both, without a notable
menze, as we speak, Bruce Sermons (1631) xv. Rnf. Call ye
nocht tham and [a] joly nienye, Harp (18191 loi. e.Lth. Your
menzies, balls, and a' that, Mucklebackit Rhymes (1885) 211.
Edb. Menzies o' moths an' flaes, Fergusson Poems (1773) 167,
ed. 1785. Dmf. Three loud huzzas the menyie gaed, Mayne
Siller Gun \ 1808) 38. Lan. O meeny o fok wou'd gawm th' rimes,
Tim Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1806; Reader 13. nw.Der.' Not.
Still in common use (W.H.S.) ; Not.' This examynate was requy red
by the wholl multitud present to requyre the Burgesses in his
Ward to mete a meny of honest Burgesses att the Hall, Not.
Borough Rec. (1598). Nhp. Grose (1790) MS. add. (C.)
4. V. To crowd, to mix confusedly. Bnff.', Ayr. (Jam.)
[1. In thi seed alle the meynes of erthe schulen be
blessid, Wyclik ( 1388) Deeds iii. 25. OFr. iiiaisite'e, maisiiie,
' famille ' (La Curne).]
N
MENZ
[90]
MERCY
MENZ, adj. Sh.I. Getting well through any kind of
work. S. & Ork.'
MEOL, MEOLS, see Meal, sZ>.", Miles, sb. pi}
MEOUT, sb. Sc. Irel. Also written myaut Bnff.' A
slight sound, the least noise.
Bnff.' He sat i' the neuk an' nae ae m}'aut cam oot o's hehd.
N.I.' There was'nt a meout out o' the childie. Don't let a meout
out o' J'OU.
MEOWL, V. Sc. Cum. Yks. War. Dev. Also in forms
mahl, meahl nw.Dev.' ; miol Sc. (Jam.) ; mowl Cum. ;
myawl e.Yks.' To mew or cry like a cat. Cf mewl.
Sc. ; Jam.i Cum. A black cat 'at nivver leeves her house, but
sits movvling, yowhn' aw day, Dalby Mayroyd (1888,1 II. 131.
e.Yks.' War.^ How that cat goes meowling about ; she must have
lost her kitten. nw.Dev.i
Hence Meowling, sb. (i) a crying ; (2) obs., the cry of
a tiger.
(i) e.Yks.i Stop thy myawlin', cease your crying. War.^
' Stop that meowling ' — an admonition to a child to discontinue a
peevish cry. 2) Sc. Mioling of tj'gers, bruzzing of bears, &c.,
Urquhart Rabelais (16531 (Jah.\
MEOZE. MEP, see Meese, sb.^, Map, v.
MER(-, MERACLE, see Mear, Murrfe, Miracle.
MERCAL, 5Z). Sh.I. Also in form markal. [me'rkl.]
A piece of wood used in the construction of a plough ; the
head of a plough. Cf merkie-pin.
Through the lower end of the [plough] beam a square hole is
cut, for the introduction of a piece of oak about twenty-two inches
in length, named the Mercal. to which is affi.xed the sock and the
sky, HiBBERT Desc. Sh.I. (18221 200, ed. 1891 ; What manners
are to be expected in a country where folk call a pleugh-sock a
markal? Scott Pirale (1822'! xviii ; A square hole is cut through
the lower end of the beam and the mercal, a piece of oak about
22 inches long introduced, which at the other end holds the sock
and sky, Statist. Ace. VII. 385 (Jam.) ; S. & Ork.'
MERCAT, MERCH, see Market, Mergh.
MERCHANDIZING, vbl. sb. Sc. Selling, retailing;
shopping.
Sc. By the end of this merchandising I was glad to leave her
at the door with all our purchases, Stevenson Catriona (1893)
xxiv. Lnk. She canna tak a creel on her back, and apply to
merchandizing as I do to win a man's bread, Graham IViitings
(I883MI.54.
MERCHANT, s6. Sc.Chs. Nhp. Som. Dev. Cor. Also
in forms marchand Sc. (Jam.) Nhp.*; marchant Chs.^
Nhp.2 w.Som.' n.Dev. Cor.* ; merchan Sc. [martjant,
matjsnt; martj3n(t, ma'tjant.] \. In Y)^t.(i] merchan fs
iiilerest, ? the legal rate of interest for merchants ; (2) —
Mays little simiiiier, a fine summer ; (3) to have one's eye
one's merchant, to buy from one's own judgment.
(i) Ayr. He'll never be so extortionate as to make you pay
merchant's interest at the rate of five per cent, Galt Lairds
(1826) ix. (2) Cor.* (3) Sc. A man's eye is proverbially said to
be his merchant when he buys any article entirely on his own
judgment without any recommendation or engagement on the
part of another (Jam.).
2. A shopkeeper, retail dealer ; a pedlar. Also used attrib.
Sc. We had not got to the second merchant's before she was
entirely charmed, Stevenson Catriona (1893) xxiv; A peddling
shop-keeper that sells a pennyworth of thread is a merchant,
Burt Lett. (1754) I. 77, 78 (Jam.). Sh.I. Dir twa or tree wyes o'
daelin' wi' a merchan', Sh. News (July 25, i899\ ne.Sc. It wad
hae been better . . . had he been born . . . with the genius to
become a sma' merchant like mysel". Grant Keckleloii, 4. Abd.
The new merchan' at the Kirktown, Alexander Johnny Gibb
(1871) vi. Ayr. Run up to the merchant's for a white loaf,
Johnston Kiliuallie (1891) I. 42. Lth. 'Ve ne'er catch him wairin'
a plack, man. Till a braw merchant's shop opens up in a crack,
Ballantine Pof)iis(i856) 109. Gall. A fause merchant loon Lives
het and fou within the toon, Nicholson Poet. IVks. ii8i4) 09,
ed. 1897. Nhp. Applied in a more extensive sense than in city
phraseology. Dev. //oiae Siibseiiz'ae {i-j-jj) 272.
Hence Marcliantable, adj. fit for sale, in good condition ;
/ig. in good health.
w.Som.i 'Have you any spring chickens?' 'Well, mum, they
baint not hardly marchantable, not 'eet.' 'Thank ee, I baint no
ways marchantable like s'morning— I was a-tookt rampin' be-now
in my inside.' n.Dev. Why fath, Cosen Margery, nort marchant-
able, E.xm. Crtshp. (1746) 1. 329.
3. A fancier ; one who deals in any speciality.
Chs.i A ' hen marchant. ' ' He wur th' ronkest dog marchant as
ever a seed.'
4. A buyer, purchaser, customer ; fig. a wooer.
Sc. He never failed to pick up one, two, or three, on his way
home, for which he got plenty of ready merchants, Sc. Hagf^is,
51. Kcd. Often wad the elder spinster Gie her frien's to understan'
That there wis na want o' merchan's Eager for her hert an' han',
Grant Lays (1884) 83. Per. His aid and assistance in procuring
merchants for the goods, Monteath Dimblaite (1825) 71, ed. 1887.
Cld. Na, I'll no brek the price ; I can get a merchant for my guids
ony day at my ain siller (Jam.). Dmf.You and I Are sweerto put a
merchant by, When we hae goods, and want to sell, Shennan Tales
(1831)43. Gall. Have ye found a merchant for your horse? (A.W.)
5. Shopping, the purchasing of goods.
Ayr. I'm ga'un to mak ma marchand (Jam.).
Hence Marchandye, sb. merchandise. Sc. (tb.)
MERCHIE, see Murchy.
MERCIFUL, flrf/'. and arff. Sc.Wor. Ken. Also in forms
mercifil Sh.I. ; mercifu Sc. 1. adj. Of the weather :
favourable, propitious, seasonable.
Sh.I. Da twa hidmist days o' da 00k wis merciful wadder for
da corn, S/i. News (Oct. 9, 1897) ; Dis is a mercifil time o' wadder,
baith fir laand an' sea, ib. i,Feb. 25, 1899).
2. Lucky, fortunate.
s.Sc. It's mercifu he couldna tak awa my reputation alang wi
my leather, Wilson Tales (1836) III. 66.
3. Used as an intensitive, ' blessed,' ' mortal.'
Ken.i They took every merciful thing they could find,
4. adv. Very.
■w.Wor. I hanna bin thur fur a merciful long while, S. Beau-
champ Grantley Grange {iB-n) II. 236; A merciful long time (W.B.).
MERCIMENT, sb. Sc. [msTsiment.] Mercy; dis-
cretion ; disposal.
n.Sc. I maun be at, or come in, your merciment (Jam.). Bnff.'
The crap's a' oot at the merciment o' the weather. He wiz twa
oors on a rock at the merciment o' the storm. Abd. Them't
comes oon'er their merciment in ceevil maitters, Alexander
Johnny Gibb (187 1) xviii. e.Fif. He resolved to place me under
the merciment o' Mr. Squeaker, the parish dominie, Latto Tarn
Bodkin (1864) iii. s.Sc. Wha kens what may com owre ye, if ye
put yersel i' their merciment, Wilson Tales (18391 V. 94.
[A mercyment, ainerciamentiim, misericordia, Cath. Angl.
(1483).]
MERCURY, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lin. Also
in forms marcurysw.Lin.*; markerryCum.Wm.; markry
e.Yks.' ; marquery Lin. 1. Arsenic.
n.Cy. White arsenic jHall.). e.Yks. Marshall Riir. Econ.
(1788) ; e.Yks.' Formerly used in dressing wheat, to prevent the
disease of smut, MS. add. (T.H.) Lin.' The garners of Mareham-
le-fen were poisoned with mercury.
2. The goosefoot, or Good King Henry, Chenopodium
Bonns-Henricus.
N.Cy.i, Cum., -Wm., e.Yks. (B. & H.) Lin. (J.C.W.); Look at
them ta'ates and the marquery; . . them's the only things they've
left, and I'd a deal sooner they'd ta'en the marquery, A'. & Q.
(1865) 3rd S. vii. 32. e.Lin. Cora, in gardens (G.G.W.).
3. The wild orache, A triplex horlensis.
Lin.' sw.Lin.' Often cultivated in gardens, and eaten as spinach.
In a Lincoln Seedsman's Catalogue it is advertised as ' Marquery,
or Lincolnshire Perennial Spinach.'
4. Conip. Mercury-leaf, the dog's mercury, Mercurialis
perennis. s.Sc. (Jam.)
MERCY, sb. Van dial, uses in Sc. Eng. and Amen
Also in forms marcy Cum.^ Sus. ; massy e.Yks.' Lin. Sun
Sus. Hmp. Wil. w.Som.' Dev. Con* ; messy I. Ma. ; mussy
Suf [maTsi, masi, ma'si.] 1. Used as an exclamation
of surprise, indignation, &c.
e.Yks. O' massy, his heart noo wad ommost dispair, Nicholson
/"//t-S^. {1889') 43. I. Ma. ' Aw messy ! messy!' she says,' they've
lost one another,' Brown Witch (1889) 5. Sus. ' Massy,' she said,
' the girls nowadays don't know naun about work.' Egerton Flk.
and IVays (1884 1 41. w.Som.' n.Dev. Law! massy, Jim, ot
kautch be tellin', Rock /i'mj an' Nell {iSbf) st. no. Cor.*
2. Comb, in exclamations of surprise, sorrow, &c. : (i)
Mercy be blessed, (2) — bless thee, (3) — me, (4) — oh
or ho, (5) — on or upon one, (6) — save one, (7) — soce,
(8) — wull, (9) what in mercy, (10) Father of mercy.
MERDAL
[91]
MERIDIAN
(i) Sh.I. Mercy be bliss'd 'at we wirna apo' da ert dan ! Sfi. Kcws
(Dec. I, loooi. 12) Sh.I. Hand dy tongue, mercy bliss dee. What
signafees a spark o' gree ? S/i. Nrzvs 'July i. 1899'. !3i Sc. Mercy
me 1 It's no' a dream, Keith Indian Uncle (1896) 85. Cum. ^ An
theear \vc stopt, formarcy me, A parlish fi'eeghtwe gat,65. w.Yks.
(J.W.) Lin. Law, massy me, Brown Lit. Laur. (1890) 89. Hmp.
And what a hight. massy me 1 Fores'er's Miscell. ("1846) 164. Cor.
But massy me, ef I baant fcerly shaamed, T. Tonser (1873"! 12.
[Amer. Mercj' me ! How it is snowin' — an'blowin'! Century Mag.
(Dec. 19C0) 242.] (4': Sur. Massy, oh ! the old hen was hollerin'
like mad, Forest Tithes (1893) 14. Sus. (S.P.H.^ (5'! ne.Sc.
Mercy on's, . . here's oor Peterie's boat, Green Gordonhaven (1887)
55. Abd. Mercy on's ! fa's that? Greig io^f o' iJMi/jnii (1899)
74. e.Yks.i, Suf.i Wil. Slow Gl. (1892. Som. Massy 'pon
me, Mrs. Grinter! Raymond Sam and Scibina (7894) 46; But
massy 'pon us ! you can't go all down street like that. ib. Men o
Mcndip (1898) vii. w.Som.' (s.v. Oalhs"). (6,1 Sh.I. Daa, mercy
save dee an' git da lamp up, Sh. Nctvs i^Oct. 20, 1900). I. Ma.
Messy save me ! I did'n expcck to see j'ou to-day ; when did you
come home? (S.M.) (7) w.Som.* Massj', soce ! hot be 'ee 'bout ?
(81 Dev. Massy wull, what in the wordle heve ee done, Ratchell ?
PuLMAN Sketches, 70, in Elworthy Gl. 1 1888;. (9"! Abd. 'What in
mercy can hae come o' the laird, Macdonald Castle Warlock
(1882) iii. (10) Sh.I. ' Fader o' mercy ! ' Betty said, slippin' her
sock, an' fauldin' hir haands apon hir lap, Sh. News (.Dec. 15, 1900).
3. Whisky; gai. in pi.
Sc. ' Be carefu' o' the mercies ' was a stock phrase relating to it
[whisky]. Ford Thist/edotcn (1891) 126; We ran short o' the
mercies, and I had to gang to my bed sober, ify. Ayr. The Bailie
requires neither precept nor example wi' his tumbler when the
mercy's afore him, Galt Lairds (1826' xxxii. Lnk. Dinna ye
turn awa' yer sonsie face frac the mercies when thej' are set on
the table. Murdoch Readings (1895) 111. to.
MEKDAL, sb. and adj. Sc. Also written niiirdel, and
in form mardel. [me'rdl.] 1. si. A fat, clumsy woman.
Jakobsen Norsk in Sh. ( 1897) 65 ; S. & Ork.'
2. adj. Big, clumsy, fat.
Slk. Lyke ane greate mardel stotte, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865) 369.
MERDLE, see Meirdel.
MERDLY, nrfi'. w..Som.i [madli.] Merrily.
[Of two horses] They did'n go very well jis to fust, but arter a
bit thev urned along merdlj' [muur'dlee] together.
MERE, sb. Sc. Nhb. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan. Chs. Der.
Lin. Slir. Hnt. e.An. Sus. Also written meer Der. e.An.
Suf; and in forms marn.Cy. Nhb. n.Yks.'^e.Yks.' Shr.';
mare Chs.' s.Chs.' Der.' Sus.' ; mear N.C}'.* [miafr,
ma(r, mesir).] 1. A small lake or sheet of standing
water ; a pond.
Ags. A pool caused by the moisture of the soil ; often one that
is dried up by the heat 'Ja"0- n-Cy. Grose (1790I ; N.Cy.', Nhb.
(I I ALL. \ Cum." ■Wm. Marshall /?.X'<«t' (1808) 1.324. n.Yks.'^^
e.Yks. Marshall Riir. Econ. (1788); e.Yks.' Lan. On Martin
Mere are turned a number of flocks of geese, Marshall Review
1808) I. 324. n.Lan.*, ne.Lan.' Chs. The lakelets, or meres,
with which Cheshire abounds, Marshall Rrview (1818) H. 67 ;
Chs.' Rostherne Mare is a favourite resort for Manchester holiday
folk. It is a very picturesque sheet of water, and is extremely
deep ; Chs.^ There are a great many meres, . . the largest that of
Combermere, more than a mile long. s.Chs.' Der. In the Peak,
water for the cattle is obtained from mecrs — artificial ponds,
supplied by gutters from the roads "T.N.B." ; Addy Gl. (1891) ;
Der.' Lin. The shallow sheets of water called meres. Miller Ik
Skertchi-Y Fenland (1B78) vi ; The meres have been mostly
drained, but many of the larger ponds still retain thenamcof meres,'
N. tf Q. (1868, 4th S. ii. 281 ; Lin.' Meres stored with both fish
and fowl. Shr.' ' My lad, can you tell me the name of this water ? '
' Oh, aye, sir ; it's Kettle-mar'.' Hut. The meres are awful
reservoirs of stagnated water, Marshall Review (181 1) 111. 214.
e.An. The ' meer ' was the receptacle of many incoiisidered trilles,
Longman s Mag. {Viov. 1892') 83. Nrf. Isolated ponds, whose supply
of water is derived almost directly from the rainfall. Woodward
Geol. Eng. and Wales (1876) 406. Suf. In common use, e.An. Dy.
Times '1892); Suf.' Small, deep, piece of water, esp. if a river runs
through it. Sus.*
Hence Merey, adj. full of fens or small sheets of water.
Lin. Any one who has visited the Fens must have heard such
phrases as ' A good farm, but too mercy,' A'. & Q. (1868) 4th S.
ii. 281.
2. Comp. (i) Mere-balls, balls composed of the water
algae, Confervae, found at the bottom of a lake ; see Moss-
balls, s.v. Moss, sfi.'' 8 ; (2 1 -land, fen-land, land containing
many pools and sheets of water ; also used altrib. in phr.
Mere-land town, the town of Lincoln ; (3) -pool, a pool of
water; (4) -side, the margin of a lake.
d'] Shr.' Balls . . . found in Colemere (s.v. Moss-balls\ (2)
Lin. Too much mere-land. A'. O" Q. (1868) 4th S. ii. 281 ; The rain
rins down thro' mere land toune, Sae does it down the Wa', A'. &
Q. (1866) 3rd S. ix. 30 ; Lincoln = Mere-land town, the town of
mere-land, 16. (1868) 4th S. ii. 281. (3) Der.' Nearly obs. (4)
Shr.' The mere-side at Ellesmere affords a most charming walk.
3. A marsh ; sodden, reedy ground ; ground permanently
under water. m.Yks.', Suf. (E.G. P.)
[1. IVIere a water, gorl, Palsgr. (1530) ; Mere, watur.
Prompt. OE. mere, a mere, lake ; a pool (B.T.).]
MERE, MERE-BLOB, see Mear, Mare-blob.
MERESMAN, sb. Sus.' A parish officer who attends
to the roads, bridges, and watercourses.
MERES"WINE, sb. ? Obs. Sc. Also written meer-.
1. The dolphin, Delphimts delphis.
Fif. The bigger beareth the name of dolphin and our fishers call
them meer-swines, Sibbald Hiit. Ftf. (1803) 113 (Jam.).
2. The porpoise, Phocaeiia coiiiiniinis.
Sc. As a vast quantitj' of fat surrounds the body of this animal,
it has given occasion to the proverbial allusion ' as fat as a mere-
swine' (Jam. "I. Fif. He saw the rocks and tangly meads Whair
the big meer-swine mak' their beds. Teknant Papistiy (_i827 1 36.
[1. OE. mereswln, 'delfin' (iELFRic) ; MLG. nierswm,
' delphin ' (Schiller-Lubben). 2. Cp. G. ineerschwein, a
porpoise.]
MER-FIRE, sb. Nhb. LMa. Also in form mar- LMa.
Phosphorescence on the sea.
Nhb.' I. Ma. The marfire's risin'. . . Luminous patches of
phosphorescent light in the water were showing that the herrings
were rising, Caine Deemster (iSBj i 64-5, ed. 1889.
MERGAL(D, sb. Wor. Hrf Also written mergle Hrf.*
[m3'gl(d.] Confusion, a mess.
w.Wor.' Hrf.2 A crop of grain laid flat is said to be ' in a mergal.'
MERGE, see Morge.
MERGH,s(!». Sc. Also in forms merch (Jam.) ; mergie
Sh.I. [merx.] Marrow.
Sc. The mergh o' his shin bane has run down on his spur-leather,
Scorr Minstrelsy (1802) II. 127, ed. 1848. Sh.I. Ane braks da
bane, anidder sooks Da mergie o' it, Stewart Tales (1892') 233.
n.Sc. It is commonly said, when a person is advised to take some-
thing that is supposed to be highly nutritive, 'That will put
mergh in your veins ' (Jam.i. Bch. Nor has he mergh intil his
banes To wield Achilles' spear, Forbes Ajax 11742) 10. Frf.
Mergh an' mettle now are gone, Beattie Arnha (c. 18201 40, ed.
1882. Edb. But mergh, alas ! to disengage Your bonnie buik frae
fettering cage, Fergusson Poems (1773) 142, ed. 1785.
Hence (i) Merchiness, sb. the state of being full of
marrow; (2) Merchy, adj. marrowy, full of marrow; (3)
Merghless, adj. without marrow, pithless.
(i) n.Sc. The Israelites had never known the merchiness of that
promise, if a Red Sea had not made it out. Bruce Soul Conjirmation
(1709) 18 iJam.\ (2) The Lord is reserving a merchy piece of the
word of his promise to be made out to many of his friends and
people, ib. 131 Frf. Athort the hare and merghless spaiks, Beattie
Arnha (c. 1820) 51, ed. 1882.
[OE. tiiearli, niearff, marrow (B.T.).]
MERGIE, V. Fif (Jam.) In phr. E/i.' mergie vie, an
exclamation of surprise.
MERGIE, see Mergh.
MERGIN, sb. e.An. [madgin.] The mortar and
cement of old walls. Cf mudgin.
e.An.' Nrf. Grose (1790. e. Nrf. Another specimen of manure
much coveted here is mergin, Marshall Rur. Econ. (1787' I. 30.
MERGIN, rtf//'. Sc. [Not known to our correspondents.]
Most numerous, largest.
n.Sc. ' The mergin part," that which exceeds in number or in
size (Jam,'.
MERGLE, V. Fif. (Jam.) To wonder, express surprise.
Cf. miracle, 4.
MERIDIAN, s6. Sc. [meridian.] Mid-day drink. Also
used altrib.
Sc. Get him over to John's coffee house, man — gie him his
meridian, Scott Redg. (1824; i ; Plumdamas joined the other two
gentlemen in drinking their meridian, ib. Midlothian (1818) iii.
N 2
MERINO
[92]
MERRY
Elg. Ware twa drunk skippers at their progg ... To quarrel our
meridian grog, Couper Poetiy ^1804) II. 12. Per. Strolled into a
neighbouring tavern for his meridian at the summons of the dram-
bell, Haliburton Fuiih in Field (1894) 57. Fif. At mid-day few
who could afford their ' meridian ' were to be seen on the quay,
MELDRUMil/a'g-M'VW ,1894 I 17. Ayr. Sitdoon your wa's here beside
me at the windock and we'll hae oor meridian, Service Notandums
(1890) 13. Edb. So after giving him his meridian, and a bite of
shortbread, we shook hands, MoiR Mansie IVauch (1828) xviii.
MERINO, sb. w.Yks. [nisraina.] The finest kind of
shoddy, made from women's dresses. (M.F.)
MERITORIOUS, adj. w.Wor.' Having a show of
reason or excuse,
I never tells a lie as a'nt no sart o' use ; w'en I tells a lie, I tells
a meritorious 'un.
MERK, see Mark, sb?, Mirk.
MERKERIN, sb. Ags. (Jam.) The spinal marrow.
MERKIE-PIN, sb. Or.I. That part of a plough in whicli
the share is fixed. S. & Ork.' Cf. mercal.
MERL, V. .' Obs. Sc. To candy ; to become sweet
and gritty.
Gall. When honey is . . . beginning to grow this way, it merles ;
and when it is let go on, it is merling, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824).
Hence Merlie, adj. candied, sweet and ' sandj-.' ib.
MERL-, see Mirl(e.
MERLADY, sh. Sh.I. A mermaid.
The Mer-lady, perceiving that she must become an inhabitant of
earth, found that slie could not do better than accept the offer,
HiBBERT Desc. Sh. I. (182a) 261, ed. 1891.
MERL{E,s*. Sc.Irel. [marl.] The blackbird, Ti/rt/^s
vienila.
Sc. The hazle groves rang with the blythe merle's sang, Cun-
ningham Siigs. (1813) 25. Bnff. Gordon Chioii. Keith (1880', 280.
Abd, There's nae a sound in yon bower, Merl's sough nor mavis
singin', Thom Rhymes, &c. (1844^ 105. Per. Stewart Chainctei-
(1857)12. s.Sc. Wilson rrt/cs( 1839 V. 40. Ayr. He could sing
like ony merle, Boswell Poet. IVks. (1816) 168, ed. 1871. Lnk.
Maist delightfu' notes That warble through the merl or mavis'
throats, Ramsay Gentle Shep. (1725") 52, cd. 1783. Lth. Themerle
an' mavis doon yon glen Gar a' the welkin ling, M'^Neill Preston
(c. 1895) 64. Edb. Ballantine Gaberlunzie (ed. 1875) Gl. Hdg.
Ye merles aroon', ye larks aboon, Lum.sden Poems (1896) 179.
Bwk. Chisholm Poems (1879) 4. Dmf. The merle pipes weel in
his mid-day biel', Reid Poems (1894I 95. Gall. Fairest and rarest
ever was seen Sing the merle and laverock merrily, Crockett
Bog-Myrtle (1895) 373. Ir. Swainson Birds (1885) 6.
[This joyfull merle so salust scho the day, Dunbar
Poems (c. 1510), ed. Small, H. 174. Fr. merle, a mearl,
owsel, blackbird (Cotgr.).]
MERLE, s6. Cor. [mal.] The link of a chain. (G.F.R.),
Cor.'*
MERLE, MERLIGO, see Murl, v}, Mii-ligo.
MERLINS,/;;/. Sc. An exclamation of surprise. Lth.
(Jam.) See Marl, v.^
MERLIN'S GRASS, pin: Wal. The common quill-
wort, Isoites laaislris. (B. & H.)
MERLS, MERLYGRUBS, see Merrils, MuUygrubs,
MERMAID, sA. Sc. Cor. Also in forms marmaidCai.i;
meermaid Fif. (Jam.) ; mermaid Cor. L In comb. (1)
Mermaid's glove, a variety of sponge, Spoitgia palma/a ; (2)
-'s purse, the egg-case of certain chondropterygious fishes.
(i; Sh.I. The sponge, called mermaid's glove, is often taken up,
upon this coast, by the fishermen's hooks. Statist. Ace. V. 186
(Jam.); Edmonstone Zell. ^1809'! II. 325 (16.) ; S. & Ork.> Cai.'
Common on the coast. (2) GaU. A . . . seaweed box . . . of an
oblong shape . . . with a long spraing or talon stretching out from
each corner, as long as the box, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824). Cor.
Brand Pop. Antiq. (ed. 18701 III. 47 ; Cor.'aa
2. The frog-fish, Lophins piscatoriiis.
Fif. Sibbald Hist. F,f. 1 1803) 120 (Jam.1. [Satchell (1879).]
MERM00TH,s6. Nhb. The entrance to a haven.
So called at Boulmer on the coast (R O H )
MERRATOO, see Moorratovv.
MERRICK, sb} Cor. [marik.] The black-headed gull,
Lai-us ntdihiimiits. Rodd Birds (i88o) 3i>5.
MERRICK, sb.'' Dev,
' medick," Medicare saliva.
315
[ma-rik,] A dial, form of
MERRICKING, adj. Chs.'» [marikin.] Rollicking,
' up to a lark.'
[A der. of OE. myrige, mcrigc, 'dulcis ' (B.T.).]
MERRIE, adj. Pem. [niari.] Of land : tough in
ploughing. s.Pem. This ycrtli is main merrie (W.M.M.).
MERRIGO, see Marigold.
MERRILS, sb. pi. Yks. Lan. Midi. Nhp. War. Cmb.
Dor. Also written merrills Yks. e.Yks. ; and in forms
marrel- Dor. ; merells Nhp.' ; merelles n.Yks.' Midi. ;
maris n. Yks.'*; murrells Cmb. [marilz.] The game of
'Nine Men's Morris'; the figures used in the game of
' Nine Men's Morris.' Also in camp. Merrilpeg.
Yks. Thirtj' 3-ears ago farm-servants . . . had a game called
' merrills,' in which a board with holes and pegs was used, N. (5r" Q.
(1890) 7th S. iv. 433. n.Yks.'* e.Yks. Several more boys are
about the place, playing at ' merrills,' or ' Jack steean,' Nicholson
Flk-Sp. (1889) 10 ; e.Yks.' Played on a square board with 18 pegs,
nine on each side. w.Yks. Dyer/J/Vi/. (1891) 105 ; Gom.me Games
(1894) I. 413. Midi. Very generally played . . . under the name
of Merrilpeg or Merelles. The twelve pieces 1 have never seen
used, though I have often played with nine. We generally used
marbles or draught pieces and not pegs, 16.417. Nhp.' Played by
two people, on a board, whereon are marked three squares, one
within another at equal distances, and connected with each other
by a line at each angle, drawn from the inner to the outer square,
and again by lines in the middle of each side of the square, the
area of which is denominated ■ the pound.' At each intersection
of the lines a spot or hole is made ; as it is sometimes played with
pegs, sometimes with bits of paper, or wood, or stone, according
to the resources of the players. . . Each of the players has nine
pieces or men, diflering in colour or material from his adversary's,
which they lay down on the spots alternately, one b^' one, each
endeavouring to prevent his opponent from placing three of his
pieces in a line, as whichever does so is entitled to take off any
one of his antagonist's men where he pleases, without breaking a
row of three, which must not be done whilst there is another man
on the board. After all the pieces are placed on the board, they
are moved alternately backwards or forwards along the lines ; and,
as often as either of the pla3'ers succeeds in accomplishing a row
of three, he claims one of his antagonist's men, which is placed in
the pound, and he who takes the most pieces wins the game. This
amusement v.ss formerly the pastime of the shepherds while
tending their /locks in the open fields. War.GoMME <6. 417. Cmb.
N. (Sr= Q. i;i867) 3rd S. xii. 254.
Hence (i) Merril-hoard, sb. a board upon which the
game of ' merrils ' is played ; (2) -pound, sb. the ' pound '
used in the game of ' merrils.'
(i" Lan. One [chair" in particular had supplied the material for
a'merril board, Brierley jVar/orfo (1867^ vii. (2) Dor. The boys
of a cottage near Dorchester had a while ago carved a ' marrel '
pound on a block of stone by the house, Flk-Lore Jrn. VII. 233, in
GoJiME ib. 410.
[Fr. merelles; le jeu des merelles. The boyish game
called Merils or five-penny Morris ; played here most
commonly with stones, but in France with pawns or men
made of purpose and tearmed Merelles (Cotgr.) ; OFr.
marrele, ' jeton, palet ' (Hatzfeld, s.v. Marelle).]
MERRILYGO, see Mirligo.
MERRIMENT, sb. e.Suf A professional clown ; a
comical person, one quick at making jokes. (F.H.)
MERRIMENTAL, adj Obs. Nhp. Merry, noisy.
And full of merrimental cheer, Clare Village Minst. ^1821) 40.
MERROW, sb. Irel. [ma'ra.] A mermaid.
w.Ir. Yeats Flk. Tales (1888) 61 ,■ My grandfather . . . saw one
once on the head of a merrow hard by the Classen rock. Lawless
Grania ,1892) I. pt. 11. viii. s.Ir. Dick guessed at once that she
was a merrow, Croker Leg. (1862) 181.
[Ir. moriiadh, a mermaid (O'Reilly).]
MERRY, sb. Wm. Lan. Chs. Der. Shr. Oxf. Brks.
Bck. Hnt. Sus. Hmp. I.W. Wil. Dor. [maTi.] L The
wild cherry, Priiiius aviioit.
Win., ne.Lan.i, e.Lan.i, Chs.', s.Chs.', Der, (H,R,), Shr. Oxf.,
Brks. A small black cherry formerly much grown (E.H.G.). Bck.,
Hrt. Hmp. Here and there ' merry orchards' mingle themselves
with the holms and hollies. Wise Nitv Forest (1883) 82; Hmp.'
s.Hmp. We'd had such a sight o' merries as never was, Verney
/.,. Lifle (1870) xxix. I.W.' Wil.' Applied to both black and red
varieties, but especially the small semi-wild fruit. Dor. N. (y Q.
('877) 5th S. viii. 45 ; Dor.i
MERRY
[93]
MERRY
2. Comp. (i) Merry-fair, a fair held during the season of
the wild cherry ; (2) -flower, the wild cherry, Primus
avium ; (3) -tree, the wild cherry tree.
(i) Hmp. A ' meiry fair ' is held at Wood Green once a week
during the season, Wise Nfw Forest (1883) 82. (2) Wil. At Bar-
ford, Sartini Dioc. Gazette (Jan. 1891) 14, col. 2 ; Wil.' (3) CIis.^,
Shr.', Sus.i 135. Hmp. The wild cherry tree, or merry-tree, also
known in certain districts as the ' Gean,' Longman's Mag. (Dec.
1899) 179. Dor. (C.W.)
[1. Fr. iiierise, a small bitter cherry (Cotgr.) ; OFr.
metise {Roman de Rose, 8251) ; cp. Fr. (Norm, dial.) m'rise,
'cerise des oiseaux ' (Joret).]
MERRY, adj. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. Also
written merri- Sc. w.Yks.^* Ess.; and in forms mary Sc. ;
raurrie Dev. ; murry Sc. Nhb. Lakel.' Cum.' Dev.
[m3Ti.] In comb. (1) Merry-bauks, obs., a cold posset;
(2) -begot, (3I -begotten, {a) an illegitimate child ; (b)
illegitimate ; (4) -come-up, in phr. /o play merry-coiiie-iif',
to play havoc, to ravage; (51 -dance, the Aurora Borealis;
(6) -dancers, (n) see 15) ; (b) the vapours arising from the
earth on a warm day, when seen flickering in the
atmosphere; (7) day, a busy time ; (8) — Dun of Dover, a
phantom ship ; (9) -end, in marbles : a sudden end to a
game and scramble for the marbles, or their seizure by
another ; (10) -hyne, a good riddance, a contemptuous
dismissal: (11) -maid, a dragon-fly; (12) -man, (a) a
clown, buffoon, merry-andrew; [b) oi!>i.,aretainer,follower;
(13) -nia-tanzie, -tansa, -tandy, -me-tanzie or -my-tanzie,
a children's singing game, see below; (14) -may, see
(11) ; (15) -meal, a feast held to celebrate the birth of a
child ; (16) -meat, (<7) see (15) ; (A) any kind of meat said
to have the effect of stimulating the animal propensities;
(17) -meeting, a festive entertainment and dance, see
(21) : (18) -mokus, in phr. to drive, go. &c., to Merry-mokiis,
to drive, go, &c., to Jericho or Bath, an expletive; (19)
-muck heapt, higgledy-piggledy, in confusion; (20) -nest,
a hiding-place for eatables or delicacies for one's own
private delectation; (21) -night, a festive entertainment,
gen. followed by dancing, games, &c. ; a dance held at a
village inn or public-house, ^f;;. at Christmas-time; (22)
-pin, in phr. to be on the merry-pin, to be excited or
merry.
( I) n.Cy. Grose (1790). Der.(K.); Ray(i69i) ; Der.'2 n^ cer.i
(2, a) Cum, Tiiat Joe Garth is a merry-begot, Caine Shad. Crime
( 1885) 103 ; Cum.* n.Wm. T'barn's net ta bleeam that it's a merry-
begot [rarely heard] (B.K.i. (A' ne.Lan.' (3, a) Cat.', Ags. ( Jam.),
w.Yks.', n.Lan.' (b) Per. To mak a fiile o' her that gate, wi' a
merry-begotten wein ! Cleland Iiichirackeii (1883) 112, ed. 1887.
Lnk. Tlie merry-begotten weans, Graham IVn'tings (1883) II. 35.
N.Cy.' (4) s.Oxf. You've bin oil" shrovin' an' let the revvks play
mcrry-come-up with my barley all day, Rosemary C/iiltems (1895')
27. (s) Fif. As streamers aft throu' clearest sky In merry-dance flash
out and fly, Tennant Papistiy (1827) 32. (6, a) Sh.I. The merry
dancers extending to the zenith and unusually quick in their move-
mentswere considered an ill omen, but wlien they quietly displayed
themselves in a graceful arcli along the northern horizon the fisher-
men expected fair vveather,SPENCE Flk-Lore (1899") 1 16 ; The merry
dancers, as they are called, are the constant attendants of clear
evenings, and prove great reliefs amidst the gloom of the long
winternights,£"«r>'c/. Brit., s. v. Aurora Borealis (Jam.^. Or.I. The
North-Light is, . . by reason of its desultory motion, called Morrice-
dancers, Merry dancers, and Streamers, Wallace Desc. Or. I. ( 1693)
156, ed. 1883. Cai.', N.Cy.', w.Yks.', ne.Lan.', w.Som.', Cor.'^
w.Cor. A', (sf Q. (1854') ist S. X. 480. [We may even in London
catch glimpses of the ' merry dancers" gambols. Sat. Review (iSgo)
52, col. 1. 1 (6) Rxb. * I've seen the merry-dancers' is a phr. com-
monly used when it is meant to indicate that one has remarked a
presage ofgoodweather (J AM.). (7)Stf. They've begun cuttin' grass
at [X's farm]. I reckon they'll be havin' merryd'y (G.H.H.). (8)
Ken. An account of a remarkable phantom-ship called 'the Merry
Dun of Dover,' FlkLore Rcc. (1878) I. 246. (9) Laii. When in an
interrupted game a dash is made for the remaining marbles (J.M.) ;
A ' merry -end ' is brought about by a big boy grabbing the marbles
in the ring and annexing them to his own use, despite protests
from the owners thereof, Manch. City News (Oct. 10, 1896). (10)
Al)d. ' A mcrry-hyne to him,' or ' it,' a phr. used by persons when
they have got quit of what has rather annoyed them. ' To get one's
merrj'-hyne,' to receive one's dismission rather in a disgraceful
manner ; applied to servants (Jam.), (ii) Ess. (J.W.B.) (12, a)
Frf. Stand and watch the merriman saying funny things to the
monkey, Barrie Tommy (1896) 201. Rnf. We stood wi' the
tawpies. And leugh at the merryman's tale, Webster Rhymes
('835) 6. s.Clis.' 'As th' owd merryman said' is an expression
frequently heard when some witticism has been quoted. Oxf.'
MS. add. Ess. (W.W.S.) Dev. Tha drums wis a bating an
murryminsprancin, Nathan Hogg Fof^ i,f«. (ed. 1865) 20; Lookee
zee tu thickee chap, 'liez tha murrie-man in Sanger's Circus,
Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892). Cor. Like a merry-man struck mazed,
LowRY Wreckers (1893) 12 ; Cor.^a (6) Sc. (Jam.) Fif. Wi'
chappin'-sticks that sair did smyte, Crail's merry-men did mak,
Tek>!ant Papistry (1827) 94. Slk. His merrj'emen are a' in ae
liver3'e clad, Borland yiTm)!t'(i89o") 34. Dmf. Go, call to me, my
merry men all, SHARPEBrt//«rfiJ*. 11823) 14, ed. 1868. (13) Sc.The
following account [is a] description of the mode in some parts of the
country: — A sport of female children, in which they form a ring,
dancing round in it while they hold each other by the hands and
singing as they move. In the progress of the play, they by the
motion of their hands imitate the whole process of the laundry, in
washing, starching, drying, and ironing (Jam.) ; Another form of
this game is only a kind of dance in which the girls first join hands
in a circle and sing while moving round, . . ' Here we go round
the mulberry-bush, . . And round the merry-ma-tanzie." . . They
then begin, with skirts held daintily up behind, to walk singly
along singing, ' This is the way the ladies walk,' &c., after which
they perhaps simulate the walk of gentlemen. . . They then repre-
sent ironing clothes, baking bread, washing the house, and a num-
ber of other familiar proceedings, Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1870)
134. Cai.* Inv. Here we go with merry shout. Up and down and
round about. And dance a merry-ma-tandy, Stewart Ben Nevis,
361, in GoMME Games (1894) I. 376. Fif. Girls chose thequieter
sports — merrj'-my-tanzie, jing-a-ring, Colville Vernacular (1899)
13. s.Sc. A game among children, generallj'girls, common through-
out the lowlands. They form a ring, within which one goes round
with a handkerchief with which a stroke is given in succession to
every one in the ring : the person who strikes, or the ' taker,' still
repeating this rhyme : — * Here I gae round the jingie ring, The
jingie ring, the jingie ring. Here I gae round the jingie ring And
through my merry-metanzie.' Then the handkerchief is thrown
at one in the ring, who is obliged to take it up and go through the
same process (Jam.). Rnf. The following is a fragment of this little
ballet as practised at Kilbarchan : ' She synes the dishes three
limes a day. Three times a day, three times a day. She synes the
dishes three times a day, Come alang wi' the merry-ma-tanzie,'
Chambers ib. 135. Ayr. The wee lassocks have made a ring on
the causey and arc singing ' Roon aboot merry-ma-tanzie,' Service
Notandiims [i8go) 75; When at jing-ga-ring, buttons, the bat or
the ba', . . Or Mary-nia-tanzie, Laing Poems (1894) 11. Lnk. A
number of girls join hands in a circle round one of their number,
who acts as a kind of mistress of the ceremonies. The circle
moves slowly round the central lady . . . singing to a pleasing
air: ' Here we go the jingo ring. The jingo ring, the jingo ring.
Here we go the jingo ring About the merry ma-tanzie.' At the
end of the first line of the next verse they courtesy to the girl in
the inside, who returns the compliment. . . The lady of the ring
then selects a girl from tlie circle, of whom she asks her sweet-
heart's name, which is imparted in a whisper ; upon which she
sings to those in the circle (they dancing as before) : 'Guess j'e
wha's the young good-man.' . . Those in the circle reply by
some approving or depreciating words, . . such as ' Honey is sweet
and so is he,' . . or ' Apples are sour and so is he.' . . The marriage,
however, is finally concluded upon and effected. . . ' He's married
wi' a gay gold ring.' . . At the end of the first line of the next verse,
all go for a moment separate, and each performsa pirouette, clapping
her hands above her head. Chambers li. 132; At Biggar this game
was generally played on the green by boys and girls. A ring is
formed by all the children but one joining hands. The one child
stands in the centre. The ring of children dance round the way
of the sun, first slowly and then more rapidly. First all the chil-
dren in the ring bow to the one in the centre and she bows back.
Then they dance round singing the first and second verses, the
second verse being addressed to the child in the centre [' Come,
name the lad you like the best,' &c.]. She then whispers a boj''s
name to one in the ring. This girl then sings the third verse
[' Guess ye wha's the young guidman,' &c.]. None in the ring
are supposed to be able to answer, and the name of the chosen boy
is then said aloud by the girl who asked the question. If the name
is satisfactory the ring sing the fourth verse (' Honey's sweet and
so is he,' &c.], and the two players then retire and walk round a
little. If the name given is not satisfactory the ring sing the fifth
MERRY
[94]
MESH
verse [' Crab-apples are sour and so is he,' &c.] and another child
must be chosen. When the two again stand in the centre the
boj's sing the sixth verse [' Can she bake and can she brew ? ' &c.].
The girls answer with the seventh [• She can bake and she can
brew,' &C.1. Then all sing the next verses, imitating washing
clothes, wringing, ironing, baking bread, washing hands, combing
hair, &c. . . The boy who was chosen then presents a ring, usually
a blade of grass wrapped round her finger, to the girl. . . When
all have chosen, if any lad is left without a partner, the last verse
is sung [' Here's a silly auld man left alone, Left alone, left alone,
He wants a wife and can't get none, About the meny-ma-tansa '],
GoMMEiy.373. Edb. ChambersiA. 131. [For rhymesand further in-
formation see GoMME ib. 369-376.] (14) n.Ess. Forby 01. (1830).
(15) Chs.i It is customary for those present (except the mother) to
take something to drink, generally spirits, to bring luck to the
new comer. ' More and merrier, less and better fare, like Meg o'
Wood's merry-meal ' ; Clis.s s.Chs.' Currant-cakes, of the kind
called ' Lord Ralph,' are eaten, and spirits are drunk by all except
the mother in honour of the occasion. (i6, n^i ne.Sc. When the child
was born there was a feast called the merry meht, part of which
was the indispensable cheese, or cryin kebback. In some dis-
tricts a bannock made of oatmeal, milk, and sugar, and baked in
a frying-pan, called the cryin bannock, was served up. Each one
present carried off a piece of the cheese to be distributed among
friends, and every one who came to see the mother and baby also
carried away a piece for the same purpose, Gregor Flk-Lo>e{iWi)
4-5. Bnfif. (_W.G. : Gall. Mactaggart £Hr)'f'- (1824). (A)n.Yks.l =
(17) Nhb.' 18) Dev. I'll draive thee to Merry-mokus eef thee
kip's on terrifyin' me zo, lief'Oils Provinc. (,1893). (19) Wm.
Merry muckheapt on tha fleear Hauf a skooar wez spralin there,
Blezard Siigs. ( 1848) 43. (20) n.Yks.= (ar) Rnf. Then at a
murry-neet or (air, Harp (i8ig) 202. n.Cy. (J.L. 1783) ; N.Cy.^
Nhb. A ' friendly lead ' given by neighbours to a poor person.
Each brings something to the entertainment, as food, drink,
tobacco, &c., and also his own mug (P.A.G.) ; A pleasant method
of helping the ver3' poor or aged. On an arranged evening
the neighbours made a tea-party at the cottage, each guest
bringing his or her own cup and saucer, and also a present
— a cake, a pound of tea, a jar of butter, a home-made cheese, or
a bag of potatoes. In the company there would always be a
fiddler or one who played the concertina, and they laid themselves
out for enjoyment, while she in whose house the entertainment
took place was laid in with a stock of eatables that lasted her
through the worst of the winter, Longman's Mag. (Feb. 1897)
329 ; Yit sometimes at a murry neet, Wilson Pitman's Pay (1843)
42 ; Nhb.' These neets generally 'came off' in the house of an indi-
gent couple or woman, and the entrance fee was an indirect
charitable donation. Dur.' Lakel.' ; Lakel.^ Oot o' date varra
nar. Cum. Sec a murry neet we've bed at Bleckell, Anderson
Ballads (18051 64 ; What such a merry-night have you had!
Richardson Talk (1876) 2nd S. 8; Then there was the 'murry
neet ' to end with — the dancing, the drink, the supper, more drink,
and setting the lasses hame, Linton Lizzie Lorion (1867) xxiii;
Cum.i Wm. Thear's a merry-neet at awr neist nebbors, Wheeler
Z)iVi/. (1790J 37. Yks. A rustic merry-making in a farmhouse about
Christmas, common in some parts. There is abundance of homely
fare, tea, cakes, fruit, and ale ; various feats of agility, amusing
games, romping, dancing, and kissing withal. They commonly
break up at midnight, Irving Bracebridge Hall (1822) 6. n.Yks.^
w.Yks. The excitements of the merry-night lead not to criminality,
WiLLAN Arch. (1811) 81: w.Yks.', ne.Lan.' (22) Wm. Troth
I'm on the merry pin, Whekler Dial. (1790) Sng. 1. 43. [Upon
a mcry pynne, de liayt, as il a le cticiir dc Itayt, Palsgr. (1530) 844.]
MERR'y, see Marry, v.
MERRY HEWID, sb. Wal. See below. See Mari
Lwyd ; cf. hodening.
s.Wal. On Christmas Eve, a horse's head, decorated with ribbons
and carried by a party of men, is taken round to the different
houses in the neighbourhood. The men sing a Welsh song, to
which the people in the house must reply in a similar manner or
give the party admission and regale them with ale, &c. This
custom is called ' Merry Hewid,' and commencing on Christmas
Eve, continues for two or three weeks, N.&Q. (1852) ist S. vi. 410.
MERRYLWYD, see Mari Lwyd.
MERRY-MAID, sb. Cor. A mermaid.
The ' merry-maids ' of the Cornish fishermen and sailors possess
the well-recognized features of the mermaid. Hunt Pop. Rom.
w.Eng. (1865) 149, ed. 1896 ; Why should a merrymaid, that will
ride upon the waters in such terrible storms, never lose her looking-
glass and comb? Baring-Gould FiVnc (1876) vi ; There was the
merrymaid very plain to be seen, iu. 167.
MERRY-SOLE, sb. Cor.^* The French sole, Solea
auranliacn. CC. Mary-sole.
MERRY-TOTTER, sb. Obs. n.Cy. Nhp. A see-saw ;
the childish amusement of riding on the ends of a balanced
plank. n.Cy. Grose (1790). Nhp.'
[Myry tottyr, chj'lderys game, oscilliim. Prompt. ; A
merytotyr, oscitliini, petaiints, Cath. Aug/. (1483).]
MERRY-TROTTER, sb. w.Yks. Also in form
nierry-totter w.Yks.' [m3ri-trot3(r).] A swing formed
of a rope thrown over a beam.
Watson J/isl. Hlf.x. (1775) 543 ; Wun al be scrimin' up a poll,
anuther swingin' on a merry-trolter, Tom Treddlehoyle Bairnsla
Ann. (1862) 4 ; Leeds Merc. Siippl. (Mar. i, 1884^ 8 ; w.Yks.>»*
MERSE, sb. Sc. Cum. [msrs.] 1. Alluvial land by
the side of a river or the sea ; a marsh. Also used al/rib.
Bwk. Owie a' the Merse his name is known, Henderson Pop.
Rhymes (1856) 15; A Merse mist alang the Tweed In a harvest
mornin's gude indeed, Prov., ib. 105. Dmf. There's a maid has sat
o' the green merse side, Cromek Remains (1810) 234 ; Ground
gained from the sea, converted into moss (Jam.). Cum.* In use at
Rocliffe and amongst the people living near the estuaries of the
Esk and Eden.
2. A flat fertile spot of ground between hills, a hollow.
Dinf. (Jam.)
MERSK, sb. Sus.'2 Hmp.^ Also written merse
Sus.'^ [mask.] A marsh.
[Cp. EFris. niar.^k, ' Marsch' (Koolman).]
MERT, MERTER, see Mart, sb.'^. Martyr.
MERTH, sb. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dun Cum. Yks. Lan. Der.
Also written mirth Nhb. w.Yks. ; and in forms morth
Gall. N.I.' Nhb.' Dur. w.Yks.; murth N.Cy.'^ Nhb.'w.Yks.
Lan. ; muth nw.Der.' L Plenty, abundance, a great
deal. Cf mort, sb.''-
n.Cy. A murth of corn. Coles (1677'); (K.); Grose (1790) ;
N.Cy.'2, Diir. (K.) Cum. Gl. (,1851); Cum.2 w.Yks. Willan
List Wds. (iSii). Lan. They put'n bur to o' murth o' pene, Paul
Bobbin Sequel (18 19) 4 ; Lan.', nw.Der.'
2. Phr. a iiiorlh of cold, intensity of cold, severe cold ; a
very heavy cold.
Gall. Those who receive a severe cold get what is termed
their morth o' cauld, MACTAGGART^/iyr/. (I824^. N.I.' Nhb. 'Oh!
you've got a morth of cold.' To a sneezing child with watering
eyes iJ.Ar.) ; Nhb.' He had bidden ower lang i' the water when
he was out fishin', and he has getten a murth of cauld, Oliver
Rambles (1835") 70, note. Dur. It is a morth of cold (K.).
[1. Iccl. tiicrg^, a multitude, a quantity (ZoiiGA) ; ON.
uiergS, plenty ^Vigfusson).]
MERTYREESE, see Martyreese.
MERVADIE, adj. Sc. See below.
Gall. Ane fine sweet brittle cake is said to be mervadie, Mac-
taggart fiiQ't/. (1824).
MERVE, see Mervy.
MERVIL, n(//'. Sc. [msTviL] 1. Nervous, trembling.
Per. Tak care, lads ; that horse's unco' mervil (G.W.).
2. Inactive of mind or body. Rxb. (Jam.) Cf marbel.
MERVY, adj. Sc. Also in form merve. [msTvi.]
Savoury, agreeable to the taste ; of fruit, &c. : rich,
mellow, ripe. Dmf. Wallace Schoolmaster {iBgg) 350 ; (Jam.)
MER-WIFE, sb. Obs. Sh.L A mermaid-wife.
The Shetlander's love for his merwife was unbounded, Hibbert
Desc. Sh.L (1822) 261, ed. 1891.
[OE. nure-wif, a water-witch (B.T.). Cp. G. meerweib,
a mermaid.]
MER-WOMAN, sb. Obs. Sh.L Lan. Also in form
nieer-. A mermaid.
Sli.I. Each merman or merwoman possess but one skin, enabling
the individual to ascend the seas, Hibbert Desc. Sh.L (1822) 261,
ed. 1891. Lan. The meer-woman we call her, Roby Trad. (1829)
II. 176, cd. 1872.
MERYAN, MERYON, see Muryan.
MES, MESCAUN, see Mass, sb.\ Mess, s6.', Miscaun.
MESE, MESENTER, see Meas(e, Mease, ».', Mouse,
sb., Masoner.
MESH. sb. and v. Hmp. I.W. Dor. Som. Also in form
mash w.Som.' [mej.] 1. ,<;6. The ' meuse ' or run of a
hare or rabbit through a hedge ; a gap in a hedge.
Hmp, (J.R.W.), Hmp.' I.W.'; I.W.= A'd kill everything a'
MESH
[95]
MESS
could zee in the meshes wi'in half a mile. Dor.i Som. Often
used of a hare's run, or gap made by cattle. ' I've stopped their
mesh ' (W.F.R.) ; W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.i
2. V. To jump or creep through a hedge ; esp. of hares
or rabbits ; also usedyTjo-.
Dor.' You'd better mesh. Som. (W.F.R.) ; W. & J. Gl. i873\
w.Som.' Nif you vreathe up the gates, zoon's the corn's a cut, they
be fo'ced to mash}', and then the night-hunters be a doo'd.
MESH, see Marsh, 5*.', Mash, v., Meese, sb}
MESHEE,s6. Lan. [msji'.] A dial, form of machine.'
Just bring that index meshee 0' thine round th' table, Brierley
IVaverlou) (1863) 156, ed. 1884.
MESHER, sb. Cum.' [me'Jsr.] A dial, form of
' messenger.'
MESraE, MES'H'L'TUN, MESKINS, see Maishie,
Mashelton, Maskins.
MESLEST, MESLIN, MESLINGS, see Mislest, Mas-
lin, sb}'^, Measlings.
MESS, sb} and v} Van dial, uses in Sc. and Eng.
Also written mes Bdf.; and in forms mais-,mase\v.Yks.^;
meace Sc. ; mease- w.Yks. ; meeas w.Yks. ; meos
vv.Yks.' ne.Lan.' [mes, miss.] \. sb. A dish of food, a
sufficient quantity for a meal.
w.Yks. Shoo . . . tried whativver coom, Ta cook hur chop an
keep hur meeas Osummat nice it oom, Preston PofMis, &c. (1864)
19 ; w.Yks.' A meos o' porridge. A standing meos [a stewing
dish] ; w.Yks.3 Au could ha' had sa'em [seven] or naun [nine]
mase (of food) (s.v. Mais-pot). Chs.' We had a mess o' these
taters just to try em, an I never tasted any better. nw.Der.' A
basin or other kind of eating mug full of broth, milk porridge, &c.
Glo. Horae Snhsecivae (1777) 272. Bdf. A common dishful of milk,
crumbed with bread, or boiled milk only, Batchelor Agyic.(\Z\'^
582 ; The breakfast and supper of men-servants consists in general
of a mess of milk, ib.
Hence (i) a mess for a mad dog, phr. a queer compound
of food, an unsavoury dish ; (2) like a chip in a mess of
milk, phr. of persons: insignificant, useless.
(i) ne.Wor. Esp. when minced or chopped up (J.W.P.). (2)
It's not much good getting him to do it ; he's only like a chip in a
mess of milk, ib.
2. Camp, (i) Mess-meats, dishes of hash or minced
meat; (2) -pot, an iron pot for cooking purposes; a
ladle; (3) -potful, as much as a mess-pot will hold.
(i) n,Yks.2 (2) m.Yks.' Used for boiling messes of porridge,
&c. w.Yks. To adjourn to Nancy Roberts's, the Fox and Hounds,
where that good soul served them with ■ mease pots ' of broth for
a halfpenny each! Cudworth Bradford (iB-jd) 297; w.Yks.'^;
w.Yks.^Asort of black pipkin, holding about a pint. ' Next morning
... a portion is taken out with a ladle, or maispot, as much as
would be sufficient for one cake.' ne.Lan.' e.Lan,' A pot bowl
with a handle. nw.Der.' (3) w.Yks. ' They sleeked thersels vvi
a meospotfuU or two o' grout, ii. 300.
3. A meal, dinner; an allowance of food.
Sc. Jenny sat up even at the meace. And a' her friends sat her
beside, Chambers Sags. (1829) II. 352. Fif. My denner had been
nearly doubl'd : Yet it is marvel nae the less, That we hae made sae
guid a mess, Tennant Papistry (1827) 102. Bdf. Day-labourers,
who have no mess in the house with the servants, . . sometimes
delay their breakfast till nine, Batchelor Agric. (1813) 580.
4. Obs. A company of four.
w.Yks.i The numberof four at an entertainment at an inn, where
a stipulation was made for a party to dinner at a certain price per
mess, or meos. Bdf. March 3, 1656. Sir, . . I must needs tell you,
that another girl is fallen to my lott, this making a compleat mess
since I had a boy, Loiigiiian's Mag. (Nov. 1894) 82.
5. A number, a large quantity.
e.Yks.i There's a mess of apples uppa that three, MS. add.
(T.H.) w.Yks. Besoides a mess on it under his noase, Hallam
IVadsley Jack (1866; xix. s.Chs.' Dhur wQz u ter-flbl mes u foa-ks
dheeur [There was a terrible mess o' folks theer]. Rut.' We'm
had a nice mess of rain. A tidy mess o' people. Lin. A good
mess of drink and board, Peacock R. Skirlangli 1.1870) 1. 37 ; Lin.'
I have got a nice mess of peas. s.Lin. A great mess of grapes,
N. V Q. (1881) 6th S. iii. 364. sw.Lin.' What a mess of lasses he
has, there mut be five or six on 'em. There was a mess stanning
and talking at the corner. Nhp.i I've got a nice mess of pears.
A mess ot people, a mess of sheep, or a mess of buildings;
Nhp.2 Bdf. A mess of children (J.W.B.); What a mes there is,
Batchelor Anal. Eng. Lang. (1809) 138. Hnt. (T.P.F.) Nrf.
Depositing a ' mess o' eels ' he had brought as a present, Emerson
Wild Life (1890"! 60. w.Som.' Never did'n zee zich a mess o' volks
in all my born days. There'll be a mess o' taties d'year.
6. The number of rabbits found in a barrow. Nhp.*
7. V. To serve up a dish ; to divide food amongst a
number of people.
Lan. So Jane messed him some up in a basin, Staton Loomiuaiy
vc 1861)8; He messed up th' broth ith basins, 16. 31. Chs.'Come
an' tay th' cheilt, wheile aw mess th' dinner for th' men.
8. To serve cattle with hay or provender.
Hrf. Bound Provinc. \ 1876 !. Som. I can messy or milky nif ther
be need o't, Jennings Dial. w.Eng. (1869) 139 ; W. & J. Gl. (1873).
9. Phr. lo mess and mell, to partake of food together ; to
have familiarintercourse with, toassociatewith. Cf.mell,v.'*
w.Sc. (Jam.) Ayr. Some there were that never thought to
mess or mell in the same chamber with Bodletonbrae and his
sister, Galt Provost (1822) xxxiv ; He would neither mess nor
mell wi' ony o' the new reformers. Service Dr. Dtignid (ed.
1887) 281.
[1. A messe or dish of meate borne to the table, fercu-
liiin, Baret (1580). Fr. mes, a messe or service of meat,
a course of dishes at table (Cotgr.). 4. You three fools
lack'd me fool to make up the mess, Shaks. Love's L. L.
IV. iii. 207 ; A mease of men, qiiattior, Levins Manip.
(i57o>-]
MESS, 5^.^ and v.* In gen. dial, and colloq. use in Sc.
and Eng. [mes.] 1. sb. A confused, disorderly con-
dition ; a muddle ; fig. a scrape, dilemma, predicament.
Per. We wouldna hae come in a mess like this on an errand
o' this kind, but needcessity's no to be bargained wi', Sandy Scott
(1897) 44 ; Ye've landed yoursel' in a mess, ib. 77. Cum.' He hez
meadd a mess on't. w.Yks. Wen e wor it same mess, Rogers
Nan Bunt (1839) i. s.Stf. Sicli a mess as the kitchen was in,
PiNNOCK BIk. Cy. Ann. (1895). nw.Der.', Lin.' Rut.' I got
inflammation when I was over my mess of Mary [at her birth].
Nhp.' To get into a mess. War.^ What a mess you are in. e.An.'
It is well I was not in the mess. Lon. The London butcher will
at all times, when he enters the market, reject such cattle or
sheep as are what is termed in a mess ; that is, depressed, after
excitation by being overlaid or overdriven, Stephens Farm Bk.
(ed. 1855) II. 149. Hnt. (T.P.F.) Sus., Hmp. I was not in that
mess, HoLLOWAY. Dor. Barnes Gl. ( 1863).
2. A term of contempt for anything small, weak, or
insignificant.
Rut.' She's a poor mess. She can't go out to sarvice: she's
a weakly mess. War.^ This basket is a mess of a thing : it won't
hold a handful ; War.* w.Wor.' It's a poor little mess uv a thing.
s.Wor.' 'Tis but a poor little mess of a place. se.Wor.', Hrf.^,
Glo. (A.B.), Glo.', Oxf.' MS. add.
3. A slattern. Glo. Grose (1790) MS. add. (M.)
4. Ordure, the quantity of dung excreted at one time.
e.Yks.' MS. add. w.Yks. (R.K) 5. v. To disorder,
soil or dirty ; to throw into confusion ; to trifle with food ;
to muddle, bungle ; to squander money.
w.Yks. Te mess yarsen like that, Leeds Loiners Olni. (1882) 17.
ne.Lan.' s.Stf. Yo' con sit in the parlor if yo' wo' mess it,
PiNNOcK Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). Der. I wonna ha' ye messin' yer
new shawl like that. Good IVds. (1881) 842. nw.Der.', Lin.'
Nhp. (F. R.C.); Nhp.' How you have messed your gown. How
you mess your money away. War.^ He does not eat his food, he
only messes with it. He has messed his money away. s.Wor.
(H.K.) Shr.' 'Er's messed all 'er wages away an got nuthin, as
yo' met say, to shewn fur 'em. Hrf. Bound Provinc. (1876).
Glo. The most onandiest, nothingly child you ever see — always
a-scribblin' and a messin' and moonin', Longman s Mag. (May
1900) 40. Brks.' A child is told ' not to mess its food,' not to
continue to touch it with its fork or spoon without eating. Hnt.
(T.P.F.)
Hence messed up, phr. in a strait. Glo.'
6. To interfere with, meddle ; to pull about ; to fidget ;
to do anything in a makeshift, unsatisfactory way ; gen.
with about.
Lakel.'^ What's thoo messan wi' thi fadder razors for ! w.Yks.
(J.W.) n.Lin. I ses to him, you've been messin' aboot wi' Sarah
Ann, that's what you've been doin' on (E.P.V sw.Lin.' I've been
doctoring and messing about wi' her. She wanted to know why
they were always going messing about at her house. Not. Warr
er yer messin? (J.H.B.) Nhp. To mess round (F.R.C.). 'Wor.
That ground be full o' emlock and all sorts : Fred and George 'a
MESS
[96]
METCH
bin messing at it, but they can't do much (H.K.). w.Mld. Now
then, what are you messing about there for? You'll git into
trouble if you don't watch it (W.P.M.). Ken. He's not going to
mess me about (D.W.L. \ Slang. I ain't come 'ere to mess with
you, Kipling Badalia (1890^8, col. i.
Hence Messing, ppl. adj. bothering, troublesome.
Wor. You come to me to do your bits of messing jobs 1 H.K.).
7. With about or over : to waste time ; to loiter ; to do
nothing in particular.
w.Yks. To run about gossiping, or to little or no purpose,
Letds Merc. Siippl. (Jlay 31, 1884) 8. War. Leamington Courier
(Mar. 13, 1897) ; War.* Don't mess there all morning trying to get
that clock to go ; War.^* s.War.i She might as lief be at school,
she's only messing about at home. Shr.' 'Ow lung bin 'ee gvvein
to mess o'er that crochet ? Oxf. Don't be messing about there all
day long (G.O.) ; Oxf.i MS. add. w.Mid. Don't mess about
mending those reins, they'll never be safe (W.P.M.). Ken.' Don't
keepall-on messing-about like that, but come here directly-minute.
8. With over, up, or with : to make much of, to spoil,
pamper.
s.Wor.', Glo. (A.B.), Glo.i Ken. She messes up them children
so. Their so messed up (D.W.L.).
MESS, see Mass, sA.^'
MESSAN,s6. Sc.Irel.Nhb.Cum. Also written messane
Abd. ; messen Sc. N.I.' Ant. ; messin Sc. Ant. ; messon
Sc. [me'san.] A small dog ; also used altrib. Also used
fig. as a term of contempt for a small, insignificant person.
Sc. We hounds slew the hare, quo' the messon, Ferguson
Prov. (1641) 34; The bits o' messan dogies, like my son, and
maybe like your father's son, Mr. Alan, will be sair put to the
wall, Scott Redg. !i824') x. Sh.I. Da yells o' dee an' da yalkin
o' yon messin o' dine, Sli. News (July 24, 1897^. Abd. That nane
o' this congregation bring in with them to the kirk ony messanes
or doggis in time of sermon, Ritchie St. Baldred (1883 1 127. e.Fif.
Willie Lapstane and Peter Roget ! bonny messans indeed ! Latto
Tam Bodkin (1864) xi. Slg. Let poor dog or rich, Let messan or
bitch, Ne'er pass by this hillock incog., Muir Poems (1818) 299.
s.Sc. Watson Bards (1859) 107. Rnf. His make was something
like a messin, Tannahill Poems (1807)36, ed. 1817. Ayr. He . . .
wad hae spent an hour caressin. Even wi' a tinkler-gipsej''s
messin, Burns Tzva Dogs {i-]S6) 1. 17. Lnk. Petty poets or sic
messens, Ramsay Fo«HS (1721) 185. e.Lth. A bit messan we'd
had aboot the hoose for a gey while, Hunter /. huvick [1895) 81.
Ve\s. Linloiin Green (1685) 11, ed. 1817. SIk. You're a terrible
tyke when you set your mouth on a messan to gie him a bit
worryin for your ain amusement, Chr. North Nodes (ed. 1856)
in. 324. Rxb. Though ye was o' the messin kind, Wha's fond o'
gusty gear. To theivin ye was ne'er inclined, Wilson Poems
(1824) 14. Dmf. On Jane's lap is her wretched little messin-dog
'Nero,' Carlyle Lett. (1853) '" Atlantic Monthly (1898) 685.
Gall. Cowered like a weel-lickit messan tyke, Crockett Standard
Bearer {i8g8) 124. N.I.i Ant. You're a dirty messin, Ballymena
Obs. (1892) ; Grose (1790) MS. add. (C.) N.Cy.', Nhb.i Cum.> ;
Cum.3 It wad lick a cur dog mair nor ten times it' weight, An'
mongrels an' messans they dursn't cu nar, 158.
[Madame, je hefFa dangerouss dog! He is owre mekle
to be jour messan, Dunbar Poems (c. 1510), ed. Small, H.
196. Gael, measan, a lapdog, a pert or forward person, a
puppy (M. & D.); Ir. meascin (O'Reilly); Mir. mesan
(Macbain).]
MESSANDEW, MESSANTER, see Maisondieu,
Mishanter.
MESSENGER, sb. Van dial, uses in Sc. and Eng.
[me-sin(d)g3(r.] 1. Inlaw: a sheriffs officer. Also in
camp. Messenger-at-arms, Messenger-of-arms.
Sc. The messengers were put in another, containing a single
bed for their accommodation, Sc. Haggis, 127. Rs. Five men
appear as messengers, and apprehend so many of the Councilors,
Edb. Antiq. Mag. (1848I 135. Abd. A messenger-at-arms ... the
terror of evil doers far and wide, Michie Deeside Tales (1872) 17.
Fif. Sheriffs learn'd . . . and messengers-at-arms with brows of
brass, Tennant Anster (1812^ 32, ed. 1871. Rnf. Tom Campbell
laughs, the messenger, And David, too, the writer, M'^Gilvray
Poems (ed. 1862) 22. Ayr. I was weel on to three years with
John Gledd, the messenger, Galt Sir A. IVylie (1822) xiii.
Lnk. I, Robert Leich, messenger, by virtue of the above written
letters in our sovereign lord's name and authority, command and
charge you Mr. James Veitch, Wodrow Ch. Hist. (1721) II. 297, ed.
1828. Edb. Your horn and caption and sic gear, And messengers
that follows near, Liddle Poems (1821) 243. Hdg. Officials and
ministers of the lawes . . . and mtssengers-of-aims, Ritchie St.
Bnldred ,1883) 59.
2. A sunbeam.
Brks.' A sunbeam coming through a long crack into a rather
dark barn or loft. Hmp. Sunbeams which pour down slantwise
to the earth from a rift in a large cloud (J.R.W.) ; Hmp.i Wil.'
A sunbeam reaching down to the horizon from behind a cloud is
sometimes said to be the sun ' sending out a messenger.'
3. pi. Small detached clouds betokening rain.
Nhp.', War.s, s.Wor.', Glo.', Sur.', Sus.' Wil.' Jefferies
Greene Feme Farm (1880) vi.
4. pi. Morsels of mould which come out with the beer
from a cask that is nearly empty. War.^, se.Wor.'
MESSET.sA. Nhb. Dur.Cum.Yks.Lan. Also written
messit N.Cy.' Nhb.' Dur. ; and in form misset Lan.
[me'sit.] A small dog, a ' messan.' Also used Jig. as a
term of contempt for a diminutive creature.
N.Cy.' Nhb.' The best watch is a messit-dog in iv a hoose.
Dur. Gibson Up-Weardale Gl. (1870) ; Dur.' Cum. A leytle black
messet danced sae leykeauld Jenny, Blamire Poet. IVks. (c. 1794)
216, ed. 1842. Cum.', n.Yks.* Lan. To carry her misset, open
her pue, Brathwait Lan. Lovers (1640) iv ; Obs. (S.W.)
MESSIGATE, sb. ? Obs. Or.I. The road to church.
Used in former times (J.G.I ; (Jam.)
[Prop. ' the way to Mass.']
MESSLIN, adj. Dev.* [meslin.] Extremely lively,
mischievous; alsoused.si(6s/.alively,mischievouscreature.
That cat is a proper messlin.
MESSMENT, sb. Yks. Lan. Lin. Som. [me'sment.]
A mess ; a confused, disorderly, or dirty condition ; a
muddle, confusion ; anything unpalatable.
n.Yks.2 e.Yks. Nicholson /Vi-S/i. (1889) 4 ; e.Yks.', w.Yks.
(J.W.) Lan. Tell him to keep his messments awhoam in future,
Staton B. Shuttle Bowtiin, 27. n.Lln.' When ther' was a heavy
thunner shoor, th' watter ewst to run into th' chech an' mak' a
straange messment. w.Som.' And a purty messment they made
o' it.
MESSY, adj. Nhp. Glo. Brks. Ken. [me'si.] 1. Un-
tidy, in a creased or disorderly condition.
Nhp.' How messy your gown is ! Glo. Mary's painting tackle
greatly distressed her hostess, partaking as it did of the nature of
things ' messy and slummicky,' Longman's Mag. (May 1900) 41.
2. Of food : unpalatable, soft, pulpy.
Brks.' I can't et that ther pudden', a looks messy.
3. Fidgeting, irritating, finicking.
Ken. I don't like such messy ways (D.W.L,).
MET, see Mote, v.^, Mud, v.'^
METAL, sb. Sc. Nhb. Dur. Yks. Chs. Der. Lin. Also
written mettle Nhb. Dur. [me'tl.] 1. In coinp. (i)
Metal-coal, coal containing pyrites ; (2) -ridge or -rig, a
curvature or heaving up of the thill of the seam ; (3)
-stone, a mixture of shale with sandstone.
(i) Nhb.' It is peculiarly liable to spontaneous ignition. (2)
N.Cy.' Caused by the pressure of the superincumbent strata. Nhb.'
Nhb., Dur. Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). (3J Nhb.' Nhb., Dur.
Greenwell Coal Tr. Gl. (1849).
2. Cast iron.
n.Lln.' ' It's not iron, sir; it's noht but a ohd peace of metal,'
said of the cast iron bottom of a fire-grate.
3. Shale of various colours and kinds.
Nhb.' Metal is variously described as soft, or strong, or slaty,
according to its degree of hardness, and is spoken of as grey, blue,
dark, and black-metal. Nhb. , Dur. In some small parting of mettle
or stone, Compleat Collier {1108 19; Soft grey metal, Borings (1881)
II. 2. w.Yks. Geol. Surv. I'ert. Sect.. Sheet 43.
Hence Metally, adj. mixed with shale.
Nhb.' Nhb., Dur. Grey and brown mettally stone, Borings
(1881) 160.
4. Clay or marl found above salt or coal.
Chs. The workmen distinguish the clay by the appellation of
' metal,' giving it the name of red, blue, or brown metal, Marshall
Review (18:8) II. 80; Chs.' Der. Indurated clay above salt and
coal, Mawe Mineralogy (1802).
METCH, V. Nhp.' [metj.] To crop the snufif of a
candle ; to snuff. Cf. mick.
The only recommendation the new-fashioned candles had, was,
they did not want metching.
METE
[97]
MET(T
[1. Hie lichintis, meche, Pict. Voc. (c. 1475), in Wright's
Voc. {1884) 754. Fr. meche, meiche, the wick or snuff of a
candle (Cotgr.) ; OFr. meche (La Curne).]
METE, V. Sc. n.Cy. Yks. Also written meat, meet
n.Cy. [mit.] To measure.
Bnff.' MS. add. Fif. The heralds had the rink-room metit, The
barriers set, and hsts completed, Tennant Papistry (1827) 137.
SIg. The scrimpet measure ne'er was met him, MuirPo«»i5(i8i8)
15. Ayr. This day thou metes threescore eleven, Burns Tcrmughty,
St. 2. Lnk. We ken o' a staundart mair gen'rous an' high Than
modern teetot'llers to mete oursels by, Watson Poems (1853) 51.
Edb. A wee bit yardy mete out square, Learmont Poems (1791)
183. n.Cy. (P.R.); Grose (1790). w.Yks.»
[In what mesure je meten, it schal be meten ajen to
50U, Wyclif (1388) Ma//, vii. 2. OE. me/an, to measure
(jElfric).]
METE, see Meet, adj.
METER, adj. Chs.'^ [mrt3(r).] Moderate. See
Meeterly.
METERLY, METH, METH(E, METHE, see Meeterly,
Mead, sb.'^, Meeth, adj.'^, Maithe.
METHEGLIN, sb. Wal. Lei. Nhp. War. Wor. Shr.
Oxf. Hnt. Hmp. Wil. Som. Dev. Cor. and Amer. Also
in forms matheglum Oxf ; metheglum Wil. ; mezyglen
Wal. ; 'theglum Wil. [majje'glin.] Beer made from
honey ; see below.
Wal. Jago Dinl. (1882) ; Metheglin, a kind of drink in Wales
made of wort, herbs, spice, and honey sodden together, Blount
(1670). Lei.i Nhp.i Usually pronounced Methegle. Made, after
the pure honey is extracted, of the last crushing of the comb, boiled
with water and fermented. War.^ Made by boiling both comb and
honey, mixing the liquor with sweetwort. In the process of
boiling the wax of the comb rises to the surface of the liquid and
is skimmed olf to form bees-wax. After this has been done the
liquid is strained and is again boiled with spice added, to the taste
of the maker. The liquid is fermented with a small quantity of
yeast placed in it on burned toast. se.Wor.' Shr.' In a high-
class brew the 'comb 'is sometimes washed in a little 'fresh beer' to
hasten the fermentation ; but the strength of the liquor is dependent
upon the quantity of honey it contains. ' Ow'n yore bees turned
out this time, Molly ? ' ' Mighty middlin' — plenty o' dry cOom, but
desperl lickle 'oney ; I dunna think I shall 'ave a spiggit-stane o'
metheglin.' Oxf.' 'Ool ee 'a a draap o' my maatheglum? Hnt.
(T.P.F.) Hmp. Where metheglin was making he would linger
round the tubs and vessels, White Selbortie (1788) 143, ed. 1853.
Wil. (K.M.G.) w.Som.i Muthaeglun. Dev. I reckon to make 9s.
or 105. of the honey this year, let alone a drop of metheglin for
ourselves, O'Neill Idyls (1892) 41 ; Dev.^ Cor. Enjoying Jane's
new barley-bread, . . which he moistened with metheglin, Hunt
Pop. Rom. w.Eng. (1865) 63, ed. 1896; Cor.2 [AmeT. Dial. Notes
(1896) I. 391.]
[Metheglin, wort, and malmsey, Shaks. Love's L. L. v.
ii. 233. Wei. meddy^lyn, ' melicratum hydromeli, ad
verbum, potus medicinalis, a Meddyg, & Llymt Potus '
(Davies).]
METHER, sb. Obsol. Irel. LMa. Also written
meather Uls. ; medha LMa. ; medher Wxf. 1. An old
wooden drinking vessel of a square form with a handle
or ear on each side, out of which all the family drank
successively.
Ir. The wind ris and the rain fell as if it came out of methers,
Carleton Traits Peas. (ed. 1843) !• 97' m^- A four-sided vessel
formed from a single block of wood with one, two, or four handles.
Vis. Jm. Arch. (1853) I. 157. Ant. We notice a mether of new
milk, Hume Dial. (1878) 24. w.Ir. Run, Grania, run quick and
fetch some out of the big mether ... on the top shelf Lawless
Grania (1892) I. pt. i. vi. s.Ir. There was the golden mether that
every Thierna at his wedding used to drink out of, Croker Leg.
(1862)329; (P.W.J.) Wxf. And medhers of many forms, Kennedy
Duffrey (1869) 229. I.Ma. In a corner ... a medha and a pot with
nothin in it, Brown IVitch (1889) 188.
2. Phr. lo rain mether, to pour with rain.
Ir. As if it was about to rain mether, Yeats Flk. Tales (i888) 188.
[1. Ir. meadar, a hollowed out drinking vessel (Macbain).]
METHER, see Mather, int.
METHODIST, sb. Stf. In comp. Methodist-cream,
rum when used in tea.
s.Stf.I could smell the methodistcre'm at the next taible, Pinnock
Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895),
VOL. IV.
METHODY, sb. Sc. Irel. Yks. Lan. Stf. Der. Lin. Dor.
Dev. Also written methodee Lan. ; methodey Dwn. ;
and in forms mettherdy e.Lan.' ; mettody n.Yks.
[me-))3di.] 1. A Methodist ; also used attrib.
ne.Sc. Under the ministrations of a godly and devoted ' Methody '
minister. Green Gordouhaven (1887) 23. Lnk. Morrisonians,
Methody, Ranters, Quakers, . . they're a' ready till flee at ane
anither's throats, Gordon Pyots/iaw (1885) 11 1. Dwn. He niver
cared muckle aboot the Methodeys, Lyttle Ballycuddy (1892) 27.
n,Yks. Sum Mettody er Ranter bodder, Castillo Poems (1878) 42.
w.Yks. (J.W.) Lan. Somewhat of a Methodee, Gaskell M.
Barton (1848) vi. e.Lan.i se.Lan. Them Methodies arena a bad
lot, Cornh. Mag. (Nov. 1898) 716. Stf. Will ye gi'e that to
t'Methody preacher? ib. (Jan. 1894) 37. nw.Der.i n.Lin. Many
parsons does, both Church and Methody, Cornh. Mag. {Jan. 1899)
82. Dor. Yes, zur, they be Methodies, IVmdsor Mag. (Mar. 1900)
413. Dev. Uz jogged along wi' Methody and Baptiss, Zo long's
they didden interfere wi' we, Salmon Ballads ( 1899) 50.
2. Comp. Methody-hanimer, a hammer made with a
smooth face on each end. w.Yks. (S.P.U.)
METLAM, sb. Obs. Cum.'" In comp. (i) Metlam-
corn, a toll of corn paid by certain lands ; (2) -peck, the
measure by which the lord of the manor's officers
measured the ' iMetlam-corn.'
METSIN, see Medicine.
MET(T, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. Cum. Yks. Der. Not. Lin.
e.An. Ken. [met] 1. A measure, ^?«. a bushel; some-
times two bushels, esp. of coal ; also the sack in which
such a measure of coal is sold ; a measuring stick.
Sh.I. Herrings caught in the baj's in autumn, sell for id. per
score or 3s. per mett, nearly a barrel of fresh ungutted herrings.
Statist. Ace. VII. 589 (Jam.) ; S. & Ork.' Abd. John was the first
carter who sold single metts in Aberdeen, Anderson Rhymes (ed.
1867) 208. n.Cy. (K.), N.Cy.i2 Nlib. No porter shall receive his
mett of corne ovar and above his wages for any q' under two
last, and only to receive his mett of one sort of graine in one ship,
Rec. Merchant Adventurers of Newcastle, in Swtees Soc. Publ. ( 1895)
I. 246; Nhb.' At quoits or at pitch-and-toss, when a dispute arises
as to the throw that lies nearest to the hob or mot, a small stick or
a piece of straw is taken to measure the distances. This is called
a met. Cum.' Formerly a measure of two bushels Winchester.
n.Yks.'2<, ne.Yks.' e.Yks. We sende a mette of massledine for
our own tempsed-breade baking. Best Rur. Econ. (1641) ; e.Yks.',
m.Yks.i, w.Yks.i 23*, Der.', nw.Der.', Not. (W.H.S.) Lin. Thomp-
son Hist. Boston (1856) 715 ; Lin.', e.An.', Ken.'
Hence Met-poke, sb. a narrow sack or corn-bag, gen.
holding about two bushels.
n.Yks.' = *, ne.Yks.' e.Yks. A three bushel poke, Kennett Par.
Antiq. (1695); e.Yks.', m.Yks.'
2. A boundary ; a boundary stone ; a mark to show the
part measured off".
Sh.I. I min be plain ta tell you 'at I ken da metts as weel as ye,
Sh. News (June 17, 1899); S. & Ork.'
[1. Met (v.r. mette), idem quod mesure. Prompt, • A
mette, mensiira, me/reta, Cath. Angl. (1483); & quen hit
shornewas wele hit jalde an hundre of [laire mettes talde.
Cursor M. (c. 1300) 12330. OE. gemet, ' mensura, modius,
satum' (B.T.).]
MET(T, v. Sc. n.Cy. Nhb. Yks. Not, e.An. [met.]
1. To measure.
Abd. Ve're o'er ill set, As ye'd hae measure, ye sud met, Keith
Farmer s Ha' (1774) St. 38. Edb. Sair dung wi' dule, and fley'd
for coming debt, They gar their mou'bits wi' their incomes met,
Fergusson Poems (1773) 183, ed. 1785. N.Cy.' Nhb.' Aa's in,
aa tell ye ; aa'll met ye for'd. Not. (W.H.S. ), e.An.' =
Hence (i) Metster, (2) Metter, Mettor, or Meter, sb. a
person legally authorized to measure ; in pi. an incorpo-
rated society, legally authorized to measure.
(I) Sc. (Jam.) (21 Sc. (Jam. Suppl.), n.Cy. (Hall.), N.Cy.'
Nhb. Mettors, an incorporated company of Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
whose members, as sworn meters, measured the quantity of im-
ports or exports, or the capacity of keels and boats employed on
the Tyne (R.O.H.) ; Mettors. Theordinary of this society, dated
Aug. 3, 1611, enjoined them to meet on the 20th day of September
in every year. Brand //m/. Nezvc. (1789) II. 357; In the book of
oaths in the town-clerk's oiEcc in Newcastle, occur the forms of 'the
oath of the mettors,' and ' the oath of a mettor for keels and boats,'
ib. note; The Free Meters claimed and exercised the exclusive
privilege of measuring all corn imported and exported. . . These
O
METTER
[98]
MIAMAS
demands were resisted a few years ago ; and the company at last
gave up the point at the assizes in 1821, Mackenzie //is/. AVtcc.
(1827) 702; Nhb.i e.Yks. The man who checks off the number
of deals delivered by the deal carriers (J.W.D.).
2. Comp. (i) Met-stick, a piece of wood used to measure
the foot ; (2) -wand, {3I -wood, (4) -yard, a measuring-
rod ; a draper's yard-stick.
(i) Sc. Arrested brats around their grandsire kneel, Who takes
their measurements from toe to heel ; The met-stick par'd away to
suit the size, He bids at length the impatient captives rise, Village
Fair in Blackw. Mag. (Jan. 1821) 432 (Jam.). (2) Sc. (Jam.),
n.Yks.2 (3, 4) n.Yks.2
[1. Of all men agh fiat drightin dride {v.r. drede) fiat
mirthes mattes man to made, Cursor M. (e. 1300) 272.]
METTER, sae Matter.
METTLE, sb. and adj. Sc. Dur. Yks. Lin. [me-tl-l
1. sb. In phr. (i) to be mettle to one's teeth, to be full of
spirit ; (2) to be on one's mettle, to be in a bad temper ; (3)
to be over sharp mettle, to be too hasty-tempered ; (4) to
take mettle, to take courage.
(i) Abd. Ye're nae a beggar's brat. . . An' mair, I see Ye're
mettle to the teeth. Walker Bards Bon-Accord (,1887) 400. (2)
e.Yks. (W.W.S.) (3) e.Dur.i (4) Lnk. At last I took mettle, an'
offer'd her battle, Lemon St. Miiiigo (1844) 23.
2. adj. Spirited ; active ; capable of enduring fatigue ;
decant.
Fif. A sonsy mettle hizzy, Douglas Poems (1806) 23. Rnf.
Young chiels use mettle heels. When gaun to see their dearie,
Bakr Poems (1861) 49. Edb. 'Od he was a mettle bodie of a
creature, MoiR Maiisie JVaucIi (1828) x.x. Slk. (Jam.) Gall. Ye'll
ken Laird Heron o' the Rathan, Jen — a mettle spark, Crockett
Raiders (1894) xxxiii. Lin. Thou would'st be a mettle lass enow,
an thou wert snog and snod a bit better, Scon Midlothian (1818)
xxxii.
METTLY, adj. s.Chs.' [me-tli.] Quick-tempered,
irritable.
Ee wOz ver'i shaa'rp un snaapi, wiiz dh) uwd un — des'piirt
metli [He was very sharp an' snappy, was th' owd 'un — despert
mettly].
METTODY, METTOR, MEUD, see Methody, Met(t, v.,
Mead, sb.^
MEUGLE, V. Sc. [mjCfgl.] To dabble in mud.
Cai.^ Meugled in dirt till 'e verra een.
MEUL(T-HO, see Moot-hall.
MEUSE, sb. and v. Nhb. Yks. Lan. Chs. Dar. Nhp.
War. Won Shr. Hrf. Glo. Hnt. e.An. Kan. Sur. Sus. Hmp.
Also written mews Lan. Glo.* ; mewse Nhp.' Hnt. Suf.'
Ken.' Sur. Sus. ; muce Nhb.' Yks. ne.Lan.'s.Wor.' ; muse
Lan.' Chs.' ^s. Won' Shr.'Hrf. Suf Sur. Sus. ; and in forms
mooce, moose s.Won [mius, miuz.] 1. sb. A small
hole or ' run' through a hedge or through grass made by
a rabbit, hare, or other small animal in its track; a 'mesh.'
Cf mussit.
Nhb.' ne.Yks. Marshall Riir. Ecoii. (1796) IL 257. Lan.
Davies Races (1856) 279; Lan.' s.Lan. Bamford Dial. (1854).
Chs.i3,Der.2, nw.Der.i, Nhp.', War. f J.R.W.) Wor. Noticingseveral
nets set along the meuses on the side of the road, JVor. Dy. Times
(Nov. 22, 1882) inA^. <&■ 0.(1885) 6th S. xii. 49. s.Wor. (H.K.) ;
s.Wor.' Them Welshmen [Welsh sheep] 'd go through a rabbit run
or a har' muce. Shr.'2, Hrf. (W.W.S.), Glo.', Oxf. (M.A.R.\
Hnt. (T.P.F.), Suf.i, e.Suf. (F.H.), Ken.', Sur. (F.E.'l, Sur.i Sus.
I shot 'en dead, just where a meuse ran up towards the hedge,
Gent. Mag. (May 1890) 468; (F.E.) ; Sus.'* Hmp. Holloway ;
Hmp.i
2. A hare's ' form.' Glo.' 3. v. To run through a gap
in a hedge, &c.
Wor. When, in coursing, a hare is found in a field, and runs
through her muse, it is said ' The hare has mus'd ' (E.S.).
[1. Take a hare without a muse, and a knave without
an excuse, and hang them up, Howell Eng. Prov. (1659)
12 ; As when a crew of gallants watch the wild muse of
a boar, Chapman Iliad (1598) xi, ad. 1875, 136. Fn (Bas-
Maine) mils, ' muca, passage etroit a travers des brous-
sailles pour les lievres, las lapins,' &c.; s. 7mise, 'se glisser
comme le gibier qui passe par une muce ' (Dottin) ; cp.
LiTTRE (s.v. Afusse).]
MEUSE, MEUTH-, sea Muse, v.\ Meeth, adj}
MEVE, V. e.An. Also written meeve Suf.' [mlv.]
To move.
e.An.i Suf.' Let it 'bide — if ye take it awah t'ul only be ta
meeve aginn. e.Suf. Meeve that chair. Obsol. (F.H.)
[I meva or styrre from a place,y« meitue, Palsgr. {1530) ;
Mevyn, moveo. Prompt.^
MEVERLY, MEVIES, MEVVIES, MEVVY, see
Meeverly, Mavis, Maybe.
MEW, 56.' Obs. Sc. A son-in-law.
Make na twa mews of ae daughtir, Ferguson Prov. (1641) 24 ;
Make not two mews of one daughter [spoken to them who think
to oblige two different persons with one and the same benefit,
taken from the Latin, Eaedem filiae duos generos parare], Kelly
Prov. (1721).
[OE. md'g, a kinsman ; Goth, juegs, a son-in-law.]
MEW, sb.^ and v.' Nrf. Suf Also in form mews
Suf. [miu.j 1. sb. A place in which to confine any
living creature; esp. a breeding-cage for canaries, gold-
finches, and other small birds.
Nrf. N.f Q. (1861) 2nd S. xi. 98. Sur. e.An. Dy. Times {lagz).
2. V. With up : to coop up, confine.
That house fare wholly mewsed up wi' trees (C.G.B.).
[1. Fn mue, a mue or coope wherein fowl is fattened
(COTGR.).]
MEW, V.' Cor. Of a gull : to cry, scream.
The gulls were still mewing their plaintive dirge over the fishy
harbour, Cont/i. Mag. (Nov. igoo) 628.
MEW, sae Mow, sb.'', v.^, Mure, adj.
MEWED, ppl. adj. Con'^^ [miud.] Scattered by fright.
MEWER, see Mure, adj.
MEWL, V. Sc. Yks. Dan Not. Also written maul
Sc. (Jam.) ; mtile Dar.° nw.Dar.' [miuL] To cry, as an
infant or young animal ; to mew. Cf. meowl.
Sc. (Jam.), e.Yks.', nw.Der.', Der.2 s.Not. Tek the child up;
she's bin mewlin an' pewterin this'afe hour (J.P.K.). Lon. Shovel
had listened at the door and heard it mewling, Barrie Tommy
(1896) ii.
Hence Mewling, ppl. adj. crying, whining.
GalL Mony a mewlin', peuterin' body has great success wi' the
weemen folk. Crockett Moss-Hags (1895) xxxii.
MEWMAID, sb. e.Suf. A marmaid. (F.H.)
MEWNGE, MEWPLE, sae Mounge, Moople.
MEWS, see Meese, sb.\ Meuse, Mew, s6.=
MEWT, V. Obs. Sc. To mew.
Wae's them that has the cat's dish and she aye mewting, Ram-
say Prov. (1737).
[To mewta as a catte, catellare, Cath. Angl. (1483); Chat
}i!ynozve (meutet), Biblesworth (c. 1325), in Wright's Voc.
(1857) 152- Cp. Fr. niiault, a mewing (Cotgr.).]
MEWTLE, V. Cum. Wm. [miutl.] Of cows and
ewes : to make a low, crooning sound over their new-
dropped young. Cum.'*, Wm. (B.K.)
MEX, MEXEN, MEY, see Mix, v.=, Mixen, Mae, sb.
MEYAT. sae Mate.
MEYCOCK, sb. Sc. The maycock, the grey plover,
Squatarola helvetica.
Ayr. The robin's left the ha' door. The meycock he's come back,
Ainslie Land of Burns jed. 1892) 336.
MEYEN, MEYL, MEYL(LE, MEYNG, MEYSE, see
May, sA.=,Mell, sb^. Meal, sZi.*, Mean, v?-. Mease, v}
MEYSEL, MEYSH, MEYSHIE, MEYT(E, see Meisle,
Mash, v., Maishie, Meat.
MEYTHER,MEZEL,saeMather,!«/.,Moither,Mizzle,t'.'
MEZELL, sb. Hmp. [me'zl.] The spurge-olive,
Daphne Mezereum. (B. & H.), Hmp.' See Mazell.
MEZELTOE, sae Mistletoe.
MEZEREON, sb. Chs. The spurge-laurel, Daphne
Lanreola. (B. & H.)
MEZLIN, MEZLINGS, MEZYGLEN, MEZZACK,
sea Maslin, sb.^, Measlings, Metheglin, Mizzick.
MEZZIL, sae Measle.
MEZZLE, sb. Yks. [me-zl.] Excitement.
w.Yks. Tip's all in a mezzle, 'e wants to be off (F.P.T.).
MEZZLE, MEZZUR, see Mazle, Measle, Measure.
MHEILLEA, MIAMAS, see Melliah, Milemas.
MIAUVE
[99]
MICKLE
MIAUVE, V. and sb. Sc. Also written myauve Bnff.'
1. V. To mew, as a cat. Bch. (Jam.) 2. sb. The mew
of a cat. Bnff.'
MIAWK, s6. and f. s.Pem. [mi'gk.] 1. sb. A groan,
grunt ; a grudge.
Dicky gav'n the poney without a miawk (W.M.M.).
2. V. To groan, grunt, to bear a grudge.
A never miawked again it Jb.).
MICA, 56. Cor.^ [maika.] 1. The deposit of coarser
or inferior clay in the pits in china clay-works. 2. Coiiip.
Mica-pits, in porcelain works : the long, narrow, shallow
pits where the fluid clajf deposits its 'mica' as the pure
clay passes on to the clay-pit.
MICELiL, see Meisle.
MICH, I'. Lan. [mitj.] To mince one's words, to use
mincing language.
I dunnot see as he miches so, Burnett Lowrie's (1877) i.
MICH, see Mitch, v., Much.
MICHAEL, sb.^ Chs.'^ In comp. Michael-riggs, the
autumnal equinoctial gales, happening about Michaelmas.
See Rig.
MICHAEL, sb.'' Sc. Irel. Also written michel Wxf.»
A term applied to a girl.
Bnff.i She's a ticht michael. Wxf.' Shea's a gooude lickeen
michel fs.v. Lickeen\
MICHAELMAS, sb. Sc. Chs. Nrf. Wil. Dor. Som. Dev.
Also in forms mechaelmas w.Som.' ; mikklismas Sh.L
In comb, (i) Michaelmas blackbird, the ring-ouzel, Tiirdiis
torquatiis ; (2) — crocus, the meadow saffron, Colchicmn
aii/iiniimk ; {3) — daisy, (a) the sea starwort, Aster
Tripolinin ; (b) the feverfew, Pyrethniin Parihenimn ; (4) —
gnat, the daddy-longlegs ; (5) — mare, see below ; (6) —
moon, (n) the harvest moon ; (b) obs., the booty of a raid
or fray made at this season, as constituting the portion of
a daughter ; (7) — ram, a ram at the Michaelmas season.
(i) ■Wil. Smith BiVrfs (1887) 137. Dor.SwAiNSONBi>rfs(i885) 8.
(2)'Wil.i (3, n) Chs.', Dev." (A) Dev.* (4) Nrf. (P.H.E.) (5) Ayr.
He would have no objection to be a bailie for the next year, on
condition that I would in the following let him again be dean of
guild, even though he should be called a Michaelmas-mare, for it
did not so well suit him to be a bailie as to be dean of guild, Galt
Provost (1822) iv. ^6, n") Sc. The Michaelmas moon rises ay
alike soon. The moon, at full, being then in the opposite sign, bends
for some days towards the tropick of Cancer, and so rising more
northerly, rises more early. My country people believe it to be
a particular providence of God that people may see to get their
corn in, Kelly Pfow. (1721) 334. <b) Sc. (Jam.) Slk. There is
a circumstance in their contract of marriage, that merits attention,
as it strongly marks the predatory spirit of the times. The father-
in-law agrees to keep his daughter for some time after the
marriage, for which the son-in-law binds himself to give him the
profits of the first Michaelmas moon. Statist. Ace. II. 437, 438 {ib.).
(7) Sh.I. Wisna dat da Lammas Iambs, da Mikklismas rams, da
Hallo'mas hogs, an' da Yule yows, Sh. News lOct. 2, 1897).
w.Som.i Neet lig zome o' the young farmers in their work, so
ragged's a Mechaelmas ram (s.v. Mannerable).
MICHEN, sb. Obs. Sc. Also in form moiken Per. (Jam.)
The common spignel, Meiiiii athainantictiDi. Cf.muilcionn.
Sc, (Jam.) Per. The At/iafucinta tnennty here called moiken or
muilcionn, grows in the higher parts of the barony of Laighwood
and in the forest of Clunie, Statist. Ace. IX. 238 {ib.).
MICK, I). Bdf. [mik.] To crop the snuff of a candle,
to snuflf. (J.W.B.) Cf. match.
MICKEY, sb. w.Yks.5 [miki.] A farthing candle.
' A p'und o' can'les an' a haa'p'ny back ! ' ' Dus tuh want 'em
mickey's, doy ? '
MICKLE, adj., adv. and sb. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Cum.
Wm. Yks. Lan. Chs. Stf. Der. Nhp. War. Brks. Hmp.
Wil. Also written mickel Cum. Lan. ; mikil Sc. (Jam.) ;
mikle Sc. ; and in forms meckle Dwn. ; meickle Sc. ;
meikle Sc. n.Cy. Lan. ; mekil Sc. ( Jam.) ; mekle Sc. (Jam.
Siippl.); muckel N.Cy.> ; muckle Sc. Bnff.' N.I.' N.Cy.'
Nhb.' e.Dur.i Cum.' n.Yks.^ m.Yks.' w.Yks.= ; mukle Sc.
[mi'kl, m^kl, mukl.] 1. adj. Great, large, big in size.
Sc. Show him the way down the muckle loaning, Scott Guy
M. (1815) i. Sh.I. When I'm just passin' crubdykes, muckle
grey stanes, or hill-folk's knowes, Stewart Tales (1892) 6. Cai.'
Mry. In turning a great muckle stone I met wi' a curious forma-
tion, Hay Untie (1851 ) 22. Elg. The miller Had a gay muckle
muggin Weel packit wi' siller, Tester Powfs (1865 108. Bch.
The mucklest man, he may be fitted Wi' hose that's either wove
or knitted, Forbes Shop Bill (1785) 12. Abd. They . . . well
their meikle fingers beck To gi'e them tune, Keith Farmer's
Ha' (1774) St. 4. Frf. Upon his muckle heid a sheaf O' shaggy
hair nae kaim wad enter, Watt Poet. Sketches (1880) 99. Per.
A great, muckle tree, the brawest tree ever ye saw, and the
mucklest, Sandy Scott (18971 31. w.Sc. ' Ou ay,' said the idiot,
• there's a muckle bubbly Jock that follows me wherever I gang,'
Carrick Laird 0/ Logan (1835I 46. Flf. That's whaur ye make
a muckle mistake, M'Laren ^66/^^1894^38. Rnf. When the moon
had grown meikle and round, Webster Rhymes (1835) 13. Ayr. A
mickle quarter basin, Burns Lass of Ecc'lefechan, st. i. Lnk. Ke
whispered that there was a muckle trout in the Gledstane pool,
Fraser Whatips (1895) vii. Lth. A muckle cheese, twa chairs
and a', Forbye some tea, 's the prizes, Lumsden Sheep-head (1892)
38. Edb. A' the lave who rule our muckle house, Crawford
Poems (1798) 3. Bwk. Brose in a muckle dish, Henderson Pop.
Rhymes (1856) 85. Peb. A share ye'll hae, The meiklcr, that nor
wife nor weane ... Is tae be fund at Cockmj-lane, Lintoun Green
(1685) 64, ed. 1817. Slk. That great big muckle John Bull, Chr.
North Nodes (ed. 1856I III. 70. Rxb. He tuik his muckle plow-
stall", Murray Hawick Sugs. (1892) 17. Dmf. Before ye tend a
meikle flock. Ye first must tend a less, Hawkins Poems (1841) V.
38. Gall, It's a muckle lee, Crockett Cleg Kelly (1896,, 116,
Kcb. He blaw'd . . . O' his fine muckle Ha', Armstrong htgleside
,1890)156. N.I.' n.Cy. BoirffrG/. (Co//. L.L.B.^i; N.Cy.i Nhb.
And muckle faith — his mends we doubted, Graham Moorland
Dial. (1826) 9; Nhb.' ' Gaan aboot like a muckle soo.' Often
used as a duplicative term to express something extraordinarily
impressive, as * He's a greet, muckle, big chep.* e.Dur.' I'd
rather have the scrapin's o' the muckle pot than the wee pot full.
Lakel.' Mickle dore, the deep chasm or opening between Scawfell
and Scawfell Pikes. Cum. Saint Mary's muckle clock bumm'd
eight, Anderson Ballads (^18051 70. n.Yks.'^, ra.Yks.', w.Yks.
(C.W. D.) Lan. The meikle stane would build a bra' chopping
block, RoBY Trad. (1829") I. 252, ed. 1872. ne.Lan.' War. I Obs.
The mickle meadow. Deeds and Documents at Southam (i6oo:.
Hence (i) Mickledoni, obs., (2) Mickleness, (3) Mickleth,
sb. size, bulk, largeness ; (4) Micklish, adj. rather large.
(i)Sc. Mickledom is nae virtue, Ramsay /'roz/.( 1737) 53, ed. 1776
(Jam.). Nhb.' (2) Sc. (Jam.) 13^ Lan. That's just th' length an'
bradth on't to th' mickleth of a yure, Brierley Red IViiid. (1868)
38; Lan.' (4) n.Yks.'2, m.Yks.'
2. Comb, (i) Muckle-bag, the stomach ; (2) -bookit or
•boukit, {a) large, full-bodied, overgrown ; (b) great with
child; (3)-chair, a large arm-chair ; (4) -coat, a great-coat,
top-coat ; (5) -devil, the Devil ; (6) — Friday, the da^' on
which a large fair is held ; (7) -hell, hell itself; (8) -hornfed
devil, see (5) ; (9) -man, the head labourer on a farm ;
(10) -mouthed, having a large mouth ; (11) -neeved, large-
fisted ; (12) -pot, a cauldron ; (13) -preen, a large pin used
for fastening shawls; (14) -rin wheel, the large wheel of
a spinning-wheel ; (15) -sheeld, see (5) ; (16) -sized, large-
sized ; (17) — Sunday, a Sunday on which the Communion
is held ; (18) -tochered, largely dowered ; (19) -toe, the
big toe ; (20) -wame, the stomach of an animal, esp. of a
cow ; (21) -wheel, see (14) ; (22) -worth, of great value or
reputation.
(i) Lnk. She was suddenly seiz'd wi' a rumbling in her muckle
bag, Graham Writings (1883) II. 37. (2, «) Sc. (Jam.), Bnff.'
e.Ltb. Weel, he was a muckle-boukit chiel. Hunter J. Inuick
(1895) 107. (6) Sc. (Jam.), Bnff.' '3) Fif. She was crootlin' in
her muckle chair, Robertson Provost 11894) 28. Gall. Mac-
taggart Eneycl. (1824). (4) Sc. Lend me a hand ofi" with my
muckle-coat, Scott Guy AI. (1815) xxxiii ; His muklecoat, his
hairy wig, O vow I he lookit dreary, Kinloch Ballad Bk. (1827)
77, ed. 1868. Kcd. His muckle coat wis nearly new. Grant Lays
i;i884) 16. Rxb. 'Tis true I have a muckle coat, Ruickbie
Wayside Cottager (1807) 158. (5) Sc. The muckle-deevil blaw
wind in your sails, Scott St. Ronan (1824) xxxii ; The meikle
Deil take her with his cloven feet, Pennecuik Coll. (1787) 12.
Abd. The Muckle Deil lay at the mirk pit mou', Murray Hamc-
wiih (1900) 30. Ayr. The muckle devil blaw yc south If ye
dissemble! Burns Authors Earnest Cry 11786) st. 4. Edb.
Mislear'd fallow, the meikle devil speed him, Mitchell Tinklarian
(ed. 1810I 9. Gall. The muckle Deil— III luck gang wi' him,
o 2
MICKLE
[loo]
MICKLE
Irving Lays (1872) 52. Nhb. Thoo muckle de'il, thaw varra
warstest blow, Chatt Fo«(«s (1866' 86. (6) Abd. (G.W.) Fr£
The fair, or Muckle Friday, or Muckley, great day of the j-ear in
Thrums, Barrie Tommy (1896) xvii. (7) Sc. Nae doubt they
burn for it in muckle hell, Stevenson Calriona (1893^ xv. Gall.
Between the red coal and the brimstane flaming blue a yont the bars
o' muckle hell, Crockett Raiders ^1894) x. (8j Slk. The muckle-
horned deil, Hogg Tales (1838) 305, ed. 1866. w.Yks. Enuff to
desave oud mucklehorn de'il his sen, Bvwater Sheffield Dial.
(1839) 203, ed. 1877 ; Witnesses wot al beard the varry oud
raucklehorndeil his sen, Sluvvild Ann. (1851) 9; w.Yks. * (9)
Per. At sixteen he was little-man on a farm in the vicinity of
Logie. At twenty, he was muckle-man on the same farm,
Mo.NTEATH Dunblane (1835) 76, ed. 1887. w.Sc. Amongst the
servants in the employment of our Scottish farmers. There is the
'muckle man' and the 'little man.' . . The * muckle man ' bears
himself with great dignity and importance towards those of lower
standing than himself. . . His costume — broad-brimmed woollen
bonnet, broad-rigged corduroy jacket and breeches of the same
fabric open at the knees with garters of red tape, Carrick Laird
of Logan 1885 83. Ayr. Madam, Quoth he, I wad speak wi'
The meikle man, Fisher Poems (1790) 71. (10) Sc. He shall
either marry our daughter, ' mickle mouthed Meg,' or strap for it,
Sc. Haggis, 12; Mickle-mouth'd folk are happy to their meat;
spoken by, or to them who come opportunely to eat with us, Kelly
Prov. (1721) 253. Frf. Muckle-mou'd Meg, wha was lame on a
leg. Watt Poet. Sketches (1880) 13. Slk. Muckle-mou'd fock hae
a luck for their meat, Hogg Poems (ed. 1865) 73. Gall. Muckle-
moo'd Gilchrists they ca'ed them, Crockett Sunbonnel ,1895) vii.
(11) Dmf. He's spoony on muckle-neeved Meg, Wallace School-
master (1899) 196. (12) Cum. The 'muckle-pot' shown to the
curious is nothing more than a modern affair, Denhani Tracts
(ed. 1892) 155. (13) Cai.i (14) Abd. The muckle 'rin wheel —
often removed in the evening for the sake of room, MicHiz Deeside
Tales (1872) 83. (15) Sh.I. Why ta da muckle sheeld da dey
dive sae muckle intil hit ? Sh. AV:ts (Feb. 12, 1898) ; Stramp ta
da muckle sheeld I'll geng apo da rOff, 16. (Nov. 11, i8gg). (16)
m.Yks.i w.Yks.5 He gav muh a mickle-sarz'd litter to posst fur
him, Introd. 11. (17) Sc. It was either ta muckle Sunday hersell,
or ta little government Sunday that they ca'd ta fast, Scott
IVaverley (18141 xxix. Abd. G.W.) (18) Gall. 'When Tam
Lindsay gaed aff wi' his fieein' flagarie o' a muckle-tochered
Crawford lass, Crockett Moss-Hags (1895) xxxii. (19) Bnff.
Thro' my auld bachle peep'd ray muckle tae, ■rAVLORPo«»Hi(i787)
4. Frf. It brunt to the bane my muckle tae, Sands Poems (1833)
90. (20) Sc. Still used in country districts where the people
have not yet given up making a big haggis. The common or wee
haggis is contained in the stomach of a sheep, . . but the big
haggis is contained in a meklewame (Jam. Sufipl.). (21) Sc.
She . . . talked something of matrimony ; and the mysteries of
the muckle wheel, Scott S/. Ronaii (1824) xvi. Nhb. Two serving
women . . . spinning on what was called the muckle wheel,
Richardson Borderer's Table-bk. (i846)'VIII. 31. (22) Sc. (Jam.)
Cai. ' No muckle worth [of bad reputation].
3. Grown-up, adult.
Sh.I. Eppie wis his muckle douchter, Burgess Sketches (and ed.)
86. Abd. There's nae convainience to lat bairns play themsells,
or muckle fowk keep things snod, Alexander Ain Flk. (1882) 10.
Per. Oh, guidman, I lang to see Oor lassies and oor muckle men,
Ford Harp (1893) 386.
Hence fi) Man-muckle, adj. grown up to be a man,
having arrived at years of manhood ; (2) 'Woman-muckle,
adj. grovin up to be a woman, having arrived at womanhood.
(i) Lnk. Nae suner had he grown up to be man muckle than he
gaed away, Fraser Whanps (1895) i. (a) Gall. I had sons and
dochtersmanand woman-muckle, Crockett S/fl«rf(i)rfBm»fj-(i898)
337-
4. Much in quantity, abundant.
Sc. He's doen him to his sister's bower, Wi mickle dool and care,
Jamieson Po/>. Ballads (1806) I. 75 ; A wee spark makes meikle
wark, Ramsay Prov. (1737). Sh.I. Some fell uppo stony places
whar day hedna muckle ert, Parable 0/ Sower ^oll. L.L.B. '. Or.I.
There's as muckle sense beneath some folk's bannets as there is
aneath ithcr folk's hats, "Vedder Sketches (1832) 19. n.Sc. There's
sma' politics in hiven, though there's muckle on yerth, Gordon
Carglen ( 1891; 235. Cai.i Muckle black need [urgent need]. Mry.
Meikle fame I found. Hay Linlie (1851) 37. Bn£f. Ye may think
muckle black shame o' yersel, man. Smiles Natnr. (1876) ii. Bch.
Forbes Aja.i- (1742) 9. Abd. Whilk bred mikle trouble to the
country and confederates, Spalding //li/. Sc. (1792) I. 199. Kcd.
Jamie 3/h5c( 1844) 157. Frf. A glaiket wife. .. maksduddie weans
and mickle strife, Morison Poems (1790) 131. Per. Yir trust wes
mickle help tae him in his battle, lANMACLARENi?»(V/-B/(s/i (1895)
49. Fif. Tennant ^H.s/er (1812) 32, ed. 1871. s.Sc. They were
nae folk o' muckle gear, Watson Bards (1859^ 8. Dmb. Taylor
Poems (1827 71. Rof. Webster Rhymes (1835) 6. Ayr. An'
meikle Greek an' Latin mangled, Burns Lett, to J. Tennant, 1. 12.
Lnk. Roy Generalship ^ed. 1895) i. Lth. Beauty's e'en a doubtfu'
gift, Wi' mickle shew, but little thrift, Ballantine Po«hs (1856)
71. Edb. Duncan brags how meikle meal She's eaten here, Har'sl
Rig (1794) 8, ed. 1801. Feb. Tam . . . Made the punch, wi' muckle
clatter, Affleck Poet. Wks. (1836) 126. Dmf. Meikle dool and
sorrow brought To many a house and man, Johnstone Poems
(1820) 103. Gall. Alang the gate my way you lead. And truly,
whyles, there's meikle need, Lauderdale Poems 11796) 17. N.I.^
n.Cy. (J.L. 1783) ; Grose (1790! ; N.Cy.'^ Nhb. When coorn cam
forrit fast, it gav us muckle grief, Chatt Poems 1866) 86 ; Nhb.*,
Dur.*, e.Dur.', s.Dur. (J.E.D.) Cum. I sat doun anunder his
shaddow wi' muckle deleyght, Rayson Sng. Sol. {18^^) ii. 3 ; Cum.*
Wm. We hev'nt varra mickle bloom on t'trees ta year(B.K.);
Mickle talk hes thare been abaut it, HirrroN Bran New Wark
(1785 1. 362. n.Yks.'23, ne.Yks.i e.Yks. Marshall Rur. Econ.
(1788). m.Yks.* w.Yks.(C.W.D.); HuTroNro«>-/oCrtt;«(i78i);
He that marries a slut eats mickle dirt, Prov. in Brighouse News
(July 23, 1887); w.Yks.' Lan. Mickle haste, Roby Trad. (1829) II.
353, ed. 1872 ; As he look'd reet at John wi' mickle pride. Ridings
Muse (1853) 13. ne.Lan.i Wil. Britton Beauties (1825); Slow
Gl. (1892) ; Wil.' Occasionally.
Hence (i) Meikly, adv. greatly, much ; (2) muckle an'
nae little, phr. very much, a great deal, a large sum of.
(i) Edb. I wonder meikly, in sic times. How chiels, like you,
wi' fearful weams Can get their cravings satisfy'd, CrawfordPocius
(i 798) 88. (2) w.Sc. Muckle an' nae little siller he gied him (Jam.).
5. Eminent, distinguished by birth or wealth, great, im-
portant.
Sc. There's nae gainsaying that oor Adam's the muckle man o'
the faimily noo, Keith Indian Uncle (1896) 4. Abd. Muirton has
gryte enlluence amo' the muckle fowk, Alexander Ain Flk.
(1882) 151. w.Sc. (Jam.) Fif. Our anchor's lost, . . We're
perish'd a', baith sma' and muckle, Tennant Paf>istry (1827) 97.
Edb. Ye meikle folks that bide in L — n, Liddle Poems (1821) 77.
Dmf. Some fowls . . . vveel protecket. Because by meikle fouk
respecket, Quinn Heather (1863) 34.
6. Proud, haughty.
Bnflf.i He's a muckle little man. Cld. Aye, he's a muckle wee
laird (Jam.).
7. adv. Much, greatly.
Sc. I think it might pass, if they winna bring it ower muckle in
the light o' the window ! ScOTi Bride of Lam. {i8ig) viii. e.Sc.
He used to lend me books an' muckle I've regretted it since, Setoun
R. Urquharl 1,1896) iii. Abd. Hech ! but it'll come sune eneuch,
an' they're muckle to be peetied, Macdonald Sir Gibbie (1879) iii.
Frf. I ferlie meikle what ye mean, Sjiart Rhymes (1834) 206.
Per. It's no cannie to be muckle wi' the body, Ian Maclaren
Brier Bush (1895) 76. w.Sc. Us puir folks are no fashin' ourselves
muckle wit, Carrick Laird of Logan , 1835') 59. Fif. Ye ca'd her
gude, an' muckle mair, A lovely creature, Douglas Poems (1806)
43. Dmb. Neither your lass nor mine cares half as muckle aboot
mautrimony as your auntie. Cross Disruption (1844) vii. Rnf.
He reek'dna meikle on their trim, Picken Poems 1,1813) 'I- 80.
Ayr. I was muckle impressed wi' the truth of this ae day. Service
Dr. Dugtiid (ed. 1887) 245 ; Ye've said enough. And muckle mair
than ye can mak to through, HvKtis Brigs of Ayr (_I■]8^) 1. 174.
Lnk. We're muckle obliged to you, Colin Dulap, Rodger Poems
(1838) 12, ed. 1897. Edb. Meikle wish'd the coming light Might
be lu' clear an' sinny, M'Dowall Poems (1839^ 39. Bwk. There's
naething e'er sae ill, but that It micht be muckle waur, Chisholm
Poems{i8-ig)6.i. Gall. I would be muckle the better o't, Crockett
Stickit Milt. (1893) 88. Kcb. Muckle better than the lave I e'en
maun try to learn ye, Armstrong /H^teirff (1890) 143. Dur. How
mickle better's the luv then weyne 1 Moore Sng. Sol. (1859) iv. 10.
s.Dur. 'A's mickle obleeged to tlia.' Almost obs. J.E.D.) Cum.
Hoo mickel mair they hed this 3'ear int' iron kist, Dickinson
Lamplugh (1856) 4. Wm. Hoo mickle bett'r's thy luv nor wine,
Richardson Sng. Sol. (1859) iv. 10. n.Yks.^ Is there mickle mair
on't ? m.Yks.' w.Yks. That did Sir Andrew mickle scare, Lucas
Stud. Nidderdale (c. 1882) Gl.
8. Phr. (i) mickle about it, (2) — off at one, (3) —syke-like,
(4) — what, much the same, much as it was ; (5) to think
mickle of, to esteem, think well of.
MICKLED
[lOl]
MID
(i) Frf. ' Ay hoo are ye, Jess 1 ' Tibbie said. ' Muckle aboot it,'
answered Jess, Barbie Tliniiiis (1889) vii. Lnk. 'If Miss Ruth
speers for me, Jean, jist say that I'm muckle aboot it.' 'Ay, ye' re
ay muckle aboot it, if ye'd dee wise like I'd hae some peety for 3-e,'
Gordon Pyolshaw (1885) 39. (2) Dur.' {3) w.Yks. Hamilton
Nugae Lit. (1841) 326. (4) Cum.' 'How's mudder?' 'Mickle
what, she's parlish feckless.' (5) Sc. Our minister . . . was a
' muckle thoclit o' man,' and a ' rale guid preacher,' Wright Sc.
Life (1897) 47. Bwk. Think muckle o't, Henderson Pop. Rhymes
(1856) 38. Lth. Be blithe, ye mortals, while I'm here— Think
muckle o' a stranger, Smith Meny Bridal , 1866) 17. Gall. I was
hearin' some o' them wasna thocht muckle o' ! Crockett Bog-
Myrtle (1895") 269.
8. Very ; esp. in phr. muckle maun, very big, fine.
Sc. It has a meickle maun blue pouch hingin at the carr side o'd,
\l\si.oF Anecdote {i&i^) 124. Edb. Skreen their faces Wi' hats and
muckle maun bongraces, Fergusson Poems (1773) 175, ed. 1785.
Rnf. Faith, I'm fear't, whan muckle big, He'll be sic afule, Neilson
Poems (1877) 92.
Hence Mickle-well, ndv. very mucli, greatly.
m.Yks.i I's mickle-weel obliged.
10. sb. A quantity, a large amount, a great deal.
Sc. Better be blythe wi' little than sad wi' mickle, Ramsay Prov.
(1737) ; I l'^" "3^ mair than yersel', mem, an' no that muckle,
K.^nH'Jndia>t Uncle (1896) 4. ne.Sc. We're nae deein' muckle at
the baddies e3'noo onj'gate, Green Gordonhaven (1887) 76. Abd.
Whyles I ettle at the trade, Wi' erfsome fear an' trembling, The
fient a muckle o't I've made, Still Cottar s Sunday (\i>a,^) 173.
Per. Sandy Scott (1B97) 10. Fif. It'll no mak' muckle o' a sale,
puir auldbody I HEDDLE7I/n;g-f<(i899) 10. Rnf. Attack the cheese,
An' eat as meikle as ye please, Picken Poems (,1813) I. 62. Ayr.
Yet they've muckle to learn. Ballads and Sngs. (1847) I. 53. Lnk.
There's mickle baith o' want an' wae 'Midst your prosperity, Orr
Laigk Flichts (1882") 62. Lth. She had mickle to thole, she had
mickle to learn, Ballantine Poems (1856) 4. Dmf. Wi' mickle
o' pleasure and mair o' wae, Reid Poems (1894) 127. n.Ir.
It's ower ocht hoo muckle waens can eat, Lyttle Paddy
McQuillan, 11. Dwn. It wuz as meckle as we cud dae till get him
till promise, Lyttle Ballycuddy {iSgz) 24. Nhb. We haven't seen
that mickle o' ane anithcrof late, Clare Loveof Lass (1890) I. 27 ;
Cuckoo, scabb'd gowk, Mickle said, little wrought, Flk-Lore Rec.
(1879)11.64. Lakel.^ Many a little maks a mickle. Cum. I ne'er
had muckle, ne'er kent want, Anderson Ballads (cd. 1808) 97 ;
Ye'd hae muckle to do, Blamire Poet. Wks. (c. 1794I 197, ed.
1842; Cum.^ There's nut mickle on her, 38. s.Wm. Ye dunnet
addle as mickle ta day, Hutton Dial. Slovth and Arnside (1760)1.
28. n.Yks. If they hev mickle, they want mair, Twf.ddell Clcvcl.
Rhymes (1875') 48; n.Yks.' ; n.Yks.^ It cost a mickle o' money.
e.Yks. Is there mickle ti' dea ? Marshall Rur. Econ. (17881.
ni.Yks.' A went [vast] mickle. Mickle wad hae muckle, an' muckle
wad hae mair. w.Yks. How mickle has he got? (C.W.D.); w.Yks.'
Mickle wad hev maar. ne.Lan.'Manylittlesmeyak a mickle. Many
mickles meyak a mile. Nhp.' Still retained in the common adage,
• Many littles make a mickle.' Brks.' Manya little maaykesamickle.
\ Hmp.'
11. Phr. to make mickle of, (i) to show great attention to,
to make much of; (2) to succeed, prosper; (3)10 be in
good health ; to improve in health.
(i) Sc. (Jam.), Cai.' Lnk. He may indeed, for ten or fifteen
days, Mak' meikle o' ye, wi' an unco fraise, Ramsay Gentle Shep.
(1725) 32, ed. 1783. (2) Sc. Take it all to yoursell. Captain, and
meikle ye are likely to make on't, Scott St. Ronan (1824) viii.
(3) Fif. 'Hoo's Dauvit, yer britherl' ' Faith, I dinna think he's
makin' muckle o't,' Robertson Provost (1894) 27.
12. Size, measure, bulk, height ; freq. in pi.
w.Yks. ' What mickle is it ? ' ' It'snoa mickle ato, hardly '(D.L.\
Lan. O deyle o bronze figgurs ov o mickels un shaps, Ormerod
Felleyfro Rachde (1864) ii ; Her meikle is not to be found, Kav-
Shuttleworth Ribblesdale, I. 21 ; Lan.', e.Lan.' Chs.' ; Chs.2
He is of no mickles; Chs.^ s.Chs.' £e z u nbo mik-lz [He's o'
noo mickles]. Stf., Der. (J.K.)
13. pi. Ingredients, varieties. n.Yks. = Sundry mickles.
[Ector . . . most is in mynd for his mykyllstrenght, Z>fs/.
jyoy (c. 1400) 1477; He was mighty on molde & mekuU
goode hade, ib. 159 ; pe mukel . . . loghe to ))e lyfte rered,
Cleamiess (c. 1360) 366, in Allit. P., ed. Morris, 47. OE.
))ticel (inycel), great (B.T.).]
MICKLED, pp. w.Cy. Dev. [mikld.] 1. In phr.
mickled with {the) cold, benumbed with cold.
w.Cy. Grose (1790) Suppl. Dev.' n.Dev. Ad ! tha wet be
mickled and a steeved wi' tha cold, E.\in. Scold. (1746) 1. 277 ;
Mickled with the cold, Horae Subsccivae (1777J 273.
2. Choked, suflbcated, parched with thirst.
Dev. I'm niest 'pon mickled! Diiee gie me a jiig ov zyder!
Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892) ; Dev.' Go vet me the latin cup of best
drink, the pilam is a go down my droat ; I'm just a mickel'd, 4.
n.Dev. Rock Jim an Ndl (1867) Gl.
MICKMICK, sb. Lin.' [mi-kmik.] The green wood-
pecker, Geciniis viridis.
MICKSEN, see Mixen.
MICKY, rt^y. w.Yks.2 [mi-ki.] Pull, pale-faced.
A man said of another man who had been drinking the previous
night, ' He looks very micky 1 '
MID, adj. and sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng. [mid.]
1. adj. In comb, (i) Mid-aged, middle-aged ; (2) -belten,
o'lS., the middle of the Beltane quarter ; see Beltane ; (3)
•cuppil or -kipple, the thong uniting the two staves of a
flail ; (4) -eld, middle age ; (5) -feather, {a) a narrow ridge
of land between two pits ; (b) a middle partition, esp. the
partition between two flues of a chimneystack ; (c) a salt-
making term : the plates running between the fires and
parallel to the sides of the pan ; id) the principal timber
at the bottom of a cart ; [e) the post against which folding-
doors are shut ; (6) -finger, the middle finger ; (7) -ground,
a fishing-ground situated in a middle position ; also used
attrib. ; (8) -house, half-way ; (9) -leg, in phr. mid-leg deep,
up to the middle of the leg ; (lo) .man, a mediator between
contendingparties; (ii)-noon, noon, mid-day; (i2)-person,
a third person or middleman between two others; (13)
•ray Sunday, mid-Lent Sunday ; (14) -rib, the middle rib;
the midrifi"; (15) -room, (a) a small room between the
kitchen and the other room of a three-roomed cottage ;
(b) the middle compartment of a boat ; also used aitrib. ;
(16) -side, in phr. mid-side deep, in salt-making : a measure
of depth equal to about one half; (17) -stay, the barn-
floor between the mows ; (18) -stead, a homestead ; used
attrib.; {19) -stick, the middle stick of a kite, &c. ; (20)
-thigh, in phr. mid-thigh deep, up to the middle of the
thigh ; (21 ) -thrill, a piece of timber supporting the boards
at the bottom of the cart ; (22) -time, in phr. Tiiid-lime of
day, mid-day, noon ; (231 -water, the middle of a stream
or of the sea ; also usedyfg-.
(i) Per. He wasna a laddie, but a mid-aged man and a barrister,
Sandy Scott (1897) 14. (2) Wm. Bout mid-belten twas or Ise be-
thought awrang, when I must passe ore th' Breamy bourne, Brath-
w xn Mushronie {161^) 130. (3; n.Sc. This is sometimes made of
an eel's skin ; at other times, of what is called a tar-leather, i. e. a
strong slip of a hide salted and hung, in order to prepare it for
this use (Jam.). Gall. Cappin, a piece of green hide, firmly tied
to that half of a flail called the 'soople,' so that the ' midkipple,'
another piece of hide, may connect it to the other half, the ' hand-
stalT,' Mactaggart^hiT)'!:/. (1824) 115, ed. 1876. N.L' (4) n.Yks.*
(5, a^ Chs.' Most of our ponds or pits are old marl pits, and the
mid-feather appears to have been left between an old and a new
pit. The reason probably was that by the time a new pit was
wanted the old one had become filled with water and could not
be again worked ; but the same seam of marl was worked as near
the old pit as possible, the mid-feather being left to dam the water
out of the new pit. Also a turf-getting term. In former times
there was no drainage from the peat bogs ; and when a turf-getter
in digging out turf got to the bottom of a hole the water filtered in
upon his work and stopped him. He, therefore, left a mid-feather
of solid turf between the hole he was digging and the previous
hole, and baled the water over it, whilst he got the bottom ' lift'
of the turf out; Chs.^a, s.Chs.' (i) w.Yks. (T.H.H.), e.Lan.',
Chs.' (c) Chs.' (rf) w.Yks. (J.J.B.\ w.Yks.'* {e) w.Yks.'
{61 Sh.L ' Shu . . . trivl'd his airm up efter, wi' her mid finger — '
'Why wi' her mid fing'r, daa?' 'Did doo niver ken . . . 'at da
auld folk afore dis, widna touch ony sair wi' dir fore finger?' Sh.
News{¥eh. 17, 1900). (7) Sh.L Whin da hoe is doon, an' da bod-
dom cleen, frae da mid grund an' in efter, Sh. News (June 9, 1900) ;
As recently as soj-ears ago, the mid-ground Ij'ings, or raeds, each
belonged to a certain boat or skipper, and it was considered almost
an act of theft — or at least of aggression — for another crew to set
lines on a man's lying, even although that man was ashore at the
time, ib. (Oct. 21, 1899). (8) Edb. I dare not gang so far, But I
shall gae mid house and mair, Pennecuik IVks. (1715) 394, d-
1815. (9) Sur, I have seen the Kensington Road covered, footlock,
MID
[102]
MIDDEN
or midleg deep with puddle, Marshall Review (1817) V. 358. (10)
Sc. A large paper which a very gracious and wise brother, some-
what a mid-man betwixt us, had drawn, Baillie LeII. (1775) II.
380 (Jam/. (ii)Lth. Whether at midnoon panting laid, Ye crav'd
coy zephyrs transient aid, Macneill Poet. IVks. (1801) 237, ed.
1856. ^12) Sc. Be writ or epistle, or be ane mid person, called
' Nuntius,' Skene Difficill IVds. (1681) 42. (^13; e.Yks.i The rays
of the sun are vertical to the equator, or mid-way on the earth.
(14; n.Cy. Up ta fmid-rib (B.K.). Nrf. I examined the mess in the
fri'ing-pan — pieces of liver, . . midrib, Emerson Lagoons (ed.
1896 76. 1,15,(1) Sc. (Jam.), BnfT.i Gall. Mactagc.art Eiicycl.
(1824). (i) Sh.I. The boat was divided into six compartments,
viz., fore-head, fore-room, mid-room, oost-room, sholt hurrik or
kannie, Spence Flk-Lore ^1899^ 127; Dy faaider, an' Robbie took
da forward aers, An' Magnie an' Aandrew sat i' da midroom, Sh.
News (Apr. 23, 1898 ; S. & Ork.i (16) Chs. It is then taken and
placed midside deep in brine. Marshall Review (1818) II. 59.
(17) Wll.i (18) w.Yks. In the township of Royston, near Barnsley,
there are eighteen freeholders, not all of whom reside in the town-
ship, known as ' midstead owners,' Leeds Merc. Siifipl. (Nov. 7,
1896); I take it that ' midstead owner ' is virtually equivalent to
' homestead owner,' the homesteads of Royston lying together in
the middle of the township, with the town fields around them and
the four pieces of common land at the verge or boundary of the
township, ib. (ig) Frf. Splicin' the midstick of a laddie's kite that
had been broken, Willock Rosctly Ends (1886) 170, ed. 1889.
(20') Cum. Whea was't durst venture mid-thie deep? Anderson
Ballads (ed. 1808 89. {21' Chs.i Two longitudinal pieces known
as 'thrill bars' or 'mid thrills' are mortised into the binders, and
these support the boards which form the bottom of the cart (s.v.
Cart). (22) Sh.I. Auld an' young maun noo hae it [teal, laek shute
watter, mornin', e'enin', an' midtime-a-day, Stewart Tales (1892)
247; Sharg, sharg, shargin', e'enin', mornin', and midtime o' daj-,
ib. 64. (23) Sc. (Jam., s.v. Myd-watter.) CId. Applied to a person
who is always in difficulties or trouble. ' I ne'er saw him better,
he's aye in mid-wattir ' \ib.).
2. sb. The middle, the centre.
Cum. Gl. (1851). Der. Afore New Year's Day, or come mid' 0'
Janawary at latest. Good IVds. (1881) 850.
MID, see Mad, sb.'^. Mud, v.'^
MIDDA, see Mather, //;/„ Meadow.
MIDDEN, sb. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Win. Yks. Lan.
I. Ma. Chs. Der. Not. Lin. War. Wor. Nrf. Suf. Also
written middin Sc. Dur.' Cum.' \Vm. n.Yks." e.Yks.'
w.Yks.^ n.Lan.' ne.Lan.' Der.' Lin. Wor. ; and in forms
medding Sc. ; midding Sc. N.Cj-.= Dur. Wm. w.Yks.^ Lan.
Lin.' [midin, -an.] I. Any place or receptacle for dirt
and rubbish ; a dunghill, a heap of manure or refuse, the
cesspool of a privy. Also used attrib.
Sc. Like the cock in the midden in the fable book, Stevenson
Calriona (1893) xix ; A cock is crouse on his ain midding, Fer-
guson Prov. (1641) 4. Sh.I. The manure ... is a midden, con-
sisting of dung, of heather that has been cut for litter, of sea-weed,
and of earth, or dry decomposed moss, named Duft-mould, Hibbert
Desc. Sh. I. (1822) 201, ed. 1891. Cai.' Elg. Couper Poetry
(1804) II. 70. Bch. We dinna ken his midden, Forbes Ulysses
(1785) 16. Bnff. He took refuge on the logs, near the Middens
(where the refuse of the city was laid down'. Smiles A'rtftic. {1876)
24, ed. 1893. Abd. Only on occasions of great solemnity were
the middens or dunghills removed, Turreff Gleanings ,1859' 7.
Frf. Piper of Peebles (1794') 5. Per. Monteath Dunblane (1835)
18, ed. 1887, Fif. Zig-zaggin', wi' great tent and toil. Through
the thick middens, Tennant Pfl/>/4-//-_y (1827) 127. Dmb. In case
I should be brocht owre the coals by . . . for his whumble intil
the midden. Cross Disruption (1844) v. Rnf. Aft hast thou hidden
'Mang worthless rubbish i' the midden His priceless diamond-written
pages, YoL-NG Pictures (1865) 158. Ayr. As if I was a thing no fit
to be lifted off a midden with a pair of iron tongs, Galt Provost
(1822) vii. Lnk. Some score o' critic wasps, aiblins some midden
flees, Nicholson Idylls (1870) 73. Edb. Crawford Poems (1798)
95. Bwk. Ye'll flounder in the midden, Calder Poems (1897)
219. Peb. From a midden's height to crow, Liittoun Green (1685)
II, ed. 1817. Slk. It's like fa'in frae heaven to earth, . . frae the
empyrean on a midden. Cur. North Nodes (ed. 1856) III. 339.
Dmf. Wha at a biddin Skelped oot, and socht materials in Frae
Nature's midden, Quinn Hcat/ier {1863) 134. Gall. Let me ahint
the midden first, for I'm no fond o' lead draps mysel', Crockett
Raider (1894'! xviii. Wgt. Fraser Wigtown (1877) 22, N.I.>
Ant. Baltymena Obs. (1892 > Dwn. We hae been readin' in the
newspapers aboot them middens. . . A beleeve a weel-biggit midden
is a sonsy wholesome thing aboot ony man's hoose, an' guid fur
the appetite, Lyttle Ballyaiddy (1892) 83. Don. Then bury the
knots in a midden, Black Flk-Medicine (1883) iii. N.Cy.'^ Nhb.
Berwick is a dirty town, A church without a steeple ; There's a
midden at every door ; God curse all the people, Denhani Tracts
led. 1892^ 285. Mib., Dur. Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). Dur.
(K.)', Dur.' Cum.* Better wed ower t'midden ner ower t'moor.
Cum., Wm. (M.P.) Wm. Wefand it liggingath middin, Wheeler
Dial. 1,1790) 41 ; Fadder, yah may be sewer, hed varra lile chance
o' craain on his aan midden. Spec. Dial. (i88o) pt. ii. 43; (K.)
n.Yks.'sa*. ne.Yks.' e. Yks. Marshall /eH;. £fOH. (1788); e.Yks.',
m.Yks.' w.Yks. He's a poor cock 'at cannot craw of his awn
middin' (J.T.F. ; w.Yks. '^^45 Lan. Hoo gwos by th' name o'
'Midden i' Fithers,' Waugh Chim. Co? ner (18741 26, ed. 1879;
The odour from shippons and middens, Vrakcis Daughter 0/ Soil
(1895) 26 ; Lan.' The ashpit at one time commonly attached to
most houses in Lancashire. n.Lan.' I. Ma. Like an ould boot
upon a midden. Brown Witch (1889) 39; On this he played
. . . from the top of the midden outside in summer, Caine Man.x-
man (1894) pt. i. v. Chs.'^ Midi. The cock is crowing on the
midden, Bartram People of Clapton (1897) 156. Der.'^, nw.Der.',
Not. (W.H.S.) Lin. Skinner (1671). sw.Lin.' In the 'Mayor's
Cry,' an old Proclamation of municipal regulations for the City of
Lincoln, all men ' that have any middings, dirt hills, or any other
filth at their garth ends,' are ordered to remove them. War.*
Wor. N. & Q. (,1855 ist S. xi. 440. Suf. The meadow instead of
the midden outside the door, Fison Merij Suf. (1896) 50.
Hence Middened up, ppt. adj. covered or smothered
with dirt or rubbish. n.Yks.^
2. Coiitp. (i) Midden-bol or -biil, a dunghill, the receptacle
for the drainage of a cow-house ; (2) -bottom, the site on
which a manure-heap has stood; (3) -cock, a dunghill
cock, the principal cock of a yard ; fig. the chief man of a
place ; (4 1 -creel, a basket for manure or refuse ; (5) -crow,
the carrion crow, Corvus corone ; also usedy?§-. for a person
of low extraction ; (6) -crown, the top or summit of a
dunghill; (7) -cruke, see (5) ; (8) -daup, (a) see (5); {b) a
dastardly fellow; (9) -dub, a pool or hole in which the
moisture from a dunghill is collected, a dunghill puddle ;
(10) -dung, manure from a dunghill ; (11) -dyke or -daek,
the wall of a dunghill ; (12) -fork, a fork for handling
manure; (13) -head, (n) see (6) ; (b)m-p\\T. to be heard upon
the niiddeii-hcad, to quarrel openly ; (14) -heap, a dunghill ;
(15) -hole, a hole or hollow in which manure and refuse
is collected, a dung-heap ; a small pool of dirty water
beside a dunghill ; (i6)-lairach, see (2) ; (17) -making, the
making of dunghills ; (18) -mavis, a rag-picker, one who
rakes up dunghills and dust-bins for scraps; (19) -monarch,
a cock ; (20) -mount, a mound or rampart formed of
heaped-up dung and rubbish ; (21) -muck, the filth of the
dung-heap; (22) -mylies, [a] the goosefoot, Chenopodiiim
album ; (b) the wild spinach, CIt. Boiius-Heiirictis ; (23)
-pant, a pool formed by the drainage of a dunghill, a
receptacle for the drainage of a cow-shed ; (241 -peel, see
(9) ; (25) -quick, a worm bred from manure deposit ; (26)
•scarter, a hen ; (27) -spuce, see (14) ; (28) -stance, (29)
■stead or -steethe, the site of a dunghill, a place for storing
manure, rubbish, &c., a dunghill, ash-heap ; (30) -sump,
see (23) ; (31) -tap, see (6).
(i) Sh.I. Doo sood a tought afore doo shiv'd ony body i' da
midden bol wi' naethin apo' dae feet bit bits o' auld sukkalegs, Sh.
News (Aug. 6, 1898) ; Dis am fun i' da midden bill oot by da lioose,
ib. (May 22. 1897). (2) Nhb.' ,3) Sc He was as uplifted as a
midden-cock upon pattens, Scott Midlothian (1818) xliii. Rnf.
Our middin cock Craw'd i' the night at Twall o'clock, Picken Poems
(1813) I. 120. Ayr. His wee three-cornered hat sittin' on three
hairs like a bit midden cock on his heid, Service Notandums 1890)
77. Peb. A blust'ring midden cock . . . With his loud-cackling
Partlet blest, Lintoun Green (1685^ 40, ed. 1817. Gall. Midden
cocks het frae thebawks, Mactaggart f/igr/. (1824) 11 1, ed. 1876.
n.Yks.^ (4) Ayr. Her walie nieves like midden-creels, BtJRNs
Willie's Wife, st. 4. (5' N.Cy.', Nhb.', n.Yks.^, ne.Lan.' (6) Sc.
Richt ower the midden-croun, Donald Poems (1867) 45. (7)
n.Yks.2 (8 a, b) w.Yks,' (9) w.Sc. (Jam.) Ayr. He was harlt
through mire and midden dub, Galt /,aiV-(/s (1826) xi. (10) Sc.
Midding-dung either unmixed or compounded with earth ; . . if it be
designed for grain, it should be plowed into the ground as soon as
possible after it is laid on it to prevent waste by exhalation,
MIDDEN
[103]
MIDDLE
Maxwell Sel. Trans. (1743) 200 (Jam.), (h) Sh.I. Shu clappid
her apon a muckle stane i' da midden daek, Sh. News (Aug. 6,
1898). Lth. Ye'll find him sittin' on Robbie Blair's raidden-dyke,
Swan Carlowrie (1895) x. (la) I. Ma. Carrying in one hand a
bucket-full of potatoes and a midden-fork in the other, Ryding
Tales (1895) 21. (,13, a) Sc. He saw upon the medding-head a
tall black man of a grim countenance, Kirkton CIi. Hist. (181 7)
XX. Sh.I. He keepit wis a whole winter sittin wi Job upun his
midden head, Burgess Tang (1898) 30. Elg. Why did ye sleep,
ye lazy tykes, On midden-head, Couper Poetry (1804) \\. 220.
Abd. Ae hen frae affyor midden head Ye grudge to kill for me,
Williams Farmer's Tint Laddies (1900) st. 8, e.Flf. He . . . gaed
roon to the midden-head wi't, Latto Taiii Bodkin (1864) xxix.
Ayr. Its roots and rankness are in the midden-head of Arminianism,
Galt Gilhaise (1823) xiii. Lnk. Ye craw unca croose on yer ain
midden-heid, Murdoch Readings (1895) HI. 104. Dmf. Picken's
hen's cauld and dead. Lying on the midden head, Wallace School-
tuaster (1899) 377. Gall. Fetch every swineherd Kennedy from
every midden head, Crockett Grey Man (1896) 67. (A) Abd. Had
o' the bargin we made an outred We's no be heard upo' the midden
head, Ross HeUnore (1768) 93, ed. 1812. (14) Frf. Rowin' owre
an'owre aneanither in the parental midden-heap, Willock Roset/y
Ends (1886') 129, ed. 1889. n.Yks.^ Nrf. An ancient and festering
midden-heap stands before the door of the dairy, Longman's Mag.
(Mar. 1899) 417. (15) Sc. Caused Maggy bann. Lap o'er the
midden and midden-hole. And aff he ran. Ballad in Scott IVaverley
(1814) Pref. to 3rd ed. Abd. [He] plumpet in Kate's midden-hole.
Cock Strains \^i%i6) H. 122. Per. What adds considerably to their
miserable state is the abominable but too general practise of placing
the dung-hill (midden-hole, vulgarly) before tlie doors of their
dwelling-houses. Statist. Ace. XIX. 333 i Jam.) ; Sometimes a hole
or small pool beside a dunghill in which filthy water stands (Jam.).
Ayr. An' she cry'd. Lord preserve her ! An' ran thro' midden-hole
an' a'. Burns Hallozteen (1785) st. 23. Nhb.' The porthole through
which ashes are shot. Lan. He roll't ofl'th' kitchen slate into th'
midden-hole, Waugh Owd Bodle, 257 ; Lan.i Chs.' Generally
slightly sunk below the surface of the ground. (16) Bnff. (Jam.,
s.v. Lerroch). (17) Gall. A new set o' folk is coming about me
athegether now, wha talk about plowin and middinmakin, Mac-
taggart Encycl. (1824) 28, ed. 1876. (18) Lth. Ilk tree-legg'd
man, ilk club-taed laddie. Ilk midden mavis, wee black jaudie. A'
dreadan' fearye,BALLANTiNEPof«<5(i856)68. Edb.i'6. Gaberlumie
(ed. 1875) Gl. (19) Fif. The craw o' the cock, for . . . a wheen o'
thae indispensable midden-monarchs hae their abode ... at the
back o' my auld cronie's hoose, McLaren Tibbie (1894) 116. (20)
Sc. A species of rampart used by the inhabitants of the city of
Edinburgh during the reign of Charles I in defending themselves
against the batteries of the castle (Jam.). Abd. They raise midding
mounts upon the causeway, and fill up sundry houses with sand
and water to resist fireworks, Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) I. 214.
(21) n.yics.2 As mean as midden-muck. (22, a) n.Sc. Thus
denominated as growing on dunghills (Jam.), (i) Slk. Sometimes
eaten with salt, in times of scarcity, 16. (s.v. Myles). (23) Cum.
The breydegruome roun the middin pants Proud as a peacock
stretches, Stagg Misc. Poems (ed. 1805) 129; Cum.' Cum., Wm.
(M.P.), w.Yks.i, ne.Lan.i (24) Cai.> (25) n.Yks.2 A kind of
worm, with which the angler baits his hook. (26) Per. Wi' loads a'
produce o' the midden-scarters, Stewart Character (1857) 189.
(27I Lan. Fur e smells wur nur o midden-spuce, Scholes Tim
Gamwattle (1857 1 39 ; I moot os weel ha bin o'er th' heeod in o
midding spuce, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1806) 46. (28) Sc.
The oozings, after all, are not entirely lost, as the middenstance
requires no more manure, Stephens Farm Bk. : ed. 1849) I. 467.
(29) Sc. Keep the breadth of the middenstead between them,
Scott Leg. Mont. (1818) vi. Cai.' Abd. The destroyer . . . was
permitted to flaff his wings, and to craw on the midden-stead of
carnal victory, Ruddiman Sc. Par. (1828) 39, ed. i88g. Ayr. Like
the heft o* a muck fork frae a midden-stead, Ainslie Land of Burns
(ed. 1892) 99. Lnk. Up, like cock on middenstead, Sprung Satan
on the barrel head, Deil's Hallowe'en (1856' 23. e.Lth. Has Tod
Lowrie ony property in land o' his ain, forby the bit midden-stcid
that gies him a vote in his ain coonty ? Hunter J. Inwici (1895)
89. Gall. The young cock could craw crouser than the old upon
the same midden-stead, Crockett Moss-Hags (1895) v. N.Cy.*
Nhb. In the middensteed he was a mighty man, ChattFoc;)!5( 1866)
87; Nhb.', e.Dur.' Cum. To see her throw away her money 'ontil
t'niidden-steed as a body mud sae,' Linton Liccie Lotion (1867 !
xxiv ; The place where it stands, with its surrounding wall in
well-kept farm-yards ( J. Ar.). Cum.,Wm. (M.P.) n.Yks.' ; n.Yks.^
' He married her mair for t'muck than t'midden-steead,' more for
her property than her person ; n.Yks.", m.Yks.' w.Yks.' He wor
standing hard by t'midden-steead, ii. 292 ; w.Yks.', Lan.' (30)
Cum.' Cum., Wra. (M.P.) (31) Lnk. Like flees on stinkin' midden-
tap, Coghill Poems (1890) 65. Kcb. This morning bodes us ill, . .
For the gray crow flew o'er the midden-tap, Davidson Seasons
(1789) 95 (Jam.).
3. Phr. (1) an eating midden, a glutton, one who sacrifices
everything to the gratification of his appetite ; (2) cock of
the midden, the principal person of a place, one who rules
everybody else in his own house or neighbourhood ; (3)
to tnnny a midden for muck, to marry for money.
(i) Ags. (Jam.) (2) s.Dur. Cock of his own midden (J.E.D.).
w.Yks.' Lan. He's th' cock o' this here midden, Westall Birch
Dene (1889) II. 17. ne.Lan.' Lin.' He is cock of the midding.
1,3) w.Yks.' You'd marr3' a midden for muck.
4. A heap or large quantity.
n.Yks.'^ He can eat a midden o'meat. It has been a midden 0' rain.
5. A contemptuous term for a woman.
Sc. A dirty slovenly woman (Jam.). CaL', N.Cy.', ne.Lan.'
6. pi. A name given to certain rocks outside South
Shields harbour. Also called Black Middens.
N.Cy.' Dangerous rocks on the north side of the entrance into
South Shields harbour. Nhb. To . . . the billows shocks. On the
dread Black Middens' Rocks (W.G.).
[1. A middynge, sterquilinium, Cath. Angl. (1483) ; A
fowler myddyng sawe ^ow never nane, Hampole Pr. C.
(c. 1340) 628. Dan. vMding, a dunghill ; mcfig-dynge, a
dung-heap (Larsen) ; ON. myki-dyngja (Vigfusson).]
MIDDEN, /ir<?/. m.Yks.' [mi-dan.] Amid.
I found a goose-egg midden the straw-bands.
[pe stasf tobrasc a midden, Lajamon (c. 1205) 8154.]
MIDDER, see Mother, sb}
MIDDERN,sZ). Nhb.' [mi'darn.] The midriff or dia-
phragm.
MIDDHUP, sh. Irel. Also in form midthyp. An odd
or curious instrument. s.Don. Simmonds Gl. (1890).
MIDDINiG, MIDDIS, see Midden, sb., Mids.
MIDDLE, adj., sb. and v. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and
Eng. [midL] 1. adf In comb, (i) Middle-band or
■bant, a thong passed through the 'capple' of a flail, con-
necting the swipple with the handstaff ; (2) -banes, the
waist; (3) •bin(d, (4) -bond, -bont, or -bun, see (i) ; (5)
•coal, the strata of coal in Lightmoor Winsey pit ; (6)
•day, mid-day ; (7) -horned, of cattle : belonging to a
particular kind between that of longhorns and shorthorns;
(8) -leg-deep, knee-deep ; (9) -limmers, limmers or shafts
that are attached to the yoke-hole in the centre of a tub-
end ; (10) -mie, in brewing : the hquor drawn off from the
second mash ; (11) -night, midnight ; (12) -piece, a board
forming part of the bottom of a cart ; (13) -pole, the gear
which attaches the hind to the fore-wheels of a wagon ;
(14) -spear, (a) the upright timber of a gate between the
'harrow' (q.v.) and the head; (b) the upright beam to
which the folding-doors of a barn are fastened ; (15)
•stead, the compartment of a barn which contains the
threshing-floor; (16) -stree, see (14, 6); (17) -street stones,
boundary stones where an owner holds only one side of
a village; (18) •tree, see (14, b); (19) •way, 'middling,'
pretty well.
(i) ne.Yks.' Chs.' Usually made of whitleather. s.Chs.'
nw.Der.i Midi baand. s.Not. (J.P.K.), Nhp.', War.s (2) w.Som.'
Mud-1 bae-unz. Olisal. n.Dev. E.vm. Crtshp. (1-146) Gl. (3) Som.
(W.F.R.) w.Soni.' Miid-l-buyn. f4'inw.Der.' Midl-bont. s.Wor.',
Glo.' Ken.' Midlbun. (5) Shr. Marshall /?cz;;V!i' ti8i8i II. 200.
(6) e.Suf. I expect a letter by the middle-day post (F.H.). Som.
There were a black cloud or two, middle day, Raymond Men o'
Mendip 1 1898) i. Colloq. If I don't hear from you by middle-day,
I shall know j'ou are not coming. Middle-day dinner (A. B.C.).
(7)Nrf. Improving their established breed, the middle-horned variety,
which in view of the uses of cattle in this country is far preferable
to either of the other breeds, Marshall Review (1811) III. 396.
(8) Nhb. Darlington Gl. (1887). s.Chs.' Dhu sltij iz mid 1-lcg-
deep [The sludge is middle-leg-deep]. (9) Nhb.' Nhb., Dur.
Limmers that are attached to the yoke-hole in the centre of a tub-
end, Nicholson Coal Tr. Gl. (1888). (10^ w.Yks.^ (11) Sc. I
was to be carrying them their meat in the middle night, Stevenson
Calriona (1893^1 xxi. (12I s.Chs.' One or two longitudinal pieces
[of oak] known as ' midl-peysiz' [middle pieces] are mortised
MIDDLED
[104]
MIDDLING
into the fore-bond and arse-bond (s.v. Cart). (13) n.Lin.i (14 a, b)
Dor.' (s.v. Harrow). (15' e.An.' Generally in the middle of the
building. But the same name serves, should it be, as in small barns
it sometimes is. at one end. Suf. Rainbird Agtic. (1819) 296, ed.
1849; Suf.' (i6'iNrf.^rf/i. (1879) VIII. 171. e.Suf. (F.H.) (17)
Cum.' (i8i e.An.' (19) w.Som.' ' I suppose you have done well
with your dairy goods ? ' ' Wuul, zr, mud'l-wai'ee luyk ' [Well,
sir, middling like].
2. sb. The waist, the middle part of the body.
Sh.I. Your gowden hair hangs ta your middle sae jimp, Stewart
Tales (189a) 236 ; His strops tied aboot his middle, Sh. A'ews
(J"ly 31. 1897). Abd. Queans dink, and neatly prin'd, Frae tap
to middle, Keith Faniio's Ha' (1774^ st. 55. Ayr. The body \vi'
his coorse grey claes and clapper tied to his middle wi" a rape.
Service Nolaiidiims (1890) 71. Dmf. Nae mair wi' kilted coats
we see Thy middle jimp and sma', Johnstone Poems (1820) 78.
n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.) Lan.' He wur up to his middle i' watter. He
geet him bj' th' middle an' pitch'd him upo' th' floor. m.Lan.'
Shr.' I dunna like puttin" a strap round a child's middle to dade
05th — it mak's 'em inclined to peck forrat. Oxf.'- MS. add.
w.Som.' * 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.
3. V. To finish weaving one piece of cloth off two or
more parts in the same loom. w.Yks. (J-M.) 4. Phr.
to middle in with, to show signs of, to be attacked (by an
illness).
Sh.I. Mony a evil day an' oor is geen ower mi head sin I first
middled in wi' hit [bronchitis], Sh. News (Aug. 28, 1897).
MIDDLED, />/>/. rt(^'. and 56. Sh.I. Also written midled ;
and in form middelt S. & Ork.' 1. ppl. adj. A sheep-
marking term : having a piece cut out of the middle of
the ear.
The right lugg midled, the left lugg shulled in the top a bit before,
Sh. News (Dec. 18, 1897); The right lugg middled, the left lugg
feathered, ib.
2. sb. A sheep-mark : a piece cut out of the middle of
the ear. S. & Ork.'
MIDDLEERD, 56. Sc. Also in form midlert. \. Obs.
The earth, world.
n.Sc. Yet in use. . .amongoldpeople, by which they understand
this earth in which we live, in opposition to the grave. Thus they
say, 'There's no man in middle erd is able to do it' (Jam.). Abd.
This gate she could not long in midlert be, Ross Hetenore (1768)
59 ('•*■).
2. The nether regions.
Edb. She's ower thick wi' the Auld Ane and the folk that dwell
in the middle erd for a body tomell wi', BEATTYSfcre/ar (1897) 249.
MniT>l.i:iST,superl.adj. w.Yks.^ [mi'dl-ist] Middle-
most, most central.
MIDDLEKIN, adj. W\V [mi'dl-kin.] Tolerable.
MIDDLEMAS, sb. Ken. I.W. Also written middlemus
I.VV.' [mi'dl-mas.] Michaelmas. Ken. (G.B.),Ken.', I.W.'
MIDDLEMER, «(//. Lakel. Yks. [midlm3(r.] Central,
middle, coming between the eldest and youngest in age.
Lakel. 2 ' Is that t'auldest lad er youngest ? ' ' It's nowder, it's
middlemen' w.Yks. (J.W.)
MIDDLEMISH, adj. Brks. [Not known to our other
correspondents.] Moderate, middling ; not liberal.
A he's but a middlemish man ; not much for geein' (W.W.S.).
MIDDLEMOST, a(/y. Sc. Lakel. Yks. Brks. [niidlmast]
1. Central, nearest to the centre, most in the middle.
Sc.(A.W.i Lakel.2 T'middlemest o' t'lot. w.Yks.23
2. Moderate, not liberal. Brks. (M.E.B.)
MIDDLING, adj.,adv. and sb. Var. dial, and colloq. uses
in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also written middleing m.Yks.' ;
middlen w.Yks. Dor. Som. ; midlenLnk. ; midlin(g Dur.'
w.Yks.' Shr.= e.Ken. ; mydlyng Sc. ; and in form millin(g
w.Yks. 3 [mi'dlin.] 1. adj. Moderate, fair, tolerable ;
mediocre, indifferent, poor, bad ; varying in degree accord-
ing to the tone of the speaker or to a preceding adv.
Sc. ' Mydlying Mane,' a happy mean, Montgomerie- Fleming
Noteso>tJam.(iSgg). Sh.I. 'What sort of girl is that Smith one?'..
'O, sho's kind o'middlin,' Burgess /.oa/raB/^/nx (1896) 41. Lnk.
Gin ye and I warance cairded thro' ither, we may get bonny weans
o" a midlen mak, Graham IVritings {1883) II. 209, Gall. If folk . . .
had eneuch gumption to gie ye guid linen instead o' middlin silk,
Crockett Sttckil Mi.,. (1893) 243. n.Cy. 1 J.W.) Dur.' Of a
midlin size. w.Yks. He's middlen traade, Emsley Poems (1893) ;
w.Yks.= • How's trade?' 'Middling'; w.Yks.^ Chs.' But in a
middling way. s.Not. 'How's yer apples, John?' 'Oh, some's
middling, others is but middling' (J.P.K.). Lin. A person will
pass 'a middling night' (W.W.S.\ Rdn. Uncommon middling
[very inferior], Morgan PVds. (1881). War.3 Glo. I'd clean
forgot it : my recollection be a-getting so middlin', Gissing Ki'//.
Hampdeii (i8go) I. vi ; Glo.' It'll be a middling job for the farmers,
if the rain lastgs. Oxf.' The wife told him her husband had just
died. ' I wuz a good wife to 'ee,' said she. ' Middlin', missis,'
said the supposed corpse, MS. add. Lon. Times is middlin' with
me ; they might be better, but then they might be worse, Mayhew
Loud. Labour {1851'^ I. 268, col. i. Ken.' A word with several
shades of meaning, from very much or very good, to very little or
very bad. The particular sense in which the word is to be taken
for the time is determined by the tone of the speaker's voice alone.
Sur.' n.Wil. Said of anything that is moderate of its kind, but
deriving its real connotation from the adverb prefixed. ' Very
middling' is used of something that is poor or bad of its kind,
' pretty middling' of something good or well (W.C. P.). w.Som.'
I tookt out a middlin lot o' dirt sure 'nough. I never did'n zee no
jis mess avore. Dev. ' 'Avee got a giide crap ov pays thease yer?*
' Aw 'ess, middling-like,' Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892). Cor. Women
was like pilchards ; when 'urns bad 'ms bad, and when 'ms good
they is but middlin', Steel Rowans ,1895 1 380.
Hence (i) Middlingish, adj. moderate, fair, tolerable ;
(2) Middlingly, adv. moderately, not perfectly ; (3) middling
and, phr. moderately, tolerably.
(i) e.Vks.'' A middlinish few [a good quantity]. A middlinish
lot o' taties. w.Yks. (J.W.) Ken. A middlingish many, N. & Q.
(1878) 5th S. X. 52. ,2) Ayr. Even then she was but middlingly
pleased, Johnston Kihimllie (1891) I. 133. Wm. Them as laddies
their wits oot of other folk brains 'ill nobbut be middlinly sarrad.
Quarterly Reviezo (1867) CXX. 379. w.Yks. If they happen ta be
nobbut middlinlydressed, Tom TREDDLEHOYLEBain«/a^««. (1857)
50. (3^ Dev. I like gruel middling and sweet, Reports Provinc.
(1883) 88.
2. In a moderate state of health, fairly well ; indifferent,
poorly ; the degree of health varies in accordance with
the tone of the speaker or with a preceding adv.
Sc.(A.W. ! n.Ir.'Hoo'sa'wi'yethiswather?' ' Middlin', thank ye,'
Lyttlk Paddy McQuillan, 102. n.Cy. 1 J.W.) Dnr.' 'But middlin,'
not in good health. Cum.' I'se gaily weel to-day, but I was nobbut
varra middlin yesterday; Cum.* Dr. John Dalton replied to the
question asked by William IV, as to how things were going on at
Manchester, 'Very middlin.' Yks. 'Eh! 'ow'sthou?' 'Eh! I's
nobbut middlin', 'ow's j-ersel?' 'Well. I's joost middlin" (F.P.T.).
e.Yks.i Nobbut midlin. w.Yks. 'Well, Nancy, how are you to-
day?' 'Why middling, miss, i' myseln.' Bronte Agnes Grey
(1847) xi ; w.Yks. '^, ne.Lan.' Chs.' 'How are you to-day?'
' But middling'; Chs.3 ' How is Jack?' 'Middlin.' s.Stf. ' Very
middlin' ' means really ill. 'Pretty middlin 'is a reluctant con-
fession of good health, Pinnock Blk. Cy. Ann. (1895). nw.Der.'
s.Not. ' How are you to-day ? ' ' Pretty middlin, praise the Lord '
(J.P.K.). Lin. A person will pass 'a middling night ' and feel
• only middling ' next day (W.W.S.). War.^^ ; War.** I be pretty
middling, but the old woman, she be middling, and my poor lass,
she be vora middling. s.War.' This word has opposite meanings
according as it is preceded by 'pretty' or 'very.' 'I'm pretty
middling' means 'I am tolerably well.' But 'I'm very middling'
means 'I am very unwell.' w.Wor.', s.Wor.'. se.Wor.', Shr.',
Hrf.'2 Rdn. Uncommon middling [very ill]. Glo. There's one o'
th' owld yeows a bit middling to-day, Buckman Darke's Sojourn
(1890) 138; Glo.' Oxf. He's very middling. A'. & Q. (1874) 5th
S. i. 6 ; ' How's the missis ? ' ' Oh, very middling ' (G.O.). Brks.
Miss Winter, . . when she had ascertained 'that his missus wur
pretty middlin,' made some other commonplace remark. Hughes
T. Brown O.xf. (1861) xviii ; Brks.' I be but middlin' zur, thank
'e ; the rheumatics be bad agin. Hrt. I'm pretty middling, thank
you i^G.H.G.). Nrf. Thank ye. I fare pretty middling. How's
yourself? (W. R.E.); We're all kinder middlin', Cozens-Hardy
Broad Nif. (1893) 41. Suf. He's pretty middlin, e.An. Dy. Times
(1892) ; I fare sorter middlin asmornin (C.T.'). Ken. He's keeping
pretty middling (D.W.L.). e.Ken. I'm midling. thank you (G.G.).
Sur.' e.Sur. In response to an inquiry as to his health a native
will never get beyond the answer 'prettymiddlin' (G.L.G.). Hmp.
'How are you to-day?' 'O! I'm but middling' (H.C.M.B.).
Wil. 'Ten't more'n middlin' loike. Swinstead Parish on Wheels
(i897'l 26; Wil.', n.Wil. (W.C.P.^. Dor. (C.W.) w.Som.' Oh,
her idn on'y very middlin', eens mid zay ; her've a got the brown-
MIDDLING
[105]
MIDGE
titus shockin' bad like. Dev. To . . . cast him a "Do, Taveiner,
this morning ? Middling, eh ? ' Baring-Gould Red Spider (1889)
xviii.
Hence Middlinish, adj. in a fair state of health, moder-
ately well ; not very well, poorlj*.
e.Yks.' Ah's middlinish. Wil. You be lookin' middlinish, zur,
andael as if 'e was shrammed, Akerhan Tales (i&^'i) 137. w.Som. '
Wuul, Urchut, aew bee yiie-z-maurneen ? — Wuul, miid leeneesh
luyk, thang kee, Jiimz [Well, Richard, how are you this morning?
— Well, pretty tolerable, thank you, James].
3. Comp. Middling-ill, a disease in sheep : the red or
black water.
Dar. Young Anuah Agric. (1784-1815) XIX. 309. Wm. Reports
Agric. (1793-1B13) 24.
4. adv. Moderately, tolerably, fairly ; rather.
Sc. Meg was a sonsy lass, an' middlin' fair, Allan Lills (1874)
265. Sh.I. They all gave him a middling wide berth. Burgess
Sketches (2nd ed. ) 44. BnfT. The Register of Baptisms is kept
middling regularly since 1690, Gordon Cliroii. Keith (1880) 446.
Abd. It's a middlin'lang road, Ale.\ander.i4i'h Flk. (1882 i 21. Frf.
The middling good folk who did not go to church counted those
who did, Barrie Z.iV/;/ (i888j ii. Ayr. Jenny Whalbart and her
man were middlin' ticht o' the grup. Service Dr. Diiguid (ed.
1887) 26. e.Ltti. Simpson spak up middlin sensible. Hunter
J. Inuiick (1895) 29. Dmf. There was some meikle mares, and
some middling bonny, Shennan Tides (1831) 81. Gall. 'How's a"
your fouk at hame?' 'They're middling weel,' Nicholson Poc/.
IVks. 1^1814) 46, ed. 1897. Ir. 'Deed, he gits his health middlin'
well enough, glory be to goodness. Barlow Liscoiinel (1895)
22. Don. A week . . . these doin's lasted, an' then . . . came to a
middlin' sudden stop, Harpers Mag. (Sept. 1899) 510. Nhb.
' How fare they 1 ' 'Middlin' well,' Jones Nhh. 109. Cum. We
sartenly dud git middlin fresh, Richardson Talk (1876 2nd S. 4 ;
The gentleman blusht up teh t'een ... an slipe't middlin sharply,
SARGissoNyo«Srort/>(i88i"i54; Cum.^ Middlin' fairly gaily. «. Wm.
Their aald jinny ass bed a young un middlin grown, Spec. Dial.
(i885)pt.iii.28; Watyermiddlinggaily ? Ise reel fain et seeya hike
sa weel, Lonsdale Mag. (1821) II. 446. w.Yks.^ He'd aather come
ur send middlin offuns to ax after wur health, 60. Lan. That lone-
some spot geet things middlin weel to itsel, Clegg Dial. (1895) i ;
Wavin' wur middlin' good, Brierley Old Radicals, 8. I. Ma. I
walked middlin' quick down Agnesh Road, Rydings Tales (1895)
61 ; She is middlin cross to-day (S.M.). Chs.' Middling good.
War.2 We get on middling at the farm ; War.^ A middling
fair run. s.War.' ' We gets on pretty middling,' . . means
. . . we are doing well. But . . . ' he's going on very middling '
means ... he is doing very badly or conducting himself very badly.
Brks.* Work done ' but middlin',' is rather badly done. e.Ken.
'How do you like it?' 'Midling' (G.G.). Sur.' He's given to
chuck people out middlin' sudden. Sus. They did pretty middlin
answerable to their size, Egerton Flks. and Ways (1884) 85 ; Sus.'
It may mean very much, as, ' He lashed out middlin', I can tell
ye ! ' Or tolerably well, as, ' I doant know but what she made
out purty middlin'.' Or very bad, as, ' How did the wedding go
off?' ' Middling, thank you, sir. . . You see the parson he entirely
forgot all about it.' Wil.' A middlin' good crop. w.Som.' ' And
how's things looking ? ' ' Oh, purty middling like, mus'n grum'le.'
They zold their things middlin bad like, did'n em ? Dev. Iss fy,
they'm middling good children, O'Neill Idyls (1892) 32.
Hence Middlingish, adv. moderately, tolerably.
e.Yks.' He's middlinish off. w.Yks. (J.W.) Glo. We makes
our way — and a middlingish crukked way 'twere, I tell 'ee, Buck-
man Darke's Sojourn (1890, 61.
5. Comp. (i) Middling-fause, cunning; (2) -sharp, toler-
ably well ; (3) -sized, moderate in size.
(i) e.Lan. If then wanten to be middlin' fause, they should be
churchwardenforawhile,A^. fe'g. (i874)5th S.i.6. (2)Shr.'; Shr.2
The missis bin midling-sharp. (3) So. -A.W.) Ir. He was not quite
sure whether he were glad or sorry to find how heavy the middling-
sized ones seemed to lift. Barlow /(/)'/& (1892) 144. w.Yks. (J.W.)
6. sb. A mediocre person or thing, one that is not above
the average in capacity or health ; a moderate condition
of health ; gen. in phr. niiioiig the middlings.
Chs.' ' What sort of a man is your team-man ? ' ' Well ! he's
just about among the middlings.' s.Chs.' Of a person who does
not rise above the average of excellence, it is commonly said, ' He's
among the middlins.' Der. ' How are you to-day, Sam ? ' 'Only
among the middlin's, Mester' (H.R.). sw.Lin.l I'm no-but among
the middlings. Oxf.' So you be amongst the middlin's to-day. be
Missis? MS. add. Suf. I am only amongst themiddlings (M.E.R.}.
VOL. IV.
Lon. 'How are you getting on, Dick?' . . 'Well, only among the
middlings. Sir.' Sunday Mag. (1877) 182. Ken.' ' Well, Master
Tumber, how be you gettin' on now?' 'Oh, I be amongst the
middlins!' Dor. 'How be you? ' ' I' the middlens. thank 'ce, lad,'
Hare Vill. Street (1895I 146. Soni. 'An' how's Mr. CuUiford to-
day?' 'Amongst the middlens, Zir ; amongst the middlens," Ray-
mond Love and Quiet Life (1894) 25.
7. A moderate quantity, a good deal, a good many.
Yks. Do they give thee middling of brass, now? Upthrow of Celt,
225. w.Yks. (J.W.) Lan. I've had middlin' o' luck sin' I coom
back fro' Lunnon. Ab-o'-th'-Yate Xnias Dinner (1886) 4. sw.Lin.'
It made middling of money. She seemed to get middling of things.
We've got middling of herses.
8. //. Coarse flour or meal.
Lei.' The various qualities of meal are distinguished into — i.Bran,
2. Shorts, . . 5. Thirds or Middlings. War.^ Coarse flour with a
large proportion of bran. se.Wor.' Shr.' Food given to pigs,
being a mL-iture of bran and pollard. [The bran of wheat and
sometimes pollard, or middlings, are given to fowls, Stephens
Farm Bk. (ed. 1849) I. 357. 1
9. pi. A particular quality of teazle.
Glo. The central shoot of each plant called the King is cut, the
produce of the second and subsequent cuttings are sorted into
Queens, Middlings, and Scrubs, Marshall Review (1818) II.
457. Som, When made into ' packs,' a pack of ' kings' consisted
of 9000 heads, a pack of middlings of 20,000, while the scrubs were
of little value (W.F.R.).
10. pi. Potatoes of an intermediate size.
w. Mid. The larger ones being called 'ware,' and the smaller
ones 'chats' (W.P.M.).
11. pi. An instalment of ' shoe-money,' sometimes given
to hop-pickers in tlie middle of the hopping time. Ken.'
12. In tin-mining : the middle division of the contents
of a round ' buddle.' Also called Crease.
Cor.^ The 'crease' or 'middlings' containing tin that is sent
over the buddle a second time. . . These divisions are quite arbi-
trary ones made by the tin-dresser marking round with a shovel
when the buddle is full.
13. A miner's term for a place that has been worked on
all sides. m.Yks.'
MIDDRIT, see Midred.
MIDGAN, sb. Cor. Also written midjan Cor."'
[midgan.] A small fragment ; a scrap, shred. Also
usedy?^-.
A little ugly inidgan of a cur began to bark. Hunt Pop. Row.
w.Eng. (1865) I. 34 ; Why he scat all to midjans and jouds. J. Tre-
NOODLE Spec. Dial. (1846) 43; Cor.' The cup is skat to midjans;
Cor.2 Midjans and jowds.
MIDGE, sb. and v. Van dial, uses in Sc. Irel.and Eng.
[midg.] 1. sb. In comb, (i) Midge-clippings, used y?^.
for anything very small and delicate ; (2) -go-morrah,
hesitation, doubt, excuse ; (3) -grass, the meadow soft-
grass, Holciis lanatiis ; (4) -hole, a hole into which only a
midge can creep, a very small apartment ; (5) -'s knee-
buckle, a very small article ; (6) -tail clippings, used
iron, for one of the ingredients of a supposed medicinal
concoction ; see below.
(l^ Lan. Yo'r John's not made out of midge-clippins, Waugh
Heather {ed. Milner) II. 171. (2) Cor.^ Bottrell Trad. 3rd S.
Gl. (3) Nhb.> (4) n.Yks.= (5) N.I.» (,6) Ayr. Sal-alkali o'
Midge-tail clippings, And mony mae, 'Rvn^s Death and Dr. Horn-
book (1785) St. 22.
2. Any small fly. esp. the common house-fly. Cf. house-
midges, s.v. House, sb.^
Sc. A mosquito (Jam.). Cum." The ordinary house fly being
called house-midge. In the districts s. and sw. of Cockermouth,
' midge' refers only to the small gnat or biting fly. ' Bob stuck
tuU t'chair . . . like a midge tuU a flee-paper,' IV. C. T. X. (1899)
23, col. 4. n.Yks.2
3. A person of diminutive stature; anything very small.
BnfT.', Cld. (Jam.), n.Cy. (J.W.), n.Yks.2, e.Yks.', w.Yks.25
Lan.' ' Hasto seen his woife ? ' ' Aye, hoo's nowt but a midge.*
n.Lan.' ' Thow lile midge,' applied to a child. Chs.*
4. A small hackney-fly or carriage.
Dev. Small flys licensed to carry two or at most three persons,
to be seen on all the cab-stands about Torquay, are almost always
called Midges about that town. Reports Provinc. (1877) 133; Ap-
plied formerly at Torquay to a sort of miniature carriage, drawn
by a mule, and seldom holding more than one person with com-
MIDGE-MADGE
[io6]
MIDSUMMER
foit. Alter a while small ponies were used instead of mules, and
then larger ponies, and the size of the vehicle consequently grew
(G.E.D.\
5. V. To stir or move sliglitlj-.
Edb. Gif I had midged, he would have struck me first, Beattv
Stcielar . 1897) 97.
MIDGE-MADGE, sb. I.W. Som. [niidg-ma2d5.] Con-
fusion, disorder.
I.W.' w.Som." Applied ^«n. to things, not to persons. 'Gohomc
hon a will, 'tis always the same, all to a midge-madge [mij--maj],
and her away neighbourin'.'
MIDGEN, sb. n.Cy. Yks. Lei. War. Wor. Shr. Hrf.
Glo. Oxf. Also written midgeon w.Yks.^; midgin n.Cy.;
and in forms moudgen Hrf.^; mudgen Oxf.; mudgin
\Var.= 3 s.Wor.' se.Wor.' Glo.' ; mudging Lei.' [midgin,
mB'dyin.] The mesentery of a pig ; the fat on the
chitterlings of a pig. Also in coiiip. Midgen-fat. Cf
midgerum.
n.Cy. Grose (i79o)il/5n</rf. (P.) w.Yks.^, Lei.>. War.^a s.Wor.
PoRSON Omiini IVils. (1875) 14; s.Wor.', se.Wor.', Shr.l, Hrf.2,
Glo.', Oxf. (.\. LM.")
Hence Midgenlard, sb. an inferior kind of lard made
from the fat of the intestines of a pig. Shr.^
[Oiueiilnm, a paunche clout vel Mj'ggerne, Tiin. Coll.
MS. (c. 1450), in Wrights I'oc. (1884) 599. OE. mycgerii,
fat about the kidneys (B.T.).]
MIDGERUM, sb. n.Cy. Yks. Lan. Lei. Oxf. Wil. Som.
Also written niidgerim Som. ; niidjerum w.Yks.' ; and in
forms midgram w.Yks.; midgrom w.Yks.^ ; niudgerum
Oxf; mugerom n.Cy. ; muggerum Wil.' [mi'dgaram,
mB-dgarsm.] 1. The leafy fat belonging to the intes-
tines of an animal, esp. of a pig. Also in comp. Midgerum-
fat. Cf. midgen.
n.Cy. La wsoN t'//o»G/. (1884^; (Hall.) w.Yks. Banks fr/y?;/.
IVds. (1865) ; w.Yks.' ; w.Yks. 2 In rendering lard the ' midgerum
fat ' is considered of inferior quality. The ' leaf fat ' makes the besi
lard ; w.Yks.^ When the pig is killed, a small plate of liver, a
kidney, and portions of ' midgrom-fat ' very often goes to the
neighbours. ne.Lan.' Lei.' Yo' mut tek the midgerum-fat. Oxf.'
The fat fried with pig's liver. Wil.' Som. Sweetman Wiiicantoii
G/. (1885); W. & J. G/. (i873\
2. The milt, spleen. w.Yks.', ne.Lan.'
MIDGET, sb. Cor." [mi'dgit.] A very small piece
of anj'thing, a scrap, fragment.
MIDGETTY, adj. Cor. [mi'dgiti.] In comp. (i)
Midgetty-morrows, the fidgets; (2) -per, an uproar, great
confusion.
(i) Cor.i2 ^2) Cor.' What a midgetty-por you have around
you ; Cor.*
MIDGEY, sb. Nhb. Dur. Also written midgy Nhb.'
e.Dur.' [mi'dgi.] A candle lantern closed at the back
and sides only, 'a mistress.'
Nhb.' Used by putters and drivers in a pit. Nhb., Dur. An oblong
box without a front, carried upright, the use of which is to carry
a lighted candle or small lamp in a current of air, Greenwell Coal
Tr. GI. (1849). e.Dur.' The height of the lamp was about 8 in.,
width 3 in., with open front. When first invented, they were
simply little wooden boxes, with a hole at the bottom, through
which the candle was thrust, and another hole at the top to let out
the heat. Afterwards tin took the place of wood. The flame was
sheltered by a piece of wood or tin about 2 in. high from the bottom
of the lamp, and a similar piece from the top. The ' midgy' has
now gone out of use.
MIDGICRAW, sb. n.Yks.' [midgikr^.] A con-
temptuous term. See below.
' A pawky young midgicraw,'a little impertinent body.
MIDGY, sb. Sh.L Nhb. [mi'dgi.] 1. A midge.
Sh.I. If onything elt hir, it wis da midgies. Der horrid! Sh.
A'tivs June 23, 1900'. Nhb.' Bitten aal ower wi midgies.
2. CoDib. Midgy's ee, a minute thing. Nhb.'
MIDJAN, MIDJERUM, see Midgan, Midgerum.
MIDNIGHT, sb. Not. A contemptuous epithet applied
to one who is slow or behind-hand with work. Also
used attrib.
s.Not. An old and very slow carrier here used to go by the
nickname 'of 'Old Midniglit.' ' Oh, he's a midnight farmer, he is;
he niver gets his hay when other folks does ' (J.P.K.).
MIDRED, sb. Obs. Sc. Dur. Also in forms middrit
Slk. ; mithrate, raithret Sc. (Jam.) 1. The diaphragm,
midrift".
Slk. Teil tat it birst te white middrit o' him, Hogg Tales (1838)
263, ed. 1866. Dur. It will drive his heart out — then where will
his midred be? Bislioprick Garl. (1834) 51.
2. pi. The heart and 'skirts' of a bullock. Ayr. (Jam.)
[1. Hec dinfmgma, a mydrede, Noiiiiiiiile (c. 1450), in
Wright's r'of. 1 1857) 208. OFris. iiiidiede, midriili,
'zwerchfell' (Richthofen).]
MIDS, sb. and v. Sc. Also written midse, midz ; and
in form middis. [midz.] 1. sb. After a prep. : the
midst, middle.
Sc. With these fallis ilke square piece of land is met over the
middis, Skene Difficill IVds. (1681) 94. Abd. Alane by mysel' in
the mids o' the Dee, Ogg Willie Waly (1873) 192. Frf. Aye he
wad growl i' the mids o' the road, Watt Poet. Sketches (1880) 80.
Per. Among the mids of themselves, he hes raised up prophets,
apostles, and preachers, Wodrow Soc. Sel. Biog. (ed. 1845-7) I.
118. s.Sc. Yonder's two big hornie deils i' the midz o' the flock,
Abil. U'kly. Free Press (Dec. 8, 1900"). Ayr. Hoosever, in the mids
o' our care, wlia should come doitin' roon a corner but Doctor
Duguid himsel' ? Service Notaiidiims (1890^ 25. Lnk. They put
them on a black stane or stool, in tlie mids o' the Kirk, Graham
IViilings (1883A II. 26.
2. Phr. in the mids of the meantime, at present, at once,
soon. Cf. meantime.
Abd. Lat them gang fordards, an' in the mids o' the meantime,
Kirsty 'ill be queellin. Paul Abd. (1881) 35 : It's my thoucht that
it's nae his will that ony o' his creatures shu'd gang afore him i'
the mids o' the meantime, Michie Deeside Tales (1872) 248 ; I' the
mids o' the meantime I'm g.iein alT yer property the nearest gait,
Macdonald Castle Wailock ,18821 xlix.
3. Comp. (i) Mids-day, obs., mid-day, noon ; (2) Mids-
man, obs., a mediator.
(i) Gall. Mactaggart £hc)'c/. (1824). (2' Sc. Mr. Blair and Mr.
Durham appeared as mids-men, Baillie Lett. (1775) 401 (Jam.).
4. A medium ; a middle course.
Sc. There's gude mids in a' things, Walford D. Netherhy, v ;
Temperance is the golden mids between abstinence and intemper-
ance, Pardovan Coll. (1700) 244 (Jam.). Bnff.' To strike a mids.
Abd. There's a midse i' the sea, ye ken, an' it is not wisse-like to
gae sic len'ths, Alexander Ai)i Flk. (1882) 67. Rnf. This is the
midse that is fallen upon at present to prevent rents, Wodrow
Cones. (1709-31) I. 144, ed. 1843. Gall. There's a gude mids in
a' things, M.\ctaggart Eiicycl. (1824).
5. The open furrow between two ridges.
Bnff.' To tack oot the mids, is to draw the last furrow. Abd. If
Sandy dinna spoil himsel' wi' his mids. he is maist sure to get it.
The mids, or finishing furrow, is critical, Alexander Ain Flk.
1882) 242.
6. pi. Obs. Means, methods, ways.
Sc. Fleming Scripture ,1726" ; Your debates about the midses
make the end amongyour hands to be lost, Baillie Lett. (1775") II.
192 (Jam.). Kcb. Oh, seek all midses, lay all oars in the water,
put forth all your power, Rutherford Lett. (1660) No. 199.
7. V. Obs. To strike a medium.
Sc. Trebonian midseth the matter thus, Stairs Inst. (1759) B. ii.
T. i. sec. 41 (Jam.).
8. To come to an agreement. Bnff.'
[I. Euinin the middis of this his mirrie hall, Sd/. Po^ws
(c. 1573), ed. Cranstoun, L 286; Right even in middes of
the weye, Chaucer Hoiis F. 714.]
MIDSUMMER, sb. and v. Nhb. Yks. Lin. War. e.An.
Sur. Sus. Hmp. Wil. Dev. [midsuma(r, -s-Bma(r).]
1. sb. Inc-o/«6.(i) Midsummer-come-never, an imaginary
season which never arrives, ' the Greek Kalends ' ; (2)
-daisy, (a) the ox-ej'e daisy, Chtysanthemnm Leiicanthe-
mum ; (b) the feverfew, Pyielhi-iim Parthenium ; (3) -daw
or -dor, a cockchafer; (4I -men, (a) various species of
orpine, esp. Seditm Telephittm ; (b) the mandrake, Mait-
diagora officinalis ; (5) -silver, the silverweed, Potentilla
Aitserina.
(i) w.Yks.* At Midsummer-come-never, (a.a) War.^, Sus. (6)
Dev." (3) Snf. C.G.de B.), Cmb. (Hall.), Hmp. (H.W.E.) (4, a)
Nhb.', Wil.' [She would never go to bed on Midsummer Eve,
without sticking up in her room the well-known plant called
Midsummer Men, as the bending of the leaves to the right or to
MIDTHYP
[107]
MIGHTY
the left would never fail to tell her whether her lover was true or
false, Tamiey Raclmel (1800) in Brand Pop. Antiq. (ed. 1813^ 263 ;
1 likewise stuck up two Midsummer Men, one for myself and one
for him. Now if his had died away we should never have come
together, but I assureyou his blowed and turned to mine, Co;i/(oiMf»)',
No. 56, lA.] (6) e.An.i (5) Sur.
2. A feast held at midsummer.
n.Lin.' The feasts at Thealby, Winterton, Crosby, Broughton,
and other villages, which are held about midsummer time, are
called midsummers, not feasts. Going out into the village at this
time is called 'going into the midsummer.'
3. V. To attend a midsummer feast.
ib. Going a midsummering.
MIDTHYP, see Middhup.
MIDWART, adv. Obs. Sc. Towards the centre.
RuDDiMAN Iiiliod. (1773) (Jam.).
MIDWIFE, sb. Sc. In covip. Midwife-gallop, full
gallop, a great rate.
Ayr. He pricked past the vehicle, quite at a midwife-gallop,
AiNSLiE Land of Buyiis (ed. 1892^ 121.
MIE, MIEL, see Mow, sb.'^. Meal, sb.'^^, Meale, Moil, sb.'^
MIELE, MIER, see Meal, s6.^ Mear.
MIFF, sb.^ and v. In gen. dial, use in Sc. Eng. and
Amer. [mif.] 1. sb. A slight quarrel or misunder-
standing, a 'tifi'; a fit of ill-humour, pettishness; a
' huff.'
Sc. Little miffs would occasionally take place, Scott Aiiliquaiy
C1816) v. nCy. He left me in a miff, Grose (1790) MS. add. (P.)
Wm. Nought can mak a miff amang us, Huiton Biau Nctv IVaik
(nSs^ 1. 551. ni.Yks.i, ne.Lan.', n.Lin.', Lei. i,Nhp.',War.(JR.W.),
(E.A.P.1. War.3, w.Wor.i s.Wor. (H.K.) ; s.Wor.i Ive 'ad a bit
of a miff. se.Wor.' Went off in a miff. Shr.' She is in a little
sort of a miff about a ballad. Hrf.^, Glo.', Oxf.' Brks.' A was in
a miff amwoast avoor I begun to telTn how 'twas. Hnt. (TP.F.)
Sus. HoLLowAY. Hmp.', I.W.^ Wil. He's in a miff, Britton
Braiities {1S2S) ; Slow G/. ('1892). n. Wil. They had a bit of a miff
about it (E.H.G. \ Dor. 'Twill cause them to kick up a bit of a
mifffor certain. Hardy ii/c's/roK. (ed.1896) 232; Dor.' Ifheshou'd
have a whiff In there, 'twou'd only breed a miff, 220. Som. Awl
rait me viewer zes oi to ee, now doant git in a miff, Frank Nine
Days (1879) 23; Jennings Obs. Dial. w.Eiig. (1825'); (F.A.A.)
Dev.^ Deal Gainsborough a lash, for pride so stiff. Who robs us of
such pleasure for a miff, Peter Pindar lyks. (1816) 1. 57.
Hence Miffy,(7rt)'. apt to take offence, touchj', capricious.
Nhb.l Nhp.' She's very miffy. Shr.l Dor. (A.C.); (W.C.
c. 1750"!. [Amer. I'll tell j'ou if you won't be miffy with me, Sam
Slick Cloctiiiater {1836 } 1st S. xxvi.]
2. Phr. /o take miff, to take offence, to be affronted.
Nhp. I ' She's taken miff'; Nhp.^ n.Bck. He soon took miff
(A.C.). Wil. Britioh Beauties (1825). Dor. (A.C.) ; (W.C. c.
1750)-
3. V. To offend, affront, to give offence to ; to take
offence ; to pout. Cen. in pp.
Sc. My Thetis, a little miffed, perhaps — to use the women's
phrase, Scott /Jfrfif. (1824') Lett. xii. Bnff.' Lin. Thompson //is/.
Boston ( 1856) 715 ; Lin.' He was miffed, and left without making
his obedience. Shr.' 'E miffed at it direc'ly. s.Pem. A's iniffiii
(W.M.M.). Sus.' Hmp. HoLLowAY. I W.* Som. Jennings Ofo.
Dial. w.Eug. (,1825). Dev. He's miffd wi' I, Pulman Sketclics
(1842) 115, ed. 1871 ; Dev.' Na, dant'e be mift, 5. s.Dev. Fox
Kingsbridge (1874).
4. To whimper. Lakel.* Hence to never say miff, phr.
not to whimper, not to give in, 'never say die.'
Keep swat an' nivver say miff, ib.
5. With off: of plants : to fade ; to lose their strength
and beauty.
Glo, Another alpine which is very apt to ' miff off' if grown in
the open border, Ellacombe Gaidcn (1895) xvii. Sar. N. & O.
(,1883) 6th S. viii. 267.
Hence Miffey, adj. of plants : apt to fade when trans-
planted.
Nhb.' Applied to plants when set in the ground unseasonably.
' Th'or miffey just noo.'
[1. When a little quarrel, or miff, as it is vulgarly called,
arose between them. Fielding Tom Jones (1749) bk. in. vi.]
MIFF, sA.= Cum. Yks. [mif.] A 'mow' or rick of hay
or corn. Cum. Linton Lake Cy. (1864) ^08. m.Yks.' (s.v.
Mew),w.Yks.'
MIFFLE, V. Lin. Nrf. Suf. [mifl.] 1. With after:
to mumble about or concerning. See Maffle.
Nrf. What are vou mifflin' after 1 Cozens-Hardy Bioad Nrf.
(1893^ 70. e.Suf. i,F.H.)
2. Witli about: to shuffle.
n.Lin.' He millles aboot so, a body duzn't knaw wheare you
hev' him.
MIFF-MAFF, sb. n.Cy. Yks. Lan. [mifmaf.] Non-
sense, foolishness, ' humbug.'
n.Cy. Trans. Pliil. Soc. (1858 164. Cum. Nin o' this miff-maff,
Gilpin Sngs. (1866) 279. w.Yks. As if life was nothing but a
kiss and a song, and such miff-maff, Barr Love/or an hour, 201.
n.Lan.', ne.Lan. '
MIFFY, sb. } Obs. n.Cy. Glo. A nickname for the
Devil ; a devil.
n.Cy. Miffies, buckles, gholes, Denliatii Tracts (ed. 1895') II. 78.
Glo. Grose (1790) ; Baylis Illiis. Dial. (1870) ; Gl. (1851) ; Glo.'
[OFr. maufc, 'diable' (LaCurne).]
MIG, sb.^ Lakel. Yks. Also in form meg e.Yks. [raig.]
1. Liquid manure, the drainings from a manure-heap,
cow-shed, &c.
LakeI.2,n.Yks.(T.S.), n.Yks.'24^ ne.Yks.' e.Yks. It is dropping
out of use a good deal (R.S.); Leeds Merc. Siippl. (Mar. 30, 1895).
w.Yks. (C.W.D.)
Hence Miggy, adj. composed of or tainted with liquid
manure, cS:c. n.Yks. This waiter's nobbut miggy (I.W.).
2. Comp. (i) Mig-hole, a hole at the bottom of a stable
wall for letting out the drainings from the floor. n.Yks.^ ;
(2) -trough, a receptacle for liquid manure, ib.
[1. ME. migge, urine (Anc. Riivle, 402); OE. /nicga,
tnigga, urine (B.T.).]
MIG, sb.' } Obs. Soni. In phr. as sivect as mig, very
sweet. Jennings Obs. Dial. iv.Eng. (18251.
MIGGAL-CONPORE, sb. Cor. Also in forms niiggle-
cum-pore Cor.'' ; migle-cum-por w.Cor. 1. An uproar;
confusion. See Mingle-cum-pur.
Cor.' (s.v. Midgetty-por), Cor.^ w.Cor. I must be home to stow
our things in the warehouses ; else I shall find everything in a
migle-cumpor, Bottrell Trad. 3rd S. 58.
2. Mixed food ; a ' mess.'
w.Cor. A term used in swine feeding, Bottrell Trad. 3rd S. Gl.
MIGGLE, see Muggle, v}
MIGGY, sb. n.Cy. fmi'gi.j The magpie, Pica rits-
tica. Swainson Birds (1885) 76. Cf. maggie, sb.'^
MIGGY, adj. Hmp. Dor. [mi-gi.l Of the weather :
moist, damp, 'muggy.' Hmp. (H.C.M.B.), Dor.'
MIGHT, sb. Sc. Yks. Suf. 1. A quantity ; a large
amount ; a great number.
w.Yks. (J.W. ) e.Suf. I've a great might of wate this year (F.H.).
2. //. Obs. Means, power, help.
Sc. I wan off by mights of Marie, Pennecuik Coll. (1787) 14.
MIGHTFUL, (7f// nc.Lan.' [mitiful.] Full of might,
powerful.
MIGHTY, adj., adv. and int. Var. dial, and colloq.
uses in Sc. Ire!. Eng. and Amer. Also in forms mearty
n.Dev. ; meeghty w.Yks. Der.' ; meety w.Yks.^ Lan. ;
merty Dev. ; michtie Sc. Bnlf.' ; michty Sc. ; moightfy
Midi, [mai'ti, nil'ti, Sc. mixti.] 1. adj. Large in
quantity or size, great, exceeding, considerable.
Frf. He has a miclity load o' luggage, Barrie 77j)7(>»s(i889') ii.
Per. A michty whang aff a cream kebbuck, Stewart C/iaraeler
(1857) Ixxiii. Ayr. What makes the mighty differ. Burns Address
to unco giiid (1786) st. 3. Lnk. Ye hae the michty impudence to
call them names, Gordon Pyolsliaw (1885) 40. n.Cy. (J.W.)
w.Yks. Leuk what a gurt meeghty ihiniley there is yonder,
Leeds Merc. Stippl. (Mar. 23, 1896J; w.Yks.* Gret meety pots o'
saim ! War.* There's a mighty lot o' cherries on that tree.
Oxf. You know a mighty lot, you do (G.O.). Hrf.* Wil. A tough
job of work is mighty (G.E.D.).
Hence Mightily, adv., obs., greatly, very much, con-
siderably.
Lan. Tey'n awtluirt the'r tone mcetyly fro a Protlamashon for
a Fast, Walker Plebeian Pol. (17961 24, ed. 1807 I ' '""g nieetily
ta year what misfartins yone met we'll ngen, Paul Bobhin
Sfi7»f/(i8i9) 6; For Tr meetily troublt abeawt me kauve, TiM
Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1806) 38.
pa
MIGLE-CUM-PORE
[io8]
MILE
2. Of liquor : strong, potent, intoxicating.
n.Sc. (Jam.1 Fif. Berwick's yill-carts were asteer, Rumblin'
wi' barls o' michtie beer, Tennant Papistry (1827) 115. Wil.
Thuck ale wur too mighty vor I ^G.E.D.).
3. Stately, haughty, disdainful.
Sc. Jam.) Lakel.2 Thoo needn't mak thisel seea mighty becos
thoo's some new shun on. w.Yks. (J.W.) w.Som.' They be so
mighty and fine, nobody else idn hardly fit to wipe their shoes,
by all likin'.
4. Very fine or gay. Dor.' Som. Bound Proviiic. (1876);
(Hall.) 5. Strange, surprising.
Sc. (Jam.; Frf. ' It's most michty,' said Jess. . . "at j'e should
tak a pleasure in bringin' this hoose to disgrace,' Barrie Thnttus
(1889) iii.
6. Phr. the Mii^/ity be ouvr's, an exclamation, oath.
Abd. The Michty be ower's ! What's come to my bairn ? Mac-
DONALD Castle IVai/ock (1882) vi.
7. nr/f. Very, exceedingly.
n.Sc. Michtie rich, michtie glide (Jam.^ Frf. Wee! when he
was a probationer he was michty poor, Barrie Thrums (1889)
xiv. Ayr. Now, Jove, for once be mighty civil, Burks Ii::promptn
on Mrs. Riddel's Birthday (1793) 1. 9. Lnk. I ken na how 111
do without it ; An' faith I'm michty ill aboot it, LEicuToyi Laddie's
Lamentation, 1. 40, in Nicholson Idylls (1870). Edb, He's michty
quale, the place itsel' is michty quate, Beatty Secrctar (1897' 35.
Gall. It's a most michty queer thing, Crockett C/f^ /ff//)' (1896 1 v.
s.Ir. Mr. Darby Haynes, a mighty decent man, Croker Lc^.
(1862) 237. Lan, (S.W,) Der,' Mighty fine. Midi. Yes. sa3S
the squire, moighty sharp an' savage, Bartram People of Clapton
(1897) 195; Moighty slow and clivver, he said, this, lA. Nhp.^,
War.^a, s.Wor.' se.Wor.' A mighty good un ; a mighty little un.
Shr.' Rogers the tailor bought a pig at the far, but 'e's a mighty
poor aven. 'Mighty-bad,' in regard of health. Shr., Hrf. Mightj-
good people, Bound Provinc. (1876). Hrf.=, Glo. (A.B,), Glo.'
Oxf, That's all mighty fine (CO.). Hnt. (T.P.F.) Dev. But old
Squire was always mighty pleased to see him, Chanter Witch
(1896) vi ; The present zimmer most nierty small, Peter Pindar
Royal Visit (1795I pt. ii. St. 8. n.Dev. Hare's mearty well to passand
maketh gurt account o' me now, Exm. Crtshp. (1746) 1. 547.
Colloq. And mighty glad the mail is near here, Stevenson Vailinia
Lett. ti89S) 235. [Amer. Week ago Tuesday it was, an' a mighty
nice mornin' it was, too, Westcott David Haruni (1900) ii.]
8. Surprisinglj'.
Frf. 'A' I can say,' said Hookey, 'is 'at she taks me most
michty,' Barrie Thrums (1889) ix.
9. int. An exclamation ofsurprise;^^;. in phr. jl//\D'/;/)'«/r'.
Bnff.' Frf. Michty, man, ye dinna want tae fecht wi' ane o' my
best freends, LowsoN Guidfollow (1890) 25. w.Sc. Eh, mighty!
that surely canna be, Macdonald Settlement (18691 61, ed. 1877.
Ayr. Michty me, wha ever heard the like o' that, Johnston Kil-
tnal/ie (1891; I, 172. Lnk, Ae, mighty ine, . . baud a' your
tongues, Wardrop /. Malhison (i88r) 15, Edb. Michty, lass,
j-e're unco sprush to have come sae far, Beatty Secretar (1897)
222. Dor. Mighty me ! Won't mis'ess storm and call us stupids
when she comes back! Hardy Madding Crowd (1874) xxxii ;
Mighty mc ! You soon forgive him, ib. Ethclberta (1876) I. xxiv,
MIGLE-CUMPORE, see Miggalcon-pore,
MIHILMAS(S, sb. Obs. w.Yks.' ne.Lan.' Michael-
mas. Cf. milemas.
[As sone as Myhelmas Day was past, Paston Letters
(1465) II. 244 ; pe kyng . , . wendc \ot\> to Oxenford aboute
Myhelmasse, A'. Gloiic. (c. 1300), ed. Hearne, II. 463.]
MIKE, V. and sb. Yks. Lan, Lin. Shr. Glo. Oxf. [maik.]
1. V. To loiter, idle away time ; to ' loaf See Mitch, v.
Lan. (J.S.) Lin.i Don't mike to-day. Shr.^ Jacky wants to
mike. Glo.' Oxf. Come, get on with your work, you have been
miking about long enough (CO.).
Hence Miker, sb. a truant. Glo,*
2. sb. A respite from work.
w.Yks.2 Tha'rt going to have a mike ! Oxf. (G.O.)
MIKIL, nUKLE, MIKKLISMAS, see Mickle, Michael-
mas.
MILANER, sb. Obs. w.Yks. A milliner. Willan
List Il'tfs. (181 1).
[A millaner's wife, Jonson Every Man (1598) i. iii. 120,
cd. Whcatley, 18. A luil/niierwas prop, a dealer in wares
from Milan ; sec Sklat Etj?>i. Diet. p. 817.]
MILARY, MILCH, see Miliary, sb.'', Melch, adj.''
MILCHER.si, Suf,Dor,Som. [miltja(r).] A milch-cow.
Suf.' A good milcher (s.v, Milch^. Dor. I shall have to pay him
nine pound a j'ear for the rent of eveiy one of these milchers,
Hardy U'ess. Tales (1888) I. 59. Som. (W.F.R.)
M.ILCY, adj. Cor. Also written milsey Cor.'; and in
form milchy Cor." fmilsi.] 1. Of damp corn: having
germinated ; also of flour and bread made from such corn,
(Hall,) ; Cor,' The loaf has a sweet taste and close consistency ;
Cor.2
2. Comb, (i) Milchy-bread, moist, sticky bread made
from 'milcy'corn; (2)-corn,cornthathasgerminated. Cor.'
MILD, adj. Nhb. Dur. Won Sur. Hmp. Wil. Dev.
[niaild.] 1. Of the atmosphere : quiet, calm, with no
wind. Dev. Reports Provinc. (1883) 88. 2. Soft ; easy
to work.
Nhb.' Mild steel, mild post, mild limestone. Nhb.. Dur. Nichol-
son Coal Tr. CI. (1888). Sur. This'll be mild enough for anything
presently; you don't call this a stiff soil, Hoskvns Talpa (1852)
169. cd, 1857. Hmp. 1 say. Bill, don't chuck us any of they mild
'uns [i. e. soft bricks] for this 'ere 'coin' (G,L.G.), Wil.'
3. Ripe.
Wor. One child brought me a dozen mild strawberries last
week, Derroiv's Jrn. (Dec. i, 1894') 5, col. 2.
MILD, iA Or.I. A kind offish.
Many other fish are caught about this coast, but in general in
inconsiderable quantities, called in this country, milds, bergills,
skate and frog, Statist. Ace. XIV. 314 (Jam.); S. & Ork.'
MILD, see Mile, sb}
MILDCHEE, s*. Obs. Ken. Mild ale.
A pot of mildchcc and a whiff, Nairne 7'rt/«(i79o) 49, ed. 1824.
MILDER, V. Lin. Dor. 1. To moulder, decay, turn
to dust. Cf mulder.
Lin. (Hall.), Liu.' sw.Lin.' The stone-work is so mildered.
Tlie frost lays hold on it and it milders down.
2. To smoulder. n.Dor. (S.S.B.) Cf moulder, v}
MILDER, MILDS, see Melder, sb}. Miles, sb.
MILDY, adj} and v. ' s.Cy. Cor. 1. adj. Mouldy ;
mildewed. See Milder. w.Cor. The bread is mildy (M.A.C.).
2. V. To grow mould}', to mildew.
s.Cy. 'Tis a wunner as 'e yen't mildeed wi' the damp, Cornh.
Mag. (Nov. igoo) 638.
MILDY, adJ? Chs. Shr. [nii'ldi.] Of soil : loose, fine,
crumbly.
s.Chs.' Wei, dliur)z won giid thingg- ubaayt,th frost, it)I
niai)th graaynd mildi un nahys tii wuurk [Well, there's one
good thing abait th' frost, it'll may th' graind mildy an' nice to
work]. Shr.' The fros' 'as done a power o' good, the ground
breaks up as mildy an' fine as a inion-bed.
MILE, sb} Yks. Chs. Not. Lin. Nhp. Shr. Hrf. Glo. Oxf.
Brks. Som. Also in forms mahl n.Yks. ; mild Brks.'
w.Som.' ; moil Chs.' [mail.] \. In co;;;A. (i) Mile-iron,
an iron milestone; in phr. as ragged as a >iiile-iroti,\'tTy
rough and ragged ; see below ; (2) -stone bread, bread
or cake in which the currants or plums are far apart ; (3)
-stoop, a milestone ; (4) -way money, see below ; (5)
Miles-end-ways or -endy-ways, a long way ; an undeter-
mined distance.
(i) n.Lin. Explained to me as meaning 'as ragged as an iron
milestone, because children pelt them and make them look rough
and dented ' (M.P.). (2) n.Yks.' (3) w.Yks. He mud as weel
ha' just whistled jigs to a mile-stoop, Hartley Budget (1867) 25.
(4) Oxf. By the Mileway Act ... it is provided that every person
having one yard-land or more in his possession lying within five
miles of Oxford, shall for every yard-land perform such personal
duty as in the said Acts is mentioned, or in lieu thereof shall
malte annual payments to the Vice-Chancellor and Mayor. An
Act was passed in 1771 empowering the Vice-Chancellor and
Mayor to use the Clerk of the Commissioners of Highwaj'S to
levy the ' Mileway money,' Stapleton Three Parishes (1893) 283 ;
1798. Paid Scroggs, surveyor, the Mileway money, £7, ib. 164.
(5") s.Chs.' Wei. Bob, weei1r)s bin dhis juu'rni ? — Oa", tip u)top'
li daajn j'ondtir. mahylz-en'di-weez [Well, Bob, wheer'st bin
this journey? — Oh, up atop o' daVn yonder, miles-endy-wees],
Shr,' Everybody wants the thetcher at the same time — the
Maister rid miles end-ways the tother day after a mon ; Shr.*
Shr., Hrf. Bound Provinc. (1876). Glo.'
2. Used for//, miles.
n.Yks. Fcr fowcr raahl, ah think tha run. Castillo Poems
MILE
[109]
MILK
(1878) 43. w.Yks.i Chs.i It's tliree moil to Knutsford ; Chs.s
Not. (L.C.M.) Nhp.i Twenty mile ; Nhp.= Shr.> About two mile
across the filds; Shr.^ To'ert four or five mile. Brks. All the
way, . . and 'tis quite vour mil'd, Hughes Scour. While Horse
(1859^ vi ; Brks.' Ut be better nor zeven mild vrom Hampstead
to Newbury. w.Som.' I count 'tis up vower mild [mu.vuld]
yer-vroni.
MILE, 56.2 ? Obs. Rxb. (Jam.) The wild celery, Apiiim
grai'eolens.
The tradition of the s. of Sc. asserts that those who were
persecuted for their adherence to Presbytery, during the reigns of
Charles II and James II, in their hiding places often fed on this
plant.
MILE, see Mill, sl>.\ Moil, sA.=, v.
MILEMAS, sb. Shr. Siis. Hmp. Som. Also in forms
malemas w.Som.' ; niiamas Shr.' [mai'lmas.] Michael-
mas. See Mihilmas(s.
Shr.i We mun be thinkin' about the rent, Miamas is drawin'
nigh. Sus.' Hmp. Holloway. Som. Get rid o' the stock an'
zeli the keep to Mi'lemas, Raymond Men o' Meiidip (1898) viii ;
At Milemas when they put me in theaze pooat hawl place, Jennings
Obs. Dial. iv.Eug. (^1825^ 170. w.Som.' Webin yurvive-and-forly
yur come Malemas [Mae'ulmus].
MILES, sb. pl> Sc. Irel. Nhb. Cum. Also written
myles Lth. (Jam.) ; and in forms mails Sc. (Jam.) ; meals
Cum.*; meols Cum.' ; milds N.I.' [mail(d)z.] 1. Var.
species of goosefoot, esp. Chenopodimn album and Ch.
Boims-Henriciis.
Ayr. (Jam.) Lnk. Patrick Plants (1831J 131. Lth., Rxb.
(Jam,\ N.I.', Nhb.', Cum. (B. & H.). Cum.""
2. Var. species of orache or Alhple.x. Cum. (B. & H.)
[Norw. dial, nielde, uietdeslokk, ' Chenopodium album '
(Aasen).]
MILES, 5i. />/.' Slk. Rxb.(jAM.) Small animals found
on the diseased intestines and livers of sheep, ' flukes.'
Cf milt, sb.^
MILGIN, see Million.
MILK, sb., V. and adj. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and
Eng. Also written mylk Sh. I. [milk.J \. sb. In comb.
(i) Milk and bread, bread and milk; (2) — and meal,
milk-porridge ; (3) ass, an ass giving milk ; (4) -badger,
one who sells milk, and occas. other things, from door
to door ; (5) -bauk, the shoulder-bar for carrying the milk-
pails ; (6) -beast, a milch-cow ; (7) -bowie, a milk-pail ; (8)
•boyne, a milk-tub ; (9) -broth or -brose, broth, or oatmeal
gruel made with milk instead of water ; (10) -can, see (7) ;
(11) -cow, see (6) ; (12) -crock, an earthenware vessel for
holding milk ; (13) -faced, shy ; timid; (14) -fork, a forked
branch placed at the dairy door, upon which the milk-
vessels are hung after being scoured; (15) -hannel, a
large vessel into which the milk-pails are emptied by the
milkers; (16) -hearted, poor-spirited; cf melch, adj.^;
(17) -house, the dairy ; (18) -ill, a disease among ewes and
Iambs ; (19) -jogger, a milk-carrier, esp. one who uses a
donkey or a cart ; (20I -keg, see (8) ; (21) -kitting, the act
of carrying milk in ' kits ' for sale ; (22) -lead, a shallow
cistern lined with lead in which milk is set to cream ; see
below ; (23) -lue, lukewarm, of the temperature of milk
warm from the cow ; (24) madlocks, see (2) ; (25) -maid's
path or -maid's way, the milky way ; (26) -may, a milk-
maid ; (27) -meat, see (2) ; (28) -meats, custards, cheese-
cakes, curd-cakes, &c. ; (29) -potage, see (2) ; (30) -pricked,
appl. to milk which has turned sour; (31) -round, the district
in which a milkman sells or delivers milk ; (32) ■sap'^,
bread soaked in boiled milk and sweetened with sugar ;
(33) -seatre, (34) -sieve, (35) -sile, a milk-strainer ; (36)
•skeeal, (37) -span, (38) -stoup, see (7) ; (39) -syth, see
(35^ ! (40) 'tin, the metal vessel in which milk is set to
cream ; (41) -trunk, the vessel into which milk is poured
to be carried from the field; (42)-walk, a dairy business ;
(43) -warm, see (23) ; (44) -woman, a wet nurse.
l^i)Sc. Monthly Mag. (1798)1.435. (2) n.Sc. ( Jam.^i (3) Sc. Scp//-
cisms (1787)57. (4) w.Yks. (S.P.U.) (5' n.Yks.^ Havinga sweep
cut out in the centre to fit below the milkman's neck. (6) nw.Der.'
n.Lin.' Steers is a midlin price, but milk beasts an' draapcs is bad
to sell. (7) Sc. She could handle a milk-bowie inuckle better Ihnu
a pen, Whitehead Daft Davie (1876) 20a, ed. 1894. (8) Dmb.
Tosh Mary . . . Wha aften did the kirn and milk-boynes fill,
Taylor Poems (1827) 56. Ayr. All the stools and chairs in the
house, with the milk and washing boynes upside down ... as
seats for theaged,GALTG'!7/ini«(;(i823) xvi. (9) Sc. (Jam.) Abd.
The most economical way of using bear or barley is when it is . . .
boiled with a little butter . . . or with milk, when it is called milk-
broth, yj^i/r. S»)y. 518 (i'>.). Cld. A pint o'milk-brose he did worry,
NiMMO Sngs. (1882) 194. Nhp.i, e.An.' Suf. Rainbiud Agri-.
(1819) 296, ed. 1849. e.Suf. Broth made of boiled milk and onions
(F.H.). (io)n.Yk5.">, ne.Yks.i. w.Yks. (J.W.) {ii)Sc. Scoticisms
1 '787) 57- Sh.I. We niver lied a better mylk koo apo' da byre,
Sh. News (June 2, 1900 1. Abd. Hawkie is a good milk cow, Paul
Abd. (1881 ) 131. Lnk. What feck o' stirks an' milk cows hae ye?
M'Indre Poems (1805) 140. Don. They soul' two of the milk-cows
out iv the byre, Pearson's Mag. ( May 1900) 477. (12) Ir. Evil was
the moment for Anne and Anne's milk crocks. Century Mag. (Aug.
1899, 627. ^13) n-Lin.' She wasthat milk-faac'd she hardlin's dost
speak to a man when she seed him. (14") Shr.'^ (15) Cum.'
(16) Glo.' (.17) Sc. (Jam.) Ayr. I . . . used sometimes to make a
raid on the milkhouse. Hunter Studies (1870) 3. Peb. A milk-
house must be cool but free from damp, Agiic. Snrv. 81 (Jam.).
N.Cy.i, Nhb.', Lakel.', Cum.', n.Yks.'S" w.Yks.' I'd been fiightin
him 'bout t'lile leet i' t'milkus, ii. 295 ; w.Yks.3 Kind of dairy or
cellar on the ground floor. Chs. The milk is carried to the milk-
house, Marshall /ftivWt; (1818) II. 44. Hmp. Holloway. n.Wll.
Dairy farms are in general well accommodated with milk houses and
cheese-lofts, Marshall Review (1818) II. 485. w.Som.' Miilk-
aewz. (18) Nhb. The loss of Iambs is sometimes very considerable
from disorders such as the milk-ill which attacks them from three
to seven days old, Marshall /fmcziJ (1808) I. loi ; Nhb.' (19)
w.Yks. Thro' I'gaps t'wind whistled loike a milk-jogger, Hallam
IVadsley Jack {1866) vi ; w.Yks.2 (20) Sh.L The milk-keg standing
on a chair wilh a piece of canvas over the top of it, Stewart Tales
(1892)40. (21) e.Lan.' (22) n.Yks.' A shallow milk-cistern, in
which the meal of milk is deposited, having an orifice at the bottom,
stopped with a wooden spigot, on the removal of which the milk
flows away, leaving the cream covering the bottom of the vessel ;
n.Yks.* After the milk has stood overnight, the plug is withdrawn.
ue.Lan.', n.Lin.', Nhp.' "War.^ A large shallow vessel of lead,
supported on a wooden frame, or table, in which milk is placed to
'set.' It remains iu occasional use in old farm-houses, although
it is now generally superseded by the shallow earthenware pans
used for this purpose. There is an outlet from the bottom of the
vessel through which the milk can be run ofl"when the cream has
' risen.' Wor. Milk Lead on stand, Auctioneer's Catalogue (Sept.
1900). Shr.' Two milk leads and frame. Hrf. (E.S. ), Glo.' Dor.'
Milklead var to zet The milk in, 59. (23) Sh.I. Gang Mansie, or
dan hit'll be cauld, hit wis bit mylk lue whin I set hit apo' da fiOr,
Sh. News (Aug. 18, 1900). (24) Rnf. (Jam.) (25) Sc. That lang
baldric o' stars, called the milkmaid's path, Blackn'. Mag. (Nov.
1820) 146 (Jam.). Wil.' (26) Dmf. The plow-boy whistled at his
darg, The milk-may answered hie, Cromek Remains (1810) 243.
(37) n.Sc. (Jam.), Cai.' (28) n.Yks. 2 (29) Sc. Scoticisms {I^8^) 70.
(3o)Shr.2 (3i)Yks.(J.W.) Oxf. Wanted, asinglemantoserveamilk-
round.O.i/ r/)««(Jan.i3,igoo) i. (32)Cld.(jAM.) (33)n,Yks.'^ (34)
Sc. (A.W.), Chs.' (35) Sc. (A.W.), n.Cy. (J.W.) Nhb.' Usually a
wooden bowl having a perforation in the bottom covered with fine
hair-cloth or fine gauze. w.Yks. (J.W.), Lin. (W.W.S.), n.Lin.'
(36) n.Yks. ;T.S.) (37) Sh.I. About the middle of May the wives
set their kirns, milk-spans, and raemikles in the well stripe to steep,
St'ENCE Flk-Lorc (tSgg) 139. (38) Lth. Twa gude new milk-stoups,
Thomson Poems (1819' 108. (39) Sc. Herd Coll. 5/1^5.(1776)
Gl. (40)n.Yks.l (41) Som. (W.F.R.) (42) Wor. (W.C.B.) Lon.
My father had a milk-walk, Mayhew Land. Labour (1851) I. 435,
col. 2. (43) Chs.', s.Chs.' (44) n.Sc. (Jam.)
2. Comb, in plant-names : (i) Milk-cans, the greater
stitchwort, Stdlaria Holoslea ; (2) -flower, the white
ca\npioTi, Lychnis t'esperliiia; (3) -girl, the cuckoo-flower,
Cardamiiie pyaleiisis ; (4) -gowan, a yellow flower, .'the
dandelion, Leoitlodoit Tam.xactim ; (5) -maid(s or -maidenfs,
{a) see (3) ; (b) sec (i) ; (c) the cowslip. Primula verts ; (d)
the oxlip, P. vulgaris, var. caulesceiis ; (e) the bird's-foot
trefoil, Lotus coriiiculafus; (/) the flowers of the great
bindweed. Convolvulus srpium; (6) -ort, the root of the
harebell. Campanula rotundifolia; (7) -pans, sce(i); (8)
-sile, see (3) ; (9) -thistle, the common sow-thistle, Sonchtis
oleracais ; (10) -weed, {a) see (9); (b) the sun-spurge,
Euphorbia Hclioscopia ; (11) -wort, (a) see (10, b) ; (b) the
petty spurge, E. Pcplus ; (c) see (6).
(,1) Chs.' 1^2) Wil.' (31 Dev., Dev.* (.|) Slk, A yellow flower
MILKARTHERIN
[no]
MILK-SYE
whose stem gives out a humour similar to butter-milk (Jam.).
(5,«) w.Yks. Yks. IVkly. Post Jan. 2, 1897). Mid. Ess. (S.P.H.)
Wil. The meadows where the milkmaids stand thick and pale,
EwiNG Jnn Wiiidiiillt (1876) xviii ; Wil.' Dev. We call them
milkmaids, Reports Pioviitc. (1884); Dev.'' (i) w.Yks. (W.F.),
Sur. (R.G.C.), I.W. Dev. Milk-maidens are httle white flowers
that grow in the meadou'S, or on the banks of running streams,
Bii.w Dfsc. Tainar and Tavy (1836) I. Lett, xviii ; Dev." (c)
n.Lin.i (rf) n.Yks. (c./)Sus.i 6 n.Sc. (Jam.) (7)C1is.3 (8)
Yks. w.Yks. Then primrose here and milksile there Through
withered leaf an' rush Peeps aght e pride, Tom Treddlehoyle
Baiitis/a Ann. (1847) 14. {91 n.Lin. In allusion to its milky juice
l,B. & H.). War.3, Dor. (C.W.) (io,a) w.Som.' (6j Hrt., e.An.,
Ess. (II, a) Ess. (i) Wil.' (c) n.Sc. (Jam.)
3. A school festival ; see below.
Lth. A day annually observed in a school, on which the scholars
present a small gift to their master ; in return for which he gives
them the play, as it is called, or freedom from their ordinary
tasks, and provides for them a treat of curds and cream, sweet-
meats, &c. Sometimes they have music and a dance (Jam.).
4. The soft semi-liquid of the grain of wheat, esp.in phr.
out of milk, said of corn which has begun to harden.
War.^ Wor. The sparrows began [to eat the wheat] as soon
as the corn was just out of the milk, £ffs/ia(« y»-«. (Apr. 29, 1899).
GIo. (E.S.-i
5. A cow. n.Lin.i John's gotten two real good milks to sell.
6. V. Co;;/i. Milk-the-cowSjthe wall pennywort. CoAj'/frfoH
Uiiibiliciis. Cor. (B. & H.) 7. 'Phr. U) lo milk own- llie
can, to discourse pointlessly or beyond the mark ; (2) to
milk the tilliey, see below.
(i) n.Yks.2 As the unskilful milker draws the fluid to waste
over the pail-edge, instead of into the pail. w.Yks. Leeds Merc.
Siippl. (Apr. 25, iSgsV (2) Sc. (Jam.) w.Sc. During the winter,
. . the kye became yell, and the family were consequently short
of milk. The cows of a neighbouring farmer were at the same
time giving plenty of milk. Under these circumstances, the
Highland lad proposed to his mistress that he would bring milk
fiom their neighbour's cows, which she understood to be by aid
of the black airt, through the process known as milking the
tether. The tether is the rope halter, and b3' going through the
form of milking this, repeating certain incantations, the magic
transference was supposed capable of being effected, Napier
Flk-Lore (1879) V^-
8. Of a cow: to yield milk; to suffer herself to be milked.
Lth. How milk the kye? How draw the horse? Thomson
Poems (1819) 122. w.Som.' Thick yeffer don't milky well 't all —
her's so ter'ble iteiny.
9. To add milk to tea.
Dev. Have you milked your tea 1 Repoits Proviitc. (1877) 134.
10. To Steal. Picken Poems (1788) G/. (Jam.) 11. adj.
Obs. Milch.
Edb. Kine, Farrow, yeld, and milk, fat and lean, Carlop Green
(1793) 130, ed. 1817.
MILKARTHERIN, sb. Irel. An itchy spot on the
sole of tlic foot, relieved by rubbing on hot iron or stone!
Ant. Ballymciia Obs. (1892).
MILKING, prp. and sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. and Eng.
[milkin.] 1. prp. In comb. (1) Milking-hill, a dry,
slightly elevated open place near the farm-house where
the cows are milked ; (2) -kye, milch cows ; (3) -loan, the
milking-placc ; (4) -pails, a game; see below; (5) -ring,
obs., a circle of overhanging trees or bushes, ficii. of holly,
within which the cows were milked in hot weather ; (6)
■shiel, a shed for milking cows or ewes ; (7) -side, the side
of the cow by which the milker sits ; (8) -slap, see (3) ;
(9) -time, the hour in the afternoon when cows are usually
milked.
(ii Cum.' (2") Sh,I. Wcy hid Fleckie an' Sholmie an' Essie, a'
milkin' kye, Stewart Tales (1892) 244. (3) Gall, String awa,
my crommies, to the milking loan, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824)
257, ed. 1876. (4) [One child stands apart and personates the
mother. The other children form a line, holding hands and
facing the mother. They advance and retire singing the first,
third, and alternate verses, while the mother, in response, sings
the second and alternate verses. While the last verse is being
sung the children all run ofl ; the mother runs after them, catches
them and beats them. Either the first or last caught becomes
mother in next game, Gomme Games (1894) I. 386. " The verses
vary in the different counties: for typical set sec Lon.] Dur.
[The milk-pails have] degenerated into ' male scales,' ib. 387.
w.Yks.. Lan., Brks. ib. 380-4, 387. Lon, * Mar3''s gone a-milking,
mother, mother, Mary's gone a-milking, Gentle sweet mother o'
mine. Take your pails and go after her. Daughter, daughter,
Take your pails and go after her. Gentle sweet daughter o' mine.
Buy me a pair of new milking-pails. mother, mother. &c. Where's
the money to come from, &c. Sell my father's feather-bed, &c.
What's your father to sleep on ? &c. Put him in the truckle-bed,
&c. What are the children to sleep on? &c. Put them in the
pig-sty, &c. What are the pigs to lie in? &c. Put them in the
washing-tubs, &c. What am I to wash in? &c. Wash in the
thimble, &c. Thimble won't hold your father's shirt, &c. Wash
in the river, &c. Suppose the clothes should blow away? &c.
.Set a man to watch them, Sec. Suppose the man should go to
sleep ? &c. Take a boat and go at^ter them, &c. Suppose the
boat should be upset ? &c. That would be an end of you.' . . Plaved
with two lines of children advancing and retiring, ib. 376-9, 387.
Nrf. The mother sits on a form or bank, the other children
advancing and retiring as they sing. After the last verse is sung
the children try to seat themselves on the form or bank where
the mother has been sitting. If they can thus get home without
the mother catching them they are safe, ib. 386. Ess. ib. 379-80.
Ken. Played with two lines of children advancing and retiring, ib.
386-7. Hmp. A ring is formed by the children joining hands.
One child stands in the centre — she represents the mother. The
ring of children say the first, third, and every alternate verse. . .
The game is played as above, except that when the mother has
said the last verse the children call out, 'Good job, too,' and run
off, the mother chasing them as above. The game does not appear
to be sung, ib. 387. I.W. The Cowes version has arrived at
'wash-pan' [for milk-paiP, li. 387. (5) Cum.' (6) Ayr. Blythe
Bessie in the milking-shicl, Burns Cy. Lassie, st. i. (7) Cum.'
(8) Gall. The cauves brak through the milking slap. Their minnies'
pawps they draw, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 344, ed. 1876. (9)
Sur. Jennings Field Paths (1884) 69.
2. sb. pi. The remains of wool taken from the front of
the comb after 'jigging.' w.Yks. (E.G.), (E.W.)
MILKNESS, sb. Sc. n.Cy. Dur. Cum. Wm. Yks. Lan.
Lin. Also written niilknesse N.Cy.'^ Yks. [miiknas.]
1. Dairy produce ; milk.
Abd. I hope to see him here. About his milkness and his cows
to specr, Ross Heleiiore (1768) 85, cd. 1812, Edb. My ky may
now rin rowtin' to the hill, And on (he naked yird their milkness
spill, Fergusson Poems (1773) 107, ed. 1785. Gall. She could . . .
Row up the fleeces at the clippin,' And had the milkness a' in
keepin', Nicholson Poet. Wks. (1814") 41, ed. 1897, s.Sc. The
milkness spoiled his last lampoon — The warst mischance ava,
Watson Bards (1859'! 105. n.Cy. Holloway. Dur. White meats
made of milk (K.) ; Dur.' s.Dur. We hev' a great milkness this
summer (J.E.D.). Cum.', n.Yks.', w.Yks.', ne.Lan.'
2. A dairy ; the furniture of a dairy ; dairy-work ; the
number of cows kept to supply a dairy.
Sc. In managing the milkness, she was none of the cleanest,
Saxon and Gael {\8m\)\. 153 (Jam.). Rnf. He tell'd her toslick to
her milkness an' meal. An' leave him to settle, Picken Poems
(1813) II. 133. N.Cy.", Cum.' Wm. As toth lasses ise sure nin
cud top em, eider for milkness, or in dure wark, Wheeler Dial,
(1790)44. n.Yks.^ n.Lin.' I can give her a good character for
ivcrything, except she knaws noht aboot milkness.
3. Camp. Milknesse-farm, a dairy farm. Yks. Grose
(1790) MS. add. (P.)
MILK-SYE, sb. Sc. Stf Also written niilk-sey ; and
in forms milcie Lth. ; milsey, milsie Sc. [mil(k)-sl, -si.]
1. A milk-strainer. Also used attrib. Cf. milksile,
niilk-syth.
Sc. An ark, an anibray and a ladle, A milsie and a sowen-pail,
Ramsay Tca-Tahle Misc. (i-]24) I. 174, ed. 1871. Ayr. (F.J.C.)
Lth. It minds me o' a milcie clout, Nae sooner fill'd than it rins
out, Thomson Poems {i8ig) 182. Bwk. He handed her — the milk-
strainer, milsey, or seller, Henderson Pop. Rhymes (1856) 8a.
Stf. 1812-T3. A Stf. farmer's inventory of goods purchased on
commencing housekeeping. Milk Sye, 3s. 6d. (G.H.H.)
2. Cotiip. Milsie- wall, the wall of a dairy in which there
is a sort of window made of perforated tin. Bwk. (Jam.)
3. Phr. to br sair slrrssed stringing lite milsie, to make
much ado about a little work.
Sc. Henderson Prov. (1832) 146, cd. 1881 ; This refers to the
cloth through which the milk is strained being taken ofl' the
wooden frame, wrung out and tied on again (Jam.).
MILKY
[III]
MILL
MILKY, adj. Sc. Nhb. Dev. Cor. [milki.] 1. In
comb, (i) Milky-dashel. {a) the sow-thistle, Soiic/iiis
oleraceus ; (b) the milk-thistle, Cardiiiis Mariaiiiis; {c) the
dandelion, Leon/oiion Tciia.xariiiii ; (2) -dassel or dazzle,
see(i,fl); (3) -dicel, -disle, or-dizel, ini see (i, «) ; (b) see
(I, b} ; (c) see (i, c) ; (4) -dickle, (5) -tassel, see (i, a) ; (6)
•thrissel, see (i, b).
(i, a) Dev.'; Dev.^ Milkydashels be gfide rabbit's mayle !
Dev.* Cor. (B. & H.) (i) nw.Dev.' [c) Dev. Reports Pro-
vote. (1897). (2! Dev.4, Cor. (,B. & H.) (3, a) Cor.12 lA)
Cor.2 ; Cor.3 Willie's gone out to bring home a few milkydizels
(or bis rabbits, (r) Dev." (4) Dev. (&. 8c H.) (5) Cor. (/i.)
(6) Nhb.i
2. Of grain: having the ear filled but not yet grown white.
Cld. Green pease and barley, when the ear is just become milky
. . . spoiled by 4 degrees [of coldj. . . Oats, when the ear is milky,
by 6, Agric. Sinv. 11-2 (Jam.).
MILL, 5i.' and v.' Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng.
Alsoinl"ormsmelle.An.';mullSc.e.An.'' SeeMiln. 1. sb.
In cuiiib.{i} Mill-bannock, a circular cake of oatmeal ; see
below ; (2) -bill, an iron tool used in dressing mill-stones ;
(3) -bitch, a small bag clandestinely set by the miller to
receive meal for his own profit ; cf. black bitch ; (4) -burn,
the stream which drives a water-mill ; (5) -capon, obs., a
poor person who sought the charity of those who had
grain grinding at the mill ; (6) -clap, the piece of wood
that strikes and shakes the hopper of a mill ; in phr. /o
have a loitgtie tike a mill-clap, to talk incessantly ; (7)
•clapper, a small-toothed wheel attached to the upper
mill-stone by which the supply trough is shaken ;
also used Jig. to describe a great chatterbox ; (8) -cloose,
the boxed woodwork which conducts the water into
mill-wheels ; (9) -clothes, a miller's working clothes ;
(10) -ee or -eye, (a) the orifice through which the meal
falls into the bin ; in phr. hot from the mill-eye, newly
made ; (6) unsifted flour as it comes from the mill-stones ;
(11) -fish, the turbot. Rhombus maximtts ; (12) -fud, a mill
girl, a girl who works in a mill ; (13) -gear, the
machinery or mechanical equipment of a mill ; (14) -haave,
a vessel used in a corn-mill for measuring the ' shilling ' ;
(15) -head, the pond or reservoir of water which supplies
a water-wheel; (16) -holm or Milium, a watery place
about a mill-dam ; a small meadow belonging to a water-
wheel; (17) -house, the under-room in a mill, where the
meal runs down from the grinding; also the room in a
' tucking-miir where the 'stocks' are situated; (18) -house
story, a piece of doubtful gossip ; (19) -kill, a kiln in which
oats are dried before being ground into meal ; (20) -lade,
•lead, or -leat, the canal or trench which carries the water
of a river or pond down to a mill ; the mill-stream itself;
(21) -lichens, the entry into the part of the mill where the
inner wheel works; (22)-man, a miller; (23) -meat, poultry
food, such as bran, coming from a mill ; (24) -peck, a kind
of hammer with two chisel-heads used for deepening the
grooves of the mill-stone ; (25) -pool or -pound, water
pounded up behind a mill by means of a dam ; (26) -posts,
the posts on which a wooden mill is erected ; ftg. very
thick legs ; (27) -prop, a thick round piece of timber used
as a prop or stay ; also wsedfjg. and attrib. ; (28) -reek, (a)
the fumes arising from the smelt mill ; (b) a disease to
which lead-workers are subject ; (29) -ring, (a) the open
space in a mill between the runner and the wooden frame
surrounding it ; (b) the meal remaining within this space
or adhering to the mill-stones, considered as a perquisite
of the miller ; (c] the dust from the mill ; (30) -shilling, the
shelled grainwhichrunsoutof the 'mill-eye'; scebelow; in
phr. to lie like a mill-shilling, to lie with great fluency ; (31)
•staff, a flat piece of wood, rubbed with ruddle, by which
the accuracy of the work done by the ' mill-peck ' is
tested ; (32) -stag, (33) -steep, a lever fixed to the machinery
of corn-mills by means of which the mill-stones can be
moved closer together or wider apart ; (34) -stew, see
(29, c) ; (35) -stick, a large piece of timber used in the
construction of the larger windmills ; (36} -story, see (18) ;
(37) -sucken, obs., bound by tenure to carry corn to be
ground at the manorial mill ; (38) -tail, the stream below
a water-mill ; the waste water from a mill ; (39) -timbers,
see (27) ; (40) -trou or -trowsfe, see (8) ; (41) -wand, ubs.,
a rod or beam used to move a mill-stone ; see below.
(i) Gall. A circular cake of oatmeal, with a hole in the centre,
. . gen. a foot in diameter, and an inch in thickness, . . baked at
mills, and haurredor toasted on the burning seeds of shelled oats.
• If he could afl'ord to make sic mill-bannocks to his friends, he
could be no way distressed," M.\ctaggakt Eiicycl. (1824). (2)
Wor. (W.C.B.) (31 s.Sc. This is a term originally invented by the
miller for concealment ; as he was wont to say to his . . . servant,
in allusion to the use of a dog, ' Hae ye set the bitch ? ' (Jam.)
(4) Sh.I. The millburns, and the quaintly diminutive native mills,
working horizontally, Sli. Nt-ifs • Mar. ig, 189B). (5) Sc. The alms
were usually a gowpen or handful of meal. It was likewise cus-
tomary to hang up a pock in the mill, into which a handful of meal
was put for the use of the poor, out of the quantity ground,
KiNLocH BoZ/nrfi- (1827) 30 ; Hoch ! had I drank the well-water,
Whan first I drank the wine, Never a mill-capon Wad hae been
a love o' mine, ib. 23. (6) Cai.' (7) w.Som.' Dhu tuuug" oa ur-z
lig u mee-ul-tlaapur. (8) Gall. Mactaggart £■«<:)'<:/. (1824). (9)
1 pat on my mill-claise, and gaed out, ib. 159, ed. 1876. (10, a)
Sh.I. A . . . seemly baron's mill . . . that casts the meal through the
mill-eye by forpits at a time, Scott Pirate ( 1822') xi. Rnf. Mill-ee
is often in leases used as signifying the whole mill and pertinents
(Jam.). SIk. A doolfu' voice came frae the mill-ee, Hogg Poems
(ed. 1865) 65. Dnif. A pawky cat came frae the mill-ee, Cromek
Remains (1810: 67. Gall. The shelled grain which runs out of
the mill-e'e, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824^. N.I.', Nhb.', n.Yks.'*
(ft) Nhb.' (ii)S. &Ork.' (12) Abd. (G.W.) Frf. We spend a
day in prosaic Dimdee among ' mill fuds ' and 'corks,' Colvili.e
yeriiaciilar (iBgg) 3. (13) n.Yks.'^*, w.Yks.s (s.v. Gear). (14)
Edb. It varies in size at diflerent mills; but is gen. less than a
' pease-firlot ' (Jam., s.v. Haave). (15) w.Som.' (16) n.Cy.
Bailey (1721) ; N.Cy.^, w.Yks.", Nhp.' (17) w.Som.' I zeed-n
g'in mill-'ouse benow. (18) Cor. Quiller-Couch Hist. Po/peiro
(1871) 127. (19) Chs.' (s.v. Kill). (20) Sc. Immediately below
the bridge, a white mill and a dark mill lade, Simfson Stevenson's
EM, Days (1898) 280. Bnff. The Sedge Warbler, which lay
concealed in the reedy copses, or by the margin of the mill-lades,
Smilks Natnr. (1876) iii. Lnk. Wee sykes a' jowin' like mill-lade,
Watt Poems (1827) 75. Gall. The splash of the water tumbling
from the wooden mill-lade or trough into the black pool beneath
the great wheel, Crockett Anna Mark (1899) vii. n.Ir. A'. & Q.
(1873) 4th S. xii. 479. Yks. One of my dogs chasing a fine buck
rabbit lost it by bunny making a clear leap over a part of a mill-
lade, Yks. IVkly. Post (Nov. 12, i8g8). Dev. (K." (21) n.Sc.
(Jam.) (22) Nrf. Jim the millman . . . rarely came out of his mill,
Emerson Yarns (,1891) 68. (23 n.Yks.'' (24) Wil. The millpeck
is a little tool like a double adze, or perhaps rather like two chisels
set in the head of a mallet, Jefferies Gt. Estate (1880! ix ; Wil.'
1^25) War.^ These words are used indiscriminately where there is
no pool apart from the stream, but where there is a separate pool
the water above the dam is called either the mill-dam or the pound.
(26) Lakel.^ (27) Nhb. Aw like nyen o' yer . . . Hottentots wi
thor millprop legs, Chater Tyneside Aim. (1869) 17. (28, a)
Nhb.' (6) Lnk. The miners and smelters of Leadhills and Wan-
lockhead are subject as in other places to the lead distemper, or
mill reek, as it is called. It brings on palsies and sometimes mad-
ness terminating in death in about ten days. Pennant Tour (1772)
130 (Jam.). N.Cy.', Nhb.' (29, «) Sc, (Jam.) (A) Sc. (I'A.) Abd.
A number of the mill-masters apply the mill-ring to the feeding of
horses, Agric. Stirv. 506 (ift.). (c) n.Sc. {ib.) (30) Ayr. Sanny
lee'd like a mill-shilling, Service Dr. Dnguid (1887I 13. Gall.
When we see a person vomiting from the effects of drinking spirits,
we say he was ' sendin' the drink frae him like a mill-shilling,'
Mactaggart Encycl. ( 1824). (31) Wil. He laid down the mill-peck
and took his mill-staff to prove the work he had done. This was
made of well-seasoned oak, the pieces put together so that they
should not warp. He rubbed the edge with ruddle, and placing
themill-staflf on the stone, turned it about on itsshorter axis. Where
the ruddle left its red mark more pecking would be necessary,
Jefferies GI. Estate (1880) ix ; Wil.' (32) Som. I went up to see
the ole mill-stag (W.F.R.). (33) Rxb. (Jam.) (341 Sc. (Jam.)
(35) Nrf. ' That ain't long enough for a mill-stick neither,' said the
old man, pointing to the fallen tree, Emerson Lagoons (ed. 1896)
165. (36) Cor.^ Mills were so noted as places for scandal, that
any slanderous tale used to be called a mill story, Bottrell Trad.
3rd S. 17. (37) Cum.' (38) n.Lin.', War.3 Wil. Shall we walk
to the mill-tail and try a minnow! Akerman 5/>i/;;.|- /iV/c (1850)
44. w.Som.' (39) Gall. My theebanes war then like mill-timmers,
and my fingers like dragtaes, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 26, ed.
MILL
[112]
MILLER
1876. (40) Lnk. His wame caddled like onny mill trows, Graham
IV'iilings (1883) II. 58. Gall. Mactaggart £'»ot/. (i824\ Nhb.'
(41; Sc. A mill-stone was convej'cd from the quarry to the mill,
by means of a rod, or beam of wood, called the mill- wand, which
was thrust through the hole in the centre of the stone, and thus
the people employed to trundle it home were enabled to roll it
along like a wheel, EUb. ^u/itf. Mag. [1848) 55.
2. Plir. (i) to blow eiioKgh to ttiiit a mi II, to be out of
breath ; (2) to go to mill, to carry corn to be ground at the
mill ; (3) to klip the old maiiiiii's mill going, to keep on
sliding one after the other without intermission ; (4) to let
the multure be taken by one's oivii mill, to allow oneself to
be deprived of one's rights ; (5) to pick the mills, see below.
f I) e.An.^ (2) w.Som.' Maister zess how . . . Jim must go to
mill, else 'on't be nort to sar the pigs way tomarra. nw.Dev.'
(3) Frf. It was a sicht .. . the way they [boys] 'keepit the auld man-
nie's mill agaein' on the slide, wearin their tackets dcon to the
leather, Willock Rosctly Ends (1886) 74. ed. 1889. (4) Sc. It's
a sin and a shame if they should employ the tinkling cymbal they
ca' Chatterby, and sic a Presbyterian trumpet as yoursell i]i the
land. . . If ye will take a fule's advice ye winna let the multure
be ta'en by your ain mill, Scott SI. Roiian (1824J xvii. (5) Sh.I.
If there was any tendency to shortness of breathing the patient
was asked to ' pick the mills.' This was done by repeating the
following without drawing breath : ' Four-and-twenty mill-stanes
hang upon a waa, He was a good picker that picked them aa : Picked
one, Picked twa, [and so on to] Picked twenty-four.' If llie
patient could pick eighteen to twenty-four mills, the breathing or
lungs were supposed to be in fairly good condition, Spence Flk-
Loie {1899) 155.
3. A snuff-box ; a small box, gen. made of horn.
Sc. When tobacco was introduced into this country, those who
wished to have snufl" were wont to toast the leaves before the fire,
and then bruise them with a bit of wood in the box, which was
therefore called a mill, from the snuflf being ground in it (Jam.).
Or. I. I have known the lu.xuries of snuff and tobacco find their way
into their mulls and spleuchans, as donations, Vedder Sketches
(1832) 108. n.Sc. I shall never again take a pinch of snuff from
his ram's horn mull, Gordon Caiglen (1891) 186. Elg. Couper
Poetry (1804I II. 15. e.Sc. Rob helped himself to a pinch of snuff and
handed the mull to Mich'el, Setoun R. Urqtiharl (1896) iii. Abd.
[He] lugg'd out his mill an' licket sneeshin, Anderson Poems
(ed. 1826) 47. Frf. The mulls and cutties flew like drift, Beattie
Aiulia (c. 1820) 16, ed. 1882. Per. Treating himself. . . to a huge
pinch of snuff, and sending his mull on a coasting voj-age round
the apartment, Haliburton Fiiiih in Field (1894) i r. w.Sc.
Well, give me your mull, Alister, for I see you snulT, Macdonald
Settlement {\S6g) 169, ed. 1877. Slg. Towers Poems (1885) 64.
se.Sc. A sneesher wi' an empty mull, Donaldson Pucms (1809)
114. Dmb. Took a snufl", han'd round his mill, Taylor Poems
(1827) 17. Rnf. As soon as I can find my mill, 'i'ese get a snuflf
wi' right guid will, Picken Poems (1813) I. 117. Ayr. Boswell
Poet. IVks. (ed. 1871) 212. Lnk. Rax me your mill, an' my nose I
will prime, Watson Poems (1853) 70. Lth. Thomson Poems
(1819) 182. Edb. A mill with snitian [' sneeshin '] to pepper her
nose, Pennlcuik Helicon (1720) 65. Gall. Lugs out his mull, and
alt his neb will prime, Mactaggart Encycl. (1824) 350, ed. 1876.
Wgt. John who . . . would have been only too glad to have
gratified the Bailie's desire for a pinch, was unfortunately . . .
minus his mull, Fraser Wigtown (18771 258.
4. A small stand with a mirror and a piece of red rag
fastened to it, used for ensnaring larks.
Lan. Macpherson Hist. Wild fowling (1897) 69.
5. The game of 'merrils' (q.v.). Nhp.' Q. v. Phr. to
mill one out of a thing, to wheedle it away. Lth. (Jam.)
7. To clean clover-seed from the husk. Wil.' Hence
Milled-hop, sb. the seed of hop-clover when it has been
cleaned from the husk.
Wil. Davis Agiie. (1813) in Aixh. Rev. (1888) I. 37 ; Wil.»
8. To swing or wheel round ; to turn anything slowly
about. GIo.' Mill that ladder. e.An.'
9. To manufacture.
Slg. That cowlie had baith wit an' skill, Wha first of a' ca'f-legs
did mill, Galloway Poems (1792) 16.
10. Cloth-making term: to beat the material with
ponderous wooden hammers to make it thicker; freq.
with up.
w.Yks.5 Cloths are divided into 'Superfines' and 'Double-
mill's,' for ordinarj- purposes, the latter much narrower than the
former, on account of the ' milling-up ' process gone through.
Hence (1) Milled, ppl. adj. of cloth : beaten, fulled ; also
used fig. ; (2) Milling-machine, sb. a machine by means
of which the cloth is driven through a spout and then
pressed between heavy weights.
(i) Sh.I. Dis sooth niill'd claes sets aff a lock o' weet, Sh. Neics
(Aug. 5, 1899). Lnk. What double-mill'd sinners the poor folk
must be, Rodger Poems {183S) 178, ed. 1897. w.Yks. T floor wor
carpitad wi dubble mil'd sheet-leetnin, Tom Treddlehoyle
Bairnsla Ann. (1846) 21. (2) w.Yks. Binns Vill. to Toun
(1882 I 17.
11. To mark or emboss (as a coin) by means of a machine.
w.Yks. T'mooin wor mill'd-up at edge like a suvrin,ToM Tred-
dlehoyle Bairnsla Ann. (j848\
12. With in, to, or up : to shrink ; to wither ; to diminish
in quantity ; gen. in pp.
n.Yks. Tstulf's getten mill'd in (I.W.). n.Yks.^a* ne.Yks.i
He's milled in a good bit. m.Yks.'
MILL,si!>.2 Sc.Nhb. [mil.] 1. A confused heap. Cf.
mail, v.'^
Nhb.i When a number of mason's tools have been sharpened
they are brought out from the smithy and thrown down in a heap.
This is called a mill. Tile tools are one by one picked out of the
mill, and sorted by the distinctive marks of each mason.
Hence Milled, adj. intoxicated ; mixed up.
Bnff.' Nhb. For where's the man desarves the nyem, Winnet
push about the jorum And, fairly mill'd, gan dancin' hyem, Wilson
Pitman's Pay (1843) 79 ; Nhb.'
2. A boys' fight ; a scrimmage. Abd. (A.W.)
MILL, i'.2 Ken.>2 [mil.] To melt.
MILL. MILLARD(Y, see Meal, sb.'', Mell,/»v/)., Miller.
MILLDEW,5i. Sh.I. Wet, rain, fog ; cold raw weather.
I . . . haes ta geng furt i' dis mildew, I can ca' hit, Sli. A'ews
(Sept. 22, 1900).
MILLER, sb. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel.and Eng. Also
in forms mallard Wil.' ; niellar e.An.' ; meller Ess. ;
millard Nhp.= Oxf. Hmp.' Wil.' Dor.' ; millardy Wil.
Som. ; millerd Brks.' nw.Dev.' ; millardy Som. ; millart
Abd.; miliary Hnip.' Som.; millud se.Wor.' [mil3(r,
milsd.] 1. In comb, (i) Millar-cloot, a plug of straw to
put into a hole in a sack of grain ; (2) -'s dog, a hairy
caterpillar: (3) -doustipoll, {a\ a species of moth ; (A) a
variety of stock grown in cottage gardens; (4) -'s eye, (a)
a small kernel in bread, where the water has not mixed
with the flour; {b) a jelly-fish; (5) -('s lift, an upward
thrust, ^c«. with the handle of a crowbar ; see below ; (6)
•moUard, (7) -'s soul, see (3, a) ; (8) -'s star, the greater
slitchwort, Stellaria Holostea.
(i)Lakel.2 (,2) do. Horae Subseeivae (1777) 273; Northall
Flk-Phr. (1894). (3, a) Hmp. So called from the mealiness of its
wings(J.R.W. ), Hmp.' Som. Sweetman /K/hi:<?»/ohG/.( 1885). (li)
Hmp. (J.R.W.\ Hmp.' (1,, o) War.2 (A) Ken.' (5) Abd. Cant
it up wi' the millert's lift (G.W.). N.L' An upward thrust with
the point of a crowbar. Ant. The men were using iron crow-bars,
and called out to each other, ' Now all together, a miller's lift !'. .
By this term was meant the effort to move the stone forward by
an upward lift of the handle end of the crowbar, . . just the reverse
of a prise, N. & Q. (1871) 4th S. viii. 305. n.Cy. The grinding
surfaces of mill-stones require to be re-dressed from time to time.
To do this the upper stone is raised until it stands on its edge, the
lower end of the iron bar, or gavelock, . . resting on the fixed
nether millstone as a fulcrum, while an upward motion is given
to the hand at the higher end ; a downward motion being inappli-
cable in this case. In a ' miller's lift ' the gavelock acts as a lever
of the second order ; in a prise it is a lever of the first order, ib.
(6) WiL A millardy-mollard, a ten o'clock scholard. What makes
you come so soon ? (K.M.G.) (7) Dor. He saw one of those great
white miller's souls, as we call 'em — that is to say a miller-moth —
come from William's open mouth. Hardy Life's Iron, (ed, 1896)
253. (8) Sus. (B. & H.)
2. Phr. (i) to be behindhand like the miller's filler, to be
dilatory in keeping appointments ; (2) to put out the jniller's
eye, to add too much water or milk to any mixture ; cf.
drown, 4.
(i) Nhp.' (2) Nhp.' Most frequently applied to weak tea, or
any spirituous mixture ; also to an exuberance of milk in making
a pudding. This peculiar phrase has no reference to the eye of a
miller, but probably to that part of the machinery of a mill termed
the mill-eye. . . If, through the inattention of the miller, the grain
MILLER
[113]
MILPREV(E
flows too freely into the hopper, and thence fills the eye or aper-
ture of the revolving stone, and brings the machine to a stand, the
mill-eye is stopped or put out. WarA Hnt. (T.P.F.) Ess. That
day, they had a toad-in-ho!e, A dish that's deadly gud. But when
oad Styles to goffle it Bargun, he soon ded cry out ; — ' Missus, I
tliinks as how, taa-day , You've put the meller's eye out,' Clark J,
Aoa*/s( 1839"; St. 67-8; Ess.' Ken.' When a person.inmixingmortar
or dough, pours too much water into the hole made to receive it;
then they say, ' I reckon you've put the miller's eye out now I '
3. An obscene Story. SeeMill,si!>.'l(i8). Cor .»That'sa miller.
4. A moth of any kind, esp. a large white moth ; also a
white butterfly.
Cum.' Nhp.' Probably the ghost-moth, Phalama humuli, from
the lightness of its colour ; Nhp.'^, se.Wor.' Shr.^ Miller, miller,
blow your horn ! You shall be hanged for stealing corn. Oxf.'
MS. acM., Brks.', e.An.' Nrf. Holloway. Hmp. If you kill a
miller while it's flying round a lighted lamp, j-ou'U get a letter
next day i,\V.M.E.F.) ; Hmp.' ' Millery, millery, doustipoll, How
many zacks hast thee astole \ Vow'r an' twenty, and a peck ; Hang
the miller up by's neck.' Children say this to the moths, and con-
demn them. I.W.' Wil. One of those small white moths known
as ' millers ' went past him, Ewing Jan lViiici»til! (1876) vi ; Wil.',
Dor.i Som. (W.F.R.); N. &- Q. (1851) ist S. iii. 133. w.Som.'
nw.Dev.' Millerdy, millerdy, dowsty poll. How many pecks hast
thee a-stole ? Vower an' twenty, My belly's empty, Zo grammer,
gee ma zom zupper.
5. A hairy caterpillar, esp. the caterpillar of the tiger-
moth ; the larva of the Vanessa lirtkae.
Shr. Another amulet in recent use around Market Drayton is
composed of a 'miller,' or hairy caterpillar, enclosed in the shell
of a hazel-nut, from which the kernel has been withdrawn through
a hole bored in the side. The nutshell and caterpillar are then
sewn up in a cotton band and tied round the sufferer's neck. If
the cough does not disappear under this treatment, the 'miller'
must be taken out of the nut and replaced by a living spider,
BuRNE Flk-Lote (1883-6) 194 ; Shr.'2
6. A young spotted fly-catcher, Muscicapa grisola.
Shr. SwAiNSON Birds (1885! 49 ; Shr.'
MILLER-, see Meller.
MILLER'STHUMB, sb. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Cum. Yks.
Lin. Also written miller's-thume Bnff.' ; and in form
milner's-thumb e.Yks.^ n.Lin.' 1. The sea-scorpion.
Cot/us scorpiiis. N.L' 2. The long-spined Cottus, C.
biibalis. ib. 3. The young of the bib, Morrlnia hisca.
Bnff.' 4. The armed bullhead, Aspidophorus Europaeus.
Nhb.' 5. The goldcrest, Regtihis cristalus. Rxb. Swain-
son Birds ( 1885 1 25. 6. The British long-tailed tit-
mouse, Acreditla rosea. Cum. (H.W.) 7. The willow-
warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus. Cum.' 8. A fossil in
the Lias, the gryphaea inciirva.
e.Yks. Letds Merc. Suppl. (Apr. 27, 1895) ; e.Yks.l MS. add.
(T.H.) n.Lin.'
9. A hard, flat boulder, gen. large, found in the oolite.
n.Lin.' 10. A variety of pear; the Bishop's thumb. Cum."
MILLERT, MILLERY, see Miller.
MILLERY, sb} n.Yks.^ [milari.] A mint ; a place
for coining money. See Mill, v} 11.
MILLERY, sb? Cum. Also written milary. The
willow-warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus. (J.D.), Cum.*
MILLET, sb. I.W. The wood club-rush, Scirpus
sylvaticus. (B. & H.)
MILL-GRUEL, sb. Sh.L Also written mil-; and in
form myl-gruul. Porridge made with milk.
The Johnsmas at Midsummer, when they supped the ' milgruel
kits,' Spence Flk-Lorc (1899) 188 ; Could doo no mak wiz a pan
o' mylgruul \ Sh. News (Aug. 5, 1899; ; S. & Ork.'
MILLIAiH, num. adj. Irel. Also written melia ; and
in forms meel a, mille. In phr. milliaih inurlher(s, a
thousand murders ! Gen. used as a cry of alarm.
Ir. It 'ud be the milliah murdhers to let the . . . villin . . . off",
Carleton Fardorougha (1848) xvii ; Poor Shemus roared out
' Mille murdher! ' Yeats/"/*. 7"rt/f5(i888) 208. n.Ir. Protect us!
what's that he hez got ? sez his wife ; Meel a murther ! Lays and
Leg. (1884) 78. Don. ' Melia-murther ! ' says Billy, and over went
two of the skeps. Cent. Mag. (Feb. 1900) 606. s.Don. Simmons
Gl. (1890). w.Ir. Millia murther! cries the King, Lovkr Leg.
(1848) I. 103.
[Ir. mile, a thousand (Macbain).]
VOL. IV.
MILLIAR, MILLIER, see Milyer.
MILLIN, sb. Sc. [mi'lin.] A cruinb of bread ; the
least particle of solid food ; a bit of anything. Cf. mool,
s6.' 1.
Sh.I. He's [lamp-glass] in shall millin's, mam. Sh. Neu/s (May 5,
1900' ; S. & Ork.' No ae millin hae I. Cai.', Cld. (Jam.)
MILLIN(G, see Middling.
MILLION, sb. e.An. Also in form milyin Nrf.
[milian.] A pumpkin. e.An.\ Nrf. (M.C.H.B.), (Hall.),
e.Suf. (F.H.)
MILLY-BOX, sb. Obs. w.Yks. A box carried about
on Christmas Eve ; see below.
Boxes in which figures of the Virgin and Child, together with
spice, oranges and sugar, were formerly carried from house to
house by the children on Christmas Eve, Andrews Olden
Times (1890) 131 ; Children carry about these figures [the Virgin
and Child] ... in what they call milly-boxes. The boxes are
lined with apices, oranges, and sugar. They call this 'going a
wassailing,' Henderson Flk-Lors (1879",! ii.
MILLY-THUMB, sb. Cum. "War. Also written milly-
thoom Cum.' [mili-jjum.] 1. The long-tailed tit,
Acredula rosea. "War.^ 2. The willow-warbler, Phyllo-
scopus trochilus. Cum.'
MILN, s6. Sc.Yks. Lan. Der. Not. Lin. [miln.] 1. A
mill, a factory. See MUl, sb}
Sc. (Jam.\ n.Yks.2 w.Yks. To the Divil of Hollow's-miln,
Bronte Shirley (1849) ii; w.Yks.'«S4^ e.Lan.', Der.' Not. There
used to be a miln at the bottom of the town (L.C.M.;. Lin. Kennett
Par. Aniiq. (1695 . n.Lin.' There ewsed to be a windmiln agfian
th' Messingham watter-miln. sw.Lin.' The man as belongs the miln.
2. Comb, (i) Miln-ee, the hole from which the ground
corn falls into the chest below ; (2) -grease, the oil and
tallow used to lubricate machinery ; (3) -holms, watery
places about a mill-dam; (4) -posts, (5) -stohps, the
posts on which a wooden mill is erected ; also used Jig.
for thick legs.
1 1) w.Yks.' (a) w.Yks. Tha'U hardly quite relish th' perfumes
o' miln-grease, Hartley Dill. (i868) 40. 13) Der.' A field near
my miln at Unston is called the Miln-holm. Obs. '41 n Lin.'
She's gotten two straange miln stohps on her awn sartanlj-. (5) ib.
[1. A milne, moleitdiiuiin, Cath. Angl. (1483); It spedith
to hym that a my In stoon of assis behangid in his necke,
"Wyclif (1388J Matt, xviii. 6. OE. myln, a mill (B.T.) ;
Lat. nioliiia.]
MILNER, sb. Yks. [milna(r).] 1. A mill-hand ; an
operative. See Miln.
w.Yki. "When t'owd parson's wife Meets t'milners i' ther' clogs,
Yks. IVkly. Post (May 8, 1897) ; It's drinking time, doy, there's
t'milners comin' hoam (S.K.C.) ; (E.G.)
2. One who puts the cloth into the stocks. w.Yks.*
See Mm, sb} 10.
[1. A milner, ntolendinarius, Cath. Angl. (1483).]
MILNER'S-THUMB, see Miller's-thumb.
MILPREV(E, sb. Cor. A stone used as a charm
against adders, see below.
Around the Land's End ... in the summer-time, it was not safe
to venture amongst the furze on the Downs without a milpreve. . .
Described . . . as being about the size of a pigeon's egg, . . made
by the adders when they get together in great numbers. . . I was
once shown a milpreve ; it was nothing more than a beautiful ball
of coralline lime-stone, the sections of the coral being thought to
be entangled young snakes. . .The Cornish retain variety of charms,
and have still towards the Land's End the amulets of Maen Magal
and Glain-neider, which latter they call a Melprer [51c], a thousand
worms, and have a charm for the snake to make it, when they
have found one asleep, and struck a hazel-wand in the centre of
its spirae. Hunt Pop. Rom. w.Eng. (1865) 418, ed. 1896; The
farmer called it a ' milpreene ' [sic] or serpent stone, which, when
required, was boiled in milk and the milk afterwards administered
as an antidote for bites of vipers. The account he gave of the
formation of the stone was that a number of adders congregated
together at times, and their spittle hardened upon a hazel rod or
the tail of one of their number, A^. if Q. (1880) 6th S. i. 23 ; Cor.'
A coralline ball worn as a charm against adders ; Cor.* The
Druids' or serpents' egg.
[OCor. niilprcv, the Druid's or serpent's egg. The ovuiii
aiiguinuni of Pliny. Mil, a thousand -I- /'>rj', a reptile
("Williams).]
Q
MILSEY
[ihJ
MIMMOCK
MILSEY, MILSIE, see Milcy, MUk-sye.
MILSIE-WALL, sb. Obsol. Peb. (Jam.) A wall with
crenated battlements.
MILT, sb} Sc. Yks. Chs. Lin. Glo. Oxf. Brks. I.W.
VVil. Dor. Som. Also in form melt Sc. w.Yks.== Chs.'^
Oxf.' Brks.' Wil.' [milt, melt.] I. The spleen, gen. used
of animals.
Sc.The mair and the migrame, with meaths in the melt, Fijan-
cisQUE-MicHEL Laiig. (1882; 155. S. & Ork." e.Yks. Nicholson
Flk-Sp. (1889) 73 ; e.Yks.i w.Yks.^ The mesentery gland of a
pig. Chs.' 3 sw.Lin.i There's a many will eat a pig's milt, and a
many reckons it's eats' meat. Glo.'^ Oxf.i MS. add. Brks.>
' Heart and melt' supper, is made by cramming the fattish melt
with savoury stuffing, also stuffing the heart. I.W.' Part of the
inside of a calf. Wil.' The spleen of a pig, which forms a favourite
dish when stuffed. Dor. 1 W.C. c. 1750. Som. Jen.nings Obs.
Dial. w.Eiig. \ i825\ w.Soni.'
2. Coiiip. (I) Milthole, the space between the ribs and
the pelvis ; (2) -token, obs., a method of foretelling the
weather ; see below.
(i) Cld. (Jam.) (2. Sh.I. It is called the milt-token, and is said
to have been practised in some parts of Shetland. When the first
mert was killed about Hallowmas, the milt or spleen of the animal
was taken out and laid on a board, and six cuts were made
crosswise, equi-distant from each other. These cuts were not
quite through the milt, the under side being left whole. They
were named — the first, November ; the second, December ; . . and
so on to April. The milt was now laid in a dark place for three
days and three nights. It was then carefully examined, and if a
cut had closed and presented a dry appearance, the month it
represented was to be mild and dry ; but if the cut was open and
dry the month was supposed to be windy. An open and wet cut
foretold wind and rain, Spence Flk-Lore (,1899) 117-8.
[1. ME. inilte, spleen (Stratmann); OE. milte (Sweet).]
MILT, sb.^ Sc. Lakel. Yks. Also in form melt Sc.
m.Yks.^ [milt, melt.] The male fish, a ' milter.'
Sc. (A.W.) Lakel.'^ A soft-bellied fish — herrin', fer instance.
m.Yks.i w.Yks. Banks Wkfld. Wds. (1865).
[Flein. milt, the male of the herring (Schuermans); cp.
milte, ' la laictee ou laictance du poisson, comme d'lm
hareng ' (Plantin); Norw. dial, vijelte, the milt of the
male fish ; mjeltesild, the male of the herring (Aasen).]
MILT, sb? ? Obs. Glo.i w.Cy. (Hall.) Also in form
melt Glo.' The ' fluke ' in sheep. Cf miles, sb.pl.^
MILT, V. Cor. To smelt.
Where the Jarmans used to milty their tin, Tregellas Tales
(1868) 15.
Hence Milting-house, sb. a smelting-house.
Where the milting house es, ih.
MILWYN, sb. Obs. Lan. ? The greenfish, Labrus
liiteatiis, or the milwel. Conger vulgaris.
Skinner (1671); Ray (1691); Myllewell, a sort of fish, the
same with what now in Lan. is called milwyn, which Spelman
renders green fish ; but it was certainly of a different kind, Kennett
Gl. (1695), ed. 1816; Grose (1790).
MILYER, 5*. Cor. Also written milliar, millier Cor.^ ;
millyer; and in form mellier Cor.'^^ [milj3(r), melj3(r).]
1. A piece of iron on which anything revolves.
The hang-bow and millyer was all that was left of the gate,
Thomas Randigal Rhymes (1895) 6 ; Cor.'^ The axles of the frame
used in washing ores ; Cor.^
2. Comp. Milyer-stone, the stone in which the iron pivot
of a gate revolves. Cor.*
MIM, adj. and v. Sc. Irel. Nhb. Dur. Yks. Oxf. Brks.
e.An. Cor. [mini.] 1. adj. Prim, demure ; affectedly
modest or shy ; prudish ; primly silent or reticent.
Also used Jig.
Sc. Maidens should be mim till they're married, and then they
may burn kirks, Ferguson Prov. ( 1641) 24 ; Did I not say it wasna
want o' spunk that made ye sae mim ? Scott Blk. Dwarf (i&i6j ii ;
A bit but, and a bit ben. Makes a mim maiden at the board end,
Ramsay Prof. (1721) 9 (Jam.). Cai.', Bnff.' Kcd. He's aye sae
mim an' douce. Grant Loj's (1884) 173. Frf. Maidens, mim they
look, and unco shy, Morison Poems ,1790") 187. Per. What gars
ye be sae terrible mim ? Cleland Iiichhracken (1883) 146, ed. 1887.
e.Fif. The venturolocust was now as mim as a moose, Latto Tarn
Bodkin (1864J XXX. Dmb. She's ... as mim as if butter wadna
melt in her mooth. Cross Disruption (1844) i, Rnf. They are
baith meek and mim, Barr Poems (1861) 206. Ayr. The young
leddy wasayeas mim as a may puddock to a' the lave o' mankind,
Galt Sir a. IVylie (182a) xxxiv. Lnk. Mony braw lasses . . . When
they are afore folk, are mim as a moose, Thomson Musings (1881)
222. Lth. He's bauld as a lion, though mim as a lamb, Ballantine
Poems 1,1856) 98. Edb. Some o' the lasses were sae mim, Handsel
Monday (1792) 21. Slk. As mim and as sleek as a moudie, Hogg
7Vi/fs (1838) 363, ed. 1866. Dmf. Nanny's so dry and so mim,
Wallace Schoolmaster (1899") 195. Gall. As mim as pussy baw-
drons, Crockett Raiders ,1894) xxxvi. Rxb, A' trowed her mim
in the bridal-shine That butter itsel' wadna melt in her mou',
RiDDELL Poet. IVks. (ed. 1871) I. 165. N.I.', N.Cy.', Nhb.', Dur.',
s.Dur. : J.E.D.) w.Yks. Some o' t'bonniest and mimmest-looking
too, Bkonte Shirley (1849) viii. s.Oxf. Susan cic kiiowed all
about it, though she did set there as mim as mim, Rosemary
Chillems (1895) 208. Brks.' She zet ther zo mim as I cood'nt get
on no how, an' zo 1 got up an' come awaay. e.An.'
Hence (i) Mimlie, adv. primly, prudishly ; (2) Miin-
mouthed or -mou'd, adj. affectedly prim or proper in
speech, &:c. ; reticent, shy at speaking out, soft-spoken ;
(3) -mou'dness, sb. affected or fastidious modesty in con-
versation ; (4) -ness, sb. prudishness, primness ; (5)
•spoken, adj., see (2) ; (6) -ways, sb. pi. quiet, sly manners.
(i) Sc. (Jam.) (2) Sc. You needna be sae mimmoot to sae auld
a freen', Ro\ Norseman's Wd. (1895) vii. Abd. Fat did yer
mimmou'd young leddy the last time she was at cor hoose? Abd.
IVkly. Free Press (Oct. 20, igooV Frf. A mim-mou'd maiden jimp
an' spare, Morison Poems (1790) 25. Ayr. When a thought
comes into her head she is not mim-mouthed in giving expression
to it, Johnston Kilmallie (1891J II. 178: Some mim-mou'd
pouther'd priestie. Burns W. Chalmers, st. 4. Lnk. I canna bide
him a meenit. He's aye sae mimmouthed, an' sae cauldrife,
Gordon Pj'ofeAaa; (1885) 17. Edb. Ballantine Gaberluneie (ed.
1875) Gl. GalL Every . . . ill-gabbit mim-moo'ed hizzie had a lick
at puir Birsay, Crockett Moss-Hags (1895) xxiii. Wgt. Sae
dressed-up mim-mou'd a mistress ne'er sat i' my muckle chair afore,
Good Wds. (1881) 402. Nhb.i (3, 4) Sc. (Jam.) (5~) Sc. Douce,
plod-plodding, mim-spoken lads, Keith Indian Uncle (1896) 189.
(6) w.Cor. Common (M.A.C.).
2. V. To act in a prim, affected manner, either in speak-
ing, eating, walking, &c.
Bnff.' The peer pridefou bodie cam mimmin an'primpin'ben the
fleer.
Hence Mimin', sb. the act of protesting or acting
affectedly.
Kcb. They canna tak' a dram o' liquor now without ha'ein' as
mony mimins and preein's to gang through, as if they were a' born
gentry. Elder Borgiie { 1897) 31.
MIMICATE, t;. Obs. Sc. To mimic; to pretend, sham.
Gall. Blinnie [is] a person mimicating the blind, Mactaggart
Encycl. (1824) 76, ed. 1876.
MIMICKING, ppl. adj. Chs.'^ [mi-mikin.] In comb.
Mimicking work, work made to look well for a time, but
not to last ; work done with bad material.
MIMINY-MOUTHED, adj. Midi. Prim, demure,
affected. See Mim.
Pictures of miminy-mouthed ladies and spindly fops, Bartram
People of Clapton (1897) 95.
MIMINY-PIMINY, int. w.Som.' A meaningless ex-
pression, used by children in their games.
Miminy piminy [miim'unee piimunee], where be'e to ? Miminy
piminy, I zee you.
MIMMAM, sb. Brks. [mi-mam.] A bog.
Nichols Bibl. Topog. Brit. (1790) IV. 80; Grose (1790); Gl.
(1852") ; Brks.'
MIMMOCK, sb. and v. Rut. Nhp. War. Won Hrf. Glo.
Hnt. Ken. Som. Also written niimock w.Wor.' ; mim-
muck se.Wor.'; and in forms mimick Nhp.' Ken. Hnt.;
mimmick v.'.Som.' [mi'msk, -ik.] 1. sb. A person with
a dainty and fastidious appetite or manner.
War." s.Wor. Er isn't over 'ealthy, 'er's alius such a mimmock
at 'er meals (H.K.). Ken. She's such a mimick (D.W.L.).
Hence Mimmocky, adj. fanciful, dainty ; used con-
temptuously.
s.Wor. Faddy and mimmocky, Outis Vig. Mon. mBerrow's Jm.
(1896^. Ken. Such a mimicky little thing (D.W.L.).
2. V. To play with one's food ; to have a poor appetite.
War =
MIMMY-MANCKING
["5]
MIND
Hence Mimmocking, ppl. adj. (i) dainty in appetite ;
puny, siclcly, weakly ; (2) affected in manner ; (3)
grimacing.
(1,1 Rnt.' Applied to a delicate baby. Nhp.i ; Nhp.° Applied to
a small weakly child or animal. War.^. se.Wor.' Hrf.' A little
mimmockin thing; Hrf.=, Glo.', Hnt. T.P.F.) w.Som.' Said only
of persons. ' Her's a poor little mimmickin thing, hardly worth
rearing.' (s) War.^, se.Wor.l (3^ w.Wor.i, Glo.*
MIMMY-MANCKING./";/. Der.^nw.Der.' Grimacing.
MIMMY-MAWKS, sb. pi. w.Yks.^ [mi'mi-moks.]
Grimaces, wry faces. ' Gi' o'er makin j-our mimmy-mawks.'
MIMP, V. and adj. Sc. Cum. Lan. War. Wor. Glo. Wil.
Cor. [mimp.] 1. v. To speak or act in an affected or
mincing manner; to toy or play with one's food in an
affected manner.
BnlT.' Joined with 'primp' and 'mim.' ' She mimpit an' primpit
through the room.' ' She mimpit an' mimmt fin she spaak.' Cum.'
Lan. Peggy coom mimpin up besoide him, lookingbonnily confused,
Staton Loontiiiaiy (c. 1861) 41. s.Wor. He mimps at his food
(H. K.). Cor. I thought you'd be mimpin' and raincin', Parr
Adatn and Eve (1880' 1. 151.
Hence (i) Mimping, />//. nrf/'., (2) Mimpy, arf/'. affected,
mincing ; dainty, fanciful about food.
(i) Bnff.' Rxb. The mimpin damosel, Allan Poems (1871)
Rustic Bard. War.' w.Wor.' I never see such a mimpin' 'arse
as this 'ere, I canna get 'im to eat 'is food. Glo.* (^aj s.Wor. (^H.K.)
2. To make believe ; to sham, pretend.
s.Wor.', Glo.' Wil.i ' Look at she a-settin' up ther, mimpin' ! '
idling, playing the fine lady.
3. To crouch, to sit huddled up or crouched together.
Wil. Her mimped auverth' vire aal day, herwur so bad(G.E.D. ).
4. adj. Prim, demure, affected. Also used advb. Bnft'.',
Lan.'
MIMPSY-PIMSY, rt(^'. Dev. [mimpsi-pimzi.] Daintj',
fastidious, fanciful, affected. See Mimp, 4.
The ninny-hammergiises now Just turn wi' mimpsy-pimsy scorn,
Salmon Ballath (1899) 79 ; Whot a poor mimpsy-pimsy craycher
'tez, tQ be sure! Hewett Peas. Sp. (1892 j; Whotiver be yii
nickling along like that vur ! . . I can't abide zich mimpsj-'pimsy
ways. (A. 106.
MIMSEY, sb. Cor.'* [mi'mzi.] The minnow, Leit-
ciscus p/io.\ini4S.
MIMSEY, adj. N.I.' [mi'mzi.] Prim, prudish ; con-
temptible, (s.v. Mim.)
MIN, see Man, sb.', Mind, Mun, v.\ pron.
MINARTA,si!i. Irel. The herb Bennet, Ge«»« MrJa«!<;«.
A^. .Sr' Q. ( 1863) 3rd S. iv. 383 ; (B. & H.)
MINAWAY, sb. Sc. Also in forms minowaye Slk. ;
minua Frf A dial, form of minuet.'
Frf. Could mince a minua on mist. Or caper on a cloud, Lowson
Guid/olloiv ( 1890 : 233. Ayr. She made nae a ceremonious curtsey,
like a maid of honour dancing a minaway wi' the Lord Chancellor,
Galt Lairds (1826) xiv. Slk. The otar dancit ane minowaye,
Hogg Poems (ed. 1865) 173.
MINCE, sb. Wor. Cor. A mite : also used attrib. See
Mint, 56.2
s Wor. The red spider be jus' like a mince, one o' them mince
things as comes in cheese (H.K.).
Hence Mincey-flour, sb. flour infested with mites.
w.Cor. (M.A.C.)
MINCE, V. Sc. Shr. Brks. Dev. [mins.] To walk or
dance with short steps, in a mincing or affected manner.
Frf. Could mince a minua [minuet] on mist, Or caper on a cloud,
LowsoN Guidfollow (1890) 233. Shr.' Jest see our Mary! 'er
gwuz mincin' alung as if 'er wuz daincin' on eggs an' afraid o'
breakin' 'em. Dev. (Hall.)
Hence Mincing,///, adj. affected ; trifling.
Fif. My faith, it was nae mincin' matter ; There never was sic
chaft-blade blatter On hairst-rigs or on crafts, Tennant Papistry
(1827 116. Brks.' She be too mincin' a zart of a gal vor my money.
MINCH,i;.' Som. Dev. Cor. [mi'nt;.] To play truant,
to 'mitch' (q.v.).
Som. Gent. Mag. (1794) "o; (F.R.C.) Dev. Theer's nort
doin'just now so 1 minched away, Philupotts £>aW»ioot- (1896)
126. Cor. For aw would minchey, Thomas Randigal Rhymes
(1895I 4; Cor.' 2
Hence Mincher, sb. a truant. Dev. (A. B.C.), Cor.'"
MINCH, v.^ and sb. Sc. Nhb. Dur. Cum. Yks. Lan. Not.
Lin. Rut. AlsowrittenminshSc.rjAM.)s.Not. [minj.] \.v.
To mince ; to cut into very small pieces. Also usedy?^.
Sc. (Jam.\ Bnff.' Abd. The sorrow ane amon's wou'd fike
minch'd meat to make [the chuck], Beattie Parings (1801) 9, ed.
1873. Arg. My heart is a' to muilins minched, Colville Verna-
cular 1,1899 i 6. Lnk. Reviewers . . . May minch, dissect, condemn
to burn. Watt Poems (1827) 7. Kcb. Let Christ have all your
love without minching or dividing it, Rutherford Lett. (^1660)
No. 130. N.Cy,i,Dur.' Cum. Cut um upinto minsht coUops, Po//
Book (1832) 35. e.Yks ', m.Yks.' w.Yks. Lucas Stud. Nidder-
dale (c. 1882) GI. ; w.Yks.=, m.Lan.' s.Not. Ah didn't minsh
matters (J.P.K.). n.Lin.' Rut.' I won't minch it [will not
' mince matters'].
Hence (i) Minch-meat, sb. mince-meat ; also usedy?§-. ;
(2) -pie, sb. a mince-pie.
(i) Lnk. Made him minch-meat for the grave, Graham Writings
(1883) \. 156. m.Yks.' (2) N.Cy.i Nhb. Send thee to'Satan to
make minch pies, Richardson Bordere>'s Table-bk. (1846) VIIL
377. n.Yks. Minch-pies, an' lots o' other things, Tweddell C/ei'</.
Rhymes (1875) 7. w.Yks.3=, m.Yks.', Not.', s.Not. (J.P.K.),
Lin. (W.W.S.) n.Lin.' It is said that mincepies and minch-pies
are not quite the same. Minch-pies, we are told, have meat in
their composition ; mince-pies have not.
2. To walk mincingly. e.Yks.' 3. sb. A small piece
of anything; a crumb. Sc. (Jam. , Bnft'.', m.Yks.'
MINCH-HOUSE, 56. Obs. ?Sc Also written minsh-.
A small inn or ale-house.
They la}' at a minch-house in the road, being a good inne for
the country ; for most of the pubhc houses I mett with before in
country places were no better than ale houses, which they call
here minch-houses, n.Eng.and Sc. in 17041 i8i8i in A', (y Q. (1888)
7th S. vi. 44; It is a sort of inne or rainsh-house of considerate
note kept by a ffarmer of great dealings, ib.
MINCHICK, V. and sb. Sc. [minjik.] 1. v. To cut
or break into very small pieces. Bnff.' 2. sb. A very
small piece, ib. Hence Minchickie, sb. a very small
piece indeed.
Bnfr.' Cld. An exaggerated diminutive used by children, when
they wish to express the smallest bit possible, or to justify the
portion they claim or have taken for themselves (Jam.).
MINCHIN, 5/;. Hrfe.An. Also in form mingin e. An.'
[mi'njin.] A mite or crumb of anything ; a small piece
of food. Hrf (W.W.S.), e.An.', Nrf (G.E.D.)
MIND, sb. Van dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also
in forms maynd e.Dev. ; meynd Cum.* ; min Sc. Dwn. ;
mynd, myne Sc. (Jam.) 1. In phr. (i) to be a tiiind to or
amiudoT aiiiint, (a) to choose to, to be inclined or willing to;
to intend, propose; (b) to deliberate, consider, turn over
in one's mind ; (2) to have a mind to, see (i, a) ; (3) to
have a mind upon, to think about or upon ; (4) to have no
mind to, to dislike, have no liking or inclination for ; (51
to keep mind, (6) to run in one's mind, to remember, keep
in one's recollection; (7) to settle one's mind, to make one's
will ; (8) to take one's mind of it, to have one's own way ;
(<)) ginye've a «!/«fl', if you will take heed or warning; (lo)
in one mind, of one way of thinking, in agreement; (11)
most of a mind, inclined to ; (12) my mind, in my opinion,
to my mind ; (13) n long mind, (14) a year's mind, a long-
entertained wish or desire ; see below.
(i, a) Lnk. I'll begin wi'yeas I'm amind to end wi'ye, Graham
IVntiiigs (1883) II. 212. N.I.' ' I was a mind to ha' done it,' I in-
tended to do it. w.Mid. 'You could do it very well if you were
amint to it. It's no use persuading him ; he wunt go home
unless he's amint iW.P.M.\ Ken.' 2, Wil.' n.Wil. Yon can
bide thur aslongas j'ou be a mind to E.H.G.). w.Som.' * Tommy,
you must-n go up there.' * 'What vor ? I shall nif I be a mind to.'
Dev. ' Whot chell I zing ? ' ' Whot thee'st a mind to ; unley let et
be zommat lively!' Hewett Peas. Sp. 11892) 49. (A' w.Som.' I
be amind I'd break up thick field and put'n to beans. I be half a
mind to let'n go and take his chance. (2) Sc. (A.W.), Yks. (J.W. ),
War.^ Wor, The moneywas ready forthe overseer if he had a mind
to call for it, Evesham Jrn. (Apr. 9, 1897). Brks. Thee medst cum
and pick 'em all out if thee'st a mind to't, Hughes T. Brown 0.\f.
(i85i'i xxiii. Hnt. Have you amind to go with me? (T.P.F. 1
Sur. People live hero as long as they've a mind to, Jennings Field
Paths (iSe^) 26; Sur.' Hmp. He took as much as he'd amind
to't (H.C.M.B.). Dev. The Rev. Thomas did say what he had a
MIND
[ii6]
MIND
mind to, O'Neill Idyls (1892) 108. (3) Dev. [Speaking of two
characters in a Scriptural Parable] ' I've often had a mind upon
they two men,' Reports Provinc. (1883") 88. (4) Ayr. Thou hast na
mind to marry, Burns Heres to thy health, st. 2. Kcb. As to your
particular treating by yourselves with the invaders of our land, I
have no mind to it, Rutherford Lett. (1660) No. 326. (5) Sc. (Jam.)
Per. Keep mind thou maun a reckoning gie, Haliburton Dunbar
(1895) 18. Ayr. But ay keep mind to moop an' mellWi' sheep o'
credit like thysel! Burns £le-flMo/PoorAfn!//f, St. 10. Lnk. But, Mary,
keep min' it's sae wee, Nicholson Idylls {i8qo) 16. i,61 Sc. (A.W.)
w.Yks. It runs in my mind I set offata canter, Snowden IVebo/lVcavcr
(1896) xix. (7)Dor. (A.C.) (8) Rnf. Things cannaweel gang mair
aglee — She e'en may tak' her min' o't For me, this day, Picken
Poems (1813) I. 147. (9") Abd. Keep your clack, ginye've a min",
Shirrefs Poems (1790) Introd. 17. (10) Yks. If they're all i' one
mind they can get what they want, Taylor MissMiles (1890) xiv.
w.Yks. (J.W.) (n) Wor. It's most o' mind to be rainy (H.K.).
(12) Sc. A lord ! it's my mind he will onlj' prove to be a lord o'
session, Scott St. Roiiati (1824'; ii. I.W.' My mind nothun doant
zim to vaay noohow to-night, 50. (13) Cnm., Wm. It meant origi-
nally the disposition of elTects at a funeral, to ensure a repetition
of masses and solemnities in remembrance of the departed, at the
end of a month. When these were discontinued, the phr. seems
to have been retained as an emphatic one for a deliberate resolu-
tion (M.P.). (14) iib.)
2. Recollection, remembrance, memory, esp. in phr. to
have mind.
Sc. I have no mind of any such Whigs before, Stevenson Cntri-
o»a (1893) ii ; I had na the least mind of it (Jam.). Abd. I haena
min' o' sic a sizzon, Ctiidman Iiigiisinaill (1873) 28. Per. My first
mind is my mother's knee, Spence Poems (1898) 70. Rnf. 'V'e'll
hae mind, . . How sweet was our bliss, Webster Rhymes (1835)
125. Ayr. My faither was awfu' dull o' the uptak that day, and
hadna mind o' ony paper ava. Service Notandmns (1890) 69. Lnk.
I'm sure it's as lang as my mither has mind, Rodger Pof»;5 (1838)
14, ed. 1897. Edb. Hae ye mind The morn's the first o' May?
Mi^Dowall Poetns (18391 40- N.I." I hadn't a bit mind of it. ' I
had no mind,' I forgot. Dwn. I hae min' o' her pittin traycle in it
tae mak the breid keep, Lyttle Ballyaiddy (1892) 10.
Hence (i) Amind, fhr. in mind, in recollection; (2)
Mindless, adj. forgetful, regardless.
(I'l Sh.I. I tocht 'at hit pat me amind O dem 'at's awa frae me,
lyv.i>\ Klingrahool (1898} 6. (2) Abd. Mindless of the shock His
limbs in wand'ring bore the former day, [He] starts, Shirrefs
Poems (1790) 233.
3. A reminder, hint. Cld. (Jam.) 4. Inclination,
desire ; affection.
Kcd. He often thocht that she was dead, . . Or that to him she
was unkind, And bless'd anither wi' her mind, Jamie Muse ( 1844)
13. Lth. Sure she guid an' fair maun be, Wha's win my Willie's
mind, Bruce Po«>«s 1,1813) II. 48. Cum.'' Seah she conquer'!, an'
pay't what she bed a mind, Farrall Betty Wilson (1886) 127.
e.Dev. Aj- be my young-man's, an' hee's maynd's tawards ai, PuL-
MAN Sng. Sol. (i860) vii. 10.
MIND, V. Var. dial, uses in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also
in forms mahnd n.Yks.*; maind e.Dev.; min Sc. In
e.Lan." Wil. Som. ; meind Cum. ; mine Sc. w.Yks. Dev. ;
minn'd Lan. ; moind Lan. Nrf. ; mynd, myne Sc. (Jam.)
I. Gram, forms. 1. Preterite: (i) Mineted, (2) Mineteed,
(3) Muyn.
(i)-War. (J.R.W.) Som. »'mca«/o«G/.( 1885). (a)'WU. Slow
Gl. 1 1892). (3) w.Som.t
2. /./>. (i) Minden. e.Yks} ; (2) U-muyn. w.Som.'
II. Dial. uses. 1. To remember, recollect, bear in
mind ; to recall to mind.
Sc. Hout, tout, man, mind where the Stuarts come frae, Scott
Nigel (1822) XXXV ; What would yon old wife have minded of the
pair of us? Stevenson Catrimia (1893) xii. Sh.I. Mindin' hoo
supple we wer whin we set oot, J.H. Da Last Foy (18961 3.
ne.Sc. Ah mine weel fin the like o' that wis deen. Green Gordon-
haven (1887) 61. Cai.i Abd. I canna min' when I began to come
here first, Macdonald D. Elginbrod (1863) I. 82. Kcd. I min' the
little'n weel. Grant Lays ,1884) 11. Frf. It's because I canna
mind his name, Barrie Tommy (1896) 67. Per. Ye mind hoo ye
got three notes oot o' me at Perth Market, Ia,\ Maclaren Brier
Bush (1895) i6- e.Fif. Weel do I mind how we used to squat
roond her wheel, Latto Tam Bodkin (1864) iii. s.Sc Ance, ye
mine, I loo't the muses, T. Scott Poems (1793) 356. Slg. Fine I
mind, Towers Poems (1885) 149. Rnf. He'll lang mind his visit,
Picken Poems (1813) II. 136; He forgets his loves or debts. An'
minds his griefs no more, hvB.ti% Sc. Drink (I^86) Motto. Lnk.
I min't like yestreen, Hamilton Poems (i86-'i 147. e.Lth. Ve
mind the year whan the Auld Kirk was dung doun ? Hunter /.
Inwick (1895) 9. Edb. I mind mysell, it's nae sae lang sin syne,
Fergusson Poems (1773) 108, ed. 1785. Slk. I canna mind half
what he said, Hogg Tales (1838) 9, ed. 1866. Gall. Do you mind
where ye first learned the Lord's Prayer? Crockett Standard
Bearer (1898) 309. Kcb. Ve'll min' when oor Grizzie an' me first
forgather'd, Armstrong Ingleside (1890) 69. Ir. He said he minded
Bessie havin' a fancy for duck-eggs. Barlow Liscomicl (1895) 27.
n.Ir. A didnae min' ocht mair fur a guid while, Lyttle Paddy
McQuillan, 21 ; N.I.i ' I mind the time,' a common beginning to a
story. Uls. Yin simmer day — a min't es weel es yisterday, M'^Ilrov
Craig-limu'e {igoo) 27 ; (M.B.-S.) Ant. I mind the night I promised
well, O'Neill Glens (1900) 19. Dwn. Knox Hist. Dwn. (1875).
Nhb. Ah niver mind to have neglected her afore, s.Tynedale Stud.
(1896) iv; Nhb.i, e.Dur.i Lakel.= Ah'U hev nin o' thi sauce,
minds'ta that noo. Cum. We wull meind thy luive mair iier weyne,
Rayson S«^.5o/. (1859) i. 4. n.Yks.2 ne.Yks.' Ah mahnd yance.
e.Yks.', m.Yks.i w.Yks. Aw mind one day seein i' th' papers 'at
it's a varry bad thing to sarve tramps. Hartley Clock Aim. (1887)
25 ; w.Yks.i Thou minds, as I wor gangin haam. Lan. I moind
Tum Grisdale being dreawnt, Bowker Tales (1882) 106. s.Not.
Ah mind when ah wor a j'oung un mysen (J.P.K.). Lin. D'ya
mind the murnin' when we was a-walkin' togither? Tennyson
Spinster's Sweet-arts (1885). n.Lin. Dost mind 'at we plaay'd i'
th'crewyard? Peacock Ta/^'s (1886) 122. War. J.R.W.) ; 'War.a
Mind the butter for to-morrow, when you're at the farm ; War.^*,
s.War.i GIo. Thee mind'st owld Peter, Buckman Darke's Sojourn
(1890) ii; Glo.'2 Brks.Ever since I can mind, Hughes 7". .Bjozfji
O.xf. (1861) xviii ; Brks.l What do a me-an by tawkin' to I like
that ther ? why I minds when a was but a bit of a bwoy. Bdf. I
mind well as when I were a lad. Ward Bessie Costrell (1895) 50.
Hnt. I mind the time when hog feast cost a mort' o' money. A'. & Q.
(1865) 3rd S. vii. 295. Nrf. Mind j'ow, O darters o' J'rusal'm, . .
to tell onto him. that I fare cothy wi' love, Gillett Sng. Sol.
(i860) V. 8. w.Nrf. I doant moind sich a Christmas as this here,
Orton BeestoH Ghost (1884' 4. Ess. I mind how father used to
hide me ! (H.H.M.) Ken.' Do you mind what happen'd that time
up in Island? Ken.^ Sur. I told him 1 could mind having married
such a gowk as 'ee without a ring, and that shut 'ee up, Bickley
Sur. Hills (1890) II. i ; Sur.i Sus. One morning I mind I got up at
four, Egerton/"/*. and Ways (1884 42 ; Sus.l 1 minds him well, he
was along here last Mileraas. Hmp.' I.W. A clarinet and a bugle,
as you med mind when a buoy. Gray Annesley {i86g) I. 116;
(J.D.R.); I.W.12 Wil. Slow G/.( 1892) ; WiU I minds I wur just
about bad then. n.Wil. He ' minded ' a great snowfall when he
was a boy, Jefferies Wild Lije (1879) 83. Dor. 1 can mind him
ever since I was growing up a hard boy-chap. Hardy Greenwd.
Tree (1878) iii ; Dor.' I da mind, oone year, I zeed a vill o' hearty
cheer, 160. Som. We 'ool mind thoi love moore than woine,
Baynes Sng. Sol. (i86o) i. 4 ; W. & J. Gl. (.1873). w.Som.i Can
you mind the poor old Betty Jones ? Dev. I mine et vury wul,
Nathan Hogg Pof/. Lett. (1847) 26, ed. 1866; I minds yu when
yu lived tu Yarnscombe, Hew m Peas. Sp. (1892); Dev.^ n.Dev.
Sudden she could mind no more, but dropped down like a log.
Chanter Witch (1896 1 13. nw.Dev.i Cor. I'll . . . tell'n all the
stories I can mind, Forfar Poems (1885) 51; Cor.^ w.Cor. I
mind 'un courting when he'd a grey 'ead and now he's courting
when he's got a bald 'ead (M.A.C.).
Hence Minding, sb. a recollection, remembrance ; fig.
a verj' small quantity, a ' thought,' sufficient to recall to
remembrance.
Sh.I. Dat's da second time 'at dat's taen place in him i' my
mindin', Sh. News (Feb. 5, 1898). Ayr. Dinnascart a hole in your
plate that way, lassock ! — ha' juist a niin'in' in't, for t'e cat, ye kenl
Service Dr. Duguid ,ed. 1887) 227.
2. To be mentioned or remembered in a will.
Frf. Aboot twenty o' the leadin' inhabitants had been minditby
Ebenezer to the extent o' sums ranging frae seventeen pounds to
fifty-five pounds, Willock Rosetty Ends (1886) 143, ed. 1889.
3. To remind ; to admonish.
Sc. It minds her o' the beginning o't, Shepherd's Wedding (^i-]8g)
12. Sh.I. Hit . . . minds me o' what happened dan. Burgess
Sketches (2nd ed.) 88. Elg. It min's me aye . . . Upon a threc-
leggit steel turn'd upside doon, Tester Pofms (1865) 140. Kcd.
As he drew near to Luna's braes. It min't him sair on former days,
Jamie Muse (1844) 16. Frf. It minds me o' a water spout, Sands
Poems (1833) 114. Per. Thou minds me o'a maid thysel', Hali-
MIND
["?]
MINE
BURTON //oracc (1886)35. w.Sc.That I do— Cardeiin, man, when
ye mind me o't, Carrick Laird of Lognii (1835I 162. Cld. That
mynes me o' my promise Jam."). Dmb. Ye'll mind my master o'
what I've said, Taylor Poems (1827) 77. Rnf. Others mind ye 0'
a rat, Barr Poems (1861) 33. Ayr. The doctor was mindin' me
o' a curlers' dinner we were at, Service A'otoirt'Hms (1890) 23.
Lnk. It minds ane hoo they did theirsel'. Thomson A/h5I".§'s (1881)
izB. e.Ltb. I no needed onythin to mind me o't, Hunter y. /int'ifA
(1895) 149. Edb. She minds me o' that sturdy fallow, Liddle
Poems (1821) 28. Gall. His visage min'd me o' a rock, Lauderdale
Poems (iTgCl 90. N.I.' Now mind me of that to-morrow. Ant.
Mindin' himself o' the dear days lost, O'Neill Glens (1900) 34.
Nib.', Lakel.2 Wm. That minds me Ah mun git sum bacca at
t'shop (B.K.). Yks. (C.C.R.) m.Yks.' Mind him of it, if you go.
w.Yks. (J.W.) s.Not. There worn't no need to mind me o' that
(J.P.K.). Lin. It minds me o' ih' time when I wer a lass, Lin.
N. & Q. (Jan. 1892^ 11. War. I have recently been minded of
Bingley House, Midi. Ctics. Herald (May 12, 1898). -w.Wor.
When thee be aconiin tail fust down the lather, yer minds me o'
that aecle, that rain-bird, us sid i' the ood, Berrow's Jrn. (Mar. 10,
1888). Glo. That minds me. . . That woman . . . have sent a note
to be delivered, Gissing B0//1 of this Parish (1889I II. 230. s.Oxf.
It 'minds me o' the time when Tom an' me come 'ome, Rosemary
Chiltems (1895) 181. Nrf. Minds me of coming into harbour fishin'
time, Emerson Lagoons (ed. i8g6) 77. Suf. That gal du mind me
o' wliat I was at her age, Fison Merry Suf. (1899^1 63. Wil.' That
minds I o' Lunnon, it do. n.Wil. (E.H.G.) w.Som.' Aa'y muyn
an oa'vur-n oa*vur ugee'un, vur tu bee shoa'ur vur tu bee u geo'd
bvvuuy [I admonished him over and over again, to be sure and be a
good boy]. n.Dev. Locked it up in the chest, as it mightn't mind
him of things, Chanter Witch (1896) iii.
Hence Minding, sb. (i) a reminder ; (2) pi. the marks on
a stone about to be sawn, for the guidance of the sawyers.
(i) Wil.* After a severe illness you are apt to have 'the mindings
on't ' now and again. n.Wil. She haves the mindin's o' that stroke
as she had a year ago (E.H.G.). (2) s.Not. Yer hevn't minded yer
mindings (J.P.K.).
4. To observe, notice ; to pay attention or heed to.
Lth. Noo join me — for min' me, Blythe honours they maun hae,
Smith Merry Bridal (1866) 16. N.I.' See ! d'ye mind the way
she's walkin'. Nhb. Mind yo're witniss this day, Robson Bk.
/f«//j (18601 iv. g. Lakel.i n.Yks.* Ah've mahnded what thoo sed.
e.Yks.^ w.Yks. Ha doant mean ta hev ony up-stais, tha mines,
ToM Treddlehoyle Ben Btint (1838) 5. Rio. 'Are the potatoes
read3' to dig?' *I don't know, I hav'nt minded them' (A.B.).
e.An.* ' I never minded it,' 1 did not notice it.
5. To watch, look after, take care of; to tend, attend to,
superintend.
s.Sc. Ye'll be minded better ere ye leave us, Wilson 7o&s(i836)
II. 261. Gall. Min' yer money. Ye need it to buy j'ersel' shoon,
Irving Lays (1872) 233. Dur.l n.Vks. 'Noo mahnd her,' take
careof her(T.S.) ; (I.W.) ne.Yks.i e.Yks.'Cum an mind bayns,
whahl Ah sahve pigs. m.Yks.' Mother, let's mind one another,
or we shall both get drowned. Minding the bairns and the house.
w.Yks. Each weaver 'minds' two \ooms, Phases Bradford Ltfe, 196;
They do the work, and he minds them. The old man's full of
ailments, and so the daughter's gone home to mind him (C.C. R.).
Lan.I minded mygoodsand fodderedandwatered them, Walkden
Diary (ed. 1866) 95. m.Lan.', Chs.', nw.Der.', War.*, Not.\ Hrf.i
Oxf.' MS. add. Sur.i Som. Put un down in kitchen to mind the
spit, Raymond Tryphena (1895) 27. w. Som.' To work at any
machine or engine is to mind it. A farmer seeing a boy idle, would
tell him to mind his work. Dev. It was no hardship for the old
Australian to 'mindhisself,'as his neighbours constantly remarked,
Stooke Not E.vactly, i ; Dev.^, Cor.3, w.Cor. (M.A.C.)
HenceMinder,56.aworkerinaspinning-mill; a 'spinner.'
Lan. Johnty Harrop the 'Minder' had got into difficulties,
AcKWORTH Clog Shop Chron. (1896) 163; Lan.i
6. To be nursed, be taken care of.
w.Yks. While her mother was away at the mill Tressy was put
out ' to mind,' Burnley Sketches (1875) 57.
Hence Minder, sb. a child put out to be nursed.
[Those are minders . . . left to be minded, sir, Dickens Mutual
Friend 11865 . bk. i. xvi.]
7. To wish, have a mind to; to feel inclined or disposed to.
Abd. The earl of Sutherland . . . directed Iherefrae his led horse
with his greath to the Bog, minding to lodge there all night,
Spalding Hist. Sc. (1792) 17. Frf. Gif yer mindit to spcir, Watt
Poet. Sketches (iSBo) 13. Cld. I don't myne to see him ava (Jam.).
Ayr. A paper I'm mindit to hae drawn out, Galt Entail (1833)
xxxix. Nhb.^Aa wis minded to gan, but — . w.Yks. (J.W.) sw.Lin.i
He did not mind for the land at S. The Squire does not mind his
doing of it, i.e. does not like it. I don't think she minded [liked]
to go away. He doesn't seem to mind [wish for] a trade. Nhp.i
I minded to go over to Morton. Wor. Ee con goo ef a do mind,
Outis yig. Mon. Glo. That man down to Coombe, who'd break
any stwon you wur minded to gie un, Buckman Darke's Sojourn
(1890)167. Wil. Slow G/. (1892). Dor. Zam bea-gwain to take I
to Mere to-morrow, if I be 20 minded. Hare K;//. 5^/^/(18951 72.
Som. SwEETMAN Wiiicanton Gl. (1885). Dev. You must trapse off
from 'eer up-long to Princctown or wheer you'm minded to,
Phillpotts Dartmoor (1896) 276. e.Dev. Ai bag'th 'ee . . .
nit ta meuve ner ta wake my young-man till's a-maindid teue,
PuLMANS>/f.5o/.(i86o) ii. 7. Cor.^ You can do what you mind to.
8. Phr. (i) to mind away, to get out of the way, stand on
one side ; used in the imp. ; (2) — for, {a) to care for,
mind ; (b) to watch, look out for; (3) — of, to remember,
recollect; to think of ; (4) — o^, see(i); (5) — o», see(3);
(6) — one on, to remind, call to remembrance ; (7) — one's
draiiglit, to take another glass to drink ; cf. mend, 5 (2) ;
(8) — oneself, (9) — one's feel, to take care of one's steps ;
(10) — otil, (a) see (i) ; (b) see (9) ; (c) to retaliate ; (iij —
out the road, see (1) ; (12) — upon, see (3).
(i) s.Not. Mind away! there's a cart comin' (J.P.K.). (2, «)
Sc. The bairn was in an unco rage, but I wasna mindin' for that,
Swan Aldersyde (ed. 1892) 116. (6) Sc. Hauldin' the line, and
mindin' for his signals, Stevenson Catriona (1893) xv. (3) Sc.
'Did Adam ever mention him before?' 'Never that I mind of,'
Keith Indian Uncle (1896) 21. Abd. When I mind o' her, I maist
think I have lost a friend, Ruddiman Sc. Parish !i828) 28, ed.
1889. Frf. I dinna mind o't but aince, Barrie Thrums (1889)
xviii. Per. Ye mind o' the man that rejoiced so sair because he
had gotten his son back safe and sound, SaiAa/A Nights (1899) 26.
Ayr. I mind o' thinkin', laird, . . that he was the very emblem o'
mortality. Service Notandums (1890) 21. Edb. Auld grandfaither,
that I mind of when a laddie, Moir Maiisie IVaiich (1828) i. Dmf.
ask your heart gif it minds 0' me, Cromek Remains (i8io) 219.
Gall. I mindweel o' the faithero'him that's gane, Crockett iJo^-
Myiile (1895) 170. (4) m.Yks.' (5) Per. I can understan' him
minding on his auld hame, Sandy Scott (1897) 10. Gall. Ilka time
ye hear it, laddie, ye'll mind on yer faither, Crockett Raiders
(1894) ii. n.Yks.* Ah nivver, 'at Ah mahnd on, ivver tried ti
disawn't. (6) Nhb.' ' Mind me on ' — bid me remember. w.Yks.s
Lan. Owd nick minn'd me on ogen, Paul Boedin Sequel yiBig)
i6. e.Lan.i (7) Glo. (H.S.H.\ Glo.' (8) Abd. Min' yersel' wi'
warlocks, ghaists, and witches, Ogg Willie Waly{i&Ti] 21, w.Som.'
Mind yerzul. (9) nw.Abd. Tak tent, tak tent, an' min 
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